Suzanne Baran’s Top Ten — April 29

by Suzanne Baran
29 April 2007

Not just indie all the time…

1. Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero (Interscope)

   Reznor continues his slow crawl toward global awareness with lyrics about addiction, religion, and authority—but the album’s sound and lyrical bent are quite new. Reznor’s personal self-destructive tendencies aren’t the focus; instead he encapsulates the world’s slow and painful demise. This is a concept album chronicling a religious dictatorship in the U.S. with ubiquitous, apocalyptic signs abounding from every facet of society. It might sound immediately trite, but the way Reznor crafts this album is anything but. Typically he draws from his inner womb and releases it out into the world, but on this LP he brings the outside world in. It’s more reminiscent of NIN of yore—with hints of “The Downward Spiral.”

2. Blonde Redhead – 23 (4AD)

   With 12 albums in seven years, this band outdoes itself. What’s more this new LP is chock full of ethereal beauty and in some respects excels their last LP, “Misery is a Butterfly.”

3. Fracture – (R)

   Great performances, clever and witty dialogue and a killer plot.

4. Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revistied (Sony)

   One of the greatest songwriters of our time who didn’t resort to fowl language to make myriad statements.

5. AIR- Pocket Symphony (Virgin)

   Introspective, heavy-hitting yet lightly melodic and subtely engaging…

6. Type O Negative – Dead Again (Steamhammer)

   No selling out here. The band remains hard and heavy hitting.

7. Frightened Rabbit – Sing the Greys (Hit the fan)

   A band worthy of ear time.

8. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (Merge)

   This album trumps their debut LP. You cannot listen to it in drips and drabs, listen in its entirety. There are many subtle and not so subtle themes in this album—including those touching on religious imagery. “Keep the Car Running” is my favorite track.

9. Half Nelson – (R)

   Brilliant performance by the great RYAN GOSLING and a most unique and effectual story to tell.

10. Love of Diagrams – Mosaic (Matador)

    New age rock—with panache!