My Favorite Albums of 2007

[Derek]

Ok, so I'm gonna do this as a countdown and I have no clue how long it will take but I'm hoping to be done in the next two weeks. I've heard a ton of music this year so I'll make it a top 30, since 20 simply won't cover it and 50 would be spreading the love a little too thin. The order almost arbitrary, so don't wonder why my #22 is higher than my #24 or some such nonsense. I still have a couple more albums to get to before the list is finalized, but I'll get started with a few special categories to get things rolling. Commentary will start once I get to the honorable mentions, which I'll probably do alphabetically for simplicities sake.

First things first, I'm not all that into rap and since my favorite of that genre only makes my honorable mentions, I'll start off with that to satiate the appetite of the rap fans.

Top 5 Rap Albums

1) Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat
2) Cunninlynguists - Dirty Acres
3) Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
4) Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
5) Kanye West - Graduation

Top 10 Disappointments from Artists I Like

1) Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
2) Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City
3) Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
4) Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
5) CocoRosie - The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
6) Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
7) Eluvium - Copia
8) Interpol - Our Love to Admire
9) Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
10) Fridge - The Sun

And just to be clear, I still like the last four albums on that list and the worst album on that list (Zeitgeist) isn't higher because Machina kinda sucked and I already had low expectations for this one.

To Be Continued...tomorrow or maybe a little more tonight if I feel like it.

Coming up: Honorable Mentions (w00t!)

[Derek]

Honorable Mention #1

Alex Delivery - Star Destroyer

I heard this album pretty early in the year, loved it and assumed it'd catch on somewhere. Unfortunately, no dice. These guys are noisy and abrasive and kinda all over the place, which is part of what I like about them. The opening track, "Komad", starts off in angry post-punk territory, abruptly shifting tone about 3 minutes in to eventually transform into some sort of bizarre dance punk hybrid. While they don't quite reach the heights of that song again, their other two epics, "Sheath-Wet" and especially "Milan", more than hold their own, making this one of my favorite albums that no one's talking about this year.

Recommended tracks: Komad, Milan (live sample)

[DSNT]

Top 10 Disappointments from Artists I Like

1) Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
9) Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs

These two are surprising. I've only heard a few tracks from each, which didn't sound quite as good as stuff from the last albums, but still listenable.

Pretty much agree with the rest.

Looking forward to the list.

[origami_mustache]

Cool thread, I am compiling my year end list. It's been taking me a while as I am revisiting all the albums I have from this year which is pushing 200.

[Derek]

Cool thread, I am compiling my year end list. It's been taking me a while as I am revisiting all the albums I have from this year which is pushing 200.

Yeah, I'm still relistening to some favorites and finalizing the order as well. I'm pushing 250 myself, but it helps that I'm almost always listening to music while I'm posting here and writing my thesis. I probably won't be writing too much about the honorable mentions, so I can push on to the top 30.

So, without further ado:

Honorable Mention's #2 & 3

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Probably the most anticipated album of the year, aside from the ten days following Radiohead little surprise, and the Canadian octet delivered a pretty solid album. Given, it's no Funeral, but far from a sophomore slump. Aping on Bruce Springsteen on a few songs, while still remaining true to their bombastic yet genuine sound, Neon Bible proved (to me, anyway) that these guys are one of the few bands that deserve most of the hype surrounding them the past few years.

Recommended tracks: Keep the Car Running, Black Mirror, Neon Bible (in an elevator!)

Arp - In Light

I'll admit it right now. I'm a sucker for almost anything krautrock or influenced by krautrock. Arp come at from more of an ambient angle with most of the songs marked by repetition and slowly adding layers. The result is a beautifully textured sound that will evoke either feelings of bliss or boredom.

Recommended tracks:

Potentialities, Fireflies on the Water, Premonition Of The Sculptor Steiner

[Derek]

Honorable Mentions #4 & 5

Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat

As mentioned before, this is the first and last rap album to make my list and easily the one I've listened to the most this year. His positivity and social awareness come through in his lyrics and he has a distinct rhythm by which he delivers them that I connect to whether it's more traditional or rock-based backing. And seriously, any rapper who's not only deemed cool enough to tour with Deerhoof and rhyme neo-con Nazi with Noam Chomsky is a-okay in my book.

Recommended Tracks: Less Yes's, More No's (starts ~50 seconds in), The Troglodyte Wins, Secret Skin

Caribou - Andorra

There's no excuse for this album not to be in my top 30, but the decline of quality in the middle third always bothers me. Still, 6 of the 9 songs are outstanding sun-dretched psychedelic pop - you know, the kind of sun that melts your skin or drove Meursault to kill that Arab in The Stranger. It has such a warm, inviting sound that even sitting in my parents house, freezing my ass off in actual winter weather for a change, I can feel my extremities coming back to life.

Recommended tracks: Melody Day, Sandy, Niobe (which brilliantly ends a psych pop album with a totally badass electronic track)

[origami_mustache]

I love Busdriver. Androrra was a bit disappointing for me, although not bad, I just prefer his older stuff, especially the Manitoba albums.

[origami_mustache]

Why so disappointed with "Copia"? What do you think of "Indecipherable Text"?

[Derek]

Why so disappointed with "Copia"? What do you think of "Indecipherable Text"?

I still like Copia and love a couple of tracks (Indoor Swimming at the Space Station, Radio Ballet), but it feels more pedestrian. It's as if he's using the piano to fall back to a safer, more traditional ambient style. It's still very pleasant to listen to, just a little disappointing since it doesn't match Lambent Material or Talk Amongst Trees (my fave of the three). I haven't heard "Indecipherable Text" yet...it looks like it has a lot of tracks from the other two albums, but there's probably a few tracks I haven't heard. I'll be sure to check it out.

[Boner M]

So far, the only album I've heard in full is Graduation (which is enjoyable but lightweight).

Looking forward to the rest, tho.

[Derek]

Honorable Mentions #6 & 7

James Blackshaw - The Cloud of Unknowing

Blackshaw creates a wonderfully rich, dense atmosphere with only a 12-string guitar and the occasional backing. As simple as the concept sound, the results are surprisingly rewarding and this is not the acoustic picking you'll hear in your local coffee shop. There are many times throughout this album where it seems literally impossible that 10 fingers are pulling it off. Dude's the real fucking deal.

Recommended tracks: Running to the Ghost, The Cloud of Unknowing, The Mirror Speaks

Kammerflimmer Kollektief - Jinx

KK's music is so creepy, I would've sworn they're from Finland. Creaky guitars and slow, but determined drumbeats, violins and ambiance create a palpable sense of isolation from, well, pretty much everything. I don't mean to make the album sound depressing, however, cuz it's not. It's simply a beast that sucks you in unrelentingly until it's over or you hit pause to escape it's hypnotic grasp. It took me a while to warm up to the last 3 or 4 (of the 8) tracks and while I still think it's not quite up with the first 4, I've come to accept that's mostly because the first half is so friggin' grand.

Recommended tracks: Jinx, Palimpset, Both Eyes Tight Shut

[Derek]

So far, the only album I've heard in full is Graduation (which is enjoyable but lightweight).

Looking forward to the rest, tho.

Jinx seems like an album you'd dig, especially given your fondness for Jackie-O Motherfucker.

I'll try to finish up the HM's tomorrow.

[Derek]

Honorable Mentions #8 & 9

A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

Industrial shoegaze may not sound like a great idea, but at least it's a pretty novel one and these guys really make it work. Instead of aiming for the ethereal as most of the dream pop-tinged shoegazers do, A Place to Bury Strangers goes for a harder, more rough-edged approach that still keeps the spacey sound and swirling guitars that defined shoegaze in the first place.

Recommended tracks: The Falling Sun (this really doesn't do justice to the album version), Ocean, Another Step Away

Prinzhorn Dance School - Prinzhorn Dance School

I was a little worried my last pick would be a divisive one, but Prinzhorn Dance School walks a much thinner line between brilliance and annoyance, genius and pure charlatanry. Stripping post-punk to the barest of essentials, Prinzhorn's boy-girl twosome only makes me appreciate Jack & Meg's noodling even less. This album is defined by how much it rocks, but silence, perfect timing and an absolutely wicked sense of humor. I literally laugh out loud while listening to this, which is more than I can say for almost any non-comedy based album. Yet the humor isn't so much found in hilarious lyrics, but how the songs unfold (or often don't) and the ways they toy with minimalist conventions. These guys strip everything of excess, blending form and content into a perfect blend of wicked guitar riffs, verbal sparring, cocky British accents, absurdist lyrics, spare drum beats and great pacing. It's a love it or hate it sound, but I find it completely invigorating and entertaining.

Recommended tracks: You Are the Space Invader, Lawyer's Water Jug, Crackerjack Docker

[origami_mustache]

The James Blackshaw album is great.

[DSNT]

A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

I have trouble with them because, essentially, they are a Jesus and Mary Chain knockoff, albeit a good one. I like the music, but they lack originality.

[Derek]

Honorable Mentions #10, 11 & 12

St. Vincent - Marry Me

Annie Clark's voice is just gorgeous and is especially fitting for the albums busier songs backed by synths, violins, and an assortment of other instruments. It leaves me wondering why the second half of the album is so stripped down when most of the first half succeeds so brilliantly when the backing is as interesting and offbeat as her voice. But as for the demand made in your album title, uh, indeed.

Recommended tracks: The first three on the album - Now Now, Jesus Saves, I Spend, Your Lips Are Red

Thomas Fehlmann - Honigpumpe

The dripped honey used to spell out his name and album title on the cover is very fitting given its warm, soothing beats. It's one of the lesser talked about albums in a year of great ambient techno, likely because of its patience and unassuming nature. Fehlmann buries complex beats so deeply within his rhythms that you don't even realize the depth a song has reached until its nearly over. Tracks are washed over with swarms of ambiance, yet leave room for various riffs and ideas to play out beneath.

Recommended tracks: Soziale Warme, Little Big Horn, T.R.N.T.T.F.

Various Artists - After Dark

Like St. Vincent, this is another album that I'm disappointed I couldn't find room for in the top 30. At its best, the After Dark album evokes the rain-soaked streets of the city and its still pulsating beat at 3am. Songs manage to be minimal yet rich, isolating yet inviting. It turns disco on its head, slowing down beats, stretching songs to a near eternity, adding dark, foreboading synth and sexy voices reminiscent of the most memorable and tempting femme fatales. Farah's spoken word on the deadly "Law of Life" draws me in like few tracks this year. Sure, it takes 4 1/2 minutes to technically "get going", but once it does, it's the most frightening and seductive song I've heard since Silent Shout.

Recommended tracks: Farah - "Law of Life" (original, not remix), Chromatics - "In the City", Mirage - "Lake of Dreams"

Top 30 coming up...not sure how soon with Christmas and all, but the links should hopefully keep all 4 of you busy for a couple days.

[Derek]

I have trouble with them because, essentially, they are a Jesus and Mary Chain knockoff, albeit a good one. I like the music, but they lack originality.

I can't really argue with this, but I think they do enough on a few songs to distance themselves from a pure J&MC knockoff band. "To Fix The Gash In Your Head" at least rips off Depeche Mode. And while "The Falling Sun" wouldn't exist without "Just Like Honey", it's beautiful and moving enough for me to appreciate on its own.

[DSNT]

I can't really argue with this, but I think they do enough on a few songs to distance themselves from a pure J&MC knockoff band. "To Fix The Gash In Your Head" at least rips off Depeche Mode. And while "The Falling Sun" wouldn't exist without "Just Like Honey", it's beautiful and moving enough for me to appreciate on its own.

Agreed. I don't think its necessarily a bad thing to pay homage by borrowing a style, especially if you do something with it (as they do), but sometimes I'm not sure how to take it.

[origami_mustache]

I still like Copia and love a couple of tracks (Indoor Swimming at the Space Station, Radio Ballet), but it feels more pedestrian. It's as if he's using the piano to fall back to a safer, more traditional ambient style. It's still very pleasant to listen to, just a little disappointing since it doesn't match Lambent Material or Talk Amongst Trees (my fave of the three). I haven't heard "Indecipherable Text" yet...it looks like it has a lot of tracks from the other two albums, but there's probably a few tracks I haven't heard. I'll be sure to check it out.

The rest of the disappointments list is agreeable for the most part, although I didn't even check out the new Interpol. I'd much prefer to listen to Joy Division. I was especially disappointed with Devendra Banhart's album, but got what I expected from Stars. I happened to like the CocoRosie and Band of Horses albums with the expeption of a handful of tracks. They weren't spectactular, but at least on par in my opinion.

[Derek]

#30

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum

Genre: Psychedelic Pop



Mmmmm, gooey psychedelic pop drenched with electronic fuzz, distorted vocals and smoothed over by a luscious flute. Unlike much of the distorted pop sounds you hear from modern bands, Dandelion Gum is still full of catchy, upbeat hooks, using their wide assortment of instruments not to bury rhythms and melodies, but to heighten them. These guys aren't exactly groundbreaking, but the album is incredibly consistent and packed with groovy pop tunes with a summertime flavor that's still good all year round.

Recommended tracks: Drippy Eye, Sun Lips, Jump Into My Mouth and Breathe in the Stardust

[Derek]

#29

Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Whistler Extraordinaire



While I do fall into the camp that finds the second half a little too soft and inconsistent, the brilliant first half capped by the album highlight, "Armchairs", is enough to put this right up there with Mysterious Eggs. Bird is one of the most talented musicians out there and his triple threat of violin, guitar and whistling makes for a wonderful mix of traditional songwriting and his own unique flare. Full of moments of both delirious quirkiness and emotional depth, Armchair Apocrypha is one of those albums that's right for just about every mood.

Recommended Tracks: Armchairs, Plasticities, Sycthian Empire

If you need further evidence of Andrew Bird's awesomeness, please see this.

[DSNT]

Good call on Andrew Bird. It was a bit of a drop from Mysterious Production of Eggs, but that still leaves a very strong album. My favorite tracks are Heretics, Darkmatter, Scythian Empires and Spare-Ohs.

[Derek]

#28

Pole - Steingarten

Genre: Minimal Techno, Dub



I'll freely admit my general indifference towards dubstep and while even its peak, Burial's Untrue from this year, has a few great tracks, there's really no album that's begged me to return. I mention this not because Steingarten is strictly a dubstep album, but because it takes what I find unengaging and flat about it and breathes life and creativity into it. Oddly enough, it's probably even more alienating and initially off-putting, but the songs are so unpredictable and filled to the brim with offbeat sounds (from soft crackling to whirring sirens) that take you in completely different direction that it eventually becomes gripping. Pole's pacing is nearly glacial at times, but it's incredibly rewarding to the patient listener. It's a shame this album got lost in the mix of all the other great minimal techno albums out there (thou really, it's more accurate to call this electronic music than techno, cuz no one's dancing to this shit unless there's a lot of cough syrup being passed around) since it's actually more inventive than quite a few of them.

Recommended Tracks: Achterbahn (only a small clip), Warum, Jungs

[Raiders]

Lists like this just make me realize how little music I listen to in comparison to most people here. My top ten of the year would be almost all mainstream, or at least people who have an outside chance at being heard on the radio.

[Derek]

#27

Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History in Rust

Genre: (Mostly) Instrumental Post-Rock



In the Naughts, there are few bands that I can think of that are more consistent than Do Make Say Think. Over the past year or two, post-rock has taken some hits from critics, some deserved, others not, but with this album, the band seems to have weathered the storm. Of course it helps that while many of the bands they're lumped together with have stuck with the slow build to a powerful crescendo song structure, DMST continue to create a journey within each song rising, falling and plateauing only when the music calls for it. With their army of multi-instrumentalists (nearly every band member seems to play 2 or 3 instruments), they are able to create a unique sound that varies from album to album and song to song while remaining identifiable to fans. This album's only mistep is "The Universe" which actually kinda rocks, but does so in a very predictable, been-there-done-that way. The rest is a wonderful blend of their heavier, rock-driven and softer, more contemplative sounds. The fact that this is actually one of their weaker albums speaks only to the strength of their output.

Recommended Tracks: In Mind, Herstory of Glory, A Tender History in Rust