Best Indie Rock Albums of 2007

Here are some of the independent bands that tried to push the envelope a bit with their style of music. It's hard to find the good stuff ladies and gentlemen. You just have to take the time to look!

1.) Scream and Light Up the Sky - The Honorary Title
The Honorary Title hail from Brooklyn New York and have the depth and songwriting chops to finally bring some substance to the world of emo. The disc has an updated 80's rock sound led by the plaintiff vocals of Jarrod Gorbel. The layered harmonies and vocals of "Stay Away" will have the listener floating. The Honorary Title is a classic indie pop band and their melodies will have you screaming and lighting up the sky in no time!

2.) Kennedy for President - Kennedy
Take Beck and mix him with Napoleon Dynamite and add a love for disco and you have Kennedy. Kennedy does not look old enough to have lived through the disco era but on his disc he will make you a believer in polyester pants and butterfly collars. Kennedy also raised eyebrows with the video for the song "Your Mama". The tune, an ode to hot looking mothers everywhere, was the You Tube video of the summer. He brings the disco/funk to the table with songs like "Karate", Let it Out", and "Mama Made Me A Pimp". Kennedy may have a thing for moms and you may have something for Kennedy when you check out his disc.

3.) The Undisputed Truth - Brother Ali
Brother Ali is the albino Muslim rapper coming out of the Rhymesayers camp with a ton of soul and a slew of funky beats thanks to Atmosphere dj ANT. Ali is a skilled and adept lyricist and on the Undisputed Truth he pulls no punches. He rhymes about his divorce, his thoughts of suicide and the love he has for his seven year old son. With a cadence that harkens back to early (and good) Ice Cube, Brother Ali is a serious contender in the world of indie rap and beyond.

4.) Hi-Fi Handgrenades - Hi-Fi Handgrenades
If you are looking for the type of punk rock The Descendants and The Replacements used to make then check out this new group from Detroit. Hi-Fi Handgrenades hail form the motor city and have the punk rock credentials to back up their full speed ahead "ready, set, go" brand of melodic punk. The players in the band are ex-members of critically acclaimed acts (Suicide Machines, The Fags) which explains the level of musicianship displayed on their EP. Tunes like "Heart of Steel" and "Carry On" come at you at a breakneck pace but the band couples their heavy sound with real melodies thanks to the ragged vocals of John Speck. A word to the wise, this EP maybe out of print but stay tuned for the groups full length disc in 2008 and catch them on tour with The Foo Fighters and Against Me!

5.) As Cruel As School Children - Gym Class Heroes
The Gym Class Heroes are a live rap group from upstate New York and have done something remarkable on their latest disc. They actually have managed to bring the fun back in hip-hop! The quartet use live instruments and vamp on such themes as love won and lost on the internet ("New Friend Request") hooking up with your high school teachers ("Scandalous Scholastics") and just having a good time ("Clothes Off"). The band first single "Cupid's Chokehold" even interprets the Supertramp tune Breakfast in America. The group has a fanbase that is two parts hip-hop and one part emo thanks in no small part to their recent tour and affiliation with Fall Out Boy. Get this disc in your hip-hop collection or wait, because in early '08 the group will re-release "As Cruel As School Children" as a mash-up disc. Their tunes will be mashed-up with the hits of Hall and Oates! The fun never ends with these Gym Class Heroes.

6.) 11:11- Mac Lethal
Mac Lethal might be the most unlikely rapper you have seen in a long time! He is a balding white mc who has skills for days on the mike and he is ready to dis anyone that crosses his path. His debut feature an ode to "pounding beer" and he blasts Fergie while maintain The Deftones, Wilco and Ice-T are still cool. Although at times Lethal seems to be a one trick pony, his disc takes no short cuts when it comes to intricate raps and bass heavy beats. At times you may be laughing at him but for the most part you will laugh with this new comer to the Rhymesaysers label.

7.) Golden Ratio
Golden Ratio hails from the city of Long Beach and has a sound that is a masterful blend of rock, psychedelic and electronic music. The mix of music comes alive thanks to vocalist Talia Mays. On their latest EP The Lines of Civilization tunes such as Mephisto and Encore burst to life with a mix of dense guitars, psychedelic textures and a sound that invites as well as challenges the listener. Get on the Golden Ratio mailing list soon. It won't be long until this band achieves platinum status.

8.) Operation Ivy - Hellcat Records
This compilation is a must for anyone who loves REAL punk rock. Before there was Rancid there was Operation Ivy. Epitaph records has seen fit to pull together music from three Operation Ivy records for a look back at this classic and sometimes overlooked band. The compilation not only captures the band at their best it also gives the listener insight into what REAL punk rock is all about.

9.) Music From Regions Beyond - Tiger Army
Tiger Army is a three piece and they are serious about their brand of psychobilly punk rock. Music From Regions Beyond is a blend of punk and 80's melodic rock. On tunes like "Afterworld", "Ghosts of Memory" and "Forever Fades Away" band displays a sense of urgency and melodic groove. The "Army" even throws in a tune in Spanish (Hechizo de Amor) to mix things up a bit. The group was one of the standout bands on last years Warped Tour and this disc proves Tiger Army has what it takes for the long Haul.

10.) Sad Clown Bad Summer - Atmosphere
It's not that this EP from Atmosphere is a revolutionary piece of music but in many ways the EP does stand above most hip-hop releases. The latest from Slug, Ant and company brings back a bit of innocence to the world of hip hop. Slug raps about high school crushes and high top fades and for a brief moment the listener is transported back to the golden era of hip-hop (89-93) when there was more diversity within the genre. The EP is the perfect stop gap as the group prepares to release their next full length disc, "When Life Gives You Lemons...." Until then check out this EP and find out why this sad clown did indeed have a bad summer.