music picks from 2007

Best of 2007, summed up solely upon Play Count, yet in no particular sort...

BAND OF HORSES :: Cease to Begin
I will not apologize for how naturally well these hicks perfectly fit the notches in my musical tastes.  Nor will I apologize for my low-grade addiction to adverbs.

RADIOHEAD :: InRainbows
Only thing more beautiful then my surprise with how traditional and accessible this release sounded, was how I frak’d up the $/£ conversion and paid double.  Deserved.

FIEST :: The Reminder
Sucker for the woman with the lungs.  Double word score for the Canadian thing.  Slight demerit for shilling for Jobs.  Demerit cancelled out by that damn Busby Berkeley video.

TEMPO NO TEMPO :: The Get Down
Solid reminder that you should see as much live music in as small a venue as possible as often as possible.

SILVERSUN PICKUPS :: Carnavas
Yea, from 2006.  But I discovered this in 2007 and I loved this. So frakin’ keep sneering at me and my low-rise Chucks.

ROGUE WAVE :: Asleep at Heavens Gate
Regardless of what you think of them now, reminds me of the good-vibe repeat-playability of when I first heard Shins.

PANDA BEAR :: Person Pitch
Far and away the most original clutch of new songs all year.  Even if it did sound like a long weekend locked in Brian Wilsons bathroom with 4 parts Roland, 5 parts blotter.

GABRIEL YARED & UNDERWORLD :: Breaking & Entering soundtrack
Best most elegant pairing since Holmes and Soderbergh.

DARJEELING LIMITED :: Soundtrack
Andersons’ prowess with music patched & mapped to edits & slowmo is undeniable, regardless of how the film sat with you.  The album is by itself wonderful, and at times, a nice blend of plucky old-world and culturally grating.

ULRICH SCHNAUSS :: Goodbye
What My Bloody Valentine might have sounded like if they did heroin.  Oh, wait… Nevermind.

KILN :: Dusker
On Repeat, best music to which you should read No Country for Old Men during a 5-day jaunt from Houston to Austin to San Antonio then back to Houston.

TEGAN & SARA :: The Con
Again with the singer songwriting chicks from O Canadia.  And identical twins?  With sleeve tattoos?  [scurries off to bathroom]

UNDERWORLD :: Oblivion with Bells
Not as solid a post-Emerson release as 100 Days Off, but an incredible package of songs.  There’s a low-fi theme album in here somewhere.  I just haven’t yet sussed it out.

KINGS OF LEON :: Because of the Times
Made me want to throw a half-emptied jar of moonshine out the speeding window of a maroon Caprice with a black door.  Had me revisiting in-car volumes not heard since TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS.

RICHARD BUTLER :: Self titled
Old pipes & general homely-dood from Psych Furs/LSL.  You grew up to this mans voice.  Listen to what the man does with a home studio and all the free time those royalty checks must provide.
 

SINGLES

FUJIYA & MIYAGI :: Conductor 71

INTERPOL :: Rest my Chemistry (anyone else get those distinct traits of Pixies Where is my Mind?)

AMY WHOREHOUSE :: Valerie (insert however much credit to Ronson you wish)

 

Some disappointments:

BLONDE REDHEAD :: 23