Shake your six

Instead of attempting to make sense of the last 365-or-so days with a neatly organized list and regurgitated commentary, I decided that I'd make a mix to wrap up my year in pop-music fandom. Check it:

'06tape

Tracks:

1. Cassie - Me & U
2. Prince - Black Sweat
3. Remy Ma - Conceited
4. Clipse - Trill
5. Nelly Furtado & Timbaland - Promiscuous
6. Diddy & Keyshia Cole - Last Night
7. Mr. Lif - Brothaz (9th Wonder Remix)
8. Ghostface Killah - Kilo
9. Shareefa featuring Ludacris - I Need a Boss
10. Beyonce featuring Jay-Z - Upgrade U
11. Christina Aguilera - Ain't No Other Man
12. Lyfe Jennings - Down Here, Up There
13. Fantasia - Bore Me (Yawn)
14. Gwen Stefani - Wind It Up
15. Kirk Franklin - Looking for You
16. Basement Jaxx - Everybody
17. Junior Boys - The Equalizer (Morgan Geist Graphic Mix)
18. Omarion - Ice Box
19. Justin Timberlake - My Love
20. T.I. - What You Know / Lil Wayne - What U Kno
21. The Knife - From Off to On
22. Ciara - Promise
23. Monica - Sideline Ho
24. Janet Jackson - Take Care

I really fucking hate lists and being forced to quantify my taste and interests (reason 3,666 why I'll never deserve the esteemed title of "music journalist"). What I choose for my Top 10 of 2006 today would look different than tomorrow's, next week's, next month's, next year's tallies (seriously, I look back and wonder how I can get my hands on that potent, potent shit that I was smoking that led me to not put Mariah's "We Belong Together" as my No. 1 of last year). I figure it's probably more useful to touch on the major points of pop music that, in turn, touched me in one, big blend of sound. That's how the year in music plays in my head (at this point, anyway).

This was a bitch to assemble, as non-house/techno mixes tend to be. So many tempos, so many styles to mash together to reflect my ADD-addled taste. While I cover many of the strictly defined singles I dug, there are also some album tracks thrown in -- it's the Internet, I'm allowed to be wild.

I'm not thrilled with all of the transitions (sadly, I can't really justify mating Gwen Stefani and Kirk Franklin...although, maybe that's not so sad, after all). I also regret that I couldn't work in Cherish's "Do It To It," as it will forever remind me of the highlight of my year (and quite possibly, the highlight of my life): seeing Mary Carey at a South Jersey strip club. Cherish's track is just too damn slow (like 75 bpm!) for its own damn party vibe. On the upside, it was nice being reacquainted with some stuff that came out early this year, like Prince's "Black Sweat" (just like, undoubtedly, it was nice for the purple one himself to be reacquainted with synths) and Remy Ma's "Conceited" (line-for-line, the funniest hip-hop track of the year). Also, in the process of compiling this, I became obsessed with Clipse's "Trill." I now understand what it is to love and slang.

If you listen to only one transition, make it the bridge between the Knife and Ciara. I'm proud of it.

And speaking of CiCi, mix climaxes with "Promise," the one track whose rank is unquestionable to me (it's, without a doubt, my favorite track of the year; maybe of the decade, too, but I'll get back to you on that). Normally, I'd end the mix there, but I wanted to sail out with something more atmospheric as (prepare for total retardation) denouement. That's why the final song is Janet's "Take Care," 20 Y.O.'s saving grace, if anything was. It's been a rough year for Jan, but it's OK -- she'll take care of herself. It strikes me that it wouldn't be possible to come up with a more brilliant metaphor for her tattered career than what the lyrics of "Take Care" hold: empowerment via masturbation.

That's it for '06 on the pop side (well, for now, at least). I plan on doing something similar, though more narrow in scope for dance music I liked this year within the coming days.

Now, all I need is a room with a pole in it...

Comments

[mariaaaaa]

Thank you, Rich! There's a lot of stuff here I haven't heard (at least not consciously.) Thanks for EVERYTHING! You made 2006 a funnier and more delightful place.

[Hateraid]

Happy New Year to you and the fam. Give Winston a kiss from Auntie Hateraid at midnight for me.

No Crazy by Gnarls Barkley?

[rocka]

Lol, damn.. now I feel stupid for making a list...

Seriously though... Basement Jaxx rocks... Do you get into Robyn also?

And, I think you may be a music journalist on the sly...

[♥dex]

I haven't read this entire entry yet; I had to run to the bathroom first because two drops of pee came out!

Hoo-ray! A ju-i-zy pop mix AND a dance mix on the way?

Call me panty soup! I cannot wait.

You deserve the foxiest 2k7 around! And I know someone who has a stripper pole in her guest/pool house if you're ever in Los Angeles again. ;)

[♥dex]

Nice post title too.

Lust. Her.

[deeyou]

No Amy Winehouse?

[AntBee]

Thanks a lot Rich! Happy New Year to you and yours!

[Ed]

Once again you have made a perfect mix. I don't think I could have done it better. I'm glad to say that all those tracks are on heavy rotation in my iPod. I probably would have added some Mary J. Blige...Enough Cryin' is my standout of 2006 just for her rapping and intro line (so fierce!). STILL HOW CAN YOU MAKE A **POP** MIX WITH NO MADONNA!!! Also where is Gnarls Barkley, The Pussycat Dolls, or Kelis? What kind of gay man are you?

[Deege]

I am maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad at that list, cuz it's so ON POINT!

I wish you and all my fellow readers love, prosperity, and fulfillment in 07!

[Neha]

Holy shit. The Knife to Ciara is so perfect. I'm getting misty. Well done, sir. Thanks for keeping me 'ooohing' all year.

[mosh]

So just this morning several friends were talking abut the Knife. And now look at THIS! I can not wait for the dance mix too. I'll be driving home to this tonight ;)

[jemcjones]

what...no dreamgirls review? seriously, i'm dying to know what you thought. i thoroughly enjoyed it myself.

[nerd]

i love ur music list! they become my workouts!

[marlo_girl]

i love the list, now how do i download the damn thing? stoopid firefox won't let me! : (

[Gebba]

totally downloaded all those songs- thanks for the list!

[rod]

why bring the music to a room with a pole when you can bring the pole to your room with your music?

happy seven ...

[rod]

also...
stoopid firefox will let you. just right-click (control+click on mac) and choose "save this link as ...)

[bernard]

what did you use to mix this?

[Mandee]

Ohmygod you are so awesome, Rich!!
It was during 2006 that I discovered your website and I have been faithful ever since. You're fuckin hilarious! And I know 2 other people that are gonna love to have a copy of this.
Can't wait for next year's recaps. Happy New Year!!

[methinks]

i'm happy to see janet made your list. her cd was a big disappointment to me since it wasn't the big dance album that jd said it would be, but the slow songs are actually very good. take care is good, as is enjoy. if she wouldn't have tried to be something she isn't then maybe the other songs would have been good too. thanks for that jd.

[mer]

Rich, I hear what you are saying about Cherish. They were probably my favorite new group of the year. Cassi maybe a one hit wonder (time will tell) but Me & U is probably the best song ever about a bj (I don't care what she says).

[♥dex]

Wowsa.

I just listened to the mix and it was fantastic. My tastes have very much been in the dance/electronic scene lately but this mix made me want to go out and buy each track.

Well done.

It's so unfair one man--and one entirely unavailable man at that--should be so talented and sexy. ;)

[inothernews]

Rich, I thought you should know that when you type your name into Wikipedia, the most relevent search term is for Mariah Carey's Butterfly.

This should help you feel better about last year. And also let you know that you oughtta get an entry about yourself.

[altmike]

Rich,

Thank you so much for the mix. You open my eyes up to some music I would never have heard before. One of the many reason you are one of my altHEROES.

[honeybfly]

Happy New Year!
I was playing my Jesus Is The Reason CD today!
Love you Four Four EVAH!