The Look Back

Sorry I missed last Friday’s post. I was in Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo enjoying time away from the OC with my family and Heather’s family. It was a great escape and has energized me to create my best of 2007. I have done a “Best of 20XX” since 2005 but I have always narrowed it down to fit on a CD (or two as the case was in 2006). This year I went big and piled on my Top 50. It was a very interesting musical year for me that saw me start and, sadly, end my OiNK account with the rest of the world. I can only hope 2008 will bring me as big a surprise as Okkervil River did in 2007.

Notes:

1. These songs did not all necessarily come out in 2007. I tried to hold it to ones that did but there are a few I had to add which very much defined my musical tastes this past year. I’ve added an “*” to those non-2007 songs.

2. I’ve kept the “reviews/comments” to one line or less. You’ve all likely heard more coherent ramblings on numerous other blogs about all of these songs with the exception of 3-5 tracks. Many comments only make sense if you are a close friend. Sorry about that lameness.

List (with downloads) after the jump.

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I went back and forth with how long of a list I would do this year. I settled on the “Top 40” theme since it represents such a great diversity and taste in modern radio. I’ve held it to just those releases that came out in the US during 2007. I added one honorable mention since it is an album, and artist, I discovered in 2007 but didn’t put out any releases this year. Also, to make the picking somewhat easier I did not include any EPs that came out this year. (Sorry Grizzly Bear and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. I still listened to your stuff as much as anyone else on this list, if not more.) I encourage you all to purchase every album on this list and do it through the convenient Amazon.com links I’ve set up on the album covers. (This was a pain in the ass to set up so at least buy it here so I get 3 cents from Amazon.)

Lastly, my singles of the year will come out next week at some point. I know you will all be waiting up at night for that one. To save on load times the list is after the cut:

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