your favorite albums in 2007?

[havoc]

2007 was a pretty good year in my opinion, a lot of bands put out albums that I got the chance to listen to. There were some new bands I got into because of their 2007 albums (for example, Minus the Bear), but I will admit that there were a couple that disappointed me (Porcupine Tree). It's not quite over, but what did you like this year?

Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
Rock
Lutalo and I appear to have really similar tastes in music, and when I heard him mention this band I found out about this album. Lots of electronic effects, looping, keyboards, and awesome rhythm are to be found, and I love dark, after-hours overtones like the ones throughout Planet of Ice.

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Rock
I learned about Spoon from another friend of mine. They sort of remind me of a band like The White Stripes except for Spoon has their own unique sound...sometimes I think White Stripes just try to copy classic rock.

And here are some 2007 albums I haven't heard but plan to hear soon:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The National - Boxer
M.I.A. - Kala
A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

 

[Hipmonlee]

The standout for me is obviously In Rainbows..

The only other album this year I can think of that I really liked was Iron & Wine - The Shepherds Dog. I never liked I&W before, but this album he got away from his p-folk and it made it a lot less boring.

The rest I was not blown away by..
Boxer was good without being great.. Then there was Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future and The Shins - Wincing the Night Away, which were alright.. And The New Pornographers - Challengers; The Good, the Bad and the Queen; and Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War tbh all were pretty bad. And that is everything from this year I can think of that I have listened to.. Arcade Fire and Spoon albums I definitely will listen to, but havent got round to it yet..

But the really dissapointing thing this year, now that I think about it, is that only Klaxons of the bands I mentioned were releasing their first albums.. Though I had not heard Stars or National before these albums, I think that may be more due to my under-a-rock-ness than anything else..

Have a nice day.

 

[Somebody]

Infected Mushroom - Vicious Delicious
Blotnik Brothers - Mizuage

I haven't really listened to that many new albums this year...

 

[X-Act]

So far:

1) In Rainbows (Radiohead): Got me a while to appreciate it, but once I did, I realised that it's on a par with their best work. And that means that it is really, really, really good.

2) A Weekend In The City (Bloc Party): Not as good as their excellent debut Silent Alarm, but pretty good nonetheless.

3) Volta (Bjork): As interesting as it is experimental, it sadly is not as good as her previous two albums, but Bjork still shows that she's far from a spent force.

Disappointment of the year is Our Love To Admire (Interpol). If you listen to it and nobody told you that it's from Interpol, you wouldn't recognise that it's theirs. No track on this album is of the same calibre as Obstacle 1 or Evil. Very ordinary.

 

[norulz]

Only what I can recall

!!! - Myth Takes

This album is very good, it's a definite improvement from their last album, I won't go around and rate the songs, but it gets a 9/10, if you want to listen to this fine piece of work, I recommend you listen to Must Be The Moon first.

Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

Like "Myth Takes", this album impressed me a lot, almost as much as "Lullabies To Paralyze did". 3's & 7's is my favorite song on this album.

That's all I can remember for now.

 

[Pax Deorum]

Don't have many right now except for

Marissa Nadler - Songs III: Bird on the Water

Great folk music with soothing angelic vocals. I never paid much attention to the rest as her voice IS her biggest asset, though sometimes the tempo catches my attention too. She's often compared to Vashti Bunyan who recently released a ne album after 30 years of halt.

Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows - Les Fleurs du Mal

Although she has a fucked up mind, she has the ability to make great music. As with most of her releases this album features eerie music fusing darkwave and medieval elements which after adding a desperate voice creates a unique sound.

 

[Samwise]

Arctic Monkys-My favourite worst nightmare

It's a little more deep than their debut album and it took me a while to get used to it but I love it now.

 

[Echo]

Infected Mushroom - Vicious Delicious

The album brought a new guitar aspect to their already great musical variety. Also features cool new song try-outs from them, namely rapping and different languages. Becoming Insane rose up as my all-time favorite track from Infected Mushroom.

Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet

Definitely a positively surprising album from them. I personally always liked Deadwing the most, but the lengthy songs that Blank Planet brings with it are quite outstanding. Anesthetize is especially great.

Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice

I really thought Minus The Bear couldn't do anything greater than Menos El Oso, but Planet Of Ice almost changed my mind about that. There's almost nothing I like better than an 8-minute track full of the best things that Minus The Bear can do (yes, I mean Lotus). Knights is also a great song. This album made me listen to them even more.

Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time In West

I really liked Stars OF CCTV, but this year Hard-Fi definitely raised their points in my eyes. An album full of catchy tunes is pretty cool and Suburban Knights didn't even get ruined by too much of MTV/radio.

Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future

Golden Skans <3 Seriously a good album, which introduced me to Klaxons in general and I'm glad it was this album that introduced me.

 

[Altmer]

There's a bunch, but...(cba to put images)

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
This is hands down my favourite release this year. Nightwish have lost a slight bit in the vocals department maybe, but the rest is so much better. Tuomas is a genius and this album confirms it. Rocks my fucking socks.


Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

Yeah, I had to put this in, amazing record. Love the lyrical concept.

Blackfield - Blackfield II

Yeah, be a Steven Wilson fan and not love this. Probably one of the most downkey records that aren't metal I've heard. God how I love this album and how catchy it manages to be.

Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
Melodeath perfection. Every song is so good and the keyboards are so meticulously placed. It all -fits.- There isn't a song I hate on this.

Amorphis - Silent Waters
doom + melodeath + prog + good execution = win

Symphony X - Paradise Lost
I wasn't into this band. This album changed that for once and forever. Fuck, this Romeo guy can play! It's heavy, it's melodic, it's technical, it's grandiose... it's everything I want in my metal.

Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
Everyone hates this album. I don't. This is hands down one of the best concept records I've heard and the lyrics are so poignant. Love it. Gildenlow rules.

Mostly Autumn - Heart Full of Sky
Dunno if this counts as a 2006 or 2007 release, but it's an amazing amalgam of prog and folk rock. One of my favourite more obscure bands this year.

Kamelot - Ghost Opera
It's not the Black Halo. It's a good release anyway. Khan is a monster on vocals (luckily not a cookie monster.)

Dark Moor - Tarot
it's symphonic power metal that doesn't sound awful. good release.

Sonata Arctica - Unia
Another album everyone hates and I love. God this album is so good, but it takes 10 spins to unfold. Tony Kakko is one of my favourite vocalists.

Apocalyptica - Worlds Collide
it's apocalyptica. some songs with guest vocalists are meh but I love this record anyway.

Machine Head - The Blackening
this is fucking metal. fuck everyone else. it's loud, it's heavy, it's fast, and the vocals don't annoy me. Gotta love that.

disappointment of the year: Iced Earth - Framing Armageddon

oh. the new Dream Theater is good as well, but not as good as most of their other stuff. that said I've still whored it to death because it's Dream Theater.

I probably forgot something like Rush, Pelican, Explosions in the Sky etc...

 

[Jackal]

In rainbows was the standout, with The new Go! Team disc and Kevin Drews effort being decent. Our love to admire was, as already mentioned, a disappointment.

 

[NESgamer]

Arcade fire- Neon Bible

At first i didn't liked it, but i took me a couple of times to think it is better than their previous album funeral, music is something subjective, but i believe this album is full of quality.

 

[Ecnemalas]

Radiohead - In Rainbows
65daysofstatic - Don't Go Down to Sorrow
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
Kanye West - Graduation

i'm not big on hip hop, but graduation was a good album regardless. not much that i really like in 07 though.

 

[Mos Def]

Graduation-kayne west
None shall pass-Aesop Rock
Jazzmataz vol 4-Guru
Sad clown Bad fall 10-Atmosphere(its a ep but w.e)
and game theory came out in 2006 = /...

 

[gene]

this has been an awesome year personally, so I'll list my top 20 albums. (tl;dr post)

20. KADDISFLY - SET SAIL THE PRAIRIE

neo-progressive rock / post-hardcore

pretty music with fairly good lyrics. the vocalist has a slightly whiny, annoying voice, but it's bearable. overall good, however, it can be shortened.

19. BLACKFIELD - II

alternative/progressive rock

Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree's side project with Aviv Geffen. their second album is an (imo) improvement over the first one. the lyrics are quite depressing and the music is sad.

18. KAMELOT - GHOST OPERA

symphonic power metal

not nearly as great as their previous album, The Black Halo, but it is still a standout in the genre.

17. EPICA - THE DIVINE CONSPIRACY

symphonic metal

I really didn't like them before this album. don't be turned off just because the vocalist is female and it is tagged as "symphonic metal"! it may be a bit cheesy at times, but this is certainly a more mature release than most of the stuff in the genre.

16. ELVENKING - THE SCYTHE

power metal / folk metal

cheesy, but fun. some tag this as melodic death metal, however, I don't know where the fuck they are coming from as there are probably 2 growls in the whole album.

15. VINTERSORG - SOLENS ROTTER

black metal / folk metal

catchy, well-produced, crisp-sounding folk-inspired black metal. awesome, and fairly accessible.

14. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - NOCTURNAL

melodic death metal

fairly simple melodeath, however, it is catchy and fun to listen to. probably better than their previous album, Miasma.

13. SONATA ARCTICA - UNIA

melodic power metal

it's sonata arctica... but with a more melodic edge. they sound less cheesy and more sincere on this album. I do not enjoy this one as much as Winterheart's Guild or Reckoning Night, but it is certainly good stuff.

12. HIGH ON FIRE - DEATH IS THIS COMMUNION

sludge metal

High on Fire maintains their heavy and sludgy sound on this album. just as good as Blessed Black Wings probably.

11. RUSSELL ALLEN & JORN LANDE - THE REVENGE

power metal / progressive metal

the vocalist from Symphony X's side project with Jorn Lande. sounds fairly similar to SX and the album follows a fairly similar formula, sans the epic. worth it for the closing ballad, When Time Doesn't Heal alone.

10. AMORPHIS - SILENT WATERS

progressive death metal

I'm not going to say that this matches the genius of their sophomore album, Tales From the Thousand Lakes, but it is probably more accessible and less death metal. awesome stuff.

9. MORS PRINCIPIUM EST - LIBERATION = TERMINATION

melodic death metal

fairly straightforward for melodeath, but it is unbelievably catchy.

8. MANEGARM - VARGSTENEN

folk metal / viking metal

it's a damn shame not too many people have even heard of them. Manegarm is one of the best folk metal bands out there. this album is well-produced compared to their well-received Vredens Tid and has a lot of memorable melodies.

7. ENSIFERUM - VICTORY SONGS

viking metal / melodic death metal / folk metal

Ensiferum is pretty cheesy when it comes down to it, but they are still awesome and fun to listen to. Victory Songs does not match their self-titled and has a different vocalist and lead guitarist, but that does not detract too much from them. the vocals are more growled instead of rasped and the guitars seem much thicker.

6. DARK TRANQUILLITY - FICTION

melodic death metal

the masters of Gothenburg metal release another solid album. compared to other melodeath, Dark Tranquillity always have a more sincere delivery. even though the vocals are harsh, they are fairly easy to get in to even for non-death metal fans.

5. INFERNAL WAR - REDESECRATION

brutal black metal / nsbm

chaotic, insane Christianity-hating black metal that is perfectly executed. this album is fast, brutal and amazing. not recommended unless you are already into this genre somewhat.

4. MAXIMUM THE HORMONE - BUIIKIKAESU

funk metal / alternative metal

awesome japanese funk metal with 3 vocalists (clean and male, harsh and poppy female vocals). catchy and fun as hell to listen to.

3. MOONSORROW - VIIDES LUKU - HAVITETTY

folk metal

pretty much the best folk metal band. their music is very heavy, layered and complex and the songs are very long (~30 and ~26 minutes on this album). recommended 100% for anyone with any interest in folk metal. this definitely lives up to the name of Kivenkantaja and Verisakeet.

2. SYMPHONY X - PARADISE LOST

progressive metal / neo-classical metal / power metal

this album has a heavier and more serious sound than previous ones, which is maybe why a lot of people were turned on to them when the album was released. really, every track on this is awesome... especially Paradise Lost, Seven and Revelation.

1. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - COLORS

progressive metalcore / technical metal

holy shit, album of the fucking year. over-the-top, theatrical and very powerful. BTBAM is definitely a bunch of talented musicians. I recommend this to any fan of prog metal even though there are 95% harsh vocals... the everything is executed perfectly.

 

[Zero.EXE]

Graduation - Kanye West

I love this album, Kanye West is the only rapper that I can really bare. A lot better than 50 Cent and crap lyricists like that, imo.

 

[Doomsday]

Besides the already mentioned Unia, Silent Waters, The Revenge (lol that's an awesome cover, i hadn't seen it til now) and Paradise Lost, I'd like to add Megadeth's United Abominations and Twilightning - Swinelords. Many, MANY people are turned off by United Abominations, and while I don't think it comes close to their best, it's a big step up from 'The System has Failed' and I already liked that one anyway.
As for Swinelords, it is fucking amazing, although it deviates from Twlightning's original music.

 

[evan]

So far, without question, The National's Boxer is the undisputed album of the year in my mind. I really can't see anything dethroning that.

I really need my home computer to compile a list of all of my 2007 albums, but here are a few others that totally deserve mention:

Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (yes. this came out in 2007 guys)
Senim Silla- The Name, The Motto, The Outcome (hip hop album of the year)
Okkervil River- The Stage Names
El-P- I'll Sleep When You're Dead

 

[Loki]

radiohead - in rainbows
kanye west - graduation
jay z - american gangster
feist - the reminder

 

[0mastar]

1. Thursday - Kill The House Lights
2. Fall of Troy - Manipulator
3. Hot Cross - Risk Revival
4. Múm - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
5. El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
6. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
7. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
8. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
9. Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde
10. Radiohead - In Rainbows
11. Sigur Rós - Hvarf / Heim
12. Odd Nosdam - Level Live Wires
13. The National - Boxer
14. Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice
15. This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You
16. Schoolyard Heroes - Abominations
17. Beruit - The Flying Club Cup
18. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
19. Menomena - Friend and Foe
20. Loss of a Child - Adam and Eve

 

[Mos Def]

i forgot about ill sleep when you dead so +that and American gangster to mine

 

[Xerces]

~ Against Me! - New Wave: Was a huge disappointment, and I don't listen to it at all.
~ Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam: Great stuff, can't stop listening to this one
~ Arcade Fire - Neon Bible: Pretty good it was of what I expected it to be.
~ Between The Buried And Me - Colors: Awesome
~ The Bled - Silent Treatment: meh, a few good tracks.
~ Comeback Kid - Broadcasting...: Good stuff, hometown band with a new singer turned out pretty good.
~ Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond: Nice album, but nothing different from their others.
~ The Fall Of Try - Manipulator: Awesome album, I overplayed it a bit though =/
~ From Autumn To Ashes - Holding a Wolf By The Ears: A surprise from a boring band.
~ HORSE the Band - A Natural Death: Sounds pretty good, but I haven't really got around to listening to the whole thing =/
~ Hot Cross - Risk Revival: Big upset, but maybe thats just because I think Cryonics is he greatest album ever.
~ Interpol - Our Love To Admire: meh
~ Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog: Very good album, my personal favorite from him.
~ Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends: Very good ablum, suggest you check it out.
~ The Locust - New Erections: Very good grindcore, very original stuff.
~ Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice: I actually just picked this up on vynil, definatly a highlight this year.
~ Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank: Decent album, the only album this year i picked up before listening to. Unfortunatly a little bland for an MM album.
~ Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero: Was fun while it lasted, I still ealy enjoy listening to Vessel and Survivalism though.
~ The Number Twelve Looks Like You - Mongrel: Good album
~ Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?: Haven't really given this on a good solid listen yet, but from the sounds of it it seems pretty good.
~ The Pax Cecilia - Blessed Are The Bonds: Awesome. Order this one in for free, definatly worth it.
~ Porcupine Tree - Fear O A Blank Planet: Sort but still pretty good.
~ Portugal. The Man - Church Mouth: Good album, not their best but realy good.
~ Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris: A bit of a change in sound, I like it.
~ Radiohead - In Rainbows: Utterly amazing, best of the year so far.
~ Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist: Really impressed, wasn't really what I was expecting.
~ Thrice- The Alchemy Index Vol. I & II: Good, nothing like Illusion of safety though.
~ Thursday - Kill The House Lights: Not too much new here, but what is, is great.
~ 65daysofstatic - The Destruction Of Small Ideas: Great fucking album, check it out.

Still looking forward to the new Circle Takes The Square album though :)

 

[Altmer]

I agree with G80 on divine conspiracy

although the best songs on paradise lost are the first four. they absolutely rule live as well.

 

[Echo]

2. Fall of Troy - Manipulator

7. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust

Manipulator wasn't really that outstanding compared to Doppelgänger; a decent album though.

I'm glad you mentioned You, You're A History In Rust. I would've completely forgotten that it came out this year. God, I absolutely love The Universe!.

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Era of Vulgaris - QotSA.
A weekend in the city - Bloc Party
The Wombats debut album (the title evades me)

 

[Hyra]

Somewhere in the Between - Streetlight Manifesto

Sheer awesomeness. Like their previous albums, I cannot say I dislike any of these songs. Honestly, words do not describe this band. I guess it doesn't help that I was just at a concert of theirs, but hey, they're awesome.