Below you will find my top albums for the year 2007. It is mostly a mix of the tried and true indie and rock releases of the year, so pretty much blah, blah, blah.. I just wanted a chance to put up some pictures of album covers. So lets get it rollin'!
One of those years, a great collection of music this year. I was somehow able to cram in this time an astounding 75 records listened to in preperation for this list, that is how much I value my blog. I will simply list 25-75 and then count it down with full information and album covers :) Rock on!
75. Grinderman - Grinderman
74. RJD2 - The Third Hand
73. Windmill - Puddle City Racing Lights
72. Hrsta - Ghosts Will Come and Kiss Our Eyes
71. Dalek - Abandoned Language
70. Jens Lekman - Night Falls over Kortedala
69. Air - Pocket Symphony
68. Volcano the Bear - Amidst the Noise and Twigs
67. Ideal Free Distribution - Ideal Free Distribution
66. Dntel - Dumb Luck
65. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
64. Two Lone Swordsmen - Wrong Meeting
63. Thee More Shallows - Book of Bad Breaks
62. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
61. Parts and Labor - Mapmaker
60. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
59. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
58. Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey EP
57. Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline
56. Menomena - Friend and Foe
55. The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army
54. Sleeping People - Growing
53. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob
52. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
51. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
50. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Living with the Living
49. Voxtrot - Voxtrot
48. Black Pony Express - Love in a Cold Place
47. The Castanets - In the Vines
46. Beastie Boys - The Mix Up
45. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
44. Ian Brown - The World is Yours
43. Grizzly Bear - Friend EP
42. Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
41. Ezra Furman & The Harpoons - Banging Down the Doors
40. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City
39. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
38. Sigur Ros - Hvarf Heim
37. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
36. Working for a Nuclear Free City - Rocket EP
35. The Chemical Brothers - We are the Night
34. Matthew Good - Hospital Music
33. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
32. The Forms - The Forms
31. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
30. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
29. Cubs - Stonewater
28. Radio Moscow - Radio Moscow
27. Liars - Liars
26. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
And now, hold on to your hats!
25. The Rakes - Ten New MessagesLabel - Dim Mak
Top Tracks - Down with the Moonlight, The World Was a Mess but His Was Perfect
One Line - "Mega McMega with a large coke mate. Any record with a song about Tom Cruise is worth its salt in grain and uh, bread. Classic little britpop record that plays as a perfect soundtrack for your euro trash themed rave party."
Final Score - 8.2
24. The Oscillation - Out of PhaseLabel - DC
Top Tracks - Liquid Memoryman, This Is Nowhere
One Line - "Odd little dity about Jack and Diane, two American kids just doing the best they can, when they grow up they'll be a football star! blah blah blah, um, can't recall where I was going with that as this record has nothing to do with Jack, Diane, or most thankfully, Mellancamp."
Final Score - 8.3
23. The Heliocentrics - Out ThereLabel - Now-Again
Top Tracks - Distant Star, Sirius B, The Zero Hour
One Line - "Funky britpop with nods to classic American soul and hiphop, this record exists in a slightly altered dimension which includes a time traveling spaceship and mad beats composed by band leader drummer."
Final Score - 8.3
22. Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's DogLabel - Sub Pop
Top Tracks - House by the Sea, Boy with a Coin
One Line - "Oh no Sam, what have you done? I once dreamt of a full band Iron and Wine affair but these maracas and Jimmy Buffet retreads are not what I had in mind, give me the gravely living room effect instead of these polished over produced, still mildly irratatingly boring melodies."
Final Score - 8.3
21. Arcade Fire - Neon BibleLabel - Merge
Top Tracks - Keep the Car Running, No Cars Go
One Line - "So should I keep that car running or do cars not go there, I'm confused Wynn, also, why are you trying to do a bad impersonation of Meatloaf on this here disc? Or is that Bruce? Oh well, maybe we should let the girl sing more. This was definitely a sign that this year would be the Year of the Disappointing Follow-up!"
Final Score - 8.4
20. The National - BoxerLabel - Beggar's Banquet
Top Tracks - Fake Empire, Squalor Victoria, Brainy
One Line - "Speaking of disappointing follow-ups, this wasn't even close! A really neat record from the Crash Test Dumm... err, National! Instantly grabbed by the furious drumming on this record and the haunting strings, some great song writing and um, lowly garbled lyrics."
Final Score - 8.5
19. Band of Horses - Cease to BeginLabel - Sub Pop
Top Tracks - Is There a Ghost, Cigarettes Wedding Bands
One Line - "This equine pop band submits a follow up record to their smash debut from years prior, the record seems to lag in the middle after a glorious start and the band's roots in the deep south come through as this ventures quietly to indie country territory."
Final Score - 8.6
18. The Handsome Furs - Plague ParkLabel - Sub Pop
Top Tracks - What We Had, Snakes on the Ladder, Dumb Animals
One Line - "Dan from the parade of wolves releases a side project effort from the band he started with his wife, and no this sounds nothing like fleetwood mac, instead like the crazy bastard step child of the wolf parade record without spencer's crazy antics and vocals."
Final Score - 8.6
17. Kings of Leon - Because of the TimesLabel - RCA
Top Tracks - Knocked Up, McFearless, Arizona
One Line - "Great, classic, timeless rock music here with driving rhythms, pulsating guitar tone and a very strong vocal, these christian brothers bring the noise on a disc chock full, although track two might of been a mistake."
Final Score - 8.7
16. Jose Gonzalez - In Our NatureLabel - Mute
Top Tracks - How Low, Killing For Love, Cycling Trivialities
One Line - "Jose G. is back with more soothing acoustic guitar funk and subdued vocal, the weakest piece of this ensemble continues to be drab lyrics bordering on drivel, and scant depressed percussion buried in the mix and often left out completely, about the opposite of the iron and wine affair, needs something more."
Final Score - 8.8
15. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81Label - RCA
Top Tracks - Berlin, Weapon of Choice, 666 Conducer
One Line - "Certainly a band I've followed for a long time now that seems to completely capture everything I love about good ole fashioned nose to the wall rock your socks alternative music, however something feels amiss here, perhaps its the lack of harmonica that was so perfectly utilized in the last record, perhaps all the guitar riffs seep into one at some point, or perhaps I'm not so black rebel motorcycle clubbish anymore."
Final Score - 8.9
14. Kula Shaker - StrangefolkLabel - Columbia
Top Tracks - Fool That I Am, Hurricane Season, Dr. Kitt
One Line - "A band I adored growing up that split for 8+ years amid rumours of Nazi and racist tendendices, the rich prince crispian is back with his band indian troubadours and picks up amazingly right where they left off, this record was largely unnoticed by the rest of the world but served as the perfect soundtrack to a summer of hijinks and debauchery."
Final Score - 9.0
13. The White Stripes - Icky ThumpLabel - Warner Brothers
Top Tracks - Bone Broke, Little Cream Soda, Rag and Bones, Catch Hell Blues
One Line - "The latest from rock's 'first couple', this record brings together all the sounds from recent jack white exposes, unfortunately a few nods to the raconteurs that should of been second guessed, the Conquest cover throws me off, but the remainder of the disc reminds you easily why early stripes is some of the best material from this generation, as usual Jack is up to his rock god antics throughout while Meg, um, keeps time mostly, sorta, well that snare drum wails!"
Final Score - 9.0
12. Aesop Rock - None Shall PassLabel - Definitive Jux
Top Tracks - Keep Off the Lawn, Catacomb Kids, Getaway Car, 39 Thieves
One Line - "The only rap/hiphop artist I've ever truely embraced, he has such a singlar rapping style and I clearly can't deny his talent, Ace Rock brings the noise and funk on this new disc, but the star of this one might be producer blockhead, see thats what I've never liked about rap records, its always the guests and producers that make it worthwhile, but alas, ace is given ample opportunities to shine on this receipe for the hip and the pop."
Final Score - 9.1
11. The Aliens - Astronomy for DogsLabel - Pet Rock
Top Tracks - Robot Man, Setting Sun, I am the Unknown, Honest Again
One Line - "We are the aliens, they chant between songs like Irish monks, only a truely enlightened spirit could produce such a record, who are these aliens you ask? Well, of course, its the other three members of the Beta Band, a group who once wrote a whole song around the phrase inner meet me, this group of robot men continue their beta roots with funky brit pop that goes on a different journey then any previous haunts."
Final Score - 9.1
10. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even SankLabel - Epic
Top Tracks - Spitting Venom, March Into the Sea, Dashboard, Invisible
One Line - "The reigning lords of indie rock, they've added one of the all time brit pop legends in Johnny Marr for this record, and it does not disappoint, as he leads the band on a much different journey even if the ship already sank, the band plays on crunching out indie pop hits the likes of which that equine band could only dream, spitting venom is the great lost modest mouse song from lonesome crowded west era that reminds everyone why they are the master of the domain."
Final Score - 9.2
9. Battles - MirroredLabel - Warp
Top Tracks - Race In, Atlas, Leyendecker, Tij
One Line - "Ah, a progressive math rock record in my top ten, what is this, one of those SAT questions, which is not like the others? The immediate hook here is the furious drumming by that helmet guy, but its the intricate melodies constructed on looped guitars and keyboards that present the true genius here, I mean for crying out loud they play guitar and keys at the same time!"
Final Score - 9.2
8. Working for a Nuclear Free City - Businessmen and GhostsLabel - Blowout
Top Tracks - 224th Day, Troubled Son, Dead Fingers Talking, The Tape
One Line - "Manchester's resident funk noise pop band combines their efforts for a mammoth two disc american release that completely captures the potential of this relatively new band with a triflingly long name, this record kicks off a nice run of brit pop records that dominated my itunes playlist over the year."
Final Score - 9.3
7. The Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst NightmareLabel - Domino
Top Tracks - Do Me a Favour, This House is a Circus, If You Were There Beware, 505
One Line - "The chilly monkey like creatures provide a quick turnaround to follow up one of the best pop record debuts in some time, although at times you can forget which of the two records your listening to, this one offers more of the same in perfect rock pop guitar driven tracks, more mature lyrics about sleeping around with married women, and just for good measure your worst nightmare, this one brims with the confidence of a band on the rise even if the singer hates his voice."
Final Score - 9.3
6. Band of Bees - OctopusLabel - Astralwerks
Top Tracks - Left Foot Stepdown, Got to Let Go, Listening Man, The Ocularist
One Line - "Ah, an almost perfect record over ten all encompassing tracks, this brit pop act of bees can branch out in almost every possible direction, containing glorious jam band type funk, catchy almost american soul and r&b, some clearly defined british rock straight from the betas, this octopus record easily reaches 8 different musical levels."
Final Score - 9.4
5. Babyshambles - Shotter's NationLabel - Astralwerks
Top Tracks - Crumb Begging Baggerd, Carry On Up the Morning, French Dog Blues
One Line - "Pete is back, sans the other libertines, with his band of merry brit pop displaying a songmanship that goes almost unmatched when hes not in the throws of addictions and tabloid photo ops with his disaster love interests, Pete proves once again hes the consimuate songwriter and perhaps a lost genius on the cusp of achieving greatness, or he may drown in his own vomit, either way we're entertained."
Final Score - 9.4
4. The Good, the Bad, and the Queen - The Good, the Bad, and the QueenLabel - Parlophone
Top Tracks - History Song, Kingdom of Doom, Three Changes
One Line - "One of those records I kept coming back to throughout the year, Damon from Blur's new band is a supergroup that delivers, a great pop record that utilizes his charming vocal with amazing beats, strong bass lines, and the not so overpowering instrumentation that provides a perfect dynamic for his melancholy songmanship."
Final Score - 9.5
3. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion GumLabel - Graveface
Top Tracks - Melt Me, Sun Lips, Drippy Eye, Untitled Roadside Demo
One Line - "I really didn't anticipate liking a record that employs their vocoder exclusively, I figured I would get tired of that effect eventually and long for actual clear coherent vocals that I could sing along with, instead I fully realized this record holds up with amazing beats, intricate melodies, and the perfect touch of funk that allows you to feel the vocal flow within the sonic presentation."
Final Score - 9.6
2. Elliott Smith - New MoonLabel - Domino
Top Tracks - High Times, Georgia Georgia, Big Decision, Going Nowhere, shit all of em.
One Line - "Elliott wrote and recorded these tracks in the late 90s while writing the best records ever written, so when it came time to finally release this effort the double disc was highly anticipated on this blog and did not disappoint, even almost ten years after the fact, the haunting folk and perfect lyric and vocal combine with his subtle elegant guitar playing to create a true masterpiece devoid of over production moments that mar his later efforts."
Final Score - 9.8
1. Radiohead - In RainbowsLabel - ATO
Top Tracks - Jigsaw, 15 Steps, All I Need, Arpeggi
One Line - "Released online as pay as you want, Radiohead again set the trends in pop culture with the release of yet another masterpiece, this record will always hold a special place in my heart as it came out the same week we found out there'd be a new addition to the blog family, this record is touching, haunting, melodic, poppy, insightful, devious, mischevious... shit it sounds like I'm reviewing a stephen king novel, anyway this record has that 'it' to it, whatever that may be, just gets me I guess that was always radiohead's power and after all these years they can still make the record of the year."
Final Score - 9.8
