SYP Says

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 12/24-12/31: Imitosis by Andrew Bird

2008 NOTE! Click here for a new year of Best Songs of the Week...2008 style! Now on to the rest of the 2007 show.

"Imitosis" by Andrew Bird 

To end the year on a more cerebral note... Here, Chicago singer/songwriter/guitarist/violinist/whistler extraordinaire Andrew Bird conjures up a mix of eccentric indie pop, folk, zydeco, and jazz. In addition to his solo work, he's collaborated with everyone from the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Bowl of Fire to Neko Case and Ani DiFranco (whose label Righteous Babe Records released a couple of his more recent albums). This song has a swing and easiness to it that I really like, plus how can you go wrong with a tune that has a main character named Professor Pynchon?

He apparently uses two Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler Stompboxes and a Boss OC3 Super Octave Shifter to give his violin a much deeper sound. Will have to check those out for myself.

Here's the "Imitosis" video...nice socks!

Best Music of 2007

These are my picks for the Top 12 Albums of 2007. My criteria was simple--I just had to love the album straight through from start to finish. The ones below made my cut. I'm prepared for you to disagree. Noticeably missing: The White Stripes' Icky Thump and Rilo Kiley's Under the Blacklight, as well as Arcade Fire's newest because I just cannot understand their appeal. Anyway, on to what I DID like this year...

Album links go to iTunes or equivalent. Click on the "Try" song link to hear a track preview from the CD.

1. "In Rainbows" by Radiohead:  Try "Nude"
2. "Favourite Worst Nightmare" by Arctic Monkeys:  Try "Fluorescent Adolescent"
3. "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" by Spoon:  Try "Don't You Evah"
4. "Sky Blue Sky" by Wilco:  Try "Impossible Germany"
5. "Watina" by Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective:  Try "Watina"
6. "Letters from Sinners & Strangers" by Eilen Jewell:  Try "Too Hot to Sleep"
7. "Our Love to Admire" by Interpol:  Try "Heinrich Maneuver"
8. "Beautiful Sleepyhead and the Laughing Yaks" by Emily Wells:  Try "Mt. Washington"
9. "The Good, The Bad & The Queen" by The Good, The Bad & The Queen:  Try "History Song"
10. "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse:  Try "You Know I'm No Good"
11. "Baby 81" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club:  Try "Berlin"
12. "Wincing the Night Away" by The Shins:  Try "Sea Legs"

Favorite Up & Comer: meiko

Favorite New to Me Artist : Andrew Bird

Here are my picks for the Top 12 Songs of 2007.

Plus, check out my entire archive of Best Songs of the Week for 2007.

Best Songs of 2007

Here are the Top 12 songs I just couldn't get enough of this year, whatever my mood. I kept this list to tracks released in 2007...

Click on the song link below to hear a preview. Artist links go to iTunes or equivalent.

1. "Down Boy" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs 
2. "Fluorescent Adolescent" by Arctic Monkeys 
3. "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn & John 
4. "Oh My God" by Mark Ronson and Lily Allen 
5. "Heinrich Maneuver" by Interpol 
6. "I Feel It All" by Feist 
7. "Sleep" by meiko 
8. "Lentil" by Sia 
9. "Watina" by Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective 
10. "Imitosis" by Andrew Bird 
11. "I Want to Be Your Driver" by Shivaree
12. "Nude" by Radiohead

Check out my Top 12 Album Picks of 2007.

Plus, check out my entire archive of Best Songs of the Week for 2007 which includes many of the songs I liked this year that just missed being on my Top 12 list.

Xmas Song 2007 by Meiko: Best Songs of 2007: Week of 12/17-12/24

"X-mas Song" by meiko

Happy Holidays! Enjoy this unconventional X-mas Song by up and coming L.A. artist, meiko.  I've been a bit of a bad girl too this year, so I'm taking a tip from her and will try to be better in 2008. :)

Visit her MySpace page to preview "X-mas Song" and other tunes.

Only on YouTube: Someone set a home video at the Santa Barbara Zoo to meiko's X-mas Song!

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 12/10-12/17: Watina by Andy Palacio

"Watina" by Andy Palacio and The Garifuna Collective 

Belizean native, Andy Palacio, is not a household name in the U.S. but with this latest release, I hope many more people hear his music. On the amazingly infectious and enjoyable album, Watina, which blends Caribbean, African and Cuban rhythms, Palacio celebrates Garifuna, a culture and language that is slowly becoming extinct.

In the 1600s, West African slaves were shipwrecked on what is now known as St. Vincent. They were captured by the British and exiled to an island off Honduras. Now there are only a few hundred thousand Garifunas left across Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, and the culture, language and traditions are in danger of dying out. In Belize, there are only a little more than 10,000 Garifunans left and the language is taught in only one village.

This album does the Garifuna justice--I loved every song!--and is the third release from Cumbancha, the new label founded by Jacob Edgar the former head of music research and product development at Putumayo World Music. Here's a making of video introduction to Watina and its inspirations.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 12/3-12/10: The Last Song by Camera Obscura

"The Last Song" by Camera Obscura

Scottish indie band, Camera Obscura,  is oft compared to Belle and Sebastian. I actually like the former better. Wistful pop, I like to call it, and perfect for the last month of the year when you might be wondering just where the time went, what you actually accomplished, and whether or not you need that second single malt.

Couldn't find a video of "The Last Song," so this video for "Tears for Affairs" (another song on the EP of the same name) will have to do.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 11/26-12/3: I Know It's Over by Jeff Buckley

"I Know It's Over" by Jeff Buckley 

Jeff Buckley gorgeously covering a classic by The Smiths on the recently released (and otherwise underwhelming) compilation So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley. Buy this tune, skip the rest if you already own Grace. 'Nuff said.

Video of The Smiths performing the song live at the London Palladium.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 11/19-11/26: The Chills by Peter Bjorn and John

"The Chills" by Peter Bjorn and John 

It's getting nippy out! Here's a song to keep you in the winter spirit brought to you by that crazy pop indie trio from Scandinavia Peter Bjorn and John. Their song "Young Folks" was ubiquitous for a while there over the summer. On a related note, I found a bizarre blog called Stop Peter Bjorn and John which is actually dedicated to stopping the spread of people listening to this band. So just to be a contrarion, I'm highlighting PBJ this week and hoping that the person who started the blog gets the medical attention he needs (not only is having a site like that a little insane to begin with, but he apparently stopped eating for 48 hours--I guess to really fight the power or some such). Anyway, this is a catchy song by a band known for catchy tunes...how can that be wrong?

Someone else's video set to "The Chills."

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 11/12-11/19: Spilt Needles by The Shins

"Spilt Needles (Alternative Version)" by The Shins 

The Shins released their latest, and I think best, album at the beginning of this year. However, the version of "Spilt Needles" (and yes, it's "Spilt," not "Split") that ended up on Wincing the Night Away is lovely, but pales in comparison to the uptempo version available only on the three-song Phantom Limbs EP. It really rocks. 

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 11/5-11/12: Threshold Apprehension by Black Francis

"Threshold Apprehension" by Black Francis 

The next best thing to a Pixies reunion, Frank Black's newest album, Bluefinger, was inspired by the Dutch artist Herman Brood. It's got the raw alt rock sensibility his latest work's been missing and this tune is a real blast from the past (and, dare I say it, return to form). Hey, get this song if you know what's good for ya.

Black Francis live from Toulouse earlier this year. Last month, I missed him perform in Eugene, OR which is where he lives--only a couple of hours from Ashland, actually. He's on the road. Check out his tour dates, etc on his official site.