Jonathan Stutzman

Albums

Our Ill Wills - Shout out Louds
Person Pitch - Panda Bear
In Rainbows - Radiohead
The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters - The Twilight Sad
The Broken String - Bishop Allen
Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn and John
Andorra - Caribou
The Historical Conquest of Josh Ritter - Josh Ritter
Hvarf - Heim - Sigur Ros
Night Falls over Kortedala - Jens Lekman
Copia - Eluvium

Songs
Wet and Rusting - Menomena
Normandie - Shout out Louds
All My Friends- LCD Sound System
A Postcard to Nina - Jens Lekman
Like Castanets - Bishop Allen
Melody Day - Caribou
Deserter - Matthew Dear
The Chills - Peter Bjorn and John
To the Dogs or Whoever - Josh Ritter
Let There Be Light - Justice
Walking for Two Hours - Twilight Sad
Reckoner - Radiohead

Janneken Smucker

Albums

Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha

Arcade Fire, Neon Bible

Dean and Britta, Back Numbers

Feist, The Reminder

LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver

The New Pornographers, Challengers

Radiohead, In Rainbows

Rufus Wainwright, Release the Stars

The Shins, Wincing the Night Away

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Singles

“1 2 3 4,” Feist

“Australia,” The Shins

“Christmas Sound,” The Swimmers

“Give It,” X-Press 2, featuring Kurt Wagner

“Going to a Town,” Rufus Wainwright

“North American Scum,” LCD Soundsystem

“Heimsdalgate Like A Promethean Curse,” Of Montreal

“Myriad Harbor,” The New Pornographers

“Rehab,” Amy Winehouse

“You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb,” Spoon

Mike Freed

1. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga
I suspect this will be the consensus Album of the Year on this page. And why not? I can't get enough of it.

2. Radiohead - In Rainbow
So, I thought it wasn't cool to like Radiohead anymore.

3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
I'm not sure how many listens it takes to fully absorb this album. I haven't reached that number yet, and I hope I never do.

4. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
Sam Beam's best work to date.

5. New Pornographers - Challengers
Pop music doesn't get much better than the NPs, and this album shows why. Great song after great song. I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again - Dan Bejar is a genius and "Myriad Harbor" proves it.

6. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Some dissed this album. I don't get it. Nels Cline has added a whole new dimension to the band that I really enjoy.

7. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna
I tried hard not to like this album but failed miserably.

8. MIA - Kala
I was a late comer to her first album. I know I'm in the minority, but I like this one even more.

9. Elliot Smith - New Moon
Best album of the year by a dead guy.

10. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
I think this album is good.


Songs
"Rhythm & Soul" - Spoon
"Myriad Harbor" - The New Pornos
"Keep the Car Running" - Arcade Fire
"Resurrection Fern" - Iron & Wine
"Paper Planes" - MIA

Vinay Kini

albums
radiohead - in rainbows
lil' wayne - da drought 3
deerhoof - friend opportunity
fujiya and miyagi - transparent things
pharoahe monch - desire
les savy fav - let's stay friends
ugk - underground kingz
blonde redhead - 23
the field - from here we go sublime
burial - untrue

songs
kanye west - flashing lights
the good the bad and the queen - nature springs
amy winehouse - you know that i'm no good
jay-z - ignorant shit
common - i want you
lcd soundsystem - someone great
el-p - tasmanian pain coaster
interpol - pace is the trick
the national - mistaken for strangers
pharoahe monch - agent orange
radiohead - 15 step
the field - everyday
simian mobile disco - hustler
50 cent and justin timberlake - ayo technology
mia - paper planes

Matt Wiens

ALBUMS:
1. On The Wing Now - Foreign Born [Single - Never Wrong]
Indie stadium rock. It's the vocals that seal it; I don't understand why they don't get more press.
2. There The Open Spaces - Sleeping States [Single - Rivers]
An album with a calm, rainy vibe. "Rivers" is one of my favorite tracks of the year.
3. Blue CD-R - Vampire Weekend [Single - Oxford Comma]
Paul Simon+ska/punk+blueblood entitlement = p(r)eppy party music!
4. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon [Single - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb]
Pretty much a perfect album, right?
5. Person Pitch - Panda Bear [Single - Take Pills]
Love the Beach Boys harmonies.
6. Friend EP - Grizzly Bear [Single - He Hit Me]
The first five songs on this EP of mostly self-covers are ridiculous. The closer, "Deep Blue Sea", is also great.

ALSO GOOD:
+ Boxer - The National [Single - Mistaken For Strangers]
+ Wincing The Night Away - The Shins [Single - Australia]
+ What Is Free To A Good Home? EP - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton [Single - Telethon]
+ The Shepherd's Dog - Iron & Wine [Single - Carousel]
+ The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter - Josh Ritter [Single - The Temptation Of Adam]
+ Neon Bible - The Arcade Fire [Single - No Cars Go]

SINGLES: (not included on above albums)
* Re: Stacks - Bon Iver
* Now, Now - St. Vincent
* Time To Pretend - MGMT
* 1,2,3,4 - Feist
* Through The Morning, Through The Night - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
* Fallin' + Blue Magic - Jay-Z
* My Secret Is My Silence - Roddy Woomble
* Supa GFK + Killa Lipstick - Ghostface Killah
* Charmer - Kings Of Leon
* Archangel - Burial
* Rotten Hell - Menomena
* The General Specific - Band Of Horses

GUILTY PLEASURES:
1. Even If It Kills Me - Motion City Soundtrack
Who doesn't like their emo? Out of 13 tracks there are only 1-3 clunkers. But, they are in their mid-30s and singing about Autobots... does that bother you?
2. 45:33 - LCD Soundsystem
The only time I really get into LCD is when I sweat to his Nike-comissioned exercise opus for 45:33 on a stationary bike at the gym like a loser.

D. Lucas Swartzendruber-Landis

Okay, I guess I'll start this off. Here's my lists in no particular order. I really think the standout of the year has to be Radiohead. Aside from all the hype about their marketing/distribution scheme, In Rainbows really holds up to the previous Radiohead Canon of OK Computer, Kid A and The Bends. For pure Dance euphoria, I highly encourage you all to listen to Justice. That French Nouveau Disco that Daft Punk helped create is alive and well in this booty shakin' record. Perhaps the album on most heavy rotation was Spoon's Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga a semi-evolved album that got caught up in the Motown style arrangements made popular this year by Amy Winhouse but done with more subtlety and perhaps with a bit more pinache.

enjoy.

Top Albums of the Year


1. Spoon – Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga
2. Justice – “Cross”
3. Radiohead – In Rainbows
4. The National – The Boxer
5. Jay-Z – American Gangster
6. Simian Mobile Disco – Attack Decay Sustain
7. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
8. Burial – Untrue
9. Midlake – The Trials of Van Occupanther
10.Les Savy Fav – Let’s Stay Friends


For Your Consideration:

The Besnard Lakes – Are the Dark Horses
The Field – From Here We Go Sublime
Daft Punk – Alive 2007
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele

Singles:

“Give It To Me” – Timbaland
“The Underdog” – Spoon
“All I Need” – Radiohead
“Genesis” – Justice
“Failsafe” – The New Pornographers
“Hello Brooklyn 2.0” – Jay-Z
* Addendums to the Singles (Forgot a few)
"45:33" - LCD Soundsystem
"1234" - Feist
"Stronger" - Kanye West
"Icky Thump" - White Stripes
"Nobody Wants To" - Crowded House
"Desire" - Pharoahe Monch
"Idealism" - Digitalism
"Restless" - UNKLE
"Relax (Take It Easy) - Mika
"Dance Tonight" - Paul McCartney
"Isn't Life Strange" - The Clientele
"Leyendecker" - Battles
"Going To A Town" - Rufus Wainwright
"Cold Days from the Birdhouse" - The Twilight Sad
"Fiery Crash" - Andrew Bird

2007 The Year that Was

Another year has passed. In spite of all things, we as a species still exist. What's even more amazing is that Brittany Spears was able to release a new album, a definite sign of progress and a testament to the everlasting resolve of the human spirit. Henceforth, I bring you an encapsulation by month of the 007.

January:
- Romania and Bulgaria were finally admitted into the European Union (Phew. It's about time).
- Saddam Hussein's half brother is accidentally decapitated while being hanged.
- Former President Gerald Ford dies (Chevy Chase in attendance).
- Nancy Pelosi becomes first female House Speaker.
- Bush announces a change in Strategy in Iraq. (So far so good)
- The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists sets the doomsday clock to 5 minutes before midnight (not so good).
- Windows releases Vista. Business sector including Microsoft corporate headquarters finally upgrade to XP.

February:
- Hamas and Fatah form unity government. US Rejoices.
- Cheyney Escapes Assassination Attempt in Afghanistan. The game of Tag with Harry Wittington, Cheyney's Hunting buddy, continues.
- The House backs the non-binding resolution that Bush Stinks.
- Richard Daly wins his 6th consecutive term as mayor. The Machine also gets a much needed dose of WD-40 in it's rusty parts.
- Scientists confirm Global Warming exists and is caused by Human activity. Panel says some effects can be curtailed quickly if Al Gore's movie can win at the Oscars.
- Colts beat Bears in Superbowl XLI. Peyton Manning officially enshrined in Canton, OH.
- Anna Nicole Smith Dies. The torture of the American Public begins with 24/7 news barrage lasting 5 months. American public caves.
- Scorsese wins Best Director at Oscars. Doomsday clock advances to 1 minute before midnight.
- Obama throws his hat in the ring. Clinton and Edwards try to throw it back.


March:
- Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein and Ian Paisly of the Unionist Party meet and attempt to broker a power sharing agreement. Can't decide between Jameson or Bushmills while discussing. Fighting ensues.
- Walter Reed is exposed for serving service members with bad service, noting inattention to the service the service members served while serving.
- Scooter "Scoots, Scooty-McScooter" Libby is found guilty of being a former chief of staff to Cheyney.
- Fired Prosecutor Scandal Heats up. Gonzales Cashes out his 401K.
- Phillies Relief pitcher Ugueth Urbina is sentenced to 14 years of prison for attempted murder. Phillies try to trade him.

April:
- President of Iran announces they have the ability to enrich Uranium. Rest of the world questions why president wants westerners to invade his country.
- Iowan, Zach Johnson, wins the Masters. Tiger begins practicing in Iowa.
- 32 students are killed at Virginia Tech School Shootings.

May:
- Nicholas Sarkozy is elected President of France. After transit strikes and rioting greet his new administration, Sarkozy demands a recount.
- Tony Blair announces his retirement as Prime Minister. President Bush was observed weeping in the oval office.
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum makes largest single charitable donation of 7.41 billion Euros to an educational foundation in the middle east. US freezes his assets.
- Lebanese conflict erupts.

June:
- A 2100 year old melon is discovered by archaeologists in western Japan. Later melon is discovered to be a rock.
- The Ducks beat the Senators and win the Stanley Cup. No one notices.
- Spurs beat the Cavs in the NBA Finals. Minutes later the country awakens from the sleep that was the NBA 2006-2007 season.
- Bob Barker retires from the Price is Right. Cats and Dogs begin impregnating immediately.
- Wrestler Chris Benoit and his family found dead. Steroid use a possible cause.
- Apple unveils the iPhone. Local governments stop business to wait in line. (okay that was only in Philadelphia).

July:
- Hong Kong celebrates 10 years of Chinese Rule. Thinks about it. Demands to be ruled by Britain again.
- Venus Williams wins the women's singles tournament at Wimbledon. American men register a score of "poopy" in the tournament after it's discovered that Nadal and Federer are not american.
- Live Earth Concerts held. Electricity that's wasted for the event is enough to power Finland.
- Tour de France begins. 5 feet after crossing the starting line, 30 cyclists are ejected on doping allegations.
- Steam Pipe bursts in Manhatten. Steam pipe bursts in Richmond, Virginia. No one cares.
- Dick Cheyney actually becomes president for 2 hours while Bush gets a colonoscopy. the world shivers envisioning cheyney as president and Bush getting a colonoscopy.
- Prathiba Patil is elected as the first female President of India. Hilary intensifies her pressure on media conglomerates to cover this story.
- Harry Potter Dies.

August:
- I-35W bridge collapses in Minneapolis killing 13. Bridges across the country are branded as being in need of repairs. Country has no money. Issue is dropped.
- Ehud Olmert becomes first Israeli Prime minister to visit the Gaza Strip or West Bank in 7 years. Meets with Mahmoud Abbas. Each trade "Best Friends Forever" charm bracelets.
- Tiger Woods wins PGA Championship, noting that his practice in Iowa helped.
- Baltimore Orioles give up 30 runs to the Texas Rangers setting an MLB record for most runs scored by a team in a single game. All players are being questioned for steroid use.
- Alberto Gonzales announces his resignation. Will serve as plaintiff in the on-going Anna Nicole Smith offspring custody battle.

September:
- Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by half a percentage point as a result of the subprime crisis. Mortgage lenders and investors still screwed.
- Halo 3 is released. Living rooms and Basements stink of old pizza and body odor.

October:
-Indirect Presidential election held in Pakistan. Pervez Musharraf elected in a landslide victory. Votes were cast from 15 rooms of his mansion.
- Marion Jones relinquishes her Olympic medals after admitting to doping. Medals are subsequently given to second place victors but no one can remember who they are.
- South Africa defeats England in the Rugby World Cup. No irony exists.
- Wildfires decimate Southern California. Arnold not sure if Predator is to blame.
- Red Sox win, again. No more whining aloud.

November:
- Writers Guild goes on Strike. Television shows become funnier and more dramatic.
- The Zasyadko mine disaster in eastern Ukraine claims the lives of 90 miners
- Annapolis peace conference held. Olmert and Abbas show bush their "Best Friends Forever" charm bracelets.
- Musharraf becomes a civilian President.
- Italian police arrest Sicilian mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo, his son Sandro and two other mafiosi in Carini, Palermo. Italian Mafia goes on the endangered species list.
- Google and the Open Handset Alliance announce the Android mobile phone platform, a joint effort in handheld computing. Google's plan to take over the world by the 3rd quarter of 2008 is right on schedule.
- Astronomers in the United Sates find a fifth planet in orbit around the star 55 Cancri 41 light years from Earth. Sub Prime Mortgage lenders see a light at the end of the tunnel.

December:

Too soon to say.

Get your lists in.

Charles Mininger

1. Darker Than Blue -- Soul From Jamdown 1973-1980

Classic soul and R&B from the 70s reinterpreted as
reggae songs. The song selections have a strong
militant, black power bent. Best cut…..War's
"Slipping Into Darkness" sung by Carl Bradney and
produced by Scratch Perry ..it burns.

2. Roots – Game Theory – Listened to this for two
weeks straight. Favorite song, ‘long time’.

3. Eccentric Soul -- The Deep City Label

From the vaults of the Deep City Label, musicians,
many of whom were members of Florida A&M’s marching
100 lay down some driving soul and R&B, much of which
none of us have ever heard before.

3. Donny Hathaway – Everything is everything

4. K os – Joyful Rebellion –

MC from Canada comes to save the hip-hop

5. Black Uhuru – Red
6. The Band – Last Waltz

I really don’t want to hear it. Yes it’s old and no I
just didn’t discover it. Anyways, Muddy Waters, Van
Morrison, Mavis Staples, Dr. John, and many more, plus
The Band. I like it.

7. Allan Brothers – Live at Fillmore East –

I don’t care, I like it.

8. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, are you the Destroyer
–

Songs 5 and 6 is top notch, I poop on the rest
of the album.

9. Radiodread –

Turns OK computer into a dub and reggae album... very
nice.

10. Brenda Russell – Greatest Hits

Piano in the Dark is my jam!!

Rick Sieber

Best of 2007 (So Far)

Here is my mid-year report, highly subject to change by the end of the year. I’ve limited my lists to those albums that were officially released before June 30. Look for a major list shake-up once albums from Spoon, New Pornographers, Interpol, PJ Harvey & Radiohead arrive, and once I make good on my resolution to listen to more hip-hop. Many thanks to all of the friends and critics who introduced me to much of this music.

Albums:

1. Tones of Town – Field Music
2. Wincing the Night Away – The Shins
3. Sound of Silver – LCD Soundsystem
4. The Good, the Bad, & the Queen – The Good, the Bad, & the Queen
5. Never Hear the End of It – Sloan
6. Memory Almost Full – Paul McCartney
7. Neon Bible – Arcade Fire
8. Sky Blue Sky – Wilco
9. The Far Now – David Kilgour
10. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? – Of Montreal

Bubbling Under:

God Save the Clientele – The Clientele

Back Numbers – Dean & Britta

Traffic & Weather – Fountains of Wayne

Release the Stars – Rufus Wainwright

Writer’s Block – Peter, Bjorn, & John

Tracks:

1. “Ever Present Past” – Paul McCartney
2. “No Cars Go” – Arcade Fire
3. “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse” – Of Montreal
4. “North American Scum” – LCD Soundsystem
5. “Sea Legs” – The Shins
6. “Plasticities” – Andrew Bird
7. “Rehab” – Amy Winehouse
8. “Disaster” – The Besnard Lakes
9. “Between My Legs” – Rufus Wainwright
10. “Grace Kelly” – Mika

Bubbling Under:

“A House is Not A Home” – Field Music

“Someone Great” – LCD Soundsystem

“Cryptograms” – Deerhunter

“Amsterdam” – Peter, Bjorn, & John

“Someone to Love” – Fountains of Wayne

Vinay Kini

hey. for the mid-year list i shall only post albums. that is my
policy. of laziness. here they are.

1) Lil' Wayne - Da Drought 3
2) Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
3) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
4) The Field - From Here We Go To Sublime
5) Blonde Redhead - 23
6) Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things
7) Dalek - Abondoned Language
8) Amon Tobin - Foley Room
9) LCD Soundsystem - SOund of Silver
10) El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead

Lucas' Mid-Year Best of List (So Far) 2007

Albums:
1. Spoon - Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga (Advance Copy)
2. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
3. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
4. The New Pornographers - Challengers (Advance Copy)
5. Justice - "Cross"
6. The National - Boxer
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
8. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
9. Interpol - Our Love to Admire (Advance Copy)
10. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Honorable Mention:
Field Music - Tones of Town
Elliott Smith - New Moon
The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full

Songs:
1. Give It To Me - Timbaland, feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake
2. The Underdog - Spoon
3. North American (Scum) - LCD Soundsystem
4. No Cars Go - Arcade Fire
5. Genesis - Justice
6. Failsafe - The New Pornographers
7. Going To A Town - Rufus Wainwright
8. Rehab - Amy Winehouse
9. Fiery Crash - Andrew Bird
10. Fake Empire - The National

Honorable Mention:
Working to Work - Field Music
Restless - UNKLE (Advance Copy)
The Pills Won't Help You Now - Chemical Brothers (Advance Copy)
All the Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth - The New Pornographers (Advance Copy)
(Mainly for the Brian Eno-esque synth circa. Roxy Music-Roxy Music "Virginia Plain" My favorite Roxy Music song of all time.)