Every list is subjective, and while these are probably not the “best” 5 songs of the year, they continuously found their way into my playlist in 2007. Some of them made our Top 50 Albums of 2007 and some didn’t, but all are awesome. In no particular order, here are my Top 5 Songs of 2007.
Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”
While this disc made the “Top XX” of several blog lists, I just really can’t get past this one song to listen to the rest of For Emma, Forever Ago. It’s catchy, raw, real. And while the song doesn’t physically get louder, the extra kick at 1:35 gives me chills every time.
St. Vincent – “Paris is Burning”
I tried finding a live version of this but couldn’t. That’s how I first heard it and now the studio version just sounds too friendly. St. Vincent opened for Midlake last Valentine’s Day and I’ve been smitten ever since. Clever, odd chords and floating melody lines really expose her amazing songwriting ability.
St. Vincent – Paris Is Burning
St. Vincent – “Paris is Burning” Live Video
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The Dodos – “Fools”
The Dodos are the reason I want to move to San Francisco. Any city that can bread such creative and unencumbered songwriting can’t be a bad place. The beauty in The Dodos is their ability to take such complicated rhythms and make them sound simple. The clicks on the rack toms and huge open strummed chords make them sound like nothing else out there, yet still maintain a sense of familiarity.
Okkervil River – “Plus Ones”
Has HearYa blown its load over Okkervil River yet? If not, this might do it. “Plus Ones” is one of the most lyrically clever songs I’ve heard. Will Sheff’s ability to toe the line of poetry and tackiness is amazing. There is such a potential to fall into cheesy lines but he doesn’t. “The 51st way to leave your lover /Admittedly it doesn’t seem to be as gentle or as clean as all the others”
Okkervil River – Plus Ones (courtesy of ChrisDelladova)
Menomena – “The Pelican”
This was my Top Album of 2007. I simply can’t get enough of Menomena. Their ability to write pop songs, then tear them apart and reconstruct them in some sick way, yet still have their integrity maintained is simply ridiculous. “The Pelican” has shades of David Bowie, yet is like nothing I’ve ever heard. The pounding piano barely structures the beginning and the guitar and drum intro at 0:55 may be the most exciting entrance in all of music. Plus, there’s a whole choir. Honestly, how cool is that?
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Bon Iver’s disc will be released (or re-released?) in February.
Great stuff! I love these songs.
I think its re-released because he was just signed to jagjaguwar and they want to give it an official release. Same with Fools, it’s on the as yet unreleased new disc, Visiter, out inar March since they just signed to French Kiss.
I hear they’re tweaking it a bit, guaranteeing the folks who fell hard for the last version will pick up the new one too. Great list by the way.
what???????? u wana get the enemy, the wombats, the view, the libertines and the babyshambles in there m8
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