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David Watkins

Mark Footer

Mark Mccord

Mathew Scott

Robin Lynam

It was a year of sonic surprises and Radiohead's honesty box experiment. Our pundits present the 50 releases they couldn't live without
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible (Sonovox)
The pull of doom-laden gravity here is enough to induce nausea, yet Arcade Fire manages to turn the end of the world into something spectacularly transcendent. The most ambitious and accomplished rock album of the year. DW
Art Brut
It's a Bit Complicated
(Downtown)
It's a bit complicated; second records often are. Fortunately, this one isn't. Art Brut have expanded on the palette of debut Bang Bang Rock n Roll just enough to constitute progress while never straying  far from the  blueprint. You'll find more muscular guitar and they've discovered the joys of backing vocals and a horn section, but there isn't any foolish experimentation with beats or ballads - and they haven't started banging on about the trappings and tribulations of being (mildly) famous. MF
Dag Arnesen
Norwegian Song
(Resonant Music)
Pianist Arnesen, bassist Terje Gewelt and drummer Pol Thowsen, who played in Hong Kong this year, apply modern jazz principles of improvisation to the hauntingly beautiful melodies of Norwegian jazz and classical music. The results are unexpectedly lovely. One of the most pleasant surprises of the year. RL
Babyshambles
Shotter's Nation
(Parlaphone)
He's been snapped snorting smack, mainlining a friend and firing blood from a syringe but bad-boy poet Pete Doherty finally delivered on his promise with his band's third album. This alone showed that the talent of the Libertines lay in the wild, not the quiet one. MM
Battles
Mirrored
(Warp)
Mirrored had a lot to live up to after  the band's first single, Atlas,  had forced its way into the listening public's consciousness. Some guffawed at its Chipmunk singing, but few could deny there was genius at work; drummer John Stanier leading a killer glam/krautrock/big beat stomp. And a great video didn't hurt. Did the rest of Mirrored meet expectations? Not quite, but it's a worthy release nonetheless; a mix of exaggerated whimsy, intense analogue rhythms and on-the-metre musicianship; a bionic jam-session, perhaps. MF
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Baby 81
(Sony)
If proof were still needed, Baby 81 provides it: what Black Rebel Motorcycle Club do - albeit particularly well - is tried-and-tested rock'n'roll, and nothing else. They spray on a sheen of modernity and present it in all its variations - but you're never going to be surprised by BRMC's rock. Familiar themes of rebellion, self-empowerment and rock salvation are to the fore here and if you liked any of the previous three, you're sure to love this one. MF
Michael Brecker
Pilgrimage
(Heads Up)
Released posthumously,  this is joyous jazz  beautifully and powerfully played by Brecker and devoted friends Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, John Patituci and Jack DeJohnette. Pilgrimage stands as one of the best albums made by one of modern jazz's greatest musicians. He'll be sorely missed. RL
Caribou
Andorra
(City Slang)
After years in the techno wilderness Canadian knob-twiddler Daniel Snaith turned to psychedelia and guitars to produce this hauntingly melodic collection. MM
Chemical Brothers
We Are the Night
(Virgin)
With each new Chemicals release crowned as their ultimate achievement, We Are the Night actually deserves the praise. Tight electro grooves collide with jet engines, UFOs and the overall sense that the listener is rollerblading through solar systems. DW
Chromeo
Fancy Footwork
(Back Yard)
Self proclaimed as the 'only successful Arab/Jew partnership since the dawn of human culture' Chromeo  blend shades of pre-Purple Rain Prince, 1980s Hall and Oates, killer grooves and macho guitars. Slick. DW
Cold War Kids
Robbers and Cowards
(Downtown)
This is the sound of modern America - twitchy, nervous, spare and ground-down. Driving bass-led beats, blood-curdling screams and the feeling that something is not quite right - it's visceral stuff that proves the home of rock can still produce the goods. MM
Ry Cooder
My Name is Buddy
(Nonesuch)
A concept album exploring the depression era through the eyes of a cat, but altogether better than that description suggests, this set brings Cooder back to the musical territory of his early albums of venerable American roots music, and is one of his most satisfying recordings for years. RL
Ray Davies
Workingman's Cafe
(V2)
An impressive return to form  from the former leader of the Kinks. The lyrics as always are quirky and perceptive, but he's also rediscovered his gift for melody, and for rocking out with the assistance of a hard-driving band. RL
Joey DeFrancesco
Joey De Francesco Live: The Authorized Bootleg
(Concord)
The exuberant jazz organist teams up with a hero in the absurdly underrated saxophonist George Coleman, and together the two lead the band through an unforgettable set at the famed Yoshi's in Oakland, California, fortuitously captured on tape, and despite minor production shortcomings wisely issued on CD. RL
Deerhoof
Friend Opportunity
(Kill Rock Stars)
With this short, sharp pop-rock assault, Deerhoof continue to expand their musical universe, even throwing electronica and funk into the mix before coming to an orchestral close with the swirling, 11-minute epic Look Away. Effortless cool. MS
Digitalism
Idealism
(Virgin)
When German duo Jens Moelle and Ismail Tuefekcithey venture beyond Daft Punk's shadow and realise their own guitar rock and dance aspirations, the results are spectacular. Digitalism fuses rock chops to dance beats and ends up more leather than plastic. DW
Dinosaur Jr
Beyond
(Play it Again Sam)
It's the late 1980s all over again. Beyond, which unites founding members guitarist J. Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph for the first time since 1988's Bug, benefits from the disappointments and successes that have befallen the trio between then and now; they're doing the same thing - but are doing it better than ever. We are treated to the usual: lyrics used as background noise, slacker sulks, improbable guitar solos - but, as one scribe  so aptly put it, Beyond is 'less a theme park of the past; more of an actual trip there'. MF
The Enemy
We'll Live and Die in These Towns
(Warner)
The best thing from Coventry since the Specials, the Enemy's debut sizzles with youthful vigour and reveals a love of classic English acts.  Pick of the bunch is Aggro, which fuses heavy bass and drums with a Kasabian-style chorus. The brisk Had Enough proves catchy, doo-wop backing vocals and all, while the title track is the Jam as interpreted by the Doves. MF
Feist
The Reminder
(Cherry Tree)
Leslie Feist delivers on the promise shown on her debut  with a heart-felt examination of love and loss. The former member of Calgary's Broken Social Scene  keeps it simple and straightforward, allowing her voice to take centre stage - and to sweep you away.  MS
Foo Fighters
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
(Sony BMG)
Reuniting with producer Gil Norton proves a masterstroke for the Foos, creating a perfect storm for Grohl's continent-straddling riffs and complex arrangements. A treat from start to finish and the band's  most complete work to date. DW
Aretha Franklin
Rare and Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Age of the Queen of Soul
(Rhino)
Aretha like you've never heard her before. From the unvarnished demo recording of I Never Loved a Man that kick-started her career, to covers of standards such as My Way (a version that makes you forget all about Sinatra's).  MS
Future of the Left
Curses
(Too Pure)
The offspring of Welsh bands McLusky and Jarcrew, FotL prove it is possible for musicians to grow up and make a fearsome racket while singing nonsense. A little more polished than their predecessors, with titles such as The Lord Hates a Coward and Plague of Onces you can rest assured guitarist/vocalist Andy Falkous has lost none of the wit that made McLusky irresistible. MF
The Good, the Bad & the Queen
The Good the Bad & the Queen
(EMI)
Steeped in imagery and soaked in melancholia, former Blur honcho Damon Albarn's doom-laden Greek paean could be his What's Going On. An all-star cast including drumming supremo Tony Allen and Clash bassist Paul Simonon add magic. DW
Grinderman
Grinderman
(Anti)
Nick Cave has some words of wisdom - he tells us so in Get it On, the opening salvo  from Grinderman. In his 50th year, Cave  has come to  accept  the inevitabilities of life, which brings its own humour and abandon. Freed from the confines of a larger ensemble fellow Bad Seeds Warren Ellis, Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos let their hair down, matching Cave's lyricism with a loop-laden clamour: brooding rumble rock, bleak soundscapes and squalls of guitar. Cave's preoccupation with birth and death, beginnings and endings, is well documented, but with Grinderman, he's produced something you'll want on a continuous loop. MF
P.J. Harvey
White Chalk
(Island)
Sparse piano arrangements and Harvey's voice often being reduced to little more than a whisper make this the singer-songwriter's most challenging - and ultimately rewarding - recording yet. A little like listening in on someone else's dreams ... or nightmares. MS
Herbie Hancock
River - The Joni Letters
(Verve)
A fine record of Hancock in acoustic jazz mode paying tribute to his friend Joni Mitchell, and finding something surprising in nearly all the tunes - with a little help from collaborators including Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland and an all star cast of guest vocalists. RL
The Hives
Black and White Album
(Polydor)
The Swedish garage-rockers' best offering yet, complete with cheerleaders, wonky keyboards, stabbing guitars, and Howlin' Pelle Almquist walking a tightrope between deranged and inspired. The sound has been beefed-up but the Hives remain typically nimble. DW
Bruce Hornsby
Camp Meeting
(Sony Legacy)
One of rock's most versatile and accomplished pianists plunges headlong into jazz on this fine trio recording. Even in the exalted company of Christian McBride and Jack DeJohnette he demonstrates with apparent ease that he really can cut it. RL
The Horrors
Strange House
(Loog)
Part cartoon, part Marilyn Manson and part Dick Dale surf punks, these Southend-on-Sea Goths may not have been the most profound act to emerge this year, but they were good entertainment value with their campy Cramps-meets Lord Sutch act. MM
Steve Jansen
Slope
(Samadhissound)
For too long Steve Jansen was just the tub thumper behind avant-gardist and ambient house pioneer David Sylvian. But this mostly instrumental set of jazz and space-rock  is proof he's more than just a pretty face. MM
Klaxons
Myths of the Near Future
(Polydor)
Dubbed the forerunners of the 'new rave' movement, the Mercury Award-winning trio were the talk of the pop world for a few minutes during the summer, especially as their reworking of the old dancefloor classic It's Not Over Yet became the anthem of the festival circuit. MM
Mark Knopfler
Kill to Get Crimson
(Mercury)
This thoughtful collection of  well-crafted character sketches finds the former Dire Straits leader mining the Randy Newman seam in his song-writing, and returning to the clean Hank Marvin derived electric guitar sound with which he made his name. RL
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
(DFA)
The potential that LCD's 2005 debut pointed towards was gloriously realised in this tight, focused exhibition of effortless funk and dancefloor savvy, creating a blend of electronica so organic it could grow on trees.  DW
Jens Lekman
Night Falls Over Kortedal
(Secretly Canadian)
Sweden's pop prince flirted with life as a bingo caller before returning to what he knows best - infectious riffs on the absurdities of life and love. And the world is a better place for it. MS
George Melly
Farewell Blues
(Lake Records)
A joyous celebration of a near lifelong love of jazz, recorded during George Melly's dying months. Much better than anybody could reasonably have expected under the circumstances and full of the wit and good humour  which characterised the singer and the man. RL
Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
(Epic)
They finally broke the big time with Good News for People who Love Bad News and then singer and leader Isaac Brock went into a tailspin. When he came out of it, the result was this collection of bittersweet tracks about love, loss and the ensuing madness. MM
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss
Raising Sand
(Rounder)
The year's oddest pairing, on paper at least, has produced an album for the ages. The ex-Led Zeppelin frontman finds a like-minded soul in the reigning queen of bluegrass and together they strip the American songbook bare with the  help of uber producer T-Bone Burnett. MS
Queens of the Stone Age
Era Vulgaris
(Polydor)
Proving yet again that a Gibson Les Paul and a bunch of hard-rocking tunes is still the best  substitute for sex. Josh Homme is the Jimmy Page of the alternative scene and the Queens will be playing enormodomes very soon, if this album is anything to go by. MM
Qui
Love's Miracle
(Ipecac)
Jesus Lizard frontman David Yow has  delivered  a satisfyingly loud, wide-reaching, dysfunctional record  for Qui's second helping. Joining drummer Paul Christensen and guitarist Matt Cronk, he leads a scattershot approach to glorious noise - and, unsurprisingly, indulges in lots of swearing. Covers of the Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart tune Willie the Pimp and Pink Floyd's Echoes (mercifully trimmed) give traditionalists something to hang on to. MF
Radiohead
In Rainbows
(Online/XL)
Available online only and with no asking price, this broke the rules on music distribution and broke the band out of its techno obsession. With more guitars, more ballads and harrowing lyrics it was the band's best collection since OK Computer!  MM
Siouxsie
Mantaray
(Universal)
After more than 30 years in the business, Susan Ballion is finally just Siouxsie. And, surprisingly, she's used her independence to make a pop record rather than to indulge in the esoteric self satisfaction that  occasionally made Creatures records a chore. What hasn't changed is that voice; richer  and more earthy, it's the foundation for an imposing set of struts, chaotic cabaret and percussive wallops.    MF
Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
(Warner)
Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin together create a rare alchemy, and their reunion on Zeitgeist makes for one of this year's most pleasant surprises, with the juddering, metallic Doomsday Clock signalling their intention to turn it up to 11 from the get-go. DW
Bruce Springsteen
Live in Dublin
(Columbia)
No matter how good he gets in the studio, the Boss has always been a beast best seen live. Here, at the end of an arduous European tour, he mingles his own tracks with pure folk from the Seeger Sessions. The 23 songs over two discs will make you wish you were there. MS
Mavis Staples
We'll Never Turn Back
(Anti)
Protest songs given a new lease of life thanks to the experience that drips from Staples' soulful voice. This is the real deal: songs about hardship and the fight for justice from someone who's been there. MS
Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
(Merge Records)
Infectious opener, Don't Make Me a Target, sets the tempo  and the  Austin, Texas outfit never miss a beat from there on in. Charting a course through rock, soul and even a little dub, Ga Ga ... has finally given Spoon the  wider recognition they deserve. MS
Richard Thompson
Sweet Warrior
(Shout Factory)
Lyrically by turns thoughtful, political, angry, melancholic and wryly humorous, Thompson turns in some characteristically original songs and appropriately passionate guitar work. The clever Iraq war song, Dad's Gonna Kill Me, in particular, is one of the best of his stellar career. RL
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys Collection
(Rhino)
The year's most welcome rock/pop re-release had been unavailable for far too long. This set compiles all the available recordings and video footage of the world's most likable supergroup, and it's a joy to be able to hear them again. RL
McCoy Tyner Quartet
McCoy Tyner Quartet
(McCoy Tyner Music)
Another live at Yoshi's recording features John Coltrane's star pianist apparently at the peak of his form in the company of Joe Lovano on saxophone, Jeff 'Tain' Watts on drums and Christian McBride on bass. The playing is probing and  authoritative. RL
Kanye West
Graduation
(Roc-A-Fella Records)
Kanye West has once again created a likeable blend of hip hop that is  unique, beyond its time and refreshingly devoid of the thuggery favoured by many of his contemporaries. The music even occasionally lives up to its creator's inflated opinion of it. DW
Neil Young
Chrome Dreams II
(Reprise)
The sequel to the 1977 album that was never released, Young is at his eclectic best, combining old tracks with the new, while reflecting on the 40 years of his musical journey. Built around the epic 18 minutes of Ordinary People - Young at his wild, untamed best. MS



2007: the platters that mattered