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The REAL Best Songs of 2007! (You May Have Missed)

Posted Feb-03-08 19:45:56 PST Updated Feb-03-08 20:01:28 PST

How was YOUR 2007?
I want to know.

Perhaps mine was a "Party Pack"..Mixed bag.

<blockquote>--Nobody cares about my 2007. Time to unveil the product of some thinking, listening, and judging-- knowing that I have great taste and that if you disagree with me, you're an
idiot (just kidding-- thinking of Dwight from The Office).</blockquote>

That said, I present
<h1>Trevor's Carefully Handpicked List of 2007's
Best Songs, and the links to directly hear and own them.
(**Note: I haven't even visited Pitchfork in the last
6 months so these are entirely my own finds. May they
enhance your life, your road-trips, your workouts, and
your makeout sessions</h1>
[ps- if I tagged you or mention you in this note I did so because I either have a big crush on you, you recommended one of the songs to me, or because one of the songs reminds me of you]
<ul>
<li>Gui Boratto, "Beautiful Life"- This song
will never stop blowing me away. How life affirming.
Steady ascension like a human heartbeat. Escalating synths; the slowly mounting wall of sound.
This is bliss captured in several minutes by the
brilliant mind of a little-known Brazilian DJ. If you're scared to take MDMA but would like to simulate
the feeling through song, I recommend:
http://theyellowstereo.com/Songs/11%20beautiful%20life.mp3</li>

<li>Lykke Li, "A Little Bit"- Swedish cutie
Lykke Li will be huge. Like, it's not even a
question. Basically Robyn only younger, hotter and
arguably better, Li takes the best elements of Annie,
Peter Bjorn & John and the new breed of British female
singer-songwriters to create her own unique lo-fi pop
sound:
http://www.fillessourires.com/ecoutez/little.mp3</li>

<li> Lifelike, "So Electric"- I love this song. I love it. I would marry it. It's from France. Just like the other 80% of goodelectronic music these days. It shares the repetitive nature of "Call on Me" but without any lyrics necessary:
http://www.circlebar.org/hipster11/01%20So%20Electric.mp3 </li>

<li>The Hood Internet, "I'm a Flirt (R. Kelly
versus broken social scene)"- The Hood Internet
is the name for two scrawny Chicago DJ's who sit at
their macbooks and produce some of the SICKEST and
almost literally flawless mash-ups you'll ever hear in
your entire life. This gem of a song helped me wake
up for my shitty job every morning at work, and made
me forget about just what a perverted/narcissistic weirdo R. Kelly really
is...momentarily:
http://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/07/I%27m%20A%20Flirt%20(r%20kelly%20vs%20broken%20social%20scene).mp3
</li>

<li> Bufi, "Steps"-</b> You have never heard of this Mexican band. I would go so far as to call this song perfect. Especially if you like Ratatat Sometimes you just know that you love something the second you hear it. Like the moment Claudia first spoke and I heard her Russian accent-- It was love at first listen:
http://www.circlebar.org/hipster3/Steps.mp3

<li>LCD Soundsystem, "All My Friends"- I didn't realize that James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem actually PLAY their songs entirely with instruments rather than mailed-in samples. So you can imagine how awesome it was bobbing my head this summer at Randall's Island, surrounded by beautiful indie girls in paper denims while watching his sweating drummer,keyboardist, and oversized disco ball churn out this awesome ditty that sounds like The Who's "Teenage Wasteland" slept with New Order. I'd sleep with New Order:
http://www.peasinspace.com/songs/LCD_Soundsystem_-_All_My_Friends.mp3</li>

<li> Robyn, "Be Mine (Ocelot Mthrfckrs REMIX")-</b> Best. Remix. Ever.
I want cool people to hear it before Abercrombie discovers it and starts blasting it at 360 decibels so you'll buy a shirt just to get away from the noise
http://www.resonatormag.com/music/remix/33/Robyn%20-%20Be%20Mine%20(Ocelot%20Mthrfckrs%20Remix).mp3 </li>

<li> Maps, "Elouise"-</b> You know when you drive home from a first date that ended with a perfect kiss. You roll your windows down and accelerate a bit too fast because you are too distracted drinking in the blissful nectar of being alive and young. I'm sorry but this is the one song you have to click a link to listen to (without directly downloading)- but its also my favorite song EVER since "Just Like Honey":
http://www.raisedonindie.com/?p=8267 </li>

<li> JUSTICE, "Dance"- They are not the next Daft Punk. So stop making the comparison. But it would be unfair of me not to give this song the credit it deserves for being so awesome:
http://www.aolcdn.com/_media/ch_music/justice-dance.mp3</li>

<li> 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake, "AYO Technology"- Something about the beat is.. perfectly mismatched. It's like it Doesn't sound right-- but it feels so right. I cant explain it but you understand:
http://www.circlebar.org/hipster3/Ayo%20Technology.mp3</li>

<li> Easter Egg, "Giving up Florida"- I'm going to go ahead and say this 18 yr old kid from Oregon is better than Girl Talk. Yeah, you heard me. Now hear him:
http://www.circlebar.org/hipster6/05%20Giving%20Up%20Florida.mp3</li>

<li> Patrick Wolf, "The Magic Position"- The positive energy that bursts from this song blows me away:
http://theyellowstereo.com/Songs/PatrickWolf_-_MagicPosition.mp3</li>

<li> The Arcade Fire, "Keep the Car Running"- This song comes from one of the most beautifully executed albums of the year. Sometimes--when you're bipolar-- the urge to die can be oddly mixed with the desire to rock out:
http://alina.bothsidesofthemouth.com/02%20Keep%20The%20Car%20Running...mp3 </li>

<li> Groove Armada, "Lightsonic"- This song takes me to the beaches of Barbados. Soaking in the sun I eye passing strangers through solid black Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses. There is a palpable sexual tension-- like an electricity shooting through the whole island- unspoken words, glances, whispers. It's like this song captures that silent energy of strangers 75% nude and sunbathing and bottles it into one awesome, happy song:
http://www.moteldemoka.com/moka/lightsonic.mp3
</li>

<li>Britney Spears, "Piece of Me"</b> - If you're a
guy reading this, wipe that smug homophobic grin off
your face right now.
I fell in love with her all over again the moment she announced the now-immortalized three words: "It's Britney, Bitch."
Like a modern day PT Barnum,
Britney Spears has mastered the publicity stunt- and brilliantly recognized that ANY attention (good OR bad) adds to your power.
The whole album does a pretty good job of capturing the Timbaland
aesthetic that's so hot right now and so frequently
imitated to no avail. I like this song because its
not an OBNOXIOUS come-back song-- she makes no
ridiculous claims, simply reminds listeners that no
matter how fat or skinny she gets, or how much of a
trainwreck her life becomes, you're still obsessed
with her. It has all the ingredients of a good pop
song: Is it harmlessly fun? Yes. Is it Danceable?
Yes. Will teenage girls listen to it while they
pre-game, fill their Poland Spring bottles with
tequila and vodka? Yes. And Will nobody care about it
in six months? Yes. There you go:
http://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/07/18%20Piece%20Of%20Me.mp3
</li>

<li> Lupe Fiasco, "Superstar"- I think he's just as talented as Kanye. Only he's younger, and straight-edge and modest unlike the aforementioned producer who has actually compared himself to Jesus Christ. Forget Kanye and his ego for a moment. this is a REALLY good, energetic, invigorating hip-hop song:
http://mike.webic.biz/superstar.mp3
</li>

<li> Aarktica, "Seventy Jane"- Imagine taking the good aspects
of The Killers, but taking away the glitzy, trying-too-hard Las Vegas rock-pop song and you're left with this. I think I'm the only person who knows about this band:
http://frekvens.dk/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/aarktica-seventy-jane.mp3 </li>

<li>The Clipse VERSUS The Avalanches, "When The Last Time I Left You (Remixed by the Hood Internet"- I love the Clipse. But sometimes I get tired of listening to them threatening me. By expertly replacing this rap song's background beat with one by"The Avalanches", its like being invited to a summer Pool Party where the Clipse is in a good mood all day! Brilliant
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/6/7/1155025/03%20Clipse%20vs%20The%20Avalanches%20-%20When%20The%20Last%20Time%20I%20Left%20You.mp3</li>

<li> Tegan and Sara, "Nineteen"- Tegan and Sara are like what happens to me with jappy girls: I try not to like them because they can be annoying, But I can't stay away because they have such good...stuff..
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/10/6/1487987/Nineteen.mp3 </li>

<li> Kanye West Featuring The Clipse, "Flashing Lights (Remix)"- What happens when you take an already solid beat by Kanye West and let cocaine lyricist bad-boys Clipse rap over it? The same thing that happens when you melt orgasms on top of rich chocolate cake:
http://www.box.net/shared/static/0bb1zvd0ko.mp3 
</li>

<li> Kylie Minogue, "Wow (CSS Remix)"- : I will proudly say that "Love at First Sight" is one of my favorite songs of all time. This is still Kylie- but it's new, and starts to give you that same feeling. You will want to dance:
http://musicwarship.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/wow-css-mix.mp3 </li>

<li> Jose Gonzales, "Down the Line"- If you're from Long Island- No, Jose Gonzales is not your gardener. He is the Swedish singing man who did the hauntingly beautiful cover over The Knife's "Heartbeats" which was used in Sony's ball commercial. Guess what? He still makes good music: http://www.moteldemoka.com/lotus/jose_gonzalez-down_the_line.mp3 </li>

<li> Ghost Hustler, "Only Me To Trust"- If this remix of the EuroTrash dancehall banger doesn't make you dance or at least crack a smile, then I dont know what will:
http://electrorash.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/bonafied-lovin-david-wolf-remix.mp3 </ul>

<li>COLLEGE, "Teenage Color (Russ Chimes Remix)"-
 It's rare that I will admit to being head over
heels in love with something French. But COLLEGE is
just one one about a dozen musicians and artists under
the French collective "Valerie." As TRUE children of
the 80's, they resurrect through musical imagery the
archetypes that haunt my mind and still get our
generation to buy "Ghostbusters" tee shirts from Hot
Topic because we are so strangely seduced by that
point in history.
To be honest? "Teenage Color" is not even
COLLEGE's best song- I prefer the even mellower "Can
You Kiss Me First" but I consider anything Valerie
throws my way to be a gem. Plus, unlike the
tiresomely self-promoting folks at Ed Banger, the
Valerie artists (valeriecherie.blogspot.com) are
strangely modest, refusing to even call themselves a
label yet!
In this song, the hypnotic combination of
phoenix-esque eighties froth-rock guitar lines and a
dab of heavy daft punkiness - plus all the things you
found enormously exotic about French exchange trips.
The result? it kind of sounds like Teenkids in branded
pastel leisurewear and centimes arcades in northern
France in 1987:
http://basilikaco-op.bingodisk.com/bingo/public/hl/teenagecolorrusschimes.mp3 </li>

<li> Uffie, "First Love"- So I still maintain
that Ed Banger Records is overhyped. Uffie, one of
their most interesting products to date (best known
for "Pop the Glock") is a love or hate proposition -
you're either entertained by her inability to keep
on beat to save her life or you think she's the
posterchild for why the latest wave of French House
desperately needs more self-editing skills. Honestly
for me, the girl's just having so much damn fun
it's hard for me to knock it. Sure, her vocals are
window dressing to some nice beats typically concocted
by her boyfriend, DJ Feadz. I just like the blown-out
synth slow-dance beat that sounds like a
playful DJ discovered and messed with something that
Tiffany threw out long ago in the 80's. Damn French,
making me have such mixed feelings toward you:
http://www.mutedandtender.com/mp3/First_Love.mp3 </li>

<li> The Field, "A Paw in My Face"- Less
words, more listening, Frankly, listening to "The
Field" gives you a body high. That is, if you're
human:
http://theyellowstereo.com/Sunday%20Shuffle/week2/TheField_-_a_paw_in_my_face.mp3
</li>

<li>Harlem Shakes, "Sickos"-</b> I forgot how catchy this song is. And How awesome it is is.
http://www.box.net/shared/static/6e66kwogs0.mp3
</li>

<li> Tegan and Sara, "Back in Your Head (Tyler Fedchuck's 1/2 Alive Disco Remix")</b> You just have to trust me that this is an even better version of an already good song:
http://covertcuriosity.biz/Head_Tegan_Remix.mp3
</li>

<li> Grizzly Bear, "Knife (Girl Talk Remix)"- 
Girl Talk came to Skidmore. I didn't go to see him. I
didn't get all the love for his "music." To me, it was
just a choppy mess of samples with no aesthetic
binding factor that could hold my ear long enough to
dance to. It all changed when he dropped this AMAZING
combination of Clipse and Grizzly Bear-- two artists
who needed no "fixing" in the first place- but this is
cut-copy at its most brilliant:
http://downloads.pitchforkmedia.com/Grizzly%20Bear%20-%20Knife%20(Girl%20Talk%20Remix).mp3
</li>

<li> Cansei de Ser Sexy, "Knife (Grizzly Beary Cover)"</b> Now, how about the original song (messed with above) covered by cute girls with somewhat noticeable Portuguese accents and synths? Can we say FUN? Its really good, I promise:
http://download.publicradio.org/podcast/minnesota/podcasts/current_download/2008/01/20080101_grizzly_bear_knife.mp3 </li>

<li> Apparat, "Hold On"- I'm getting tired of
typing so just listen to this song and follow the
advice of the title, because it gets progressively
better and more layered:
http://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/07/05%20Holdon.mp3
</li>

<li> Lil Wayne, "I feel Like Dying"- When I think about the words: "Poetic", "Poignant", "Articulate", and "Strangely Moving"-- I usually don't jump to Lil' Wayne but this song hit me like a truck full of bricks. On top of a beautiful, hypnotic beat-- he spells out the drug addicts' dilemma: keep buying more to reach a simulated feeling of bliss and paradise, or run out and feel miserable, and suicidal. I have five times more respect for him now:
http://musicwarship.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/i_feel_like_dying_1.mp3
</li>

<li> M.I.A., "Bamboo Banga"- Everything about her is hot:
http://partyends.com/Index_pictures/MIA-BambooBanger.mp3
</li>

<li> Of Montreal, "Jimmy"- You already like M.I.A. How about listening to Of Montreal Cover her fun take at an italo-disco song:
http://youaintnopicasso.com/mp3/Of%20Montreal%20-%20Jimmy.mp3
</li>

<li> Club 8 "Whatever you Want"- I imagine this in a movie soundtrack played while a beautiful girl is scattering to put together a cocktail party for her friends:
http://www.labrador.se/mp3/club8-whatever_you_want.mp3 </li>

<li> The Big Sleep, "Pinkies"- Someone called them "bedroom metal." If you like the Silversun Pickups, I really think you'll like this song. For metal, it harmonizes well and its
great for when you feel the need to drive away from somewhere:
http://www.frenchkissrecords.com/audio/the_big_sleep/pinkies.mp3
</li>

<li> The Teenagers, "French Kiss"- I dedicate this song to every girl who ever studied abroad. If you don't at least crack a smile, I'll give you your money back.
Masquerading, or at least living in the UK, The Teenagers are French, but musically they look to the 80's a lot in their sound, with New Order like guitar (Feeling Better), The Cure moodiness (Sunset Beach), and Human League synths (Make It Happen) to name a few influences:
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss2/chansons/Teenagers-FrenchKiss.mp3
</li>

<li> St. Vincent, "Now Now"- Oh, she's also French. Statistically, girls will probably like this song more- but its such a romantic experience to hear regardless of who you are:
http://www.ilovestvincent.com/audio/nownow.mp3
</li>

<li> FutureCop, "Dial 1-800-NY"- He's young,
Asian and..French. Dresses himself in that
"inaccessibly-cool-indie-I-will-Never-Die" way-- and
he makes FUN playful music that captures the best of
Kavinsky's videogame electronica.. only Futurecop
doesn't suck. And he's also from the Valerie
collective. Score one more for the French:
http://www.circlebar.org/hipster12/Dial%201-800%20NY.mp3
</li>

<li> Ghost Hustler, "Only Me To Trust"-</b> This
song features a more fleshed-out, melodic version of
the band's synth-heavy, European-influenced electronic
pop, as well as a startlingly classic vocal
performance from frontman Alan Palomo. Fans of Ed
Banger recs, Chromeo, etc. and readers of
FluoKids/Discobelle are going to want to pay
attention, because these kids from TX one-up their
idols with this one.
http://gvsbchris.com/Only%20Me%20To%20Trust%20demo.mp3
</li>

<li> Samamidon, "Pretty Saro"- If you like
Sufjan Stevens, or pretty, melodic music that makes
your eyes well up with a little bit of tears, I think
you'll like this track. Especially when you consider
that its actually a cover of a folk song from the
1920's by an unknown (and presumably long-dead)
artist.. the sad mystique adds to the beauty. For me
at least.
http://gvsbchris.com/saro.mp3
</li>

<li> Robyn, "With Every Heartbeat"- That's right. Robyn. From your Bat Mitzvah in the 90's, who had the song "Show Me Love" when she was just 16. So much respect for those who can successfully reinvent themselves. This track rocks, and if people aren't smart enough to dance to it, it can always be blasted at an Abercombie and Fitch:
http://www.derelictions.net/sounds/06.11.04--Robyn-With_Every_Heartbeat.mp3
</li>

<li> WHY?, "Close to Me"- This is a cover of
the song by The Cure that I'm sure you've heard and
loved at some point. I raised my eyebrows at the idea
of covering a near-perfect classic pop-love
ballad..but when WHY? breathes new life into the song
in such a Beach Boys/trip-hop/psychedelic-y way... It
just works:
http://www.ieatmusic.com/mp3/why/closetome.mp3
</li>

<li> Juiceboxxxx, sweat "Blanche duBois Remix"- Perhaps you might remember the original of this.. it was a catchy and dancy blog smash hit over the summer. Well this remix notches up the funkiness a level to absolute can't-help-but-get-down-on-the-dance-floor levels and I can't get enough of it.
http://www.resonatormag.com/music/remix/33/Juiceboxxxx%20-%20Sweat%20(Blanche%20DuBois%20Remix).mp3</li>

<li>Trembling Blue Stars, "November Starlings"- It's good:
http://theyellowstereo.com/Songs/07-trembling_blue_stars-november_starlings.mp3
</li>

<li> Yeasayer, "2080"- Indie rock + world music= pretty awesome:
http://www.box.net/shared/static/o8kvzoogo0.mp3
</li>

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