My 10 Favorite Albums of 2007.

Wow, what a great year in music! I would say that my top 3 albums could be a #1 album in any given year, but the strength of releases this year has these great albums crowded at the top. Random Spirit Lover is easily my favorite album of the year, however, In Rainbows and Boxer might as well be tied at #2 as they are both that good. I wish I had more time to listen to all the well received albums released this year, but I can only critique the one's that found their way to me this year. Without futher ado...

1. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

Random Spirit Lover (RSL) is the single best album I have heard in the past five years and maybe even in this decade. This album is so complex and quirky but in all of the right ways. The first several listens of RSL can be rough but it has some innate quality that makes one continually come back to it. The payoff is a musical adventure in which each song blends into the next like a true album should. Granted the songs themselves are amazing but it is the cohesiveness of the recordings as a continuous work that make this album so amazing. In my eyes Spencer Krug has become the writer of this generation and I can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.

Best Songs - "The Mending of the Gown", "The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life", "Winged/Wicked Things

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows

In Rainbows was released with a myriad of attention for the way in which Radiohead marketed and sold this album, but shouldn't we be focusing on the album itself? Let's forget the hype and what we find is arguably Radiohead's best album to date. In Rainbows finds a band that is finally comfortable in its own skin. The songs here do not sound forced or experimental as some of their past releases have come off as. Instead, In Rainbows finds a Radiohead producing an effortless and natural sound all being the culmination of their past works. If this album was released in any other year it could easily be my number one album, but 2007 was just too damn good.

Best Songs - "All I Need", "Bodysnatchers", "Reckoner"

3. The National - Boxer

The National have a crafted an album that is truly a classic. Boxer is an album that will age like a fine wine and be one that will hold relevance 10 years into the future. The songs have an understated beauty that reveals itself in each listen. I have seen numerous references to Boxer as a "grower" and while this sentiment is true there is still plenty of immediacy to this album as well. Buy it, enjoy it, period.

Best Songs - "Fake Empire", "Mistaken for Strangers", "Apartment Story"

4. Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...

Broken Social Scene (BSL) references are inescapable but necessary as Kevin Drew is the chief songwriter for that outfit and it is with Kevin Drew's Spirit If... one can recognize his importance to the band's success. Kevin Drew is nothing other than a extremely solid songwriter and to discount this record because he released it under the Broken Social Scene moniker is missing the point entirely. Kevin Drew's songwriting will always be inseparable from the Broken Social Scene sound because of his major role in shaping that sound, and while Broken Social Scene members contributed to this album the majority of its sound is Kevin Drew steering the ship to its ultimate destination. This album smells and tastes like BSL but with a quality of its own. Mmmmm, yummy.

Best Songs - "Safety Bricks", "Lucky Ones", Frightening Lives", "Backed Out on the..."

5. Menomena - Friend and Foe

Friend and Foe is an album that seems so schizophrenic but somehow manages to hold everything together. This dichotomy of sound weaves between intense, driving, and beautiful and its many personalities are what makes this album so interesting. Inventive and creative all while finding itself accessible Friend and Foe is an album that I can see myself coming back to in the future and only appreciating more with time.

Best Songs - "The Pelican", "Wet and Rusting", "My My"

6. Handsome Furs - Plague Park

Handsome Furs is no more than Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade), Alexei Perry, a guitar, and a drum machine. Now this statement may lack the inclusion of synthesizers, but I want to reflect the simplicity of the approach taken in Plague Park. Boeckner has stated that the album was "to be as sparse and repetitive as possible" and while this repetition is achieved in sorts the album is not sterile by any means. Plague Park takes a bit of Wolf Parade and a little bit of New Order and lets everyone know that Wolf Parade is not a one man show.

Best Songs - "What We Had", "Dead + Rural", "Handsome Furs Hate This City"

7. Okkervill River - The Stage Names

The Stage Names is a songwriter's album in that Okkervill River has no gimmicks but just great songs. The songs are naked and raw and reflect the mature songwriting that one would expect of Will Sheff. The Stage Names is not trying to slap you in the face, but is that stray dog that gently finds a place in your heart and makes a home.

Best Songs - "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe", "Plus Ones", "John Allyn Smith Sails", "Girl In Port"

8. Panda Bear - Person Pitch

The best way I can describe Person Pitch is if someone locked Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in a room for days with only a knowledge of electronic based music/sampling and a month's supply of acid. The product is something that seems so recognizable but so new all at the same time. The only negative to this album is that it is not one that will find its way into your CD player on a daily basis. Person Pitch is a mood album and by this I mean you have to be in a certain mood to want to listen to it, but when you find that mood, it is well worth it.

Best Songs - "Bros", "Comfy in Nautica", "Im Not"

9. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse

The two opening songs "Disaster" and "For Agent 13" are an extremely powerful opening to a great album, however, the album unfortunately cannot maintain the pace set by these great songs. Don't let this distress you though as the remainder of the album is good, but suffers from its own creation of high expectations.

Best Songs - "For Agent 13", "Disaster", "Because Tonight"

10. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War

I am going to borrow from my review of this album as I took a lot of time in figuring out how I exactly wanted to describe this album so here it goes... Stars have always achieved a charming quality through the interaction of the voices of Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan and In Our Bedroom After the War continues this relationship without being 'rinse and repeat'. The duet of Campbell and Millan sing the gambit from feuding lovers to pop perfectionists and we are all the better for it in joining in for the ride.

Best Songs - "The Night starts Here", "Window Bird", "Take Me to the Riot"

Midlake - "Roscoe"

The end of the year in the blogosphere brings many lists of bloggers' favorite songs of the year, but let's look back at one of the best songs of 2006. Midlake's "Roscoe" is a remarkable and enchanting song that sounds like it would be more comfortable in the 1970's than in 2006. "Roscoe" has an aged feeling to it but it never grows tired. I recently found two different versions of this song that while faithful to the original give the song a new and exciting feel.

Midlake - "Roscoe" (Acoustic)
Midlake - "Roscoe" (Beyond the Wizards Sleeve Remix)
Midlake - "Roscoe" (Original Version)

Radiohead - "All I Need"

Take a beautiful Radiohead song and edit in breathtaking footage from the 1996 French film "Microcosmos" and this is what you get. Despite the borrowing and mashing of these two works of art into this video, it is an excellent work nonetheless. I almost wish it was the official video for this song.

My 50 Favorite Songs of 2007

I wish this list could be more comprehensive but this is the best I could do. I know there are a ton of other great songs from this year, but like the title says these were my favorite songs and the songs that found me.

1. Sunset Rubdown - "Mending of the Gown"
2. Radiohead - "All I Need"
3. Sunset Rubdown - "The Taming of the Hands That Came Back to Life"
4. Sunset Rubdown - "Winged/Wicked Things"
5. Sunset Rubdown - "Idiot Heart"
6. Handsome Furs - "What We Had"
7. The National - "Fake Empire"
8. Panda Bear - "Bros"
9. Besnard Lakes - "For Agent 13"
10. Radiohead - "Bodysnatchers"
11. LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
12. Burial - "Archangel"
13. The Arcade Fire - "Intervention"
14. Radiohead - "Reckoner"
15. Battles - "Atlas"
    
16. Yeasayer - "2080"
17. The Arcade Fire - "No Cars Go"
18. Menomena - "The Pelican"
    
19. Kevin Drew - "Safety Bricks"
20. The National - "Mistaken for Strangers"
21. Sunset Rubdown - "Child-Heart Losers"
    
22. Handsome Furs - "Dead + Rural"
23. Radiohead - "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
24. Okkervill River - "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe"
25. Les Savy Fav - "What Would Wolves Do?"
26. Sunset Rubdown - "Magic vs. Midas"
27. Radiohead - "House of Cards"
    
28. Menomena - "Wet and Rusting"
29. Panda Bear - "Comfy In Nautica"
30. Los Campesinos! - "You! Me! Dancing!"
    
31. Stars - "The Night Starts Here"
32. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Emily Jean Stock"
33. M.I.A. - "$20"
34. Blonde Redhead - "23"
35. LCD Soundsystem - "Someone Great"
    
36. Kevin Drew - "Lucky Ones"
    
37. Explosions in the Sky - "It's Natural to Be Afraid"
38. The Field - "A Paw in My Face"
39. Spoon - "Underdog"
40. Kevin Drew - "Backed Out On the Cause"
41. The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbor"
    
42. Band of Horses - "Is There a Ghost"
43. The Octopus Project - "Bees Bein' Strugglin'"
    
44. Okkervill River - "John Allyn Smith Sails"
    
45. Timbaland - "The Way I Are"
    
46. Band of Horses - "No One's Gonna Love You"
47. Les Savy Fav - "Patty Lee"
48. Okkervill River - "Unless It's Kicks"
49. Kevin Drew - "Frightening Lives"
50. Arcade Fire - "Keep the Car Running"

Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War

The ending of the year finds me scrambling to listen to all of the albums I purchased earlier in the year but never gave the proper time to listen to and digest. An unfortunate victim of just such neglect is the Stars' release of In Our Bedroom After the War. The Stars' prior album Set Yourself On Fire was one of my favorite albums of 2005 but despite my love of that album I was inexplicably apathetic to give the Stars' newest release a listen. That being said I am glad I have finally given this album the attention it deserves. Stars have always achieved a charming quality through the interaction of the voices of Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan and this album continues this relationship without being 'rinse and repeat'. The duet of Campbell and Millan sing the gambit from feuding lovers to pop perfectionists and we are all the better for it in joining in for the ride. The album overall is very good but lacks that one true great song to put it in that next level. (7.5/10)

Stars - "The Night Starts Here"
Stars - "Window Bird"
Stars - "The Ghost of Genova Heights"

Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2007

The cork sniffers over at Pitchfork released their list of what they deem as the top 50 albums of 2007 which can be found here. While I agree that many of the albums on the list deserve to be there I will never agree with the order in which they are placed. Pitchfork is a great place to start in seeking out new music, but they have an affinity to praise experimentation rather than the overall product of the music itself. But hey, music is subjective. I will be posting a list of my favorite albums closer to the end of the year, as I am holding off on doing so as there are still some great albums that need more attention before I am ready to proclaim any favorites. That being said, my favorite album of this year is Sunset Rubdown's Random Spirit Lover which was left off of Pitchfork's list altogether. What gives Pitchfork?

Los Campesinos!

Los Campesinos! hail from England and I only mention that because I am actually writing about a group NOT from Canada! Now here is some music that one will take to quickly as it is energetic, catchy, and infectious. Here are some good samples and I look forward to their first full length album scheduled to drop on April 1, 2008.

Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!
Los Campesinos! - The International Tweexcore Underground
Los Campesinos! - Please Don't Tell Me to Do the Maths

Tracy Morgan in El Paso

Old news but I forgot how funny this is.

Songs to Wake Up To...

I posted the other day about waking up to Sunset Rubdown's "Stadiums and Shrines II" but failed to explain exactly how that happened. All you need is a computer hooked up to speakers and this nifty program found here and you can wake up to whatever song you wish and at whatever time. It's obvious that most of you will want to wake up to Metallica's "Master of the Puppets" but I am going to recommend some more peaceful songs to begin your day.

Sigur Rós - Untitled 4
Aphex Twin - Flim
Stars - Calendar Girl
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - In This Home on Ice
Coldplay - Don't Panic
Tool - Disposition

Sunset Rubdown - Daytrotter Session Encore

For those unfamiliar with Daytrotter.com it can best be described by the site itself:

"We are going to contribute to the musical landscape, not just toss it around like a used book or a stolen pick-up line. We’re going to give you something that you truly have never heard. We are not giving you songs from someone you love’s record album, thereby stealing from someone you love. We’re giving you exclusive, re-worked, alternate versions of old songs and unreleased tracks by some of your favorite bands and by a lot of your next favorite bands."

I wish I had the resources to start a project like Daytrotter.com but my meager means leaves me to just pointing people to great music. Anyways, here are the products of Sunset Rubdown's encore visit to Daytrotter's studio which is truly great stuff.

Sunset Rubdown - True Colors (Daytrotter Session Encore)
Sunset Rubdown - Idiot Heart (Daytrotter Session Encore)
Sunset Rubdown - The Mending of the Gown (Daytrotter Session Encore)

Nickelback "Rockstar" Video: A National Crisis...

Ok, time to make fun of some shit. Luckily, I don't have to write much as this video is its own bit. Maybe if video games like "Rock Band" (see prior post) existed when the members of Nickleback were growing up we wouldn't have to deal with these no talent ass clowns taking their "rockstar" dreams out on us innocent civilians.

Unfortunately for you and I, Nickleback is alive and well. The most appalling part of this debacle though is that as of 11/30/2007 their video for "Rockstar" is the top selling video on iTunes. That means fucktards around America and heaven knows where else spent actual money on this colossal piece of monkey turds!!! Who listens to this crap much less watches the video on their iPods even more than once? The only person who I could imagine remotely enjoying this video/song would have to be the illegitimate love child of Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson who was subsequently raised by Danny Bonaduce and a pack of wild dogs. If you bought this video and you don't call Danny Bonaduce "Pops", call me and I will come to your house and beat you with a rubber hose or whatever Milwaukee's beast bottles you have laying around!

Spencer Krug is a Musical Genius

Who wants to spearhead a Spencer Krug fanclub? I do, I do...

I woke up this morning to Spencer Krug and company performing "Stadiums and Shrines II" from the Sunset Rubdown album Shut Up I am Dreaming. I first heard this song about a year ago and it still gets to me every time I listen to it. The song just gives off such sincere emotion and passion one can't deny its power. The more I try to push Krug's projects aside to listen to newer music a Sunset Rubdown or Wolf Parade CD inevitably finds its way back into my CD changer (That's right, I buy CD's. I know, that's sooo 1990). I will stop gushing over Krug for the time being as I am starting to feel like some prepubescent girl who adorns her walls with NKOTB posters or NSYNC posters for you younger folks. Without further ado, here is "Stadiums and Shrines II". 0:18 seconds into the song is pure magic...

Sunset Rubdown - "Stadiums and Shrines II"

The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse and Charlie Day

In watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia I noticed that Charlie sometimes wears a shirt that resembles The Besnard Lakes album cover for Are the Dark Horse. They are not exactly the same but a fun observation nonetheless. Here is "For Agent 13" which is one of my favorite tracks from the Besnard Lakes album.

The Besnard Lakes - For Agent 13

Rock Band - Guitar Hero on Steroids

So you like Guitar Hero but wish more of your inebriated friends could join in... In comes Rock Band a new game from Electronic Arts/MTV. Rock Band goes to the next level by incorporating guitar, vocals, bass and drums. Rock Band is geared towards team play as the better everyone does within the group the higher the bonuses they will receive. The game costs $169.99 and includes 45 licensed tracks with additional tracks that can be downloaded. I am going to stick to playing real instruments but if I could not play the real thing I would definitely rock out in this game. Metacritic score: 9.5

Cowbell Hero

The Octopus Project - Hello, Avalanche

Hello, Avalanche, is The Octopus Project's third full length album and from what I have heard from it so far is full of all instrumental pop greatness. I had no prior knowledge of the band and have not listened to the full album yet but I am really liking these songs so far. Happy Friday!

The Octopus Project - "Bees Bein Strugglin"
The Octopus Project - "Truck"

Sigur Ros - Two Worlds Collide

For those of you that knew me in my high school days are aware that I was somewhat (wink) into Smashing Pumpkins at that time. Well my music past is colliding with my music present in that it is reported that Sigur Rós (one of my favorite current artists) is working on a new album with producer Mark "Flood" Ellis (Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness). I am looking forward to the combination but only time will tell with the results. Sigur Rós can make songs so beautiful your heart will cease beating so get out that defibrillator:

Sigur Rós - "Sæglópur"
Sigur Rós - "Untitled 4"

Wicked Scepter - The Greatest band you have never heard of...

...or not.

Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won

My Dad sent me a youtube clip of a great live performance from Ten Years After and it made me yearn for great live classic rock. Then I remembered buying this CD several weeks back and figured I would share some of the tracks that I thought were highlights. This is Zeppelin at their best:

Led Zeppelin - "Over the Hills and Far Away"
Led Zeppelin - "Going to California"
Led Zeppelin - "Heartbreaker"

Dan Bejar

Dan Bejar wears many hats while being in such groups as the New Pornographers, Destroyer, Swan Lake and now Hello Blue Roses. Hello Blue Roses is a new project that includes Dan Bejar and his main squeeze Sydney Vermont. The new song by Hello Blue Roses is titled "My Shadow Falls" and is making its way around the blogosphere. The song is a good song in its own right, but is not one of my favorite works from the prolific Bejar. I mainly wanted to take this opportunity to highlight other great Bejar works:

Hello Blue Roses - "My Shadow Falls"
Destroyer - "Rubies"
Destroyer - "European Oils"
Destroyer - "Painter in Your Pocket"

Journey - "Seperate Ways"

My friend Michael and I were discussing the sheer genius behind ESPN Page 2 writer Bill Simmons' take on the Journey video provided below:

• "29. Journey - Seperate Ways: A recipe for bliss: Take one of the cheesiest-yet-enjoyable bands of that era (Journey), bring them to an empty shipyard, have them play invisible instruments and lip-synch the hell out of their best song, throw in some ridiculous slow-motion closeups and multi-picture edits, and have a hot girl with a bad haircut walking around for no reason whatsoever. And if that's not enough, lead singer Steve Perry gives one of the greatest performances of the last 35 years -- he throws himself into this thing like DeNiro or Pacino. It's incredible. Everything about this slays me. If somebody gave me five minutes to sum up the '80s, I would just show them this video and be done with it."
  

Enjoy the video and enjoy the entire article found here.

Dexter -Sundays on Showtime 9/8c

For those who have never seen Dexter you really should check it out. Hopefully this post is not too cyriptic, but I don't want to reveal all those secrets that make this show so compelling but here it goes...

Dexter chronicles the life of a serial killer that works for the Miami Police Department as a blood spatter analyst. Dexter was orphaned at the age of three when his mother was brutally murdered right in front of him and was left in a pool of her blood for days before being found by the police. Harry Morgan was one of the first officers to arrive at the scene of the slaying of Dexter's mother and subsequently raises Dexter as his own. Harry quickly recognizes Dexter's sociopathic urges and raises him in a manner that helps Dexter exercise these urges through what is reffered to as the "code". The "code" is a set of rules which look like this:

1. Killing innocents is NEVER allowed
   


2. Always take time and make sure you have the right person-EVIDENCE
   


3. Be extremely careful with the killing and more importantly the PREPARATION!
   


4. Remember: YOU control your urges to kill, they don't control you.
   


5. Fake emotion and normalness to fit in.

Season 1 is basically an introduction to Dexter's character and how he uses the "code" to curb his sociopathic urges. This season also chronichles the "ice truck killer" which becomes an intense plot line late in the season and into the finale. Season 1 is availible now on DVD and is defenitely recommended.

Season 2 starts slow as the writers have to deal with the hangover of the "ice truck killer" plot line; however, Dexter is beginning to gain some serious momentum in the last couple of episodes. Fellow officer Sgt. Doakes of the Miami Police Department has always sensed something amiss about Dexter, but unlike last season the writers present a more proactive Sgt. Doakes this time around who is actively pursuing answers to these lingering suspicions. The Doakes and Dexter tension finally came to a head in this weeks episode (Episode 8) and is sure to be a very compelling plotline for the immediate future and remainder of the season.

Season 2 also shows the writers willingness to explore Dexter's vulnerabilities. The beginning of the season has Dexter on edge as the Miami Police have found the underwater graves of several dozen of Dexter's victims. The FBI is brought in and the hunt is on for what the media deems "The Bay Harbor Butcher" or unbenownst to authorities someone within the very police department trying to solve these crimes. With constant media pressure and an escalating investigation we begin to see a Dexter that is less confident and more vulnarable as he begins to feel emotions possibly stemming from his fear that if he is revealed for who he really is then Dexter will face his own mortaility. This vulnerability may not last long as Dexter is coming to grips with his emotions and is showing signs of returning to that perfect killer he was in season 1 which makes this season and this show truly great TV.

Mixtape 1

Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost?
Sunset Rubdown - The Meanding of the Gown
Kevin Drew - Safety Bricks
Les Savy Fav - What Would Wolves Do?
Yeasayer - 2080
Menomena - Wet and Rusting

Kevin Drew + J Mascis = Gold

Kevin Drew - "Backed Out on the Cause "

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has to be the best comedy on TV right now...

Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew-Spirit If...

Kevin drew is one of the founders and chief songwriters of the Canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene (BSS). Spirit If... is the latest compilation of songs written by Kevin Drew as a solo album of sorts with the caveat that this offering is influenced by the appearance of BSS members. Thus, the album hints of BSS but one can tell that Kevin Drew is the captain of the ship this time around. Those familiar with BSS's works can discern the BSS's members influences, but in my opinion there is enough distance between BSS and Kevin Drew as a solo artist that makes these works refreshing and enjoyable in their own right. If you like BSS than give this album a whirl, you will be glad you did. (8.5/10)

Sunset Rubdown-Random Spirit Lover

Infectious, progressive and somewhat avant-garde Random Spirit Lover is not your father's "prog rock". Sunset Rubdown is yet another of indie darling Spencer Krug's (Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Swan Lake) side projects and with the release of their latest album Random Spirit Lover arguably his strongest work to date. Random Spirit Lover takes a while to sink in to your conscious but when it finally crawls into your head you will find yourself singing its melodies in your sleep. This album can only be described as the crowning achievement in the early, yet prolific career of Spencer Krug. I don't want to oversell this album but it is the most exciting music I have heard in years so buy yourself a copy and listen to it until your ears bleed. It will sink in eventually and you can thank me later. (10/10)