My Favorite Albums -
I was fortunate to hear a lot of great new music this year. Well, new to me. Some of these CDs were released before 2007. These are in no certain order. I like them all equally. Okay. They're in order. 1 through 4. I lied. Sue me.
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible I- ncredibly, the first of the top 8 that I heard this year is still my favorite release of the year. I'm still not certain what some of the songs are about, but I respond strongly to virtually every track on the disc. Some were immediate - I instantly liked the first single, "Keep The Car Running" and "Black Mirror". Others opened themselves to me more as I listened (over and over), including my favorite song "The Well and The Lighthouse". I read a blurb about Arcade Fire where their music was described as "melodramatic". I'm not certain I'd call it melodramatic, but it's certainly dramatic.
Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars - It's no surprise that this makes my list, as anyone who knows me knows I worship at the altar of Rufus. However, his last effort "Want Two" was easily my least favorite Rufus album, and I was worried he was becoming too self-indulgent and too self-important. I thought he'd abandoned the cabaret roots of his first two CDs for more operatic (and less accessible). The first single was a somber protest song "Going To A Town", so I was worried (It's a helluva song, but I was worried). Well, the first time I listened, all my fears were allayed. Rufus (self-producing for the first time, with help from Neil Tennant) finds his sound early and often here, moving from silent thoughtful pieces like "Leaving for Paris #2" to cabaret tunes like "Rules and Regulations" and the title track. There are pop tunes, love songs, and ballads. And he's firing on all cylinders, with terrific horn sections, some experimentation with guitar sounds, and and even a bit of Phantom of the Opera.
Skye - Mind How You Go - I had known Skye as the singer for the British trip-hop band Morcheeba. A beautiful woman with an incredible smooth, powerful voice. I knew she'd left Morcheeba (I was mistaken, though - it doesn't appear that it was her choice), I thought she'd left to have a child or something. Apparently, she'd bummed around a smidge, then set down to writing her own songs for the first time. The result is the exceptional Mind How You Go, a collection of intimate, catchy songs that float on the wings of her silky voice. Check out "Love Show" or "Powerful" to get a taste of what she's about.
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations - Here's a band that's unafraid of making BIG music. It's sort of Queen-like in its scope. Some songs fall into the "Is this a science fiction film" sound (The excellent "Starlight"), but it is engaging, fun music to listen to - and lots of fun to try and sing along with (the lead singer, Matthew Bellamy, has a fantastic rock voice). I spent many nights this summer screeching "Take A Bow" with the windows down driving down the highway.
Honorable Mentions: Once (Music From the Motion Picture), Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight, Editors - The Back Room, Joan As Police Woman - Real Life
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