2007 in music
Here are my favorite albums from the last 12 months.
1. Stars – Do You Trust Your Friends/In Our Bedroom After The War
It was a toss up between the two albums released by my most loved band of all time. The remix album ‘Do You Trust Your Friends’ edged out ‘In Our Bedroom After The War’ by a hair…extra points awarded for creativity. But both albums are full of delightful music I just can’t get enough of.
2. My Latest Novel – Wolves
I actually don’t own their whole album, but have three MP3s scraped together from various promo compilations and have saw them twice in March (in Toronto and Austin)…they are insanely awesome. So far my efforts to acquire their album have been thwarted…but I’m continuing to search and try. Thanks to my girl, Sarah, for the introduction.
3. Lovers Electric – self titled
This was another band I discovered while they were playing live – after the show I made a beeline to the table where they were selling CDs and bought one of everything. The details of their live performances (we went back to see them once again before they left L.A.), such as the tiny piano, David’s green blazer, and Eden’s lovely (self designed) party dresses come to mind every time I play this album. Personal, heartfelt, and hard to ignore – I want more.
4. M.I.A. – Kala
Usually when I love a debut album like I love ‘Arular’, I’m pretty hard on the sophomore effort. Not this one. ‘Kala’ takes the unique, one of a kind stylings of M.I.A. and elevates it to a whole new level of audible awesomeness. I can run to it, I can work to it, I can wash dishes to it. Revolutionary stuff here.
5. Tegan and Sara – The Con
Oh these girls. They get me every time. Now, I didn’t love ‘The Con’ as much as ‘So Jealous’ – just being honest, but that was a high bar to leap over. But this is a solid, solid effort. Their style and talent is shiny and brilliant…their music is my pick-me up, my motivator, where I get a boost of energy when I need it the most. Yummy.
6. Feist – The Reminder
I would love to be able to replicate my thoughts on ‘Kala’ here, but unfortunately ‘The Reminder’ is not my favorite Feist effort. That’s not to say I don’t love it, just that I don’t love it as much as ‘Let It Die’. But let’s be honest here – That album was by far my most coveted sound of 2004. My ears hear Toronto and my mind is taken back to what seems like a million years ago when I listen to it. How could ‘The Reminder’ compete? So…the moral of this story is that if I loved your music from three years ago enough, I might forgive any weaknesses in your next album. But seriously, this is a definite winner…just make sure you go back and catch up on the last album if you haven’t heard it already.
7. The Bird and The Bee – self titled
A Hype Machine find, The Bird and The Bee is delicious fun. Some of their songs I instantly adored, while others took some getting used to – but overall, this is a stellar album that remains in heavy rotation during the day. Is it a super unique sound? Maybe not. But it’s delightful, powerful stuff that I’ll continue to savor into this year.
8. Tokyo Police Club – A Lesson In Crime
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that these guys are from Newmarket, so I listened to them more and played their songs in my car only so I could say “These guys are from a town about two minutes from where I wen to high school. Or maybe it’s just because this short but sweet album is just plain great stuff. Either way, definitely a band I’m keeping an eye on.
9. Bitter Sweet – The Mating Game
Like a gazillion other viewers across the continent, I watch/love/adore Grey’s Anatomy. And that scene where Cali is dancing around in her undies whilst living in the hospital which is oh-so against the rules and the Chief walks by followed by George getting the wrong idea and her moving into Meridith’s house…okay, ‘The Mating Game’ was playing while she shook her tuckus. But I didn’t make that connection until about four months later when someone at the office recommended Bitter Sweet, I gave it a listen and said “OMG that’s that song!”. And the rest of the album is even better.
10. Champion – Chill ‘Em All
Last, but hardly least, is Champion – an electronic hodge podge of sound and voice that makes my ears very, very happy. Mostly because, like Lovers Electric, their album brings back the best night at SXSW 2007 – where their performance blew away anything else I’d seen. I’m pretty sure if there was a video dictionary, the scene that night would define “pulse-pounding”. The crowd, the rooftop bouncing, the sheer number of freakin’ guitars on that stage. Mmmmm…good music, good memories.
And that’s about it.
Honorable mentions go out to…
Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Mika, The National, Peter, Bjorn & John, Champion, Timbaland, The Fratellis, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, and Rilo Kiley…all of which also rocked my world in 2007.
