Rock ‘n’ roll is here to stay — thanks to the creative minds that put unique spins on the traditional popular art form.
This was a great year for the hybrids — punk-bluegrass, epic-styled post-punk and flashy shoegaze-noise. Here’s my list of 2007’s top 10 records that made it all worthwhile.
1. The Avett Brothers, “Emotionalism” Ramseur
These brothers from North Carolina revel in their unclassifiable music. Their songs are rowdy romps, miniature celebrations packed into poptastic melodies tied together by the instrumentation of their native land: banjo, acoustic guitar and stand-up bass. But while they can (and do) get away with playing bluegrass festivals from Telluride to Merlefest, these boys keep their rock ‘n’ roll pasts close to everything they write.
2. Josh Ritter, “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter” Sony
Rarely does such a complete record come out of nowhere. Ritter’s work has been occasionally great, but this record is brilliant from start to close. Consider the soft-focused beauty of “The Temptation of Adam” and the unruly glory of “To the Dogs or Whoever,” and then try to nail down a more accomplished songwriter in 2007.
3. Arcade Fire, “Neon Bible” Merge
This record could very well have been No. 1 on this list, but it was an unusually striking year in music. With Arcade Fire’s debut, “Funeral,” we were caught off guard. With this sophomore record, we expected — and received — the virtuosity that comes along with the name Arcade Fire. The songs, epic. The performance, impassioned. The recordings, vivid. Is Arcade Fire the next U2? Quite possibly.
4. Of Montreal, “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” Polyvinyl
Has a man’s naked psychosis ever been the inspiration to such a gloriously weird pop masterpiece? Well, yes, and it’s fair to say that about Of Montreal’s “Pet Sounds.” The beats, like Kevin Barnes’ transparent lyrics, are heavy and potent. Maybe the better question: Have a man’s mental chicken scratches ever been so beautifully legible and, even, dancey? Umm, no.
5. Interpol, “Our Love to Admire” Capitol
The major-label jump ruins some indie bands. But not this one. Interpol is still making the grandiose post-punk it made its name on, but it’s also polished something that has become integral to its sound: the mammoth rock ballad. We’re not talking about Journey-style ballads, but the lilted creepers, such as “Rest My Chemistry” and “Pioneer to the Falls.” With those elegant singles in its bag of tricks, alongside post-punk ragers like “Heinrich Maneuver,” Interpol has everything it needs to create a very long career.
6. Rufus Wainwright, “Release the Stars” Geffen
There’s something magical about Wainwright’s voice a cappella. But his vocals are at their best when set against the lush orchestrations he’s become famous for. Give him his Judy Garland fixation, because this record is the highlight of his career, alternating between the kind of overdramatic flair that would have made Garland proud (“Do I Disappoint You”) and the kind of simple storytelling that can only be inherited (“Tulsa”).
7. The Shins, “Wincing the Night Away” Sub Pop
James Mercer is a talented cat, and when he’s writing songs in his Portland, Ore., basement, he’s like a mad scientist, adding a little more of this and taking away a dash of that. The brainy melodies. The unique phrasing. The guitar-fronted chamber pop compositions. And amazingly, his work keeps getting better. “Oh, Inverted World” was solid, and “Chutes Too Narrow” was endlessly clever. But with this record, Mercer has proved that he’s so much more than an indie soundtrack darling.
8. Sea Wolf, “Leaves in the River” Dangerbird
This was a staggering year for quiet, folk-rooted pop music. Patrick Watson came incredibly close to making this list, and you’ll see Josh Ritter sitting pretty above at No. 2. But Sea Wolf also had a big year. Alex Brown Church and his band toured a bunch on their own, and their opening slot on the Silversun Pickups tour didn’t hurt. But what we heard with each show was that their songs were real. They had heart. Sure enough, the record arrived in September, and it was real and careful and precious. It’s not very risky, but it doesn’t have to be.
9. A Place to Bury Strangers, “A Place to Bury Strangers” Killer Pimp
You miss those early days of Jesus and Mary Chain, don’t you? And My Bloody Valentine? Yes. Indulge in your inner shoegazer. Buy this record. See the band’s show at the Larimer Lounge on March 7. And relive what made the late ’80s so luxurious.
10. Black Francis, “Bluefinger” Cooking Vinyl
Yes, Charles Thompson, a.ka. Black Francis, a.k.a. Frank Black, has been a busy man, with all the solo records and the recent Pixies reunion. But while many of his solo outings are celebrated for their variance from the Pixies sound, this record is a must for Pixies die-hards because many of the songs sound as if they’re Black-recorded Pixies B-sides. And that is to say the music is frenetic and spastic with psychotic, sometimes- nonsensical lyrics. This music is the thing of worship at the altar of nostalgia.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
