as I've told you in my last post, I decided to do the obligatory Top Albums of 2007 list, as usually every normal blogger does and I have to admit, it wasn't as easy as I thought. Now I've come up with 41 albums which I define as those records, that I've enjoyed the most in 2007. I do not claim, that the list is complete, but after several days of thinking, listening and rearranging, I've had enough. I'll probably rethink some of my choices afterwards, but I don't care about that now.
Because I don't want to post the 41 albums in one single post, I'll just do three lists and the others will be here in the next couple of days.
So, let's get going!
41. The Robocop Kraus - Blunders & Mistakes
The Robocop Kraus are definitely one of my favourite German indie bands and as I've told you often enough, Germany is lacking a good number of decent indie bands, Well we're lucky that God invented the mp3 blog, so I can tell you about The Robocop Kraus, because unfortunately their popularity outside Germany is limited. As I've already told you, Blunders & Mistakes doesn't quite reach up to They Think They Are The Robocop Kraus, which was more funky and had more dance tunes. Anyway, this record justlifts my mood, whenever I listen to it, so it has to be in my Top Albums of 2007.
MP3: The Robocop Kraus - Automotive Man (YSI)
get it @ amazon
40. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
I didn't pay this record much attention at the time, when I first heard it. Well, I did so now and then I remembered why I didn't listen to it that much. When Cryptograms was released earlier that year, everybody went crazy about Deerhunter and the album, and I still cannot understand why. Surely the record has it's moments, the tracks are fine and it sometimes resembles The Arcade Fire, but that doesn't make it that great. Or maybe I just got this record wrong. Nevermind.
MP3: Deerhunter - Red Ink (YSI)
get it @ amazon
39. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster
Ok, so here is a mistake. Hold On Now Youngster from Los Campesinos! hasn't been released yet, the record will be in stores in February 2008. So, why is it still in my Top albums of 07? Because I've already listened to it this year and had to put it in here. The charming lads from Cardiff just got me with their funny indie pop, so why not be early. I can still put them in my future Top Albums of 08.
MP3: Los Campesinos! - Please Don't Tell Me To Do The Maths (YSI)
preorder it @ amazon
38. The National - Boxer
Well, starting with The National's Boxer, there were a lot of albums, that I didn't pay much attention to when they were releases - in this case, half a year ago. But now, after listening to it a couple of times, I cannot figure out, why I didn't put it on here earlier. The record remembered me a bit of earlier Interpol work - ye know, Antics style - but that's purely subjective.
MP3: The National - Squalor Victoria (YSI)
get it @ amazon
37. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
Another of those hyped and most-blogged-about bands from 07 - and there were a lot.
But to get that right, if some band deserves a proper hype for pure, honest rock'n'roll, then it's Les Savy Fav. It's probably one of the most honest albums, that 2007 has brought to us, I think. So, in case you haven't heard of them, which is absolutely impossible, check out their homepage, the song below and then right to amazon (or any other shop) and get Let's Stay Friends!
MP3: Les Savy Fav - Brace Yourself (YSI)
get it @ amazon
36. Teenage Bad Girl - Cocotte
Alright, here we got our first French electro/dance contestant. Amongst Mr. Oizo and Justice to name a few, Teenage Bad Girl are one of the best dance exports that the land of the baguette has to offer. Cocotte is full of those perfect electronic tunes, not too much bass or too much beat. Just right. Too bad, I couldn't go to this year's Pantiero Festival in Cannes, would've like to see them live. Pity.
MP3: Teenage Bad Girl - Du, Meine Sonne (YSI)
get it @ amazon
35. Dntel - Dumb Luck
Jimmy Tamborello's fabulous music project called Dntel brought Dumb Luck to us in April. You may know Jimmy Tamborello from The Postal Service, another amazing electronic band. Dntel is also known for putting up several remixes on his homepage, one as good as the other. I think I've put the last one one here, not very long ago. If my memory wouldn't be so bad.... Anyway, Dumb Luck has to be in your record collection, so grab your purse and buy it.
MP3: Dntel - Roll On (feat. Jenny Lewis) (YSI)
get it @ amazon
34. The Horrors - Strange House
I don't quite know, what else should be said to London's most stylish indie goth punk band The Horrors and their exciting album Strange House. The lyrics are funny, the sound does even surprise at some parts in the record and they surely have cooler hair than any of you.
MP3: The Horrors - Count In Fives (YSI)
get it @ amazon
33. Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Bloc Party's A Weekend In The City was a little more difficult to place. I can't deny, that it is good record, but nevertheless I was disappointed by it and I can't really tell you why. Perhaps, because none of the songs can reach up to the pure freshness of Silent Alarm nor has any of them the quality as Helicopter, Banquet or Pioneers have. I would have loved to put this a little higher in my list, but I just can't.
MP3: Bloc Party - Waiting For The 7.18 (YSI)
get it @ amazon
32. Babyshambles - Shotters Nation
So, you probably ask yourself, why I ranked Shotters Nation higher than A Weekend In the City. On the one hand, Bloc Party are surely a much better and talented indie band than Pete Doherty and his musical entourage, but on the other hand Babyshambles are one of the few bands, who emerged in the class of 2005 with their debut albums - amongst others such as Maximo Park, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Art Brut etc - and actually done a better sophomore record in 2007. Well, one could say, that this wasn't very hard, because Down In Albion is... erm, not very good. Nevertheless one has to appreciate that Babyshambles actually got together agian and did a record, that doesn't fall apart with every note and has some very fantastic tunes on it, such as Delivery, Carry On up In The Morning or French Dog Blues. I'm sure, the one Babyshambles record, that will blow us all away, is out there in the making.
Until then:
MP3: Babyshambles - Lost Art Of Murder (YSI)
get it @ amazon
31. Yelle - Pop-Up
So, the last one for today is French electro pop princess Yelle and her fantastic album Pop Up. I didn't know, that I was a huge sucker for French lyrics until I've heard Yelle and that comes from a person who had to suffer from numerous French chansons at school, including Edith Piaf. I still don't even understand the half of what Yelle is shouting on Pop-Up - of which I should be ashamed - but that doesn't really make any difference. The record is simply fun to listen to and you can tell your friends, that you listen to French music goodness without sounding cheesy.
Oh dear.
MP3: Yelle - Tu Es Beau (YSI)
get it @ amazon
So, that's it for my first part of my Top 41 Albums of 07 - and yeah, I know that 41 is an odd number, but I couldn't care less. I'll post the second part probably in two days if I find the time for it.
To do this list I thought about what my favourite albums of 2006 were and to be honest, I couldn't do a list for 006. It's hard to stay at least a bit objective, when my all time favourite bands released their albums. Which is to say, I have difficulties to spot anything else, because First Impressions Of Earth and Black Holes And Revelations are in the way. Dammit, for being such a huge Muse and Strokes fan.
Just kiddin'.
I'm off.
