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“Time” Spent 2007 In Rehab

51KKXi6JM5L._AA240_.jpgTime was so smitten by the Amy Winehouse that makes music–rather than the Amy Winehouse that fuels gossip rags–that they went ahead and named Back To Black and “Rehab” the best album and best single of 2007. As for the rest of the mag’s 2007 faves, Time’s all-things-to-all-people approach to listmaking means these are probably the most self-consciously “eclectic” lists so far, making sure to squeeze in one hip-hop pick, one teenpop record, one radio rock staple, etc. Both of the Top 10s are after the jump, but here are a few thoughts on the magazine’s non-Winehouse choices.

THE GOOD: Tokenistic Time offers little in the way of curveballs, but it’s still kinda weird (in the good way) to think that the electronic prog of Battles’ Mirrored is getting play in the magazine of choice for your more staid medical/dental waiting rooms.
THE BAD: We refuse to believe there weren’t three better rock songs released this year than a Radiohead album cut, “Hey There Delilah,” and something by the Fratellis. Anyone? Help us out here.
THE WHAAAA? We were gonna start bitching about Feist showing up in both the singles (at No. 2!) and albums list (at No. 3!), but then we clicked on the embedded YouTube link for “1-2-3-4″ and before you knew it we were curled up and drooling on the keyboard with visions of shiny unitards dancing in our heads.

Albums
1. Amy Winehouse, Back To Black
2. Radiohead, In Rainbows
3. Feist, The Reminder
4. Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
5. LCD Soundsystem, Sound Of Silver
6. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
7. Battles, Mirrored
8. Robert Plant And Allison Krauss, Raising Sand
9. M.I.A., Kala
10. Kanye West, Graduation

Songs
1. Amy Winehouse, “Rehab”
2. Feist, “1-2-3-4″
3. Rihanna, “Umbrella”
4. LCD Soundsystem, “All My Friends”
5. Radiohead, “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”
6. 50 Cent, “I Get Money”
7. Plain White T’s, “Hey There Delilah”
8. Manu Chao, “Me Llaman Calle”
9. Aly And AJ, “Potential Breakup Song”
10. The Fratellis, “Baby Fratelli”

 
By jharv at 5:10 AM on Mon Dec 10 2007
Posted to: ,
  • angshu

    I don't reckon Amy Winehouse is the fireball young talent that the drooling student brigade periodically make her out to be, but Ronson - times have changed, eh, we don't need prompting to think of Mark, and not Mick, these days - has done a cracking job at putting some serious punch into the sound.


    Something possessed me to watch her Live in London DVD recently and I'm struck by how much lamer everything sounds with ye olde generic R&B backing band.


    I look forward to future Ronson-Winehouse combinations for ear candy, though I dread her impending self-destruction or, worse, her setting off on her own again.


    She's no bandleader and, in the auteur-centric world of rock 'n' roll which she seems to be working in - as opposed to being a link in the hitmaking chain a la Motown - she might well crash and burn if she doesn't have someone with brains at the helm.


    A shame.

  • drjimmy11

    this is actually a pretty good list, miles better than most of the self-conscious indie lists. The only real embarrassments are 50 Cent and of course Winehouse.

  • drjimmy11

    @Airsank: Another description would be it's music for people that actually like music more than they like proving how hip they are.


    it's not great, but it's the offspring of Mozart and Led Zeppelin compared to awful awful awful shit like Tv on the Radio.

  • Airsank

    @SuperUnison: That's the greatest description of Fiest I've ever heard. The second greatest being that its music for people who have always wanted to shop at American Apparel but always seem to get intimidated by its hipster-ness and go back to shopping at the Gap.

  • Tracer Hand

    Yeah, the Lambert album is probably my favourite of this group. I'm looking forward to the Plant/Krauss album for Christmas!


    Good list!

  • mishaps

    Have Kiki and Herb released their cover of "Rehab" yet? Because you know that's the one to have.

  • Anonymous

    The Time album list isn't noticeably different from all the Best Of blog lists floating around. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the Time writers got the candidates for their list.

  • dollywould

    Aw, I'm happy for Miranda. I got to attend her showcase in Austin in 2004, and she was a sweetheart. She also kicks ass live. I've been a fan ever since.

  • Anonymous

    @Airsank: You mean 5 years too old and 10 pounds too heavy to shop at American Apparel.

  • Anonymous

    @GovernmentNames: "Teenpop" may be two words, but, in the interest of avoiding trademark probs, "poptart" is one.

  • Anonymous

    Rehab... from the true soul of the present day queen of

    substance abuse.


    Too sad, that history may repeat itself soon with Amy not only following Janis Joplin in heart of the song but the


    "pleased to meet you" destruction mode that introduces itself to so many artists.

  • The Notorious T

    @SuperUnison: I profoundly disagree, but that description was f-ing terrific.

  • AL

    I think this might actually be the best top 10 albums list we've seen so far.

  • The Illiterate

    @kityglitr: I know this could be taken as pure heresy, but, compared to Winehouse, not only is Sharon Jones "not a junkie, anorexic, or white", she's also not as good a singer. There, I said it, and I'm glad.

  • Al Shipley

    I'm just gonna keep saying this every time someone uses the phrase: "teenpop" is not one word.

    Also, their Radiohead pick actually is the single, not an album cut (not that I'd be able to tell the difference).

  • SuperUnison

    I'm profoundly sick of the Feist record, it's totally aimed at people who like NPR but aren't smart enough to discuss anything they hear on it.


    Otherwise, this list is only about half as much of a clusterfuck than I was imagining it would be.

  • extracrispy

    I have to say this is a pretty solid list of music that made a impact this year. "Rehab" was undeniably the "Crazy" of 2007.

  • SteveHy

    Ronson "stole" The Dap-Kings from Sharon Jones? That's funny, they helped Sharon rock the house in my town just a few weeks ago. Sharon Jones is great, and "Back To Black" is great. What's frustrating about Amy Winehouse is how everything else about her obscures the latter.

  • iantenna

    awright, i'm gonna be to spoon what barbara lee was to the war in afghanistan? that record was boring people.

  • kityglitr

    I am not a friend of the Ronson anymore. He stole the Dap Kings away to make little Amy's album and now she gets 6 Grammy nods. Why not just save yourself the frustration of thinking Amy will ever get better and just go see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings? Oh, wait. I remember, Sharon Jones is not a junkie, anorexic, or white.

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