Essentially, these albums are not, essential

Non-essential albums of 2007

Era Vulgaris - Queens of the Stone Age

I have yet to hear a QotSA album that sounds like a completed effort. Josh can sing and rock with the best of them and when David Grohl grabs the sticks the sound is vulgar and of a dark era no doubt, but it's often a little too rough around the edges. Era should have been the album that defined them as the best heavy rock band in the US, instead it simply confirmed that they have a ways to go.

A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

What? I'm confused. Is this not just fuzzy fuzz run through a fuzz machine with some odd arrangements and super loud guitars...that sound fuzzy? You looking for a place to put these unknown corpses are ya? Tell you right now they sure shit aren't gonna end up in the beautiful pastures of my Essential list.

Year Zero - Nine Inch Nails

I like Trent Reznor a lot. Most of what he has accomplished is borderline genius, the worry is that he now knows that and thinks he can get away with anything. He's sober now and it seems that rarely ends up well for artists I like, but in all reality that doesn't seem to be what makes his new material suffer. I think it's that he now relies far too much on computers making his music too accessible at times, which he tries to balance by throwing beats/guitars that are prob too heavy to hide the flaws. All in all, this album is prob comes in at 51 on my list of 50, I never said much about it during the year so I needed to address it.


Liars - Liars

Nothing really wrong with this album in the sense that it is a poor effort from the musicians involved or anything like that, but it is a problem that the music is tired and played. Like a lot of the indie bands that flirt with the shoegazer-emo genre, the songs drag and lean on sloppy structure to give a shadowy feel...trying to out cool you to the point where you forget that 'hey, this stuff is pretty damn boring.'

Our Love to Admire - Interpol

I won't say that this album is not good, it is, it's just that I wanted it to be amazing and I was letdown. Nothing has evolved for this band, at least not on the scale that seemed destined when they stormed onto the scene. Our Love is in it's best sense, just a good album, which isn't nearly good enough. I've a got a feeling the band will bounce back from this one, especially since many fans enjoyed it, I am asking more from a band that has it, they just didn't bring it.

Two Albums that Surprise me with the Praise they receive...

Andorra - Caribou; not half as good as Panda Bear and by the way why is 'sounding like the Beach Boys' such a positive, it's 2007

God Save the Clientele - The Clientele ; from what I gather this is not the album to meet the band on, but I don't plan on being in this neighborhood again any time soon so the cold greeting will remain as my sole impression

And of course my most hated album of the Year.

Sky, Boring Ass, Blue Sky - Wilco

Aaaagggrrhhh!!!!! Why?????? Tweedy did you get lost in the Adult Contemporary section at Target? Somebody slip an Oxycotin in this guys drink asap. You made this album like ten years ago. It's almost like you didn't even watch I am Trying to Break Your Heart. Let me give you the elevator pitch; Jay Bennett wasn't good for the band, you fired him, you created one of the best albums in the modern era and the new sound of the band was perfect, followed it up with another stellar album and released one of the best live albums of all time...why did you retreat? The band had sideprojects and solo tours, everything was primed for the most creative and inspiring album to date and then we get this. I'm so sad with this.

The most glowing response to this album has been "It is far easier to listen to." Not being easy to listen to is the prime reason Wilco made such worthy music and has such a rapid fan base.

I hate this album because I love this band and I know they are better than this. But, Wilco is proud of this album and a lot of people like it, shoot love it and some say its among the best of the year. I need to see these guys live soon to reaffirm why they are still great, but for now I remain distraught.

Albums I will not be reviewing.

Graduation - Kanye West
Believe it or not I haven't heard, not gonna buy anytime soon either
Kala - M.I.A.
Not my thing

Wizard of Ahhhs EP - Black Kids
Haven't heard it yet, despite the vote of approval from Don Marshall

From Here We Go Sublime - The Field
I don't even know what this is

Challengers - The New Pornographers
Didn't buy it

Cassadaga - Bright Eyes
He's gotten too self important/political and there is no way this is as good as Wide Awake, didn't bother

Magic - Bruce Springsteen
Whatever

Lupe Fiasco and Wu-Tang Clan will not be released prior to completion of list