Most Listened to Albums of 2007

Most listened to doesn't completely equate to 'best.' All it means is that these were the songs I selected most often--all fair and democratic-like. beginning at the bottom:


10. No Age Weirdo Rippers (Fat Cat 2007)
Probably snuck onto the list because its so damn short and I have to listen to the album 2 or 3 times before it really feels like I've just spent time with a whole record. Fuzzed out adolescent (read: not kid) post-punk, sounding like guys and girls who still like music and haven't gotten a chance to be cynical 20-somethings yet. The scene these youths have found makes me jealous, i wish I had been cool enough to be a part of one when i was their age. only problem being that if i had the only music I'd be able to sit through now would be so pretentious they'd have to invent new adjectives for it (maybe: fuzzed out adolescent post-punk... naw)

09. Gogol Bordello Super Taranta! (Side One Dummy 2007)
The second best live act in the world (sorry Oline!) gave me one helluva an album but it just wasn't quite Gyspy Punks Underdog World Strike. If past history repeats itself I'll be seeing these guys a few more times in 2008. And yes Oline, we'll hit the after party. we owe it to ourselves at this point.

08. Feist The Reminder (Cherry Tree/Interscope 2007)
Wow, all of a sudden I'm all contemporaneous and shit. In fact most if not all of the albums on this list were issued in 2007. usually half of my most-listened-tos came out years and years ago. *pats self on back* Anyhow, Feist clocks in at 8. And yes i bought it because of that damn I-tunes commercial and yes I still like that song even though its been over-played to the moon and yes there are a great many other songs on the album worth mentioning and yes I wish I'd heard of here sooner.

07. Girl Talk Night Ripper (Illegal Art 2006)
My favorite description of this album remains the 'Monty Burns' method of self-preservation. In the Simpsons, Mr Burns has so many diseases and infections and old age maladies that they all hold each other off in perfect equilibrium. Likewise, Girl Talk samples so many songs taking no pains to cover up any of his tracks (thats kinda the point) that he won't be sued simply because there wouldn't be enough money to spread out to all the various owed parties. Bear in mind thats not my analogy (I wish it was) but I can't give credit because I'm not sure where i read it. Oh, and all of a sudden 'ripper' in the album title is the new 'wolf'. weird.

06. Arcade Fire Neon Bible (Merge 2007)
Yeah Canadians! Yeah for seeing them in concert almost on accident! Boo for this obviously not being Funeral (an album with few peers in the 00's) but yeah nonetheless for this not being Funeral! Some real gems here, and I think this album has somehow become one of the most under-rated records of the year despite near universal acclaim. It has sophomore written all over it, but that's fine. I'll take it.

05. Pelican City of Echoes (Hydra head 2007)
Now we move in to the heavy hitters in the top 5. This album has been most digital for me, because i lent it out just a week after purchasing it and never got it back. The party in question knows who they are, and I'm pretty sure they actually lost it entirely, which makes me sad. Probably end up buying it again, and loning it out again, etc. A step forward from their last record which I lovedlovedloved, Pelican is my classical music. I play it when I can't have lyrics but need something with a stiff Metal backbone and wonderful arrangement.

04. Battles Mirrored (Warp 2007)
At pitchfork this summer I was walking back from my merch trip when i heard this incredible song playing from the second stage. I later learned that it had been 'Atlas' by Battles. A month later the album was mine and on my tinny work speakers the song sounded as good as ever. Much to my surprise the rest of the album followed suit. Along the same vein as Pelican and Holy Fuck and others, all of a sudden I've become the lyric-less instrumentalist guy.

03. Menomena Friend and Foe (Barsuk 2007)
Definitely the surpise favorite of 2007. Never saw them coming, those loveable scamps. And yes there is the review I never sent to JBB and all of the surrounding hoo-ha. Long story short, these guys should have blown up, but I'm slightly happy they haven't. For the time being at least.

02. Radiohead In Rainbows (download and eventual 'disc-box' 2007)
I wish i could properly show via numbers just how far ahead of the pack the top two albums on my list are. Let's just say if I were doing this on a points system, and i had 100 points to spread out on all top 10 albums, number 1 and 2 would have at least 80 of the 100 points. On any other year In Rainbows would have destroyed all other comers, and a very large contingent inside me still clamors for its coronation. It certainly has the largest number of my favorite songs of 2007 on it, at least 4, possibly as many as 6. I wasn't prepared for a Radiohead album this good. its been a while since they hit me like this. I still think they should do a dance-punk album, or a hip-hop covers album, but only sometimes. Most times I just pray for songs like these.

01. Les Savy Fav Let's Stay Friends (French Kiss 2007)
So much to say. First album (of new music) in 6 years from the best band in the world after they broke my heart and kinda broke up. Then there is the self-reflexive nature of the album, the "Let's Stay Friends" means so much more than it implies, the least of which is a clever recycling of the initials LSF from band name to album title. Everything i love about this band is on display here, the clever word play that itsn't so clever that it takes you out of the songs but clever enough so that when you read the lyrics you say to yourself "Zowee! that's a-spicy a-meat-a-ball!" or maybe thats just the little guy in my head that says that. Songs like "What would Wolves do" and "the Equestrian" just flat out rock, the one thing lacking from the otherwise brilliant Radiohead runner up. because at the end of the day I'm going to take punk over pretty every damn time.