The Top 31 of 2007 - #31

Cale's Pick

Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Released: March 20, 2007

Before this year, I wasn't really that big of a Modest Mouse fan. I was only passingly familiar with their past works, and I never gave it a good enough listen to nail down a solid opinion about the band. But when We Were Dead... rolled around in March, I figured I owed it to myself to see what all the fuss is about. What I got was a really solid album that I shouldn't like (Isaac Brock is an absolutely horrendous vocalist) but wholeheartedly do! I basically think about the band as Franz Ferdinand with someone who can't sing, but I'm a huge Franz fan so it equals itself out. This album is filled with some awesome songs like "Education," "Invisible," and "Missed the Boat" featuring James Mercer of The Shins (one of my favorite songs of 2007!). If, for some reason, you are like I was and haven't gotten around to listening to Modest Mouse, this would be a good place to start. It's not too incredibly different from their other albums (a good thing) and it's pretty cool at that!

For making me a fan, Isaac Brock and Co. land at #31.

Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #31
The Clientele - "From Brighton Beach to Santa Monica"

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Jill's Pick

I need this to be noted, seeing as how I'm the new girl: I had a really hard time picking 31 albums because I didn't like 31 albums. Yet, there were 31 notable songs I enjoyed, so I went with all of those and reviewed said albums. This is what I came up with. (And more on that entire concept later!)

LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Released: March 20, 2007

I know LCD Soundsystem gets *a lot* of hype and play and whatnot. And for as much as I appreciate that, because fans are fans, I have to say that I find him to be a little bit...um...overrated. Now, that's not to say that Sound of Silver doesn't have its merits, because it does, but come on people, I get it. It's awesome...kinda.

Why I like this album: it's simple. That's why I like it. There are no complex, need a treasure map to figure out lyrics. There are beats that make me think it's 1980 all over again and this isn't a bad thing. It's clean, it's focused, it's got a lot of originality to it. I think mostly I like it because it reminds me of Kraftwerk and Public Image Limited. And I miss Kraftwerk and Public Image Limited.

My only question is, is it considered a full length album or an EP?

The best track: All My Friends. Which is pretty much the one everyone likes.

Tracks I think you should listen to at least once:
--All My Friends
--Time to Get Away
--New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down (hey. I agree. NYC is tired and overrated.)