Welcome to part four of my look back at the amazing music year that was 2007. After these ten, you will see the top ten, but as you could probably gather by how low some of your other favorites ranked on my top 50, these ten albums are just as essential as the top ten. Everything in the top 50 is worth owning, but these are part of the upper echelon. Your wallet will not be very happy, but your ears will be thanking me for years.
In case you missed them, here are links to Part III, Part II, and Part I.
Dark Horse
20. Mustangs & Madras – La Lechuza (Latest Flame)
With last year's impressive field of thoroughbreds such as Band of Horses, HORSE the Band and the Ponys, who would have thought that the darkest horse of them all, Mustangs and Madras, would be the lone horse to end up in the top 20?
I had never even heard of this band until, on a whim, I read a review of this album on AllMusic.com and instantly picked up a copy for myself. I was rewarded with a fun, energetic set of post punk stylings that left me with a level of excitement I haven't experienced since the first time I listened to At the Drive In, a band that no doubt had a similar effect on these young, fresh fellows.
The tempo shifts from various tones of dark feel and subject matter to epic and progressive rhythms and time changes, but the overall sense is that of a hungry, explosive band who is ready for big things and has the talent to pull off an even bigger upset next time around.
For fans of: At the Drive In, Gang of Four, the Cure, Jawbreaker, Dismemberment Plan
They'll Make Great Pets
19. (tie) Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (Domino)
19. (tie) Panda Bear – Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) is a member of the Animal Collective, so I decided to lump these two outstanding, out there opuses together. Both albums are chock full of colossal cuts that are often unnerving noise-fests, but thankfully, are more commonly fun, melodic oddities that will grow on you when you least expect it. This music is definitely not for everybody and it's the kind of stuff you have to work with, to fully enjoy and appreciate, but there are also sections that showcase an amazing potential to create something even more potent and even some crossover appeal. But I get the feeling these wild animals would rather stick with the challenging stuff, thank you very much.
For fans of: Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear, Enigma, Caribou, Mercury Rev
Stand-Up Guys
18. (tie) Patton Oswalt – Werewolves and Lollipops (Sub Pop)
18. (tie) Steven Wright – I Still Have a Pony (Comedy Central)
I didn't listen to every comedy album released in 2007, but of the ones I did listen to, these clearly were the two best. Any fans of cynical, sarcastic, smart, visual, risky and really funny stand up comedy are strongly encouraged to pick up these two outstanding discs immediately.
For fans of: Brian Posehn, Zach Galifianakis, George Carlin, Marc Maron, Mitch Hedberg, Jim Gaffigan
Clean
17. Thurston – Trees Outside the Academy (Ecstatic Peace)
This isn't Thurston Moore's first solo album, but it sort of sounds like one at times. It's been a long time since I've heard him sound so free. I expected something more noisy and cluttered, but I was delighted to find some pretty straight forward stuff here.
Sonic Youth is supposed to be his mainstream project and even that can get weird at times. Here, the work is pretty focused and consistent throughout and most of the songs work magnificently from track to track as well as on their own. Any long time fan of Thurston and SY knows that Moore is capable of having a good time, but he hates to show it, or more accurately, he relishes in not showing it. So, it's nice to see him really let go (to an extent) for once. TM is so naturally talented, even when he's fucking around with friends, he can still feed your ears the goods. In fact, it may just be when he's at his best.
For fans of: Sonic Youth, Pavement, Guided by Voices, Lou Reed, Bob Mould
Old Gold
16. Sonny Rollins – Sonny, Please (Doxy)
This album from the jazz legend actually came out in 2006, but it didn't seem to get much love then and I didn't get to listen to it until 2007 rolled around, so I'm including it here. The nearly 80 year-old Rollins unleashed his first album in 5 years and it rivaled the excellence of that year's release from friend and fellow jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sound Grammar. Sonny Please is not his most groundbreaking, or even his best work, but it's so sweet, smooth, and enjoyable, you'll have a hard time leaving it off your playlist for years to come. Any fan of the golden age of jazz will want to give this one a spin soon and may never stop.
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