Okay, here's my Best of 2007. I realized I'm two days late, but I was sick, so get over it. I'm not dissing your favorite band because they're not on here. These songs/albums soundtracked my year and maybe mine alone, so it's just my favorites. Here goes.
Best Songs -
15. The Fratellis - Flathead - From the first time I heard this on an iTunes commercial, I loved it.
14. Babyshambles - Delivery - Oh, Pete Doherty. I'm glad you're somewhat back, although still a druggie.
13. American Wedding - Gogol Bordello
12. Klaxons - Golden Skans
11. The Horrors - She is the New Thing
10. Kanye West - Stronger - Priscilla was dancing to this in the car, and I almost crashed it made me laugh so hard. She had her eyes closed, and she was kicking her feet and waving her head like Stevie Wonder. It was awesome.
9. Paramore - Misery Business - This video came on MTV practically every morning at 8:45 when I lived by myself, and yet, unlike Fergalicious, I never got sick of it and rocked out every time.
8. Modest Mouse - Dashboard - I'm glad Johnny Marr's with them now.
7. Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks - I doubt there will be a whistling anthem like this for a long, long time.
6. Arcade Fire - Intervention - This was ridiculous live.
5. Howlies - Aluminum Baseball Bat - It's surfy and sweet and tongue-in-cheek, but can you resist it? Note: the drummer, Aaron, is the singer. Don't you love their little wolfie hats?
4. Delta Spirit - People C'mon - I wish you could see them live. They make you think...and dance.
3. Grinderman - No Pussy Blues - It's a bit vulgar, but I've heard it in a bunch of different places, and Nick Cave just does garage/blues absolutely right.
2. Mark Ronson/Kyle Falconer - Valerie - I love the Amy Winehouse version of this, but there's something so right about Kyle from the View singing and just kind of jamming with Mark Ronson.
1. The White Stripes - Little Cream Soda - The lyrics are simple but some of the most profound on their album I think. There's something about not having enough now when all we used to need were small things. Now we have to worry about things that we never dreamed about as children, things our parents never dreamed they would have to worry about.
One, two, three, four!
Well every highway that I go down
Seems to be longer than the last one that I knew about
Oh well
And every girl that I walk around
Seems to be more of an illusion than the last one I found
Oh well
And this old man in front of me wearing canes and ruby rings
And it's like a dang explosion when he sings
And with every chance to set himself on fire,
He just ends up doin' the same thing
Well, each beautiful thing I come across
Tells me to stop moving and shake this riddle off
Oh well
And there was a time when all I wanted
Was my ice cream colder and a little cream soda
Oh well, oh well
And a wooden box and an alley full of rocks
Was all I had to care about
Oh well, oh well, oh well
Now my mind is filled with rubber tires and forest fires
And whether I'm a liar
And lots of other situations
Where I don't know what to do
At which time God screams to me
There's nothing left for me to tell you
Nothing left for me to tell you
Nothing left
Oh well, oh well, oh well, oh well
Top Albums:
10. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81 - If you know me, you know I broke my foot at their concert, hung out with them and got a signed copy of this album.
9. Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child - They're from Atlanta, and I was recommended them by one of the snobby cashiers at Criminal Records, but for once, they were absolutely right. I listen to this when I'm housecleaning.
8. The Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob - I love British pop music, and this album just makes me feel like there are a few people doing something right.
7. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - I love big spectacles and excess, and I love organs, so yes, I loved this.
6. Carrie Underwood - Carnival - Laugh if you want, but I vacillated about buying this for weeks, and I'm glad I did. I'm a lover of country music, and I can sing along with this in the car and just sob at some of the lyrics without being one bit sorry or embarassed about it. It's not hypocritical, and her vocal range/quality is sick.
5. Artic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare - No, it's not as good as their first album, but the weak songs are made up for by the ones I can listen to over and over.
4. The View - Hats Off to the Buskers - I'm pretty sure this was on my 2006 list too, but it didn't come out in the states until May, so I don't feel bad. I can't be down when this is playing. To quote Thomas, they're "Supertramp meets Meet the Beatles-era Beatles". I'll add "meets the Libertines" to that and it's a pretty accurate description.
3. Mark Ronson et. al. - Version - This is a covers album, but there's nothing wrong with it. It's pretty genius, and after seeing him and the Dap Kings as the house band at the VMA's, I'm convinced that he definitely knows what he's doing.
2. The White Stripes - Icky Thump - Anyone who knows me is probably shocked senseless at putting my favorite band ever at No. 2. This was the year of the White Stripes for me. I love this album. I listen to it several times a week, sometimes every day. I had a White Stripes birthday party. I went with my mom to Birmingham to see them in 100 degree heat. My WS penguin shirt is my favorite tee. I started collecting clippings from magazine and buttons and ticket stubs and stuff. I have a whole box of White Stripes stuff. Heather got me a ticket to the first official Icky Thump concert in Nashville on May 19, and that weekend, my whole life just ...changed. It wasn't religious or anything. I just decided that I didn't have to fit into a musical mold anymore. I can be an absolute White Stripes fanatic and still have showtunes and country music on my iPod, and you know what? It's okay. You can practically play six degrees of the White Stripes with most conversations that I have (and Scott does). I just decided to be myself. And myself likes garage rock and red and white. That's all.
1. Delta Spirit - Ode to Sunshine - I only got this album at their concert in September, and I can't not listen to it. It rocks and it's meaningful, it has a soul and a compass. It makes me feel alive. It's what I needed and what I wanted to represent 2007.
