The Best Albums of 2007: #91 to #100
The first installment of our top 100 of 2007 album list.
100. Panamericana by
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele, who hails
from Argentina
was discovered by Thievery Corporation, and Panamericana is his
sophomore effort on their label, Eighteenth Street Lounge. Aubele has
succeeded in creating exactly what he set out to do by weaving together some of
the very best musical elements from across the Americas. He has come up with
something completely unique, but absolutely familiar. No matter what side of
the equator you happen to call home.
99. Coronation
Thieves by Dragons Of Zynth
This album is like a jar of moonshine - complete hell going down, but if
you can get through the first few gulps, everything becomes warm, fuzzy
and rapturous. Complete chaos is controlled with a deftness that simply
cannot be manufactured, or gained by luck alone. The record has vast peaks and
valleys, wrapped in enough distorted fog to hold your focus while you try to
figure out what the hell is going on. But it never becomes annoying enough to
turn you off.
98. Coarsegold
by The Dying Californian
The Dying Californian started as a band in Santa Cruz, CA
over 10 years ago under the name Nuzzle. As their sound evolved into a more
Wilco-leaning alt country animal they changed their name. And it fits. The
music has a lonely, melancholic flavor and California indie scene sensibility. The
record weaves and meanders at a measured pace, and the harmonies wrap you in a
warm blanket of sound that prods you to stop what you're doing and focus
on the experience. And once you do, the CD moves to an easily accessible
location in your collection.
97.
Head Home by O'Death
O'Death found new life this year on Ernest Jenning Records with the re-release
of 2006's Head Home. And it's a very good thing. If you haven't had the
pleasure of hearing the record or seeing them live, now's your chance. The band combines the standard bluegrass instrumentation of acoustic guitar,
banjo, fiddle, bass and drums, but they play cabaret flavored songs (ala Man
Man or Tom Waits) with a punk rock energy. And before you say this should not
be included because it's a re-release of a 2006 album, please remember
that this is my list, so I make the rules.
96. Oreskaband by
Oreskaband
If you told me I would select a Japanese schoolgirl ska band as one of my
top 100 in 2007 last year at this time, I would've told you that you were nuts,
but here you have it. Oreskaband has become a sensation in Japan and have
been featured all over Japanese television, including an appearance in a TV
commercial for the popular Japanese candy Pocky, which doubles as a music video to promote
the band. You must hear to believe.
95.
The Budos Band II by The Budos Band
The Budos Band II is an instrumental soul freakout made to be heard by the glow
of black light among bongs and hot chicks with afros. Fans of jazz, soul, funk
and jam bands may migrate en masse to this fine album, and I would be thrilled
if they do. But my greater hope is that The Budos Band helps a younger
generation dig into some truly great music of the past.
94. Anthem by
Christian Scott
This 23-year-old virtuoso was honored with a Grammy nomination last year
for his debut Rewind That, and
Anthem builds upon it's success while taking daring steps to find it's own
voice. Jazz traditionalists won't appreciate the melding of rock, soul and
hip-hop, while smooth jazz fans won't get the complex ideas presented. They
will both be missing a fine effort. Christian Scott is reaching for art and
succeeding.
93.
Blasts of Holy Birth by Lewis & Clarke
Blasts of Holy Birth makes me feel much the way I did driving through
the Delaware Water Gap (Lewis & Clark's home) with my wife next to me
and the autumn leaves setting a backdrop. It's calming, but with bright colors,
much as it's represented on the cover art. Pianos, strings, acoustic guitars,
harp, keyboards, horns and understated drums create a sedate and welcome
collection of songs that are delivered without grievance.
92. Digital
Shades, Vol. 1 by M83
Digital Shades contains the warm tones and grandiose crescendos that are
part of what we love about M83, but the record is decidedly low-key, moody, and
at times, otherworldly. It contains some minimal vocal parts that fit well, but
the large majority of the sounds are electronic brushstrokes that paint what
ends up being a strong ambient effort. Anthony Gonzalez has captured some of
the very best elements of Brian Eno's ambient masterworks on this release,
which is enough to chalk it up as a success.
91. White Shoes & The Couples Company by White Shoes & The Couples Company The record is a mostly shiny and happy endeavour. So much so, that it attracted 18 butterflies, 5 songbirds, 3 fuzzy bunnies, a rainbow and a unicorn to my patio as I listened outdoors. If the music's ability to attract cute and mystical creatures isn't enough for you, I would also tell you that the band was named one of the Top 25 Bands on MySpace by Rolling Stone Magazine, and one of the most Crushworthy Bands of 2006 by All Music Guide, who proclaim White Shoes.., "the best indie pop band from Indonesia."
Return to #81 through #90
I understand why hip hop was almost completely left of this list as this was [by far] the worst year in hip hop music. You have Ghostface, Talib Kweli, and Kanye [at #90?], good job. WTF are you thinking by leaving Alicia Keyes and Lupe Fiasco off the list? I can see that even in hip hop, you're polarizing yourself towards the obscure [Aesop Rock/Talib Kweli/Ghostface] but it is in that logic that I would think that Lupe Fiasco would have fallen onto your list [even at an undeserving spot somewhere in 91-100]
Seems to me that you tried to prove a point by putting Kanye at number 90, like "Oh, I'm so hip that I put Ghostface and Aesop Rock above Kanye like I know what I'm talking about".
I agree that Jay Z's "American Gangster" shouldnt make the top 100 [probably wouldnt even crack top 25 on an all hip hop list], but the blatant snub of Alicia Keyes and Lupe Fiasco has me worried that somewhere out there, someone is reading your critiques and taking notes.
To me, a "top album" is one that has fans waiting in anticipation and then delivers the goods or can hook a listener in a moments notice. Your list is full of hipster/obscure music that a listener has to "get into" and that the average listener couldnt find readily unless they had access to the monthly "promo boxes" that music critics seem to find themselves waist deep in.
http://gzbasement.net/gzrecords/
All very good, worth atleast mentioning.
I spent the afternoon checking out a lot of the music on this list that I had never heard of before, and it is all EXCELLENT. The writer of this list should be commended for sifting through the thousands of albums released every year and not limiting himself to the few hundred released by the major labels.
Sure, maybe all of these aren't the absolute best albums of the year... but I would much rather discover new artists than have a year-end list just reiterate what I've already been told by the mainstream media press and pop stations for the past year anyway.
Open your ears -- maybe you'll hear something for once other than your own voice.
End of Lecture.
There should have been a disclaimer...allow me to provide:
"Best True Talent, Not digitally enhancing voiceover, yesterday's bubblegum Albums of 2007"
I haven't listened to 50 Cent, so I say nothing. But Britney? Tell me you were kidding.