I usually wait a few weeks to post my favorites, because I inevitably receive a few CDs for Christmas or my birthday (Dec. 17, mark your calendars for 2008!). So I've finally gathered my thoughts, and I hereby present my list for the Top Ten of 2007.
t-10. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible; Bruce Springsteen – Magic – They're going to have to grow on me a little bit more, because I got them both in late December, but I think they will. I love AF's sound, and Magic sounds a lot like classic Springsteen, which is always a good thing. Download it: Keep the Car Running (AF), Radio Nowhere (BS)
9. Bettye LaVette – Scene of the Crime – You know I love those odd pairings that cross generational and genre lines (like Loretta Lynn and Jack White), so when you put an old-school soul singer together with the Drive-By Truckers, I'm sold. I should probably check out the Allison Krauss-Robert Plant CD too, huh? Download it: Before the Money Came
8. Jason Isbell – Sirens of the Ditch – Solo debut by former DBT guitarist showcases an outstanding young songwriter with more heart, soul and guts than anything you'll see on American Idol. Download it: Down in a Hole, Dress Blues
7. John Doe – A Year in the Wilderness – Former X frontman rocks hard and soft and crafts memorable duets with Kathleen Edwards and Aimee Mann. Download it: Lean Out Yr Window, The Golden State
6. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights – Always heard about her, never checked her out. Come to find out her band was the driving force behind Amy Winehouse's star-making work of 2006. Jones can belt it out with the best, and creates a sound that's straight out of Motown in the mid-60s. Download it: Let Them Knock, title track
5. The New Pornographers – Challengers – I'll admit, this isn't for everyone, especially fans of the upbeat, carefree songs on their first three discs. But there's a lot of substance here tucked between layers of strings, harmonies and nuanced hooks. Download it: Myriad Harbour, Go Places
4. Okkervil River – The Stage Names – I guess these guys were considered alt-country before this straight-up rocker. Whatever the genre, this is filled with catchy guitar licks, curious lyrics and one of the great angst-filled voices in lead singer Will Sheff. Download it: Unless It's Kicks, John Allyn Smith Sails
3. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Baby 81 – Ballsy, bluesy, visceral rock that grabs you by the throat and won't let go. I loved their mostly acoustic "Howl" in 2005, but the return of drummer Nick Jago put BRMC back on the highway to hellacious rawk. Download it: Berlin, Weapon Of Choice, Took Out A Loan
2. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky – Jeff Tweedy finally put together a lineup that allowed him to find his voice without covering it in layers of artsy posing or frivolous technocrap that just got in the way. Download it: Impossible Germany, What Light, Hate It Here
1. Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight – Apparently this is a love-it-or-hate-it album, and obviously I love it. Some critics didn't dig the mix of styles here – 70s rock, girl-group pop, soul, salsa, disco – and I agree it could be disorienting in light of the consistency of previous efforts. But it works for me. Jenny Lewis spreads her wings, and the band provides more than ample support for my favorite disc of the year. Download it: 15, Breakin' Up, Silver Lining
Honorable Mention
Son Volt – The Search; Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Living With the Living; Southern Culture on the Skids – Countrypolitan Favorites; Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha; Feist – The Reminder; The Fratellis – Costello Music; Johnathan Rice – Further North; Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger; Robbie Fulks – Revenge!
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