Top 15 Albums of 2007

1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows

3. White Stripes - Icky Thump

4. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3

5. Menomena - Friend and Foe

6. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

7. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

8. Battles - Mirrored

9. Kanye West - Graduation

10. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends

11. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

12. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

13. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

14. Justice - †

15. M.I.A. - Kala

BQE

I got a chance to check out Sufjan Steven's new orchestral arrangement at its premiere last night. It was really good in some parts and lacking in others. Ironically (if you pay attention to what the dude has been saying lately), the high points were when the orchestra toned it down and the rock band side amped it up. In fact, the high point of the night was after "The BQE" and after the intermission. This, of course, is when he came back out and played his "rock" material (heavy on the Illinois and highlighted by "Majesty Snowbird"). No matter what you think of his music -- or his hipster-anointed Second-Coming status -- I think you have to respect his creativity. And his love for hula hoops.