This is My final Best of 2007. Wilco is still #1. The debuts are Deadstring Brothers at #5, The Boss at #9, John Fogerty at #16, Larry Cordle at #22, Ryan Bingham at #25, Band of Horses at #33, Little Big Town at #39 and Levon Helm at #46 Also, as usual, I did some rearranging based on further reflection.
Because the list stopped growing at 50, some albums had to come off. My apologies to the artists. However, like the AP College Football Poll I have an others receiving votes type of honorable mention category at the bottom to recognize albums that came close to making it. For a year in which you hear so much negative press about the music industry, 2007 is a banner year. The major labels may have committed Pop suicide but the indie world is as or even more prolific as ever. Enjoy the list and feel free to tell me how you agree or disagree. Also, make no hesitation to trash me or my intelligence in any way you see fit. I'm used to it.
1) Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"
2) Patty Griffin - "Children Running Through"
3) White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
4) Kelly Willis - "Translated From Love"
5) Deadstring Brothers - "Silver Mountain"
6) Lyle Lovett - "It's Not Big It's Large"
7) Wrinkle Neck Mules - "Wicks Have Met"
8) Jason Isbell - "Sirens of the Ditch"
9) Bruce Springsteen - "Magic"
10) Assembly of Dust - "Recollection"
11) Kane, Welch, Kaplin - Kane Welch Kaplin
12) Hackensaw Boys - "Look Out"
13) The Shins - "Wincing the Night Away"
14) Ryan Adams - "Easy Tiger"
15) John Doe - "A year in the Wilderness"
16) John Fogerty - "Revival"
17) Son Volt - "The Search"
18) Peter Case - "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John"
19) Oakley Hall - "I'll Follow You"
20) The Broken West - "I Can't Go on I'll Go on"
21) Elliot Randall - "Take the Fall"
22) Larry Cordle & Lonsome Standard Time - "Took Down & Put Up"
23) The Basement - "Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs"
24) Josh Ritter - "The Historical Conquests of"
25) Ryan Bingham - "Mescalito"
26) Paul McCartney - " Memory Almost Full"
27) Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - "Diamonds in the Dark"
28) Kim Richey - "Chinese Boxes"
29) Joe Henry - "Civilians"
30) King Wilkie - "Low Country Suite"
31) Modest Mouse - "We Were Dead Before he Ship Ever Sank"
32) Giant Bear - "Giant Bear"
33) Band of Horses - "Cease to Begin"
34) Feist - "The Reminder"
35) Iron & Wine - "The Shepherds Dog"
36) Olav Larsen and the Alabama Rodeo Stars - "Loves' Com to Town"
37) Elizabeth Cook - "Balls"
38) Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark"
39) Little Big Town - "A Place to Land"
40) Dale Watson - "From the Cradle to the Grave"
41) Spoon - "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
42) The Gourds - "Noble Creatures"
43) The National - "Boxer"
44) Slider Pines - "Road, Avenue, Railroad"
45) Alberta Cross - "The Thief and the Heartbreaker"
46) Levon Helm - "Dirt Farmer"
47) Infamous Stringdusters - "Fork in the Road"
48) Adam Hood - "Different Groove"
49) Steep Canyon Rangers - "Lovin' Pretty Women"
50) Rocky Votolato - "The Brag and Cuss"
Other Notables (In no particular order):
Kevin Deal, Terri Hendrix, Plant-Krauss, Randy Khors, Chuck Prophet, Jim Lauderdale, Dwight Yoakam, Joe Ely, Josh Rouse, Grace Potter, Bettye LaVette, Charlie Louvin, Nathan, Steve Earle, Cadillac Sky, Eillen Jewell, Pieta Brown, 2 Cow Garage, Willy Mason, Pela, Brandi Carlisle, Martin Sexton, Okkervil River and The Derailers.
Alejandro Escovedo will be releasing Street Songs of Love on June 29th, which is the day after my birthday. I think he planned it that way. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. What better birthday present is there than a new Alejandro release. There are no secrets here. It is pretty obvious what the songs are about, but as would be expected Escovedo takes an unconventional approach to the subject. Sometimes the approach is poignant and sometimes alarming but it is done Alejandro style. This record has at its' core R&B undertones yet still gets edgy and showcases his punk roots at times.
