Alec's Top 10 of 2007

Time to finally sit down and hammer out this list. Like Kyle, I agree that this year was difficult for picking top albums, at least within the genre types we listen to. The common theme I kept running into was most of the albums I really liked seemed to have at least one or two really bad tracks. I don't know why this became such a problem all of a sudden, but almost every album I liked seemed to have some pretty weak tracks. I'm sure you've noticed from Kyle's list that we've already touched on most of the groups so far this year, so I'll try to keep my reviews to about what exactly I liked or didn't like from each album. For most of these I tried to also post my favorite track, unless it was one that we've already posted.

10. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home


I've always enjoyed Kensrue's songwriting abilities, he's an extremely intelligent person and talented musically, and this has really shown through in most of the stuff he released with Thrice (ironically I didn't care much for their latest album released this year). Because of this I was excited to learn he was releasing an alt country album that would strip down his sound and really focus on his lyric and songwriting abilities. His transition into this genre is well done, and he really has a perfect voice to along with his songs about the struggles of life. This is the one album this year that I felt should have been longer, and it's a big reason I don't have it higher. At only 8 songs, there's just not a whole lot of meat to go with this, and it feels almost more like an EP than an LP.

Dustin Kensrue - Consider The Ravens


9. Rocky Votolato - The Brag and Cuss

I got into this album late in the year, and it made its way onto my list by way of being a solid album, which were hard to come by. Rocky doesn't really change much from his formula of harmonica soaked alt country that made his previous release Makers so popular. I think this album lacks a little of the charm and charisma from the previous, but start to finish its an album I really enjoy listening to, and because of that it makes the top 10.

Rocky Votolato - Silver Trees




8. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light


At this point everyone probably has figured out that I'll always have a soft spot for pop songs with catchy melodies and smooth harmonies, and so when I heard Chase This Light I was really impressed with their ability to make the album have a powerful and unique sound even though at their hearts most of the songs are pop songs. I slowly found myself pulled into this album with its hooks and riffs, and each time I listened I found myself singing along more and more.

Jimmy Eat World - Dizzy



7. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning of, and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading


Along with Kensrue, this is another release spawned as a side project of band I liked, and once again its done with the idea of letting the songwriting abilities of one member really stand out. This time its Casey Crescenzo, formerly of The Receiving End of Sirens. Act II is the second part in a six act story written by Crescenzo. While I think the idea of bands that release their albums to pertain to one another and tell a story is cool, its not really the reason I put this in my list. What impressed me is Crescenzo's ability to write in so many "voices" so to say. The songs on the album are told from different characters in the song, and they are well written to give the characters different voices and styles. The album is very "rock opera" in this way and I think it is pulled off quite well, and comes off to me as compelling and honest, and because of the variety of songs and styles, the music stays fresh throughout.

The Dear Hunter - The Procession

6. Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre


Kyle said that this album was too much to digest, and I somewhat agree. I absolutely loved Say Anything's previous release, and was hoping for more of the same with their latest. To a degree I was happy with what I heard, but coming in as a double disc with 27 songs, there's just too much to fully appreciate it. Max and the band continue to make powerful and interesting songs, and there's some really good tracks that are compelling (and sometimes funny) and are musically well written and varied. I put this album at number six because I knew there were enough songs on it that I enjoyed that it would be wrong to leave it out, but yet there's too many mediocre songs I find myself skipping through that I couldn't put it any higher either.

Say Anything - No Soul

5. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool


I'll be honest, I really didn't like this album very much when I first heard it. I think it was a classic case of having preconceived expectations, and when it wasn't what I was expecting...well I just didn't want to accept it. Lupe came out a little darker with his sophomore release, and he became more experimental both musically and stylistically. But as I continued to listen to it, I realized the genius behind many of his songs. One in particular, "Little Weapon", a song about child fighters in African wars really stuck with me. Its an extremely powerful song both in concept and in the supporting beat, which features a haunting military snare line. In a way it reminds me of the emotional power that came from "Jesus Walks" a few years ago. Like most of the albums from this year, The Cool still suffers from some weak tracks, but there's enough solid material in there for it to make it to number 5. A December 18th release didn't help much either, and I'm sure didn't help him make many other Tops of 2007 lists across the internet.

Lupe Fiasco - Little Weapon

4. Kanye West - Graduation


I think a lot of our opinions of whether albums are good or not are heavily influenced by the styles we like and certain musical aspects we enjoy (Duh! you're all saying). But I say that now because for me, almost everything Kanye either writes or just even touches I love. So its no surprise that Kanye winds up in my list once again. I was pleasantly surprised with Graduation, and think its easily a better album than Late Registration, although not up to College Dropout level. My favorite has to be "Everything I am". It's so simply created, which is unusual for Kanye. But his open honesty, something usually painfully absent from hip hop is what makes the song so good, and his relaxed style matches the beat perfectly. On the flip side, I think this album also contains his worst song ever. "Drunk and Hot Girls" is just an awful song. The beat is weak, the idea is "slightly humorous" at best, and the worst is the annoying and repetitive chorus line. But despite this, except for maybe one or two other mediocre tracks, the rest of the album is pretty impressive. It was an album I just constantly found myself wanting to listen to, plain and simple.

Kanye West - Everything I am (feat. Scratches by DJ Premier)

3. The New Amsterdams - At The Foot of My Rival


This was the surprise album of the year for me, at least in terms of releases from groups I already knew. I had just about written New Ams off as dead in the water. Their last release, Story Like A Scar was very disappointing except for 2 tracks, and I thought they were losing their touch and their style. But out comes this release and I realize Matt Pryor hasn't lost any of his ability to create beautiful and heart felt songs which are ripe with melodies and filled with emotional struggles. I'll admit I'm a sucker for catchy upbeat songs that are really just hiding emotional pain and strife. On top of that, this album is solid front to back, which was a bit of a relief this year.

The New Amsterdams - Wait


2. Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps, Heavy Hooves

I know I know, we've spent way too much time on this album. Its just a great album and they do what they do so well. If it weren't for "Hallelujah" this album might have been number one.








Dear and the Headlights - I'm Bored, You're Amorous


1. Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere In The Between


I think I've resigned to the fact that the albums I always pick for number one will never be popular, they're just from too small of music genres. Who picks a ska album number one? Well I did, and as Kyle said, this is the best ska album in 8 years. The reason I put this at number one is because it's an amazing album and every track is strong and unique. I've always really enjoyed Streetlight because of their musical style which is filled with emotion, and their songs which are well constructed and still manage to touch on thoughtful topics despite having "catchy ska horn lines". What really impressed me with this album, and what I think really sets it apart from other ska releases is the use of horn arrangements. Oftentimes in the genre the horns all play the same melody the whole time. But with Somewhere In The Between, Streetlight has discovered the wonder of horn arrangements, and the songs are filled harmonies and supporting lines which add a ton of depth to their sound. Even if you don't particularly like ska, I recommend this album and that you give it a chance. I especially recommend it for working out or running. I've listened to it so many times while running cause its just so good at getting me pumped up and it just makes you want to run faster and faster as the songs keep driving harder and faster.

Streetlight Manifesto - Blonde Lead the Blind



Thats the list, or at least how I feel about all this right now. One small note. I probably would have included Amy Winehouse's Back In Black except for it was released in 2006 in the UK, and since we've used international release dates as our official dates in the past, I'm leaving the album off. Its a great album, and though Kyle fancies himself a Sharon Jones man, I'm an Amy Winhouse man. Sharon does neo soul better, but Amy's sound is more unique and that's what gets me.