My Top 10 of 2007

This is very much a personal take on 2007 and shouldn't be taken as the view of the site as a whole, if the site could be considered to have such a thing.

10. Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound

Not Shellac's best record and I debated leaving it out for a long time and bringing in maybe Liars or Thurston Moore at the bottom. There are eight great tracks and one (Genuine Lulabelle) that's usually a stinker unless you're in the mood for a bit of rambling nonsense, but those other eight are really good. The main issue is that the Peel sessions of End of Radio, Paco, Steady as She Goes and Spoke are all much meatier sounding and possibly better takes. Surely everyone prefers "Play the drums!" to be barked out rather than murmured quietly? I do, but then maybe that's just because that's how I heard it first. So I decided to ignore the 'spoiling' nature of what I'd downloaded and consider how great I'd have thought all these songs were if it was my first listen. Certainly a better record than 1000 Hurts, maybe better than Terraform and deserving of a position in the top 10.

9. Battles - Mirrored

I wasn't sure about including Battles in the top 10 but a quick listen over to the album convinced me. I was a big fan of their early EPs and saw them a few times before they finally released 'Mirrored' and so was a bit apprehensive about how the album would sound: the new stuff had not really sounded good enough. However, the final product was indeed a bit of a masterpiece. As instrumental, mathy albums go this is going to be hard to be in terms of crossover appeal and thanks to Stanier's crazy drum set up, always likely to pull in a crowd.

8. Interpol - Our Love to Admire

Everything I read about this one led me to wonder if I had the same CD as everyone else. The main issue seemed to be that it sounded exactly like the other Interpol albums and was far too obvious, but as someone who felt Antics didn't really try hard enough to be different this was a breath for fresh air. All the tracks seem to run along with an energy and be full of both instrumental and vocal hooks. I'm hard pressed to pick out a favourite track but while it's true there's nothing to touch PDA on here, it's more down to how great the CD is as whole. And to top it off they went for a lighter, brighter look in the artwork.

7. Grinderman - Grinderman

Two powerhouse performances at ATP might be part of the reason this album's riding so high in my top 10. Does it really deserve to be number 7? I like to think the answer is definitely 'yes'. Crashing open with some enormous and enjoyable noise it settles down to become a little more thoughtful but never losing sight of its apparent goal to be a bit raw and quite simple. Go tell the women we're leaving...

6. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Another generally shunned third album for my top 10 and one I can admit isn't what the hardcore fans probably want. However, as a new convert I found myself playing it over and over and over. Yes, it's very similarly mid-paced and lacks really any zippy songs, but it still has some amazing melodic hooks that keep this songs going round and round your head. Phantom Limb, Sealegs and Spilt Needles stand out particularly.

5. Trans Am - Sex Change

I bought 'Futureworld' last year after hearing so much about Trans Am and was fairly disappointed: I didn't hate it but I could only really appreciate it from a muso standpoint and nothing really got to me about it. When 'Sex Change' came out I doubt I'd have bought it but for my desire to make sure I heard a lot more new albums in 2007 and despite it sounding superficially similar to 'Futureworld' somewhere along the line the band seemed to find a whole huge catalogue of brilliant musical hooks. Everything about it is over the top and bordering on cheesy but still the massively amazing, balls-to-the-wall drum breaks and loud dirty basslines managed to have me playing it over an over. My personal favourite track is 'Tesco vs. Sainsbury's' because of drums and the name.

4. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends

I can't claim much more than a general knowledge of LSF but when I stuck this album on I thought it was amazingly good. I still like the fast stuff more than the slower moments, 'The Equestrian' and 'Raging in the Plague Age' being highlights, but the rest of the album's still chock full of things I hum to myself. Probably the amazing gig they treated us to at the Scala helped to make me warm to them as well.

3. Dartz! - This is My Ship

I saw them a couple of times at gigs and meant to buy a 7" except they'd forgotten to bring them or they weren't printed or something. So when I saw an album out at the start of the year for a very reasonable price I picked one up. I'm glad I did because this little piece became one of my most listened to CDs for the beginning of the year. There isn't really a track I can pick out as a favourite but the whole disc reeks of the sound of the first Q and Not U album, but in a way that doesn't say 'rip-off'. The guitar interaction and drumming is all perfectly executed and the production is warm and inviting.

2. Future of the left - Curses

This band just got better with each gig I saw them do, seemingly adding a new fantastic song or idea every time. I remember being a little wary when hearing there were keyboards coming into the set for the first time and yet Manchasm is probably my favourite on the album now. While you can probably still pick Falco's style from mclusky out of FOTL, there's a big difference in the sound on offer here and to the feel of the songs. I'm not entirely sure about every track here: Fuck the Countryside Alliance is lyrically great and comes across well in gigs but seems to cut the album's energy at a crucial point and it closes in a slightly somber way that's reminiscent of mclusky's 'The Difference...' but these don't stop it taking the number two spot.

1. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity

Despite being massively quirky-seeming, many songs having an odd sort of loping feel to their patterns, the majority of this album sounds like it should be on every major radio station's play list. Lyrics are often throwaway in their strangess and the voice is one that probably should be annoying, but inspite of this, it takes an immediate hold on you and every play leaves me uplifted and bounding with energy. There are a couple of strange moments, mostly the final track, which is enjoyable on its own, but very unlike the rest of it, but its nothing that takes away from the overall brilliance. This album gets played most weeks in our house.

So, to round up:
1. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
2. Future of the left - Curses
3. Dartz! - This is My Ship
4. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
5. Trans Am - Sex Change
6. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
7. Grinderman - Grinderman
8. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
9. Battles - Mirrored
10. Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound

This was really tough actually. Where are Marnie Stern, Thurston Moore, Wooden Shjips, Souvaris, Liars, Maxïmo Park and Blonde Redhead? Bah...