Top 20 Albums of 2007, Part II (15-11)

By now, this should be pretty self explanatory. Here's the next batch; the top ten is online next week.

15. Weakerthans: Reunion Tour

A mere blip on the radar in 2003, Reconstruction Site found the Weakerthans further distancing themselves from their members’ punk rock roots, favouring haunting melodies and heartfelt lyrics to swift riffs and political manifestos. That record was the sound of a band shaking the last of the Propagandhi fans and looking toward a tamer future. In the four years that followed, the world obviously did not get tamer. So, considering his resume, John K. Samson could have easily been consumed in politics and global matters, resulting in a more abrasive, angrier album. However, on Reunion Tour, the opposite effect took place; Samson’s themes turn even more introspective, the melodies a little more subdued. Reunion Tour doesn’t seem to pack the same punch of Reconstruction Site on first listen, but rinse and repeat a few times and what you get is a much more meaningful record. Sadness courses through Reunion Tour’s veins; loss is everywhere on this record, from the brokenhearted bus driver on “Civil Twilight” to the detached feline in “Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure”. And yet, through it all there is hope. At the end of closer “Utilities”, after a diatribe of helplessness, Samson pines “Make this something somebody can use”. Music could certainly use more records as honest and earnest as Reunion Tour.

14. Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero

2007 has been a very interesting year for Nine Inch Nails fans. From the online wild goose chase that was the Year Zero Alternate Reality Game (an exercise that was essentially a minor back story revealing time waster while rabid fans awaited the album’s release), to the outraged tirades against his own record label (who he caught charging ludicrous prices for Year Zero in Australia), to the implication of a forthcoming movie and/or TV series based on the Year Zero story (not to mention a musical sequel in 2008), to the move to independence from Interscope and the subsequent toe-dipping exercise that was the online giveaway (with pay-for-high-bitrate alternative) of Saul Williams’ latest album (which Trent Reznor produced)… it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Trent had a lot on his plate this year. Which is too bad, because it all kind of overshadowed two important things: a) The fact that Year Zero, with all its glitches, twitches, noise and high concept, was wonderfully executed from both an artistic and promotional standpoint, and b) The fact that all of this creativity happened only two years after With Teeth. It may not be the same NIN we grew up with; Trent surely steps out of his self-loathing comfort zone lyrically to tackle the big picture (complete with futuristic anarchy, civil unrest, oppression, religious fanaticism and a creepy-ass hand coming down from the sky). But I’ll take a clean and sober Trent Reznor over a dead Trent Reznor any day. And, as long as his passion for the art is even a fraction as evident as it is with Year Zero, I’ll stay interested… no matter where his future takes him.

13. Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

A lot of fuss was made over the fact that Johnny Marr was added to Modest Mouse’s roster in the weeks leading up to the release of this album (which shall henceforth be referred to as Ship for abbreviation purposes). But it seemed once Ship was released, people stopped talking about Marr, at least to the level they were previously. Maybe it’s because they were distracted by Modest Mouse’s strongest set of songs to date (fans of the early stuff would no doubt have my head for that statement). Lacking a clear-cut single (although “Dashboard” is as close as you get considering the recent resurgence in dance-punk), Ship gets by on chops, heart, and Isaac Brock’s lyrical and vocal lunacy. One listen to the nauseous opener “March into the Sea” or the seething “Parting of the Sensory” should drive the strangeness of this record home like a jackhammer. But, that’s always been the endearing thing about Modest Mouse; they built up a loyal fan base, stayed true to themselves artistically and then slipped through the mainstream’s back door with “Float On”. Now that they’re here, it’s as if they’re trying to bend the mainstream itself to their will (check the wistfully weird “Missed the Boat” for the evidence). Ship, just like their previous work, is not for everybody. But, anyone who likes their major label rock a bit on the odd side is sure to find plenty to like on this album.

12. Pig Dstroyer: Phantom Limb

Some people could accuse me of drawing random album names out of a hat for this year’s Top 20. And, looking at the list, they might have a case. Just a few minutes ago, I was gushing about Tegan and Sara, and now I’m about to gush about Pig Destroyer. What you believe is up to you, but allow me to state for the record that random names drawn out of a hat was not my selection method for 2007 (2008? Who knows?). For the uninitiated, Pig Destroyer is one of Earth’s most brutally heavy bands, playing a type of metal music the kids call grind (take a listen to this album and the origin of the term is quite apparent). With Phantom Limb, Pig Destroyer delivers what is quite possibly the most violently crafted sonic assault that my ears have ever come into contact with. Guitars roar and sputter like a murder victim’s last cries for help. Drums pound relentlessly and accurately. This band is so heavy, they don’t even need a bass player. But, of course, none of this would mean anything if the songs weren’t good. Phantom Limb, in this respect, is a very rare beast. In a lot of cases, grind goes in one ear and out the other for me; it’s all the same wall of noise and guttural roars. However, when I listened to Phantom Limb, the musicianship and execution made me pay attention. To me, that’s the sign of music done right. So, upon picking up the album, reading along with the lyric sheet (which reveals another, entirely awesome dynamic) and realizing that I loved a grind album for the first time, it dawned on me. Most people allow their taste in music to be shaped only by what they already like. It’s why metal fans don’t like rap, rap fans don’t like country, country fans don’t like metal etc. But, when we let down our guard a little and something new gets into our ears, an open mind can get the same feeling from Pig Destroyer that it got from our favourite bands. Phantom Limb is certainly not for the faint of heart, as much so as Tegan and Sara is not for the emotionless. But, by including both on my Top 20 list, I submit myself as a living testament that the power of music comes in great abundance and from many sources.

11. Dinosaur Jr.: Beyond

After earning hordes of devoted fans through the late eighties and early nineties, Dinosaur Jr. sputtered out in 1997 with the meandering, disposable Hand it Over. Such an underwhelming and inconspicuous album was Hand it Over that a lot of people assumed the band had called it quits after 1994’s Without a Sound. Fast forward ten years, and J. Mascis reunited Dinosaur Jr. for Beyond in much the same way as Hand it Over was released; so as to say, without fanfare. Then again, J. Mascis has always flown under the radar despite enormous talent, which is on full display throughout Beyond. To call Mascis a guitar hero is kind of a wasted pun, considering the interweb video that made the rounds of his plastic guitar battle with David Cross. But how else can you describe the man after listening to “Been There all the Time”? Let’s face it; the boy can play. And, even after burying all those solos in muddy production, his talent is crystal clear on Beyond. In a year headlined by countless reunions by a slew of monumental bands, Dinosaur Jr. trumped them all by not only reforming, but churning out the best album of their career. And they didn’t do it with exclusive corporate deals, massive marketing campaigns or headlining gigs at huge shows. They did it by staying underwhelming, even in awesomeness .