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Current mood:  accomplished Category: Music
And in no particular order....
Band of Horses
Cease to Begin
Beautiful, romantic, nostalgic.... Band of Horses really took me by surprise with this album seeing as I couldn't really get into Everything All the Time. But then I think my tastes are changing a lot lately. I think the weakest track on this album is their first single "Is There a Ghost" and that is saying a lot (it's not a bad song, just very repetitive). This is just one of those albums that would be great to sit on the porch in the summer and listen to with a glass of lemonade and a good friend.
Minus the Bear
Planet of Ice
The members of Minus the Bear somehow manage to outdo themselves with every release. My expectations keep rising with this band and they have yet to disappoint. I can't believe this album hasn't been on more top lists that I've seen around the internet, I think it is stellar. The album paints so many visuals in my head when listening. This is some of their most atmospheric, interesting stuff, proofing the worth of their new member Alex Rose (just listen to the closing track, "Lotus"). The sheer amount of variety on this album is impressive, I was worried it was going to be a lot more like Menos el Oso, which I think is their weakest full-length. And as long as Dave Knudson is still in the band, Minus the Bear will always appear on my top album list. He has to be my favorite guitarist ever. It was so awesome seeing this full album being performed with live lasers in Seattle.
TTC
3615
It is no secret that I am in love with Teki Latex. And for good reason - besides this amazing French rap album from his group TTC, he also has a solo album that will also appear on my list. TTC's older stuff sounds like more traditional rap or hip-hop, but 3615 blends a lot of musical styles like dance and techno while remaining awesome. I find foreign language music really fun to listen to at times, and TTC has definitely opened me up to a lot of awesome french stuff.
Teki Latex
Party De Plaisir
His energy, his beats, his style. I love this guy's voice and his album is a lot of fun. Some of the stuff is pretty cheesy, but awesome and poppy all the same. This album mixes French and English - even Teki himself sings in English on "Disco Dance With You." Feist even appears on the album under the alias Bitch Lap Lap. "Les matins de Paris" is probably the one song that I will think of when I think of 2007. He watched a youtube clip that my friend Shay and I posted requesting him to come to America. He wrote back to me saying that he would show his label and that if that wouldn't bring him to the US, nothing would. Let's hope he (and TTC) makes it over here very soon.
Battles
Mirrored
Battles is fucking nuts. Sounds like Smurfs on an acid parade marching through a forest with wacky instruments attracting all the animals and having them join along. Or a party of drunk chipmunks. This is a great album to listen to in certain frames of mind, if you get my gist. Their songs are composed in very non-traditional ways which gives this album a lot of re-playability. Also, the vocals are very distorted and I am not even sure if they sing in English at all the whole time. They do a great job of meshing the live guitars and drums with the computerized shit - I need to see them live!!!
M.I.A.
Kala
I've been a huge fan since I first heard Arular and I had high, high hopes for this one. Again, I was very, very pleased. I think we are lucky that M.I.A. wasn't let into the U.S. to work with Timbaland for the whole thing - the track he produces and raps on is easily the worst track on the album. Instead she was forced to take her recording sessions to places like Japan, India, Jamaica, Australia, Trinidad, Liberia and the U.S. She also produced most of it herself, which is awesome - hopefully she'll do everything herself soon. This album has a lot of awesome guest vocalists and samples, particularly the kids in the Wilcannia Mob and the Pixies sample in $20. None of the songs on this album are quite as great as "Galang" though. But it's still great.
Explosions in the Sky
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
It is horribly cliche to say this, but this band says more with their instrumental music than most bands say with lyrics. This album is a modern-day masterpiece; hard-hitting and powerful balanced with the most delicate and atmospheric. This is my favorite release from Explosions so far, and I can't wait to hear what they do next. I was very fortunate to see them live in Seattle this last year and I can't recommend their live show enough if you like music.
Björk
Volta
Björk has a lot going for herself in my book. She is easily the best live performer I have ever seen. She owns my favorite voice. She makes amazing music and has a beautiful spirit. If I were religious and needed something to worship, it would be Björk. Volta brings Björk back to a land of beats, dancing and energy. For too long she was experimenting with things like micro sounds and voices as instruments. Volta is finally the return to a more "traditional" album like Homogenic or Post and I couldn't be much happier.
Radiohead
In Rainbows
How do I even start writing about this album? I didn't even know they were working on it and then all of a sudden it was free on their site. I feel bad because I didn't pay at the time, but I am definitely gonna pick up the album, especially if I can still find it on vinyl. I've also decided that this is my favorite Radiohead release so far (yeah I know, I didn't even like OK Computer all that much. Kid A was my fave). I've listened to it a lot and it hasn't gotten old at all. I love the variety on the album and the fact that every single song is essential and amazing. Its one of those albums you get chills from every time.
Chromeo
Fancy Footwork
This is the kind of album that when it's on at a party, dancing is guaranteed. If you aren't automatically having fun when it's played, you gotta check yo pulse. "Bonafide Lovin'" may be the catchiest single of 2007, and definitely one of the raddest videos of the year.
Electrelane
No Shouts No Calls
This is my biggest surprise of the year. I knew I was seeing them on my birthday at Sasquatch and listened to them a little bit beforehand. I wasn't too impressed at first, but seeing them live changed everything. Only a few times in my life has a band impressed me as much as they had without liking their music before seeing them. Their energy, intensity and pure talent live was inspiring so I gave them another chance on their recordings. No Shouts No Calls is a very chill, minimalist album that I often want to be in a certain mood to listen to. Nevertheless, the album is very coherent and very beautiful. It usually makes me feel very nostalgic and sometimes sad for whatever reason, but I can't get enough.
Ghostland Observatory
Paparazzi Lightening
Another band that I saw on my birthday this year at Sasquatch, Ghostland Observatory also puts on a helluva live show. They are a two-man group that can best be described as Freddy Mercury plus Daft Punk. They are catchy as SHIT. For like 3 weeks they were all I wanted to listen to. It's the combination of awesome beats and melodies combined with intense vocals that make them really unique. And I know this album originally came out in 2006, but it was re-released again this year and I hadn't heard them before, so I included it.
Deerhoof
Friend Opportunity
Another year, another Deerhoof album. This one is definitely more accessible compared to a lot of their past releases. That's not to say it's boring or uninventive; It is still a very fun, quirky, carefree album most of the time. Plus I love Satomi. She is very charismatic and fun to watch live. Speaking of which, I've seen this band in a tiny old church-turned-venue in Bellingham but I guess now they are opening for bands like Radiohead and playing stadiums and shit. Crazy! They are a very hard-working, DIY band so congrats to them!
Digitalism
Idealism
Simian Mobile Disco
Attack Decay Sustain Release
 
I'm reviewing these two together because they are almost indistinguishable to me. Both are from Europe (Digitalism from Germany, SMD from England) and both groups put out very, very awesome dance party records. Both groups have received much notoriety from their remixes (they have both remixed the Klaxons, SMD did Bjork, CSS, The Rapture and Digitalism has done The Cure, The Futureheads, White Stripes). It's funny because someone could probably mix both the albums together, split them into two again, and no one could tell the difference. This isn't a bad thing though, it just means that they are equally as awesome and fun. This shit is essential.
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible
I've been vocal about my dissatisfaction with Neon Bible simply because I still love love love Funeral so much. I'll be honest, I was let down by this album, but it's still really damn great. It lacks that celebratory feel of Funeral and replaces it with a more subtle, less-intense, but still powerful sound. It does have a few upbeat tracks which are my favorites, like "Keep the Car Running" and "The Well and the Lighthouse." And if you haven't seen this band live yet, you are really missing out. I think it would convert anyone into a fan.
Maritime
Heresy & the Hotel Choir
This album was another big surprise for me. Their last effort, We, the Vehicles, was really good, but was too much of the same thing. It was very simple pop music and nothing strayed from that formula too far. This album has much more variety to it and honestly, this could be a Promise Ring release. This one is a bit harder, especially with the awesome tracks "Are We Renegade" and "Hours That You Keep." Another thing that bugged me about their last album was the simple drumming and they definitely improved GREATLY with this release. Plus I saw them live this year in Portland and they totally remembered playing hackey sack with me at Western for like 4 hours. Awesome dudes, please check em out - they should be huge.
Justice
†
† is audio candy, a real treat for the ears. Some of my favorite memories this summer were driving around the lake with this album up so fucking loud. Justice's impressive debut has monster beats, raging synth and will make you dance your ass off for Jesus. I've heard these guys are some sort of psuedo-christian group, but who knows. And who cares. This album is amazing, even the track with Uffie that people bitch about. D.A.N.C.E. got all the attention this year, but it's one of my least favorite tracks. The opener "Genesis" is like nothing I've ever heard before.
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
TTC - 3615
Teki Latex - Party De Plaisir
Battles - Mirrored
M.I.A. - Kala
Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Björk - Volta
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork
Electrelane - No Shouts No Calls
Ghostland Observatory - Paparazzi Lightening
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
Digitalism - Idealism
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Maritime - Heresy & the Hotel Choir
Justice - †
Honorable Mentions
(or stuff I didn't listen to all that much this year but still enjoyed)
New Young Pony Club
Fantastic Playground
HORSE the Band
A Natural Death
Pelican
City of Echoes
Klaxons
Myths of the Near Future
The Go! Team
Proof of Youth
LCD Soundsystem
The Sound of Silver
The Chemical Brothers
We Are the Night
Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Bonde do Role
With Lasers
Jimmy Eat World
Chase this Light
Pinkback
Autumn of Seraphs
Music From '06 that I Started Loving in '07
TV on the Radio
Return to Cookie Mountain
Silversun Pickups
Carnavas
Be Your Own Pet
Be Your Own Pet
J Dilla
Donuts
Clipse
Hell Hath No Fury
Midlake
The Trials of Van Occupanther
6:32 PM
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