The Best Albums of 2007

While I work in business now, at heart I’m still a Disc Jock, so I gotta throw my top 5 albums of the year out there.

#5 Motion City Soundtrack – Even If It Kills Me

While it has taken time to adjust to its tone versus other albums from the band, it has grown on me. Deep in its meaning, Justin struggled the last few years with alcoholism and this is a spiraling account of his emotions, low and high, triumphant and bleak. Some of the lyrics remind me of what existed in their last effort, but the music is much more evolved, if not more of a pop album for it.

#4 Say Anything – In Defense Of The Genre

On the same plane as alcoholism for MCS, Max of Say Anything had to overcome his bi-polar disorder and keep this band alive. A two disc masterpiece of mental carnage and emotional journey, Max shows why others have called him this generation’s Bob Dylan. The highlights of this record(s) are guest vocals from Chris of Saves the Day and Hayley of Paramore, not to mention Max’s lyrics, which seem to live as their own being.

#3 The Legion of Doom – Incorporated

Two producers, over 20 bands, 14 tracks. The mash up that leaked in 2006 wasn’t officially released in its high fidelity glory until this year, and it was worth it. The mash up king Girl Talk, doesn’t even match the beats and change time like TLOD does here. The mastery of mixing two of this decades greatest punk songs into one track , 14 times over, is adapt here. While the producers have a special allegiance to The Get Up Kids and use them maybe one too many times on the album, I don’t even care because they gave me the Brand New vs. Dashboard classic, The Quiet Screaming.

#2 Dustin Kensrue – Please Come Home

The front man of Thrice is known for the catchy screaming that makes waves of Warped Tour fans break their jaws on the concrete after a good crowd surf because they’re too lost in the music. A completely different and deep side that you just seemed to sense was there before, comes out on Please Come Home. An acoustic guitar, harmonica, and raspy voice find you dealing with Dustin’s loss and heartache, and following him through his list of women and good times. Six songs I play again and again, he is as gifted and well equipped song writer as there is.

#1 Bayside – The Walking Wounded

The first few times around they didn’t catch on, this time with a hit crammed into an EA Sports video game (albeit horribly edited) Bayside found a larger audience. Not that they needed it, the small following was rabid. This time though, released from the media attention around their tragic van accident and mourning of lost life, the band takes you through a painful, awkward, yet optimistic journey of life, the absence of life, and scorn of it all. I think this one played a record 5 times over and over in my car before I switched to something else; it is just a pleasure to listen to and rock out with.

Honorable Mentions:
Paramore – Riot!
Angels & Airwaves – I-Empire