Since the Yahoo blog editor hacked this entry to pieces, here's a repost that you can actually read clearly:
Best Albums of 2007 - Runners-Up
This was such an incredible year for music, I was not only able to come up with a list of my top 25 favorite albums of 2007 (to follow soon), I even had 28 albums that deserved honorable mention that could have each made my top 25. Yes, that's right 28 more albums! Here they are, in no particular order:
Kanye West – Graduation - There were some terrific songs on his album (most notably the hit "Stronger"), but I skip through about half of the cd every time I listen now.
Hot Hot Heat – Happiness Ltd. - Another great set of songs from the young Canucks, with some great production by Butch Walker, who thankfully hasn't lost his touch.
Straylight Run – The Needle The Space - Their major label debut had some fantastic songs ("Buttoned Down," "The First of the Century"), but again it drags in some spots.
John Fogerty – Revival - A great return to form, possibly the angriest anti-Bush album of the year, too bad it didn't arrive back in 2004.
Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger - When he's on, Adams easily proves that he is one of the greatest songwriters of his generation ("Two," "Halloweenhead,"Goodnight Rose"). He'll most likely release another couple of albums in 2008 to hopefully cement this.
Thrice – The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 and 2 - The first half of an ambitious experiment to base an ep's worth of songs on each of the four basic element. We'll find out how the second half is next year.
Office – A Night at the Ritz - A very solid debut by the young Chicago band.
Queens of the Stone Age – Era Vulgaris - When Josh Homme & Co. put on the full on rock (as in "Sick, Sick, Sick"), they are without a doubt one of the best rock bands out there now. Too bad the whole album isn't like that.
Motion City Soundtrack – Even if it Kills Me - Not the best album by these young Minneapolis-based pop/punkers, but still better than most out there.
New Pornographers – Challengers - Carl Newman and his rotating band can write absolutely amazing songs like "My Rights Versus Yours," "Myriad Harbour" and "Mutiny, I Promise You" with incredible harmonies that get super glued in your head.
Steve Earle – Washington Square Serenade - I honestly only recently picked this one up, but from the first listen, it sounds like classic Earle material, which is a very good thing.
Matt Pond PA – Last Light
Angels & Airwaves – I-Empire
Serj Tankian – Elect the Dead
Josh Rouse – Country Mouse, City House
Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future
Idlewild – Make Another World
Bright Eyes – Casadaga - For the first few months of the year, this one was in constant rotation for me, but it slowly faded out after a while. Conner Oberest is another of the best songwriters of his time, and I expect to hear much greater things from him.
Tori Amos – American Doll Posse
Peter Bjorn & John – Writer’s Block - There was much more to this one than the ubiquitous summer hit "Young Folks," but sadly these guys will most likely be filed in the one hit wonder pile in the future.
Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion - Ridiculously catchy songs like "Grace Kelly" and "Love Today" show that this guy is a worthy successor to Freddie Mercury's throne. Definitely one to watch in the future.
Lily Allen – Alright Still
The Fratellis – Costello Music
Albert Hammond Jr. – Yours To Keep - Hammond proved he is the secret hidden weapon of the Strokes, with his solid solo debut. Sounds as though we'll see his next solo album before we'll see another Strokes album, so that isn't such a bad thing.
Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone - A great debut instrumental album, mixing the best parts of Hum and Sigur Ros.
Kings of Leon – Because of the Times
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero - This one deserves as much credit for the songs as for the ambitious and creative marketing strategy backing it up.
The Pipettes – We Are the Pipettes - An incredibly catchy set heavily indebted to the classic girl group sounds of the 1950's. Oh yeah, they're pretty fun to look at too!
And that was just the list of albums that ALMOST made my "best of 2007" list. Not a shabby year at all.
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1 comment:
it seems like you covered a few bases on this list...i like the mention of kanye west (so far i havent heard a bad album by him) and the matt pond PA album Last Light. the queens of the stone age album was pretty good too, as well as the angels & airwaves album and the thrice album. by the way...have you checked out any of matt pond AP's older stuff? it's well worth the look...and a bit different from Last Light, too.
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