Here's what VPR staff and listeners are saying about their favorite music of 2007. Tune in to Vermont Edition on Friday, December 21 at noon on VPR for the Annual Music Program.

Click Here to send us Your favorite music of 2007!

 

 

Mitch Wertlieb, Morning Edition Host
The Cowboy Junkies new CD is called At the End of Paths Taken and, as usual, lead singer Margo Timmins anchors a hauntingly beautiful set of tunes.

My favorite living jazz pianist just celebrated his 69th birthday this month, and McCoy Tyner's 2007 release, simply titled McCoy Tyner Quartet, shows he's not slowing down at all.

And in 2007 what's old was made new again, for me and Dead Heads everywhere with the Rhino Records release of Grateful Dead: Road Trips, Volume 1. The three-CD release is a compilation of the best live songs played during the Dead's 1979 Fall tour of the Northeast. The CD also has some sentimental value for me, since I saw my very first Dead show in 1979.

Michelle Jeffery, Listener Services Coordinator
Kill to Get Crimson by Mark Knopfler. I'll admit that after years on my periphery, I really just discovered Mark Knopfler this year, and proceeded to binge on all of his albums, including this new one.

Hey Eugene by Pink Martini. How to even describe their sound? This album has everything from a title track reminiscent of "The Jeffersons" to the globetrotting Latin/Russian-inspired "Dosvedanya, Mio Bombino" and the band's first-ever recording in Arabic, "Bukra wba'do."

Disko Partizani by Shantel. I heard this song on World Cafe one Saturday afternoon and probably would not have stumbled upon it otherwise. I have yet to check out the full album of the same name, but it's definitely on my list. This song has gotten me through a lot of tough runs of late!

Danielle, listener from Roxbury
WILCO! The 2007 album Sky Blue Sky. Hands down, best album of the year!

 

 

 

Jonathan Butler, Web Producer VPR
I have to agree with Danielle from Roxbury - Wilco's Sky Blue Sky is one of my favorite albums of 2007 and their show at Shelburne Farms was one of the year's best, too.

 

Robert Resnick, Host of All The Traditions
One of my favorites is a version of "Deep Purple" performed by John Sebastian and David Grisman on a new CD called Satisfied.

 

Rich Parker, Director of Engineering
Hands down that best music of 2007 has got to be Robert Randolph and the Family Band. The song, "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" from the album Color Blind was featured in the movie Stomp the Yard.

 

 

Leah Hollenberger, Special Projects Producer
I can't say "favorite," but one I listened to a lot this year and her concert at the Flynn was so much fun: Feist, the album The Reminder. She invited audience to dance with her on stage...and couple of hundred people took her up on it. Stage was PACKED with happy, dancing people. Never before has there been that kind of energy at a Flynn concert!

George Thomas, Jazz Host
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand. Seemingly unlikely combination proves ethereal, mostly. My favorite for non-jazz music. The Tierney Sutton Band, On The Other Side. For jazz this is it. Songs of happiness, some sweet and others bittersweet, all with delicious arrangements, singing and playing. My favorite for non-bluegrass/Led Zepplin music.

Brian Jones, Operations Associate
One of my favorite albums from this year was Kismet by Jesca Hoop. Nic Harcourt at KCRW helped break this artist, and he has this album at the top of his list for best albums of the year. Some of my other favorites were: Arcade Fire, Neon Bible; Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga; The New Pornographers, Challengers.

Helen Labun Jordan, commentator and listener in East Montpelier
I discovered the new [eponymous] Storyhill album through the wonderful Occasional Concert series in Plainfield, which uses house concerts and homemade dinners to raise money for the White Light Fund. The first song, "Give Up the Ghost," won a New Folk prize at the Kerrville Music Festival.

Jane Lindholm, Host of Vermont Edition
The National's album Boxer, particularly the song: "Fake Empire". Also:

Radiohead, In Rainbows
Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog
The Shins, Wincing the Night Away
Andrew Bird, Armchair Apochrypha
Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
Band of Horses, Cease to Begin
Beirut, The Flying Club Cup

Sarah Ashworth, Vermont Edition Producer
Kelly Willis' new album, Translated From Love - especially the songs "Don't Know Why" and "Sweet Sundown."

 

 

 

Tim Johnson, VPR News Online Producer
When it comes to film music of 2007, the original score for Ratatouille by composer Michael Giacchino gets my vote as one of the best of the year. It's a terrific mix of orchestral music, accordions, some Latin rhythm, and a neat song by French singer, Camille. And at its heart is a bittersweet main theme, tinged with just enough sadness to keep haunting you long after the cd player has stopped.

 

Ben, listener from Jericho
Imperial Teen, "Shim Sham" - The Hair the TV the Baby and the Band
Gogol Bordello, "Ultimate" - Super Taranta!
Queens Of The Stone Age, "Into The Hollow" - Era Vulgaris
Tomahawk, "Omaha Dance" - Anonymous
Interpol, "The Heinrich Maneuver" - Our Love to Admire
Goon Moon, "Feel Like This" - Licker's Last Leg
Fishbone, "Behind Closed Doors" - Still Stuck In Your Throat
Serj Tankian, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" - Elect the Dead
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Kiss, Kiss" - IS IS
Northern State, "Sucka Mofo" - Can I Keep This Pen?
Blonde Redhead, "Dr. Strangeluv" - 23
Tub Ring, "Friends and Enemies" - The Great Filter
The Good, The Bad & The Queen, "Green Fields" - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Hella, "The Ungrateful Dead" - There's No 666 In Outer Space
Aldo Sisillo & Ensemble di Ottoni di Modena, "Athlantis: XII" - Kang: Athlantis

 

Brian Murphy, listener and member of VPR Community Forum
My favorite album of the year is Boxer by The National. The album is one of those rare discs that are both beautiful and powerful. The sound of the six person indie rock band from Brooklyn can be quite expansive at times yet feel intimate due to the somber intense vocals of their lead singer Matt Beringer. It was my favorite of the year after about three listens last spring.

Note: Brian blogs at http://false45th.blogspot.com/ where you can also find lists of other Vermonters' favorite music of the year.

 

Billy, listener from Shelburne
Jonatha Brooke, Careful What You Wish For
Norah Jones, Not Too Late
Rickie Lee Jones, Sermon on Exposition Boulevard
Ray Davies, Working Man's Cafe
Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior
Joni Mitchell, ShineKings of Leo, Because of the Times
John Mellencamp, Freedom's Road
Graham Parker, Don't Tell Columbus
Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters
Michael Brecker, Pilgrimage
John Scofield, This Meets That
Stanley Clarke, The Toys Of Men
Arturo Sandoval, Rumba Palace

 

Bob Kinzel, VPR News Reporter
Bruce Springsteen - Seeger Sessions Band Live in Dublin
A wonderful mix of classic folk songs and a group of Springsteen favorites done in the Seeger style - nice to see The Boss reinvent his own music.

Bruce Springsteen - Magic
A great reunion with the E Street Band - "Radio Nowhere" is an instant classic.

Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch
Former singer/guitarist of the Drive By Truckers releases a fabulous
collection of raucous and heartful songs in the "Americana" tradition.

Lynn, listener from Bennington
Matisyahu, Instant Karma (compilation) - "Watching the Wheels"
Marco Benevento, Live at Tonic
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight - "Under the Blacklight"
Regina Spektor, Live at Lollapalooza
Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Ween, La Cucaracha
Flaming Lips, The Flaming Lips (iTunes originals)
Gorillaz, D-Sides
Keller Williams, Dream
The Burning Dirty Band, Goodbye Dominion
Petra Haden & Bill Frisell, Petra Haden & Bill Frisell

Lindsay, listener from Burlington
Okkervil River, Stage Names
Pinback, Autumn of the Seraphs
Bright Eyes, Cassadaga

 

Debra, listener in Hyde Park
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Feist, The Reminder
Peter, Bjorn and John, Writers Block

 

Judy, listener in Plattsburgh
One of my 2007 favorites is Bill Medley's Damn Near Righteous. While it's difficult to narrow it to just one favorite from the CD, I especially enjoy his fine rendition of Dylan's "Just Like a Woman."

Laura, listener in Burlington
Cassadaga by Bright Eyes - The band Bright Eyes has been around for years and years and are known for their raw emotional music, but this album is definitely their most polished release to-date. I love everything Bright Eyes releases, but this album is especially good because of the variety of complex overtones and new instruments and voices that unexpectedly show up throughout the songs. Conor Oberst's poetic lyrics, as always, are gripping and force a reanalysis of conventional thought.

Neon Bible by Arcade Fire - Arcade Fire's 2nd release. I believe this album was recorded in an old church where the band lived while recording. The rich, complexity of each song and religious themes are especially intriguing, and I just love the way these songs fill my house with beautiful sounds!

 

Lynn, listener from Thetford
My favorite new album of 2007 is by Hector Gilchrist, his third album. It's called Ingleneuk and it is traditional and comtemporary Celtic music from Scotland Ireland and Canada. Beautiful clear strong voice, minimal music accompaniment. Very old-style, very beautiful.

Michael, listener in St. Armand, Quebec
Really only one vote for new music in 2007 (anything else on my list is merely "new to me"): the Luscious Life single from Montreal indie and Polaris Prize-winning Patrick Watson. It regularly loops on my mp3 player. Well, I'd vote for his Close to Paradise album too.

 

Joseph, listener from Bethel
The best album of this year, in my mind, was The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, by Josh Ritter. This is Ritter's fifth album, and it is a departure from his previous work. While his first several albums were reminiscent of singer-songwriter folk of the 1960's, his latest album straddles the line of rock and roll and old style country. Nearly every song has a driving beat, surprising arrangements, and the brilliance of Ritter's signature lyrical style. I just can't stop listening to this album!

 

Charles, listener from Waitsfield
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Kavinsky - 1986

Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

The National - Boxer
Interpol - Our Love to Admire
Mgmt - Oracular Spectacular
Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
Sea and Cake - Everybody
Arcade Fire - All the Right Reasons
Peter, Bjorn, and John - Writer's Block
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

 

Keith, listener from Essex Junction

If Spoon's "The Underdog" from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, doesn't fire you up, check your pulse, you're probably dead. To that I would add Okkervil River's "Our Life is not a Movie, or Maybe" from the Stage Names. And if you're going to talk about Radiohead's "In Rainbows" which you must, please try to concentrate on the music (might I suggest "Reckoner" or "House of Cards") rather than the marketing or "selling" of the album. The story is the music not the story.

 

Julia, listener from Brattleboro

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - their most recent album is "100 Days,
100 Nights." The Dap Kings are intensely skillful, up-and-coming musical
masters. Sharon Jones (often referred to as the female James Brown) sings soul like there's no tomorrow. She is perfect. Her voice is all heart and grit.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are making music that is as relevant and radical is it also is respectful of the ancestors of Soul. You WILL be moved.

 

Rolf, listener from East Burke

Sam Baker, "Pretty World": the victim of a bombing in Peru 25 or so years ago which almost killed him and seriously impaired his hearing. Simple songs which are beautiful and timeless. Peter Case, "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John": a veteran songwriter and
troubador who is widely respected by his peers. This album is full of unique
songs (boxers, bums, etc.) featuring Case's excellent guitar and voice.Ry Cooder, "My Name Is Buddy" - out of a novel idea, a brilliant album,
seemingly simple but encompassing the array of musical styles which Cooder has been involved with over his career, all fused into songs about an endearing red cat and his motley friends, and with a potent message to boot.Anais Mitchell, "The Brightness" - I first heard of her on VPR. I was
captivated by the noontime interview, bought the CD and played it endlessly.
Very original and moving.  Will, VPR listener
This Meets That by John Scofield. The CD is apply named as it represents the confluence of several style that Sco has mastered. This CD combines the funk that can be heard on his collaborations with Medeski Martin and Wood and Work with Hammond B3 player Larry Goldings, the purer strain of jazz that he creates on CDs like Works For Me and the charted horns on The Quiet CD. The thing that is remarkable about this CD is the presents of Folk and Country influence. The rendition of the country classic Behind Closed Doors followed by the Huddy Leddbetter House of the rising song is delightful. The cover of Satisfaction is better then the Devo cover of the same. Add to that the Sco originals, the bass mastery of Swallow and the brilliant drum work of Stewart this CD is by far my favorite release of the year. BTW you can also hear Sco play some convincing Grateful Dead covers with Phil Lesh on several live recording released this year.   Janet, listener from East WallingfordMy very favorite album of 2007 is Scott Matthew’s Passing Stranger. This is Scott Matthew’s, a UK musician, first release but by no means does it sound it. This rock/blues album is incredibly rich with a variety of genres helping it take shape and stand out. The tracks are complex and unpredictable, yet totally listenable. The song “Elusive” will totally draw you in as do “Dream Song” and “City Headache.” A rarity in new releases, this CD actually has 13 fantastic tunes.
Chris, listener from Hinesburg Oneside, great little band from Boston. "Chinatown" is an amazing tune,
they play up in B-Town, and the ski areas a bunch. They play this stuff you can hear [from their web site], but tons of Dead, The Band, even rap
covers...  Rob, listener in East MontpelierThe Retro-Soul of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings always brings a smile
to my face. Their 2007 release, 100 Days 100 Nights doesn't completely
deliver on the promise of the previous record, Naturally, but it's still
comes strong out of the gates, and it's great fun.  Sharon, listener in JerichoI did not see any mention of this recording on the list of people's favorites, and I agree with Stephen King who named it his favorite of the year: Steve Earl's Washington Square Serenade. Steve moved to NYC from Nashville with his wife, Alison Moorer, and wrote an outstanding collection of songs that earned him a Grammy nomination.  

Jennifer, listener from Grand Isle

Music that allows me to feel enraptured is necessary for my emotional
evolvement. The artists' recordings that resonate with me are Moby, I Like to Score; The Fairfield Four, I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray; Lisa Loeb, Firecracker; the original soundtrack to Henry V; and Capercaillie, Secret People. My favourite classical works are Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade; Haydn's The
Creation and Beethoven's Egmont Overture.