New music of 2007

Just cos this came up in a forum I managed to list most of the stuff I picked up last year and what I thought about it. It was a good year for music but not as good as this years going to be likesay.

The View - Hats Off To The Buskers: I'd been waiting for a year for this recordand whilst very good it would have been better if released earlier. Still a great Dundee band and I have high hopes that The Law will secure the cities musical upturn.

The Rakes - Ten New Messages: Not a bad album but very inconsistent.

Biffy Clyro - Puzzle: Really uncool and they don't care. Likeable enough to have lasted a while on the old MP3 player.

Beastie Boys - The Mix Up: Good jazz-funk instrumentals though definitely a mood thing for me.

Arctic Monkeys - Fave Worst Nightmare: Not as impressive as their debut but still fantastic.

The Aliens - Astronomy For Dogs: Although not as good as The Beta Band and perhaps their eclecticism lets them down a bit still an awfy good album made even more impressive if you're aware that people from Fife are born without opposable thumbs. It was fun dancing to The Happy Song at my wedding as well.

Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City: Top indie miserabilists produce a fun album. Went through a bit of a London kick earlier in the year when all I was listening to was them, The Rakes, Lady Sov, Dizze Rascal and the likes. Speaking of which,

Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English: Dizzee really came into his own with this album showing a new maturity and kinda reminding me of Ludacris's last effort for some reason. Lily Allen also entertains on one song, she always seems better on other peeps stuff for some reason.

Jamie T - Panic Prevention: My favourite album of the year sound sort of like The Streets meets The Clash which can only be a good thing. I'm really looking forward to hearing more stuff from the young lad.

Dinosaur Jr - Beyond: This is a weird one because it's Dinosaur Jr which makes it greeat and I loved it but I was mibbee expecting something new from them which isn't here.

The Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace: Exactly the same feelings about this as about Dinosaur Jr's new one.

Black Francis - Bluefinger: Once again see my comments on Dinosaur Jr's album. Is a pattern starting to take shape here?

Gorillaz - D-Sides: There's a lot here and I'm still trying to get my head around it. Mostly good though.

The Good, The Bad and The Queen: Awfy good album.

Kings of Leon - Because of the Times: White boys with guitars do what they do best. I love this.

New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom: A fantastic retro 80's sound, smart lyrics and a secy female singer.

Mark Ronson - Version: Very very contrived which both works for and against the album.

Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris: More white boys with guitars and you gotta love them.

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible: I absolutely adore this album with its clear nods to Talking Heads and reflective lyrics.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump: I enjoyed it well enough but couldn't really get into it. Peeps who put bagpipes into rock or pop should be killed painfully.

Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy: This is still in my MP3 player so I must love it. Sounds a bit country at some points.

Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams: Not long had this and I'm enjoying it though I can see why some may not like their new direction. If this is the make or break album for them it's difficult to say how they'll do as it may alienate some of their audience. I still like it.

This didn't include loads of old stuff I picked up or the hiphop I bought Rosa cos nothing says you love somebody like 45 minutes of misogynistic rap.