5 Most Surprising Albums of 2007

As the year comes to an end and this blog comes to a start I've got the five albums that surprised me most this year. The are not my five best albums of the year, but in a nutshell, the five albums that I didn't expect much from, yet blew me away.

Starting at numero cinco...

5.
The Almost- Southern Weather


Tampa Bay, FL
Label: Tooth & Nail/ Virgin Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/thealmost
Genre: Alternative Rock

Yes, I know there was the high anticipation, a huge promotion and whatnot for this album. Not to mention, it is Aaron Gillespie. But I honestly didn't expect the gargantuan eruption that came with this album. Every single song on this album stuck to me like chewing gum. And after moving from the sunny west coast to Virginia, I myself now know a thing or two about southern weather.

4.
The Send- Cosmos


Albany, OR
Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/thesend
Genre: Alternative Rock

The debut madness continues. This album, very similar to Southern Weather. Both albums side projects, the one difference being that Joe Kisselburg (The Send) left his band, Aaron Gillespie (The Almost) did not. Unlike Southern Weather there was very little anticipation and not much of a promotion for this album. But I'll tell you what, it's freaking amazing. Like The Almost's record I didn't expect this album to carry the punch that it did. To be honest, I was quite disappointed when I found out that Joe Kisselburg had left Falling Up because he was such a staple to the band. But given the direction Falling Up is taking their music, and how successful this album was, I think it's safe to say that as 'bittersweet' as leaving Falling Up was, he made the right move.

3.
12 Stones- Anthem For The Underdog


New Orleans, LA
Label: Wind-Up Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/12stones
Genre: Rock

After being unseen or unheard from for several years, the now resurrected 12 Stones just spontaneously shows up and throws out a jaw-dropping album. One thing I really liked 12 Stones for, is they never change their style much like some other bands do. You pretty much always know what 'sound' to expect from them. What I didn't expect was their rebirth to be this epic. Just a great album with that same pure rock sound that we heard on their previous releases. I also really digged the albums theme/ title 'Anthem For The Underdog'. I've always been a sucker for the underdog, especially in sports. Last year's Golden State Warriors in the NBA Playoffs, Boise State in the 06' Fiesta Bowl, and just out of respect for a few people I know attending USC and a few friends of mine who are Wolverine fans, I won't mention Appalachian State or Standford. But I'll be singing that song once again for this year's Sugar Bowl.

2.
TobyMac- Portable Sounds


Nashville, TN
Label: Forefront Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/tobymac
Genre: Hip-Hop/ Rock

TobyMac?.... What? No, this doesn't mean I am a big fan of TobyMac. But I'll tell you what, this album blew the bejesus out of me. I still don't care much for his musical style, but the guy is a freaking genius. The layers and assortment of instruments and sounds just blew me away. This is just an unbelievably well put-together album. I really don't know how to describe it. Just go buy it.

1.
Kids In The Way- A Love Hate Masquerade


Indianapolis, IN
Label: Flicker Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/kidsintheway
Genre: Rock

So I saw Kids In The Way live in Monterey, California (Spirit West Coast to be exact), and they were just babbling on for awhile about how everyone should go buy their 'Apparitions of Melody' album. They even went as far as to beg us to get it. And I really got kind of sick of their whining. I know bands don't make much money and big festivals like SWC is really their chance to promote and haul in their load from the bakery, but one of the reasons why I was annoyed was that I had already heard the album and really wasn't that impressed. So they shut up for a year or so and boom (excuse the John Madden-like expression), they drop 'A Love Hate Masquerade'. No big promotion or anything. Not even a single MySpace bulletin saying "Hey, go buy our new album!" I had heard about it, but nobody was really talking about it. Just very under the radar. I picked it up not expecting much more than what I got from 'Apparitions of Melody' and I was simply amazed. I wouldn't go as far as saying it's one of the best albums of the year, but it's undoubtedly the biggest improvement by a band. After their debut album, Safe From A Loosing Fight, Kids In The Way seems to turn away from that raw punk sound, and in Apparitions of Melody got a little heavier. This album is a bit different from both. Not much screaming going on, if any at all, and a little less emo than their last album. However, it's much more musically sound than either of their other records. Even after its release I still feel like it's either underrated or just unheard of. But 'A Love Hate Masquerade' has definitely been a giant leap... Not step, leap... for Kids In The Way.


Those are my biggest surprise albums of the year. I'll try and get around to posting my best and worst albums of the year soon. Peace.