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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Juliedave90@aol.com |
| Subject | (no subject) |
| Date | Sat, 19 Jan 2008 10:54:21 EST |
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My 14 year old daughter is learning how to play the guitar and just started
to develop her own taste in music. So far, her favorites are Linkin Park,
Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Angels And Airwaves although she
does like a lot of the newer music I like. She says that I like music where
the guitars sound happy. Without further ado, here are my top 25 guitar
happy CDs of 2007 (25 in case some are ineligible).
1. Ash Avenue - And Then We Ignite
It's official: I'm an ash hole! When this CD first appeared on the Not Lame
website, I kept playing the sound clips over and over until I forced myself
to quit playing the clips so I wouldn't get sick of the songs before I
ordered the CD. Mining the same territory as the Gin Blossoms without
really sounding like them, check out
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=31
438244 and judge for yourself.
2. Relient K - Five Score And Seven Years Ago
Relient K grows up a little. Besides anyone who can make an eleven minute
plus song that I still play all the way through deserves a lot of credit.
3. The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel
"Taken Aback" is the best power pop song I've heard in the past three years.
4. Household Names - Picture In My Head
Household Names remind me of the Churchills which is a very good thing.
5. Melee - Devils And Angels
Winner of the 2007 most improved award. Melee's previous release "Everyday
Behavior" was okay, but "Devils And Angels" is a huge step forward.
Released on a major label where it sank - available at your favorite used
CD web sites for less than a dollar.
6. Steve Bertrand - Pain Is A Megaphone
To me, the best thing Steve's done since the first Tories CD.
7. Metro Station - Metro Station
Combining equal parts techno, bubblegum, and rock, the melodies on Metro
Station's debut really stick in your brain long after the CD has stopped
playing.
8. Fergie Federiksen & Tommy Denander - Baptism By Fire
Tommy Denander has been carrying the AOR torch for a few years under the
name of Radioactive. This time he comes up with a CD featuring former Toto,
Trillion, and Le Roux vocalist Federiksen.
9. Rooney - Calling The World
I hear more AOR than power pop influences this time around which may be the
reason why some Audities members find this CD disappointing. To me, I like
hearing new music that reminds me of New England, Charlie, or Toto.
10. Sherwood - A Different Light
Runner-up of the 2007 most improved award. I didn't care much for
Sherwood's previous release "Sing, But Keep Going". "A Different Light" is
a much more hooky/melodic CD.
11. The Last Goodnight - Poison Kiss
The next Maroon 5?
12. The Skies Of America - Shine
Former Wanderlust member shows he can deliver. I'm not sure of the
eligibility of this one as I became aware of it right at the end of 2006.
13. We The Kings - We The Kings
This year's winner of the next All American Rejects award dethroning last
year's winners, Boys Like Girls.
14. Everyday Sunday - Wake Up! Wake Up!
The next Relient K?
15. Blaqk Audio - Cexcells
Make that 24 guitar happy CDs as the lead singer, Davy, and guitarist, Jade,
from AFI make an album with no guitars or screaming. Who'd thunk. Shades
of Depeche Mode, New Order, and Nine Inch Nails make this CD one of the most
unusual CDs to make my top 20 in years.
16. Switches - Lay Down The Law
The next Kaiser Chiefs?
17. James Morrison - Undiscovered (Released in the US in 2007)
At this point, James Morrison's voice is superior to his song writing. If
his song writing abilities catch up to his vocal prowess as in this CD's
"Wonderful World", look out!
18. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob
The highs are not as high as on "Employment", but overall, I felt "Yours
Truly" was much more consistent than their debut.
19. Until June - Until June
The next Keane?
20. Save Pluto - Age Of Lowered Expectations
Solid indie power pop from New York.
21. Faber Drive - Seven Second Surgery
I almost docked this one a couple of notches because they were discovered by
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback - A little more polished than you would think
based on the front and back CD covers which would lead you to believe they
are a punk band.
22. Automat - Automat
23. Everybody Else - Everybody Else
24. The Red Button - She's About To Cross My Mind
Almost too retro for my tastes.
25. The Click Five - Modern Minds And Pastimes
Favorite Songs of 2007:
Taken Aback - The Rocker Summer
Trash Romance - Ash Avenue
Sell Out - Steve Bertrand
Must Have Done Something Right - Relient K
Handle On - Household Names
Built To Last - Melee
Never Try To Love Again - Frederiksen/Denander
Let's Go Back - Everyday Sunday
Hindsight - Until June
Wonderful World - James Morrison
Suburban Knights - Hard-Fi (too bad the rest of 2007's "Once Upon a Time In
The West" doesn't measure up to their previously release, "Stars of CCTV")
Discovery of 2007:
China Crisis - I don't know how I missed these guys in the 80's as their
smooth pop fits neatly next to my Kane Gang and Hue And Cry albums.
Favorite Music Blogs:
Robots For Ronnie http://robotsforronnie.blogspot.com/
The site is currently experiencing some technical difficulties with
downloads from the past couple of months, but I still haven't found a better
blog for obscure 70's and 80's music. Who knew there was a seventh City Boy
LP or a fourth Stonebolt LP?
Power Pop Criminals http://powerpopcriminals.blogspot.com/
I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but any blog that offers rare Phil
Seymour material is a winner.
The Better Late Than Never Award goes to the Dave Clark 5 for finally making
the Rock 'n Roll HOF. The first rock 'n roll song I ever liked was the
DC5's "Can't You See That She's Mine" and 44 years and 4,000 plus LPs later,
it's still one of my favorites.
Next up, my top 20 power pop albums. I know my top two already. The rest
are going to go through a selection process that'll make the NCAA's
basketball tournament committee envious.
Thanks for reading this far,
Dave Esmond
**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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