Friday, December 21, 2007

TOP 20 ALBUMS 2007

Alright.....I've been obsessing over this for weeks now, but I've not been getting anything done. After some gentle prodding in the last few days though I realised it was gonna have to be now or never. So here's what's been on my most played list throughout the year of 2007 from 1 to 20. Check out any of the stuff you don't already have and enjoy!

01 The National – Boxer
There's really not a wrong note on this album for me and these guys provide an awesome live show as well. Looking forward to seeing them again on this side of the world. This was truly the National's year.

02
Okkervil River – The stage names
Dramatic, epic, howling, exciting and just plain fantastic

03
Handsome Furs – Plague Park
It's amazing what these guys do with a guitar, a drum machine and some ragged, emotion filled vocals. Chuck in some synth and distorted electro beats and they get themselves a winner

04
Iron and Wine - The Shepherds Dog
Sam Beam started moving away from his lo-fi roots and building a more polished and deeper sound here - an amazing album. Looking forward to seeing him here in Melbourne in March. (And at Golden Plains)

05
Art BrutIt’s a bit Complicated
One of my favourite live bands of the year and and album with probably my top track of the year. Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun.

06 Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
Deliriously beautiful

07 The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Jack baby - you still got it.

08
Jim Bryson – Where the Bungalows Roam
Another great Canadian release. Gentle, but extremely good singer songwriter material.

09
Interpol – Our love to Admire
Rest my Chemistry.....enough said.
Due to hit our shores in the new year - one of my most highly anticipated gigs to start 2008.

10 Radiohead – In Rainbows
I came, I paid, I listened........and goddammit I loved it.
Welcome back into my world boys

11
Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
Hot on the heels of the stellar Everything All the Time came yet another great album this year.

12
Dappled cities fly – Granddance
Only made it in because the US release was this year - but this Aussie band have been impressing wherever they go. Great Indie Rock

13
Feist – The Reminder
Because there's a whole lot more to this album than ipod commercials

14
Patrick Wolf – The Magic Position
Divinely over the top magnificence and showmanship

15 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder

16
The Dears – You and I are a Gang of Losers

17
Nina Nastasia and Jim White - You Follow Me

18 Tori Amos – American Doll Posse

19
Basia Bulat - Oh My Darling (just kicked out Blanche on my final type up almost entirely on the strength of rehearing "Snakes and Ladders" as I was working)

20
BRMC – Baby 81


Honourable mentions
Blanche - Little Amber Bottles
(Thanks Dave!) These guys probably should be up on the list, but they only came to my attention very recently. Probably one of my fave discoveries all year (along with Heartless Bastards)
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
So much better live than I ever imagined

Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Yet another beautiful album from one of my favourites in the game

The Panics – Cruel guards
The Triple J (Australian Radio) 2007 J award recipient. This album actually doesn't contain some of my favourite Panics songs, but it's still a great record and continues to impress me
Doveman - With my left hand I raise the dead
As I said when I featured this album - so.....damn.....beautiful
Jenz Lekman - Night falls over Kortodela
Because Jenz is deliciously, wonderfully Jenz and he's moving to Melbourne!
Gotye - Mixed Blood
The remix of 2006's fabulous 'Like drawing Blood' is almost even better.

2 comments:

Dave said...

I'm already checking out background information for some of these artists on All Music. Any album that could knock Blanche out of your list is worth a listen!

feline-groovy said...

to be honest, Blanche are absolutely awesome - but due to the late entry (to my year) I felt it unfair to knock off some of these other bands I've also had on constantly. That said I am still loving the album more and more every day. Thank you like I said for one of my fave new ones for the year!