2007 was a very difficult year for me personally, which coincided with a very bad year musically for everyone else; making this a difficult year for choosing a list of best albums. So few truly fabulous albums were released and my mental state for the mid-part of 2007 prevented me from really enjoying many others thought were great. This year saw my personal life fall apart, bad health (I contracted a super-bug infection) and a (thankfully) failed suicide attempt, amongst the release of a new Springsteen album (I’m not a fan so this held no interest for me), a new White Stripes album (I love Jack White but… oy what a tragedy that was) and a new Arcade Fire album (one I would love to have spent more time with but just didn’t have the heart for). Radiohead’s In Rainbows should be on my list as I love it, but I didn’t spend much time with it and, for this list anyway, that would feel wrong. Of course Dylan released an anthology which I love but anthologies don’t count on a best-of list.
This list is actually a list of the albums I couldn’t do without this year. Most were released this year, two I discovered this year but were released previously, but I felt they needed to be highlighted. They don’t all hold personal significance, but all of them are worthy of a best-albums list due to their power and intensity or my sheer delight in the music, along with the talent involved in creating them. So what follows is a list of albums that I just couldn’t stop listening to. Presented in inverse order of course.
Joss Stone – Introducing Joss Stone
Joss Stone has a voice so soulful, so sultry and intoxicating that when you hear it, it is something seriously special. Her first two albums, The Soul Sessions (03) and Mind, Body & Soul (04), were good label-driven albums, filled with radio-friendly dance-pop/soul music, tinged ever so slightly with R&B but, as fun as they were, they were bare of substance. That emotive, powerfully sexual voice always needs more substance; there just wasn’t enough there, there. Now Joss is all grown-up and taking charge of her own music, and the resulting album Introducing Joss Stone is significantly more substantive. This album is a big step away from that homogeneous, committee-chosen, label idea of soul music, and shows the obvious influences of jazz, 70's soul and funk, and modern R&B. Introducing shows a woman who is finding herself, taking control of her life and career, and searching for personal and artistic freedom. Stone still has some way to go in developing a fully fleshed-out sound, but this album is a definite step in the right direction.
![Light in Motion [Explicit]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VYfHPZ06L._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Chris Beaumont
Sorry to hear about your troubles this year. I hope things are looking up for you.
That said, I have not heard any of the albums on your list. Although, I do have a recommendation from my list, Lonely China Day's Sorrow. I think you would dig it. I was surprised when I did.
2 - Glen Boyd
I like this list a lot just because it is so different from everyone else's (including my own). There are a lot of titles here that I'll make a point to check out where I might not have done so otherwise.
On a closing note Andrea, I hope 2008 is a much better year for you, and I bet that it will be.
-Glen
3 - A.L. Harper
Thanks very much, both of you, for your support. Things are certainly much brighter for me now.
I'll be sure to check out Lonely China Day. Thanks for the tip Chris.
4 - Mark Saleski
oh, i like this...sending recommendations to ms. harper.
here's one from my list. no...two (since i can't make up my mind):
1. Erin McKeown's "Sing You Sinners"
or
2. John Doe's "A Year In The Wilderness"
and honestly, i do hope that 2008 brings better things.
5 - A.L. Harper
Thank you Mr. Saleski I will check those out right now, if you promise to check out a couple of mine.
6 - Mark Saleski
i promise!
(currently listening to A Fine Frenzy on the myspace thingie...)
7 - A.L. Harper
And what are your feelings? Doesn't she have an amazing voice....
8 - Mark Saleski
yeah, sort of reminds me of Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays)
9 - A.L. Harper
Yeah, I can see that. But overall what do you think?
10 - Mark Saleski
what i think is that i've got to get her cd...because while i liked "Come On Come Out", i love "Hope For The Hopeless".
wow, love that voice.
11 - A.L. Harper
I agree. EVERYONE should have One Cell in the Sea. Now listen to Jem and Bat For Lashes.
12 - daryl d
Ms. Harper:
I responded to your comments in my essay "The Top Ten Douche bags" of 2007 rather harshly. Well, first, your comments were harsh towards me. Then, two wrongs don't make a right do they?
Now, I read this essay and understand what you have gone through this year and why you reacted so negatively to my article, especially because I joked about Dennis Miller taking his own life.
Ms. Harper, I invite you to read this article I wrote about suicide some months back. It may put a smile on your face or at least make you think.
Okay, now that I got that out of my system, I have to say that your list is very unique. But Joss Stone - I could never get into her. Very soulful voice, but sort of boring. Oh well, each to their own.
13 - Donald Gibson
I think you have the most intriguing list of any of the ones I've seen on BC (including ones I've participated on). I've loved Joss Stone since her debut and was fortunate to have seen her open for the Rolling Stones in '05. I also really enjoy Colbie Caillat's album.
And I just purchased A Fine Frenzy's album based on your recommendation.
I'm currently looking into your other selections as well. So, thanks for broadening my musical curiosities!
- Donald
14 - A.L. Harper
You are so welcome Donald. Thank you for such a lovely comment. I hope you enjoy One Cell in the Sea as much as I have.