Phoebe Raven’s Top 10 Movies and Albums of 2007

Top 10 Albums of 2007 

There is no doubt that 2007 was a good year for music. Or maybe this year I was just more aware of how many albums really came out. I have compiled a list of ten albums here that stand out from the pack for me, but there was simply no way to keep up with all the music released this year. I already follow a tremendous amount of bands and in some cases simply didn’t have the energy or time to add to that circle, therefore some might wonder why Animal Collective or Arcade Fire are missing from this list, since they are getting rave reviews almost everywhere. Well, I have often been one to wait out the hype and see if the quality really holds up. But I am also just a sucker for having my own taste, no matter how many or how few others seem to like what I listen to. Music for me is not just about music, it’s about the lyrics too. So here are the albums that spent a tremendous amount of time pleasing my ears. Feel completely free to disagree or give some of these a shot to convince you. 
 

10. SPOON – Ga Ga Ga Ga

I was a bit disappointed by SPOON’s latest effort. I have been a defender of their sound for a few years now, my friends know of the attraction I feel towards SPOON though they don’t necessarily share it. But they have never given me flack for liking a band that musically isn’t the most intricate in the pack. SPOON make fairly simple tunes, but they have a lot of drive and occasionally a melody that sticks in your head for days. This year’s ten-track release is by far not the best SPOON have put out there over the years, but they are up to their tricks with a driving bass drum and clever lyrics presented in the expected “repeat till everyone knows the words” pattern by Britt Daniels. Maybe for loyalty and nostalgia alone this one starts off my list. It may be unfair to the Honorable Mentions at the bottom, but SPOON just hold a place in my heart. 
 

9. Editors – An End Has a Start

Editors always sound to me like something I can’t remember mixed with something else I can’t remember, though I am fairly certain Dave Gahan’s solo efforts are in the mixture somewhere. For this factor of mystery alone I have listened to An End Has a Start a million times over, trying to figure out if I like something familiar in the Editors or something new they bring to the table. No matter, in the end it earns them a spot on this list, because their album is coherent and smart. Musically there are no big surprises, but an album with ten solid tracks is an achievement in itself. 
 

8. Lifehouse – Who We Are

I know this is tedious mainstream music, which is why it’s so low on my list, but I am of the opinion that just because many like it, it doesn’t have to be bad. Jason Wade is one of the great songwriters out there, unlike many other pop bands, Lifehouse don’t regurgitate what other composers wrote for them. When left to his own devices, Jason Wade comes up with the simplest and yet most beautiful melodies that instantly make my heart cramp up for all the sadness and wonder he puts into them. I choose to ignore the fact that some of his lyrics can be read to be about God, I am an atheist, but I can still appreciate his music for what it is: from the heart, with a sense of humility and always offering an inviting hand to come along for the journey that is life. Who We Are marks the album where Lifehouse finally arrive at their sound and so I reward them, come hell or high water. (One religious metaphor just had to be used here). 
 

7. Aqueduct – Or Give Me Death

It took me some time to appreciate Aqueduct, but I am glad I finally came around on David Terry’s unique voice and the slightly electronic sound some songs can take on sometimes. The twelve songs on this album form a perfect circle, not one could be missing and not one could be added. They are a close-knit group, each one feeding off the listening experiences you have made with the previous one. Lyrically I feel there is room for improvement, some lines are just too literal and some songs would actually benefit from having more than two verses, but for all it’s worth, Aqueduct have a distinct sound I could pick out anywhere, they have a voice.  
 

6. The New Pornographers – Challengers

I had buried this somewhere in the depths of my music archive, but dragged it out at year’s end and wondered what had bothered me about it before. Sure, sometimes the album is a bit theatrical and dramatic, but isn’t that what earned Stars (see further down) a spot on my list? Each song is memorable in itself, which is the problem I had when first listening to this album. It clogged up my head with twelve songs I wanted to remember all at once, which was a bit much to ask even of my usually so serving memory. But a few listens later I had actually managed to remember all of them and they won a spot in my heart. Just last week I found myself at work singing “Entering White Cecilia” over and over. That’s all it took for the Pornographers to be put on my list. (Who came up with that ridiculous name, btw?) 
 

5. Aqualung – Memory Man

This one starts out strong and then its strength dwindles a bit, but nevertheless it is a very coherent album. I would call it spherical if that wouldn’t sound so esoteric. The dominant concept of the album is outer space, something away from this earth. The music levitates above ground always with a sprinkle of grandeur mixed in. The song writing is smart, melodies take unexpected turns and Matt Hayes’ voice is unmistakable in today’s sea of sound. There are some obvious hit songs on here, such as “Pressure Suit” or “Something to Believe In”, and then there are some songs that take you by surprise, like “The Lake” or “Black Hole”. All of it flows beautifully though. In Bavaria they’d say “ein Schmankerl”. 
 

4. Stars – In Our Bedroom after the War

As previously mentioned, music by Stars is over the top and melodramatic. This is nothing to be held against them though, because it is their sole intention. What distinguishes them from The New Pornographers, who fit into the same “melodramatic pop song” mold, are the voices that head up Stars: Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan. These two voices form completely new sounds together, at times soft and whispering, at other times powerful and demanding. Especially Torquil’s voice elevates a simple song like “Barricade” to a point where you can’t stop listening to him. I don’t get their fascination with riots and barricades and demonstrations that is featured on this album a lot, but their narrative lyrics and relentless melodics paired with homage to the 80s and sense for contemporary sentiments make this album a feast for the senses. 
 

3. Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare

The AM’s are chronically overexposed, but partially it is rightfully so. As much as they are hyped, they simply deliver excellent music. The newest album is fun, rocking and clever. It starts out loud and fast and doesn’t let up until the very last track, the beautiful “505”, which instantly implants in your brain for good. Among the heavy English accent it isn’t always easy to hear the witty lyrics, but they are there nonetheless. I dare you not to shake your bones to “Fluorescent Adolescent” or “Do Me a Favour”. Like it or not, the Arctic Monkeys are here to stay and dominate the music scene for years to come and Favourite Worst Nightmare is their policy statement. 
 

2. Bright Eyes – Cassadaga

Yeah, yeah, some may groan at this choice, but I stand behind it. Never mind how many “wanna-be music lovers” quote listening to Bright Eyes as their number one reference, listen to this album without prejudice. Sure, Bright Eyes have moved towards a more commercial sound, but Conor Oberst’s lyrics have lost nothing of their wit and depth and frankly, the tunes are really catchy, you can’t get them out of your head. There is still no one else out there who can sing so wrong and make it feel so right like Conor Oberst and articulate intelligent thoughts in the process. This album is melancholic, smart and thought-provoking, the best song probably being “No One Would Riot for Less”. I couldn’t possibly ask for more from an album. 
 

1. matt pond Pa – Last Light/If You Want Blood EP

Since its release in September this has been on continuous play in my world, at home, on the way to work, on a Sunday afternoon walk. mppa do what they do best: soft melodies intertwined with mid-tempo rhythms and a lot of nature imagery. This album has a theme: light; and they stick to it in every song and all the lyrics without ever becoming boring. mppa are cohesive in their body of work, always referencing previous songs and yet moving forward. For a complete “2007 matt pond PA Package” you have to get the If You Want Blood EP as well, released in July. It perfectly complements Last Light with some more up-tempo numbers and serves as a lead in to what unfolds on the album. Matt Pond’s voice took a hold of me a few years ago and he hasn’t let me go. The thoughts he articulates are universal and yet at the same time so personal that listening to mppa is like a taking a good look at yourself and then relating it back to everyone else. Which is an achievement surpassing the ones of all the other albums. 
 

Honorable Mentions:

Some of these really would have deserved a spot on the list, but the competition was fierce.  

Mando Diao – Never Seen the Light of Day

The Magic Numbers – Those The Brokes

Architecture in Helsinki – Places Like This

Rooney – Calling the World

Pigeon Detectives – Wait For Me

Athlete – Beyond the Neighborhood

Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger

The Electric Soft Parade – No Need to Be Downhearted