When compiling my year-end list in regards to music, i had assembled a list consisting of about 60 albums all of which were deemed worthy of mentioning as some of the years best. for those interested in seeing what those 60 albums are click here. I've been listening and listening to all theses albums for the past couple of weeks, trying desperately to whittle it down to just 10. 10 albums, that mean something. 10 albums, that carry with it a hidden desire to please my ears with its melodies. 10 albums, that define the year 2007 (well, in my humble opinion). For the sake of choosing just 10 albums and in the effort to fall into the permitters that I had installed since this website of mine came into existence. Here it is, what I deem to be the 10 best albums of the year 2007.
10. THE NATIONAL: BOXER
I've always enjoyed the work of the national, their last record graced their presence within my top ten of years past. with the boxer, they develop their sound and it kind of feels like a soundtrack of a movie, a movie where your the main character and throughout the runtime you seek out and deal with the trials and tribulations of the human existence. you fall in and out of love, and in the movies climax, just when you are about to confess your love to that girl (in the rain) you get hit by a car. It's tragic, yet moving. And "fake empire" is just a badass song.
09. KANYE WEST: GRADUATION
He is one of the most arrogant, egotistical, self-absorbed , mother fuckers on the planet, though he backs up all of his claims. with graduation, kanye shines. within, he runs the gauntlet of varying styles - with "I Wonder" he channels a U2-ish vibe, with "stronger" he combines his rhymes with Daft Punk. He tells stories in his songs, poignant ("big brother") or otherwise ("Drunken and Hot Girls"). This kid is talented, and as said earlier the kid is egotistical, but don't hate the player hate the game.
08. SPOON: GA GA GA GA GA
I'm not going to lie, I was never really a big fan of spoon. they just never really caught my ear. but as soon as I heard the track "The Ghost of you Lingers" I was instantly hooked. And with that I will follow Brit Daniel's where ever his music may lead us.
07. BERUIT: THE FLYING CLUB CUP
Insert over-exaggerated well-deserved praise in the form of a poorly constructed sentence. follow that with an unusual amount of hyperbole in which the writer will tell the reader that "The Flying Club Cup" is whimsical experience that takes its listener the heights of heaven all the way to the surreal surroundings of moonlit paris, where one is holding the hand of a significant other staring up at the eiffel tower, with smiles from ear to ear and the sense of promise - promise of a better day, of a greater hope, promise of a new tomorrow - the songs on this album are more full and the vocals are more audible than the last, with the added help of final fantasy's owen pallet - the music within can do no wrong.
06. ST. VINCENT: MARRY ME
Annie Clark. her voice holds within a tragic and tender soul. it will soothe you, it will thump on your heart, it will run up your spine. the music is sweet and somber. it will open your eyes, it will raise the hairs on the back of your head, it will make you realize that music can sometimes be the best medicine for an aching heart.
05. BRIGHT EYES: CASSADAGA
Connor Oberst expands his musical talents from his last double disc effort as in cassadaga, he attempts to become the lead singer of an old rockin' folk band of generations past. where he hops from bar to bar, leaving its audience drunk on booze and music. the album is thumping, "I Must Belong Somewhere" is just one of those songs that'll get you moving.
04. ANGELS & AIRWAVES: I-EMPIRE
i'll be honest, i'm biased towards everything Tom Delonge does. He could probably record an album full of sounds of people shitting and i'll probably deem it to be the best album ever created. In my eyes, this guy can do no wrong - I-Empire is more stripped down and honest than the last record. The songs are much more melodic, slow and yet still hold that epic sound Delonge thrives to for. "Sirens", "Breathe", and "Lifeline" showcase that very notion and "Call to Arms" is just a fucking beauty of a song.
03. RADIOHEAD: IN RAINBOWS
radiohead. in rainbows. i believe that's all i have to say. It just speaks for itself...
02. STARS: IN OUR BEDROOM AFTER THE WAR
Every song on this album brings something different to the table, it keeps you guessing. It's the musical equivalent of being blind folded and walking into a whore house, you'll never know what shape your hooker is going to be in, but by the end of it you'll always be left with pure unadulterated satisfaction.
01. ARCADE FIRE: NEON BIBLE
Arcade Fire have been away for a quite sometime, in an around three years since their last record and its safe to say that Win Butler and company have done more with just 11 tracks than a certain band with 27 tracks. it's quality over quantity. the music on neon bible travel along a destined path of greatness - from mood music to marching around in your front lawn screaming. It's mood music for the moody, it's a chocolate funnel cake for the chubby, it's scented lubrication for the horny, enough with the descriptive theatrics because at the end of the day it's just damn fine good music. plus their videos are fucking original, inventive, and interactive don't think so? well check em out: black mirror and neon bible.
i haven't fully caught up in my movie watching, as i had missed a lot during my trip to europe, but from the movies i have seen i have complied a list of ten that should be seen by all. for the sake of your well being, i have decided not to write any hyperbole to describe my adoration over the said films to be listed.
10. THE LOOKOUT
09. ONCE
08. SUNSHINE
07. THE HOST
06. SOUTHLAND TALES
05. THE DARJEELING LIMITED
04. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
03. ZODIAC
02. KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS
01. THERE WILL BE BLOOD
10. DEXTER
09. HEROES
08. IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
07. CHUCK
06. SUPERNATURAL
05. PUSHING DASIES
04. STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
03. VERONICA MARS
02. JOHN FROM CINCINNATI
01. LOST