After seeing a lot of shows, listening to even more albums, and trying to keep this site updated on all of it, inside is my list of what really stood out in 2007.

TOP 10 ALBUMS (in no particular order)

1. Beastie Boys  The Mixup

There are usually two types of Beastie Boys fans, the ones born in 1980 and earlier who swear by Paul’s Boutique and the ones who swear by Check Your Head. The Mixup is the follow up the CYH crowd has been waiting for, an album that just grooves perfectly from start to finish.

2. Common  Finding Forever

Props to will.i.am for making the hottest beat of the year on ‘I Want You,’ one of the dozen tracks Common rips on this album. I’ve always liked Common’s past work but on Forever he comes harder with grittier production than past records and it works perfectly.

3. Justice  † 

I  haven’t heard a dance record that hits this hard since Daft Punk’s Homework (a fellow French duo that clearly had a heavy influence on their sound). From the moment ‘Genesis,’ the album’s first track drops you won’t stop nodding your head.

4. Budos Band  Budos Band II

It’s been a huge year for Daptone Records and all of their artists but Budos Band is responsible for the label’s best release this year. Don’t be surprised if filmmakers are inspired to start making Blaxploitation films again after hearing Dave Guy’s trumpet on here.

5. Jay-Z  American Gangster

Between all the retirement bullshit and an inexcusable collaboration with Linkin Park I didn’t have very high expectations for Hov on this one. Jay’s approach on American Gangster is perfect in so many ways, his storytelling from the eyes of a 70’s drug kingpin and production with samples that match the mood and era. Besides some butchered Hebrew on ‘Roc Boys’ there’s not much wrong with this album.

6. Blockhead  Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book

Considering the amount of production Blockhead has done recently for Definitive Jux I’m surprised how little promotion this masterpiece got (you can’t even buy the album on Amazon). Blockhead really stepped up his technique on this one, with an even more polished sound than his past records.

7. Waajeed  War LP

With the passing of Dilla, its now Waajeed’s responsibility to make sure Detroit stays on the map and he’s doing a damn good job at that. His skill on the MPC is evident from the get go and would make Dilla proud if he could hear this release. The bonus disc that comes with mixes from Waaj on War is an added gift that will leave you eagerly anticipating projects to come from him, Bling47 and Tiombe Lockhart in 2008.

8. Joe Beats  Diverse Recourse

Joe Beats comes through with rougher production on this one than his past solo work but its still smooth as butter. This is the kind of album that makes kids want to start producing.

9. Mark Ronson  Version

Despite receiving loads of attention and a Grammy nod for his production on Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen’s albums, Ronson’s own albums somehow always get overlooked. Version, his take on a number of lesser known covers, is a fun record with Ronson’s touch of horns and baritone sax embedded throughout. He makes wuss-rock like Coldplay badass and reinvents ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears.

10. Yesterday’s New Quintet  Yesterday’s Universe

Throw and Madlib do it again…rather than write another quick blurb on this album like the last nine, I suggest you read the review of this album featured here when it first came out which really says it all.

BEST ALBUM ART OF 2007:

Air  Pocket Symphony

Because they look cool and hopefully someday I’ll buy them from Kid Robot.

WORST ALBUM ART OF 2007:

Common  Finding Forever

I don’t care if this was one of the best albums of the year… the Jedi Master hood and his smile is creepy and the artist who airbrushed the city in the background should stick to spraying ‘princess’ on t-shirts at the mall.

SHOW OF THE YEAR:

Amy Winehouse at Bowery Ballroom 03.13.07 This was by far the best show I saw all year. You knew it was a hot ticket with scalpers asking $200+ for an $18 ticket. Although the January Joe’s Pub gig was her first show in America, this was Winehouse’s first non-industry insider gig. With Back To Black released the same day, the buzz finally made its way from London to New York, with this show marking her explosion into the U.S. market. If the media is going to get on her case for all her problems this year, let’s at least recognize how fantastic she is when she does show up. Her live voicewas just as powerful as it is on record, her stage etiquette was charming and all this coupled with the intimate environment of the Bowery Ballroom made this show really special.

CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH IN 2008:

Fat Beats Records signed El Michels Affair and they are expected to release an album of Wu-Tang covers. After hearing their version of ‘Iron’s Theme’ at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and ‘Walk On By’ on Verve’s Soul Slides this can not come soon enough.

Adele, an English soul singer on XL Records is releasing her debut album 19 at the end of January. ‘Cold Shoulder,’ the one track I’ve heard so far from the album has the potential to be the ‘Rehab’ of 2008.

CAN’T LEAVE SOON ENOUGH IN 2008:

For the love of God, can somebody please tell these guys that the bandana around the neck or “neckerchief” needs to go immediately. These things are like the new trucker hats but are actually worse because at no point were they ever cool.