The Top 50 Albums of 2007

9 Against Me!
New Wave (Sire)
On this major-label debut, these Florida punks truly capitalize on the righteous anger they have long been known for, turning out tight, gloriously propulsive raveups that aren't afraid to be a little catchy. Though Tom Gabel's wordy, throat-shredding bellow suggests emo-punk bloodletting, his songs are simply better than almost anything you'd hear on Warped Tour. And while longtime fans thought the band's major-label deal reeked of corporate compromise, Gabel delivers a load of agitprop that is anything but tepid — including the meta-anthemic protest anthem "White People for Peace" and "Stop!" a barnburner about getting off your ass and making a difference that cribs from Dolly Parton's "Jolene."

10 Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)
Spoon are an indie-rock band only in the most literal sense. They record for an independent label and know what it's like to be kicked around and thrown away by a major. But the dirty-twang, pop-hook pow of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is gloriously commercial. Singer-guitarist Britt Daniel has more than a little '67-Beatles maniac in him, peppering his songs here with koto, flamenco guitar and mariachi brass. In fact, for a Texas band, Spoon sound a lot like the very British, mid-Eighties XTC — with the right amount of gravel in their paisley.