Soundcheck

From Monday, Dec. 17 through Friday, Dec. 21, Soundcheck presents "Critics Week," a series highlighting the best and worst of music in the year 2007. Host John Schaefer is joined by music critics to discuss the year’s best- and worst- albums in pop, hip-hop, classical, opera, rock, jazz, world and Latin.

John Schaefer's Best of 2007 Albums
Jamie T: Panic Prevention
New Pornographers: Challengers
Okkervil River: The Stage Names
The National: Boxer
John Doe: A Year In the Wilderness
Art Brut: It’s A Bit Complicated
Osvaldo Golijov: Oceana
Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
Beirut: Flying Club Cup
The Bad Plus: Prog

The Winners of Soundcheck’s 2007 Listener Poll Are…
Best Pop Album: Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”
Best Classical Album: Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians performed by the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble
Best Rock Album: Radiohead, “In Rainbows”
Best World Music Album: Manu Chao, “La Radiolina”

Business and Tech Stories of 2007

Soundcheck

December 21, 2007

Wired magazine columnist Eliot Van Buskirk shares the business and technology developments that drove the music industry in 2007.

Eliot Van Buskirk's top stories of 2007 (with help from readers of his blog, Listening Post)

- Radiohead's "In Rainbows" release

- Two major labels moved away from digital-rights management

- New royalty rates for Internet radio stir controversy

- The rise of ad-supported and sponsored music

- The dawn of the age of the connected music player

- The so-called "360 degree" record deal

- Album sales really drop off

- RIAA steps up campaign against file sharers, wins court victory

- Universal Music Group CEO reveals perplexing digital strategy [from Wired profile by Seth Mnookin]

- The return and re-imagining of the music video

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The Worst of 2007

Soundcheck

December 21, 2007

Chicago Sun Times music critic Jim DeRogatis offers his irreverent look at the worst and most overrated albums of 2007. Also: we unveil the results of the Soundcheck listener poll.

Jim DeRogatis' list of the year's worst albums.

The Stooges, The Weirdness

Feist, The Reminder

Bjork, Volta

The Eagles, The Long Run

Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight

MIA, Kala

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World Music: The Best of 2007

Soundcheck

December 20, 2007

Boston Globe contributor and WNYC reporter Siddhartha Mitter shares his best of the year in world music.

Siddhartha Mitter's favorite albums of 2007

Various artists, What’s Happening in Pernambuco (Luaka Bop)

Erol Josué, Régleman (Mi5)

Andy Palacio, Watina (Cumbancha)

DJ Rekha, Basement Bhangra (Koch)

Tabu Ley Rochereau, The Voice of Lightness: Congo Classics 1961-77 (Sterns Africa)

Kiran Ahluwalia, Wanderlust (Times Square)

Youssou N’Dour, Rokku Mi Rokka (Nonesuch)

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Latin Music: The Best of 2007

Soundcheck

December 20, 2007

Sandra Guzman, editor of Tempo, the Latino section of The New York Post, offers her favorite Latin albums of the year.

Sandra Guzman's favorite albums of 2007:

Marc Anthony - El Cantante

Ibrahim Ferrer - Mi Sueno

CeU - CeU

Don Omar – King of Kings

Manu Chao - Radiolina

B-Side Players - Fire in The Youth

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Rock Music: The Best of 2007

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December 19, 2007

Pitchfork Media founding editor Ryan Schreiber weighs in the best rock albums of 2007.

Ryan Schreiber's top 10 albums of 2007:

1. Panda Bear, Person Pitch

2. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver

3. Deerhunter, Cryptograms

4. The Field, From Here We Go Sublime

5. Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

6. Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam

7. Dan Deacon, Spiderman of the Rings

8. Dirty Projectors, Rise Above

9. Grizzly Bear, Friend EP

10. Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala

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Jazz: The Best of 2007

Soundcheck

December 19, 2007

Will Layman, a jazz critic for Pop Matters and other publications, shares his favorite albums of 2007.

Will Layman's top albums of the year

Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters

Robert Glasper, In My Element

Kenny Werner, Lawn Chair Society

Terence Blanchard, A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)

Chris Potter, Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard

Nels Cline Singers, Draw Breath

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Classical Music: The Best of 2007

Soundcheck

December 18, 2007

Anne Midgette, the interim chief classical music critic of the Washington Post, shares her favorite recordings of 2007.

Anne Midgette's top albums of 2007 list (in no particular order)
Bach: Goldberg Variations; Simone Dinnerstein, piano (Telarc)

Reich: Music for 18 Musicians; Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble (Innova)

Stockhausen: Stimmung; Theater of Voices; Paul Hillier, director (Harmonia Mundi France)

Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 1-9; Russian National Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, conductor

"Arie di Bravura"; Diana Damrau, soprano (Virgin)

"Revelation"; Michael Harrison, piano (Cantaloupe)

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Soundcheck's Picks of 2007

Soundcheck

December 17, 2007

The Soundcheck staff weighs in with their favorite recordings of the year.

Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, Mahler Symphony No. 5
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
[Brian Wise]

Andy Palácio and the Garifuna Collective, Wátina
[Gisele Regatao]

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
[Joel Meyer]

Jamie T, Panic Prevention
[John Schaefer]

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Pop Music: Best of 2007

Soundcheck

December 17, 2007

Jay-Z rode the coattails of an "American Gangster." Sanjaya overstayed his welcome on "American Idol." And the industry's high anxiety over the future of music got, well, higher. Soundcheck kicks off "Critics Week" with a recap of pop music in 2007. We talk with Ann Powers, chief pop music critic at the Los Angeles Times.

Ann Powers' top albums of 2007 list (listed in no particular order)

Sharon Jones, 100 Days 100 Nights

LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver

The Bird and the Bee, The Bird and the Bee

Radiohead, In Rainbows

MIA, Kala

PJ Harvey, White Chalk

Robin Thicke, The Evolution of Robin Thicke

Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Lil Wayne [various mixtapes and appearances]

Patty Griffin, Children Running Through

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