Best Albums of 2007 - Final List with Write-Ups - Topic Powered by eve community

And now, without further ado...

01. Radiohead - In Rainbows (3107)

Possibly one of the most beautiful albums made yet. I told Dork recently that if I like this album half as much as I do now five years from now, it would be on any all-time list I make. That’s probably not true, but it wouldn’t have any trouble at around 75%. Radiohead reminds everyone how great they are without changing their sound. Instead, they perfect all the techniques from previous efforts and blending it together with pop intentions. Overall, In Rainbows is a beautiful collection of paradoxical full and sparse qualities that make for one of Radiohead's best. ~Kool Mike

02. The National - Boxer (2957)

Boxer is totally the one if you ever suffer from urban alienation. The National can warm your cockles. Comparable to a great novel by Fitzgerald, Boxer is set in twilight and laced in shadowy, abstract paranoia, but remains a blink of warmth in a shredded personal and societal breakdown. Tracks like "Gospel" and "Green Gloves" typify the damaged yet hopeful vibe as the guitarwork stays downtempo for now. The stellar drumming forms the spine of the work and "We’ll stay inside till somebody finds us/do whatever the TV tells us/stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz for days" as per "Apartment Story" would fit the blurb. This is just a tiny example of the iconic approach that Matt Berninger has to writing lyrics. Emotionally in check. Musically tight. Refreshingly complex, yet compact. The National are another great band from the City that have made their masterpiece. ~petrolfire

03. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (2077)

Saying Kevin Barnes puts his soul out there for everyone to hear on Hissing Fauna is quite frankly an understatement. Synth happy, lyrically amazing, and overall the catchiest album I have heard in years. Songs such as "Suffer for Fashion", "Cato as a Pun" and "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" lead the way for a great listen, but one track particularly stands out above the rest. That is the epic 12 minute "The Past is a Grotesque Animal". The song has so many lines in it that make me think in amazement. Every few weeks I have a different line in that song that is my "favorite". Ha. In closing i will leave you with some of those lines...

"The sun is out, it melts the snow that fell yesterday,
makes you wonder why it bothered."

"It's so embarrassing to need someone like I do you
how can I explain, I need you here and not here too"

"But it's like we weren't made for this world,
though I wouldn't really want to meet someone who was" ~thomyorkeisgod

04. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (1960)

Album title aside—which I love, by the way—Spoon is one of the best American bands currently making music. Their string of albums to date is something impressive and notable, and with Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga they continue in this glorious path. It’s a great, crisp run of songs that are all melodic, appealing, and enthralling. Nothing sounds better to start off your Friday morning than this album, and on top of that, it has an immense, lasting power because after many years, this band and all of their music will still sound new and inviting; it’s a rare quality but one that Spoon proudly possesses. And this one has singular lasting power because I am, well, the underdog. ~FragileKidA

05. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (1886)

How do you follow the monumental debut, Funeral? With Neon Bible, Arcade Fire’s Win Butler turns his focus outward to portray a not-too-distant future where the American culture has wreaked havoc upon itself. The search for truth presented on the debut is magnified here to a global scale, as government and church leaders, as well as the common man can't be trusted. One must search inward and/or upward (to a higher authority) for answers. Musically, there is the obvious Bruce Springsteen comparison, but some of the darker shades recall early Echo & the Bunnymen records. This unique combo results in a massive sound equal to the subject matter. No sophomore slump here. Neon Bible is a resounding success. ~SDF

06. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (1574)

According to James Murphy, growing up might not be so bad after all. Though the heralded producer's danceable debut showed its teeth with neon would-be club hits like "Tribulations" and "Daft Punk is Playing at My House", it got farther on style points than its own chops. Yet the famously self-conscious, self-referential hip kid finally sat down to write lyrics and -gasp- displayed remarkable eloquence. Needless to say, the production is top-notch as expected and fabulously sequenced, featuring an unrivaled 1-2-3 punch of "North American Scum", "Someone Great", and "All My Friends". Sound of Silver is a soundtrack for growing up, moving out, losing touch, and going out. If these themes sound bleak, think again. Or better yet - don't think. Just dance. ~BContrat

07. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (1527)

As opposed to his (Noah Lennox) second album Young Prayer, which was written around the time of Lennox’ father’s death, Person Pitch is naturally, a sparkling album (perhaps attributed to Lennox’ move to Portugal, his marriage and the birth of his first child). Person Pitch covers every single sound under the sun, and the shining warmth exuded from every song is charming. Lennox fills his music with surf samples and ambient tones and sounds, and the way he manipulates his voice to construct picturesque harmonies is genius, leaving the listener happily lost in a wave of radiant sounds. It’s hard to imagine a 2007 rack without this album in its presence; Lennox has created something both innovative and outstanding. ~FragileKidA

08. Okkervil River - The Stage Names (1372)

Whether it’s the catchiness of the rockers, the poignant and touching storytelling of the ballads, or maybe the closing song, complete with an interpolation of the traditional song, “Sloop John B,” Okkervil River have mastered something glorious: an album affective more than others; its luster and exuberance shines all around you. Although they have always been great, the band hasn’t sounded as good as they do on here, and it’s genuinely something remarkable. Every note played, word sung, instrument expressed is masterfully orchestrated with an enchanting prowess that is simply brilliant. In a day and age where music is tagged as derivative and trite, this Texas band crafted the most beautiful and compelling album of the year. ~FragileKidA

09. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover (1330)

In a word, this album is diverse. There are maniacal romps through bizarre carnival-like worlds stuffed with animal imagery and tumbling keyboards, sparse numbers featuring little more than Krug's trembling tones and a simple melody, and even a hushed campfire song in "Child-Heart Losers." Beyond trying to describe each song for its characteristics, this album seems to be divided into far more numerous, fragmented parts, most of which have little to do with one another. If forced to choose a number, I'd have to say that there are at least thirty or forty of these miniature "movements" present. Many have criticized Random Spirit Lover as being "just noise" or for being too weird. True, Krug piles on layer after layer of sound until it can sound at times as though he has little control over his own band. After enough listens, however, it has become clear that each and every note of this album has been carefully placed to create an effect that no other act in music today can match. This album truly is the act of a mad genius. ~L.R. Spencer

10. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (1270)

It’s only when someone walks in on you listening to Strawberry Jam that you truly realize just how strange it is. All it takes is a raised eyebrow or an incredulous “What is that?” to step outside of the musical bubble you’ve created for yourself and discover that, indeed, this is some bizarre music. And yet, what is it that you hear that these naïve onlookers don’t? That this music could possibly be incredibly catchy pop songs is beyond laughable. If you play “Fireworks” for them enough times, though, you might actually start hearing them humming along. Soon, they’ll be begging you for the rest of the album – and who would you be to refuse? (An elitist? Never!) In creating an album that is both unrelentingly weird and filled with hooks, Animal Collective have proven that they deserve all the praise showered upon them. This may not be music for everyone initially, but the great part about it is that it can be. ~CoCoCo

11. M.I.A. - Kala (1044)

In a word, Kala is exhilarating. With an adventurous blend of world music, hip-hop, and dance, M.I.A. is indeed “coming back with power,” as she asserts in the opener, “Bamboo Banga.” M.I.A. (born Maya Arulpragasam), who spent her early childhood in her family’s native Sri Lanka while civil war escalated, shines a spotlight on the current state of affairs in a number of African nations, putting “people on a map that ain’t never seen a map.” Themes of war, conflict, and revolution play prominent roles on Kala. From the tribal rhythms of “Hussel” to the politically charged gunfire and cash register sound effects of “Paper Planes,” she grabs the listener’s attention, defiantly challenging the status quo and declaring herself an “outlaw from the badland.” Not limiting herself to politics, she takes a romantic turn on “Jimmy,” a beautiful Bollywood reinterpretation. Kala’s twelve tracks compel your feet and your body into motion, making it impossible to sit still. The infectious energy, lively beats, and pointed social/political commentary make this a record which deserves to be heard by a worldwide audience. ~blueskyoas

12. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha (986)

Ever since he stopped being officially a member of Bowl of Fire, Andrew Bird has minimalized his sound; yet, at the same time, since Weather Systems, he keeps building upon it, compared to how far he stripped it down. Sometimes, I just have to accept that Bird, his songwriting skills and awesome musicianship, along with his sublime use of dynamics on his albums, is just a lost artist who is always underappreciated, especially after you've been exposed to it. Armchair Apocrypha, Bird's ninth album in ten years (including three awesome live albums of Fingerlings), expands on his last few albums by adding to his musical palette his own electric guitar and his new collaborator's, Martin Dosh's, electronics. Bird has also added something to his already wonderful lyrics; he loves to sing about humankind in all their foibles. Most of his lyrics are about where they come from, the battle over if they are more spiritual or more physical, and where they are going to. He has always written apocalyptic songs about humanity in a general sense ("There will be snacks" from "Tables and Chairs"?), but now he's comfortable enough to write an apocalyptic song about a relationship ("Armchairs"). The fact that Bird can make such catchy, yet idiosyncratic, songs seem so nonchalant should make him a beacon for those who favor talent over BS. Plus, his vocals often remain to die for. ~mark f

13. Battles - Mirrored (821)

Without a simple 4/4 structure late night intoxicated revellers lose where their feet should be, end up colliding into one another and inevitably someone ends up in the back of an ambulance in the ensuing chaos. Tell this to math-rock super-group Battles, whose track Atlas has been the underground dirty disco anthem of 2007. One of the stand out tracks along with Layendecker and the curiously named Ddiamondd, Mirrored’s a strange mix of complex rhythms, melodies and highly processed vocals that finally proves that virtuosos are allowed to make a ‘fun’ record. Most of this is due to ex-Helmet drummer John Stanier who continually keeps the percussion to a minimalist, but technically astounding, AC/DC-esque thudding approach. His regular pounding of the bass and snare simplify this self proclaimed ‘confused’ music into ordered madness, allowing the layered synths and guitars of his cohorts to seamlessly blend with and fracture from one another creating soundscapes that exist somewhere between Duran Duran pop and Slint’s slow shifting riffs. Though for all their genius, my girlfriend said they sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks on amphetamines. ~Mick_DH

14. The White Stripes - Icky Thump (816)

Icky Thump sounds like every great '70s rock album rolled into one massive work of art. Jack's guitar veers from Joe Strummer to Robert Plant and back again without seemingly breaking a sweat. Meg's drums are reliable as usual, but don't call as much attention to their simplicity here, serving instead to accent Jack's monolithic strumming. Bagpipes, mariachi bands, and yard sales abound over the course of these 48 minutes. By taking bits and pieces from this and that and patchworking them together, The White Stripes have made their most varied, entertaining album to date. By injecting a much-needed playful vibe into their music (after the hit-or-miss sincerity of Get Behind Me Satan), Jack and Meg have crafted what may be looked back on as their masterpiece. ~in limbo

15. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away (799)

With their first album after the Garden State burst of notoriety, the Shins almost hit it big. Their first single actually got play on the radio! For shame! However, since this was neither a life-changing album nor a complete sell-out and abandonment of their ideals, people basically forgot about it. It’s simply another great pop album from a good indie pop group. And sometimes, that’s really going to hit the spot. There are some great songs on this album that stick in your head like good pop songs should. "Sleeping Lessons" is a fantastic opening track, and "Phantom Limb" expresses wanderlust and small-town ennui with charm only Mercer could muster. I’m still waiting on a Natalie Portman-lookalike to show me how exactly the Shins are a life-changing band (and also fall in love with me over the course of 2 days) but until then I’ll listen to them and enjoy. ~Chamberk

16. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog (749)

When you make as drastic a change to your sound as Sam Beam has with this album, you run the risk of alienating your fanbase. That is, of course, unless you retain the sad soul and spirit of your old songs while sweeping away the acoustic ballads with a full band and a smorgasbord of exciting new sounds. Sitars, backwards guitars, bongos, and barroom pianos now accompany Sam Beam and his acoustic guitar, and it all works perfectly, folding exciting world music influences into his previously intimate folk sound. His voice and lyrics were all that was needed to carry old Iron & Wine songs, and now that the music has caught up with those, it’s too good to pass up. ~Chamberk

17. Menomena - Friend And Foe (739)

It would be blasphemy to call this album boring. With tracks that vary from glitch unplugged (Wet & Rusting) to spastic super-ballads (The Pelican) and many musical components clamoring in and out, it is easy to get lost in the bouncing array of sounds. While not difficult, and struggling to defeat the stigma of a record made for kicks in a basement with guitars and a computer, Friend & Foe appeals in a way that’s hard to explain, but impossible to contain. With the fantastic Friend & Foe, Menomena show how enjoyable an album can be, while retaining significant staying power and never losing its charm. ~bushn

18. Feist - The Reminder (570)

This is one of the more eclectic albums of this year. The first three tracks evoke images of cleaning the house in underwear and socks. The next three tracks are much more quite and adult. "The Park" is a standout here which is probably one of the most beautiful songs of the year. After the halfway point on this album, more variety is to be found with the inevitable pop gem of "1234," and a great ballad in "The Limit To Your Love." Overall, this is an extremely solid album with a sort of understated beauty. The nuances in all the tracks here give a sort of euphoric feel to the album, although some of the songs are heartbreaking. And if none of that interests you, Feist is really hot! ~Kool Mike

19. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (558)

Electronica has been downsized. France seems to assume the clubby responsibilities still as Justice and Digitalism wave the flag for riffy dance music. With the UK's Simian Mobile Disco and Aussies Bumblebeez tearing it up too, there is a lack of minimalism made popular. However, Sweden is where it's at for this pastoral sensation The Field. Not since Daft Punk did their Homework 10 years ago has an electronic album divided opinion so much. It's revitalizing to reflect upon the success of Alex Willner in 2007, but the luscious textures he creates are more fulfilling to listen to than it is to merely debate. Talks of genre like micro-house are redundant because there is so much love here as a song incorporates a singular idea, it's not intended to make one feel cold and alienated like many have criticized all over the message boards. However you feel, for those that love it, it's going to stick around - whether in the shower, in the club, in the bed or in your head. ~petrolfire

20. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala (535)

Night Falls Over Kortedala is a gorgeous album from start to finish. Jens Lekman, indie music's equivalent of Cute Overload, writes stunning pop songs overflowing with romance and charm. His sentimentality is balanced by his wry sense of humor, which brings songs like "A Postcard to Nina" to life. Whether he's posing as Nina's boyfriend or remembering his first kiss, the memorable lyrics and upbeat melodies will stay in your head for days. Love him or hate him, Jens Lekman has crafted some outstanding pop music. ~blueskyoas

21. Blonde Redhead - 23 (535)

Sounding like the best possible combination of My Bloody Valentine, Deerhoof and Sigur Ros, Blonde Redhead completely outdid themselves with this one. Layer after layer of sound collapses and rises again throughout the album, though most of the tracks have propulsive drumming, rendering many of the songs surprisingly danceable (think "Soon" off of Loveless)...but at the same time, there is a distinctly dreamlike quality to the way the tracks follow each other. The album doesn't provide a concrete destination but the journey is certainly wonderful. ~in limbo

22. Arctic Monkeys - Favorite Worst Nightmare (521)

Wrapping massive guitar hooks, skillful drumming and chunky pop aesthetics around some first rate lyrical gymnastics, Favorite Worst Nightmare is more of the same from British garage rockers Arctic Monkeys, but it's more of some very good same. Deftly handling transitions between entertaining rockers and a few soulful ballads, Nightmare is a consistently clever, occasionally brilliant album: danceable yet heavy, snarky but honest, and deeply, warmly satisfying. ~Dork

23. Burial - Untrue (520)

Ambience is key in Untrue, and the album is awash in deep production elements, oddly affected vocal samples, and an unusual, moving brand of "soul" that is at once full of love and melancholy. The success of this anonymous dub-step artist may be in part attributed to that very anonymity: the music is mysterious, speaking to that untouched place in your consciousness that is rarely visited. Perhaps it's better that way; the music speaks for itself, rendering the usual conventions of genre and identity useless. ~BContrat

24. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (504)

I know that LSF has been around for over a decade, but it was their collection of singles, Inches, which turned me into an avid fan. Let's Stay Friends displays the band's penchant for mixing intense twin switchblade guitars and (mostly) screamed vocals, throbbing bass, and a pummeling set of drums with a surprising sense of melody. This album also contains some true change-ups. The opener, "Pots & Pans", builds broodingly and is an almost "Hey, we're evolving!" thumb of the nose to some longtime fans; even better, "Brace Yourself", with some quieter and slower psychedelia, sounds like the first LSF song which would fit comfortably on Revolver or Magical Mystery Tour. But don't get too discouraged if you think they've gone soft; "The Equestrian" and "Raging in the Plague Age" kick out the jams (even with the added melodies) and "Slugs in the Shrubs" is a good, old-school LSF hardcore classic. LSF may not be as crazily-intense as Mclusky, but at least we still have them with us. ~mark f

25. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (471)

Even if Jeff Tweedy did not start Sky Blue Sky sober and both his parents did not die, I really would've hoped he had this album in him. In his own words, "The next album should always be better than the last." Some critics and fans didn't think so, but this album is straight-forward pure pop and you can FEEL it in the way the musicians play off each other. "Either Way" starts off by inviting the listener in, to drop their bag of worries at the doorstep and to just relax. Heck, some days all you need is a blue sky to help you get through the day. The album is full of soft melodies and old-fashioned guitar solos, and boy, does Nels Cline work those fingers! "Impossible Germany" is the favoured piece here, but I love his work on "Side With The Seeds," as I lose track of time by song's end - every listen! Tweedy and Co. also loosen up with "Walken" and "Hate It Here" and end with what could be a love song for his parents with "On And On And On." It is Tweedy's voice, though, that carries this album song to song, and, in time, Sky Blue Sky will be remembered as a classic! ~jayman

26. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup (454)

With another step forward from his promising debut, Zach Condon has proved that he’s not just a one-trick pony, and that he’s got a sharp and intelligent musical mind. While Gulag Orkestar could at times be overwhelmed by Condon’s “horns and wailing” approach (at least, in my opinion), The Flying Club Cup shows a welcome growth in songwriting and composition skill. The songs are given room to breathe, and are as memorable as anything he’s written. Taking on French baroque pop this time around, Condon exhibits an almost eerie talent with another long-abandoned genre and it pays off in spades. Overall, if you’re looking for music that sounds like it’s from the 1920s and 1930s produced by a fellow in his early 20s in the year 2007, The Flying Club Cup is just for you! ~Chamberk

27. The New Pornographers - Challengers (360)

After the New Pornographers had spent last year working on solo projects (the sublime Destroyer’s Rubies and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, by Dan and Neko, respectively) they reconvened this year to make an entirely new effort. Challengers tends to split fans. People either think that it’s brilliant (like I do) or that it’s boring. It’s a definite change from their old style of music – the frenetic power-pop of Twin Cinema or Electric Version – but it’s great anyway. It shows that the New Pornos don’t have to coast by just on the energy of their songs, that they can make some slower, folkier numbers that are just as good. All of the New Pornos’ main talents are shown off: Dan Bejar’s lunatic ravings set to music, Neko Case’s gorgeous and soulful voice, and Carl Newman’s ability to take the strengths of all his band-mates and make great song after great song into a great album. This album doesn’t mean that the New Pornographers are running out of energy; it means there’s a lot more to this band than a lot of people thought there could be. ~Chamberk

28. Deerhunter – Cryptograms (353)

I regret to say that I didn't put this album in my "Best of List." I honestly, listened to it once and remember being sort of bored, not interested, for some reason. Listening to this again was a very rewarding experience and given a time machine, I'd put this album firmly in my top 20. The feel of this album is detached and somber, but in a very beautiful way. Fans of auditory hallicinations should be enthralled with this album as that's the impression that I got listening again. The first half of this album is brilliantly ambient with swirling guitars and interesting blips around every corner. The latter half of this album features the more traditional indie rock songs, but in a patient sort of way. It just doesn't seem that these guys are in a hurry to get the song finished, instead they create lush soundscapes. This album is incredibly paradoxically as many songs combine heavy distortion and clear basslines in an awe-inspiring form. Truly beautiful art such as this may not be seen again. ~Kool Mike

29. Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond (344)

This year saw no less than three indie-stalwarts from Boston release ‘comeback’ records—the Lemonheads and Buffalo Tom being the others. Not to take anything away from the other two, but once again they were completely overshadowed by the Behemoth that is Dinosaur Jr. This time around it was the original power trio featuring Murph (on drums), Lou Barlow (various guitars) and, of course, indie-rock’s answer to Neil Young, J. Mascis. They hadn’t been in the same room together since their volatile breakup in 1989, but from the opening salvo, “Almost Ready,” to the closing mid-tempo rocker, “What If I Knew” it sounds like these three buried their hatchet beneath a wall of glorious fuzz. I always look forward to anything Mascis-related (If you haven’t heard his two solo albums from the current decade, then remedy that in a hurry!), but I was skeptical about the ability of Barlow to come up with anything relevant. No worries. His two tracks, “Back to Your Heart” and “Lightning Bulb” are superb, and the best songs he’s written since Bakesale-era Sebadoh. If you like your indie-guitar rawk drenched with unforgettable melodies, this is the album for you. Seriously, this is what a ‘comeback record’ should be. ~Maximum Jack

30. Kanye West - Graduation (303)

Kanye took the criticisms of his prior releases and made his masterpiece, literally every song has inordinate potential as a single. Without a single filler track, Kanye doesn’t waste a second of this album. This is yet another album that inspires dancing and receives praise from a very wide variety of audiences. Kanye’s rapping has improved significantly over the years and it is clear that he is having a good time behind the mic. Add his charisma and everyman qualities and this album is stellar. As a Kanye album, it should be clear the production is smooth and Kanye switches it up with a lot of the selected samples. ~Kool Mike

Thanks to everyone who contributed! It's been a great year for music and a great year on this board. Here's to 2008 being even better!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark f,

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Posts: 2245 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006

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