Best of 2007

'Tis that time-o-year again, where I take a look back at the year-in-music to devise my "best of" list. This year was very different from last, in terms of stand-out albums... at least, for me. I had three top albums that were nearly impossible for me to choose between: "Boxer" by The National, "In Rainbows" by Radiohead, and, "Baby 81" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Then, there were a lot of albums that I liked very much, but most didn't cause me to obsess over them. I recall obsessing a lot last year. Hmm... at least, I think so.

Anyway, without further ado:
Best of 2007

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. The National – Boxer
3. BRMC - Baby 81
4. Iron & Wine - Shepard's Dog
5. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
6. Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
7. Tegan & Sara - The Con
8. UNKLE - War Stories
9. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
10. A Place to Bury Strangers - s/t

11. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
12. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
13. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
14. !!! - Myth Takes
15. Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things
16. The Fratellis - Costello Music
17. BRMC – American X (EP)
18. Feist - The Reminder
19. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
20. PJ Harvey - White Chalk

Just missing the cut:

Kanye West – Graduation
OTR - Trumpet Child
M.I.A. – Kala
Busdriver - RoadKillOvercoat
Band of Horses - Cease To Begin
Clinic – Visitations
Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
The Go! Team - Proof of Youth

Still haven’t gotten my hands on:

65daysofstatic - The Destruction of Small Ideas

And, like last year, if you're interested in my previous rankings, here you go:

Best of 2006

1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2. Twilight Singers - Powder Burns
3. Thom Yorke – Eraser
4. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
5. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
6. Silversun Pickups – Carnavas
7. Cat Power - The Greatest
8. Forget Cassettes - Salt
9. Hot Chip - The Warning
10. Asobi Seksu – Citrus

11. Heartless Bastards - All This Time
12. Mates of State - Bring It Back
13. Various - The World Is Gone
14. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
15. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
16. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
17. The Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
18. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
19. Beck - The Information
20. Calexico - Garden Ruin

21. Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World
22. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
23. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Fear is On Our Side
24. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
25. Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence

Best of 2005

1. Doves – Some Cities
2. Kathleen Edwards – Back To Me
3. Cat Martino – (Sketches From) Underneath the Skin
4. Sons & Daughters – Repulsion Box
5. Gorillaz – Demon Days
6. Feist – Let It Die
7. Iron & Wine - Woman King EP
8. Over the Rhine – Drunkard’s Prayer
9. BRMC – Howl
10. My Morning Jacket – Z

11. The National – Alligator
12. Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
13. Stellastarr* - Harmonies for the Haunted
14. Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
15. Beck – Guero
16. The Kills – No Wow
17. Bravery – s/t
18. Detroit Cobras – Baby
19. Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak of It Again
20. Andrew Bird - Mysterious Production of Eggs

21. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
22. The Go! Team –Thunder! Lightning! Strike!
23. Mercury Rev – Secret Migration
24. The Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
25. Greg Dulli – Amber Headlights
26. Common – Be
27. Eels – Blinking Lights & Other Revelations
28. Royksopp - The Understanding
29. Fischerspooner -  Odyssey
30. Hood - Outside Close

If you're interested in some more great end-of-the-year lists that won't look like the lists you'll see elsewhere, check out the woxy.com thread: http://woxy.lala.com/boards/showthread.php?t=49927

Comments

[Greg Swallow]

Really? Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" in the top ten? I thought that AF missed their mark for a sophomore(?) release, especially with three years to record it.

[meg]

Well, I recall how obsessed I was with it... the middle of the Top 10 is a little arbitrary on ranking, I must admit. And, now that I've listen to a few albums more over the course of Nov., the rankings throughout might need to be massaged a little.