Friday music blogging: Albums of the year

The definitive list, if you're me

Posted by David Roberts at 12:25 AM on 05 Jan 2008

Read more about: music | lists

For no particular reason and in no particular order (save maybe the top two), I give you my sentimental favorites of 2007:

Band of Horses: Cease to Begin (FMB)
Josh Ritter: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (FMB)
Okkervil River: The Stage Names (FMB)
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (FMB)
Cloud Cult: The Meaning of 8 (FMB)
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black (FMB)
Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight (FMB)
Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger (FMB)
Gonzales: Solo Piano (FMB)
Coconut Records: s/t (FMB)

I always find these lists somewhat misleading. If I made a list of songs I loved this year, it would be much more diverse in terms of genres and sounds. That's where all the hip-hop and electronic stuff would be hiding. But when it comes to full albums to which I devote repeated listens, despite my protests, and despite my best efforts, as I get older I tend to take fewer musical chances. I stick to the stuff I know I love: comfortable, melodic, song-focused.

You kids get off my lawn!

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whippersnapper no longer?

Keep repeating that you are as young as you feel, DR, in spite of the fact that this lumbering Jurassic beast has actually heard of at least three of the names on your list: Amy Winehouse, Josh Ritter and Ryan Adams. Band of Horses is possible, but I would not swear to it.

Music fans of a different sort will remember that two of the best-loved opera singers of the boomer age, Beverly Sills and Luciano Pavarotti, died in 2007. My favorite with her is "Roberto Devereux," though the whole Three Queens set is magnificent; with him, "Rigoletto," also starring Sherrill Milne and Joan Sutherland. Pavarotti's signature aria "Nessun dorma" can be heard in "Turandot," with Monserrat Caballe' as Liu and Joan Sutherland as Turandot.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 2:46 AM on 05 Jan 2008

2007 Music

You missed two!
Manic Street Preachers: Send Away The Tigers
Radiohead: In Rainbows

by Blueplanet at 8:52 AM on 05 Jan 2008

CDs? Who has that kind of money?

Sheesh, I haven't bought a CD for soooo long...the life of a starving artist. I'm holding out (saving) for a Tony Bennett / Beastie Boys marriage.

When I do listen to music, I just pick the most obscure alternative/indie European Web radio station that I can find. Whatever seems fresh and diverse. I have absolutely no idea the name of any artists, "albums", or songs. Adds that air of mystery to life, ya know.

When I was at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), I loved the college station. They'd go from hip-hop to classical to metal in just minutes.

Parentheticallly speaking...

this lumbering Jurassic beast

caniscandida, if you actually are getting into your golden years (as you often hint), I vote that we start cloning you immediately!

NoPunProductions.com ~ AmericaTheGreen.org

by Greta at 1:29 PM on 05 Jan 2008

"Nature finds a way"? -- yipes!

You are sweet, dear Greta -- but do you know what you are asking for? : )

So long as Michael Crichton is not managing the lab, I myself have no objection, actually. But should any of my kind ever find himself kept in an enclosure on a Costa Rican island, the bound and struggling piece of meat that he would most like to have offered him daily is certainly NOT a goat ...

As for pleasant, varied and enlightened radio stations like yours at UNC, here in the NYC area, Fordham University's station, WFUV, is like that. When I was driving to work and listening to it regularly, they were terrific for covering progressive folk, country and blue grass; but their producers had a great ear for anything good in a large number of genres, both brand new and popular classics. Yes, every now and again they played Tony Bennett. I recall once, while driving on East 233rd Street toward the Major Deegan, being ecstatic while listening to a back-to-back comparison of two classic renditions of "Cry Me a River."

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 2:25 PM on 05 Jan 2008

WXYC 89.3

Hey Greta, it's still a great station. You inspired me out of my middle-aged rut down here in the Southern part of heaven (I'm not even going to admit what was in the CD player of my car).

On the way to and from getting takeout tonight I tuned in -- in 10 minutes of driving, I heard rap, some cowboy music, what sounded like a Mexican torch song, and something with a Caribbean beat in a language I couldn't identify.

So thanks for the cultural kick in the pants. :-)

by GreenMom at 9:08 PM on 05 Jan 2008

y !que no se olvide de Calle 13!

Since we are talking about difficult foreign languages, let us not forget Calle 13, anti-heroes of the Latin Grammys, rapping in Spanglish/Puerto Rican (an impossible Spanish dialect IMHO -- not that Cuban and Dominican are any better):

http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2007/04/11/2007-04-11_d ...

These guys are thinking globally; God bless them. Plus, "el Residente," Rene' Pe'rez, is way dreamy.

I think it was the video of "Pa'l Norte," with poignant observations on the experience of Latin American immigrants to the US, that provoked a great controversy in the Latino community last year.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 1:28 AM on 06 Jan 2008

Ageism

So Dave, do your aunt a favor and quit feeling old. I actually have read the names of 3 of the artists, but I only listen to NPR and really know nothing about music if it isn't classical. I confess to being a total geek and nerd, but I'm of the age that I really love being totally me.

That's the secret of birthdays in general. Be glad you're still here and getting to enjoy yourself, your kids, and crazy politicians, and being more and more yourself.

I intend to be a feisty old lady who drives my sons crazy. They say I've already achieved that, but they ain't seen nothing yet.

by Baby Boomer at 7:40 AM on 07 Jan 2008

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