the best according to chart

If you've picked up this month's Chart magazine you got a big ol' blast of what they consider to be the best music of 2007.  I took a crack at my own version earlier this month (click here for a refresher) but of course, who am I anyway?  Well, who is Chart magazine for that matter either.  Nevertheless, being a national magazine with close ties to the campus radio community, its opinion matters.  Even more than mine I'm afraid.  So in their Best 100 albums of 2007, these are some of my comments:

• At #1, Julie Doiron's Woke Myself Up:  Now how kick ass is that?  Julie was my awkward teenage girl idol in high school and has stuck around ever since.  For me, it's really hard to top Goodnight Nobody  -- "Snow Falls in November" might be the best winter song ever written and just might be my life motto.  The fact that WMU brought back all her old Eric's Trip bandmates gave it that extra something special right out of the gate.  I love this record.  That being said, I'm super surprised to see it at #1.  I know a lot of people who could take or leave her and it's not like her music is toe-tapping and happy.  Most of it is sad.  Like really sad.  WMU is almost entirely about complete heartbreak and the crumbling of her own marriage (or so they say)!  I guess a lot of people had a sad 2007 and found something to relate to?  Either way, I'm pumped -- yay Julie!!
• At #4, Immaculate Machine's Fables:  This record is such a triumph for Canadian indie-pop and in my opinion, is the best thing they have ever done.  Just try to listen to "Jarhand" without dancing -- you won't be able to do it.  What a year for Kathryn Calder and hopefully a year with The New Pornographers and touring with this great record will just crank up what's to come in the future.
• Albums deservedly in the Top 10: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible, Feist - The Reminder, New Pornographers - Challengers
• Albums I wish were in the Top 10 ("wish" being a relative term; I'm not going to lose sleep over any of this): Weakerthans -- Reunion Tour, Joel Plaskett Emergency -- Ashtray Rock, Sadies - New Seasons, Wilco - Sky Blue Sky, Neko Case (see next point), Shotgun and Jaybird - Trying to Get Somewhere
• At #64, Neko Case Live From Austin, Texas:  This should be way higher up on the list.  At least higher than Carolyn Mark's record.  Put the 2 side by side and Neko will not only rise above but Carolyn Mark will actually become invisible.  Like right before your eyes.  Carolyn who?
• At #65, !!!: How do you pronounce that?  I don't think I'm hip enough to listen to this band if I don't even know how to say their name;
• Overall, I happy to see so many Canadian indie projects all over this list and big wigs like Bjork and the White Stripes happily outnumbered.

On another note, check out page 27 for a big fat review of our chum Nathan Lawr's newest record A Sea of Tiny Lights.  Yay Nathan -- you's all in print!  It's a great record and you should indeed check it out if you're a lover of finely crafted songs and layers of lovely sounds.