1. Kala : M.I.A.- In a year when Britney made headlines for shaving her head and running over photographers with her car, the second album from the Sri-Lankan born rapper offered an album that is one part Political Commentary and the other a patchwork of worldly sounds (Bollywood Disco, New Order Samples, street singers) that lead you to wonder if a carnival is playing in the comfort of your own home. This release establishes M.I.A. as a dominant female artist while the rest is figuring out how to climb out from the bottom of the barrel.
2. Icky Thump : The White Stripes- The Detroit duo returned to the raw sounding roots of their 1999 self-titled debut album but with a twist. Their 5th album incorporated bagpipes, a cover of the Pattie Page hit “Conquest” and an electric smackdown of immigration opponents. Jack and Meg are not satisfied with amazing an audience with just their musical chops. They want to leave you feeling like you’ve been slammed in the head with a steel door, while at the same time stretching the boundaries of what Garage rock can be.
3. Graduation : Kanye West- His arrogance and lust for Grammy gold are quite irritating but when you perform in genre that pushes artistic expression to the back of the line, why not call attention to yourself?
But West’s third album is his dissertation and it’s so flawless that even an individual who excoriates conceit would stomach West’s constant praise of himself. Without question the undisputed Champion of Hip-Hop.
4. Magic : Bruce Springsteen- Springsteen’s first album with the E Street band since The Rising is a musical requiem for a country that the Boss dearly loves. Lyrically and musically, The Rising offered hope in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, but the 11 tracks on Magic are a brutal indictment of those who’ve succeeded in turning America into a pitiful mess. We know of Springsteen’s previous records that his characters can always be depended on making it through any tough situation, but here we find that this is a jam that even the most resilient can’t come out of.
5. In Rainbows : Radiohead- Hype doesn’t usually result in success, but Radiohead’s online release of their seventh album proved to be the exception to that rule. Not only did the British rock group turn heads by giving Joe Blow the opportunity to choose the price of the record, but they also lived up to the expectations of many who heard these tracks in 2006 when they were performed live. Thom Yorke never sounded this tortured and Jonny Greenwood never sounded this aggressive. I paid “Zero” when the record came out and have no qualms about paying the asking price when it comes out in January, even if I find the cost utterly ridiculous.
In the downloading age, albums have become prehistoric. No one really buys albums these days. For starters, they’re too expensive, and second there’s a lot of junk that poses as music. But to some, an album is still a primary source for artistic expression and if 2007 is any indication, the album will still remain with us until the day the record industry finally goes belly up.
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