2007's Best Songs

10) Ryan Adams - "Two" - Alt Country's most prolific song writer proves that while it may take several missed songs (or albums), when Adams makes contact it goes a long way.

9) Arcade Fire - "Intervention" - Only a huge church organ was appropriate for this Arcade Fire epic. Win adds his typical emotion and the rest of the band adds in with perfect timing.

8) New Pornographers - "Challengers" - The Pornos could have several songs on this list, whether it be Dan Bejar's delightful "Myriad Harbour" or A.C. Newman's foot stompin' "All The Old Showstoppers". But Neko Case stands out as the best New Porno performance on the title track of the group's fourth album. Instead of overpowering the listener with her powerful voice, Case chooses a more subtle approach, letting her voice become interwoven with equally delicate guitar and piano.

7) Radiohead - "House of Cards" - The highlight of "In Rainbows" wasn't any particular song, but how everybody that downloaded it had a different favorite. Well, "House of Cards" was mine. This song also has an important moral: if you are married, don't let Thom Yorke near your wife.

6) Low - "Violent Past" - This song showcases everything that makes Low worth listening to. With its deliberate beats and hazy synth, "Violent Past" paints a picture filled with tension and desperation.

5) Kayne West - "Homecoming" - Ok, so you are Kayne West, you've gotten yourself in a little rap war with a dude that has been shot nine times, how in the world are you going to win? Ahah! Invite that charming lad from Coldplay to sing on your record so you don't scare all those suburban white kids. Chris Martin's piano and chorus are a perfect compliment to 'yne's ode to his "second city".

4) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Satan Said Dance" - I will give you $50 if you can listen to this song and not start dancing. Go ahead, put it on, I'll wait. Yeah, you just got to the part where the guitar kicks in and all of a sudden your hips started moving didn't they? The tongue-and-cheek view of Hell only adds to the songs appeal.

3) Bright Eyes - "Middleman" - Middleman was about the most refreshing Conor Oberst song I have ever heard. Why you might ask? The rising and falling strings, the silky smooth oboe and Oberst guitar all add up to a very fulfilling arrangement, but hearing the opinionated (to say the least) Conor admit that he makes daily compromises makes this song worth many listens.

2) Peter Bjorn and John - "Young Folks" - 2007 was a very good year for these three dudes from Sweden. Their critically lauded album finally got released on the west side of the Atlantic and advertisers begged to use their work to shill everything from jeans to cell phones. The simple beauty of "Young Folks" wasn't lost in all the corporate hub-bub though. An infectious whistle, an up-tempo bongo beat and the sultry voice of Victoria Bergsman made this a song loved by hipsters and CEOs alike.

1) Fall Out Boy - "Thnks fr th Mmrs" - In the vein of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy before it, Fall Out Boy's ode to one night stands is pop perfection. A song that "bends and breaks" with exquisite timing, drawing the listener to the edge of his seat before hitting the power chords that may be wrong, but feel oh so right.