AP’s Best Album: ‘Rehab’ Chick Winehouse

Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007 | 3:01 a.m.

With the hundreds of albums released this year, finding ten that rose to the top was surprisingly difficult - few were special enough to merit repeat listens, let alone remain in your brain long after the CD stops playing.

Here are the rare records with a permanent place on our playlists in 2007:

1. "Back to Black," Amy Winehouse: The tragedy of 2007 is that Amy Winehouse is now simply known as the "Rehab" chick with the drug habit, not as the gifted singer-songwriter who created the most compelling album of the year. Winehouse's raspy, soulful voice is dazzling enough on its own; add the retro-soul licks and the alternately hilarious, heartbreaking lyrics, and it's an album that you just cannot shut off. While "Rehab" was a clever, gimmicky hit, it can't begin to reflect how amazing "Back to Black" truly is.

2. The Bird and the Bee, "The Bird and the Bee": Imagine the Carpenters on an acid. That's the best way to describe the surreal pop debut of The Bird and the Bee, comprised of the duo Inara George and Greg Kurstin. George's vocals are dreamy and angelic, but the lyrics are anything but - one of the album's best tracks is "(Expletive) Boyfriend."

3. "Finding Forever," Common: Maybe Common is just too darn clever and crafty for his own good. Once again, he put out an excellent rap disc that didn't get the attention it deserved, but perhaps only a select group can appreciate the intellect, wit, and charm he dispenses with each rhyme: This ain't for the "Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)" crowd. Though rap certainly needs some Common Sense these days more than ever.

4. The "Once" soundtrack: "Once," starring Marketa Irglova and the lead singer of the Frames, Glen Hansard, was the perfect romantic movie that flew under mainstream radar. The same could be said about its wonderful soundtrack. Irglova's sweet voice is the perfect accompaniment to Hansard's raspy vocals - they don't need much else, and the simple production of just a piano here or guitar there makes the music even more intimate than the touching lyrics convey.

5. "Graduation," Kanye West: Truth be told, "Graduation" is actually West's weakest album - but when you consider the first two, "The College Dropout" and "Late Registration," were nothing short of brilliant, it's OK that this one rates as just very, very good. West's use of techno beats give some tracks a more experimental sounding vibe, but it's his always clever rhymes that make you listen again and again.

6. "Double Up," R. Kelly: Given the nonsense that permeates 1/3 of this disc, "Double Up" shouldn't even be on this list. But how can it not be when the rest of the songs are so crazy and so good? When you can make a prison visit a must-listen-to groove ("Best Friend"), you are truly creating the stuff of genius. Plus, he gets extra credit for that whole "Trapped in the Closet" saga.

7. "As I Am," Alicia Keys: Though it's not a perfect album, it contains perhaps three of the most perfect songs you can find in pop today - "Wreckless Love," "Lesson Learned" and the slow-jam piece of ecstasy otherwise known as "Kiss Me Like You'll Never Kiss Me Again." And thankfully, unlike her past albums, most of the other songs on "As I Am" are strong enough to make you want to listen to the CD in its entirety, instead of cherry-picking the best tracks.

8. "Alright, Still," Lily Allen: Lily Allen doesn't have the greatest voice, and is not much of a stage presence, as her live performances this year bore out. But you'd never guess that by listening to her charming debut, buoyed infectious ska-pop beats and wry lyrics. Like Winehouse's "Back to Black," producer Mark Ronson's handiwork elevates this CD.

9. "Good Girl Gone Bad," Rihanna: Rihanna's hard-driving sophomore CD blended pop-rock, electronica and a dash of R&B for slick and sexy club music. It also separated her from the wanna-be Beyonce pack. Though much of the credit for this disc's allure goes to the producers who came up with the catchy beats, Rihanna delivers a powerful punch despite her somewhat thin voice - its her emotive vocals that helped to make "Umbrella" one of the most requested songs of the year, and what makes the ballad "I Hate That I Love You" so passionate.

10. "Kala," M.I.A.: The British born, Sri-Lankan raised rapper got even more eclectic - if that's even possible - with "Kala," a mish-mash of Indian beats, African rhythms, electronic synths and fierce rapping. It's not as hypnotic as her debut CD, "Arular," but it's just as fiery.

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Honorable mention:

"Because of You," Ne-Yo

"American Gangster," Jay-Z

"Sound of Silver," LCD Soundsystem

"In My Element," Robert Glasper

"Blackout," Britney Spears (YES, I SAID IT!)