2007: That's how it starts

My final five are mostly predictable, but it was that kind of year. A few people were dropping some next-level shit, and it didn't take a genius to hear it. But in case you missed anything, here they are.

1. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver

Anchored by the best three-song sequence of the year ("North American Scum," "All My Friends," "Someone Great"), Sound of Silver serves as a rejoinder to anyone who thinks dance music can't have a soul (or vice versa). Basically, it's perfect for anyone who was waiting for a hip-shaker about getting older, dealing with stereotypes while abroad, or watching a loved one die. And, let's face it, we all were.



2. M.I.A.: Kala

I don't feel informed enough to say she's the only mainstream(-ish) musician who both reflects and embodies the way people consume music now, but, hey, why not. Not only that, it's is the best punk-rock album of the year, and not (only) because of the Clash samples. Girl knows how to get it done, as on "Paper Planes," which had the most exciting / frightening chorus, like, ever.



3. Radiohead: In Rainbows

And then, suddenly, it was on the Internet: A drop-dead gorgeous collection of ten songs from the era's best band. No bullshit*, just brilliance. Good to have ‘em back.

(*Okay, some bullshit, but their webcasts reward the patient and/or dedicated, as you can see below.)



4. PJ Harvey: White Chalk

My fondness for eccentric female singer-songwriters is pretty well documented, but I think PJ is the best writer of them all. (Sorry, Chan.) That's abundantly clear here, thanks to both PJ's charisma and the arrangements (or lack thereof), which match the intimate subject matter. (Family, loss, the usual.) How the hell she got on The Tonight Show with this stuff, I'll never now.

(Also: Big Love chic?)

5. The Arcade Fire: The Neon Bible

Well, they pulled it off: This one is both overhyped and underrated. But when you get past all the nonsense, you're left with an impressive, passionate set of songs – a more than worthy sequel to Funeral. Also, I thought Paul Dano was convincing as Win Butler in There Will Be Blood.

Oh, and this is the YouTube video of the year. "Oh my god," indeed, dude.

2007: A noun, a verb, and 9/11

Let's get to this: A not-at-all-overdue list of the best albums of 2007. Hey, some people still have their Christmas decorations up ...

Anyway, with apologies to Jens Lekman (whose record I haven't fully digested), Rilo Kiley (who made seven-tenths of a terrific album), Beirut (who do one thing very, very well), Grinderman (anyone want to hook a brother up?), and the White Stripes (who I might be taking for granted), here's part one of my YouTube-powered ten favorite records of the year.

6. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky

They tried to make him go to rehab, and Jeff Tweedy said "yes, yes, yes." And it must have worked: This easily ranks as the most optimistic set of tunes his band has ever recorded. But those who dismissed it as a song cycle about fresh sheets and clean dishes, missed how uneasy this supposed contentment is. "I survived," Tweedy says in the title track. "That's good enough for now." Sounds like the theme of 2007.

Oh, and what am I gonna do with all these Volkswagens?



7. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

On which a bedheaded wunderkind gets political, discovers Motown horns and economy (only ten songs! only a half-hour long!), records two stone-cold classics ("The Underdog," "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb"), and manages to make it all sound effortless. That Britt Daniel's one consistent dude.

Also: He makes robots dance.



8. Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam

I finally get it: Brian Wilson-y arrangements and harmonies wed to off-kilter sounds and screaming. Good for them, and good for us. (Hey, anyone want to send me that Panda Bear album?)



9. Kanye West: Graduation

The first Kanye album I haven't pretended to like. Okay, I'm kidding (kind of), but it's certainly 2007's best record to include a song about Barry Bonds. It also has the year's best tune (not the one about the Giants' slugger).




10. Amy Winehouse:Back to Black
Mark Ronson: Version
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights

Best trend of the year: The rediscovery of Holland-Dozier-Holland grooves and snappy brass sections, all paired with modern beats and fantastic vocals. The worst trend of the year: Female singers spiraling out of control.

Still, it's worth remembering that Amy's voice and Ronson's production go together like peas and carrots, and that his work also included a terrific solo album and a lesser-known wonder by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. (At least I assume it's good—I never picked it up. But the video below suggests as much.)