OT: Albums in 2007

by Brickhaus on Oct 26, 2007 10:40 AM EDT Comment 54 comments

Is it just me, or does this year seem kind of crappy for music so far? There was an albums thread last year that pointed me to some good music, so I figured I'd throw a feeler out there for what albums people have liked this year. A few bands I normally like (Fountains of Wayne, Jimmy Eat World) put out unusually crummy albums this year, and so far the only album that's really piqued my attention is MGMT - Oracular Spectacular.

There's gotta be something out there - what's been good?

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$0.02

Iterpol - Our Love to Admire
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

by cooper7d7 on Oct 26, 2007 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

$.03

Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
Silverchair - Young Modern

by spepin on Oct 26, 2007 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

good stuff

Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army

by mckeeno on Oct 26, 2007 11:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Best rock this year

Bottomless Pit, Hammer of the Gods. The first release from the surviving members of Silkworm is magnificent.

There's more (including the Wire ep coming next month), but that's the best record I've heard this year.

by asinwreck on Oct 26, 2007 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

might not be right up your alley

but The National- Boxer is my favorite this year

by abravesfan on Oct 26, 2007 11:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Boxer

Absolutely brilliant album.

"When you have a fat friend there are no see-saws. Only catapults." -Demetri Martin

by RVachon on Oct 26, 2007 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

subject

I checked these guys out and they are going on the ipod. Thanks.

by Josh on Oct 28, 2007 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only things

that have caught my attention so far this year are:

Icky Thump / White Stripes

Chrome Dreams II / Neil Young

In Ranbows / Radio Head

Not a good year for music IMO.

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 26, 2007 11:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

never though i'd see a music thread here.

Anyway, i'm a music promoter and have a ton of good albums from this year.

MGMT & Polyphonic Spree are great, good call.

also: Jens Lekman, They Might Be Giants, Gogol Bordello, Justice, Portugal. The Man, Ola Podrida, Peter Bjorn & John, The Forms, Ween, Bloc Party, Nellie Mckay, St. Vincent and Last Days of April.

Next year is starting to shape up too...Bob Mould & Devotchka come to mind quickly.

by benzalman on Oct 26, 2007 11:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Must be new?

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/11/2/43650/0962

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/7/24/24614/0512

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/2/17/173425/991

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/2/16/235249/233

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/2/16/191116/538

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2005/10/25/171144/14

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 26, 2007 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dont always

pay attention to the threads. thanks for finding all of those to catch me up....or something.

by benzalman on Oct 26, 2007 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm

A wide range...
Some favorites:
The National - Boxer
A Place to Bury Strangers - s/t
Parts and Labor - Mapmakers
Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone

Pretty darn good:
No Age - Weirdo Rippers
Black Lips - Good Bad, Not Evil
The Budos Band - Budos Band II

A lot of the records I was really excited for turned out to be a bit disappointing, but that was more than made up for by bands I'd never heard of turning up with out-of-left-field awesome stuff.

by marc w on Oct 26, 2007 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Always with the Bonepony!

I'll keep singing their praises ... grass roots, acoustic rock ...

Live CD/DVD: Celebration Highway came out this year ... great live show (6 piece band as opposed to their typical 3 man band thing) ... best version of Bayou Sky ever! www.bonepony.com

Indie bands need love, too ...

Paul Householder, Gary Redus, Tommy Lawless, Duane Walker ... prospects rawk!

by design28 on Oct 26, 2007 12:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

3 really good albums from this year...

Wincing the Night Away - The Shins

Cassadaga - Bright Eyes

Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird

by thefordhamflash on Oct 26, 2007 12:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Big Second on the Shins/Wincing ...

Great, great understated album ...

Paul Householder, Gary Redus, Tommy Lawless, Duane Walker ... prospects rawk!

by design28 on Oct 26, 2007 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very big second

On Andrew Bird.

Awesome, awesome CD.

by Yakker on Oct 26, 2007 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

a great one

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

by naropean on Oct 26, 2007 12:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Amazing Country Ballads

American Born - Bargain Music

by Trenchtown on Oct 26, 2007 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Some more ...

Under the Blacklight - Rilo Kiley

Never Hear The End Of It - Sloan

Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn and John

by nick3849 on Oct 26, 2007 12:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes!

I <3 Under The Blacklight!

by ConorGlassey on Oct 26, 2007 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sloan album is great...

by benzalman on Oct 26, 2007 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Eddie Vedder

The soundtrack by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam for the Sean Penn movie "Into the Wild" is fantastic. It's a little short, and it's a bit of a departure from the usual PJ sound. If you want to hear Eddie do hearlfelt, acoustic songs that show his musical range, this is a good one.

by mini tb on Oct 26, 2007 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sum 41

And the new Sum 41 is definitely not so good. I'm a big fan, but this one sounds more Good Charlotte than Sum 41.

by mini tb on Oct 26, 2007 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

haha

I always thought they sounded the same.

by jahs34 on Oct 27, 2007 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2007

I really liked Wilco's release, "Sky Blue Sky." It was very mellow, laid-back, and much less strange than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but there's some excellent guitar work and songs on there. Its songs have been featured in Volkswagen commercials this year, FWIW.

by nygiants5811 on Oct 26, 2007 1:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

over/under on how many albums Spears sells

When that junk comes out soon. I say an over/ under of a million. I go with the under at 500,000 as Spears music career is over.

by Bravesin07 on Oct 26, 2007 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Kinda doubt that.

Her latest song hit #1 on i-tunes a few weeks ago.

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 26, 2007 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that song is terrible

by Bravesin07 on Oct 26, 2007 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't say it

was any good. Just pointing out her career is definately not in the tank. Yet.

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 26, 2007 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Three I like

Carnavas by Silversun Pickups (play it loud)

Wincing the Night Away by the Shins

Time on Earth by Crowded House (nice comeback)

by Flynn Blake on Oct 26, 2007 3:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

2006

Jeez, I see the Silversun Pickups album was released in 7/2006, but I didn't hear anything from it until this year on the local alternative station.

by Flynn Blake on Oct 26, 2007 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Carnavas

Definitely in my top 3 for 2006.

Vice-Chairman of the Sonnanstine Underground Railroad

by Brickhaus on Oct 26, 2007 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll fourth Carnavas

Fantastic.

"Karma - there it was. The meaning of life, straight from Carson Daly's lips to my morphine-laced ears." -Earl Hickey

by BLee2525 on Oct 26, 2007 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great 2007 albumns

I'll start out with a plug for the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife." It was actually released in late 2006, but it's one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.

Some that are actually from 2007 that I've enjoyed:

Mirrored - Battles
Strawberry Jam - Animal Collective
Person Pitch - Panda Bear
A Weekend in the City - Bloc Party
Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (not as good as their first album, but still decent)
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
Cease To Begin - Band of Horses

"When you have a fat friend there are no see-saws. Only catapults." -Demetri Martin

by RVachon on Oct 26, 2007 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

On BoH.

by Yakker on Oct 26, 2007 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Someone knows whats up....

amen to the first 3....woop woop...

bloc party, however, sucked....modest mouse was terribly disappointing...and didnt care to listen to BoH or CYHSY....

BLACK DICE....yeaahhh

and Dirty Projectors....my o my what an album...Dave Longstreth did a reinterpretation of Black Flag's "Damaged"...from memory...he's a genius...

thats my top 5 this year anywho...Panda Bear, AC, Battles, Dirty Projectors, and Black Dice...

the new Radiohead is good, though i havent listened to it more than a few times...Sunset Rubdown was good...Liars was good...Beirut was good....

modest mouse was the most disappointing to me...
and new Wu Tang still to come...yahoo

by daveh33 on Oct 27, 2007 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This post

led me to Shocking Pinks, which I just got and sounds pretty good. Animal Collective as well. So there have been some fruit of this exercise.

Black Dice though? It's almost like The Knife last year, where all of it sounds to me like something a 15 year old kid put together with Fruityloops and a 50 dollar MIDI controller. I guess the sounds themselves just sound underprodcued to me. I guess I just don't dig that sound. Different strokes for different folks.

One other album I did like this year that I forgot to mention before (probably because it was an EP) was The Carps - The Young and Passionate Days of Carpedia. Very interested in hearing a full length, whenever it drops.

Vice-Chairman of the Sonnanstine Underground Railroad

by Brickhaus on Oct 28, 2007 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BD >> The Knife

knife is really dance-oriented...Black Dice is noise-oreinted...

its not surprising if you dont like them at first....maybe try again in a month or so if it interested you...also, i dont know how you sampled them ...[just an itunes search?], or are you into file-sharing, torrents, etc? but id suggest getting a hold of an album and letting it sink in...tis the only way...also, each of their albums is vastly different, much like AC...though maybe not quite as 'vast'...

BD really dont use software...they are analog guys...which makes it all the more impressive...

what are shocking pinks like? maybe ill give em a listen...

by daveh33 on Oct 29, 2007 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm...

I'll have to check out Black Dice. And, I'm ashamed to say, I still haven't heard the new Radiohead. But I've heard nothing but positive things, so I'm looking forward to it.

"When you have a fat friend there are no see-saws. Only catapults." -Demetri Martin

by RVachon on Oct 29, 2007 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BD is more noise-oriented than what weve discussed

thus far....unless you have heard/are into older Animal Collective...

...its sound collagey, but with their new one especially [Load Blown], its veering towards strange pop loops...

you may also want to check out Eric Copeland's Hermaphrodite...he's a BD member, and was Avey Tare's former roommate...they have a side-project together too, called Terrestrial Tones...

hell, check it, this is AC's label: http://www.paw-tracks.com/

by daveh33 on Oct 29, 2007 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Albums in 2007

I'm pretty eclectic as far as music goes, personally my favorite Album of the year out of any genre would be-

Stephen Marley - Mind Control

"Straight ball I hit very much...Curveball, bats are afraid" -Pedro Cerrano

by TheHanleyManCan on Oct 26, 2007 3:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Feist -- The Reminder

by rp0806 on Oct 26, 2007 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The New CCR

Cross Canadian Ragweed~ CAlifornia Mission

Member: Coalition For The Advancement Of Greek Baseball Players

by fischbowl on Oct 26, 2007 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

Back to Tulsa as well

Curtis Granderson fan

by jrose643 on Oct 27, 2007 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was a pretty good year

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
John Legend - Once Again

Add in the already mentioned In Rainbows and Wincing the Night Away for a nice mix. Although I was disappointed by Icky Thump.

by yellomellojello on Oct 26, 2007 5:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

mine

Velvet Revolvers Libertad was pretty good. It's good music but Weiland's lyrics are god awful.

A7X drops their new record later this month.

I really liked Rush's Snakes and Arrows album. Very powerful and well done.

by wildthang on Oct 26, 2007 5:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

Libertad was OK, but I agree with the Rush album. Best one they've put out for a while. The instrumentals are especially good IMO.

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 26, 2007 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Two oldies

Two old acts released very solid albums this year.

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - "Magic"

Not quite as good as "The Rising", but a very solid album nonetheless.

John Fogerty - "Revival"

Fogerty's best album since "Centerfield", and it sounds like he's finally made peace with his CCR past.

Best Album I've Heard This Year

Radiohead - "In Rainbows"

Lives up to the hype.

by samjjones on Oct 26, 2007 8:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not a terrible year...

I've found myself greatly enjoying these albums

Sea Wolf--Leaves in the River
Spoon--Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Voxtrot--Voxtrot
Andrew Bird--Armchair Apocrypha
Arcade Fire--Neon Bible
Kaiser Chiefs--Yours Truly, Angry Mob

by avehoward on Oct 26, 2007 9:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great rock album

Era Vulgaris- Queens of the Stone Age!
I got a chance to see them live this year, the most amazing show I've ever seen.

by Mike McBride on Oct 26, 2007 9:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great Reunion Album

Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

by Scott Proctor Fan Club on Oct 26, 2007 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Two albums....

One you may have heard of, one you almost certainly haven't.

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations - Go buy it. Go buy "Absolution," their earlier release. Go see their live show. Run, don't walk. You can thank me later.

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back - One chick, one piano, and the most haunting melodies you've ever heard. Check out "Doctor Blind," "Detective Daughter," and/or "Our Hell" online. If you're intrigued, pick up the whole album.

"Karma - there it was. The meaning of life, straight from Carson Daly's lips to my morphine-laced ears." -Earl Hickey

by BLee2525 on Oct 26, 2007 11:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Emily Haines

Knives Don't Have Your Back is fantastic.
Completely different from anything she has done with Metric, which just shows her range as a musician (I love Metric too)

Other favorite albums of 2007:
In Our Bedroom After The War- Stars
Reunion Tour- The Weakerthans

like unto a thing of iron.

by Ryan Heimberger on Oct 27, 2007 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A few more...

Just logged onto i-Tunes for the first time in a while and found some things that have been recently released that I think are very worthy of this list...

Pearl Jam - Live at Lollapalooza '07 I went - it rocked. It's a steal for 10 bucks.

Jimi Hendrix - Jimi Plays Monterey This is a re-issue of Hendrix's coming out party in America at the Monterey Pop Festival in '67. It's been out of print for about 10 years, so I was excited to see it resurface. Jimi flat out kills - a must for any rock/blues fan.

Gov't Mule - Mighty High Warren Haynes is one of the best kept secrets / most under-rated guitar players on the planet. This isn't completely new material - it takes a lot of pieces from previously released material (much of it from their last studio album High and Mighty) and puts a 'dub' spin on it. The result is a reggae/rock/blues fusion that is a great listen for any fan of each of those three genres.

You realize that prospect lists have a time horizon of like 5-10 years, not 5-10 days, right?

by slurve on Oct 28, 2007 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs