My Favorite Albums of 2007

8. St. Vincent's Marry Me

I love the recent crop of unique, fully-realized new bands (White Rabbits, Yeasayer), and I think Miss Clark tops them all.

listen to "Now, Now"

7. Magnolia Electric Co.'s Sojourner

Let's put it this way: Few artists can release 33 song sets that I can sit through, let alone enjoy, like this.

listen to "Trouble in Mind" [+ more]

6. Josh Ritter's The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

What Ritter's doing right now strikes me as significant. Perhaps because his brand of Americana is clearly well-informed but also timely and (best of all) delivered with charming, hopeful abandon.

listen to "Right Moves"

5. King Khan & the Shrines' What Is?!

The Black Lips are hot shit right now, but this is SO much better and you don't even know it.

listen to "(How Can I Keep You) Outta Harm's Way" [+ more]

4. Bright Eyes's Cassadaga

It's a strange album, and I still don't know how to write about it-- and everything I read seems to miss the point.

listen to "Coat Check Dream Song" [+ more]

3. Radiohead's In Rainbows

I'll be kicked out of the Bloggers' Guild if this isn't Top 3.

listen to "All I Need"

2. Okkervil River's The Stage Names

This is, for an Okkervil River album, astoundingly fun. And make no mistake, it's an Okkervil River album through and through, all ink and spit and flame.

listen to "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" [+ more]

1. LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver

I like Hua Hsu's description of this album in his Slate article: posteverything. It touches on everything under the sun, but the part we identify with is purely James Murphy. Outstanding.

listen to "North American Scum" [+ more]