I know this is kinda late, but here it is. My best albums of 2007 list! Nothing extraordinary or eclectic in this list except for maybe #1. (sorry, you won't see any Battles, Panda Bear, or Animal Collective in here)
Anyways, what an awesome year it's been for music. I've had a blast.
10. Feist - The Reminder
Leslie Feist is kinda like an old schoolmate you always picked on when you were younger but then grew up to be smarter, richer, and more successful than you.
Now all you have left of are typical tales of seeing 'Leslie' (as you like to call her these days) back in the days that you're all too eager to share with your ignorant co-workers around the water cooler. You know, like that one time when you saw her play in tiny pub near your house in front of only ten people. And how you were a HUGE fan back then when in reality, you'd only seen her once and golf clapped your way through each unrecognizable song while she opened for the band you really came to see.
Anyways, whatever. Congratulations Leslie.
Lasting Impression: "1 2 3 4" (the sound of feist counting her money to the bank)
9. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apochrypha
Similar to where Feist was a year ago, Andrew Bird is about one iPod commercial away from being discovered by the masses and becoming a household name to the point where even your mother could one day ask, "Have you ever heard of Andrew Bird?". It's surprising he only made his television debut this year on the Letterman show.
Lasting Impression:"Thank God it's fatal, thank god it's fatal" (sometimes you're thankful life is fatal)
8. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
La la la.. boom. You have roughly six seconds from when this album starts to prepare yourself for what's ahead. Your ears will never be the same from the electrical orchestra and sonic visions of desperation that this album delivers.
Lasting Impression:"I'm in a crisis ... C'mon chemicals ... C'mon be a friend" (do drugs a little?)
7. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
The Klaxons are the posterboys of the indie nu-rave psychadelic rock. What's indie nu-rave you ask? Well it's kinda like an acceptable form high-energy rock music with rave-like psychadelic properties. It's perfect for hipsters who are either too cool to associate themselves with ravers or nerdy hipsters who are frightened of drugs or too emberassed to dance with glow sticks.
Basically, listening to this album is like getting high without having to worry about the morning after.
Lasting Impression: "Ooooh Aaaah"
6. Justice - † (aka Cross)
Indie rockers need to dance too. That's why every year there's always a 'band' (usually just a duo with laptops) guaranteed to bring indie dance and house music together. Whether it's MSTRKRFT, The Presets, or good ol' Daft Punk, if the DJ is spinning Justice, be assured you can safely dance your ass off without having to worry if the next track will feature Fergie or Brittany Murphy.
Lasting Impression:"We are your friends" (who'll write shit on your face with a sharpie the second you pass out)
5. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Radiohead is like your older brother who looks out for you while you're in grade school. Like if one afternoon, the record industry is bullying you and tries to take your lunch money, Radiohead will cruise on by at exactly the right moment and give them the evil eye. Then they'll quietly appologize and run away with their tails tucked between their legs.
Thanks Radiohead. You saved us once again.
Lasting Impression:"You are all I need. You're all I need." (ditto)
4. The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
It's strange how the Fiery Furnaces' best album to date has been so overlooked by critics this year. Perhaps this album wasn't difficult enough for writers to praise them or themselves for their superior ability to 'get it'? But for whatever reasons, it doesn't matter. The Friedbergers have managed to craft the most interesting album you'll hear all year.
Lasting Impression:"I want a restorative beer." (a song after my own heart?)
3. LCD Soundsystem - Sounds of Silver
The year in music started out rather slowly until this album came out sometime in March. The album pretty much blew everyone away since then including myself. Actually, if this album was nothing more than fourty-five minutes of that damn piano loop from "All My Friends" played over and over again, it would've still made 5 out of 10 hipster's top ten lists this year.
Lasting Impression: "Get Innocuous!" (these are the magic words to get me to dance spontaneously)
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
It took me a while to finally accept the post-Funeral version of Arcade Fire. I was sadly disappointed by this album for months when it came out.
That was until one day, I started noticing Win Butler's passionate cries frequently echoing through my head during my dull drives home. "Stop now before it's too late." "Nothing lasts forever, that's the way it’s got to be. There's a great black wave in the middle of the sea." "Do you have any idea where I was at your age?" "MTV, what have you done to me?" "No cars go!" "My body is a cage." The lyrics haunted me until I finally saw the light. This is one of the best and most passionate albums I've ever heard.
Lasting Impression:"My body is a cage that keeps me from dancing with the one I love, but my mind holds the key." (too true)
1. Electrelane - No Shouts No Calls
If you asked me earlier this year what my favorite album would be, it would've been Arcade Fire's Neon Bible without any doubt. There was no way another record would topple that album from the top of my list. That's until I started listening to Electrelane's No Shouts No Calls for about two months non-stop.
It's terrible. I'm currently afflicted with Electrelanitis. I can't listen to anything else without have the urge to change the current track to an Electrelane song. They're that good.
Sadly, after struggling for nearly ten years, these girls from Brighton England decided to call it quits last month. Music will never be the same. But then, I will never be the same either. Thank you for your amazing music.
Lasting Impression: "We'll work it, we'll work it, we'll work it out, we'll work it out" (i hope so)
