Top Albums of 2007: 20-11

20. (tie) Panda Bear - Person Pitch and Caribou - Andorra - I grouped these two together, as they both have sounds reminiscent of the 60s (but with heavy, modern production techniques), both are named after animals, and both are drummers turned solo artists. Each have a few annoying moments that can be typical of electronica, but not too many. Andorra is immediately catchy, while Person Pitch takes a few extra listens to sink in, which makes me think that I may enjoy it more in the long run.

19. Peter, Bjorn, and John - Writer's Block - Swedish Indie Pop! PB&J have some great melodies, which you will find yourself unwittingly whistling or humming around the house. "Amsterdam" can be a little irritating, but "Young Folks" uses the whistled melody to meld the vocals and rhythm into a pop treat.

18. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights - This album features funk and soul music reminiscent of the 60s, however, Sharon and the Kings don't sound like someone trying to copy acts from that era. Rather, they sound like a group that plays great music with a vintage sound.

17. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild - This is the soundtrack for the film "Into the Wild". The movie is based on the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. I haven't seen the movie, but have read the book, which tells about the journey of Christopher McCandless to the wilderness of Alaska, and his eventual death. I have only listened to this album once through, and the music matches my memory of the story. The songs are fairly bare, which allow Eddie's voice to convey the emotion of the music (with only a few billy goat croons).

16. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero - This a scifi concept album about a United States that is ruled by a totalitarian regime. While it has the beats and hooks that you can expect from a NIN album, this album returns to classic NIN form, as you actually believe the feelings and emotion of Trent Reznor's vocals. The "rage" of his past couple albums felt a little contrived. An album that topped my expectations.

15. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit If - Yeah, I don't get the whole "presents" labeling either. Basically, it is saying that this is almost a solo album by Kevin Drew, one of the core members of BSS, with lots of others involved. Drew still manages to write some gorgeous songs with lyrics that don't really fit the beauty of the music ("Tbtf"). Still, it somehow works, and he elicits various emotions throughout the album.

14. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Not as good as some of MM's previous albums, but I liked the addition of former Smith's guitarist Johnny Marr. Apparently they were searching for a guitarist who had a sound similar to Marr, when Marr contacted them to say he was interested in the job.

13. Jay-Z - American Gangster - Jay-Z viewed an advance copy of the movie by the same name, and was inspired to create this album. He played the movie on a constant loop in the background while recording the album. The album features some smooth seventies samples and eighties style beats. And Jay-Z's rhymes are back, making one largely forget about the crapfest that was his last album.

12. White Stripes - Icky Thump - This album is a nice blend of garage rock and the blues, with a touch of the 70's added. Jack and Meg continue to put out solid rocking tunes. Plus, they sound like they are having a good time doing it.

11. Bruce Springsteen - Magic - This sound of this album isn't that far from the albums that Bruce and the E-Street band put out in the 80s (maybe it is the sax), but the lyrics are all about today, with Bruce singing about his relationships and the state of America. This should probably be in the top ten, but I haven't had enough time to listen to it and fully appreciate the all of the songs.