2007 The Year In Music

For me, this was a great year for music. Instead of my usual list of five, I had twenty favorite albums this year. Since the list was so long, I decided to start with my favorite.
#1 Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? by Of Montreal

This was easily my favorite album of the year. It represented everything great about pop music. It was hooky and catchy, yet the songs contained all these unexpected, non-conventional melodic twists. Stylistically, the album was a lot of fun, playing with styles ranging from psychedelia to disco to funk to folk to rock. Although sunny musically, it was very dark and personal lyrically (I think I praised Lily Allen for the same last year, yet song-writing-wise, this album was simultaneously much more playful and much darker.) Subversive on many levels, this album, for me, represented pop music at it's finest.

#2 Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem

A set of songs that surpassed all the potential hinted at in their early singles. This was the album I was wishing they would make. It was dance music for the thirty-something indie hipster and it was totally addictive.

# 3 Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon

Stylistically, this album did not signal any major changes for Spoon. It was just the next step in the evolution of their already consistently good sound. This time, they accented their intimate, bluesy indie rock with some soul and R&B grooves, and the results transformed them from a band I liked to a band I loved.

#4 In Rainbows by Radiohead

This was the coziest, most relaxed Radiohead album yet. Innovative without those innovations distracting from the songs themselves. Really, that what this band had always done well, but this time it was so immediate and approachable. They've finally shed their stadium rock roots and that was fine by me.

#5 We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse

Prior to this album's release, I was skeptical. Their last album had gone nearly too far into the pop realm and I initially thought the Johnny Marr thing was a bit of stunt casting. I was wrong. I don't know who to credit, but this album had so much energy and so much guitar heroism, that it recalled their great work from the 90s. This one became my favorite Modest Mouse record of this millennium.

#6 Graduation by Kanye West

On his first album he sped up soul samples. On his second he added rich orchestrations. This third one was all about keyboards and synthesizers, and Kanye West showed he could do that well too. Additional pleasures included more personal, vulnerable lyrics and the lack of skits.

#7 Boxer by The National

A combination of subtle guitar melodies the singer's intimate baritone made this a great romantic late night listen. It had a sit-on-your-back-porch-with-lit-candles kind of feel to it, but with awesome drums.

#8 Neon Bible by Arcade Fire

A set of songs that showcased what Arcade Fire did well: take simple melodies and play them as passionately possible.

#9 We'll Never Turn Back by Mavis Staples

68 year old soul singer showed that she's still fresh and relevant. With a set that recalled the Civil Rights era, she showed why we still need those kinds of songs. Her voice remained both powerful and intimate, and the production and guitar-noodling of Ry Cooder was a welcome update to her sound. This year, Ms. Staples schooled all those neo-soul poseurs (ahem, Amy Whinehouse) on how to really sing the blues.

#10 From Here We Go To Sublime by The Field

This album delivered everything promised by its title. These simple, repetitive grooves provided such an inexplicably addictive and pleasurable listening experience.

The best of the rest:

#11 Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav

#12 American Gangster by Jay-Z

#13 Some Loud Thunder by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

#14 Myth Takes by !!!

#15 UGK (Underground Kingz) by UGK

#16 Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

#17 Cease to Begin by Band of Horses

#18 Wild Mountain Nation by Blitzen Trapper

#19 Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys

#20 Beyond by Dinosaur Jr.

So for me, music-listening this year was exhausting in a fun way. There were plenty of albums I liked that simply didn't make the cut. This list truly represented the ones I loved, the ones i listened to repetitively and the ones I have not stopped listening to yet. To anyone who thinks pop music has nothing new to offer, I have twenty good arguments to prove you wrong.