on strictly business
alright. this would have been done in a very timely manner very appropriate for the new year coming in, but going to california for a week immediately following the midnight toast doesn't do well to finding online time. then i caught sick and almost died. but now it's here. my reviews of the music last year. and i'm no writer. i don't pretend to be. but i have opinions, and you probably hate them, and this year was so wonderful for music, so i'm sharing. below are my favorite 10 new albums of 2007, 10 favorite and best moments in music, and the 10 new bands i discovered that i'd be lost without. up first are the albums. these were my favorite new albums (and favorite song of the album) of 2007, in release date order, because that's organized.
10 best album of 2007
1. wincing the night away - the shins (1-23). i didn't actually listen to this album until the summer, but i was hooked instantly. james mercer melts me every single time. favorite track is "turn on me"
2. neon bible - arcade fire (3-6). the very first time i listened to arcade fire was in september, and i haven't been able to stop. not a day has passed that i haven't enjoyed a song of theirs. this album as a whole isn't as spectacular as funeral, but each song can stand on it's own, and i love it. favorite is the title track.
3. we were dead before the ship even sank - modest mouse (3-20). why oh why did they release float on? why did they write float on? someone please tell me. if it hadn't been for that stupid song i would have been a modest mouse fan years ago. i'm making up for lost time now though, fo sho. this definitely is one of my favorites of the year. fo sho. thank you isaac, for giving me a new obsession. favorite is either "dashboard" or "spitting venom."
4. because of the times - kings of leon (4-3). i don't care what anyone says, this is a damn good album. sure, it isn't like aha shake, and sure a lot of the songs are very arena friendly, but what the fuck is wrong with that? it's brilliant. suck it. bestest track is "true love way". haaaappy aloooone
5. how far our bodies go - fake problems (4-17). concept album about life and death. catchy as fuck and amazingly awesome considering all the dudes are super young (21, i thinks) and not assholes. ha. "astronauts" would be my song of choice. stream the entire album here
6. ICKY THUMP! - the white stripes (6-18). i swear i'm not biased towards this album. at all. ahem. favorite song, which is always changing and is being judged only on the playcount from my ipod... "martyr for my love" for you is the winner. currently my favorite is "you don't know what love is". touching.
7. new wave - against me! (7-10). why did it take me so long to get into this band?! every single song makes me want to get up and start dancing. pure raw awesomeness. best tune on there is definitely "ocean". check them out. they're coming in march. let's go together.
8. people that can eat people are the luckiest people in the world - andrew jackson jihad (9-11). seriously. this album is the shit. go buy it. now. "brave as a noun" is my all time favorite song from them, and it just happens to be jazzed up and stuck in the number two track slot :) they're always playing at the trunk space. check them out if you can. woooooooorth the 5 buck cover.
9. little amber bottles - blanche (10-2). they can't write a bad song. well, i kind of hate "jack on fire", but i think it's only because of the line 'and i'll fuck you until you die' because it makes me squirm. ahem. every song is wonderful. fuck you v2, i want the physical album to hold. now.
10. sawdust - the killers (11-13). hoooly shit i can't stop listening to this. with the exception of "shadowplay" this album is numba one. and i'm not ashamed to say it. i listen to "tranquilize" and "ruby, don't take your love to town" at least 3 times before moving on to the next. and so should you.
10 best moments in music
(in no particular order)
fake problems at the modified. holy crap, this show was amazing. i've seen countless shows at the modified, none of which were crowded and hard to find parking for. this was the first. there wasn't an empty parking spot. it was insane. and so many people. i actually had to stand somewhere and stay there to guarantee a good spot for dancing! fake problems played spectacularly, and afterwards we followed them to the stray cat where they decided casey was too drunk to play again, and we proceeded to get kicked out while enjoying a game of pool. punk rock. these guys are awesome.
the white stripes at bonnaroo. do i need to write about this? it was the best thing in the world, and knowing they may never tour again makes me want to just fall to my knees and thank jeebus we saw them before it was too late. there was a tall dude in front of me, and really i probably only saw about 20 minutes of the entire show, but it was intense and awesome. i love them.
bonnaroo in general. 5 days of sweat, and dust, and weed, and other people, and dirty hippies and camped out with all that fantastic music and expensive food and well water and porta-johns. i can't wait for this years. :)
muse at vegoose. this show shocked me into realizing just how much i adore muse, and that i do actually have a bit of obsession for drummers. probably one of the most talented bands out there. i had no face after, it was melted off.
vegooooooose. because of betsy and honey pie, mostly. we missed a lot of bands and betsy and i were grumpy for almost the entirety of the first day, but looking back it was fantastic. and my first concert as a real 21 year old!
modest mouse. eeeeeeee! this was so cool! joe and i went to tucson to see them. we got there early, and it was pouring but we walked around downtown anyway! by the time we stood in line we were sooooaked and freezing and ready to rock. modest mouse killed, and i'll definitely be catching them any time i can. they only played one song out of three i was hoping for, but it was one of the best shows i've seen, regardless. and we totally stood next to the trumpet player and right drummer in the music pawn shop while checking out the banjos. stupid joe didn't tell me until after we left! it was cool.
flogging molly. megan is the best! courtesy of the liars handshake i spent the 2nd flogging molly st patties show backstage! it was really neat to hang out where the bands do and see all the going ons of a show that big. and that nifty little backstage wristband got me the chance to watch flogging molly's set while standing stage left!! so cool
brand new. second time shannon and i had seen them, and i think the second time was the charm. we had pit passes, and man was it worth the presale! we were so close! so very close to them. jesse was RIGHT THERE!! they played my most favorite song of all time, and it was magical. they are one of the best live bands. ever. dueling drummers! lights! yeeeeeah boyeeee!
langhorne slim. x3! each time we've seen them they've outdone the show before. they are amazing, and one of my favorite bands. the last time we saw them in july we actually had time to hang out with langhorne after the show just talking. he gave me my personal email after hearing i've made a video to one of his songs so can send it to him. that means he loves me.
the liars handshake cd release show. this was such a high energy performance from them, and the crowd as well. it was nice to see everyone there for them, singing and clapping along. jared was in such good spirits. and the assless chaps man! untouchable. it was awe inspiring. <3
10 favorite new finds of 2007
i'm not sure if i can narrow it down to 10, because holy fuckin hell, bonnaroo gave me a door right into music i've been searching for my whole life. but i'll try. no i won't. i lied. below are the bands i absolutely adore that i got into for the first time in 2007. bolded are the top ten. ha. even that was hard! i love music. check out some of the bands below if you aren't familiar.
elvis perkins, lucero, arcade fire, band of horses, modest mouse, mewithoutyou, wolf parade, sunset rubdown, decemeberists, cold war kids, fake problems, von bondies, we are scientists, black keys, american steel, andrew jackson, communique
2007 was awesome. for music, anyway. mostly. bye.