My top five albums of 2007

Stephen Duffy and the Lilac Time
Runout Groove
This album is slower and folkier than most, so you may have to turn down your rapacious thirst for adrenaline just a touch. But what a rewarding listen. All of Duffy’s songwriting skills are evident on this album. You can hear it in “Dream of a Girl”, where a certain chord progression is repeated in a way that makes the whole bridge come together. Not every track works — the clip-cloppy “Until I Kissed Her” lopes when it should trot — but the optimism and gentle humour makes this my album of the year. Hold hands and the sun will shine.

Elliott Smith
New Moon
This was my starting point for Smith’s work, and I’ve gotten everything I could find since. Many of the songs feature only solo acoustic guitar, and Simon-and-Garfunkel-style doubled vocals, but sung like a fragile and haunting whisper. A beautiful collection.

Caribou
Andorra
Dan Snaith’s latest offering blends Caribou’s trademark hyperactive drumming with 60’s sunshine pop and irresistible hooks. Favourite track: Niobe, with its brooding synth and drums that surge and then suddenly subside.

Nick Duffy
The Tree Museum
If you’re a fan of the Lilac Time, you’re fairly obliged to be a fan of bandmate (and Stephen’s brother) Nick Duffy, whose multi-instrumental skill has brought so much to that band’s sound. A most enjoyable ramble.

Radiohead
in Rainbows
Fascinating marketing strategy, but how’s the music? Very good indeed. Much more organic than their ‘Kid A’ period, this album shows a gentler and slightly less paranoid Radiohead. I love “House of Cards” (a lovely love song), and “Nude” (ravishingly beautiful).

Honourable Mention:
radicalfashion
Odori
The track “Ballet” best typefies this album: Sprightly sounds, blended with unexpected jumps, clicks, ambient machine noises, and strange slices. This album is where glitch electronica meets classical.