Posted December 31, 2007
By Matt

1. “Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon,” Devendra Banhart — Seamlessly blending “Love Boat” tropicalia and bacchanalian bong tones, Banhart’s latest is also his most refined. Even the multi-tracked “Cripple Crow” sounds informal by comparison. Although some longtime fans miss the DIY clutter of his early records, on “Smokey…” Banhart finally proves he can deliver cohesion. The LP also has my favorite track of the year: “Seahorses” begins like a guru’s incantation before finally settling into Jim Morrison’s leather pants.

2. “Icky Thump,” White Stripes — The White Stripes last effort, 2005’s “Get Behind Me Satan,” was dominated by piano-driven introspection. For “Icky Thump,” Jack and Meg returned to their dramatic, two-tone ruckus. The title track is Led Zeppelin for the 21st century. On “Rag and Bone,” The Stripes do what they’ve always done best: prove blues-based rock can still be potent — as long as it’s visceral.

3. “Back to Black,” Amy Winehouse — The first time someone played me these tracks I thought they were from an obscure international artist. That’s meant as a compliment. Winehouse went on to join Pete Doherty as favorite fodder for British tabloids — but revisiting the gritty yet accessible music on “Black to Black” shows why people cared about her in the first place. Winehouse’s torch-song vocals are immaculate throughout. A vintage production vibe from Mark Ronson completes the equation.

4. “Sky Blue Sky,” Wilco — Got an afternoon and some good grass to spare? Put on Wilco’s latest acoustic daydream. Sure, “Sky Blue Sky” gets a little sleepy in places, but twisting fretwork from Nils Cline redeems the record. What Jeff Tweedy has lost in vocal burn he’s gained back in melody.

5. “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga,” Spoon — Imagine Wilco’s cut-and-paste reconfiguration of folk rock. Now picture that aesthetic without Jeff Tweedy’s tendency for saccharine self-reference. This is the sound of the latest disc from Spoon, a veteran (and underrated) Austin, Texas outfit. Fantastic maracas.