The year is almost half over. How's your best albums of 2007 list coming?

[mvd]

Here's my top 20 so far. I included the Kelly Clarkson and Mandy Moore albums based on what I've heard. This is only a rough draft, so I can make plenty of corrections. And I'll certainly be buying more CDs.

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
The Pierces - 13 Tales Of Love And Revenge
Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked Ladies Are Men
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Brandi Carlile - The Story
Kate Voegele - Don't Look Away
Alexa Wilkinson - Lullabye Appetite
The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome
Sloan - Never Hear The End Of It
Chantal Kreviazuk - Ghost Stories
Tori Amos - American Doll Posse
Tiffany - Just Me
The Fratellis - Costello Music
Fountains Of Wayne - Traffic & Weather
Kelly Clarkson - My December
The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution
Dean & Britta - Back Numbers
Mandy Moore - Wild Hope
Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Calling

What are your favorite released-in-2007 albums?

[XemaSab]

1. Modest Mouse

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. :D

[mvd]

2. I don't think I have an album of the year yet

Many are close, so I'll wait until the end of the year to announce that.

[WindRavenX]

46. seconded

And the Shins' "Wincing the Night Away" isn't far behind either :D

[Mojambo]

3. I have the first album by the Dollyrots.

I didn't even know they had another out.

I'll have to look for that one.

[mvd]

4. What an awesome band! And the lead singer is so attractive

I read they got together and formed a band when Bush was selected in 2000, because they thought the world would end anyway. Turned out well for music lovers, and their politics are obviously good.

[some guy]

5. American Doll Posse tops the list

by default, as it's the only 2007 release I have bought.

:hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Same as 1997-2006 - nothing worth a fucking shit.

When rock music becomes good again, I'll worry about albums.

[mvd]

8. Well, I find plenty

Too bad you can't find even one you like. :-(

[KG]

10. you're not looking very hard.

it's under the radar but it's there.

[mvd]

13. There are some in the mainstream that I like, as you can tell..

by my list, but the radio and mainstream just scratches the surface. I'd recommend he try XM radio, MySpace, music reviews (just for finding artists,) discoveringartists.com, iTunes, Amazon recommendations, and more. Maybe he just doesn't like today's stuff, though, and I can't help there.

[Lex]

7. Here's two

"Release the Stars" - Rufus Wainwright http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10804745

"Back to Black" - Amy Winehouse http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9180878

[mvd]

9. Back To Back is quite good

I'm also considering the Rufus Wainwright, though the orchestration can get a little overwhelming. It's full of vivid ideas and probably worth a purchase.

[Lex]

12. Wainwright

is out of the ordinary for me, but I love the title track so much!

Lucinda Williams has a new one out as of a few months ago called "West" which is quite good.

[mvd]

16. Oh, I do love Lucinda

I thought that West is her worst (didn't quite have the beauty or energy of her others,) but ok to add to my collection as a fan.

I have and enjoy Rufus's Poses a lot. He IS one of a kind.

[ghostsofgiants]

11. I don't even think about that until the end of the year.

Until then, I just sit back and enjoy. Though I do have my top 3 pretty much picked out. The new Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire and El-P albums have each been like an addiction for me since they came out.

Bloc Party and Modest Mouse are probably gonna make the list as well.

[mvd]

15. I have more to listen to tomorrow even

That's how changeable it can be. But I have fun with lists anyway, so I'm starting to organize. :hi:

Is the Bloc Party better than their first? Sounds better to me, but some differ on that.

[ghostsofgiants]

22. I'm not really sure yet.

I think I like the first one better, though I felt that way about the new Arcade Fire album too, and now Funeral doesn't even compare in my mind, haha.

I've got a bunch of albums that I'm still waiting for to be released, so I have to wait, plus I've got a bunch downloaded that I need to listen to still. It's those damn three albums sucking up all my listening time, haha.

[mvd]

23. I also have a lot to go

That's why I start organizing now so it doesn't get too overwhelming. This list is very rough and could even change with the Shannon Moore CD and/or the Abra Moore CD this month.

[Initech]

14. Here's my top albums so far:

Modest Mouse - "We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank"
Nine Inch Nails - "Year Zero"
Dream Theater - "Systematic Chaos"
Blackfield - "Blackfield II"
Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - "In Glorious Times"
Porcupine Tree - "Fear Of A Blank Planet"

Ones that may or may not make my top 10 (to be released):

White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
Queens Of The Stone Age - "Era Vulgaris"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Zeitgeist"
Symphony X - "Paradise Lost"

And I still need to pick up the new Chris Cornell album.

[mvd]

17. The Wilco would make my HMs for sure

White Stripes and Smashing Pumpkins are future possibilities for me, too.

[Initech]

18. There haven't been a whole lot of albums that have really impressed me so far

At least this year.

Last year it was incredibly difficult to narrow it down.

So far my absolute fav is the new NIN album.

[mvd]

19. Hopefully these lists can give you stuff to try

I am a pop fan so we might differ on some, but DU has lots of recommendations.

[Initech]

20. Well...

I like the Shins CD but I wouldn't really say it's a top 10 fav so far.

[mvd]

21. Their best is still Chutes Too Narrow, but the new one,

for me at least, is almost as good. I like the different textures and experiments they tried.

[ellisonz]

25. Agreed.

[LynneSin]

29. How he can put Kelly Clarkson in the top 10 and not Nine Inch Nail = well it just doesn't make sense

Trent Reznor is a lyricist god who was signficant 10 years ago and still will be 10 years from now

Kelly Clarkson is a karaoke queen who's 15 minutes is slowly ticking away

[mvd]

31. It's all about opinions, Lynne

This is MUSIC we are talking about. Kelly is much more my style, and she's very talented. She's going to be around a long time. A few million albums of Breakaway sold, and she's only getting better and growing as an artist.

[LynneSin]

32. Milli Vanili, Vanilla Ice, and MC Hammer each sold millions of records

When they get to the status of something like "Dark Side of the Moon" then talk to me.

Nine Inch Nails is relevant for today and will still be selling years from now

[mvd]

33. It's not the sales that make her great

I think she's talented. I was just using those figures to say she's not going away. Trent Reznor may also be talented, but his music often doesn't interest me. I did like The Fragile.

[GirlinContempt]

53. "lyricist god"?!

I just threw up in my mouth a little. Sorry, he needs to stop ripping off good innovative bands, and riding their waves 3 years later to gain popular acclaim for his watered down version of other peoples talent.

[speedoo]

24. Lucinda Williams - West

Agree with you on:

Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Brandi Carlile - The Story

but I really love West.

[peekaloo]

26. Wilco, Tori Amos and Arcade Fire's latest, so far.

[a kennedy]

27. This year IS almost half over....

wow. :wow:

[asthmaticeog]

28. 7 off the top of my head.

Battles, "Mirrored"
Parts & Labor, "Mapmaker"
Datarock, "Datarock"
The Shins, "Wincing the Night Away"
Clutch, "From Beale Street to Oblivion"
Klaxons, "Myths of the Near Future"
Modest Mouse, "We Were Dead yadda yadda..."

[MissMillie]

30. Patty Griffin would be on my list for sure

:thumbsup:

[CottonBear]

34. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse.

(Actually, it's the ONLY album I've bought in the past year.) I love, love. love Amy Winehouse! :)

[anarch]

35. honestly, not so hot, but I do like that Panda Bear record

I don't know, I need to hear a lot more stuff that's come out this year...pretty underwhelmed by most of everything I have heard.

[silvermachine]

57. That is a good one...

...can't wait to see him in Baltimore in a couple of weeks. I'm an Animal Collective fan as well.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

36. Nothing's really grabbed me by the horns so far

But finger's crossed St Vincent's album will be everything I've been hoping for since November last year.

Here's a top ten (in no real order):

Volunteer Pioneer - Voluneer Pioneer(*)
BC Camplight - Blind of a Nihilist
Carla Bruni - No Promises
Amel Larrieux - Lovely Standards
Feist - The Reminder
Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart
Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak
The Noisettes - Whats The Time Mr Wolf
Chris Garneau - Music For Tourists

Jen Kirkman - Self Help (stand up comedy; fantastic album!)
http://jenkirkman.blogspot.com/

(*) Tragically one of their members, Sabrina Duim, died in January, only a couple of months after they'd recorded this, their first EP. Here's their myspace:
www.myspace.com/volunteerpioneer

[edwin]

37. Instant Karma

I'm expecting that Instant Karma - released today - will be on mine.

www.instantkarma.org

[mvd]

38. Here are some honorable mentions

Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
Adrienne Pierce - Faultline
Jesse Malin - Glitter In The Gutter
The Affair - Yes Yes To You
Lynn Carey Saylor - You Like It Clean
John Mellencamp - Freedom's Road
The Postmarks - self-titled
Kristin Hersh - Learn To Sing Like A Star
Bloc Party - Weekend in the City
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High
Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower
Jill Cunniff - City Beach
Mary May - Lock The Door
Oohlas - Best Stop Pop
Travis - The Boy With No Name
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing

I believe Marianne Keith's CD was released in 2006, so it can't go on a 2007 list.

[mvd]

50. Oh, and if you like country..

Miranda Lambert's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend CD is quite good.

[SteppingRazor]

39. In no particular order (and also albums I anticpate becoming Top 10):

So far, these are Top 10 candidates:
From Here We Go Sublime by The Field
Jarvis by Jarvis Cocker
The Postmarks by The Postmarks
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? by Of Montreal
Wincing the Night Away by The Shins
One Man Revolution by The Nightwatchman
Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
Sounds of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
Grinderman by Grinderman
Icky Thump by The White Stripes
Have Mercy by The Mooney Suzuki

And here's some albums I think may make the list after I hear them:
T.I. vs. TIP by T.I.
The Fragile Army by The Polyphonic Spree
Easy Tiger by Ryan Adams
Build a Nation by Bad Brains
The Mix-Up by Beastie Boys
At My Age by Nick Lowe
We Are the Night by Chemical Brothers
Ear Drum by Talib Kweli
Challengers by New Pornographers
Under the Black Light by Rilo Kiley
Lifelines by Ben Harper
... there's more, but that gets us through summer.

[mvd]

40. Funny, I just posted The Postmarks right before you!

They are a bit of a mellower Sundays, and I love the Sundays. Their album could move up. So you've heard the whole White Stripes CD? I'm anxious to hear it.

Have to go now. :hi:

[SteppingRazor]

42. I have to admit bias there. I know the folks in the band pretty well.

As for the Stripes, yeah, I've heard the whole album. It's standard White Stripes — in other words, fucking awesome.

[mvd]

43. I'm a bit broke from my other purchases, but..

I'll be able to catch up a lot in August. Icky Thump is high on my wish list.

[ghostsofgiants]

48. Bad Brains and Talib Kweli are two I'm looking forward to quite a bit.

[ZombieNixon]

41. New Strung Out album came out today.

Blackhawks Over Los Angeles. Sounds awesome. I'm going to have to download it from iTunes this evening. I'd be doing it now from work, but I forgot my iPod cable and my gift card at home. :( I'll have to enjoy the two sample tracks I already have and the 30 second clips. :D

[mvd]

45. That album just came in the mail

I'm sure I'll love it.

Other future releases I'm looking forward to:

Kim Richey - Chinese Boxes
Abra Moore - On The Way
Bon Jovi - Lost Highway
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
New Pornographers - Challengers
Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
Tegan And Sara - The Con (though I didn't think their new songs on MySpace were nearly as good as the stuff on So Jealous)

These are also planning albums:

Kay Hanley
Rilo Kiley
Anna Waronker
Susan Cagle
Lucy Woodward
Saving Jane
Kate Rusby
Gretchen Peters

And there are more.

I'll take a listen to the new Aly & AJ, but I'm not sure about that one. Into The Rush showed some promise but was just ok.

[ZombieNixon]

49. Ohh...*is jealous*

It's a bit more metal-oriented than the last one (meaning that there are two straight-up metal tracks instead of the usual one), which is not something I'm opposed to, because they do heavier stuff right. :D

[mvd]

51. Here's hoping you get yours soon

:toast:

[ZombieNixon]

52. Oh, I should get it this evening.

:toast:

[Dr. Strange]

44. I've bought one album all year

So the list is pretty short:

Rush - Snakes and Arrows

[ghostsofgiants]

47. I have to add Explosions In The Sky's new album to my list.

God DAMN that is an incredible album. I only got around to listening to it last night, but it's really fucking good.

[Initech]

54. Hell yes!!!

One of my favs this year for sure! I also forgot the new Arcade Fire CD as well.

[ghostsofgiants]

55. I listened to it for the first time last night and it just kicked my ass.

[Initech]

56. They rocked at Coachella.

They came on while I was waiting in line to go in on Sunday, you could hear their set playing perfectly loud and clear across that huge field! :headbang: