The -ist List: Best Albums of 2007 Every year, Houstonist gets together and discuss our favorite albums of the year. This year, there are many artists that have been on our favorites before in previous years, but still there were a few surprises. So we give you our top ten with our own commentary: The National - Boxer Houstonist agrees with many critics about the best album of 2007. We first thought that Brooklyn-based The National reached their pinnacle with Alligator from a couple of years back, but we were wrong. With darker lyrics and the mesmerizing baritone vocals from Matt Berninger, along with Bryan Devendorf’s drumming and the remaining guitar/piano arrangements from band members, The Boxer knows when to rock and when to just be plain beautiful. Listen: “Fake Empire” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteIron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog Hopes were high for Sam Beam (who is Iron & Wine) this year, after Woman King and his collaboration with fellow Austinites, Calexico. He surpassed those hopes for many. While basically a folk singer, Sam adds enough varying instrumentation to his music to compliment his hushed voice, without over-powering it. ?Boy With a Coin? and “Lovesong of the Buzzard” are standouts. Listen: “Boy With a Coin” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteSpoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga When a band?s album is called ?the most accessible yet,? that usually means it?s the most commercial, mainstream sounding. Not for Spoon. It just means damn good. We argue amongst ourselves if this one is better than Gimme Fiction (which was our favorite of 2005). After seeing Spoon live, with the horn section from Grupo Fantasma, we?re sleeping more sound, knowing that their goodness will continue. Listen: “The Underdog” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteFeist - The Reminder In 1967, it was the Summer of Love. In 2007, it was the Summer of Leslie Feist. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing Feist’s wistful voice in a TV commercial or on the radio, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way. The talented chanteuse and multi-instrumentalist struck gold with her third full-length album The Reminder, reminding us of the sheer power of perfect hooks and solid pop songs. The record’s wide appeal landed Feist prized commercial deals and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. But the laurels haven’t damaged her indie cred; Feist still finds the time to jam with the Canadian sound collective Broken Social Scene and perform with her musical friends on occasion. She’s still Leslie from the block. Listen: “So Sorry” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteWilco - Sky Blue Sky This Chicago band reached their current plateau with 2000?s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but they haven?t fallen since. Sure, Sky Blue Sky isn?t as ?experimental? as their past two studio albums, but with the whole band involved in the writing process this time (the last two were mostly leader Jeff Tweedy compositions), this album is more cohesive and easy to digest. The calmer atmosphere on this year?s Wilco release may have a lot to do with the band?s new found sobriety. Listen: “What Light” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteThe Shins - Wincing The Night Away At he beginning of the year, the music industry was abuzz with the release of The Shin?s follow-up to 2003?s Chutes Too Narrow. Wincing the Night Away even debuted at #2 on the U.S. album charts, with only some minor airplay for the first single ?Phantom Limb.? The band didn?t stray too far from the formula that first got them notice (which for many, was the inclusion of two songs on the Garden State soundtrack), but they did have more funds to use for the production of the album. The Shins also showed that you could stay on an independent label and reach massive success. Listen: “Australia” | Buy: Amazon | Official SiteRadiohead - In Rainbows Speaking of bands that did it their way, despite what the music industry guidelines says ? Radiohead garnered headlines this year with the release of their digital download-only ?pay what you want? album In Rainbows. Fans who?ve grown weary of overboard experimentation with the last few Radiohead studio albums were happy to hear more songs with (gulp) choruses in them. It?ll be interesting to see how the physical CD sales once it?s released in 2008. Listen: “House of Cards” | Buy: Amazon | Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST
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The National - Boxer Houstonist agrees with many critics about the best album of 2007. We first thought that Brooklyn-based The National reached their pinnacle with Alligator from a couple of years back, but we were wrong. With darker lyrics and the mesmerizing baritone vocals from Matt Berninger, along with Bryan Devendorf’s drumming and the remaining guitar/piano arrangements from band members, The Boxer knows when to rock and when to just be plain beautiful. Listen: 
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog Hopes were high for Sam Beam (who is Iron & Wine) this year, after Woman King and his collaboration with fellow Austinites, Calexico. He surpassed those hopes for many. While basically a folk singer, Sam adds enough varying instrumentation to his music to compliment his hushed voice, without over-powering it. ?Boy With a Coin? and “Lovesong of the Buzzard” are standouts. Listen: 
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga When a band?s album is called ?the most accessible yet,? that usually means it?s the most commercial, mainstream sounding. Not for Spoon. It just means damn good. We argue amongst ourselves if this one is better than Gimme Fiction (which was our 
Feist - The Reminder In 1967, it was the Summer of Love. In 2007, it was the Summer of Leslie Feist. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing Feist’s wistful voice in a TV commercial or on the radio, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way. The talented chanteuse and multi-instrumentalist struck gold with her third full-length album The Reminder, reminding us of the sheer power of perfect hooks and solid pop songs. The record’s wide appeal landed Feist prized commercial deals and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. But the laurels haven’t damaged her indie cred; Feist still finds the time to jam with the Canadian sound collective Broken Social Scene and perform with her musical friends on occasion. She’s still Leslie from the block. Listen: 
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky This Chicago band reached their current plateau with 2000?s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but they haven?t fallen since. Sure, Sky Blue Sky isn?t as ?experimental? as their past two studio albums, but with the whole band involved in the writing process this time (the last two were mostly leader Jeff Tweedy compositions), this album is more cohesive and easy to digest. The calmer atmosphere on this year?s Wilco release may have a lot to do with the band?s new found sobriety. Listen: 
The Shins - Wincing The Night Away At he beginning of the year, the music industry was abuzz with the release of The Shin?s follow-up to 2003?s Chutes Too Narrow. Wincing the Night Away even debuted at #2 on the U.S. album charts, with only some minor airplay for the first single ?Phantom Limb.? The band didn?t stray too far from the formula that first got them notice (which for many, was the inclusion of two songs on the Garden State soundtrack), but they did have more funds to use for the production of the album. The Shins also showed that you could stay on an independent label and reach massive success. Listen: 
Radiohead - In Rainbows Speaking of bands that did it their way, despite what the music industry guidelines says ? Radiohead garnered headlines this year with the release of their digital download-only ?pay what you want? album In Rainbows. Fans who?ve grown weary of overboard experimentation with the last few Radiohead studio albums were happy to hear more songs with (gulp) choruses in them. It?ll be interesting to see how the physical CD sales once it?s released in 2008. Listen: 
