Finally, I’m getting around to posting this list. I’m having too hard a time putting them in order, so I’ll stick to alphabetical.
Here they are.
Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha. Still not sure what he’s better at, the violin, singing or whistling. This album is a great listen, a nice mosiac of many different sounds. Songs the find their way into your head and stay there. His show in Toronto was one of the best I saw this year.
The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible. Winners of my best concert of the year and most interactive video of the year, Neon Bible really crept up on me. Initially, I wanted Funeral again. What I got was an amazing follow up. Results under pressure.
Caribou – Andorra. A critically acclaimed crossover record; something to keep the cool challenged and the rest interested.
Handsome Furs – Plague Park. Couldn’t have put it better than Burtch.
Jose Gonzalez – In Our Nature. The Swede with the most un-Swedish name. Great ability here. Lighting quick precision fingers on the classical guitar, soft vocals sprinkled overtop. Even though I’m a bigger fan of Veneer, its a good record to buy the sig nif other.
Justice – +. I had no idea I’d really open my mind up to so much dance music this year, but this French duo helped blow it right open. Pick this record up soon, before you hear the whole record as a background to tv commercials.
Miracle Fortress – Five Roses. One of two records here I’d recommend to fans of Brian Wilson. A surprise Polaris nominee. A great start.
Panda Bear – Person Pitch. The other I’d recommend. Love the production on this record. When I hear this album, I picture myself at some crazy beach campire sing-along.
Radiohead – In Rainbows. Winner of best sales tactic of 2007 and still #1 band in my books. Now if I could figure out how to get tickets when they tour here again…..
Wintersleep – Welcome To The Night Sky. Over the past two months, this record has had the most amount of play in my rotation. A great third record, a band growing and opening up. Its nice to see that people are taking notice.
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I put Bird’s album right near the top of my list – such a great find – mosaic is the right word – it’s an album that insists on being listened to in its entirety. As for Arcade Fire – I think they have some great songs, but I end up coming away wanting to listen to more Decemberists.
I think there’s a Bird on top of this tree
Stilographics
[...] with Matt Pond PA. This album will follow up Welcome To The Night Sky, which not only made our best of 2007, but had them win a Juno Award for “Best New Band,” and open for Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam and [...]