Editorial – 14th December

• 15th Dec 2007

All I want for Christmas…is tunes

“It’s almost Christmas, and what better way to celebrate than with our writers’ countdown of the best singles, albums and moments from 2007. We’ve put all our heads together and the short list is below. Disagree? Feel free to send us your suggestions- or comment below!”

Best album

This is the big one, the ultimate list of what has titillated our musical taste buds in the past year! Our writers have been frittering away in the busy depths of their minds to decide what recommendations to send your way. Please find below, the shortlist (in alphabetical order):

Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino)

Released: 24/07/2007

The Sheffield lads came back with much the same brilliance of the first album and ultimately survived the curse of the second album.

Glasswerk said: “Favourite Worst Nightmare is not perfect but the development the Arctic Monkeys have shown within just two records points to a band that can truly go on to create something that can be held up against classic British bands.”

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Battles – Mirrored (Warp)

Released: 14/05/2007

It was the album we'd all been waiting for. It didn't disappoint and it will likely be around for a long time.

Glasswerk said: “Finally it’s here…redefining the modern band line up and with their assault on the mainstream beckoning …their sub culture sound leaves no fears of them losing any integrity or their long time fan base along the way.”

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Gravenhurst – The Western Lands (Warp)

This was the album Nick Talbot had been daring to make and when it came it didn't disappoint. Spellbinding!

Glasswerk Said: “Gravenhurst’s album is a masterful, beautifully crafted achievement worthy of its cover…has a clarity and beautiful simplicity that runs through all tracks; a cohesion achieved best through the vision of one artist. Highly recommended.”

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Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America (Vagrant)

Released: 15/01/2007

Glasswerk said: “There’s something naturally appealing about this Brookyln-based four-piece; the poetically-styled deliverance of Craig Finn’s lyrics is coupled with a traditional Rock’n’Roll temperament, resulting in one wonderful concept album…a truly gripping album for a band with a bright future.”

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Jamie T – Panic Prevention (Virgin)

Released: 29/01/2007

As a debut album it was special, different. It was the Glasswerk.co.uk outside tip for the Mercury. We were wrong but it's still an important album.

Glasswerk said: “Panic Prevention has the distinction of wearing its influences on its sleeve but yet sounding entirely fresh….At his best Jamie T writes songs that draw you in and never let you rest, carried along with his incessant rhymes and downtrodden characters… I pity the fool who doesn’t buy this record!”

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Kings of Leon – Because of the Times (Columbia)

Released: 25/03/2007

Glasswerk said: “The Kings have really made huge steps forward in sound and scope. The retro, deep-fried southern garage rock sound of their previous two records is now bigger, bolder and much more ambitious…this album blows everything else this band has done out of the water… it’s a showcase of diversity and variation and may well be Kings of Leon’s masterwork.”

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Klaxons – Myths of the near Future (Universal)

Released: 29/01/2007

Apparently Klaxons changed music forever. To us it seems as though Myths of the Near Future inspired a generation and became the leader.

Glasswerk said: “Love it or hate it the Klaxons get into your head, toying with your subconscious till you are defeated…‘Myths of the Near Future’ is a short 35 minutes that can be appreciated while at home or at the local indie disco. It is not an original as it claims but it is a fine debut album none the less.”

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LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver (DFA Records)

Released: 23/05/2007

Glasswerk said: “(the album) kicks like a punk/funk mule… there are some cracking dance tracks on here and even a tasty come down ballad thrown in.. buy this album and put on your dancing shoes.”

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Radiohead – In Rainbows (Self released)

Released: 10/10/2007

What was more important than how good the record was, was the price we all paid (or didn't pay) for it. Of course if it had been rubbish, no one would have batted an eyelid.

Glasswerk said: “Radiohead’s 7th studio album is a prime example of how far they are ahead of the rest – not just commercially. In terms of music, ‘In Rainbows’ is the product of a band oozing confidence, a band that are in control of their own destiny, a band who can afford to do what they like, when they like. ‘In Rainbows’ is sarcastic, romantic, melancholic yet utterly inspiring… For music at such a low cost, it is ironic it’s so rich in quality …You cant put a price on genius.”

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Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus (Rough Trade)

Released: 28/08/2007

What year is complete without a SFA album? What SFA album would not make onto a year's best? Not their best work still better than the rest.

Glasswerk said: “As with all the Furries albums what we first get is the little intro track that leads into everything else and this time is no different…the melodies and sounds are gorgeous at times coupled with the usual weird sound effects and quirky rumblings in the background.”

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The Shins – Wincing the night way (Sub Pop)

Released: 29/01/2007

Ahh The Shins.

Glasswerk said: “There are hints of depth and darkness not on the previous records, wonderfully weird stories to decipher and above all tunes… it might be a bit too dark for some tastes, but this is a great record that has cut a middle ground between reliving the glory days and trying to reinvent the band and in doing so The Shins have confirmed their status as one of the world’s finest treasures.”

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Twilight Sad – Fourteen autumns and fifteen winters (Fat Cat)

Released: 7/05/2007

Glasswerk said: “The album is full of ire and frustration, garnished with driving guitars and important sounding drum crescendos that give this a not insignificant sound.”

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Highly Recommended:

Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (Domino) Released: 10/09/2007
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (Sonovox) Released: 05/03/2007
Bloc Party – Weekend in the City (Wichita) Released: 05/02/2007
Blonde Redhead – 23 (4AD) Released: 16/04/2007
Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works (Warner) Released: 5/11/2007
Dinosaur Jr – Beyond (Pias) Released: 30/04/2007
Elliot Smith – New Moon (Domino) Released: 7/05/2007
Film School – Hideout (Beggars Banquet) Released: 5/11/2007
Grinderman – Grinderman (Mute) Released: 5/03/2007
Iron and Wine – The Shepherd's Dog (Warner) Released: 05/09/2007
Jay-Z – American Gangster (Roc A Fella) Released: *
Lethal Bizzle – Back to Bizznizz (V2) Released: 23/07/2007
Maccabees – Colour it in (Polydor) Released: 14/05/2007
M.I.A – Kala (XL Recordings) Released: *
Pigeon Detectives – Wait For Me (Dance to the Radio) Released: 28/05/2007
Stars of the Lid – And their Refinement of the Decline (Kranky) Released:*

Best Song: (single)

The Old Haunts – Fuel on Fire (Kill Rock Stars) Oh God, I don't know. Noooooooooooo!!! Yessssss!!!

Dan Le Sac VS Scroobius Pip – Thou Shalt always Kill Not a classic but a good laugh.

The Shins – Australia (Sub Pop) Second single from the delectable Wincing The Night Away.

Arctic Monkeys – 505 (Domino) Why 505 and not Brianstorm? Beacuse it's a better song, that's why. The song that could not have been on WYSIATWIN.

Glasvegas – Daddy's Gone Tipped for 2008, Daddy's Gone starts where Glasvegas mean to continue.

Patrick Wolf – Magic Position (Loog) Schoolchildren yelling at the start, Wolf's, joyful little love long.

New Young Pony Club – The Bomb (Modular) Ice Cream was re-released but this sounds like da bombtrack from NYPC of 2007.

Herman Dune – I Wish I Could See You Soon (Track & Field) Opening track from Giant album from 2006.

Foo Fighters – The Pretender (Roswell) Possibly the biggest live band on the planet.

Gallows – In the Belly Of A Shark (Epitaph) Because it made it on to Guitar Hero III and it's great.

Klaxons – Golden Skans (Polydor) It was between this and Atlantis to Interzone. What decided it? The Glasswerk.co.uk writers did.

Mark Ronson – Stop Me (Columbia) Daniel Merriweather does Morrissey not half bad. Ronson's fresh take on the classic Smiths track.

Elle S'appelle – Little Flame (Moshi Moshi) We're not sure how many copies got printed but they have to be worth a small fortune now.

Lethal Bizzle – Police On My Back (V2 Records) The Clash got the royalties and Bizzle got in one everyone's act. The year of the Bizzle indeed!

Bloc Party – Hunting For Witches (Wichita) Is this the best single of 2007? We're not even sure if this is the best Bloc Party single.

Bloc Party – Flux (Wichita) A change of direction? The nu sound? A good one indeed.

Bloc Party – The Prayer (Wichita) What can we say? A lot of our writers like Bloc Party. Is it so wrong?

Los Campesinos – We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives (Wichita) The Welsh farmers, all seven of them, release

Best Moment:

Gallows @ The Great Escape festival Why pick one Gallows show when you can pick them all? One of the hardest working bands of the year.

Daft Punk @ O2 Wireless, Hyde Park Emphatic. A one off.

Girls Aloud @ G.A.Y, Astoria If you were there you would agree with this choice.

Sonic Youth @ Roundhouse Sonic Youth fulfill a lot of lifelong ambitions. For the fans that is.

British Sea Power @ Reading Festival Expect amazing things for 2008 also from BSP.

Arcade Fire @ Glastonbury Everybody sing along now! Spine tingling moments, what its all about.

Arcade Fire @ Leeds/Reading Festivals And if you weren't at Glasto, this was almost as good.

Foo Fighter’s @ Live Earth If anyone is going to save the earth that day, it was Foo Fighters. The only band worth remembering from Live Earth.

Primal Scream @ Bestival Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, its Suggs being escorted off stage. Bobby Gillespie and Primal Scream; Rock n Roll's finest crowned an almighty year for Bestival.

The light show during the Tool show at Brixton Academy Woo! There's a laser in my eye! If you thought Tool couldn't top the Laterlus tour you were wrong. Breathtaking visual experience.

Knights of Cydonia, Muse @ Wembley Stadium Three lads from Devon walk out on stage at brand new Wembley arena and launch into Knights.

The Verve's triumphant return at Camden Roundhouse in November Still got it.

The Barenaked Ladies return to Glasgow Not sure if this was a serious suggestion. Was this a highlight for Glasgow in 2007? We hope not!

Radiohead – In Rainbows and just like that, seemingly overnight the music world was a different place, right?

Kanye West's Glow in the Dark tour Loved by millions, hated by…thousands. Kanye's emotional stage show in tribute to his mother puts a tear in the eye of even his most ardent critics.

2007 Lowest moment:

There haven't been many but here's a Glasswerk favourite.

“When interviewing Remi Nicole, the 1st question I asked was ‘Is your head still spinning from the year you’ve had’ (record deal, supporting Amy Winehouse, releasing a single etc.) to which Remi simply replied ‘Yeah’. Funny with hindsight but when you’ve lined up 18 questions for your 15 minute slot, your mind comes close to snapping with the contrast in time related concerns!” Ant Standring

Bands to look out for in 2008: Here's a few names we think are gonna be MASSIVE next year. Check them out and let us know what you think.

Mon Ouisch link

The Noyze link

Elle S'appelle link

Late of the Pier link