So, we're almost half way through 2007, and there have already been some serious contenders for album of the year. With excellent releases by Wilco, The Shins, Bill Callahan, Rosie Thomas, Half-Handed Cloud, Andrew Bird, Bright Eyes, Ted Leo, and The Apples In Stereo; it has already been an incredible year for music. However, if I had to pick half of my top 10 contenders for the first half of 2007, I'd pick...
5. Elliott Smith/New Moon. Had this collection of rarities and covers been released as two posthumous solo discs, they'd have been two of the best of his career. Nothing about this collection feels scattered. The brilliance isn't simply in the song, but in the way they hang together as a collection of songs.
4. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen/The Good, The Bad, and The Queen. This eponymous debut is a joining together of artists from Blur, The Clash, Africa 70 and more and is produced by Danger Mouse. It is as amazing a collaboration as you would expect. As brilliant as anything Damon Albarn has ever been a part of.
3. The Arcade Fire/Neon Bible. It was going to take a lot to top their debut, Funeral, and I'm not sure I could say they did. However, the fact that I'm also not sure they didn't should tell you something. It manages to be all you would hope for from The Arcade Fire without just being more of the same.
2. Ola Podrida/Ola Podrida. This band should tour with the Undertow Orchestra. They remind me of American Music Club, Pedro the Lion, and Will Johnson. The guitar hints at Iron & Wine or Sufjan Stevens, the musicality and vocals of Will Oldham. I'm forced to name drop other bands and artists, simply because I can't seem to nail these guys down. It's what happens when folksy hangs out at the bar too long, but in a good way.
1. Rock Plaza Central/Are We Not Horses? The most obvious comparison is to Neutral Milk Hotel, followed closely by Palace Music. Again, both comparisons fail to capture the full spirit of this band. The album is high concept and strange, the songs move from folksy to epic, the overall feel is of train whistles and tent revivals.
7 comments:
Even though they call the album immature Lucinda's "West" album has spent a lot of time in airplay on my cd player. But funny it's hasn't knocked off Tom Wait's Orphans who has sat a top of my CD player for months.
I've been meaning to procure the Wilco album. I've listened to some of the songs, and I wasn't exactly bowled over. But, with the exception of Summerteeth, I've needed repeated listens of Wilco's albums to begin to appreciate them.
You are way too hip/cool for me. You certainly belong in Austin and could easily fit in here in Brooklyn. (I'm just a pretender.) So when do you listen to music and read books? I like that you do and that you are up on all the latest. Are you a pretty disciplined person with your time? curious...
Disciplined with my time? I am and I'm not. Obviously, if I'm going to pastor a church, work part time in a book store, and have time with my family, friends, and community, I'm going to have to be intentional about how I spend time. But I don't live out of a day planner or blackberry. I've never pencilled time in to pray or read or hang out. It's more like I have a time of day for different things.
As far as reading goes, that time is night time. Rachel gets to bed 2 hours before I do, most nights, so I do a lot of reading then.
Dude, have you left your true loves? I don't recognize anyone on that list! :)
None of the old standbys have released albums this year. Rest assured, that if U2, Bruce Springsteen, or Bob Dylan release albums this year, I'll be paying them special attention. By the way, shoot me your e-mail address.
Chris...(it's hard for me to think of you as Kester!) .... enjoyed hearing about Sarah B's time with you and Sarah a few weeks ago. Hope to be able to see you and catch up in person sometime .... :-)
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