10 2007 Records you May not have heard(And Should totally Check out)

These are not in a quality order, they are all pretty bad ass.

1. Blockhead - Uncle Tony's Coloring Book.
DJ record from Aesop Rock's producer. It's a lot stranger than they typical fare, but the beats are more than solid. His sampling of high pitch girly voices somehow manages to fuse creepy and soothing in a really interesting way. Not really the kind of record you throw on at a party for people to dance to, but it's great in a dark room by yourself.

2. Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons - Little Bird
What you got here is some totally sweet soul sounds. It shouldn't really work, but it does, spectacularly. Chisel's voice is magnificently expressive, and the simple but beautiful music backs him perfectly. The songs range from depressing to exuberant, and not one comes off as contrived.

3. Field Music - Tones of Town
I dunno how unknown this really is, but it is really great! It's simple pop tunes with some hidden complexity. They've been compared to that band who didn't really make anything of themselves, the Futureheads, but they're really way better. They blend synths and some pretty great harmonies with the classic drums guitar nonsense to make tunes that will have you tapping your toe for sure.

4. The Lucksmiths - Spring a Leak
I am not sure this counts, since it's a B-sides collection, but it's awesome, if you like Indie-Pop(I totally do.) 2 Discs of live tracks and unreleased songs, all of which perfectly showcase the combination of feelings and funny that the band does so well. It has an annoying way of being put on for one song and somehow staying on for the entire 2 hour play time. But it's worth letting them carry you away, I think.

5. Rachel Harrington - The Bootlegger's Daughter
I like country music! Do you like country music? You should, especially when it's this good. This girl has a literally perfect country voice, and the fiddles and mandolins backing her are pitch perfect. It's kind of like listening to an early Loretta Lynn record, without the Loretta Lynneyness. There's just enough of an occasional rock twinge to keep it separate from the pack.

6. Richard Swift - Dressed Up for the Letdown
I saw David Vandervelde(Who isn't on this list only because he made one of my top 10 of the year) open for this guy a while back, and I didn't appreciate it enough at the time. I had to leave after 2 songs to make my last train, and downloaded the record later on a whim. I've been kicking myself for leaving ever since. The music is kind of like hopped up lounge stuff, spectacular piano over drums and Swift's distinctive voice. Songs of National Freedom is one of my favorite tracks of the year.

7. Videohippos - Unbeast the Leash
I just heard this for the first time a couple days ago, and I'm pretty well hooked. It's that same electronic pop stuff that is all over the indie kid radar right now, with a little bit of an edge. The beats are infinitely danceable, but the darker tone of the songs kind of puts you out of the mood. Random distortion and vocal filters round it out. It makes you tap your toes, but kind of feel guilty about it?

8. Times New Viking - Present the Paisley Reich
This record will straight up kick your ass. It's super lo-fi, to the point that the existence of drum tracks is basically a complete matter of faith at least half the time. They cover for it pretty well though, with surprisingly catchy pop punk songs buried in layers and layers of fuzz. Plus the guitar lines just kick the shit out of everything in their path. It is a really easy record to write off immediately based on high pitched vocals and the aforementioned fuzz. But if you stick with it, it pays off.

9. The 1900's - Cold and Kind
I may like this record more than it deserves. It is really just very simple, very straightforward indie pop. But for some reason, I can't stop listening to it. It could be the effortless beauty in the harmonies of the three singers. It could be the sweetly poignant lyrics. It could be that I am just a total sucker for this kind of thing! Either way, this record has just grown on me more and more since I first heard it.

10. Husky Rescue - Ghost is Not Real
This record is kind of a relic from early in the year. But it's wonderful, so it is worth mentioning. It's hella spooky, but it's also hella pretty? It kind of reminds me a little bit of a less obviously poppy version of the new His Name Is Alive record, but better? The vocal filters on some of the tracks are literally haunting, and the overall feel of the record is as well. It's basically the sound track of a movie about moving very slowly through a house that may or may not be haunted, but you'd better believe none of the lights work.

There are a bunch more records that have been overlooked this year, and I am sure I am forgetting some other ones that I totally loved when they first leaked back in like, January, but this will do for now. Those are all good records! You should listen to all of them!