Best of 2007: opbmusic Picks

These lists don't mean a whole lot, I admit. They're little more than the product of our individual tastes meeting the releases we manage to come across during a given calendar year. Still, I can't resist. Once upon a time, I lost a lot of sleep considering things like an album's legacy and Importance (yes, with a capital "I", real or imagined), but these days I'm resigned to simply include the albums I enjoyed the most over the past year. And a great year it was-- ten spots was hardly enough, and this easily could have been stretched to fifty, if only to mention every record that deserves it. Hopefully 2008 brings with it the same kind of problem. 10) PJ Harvey: White Chalk (Island) <a href="http://www.pjharvey.net"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/218ku77IFNL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xsddqZ8yTU&feature=related">"The Mountain"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZON2rv5XKzo">"Grow Grow Grow"</a>     9) Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)<a href="http://www.spoontheband.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31NHv--TwhL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.toolshed.biz/asset/resource/6547/07_The_Underdog.mp3">"The Underdog"</a> Full album <a href="http://www.mergerecords.com/m3u.php?media_id=294&">stream</a>     8) Menomena: Friend & Foe (Barsuk)<a href="http://www.menomena.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31J5EcYYXHL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/Menomena_WetAndRusting.mp3">"Wet & Rusting"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BXr_4g0o9M">"Evil Bee"</a>     7) The Shins: Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop)<a href="http://www.theshins.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31rphRhfItL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/3191.mp3">"Australia"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIRmyfKOAfM">"Turn On Me"</a>     6) Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (Nonesuch)<a href="http://www.wilcoweb.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/313uCCjt6oL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97IT0-EDTtw">"Impossible Germany"</a> Stream: <a href="http://www.wilcoworld.net/roadcase/launch_greek_archive.mov">Live in Berkeley, 8/24/07</a>     5) Pseudosix: Pseudosix (Sonic Boom)<a href="http://www.pseudosix.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21gYfrE2UKL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.pseudosix.com/mp3s/under_the_waves.mp3">"Under the Waves"</a> Full album <a href="http://www.sonicboomrecordings.com/pseudosix/">stream</a> OPB <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/5--Pseudosix">in-studio</a>   4) Avett Brothers: Emotionalism (Ramseur)<a href="http://www.theavettbrothers.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31IZa9kYzuL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.ramseurrecords.net/uploads/audio/WillYouReturn.mp3">"Will You Return?"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM_FdQIe4MA">"Paranoia in Bb Major"</a> (Live on Conan O'Brien) OPB <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/18-Avett-Brothers">in-studio</a>   3) Arcade Fire: Neon Bible (Merge)<a href="http://www.arcadefire.com/flash.html"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21T%2BDU4rXTL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.toolshed-media.com/ts/the-arcade-fire-black-mirror.mp3">"Black Mirror"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFFpL6Jj5II">"Keep the Car Running"</a> (Live)     2) Radiohead: In Rainbows (ATO)<a href="http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ZR%2BEBMjNL._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dUH_jKp1FE&feature=related">"Reckoner"</a> (Live from their Nov. 9th webcast) Full album <a href="http://www.spinner.com/2007/12/27/ring-in-the-new-year-with-radioheads-in-rainbows/">stream</a>     1) The National: Boxer (Beggar's Banquet)<a href="http://www.americanmary.com"><img width="85" height="85" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21iaA84Ps0L._AA115_.jpg" class="left-img" alt="" /></a> MP3: <a href="http://www.beggarsgroupusa.com/mp3/thenational_fakeempire.mp3">"Fake Empire"</a> Vid: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnI28bdZylM">"Apartment Story"</a> OPB <a href="http://opbmusic.org/performances/3-The-National">in-studio</a>   Honorable Mention: Super Furry Animals: Hey Venus! Sea Wolf: Leaves In the River Southern Culture On the Skids: Countrypolitan Favorites Bill Callahan: Woke On a Whaleheart Jarvis Cocker: Jarvis Jens Lekman: Night Falls Over Kortedala Richard Hawley: Lady's Bridge The Sadies: New Seasons The Good, The Bad, & The Queen: s/t Laura Veirs: Saltbreakers true

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Best of 2007: opbmusic Picks

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