That's it. The end. 2007 is coming to a close, and what a wonderful/crazy/stupid/[insert adjective] year it has been. As always, there was a ton of music put out in 2007, and Voilà! is here to do that music justice.
This is Voilà!'s 1st Annual synopsis of music for a year. Obviously, these aren't the opinions of all the writers here at Voilà!, just mine. But until we have more writers, I believe this will suffice! I'll provide the link to buy the album from the well respected folks at Insound.com, the best indie music purveyors on the net (which we are not sponsors by... they're seriously just great). Wary of who you spend to? I can guarantee that every album in the Top and Bottom 10s are on Amazon.com. Each album in the Top and Bottom 10 get a short review. Now, there are four different categories.
Here's how it works:
The Top 10 - The best 10 albums of 2007.
The Bottom 10 - The best 10 albums that didn't make the Top 10. Hence, Bottom 10.
Obscure Recommendations - Some more obscure albums released in 2007 that were worthy of mention.
Best Bands For 2008 - The best new bands you should really pay attention to starting Jan. 1st.
Top 10:
[the best of the best]
Myth Takes by !!! - Dance-techno-disco-funk band !!! [chk chk chk] has had a huge underground following of crazy clubbers seeking live dance-punk that is iconic to !!!. But with the release Myth Takes, they gained a little publicity here, a few fans there, and soon were luring in hundreds of unsuspecting new fans to the insane, profane, grungy, sexy, sweaty, funky world that only !!! can rule. Every song is catchy, every song will make your whole body move, and Myth Takes can teach you the meaning of "acid-tripping."
Neon Bible by The Arcade Fire - Who didn't see it coming? The long awaited follow up to the highly acclaimed Funeral, Arcade Fire delivered tenfold with Neon Bible. Every track is packed with powerful orchestral rock that invigorates every emotion in the only way the crazy Canadian collective knows how to achieve. Somewhat dark, somewhat uplifting, somewhat enlightening, Neon Bible takes listeners down a beautifully composed river of brilliance.
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions in the Sky - After four years of waiting since their last LP, when Explosions released their latest venture, they were given very high expectations by fans. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone takes every expectation and blows them out of the water. The Texas post-rockers come out touting all the guns, bearing everything from deafening walls of sounds to delicate and quiet masterpieces. All of a Sudden... leaves nobody disappointed.
The Reminder by Feist - Leslie Feist is probably one of the strongest female personalities in indie rock. With her soothing, sensual voice that leaves you drooling, and her obvious credibility (Broken Social Scene alumni? Yes.), any album she's willing to put under her belt is another must hear. The Reminder is no exception as Feist finds a beautiful groove somewhere in-between happy and sad; bouncy and moody; sentimental and fun. The Reminder sounds like a glorious compilation of lullabies.
The Shepherd's Dog by Iron & Wine - Sam Beam and his outfit Iron & Wine is quite easily uncontested as one of the most talented modern folk artists. But is it possible for a traditional minimalist-folk artist to make their songs... poppy? The Shepherd's Dog makes this fantasy a reality. It is without any doubts the most accessible of his albums, one of the most diverse (with more emphasis on a full-band sound), and possibly one of the best. If you listen to only one album on this list, make it The Shepherd's Dog.
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse - Modest Mouse has this weird thing they do. When you listen to one of their albums, they start off with some odd songs. Catchy, but odd. Then, after a few songs into the album, BOOM, they hit this groove, and it's smooth sailing. It appears this particular album isn't sinking, because We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is your expected Modest Mouse album: meaning it exceeds expectations. Very catchy and vibrant, as well as being very diverse with the sound. Their change toward a slightly more pop-oriented sound (while still retaining the part of their music that keeps them unique) shows strongly; over half the songs on We Were Dead... could qualify as good singles. If you aren't sure which way to turn for good music, best bet your money on Modest Mouse this year.
Anytown Graffiti by Pela - Diversity prospers while typicality weakens. That could be the motto of Pela's rise to fame with their debut full-length album, Anytown Graffiti. Pela has great material, and is consistently different, making wonderful music the whole way through Anytown Graffiti. Drawing inspiration from every band under the sun, Pela pulls out the a full-house for their first album, and has more than earned a top 10 spot. If you haven't heard "Lost to the Lonesome" yet, listen now.
In Rainbows by Radiohead - By now, every one has heard of the proverbial A-bomb Radiohead dropped on the music industry when they stated the unusual marketing ploy of "name your own price for the album." As if changing the way music is purchased wasn't enough, In Rainbows moves you lightly across 10 tracks of excellent songs that defines a powerful change in sound for Radiohead. If nothing more than making yet another Top 10, In Rainbows certainly wins most talked about album of the year.
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Bottom 10:
[the albums that almost made it]
Planet of Ice by Minus the Bear - Frankly, the only thing that kept Planet Of Ice out of the Top 10 was the fact that there was no room left. Minus the Bear blew through competition with their latest album this year. What's really great about Planet of Ice is that Minus the Bear didn't change their style, but thoroughly focused and enhanced it. Everything you have loved about previous MtB albums is all here, it's just stepped up a notch. Smart lyrics, crazy guitar solos, and the smooth grooves of Minus the Bear, there is no reason Planet of Ice shouldn't make your top 10 of 2007.
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon - High hopes were... well, hoped, when Texan indie rockers Spoon set forth to make their next big album. But frankly... something just didn't click. The title is a bit disconcerting; it's hard to trust something named Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. But the music drowns you in a very typical, clichéd indie style until you reach "The Underdog" (track 7 of 10). Listening to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is like working at a crappy job: At first, it's pretty lame and dull, but in the end, it's not so bad once you get used to it and get paid.
Places Like This by Architecture In Helsinki - If you want to think about party, but aren't a big enough raver to follow in the wake of !!!, Architecture In Helsinki provides. Places Like This is a wild departure from their normal style, diverting from their usual balance of slow and fast songs to a full album of party-tunes! Places Like This is in the bottom 10 because of this change. AIH loses something with all upbeat-fast-paced songs. Secondly, Places Like This is SHORT, barely stretching longer than half an hour. Places Like This is a fun album, with super-catchy tunes, but is just too short and one-trick pony'd to make the cut.
Spirit If... by Kevin Drew and Broken Social Scene - "Broken Social Scene Presents:". Four words can give one album in the indie world so much respect. But this first in a series of albums, Spirit If..., dedicated to BSS alum Kevin Drew, is a very hit-or-miss album. Without a doubt, there is great material on Spirit If..., including "TBTF," "Backed Out On The...," and "Safety Bricks." But other songs are somewhat lonely, and feel like they're missing something. I think the main problem with Spirit If... is that it isn't "Kevin Drew: The Solo Album," but marketed as a BSS album as well. You expect the full album strong enough to support Broken Social Scene, and receive what was intended to be one specific artist's solo stuff. Great tunes, great lyrics, and good album, though somewhat lackluster if you're expecting something bigger than Kevin.
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? by Of Montreal - Let's face it, there aren't many bands like Of Montreal. Furthermore, there aren't many bands who know how to be as crazy, be as creepy, think as strangely, or have as much fun as them. Taking everything you've come to expect from Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? pushes it up a notch while retaining the classic, catchy Of Montreal sound you can't live without. This belongs in the top 10, but Of Montreal got bumped out of the way by Pela, those sneaky buggers!
A Weekend in the City by Bloc Party - Bloc Party hit a riff of popularity with the release of Silent Alarm, and their follow up, A Weekend in the City was touted by endless music blogs as the most excellent sequel imaginable. But overall, A Weekend in the City proves to be somewhat of a weak album. Bloc Party's style changed from a more fast paced band emulating the likes of Franz Ferdinand to a more unique, but slower and more ambiguous style. Their songs are less catchy (I think anyway), such as "On," while others like "Uniform" come off as quite pretentious (though maybe that's what they aimed for?). This goes without mentioning that Bloc Party split some songs into B-sides, dishing them out randomly to different CDs. The B-sides are some of the best for this album. Though this review is negative, A Weekend In The City isn't a terrible album. It boasts great songs with Bloc Party's new style: "Kreuzberg" is great, as well as "I Still Remember." "Waiting For The 7:18" was one of my favorite songs of the year. But overall, A Weekend in the City just can't hold it's own compared to those in the Top 10.
Friend and Foe by Menomena - Menomena was a huge hit in 2007, and Friend and Foe is one of the first peaks some people have ever had at the band. As an album specifically, Friend and Foe is strong, moving, and diverse. But, it is also a refined taste. Menomena prides themselves on being an experimental band, and that's exactly what Friend and Foe is. The sound is different, the sound is odd, but all in good ways. You have to be prepared to hear something weird before listening to Menomena, and this is why Friend and Foe can't stand along with Top 10 Bands.
Even If It Kills Me by Motion City Soundtrack - I always have this fear about bands that receive the MTV Taint. That odd vibe after a band has appeared on the TRL countdown, or performed as some "New Band" or something. Will they continue to be consistent with their music? Or will they sell out? Out of nowhere, following the release of Commit This To Memory, Motion City Soundtrack shows they aren't letting popularity change their sound with Even If It Kills Me. They have their pop hits, but their music has remained well formed and real. "Antonia" is one of the best songs of the entire year, clearly drawing from the quirkiness of their previous song, "L.G. Fuad." This is a great album overall, and a good release for Motion City, but they could have been a little more diverse if they tried harder.
Wincing the Night Away by The Shins - The Shins always get flaunted as "The Indie Band." You're not hip if you don't listen to The Shins (it's probably cause of Garden State, isn't it?). But Wincing the Night Away proves they aren't all bark; The Shins have some bite in them! "Sleeping Lessons" is a wall-of-sound introduction that can blow you away, and "Australia" is possibly the most catchy song of the year. But as a whole, Wincing the Night Away got a bit tiresome and dull; songs like "Black Wave" and "Red Rabbits" are too deep and slow for The Shins, very reminiscent of "Your Algebra," which I never cared for. Good release, but somewhat typical and needs a little more "umph."
Population by The Most Serene Republic - Putting art students together always seems like it would spawn great creativity. The Most Serene Republic proves that with their incredibly diverse collection of songs on Population. Touted as the first Arts & Crafts band that isn't affiliated with Broken Social Scene gave them some attention, and they proved they were quite original (was I the only one that heard some Allman Brother-esque sound in "A Mix Of Sun And Cloud?"). But Population doesn't hold its own against others; it's almost a bit too diverse and experimental. The album is messy, and a bit random, but in an artistic way. But sadly, this great album is just like any other form of modern art - some people just aren't going to get it. Overall a great album, but not in comparison with some of those that made the Top 10.
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Obscure Recommendations
[some folks who made enough noise to be heard]
Back For The Fight by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
The Ivori Palms by Peter and the Wolf
Let It Snow... Let It Reindeer by Relient K
New Moon by Elliot Smith
Nothing To Say by All About Max
Obadiah Parker Live by Obadiah Parker
Punch Your Lights Out EP by Danger: Radio
The Stage Names by Okkervil River
Sticking Fingers Into Sockets by Los Campesinos!
The Soft Skin - EP by Brown Recluse Sings
You, You Are A History In Rust by Do Make Say Think
Who Wants To Fight A Million Bears by J Versus K
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Best Bands For 2008
[the ones you should watch closely]
Bright Light Fever
Cullen Rollins
Ghosts & Liars
The Hermione Crookshanks Experience [and/or] Kristine Tuna
J Versus K
Julia Maree
Los Campesinos!
Nightmare Of You
Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls [and/or] Christian Calderia
Owen Pye
This Will Destroy You
