Owlspotting

I’ve been keeping an eye on the emerging “best of 2007” lists, curious at what albums moved people this year (Stereogum does a nice wrap-up and links to even more). There’s probably oodles more of these lists to come, but I can’t help contribute mine. I did a pretty thorough run-down last year, but I’ll keep it simpler this year.

Let me just say that, since the Decemberists didn’t put out a record this year, there’ll be no ranking. And since there is no ranking, there is no need to go higher than 5. Here are my top 5 records of 2007, in no particular order:

Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta
Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight
Voxtrot – Voxtrot
Travis – The Boy with No Name

There were plenty of other good ones (play some here), but I had each of these on heavy rotation on my IPod for weeks. To please my list-making self, I also wrote a quick one for Esquire’s December issue, listing 20 great tracks that people should have heard in 2007. This is one playlist I’m proud of. Enjoy.

1. Voxtrot – Firecracker
2. Gogol Bordello – Wonderlust king
3. The Decemberists – Culling of the fold
4. Rilo Kiley – Silver lining
5. Bright Eyes – If the brakeman turns my way
6. The National – Mistaken for strangers
7. Travis – My eyes
8. Band Of Horses – No one’s gonna love you
9. The New Pornographers – Challengers
10. Hallelujah the Hills – Hallelujah the hills
11. The Avett Brothers – Die die die
12. Of Montreal – Heimdalsgate like a Promethean curse
13. The Good, The Bad & The Queen – History song
14. The Broken West – On the bubble
15. The Arcade Fire – Intervention
16. Okkervil River – Our life is not a movie or maybe
17. brakesbrakesbrakes – If I should die tonight
18. Modest Mouse – Dashboard
19. The Shins – Turn on me
20. Bloc Party – Hunting for witches