List Madness: Top 10 Albums of '07 (so far)

The halfway mark of the year just past, so hey, here are my ten favorite albums of the year so far. Obviously I haven't heard every album released so far this year, so there are a bunch that could have made this list that I simply haven't listened to enough yet (lookin' at you, new Dungen album). Also, there are a few that just barely missed the cut, like White Rabbits' Fort Nightly and El-P's I'll Sleep When You're Dead, that could definitely crack the top ten of my year-end list. But that's another time, and another list. The following are the ten albums from this year that I just really, really adore. Enjoy/don't be afraid to comment! Happy Independence Day!

1o. Battles - Mirrored

Gorgeous math-rock that's a ton of fun to both casually listen to and diligently unravel. Oh, and their chipmunk vocals kick the ass of Kanye's.

9. Frog Eyes - Tears of the Valedictorian

I've never been a big Frog Eyes fan, but Carey's sure gotten it all together on this one. Each song seems to jangle around Mercer's wicked voice instead of against it; check out "Bushels", especially its last three minutes.

8. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Everyone expected a sophomore slump, but somehow I just knew that the Arcade Fire's follow-up to Funeral was gonna be a critical hit. Here they find their inner Springsteen and let the anthems fly, and the result is a collection of expertly crafted rock songs. Now... what to do for album #3..?

7. Lil' Wayne - Da Drought 3

Oh Weezy, you had me at "New mixtape, bitch!" Drought 3 improves on every aspect of last year's Dedication 2: better ripped beats, funnier guest spots (brush them shoulders off, Juelz), and a hungrier, higher Wayne, tearing shit apart and forcing doubters to bite their tongues. Can't wait for Carter III.

6. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

Boy-genius decides to get happy and make an album chock-full of perfect pop songs. Patrick's personality fuels the entire record, and what we get is a vibrant, deeply personal experience.

5. Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Person Pitch retains the complexity of Panda's work with Animal Collective, but it is also generally more accessible and melody-driven, so everybody wins. Repeat listens reveal a breathless sense of beauty, from the blissed-out sunshine of "Bros." to the gentle innocence of "Ponytail".

4. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

Does anyone else feel like this is the album that The Rapture should have made after Echoes? No matter: Hissing Fauna lets Of Montreal establish themselves as masters of indie glam-rock, with color bursting from every seam as Kevin Barnes harmonizes about how shitty divorce is. Gets better with every listen.


3. Menomena - Friend and Foe

It's hard for me to resist the urge to summarize Friend and Foe with a simple "this ROCKS!" or "sooo good", and I guess that's a testimony to how effortless each song on the album sounds. Menomena gather twelve unbelievably cohesive songs onto a single album and then let our ears pick apart the idiosyncrasies. This came out in January, and I STILL feel like there's a layer or four to each song that I have yet to recognize.


2. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity

Okay, sure, call me biased. Tell me that you can't stand the vocals, and that Deerhoof are this high because I can. Whatever; you're missing the point. Friend Opportunity is the strongest album in terms of overall theme that I've heard all year. Every song crackles with Deerhoof's signature loud guitar riffs and chest-thumping drums, but this is really a record about being painfully lonely, and being desperate to find some sort of hope. So, haters: Deerhoof is just better than you, end of story.

1. The National - Boxer

What'd you expect, Perry Farrell's Satellite Party? Although it's only been out for little more than a month, Boxer can seriously be debated as an instant-classic. Take your pick of its most polished aspect: the air-tight drumming, Matt Berninger's xenophobic lyrics, the terrific bass work -- hell, you could just say "Brainy" and I'd be okay with it. Truth is, The National has followed up the impressive Alligator with a nearly flawless album that looks like it's capable of standing the test of time.