Lacey's 2008 Compilation of the Best Albums of 2007

I decided about two weeks ago that it is necessary that I compile my own list of best albums of 2007 since that seems to be the thing to do this time of year. Actually, it would have been more that time of year about a month ago but here we are.

Unfortunately, I've yet to acquire the importance to have musicians send me free copies of their album to review. Instead, this list will be made out of the 17 albums of 2007 that I do own. (New plan: three of those are newly acquired (Tegan & Sara, Lyle Lovett, and Neil Young) and I haven't had a chance to listen to them, so those will be eliminated from this list. Also, Elliott Smith's "New Moon" is a posthumous, two-disc album (and the second posthumous for that matter) which I don't think should be included because I don't want to judge Mr. Smith inadequately and I don't think this album gives him enough credit.) So change that list to 13 albums to review. And reminder, I am no professional critic. These aren't necessarily my favorite albums in order. I do try to concentrate more on quality than my personal affection, but I am not completely unbiased. Starting at the 13th position in my list:

13. Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War:
Slightly disappointing from Stars. Turning away from their roots of synthesizer indie and going a little to pop-rock, but without the excitement of Pop Rocks tingling in your mouth. Some ok songs but nothing memorable. No "On Peak Hill" on this album.

12. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup:
Beirut is kind of worldy music that I've got to be in the mood to truly enjoy. The first song I ever knew by them (or him? It's pretty much all Zach Condon) was "Postcards From Italy," and that is an excellent song. Similar to above, nothing can come close to that on this one. A good finished package of an album, but nothing memorable enough musically for me.

11. Relient K - Five Score And Seven Years Ago:
This is Relient K's best effort to date by far. Matt Thiessen's true songwriting style has come out in a mixture of happy pop-punk with some slowed down songs as well. The guitar riff on "Devestation and Reform" is brilliant, and all 11 minutes and 5 seconds of "Deathbed" are quality, though...different. The band has finally found their own unique style of fun, ironic, serious, and silly songs yet not given into quality. Unfortunately, talented drummer/singer/could-play-any-instrument left the band about a month ago so let's hope it doesn't take another five albums for them to click with a new drummer.

10. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight:
Actually this is a very quality album. Rilo Kiley has changed since their independent days (this is their first on Warner Brothers), but it's not necessarily the mainstream that's changed them. Not that I'm going to claim to know what it is. But I do have a hypothesis that since chief songwriter Jenny Lewis went off and made her own absolutely brilliant solo album in 2006 full of rootsy, folk songs, this new Rilo Kiley album has become her outlet for her rock songs. These songs are catchy and well-written. Honestly, disclaimer: from this point on, the top ten albums could be switched around so much because they're all very good. I'll probably think of a different order by tomorrow.

9. Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell:
By far the best "Christian" genre album I've ever heard. I absolutely hate that genre labeling (no other music is labeled just because of its content), but it's necessary to mention in this review. Webb sings about what he cares about--love, politics, God, the world--but he does it very tastefully. I would hate for a good songwriter to not write about what he or she cares about. He hits some topics right on (see "A Savior On Capitol Hill," "I for an I"), and puts it all to quality music. Nothing too complicated, but extremely tastefully done.

8. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky:
I'm admitting that I've only had a chance to listen to this album twice in the week since I've had it, and I will also be the first to declare that I am currently in the crush phase of my love of Wilco's music. Nonetheless, this is another great Wilco album. These guys have been leading indie rock for over a decade with quality album after quality album. It's never too fancy, just soft chill rock, but these guys know how to make music.

7. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga:
Amen to that disclaimer above. I've had this album for less than 24 hours, but I've enjoyed two plays of it. And I've had "The Underdog" for months and listened to it way more than is healthy. The album altogether is contagious indie rock, highlighted by "Don't You Evah" and "My Little Japanese Cigarette Case," but mostly by "The Underdog." If that's not the best single of 2007 then I want to hear what is.

6. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga:
According to play count, this album is by far my favorite album of the year. That's probably accurate, with The Shins' close behind. Or tied. Unimportant. I wasn't an intense Bright Eyes fan much before this album (or seeing them live in May), and I realize they steer away from their wanderings (literally in some of their music) of the past. But Conor Oberst becomes more of an orchestra composer in this album, but combining it with his chilling voice/yell and incredible lyrics ("the whole world it loves you if you're a sheek chameleon," in "Classic Cars;" "I've made love, yeah I've been fucked, so what?" in "Hot Knives." I know that's not G-rated to quote, but sometimes good music (and life) isn't, and this is expressing Oberst's opinion and I think it expresses it perfectly). Perhaps it's a little more mainstream than Bright Eyes' past albums, but in my opinion all it does is land them a fixed seat amongst the best of indie music, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. I once saw a quote from Jack White saying that if you like music just because it's either popular or obscure, then you're missing the point entirely. Good music is good even if the previously obscure band is now all over the radio. The Beatles became insanely popular overnight, and that didn't change the fact that they're incredible.

5. Feist - The Reminder:
Leslie Feist dabbles in so many different musical areas in this album, and she pulls off nearly all of them. From the spooky gospel rock of "Sea Lion Woman" to the twangy "Past In Present" to the catchy indie pop of the single "1234," Feist can write it all and put it into a single album that flows together well.

4. Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full:
This almost qualifies as an impulse of adding this album on here. I've only had it in my possession for about a week and listened to it not even two times. But it's great, classic Paul music. I think one of the wonders of the world is how he can make so many albums and keep making them so good.

2 1/2. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank:
I can't really decide between Modest Mouse and the Shins for the second best album of the year, so there will be no #3 and this will be almost second place. I'm afraid it's impossible to remove my biased love of the Shins. I think Modest Mouse are very talented, and this is by far their best album. The whole Johnny Marr addition is pretty trippy. "Dashboard" is almost as catchy of a single as Spoon's, but not quite. Best song on the album, though, is "Parting Of The Sensory." "Someday you will die somehow and something's going to steal your carbon." Isaac Brock puts the depression of existentialism into the most eloquent though blunt though utterly depressing words I've ever heard expressed in a song.

2. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away:
I don't even know what I can say about this album. Defines 2007 in an album for me. The Shins have gained my complete fandom and I do believe they've taken over the top slot of my favorite bands. There's no "New Slang" on this album, nothing that stands out. But it's a finished product. Perfect example is that when I saw them live last February, they began the show by playing the first four songs on the album in a row. It all just goes together so well. The Shins definitely go in a new direction with this album and experiment a lot. Some of it is good, some doesn't work out as well as the traditional Shins in the past, but this is still definitely a highlight of the year.

D
R
U
M
R
O
L
L

1. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible:
Talk about another finished package. Well it better be to be the best album of the year. This is a perfectly done artistic commentary, with a lot of really clever political protests. This 7+ member band of Americans (including Haitian immigrant) taking political refuge in Canada asks questions such as "World War Three, when are you coming for me?" ("Windowsill") A lot of serious and tasteful religious questioning in "Neon Bible," "Not much chance for survival if the neon bible is right." But most of all it's their quality of music. They have a stageful of musicians, and they use them all. From the blood-chilling organs on "Intervention," to the dramatic harmonies on "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations," Arcade Fire has come out of the relative unknown to dominate 2007.