I'm Going For It

I have 12 and a half hours to finish this post before my midnight deadline. Best of 2007, or better said, what I listened to a lot in 2007. Honestly I am not even sure this is complete, but it's kinda close. There was a lot of stuff I listened to this past year and no matter how organized my iTunes is (it's pretty damn organized, I even use the music rating system), I know I missed something.

But we promised a year-end list, and it would be wrong not to present something.

Now, considering I am doing this from work (yes I'm at work on New Year's Eve), I most likely won't have too many MP3's to post, but I will try the best that I can (if you really want a song, shoot an email and I get it out to you, I promise).

The beginning of the year is a blur for me, the blog didn't kick off until May (it's been 8 months already!! 229 posts!! over 25,000 visitors!!! amazing!! thanks to all the regulars!!), so I had to dig deep to find stuff.

So let's start with the best albums of 2007 (in no particular order).

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - A MUCH anticipated follow up to their brilliant Funeral. The songs are bigger, the band knows its place this time around -- and channeling The Boss seemed to help. My Body Is A Cage still haunts me to this day.

MP3: Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running






Yeasayer - All Hours Cymbals - This is one of several of the "spiritual bands" (don't know what else to call them) that caught my ear this year. In fact, I think this ritualistic sound is going to be even bigger in '08. Think late 70's David Byrne. Their first single 2080 was on constant repeat on my iPod.

MP3: Yeasayer - Sunrise





LCD Soundsystem - Sounds of Silver - Lets just pause for a moment and remember that year that it was all about LCD Soundsystem. How many "extra" albums did Mr. Murphy release. Sounds of Silver is 9 tracks of perfection. It is impossible to even come to a consensus about which was the best track on the album. In fact, I think every month I had a new favorite track. In the end it is the lyrics of All My Friends that do it for me.

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends



M.I.A. - Kala - Everybody predicted it, M.I.A. blew up/tore up/mixed up the scene. Who else can mixed political bombs with favela-booty-bass dance beats?

MP3: M.I.A. - Boyz (The Twelves Remix)






Radiohead - In Rainbows - It's funny because everybody loves Radiohead and everyone thought the album was great. But I find very few people that are still listening to it? Nevertheless, the album is amazing but more importantly the impact of how it was released I think will ring well into 2008. All I Need is classic Radiohead, I'll be first in line with the 2008 tour tickets go on sale.

MP3: Radiohead - All I Need




Burial - Untrue - Dark, mysterious, it is Portishead minus the sour times. (Besides, I am really doubting they are ever going to release a new album. It seems all they ever do is complain about other people and TALK about the release. I predict it an over-hyped flop...). Back to Burial, he taps into a common human feeling, loneliness but instead of feeling sad, you realize there is a freedom in being by yourself.

MP3: Burial - Raver



!!! - Myth Takes - I can listen to the band all day long. Pop songs that do not feel like pop songs. Long jams, acoustic instruments, electronic flourishes, proper remixes, amazing live energy. I am looking forward to their show at the Langaredo Festival in '08. (I remember giving Matt the track Heart of Hearts to play at PopLife because I could not get enough of that song.)

MP3: !!! - Heart of Hearts




Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank - This is one of those albums I had forgotten about until I dug into my iTunes and found it hanging out in the earlier part of the year. Missed The Boat with The Shins lead singer, James Mercer, should not be missed.

MP3: Modest Mouse - Missed The Boat





Matthew Dear - Asa Breed - I think this was one of the first posts for the blog. I'm a HUGE Ghostly Records fan, Matthew Dear is one of my favorite artists (Dog Days was a my ringtone for a while...), but this album just blew the roof off any of his previous albums. And then there was Hot Chip's cover of Don & Sherrie to top it off.

MP3: Matthew Dear - Don & Sherrie (M.A.N.D.Y. Remix)




Interpol - Our Love to Admire - You gotta give to these guys, their albums are consistent. This one seemed the most personal (check Rest My Chemistry) . Ignore their bored-with-life on stage persona's and you will get a glimpse of why our generation is discontent with the way some things are going.

MP3: Interpol - Mammoth





Shocking Pinks - self titled - This is proof that DFA is trying to break the mold and is on the hunt for new music. I think Shocking Pinks nailed it where Prinzhorn Dance School tried and only moderately succeeded.

MP3: Shocking Pinks - Yes! / No!






Prefuse 73 - Preparations - This is an album you can start from track 1 and not get bored. It is suitable for background music to play dominoes to, to driving to work in rush hour traffic. I'm still annoyed that I missed this show a couple months ago.

MP3: Prefuse 73 - The Class of 73 Bells






YACHT - I Believe In You, Your Magic Is Real - Pop music at it's finest (well pretty damn close). Add to the the multiple bands that are linked to YACHT (The Blow, The Microphones) and you got quite a family.

MP3: YACHT - See A Penny (Architecture in Helsinki Remix)






Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This - I admit it, I like the name of the band. Two albums of theirs where top in my list for 2007 (except one came out in late 2006). We Died, They Remixed had artists like Hot Chip, DJ Medhi, Mocky, and a host of others remixing their 2005 release In Case We Die. And then in 2007, they released Places Like This cementing themselves into my iPod for months. They're like Of Montreal except with lyrics that make sense.

MP3: Architecture in Helsinki - Heart It Races


A Mountain of One - Collected Works
Studio - Yearbook 1

These two albums are new for me, but are getting me excited for what is to come. Along with the Yeasayer album I mentioned above, I think they will dictate a new trend in music for this coming year. Along with Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, TV on the Radio they are going to lead a new wave of music. I think the general indie-music-listening public is ready to embrace this spiritual sound. No it is not a new sound per se, but a reemergence (with a twist) of sounds of prior generations.

MP3: A Mountain of One - Brown Piano
MP3: Studio - Self Service (short version)

So there you have it. Most of my favorite albums released in 2007. I have a ton of albums that I discovered in 2007, and I love equally. And I'm sure I missed a couple here and there. In fact, I know I did. I'll just admit it now.

How about you guys? What did you guys like?

UPDATE: I completely forgot about the Electrelane, Klaxons, Chromeo, and Joakim albums. I bet you this list is going to grow because of the knowledge I gain in 2008. Or better said my memory comes back to me.

UPDATE to the UPDATE: I also forgot the Simian Mobile Disco album. I Believe is a great track.