So at last we come to the end - the 5 best records of 2007. Seek these out and you shall find aural pleasures beyond your wildest dreams. Listen and love...
5.Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
Overhyped by certain music publications this is nonetheless a great debut album. A mess of sounds crafted with some sublime production into a whole that somehow manages to cling to coherence by its fingernails, this is a high-pitched manic record that rattles along at a frenetic pace. Full of high pitched vocals, manic yelps and slightly out of tune harmonies this is not a purist musician's album, it's about the whole being more than just the sum of its parts. Forget the labels, don't even try to dance to it - just stick it on loud and try to work out how the hell it works. I dare you.
Key Tracks: Atlantis To Interzone, Golden Skans, Gravity's Rainbow, Two Receivers
4.Mumm-Ra - These Things Move In Threes
Just when you though nobody could make a proper British starry-eyed pop album anymore these guys create an absolute masterpiece. This albums is all about two things- tunes and enery and it as more than enough of both. Theres a sweet childlike innocence on display here - everything is full of sunshine and glee throughout with no real dark moments. Don't mistake this for a lack of depth though, the lyrics are neat and never trite and the songwriting has a real sophistication behind it. Like a well produced kids TV programme, they have made something enjoyable for kids and parents alike. This is the years perkiest album that is irresistable in tis enthusiasm. Just listen to 'Out Of The Question with a group of friends and odds are you'll all be daning around the room like a bunch of loons before even having a drink. If you are looking for an album that is fun, unadshamedly poppy and yet doesn't get boring, irritating or predictable after a few listens this is undoubtedly what you are looking for.
Key Tracks: The Sick Deal, Out Of The Question, Light Up This Room, Starlight
3. Reuben - In Nothing We Trust (Hideous)
One of my favourite bands ever returned with a third album that did not disappoint one single bit. At both the most visceral and the tenderest they have ever been this is a heavy rock album unafraid to be varied and original in it's approach. Freed of their label and going it alone Jamie, Jon and Guy take themselves to te next level, in the process creating one of the most complicated and groundbreaking rock abums in quite a while. From the brutal social commentry of 'We're All Going Home In An Ambulence' and the crazed genius of 'Deadly Lethal Ninja Assasin' via the tender acoustic duet of Good Luck and possibly the worlds first guitarless piano metalpopcore track in Agony Agatha (which shouldn't work yet somehow really really does), this is an album that runs the entire spectrum of emotion in the most innovative and varied manner full of light and shade yet still maintains an honsty and directness that only Reuben can bring. It's a monster of a record and deserves its place in the hearts and minds of every rock fan out there and quite a few others besides.
Key Tracks: Good Luck, We're All Going Home In An Ambulence, A Short History Of Nearly Everything, Deadly Lethal Ninja Assasin, Blood Bunny Larkhall
2. Frank Turner - Sleep Is For The Weak (Xtramile)
A far cry from his screams at the front of Million Dead, Frank Turner's debut album is an acoustic masterpiece. Steering clear of the trite ramblings of many a singer-songwriter this is a wonderfully direct, charismatic album with plenty of force where needed and a genuine emotion behind it. With a clever wit and brutal honesty this is possibly the most human album of the year as well. Add to that a voice with real power that sets him apart form many of his wimpier, moaning peers and songs so personal in their nature that somehow they become universal and you're left with something irresistably anthemic and individual. Its an album full of contradictions that pulls everything together into something so complete that even after almost a whole year stands out, as well as having the most defiant track of the year in the closing 'The Ballad Of Me And My Friends'.
Key Tracks: Wisdom Teeth, The Ladies Of London Town, Father's Day, The Ballad Of Me And My Friends
1. The October Game - Box Of A Billion Lights (Carmandie)
Despite technically being released last year this is without a doubt the album of 2007 (I't my list and I'll break the rules if I want to...) I've reviewd this album at length elsewhere on this blog but from start to finish this is the most absurdly brilliant thing I have heard this year. From its forceful rhythms through it's serpentine guitars to it's passionate, thoughful vocals and artful lyrics this is a triumph in every respect. This album takes my breath away every time I hear it, and every time there is something more to love. Seek it out and you will find something truly rare and special
Key Tracks: Gatherers Hands, No Time For Feelings, Satellites, Serpentine and every other track on there
Honorable Mentions: Feist - The Reminder, Paramore - Riot!, Roisin Murphy - Overpowered, Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City, Yourcodenameis:Milo - They Came From The Sun
Conclusions
So what have we learned from this year then?
~ British unsigned/independent label music has some fantastic talent (making up over a third of these lists and taking both number one spots is a real achievement)
~ The Barfly is already better than the Loft was
~ Cambridge has some damn good gigs going on at all levels
~ Reuben can do no wrong
~ Bjork and Tori Amos can unfortunatly
~ Mark Ronson is turned on by horn sections. There's no other explanation for it
~ British indie has moved back about 3 steps. Everyone wants to be Oasis again dammit (see The Enemy, The Twang et al)
~ Being Northern doesn't make you automatcally cool (see above)
~ Biffy Clyro can do the mainstream - who'd have thunk it?
~ The Young Knives hit bum notes occasionally
~ Mumm-Ra ooze fun from every pore
~ The new album from the Automatic will be interesting...
~ Amy Winehouse will somehow live until the ripe old age of 89
~ Pete Doherty is still a c***
oh and 2008 is going to be great - look for our ones to watch very soon
Happy New Music y'all!
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