best of 2007
Favorite albums of the year. For some reason, I wasn't a fan of most of the comments I wrote about these records, so I replaced them all with comments taken from Amazon customer reviews of "All the Right Reasons" by Nickelback, in honor of that band's rumored impending move to Allston to work on a new album:
1. Baroness, The Red Album. Although there are many other good artists out there, this is one of the best albums to come out in a long time. It is more of a popish/alternative type of music as opposed to hard rock like metallica or a more alternative linkin park. If you are not afraid to like popular music than this is a great album.
2. Boredoms, Super Roots 9. Their melodies and big chorus' are enough to make an Ozzy Osbourne wet dream!!! The proof is in the pudding and Nickelback knows what they're doing. Are they my favorite band: No, but they write tunes that you just can't help but like!!!
3. UGK, Underground Kingz. The song 'Rockstar' is the greatest song of all time, the lyrics are very well-written, and the music compliments it until the very end. The lyrics 'the girls come easy and the drugs come cheap', or 'everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial' say everything about how much thought went into not only this song, but the whole album.
4. Earthless, Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky. The songs from this album that I have heard on the radio made me want to buy this cd. However, when I listend to it all the way through, it seemed like all the other songs were very hardcore alternative which is something I am not a fan of.
5. Times New Viking, Present the Paisley Reich. Even though their newest catalog release has more of a pop essence than their previous attempts, they have managed to do something else: ride the new pop-metal wave. Pop-metal, first created by newer alternative bands such as Seether or Evanescence, has seen it's share of ups and downs. This is most definitely an up.
6. Project Pat, Walkin' Bank Roll. I have been listening to nickelback for a long time Since i heard "How you remind me" i think that nickelback is one of todays greatest bands and if you like rock music it would be impossible to not like nickelback. I think when the time is right nickelback is definitely going down as of the the best bands to ever play and will surley end up in the rock n roll hall of fame. It is like what another great band said it "For those about to Rock "I" salute You"
7. Pig Destroyer, Phantom Limb. Truly rockin album! Reminds me of my wilder, younger days and prompted me to buy tickets to the upcoming concert. Loved it and so does my six year old!
8. Pissed Jeans, Hope for Men. Led Zepplein is still sold in stores. If you want the same old good rock and roll...Please call your local record store and file a complaint against Nickleback...We have an election coming up in 2 years and we can't let NaSS Car Nation win again.
9. Les Savy Fav, Let's Stay Friends. "Oh it all sounds the same, the lyrics are just recycled over and over, and I hate them cause they are so successful and have sold platinum album after platinum album." You should ask yourself this: "Why don't I appreciate all types of music and don't open up to all types of rock music?"
10. Big Business, Here Come the Waterworks. Generally, from what i've read, those who hate it don't even reference songs from the album anyway (ie haven't bought it), and are just writing to slag off at their deep seated hatred of any band who sells a few albums (ie rebelling against 'the man'). Hey, thats all cool, you guys can have your chordless, melody deficient scream metal.
11. Blood Tsunami, Thrash Metal. There are som super geat tracks on this album. The only reason I give it a 4 instead of a 5 is because there are a few songs with erotic language that I wasn't expecting and I think Nickelback is too great of a band to have to sing about explicit content. Leave that to the one minute pop sensations.
12. Bottomless Pit, Hammer of the Gods. You can tell Nickelback recorded this album for "All the Right Reasons." They sound terrific. Sometimes artists slack after a ton of success, but Nickelback sounds hungrier than ever. ATTR is both slick and raw with a lot of emotion and candor. A definite recommend.
13. Parts & Labor, Mapmaker. When I first heard "Photograph" on AOL Music sometime last year I didn't really pay that much attention to it. I actually didn't like the clip that I heard. But upon buying the album, only then did I realize what a great song it actually was. The theme of going through a photo album and reminiscing about your past and those that you once knew is what makes the song memorable.
14. Dog Day, Night Group. It's a shame that bands like Arcade Fire, Stars, Metric, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade, Death From Above 1979, among dozens of other truly gifted Canadian bands are selling only a small fraction of the number of albums Nickleback is. Uninspired, uninventive, and oozing with bad rock cliche's, Nickleback is proof that there's no accounting for taste.
15. Sally Shapiro, Disco Romance. Nickelback has officially gone to...Chick rock. Now, don't get me wrong, I still love them. I just think Nickelback should get back to their roots. Thank you for reading this, and for those of you that didn't, go eat a banana.
16. Jesu, Conqueror. Sorry guys, but this CD is NO GOOD! If you want real pop ROCK music, buy Bo Bice's THE REAL THING! Bo's a REAL rocker and he's the REAL DEAl!! Nickelback can't sing!!!!
17. Prodigy, Return of the Mac. The lyrics of Next Contestant are so funny. Chad Kroeger can be so funny with some of the lyrics he writes as he is trying to find the right girl to go out with, yet she doesn't impress him...Here comes the next contestant, Chad sings.
18. Clockcleaner, Babylon Rules. I typically listen to it with my guyfriends while driving, windows down, stereo blasting--the way it's meant to be played. Maybe that's why they have a road/car on most of their CD covers
19. Major Stars, Mirror/Messenger. Ok first; I like lots of different music, some might say odd combos. Nickelback and Beethoven, Collective Soul and Enya, French and Italain pop... That out of the way I really do like a number of songs on this CD, thuss my four stars. Tracks 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are the best! I could put them on repeat for the next month and not get sick of songs like "Savin' Me". Chad's voice is really cool and strong, and I enjoy the mix of piano that is in a few of the songs.
20. Crime Mob, Hated on Mostly. Anyway it has been a long wait for this release, this morning had the Christmas feel to it. I took the day off from work ( I know you are thinking overkill, but it is not everyday in this era of downloading songs that sound good until the next catchy tune is in the top 5 I buy a new CD especially on its release date) I was at the music store at open time and paid 10 bucks for a cd I would have glading dropped twenty five for. I live in New Hampshire and if you did not know the fall is a great up here , nice crisp air and the leaves turning color...so I peeled the top off my wrangler and having no patience for the wrapping on cds I was able to crack open the case a bit to just get my hands on the cd and pull it out. I waited until I got just far enough out of town not to be distracted by local traffic to slip the disc in and head towards the mountains and let the music soak into me.
Others: Blues Control, Puff, Buried at Sea, Ghost EP, Circle, Panic, Dan Deacon, Spiderman of the Rings, Devin the Dude, Waitin' to Inhale, Dinosaur Jr, Beyond, Dizzee Rascal, Maths and English, Elliott Smith, New Moon, Gallhammer, Ill Innocence, Ghostface Killah, The Big Doe Rehab, Harvey Milk, Courtesy and Good Will (reissue), Harvey Milk, My Love is Higher than Your Assessment of What My Love Could Be (reissue), The Hidden Hand, The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote, inblackandwhite, Say We Are Not Brothers EP, John Vanderslice, Emerald City, Kanye West, Graduation, Laethora, March of the Parasite, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver, Lil Wayne, Da Drought 3, Marnie Stern, In Advance of the Broken Arm, Monarch, Die Tonight, Okkervil River, The Stage Names, Prodigy, Return of the Mac, R. Kelly, Double Up, Reports, Mosquito Nets, Shellac, Excellent Italian Greyhound, Silkworm, Chokes EP, Solar Anus, Skull Alcoholic (reissue), Statehood, Lies and Rhetoric, Torche, In Return, Trae, Life Goes On, The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour, Weedeater, God Luck and Good Speed, Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams, Zu and Nobukazu Takemura, Identification with the Enemy.
Shows: Moved back to JP this year and missed a bunch, actually. In semi-chronological order:
Les Savy Fav, Jesu, Prisonshake, Black Lips, Shearwater and Ghostface @ SXSW
Dismemberment Plan @ Black Cat
The time Nate got pocket aces twice in a row @ Foxwoods
Gil Mantera's Party Dream @ PA's
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone/Xiu Xiu @ TT's
Superchunk, Dan Deacon, Ted Leo and Thermals @ McCarren Park Pool
Dinosaur Jr @ Urban Outfitters (!)
Sloan @ Southpaw
J.C. and his Golden Oldies @ Cappy's
77BOADRUM @ Fulton Ferry Park
Major Stars @ Milky Way
Secret Stars @ PA's
Mountain Goats @ Middle East
Oneida @ PS1
Brian Kuh arguing about a possible Cruisin' USA high score @ Funspot
Endless Boogie/Circle @ Middle East
Ramming Speed/inblackandwhite @ my basement
A whole bunch of bands in a whole bunch of basements
Etc.:
- New job. Long-ass commute, but so worth it.
- Getting sent on my first real adult business trip. Admittedly, it was in Houston, and the reason I didn't write anything about it was because it was COMPLETELY FUCKING INSUFFERABLE, Astros game and drinks with Brent from ILBB notwithstanding, but I think it was an important step - the first time I've ever really taken a long trip somewhere new and not felt a little twinge of regret at having to leave. Girded me well for future trips to grade-Z American cities.
- Spending $200 on disco lights and a fog machine for the basement. A good call.
- James Turrell's "Meeting" at PS1 while Oneida was playing "Sheets of Easter" outside and alienating the whole crowd.
- The go-go Red Sox! Totally stoked for '08.
- Funspot! Super Zaxxon, sit-down Spy Hunter, 1942 (I have the high score!), a dozen bizarre 2D cockpit helicopter sims that a grown adult can barely fit into, two whole hangar-length walls of semi-working pinball machines, and more weirdos, gambling addicts, and no-good kids than you'd ever expect to find in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire. Across the road is a bar called the Looney Bin, which appears to have been transported directly from the movie "Road House." Next time.
- Playing in Wiimbledon, losing badly in the first round, briefly winding up on ABC News.
- Winning a corporate spelling bee and subsequently getting tons of compliments from upper-level administrators at new job.
- The Drinking Fountain, Jamaica Plain MA. See also Swifty's "Worst of 2007" list.
- Season six of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
- Contra 4 for Nintendo DS
- Best Christmas present: Christine gave me a 1988 Rickey Henderson action figure. I don't even care that he has a Yankees jersey on.
1. Baroness, The Red Album. Although there are many other good artists out there, this is one of the best albums to come out in a long time. It is more of a popish/alternative type of music as opposed to hard rock like metallica or a more alternative linkin park. If you are not afraid to like popular music than this is a great album.
2. Boredoms, Super Roots 9. Their melodies and big chorus' are enough to make an Ozzy Osbourne wet dream!!! The proof is in the pudding and Nickelback knows what they're doing. Are they my favorite band: No, but they write tunes that you just can't help but like!!!
3. UGK, Underground Kingz. The song 'Rockstar' is the greatest song of all time, the lyrics are very well-written, and the music compliments it until the very end. The lyrics 'the girls come easy and the drugs come cheap', or 'everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial' say everything about how much thought went into not only this song, but the whole album.
4. Earthless, Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky. The songs from this album that I have heard on the radio made me want to buy this cd. However, when I listend to it all the way through, it seemed like all the other songs were very hardcore alternative which is something I am not a fan of.
5. Times New Viking, Present the Paisley Reich. Even though their newest catalog release has more of a pop essence than their previous attempts, they have managed to do something else: ride the new pop-metal wave. Pop-metal, first created by newer alternative bands such as Seether or Evanescence, has seen it's share of ups and downs. This is most definitely an up.
6. Project Pat, Walkin' Bank Roll. I have been listening to nickelback for a long time Since i heard "How you remind me" i think that nickelback is one of todays greatest bands and if you like rock music it would be impossible to not like nickelback. I think when the time is right nickelback is definitely going down as of the the best bands to ever play and will surley end up in the rock n roll hall of fame. It is like what another great band said it "For those about to Rock "I" salute You"
7. Pig Destroyer, Phantom Limb. Truly rockin album! Reminds me of my wilder, younger days and prompted me to buy tickets to the upcoming concert. Loved it and so does my six year old!
8. Pissed Jeans, Hope for Men. Led Zepplein is still sold in stores. If you want the same old good rock and roll...Please call your local record store and file a complaint against Nickleback...We have an election coming up in 2 years and we can't let NaSS Car Nation win again.
9. Les Savy Fav, Let's Stay Friends. "Oh it all sounds the same, the lyrics are just recycled over and over, and I hate them cause they are so successful and have sold platinum album after platinum album." You should ask yourself this: "Why don't I appreciate all types of music and don't open up to all types of rock music?"
10. Big Business, Here Come the Waterworks. Generally, from what i've read, those who hate it don't even reference songs from the album anyway (ie haven't bought it), and are just writing to slag off at their deep seated hatred of any band who sells a few albums (ie rebelling against 'the man'). Hey, thats all cool, you guys can have your chordless, melody deficient scream metal.
11. Blood Tsunami, Thrash Metal. There are som super geat tracks on this album. The only reason I give it a 4 instead of a 5 is because there are a few songs with erotic language that I wasn't expecting and I think Nickelback is too great of a band to have to sing about explicit content. Leave that to the one minute pop sensations.
12. Bottomless Pit, Hammer of the Gods. You can tell Nickelback recorded this album for "All the Right Reasons." They sound terrific. Sometimes artists slack after a ton of success, but Nickelback sounds hungrier than ever. ATTR is both slick and raw with a lot of emotion and candor. A definite recommend.
13. Parts & Labor, Mapmaker. When I first heard "Photograph" on AOL Music sometime last year I didn't really pay that much attention to it. I actually didn't like the clip that I heard. But upon buying the album, only then did I realize what a great song it actually was. The theme of going through a photo album and reminiscing about your past and those that you once knew is what makes the song memorable.
14. Dog Day, Night Group. It's a shame that bands like Arcade Fire, Stars, Metric, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade, Death From Above 1979, among dozens of other truly gifted Canadian bands are selling only a small fraction of the number of albums Nickleback is. Uninspired, uninventive, and oozing with bad rock cliche's, Nickleback is proof that there's no accounting for taste.
15. Sally Shapiro, Disco Romance. Nickelback has officially gone to...Chick rock. Now, don't get me wrong, I still love them. I just think Nickelback should get back to their roots. Thank you for reading this, and for those of you that didn't, go eat a banana.
16. Jesu, Conqueror. Sorry guys, but this CD is NO GOOD! If you want real pop ROCK music, buy Bo Bice's THE REAL THING! Bo's a REAL rocker and he's the REAL DEAl!! Nickelback can't sing!!!!
17. Prodigy, Return of the Mac. The lyrics of Next Contestant are so funny. Chad Kroeger can be so funny with some of the lyrics he writes as he is trying to find the right girl to go out with, yet she doesn't impress him...Here comes the next contestant, Chad sings.
18. Clockcleaner, Babylon Rules. I typically listen to it with my guyfriends while driving, windows down, stereo blasting--the way it's meant to be played. Maybe that's why they have a road/car on most of their CD covers
19. Major Stars, Mirror/Messenger. Ok first; I like lots of different music, some might say odd combos. Nickelback and Beethoven, Collective Soul and Enya, French and Italain pop... That out of the way I really do like a number of songs on this CD, thuss my four stars. Tracks 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are the best! I could put them on repeat for the next month and not get sick of songs like "Savin' Me". Chad's voice is really cool and strong, and I enjoy the mix of piano that is in a few of the songs.
20. Crime Mob, Hated on Mostly. Anyway it has been a long wait for this release, this morning had the Christmas feel to it. I took the day off from work ( I know you are thinking overkill, but it is not everyday in this era of downloading songs that sound good until the next catchy tune is in the top 5 I buy a new CD especially on its release date) I was at the music store at open time and paid 10 bucks for a cd I would have glading dropped twenty five for. I live in New Hampshire and if you did not know the fall is a great up here , nice crisp air and the leaves turning color...so I peeled the top off my wrangler and having no patience for the wrapping on cds I was able to crack open the case a bit to just get my hands on the cd and pull it out. I waited until I got just far enough out of town not to be distracted by local traffic to slip the disc in and head towards the mountains and let the music soak into me.
Others: Blues Control, Puff, Buried at Sea, Ghost EP, Circle, Panic, Dan Deacon, Spiderman of the Rings, Devin the Dude, Waitin' to Inhale, Dinosaur Jr, Beyond, Dizzee Rascal, Maths and English, Elliott Smith, New Moon, Gallhammer, Ill Innocence, Ghostface Killah, The Big Doe Rehab, Harvey Milk, Courtesy and Good Will (reissue), Harvey Milk, My Love is Higher than Your Assessment of What My Love Could Be (reissue), The Hidden Hand, The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote, inblackandwhite, Say We Are Not Brothers EP, John Vanderslice, Emerald City, Kanye West, Graduation, Laethora, March of the Parasite, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver, Lil Wayne, Da Drought 3, Marnie Stern, In Advance of the Broken Arm, Monarch, Die Tonight, Okkervil River, The Stage Names, Prodigy, Return of the Mac, R. Kelly, Double Up, Reports, Mosquito Nets, Shellac, Excellent Italian Greyhound, Silkworm, Chokes EP, Solar Anus, Skull Alcoholic (reissue), Statehood, Lies and Rhetoric, Torche, In Return, Trae, Life Goes On, The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour, Weedeater, God Luck and Good Speed, Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams, Zu and Nobukazu Takemura, Identification with the Enemy.
Shows: Moved back to JP this year and missed a bunch, actually. In semi-chronological order:
Les Savy Fav, Jesu, Prisonshake, Black Lips, Shearwater and Ghostface @ SXSW
Dismemberment Plan @ Black Cat
The time Nate got pocket aces twice in a row @ Foxwoods
Gil Mantera's Party Dream @ PA's
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone/Xiu Xiu @ TT's
Superchunk, Dan Deacon, Ted Leo and Thermals @ McCarren Park Pool
Dinosaur Jr @ Urban Outfitters (!)
Sloan @ Southpaw
J.C. and his Golden Oldies @ Cappy's
77BOADRUM @ Fulton Ferry Park
Major Stars @ Milky Way
Secret Stars @ PA's
Mountain Goats @ Middle East
Oneida @ PS1
Brian Kuh arguing about a possible Cruisin' USA high score @ Funspot
Endless Boogie/Circle @ Middle East
Ramming Speed/inblackandwhite @ my basement
A whole bunch of bands in a whole bunch of basements
Etc.:
- New job. Long-ass commute, but so worth it.
- Getting sent on my first real adult business trip. Admittedly, it was in Houston, and the reason I didn't write anything about it was because it was COMPLETELY FUCKING INSUFFERABLE, Astros game and drinks with Brent from ILBB notwithstanding, but I think it was an important step - the first time I've ever really taken a long trip somewhere new and not felt a little twinge of regret at having to leave. Girded me well for future trips to grade-Z American cities.
- Spending $200 on disco lights and a fog machine for the basement. A good call.
- James Turrell's "Meeting" at PS1 while Oneida was playing "Sheets of Easter" outside and alienating the whole crowd.
- The go-go Red Sox! Totally stoked for '08.
- Funspot! Super Zaxxon, sit-down Spy Hunter, 1942 (I have the high score!), a dozen bizarre 2D cockpit helicopter sims that a grown adult can barely fit into, two whole hangar-length walls of semi-working pinball machines, and more weirdos, gambling addicts, and no-good kids than you'd ever expect to find in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire. Across the road is a bar called the Looney Bin, which appears to have been transported directly from the movie "Road House." Next time.
- Playing in Wiimbledon, losing badly in the first round, briefly winding up on ABC News.
- Winning a corporate spelling bee and subsequently getting tons of compliments from upper-level administrators at new job.
- The Drinking Fountain, Jamaica Plain MA. See also Swifty's "Worst of 2007" list.
- Season six of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
- Contra 4 for Nintendo DS
- Best Christmas present: Christine gave me a 1988 Rickey Henderson action figure. I don't even care that he has a Yankees jersey on.