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December 31, 2007
Individual lists: BEST ALBUMS OF 2007, MERRY SWANKSTER
20. Bishop Allen -The Broken String
Guilty pleasures are defined by questionable validity from the critical canon, pan-accessibility, and most of all a slight embarrassment. If any of those three things truly determined the music we enjoyed we'd all be in serious trouble of exploding from "am I cool?" anxiety. Thankfully, irresistible pop from Bishop Allen was around to alleviate such ridiculous, asinine methodology. Because sometimes all you need is an honest sounding pop tale, and few did it better with such simplicity this year.
Favorite tracks: "Rain", "Flight 180", "Click, Click, Click, Click"
19. Phosphorescent - Pride
Matthew Houck is the one man force behind Phosphorescent, which you may or not know is the word for the emission of light without burning, sometimes referred to as "afterglow". The soft, slow burning sounds emitted by Mr. Houck's folk-tinged Pride seem to fit into that definition rather gorgeously.
Favorite tracks: "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise", "My Dove, My Lamb", "Wolves"
18. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
This era's most improbably popular musical basket case strikes again. Offensive, nails on the chalkboard sounds like digital static, sudden high-pitched vocal squeals (think 13 year old boy going through puberty fluctuations), and ear-piercing screaming is dexterously fished from some mythical junkyard of circus noise and repatriated into perfectly difficult pieces of each composition's puzzle along with surprising elements of harmonies and indeed, melody. Without argument, masterful. Still probably headphone music, but go ahead and freak out your friends and neighbors anyway. They don't know what they're missing.
Favorite tracks: "For Reverend Green", "Unsolved Mysteries"
17. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
From the first three words of the title cut, "My greatest fear" to closer chorus "was not seen again", Deerhunter haunted, entertained, shocked, piqued interest leading to reference digging and sent tongues wagging -- often all at once. Once you got past the splashy tabloid worthy headlines, all apt descriptions for the album. Also, nod for best sonic representation of a scary nightmare where you're left alone and lost in a dark, dank cave.
Favorite tracks:"Heatherwood", "Strange Lights", "Cryptograms"
16. Justice - †
Ever wonder what would happen if the next generation of French DJs took over the Rock/Techno/Awesome baton of Daft Punk and added even more gigantic arena-rock sentiments and aspirations? No? Here is your answer anyway.
Favorite tracks: "Genesis", "D.A.N.C.E.", "Phantom"
15. Arthur & Yu - In Camera
In a list glutted with excellently updated takes on dance, glam, Americana by way of 60s pop or otherwise, and Bruuuuuce spawns, Arthur & Yu is unlike anything else while still sounding familiar. If My Bloody Valentine is the go-to reference for the noisy meandering of certain rock and rollers with footwear facing dispositions, then Velvet Underground seems the clichéd bet for grounded psych rock built around scratchy 60s music. In the face of conventional wisdom I agree with my comrade on the VU hop being fairly misplaced. Perhaps a less harmonious Simon & Garfunkel with less sheen. Better yet would be something rougher and less beautiful than Camera Obscura. Like a long nostalgic conversation with an old, dear friend - cozy, warm and well acquainted. Have you met Arthur and Yu?
Favorite tracks: "There Are Too Many Birds", "Afterglow", "Lion's Mouth"
14. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
America's most dependable band continues to showcase their chops by churning nugget after nugget of fantastically crafted pop. Succeeding in reaching at influences without explicitly trying to recreate them. So what about that baby talk album title? Nonsensical? Or an allusion to their prowess in producing delicious rock and roll coated candy? Either way, everybody wins.
Favorite tracks: "Underdog", "Target"
13. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Because Brian Wilson on acid would be doubly redundant, Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) put hundreds of music writers (and their thesauruses) on a path of wordy explanation when attempting to describe the echoing chamber of 60s soundscapes he created on Person Pitch. Consider this an admission of failure in attempting to revise what I consider the cheapest form of musical commentary (e.g. _____ sounds like _____ on acid).
Favorite tracks: "Take Pills", "I'm Not"
12. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Neon Bible finds the band grown up, so to speak, from the majestic debut of Funeral. Montreal's emotional marauders shifted their focus from the coming of age challenges defined in Funeral to confront some very adult, very relevant themes on their second long form album. However romanticised, Arcade Fire is a band obsessed with the purity of innocence and the pursuit of justice - in search of human truths, whether pretty or pockmarked with warts. Neon Bible doesn't present the same levels of exuberance compared to it's predecessor, but that thirst for existence in visceral anguish remains. Whether coming to terms with the lies we tell ourselves on "Black Mirror", ruminating on complex religious saviours on "The Well and the Lighthouse", or reeling in the post-9/11 burning paranoia of "Windowsill".
Favorite tracks: "No Cars Go", "Keep the Car Running", "The Well and the Lighthouse"
11. Feist - The Reminder
Squeezed out of the top ten, but for what it's worth - the best album of the year to share with your parents. Not to say Ms. Leslie Feist is hokey, no sir (though that depends on your parents). With a voice that never veers far from the narrow window of tentative inward breathiness, Feist isn't built to blow you away. However, it's that authentic weariness that propels way past the limitations of those overworked vocal chords to give credence to all the tales she spins. With a great knack for vocal timing to boot, Feist clearly knows how to use her strengths for maximum benefit. You'll feel it all too.
Favorite tracks: "Sea Lion Woman", "I Feel it All", "The Limit to Your Love"
10. Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls
Eleven songs ready for the mix Cd's of tortured, unrequited, and all other forlorn forms of love of the future. My go-to choice for non-offensive musical accompaniment during hosting duties at the crib. Breezy, and catchy enough for almost any occasion. Also, #1 most requested band to the excited "who are these guys!?" question from the uninitiated. Remember that one for the play at home version of Merry Swankster Feud; coming, never.
Favorite tracks: "To the East", "The Greater Times", "After the Call"
9. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Lost in the shuffle of the brouhaha caused by the buyer-defined price point ("no, really") was a wonderful new Radiohead album. Existing in some weird middle ground of career revisiting, slightly alleviated paranoia, and relatively curbed experimentation. Like a mixed bag of all things Radiohead from the last 15 years. In other words, pretty great.
Favorite tracks: "15 Step", "Nude", "House of Cards"
8. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Sunset Rubdown's second release in as many years is a deeper adventure into the mind of wunderkind Spencer Krug. Trudging atop the rope stretching from literary art-rock to contemporary medieval interpretations, Mr Krug finds inspiration in women's dresses, the making of unicorns, and big cat analogies for bored housewives. Extrapolating the sowing of wild oats from the African cat and not some comment on the 'urban cougar' movement however, Krug prefers leopards for the simile.
Favorite tracks: "Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days", "Winged/Wicked Things", "The Taming of the Hands That Came Back To Life"
7. Besnard Lakes - Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
Besnard Lakes are the dark horse with their sonic assault that will creep on you from behind, envelop you from all sides and rapidly take over your music playing devices one pretty harmony and monster riff at a time. If this is the direction independent music is taking in redefining the intents of progressive rock then count me in for the ride.
Favorite tracks: "Disaster", "Because Tonight", "Devastation"
6. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Will Sheff's adroitness with wordplay is eventually going to get the guy into serious trouble. Arguably one of the best lyricists of our time, on Stage Names, Sheff presents his view of the world through the reality warping prism of tour vans and pop culture. Without necessarily passing judgement on the height of the cultural brow, everything ends up simmered in an exhausting pace of post-modern witticisms. A veritable clusterfuck of headiness. All that, and "Unless It's Kicks" brilliant riffage.
(P.S. - I read somewhere that should you ever need a good trivia guy, Will Sheff is your man. I agree with that.)
Favorite tracks: "Unless It's Kicks", "Plus Ones", "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe"
5. The National - Boxer
"I better get my shit together, better gather my shit"
Matt Berninger is intense. His words are intense. Most intense for those of the X through Y generations especially. On Boxer his words are heavy and never accidental. No shortage of examples detailed in the type of fantastic wordplay reprinted above. Prevailing themes of losing control over life, familiar inspiration (or lack thereof) of growing up in middle class America and all it's real or make pretend anxieties. Be it relationships, careerism, growing up, not growing up, when to grow up, all pop up repeatedly in the magnificent lyrics of Mr. Berninger. Like he sings on "Guest Room", who born between 1972 - 1985 hasn't felt like they shouldn't be sent to "prison for jerks" at one point or another? This year's version of "Boys and Girls in America" comes a bit less obvious, is found in the goth kid's bedroom journal, is delivered with a large dose of melodrama, and never got drunk in the parking lot.
Favorite tracks: "Mistaken For Strangers", "Apartment Story", "Fake Empire"
4. Caribou - Andorra
2007 was a great year for fans of new interpretations of 1960s psych-rock and Caribou's lovely release was no exception. Lusciously busy in every way but not so much that its ambition distracted. Dan Snaith's PhD worthy math rock succeeds by coming off pleasantly tender both musically and lyrically where the other math groups try to get you on their impressive structural complexity. Which is cool and all, but at the end of the day what resounds most with me is the end and not the means.
Favorite tracks: "Melody Day", "She's the One"
3. M.I.A. - Kala
Describing my love for Kala is like describing why I enjoy traveling, or smiles. Completely ineffable. Have you seen the Discovery Channel's amazing "Planet Earth" series in high-def? It's a completely breathtaking production that takes you to far flung places all over the world and shows you shit that you sorta knew was there, but never really had the imagination to fully envision. Places like caves, jungles, and deserts are showed in colorful ways that blow you away with the diverse vibrancy of flora and fauna. One particularly harrowing episode showed a pride of desperate lions hunting and eating an elephant in the dead of night. Listening to Kala is like that violent scene in that after your done with it, you can't believe it was possible, but clearly it just happened. Unlike seeing a poor elephant eaten by a gang of bloodthirsty lions, M.I.A. will make you feel alive. She'll also bring the smiles from her runnings around the world to you.
Favorite tracks: "Boyz", "Paper Planes", "$20", "Bamboo Banger"
2. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Youthful idealism, lost lovers, foreign impressions, large East Coast metropolises, drugs. Not exactly novel subjects in the tomes of recorded music. So why does it come off so clear and present and right for "this moment" when integrated as part of an LCD Soundsystem song? Just something about the way James Murphy's simple language - in both the rock/punk/electro production and matter-of-fact vocal delivery - that resounds so much when listening to this touchstone album. The man delivered a classic for the ages. Material this strong should not be taken for granted. One of my many favorite lines comes courtesy of the stunning "All My Friends", in which the audacity of attempting impossible tasks correlates directly with the age of the dreamer. It's this merging of all the music we love and all the things we think about that makes us love this shit.
"We set controls for the heart of the sun, one of the ways that we show our age."
Favorite tracks: "All My Friends", "Someone Great", "North American Scum"
1. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Was there ever really any doubt that Kevin Barnes masterpiece concept will be topping the awesome year of music that was 2007? Considering the fact it was leaked well over a year ago and I'm still not even close to bored with it speaks volumes for the quality of the work. From the telling inspiration of his baby's cry starting off the ode to painful separation on "Suffer For Fashion" all the way through the cathartic chronology listing the ascent of a new, modern glam hero named Georgie Fruit, through to the latter half's effervescent funkiness, this was as close to being a perfect album as anything. Barnes has never been shy in the liberal use of vocal effects and intensifying electronic beats in his work, and this album was no different from others except that it was so overwhelmingly well done that it was impossible to walk away from. Not at least without a shimmy of the bum and a spin.
Favorite tracks: Every single one
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Battles - Mirrored
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Chromatics - Night Drive
Glass Candy - B/E/A/T/B/O/X
Best cover:
"All My Friends" - both by Franz Ferdinand & John Cale
When the source is this strong...
Biggest Disappointments:
Interpol - Our Love To Admire - I liked Antics, but not enough to get a repackaged version.
White Stripes - Icky Thump - This coming from the guy who adored Get Behind Me Satan and all its campy vintage Film star inspirations.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder - Did anyone make it past that horrendous opening track? What the fuck guys?
Worst use of expensive studio time:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Some Loud Thunder" - See above
Posted by Merry Swankster at December 31, 2007 12:30 PM
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