Radio Exile | Top Albums of 2007: 10 Through 6

Top Albums of 2007: 10 Through 6

By Shawn M. Smith December 31, 2007 Post a comment | Email the author

The last two days, we’ve shown you 15 albums that needed to be honored among the best of 2007. Today, the staff of Broken Dial and I are proud to bring you numbers 10-6. These albums just slipped out of the top 5. Some just missed by a vote or two. Others were championed by staffers and we were unable to ignore the arguments for their inclusion in the top ten, even if we weren’t sold on their inclusion in the final post.

Tonight is part 3 of 4.

Top Albums of 2007: 10 Through 6

10. Deer Tick – War Elephant

“‘Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)’ is easily one of the very brightest songs in 2007. The solo work of John McCauley produces a shiny, gritty and dangerous work of alt-country bliss that proves that you don’t have to rave to SPIN about your dependency or bipolar disorder/manic depression to win the hearts and affections of millions. Sometimes, you just have to write good music.

War Elephant deserves to be heard by so many more people and yet, you can look around and see that so few have reviewed or heard the second biggest surprise of 2007, it can be disheartening. War Elephant is an album that thrills and captivates with bravado, swagger and flawless execution.” – Shawn M. Smith

9. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

“A sophomore release hasn’t been this solid since Radiohead released The Bends. Cease to Begin finds BOH slipping wildly into its own atmosphere. Where they could have simply built on their alt-country debut, their follow-up feels fresh and new, unhindered by previous sounds, but still, rationally tethered to them. Ben Bridwell evokes the Massey Hall Neil Young, and nothing has ever sounded as triumphant as the title track, the refrain as haunting as its subject.” – James Mitchell

8. Phosphorescent – Pride

“At the base level, Matthew Houck, is a singer-songwriter/folk artist, but one who is pushing the boundaries to the point that he no longer sounds like his contemporaries. For example, although sometimes sparkled with occasional piano, guitar and some other instruments, the main event is his otherworldly voice. On songs like the almost a cappella “Be Dark Night”, his high outstanding voice is stacked up against each other to create a wonderful choir. In fact, the track and much of the production work, ends up sounding like a Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys record. And like these Brian Wilson studio experiments, the song manages to be powerful, quiet, peaceful and deeply emotional all in one. It as if Houck has written or found a lost hymn to an ancient and a long forgotten God. Like any good hymn, the track simply puts you at ease. It is as if you are drifting away on a cloud that lifts you from the every day and into a place where remarkable things happen every day. The race is over. The chase has lost it’s thrill. Now all there is just the peace and tranquility of the hereafter.” – Dan Berkman

7. Salt & Samovar – Old Joy, New Joy

“Each copy of Old Joy, New Joy is one-of-a-kind; their packaging is hand-screened and comes with a 16-page booklet of liner notes with lyric, music and illustrations designed by the band. The pacing and structure of this record makes it the perfect soundtrack by which one should set the cruise control and head for the Adirondacks on a brisk Autumn morning. Much of the epic feel of this album involves a subtle balancing act, as if the two seemingly dissimilar parts meet halfway across a bridge in the middle of the night and high above over the muddy waters below, they quietly walk home. On “Swallowed A Pill,” the gentle sprinkling of piano balances against the sharp strings. “We Will Break” features the simple beauty of muted bass and vocal chants. The band’s stand out moments should define the album and the rich, full-textured sound will stay with anyone who spends time with the album for a long time after the first listen.

Featuring songs that speak volumes about nothing and everything all at once, they come around very rarely, and it shows a breadth of skill and massive amount of passion to create the kind of music that moves someone to the very depths of their soul. Old Joy, New Joy is a new type of album, equal parts precision, thunder, faith healings and jam-rock for people who don’t like jam-rock. Too many bands try to do too much in a first effort to not only impress, but to leave the listener with something to walk away with and rave about before their next listen. Salt & Samovar want to put their best foot forward and more often than not Old Joy, New Joy slides along like at the deliberate pace that they set, establishing them as an act to be remembered.” – Shawn M. Smith

After finally completing my review, it was nice to see the band’s inclusion on Nic Harcourt’s list; these crazy folks tour relentlessly and have stolen my attention away from former “SMS-indie-fave-to-’make it,’” Murder By Death. They love the music they create and enjoy the life they have crafted for themselves and at a time when people seem to care less and less about the physical manifestations of an album, this act gives consumers and fans more reason to love buying the disc for the individual art presentation of each set. If making music is this simple and joyous, I hope that Salt & Samovar have a long, illustrious career to look forward to. – SMS

6. Radiohead – In Rainbows

“I’m not overwhelmed, but not underwhelmed either. I’m whelmed. It sounds like perfectly mastered versions of songs we’ve all heard either live or in bootleg mp3 form over the last two years, so none of it is much of a shock. It’s nice to have it in official-ish form, but I think we’ll all come to the conclusion that, ironically, the hype and innovative (for a major band) distribution model will ultimately the biggest thing we take away from In Rainbows.” – Kyle Paul

“A little perspective and Bodysnatchers feels like a better song — maybe, as many have said, the best song on the album — but the energy drains the second Nude begins. In the end it feels like the collection of cast offs it is. Also, this sound quality issue people keep bringing up seems intentional, for either an aesthetic quality (which others have done ever since Ray Davies cut his amps with razors to get the distortion) or for the business perspective (selling the presumed CD version). How disappointed will people be if it was an aesthetic decision and the CDs have all of the same fuzz outs?” – Greg Wind

“As Greg said, there’s nothing too revolutionary here other than their distribution model. Now granted, I genuinely like Radiohead’s sound, so it’s not like they needed to tweak anything, it would simply have been nice to see them try some more ambitious stuff here and there.

It’s a step in the right direction. I share the sentiment that people will support the art and the artists that they enjoy, even when they’re not required to do so. I also believe strongly in the idea that while music is unquestionably a business, the true artists join it not simply because they hope to make money, but because they have something to say. While we can argue the merits of the intellectual discourse in pop music, or even in Radiohead’s catalogue, music is above all a way to express something, whether it be a message or an emotion or just a mixed collection of thoughts, oddly jumbled together and tied with a bow. In the end, the goal is to reach people, to touch people, to speak to people, and maybe, just maybe, give them some solace, prompt them to think for a minute, or just to get through to them. Radiohead have taken this goal to heart by making their music available to anyone regardless of what’s in their bank accounts. For that reason, irrespective of what I think of their music or reputation, Radiohead can count me as a fan.” – Cash Kerouac

“It’s genius to allow the fans to decide what they feel the value of music is. If you don’t, they are going to steal it anyway. If someone can come along and create an application that works to allow people to name their own price, we might be in business.

Not a sliding scale like other programs, but something embeddable like SnoCap but that let’s people choose what to play. That would be huge.

Whelmed is good, though. I love the album, its very dense and thick (I keep saying that) but it isn’t a proper album in that these are songs that have been on the road before and weren’t written for this album, they were B-sides. Still, I am happy I own it.” – Shawn M. Smith

“Forget the hype surrounding the ‘free’ downloads. Radiohead repeats itself once again by not repeating itself, and we are for the better because of it. In Rainbows is the point on the map where stale technology meets hard, warm soul. Thom Yorke’s voice has never sounded more beautiful, occupying several colors at once, along with the band’s own complex rubric. The anarchic beats of “15 Step” and fuzzed guitar of “Bodysnatchers” push the album off to sea before slowing against the waves of the long-delayed “Nude” and the organic trip hop of “Reckoner”. The accompanying disc 2 is a pleasant follow up, proof that these sessions, even sans contract, meant more to the band than the security of employment. On top of this, if you paid for, as I did, the $80.00 box set, In Rainbows may be the most ambitious vinyl release in the history of recording history, with a photo book, lyric book, two 45 LPs, and two discs. Packaged like a hard cover book, the investment this band has made in itself, its fans, and most importantly, its music is undeniable. There is no comparison for an artist. None.” – James Mitchell

Tomorrow, we unveil our selections for the Top Five Best Albums of 2007.