As promised, my favorite songs of the first half of 2007 (click on the song title for a Sendspace download link):

1.  of Montreal - "The Past is a Grotesque Animal":  This is just an incredible song, and quickly became one of my favorite songs ever, not just of this year.  You don't normally think of Kevin Barnes' lyrics as relatable, but these are.

2.  Feist - "I Feel it All":  The best track off of a very strong album, in a perfect world, this song would probably be a #1 hit.  It's a perfect pop song.  Leslie Feist is the indie hotness, especially when she sings songs like this (which I take to be about feeling jaded and naive).

3.  Richard Swift - "Buildings in America":  Swift's the man.  Outside of Jens Lekman, I think he's the best at pulling off the melancholy pop masterpiece.  His songs are always to the point, and usually are very catchy.  And a verse like this:

I cut your name from your mother's heart,
I won't be late and I won't be caught.
I try not to be someone to love,
didn't mean to bleed, but it's so damn tough.
I played your heart, but I broke two strings.
Jesus Christ you're a lovely thing.

Is too good to not make this list.

4.  The National - "Ada":  I have a really tough time picking a "favorite" song on this album, because it is throughly great.  But this is it, equal parts fast and slow, and including the almighty Sufjan Stevens on piano.  It contains one of my very favorite lyrics of the whole record: 

Stand inside an empty tuxedo with grapes in my mouth,
waiting for Ada.
Ada hold onto yourself by the sleeves,
I think everything counts a little more than we think.
Leave it all up in the air...

5.  Bright Eyes - "Classic Cars":  Though this was a pretty disappointing record, there's some high points.  Mainly this song.  It's kind of one of those "live and learn" songs that Oberst does, learning from a failed relationship.

6.  The White Stripes - "Icky Thump":  One thing the Stripes always know how to do is pick a lead single off an album.  The main riff in this song and that little breakdown is just the genius of Jack White in full effect.

7.  Wilco - "You Are My Face":  "Sky Blue Sky" is a whole that is greater than the sum of it's parts.  This is my favorite song on the album, though, because the "I have no idea how this happens..." moment is one of my favorite Wilco moments of all-time (second maybe to "There's a dreamer in my dreams, swinging from the beams, all wrapped up in my garage." end of "Dreamer in My Dreams").

8.  The Arcade Fire - "Keep the Car Running":  Another case of a great song coming from a generally disappointing album.  I had high hopes for the album and it fell short.  It still has it's moments, this being the best of them.

9.  Ryan Adams - "The Sun Also Sets":  This is one of the songs I was referring to when I said some of the tracks on "Easy Tiger" were instant classics.  I got chills the first time I heard that cathartic "There it is...".  Great, great song from what is the #8 album in the country from what I hear. 

10.  Patti Smith - "Smells Like Teen Spirit":  This is just a badass cover from the woman who is basically the female Lou Reed.  She is coolness and New York personified.  That she chose to do a covers album and release it right after her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction was a little disappointing, but she deserves to cash in after being an underappreciated punk goddess for 30 years.

There's several others that I considered, I'll probably have to put them in the top 25 or something at year-end.