The Best of 2007: Music

A few excellent albums from 2007, and my current favorites therein...

The National: Boxer (Fake Empire, Brainy, Slow Show, Blank Slate, Apartment Story)
Radiohead: In Rainbows (Jigsaw Falling Into Place*, Reckoner, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, Bodysnatchers)
The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible (Keep the Car Running, Intervention, The Well and the Lighthouse, (Antichrist Television Blues))
Kevin Drew/Broken Social Scene: Spirit If... (Lucky Ones, Tbtf, Fucked Up Kid, Safety Bricks)
Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (The Ghost In You Lingers, Rhthm & Soul, Underdog, You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb, Black Like Me)
Kanye West: Graduation (Flashing Lights, Good Life, Homecoming, Can't Tell Me Nothing)


Other songs that, at one time or another during the past year, made it onto my on-the-go mixes day after day after day.... Yes, I know some of these weren't released in 2007.

Glenn Hansard/Markéta Irglová: Falling Slowly, Trying To Pull Myself Away
Peter Bjorn and John: Up Against the Wall, Objects of My Affection, The Chills
Thurston Moore: Fri/End, Honest James, The Shape Is in a Trance
Sufjan Stevens: The Predatory Wasp, Casimir Pulaski Day
M.I.A.: Paper Planes, Boyz, Jimmy
Rihanna: Don't Stop the Music, Umbrella
Okkervil River: Unless It's Kicks
Joy Division**: Transmission, She's Lost Control
Pinback: Prog
Bishop Allen: Bishop Allen Drive, Rain, Flight 180
Shout Out Louds: Tonight I Have to Leave It, Hard Rain, Normandie
Battles: Atlas
Frightened Rabbit: Square 9, Be Less Rude, Go-Go-Girls
White Rabbits: Kid on my Shoulders, While We Go Dancing, The Plot, Fort Nightly
Menomena: Weird, Wet and Rusting, Rotten Hell
The Chemical Brothers: The Pills Won't Help You Now
Radical Face: Welcome Home
The Sunshine Underground: I Ain't Losing Any Sleep, Put You In Your Place, Commercial Breakdown
Beirut: Nantes, In the Mausoleum, Elephant Gun
Devotchka: Til the End Of Time
Fergie: Glamorous
Elliot Smith: Pretty (Ugly Before), Pictures of Me
Tracey Thorn: It's All True, Grand Canyon
Nas: Hip Hop Is Dead
Brandi Carlile: The Story
Modest Mouse: Fly Trapped In a Jar
Anthony Hamilton: Comin' From Where I'm From
Andrew Bird: Scythian Empires, Fiery Crash, Imitosis
LCD Soundsystem: North American Scum, Someone Great, All My Friends
Black Kids***: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance
The Killers: Read My Mind
Iron and Wine: Resurrection Fern
Morissey****: Everyday is Like Sunday
Cold War Kids: Hang Me Up to Dry
The View: Wasted Little DJs
The Coup: My Favorite Mutiny


* A strong contender for best song of the year. And have you seen the video? So simple. So cool.
** Thanks, Control, for reminding me about these.
*** Totally addicted to this tune right now (as is my younger daughter). You can download it free here.
**** Colin Meloy's solo acoustic cover at the Decemberists Jersey City show introduced me to this beautifully bleak song.