Favorite Music of 2007

It’s that time of year again. The time of ‘best of’ lists. However, I’m making some new rules:

1. All releases must be from 2007
2. Only releases of brand new material can be selected (no reissues, live albums, cover albums, etc.)
3. Not so much a rule, but rather an observation. I’m not going to select what I think was the best music of the year, but rather my favorite music of the year. As in, what music did I listen to the most all year.

So, without further ado here are my top 10 favorite albums this year (in alphabetical order):

1. David Crowder*Band // REMEDY
Terrific corporate worship album. Great melodies on top of a rocking background. Lyrics that are concise and to the point. Looking forward to doing a lot of these songs in worship.

2. Foo Fighters // ECHOES, SILENCE, PATIENCE & GRACE
Easily the best FF album since The Colour and the Shape, but quite possibly their best ever. Taking the best of all their styles and putting it all together in one album, playing to their strengths. Grohl’s songwriting has never been better or more adventurous, and drummer Hawkins truly shines.

3. Hanson // The Walk

The three brothers from Tulsa continue to make great music together. They have definitely developed a signature sound complete with tight harmonies and a good understanding and respect for classic rock. Hanson is doing it on their own terms now as well having completely separated themselves from big labels and going independent.

4. Happy Chichester // LOVERS COME BACK
Happy, a longtime mover and shaker of the Columbus music scene (as a member of The Royal Crescent Mob and Howling Maggie) releases his first collection of solo tunes playing almost all of the instruments. Great, creative pop music. Looking forward to future offerings.

5. Mika // LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION
This album was on constant rotation for several months, and one that we all easily latched on to. Mika sounds like Freddy Mercury but mixes in techno, pop, cabaret, and opera to make a tasty treat. Extremely fun. I dare you not to like this album!

6. ONCE orginal soundtrack
Before I saw the film, I was struck by the beauty of the music. It was streaming for free on the Once website. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova make extremely beautiful, heart wrenching music together. I think this was my favorite album of the year.

7. Over the Rhine // THE TRUMPET CHILD
If Drunkard’s Prayer was their “make-up” album, then The Trumpet Child shows OtR to be in a really good place. Jazz and fun. Thus begins a new era for OtR having already traveled through the indie rock and americana worlds.

8. Radiohead // IN RAINBOWS
Definitely their best album since OK Computer, if not their best of all time. The jury is still out, but Radiohead decided they liked making good songs again. Also did something very ballsy and unprecedented in giving away their album for whatever people wanted to give for it.

9. The Donnas // BITCHIN’
This is obviously one of the fan choices here. Not as good (or concise) as their previous effort, Gold Medal. But, the Donnas have definitely stripped themselves of their early punk sound and are now in full on hard rock mode (a la Kiss). Lots of good rockers on this album with good melodies and strong instrumentation.

10. Tim Hughes // HOLDING NOTHING BACK
Tim Hughes returns from his previous effort When Silence Falls which was a bit of a downer, with an album full of corporate worship tunes. This album takes the hooks from his first album and the lyrical maturity of his second to make a very strong 3rd album. Great tunes. We’ve already done 4 of them in church.

Honorable Mentions:
(* denotes albums that if I were a music critic would probably include in an actual “best of” list because of their musical skill, songwriting, and/or originality)
(# denotes albums that were released in 2006 but I discovered this year, just a little too late)

I’m Not There OST*
Bruce Springsteen // MAGIC *
Wilco // SKY BLUE SKY*
White Stripes // ICKY THUMP*
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss // RAISING SAND*
Feist // THE REMINDER*
The Frames // THE COST
John Reuben // WORD OF MOUTH
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals // LIFELINE
Griffin House // FLYING UPSIDE DOWN
High School Musical 2 OST
Various Artists // INSTANT KARMA
Eben & Sarah Brusco // THE JOSHUA HOUSE WORSHIP COLLECTION
Snow Patrol // EYES OPEN#
Regina Spektor // BEGIN TO HOPE#
Mute Math // MUTE MATH#
Griffin House // HOMECOMING#
Ray LaMontagne // TILL THE SUN TURNS BLACK#