Albums of Summer 2007
A lot of good discs came out this summer (and a whole lot of more are coming out this fall), and here are the 5 that got the most listens from me the past couple months.
Honorable Mention: Ben Folds "Rockin' The Suburbs"
Went to see the John Mayer/Ben Folds show at Deer Creek, and his set reminded me as to why I wanted to check him out back in 2001 when the title track off this disc dropped. I would've gotten into him back then if it hadn't been before I got into that peer-2-peer phase of mine.
5) Queens of the Stone Age "Era Vulgaris"
It's no "Songs for the Deaf", but it gets damn close. Way better then their last album when it comes to consistent rocking.
[KEY TRACK - "Sick, Sick, Sick"]
4) Lily Allen "Alright, Still"
Dammit, I know. I checked out this album on a whim because I liked that "Alfie" song so much... and christ if this isn't a really solid EP. The fact that it sounds like some of the most positive music out there, yet is completely about negative subjects is great. Definitely grew on me.
[KEY TRACK - "Alfie"]
3) The White Stripes "Icky Thump"
Pretty much the album you expected between "Elephant" and "Get Behind Me Satan". Has more blues on it then "Satan" but they didn't completely abandon all the aspects that made it different and good, thankfully.
[KEY TRACK - "Rag and Bone"]
2) Kanye West "Graduation"
Yeah, yeah, I know the album only OFFICIALLY came out yesterday... but this is seriously a really really good album, one that should not be missed for any true fan of hip-hop. No skits (thank god), and is a bit shorter... but it's a really tight package and every song is excellent. If you're one of those people who are resisting because of his "selfish" image, firstly, welcome, you must be new to rap music, and secondly, that's a really dumb reason to force yourself to miss out on some really good music.
[KEY TRACK - "Good Life"]
1) Junior Senior "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo"
If you want a record that can be the soundtrack to a happy point in your life, here you go. This is happy in CD form, every single track oozes pop goodness... the pure kind, you know, Jackson 5 and B-52s kinda stuff. They focus less on the gimmick of being a half gay/half straight duo, and more on what they do best: making silly, timeless pop music. There may not be a "Move Your Feet" kind of song that'll get them the exposure they once had, but the album is great and can seriously never get old... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!
[KEY TRACK - "Take My Time"]
Honorable Mention: CRS "Us Placers"
While this isn't an album, but rather a mix-tape gem that needs to be heard by any fan of the three members... who just happen to be Kanye West, Pharrel and Lupe Fiasco. Sampling Tom Yorke's "The Eraser", it easily the weirdest and best rap song you will hear all year.
Honorable Mention: Ben Folds "Rockin' The Suburbs"
Went to see the John Mayer/Ben Folds show at Deer Creek, and his set reminded me as to why I wanted to check him out back in 2001 when the title track off this disc dropped. I would've gotten into him back then if it hadn't been before I got into that peer-2-peer phase of mine.
5) Queens of the Stone Age "Era Vulgaris"
It's no "Songs for the Deaf", but it gets damn close. Way better then their last album when it comes to consistent rocking.
[KEY TRACK - "Sick, Sick, Sick"]
4) Lily Allen "Alright, Still"
Dammit, I know. I checked out this album on a whim because I liked that "Alfie" song so much... and christ if this isn't a really solid EP. The fact that it sounds like some of the most positive music out there, yet is completely about negative subjects is great. Definitely grew on me.
[KEY TRACK - "Alfie"]
3) The White Stripes "Icky Thump"
Pretty much the album you expected between "Elephant" and "Get Behind Me Satan". Has more blues on it then "Satan" but they didn't completely abandon all the aspects that made it different and good, thankfully.
[KEY TRACK - "Rag and Bone"]
2) Kanye West "Graduation"
Yeah, yeah, I know the album only OFFICIALLY came out yesterday... but this is seriously a really really good album, one that should not be missed for any true fan of hip-hop. No skits (thank god), and is a bit shorter... but it's a really tight package and every song is excellent. If you're one of those people who are resisting because of his "selfish" image, firstly, welcome, you must be new to rap music, and secondly, that's a really dumb reason to force yourself to miss out on some really good music.
[KEY TRACK - "Good Life"]
1) Junior Senior "Hey Hey My My Yo Yo"
If you want a record that can be the soundtrack to a happy point in your life, here you go. This is happy in CD form, every single track oozes pop goodness... the pure kind, you know, Jackson 5 and B-52s kinda stuff. They focus less on the gimmick of being a half gay/half straight duo, and more on what they do best: making silly, timeless pop music. There may not be a "Move Your Feet" kind of song that'll get them the exposure they once had, but the album is great and can seriously never get old... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!
[KEY TRACK - "Take My Time"]
Honorable Mention: CRS "Us Placers"
While this isn't an album, but rather a mix-tape gem that needs to be heard by any fan of the three members... who just happen to be Kanye West, Pharrel and Lupe Fiasco. Sampling Tom Yorke's "The Eraser", it easily the weirdest and best rap song you will hear all year.