Top Ten Albums of 2007 (or my fiftieth post!)

Since I've done this list since '04, and published one last year, here we go.

Yes this is the only list you need to know about. Purchase everything on here. It truly was a great year and top ten is very difficult.

10) Once (Music from the Motion Picture) - Various Artists: I'm a fool for Irish folk, and this is some of the best. Glen Hansard's got passion. But how come these Irish songwriters are always writing about breaking up?

9) There Will Be Blood, Original Score - Johnny Greenwood: See the movie before you buy the album, but understand that both beg the questions to each creator: what else can he do? PTA can do everything that is film, Greenwood can constantly redefine what music means to us.

8) The Flying Club Cup - Beirut: I didn't think this guy was that great at first. My mistake this album grew on me more than anything this year.

7) Sky Blue Sky - Wilco: Tweedy grew mountains as a poet and composer, but who the frick mixed this album a monkey? P.S. Thanks for keeping that old sound while pushing into some uncharted waters.

6) The Shepherd's Dog - Iron & Wine: They've done the best job of moving from that lo-fi independent folk sound to a major release artist. Some beautiful composition as well. He's not just a singer-songwriter.

5) Cease to Begin - Band of Horses: The first track shows what kind of rock stars these boys really are. They are not afraid to let their music ride and rock.

4) Icky Thump - The White Stripes: CONQUEST. I liked this album a lot more than most people and jeeze I'm sorry. Jack White is the guitar hero right now.

3) Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams: I hated everything he put out since Gold in 2001, but I randomly picked this up and love everything on it. The writing is that good old stuff and whoever mixed this one should get in contact with Wilco. Aced. Not many people liked this as much as me, but dangit this is an album.

2) Neon Bible - The Arcade Fire: Holy crap thank you. Rock and Roll needs you Win Butler and so do I. This was in my car for almost two weeks just playing straight through. This is a musical accomplishment. I am very late on the Arcade Fire train, but I'll ride it.

1) In Rainbows - Radiohead. It's Radiohead. Any questions?


Honorable Mentions:
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon: "The Underdog" is such a hit, I just couldn't get into the rest of the album like all the kids could. I know I know.

Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys: Yes, I spelled it correctly. I need to find more time and money and just get into this band a lot more.

The Con - Tegan and Sara: Produced by Chris Walla. Job always well done.

The Remedy - David Crowder Band: I wish I had room. Really really good, just not great or as innovative as his last album.

The Disappointments:
Under the Blacklight - Rilo Kiley: Why do people like this album? This band is so good and I was really looking forward to this release until I began vomiting while I listened to it. Why Jenny? Why?

Join the Parade - Marc Cohn: The great American singer-songwriter tries to be a fusion of Tom Waits and a 20-year-old indie rocker. Barf city. It should have been great.

Cassadaga - Bright Eyes: Dude I love you Conor O, but whatever happened to your talent of matching poetry to melodies? It seems like everything on this album is fantastic independent of each other, but when put together sounds a little like poop being thrown at a car.

Well seriously, give it up for 2007. I never really pay attention to music until school starts, and this year I was a touch late. But in spending so much time in my car it was not difficult catching up. Start listening to what's up. I feel like we're taking a really good turn.

Rock and Roll.

Propaganda, or I really try not to do this...

I am not the film fan of my family or my group of close friends, but I was chatting with some people who are and realized there are some solid films out right now. I saw a midnight showing last night of Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood and am under the realization that it is my duty as one of the privileged who saw it to tell you that you must see that movie. It comes to Cinema 21 in Portland on January 11th and it is worth your allowance.

The other movie I thought I could bring up was Juno. If you just never got the balls to ask her out this is just a cute date movie. And the bonus is you can take her out afterwards and talk about the repercussions of premarital sex!

I'm about to see Charlie Wilson's War and will just go ahead and recommend that to you.

But seriously, art has a big affect on me, but mainly in song or the written word. It has been a very long time since I have been so entertained and moved by a motion picture like I was sitting in that midnight sneaker of There Will Be Blood. It was just so solid.

Saw it with a steller group too.

So, you know, go see stuff, be entertained, think about it, talk about it. You live in the 21st century America! Act like it! Yea! Totally! Do it! America! Newsies jumping!

Merry Christmas

I beat you Scott.

My brother received one hell of a Christmas record entitled, A Christmas Gift for Your from Phil Spector. It includes this legendary photo of the master of pop music and I must say it was my bros idea to post it first, but I just could not resist. All humans should see this.

I'm off to upload new music (hello new Marc Cohn album) and read new books (hello Mystery Train) and party with the most excellent family (hello Niece and Nephew).

Merry Christmas. This is my gift to you all:


His button says "back to mono." Brilliant.

Rock and Roll?

We have some work to do. And when I say, "we," I mean, "we." As in, humanity.

Today, it was announced that Madonna would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is weird because Madonna doesn't make rock and roll music. Maybe rock, but the woman has never rolled in her career. We need to define Rock and Roll. I am no man to do this, but that doesn't mean I can't hold the opinion that it needs to happen. C'mon, Madonna is on the list with the Dave Clark Five and the Ventures. Rock and Roll!

I know we lack Hall of Fames, but is there a pop music hall of fame? I don't know, but it seems a stretch to put Madonna with Rock and Roll. She's awesome and a matriarch of pop music history as well as entertainment history, but I feel like we're all becoming music pluralists...or relativists...or fascists.

Like a friggin' virgin.

"You Ain't Gettin' High Are You?"

"Hey brother!...Hey, man!"

He was slurring. It was 11pm. I knew before I even turned around.

Bum.

"Heyer man bro, look...I...don't. I mean I'm druhnk and I have no idea where I am"

This was a good one. The man couldn't even walk. You may call it walking, but when I see the feet cascade diagonally, I call it a drunken stagger. I responded with glee:

"Where do you need to go, man?"

"I need to-you need to-it's totally that."

"-"

Right. Maybe I should leave. He could kill me just because he's been bored the last two days. But I asked him again and he gave me a more sensible response. Remember kids, always ask dad twice when he's drunk.

"I need to go to fifteentn!" he shouted.

"Just head right down this street." I pointed to Lovejoy.

"That is NOT fifteenth brother, I checked. I looked. I saw like twee times dude."

"I know, but head down it and you'll get to fifteenth."

There was a small pause.

"What the hell is that train doing?!"

"..."

He was angry. But a comfortable anger. I repeated my directions (twice, kids), telling him to go down Lovejoy, to which he replied with changing his direction and muttering, "uh huh okay hey I've known...and stuff, and you." He trailed off.

As he staggered away he turned back to give me one last quotable phrase before he rode off into the sunset night:

"You ain't gettin' high are ya boy?"

"No man, no weed."

"CohCANE?"

"Um. no."

At this point I decided to leave because I could have a better conversation with my toaster (and, actually you would be surprised at that toaster's wit) and really wanted to relay the story to John immediatley. It was just another night where I was thankful I live in the city. You'll never get that kind of entertainment in the 'burbs.