Best albums of 2007

Best albums of 2007

I decided to group the albums into tiers, as I discovered it was really hard to make a list of even my top 10 albums. I was finding there was a big difference between certain numbers. I placed more emphasis on the tiers than the rankings withing the tiers. For instance, I think there is a big difference from The National(1) and Jens Lekman(2), than Jens Lekman(2) and LCD Soundsystem(7). In fact, the rankings within the tiers, aren’t really that important. Also, I tried to write one sentence per album.

Tier 1: "Decade Worthy"
Unfortunately only one album makes this section. This is an album that I’ll remember as one of the best this decade.

1. National: Boxer - I can't say enough about this album, meaningful yet amusing lyrics, insane drums, just plain good songwriting

Tier 2: "Strongest of 2007"
These are albums that I’ll distinctly remember as being above the others in 2007. These were the “go to” albums when I didn’t think of anything I wanted to listen to.

2. Jens Lekman: Night Falls on Kortedala - An album where he puts all of skills together and reached new heights
3. M.I.A.: Kala - Personally like it more than Arular as it was riskier
4. Radiohead: In Rainbows - I stayed up until 4:00am listening this when it was released at night.
5. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - No extremely catchy single like the others, yet my favorite of theirs
6. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer? - How can such depressing song lyrics sound so fun
7. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver - "Someone Great" and "All My Friends" are the best songs they've written

Tier 3: "Rotated throughout the year"
You know those albums where you keep in your cd player for a couple of weeks. Either because you were too lazy to change them, or you didn’t drive far enough that you really needed to change the cd. These are those albums. They ended up in my cd player for an extended period of time, without me feeling like I needed to change the cd.

8. Feist: the Reminder - Of all the people on the list, I'm most excited that I loved her album as much as I did and slightly relieved
9. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago - I'm not sure if the fact that he's from NW Wisconsin influences me, but damn I love his voice
10. Peter Bjorn & John: Writer’s Block - Came out the year before officially, but I discovered it in 2007.

Tier 4: "You’ve had your moments"
Albums that were played frequently in my car or from my iPod. If I was tired of listening to the albums above, these would be next on my list that I’d listen to.

11. Battles: Mirrored - Sounds like organized chaos
12. Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha - One of those people who's live shows influences how much I like his album, in a positive way
13. Panda Bear: Person Pitch - I can't get into Animal Collective, but I do Panda Bear
14. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible - A solid follow-up to Funeral
15. Grizzly Bear: Friend - It may be an EP officially, but it's as long as a cd.
16. Bloc Party: A Weekend in the City - I think i'm the only person on the planet who actually liked this album
17. Dizzee Rascal: Math and English - My favorite rap album of the year (i'm no expert), love Lily Allen on it too

Tier 5: "Nice to meet you"
These are bands or musicians that are new to me. Some of these may be debuts, or their 3rd releases. Either way – I only discovered them this year. These also have the best chance of changing spots in future years. For instance, the Yeasayer album could jump up into Tier 2 or down to Tier 7, only time will tell how I evaluate them. It’s like meeting a really attractive single woman. You’re giddy, and yet cautious since there must be something wrong with her if she's single.

18. St. Vincent: Marry Me - Beautiful voice, amazing guitarist, cute as hell
19. Menomena: Friend or Foe - "Wet and Rusting" is one of the best songs of the year
20. Justice: + - Loved the performance on Jimmy Kimmel See it here
21. The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
22. Burial: Untrue - Can easily listen to this album the whole way through without being bored
23. Beirut: the Flying Cup - I want to go back to France
24. The Tough Alliance: 
A New Chance / New Waves EP - Makes me feel like a child
25. Yeasayer: All Hours Cymbal - Fantastic live
26. Handsome Furs: Plague Park - Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, Handsome Furs...these guys are talented
27. White Rabbits: Fort Nightly - Hopefully not one album wonders

Tier 6: "Solid if unspectacular, still, I’m glad you put out this album"
I didn’t listen to these frequently, but when I did I enjoyed them. They helped kill the time when I was tired of other music.

28. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew: Spirit If - Exactly how i thought it would sound
29. Jay – Z: American Gangster - He's back
30. The Fiery Furnaces: Widow City - Didn't push it enough
31. Patrick Wolf: the Magic Position - He kind of scares me, in a curious good way
32. Elliott Smith: New Moon - The Tupac of indie rock
33. Electrelane: No Shouts No Calls - Sad about the break up
34. Les Savy Fav: Let’s Stay Friends - Fulfills my angst moods
35. El-P: I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead - He makes me uneasy

Tier 7: "Some great songs, but really, that’s all I listen to"
You know these albums, the ones where you really just listen to a few of the songs and the only way you’d listen to the entire one is if you were to lazy to change it. It's like when I watch Conan when he has bad guests on. I'm still want to catch the monologue but am hoping that I fall asleep by the time the guests come on.

36. Twilight Sad: Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters - I personally love the thick Scottish accent
37. Modest Mouse: We were already dead when the ship sank - This and Good News are pretty similar to me, few great songs, descent amount of fillers, nothing too ambitious
38. Kanye West: Graduation - Solid throughout but no insanely great songs
39. Band of Horses: Cease to Begin - Something about them makes me want to punch them
40. Amy Winehouse: Back to Black - Anyone want to take bets that she doesn't make another album?
41. Charlotte Gainsbourg, 5:55 - I'm a sucker for good female voices who understand melody


Tier 8:" Road Bumps"
These are albums from bands that I was looking forward to, but ended up slightly disappointed. Not bad albums, but just didn’t catch my attention like previous releases. Although, I have hope that they’ll come back strong with their next release.

42. Art Brut: It’s a Bit Complicated - I really don't know what else this band can do
43. Stars: In the Bedroom After the War - A few songs embarrass me when I listen to them
44. White Stripes: Icky Thump - Slightly worried since this is the second album in a row that hasn't done much for me
45. New Pornographers: Challengers - This is the biggest disappointment of the year for me.....
46. The Good Life: Help Wanted Nights - Eh...

Tier 9: "It’s not you, it’s me"
These are bands that released albums that aren’t bad, but I personally think they just don’t do anything for me. We’ve had a real good run, but I think our time together has ended. I wish you the best in the future.

47. The Shins: Wincing the Night Away - This album isn't bad, but I think the Shins kind of bore me now
48. Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger - This is actually good, unfortunately, he lost me years ago
49. Tegan and Sara: The Con - I really don't know why I don't care that they released another album since I've loved their previous

Tier 10: "Weezer Effect"
Albums from bands who progressively get worse but I still listen to them because I love one or more albums that they put out in the past. Replace this band name with a generic one and I wouldn’t have given it more than one listen. Instead I gave it 3 or 4 for obligatory listens. I’ll always have to give any Weezer album a full listen because the Blue album and Pinkerton are my all-time favorites. Everybody has their Weezer.

50. Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight (Execution of All things) - Musically they'll get worse but gain more popularity
51. Interpol: Our Love to Admire (Self-titled) - Two good songs, and a bunch of crap
52. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (Releases prior to A Ghost is Born) - Just boring now

Best EPs of 2007
1. Joanna Newsom: Ys Street band - Never disappointed in anything she does
2. Black Kids: Wizard of Ahhhs - Skeptical that they can make a full length this good
3. Los Campesinos!: Sticking Fingers Into Sockets EP - Arts & Crafts will be a good label for them
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Is Is - More consistent than any of their albums, high hopes