I've never blogged about music, but I am obsessive compulsive.
Let me explain. I have blogged before. About issues, nonetheless, as objective in nature as politics, religion, the media, and (pseudo)philosophy. But never about music. Why? Much of my neglect for this topic stems from a developed dissatisfaction with the vast variety of music blogs or review sites already in existence. What one tends to notice is that such blogs are either very adept at talking out of their arse at length, or know much more about the qualities displayed in a certain band, album, or track than anyone else on this planet. Either way all subjectivity seems to fly out of the window.
Yet the blogging medium is one that has changed the musical landscape. Indeed, many quality blogs do exist, a handful of which I read regularly, that have allowed me to discover and sample many of the artists and albums that will feature on the forthcoming list. Really, most of that introductory criticism can be directed solely at Pitchfork.. Their perceived influence in the
indie music scene sickens me. I leave out “indie” because they seem to have an unexplainable penchant for Justin Timberlake – an “unrequited” love, you could say, as no one with the same predilections would ever read Pitchfork (can they read at all?). And I say “perceived” because, apart from those who I have personally told, no one has ever heard of
Joanna Newsom, let alone being ready to sacrifice lambs in the honour of her folk piety. Despite Pitchfork's deepest desires, she has not redefined “cool”. But no more about that.
So why, then, would I start blogging now? Well not so long ago I used to think that all music was inferior unless it was recorded between the years of 1963 and 1970 in a lonely British studio on a 4, or later 8, track recorder by a German band from
Liverpool. A view that's not uncommon among some of my friends and, I would assume, among many others, even if without such particular preference: “Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974...”
The downright pigheadedness and ignorance of such a view that I held for quite some time didn't dawn on me suddenly, but was discovered after much musing, most of which was done during the writing of this post.
I am now inclined to believe that music has never been devoid of progress. That perhaps it is not exempt from Darwin's natural selection and random variation or from Thomas Kuhn's paradigm shifts. The music that is made today is just as great as any that has ever been made. Do you have to look for it? Yes, but you have always had to dig deeper than the pre-packaged mainstream fluff. In today's democratised, digitalised setting finding something worth listening to is easier than ever.
It is not all bundled nicely in one set of releases from a single British band, nor is it all from one town or one country. But as a collection of all parts, a sum of all concrete particulars, it is among the best music that has ever been released.
Having discovered this contemporary goodness so recently, a large chunk of the year was spent discovering releases from the last few years. Much of the last few months has been spent following releases from this year and having heard a vast, yet not nearly comprehensive, amount of albums from 2007, having spent a few weeks listening and relistening, (and this is where the OCD comes in handy) I have decided to compile an end of year top album list. There is, of course, much that I haven't had the time to listen to this year, and I presume some of next year will be spent again discovering, in wonderment, this years' releases such that in a few months this list would be dramatically distorted.
But here are my
Top 12 Albums of 2007
12.
Art Brut -
It's a Bit Complicated
I thoroughly enjoyed Art Brut's debut album
Bang Bang Rock And Roll with powerhouse
riffs and pop-culture irony conveyed in near spoken word cockney by lead Eddie Argos. This album delves deeper musically,
yet doesn't consistently match the sublime wit of their first effort. With lyrics, however, as brutal as:
River deep and mountain high
There's some lyrics that'll never apply
'Cause I don't lie awake at night
With thoughts of river depth or mountain height
this album deserves a place on this list.
Post Soothing Out (Album)
11.
Field Music -
Tones Of Town
A pop album at heart, Tones of Town borrows from prog-rock with quirky hooks and riffs. I can see clear parallels with
XTC in some songs, and though I haven't seen such a comparison before, in my books it's always a good thing. All in all a complicated, matured pop album, that seems to diverge and spiral out of control at times, but comes together nicely and remains very catchy throughout.
In Context
10.
Andrew Bird -
Armchair Apocrypha
In the latter half of the year I went on a massive
folk/
alt-folk/
indie folk spree. This album, while not entirely fitting any of those tags, this is still a beautiful album. This is folk influenced
indie pop but without any twee. The unusual instrumentation with violins, electric pianos and raw, weaving drums provides lush, sometimes gypsy influenced, melodies, that at times draw the dark, relevant lyrics into the background. Whether that weakens the album or not, it remains an astonishing work.
Imitosis
9.
Architecture in Helsinki -
Places Like This
So, this album hasn't been touted as one of their best. So, it's an overly mainstream, chart-hitting monstrosity of tangled, all-over-the-place metropolises. And that's just the album cover. There aren't some of the subtle nuances, the little jangly melodies as on their first two albums, but the all out energy and electro pop rhythms are catchier than ever. This band also has the distinction of being the only band that released an album this year that I saw play live, due to barbaric licensing laws in this state, so that counts for something. Don't dismay though, the Justin Timberlake concert was all ages!
Heart It Races
8.
Wax Fang -
La La Land
The first of my more obscure albums on this list (there will be a few). Scott Carney and his band release an album of powerful rock with some folk styling, yet one that is unabashedly full of pure pop. Hard thumping guitars, building to climax after climax, with the help of even harder thumping drums, and a sweetly ragged voice pumping out some of the finest lyrics ever heard, that don't get lost in the hard thumping.
A sight for sore eyes to the blind would be awful majestic.
It would be the most beautiful thing that they ever had seen.
Classic. And those are just the first lines.
Unfortunately there aren't any tracks on last.fm, however, highlights include Majestic and The Doctor Will See You Now.
7.
of Montreal -
Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
I've counted, and there are exactly 9 seconds of build-up on this album. Then it bursts an all out streak of regret, denial, torment, suffering, and calls for help with it's dreamy vocals and cheery electro tunes. It wants to make you dance while weeping at some great, unrecoverable loss and despite frequent references to Norway it will not cheer you up. Since the emus vacated Flinders Street, depression has seldom come in such a fun form, with catchy beats and sing-along vocals.
Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse
A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger
6.
Sea Wolf -
Leaves In The River
Another one plucked from near-obscurity, but in stark contrast to the Wax Fang record this trades in the raw power for lush strings of guitar and violin, and jingling tambourines and harmonic vocals. Another with with strong Eastern European folk influences with songs about wolves and gypsies on
You're a Wolf, mixed with simple indie pop numbers such as
Middle Distance Runner and acoustic ballads like
Black Leaf Falls.
5.
LCD Soundsystem -
Sound Of Silver
You can call this an electronic album, but there are so many variations in style from one track to the next and some songs have been covered multiple times in such musically different ways, without losing their touch, that really, this transcends labelling, or at least pigeonholing. The variety itself allows for each song to be unique, and uniquely great at that. Criticism of Pitchfork standing,
All My Friends stands out as one of the best of the year. The operatic
New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down was the one I fell in love with first, though the entire album is full of highs.
4.
Chucky Danger -
Chucky Danger
I was first taken aback by this band when I heard the opening of Travelling whilst browsing one or another elitist music torrent tracker. Those clean, mellow piano-backed vocals launching into a hook-laden pop classic, at times akin to
The Police but once again with an air of folk mystique. And it just so happens that you love a certain sound a band creates, and you enjoy every song. The simplicity of the handclaps and other percussive novelties blends well with some haunting acoustic strumming, loud hooks and those sweet sweet harmonics on songs such as Queen Charlotte of The Hyenas, and The Sheriff. Good luck finding this anywhere, though.
3.
THERE'S
NO
FREAKING
ALBUM
COVER
French Quarter -
French Quarter
That's how much of a snobbish bastard I've become. I listen to albums that have no album art. The entire internets has no room for one more freaking jpeg. Also, this album is amazing. At just over 30 minutes long, each track is incredibly rich with subtle acoustic motifs or hummed tunes or gentle piano chords with haunting percussion, varying between
lo-fi simplicity and intricate production value. The vocals too, wonderfully harmonic, become part of the instrumentation. Each song is like a cool summer breeze, that no metaphor will ever do justice. Every track is gorgeous... and nowhere to be found.
2.
Fishboy -
Albatross: How We Failed to Save the Lone Star State With the Power of Rock and Roll
I once read a review of this album that said the comically nasal voice of the lead singer prevented some of the sadness and futility of the lyrics from being felt. Then I laughed. The truth is that an emo couldn't detect a trickle of sadness in this album. It's another short (32 minute) romping, semi-concept album of all out powerpop, ingenious lyrics filled with irony and hilarity. It's a insanely fast paced affair with piano power chords and massive riffs. But it's the same nasal vocals that make this utterly addictive. Singing about Proper Name Spelling Bees or lines like:
I'm so broke it makes me sick.
I use cut up credit cards for guitar picks
on
Taqueria Girl or about climbing out of wombs on the opener
Minus Two.
Pure unadulterated fun.
1.
Bishop Allen -
The Broken String
I'll be straightforward. The EPs last year were the best thing I'd heard since The Beatles. I was at that stage of discovery I mentioned earlier, lost in the forest of music past, overwhelmed by the rabble of music present and searching for a light. Call it right time and right place. Call it divine intervention for all I care. Call it what you will, but all the way from January to December these guys made me look forward to music future. There was a magical something in their lo-fi, thought provoking pop music. So, no matter how much of a disappointment the album would be, it would always hold this place on this very list. I can disagree with some of the song choices, and with the less than lo-fi feel of it, but on the strength of the music and the songwriting alone, this is my favourite album of 2007.
If you wanna check them out, get the EPs first.
As a consolation, I offer this list of albums that either didn't quite make it or that I haven't spent enough time with:
Elvis Perkins -
Ash Wednesday
Battles –
Mirrored
Bonnie "Prince" Billy -
Ask Forgiveness
The One AM Radio -
This Too Will Pass
Bon Iver -
For Emma, Forever Ago
Ben and Bruno -
100 Grim Reapers
Breathe Owl Breathe -
Canadian Shield
Deer Tick -
War Elephant
The Deep Dark Woods -
Hang Me, Oh Hang Me
Lacrosse -
This New Year Will Be for You and Me
The Intelligence –
Deuteronomy
Mountain Home -
Mountain Home
Love dance –
Result
Pants Yell! -
Alison Statton
Seabear -
The Ghost That Carried Us Away
Begushkin -
Nightly Things
To an even better '08!
Love dance
Colour Kane - A Taste Of
Celestial - 
Celestial - Somedays We Are
Club 8 - Heaven
The Electric Pop Group - 
The Elephants - Shivers
Ether Aura - 
gonzo48k - 
Love dance - When You're With Him
Monkey Swallows the Universe - Bloodline
Moscow Olympics - 
Moscow Olympics - Second Trace
Palomar - 
Panda Riot - She Dares All Things
Pocketbooks - 
Ronderlin - 
Santa Dog - 
Stars In Coma - Transformation
Sunny Summer Day - 
Trembling Blue Stars - 