My Top 5 Albums of 2007

With a tip of the hat to High Fidelity here are my Top 5 Albums of 2007

1. Jim Ford - The Sound of Our Times - What happens when a white Southern musician takes his brand of mountain soul from the Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky to Los Angeles and becomes a close friend and collaborator with Sly Stone in the late 60s? This Bear Family re-issue contains the results: the 1969 Harlan County album in it’s entirety and several other singles and previously unreleased gems. The long out of print Harlan County LP is considered by some to be the Holy Grail of Southern Country Soul. Talk about a band! The album was recorded with guitarist James Burton, drummer Jim Keltner and the always funky Dr. John. Ford’s friends and admirers included Sly Stone, Bobby Womack and Nick Lowe. Aretha Franklin, The Temptations and Bobbie Gentry recorded his songs. Killer!

2. Bettye LaVette - The Scene Of The Crime – The long neglected Soul Queen is back with her second “re-discovery” album after the 2005 Joe Henry produced “I’ve Got My Own Hell to Pay”. This time she is backed by the ass kicking Drive By Truckers. Imagine Tina Turner fronting the Stones back in ‘72. Well, that might be a stretch… but not much.

3. Mofro – Country Ghetto – Socially and politically aware commentary immersed in a sanctifying bath of rhythm oil. Mofro brings the grit and the grease.

4. Paul Cebar – Tomorrow Music For Now People – Cebar brings his r&b/rock/gospel hybrid into the 21st century with this extraordinarily well produced album that exudes an accomplished, confident soulfulness.

5. Tinariwen – Aman Iman – Saharan buzz, crackle and drone from the celebrated toureg nomads. Low-fi out of nessecity not trendiness. This isn’t NPR safe “world music” for the Putumayo crowd. This is rough, gritty, politically charged rebel music with balls. Not for the faint hearted.