SO FAR LAST YEAR 2007 (TWO THOUSAND AND SEVEN)

[tpfkabi]

(cover photo by Roman)

has anyone mentioned Coconut Records (i do not find it via Search)?

it's Jason Schwartzman's solo moniker.
it's surprising pretty good - and even has guest spots by Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel.
you may look into it if you like early solo McCartney/White Album era Beatles/Bright Eyes/The Elected.

i guess he's keeping it about the music as i have not seen his picture associated with it.
he started his own label to release it and you can only order it online or they have physical copies in some indie record stores.

i'm not sure about the iTunes release, but the physical CD has unlisted demos/working tracks on almost all of the songs included - some interesting in their own right.

[NEON MERCURY]

here's my final list for 2007.  there are still albums that were released this year that i have not heard yet.  so, if you are reading my list and you are wondering how come i don't have ______________ (album) on my list...well, i prob didn't hear it yet.  i do not have them ranked in order exccept for my #1.  i did list my fav track on each album and explained why ___________ (album) is on my list.  finally, i will mention the most dissapointing release in 2007 IMO.






ryan adams-easy tiger
fav track-"the sun also sets"
why?-i am a huge fan of his work.  from whiskeytown, heartbreaker, rock n roll, cold roses, etc.  there is an album by adams that has dissapointed me.  i feel these songs are very strong, well written and his voice is top notch.  it's perfect alt-country to me and the album is second to cold roses as my fav adams studio cd.



okkervil river-the stage names
fav track-"a hand to take hold of the scene"
why?-all of the hype that this band has received from this site is well deserved.  RK got me into this band the moment he started praising black sheep boy .  these guys are good-real good.  will's vocal range is all over the place from a whisper to a scream.  i look as the stage names as a concept album.  and i draw comparisions to roger water's solo material.  lou reed is a huge fan of okkervil river too.  lyrically, emotinally, and musically...it's beautiful.  it's nice to feel.  and how fucking cool was it when they brought in "sloop john b" into "john allyn smith sails"!  critically, this is the album of the year.



the national-boxer
fav track-"ada"
why?-if i could do what RK and mod have done to showcase to everyone the importance of okkervil river, then this is the band.  i think the album is a small step back from alligator, but equally solid material nonetheless.  if you are down with leonard cohen then you will love the lead singer's voice (matt).  this is really good music w/o the emotional ride that you get from the stage names. boxer is easy to get into and the whole album has that late at night, highway drive, cigarette in mouth vibe.



queens of the stone age-era vulgaris
fav track-"into the hollow"
why?-i have always loved the queens.  they are, plain and simple, a great rock band.  this album is a departure from their previous work.  i think era vulgaris is much harder to get into.  i wasn't a fan os the first single, "sick, sick, sick".  the album is deep and layered with guitars and distortion.  the great thing about the album is that you find something new each time you listen to it.  it's the typical album that grows on you.



jens lekman-night falls over kortedala
fav track-"i'm leaving you because i don't love you"
why?-this is something different.  jens has the singer-songwriter, amazing voice and story teller vide thing down.  i think if you like sufjan stevens, morrissey, and kitschy-esque chamber pop stuff, you'll did jens.  he sings about such depressing thingz but coarts them in his gentle voice...so fucking wierd. i like this b/c it's so unique and beautiful.



radiohead-in rainbows
fav track-"reckoner"
why?-every year, minus pablo honey, whenever radiohead release a new studio album it's should be on anyone's top 10 list.  these guys are just masters of the art of making beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional, rocking, and etheral music.  this is their second greatest body of work next to ok computer.



wilco-sky blue sky
fav track-"on and on and on"
why?-this is 2007's most underrated release and will go down like ryan adam's 29 as each respected band's most under appreciated album IMO.  i feel that what wilco has done with this abum is perfected the sound from a ghost is born.  it is an expertly crafted album.  tweedy and co. just keep doing what they do.  it's nothing revolutionary but just a side-step in the same direction from the last album. 



spoon-ga ga ga ga ga
fav track-"don't you evah"
why?-here's my entertainment weekly style capsule review:  ain't no ga ga ga baby talk here.  these cowboys from texas are all grown up from their previous album, gimme fiction, and are ready to "spoon"-feed us delicious hooks, tasty melodies, and juicy lyrics.



andrew bird-armchair apocrypha
fav track-"imitosis"
why?-i am new to andrew bird.  this is my first album purchased and i have become an instant fan for life.  this is a perfect album in every way



kevin drew-spirit if...
fav track-"lucky ones"
why?-fuck anyone who thinks that this album is second tier to an "official" broken social scene album.  this is my personal favorite album of 2007.  this is such a cool album.  everything that makes broken social scene of one the greatest living musical entities, you will also find that chemistry here. 


most dissapointing album of 2007:



white stripes-icky thump
fav track-NONE
why?-annoying, aggravating, stupid, .....fucking boring

[RegularKarate]

I'm 30 so I'm allowed to like really obvious stuff...

1. Radiohead: In Rainbows - everyone knows why...
2. Okkervil River: The Stage Names - It would have been #1, but I think this one is a slight step down from BSB while In Rainbows is a step above HTTT... either way, brilliant album.
3. Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha - saw him live twice this year and that just made me more impressed by him.
4. Arcade Fire: Also saw them live this year... great show, good album... I'm not as in love with AF as a lot of people... I actually like this album more than Funeral though.
5. Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam - I don't think the album is totally solid, but the great tracks are really great.  I predict these guys have about two really amazing albums in them and then they'll start to suck then break up
6. The National: Boxer - another bunch of guys I saw live and was impressed with... and they were playing during the day, which is probably hard for sad junkies like them.
7. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglove: Once OST - After the movie, I checked this out and every time I listen to it, I listen to it ten times in a row.  Not super solid, but pretty grape.
8. Bill Callahan: Woke on a Waleheart - it's nothing near as good as his last, but it's still got some terrific songs.  Also saw him live a couple times this year.
9. Modest Mouse: We Were... - you know what they say... "Better than Good News" is good news
10. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky - disappointing? yes, but after seeing them play the songs live, I grew to appreciate the songs more.

[brockly]

rk and pm inspired me to revamp and expand...

in rainbows – radiohead
fav track: keeps changing... today ill go with jigsaw / arpeggi (... maybe videotape)
its been praised enough. probably my least favourite radiohead album since bends but its still incredible.

volta - bjork
fav track: dull flame of desire / wanderlust
only slightly edged out by rainbows. i get the best natural high listening to this woman and this album is no exception.

...................................................................

neon bible - arcade fire
fav track: ocean of noise
easily the best new indie band of the decade (so far). heard nothing but good things about them live and ill be seeing them in feb.

icky thump - white stripes
fav track: im slowly turning into you
i dont understand the hate. its not their best album, but i think its good. damn good. it encompasses everything i love about the band.

strawberry jam - animal collective
fav track: peacebone
this was my first collective experience and i really liked it. so eccentrically melodic and hypnotic. i need to get more of their stuff.

[last days of gerry the elephant]

has anyone mentioned Coconut Records (i do not find it via Search)?

I thought we had exchanged a couple of lines back and forth about this album in the Darjeeling thread?

Anyway, I didn't think the album was very good.

[I Love a Magician]

my top 30 albums of the year

30. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
   (Open Doors, Wait for Love, The Temptation of Adam)
29. Various Artists - I'm Not There (Soundtrack)
   (Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again [Cat Power], Going to Acapulco [Jim James], You Ain't Goin' Nowhere [Glen Hansard])
28. Angels of Light - We Are Him
   (We Are Him, Black River Song, My Brother's Man)
27. Dr. Dog - We All Belong
   (Die Die Die, Old News, My Old Ways)
26. The 1900s - Cold & Kind
   (Georgia, Two Ways, City Water)
25. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
   (For Reverend Green, Peacebone, Derek)
24. Voxtrot - Voxtrot
   (Real-Life Version, Kid Gloves, The Future Pt. 1)
23. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
   (Wild Mountain Nation, Country Caravan, Devil's A Go-Go)
22. Rogue Wave - Asleep At Heaven's Gate
   (Christians In Black, Like I Needed, Harmonium)
21. The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
   (The Ballad of Love and Hate, Living of Love, Salina)

20. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
   (Simple X, Imitosis, Fiery Crash)
19. Feist - The Reminder
   (So Sorry, I Feel It All, Past In Present)
18. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
   (Cigarettes Wedding Bands, Window Blues, The General Specific)
17. The Bowerbirds - Hymns For a Dark Horse
   (In Our Talons, Slow Down, Human Hands)
16. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
   (Don't You Evah, The Underdog, You Got Yr Cherry Bomb)
15. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
   (Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo, Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig, The Opposite Of Hallelujah)
14. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
   (Bigfoot, Civil Twilight, Virtute the Cat Explains Her Deparure)
13. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
   (Walken, Hate It Here, Impossible Germany)
12. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
   (Ocean of Noise, Antichrist Television Blues, My Body is a Cage)
11. Dolorean - You Can't Win
   (Just Don't Leave Town, Heather Remind Me How This Ends, Beachcomber Blues)

10. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
   (Spitting Venom, Little Motel, Florida)
09. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
   (Crickets, I've Got Some Friends, Ed Is a Portal)
08. Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
   (Safety Bricks, Broke Me Up, Lucky Ones)
07. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
   (Plus Ones, Unless It's Kicks, Savannah Smiles)
06. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
   (Skinny Love, For Emma, Lump Sum)
05. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
   (A Comet Appears, Australia, Turn On Me)
04. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
   (Flightless Bird American Mouth, Carousel, Resurrection Fern)
03. The Nobility - The Mezzanine
   (This Is What I've Wanted to Tell You, Riverboat, Worth Your While)
02. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
   (Bad Girl, I Remember, Lover)
01. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
   (Knocked Up, Arizona, Fans)

[Stefen]

In Rainbows didn't even make your two 30? 

And I'm glad someone else has been listening to Angels Of Light.

[I Love a Magician]

i actually made a top 50 and in rainbows isn't on there either. radiohead doesn't do much for me for some reason. couple songs on there i like though.

[meatwad]

black mountain - in the future
jesse sykes & the sweet hereafter - like, love, lust & the open halls of the soul
panda bear - person pitch
animal collective - strawberry jam
radiohead - in rainbows
grinderman - self titled
david vandervelde - the moonstation house band
deerhoof - friend opportunity
dinosaur jr. - beyond
greg ashley - painted garden
icarus line - black lives at the golden coast
john doe - a year in the wilderness
lairs- self titled
jonny greenwood - there will be blood
m.i.a - kala
sister vanilla - little pop rock


disappointed with white stripes, shins, okkervil river (except that last track), queens of the stone age, wilco. the dan deacon album is alright, but so many of my friends listen to it, i got sick of it quick. feist got boring. the dylan soundtrack has too much filler.

[JG]

i just started listening to bowerbirds the other day and it sounds pretty great.  that'll probably be on my list.  mine's pretty boring..

panda, strawberry jam, love is simple, caribou, sunrub. 

dr. dog had a pretty solid release, not as good as their last though.  lots of good songs on okay albums (thinking of andrew bird, of montreal).

[Astrostic]

1. The National - Boxer
2. CocoRosie - The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
3. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
4. Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP
5. Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whale Heart
6. Once OST
7. Phosphorescent - Pride
8. M.I.A. - Kala
9. The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth
10. INLAND EMPIRE OST

[modage]

1. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
favorite tracks: Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe, A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene, John Allyn Smith Sails

2. The National - Boxer
favorite tracks: Fake Empire, Slow Show, Apartment Story

3. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
favorite tracks: You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb, Don't You Evah, Finer Feelings



4. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
favorite tracks: Keep The Car Running, Intervention, My Body Is A Cage

5. Radiohead - In Rainbows
favorite tracks: 15 Step, Bodysnatchers, Reckoner

6. The Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
favorite tracks: Skyway, Same Old Drag, Radiation

7. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
favorite tracks: Dashboard, Florida, Spitting Venom



8. Peter Bjorn And John - Writer's Block
favorite tracks: Object Of My Affection, Up Against The Wall, Paris 2004

9. New Pornographers - Challengers
favorite tracks: My Rights Versus Yours, Myriad Harbor, All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth

10. Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing
favorite tracks: The Loneliest City Of All, Salty Lips, Getting Away With Murder

11. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
favorite tracks: Australia, Phantom Limb, Turn On Me



12. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
favorite tracks: Silver Lining, Breakin' Up, Smoke Detector

13. Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
favorite tracks: Ode To LRC, No One's Gonna Love You, Lamb On The Lam (In The City)

14. The Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
favorite tracks: So It Goes, Brass Ring, Big City

15. The Thrills - Teenager
favorite tracks: The Midnight Choir, Nothing Changes 'Round Here, No More Empty Words

[polkablues]

Most of these lists are touching all the same bases, so I'll just throw in a few different ones:


Brandi Carlile - The Story

One of the greatest voices ever, even if her lyrics and melodies occasionally verge on trite.  Still, the point in the title track when her voice cracks is the most heartbreaking moment on any album all year.

Best songs: "The Story", "Losing Heart", and "Cannonball"


The Fratellis - Costello Music

I've listened to this album far more than any other this year.  Not even a close call.  Imagine a melodic talent on par with Burt Bacharach and then make him the frontman of a Scottish pub band, and you've got the Fratellis.

Best songs: "Flathead", "Whistle for the Choir", and "For The Girl"


The Honorary Title - Scream and Light Up the Sky

I just like The Honorary Title.  That's all there is to it.  And this album rocks so much harder than their first.

Best songs: "Stuck at Sea", "Stay Away", and "The City's Summer"


The Alternate Routes - Good and Reckless and True

I just heard of them recently, but I've been liking this album a lot.  It's kind of Ryan Adams-ish, with more of a mainstream, Gin Blossoms sort of polish to it.  Good singer.

Best songs: "Ordinary", "Time is a Runaway", and "California"


Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

I'm not gonna lie, this is not among my favorite Bright Eyes albums, but still, I like Bright Eyes enough that it would have to be really bad to not make it on my list.  There are some really good songs scattered throughout, even if the whole thing suffers from Every Song Sounds The Same Syndrome.  Plus, I have a hard time forgiving him for having Rachael Yamagata and the girls from Eisley singing background on one of the songs and then completely burying them in the mix. 

Best songs: "Four Winds", "I Must Belong Somewhere", and "Cleanse Song"


Eisley - Combinations

More accomplished, more creative, and more polished than their first album, yet somehow not quite as memorable.  Still, Eisley harmonizes like no other, they still write great songs, and their drummer continues to be surprisingly badass.

Best songs: "Invasion", "Taking Control", and "Many Funerals"

[Gamblour.]

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

In Rainbows

The songs I've heard from The Field and The Shins were good, but didn't listen to the albums.

I haven't listened to much music this year that I've been happy with. These albums were disappointing:

Clap Your Hands
Kings of Leon
Queens of the Stone Age
Foo Fighters (big surprise)

And I just didn't really try. Probably would've liked Spoon, The National, Spirit If, Okerrvil River if I had listened to them.

[tpfkabi]

Eisley - Combinations

More accomplished, more creative, and more polished than their first album, yet somehow not quite as memorable.  Still, Eisley harmonizes like no other, they still write great songs, and their drummer continues to be surprisingly badass.

Best songs: "Invasion", "Taking Control", and "Many Funerals"

i didn't know anyone else here knew about Eisley. they live fairly close to where i work, so over the years i have got to see several local shows before Room Noises came out.