GOLD. Radiohead: In Rainbows - "15 Steps", "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi", "All I Need", "House Of Cards", ("4 Minute Warning" and "Up On The Ladder" from CD 2 are excellent as well)... All worthy of top twenty song status for this year but "Reckoner" is amazing and stands out as my favorite track on the album. In Rainbows is a moody record. I mean, it's got a winter quality to it. It's very bass and drum driven and it seems that they decided to simplify their sound for this album. The only time the electric guitar is prominent is on "Bodysnatchers". The rest of the album is less assertive. I think it plays to their strength.
SILVER. Common: Finding Forever - I've come to expect great albums from Common. He simply knows how to put a well rounded album together and get the most from his producers. Kanye's best work seems to go Com's way. "Start The Show" was a huge surprise in that I knew Kanye could put together some diverse sounds but this track blows me away. I think Com could do better on the lyrical side of things, but this Kanye production just bangs. The only track on Finding Forever that I have a problem with is "I Want You", a Will.I.Am production no less. Should've titled that one "Skip"... Otherwise, it's the best Hip-Hop record of 2007.
BRONZE. Various: Electric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation Compilation - It's 40 songs deep and they're all quality soul cuts. Most of the artists I've never heard of. There are a lot of soul comps floating around out there but this is the most solid I've heard. "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones and "To Love Somebody" by The Kaldirons are just two of the more esquisite soul tracks from this compilation. The fact that this comp has 40 tracks with each song as good as the next is an accomplishment to say the least. Solid from beginning to end.
SILVER. Common: Finding Forever - I've come to expect great albums from Common. He simply knows how to put a well rounded album together and get the most from his producers. Kanye's best work seems to go Com's way. "Start The Show" was a huge surprise in that I knew Kanye could put together some diverse sounds but this track blows me away. I think Com could do better on the lyrical side of things, but this Kanye production just bangs. The only track on Finding Forever that I have a problem with is "I Want You", a Will.I.Am production no less. Should've titled that one "Skip"... Otherwise, it's the best Hip-Hop record of 2007.
BRONZE. Various: Electric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation Compilation - It's 40 songs deep and they're all quality soul cuts. Most of the artists I've never heard of. There are a lot of soul comps floating around out there but this is the most solid I've heard. "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones and "To Love Somebody" by The Kaldirons are just two of the more esquisite soul tracks from this compilation. The fact that this comp has 40 tracks with each song as good as the next is an accomplishment to say the least. Solid from beginning to end.
The Lucky 7:
4. Feist: The Reminder
5. Band Of Horses: Cease To Begin
6. Kanye West: Graduation
7. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
8. Alicia Keys: As I Am
9. J. Sands/J-Dilla: Mrs. Sands The LP
10. LCD Soundsystem: Sounds Of Silver
