The night is called "Exile in {Imaginary} Girlville," it's going down June 25th at Chop Suey, and it's going to be an INCREDIBLE party!

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There are several ways to mark the 14th of February holiday tomorrow. Whether you're celebrating coupledom or on the prowl, there's nice, naughty, and all-ages type fun for everyone.

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We gathered our imaginary staff to determine our collective Northwest favorites for 2007. It was hard work. Imaginary battles were fought, alliances formed, and finally, winners emerged.

You should have seen the way that imaginary Liz can arm wrestle, and how Erik Gonzalez can duke it out for his favorite bands. It was fierce and fun, and we think our final list was well worth the effort.

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It’s always odd to revisit what you’ve reviewed over the course of a year. Sometimes, much can change – as after subsequent listenings, you realize that record you thought was pretty decent just blows (see The Killers’ Sam’s Town) or you come to love an album that you’d previously dismissed as mediocre (see “Into the Wild” soundtrack). The true test of a “best release of the year” is its stability, so I’ve tried to pick “long-haul” contenders—albums I’ll go to for months (or even years) to come, with no requirement for a set amount of finalists. Here’s what made the cut...

TOP ALBUMS:

• LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver (this one sits significantly higher than the rest)
• Interpol: Our Love to Admire
• The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
• Eddie Vedder: "Into the Wild" soundtrack
• Minus the Bear: Planet of Ice
• Aqueduct: Or Give Me Death

And, topping the list of what sadly wasn’t as good as I expected:
Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

I’ll leave it at that. I can hardly fathom how disappointed I was by that output (mixing the quirky fire of Modest Mouse with legendary jangler Johnny Marr? How did it fall so flat?).

TOP NORTHWEST ALBUMS:

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Let me reiterate -- and in all caps -- that this video KICKS ASS!

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OK, the rain has let up a bit but I'm still not anxious to leave the apartment yet. Here's my 10 favorite local albums from 2007, complete with YouTube-y goodness - as best I could find it.

(I'm sure there'll be some continuity issues with the scores I've assigned - I wrote the reviews for four of the albums below. This is how I am ranking them at the end of the year.)

10. Fleeting Frequencies, Patience Please, Happy Happy Birthday to Me (song: "Bint"):

9.  ...The Art of Becoming One's Own Shadow, Lillydale, Mt. Fuji (song: unknown, at least to me, but it was the only one I could find):

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A big congratulations is in order to Lesli Wood for organizing such an event that has become a staple in Seattle every Christmas season...

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I've gotten a slew of exciting emails about local bands using their powers of rock for good over the past couple of days, so here's the down-and-dirty update, from my inbox to your imagi-blog...

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All in all, Shake Yourself Awake is a telling album — the kind you could listen to at any given emotional moment and respond to. Subject-wise, it might even be too heavy to listen to, were it not for all those awesome poppy hooks and bouncy rhythms.

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at K-TUB

I've been to shows like this one before, where you think "Damn, I should have brought more friends," where you're fairly sure you're the only one there who benefits from the all-ages designation of the show, and you're not sure exactly where to position yourself on the vast dance floor. But when the bands still pump out some excellent energy, sometimes you just forget that there should be a mosh pit where you are standing, and you can just enjoy the music.

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