Legacy Recordings

well, it’s that time of year again where i get to pretend to be a world renown music maven, recommending the best 2007 has to offer.  in no particular order, below are my top 8 albums and songs, plus what i’m excited for in ‘08.  merry christmas, feliz navidad, happy holidays and a rocking new year.

albums

alicia keys - as i am
- as soon as i heard the first note to the single “no one” i was hooked.  there was just something about the steady beat of the drums, the familiar sound of the keys going up and down the scale, and the voice.  favorite track - “sure looks good to me”

kanye west - graduation
- fantastic album from beginning to end.  favorite track - “everything i am”

travis - the boy with no name
- one of the best concerts i saw this year.  favorite track - “closer”

chrisette michele - i am
- “it’s my time to find the best of me”  favorite track - “best of me”

wyclef jean - carnival vol ii…memoirs of an immigrant
- my favorite project.  favorite track - “slow down”

a fine frenzy - one cell in the sea
- ok, i jumped on the bandwagon with this one.  favorite track “almost lover”

onerepublic - dreaming out loud
- couldn’t turn on top 40 radio without hearing “apologize” every freaking 15 minutes.  i was so tired of that song and didn’t want to listen to the album.  but alas, one day i caved in and was truly caught off guard by how good this album is.  favorite track - “say (all i need)”

rihanna - good girl gone bad
-  i heard “umbrella” and thought, nelly furtado has another single out?  it was the “ella, ella, eh, eh, eh” part that reminded me of her.  if you like the song, check out the version by marie digby.  favorite track - “hate that i love you”

songs

musiq soulchild - b.u.d.d.y.
- i saw him open for paolo nutini and thought, he should have been the headliner.

joshua james - fm radio
- one of this year’s best free songs

band of horses - no one’s gonna love you
- i was flipping thru the tele one night and caught the end of ‘chuck’ on nbc. they had this song playing in the background and i couldn’t get it out of my head. i scribbled down some of the lyrics, went online and found a last minute addition to this list.  afterwards, i found their free buckies card and realized i had the song the whole time.  just didn’t get to downloading it.  sigh.

t-pain - buy u a drank (shawty snappin’)
- my favorite part “now walk it out, think about it, awww snap”

glen hansard & marketa irglova - falling slowly (from the ‘once’ soundtrack)
- they were amazing live.  beacon was completely silent when they sang this song.

peter, bjorn and john - young folks
- go on, whistle along.  it’s pretty damn catchy.

ingrid michaelson - overboard
- i remembered her from last season of grey’s anatomy.  she had the season finale track and was on good morning america the next day.  this is from her new album, which is pretty damn good too.  she would have made the list if it was top nine.

sara bareilles - gravity
- every once in a while, i hear a song and think, my god, they read my mind.  towards the end, when she sings “down” and holds on to the second half of the note…i mean, i’m not cryin’ or nuthin’ but, man, that part always hits me hard.

looking forward to in ‘08 - mariah carey!, coldplay, rachael yamagata, corinne bailey rae, aterciopelados, u2, madonna, whitney houston, janet jackson, julieta venegas.

 *the original note was for 8 albums and songs.  since this blog is 10, below are my additions.

albums
mark ronson - version
bruce springsteen - magic

songs
foo fighters - statues
common - drivin’ me wild w/lily allen