Feature / Music
2006: A Year In Review

Posted pre-2010

Big Comebacks in 2006 Of Independent Music

Quick links: Top 5 DVDs | Most Anticipated Albums of 2007 | Reasons The Fresh Prince was awesome | Top 5 Singles | Big Comebacks of 2006 | Top 5 Shows | Top 5 Things That Sucked | Top 5 Things That Ruled | Noteworthy Songs | Top Reissues | Reasons the BBC Is Killing UK Music | Top 5 Vinyl-Only Releases | Worst Cover Art | Band Tour Stories

This year saw some incredible comebacks in the world of independent music. From bands, to whole record labels, there was some pretty impressive reversals going on this year.

  1. For many the latest offering from Planes Mistaken for Stars, Mercy, was an incredible record on its own. When you factor in the fact that their last album, Up in Them Guts, was a bit lackluster (possibly due to the recording quality), Planes plowed on and through to deliver a great slab of wax for our listening pleasure.

  2. The Hope Conspiracy also dropped an excellent album after a period of dormancy that could be considered some of their best material yet. Death Knows Your Name is a visceral tour de force that signals a new beginning for the much loved hardcore band.

  3. Lifetime has been making the rounds with tours for the first time in years as well as a late in the year seven inch teaser for their 2007 self-titled album. Could 2007 be the year of Lifetime?

  4. But perhaps one of the most interesting comeback stories belongs to Revelation Records. After 2005 saw the label releasing some discographies from its revered stable of straightedge bands like Judge and Bold, it looked as though Revelation were relying on their past glories to keep them going. In 2006, Revelation really stepped out and did what at one point they said they would not do and released a few new hardcore-punk records. They dropped Shook Ones' Slaughter of the Insole 7" and Facetious Folly Feat, Sinking Ships' Disconnecting, End of a Year's Sincerely, Down to Nothing's Higher Learning 7", Gracer's Voices Travel, and re-releases of the first Shai Hulud records. All in all it was an eventful year for the once lauded and degraded label. Let's see where 2007 takes them.

(Bob)

— words by the SPB team

Related features

The Wesleys

One Question Interviews • April 18, 2024

Willy (The Wesleys) SPB: What is the best show you’ve seen so far this year?:  Willy: Got to see a lot of cool shows this year so far, but I think my favorite one was seeing Shadow Show from Detroit playing with Tilden at NYC TVEYES. It was such a rad … Read more

Hook

One Question Interviews • April 16, 2024

Ikka (Hook) SPB: What are your favorite venues to play in Finland right now? Ikka: I like Lepakkomies in Helsinki. That´s a cool little place with very nice atmosphere. Read more

Sneak Dog Records

One Question Interviews • April 15, 2024

Gwendolyn Giles (Vocals/Guitar - Dog Party), Lucy Giles (Vocals, Drums - Dog Party) SPB: What inspired you to start a new record label in 2024? Sneak Dog: When Dog Party finished recording our seventh record, we sat and really thought about different ways we could release it. We were leaning … Read more

Guest List: 10 Songs That Are Core To DeeCracks

Music / The Set List • April 8, 2024

Twenty years is a long time – much longer than many relationships last. So it’s an accomplishment when a band can stick together through life and social changes. DeeCracks, a poppy punk band from Austria, threw a two-day festival last year and released a 28-track retrospective to mark their anniversary … Read more

Only Death Is Real #24

Music / Only Death Is Real • April 8, 2024

Acathexis – Immerse (Amor Fati/Extraconscious Records) Acathexis’ self-titled debut from 2018 is one that still bears repeated listens, personally, many years later. With some of the best known and hardest working musicians within black metal behind the band, it was always clear that this is a band to watch. Featuring Jacob Buczarski, … Read more

More from this section

Guest List: 10 Songs That Are Core To DeeCracks

Music / The Set List • April 8, 2024

Twenty years is a long time – much longer than many relationships last. So it’s an accomplishment when a band can stick together through life and social changes. DeeCracks, a poppy punk band from Austria, threw a two-day festival last year and released a 28-track retrospective to mark their anniversary … Read more

Only Death Is Real #24

Music / Only Death Is Real • April 8, 2024

Acathexis – Immerse (Amor Fati/Extraconscious Records) Acathexis’ self-titled debut from 2018 is one that still bears repeated listens, personally, many years later. With some of the best known and hardest working musicians within black metal behind the band, it was always clear that this is a band to watch. Featuring Jacob Buczarski, … Read more

The Guest List: Kepi Ghoulie

Music • February 12, 2024

Hello, this is Kepi Ghoulie (formerly of the Groovie Ghoulies) and I have been asked to submit a number of Anti-Valentine songs, since I have been recording an annual audio Valentine for at least the last 15 years! With this year's Valentine release we come full circle with the first … Read more