Seven Most Anticipated Albums of 2007

These are the albums from the upcoming year that I'm really excited to hear. I can't wait to download these from Feed My iPods and listen to them on my iPod on my way to work in the morning. New music really gets my blood flowing!

1. Oasis - TBA - TBA

To me 2005's "Don't Believe The Truth" was a complete return to form for Oasis after the complete disappointment of "Heathen Chemistry."

"Don't Believe The Truth" featured some of Oasis' best songs in years and it also featured the band really sounding more like a band for the first time.

What I mean by that is that it sounded less like the Gallagher brothers show and more like a real exchange of ideas happening between all four songwriters that Oasis is now using. This is good because it brings more diversity to their music and it's also good because I think it allows Noel to focus on his really good ideas instead of worrying about turning out a larger number of songs. The Importance of Being Idle and Part of the Queue certainly being two of his more inspired songs in a long while.

Just as important as Noel Gallagher's return to form is the fact that to me the contributions of Liam Gallagher, Andy Bell, and Gem Archer all stand out as well on "Don't Believe The Truth."

I'm excited to hear Oasis' next album. They may not be as cutting edge as most of the bands that I like but I think their brand of neo classic rock can be very refreshing and I don't think there's anyone in rock who sings like Liam Gallagher. Not even close really.

2. Radiohead - TBA - TBA

Radiohead's newest album has been rumored about since "Hail To The Thief" was released. I don't think there's any other band on the planet that creates the excitement that Radiohead does. Everyone wants to know what they are going to do next.

Radiohead does not even have a record label as of now and it's not known how their album will be released when (if?) it is released. Will it be download only? Will be some sort of new format? Will they release shorter EPs instead of a full length album? All of this only adds to the excitement.

I have already heard some of the tracks that are supposed to be on the new album in live recordings found online (check iPod Downloads.)

I am hopeful that Radiohead will continue experimenting with this new album. I was one of the people very pleased that Thom Yorke's solo album "The Eraser" did not feature a lot of acoustic ballads like some would have wanted. I like to hear these guys work their sonic magic. Leave the simple stuff to someone else. I want sonic adventure from Radiohead. I want them to push the boundaries. The world needs musical artists that aren't afraid to do something that a lot of people don't understand.

3. John Vanderslice - TBA - TBA

John Vanderslice has been a rather recent discovery for me although he's been making music for awhile.

He's a singer songwriter without being boring. I find this very rare. He's certainly not as out there as say Thom Yorke but he does bring a lot of interesting things into his music. He's not afraid to use "production tricks" and electronics and he knows how to do it well.

"Time Travel Is Lonely" is one of the most listenable albums I've heard in recent times. I haven't quite enjoyed the rest of his stuff at this level but I'm still interested to see what he comes out with next.

4. Ween - TBA - TBA

Ween is great. I like all of their stuff. In some ways their most recent album "Quebec" is their best yet. I think they are far from a spent force creatively. What I love about Ween is you never know what they are going to do next. I have no idea what their next album will sound like but I do know that I'm going to listen to it. Looking forward to it.

If you haven't heard any Ween yet I suggest starting with "The Mollusk" and "White Pepper." To me they are a bit like The Flaming Lips in that their more recent material is easier for new fans to get into but you should definitely dig into the back catalog once you get into their music.

5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky - May 15th

"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is one of the best albums of this millennium. "A Ghost Is Born" is great too. Much like with Radiohead I'm hoping for more adventure and no stale straight ahead rock. I'm actually not a big fan of the 90s Wilco material. I find it bland for the most part even the much loved "Summerteeth." I just can't get into it.

6. Michael Jackson - TBA - TBA

I'm not including these totally for the freakish curiosity factor. I really do enjoy listening to MJ sometimes. I find his music much more interesting and unique than 99% of the pop music out today. When I'm in the mood for pop music I'd certainly much rather listen to Michael Jackson than say Britney Spears.

But all that being said. I'm also incredibly curious to what kind of album he'll come out with. Part of me hopes he just does something completely mad. Like an album full of banjos, trumpets, led zeppelinesque drums, and his voice. But more likely he's going to try and make an album that apes all of the current trends in music (many of which ape his older recordings...)

I actually find 2001's "Invincible" pretty listenable. I know I'm in the minority there. It's definitely not a great album but it's got some good songs and some interesting ideas.

7. The Postal Service - TBA - TBA

I find Death Cab For Cutie incredibly boring. I just cannot listen to their music for more than a few songs without wanting to take a nap. I think they are all of the worst clichés about so called indie rock all rolled up into one big ball of boring.

That being said, Death Cab For Cutie lead singer Ben Gibbard's other project the electronic based The Postal Service is actually pretty darn good.

I'm quite curious to hear the Postal Service's second album although I have a hard time believing it'll be as good as the first one. I also think that perhaps there's a bit of a novelty factor about their music that may wear thin on the second album. But I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of the first Postal Service album and I'll definitely be checking this out when it comes out. I'll most likely download it from Feed My iPods