2007 Resumen del Año: Top 100 Albums 100-76

PANDA BEARpanda-bear-pic.jpg

Llego el momento de hacer balance y repasar los sonidos, las imagenes y las fuentes de entretenimiento que nos han hecho mas llevaderos los ultimos doce meses.

El 2007 ha sido mas interesante por la avalancha de cambios que han sucedido en la industria musical, que por su musica en sí: Internet con su despliegue de blogs ha consolidado una nueva forma de descubrirla, consumirla y disfrutarla, volviendo a encender la antorcha del espiritu indie característico en el Reino Unido de los ochenta y empujando a una nueva generacion de bandas emergentes hacia las tradicionales vias del exito. Mientras tanto todo fueron lamentos para las cuatro grandes discograficas que veían a sus grandes estrellas abandonando el barco antes del naufragio, para caer en los brazos de promotores de conciertos, franquicias de cafés o cualquiera que estuviese dispuesto a pagarles las desorbitadas sumas a las que estan acostumbrados. Otros, con Radiohead destacando como máximo ejemplo, revolucionaron los medios y el arte del DIY, montandose el chiringuito por su cuenta con espectaculares resultados.

No se han lanzado apenas discos con potencial de convertirse en futuros clásicos, sin embargo un elevado numero de albumes en todos los estilos con calidad superior a la media han hecho de éste un excelente año.

A continuación, tras el salto, comienza la cuenta atras de los 100 mejores trabajos del 2007, enlazandolos con todo el material audiovisual que hemos podido localizar en la red para cada uno de ellos:

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Nostalgia is the Deal.

More exciting news about another reunion happening during the first months of 2008: after the much talked about Pixies return album doesn’t seem to materialise, it’s the Deal’s much loved band The Breeders who are actually releasing a new album, five years after their lattest effort “Title TK”.
“Mountain Battles” is schedule for release on … Read more

It’s official: My Bloody Valentine return

First there were the unconfirmed rumours about their negotiations to play Coachella festival. Then the interview in which Kevin Shields affirmed My Bloody Valentine have resumed work in their legendary unfinished album. And yesterday the first dates were announced: MBV will play in June 2008 at London Roundhouse (21) Manchester’s Apollo (28)and Glasgow’s Barrowland … Read more

Sinphonola Autumn Edition Vol IV: The Revelations

FUCK BUTTONS-OK Let’s talk about magic (live@The Windmill)

The fourth instalment of our sinphonola is dedicated to the newcomers; the artists beginning to build up some buzz thanks to their interesting output. Starting with the UK duo Fuck Buttons who, if we are to judge by the incendiary quality of their live shows and the experimental nature of their sound -an interesting mix of noise, krautrock and electronica-, are about to release one of the most mind-blowing debuts of 2007. In a year where even The Guardian affirms the quality of UK so-called indie music stinks, Fuck Buttons represent a necessary break from the current wave of overhyped and uberbland new artists.

FUTURE OF THE LEFT-Adeadenemyalwayssmellsgood

And from the ashes of McClusky and Jacrew comes another of the most interesting debuts of the year, “Curses” by Future Of The Left. The Cardiff trio proudly carries the torch of a renewed blend of rock music, somewhere between punk, lo-fi and newer trends with interesting lyrics and lots of energy. Other of the bands generating a lot of attention in the British isles are These New Puritans, a four piece from Southband in the outskirts of that nu-shoegazing trend invading the world, with their first album scheduled for released early in the new year. Their first two singles, “Navigate, Navigate” and “Numbers” and some powerful live sets are objects of cult around the live scene.

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Can You Feel The (Bear)Force?

A new revolution is being coined in the cheesy world of gay pop: Bear Force One. A four-bear band debuting with a medley of cheesy disco classics a la “Stars Of 45” from “Boys” to “You Spin Me Round”, shamelessly aimed at cashing up on that more mature sector of the always profitable pink market. … Read more

Sinphonola Autumn Edition Vol III: The Returns

The pre-Christmas season is particularly suitable for letting nostalgia kick in. Probably that’s why long awaited comebacks from off the radar artists tend to happen these days. Big names used to be synonymous of Christmas presents and huge profits. Even in this times of sales crisis, there are a bunch of notable returns to the spotlight ready to invade every mass media of the planet and reap the benefits.
KYLIE-2 Hearts

The first one on hitting the headlines is Aussie eternal pop princess Kylie Minogue; after winning her battle against cancer, Kylie looks stunning a la Marilyn Monroe even when she sounds like a Goldfrapp B-side, confirming the latter as the defining artist for the pattern to follow in slick, contemporary pop music. Another pop princess, this one surrounded by scandal will try to overcome the well documented dramas currently happening in her personal life. Britney Spears’ new album, suitable titled “Blackout”, despite all the trouble sounds remarkably slick and could put an end to months of bad luck for the all-American star.

EDWYN COLLINS-You’ll Never Know

Also a long-awaited comeback, after months of being hospitalized and beating two haemorrhages and the MRSA bug, the ex Orange Juice main man Edwyn Collins enjoys a welcome return to form with “Home Again”. The hospital gap has kept his song writing skills intact as songs like “You’ll Never Know” clearly evidence.

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Sinphonola Autumn Edition Vol. II: The Confirmations

JENS LEKMAN-Sipping On Sweet Nectar

The second instalment of our autumn sinphonola is dedicated to some artists that have already showed some promise in former work and got follow-up albums ready; hopefuls waiting to be confirmed as household names for the Academy’s members, like Swedish troubadour Jens Lekman, who releases his second proper album after a collection of rarities and b-sides, “Night Falls Over Kortedala”, halfway between crooning and disco-tinged numbers, via chamber pop. “Sipping on Sweet Nectar” is the third consecutive track lifted from the album, few weeks after “Friday Night At The Drive-in Bingo” and “The Opposite of Hallelujah”.

The world is also eagerly waiting for Band Of Horses follow-up to “The Funeral”, an album who granted Rober glory to the Mount Pleasant combo. “Cease To Begin” is released this week, ready to repeat their initial success. New track “Is There A Ghost?” can be downloaded for free through their record label’s website, whereas in Myspace you can preview four new tracks.

Magic Markers sophomore effort “Boss” sees the band slowly departed from radical noise experimentation embracing, by moments, a more traditional rocking sound. Whereas UK DFA approved hipsters Hot Chip provide a teaser from their next year second album “Made in the dark” that can easily be described as bonkers, opening a new and very interesting creative path for the band.

More highly expected confirmations after the jump.

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New Joanna Newsom Track

With the memory of her all conquering live show at the Royal Albert Hall still recent, the as yet untitled new song that played was captured in a live show in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Another excellent composition that makes us eagerly wait for her new work.

J.A. Bayona a por el Oscar


Fresh from the news of his debut feature film being chosen to represent Spain for the Oscar to Best Foreign Film, here’s the trailer for the Guillermo del Toro (who last year received many awards for his classic “Pan’s Labyrinth”) produced “El Orfanato (The Orphanage)”. Juan Antonio Bayona’s Opera Prima is a gothic horror tale that’s collected rave reviews wherever it has been showed (Cannes, Sitges, San Sebastian…). Even Hollywood has bought the rights for a future US remake.
Starring Rober award nominee Belen Rueda (“Mar Adentro (The Sea Inside)”) and Geraldine Chaplin, this unusually big budget (for a Spanish production) thriller seems likely to be one of the movies of the season.
“El Orfanato” follows the Catalonian director career in the world of music video for Spanish pop artists of questionable merit, but enormous public appeal. However, the pinnacle of his career as a clip director was his collaboration with OBK and the magnificent superproductions he made for Camela, which helped to change the image of the kings of techno-rumba from “bar de carretera” tape social phenomenon to National superstars, thanks to exploring the Seventh art’s different genres, from western to science fiction, in each of the visual productions made for the perky trio.
Some highlights from Juan Antonio Bayona’s pop video story with commentary IN SPANISH after the jump.

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ATP joins forces with Pitchfork media

All Tomorrow’s Parties, our favourite festival experience, has joined forces with the ever controversial US music website Pitchfork Media for 2008’s first edition. The event will return to its original location in Camber Sands during May 8-11.
Names already confirmed include Lou Barlow’s grunge legends Sebadoh; art-pop experimentalist Ween; Cardiff new indie darlings Los Campesinos; Black … Read more

Sinphonola Autumn Edition Vol I: The Heavyweights

Our simphonola autumn special comes so packed with new music that we had to divide it in four sections. Starting with the tried and tested, the ones who have already proof their value but carry on adding new wood to the fire, avoiding to run out of steam; critical favourites and forerunners in the race to achieve those much wanted best-of the year spots.

BATTLES-Tonto

Beginning with Math-rock extraordinaire combo Battles, whose “Mirrored” album will certainly be recalled at the end of 2007; they are about to release a new EP worth of new material, “Tonto”, including the Brooklyn rising rapper Joell Ortiz remix of “Leyendecker”. His rhymes fit perfectly in the post-rocking, genre melting pot characteristic of the four New Yorkers’ output.

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Listen to the excellent new Beirut album

BEIRUT -Cliquot – From the FLYING CLUB CUPUploaded by flyingclubcup
A lot of excitement and pre-release activity is surrounding the inminent sophomore album by Zach Condon and his band Beirut. Anticipation is high after his multi Rober winning “Gulag Orkestar”. This time they have travelled from the Balkans to old Paris with astonishing results. The whole … Read more

Digital Gifts Bonanza

DEERHOOF-This Magnificent Bird Will Rise (Live at Primavera Sound 2007)
The digital world’s upheaval after last Saturday’s Radiohead announcement continues with two of 2007 most prominent bands being in giveaway mood through their websites.
First of them, Deerhoof, have put an album worth of rare, live and unreleased MP3s available to download for free via their website. … Read more