The Top 31 of 2007 - #10

Cale's Pick

Architecture in Helsinki: Places Like This
Released: August 21, 2007

It can be argued that Places Like This, the latest album from Australia's Architecture in Helsinki is a musically less-impressive album than their previous. I probably wouldn't argue with you too much on that one. One could also say it's less inventive. Maybe. But to say that it's worse...well that's just asking for a beat down. Because as I much as I love some twee here and there, AiH's first two albums were tedious to listen to. The rarely ever conveyed the fun that should come along with the twee genre. On Places Like This, the band evolves their sound entirely. It sounds more like a B-52s revival than anything else. Missed notes are par for the coarse. An upbeat, never ending assault on your smiling muscles, the album is an absolute blast to listen to! It is the most fun album of 2007. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't heard it or prefers to spend quality one on one time with razor blades and hair dye. That's just science...

For reminding me that music can be fun and entertaining, AiH dances their way into the top ten!

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #10
"Lake Michigan" by Rogue Wave, from the album, Asleep at Heaven's Gate.

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Jill's Pick

Prince: Planet Earth
Released: July 24, 2007

I kind of never know what to expect from a Prince album. Nothing in his catalog is as good as "Sign O' the Times" was and sometimes everything else sounds exactly the same, but I do have a long standing appreciation for his musical genius. He's a master at Funk and Soul, he appreciates Jazz and Classical, and he knows how to blend them all together in the perfect way.

There's that awful song "Guitar" that was in one commercial or another. It's a cross between the 70's and 80's style Prince, which makes it like a variety show: there's slow jams, love songs, vintage Prince Funk/Soul jams, Piano ballads.

What I learned listening to this album, which I listen to when I'm cleaning (yes, I assign albums to different tasks and reserve them solely for those.) is that Prince doesn't belong anywhere categorically in music: he's just a genius with diverse talent.

In retrospect, this probably should have been more in the 20's of my list. (Oh well.)

My favorite track: "Chelsea Rodgers" (which is so fantastically Prince)

Songs you should give a listen to:
--"Somewhere Here On Earth"
--"The One U Wanna C"
--"Future Baby Mama"
--"All the Midnights in the World"
--"Mr. Goodnight" ("People call me Prince but you can call me Mr. Goodnight..." so cheesy but so good.)
--"Chelsea Rodgers"