Best Albums of 2007

Happy New Year! This party animal was asleep by 10:30 last night. Today, it's been pretty much nonstop football, but I did manage to pull together my top 15 albums of 2007 while Brigitta played Super Mario Galaxy. Here they are:

1. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond :: They're Baaaack. One of my all time favorite bands. I've seen them twice already since the reunion. This album sounds like they never stopped.
2. Against Me! - New Wave :: Punks everywhere are mad that these guys grew up. I think its an innovative rock album.
   
3. Sweet Cobra - Forever :: Best album to come out of Chicago this year. These guys should start thinking about quitting their day jobs.
4. Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice :: What is this, their fourth album? Nothing is as good as the first, but this still beats most stuff out their this year (or any year).
5. The Black Lips - Good, Bad, Not Evil :: Something different. Picked this up based on reviews - they weren't wrong. Makes me feel like I'm in a time warp. I would expect the live shows to be good.
6. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin :: One of my new favorite mellow bands, though you should start with Everything All the Time (Thanks Nick). I could probably get my parents to listen to this.
7. Pet Genius - S/T :: The first four songs on here are the best, good enough to put this in the top ten. If you like Stephen Brodsky, this is for you. If you like Cave In, maybe.
8. Lifetime - Lifetime :: They're Baaaack. I also got to see them on their reunion tour. They are still awesome, though being on Fall Out Boy's record label is kinda weak.
9. Akimbo - Navigating the Bronze :: Seen these guys live a couple of times over the past 4 or 5 years, but never got past downloading a few songs. This is the first album of theirs I've actually purchased and, believe it or not, my first album from Alternative Tentacles.
10. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris :: Another solid album. I got to see them once this year. Oh, and 3's & 7's is on Guitar Hero 3!
11. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank :: I wish I was listening to these guys back in the mid-nineties. I kinda feel like an indie rock poser. Oh well I'm on the bandwagon now, and that's all that matters I guess.
    
12. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away :: Another album of soundtrack music I could probably get my parents to like. Phantom Limb is so good.
13. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour :: Good, but not as great as Reconstruction Site.
14. Tegan and Sara - The Con :: I tried not to like this, but sometimes it's the only CD my wife leaves in the car and it's catchy as hell. Go ahead, picture me singing along.
    
15. Bright Eyes - Cassadega :: A new Desaparecidos (Thanks Jonathan) would have made the top ten.