Chris Piccirillo's Top 10 of 2007

1. Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace The Foo’s have been a favorite of mine for some time now. Their mix of humor, hard rock and dave’s great songwriting was a winning combination. Now with their latest, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, they’ve taken it to the next level. The first thing that strikes me is the tremendous production of this record. It just sounds epic. The dynamics shown on this album, coupled with the terrific playing and writing are a big step forward for the band. Soft acoustic passages contrast with driving guitars and smashing drums and gentle piano. Longer instrumental passages hinting at Taylor’s love for prog abound fill the songs with nuances that will keep the music interested for many listens. The band is truly progressing while retaining its signature sound. Album of the year for me, by a mile. 2. Porcupine Tree - Nil Recurring/Fear of a Blank Planet I have to admit, I wasn’t the biggest PT fan. I liked a few songs here and there (Tinto Brass, Blackest Eyes, Russia On Ice were favs) but it never fully clicked. Enter in Nil Recurring and wow, was I impressed. I wonder if the fact that I had recently “re-discovered” King Crimson opened my ears some, but whatever it was – this band had me hooked. Consider me converted. Mixing metal and atmospherics with tremendous drumming and wonderful vocal melodies this record is a must have. 3. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos Another wonderful release from one of the top prog bands of all time. Dream Theater have found a way to get heavier and crazier as their career marches on, shirking the usual path for hard rock and metal bands. The songs are catchy, intense and varied; the hallmark for a Dream Theater release. The fury of The Dark Eternal Night, the majesty of The Ministry of Lost Souls, the quiet and gorgeous Repentance and not to mention the album’s bookends – In The Presence Of Enemies…a top 3 release for sure. 4. Black Bonzo - Sound Of The Apocalypse This band caught me completely off guard. I had only heard a review on a website mentioning the prog keywords “Mellotron”, “Epic” and “Sweden”…I knew I had to check it out. I was shocked by it’s contents; old school prog with a totally modern edge. Great playing, tremendous songwriting and a throwback from yesteryear without wholesale copying of the prog forefathers. These guys should have a very long and interesting career! Can’t wait for their next CD! 5. Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long Yep, a band like Maroon 5 can make my list. They’re a tremendously talented band; lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Adam Levine can really play as well as write a tight, catchy and interesting pop song. Wide styles abound here, from dancy, 70’s inspired songs to heavier, rockin’ tunes to emotional ballads. Mature pop from a solid act. Plus, your girlfriend will enjoy the change of pace from the long songs and shredding solos. 6. Symphony X - Paradise Lost We were seemingly waiting forever for the X’s latest and well, as the cliché goes, it was well worth the wait. Heavy, majestic and sonically perfect Paradise Lost does not disappoint. The trademark neo-classical guitars and keyboards are there, but they’re thicker, heavier and a lot of the cheese has been cast aside. The musicians in the X are fantastic and it shows. Russel Allen’s vocals are a bit more rough and aggressive, but it works. 7. 3 - The End Is Begun A newcomer to the scene, 3’s debut is a proggy, yet poppy and accessable group of shorter, yet incredibly dense tracks. Shifting thru various styles and emotions, their record captivates the casual listener with its hooks and melodies, while rewarding those who listen repeatedly and intently. Looking forward to what these guys will do with more experience under their belt. 8. Anekdoten - A Time Of Day Anekdoten is one of those bands that have been much talked about and I somehow never got around to hearing, aside from a few tracks here and there. That changed when I picked up A Time of Day when I decided to delve into their discography. Wow, what a descent into beauty, sadness and mellotrons. The eerie and dark edge is tempered with the soothing keyboards and vocals and I’m glad I decided to make the plunge! 9. Paramore - Riot! A new, young pop rock band with a vocalist reminiscent of Coheed & Cambria, these upstarts have released an album full of pop hooks, driving guitars and unabashed fun. Great for driving, running or just getting pumped before a night out. These songs will be in your mind long after turning off the CD. 10. Redemption - The Origin of Ruin Redemption opened for Dream Theater on their summer shed run this spring/summer and put on quite a show. They played a healthy amount of songs from their latest masterpiece. What sets redemption apart from the prog pack would be their lyrical subject matter; very personal and relatable – a far cry from the esoteric and fantasy of their colleagues. Ray’s vocals are strong and the musicians backing him up are solid and know when to really push and shred and when to stay back, allowing the song to come to the forefront. Prog metal with a heart, Redemption’s on a great streak. 3 DVD: 1. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Live At Montreux Ok, it’s vintage Mahavishnu on DVD. What’s not to love?!?! Well, except for the fact that it’s not the “superstar” line up with cobham and friends…but this is top notch fusion for the musicians out there. Great playing and one of the first (if not the first period) uses of a synth guitar live. Reasonably priced and pretty long, this is a great dvd. 2. Incubus - Look Alive A tremendous live band, Incubus has added in some behind the scenes footage along with tour performances to this time capsule. Their new material shines in a live setting and the guys are truly interesting to listen to and watch play. Great musicians in action. 3. Dream Theater - Making of Systematic Chaos An inside look into the world of creating the latest DT album. It came with the Systematic Chaos special edition and is well worth the extra money. It’s great to see how much fun the band still has creating and how they’re genuine and likeable. It’s also disheartening to see how seemingly easy these incredible parts are played and created. I gave up playing music several times while watching this disc. 2 Reissues: 1. U2 - The Joshua Tree (Deluxe Edition) Includes the songs that should have been released the first time! This landmark release should have been a double CD originally, but we’ll take it now, 20 years later. Would like to have seen the songs indexed as they originally wanted to release it, but that’s a minor inconvenience. The songs sound fantastic and are timeless classics in the music world. A must have for any music fan. 2. Genesis - Genesis (CD and DVD) The most underrated (In this reviewers opinion) and maligned CD in genesis’ catalog. This pop-prog masterpiece has stood the test of time with strong songs, great playing and just enough of genesis’ quirky nature to be a classic. Songs you’ve heard countless times on the radio and some you haven’t shine on this reissue. Rediscover the trio era with this gem.