Because I'm such a fan of lists, I present my "Top 12 Albums of 2007"

Reposted from my MySpace blog, as requested by Jessica

And so we draw to the close of another year. You know what that means - furtively trying to complete Christmas shopping lists, formulating an array of New Year's resolutions that will never, ever stick, and countless "Best Of 2007" lists. Well, I haven't even thought about attempting the first two yet (well, not before I wrote them, anyway, and then thought "Oh shit, what am I buying people for Christmas? And what exactly are my New Year's resolutions? Fuck, these are things I should think about getting on." [Addendum: People are getting the same thing I give out every Christmas - books and/or booze. Christmas list complete.]) The "Best Of..." list, however, is something I have been thinking about for a few weeks now. Those of you who read me regularly know that I'm a huge advocate of Top 5/10/20 lists (I'm a big fan of bulleting items, what can I say?) and therefore should have expected this.

So, I present to you my top 12 records of 2007. This was a good musical year for me. Many of my favorite artists put records out, so the list is populated with said favorites. (Yes, it may be a little sentimental and biased, but I've thought about it and the accolades are deserved.) Why a Top 12 instead of 5 or 10? I don't know. I was feeling a little left of center. I'm sure you'll manage through it somehow.



12. Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 + 2: Fire and Water. This album was heavily anticipated by yours truly. There was so much hype leading up to it that I could barely contain my excitement. I followed the studio updates religiously and, upon the day of its' release I used my lunch break to go and buy it. I gave it a few listens that day and my immediate impression was "ummm...okay..." It wasn't exactly what I expected, and I was a bit iffy on the quality of production. It was definitely different than anything Thrice had given me before, and admittedly, I felt a slight tinge of disappointment. As time wore on, though, the record started to grow on me, and one of my favorite songs of the year, "Open Water," was revealed to me. I think once volumes 3 + 4 are released, though, the whole project will be tied together for me, and it'll rank a little higher on my iTunes "Most Often Played" list. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Open Water"


11. Saves The Day - Under The Boards. Seeing as how this band has let me down once before (see: In Reverie), I was admittedly hesitant to be super-excited about this record. Still, I purchased it the day it came out and greedily stuffed it into the CD player in my car. Within the first two songs, I breathed a sigh of relief. The first five or six songs are absolutely wonderful ("Get Fucked Up" and "Can't Stay The Same" standing out, however, the mediocrity of some of the later tracks cause me to rank it lower than I initially would have. Still, it hasn't fallen into the "Okay, I'm All Set With This Record" pile yet, and I don't anticipate it doing so anytime soon. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Can't Stay The Same"


10. New Found Glory - From The Screen To Your Stereo II. So technically, it's not a real release - it's a record of covers. But it's absolutely amazing. It's great to get a brand new record by one of your favorite bands and already know most of the lyrics to the tunes. Instant sing-alongability! There are killer versions of tunes by Goo Goo Dolls ("Iris"), Madonna ("Crazy For You"), and even Go West's "The King Of Wishful Thinking." Song To Download Before Purchase: "The King Of Wishful Thinking"


9. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning of & Regarding All Things Ms. Leading. I heard the demos for this last summer while I was on tour, and I was immediately taken by the awesomeness of the Dear Hunter. It was definitely high up on my list of anticipated records, and it pretty much lived up to the hype I gave it in my mind. It seamlessly meshes all sorts of different styles of music into one cohesive piece. Because it is a concept record, though, it really only makes sense when listened to all the way through, which cannot always be done. There are many songs that could stand alone as singles, however, it works better when it's consumed in a single sitting. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Red Hands"


8. Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home. This solo offering from the Thrice front man really struck a chord with me. It's traditional country-laced songs stand apart from anything Kensrue ever wrote for his post-hardcore band, summoning memories of Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. The simplicity of the songs make it very singable in that my-wife-just-shot-my-dog kind of way, but I think that's what makes this album a winner. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Pistol"


7. Cartel - Cartel. Ah, the nefarious band-in-a-bubble. The controversy surrounding the production of this record was plastered across the pages of the interwebs earlier this summer, fueled by the overreaching opinions of message board users and incessant press regarding their stint in the Bubble. The record came out in the midst of that shitstorm, and then quickly settled into a quiet but strong existence in the hearts of Cartel fans. Including me. I actually reviewed the record (and commented on the nonsense surrounding the record) back in August if you care to hear any more opinions I have on it. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Tonight"


6. Dashboard Confessional - The Shade Of Poison Trees. In stark comparison, the anticipation for the release of Chris Carraba's latest album was practically nonexistent. The release of the record was announced on Vagrant's website only six weeks before it scheduled to drop. Admittedly, this was another band that had disappointed me, although much more recently than STD, so my wounds from the unremarkable Dusk And Summer were still somewhat fresh. But everything turned out just fine. Eschewing the over-the-top production and lavish instrumentation if their previous record, this is a simple and raw offering that hearkened back to The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most and even The Swiss Army Romance at times. It's biting and witty and very, very listenable. Here is my official take on it. Song To Download Before Purchase: "These Bones"


5. Anberlin - Cities. Completely underrated until they made this record, Anberlin roared out of the gates with Cities, their third release, to solidify their place amongst the elite groups in the scene. From the driving opening chords of "Godspeed" to the epic, chill-inducing outro, "Fin", every second of this record in incredible. The record plays like a play or a movie: ups, downs, conflict, denoument, resolution - it has it all. It's damn near perfect. Plus, the bonus DVD with the studio footage on it is a great glimpse into the making of a near-masterpiece. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Dismantle. Repair."


4. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High. I don't care. I fucking love Fall Out Boy and I fucking love this record. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Hum Hallelujah"


3. Four Year Strong - Rise Or Die Trying. Start the takeover! Okay, admittedly, I loved this record from the moment I first heard it. It isn't ground breaking. Hell, some of my friends have told me it's practically unlistenable. And I really thought it would be a novelty CD for me - one that I'd hear and be like "Oh yeah, that's pretty good," and then slowly stop giving it spins because it's staying power was not strong. Well all that is false. Malarkey. Tomfoolery. This record is incredible. It takes the best parts of the pop-punk and hardcore I used to love so very much (and still do, really) and throws them all together and makes me dance like an asshole around my room, playing air-metalcore guitar in front of my mirror. Plus, they all have amazing beards. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die"


2. Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light. No, this record isn't Clarity. It isn't even Bleed American. But it is a wonderful record from one of the most influential bands of our day. It contains all of the elements that made JEW legends - simple yet beautiful guitar work, amazing lyrical content, spacy guitar leads. It makes you want to laugh. It makes you want to cry. Hell, there are even parts that make your insides tingle like they haven't since the first time you heard "can you still feel the butterflies?" From front to back, the soaring chorus of "Big Casino" to the lamenting drone of "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" to the heartwrenching verses of the closer, "Dizzy," Chase This Light is, front to back, just the latest in a long line of perfection that Jimmy Eat World continues to put out. Song To Download Before Purchase: "Big Casino"


1. Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me. Seriously, are you surprised? From the moment I heard the first five songs back in May, I knew that this would become my favorite record of the year. I played Commit This To Memory so much that I wore the CD out and had to buy another one. Luckily, thanks to my handsome iPod, this will not be the case with EIIKM. Oh, I've been listing to it just as frequently, though, so no worries. The music remains spectacular. The lyrics remain scarily realistic and poignant. The songs flow in a perfect order, as always. It's like this band is in my head. Every word penned is so very applicable. It's simply an incredible, amazing record. And that's why it's my number one record of 2007. Song To Download Before Purchase: Don't. Just go buy the whole thing. But if I had to pick just one: "It Had To Be You"

Honorable Mentions: Sherwood - A Different Light, Paramore - Riot!, The Receiving End Of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi