halo19's 2007 charts: Top 32 Albums.

[halo19]

Okay, so I don't have an actual chart going, but I figured on personal bias, continued hearing of songs, etc., that I could figure out what I'd put on for the year-end chart. I've got it done and it seems pretty accurate for me suprisingly, awkward as it seems that I have Lily that high, for instance.

01. The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
02. Shiny Toy Guns - "You Are the One"
03. Justin Timberlake - "Summer Love"
04. Lily Allen - "Smile"
05. Dustin Kensrue - "I Believe"
06. Silversun Pickups - "Well Thought Out Twinkles"
07. Modest Mouse - "Dashboard"
08. Muse - "Starlight"
09. The Killers - "Read My Mind"
10. Muse - "Supermassive Black Hole"
11. Gwen Stefani - "The Sweet Escape"
12. Modest Mouse - "Fire It Up"
13. Queens of the Stone Age - "Sick, Sick, Sick"
14. Tool - "Jambi"
15. Justin Timberlake - "LoveStoned"
16. Tim Armstrong (featuring Skye Sweetnam) - "Into Action"
17. Silversun Pickups "Lazy Eye"
18. Peter, Bjorn & John - "Young Folks"
19. Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump - "Cupid's Chokehold"
20. Beck - "Think I'm in Love"
21. Rise Against - "Prayer of the Refugee"
22. VNV Nation - "Testament"
23. Mat Kearney - "Undeniable"
24. Depeche Mode - "Martyr"
25. Gwen Stefani - "4 in the Morning"
26. Nelly Furtado - "Say It Right"
27. Nine Inch Nails - "Me, I'm Not"
28. Bright Eyes - "Four Winds"
29. Incubus - "Dig"
30. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
31. Deftones featuring Serj Tankian - "Mein"
32. Air - "Once Upon a Time"
33. My Chemical Romance - "Famous Last Words"
34. Smashing Pumpkins - "Tarantula"
35. Common - "The People"
36. Green Day - "Working Class Hero"
37. Tool - "The Pot"
38. Brand New - "Jesus"
39. Smashing Pumpkins - "Doomsday Clock"
40. Amy Winehouse - "You Know I'm No Good"
41. Blaqk Audio - "Stiff Kittens"
42. Mims - "This Is Why I'm Hot"
43. Blaqk Audio - "Snuff on Digital"
44. Rihanna featuring Jay-Z - "Umbrella"
45. Nine Inch Nails - "Capital G"
46. Corinne Bailey Rae - "Like a Star"
47. Linkin Park - "Bleed It Out"
48. Pink - "Who Knew"
49. Air - "Spacemaker"
50. Porcupine Tree - "Fear of a Blank Planet"
51. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Desecration Smile"
52. Kanye West - "Stronger"
53. Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
54. Down a.k.a. Kilo - "Lean Like a Cholo"
55. Lily Allen - "LDN"
56. Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson & D.O.E. - "The Way I Are"
57. Mute Math - "Typical"
58. TV on the Radio - "A Method"
59. TV on the Radio - "Province"
60. Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around..."
61. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Snow (Hey Oh)"
62. The White Stripes - "Conquest"
63. AFI - "The Missing Frame"
64. Dustin Kensrue - "I Knew You Before"
65. Maroon 5 - "Makes Me Wonder"
66. Garbage - "Tell Me Where It Hurts"
67. Modest Mouse - "Missed the Boat"
68. VAST - "You're Too Young"
69. Lily Allen - "Alfie"
70. Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby"
71. My Chemical Romance - "Welcome to the Black Parade"
72. Brother Ali - "Truth Is"
73. My Chemical Romance - "Teenagers"
74. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Hump de Bump"
75. Assemblage 23 - "Binary"
76. Thrice - "Digital Sea"
77. The White Stripes - "Rag and Bone"
78. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Down Boy"
79. Shiny Toy Guns "Le Disko"
80. Hot Hot Heat - "Let Me In"
81. Air featuring Jarvis Cocker - "One Hell of a Party"
82. Marilyn Manson - "Heart-Shaped Glasses"
83. Fll t By - "Thnks fr the Mmrs"
84. VAST - "Dedicate (A Place for Me)"
85. Nine Inch Nails - "Survivalism"
86. Smashing Pumpkins - "That's the Way (My Love Is)"
87. Linkin Park - "What I've Done"
88. Shiny Toy Guns "Rainy Monday"
89. Editors - "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors"
90. The Shins - "Phantom Limb"
91. 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - "Ayo Technology"
92. Deftones - "Hole in the Earth"
93. Common featuring Will.I.Am - "I Want You"
94. Rise Against - "The Good Left Undone"
95. Modest Mouse - "Steam Engenius"
96. Modest Mouse - "We've Got Everything"
97. Modest Mouse - "Parting of the Sensory"
98. Against Me! - "Thrash Unreal"
99. Chevelle - "I Get It"
100. Modest Mouse - "People as Places as People"

I actually figure a lot of the Modest album cuts would have flooded the chart a little more as much as I enjoyed that one. But for balancing purposes I have some album cuts at the lower end rather than higher in the mix. And I have heard quite a few of these quite often individually. There's quite a bit of other good ones from this year; just see the report cards on songs that I've given a B or higher to; those would likely appear if I included each track that I enjoyed from this year. Some entries would appear much higher next year if I have one for then.

Next up: Albums.

[a Nick O!]

This chart is badass.

Pleasantly surprised/fascinated by the placement of these:

halo19 said:

02. Shiny Toy Guns - "You Are the One"
03. Justin Timberlake - "Summer Love"
04. Lily Allen - "Smile"
06. Silversun Pickups - "Well Thought Out Twinkles"
08. Muse - "Starlight"
11. Gwen Stefani - "The Sweet Escape"
15. Justin Timberlake - "LoveStoned"
16. Tim Armstrong (featuring Skye Sweetnam) - "Into Action"
19. Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump - "Cupid's Chokehold"
25. Gwen Stefani - "4 in the Morning"
31. Deftones featuring Serj Tankian - "Mein"
43. Blaqk Audio - "Snuff on Digital"
48. Pink - "Who Knew"
55. Lily Allen - "LDN"
69. Lily Allen - "Alfie"
99. Chevelle - "I Get It"

Haven't heard (enough):

05. Dustin Kensrue - "I Believe"
12. Modest Mouse - "Fire It Up"
22. VNV Nation - "Testament"
28. Bright Eyes - "Four Winds"
30. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
32. Air - "Once Upon a Time"
24. Depeche Mode - "Martyr"
38. Brand New - "Jesus"
46. Corinne Bailey Rae - "Like a Star"
49. Air - "Spacemaker"
50. Porcupine Tree - "Fear of a Blank Planet"
54. Down a.k.a. Kilo - "Lean Like a Cholo"
58. TV on the Radio - "A Method"
59. TV on the Radio - "Province"
64. Dustin Kensrue - "I Knew You Before"
66. Garbage - "Tell Me Where It Hurts"
67. Modest Mouse - "Missed the Boat"
68. VAST - "You're Too Young"
72. Brother Ali - "Truth Is"
78. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Down Boy"
81. Air featuring Jarvis Cocker - "One Hell of a Party"
84. VAST - "Dedicate (A Place for Me)"
89. Editors - "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors"
93. Common featuring Will.I.Am - "I Want You"
95. Modest Mouse - "Steam Engenius"
96. Modest Mouse - "We've Got Everything"
97. Modest Mouse - "Parting of the Sensory"
100. Modest Mouse - "People as Places as People"

And I actually own the Dustin Kensrue & Modest Mouse albums, the promo single for "Jesus" and an mp3 for "Martyr."

75. Assemblage 23 - "Binary"

I'd say I've never heard of them, but just tonight, actually, as I was uploading Blaqk Audio remixes for Steve, I had read their name attached to one of them. Interesting.

These I'm just surprised to see at all.

23. Mat Kearney - "Undeniable"
27. Nine Inch Nails - "Me, I'm Not"
42. Mims - "This Is Why I'm Hot"
51. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Desecration Smile"
76. Thrice - "Digital Sea"

I guess in the case of Thrice, it's that this is their only track and that it's not much, much higher.

And by the way, this was actually the catalyst for starting to upload my missing personal charts. I don't want my Top 100 to have as many surprises as Kirk's does.

[halo19]

If it suits anyone's interests, I can upload copies of the songs from VNV Nation, Bright Eyes, TVOTR, Air, Porcupine, VAST, Brother Ali, YYY's, Editors, Assemblage and Common, which I have in proper form.

As for Thrice, once again : 2008 may be the year for them to flood these things. One and a half month was made in between the album's release and this thing, and I similarly enjoy the new Modest Mouse and many of those entries are toward the bottom with seven months more in familiarity. You'll also see more VAST entries during then is a guarantee.

"Me, I'm Not" is my favorite song on Year Zero, and some of the casualties on that one are "In This Twilight," "The Great Destroyer" and "Zero Sum," among others. Similarly, the RHCP cut is by far my favorite from its parent album. I've always loved "This Is Why I'm Hot," and never remember giving it less than a B+ on the report card topics.

[crash46]

I've only heard of Assemblage 23 and VNV Nation because fans of those two artists seem to be generally unappreciative of Blaqk Audio since they all have a similar style, only BA used a get-out-of-the-underground free card from their day job, which normally makes the music lesser in quality to the ears of fans of any underground artist.

And for that reason I'm interested in both of them. It wasn't until Nick uploaded those Blaqk Audio remixes that I realized that they'd worked with Assemblage 23.

[halo19]

I decided in this context that I'll include all 32 albums that I've heard and would qualify for the list. However, there is a couple of albums that perhaps "should" be on here that I didn't either for being from to early or too late. Lupe Fiasco and Radiohead will no doubt be on next year's list (the former album with frequent rotation in my stereo). Basically, an album from December of last year until November of this year could qualify. I will also add to the context that this was the year I got into TV on the Radio's 2nd LP (with a much lesser extent of the first), Shiny Toy Guns, Silversun Pickups and others which would obviously be here if I changed it. Also, it's the year I finally got The Black Parade.

I probably will one day move on in some others. I maybe would have gotten Arcade Fire earlier this year but am ashamed I still haven't really gotten into the first album yet. I also intend some time to check out the solo Dave Gahan record.

**½

32. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob
Sophomore slump, for my money. I didn't realize how boring the record would turn out and loved Employment to death. Still, I was a bit in caution when I knew it would be coming out, eventually selling it because of my disappointment. "Ruby" is pretty good (and no better), and I like "Heat Dies Down" just as much, but it doesn't do it for me.


31. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
I was really disappointed in this one and don't really enjoy it; not at this point at least. "Sick, Sick, Sick" is an amazing single, and there are a few pretty decent moments, like the single "3's and 7's", "Make It Wit Chu" and "Misfit Love" (latter to a lesser extent) but there's some of this stuff I probably wouldn't have bothered to sit through if it were not from QOTSA. If anything though it deserves an award for it's kick-ass packaging.

***

30. Psyopus - Our Puzzling Encounters Considered
I respect what the guys are doing but I'm not really a fan. Some people have compared them to DEP in the math-metal structures and such, but these guys seem like they just try too hard. Some people I guess are sold on the intensity, but I didn't see much else going. Some real "WTF" moments but not really a bad thing. For instance my favorite song is that weird hidden thirteenth track at the end... Oh, come to find, it's a cover of the Red Chord's "Catalepsy."


29. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home
My die-hard Thrice fandom aside, I'm honestly not a big fan of Dustin's solo record. The lyrics are wonderful as usual, but after the first three tracks is where the songs become less distinguishable or interesting, even. "I Believe" is incredible, one of my favorite songs of the year. And "I Knew You Before" is also great, a song that had been floating around even on the days of Thrice's If Only We Could See Us Now DVD.


28. M.I.A. - Kala
Unlike every critic I've seen I DON'T have this album in the top five. To be fair I'm not highly familiar with the record's content but it's a decent listen, but it hasn't been anything more with me. I respect the music but don't highly enjoy it.

***½

27. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Okay, this one has quality material but for some reason I don't listen to it much. Maybe because I never intended to buy it but own it anyhow. "You Know I'm No Good" is fantastic and there's a few other goodies on here as well.


26. Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
A failry solid release; one that I don't own in proper but saw some of the files on here and checked out. "Valentine's Day" might be my favorite LP song now. I guess I was tired that they too are trying to be more political like so many other bands (and seen in the album's title) and sometimes it seemed like the band's changes from Hybrid/Meteora were pretty forced. That being said I don't mind. "Bleed" and "Shadow" are some pretty rad singles, too.


25. VNV Nation - Judgement
As thrilled as I was to get a new VNV album, and after becoming a fan of the stuff by this point, I found that the record no more or less is just a decent ones. It's got some pretty good songs, which are in most of the album. Then there's a couple of fillers, unfortunately. I recommend casuals begin with Empires and Futureperfect before proceeding here.


24. Against Me! - New Wave
The media's hype album of the year is pretty decent even though I honestly didn't give it a huge chance. I have friends who were into them circa the first two albums, and what I remember from As the Eternal Cowboy was pretty good. I like 'em even though I can't recommend it on the level of Spin and others ad nauseum. And am shocked that they went with an album that was entirely non-acoustic.


23. She Wants Revenge - This Is Forever
I'm familiarizing myself with this one and I don't think it's really much worse than the debut. It kind of works as a continuation or sequel, but not too much re-hash. "Written in Blood" and "True Romance" rule; I'm not as familiar with the rest.

****

22. Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd.
Not a bad album but only this low because I haven't listened to it enough. Or maybe it really isn't as strong as some previous works. But it's the most ambitous of the band's recordings and while it's not as immediate as previous works it deserves more than a couple listens.


21. Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
A more diverse and accomplished set from the group. It might be my favorite. In a year of less activity this would be a little bit higher. Maybe a bit overexposed for many, but I can't deny how easy to get into these guys are.


20. Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead
It's fine. Not as good as some classic SOAD, but the downer moments aren't too low at all.


19. Björk - Volta
I've always been and always will be into her work, and while this one isn't perfect it is well above average. "Declare Independence" is the current single and by far my favorite song on the record; it has an urgency not heard from her since the Homogenic days. With the exception of the irritating outro "Earth Intruders" is great. Oh, and why release "Innocence" when that's the worst song on the album, not even worthy of the album's space.


18. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
The band likes to add more to the equation each time, and they like avant-garde electronic sounds with the rhythm section and the classic more intense stuff. "Milk Lizard" is awesome and will be on next year's chart for me. Two tracks later ("Dead as History") there's a track that sounds so much like Faith No More it's even scary.


17. Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
Very solid album. I guess it was inevitable that he'd be next to make the political album (given away by a few song titles), but it's both personal and political, and some of the tracks of the latter even seem more personal. I like the tracks with the kind of reggae-ish instrumentation; Ant (Atmosphere) is still a perfect match in production for him. And I'm still more fond of the non-political tracks, like "Ear to Ear" and "Walk Away" which are awesome.


16. Kanye West - Graduation
The third time around, Kanye finally realizes that he can come across his point without ANY (!!) interludes. And it sounds great. It's not my favorite album of his but is definitely a recommended one. Unfortunately there are times when it goes to mainstream clichés, but when you focus on what's good, it definitely stands above that.


15. Air - Pocket Symphony
I like it about on par with Moon Safari. It is not as pop and happy as that one but it is just as engaging a listen. It has an awesome three-song beginning punch, highlighted on the personal chart. It doesn't really end there, either. Songs like "Photograph" are just awesome as well.


14. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
Awesome concept album from one of my favorite progressive rock bands. I still like the last two albums a lot more, but this has its moments. The concept is very clever, about the "blank" age and the title track even begins with the sound of typing on a computer. That song is classic Porcupine, one of the year's finest. "Sentimental" and "Sleep Together" also are excellent. "Way Out of Here," the second single, is probably my least favorite, which seems like the overindulgent type of track. "Antesthetize" is too long for my taste, but what I hear of it is usally pretty good. It's BS that Amazon just sells the Japan version of the companion EP and so I'm waiting for its Peaceville printing in February.


13. Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life
I recently became a more bona fide Rancid fan, and I was definitely interested in Tim's solo album. The failed idea to release it online always reminds me of what Radiohead eventually did, but this shows some of what he does best at.


12. Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
As a longtime Pumpkins fan, I knew I was going to listen to it no matter what the personnel were. It didn't concern me. People even argued about it in the classic-lineup heyday, too. "Doomdsay Clock" and "Bleeding the Orchid" are for anyone who has taste for the group, and "Neverlost" was an unlikely track that's become my favorite from the record. Not as good as much of what they've done before, but a rock solid album.


11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is (EP)
Short but sweet, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs deliver an EP of songs after the Fever to Tell tour that didn't make it to album afterwards. It's full of energy and totally rules, and it makes me mad I didn't see them last year when they came to Austin. Would be as regarded as the full-lengths if it were one of those, but even the debut EP kicked ass.

10-1 are coming shortly after.

[halo19]

10. Blaqk Audio - CexCells
Admittedly I was hoping to enjoy this album a little bit more than I really did. That being said I knew that there was material ready to be right up my alley. I respect AFI considerably and am immortally glad that they embrace the futurepop/industrial scene and make a project specialized in that. Oh, and this can be bought on the Metropolis records web site. At least it was there last time I checked. Some of it is sadly a bit mediocre and bland for me still but overall we have a winner. We don't get the whole thing on par with "Snuff on Digital" but it's nice enough. (Oh, and Ronan Harris of VNV worked with AFI circa Decemberunderground. I think it was on some of the programming.)


09. Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Awesome debut album that like many music from across the pond, came over here belatedly. But that can never detract from what greatness and potential fun the record really is. While substance isn't ultimately the first thing that sells it is still full of character and I like that in an album. Most of the songs on here are winners, and the U.S. gets the awesome "Nan, You're a Window Shopper" to add to the end.


08. The Hives - The Black and White Album
Definitely their most diverse album yet, this sounds like an album that could be effective as a shuffle mix. They go in many routes, although not ignoring the garage punk that made them so visible as the black and white suits. Even the self-produced ones don't sound like the band's traditional work. But stuff like "Puppet on a String" is just totally rad, and this offers a bunch to enjoy. "Won't Be Long" is for me the album's gem though, even if not as experimental as others.


07. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Honestly I still find Teeth rather disappointing for a NIN album but still enjoy having it again. But that has nothing to do with this; the sixth studio album from NIN. It shockingly takes out its commericalism in favor of being more artistic and experimental and works quite well. More effective on the whole than in parts but there's some gems in there, though mostly in the second half. Also, the big noise tracks like "Vessels" and "My Violent Heart" further strengthen the record. I haven't gotten to like it on par with the first two and The Fragile and probably still like The Downward Spiral more, it's as good as I could have hoped for at this point.


06. The Killers - Sawdust
You know what's weird is that I like this better than BOTH of their studio albums. Some of the tracks here are just incredible and were waiting to find a home. Also, it totally makes up for the re-release garbage with Hot Fuss, which I enjoyed but to a lesser extent than some people I knew. A killer (pun intended) one-two punch, which includes the jaw-droppingly good (and beautiful) "Tranquilize" and well-remade Joy Division classic "Shadowplay." It doesn't stop there and they've "finished" some of the older songs which sound better here than ever. "Under the Gun" being my main point of reference. They also do some good covers of two songs that I don't know the original, but I like "Ruby..." and some others.

****½

05. Common - Finding Forever
Amazing album and my favorite from Common at this point. Sometimes the beats can make an album what it is and that is exactly what happens here. And the songs are pretty interesting on the whole. More sophisticated tracks and solid songwriting make for an album great for playback.


04. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
The title track is just amazing and awesome which is already well established. And I'm giving you nothing new here considering I don't think I've heard an album by them that I'd give less than 4.5 on. Some experiments seem a bit gimmicky at first but also are just as addicting, and there's little not to love. I'm probably one of the only people who prefers most of the album to "You Don't Know What Love Is" but that's because these songs aren't mostly just decent, they're excellent.


03. VAST - April
Yeah, you knew you were going to see it and that it would appear up this high. You probably weren't expecting for an entire album of acoustic tracks, but you get it here, in full meloncholy Jon Crosby form. The mandolin gives it a nice feel and at times reminds me of moments of R.E.M. The minimalism in "She Visits Me" and "Take Me With You" are just beautiful. "You're Too Young" is an amazing way to begin an album. It's clear at this point that VAST will never be household but I'll care as long as Jon puts out music. I mean, there was at least an ad for this on the latest Spin issue, for instance.


02. Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. I & II: Fire & Water
Well, 2006-2007 were the years that my Thrice fandom exponentially increased. I knew that I'd likely enjoy something from the first album to come out after that and even if it was later released split in half, what we have here is no less than quality material. Some of the most exciting experiments. "The Flame Deluge" fits perfectly at the end of the first as its aura captures the feel on both discs. The first disc is more rock-oriented and has some other interesting moments and "Burn the Fleet" captures the hot one at its best moments. The second disc won't appeal to someone who didn't like "Atlantic" or "Red Sky" but as someone who loves both songs it's nice to see them doing stuff more in the direction. "Digital Sea" and "The Whaler" are the more synthesized, electronic tracks while there's the piano-led "Lost Continent," post-rock instrumental "Night Diving" and awesome stuff in between. I can't wait for 3 & 4; those are going to rule. My least favorite is IC and that's a four star album from me.


01. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Okay, so I broke the tie in fairness (Artist and Vheissu are my favorite albums of their respective years; Illusion pretty close for its time), realizing I was more biased towards Thrice and recognizing that this was by far the best work MM have done in my opinion (and coming from a guy who was into them just before mainstream success & has heard all 5 LP's). 14 songs that are all basically as well done as they can be done. "Dashboard" is the album's selling point and I think there's about 4 or 5 songs that I'd put ahead of that one. The song writing's matured and unlike most of its critics I don't find the record boring.

[a Nick O!]

halo19 said:

19. Björk - Volta
I've always been and always will be into her work, and while this one isn't perfect it is well above average. "Declare Independence" is the current single and by far my favorite song on the record; it has an urgency not heard from her since the Homogenic days. Oh, and why release "Innocence" when that's the worst song on the album, not even worthy of the album's space.

I need to listen to Medulla again for comparison purposes, but I greatly prefer her first four studio albums (and possibly Medulla, too) to this one. Her albums have never been this difficult to enjoy. I did not realize "Declare Independence" was her current single, but in a 180 from you, it's by far my least favorite song on the record..."unworthy of the album's space." Oh, and while "Innocence" was my next-to-least favorite as I was digesting the record, it ended up ranking at #7 out the 10 tracks. Her label likely just went with the two Timbaland tracks as singles in order to drum up interest.

halo19 said:

16. Kanye West - Late Registration

I believe you mean Graduation, there, buddy.

[halo19]

I didn't realize I did that until you pointed that out. But thank you, I've fixed it.
But then again I remember when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released Show Your Bones and people were still calling that one Fever to Tell.

And "Declare" has a music video, directed by Michel Gondry. I'll try to edit this one with a link if I find it up.