Gotham Gal: Music of 2007

I do love the lists. This is my top 10 Cd's for 2007 with a few note worthy at the end. It's tough to stick to 10.

Shout Out Louds, Our Ill Wills Love them. Couldn't get enough of this. Swedish Indie-pop with interesting instrumentals.

New Pornographers, Challengers To me, their best CD yet. Brilliant songwriting.

Arcade Fire, Neon Bible Probably best album of the year. Incredible instrumentals, innovative, unique and hands down the best live concert of the year.

The Shins, Wincing the Night Away I've been a fan for awhile, this CD is fun and upbeat. Catchy songs.

The Feeling, Twelve Stops and Home Pure pop. I can't help myself, I still love the pop.

Voxtrot, Voxtrot Indie pop from Austin, TX. Listened to it again and again and again

Bishop Allen, The Broken String Brooklyn Indie. Good songs, good music.

Bright Eyes, Cassadaga Been listening to Oberst for years. Like the music, like the sound, like the lyrics.

Ben Lee, Ripe Maybe not his best but I just love Ben Lee

Fionn Regan, The End of History Very melodic, minimal, guitar and voice.

Ok...and the note worthy which I listened to plenty.

Feist, The Reminder Took me awhile but I finally got in to her.

Lily Allen, Alright, Still Clever fun and hilarious

Radiohead, In Rainbows Radiohead is not only different and brilliant. Putting their music out on the web for the taking at whatever price you want to pay puts them way ahead of the pack.

Kate Nash Been listening to four singles that I downloaded. Another clever pop rocker from Britain

Patrick Wolf, The Magic Position Young, musical and talented.

Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare. They have taken rock to a different level.

Kings of Leon, Because of the Times. They just rock

Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend Cd to come out in early 2008 but you can hear the singles. This is getting lots of play in the house. Love them

Little Jackie. Not even sure where to link. Coming out on a new label. Love. Could end up being a favorite for 2008.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, 100 Days and 100 Nights. Couldn't help but throw in a little R & B. My friend told me about this. Good listening.

So, in the end there are 20 artists absolutely worth listening to which rocked my world in 2007. A huge nod to Jessica for turning me on to Vampire Weekend, Voxtrot and supposedly The Shout Out Louds although I am not sure about that one.

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Rachel Kushner: The Flamethrowers: A Novel
A beautiful intelligently written book that threads together NYC and Rome in the 1970's. The prose is just amazing. There is an underlying theme about lies and trust. The main character, Reno, whose eyes the book is written through is like a sponge taking in a world and essentially educating herself. I admit I did not love the ending and the book bounces around a bit although an interesting look at a time that bounced around too so the story defines those times.
Peggy Riley: Amity & Sorrow: A Novel
A mother drives for days with her daughters and ends up in a random Oklahoma town after crashing the car. They come from a polygamous community where there were 50 wives. The mother had grown up knowing life outside that community. Over time, after leaving, she almost becomes deprogrammed. The realization of what she did to her daughters who no nothing outside the world they came from including how to read. Then there is the family that brought them in. It is a fascinating story. Well written. Worthy read.
Charles Graeber: The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder
An amazing true story of a male nurse who was arrested in 2002. I actually remember the story as I followed it in the papers. This nurse was a serial killer who had probably murdered over 400 patients that were under his care. A seriously well researched book. Great read.
Meg Wolitzer: The Interestings: A Novel
Wolitzer writes about a group of camp friends who all come from different walks of life (some on scholarship) as their friendships continue through their mid-50s. At the beginning the story seems trite but as you continue to read there is a lot of be said. The story is sticking with me. She makes the case that everything that happens to you from your childhood makes an impact on who you become or don't become. Worthy read.
Elizabeth Strout: The Burgess Boys: A Novel
Strouts last book won a Pulitzer. She focuses on family issues. I enjoyed this book much more than Olive Ketteredge which I found utterly depressing. This book follows two brothers and a sister who live in the shadow of their fathers accidental death. Like most siblings, all have turned out very different yet they are connected. I did not love any of the characters, like her last book, yet as The Burgess Boys moves forward and memories are revealed, it is an interesting perspective on human character.
Tamara Shopsin: Mumbai New York Scranton: A Memoir
Great book. A witty spare inventive personal diary of Tamara journey from Indian to New York to Scranton. Really really enjoyed the book.
Michael Lavigne: The Wanting: A Novel
An incredible book that tells the human side of the many layered issues in the Middle East. From immigrating to Israel from Moscow, to being a victim of a suicide bomber yet surviving, to being pulled into an Israeli radical group. Each character is connected. Very layered well written book. Powerful
Alessandro Piol: Tech and the City: The Making of New York's Startup Community
A history of the Internet that I lived through. Great job of recording what happened.
Amity Gaige: Schroder: A Novel
Not sure how much I loved this book. A father loses his child in divorce and decides to kidnap his own daughter. He is not a stable person but he obviously loves his daughter. His own childhood has made him a disconnected human being. An interesting journey but not sure I'd recommend.
Ernest Hemingway: The Old Man and the Sea
Classic.

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Music of 2007

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