As you may remember, about two weeks ago, I provided my early ballot for the best albums of 2007. It was a list comprised mostly of bands that usually fly under the mainstream radar but tend to find their way onto critics’ "Best of" lists by year’s end. I was impressed with the number of responses and with your quality suggestions, which I had either egregiously forgotten or had just plain missed myself.
But there are three months left before the ball drops in Times Sqaure, meaning albums will continue to trickle in that may not find the attention they deserve, even in EW, where we try to be comprehensive. Which brings me to a release this week that got lost in the EW flurry of album advances: Band of Horses’ Cease to Begin. You can listen to the entire CD here on the band’s MySpace page.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this band’s second release since last year’s Everything All the Time finally overplayed itself on my iPod. Some reductive critics oversimplified the band as merely a derivative of reverb-heavy, pre-Z Jim James vocals and high-tensile guitars a la Neil Young & Crazy Horse, but Ben Bridwell’s echo-y Southern vox did manage to make my roadtrips fly by. The band relocated from Seattle to South Carolina for Cease to Begin, yet they apparently left behind the cacophonus banjo that made the elegiac "Monsters" so scary and the addictive bass line that cut so deep through "Swords."
As the Brits say, this album’s a "grower" in the strictest sense, andI’m still mulling over tracks like "Ode to LRC" and "Islands on theCoast." So for the time being, I suggest just skipping to thecountrified anthem "The General Specific" and my anchor track "DetlefSchrempf." (Couldn’t they have at least called it Shawn Kemp, though,or even Gary Payton? Indie kids. Jeez.)
Anyway, PopWatchers, what are your early thoughts on the album? IsBridwell sorely missing guitarist Mat Brooke, who is now with Grand Archives? Or is the album not even worth year-end best-list consideration?
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I love the new Band of Horses CD. There’s no “Great Salt Lake” (my personal favorite) on it, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it in heavy rotation on my mp3 player. That and the new Iron and Wine CD are definitely in my Top 10 for the year.
Though I do love the new Band of Horses CD, I’d have to vote on the National’s Boxer…Saw them live about two three weeks ago and they were even better live!!!
I’ve never heard these guys before, but I like it! Thanks for the introduction…
Missing from the list is “This Is Somewhere” by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. If you missed their performance of “Ah Mary” on Letterman or their song “Apologies” playing over the final scenes of “Men In Trees” Friday night, you must check our their material on iTunes. Best part is they’re even better live.
Sorry, wasn’t Letterman that was Leno.
I am not sure Band of Horses deserves to be on the top ten list for 2007. I personally can’t get past the fact that they DO sound just like My Morning Jacket.
If this were the new MMJ album, then yeah, top ten. But it’s not.
I hate this band so much.
I think its really good, perhaps even better than their last album. The songs are more mellow (which I like), but some of the songwriting can be a bit treacly. The National’s Boxer, though, is the best album of the year.
The National is good, but I personally like Band of Horses better. I’ve seen them both live and Band of Horses was one of the best concerts I’ve been to. My favorite album of the year is Kings of Leon.
Band of Horses is the first band to exceed my expectations this year, especially after (minor) disappointments from The Shins (Wincing the Night Away), The Good the Bad and the Queen, and Joseph Arthur (Let’s Just Be). But I think surprise album of the year has to go to Peter Bjorn and John, and comeback album would be Ben Harper for the amazing CD Lifeline.
I’m going to give best album of the year to Rogue Wave. I can’t stop listening to it.
this album is excellent, just as i epxected it to be. i think my fave of the year might be the cribs
Who?
Haven’t had an opportunity to check out Band Of Horses yet, but here’s my rundown of my favourites so far:
Kate Nash – ‘Made Of Bricks’
A Fine Frenzy – ‘One Cell In The Sea’
Brandi Carlile – ‘The Story’
Feist – ‘The Reminder’
Of Montreal – ‘Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?’
The Fratellis – ‘Costello Music’ (yeah, a 2006 entry, but didn’t get released in USA until this year)
Margaret Berger – ‘Pretty Scary Silver Fairy’
Robyn – ‘Robyn’ (yeah, a 2005 release, but, again, not stateside until 2007)
Siobhan Donaghy – ‘Ghosts’
Spoon – ‘Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’
So, looks like a strong year for female artists. At least from where I’m sitting.
First listen: liked it.
Second listen and beyond: LOVED it. This album sounds like the reverse from “everything all the time.” That was an indie album infused with a little country. This album sounds like the exact inverse and they do both styles well, if you ask me.
Top albums of ‘07 though? Neon Bible and Easy Tiger!
As to not seem totally negative I will say as of now my album of the year is going to be one of the following:
King Khan and the Shrines ‘What Is?!’
Radiohead ‘In Rainbows’
LCD Soundsystem ‘Sound of Silver’
Black Lips ‘Good Bad Not Evil’
Kanye West ‘Graduation’
Definitely not Band of Horses. I did give the new album a listen as I thought “Funeral” was a damn good song, but I think it’s proved mostly to be a fluke.
I haven’t listened to the new Band of Horses yet, but I probably will. But so far, here’s my year’s top 10:
Radiohead- In Rainbows
The Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
The White Stripes- Icky Thump
Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero
Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You My Destroyer?
Kanye West- Graduation
Talib Kweli- Eardrum
Spoon- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Interpol- Our Love to Admire
The Shins- Wincing the Night Away
Top 10: The National, St. Vincent, Okkervil River, Arcade Fire, New Pornographers, Joan as Policewoman, Feist, Spoon, Regina Spektor, Peter Bjorn & John.
This is a great album, but it’s a grower. There’s nothing as immediately catchy as “The Funeral” or “Our Swords,” but there are still a ton of great songs. Early favorite is “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands” and “Ode to LRC.” Great sophomore record!
At the end of the year, I’m hoping critics give some love to “New Wave” by Against Me! That album made 2007 for me.
Didn’t really dig Band of Horses first album, but I’ll check out this upcoming one before I pass judgement. Best album of the year? Panda Bear’s Person Pitch wins hands down.
I know you don’t need anymore suggestions for best albums, but Bjork’s “Volta” is amazing. Listen to it now. It’s definitely a “grower,” but it’s powerful in a way that not a lot of new albums can achieve.
Roisin Murphy, Overpowered. It is the disc Madonna’s Confessions wanted to be.
So far the Band of Horses CD sounds pretty good. I have heard several of their songs on internet radio (thank you WOXY). I would have to listen to it more to say whether I really like the album as a whole, but I am skeptical that I would put it on my “best album” list.
My list so far is:
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Tegan and Sara, The Con
LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver (awesome seeing them live with Arcade Fire, btw)
Iron and Wine, The Shepherd’s Dog
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
NIN, Year Zero
Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank
Bjork, Volta
VHS or Beta, Burn It All Down
Not only does RELIENT K get my vote for album of the year, but also for song of the year with “Deathbed.” Great, great stuff…
Here’s mine:
1. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
2. In Rainbows by Radiohead
3. Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
4. It Won’t Be Long Before by Maroon 5
5. Easy Tiger by Ryan Adams
6. Graduation by Kanye West
7. Casadaga by Bright Eyes
8. Magic by Bruce Springsteen
9. Costello Music by the Fratellis
10. Shepard’s Dog by Iron and Wine
Here’s mine:
1. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
2. In Rainbows by Radiohead
3. Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
4. It Won’t Be Long Before by Maroon 5
5. Easy Tiger by Ryan Adams
6. Graduation by Kanye West
7. Casadaga by Bright Eyes
8. Magic by Bruce Springsteen
9. Costello Music by the Fratellis
10. Shepard’s Dog by Iron and Wine
Oh, and how could I forget “The Boxer” by the National
Icky Thump is different from all the others. Much more interesting.
The White Stripes’s album is my favorite by far..
Icky Thump is different from all the others. Much more interesting.
The White Stripes’s album is my favorite by far..