Top 10 Overall Albums of 2007 (Alphabetical)
The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
**Best Anytime Album** Probably my fallback album of the year. Although I classify it as indie rock, it touches on more psychedelic tones in the instruments, while taking cues from oldies pop in the vocals. Every track feels epic as it shifts through musical and temperamental phases, but my favorites are probably the opening “Disaster,” the haunting “For Agent 13,” and the catchy “Devastation.” Not to be missed. Oh, Canada!
Burial – Untrue
**Sexiest Album** The sophomore album from dubstep pioneer Burial, Untrue is a masterpiece of laid-back beats layered with haunting melodies. Although perhaps not as brilliant as his 2006 debut, it can still hold it’s own riding the fence between ambient and dance electronica. Add this to some sultry candlelight, and I guarantee you will get some action. My track picks: “Near Dark,” “Untrue,” and “Archangel.”
Caribou – Andorra
Similar to The Besnard Lakes, this album straddles indie pop, electronica, and shoegaze with such layered skill that it makes an irresistible listen. It sounds like what I would imagine drowning in champagne would feel like, particularly on tracks like “After Hours” and “Melody Day.”
Eluvium – Copia
**Best Album to Sleep to** This album inspired me to go back and listen to Eluvium’s earlier albums, which I have to admit are more to my liking. That said, even the most bland product of a genius is better than most of the competition, and thus the appearance of Copia in my top ten. Just perfect, lush, ambient electronica. My favorite track is “Indoor Swimming at the Space Station,” which is almost like listening to Basinski’s Disintegration Loops backwards.
The Field - From Here We Go to Sublime
**Best Album for Running** I do believe this was my most listened to album of the year. Surprisingly, given the repetition of the songs, the music never gets monotonous or stale; on the contrary, you seem to hear something new every time you listen. One of my favorite tracks of the year is “Silent,” whose driving beat and haunting vocals are so enveloping, you’ll wonder where the last seven minutes of your life went.
Lucinda Williams – West
**Best Album for a Melancholy Mood** Country-rock at it’s best. Tracks such as “Are You Alright?,” “Learning How To Live,” and “What If” explore the sadder corners of life alone, while “Unsuffer Me” and “Come On” have more of a bitter, kick-ass flair to them. A solid album filled with distorted guitars and Lucinda’s rich, gravelly alto.
Menomena - Friend And Foe
Disclaimer – I didn’t include this album because of my (gossamer) connections to the band, or even out of loyalty to local rockers. I was actually skeptical at first, given my lackluster reaction to their 2003 debut, I Am The Fun Blame Monster! But the lyrics on the opening track, “Muscle N Flo,” brushed away my scorn, before the gorgeous keyboard on “wet and rustling” quickly cemented my adoration for this album. And, like a good wine, it only gets better with age.
Natural Snow Buildings - The Dance of the Moon and the Sun
Simply gorgeous. This album alternates dizzily between long and short, vocals and instrumentals, ambient drone and plucky folk, creating a stunning landscape that cuts between electronic and experimental music. This was a close contender for the best album to fall asleep to, but it has a little too much depth and beauty to be truly relaxing. The opening track, “carved heart,” is a great introduction; another favorite is “Rain Seranade.” But really, just set aside some time to listen to the whole thing. It’s worth it.
Sleeping States - There The Open Spaces
**Best Album for Rainy Days** Another unclassifiable album, somewhere between the alt-folk of Devendra Banhart, the post-rock of Bark Psychosis, and the guitar-driven sound of Benoît Pioulard. With some lo-fi fuzz and field recordings thrown in for good measure. “Rain Check,” “Planning My Escape,” and “I Wonder” are some of my favorite moments from this album.
A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Scribble Mural Comic Journal
**Trippiest Album** I think I read this album described as sharp knifes and dreamy pop vocals wrapped in layers of thick distortion – and if I didn’t, it’s still an accurate description. Somewhat of a throwback to shoegaze, this album is a pure high for all your senses. Another top track of the year is “5:15 Train.”

Top Alt-Folk Picks
TwinSisterMoon - When Stars Glide through Solid
Akron/Family - Love is Simple
Pantaleimon - Mercy Oceans
The Bowerbirds - Hymn for a Dark Horse
Marissa Nadler – Songs III: Bird on the Water **Prettiest vocals**

Top Electronica Picks
Roisin Murphy – Overpowered **Best Dance Album**
M.I.A. - Kala
Deepchord Presents Echospace - The Coldest Season
Ono - Yes I'm a Witch
Distance - My Demons

Top Indie Rock/Pop Picks
Great Northern - Trading Twilight for Daylight **Catchiest Album**
Begushkin - Nightly Things
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
Liars – Liars **Craziest Album**
Holy Fuck - Holy Fuck
Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted **Best Pop Album**
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover **Most Rocking Album**
Keren Ann - Keren Ann
Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City

Top Experimental Picks
First Nation - First Nation
Psychedelic Horseshit - Magic Flowers Droned **Rawest Album**
White Magic - Dat Rosa Mel Apibus
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Top World Music Picks
Bonde do Role - With Lasers
Sukshinder Shinda - Living the Dream
Islaja - Ulual Yyy
Youssou N'Dour - Rokku Mi Rokku

Most Disappointing Albums of 2007 (Alphabetical)
The Angels of Light - We Are Him
Best Friends Forever - Romance Conflict Adventure
Felix da Housecat - Virgo Blakto and the Movie Disco
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Souvenir's Young America - An Ocean without Water

The Rest (Alphabetical)
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha; Band of Horses - Cease to Begin; The Besnard Lakes - Casino Nanaimo EP; Billy Bao - Fuck Separation; Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation; Britney Spears – Blackout; Burial - Ghost Hardware EP; Burial Chamber Trio - Burial Chamber Trio; Caen - History of Your Immediate Surroundings; Carter Tutti - Feral Vapors of the Silver Ether; Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder; Deerhunter – Cryptograms; The Depreciation Guild - In Her Gentle Jaws; Davendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon; Emily Jane White - Dark Undercoat; The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City; Golden Death Music – Ephemera Blues; Grails - Burning Off Impurities; Gudrun Gut - I Put a Record On; Hush Arbors - Row Life; Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog; Japanther - Skuffed Up My Huffy; Jesu/Eluvium - Split vinyl; Kanye West – Graduation; Kathy Diamond - Miss Diamond to You; Magnolia Electric Co. - Sojourner; Miracle Fortress - Five Roses; The New Pornographers – Challengers; Nancy Elizabeth - Battle and Victory; Noisettes - What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?; of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?; The Orb - The Dream; Panda Bear – Person Pitch; Pharoahe Monch – Desire; Pink Reason - Cleaning the Mirror; The Puppini Sisters - Betcha Bottom Dollar; Radiohead- In Rainbows; Six Organs of Admittance - Shelter from the Ash; Sorcerer - White Magic; Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline; Sunburned Hand of the Man - Fire Escape; Sun Supreme - Sun Supreme; Sweater Weather - Now, Everyone Can Sing; Thee More Shallows – Book of Bad Breaks; The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters; UGK- Underground Kingz; Woods - At Rear House; The 1900s - Cold & Kind