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Let this prove to those of you who thought we were not paying any attention to music in 2007, that not only were we paying attention, we couldn't drag our ears away from the music long enough to even comment on it -- until now that is. Below find what we at BigYawn believe to the best of 2007, in all it's odd shapes and sizes. Standard indie rock dominates, and one has to wonder where all the female rockers with panache have gone; who knew we'd miss Carrie, Corin and Janet so soon. Hip-hop and straight-up pop are under-served here, with many possible excuses as to why, not the least of which involves -- with the exception of Kanye and 50, neither of whom are on this list -- the odd strategy for releasing nearly all relevant hip-hop at the end of the year. Lupe Fiasco and Wu-Tang aside though, I'm not sure we'd have seen much to being with. And pop? Well, American Idol is watering down these waters, and even though there was some strong pull for the likes of Avril and Britney on this list, some music never gets further than a guilty pleasure, no matter how great the hook. So read, enjoy, laugh at us, and think about how great BigYawn might be, if only we can find the time to talk about music again.

A band that has been in two of our top 50s, yet unknown by most, 65 Days of Static take the magic of Explosions in the Sky and applies that post-rock sensibility to math-rock. Though they tend to get lumped into the emo crowd for touring purposes, The Destruction of Small Things is anything but emo. Emotional yes, but the forced drama simply isn't here. This is going to get you excited, not make you want to slit your wrists, or tear your ears out.

The Destruction of Small Ideas
65 Days of Static

The impeccable song choices coupled with T-Bone Burnett's production, create a bed for Plant and Krauss' voices to entwine and tangle and weave like lovers on a lazy Sunday morning. A low-key triumph of a record.

Raising Sand
Robert Plant and Allison Krauss

There are mixed feelings about whether Justice were really good or really bad for dance music in 2007. We happen to be on the positive side of that argument. We are living in a time where all you need are the words French and dance in the same sentence to make someone happy, and while the majority of that can be credited to a certain other French duo, it is nice to see there is more to Paris than just the Eiffel Tower and Ed Banger records. Oh wait, maybe not...

✝
Justice

Yeah, yeah, shoegazey, loudest band in NYC, we get it. We hear the same things over and over again used to describe APTBS, how about the fact that their music is pretty? After seeing them live at the DAM! Festival this year, it makes perfect sense to me that they can bring a man to tears at the their shows, and not due to the ear-splitting pain either. After this debut, we will be watching closely to see if they can follow it up with a sophomore record that can separate themselves even further from the dreaded "shoegaze" label.

S/T
A Place to Bury Strangers

The Minstrel Show ended the major label era for Little Brother. It didn't meet Atlantic's expectations, and it's attack on the stereotypical images of blacks in popular media fell on - apparently - deaf ears. After all, Pitchfork crooned, why attack hip-hop culture when Talib Kweli, Kanye West, Outkast, Missy Elliot and Common triumphantly strode the rap landscape? Why? Because, contrary to their conceit, Pitchfork is not the center of the hip-hop universe. Kanye is a step in the right direction, not the answer. Listen to what tops the hip-hop charts, or what plays on BET, who famously refused to air the video for "Lovin' It" for being "too intelligent." That's why the world needs Little Brother. This isn't a comeback album, but an affirmation that intelligent, witty, challenging hip-hop will be made, and will be heard. Oh, and "Good Clothes" is one of the funniest tracks of the year.

Get Back
Little Brother

With undoubtedly the best backstory of any band to release an album this year, this group of former Tuareg soldiers from northern Mali released an excellent album of propulsive, hypnotizing rock music. The lyrics about the spirituality of life in the Sahara desert and the cause of Tuareg independence are all in Tinariwen's Tamasheq language (though most of the world refers to the Tuareg people, they prefer to call themselves "Kel Tamasheq," meaning "speakers of Tamasheq"). Even in another language, the message of freedom and natural spirituality rings true when back by such tight guitar lines.

Aman Iman: Water Is Life
Tinariwen

The magic of bebop and free-form jazz are constructed, destructed, and built again throughout Tigersmilk's journey through music's dark recesses. Android Love Cry is extraterrestrial -- it certainly didn't come from the minds of modern music yet it is quick to reinvent the jazz of Albert Ayler as if Ayler wasn't a giant or innovator at all.

Android Love Cry
Tigersmilk

Here we go, another UK buzz band. Except, that unlike the KaiserFutureArcticKlaxonLibertin-ish bands out there, here we have, as NME kindly puts it, the Scottish Foo Fighters. That fact alone makes this a whole together different ball of wax than the herds of other UK buzz bands. I've said it once, I'll say it again, Simon Neil has the best Scottish singing voice I think I've ever heard. Whenever they come back to the states, you really owe it to yourself to check them out. As good as Puzzle is, their live show makes it that much better.

Puzzle
Biffy Clyro

We love, love, love Apparat, largely because me makes ambient dance music for smart people. I think this album surprised a lot of folks, even those not dance-minded. Not exactly coffeehouse material -- though I've heard it played there -- you can actually see this one on the dance floor or at a chilled house party. It works both ways.

Walls
Apparat

A combination of parts I and II, this release continues the unheralded success of a true underground band. Though it still feels like the Swordsmen are still figuring out their soud, they stay fairly true to their electronic roots here, with some garage rock and even a little twang thrown it for good measure. This isn't a concept album, but we almost wish it were, as there are a few fillers in the 18 songs that might have gone away with a more cohesive concept.

Wrong Meeting #1 and #2
Two Lone Swordsmen

It is hard to gauge just how much of an influence Johnny Marr had on Issac Brock and co., but all signs point to things starting off rather smoothly in this relationship. They're not exactly the New York Yankees of the indie rock world, but Johnny is quite an addition to an already stand-out band. Less mainstream than Good News for People who Love Bad news -- thank god -- We Were Dead... is a vicious mess of an album, full of the vim and vigor we loved from early Modest Mouse albums.

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Modest Mouse

The Woggles have been at the vanguard of keeping the roll in rock and roll for nearly twenty years, over the course of eight full length albums and countless singles favored by fans from Atlanta to Yokohama, and everywhere in between. Their own brand of rock and roll revivalism brings a mighty big tent, touching on influences as varied as old school Stax/Volt, surf guitar, Sergio Leone, and fried chicken and sweet tea. However, their 2007 release, Rock & Roll Backlash, takes the depth of their sound and breadth of their songs significantly further than ever before, and results in pretty much the singular cool album of the year.

Wicked Cool
The Woggles

Jason Molina has been recording for years, with his prolific releases coming under his own name, his former band Songs:Ohia and now Magnolia Electric Co, which had two full length LPs to its name prior to this limited edition box set. Each of the four discs has its own treats. Nashville Moon is full of the slow burning, Crazy Horse-style rock that marks the band's live shows (special mention to guitarist Jason Groth's shit-hot solos and standout playing throughout the album). The Sun Sessions has a few lower key, full band songs, including a particularly mournful cover of the traditional "Trouble In Mind," while Shohola is an eerie set of songs Molina recorded by himself. The biggest surprise, and what turns this set from merely strong to a more rarified level is Black Ram, full of darkness, austerity and occasional (and welcome) bombast. MEC is recording for no one but themselves; the band's artistic ambition and rare integrity in a world of indie-rock poseurs has its best showcase on this set.

Sojourner
Magnolia Electric Co.

Annie Clark has been doing the rounds for sometime now, and it seems that her experiences with both the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens has given her a little something that separates her from the pack. Less quirky than Regina Spektor, less folk than My Brightest Diamond, Marry Me is a fantastic debut album that is likely to give Annie more attention than she was expecting this early in her career. Really, not a dud song on this entire album, no filler at all.

Marry Me
St. Vincent

What is it with the "really" experienced women in this list. Feist's laundry list of people she has played with are too long, but the influences show up and down The Reminder, from The Tragically Hip to Jane Birkin, to, of course, Broken Social Scene. While "1234" may have turned on a whole new audience to Leslie, it is her ability to spit out indie rock jems that will keep them coming back for more.

The Reminder
Feist

Although it's kind of sad that a dead artist can put out one of the best record of the year (a double at that), but hearing these songs (most of which I heard for the first time this year) reminded me of what an incredibly talented musician Elliott was. The songs here, many of them throwaways that didn't make the cut for the Either/Or LP, are even stronger than what ended up on his posthumous LP From a Basement On the Hill (which is pretty underrated if you ask me). Unfortunately, 2007's finest moment looks back mostly to work made in 1997, but that's not a surprise to me.

New Moon
Elliott Smith

I'm a sucker for power pop. This is not a flawless record, but every now and then you just need something fun to crank. The Hives have a tendency to just make everyone feel good with their rock and roll antics. It's no different here..

The Black and White Album
The Hives

By any stretch of the imagination, eight years is a long time to wait for a follow-up. Nevertheless, eight years after the groundbreaking Departure in Time and Aril Brikha is still bringing the A game. Granted, some of the songs feel overproduced and in some instances the sound isn't realy moving forward that much, but in holding fast to his roots Brikha manages to make microhouse and techno, sound completely fresh again. Electronic has waned in popularity over the past decade, but this album reminds us how, despite its flaws, it can still be beautifully human.

Ex Machina
Aril Brikha

This newest album is both a departure and return to form. Warn keeps his familiar structure of guitar-based songs centered around a female vocalist surrounded by weird sounds. While the cohesion in most of his albums comes from different sources, goth, soul, Beach Boys, etc. This album charts new ground. I don't know exactly what to call it, but it makes me imagine what would have happened if the U.S. never got an African influence and built upon military songs from the Revolution. That doesn't make sense, but the music does.

Xmmer
His Name is Alive

While most of the indie-centered world listened to Animal Collective, the true DIY scene turned its attention the Collective's violent blood brothers, Iowa based quartet Raccoo-oo-oon and its blissful Behold Secret Kingdom. The blogosphere legends first proper release (after years of cassette and CDr only albums) is a chaotic psych-rock masterpiece worthy of the adoration heaped on it by an ever-growing number of experimental rock enthusiasts. It's the best record no one heard of in 2007.

Behold Secret Kingdome
Raccoo-oo-oon

Young Love is the guilty pleasure artist that actually transcends the guilt. At least, enough to make it on here. Sadly, Too Young to Fight It was a Summer album released in January, and that hurt its dance floor exposure. But that did not keep me from dancing with my wool coat on. Is it a little too much sacharine? Possibly, but we feel it barely makes it on this side of the line, which also makes it one of the best pop albums of the year, whether you are in High School or not.

Too Young to Fight It
Young Love

Sam Beam hasn't entirely been silent since The Woman King EP in 2005, but he did seem to take the time to backpedal a bit to an earlier point in his career. The Shepard's Dog breams with an earnestness and honesty few artists -- even the afore mentioned Elliott Smith -- rarely display. Anyone who saw Beam live in '07 can certainly speak to the emotion he left on stage, and if it is possible, that is the same feeling you are left with after listening to the Shepard's Dog: emotional exhaustion.

The Shepard's Dog
Iron and Wine

28
To describe the raw jams housed on Michael Flower's journey into band territory would just rob the album of its greatest characteristic: the element of surprise. Rock albums, especially by avant musicians, just don't exist these days. Flower has tapped into rock and roll's soul to create an album that defies labeling.

S/T
Michael Flower Band

27
After the death of Rick Danko, his barn burning to the ground, and a long bout with throat cancer, Levon Helm is singing again. And his voice - even not at full strengths, is one of America's national treasures. This set of mostly traditional songs and choice covers is a lesson in why - even now, well into the 21st century, a well played song will never go out of style.

Dirt Farmer
Levon Helm

26
This album will not satisfy the naysayers, or those who hate Jack White for simply being good, but it will treat the fans -- both the Stripes and of good music -- to a fantastic record. If you listen to their albums, and I mean really listen, you will hear classic Jack and Meg and brand new experiments in virtually every song. They take chances and rest on their laurels all at once. And that is something few bands are capable of. To repeat it time and time again, no matter what you think of Jack, that is true talent.

Icky Thump
The White Stripes

25
You could look at Adams' prolificness as a hinderance. So much of his material could be watered down. And if he was a punk rocker, I'd agree with you. But Adams' blend of the blues, country and pop makes his music relevant at all time. Easy Tiger may not stand out from the numerous releases of his over the last three years, but it certainly stands head and shoulders over almost all of the releases that came out this year.

Easy Tiger
Ryan Adams

24
A very impressive album from a band that continues to push itself and challenge its fans. The album opener is one of my favorite songs of the year. Some people have compared their current sound to Lush and the Cocteau Twins (imagine that happening in the band's early days!) but I think Blonde Redhead are doing something a bit different than merely retreading former glories of other bands. On this album, the band have refined how they use different sounds and textures. Here, they are employing synthesizers, strings, warm guitars, and of course, making the most of the lovely voice of Japanese vocalist Kazu Makino.

23
Blonde Redhead

23
If Wilco is selling out by licensing half their catalog to corporate America, are we selling out by including them in our top 50? We've sold out for less I can tell you that. Wilco is the type of group, as are others on this list, that actually have to try to put out a terrible release. Most of their output is solid, different and makes you think. All definitions of a top 25 album, and Sky Blue Sky is no different.

Sky Blue Sky
Wilco

22
Not everyone is in love with Animal Collective. That being said, we were a bit surprised Strawberry Jam didn't end up on this list. But Person Pitch, in all its drugged out psychadelic glory, did. Maybe it is living in Lisbon in a state of permanent Summer, of maybe it really is the drugs, but Panda Bear (one quarter of Animal Collective) hits on a dreamy pop that goes well beyond just the sum of its parts.

Person Pitch
Panda Bear

21
Harmony cannot be over-rated, its importance is far higher than most give it credit for. The magical harmonies between Amy Milan and Torquil Campbell rival anything coming out today, even their Canadian bretheren in the New Pornographers. And really, it is their voices that turn otherwise normal sounding pop songs into something dreamy. Something that makes your eyes well up and yet makes you happy to be alive, all at once. A perfect follow-up to 2005's Set Yourself on Fire.

In Our Bedroom After the War
Stars

20

Cryptograms is one of the most interesting records I've heard this year. It covers a lot of different musical territory, combining a bit of that lo-fi American indie rock sound with Factory Records influences and some nice shoegazer/dream pop elements. There are even some nods to post-rock on offer here. A nice change of pace from all the glossy, over-produced generic pap that's being shoved down our throats these days.

Cryptograms
Deerhunter

19
Truely not a dud on this entire album. Those who claim Editors to be Interpol rip-offs clearly haven't been listening. This is dark pop done at it's finest, with choruses and hooks abound. Though, Editors are smart enough not to lighten their sounds with too many hooks, as first single "Smokers Outside a Hospital Room" does not have a single one. Yet still as dark and dancey as you'd like it to be. Better than The Back Room, this is a great sophmore album.

An End has a Start
Editors

18
One of the rockingest good times of the year. A couple of tracks are slight misses, but what hits! Hits like a bulldozer I might add. We need more of this balls to the wall rock in this day and age, less of the emotional cry-fests we've got going on in indie-rock. Hooray for crashing guitars.

Friend and Foe
Menomena

17
These guys are flat out weird. Whatever the sea change that turned them from simply one of the Elephant 6 bands to one of the more bizarre and danceable indie bands to get popular in quite awhile, I just don't know. But we are the better for it. No matter how prolific Kevin Barnes has become, every album tops the next, and Hissing Fauna... is no different.

Hissing fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Of Montreal

16
Dan Bejar likes to find himself in our top 50. Last year his "other" band the New Pornographers were album of the year. This year his solo project, Destroyer, turns down the pop just a little. Listening to this album makes you want to re-listen to Twin Cinema to guess which songs he wrote.

S/T
Voxtrot

15
In which James Murphy wielded his always impressive compositional skill to the sad, wistful dreamer hiding behind the hipster facade...and discovered actual, brilliant songs.

Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem

14
It wasn't ten years between albums, it was twenty. The last real Dinosaur Jr album was Bug, and this brought back the original lineup of Mascis, Barlow and Murph. Put this on, and remember what heavy, sludgy rock sounded like before MTV played it out.

Beyond
Dinosaur Jr.

13
The Coup put out one of the best hip-hop albums of 2006 with Pick A Bigger Weapon, if not the best. Boots Riley bashes the establishment with large doses of rage tempered by a cutting, cynical sense of humor. Pam The Funktress backs him with a sound that owes as much to seventies soul and funk artists like Curtis Mayfield and George Clinton as it does to the forefather's of hip-hop. It's hard to be both irreverent without sounding preachy, let alone be hilarious at the same time. Marxism never sounded so good.

Reunion Tour
The Weakerthans

12
A former number one from 2005, the Pornographers come back strong with Challengers. Pop music is really hitting a renaissance, and we are not talking about Justin Timberlake and Timberland. Amazing music is not just coming out of Canada, but they do seem to do it better than us. A.C., Neko, Dan and co. are hitting their stride, we can only hope their is still more in the well.

Challengers
New Pornographers

11
Even if you are not a huge Nick Cave fan, this thing is so funky you can feel it dripping off the speakers. Sleazy, bluesy rock and roll in the best manner possible. And it wasn't produced by Timberland, though i bet he wishes it was.

S/T
Grinderman