Granted, there are exceptions to every rule, but if anything stood out to me about my listening preferences this year, it was an apprecation for bands who gave a shit about vocals and didn't just consider them as an afterthought. By the way, these lists don't include "Widow City," "Sky Blue Sky," or "Strawberry Jam," which I still haven't picked up.
Top 20 Albums of 2007
1)
Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity
2)
The New Pornographers – Challengers
3)
Cass McCombs – Dropping the Writ
4)
Gonzales – Solo Piano
5)
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
6)
Panda Bear – Person Pitch/Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
7)
Brad Laner – Neighbor Singing
The Clientele – God Save the Clientele
9)
The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
10)
Grinderman – Grinderman
11)
White Williams – Smoke
12)
Citay – Little Kingdom
13)
Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
14)
Sloan – Never Hear the End of It
15)
M.I.A. – Kala
16)
Bill Callahan – Woke on a Whaleheart
17)
The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
18)
The Rosebuds – Night of the Furies
19)
Dungen – Tio Bitar
20)
Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Good Listens
The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
Celebration – The Modern Tribe
Dr. Dog – We All Belong
Field Music – Tones of Town
Les Breastfeeders – Les Matins de Grand Soirs
Michio Kurihara – Sunset Notes
No Age – Weirdo Rippers
Pissed Jeans – Hope for Men
The Ponys – Turn the Lights Out
Santa Maria – Santa Maria
Sissy Wish – Beauties Never Die
Soft Circle – Full Bloom
St. Vincent – Marry Me
White Stripes – Icky Thump