Top10RecordsNotActuallyReleasedThisYear

Much of the music I ended up really digging this year wasn't actually put out in 2007. In fact, my 2007 list seems a bit underwhelming in terms of my relative enjoyment of the music. So this is really the list closest to my heart ...

10. Darc Mind - Symptomatic of a Greater Ill [Anticon] (1997/2006)
The lost hiphop album from 1997, this record finally saw the light of day in late 2006, thanks to the kind folks at Anticon. Dense and brooding, rich and intelligent in that mid 90s NYC kinda way. This is everything that I miss about hiphop.

9. Prince Rakeem - Ooh, I Love You Rakeem [12" Single - Tommy Boy] (1991)
Pre Wu-Tang era RZA kicking it, back in the halcyon days of hiphop. An insanely catchy riff (that sounds scarily like "Summer Nights" from Grease) with charming lines like "I've got too many ladies \ I just gotta learn to say no" - yes indeed - we love you Rakeem.

8. The Left Banke - I've Got Something On My Mind [12" Single - World United Studios] (1967)
I ran into this song via a sample in Jens Lekman's "Black Cab". One way to discover great music is to shamelessly track everything Jens Lekman has ever sampled. The man's taste is impeccable. This is a forgotten British invasion band (probably because they were actually from New York), doing a lesser known single (they are best known for "Walk Away Renee") - glorious pop in all its baroque sixties flavor.

7. Dirty On Purpose - Hallelujah Sirens [North Street] (2006)
Beautiful droney shoegazer indie-rock. I will always remember this record (and specifically the song "Your Summer Dress") as the soundtrack to the day Satya was born. It provided me with hope and confidence and meaning for everything that was to come.

6. Various Artists - Colours Are Brighter [Rough Trade] (2006)
This is what you get when indie musicians start breeding. Rough Trade released this compilation CD of kid's music featuring the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Fourtet and The Flaming Lips. This was designed specifically with a certain brand of hipster parent in mind - the kind that is trying to maintain their last remaining shred of indie cred, now that the days of drunken punk shows and 3am techno and dirty toilet sex are a distant memory. Or for people who never actually experienced any of those things, and used music as a substitute for their lack of a sex life. ANYWAY - this comp is good, clean fun with plenty of weird and a very strong cast of musicians. Also, your kid can now claim that the first record they ever listened to was something on Rough Trade.

5. Huun Huur Tu - The Orphans Lament [Shanachie] (1994)
Tuvan throat singing is fucking genius. And these guys are the best in the biz. We used this record and the low baritones of the kargyraa to soothe Satya in the early days. She still seems to have a special affection for deep rumbling noises. I'm so proud!

4. Mathematicians - Level Two [S/R] (2006)
This album is crazy and all over the place. The only coherent theme between the songs is math. Songs range from angular post-punk to synthy rap to soulful R&B. And yet every single song is good. And super dorky. "We'll be just fine \ when the number is prime" - Hell Yeah!

3. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee [4AD] (2002)
John Darnielle gives up his low-fi DIY ethos for a more full blown studio sound in this concept album. While some may argue that his newer work borders on saccharine and over-produced, this, right here, is perfection. Just enough production to really bring out the music, but still raw and earnest in keeping with his earlier stuff.

2. Jose Gonzalez - Veneer [Hidden Agenda] (2005)
We keep rocking gently on this list, thanks to Swedish boy#2. Lovely syncopated guitars, an angsty yet soothing voice, and a fantastic cover of "Heartbeats" (originally done by fellow Swedes, the Knife). Funny thing is JG seems to be at his best when he does acoustic covers of electronic music - maybe he should do an entire album devoted to this genre.

1. Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent Jens [Secretly Canadian] (2005)
We have a Swedish meatball sandwich here at the top of the list. Ok - more like a Swedish veggie-meatball sandwich. Anyway - we played this album over and over and over again all year long. And then we played it some more. And yet, it never got old. Jens Lekman also has fantastic taste, and liberally samples the music he loves. You can definitely hear him channeling the Magnetic Fields throughout the album, but he also has plenty of other, more obscure influences (See #8). This is the kind of album you play while falling in love. And since this year has been all about falling in love with our little tinyness, this pretty much had to be the album of the year.