#10

The Forms “The Forms” (Threespheres)

- Recorded over 50 consecutive days, this self-titled affair is a testament to The Form’s determination and perseverance for perfection.

#9

Battles “Mirrored” (Warp)

- Battles have created their own sound of instrumental madness and glee on Mirrored.

#8

The Great Depression “The Great Depression” (Self-Released

- Listening to The Great Depression is a blindsiding experience. This is folk with a raw and compelling emotional vulnerability.

#7

The Winter Sounds “Porcelain Empire” (Livewire)

- New wave indie rock with just enough southern charm. These songs are as addictive as the Dirty South itself.

#6

Dartz! “This Is My Ship” (Xtra Mile)

- Dartz! combine a US Dischord influence with their British roots for an infectious and intricate record bursting wtih joy.

#5

Andrew Bird “Armchair Apocrypha” (Fat Possum)

- Andrew Bird’s talent has such a remarkable depth that one would be hard pressed to find a single flaw.

#4

The Gaslight Anthem “Sink Or Swim” (XOXO)

- Anthemic pop/punk filtered through influences like Guthrie, Bragg and Springsteen.

#3

Look Mexico “This Is Animal Music” (Lujo)

- Emo for those of us who actually remember what it means…back when it was not such a dirty word. Look Mexico pick up where the short-lived American Football left off.

#2

Lifetime “Lifetime” (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen)

- Lifetime went away for ten years and came back without missing a beat. No band can meld pop with hardcore quite like Lifetime.

#1

The Weakerthans “Reunion Tour” (Anti)

- Frontman John K. Samson continues to wax poetic and Reunion Tour continues this band’s career brilliance. Was there ever any doubt this was going to be my number #1?

#20

Radiohead “In Rainbows” (Self-Released)

- Whether it is about the music or the business of music, Radiohead have firmly taken back their place as the most important rock band going.

#19

Explosions In The Sky “All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone” (Temporary Residence)

- All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone is Explosions In The Sky’s least immediate work but perhaps their most emotionally moving.

#18

Rocky Votolato “The Brag And Cuss” (Barsuk)

- Rocky continues to grace us with beautiful albums.

#17

Maritime “Heresy And The Hotel Choir” (Flameshovel)

- Third album is the charm for these indie pop rockers.

#16

Bloc Party “A Weekend In The City” (Vice)

- Not as instantly memorable as Silent Alarm, A Weekend In The City slowly revealed itself as a worthy follow-up.

#15

Modest Mouse “We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank” (Epic)

- With a little help from Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank is able to bridge the gap between the Modest Mouse of the past and the Modest Mouse of today.

#14

The National “Boxer” (Beggars Banquet)

- The National practice a subtle brilliance and Boxer is the band’s masterpiece.

#13

Division Day “Beartrap Island” (Eenie Meenie)

- Beartrap Island is a fascinating debut album by this up and coming indie rock band.

#12

Moving Mountains “Pneuma” (Self-Released)

- An emo/post-rock extravaganza. Fans of The Appleseed Cast take note.

#11

Jimmy Eat World “Chase This Light” (Interscope)

- Chase This Light joins Bleed American as my least favorite JEW albums. That being said, I still love this band and listened to this album just as much as anything this year.

#30

Travis Morrison Hellfighters “AllY’all” (Barsuk)

- Travis assembles the Hellfighters and All Y’all shows he still has some tricks up his sleeves.

#29

Wheat “Everyday I Said a Prayer for Kathy and Made a One Inch Square” (Empyrean)

- Brilliant return to form for this band that many had left for dead.

#28

Tellison “Contact! Contact!” (Gravity Dip)

One of UK’s best kept secrets…watch out Futureheads!

#27

Jesu “Conqueror” (Hydra Head)

- Slow, emotional and breath-taking.

#26

Sundowner “Four One Five Two” (Red Scare)

- Acoustic side project is an excellent change of pace from this Lawrence Arms member.

#25

Band Of Horses “Cease To Begin” (Sub Pop)

- Not quite as enthralling as the band’s debut but a solid sophomore effort. The band is building into a powerhouse.

#24

Jason Isbell “Sirens Of The Ditch” (New West)

- Who needs the Drive-By Truckers. Jason Isbell certainly does not.

#23

Dinosaur Jr. “Beyond” (Fat Possum)

- A classic album with the band’s original line-up back together. Who says reunions are a bad thing?

#22

Menomena “Friend And Foe” (Barsuk)

- Friend And Foe lacked the critical acclaim of the band’s first record but it was just as good.

#21

Les Savy Fav “Let’s Stay Friends” (French Kiss)

- Six years of waiting was quite enough. A joyful return for Les Savy Fav.

(Click on album cover for review. If unable to click on album cover then there is no review…write your own!)

#40

The American Dollar “The Technicolour Sleep” (Self-Released)

- Instrumental duo’s second album may even surpass their outstanding debut.

#39

Surrounded “The Nautilus Years” (One Little Indian)

- This Swedish band continues to fly under the radar…beautiful stuff.

#38

The Twilight Sad “Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters” (Fat Cat)

- Scottish band creates an emotional journey on their proper debut.

#37

The Avett Brothers “Emotionalism” (Ramseur)

- Bluegrass pop for the new millenium.

#36

The New Pornographers “Challengers” (Matador)

- Challengers is probably the least immediate of The New Pornographers catalog but perhaps the most rewarding.

#35

Nicole Atkins “Neptune City” (Columbia)

- Nicole Atkins voice is timeless. Neptune City sounds modern…a wonderful mix.

#34

Aereogramme “My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go” (Sonic Unyon)

- The last record Aereogramme graced us with was their best.

#33

Pinback “Autumn Of The Seraphs” (Touch And Go)

- Pinback continue to put out incredible records. This band is as steady as they come.

#32

José González “In Our Nature” (Mute)

- I missed out on José González for far too long. In Our Nature was a wonderful first meeting.

#31

Chuck Ragan “Feast Or Famine” (SideOneDummy)

- Chuck Ragan’s long awaited solo debut does not disappoint. Acoustic folk with a punk rock spirit!

(Click on album cover for review. If unable to click on album cover then there is no review…write your own!)

#50

Tegan And Sara “The Con” (Vapor/Sire)

- I had to put this in the list just to piss some people off. Love these girls!

#49

Solea “Finally We Are Nowhere” (Bad News)

- Texas Is The Reason and Samiam members put forth their best effort yet.

#48

Ben Weasel And His Iron String Quartet “These Ones Are Bitter” (Mendota)

- Pop/punk pioneer Ben Weasel makes his triumphant return.

#47

Kidcrash “Jokes” (Init/Denovali)

- With Jokes, Kidcrash have evolved into something incredibly powerful and complex.

#46

Clair De Lune “Assisted Living” (Deep Elm)

- Sad swan song from this Minneapolis band that held heaps of promise.

#45

Broadway Calls “Broadway Calls” (State Of Mind)

- One of the best pop/punk debuts I have heard in a long time.

#44

The Playing Favorites “I Remember When I Was Pretty” (Suburban Home)

- A diverse pop rock band that boasts four different songwriters including Lagwagon’s Joey Cape.

#43

Two Gallants “Two Gallants” (Saddle Creek)

- Two Gallants rebound from their disappointing sophomore album with perhaps their finest work.

#42

Bowerbirds “Hymns For A Dark Horse” (Burly Time)

- Beautiful debut record from ex-Ticonderoga members.

#41

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start “Worst Band Name Ever” (Self-Released)

- Up Up Down Down have mellowed but the songwriting chops remain.

Built On A Weak Spot

Can You See The Sunset From The Southside?

Captain Obvious

standard lipsum.

The Wheel’s Still In Spin

Below are the updated numbers according to everybody that sent in a year-end-list.

#1

Band Of Horses “Cease To Begin” (Sub Pop) - 6 votes
Spoon “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” (Merge) - 6 votes

#2

Battles “Mirrored” (Warp) - 5 votes
The Weakerthans “The Reunion Tour” (Anti) - 5 votes

#3

Andrew Bird “Armchair Apocrypha” (Fat Possum) - 4 votes
Minus The Bear “Planet Ice” (Suicide Squeeze) - 4 votes
The National “Boxer” (Beggars Banquet) - 4 votes
Of Montreal “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl) - 4 votes
Radiohead “In Rainbows” (Self-Released) - 4 votes

#1 Iron & Wine “The Shepherd’s Dog (Sub Pop)
#2 Radiohead “In Rainbows” (Self-Released)
#3 Stars “In Our Bedroom After The War” (Arts & Crafts)
#4 Battles “Mirrored” (Warp)
#5 Young Livers “The New Drop Era” (No Idea)
#6 Feist “The Reminder” (Interscope)
#7 Band Of Horses “Cease To Begin” (Sub Pop)
#8 White Stripes “Icky Thump” (Warner Bros.)
#9 M.I.A. “Kala” (XL)
#10 Menomena “Friend and Foe” (Barsuk)

Sadly, I did not attend nearly as many shows in 2007…I guess that is what old age can do to you. But I did make it out to a few. A bunch of solids but these were the ones that immediately come to mind.

#1

Lifetime

- Wow, what can I say that I have not already said. This was truly a magical night for me as I finally got to see one of my favorite bands!

show review

#2

Travis Morrison

- You know, I was skeptical of Travis Morrison’s live show. His former band, The Dismemberment Plan, was one of the greatest live bands I have ever seen. Frankly, I did not think Morrison stood a chance of surviving those past comparisons. But, Morrison has put together a band that rivals his past bandmates. A great show at an awesome venue (Union Hall in Brooklyn)!

link

#3

Tim Barry

- I saw Tim Barry twice in 2007 and both times he was phenomenal. Barry has a way of bringing the crowd into his shows. Between the songs, Barry is just as entertaining with his endearing stories full of southern charm and humor. His shows give you that warm feeling inside.

show review

#4

The Gaslight Anthem

- One of my favorite albums of 2007 and the live show certainly did not disappoint. The Gaslight Anthem’s songs simply beg to be sung back at them in a live setting.

show review

#5

The Great Depression

- Opening for Rocky Votolato in Columbia, two guys from Ohio on acoustic guitars seemingly stole the show. The Great Depression won me and quite a few others over that night.

link

#6

Jukebox The Ghost

- I love when a band comes along and just flat out entertains me! These guys opened for The Winter Sounds in Columbia and rocked it hard.

link

Against Me! “New Wave” (Sire)

- MTV.com staff writer James Montgomery said about New Wave, “Punk rock is probably dead already, but if it isn’t, well, this is the album that killed it off forever.” Are you kidding me? That is giving this limp album far too much credit.

Wilco “Sky Blue Sky” (Nonesuch)

- I know the guys in Wilco are full-fledged adults now but did that mean they had to go make a boring, mind-numbing album? Sadly, I can see middle aged men with white socks and sandals “grooving” to this.

Iron & Wine “The Shepherd’s Dog (Sub Pop)

- The warm intimacy that graced Iron & Wine’s early material is missing far too often here. Certainly not a bad effort but The Shepherd’s Dog is less than memorable.

Interpol “Our Love To Admire” (Capitol)

- The major label debut curse catches Interpol in its sticky web.

Minus The Bear “Planet Of Ice” (Suicide Squeeze)

- Sorry, I know a lot of people loved this album. To me though, Planet Of Ice was a bit of a let down. The band seemed to wander off aimlessly far too often.