2007 was a very trying year for me to say the least, and I before going any further I want to thank anyone who contacted the Slow Alarm, left comments, sent along CDs for review, or read my writing; it is sincerely appreciated in the highest of regard. For what started off as a personal outlet to keep my mind off of other aspects of my life that are now in the past, this page was more so a personal venture into writing about things I found intriguing—and never did I expect the amount of communication and feedback that I did receive for the eight-or-so months that I plugged away at covering music (while I should have been selling mortgages at work). Regardless, a shortlist of people I’d like to thank for getting me motivated to write this past year would be as follows;
- The folks at Kranky, Public Guilt, Alien8, Community Library, Peter at Editions Mego, Eric at FE, Scott Slimm at Archive, and Adam Tercala. And if you are reading this, I thank you wholeheartedly for taking the time to stop by. 2008 will find me somewhat settled at last, and I will devote more time and effort to continue posting here, and I will also be enlisting the help of some fellow minds to help me spur the Slow Alarm along. I hope all of you have a well and just holiday season, check back regularly for some more content—I look forward to it as I hope you do.
-Dan
With that being said, here is our lengthy 2007 recap of 20 or so records we found to be outstanding in their own right, whether I covered them on The Slow Alarm or not. And there are also a few records reflected upon by Richie, my sole contributor and brother. Enjoy.
Slow Alarm’s Best Records of 2007
Apparat – Walls
I felt like I slept on this record when it came out, but to be honest, I couldn’t stop listening to it for long enough to sit down and write about it. It is an excellent record for a car ride, as Sascha Ring’s latest electro-pop masterpiece completely envelopes the listener with impeccable production, bass-heavy beats and overtly sensuous vocal tracks courtesy of Raz Ohara. This record took me back to when I first heard National Skyline some years ago, but works the same formula into something much bigger and much better. The typical electronic nature of this recording is completely overshadowed by its complexity, making Walls one of the standout records of 2007 whether or not it got the coverage. This is multi-faceted record that anyone could enjoy that deserves every bit of praise it has received. Excellent to say the least.
The National – Boxer
2007 was the year that, amongst other changes in my life, I got back into rock and roll—due largely in part to this record. Given, The National is quite different of a breed of music than I covered here, but it’s hard not to like a record that is truly “pure” in nature from beginning to end. Boxer starts and finishes strong, is honest in demeanor, flawless in delivery, and is hands-down, the best rock record of the year. I was always one who never trusted the hype engine, but it seems the indie-media-circus got this one right, and the Brooklyn-via-Ohio quintet came forth with a work of art with their latest. With vocalist Matt Berninger’s starkly sincere lyrics accompanied by the rest of the band’s musical output, this is truly a “band” record in every sense of the word.
Besnard Lakes – Are The Dark Horse
This was another record that got me back into pursuing various rock records this year, and for good reason. Perhaps the most overlooked record of the year, Are The Dark Horse brings the best aspects of rock and roll –big stoner riffing; dual male/female vocals; dismal, paranoid lyrics; throwback tone and epic, cinematic climaxes—and puts it all into a contemporary rock context that is accessible as it is incredible.
Strategy - Future Rock
Paul Dickow was one of the first DJ-oriented noise/drone artists I got into back when he dropped Drumsolo’s Delight some years ago. This past year he dropped the shimmering loopy nature of that record to forge Future Rock, which is a record of exactly that—a musical brand that is way before it’s time. I reviewed this one so if you haven’t read it, do some digging here and you’re sure to find it.
Plies - The Real Testament
In and amongst the exaggerated world of hip-hop loudmouths and red carpeteers, there still remains a glimmer of hope that rap still has what created it in the first place: reality. While the Kanye's and the Luda's tout money and mansions, Plies takes a page out of the hip-hop history books somewhere among the Geto Boys and Ol' Dirty Bastard, focusing on what his blingy brethren seem to have forgotten, life's unsexy dark side. Through fifteen cognac and adrenaline fueled tracks, Plies takes us to the courtroom, the cell block, the strip club, and the heavily-armed trenches of a snitch's front yard hedgerow. Preaching his gospel of staying true, staying up, and a free wheeling by-any-means-necessary lifestyle, Plies sets himself at least a bullet or two apart from hip-hop's headliners. Culminating in "Murkin Season" (see urbandictionary.com Murk-1. to beat one's ass so badly they die from their injuries, or 2. to kill), a caveat to the rest of the album's testimony, Plies reiterates that loose lips do none more than increase the lead content in your blood- a fitting conclusion to the rough ghetto portrayal we are presented with in the preceding fourteen songs. Further, at a time when some cultural figureheads are issuing salvos for a cleaner hip-hop image, Plies keeps his material a little closer to the streets, rife with mysogyny and crime, reminding us some 350 times why the likes of the Reverend Al Sharpton and Russell Simmons are not his boys.
Ween – La Cucaracha
I will forever be a Ween fan, and anxiously look forward to every release of theirs. This one was no different, and as Ween continues to write music along their, now, 20-plus year tenure, La Cucaracha finds them comfortably doing what they do best. A solid record for Ween fans and new listeners alike—just listen to the song “Object,” which is lyrically, one of the best Ween offerings ever--and a record closing smooth jazz piece entitled "Your Party" which features the legendary David Sanborn, laying down some porno-sax madness.
Magnolia Electric Co. - The Black Ram (from Sojourner)
Jason Molina is a busy troubadour, and the Sojourner Box Set was aimed to capture his wandering spirit through various sessions he recorded with different musicians. Although the box is a great collection of works, The Black Ram session, recorded with David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven), manages to encapsulate Molina’s dismal, darkside of songwriting more so than anything he’s done since Songs: Ohia’s Didn’t It Rain. This is a great but short listen, and just goes to show the value of the producer when it comes to the finished product of a record.
Nadja - Radiance Of Shadows
One of four records that Nadja released in 2007, Radiance Of Shadows offers listeners three almost-half-hour songs of ambient doom soundscapes. I could go on and on about how deep and big this record is, but I wouldn’t do it justice. It's absolutely huge. Loud drony heaviness that is well done.
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Another record that got me back into rock music this year was this one. I think because the writing on it is erratic and stream-of-consciousness, that The Stage Names threw me for a loop because in all of my closed-mindedness I expect pop-rock records to be pretty straightforward. The lyrical content here is a lot to grasp, but as a writer, I really appreciate it, and the music is great as well. The record can be a bit neurotic and folky at times, but it does this record a favor or two along the way. Homeboy’s got a lot to say. Another record that was overlooked I think.
Witchcraft - The Alchemist
I never heard of these guys until I was back in Detroit on a whim and they happened to be playing a show—and I had’ne been to a show in so long, I up and went… These Swedes have their shit together. I could only liken it to the best aspects of Sabbath and Zeppelin (songwriting, riffs, vocals, etc…) thrown together for the absolute tightest live show I’ve ever seen. Apparently these guys were a tribute to the doom band Pentagram, but they’ve come a long way. The record itself has a raw, stripped down quality to it that lets the band’s live side shine, while uncompromisingly showing the true essence of what good stoner metal should sound like.
RV Paintings - Trinity Rivers
Another record I covered from the extended Starving Weirdos family tree, that gets deeper and murkier with each listen. Just put this one on the other day after a long break from listening to a lot of noise stuff, and it truly takes me to a different place. Read the review in it’s entirety on the site.
Black Dice - Load Blown
Black Dice have long been hit or miss with me (As has the whole Animal Collective/Paw Tracks crew as well), but after hearing Load Blown, I can truly say I am a Black Dice fan. I’ve seen them a few times to mixed feelings, but after their last record and this one, I think these guys are coming around in some sort of evolutionary way that is sitting better with my outer-limits tastes. Hopefully it’s sitting better with more folks too, as I see big things for these guys and their weirdo electronic crafting.
Modeselektor – Happy Birthday!
Truly one of my favorite records of the year, I gave this one some grand praise here on the site and it is well deserving. Look up the review to hear me getting all stiff over this record. I put this on at a soiree I was attending a few months ago, and the whole room got blown away. This record comes highly recommended for one of the best techno/electronic records of the year. Go buy it.
Orthodox - Gran Poder
I got into Doom metal a bit all over again this year too, and Orthodox is one of the reasons why. I think this record came out back in ’06 but was released domestically by Southern Lord this year. Regardless, it’s a jam—a glacially paced, slow jam—with some crazy vibrato vocals and low-end crunches a-plenty. They released another record this year I have yet to get my hands on, Amanecer en Puerta Oscura, but I’m sure its quite pleasing to the slow-metal palate. All around, a great exciting band hailing from Spain of all places, that are sure to make some wake in the metal world in the near future.
Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
I have to throw some praise at one of my hometown favorites, Matthew Dear for his latest work, Asa Breed. This record came out of nowhere for me, as I wasn’t as enthralled with some of his previous work as friends of mine were. But to no avail, I find this record to be one of the year’s most captivating, as Dear covers all the bases as a singer, songwriter and a producer here, and the end result is a playful yet carefully constructed take on electro pop that is neither cliché nor overdone. A great record that definitely did not get the nod it should have this year.
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
I’m sure this record is on just about every hipster’s best of list this year, and it’s on mine too. It’s fucking incredible for how not incredible it is—if that makes any sense.
Pastorius/Williams/McLaughlin - Trio Of Doom
I got my hands on quite a few jazz records this year, and this one is by far the best of the bunch. Recorded live at the Havana Jazz Festival in 1979, this 25-minute improvisation is a blazing example of jazz greats being thematically on point for a live show. Pastorius and Williams are nearly metronomic in their ability to keep time over McLaughlin’s lightning fast fingers and arpeggios, for a live experience that is overly energetic and begging to be heard. Apparently the tapes were kept under wraps for quite some time, and along with their release are some studio attempts to capture the magic they had on stage that night—for a 40 minute record of some truly heady jazz. Solid, and a must have for Pastorius fans as his bass work is just ridiculous. The more one listens to this, the wilder it gets.
KTL- 2
Dark, drony, creepy, scary, cold noise records that aren’t totally stupid are tough to come by, and KTL redefines the genre. 2 took the already existing formulaic properties of KTL and twisted it up in all the right fashions. This is an avant-garde masterpiece of sound exploration, for two dudes who have continued to receive much critical acclaim for their one-off collaboration that has blossomed into much more. Highly Recommended.
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Radiohead does it again. The biggest band in the world scourges the recording industry first, by releasing their own album, and again, by issuing a download-by-donation-only sale at initial release. Admittedly, I was skeptical about this release and the hype engine surrounding it. This particularly based on my lack of enthusiasm over their previous few albums, but upon hearing In Rainbows, found myself pleasantly surprised. All in all, what we get is a brilliant synopsis of the band's capabilities through a well produced layering of sounds, textures and vocals, reminiscent of the band's entire back catalogue. Where with Radiohead it seems that pundits and critics are always longing for something "more Bends, more OK Computer", this album comes closer than any previous effort. Instead of reverting to techniques and styles from their earlier works, Radiohead seems to mature and evolve beautifully, bringing their updated forays with them, almost as if they'd redone some demo's from along the way with the superb production and technique that has come to characterize their present day audible incarnation. What the band offers us is an album essentially full of singles. "All I Need" and "Videotape" are true gems, with the rest of the record offering exceptional support. The bottom line- this is Radiohead's best album since OK Computer- and does not disappoint.
Maserati - Inventions For The New Season
This record became my proverbial “chill-out” record (or whatever the kiddies are calling it) of 2007, as it’s trance-like rock qualities just always put me in a great mood whenever I listened to it. This record is all about the tight nature of instrumental rock that a lot of the dime-a-dozen “post” rock (again, whatever the kiddies are calling it) bands don’t know shit about. The swirls/loops/delays/madness that these guys manage to hash out on this record are truly the work of well-tuned masters of analog instrumentation. A great listen.
Modest Mouse - We We’re Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
This record just rips all the way through, and not just because Johnny Marr is their new guitar player…well, maybe he has something to do with it, but regardless of all of the hub-bub about this record, it really is that good. Sure Isaac Brock is a super creep to some people, but he can craft some great songs despite that this is his 17000th record. That and much of this record metaphorically encapsulated much about what was going on in my life in the first half of 2007, and for that I guess I have some personal connections, but even though, this is a damn fine sounding record of hopelessness and despair. Priceless.
Honorable Mentions:
Puberty/Miguel/Catacata – In The House of Whores
The Ponys- Turn The Lights Out
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
Baroness - The Red Album
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Growing - Vision Swim
Jesu - Conqueror
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Starving Weirdos - Shrine Of The Post-Hypnotic
Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline
There you have it. Agree? Disagree? Drop us a line.
Cheers.
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