2007 started off fairly slowly, but ended up as a very strong year for indie music. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing, but a lot of my favorite releases came from an extended indie family (I’m fairly sure that Leslie Feist has dated, toured with or lived with almost every one), and more surprisingly, not a single hip-hop or electronic artist made my list this year.

With the advent of iTunes, I feel like music has returned to a singles-based model, but was pleasantly surprised to find more true albums (not collections of random songs) come out in ‘07.

Without further ado, here are my picks for the best of 2007:

1. The National — Boxer

The National previous release, 2006’s Alligator, is one of my favorite albums in recent memory. And while Boxer was initially wasn’t as immediately rewarding, it is one of the deepest records to come out in years. A true album – not a collection of songs – it’s a mood piece that flows smoothly without sounding monotonous. The National don’t mine any radically new territory either, but expand on the winning formula used for Alligator, Matt Berninger’s baritone buttressed by Edge-ian guitar lines.

2. Spoon — Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Full disclosure: Spoon is probably my favorite current band (as evidenced by the name of this here blog). Having said that, this album was a pleasant surprise. Britt Daniel has managed to get progressively more accessible without losing any of his creative edge. Coming off the brilliantly dark and dense Gimme Fiction, Daniel & Co. went in the opposite direction this time around, folding classic Motown into his songwriting.

3. Band of Horses — Cease to Begin

While “The Funeral” was one of the best songs of 2006, the Band of Horses made a huge step forward with Cease to Begin in releasing one of the most enjoyable albums of the year.

4. Josh Ritter — The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

I feel bad for Josh Ritter. He has crafted two masterpieces in as many years, each lyrically rich and musically diverse, and yet, the man is still woefully unknown.

Some people fault him for sounding too much like Dylan, but I don’t have any problem with it. Even on songs like “To the Dogs or Whoever” which sounds like a Highway 61 outtake. He knows exactly what he’s doing – he’s never aping, but paying homage with a wink.

5. The Besnard Lakes — … Are the Dark Horse

The Besnard Lakes are yet another amazing indie group from Canada. Formed by the husband/wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, the Besnard Lakes make gorgeous dense psychedelic rock that combines the seemingly disparate influences of Beach Boys’ falsetto harmonies, Led Zeppelin riffs and Pink Floyd psychedelia.

6. A.A. Bondy — American Hearts

This album was a very late addition to this list. I hadn’t even heard of A. A. Bondy until I heard the gorgeous “Rapture (Sweet Rapture)”. This entire album is swathed in the kind of beautiful Americana that takes Gram Parsons and pushes it further.

7. Iron and Wine — The Shepherd’s Dog

Sam Beam has come a long way from the hushed minimalist beauty of his debut. While there’s a clear line between all Iron & Wine output, each new album has added new colors and strokes, expanding

On The Shepherd’s Dog, Beam turns out his most ambitious record yet, incorporating new instrumentation and genres – even trying his hand at reggae/dub – without ever feeling like he’s trying too hard.

8. Feist — The Reminder

I have to admit that I’m a sucker for just about everything about Leslie Feist. The Broken Social Scene chanteuse is a skilled songwriter, guitarist and unstoppably cute. She also puts on a great live show.

What’s even more impressive is that I still enjoy hearing “1234″, despite Apple’s best attempts to ruin that song by running there Feist-featured iPod commercial 24/7.

Despite Apple’s best attempts, I haven’t tired of hearing “1234″ or the other gems on this album. Unfortunately, Feist doesn’t seem to be able to get through an entire full length without filler — both The Reminder and Let it Die have brilliant moments, but offer little beyond the singles.

9. Ryan Adams — Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams is one of the most talented and prolific singer-songwriters active today, but he’s never been one for quality control (he released three albums in a nine-month span). In addition to the standout tracks that come with every Ryan Adams release, Easy Tiger is his most consistent album since 2001’s Gold.

10. Andrew Bird — Armchair Apocrypha

Andrew Bird’s live show always makes his albums seem somewhat disappointing, but that says more about his epic on-stage performance than his albums, which are routinely excellent.