COAF Top 10 Albums of 2007: Peter Karp, Bruce Springsteen, Norah Jones, Nick Moss, Radiohead
I’m once again pleased to report there were a lot of outstanding records released this past year. You wouldn’t know that if you read certain magazines, blogs or web sites. You certainly wouldn’t know it if you listened to most radio stations. Fortunately for you, you’re smarter than that and you’re not relying on them to tell you where it’s at. You’ve come to me, instead, which is a very stylish and tasteful and I like that about you.
I’ve compiled my list of the Top 10 Albums of 2007 and I’m pretty happy with the way it shakes out. What I’m not happy about is some of the really good records and re-issues that didn’t make the list. It’s more work for me, but I’m going to write a separate piece rounding all of them up and try to get it posted in the next couple days. The things I go through just to help you find your way. You don’t have to thank me, just check out these 10 records and add them to your collection.
10. Tuatara – East of the Sun: I was stubborn about this record being on my list. There are a lot of albums that were in contention, but I kept finding reasons not to pull this. I was skeptical about a Tuatara record with vocals, but the album just flat out works. Key Track: “Spark in the Wind”
9. Rilo Kiley — Under The Blacklight: I didn’t expect to like this album so much. It’s nice to be surprised. It’s not a consistently great album, but the best songs are strong enough to seek out. Key Track: “Silver Lining”
8. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — Raising Sand: This one is another surprise for me. Positive press and a morbid curiosity made me seek it out and I don’t regret it for a second. Key Track: “Please Read The Letter”
7. Radiohead — In Rainbows: #7 with a bullet, I’ll bet you. This one has grown slowly on me and I’m sure I’ll look back on this list and not know how it didn’t make it into the Top 3. Key Track: “All I Need”
6. Norah Jones — Not Too Late: There’s very little not to like about Jones’ third album. I don’t know if she’s capable of making a bad record with that voice of hers. The album isn’t as consistently strong as her timeless debut, but Jones’ writing has continued to improve and her musical palette really expanded on this record. Key Track: “Not My Friend”
5. Dan Wilson — Free Life: I took a flyer on this one because of a press release. The combination of Grammy-winning songwriter Dan Wilson, Rick Rubin, and some vintage recording techniques picqued my attention and I was rewarded tenfold. I’ve been banging away about this record for months. You really should own it. Key Track: “She Can’t Help Me Now”
4. Wilco — Sky Blue Sky: From alt-country to more avant-garde leanings and back again; SBS is an album that blends the experimentalism of their previous two records were there more song-oriented earlier fare. This is simple, elegaic, and brilliantly constructed. Key Track: “Impossible Germany”
3. Nick Moss & The Flip Tops — Play it ‘Til Tomorrow: The Blues Foundation better do the right thing this year and send Mr. Moss and his boys home with some serious hardware. PITT mixes Moss’ brilliant blues guitar mastery with some of his strongest material to date. Contemporary and traditional, acoustic and electric, there’s something for everybody on this record. Key Track: “Late Night Saint”
2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band — Magic: Man, in any other year this would have been my runaway #1. I ran out of superlatives for this record two months ago. I’m going to have to come up with some new ones because this material screams to be played live and I’m going to see them in Atlanta in April (have I mentioned that?). This song blends Springsteen’s personal and political observations with unparalleled songcraft. You have to own this record.
1. Peter Karp — Shadows and Cracks: If you don’t buy this record, we’re not friends. I’ve been championing it left and right. I’ve given away my free copy, bought one for myself, and bought yet another for a friend’s birthday. I’ve put my mouth and my money behind this record and it really is one of the finest albums I’ve heard in years. Don’t bother trying to label it; just listen to it. Key Track: “Rubber Bands and Wire”.
Filed under: Tags: Barrett Martin, Bruce Springsteen, Dan Wilson, Nick Moss & The Flip Tops, Norah Jones, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Tuatara
I got the Wilco album as an Xmas present and I after listening to it over the last couple of weeks I like it a lot better than my first listen. But I can’t stand the lyrics to Impossible Germany! If I could listen to the instrumental version of that song I would be very happy.
The lyrics to “Impossible Germany” don’t bother me that much (especially after some of the opaque ramblings from Tweedy on other records), but they do stand in contrast to the more direct lyrics elsewhere on the record.
[...] didn’t take long for my #1 Album of 2007 to get dusted off in [...]