Favorite listen of 2007

[Davey]

Doesn't have to be new, or even something you came across this year. Just the one artist or album you found yourself pulling out and repeating the most often.

I was first gonna say Richard Buckner, because after getting his last CD Meadow early this year, I became kind of obsessed with it and his first two great sounding CDs, especially the debut Bloomed on DejaDisc (even sent out a few copies to friends here).

But after a little bit of reconsidering, I'd have to go with Three Mile Pilot. Between the incredible The Chief Assassin to the Sinister and the timeless 2-CD set Songs from an Old Town We Once Knew, this band has been almost like my soundtrack, scary as that may sound. Seems like whenever I start my car, Chief Assassin is playing. And I start to punch the button to play something else, but inevitably hesitate, thinking maybe just listen to this song and then change it. But I almost never do. At least not right away. Love to hear that heavy stuff cranked up in the car. Pretty nice recording too, lots of interesting sounds and effects. Good use of the soundstage. And at home, the more reflective Old Town singles, rarities and b-sides collection is often my background, like now. But it doesn't stay reflective forever, erupting at times like a musical volcano. Still don't have their last record, Another Desert, Another Sea, before they morphed into the Black Heart Procession and Pinback, and keep hearing that they are recording a new Three Mile Pilot record, but haven't heard anything yet from it. Touch and Go records has given it a catalog number and 2008 release date, but who knows?

What about you?

[salad 419]

For me, it's definately been Jack Johnson, On and On as well as Brushfire Fairy Tales. Recently picked up the Between Dreams and it's gotten quite a bit of airplay as well. This is mostly due to comprises with the wife. Metal vs. (C)rap, so we compromise until I get my basement listening room completed.
She also likes the Norah Jones Album Come Away With Me.

[bobsticks]

Great question Davey, probably better than the other threads for me because the vast majority of my purchases aren't from 2007. It's a hard one though. So much music came through these doors over the last year there's a lot of possibilities, but there are several that made it to the playlist no matter what's going on.

And the winnah is...



Hank Mobley's 24/96 DAD Remaster of Roll Call on the Classics label probably endured more stylistic dalliances than all others. Absolutely a marvel of technology and what the capacity for sound engineering is, combined with an overall magnificent performance.

Lots and lots of runners up though, listed in no particular order: Over The Rhine's Ohio, Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris' All The RoadRunning, Califone's Roots and Crowns, the Tilson Thomas Mahlers, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' Keystone 3, Isaac Hayes' Shaft SACD, Ali Farke Toure & Toumani Diabante's In The Heart Of The Moon, DG's Verdi's Il Trovatore, Shearwater's Palo Santo, New Order's Substance, Tomahawk...


This was a good year

[nobody]

I'm just gonna stick to new stuff for my picks...

I've had a few contestants for that prize. Babyshambles: Shotters Nation has gotten played a ton, just a good solid pop/rock album. Then there's Tim Armstrong: A Poet's Life, a reggae/ska album from the guy from Rancid, you pretty much can probably tell just from that short discriptor if you're gonna like it; basically, if you like the Clash's forays into reggae, you'd probably enjoy listening to it. And, in another vein, the electronic album I've really liked this year had been Pole: Steingarten, which varies from mid-tempo to more droney kinda stuff without ever really putting you to sleep and keeping the rhythms interesting. I've played all three os those a ton this year, amongst other stuff of course, but those three may have gotten played the most for me.

[jasn]

If you are still seeking the perfect segue for Sun Kil Moon's Ghosts of the Great Highway, this is it:

Great Lake Swimmers: Ongiara



It may not be my uber-favorite for 2007, but it will be close.

[Davey]

If you are still seeking the perfect segue for Sun Kil Moon's Ghosts of the Great Highway, this is it:



It may not be my uber-favorite for 2007, but it will be close.

Sometimes a picture may be worth a thousand words, but not when it's only 1 pixel by 1 pixel. In other words, always best to include a bit of text as a backup for when the image doesn't show up

[Davey]

Lots and lots of runners up though, listed in no particular order ... This was a good year

Some great stuff on that list, and some of my favorites too. Those DAD disks can be pretty nice too. I have a few of the 24/96 DVD versions (not the latest 24/192 DVD-A versions), mostly classic jazz like Canonball and Coltrane, and they are some of the best digital transfers I've heard. Really put you there, like a time machine.

[jasn]

Sometimes a picture may be worth a thousand words, but not when it's only 1 pixel by 1 pixel. In other words, always best to include a bit of text as a backup for when the image doesn't show up

10 4

I've edited the orignal post. Thx.

[bobsticks]

Some great stuff on that list, and some of my favorites too. Those DAD disks can be pretty nice too. I have a few of the 24/96 DVD versions (not the latest 24/192 DVD-A versions), mostly classic jazz like Canonball and Coltrane, and they are some of the best digital transfers I've heard. Really put you there, like a time machine.

Jah, you can tell that the characters at Classics care about music. Even the titles that aren't "reference grade" still contain some fantastic and worthy tunes. The Jimmy Rushing All-Stars and Starker Plays Baker come to mind as discs that whie perhaps not the ultimate in fidelity can get a play anytime around these parts.

Probably worth noting that the BIS production of Jorgen Van Rijen's Classical Trombone: Tomasi, Biber, Dutilleux, Kurtag on SACD is now spinning, as it has been for months, and should certainly be included in my list of 2007 faves.

[jim goulding]

Three cheers to Bobby for "Roll Call", You got this from Classic Records? And is the remaster way superior to the Blue Note CD (which I already own)? I expect that I know the answer already given some acquaintence with Steve Hoffman's work.

[Rae]

You know, I heard a lot of amazing records for the first time in 2007, but the one that leaps to mind is this one:



Who knew? The only songs that I had ever heard kick off each side, "Mother & Child Reunion" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and as great as those songs are, they're probably my least favorite on the record. The whole thing just sounds so weary in a way that must connect with where I'm at in the world right now.

I obviously spent a lot of time listening to Loudon Wainwright III when putting these comps together, so overall 2007 was probably the Year of Loud. Or the Year of Steve Forbert.

~Rae

[Rae]

Oh, and this was a memorable listen as well.

~Rae

[bobsticks]

Three cheers to Bobby for "Roll Call", You got this from Classic Records? And is the remaster way superior to the Blue Note CD (which I already own)? I expect that I know the answer already given some acquaintence with Steve Hoffman's work.

Yeah, it's that damn good.

Loudon Wainwright got some plays over here too, thanks to a certain yankee northerner from one o' them tundra states. Grazie.

[Pat D]

Mine is rather off the beaten track even for classical music:

Toshiro Mayuzumi, Pieces for Prepared Piano and Strings, Samsara (Symphonic Poem), and Essay for String Orchestra*. Robert Whitney and Akira Endo*, Louisville Orchestra. First Edition Music FECD-0030.

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item....code=FECD-0030

These are world premiere recordings (1963, 1966, 1980 respectively), something of a specialty for the Louisville Orchestra, which has long encouraged contemporary composers. I find them to be quite extraordinary compositions.

[bobsticks]

Thanks for the link Pat D.

[BarryL]

Doesn't have to be new, or even something you came across this year. Just the one artist or album you found yourself pulling out and repeating the most often.

Hmmm. Not a great year for me. Don't know why that is. I listened to a lot of stuff, but nothing that I just had to hear all the time.

I was very excited to discover that there was one more Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer CD that they were working on before Carter's untimely death. So late in the year I bought Seven Is The Number. Not their best material overall, but there are about six songs that I can play on the guitar, and it's a real treat to find something else from beyond the grave, so to speak. I guess that would be my album of the year. Then in December, I found that there was a collection of Christmas songs the two recorded over a number of years called American Novel. Unfortunately, that's all he wrote.

The latest Flower Kings got a lot of play by me for a while, but then petered out.

Joni Mitchell's Shine had some staying power for me. It was great to get another album from her, and her voice was in fine form. She didn't sound so good on that last orchestral CD she did of covers of her own songs. That's the kind of stuff artists do just before they die (thinking of Sinatra).

I revisited a band called Galahad, and discovered a side project band called Satellite. Some great neo-prog from Poland is to be found on A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset.

Also the new Eagles CD was worth the wait. Overall, a very strong effort of what would have likely been a three or four LP set in the old days. Full of old-time hit singles if this was still the 1970s.

Also, the reissue of ELPs Brain Salad Surgery has a bonus track of Karn Evil 9, First Impression, without the vocal track. That's 13 minutes of killer instrumental classic prog. More bands should do this if they want to recycle old material to the boomer generation.

[Davey]

You know, I heard a lot of amazing records for the first time in 2007, but the one that leaps to mind is this one:



Who knew? The only songs that I had ever heard kick off each side, "Mother & Child Reunion" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and as great as those songs are, they're probably my least favorite on the record. The whole thing just sounds so weary in a way that must connect with where I'm at in the world right now.

That is a great record. They did it intentionally to sound almost like a demo, very stripped down. Works perfect. The one after it is just as good I think, but a much different different feel. A lot bigger production. You may not realize it with the modest system you have now, but those are also some great sounding records too, engineered by Roy Halee who did all of the Simon and Garfunkel records. I think he was probably still using the custom tube console on those first solo records, with most of the sounds live tracked, real ambience leaking in all over it. You don't get anything like that sound today, not with everything built up from layers of isolated and sterile digital tracks, then sweetened up with fake digital reverb. Some brilliant stuff was recorded back then.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

That is a great record. They did it intentionally to sound almost like a demo, very stripped down. Works perfect. The one after it is just as good I think, but a much different different feel. A lot bigger production. You may not realize it with the modest system you have now, but those are also some great sounding records too, engineered by Roy Halee who did all of the Simon and Garfunkel records. I think he was probably still using the custom tube console on those first solo records, with most of the sounds live tracked, real ambience leaking in all over it. You don't get anything like that sound today, not with everything built up from layers of isolated and sterile digital tracks, then sweetened up with fake digital reverb. Some brilliant stuff was recorded back then.

I don't have the one you guys are talking about, but I do have There Goes Rhymin' Simon as well as Still Crazy After All These Years which I got mostly for that great duet with Phoebe Snow - Gone at Last Both albums are very good and you're oh so right about the recording quality, they just don't make 'em like that anymore.

Almost forgot to mention my favorite listen this year. I discovered a lot of new-old albums that I like alot...

Morphine's Cure for Pain is up there
Dusk at Cubist Castle by Olivia Tremor Control has spent a lot of time in my player
Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend is a winner
but the one I'll choose is Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Bluesjust so much good, interesting music from that double disc that it is my favorite listen of the last 12 months.

[Davey]

Almost forgot to mention my favorite listen this year. I discovered a lot of new-old albums that I like alot...

Morphine's Cure for Pain is up there
Dusk at Cubist Castle by Olivia Tremor Control has spent a lot of time in my player
Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend is a winner
but the one I'll choose is Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - The Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Bluesjust so much good, interesting music from that double disc that it is my favorite listen of the last 12 months.

Wow Mark, those are all good ones, and some of my favorites too! I kind of rediscovered Morphine myself last year, with Good, Yes and Cure For Pain. All excellent music and recordings. Somewhat triggered by my falling so heavy into David Eugene Edwards' music (Woven Hand, 16 Horsepower, Lilium, etc), not totally connected, but share some of the same moods and players and music scene. I know Edwards has toured in the past with Nick Cave and Morphine anyway

Wish I could loan you my copy of that Matthew Sweet record. I assume you have the CD? Classic Records released it on heavy vinyl way back in the mid 90s, and it sounds almost like a different recording. They must've worked from the multi-tracks or something, but just sounds amazing. Not as raw as the CD. I was so familiar with the CD at the time that it was kind of startling on first listen to the vinyl, almost like something was wrong. You almost need them both, though. Need to get set up to do a needle drop of that one.

Wish that Nick Cave was mastered better, that is a great set of songs.

[Slosh]

Old = the DVD-A version of R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People. IMO it's their best album with stunning sonics and a tasteful surround mix. If you got the equipment to play this back in all of it's hi-rez glory it's a must have. Hell, even the DTS track on this is outstanding.

New = Iron & Wine's The Shepherd's Dog. It's been months and it's still in heavy rotation and me thinks they'll never top it (but I hope I'm wrong and they do, of course). As much as I like the latest Andrew Bird I'm changing my ranking and putting this at the top of the heap. Just one great song after another with excellent sequencing that makes it hard not to play the whole thing all the way through each time I slip it in. Too bad there are a couple of bad edits in there though (and the typical lack of dynamic range - something that stands out when played right up against the R.E.M. disc mentioned above). In fact, NP:

[Davey]

New = Iron & Wine's The Shepherd's Dog. It's been months and it's still in heavy rotation and me thinks they'll never top it (but I hope I'm wrong and they do, of course).

Been listening to a copy of that myself in the last week. Good CD, very relaxing. Kinda wish more of it was like the songs that channel a bit of the old Tom Waits bone shaker vibe like on "House by the Sea", my early favorite, but his breathy voice does fall a bit behind the music on some of those tunes. Still, very nice, and the voice works better on the more psychedelic leaning stuff here. Brian Deck does a great job, as always. Get kind of a feel that Iron and Wine is becoming more of a Brian Deck driven sound at times than Sam Beam, though. Moreso with each new record. But I like it, regardless of whomever is most responsible for the sound.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Wish that Nick Cave was mastered better, that is a great set of songs.

Wish that wasn't the case with so many albums these days - like the BRMC release from last year; Baby 81, an album I very much like, but the sound is so muddy and indistinct and LOUD that it's just not an enjoyable listen - or at least not as enjoyable a listen as it should be.

New = Iron & Wine's The Shepherd's Dog. It's been months and it's still in heavy rotation and me thinks they'll never top it (but I hope I'm wrong and they do, of course). As much as I like the latest Andrew Bird I'm changing my ranking and putting this at the top of the heap. Just one great song after another with excellent sequencing that makes it hard not to play the whole thing all the way through each time I slip it in. Too bad there are a couple of bad edits in there though (and the typical lack of dynamic range - something that stands out when played right up against the R.E.M. disc mentioned above). In fact, NP:

I really enjoy that album, not quite at the top of my 2007 list but certainly in the top 5. He really managed to liven up his sound without losing himself...not unlike Elliott Smith when he started fleshing out his arrangements.