The Best of 2007: #1-10

10. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Zach Condon is one of those people that you feel a little worthless while you're enjoying his amazing music. He's probably the same age as I am and has recorded two of the most interesting albums in three years. At first, I wrote Beirut off as trendy hipster, world music that wasn't going to mean anything in a year or so. Of course, that was before I listened to it. There are moments on both albums that are "different for the sake of being different" and are geniune attempts at becoming "important," but the really great moments come when Condon abandons those impulses in favor of just playing memorable music. This album is a real change of pace; Gulag Orkestar was a shout-out to the Balkans, collaborating with A Hawk and a Hacksaw. The Flying Club Cup is a shout out to Jacques Brel and chanson, with amazing string arrangements by Owen Pallett. The attached video is for the real centerpiece of the album, "Forks and Knives (La Fete)." The song exemplifies why I love Beirut; it's sweeping, dramatic and beautiful.

9. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

I don't admit this readily, but before seeing Dan Deacon live, I didn't love him. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I'm probably the first to admit it. I listened to the album before I went to go see him on the recommendation of friends, but it didn't click. Sure, it's enjoyable, but with your everyday life, it seems a bit out of context. When I finally got to see him, I realized that it actually wasn't out of context. On a day-to-day basis, you don't have the time for a riotous dance party whenever you feel like it, but no one does. You have to make the time to have fun in life. Besides that, the sense of humor that flies just under "obvious" also makes the album memorable.

8. Lifetime - Lifetime

When Lifetime got back together last year for a few shows, I knew I had to be at one. I was surprised in the best way possible. I had figured, "These guys basically are the reason New Brunswick is on the map," and, "Damn, they must be old." I knew Dr. Dan was looking good, considering the fact that he recovered from a stroke and came back to playing reunion shows with Kid Dynamite and a new hardcore band that he fronts, Paint it Black. When Lifetime announced that they would be reuniting for an album, the high school me came back to life. This album is so full of life and so current without losing the soul of a Lifetime record.

7. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Who saw this one coming? I swear to God, "LP7" talk was nearly non-existent towards the end; people had almost forgotten that Radiohead hadn't put out anything in a few years, then all of a sudden, they had already completed recording and was looking to put out their own album. This was completely sneaky, but in all reality, that's the nature of Radiohead, or at least that's the way I see them. I sort of never see it coming with them. You hear "Creep" on the radio every once in a while and that's fine. Sometimes, you might even hear "Karma Police," but somehow I never expect for them to make an album that I'm going to go crazy over. Hail to the thief was a little too much for me and that's really where Radiohead lost me, but they truly brought it back in with this album. New Year's Day brings the physical release of the album in the US as well as another brilliant webcast. Before, it's been Thom spinning some creepy records or the band playing great covers, but this time, they're playing the album in its entirety. That is pretty damn cool on a level that Trent Reznor wishes he could play on.

6. No Age - Weirdo Rippers

This is easily one of the albums that got the most play from me this year. I've been getting asked why, if this is true, it didn't place higher on the list. This is because of a few things. For one, it's too short. When you take out the incidentals (which are brilliant), there isn't much music there. The live show up to this point sort of reflects this. No Age was never a headlining band, unless it was at the Smell and there were seven other bands playing, in which case everyone's set wasn't really longer than half an hour anyways. The second reason this isn't higher on my list is sort of related to this idea. The album isn't so much an album as it is 11 tracks pulled together from five EPs. The patchwork thing only takes you so far. I really like the cohesive album and this kind of didn't do it for me in that department. What I will say is that the good songs are amazing and I'm looking forward to their real full length debut.

5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Jeff Tweedy was in a very tenuous position a few months before this album came out. After the success of the relatively difficult Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the intentionally more difficult A ghost is born, Tweedy and company played a new song on national television; it was "The Thanks I Get" and it wasn't at all challenging. It was even confusing. There was a singalong part that he encouraged the crowd to partake in. I was truly afraid for the new Wilco album after hearing that. Nels Cline just sort of stood there, grinning, while utilizing exactly none of his God-given gifts. Of course, this song really grew on me eventually, but that was much later. I should learn to have more faith in those who have never let me down. Jeff Tweedy and Wilco made one of the most mature records this year. A lot of people wrote it off as "Dad Rock," which is ridiculous. Tweedy has like three kids; of course it's going to sound like dad rock at least a little bit. What those naysayers always neglect to mention is that underneath every layer of distortion or studio magic that Wilco used in the past, there was always an amazing, sweet folk-pop song. If you don't believe this, check out Tweedy's solo tour DVD, where he plays "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" without the 13 minute bass riff. Anyways, Wilco stripped away what they had built up over the last two albums and just put out a beautiful album. The solo in "Either Way" stops me every time I hear it.

4. Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers

If Morrissey built an empire on cleverness, it's definitely a burgeoning industry that everyone else seems to be rushing to get a piece of. Of course, not everyone can pull it off. There are writers out there like Eddie Argos or Craig Finn, whose prose obsessions far outweigh their allegiances to keys and harmonies, but then there's Nellie McKay. Last year, her album Pretty Little Head made the top of my list and I figured I wouldn't see another album from her for another few years, considering the fact that she loved the double album so much. When it was announced that not only would she be releasing a new album in 2007, but that it was almost done, I couldn't believe it. When I finally started to believe it, I worried about what it would be like. It was obviously a shift from the past albums (only one disc with nine songs and a steady backing band instead of hired studio musicians). The only thing I knew was that it was going to be very clever, and of course it was. I happened to see Nellie at Largo a few months before the album came out and she played most of the new songs there solo. If you get a chance, just listen to the first song, "Mother of Pearl." It is the single funniest song this year. I have never seen someone so convinced of their own wit other than the great one himself, the Mozfather. McKay will inevitably slow down the pace of album releases and whatnot; what I'm really looking forward to is all the musicals I know she's going to write.

3. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala



Oh, You're So Silent Jens was a great introduction to Sweden's finest, but like I said with the No Age album before, compilations only can take you so far. Jens far bested all the expectations of fans like me with this album. Each of the songs is great in a very different way, without straying too far; there are even common musical themes threaded throughout the album. I kind of feel like this one is self explanatory and if I say anything else, it would be too much.

2. Okkervil River - The Stage Names



Ever since this album came out, I've been saying that Will Sheff is the next great American songwriter. What's changed since then? Not much, except now I know that Okkervil River is set to be the next great American band. My chief complaint against the album was the fact that it was so short. When something is good, I always want more. The good people over at Okkervil River must've heard my cries, because a few months later,m they released the companion EP for the album, containing Will's solo demos for the whole album. This really could've gone one of two ways. It was either bound to showcase the fact that the band wanted to add something to the album so they could sell more copies later (which didn't hold up, because they shipped the EP with the first thousand pre-ordered copies, rather than releasing it as a "Deluxe Edition") or it was going to showcase each of the songs in a different light, which is exactly what it did. After having my mind blown twice, Okkervil River decided to do me one better and release a Christmas EP for free download on their website. These amazing, stark four-track covers are beautiful and not to be missed.

1. Jason Anderson - Tonight



Far and away, Jason Anderson has made my favorite album of this year. I have a very hard time articulating my deep feelings for this album in this format. I emailed the man himself and he put it best: "All I want to do is connect with people and share my joy and passion for life." If you really want to know, take the time for it and your life will be better.