Top 10 Albums 2007
The choices in these lists are in no particular order.


Cruel Guards
The Panics
“An album that is a coming of age for The Panics. They have shown immense promise and delivered tenfold with Cruel Guards. The best music paints pictures in your head. This should be nominated for an academy award.”

Stolen Apples
Paul Kelly
“Paul Kelly once said that your fifties should be the most productive time in a man’s life. He has certainly taken that to heart with another consistently brilliant album recorded with his mates, The Boon Companions.”

Boys And Girls In America
The Hold Steady
“This album is worth the money for the single, Chips Ahoy alone. As you delve deeper, it brings to mind a time when American rock music was special. Think The Replacements and R.E.M. at their peak with the great production of this century.”

Cassadaga
Bright Eyes
“For me, his last studio album, I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning is the best album of the last decade. This one is not quite that good, but it is a
really strong Bright Eyes’ album.”

We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Modest Mouse
“With every listen, this album grows and grows on me. I think that I will continue to fall more and more in love with it.”

The Luxury Of Hysteria
Tim Rogers
“Tim Rogers is my favorite Australian songwriter. I don't think that this is his best work, but it is still a vital inclusion in any self respecting
Australian music fan’s collection.”

Ben Kweller
“This guy is getting better and better with age. This album brings to mind the joy that I get out of listening to The Lemonheads. The pure unadulterated joy that comes from listening to indie guitar pop turned up loud.”

Our Ill Wills
Shout Out Louds
“Their debut album was reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins and it is certainly inspired by The Cure. They have been accused of being too derivative. Something about their Swedishness gives a great point of difference for me.”

Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
“What a remarkable record! I was late getting into it, but it’s so authentic, so real and so sexy. Let's hope she doesn't kill herself.”

Favourite Worst Nightmare
Arctic Monkeys
“This band is the real deal. Both albums are spirited, original and
exciting. They have lived up to the hype and more.”
Graham Ashton
Dew Process


In Rainbows
Radiohead
“Underneath the hype surrounding the label-free digital release lay Radiohead’s most refined album since OK Computer. Brilliant from beginning to end.”

Night Falls Over Kortedala
Jens Lekman
“From a country overflowing with great musical acts, Lekman stands tall thanks to his wry sweetness and exceptional pop nous, with this song collection his most accomplished to date.”

Kala
M.I.A.
“Brains, personality, crazy dress sense and infinitely danceable tunes created from a fantastic mish-mash of styles. What’s not to love?”

Sound Of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
“It’s rare to find an album that manages to combine jump-up fun, clever lyrics and emotional resonance in such a complete package. James Murphy’s DJ mixes (Fabric and 45:33) were the icing on the cake.”

Tuff Teef
I Heart Hiroshima
“Minimal, urgent, and refreshingly at odds with musical fashion, the I Heart trio continue Brisbane’s grand tradition of creating under-appreciated yet important bands. Time will only bring further acknowledgement.”

God Save The Clientele
The Clientele
“Possibly the most perfectly-formed UK indie pop release of the year. A subtle and affecting gem of a record.”

Candylion
Gruff Rhys
“The Super Furry Animals frontman manages to pre-emptively overshadow his own band’s sterling album from ‘07’s second half. Whimsy has rarely sounded so good.”

Marry Me
St Vincent
“Polyphonic Spree member Annie Clark ups the stakes in the indie singer-songwriter scene. Feist might have been the big success, but St Vincent’s inventive arrangements shone just as brightly.”

Holy Fuck
“Lo-fi, Kraut-rockin’ indie dance music to die for. Mind-blowing stuff from Canada’s leftfield.”

Additionally
With too many releases to pick from for the #10 spot, I’m going to cheat and put the remainder of my favourites here: Happy Birthday: Modeselektor, Our Ill Wills: Shout Out Louds, The Neon Bible: Arcade Fire, Filed Music: Good Arrows, B.C. Camplight – Blink Of A Nihilist: Tones Of Town, Mirrors: Battles, The Reminder: Feist, Wincing The Night Away: The Shins
Chris Harms
Rave Magazine


The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
The Besnard Lakes
“A shimmering and beautiful album composed of diverse influences.”

Live At Massy Hall
Neil Young
“Neil at his acoustic best. Recorded back in 1971 when all the songs were fresh in the composer’s mind.”

The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Soundtrack
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
“A wordless wonder with such emotional resonance.”

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Spoon
“Minimal and effective with the songs reduced down to their strongest elements.”

All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
Explosions In The Sky
“Growing up I couldn’t get enough guitar music. Not a lot has changed. This is a real post rock treat.”

23
Blonde Redhead
“Equal parts angelic and eccentric. A modern day symphony led by the pixie that is Kazu Makino.”

In Our Nature
Jose Gonzalez
“So much power from just a man and his acoustic guitar.”

Because Of The Times
Kings Of Leon
“The surprise of the year for me. The Followill brothers just keep getting better.”

Once (Movie Soundtrack)
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
“The movie was an emotional treat and so is this album. Reflection rock at its finest.”

Live The Greek Theatre Aug 13, 1982
King Crimson
“Every year I have to have a prog-rock album in my list and this year's entry is a live album from the mighty Crim recorded back in 1982 and featuring my favourite edition of the band.”
Rob Hudson
modmove.com / The Independent


America: Suicide Notes Vol 1
Jay Eff Kay
“Top-class angry rap from a former Wall Street Lawyer. He’s young, hungry, bitter and filthy. Sound like another famous white rapper?”

The Meanest Of Times
Dropkick Murphys
“Still on form, the Boston Celtic-punks nailed the mix of fast, angry punk and wistful Irish folk perfectly on this album.”

The Fire Is On The Bird
Jackson Jackson
“Harry Angus from Cat Empire is let loose in a musical playground, and the results are chaotic, weird, but mesmeric.”

The Moon Looked On
Clare Bowditch & The Feeding Set
“Absolutely beautiful third album from Bowditch and her posse, with sultry vocals and dazzling instrumentation – and just a hint of naughtiness.”

Burn City
Pegz
“If the Obese Records overlord really is going to wind up his solo career with this, his third record, then it’s good that he’s going out on a high. Funky, soulful, poignant, wicked and funny all at once.”

The Hard Road Restrung
Hilltop Hoods
“In-your-face hip-hop backed up by an orchestra? This remix album probably shouldn’t have worked, but on second thought, why not? All elements combine to make an affecting whole.”

Cruel Guards
The Panics
“Gorgeous, slow, majestic songs that get under your skin and live there.”

Hard To Kill
Vents
“One of the most exciting MCs to pop onto the scene in recent years, Vents’ shit is at the loud, aggressive, polemical end of the Aussie hip-hop spectrum, and it’s chock-full of genius rhymes.”

A Weekend In The City
Bloc Party
“I ain’t one to jump on buzz-bandwagons but Bloc Party come up with the goods like few others. I Still Remember is a favourite, and could be my song of 07.”

Sun Dirt Water
The Waifs
“Slow, smoky, soulful songs from one of the best live bands I’ve seen in some time.”
Baz McAlister
Time Off


Long Road Out Of Eden
The Eagles
“As a moderate Eagles fan, I found this new one to have a lot of energy and the brilliance that brought them to prominence. They really haven’t lost anything with age.”

Memory Almost Full
Paul McCartney
“I'm a huge Beatles fan so I usually give Paul’s stuff a skeptical try. This one was actually pretty good. Must admit though, it had limited shelf life in my mind.”

Panic Channel
“Dave Navarro's band. Great album that got a lot of listens from me last year.”

The Last Of Seven
Pat Monahan
“Great solo effort from the singer for the band Train. Even though Train was his band and each album had new members, this record showed Pat's diversity as a singer and songwriter.”

Ultra Payloaded
Perry Farrell's Satellite Party
“Latest non Janes collaboration. I really liked this album and still listen to it. Better than the Porno for Pyros albums. This one has a bit harder edge with Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme fame on guitar. Nuno, like Dave Navarro, could only take so much of Perry and bailed out before the tour. Seems to be a trend.”

Influence
Shaw Blades
“From Tommy Shaw of Styx and Jack Blades from Damn Yankees and Nightranger. These two old and underrated singer/musicians collaborated and made an album of great pop standards.”

The Wolf
Shooter Jennings
“Waylon's son with his latest and perhaps strongest effort. It's country; it's southern rock with a little rap, but with a great attitude. I really like about half of it.”

Soul Sirkus
Word Play
“Neal Schon’s latest and perhaps best collaboration in recent years, but still incredibly average. I like a few songs on it a lot.”

10,000 Days
Tool
“If you're into the morose sound of these brilliant musicians, this one does not disappoint. The CD cover is worth the price on its own.” 

An Other Cup
Yusuf (Cat Stevens)
“I've always loved this guy and have been starving for new mainstream type material for several decades. A nice welcome back. I hope he makes another one.”
Scott Osmon
California dude


Beyond
Dinosaur Jr
“Slacker rock titans come back in a big way with this fuzz pop triumph.”

Fur And Gold
Bat For Lashes
“Bewitching dream-pop at its most storybook-strange, courtesy of one Natasha Khan.”

Tio Bitar
Dungen
“Swedish progsters combine the mellotrons and flutes with some storming Scandinavian hooks.”

The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
The Besnard Lakes
“Brian Wilson, Sigur Ros and Pink Floyd in a big Canadian mixing bowl.  Stunning.”

From One To Another
The Darling Downs
“Two of Australian rock’s true greats (Kim Salmon and Died Pretty’s Ron Peno) create the melancholic folk record of the year.”

The Flying Club Cup
Beirut
“Zach Condon’s roving gypsy pop finds a Parisian edge. The results are magical.”

New Magnetic Wonder
The Apples In Stereo
“Power-pop geniuses uncover their inner ELO and set their vocoders to stun!”

Boys And Girls In America
The Hold Steady
“Storytelling rockers reach Springsteen-esque heights.”

In Rainbows
Radiohead
“Forget the pay-as-you-please hoopla – it’s another triumphant Radiohead record, simple as that.”

100 Days 100 Nights
Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings
“Gritty soul, heartfelt gospel and Motown pop combine magnificently courtesy of Ms Jones and her dapper associates.”
Matt Thrower
Rave Magazine