Top Ten Albums of 2007 (in my opinion)

1. Empty Orchestra: Here Lies Empty Orchestra
Unconventional top album, but I ran into Empty Orchestra player John Duffy at work today and I was like, "You know, that album, for me, sums up Flint more than any other album I've heard since Kid Brother Collective's Highway Miles." It is blue-collar rock from the heart of the Mitten State, and done with an energetic, alt-country flair that seems to be all the rage these days. I've followed Stephen Wisniewski's songs since my inception into the whole Flint music scene and I have always admired the risks he has taken. I remember how confused people were when May/June would entertain kids with Suicide Machines tees with delicate, heartfelt folk music that inspired sitting quietly and watching, rather than mixing it up on the floor. His songs commanded respect then, and they certainly deserve the audience they're getting now. Highly, highly recommended.

2. The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
Albums like this remind me of why I love music. I really, really liked Funeral, but the jury was still out on the band as a whole, fearing they might slip into the sophomore slump. Not happening here. This improves upon their previous album in nearly every facet, creating a darkly haunting masterpiece that will surely age well. I find myself going back to this record a lot.

3. Radiohead: In Rainbows
Sure, this is token top-list fodder, especially given the high profile of its unconventional download-only release. The band inadvertantly shook things up just by releasing it in the format they chose. I don't think they really aimed to do that, they just wanted to rely only upon themselves for their record's success or failure and take absolute control over distribution of their works. Surely lots of bands will steal from this, and more power to them. In an era where every new band wants to get signed and be the next big thing, Radiohead proves that sometimes it's still better to just do things yourself. Musically, this is a pretty schizo album with no songs as epic as anything on Kid A, OK Computer or The Bends, yet showcases Yorke as a true visionary. As In Rainbows proves, there's no formula to Yorke's music... or the way he does anything, for that matter. Jonny Greenwood is still among the best guitarists playing today.

4. Rivers Cuomo: Alone: The Solo Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
This is a geek pick. I grew up adoring Weezer and they were sort of my segue into indie-rock. This record is nearly impossible to listen to start-to-finish because some tracks truly hurt the ears, but accompanied by Rivers' liner notes, it is a fascinating and nostalgic time capsule of the enigmatic songwriter's career in music.

5. The National: Boxer
Christ, I am a late adopter lately. I heard everyone gloating about this album and I disregarded it for most of the year. Over the past couple of months I started to question why the hell I waited so long to give it a listen. The fact that Sufjan Stevens played piano on it has me less excited than the music itself, which is saying a ton. It's brilliant chamber-pop of the highest caliber. Boxer is incredibly ambitious and it pits The National up against Arcade Fire for the best of its ilk.

6. The Swellers: My Everest
I was super-hesitant to place The Swellers on my top list, since I get paid to work for them, but since they made countless other top-ten lists I feel somewhat confident in my decision to include them. I mentioned Empty Orchestra and Kid Brother Collective's LPs as the definitive Flint albums. This would rank as the third in a trio of anthemic blue-collar albums about loss aside from the romantic sense. It's a coming of age album, and it tackles some difficult subject matter. For a hyperactive punk record, it sure forcasts a gloomy outlook tinged with bitterness. These kids are pissed off, yet maintain their intelligence about the whole affair.

7. Limbeck: Limbeck
Who says alt-country can't be rollicking and fun? I loved Limbeck's first album, Hi, Everything's Great with a passion, yet its follow-up, Let Me Come Home didn't quite hit the mark for me. I got around to picking this up when I saw the band with Hot Rod Circuit in Detroit, and continually go back to listening to it. There's a lot of Paul Westerberg influence this time around, drawing the band further away from its more commercial indie-pop roots in favor of something a bit more homegrown and close to the heart. Solid record from start to finish; Casey James Prestwood is a savant.

8. The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
I'm probably the only person I know who really dug this album, at least compared to the band's absolutely stellar discography. While Wincing is very front-loaded (The first 15 minutes are among my favorite of any disc this year), it is still an incredibly consistent rock record. The more upbeat moments are the best, and explore new territories for the band's Beatles-inspired sound.

9. Original Soundtrack: Once
If any movie made me love music more than I had before, it would be Once, a charming Irish-folk indie musical in the least overbearing sense. This is a quiet, inviting movie that offers insight into a man's passion as a street musician/vacuum repairman, and the musical passion his friend, a random pedestrian and eventual musical partner, shares with him. I have yet to spin the actual soundtrack disc, but there's a loophole in that the film (loosely) follows the formula of a musical, with songs weaved through its narrative, so I've already heard the complete works courtesy of the film. Glen Hansard (also of The Frames) became one of my favorite singer-songwriters after watching this film. I hope the passion he showcased in this film isn't a ruse.

10. Patton Oswalt: Werewolves & Lollipops
This is a landmark comedy album. While the Dane Cooks and Larry the Cable Guys of the world rake in huge amounts of dough at the expense of intelligence and innovation, Oswalt dares to shake things up a bit. Opting to play indie-rock clubs and theaters versus large arenas or comedy clubs, Oswalt (along with David Cross and the other Comedians of Comedy) has opened stand-up comedy to a whole new audience -- twentysomethings. It helps that he's a geek, too. Dude's written Batman comics, even. This album is raunchy as hell, yet insightful. There's nothing more amusing than a short, pudgy angry dude (trust me, I work in retail) but Oswalt breaks so many stereotypes, showcasing a dash of charm with his extreme bitterness. Name-dropping Fugazi into a stand-up act is daring. Joking about kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach is something else entirely. Gather your friends, listen, and enjoy.

Honorable mentions: Jimmy Eat World: Chase This Light (got new life for me on vinyl -- I spin it regularly), Thursday: Kill the House Lights (the DVD, released on Victory Records, is actually fairly objective about the whole Thursday vs. Victory fiasco. No mandatory cover-ups. Worth a watch, and the CD is solid, too). Between the Buried and Me: Colors (there is so much to admire with this album... where to begin?), Minus the Bear: Planet of Ice (I didn't dig their latest release nearly as much as everyone else, but it is still definitely worth a listen).

Disappointments of 2007: Straylight Run: The Needles, The Space (yawnnn... their last EP was almost great, too). Jimmy Eat World: Chase This Light (I know it also made my Honorable Mentions list, but Futures was the closest the band had come to the greatness of Clarity, and I see this album treading the same path as Bleed American. The songs are still amazing, though... just a different direction than I had hoped).

Happy New Year, and may 2008 give us some incredible records.