Guest list: Daniel Hawks . Top 10 Albums of 2007 (in alphabetical order)

I bring back-to-back guest blogging. But when someone gives you an intelligent and well-written list, you can't keep it to yourself. So I am going to let this little light shine - and be sure to tune in to the bottom for appended bonus lists by Daniel.

Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

Beautiful album. I love the "remake" of Martin Dosh's Simple Exercises.

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

The most rambunctious Animal Collective album yet, I would probably put Strawberry Jam between Sung Tongs (#1) and Feels (#3) if I had to rank my favorite AC albums. For Reverend Green, Fireworks , and Derek are standout tracks.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

My friend Noah put it best – if you grade on a scale where 2004's Funeral is a 100, then Neon Bible is an 88. Sounds about right to me… The version of No Cars Go from the Arcade Fire EP is my second favorite Arcade Fire song ( Rebellion (Lies) is #1). The version on Neon Bible is a little tighter and a little less plodding. Still, I'm not sure it's better…

Battles – Mirrored

This was an album that I randomly picked up during a massive shopping day at Amoeba while visiting L.A. I had heard good things about it, but I wasn't sure what to expect. Needless to say, Battles became my soundtrack for the trip, and rarely left the CD player in my rental car – it is an awesome driving album!

Beirut - Lon Gisland/Flying Club Cup

I was really worried how Beirut was going to follow up his spectacular 2006 release, The Gulag Orkestar . The Lon Gisland EP came first in 2007, but I saw it as a sort of companion piece to Gulag Orkestar – so I was still worried about "the next album." My fears were put to rest the first time I heard Flying Club Cup. The style is completely different from Gulag Orkestar, yet refreshingly familiar. Now my only fear with Beirut is that I'm going to find his album for sale in the Starbucks checkout line. He could definitely have "crossover appeal."

Broken Social Scene Presents…Kevin Drew - Spirit If

I thought the whole "Broken Social Scene Presents…" labeling of this album was a bit ridiculous – until I actually listened to Spirit If. If it features most (if not all?) of the BSS members, and it sounds like BSS, then just call it Broken Social Scene! Whatever…

Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur

This is a very pretty sounding album. I love the guest vocals by Patrick Watson (Canada's Jeff Buckley!). His album Close to Paradise (2006), is also fantastic – and it won the Polaris Music Prize (Canada's version of the Mercury Prize), beating out Arcade Fire, Besnard Lakes, and Feist among others.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver/45:33

45:33 was originally created as an iTunes mix for Nike, "to reward and push at good intervals of a run." That sounds retarded to me, and sells the music short. It's available on CD now. Both albums are great for a social gathering.

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?/Icons, Abstract Thee

Fun, crazy music that makes you want to sing along and dance. Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider from Hissing Fauna features my favorite lyric of 2007:

"Eva, / I'm sorry, / but you will never have me. / To me you're just some faggy girl, / and I need a lover with Soul Power."

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Judging by In Rainbows and Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album The Eraser , it seems like Radiohead is getting back to being a more traditional Rock Band (see: The Bends, OK Computer), and the hums and clicks will be reserved for solo projects. I am all for it.

Price paid: About $8 US (and I will probably buy it again on CD)

Albums that did not live up to expectations

Avey Tare and Kria Brekkan - Pullhair Rubeye

Clap Your Hands - Some Loud Thunder

Feist - The Reminder

New Pornographers - Challengers

Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight

Most overrated (but good) albums

M.I.A. - Kala

Panda Bear - Person Pitch