Best of 2007: The Music

[patrickgpe]

Al, i am not too sure about that. I think its cool to see a band you were a fan of from the beginning that nobody has heard of to make it. You can tell you friends you knew about them 5 years ago. Thats just me though. I am sure some may loose there taste for the artist.

[dadofandrew]

I felt the same way about Seinfeld, as I was a watcher from Day 1, and Office Space (I saw it in the theater). However, that article stuck with me for the sheer drama the critic gushed out, how dare lowly people catch on to what I liked...so now, I don't like it.

 

By the way, I am not sure it was Ms. Carlton, but I think it was. I had saw her on a talk show and felt she was really hot, but the music was the same as the rest to me. I'm pretty sure that was it though, as she went from nothing to huge in a few weeks.

[pogokat]

wilco and of montreal sold the hell out of their records...

 

in fact, every outback or volkswagen ad's you saw this year had a song by one of those two bands in it...

 

finally, when that radiohead album gets released on cd, it will be top 40 for an extended period of time...

 

these bands are hardly underground...they just aren't played on the radio because the radio ignores rock and roll

[brettac1]

Maybe Brett could answer, if next week, Bon Iver was played nonstop on top 40, how would he feel?

 

I'd feel really happy for the guy because he has worked very hard to acheive that success. Plus it's really cool that he's from Eau Claire. The ones that I don't care for that make top 40, etc. are the cookie cutter artists that were essentially picked by a record label because their looks sell, and don't write any of their own stuff. I don't have a problem with an artist being successful in terms of airplay, if I think the stuff is good. Radiohead is one of the biggest bands in the world - and they deserve to be because the music is pretty much always moving forward and ahead of the curve.

 

This year, two of my favorites (Wilco and Ryan Adams) actually had quite a bit of success, Wilco debuted at #4 on the charts with their album, and cashed in on selling the whole record to Volkswagen for commercials (so probably everyone here has heard some Wilco, they just didn't know it). I didn't mind it, really. Ryan Adams debuted #7, and made a video for and had a bunch of his songs played on some ABC show (October Road???). Both of them also were on both Letterman and Leno.

[danzig6767]

Turbo, I often wonder if critics feel unhappy when a favorite achieves popular success. I know it was mentioned a few years ago that while critics drooled all over an album when released (Vanessa Carlton?), it then sold oodles, and then was seemingly left off of many "best of the year" lists, despite getting a higher mark at the time. While many would not comment, one gent did admit that the constant radio play and pop success made him "rethink" the quality...basically, if the public liked it, it was beneath him.

 

Maybe Brett could answer, if next week, Bon Iver was played nonstop on top 40, how would he feel?

 

By the way, I bought Bon Jovi's new one and Jim Croce's greatest hits, and both were very good.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Bon Jovi has aged right along with me.

I personally never met a single person who bases what they listen to on what any music critic says, nor have i ever cared. People generally listen to what sounds good to their ears whether it's very mainstream like Bon Jovi or something many people have never heard of.

 

I'd guess that a little over half of my music collection is stuff that at least for some time got radio play and most people would know the band/artists name and the rest is stuff i found online or by word of mouth that a lot of people wouldn't have heard of. For that stuff, i don't search out critics reviews, in fact i wouldn't even know where to find music reviewers. I just try different music i never heard of and see if i like it. If i do i go buy the cd, if i don't i delete the song/songs.

 

My musical tastes have become much more diverse over the years and i'm very thankful for that, i got bored listening to the same stuff all the time. I used to be fairly close minded with music in my younger days, now i love finding something new or even giving popular to semi-popular artists from the past a try that i had never really tried listening to much. There is a lot of great new music out there that never gets radio play and older music that never got radio play, but because of the net i've been able to give it a try and i end up liking it greatly. Because of this, i rarely listen to the radio anymore.

[homer]

I think a lot of people stop listening to bands once they get popular. Not saying that is the case on this board at all, but it happens all the time.

 

And Turborickey.....the general population thinks Paul Stanley sucks so who is being hip and cool now?

[TURBO]

And Turborickey.....the general population thinks Paul Stanley sucks so who is being hip and cool now?

well, that's the beauty of being a music fan isn't it?

 

you shouldn't care what I like, and I could not care less what you like...

 

if I judged my likes and dislikes based on what others thought, I'd like Pink Floyd and U2...

 

I feel sorry for those missing out on Paul Stanley's latest solo effort, but I certainly wouldn't shove it down anyone's throat. The less it gets played on the radio, the more I am able to listen to it without growing sick of it. It is nothing like anything KISS has ever done, it is mature rock and roll, and the guy's voice is just plain golden imo...

[danzig6767]

I think a lot of people stop listening to bands once they get popular. Not saying that is the case on this board at all, but it happens all the time.

Not me, there were a couple of bands i listened to before they got popular with the masses, but i still kept listening unless the music they put out stopped sounding good.

 

I did have a stretch in my life where i'd say i was a bit of a music snob and thought i was cooler because not many people listened to what i did and i limited myself to mainly just two types of music. In high school in the late 80's i got into the punk scene and that's all i'd listen to except for older stuff like Floyd/Hendrix/The Doors etc. For punk fans it was sorta a badge of honor that we listened to stuff that few others did and that those bands weren't mainstream. We'd laugh at and mock the guys wearing their Dokken, Warrant, and Ratt shirts.

 

That's part of being a teenager though. I became a semi-Prince fan during that time because i dated a girl who loved him, but i never left the two/three cd's i had of him out when my punker friends came over. Looking back at it now, it seems so silly, but when you're younger you worry so much what your friends think. That's one nice thing of maturing, not caring what others think anymore. If i like how something sounds, i listen to it, nothing else factors in like what genre of music it is.

[bigredrobbo]

Albums of the Year in no particular order.

 

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

!!! - Myth Takes

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Justice - Cross

Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet

The Early Years - The Early Years

Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin

Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army

Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War

Arctic Monkeys - Favorite Worst Nightmare

UNKLE - War Stories

Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night

Fratellis - Costello Music

Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City

The National - Boxer

White Stripes - Icky Thump

Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta

 

All in all, a quality year for music, I felt.

[homer]

"you shouldn't care what I like, and I could not care less what you like..."

 

And yet you chose to make a blanket judgement about people in this thread trying to be 'hip and cool' because they like music you've never heard of. Sorry, but it seems you do care about what others like.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

After hitting it pretty hard the last few days I feel that i can do a top 10 songs . . . if i'm allowed covers . . .

 

1 Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb

2 Radiohead - Bodysnatchers

3 Neko Case - In California

4 Eleni Mandell - My Twin

5 Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker

6 Okkerville River - Unless It's Kicks

7 Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica

8 Ceu - Concrete Jungle

9 Wilco - Impossible Germany

10 Miranda Lambert - Famous in a Small Town

[TURBO]

"you shouldn't care what I like, and I could not care less what you like..."

 

And yet you chose to make a blanket judgement about people in this thread trying to be 'hip and cool' because they like music you've never heard of. Sorry, but it seems you do care about what others like.

you are searching for conflict where there is none... carry on

[Roscoe Chill]

The Crossroads Guitar Festival @ Toyota Park, Chicago, IL 7/07.

 

Since we're talking best of 07.

[Oldcity]

Well I definitely have a different taste than many here, but my favorite albums of 2007:

 

Brand New- The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me

Say Anything- In Defense of the Genre

Jimmy Eat World- Chase This Light

The White Stripes- Icky Thump

 

Circa Survive, Motion City Soundtrack and Minus the Bear released albums in '07 but I haven't heard them yet. I like their older stuff so I'll probably check them out.

 

Edit: Just realized Brand New's album was released in late '06. Still my favorite album of the last three years though, so I'm keeping it there.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[diomedeh2]

Apparat - Walls

A Place to Bury Strangers - s/t

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

The National - Boxer

Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Deerhunter - Cryptograms and Fluorescent Grey EP

 

And while it falls into the very end of 2006, I'll say that Rock Plaza Central's "Are We Not Horses?" is an album I've listened to quite a bit in 2007.

[And That]

After pontificating on it for a few days, here's my top 25 tracks of the year:

 

1. Panda Bear - "Bro's"

2. of Montreal - "The Past is a Grotesque Animal"

3. A.A. Bondy - "American Hearts"

4. LCD Soundsystem - "Something New"

5. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - "The Good, The Bad and The Queen"

6. Bon Iver - "re: Stacks"

7. Wilco - "You Are My Face"

8. Black Kids - "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)"

9. Besnard Lakes - "Devastation"

10. The Field - "From Here We Go Sublime"

11. of Montreal - "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse "

12. Caribou - "Melody Day"

13. Earlimart - "Answers & Questions"

14. Radiohead - "Reckoner"

15. LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum"

16. A. A. Bondy - "There's a Reason"

17. Underworld - "Beautiful Burnout"

18. Dan Deacon - "Big Milk"

19. The National - "Fake Empire"

20. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Satan Said Dance"

21. Bjork - "The Dull Flame of Desire"

22. The Bird and The Bee - "F*****g Boyfriend"

23. Liars - "Houseclouds"

24. The National - "Start a War"

25. The Silent League - "Prayer for the Nihilist"

[jwaltz]

Sixx A.M. - "The Heroin Diaries"

 

This album is great. The songwriting is very good. Among the best I've heard. My favorite album released this past year.

[TURBO]

I'd like to make additions to my Paul Stanley - Live To Win pick:

 

1. Krokus - Hellraiser

2. Quiet Riot - Rehab (how fitting now that Kevin DuBrow was found dead of a cocaine overdose... RIP)

3. Bang Tango - From The Hip

[burniebrewer]

I've wanted to check out that Sixx AM album and hope it's better than The Brides of Destruction.

[TURBO]

I've wanted to check out that Sixx AM album and hope it's better than The Brides of Destruction.

I've heard both a few times and don't like them...

 

I must have really missed the boat on Sixx AM though as most who reviewed it on amazon LOVE it. It is kind of poppy, and a lot of it sounded the same to me. He speaks between some songs, I'm assuming he is reading from the book he wrote, or his diary? Just not what I'm into I guess. If I owned it, I might listen closer and find it good, but the 2 or 3 times I have heard it in my buddies car didn't do anything for me.

Brides of Destruction flat out sucked! imo

[chadomac]

I don't really know what albums came out in 2007 but some that are pretty new that I liked this past year was the Rilo Kiley album (I never liked their stuff before this album) and the Kooks album.

[TURBO]

Sixx A.M. - "The Heroin Diaries"

 

This album is great. The songwriting is very good. Among the best I've heard. My favorite album released this past year.

hmmm, and yet another glowing review...

 

maybe I need to put on the headphones some night and just give it a solid listen...

[jwaltz]

You really have to listen to it in headphones so you can concentrate on it more. The lyrics are just amazing. Very personal. Pretty much the whole album, the song lyrics and the spoken word, is Nikki's diary. It's kind of poppy but the lyrics are what pushes the album over the top.

[NastyTwig]

Every Time I Die - "The Big Dirty"

 

It's metal that you can sing along to. Give it a try. Favorite track = "Rendez-Voodoo"

[jloos19]

I figured I'd just copy and paste my analysis that I wrote up for my friends' music blog.

Top 25 Albums
25. The Silent Years- "The Silent Years"
24. Sunset Rubdown- "Random Spirit Lover"
23. Dinosaur Jr- "Beyond"
22. Blacks Lips- "Good Bad Not Evil"
21. Dan Deacon- "Spiderman of the Rings"
20. A Place to Bury Strangers- "A Place to Bury Strangers"
19. !!!- "Myth Takes"
18. Iron & Wine- "The Shepherd's Dog"
17. The Clientele- "God Save the Clientele"
16. Menomena- "Friend or Foe"
15. Wu-Tang Clan- "8 Diagrams"
14. Spoon- "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
13. Battles- "Mirrored"
12. Beirut- "The Flying Club Cup"
11. White Rabbits- "Fort Nightly"
10. Deerhoof- "Friend Opportunity"
I've been a Deerhoof fan for as long as I can remember, and this album definitely satisfied my hunger for their new album. The Runners Four[/i] is great, but I think this even surpasses it in terms of a complete album. Considering this came out in January, it's impressive that when making this list I immediately thought of "Friend Opportunity."
9. The Fiery Furnaces- "Widow City"
OK, this is no Blueberry Boat[/i], but what is? The Fiery Furnaces, no matter what, will always make a sweet album. Honestly, I was kind of disappointed and it's still my 9^th favorite of the year. Musically, this album is up there with their best; however, it lacked the completeness that I felt from Blueberry Boat[/i] and Gallowsbird's Bark[/i]. Still, awesome.
8. Papercuts- "Can't Go Back"
I listened to this album well after everyone else did, so I feel a little guilty putting it in my top 10. But it's so great, that I couldn't resist. If anyone puts this album as their number 1, you have no arguments from this guy. From the intense lyrics in the opener "Dear Employee" to the haunting "Unavailable," this album has a song for anyone who likes music. First time I put this on my I-Pod, I listened all the way through like I do with every first listen, unless it frustrates me (aka "American Gangster" and "Places Like This"). I then listened to it two more times (Yeah, I have a lot of time on my hands); that's how good this album is.
7. Liars- "Liars"
Best two track opening to an album of the year, and probably the last 2 years although the Junior Boys may have a good case. Once you play those two songs over and over again, you can finally continue and you're in for a treat. Great lyrics, wonderful guitar work, just solid in every area.
6. The Besnard Lakes- "Are the Dark Horses"
My "dark horse" of this list is this Canadian group. No words can really describe the feeling I get when I hear this album, but the last two minutes of the second track "For Agent 13" may be my favorite part of any song this year. I was glad to see the Lakes get some recognition in some reviews for the great album they made. I'm expecting big things from these guys in the future.
5. The Arcade Fire- "Neon Bible"
Ahhh The Arcade Fire, the new "kings" of indie rock. Funeral[/i] is a tough album to follow up, but Win Butler and crew did an admirable job with Neon Bible[/i]. Although I hated the first track, "Black Mirror," every other track on the disc is superb. From the up-tempo "Keep the Car Running" to the beautiful duet "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations," Neon Bible[/i] appealed to all music tastes, which is impressive these days with all the pretentious music listeners out there (not excluding myself).
4. Radiohead- "In Rainbows"
I mean, what's there to say? You might say it's no Kid A[/i] or OK Computer[/i], but what's that supposed to mean? Nothing will ever be anything like those albums.
3. LCD Soundsystem- "Sound of Silver"
James Murphy just rocked my world with the opening track "Get Innocuous." Once I heard that track, I figured the disc would just go downhill, which somehow he managed to avoid. I didn't really like the last two tracks, otherwise it would have been number 1. Still, awesome work by Murphy.
2. Of Montreal- "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?"
Not to be a jerk, but I wish Kevin Barnes would be depressed more often. OK, Of Montreal has made some amazing albums, but this is my favorite of all of them. Although some of the lyrics may be depressing, how can you not dance to most of these songs, or at least move around? When I'm driving listening to this album, I'm dangerous. It didn't hurt either that track 7 is my favorite song of the year.
1. Okkervil River- "The Stage Names"
What are you talking about? Okkervil River? Really? Have you looked at your list? In a year where you were all into the dance, upbeat stuff, this is your favorite? Well, I don't know what to tell you. They've made 5 albums, and the only other one I like was the 2005 disc Black Sheep Boy[/i], which honestly was a completely different album. I was immediately drawn in by the opening track "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe." It's such a pessimistic album, while at the same time cheerful. Being able to achieve such a difficult thing to do made for a much more enjoyable listen. Well done, OR.
Top 10 Tracks
10. Battles- "Atlas"
9. Okkervil River- "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe"
8. Sunset Rubdown- "The Mending of the Gown"
7. A Sunny Day in Glasgow- "Ghost in the Graveyard"
6. !!!- "Heart of Hearts"
5. Liars- "Plaster Casts of Everything"
4. Justice- "D.A.N.C.E."
3. The Arcade Fire- "No Cars Go"
2. LCD Soundsystem- "Get Innocuous"
1. Of Montreal- "The Past is a Grotesque Aninmal"
Top 5 Disappointing Albums
5. Modest Mouse- "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank"
4. Bloc Party- "A Weekend in the City"
3. Kanye West- "Graduation
2. Architecture in Helsinki- "Places Like This"
1. Jay-Z- "American Gangster"