Ryan Osborne

I figure I happen across most of the music I listen to three ways: 1) whatever VH1/MTV Europe plays a lot of, which means the likes of Nicole Scherzinger (good) or RHCP (not good); 2) whatever iTunes tells me is “Just for [me]”, which means Ryan Adams’ third album of the year (fine, if not a tad inconsequential) or Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison” (thanks, I’ll buy one); or 3) whatever music my friends tell me is good music. The latter is probably why much of this list has appeared elsewhere below. I do appreciate these lists actually, and have made fresh purchases as a result. Below are songs and albums that sound nice to listen to.



Albums

1. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Spoon / “Finer Feelings” & “Black Like Me”

Sublime music. If it was a woman, I’d be flirting with it, using all my best moves.

2. In Rainbow – Radiohead / “House of Cards”

The last 10 or so years have been rough on our relationship, but the love is back, and we are renewing our vows.

3. Challengers -- New Pornographers / “My Rights Versus Yours”

Yes, I thought this was nerdy when I first heard it, but I’m not afraid to change my mind and admit the truth of the beauty within.

4. Sky Blue Sky – Wilco / “Either Way”

Jeff Tweedy could make a fart noise with his mouth and I’d think it was the best album.

5. The Reminder – Feist / “My Moon My Man”

Something I thought was a secret find a while back, which clearly was not.

6. Raising Sand -- Robert Plant & Alison Krauss / “Please Read the Letter”

The product seems so obvious and effortless, I should have thought of combining them long ago.



Singles

1. Faithless – “Music Matters”

Also try “A Kind of Peace”, with Cat Power.

2. Gwen Stefani ft. Akon – “The Sweet Escape”

3. Kelis – “Lil Star”

4. Nelly Furtado – “Say it Right”

I must say, I have no idea what this song is about, but I’ve listened to it, quite intentionally, about 400 times.

5. T.I. – “Big S**t Poppin”

Glad to see a good scrawny rapper representing.

6. Robbie Williams – “She’s Madonna”

7. Mark Ronson – “Stop Me”

8. Rihanna ft. Jay-Z – “Umbrella”

9. Bright Eyes – “Four Winds”

A reasonably accessible B.E. song, which took me a bit by surprise.

10. Ryan Adams – “Two”

11. Katherine McPhee – “Over It”

You have something to say, say it to my face.

12. Timbaland – “The Way I Are”

The way I am, Timba, the way I am.

13. Tracy Thorn – “Raise the Roof”

14. Peter Bjorn & John – “Young Folks”

15. Kelly Rowland – “Like This”

Perhaps the best former Destiny’s Chile?

16. Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry on Their Own”



Non-2007 Singles

Mass Appeal – Gang Starr

Hand on Your Heart – Jose Gonzalez

Open Your Eyes – Bobby Caldwell

One Step Up – Bruce Springsteen

Rise – Herb Alpert

Amber Friesen

as usual, my list is only top 10 songs, picked from my favorite albums
of the year, from among the songs that were most meaningful or
significant to me. when i love an album i kill it -- playing it out
completely so that i only go back to it months later -- and each of
these songs takes me back to a specific set of days or emotional
texture or space in my life. i've limited myself to songs from albums
released in 2007, though honestly, some of my favorites this year were
older than that. but i do think this list is representative of what's
mattered to me in music in the last year.

1- sleeping lessons -- the shins
2- go places -- the new pornographers
3- back to black -- amy winehouse
4- slow show -- the national
5- keep the car running -- arcade fire
6- please read the letter -- robert plant & alison krauss
7- resurrection fern -- iron & wine
8- amsterdam - peter bjorn & john
9- midnight coward -- stars
10- welcome, ghosts -- explosion in the sky

incidentally, if i were to make a top 10 list of albums, which i'm not
doing, the shins would be at the top. followed by the national,
followed by the new pornographers, which i guess amounts to a top 3
list of albums. heck, i'd even throw robert plant & alison krauss on
there to make it an even four.

Rick Sieber

I can’t keep tweaking forever, so here are my lists as they currently stand. To me, 2007 was an exceptionally good year for music – way better than last year – so these were not easy decisions (hence the delay). My list contains many of the usual suspects (Spoon, Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem), but I finally settled on Field Music as my album of the year, and not just for variety’s sake. This was the album that most captured my imagination this year – quirky and deceptively complex arrangements, new wave zip and prog ambition, and still catchy as all get out. The Shins slightly edged the New Pornographers in my battle of the indie pop titans, and both groups should be applauded for pushing forward into subtly new territory. If Paul McCartney were hipper, and hadn’t recently written the godawful “Freedom,” more people would realize that he’s in the midst of a very strong run of albums, this year’s offering being a late career peak. The slick production isn’t for all tastes, and it isn’t always easy to get past Paul’s cheesy optimism, but for well-crafted studio pop it doesn’t get much better. Paul also gets my award for best bassline of 2007: “See Your Sunshine”. The man can still play. Without further ado, the lists:

TOP 10 ALBUMS:

1. Tones of Town – Field Music
2. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Spoon
3. In Rainbows – Radiohead
4. Sound of Silver – LCD Soundsystem
5. Wincing the Night Away – The Shins
6. Challengers – The New Pornographers
7. Memory Almost Full – Paul McCartney
8. The Good, the Bad, & the Queen – The Good, the Bad, & the Queen
9. White Chalk – PJ Harvey
10. The Far Now – David Kilgour



Bubbling Under:

* Friend Opportunity – Deerhoof
* God Save the Clientele – The Clientele
* Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? – Of Montreal
* Neon Bible – Arcade Fire
* On the Wing Now – Foreign Born
* Turn My Teeth Up! – Baby Elephant



TOP 20 TRACKS:

1. “Ever Present Past” – Paul McCartney
2. “No Cars Go” – Arcade Fire
3. “North American Scum” – LCD Soundsystem
4. “Disaster” – The Besnard Lakes”
5. “Plasticities” – Andrew Bird
6. “+81” - Deerhoof
7. “Myriad Harbour” – The New Pornographers
8. “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse” – Of Montreal
9. “Horse Riding” – Euros Childs
10. “Brace Yourself” – Les Savy Fav
11. “My Moon, My Man” – Feist
12. “The People” – Common
13. “Give It” – X-Press 2 (featuring Kurt Wagner)
14. “Suddenly It’s a Folk Song” – Future of the Left
15. “Someone to Love” – Fountains of Wayne
16. “Paper Planes” – MIA
17. “Mammoth” - Interpol
18. “Good Life” – Kanye West (featuring T-Pain)
19. “Crack Addicts in Love” – Baby Elephant (featuring Nona Hendryx)
20. “Cryptograms” - Deerhunter



Bubbling Under:

* “Don’t You Evah” - Spoon
* “Finer Feelings” – Spoon
* “Grace Kelly” - Mika
* “A House Is Not A Home” – Field Music
* “I Call On You” – The Trolleyvox
* “If I Don’t” – Amp Fiddler (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae)
* “Sea Legs” – The Shins
* “Someone Great” – LCD Soundsystem
* “Tame the Savage” – Celebration
* “They Follow You” – Siouxsie
* “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” – Radiohead
* “You Know I’m No Good” – Amy Winehouse

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.)

Rick Sieber

Not the most adventurous list, I must confess. Most of my trailblazing this year involved older stuff, which may be a sign that I am about to turn 32. I would like to at least give a shout out to the Move, Mott the Hoople, Afrika Bambaataa, Curtis Mayfield, and the Beach Boys. These were a few of my very favorite artists in 2006, even if they all broke up (or stopped being good) ages ago.

As for this year’s releases, I feel I have only listened to a fraction of the great stuff that’s out there. I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually. For now, Yo La Tengo takes the title. It’s one of their three or four best albums to these ears, and their predictably consistent quality is the only reason this album isn’t finishing higher in year-end polls. That, and the horrible album title. I was also rather high on the redhead alt.country chanteuses this year, with Neko Case edging out Jenny Lewis for the title. And though people are leaving the Flaming Lips bandwagon in droves, I think they are still bringing the goods. This album is certainly of a piece with their recent (and much more highly praised) work, but what do I know.

A special thank you to all of you who turned me on to any of the artists (past or present) mentioned here.

New Year’s Resolution: Listen to more hip hop.

FAVORITE ALBUMS:

1. I am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass – Yo La Tengo
2. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Neko Case
3. At War With the Mystics – The Flaming Lips
4. Let’s Get Out of this Country – Camera Obscura
5. Rabbit Fur Coat – Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins
6. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Arctic Monkeys
7. Return to Cookie Mountain – TV on the Radio
8. Modern Times – Bob Dylan
9. News & Tributes – The Futureheads
10. The Lemonheads – The Lemonheads



FAVORITE SONGS:

1. “The W.A.N.D.” – The Flaming Lips
2. “Phantom Limb” – The Shins
3. “Pittsburgh” – The Lemonheads
4. “Don’t Feel Right” – The Roots
5. “Next Door Neighbour” – Ray Davies
6. “Angelita” – Jon Auer
7. “A Certain Romance” – Arctic Monkeys
8. “Crazy” – Gnarls Barkley
9. “Worry About It Later” – The Futureheads
10. “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” – Camera Obscura

Janneken Smucker

5 Albums I like

Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat

Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Camera Obscura, Let’s Get Out of this Country

Flaming Lips, At War with the Mystics

Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass


5 Songs I Like

Shakira, featuring Wyclef Jean, “Hips Don’t Lie”

Jenny Lewis and friends, “Handle With Care”

The Shins, “Phantom Limb”

Camera Obscura, “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken”

Flaming Lips, “Free Radicals”

5 TV Shows I Like to watch on DVD

The Wire

Lost

The West Wing

Project Runway

Weeds

Michael Freed

10 Favorite Albums
1. Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer
2. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
3. Return to Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio
4. I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass - Yo La Tengo
5. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
6. Game Theory - The Roots
7. Modern Times - Bob Dylan
8. The Body, The Blood, The Machine - The Thermals
9. The Information - Beck
10. The Eraser - Thom Yorke

Matt Wiens

Awesome Albums:

The Body, the Blood, the Machine: The Thermals

Appreciation Night: Bound Stems

News And Tributes: The Futureheads

Fishscale: Ghostface Killah

The Animal Years: Josh Ritter


Almost Awesome Albums:

Phages: The Most Serene Republic

Yellow House: Grizzly Bear

He Be Me: Annuals

The Warning: Hot Chip

Rabbit Fur Coat: Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins


Super Singles:

Long Distance Call: Phoenix

Don’t Know Why (You Stay): The Essex Green

Atoms For Peace: Thom Yorke

Ize Of The World: The Strokes

That Teenage Feeling: Neko Case


Fun Films:

Half Nelson

The Descent

L'Enfant

United 93

Children Of Men


Best Books:

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Michael Pollan (Non-Fiction)

The Moral Animal: Robert Wright (Non-Fiction)

Counting Heads: David Marusek (Sci-Fi)

What Is The What: Dave Eggers (Semi-Fiction)

The Lost Painting: Jonathan Harr (Non-Fiction)

Ryan M. Osborne

Whatever, so I'm bored already looking at my list. There's nothing incredibly bold or inspiring here. This is a simple listing of songs that were featured prominently on my portable listening device or on my computer at one point or another during 2006. Thanks to Charles's prodding, I've managed to bust through seemingly impenetrable barriers, tried to stop being so White, and incorporated some African-American music into my rotation. Many of these songs are already devoid of any meaning to me, as their relentless play makes me actually not want to hear them at all anymore. See "Crazy"

Bossy – Kelis

In the Morning – Junior Boys

Irreplaceable – Beyonce

Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

Kick Push – Lupe Fiasco

My Love – Justin Timberlake

Why You Wanna – T.i.

S.O.S. -- Rihanna

I Don't Feel Like Dancin' – Scissor Sisters

Don't Feel Right – The Roots

Bonus non-2006 songs!!! Ear-Gasms Guaranteed!!!

No Thing on Me – Curtis Mayfield

A Song for You – Donny Hathaway

La Camisa Negra – Juanes

You'll Think of Me – Keith Urban

D. Lucas Swartzendruber-Landis

2006 was a helluva year for the Swartzendruber-Landis household. In January: our first pregnancy, our first miscarriage. March: A trip to Costa Rica with Bradley Bergey and Tonya Swartzendruber. April: I turned 30, David and Amber split. June: Tara is accepted to Villanova. July: We buy a house, Tara switches jobs. August: We move in. September: Car accident in NJ, sidelined for a week, Tara turns 30, We're pregnant again, buy a new car. October: Tara finds a $200,000 painting at work. December: We marry our good friends Vinay and Amy, I get a promotion and raise, and we have 3 more months till we add a new Swartzendruber-Landis to the world.

With that out of the way: My 2006 Year-end Music List.

Best Albums:

1. Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
"The best hip-hop album of 2006." – Entertainment Weekly




2. Hip Hop is Dead by Nas
"Nas has made a passionate album to reawaken your love of the art and if your heart isn't thumping in your chest by the end then it's not hip-hop that's dead, it's you." – RapReviews.com


3. Night Ripper by Girl Talk
"Time will tell whether it's still fresh in 12 months, when the very recent samples (M.I.A., Gwen Stefani, Webbie) lose their chic appeal next to Smokey Robinson, the Pixies, and Public Enemy-- but for 2006, Night Ripper is the soundtrack of the summer." - Pitchfork

4. Return to Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio
"As an artistic achievement, it ranks incredibly high on the list of great postmodern statements. Here is a piece of music (but oh so much more) that proves that something new can be done, and it can be entirely engaging." – Filter

5. Movements by Booka Shade
"Movements is like a symphony: progressing through several moods and genres. And unlike many of their contemporaries, Booka Shade is concerned with songwriting." – Stylus


6. Silent Shout by The Knife
"A freaky, moving masterpiece." - Spin




7. Game Theory by The Roots
"Game Theory is a heavy album, the Roots' sharpest work. It's destined to become one of Def Jam's proudest, if not most popular, moments." – All Music Guide


8. The DFA Remixes: Chapter 1 by The DFA
"What's best is the sense that no DFA remix will sound quite the same way twice. That applies to the sounds within as well as the complete tracks, which beg to be approached from different directions--as contemplative rock, frazzled dance, wonky prog, and so on--so they can show off entry points lurking almost everywhere." – The Onion (A.V. Club)

9. The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
"This is an amazing, innovative, storytelling record that takes you on [a] fantastic fun trip." – URB



10. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
"As we approach the halfway point of 2006, it's unlikely that a more vivid or arresting debut will drop this year, marking St. Elsewhere as not only an audacious accomplishment, but one of the year's best." – Slant Magazine

Runners Up: Destroy Rock & Roll by Mylo, Fishscale by Ghostface Killah, I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Kick Your Ass by Yo La Tengo.

Best Songs (In No Order):
* Click on the song title to preview the song in some form or other

"Black Republican" by Nas Featuring Jay-Z
"Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley
"Hello New World" by Clipse
"In My Arms" by Mylo
"Province" by TV On The Radio
"SOS" by Rihanna
"I Feel Like Going Home" by Yo La Tengo
"The W.A.N.D." by Flaming Lips
"Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae
"Kick, Push" by Lupe Fiasco
"Neverland" by The Knife
"The Eraser" by Thom Yorke
"F-cking Boyfriend" by The Bird and The Bee

Best Films of 2006:

(To Be Continued)