THE JO-TEL …believes some of what Nathaniel and John say, but believes England is still our sovreign

This guest post comes courtesy of BMK12000, a true monster of music appreciation. He curates the aptly named Band Names from My Spam Folder site on the side bar that no one looks at or uses (the sidebar, not BMK’s site). He’s also listened to more albums this year than you AND your mom combined– so heed his sage wisdom. But, from experience I can tell you, he’s not the best guy to have on your side for an abduction.

-Shark
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15. life without buildings: live at the annandale hotel
why did they break up? as i said [when i purchased this album and legally distributed it to a small group of hand-picked friends]: alternatively exhilarating and frustrating, since i never saw them play.

14. studio: west coast
where my post-punk and electronic tastes collide. attempt not dancing to this.

[more BMK to your dome below]
13. working for a nuclear free city: businessmen & ghosts
partially a nod to how much i wish i did a list last year. their debut was great; the aura’s a bit different here, and there’s more material, but it’s expertly curated. could be here for the addition of “sarah dreams of summer” alone.

12. sharon jones & the dap-kings: 100 days, 100 nights
says a lot that this band fit in seamlessly with an extended classic soul kick i had during the year. those fucking horns. see them live.

11. deerhoof: friend opportunity
as shark said, one of the top three bands in the world right now. satomi, i will marry you right now. we were neighbors till last year! so much in common!

10. sunset rubdown: random spirit lover
a giant leap forward from my one of my favorite bands from last year. probably the most dense record of 2007, both lyrically and musically. and if it wasn’t clear from shut up i’m dreaming — and it should have been — it’s not just spencer krug’s show anymore; these kids all kill.

9. electrelane: no shouts, no calls
the most affecting album i heard this year; it just pummeled me in the soft spots.

8. the field: from here we go sublime
i heard the “over the ice” single on the sun & ice 12″ early in the year and knew this guy was going to blow me away. he records these tracks in one fucking take. i mean, christ.

7. pole: steingarten
the only way i can describe this album is by calling it “three-d sound.” there are sounds coming from every direction; if you close your eyes you feel like you are just floating. production of the year—and that’s saying a lot (see nos. 1-4, 8, 10, 12-14). [note: check out the steingarten remixes album. how can you improve on something as unique as this approach to electronic music? well, maybe you can’t, but every producer on the remixes stayed true not only to the sound, but to the approach to the sound. i can’t listen to track seven standing up; it knocks me off balance, sober or otherwise.]

6. black lips: los valientes del mundo nuevo
i don’t know if you can have more fun making, or listening to, an album. familiar influences skillfully synthesized into a drunken mess of rock glory.

5. dirty projectors: rise above
the biggest surprise of the year for me. i hear new things every time i put this on. his voice is just so damn desperate, the harmonies are gorgeous, the playing is scattered and weird and perfect.

4. radiohead: in rainbows
nothing like what i expected; everything i wanted. best band in the world.

3. animal collective: strawberry jam
i think we all saw this coming. they had been building towards a record like this for a while and did not disappoint. i was able to resist downloading individual tracks as they leaked out, and taking this thing in one dose is highly recommended. normally i’d be afraid an album as great as this one undoubtedly would be the pinnacle of a band’s career. not with these guys.

2. panda bear: person pitch
nothing i can say about this album that hasn’t been said. a true masterpiece. is it super-gay to call it life-affirming? yeah, it is. but, it is.

1. stars of the lid: and their refinement of the decline
far and away my most played album of the year; i’ve heard it so much that it has become a part of my life on a practical level unlike any other album, ever. studying, stoned, napping, sleeping, thinking, driving. it’s like breathing; what’s more, it actually is like breathing, with its swells and drones and ebbs and peaks. stunning.