Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream

This is where we really start to get down to business, so let’s see who rounds out the Top 10.

6. Feist - The Reminder

With a little help from Steve Jobs and a lot of help from a friggin’ fantastic album, Feist really made it! So irresistibly charismatic and sexy, the Canadian chanteuse has certainly made a name for herself. She easily makes her talents seem effortless, taking the labor out of the music and making it purely something to be thoroughly enjoyed. Feist further showcases her uncanny ability to tackle multiple genres with the cool-and-calm nature of which even The Fonz would be jealous. There’s a nicer, longer review of The Reminder here.

Listen to “Brandy Alexander” (5/5)

7. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele

On GStC, The Clientele effortlessly move from track to track, as they touch on lullaby ballads to toned down versions of 60’s and 70’s folkpop. It seems as though the album was written from the hip, a stream of consciousness, but with each note carefully plucked. This delightful collection of songs is truly a seratonin riser. God Save the Clientele is one of those records that is so warm and sweet, that I often have a difficult time putting it into words. This is an album to enjoy not just this year but for the many to come as well. More on The Clientele here.

Listen to “Here Comes the Phantom” (4.9/5)

8. Chuck Prophet - Soap and Water

Chuck Prophet’s Soap and Water was perhaps one of the most delightful surprises of the year. Sneaking in towards the very end of 2007, the seasoned veteran singer-songwriter peppers his album with blues-heavy basslines and sharp pop sensibilities. Witty and fun, you can tell Prophet was just having a great time making the record in the first place. I guarantee that the bluesy-folk rhythms and the deep baritone of Prophet will enthrall you as well. More on Chuck Prophet here.

Listen to “Freckle” (5/5)

9. Jamie Scott - Park Bench Theories

Scott is a masterful troubadour, flirting with James Blunt comparisons but yet drawing comparisons to the dynamicism of an Elton John or-for a more recent reference-a Paolo Nutini. As the album title might suggest, Scott’s music listens more like a diary, the listener being let in on a collection of one singer-songwriter’s view on daily life. The lush arrangements certainly take the ordinary and turn them into interesting works of art, appealing to a wide range of generations and genres. More on Jamie Scott here.

Listen to “Lady West” (4.9/5)

10. Anders Osborne - Coming Down

Osborne relates much of the pain and destruction felt by New Orleaners following Hurricane Katrina, as his southern croon bellows delicately over a collection of funk-jazz-blues fusion tracks. Osborne has the unique ability to make a ballad so thoroughly captivating, as his voice ebbs and flows with real emotive power. Coming Down is an album that celebrates revival in the aftermath of tragedy. More on Anders Osborne here.

Listen to “Back on Dumaine” (5/5)

Finally! It seems like I’ve been waiting for an album like Jamie Scott and the Town’s Park Bench Theories for a while now to pick me up from these end-of-summer blues. Class may be in session, but there’s far more important lesson to be taught here with Jamie Scott’s finely crafted debut. Fresh out of the UK (common theme these days), Scott combines his infectious pop sensibilities with funky jazz piano riffs and a powerful set of vocals to deliver an uptempo, thoroughly enjoyable effort that is sure to top out as one of the best albums of the year (’tis true, I don’t lie).

But let’s not mistake something as joyous as Park Bench Theories for that which lacks coherence or focus. Scott is a masterful troubadour, flirting with James Blunt comparisons but yet drawing comparisons to the dynamicism of an Elton John or-for a more recent reference-a Paolo Nutini. As the album title might suggest, Scott’s music listens more like a diary, the listener being let in on a collection of one singer-songwriter’s view on daily life. The lush arrangements certainly take the ordinary and turn them into interesting works of art, appealing to a wide range of generations and genres. “Two Men” is a Jamie Cullum-esque number that is so gentle and sweet, it’s hard not to fall in love with this track. Or the funky-fresh “Lady West” is a feel-good ditty that features a pretty mean horn solo. The slightly more urgent-sounding “London Town” is also excellently done, ripe with a fantastic piano accompaniment.

So, take my word for it. Go and check out Jamie Scott and the Town’s Park Bench Theories. For some more tracks, check out his myspace.

Listen to “Lady West” (4.9/5)

Listen to “London Town” (4.9/5)