Tough choices: Picking the top CDs of 2007

Tough call...I haven't even begun to get together my top 10 lists yet.

Sebastian Bach's Angel Down is a good one for Hard Rock.

I already voted but forgot to write-in the Flight of the Conchords EP.

Here's my list:

Lily Allen | Alright, Still...
Amy Winehouse | Back To Black
Southern Culture on the Skids | Countrypolitan Favorites
1990s | Cookies
The Fratellis | Costello Music
Beirut | The Flying Club Cup
Arctic Monkeys | Favourite Worst Nightmare
Dan Wilson | Free Life
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals | Lifeline
Sloan | Never Hear The End Of It
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss | Raising Sand
Okkervil River | The Stage Names
LCD Soundsystem | Sound of Silver
Bettye Lavette | The Scene of the Crime
Fountains of Wayne | Traffic And Weather
Mavis Staples | We'll Never Turn Back
The Pipettes | We Are The Pipettes
Modest Mouse | We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
The Shins | Wincing The Night Away

Thanks Chuck - it's hard to believe that we're at the end of the year, isn't it? Haven't listened to Angel Down at all, but if you really recommend it I'll try the Amazon sample spin.

Frick to the rescue! That's a pretty nice list of 19, sorry to hear you didn't get the Flight of the Conchords EP in. God, they're funny. And Yes! YES! I wasn't thinking of Sloan. I really owe the Musicheads for that one.

Yeah, I have to hand the Musicheads™ the credit for Sloan. I was very dubious about it, but it turned out to be a wonderful surprise. It was/is a great album. Very catchy.

I know Arcade Fire will be the top pick so I didn't vote for it, and plus I didn't really care for it all that much. too much hype and not enough payoff muscially for my tastes.

You know Arcade Fire will be the top pick? You're absolutely certain? Dude, I work here and I'm not sure! *grin*

I'm looking through my iTunes at work and thinking Iron and Wine would rate my mention - a friend of mine dropped "A Boy with a Coin" in a good mix and dang, but that song rings something miraculous - and maybe... maybe Matthew Ryan because that's the way it goes sometimes. I dunno. Some of the music that finally came to my attention (except via those Musicheads) came to me.

Yes, am certain that Arcade Fire will be the top pick.... well, mostly certain..kind of certain.. it will for sure be in the top 5... or 10... I know for sure it will be on the list somewhere... :)

I recently had the pleasure of making up my own Top Ten CD list for another music 'zine site which publishes my contributions. So, I'm all set to list mine. I offer a dozen for good measure. And they aren't all from 2007, but some from 2006, which might be breaking the rules, but it's my list so I can include what I want. :-)

1. Lucky Dube, "Respect", Gallo Record Company, 2006 (on amazon)
2. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, "Live in Louisiana", Way Down in Louisiana, 2006 (amazon and indie site: Way Down In Louisiana)
3. Darol Anger and Mike Marshall with Vasen, "The Duo meets Vasen", Adventure Records, 2007 (on amazon and indie site)
4. Brenda Weiler, "End the Rain", Speakerphone Records, indie site 2007
5. The Wailin' Jennys, "Firecracker", Red House, 2006 (amazon)
6. Cirque du Soleil, "Delirium", Cirque du Soleil, 2006 (amazon)
7. Bruce Molsky, "Soon Be Time", Compass Records, 2006 (amazon and indie site)
8. Z-Plus, "Critical Condition", KLAG records, 2007 indie site
9. Dhafer Youssef, "Divine Shadows", Jazzland Recordings, 2006 (on amazon)
10. New Riverside Ramblers, "Les Grands Bois", Indie, 2007 (indie site)
11. Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective, "Wátina", Cumbancha, 2007 (on amazon)
12. Carolina Chocolate Drops, "dona got a ramblin' mind", MusicMaker, 2006/07

* Matt & Shannon Heaton Fine Winter's Night
* Eddi Reader Peacetime
* John Spillane Gaelic Hit Factory
* Carrie Newcomer, Tim Grimm, Tom Roznowski, Mike White & Krista Detor
Wilderness Plots
*Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas In the Moment
* Gretchen Peters Burnt Toast & Offerings
* Grada Cloudy Day Navigation
* The Greencards Viridian
* Rani Arbo & Daisy mayhem Big Old Life
* Alison Krauss Ten Thousand Miles or More


runners up
* Adrienne Young Room to Grow
*Athena Tergis Letter Home
*Jim Malcolm Acquaintance
*Luka Bloom Tribe
*Claire Lynch Crowd Favorites
*Karen Mal The Space Between

I have a work-in-progress list and write-up that should be coming quite soon (remember the midseason list?)..but if anyone cares to take a gander, the list can be found on 4 pages here; altho I'd be lying if I didn't say there have been some movements in the past few days of some of them. That Woven EP is definitely gonna be moving up again at this rate.

Believe it or not, I listen to so much satellite radio (at work, in the car) that I hardly ever listen to full CDs anymore. How sad is that?!
I did manage to get my hands on a copy of Dumpstaphunk's new "Listen Hear" disc. If you like funk, you cannot miss Dumpsta. They are the funkiest sound coming out of New Orleans right now. And you know how funky NOLA is...

Got mine in right under the wire! I still need to get some of those albums, didn't feel right voting for them without hearing the entire album. In any case, my ballot is secret [drawing curtains around voting booth].

My write-in?

"Spjork Sings Bacharach".

Amazing CD.

50-41
on allmediareviews

50. Coheed - NWFT
49. Dream Theater - SC
48. PT - FoaBP
47. People For Audio - THE NEW ANCIENTS
46. Inme - DAYDREAM ANONYMOUS
45. Alter Bridge - BLACKBIRD
44. Serj Tankian - ELECT THE DEAD
43. Menomena - FRIEND AND FOE
42. The Polyphonic Spree - THE FRAGILE ARMY
41. Deas Vail - ALL THE HOUSES LOOK THE SAME

allmediareviews.blogspot.com
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977217143

50. Coheed - NWFT
49. Dream Theater - SC
48. PT - FoaBP
47. People For Audio - THE NEW ANCIENTS
46. Inme - DAYDREAM ANONYMOUS
45. Alter Bridge - BLACKBIRD
44. Serj Tankian - ELECT THE DEAD
43. Menomena - FRIEND AND FOE
42. The Polyphonic Spree - THE FRAGILE ARMY
41. Deas Vail - ALL THE HOUSES LOOK THE SAME

the next Entry added

40. Paulson - ALL AT ONCE (reissue w/ Bonus Tracks)
39. Marillion - SOMEWHERE ELSE
38. The End - ELEMENTARY
37. Porcupine Tree - NIL RECURRING (EP)
36. One Republic - DREAMING OUT LOUD
35. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - SE DICE BISONTE, NO BUFALO
34. Woven - AFTERMATH (EP)
33. Bend Sinister - BEND SINISTER (EP)
32. Andre Matos - TIME TO BE FREE
31. Battles - MIRRORED