The DCist Music Staff's Favorite Local Acts of 2007

DCist Valerie's favorite local albums
Carol Bui - Everyone Wore White
Carol Bui has masterfully woven her emotionally charged lyrics and haunting vocals with head-banging rock riffs that are simultaneously urgent and eerie. The result is an excellent tapestry showcasing the power and vulnerability of this talented young artist. On account of its wide scope and complexity of sound and emotion, there's a song on Everyone Wore White for every
moment and mood.

Pash - The Best Gun
Anyone disappointed by the break-up of Pretty Girls Make Graves should pay attention since Meredith Munoz's vocals recall Andrea Zollo at her best. Pash is writing the jangly indie-pop gems that other bands wish they were writing.

DCist Ian's Picks
Georgie James
After much hype and build-up, Georgie James released their first record this fall, and it was just the slice of '70s A.M. influenced pop that the endless local shows over the last couple of years and their Demos at Dance Place EP had promised. Easily the catchiest record by any band from D.C. in recent memory.

The Evens
The Evens' second record continued to show the newfound versatility of Dischord mainstay Ian MacKaye. Apparently punk rock can be played sitting down and still hit just as hard, even if the blow is a little more cerebral.

Carol Bui
And then there's Carol Bui, who's second record of complex and well-crafted post-punk refused to be pigeon-holed by any local trend, and helped her stand apart from the crowd as one of the local artists to watch.

DCist Jacarl's Pick
Muhsinah
Every so often an album comes out that is so unique sonically that it's hard to tell what you might hear next. D.C. native Muhsinah production technique utilizes samples in a less than conventional manner (backwards, chopped, and any other way possible). Topped off with her slightly off-kilter yet melodic vocals, Daybreak's 10 tracks, which include a retooling of "Reconstruction," have garnered her a healthy buzz in urban music's alternative sector, especially in the U.K.

DCist Andrew
Wale
Wale has been everywhere recently - the MTV Video Music Awards, iTunes' single of the week ("Nike Boots"), and magazines (Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and the front pages of XXL and URB). His go-go inflected mixtape, 100 Miles and Running, is fantastic. Wale raps with a funny, quick flow and has great beats &mdash some coming from superproducer Mark Ronson, and some using Justice's " D.A.N.C.E.", Lily Allen's "Smile" and Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" as background. Plus what may be D.C.'s best ever rap album is a free download from his MySpace page

Middle Distance Runner
Middle Distance Runner bust out catchy and sometimes grandiose indie rock, with hints of lots of great bands (Arcade Fire, U2). The songs are diverse, from stomp along rockers to slow-building ethereal foot-tappers. This is one of those bands where you're surprised they're unsigned.

DCist Sriram's Pick
Matt Rippetoe
Boink! was a strong debut effort by a talented young saxophone player.

DCist Graham's Favorite Songs by Local Artists in 2007
"Hold It In" - Jukebox the Ghost. On the GW up-and-comers best tune, they take the Ben Folds comparisons that probably follow them everywhere and put them into warpspeed, turning cutesy, perhaps-too-clever piano pop into something manic, weirder, and, you know, actually interesting.

"Elephantitis" and "Fake It" - The Beanstalk Library. The former would fit right at home in the catalog of any number of North Carolina power pop veterans like Kingsbury Manx, the Connells, or the Mayflies USA. A truly awesome cyclical, descending organ part announces the latter, just before it kicks into a driving rhythm through the verses and fine plaintive melody — a recipe for power pop greatness.

DCist Chris's Pick
The Sketches
Charlie Bernardo is a vocal powerhouse. A band with a timeless classical rock base (The Beatles, Queen), The Sketches have emerged as
one of the most memorable local acts of 2007. While building a strong following in the District with their melodic choruses and tight instrumentation, the band has also proved they are serious about branching out. This year, Bernardo and the boys organized a "DC in NY" concert series, to give top local acts more of a collaborative outlet in the Big Apple. In addition to an East Coast tour, they've recorded several music videos
this past summer at various D.C. locales, and with the release of Secret Alphabets in June -- their first "official" LP – The Sketches have added a modern flare to the old fashioned love song.

DCist Amanda's Picks
Travis Morrison
It was a big year for the former Dismemberment Plan front man. With two wildly successful reunion shows at the release of his second solo album, All Y'all at long last, Morrison reminded us why we love the way his mind works so much. Your nerdy ass can fit in with us anytime, Travis.

Le Loup
It's just plain fun to watch a band you've known from their beginning climb to success. It's even more fun when that climb happens over the course of a few months. Le Loup's meteoric rise in the hearts and minds of orchestral indie rock lovers everywhere was D.C. music's biggest success story of the year, and a well-deserved one at that.

Jukebox the Ghost
These guys aren't just good for a local band. They're really, really good, no matter what scale you're judging on. Not only do they have classical ability in spades (just listen to those clear, pure voices!), but their live shows drip with more energy than anything else out there. Nobody could go see Jukebox the Ghost play live without becoming a fan. It's just not possible.

And on a personal note...
I have the distinct pleasure of working with a lot of local musicians in my role at DCist, and I wanted to take a moment and thank a few of you who made this job so much fun this year: Dan Ryan of Le Loup, Laura Burhenn of Georgie James, Alex Feder of The XYZ Affair, Mitchell West of New Rock Church of Fire, Mick Coogan of The Dance Party, and the funniest man in local music, Ian Glinka of Middle Distance Runner.