2007 Top Albums

Returning last night from guitar, I heard this followup on the NPR poll for year's best music. I voted earlier and wanted to hear the results. (You can see their top 25 at the site, and hear the story as well.) Their top list includes most of my favorites as well. Wilco came in at number 4. Feist (an album that is growing on me) at 3, Arcade Fire at 2, New Pornographers 14, and Josh Ritter 19. Rilo Kiley came in at 25 and that is another album that is really growing on me.

They have a couple that I probably wouldn't have chosen. I like a couple of the Amy Winehouse songs, but also find many annoying. "Rehab" is a great song as is "Back to Black" but others grate on my nerves. I haven't heard the Modest Mouse but haven't been that much of a fan, and the same goes for the White Stripes (Though I loved the "denial twist" off their previous album).

But they list several albums that are late adds to my own listening. I resisted these for a while, but finally gave them a listen. I am not sure they all end up in my top ten, but they are all good.




I haven't listened to the Okkervil River album that much, and there are still songs I am not completely sold on, but it is a very interesting album and I think worth a little more attention.



Ubub gave me a few tracks of The National and I didn't really care for it. When I saw this album mentioned in several best lists (I think Paste Magazine had them number 1), I finally decided to give it a listen, and it is very good. Not great, perhaps, and I don't think would be my number one album, but a very good one.



I believe Zalm is a big fan of Andrew Bird, but like the National, I had listened to a few tracks that didn't really sell me. Since it was on Emusic, I finally decided to just download the
entire album and am very glad I did. Every new time through and I am impressed. I recently started using a playlist of stuff from this year and when Bird comes on, it is one of those moments when I run to the computer to see who is playing.




For some reason, Radiohead completely eluded me during their heyday. I remember hearing about them, but really didn't know who they were. This fall when the band released their album first to fans over the net, I was intrigued. I loved the entire idea having the fans set the price. I went to their site and bought it, mostly just to support the idea. I paid 10 bucks for the album, which is what I would have paid later.

After downloading, I listened to it a few times and then moved on. But as it kept coming up, I became more and more intrigued. Their last two songs--"Jigsaw falling into place" and "videotape" are as good as songs get. Seriously. Seriously good.