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I was thinking about this the last few days and some of the names that came to mind were surprising even to me, on both lists really.

Let’s begin with some of the disappointing records because this should be fun.

Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist: How can something rank as disappointing when my expectations for it were already so low? By sucking more than I ever thought Billy Corgan was capable of sucking. This record never had any business being released, and I stood by Billy when you put out that solo record and I was stoked when I heard the band was getting back together. But the band didn’t get back together, instead you release a new solo record under the guise of a Pumpkins record because you are a timid, and pathetic man. Shame on you! Now I don’t even want to listen to my old Pumpkins records that I actually do like.

Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This: Whaaaaaa happened? How did a band that I put up on such a pedestal after the impeccable In Case We Die end up releasing this over-the-top bubblegum syrupy sweet pop bullshit? Ok that is harsh, the album isn’t even that bad really. Still if I hired Picasso and he painted me a relatively decent landscape I could buy at any mall in the country I’d be pissed off. Know what I mean?

Marilyn Manson - Eat Me Drink Me: The only reason this record was so bloody disappointing is because of a press release somewhere seemingly deciding to compare Eat Me Drink Me to some of Bowie’s finest work. Apparently press releases work because I must have read a half dozen reviews championing this as Manson’s best work, and comparing it to Bowie. I took the bait and having always been very interested in Manson’s music admittedly got a tad excited for what I would find. Too bad the comparison was a bogus one and maybe applicable to one, or two songs at best on the entire record. The rest of the time Manson spent trying to recapture days that are long long past.

Kanye West - Graduation: It’s not very cool for an indie music website to crown Kanye like this site and this writer has been known to do, this much I realize. However, I have no regrets for having done it and stand by those statements. 2007 is where my love affair with Mr. West ends. Save the awesome decision to work with Daft Punk, the rest of this record mires in mediocrity and dare I say laziness. It was probably inevitable that Kanye would decide to just keep following the formula and get paid rather than put his heart and soul into the music. I’m still disappointed about it. Wake up Mr. West!

Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew Sings Spirit If: This doesn’t have anything to do really with what I think about Spirit If as a record and everything to do with how it was presented. The fact is Broken Social Presents: Mike Tyson sings Spirit If would sell records and Arts & Crafts and BSS know this. When all around the province people were opening up their Alt-Weeklies to see an ad for a show with Broken Social Scene in about 86 font and Kevin Drew squeezed in fineprint next to it that’s questionable ethics. And where it gets even uglier is when they chose not to just admit it. This isn’t just a problem with this record but the label really in general lately, I understand you need to put food on the table guys n gals just say so already! Don’t start piling up lies, it’s unbecoming.

Surprise Records of 2007

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible: I felt weird typing that just now yet I truly believe it was a surprise that this record was actually really damn good. Many lesser bands would have wilted under the immense pressure of following up an album with as much momentum as Funeral. Not Arcade Fire, they did it and some could argue they even topped it. I’d actually go as far as to argue that this album is underrated because it has become so cool to dismiss it as being inferior that people are forgetting about it when it comes to year end lists, etc.

Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace: Yes I just went here! The first big concert I ever saw was a Foo Fighters show and I’ve had a weak spot for them ever since. That weak spot has not however prevented me from giving up on them almost entirely for the last five or so years. And then comes Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace almost out of nowhere and I’m reminded why I was so into this band in my teenage years. I don’t listen to many of The Edge (Toronto Radio station) type bands anymore but I truly believe of those bands the Foo Fighters are the cream of the crop.

Bonde Do Role - With Lasers: I love Arular by M.I.A. and so I just sort of made the assumption I’d love Kala. I was wrong, thankfully Bonde Do Role filled that gap in my musical taste wonderfully. I remember talking to Aldona on msn as I was listening to this the first time completely wowed by how catchy, unique, and random With Lasers was. I didn’t see it coming but am happy it came.

Geoff Berner - Wedding Dance of the Widow Bride: Big thanks go out to Glyn for this one whose review of the record caused me to go back and revisit for myself. That a klezmer record would even come close to making our top 50 is remarkable and a sign that Geoff Berner is really onto something. He can’t sing, and there really isn’t much going on here and Wedding Dance is all the better for it. Now if I could only convince Terri to use one of these songs for our wedding…

Raine Maida - The Hunter’s Lullaby: You can read my review in the archive to see what I had to say about this one, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that mildly enjoying this release might be the wildest surprise I’ve had all year.

Cheers,

Dan

Right now, you are probably thinking: wait a minute, this isn’t the site I’m used to.

Finally, TWM has had a redesign.  The early site got us far enough, and I thank Cam Tomsett and Chris Richard for the work they did. But the truth is that we’ve outgrown the original site’s restrictions.

One of our many new features is that writers now have their own blogs, where they can talk about whatever their heart desires.  Ronan had an idea a few months back that individual writers have their own year-end lists like “Dan’s Top Toronto Albums” as a supplement to the collective 2007 list, and I liked it.  So with that in mind, here are my Top Ten Toronto (and Surrounding Area) Records of 2007.

10.    The Assistants – Self Titled: The Assistants are part of a strong contingent of Toronto bands bringing shoegaze back.  Some people, including myself, like to call it newgaze or nugaze.  Whatever you call it, what is clear to me is that Kiley Meehan, his band and the others revitalizing this genre in Toronto have found an untapped goldmine of potential.  Music lovers are always on the lookout for the new movement and where it’s coming from, and I see no reason why it won’t be right here in Toronto with bands like the Assistants leading the charge.

9. Beth in Battle Mode – Technical Know-How: This is a band that thrives by always giving it full-tilt and walking that fine line between incredibly catchy and excess to the point of annoying.  Where you stand might depend on your thoughts on the amazing keyboard skills of Andrew Ennals (and the use of keyboards in general) and the Abba-like influences they often draw on.  It works well on record, but it completely owns live.  If you like your indie music infused with keyboards and choruses that send you bouncing around your pad, check this band out.

8. Numbers & Figures – The Parable of the Broken Window: Get Up Kids fans who are  on the lookout for bands keeping their dream alive might find what they crave in Numbers & Figures.  I generally don’t even listen to this style of music, so they must be doing something right.  The band has been in the studio and has more new music coming out in ’08, so keep an ear to the proverbial ground.

7. Five Blank Pages – Last Blush: I think I had this band all wrong.  I wrote a sorta half-positive half-bashing review after catching them live for the first time last year.  I just couldn’t get over how thin Noyan’s vocals were, especially live.  I wasn’t wrong about that; what I was wrong about is thinking that couldn’t work effectively for a band.  Time and again, Last Blush provides proof it can.  A lot of that can be attributed to the stellar production of Jose Miguel Conteras, I suppose, but the songs hold up just as well live — so this is my public apology.

6. Foxfire Forest – Foxfire Forest: Are Foxfire Forest better heard as a live band?  I’d say perhaps.  There isn’t a single Toronto band I prefer to go see live than this massive troop of talented musicians.  I still can’t just write off a band’s record because they’ve outgrown it and put on an amazing live show.  I think we sometimes make the mistake of getting to know a band’s killer live show and then judging an album too harshly by association.  Foxfire seems to occasionally get needled for that very reason.

5. Key Witness – Mercury in Retrogade: This record came out so late in 2007 it almost didn’t get considered.  I really believe this band has almost unlimited potential and it’s nice to have a vehicle like Mercury in Retrogade available to spread the gospel.  I’d say more but see Alicia’s review, which says it all.

4. The Ghost is Dancing – The Darkest Spark: In a year that saw Rock Plaza Central relentlessly touring rather than releasing new music, I found myself craving and searching for a band to pick up where Are We Not Horses left off.  The Ghost is Dancing are said band, and I thank them for it.

3. Love Kills – Carry Me Home: And now we are back to that new/nugaze scene I was talking about.  Seeing Love Kills now is probably akin to seeing Jesus & the Mary Chain in their prime.  That’s a bold statement, and I stand by it completely.  Carry Me Home is, simply put, one of the best EPs I have ever heard.

2. Sunparlour Players – Hymns for the Happy: Sorry to be anticlimactic about this record, but I don’t want to be redundant.  I wrote a blurb about these guys in the Top Ten and Top 50, and a review of the record.  It’s good, very very good.  I think you’ve gotten that by now.

1. Fox Jaws – Goodbye Doris: They are from Barrie, which isn’t really Toronto, but the album is far too good to start splitting hairs over.  This isn’t just the best album of the year from our location, it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard released worldwide.

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