PD Picks: The Top Albums of 2007
Written by Dan (aka imonfire)
| 1) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light |
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"Let's go." And with that Jimmy Eat World returns with their first album in three years, undoubtedly one of the best of an already great career. Chase This Light starts with a rocker, "Big Casino" and what a tremendous rock song it is. "I'm a New Jersey success story" is one of my favorite lyrics in the history of music, perhaps it's the fact that Jim Adkins is acknowledging that my home state helped make his band what it is today, or maybe it's just the fact that it's an awesome line in a great chorus. The second track, "Let It Happen" might be one of
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the best 'fuck you' songs in recent history. "All the petty scenes and all the pretty things, say whatever you want cause I can laugh it off" followed with a sarcastic and bitter laugh is sheer brilliance. When those lines are coupled with "Talk, talking a lot, but it's still talk gotta love how it's somehow all on me" it becomes clear that someone is being heartlessly mocked, but insults have never sounded so pretty.
The record ends with a truly beautiful song. "Dizzy" still gives me chills when I listen to it, months after the release. The song is about a failed relationship, as so many songs are today, but Jimmy Eat World makes it special, they make it warm. "If the choice was ours alone, then why'd we both choose letting go?" "If I meant everything to you, you can lick and seal then fold in two, then I've been so blind" It shows that there was quite a depth to the relationship that was lost, and that the speaker whoever it is, hopes that he meant something to the ex-lover. Even the bonus tracks that did not make the final cut for the album are amazing. The best of those tracks is "Open Bar Reception" which seems to literally be about a reception in which decisions are heavily influenced by alcohol. Jimmy Eat World made the best album of 2007, fuck that, they made the best rock album since September 2004 when "American Idiot" came out. There's a reason that I haven't stopped playing it since it leaked, it's because this is album is stunning, amazing, brilliant, tremendous, grand, wonderful, pick any or all of those words, any of them fit, all of them are deserved.
Download These: "Let It Happen", "Dizzy", "Open Bar Reception"
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| 2) The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible |
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This is the follow-up to the 2004 release "Funeral", and Win Butler and company manage to avoid the sophomore slump. The album starts with "Black Mirror", a track that starts somewhat slowly but builds with Butler asking "Mirror, mirror on the wall, show me where bombs will fall." Each song on the album attacks the listener with wave after wave of complex and beautiful sounds. While the album is overwhelmingly negative as far as lyrics go, the messages are still powerful. From the organ on "Intervention" to the epic qualities of "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations" to the channeling of Springsteen on "Antichrist Television Blues" |
it is very apparent that Arcade Fire made not only one of the best albums of 2007, but one of the best albums of the last decade.
Download These: "Black Mirror", "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations", "No Cars Go"
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| 3) Bright Eyes - Cassadaga |
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"The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf the Koran's mute, if you burned them all together you'd get close to the truth." Everyone's favorite little atheist is back with a new studio album. Cassadaga, like every other Bright Eyes album starts with an unwieldy track, one specifically meant to scare away the casual listener, Conor has said so himself. He has the same fury as usual; it's just quieter this time, and more thought out. "Four Winds" is great, the noise, the words, the everything. "Hot Knives" is awesome as well. "I've made love, I've been fucked, so what?" Only Conor could write that and only Bright Eyes could get away with it. |
"No One Would Riot For Less" sounds a bit like a reject from the "I'm Wide Awake" days, but it works well on the album. I don't think that this is as good as some other albums released by Bright Eyes, but it's still good, and still better than most music.
Download These: "Four Winds", "If The Breakman Turns My Way", "Classic Cars"
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| 4) The Dear Hunter - Act II |
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This is part two of a six act story. Ambitious? Without a doubt. Impossible? Hardly. The album is emotionally charged and intense from start to finish. It actually moves like you would expect a play to move; filled with highs and lows. This is a quality that separates it from most modern music. To me the standout track is "Red Hands" a six minute masterpiece about fidelity, or a lack thereof. The lyrics are straightforward and wonderful. "Oh my God what have I done? Now my darling put your clothes back on." This is one of the truest moments in music and life, the realization that you have fucked everything up and that |
unless you flee from what just happened life will be ruined. The song builds until this point, when it just explodes into a complexly layered piece of music with beautiful words. If this song doesn't move you, nothing will.
Download These: "The Bitter Suite", "Red Hands", "Dear Ms. Leading"
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| 5) Kanye West - Graduation |
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Kanye challenged 50, Kanye kicked 50's ass and with good reason. Graduation is a great album, better yet it's a fun album. People were worried that Kanye's ego would lead to him getting in his own way, but it didn't. There is evidence that his experience as a producer has definitely added to his success as a rapper. It is rare that he releases a track that doesn't have an amazing beat behind it, whether it's a sample from Daft Punk (Stonger), a beat that Common supposedly passed on (Everything I Am), or something that's just great (Can't Tell Me Nothing). Kanye may be cocky, but as of this point he's earned it. The man does what he has to in |
order to sell records, and with each record his writing gets better, his beats get weirder, he gets louder, but the music is still amazing. Kanye is here to stay, sorry 50.
Download These: "Stronger" "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
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| 6) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank |
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Chaos is back, it's name is Modest Mouse. Isaac Brock and the boys do indie in a way that isn't quite like everyone else. It's noisy and layered and frenzied and at points confusing as all hell, but it's always solid. The band was already great, but the addition of Johnny Marr who use to play the guitar for the Smiths. James Mercer of the Shins lends his voice to a few tracks and is a wonderful addition. The lead single from the album "Dashboard" is typical Modest Mouse, but still powerful enough to please the hardcore fans. "Parting Of The Sensory" is another standout track. The instrumentation is beautiful and the lyrics are chilling.
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| Brock is screaming about the war and the fact that we had the upper hand but still manage to screw things up, but in a way that only Modest Mouse can. This is a record for indie fans, and a rock fan that is looking to broaden horizons, it is a bit obscure but it's Modest Mouse. They're going to do what they want, when they want, and don't give a damn if you take it or leave it.
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| 7) Iron & Wine - The Shepard's Dog |
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Those who love acoustic music will thoroughly enjoy Sam Beam's latest effort. The album is mostly calm and quiet but tremendous nonetheless. Beam's slightly creepy voice floats above beautifully crafted melodies. While the music and lyrics can be considered more than a bit depressing they are still solid and enjoyable. This is an album that needs to be listened to repeatedly for it to be truly understood.
Download These: "Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car", "Flightless Bird, American Mouth"
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| 8) Bruce Springsteen - Magic |
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The Boss is back and he does not disappoint. Magic is actually Magic. Although "Radio Nowhere" does sound like Tommy Tutone the message is so different. Springsteen attacks modern radio and the lack of creativity and originality present in today's mainstream music. Even though Springsteen is widely recognized as one of the best musicians of the last thirty years, the E Street Band should get a lot more credit than it does. They help Springsteen create layered yet flowing pieces of music that almost anyone would be jealous of. The title track is eerie and lacks a chorus, but is one of the strongest on an album of true
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gems. The final track is a song of mourning. Bruce's longtime assistant passed away in 2007 and Bruce wrote a song for him. It may be the most powerful and moving piece of music in recent history. Springsteen is so honest and so blunt lyrically, but the song is beautiful. A decent portion of the album is anti-war but like usual the Boss manages to convey his message in a tasteful way. Anyone who claims to appreciate rock music should own this album and take the time to see Bruce when he is on tour, trust me you won't regret it one bit.
Download These: "Radio Nowhere", "Magic", "Terry's Song"
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| 9) Eisley - Combinations |
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The girls are at it again. Even though it is only the bands second major release it sounds like they have been at it for years. There is a sense of maturity in the music that is not expected from such a young band. I have always been a sucker for female vocals, but Sherri's voice may be one of my favorites ever. I could listen to her for days without stopping and I personally believe that she is what makes the record so special because plenty of bands make solid music but between her lyrics and vocals she puts Eisley over the top.
Download These: "Invasion", "Combinations"
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| 10) Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre |
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Max Bemis is a little bit off. Allow me to use his latest effort as exhibit A. In Defense Of The Genre is roughly ninety minutes of proof. Don't get me wrong the album is solid, it's just crazy. Most of the lyrics are great, Max is without question amongst the most talented lyricists in music today, but in many places the music is lacking, maybe that's due to Max's voice. That all being said, the songs with guest vocals are tremendous. "The Church Channel" is far and away my favorite song on the album and not just because of Hayley Williams. The lyrics are insane but great, the music is some of the best on the entire album, and |
Hayley does help the song along. I've never ever heard her sound so evil, I love it. "People Like You Are The Reason People Like Me Exist" is another solid track, in a way it brings me back to late 90's pop-punk a sound I sorely miss. All in all it's an album worth multiple listens, but it could have easily cracked this years top five if it was shortened to one disc of the best fourteen songs.
Download These: "Surgically Removing The Tracking Device", "The Church Channel", "Plea"
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Your Picks
We let the users vote over the past few weeks on what their favorite albums of 2007 were.
These are the results.
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1) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light |
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2) Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire |
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3) Sum 41 - Underclass Hero |
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4) Paramore - Riot! |
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5) Motion City Soudntrack - Even If It Kills Me |
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6) Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre |
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7) Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High |
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8) All Time Low - So Wrong, It's Right |
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9) Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience, Grace |
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10) Yellowcard - Paper Walls |
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