Harp Magazine 50 Best of 2007
More to come . . .
1 > OKKERVIL RIVER, The Stage Names(JAGJAGUWAR)
2 > BAND OF HORSES, Cease To Begin (SUB POP)
3 > IRON & WINE, The Shepherd’s Dog (SUB POP)
4 > FUTURE CLOUDS & RADAR, Future Clouds & Radar (STAR APPLE KINGDOM)
5 > FEIST, The Reminder (CHERRY TREE/INTERSCOPE)
6 > SPOON, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (MERGE)
7 > RADIOHEAD, In Rainbows (SELF-RELEASED)
8 > ARCADE FIRE, Neon Bible (Merge)
9 > NEIL YOUNG, Chrome Dreams II (REPRISE)
10 > JASON ISBELL, Sirens of the Ditch (NEW WEST)
11 > WHITE STRIPES, Icky Thump (THIRD MAN/WARNER BROS.)
12 > DEVENDRA BANHART, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (XL)
13 > AVETT BROTHERS, Emotionalism (RAMSEUR)
14 > THE SHINS,WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY (SUB POP)
15 > THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, CHALLENGERS (MATADOR)
16 > WILCO, SKY BLUE SKY (NONESUCH)
17 > THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN (VIRGIN)
18 > GEORGIE JAMES, PLACES (SADDLE CREEK)
19 > BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, MAGIC (COLUMBIA)
20 > RILO KILEY, UNDER THE BLACKLIGHT (BRUTE/WARNER)
21 > THE NATIONAL, BOXER (Beggars)
22 > TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS, LIVING WITH THE LIVING (TOUCH & GO)
23 > BILL CALLAHAN, WOKE ON A WHALE HEART (DRAG CITY)
24 > M.I.A., KALA (INTERSCOPE)
25 > JESSE SYKES AND THE SWEET HEREAFTER, LIKE, LOVE, LUST AND THE OPEN HALLS OF THE SOUL (BARSUK)
26 > STEVE EARLE, WASHINGTON SQUARE SERENADE (NEW WEST)
27 > OF MONTREAL, HISSING FAUNA, ARE YOU THE DESTROYER? (POLYVINYL)
28 > GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS, THIS IS SOMEWHERE (HOLLYWOOD)
29 > KINGS OF LEON, BECAUSE OF THE TIMES (RCA)
30 > GRINDERMAN, GRINDERMAN (ANTI-)
31 > ROBERT WYATT, COMICOPERA (DOMINO)
32 > BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE PRESENTS: KEVIN DREW, SPIRIT IF… (ARTS & CRAFTS)
33 > ST. VINCENT, MARRY ME (BEGGARS BANQUET)
34 > RYAN ADAMS, EASY TIGER (LOST HIGHWAY)
35 > ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, STRAWBERRY JAM (DOMINO)
36 > BRIGHT EYES, CASSADEGA (SADDLE CREEK)
37 > RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, RELEASE THE STARS (GEFFEN)
38 > ELENI MANDELL, MIRACLE OF FIVE (ZEDTONE)
39 > PATTY GRIFFIN, CHILDREN RUNNING THROUGH (ATO)
40 > IAN HUNTER, SHRUNKEN HEADS (YEP ROC)
41 > DR. DOG, WE ALL BELONG (PARK THE VAN)
42 > MAVIS STAPLES, WE’LL NEVER TURN BACK (ANTI-)
43 > EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, ALL OF A SUDDEN I MISS EVERYONE (TEMPORARY RESIDENCE)
44 > BEIRUT, THE FLYING CLUB CUP (BA DA BING!)
45 > BETTYE LAVETTE, THE SCENE OF THE CRIME (ANTI-)
46 > MANU CHAO, LA RADIOLINA (NACIONAL)
47 > YEASAYER, ALL HOUR CYMBALS (WE ARE FREE)
48 > OAKLEY HALL, I’LL FOLLOW YOU (MERGE)
49 > SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS, 100 DAYS, 100 NIGHTS (DAPTONE)
50 > TUNNG, GOOD ARROWS (THRILL JOCKEY)
Grace did well - congrats to her. Glad to see Mavis Staples too.
Just clicked back to your site from wandering on the “large hearted boy” blog and his 2007 album list which sent me to rhapsody - listening to Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - “100 Days, 100 Nights” album right now - and see they also made the Harp list. A lot of “research” to keep me busy for a while
Thanks Shouter - not enough hours in my days to keep up on my own.
Feist makes the top 5! Wooooooooooooooo….
Happy Birthday, Little Richard!!!
It’s very nice to see Grace Potter and Wilco both acknowledged. I made a mix CD for my “taping buddy” (I tape PBS for him, he tapes satellite for me), to show him what I’m into now. He called me the night he received it to tell me that he liked everything on it. Of course I had included Grace Potter, and found that he’s already a fan – said he heard her here in 2006:
NPR - World Cafe
I also included the Rosewood Thieves, and he liked them a lot.
Regarding Wilco, on the last page of the December 7 issue of Entertainment Weekly is Stephen King’s 2007 mix. His number one single was Wilco’s “Either Way,” number two album was “Sky Blue Sky.” He said of the album: “No audio tricks and/or experimentation this time, only a set of gorgeously simple tunes and class-A writing. Jeff Tweedy has never been sweeter, more controlled, or in better voice. Not a bad cut on the album. Even the cover art’s beautiful.” (SK’s first choice album: Steve Earle’s “Washington Square Serenade.”)
NPR - World Cafe
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13923980
Whoa. Good thing my self-esteem isn’t wrapped up in how many of the top 2007 albums I am hip enough to own (or even want to own.) If it were, I’m afraid I might be suicidal right now.
Or, you know, broke.
Waaaa!! No Nick Lowe. I’ll bet he’ll turn up on somebody’s list before it’s all said and done, though…maybe even mine. And where did this band Future Clouds & Radars pop up from? They’re all I’m hearing about right now from people and it’s MAKING ME CRAZY!
Here’s a question. How does Radiohead manage to make these lists with every album? Are people afraid, that if they say Thom Yorke and company now suck, they will be shunned and mocked? Are they just sheep in people clothing? Bah, all I know is this, Pablo Honey and The Bends were good albums. Since then it has a fall from my aural grace. There I said, shun and mock away.
You’re among friends, Radiohead bores me. As Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney guitarist) said on NPR recently - “I wish someone could write out in a few words (not a phD dissertation, not a book) why Radiohead should stab me in the heart, and why I should lighten up and let them in”.
Here is the piece she wrote.
Bettye LaVette should have been much higher. She’s nominated for a Grammy in Best Contemporary Blues Album of the Year.
I haven’t seen a woman give such an electrifying show (TODAY) besides LaVette. The only comparable ones in the past was Aretha Franklin and the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Also exciting shows from Wilson Pickett, James Brown and Patti LaBelle.