Best Music of 2007 Part 1
I realize it's getting down to the wire, but I've managed to finally decide on 25 albums for the list. I don't know how people have been able to narrow it down to 10 this year, since it was such a fantastic year for creative musical masterpieces. This is the first installment of my Best Music of 2007 list. I will try to feature five more albums from the list each day to complete the list by the end of next week.
Please note that the numbers are not in any order of rank or importance. You might also notice that the list doesn't have any blues or folk. Most of the blues and folk that I listen to tends to be the old-school stuff like Fred Neil, Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. Unfortunately most of these cats are no longer around, so my lists tend to focus on indie rock, experimental and hip-hop. Please feel free to voice your opinion if you have discrepancies with this list, or want to post your own list. I definitely try to have an open mind about opinions regarding all types of music.
Because of the sheer volume of this list, I won't be able to write in-depth reviews on each record. Instead, I will provide concise reviews on each record and links to more in-depth reviews on each selection. I hope you enjoy the list, and keep checking back for some Christmas selections very soon.
1) Sir Richard Bishop- Polytheistic Fragments- Former Sun City Girls guitar virtuoso delivers an eclectic, intoxicating blend of indian ragas, flamenco, appalachian folk, gypsy jazz and blues that is less experimental than previous efforts, but definitely not less captivating. Here is a review that goes into more detail about the specific songs.
4) Amon Tobin- Foley Room- Amon Tobin (Canada's Electro-jazz glitch hop pioneeer)crafted his latest aural tapestry of sound Foley Room in an actual "Foley Room". The foley room is the room where sound effects for a motion picture are created, so you can imagine the sonic clarity of this recording. This is a brain-bending adventure from beginning to end with glitch-electronica beats juxtaposed with field recordings of exotic animals and hypnotic basslines. Sort of like a modern day Martin Denny or Les Baxter.
Please note that the numbers are not in any order of rank or importance. You might also notice that the list doesn't have any blues or folk. Most of the blues and folk that I listen to tends to be the old-school stuff like Fred Neil, Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. Unfortunately most of these cats are no longer around, so my lists tend to focus on indie rock, experimental and hip-hop. Please feel free to voice your opinion if you have discrepancies with this list, or want to post your own list. I definitely try to have an open mind about opinions regarding all types of music.
Because of the sheer volume of this list, I won't be able to write in-depth reviews on each record. Instead, I will provide concise reviews on each record and links to more in-depth reviews on each selection. I hope you enjoy the list, and keep checking back for some Christmas selections very soon.
1) Sir Richard Bishop- Polytheistic Fragments- Former Sun City Girls guitar virtuoso delivers an eclectic, intoxicating blend of indian ragas, flamenco, appalachian folk, gypsy jazz and blues that is less experimental than previous efforts, but definitely not less captivating. Here is a review that goes into more detail about the specific songs.
Sir Richard Bishop-Free Masonic Guitar and Canned Goods and Firearms
From: Polytheistic Fragments
Click here to buy this album
2) Panda Bear- Person Pitch- High profile side project from Animal Collective vocalist Panda Bear who crafts a pitch perfect rendition of what the Beach Boys would have sounded like in an alternate universe. Don't take my word for it. Check out the sublime opening track "Comfy In Nautica" and prepare to be mesmerized by beautiful melodies that wrap around your ears like a warm blanket of sound. Here is a more in-depth review from Delusions of Adequacy.
Panda Bear- Comfy In Nautica and Bros
From: Person Pitch
Click here to buy this album!
3) Animal Collective- Strawberry Jam- Since I've already been talking about Panda Bear, I thought that I would have to include the latest long player by Animal Collective in this list. Strawberry Jam seems to be a natural progression from their last album Feels, in that it contains infectious and catchy melodies that will be imprinted on the pleasure receptors of your brain after the first listen. This album is exceptional in that it is an experimental and noisy record that is entirely accessible to all listeners. Check out the explosions of feedback and industrial machine noise mixed with tuneful screaming during the chorus of "Cuckoo Cuckoo".
From: Strawberry Jam
Click here to buy this album
4) Amon Tobin- Foley Room- Amon Tobin (Canada's Electro-jazz glitch hop pioneeer)crafted his latest aural tapestry of sound Foley Room in an actual "Foley Room". The foley room is the room where sound effects for a motion picture are created, so you can imagine the sonic clarity of this recording. This is a brain-bending adventure from beginning to end with glitch-electronica beats juxtaposed with field recordings of exotic animals and hypnotic basslines. Sort of like a modern day Martin Denny or Les Baxter.
Amon Tobin- Keep Your Distance and Foley Room
From: Foley Room
Click here to buy this album
5) Radiohead- In Rainbows- The chameleon-like five piece from Oxfordshire, England have crafted another seemingly effortless masterpiece. In Rainbows is a mellow chillout record that is perfect music for watching snow gently hit the windowpane on a cold winter's night. Hypnotic vocal melodies are interweaved with orchestral flourishes creating a haunting backdrop for endless days and nights.
Click here to buy this album
For those people that don't like to download individual files, here is a zip file that includes all of the songs in this post.
Your comments are always appreciated!
Comments
1-M.I.A.- Kala-Just too much! great beats,great lirycs.
2-Burial-Untrue-Dubstep hit me in the face with this one yeah i know a little late.
3-Melt-Banana-Bambi´s Dilemma-How they could just do pop songs with their usual style just baffled me.excellent.
4-Ibrahim Ferrer-Mi Sueño-Released after he died this has some great boleros and is lovely overall.
5-Shellac-Excellent Italian Greyhound-A little different than their previous i guess it doesnt sound as tense but great anyhow.
P.S. Is there any chance for a People-Misbegotten Man post?.
Thanks for posting your list! I meant to have Shellac on my list, but somehow I forgot about it. Right after I posted the list, I was like- Damn I forgot Shellac! MIA is not really my bag, but she is definitley catchy. Melt Banana almost made my list, but it got cut off at the very end... Still a very intriguing listen, though. I haven't heard the Ibrahim Ferrer record yet, so I'll have to check it out.
As far as posting the whole People Misbegotten Man- I can't do it. I try not to post full albums from things that are new or available in a record store. If you like these songs, you will dig the entire record.
Take care, Kevin