20. Okkervil River, The Stage Names
19. Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dandelion Gum
18. Kevin Drew, Spirit If...
17. M83, Digital Shades Vol. 1
16. Thurston Moore, Trees Outside the Academy
15. Chikita Volenta, The Stars & Suns Sessions
14. Amiina, Kurr
13. Beirut, The Flying Club Cup
12. The Bad Plus, Prog
11. Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala
10. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
I wish there was a fun phrase for the overexposure of Arcade Fire like the Shin’s Brafflash. But alas, there’s not. The reason this album is even in my top albums of the year is really just because spring quarter when I would go running regularly this is what I’d listen to. I’d like to bring back those happy, healthier, simpler times and if putting this in my top ten will make that happen, then I’m going to do it.
9. Celebration, The Modern Tribe
If nothing else, “Evergreen” is one of the best tracks of the year.
8. Marnie Stern, In Advance of the Broken Arm
A girl? That shreds? Hard? SWEEEEEEEET.
7. The New Pornographers, Challengers
I think most people ignored this album because it admittedly isn’t as good as some of The New Pornographer’s previous work. I was going to too until I realized how often I actually listened to Challengers this year. So, I gave it another listen a few days ago and realized that it really is a solid album. Although it might be an unconventional pick for a top ten, I think this album (especially the tracks featuring Neko Case and Destroyer’s Dan Bejar) is actually pretty good.
6. Battles, Mirrored
Math rock is not for girls, but I think that is why Battles is so good. I’m a girl, and I like it.
5. M.I.A., Kala
Maya Arulpragasam moved from hipster dance party goddess with her 2005 album Arular to 2007 with an album that actually kind of says something in a dynamic way. I like it when artists can grow in their music, especially when they’re already 5 years ahead of the game like M.I.A. will always be.
4. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
You know an album is good when bloggers and critics are fighting over which of three different songs from this album should be in the top spot for their 2007 Best Songs list (although I still don’t understand putting “North American Scum” in any top ten). Yet, I am nearly positive that I’m the only one in the entirety of the blogging world who actually likes the closing song, “New York I Love You”. Maybe it’s the slow fragility in James Murphy’s voice that makes me melt.
3. Panda Bear, Person Pitch
I’d pick Panda Bear over Animal Collective any day. Plus, Person Pitch is innovative and psychedelic in the good way! One can’t ask for much more.
2. St. Vincent, Marry Me
I can hardly believe I put this at number two either, trust me. More than once I have, for an unknown reason, become hopelessly devoted (eerily similar to the song from the musical Grease) to female singer/songwriters. Then, after months of constant play and profession of flawlessness I realize how boring or top 40 or disgustingly adult contemporary rock it really is. I hope I don’t regret this number two position in the future, but as of now, I truly believe Marry Me is the turning point in female singer/songwriter music. It’s better, it’s definitely not flawless, but it rocks a little harder and it uses a little more imagination than your typical female solo artist.
1. Dirty Projectors, Rise Above
I heard this album several times, not by choice, soon after it came out this year. I was not impressed by the seemingly random guitar noise and scattered, sometimes wailing voices. Then, instead of just hearing, I listened and immediately realized how remarkably musical something could be under the mask of pure noise. Before knowing anything about the “gimmick” of this album I listened a few more times particularly confused by the harsh lyrics against the backdrop of female singers (!!) and the occasional classical instrumentation. Complete oblivion to the story behind bands that I profess to enjoy is a personal vice so I asked a friend to explain the Dirty Proj (as I like to call them) to me. I Learned that Dave Longstreth is a Christ Figure in addition to the fact that this album is a reimagination of the Black Flag album Damaged. These facts added several more layers to my amazement and intense adoration to this conceptualization of music Longstreth has created. He’s no doubt paved a path for understanding and creating new out of old for the future of something that we thought was only repeating itself over and over again.
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