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Staff
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| Staff Picks: Top 50 Albums Of 2007
An eclectic journey through 2007 based on staff consensus. | | 50 |  | Lindsey Boullt
Composition
What do you get when you take a San Franciscan guitar teacher, Jerry Goodman from The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and some of the strongest session musicians together in a studio? Essentially, Mahavishnu for the 21st century. Boullt sounds like a new and improved John McLaughlin with metal influences. Even while maintaining a rather unknown persona, Boullt nearly received some Grammy nominations, and proves that guitar virtuosos can compose too. He shreds better than almost anyone in the business, but in moderation, letting some of his melodies and other musicians on the recordings shine. A certain surprise for the year. --Tyler Fisher | | 49 |  | The Fall of Troy
Manipulator
A lot of people complained about this album. For many, it was one of the most anticipated releases of early 2007.The echoes of the incredible guitar lines found on 'Doppelganger' still ringed in everyones head, and people were craving for more of that kind. But the audience was disappointed when they got served something different. Most of the songs are not that fast and crazy anymore. More settled and subtle if you want to call it that way. I have to confess, I thought the same way too. But the album began to sink in, and it turned out to be an absolute grower. In fact, I now think that the album overall is much more consistent and thought through than 'Doppelganger' was. It's a great piece of music, and absolutely deserves to be on this list. --Jens Classen | | 48 |  | Ghost
In Stormy Nights
'In Stormy Nights' is a worthy release of being filed under the rest of Ghost's great records. While the album as a whole is far from being perfect, moments of it are some of the most gorgeous and interesting things I have heard. Ghost have been around for over twenty years and while I certainly love them as a band, I still feel like they have a perfect record inside of them. Maybe it is just wishful thinking, but I always look forward to a new release from the band and constantly being surprised with the new twists and turns they decide to throw into their music. As such, 'In Stormy Nights' does nothing to diminish my excitement for the next Ghost release. --Jared W. Dillon | | 47 |  | Stephen Marley
Mind Control
Stephen has finally come out of the woodwork with an album I feel will get endless nods come summertime. There are a few reasons for this. First and foremost, Stephen is a Marley, which ?for better or worse? guarantees him some exposure. Thankfully, he's more than a name; in fact, I'd go so far as to say he's probably the most talented Marley, and yes, I'm including Bob. But, perhaps the biggest reason why this album will, or at least should, be a success is because it's the perfect blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Raggamuffin (and more). It seamlessly melds genres I feel carry a summertime vibe, all the while retaining the true Marley spirit. Much of that does have to do with the name, as well as appearances from brothers Julian and Damien, but it doesn't hurt that Damien sounds comparatively the most like his father. You're probably asking what a perfect blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Raggamuffin (and more) sounds like. I guess the simplest way to explain this is by saying that many times during the album you'll have difficulty pinpointing the genre. I could go on all day, and pretty much have. This is a scarily solid album devoid of any weak tracks. An essential summer listen. --Tyler Munro | | 46 |  | Liars
Liars
Liars seem to have approached their self-titled album with much the same goals as with all of their other records; namely to challenge themselves just as much as their listeners. Experimental as always, catchy as hell and full of odd humour, Liars may well go on to be the band's definitive work. What is obvious now more than ever is that Liars' refusal to become complacent is perhaps the thing that sets them most apart from any of their peers. As it stands, 'Liars' is an appropriately titled, highly worthwhile piece of work that the band and any of its fans should be extremely proud of. --Andrew Hartwig | | 45 |  | Angels of Light
We Are Him
Listen to these city boys. The bestial sounds of 'We Are Him' act as soundtrack to some exaggerated Appalachian courting ritual. But the affectations of Michael Gira's Angels of Light belie the fact that these are New Yorkers in hokum garb. Straw hat-wearing noise mongers, highwater art punk carpetbaggers, dead set on reenacting a dark, Southern Gothic fiction, complete with roadshow grotesqueries. Whether or not this makes for art verite is beyond the point; like any good liar, Gira lulls us into his own vision of country, spiritualism and romance. And it's simply more fun to believe than to dissect the lie. --Louis Arp | | 44 |  | Dan Deacon
Spiderman of the Rings
If I ever met Dan Deacon in real life, I wouldn't know what to say (have you ever seen this guy?). 'Spiderman of the Rings' is one of the worst album titles of the year, but damn if the music (wacky electronica on a sugar high) isn't the most amusing/amazing. "Wham City" is epic in the most fun way possible. --Joe Katz | | 43 |  | Sixx:A.M.
Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
It all began with a diary that even its author had forgotten about. Written at the apex of his drug-addicted hell, Nikki Sixx's Heroin Diaries begins with its anti-hero at his lowest ebb, and charts his recovery-ish with brutal honesty and no little amount of dignity. Interspersed with surprisingly eloquent readings from the text, The Heroin Diaries soundtrack is a collection of thirteen radio-primed rock singles, a near-perfect cohesion of Sixx's perfect pop smarts and nose for a classic melody. He's helped by renowned producer/guitarists DJ Ashba and James Michael, the latter adding flawless and understated vocals to his extensive songwriting credits. If 'Dead Man's Ballet' and 'Van Nuys' recall the theatricality of Meat Loaf, singles 'Life Is Beautiful' and 'Accidents May Happen' soar with the weight and genuine intensity befitting the best effort in a decade by three of pop rock's underappreciated genuises. | | 42 |  | Dirty Projectors
Rise Above
One wonders about the reliability of Dave Longstreth's memory. By all accounts, 'Rise Above' is Longstreth's attempt to reproduce Black Flag's 'Damaged' from the ground up. All from memory, of course. Yet Longstreth's reading of the seminal hardcore band's full-length debut is positively Beefheartesque, spastic and seemingly unmeasured in its fits of clattering noise and specious rhythms. Longstreth's unbalanced warble further subverts things while swooning strings, guitar arpeggios and fill out the framework offered by the original tunes. The result leaves that framework barely visible, but not without offering a difficult, but ultimately rewarding, something. --Louis Arp | | 41 |  | Dalek
Abandoned Language
As far as Rap in 2007, no one pulls off weird quite like Dalek and their 'Abandoned Language.' It's a rap album in shoegaze's clothing; soaked in fuzz, but not so much that you can't hear MC Dalek's powerful wordplay. It takes a lot to pull of a 11 minute long song, especially for a rap group, but anyone who's heard 'Language' (and its opening track) now knows just how well it can be done. --Joe Katz | | 40 |  | LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
Summer of 07 is over for most, yet for the Southern hemisphere the months keep on warming towards summer, and if any song captures the spirit of summer vacations with friends, it is "All My Friends." Sure "North American Scum" doesn't live up to its hype, but that doesn't render it irrelevant. Rather every song on the album contributes in a unique way, each song serving as a focal point with "All My Friends" standing tallest and as one of the highlights of 2007. --Daniel Incognito | | 39 |  | The Dead C
Future Artists
Having a reputation for creating some of the most noisy, chaotic, disturbing, and erratic music The Dead C are at it again with their 19th full length studio album in 20 years. Although the New Zealand trio is often categorized with notable noise-rock groups such as Lightning Bolt and Wolf Eyes, The Dead C have a much more cryptic and haunting atmosphere. With 'Future Artists' we see Bruce Russell and co. head for a much more avant-garde and spontaneous sound leaving behind some of their patented drone influences. That being said 'Future Artists' contains the trio's signature doom/drone sound while incorporating spiky electronic effects and chaotic vocal stylings into their sound. Like most albums released by The Dead C, Future Artists takes the listener through one abrasive ride. --Chris Jackson | | 38 |  | Damien Dempsey
To Hell or Barbados
Critically exalted in his native Ireland, Damien Dempsey's notoriety has only recently spread beyond the far-flung Irish diaspora. To Hell Or Barbados, his most accomplished effort to date, blends his twin loves of gutsy Irish folk, descended from the likes of Christy Moore and Luke Kelly, and the reggae of Bob Marley, while forays into hip hop ('Serious') and electronic ('The City') are just as well executed. Built like a boxer, Dempsey's most impressive feature is his booming voice, a thick Dublin accent he can deliver with as much delicate grace as brute physical force. Highlights include opener 'Maasai,' paying homage to the proud African tribe of the same name, and the title track. Patriotism plays a strong role in all of Dempsey's songwriting, and 'To Hell Or Barbados' is a history lesson in itself, d0cumenting the forgotten slaves of the West Indies, the vanquished Irish during the brief reign of Oliver Cromwell. --Dave de Sylvia | | 37 |  | Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band
It's already been discussed at length why Joanna Newsom's sprawling, majestic 'Ys' would prove nearly impossible to follow up, even for a songwriter as wonderful as Newsom is. So needless to say, the fact that 'Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP' is just that (an EP of Newsom and her band) is in no way a disappointment. In fact, it's one of the best choices Joanna could have made. The EP houses 2 remakes of classic Newsom tunes, performed by the folk singer and her touring band ('Ys's' "Cosmia" is fleshed out superbly, while 'Milk Eyed Mender's' "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowery" is left relatively unchanged) and the gorgeous original "Colleen." --Joe Katz | | 36 |  | PJ Harvey
White Chalk
Songwriting heiress PJ Harvey comes back with a shock tactic: instead of making guitar pop, she switches to piano and makes some beautiful music. This is the sound of a young woman who has grown and grown throughout her career and this album completes the development process. A gentle, touching record. --Derek McArthur | | 35 |  | 108
A New Beat From a Dead Heart
Who'd expect a hardcore relic to release one of the most personal releases of 2007? 108 shocked alot of fans with probably the finest hardcore record since Modern Life's 'Witness'. Instead of attacking the suburban perspective most hardcore fights for, 108 guise their feelings in realms of religious freedom and their Krishna beliefs. --Jared W. Dillon | | 34 | | El-P
I'll Sleep When You're Dead
It's not often that a white guy redefines the course of hip-hop with his debut album, but that's precisely what El-Producto did with Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus. He's done a lot in the ten years since (inluding forming Def Jux, for one thing), but what he hasn't done is make too many solo albums. 'I'll Sleep When You're Dead' is only album #2, and it trumps 'Fantastic Damage.' Not a lot's changed - El's vision of hip-hop is still a dense, dark, forward-thinking one, and the rest of the Def Jux crew make guest appearances - it's just better than, arguably, any other album produced by El-P. Oh, and rck heads should listen up - other guests include The Mars Volta, Daryl Palumbo, Trent Reznor, James NcNew from Yo La Tengo, and Cat Power. --Nick Butler | | 33 |  | Neurosis
Given to the Rising
'Given to the Rising' makes a strong case for Neurosis being the most consistently great bands to ever make music over an extended period of time. Going back to the heavy and crushing roots of past records, Neurosis craft a brutal masterpiece that puts other "post metal" bands to shame. You won't hear a heavier album in 2007, and probably won't hear much outright better either. --John A. Hanson | | 32 |  | Between the Buried and Me
Colors
The members of Between the Buried and Me are the Franz Liszts of metal, making 'Colors' their version of Liszt?s 'Sonata in B Minor.' Purely virtuosic in nature, 'Colors' met two opposite reactions, those who celebrated its complexity and those who criticized it for a lack of musicality, often saying it exists purely to show off that yes, the members of Between the Buried and Me can play their instruments. While it plays a little on the long side, the entire album flows as one while flying through multiple genres per song. The last five minutes of ?White Walls? are worth the entire listen anyway. --Tyler Fisher | | 31 |  | The Pax Cecilia
Blessed are the Bonds
The Pax Cecilia's second LP 'Blessed Are the Bonds' is forged from the same fires that gave listeners Circle Takes the Square's 'As the Roots Undo' and Dredg's 'El Cielo.' It is epic, original, heavy, pensive, and savagely compelling music. It is transcendent. It taps into something above normal perception and does this with a strange lack of pretentiousness. The sound is a mix of post-rock (Engine Down), alternative (Dredg), metal (Isis), and screamo (City of Caterpillar). The musicianship and songwriting are beautiful and the emotional weight of the album is relentless. And to top it all off, the album is free (www.paxcecilia.com/contacts.html). --Nick Greer | | 30 |  | No Age
Weirdo Rippers
What No Age lacks in instrumentation they make up for in sheer brilliance on 'Weirdo Rippers.' Every song drips in the same ethereal sonic bliss, even when the band unleashes their raw side on tracks such as Boy Void, Dead Plane, or the frustratingly good opener Every Artist Needs a Tragedy. Liars are the obvious comparison here, but No Age's music is much simpler and easier to digest. If that doesn't seem like the biggest compliment, listen to this and see why it is. 2008 will be No Age. -- Joe Katz | | 29 |  | Moonsorrow
V: Havitetty
Consisting solely of two 30-minute tracks, it would be fairly easy to write off Moonsorrow's latest release as too long by default, an adequate release undermined by its length. But that wouldn't explain my love for the album and how it works almost flawlessly as a whole, starting with the patient strings to "Jaasta Syntynyt / Varjojen Virta"'s intro that builds into Ville Sorvali's strained cry, rarely letting up until V: Havitetty rolls into its second half. Even so, what truly marks V: Havtietty as 2007's most notable metal release is its centered focus, drawing its folk influence without repetition. This is up for debate, but in a year of unexpected highlights, no album caught me off guard as hard and unexpectedly as Moonsorrow's V: Havitetty. --Lewis Parry | | 28 |  | Feist
The Reminder
Who would have thought that Feist, the indie pop patron that lived prominently in the smoky, cabaret ballroom, would just as easily slip into the mainstream so fluidly and gracefully? That's assuming she did at all (iPod commercial and Grey's Anatomy notwithstanding), her titillating "1234" void of (and I quote from a popular radio station) "a good beat to dance to." This small misstep aside (?), 'The Reminder' stands head-and-shoulders as the year's best pop release, loose and lively when appropriate ("I Feel It All") or slow and palpable when needed ("Intuition"). That it features her best song (the lovely outro, "How My Heart Behaves") only cements Feist as a growing songwriter, one that might not have tapped into the mainstream she seemed destined for (you can breathe easy, back pocket believers), but at least now she's poised for it. That alone makes 'The Reminder' irresistible; everything else is just bonus. --Lewis Parry | | 27 |  | Hot Cross
Risk Revival
Hot Cross stuns again, but this time the instrumentals are slightly stripped down and rugged while the vocals are the haymaker. Overall, the album has a much more youthful, straight-forward sound, which is likely the result of losing a guitarist, Josh. There's only one lame song ("Cardiac Silence") and a handful of godly ones ("Turncoat Revolution" and "Blame Truth" being among them). Even if it doesn't challenge as much as 'Fair Trades and Farewells,' Risk Revival finds its niche and shreds away all the same. --Nick Greer | | 26 |  | Hopesfall
Magnetic North
Hopesfall has written an album that exists as an extension of their 2004 album 'A Types.' The taut songwriting and amazing vocals are back, and sometimes even better. The production is awesome and every song is packed with wonderful ideas. Hopesfall are essentially the best band to mix pop-punk and post-hardcore still actively working on that amalgam today. Despite a weak final three songs, amazing tracks like "I Can Do This on an Island" and "East of 1989; Battle of the Bay" undo any mediocrity Hopesfall may have fallen into. --Nick Greer | | 25 | | Sigh
Hangman's Hymn
Aggressive without coming off unbearably opprobrious, all the while remaining enticingly harmonious, 'Hangman's Hymn' is both the band's fastest and most insistent all the while being perhaps their most fun to listen to. It manages to blend complex ideas and themes in such a way that they can be taken, and understood, on endless levels. Sigh's interpretive use of the Requiem lends itself to analysis, yet all the same, can be glossed over in hopes of just enjoying the music. The music holds its own, with its effective blend of symphonics, black and thrash metal. Toss in the band's affinity for progression and the avant-garde and you're in for, if all else fails, an intriguing listen. But all else doesn't fail. This is an album to beat in 2007 in ANY genre. --Tyler Munro | | 24 |  | Grinderman
Grinderman
Nick Cave grows a moustache, straps on a guitar and along with the 'mini Seeds', remembers what it's like to be 17 again with the most ass-kicking album he's released for a great number of years. In the hands of lesser songwriters, 'Grinderman' could have turned out a great disaster, but tunes like "Get It On" and "Depth Charge Ethel" rock out more so than bands who are half Grinderman's age. In a category of its own, "No Pussy Blues" deserves special mention as by far the year's greatest single with the winning combination of Cave's gut-bustingly hilarious lyrics, his madman-like delivery and the filthiest, fuzziest, most gloriously rock n' roll riff of the year. --Andrew Hartwig | | 23 |  | Primordial
To the Nameless Dead
Primordial state that if The Gathering Wilderness seemed impenetrably dark and hopeless, To the Nameless Dead is like C?chulainn, climbing to his feet and fighting to his inevitable demise, only in hopes that he will take his enemy down with him. Noting C?chulainn is not important for its mythological significance, but rather for the sense of pride it emits. Pride, along with a sense of inevitable death are what make To the Nameless Dead a worthy successor to The Gathering Wilderness, and as such, a strong competitor for best of 2007. The fact that the band's musical output is as strong as ever doesn't hurt. The sense of pride I mentioned is impossible to miss. Carried alongside the band's typical gallop, Empire Falls comes out running. Alan Averill's voice is powerful, gravelled and seemingly war torn and melancholic, occasionally spurting bits of pride and vanquish and into the band's mix of folk and metal. The folk is implicit, mind you, distinctly lacking typical wind noises of the genre, vying for a more organic take on the music of their country. At this point you'll realize the band's true strength; they are intensely powerful. When needed, the guitars encapsulate the rest of the band, and when not, they still fall into a wall of sound. The vocals are delivered passionately and emphasised with both fury and melody. The drumming, as always, is highly rhythmic and perhaps the most distinguished characteristic of the band, serving as the true catalyst for their sound. --Tyler Munro | | 22 |  | Raine Maida
The Hunters Lullaby
Raine Maida's The Hunters Lullaby (no apostrophe) expands upon the blueprint set by his debut EP Love Hope Hero late last year. Simplicity is the Our Lady Peace frontman's key aim here, removing many of the obstacles rock music traditionally puts between vocalist and listener and instead using sparse instrumentation (guitar, piano, hand drums) to subtly supplement his half-sung, half-slam poetry confessional. He broaches issues both political and personal (and often both wound together) directly and frankly, picking his words carefully and delivering them with just as much precision. For highlights, check pessimistic/optimistic closer 'One Second Chance' and the haunting 'Earthless,' or anything else from this unusually consistent first effort. --Dave de Sylvia | | 21 |  | Blonde Redhead
23
When I first heard '23,' I was tempted to start making comparisons to 'Loveless.' However baseless any comparison might be, the fact that it even crossed my mind speaks volumes about the quality of this album. Where Blonde Redhead once sounded like Sonic Youth, on this album (the first one they've produced themselves) they've pitched themselves somewhere between Interpol and MBV, with occasional shades of Cocteau Twins. As a result it's the most lush, beautiful thing they've released yet. The melodies, crucially, are every bit as impressive and expressive as the music and the production, and the album is flawless in its consistency. Not many bands peak on their 7th album - Blonde Redhead just might have. --Nick Butler | | 20 |  | Fair to Midland
Fables from a Mayfly
One of the most intriguing and innovative albums of the year, Fair to Midland's 'Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True' is somewhat of a smorgasbord, kitchen-sink sort of album that incorporates an enormous variety of genres without being superfluously over-the-top. The Texas-based quintet flawlessly segues from piano-driven alternative to crunching hard rock to elements of progressive and folk as well. This mishmash of ideas could easily spell disaster, but on the whole, the transitions are seamless, thanks in part to vocalist to Darroh Sudderth's impressive range and Matt Langley's creative, expressive tickling of the keys. Tracks like album opener "Dance of the Manatee," "April Fools and Eggmen" (a track where Langley absolutely shines), "Upgrade^Brigade," "Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes," and "Vice/Versa" best represent how fluidly and effortlessly the band maneuvers through the different styles they incorporate into their unique sound. A must-listen album from 2007, without question. --Jom | | 19 |  | Klute
The Emperors New Clothes
From appearances, Tom Withers aka Klute seems no more than your average musician and skater. 'The Emperor's New Clothes' however is an album that strives to be all that it can be, with Withers exploring a huge array of sounds, melodies and beats. "Our Leader" and "Hell Hath No Fury" demonstrate his skill at crafting melodies soft and mesmerizing. And the contrasting jarring bass lines of "Toiler" and "We Control the Vertical" seem to forget the confines of Drum & Bass, instead just going with what works, what sounds good. With no pretensions about what his music should sound like, Klute has created an album that is honest, rewarding and rich in sound. --Daniel Incognito | | 18 |  | The National
Boxer
It wasn't until I saw The National tackle the stage that I fully appreciated Boxer's subdued emotion. Seeing Matt Berninger turn from jittery and awkward between songs to passionate and unconstrained in the context of his lyrics makes repeat listens to Boxer all the more excellent. While it might take patience to unravel the passion caked in layers (building from pianos to sprawling horn sections in "Fake Empire" or crowded in the lyrics of "Ada"), Boxer is nothing short of rewarding and excellent. Any praise is well worn and almost redundant here, but here goes: Boxer is damn near essential --Lewis Parry | | 17 |  | Justice
Cross
Justice's 'Cross' is the best mainstream pop/dance album since Daft Punk's 'Discovery.' Though at moments it rips off 'Discovery''s catchiest sections, Justice find their own niche in the grimier and more aggressive passages found throughout the album. Though pop tracks like "D.A.N.C.E." and "Phantom pt. I & 2" are perfectly sweet, tracks like "Genesis," Let There Be Light" and "Waters of Nazareth" steal the show with their immaculate sampling, sandpaper synths, and relentlessly catchy and pulsing beats. --Nick Greer | | 16 |  | Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
This sure is one weird album from Animal Collective. This drives the collective into an even more effects-riddled direction but instead of being more effects than substance like 2005's 'Feels,' they show their songwriting skills more. If they manage to top this next year then I think it will be very high up my list for 2008. --Derek McArthur | | 15 |  | Arcade Fire
Neon Bible
I don't what was more exasperating - the people who expected Arcade Fire to release a terrible second album and drift into obscurity, or the ones who expected them to top Funeral. Pessimism or fantasy; I can't say either is my bag. I expected a damn good album, and that's what I got. Not that Neon Bible is without its surprises - "My Body Is A Cage" sends more chills up the spine than even "Crown of Love", and "No Cars Go" is transformed from an average EP filler into killer material. "Black Mirror", "Intervention", and "Ocean of Noise" provide other highlights, and "(antichrist television blues)" shows that they can even be playful when the mood takes them. It's not up to the standard of their debut, but it's broader in scope, bigger in sound, and more consistent. Simply put, it feels like another bold step toward a thrilling career. --Nick Butler | | 14 | | Do Make Say Think
You, You're a History in Rust
'You, You're a History in Rust,' like every other Do Make Say Think record before it represents true musical growth and an unparalleled willingness to try new things. As can be rare for post-rock albums, 'You You're a History in Rust' flows as a whole, rendering some of its most essential moments useless outside the context of the album as a whole. From the heavy and anthemic "The Universe!" to the front porch folk picking of "A Tender History in Rust", 'You, You're a History in Rust' puts on display the band's willingness to chart new musical territory and in true Do Make Say Think form, betters its predecessor and thus the rest of the band's catalogue in the process. --Andrew Hartwig | | 13 |  | Eluvium
Copia
Matthew Cooper, under the moniker of Eluvium, composes the most evolved and full album of his career by combining two of his greatest strengths: warm, electronic chords with accessible solo piano melodies. He accomplishes what many of his contemporaries cannot, true album flow, with incredible aptitude. In closing song ?Repose in Blue?, Cooper orchestrates a fireworks show. Nothing could give more closure to such an epic album. --Tyler Fisher | | 12 |  | Tartar Lamb
Sixty Metonymies
Kayo Dot's Toby Driver is a prolific and highly reliable musician when it comes to dynamic and entirely unique compositions. 'Sixty Metonymies' may have stripped Kayo Dot of their bombast, but in those darkened corners of minimalism lie some of Toby's most eccentric melodies yet. A mind blowing release beautifully accented by Mia Matsumiya's absolutely incredible violin playing. --Jared W. Dillon | | 11 |  | Streetlight Manifesto
Somewhere in the Between
After arguably releasing the best third-wave ska album ever with 2003's 'Everything Goes Numb,' it's likely been an agonizing four years for Streetlight Manifesto fans, but it was well worth the wait. "The Receiving End of It All" may be the best song in the genre, but what makes this album so stellar is the brass and woodwind section - comprised of Mike Brown (alto and baritone sax), Jim Conti (alto and tenor sax), Mike Soprano (trombone), and Matt Stewart (trumpet) - and these four men deliver an absolutely stunning performance throughout. As expected, charismatic ringleader Tomas Kalnoky's anthemic, dissertations-for-lyrics manner of storytelling again returns, another album highlight. From "We Will Fall Together" to "What a Wicked Gang Are We" - and every track 'Somewhere in the Between' - this album absolutely slays and is bar-none of the best releases in 2007. --Jom | | 10 |  | Say Anything
In Defense of the Genre
If there was one record this year I truly thought was going to disappoint, it was 'In Defense of the Genre.' Say Anything?s last album, '?Is A Real Boy,' while quite good, suffered from being way too long, as songs poured on chorus after chorus until you plainly started to get annoyed. Then, with the new this album would have two discs, on the inside I pretty much gave up on it. I hoped outwardly that it would be good, but I never really expected it to be anything but a worse version of '?Is A Real Boy.' When I actually heard 'In Defense of the Genre,' I pretty much figured out what a giant idiot I am. The greatest strength of 'In Defense' is that, while it claims to be defending a certain genre (pop punk you'd figure), it's so hard to pin it down to any one genre of music in particular. The best you can do is just call it a 'rock' album made by a pop punk band. Where some songs may exhibit a show tunes influence, others are heavily electronic and almost belong at a club. Say Anything bring arena rock back, Descendents-styled punk/pop punk, some hip hop grooves, all while touching on nearly every major genre of music associated with rock and punk music. --John A. Hanson | | 9 |  | Minus the Bear
Planet of Ice
Minus the Bear have always been fun, groovy, and at times hilarious, but with 'Planet of Ice,' they decided to push their limits with a more serious album. Inducting Alex Rose into the band as a permanent keyboardist, the wealth of sounds the band uses expands heavily on this album, from the seductive "White Mystery" to the perfect progression of "Part 2." This is the album that guitarist Dave Knudson can rank with with former band Botch?s 'We Are the Romans,' even if they are completely different albums. 'Planet of Ice' mixes indie rock with more advanced guitar interplay, prog rock structure, and dance grooves. A stunning achievement. --Tyler Fisher | | 8 |  | Pharoahe Monch
Desire
Organized Konfusion broke up in 1997. In the ten years since Monch was forced to go solo, he's only released two solo albums. With a lesser talent you'd suspect it was a lack of ideas; with the most talented member of one of the greatest rap duos of all time, you know he was just making sure shit was perfect. And yes, for the first 7 tracks, 'Desire' is absolutely perfect. His adaption of "Welcome To The Terrordome" might even be - whisper it - better than the original, and even if he's made strides toward the mainstream since the days of "Fudge Pudge", he still finds time to experiment on "Trilogy". This is every bit as good as the first two OK classics. Seriously. --Nick Butler | | 7 |  | Battles
Mirrored
Who would have thought that Battles' off-beat combination of masterful musical proficiency of traditional instruments with quirky melodies and robotic electronics would prove to be such a hit with mainstream audiences? Who knows how it happened, but God knows they deserve it because ultimately, Battles hit their groove with 'Mirrored' and created a perfectly unique niche in the math rock genre. --Andrew Hartwig | | 6 |  | Ghastly City Sleep
Ghastly City Sleep
Ghastly City Sleep's debut album plays like a quiet exploration into an arctic soundscape. As I listen to the hushed tones of "Ice Creaks" or the soft synthesizer of "Suchness," I think of myself traveling along a musical tundra. This album is both uplifting and lonely. More than any album of 2007, Ghastly City Sleep captures mood and tone. It's a neat little listen too, neither an EP or a proper LP, and it snuck its way onto many individual staff lists. --Nick Greer | | 5 | | Thrice
The Alchemy Index: Vols. I and II...
In general, the first half of 'The Alchemy Index' points to success. There are questionable aspects to both discs, but in general the cons are vastly outweighed by the pros. The Fire disc is a great exploration of the heavier moments on 'Vheissu.' The album is explosive and intense, with Dustin ripping his vocal cords to pieces while the rest of the band unleashes their heaviest material yet. The Water disc, excepting its opening track, is nearly flawless. Interestingly, it also continues a strand that was started on 'Vheissu''s slower, more pensive tracks like "Atlantic." It's a collection of beautiful and wistful songs that all have lush arrangements. The Water disc feels exactly like it was recorded underwater. Thrice has produced another stunner. --Nick Greer | | 4 |  | Panda Bear
Person Pitch
That Panda Bear ends up being more animalistic than the animals are collectively (and largely more humanistic because of it) proves that they may just work best on their own primal instinct. That means 'Person Pitch' is not only the year's most luxurious, crass, and ambitious album, but also the year's most comforting. Curl up with this Panda Bear; he's got a lot to say. --Lewis Parry | | 3 |  | Radiohead
In Rainbows
What can I say about 'In Rainbows?' It is arguably the biggest album of the year, partly because of the free-market capitalist style of selling the album and partly because it is Radiohead, but mostly because of what the album symbolizes. For ten years, fans have waited for the follow up to 'OK Computer,' and they received 'Kid A,' 'Amnesiac,' and 'Hail to the Thief' in return, none of which really answered what 'OK Computer' established. 'In Rainbows' finally achieves that goal in its dark, schizophrenic atmosphere and the guitars? sudden return to prominence. Still, the stark minimalism represents a path that the band could follow for years to come. --Tyler Fisher | | 2 | | The Kidcrash
Jokes
The Kidcrash's 'Jokes' was a monolith of hope for the emotional hardcore scene. Not has a release as revolutionary for the genre been as powerful since 2005's 'The Moon is a Dead World'. Dynamic, emotional, and ferocious. --Jared W. Dillon | | 1 |  | Burial
Untrue
If Burial had his way, 'Untrue' wouldn't be topping this list. Out of biased loyalty, I feel every right to keep it here as I do to tell you to step off and leave the man be; our praise is interfering with his work. But as they say, suffering is art, and 2006's response to the dubstep producer's debut was enough to send him into a frenzy, one that found him so distracted by perfecting his work that it made him uneasy. An album as characteristically flawed and emotional as 'Untrue' couldn't come from something as manufactured as that, so Burial went about devouring his own work and, in haste, created something uplifting. Which brings 'Untrue' to its core, a humble slice-of-life story that happens to take place within the confines of London's seedy club culture. Its locale is every bit as essential to his wispy synths as Burial's decision to keep himself hidden; it is reflected in his work, his tender longing in "Archangel" ("Holding you / Kissing you") violated by the hungry stalker in "Near Dark" ("I can't take my eyes off you"). That 'Untrue' works as both a realistic take on the burrowed underground and a dreamlike fantasy of the same dance floor brings to light Burial's greatest asset, which is his subtle molding of what his mind knows and what his heart feels. And through grimy electronics, kitchen noises and R&B beats, he allows his own ghost hardware to go unbothered by precedent, and ends up setting his own. --Lewis Parry | |
botb
12.24.07 | an outstanding list, but it's missing Fear of a Blank Planet. That's about it tbh. | Mahavidya
12.24.07 | A lot better than the user list. | Crysis
12.24.07 | No Dark Tranquillity..... I have lost all faith in the good taste of the staff here. | icaught fire444
12.24.07 | I'm shocked/disappointed that BTBAM is 32 | Kiran
12.24.07 | v. nice list.
serious lack of beirut though. which as you may or may not know is probably my new favourite album of the year as I have not put it down for like 2 weeks straight after re-listening to it for user picks.
list has finally, at long fucking last, convinced me to get Burial. I was totally digging archangel when a friend showed me it so there is hope for me.
also, don't think klute should be top 20 tbh.
...and the national should be top 10.
:)
but still, really great list. one of the best year lists i've seen so far. | Eakflanderyof
12.24.07 | Not a bad list. It's missing WitTR, though. | McP3000
12.24.07 | The lack of Porcupine Tree and Dark Tranquillity makes this list a huge failure | Mahavidya
12.24.07 | *Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
In the Joanna Newsom blurb. | rattlehead42147
12.24.07 | wtf! how does this not have Fear of a blank planet?
:lol: @ Jom (last sentence)This Message Edited On 12.24.07 | Mahavidya
12.24.07 | [i]I found myself grabbing my nads while I sat. And as i did this, i said to Josiah,
"Josiah, I am grabbing my nads."
And he said back to me, "Well I can see that. A good grabbing indeed."[/i] | Mahavidya
12.24.07 | But my Slipknot socks keep my feet toasty. | Mahavidya
12.24.07 | lol | Liberi Fatali
12.24.07 | [quote]also, don't think klute should be top 20 tbh. [/quote]
Are you mad? Klute easily stands tall next to each and every album on this list. | jrowa001
12.24.07 | i have yet to listen to the top 2 albums on this list. so i guess i should soon | Kiran
12.24.07 | Call me a heathen but I just really couldn't get into that Klute album. :( | Liberi Fatali
12.24.07 | heathen.
Listen to Our Leader again and you will realise your mistake. | freudianslipknot
12.24.07 | @ Slave to Parasite: I read 6 then 5. It does start to get boring when you get to 5. | br3ad_man
12.24.07 | I find it weird how people are saying "this album needs to be higher/lower" when this list was (sometimes painfully) decided on by the staff writers after a massive amount of discussion and (I'm assuming) all of us agree that it represents our taste as a whole pretty well. It's not like it's supposed to serve any other purpose than that. | TojesDolan
12.24.07 | Epic. :') | Cornelius
12.24.07 | No Porcupine Tree, but other than that it's a pretty solid list | Neoteric
12.24.07 | NO PORCUPINE TREE, BTBAM IS TOO LOW, ARE YOU GUYS MAD?????
This is a great list I think. | Fort23
12.24.07 | Yea list is quite sexy. Though it makes me angry that I still have to get a lot of these. | DWittisarockstar
12.24.07 | Apparently, the staff liked #5 so much that they decided to re-iterate it again in #6. Cool.
Yeah, cool list. I'm gonna check out 6, 16, and 20. | SynGates
12.24.07 | ^I know, I was like wtf? | Kyle
12.24.07 | I'm seriously impressed with this list guys. It's got a great balance of my favorite albums from the year, albums that I'm not particuarly interested in but which show off the sites diversity and a few that I havn't heard which I'm really intrigued by. I'm going to check these out and look at some of the individual lists now. Great work. | Aficionado
12.24.07 | Very very nice list. Glad to see Raine Maida and Do Make Say Think in there. As always Robert Crumb's blurbs are the most enjoyable to read.This Message Edited On 12.24.07 | Killed4less
12.24.07 | Really a fantastic list, a lot of stuff I love and even more I need to hear for myself. Those that are pissed over the lack of Porcupine Tree and Dark Tranquillity need to learn to try something new. | The Jungler
12.24.07 | [quote]*Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
In the Joanna Newsom blurb.[/quote]ugh, I knew I was spelling it wrong, I should have checked.
This list didn't come out bad at all.
| Fosster3567
12.24.07 | There is no excuse for Two Hunters not being on this list. Wolves in the Throne Room have crafted my favorite album if 2007. | dub sean
12.24.07 | um John Butler Trio ? | iarescientists
12.24.07 | yeah, list needs more WitTR, but still, list is solid as fuck | Cesar
12.24.07 | Besides the fact that BTBAM should have been at least around 25, and that it lacks 1 album I think should definetly be here, this list = greatness. | LaidToRest329
12.24.07 | 100% agree on Kidcrash, this list came at a perfect time coughcoughfreeleechcoughcough | iarescientists
12.24.07 | Why isn't Tyler Munro listed in the individual staff lists section
:confused: | ninjuice
12.24.07 | "No Dark Tranquillity..... I have lost all faith in the good taste of the staff here."
| Poet
12.24.07 | I listened to a couple songs off of 1, and let me say it's different.
I heard a few off of 11 last week and it surprised me, I need to check them out more.
YAY for 29.
And that is all I have heard, lol. | iarescientists
12.24.07 | [quote]I know it's you being facetious but still, some people need things spelled out for them.[/quote]
actually not this time :/
i clicked on the featured spot on the top, and when i saw the lack of WitTR from the staff, I figured I'd see it on is list, but noticed he wasn't there, but then i saw him at the bottom of the front page.
ty jom :) | FlawedPerfection
12.24.07 | It certainly beats the shit out of Pitchfork's list. | botb
12.24.07 | I seriously need 2. This only solidifies that fact. I also need to hear 10 and 15. | botb
12.24.07 | and Jom, glad to see that you were the one to write up Fair To Midland. That record is incredible. | Dragon_Prince
12.24.07 | I think I will get 5, 7 and 18. :) | Doppelganger
12.24.07 | This is sufficient Newsoms and Dempseys. | Aficionado
12.24.07 | Hey, Jom I was wondering where Chevelle was going to rank up there considering you like it a lot. | 204409
12.25.07 | Not. | BallsToTheWall
12.25.07 | I was expecting to see at least Wolves In The Throne Room, Drudkh, or even Dark Tranquillity. Alas, not here. Oh well, I agree with 4 albums that are great on here. Needs more metal. | barbarian
12.25.07 | Probably one of the best top albums lists I've seen this year. I appreciate the variety. Like most people I don't exactly agree with it, but it's really sweet. Good job. | Liberi Fatali
12.25.07 | [quote]I was expecting to see at least Wolves In The Throne Room, Drudkh, or even Dark Tranquillity. Alas, not here. Oh well, I agree with 4 albums that are great on here. Needs more metal.
[/quote]
You must realise the huge variety of music that has been released this year, and how little of that landscape metal takes up. In an attempt to cover as much of that landscape as possible, you will not see much music from any one particular genre.This Message Edited On 12.24.07 | BallsToTheWall
12.25.07 | Point taken. Unfortunately, I haven't really tried anything new this year other than Fair To Midland and Minus The Bear which were pretty good. Should probaly check a couple of these I haven't heard before. | Kiran
12.25.07 | I seriously need to get [i]Jokes[/i] as well btw. Also, Liberi, I am e-looting Klute. I figure I'll give it another go.
:) | santi3hg
12.25.07 | Kudos to the staff. Very good list. | Thanks
12.25.07 | I HAVE met Dan Deacon in real life, and he's a totally cool, down to earth guy. He's also very odd. | lunchforthesky
12.25.07 | no would probably be a good time to check out burial i guess. | Jim
12.26.07 | respectable list guys.
some notable exclusions but then again im not a staff member and this is a "staff list". if my opinion were to be taken into consideration to the point that it would alter the outcome of the final product, serious questions would be asked of the validity of the list.
no porcupine tree still hurts though :( | samthebassman
12.26.07 | No Porcupine Tree! Great Success! | masscows
12.26.07 | Radiohead sucks. | Serpento
12.26.07 | I finally got Jokes, so maybe I'll get why it's the hot masturbation fodder for the year. | Tyler
12.27.07 | the main reason is because dfelon says so | McP3000
12.27.07 | Dfelon needs new taste | Ire
12.28.07 | Why is A7X not here? hehe... that album was still good. :( | sgrevs
12.28.07 | Real nice to see Burial at the top, even if he might not want it, that album is so so good. List needs more M.I.A though. Other than that it's great. | botb
12.28.07 | You should totally do a worst albums of 2007 list just so we could laugh and have the more aggro sputnik members get offended. | TheGreatD17
12.28.07 | Thank you Jom for getting F2M up there (but it should still be higher!), Radiohead since 1997 = not great, Thrice = overrated, Annie Clark destroys Leslie Feist, and Annette > Tarja (DPP was great)... but the list is alright I guess. | Altmer
12.28.07 | No Symphony X and PT offends me but hey there is some good stuff on here. | 204409
12.28.07 | [quote=mcp3000 or whatever]Dfelon needs new taste
Digging: The Mars Volta - Amputechture[/quote]
/selfpwn | joshuatree
12.29.07 | make a 'worst albums of 2007' list and put PT on top of the list
until then i wont be completely satisfied | ValiumMan
12.29.07 | Good list. Before I looked at it, I thought it was gonna be a couple metal albums, a couple post-hardcore/emo albums and a few vaguely-indie-pop albums. Turns out it's a really varied and balanced list. Kudos! | mfb
12.29.07 | Wow, were no rock and metal moderators involved in this? Not a single good band on there.
Where did all the good taste go? *sigh* | brandtweathers
12.29.07 | Well done, very comprehensive.
Thank you for such an impressive list... great job. | 204409
12.29.07 | [quote=Wow, were no rock and metal moderators involved in this? Not a single good band on there. Where did all the good taste go? *sigh*]muthafunkabass[/quote]
another /selfpwn | Chewie
12.30.07 | this is a great list.This Message Edited On 12.29.07 | Chewie
12.30.07 | well if u average out this staff list with the user list, it will probably be the most un-biased and collected list of 2007 there can be. | Aaron
12.30.07 | On a site as large as this it in inevitable that there'll be albums in the top-50 that you hate. Saying that, all the albums that fall in that category for me fall in the "shit I hate that bad but damn it's a well made album" category also. Cheers staffers! | wexenhex
12.31.07 | wow i have barely heard of most of these artists. but i think Nine Inch Nails's Year Zero was a great new album. not the best, but i think it deserved someplace on that chart. | Chewie
12.31.07 | ya agreed, some people say year zero has copied what other people have done, but its not exactly the same to any fear factory album. The same topic for an album can be used, doesnt mean its recycling old ideas. Sorry:p just wanted to say that | Ire
01.01.08 | ... Minus the Bear sucks tho? | Skyler
01.03.08 | [quote]... Minus the Bear sucks tho?[/quote]
incorrect | brandtweathers
01.03.08 | I think it's very difficult to rate Thrice these days because of the near inability to separate their depth, ambition, and activism from the sound in the music.
If I was put in a cave with the newest Thrice album never to be exposed to what I now know about them I think that I would actually rate The Alchemy Index much differently. | kidcrash
01.04.08 | Seriously? That is so nice. If there was just that list of albums with no numbers in no ranked order I would be so very proud to be put in the same field. But to say that "Jokes" was the number 2 album of 2007, well that just means...
We never really had time to focus on writing and recording. School and being halfway across the country from each other has been a massive pain. Come April we are heading to Europe for a month with our friends the Catalyst, and after we get back? No more school.
If this year was a 2, just wait until we take our time and really write together and the shit gets so heady that come 2008 "Jokes Pt.2" is ranked like #590
Thanks for being so supportive. Maybe we can give Sputnik some of our next album's material a little bit early, like a couple months before it comes out?
Word.
-Buster | 204409
01.05.08 | [quote=brandtweathers]I think it's very difficult to rate Thrice these days because of the near inability to separate their depth, ambition, and activism from the sound in the music.
If I was put in a cave with the newest Thrice album never to be exposed to what I now know about them I think that I would actually rate The Alchemy Index much differently[/quote]
That was most worthlessly circuitous post I've ever read. | Justanothernimrod
01.06.08 | I love how genuinely diverse this list is | Wizard
01.11.08 | [quote]Counting up all the points, leading the discussion, and voraciously fighting with other staff members over album placement was a royal pain in the *** and wayyyyyyyy more work than anticipated compared to last year's list, but this was still absolutely worth it and I can't wait to see the results and comments.[/quote]
Thats because there were so many great releases this year too (at least in the metal genre). | itachi1452
01.13.08 | i know that i'm probably gonna get laughed at for saying this, but i also think that the list is missing Vol. II by Hurt. that album is pretty amazing in my opinion. | JumpTheF**kUp
01.16.08 | This list is awesome, stop complaining. | mutant!
01.16.08 | needs moar porcupine tree, björk and amiina.
:D
but nice list though, and impressed to see burial topping it. | Profanatic
01.16.08 | No PT, DT, and have thrice , hopesfall and Say Anything ranked higher than Between the Buried and Me. Sorry I can't take this list seriously. | Cesar
01.17.08 | Say Anything deserves that spot without question. | musictoad
01.19.08 | First, Fear of a Black Planet is an average at best record, and doesn't deserve to be on the list. I applaud them for recognizing that.
Secondly, where the heck is my second favorite album of the year, Andorra??? | hegster90
01.23.08 | Well i can honestly say i've only heard about 5 or 6 of those artists. That's not a complaint, I'm just baffled that i missed this much apparently great music this year...probably because they only music news i ever get is from the metal/rock world which is growing increasingly redundant...
I did check out Burial though and i'm befuzzled as to how that made it to the No. 1 release of the year. It's not bad, but it wasn't anything that memorable either. Just mellow electronica. It sounds like the stuff they play between shows on adult swim. On top of that i could barely tell the difference between the 5 songs i listened to.
Glad Justice at least got on there though :) | Kuchster
01.24.08 | Untrue album is amazing!!
Etched headplate = tops!
Solid list too. | butanebob
02.03.08 | Fear of a blank planet wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't that great when you stack it up against their previous work. | Altmer
02.10.08 | it's not better than.... Stupid Dream or In Absentia MAYBE. | 204409
06.26.08 | I'm glad we worked and fought so hard over this. It's a great list. | zrosschristian
10.30.08 | BTBAM at 32?? What the hell!? | AnotherBrick1
03.27.10 | 43 needs more love
random bump ftw | Electric City
06.30.10 | much prefer this list's format to the 08 format, but i prefer the decade list's format overall. | mrguidogenio
11.28.11 | This is missing Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys! | Athom
11.28.11 | haha no it isnt. | BigHans
11.28.11 | Sixx AM m/ | DominionMM1
11.28.11 | hans, did you just give a m/ to sixx am? | InAbsentia
11.28.11 | "an outstanding list, but it's missing Fear of a Blank Planet. That's about it tbh."
Interesting first comment. Needless to say, I agree with it.
Also, the lack of Oceansize's Frames and Alcest's Souvenirs d'un autre Monde is disappointing.
I had 3 5s that year. None of them was mentioned on this list. | TMobotron
07.25.12 | why was the 2009 staff list posted in 2003 | Funeralopolis
03.07.14 | Terrible list | Gyromania
03.07.14 | long live untrue | Funeralopolis
03.07.14 | 1 is 1 can't argue with that though, order is pretty weird | mynameischan
10.17.18 | bumping this little piece of history | WretchedCacophony
10.17.18 | I guess they didnt have death metal that year | guitarded_chuck
10.17.18 | or hip hop | guitarded_chuck
10.17.18 | burning this little piece of history | Keyblade
10.17.18 | sput still has pretty much the same taste | guitarded_chuck
10.17.18 | the staff anyway yeah
the annual top 50 is various versions of thrice and brand new lookalikes with a couple hip hop and metal albums sprinkled in to project diversified taste | WatchItExplode
10.17.18 | Chan with the necro bump, I like it.
Some great stuff here. Fall of Troy hahahaha | Keyblade
10.17.18 | even the users, look at the trending albums. nothing but phxc on there lol | mynameischan
10.17.18 | Let it be known I was not staff at this time | cold
10.17.18 | Fuck yeah, Ghastly City Sleep | JustJoe.
05.04.20 | quality pick for number one | JustJoe.
05.04.20 | anxiously awaiting your decade list | LeddSledd
10.11.20 | We pray to mx for guidance | sixdegrees
10.11.20 | when you forget to renew the site's security certificate and it gets taken over by gay porn ads: https://www.sputnikmusic.com/images/members/1.jpg |
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