Paul’s Top 10 List of 2007
Since February, I’ve been saying that 2007 was The Year of Great Music. Every couple of weeks this year, I’d be surprised by yet another great album making it’s release. So, undoubtedly, I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to figure out who would make my top 10 list, and it hasn’t been easy with so many great releases. So…..the only fair way to do this is to list the albums that I spent the most time listening to. Without further ado:
#10 Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
When this album came out, i gave it one listen and stopped. Some of the songs reminded me of Smashing Pumpkins of old, but the production and vocal effects annoyed me. Then a few weeks later I caught a few live performances on youtube, and I was reminded of Jimmy Chamberlin’s great drumming and gave the album another listen. Suddenly it started to grow on me. Then I listened to it while driving. And by golly it was fun to listen to while driving. (Zeitgeist is also my favorite German word).
#9 The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
I waited not so patiently for this to come out. I remember getting an unmixed copy of Neon Bible from someone I will not name, a month before it’s scheduled release, and listening the hell out of it. At first I was disappointed that it didn’t have more guitar (a la Funeral) but the songs soon grew on me (a surefire way to tell if the album will be disposable to me in a month or less, or something that I will listen to years later, is the level of my immediate attraction to the album. If I love it, it’s a throwaway but if it intrigues me enough to keep going back and listening to it although I may not have yet formed an attachment to it, then it’s here to stay.)
So, that being said, I kept going back. And I discovered a little more Springsteen and little less Talking Heads in this one.
#8 The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
As I recall, this was the very first musical treat of 2007 for me. It was released during the heart of winter but the musical journey and experimental twist The Shins spun on this album allowed me believe the sun would come back.
#7 Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8
This band was a whole new discovery for me this summer. I actually wrote a blog about them back in September. There’s some brilliant songs on this album that I keep going back and listening to.
#6 The National - Boxer
I got this album when it came out back in May gave it a listen, and that was that. However, as I was mentally putting together this list of best of 2007, I decided to peruse a few other blogs that I frequent, and see what everyone else was writing about. Boxer kept showing up repeatedly and I thought to myself, I better give it another listen. And I did. Again and again. Now I can’t seem to get this CD to stop playing, nor do I want to. (I just recently discovered that The National are Brooklynites, by way of Cincinnati).
#5 Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Yes, I know that most people think this was such a disappointment for Jeff Tweedy and Co. but I have always been an avid fan of Tweedy since the Uncle Tupelo years, and I’ve always liked his songwriting and experimentation. With this album, he wanted to make an album that wouldn’t sound out of place being jammed on someones front porch. I got that and enjoyed the album for what it is. And I continue to be completely mesmerized by Nels Cline and Tweedy’s guitar interplay.
#4 The Hold Steady
Where do I begin with this one. Well, it all started when I repeatedly kept hearing what a great live band The Hold Steady are. I finally reserved their albums from the library, gave them a couple of listens and thought they were ok. This band is all about the live experience though and I finally caught them live at Bonnaroo this year. Craig Finn is absolutely fun to watch live, and the whole band knows how to write a good song. After seeing them live, I fell in love with this album and listened to it over and over and over.
Video for Stuck Between Stations
#3 Kings of Leon - Because of the Times.
From the intro of Knocked Up to the to the closer My Third House, this album rocks. Theres not a weak song on the album. This album really was a step up in songwriting from their last Aha Shake Heartbreak. They were able to find that space in between the notes and let the songs breath. And did I mention it’s a fine damn rocker?
#2 Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Well I realize that all the old time Modest Mouse fans think these guys have sold out. Personally, I think they’ve never sounded better. I still enjoy listening to their old stuff, but I much prefer the production quality of their last 3 albums. And now they have Johnny Marr adding his signature guitar style with Isaac’s jangly rhythms and don’t forget the dueling drummers. This album occupied most of my listening time this summer (heck this year) and would have been number one if only it weren’t for a little band called Radiohead.
#1 Radiohead - In Rainbows
How can one band have so many masterpieces? Maybe it’s the result of having so many geniuses in one band. Either way, they’ve done it again (and it is not a result of the way they released this album, it’s all about the music). This time around, the songs were written to highlight Thom’s voice and what a great voice. There’s not a bad track on the album, though I do miss the up tempo version of Videotape that they played while on tour a few years back. Regardless, the album is just one beautiful song after another that demonstrates their creativity and their devotion to art. Art as music. Music as art.
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