So this is the New Year, and I don't feel any different.

Continuing on a little bit from previous posts, I just thought I'd have a quick look at the transition from 2006 to 2007 with my top albums of last year and my most anticipated albums for the coming months..

2006

5. Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
Buy here via Amazon

"A mind that knows itself is a mind that knows much more"

The Avalanche is a collection of "Outtakes & Extras" from the Illinois album of 2005. This in no way implies that Sufjan Stevens was cashing in on his previous successes by releasing an inferior record. Tracks such as "The Mistress Witch From McClure (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself)" are up there with some of the best tracks on the Illinois album such as "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." and "Casimir Pulaski Day". There are 3 new versions of one of his most well-known songs, "Chicago", that I thought might get a bit tiring. I found them to be interesting variations, not just the album-lengtheners they could have been. So all in all this is a great album, in no way overshadowed by it's predecessor and thankfully for us, it brought with it a Sufjan Stevens tour (with St. Vincent, who I have to mention because had she released an album last year I'm sure it would have made this list).

Listen: The Mistress Witch From McClure (Or, The Mind That Knows Itself) (sendspace)

4. Hope of the States - Left
Buy here via Amazon

"If you sing a couple of words, the world moves"

This album took quite a while to grow on me because after having listened to their debut album The Lost Riots so much, I found that this one didn't quite match up to it. It took a while but after several binges of individual songs ("Sing It Out", "Blood Meridian", "The Good Fight", "Left", "This Is A Question") and when I stopped comparing the two albums, I realised that this record was full of great tracks but possibly it just wasn't as consistent as the previous release.

Listen: This is a Question (sendspace)

3. Howling Bells - Howling Bells
Buy here via Amazon

"You listen to trash, but it's not rock n roll"

This point in my list is when it started to get hard to order the albums as I seemed to have three albums without a bad track between the lot. I've yet to see a good comparison to Howling Bells, I guess it really is because no one's doing anything similar to them at a moment, which I find makes it hard to describe their music. It's indie rock with jangly electric guitars and haunting vocals.. it's upbeat but there seems to be a constant darkness hovering over it.. and it's catchy without ever being too bold.

Listen: Low Happening (sendspace)
Listen: The Night is Young (sendspace)

2. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Buy here via Amazon

"We think the same things at the same time, we just can't do anything about it"

I'm not sure that there's much to say about this album that hasn't already been said before. Intelligent, accessible electronica with catchy melodies and a perfect balance of electronic sounds and live instruments. I think anyone with a vague interest in what one of the world's most respected artists does on a solo record will have already heard this album, so it's useless for me to shamelessly promote it.

Listen: Harrowdown Hill (sendspace)

1. Guillemots - Through the Windowpane
Buy here via Amazon

"The world is our dancefloor now"

Finally, the album that beat Thom Yorke to the number 1 spot. I've written enough about why this album is so great before, so I'll just link to some tracks instead of repeating myself. Linked below, São Paulo is a track that can only be described as epic.

Listen: São Paulo (sendspace)

2007

1. Radiohead
Buy here via Amazon
Listen: Videotape (Thom Yorke solo piano) (sendspace)

2. Guillemots
Buy here via Amazon
Listen: 21st May (Live) (sendspace)

3. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Buy here via Amazon
Listen: Endless Entertainment (sendspace)

4. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Buy here via Amazon
Listen: Intervention (sendspace)

5. Fyfe Dangerfield
Buy here via Amazon
Listen: Delusia (sendspace)