yeah i created my own thread
Some albums I really enjoy aren't on here, because I haven't listened to them enough and some of these albums probably won't be around when the year ends, but as of right now, these are my favorites.
Zip file of 15 tracks:
http://www.mediafire.com/?42udwy2qrm2
15. Rotting Christ – Theogonia
This was one of the first 5 2007 albums I got, based on name alone. Rotting Christ has been around forever, but I don't know anything about metal and so I was like “oh, sweet...I will check this out” and it is actually really great. It's the Greek band's 10th album, and it's black metal combined with some symphonic and gothic undertones, and it just rocks. It's like listenable black metal for the masses, sort of. Not TOO extreme. One of my favorite albums for the car so far this year.
14. Jay-Jay Johanson – The Long Term Physical Effects Are Not Yet Known
Another performer that has been around for a decade who I have no previous knowledge of. From what I gather, the guy used to sing really depressing stuff, switched up to some electro sounding albums, and now with this album, is back to his depressed self. Very drawn out, depressed but beautiful vocals over electronic backdrops that are reminiscent of Portishead and other darker Trip Hop acts. It's a very great night record and the song I'm including is probably my favorite of 2007.
13. Louis Sclavis - L'imparfait Des Langues
One of the better clarinetists around in free jazz, Louis Sclavis has been doing his thing for quite a while. Already 2007 has hit me with quite a few really excellent jazz albums (Enrico Rava, Exploding Star Orchestra, Frode Halti, Nostalgia 77, Tin Hat...), but this one does the trick for me the best so far. In this new project, Sclavis has enlisted the help of a bunch of new, fresh young musicians who bring a new sound to his always expanding repetoire. Some ambient influences, some rocking electric guitar, some funk. It's a very accomplished sounding album, one that will stick around until December.
12. Moonsorrow – Viides Luku: Havitetty
My #1 album of last year was Wolves In The Throne Room, who created an album of black metal so epic and surreal it seemed like I was listening to nothing but soundscapes or ambient music lots of the time, just zoning out and being above life. The early contender to do that to me this year is the new album by Finnish black metal outfit Moonsorrow, who with this album, give us 2 tracks, both about a half hour in length that span all sorts of sounds. Though most of the time it's rocking black metal, they change the tempo a lot. It's not all screaching and going to split your ears like some other epic black metal albums do, but instead goes for some more subdued moments. The mix is a bit softer, the vocals pushed back and not sounding as evil as some similar releases. It's a lot to get through, but it's never boring. Just sit back and enjoy.
11. El-P – I'll Sleep When You're Dead
I didn't expect to like this. Recent listens to Fantastic Damage have made me realize that I don't love the album the way I did 4 years ago, and lately I've just been so down on “underground” and experimental hip hop that I didn't think Mr. Producto could redeem himself. But he did. He's turned out an album that is maybe more cohesive than anything he's ever done, and while it's not as crazy as FanDam, it's still not your run of the mill hip hop. His guest stars never outshine him, this is HIS record, and it's personal and it's great. I'm excited about hip hop once again.
10. Ateleia – Formal Sleep
This isn't the type of ambient music you put on and ignore, and maybe fall asleep to. This is intense stuff. Ateleia manipulates guitar sounds and piano chords much like master Christian Fennesz, and creates some sounds that throb with such force and intensity you have to surrender to the sound. It feels natural, but so far detached from everything you know, that each listen sounds completely fresh. Part noise, part ambient, it feels like the music that would be played in some deep freeze in order to warm you up. It's breathtaking stuff.
9. Times New Viking – Present The Paisley Reich
So this band has been getting some hype in the indie scene lately, some think it's due, some think it's not. It doesn't matter. I don't have any allegiance to this band and I don't think they are the best or anything, but this album rocks my face off and I love it for that. It's recommended for fans of bands like Coachwhips and other neo-garage, lo-fi bands. It's dirty, it's loud, and it's a whole lot of fun. I can't make out most of the vocals and I don't need to, because it's all about the just thrashing your head around or stomping or whatever you do. One of the most fun records I've heard this year for sure.
8. Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons – Little Bird
Now for something completely different, I give you Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons, another band I sort of just stumbled upon early this year and have been raving about ever since. They are a midwest retro-soul/r&b/gospel outfit and they wear their influences on their sleeves. The musicianship is great and sounds authentic, but the real treat is front man Cory, who has one of the best voices I've heard in this day and age, it's really captivating. He's a white guy, and sounds it...but he's like a more soulful Jamie Lidell and a less horrible Gavin Degraw or something. Might sound bad, but the comparisons don't matter. It's a band worth hearing, and grooving with.
7. The Flowers Of Hell – The Flowers Of Hell
The album features side players from British Sea Power, Tindersticks, Death In Vegas and features Sonic Boom on one song and his influences in the rest. It was produced by Tim Holmes of Death In Vegas, and basically it's just an awesome album. Sounds like late Spacemen 3 and the more awesome moments of Spiritualized, but you know, almost all instrumental. It's post-rock sure, but it's way more interesting than the typical Explosions In The Sky stuff. The drones mess with your head, the horns are played so subtly and surreal that you will look over your shoulder to make sure you're not tweaking. And there are some world music influences here and there too. Fantastic headphone album, and maybe a better album to play loud while waking up or taking substances (I don't do the latter). Music of truly epic proportions.
6. Lucky Soul – The Great Unwanted
Pop music fans around the world, rejoice, we have been hit with the first GREAT pop album of the year, in the form of Lucky Soul's debut full-length. The album is for fans of indie pop in many forms. Cardigans, Jens Lekman, Asthmatic Kitty bands, Camera Obscura, even the Pipettes. Whatever. It's super cute music by accomplished band members and a super cute girl vocalist. It's a total throwback to bubblegum pop and the lyrics are straight out of your high school summer and it's a blast. The use of horns in the the songs really give the band an unfair edge over contemporaries and makes their songs very huge in scope. As the summer approaches, this album will probably get more and more plays, something I'm looking forward to.
5. Amiina – Kurr
Those who want their post rock to be out of this world and show great musicianship probably won't like this album a whole lot. The folks over at Silent Ballet didn't really approve of it, but so what. It's one of my most listened to albums lately, something I put on before bed almost every night. Amiina, for those who don't know, helped Sigur Ros with their Takk album and are a group of girls? I think who really focus on chimes and their reverb to create the epic scope of the album. It's not huge and grandiose, lots of the songs are pretty simple in execution, but it is just so enjoyable that I can't help but love it. The strings tug at emotions, the chimes build to great climaxes, and each song tells it's own story. If you liked Takk, this album will be for you, if you thought it was the worst Sigur Ros album, stay away.
4. Pantha Du Prince – This Bliss
I'm ok with minimal techno taking over the world if every producer could create music that was as good as this. Obviously they can't, and while the early reviews of this album are nothing short of “album of the year”, I can't help but thing that when the year comes to an end, this will ultimately be something glanced over for the newest Kompakt release or something. But holy crap if you like this kind of music at all, this spacey dance stuff, you need to get on this record because it is going to go down as a masterpiece in the genre. The bass is heavy, the chimes are on point and the groove will go unmatched this year.
3. Radio Moscow – Radio Moscow
Produced by Dan Aurebach of the Black Keys, with almost every instrument and vocal assignment by 21-year old Parker Griggs of Iowa, this album freaking slays so hard. I'm even quoted on the band's website, which is pretty cool:
“Basically what this band sounds like to me is Black Keys style riffs and singing, Comets on Fire psych freakouts, and then plenty of homage to the old psych-blues bands of yesteryear: Cream, Hendrix, Yardbirds, etc. It's an amazing record and is guaranteed to make you rock out. - A Tune A Day” There is so much heavy blues guitar shredding here, I don't even know what to do with myself.
2. A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Scribble Mural Comic Journal
Ok, they're from Philly, not Scotland, but that doesn't matter anyway. What matters is the music on the album, which is...well, I guess it's shoegaze...no waits, it's dream-pop...no it's avant-ga- shutup. This album is a freaking aural experience, and it's not for everyone. Some reviews are saying it's too much, but it isn't. If this was a regular shoegaze album like their EP from last year, it would just be “good” but instead it's great. It's a totally original sound. The layered vocals, the soundscapes, the guitars all over each other. The mechanical drumming. This music is not supposed to be made in 2007, in another 10 years, it might be acceptable. Holy freaking awesome record.
1. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
Albums don't typically “grow” on me. It's a fault of mine with listening to so much music. I find a lot of it dispensible and get rid of it if it doesn't grab me immediately. I listened to this album 3 times when it first leaked, and didn't really like it and got rid of it. A couple weeks later I felt like I should give it another chance, got it again, listened and was in love. It did a total 180 and became undoubtedly my favorite release of the year up to this point. The hype machine is coming in over the release of the album and I don't care. The slow pace of the songs, the dense guitars, the Beach Boys-esque harmonies. Whatever, this album shouldn't work and it does, and it works so well that it's often the only thing I want to listen to ever. I love it a lot.
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