Just switched to the new version of Blogger - the Google sort. Not sure what the differences are really, but I'm sure I'll find out eventually. :)

I'm updating to the newest version of iTunes as well... hope it works this time, had to fiddle around reinstalling an older version last time. It didn't work at all well, couldn't play a song without weird skipping. *sigh*

Since James blogged about the music of 2006, I thought I would too. First of all, a few comments on things he mentioned:

Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys: Well, mardy can't just be a Leicestershire word since (as far as I'm aware) they aren't from Leicestershire. But still, it certainly isn't in widespread use. The Monkeys are ok, though I think the enormous hype surrounding them has calmed down a lot now.

Yeah Yeah Yeah Song - The Flaming Lips: Definitely a cool band, I liked Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. :)

Over and Over - Hot Chip: Possibly one of the catchiest toe-tapping songs of the year, in my opinion. I've had 'like a monkey with a miniature cymbal' as my quote on MSN for ages. :D

Lady Sovereign: Well I'm not sure we want to encourage chavs, but I did like 9 to 5.

Lily Allen: She earns the dubious honour of being the only artist I've bought an album by and almost immediately re-sold. Yes, it's catchy, but the words are so horrible. It's hard to think anyone could live in such a grim world of jealousy and despair and actually enjoy it. Hmm.

Starlight - Muse: I love this song too, it's a bit of a departure from the norm for Muse (it actually sounds fairly different to their other songs whilst still sounding distinctively like Muse). Muse can have a tendency to end up being slightly depressing, bit like Radiohead. But I would like to add a note about Knights of Cydonia, which has a very strange video merging science fiction and cowboys. It's great stuff.

County Girls - Primal Scream: Yeah, this song rocks!

Snow Patrol: I'd pick Set the fire to the third bar as my fave SP song ever. The video is just so beautiful it's amazing...! Watch it and see what I mean!

I have also had the same problem with Sandi Thom. :D

My personal picks of the year, album wise, are probably...

The Feeling - Twelve Stops and Home: A masterpiece of an album with no bad tracks and some truly classic pieces of work. Particular favourites are Fill my Little World, Never be Lonely and Sewn... better stop there before I name all the tracks on the CD. :)

Razorlight - Razorlight: A very talented band, brilliant guitar playing as well as bass and drums. Something to aspire to I think. Particular favourite song is America, though the whole album is growing on me every time I listen to it.

Other notable albums of the year, for me anyway, have been the second album by Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah, though I'm getting slightly fed up of I Don't Feel Like Dancin', Lordi - Arockalypse and The Divine Comedy - Victory for the Comic Muse.

Video of the year, however, goes to Oasis - Masterplan, for this Lowry-style, er, work of art. Very clever, must have cost loads. Woot!

I will stop there, I think. :D