Sam’s Top 18 Albums of the Year

Why 18 you ask? I honestly don’t know. But I’ve chosen now so I have to stick to it. I was only going to do ten but it seemed nice to give a little shout out to some further albums and also, I feel like much past 18 and the number begin to become less meaningful. I really couldn’t tell you past eighteen why anything would deserve to be the number of places above anything else. Anyway.

This list is again based on albums released in the UK during 2007 and therefore, I know on in particular which will rankle with American readers on that point, is not based on those to have arrived in the US this year. Apologies for this. I cannot tell when this wrong will finally be righted and albums released in our countries on the same day.

Again, as with all the lists. If you see anything you want to know more about, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments. Enjoy. Next week will see the list for songs of the year which will be long and less well written. Look forward won’t you?

The Good, The Bad and The Uglink

PopMatters discusses Karaoke!!! Who loves Karaoke??? Everyone!!!

Will Zeppelin sing ‘Stairway’? Slate poses this very question.

Sasha Frere-Jones pays some serious tribute to uber-E&L favourite, Cat Power.

Check this clip from The Pineapple Express.

Very niche link here, for our buddy at Rate This Day, but Autechre is preparing the release of its new record.

The Wire Season Four is out on DVD in the US of A.

Sunset Rubdown does a session for Daytrotter.

Dexter could benefit from the writer’s strike. Here’s how.

These are Rolling Stone’s ten artists to watch for 2008.

Never Gonna Link You Up

Hello! Happy Chocolate Week! Go on, stuff your faces while you look over these here links…

When comebacks go wrong. The AV Club investigates.

PopMatters talks with Debbie Harry, not so Blondie anymore.

Slate rips All-Bran a new one over their new advert and explores the myriad ways to break the law in the US.

Pitchfork interviews super-duper cronky (new word!) indie rock band Sunset Rubdown.

Menzies Campbell has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats. Meaning they could do okay now.

X Factor’s potential star (who can indeed sing and sung once with Take That so BACK OFF) Leona Lewis gets a lengthy profile in The Times.

Mel Smith warbles to The Telegraph about his role in the upcoming West End run of Hairspray.

Peter Bradshaw, one of those Guardian types, gives his ten movies to watch out for at the London Film Festival while Ben Myers laments the death of ‘indie’.

CBS’s fall season could have got weird with this necrophilia-loving zombie drama pilot – Babylon Fields…

Staying on the zombie theme… Andy Samberg punches a few people and then enjoys a Zombie Dance in this SNL Digital short co-starring Jon Bon Jovi, Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins.

This is a brilliant clip from the new series of The Office, ah, the things you do to pass the time …