Favourite Albums of 2007

These are in no particular order, and not necessarily released on 2007. The only criteria are that I listened to, and enjoyed them, for the first time last year.

Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank.
I bought this, and didn’t really listen to it for a while, despite Johnny Marr being involved. When I finally took the time absorb it, it was well worth the effort. I’ve been a fan of the band since The Moon and Antartica. They show a Beatles like glee in using the recording studio, and those super catchy jangly guitar hooks, nicely balance the more arty side of the band. I can’t really say that Johnny Marr changed their sound much, but this is a great album, gorgeously recorded.

Built To Spill – You In Reverse
Dough Martsch and his band can’t put a foot wrong in my world. On this album, the band sounds they sat in the room together and played as a group. There’s a lovely live feel to the recording. BTS have inherited Television’s, (Marquee Moon is a top 10 of all time album to me), arty angular catchy guitar rock mantle. The music feels painted with guitar tone and texture as colors.

Bruce Springsteen – Magic
Warrants a mention for the songs, “Radio Nowhere”, and “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” alone. “Radio Nowhere” is the first song in a long time that I have repeatedly listened to several times in a row. Also, the Boss who will never be mistaken for a Paul McCartney when it comes to catchy melodies, seems to have found a few hummable tunes here. Unfortunately this is also one of the worst mixes I have heard in a while, the album is muddy and over compressed. On headphones not such a bad thing, but on my home system the flaws are very apparent.

Louis Stewart – Overdrive
Louis Stewart, as far as I can tell, is Ireland's only world class jazz musician. The Dublin born guitarist should be a lot more famous than he his, but apparently his desire to live in Ireland short circuited any chances of this. I saw him in NIHE, (now University Of Limerick), when I was in secondary school, and there were less than twenty people at the show. It was my first introduction to jazz, and I was gob smacked by the sheer virtuosity if his playing. I guess he would be considered Be-bop, although I am not very knowledgeable in Jazz subgenres. On this 2006 live album, (the first time I found anything by him on iTunes), He combines technical virtuosity, fast blues lines and complicated, (to my ears), harmonic structures, with a lot of soul. This is when having a good sound system really pays off.

LCD Sound System - Sound Of Silver
I bought this because so many critics raved about it. Although I like electronic music, I haven’t a large collection. What I loved about his was that it was song based. It references 80’s bands like the Human League, New Order, even Talking Heads but is it’s own thing. One of the best albums on this list,

Radiohead-In Rainbows
Given that this has topped every critics end of year poll, there is nothing I can really add, except that Radiohead rediscovered melodies, and discovered a playfulness that they never really had before. Some of the songs sound like the Go Team, who my kids love, that says a lot about the direction Radiohead took on this album.

Joe Pass – Meditation, Solo Guitar
Another Be-bop jazzer, this is an old album from the early 90’s. I had arranged a solo guitar version of the old Jazz chestnut “Autumn Leaves” for a friend’s wedding, upon hearing it my guitar teacher mentioned it sounded Joe Pass like, and played me some of this album. While flattered by the comparison, I am a ham fisted guitarist compared to this legend. This again is a live album, just Pass and his guitar; it is mind blowing how a single instrumentalist can play like a full band. Moving bass lines, melody like chord progressions and tasty single line melodies all seem to be played at once.

Robert Plant and Alison Kraus – Raising Sand.
This has deservedly received a lot of attention. Two great singers on an inspired collaboration. Robert Plant proves yet again that he is one of the greatest vocalists in the history of modern music while Alison Krauss’s harmonies blend clearly and perfectly without ever taking second place. T-Bone Burnett’s production is subtle and ghostly, an autumnal soundscape perfectly suited to these songs of longing and desire.

Tinariwen – Aman Iman: Water Is Life
I blogged about this earlier in the year. Tuarag rebels with guitars. Joyous and Hypnotic. Nothing like any of the other albums on the list.

Honorable Mentions

Grinderman – Grinderman
Nick Cave and a bunch of his mates. The funniest song this year - "No Pussy Blues".

Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Not as good as Funeral but still very good. Best concert of the year also.