Top Albums Of 2007

[synthfreek]

I've already posted this in dvd's & music but since no one looks there I thought I'd post here as well.

Unless you plan on
something knocking your socks of this next week or two I think this
might be a safe time to compile our yearly list. Band name links will
either go to the All Music Guide Overview or a better site if the AMG
entry was weak. The album title links will all go to pages with
samples. I hope at least a few people will spend a few minutes checking
this stuff out as it took a few hours to make all these links. :-)
These aren't in any order.

Rock/Stuff With Guitars/A Jazz Album

Phosphorescent-Pride(Dead Oceans)---One of my very favorite singer/songwriters. Very earnest stuff. Check out the track Wolves.

The New Pornographers-Challengers(Matador)---Neko Case & Co.

Iron And Wine-The Shepherd's Dog(Sub Pop Records)---For fans of Nick Drake.

Arcade Fire-Neon Bible(Merge Records)---Rockin' stuff.

Panda Bear-Person Pitch(Paw Tracks)---Brian Wilson in disguise?

Japancakes-Giving Machines(Darla Records)---Instrumental stuff w/ pedal steel, cello, guitar, drums.

Japancakes-Loveless(Darla Records)---They cover the entire My Bloody Valentine album Loveless.

Band Of Horses-Cease To Begin(Sub Pop Records)---Reverb-drenched indie rock. For fans of My Morning Jacket.

Tord Gustavsen Trio-Being There(ECM Records)---One of favorite discoveries in a while.

Electronic Music

Murcof-Cosmos(Leaf)---Modern classical/ambient.

Distance-My Demons(Planet Mu)---Dubstep.

Jean-Jacques Perrey & Luke Vibert-Moog Acid(Lo Recordings)---Insane pairing of 80 year old Perrey & crazy beat maker Vibert.

Bola-Kroungrine(Skam)---More beat-driven than his older material but always with a sinister edge.

Stars Of The Lid-And Their Refinement Of The Decline(Kranky)---Modern classical/ambient.

Pete Namlook & Tetsu Inoue-2350 Broadway 4(Fax Records)---2 masters collaborate again for a return to '94 style ambient.

Various Artists-Pop Ambient 2008(Kompakt)---The yearly installment of chillout from the Kompakt label. I have every year and they're all great.

Tetsu Inoue-Inland(Fax Records)---Ultra-chilled ambient from my avatar's label Fax.

Ulrich Schnauss-Goodbye(Domino Recording Company)---Shoegazer with electronics. My Bloody Valentine/Slowdive meet Air.

Eluvium-Copia(Temporary Residence Limited)---Modern classical/ambient.

Colleen-Les Ondes Silencieuses(Leaf)---Modern classical/ambient.

Various Artists-Box Of Dub(Soul Jazz Records)---Dubstep.

[rcarlton]

How about Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen "Live in Dallas" - has just been nominated for The 2007 Grammy's!

[oldbuckster]

DIRT FARMER : LEVON HELM ........................ the farmers Blues ............. American Music

[dbflash]

my problem with this type of list is i buy so much stuff and i can't remember when i bought it.

2 off the bat:

Wilco "Sky Blue Sky". Might be my top album in a long time

Ryan Adams "Easy Tiger"

danny

[Allan Songer]

Not too many stand out for me, but the one I have played the most is:

http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Duets-Live-Dizzys-Coca-Cola/dp/B000O5BP5U/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198259082&sr=8-1

[triceratops]

Back to Black by Amy Winehouse is the most compelling, consistent album of original vocal music I've heard in years. Brilliant songwriting (albeit vulgar lyrics) and a remarkable, expressive voice. I hope Winehouse can overcome her many personal problems to perform again or at least not die at an early age (she is 24). There is also a DVD of a 2007 concert from England called I Told You I was Trouble that showcases her considerable vocal talents (before her recent downward spiral) and draws heavily from the latest album.

Brooklyn's Dap-Kings were involved in the instrumental backing and recording of this album. The sound of their records is very authetic 60's analog, recorded live in an old-school studio. If you don't go for Winehouse's over-the-top sexuality, you can get a great dose of Dap-Kings' retro-soul sound in the latest Sharon Jones album, 100 Days, 100 Nights (also released in 2007) or her previous effort Naturally (which is at least a couple of years old).

[joessportster]

not sure if these were released this year but i was just turned on to ryan adams and i had to go out and buy every album i could find, 2 others of interest were my morning jacket, and jack johnson.................................until i heard these young fellas i had resigned myself to the fact thet there were no more real song writers out there,

i was wrong

Joe

[synthfreek]

joessportser you should check out the 2 albums by Band Of Horses if you dig My Morning Jacket.

[thebes]

I'll second Amy Winehouse. Good list Synth and good work putting it together.

[fini]

I agree the music on Back to Black is outstanding. I just really have a hard time with the way it was recorded. Maybe I'll try the DVD.

[joessportster]

synthfreak:

thanks i will give them a listen, seems i have a new way to spend audio money now i have recently spent about 500 on new albums all in audiophile grades 180, 200 gram and so on it's giving me a new appreciation for music and how my system reproduces it.i have always been a classic rock freak but this new stuff is great what genre would these bands be considered in ????????????

Joe

[synthfreek]

I guess most people would call this stuff indie-rock but that term can encompass MANY different styles within itself. I can give you a little list of some of my favorites:

1-Built To Spill-One of my very favorite bands ever. Even though WB releases their stuff now they're still considered "indie-rock"...confused yet? Indie-rock is almost a style of rock more than if they're on a major label or an indie label. Anyway Built To Spill are probably the current kings of hipster/indie-rock. My favorite album is Keep It Like A Secret and Ancient Melodies Of The Future. Good news is that after many years of these records going for nearly $100 they were just repressed on audiophile vinyl with extra tracks. Should be cheap. Their newest album You In Reverse is also great and available.

2-Pixies-Absolute legends and all of their albums are required listening. I like Surfer Rosa the best followed closely by Doolittle but all of them are ace.

Some other bands to check out in general: Pavement, Arcade Fire, Flaming Lips, The New Pornographers, Neutral Milk Hotel, Guided By Voices, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Sleater-Kinney, The Decemberists, Rilo Kiley, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr.

[triceratops]

I agree the music on Back to Black is outstanding. I just really have a hard time with the way it was recorded. Maybe I'll try the DVD.

Hey Fini,

Yeah, I guess there's a fine line between "authentic" and "low-fidelity". I like the warm, live-recorded analog sound that is typical of the period of 60's music that Winehouse emulates. For me her recording style works, but admittedly it's a judgement call. There's a great garage band called the Detroit Cobras with similar retro tendencies, and they also emulate the recording style of their favorite era of 60's music. In the case of the Cobras, there's a lot of distortion, overloaded mikes, etc. I dig their music, but they're maybe a little "too authentic" for me! I just listen to the Cobras in the car because it sounds too raw for critical listening.

[fini]

Yes, it's the distortion that bothers me. Funny, coming from me. eh?

;^)

[triceratops]

Yes, it's the distortion that bothers me. Funny, coming from me. eh?

;^)

Hey Fini,

Yeah--that's a different kind of distortion that you like--linguistic distortion, maybe? Regarding audio distortion, you'll want to steer clear of the Detroit Cobras--LOL!

As for Winehouse, the DVD may work for you because I think it is recorded pretty well, and the performance is incredible. She has some really great male back-up singers and other fine musicians. Included on the DVD is a documentary of Winehouse's brief career to date. You can see her remarkable record label audition as a 19-year old and some early footage before she became tattooed and emaciated.

When are you going to make it up to Eugene? Will you be coming to the vacuum tube audio conference next year in Portland?

[synthfreek]

What about Cat Power or The Gossip for some retro sounds.

[Appleskinner]

A few of my suggestions may cross into '06 or later, but I've come across a few newer albums recently that have earned a lot of spin time.

Cat Power - The Greatest (the pink cover and band name threw me off, but this is an outstanding album)

John Mayer - Continuum (only J.M. album I would recommend...nice bluesy groove...excellent recording)

Frank Black - Honeycomb (Pixies lead singer alt-country solo album)

Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales, On & On, In Between Dreams (all excellent)...if you like J.J., also check out Ben Harper

Black Keys - Rubber Factory, Thickfreakness (garage band blues with a great riff)