The Rock Blogger

Seeing as the great music year that was 2007 is steadily drawing to a close, I thought it would be fitting to list all the new music that dominated my iPod this year.

So without further ado, here is what rocked in 2007.

Numbers 50-41

#50. Nadja. Radiance of Shadows. 3 stars

This experimental rock/electronica duo from Toronto unleashed another spectacle of ambient doom upon the masses this year, creating three beautifully drawn out movements full of menacing drones and dreamy reverb. With each song tracking at over 20 minutes each, this is one epic that takes time to sink in.

#49. Silverchair. Young Modern. 3 stars

The famed Australian trio made a long-awaited comeback this year with Young Modern, an eclectic mix of psychedelic pop. The album’s strongest feature is its variety, with the band drawing on multiple sounds and inspirations from across their decade plus career to churn out a listening experience that is immersive yet unpredictable.

#48. OM. Pilgrimage. 3 stars

This darkly meditative album fits nicely into the same spiritualistic niche as the introspective Six Organs of Admittance. Pilgrimage is a slow and brooding listen, but the journey is a rewarding one. The title track’s opening notes alone will give you pause (and the shivers).

#47. Hella. There’s no 666 in Outer Space. 3 stars

I’m including this one for its instrumental virtuosity alone. While some critics may take issue with the vocalist’s uncanny resemblance to The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the sheer density and spastic energy of these tracks is noteworthy in itself.

#46. Sunn O))). Oracle. 3 stars

The masters of doom-metal demonstrate their terrifying prowess yet again with this rare release. Oracle features three incredibly long recordings featuring haunting bass drones and blistering noise, sucking the listener into a dark and impenetrable void. Needless to say, this isn’t for everyone.

#45. Caspian. The Four Trees 3 stars

An intriguing debut to the post-rock meltdown, this instrumental album shimmers with delicate intensity that builds and builds into thundering crescendos (okay, okay, so we all know the formula). Nonetheless, Caspian are welcome additions to an increasingly popular style of instrumental rock. They take all the bravado of this genre and condense it into more manageable durations.

#44. Anberlin. Cities 3 stars.

While I would never describe myself as a fan of emo-rock, I was surprisingly impressed by Anberlin’s catchy melodies and intelligent, evocative lyrics. Standouts include “Adelaide” and “The Unwinding Cable Car”. Cities is full of kinetic energy that bridges the gap between pop and punk.

#43. Bad Religion. New Maps of Hell. 3 stars.

The politically charged icons of Californian punk rock return just when we need them most. While there are no real surprises in store on this disc, the intense pacing and empowered vocals once again affirm Bad Religion place as punk’s dissident town crier.

#42. Neurosis. Given to the Rising. 3 stars

Influential sludge rockers return with their unique brand of stoner metal to effectively fry your stereo. The songs here are long and burning with angst and tension as the amps squall and the vocals rage. A standout for the genre.

#41. Nine Inch Nails Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D. 3 stars.

Easily the best remix album put out by Trent Reznor (and there have been many), these cuts are given their respective makeovers by a variety of standout guests, including Dntel, Ladytron and The Faint. While it is clear even after the first listen that many of these remixes are hit and miss, it never ceases to be an interesting listen. Certainly proves that NIN is among the most malleable artists around.

Numbers 40-31

#40. Eluvium Copia. 3 stars.

This stunning post rock album predominately features heart-wrenching piano melodies and soothing synths. The quiet melancholia of Copia is a unique counterpart to the electrical bombast sitting at the other end of the post-rock spectrum. Great to listen to while meditating or about to drift off to sleep.

#39. The Shins. Whincing the Night Away. 3 stars

Full of great arrangements and clever lyrics, The Shins’ third LP delivers on the same pseudo-Beach Boys vibe they’re known for. James Mercer’s vocals are stunning and the production is lush and inviting.

#38. Do Make Say Think. You’re a History in Rust. 3 stars

These Toronto natives bring their brand of jazz influenced post rock into a collection of tracks that expands on their traditional sound. While the steady progressions, organic arrangements and acoustic flourishes remain, this release also features vocals on some of the songs, a first for the band. The trippy instrumental noodling and the diversity of styles here will have you coming back for more.

#37. Menomena. Friend and Foe. 3 stars.

A muscular indie-rock release, Friend and Foe is packed with brass fills, electronic arrangements and kick ass drumming. An innovative and energetic release that fits nicely among the new indie-pop forerunners like Wolf Parade and The Shins (see #39).

#36. Porcupine Tree. Fear of a Blank Planet. 3.5 stars

Six lengthy tracks of nuanced prog-metal that doesn’t bore you with the typical pretenses of the genre. The songs smoothly branch off in different directions, taking the listener of an unexpected trip through a variety of emotional states – from despairing to empowered, from anxious to angry, from catatonic to vindictive. “Anesthetize” in particular is wonderfully epic.

#35. Dillinger Escape Plan. Ire Works 3.5 stars.

Spastic and unpredictable, DEP incorporate jazz and even pop elements into their traditionally furious mathcore stylings. Fans of Mike Patton are sure to dig the vocal acrobatics on this, along with the band’s technical schizophrenia, as they hammer out a thousand notes at you.

#34. Panda Bear. Person Pitch. 3.5 stars.

A warm and sunny psychedelic trip, Person Pitch is a spaced out offering that conjures up hazy (or stoned) memories of summer. Panda Bear play a beautiful balancing act between ethereal space rock and 60’s pop.

#33. Pelican. City of Echoes. 3.5 stars.

While I didn’t find it as awe-inspiring as 2005’s The Fire in our Throat will Beckon the Thaw, City of Echoes still brims with dark, hypnotic jams that invite the listener to abandon their inhibitions and just veg out to the swirling patterns around them. While the songs are shorter and not nearly as heavy as their previous work, the epic scope of their music remains.

#32. Queens of the Stone Age. Era Vulgaris. 3.5 stars.

With Josh Homme sounding just as cocky as ever, QOTSA’s latest effort is a swaggering drunkard of a rock album: it ignores the calling for concept and emotional depth and instead rocks out to its heart content. “Sick Sick Sick” and “Make it Wit You” are among the highlights. And who can resist the goofy artwork?

#31. Dark Tranquility. Fiction. 3.5 stars.

A really solid metal album from these Swedes, blending industrial elements like keyboard and synth arrangements with the more traditional death metal heaviness you could come to expect from a Scandinavian metal band. The result is a collection of songs that are both melodic and hard-hitting.

Numbers 30-21.

#30. Magik Markers. Boss. 3.5 stars.

I first heard of this Brooklyn band while I was shuffling through Rotate This in Toronto and this came on over the store speakers. Elisa Ambrogio’s chilling vocals sucked me right in and I tracked their newest release down. While the majority of Boss is menacing and arty, sounding strikingly similar to early Sonic Youth, it also features some delicate acoustic numbers like “Bad Dream” and the sexy cowpunk rocker “Taste”.

#29. Liars. Liars

Another bizarre album form these guys, Liars meshes punk riffs and atmosphere with experimental noise and drawn out dissonance. An engrossing and challenging affair for fans of no-wave avant-garde.

#28 Foo Fighters. Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. 3.5 stars.

Dave Grohl is in top form, revitalizing the band I thought had just had their day in the 90s. The lyrics, riffs and pacing of this release all carry the same propulsive energy of “Everlong”, you know, quite possibly the greatest Foo’s song ever? Anyways, check this out.

#27 The White Stripes. Icky Thump. 3.5 stars.

While I’m sure many of you out there are sick of hearing “Icky Thump” on the radio ad nausea that still doesn’t detract from the fantastic album it comes from. Jack White’s confidence and creativity as a guitar player really shines through on this, especially on the opening tracks (“Icky Thump again and “You don’t know what love is”), conjuring up memories of Hendrix and Zeppelin.

#26. Explosions in the Sky. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone. 3.5 stars.

Though I was a little disappointed in how this album differed little from its predecessors, I soon accepted the maxim of “if it’s not broke, why fix it?” I was a big fan of their previous LPs so it was comforting to let Explosions go off in my ear again (like my pun, it was very intended), letting the sprawling soundscapes take shape only to be torn apart by the band’s famously violent crescendos.

#25. Neil Young. Live at Massey Hall 1972. 4 stars.

Yeah, yeah, so it was actually recorded in 1972, but this is technically a list of 2007 releases, and it’s so damn awesome, this has to go on. An incredible and intimate acoustic performance, Neil’s voice has never sounded better as he goes through his most renowned hits from the 60s and early 70s (offering that particular Toronto audience its first preview of Harvest). I can only hope that Matthew Good releases something like this, sometime down the road.

#24. Dinosaur Jr. Beyond. 4 stars.

Holy Shit. This is their first album, in what, 10 years? These guys are still in top form, especially J. Masics’ mind-blowing guitar work. The solos are what make this record. Best track IMHO: “It’s Me”.

#23. Blonde Redhead. 23. 4 stars.

Conveniently, the number 23 spot on this list goes to 23, the ethereal and just fucking gorgeous album from Blonde Redhead, featuring the serine vocals of Kazu Makino on the majority of the tracks. These songs are hypnotic to say the least, with their refined production and melodic brilliance.

#22. Modest Mouse. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. 4 stars.

While I couldn’t say that this lived up to my astronomical expectations (The Moon and Antarctica is one of the best albums of the decade so far), I can’t argue against this album’s cohesiveness, and the enduring weirdness of Isaac Brock’s vocals and lyrics. Every track carries its own weight, bringing together stellar instrumentation (thanks Johnny Marr) and Brock’s raw energy and charisma.

#21. Les Savy Fav. Let’s Stay Friends. 4 stars.

After 6 years without any new material, Les Savy Fav still have their trademark audacity, putting together this fantastic indie-rock album. While more punk inspired than bands like The Shins or Menomena, they still blend their rapid fire delivery and wailing nicely with finely crafted pop elements as well. Fans won’t be disappointed.

Numbers 20-11.

#20. The Future of the Left. Curses. 4 stars.

This British punk band unleashes a whirlwind of powerful baselines, nonsensical lyrics and foot stomping rhythms. An incredibly fluid album, each track flows steadily with the next, never letting the angular riffage let up. A brilliant debut.

#19. Sigur Ros. Hvarf-Heim. 4 stars.

A two disc compilation of live and acoustic reworkings of their past work, Hvarf-Heim is a sublime exercise in introspection, immersing you with its stirring orchestral movements and soothing vocals. While there aren’t too many new tracks here, the acoustic disc alone is worth exploring, as it adds another layer of sentimentality to already beautiful songs.

#18. Interpol. Our Love to Admire. 4 stars.

The long awaited follow up to 2004’s Antics, Our Love to Admire expands on Interpol’s wiry post-punk with the addition of keyboards and more experimentation, making their output as chilling and moody as ever. But the standout tracks are your rock club standards “No ‘I’ in Threesome” and “The Heinrich Maneuver”, proving once again that Interpol is at the forefront of the post-punk revival.

#17. Burial. Untrue. 4 stars.

An engrossingly atmospheric dub-step album, Untrue is full of cinematic gloom and grit, with haunting vocal loops, stark bass lines and a refined production that brings Burial’s decaying sonic world moving in on you from all directions. The ghostly ambiance of this record evokes images of a nightly stroll through the forgotten alleyways and slums of a rain-soaked cityscape.

#16. LCD Soundsystem. Sound of Silver. 4 stars.

LCD Soundsystem isn’t just dance music; it’s a wild mixture of punk, disco, electronica and rock that you dance to. “Someone Great” and “All My Friends” demonstrate James Murphy’s songwriting ability while the production boasts the fat bass and synth sounds. This will make you move.

#15. Battles. Mirrored. 4 stars.

A head-trip of an album, this post-rock band offers a weird synthesis of complex math rock and electronica, resulting in enthrallingly maniacal compositions. The thumping bass, the spastic drumming, tribal vocals and the angular guitar riffs round out a musical experience unlike any other this year. Wonderfully experimental and original.

#14. Iron and Wine. The Shepard’s Dog. 4 stars.

A brilliant folk-rock record full of bright melodies and airy vocals that convey a subtle sense of tranquility. The song’s themselves remind me of pastoral landscapes and road trips through strange American towns, giving this album an almost adventurous and searching bent. The best song in my humble opinion: “House by the Sea”.

#13. Baroness. The Red Album. 4 stars.

These Georgia newcomers are already making a significant mark on the stoner rock genre, with their deafening wails, sophisticated song structures and long passages of psychedelic guitar work ranking them among the likes of 21^st century metal giants Mastadon and Isis. This is thinking man’s metal. The Red Album also sports the year’s most beautiful cover art as well.

#12. Aereogramme. My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go. 4 stars.

Aereogramme have proven themselves as melodic masters who excel at producing atmospheric epics full of complex arrangements and lush instrumentation. The inspired vocals also convey heart-wrenching emotion, belting out the sentiments of the lovelorn and distant.

#11. Deerhunter. Cryptograms. 4 stars.

A complex and fascinating album, Cryptograms schizophrenically darts between cool, dark ambience and raw post-punk from track to track, sounding like two records in one. The album as a whole has an uneasy beauty to it, with both tranquil and noisy passages that showcase the band’s uncompromising attitude towards their art.

Numbers 10-1

#10. Between the Buried and Me. Colors. 4.5 stars.

This album is quite possibly the most daring hardcore album I have ever heard, as the band extend into incredibly long and complicated jams that incorporate the genre’s traditional technical complexities with progressive elements, interchanging vocals and phenomenal guitar solos. Quite possibly the best metal album this year.

#9. A Place to Bury Strangers. A Place to Bury Strangers. 4.5 stars.

A loud and glorious exercise in neo-shoegaze/post-punk/whatever you want to call it, this debut album may where its influences on its sleeve (Jesus and Mary Chain cough, cough) but that doesn’t take away from the intensity shown here. Yes, there is plenty of distortion (I’ve heard the lead singer makes his own effects pedals) but there are also great melodies and song structures underneath all that noise. Songs like “Missing You”, “Don’t Think Lover” and “To Fix the Gash in your Head” are among the walloping highlights.

#8. Neverending White Lights. Act II: The Blood and the Life Eternal. 4.5 stars.

A stirring compilation of gothic ballads led by the multi-talented Daniel Victor, Act II brings together some of Canada’s richest vocal talent to guest on each track, while Victor handles the swirling string arrangements, piano lines and layered guitars. While the different vocalists on each track grant the album a considerable degree of variety, the mood and tone of the album is cohesive and often very moving. “The Living”, “Where we Are”, “The Warning” and “Always” are the most notable standouts.

#7. Radiohead. In Rainbows. 4.5 stars.

Forget about the unique, pay-what-you-want release strategy the band used to get this out, the main draw of In Rainbows is its highly refined melodic elements and its dark yet cathartic emotional impact. Greenwood’s guitar is as hypnotic as ever and Thom Yorke’s vocals are both as inspiring and unsettling as you would expect. While not nearly as abstract as Kid A and Amnesiac, In Rainbows maintains the feelings of modern alienation and anxiety that have made the band’s music so enduring.

#6. Nine Inch Nails. Year Zero. 4.5 stars.

Trent Reznor has got his groove back. After making his relatively safe comeback album With Teeth in 2005, Reznor has accelerated his venerated NIN brand into more experimental territory, offering a politically charged concept album that bursts with electronic squalls and industrial beats. Reznor’s songwriting too has developed, shedding away most of the personal angst you would expect for a broader, more worldly and dystopian outlook that despairs over the bleakness of our political and social realities, rather than strictly dwelling in an insular hell-hole. The music here is noisy, direct, well-produced and distinctively NIN.

#5. The Arcade Fire. Neon Bible. 5 stars.

The Arcade Fire gracefully managed to match the high expectations I had for them following their explosive 2004 debut Funeral. Like its acclaimed predecessor, Neon Bible packs an emotional punch, delving into incendiary themes of war, isolation, religiosity, social decay and poverty. Win Butler’s vocal presence has grown tremendously and the band’s orchestral aspirations are as inspiring as ever. Truly a worthy successor to their previous masterpiece.

#4. Jesu. Conquerer. 5 stars.

Justin Broadrick’s Jesu has cemented its status as one of the greatest industrial projects of the decade. This release is a shining example of musical craftsmanship, with its deliberate beat programming and sludgy guitars that pulsate and reverberate with immersive intensity. Conqueror takes the hypnotic bliss of post-rock a la Sigur Ros and combines it with the heaviness and cathartic energy found in metal acts like Tool and Isis. The result is a landmark album that will surely influence a new generation of artists.

#3. The National. Boxer. 5 stars.

I had never heard of The National prior to hearing Boxer and after I heard it, I immediately got a hold of their entire catalogue. The National possess both intelligence and musical aptitude as they play emotionally engaging numbers that are lyrically reflective and darkly beautiful. Songs like “Fake Empire”, “Squalor Victoria” and “Slow Show” dazzle with stunning lyrical imagery, swooning string arrangements and memorable guitar hooks. An evocative masterpiece.

#2. The Twilgiht Sad. Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters. 5 stars.

The debut album of the year, Fourteen Autumns is packed with drama as the songs build from delicate, almost folk-like serenades into crashing crescendos, evoking feelings of desperation, longing and anxious anticipation. James Graham’s distinctively Scottish bellow resonates with the band’s drawn out guitar haze and martial drumming. The songs here are vivid, earnest and empowering.

#1. Matthew Good. Hospital Music. 5 Stars.

The coveted number one spot goes to Matthew Good’s tumultuous album that explores the deep dark spaces of his afflicted personality and the world at large. Suffering from bi-polarity, Good’s recent personal life has been a perfect storm of illness, broken relationships and a bleak worldview that leaves the socially conscious with the burning globe on their shoulders.

Good’s emotional investment in these 15 tracks is as clear as day, as the songs range from being vindictive, hurt and angry to resigned, distant and defeated. Whether he is singing about the hypocritical political initiatives of the West in “Black Helicopter”, personal heartache on “She’s in it for the money” or lashing out at the general apathy of our materialistic society on “Champions of Nothing”, Good’s lyrics are as poignant as ever.

As far as the music itself, Hospital Music offers a generally stripped down approach on the majority of the tracks, focusing on intimate acoustic performances with the subtle accompaniment of piano, strings and keyboard, drawing the listener closer into Matt’s personal state and challenging them to take a good look at themselves. An honest and uncompromising record, Hospital Music is a work of intense introspection.