Seven from '07

As often happens at the end of the year, I found myself thinking back to the music that I have been listening to. This year, for the first time in a while, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of decent songs I have come across.

And so, after much internal discussion, I have come up with the following countdown - my favourite seven songs from 2007.

Obviously, this will just be my opinion* , and I have used the following criteria:

• The song needs to have been released as a single in 2007
• Erm, that's it!

Some of the songs that didn't make it include (in alphabetical order):

• Arctic Monkeys: Brianstorm (fast and punchy - yeah!)
  
• Ash: You can’t have it all (great single from a great singles band)
  
• Hard Fi: Suburban Knights ("woah-oh-oohhh!")
  
• The Holloways: Generator (a feelgood song if ever there was one)
  
• Jamie T: Sheila (another great song about drunken Britain)
  
• Kaiser Chiefs: Ruby (the tenth best selling single of 2007!)
  
• Mika: Grace Kelly (the novelty has worn off a bit, but still a good song)
• Regina Spektor: Fidelity (great voice, simple meoldy, ruined by rubbish middle 8)
  
• Robyn: With every heartbeat (not as good as everyone says, but still decent)
  
• Timbaland: The way I are (has been adopted by MOTD2 - 'nuff said)
  
• The View: Same jeans (catchy and punchy, but overplayed)
  

* It doesn't take a genius to work out that I generally like things with guitars - in that respect, it has been a good year! Also, opinions are not static - I may feel differently in a few weeks, or even days!

Seven from '07: Seven

Muse: Map of the Problematique

Released: 18th June 2007
Album: Black holes and revelations (Helium 3/Warner Bros)

"And no-one thinks they are to blame"

Sounding a lot like Depeche Mode's classic Enjoy the silence, with echoes of Faithless' Insomnia, this is, to me, the perfect example of how to fuse guitar and dance music. I wish I could write songs like this.

This song would have been higher placed (possibly number 1 in the list), if it wasn't for the fact that it has been available on the album for nearly a year before it was released as a (download-only) single. The band did not make a promo video for this single, but I did manage to find this footage from 4Music, which shows what an awesome live act they are.

Seven from '07: Six

Cherry Ghost: People help the people

Released: 25th June 2007
Album: Thirst for romance (Heavenly Records)

"God knows what is hidden in those weak and sunken eyes,

A fiery throng of muted angels giving love and getting nothing back"

There is always room for a big-hearted ballad, and in 2007 it didn't come much bigger. Yes, he has a slightly cliched, Lancashire nasal-whine, and that might put you off at the start. But stick with it, it is worth it for the chorus.

Lush and anthemic, this song gets better everytime I hear it, and it does tug at the proverbial heart-strings (what does that mean, by the way?).

Seven from '07: Five

Maximo Park: Our velocity

Released: 19th March 2007
Album: Our earthly pleasures (Warp)

"Love is a lie which means I've been lied to
Love is a lie which means I've been lying too"

One of the first singles of this year that I really liked. I acquired a copy of Maximo Park's first album, which is OK but nothing special (I wouldn't have bothered buying it), and featured a couple of decent singles, such as Apply some pressure. This single is a quantum leap from that, and from what I have heard since, may well end up being their best record ever. Oh yeah, and it is a great video:



For a live performance, click here.

Seven from '07: Four

Calvin Harris: Acceptable in the’80s

Released: 12th March 2007
Album: I created disco (Sony/Columbia)

"It was acceptable at the time"

This one won't win any awards for insightful lyrics, but it is good fun nonetheless. Using great sounds and a good tune, it is definitely one of the lighter moments of the year. The song doesn't really go anywhere, and the video is frankly a bit odd.

Calvin Harris continued the fun with the follow-up, The girls:

"I like them black girls, I like them white girls, I like them Asian girls, I like them mixed race girls, I like them Spanish girls, I like them Italian girls, I like the French girls, And I like Scandinavian girls, I like them tall girls, I like them short girls, I like them brown hair girls, I like them blonde hair girls, I like them big girls, I like them skinny girls, I like them carrying a little bitty weight girls".

Do you think he might be gay?

Seven from '07: Three

Air Traffic: Charlotte

Re-release: March 26th
Album: Fractured Life (EMI)

"Are you glad I came?
Can I walk you home?"

This, to me, was one of the songs that marked the triumphant return of three minute guitar pop. I think it is about realising your feelings for another, but that doesn't seem like the most important thing - it is a fine tune, not too long and not too short, and is very punchy.



Click here for a fine live performance from Later ... with Jools Holland

Seven from '07: Two

CSS: Let’s make love and listen to death from above

Re-release: 14th May
Album: Cansei de Ser Sexy (Sub Pop)

"Run run run, to make your heart shake, Kiss kiss kiss will make this earth quake"

There is something really irresistable about this song. Again, it is a guitar-based song with something funky and dancy about it. CSS are from Brazil - maybe it is that mysticism of sexy Brazilians that does it (although I cannot say that any of the band members float my boat). I quite like the (obviously low-budget) video, but I think it is just the insistence of the singing, the lyrics (which, at times, are nonsense, and in other places seem profound), and the fact that song chugs along without getting boring. It's bouncy, and I like it!



Click here to see the band play live on Later ... with Jools Holland - having just watched this, I realise what a close call it was between the number 2 and number 1 slots in this particular countdown...

Seven from '07: Number One

The Cribs: Men’s needs

Release: 14th May
Album: Men’s needs, women’s needs, whatever (Wichita)

"Girl's needs just don't agree
With a man's needs"

What fine song this is. Great riff, good tune, with vocals that interchange between the rather sardonic verss and the gruff, barked-out chorus. Apparently The Cribs' Ryan Jarman has a track record of writing songs about misogyny and other "issues", and this is a perfect slice of guitar music (with a commercial edge lent by the production of Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos) to accompany the rather withering riposte to today's lifestyle magazine culture (at least that is what I think - I am no expert!).

The point being, decent lyrics, good tune plus good performance makes this a great song, that will probably still sound fantastic for many years to come.



Click here for a live performance from Later ... with Jools Holland - ignore the bad haircuts!