Something In Construction label boss David Laurie was one of the first guys to take a bit of a punt on us, giving us helpful suggestions and getting involved in mailing his band of fellow label geniuses for our Class of 2007. Of course, he had to come up with his best records of the year too…
LCD Soundsytem – Sound Of Silver
I loved Losing My Edge but my phobia of overly fashionable things among other factors led me to dismiss thier first album as “mainly twaddle”. But this….this is effortless, slinky, poignant, bouncy disco music for boys like New Order used to do and comes at ya like a proper album and every single song is great and it’s great in the car and on the phones and the artwork is amazing and “somewhat” missing its own Fac number(s).
mp3> LCD Soundsystem: Get Innocuous
Radiohead – In Rainbows
While I still pine for the Radiohead that carried everyone off to the moon in a burning crystal chariot, these intimate, heartfelt and spiteful wee songs are just irresistable and quite quite beautiful nonathemic gems.
mp3:> Radiohead: 15 Step
El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
A tour-de-force kick up the slightly-flaccid-these-days arse of alt hip hop. Mebbe less dense than previously but hella dark and vicious, tuneful as hell and, if not exactly whistleable, then more accessible than ever. Way to go, El Producto!
mp3:> El-P: Everything Must Go
Les Savy Fav – Let’s Stay Friends
Well. Another older, rotunder gentlemen makes my ten. I had always overlooked LSF, thinking them overly wacky chaotic hipster fodder. And mebbe they were. But my oh my this is something that makes me wanna jump out of the window. In a good way. As Flaming lips is to Neil Young, so now LSF is to The Lips. Unhinged but not out of control by any means. Godspell meets Husker Du. Exactly half way mind. It is a lot of fun, it might well be profound but I doubt it, and rocks fucking hard.
mp3:> Les Savy Fav: Pots and Pans
Bjork – Volta
I had not even bothered with Bjork’s last few albums but after picking my jaw from the mud at Glasto this year after her stellar performance I bough this on the way home and am still playing it and finding more aural diamonds in there.
mp3:> Bjork: Declare Independance
Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!
Like an old girlfriend you are still totally in love with and definitely still would, SFA are national treasures who really should start a sideline: a discarded musical ideas website that lesser bands would queue up to access. Their best since Guerilla (yes it is) and a complete and utter joy.
mp3:> Super Furry Animals: Run Away
PJ Harvey – White Chalk
Is this her Boatman’s Call? Probably but what of it…? After the oddly quarter arsed Uh Huh Her, this was music to me ears. Amazing what you can do with little more than a voice and piano. If you are good enough. Full of spinetingling moments and heart rending songs.
mp3:> PJ Harvey: Dear Darkness
Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbals
Neat trick here. every review has referenced acts and genres I hate, from Talking Heads to Paul bloody Simon and yet it is a brilliant and beguiling album from top to tail, with songs that sound suspiciously like they were born of a bong’n'bongo session, yet reveal themselves to be damned smart and refreshing tunes that burrrow straight into both your feet and head.
mp3:> Yeasayer: Sunrise
The White Stripes – Icky Thump
Gig of the year at Hyde Park from a band I always found to be a bit scrappy and even downright rubbish live before. This is a record that is smartly dumb and brilliantly old fashioned, forward thinking rock music with brains and balls. A classic album.
mp3:> The White Stripes: Rag and Bone
Robert Wyatt – Comicopera
Gosh. It takes about 10 seconds to know that this is a record that is not going to suck you in. It is too gentlemanly for that. Plus it probably knows you are already stripping off, preparing to dive in and luxuriate in its balm. As Marxist pensioners go, this beautiful, open song-writing could teach, well, everyone a thing or two about simplicity. This record is 6 o clock on a summer’s afternoon, the wine from lunchtime has nearly worn off and it’s time to pack up the picnic and make your way back home. But you don’t want to, do you?
mp3> Robert Wyatt: Just As You Are
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Read more Class of 2007 lists and download our 2007 Playlist here.
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