Inaugural Threepwood Music Awards 2007 (Part 1)

I tend to listen to a lot of music and collect heaps of different CD’s. I don’t consider myself a fan particularly of any one band (with a couple of exceptions) or genre and tend to splash around all over the place. Every year I have one or two of those perfect music moments, you know the ones…those WOW moments, the epiphany that occurs when the music just grabs you and drags you away. In the last few years these WOW moments have given me The Decemberists, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Flogging Molly and The Hold Steady. This post is NOT about those WOW moments. When I was planning this post I was going to do a simple Top 10 type list but going over my list of albums from 2007 I found such a huge range of eclectic stuff that I thought I might do something a bit different first.

 

Most Disappointing Follow Up album of the year

Velvet Revolver – Libertad

Arrgh…this was just frustrating. Contraband was just such a revelation when it was released, it was brainless, stupid, back to basic rock and roll and it was brilliant. There hadn’t been as good a balls out rock record in years. Unfortunately Libertad feels like it’s the left overs from the Contraband sessions, there is nothing really new here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great rock album but personally I just expected VR to step it up from Contraband but Libertad isn’t that album.

 

 

The “How the hell did I end Up Listening to this?” Award for the most surprising album of the year

Miranda Lambert – Crazy ex Girlfriend

How the hell did this end up on my iPod, I mean it’s everything I usually steer away from. From the opener this album is just brilliant and you cant help but bounce along with it. Sure enough, it has it’s fair share Howdy Jim-Bob Down on the farm C&W specials but hey that’s why there is a skip button on the iPod. Miranda Lambert has a gorgeous voice and can belt out a song that forces you to play it again. This one may well pop up again in my Top 10 list. It still surprises me every time I see it on the iPod though.

 

The “Should have called in sick” award for DOA albums of 2007

This is my bitter & twisted section. There were two albums this year that I was really looking forward to. I would classify as a shameless fan-boy of both these bands, I have the full back catalog of both an listen to all their albums regularly. The thought of new albums from these bands, my heroes was just a huge event on my music horizon for 2007.

Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist

Yes, I am a Billy Corgan fan-boy, and the thought of a new Pumpkins album filled me with delicious anticipation. Leading up to the album release there was a single release of Tarantula and I really thought it captured everything I loved about The Smashing Pumpkins. A second single Doomsday Clock snuck out pre-album release and again, a great track. On the strength of these two great Pumpkins-esque tracks I was almost drooling when I finally got the CD.  With the exception of the two singles Zeitgeist was removed from the iPod.

 

The Cult – Born Into This

I LOVE The Cult. I discovered them via “Electric” in 1985-6 when I was a pretend wanna-be muso myself and have followed them ever since. Like my experience with the SP’s I was soooo looking forward to one of my fave bands releasing a new albums. “Born Into This” sucks pretty much from the outset though and sounds like the band are really just going through the motions. Did not grab me at all.

 

The “Thanks for the Bleeding Ears” Award for the loudest album of the year

Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works

Man this is just so fucking loud! I’m told the album is just great but I don’t know whether I like it or not yet as I’ve not gotten past the first track. I’m told the ruptured ear drums will heal.

 

The “I must be getting old ‘cos I just don’t get it” award for inaccessible electronica album 2007

Stars of the Lid – And the refinement of the decline

Over the years I have had the opportunity to spend time in isolation tanks (float tanks) where you nude up, hop into a fiberglass coffin, close the lid and float for an hour while listening to some monkey pressing random keys on a Hammond Organ. Stars of the Lid captures that float tank experience and transports it to your iPod. Random electronic noises float through space fading in and out. I don’t get it!

Now if I could just get those kids off my lawn

 

The “Bugger the Music, what about those Buns” award for the nicest buttocks on an album cover for 2007

The Donnas – Bitchin’

I’m not even going to mention the music, it isn’t going close to the Top 10. But that album cover does buy a large amount of forgiveness!

 

 

I’m going to do my 2007 Top 10 list over the next few days (see how optimistic I am!) but if you have a WOW recommendation for 2007 I’d love to hear from you.