Podcast #21 Available Now!!

My newest Podcast is available now. Podcast #21 is part one of "The Best CDs of 2007," and includes 20-11, plus a little mix featuring snippets from 50-21.

Listen to the show here.

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Best CDs of 2007 Part Three (30-21)

30. Grand National - A Drink and a Quick Decision (Recall). The members of Grand National started their careers as a Police cover band, and elements of that band's intricate pop sound are present in Grand National. But these guys also add hints of electronica, and other more modern sounds to make it more relevant to today's pop music fans. Lyrically, they possess none of Sting's pretentiousness, however.

29. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City (Vice). I was an early supporter of Bloc Party when their debut EP came out in late 2004. In fact, I played them on my first ever radio show. However, I was slow to embrace this new CD. I have finally come around, and realize that though the band shed some of its Gang of Four punch, the moodier, more Radiohead-like tunes from the new CD are just as enjoyable after a few listens.

28. The Eames Era - Heroes and Sheroes (self released). This Louisiana indie pop band has a bit of a smart ass streak in them, and I find it totally appealing (Check out "Fake Do-Gooders" or "Teenage Meth-Head"). Heroes is the band's second full-length, and is an improvement over their excellent debut. If catchy indie songs sung by a woman is your thing (think Tuscadero with much better playing), then check these guys out.

27. Black Francis - Bluefinger (Cooking Vinyl). Since the Pixies could not get their act together long enough to make a new album, Frank Black decided to revert back to his old Pixies moniker and record the songs that he would have used for his own album instead. Bluefinger is hardly a new Pixies record, but listening to excellent songs like "Captain Pasty" or "Threshold Apprehension" make me wish the band had at least tried to make new music.

26. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (DFA). Like Interpol, Arcade Fire, and Bloc Party, LCD Soundsystem debuted with such a strong album that fans will forever argue whether it could be topped. I won't try and argue either way on this one. Sound of Silver is a fantastic album - a dance music trip through the best British music of the 80s. "All My Friends" is one of the best singles of the year, and Franz Ferdinand's guitar-driven cover of it only made me appreciate it more.

25. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris (Interscope). I kind of assumed that QOTSA would fade into oblivion after the disappointing Lullabies To Paralyze. It was sad, because Queens had been favorites of mine for a number of years. But much to my surprise, Josh Homme and whoever else makes up the band these days, have made a new album that lives up to the Queens celebrated legacy. The first single, "Sick Sick Sick" is amazing, and after seeing the band perform "Misfit Love" on the Henry Rollins Show, I realized how great the rest of the tracks are, too.

24. Dolorean - You Can't Win (Yep Roc). Dolorean, for those that don't know, is the Portland based band fronted by singer/songwriter, Al James. James writes songs that are dark, introspective, and very intense. His band fleshes out his songs with stark guitar and piano arrangements, that could put the band in the "alt-country" category created by Uncle Tupelo in the early 90s. If you're a Tupelo fan, and you haven't heard Dolorean, I may have just found a new band for you to like!

23. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is EP (Interscope). I was never much of a Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan before, but for some reason, I really connected with the five songs on this EP. No real stylistic breaks from previous recordings, but the tunes had an edge that I found lacking on their older stuff.

22. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Merge). The most celebrated and hyped indie rock band of 2005-06 returns with the follow-up to its nearly perfect debut, Funeral. Before it was even released, the indie blog vultures were already declaring the album a dud, and Arcade Fire over. But that must have been before anyone heard Neon Bible, because if they had, they would not have been writing this band's obituary so soon. Arguing over which album is better is a dumb argument. It's like trashing Tim, while arguing that Let It Be is the superior album (that is a Replacements reference in case you didn't pick up on that). They are both great. Why argue over which one is better?

21. Two Gallants - Two Gallants (Saddle Creek). Because the San Francisco duo Two Gallants are a guitar and drums only band, they have incorrectly been lumped together with artists like White Stripes or Black Keys. The Keys comparison is okay, but Two Gallants are much more of a folk and delta blues mix than anything resembling White Stripes. As you might imagine from a band that takes its name from a James Joyce story, the songs' lyrics resemble old time storytelling - vivid descriptions of life in the old south or the old west, written as though these guys actually lived during those times. Though fellow Saddle Creek artist Bright Eyes is compared to Bob Dylan a lot; from a lyrical standpoint, I think Two Gallants are much closer.

The rest of the list will be coming next week, along with a podcast featuring songs from all 20 releases. Stay tuned...

Best CDs of 2007 Part Two (39-31)

Here are some more of my Top 50 for 2007. I should have 30-21 up tomorrow unless something huge prevents it.
39. Film School - Hideout (Beggars Banquet). I was a little bit let down by the newest CD from San Francisco's hauntingly psychedelic Film School. Their previous disc was my #19 last year. Still, I see this as a transition record, and hopefully, the next one will fully realize what they are truly capable of.

38. The National - Boxer (Beggars Banquet). Though it is unfair to do so, my feelings on this Brooklyn-by-way-of-Ohio band changed when I saw them live this year. They changed for the worse. Maybe it was just an off night. Still, it's hard to knock a band when they make an album as dark, moody, and ultimately rewarding as this one.

37. The Go! Team - Proof of Youth (Sub Pop). Everything about The Go! Team screams "good time" and the band's second CD screams it just as loud as the first one. These guys mix retro soul, hip-hop, early 60s pop, and punk rock into a thoroughly enjoyable mix. Public Enemy's Chuck D guests on one track, as well.

36. Patti Smith - twelve (Columbia). Twelve is an all covers album from the godmother of punk, Patti Smith. Her choices are quite varied, as she records songs by Paul Simon, Nirvana, The Doors, and many others. Her voice sounds as great as ever, and she makes many of these tunes seem like her own. This CD would make a great gift as it has a little something for everyone.

35. Robert Pollard - Coast To Coast Carpet of Love/Standard Gargoyle Decisions (Merge). Former Guided By Voices front man, Robert Pollard released two new solo discs on the same day this year. To me, the two discs are indistinguishable. If you have liked Pollard's music in the past, I imagine you still will.

34. Interpol - Our Love To Admire (Capitol). Early supporters of Interpol have been claiming for years that the band has not been able to live up to the greatness of their debut CD. In many ways, that is true. But perhaps, those early fans need to let go and accept the fact that Interpol is still a great band. Our Love To Admire is not better than the debut, but it is better than 99% of the rest of the shit out there, so get over it.

33. Tegan & Sara - The Con (Vapor). The identical twin duo, Tegan & Sara get a lot of attention for things other than their music, which is unfortunate. Even a casual listen to The Con will tell you that these two sisters are pop song masters with heartfelt, emotional lyrics that are neither heavy handed nor cheesy. Not sure why this record did not do as well as the last one, considering "Back In Your Head" is as good a song as anything they've ever done.

32. The White Stripes - Icky Thump (Warner Bros). Once the White Stripes became mega stars, I essentially "let them go." I still bought the CDs and I still enjoyed them, but as far as active fandom goes...there wasn't any. I figured that the mainstream needs something good. The Stripes are it. Icky Thump is a solid record, and the title track is amazing. I've just kind of moved on.

31. Bjork - Volta (Elektra). The reviews were mostly negative regarding Bjork's latest album, Volta. I thought it was pretty decent, actually. Bjork is a strange woman, and her music has always taken a few listens for me to appreciate. This album is no exception. Tracks like "Wanderlust" and "Declare Independence" rank up there among her best songs.

Best CDs of 2007 Part One (50-40)

With it being the end of the year, a bunch of know-it-alls like me tend to re-cap the previous year with a series of "best of" lists. For me, I only do the best albums of the year. I have compiled a list of 50. I will be splitting it into a couple of postings, with more in-depth reviews for the Top 20. For the bottom 30, I'm just going to give you a sentence or two. Here we go:

50. Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars (Geffen). Wainwright's single "Going To a Town" is my vote for song of the year. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to capture the intensity of that song throughout the album. Still, he is a very unique artist in this era of manufactured pop stars.

49. Minus The Bear - Planet of Ice (Suicide Squeeze). The progressive, indie band from Seattle's third album is its most straightforward record -- no funny song titles, no instrumental freak-outs. Still, their unique sound has not lost any of its appeal.

48. Mark Ronson - Versions (RCA). Ronson is a British DJ who has gotten a reputation for re-working a wide variety of songs - from Bob Dylan to Britney Spears. The album features guest appearances from folks like Amy Winehouse and Lilly Allen. It's a fun listen.

47. Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog (Sub Pop). Iron & Wine is basically just one guy - Sam Beam. Beam writes intelligent, pleasant, folkie songs in the vain of Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Only better, because I hate CSN.

46. Capgun Coup - Brought To You By Nebraskafish (Team Love). Don't spend a whole lot of time worrying about what a "nebraskafish" is. I doubt there is one. Capgun Coup is the latest in a string of Omaha bands melding punk rock and folk music into a bizarre new form of indie rock. This is a strong debut, and I look forward to hearing what these guys do in the future.

45. Menomena - Friend and Foe (Barsuk). This Portland band combines Peter Gabriel-era Genesis with 90s psychedelic music (a la Mercury Rev). It's a very interesting combination, even if it gets a little tiring after a while. The CD boasts the best artwork I have seen on an album in many years.

44. Via Audio - Say Something (Sidecho). Great new indie band from NYC that captures the best elements of Spoon and Death Cab For Cutie. Spoon's producer was at the helm for this record, too.

43. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder (self released). The initial "blog buzz" band followed up their stellar debut with a slightly less stellar new CD. Slightly. I'm not sure why someone who liked the first one would not like this one. They seem pretty much the same to me.

42. The Rentals - The Last Little Life EP (Oompah). Matt Sharp (ex-Weezer) reformed his moog-heavy pop band, The Rentals, after an eight year hiatus. The line-up is a little different, but the overall sunny pop feel remains. These songs were intended to be demos for a future full-length CD. I look forward to hearing the entire album.

41. Scissors For Lefty - Underhanded Romance (Eenie Meenie). Fun. Catchy. Quirky. That might be all you need to know about this SF band. The album's production is a little too slick for my taste, but the songs are so strong it hardly matters. I like the name of the band a lot, too.

40. 1990s - Cookies (Rough Trade). This new Scottish trio is in the vain of bands like Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand, but I like 1990s better than both of them. Maybe it's because they did a promo for my radio show or maybe because songs like "Cult Status" and "You're Supposed to be My Friend" are a cut above those of their peers.