Dave Rudey 2007 list.... From Cloverfield to here....

As I look back at my list, it is clear I am on the look out for good, new rock, and have found better “old” records than new stuff. My list feels just a cut above the mainstream. And that’s ok I guess. Hopefully, it is just an indication that good music is becoming PART of the mainstream.

So other than trying to figure out what Cloverfield was about, I listened to some records and saw some shows.


#10- Ga ga ga ga- Spoon
“You have no fear of the underdog, that’s why you will not survive.”
One of the better lyrics of 07. I am coming to Spoon later than most, and I am enjoying it and them very much.



#9- The Good the bad the Queen


My love of the history song puts this up there. We will just call this band the John Wesley Harding band meets the Goriliaz- or Blur minus Oasis?

#8- The end has a start- Editors
http://www.editorsofficial.com/



So this band keeps getting compared to Interpol and I do not hear it. ‘Smoker outside the hospital’ is a great song, as is ‘All Sparks’. I hear more of a poor man’s U2 than anything to do with Interpol….. I like Interpol. They do not sound like Interpol.

Good record. Worthy of a spin.

#7- The Boxer- The National

I know many have this on their list. I enjoy this record. It is worthy of Top Ten status.

#6- Cassadaga- Bright eyes

I know this was left off a lot of lists, which is surprising. I liked this record quite a bit. ‘Kill or be Killed’ is a great statement song, ‘When the Brakeman turns my way’ is a very, very catchy tune and overall, I like this one.

#5- Arcade Fire- Neon Bible

#4- Sky Blue Sky- Wilco


“The More I think about, the more I know it is true…” this is a TOP TEN record. Front to back, this is the Niles Cline party. Having seen them live here in Chicago really cemented this in my mind as more than a record, but as a fine piece of art as well. ‘Walken’ is great, the title track is cool…. ‘Hate it Here’, and my favorite, ‘Shake if Off’. Solid record. We should give credit where credit is due.

#3- I’m not there- Motion Picture Soundtrack

A soundtrack? Really? Does that qualify?

Well, I don’t care because this double cd of Bob Dylan songs is wonderful, especially since some of the arrangements are so true to the original, while others are so unique. From Cat Power to Sufjan, Jeff Tweedy to Eddie Vedder, and especially seeing Steve Malkmus on here about 4x, I have enjoyed this two disc set very much.

#2- In rainbows- Radiohead

More for the way it which it was sold than the music itself, this is an important record. ‘Faux arp’is my favorite. Close second with ‘Video tape’.


And now….. my number one….. Which is 10% based on his wonderful rock show put on at the Chicago theater……



#1- Chrome Dreams 2- Neil Young

www.hyperrust.org

http://www.neilyoung.com/



The story behind this record is interesting. A collection of songs never released, similar to Brian Wilson’s Smile or some cassette tape laying around in Aberdeen Washington with Kurt Cobain mumbling on, Neil Young has had the luxury of revisiting his past. And this record delivers!

Let’s start from the top, ‘Beautiful Bluebird’ and ‘Boxcar’ are vintage Neil Young and get the record off to a nice, peaceful start. And then BAM!---- this nice grove hits in track three… and never ends. I mean it really goes on forever. Then eighteen minutes later, ‘Ordinary people’ wraps. The horns never let up and the lyrics are solid here.
Next comes ‘Shinning Light’ and ‘The Believer’, which are good but worth skipping to get to “Spirit Road’. The dirty guitar grove leads into arguably the crux of the record… as we all travel, we need to never compromise what we believe in. Heard that about Neil Young before?

‘Dirty old man’ is popular but I don’t care for it too much. And then, another great guitar drive tune, ‘No hidden path’. This is my favorite song on the record.

The closing song, ‘The Way’ is the best closing song, creative and driven, on any record in 2007.

All in all, Chrome Dreams II is the best record of 2007.