Our Other Cartoonist’s Picks for ’07

Mr. Grant Snider‘s list, comments … and portrait.

I don’t want my Best of 2007 list to imply that I’ve heard every single album and formed my own unbiased opinion about it. Therefore, I’ve included two categories: a list of albums I’ve listened to completely, thoroughly, and repeatedly, and a list of albums I’ve heard very promising pieces of, e.g., the songs that are on MySpace. For my second list, I’ve extrapolated from a handful of songs and drawn the conclusion, “Given the financial means to buy or the effort to download illegally, this album would be pretty damn good.”

Best Albums of 2007, List 1

LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver – The best album of the year.

Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha – Andrew Bird’s performance complemented Wilco’s when he opened for them at the Crossroads. However, Armchair Apocrypha makes Sky Blue Sky look embarrassing.

Radiohead, In Rainbows – Radiohead is way overrated. I love them.

The Shout Out Louds, Our Ill Wills – Critics say this Swedish band sounds like The Cure. I’m too young to remember what The Cure sounded like – except for that song 311 covered.

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – So clean and blue-eyed-soulful, I have to tuck in my shirt to listen to it.

Okkervil River, The Stage Names

Jens Lekman, Night Falls on Kortedala

Lewis and Clarke, Blasts of Holy Birth

Best Albums of 2007, List 2

Against Me!, New Wave – I’ll forgive the fact that they played on the Warped Tour.

Fourth of July, Fourth of July on the Plains – Now no one can complain that I didn’t include a local act.

Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams – Not sure if it contains a posthumous verse from ODB.

Deerhoof, Friend Opportunity – I can’t listen to Deerhoof without picturing Yoko Ono.

The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour

The Bowerbirds, Hymns for a Dark Horse

The National, Boxer

Aesop Rock, None Shall Pass

Once, Original Soundtrack