a year in music a la BGG - 2007

so below are my favorite albums of 2007. i have to be really honest - i was really disappointed with new music at the beginning of the year. but near the end of the year some really great gems came out.

us consumers get overwhelmed by all the labels trying to push their radio friendly crap (well most consumers, okay a handful of people who truly appreciate music). the never ceasing onslaught of commercials and the barrage of print/web ads really beats me down and reminds me what a blessing it is, that small independent labels and bands now have the means to be successful without selling their soul or over producing their music.

THERE NOTHING WRONG WITH LO-FI!!

okay sorry had to get that out.

anyhew

on to my list.

Wilco: Sky Blue Sky - Sky Blue Sky is neither Wilco's best nor worst album. it's very much different from the past three (in good and bad ways), there are still glimpses of past songs here and there that make it undeniably Wilco. the overall sound seems heavily influenced from 70's AM rock, reminiscent of Steely Dan and McCartney/Lennon's solo stuff. Tweedy's lyrics are less abstract than the previous records, and gone are the wild, experimental tracks like "Spiders/Kidsmoke" and "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart". what results are some beautifully-written songs using more traditional instrumentation while this may disappoint some Wilco fans who aren't ready for a change, Sky Blue Sky is still a fantastic album worthy of praise.

Ryan Adams: Follow the Light - he is one of my favorites and he does not disappoint with his latest offering. most people will be talking about his cover of Down In A Hole - but i think the true hero of this EP is his new song My Love for You Is Real

Okkervil River: The Stage Names - The Stage Names does not disappoint one bit - like all of their other albums - this one maybe the best. Will Sheff spins complex and beautiful stories better than just about anyone.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Raising Sand - my friends this was a marvelous album. the vocals are subtle yet moving. the music is unbelievable - i am talking chilling on how accurate it is with the lyrics and the vocals. then i went to see who the producer was and it all made sense T-Bone Burnett. i highly recommend this to everyone - and this really isn't something i would have picked up at first glance.

Spoon- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - this was one of my most played albums of 2007. i actually wasn't sure about it at first listen. but there is something about Spoon's minimalist approach that quickly made me fall in love with this album. great arrangements that were a departure from Spoon albums of the past.

Dwight Yoakam: Dwight Sings Buck - now most of you don't know this cause most of you don't know me well enough - but i hold a special place in my heart for Dwight Yoakam. his new album is a tribute to Buck Owens and i will be damned if this isn't some of the best stuff i have heard from the country music scene in a while. and you know why that is - cause it is "REAL" country the stuff of the old days - the honky tonks - there is no other voice like Dwight Yoakam.

Band of Horses: Cease to Begin - WOW that is what i have to say about this CD. it was one of my favorites for 2007. i actually discovered BoH when they did a cover of The End's Not Near on the final O.C. Soundtrack. i think the key part of this album is the guitar arrangements - Tyler Ramsey is amazing.

Soundtrack: The Assassination of Jesse James the entire album is Nick Cave and Warren Ellis performing some of the most haunting and awe inspiring music. i was only half interested in this film - but after listening to the album twice i want to see it - i need to see how the motion fits with the music - it has spine tingling potential.

Soundtrack: Once - i was hesitant to purchase this because i already owned most of these songs elsewhere in my collection. The Swell Season CD (which I HIGHLY recommend) features many of the songs, a few others are found in the catalog of Glen's band, the Frames (a longer version of "Say it to me now" is on 1996's Fitzcarraldo, "When your mind's made up" is on The Cost). however - i am glad that i bought this cause the songs are actually composed a bit differently. the movie that accompanies this soundtrack is deeply moving and i highly recommend that you check out both.

Feist: The Reminder - this is a major achievement for Feist, definitely at the caliber of her first two albums. The Reminder contains some old songs of hers (as those of have seen her live know) and some new and one remarkably beautiful cover (Sealion). for once i feel this is not an album to be passed on as just another product of the hype machine. Leslie Feist is a superb songwriter and singer and instrumentalist.

6 PEOPLE WHO’VE INFLUENCED ME IN 2007

there are a kazillion people who’ve influenced me in 2007. i thought i’d point out just a couple.

6. you - if you are reading this i consider you to be a friend of some sort. at least a person i trust enough to get inside of my head. you have listened to me rant about silly things and you have put up with my mildly amusing and pointless stories. some of you are actual family and others of you i have never met. but your comments and letters and phone calls all have influenced me in one way or the other.

5. mike foster - i became familiar with mike and his crazy ridiculous quest for honesty and authenticity when he co-founded xxxchurch.com many moons ago. both of our lives have gone through some big changes and i’m happy we’ve re-connected this year. his thoughts inspire me to be a better person.

4. my sisters - i was forced to become a man far quicker than i should have. i can honestly say i didn't it the right way but i at least tried to be an influential male influence to my sisters after my parents separated (maybe even before that). for reason i don't have time to disclose here, i isolated myself from them for far too long and this year i finally felt like i re-connected with them. the both showed me the old saying "blood is thicker than water" holds true. they have always stood up for me and they both have taught me what it is to be true to myself. i love these two women more than anything and this last year they have stood by me through all my crap. because of them my heart is bigger and brighter.

3. dr. carol henry - i'm a staunch believer that everyone should have a therapist. i have been through my fair share of people who want to "fix" what's in my head. i first met dr. henry in May and from our first session i knew she wasn't going to try and fix me. she let me fix myself by helping me to sort out my heart and my head. i will never forget the day i sat in her office and cried and said to her "i've lost something that i can't replace". she gave me small smile and didn't say a word. it was at that very moment that i feel like i began to live my own life.


2. my mother - really it was the final months of 2007 that she influenced me most. my favorite person in the world was my "granny" (her mother). my granny died in 1992 in a tragic automobile accident. i refused to accept her death until september of 2007. once i accepted it, i recognized that my mother stepped in right where my granny left off. like granny, my mother has been through so much but you will never once hear her complain about it. she lives her life for the right now and not in the past and she is the true definition of unconditional love. i am blessed to have such a wonderful mother.

1. my son - Rhys was born October 16, 2006. the few months leading up to 2007 were extremely stressful and rewarding, but it wasn't until 2007 started that the process of him changing my life really began. he is the sole reason i am alive right now. he has taught me how to be a better person for myself and others.