2007 was a great year for music, hip-hop continued in turning the corner back from gangster to old school, some real life classics were released (see Neon Bible, Because The Times…..) and exciting new artists like Jamie T and the Klaxons encouraged the established artists to step up a gear (Radiohead, White Stripes….). We didn’t want to make it a competition because musics not like that, so we just picked 20 albums which we thought stood head and shoulders above the rest, we’re sure you’ve been enjoying most of them already, but if there’s something you haven’t come across yet then give it a go………….

LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Infinately cool indie dancefloor genius just got better, ‘All My Friends’ showed real life songwriting greatness
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Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
Almost mystical 2nd album proper from the Canadian preachers, sonic, relevant and beautiful. Hints of Springsteen at his best.
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Grinderman: Grinderman
Nick Cave’s most outstanding work in a long time, raw, stripped down garage blues. A real life rock n’ roll riot!
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Thurston Moore: Trees Outside The Academy
At almost 50 years of age this was a body of work to show he is in no way near mellowing, as essential as late 80’s ‘Youth
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Pissed Jeans: Hope For Men
Loud, noisy, tuneless, awesome!
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Klaxons: Myths Of The Near Future
There’s not really much left to say about it, except that it has deserved it’s honours
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Kings Of Leon: Because The Times
After a so-so 2nd album, the difficult 3rd album proved to be the turning point which could see them become a very, very special and prominent American act
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The White Stripes: Icky Thump
Harking back to the duo’s first few albums, this was stripped down and raw, well, with a little bit of FM rock thrown in too….
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Seasick Steve: Dog House Music
It had everything, romantic story of old aged hobo come good, 3 string guitar and absolutely essential raw blues tunes
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Battles: Mirrored
Music to scare young relatives, work mates and anyone else who you care to offend. A chaotic yet perfect album which has to be heard to be believed, truly, truly original music for the 21st century. Visionary!
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Radiohead: In Rainbows
The ‘pay-what-you-want’ hype seemed to bury the fact that this was their best work since Kid A, whatever you paid, it was worth it!
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Wu-Tang Clan: 8 Diagrams
Ghostface’s best album since Ironman, The Big Doe Rehab, was very nearly in this list, but for all his and Raekwon’s bitching about RZA’s latest opus this was just otherworldly and undoubtably the genre album of the year. Original production and killer tracks have moved the genre to another level, possibly the best hip-hop album since their incendiary debut in 1993
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Jamie T: Panic Prevention
Britain’s brightest new star, in the mould of Ian Dury and Mike Skinner, the lyrics were razor sharp and the melodies instant dancefloor hits
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Feist: The Reminder
One for the comedown, the part-time Broken Social Scenester turned out an epic chill-out album
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Holy Fuck: LP
Beautiful, uncomprimising, apocalyptic. Sigur Ros on acid in a war zone with only analogue equipment to keep them alive
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Justice: †
Dark, Twisted, Funky…. the beats we’re relentless as was their rise to the top, one of the very best of the year. Essential.
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El-P: I’ll Sleep When Your Dead
Heavy stuff…… paranoid, claustrophobic and intense sci-fi hip hop with a little help from Trent Reznor, Cat Power and The Mars Volta
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Black Lips: Good Bad Not Evil
If the album was shit, urinating in each others mouths at gigs may be enough to get them here alone, thing is, the album is goon enough all on its own too. Raw 60’s tinged garage rock greatness
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Burial: Untrue
The reclusive dubstep star edged closer to the mainstream with this sensation album, the most important yet of a budding genre which will grow and grow in 2008
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Pharoahe Monch: Desire
Topical and inspired lyrics, adult hip-hop for a generation for whom bling and bitches is increasingly irrelevant. Deeply funky beats, one of the hip-hop albums of the last 5 years
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