favorite records of 2007
Now that I've spent some time with the new Ghostface and Wu-Tang LPs, I feel fairly comfortable breaking out this list of my favorite releases of the year. I'm leaving off some really good records by stopping at 17, but with my obnoxiously long "songs of the year" list looming (later this week), I figured I'd give everyone a break. Alright, I think I cheated a couple times on this thing, but here are the records of 2007 -- including at least a couple of instant classics, for me -- that I love, and can recommend without reservation. GvsB contributors Garrison and David offer their lists after the jump, and of course, we'd all love to hear your lists. We know you got 'em...
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17. Arcade Fire Neon Bible
People (including me) expecting another Funeral were let down by this, and rightfully so. But after seeing these guys play the new material live in uncomfortably close proximity, I gained an unexpected appreciation for the power of these songs. Plus, I'll be honest, this helped too.
mp3: Black Mirror
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16. Menomena Friend and Foe
mp3: Wet & Rusting
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15. Glass Candy Beatbox
I was hoping for the next proper LP from this Portland duo at some point this year, but this 9-song tour CD compiling most of the band's free myspace tracks from '07 will more than suffice. The throwback/future disco-pop record of the year.
mp3: Rolling Down the Hills
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14. The Besnard Lakes ...Are The Dark Horse
With "Disaster" and "For Agent 13," the Besnard Lakes delivered the most powerful and unavoidably moving album-opening 1-2 punch of the year, hands down.
mp3: And You Lied to Me
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13. Cass McCombs Dropping the Writ
Cass McCombs one-ups his recent and future tourmates Ariel Pink and Jose Gonzalez with one of the most subtly (and accessibly) weird releases of the year. Softer and maybe a little more restrained than his previous work, this cements him as the most underrated singer-songwriter in indie-rock.
mp3: Deseret
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12. Santogold I Believe in Santogold 12" + assorted internet jams
Is this cheating? Fuck it, with songs this unstoppable, Philly's Santi White had to be represented on this list somehow. It's obvious to anyone that's paying attention at this point that she's going to be huge in '08.
mp3: Shove It feat. Spank Rock (Switch remix)
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11. Oh No Dr. No's Oxperiment
Please let this spawn a new wave of hip-hop producers bent on mining the seemingly endless treasure-trove of lost Anatolian psych-funk.
mp3: Heavy
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10. M.I.A. Kala
mp3: Paper Planes (elementary school version) (via Mad Decent)
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09. Bodies of Water Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink
mp3: Doves Circled the Sky
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08. Lil' Wayne Da Drought 3
The most prolific (and by his account, the greatest) rapper alive drops the most entertaining hip-hop release of the year. Weezy's wordplay is more ridiculous than ever, and his flow is impossibly self-assured. If "Ride for my Niggas" doesn't leave your jaw dropped as you reach to hit "rewind," then this probably isn't for you.
mp3: Ride for my Niggas
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07. Black Lips Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo
I've seen the Black Lips' Good Bad Not Evil showing up on tons of year-end lists, but for me, this live album is where it's at; it's the closest you're going to get to the band's filthy and raw live show, with Tijuana providing the ideal backdrop.
mp3: Not a Problem
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06. Radiohead In Rainbows
mp3: if you don't have this by now...
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05. St. Vincent Marry Me
mp3: Now. Now.
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04. Burial Untrue
Burial has absolutely owned my speakers after midnight for the last couple of months. The lone knock I've seen on Untrue is that it's too cold and "mood music"-y, but the record's soulful, enveloping bleakness is laced with a "glowing, buzzing" (Burial's words) trace of hope that ends up being its biggest virtue.
mp3: Near Dark
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03. Marissa Nadler Songs III: Bird on the Water
mp3: Diamond Heart
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02. White Denim Let's Talk About It
mp3: Mess Your Hair Up
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01. Panda Bear Person Pitch
I think I've probably said enough about this record in the months since I all but named it my album of 2007 back in January. Forget album of the year, this is one of my favorite albums of the last decade.
mp3: Comfy in Nautica
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Click here to check out David and Garrison's lists...
David's favorites of 2007:
1. Panda Bear Person Pitch
2. Radiohead In Rainbows
3. Trojan Records 40th Anniversary Selections + Artist-curated
Compilations (e.g. Johnny Greenwood is the Controller)
4. Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga mp3: The Underdog
5. Black Lips Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo mp3: Stranger
6. Deerhoof Friend Opportunity mp3: +81
7. Young Marble Giants Colossal Youth Reissue mp3: N.I.T.A.
8. Colleen Colleen Et Les Boites A Musique (late 2006 release)
9. Burial Untrue
10. Animal Collective Strawberry Jam
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Garrison's favorites of 2007:
1. Radiohead In Rainbows
2. Beirut The Flying Club Cup mp3: A Sunday Smile
3. Josh Ritter The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter mp3: Mind's Eye
4. Panda Bear Person Pitch
5. LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
6. St. Vincent Marry Me
7. The Black Lips Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo
8. Iron & Wine The Shepherd's Dog mp3: Innocent Bones
9. amiina Kurr
10. The National Boxer mp3: Fake Empire
97 comments:
All I have to say is....based on this start, GvB is going to have a freaking hell of a year end song list. This list has really wet my appetite....I can't hardly wait.
No love for Sound of Silver!
No Battles or Animal Collective on your list... I can understand, but I disagree...
It's not that i don't like this blog or most of the artists/songs that you guys post. Because i really do.
But The Black Lips, Marissa Nadler and St. Vincent don't belong in a top 10 list. Let alone three.
It's easy to see you put some of your favorite artists or artists you enjoyed just because they sound original or different (that doesn't necessarily mean they should belong to a top17). Anyway, there's no bad music there and I really like you consider Oh No's album one of the bests. :)
I downloaded Comfy In Nautice off your blog the first time you posted it, and I still love that song. I rushed to the store to buy Person Pitch in January, and pretty much obsessively hassled all my friends until they listened to it and loved it as much as I did. (um, sorry, Noah, for burning copies of your cd). It's awesome to see you guys still have love for that album. I kind of think it's going to be ranked lower than it deserves on most Best Of 07 lists because it came out in January and bloggers/music websites have short memories and love new things, but whatever. Nice lists, GvB.
1 - PJ Harvey - White Chalk
2 - Patric Wolf - The Magic Position
3 - Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars
4 - Brett Anderson - Brett Anderson
5 - Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
6 - M.I.A. - Kala
7 - Bill Callahan - Woke on A Whaleheart
8 - The National - Boxer
9 - Richard Hawley - Lady's Bridge
10 - Blonde Redhead - 23
11 - Phosphorescent - Pride
12 - LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
13 - Feist - The Reminder
14 - Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
15 - Perry Blake - Canyon Songs
16 - Interpol - Our Love To Admire
17 - Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus!
18 - Panda Bear - Person Pitch
19 - Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
20 - Kylie Minogue - X
Yay Person Pitch!! :)
I'm kinda surprised to not see Pharoahe Monch on there, that is a great hip hop record of this year too. But I do love the inclusion of Oh No on there, I really like that album. The album, at least of the last half of the year that I really enjoyed the most, even though he's sort of the indie darling du jour, was the Jens Lekman album. Also I would have to include Patton Oswalt's album on any list, that is the funniest standup album I have heard in a long time.
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Phosphorescent's 'Pride' is TRULY missing on all three lists.
Boxer doesn't make it into the top 17...? hmmm, son.
I'm guessing Phosphorescent and Boxer didn't make the list because they're both BORING.
Phosphorescent is superb!
Boxer is a terrible record.
That main reason why I visit this blog is to discover new music. I'm glad that I have not yet listened to most of your Top 17. So thanks for the recommendations and great list!
i think the only curveball was that i didn't expect to see marissa nadler so high up on the list. as for person pitch? yeah, anyone who didn't see that coming should never pick up a bat again. [okay, enough with the baseball metaphors.] i mean, shit, even my mom liked it.
wait, no animal collective, chris? i'm damn near shocked!
as for weezy, "upgrade u" is ridiculous.
What about Caribou? "andorra" is a fantastic record...
a couple of things: Grey, the only criteria any of us had was that we included the records we liked the most. of course we put our favorite artists on our personal top albums lists.
also, anon 3:03, nadler, black lips, and st. vincent belong on every top 10 list.
barry, i admittedly sort of forgot about Pharaohe Monch, it didn't blow me away after a couple listens and i never really go back to it too much. thanks for reminding me.
DM, Animal Collective would've been in my top 25, and will still be well-represented on my favorite songs list
with how much you posted about animal collective i cannot believe you didn't put strawberry jam on the your list anywhere. it's definitely album of the year for me.
Hey Chris. Congrats on no Boxer and an interesting list this year.
Boxer wouldn't make a top 100 list near anywhere just about three weeks under a full moon's Tuesday's tomorrow. It's a dog shit record.
Great lists, fellas. I think these are all adequate choices and well interesting.
Thanks for the album-by-album comments Chris. Just for kicks like last year, would you like to see my interpretation of these in your voice? :-)
31. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
30. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
29. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
28. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
27. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
26. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
25. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
24. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
23. The National - Boxer
22. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
21. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
20. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
19. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
18. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
17. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
16. Radiohead - In Rainbows
15. 65daysofstatic - The Destruction of Small Ideas
14. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
13. Menomena - Friend and Foe
12. Sigur Rós - Hvarf/Heim
11. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
10. Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
9. Liars - Liars
8. Battles - Mirrored
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
6. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
5. Low - Drums And Guns
4. Blonde Redhead - 23
3. Thee More Shallows - Book Of Bad Breaks
2. Burial - Untrue
1. Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline
i'd take busdriver's 'roadkillovercoat' over lil wayne anyday.
"ride for my niggas" is probably my favorite, or at very least my most listened single of the year. this year was a pretty decent year in terms of hip hop records, with this, i'll sleep when youre dead and none shall pass all breaking my top 20. with none shall pass being in my top 5, probably.
I still do not understand the love for Lil' Wayne, everything I have heard from him has been pretty damn mediocre. In fact, he nearly ruined three songs this year that he guested on that I was digging until his lazy verses filled with as many similes as he can think of. (Little Brother, Kanye, Jay-Z)
Much love for the Oh No album. Not sure what other hip hop albums you listened to this year, but the Blue Scholars album, Madlib Beat Konducta, Percee P, and Jay Dee's Ruff Draft all deserve mention.
That Arcade Fire video is magnificent. There need to be more westerns made and more bands like Arcade Fire.
I would also like to say that (Antichrist Television Blues) is the best song of 2007.
Nice list, Chris. I was pleasantly surprised by some of your picks.
Busdriver > Lil Wayne
top 10-
1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
2. Caribou - Andorra
3. The Tough Alliance - New Chance
4. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
5. Arbouretum - Rites of Uncovering
6. The National - Boxer
7. Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
8. Shapes and Sizes - Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner
9. Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye
10. A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Scribble Mural Comic Journal
Yeah, I know, I know. What I'm trying to say is that you can make a list including all the albums you objectively think they are the best ones or you can make it according to the ones you enjoyed the most. One album can be better than the other but you don't enjoy the first one more than the second one just because the second one is something new, something fresh and the first one is just a masterpiece of something that has already been played before. Anyway, everyone makes their list according to their own criteria and don't think I blame you or something. It is still a good list.
I thought I was going to see some love for Studio's West Coast around here.
I chose album's that were released in the UK & Ireland this year so the one's that crop up on my list (1 compilation & 1 EP) might have been released in North America last year.
16. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank...
15. The Valerie Project - The Valerie Project...
14. Future of the Left - Curses...
13. Hauschka - Room to Expand...
12. Panta Du Prince - Bliss...
11. Alex Delivery - Star Destroyer...
10. Love of Diagrams - Mosaic...
09. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover...
08. Various Artists - A Kind Of Awe And Reverence And Wonder...
07. Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies...
06. El Ten Eleven - Every Direction Is North...
05. Interpol - Our Love To Admire...
04. M.I.A. - Kala...
03. Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe...
02. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime...
01. Emanuel - Black Earth Tiger...
This is why I love list season - some of your picks I agree with wholeheartedly (Panda Bear is the most beautiful album in a long long time), others I don't (where's Spoon? where's The Field?). And I've got some exploring to do (Bodies of Water, Santogold). Nice work though overall, would expect nothing less.
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Feist - The Reminder
Yeasayer - All Our Cymbals
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Meshell Ndegeocello - The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
Blonde Redhead - 23
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Nice list, man. I bet you can guess the ones off yours that will be on mine.
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
It may not officially come out until next year, but it's streaming now here - so I'm going to include it on my list - and probably at the top:
http://www.virb.com/boniver
off the cuff, i'm probably going to have at least some of this wrong for now:
1. Fovea Hex - Neither Speak Nor Remain Silent (3 EP set)
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Grand State University New Music Ensemble - Music for 18 Musicians
4. Field Music - Tones of Town
5. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
6. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
7. Fennesz/Sakamoto - Cendre
8. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
9. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
10. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga
Still need to hear of 2007:
1. Jens Lekman - Night Falls..
2. Tough Alliance - A New Chance
3. Jose Gonzales - In Our Nature
4. The Field - From Here..
5. No Age - Weirdo Rippers
6. Throbbing Gristle - The Endless Not
5. William Basinski - El Camino Real
7. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
8. I don't even know
01. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
This hour long fantasy epic from the Pennsylvanian magical mushroom musical coalition brings together all genres in a style foreign to today’s music. In a fashion that the rest of the world has yet to catch up to, this ‘witch candy’ album is one that even Justice can’t remix – yes, Gaspard and Xavier…I am challenging you.
02. Radiohead - In Rainbows
There is no point in detailing In Rainbows. You’ve already heard it, you already love it and it’s already on your own year end list.
03: The Histories - There Is Absolutely No Difference Between Anyone EP
Maxwell Strachan is to say the least a lyrical prodigy with guitar skills to back it up. On his first official release his mind blowing honesty is something that I’d be hard-pressed to find on any other album.
04. The Teenagers - Homecoming [Kitsune 12” Single]
Homecoming just a two thumbs up song altogether. A great instrumental arrangement with subtly crude vocals make this single so easy to keep on repeat.
05. Benny Blanco and Spank Rock Present - Bangers and Cash
Inspired by the infamous 2 Live Crew this is the expected Spank Rock CD with an erection. As they take everything to the maximum level of vulgarity, Naeem and Benny manage to still keep it classy.
06. Sigur Ros - Hvarf-Heim
Sigur Ros plays Sigur Ros. A collection of old and new material, the untitled tracks are now named and there is new instrumentation to all of the tracks. Hljómalind is my favorite track but the entire album and DVD is a must have.
07. Ludachrist – BANGFEST
Girl Talk likes them, you like Girl Talk, so you should like them too! Knick of Evol Intent and Ewun make up the mashup duo that is Ludachrist and the only way to describe Bangfest is by plugging your headphones into your blender and setting Night Ripper for puree.
08. The Go! Team - Proof Of Youth
Until I heard Grip Like A Vice for the first time I was terrified that the good natured music of the Go! Team would soon become tainted with U.S. commercialism. It’s a great thing the team is made of of outstanding individuals as well as musicians whose music will never be compromised. The Chuck D special appearance was the greatest treat on the album personally that hasn’t stopped playing since it made it onto my iTunes.
09. Menomena - Friend and Foe
If you don’t love Menomena, love their talent and their taste. In the past year Menomena have created a name for themselves with their entertaining live performances and their unique sense of humor.
10. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
Although not officially out in the US, I have had this CD on repeat since I received it. Kate Nash has a genuine sensitivity and shares stories of her friends and her heartbreaks so vividly that you could swear that you were childhood friends.
The favorite 3 I bought this year were
1 Mono In Vcf - Mono In Vcf
2 Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
3 Radiohead - In Rainbows
Mono In Vcf's album is unbelievably good and off the wall....I think everyone should be hearing that name in the future. Thanks GvB for that one!
I did like Person Pitch butIn Rainbows, Back to Black are great records I continue to listen to over and over.
I like your list. Not just the usual suspects. Mine will be up in a little bit. Cheers.
the absolute best part of this is the fact that you called it a FAVORITES list. thank you. that's why what i have to say doesn't really apply because this is a favorites list, not a "best of"...but still.....
i've always appreciated your taste on gbv, but where's andrew bird? spoon? the national? modest mouse? wilco? and i really believe arcade fire deserves to be higher on the list. i don't think people gave it a fair chance.
thanks for leaving out LCD. but i agree that st vincent, marissa nadler, the black lips, and id'd say mia shouldn't have made the cut with all the phenomenal albums this year.
What about Hissing Fauna? That was one unbelievable album. Top 10 status for sure.
whats with not including strawberry jam )=
its the best album of the wooorld.
whats with not including strawberry jam. )=
whats with not including strawberry jam. *le sigh
I'm with you on the Colleen release. :)
Even though this might be a bit repetative, heres my list, in no order:
Caribou -- Andorra
Really cool in the beginning with lots of trippy melodys and rythums on all that drum work and then it starts sounding like the Beatles and shit. It gets better and better for me each time.
Panda Bear -- Person Pitch
So many people write about this albums significance or its reflection on all different music being molded together or whatever. I just think that Panda has made something preety timless.
M.I.A. -- Kala
Its a good union between really poppy melodysand really bawlin' beats, this M.I.A. chick has shit going for her.
Sunset Rubdown -- Random Spirit Lover
The first track rips. The rest I think is pretty cool, but the first track gets me really excited about the rest of it, but I don't think it could get any better. Not my favorite, but it still deserves a name drop.
Devendra Banhart -- Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
The first three songs kick any album on this lists first three songs. I like the rest of the album, but sometimes, Devendra just gets too damn annoying like on "Shabomb Shalom" or whatever it's called. Hes a hit or miss guy on most of his songs, but for me its usually a hit.
Radiohead -- In Rainbows
I won't really talk about how much I like it, because thats all people say. I think Radiohead basically has done what they are made out to do, kick ass.
Burial -- Untrue
The hipster crowd really talked about this little dance record a whole lot so I picked it up. Everything I would say is preety accurate of it's quality and so on, I really think its got some catchy and dark tunes on it. Like the Microphones kinda. Except its dance music.
Liars -- Liars
I love Liars. I'm bias. But this thing has never not been played when I got to listen to music. So many countless good tracks, especially "Pure Unevil".
LCD Soundsystem -- Sound Of Silver
Again, the hipsters loved this one. I'm not a disco guy, but this album really makes you feel badass when you listen to that first track. The dude that made it knows how to keep a party going.
Robert Wyatt -- Comicopera
Great for a rainy day, Robert Wyatt is a cool dude, so you always know when he puts out an album it will be very interesting to listen to. But I really ended up thinking of this as a quality record.
Jose Gonzales -- In Our Nature
Great, I think as good as Venner. He makes the acoustic guitar sound so loud with his kind of--piercing voice or something. He's got the singer-songwriter shit down.
Ricardo Villalobos -- Fabric 36
I'm surprised no one has dropped this one. Maybe people don't know him too well, but he makes some really sweet house music. Its really not in your face house, it kind of just floats around the room or your headphones or whatever when you listen to it. Its really cool.
Madlib -- Beat Konducta Vol 3-4: Beat Konducta in India
And I don't think anyone has mentioned this shit either. Madlib knows how to compose some beats that really get in your head. This album has this Indian theme to it, and it gives off some cool creations in his beat with sitars and other Indian instruments. Madlib never really dissappoints, as this does not.
thats a pretty safe list. i guess a favorites list it works pretty well. that menomena record is incredible.
to whoever mentioned they haven't heard that No Age record needs to do themselves a favor and listen to it. tonight.
The Journey of Dian Cecht, Lake Shore Drive, and the Violent White Nightingale by Bryce Isbell
Anyone remember that "Map of Africa" album by the band of the same name? I found it on Gorilla VS Bear over the summer, and it's on my list.
Just sayin'. . .
no love for cheeseburger....whatever
1.AC Strawberry Jam
2.B Mirrored
3.SR Random Spirit Lover
4.El-p I'll Sleep When Your Dead
5.FE Tears of the Valedictorian
somewhere lower Panda Bear. I like Person Pitch but SJ has got so much more going on. PP songs have the same sound, felling and vocals throughout the album. Lil Wayne definitely had the most entertaining album this year.
it's funny hearing people talk trash on Boxer. more interesting is how many great albums there really were this year. Friend and Foe would be higher on my list, and i wouldn't put Panda Bear in my top 30, but '07 has been very full. i like your list.
http://littleboyschoir.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-dont-know29-best-albums-of-2007.html
Top albums of 2007 according to Lance:
1. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
3. Menomena – Friend or Foe
4. The National – Boxer
5. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
6. Kanye West – Graduation
7. Spoon – GaGaGaGaGa
8. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
9. Arcade Fire – Funeral
10. Lil’ Wayne – Da Drought 3
11. Sigur Ros – Hvarf/Heim
12. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew – Spirit If…
13. Tokyo Police Club – A Lesson in Crime
Correction...
Top albums of 2007 according to Lance:
1. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
3. Menomena – Friend or Foe
4. The National – Boxer
5. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
6. Kanye West – Graduation
7. Spoon – GaGaGaGaGa
8. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
9. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
10. Lil’ Wayne – Da Drought 3
11. Sigur Ros – Hvarf/Heim
12. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew – Spirit If…
13. Tokyo Police Club – A Lesson in Crime
I seem to be alone in this but my favorite album of the year is The Oh Sees' Sucks Blood.
Listen to "It Killed Mom" and tell me that