I didn’t realize this until the year was over, but 2007 was a pretty pale year for new music for me. That’s not to say I didn’t devour music all year long; most of it just happened to be new to me, not new to everyone. Last week when I tried to sit down and come up with my favorite music of 2k7, I had a ridiculously difficult time doing it. So in lieu of a list of favorite albums, I’ve got just one claim to make: my 2k7 song of the year.
It’s not that often that a band sneaks up on you and completely takes you by surprise. The first time I heard Okkervil River was also the first time I heard of them–someone just happened to have them playing in the room and I just happened to notice. I quickly got my hands on a copy of The Stage Names and have since listened to it at least 30 times. But I have a confession to make–I don’t like all of the songs equally. In fact, as much as I’ve listened to the album, I’ve listened to two songs a whole lot more.
Of the two–Unless its Kicks and You Can’t Hold the Hand of a Rock and Roll Man–the former wins me over. It’s the bold, proclamatory opening riff followed by the gradual building of intensity both in Will Sheff’s voice and the band’s accompanying sound that woos me, and that somehow makes the song seem an equally apt soundtrack to screaming from atop a San Francisco rooftop (how i started the year) to undertaking a capricious drive along the Baja coast (how I ended it).
listen on myspace; download on emusic; buy from insound
Tags: smitten, songs