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jon_chaissonThis year was really tough to pull together musically...nothing really called out to me this year. I'm thinking that, again, this was a year where more word-of-mouth came from the internet kids and less from radio and elsewhere. It also kind of reminds me of that change of indie mood around the spring of 1996, when college radio stations weren't playing much mainstreamish alt.rock (that was for all the commercial alt.rock stations now), but were filled with a lot of indie that was more angular, quite unpolished, and harder to simply enjoy. In 2007 I found myself turning more towards songs being played on my local alt-rock radio station (Live 105), and even some of the heavily commercial stuff being played on VH1. Yeah, it was definitely a telling moment...the year where I finally gave up trying to pick up on indie rock and simply just went with what I enjoyed listening to. Further proof that what is indie and hip one decade can be commercial and decidedly unhip the next. Rock tends to be fickle that way, really.
Lifewise? This was an another off-year...I didn't get too much done writing-wise except for finishing Love Like Blood (on New Year's Eve, mind you!), and a few other writing plans fell by the wayside. Jobwise I was getting frustrated, but that would fall into place quite nicely at the end of the year when I changed departments. Everything else was good (and we went on a great trip to Hawaii, where I met![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kateelliott!), if otherwise uneventful. It very much felt like a year of changes and waiting for things to end and other things to start up. Not exactly a bad year, but not lifechanging either.
So! Onto the music...
The Cinematics, "Sunday Sun" from A Strange Education, rel. 2/19/2007.
Not an official video, of course...but quite a good cover of a Beck song from earlier this decade. In fact, a cover of one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums of the decade, come to think of it... ;)
The Arcade Fire, "Keep the Car Running", originally from Neon Bible, rel. 3/6/2007.
Every time I hear this, I keep thinking it's Echo & the Bunnymen, but still...great song! :)
Finger Eleven, "Paralyzer" from Them vs. You vs. Me, rel. 3/6/2007.
This one kind of surprised me...I remember their Tip album coming out when I was at the record store, and didn't know they were still around. Good rockin' song that still gets heavy airplay around here.
The Fratellis, "Flathead" from Costello Music, rel. 3/13/2007.
Gotta love a video that's pretty much a moving version of their album cover. Very fun album to listen to!
Feist, "1 2 3 4" from The Reminder, rel. 5/1/2007
Another guilty pleasure. Lots of fun in this song and video, even if it did sell out to iPod. ;)
Linkin Park, "Leave Out All the Rest", from Minutes to Midnight, rel. 5/15/2007.
Sure, there were a lot of great songs from this album, but I like the video for this one the best.
Susumu Hirasawa, "Mediational Field", from the Paprika OST, rel. 5/22/2007.
There's a longer version on the soundtrack, but I had to share the opening credits to one of the best anime movies I've seen in some time. And of course it's Satoshi Kon, who's always brilliant. :)
Green Day, "Working Class Hero" from the Instant Karma compilation, rel. 6/12/2007
This is one of those covers that makes you think "of course they'd cover that..." They do a great job of retaining the anger and frustration of the original, and for a good cause.
Rooney, "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" from Calling the World, rel. 7/17/2007.
As I'd said in a much earlier post at the time, the only thing this song and video is missing is Molly Ringwald doing that 80s swinging-arm dance. :p
Kanye West, "Stronger" from Graduation, rel. 9/11/2007.
I know it's hip to hate Kanye at the moment (and let's face it, he can be a goober at times), but I can't help but like a song that samples Daft Punk and a video with imagery borrowed from Akira, to show just how nerdy he and Hype Williams can be.
Foo Fighters, "The Pretender" from Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, rel. 9/25/2007.
Song of the year for me. I don't think I need to say much except for the fact that it's timely. ;)
Jimmy Eat World, "Big Casino" from Chase the Light, rel. 10/16/2007.
I remember we were on Rt 37 between Sonoma and Napa when we first heard this. Great kickin' song!
Other Videos:
Pearl Jam, "Love Reign O'er Me" from the Reign Over Me OST, movie released 1/23/2007. It only made sense that this band covered this song...great cover of one of my favorite Who songs.
Good Charlotte, "Dance Floor Anthem" from Good Morning Revival, rel. 3/27/2007. The funny thing about this video is thatemmalyon and I thought the bassist looked disturbingly like her brother.
Silverchair, "Straight Lines" from Young Modern, rel. 3/31/2007. An excellent and welcome return for these guys we hadn't heard from since 2002.
Operator Please, "Just a Song About Ping Pong" from Yes Yes Vindictive, rel. 11/10/2007. What better way to end the year with a song that actually is about ping pong? We heard this on the way to the airport one evening and deemed it too awesome, even if the band is a full generation younger than us. :p
Coming up next weekend: 2008-2009, and finally my Best of Decade list!
Lifewise? This was an another off-year...I didn't get too much done writing-wise except for finishing Love Like Blood (on New Year's Eve, mind you!), and a few other writing plans fell by the wayside. Jobwise I was getting frustrated, but that would fall into place quite nicely at the end of the year when I changed departments. Everything else was good (and we went on a great trip to Hawaii, where I met
kateelliott!), if otherwise uneventful. It very much felt like a year of changes and waiting for things to end and other things to start up. Not exactly a bad year, but not lifechanging either.So! Onto the music...
The Cinematics, "Sunday Sun" from A Strange Education, rel. 2/19/2007.
Not an official video, of course...but quite a good cover of a Beck song from earlier this decade. In fact, a cover of one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums of the decade, come to think of it... ;)
The Arcade Fire, "Keep the Car Running", originally from Neon Bible, rel. 3/6/2007.
Every time I hear this, I keep thinking it's Echo & the Bunnymen, but still...great song! :)
Finger Eleven, "Paralyzer" from Them vs. You vs. Me, rel. 3/6/2007.
This one kind of surprised me...I remember their Tip album coming out when I was at the record store, and didn't know they were still around. Good rockin' song that still gets heavy airplay around here.
The Fratellis, "Flathead" from Costello Music, rel. 3/13/2007.
Gotta love a video that's pretty much a moving version of their album cover. Very fun album to listen to!
Feist, "1 2 3 4" from The Reminder, rel. 5/1/2007
Another guilty pleasure. Lots of fun in this song and video, even if it did sell out to iPod. ;)
Linkin Park, "Leave Out All the Rest", from Minutes to Midnight, rel. 5/15/2007.
Sure, there were a lot of great songs from this album, but I like the video for this one the best.
Susumu Hirasawa, "Mediational Field", from the Paprika OST, rel. 5/22/2007.
There's a longer version on the soundtrack, but I had to share the opening credits to one of the best anime movies I've seen in some time. And of course it's Satoshi Kon, who's always brilliant. :)
Green Day, "Working Class Hero" from the Instant Karma compilation, rel. 6/12/2007
This is one of those covers that makes you think "of course they'd cover that..." They do a great job of retaining the anger and frustration of the original, and for a good cause.
Rooney, "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" from Calling the World, rel. 7/17/2007.
As I'd said in a much earlier post at the time, the only thing this song and video is missing is Molly Ringwald doing that 80s swinging-arm dance. :p
Kanye West, "Stronger" from Graduation, rel. 9/11/2007.
I know it's hip to hate Kanye at the moment (and let's face it, he can be a goober at times), but I can't help but like a song that samples Daft Punk and a video with imagery borrowed from Akira, to show just how nerdy he and Hype Williams can be.
Foo Fighters, "The Pretender" from Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, rel. 9/25/2007.
Song of the year for me. I don't think I need to say much except for the fact that it's timely. ;)
Jimmy Eat World, "Big Casino" from Chase the Light, rel. 10/16/2007.
I remember we were on Rt 37 between Sonoma and Napa when we first heard this. Great kickin' song!
Other Videos:
Pearl Jam, "Love Reign O'er Me" from the Reign Over Me OST, movie released 1/23/2007. It only made sense that this band covered this song...great cover of one of my favorite Who songs.
Good Charlotte, "Dance Floor Anthem" from Good Morning Revival, rel. 3/27/2007. The funny thing about this video is that
emmalyon and I thought the bassist looked disturbingly like her brother.Silverchair, "Straight Lines" from Young Modern, rel. 3/31/2007. An excellent and welcome return for these guys we hadn't heard from since 2002.
Operator Please, "Just a Song About Ping Pong" from Yes Yes Vindictive, rel. 11/10/2007. What better way to end the year with a song that actually is about ping pong? We heard this on the way to the airport one evening and deemed it too awesome, even if the band is a full generation younger than us. :p
Coming up next weekend: 2008-2009, and finally my Best of Decade list!
