Allmusic Editors Pick Their Top Ten of 2007
December 11th, 2007 | 6:00 pm est |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Joan as Police Woman - Real Life
Nick Lowe - At My Age
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Ween - La Cucaracha
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
John Bush
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
Jazzanova - Computer Incarnations for World Peace
Little Brother - Get Back
M.I.A. - Kala
New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Heather Phares
Battles - Mirrored
Blonde Redhead - 23
Celebration - The Modern Tribe
Joan as Police Woman - Real Life
Liars - Liars
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Roisin Murphy - Overpowered
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Andy Kellman
Amerie - Because I Love It
Black Milk - Popular Demand
Donnie - The Daily News
Echospace - The Coldest Season
Freeway - Free at Last
M.I.A. - Kala
Optimo - Walkabout
Pinch - Underwater Dancehall
Sa-Ra - The Hollywood Recordings
Tobias Thomas - Please Please Please
Marisa Brown
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Battles - Mirrored
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!
Joan as Police Woman - Real Life
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
M.I.A. - Kala
St. Vincent - Marry Me
Super Chron Flight Brothers - Emergency Powers
Thom Jurek
David Buchbinder - Odessa/Havana
Earthless - Sonic Prayer
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Richard Hawley - Lady’s Bridge
Joe Henry - Civilians
Rickie Lee Jones - Sermon on Exposition Boulevard
Bettye LaVette - Scene of the Crime
Rahsaan Patterson - Wine & Spirits
Gretchen Peters - Burnt Toast Offerings
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet - Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo
Al Campbell
Billy Bang Quintet - Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids
Ari Brown - Live at the Green Mill
Steve Coleman - Invisible Paths: First Scattering
Miles Davis - Complete On the Corner Sessions
Andrew Hill - Compulsion (RVG Edition)
His Name Is Alive - Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown
Branford Marsalis - Braggtown
Charles Tolliver - With Love
James Blood Ulmer - Bad Blood in the City: The Piety Street Sessions
VA - Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970
Matt Collar
Avishai Cohen - After the Big Rain
Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
Dave Douglas - Live at the Jazz Standard
Dungen - Tio Bitar
Field Music - Tones of Town
Richard Hawley - Lady’s Bridge
Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More
Primary Five - Go
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
James Christopher Monger
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Battles - Mirrored
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
Brian Dewan - Words of Wisdom
Eluvium - Copia
Okkervil River - Stage Names
Alasdair Roberts - Amber Gatherers
The Teeth - You’re My Lover Now
Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life
Turisas - Varangian Way
David Jeffries
DJ Spooky - Creation Rebel
Esoteric - Pterodactyl Tubeway
The Fall - The Fall Box Set
Hezekiah - I Predict a Riot
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Patton Oswalt - Werewolves and Lollipops
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Lee Perry - Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle
UGK - Underground Kingz
VA - 12″ Rulers: Gussie Clarke
Jason Lymangrover
Esoteric - Pterodactyl Tubeway
Ezra Furman & the Harpoons - Banging Down the Doors
Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak
Japanther - Skuffed Up My Huffy
Les Savy Fav - Let’s Stay Friends
Melt-Banana - Bambi’s Dilemma
M.I.A. - Kala
The Narrator - All That to the Wall
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
J. Scott McClintock
The High Llamas - Can Cladders
Louis Philippe - Unknown Spring
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
Stuart Moxham & Louis Philippe - Huddle House
Nick Lowe - At My Age
The Sterns - Sinners Stick Together
Grinderman - Grinderman
The Polyphonic Spree - Fragile Army
Steve Leggett
Karen Dalton - Cotton Eyed Joe
Miles Davis - Complete On the Corner Sessions
Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
Native - Rockstone: Native’s Adventures with Lee Perry at the Black Ark
David “Fathead” Newman - Life
Lee “Scratch” Perry - Ape-ology
Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Made in New Orleans: The Hurricane Sessions
Mavis Staples - We’ll Never Turn Back
VA - Attack of the One Man Bands
Dwight Yoakam - Dwight Sings Buck
Tim Sendra
Bella - No One Will Know
Caribou - Andorra
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
Field Music - Tones of Town
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More
Saturday Looks Good to Me - Fill Up the Room
Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
Andrew Leahey
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Dungen - Tio Bitar
Robert Francis - One by One
Will Hoge - Draw the Curtains
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
Johnossi - Johnossi
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Prabir & the Substitutes - Share
Silverchair - Young Modern
Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
Katherine Fulton
Nicole Atkins - Neptune City
Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
The Doors - The Very Best of the Doors
The Fratellis - Costello Music
Stephen Fretwell - Man on the Roof
The Frames - The Cost
Chris Schlarb - Twilight and Ghost Stories
Silverchair - Young Modern
Simple Kid - SK2
Turin Brakes - Dark on Fire
Jason Birchmeier
Burial - Untrue
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Pantha du Prince - This Bliss
Peanut Butter Wolf - 2K8: BBall Zombie War
Pink Martini - Hey Eugene!
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Sean Westergaard
Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake - From the River to the Ocean
Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow
Charlie Hunter Trio - Mistico
The Jason Lindner Big Band - Live at the Jazz Gallery
Rudresh Mahanthappa - Codebook
(((Powerhouse Sound))) - Oslo/Chicago: Breaks
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet - Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo
David Torn - Prezens
Kazutoki Umezu Kiki Band - Demagogue
Frank Zappa - Buffalo
Not a single vote for The National’s Boxer? That’s just sad. I know it’s gotten a lot of praise throughout the year, but that doesn’t make it any less amazing. Don’t make these things just to be contrarian, give the people the best music out there!
I’m glad someone decided to credit Weezy for ‘Da Drought 3′ .. He’s definitely shaping up to be one of the best on the mic in the near future ..
The new Spank Rock and Scarface deserve some attention, though ..
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
Iron & Wine - The Sheppard’s Dog
Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow
Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet - Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo
Dungen - Tio Bitar
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
I seriously Can’t believe radiohead only made one persons list i mean come on tell me one other album that was purely as innovative that came out this year. They are really one of the only bands out there still pushing the boundries. I’m Also really suprised the fields from here we go sublime wasn’t included. Easily the two best albums of the year.
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
White Stripes - Icky Thump
Ween - La Cucaracha
Saul Williams - Niggy Tardust
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank
Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees
Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Bjork - Volta
Beastie Boys - The Mix Up
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Air - Pocket Symphomy
The Best of 2007?
Aretha Franklin: Rare & Unreleased Recordings
Bettye LaVette: The Scene of The Crime
A Wilhelm Scream - Career Suicide
Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
Between the Buried and Me - Colors
Get Him Eat Him - Arms Down
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Eisley - Combinations
Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face
I’m still deciding. There are definitely some serious contenders.
Era Vulgaris - QOTSA
Because of the Times - Kings Of Leon
We Must Obey - Fu Manchu
Costello Music - The Fratellis
Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
Icky Thump - White Stripes
THE NATIONAL - Boxer What is wrong with you guys? It’s OK to enjoy music.
i always enjoy lists but just because it’s considered indie doesn’t mean that it’s the best music being made…i see a few a chose Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky and it’s a great album…not as good as past efforts but still very good and no one included Brothers Of A Feather(featuring Chris & Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes) and no Highway Companion by Tom Petty! Oh Well…I love your site and you guys do a great job!!!
peace yo!:)
I agree about the unfortunate lack of The National on these lists, but I was equally distraught by the Soulsavers no-show here. Ah, well. To each his own.
And, as always, Erlewine rocks.
no love for radiohead?
What about the great Herbie Hancock “Letter to Joni” tribute album? Heck, it even got nominated for a Grammy!
no el-p “i’ll sleep when you’re dead?” hmmm…
no wu?
no ghostface?
no wiley?
no nin?
only 1 burial vote??
btw review that burial album quick
Marissa Brown gets bonus points for Super Chron Flight Brothers - Emergency Powers. One of the years top 3 hip hop albums.
Wilco “sky blue sky”
Robert Wyatt “comicopera”
The Mabuses “mabused !”
Kevin Ayers “the unfairground”
Emily haines “knives don’t have your back”
Randall of Nazareth S/T
Michel Portal “birdwatcher”
Neil Young “chrome dreams II”
Cinematic Orchestra “ma fleur”
Low “drums & guns”
Robyn Hitchcock & Minus 3 “olé tarentula”
Beasties got back, big time!
in no sat order
Little Brother “GetBack”
Common “Finding Forever”
M.I.A. “Kala”
K.T. Kunstall “Drastic Fanatastic”
Keyshia Cole “Just Like You”
Musiq “Luvanmusiq”
Talib Kweli “Eardrum”
Sean Price “Jesus Price Supastar”
Will.I.Am “Songs About Girls”
Prince “Planet Earth”
CDs still to get and hear
Ghostface “Big Doe Rehab Album”
Wu-Tang “8 Diagrams”
Burial “Untrue”
Spoon “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”
wow that’s not even a 4th of the stuff I still need to hear, but it’s all over the place so this list is likely to change.
1°) Artist The Cowboy Junkies Album At the End of Paths Taken
2°) Artist Neil Young Album Chrome Dreams II
3°) Artist Mavis Staples Album We’ll Never Turn Back
4°) Artist Bettye LaVette Album The Scene of the Crime
5°) Artist Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band Album Live in Dublin
6°) Artist John Mellencamp Album Freedom’s Road
7°) Artist Ryan Bingham Album Mescalito
8°) Artist Martha Scanlan Album The West Was Burning
9°) Artist Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Album Raising Sand
10°) Artist Arcade Fire Abum Neon Bible
Oh guys, Mirrored made it three times! That’s soooooo great!
(And yeah, the absence of Year Zero, especially after that Jurek’s review, is a bit of a mistery)
Hey Matt Collar! Right on about The Primary Five! Thank God someone’s listening.
Wow, guys. Way to let the individual writers here have an opinion. If they included all the albums that each of you deem to be incredible, everyone’s list would’ve stretched waaaay past 10 entries.
From the many excellent releases this year, these ten are my favorites : (1)Abbey Sings Abbey. Abbey Lincoln. (2) Cornell 1964. Charles Mingus Sextet w/Eric Dolphy. (3) A Tale of God’s Will- a Requiem for Katrina. Terence Blanchard. (4) State of Grace. the Holmes Brothers. (5) Blue Sky. Maria Schneider Orchestra. (6) Children Running Through. Patty Griffin. (7) Night Moves. Kurt Elling. (8) Diamond Days. Eric Bibb. (9) Red Earth- a Malian Journey. DeeDee Bridgewater. (10) From the River to the Ocean. Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake.
Without a doubt the best album of the year is a toss-up between Radiohead’s In Rainbows and The National’s Boxer. Here’s my list:
1 The National Boxer
2 Radiohead In Rainbows
3 Spoon Ga Ga Ga
4 Josh Rouse Country Mouse, City House
5 Trembling Blue Stars The Last Holy Writer
6. Joe Henry Civilians
7. Arcade Fire Neon Bible
8. Amy Winehouse Back to Black
9. Dungen Tio Bitar
10. Iron and Wine The Shepherd’s Dog
And the best single of the year is “Young Folks” by Peter Bjork and John or “Shut Up and Drive” by Rhianna
A great year for hip hop : Aesop Rock, El-P, Dälek and Black Milk…
But also BATTLES, THE NATIONAL, DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SPOON and many more!
SysTooL
In no particular order:
Shellac, El-p, Warlocks, Amy Winehouse, Spoon, Blonde Redhead, Good & the Bad & the Queen, Heavy Trash, Radiohead, Wilco
In 2007, if it isn’t all about Wilco and/or Radiohead, don’t you think it ought to be?
These are my top 3:
3. Kristin Hersh - Learn to Sing Like a Star
2. Parts & Labor - Mapmaker
1. The Terminals - Last Days of the Sun (one of the best reunion records ever, shame that no one was listening)
And hovering elsewhere because I haven’t quite decided:
Mary Timony Band
Cloudland Canyon
Bettye LaVette
LCD Soundsystem
And I really need to look into/listen to some more of:
James Blood Ulmer
Grails
The Twilight Sad
Caribou
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
Nicole Atkins
Stuart Moxham/Louis Philippe
Rickie Lee Jones
Umm…1) Shannon Wright- Let in the light
2) Extra Golden- Hera ma nono
3)Les Savy Fav - Let’s Stay friends
4) The National - Boxer
5) 1990’s - Cold & kind
6) Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
7) Ween - La cucaracha
8) Joe Henry - Civilians
9) Two Gallants - Two Gallants
10) Porter Wagoner - Wagonmaster
11) Ray Lamontagne - Till the sun goes black (I know is 2006, but…)
etc…
Best Show: Comets on Fire (Barcelona), The Format (Barcelona)
First, that spam protection doohickey is hilarious. Haven’t seen that before. Which I guess shows you how often I post on message boards.
Second, boy, that’s some sausage fest of an edit staff there.
And D, hipsters still suck!
tinariwen’s album was amazing, i agree with mr. monger. new devendra banhart is by far my favorite release in the past year tho, didn’t see it anywhere
with no particular order
Albert Hammond JR - Yours to Keep
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Björk - Volta
Calle 13 - Residente o Visitante
Justice - Cross
King Of Leon - Because of The Times
Omar Rodriguez lopez - Se Dice Bisonte, No Buffalo
White Stripes - Icky Thump
10 BONUS:
Kanye West - Graduation
Common - Finding Forever
M.I.A. - Kala
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Bloc Party - A Weekend In A City
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
Maroon 5 - It Won’t Be Soon Before long
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Battles - Mirrored
Nice to see Grails and Battles on there but no Alcest? That Alcest record is the best record released over the past several years, let alone this one.
In No Particular Order:
Simian Mobile Disco Attack Decay Sustain Release
Radiohead In Rainbows
Pink Martini Hey Eugene!
Ladybug Transistor Can’t Wait Another Day
Justice Cross
Bikeride The Kiss
Daft Punk Alive 2007
Bright Eyes Cassadaga
Blonde Redhead 23
Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare
Hooray for Sharon Jones, M.I.A., His Name is Alive, and the White Stripes. However, James Blood Ulmer hasn’t made a good album in years.
i was a little disapointed about icky thump’s position. but i definitely think the biggest oversight is the Budos band.
The National - Boxer is quite possibly the most overrated album of 2007. Just because Pitchfork drools over an album doesn’t make it a masterpiece.
My ten.
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Okkervil River - Stage Names
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Silverchair - Young Modern
Hackensaw Boys - Look Out
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
White Stripes - Icky Thump
The Subjects - With the Ease Grace Precision and Cleverness of Human Beings
Patton Oswalt - Werewolves and Lollipops
01: Tocotronic - Kapitulation
02: Sloan - Never Hear The End Of It
03: Jason Falkner - I’m OK, You’re OK
04: Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - The Land Of Pure Imagination
05: Babyshambles - Shotter’s Nation
06: Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
07: Radiohead - In Rainbows
08: LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
09: Laura Imbruglia - Laura Imbruglia
10: Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
Sunset Rubdown’s “Random Spirit Lover” and Animal Collective’s “Strawberry Jam” did not make a single list? Seriously??
AGAINST ME!
1. Radiohead-In Rainbows
2. Spoon- GaGaGaGa
3. Blonde Redhead-23
4. White Stripes-Icky Thump
5. Dungen- Tio Bitar
6. The National-Boxer
7. Interpol-Our love To Admire
8. LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver
9. Tomahawk
10.Kings of Leon-Because of the Times
Honorable Mentions
Air, Beastie Boys, Iron & Wine, Mice Parade, The Bees, Cinematic Orchestra, Dntel, The Shins, The Sea and Cake, Pinback, White Rabbits, Ween. And it seems out of place but Rush put out their best album in over 20yrs. Still can’t believe they had it in them.
Most Disappointing- SMASHING PUMPKINS and Prince
1) Liars -Liars
2) Grinderman -Grinderman
3) Black Lips -Good Bad Not Evil
4) Panda Bear -Person Pitch
5) Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
6) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
7) White Stripes - Icky Thump
8) Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
9) I’m Not There -OST
10)Wilco -Sky Blue Sky
Well, It would be nice if a few more people would include Albert Hammond JR. He may not be innovative, but he is really great. Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible is a step up from Funeral which also was great. I think these critics need to forget about The White Stripes who are lost in their own little world that I personally no longer care to hear.
Yeah, definitely Bikeride ‘The Kiss’, Panda Bear ‘Person Pitch’ (for sheer one man band ingenuity), that Caribou album sounds real good, the Robert Forster/Grant McClennan compilation of solo material, Rickie Lee Jones ‘Sermon on Exposition Blvd’, okay Richard Hawley ‘Lady’s Bridge’, Antibalas ‘Security’! (???), the new Junior/Senior album for nostalgic dance fun, the Terrence Blanchard ‘Tale of God’s Will’ Katrina album, and, okay, that Keren Ann album.
I am disgusted to see Sky Blue Sky on here. What a bullshit album for all the hype.
Also, no Kanye? Y’alls racist. Just kidding.
And what about Daft Punk’s Alive 2007?
Well, it’s a darn shame none of you put Patrick Watson’s “Close to Paradise” on your list. As a matter of fact, he has not even been reviewed on your site yet. “Close to Paradise” is a real treat though!
I’ll also give props to Tegan and Sara, who released an impressive album with “The Con”. As always their songs are ultra-catchy, but this is by far their best lyrical effort and their music has evolved quite a bit.
Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” and Lily Allen’s “Alright, Still” were both released in 2006, not 2007.
They were both good albums, but good enough to bend space/time?
This year’s presentation on Bang On a Can’s People’s Commission compositions.
I know it hasn’t been released as an album, but it has been recorded and broadcast and so forth, and it was much better than any albums mentioned so far. I recommend searching the internet hard for a recording, especially those of you who still think Radiohead is pushing boundaries of music. Prepare to be floored.
what? no new pornographers?
1. thurston mooore - trees outside the academy
2. blonde redhead - 23
3. ted leo - living with the living
4. spoon -ga * 5
5. richard x. heyman - actual sighs
6. p.j. harvey - white chalk
7. kirstin hersh - sing like a star
8. new pornographers - challengers
9. maria mckee - late december
10. Iron & Wine - Sheperd’s Dog
Also:
Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
Emma Pollock - Watch the Fireworks
Dinosaur JR - Beyond
Deerhoof - Friend Oppurtunity
Adam Franklin - Bolts of Melody
The Jarvis Cocker record came out last year…
Shouldn’t you have noticed that?
Also, I’m glad The Narrator is getting some love. Chi-town!
New Pornographers - Challengers
QOTSA - Era Vulgaris
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
White Stripes - Icky Thump
Loney Dear - Loney, Noir
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
and since I’ve got one left and 2007 was weak, can I start plugging Marah - Angels of Destruction for Jan.8, 2008?
How bout a review for viscous delicious by infected mushroom they really made a masterpiece with that album.
This sounds like trolling, but congrats for not buying the hype on “Boxer”.
Here’s a spam protection equation for you: Willard Grant Conspiracy + post-punk = The National.
Danny Cohen - Shades of Dorian Gray
Chris Connelly - The Episodes
Grinderman - Grinderman
Richard Hawley - Lady’s Bridge
Joe Henry - Civilians
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Nick Lowe - At My Age
Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Teddy Thompson - Up Front and Down Low
Loudon Wainwright III - Strange Weirdos
iron and wine - shepherds dog
of montreal - hissing fauna
lavender diamond
the bees - octopus
frog eyes - tears of the valedictorian
tunng - good arrows
beirut
blonde redhead - 23
cave singers
lightning dust
1. Raising Sand - Robert Plant Alison Krauss
2. Real Life - Joan As Policewoman
3. Iron and Wine- Shepherd’s Dog
4. White Chalk - P J Harvey
5. Herbie Hancock - Joni Letters
6. Nick Lowe - At My Age
7. Wincing the Night away - The Shins
8. Complete On the Corner - Miles Davis
9. Cassadaga - Bright Eyes
0. In Rainbows - Radiohead [number 10 because I havent heard it yet, but I’m sure it deserves to be included]
Interpol - our love to admire
Radiohead - In rainbows
Klaxons - Myths of the near future
Editors - an end as an start
Amy Winehouse - Back to black (deluxe edition)
The cooper temple clause - make this your own
Arcade Fire - neon bible
The shins - wincing the night away
the kissaway trail - the kissaway trail
Porter - atemahawke
Bonus
La habitacion roja - Cuando ya no quede nada
thirteen senses - contact
the national - boxer
blonde redhead - 23
band of horses - cease to begin
arctic monkeys - favourite worst nightmare
maps - we can create
grand avenue - the outside
jet lag - forever
blackfield - II
arcade fire - neon bible
radiohead - in rainbows
menomena - friend and foe
besnard lakes - besnard lakes are the darkhorse
deerhunter - cryptograms
andrew bird - armchair apocrypha
detroit cobras - tied and true
iron & wine - the shepherd’s dog
fiest - the reminder
spoon - ga ga ga ga ga
The year isn’t over yet.
Jarvis Cocker -The Jarvis Cocker Album
Marc Almond -Stardom
Justice -Justice
Klaxons- Myths of the near future
!!! -Myth takes
Blonde Redhead -23
PJ Harvey -White Chalk
Arcade Fire -Neon Bible
The Aliens -Astronomy for dogs
Air -Pocket Symphony
Event of the year
Stooges playing Fun House Live
The Cure live
From Belgium with love :
The National - Boxer
Wilco - Sky blue sky
Beirut - The Flying cup club
Okkervil river- The Stage Names
Bright Eyes - Cassadage
Joe Henry - Civilians
Steve Earle - Washington square serenade
Spoon - Ga ga ga ga ga
Iron & wine - The Shepherd’s dog
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite worst nightmare
1) Mirrored by Battles
2) Strawberry Jam by Animal Collective
3) In Rainbows by Radiohead
4) Friend Opportunity by Deerhoof
5) Person Pitch by Panda Bear
6) Random Spirit Lover by Sunset Rubdown
7) From Here we Go Sublime by The Field
8) Boxer by The National
9) Cryptograms by Deerhunter
10) Shepherd’s Dog by Iron and Wine
Good lord, one of my picks for the year actually made someone’s list. Cheers to you, Mr. Monger.
In No Order:
A Sunny Day in Glasgow- Scribble Mural Comic Journal
Sunset Rubdown- Random Spirit Lover
Pumice- Pebbles
Angels of Light- We Are Him
Akron/Family- Love is Simple
Efterklang- Parades
Burial- Untrue
Daft Punk- Alive 2007
Liars- s/t
John Wiese- Soft Punk
Sunroof- Panzer Division Lou Reed
Radiohead- In Rainbows
1)Caribou- Andorra
2)The Shins-Wincing the night away
3)Kiln-Dusker
4)Blonde Redhead-23
5)Band Of Bees-Octopus
6)Deerhunter-Cryptograms
7)Maps-We can create
8)Devandra Banhart-Smokey rolls down thunder canyon
9)P.J. Harvey-White Chalk
10)Wilco- Sky Blue Sky
1. Neon Bible
2. In Rainbows
3. Sound of Silver
4. Kala
5. Boxer
6. The Reminder
7. White Chalk
8. The Good, the Bad and the Queen
9. Wincing the Night Away
10. Icky Thump
That Super Chron Flight Brothers album was awful, a complete mess. One of the worst Hip-Hop albums released this year.
So little love for The National, Cunninlynguists and Jay-Z…
make it a list of 20
01 . BARR - Summary
02 . Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
03 . Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
04 . Love Of Diagrams - Mosiac
05 . Thurston Moore - Trees Outside The Academy
06 . Bill Callahan - Woke On A Whaleheart
07 . Julie Doiron - Woke Myself Up
08 . Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
09 . Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
10 . Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder
11 . Handsome Furs - Plague Park
12 . Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
13 . Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
14 . Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
15 . Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
16 . Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
17 . Do Make Say Think - You, You’re History In Rust
18 . Grinderman - Grinderman
19 . Kinski - Down Below It’s Chaos
20 . The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
21 . Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
22 . New Pornographers - Challengers
23 . Blonde Redhead - 23
24 . The Most Serene Republic - Population
25 . The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
but that’s just a list folks.
Ok - so a voice for some good Alt-Pop/Pop-Rock/and Alt-Rock this year….
Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
Matt Nathanson - Some Mad Hope
Mayday Parade - A Lesson In Romantics
KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic
Coheed and Cambria - No World For Tomorrow
Prince - Planet Earth
William Tell - You Can Hold Me Down
Ryan Adams - Follow The Lights (EP)
The Academy Is… - Santi
I just want to draw your attention on the fact that it’s kind of odd that some of the critics have fallen for the oldest trick in the music world : reissues. Of course, they’re often nice, most of the time much needed, sometimes even indispensable, but to count them as year-end best albums is just missing the point - am I? - and make the whole (individual) selection seem disregardful, if not irrelevant.
Oh, and sorry, I am NOT gonna add my ten easy pieces to the process. First, at this point it would be kind of superfluous to overbid since everything sounding potent and (partialy) hip has been droped at a time or another. Second… who cares about MY partial, if faithful, addiction to processed sounds.
Thanks anyway
Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet …
Crowded House - Time on Earth
I love that Amerie album too. Why wasn’t it reviewed?!
10. No Age - Weirdo Rippers
9. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
8. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer
7. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
6. St. Vincent - Marry Me
5. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
4. The Shocking Pinks - Shocking Pinks
3. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
2. The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
1. The Besnard Lakes - Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
Thanks for the nod to Rickie Lee Jones - super ‘comeback’ album, and she’s a knockout in concert as well.
Not a single metal album on the list!
1 OF MONTREAL - HISSING FAUNA
2 INTERPOL - OUR LOVE TO ADMIRE
3 THE SHINS - WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY
4 MYSTERY JETS - ZOOTIME
5 PETER BJORN AND JOHN -
6 GUSTAVO CERATI - AHI VAMOS
Iron & Wine Shepherd’s Dog
Roisin Murphy Overpowered
Rickie Lee Jones Sermon at Sunset Boulevard
Fennezs y Sakamoto Cendre
Blonde Redhead 23
Laura Veirs Saltbreakers
Abbey Lincoln Abbey sings Abbey
Jens Lekman Nights Falls Over Kortedala
Kurt Elling Nightmoves
Bebel Gilberto Momento
¡¡Gracias!!
>”The National - Boxer is quite possibly the most overrated album of 2007. Just because Pitchfork drools over an album doesn’t make it a masterpiece.”
Thanks for this, although we’re clearly in the minority here. Having heard my share of Interpol and She Wants Revenge — as well as being old enough to remember Joy Division et al — leaves me with that “not so fresh” feeling.
In Rainbows only makes 1 list? You’ve got to be kidding me.
I think you should all listen to UNKLE - War stories: the best album in an otherwise disappointing year.
MIA Kala
Radiohead In Rainbows
Ernest Gonzalez While On Saturn’s Rings
New Young Pony Club Fantastic Playroom
Neil Young Chrome Dreams II
Rasputina Oh Perilous World!
Brother Reade Rap Music
Para One Epiphanie
Wooden Shjips Wooden Shjips
Caribou Andorra
What a wierd year for music, all said. It’s hard to imagine Joan Wasser or Deerhoof on “Albums of the Year” lists. They’ve always made great music, but what’s making great bands finally get the accolades they so deserve (Blonde Redhead, Aesop Rock, and bands that were long in the running [PJ Harvey/Spoon/Dino Jr.])?
Though not officially listed, Bikeride got a mention here, as did Emily Haines and the Mary Timony Band. It’s good to know that there’s great music, but even more warming to know there are fans of great music.
Still, there is a dark side. Silverchair have returned. Time once again to work-out our bottle-throwing arms in ready to shatter against D. Johns’ water-filled skull. It’s even scarier they made three lists, because that’s more serious than the one guy on the forum who’s talking about Coheed & Cambria.
The National’s album was great. I can’t say how great. And I stopped reading Pitchfork the week they reviewed ‘Kid A’ at 10.0 and hailed it as some kind of ‘Darkside of the Moon’ for a new generation. I prefer my record reviews to be based in reality, and Allmusic has never steered me wrong. They’re also constantly revamping old reviews to reward albums that might be lost to oblivious newcomers (i.e., The Violent Femmes ‘Hallowed Ground’ was awarded 4.5 stars after it was re-visited and made Album of the Day here). Pitchfork is Mad Magazine to AMG’s New England Journal of Medicine, as far as analogic hyberbole goes…
I’m a little baffled by people who have a go at the National and then go on to list Wilco, LCD Soundsystem and Radiohead in their top ten. That Wilco album was the biggest disappointment of 2007, except maybe Win Butler vanishing up his own ass with Neon Bible and forgetting to put melodies in his songs. And shame on you all, except James Christopher Monger, for the lack of Okkervil River. Not that anyone cares but, for my own sense of self-importance, here’s my top ten:
1. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
2. Bishop Allen - The Broken String
3. The National - Boxer
4. Ferraby Lionheart - Catch The Brass Ring
5. Sea Wolf - Leaves In The River
6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
7. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
8. Les Savy Fav - Let’s Stay Friends
9. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter
10. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
The biggest disappointments in the year 2007:
Rilo Kiley
Maxïmo Park
Arcade Fire
Band Of Horses
Wilco
The Go! Team
(The Shins)
Some of my favourites (amongt oh so many):
Seabear - “The Ghost That Carried Us Away”
David Vandervelde - “The Moonstation House Band”
Chris Garneau - “Music For Tourists”
Oh No Ono - “Yes”
Familjen - “Det snurrar i min skalle”
Pleasure - “Pleasure 2″
To my mind “Boxer” by The National isn’t overrated at all. It’s not all about fresh, it’s about flesh!
No anxiousness left, all’s been polished.
It seems M.I.A. and The White Stripes appear in a lot of the top 10. That’s nice. I thought Arcade Fire would be one of those repeated, it wasn’t.
1-deerhunter-cryptograms/flourescent grey ep
2-panda bear-person pitch
3-black moth super rainbow-dandelion gum
4-the field-from here we go sublime
5-justice-cross
6-animal collective-strawberry jam
7-black lips-good bad not evil
8-jens lekman-night falls over kortedala
9-radiohead-in rainbows
10-arcade fire-neon bible
my list in no particular order, except number 1!
1. wintersleep - welcome to the night sky
2. Band of Horses - cease to begin
3. Wilco - sky blue sky
4. kooks
5. travis
6. Modest mouse - we were dead…
7. Lily Allen - all right still
8. Low - drums and guns
9. Bruce Springsteen + the E - magic
10 Explsions in the sky - all the sudden i miss everyone
11. Kings of Leon - because of the times
12. Fair to Midland
“I prefer my record reviews to be based in reality, and Allmusic has never steered me wrong.”
You do realize that if Allmusic.com were to re-review Kid A they would give it a 5/5, right?
1) Low - Drums and Guns
2) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
3) Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
4) You Follow Me - Nina Nastasia & Jim White
5) Ears Will Pop and Eyes Will Blink - Bodies of Water
6) Marry Me, - St. Vincent
7) 23, - Blonde Redhead
8) Neon Bible, - Arcade Fire
9) The Stage Names, - Okkervil River
10) Hissing Fauna Are You the Destroyer?, - Of Montreal
1. The National - Boxer
2. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
4. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
5. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
6. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
8. Editors - An End Has A Start
9. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortadela
10. Iron And Wine - Shephard’s Dog
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
The Frames - The Cost
Eluvium - Copia
Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Dolorean - You Can’t Win
Feist - The Reminder
The National - Boxer
Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This
Here are 10 albums I feel deserve another listen or my vote for top 10 of 2007
Robert Wyatt: Comicopera
Kevin Ayers: The Unfairground
The Angels of Light: We Are Him
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Throbbing Gristle: Part Two - Endless Not (I think it’s quite good, Thom)
Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen Deluxe Edition
Bert Jansch: The Black Swan
Einstürzende Neubauten: Alles Wieder Offen
Richard Thompson: Sweet Warrior
The Red Krayola/Art & Language: Sighs Trapped By Liars
Here are the top albums of the Music Emissions editorial team:
http://www.musicemissions.com/users/dscanland/blog/Music+Emissions+Reviewers+and+Users+complete+top+10+albums+of+2007
And my personal list looks like this:
1. The National - Boxer (Beggars Banquet)
2. Jesu - Conqueror (Hydra Head)
3. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone (Temporary Residence)
4. Ash - Twilight Of The Innocents (Warner Bros.)
5. Iron and Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog (Sub Pop)
6. Spoon - Ga ga ga ga ga (Merge)
7. The Forms - The Forms (Threespheres)
8. Habib Koite - Afriki w/ Bambada (Cumbancha)
9. Sage Francis - Human The Death Dance (Epitaph)
10. Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs (Touch And Go)
I think AMG obviously missed out on one of the best albums this year. (Boxer)
Here it is greenhornes…
10. Icky Thump, the White Stripes
9. Widow City, the Fiery Furnaces
8. Graduation, KanYe West
7. Below The Heavens, Blu and Exile
6. Good Bad Not Evil, Black Lips
5. Sound of Silver, LCD Soundsystem
4. Cryptograms, Deerhunter
3. Favourite Worst Nightmare, Arctic Monkeys [Shut up, you know it’s good.]
2. In Rainbows, Radiohead
1. Person Pitch, Panda Bear [Perfection is a word music jounalists can use very few times, but this is the only album this year to where it could be applied.]
Nick Lowe - At My Age
Mavis Staples - We’ll Never Turn Back
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
JJ Grey & MOFRO - Country Ghetto
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Lucinda Williams - West
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971
That Amerie album is the bizness! I’m glad Andy knows whats good them other reviewers (outside of AMG) are pretty dumb.
How come y’all ain’t review it?
Boxer by The National is hands down my #1. After that these guys can duke it out:
Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta
Battles - Mirrored
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Joel Plaskett Emergency - Ashtray Rock
Without a doubt The National’s boxer is the best of the year hands down. Give this masterpiece the praise it deserves.
The Avett Brothers!!!
Honorable mentions: Richard Hawley / Lady’s Bridge; Duran Duran / Red Carpet Massacre; Great Northern / Trading Twilight for Daylight
10. Office / A Night at the Ritz
9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / Baby 81
8. Editors / An End has a Start
7. Shout Out Louds / Our Ill Wills
6. Bloc Party / A Weekend in the City
5. She Wants Revenge / This is Forever
4. Hard-Fi / Once Upon a Time in the West
3. Modest Mouse / We were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
2. Jimmy Eat World / Chase this Light
1. The Ataris / Welcome the Night
I find it hilarious that the Nationals Boxer was not mentioned.
Typical AMG naming a bunch of bands no has ever heard of…For a true expert musical opinion one should view my list:
1. M.I.A. - Kala
2. Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
3. VHS or Beta - Bring on the Comets
4. (tie) Hannah Montana - Original Soundtrack
Hannah Montana - Vol. 2: meet Miley Cyrus OST
5. The Veronicas - Hook Me Up
6. (tie) Digitalism - Idealism
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Sustain Decay Release
7. Echoing Angels - You Alone
8. Gotthard - Domino Effect
9. Aly & AJ - Insomniatic
10.Stereo Total - Paris Berlin
also, all this talk about the nationals boxer? It is a completely overrated album with only one good song “mistaken for strangers” c’mon people. I agree with one user that crowded house “time on earth” should be on every indie fan’s list of top 10 along with les savy fav, and what about the ministy “sucker” great metal album.
1. Okkervil River - Stage Names
Better by a factor of 10 than any other album this year. For all you cloth-eared critics out there (i.e. anyone foolish enough to omit this from your top 10) you’d be hard pressed to find a work of such art/artifice, soul and poetry. Truly awesome. A work of genius. Makes every other album this year seem like a pointless confection. What does Will Sheff have to do? Because it’s so good, the rest of my top 10 is blank.
this year’s been very hard to make a top ten out of.
lots of amazing albums.
my favourite is probably the new one from stars of the lid, but the national and radiohead certainly came close.
im also pleased that amg have realised how good person pitch is and given it four stars, compared to the three it got when it was released.
nice job.
Last year was better, but
my favorite 10 of 2007 are
jens lekman - night falls over kortedala
robert plant & alison krauss - raising sand
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
grinderman
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
the national - boxer
The White Stripes-Icky Thump
battles - mirrored
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
1. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
2. The Waterboys - Book of Lightning
3. Travis - The Boy With No Name
4. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
6. Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971
7. Minibar - Desert After Rain
8. The Aliens - Astronomy for Dogs
9. Great Lakes Myth Society - Compass Rose Bouquet
10. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
From Canary Islands (Spain)
I really don´t know most of the artist mentioned in all you lists, but it´s an scandal that almost the majority of them had not named bands like CROWDED HOUSE or OCEAN COLOUR SCENE. Which planet do you live?
1.Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
2.Blonde Redhead - 23
3.Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
4.Interpol - Our Love to Admire
5.Locust - New Erections
6.Peter Bjorn and John - Writer’s Block
7.Queens of the Stoned Age - Era Vulgaris
8.Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
9.Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
10.White Stripes - Icky Thump
hahaha i cant believe someone said the nationals boxer is over rated and they have avril lavigne and hannah montana on their list. please dont ever talk on this site again. Thanks
Agree with Huskerdude. Okkervil River - Stage Names is an astonishing work of art. Best album of the year. Also really enjoyed the following:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Spoon - Ga Ga etc.
Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
John Fogerty - Revival (sue me - it’s the best Fogerty’s sounded in 20 years.
Richard Thompson - Sweet Warrior
On that note however. Although The National Is O.k everybody is far overrating them. There formula is pretty simple put some Ian Curtis vocals in front of atmospheric rock. Not really that original. Im really getting sick of singers these days. When the hell are we going to get another singer who is gonna sing his damn heart out. Two best records of the year are pretty much In Rainbows And Era Vulgaris as far as ive heard. I’m getting pretty tired of all these stupid indie bands some of them are o.k but none of them really wow me. This really was only a good year for records if you are a fan indie rock. Which im not critisizing anyone who is but common. Where is the next classic rock group going to surface. I Guess alot of people would say the arcade fire are quickly becoming a classic band but really they aswell slide way to much into the sickening trend of 80’s inspired music. The 80’s was previously the worst generation for music. Now i can definately say that it is the first decade of the 21st century. I’m seriously hoping someone will come along and save rock before it becomes a music form of the past. I feel like almost every artist out there right now has forgotten about the Blue’s. If you really know anything about rock you know that rock is just a interpertation of the blues. Indie kids however dont seem to know anything about the classics. The music of our generation is not the only music out there. People need to start exploring other options with there taste. The is good music in every single decade you honestly just have to look for it.
My personal top ten:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Iron and Wine - The Shepherds Dog
Silverchair - Young Modern
Josh Pyke - Memories and Dust
Shearwater - Palo Santo (Reissue with Matador infinitely better than the original)
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Elliott Smith - New Moon (Does this count?)
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger (mainly for ‘The Sun Also Sets’ and ‘I taught myself how to grow old’ which i think are his best songs since Heartbreaker.)
The Mendoza Line - 30 Year Low (Final Reflections of the Legendary Malcontent excluded)
*Warning personal rant ensues
I Might add,
I Agree with Huskerdude and it seems quite a few others on this thread; Will Sheff is a lyrical genius.
Okkervil River have never released an album short of brilliance.
Hopefully this deserved recognition may continue and Okkervil River might find themselves the next ‘classic’ band people seem to be awaiting.
My top 10
In Rainbows - Radiohead
Boxer - The National
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert
Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
Dwight Sings Buck - Dwight Yoakam
Night of the Furies - The Rosebuds
Wincing The Night Away - The Shins
Peter Bjorn and John - Writer’s Block
tops in 2007(and one major disappointment)
john cale-circus live
shellac-excellent italian greyhound
no age-wierdo rippers
tojiko noriko-solo
sunset rubdown-random spirit lover
radiohead-in rainbows
wolfgang muthspiel/brian blade-friendly travelers
M.I.A.-kala
fripp/eno-beyond even
odd nosdam-level line wires
sawako-madoromi
taken by trees-open field
deerhoof-friend oppurtunity
von sudenfed-tromatic reflections
RE-ISSUES-
lee perry-ape-ology
albert ayler-the hilversun session
biggest disappointment-the fall-post reformation TLC
I have to second everyone who is complaining that Boxer got no mention at all. I am glad to see someone recognize Nicole Atkins.
Neptune City is the song of 2007.
White Stripes Icky Thump made four list while National Boxer made none? Anyone care to explain?
Quite amazing - you almost completely overlooked:
Pieta Brown: Remember The Sun
Levon Helm: Dirt Farmer
Glenn Mercer: Wheels In Motion
Maximo Park: Our Earthly Pleasures
Ry Cooder: Buddy
Jose Gonzalez: In Our Nature
Linda Thompson: Versatile Heart
Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters
Best wishes for 2008 from Hamburg (Germany)!
I’m a little surprised nobody’s got Junior Senior on there.
Porcupine tree - fear of a blank planet (should be included somewhere)
My fave albums of 2007:
Jimmy LaFave - Cimarron Manifesto
Polly Paulusma - Fingers & Thumbs
Loudon Wainwright III - Strange Weirdos
Dungen - Tio Bitar
Naked Lunch - This Atom Heart of ours [I’m from Austria]
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Stereo Total - Paris Berlin
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Stephen Fretwell - Man on the roof
Bikeride - The Kiss
Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala
Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure
the shins - wincing the night away? turn on me?
I’m really glad that this forum didn’t disintegrate into people hating others lists and that most everyone seems genuinely open other ideas. I don’t have a list personally because I think it’s too confining to say that these are THE best records of this year. Taste is 100% completely objective and my list of favs and best of changes all the time. I’ll say that I agree with most of these lists by and large. Yes, we could keep talking about the national and okkervil river. But, since that’s already been discussed, let’s drop it and talk about other things that didn’t get mentioned? Like Chromatics’ Night Drive. I know, I know, the PITCHFORK IS EVIL cry goes up in the building. But this is widely avaliable online not just through a tiny label hidden in one of dark reaches of the internet (their webpage is a .blogspot.com address!). This is a good interesting album, even if you just listen to it for the wonderful cover of Kate Bush’s “Running up that Hill.” What about Marnie Stern’s guitar masterpiece In advance of the broken arm, with Hella’s Zach Hill on drums? Let’s talk about that! What a great album! Astonishing talent on display here. Her band is just as good as Battles but without the embellishments and song structure that make Battles so enjoyable, which is a very very fun compliment. And in terms of female song writers, no one’s mentioned Marissa Nadler’s haunting album Songs III: Bird on the Water. She’s got such a possessive voice that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Along the same lines is Jana Hunter’s simple and different album There’s No Home. And as for a terrific song from an alright album I offer you “Empty Bottles” and “Bad Dream/Hartford’s Beat Suite” by the Magik Markers on Boss.
Another way to get an idea of this year’s best albums would be a list of all the 4,5-5 stars albums of this year (no compils and reissues, just new stuff). This is impossible to acquire even through advanced search (because you have to pick a genre also). Would you please consider putting such a list online or make it possible to search for year+rating? Thanks a lot!
1. Mark Knopfler - Kill to get crimson
2. Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
3. King Diamond - Give me your soul … Please
4. Scorpions - Humanity Hour 1
5. Miranda Lambert - Crazy ex-girlfriend
6. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
7. Alicia Keys - As I am
8. Sixx A.M. - Heroin Diaries
9. Megadeth - United Abominations
10 Sebastian Bach - Angel Down
THE NATIONAL - BOXER!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Trees Outside the Acadamy - Thurston Moore
You should all go to the box, by yourselves, and feel shame…
Would everybody shut up about the national its seriously not that great i really dont blame any of the writers for leaving it off. I agree with the statement above the vocalist just trys to sound like Ian Curtis and the music is like Radiohead only not as musically inclined. The best 5 records of the year are as follows
1.Radiohead - In Rainbows
2.Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3.Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
4.Iron & Wine - The Sheppards Dog
5.Queens Of The Stoneage - Era Vulgaris
I Listened To Okkervil River too. I Dont See why everyone is raving about that either all of this stuff you all are listing sounds way to much like it could have come straight out of the 80’s. Arcade Fire sounds 80’s The National sounds 80’s Okkervil River sounds 80’s All indie rock seems to be becoming is just some stupid interp of the damn 80’s when are rock bands gonna start being ” Rock Bands “. And im not talking about stuff that is like AC/DC or stupid dumb hair metal bands that were terrible back in the day im talking about. The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Radiohead, Nirvana even bands like the stone temple pilots. I’m sick of bands that think they are innovating and that are not at all. Give me something that will make me feel emotional or inspired not something like “ohhh i wanna be emo and introspective and cry in a corner. All you people should be ashamed of yourselves for losing track of what rock music is. Its not all about experimentation its about sounding good, writing music that is somewhat climactic all around and then experimenting once you have the basic blocks of song writing down. come on people 2007 showed nothing more except how real rock music like QOTSA and Radiohead are being overlooked because people would rather be indie and find a band that they think is thiers rather then listening to the best music out there it is appauling. hopefully this crappy tend will end at the turn of 2010 im hoping that it is just a phase.
I was better last year. I dont agree with many of the choices tho. But if they say so…
I’m actually surprised that QotSA and The White Stripes made so many lists considering the sheer amount of filler with which they routinely pad their albums. And shouldn’t Dean Ween be getting some extra accolades for helping write the best song featured on Era Vulgaris, even if he didn’t perform it this time?
Since everyone’s chipping in with a list, here’s mine (in alphabetical order):
Beirut-The Flying Club Cup
Bikeride-The Kiss
Devin Townsend-Ziltoid the Omniscient
Dinosaur Jr.-Beyond
Fu Manchu-We Must Obey
Ghost-In Stormy Nights
LCD Soundsystem-Sound of Silver
Shellac-Excellent Italian Greyhound
Super Furry Animals-Hey Venus!
Ween-La Cucaracha
ezra furman and the harpoons?!
i saw them open for ratatat at a free show and loved them got them to play a show at my dorm…but i had no idea that they had gained any sort of recognition. incredible.
i’ve got to listen to that album.
It really was a great year for music, with some cracking albums out, some of my favourites were:
Serj Tankian ‘Elect The Dead’
DeVotchKa ‘How It Ends’
Gogol Bordello ‘Super Taranta!’
Spoon ‘Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’
Common ‘Finding Forever’
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton ‘Knives Don’t Have Your Back’
Vatican DC ‘Make It Ride…’
PJ Harvey ‘White Chalk’
Battles ‘Mirrored’
Tomahawk ‘Anonymous’
Devandra Banhart ‘Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon’
Beirut ‘The Flying Club Cup’
Shellac ‘Excellent Italian Greyhound’
Kings Of Leon ‘Because Of The Times’
Sage Francis ‘Human The Death Dance’
Future Of The Left ‘Curses’
I know as soon as I post this I’ll think of some more too…
yup I was right…
M.I.A ‘Kala’
and Grinderman ‘Grinderman’
and of course perhaps the best album of the year - Arcade Fire ‘Neon Bible’…how could I forget ;)
Deerhunter- Cryptograms
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Britney… come on Come back… Ooops!!… Come Back…. Oops… Great new Video, must be a body double… Oops!
David Gilmour DVD is excellent
Killers / Neil Young / Joni MItchell / Rush / Arcade Fire / Stars /
I was so shocked that Nine Inch Nails was not on here. It has to be one of the top three albums of this year; if not in their whole discography. Era Vulgaris is very good so is Alright, Still here even though it was released in 2006 not 2007. My top ten.
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Queens of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
KMFDM - Tohuvahobu
Scissor Sisters - Tah-Da (since the space time continum can be bent)
Kanye West - Graduation
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero Remixed
Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
And, it’s not a CD but still needs a mention, Nine Inch Nail’s live DVD “Beside You In Time”. One word F****** AMAZING!!! You can see I’m a fan…
I think these are some very thorough lists. I’m very glad to see some love for The White Stripes, The Arcade Fire, and our old friends in Radiohead. Also pleased by the love for Spoon, Brother Ali, Of Montreal, Jay-Z, and Patton Oswalt. And, frankly, I’m glad beyond belief that you didn’t list The National OR Kanye West, because both of those albums were bloated and dull beyond belief. I might add, however, Bright Eyes’ “Cassadega”, which I thought was a wonderful step forward for that artist, and Kings Of Leon’s “Because of the Times”, which is an extraordinary listen every time. Oh, and I know it’s a long shot, but I think more credit needs to be given to Circa Survive for pushing the rather crowded, same-y Emo/Post-Hardcore field forward and making very passionate, wonderful music. OH, and Rilo Kiley! Their new album was wonderful!
Thank God! Finally someone mentioned Grails’s “Burning off Impurities” record. That to me is a modern day masterpiece. I like it better than pretty much any other post-rock/experimental/jazz album I’ve heard before it.
no radiohead in the tops?.. how sadly..