Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Best of 2007: Music

It has been an unbelievable year for music. There has been nary a month without some album worth getting excited about. Last year, I had trouble even coming up with 10 favorite albums. This year the problem is narrowing the field to just 10. But my compulsive nature insists that it must be done. Below each album are a couple of my favorite tracks. If you haven't heard an album and want to try it out, I would suggest starting there.

1. Boxer, The National
Start a War, Racing Like a Pro
2. Because of the Times, Kings of Leon
The Runner, Black Thumbnail
3. In Rainbows, Radiohead
Reckoner, House of Cards
4. Writer's Block, Peter Bjorn and John
Up Against the Wall, Young Folks
5. Icky Thump, The White Stripes
I'm Slowly Turning Into You, A Marter for My Love for You
6. Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon
The Underdog, Don't Make Me a Target
7. Armchair Apocrypha, Andrew Bird
Plasticities, Scythian Empire
8. Good, Bad, Not Evil, The Black Lips
O Katrina!, How Do You Tell a Child That Someone Has Died?
9. Sky Blue Sky, Wilco
You Are My Face, Walken
10. The Con, Tegan and Sara
Back in Your Head, Floorplan

There was a ton of other great music this year, as well. I maybe could have made a Top 20 or Top 30 list, but I like the focus of a Top 10. A special award goes to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for Is Is, my favorite EP of the year. Way to go 2007. I hope 2008 can even come close.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

bravo for making me do this publically. i took this from my myspace blog....

okay folks. the time is upon us. that wonderful time of the year...when the obsessive-compulsive among us must compile our top 10 list of the best albums released during the year. this year was unbelievably strong. narrowing it down to 10 will be a daunting task, but it must be done. i took a cue from a friend and have also listed my favorite track from said album. if you want to view this inspiration, check out his blog at www.ancillaryadams.com okay enough talk. here we go....

Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2007

1. Wilco- Sky Blue Sky
(You are my Face)

2. Neil Young- Live @ Massey Hall (Cowgirl in the Sand)

3. Rilo Kiley- Under the Blacklight
(The Angels Hung Around)

4. Elliott Smith- New Moon
(All Cleaned Out)

5. The Shout Out Louds- Our Ill Wills (Tonight I'm Going to Leave It)

6. New Pornographers- Challenger (All the Old Showstoppers )

7. Bright Eyes- Cassadaga (If the Breakman Comes My Way)

8. Levon Helm- Dirt Farmer (Poor Old Dirt Farmer)

9. Band of Horses- Cease to Begin (The General Specific)

10. The Shins- Wincing the Night Away (A Comet Appears)

Honorable Mention:
The National, The Boxer
Son Volt, The Search
Iron and Wine, The Shepard's Dog

Based on this list, you should all rush out and purchase every one of these albums tomorrow (or at least give them a listen someday if you want). They all have thier merits, and are worth a spin. I should note that i really spent most of 2007 discovering The Band, Joanna Newsom, Sun Kill Moon, Otis Redding, and all elements of Gram Parsons (byrds, burritos, and solo). i should also point out that my favorite local album was....Noah Earle, Postcards from Home. Go see him perform while you still can. hopefully, 2008 will see the release of many more great albums...including my own. please let me know what your favorites were from 2007, as i love doing this sort of meaningless nonsense. it soothes me. even as i am finishing this blog, i wonder if i made the right choices here. it really never ends, does it?

 

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