B's Pick: Favorite Album of 2007

As I told McCrank, I am hilariously not up to date when it comes to 2007 releases. Besides the fact that I don't know what came out when, I don't think really even kept up with new stuff this year, since I was away from the radio and pretty busy with this and that throughout. New Year's Resolution #375? Stop listening to the Specials' ST over and over and get on that new music! And not just the new Rancid B/C-sides release :p (here's where I scream: my GAWD I can't get enough of Rancid!)

I do however still want to do something, so here is my favorite album of the year, which is, and this should come as no surprise. . .

Tim Armstrong's A Poet's Life. Ignoring the sortakinda corny title, this is a great release. At first I wasn't so sure about it- "Into Action" was admittedly ridiculously energetic and catchy, but on my first listen, I figured it was just like the Bastards/Transplants releases- fabulous music with lotsa bragging. In general, I don't have a problem with that style, but at the same time I was very pleased, when I finally took the time to listen to the lyrics (during the commutes over the summer to work = downtown LA = Dodger Stadium = lotsa time in the car), to find that this was not the case. Rather, Tim gives us some surprisingly sweet love songs to girls and cities, a history lesson or two, and overall solid music and lyrics, including one of my favorite opening lines--"Wake up, you sonuvabitch," which is in the running for favorite Tim line, along with "fuck the motherfucken backstabbin cunts." (I actually wanna apologize for linking to the videos, I'm not too fond of them, or the obsession with the Threshold-y filter or whatever that is.) Most telling, though, is the fact that I am still listening to the record over and over again, and not just a few songs, but the whole fucken thing. Tracks on here consistently make it onto mixes, my gym/jogging playlist, and I even have it on my desktop for easy access in the morning while I get dressed. Even after listening to this thing a bazillion times (and I indeed have, the tracks are in my Top 25 with "bazillion" under the play count), it's still fresh, exciting, and ridiculously danceable, singalongable, and fun.

Runner-up was Patrick Wolf's The Magic Position-- dramatic and sweet and lovely, and a good example of how Wolf continues to refine and mature across albums.

I'm interested to hear others' favorites from this year, or if you posted a list on your blog-- lemme know :) I'll try to put together a link list; I'm gonna be pretty busy with the whole housecleaning before guests come thing, but if I can't do that before the new year, I'll still get one up. Retrospectives rock.

and and and-- I wanna take a sec and say thanks to everyone who has taken the time to stop by and lemme know how things are going, especially the pretty boys and girls who are always there for me blog-style both here and at your own awesomely awesome blogs-- you know who you are <3

Have a happy (and safe) New Year! I'll be watching the parade ("Bogaard’s Beijing Float of Shame") and the football games (uh, boo-hiss to USC, sorry guys) with my Hint of Lime chips. Happy New Year!

xoxo
b