Dublin Opinion

I’ve been very slow off the blocks regarding my favourite albums of the year. Perhaps because I obtained new music in a rather haphazard way. Also, my choice is so close to Sinéad Gleeson’s selection that there seems little point in writing my own one.

However, using Sinéad’s list as a template I’ll list those albums I enjoyed the most, including some which weren’t released in 2007 but which I only managed to really listen to this year.

So, in no particular order:

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Great album, pity the gig was a non-event

Panda Bear – Person Pitch
The immediate likability of this album meant that I was all
prepped to enjoy Strawberry Jam when it came out. I probably would have missed it otherwise. Noah Lennox performing his Panda Bear tracks were the highlight of the non-event gig.

Bjork – Volta
Some people are turned off by Bjork’s Icelandic kookiness and I can understand why. There have been times when I’ve not really enjoyed her albums after the first couple of dozen listens. However, Volta remains a favourite.

St. Vincent – Marry Me
Along with Joanna Newsom, Bjork, Feist, PJ Harvey and Bat for Lashes, a welcome addition to the pantheon of decent female performers in 2007.

Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
I was a bit disappointed by this, mainly because it failed to get beyond the see-saw tone of the Gallic-inspired squeezebox sound used throughout. It sounded like Carni music. Rollicking tunes though.

Battles – Mirrored
I’ve only heard a couple of tracks off this album but what I’ve heard I really liked. Math Rock rocks!

Kevin Drew - Spirit If
I probably like this more because of my continuing fondness for Broken Social Scene – so shoot me.

LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
Stomp-a-thomp large rhythmic noise mastery

Feist - The Reminder
I tried to dislike Feist, at first. But I found that even though the very catchy 1234 was used in an iPod ad this was an album I enjoyed the more I heard it. Highlights include My Moon My Man, the aforementioned 1234 and heck everything on it.

PJ Harvey - White Chalk
The ‘surprise’ album from Ms Harvey, set to divide her long time fans. I lost Polly Jean a while ago, but this album, with its Gothic Devonshire minimalism has definitely grown on me. When Under Ether is especially fine. A well judged, perfectly formed short song that deals with its subject with great maturity. There is nothing melodramatic on this album. I can’t say that it’s my favourite album of the year because I’ve only been listening to it for the last month. But in that month I’ve been listening to it a lot.

Albums not of 2007 but which I only got to listen to this year: Joanna Newsom and Final Fantasy, and of the latter He Poos Clouds particularly.

This year I’ve been very bad at attending gigs. In fact the only two worth mentioning were Animal Collective and Final Fantasy.

That only leaves me with the need to go off and listen to The National to make up my own mind about how good or bad it is.