[wnewport]

Sage Francis - Human Death Dance
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Daft Punk - Alive
Okkervil River - Stage Names

 

[Ross1]

10/10
Battles - Mirrored
Marnie Stern - In Advance Of The Broken Arm (okay, I know this shouldnt be a 10, but I think I love her >_>)
Menomena - Friend & Foe
Tegan & Sara - The Con

9/10
Blonde Redhead - 23
Deerhunter - Cryptograms / Flourescent Grey EP
Fields - Everything Last Winter
James Blackshaw - The Cloud Of Unknowing
Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army (we are now getting towards having an album to match the live performance, this gave me hope)

8/10
Apparat - Walls
Blackfield - Blackfield II
Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings
God Is An Astronaut - Far From Refuge
Grand National - A Drink And A Quick Decision
Great Northern - Trading Twilight For Daylight
Jesu - Conqueror / Lifeline EP
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Maps - We Can Create
Metric - Grow Up And Blow Away
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna (c'mon guys, you can do better than this!)
Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
St. Vincent - Marry Me
The Hives - The Black And White Album (I was very pleasantly surprised about this)

7/10
65DaysOfStatic - The Destruction Of Small Ideas
Air Formation - Daylight Storms
Charlotte Heatherley - The Deep Blue
Elliott Smith - New Moon
Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
Kevin Drew - Spirit If ...
Kosheen - Damage
M83 - Digital Shades (Vol. 1)
Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat
Mumm-Ra - These Things Move In Threes
New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
The Go! Team - Proof Of Youth (you are lucky you didnt get put in the yucky section)

Stuff that I listened to properly and was very disappointed by:
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Feist - The Reminder
Interpol - Our Love To Admire
Justice - †
LCD Soundsystem - 45:33
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead....
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night
The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City (If you keep doing this to me Im going to have to stop liking you)
The National - Boxer (Please tell me what was good about this)
The New Pornographers - Challengers (What happened to you guys?)
The White Stripes - Icky Thump

I would say I am fairly happy, some albums could be moved up by 1, some down by 1, but its okay. Look how much utter crap has been released by talented artists this year, its shameful beyond belief.

 

[james444]

These are my favorite albums of 2007. If I had to pick just one, it would be... Robert Gomez - Brand New Towns

 

[SRM]

Just one album to add that wasn't here already, Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature. One of the best albums this year, not the best, but close

 

[Dr Livor Mortis]

10. "Our Love to Admire" - Interpol
9. "New Erections" - The Locust
8. "Our Puzzling Encounters Considered" - Psyopus
7. "Ditherer" - Fog
6. "Nocturnal" - The Black Dahlia Murder
5. "Phantom Limb" - Pig Destroyer
4. "Mirrored" - Battles
3. "Ire Works" - The Dillinger Escape Plan
2. "Conqueror" - Jesu

1. "COLORS" - Between the Buried and Me

 

[fatcat28037]

 

[en480c4]

I decided to expand on my mid-year report card for my end-of-year ranking. Any one of the albums receiving an A could be considered my Album of the Year, but if forced to choose one it would have to be Rasputina's Oh Perilous World. The rest of my ramblings are as follows...

1. 
   
   A | Catherine Anne Davies - The Piano EP
   Another haunting collection of songs from Ms. Davies. Nothing groundbreaking here, but the simple and straight-forward songs and her voice create a haunting atmosphere that's difficult to describe but not easily forgotten. Samples available here.
2. 
   
   A | Epica - The Divine Conspiracy
   Since picking this up, I've explored their back catalog and came away unimpressed. But wow, this is one hell of an album. Stunning female vocals, great varied songwriting and interesting instrumentation and arrangements keep me coming back for more.
3. 
   
   A | Joanna Newsom - Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP
   I love "Colleen," and her touring bands contributions to the reworks of "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" and "Cosmia" are welcome additions to her catalog. After listening to the bootleg "Live at Bottletree" so much, I've really grown to love what her band brings to the table.
4. 
   
   A | Nellie McKay - Obgliagtory Villagers
   Such a short album comes as a bit of a shock after she split with Columbia over the length of Pretty Little Head, but it's filled with some great songs. You can really hear the joy she has in making music, and it's a top-notch group of musicians she has recorded with. Another great album from her that blend all sorts of musical styles seamlessly.
5. 
   
   A | Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
   I can understand the issues people have taken with this album... Short on hooks, high on repetition. But to me it's probably strikes the best balance of angst and accessibility of all of the NIN albums. I find it very listenable, with a number of memorable songs. The mood and tone are just right, and as always, the layering of textures and sounds always keeps things interesting.
6. 
   
   A | Rasputina - Oh Perilous World
   I'm a huge fan of Melora Crager's Neo-Victorian Chamber Rock, and have loved pretty much everything she's put together. But losing Zoe Keating and the prospect of a concept album had me a little worried. And I have to admit, after the first listen, I was less than impressed. But a few more listens has revealed an album that while less accessible, is just as enjoyable as the rest of their albums.
   
7. 
   
   A- | Feist - The Reminder
   I was a little late to the game on this album. After reading so much praise in so many places, I was hesitant to buy in. But I'm sure glad I did, because this is a great collections of songs. I've since picked up Let It Die, and this has been one of my favorite finds of '07 thus far.
8. 
   
   A- | Moonsorrow - V-Havitetty
   A full-length album with 2 tracks usually screams of pretentious, self-absorbed musicians whose ambition exceeds their abilities. This is not the case on this album... Not at all. The 2 tracks actually feel like 4, and the balance of folk metal, viking metal and black metal make for an amazing musical journey. I think I still prefer Verisakeet, if only for "Jotunheim," but V-Havitetty is stunning.
9. 
   
   A- | Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me
   An excellent follow-up to last year's On Leavnig, with the blending of her voice and guitar and his drums is much better than I could've ever imagined. The only reason it's not ranked higher is there are a few times where I wish the drums weren't quite so prominant. But otherwise they struck a great balance, and her voice is always amazing.
10. 
    
    A- | The New Pornographers - Challengers
    I'm admittedly a late-comer to TNP, and only checked them out because I knew Neko Case (who can do no wrong in my eyes) contributes vocals on a number of tracks. And while "Challengers" and "Go Places," the two tracks she sings on are my favorites, the rest of the album is pretty spectacular from start to finish. I'm not familiar with their discography enough to rank it, but from what I've heard, it's another near-flawless release.
11. 
    
    A- | Opeth - The Roundhouse Tapes
    One of the best live recordings I've hear, this set has some of my favorite tracks as well as some that were pleasant surprises live. The only thing that could've made it better was if Martin Mendez had managed to stick around on drums, but otherwise a great release with excellent SQ.
12. 
    
    A- | Tristania - Illumination
    To my ears, this is their best album since Widow's Weeds. I know World of Glass is often referred to as their best, but it never did much for me. Illumination is pretty straight forward, but they have the best post-Morten male vocals and it's probably the best Vibke has ever sounded... Which will only make me miss her more.
13. 
    
    A- | Virgin Black - Requiem - Mezzo Forte
    While I've enjoyed parts of their previous albums, this is their first release that really works for me as a whole. The male vocals are much improved, the addition of classical female vocals really fleshes out the sound, and the guitar sound is still to die for. I'm really looking forward to the other two parts of the Requiem project.
    
14. 
    
    B+ | Dean & Britta - Back Numbers
    I don't know how else to describe this album other than just striking me as cool, hip and fun. The lush arrangements and Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham's detached vocals really work well to create an atmosphere I enjoy.
15. 
    
    B+ | Norah Jones - Not Too Late
    I'm glad she decided to take a chance and contribute more to songwriting. The mood is definitely darker here, and the album is better for it. Not as immediately accessible as her first two albums, but I think it's the strongest of the three.
16. 
    
    B+ | Lumsk - Det Vilde Kor
    After discovering this band last year, I was really looking forward to hearing what they came up with next. This album sounds little like their first two releases, with no metal influences at all. But what's left is a beautiful folk sound with stunning female vocals.
17. 
    
    B+ | Roisin Murphy - Overpowered
    Excellent electro-pop... Her voice is great, and the album flies by. This is a fun album with surprising staying-power.
18. 
    
    B+ | Swallow The Sun - Hope
    The balance of the heavy and melodic reminds me a lot of Opeth, as do the clean vocals. However the sound is a bit different, with deeper growls and a sound that's more doom than death metal. The songwriting is great, production is strong and everything sounds just as it should.
19. 
    
    B+ | Ulver - Shadows of the Sun
    A quiet understated release that has quite a bit going on. Hard to believe they started out as a black metal band. This is an excellent compainion piece to their previous album, Blood Inside. Their cover of "Solitude" is the album's high-point.
    
20. 
    
    B | Tori Amos - American Doll Posse
    I really wanted to give this a higher grade. There are some songs on here that are the most enjoyable she's written in ages. But it's a little too uneven to move it up, and after listening to A Piano a lot recently, I realize that just because it's the best she's done in a while doesn't mean it's among the best she's done. Still an enjoyable album, and it gives me hope for what's to come... Just not something I reach for very often. And quite possibly one of the worst album covers in recent years.
21. 
    
    B | Emilie Autumn - Laced/Unlaced
    While she is a classically-trained violinist, her music has strayed away from that more and more. This double album is an interesting work... The first disc, Laced is a collection of recordings of straight forward violin pieces. Some are your standards you'd expect someone to record, while others are original compositions. Unlaced, however, is the collision of her classical training and the "Victoriandustrial" direction she's exploring. Electric violin, noise, distortion and no vocals makes the 2nd disc a lot to swallow, but there are some very enjoyable moments to be found here.
22. 
    
    B | Callisto - Noir
    What should sound like a pale imitation of Isis really holds its own with a better sense of atmosphere than any of the Isis releases and some interesting choices in instrumentation and song structure keeps you on your toes.
23. 
    
    B | Jesca Hoop - Kismet
    A very creative artist who draws from almost any style or period. I've had The Silverscreen Demos for a while and have always enjoyed it. Her growth is obvious, and the songs that carry over from the demos really benefit from the increased production budget.
24. 
    
    B | Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower
    This is another album that doesn't have any real flaws, but just hasn't connected with me. I still love her voice, and there are some great tracks on here. But it's another one that's just not the kind of stuff I've been listening to lately.
25. 
    
    B | Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything
    Nothing groundbreaking here, but a throughly enjoyable listen. Sharon den Adel's voice is great, and the straight-forward songwriting is quite good.
    
26. B- | Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55
    I really like this album when it's on... Her voice is beautiful, the songs are pleasant enough and there's nothing wrong with it. It's just that other than the chorus of the title track, I've found it kind of forgettable. It strikes me as background music... Excellent background music, but background music none the less. So the B- might be a little tough, but until something from this album really clicks with me, here is where it stays.
27. B- | Pelican - City of Echoes
    I'd like to think of myself as a pretty big fan of Australasia and The Fire In Our Throats..., but I haven't really enjoyed this one as much as their previous efforts. It's a strong album, with some great moments. But it's another one that hasn't really left a strong impression with me.
28. B- | Sleepytime Gorilla Musuem - In Glorious Times
    This sounds to me like a pretty big step forward. I enjoyed Grand Opening and Closing, but it's a pretty challenging listen and wasn't something I reached for often. This is much more accessible, and an album I've really been enjoying, but another that leaves little lasting impression.
    
29. C | Blonde Redhead - 23
    I was really looking forward to finally checking out this band, after reading a ton about them over the years. But this was a pretty big disappointment for me... kind of an average release that I enjoy when playing but rarely seek out.
    
30. C- | Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
    I was never a big Nightwish fan, so I'm not coming to this as someone who was disappointed they had a new singer. I was actually very impressed with the vocals... For me it was just too bombastic and busy.

 

[Brian loves music]

i'm really happy to see that people on head-fi have good taste in music

my choices:

strawberry jam - animal collective
panda bear - personal pitch
radiohead - in rainbows
arcade fire - neon bible
battles - mirrored
mia - kala

 

[Brian loves music]

oh ya and the new iron and wine and lcd soundsystem albums

my music taste are mainstream alternative/indie - thank you pitchfork (any of you guys use that site? -- are there any other like it out there?)

 

[virometal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by en480c4 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Short on hooks, high on repetition.

Maybe I'm alone, but I thought YZ was tall on hooks, hookalicious in fact. I like Trent in "pop" mode. For me, he nailed it, best since TDS. Many NIN fans disagree.

I see you found Overpowered in stock as well. You're dead on about its legs. It's rather subtle at first, but works in, an exception in the genre (one I love).

Nice work.

 

[epaludo]

Another album that i really enjoy recorded in 2007 is Wynton Marsalis From The Plantation To The Penitentiary ...

 

[en480c4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal /img/forum/go_quote.gif For me, he nailed it, best since TDS. Many NIN fans disagree.

I agree completely. There are some great moments on The Fragile and With Teeth, but as complete works they're a little uneven IMO. Year Zero is incredibly strong start to finish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see you found Overpowered in stock as well. You're dead on about its legs. It's rather subtle at first, but works in, an exception in the genre (one I love).

I finally gave up and ordered the import. Thanks for the recommendation. I had been looking for it but wasn't willing to take the plunge. But after you referred to in in the discussion about Goldfrapp, I figured it would be worth while. Thanks!

 

[SuperNothing]

Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. Best album of the year by far.

 

[Superpelic]

Frank Black - Bluefinger (his best album in years!!)

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Current 2007 Favorite

Against Me! - New Wave

Other 2007 Goodies

Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Iron & Wine - The Sheperd's Dog
RadioHead - In Rainbows
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible