Best Albums of 2007

For the past month and a half I’ve been thinks about the albums of this year and thinking it was a dismal year for music. On the other hand though, now looking back at the top 10 albums of this year, I’m thinking it wasn’t that bad after all. Now I have to admit some of my favorite albums (or even some of the good ones) came from pretty unknown sources, but regardless they are what I’ve come to accept as the music of this year. So here is my list, as a music listener, for the top 10 albums of 2007.

Before we get to number 10 there are a couple of albums that didn’t quite make the list, but make the honorable mentions, in no particular order.

Honorable Mention: Mika, Life in Cartoons Motion
Honorable Mention: Gym Class Heroes, As Cruel as School Children
Honorable Mention: Scouting for Girls, Scouting for Girls

Ok here’s the good stuff, like last year 10-4, quick and painlessly then 3-1 and why they are the best music of 2007.

10: Mark Ronson, Version. (Great covers, love the horns)
9: Switches, Heart Turned to D.E.A.D. (New band, great harmonies, keep and eye on them)
8: Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight. (Bringing back something old, making it new)
7: Arctic Monkeys, Favorite Worst Nightmare. (Sophomore album, still making good music)
6: Foo Fighters, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. (The Foo’s have still got it)
5: Kanye West, Graduation. (Something different but good here)
4: Kaiser Chiefs, Yours Truly, Angry Mob. (Another sophomore album, better than the first)

3: Streetlight Manifesto, Somewhere in the Between.

You might say, Streetlight who, but anyone in the Ska community will immediately recognize the name (as well as some of its controversy). Regardless of their past Streetlight has brought to the table a new set of songs that is more streetlight than ever before; darker, grungier and Ska-ier with beats and melodies that are catchy and will inevitably get stuck in your head all day. The best part of these new songs is that they not only sound great on the CD, but they sound awesome live too. With so much energy to each song, this album is easily playable again and again and again.

2: Fall out Boy, Infinity of High

You’ll realize a recurring pattern between the top three in that I have also seen the band that holds the number 2 album spot (in fact 2 days before the number 3 album’s band). I know a lot of people who say that fall out boy isn’t any good (terrible, crap, utterly unlistenable etc.) but I’ve seen this album change at least 2 people’s opinions and ill hold that it is one of the best albums of 2007 regardless of the bands credibility. It starts with by dropping a heavy double bass drum bringing in the first song of their new album and moves through hearty melodies, stiff guitar riffs and catchy lyrics, and the quirky and smart song titles. And while some songs aren’t as goof as the others, I can say that overall there are great points to each and every song, like the double bass drum, or the hallelujah retort in Hum Hallelujah.



1: the Fratellis, Costello Music

I saw this band during the summer in New York Cities Roseland ballroom; it had been a few months earlier that I picked this album up at the New York City virgin megastore. Now I know that this album had been released 6 months earlier in this UK, having heard the unbelievable catchy tune Chelsea Dagger the summer of 06, but being as I live in the United States I have to put on the 2007 list lest it be forgotten between the two years. Regardless of when the album was released I can’t deny that it’s an inimitable force in the music scene of the last year. Starting from tiny roots in the American culture with Flathead on an iTunes commercial to a point now where they’re music is easily found floating between scenes on TV shows and movies, or heard from a distance coming from a radio or someone’s headphones. Their songs are easily recognizable, upbeat, fast, furious and happy, bursts of energy that feel good no matter what music you’re feeling. Quick lyrics, toe tapping beats, so-good-you-sing-along lyrics and over all music that you enjoy listening to. This album epitomizes the album of my year, something that I could listen to over and over, above any of the other albums released this year. (In fact while I’m writing the draft of this, Chelsea dagger is on the back of ER, just to reinforce my point)