The House of Hunt

As promised, here’s the conclusion to my essential music of 2007. Click on the links for the artists’ websites and to get a taste of their respective sounds. Given that this is the top ten part, I’ll flip the script from yesterday and do the countdown in reverse. Starting with numero 10…

10. John Reuben - Word Of Mouth

Now this is one album that I never expected to be in my top ten, let alone in the top list of my year. Don’t get me wrong…I had heard a little of John Reuben before this record and his stuff was catchy enough. But this bad boy came out of nowhere. Yes he’s a white hip-hop artist firmly planted in the Christian music industry, and yes usually that would be enough to sink just about anyone, but this album is the happy exception that proves the rule. Sporting a fun, Beck-influenced vibe, Word Of Mouth is catchy, funny, and chockful of both beats and knowledge. Reuben holds up a magnifying glass to just about everything: himself, rap, the music industry, Christians, you name it. I had the pleasure of meeting and interview John last spring in Nashville and he’s a very funny and approachable guy. He should be getting a lot more press for his art. This is, without a doubt, a huge step forward for him and I hope that people are paying attention.

9. Zozobra - Harmonic Tremors

Holy Crap. If ever there were a contest for “most appropriate record title,” this one would take the cake. Slam-packed with some of the lowest-end heaviness I have ever heard, Zozobra provides one intense listen from start to finish on this debut. Churning guitars, gut-rumbling bass, pounding drums and throaty yells to top it off, this just might be the perfect soundtrack to whenever the moon turns to blood and the world comes to an end. I originally picked this up due to the connection to Cave In (bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield) and I’m glad I did. While there are definitely similarities to Cave In’s sound, Zozobra is much more brutal (at least compared to Cave In’s latter output). At any rate, it’s good stuff. Highly recommended.

8. Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies

I have a buddy at work who loves and adores techno. With equal abandon, he also abhors alternative music. It’s “slow, dark, and depressing” in his words. So imagine my shock when I shared this Enter Shikari album with him and he ended up loving it. Of course, it probably helps that these British boys meld techno, electronica, punk, and hardcore in a way that I’ve never heard before. While not a perfect record, it is a ton of fun. There’s a reckless abandon to the way in which they smash genres and it makes for a blast of a ride. Check it out if you want a good jolt to your system.

7. Project 86 - Rival Factions

I’m a relatively new convert to the ways of Project 86. I didn’t get into their music until their third album, but once I fell for their sound, I fell hard. Andrew Schwab is one heck of a lyricist (and a pretty funny writer, as well) and I really dig the band’s take on the whole hardcore genre. This album finds them pushing the boundaries of their own sound even further, to the point that some fans decried the lack of heavier material. But I think it’s a terrifically creative work, with a great feel throughout. It’s heavy, fun, and moody, at varying turns. Definitely take a listen. Oh and additional kudos to P86 for also putting out The Kane Mutiny EP this year, a nice little companion piece to this album released on iTunes recently.

6. UNKLE - War Stories

In some ways, this was the year of UNKLE in the Jehu record collection. I picked this album up in NYC, after hearing that it featured some collaborations with Josh Homme (actually, it might have been his year too, but more on that later). I’ve only recently gotten into more beat-heavy, electronica-based music, but UNKLE is some of the best I’ve found so far. The ironic thing about this record is that it also features a heavy rock influence as well, so there’s a cool vibe to the whole affair. Very atmospheric and very recommended.

5. Neon Horse - s/t

Oh Tooth and Nail. You love your mystery bands, don’t you? First Demon Hunter, now Neon Horse. Of course, if you’ve been following Neon Horse at all this year, the biggest speculation concerning the band, you know that the two names tossed around the most are Mark Salomon (Stavesacre) and Jason Martin (Starflyer 59). At this point, the speculations is basically confirmed fact. Not that it would really make a difference one way or another…the music here is topnotch. A mixture of 70s and 80s garage rock and synthy effects, this record is catchy to the core. There seemed to be a lot of hype leading up to the release of this debut, but not a whole lot of noise afterwards. Thankfully they’ve already put a new demo up on their MySpace, so hopefully the relative silence is an indication of more music to come, not less.

4. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

There’s really not much that I need to say about this puppy. If you don’t know anything about the Foo Fighters, then there’s not much hope for you at this point. If you do, then you know that they’re one of the best rock bands around, period. This record is a fantastic addition to their discography. I don’t know where it will fall against the rest of their work, but there are some songs here that are as good as anything they’ve ever done. They’ve perfected the hard rock/acoustic mixture that they used two discs for on their last album, and it’s a great amalgam. I hope Dave, Nate, Chris, and Taylor (along with whoever else they bring on tour next time) keep making music for a long time to come.

3. Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster - II

Yeehaw!!! I loved the first album from Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and hot damn, their sophomore effort didn’t disappoint either. This is one kickass record, from start to finish. In keeping with the concept of their debut, this one continues the story of Ma Barker and her boys. It’s all about divine justice and retribution here folks, served up in the tasty Southern-fried hardcore that Dallas Taylor and co. specialize in. There’s hot licks and sweet riffs aplenty here. So sidle on up and have a heapin’ spoonful of one of the South’s finest.

2. Thrice - The Alchemy Index, Vols. 1 & 2

Well, here we are. The final two. It was a really tough call between this album and the number one pick. In the final  tally, it really came down to a technicality. If this project from Thrice had been released in its entirety (Vols. 1-4) at the same time, then chances are very good that this would have been tops for 2007. But as it is, I’ll have to defer final judgment until Vols. 3 & 4 are released in April. But enough about that. Vols. 1 & 2 are certainly rich enough to discuss now. Thrice (along with Foo Fighters and Queens Of The Stone Age) is one of my top favorite groups of all time. Their creativity and innovation continually inspires and frustrates me. This current project is a huge concept, based around the four elements (in case the title didn’t give it away). They wrote, record, mixed, and produced everything on these two EPs and they did a phenomenal job of it. The first volume features six tracks based on Fire and the second is centered on Water. Both demonstrate growth and development, albeit in different ways. The Fire EP is heavy, like traditional Thrice, but they took the heaviness in a direction more akin to Pelican or Isis. It’s denser and multi-layered. As for the Water EP, it is very atmospheric and electronica-influenced. Each EP is perfectly aligned with its respective concept and thus far, it’s a flawless record. Now if only April would hurry up and get here…

1. Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

And so we come to the end of it. The final, big boy of them all. Queens Of The Stone Age has quickly become one of the most influential bands on my music, both how I play and what I listen to. Josh Homme (the mastermind behind QOTSA) manages to create music that is both rockin’ and moody. Each Queens album has its own feel and atmosphere. Era Vulgaris is like one unhinged amusement park, each tune a new demented ride with lots of fun for the taking. It’s hard to put into words just what a great record this is. In day and age of picking and choosing individual songs on iTunes and singles becoming more and more the name of the game, Queens manage to create albums that have to be listened to in their entirety to fully enjoy and appreciate them. Oh and that comment I made earlier about this possibly being Homme’s year? It probably should be. Along with this slab of greatness, he contributed to three other albums, along with the usual touring and such. There’s also a wealth of b-sides to be found associated with this record, basically equaling another full disc of goodies. Basically, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

And there you have it. 2007 in music. I’ll miss you. You were so good to me. Next week…the movies of 2007. Stay tuned!

Okay, so this year I’m trying something a little new with my lists. First off, I’m not limiting myself to a certain number, i.e., Top 5, Top 10, etc. I hated being told in college that my paper had to be 10-12 pages, when I could say what I needed/wanted to say in 8. Filling stuff out just for the hell of it is a waste of time. So in the interest of staying true to myself (and indulging my overall desire to buck trends), my lists will be of variable amounts. Finally, I’m calling these the “essential” lists. These were the albums, movies, TV, moments, etc. that were essential to my life in 2007. These are my top picks of my experience. If you want to check these things out, I can guarantee that they will evoke some sort of emotion from you. It may be disgust, but hey, that’s an emotion too, right?

So with no further ado, here’s the bottom portion of my record selections from 2007. 17 albums made my cut (out of over 80 albums that I listened to last year), and these are 11-17. I’ll post 1-10 soonly.

11. The Receiving End Of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi

Now this is one album that I really wrestled over. Allow me to explain. I absolutely loved TREOS‘ debut album Between The Heart And The Synapse. There was so much going on within that record that I literally listened to it over and over and picked up new nuances each time. The layering, the instrumentation, the vocal work…it was all top-notch. And then they lose one of their three lead vocalists and song writer (Casey Crescenzo; now leading his own band, The Dear Hunter) and start work on this album. I was worried about how his departure would impact their sound…and herein lies the rub. I’ve never wanted to be that fan/critic that says “Oh well so-and-so was good until such-and-such happened and then they were never the same.” Bands and individuals grow, change, and develop and I think that one of the greatest mistakes of many fans and critics is not being willing to allow a band musical room to flourish. All of that to say, I’m not sure whether this album ought to be higher in the list or not. I really dig it. I do. It’s a tour de force of all those elements that I mentioned from their first record, without being a retread. Shoot, it’s even got one of my favorite things going for it when it comes to music: the whole thing is a concept album based around Kepler’s theory that the planets all vibrate at various frequencies, creating the music of the spheres. Beautiful, eh? I think it’s simply an album that still needs to grow on me. It’s a case of getting caught in my own criticism. I came to it expecting one thing (more energetic tunes, ear-catching hooks), but got something else. At any rate, I will definitely be listening to this a lot more as 2008 progresses. These guys have talent oozing out of their pores and deserve our full attention.

12. Anberlin - Cities

When this album first came out, the label publicity talked about “third albums” being turning points and made allusions to groups like Radiohead and The Clash. While I’m sure that most of that is PR-speak, it did come across as rather self-important and a little premature. Sort of like recent films that are dubbed “new classics” before they’ve aged 10 years. Jumping the gun, Mother Superior? At any rate, the saving grace to this whole situation is that Anberlin put together an album that was exceptionally solid. Stephen Christian’s voices are as strong and impassioned as ever and the music is equally muscular to complement. I think the best compliment that I can pay these guys is that each album gets better than the one before it and Cities is one fine record. The tune “Dismantle. Repair.” is with the price admission alone. While time will only tell if this becomes a classic, I am excited to see where they go from here.

13. Far-Less - A Toast To Bad Taste

Wow. Talk about a case of serious musical schizophrenia. This is the same band that put out the incredibly manic and frenetic Everyone Is Out To Get Us? If I had been a gambling man, this is one bet that would have gone done in flames. I really dig this record, but it’s not what I would have anticipated. While elements of their previous hardcore stylings are present in small doses here, this sucker is basically one hell of an alternative rocker, with a tip of the hat to Pink Floyd here and there (thanks to multiple instrumental segues throughout). It’s a good album, but a bit of a grower, thus the lower position on the totem pole here.

14. Common - Finding Forever

Common and I have an interesting relationship, though he’s probably completely unaware of it. He was the first artist I ever profiled for Relevant Magazine (the premiere issue) and previous to that article, I really didn’t know that much about him. That was the year of Electric Circus (2002)…and I’ve been in love ever since. I think he’s a fantastic hip-hop MC, with an eye for raising the art, whilst paying tribute to those who’ve come before. This isn’t his best work, but even his weaker tracks are better than the bulk of what’s out these days. There are some great grooves and sweet rhymes to be found here. Bottom line: Common is one of the best socially-conscious rappers in the game today. Listen to this and discover the goodness within.

15. Kanye West - Graduation

Oh Kanye. What a year you’ve given us. Award ceremony hijinks,  self-important statements and posturing, it’s all in a year of Kanye. I usually despise artists like you…and yet your music continues to be awesome. Why must you toy with my heart so? This is the final chapter in his Education Trilogy (unless he decides to continue it with a fourth chapter, Entry-Level Internship) and he goes out with a bang. Everything that I might say to describe this album has probably already been said somewhere else, so I’ll leave it at this: Kanye brings the goods, even with all the talk and media showmanship. At this point, you either dig him or you don’t. Obviously, his presence on this list shows you where I fall.

16. The Almost - Southern Weather

This sucker was a pleasant surprise all the way around. Yes, I adore Underoath and yes, their last album was my number one pick from last year. But none of that is any guarantee that Underoath-spawned side projects will be any good. Thankfully, Aaron Gillespie set the bar high with this debut from The Almost. It’s a sweet slice of rockin’ goodness, more in the vein of Underoath’s poppier, more accessible moments from They’re Only Chasing Safety. Plus my musical man-crush, Jeremy Enigk, guests on one of the tracks. I’m sold. I dig this a lot and (now that he’s got a full band backing him) I can’t wait to hear more from these guys in the future.

17. The Cinematics - A Strange Education

And finally, the Scots. These guys blew me away when I saw them live last year with MuteMath (no easy feat, considering MuteMath’s legendary show). Their punchy vibe was somewhat reminiscent of The Killers‘ Hot Fuss, with added umph and urgency. While not a perfect album, this is still one terrific debut. If it were a truly just world, the barnburner “Asleep At The Wheel” would have been the anthem of the year. I feel like I’ve already said this a lot already, but this record makes me excited to see these guys grow and develop.

So there you go. The bottom selections of my list. Tomorrow, the top of the tops. Just you wait…there’s some powerful stuff in store.

Wha???

What is this “New Year” that’s been foisted upon me? I was just getting comfortable in my 2007 model. It was roomy, had growing room for my big feet…shoot, I was just about to wash that sucker and here everyone is telling me I have to get rid of it.

Well phooey on that. I refuse to move forward. I want to stay in 2007 as long as possible. Thus, I will be featuring my favorite things from 2007 over the next few weeks. I will call these entries “My Favorite Things From 2007.” Yes, you’ll get the typical top movies and music lists and such, but I also hope to feature things like “The Most Awesomest Amesome That Ever Awesomed in 2007″ as well as “Suckfest 2007.” It’ll be fun. Or at least it’ll be 2007ier. Something like that.

Oh and for your additional reading pleasure, check out the wonderful taste of my good friends, Jonny Martini and Nathaniel Rousemunster. Nathaniel’s movie picks can be found here, whilst Jonny’s music selections are here and his film choices are there. Have fun and be sure to belittle their lists. Tell them I sent you.