Every year I read a lot of commentary on how the prior twelve months haven’t produced any music of lasting value, and every year I disagree. The same goes for 2007. If you're "too cool" to listen to new music, that's fine. But if not, try indulging in some of the material posted below. You might be glad that you did.

Top 10 Albums

10. Spoon – GA GA GA GA GA

9. Stars of the Lid – AND THEIR REFINEMENT OF THE DECLINE

8. Caribou – ANDORRA

7. M.I.A. – KALA

6. Of Montreal – HISSING FAUNA, ARE YOU THE DESTROYER?

5. Ola Podrida – OLA PODRIDA

4. Papercuts – CAN’T GO BACK

3. Amy Winehouse – BACK TO BLACK

2. Panda Bear – PERSON PITCH

1. The National – BOXER

I came very late to The National. I didn’t hear BOXER until months after its release, when seemingly everyone I encountered was gushing about it. And after the first seven listens, I still wasn’t convinced that it was anything more than an above-average effort. But then something happened. I don’t know when or why or how, but everything clicked on that eighth or ninth listen and the thing swirled and swelled and became epic and profound and complete in a rare, special way. BOXER is an album.

Ten Noteworthy Songs

"Umbrellas" Rihanna
"Comfy in Nautica" Panda Bear
"Paper Planes" M.I.A.
"1234" Feist
"Love is a Losing Game" Amy Winehouse
"The Past is a Grotesque Animal" Of Montreal
"You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" Spoon
"Jordanna" Ola Podrida
"Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" UGK Feat. Outkast
"Ride For My Niggas" Lil' Wayne
"When Your Mind's Made Up" Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

Other Releases Very Worth Mentioning

Louis – FREAK SHOW REVENGE (EP)
Radiohead – IN RAINBOWS
HAM1 – THE CAPTAIN’S TABLE
JT Songs – DISTRACTIONS OF AN AGE
Of Montreal – ICONS, ABSTRACT THEE (EP)
Richard Swift – DRESSED UP FOR THE LETDOWN
El-P – I’LL SLEEP WHEN YOU’RE DEAD
The Go! Team – PROOF OF YOUTH
Feist – THE REMINDER
Wilco – SKY BLUE SKY
Rufus Wainwright – RELEASE THE STARS
Grizzly Bear – FRIEND
The Ladybug Transistor – CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER DAY
Ghostface Killah – BIG DOE REHAB
Arcade Fire – NEON BIBLE
Deerhoof - FRIEND OPPORTUNITY
Wu-Tang Clan – 8 DIAGRAMS
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova – ONCE (MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE)
LCD Soundsystem – SOUND OF SILVER
Neil Young – CHROME DREAMS II

Best Old Material Released For the First Time

Neil Young – LIVE AT MASSEY HALL 1971
Elliott Smith – NEW MOON

Best Live Shows (In No Particular Order)

Bosque Brown (South by Southwest)
Richard Swift (South by Southwest)
Bill Callahan (South by Southwest)
Of Montreal (Sarasota Film Festival)
BOB (Independent Film Festival of Boston)
Panda Bear (Baltimore)
The National (South Street Seaport)
HAM1 (Sound Fix)
Herman Dune (Cake Shop)
Max Richter (Good-Shepherd Faith Church)

Quote of the Year

“ZZ Top’s playin’ in a secret field on the north side of town and there’s free ecstasy!” – The last on-stage words I heard at South by Southwest, spoken by Frog Eyes’ Carey Mercer, brilliantly summing up the absurdity of the music festival going experience.

Music Videos of the Year

5. Animal Collective “Peacebone”

4. Bat For Lashes “What’s a Girl to Do”

3. Of Montreal “Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse”

2. Fionn Regan “Be Good or Be Gone”

1. Ola Podrida “Lost and Found”