Brave New World - Top 30 Albums of 2007 - the list continues!

The 30 Greatest Albums of 2007
(Thru September*)


Each day this I share 5 Songs
from 5 of the best Albums!

The Top Ten albums of the Year will be showcased at the end!

The Series continues....
PART THREE

Aaron English -
The Marriage of the Sun and the Moon.

In March I reviewed a most unlikely candidate for album of the year. Seattle singer-songwriter, pianist Aaron English and I crossed paths and I was (thankfully) able to listen to his music. Tremendous from the start, his strong music is sharp, bold and clean. He is the only musician in the I have ever compared to Peter Gabriel. Listen.

Aaron English - Thin Ice

Here's my original writeup on Aaron English'sThe Marriage of the Sun and the Moon.
Aaron English - Official Web
Aaron English - Myspace

The National -
Boxer.

This is an album that has been getting a lot of play time around the RSL compound these days. The National just played the Roxy in Boston last week and I was lucky enough to be there. The remarkable Cincinnati group have played the world and came back to improve on their earlier efforts. Boxer is a triumphant effort. Everyone has probably heard (or at least she hear) "Fake Empire" so I will share another brilliant track from the record.

The National - Mistaken for Strangers

The National on the RSL
The National - Official Web
The National - Myspace

Voxtrot -
the Voxtrot (LP).
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As I write that Voxtrot is one of the greatest bands in 2007, I have my fingers crossed. Vocalist Ramesh has been recently hospitalized and subsequently released for medical reason(s) unspecified. I wish him a speedy recovery. The band plays here this Saturday and I certainly hope the show goes on. (I have the flu, so hopefully we'll both be there!) I have missed this great Austin band every time they have played here. Not only does Voxtrot rock, they also have their own little side project of note. The band's Jared Van Fleet just happens to "be" Sparrowhouse - one of my favorite indie acts of the last two years. Take a listen to Voxtrot:

Voxtrot - Firecracker

Voxtrot on theRSL
Voxtrot - Official Web
Voxtrot - Myspace

Silverchair -
Young Modern.

The great Australian band is back and - in my mind, better than ever. Gone is the teen angst and the self-loathing. This is critically, the best album this group has ever put out. There are long-term fans out there who will disagree, but this is a huge departure from the lyrically-poor albums put out by this still-very-young and very much growing band. I was lucky to see the band play live at the Paradise Boston (thanks again East-West for squeezing me into an already sold out show!) and was not disappointed to say the least. This is a band with a cult following around the world and they are now starting to get good. I expect more to come. Check out the album review and enjoy this song!

Silverchair - Reflections of A Sound

RSL Album Review: Young Modern
Silverchair - Official
Silverchair - Myspace

Explosions In the Sky -
All of A Sudden I Miss Everyone.

We head back to Austin for this latest review. Explosions in the Sky released the Double-Length LP "All of A Sudden I Miss Everyone" this spring when everybody else wasn't paying attention. I literally stumbled across it on the new release shelf at Newbury Comics. "Oh Yeah. I forgot about this one!" What a happy accident. Instrumental and Rock Explosions ensued. This is a thoroughly enjoyable listen from front to back and I think I learned as much about myself from listening to it as I did the record. It's just that kind of powerful, trance-inducing stuff. For those unaware - there are skilled music technicians out there. Meet Explosions In the Sky.

If you are in Boston - the band plays 10/13, 10/15, 10/16 at the Orpheum!

Explosions In the Sky - The Birth and Death of the Sky

Explosions In the Sky - Official

Explosions In the Sky - Myspace

Maps -
We Can Create.

Maps creator James Chapman

Northampton, UK is the site of our next musical discovery. James Chapman is a remarkable man. He had a musical concept and created all of its parts, painstakingly recording all the instruments and editing each, carefully, into a multi-track recorder. Then he finally brought the pieces together. The result is "We Can Create." The album was a bit raw but it met enthusiastic ears at the labels. The album was reproduced and Chapman was allowed to form a band to play his music. They are currently on tour. The sounds are insanely rich and full - certainly modern, but the experience is a human one. (We feel the breath pass through our longs and the coursing of the blood through our veins in these tracks.) Remarkable music!

Listen to Don't Fear here and then check out my initial review for another track!

Maps - Don't Fear

The RSL Review of We Can Create
Maps - Myspace

The Top 30 of 2007

The List So Far:
Prints
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Battles
Great Northern
Wilco
Animal Collective
Arcade Fire
David Vandervelde
Tigers and Monkeys
Aaron English
The National
Voxtrot
Silverchair
Explosions in the Sky
Maps