2007, #10-6.
Jan. 7th, 2008 02:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urgencytobleedAlright, finally, a 2007 wrap-up. I was getting nowhere with trying to make a cohesive mix, so I've decided to go about this a bit differently. Basically, this whole week is going to be "2007" week and I'm going to try to post something everyday - the first two days will be my top ten albums, the next two will be songs from other good albums, and the third will be sort of an "anticipated in 2008" post. I've posted quite a few of these songs in the past, but it gives you the chance to realize that these are my very favorites and if you haven't tried them by now, I definitely recommend you to! There are still some albums I haven't listened to properly but I realized that if I kept trying to listen to everything, this wouldn't be done until the end of 2008, so I decided that none of those would probably make it into my top ten anyway and settled on this list. I'm pretty happy with it; the only spot that doesn't feel completely static is #10, which was occupied by quite a few different albums until I decided on what's there now. So, without further ado, the latter half of my top ten, complete with reviews, purchase links, and Youtube videos!
10. Emma Pollock - Watch The Fireworks (purchase)
Watch the Fireworks, in many ways, picks up where Emma's previous band the Delgados' final album, Universal Audio, left off. It's full of catchy, slightly quirky indie pop tunes sprinkled with well-written lyrics and Emma's distinguishable raspy yet sweet vocals. The album opens with "New Land", which could be a pretty generic singer-songwriter track if not for the carnival-esque melodies and persistent drumbeat propelling it. This is true of most of the tracks; they don't tread any new territory, but Emma knows how to make them memorable and instantly lovable. "Acid Test" is a bit edgier and more rock-oriented while singles like "Paper and Glue" and "Adrenaline" are poppy without being completely vapid. All of the catchiness is interspersed with more folky simple songs like "Limbs", "Fortune", and "The Optimist" which are soft and pretty but Emma's slightly raw voice keeps them from sounding bland. Her music is probably most reminiscent of female artists like Anna Nalick and Nerina Pallot, but her years of experience with the Delgados allows her songs to be more meaningful, impactful, and durable than others with a similar style who haven't been active for as long. Her delivery sounds both youthful and wise at the same time and her songs fit nicely as one unit but never blend together until you don't know which is which. I used to listen almost exclusively to artists of the "female singer-songwriter" ilk but I've grown a bit tired of that these past couple of years, so it takes a lot to capture my attention in that category anymore. For that reason, Emma definitely deserves to be on this list. From the moment I first heard Watch the Fireworks I knew I was in love and even if her chosen style of music isn't terribly unique, she definitely stands out as one of the most talented women in that group right now.
9. Feist - The Reminder (purchase)
I initially dismissed Feist as boring (except for the undeniably cute "Mushaboom") and while I would still avoid recommending her music to someone with a short attention span, my opinion has been changed and a large part of that is due to The Reminder. I'll admit that "1234" has become a casualty of overexposure but don't let that deter you from giving the rest of this album a listen, as it's not even close to the best track here, in my opinion. What about the just as catchy "I Feel It All"? Or the floaty retroness of "My Moon My Man" and "The Limit to Your Love"? What about the dour melancholic duo of "The Park" and "The Water"? Or the subtler, more vulnerable "Intuition" and "How My Heart Behaves"? There's so much more to love beyond "1234", which is definitely lovable but a tad repetitive, causing it to become stale after repeated listens. Leslie Feist knows how to create a certain mood within her songs, whether it be shimmery and sexy or depressing and dark and the slightly tinny production gives them that feeling of being from another era. You can disappear inside of them for a moment, forgetting everything inside your head and replacing it with an overwhelming sense of calmness. This effect is also largely due to Leslie's unique voice. Her delivery and phrasing is very individual, even more so on this album than Let It Die, and the tone of her voice is very honeyed and feminine while also remaining a bit rough around the edges. From the opening note of "So Sorry" to the final chorus of "How My Heart Behaves", it demands your complete attention, even when the music itself becomes a bit too sleepy. I haven't listened to The Reminder nearly as much lately as I did when I first heard it and it is a little overlong, sagging a bit near the middle, but for the most part, it's pretty close to the perfect soundtrack for your more mellow moods.
8. Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower (purchase)
I downloaded this album on a whim, pretty much just because I stumbled upon a link to it, before its release and didn't listen to it for awhile, but once I did, I fell in love, especially with the song "No Stars". It's a fairly simple song but there is something very climatic and intense about it that made me want to hear it over and over again. That's how I feel about most of this album, actually. There's nothing crazy or mindblowing, but for some reason, I always get random urges to listen to a certain song from it. Maria's voice is probably one of the main reasons for that - it's soft and airy and it seems to float out of her mouth with no effort at all. She doesn't change the style she sings in much and she often sounds slightly bored but there's always this quiet intensity, as if she wants to belt at the top of her lungs, but is holding it back because it would be too painful. Or something like that, but the one thing about it that is certain is that it's gorgeous. From the cool yet melancholy delivery of "Clean Getaway" (that solitary high note at the end kills me every single time) to the more forceful "Replay" to the monotonous verses of "A Good Start", the simplicity of these songs hits you emotionally in a way that songs covered in bells and whistles cannot. The lyrics are just as sparse - and as affecting - as the music. Lines such as "And I miss you/I miss you every single day" (from "Clean Getaway") and "And a heart that grieves gets lost in everything/And a heart in need finds hope in anything" (from "Lost Time") are extremely easy to both understand and relate to. Maria's music probably won't change your life but the forty minutes or so Lynn Teeter Flower lasts makes for a very enjoyable and dreamlike escape. I've come to love her solo debut, 11:11, more as an album but a lot of the songs here still feel extremely timeless and beautiful to me.
7. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight (purchase)
Where to begin?... I've had a lot of mixed feelings and opinion changes about this album since it was released. I think a big reason for my disappointment is that as I've mentioned, last year was the year of Rilo Kiley for me. I adored almost everything they had ever released and thought they could do no wrong, which led me to have extremely - and probably unrealistically - high expectations for the follow-up to 2004's More Adventurous. Under the Blacklight is very enjoyable to listen to, but there's no denying the fact that, for me at least, it's had nowhere near the impact that their previous albums have. The melodies are extremely catchy and Jenny Lewis' vocals are heavenly but I'm a lyrics person and the decision to focus less on introspective lyrics in these songs causes me to not be able to connect to them as much - which is something that is extremely important to me in music - and I probably never will. I've come to accept that and have learned to listen to it with a different mindset but as much as it pains me to say it, if this direction is a permanent one, I'd rather they break up and work on their solo projects than continue with Rilo Kiley. I really hope that doesn't end up being the case, though. On the bright side, there are some really great tracks here: "Close Call" is sexy and brash and forceful; "Breakin' Up" evokes some kind of modern roller-disco atmosphere that is completely infectious and playful (though I could do without the faux-soul background vocalists); "Smoke Detector" is about as shallow as shallow gets but still totally adorable; "Dreamworld" is guitarist Blake Sennett's sole turn as lead singer and is probably his finest track since Take Offs and Landings (not to mention the fact that his voice has improved light-years since then). Taken as simply a strong and well-performed pop record, Under the Blacklight is mostly a success, but if you're searching for something that leaves a huge impact after listening, it's probably not the place to look.
6. Blonde Redhead - 23 (purchase)
I haven't completely taken in 23 yet, but I'm loving it more with every listen and I'm pretty confident that I'll be listening to it a lot in the future. Plus, it doesn't really fit in with most of the other music I listen to, so for it to leave such an impact on me definitely makes it worthy of being here. This is a gorgeous album, to put it simply, full of layers of lush instrumentation and rich with atmosphere. Kazu Makino may not have a conventionally beautiful voice, but its thin, airy tone fits the music perfectly. It's completely otherworldly, capable of sounding sweet and light, but always with an underlying sadness or sexiness to it. The title track begins the album on such a strong foot that it's hard to believe it could get any better; over swirling drums and guitars, Kazu's voice soars through mysterious verses and a pulsing, catchy chorus, never getting lost inside of the full, heavy music. Later on, songs like "The Dress", "Silently", and "Top Ranking" are a bit simpler but no less entrancing. Their addictiveness is in large part due to that angelic voice and her innocent, child-like delivery. I definitely prefer Kazu's songs to those sung by Amedeo Pace, but his more ragged voice does serve as a nice contrast to hers and the faster-paced "Spring and by Summer Fall" is one of the album's highlights. The entire album feels like a dream, allowing you to escape into a gauzy alternate universe for its duration. The lyrics are kept simple and minimal to allow the music and vocals to take the spotlight, but once you start to focus on them more with repeated listens, you realize that they are quite charming as well. For example, in "The Dress", the short line "I love you less now that I know you" speaks volumes without any fancy words or phrasing. These songs aren't immediately catchy, but it won't take long for them to stick inside of your head, and once they're there, it's hard to get them back out. They're so beautiful, though, I don't think you'll find yourself complaining much about it.
#5-1 tomorrow! (Unless you know the one other place I've posted this. In that case, you're lucky.)
10. Emma Pollock - Watch The Fireworks (purchase)
Watch the Fireworks, in many ways, picks up where Emma's previous band the Delgados' final album, Universal Audio, left off. It's full of catchy, slightly quirky indie pop tunes sprinkled with well-written lyrics and Emma's distinguishable raspy yet sweet vocals. The album opens with "New Land", which could be a pretty generic singer-songwriter track if not for the carnival-esque melodies and persistent drumbeat propelling it. This is true of most of the tracks; they don't tread any new territory, but Emma knows how to make them memorable and instantly lovable. "Acid Test" is a bit edgier and more rock-oriented while singles like "Paper and Glue" and "Adrenaline" are poppy without being completely vapid. All of the catchiness is interspersed with more folky simple songs like "Limbs", "Fortune", and "The Optimist" which are soft and pretty but Emma's slightly raw voice keeps them from sounding bland. Her music is probably most reminiscent of female artists like Anna Nalick and Nerina Pallot, but her years of experience with the Delgados allows her songs to be more meaningful, impactful, and durable than others with a similar style who haven't been active for as long. Her delivery sounds both youthful and wise at the same time and her songs fit nicely as one unit but never blend together until you don't know which is which. I used to listen almost exclusively to artists of the "female singer-songwriter" ilk but I've grown a bit tired of that these past couple of years, so it takes a lot to capture my attention in that category anymore. For that reason, Emma definitely deserves to be on this list. From the moment I first heard Watch the Fireworks I knew I was in love and even if her chosen style of music isn't terribly unique, she definitely stands out as one of the most talented women in that group right now.
Acid TestPaper and GlueThe Optimist
9. Feist - The Reminder (purchase)
I initially dismissed Feist as boring (except for the undeniably cute "Mushaboom") and while I would still avoid recommending her music to someone with a short attention span, my opinion has been changed and a large part of that is due to The Reminder. I'll admit that "1234" has become a casualty of overexposure but don't let that deter you from giving the rest of this album a listen, as it's not even close to the best track here, in my opinion. What about the just as catchy "I Feel It All"? Or the floaty retroness of "My Moon My Man" and "The Limit to Your Love"? What about the dour melancholic duo of "The Park" and "The Water"? Or the subtler, more vulnerable "Intuition" and "How My Heart Behaves"? There's so much more to love beyond "1234", which is definitely lovable but a tad repetitive, causing it to become stale after repeated listens. Leslie Feist knows how to create a certain mood within her songs, whether it be shimmery and sexy or depressing and dark and the slightly tinny production gives them that feeling of being from another era. You can disappear inside of them for a moment, forgetting everything inside your head and replacing it with an overwhelming sense of calmness. This effect is also largely due to Leslie's unique voice. Her delivery and phrasing is very individual, even more so on this album than Let It Die, and the tone of her voice is very honeyed and feminine while also remaining a bit rough around the edges. From the opening note of "So Sorry" to the final chorus of "How My Heart Behaves", it demands your complete attention, even when the music itself becomes a bit too sleepy. I haven't listened to The Reminder nearly as much lately as I did when I first heard it and it is a little overlong, sagging a bit near the middle, but for the most part, it's pretty close to the perfect soundtrack for your more mellow moods.
My Moon My ManThe Limit to Your LoveIntuition
8. Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower (purchase)
I downloaded this album on a whim, pretty much just because I stumbled upon a link to it, before its release and didn't listen to it for awhile, but once I did, I fell in love, especially with the song "No Stars". It's a fairly simple song but there is something very climatic and intense about it that made me want to hear it over and over again. That's how I feel about most of this album, actually. There's nothing crazy or mindblowing, but for some reason, I always get random urges to listen to a certain song from it. Maria's voice is probably one of the main reasons for that - it's soft and airy and it seems to float out of her mouth with no effort at all. She doesn't change the style she sings in much and she often sounds slightly bored but there's always this quiet intensity, as if she wants to belt at the top of her lungs, but is holding it back because it would be too painful. Or something like that, but the one thing about it that is certain is that it's gorgeous. From the cool yet melancholy delivery of "Clean Getaway" (that solitary high note at the end kills me every single time) to the more forceful "Replay" to the monotonous verses of "A Good Start", the simplicity of these songs hits you emotionally in a way that songs covered in bells and whistles cannot. The lyrics are just as sparse - and as affecting - as the music. Lines such as "And I miss you/I miss you every single day" (from "Clean Getaway") and "And a heart that grieves gets lost in everything/And a heart in need finds hope in anything" (from "Lost Time") are extremely easy to both understand and relate to. Maria's music probably won't change your life but the forty minutes or so Lynn Teeter Flower lasts makes for a very enjoyable and dreamlike escape. I've come to love her solo debut, 11:11, more as an album but a lot of the songs here still feel extremely timeless and beautiful to me.
Clean GetawayMy Own FaultLost Time
7. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight (purchase)
Where to begin?... I've had a lot of mixed feelings and opinion changes about this album since it was released. I think a big reason for my disappointment is that as I've mentioned, last year was the year of Rilo Kiley for me. I adored almost everything they had ever released and thought they could do no wrong, which led me to have extremely - and probably unrealistically - high expectations for the follow-up to 2004's More Adventurous. Under the Blacklight is very enjoyable to listen to, but there's no denying the fact that, for me at least, it's had nowhere near the impact that their previous albums have. The melodies are extremely catchy and Jenny Lewis' vocals are heavenly but I'm a lyrics person and the decision to focus less on introspective lyrics in these songs causes me to not be able to connect to them as much - which is something that is extremely important to me in music - and I probably never will. I've come to accept that and have learned to listen to it with a different mindset but as much as it pains me to say it, if this direction is a permanent one, I'd rather they break up and work on their solo projects than continue with Rilo Kiley. I really hope that doesn't end up being the case, though. On the bright side, there are some really great tracks here: "Close Call" is sexy and brash and forceful; "Breakin' Up" evokes some kind of modern roller-disco atmosphere that is completely infectious and playful (though I could do without the faux-soul background vocalists); "Smoke Detector" is about as shallow as shallow gets but still totally adorable; "Dreamworld" is guitarist Blake Sennett's sole turn as lead singer and is probably his finest track since Take Offs and Landings (not to mention the fact that his voice has improved light-years since then). Taken as simply a strong and well-performed pop record, Under the Blacklight is mostly a success, but if you're searching for something that leaves a huge impact after listening, it's probably not the place to look.
Close CallBreakin' UpDreamworld
6. Blonde Redhead - 23 (purchase)
I haven't completely taken in 23 yet, but I'm loving it more with every listen and I'm pretty confident that I'll be listening to it a lot in the future. Plus, it doesn't really fit in with most of the other music I listen to, so for it to leave such an impact on me definitely makes it worthy of being here. This is a gorgeous album, to put it simply, full of layers of lush instrumentation and rich with atmosphere. Kazu Makino may not have a conventionally beautiful voice, but its thin, airy tone fits the music perfectly. It's completely otherworldly, capable of sounding sweet and light, but always with an underlying sadness or sexiness to it. The title track begins the album on such a strong foot that it's hard to believe it could get any better; over swirling drums and guitars, Kazu's voice soars through mysterious verses and a pulsing, catchy chorus, never getting lost inside of the full, heavy music. Later on, songs like "The Dress", "Silently", and "Top Ranking" are a bit simpler but no less entrancing. Their addictiveness is in large part due to that angelic voice and her innocent, child-like delivery. I definitely prefer Kazu's songs to those sung by Amedeo Pace, but his more ragged voice does serve as a nice contrast to hers and the faster-paced "Spring and by Summer Fall" is one of the album's highlights. The entire album feels like a dream, allowing you to escape into a gauzy alternate universe for its duration. The lyrics are kept simple and minimal to allow the music and vocals to take the spotlight, but once you start to focus on them more with repeated listens, you realize that they are quite charming as well. For example, in "The Dress", the short line "I love you less now that I know you" speaks volumes without any fancy words or phrasing. These songs aren't immediately catchy, but it won't take long for them to stick inside of your head, and once they're there, it's hard to get them back out. They're so beautiful, though, I don't think you'll find yourself complaining much about it.
23Spring and by Summer FallTop Ranking
#5-1 tomorrow! (Unless you know the one other place I've posted this. In that case, you're lucky.)
