BEST/WORST MUSIC 2007, Cos the NME knows nuffin Options

[Kick in the Head]

My Music Year

TOP 5 ALBUMS

1. Because of the Times - Kings of Leon is practically perfect in every way, with nary a duff track in sight.

2. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire didn't quite meet the same dizzying heights of their debut, but it comes damn close, expanding on, rather than simply emulating, their original sound.

3. Proof of Youth - The Go! Team may have taken a few times to get into as I did with the first record, and the sound has barely evolved, but it soon won me over with its tubthumping enthusiasm. And was I the only one to like their cover of Sonic Youth's Bull in the Heather?

4. In Rainbows - Radiohead is a late addition, but a pretty excellent one. A fair few groovy tracks, and Jigsaw Falling Into Place may be my favourite single of next year.

5. Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys was a solid follow-up with perhaps my favourite single this year in the shape of Fluorescent Adolescent.

TOP 5 JAPANESE ALBUMS
I've still yet to listen to the new Halfby record (Farmer's Delight) and the new DJ Scotch Egg (Scotchausen), but will do soon. In the meantime...

1. Karate House - Polysics is a bit of a no-brainer for my number one spot, but I have an undying love for this band, so there. It's their best collection since For Young Electric Pop with plenty of spunky punk mixed with catchy upbeat gems. Little bit of filler hither and thither, but they're the hardest-working band in Japan, constantly touring and releasing new material, so it can slide.

2. Nuit - Cubismo Grafico was a real surprise as I rented it on the whim that he did a remix I hadn't heard of a track of another artist I liked. But it's a damn fine gentle electropop concept piece filled with gorgeous night-time sounds.

3. 不等式とその解 - Hoover's Ooover sees the Adam and Joe Go Tokyo stars release their second full-length album. Not quite up to Art.No.5. standards, but some very good songmaking indeed.

4. Hurtbreak Wonderland - World's End Girlfriend may be just more of the same of his last release, but for exceptionally gloomy yet uplifting apocalyptic classical/electronic soundscapes, there's none finer.

5. Transworld Ultra Rock - Electric Eel Shock was a tad disappointing and short compared to their previous Beat Me album. But it's worth a place for their audacious cover of Minnie Ripperton's Lovin' You.

ARTISTS
Japanese bands I discovered this year, but had already split up, were Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (excellent ladypunk/pop with attitude and sweetness in equal measure) and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (exceptional garage punk). And my love for the Second Royal record troop continued apace. Also been listening to Portishead A LOT. Looking forward to the new album.

Of course, been listening to Bowie very muchly, and I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that Heathen is my favourite (as much as people go on about old Bowie and how new Bowie is supposedly not as good - but boo-sucks to them). Also, I finally listened to Bowie favourites Supercar penultimate release Highvision, and it's easily in my top 10 favourite albums of all time.

GIGS
Live Earth in Kyoto was a dream come true, seeing both Rip Slyme and Yellow Magic Orchestra live was something I'd never thought I'd do, and I was plain lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Polysics were stunning as ever (third time and counting), and Arcade Fire at Alexandra Palace (technical issues notwithstanding) were spectacular.

Oh, and I miss karaoke in Japan so much, it's not funny. I was literally struggling to get too sleep last night because there is such a void in my life right now.

[Sostie]

TOP 5 JAPANESE ALBUMS

1. Karate House - Polysics is a bit of a no-brainer for my number one spot, but I have an undying love for this band, so there. It's their best collection since For Young Electric Pop with plenty of spunky punk mixed with catchy upbeat gems. Little bit of filler hither and thither, but they're the hardest-working band in Japan, constantly touring and releasing new material, so it can slide.

How did I miss getting that? It's on my to buy list now.

3. 不等式とその解 - Hoover's Ooover sees the Adam and Joe Go Tokyo stars release their second full-length album. Not quite up to Art.No.5. standards, but some very good songmaking indeed.

Art.No.5 was okay, but I was disappointed Connection wasn't on it. Don't suppose it's on the new one?

ARTISTS
Japanese bands I discovered this year, but had already split up, were Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (excellent ladypunk/pop with attitude and sweetness in equal measure) and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (exceptional garage punk).

Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her sound like they are worth checking out. For more Japanese girl punks try The Banana Erectors and 54Nude Honeys.

Kudos for discovering Thee Michelle Gun Elephant. Fantastic band

[Kick in the Head]

Art.No.5 was okay, but I was disappointed Connection wasn't on it.  Don't suppose it's on the new one?
Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her sound like they are worth checking out.  For more Japanese girl punks try The Banana Erectors and 54Nude Honeys.

Kudos for discovering Thee Michelle Gun Elephant.  Fantastic band

The track you're thinking of is called Collection, but ain't on the new one. Japanese bands release lots of mini-albums and single only releases in between actual full-length albums, and Collection was on one of those sadly.

Seagull... are really quite something. I got there 17 and Future or No Future albums, but I believe there are two best-ofs (Dying For Seagulls and Red Talk) which I'd assume to be good primers, but neither have some of my very favourite tracks from the albums I have (notably Coma off 17 and Six in the Morning off the other).

As for TMGE, only got one album (High Time), but it's a beaut. Bowling Machine is just about the rockingest rollingest instrumental track I've ever heard (with added bowling sound effects in the background).

[Sostie]

The track you're thinking of is called Collection, but ain't on the new one. Japanese bands release lots of mini-albums and single only releases in between actual full-length albums, and Collection was on one of those sadly.

Seagull... are really quite something. I got there 17 and Future or No Future albums, but I believe there are two best-ofs (Dying For Seagulls and Red Talk) which I'd assume to be good primers, but neither have some of my very favourite tracks from the albums I have (notably Coma off 17 and Six in the Morning off the other).

As for TMGE, only got one album (High Time), but it's a beaut. Bowling Machine is just about the rockingest rollingest instrumental track I've ever heard (with added bowling sound effects in the background).

Think I'll be on ebay tonight.

TMGE have a very good Best Of out. Also worth checking out the film Blue Spring. Their music is used brilliantly throughout.

Funny you should mention Transworld Ultra Rock. Bought it Monday and listened to it for the first time on the way hime tonight. Not bad. The cover of Lovin' You is a corker

[maian]

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant.

That name alone has inspired me to check them out.

[Drifter]

2007 for me would be most notable for the shit Umbrella song and that Leona song which is also getting on my tits. Busy year for reunions, Take That, Spice Girls, Floyd, Zep, The Police and now Boyzone. The brilliant Foo Fighters coming back with their new album and The Pretender which is a cracking song, Muse playing Wembley blew me away, the Download Festival was fantastic.

LCD Soundsystem, Grinderman, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Machine Head also great albums this year.

[Mrs Bisley]

The brilliant Foo Fighters coming back with their new album and The Pretender which is a cracking song

I think that's my favourite album of the year. There isn't a song on it that I don't like. Stranger Things Have Happened is my personal fave, with The Pretender and Erase/Replace in at 3rd/4th.

Nothing's come close to that for me, to be honest. They're has been some good songs out, but I've not been compelled to buy any albums, which is a shame.

I've really got into Richard Hawley this year. My mum went to see him last year, so I gave his albums a listen and got to see him live, which was amazing.

Ray LaMontagne's album Trouble was the soundtrack to my holiday, too. I really like him, he's very laid back and his voice makes me sleepy. Especially Shelter, which is an amazing song.

[Wife Of Rolex]

I've really got into Richard Hawley this year. My mum went to see him last year, so I gave his albums a listen and got to see him live, which was amazing.

He's just brilliant live because you never know what he's going to say between songs and the atmosphere in the audience is just so warm and friendly.

[bigfatrich]

I have no idea if the following were first released this year, however, this year is the first time I've discovered them:

1) Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
Amazing mix of folk, alt. country and a spine tingling voice.

2) The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
<2AM> Whaaa?
Eh?
Uh?
Yeah, this is nice</2AM>

3) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Agree with those who don't rate it as highly as Funeral, but still a decent album. Very good live, too.

[Hobbes]

I have no idea if the following were first released this year, however, this year is the first time I've discovered them:

1) Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
Amazing mix of folk, alt. country and a spine tingling voice.

that was in fact an album from last year, but it's still very good. bamnan and silvercork is also worth checking out. find them a bit samey, but have a superb, original sound.

[Sostie]

Best Gigs

Guitar Wolf at 93 Feet East

Grinderman at The Forum

The Jesus & Mary Chain at The Royal Festival Hall & Brixton Academy

[Svein]

OK... I know there's going to be some self serving interest here...

Best Album
Torn Asunder - 15 Minutes to tell the World
Alter Bridge - Blackbird

Best Single
Torn Asunder - Love to Look at You - And you can still download it to help Great Ormond Street Hospital
Nickleback - Rockstar

Gig:
Haven't been to any that I haven't been playing in... And I missed Download.

[Jon 79]

Of course, been listening to Bowie very muchly, and I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that Heathen is my favourite (as much as people go on about old Bowie and how new Bowie is supposedly not as good - but boo-sucks to them).

Heathen's great, but personally it's my least favourite of his recent albums. Earthling, Hours, & Reality sound better to my ears.

Having said that, his only era that I don't dig is the late 80's/tin machine.

[Kick in the Head]

Heathen's great, but personally it's my least favourite of his recent albums. Earthling, Hours, & Reality sound better to my ears.

Having said that, his only era that I don't dig is the late 80's/tin machine.

Interesting. My friend's a big Bowie man and thinks Outside is the best of his more recent work. Earthling and Reality have their good tracks, but all the songs on Heathen "float" my "boat" for want of a better expression. That said, I haven't listened to Hours yet, though I would very much like to.

[Jon 79]

Interesting. My friend's a big Bowie man and thinks Outside is the best of his more recent work. Earthling and Reality have their good tracks, but all the songs on Heathen "float" my "boat" for want of a better expression. That said, I haven't listened to Hours yet, though I would very much like to.

Outside is indeed Bowie's masterpiece of recent years (if you call 1995 recent)... But it's a concept album, quite experimental & I don't find it as accessible/user friendly as other albums of the period. Though there are at least 5 tracks on there that I'd include amongst his best. ... I've not given it a listen recently though. ...I think I need to remedy that.

As for Hours, the critics loved it,... whereas the hardcore bowie fans thought it was a bit hit & miss. Personally, I think its amazing (except for track 6). The album's the first one I'd bought when it was released. At the time (1999) I only owned his first 5 studio albums... it basically introduced me to modern bowie.

This post has been edited by Jon 79: Dec 19 2007, 01:38 AM