Manic Street Preachers - Send Away The Tigers

The follow up to 1996's Everything Must Go that never was. Hands down, my album of the year. The kind of intelligent, challenging yet catchy and melodic hard rock no one in the States has the balls to do anymore. They were never the most famous of the 90's Britpop bands but they're the ones who seem to be the most musically relevant in 2007 (at least in the UK)

Silverchair - Young Modern

This one's totally Dan's fault, but it's a close call for my album of the year. Equal parts pop and art rock, with amazing arrangements and expansive, genius orchestrations by Van Dyke Parks. "Straight Lines" was by far the best single I heard all year.

Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army

The Spree finally delivers the album they'd been threatening to make since their inception. I loved their second album but it still, at times, felt like a disorganized mess. This one feels like...an organized mess, but in the best possible way. The songwriting and arrangements are far tighter and more focused than on their first two albums, and the whole thing received a much cleaner, more listenable mix than ever before.

Bruce Springsteen - Magic

I feel like it's kind of a cop-out putting this one in here since I'm kind of a geeky fan-boy, but I do think it's a really solid album. I'm not sure it's quite as strong as the high points of The Rising but it's a better overall listen, with more focused songs and a shorter running time. And really, no one can do this kind of thing like Bruce. It's political without being overbearing, serious enough to make it's point but with enough lighter moments, musically and lyrically, to keep from becoming tedious. And hell, it's the freakin E-Street band. You can't lose.

KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic

Maybe I'm in the minority but I think she might have topped Eye To The Telescope, at least in part...KT has folky roots but she was never going to challenge Patty Griffin in that category. She's a pop star, and never really claimed to be anything else...so making an even slicker and better-produced sophomore album shouldn't really have surprised anyone. There's a few weaker tracks and while I think it's not a huge leap from ETTT, she managed to balance the whole "developing as an artist without alienating everyone who liked your first album" thing pretty well. Plus, some of it, well, rocks.


Tina Dico - Count To Ten

Just because Tina's label is run by morons doesn't mean I'm counting this as a 2008 release. Again, the same kind of subtle development/running in place thing as KT's album, but there's no reason anyone who loved In The Red wouldn't love this. I don't think there's as many strong, obvious singles as the previous LP, which hopefully won't affect her, but it's just as enjoyable overall.


Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight

I'd never heard of these guys until this album got a lot of buzz...and I've heard people bitch about them "selling out," but if that means their previous albums sounded like they were recorded on Tascam home recorders, then they're wrong...a great, subtle yet infectious pop record. Why "Give A Little Love" wasn't the summer single of the year, I will never understand.

Apple Pie - Crossroad

The closest thing the world will get to a new Spock's Beard album. Neal Morse keeps turning out unbearable Jesus-themed prog-albums, and these guys seem like they're trying to pick up the slack. Not as mind blowing as Neal's last couple albums with the Beard, but as a sucker for that kind of Beatles-influenced melodic prog-rock, it's as close as we're going to get any time soon.

Bjork - Volta

Not her best, but nice to hear her turning the volume back up a little after the gorgeous yet downtempo Vespertine, her last 'traditional' album. Mostly the same tricks, but the horn section replacing her traditional string arrangements shook things up a bit, and vocally she hasn't lost a thing.


Blackfield - Blackfield II

The Porcupine Tree album was such a huge disappointment to me that I almost had to include this one...as good, if not even better than the excellent first album by Steven Wilson's side project. Still sounds a bit like PTree-lite, but there's some absolutely beautiful songs on this album.


Honorable mentions:
Megadeth - United Abominations
Frederiksen/Denander - Baptism By Fire
Patti Scialfa - Play It As It Lays
Crowded House - Time On Earth
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand (really, everyone else here will have this in their top 10, no need for me to be redundant...it's a great record though)
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through

I've been a little too busy (and a little too short on cash) to discover ten brand-new albums this year, but here are my top five--maybe I'll have more to add on by the year's end. In no real order ...

Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
Okay, Jarvis isn't going to change the world with his solo career, but this whole album is very listenable and a lot of fun. He includes two songs he originally wrote for Nancy Sinatra, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" and "Baby's Coming Back to Me," as well as the best snarky/creepy song I can think of, "I Will Kill Again." I can't even hate him for sampling "Crimson and Clover" for his song "Black Magic," even though a whole generation of baby indie-rockers will probably give him all the credit for how it is.

Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
I had this album for months before I really listened to it, but one day I set my iTunes to shuffle and "Enchanted" came on, and I stopped everything I was doing to listen. (Oh, irony.) The title track is my favorite (and the most danceable), but the whole album is fantastic.

Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars
An extended stay in Germany produced this sweeping, operatic cluster of chamber pop songs inspired loosely by the music of Wagner. Rufus wins extra points for writing an entire song about running around Tulsa with Brandon Flowers (of the Killers), featuring deliciously suggestive lines like "You taste of potato chips in the morning" and "I fear that that savior I have mentioned may be you" (i.e., the "Gay Messiah" of Want Two). Those who've been waiting to see Rufus at the height of his diva powers won't be disappointed.

Feist - The Reminder
If you liked Feist's last album, you will either love or hate this one; I haven't encountered a middle ground so far. One of my friends summed up his listening experience this way: "It's like she cheated on me with some other guy and came back with all these new tricks ... and I don't like these new tricks!" I, on the other hand, love her new tricks; The Reminder is so much more upbeat (at least on the surface) than Let It Die, and "I Feel It All" and "Sea Lion Woman" are the sort of songs you can put on repeat and not get tired of.

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Finally, a pop star with an honest-to-god amazing voice! Yes, Amy Winehouse is kind of a drugged-out lunatic, but at least she's a talented drugged-out lunatic amidst a sea of talentless hookers. I'm sure she can't take credit for how good the arrangements are on this album, but I don't really care--the entire album sounds fantastic. I'm a big sucker for Motown and '70s soul, and this is the closest I've come to getting my fix with modern music.

off the top of my head, kinda sorta in order:

Over the Rhine - "The Trumpet Child"

Teddy Thompson - "Up Front and Down Low"

Cowboy Junkies - "Trinity Revisited" (w/Ryan Adams, Natalie Merchant & Vic Chesnutt)

Ryan Adams - "Easy Tiger"

Over the Rhine - "Live From Nowhere V2"

Johnny Cash - "The Great Lost Performance" (Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ - 1990)

Patty Griffin - "Children Running Through"

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - "Raising Sand"

Lucinda Williams - "West"

Richard Thompson - "Sweet Warrior"

Honorable mentions:

Bruce Springsteen - "Magic"

Ryan Adams - "Follow the Lights"
*only this far down the list because it's just an EP

Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"

John Butler Trio - "Grand National"

Cowboy Junkies - "At The End of Paths Taken"

Jorma Kaukonen - "Stars In My Crown"

Top 10 was pretty easy, it was the next several that gave me some trouble (and 'course the year ain't over yet, either)

Patty Griffin - Children Running Through

Lucinda Williams - West

Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child

Richard Thompson - Sweet Warrior

Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart

Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell

Bruce Springsteen - Magic

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

Gina Villalobos - Miles Away

White Stripes - Icky Thump



Will Kimbrough - EP

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

Swandive - Until

Todd Snider - Peace Love and Anarchy (rarities, b-sides and demos, vol. 1)

Innocence Mission - we walked in song

Lyle Lovett - It's Not Big It's Large

Peter Case - Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John

There have been some pretty good albums, but this year no way matches up to 2006. Last year had some great albums, known and unknown.

For me, right now, there is just one album that stood out in the crowd:

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Allright, I've made my list, and I've checked it twice(And Felix has also edited it)
[I reserve the right to change my list once I listen to the Radiohead and Foo Fighters albums]

Currently my Top 10 of 2007 include(in no particular order)

Maserati-Inventions For The New Seasons

Pelican-City of Echoes

Son Volt-The Search

Explosions In The Sky-All Of The Sudden I Miss Everyone

Queens of the Stone Age(QOTSA)-Era Vulgaris

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists-Living With The Living

Brother Ali-The Undisputed Truth

The White Stripes-Icky Thump

Wilco-Sky Blue Sky(I've played this one a lot in the past few weeks)

Fujiya & Miyagi-Transparent Things


Honorable Mention:
OtR-The Trumpet Child
Sparklehorse-Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain
Amy Winehouse-Back to Black
Modest Mouse-We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank
The Shins-Wincing The Night Away

I always read these lists, and struggle to think of ten CDs that I even bought, much less that made it into a best of list... I guess I'm the minority...again.

Hello, its a Top 10 song list, not a Top 10 whine list.

These are all the CDs that I can think of that I bought this year--good or bad...

Chris Cornell--new one--took it back--among other things, his cover of Billie Jean was just wrong.
Joan Osborne--Pretty Little Stranger--like it
Goldfrapp--Supernature--like it (2006)
Eagles--Long Road Home (or something like that)--haven't opened it yet
KT Tunstall--Drastic Fantastic--opened it, ripped it, never listened to it, now can't find it.
Shivaree--whatever the sucky cover song CD was called--listened once or twice, wanted to like it--hated it--now can't find it.
Trumpet Child--like it
LFNV2--like it
Kelly Clarkson--My December--was okay--ripped myself a copy and gave it to my wife
Tom Waits--O,B,B.--like it
Kim Taylor--IFLaFL--like it.
The Cult--Sonic Temple (repurchase)--it's a classic
Concrete Blonde --Mojave--like it.

Ooops, my bad. Guess I misread the title.

Being a 70's soul kind of guy myself, I think you need to check out a few of discs...

Leela James - A Change is Gonna Come (2005)

Maktub - Say What You Mean (2005), Kronos (2003) and the one that just came out, Start It Over (2007)

Remy Shand - The Way I Feel (2002)

I'll put out a better list later, but in the interest of just getting something out here...

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - This Is Somewhere

Martin Sexton - Seeds

Dolorean - You Can't Win

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Joe Bonamassa - Sloe Gin


Okay, well that's a start... I've been so busy lately, that I have stacks of unopened and unlistened to CDs. And, to make things worse, I'm on a serious Sarah McLachlan kick. That Mirrorball: The Complete Concert 2 disc set is back dominating my CD player. I still count the DVD as one of the best all time musical DVDs, but it's not practical to watch a DVD at work... However, listening to these 2 discs is completely acceptable! Of course, when Witness comes on, I'm totally distracted...

Will we burrrrrrrrrrnnnnnn in heaven
like we do down here?

But alas, I digress...

No, it's not time yet. You people are worse than retailers before Christmas, this gets earlier every year!

Eh, the only things that get released after Nov. 1st are cash-in compilations and box sets,and maybe a few live albums or (god help us) christmas albums. There might be one or two exceptions but pretty much any albums of new original material for 2007 have been released already.


And um...balls...I forgot the Kim Taylor album. That definitely has to be in my list somewhere.

??

"i feel like a fading light" was released in '06 (september, i think)

So I guess Snow Angels is out.

lmao!

actually, i had "snow angels" on my list last year. but, i guess w/it's "official worldwide release" being this year, i could be on both...

No one's mentioned Plant, Krauss & TBone, "Raising Sand?"

Cher

Um ..

Has anyone heard the new Annie Lennox? I have not heard it yet, but I thought it would show on someone's list here.

LOL! THAT'S what I get for doing the Evelyn Woods version at work! Thanks!

Cher

My favorites this year (so far, still looking out for that killer cash-in compilation) more or less in order as of tonight:

1. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
2. Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child
3. Bruce Springsteen w/Sessions Band - Live in Dublin
4. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
5. Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Revisited
6. Lucinda Williams - West
7. Cowboy Junkies - At the End of Paths Taken
8. New Pornographers - Challengers
9. Anaïs Mitchell - The Brightness
10. Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere 2
11. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
12. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - This Is Somewhere
13. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
14. Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me
15. KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic

Most delightful personal musical discoveries this year: Rilo Kiley, Nina Nastasia, Vienna Teng, Grace Potter

Biggest disapointment: Rilo Kiley's Under the Black Light. Same great sense of melody and thoughtfully layered production, but the cutting ironic lyrics that distinguished their last two CDs and Jenny's album with the Watson Twins last year are nowhere to be found. Literally makes me want to cry.

Still haven't heard Sky Blue Sky, guess I better get on that!

A decent year for music......but a little short on "killer" records:

1- Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
2- Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child
3- Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions (revisited)
4- Loreena McKennitt - Nights from the Alhambra
5- Patti Griffin - Children Running Through
6- Over the Rhine - Live from Nowhere v. 2

Honorable mention:

1- Cowboy Junkies - At the End of Paths Taken
2- Lisa Gerrard - The Silver Tree

Best "new to me" category:

Patti Griffin, The Be Good Tanyas

Here are some of my favorites from this past year... in no particular order....

Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild

Brandi Carlile - The Story

Plant/Krauss - Raising Sand



edit to say that there are so many cd's I've noticed in this thread that I just have not gotten or listened to. OtR, Patty Griffin, etc. Wow...

That's funny...it's one of the better records I heard this year. I borrowed one of their earlier CD's from one of my prentious indie friends and it was okay, but I still prefer their new one. Maybe the lyrics suck, but except for "The Moneymaker" and "Smoke Detector," I thought the album was pretty amazing...much better sound and production than the earlier stuff of theirs that I've heard, and they seem to have really honed their melodic sensibilities.


Sky Blue Sky might've been the disappointment of the year for me. I mean, they couldn't make an album with more indie cliches than A Ghost Is Born, but after the live album, I really thought maybe they'd gone back to being a kickass band again, full of energy and with a big sound. (in an alt-country way, anyways) I was hoping they'd take all the energy from their live shows into the studio, but instead they put out the biggest snoozer of their career...the complete antithesis of the band represented on Kicking Television...there's a couple of decent songs buried in there but it's tough to stay awake or focused long enough to hear them. I'm okay with some mellow albums, but I was hoping for something more exciting from these guys.

Bump.

Does this mean very few (if anyone) has this CD?


EDIT: p.s., I also thought Sky Blue Sky was rather boring and a letdown.

The production on More Adventurous is as good as on Under the Black Light IMO, just not as glossy -- I mean, did they really need to auto-tune Jenny's vocals? But whatever floats your boat, amigo. I do enjoy playing it to fall asleep to, it's a very pretty-sounding record if nothing else.

I didn't notice the auto-tuning...but I wasn't really listening for it either. I guess my opinion would be different if I'd ever heard of them before their new album came out, but oh well. Better late than never.

It's really good, but I like Bare, more. Those are the only recordings of hers that I have.

Paste's Top 100

Signs of Life 2007 : Best Music

1. The National - Boxer
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
5. Feist - The Reminder
6. M.I.A. - Kala
7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
8. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
9. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
10. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
11. Radiohead - In Rainbows
12. Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
13. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
14. Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
15. Kanye West - Graduation
16. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
17. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
18. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
19. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Living with the Living
20. Blonde Redhead - 23
21. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
22. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
23. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
24. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
25. Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child
26. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
27. Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell
28. Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark
29. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
30. Björk - Volta
31. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
32. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
33. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
34. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
35. Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
36. Joe Henry - Civilians
37. Eleni Mandell - The Miracle Of Five
38. Olof Arnalds - Vid Og Vid
39. The Perishers - Victorious
40. Damien Dempsey - To Hell Or Barbados
41. Brandi Carlile - The Story
42. Lifesavas - Gutterfly
43. The Everybodyfields - Nothing Is Okay
44. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
45. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
46. Justice - †
47. Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart
48. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
49. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got A Ramblin’ Mind
50. Battles - Mirrored
51. The Frames - The Cost
52. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
53. Fionn Regan - The End Of History
54. Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
55. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
56. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
57. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
58. Romantica - America
59. Imperial Teen - The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band
60. The Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
61. Prince - Planet Earth
62. Joseph Arthur - Let's Just Be
63. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
64. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
65. Caribou - Andorra
66. Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
67. St. Vincent - Marry Me
68. Office - A Night At The Ritz
69. Bat For Lashes - Fur & Gold
70. Ween - La Cucaracha
71. Josh Rouse - Country Mouse City House
72. Bettye Lavette - Scene Of The Crime
73. Warm In The Wake - American Prehistoric
74. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
75. Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
76. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
77. Jeremy Fisher - Goodbye Blue Monday
78. The New Pornographers - Challengers
79. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
80. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
81. Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
82. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
83. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
84. Liars - Liars
85. Menomena - Friend and Foe
86. Ruthie Foster - The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster
87. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
88. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
89. Anat Cohen - Noir
90. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
91. The Fratellis - Costello Music
92. Jesse Sykes – Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul
93. Lori McKenna - Unglamorous
94. Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
95. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
96. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
97. Marissa Nadler - Song III: Bird on the Water
98. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
99. The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
100. Stars – In Our Bedroom After The War

Managed to pick up a couple more CD's recently. Both of which definitely make my list. Lyle has a wonderful DVD included with the CD this time.

Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild

Brandi Carlile - The Story

Plant/Krauss - Raising Sand

Lyle Lovett - It's Not Big It's Large

Iron & Wine - The Sheperd's Dog

So, I'm up to five now. Woo hoo!
J

I don't usually comment on these list type things, not because I don't have an opinion, but it all seems kind of arbitrary to me - that being said, the above made me chuckle, especially with the kind of disdain for hip-hop there is 'round here.

Personally, I enjoy(ed) both albums. Although I have a tendancy to move through phases of music, listening to a new album a lot (sometimes obsessively) until I'm a bit burned out on it and then it goes into the rotation. the Kanye's still kinda heavy in my player, while I probably haven't listened to the new Ryan Adams in a month, or so. No indication of favortism on my part, just an observation. In fact, around the time I bought the new Ryan Adams billiam was kind enough to send out all those juicy Ryan Adams rarecuts that nearly overshadowed the new album for me, and maybe burnt me out on RA in general - although I ran into those rarecuts discs the other day and thought why haven't I been listening to these. . . .these are great!

So thanks again Bill. And if you like hip-hop, or want to give it another spin I would recommend the new Kanye, although the new Talib Kweli was better, IMO.

In approximate order, here are my choices:

The Trumpet Child -- Over The Rhine

Four Winds EP -- Bright Eyes (I enjoyed Casadega, but I liked the EP much more.)

Help Wanted Nights -- The Good Life

Thirteen Tales Of Love & Revenge -- The Pierces

30 Year Low -- The Mendoza Line

At The End Of Paths Taken -- Cowboy Junkies

She Dangled It In Front Of Him Just Like A Cat Toy -- Pale Beneath The Blue (She's local, but she's good.)

The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir -- The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

Three Easy Pieces -- Buffalo Tom

The Light Divides -- Winterpills

not sure if it's one of the best cd's or not, but that's sure as hell gotta rank pretty high as one of the best titles!

I almost moved it higher up the list because of the title.

As much of a list as I can throw together (not really a particular order):

1) Radiohead - In Rainbows

2) Slightly Stoopid - Chronchitis

3) Cowboy Junkies - At the End of Paths Taken

4) OtR - The Trumpet Child

5) Plant/Krauss - Raising Sand

6) The White Stripes - Icky Thump

7) Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

8) The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

9) Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

10) Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards

Is it just me, or does it seem strange that John Butler Trio's Grand National is not listed in the top 100? According to Wikipedia, it was definitely released during 2007.

Just wondering.
J

Now up to the top SIX!

Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild

Brandi Carlile - The Story

Plant/Krauss - Raising Sand

Lyle Lovett - It's Not Big It's Large

Iron & Wine - The Sheperd's Dog

John Butler Trio - Grand National

And, no, I still haven't gotten Trumpet Child or the Patty Griffin CD. Such a slacker. Sheesh.

according to


the paste staff:
1. The National - Boxer
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
5. Feist - The Reminder
6. M.I.A. - Kala
7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
8. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
9. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
10. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
11. Radiohead - In Rainbows
12. Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
13. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
14. Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
15. Kanye West - Graduation
16. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
17. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
18. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
19. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Living with the Living
20. Blonde Redhead - 23
21. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
22. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
23. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
24. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
25. Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child
26. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
27. Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell
28. Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark
29. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
30. Björk - Volta
31. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
32. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
33. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
34. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
35. Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
36. Joe Henry - Civilians
37. Eleni Mandell - The Miracle Of Five
38. Olof Arnalds - Vid Og Vid
39. The Perishers - Victorious
40. Damien Dempsey - To Hell Or Barbados
41. Brandi Carlile - The Story
42. Lifesavas - Gutterfly
43. The Everybodyfields - Nothing Is Okay
44. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
45. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
46. Justice - †
47. Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart
48. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
49. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got A Ramblin’ Mind
50. Battles - Mirrored
51. The Frames - The Cost
52. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
53. Fionn Regan - The End Of History
54. Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
55. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
56. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
57. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
58. Romantica - America
59. Imperial Teen - The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band
60. The Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
61. Prince - Planet Earth
62. Joseph Arthur - Let's Just Be
63. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
64. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
65. Caribou - Andorra
66. Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
67. St. Vincent - Marry Me
68. Office - A Night At The Ritz
69. Bat For Lashes - Fur & Gold
70. Ween - La Cucaracha
71. Josh Rouse - Country Mouse City House
72. Bettye Lavette - Scene Of The Crime
73. Warm In The Wake - American Prehistoric
74. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
75. Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
76. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
77. Jeremy Fisher - Goodbye Blue Monday
78. The New Pornographers - Challengers
79. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
80. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
81. Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
82. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
83. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
84. Liars - Liars
85. Menomena - Friend and Foe
86. Ruthie Foster - The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster
87. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
88. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
89. Anat Cohen - Noir
90. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
91. The Fratellis - Costello Music
92. Jesse Sykes – Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul
93. Lori McKenna - Unglamorous
94. Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
95. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
96. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
97. Marissa Nadler - Song III: Bird on the Water
98. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
99. The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
100. Stars – In Our Bedroom After The War

Dude! Check out post #30 of this thread...

oops.

My favs for the year...

1) Radiohead ~ In Rainbows
2) Wilco ~ Sky Blue Sky
3) Arcade Fire ~ Neon Bible
4) White Stripes ~ Icky Thump
5) OtR ~ Trumpet Child
6) Iron and Wine ~ Shepard's Dog
7) Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark
8) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

There are still a number of albums I have not heard yet (such as Plant and Krauss), and there were 3 that I put on this list that I found out after checking they were from last year (Decemberists Crane Wife, Sting Songs from the Labyrinth, and one other one that I forget now... )

Here are two I can't believe I forgot:

Ocean Colour Scene -- On The Leyline
Peaces -- Is, Are, Was, Were

Anyone? Or just me...

Wow...i didn't think anyone here had ever heard of Ocean Colour Scene. Leyline didn't really do much for me but I really loved the couple of albums they put out before it. Steve Craddock is a very underrated guitarist.

I have these:

4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
25. Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child
27. Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell
58. Romantica - America

I have heard these :

3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
61. Prince - Planet Earth

i'm not gonna redo my list, but in all fairness, i'd have to find a place for these:
Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - This Is Somewhere

Well I'm redoing mine, I knew November was too early!

1. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
2. Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child
3. Bruce Springsteen w/Sessions Band - Live in Dublin
4. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
5. Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Revisited
6. Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
7. Lucinda Williams - West
8. New Pornographers - Challengers
9. Cowboy Junkies - At the End of Paths Taken
10. Anaïs Mitchell - The Brightness
11. Over the Rhine - Live From Nowhere 2
12. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - This Is Somewhere
13. Teddy Thompson - Up Front and Down Low
14. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
15. Feist - The Reminder*
16. Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me
17. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
18. KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic

* Could go up or down, just got it today and it sounds real good

Adding two more I checked out from the library recently:

The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

i had kind of resisted this record, not sure why, maybe b/c of the overexposure of 1, 2, 3, 4 by apple...anyway, after reading becky, paste (via marty) and keith's praises, i was in target tonight, saw it was on sale for $7.98, so how could i not buy it, right?

well, first pass through and i love it. thanks becky, marty/paste, keith and target!