Best CDs of 2007

[yesireebob]

Ok, time for the annual round up. Here's my Top Ten:

1. Porcupine Tree, Fear of a Blank Planet / Nil Recurring
2. Dream Theater, Systematic Chaos
3. Rush, Snakes and Arrows
4. Nightwish, Dark Passion Play (I LOVE the new female lead, and this CD has a Nordic folk track that sounds almost like Mostly Autumn!)
5. The Shins, Wincing the Night Away
6. 3, The End is Begun. (They opened for PT in Nashville, I bought this CD at the show and I LOVE this band!)
7. Circa, Circa
8. Fair to Midland, Fables from a Mayfly
9. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
10. Gazpacho, Night (The title track is a classic listen-in-the-dark-with-headphones number).

Honorable mentions:
Joni Mitchell, Shine
Jordan Rudess, The Road Home (awesome cover of Soundchaser)
Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
Bruce Springsteen, Magic (ya, ya, I know. But I love it anyway!)
Robert Plant and Allison Krause, Raising Sand
Interpol, Our Love to Admire
Spoon, Ga Ga Ga
Modest Mouse
White Stripes, Icky Thump.

[Ed1909]

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[Ed1909]

Hmm, my visits here are much less frequent than they used to be - clearly a reflection on a lack of Yes activity. But I nearly missed yesireebob's annual "Best of the Year" thread; this would never do!

I didn't buy many albums released last year but out of what I did buy, these 6 are all superb:

Odin Dragonfly - Offerings
Porky Tree -Fear Of A Blank Planet
Kula Shaker - Strangefolk
Joe Bonamassa - Sloe Gin
Silje Nergaard - Darkness Out Of Blue
The Reasoning - Awakening

Maybe a Yes release in 08 seems unlikely, but perhaps next year...

[Kalingzeye]

My 2007 top 5:

1. The Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
2. Calvin Harris - I Created Disco
3. Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
4. Perry Farrell's Satellite Party - Ultra Payloaded
5. Justice - †


Not really proggy, but super refreshing stuff~
I listened to these albums SO much, it's not even funny.
Other favourites of mine were The Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden & M.I.A. - Kala!

[Relayer]

Porcupine Tree- Fear of a Blank Planet
Blackfield-II
Dream Theater- Systematic Chaos
Rush-Snakes and Arrows
It Bites-When the Lights Go Down
Angels & Airwaves-I-Empire
Circa:2007
Porcupine Tree-Nil Recurring
K.T. Tunstall-Drastic Fantastic (Special Edition)
Oceansize-Frames

[yesireebob]

Hmm, my visits here are much less frequent than they used to be - clearly a reflection on a lack of Yes activity. But I nearly missed yesireebob's annual "Best of the Year" thread; this would never do!

I didn't buy many albums released last year but out of what I did buy, these 6 are all superb:

Odin Dragonfly - Offerings
Porky Tree -Fear Of A Blank Planet
Kula Shaker - Strangefolk
Joe Bonamassa - Sloe Gin
Silje Nergaard - Darkness Out Of Blue
The Reasoning - Awakening

Maybe a Yes release in 08 seems unlikely, but perhaps next year...

I too have been largely absent; basic Yeslessness, and life taking a few unexpected turns. Anyway, good to see you Ed, and I'm glad you responded since I did not know that Odin Dragonfly had released their CD last fall. I just now ordered the CD, can't believe I missed the release. Oh well now I have something to look forward to!

[yesireebob]

Got Offerings today, it is wonderful!

[Tucson Bass Player]

Gotta be Circa for me

[Roan's Lady]

Gotta be Circa for me

After checking out your blog, this doesn't surprise me.
You sound really good.

[tardistraveler]

Well, this year I've actually GOT some of the CD's on your list, Linda . . .

Most anything PT or DT does is tops in MY book too!

And I share your enthusiasm for Nightwish. I discovered this band right before Christmas when J.J.'s friend Steve went with him to a movie . . . Steve always brings his CD case, and usually wants to play some of his metal collection. This time it was Nightwish - Dark Passion Play . . . he left it in the car while they were in the movie theater, so I got to listen to it several times over while running MY errands that day, and I was hooked!

Afterwards, J.J. wanted to get one of their earlier CD's, so we bought Once, featuring the previous singer. Linda, I agree with you about their new singer . . . although both of them are excellent, the newer one has a voice tone that I prefer.

I need to get my own copy of Dark Passion Play now!

BTW - Once is pretty good too, if you don't have it . . .

[yesman90125]

porcupine tre fear of a blank planet
blackfield 2
rush snakes and arrows

thats all I have new and all that really interested me out there

[yesireebob]

BTW - Once is pretty good too, if you don't have it . . .

"Once" is what got me hooked on this band, it is brilliant. Tarja, the original lead singer has a much more operatic voice, which works very well with the symphony orchestra (the one that did the soundtrack for Lord of the Rings, BTW). Same orchestra on Dark Passion Play, but I was worried that the new lead singer would not hold up to the material. She does, and does so very well! I saw some clips of her on YouTube, and I am impressed. They actually did a show here, but I missed it because it was the same weekend I took my mom to Vegas. Hope they come back!

[tardistraveler]

"Once" is what got me hooked on this band, it is brilliant. Tarja, the original lead singer has a much more operatic voice, which works very well with the symphony orchestra (the one that did the soundtrack for Lord of the Rings, BTW). Same orchestra on Dark Passion Play, but I was worried that the new lead singer would not hold up to the material. She does, and does so very well! I saw some clips of her on YouTube, and I am impressed. They actually did a show here, but I missed it because it was the same weekend I took my mom to Vegas. Hope they come back!

J.J. and Steve both prefer Tarja . . . she's certainly excellent, but the new singer definitely holds her own! I was actually reminded of Renaissance/Annie Haslam while listening . . .

I'm looking forward to hearing more from this band! Hopefully they'll make it somewhere nearby, and I'll get to see them!

[yesireebob]

Here is the DPRP review of Dark Passion Play, discussing both Tarja and Anette..

http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200759.php#nightwish