Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

[pk500]

Hi all:

Here's a handy compilation of "Best Albums of 2007" lists from Metacritic, with lists being added as they are published on sites:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2007.shtml

P.S.: Is there any doubt that this is the busiest two weeks of the year for music downloading?

Enjoy,
PK

[eXperiment63]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Not surprising they didn't review what is, IMO, the best album of the year.

[pk500]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Not surprising they didn't review what is, IMO, the best album of the year.

Which is?

And was it included in any of the numerous critics lists toward the bottom of the page?

Take care,
PK

[MachoMyers]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Spoon, Radiohead, and Arcade Fire all made the Top 20...I agree.

[pk500]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Spoon was top-five material in my mind. A very well-crafted pop rock album. "Cherry Bomb" is one of the most infectious singles of the year, and the rest of the record is fantastic.

Take care,
PK

[screwed_again]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Just doing a quick check of what I consider to be this year's top albums, I can't help but notice the omission of Strawberry Jam by Animal Collective. I would venture a pretty educated guess that that is the album experimented is referring to. My quick top five for this year

1. Andorra-Caribou

2. Person Pitch-Panda Bear

3. In Rainbows-Radiohead

4. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer-Of Montreal

5. Strawberry Jam-Animal Collective.

By the end of the year I'm going to arrange all the albums of 2007, that I own, on my Zune and listen to them one more time to a get a more comprehensive and extensive list. The above list is subject to change due to a particularly strong year in music.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Which is?

And was it included in any of the numerous critics lists toward the bottom of the page?

Take care,
PK

No, because if you aren't 'Indie', you aren't making those lists as a rock band. Hurt - Vol. II is the album I was talkin about. But, if you have any slight hints of heaviness in your music, you aren't making those lists as a rock band.

[Streets]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

No, because if you aren't 'Indie', you aren't making those lists as a rock band. Hurt - Vol. II is the album I was talkin about. But, if you have any slight hints of heaviness in your music, you aren't making those lists as a rock band.

I noticed some other very obvious "trends" in those lists as well.

Congrats to Kanye I guess for being able to crack a couple of them...

[pk500]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

No, because if you aren't 'Indie', you aren't making those lists as a rock band. Hurt - Vol. II is the album I was talkin about. But, if you have any slight hints of heaviness in your music, you aren't making those lists as a rock band.

That's certainly true with Pitchfork, which has the mantra of "If you're heavy or signed to a major label, chances are we don't give a sh*t about you."

Take care,
PK

[Skerik]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

I guess I'm in the minority on the Spoon album. I like their older stuff (Girls Can Tell & Kill the Moonlight) more than either Gimme Fiction or especially Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. But I generally like a leaner, more stripped-down sound that doesn't sound heavily produced, so I guess that's why I prefer their older stuff.

[injunwal]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

Wow!! Very suprised to see The Dillenger Escape Plan "Ire Works" make the list. Great CD but a very aquired taste

[CM1847]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

I guess I'm in the minority on the Spoon album. I like their older stuff (Girls Can Tell & Kill the Moonlight) more than either Gimme Fiction or especially Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. But I generally like a leaner, more stripped-down sound that doesn't sound heavily produced, so I guess that's why I prefer their older stuff.

I didn't like Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga that much at first, but it quickly grew on me. I came to know their music late, with GImmie Fiction being my first album of theirs, to me they work better making the catchy pop songs their last two albums were filled with. Girls Can Tell, Kill The Moonlight and even Telephono are all good albums, but I prefer them making pop music.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is one of the best pop rock albums I've heard in a while, really well put together from start to finish. "The Underdog" is probably the best pop song I heard this year(sorry PK, it even beats "Cherry Bomb" in my book, also a great track).

And of course, I will continue my constant whoring of my personal favorite from 2007: The National - "Boxer". Terrific album from start to finish, good to see it on a number of those top 10 lists.

Last year metacritic took a tally of every album and how many times it was ranked #1, how many times it was ranked #2, etc...I hope they put that back in, that was a nice little addition.

[pk500]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

I guess I'm in the minority on the Spoon album. I like their older stuff (Girls Can Tell & Kill the Moonlight) more than either Gimme Fiction or especially Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. But I generally like a leaner, more stripped-down sound that doesn't sound heavily produced, so I guess that's why I prefer their older stuff.

Good point. I love the lush production of "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga." Then again, I like the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" production techniques, so there you go!

"Boxer" divided The National's fans in a similar fashion. Some didn't like the melancholy, quieter sound of "Boxer" compared to "Alligator" and earlier records. I have "Boxer" and "Alligator" and enjoy them both.

But "Boxer" connected with me more than "Alligator." There's not a wasted note on "Boxer."

Take care,
PK

[CM1847]

Re: Top albums of 2007 lists from Metacritic

"Boxer" divided The National's fans in a similar fashion. Some didn't like the melancholy, quieter sound of "Boxer" compared to "Alligator" and earlier records. I have "Boxer" and "Alligator" and enjoy them both.

But "Boxer" connected with me more than "Alligator." There's not a wasted note on "Boxer."

Take care,
PK

I think you nailed it with the "not a wasted note" comment. Alligator is very good and it has more instantly-addictive tracks(Mr November, Able, All The Win, Lit Up, etc..), but something about Boxer really grabs you in after a few listens. There is nothing even close to skipable on the album, my least favorite track is the only one with a somewhat memorable hook("Squalor Victoria") which is amazing coming from somebody who loves his indie pop/rock bands.

Also, "Boxer" may be a relatively quiet album, but it just begs to be turned up as loud as you can stand. Those early handful of drum-driven tracks may sound laid back upon first listen, but the album is definitely best heard at full blast with the deep vocals on top of those drums.