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Top 10 LPs of 2007

Here it is. My year-end round up of the best long-playing platters of 2007.

10. White Stripes - Icky Thump
9. Duran Duran - Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre
8. M.I.A. -
Kala
7. Kanye West -
Graduation
6. Orson - Culture Vultures
5. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High
4.
Mike Farris - Salvation In Lights
3. Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full
2. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
1. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Although it was nearly a coin toss between the Monkeys and Wino for the top spot. McCartney's LP was his strongest set in 20 years. Mike Farris' disc is a Stax-flavored gospel tour-de-force. The rest were nearly interchangeable. Although the most surprising enrty is Fall Out Boy. I didn't think I would like them in a million years. Biggest disappointments, well... the Duran disc suffers on the Timberland/Timberlake tracks and Prince's Planet Earth doesn't even make my top 10.

And here's a bonus. My favorite single tracks of 2007!

10. Justice -
D.A.N.C.E.
9. Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80's
8. Kanye West -
Flashing Lights
7. Paul McCartney - Gratitude
6. Pipettes - Pull Shapes
5. Orson -
Ain't No Party
4 Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own
3 (tie). John Doe - Pressing On/White Stripes - Icky Thump
2. Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse - Valerie
1. Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent

Click a song title to hear the track and/or see video courtesy of YouTube. This should have been the Arctic Monkeys' year but, here in the States, they stiffed. I was particularly pissed that they got zero Grammy nods. Still they are my choice to top both of these lists. Fluorescent Adolescent is simply one of the finest guitar band pop songs since Wonderwall. They got stiff competition from Ronson's cover of the Zuton's Valerie. Featuring the ubiquitous Winehouse it, Valerie is another track in heavy rotation on my iPod. Wino is a f***ing mess, but she can sing a song. I can remember seeing Orson perform Ain't No Party back in 2004 down in Hermosa. John Doe's riveting cover of Dylan's Pressing On is the best moment on the monumental soundtrack to I'm Not There. Honorable mention: M.I.A. - Paper Planes; Common - The People; The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger; Kat McPhee - Love Story; Locksley - Why Not Me?

Albums I'm anticipating for 2008?
ABC's Traffic
Michael Jackson's new CD
Norman Kelsey's A Talent For Loving. Of course!

Have a great weekend all!
Peace & Disco Beats

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