The music of 2007

I’ve been keeping an eye on the emerging “best of 2007” lists, curious at what albums moved people this year (Stereogum does a nice wrap-up and links to even more). There’s probably oodles more of these lists to come, but I can’t help contribute mine. I did a pretty thorough run-down last year, but I’ll keep it simpler this year.

Let me just say that, since the Decemberists didn’t put out a record this year, there’ll be no ranking. And since there is no ranking, there is no need to go higher than 5. Here are my top 5 records of 2007, in no particular order:

Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta
Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight
Voxtrot – Voxtrot
Travis – The Boy with No Name

There were plenty of other good ones (play some here), but I had each of these on heavy rotation on my IPod for weeks. To please my list-making self, I also wrote a quick one for Esquire’s December issue, listing 20 great tracks that people should have heard in 2007. This is one playlist I’m proud of. Enjoy.

1. Voxtrot – Firecracker
2. Gogol Bordello – Wonderlust king
3. The Decemberists – Culling of the fold
4. Rilo Kiley – Silver lining
5. Bright Eyes – If the brakeman turns my way
6. The National – Mistaken for strangers
7. Travis – My eyes
8. Band Of Horses – No one’s gonna love you
9. The New Pornographers – Challengers
10. Hallelujah the Hills – Hallelujah the hills
11. The Avett Brothers – Die die die
12. Of Montreal – Heimdalsgate like a Promethean curse
13. The Good, The Bad & The Queen – History song
14. The Broken West – On the bubble
15. The Arcade Fire – Intervention
16. Okkervil River – Our life is not a movie or maybe
17. brakesbrakesbrakes – If I should die tonight
18. Modest Mouse – Dashboard
19. The Shins – Turn on me
20. Bloc Party – Hunting for witches

One Response to “The music of 2007”

  1. I’m doing my list of songs next week, but most albums left me cold this year. I mean, yeah, I love the new Arcade Fire and Fountains of Wayne, but they don’t really stack up against previous albums from either band. And the “breakout” stuff– trumpeted on the blogosphere (Panda Bear, The National) left me pretty cold, minus a few tracks.

    It’s so much outside of my comfort zone, but the only album that somewhat jazzed me this year was Jay Z’s American Gangster.

    But I like your song list. Some good choices there.

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