Radio Slipstream counts down what it sees as the best albums of 2007! The tip top of my top albums of 2007 list that was fiddled with constantly throughout the year (and in its entirety went up to 280…uhps). Sure it’s a bit late, but that just means it’s more accurate a list than everyone else’s, right? Yeahuh.

Read on for the results
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ANYWAY

in the meantime, here is, sans any sort of commentary, my 101 favourite songs of 2007, unordered, 1 per artist. Now it would be pointless to just list ‘em… unless of course I provided means for procurement, and I have done exactly that, in the form of this torrent which contains all of the songs (in roughly 818 mb)

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These are not necessarily endorsements, but I don’t usually see an artist I don’t like. It does happen though, from time to time, for one reason, or another (and those more embarassing ones tend to be toward the bottom of the list…).

(Last updated November 25, 2007)

U2 x 5
The Mountain Goats
Sigur Ros x 2
The National x 2
The Constantines x 6
Wilco
A Silver Mt. Zion
Akron/Family
Final Fantasy
Saul Williams
Junior Boys x 5
The Arcade Fire
Royksopp
Radiohead
The Decemberists x 3
The Hidden Cameras
Ted Leo/Pharmacists x 3
TV On the Radio
Spoon
The Sadies x 3
Spiral Beach
Andrew Bird
Ohbijou
The Weakerthans x 2
Cuff the Duke x 2
The Notwist
Subtle
Caribou/Manitoba x 2
PJ Harvey x 2
Garbage
Do Make Say Think
Bowerbirds
The Hold Steady
Annie
Of Montreal
Grizzly Bear
Stars
David Bowie
British Sea Power
Joseph Arthur
Moby
Death From Above 1979
Iron and Wine
Calexico
The Unicorns
Shapes and Sizes
The Organ
R.E.M.
Dead Can Dance
Dan Deacon
Girl Talk
The Prodigy
Controller.Controller x 2
Merkury Burn x 2
Jon Rae and the River
Hylozoists
Laura Barrett
Head of Femur
Magneta Lane
Howie Beck
Matthew Barber
Matt Pond PA
Mary Timony
Meligrove Band
Moneen
Bell Orchestre
The Reputation
The Matadors x 5
Blackalicious
DJ Shadow
Latyrx
LAL
Maroons
Lifesavas
Joyo Velarde
Tiesto
Dieselboy
Adam Freeland
Max Graham x 2
Kid Koala x 2
Blockhead
Bonobo
Sixtoo
Amon Tobin
The New Deal
The Birthday Massacre
Sanseiru
The Gurriers
Alexisonfire
From Fiction
Spirit of the West
Sam Roberts
Pilate
Treble Charger
Turn Off The Stars
Avril Lavigne
Swollen Members
Elephant Man
Bif Naked
Theory of a Deadman
High Holy Days
Third Eye Blind
Kazzer
The Junction

Last but not least.. a whole slew of world class celtic musicians whose names would be impossible to all list, and you haven’t heard of them anyway. But my oh my there’s some gold in them hills.

Yes.

Some I want to see more than others.

Italicized shows have been attended. (Parenthesized shows mean I probably won’t go, but are noteworthy). Starred shows I have tickets to.

Here’s a brief, in progress, rundown (this list will hoperfully be kept uptodate, also some weblistings contradict each other, so I might not be sure wtf):

Oct 02: Yo La Tengo - Phoenix - Toronto - $22.50
Oct 09: Under Byen (w/Giant Sand) - The Horseshoe - Toronto - $15.00
Oct 11: The New Pornographers - Kool Haus - Toronto - $20.50
Oct 12: TV on the Radio (w/ guests, Grizzly Bear?) - The Opera House - Toronto - $17.50 - sold out.
Oct 14: Art Brut (w/ We Are Scientists, Spinto Band) - The Opera House - Toronto - $17.50 - Doors 2030
Oct 28: The Hold Steady - The Horseshoe - Toronto - $15.00 Adv
Oct 29: Love is All - The Horseshoe - Toronto - $10.50 Adv
Nov 05: Califone - The Horseshoe - Toronto - $10.00 Adv
Nov 06: The Decemberists (w/ Alasdair Roberts) - Kool Haus - Toronto - $22.50

I started working on this list in December 2004 when the 2005 crop started leaking out into netlandia and since then I’ve been constantly tweaking, adding, removing and rearranging. Until airtime, at which point it all gets set in stone. The actual list that this was culled from goes up to 180, which represents all the albums I heard this year that I enjoyed enough to consider them list-worthy. There are plenty of others that were never considered. The ones that made it on I have heard and enjoyed and usually multiple times, with increasing as you get nearer to the top.

As with all lists, it is inherently wrong. I disagree with several parts of it already, and have for a while. Most annoyingly, Bright Eyes is too high and I don’t know why the hell I pushed Beck off at the last minute. As unrevolutionary as Guero might have been, I quite enjoy it from time to time and it deserves to be here. So there, now that I’m not fully behind this list, you shouldn’t even give two and a half craps about what’s on it. But if you do anyway, more’s the power to ya!

This was originally aired on CFMU on my radioshow. The songnames in parentheses with each album correspond to the song that I played on the show. You can listen to the 5 parts (2 hours each) by dealing with the following links as you see fit: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5.

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There are a lot of shows (that is, concerts) coming up that I really want to see.

Yes.

Some I want to see more than others.

Some I already have tickets to.
Italicized shows have been attended. (Parenthesized shows mean I probably won’t go, but are noteworthy). Starred shows I have tickets to.

Here’s a brief rundown:

Sep 12: Bloc Party - The Docks - Toronto
Sep 16: The Stills, Wintersleep - Underground - Hamilton
Sep 16-18: Ear to the Ground Festival - Toronto
Sep 17: U2 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto
Sep 17: Kid Koala - Casbah - Hamilton
Sep 18: Saul Williams, Lal - Pepper Jack Cafe - Hamilton
Sep 19: Sigur Ros - Massey Hall - Toronto - sold out
Sep 19: The Organ - Casbah - Hamilton
Sep 20: Royksopp, Annie - The Opera House - Toronto
Sep 23: Metric - Quarters - Hamilton - sold out
Sep 26: LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A. - Toronto - sold out
Sep 30: Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Underground - Hamilton
Oct 1: Dead Can Dance - Massey Hall - Toronto - sold out
Oct 2: Lyrics Born - Lee’s Palace - Toronto cancelled
Oct 9: The New Pornographers - Phoenix Theatre - Toronto - $25
Oct 10: John Vanderslice - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto
Oct 10: Fiery Furnaces, Apostle of Hustle - Lee’s Palace - Toronto
Oct 13: The Decemberists - Phoenix Theatre - Toronto - $17.50
Oct 14: Controller.controller, Magneta Lane - Underground - Hamilton
Oct 14: Ka’Naan - Pepperjack Cafe - Hamilton - $12
Oct 17: Mountain Goats - Lee’s Palace - Toronto
(Oct 17: Wolf Parade - Horseshoe Tavern - $12)
Oct 17: Deadly Snakes, Tangiers - Casbah - Hamilton
(Oct 18: Franz ferdinand, tv on the radio - Ricoh Coliseum - Toronto - $32.50-$42)
(Oct 19: My Morning Jacket - Kool Haus - Toronto)
Oct 29: The Matadors - Call The Office - London
Oct 30: The Go Team - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto - $15
Nov 1: Spoon - Phoenix Theatre - Toronto - $20
Nov 2: Constantines, The Hold Steady - Opera House - Toronto - $17.50
(Nov 2: Calla - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto)
Nov 3: The Hidden Cameras - Casbah - Hamilton
Nov 11: Andrew Bird w/ head of Femur - Revival Bar - Toronto - $15 - doors @ 7
(Nov 13: Art Brut - Lee’s Palace - Toronto)
Nov 16: John Cale - Corktown Tavern - Hamilton
(Dec 01: The Magic Numbers - Lee’s Palace - Toronto)
*Dec 09: Iron and Wine/Calexico - The Docks - Toronto

There’s some I’m forgetting. I will probably keep this updated.

It’s quite possible I forgot some things, and any ranking is interchangeable with most things up to 10 or 15 spots away, because ranking things is silly. But for some reason we love to do it anyway.

Expect it to be updated with some amount of frequency (last time was July 05)

1) U2: Achtung Baby
2) Massive Attack: Mezzanine
3) Radiohead: The Bends
4) Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden
5) Radiohead: OK Computer
6) U2: The Joshua Tree
7) Outkast: ATLiens
The Wrens: Meadowlands
9) Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
10) Underworld: Dubnobasswithmyheadman
11) Air: Moon Safari
12) Vangelis: Blade Runner Soundtrack
13) Ted Leo/Pharmacists: Tyranny of Distance
14) Kruder and Dorfmeister: the K&D Sessions
15) Portishead: Dummy
16) The Decemberists: Castaways and Cutouts
17) The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
18) Augie March: Strange Bird
19) Primal Scream: XTRMNTR
20) Doves: Last Broadcast
21) The Notwist: Neon Golden
22) Arcade Fire: Funeral
23) Red Hot Chili Peppers: By The Way
24) Royksopp: Melody A.M.
25) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Let Love In
26) The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
27) Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun
28) R.E.M.: Automatic for the People
29) U2: The Unforgettable Fire
30) Lamb: Lamb
31) The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin
32) The Roots: Phrenology
33) Wilco: Summer Teeth
34) Outkast: Stankonia
35) Massive Attack: Blue Lines
36) Junior Boys: Last Exit
37) R.E.M.: New Adventures in Hi-Fi
38) Twine: Twine
39) Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow
40) Andrew Bird: The Mysterious Production of Eggs
41) Calexico: Feast of Wire
42) The Weakerthans: Left and Leaving
43) Spoon: Kill the Moonlight
44) Dusted: When We Were young
45) Massive Attack: Protection
46) Pulp: Different Class
47) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus
48) Bjork: Post
49) Radiohead: Kid A
50) The Dresden Dolls: The Dresden Dolls
51) Aim: Cold Water Music
52) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Boatman’s Call
53) The Decemberists: Her Majesty, The Decemberists
54) Aesop Rock: Labor Days
55) U2: Zooropa
56) The Delgados: Hate
57) Silver Mt. Zion: Born into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upwards
58) A Camp (self-titled)
59) Menomena: I am the Fun Blame Monster
60) Adem: Homesongs
61) British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power
62) The Who: London Calling
63) PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?
64) Lyrics Born: Later That Day
65) Neutral Milk Hotel: In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
66) Tom Waits: Rain Dogs
67) RJD2: Deadringer
68) Brian Wilson: Smile
69) Quannum: Spectrum
70) Amon Tobin: Bricolage
71) Orbital: In-Sides
72) Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
73) Annie: Anniemal
74) The Decemberists: Picaresque
75) Moby: Play
76) The Pogues: If I Should Fall From Grace With God
77) Run Lola Run: Score
78) Of Montreal: Satanic Panic in the Attic
79) Air: Premiers Symptomes
80) Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain
81) Delerium: Karma
82) U2: War
83) John Vanderslice: Cellar Door
84) Moloko: Statues
85) Ada: Blondie
86) Amon Tobin: Supermodified
87) Outkast: Aquemini
88) El-P: Fantastic Damage
89) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Good Son
90) Elbow: Asleep in the Back
91) Espers: Espers
92) Lyrics Born: Later That Day
93) Wolf Parade: Apologies to Queen Mary
94) Primal Scream: Screamedelica
95) Dead Can Dance: Aion
96) Beth Orton: Central Reservation
97) Moxy Fruvous: Bargainville
98) The Insider: Score
99) Shpongle: Tales of the Inexpressible
100) Gladiator: Score
101) Bjork: Homogenic
102) Conjure One
103) At The Drive In: The Relationship of Command
104) Sufjan Stevens: Illinois
105) Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
106) PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love
107) Grandaddy: Sophtware Slump
108) Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days
109) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Henry’s Dream
110) Ulrich Schnauss: A Strangely Isolated Place
111) Primal Scream: Vanishing Point
112) U2: Pop
113) The Go! Team: Thunder Lightning Strike
114) Bloc Party: Silent Alarm
115) Hybrid: Wide Angle
116) Prodigy: Music for the Jilted Generation
117) Modest Mouse: Good News for People who Love Bad News
118) The Constantines: Shine A Light
119) Prodigy: Fat of the Land
120) Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It In People
121) Cinematic Orchestra: Every Day
122) Elbow: Cast of Thousands
123) Delerium: Semantic Spaces
124) Bent: Programmed to Love
125) Dismemberment Plan: Change
126) M.I.A.: Arular
127) Badly Drawn Boy: Hour of the Bewilderbeast
128) Kanye West: The College Dropout
129) Nits: Da Da Da
130) Spoon: Gimme Fiction
131) Slowdive: Souvlaki
132) Josh Ritter: Hello Starling
133) St. Germain: Tourist
134) Four Tet: Rounds
135) Vitalic: OK Cowboy
136) M. Ward: The Transfiguration of Vincent
137) The Weakerthans: Fallow
138) Augie March: Sunset Studies
139) LCD Soundsystem: LCD Soundsystem
140) Moby: Everything You Know is Wrong
141) U2: Boy
142) Keren Ann: Not Going Anywhere
143) PJ Harvey: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
144) Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
145) Sigur Ros: ( )
146) Broadcast: Haha Sound
147) System of a Down: Mezmerize
148) Modest Mouse: The Moon and Antarctica
149) Apollo 440: Electro Glide in Blue
150) Mint Royale: On The Ropes
151) Loreena McKennit: The Visit
152) 13 & God
153) Jens Lekman: When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
154) Delerium: Poem
155) Crime and the City Solution: Paradise Discotheque
156) Boards of Canada: Music Has A Right to Children
157) Antony and the Johnsons: I am a Bird Now
158) Sun Kil Moon: Ghosts of the Great Highway
159) The Album Leaf: In a Safe Place
160) Cocorosie: La Maison de mon Reve

(Last updated December 05)

1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
2. U2
3. Radiohead
4. Outkast
5. Massive Attack
6. The Decemberists
7. Augie March
8. Ted Leo/Pharmacists
9. Underworld
10. Wilco
11. Andrew Bird
12. The Constantines
13. The Wrens
14. Portishead
15. The Flaming Lips
16. Lamb
17. Spoon
18. Air
19. R.E.M.
20. Moloko./Roisin Murphy
21. Amon Tobin
22. Sigur Ros
23. The Notwist
24. Primal Scream
25. Doves
26. Talk Talk
27. Calexico
28. Orbital
29. Blackalicious
30. The Arcade Fire
31. Dead Can Dance
32. Vangelis
33. David Bowie
34. Royksopp
35. Bjork
36. Elbow
37. Red Hot Chili Peppers
38. Franz Ferdinand
39. Junior Boys
40. The Dresden Dolls
41. The Shins
42. PJ Harvey
43. British Sea Power
44. Silver Mt. Zion…
45. The Prodigy
46. The Weakerthans
47. Aim
48. Pulp
49. Lyrics Born
50. Delgados
51. Ulrich Schnauss
52. Iron & Wine
53. Broken Social Scene
54. RJD2
55. The Tindersticks
56. Modest Mouse
57. Cinematic Orchestra
58. Hybrid
59. Cardigans/A Camp
60. The New Pornographers
61. Menomena
62. Aesop Rock
63. The Roots
64. Adem
65. M Ward
66. Keren Ann
67. Luomo
68. Stars
69. Yo La Tengo
70. Delerium
71. Bright Eyes
72. Sufjan Stevens
73. Grandaddy
74. Way Out West
75. Moby
76. Merkury Burn
77. Neutral Milk Hotel
78. Saul Williams
79. Lemon Jelly
80. Beth Orten
81. Of Montreal
82. Smashing Pumpkins
83. Annie
84. The Pogues
85. Goldfrapp
86. The Bloc Party
87. Apollo 440
88. Sage Francis
89. Beck
90. Enigma
91. Four Tet
92. Fatboy Slim
93. DJ Shadow
94. Boards of Canada
95. John Vanderslice
96. Simon and Garfunkel
97. Dismemberment Plan
98. Kanye West
99. Gorillaz
100. White Stripes