Fuzzy Lion

It was very hard for me to compile a list of only 20 albums for this year’s “best of” list and there were some really strong records which didn’t make the cut. For example, Jimmy Eat World’s Chase This Light was a very solid offering, as was Elk City’s New Believers and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s Some Loud Thunder. While I do like (not love) Radiohead’s In Rainbows, I do give the band a lot of props for trying to shake up the music industry with their “pay what you want” plan.

All that being said, I present to you my Top 20 Albums of 2007. As usual, if you like what you hear, buy the music and support the artists, or go see them live and buy their merch!

Fuzzy Lion’s Top 20 Albums of 2007

	20. The Snake The Cross The Crown – Cotton Teeth Best Tracks: “Gypsy Melodies” “Cake Walk” / “Behold the River”
	19. Shout Out Louds – Our Ill Wills Best Tracks: “Normandie” “Tonight I Have To Leave It” / “South America”
	18. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger Best Tracks: “Pearls On a String” “Two” / “Halloweenhead”
	17. Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight Best Tracks: “Silver Lining” “Under the Blacklight” / “Breakin’ Up”
	16. Minipop – A New Hope Best Tracks: “Like I Do” “Butterflies” / “Someone To Love”
	15. Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion Best Tracks: “Lollipop” “Love Today” / “Any Other World”
	14. Matt Pond PA – Last Light Best Tracks: “Sunlight” “Last Light” / “Until the East Coast Ends”
	13. Jeremy Enigk – The Missing Link Best Tracks: “Tatseo Show” “Chewing Gum” / “Oh John”
	12. Patty Grifin – Children Running Through Best Tracks: “Heavenly Day” “No Bad News” / “I’m Getting Ready”
	11. Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War Best Tracks: “Take Me to the Riot” “The Night Starts Here” / “Today Will Be Better, I Swear!”
	10. Kate Nash – Made of Bricks Best Tracks: “Birds” “Foundations” / “Pumpkin Soup”
	9. Travis – The Boy With No Name Best Tracks: “Closer” “Big Chair” / “Selfish Jean”
	8. New Pornographers – Challengers Best Tracks: “Myriad Harbour” “My Rights Versus Yours” / “Challengers”
	7. Okkervil River – The Stage Names Best Tracks: “Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe” “Savannah Smiles” / “A Girl In Port”
	6. Young Galaxy – Young Galaxy Best Tracks: “Embers” “The Sun’s Coming Up and My Plane’s Going Down” / “Outside the City”
	5. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin Best Tracks: “No One’s Gonna Love You” “Is There a Ghost” / “Ode to LRC”
	4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible Best Tracks: “Intervention” “Black Mirror” / “Keep the Car Running”
	3. The National – Boxer Best Tracks: “Apartment Story” “Fake Empire” / “Start a War”
	2. Pela – Anytown Graffiti Best Tracks: “Song Writes Itself” “Waiting On the Stairs” / “Lost to the Lonesome”
	1. The Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist Best Tracks: “(Come On) Let’s Go” “Pomp and Circumstances” / “Zeitgeist”

Zeitgeist takes the #1 spot of the year for me not just because it’s a Smashing Pumpkins record, but because it’s the record I wanted the band to make for a long time. Corgan and Chamberlin went back to their rock roots and created an album that schools all mainstream wanna-be rockers how it’s done.

Pela and The National round out my #2 and #3 spots. Pela’s Anytown Graffiti is a work of art from start to finish. The National’s Boxer proved to everyone that the hype surrounding Alligator was no fluke and it’s possible for a band to experiment and grow without abandoning their roots.

Please feel free to post your best-of lists in the comments or links to your own blogs, as I always love to see what the readers opinions are.

2006 was a great year for music, especially when compared to 2005. In fact, I had such a hard time picking my 10 favorite albums that I have expanded my list to 20 this year.

With each record on the following list I have included a list of my favorite tracks, as well as some mp3s to download. If you like what you hear, I urge you to head on over to iTunes, Amazon or your local record store and support these great artists.

Fuzzy Lion’s Top 20 Albums of 2006:

	20. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time Best Tracks: “Our Swords” / “The Funeral” / “Monsters”
	19. M. Ward - Post War Best Tracks: “Post War” / “Eyes on the Prize” / “Rollercoaster”
	18. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther Best Tracks: “Roscoe” / “Van Occupanther” / “It Covers the Hillsides”
	17. Damien Rice - 9 Best Tracks: “9 Crimes” / “Coconut Skins” / “Sleep, Don’t Weep”
	16. Dears - Gang of Losers Best Tracks:”Ticket To Immortality” / “You and I Are a Gang of Losers” / “Ballad of Humankindness”
	15. Hem - Funnel Cloud Best Tracks: “He Came To Meet Me” / “Not California” / “Too Late To Turn Back Now”
	14. Caroline - Murmurs Best Tracks: “Pink & Black” / “All I Need” / “Where’s My Love”
	13. Bob Dylan - Modern Times Best Tracks: “Spirit On the Water” / “Working Man’s Blues #2″ / “Nettie Moore”
	12. The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns Best Tracks” “Bonnie Brae” / “Underneath the Waves” / “Dead To Rights”
	11. Ill Lit - Tom Cruise Best Tracks: “Across Country” / “The Ghost of Presston Brown” / “Worth the Wait”
	10. Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together Best Tracks” “Catastrophe” / “Life of Leisure” / “Terrified”
	9. The Elected - Sun, Sun, Sun Best Tracks: “Would You Come With Me” / “Fireflies In a Steel Mill” / “Not Going Home”
	8. Gomez - How We Operate Best Tracks: “See the World” / “Chasing Ghosts With Alcohol” / “Girlshapedlovedrug”
	7. French Kicks - Two Thousand Best Tracks: “So Far We Are” / “Also Ran” / “Basement D.C.”
	6. Embrace - This New Day Best Tracks: “Nature’s Law” / “Target” / “The End Is Near”
	5. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass Best Tracks: “Mr. Tough” / “Black Flowers” / “Beanbag Chair”
	4. Mates of State - Bring It Back Best Tracks: “Think Long” / “Like U Crazy” / “Running Out”
	3. Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You Best Tracks: “Breaking the Ice” / “Most Days” / “To Hold Your Tiny Toes”
	2. Cat Power - The Greatest Best Tracks: “Lived In Bars” / “Could We” / “Living Proof”
	1. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope Best Tracks: “On the Radio” / “Better” / “Hotel Song”

2005 was an odd year for music, as many people have complained that making their “best-of list” has been quite tough. I will say that it was pretty easy for me to make my Top 10 list, but unlike last year, there wasn’t a huge surplus of records left off.

I have included a link to the albums on Amazon should you decide to purchase them. I’ve also included some standout tracks should you want to go to iTunes (or your favorite file-sharing service) and get yourself acquainted with these fine, fine albums.

Without further ado, I present the Fuzzy Lion Top 10 Albums of 2005:

10. Nine Inch Nails - “With Teeth”
Best Tracks: “All the Love In the World” / “Only” / “Right Where It Belongs”

09. Mike Doughty - “Haughty Melodic”
Best Tracks: “Looking At the World From the Bottom of a Well” / “I Hear the Bells” / “Madeline and Nine”

08. Nada Surf - “The Weight Is a Gift”
Best Tracks: “What Is Your Secret” / “In the Mirror” / “Concrete Bed”

07. Ivy - “In the Clear”
Best Tracks: “Nothing But the Sky” / “Thinking About You” / “Keep Moving”

06. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - “Clap Your Hands Say Yeah”
Best Tracks: “Over and Over Again (Lost & Found)” / “Details of the War” / “By the Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth”

05. Gratitude - “Gratitude”
Best Tracks: “Drive Away” / “All In a Row” / “Last”

04. Ben Lee - “Awake Is the New Sleep”
Best Tracks: “Whatever It Is” / “Catch My Disease” / “Apple Candy”

03. Death Cab For Cutie - “Plans”
Best Tracks: “I’ll Follow You Into the Dark” / “What Sarah Said” / “Brothers On a Hotel Bed”

02. Sigur Rós - “Takk…”
Best Tracks: “Glósóli” / “Hoppípolla” / “Sæglópur”

01.Billy Corgan - “TheFutureEmbrace”
Best Tracks: “Mina Loy (M.O.H.)” / “The CameraEye” / “I’m Ready”

As an honorable mention, I’d like to highly recommend Shout Out Louds - “Howl Howl Gaff Gaff.” The import version was one of my favorite records of 2004, but it was released in the US this year with a llot of different tracks. If you can get your hands on both versions, definitely do it, as they’re both equal amazing.