1, 2, 3, 4 tell me that you love me more, Paulies

Hi- I'm Michael, and you probably remember me from Paul Awards of years past. I am co-creator with Paul of obsoletevernacular.com.

My musical sensibilities generally hover around what ever is worthy of listening to, which until recently, aimed towards something that was called "indie," but now is without a name.

The year 2007 was full of new music to listen to, much of it good, some of it very good, and a small portion of it great. As much as music has been deconstructing itself lately, we are finally seeing some promising reconstructions. In preparing my top 10, my short-list was about 25 deep, and tons of deserving bands were left out (LCD Soundsystem, The New Pornographers, Stars, Octopus Project, Sigur Ros, etc etc etc). On to the list:

10. Marry Me - St. Vincent
Being a part of the Polyphonic Spree or one of Sufjan's back-ups isn't the worst thing in the world. But at the end of the day, you're just part of a cavalcade of talented people that blend into one weighty avalanche of sound. Annie Clark, a. k. a. St. Vincent, is way too beautiful in every way, shape, and form for that kind of homogeneous fate. If you don't believe me, check out her media at Take-Away Shows, which strips the sonic layer of her album and leaves the naked melodies.

9. Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
Long story short with Andrew Bird- a "solo" act that doesn't sound like Jack Johnson or Ben Harper on a bad day. His unconventional arrangements force this point home.

8. Graduation - Kanye West
I'm really glad that the minimalist approach that Kanye started using on Late Registration has filled out. The rage and determination that he approaches things with is one of my favorite things about the Louie Vuittton Don, and it shows more on this album than any other.

7. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool - Lupe Fiasco
A late entry to my list, coming out in mid-December. Lupe gives a nice mix of old-school and new-school sounds, with a sharp, literate wit. Between Kanye and Lupe, I'm excited to see hip-hop do new things and move towards something sylized, and not just style-obsessed.

6. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
I'm going to say it: I like it better than Funeral. The "follow me to doom" shtick works well when it's coming from 50 people (that's how many people are in the band, right?). And while "My Body Is a Cage" is not the album's banner song, it haunts me every time I hear it.

5. Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
I read an article on cnn.com this year reporting that after playing 70 minutes of a set, he left the stage because he was frustrated with the sound system. Is this what passes for a Ryan Adams tantrum these days? Regardless, Adams is a superb songwriter, and prolific as can be. I think after "Stars Go Blue" went big for The Coors and some country singer (his name slips my mind), Adams focused his craft even more. This set of songs is his tightest to date- and allegedly he still has a war chest still ready to be released.

4. Friend and Foe - Menomena
Did people forget about this album? I see a separation happening where a portion of people really like atmospheric leaning indie (i. e. Panda Bear and Grizzly Bear) and others prefer something more traditional (i. e. The National and The Ponys). I think that Menomena satisfies both sides. The unique rhythms and invigorating harmonies made this my surprise album of the year.

3. Kala - M. I. A.
This is easily the most influential album of the year from the most influential person in music. M. I. A. is both fun and sharp, chill and ingenious. The huge irony of the album is that it is drastically different from the indistinguishable Timbaland sound that dominated the year, all the while featuring the man himself- playing second fiddle to drastically varied lyrics and beats.

2. Random Spirit Lover - Sunset Rubdown
I love this album and I am perfectly fine with the fact that it is not for everybody. But the complexity and richness of its tracks is irrefutable. Spencer Krug can write a complete song like nobody else can right now. It is uber-dramatic indie mixed with whatever he feels like. The electronic bagpipe sound of "Upon Your Leopard..." is the most descriptive sound of this album: it doesn't make sense, but sounds exquisite and perfect. Thematically, the lyrics match the music, huge ideas and paradoxes abound.

1. In Rainbows - Radiohead
Besides the cultural implications and impact of this album's release, this is my number one album of the year. From start to finish, In Rainbows is distinct and a rebirth in the Radiohead catalog. I always felt as if Hail to the Thief was the "promised" album- the follow-up to OK Computer with guitar theatrics and a long-playing time. It seemed like most listeners did not totally love it, though, having been diluted with Kid A and Amnesiac. But that's what Radiohead fans have been: growers. The best illustration of this is a memory I have from the last Radiohead show I was at. They played "Creep." The most common response that I noticed from the crowd was laughter. It was as if the audience felt like they had outgrown the band- but stayed with them. Accordingly, In Rainbows gives the listener something new- Radiohead at their loosest, which still sounds incredibly calculated- and incredibly moving. The biggest band in the world is more personal than ever through free releases, webcasts, blogs, and most importantly, solid music.

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Songs of the year: "1, 2, 3, 4" by Feist, "Stronger" by Kanye West, "Is There a Ghost" by Band of Horses, "Paper Planes" by M. I. A.

Soundtrack of the year: I'm Not There OST

Best old albums I discovered/re-listened to: Post-War by M. Ward, Street Legal by Bob Dylan, Graceland by Paul Simon

People who are putting out albums in 2008 that I cannot wait for: Stephen Malkmus, Silver Jews, Destroyer, Wolf Parade, Radiohead (I would not be surprised if we get another album/EP in 2008).