Some quick notes:

  • There’s a link by each song to download the MP3, and a player at the top of the page so you can listen to all 10 tracks in your browser.
  • If your moral compass points copyright more than than copyleft, each album title links to Amazon’s MP3 store. Every one of these tracks, and the albums on which they were released, is worth owning. (And Amazon has lots more information about each artist if you hear something you like.)
  • Please forward this to anyone you think would enjoy it. (Though downloading the music from this page is illegal in many parts of the world, so maybe don’t forward it to your friends in law-enforcement and the RIAA.)

Embedded Player

The Songs

My 10 favorite songs of 2007, in descending order, with the best last.

#10 Stars – Take Me To The Riot maple leaf [download MP3]
From the album In Our Bedroom After The War

In defense of my indie cred, this song was on my list long before the band got all popular. Yes, I’m that guy.

#9 Patty Griffin – Trapeze [download MP3]
From the album Children Running Through.

Patty Griffin and Emmylou Harris, singing and sailing together.

#8 St. Vincent – Paris Is Burning [download MP3]
From the album Marry Me

Apropos to nothing, Annie Clark was in Sufjan Stevens’ backup band.

#7 The National – Squalor Victoria [download MP3]
From the album Boxer

Underline everything, I’m a professional
In my beloved white shirt

#6 LCD Soundsystem – North American Scum [download MP3]
From the album Sound of Silver

Work-out album of the year. Yet the band’s live show beats “watching paint dry” on every Most Boring Pass-time list.

#5 Of Montreal – Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider [download MP3]
From the album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

This track makes me happy.

#4 Wilco – Impossible Germany [download MP3]
From the album Sky Blue Sky.

This video of the band performing addresses the question “how does Wilco get their sound?” (Answer: They play their instruments really eff’n well.)

Best quote about Impossible Germany, from Rolling Stone:

“Even if mellowed-out guitar jammery isn’t your cup of tea, respect is due — this is the kind of song nobody ever gets right.”

#3 Beirut – Nantes [download MP3]
From the album The Flying Club Cup

If you only watch one video of a band performing their best song in a Brooklyn stairwell, it should be this one.

#2 Weakerthans – Civil Twilight maple leaf [download MP3]
From the album Reunion Tour

Samson wrote this song in a Winnipeg library after taking a bus ride. Oh Jennifer Jason Leigh …

#1 Arcade Fire – Ocean of Noise maple leaf [download MP3]
From the album Neon Bible

Gorgeous.