TOP ALBUMS OF 2007-NBC-4
cd reviews • December 2007
Chris Gerard/DC Scene Contributor
Launch and Landing

   How quickly a year flies. As the music industry continues watching CD sales slide further into the abyss, and the pop charts are ruled by pop tarts and disposable R&B throwaways, one might actually assume that there is no longer good music to be found. Not so fast. The year 2007 was actually a stellar year for new releases, arguably the best in several years. As the holidays approach and new releases have dried up for another year, it's time to look back at the best of 2007 and reflect on the year that was.

20 Best Albums of 2007:

20. Duran Duran – "Red Carpet Massacre" Eighties favorites Duran Duran don't have the commercial prowess they did during their heyday, but they've persevered thanks to their winning formula of melodic hooks and dance-friendly grooves. This time around they employ some of today's hottest hitmakers, including Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, and the result is a fun and funky album that gives their classic 80s sound a more modern take. Key tracks: "Skin Divers," "Nite Runner, "Falling Down."

19. Brett Anderson – "Brett Anderson" Former Suede leader Brett Anderson's solo debut wasn't released in the US, but it's well worth seeking out an import copy from the UK. If you're looking for Suede revisited, this isn't the answer -- Anderson's self-titled CD is much more mellow, and doesn't have the same glam-meets-new-wave sensibility. But the hooks are still killer, the lyrics dark and introspective, and Anderson's distinct voice is as strong as ever. Key tracks: "Love Is Dead," "To The Winter," "Song For My Father."

18. The Cult – "Born Into This" Veteran rockers Ian Asbury and Billy Duffy are back with their finest album since "Sonic Temple" nearly two decades ago. Their previous album, "Beyond Good and Evil," suffered from over-production and lackadaisical songwriting. Not so on "Born Into This" – a rampaging, raw, down and dirty rock album that takes no prisoners. Crank it up to 11. Key tracks: "Dirty Little Rockstar," "Illuminated," "Born Into This."

17. Rush – "Snakes & Arrows" Yes, Rush is still making records, and "Snakes & Arrows" represented a comeback of sorts. Their prior studio effort, 2002's "Vapor Trails," was a murky mess. "Snakes & Arrows" is much crisper, reminiscent of the band's stellar 90s albums "Test for Echo" and "Counterparts," and the material is on par with some of their best. Key tracks: "Far Cry," "Spindrift," "Armor & Sword."

16. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – "Raising Sand" On the surface it seems an odd combination – legendary blues/rock howler Robert Plant teaming up with the voice of modern bluegrass, Alison Krauss. Yet, there's no question that it's an inspired collaboration. The duo's voices meld perfectly and suit the material – bluesy roots music exquisitely produced by T. Bone Burnett – perfect. One of the year's biggest surprises. Key tracks: "Rich Woman," "Please Read the Letter," "Through the Morning, Through The Night."

15. Modest Mouse – "We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank" Johnny Marr joins the group this time, and his influence is immediately heard on a diverse mix of quirky rockers that cement the position of Modest Mouse as the Talking Heads of a new generation. Key tracks: "Dashboard," "Spitting Venom," "We've Got Everything."

14. The Lost Patrol – "Launch and Landing" Ethereal, mysterious, achingly beautiful … New York-area indie-rockers The Lost Patrol have been operating under the radar for years, releasing a string of terrific albums. Perfect for perhaps a David Lynch film, or maybe, better yet, for sitting outside on a warm night gazing at stars. "Sirens" is one of the most unforgettable tracks of 2007. Key tracks: "Sirens," "Orbit," "Speak To Me."

13. Amy Winehouse – "Back To Black" Lately Winehouse has been in the news more for her drug-addled antics than for her music, which is a shame. "Back to Black" is a phenomenal record. Singing soulful cabaret and torch songs with a modern sound, Winehouse struts through a time warp of sounds that is wholly unique. Hopefully she'll keep her head together long enough to record a follow-up. Key tracks: "Rehab," "Back To Black," "Mr. Jones."

12. Bloc Party – "Weekend In The City" Brit rockers Bloc Party are rapidly emerging as one of the great rock bands of the current decade. Following their fantastic debut "Silent Alarm" couldn't have been easy, but Bloc Party wisely didn't try to repeat themselves. They expanded their sound and added more electronics to the mix, creating an album with the rare ability to touch the listener, provoke thoughts, and entertain. Key tracks: "I Still Remember," "The Prayer," "Hunting For Witches."

11. Neil Young – "Chrome Dreams II" Neil Young reaches into his vault and issues a grab-bag of old, unreleased material mixed with new songs, and the result is a glorious hodgepodge that encapsulates what makes Young so great. The 18-minute "Ordinary People" steals the show here, but the remainder of the album shouldn't be overlooked. Neil Young has dealt with health issues in recent years, in addition to his advancing age, but he can still rock out better than folks 40 years his junior. Key tracks: "Ordinary People," "Spirit Road," "The Believer."

10. Dan Wilson – "Free Life" Former Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare frontman Dan Wilson, fresh off his success as songwriter/collaborator with the Dixie Chicks, makes a triumphant return with this fresh and melodic solo album. He's mellowed down since his Semisonic days, but the songwriting is as sharp as ever. Key tracks: "Breathless," "Baby Doll," "Easy Silence."

9. Patti Smith – "12" Cover albums rarely work, but Patti Smith is a rare artist. Her seething take on the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is entrancing, and when she sings on the Jim Hendrix classic: "Have you ever really been experienced…, I have, "you definitely believe her. Key tracks: "Gimme Shelter," "Everybody Wants To Rule The World," "Are You Experienced?"

8. Nine Inch Nails – "Year Zero" Trent Reznor is a perfect commentator for the world circa 2007. His open disdain for the music industry machinery works in perfect tandem with his icy and abrasive vision of a future (or present?) society in "Year Zero," his best album since "The Downward Spiral." Essential listening. Key tracks: "Survivalism," "Capital G," "Zero Sum."

7. Rihanna – "Good Girls Gone Bad" The best pop album of 2007 by a wide margin was Rihanna's "Good Girls Gone Bad," a sweet confection of buoyant dance songs and heartfelt ballads. Not your average throwaway record industry product, "Good Girls Gone Bad" is expertly produced and impossible to set aside. The songs stick in your head and don't let go. Key tracks: "Umbrella," "Don't Stop The Music," "Breakin' Dishes."

6. Tori Amos – "American Doll Posse" Veteran performer Tori Amos revitalized her career in 2007 with her finest album of the decade. Sprawling and adventurous, "American Doll Posse" has some misfires, but when it's on, it's stunning. The record veers from melodic pop to ragged rock tracks and lovely ballads, and although it's occasionally frustrating, it's never boring. Key tracks: "Bouncing Off Clouds," "Big Wheel," "Almost Rosey."

5. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – "Magic" Bruce sounds as good as he's ever sounded in a welcome return to the storytelling arena-rock that made him a superstar. He continues to stay relevant nearly 40 years after his debut, and is still rebel enough for his album to have been blacklisted by the music industry behemoth Clear Channel. Key tracks: "Radio Nowhere," "Devil's Arcade," "Your Own Worst Enemy."

4. Lucinda Williams – "West" One of America's best songwriters, Lucinda Williams delivered a poignant collection of love songs and songs of heartbreak. Her plaintive vocals can go from vulnerable and resigned on tracks like "Fancy Funeral," to snarling and bitter on "Come On" and the epic "Wrap My Head Around That." "West" goes effortlessly from Crazy Horse-style rambling rock to gentle acoustic ballads, and very little time is wasted. Key tracks: "Are You Alright?" "Learning How To Live," "Unsuffer Me."

3. Siouxsie – "Mantaray" Former Banshees leader Siouxsie Sioux released her long-awaited solo debut in 2007, and it was a bombshell. A dizzying mix of sly electronic pop with a theatrical flair, "Mantaray" was an unexpected triumph that showed without question that Siouxsie's still got all the qualities that made her so great in the first place. "Mantaray" sounds modern and retro at the same time, and nearly every track is killer. Key tracks: "Into A Swan," "Loveless," "Here Comes That Day."

2. Radiohead – "In Rainbows" Nothing generates as much excitement in the music world as a new Radiohead album, and "In Rainbows" hit internet wires with little advance warning in October. More was made over its unusual distribution than of the album itself, which is a shame because in true Radiohead fashion, it's a classic. Experimental in the vein of "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" but still accessible, "In Rainbows" shows a legendary band still at the peak of their creative powers. Key tracks: "Nude," "Jigsaw Falling Into Place," "Videotape."

1. Annie Lennox – "Songs of Mass Destruction" From the opening notes of the sublime "Dark Road," you know Annie Lennox has delivered something special. "Songs of Mass Destruction" is like a culmination of everything Ms. Lennox has done in the past. Wrenching and beautiful ballads are interspersed with intense up-tempo tracks that tell of lost love, personal demons and challenges we face in the world. Lennox's voices has never sounded more grand and powerful, and her sense of drama is very much intact. Killer from start to finish, no other album in 2007 has as much power and presence. A classic. Key tracks: "Dark Road," "Ghosts In My Machine," "Sing."

HONORABLE MENTIONS (alphabetically)

Ryan Adams – "Easy Tiger"
Arcade Fire – "Neon Bible"
Bear Colony – "We Came Here to Die"
Bell Hollow – "Foxgloves"
Paddy Casey – "Addicted to Company"
Crowded House – "Time On Earth"
Editors – "An End Has a Start"
Dave Gahan – "Hourglass"
PJ Harvey – "White Chalk"
Interpol – "Our Love To Admire"
Jimmy Eat World – "Chase This Light"
Kosheen – "Damage"
The National – "Boxer"
Ne-Yo – "Because of You"
Sinead O'Connor – "Theology"
Dolores O'Riordan – "Are You Listening?"
Prince – "Planet Earth"
Seal – "System"
Silverchair – "Young Modern"
Spoon – "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
Casey Stratton – "The Crossing"
KT Tunstall – "Drastic Fantastic"
Rufus Wainwright – "Release The Stars"

link

BACK TO REVIEWS