In and Out: Loose's Best and Worst of 2007!

A few weeks ago, we put out the call to our staff of writers and photographers to weigh in with their picks for the “best” and “worst” in music in 2007. Back in those more innocent days, it seemed like compiling everyone’s votes into a neat little list would be a fairly straightforward task - you’ve got your Neon Bible’s and your In Rainbows, your Kala’s and your Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’s…

What we didn’t count on (but realize now that we should have) was the diverse and distinctive taste of our staff. Sorting through our various lists, it became clear that there was very little overlap among each contributors’ list. A cumulative top 10 of our favorite albums and songs began to seem out of the question.

Though it would have been nice to tally up a number of votes for the same elite batch of 2007 releases, it is quite a testament to our tastemaking staff to find that we have each cast our votes for a number of very different artists. But hey, if we all liked the same bands, I’d start to get the feeling that Big Brother was pulling some strings around here.

Nope, we can’t agree on much. Amy Winehouse, M.I. A., Conor Oberst, Okkervil River, Klaxons, Spoon, Modest Mouse, YACHT, (and yes, the infamous Liam and Me) all caused a rift between our voters, with some haters and some congratulators naming each in a variety of categories. Luckily, it seems we can agree that Rilo Kiley put out a pretty crappy album this year, and all of us could definitely live without hearing that Soulja Boy song ever again.

As far as songs we do love, The National are tied with Arcade Fire for best song, though the jury is spilt between “Fake Empire” vs. “Mistaken For Strangers” and “Intervention” vs. “Keep the Car Running”. We’ll call it even. Coming in second with an equal number of mentions are LCD Soundsystem, Calvin Harris, Blonde Redhead and No Age.


Shockingly enough, when it comes to album of the year, a clear winner has emerged. We are a Boxer bunch, with the National’s album the most frequently cited album listed on our writers’ top three lists. Coming in second with an equal number of mentions, were Radiohead’s In Rainbows and LCD Soundsystem (with votes for both Sound of Silver and 45:33). Rounding out our favorites with a respectable 2 nods each are Explosions in the Sky, The Shout Out Louds, Arcade Fire, Beirut, and Jens Lekman.

In terms of live shows, is it any surprise that Arcade Fire and Daft Punk received the most votes? Grizzly Bear, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons, The White Stripes, and Sigur Ros received tied votes for second place.

As for our new favorite “animal” band category, Panda Bear edged out a victory over lupine runner-ups Le Loup and AIDS Wolf. Pelican, Bowerbirds, Super Furry Animals, Gorillaz and Bat for Lashes (get it?) rounded out our picks.

Our (mostly) NYC based staff has selected the reliable Bowery Ballroom as favorite live music venue, with six mentions in our poll. Coming in second with 3 votes is the Mercury Lounge. Least favorite? There’s no dispute that we don’t dig Webster Hall. Terminal 5 and Studio B have us split – with each getting some votes for best and for worst.

Let’s get down to our rock star crushes. We have a lot of them. Luckily, it looks like we won’t have to fight over ‘em, as the Loose crew seems to have very different taste in women and men. So hey, give us a call: Jens Lekman, Sufjan Stevens, Jona Bechtolt (YACHT), Stephen Malkmus circa 1999 (gonna need a time machine for that one), Conor Oberst, Zach Condon, Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Matt Berninger (The National), Hayley Williams (Paramore), Britt Daniel and Nick Zinner. The “cellist from Ra Ra Riot”, and “the female singer from the Jealous Girlfriends” (shouldn’t you at least look up the name of your rock star crushes?) were also named, and proving that we’re equal opportunity daters, apparently we’ll take any member of Datarock, the Coathangers, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. But seriously, call us. (Except for maybe Stephen Malkmus circa 1999, because that would be eerie.)

Below, please find our writers’ and photographers’ individual lists, complete with lots of saucy commentary. Battle it out in the comments section folks.


Chuck Bell

Top 3 Albums:
1. The Fall of Troy - Manipulator - Tumbling through about 6 or 7 genres per song, the Fall of Troy have created a sound that is both brutal and poppy. Relentlessly complex guitar riffs, unfathomable time signatures, and borderline maniacal vocals make this my favorite album of 2007.
2. Explosions in the Sky – All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone - EITS have yet to release an album that is not beautiful and emotionally satisfying. This one is no exception.
3. Minus the Bear – Planet of Ice- The Seattle math-rock quintet leaps miles beyond their indie contemporaries, developing their style, but somehow not their fan base.

Least Favorite Albums:
1. Soulja Boy – Souljaboytellem.com - Just in case you needed further proof that kids love retarded shit.
2. Liam and Me – There’s a Difference
Q: What’s the hardest part about being a Liam and Me fan?
A: Telling your parents that you’re gay.
3. Fall Out Boy – Infinity on High - R&Bemo? Shameful.

Top 3 Songs:
1. The National – “Fake Empire” - In perhaps one of the greatest opening tracks of the decade, the National evolve a minimalist piano line into an elaborate fanfare.
2. Jimmy Eat World – “Big Casino” - JEW delivers an arena-rock anthem that reminds fans why they still admit to liking them.
3. One Republic feat. Timbaland – “Apologize” - Timbaland manages to out-Coldplay Kanye.

Least Favorite Songs:
1. Shop Boyz – “Party Like a Rockstar” - As a white male, I’m offended. T-t-t-totally dude.
2. Amy Winehouse – “Rehab” - An overplayed, over-hyped song that’s every bit as wretched as she looks.
3. Will.i.am – “I Got It From My Mama” - It’s hard to believe the Black Eyed Peas were ever a legit hip-hop group.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The Dillinger Escape Plan @ Gramercy Theater - Fire-breathing, guitar-smashing, stage-leaping mayhem at its finest.
2. Explosions in the Sky @ Webster Hall - Even in front of a sold-out crowd at a major venue, EITS is able to devastate.
3. Coheed and Cambria @ Roseland Ballroom - Old-fashioned rock and roll theatrics, complete with stage props and backup singers.

Least Favorite Shows:
1. The Rentals @ Nokia Theater - This is the worst show I have ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen Good Charlotte open for New Found Glory. Don’t ask why.
2. The GoStation with Liam and Me @ Sin-e - Back-to-back sets by the two most boring bands on the scene.
3. Okkervil River @ Webster Hall - Thank God I was not reviewing this show. I left after 20 minutes.

Best Concert Venue:
The Mercury Lounge - They don’t always have the best bands playing, but if the smaller bands you love happen to play there, it’s bound to be electric.

Worst Concert Venue:
Terminal 5 - A poorly designed venue where it is far too difficult to get a drink or a decent spot to stand.

Favorite “animal” Band:
AIDS Wolf

Rock Star Crush:
Hayley Williams from Paramore - So cute and innocent, she makes Avril Lavigne look like a contestant on A Shot of Love with Tila Tequila.

Musician/Band I Love to Hate:
Conor Oberst / Bright Eyes - The definition of pretentious.

Abbey Braden

Top 3 Albums:
1. LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver
2. M.I.A.- Kala
3a. Muscles- Guns, Babes and Lemonade
3b. Simian Mobile Disco- Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release

…and I have just stopped caring about the Arcade Fire because everyone else does.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Justice - “D.A.N.C.E.”
2. The Cribs - “Men's Needs”
3. Datarock - “Fa Fa Fa”

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. LCD Soundsystem @ Bowery Ballroom
2. Daft Punk @ Coney Island
3. Grizzly Bear's Wordless Music Series @ the Society for Ethical Culture
... and any Tigercity gig.

Least Favorite Show:
The Dirty Projectors opening for Jarvis Cocker @ Webster Hall

Best Concert Venue:
Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge are home. Studio B, apart from the suffocating clusterf*ck that was the Klaxons' second show, is high on the list for photo reasons, and Terminal 5 (despite the hike required to reach it) is climbing the list.

Worst Concert Venue:
Webster is just a foggy firetrap.

Favorite "animal" Band:
Panda Bear! Because The Ponies shouldn't take the crown 2 years in a row.

Rock Star Crush:
Um, all of Datarock.

Musician/band I Love to Hate:
Yeah I don't need an indie lightning bolt to strike me when i step out the door

Looking forward to in 2008:
Walter Meego, Midnight Juggernauts, Hot Chip, and Crystal Castles

AND:

We are Wolves, if placed in a dark alley with Wolfmother, Wolf Parade, Sea Wolf, and Aids Wolf... would come out on top. With or without their skulls!

Jason Dean

Top 3 Albums:
1. Love of Diagrams - Mosaic
2. Explosions In The Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone...
3. Bowerbirds - Hymns For a Dark Horse

Least Favorite Albums:
1. Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future- I don't get it, they sound like when the Red Hot Chili Peppers went shitty.
2. The National - Boxer - I tried and tried, I just don't get it.
3. Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank - They are dead to me.
4. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - It's good, but not nearly as great as Kill The Moonlight. An average transition album.

Top 3 Songs:
(According to my itunes):
1. Love of Diagrams – “Form and Function”
2. Explosions in the Sky – “The Birth and Death of the Day”
3. Arcade Fire - “Intervention” - Epic hair-raising greatness every time I hear it. I want to be over it, but I'm not, that goes for the album. They did it again.

Least Favorite Songs:
1. Liars – “Houseclouds” - I've got news for you liars... we liked you because you didn't sound like shitty dance music.
2. Any Amy Winehouse - Awful, I really can't think of anything worse, as a person or musically period.
3. Film School – “Florida” – A perfect example of what isn't working from this previously promising band. Overproduction will kill everything.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The Fucking Champs @ Studio B - They don't talk, it is pure complex distorted metal guitar and drums for an hour. This is what aliens will be listening to after our civilization is long gone.
2. Lightning Bolt @ Northsix - So glad I got to witness this band live.
3. Matt and Kim @ Sirenfest at Coney Island - They won over a huge free show crowd instantly, and rocked them to the point of crowd surfing. Best thing there.

Least Favorite Shows:
1. Architecture in Helsinki - Doesn't translate live, weird energy, the crowd is no fun surprisingly. Feels to put together and sponsored, too scene-y.
2. The New York Dolls @ Sirenfest - I know why they are historically significant, I'm not even going to try to understand why they sucked balls- has it been too long? Who knows, who cares. Sucky Suck, I could tell from the cyclone, which was so much more fun.

Best Concert Venue:
McCarren Pool Death by Audio Coney Island

Worst Concert Venue:
Studio B - Obnoxious fucking DJ's. Is this the fucking Limelight? Get those stupid lights out of my eyes and get off the mic, I'm not staying for whatever ridiculous dance party mess you have planned later.
Irving Plaza
Whitney Museum

Favorite "animal" Band: Pelican

Rock Star Crush:
The Coathangers - the kind of band you want to go back in time and start yourself, but take having fun seriously, and be talented, making something out of nothing.

Musician/Band I Love to Hate:
Amy Winehouse Adam Green

Edwina Hay

Top 3 Albums:
1. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
2. Future of the Left - Curses
3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Top 3 Songs:
1. M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
2. Bangers & Cash- “Loose”
3. Dizzee Rascal – “Sirens”

Least Favorite Songs:
1. Soulja Boy- “Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)” - Please don't make me explain. Let's just leave it as: it is sexist and the Macarena of 2007.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The White Stripes @ Irving Plaza
2. LCD Soundsystem @ Bowery Ballroom
3. !!! @ Studio B

Least Favorite Show:
Lady Sovereign @ Studio B. Went on extremely late and left the stage after two songs, in tears.

Best Concert Venue:
Bowery Ballroom

Worst Concert Venue:
Randall's Island

Favorite "animal" Band:
Gorillaz

Rock Star Crush:
Tie: PJ Harvey (female) and James Murphy (male)

Top 3 albums of 2007 that I bought on vinyl:
1. Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
2. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
3. Double Dagger - Ragged Rubble

Alena Kastin

Top 3 Albums:
1. The National - Boxer
2. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Least Favorite Album:
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - I love this band, but never felt like listening to this album. Boring.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Panda Bear -"Bros"
2. Beirut- “Elephant Gun"
3. Jens Lekman -"A Postcard to Nina"

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The Blow @ Fordham University - 3/3/07 – I went all the way to the Bronx for this. Khaela Maricich countered poor sightlines by having us assemble around her in height order, then she danced on a chair to Jona Bechtolt’s insane beats. Sweaty and so much fun.
2. Valgeir Sigurdsson, Sandro Perri and Nico Muhly – Wordless Music concert series @ Good Shepard Faith Church - 10/5/07 – It would have been a dreamy night of lush, emotive music even if Will Oldham and Sigur Ros hadn’t made special appearances. They did though, and the night was almost surreal.
3. Jens Lekman @ Webster Hall and MHOW - 10/27 and 10/28 – The cutest man alive? At MHOW, a woman yelled out, "I want to have your baby!!" and Jens looked up at her very sincerely and replied, "I'm not ready yet."

Least Favorite Show:
The Pipettes @ Bowery Ballroom 3/13/07 – Their music convinced me that they would be an ironic, DIY group of sassy girls that I would have idolized in high school. Instead, their coordinated costumes and polished dance moves made me feel like I was watching the indie Spice Girls.

Favorite "animal" Band:
Panda Bear

Rock Star Crush:
Too many: Jona Bechtolt (YACHT), Jens Lekman, and Sufjan Stevens.

Musician/Band I Love to Hate: Klaxons

Best Concert Venue:
I love the Bowery Ballroom, and MHOW is growing on me.

Worst Concert Venue: Webster Hall

Undecided: Terminal 5. I was hard on you at first, but I’ll give you one more shot. ONE MORE.

RIP - The Hook – you were so close to my house.

Mina K

Top 3 Albums:
1. Blonde Redhead - 23 - If you doubt the lush flavors this seasoned
trio has perfected in the album 23, you should make an appointment with your ear doctor and get a clue injection.
2. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped - The dirty rockers finally indulged
long-time fans with a return to form!
3. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Least Favorite Album:
Rilo Kiley - Put Me On A Ship And Sink It (aka Under The Blacklight) - Jenny Lewis is getting a little old to have yet to find her true voice.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Blonde Redhead - "The Dress" tied with "Silently"
2. Calvin Harris - "Merrymaking At My Place" - This track jump-started my day for a month straight, so I have to give it props.
3. DNTL feat. Conor Oberst - "Breakfast In Bed"

Least Favorite Song:
(Anything by) Mika: "Lollipop"

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. 77 Boadrum @ Brooklyn Bridge Park - The Boredoms' outdoor 77-drummer
spiral - This once-in-a-lifetime show felt like the best sober drug
trip ever, for those lucky enough to gain entrance to the park.
2. OOIOO @ Knitting Factory - I wish Yoshimi would induct me into her
skilled animal cult- I mean band.
3. Apes & Androids @ Studio B

Least Favorite Show:
Vietnam @ Irving Plaza - I think I grew a beard as long as theirs at this show.

Best Concert Venue:
Studio B

Worst Concert Venue:
Silent Barn in the summer (heat stroke, anyone?)

Favorite "animal" band:
Le Loup

Rock star crush:
Stephen Malkmus circa 1999

Musician/band I love to hate:
Liam & Me - Because no matter how much mud I fling at them, Geoff licks them clean.

Asher Lack

Top 3 Albums:
1. Meho Plaza – Meho Plaza - These guys are on our label and the album won’t be out in stores until spring but I’ve been listening to it non stop since we toured with them last summer. They sound like robots on acid and if they lived in Brooklyn instead of LA they would be the hippest people in the universe.
2. Basia Bulat - Oh My Darling - She did her album in the same studio where we recorded ours with Howard Bilerman. The arrangements and her voice are so delicate. It reminds me of wind in the grass and warm summer sunlight.
3. Brendan Reed / Noh Cars Go – Demos (self released) - He used to drum in an amazing Montreal band called Les Angles Morts. His demos are these crazy out there disjointed collages but they have so many brilliant ideas crammed into each one that they are very inspiring.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Young Joc – “It’s Goin’ Down”
2. Amy Winehouse – “Rehab”
3. Sean Kingston – “Beautiful Girls”

Best Concert Venue:
The Bowery Ballroom is still the place that holds a real special spot in my heart.

Top Live Show:
I stumbled into The Walkmen playing at The Mercury Lounge during CMJ and was pretty blown away by what a presence their singer had onstage. Afterward we met the band and I was double impressed by what down to earth guys they all were and that they moved their own gear (including a piano!).

Least Favorite Live Show:
I saw Peter Bjorn and John at Webster Hall and had to leave before their third encore. I was exhausted by how much they played. If you’re going to do more than three albums worth of material in a single show, you should have the courtesy to hand out drugs to the audience to keep it interesting.

Musicians I Hate To Love:
Right now I am trying not to regret anything that I’m listening to. I’m sure this will be like when I decide to eat vegetarian or exercise every morning (i.e. completely futile) so check back in a few weeks.

Musician/Band I Love To Hate:
All these bands citing Bruce Springsteen as a touchstone are starting to get to me a bit with their lack of humor. I’m not saying you need to be Weird Al Yankovich but is it too much to ask for a band to smile in at least one press photo? You get paid to entertain people for God’s sake; it’s not that serious.

Anna Loosli

Top 3 Albums:
1. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
2. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
3. Leviethan - Monuments in Memory of Nothing So Far

Top 3 songs:
1. Les Savy Fav – “Scotchguard the Credit Card
2. You Say Party! We Say Die! - “Moon”
3. Modest Mouse – “Parting of the Sensory”

Favorite Live Show:
Cheeseburger/Les Savy Fav @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

John Melillo

Top 3 Albums:
1. No Age - Weirdo Rippers - The first album from this noise/punk/art duo. Lo-fi techniques that happen to create a symphonic feedback swirl. Technically not a "new" album this is the collection of songs that they have previously released only on vinyl EP. Now they are a bit easier to track down, and the songs are just as insanely good.
2. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy - He's still got it! Way better than his other solo venture. On some songs: an amazing turn to the acoustic guitar without becoming a folk revivalist or Neil Young. On others (in particular "Wonderful Witches"): pure rock bliss.
3a. The National - Boxer - This is the indie album that everyone knows, sings, quotes on their Facebook page...but who can resist when it's so well crafted.
3b. Radiohead - In Rainbows - It's too bad that the Internet release created such a stir because people don't talk about the songs enough: and they are different, sad, beautiful...

Least Favorite Album:
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist - BLECH.

Top 3 songs:
1. The National "Fake Empire" - It's devastating.
2. No Age "Dead Plane" - how do you 1.) Create some of the lushest soundscapes out there with the rock n' roll equivalent of a pencil and piece of scrapbook paper and 2.) rock the hell out of everyone... all in the same song? Makes me want to jump up and around and yell.
3. Radiohead "Videotape" - When I'm at the pearly gates, this will be on my videotape.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. Sonic Youth in Marfa Texas for the Chinati Open House Weekend - Sonic Youth for free in a cement and metal shack on the edge of a town with a population of maybe perhaps 1000...it's going to be hard to top that. Ever. Words: surreal, perfect, psychotic, frenzy, passion, ecstatic. Worth traveling more than half way across the country for.
2. Grizzly Bear @ Society for Ethical Culture (Wordless Music Series) - Simple: just one of the best sounding live experiences ever.
3a. Japanther @ P.S. 122, "3D Dinosaur Death Dance": Multimedia extravaganza! Dancing! Video Art! Live Music! Crazy band with telephones for microphones! Lizard brain dance immersion: you couldn't help but move and laugh and think about things like dinosaurs and love and the state of the world we're in.
3b. The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular - Multimedia extravaganza! Dancing! Video Art! Live Music! Crazy organ dudes who literally have diamonds on the soles of their shoes! Lizard brain crowd immersion: you couldn't help but disappear in a cloud of insane--no, seriously, like out of your wits literally insane-- uncontrollable--glee (until the non-pagan stuff comes on at the very end and then you're bored).

Xtina

Top 3 Albums:
1. Okkervil River - The Stage Names - It's just a life story, but it’s fucking good.
2. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup - Zach Condon (see rockstar crush) came to the rescue at just the right time to turn my music frown upside down. This album is beautiful.
3. The National - Boxer - I thought this one was a little boring at first. I even played the hater card. But then I let it sing me to sleep for a few months straight. Now I'm a lover.

Least Favorite Album:
Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight - Throw this away.

Top 3 Songs:
1. LCD Soundsystem – “All my Friends” - Obviously.
2. Arcade Fire – “Keep the Car Running” - I didn't put this as one of my top albums, but it came close.
3. Shout Out Louds – “Normandie” - I dig songs that make me want to go on vacation.

Least Favorite Song:
Bright Eyes – “Make a Plan to Love Me” - Ew.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. White Stripes @ Irving Plaza - 2hrs of Jack and Meg, a perfect set list, and I'll always have a place for Irving Plaza in my heart, even though it sold its soul to the devil a few years back.
2. Bright Eyes @ Town Hall - I went three out of the five times. They were all good, but for some reason the Wednesday show was incredible. I heart Conor.
3. Arcade Fire @ Radio City - I know the United Palace show was better, but I wasn't there.
4. Daft Punk @ Keyspan - I didn't go to this but I put it on my list anyway. That's how good it was.

Favorite New “animal” Band:
Bowerbirds - I had to check first to see if this was a real animal. It is.

Rock Star Crush:
It’s a tie between Conor and Condon.

Musician/Band I Love to Hate:
YACHT - I will never get it.

Favorite Concert Venue:
Bowery - Hands down.

Worst Concert Venue:
Luna Lounge - You made so many bands sound terrible. Fix that.

Geoff Nelson

Top 3 Albums:
1. The National - Boxer
2. The Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
3. The Winter Kids - Memoirs

Top 3 Songs:
1. The National – “Mistaken For Strangers"
2. Winter Kids "Your Eyes Are Like Mine"
3. LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum"

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. Arcade Fire and The National at United Palace Theater (5.08.07)
2. Manchester Orchestra at The Knitting Factory (8.16.07)
3. Dead Confederate at The Mercury Lounge (11.28.07)

Best Concert Venue:
Mercury Lounge. Undefeated, untied and still the champ.

Worst Concert Venue:
The Annex. Darker than a place around the corner called "Dark Room" and leads to all sorts of awkward conversations that begin with, "I don't know if she was cute. I was drunk and it was so dark ...."

Favorite “Animal Band”:
AIDS Wolf - In a landslide.

Rock Star Crush:
The cellist from Ra Ra Riot. In a tie with the female singer from The Jealous Girlfriends. Only difference is Ra Ra Riot are a great live band and The Jealous Girlfriends clear out venues like a case of SARS.

Musician/Band I Love To Hate
Everyone except The Mess Hall. Come back to America, you Aussie fucks. You're the best live rock band on earth right now.

Sean O’Kane

Top 3 Albums:
1. Interpol - Our Love to Admire - The default winner? Some say it's less adventurous than the previous albums, I just think it's way better.
2. Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child - Ok so the album actually got released in Fall of '06, but it got a Major Label pressing/release this year, so that counts right? I'll let that limit it from being number one, because it easily would be. This album has not stopped rotation on my iPod, laptop, or radio show for months now.
3. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - This wouldn't have even been on my list any more than 3 or 4 weeks ago, but I finally gave it a good, even chance.

Least Favorite Albums (or albums that disappointed the most):
1. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light - No, it's not because it doesn't sound like they're older stuff. No, it's not because I'm not used to their 'new sound.' It's because when isolated as its own album and then compared to other music being made by my favorite bands, this one doesn't even begin to stack up. It's too easy, from the melodies to the lyrics.
2. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Although I can't quite call this one a disappointment; making albums that are just pretty decent is what the Foo Fighters MO has turned into. But it gets the spot because for the 2nd album in a row they have put out an ear-splittingly powerful single and not backed it up with the rest of the album. Something is to be said when the 2nd best song on the album behind the single is an acoustic jam featuring guest artist Khaki King.
3. Straylight Run - The Needles, The Space - Honestly this is a good album, but it falters as much as it succeeds. The first half is great, then it unexpectedly dies, and just when it's coming back again the album is over.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Kanye West – “Stronger” - I don't think I've repeated lyrics more in my life.
2. Arcade Fire – “Intervention” - Rock Ballad to the Nth degree
3. Interpol – “No I in Threesome” - So good, and an amazing second song on the album.

Best Live Shows:
1. Brand New feat. Kevin Devine & Manchester Orchestra @ Irving Plaza, 4/22/07. Nothing says party like 3 different bands that all make cameo appearances during the other sets they're not playing. Every member of this tour was having a BLAST and it showed, resulting in a 10 minute absolute destruction of the stage during Brand New's "Welcome to Bangkok."
2. The Rocket Summer, @ Pick a show, any show. Probably the only way he (or is it them) isn't number 1 on this list is that there were not many headlining dates. Warped Tour was great, so was the Crazy Donkey on LI. But the show at the Knitting Factory in May was sweaty, colorful, and full of Bryce Avary's enthusiasm, which is what makes him by far the best performer on the road today.
3a. Drug Rug @ Bowery Ballroom's Friday CMJ Showcase, 10/19/07. Even with the CMJ-shortened set of around 30 minutes, this was one of the most mind-blowing performances of the whole year. Energy x 100, these guys (and gal) had at that point only been touring as a band for 2 weeks, something that did not show at all during their set. Raw, bluesy, ballsy, and every other -sy you can think of.
3b. As Tall As Lions @ Highline Ballroom, 7/20/07. Beautiful lighting + Dan Nigro's incredible one-of-a-kind voice = a show that should be ranked higher but gets squeezed out by competition. Plus this show is possibly going to DVD, so it can be recaptured.

Worst Live Shows:
1. The Pierces @ Highline Ballroom, 7/20/07. Maybe it was the fact that this band centers around 2 frontwomen who dance in synch. Or maybe it was that they all looked over the hill. But it was probably because they were squeezed between stellar openers The Snake, The Cross, The Crown, and not-afraid-to-blow-you-away headliner As Tall As Lions.

Best Concert Venue:
Bowery Ballroom - Maybe it's because I spent a good 5% of my year there, and at some points practically slept there. There were so many good shows there this year it's impossible to really pick anywhere else.

Worst Concert Venue:
The Delancey? It's hard to find a really atrocious venue, but the Delancey is just cramped, packed, hot, and poorly lit, all of which could actually make for a good venue with different circumstances.

Favorite "Animal" Band:
Panda Bear. There are a bunch of bands I was about to type, and then realized they weren't animals.

Rock Star Crush:
1. Annie Clark (St. Vincent)
2. Emily Haines (Metric)
3. Sarah Cronin (Drug Rug)

Musician/Band I Love to Hate:
Islands/Unicorns/Th' Corn Gangg - I love these guys to death, but after seeing the Unicorns four years ago, they have been atrocious at keeping a band together, keeping tour dates, or doing anything besides put out great music. Frustrating is a more accurate term.

Megan Petty

Top 3 Albums:
1. The National - Boxer - The good ship Mope has sailed back into town, proving that sad boys make the best music.
2. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - More jingle jangle magic from the great city of Austin. Could Britt Daniel be any more awesome?
3. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver - Sarcasm, big beats, and that James Murphy singing-talking thing. Even better than I thought possible.

Top 3 Songs:
1. The 1900s - "Two Ways" - Flashing back to Fleetwood Mac, in the best way possible.
2. Spoon -"You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" - Saucy, delightful, and charming. All things one would expect from Spoon.
3. Blonde Redhead -"23" - Probably the most ethereal moment of the year, like a good dream you don't want to wake up from.

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The Klaxons (Transit, Philadelphia, April 14) - I'm a big proponent of any band who can make me jump up and down in sheer gleeful abandon, and these young Londoners made it happen. Not to be missed.
2. Art Brut (9:30 Club, Washington, DC, November 20) - Cheeky chappies that improve every single time. Art Brut makes me want to rock out.
3. The Smashing Pumpkins (9:30 Club, Washington, DC, July 11) - Sure, it was only Billy and Jimmy, but the hype itself and the thrill of serious nostalgia made this top show material.

Best Concert Venue:
The 9:30 Club (DC). But don't take my word for it, ask all those people who keep giving it awards for Best Venue.

Favorite “animal” band:
This might be cheating, but I'll always love Super Furry Animals the best. It's so vague that it encompasses all creatures, great and small.

Rock Star Crush:
There are so many, but I'd say the big ones are Matt Berninger (the National), Britt Daniel (Spoon), and all of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Band I Hate to Love:
Arctic Monkeys. They're so good, but because of their smugness and cockiness I feel a little dirty about it.

Adam Weinberg

Top 3 Albums:
1. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala - Good morning music.
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows - Good mourning music.
3. Stars of the Lid - And their Refinement of the Decline The cure for Attention Deficit Disorder.

Top 3 Songs:
1. Miracle Fortress – “Maybe Lately”- The Beach Boys meet My Bloody Valentine. 'Nuff said.
2. The Acorn – “Crooked Legs” - Not until this finishes can I stop for dew covered daisies.
3. Feist – “I Feel It All”

Top 3 Live Shows:
1. The Sea and Cake @Webster Hall, 06.07.07
2. Sigur Ros @ Florence Gould Hall, 10.06.07
3. M. Ward @ Town Hall, 01.26.07

Favorite "animal" Band:
Le Loup

Diana Wong

Top 3 Albums:
1. Shocking Pinks - s/t
2. Fire Engines - Hungry Beat - Kinda cheating; new release of old stuff.
3. LCD Soundsystem - 45:33

Top 3 Songs:
1. Calvin Harris -"The Girls"
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Rockers to Swallow"
3. No Age – “Every Artist Needs a Tragedy"

Least Favorite Song:
M.I.A. - "Boyz"

Top 3 live shows:
1. Daft Punk @ Coney Island (believe the hype)
2. No Age @ Barnard College
3. Klaxons @ Coachella (amazing vibe)

Least Favorite Live Show:
Razorlight @ Gramercy Theater - It felt like a pointless concert. Why did they have to tack on this random gig to their non-tour? also Johnny Borrell's ego absolutely saturated the stage, I felt so bad for the other "band" mates.

Best Concert Venue:
Knitting Factory

Worst Concert Venue:
Webster Hall

Favorite "animal" band:
Bat for Lashes (play on words!)

Rock star crush:
Nick Zinner (guitarist, photographer, producer, his hair)

Musician/band I love to hate:
M.I.A.

Band we (well, I) love to hate because the masses started loving them:
Tie: Justice and M.I.A.

Most momentous concert that basically felt like the modern Woodstock, one that everyone was there, to be talked about for years to come:
Tie: Daft Punk and Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem/et. al @ Randall's Island