Top Albums of 2007 That Should Have Been Great, But Weren’t
#5) The Chemical Brothers We Are the Night (album review)
Long since past is the time when The Chemical Brothers delivered their “Block Rockin’ Beats” but 2007 developed as a year in which electronic artists were given their window of opportunity back into mainstream pop music. Veteran acts such as Cassius released new material to critical praise, Justice and Simian Mobile Disco gained strong international success and Daft Punk (simply from the surrounding praise from a few select live shows) was one of the most popular acts of the year. And even with all of the opportunity to succeed, The Chemical Brothers put out an album that was, at best, mediocre. A discussion with a friend during the summer lead us to conclude that the duo was content with their career, and was simply putting music out to have a little bit of fun. But even with that, I don’t see the sense in resting an album’s success on the shoulders of a single that attempts to utilize Fat Lip. That doesn’t seem like fun for anybody.
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#4) Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare
Though the group’s first album was released in America with scattered results it was widely believed that the band’s second effort would utilize the still-fresh hype the band had, catapulting the Monkeys into the spotlight. And while the band played sold out shows in 1000+ capacity venues, the album never fully caught on, again, like it did in the UK. The furious “Brainstorm” made a brief impact in terms of US radio play while the album’s other singles “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “Teddy Picker” received hardly any recognition at all. Compared to the band’s status in the UK, their release it the US was a flop.
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#3) Beastie Boys The Mix-Up
The Beastie Boys can typically do no wrong when it comes to going out on a limb with their career. The group has gone from Bowery punk sensationalists to drunken party rappers to a forward thinking hip hop troupe to Tibetan-monk loving introspectionists…and their fans haven’t lost touch. With that, releasing an album showcasing the Boys as an instrumental band, an aspect of the group that has popped up in various albums throughout the past two decades, seemed likely to succeed…as on the whole, their instrumental tracks have all historically been gazed upon lovingly.
“The Rat Cage” and “Off The Grid” were both released via video form on the band’s blog, both songs sounding fantastic and both videos showcasing the same sense of vintage snarkiness that made “Sabotage” famous. Unfortunately the rest of the album was entirely bi-polar, each track seemingly drawing from different genres and influences – stripping the entire album of any solid flow. The Mix Up doesn’t sound like a bad idea on the surface, but uncharacteristically, the effort just doesn’t seem there; the proof is in the album’s ten mediocre tracks that failed to come close to the first two teasers.
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#2) Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist (live performance review)
Given the overwhelming pre-release build up that the “reunited” Smashing Pumpkins had going for them Billy Corgan and crew could have put out a ho-hum album and received nothing but praise, or so one might have thought. “Tarantula” flooded airwaves prior to the album’s release and Zeitgeist (even if every track were to be on pace with the single) appeared on the surface as something that would appeal to those who had brushed Corgan off as a relic from the ’90s. As it turned out Zeitgeist was in fact, as a hole, mediocre and it really didn’t garner the praise it seemed destined for.
Reprise Records then made agreements with iTunes, Best Buy and Target among others so that each retailer would give an exclusive track, album cover or track listing with their release, infuriating fans and causing many to give up hope on the band before the album even hit shelves. All that and one of the album’s best tracks, “Gossamer,” failed to appear on any of the albums…from any retailer…at all.
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#1) 50 Cent Curtis
The verbal battle between 50 Cent and Kanye West leading up to the week of their respective albums’ releases was fantastic in terms of media exposure, both sides touting that they would sell the most records in the debut week, both sides guaranteeing the victory. Never before has a publicity stunt been pulled like this, especially so considering that 50 Cent went on record, speaking of himself in the third person saying, “If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I’ll no longer write music. I’ll write music and work with my other artists, but I won’t put out anymore solo albums.” But after Kanye dominated 50 in album sales Curtis took his remarks back – noting that it is “impossible” for rappers to quit rapping. Proof, however, that there indeed comes a time when rappers should quit rapping: Curtis.
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I agree with the Smashing Pumpkins album being a giant let down. It has its moments but is just missing something that previous Pumpkins albums had. Maybe it’s because James and Darcy/Mellisa aren’t there any more or maybe Billy is just starting to lose the touch with age.
I like various tracks on it, but even taking all consideration for the pre-release hype out of the equation…it’s bland as a whole. “We Are Starz”…sounds good once, but even as it gets to the end of the first listen it begins to gain feeling as a song that should never have been recorded.
I agree with the list 100%
i actually MUCH much prefer the 2nd Arctic Monkeys to the first.
it doesn’t have the annoying production that plagued the first either.
Oh how that Chemical Bros. album sucked the BIG one. FAT LIP??? What the fuck were they thinking. It totally let me down.
Nice list!
While everyone else did the same-old, same-old, the Beastie Boys put out something totally fresh, unlike anything anyone has produced. I love hearing all the influences in the songs on “The Mix-Up” — funk, Northern soul, psychedelic, jazz, dub reggae. I love the unusual and vintage instruments they used to make the album. The production on the album is crazy-wild. “The Mix-Up,” however, is not for everyone. I would recommend it to musicheads — people who love and appreciate all kinds of music. It takes an educated ear to appreciate what’s in a Beastie Boys song. It also takes time to appreciate. Consider what the critics said about “Paul’s Boutique” when it was released, and then read what critics say about “Paul’s Boutique” now. Failure then, masterpiece now. I suspect you didn’t listen to the album more than once or twice.
H.S. – I very much appreciate your time spent on expressing your ideas…that above all is what I value here – communication. But..”
It takes an educated ear to appreciate what’s in a Beastie Boys song.”? The same can be said for Mayhem, early 18th century choir hymns or just the god damned blues. The album isn’t as good as I want it to be, no matter which way I listen to it.
Missing here is Timbaland’s Shock Value. That album had so much more potential coming off his insane mega-run of Cry Me a River / Dirt Off Your Shoulder on through his production for TImberlake on his latest. The album should have been a killer.
I don’t find the Smashing Pumpkins album to be a let down at all. I actually think it’s one of their best albums, but I’ve never been in the mainstream of Smashing Pumpkins albums.
Good list, I only really disagree with Arctic Monkeys, I actually was pleasantly surprised by it. One that is missing is the Voxtrot album, coulda shoulda woulda….
As a hardcore Smashing Pumpkins fan, I am outraged!
Not at you, but them – yes, the CD wasn’t as bad as Corgan’s amazingly awful solo disc, but it did not live up to the hype. And to give them the benefit of the doubt, how in the world can you top Gish, Siamese Dream or Melanchollie????!?
David – It should have been better, and I still enjoy The Way You Is, or whatever that song is called, but have to agree – it was pretty lousy!
Y’know Joe – I agree…I hadn’t heard Voxtrot’s EPs and whatnot before diving into this album, and I found it…well…bland. It wasn’t horrible, but nothing really stood out. Then there was a bit of fall out because of some words the singer had for some blogger types and for whatever reason that left a bad taste in my mouth. Don’t think I’d ever care to revisit it…and that’s something I can’t say about the Pumpkins album, which is weird of me to say…I think it’s because I’ve been a fan for such a long time and it’s my hope that I’ll find something new with each listen (unfortunately though, this hasn’t been the case).
Chris – A lady I was seeing a while back stood by her stance that there was no real reason to check out their new material because it’ll never be as good as Gish. If only I had listened…if only…
This list is terrible. can’t argue with the chemical brothers, but the rest of list is awful.
Arctic Monkeys album is a worthy sophomore effort.
A Beastie Boys album without lyrics can’t be expected to be more then a side project.
I don’t think anyone thought the new pumpkins album would ever live up to there previous good material.
And everyone and there mother saw curtis being terrible a mile away.
no disrepect, just don’t agree.
I like this list, but I think my year’s biggest disappointments were Modest Mouse, Interpol and Bjork.
Charlie – Bjork was one I should have really put in…probably shoulda swapped Bjork with Arctic Monkeys, but such is life…what’s done is done
Matt – which albums should be on the list?
ok in retrospect, i change my mind about the pumpkins, they are list worthy. but for sake of argument i will leave them off my list.
5. Talib Kweli
4. Kaiser Chiefs
3. Interpol
2. Foo Fighters
1. Chemical Brothers
Other notable disappointments:
Bjork, The Stooges, The Pumpkins, Common
I actually got what I expected from the Pumpkins album – just wished also that it contained “Gossamer” but also “Stellar.” That one could’ve made the Adore album it’s so impressive. Too bad it’s only available on one of the million iTunes or Target or whatever pressings on the Zeitgeist disc.
In all, I found only a couple tracks on that album to be almost unlistenable after the first listen: “For God And Country” and “United States.” But that’s only because the live versions are so much better than the album versions.
Other than that, there’s probably another boring or generic number or two on Zeitgest, but the rest of it is really good, especially “That’s The Way,” “Tarantula,” “Doomsday Clock,” “Bring The Light,” “Pomp & Circumstances,” and “Bleeding The Orchid.”
I think everybody had too high expectations from the Pumpkins version 2.0. You weren’t going to get Siamese Dream II or MCIS reduxe from Billy & Jimmy at this state in their careers, let’s face it.
Sure, Zeitgeist could have been a bit more dynamic, as it rocks a bit too hard at times. But including some of those good b-sides and bonus tracks on the regular track list could have taken care of that issue.
The album’s had three songs played on modern rock radio already (in less than 6 months!), so it can’t be that bad. And some hardcore Pumpkins friends of mine argue that “Bring The Light” should be a single. I agree. “Stars” was meant for radio as well (even if the lyrics aren’t so great).
Sure, Billy’s lyrics on Zeitgeist as a whole aren’t the strongest of his career, but he’s had a pretty prolific songwriting career. Not everybody can be Springsteen or Dylan.
Matt: Ahhh, see: we can agree. Though we disagree too…
I actually think the Talib album is fairly alright…not even in my top 5 hip hop releases for the year, but I don’t know that there was near as much of a let down in terms of that album compared to…say…Common’s record. Kaiser Chiefs was a let down, certainly…as was Bjork, but I can’t say that I thought I’d care for Interpol’s record going into it. I like a track here and there, but the band is fairly blah…
Chucko: Can’t say that I agree with your take that having airplay makes an album successful, but I enjoy your sentiments aside from that.
I will nominate a couple more for the list…Bloc Party and Ted Leo.
Both albums start pretty strong…but just slowly die throughout the rest of the album.
Leo especially was one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me – especially after the addition of a second guitarist made me excited for the potential of a more “Tyranny Of Distance” type album. .
I didn’t like the Leo album at all, but for the most part I really enjoyed the Bloc Party release…it did fade slightly, but I wouldn’t call it disappointing by any means.