LPs of 2007

Mark’s Lp’s of 2007

(As made famous in Stef’s Best Man speech!)

Gig of the year: Bright Eyes at Oxford Brookes, Conor Oberst (for he is Bright Eyes) entered stage right with all the conviction of Johnny Cash in his youth and proceeded to rip the student union apart with songs both old and new. 

Daft Punk at Hyde Park is totally unfair to compare with anyone else.  Arcade Fire at London’s 500 capacity Porchester Hall the week before the lp came out was an experience everyone in attendance will cherish forever.  The communal version of Wake Up in the middle of the crowd was like the best campfire camaraderie imaginable.  Reading Festival highlights included: Bloc Party, Jimmy Eat World, UNKLE, Smashing Pumpkins, The Shins and Hadouken! (they split the crowd in half and made one side do robotics whilst the other breakdanced and then did the worm down the middle!).  Beastie Boys KO’d Brixton with a greatest hits set.  Klaxons, CSS & Sunshine Underground inspired the most stunning day glow jump around, with the youngest most passionate crowd ever seen.  Finally Prince proved to most of London just why he is one of the greatest performers’ ever.

Single of the year: LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends.  A minimal start transcends into a thrilling climax with unifying qualities New Order would be proud of.  This will blow the floor off discos for years to come.

1.             Bloc Party – A Weekend in the City.  The only band with balls enough to really tackle the problems facing Britain today.  A lad at one of my youth clubs in London came up to me and said he like Bloc Party because they were the only ones who have mentioned the London bombings, and he normally listens to R ‘n B!  Not only that, Kele spoke about how difficult it is coming out as black, gay man into a white rock scene.  In ‘The Prayer’ they have written an anthem which has unified this generation of indie kids in a way which hasn’t been achieved since Common People some twelve years previous.  The fact that musically this is how I have always wanted Bloc Party to sound, means that this is hands down the lp of the year. 

2.            Bright Eyes – Cassadaga.  The feelgood lp of the year and the one which Conor stepped back from being ‘the new Bob Dylan’ and wrote his most accessible lp yet.  Joyous and contemplative in equal measures ‘If the brakeman turns my way’ is my pick if you were giving me a Chinese burn to try and choose just one tune!

3.            Band of Horses – Cease to Begin.  Sophomore lp from these Americans on Sub Pop and the one that has made me whoop around the flat regularly since it entered the CD player.  Like a happier, upbeat My Morning Jacket, stoner prog rock never sounded this good.

4.            LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver.  This is truly an lp rather than a collection of songs, the minimal beats of Get Innocuous! expand into the best titled tune ever: North American Scum. Then the lp continues to explode from one surprise to another before concluding with New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down; an almost Sinatra esque croon which is unexpectedly the most fitting ending to this near perfect lp.

5.            Justice - †.  The first act to expand on the blueprint of the mighty Daft Punk’s Homework.  Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay incorporate soft rock and classical influences to classic French house beats to create a modern masterpiece.  On top of the music Justice have created an image and art style that complete the package perfectly.  I believe this is called a Banger!!

6.            Arcade Fire – Neon Bible.  Better than funeral?  Not as raw certainly, but still packed with the kind of emotion only Arcade Fire can achieve.  Using their new found wealth to re-record No Cars Go proved a highlight, I even loved Black Wave / Bad Vibrations despite Regine’s often knocked tones.  My Body is a Cage ended the lp with Nnia Simone like emotion which has resulted in a heart stopping live favourite.  I’m going to whisper this but I think some of the tunes are just a little too shiny and polished.

7.            Daft Punk – Alive 2007.  More a document of history that an lp.  The performance from Bercy, Paris in June of this year is the best way possible to remember the greatest live show in the world…..ever.

8.            The Kissaway Trail – The Kissaway Trail.  Singalong anthemic indie at its best.  A teenage, Norwegian, Flaming Lips meets all of Polyphonic Spree in an alley and the offspring is one to cherish!

9.            Edwyn Collins – Hone Again.  As an achievement this is the greatest lp ever.  In February 2005, Edwyn was admitted to hospital after collapsing at home. He was later diagnosed with having suffered two cerebral haemorrhages and underwent a precarious neurological operation.  His recovery has been slow and he still hasn’t recovered movement in one arm.  Anyone who saw the interview with him on Channel 4 news in September this year will have wept with the rest of the viewers.  The poignant sentiment of "One Is A Lonely Number" makes for a perfect opener, its soundtrack a wonderfully eclectic fusion of dub bass and hillbilly banjo.  The lp is a beautiful voyage of self-discovery and Edwyn attempting to re-trace his roots. A real triumph.

10.         The Shins – Wincing the Night Away.  This band are untouchable and have managed to follow up Chutes to Narrow with an lp of equal brilliance.  If you have yet to discover this band you really are missing out.

11.          Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future

12.         White Stripes – Icky Thump

13.         Gruff Rhys – Candylion

14.         Maximo Park – Our Earthly Pleasures

15.         Radiohead – In Rainbows

16.         Black Moth Super Rainbow – Dandelion Gum

17.         Cherry Ghost – Thirsty for Romance

18.         Edgar “Jones” Jones – Getting a little help….from “the Joneses”

19.         Devandra Banhart – Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

20.        Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!

Bubbling under this year: Babyshambles – Shotters Nation (see bottom of page!), Holy Fuck – LP, Caribou – Andorra, Alela Diane – The Pirates Gospel, Queens of the Stone Age – Era Vulgaris, Beirut – The Flying Club Cup, , Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare, Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger, The Aliens – Astronomy for Dogs, You Say Party! We Say Die! – Lose All Time, Unkle – War Stories

2008?          British Sea Power a close runner up in single of the year with their new tune Atom, if this is any indication of the new lp then we’re in for a treat.  It will be no surprise to anyone if both Late of the Pier and Los Campesinos! build on this years success for their much anticipated debut lps.  And go and check out the myspaces of these four now: Black Kids, MGMT, Beggars and Clarky Cat.

‘I never ever said it was clever, I just like getting leathered’ (Peter Doherty, 2007)