50 Best Albums of 2007

Cafe Society
1

The end of the year is fast approaching and you know what that means… “best of” lists! God how I love them; both for reminding me of the year past and for the vigorous arguments they inspire. Anyway, here is my somewhat premature list of the 50 best albums of '07.

  1. Kayne West - Graduation
  2. Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings
  3. Jay-Z - American Gangster
  4. Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
  5. Justice - Cross
  6. Unkle - War Stories
  7. M.I.A. - Kala
  8. Timbaland - Presents: Shock Value
  9. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
  10. Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
  11. Radiohead - In Rainbows
  12. Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
  13. Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat
  14. M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 1
  15. Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This
  16. Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim
  17. Beastie Boys - The Mix Up
  18. Galactic - From The Corner To The Block
  19. Alicia Keys - As I Am
  20. Common - Finding Forever
  21. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
  22. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Some Loud Thunder
  23. Lateef & Z-Trip - Ahead Of The Curve
  24. A-Trak - Dirty South Dance
  25. Nouvelle Vague - Bande A Part
  26. T.I. - T.I. Vs T.I.P.
  27. Mark Ronson - Version
  28. Low - Drums And Guns
  29. Prins Thomas - Cosmo Galactic Prism
  30. Apparat – Walls
  31. 50 Cent - Curtis
  32. Air France - On Trade Winds
  33. Mum - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
  34. Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
  35. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
  36. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
  37. The New Pornographers – Challengers
  38. 65daysofstatic - The Destruction Of Small Ideas
  39. Muscles - Guns Babes Lemonade
  40. Half Cousin - Iodine
  41. Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
  42. Angels Of Light - We Are Him
  43. Coconut Records - Nighttiming
  44. The Go Find - Miami
  45. Battles - Mirrored
  46. Alog - Amateur
  47. Tomboy - Serios
  48. Miracle Fortress - Five Roses
  49. Peder - And He Just Pointed To The Sky…
  50. Rodion - Romantic Jet Dance
2

I haven’t heard almost 100 percent of the albums listed - but I would nominate We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse.

3

I appreciate anyone who can like such a diverse amount of genres that a majority of people, who mostly only listen to a handful, will never have heard songs by most of the artists on this list, let alone bought albums by them. (Count for myself: three. I’ve heard of thirteen of them though.)

But I am also proud of myself for, despite having only bought four new albums this year (I mostly buy used CDs so do not usually purchase stuff the same year it’s made,) my favorite is in itself a fusion of genres: No World for Tomorrow by Coheed and Cambria. It does for Emo and Prog Rock what their Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 does for Nu-metal and Prog Rock, seamlessly fusing them into one epic whole. (Their other two offerings are straight up Emo and Prog Rock respectively, so they sure do have a diverse range.)

4

No mention of Plantagenet Frost by Boofty’s Twilight Nunchuk? For shame.

5

[QUOTE=jjimm]
No mention of Plantagenet Frost by Boofty’s Twilight Nunchuk? For shame.
[/QUOTE]

I prefer their earlier stuff, to be honest.

6

[QUOTE=Struan]
I prefer their earlier stuff, to be honest.
[/QUOTE]
Elitist.

7

My favorites this year are in this thread.

8

[QUOTE=cainxinth]
The end of the year is fast approaching and you know what that means… “best of” lists! God how I love them; both for reminding me of the year past and for the vigorous arguments they inspire. Anyway, here is my somewhat premature list of the 50 best albums of '07.

  1. Kayne West - Graduation
    2. Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings
  2. Jay-Z - American Gangster
  3. Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
  4. Justice - Cross
  5. Unkle - War Stories
    7. M.I.A. - Kala
  6. Timbaland - Presents: Shock Value
    9. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
  7. Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
  8. Radiohead - In Rainbows
  9. Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
  10. Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat
  11. M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 1
  12. Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This
  13. Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim
  14. Beastie Boys - The Mix Up
  15. Galactic - From The Corner To The Block
  16. Alicia Keys - As I Am
  17. Common - Finding Forever
  18. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
  19. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Some Loud Thunder
  20. Lateef & Z-Trip - Ahead Of The Curve
  21. A-Trak - Dirty South Dance
  22. Nouvelle Vague - Bande A Part
  23. T.I. - T.I. Vs T.I.P.
  24. Mark Ronson - Version
  25. Low - Drums And Guns
  26. Prins Thomas - Cosmo Galactic Prism
  27. Apparat – Walls
  28. 50 Cent - Curtis
  29. Air France - On Trade Winds
  30. Mum - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
  31. Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
  32. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
    36. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
  33. The New Pornographers – Challengers
  34. 65daysofstatic - The Destruction Of Small Ideas
    39. Muscles - Guns Babes Lemonade
  35. Half Cousin - Iodine
  36. Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
  37. Angels Of Light - We Are Him
  38. Coconut Records - Nighttiming
  39. The Go Find - Miami
    45. Battles - Mirrored
  40. Alog - Amateur
  41. Tomboy - Serios **
  42. Miracle Fortress - Five Roses**
  43. Peder - And He Just Pointed To The Sky…
  44. Rodion - Romantic Jet Dance
    [/QUOTE]

Would probably make my list. I have heard over half of the other ones, but none of them really did it for me. For instance, I wouldn’t even consider Architecture in Helsinki to be anywhere near this list. You also have a more beat/electronic taste than I do, which would be none, so a lot of the ones you’ve listed I didn’t listen to for those reasons. I’m more into a random sampling of indie, but not indie pop, indie folk, or indie rock.

I also don’t understand how Panda Bear isn’t on your list, unless you simply can’t get into Noah. Also, seems like you would be a fan of Burial, although that was released last week give or take. Oh, yea, and Health, do you like Health?

Some other bands that I’d have to put in the running: Old Time Relijun, Sunset Rubdown, The Good Life, Taken By Trees, Jens Lekman, Rock Plaza Central, Menomena (best band I’ve ever seen, period.), Benjy Ferre, Bat for Lashes, Deerhunter, Coathangers, Black Lips (Atlanta bitches!), Juju B Solomon, Arboretum, Shout Out Louds, Iron and Wine (his new one is really, really good) etc etc. It’s really hard for me to think back to the beginning of the year and a lot of my favorite bands who released albums I mostly wasn’t happy with. CYHSY, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, etc. I also am hesitant to add a bunch of new stuff, because I haven’t had time to really explore them. Deadly Syndromes et al.

Best surprise of the year would be Child Bite - Gold Thriller. It’s fucking awesome, but I don’t even think it touched the Blogsphere. Try it out: http://www.myspace.com/childbite .

Also, Devendra’s Seahorse needs to be the song of the year, since it needs some recognition after being off a decent, but not great, album.

(More of my musical tastes can be found here: http://wereallallwevedone.blogspot.com/ It’s about half of the albums I’ve reviewed since September, so not really representative of the year in all.)

9

I haven’t listened to 50 albums this year. Some that I’ve liked though include:
So Cow - These Truly Are End Times
Mumblin’ Deaf Ro’ - The Herring And The Brine
and
The Sick And Indigent Song Club - The Inisteoge Folly

10

[QUOTE=Ludovic]
I appreciate anyone who can like such a diverse amount of genres that a majority of people, who mostly only listen to a handful, will never have heard songs by most of the artists on this list, let alone bought albums by them. (Count for myself: three. I’ve heard of thirteen of them though.)
[/QUOTE]

Thanks very much for noticing. Diversity is what my tastes are all about. I find that if you try almost anything long enough you can learn to appreciate it, and why wouldn’t you want a bigger pool of options. For years I thought I didn’t like rap, or country, or opera, or cowboy movies, or mushrooms, etc. until I gave them a fair shot. Now, I spend my weekends eating mushroom pizza and watching the western channel on mute with Pagliacci playing at full volume. I’m living the dream. :wink:

[QUOTE=ZebraShaSha]

I also don’t understand how Panda Bear isn’t on your list, unless you simply can’t get into Noah. Also, seems like you would be a fan of Burial, although that was released last week give or take. Oh, yea, and Health, do you like Health?

[/QUOTE]

I did like Panda Bear’s release this year, but it didn’t quite crack the top 50. I’m not a huge Animal Collective fan (even though I know they have a big following) so I might have been biased by that going in. I scanned the new Burial disc, but not enough to make an informed opinion. I also briefly sampled Health but I remember not loving it. I take it I should give them both another look?

11

Jeez. I only have about 60 albums total. I’ve only bought one “new” album this year, which was “Magic” by Bruce Springsteen. It was pretty good. I also got “In Rainbows” from Radiohead for $0.00, and I hated it. So that’s my list:
[ol][li]“Magic” by Bruce Springsteen[/li][li]“In Rainbows” by Radiohead[/li]“Hi!” by Opalcat[/ol]

12

Graduation is the first Kanye album that wouldn’t crack my top two or three. I’m sure it would make the top 50, though.

I’m nowhere near making a Top 50, but my favorites of the year included:

Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala
The National, Boxer
Okkervil River, The Stage Names
Iron and Wine, The Shepherd’s Dog
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Jason Isbell, Sirens of the Ditch

Four of my favorite albums that were released in the US this year were actually out last year (or earlier!) elsewhere and widely heard here by anyone who really cared:
Lily Allen, Alright, Still
Peter Bjorn and John, Writer’s Block
Junior Senior, Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
The Pipettes, We Are The Pipettes

13

I would take The Fiery Furnaces’ Widow City as my favorite of 2007 thus far. This band is tough to get into, but quite worth it in my opinion.

Next, 23 by Blonde Redhead and Let’s Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav.

So I guess my top 50 (or 30 maybe since I didn’t get 50 albums this year) would be different than yours. I’m not much for hip-hop.

14

I know I’ll get laughed at, but the only album I’ve wanted to buy at ALL in 2007 was Libertad (Velvet Revolver).

15

I’ve only bought a few new albums this year, but enjoyed all of them:

Bitter:Sweet - The Mating Game (super-sexy loungey retro trip-hop)
Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight (and they were AWESOME live!)
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
New Pornographers - Challengers

16

Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta should really be on there.

17

[QUOTE=cainxinth]
…
I did like Panda Bear’s release this year, but it didn’t quite crack the top 50. I’m not a huge Animal Collective fan (even though I know they have a big following) so I might have been biased by that going in. I scanned the new Burial disc, but not enough to make an informed opinion. I also briefly sampled Health but I remember not loving it. I take it I should give them both another look?
[/QUOTE]

I haven’t really listened to Burial much, but everyone seems to love it, therefore I threw it out there. Health I rather like, but I don’t even think it would make my top 50. Really, I noticed you are quite into modern stuff, although not exactly the stuff I’m into, so I was throwing random suggestions your way. Looking over your list again, I say you should try Y Society, Endless Mic, Median, Buck 65, Omega Watts, Tunng, No Age, Black Dice, Octopus Project.. see, I’m naturally compelled to offer recommendations. You probably have heard the bands, but wouldn’t put them in top 50 status. I would tend to agree.

Except for Panda Bear. It’s one of those albums that worked for me, that I’ve listened to hundreds of times. I’ve never listened to an entire Animal Collective album, but I really love Person Pitch. The fact that it really is unique, that no other album has ever quite done what he did, especially considering it’s just sampling and endless homages to Beach Boys. Try it again if you get the chance.

18

I’ll add a few of mine!

Hmm, it was a mini-album, but Everyday I Said a Prayer For Kathy And Made A Once Inch Square by Wheat.

God Save the Clientele by The Clientele

White Chalk by PJ Harvey (coincidentally, the best live act I’ve ever seen was her recent one-woman show in NYC)

I wish I could say Beyond by Dinosaur Jr but… eep.

19

I’m with you on Atlas by The Battles and The Flying Club Cup by Beirut. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time or money to figure out a top 50 (or even a top 10!)

20

I know everyone differs in their enjoyment of music but I find it amazing when people can produce 50 albums of a year that are their favourites. I doubt a year has ever gone buy where I’ve bought more than 2 dozen records some of which ended up being dudes or having scant longevity. Unless your job is to review albums I find it amazing that cainxinth in the OP and other people can listen to/enjoy/consume enough music that they have a favourite 50 albums. I don’t own an iPod but I do regularly listen to music in work but I don’t think even if I was given 50 albums that I’d have time nor inclination to sit down and listen to and enjoy every one of them in a year. I respect those who can though.