#1 of 2007: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Thirty-One Words:Neon Bible might not be the best Arcade Fire album, but it was easy to pick it as the best of 2007. No band plays the dramatic, indie Baroque so flawlessly.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: all of them

Pitchfork Says: 8.4

#2 of 2007: Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Thirty-One Words: You have to love Spoon. If you have a pulse, you must love this band. Daniels can write a hook that just won’t quit. The COMO show was great as well.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "The Underdog"

Pitchfork Says: 8.5

#3 of 2007: Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

Thirty-One Words: Iron & Wine continues to expand its sound with hippie atmospherics, distortion, and additional instruments to flesh out the alt-Eagles groove. Thankfully, the core of Beam’s hushed vocals and sad songwriting remains.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Resurrection Fern"

Pitchfork Says: 8.6

#4 of 2007: Okkervil River - The Stage Names

Thirty-One Words: “Bright Eyes for boys”, aka Okkervil River, write alt-country emo the way it was meant to be: highly evolved and literate. Ghosts dance backstage with the Beach Boys, and you cry.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Our Life Is not a Movie or Maybe"

Pitchfork Says: 8.7

#5 of 2007: Beirut - Lon Gisland/The Flying Club Cup

Thirty-One Words:In an age of hip-hop excesses, it’s hard to imagine that an artist can capture the imaginations of bloggers and the indie elite the way Condon has with old-school Bohemian music.

The one song that makes it worth $9.99/$17.95: "Elephant Gun"/"Nantes"

Pitchfork Says: 7.8/8.0

#6 of 2007: Feist - The Reminder

Thirty-One Words:Leslie Feist has a lovely voice, nice dance moves, and possibly the single/video of the year. This record proves her to be the real deal. I could’ve made this #1.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Sea Lion Woman"

Pitchfork Says: 8.8

#7 of 2007: Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

Thirty-One Words: Band of Horses do their best Built to Spill impersonation (sans crazy-good guitar work, plus tinkering keyboards) and release basically the same album they released last year. I’m OK with that.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "The General Specific"

Pitchfork Says: 7.7

#8 of 2007: Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Thirty-One Words: Isaac Brock returns with Smiths Johnny Marr to confuse our neuroses even more by singing about sinking ships, broken down cars, and barking dogs that only speak in lisps and alliteration.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Spitting Venom"

Pitchfork Says: 7.8

#9 of 2007: Bright Eyes - Four Winds/Cassadaga

Thirty-One Words: The EP (Four Winds) and LP (Cassadaga) released this year by Bright Eyes are Oberst’s most mature yet. The highlight has to be his duet with M Ward on the EP.

The one song that makes it worth $9.95/$17.95: "Smoke without Fire"/"If the Breakman Turns My Way"

Pitchfork Says: 5.9/6.0

#10 of 2007: Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy

Thirty-One Words: Thurston Moore carries over Sonic Youth’s work on Rather Ripped with some great punk-folky indie rock. The album stretches well-beyond SY’s range in becoming one of the pleasant surprises of 2007.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Honest James"

Pitchfork Says: 7.9

#11 of 2007: The New Pornographers - Challengers

Thirty-One Words:The Canadian indie pop super group returns to form and records their best album from top to bottom since 2000’s Mass Romantic. Man, I love to listen to Neko Case sing.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Myriad Harbour"

Pitchfork Says: 6.0

#12 of 2007: Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit if...

Thirty-One Words: Spirit if… is really just the Broken Social Scene’s next record with more of a focus on Kevin Drew’s voice and lyrics. He’s the less-sexist Dov Charney of the indie rock.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Backed out on the..."

Pitchfork Says: 8.2

#13 of 2007: Jose Gonzale - In Our Nature

Thirty-One Words: This time, Feist producer Gonzalez steps out with a solid effort. This record has meant a lot to me while dealing with my friend’s death. This is where Drake meets Smith.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Down the Line"

Pitchfork Says: 7.8

#14 of 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder

Thirty-One Words:

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah open Some Loud Thunder with a dud due to too much bass, but it gets much better from there. The Talking Heads sound is somewhat absent.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Satan Said Dance"

Pitchfork Says: 7.2

#15 of 2007: Low - Drums and Guns

Thirty-One Words: Low flashes unexpectedly mad beats and clap machines on Drums and Guns where big beat meets slow-core. This might be the best thing the band has done since their Christmas record.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Hatchet"

Pitchfork Says: 8.1

#16 of 2007: White Rabbits - Fort Nightly

Thirty-One Words: COMO’s favorite sons-turned-Brooklynites, White Rabbits, turn out a solid version of that danceable, white boy, indie R&B that’s made the Walkmen and Harlem Shakes famous. WR are welcome home anytime.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Navy Wives"

Pitchfork Says: 8.1

#17 of 2007: Stars & Handsome Furs*

Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
Thirty-One Words: Never has protest music sounded so hopeful and danceable. I totally could stand hippies more if this was the music they created. Stars are the band that Chumbawamba never could be.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "The Night Starts Here"

Pitchfork Says: 7.4

Handsome Furs - Plague ParkThirty-One Words: Handsome Furs is just Wolf Parade without guitars and dramatics. Between guttural singing and eighties keyboards, the listener can pick up on the complexities applied to the northwest indie rock formula.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Hate this City"

Pitchfork Says: 7.2

*Since Canada has so many bands on this list, I decided to double up at #17.

#18 of 2007: Elliott Smith - New Moon

Thirty-One Words: Elliott Smith’s second posthumous release, New Moon, is loaded with b-sides, rarities, alternate versions, and demos that would make any drug-addicted punk rock folkie jealous. We miss you a bunch, Elliott.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "High Times"

Pitchfork Says: 8.7

#19 of 2007: The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Thirty-One Words: The Shins' follow-up Chutes Too Narrow with a bit of a sleeper in Wincing the Night Away, but the pop subtlties within are worth the effort. Sounds even better live.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "A Comet Appears"

Pitchfork Says: 7.0

#20 of 2007: PJ Harvey - White Chalk

Thirty-One Words: On White Chalk, PJ Harvey turns in her anger for a moaning sadness that longs for love. She sounds more like Thom York every day. The instrumentation is sparse at best.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "When Under Ether"

Pitchfork Says: 6.8