REVIEW

The Final Breakdown: Favorites of 2007

Written by Tom Johnson
Published January 29, 2008

page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau - Quartet: This is one of those pairings that could have gone either way. Two extremely strong, vibrant leaders in their own right getting together and turning out an album where they simply butt heads for an hour or so and nothing transcendent happens, or, simply put, magic. Luckily, it was the latter, and even more luckily for us, our hunches were true that there was a second offering coming with the full band backing the two.

David Torn - Prezens: I have used the word "alien" to describe David Torn's guitar work so many times that I'm afraid to say it anymore. And yet I can find no other words that adequately convey the qualities in his sound and style without picking that one. His is an utterly alien sound. No one, I mean no one sounds like him. He manages to take things that sound like an amp dying and turn it into sheer beauty - and he purposely makes these sounds, mind you - and then he twists them just enough so that nothing about it sounds "pretty" but manages to sound right. He is one of few guitarists that I willingly label "genius" and it's because he focuses so little on being a guitarist and rather intends to simply be a musician. There are no blazing solos or fretboard runs in his music - just searingly weird landscapes of tones and textures.

Mörglbl - Grötesk: Don't even bother: it doesn't mean anything. It's just a weird band name they use because it sounds funny. And that, in itself, should tell you something about this band - they're French and they have this kind of sense of humor. Add in the fact that guitarist Christophe Godin plays like the lovechild of a bizarre mating of Mike Keneally, Frank Zappa, and John McLaughlin and you've got some pretty weird territory. Zappa asked, "Does humor belong in music?" That question could be appended with the phrase "instrumental music." They don't descend into Keystone Kops-like moments, but it is clear that the intent of their music is serious fun, and there's an element of humor. In fact, there are times when I laughed to myself at the often ingenious approaches the trio takes to music. Not necessarily "funny ha-ha" but "funny clever."

Grant-Lee Phillips - Strangelet: Every time Phillips puts out an album this happens: it comes out, I love it, and then it just falls into my routine. Whatever it is about Grant-Lee Phillips, he somehow has the right gearing to mesh with the gearing of my life with nary a hitch. And therein lies the rub: he gets forgotten. Strangelet popped up earlier this year and slipped right into my listening for a while, becoming a quick fave, and then just became part of the background. When I began thinking about the year's releases again, suddenly I realized that this album came out this year, not much longer ago even though it feels far more familiar than that. Phillips' music is that tired cliche of comfortable old shoe - it fits perfectly and feels good, but goes neglected until you really think about it. Don't neglect this album.

page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Keep reading for information and comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own!

The Final Breakdown: Favorites of 2007: Published: January 29, 2008; Type: Review; Section: Music; Filed Under: Music: Rock, Music: Progressive Rock, Music: Metal, Music: Jazz, Music: Instrumental, Music: Indie Rock, Music: Hard Rock, Music: Downloads, Music: Ambient, Music: Alternative Rock, Music: Adult Alternative; Part of a feature: The Breakdown; Writer: Tom Johnson; Tom Johnson's BC Writer page; Tom Johnson's personal site

Spread the Word: Like this article?; Email this; Save to del.icio.us

RSS Feeds: All RSS Feeds (240+); Comments on this article; Articles in this series; BC articles by Tom Johnson; Music: Rock; Music: Progressive Rock; Music: Metal; Music: Jazz; Music: Instrumental; Music: Indie Rock; Music: Hard Rock; Music: Downloads; Music: Ambient; Music: Alternative Rock; Music: Adult Alternative; All Music Articles; All Review articles; All BC articles; All BC Comments

Comments

#1 — January 29, 2008 @ 17:22PM — Glen Boyd [URL]

...and were happy to have you on board Mr. Johnson. Just try to remember, brevity my man, brevity... ;>p

-Glen

#2 — January 29, 2008 @ 18:28PM — Pico [URL]

Good job, TJ, it looks like a well-thought out list and you stated your case well. And not just because 4 or 5 of those albums are on my list, too ;&)

Hope we get to see your handiwork more again before too long.

#3 — January 29, 2008 @ 18:44PM — Glen Boyd [URL]

Me too Pico.

-Glen

P.S. In the meantime, I'm all bout gettin' me some PT, Blackfield, Adams, and Wilco...

#4 — January 29, 2008 @ 23:32PM — Tom Johnson [URL]

Glen: what, this isn't brief enough? ;-)

Pico: this has been sitting in my queue on my site for well over a month. I've been adding bits to it as they came to me. It's literally been slaved-over. I try to just write and publish - the queue is a black hole. Many things disappear into my queue, but not so many survive. This one is lucky.

#5 — January 29, 2008 @ 23:48PM — JC Mosquito

I thought the Crowded House was good as it was, so I'm curious to hear those b sides you mentioned - where could I find them?

Silent House - an allusion to Paul Hester, I'd guess. A sad, yet beautiful song.

#6 — January 30, 2008 @ 12:48PM — Tom Johnson [URL]

They're on this version of the "Don't Stop Now" single. The songs are "Stare Me Out" and "Lost Island" - both are good enough to have been on the album. I think they made a mistake not putting them on and just making an epic out of this album - they fit perfectly.

To make the vinyl tracklisting, this is the order:

Disc One
1. Nobody Wants To
2. Don't Stop Now
3. She Called Up
4. Say That Again
5. Pour Le Monde
6. Even A Child
7. Heaven That I'm Making
8. Stare Me Out*
9. A Sigh
10. Silent House
11. English Trees
12. Lost Island*
13. Walked Her Way Down
14. Transit Lounge
15. You Are The One To Make Me Cry
16. People Are Like Suns

There's also a single out for "She Called Up" with another non-album track, "So Dramatic," but I haven't heard it yet (just placed my order, in fact.)

#7 — February 1, 2008 @ 07:38AM — Mat Brewster

Man, I've got to check out that Prezens thing. It is on too many lists to not give it a chance.

#8 — February 2, 2008 @ 11:17AM — MauRiCe

The Rush CD was disapointing. I have been their long term fan, but it was worth the purchase. My girlfriend is all ga-ga about Teddy Brent and his CD so she wants me to purchase that too next week...im gonna be poor due to music purchases

-poor but happy music lovr

#9 — February 2, 2008 @ 11:45AM — Joh [URL]

"Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau - Quartet" was awesome. Pat always puts out good music.

Maurice, dont feel bad bro. I live in Detroit and there is only store you can get it at (for Teddy Brent's CD). Anyhow they were sold out when we got there...spent an hour n the ice and cold exc and exc...

#10 — February 2, 2008 @ 11:49AM — Andy723

Maurice and Joh...i got the Fashionable CD on Itunes today after hearing it played over and over and over...how many times can they play 'Vanity' before you hate the song???

#11 — February 2, 2008 @ 12:06PM — Shelly In Burbs [URL]

Josh...i waited in line in Ann Arbor for two hours to get a CD and they are all out....

#12 — February 2, 2008 @ 12:10PM — Angela Johnson [URL]

Pat Metheny *sigh*. I love that man. I will pick up that Teddy Brent one this week...I heard about it this week from a friend.

#13 — February 3, 2008 @ 11:02AM — Tom Johnson [URL]

I think we just got spammed about this TB (no spelling - I don't want it coming up in search engines) guy. Four comments in 20 minutes about some dude I've never even heard of, one of which claims they stood in line for two hours to buy a CD that turned out to be sold out? Uh-huh.