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Just as the Buzzgrinder staff has slowed down, it seems the CD buying public has, too.
“Variety has the latest music numbers from Nielsen Soundscan on music sales from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. In 2007, 83.9 million albums were sold, down 21.4 million from last year.”
Still want a job at a record label in 2008?
This 9-year-old boy beat that Guitar Hero Dragonforce song, Through the Fire and Flames, on Expert with 95% accuracy. I can’t even beat it on Medium. Sigh.
Seth brought me on board this year and pays me the big bucks because, unlike some of the other Buzz writers, I have the impeccable music taste that brings in all the awesome people here. Just kidding. I’ll just pretend that at least some of you like the stuff I listen to. Or at least pretend, please? I just need some validation. You know, low self esteem and such.
10. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
I became a Ryan Adams whore this year. I started wearing western cut shirts and considered getting a pair of boots. And also going on a cocaine binge. Heartbreaker and Love Is Hell are better but it was such a monumentally Adams year that I had to include it.
9. Explosions In The Sky – All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
I’m a sucker for post-rock. I would consider this their second best album, but it had its moments for sure. It didn’t hurt that I saw them twice in the past year. Great live show.
8. !!! – Myth Takes
I saw these guys at Coachella and they stole the show. Ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you I hate dancing, but Heart Of Hearts makes me want to get my groove on and look like a fool. But I won’t. Only Blake actually does that.
7. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
So maybe my list has a lot to do with who I saw live this year. Don’t care. Moving on. Wincing the Night Away impressed me; Mercer and company messed with their formula just enough that people wouldn’t get sick of the same album all over again, but not so much that they wouldn’t drive anybody away.
6. Interpol – Our Love To Admire
Saw these guys live too. Pioneer to the Falls and The Lighthouse convinced me that they weren’t playing the same song over and over on all their records. But it was just enough to hook me in and get me to learn to enjoy the rest of it.
5. Ion Dissonance – Minus The Herd
It’s like Dillinger Escape Plan with tuned down guitars. And yet somehow not quite like Meshuggah in doing so. And I think their lyrics are actually halfway intelligent. He quotes Nietzsche at one point or something. But don’t quote me on that.
4. A Fine Frenzy – One Cell In The Sea
I’m in love with Alison Sudol. Seriously. She can sing, she can play piano and she is gorgeous. I follow her Twitter and check her Myspace page for updates. Nobody tell her though, okay? I don’t think that would be a good idea.
3. Justice – †
It’s like Daft Punk, but without feeling like so much of a guilty pleasure. I’m not sure how. More dirty rock vibe. Not so blantantly techno.
2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
I don’t think I need to say anything about this one. I’ve been a die-hard Radiohead fan for years, so any new release is bound to end up on my year-end list.
1. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Yay, I’m cliché too! And I don’t care. I think I listened to this album a thousand times this year. And I wrote the writeup for the overall list so I don’t feel like coming up with something else to say because I’m lazy.
Honorable mention (because I had a top 20 in the first place and I need all the indie cred I can get):
Band Of Horses – Cease To Begin
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga
Daft Punk – Alive 2007
Eluvium – Copia
Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
M.I.A. – Kala
Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Panda Bear – Person Pitch
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works
The Snake The Cross The Crown – Cotton Teeth
Remember back in the day, when Buddyhead gave us all the best gossip and smack-talking around? Well, I certainly do. In fact, I still check the ‘Head once every few months. And with that, I found this bit of classic Buddyhead mischief:
Give Fred Durst a call on his cell phone at 310 210 0119 and ask him what it’s like to have a teenie weenie. Tell that douche that Buddyhead sent you. By the way, we only know about his tiny unit cuz he made the world look at that peanut when he leaked his weak sex tape. Good move bro! About as good as calling your record Starfish Hotdog Water or whatever the fuck that was called. While you at it, sign Fred up for every mailing list you can and shoot him an email at fdurst@mac.com asking why there’s not much going on over at www.limpbizkit.com.
My name is Blake. I like Christmas sweaters. And Batman cartoons. The album I listened to most this year was Essential Heart by, you guessed it, Heart. Disc 2, not disc 1. That came out five years ago. My actual list doesn’t get much better.
10. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
I still don’t know why they’re not up there in the Death Cab and Decemberist realm of popular culture yet. Then I would probably stop liking them.
9. Maritime - Heresy and the Hotel Choir
I like rock music and old man voices. This record has both of those.
8. Let’s Go Sailing - The Chaos in Order
Like Feist but better.
7. Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
I love Pinback. This wasn’t their greatest record ever, but it’s still Pinback.
6. The Rosebuds - Night of the Furies
They put on a great live show. They play songs from their records at their live shows.
5. The Go! Team - Proof of Youth
Sometimes the little kid chorus creeps me out, and sometimes it doesn’t.
4. The Bravery - The Sun and the Moon
The best thing played on popular radio since Daughtry.
3. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
This reminds me of the Ryan Adams I started out liking.
2. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
If Outback Steakhouse likes them, then so do I.
1. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
I’m cliché!
A few of my picks for the year weren’t what most considered to be the best. Oh well. I don’t drink PBR, and I dance at shows (non-hardcore shows, at that), so my credibility is already shot. At least I’m not obsessed with Heart like Blake.
10. Of Montreal—Hissing Fauna…
Lots of people like this because they’re snobs who value ostentation and pretention. I like it because I can shake my money-maker to it. And by money-maker, I mean ballpeen hammer.
9. Pinback—Autumn of the Seraphs
I loved Pinback before, and this album doesn’t make me not love them. It’s what you would expect from the band, which is why it’s good.
8. DEP—Ire Works
Things have been said about this record. They’re all true. Well, not all of them.
7. Narrator—All That to the Wall
If you wish you could go back to 1997-2000 and listen to classic Pavement, Braid and the like, then this album is for you. Most indie rock bands today do whatever they can to avoid the lo-fi, DIY feel of this album. Boo them; yay Narrator.
6. Brothers Martin—Brothers Martin
Jason Martin+Ronnie Martin>Sex+cream cheese
5. Ben Lee—Ripe
Ben Lee always writes great pop songs. And, as you all know, I’m a sucker for great pop songs. The syllogism would dictate, then, that Ripe would be an album I would love. Logic wins out today. And never forget to ask yourself, “What would Jay-Z do?”
4. Seedy Seeds—Change States
I’ve raved about these guys all year, and I love them so much that I had them play in my apartment (audio and pictures are still forthcoming, BTW). If you thought that guitar/accordian/banjo/kazoo duos were reserved for Cajun razzmatazz, you were wrong.
3. New Pornographers—Challengers
Some of the moments on this album are the band’s best moments. There are a lot of good jams here. Plus they’re cool, so I’m supposed to like them. Duh.
2. Maritime—Heresy and the Hotel Choir
Combine comments from 7 and 3 above, and that sums up this quality piece of music. Big hooks, too. There are some big hooks.
1. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists—Living with the Living
Why this isn’t on every single person’s top 10 list confuses me. TL+Rx turn this mother out here. Brilliant guitar work (as always), brilliant vocals (as always), brilliant lyrics (as always). Plus if you see him live, Ted Leo will melt your face…and your underpants.
A few others who put out good music this year:
Battles
Ryan Adams
Manchester Orchestra
Coconut Records (I’m a sucker for Jason Schwartzman)
Rosebuds
Hot Rod Circuit (RIP)
QOTSA
I got a new microphone for Christmas, so maybe you’ll hear more of these. Download the MP3 [right click > save as], or play it below. Enjoy.
UPDATE: The Buzzgrinder Podcast, full archive on Odeo, and/or subscribe using iTunes.
I don’t post here much any more, being the editor of one of the unholy spawn of Our Fearless Leader’s sclerotic yet productive gray matter. The sheer velocity of my useless opinion, though, qualifies me to pass unwarranted judgement on your personal music interests log into the admin console and create another mock-worthy personal top 10.
You gadflies.
10. Dethklok – Dethalbum
A competent death metal album making fun of death metal, from a fictional death metal band that went on tour in real life. I don’t think this could ever happen again in this particular instance of a universe. The power of statistical analysis compels you (to listen)!
9. The Chariot – The Fiancée
Didn’t like their first two releases nor their live show, but this one pushes all the right buttons for me. It’s the junior slam.
8. Benea Reach – Monument Bineothan
This was technically released in 2006, but only saw US distribution this year, so it counts in my book. Detuned and dense metal. Experimental without being noodley or flaccid; there’s plenty of power behind this. And their videos are actually good. I only know about them from a recommendation, but I know with more promo they could go places.
7. Mae – Singularity
Cry about it.
6. UVERworld – Bugright
The Japanese version of an Anberlin/Linkin Park lovechild. Is that enough comment material for you? There will be more to choose from…
5. Beat Crusaders – EpopMAKING
This is what happens when Reggie and the Full Effect throw beer bottles filled with grape soda at a Descendents show.
4. Baroness – The Red Album
Buy this for Baizley’s artwork if their tricky rhythm stoner-indie-something bombast doesn’t appeal to you. Their big, raw riffs and Stonehenge vocals will reverberate in your head ad nauseum because they scooped out your brains while you were unconscious.
3. High and Mighty Color – San
Another weirdo Japanese band that can’t decide if it’s metal or rock or pop. I should care about such a privation of identity, but their hair distracts me.
2. Life In Your Way – Waking Giants
I’ve heard talk that they are the second coming of Strongarm. Maybe, but I can’t stop listening to this album, seeing them live, or name-dropping these dudes long enough to get into the argument.
1. Holy Roman Empire – The Longue Duree
Okay, I know half of you indie retards secretly pine to siphon out Pete Wentz’ intestinal gases for the Clandestine shrine back home, blasting Paramore’s latest single all the while. Now you can listen to power pop-rock in the car with your bearded Pabst-wielding friends without being embarrassed by stupid lyrics or limp-wristed riffage. Emily Schambra’s classically trained vocals round out the driving powerhouse instrumentation behind her, formed and shoved out the speakers by ex-members of a zillion decent to great bands you’ve heard of. Get into them now before they get big and you’re forced to hate them.
Since I started Buzzgrinder back in 2001, I’m the first one to post my personal Top 10 list of 2007, since you folks have asked nicely for it, and will no doubt rip me to shreds for my horrible taste in music.
It’s funny - friends who realize I run the site often ask, “Wow, you must really like My Chemical Romance!” While I like their one “teenager” song or whatever it’s called, I can’t say I’m a fan. In fact, almost everything we write about make me want to vomit. Just kidding. Sort of.
Anyways… here’s my list:
10. Aqualung – Memory Man
Big sounds and dreamy synth are good enough for me.
9. Bloodjinn – This Machine Runs On Empty
Good album from a band that’s been around as long as I have. And isn’t named after a book!
8. Dear And The Headlights – Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
I remember hearing these guys from a demo they sent me. Glad they were able to put out a well recorded gem.
7. Means – Sending You Strength
Usually not a fan of singing+hardcore, but this works for me. A weekly listen.
6. Kasier Chiefs – Yours Truly, Angry Mob
I can hum half of this album. In my sleep. That’s how catchy it is.
5. Mae – Singularity
OMG. MAE?! Yes. I like the synth, the songwriting, and the guitar tones. Get over it.
4. The Forms – TBD
I cheated with this album; I took it with me on my trip to Italy and listened to it non-stop, so listening to it again makes me feel like I’m back in Italy.
3. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works
An insane album, complex and radio-friendly in parts, old-school Dillinger in others. I love it.
2. Battles – Mirrored
Being a Helmet fan I knew I had to check out this band. Oh, and ex members of Don Caballero? Incredible album.
1. Queens Of The Stone Age – Era Vulgaris
Smooth and dreamy, a riot to listen to. This album was 2007 for me.
It’s that time of year when every music blog in the world puts together a best-of list. We, your faithful Buzzgrinder team, have jumped on that ever-growing bandwagon this year.
We spent several hours listing and ranking this year’s new releases, doing a lot of fuzzy math, creating Excel spreadsheets (and forgetting to save before closing) and rebuking Seth and Jay for liking Mae’s new album.
Many an angry word was spoken, many a tear was shed when personal favorite albums didn’t crack the top ten. But we’ve kept our integrity and now proudly present the ten albums we as a group think made 2007 worth living. No comment on Mae’s appearance on the list.
(more…)
