Live

Best of 2007

Critic: Mike Hotter

1. Kahil El'Zabar and Hamiet Bluiett

Sanctuary for Independent Media, June 9

These esteemed Chicago-based free-jazzers put on a show that served as a master class in improvisation and musicianship, and made it look as easy and natural as breathing and talking – that is, without bravura, with pure feeling.  

(photo by Megan Prokorym)

2. The Evens

Albany Public Library, Howe Branch, June 27

For an exhilarating hour or so, Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina reminded a basement full of aging, jaded punks why we first fell in love with the music so long ago.

3. Elvis Costello / Bob Dylan

Times Union Center, October 6

Having seen Dylan before, I wasn't expecting Rolling Thunder revisited, but the King this night was EC, who proved that an iconic figure doesn't have to coast on past glories alone to give us our money's worth.

4. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Times Union Center, November 15

You know all those tiresome rants you've heard over the years about how Bruce & the E Street Band put on the best Rock and Roll Show ever, (OK, maybe besides the Who in their prime), and you always thought they were full of shit? Turns out, they weren't shittin' ya.

5. Liars

Palace Theater, September 10

On this night, I heard some Interpol fans griping condescendingly about how "indie" their choice of opening act was. I don't know, the Liars rocked the joint in their tribal acid-punk fashion, jumped around, switched instruments and made a glorious and inspired racket. Interpol pouted and looked dour in their scarves and made me want to leave and listen to Joy Division, or even the Church, instead. Guess who wins?

6. Medeski, Martin & Wood

The Egg, April 25

This acoustic show was an intense if ultimately exhausting presentation from a group that is game for anything, whether that includes trying to break free of gravity through the sheer piling up of notes, or bringing the music of the heavens down to earth with a Promethean improvisatory will.

(photo by Mike Hotter (aka, moi))

7. The Lemonheads

Empire State Plaza, July 21

Evan Dando looked a little worse for wear, but he still sounded mighty fine rocking those great tunes he wrote back in the halcyon 90s.

8. Los Lobos / Los Straitjackets (w/ Big Sandy)       

Albany Riverfront Park, August 9

Los Lobos kicking ass and taking names, Eddie Angel making like Link Wray's bastard son, drinking $5 cups of beer in the summer with a bunch of state workers – it doesn't get any better than Albany in the summer!

9. Anders Parker / Walter Salas-Humara

Valentine's, October 11

Songs about broken hearts, drugs, and living and dying beneath a ripped open sky. Makes the Pabst Blue Ribbons go down way too easy.

10. Roger McGuinn

The Egg, March 24

Heard him play that 12 String Rickenbacker in person – now all I need is to go to the next Zep reunion and I'm straight.

Recordings

Best of 2007

Critic: Mike Hotter

1. The Besnard Lakes

The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse

This song cycle impresses for the mood it sets, cathartic, but not overblown, serious, yet not melodramatic. It captures the elusive, soul-bruised undercurrent of an era, much like In the Aeroplane Over the Sea did a decade back.

2. !!!

Myth Takes

!!! (usually pronounced chk-chk-chk) are a bunch of stellar (and underrated) musicians who aren't afraid of getting goofy with their disco/rock/funk experiment, making for one of the most entertaining releases of recent years.

3. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Magic

That Seeger Sessions thing really got his mojo working again, I guess.

4. Josh Ritter

The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

A meditation, refutation and continuation of the singer/songwriter mythos, spanning down from Guthrie, spinning through Zimmerman and winding up in a corn-fed 31 year old guy from Idaho. Not perfect, not ground-breaking, but before long Ritter might wind up making a classic.

5. Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter

Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul

I first fell for this disc upon its release in March, and found myself returning to it throughout the year – Sykes' alluring voice and intriguing sensibility, coupled with the great performances of her band, has me lashing myself to the mast whenever I hear her sing.

6. Caribou

Andorra

The strongest release from 2007's bumper crop of bedroom Brian Wilsons, Canadian transplant Dan Snaith departs from the more banging tracks of years past to deliver a moody sort of electronica. It evokes drives through unfamiliar cities, and day rides where the map flies out the window -  you drive faster, both to keep up with the sound, and to try in vain to outrace your memories.

7. Meat Puppets

Rise to Your Knees

8. Devendra Banhart

Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

A sprawling mess of an album that works best when Banhart crosses his Tropicalia roots with his seeming fixation on T. Rex.

9. Iron and Wine

The Shepherd's Dog

Like almost all the albums on this list save the top three, this CD seems to peter out about halfway through. But the highlights are stunning, and to hear Mr. Beam stretching beyond what's expected of him is heartening for whatever's next to follow.

10. Robert Plant & Allison Krauss    

Raising Sand

This album would have to be included even if just for T-Bone Burnett's production work, with its minute attention to details of tone and space. Though some songs fall flat (the single is vaguely embarrassing), there are a few stunners, especially the cover of Gene Clark's "Polly", with its perfectly understated performances by Plant and the always amazing Marc Ribot.

Single of the Year

The White Stripes "Icky Thump" – You may not like their full-lengths, but that Greatest Hits package down the road is sure to be a doozy. (No sellout, Jack , no sellout).

Reissue of the year

EMI's 3 disc reissue of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn – worth it for the dandy packaging and the collection of mostly-Syd Barrett-penned singles on Disc 3.

 2007 Biggest Disappointment (Recording)

The New Pornographers – Challengers

Its not that the songs are bad, it's just that their legendary energy and Technicolor spectacle have been bleached dry. It seems like everyone decided to save their best for their solo albums. The wonderful acoustic performance of these songs on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic salvages the best tunes from this uncharacteristically bland release.