Top Ten CDs, crit tips

TOP TEN CDs for 2007

Ben Harper, “Lifeline.’’ Ben comes back strong with a soul album. Memphis soul great Al Green would likely approve.

Eddie Vedder, “Into the Wild’’ soundtrack. Eddie does the one-man band thing and sounds as natural as ever. Spare production, powerful vocals.

John Fogerty, “Revival.’’ Finally, an album that Fogerty can put up against the best work from his seminal Creedence Clearwater Revival days.

Kaiser Chiefs, “Yours Truly.’’ These Brit-rockers scored a chart hit from this with the driving “Ruby, Ruby,’’ but there’s plenty to like throughout.

John Lennon tribute “Instant Karma’’ to save Darfur. An important social statement from many of today’s rockers. Lennon would have appreciated the sentiments.

Martin Sexton, “Seeds.’’ Beautifully singing that spans the spectrum from folk to R&B. And a great cover of Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles.’’

Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale, “breathing Under Water.’’ Ravi Shankar’s daughter teams up for a ravishing mix of Indian music and techno-ambient production.

Serj Tankian, “Elect the Dead.’’ The System of a Down singer goes solo with a punk-metal swipe at the status quo. Most biting song: “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.’’

Uncle Earl, “Waterloo, Tennessee.’’ The young, all-female vocal group takes on old-timey music and makes it sound new again.

Fountains of Wayne, “Traffic and Weather.’’ Named for a lawn ornament store in New Jersey, Fountains of Wayne continue to release ultra-witty pop-rock music.

(Steve Morse can be reached at spmorse@gmail.com.)

CRITIC’S TIPS
Mr. Lif – at the Middle East Downstairs on Friday, Dec. 14. The Boston hip-hopper is building a national audience brick by brick. He deserves one.

Gretel and Temper – at the Lizard Lounge on Friday, Dec. 14. Gretel is a fast-emerging local rock group, while Temper is a more reflective, but still noteworthy, experience.

Dop-Wop everywhere – Saturday, Dec. 15. No shortage of the vintage harmony singing known as doo-wop this weekend. The Royalty of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Doo-wopp show is at the Somerville Theatre with Gene Chandler (“Duke of Earl’’), Shirley Reeves (Shirelles) and Boston’s own Little Joe Cook. And another is at the Berklee Performance Center with Earl Speedo Carroll & the Cadillacs, the original Chantels, Frankie Ford, and more.

Session Americana holiday concert – at Club Passim on Saturday, Dec. 15. The rotating, local troupe, which sings into a single, omni-directional microphone, sheds new light on the holidays.

Sally O’Brien’s Xmas show – at Sally O’Brien’s on Sunday, Dec. 16. Cambridge country-rock legend John Lincoln Wright comes out of the woodwork to perform at Sally’s Xmas party, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m. And the White Owls (Dennis Brennan’s blues band) perform the rest of the night.