December 07
TOP TEN SONGS 2007, in no order: (16, actually)
ROSCOE (Acoustic) - Midlake “Oak and Julian - EP”
This song has permeated every cell of my being. I used to have a permanent penchant for John Phillips Sousa poisoning the perma-song in my mind (thanks elementary school)… now it’s Roscoe… forever Roscoe… a window into the great universal song that we all long to hear.
TWO KINDS - FIlm School “Hideout”
I knew the shoegazers weren’t done. Glad we’ve finally buried “dream pop” and we’re back to the start. Glad knowing that if the White Stripes can turn me into a Led Zeppelin fan, then Film School can make me roll around in a Pale Saints stupor and feel like every stone in my path since then has meant something.
JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE - Radiohead “In Rainbows”
Come on and let it out. It drives and makes you shake.
ON HIGH - Soundpool “On High”
I finally feel like two of my favorite musical worlds collided this year. The shoegazers met the the Kranky-esque noise folk. And, they had a surprisingly kind communion.
DETLEF SCHREMPF or IS THERE A GHOST or NO ONE’S GONNA LOVE YOU - Band of Horses “Cease to Begin”
What concern I would have for a basketball player, I don’t know. But, though not a Funeral, these are wonderful songs. I love the Ozzy Osbourne gone indy vocals.
TED - Clark “Body Riddle”
This song is a mess and it manages to create a whole out of the messy parts. Gives me hope. Not to mention it was a handy song to play during the demise of another Ted.
SEA LEGS - The Shins “Wincing the Night Away”
A song that makes me feel like I’m tiptoeing in stocking feet, whispering to the world that I’ve found the song that I’ve been composing in my mind since I was able to think. The perfect song… each turn is necessary–Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings for the 21st Century.
HATCHET (Optimimi Version) or SANDINISTA (live) - Low “Drums and Guns”
A fairly disappointing album from Low, but the live tracks and b-sides were positively, unbelievably good in 2007. It makes me feel like Alan is trying to live up to some industry standard, or he’s grown tired of Low, right as the band hits its ultimate peak. Sandinista live was one of the highest points of my life, Oct ‘06 Armstrong Hall… it’s hard to believe they released that shabby thing on Drums and Guns, knowing the potential of that song.
23 - Blonde Redhead “23″
Desperate, like most Blonde Redhead… that’s good and I’m glad we got more last year. Viva la 4AD! Temper your freaky squealing with David Sylvian more often, please.
HOW CLOSE YOUR SOUL - Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd “Before the Day Breaks”
Hard to say which I love more from these tandem released CDs (Before the Day Breaks and After the Night Falls - Darla). I can mostly say that in a long year, filled with more sadness, both globally and personally, than usual, these albums have been a refuge.
GHOST OF LOVE -David Lynch “Inland Empire Soundtrack”
Had to have it since I saw the first trailer. I don’t care that no one bothered to see it, or that so many have written David Lynch off, there is a quality to his films and music that can bring me right back to a scary, fun place that I pine for in daily life. It’s like there were no sun to suck my life away.
SONG FOR THE FIELDS - Fields “Everything Last Winter”
Go Iceland! Sort of a one-hit wonder, but what a hit!
HOUSE/TECHNO/ELECTRONIC TOP TEN
Given the fleeting nature of electronic music, I told myself that a top 10 of tech/house would only be worthy if I could actually remember the track without having to sort through my library. So, here goes:
EASE YOUR MIND - Inland Knights/A Riley “Drop 50 Special Edition, Pt. 2 - EP”
Simple, stupifying bliss. The Inlands have never produced a release unworthy of owning.
AFRICAN PEOPLE (Jokke Ilsoe Remix) - Trentemøller “African People - Single”
Mirco gone wild. I’ve never heard a more sedate and fucking delicious break/build ever… it’s the calmest part of the song and the tension rips you in half. Nip ons.
G STRING BLUES - Bobby & Klein - Guesthouse 12″
It’s nasty, yet oddly flattering… that’s what my gal pals tell me. I’ve never been a good judge of what’s totally nasty and what’s fun.
SHAKE THAT - LC - AllHouseMusic 12″
I defer yet again to my gal pals. Filthy fuckin’ track (”I get more ass than a toilet seat”). But, apparently, aware enough of its nastiness to be a little sexy. Tee-hee.
A DIFFERENT ERA - JT Donaldson- Imprint Music 12″
I’ve always been a sucker for a well placed organ.
DANCE YOU DANCE ME (Inland Knights) - Larry Fives - Drop Music
Drop is the holy center of the universe.
THE GROOVE BUG - Mario Fabriani - Jackin’ Tracks 12″
Mr. Fabriani, it seems, can’t make a bad song. Funky… perfect.
SWAY THE FEEL - Troydon featuring Femme Audes - Phonoshuffle 12″
Don’t know. I just loved it. Felt more like a complete song, than something that needed to be mixed.
NORTH AMERICAN SCUM - LCD Soundsystem “Sound of Silver”
Self-loathing, yea!
CLIMACTIC PHASE #3 (Overnight Mix) - Seefeel “Quique” (re-issue)
I had no idea my original copy was worth so much. The “Quique” re-issue was very welcomed by many. I loved to hear the new, clean versions of everything… and the bonus tracks. If you’ve ever played a song on the radio and gotten an email saying “please make this stop,” you know you have a winner. Oh yeah, and Mark Clifford changed music forever, ‘n’ stuff.
Post your top tens in the comments! Happy New Year, bitches.
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23 Responses to “Top Tens, People!”
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10 books I can remember reading in ot7, which might as well function as a top ten list because I probably can’t remember any more. with pride in my underachievement:
1. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Great story, well crafted, multilayered and compelling, funny to boot.
2. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (totally read it before I even knew there was gonna be the fine Cohen Bros film)
3. The Road - C. McCarthy, Brr….
4. The Wizard of the Crow - N’gugi wa Thiogo - wonderfully funny, with lots of magical realism and dry political humor, would be a fun read for anyone following the Kenyan elections.
5. The Blind Owl - Sadegh Hedaya, a Persian suicide with an opium habit channeling Poe, grabs one by the lapels from the first page.
6. The White Man of God - Kenjo Jumbam, West African village life through the eyes of a curious little boy, charming.
7. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea - Yukio Mishima, the short novel delivered in the form of a skilled martial arts blow to the face.
8. Regeneration - Pat Barker, examining 1918 and very questioning of the first world war, first of a trilogy in which we meet a young Wilfred Owen and other loonies.
9. The Eye in the Door - Pat Barker, 2nd in the trilogy, sort of “regeneration gone wild,” certain implied manly themes of the first book are brought out, zany descent into advanced psychiatric disorders, not one for the kiddies.
10. Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole, still funny, but it felt dated. Written by a suicide, though, which implies intensity at least.
There they are, 10 I can at least vaguely remember in some kind of order of love.
some of these albums didnt come out this year. just my personal top 10 albums ive been listening to this year.
1. The Go- Howl On The Haunted Beat You Ride
such a wonderfully crafted album. and hands down their best album yet. a mix of power pop, psychedelia, garage goodness. every song on this album is unskippable.
2. King Khan and his Shrines- What Is?
how can you not like an album that has a song called “I Wanna Be A Girl”
3. The Exploding Hearts- Shattered
this is more like the album that songs they had recorded before 3 out of the 4 members died in a car accident. such a matured sound from the last teenage epic, “Guitar Romantic”, “Shattered” had it all. the hooks, the heartfelt lyrics, and that love to hate it voice. this never left my ipod since i got it.
4. The Hellacopters- High Visibility
Guitar Rock at its finest. this came out a while ago, but i listen to it constantly.
5. The Nice Boys- The Nice Boys
power-pop awesomeness! kept my spirits up all year. but its sad to. and actually the surviving member from The Exploding Hearts is in this band, also featuring members of real punk rock gods, The Riffs.
6. Thunder Express- Republic Disgrace
ive this album since the second i got it. theyre from Sweden, so you know its well hand crafted rock n roll. i like their first one better though.
7. Gary Glitter - Best Of
yeah, im fuckin serious! Gary Glitter kicks ass. glam boot stompin rebel yeah oat amazingness. just youtube him and youll fall in love.
8. The Diamond Dogs- Up The Rock
another swedish delight. think of a poppier Faces record. and apparently an aquired listen according to my girlfriend who thinks this album sucks. but hey, she has bjork on her ipod.
that might be it.
(Also not all 2007 releases, but according to iTunes these are my most frequently played songs this year.)
1. Spoon, “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2. Rogue Wave, “Like I Needed” from Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
3. Elliott Smith, “Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud?” from Figure 8
4. El Toro de la Muerte, “Atop the Belle Isle” (Demo)
5. The Decemberists, “O Valencia” from The Crane Wife
6. Glen Hansard, “Say It To Me Now”, from Once Soundtrack
7. Iron & Wine, “Jezebel” from Woman King e.p.
8. Cat Power, “Could We” from The Greatest
9. Radiohead, “15 Step” from In Rainbows
10. Rocky Votolato, “Tinfoil Hats” from Makers
Top ten ways to toss someone on their ass (plus sixteen more!)…. More proof that Japan = FUN.
Any list of top ten albums should probably include Jay Reatard’s Blood Visions. So. Damn. Good. You can thank me later.
Oh no! Ultimate embarrassment! Blood Visions dropped in ‘06!!!
Top Ten (plus three more) dickheads of 2007.
ah yes,
i forgot Jay Reatard. his previous bands i like better, but i was very happy with his solo shit.
anyone see him at Bender’s?
oh and the Black Lips too. they have been my favorite band 2 years running.
You like the acoustic version of Roscoe more than the version on “Van Occupanther”?
No… but the original was in ‘06… and I’m still obsessed.
I spent New Years Eve with my friend and neighbor Vicky and we danced to that song Roscoe and talked about how it tends to go deep inside of some people. A perfectly crafted tune in my opinion and by far one of the best things to come out of Denton. (Not that a lot of cool music hasn’t come out of that weird Texas town) Anyway, I remember Chris Bullock turning me onto that whole record months before any of the radio stations got a hold of it.
Wow - you bring the bounty, Mr. Britches. Truly a scrumptious selection.
All discerning listeners may appreciate one of my favorite finds of the year- MGMT.
They seem to be embracing every second of their youth, pairing naivety and self awareness in a perfect fleeting moment. It’s youthful, exuberant pop that makes me face the day with a sense of infinite possibility…which is hard to come by at 30, let me tell you.
Stand out tracks include: Time To Pretend / Electric Feel / Kids
Plucked from Denton by another of my lifelong obsessions….
(03/19/04) This happens every year: The Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie & Simon Raymonde come to SXSW and sign another Texas band to their Bella Union label. Last year, Denton’s Midlake were the winners, like Lift to Experience, Explosions in the Sky, and Jetscreamer before them. Debut LP Bamnan and Slivercork is due this year, a continuation of the vintage Radiohead sound from the band’s Milkmaid Grand Army EP. – Michael Chamy
(http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:202809)
Glad they grabbed the Czars before shuffling off to Austin. http://www.bellaunion.com is a nice place to dig around, if you’re looking for new music.
Can you burn all us Newpeakers a compilation? Haha. It’s a damn fine list
BTW.
Hey if youre looking for good eletronic from the past year, I would recommend:
The Field “Here we go sublime” (kompakt). Excellent, transcendant German techno. All about bright notes and strong rhythms. Beautiful stuff! Most Kompakt releases have that great minimal quality and the fun shuffling beat.
Justice “+” Very much a breakthrough act of 2007, they brought the heavy metal/rock influence to French dance music. A good replacement for Daft Punk, though DP is worth searching You Tube for for their live show of the past year.
Stars of the Lid “And their refinement of the decline” calm tones and sine waves from this formerly Austin pair. lovely late night listening when you dont want to think.
Other picks:
Marissa Nadler “Songs III” Ethereal folk via New England, eerie ballads evoking colonial ghosts and spooky homes.
“Mountain Home” collaboration featuring Nadler and others..
Islaja “Ulual YYY” - more great stuff from the Finnish psych-folk camp. multitracked vocals and odd tunings. Fonal records is a great label!
The National “Boxer” one of the few great Brooklyn bands left post-Williamsburg Hipster Explosion.
Black Lips. proving the garage rock revival isnt all about Velvet Underground.
James Blackshaw “Cloud of Unknowing”. Sir Richard Bishop “Polytheistic Fragments”. Great results of the renewed interest in James Fahey-flavored acoustic guitar explorations.
WHite Williams. one of the latest Brooklyn sounds is that mid-80s Talking Heads/West African flavor of electronic rock.
Caribou “Andorra” some of the best sunny 60s psych pop comes from a laptop geek who is an expert when it comes to sampling and collage.
Panda Bear “Person Pitch” Beach Boys-throwback of the year, reverby and crazy.
Bon Iver “For Emma Long Ago” recorded in a remote Wisconsin cottage after the breakup of his recent band.
Deerhunter “Cryptograms” krautrock plus experimental fuzz from Atlanta.
No Age “Weirdo Rippers” best of the growing Los Angeles noise-punk scene, based around all ages venue The Smell. styrofoam cups over microphones, etc.
others of 2007 worth searching for: Wooden Wand, Okkervil River, Meneguar, Dan Deacon, The Denver Broncos, Liars, Feist, Of MOntreal, LCD Soundsystem
Chris, you really should consider spinning for KRCC. Why not?
Thanks for posting everyone… but more! Please! I’ve been writhing in pleasure from the suggestions. More! Please more! Everything has been wonderful!
MGMT… delish!
(Thanks Chris… love Stars of the Lid, including “And their…,” which I have, and many of your suggestions. Thanks for the reminder… I’m blissed-out/freaked-out right now… listening. I’m pretty sure that I bought a Stars LP from a band member, while shopping at Waterloo a few years ago… not to mention the prisoner fan I had for a number of years (long story). Do you have the Harmony of the Spheres box set with the Charalambides suicide hotline misdial? We should should talk more… and not about Flash and Fireworks.)
I will post a playlist pretty soon. Until then, here are some personal recommendations of my friends:
Http://www.myspace.com/greenlawns or http://www.theleapyear.com Steven Trimmer, formerly of my high school band Transient. He left SUNY Purchase (school of Regina Spektor and other brooklyn stars) for Athens Georgia (Elephant 6) and then left Athens for Cassadega, Florida (Theospohists and Freemasons) This guy’s music is BEAUTIFUL. The most common reaction is: Why isn’t this guy signed? I don’t think he thinks much about that though. He’s more into Hildegard of Bingen and St Francis of Assissi than making demos for labels.
Http://www.myspace.com/thechangingcolors Conor Bourgal of Pale Room, the manitou super jam gods of 2006 (including but not limited to Chris Bullock, Dan Spampinato, Christian Sequoia, and Bink from the rock shop). He is on the road right now, bumming around Long Island and writing lovely pieces like these.
Soon I will post some picks from my biweekly DJing night at Shuga’s (1st, 3rd and 5th wednesdays of each month)
I dont have that Stars album you speak of. I have “The Tired Sounds” though. I dont really have much of Charalambides (sic) though I do like their track on the Gold Leaf Branches compilation on Digitalis (Tulsa, OK) which is a great 3cd set of eerie music like that. Hush Arbors and other great spooky folkness from backyard America.
top songs of ‘7 in no particular order:
‘By Tomorrow,’ by Candie Payne.
her album, ‘i wish i could have loved you more’, hasn’t been released stateside yet, but it’s out in the UK.
‘Paris 1919,’ by Final Fantasy.
owen pallett, who does the string arrangements & sometimes tours with arcade fire has been playing this live a lot, and there are mp3’s floating around of him performing this song with cadence weapon on KEXP, i think. it’s a john cale cover.
‘everybody’s down’ by no age.
from one of the ep’s they put out this year, i can’t remember which.
‘breaker’ by low
from drums & guns. i liked it. a lot.
and just for gits & shiggles…
‘less than zero’ by elvis costello.
my aim is true was rereleased again this year. it’s beautiful. original artwork, in mono. it’s like listening to vinyl in the car.
and i think juno is, far and away, the best film of the year.
wow — what a great thread this is, and great recommendations all around!!
RE Stars of the Lid, here’s a funny and illuminating little review a homey posted of one of their newer tracks on Thee Pitchfork back in March
“…my god, they’re actually taking on motherfucking ‘Send in the Clowns’”
On the personal recommendation of friends tip, Christopher Willits’ “Surf Boundaries” on Ghostly was a worthwhile stop this past year.
You can check him out opening for Stars of the Lid’s upcoming US tour this spring — and hear a track from a forthcoming release he’s doing with Sakamoto at his website
suedebritches — do you like 12k records stuff?? i’m just starting to explore their catalog more, and goddam. makes you want to drop cash you don’t have on super-fancy headphones (and drugs).
re 12k, I like taylor deupree alot out of them. though in that style I tend to stray towards Touch UK, and Keith Fullerton Whitman.
I have a lots of Shuttle358, thanks herr M. (12k) There is a nice warmth to the Shuttle358 tracks… they’re not so terribly lost in the notion of being “difficult,” but manage to anchor themselves in something… umm… analog, or emotional. They’re a lot like a huge foreplay session, prior to blasting a Signaldrift track (umm, thanks again… Lars/Herr M.). And yes… good headphones, and at least a Xanax would definitely improve the experience.
Speaking of Ghostly/Spectral… the new Matthew Dear is a delight. Giddy almost. I really like many tracks from it. (esp. Neighbors and Don & Sherri.)
andy… I loved the no age track–and many others. (It’s from Weirdo Rippers.)
as for Touch… I loved the Fennesz track “Transit” enough (with David Sylvian on vocals) that I accidentally bought the CD twice… its okay, they have lovely packaging.
I forgot to include Shearwater’s “Palo Santo” in my earlier list. “Going is Song” and “Hail, Mary” are devastating. Very Mark Hollis/Talk Talk in spirit, though not really in sound. LOVED the entire album, start to finish. Hopefully KRCC will bring them here.
i remember in the early 00s (Naughts?) EVERYBODY got into laptop ambient, and there was a huge glut of electronic releases at Other Music in NYC (www.othermusic.com) and a few laptop open mics every weekend. now its sort of slown down a little. They all had that gooey/crunchy Powerbook sound.
Shuttle358 is definintely pretty stuff..all reminds me of those Clicks n Cuts compilations out on Milles Plateaux, I had volumes 1-3 i think. The great thing about those was their French intellectualism, shown by a 10 page manifesto on glitch theory, in the album packaging.
Some other faves were Twine, Donnacha Costello, Electric Birds, Loscil, Aeroc, E*vax, ANdrew Pekler, Colleen,.. have not heard much of the new Burial “Untrue” though its made #1 on a lot of Top Ten this year. Supposed to be spooky. I like Barbra Mortgenstern’s albums, good German ambient-pop. Hard to get tired of.
I have my own 8-bit ambient works at http://www.myspace.com/ruthnaomimusic made with my MS-DOS program.
Once I get my MAC unbugged (Finder doesnt load the toolbar, and there are no icons for my hard drives=can’t start apps or look around the directories) I can get back into it and add synths.
The 2007 interest in Balaeric slow-disco was refreshing, the best mixes were by Daniele Baldelli, one of the originators of the sound in the early 80s.