Staff ' Picks of 2007

I just don't tire of any of these.  All extreme heavy rotation.  Enough to make my kids sing along to some of the songs...

  10. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
  9.  Rocky Votolato - The Brag & Cuss
  8.  Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
  7.  Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Living With The Living
  6.  Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
  5.  Matthew Ryan - From A Late Night High Ris
e
  4.  Joe Henry - Civilians
  3.  Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
  2.  Peter Case - Let Us All Now Praise Sleepy John
  1.  Mark Olson - The Salvation Blues

Gar Saeger 

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A solid year.  A couple disappointments from some of my favorite artists, but other good albums kept me from getting down.

1. Burial - Untrue

Beautiful electronic dubstep music.  A genre I'm new to, but the chance was worth it.  One of the only albums this year I couldn't do without.

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Restrained and pretty.  The first Radiohead album I've really gotten into. And it's success as a digital release certainly helps lift it higher.

3. The National - Boxer

One knockout song after another.  Of it's 12 tracks, all but two are memorable stand-outs.  I love his rich voice, and the band's sound reminds me of Starflyer 59's "Old".

4. Feist - The Reminder

This album has everything.  A huge hit single, gorgeous singing, open-hearted lyrics and an amazing sound.

5. Sally Shapiro - Disco Romance

Cheesy title and all, I adore Sally Shapiro.  One of my favorite love-song albums ever.

6. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime

Electronic house music, creates amazing feeling with the most minimal sounds.

7. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Though it's not a "Christian" album, I think this is an album that Christians can get behind. It takes a stand against darkness and encourages the listener to look up in hope and wonder for God.  And the music is breathtaking.

8. Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

Gorgeous.  A progression in sound if not always in songwriting, but it's numerous excellent qualities make up for it all.

9. Castanets - In The Vines

Raposa's best in songwriting and most open and honest in lyrics.

10. His Name Is Alive - Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown

A loving tribute to an influence and a stronger companion to Detrola than the other HNIA release this year.  Enjoyable, relaxing and soulful.

Jonathan Avants 07 Favorites

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My top 10 in no particular order (dunno if they have to be ones that
were reviewed on the booth or not):

Sev & Dust - "Back To Dust"
As Cities Burn - "Come Now Sleep"
Project 86 - "Rival Factions"
Matthew Good - "Hospital Music"
August Burns Red - "Messengers"
Thrice - "The Alchemy Index Volumes 1 & 2: Fire & Water"
Emery - "I'm Only A Man"
The Brothers Martin - s/t
Dashboard Confessional - "The Shade of Poison Trees"
Dustin Kensrue - "Please Come Home"

Jerry Bolton

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Hmmmm. Top ten of the year. Not easy.

In no real order:

Sara Groves - Tell Me What You Know .for being musically sound, thoughtful, artistic, and relevant.

John Davis - Arigato .for basically rocking, and being what Jesus Rock used to be.

Dan Wallace - Culture of Self .for being creative and musically interesting.

Marvin Winans - Alone But Not Alone .for going outside the box of traditional black Gospel, and for that amazing phrasing.

Rick Altizer - Scripture Memory Pop Symphonies .for having the guts to be un-cool, and for creating amazing Beatle-esque music.

Phil Keaggy - Dream Again .for finally returning to creating great pop/rock songs. "Love is the Reason" is reason enough to be in the top ten.

Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura .for taking a chance, accepting the flack, and being strong, gutsy hard-prog rock.

Procol Harum - Secrets of the Hive .an excellent 2-CD package that sounds great, and spans the career, to date, of this still-excellent classic band.

newsboys - Go .for a return to top form, and for an album that's lots of fun.

Johnny Lang - Turn Around  .for a surprisingly funky, tight pop-blues CD with a ton of heart.

And of course there was.
Eisley (Combinations), Switchfoot (Oh, Gravity), Mike Farris (who should get the 'funky white boy' award, along with Johnny Lang for Salvation in
Lights), the various excellent instrumental CDs by the likes of Keaggy, Cummins and Hemby. Thankfully, Mute Math finally released a DVD. there have
been lots of good things, many of which I'm sure I forgot, and will be hitting myself on the head about through the next few days..

Bert Saraco

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Here we go in order:

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Project 86- Rival Factions
3. Daft Punk- Alive 2007
4. Anberlin- Cities
5. As Cities Burn- Come Now Sleep
6. The Chariot- The Fiancee
7. Animal Collective- Strawberry Jam
8. Matthew Good- Hospital Music
9. Jarvis Cocker- The Jarvis Cocker Record
10. David Crowder Band- Remedy

Noah Salo

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In no particular order...

Project 86 - Rival Factions
*A tight, lean and mean disc of hard and heavy grooves and screams. Another excellent entry into the P86 catalogue.

The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
*Stylistically, more of a continuation of the alt-rock-folk sound  from "Reconstruction Site," but more Weakerthans is never to be denied.

Demon Hunter - Storm The Gates of Hell
*A mix of super-heavy and melodic with great production and  craftsmanship.  Does it top "The Triptych?"  Depends on your taste,  DH3 & 4 have different strengths, but another stand-out release from  Ryan Clark & Co.

The Showdown - Temptation Come My Way
*Yeahhhhhhhhhh!  Jammin' for the lamb.  High voltage.  24-7.  Dirty  southern metal.  Rules so hard.

Project 86 - The Kane Mutiny EP
*iTunes exclusive EP with two KILLER b-sides, a rad cover tune, and  two fantastic remixes that turn P86 into an industrial band.  Oh how  I would love an industrial P86 album...

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
*Very, very, very good canadian indie-rock with heart and whimsy, wrapped up in a lo-fi package.  "No Cars Go" soars.

Thrice - The Alchemy Index vol 1 and 2
*Actually, I haven't bought it yet.  But there's no way this concept  record is going to suck.  It's THRICE.  They are something special in  music.

Plumb - Blink
*I don't have this either, but I listened to it in the store and it  sounds like a sweet, delicate collection of Plumb-style lullabies  utilizing ethereal loops and textures.  Also, the cover art is freaky-beautiful.

I can't actually get ten albums.  2007 has been a disappointing year  in music for me.  Some releases were medicore or good, but not really  great (Disciple, Joy Electric, Matthew Good) and at least one made me  angry for wasting my money (Skillet)  I enjoyed buying a lot more  older cds, especially some great thrift store and pawn shop scores.

Ryan Ro

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1. Lovedrug- "Everything Starts Where It Ends"
2. Wilco-"Sky Blue Sky"
3. The Arcade Fire- "Neon Bible"
4. Relient K- "Five Score And Seven Years Ago"
5. Bruce Springsteen- "Magic"
6. Anberlin- "Cities"
7. Mae- "Singularity"
8. Bill Mallonee- "Circa"
9. Over The Rhine- "The Trumpet Child"
10. Fountains Of Wayne- "Traffic And Weather"

Honorable Mentions:
Bright Eyes- "Cassadaga"
The Parker Theory- "Leaving California"
The Ataris- "Welcome The Night"
All Star United- "Love And Radiation"
Eisley- "Combinations"
 

James Morovich

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Here are my picks so far (in no particular order):

David Crowder Band - Remedy
Phil Keaggy - The Master & The Musician 30th Anniversary Edition
Glass Hammer - Culture of Ascension
Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura
Demon Hunter - Storm the Gates of Hell
Led Zeppelin - Mothership
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Mike Farris - Salvation in Lights
John Davis - Arigato!
Lovedrug - Everything Starts Where It Ends

Merry Christmas!
DJ Barry 

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  10. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

    9. Bill Mallonee - Permafrost

    8. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

    7. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

    6. Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child

    5. Radiohead - In Rainbows

    4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump

    3. David Bazan - Fewer Moving Parts

    2. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

    1. Feist - The Reminder

Joey Royal

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Best Album: Clutch - "From Beale Street to Oblivion"
Best Record: Clutch - "The Rapture of Riddley Walker"
Best Video: Dream Theater - "Constant Motion"

Top Ten Albums

1. Clutch - "From Beale Street to Oblivion" <=- 5-tock review
2. Neal Morse - "Sola Scriptura" <=- 5-tock review
3. Crunchy - "Loserville"
4. Suspyre - "A Great Divide"
5. Nightwish - "Dark Passion Play"
6. Devin Townsend - "Ziltoid the Omniscient"
7. Rush - "Snakes and Arrows"
8. Half Zaftig - "Life Like Luster"
9. Dug Pinnick - "Strum Sum Up"
10. Dream Theater - "Systematic Chaos"

Honorable Mention: Bruce Gaitsch - "Sincerely" (released in late 2006)

Dan Singleton

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Writer's Picks for 2007

1. Mike Farris: Salvation in Lights. For a fresh, authentic burst of energetic new white-boy gospel / blues / soul that never puts a foot wrong.
2. Over The Rhine: Trumpet Child. For classic song-writing, great lyrics and sheer class.
3. Tinariwen: Aman Iman. A class release that shows how small the world is; a definite cousin of early American blues, with some storming grooves.
4. Martin Simpson: Prodigal Son. For a master musician's intense set of folk pieces, which are as much at home in the States as in England.
5. Michelle Tumes: Self-titled: For returning to what she does best – ethereal vocals singing perfectly crafted songs in a way that no-one else can.
6. Kevin Max – The Blood. For that voice, some fine treatments of great songs and especially the Prince track.
7. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible. For originality, astute cultural perception and saying things that the Church should be saying.
8. Jason Carter: The Helsinki Project. For a unique blend of sounds backing some beautifully stylistic flamenco, and some sublime moments.
9. Radiohead: In Rainbows. For generosity, creativity and for thinking about listeners as much as boundaries.
10. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Raising Sand. A bold sweet 'n' sour genre-blending collection of hand-picked songs – and the T-Bone Burnett effect.

If compilations and re-releases are included, add in Led Zeppelin's Mothership  (simply includes some of the greatest tunes in rock); Over The Rhine's  Discount Fireworks (as well as their normal excellent writing and performing, this contains several shivery goose-bump moments that touch the soul); U2's  The Joshua Tree - 20th Anniversary edition for great value version of a brilliant disc; and Gordon Giltrap: Sixty Minutes with (his technique and sound are unique and a listening joy); and Phil Keaggy's anniversary edition of The Master and the Musician (still up with his best silvery instrumentals, and that touch of middle ages English folk).

Derek Walker

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Top Ten No order

1. Iron And Wine - The Shepherd's Dog 
2. Over the Rhine ­ The Trumpet Child
3. Bruce Springsteen ­ Magic
4 Michael Farris - Salvation in Lights
5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 81
6 Once - Sound track/
7 Robert Plant/Alison Krauss ­ Raising Sand
8. Ashley Cleveland - Before the Daylight's Shot
9. Radiohead ­ In Rainbows
10. Steven Delopoulos - Straightjacket

Runner's Up
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible, Caedmon's Call - Overdressed, Eisley - Combination, Anberlin- Cities, Bright Eyes - Cassadaga, Neal Morse - Sola Scriptures, Jeff Johnson - Standing Still, Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning - Dreams of a Christmas Night EP, Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band - Live In Dublin  RelientK - Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer, Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs, Swirling Eddies The Midget, the Speck. The the Molecule, Feist - The Reminder, Fauxliage - s/t 

Shari Lloyd

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In no particular order: 

Over the Rhine- The Trumpet Child
Mike Farris- Salvation in Lights
Robert Plant/Allison Krauss Raising Sand
Romantica- America
Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
Jars of Clay- Christmas Songs
Jeff Caylor- Okay
Mavis Staples- We'll Never Turn Back
Caedmon's Call- Overdressed
Aradhna- Amrit Vani

Robert W. Blake

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In top ten-type order:

Ashley Cleveland - Before the Daylight's Shot
Ian Hunter - Shrunken Heads
The Beatles - Love (that's 2006--not sure it qualifies)
BarlowGirl - How Can We Be Silent
Martina McBride - Waking Up Laughing
Freemasons featuring Bailey Tzuke - "Uninvited" (EP)
Hillsong - Live: Saviour King
Rebecca St. James - aLIVE in Florida
Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape
Girls Aloud - Tangled Up
 

peace + Olin Jenkins

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Maybe the toughest call I've had to make in several years.  This list is actually in order for once.

1. Mike Farris - Salvation in Lights
2. dUg Pinnick - Strum Sum Up
3. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
4. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
5. Half Zaftig - Life Like Luster
6. Jackdaw4 - Bipolar Diversions
7. Sara Groves - Tell Me What You Know
8. Over the Rhine - The Trumpet Child
9. Crowded House - Time on Earth
10. Will Hoge - Draw the Curtains

Honorable mentions:  Mitch McVicker - Love Will Rise; Dick Prall - Weightless; Colin Hay - Are You Looking at Me?; Rocket Summer - Do You Feel?

Most overrated: Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell; Caedmon's Call - Overdressed
Early picks for 2008: Ayreon - 01001001; Hip By Proxy - Keepers and Sleepers

Brian

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In no particular order!!!
Reid Maclean- "Bright Fading Star"
The debut solo project from the former Spinoza member shows why he is one of the best singer/songwriters around.

Over The Rhine- "The Trumpet Child"
The latest entry from Cincinnati's best show the total professionals that they truly are.

Various Artists- "Songs For Luca 2"
This latest collection from Dave Bainbridge and friends is pure sonic excellence.

The Swirling Eddies- "The Midget, The Speck & The Molecule"
The band that won't go away is back again, thank God. Camarillo Eddy and company are back with their absolute collection of tunes yet.

McAllister- "Strong Tower"
A collection of songs that show even a somewhat long sabbatical cannot stifle this creative genius.

Maeve-"Mothers Of Grace Club"
Perfect harmonies, excellent performances show why this Boston based trio are simply the best around.

Richie Furay- "The Heartbeat Of Love"
A legendary rock n roller playing awesome rock n roll. It doesn't get any better than this.

Glasshammer- "Culture Of Ascent"
Absolute perfection in every way!!!

Admiral Twin- "The Center Of The Universe
The best indie pop band around playing some of their best tunes ever.

The Khrusty Brothers- "Jonas Is Back"
The latest installment from this legendary band shows exactly why they have the staying power and longevity that is theirs.

Chris MacIntosh aka Grandfather Rock

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My Top CD’s for 2007 (not in any order)

Rush - Snakes & Arrows (The progressive rock trio puts out probably their best sounding album yet.)

Marillion - Somewhere Else (The English fivesome releases a fairly stripped down and topical album that hits on most marks.)

Bruce Springsteen - Magic (The Boss revs it up again and delivers a lyrically, sprawling near-masterpiece.)

Buffalo Tom - Three Easy Pieces (After a 9 year break, the BT trio delivers the hooks once again with typically enigmatic tunes.)

Roger Clyne - No More Beautiful World (I can't say I like the pessimistic title, but I get the sentiment...the world needs a fix; this catchy, lyrically driven rock album helps.)

KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (Mostly catchy and hooky, but evolved from the previous album; a few mellow, acoustic numbers too.)

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (Newly sober, Jeff Tweedy may have released Wilco's best album yet. Some obvious Beatles influence here scores to great effect.)

Blue Rodeo - Small Miracles (The Toronto sextet releases another complete and fulfilling, if subdued gem.)
 
Doug ‘dUg’ Pinnick (The King's X bassist/vocalist gets the funk out.)

Marc Cohn - Join The Parade (A poignant and rich singer/songwriter's album.)

Honorable Mention:

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
John Fogerty - Revival
Ezra Furman - Banging Down The Doors
Feist - The Reminder

Chris Barlow