FISTFULAYEN

Multiple people have told me they’re not sure they have “best of” lists for this year. Huh? Music is getting better, folks, so if you’re not finding it you’re either a) a fucking luddite or b) getting old. If you’re watching TV at night and listening to the radio in the car then you better check yoself before you wreck yoself, it’s not 1975 and good music isn’t falling out of the sky. But with resources like this and this there’s not much excuse for being “out of touch”. Subscribe to Mojo and GET BACK ON THE HORSE, HOSS.

Here is a list of things I dug this year. It’s not meant to be a “this is the best music and if you don’t know these albums you’re way lame and if it’s not on this list it SUCKED!” list. I didn’t hear everything I would have liked, I’m sure, and if you thought the Bruce Springsteen or Justice record was the best thing that came out last year that’s cool with me. These are just the albums I played over and over in 2007. You should check ‘em out.

Okkervil River – The Stage Names [buy MP3s on Amazon]
I loved Black Sheep Boy and when this record came out I was impressed but not enthralled. However, I later found myself on jury duty for three weeks and playing the album over and over in headphones. Upon this closer inspection I was completely moved by the songwriting and lyrics. Of everything I got into this year, this one is going to sound the best twenty years from now.
Okkervil River – John Allyn Smith Sails

Bat For Lashes – Fur and Gold [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Not only one of the best records beginning to end but definitely the best live show I saw this year. I owe this one to Mojo.
Bat For Lashes – Trophy

Joan As Police Woman – Real Life (& B-Sides) [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Most addictive album of the year. It sounds beautiful on first listen but I dare you to listen five times and not get the melodies stuck in your head, requiring more listens for the un-stick-age. Joan Wasser was in Rufus’ band, Antony’s band, and was reportedly romantically involved with Jeff Buckley at the time of his death. This album and the amazing B-Sides collection (which includes a cover of one of my favorite Bowie songs, Sweet Thing) prove she does best standing on her own. Amazing stuff. I learned about this from a Lucy at Warner Music’s UK office on my trip to London this summer.
Joan As Police Woman – The Ride

Panda Bear – Person Pitch [buy MP3s on Amazon]
I was never much for Animal Collective. I liked it fine, just wasn’t blown away by it. This album is not your average Animal Collective album. It’s the Beach Boys album you heard in your sleep, played through freshly-woken ears. The soundtrack to many a late-night work session this year. Heard about this one on Pitchfork’s Best New Music page.
Panda Bear – Bros

Against Me! – New Wave [buy on Amazon]
Pop punk really isn’t my thing but Ben Fox has always loved this band and when Ben Lee covered the album in its entirety and Adam Starr also told me he couldn’t stop listening to it I decided it was time to give in and take the plunge. I’m glad I did. An entire album of anthems, it’s a simple pleasure. Sounded fucking great in headphones on the mountain in the snow last week.
Against Me! – Bourne on the FM Waves

Dwight Yoakam – Dwight Sings Buck [buy MP3s on Amazon]
One of my biggest regrets is not taking my mom to central Cal and seeing Buck Owens where he played at a casino a few nights a week before he died. I love Buck and could listen to him all day every day. Chris Morris had Dwight on (the world’s greatest radio show) Watusi Rodeo a few weeks back pimping this new record so I picked up the MP3s from Amazon and have been happy ever since.
Dwight Yoakam – Under Your Spell Again

!!! – Myth Takes [buy on Amazon]
I’ll stand by my claim from earlier in the year that this is the album I wished !!! would make when I wanted to sign them to Grand Royal. There’s nothing else like it. Original, dance-able, heavy. Love it.
!!! – A New Name

Wilco – Sky Blue Sky [buy on Amazon]
2007 should stand out as the year Nels Kline saved Wilco from mediocrity. This is the album of the year on so many levels. Like the Okkervil River record, this album is going to sound as good in 2025 as it would have in 1979. Nearly perfect. You can read my original review from earlier in the year here.
Wilco – You Are My Face

White Williams – Smoke [buy on Amazon]
An album by perhaps the only person who has spent more time listening to Bowie’s Lodger and Low and early Eno than me? I’ve been listening to this over and over. Rick Morris turned me on to this over dinner one fateful evening.
White Williams – New Violence

Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbals [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Between this and Midlake, the Fleetwood Mac sound might be coming back. Not a terrible thing. I love this record. Beautiful and unique. I also love the existence of the Web so music like this has a distribution channel. If this had come out 20 years ago we’d be just discovering it now, wondering how something like this slipped through. Unique, spirited music people love — it’s the shape of music to come.
Yeasayer – Sunrise

Dungen – Tio Bitar [buy on Amazon]
Dungen followed up 2004’s Ta Det Lungt and didn’t drop the ball! Still love these guys for a hundred reasons.
Dungen – Svart Är Himlen / En Gång I År Kom Det En Tår

Dizzee Rascal – Maths + English [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Sadly the only hip hop record that made my list this year. If you have great hip hop on your list PLEASE SEND. Maybe I just didn’t hear the good stuff this year somehow. Bring it. I was never a Dizzee Rascal fan, but this record broke through. Hard as hell, clever, story rhymes, creative beats — this had all the ingredients for me. For some reason the MP3 album on Amazon doesn’t seem to contain the best cut on the album, Pussyole, but thankfully you can find it all over the net.
Dizzee Rascal – Sirens

A Place To Bury Strangers – A Place To Bury Strangers [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Come on. If you ever liked My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, or even Big Black, you have to have some love for the folks in Brooklyn making effects pedals and melodic noise. This is more than just a noisy outing, though, it’s got songs.
A Place To Bury Strangers – Missing You

Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity [buy MP3s on Amazon]
Don’t leave this record off your lists just because it came out in January. The world’s greatest band is somehow getting better on every release. If you’re one of the many (most) that don’t get the mighty hoof I genuinely feel for you. You’ve missed a lot of joy the past few years. Something I’m glad to have been able to share with my kid. Mark Thompson originally hipped me to this band.
Deerhoof – The Perfect Me

M.I.A. – Kala [buy MP3s on Amazon]
I wasn’t going to include the MIA record, it’s on everyone else’s list and I really didn’t rock it all that often this year, but “20 Dollar” came on shuffle yesterday driving in the car and I was reminded how much I love it and her.
M.I.A. – 20 Dollar

Radiohead – In Rainbows [buy on Amazon]
The greatest band in the world changing the music business by making great fucking music? What more could you want? Put away the haterade and ENJOY.
Radiohead – Bodysnatchers

I’m sure there’s stuff I’ve forgotten but I’ve already spent too much time copy/pasting here. Enjoy the list, buy some music, happy new year. Music is the best.

ian

ps – post a link to your best of ‘07 post in the comments and I’ll check it out. I found some of my favorite stuff by trolling last years’ lists…