Screw the Critics

The holidays are all about hanging with family, savoring those last bottles of Christmas Ale, and Top 10 lists. But while Scene is all down with long-lost uncles — especially after a few of those Christmas Ales — we're all tapped out on Top 10s. So we asked some famous people to do our work for us.

The result is Scene's annual Year in Music issue, wherein rap idol Scarface, American Idol Jordin Sparks, liberal idol Al Franken, and other sort-of-well-known folks lay down their favorite tunes of '07. So make like our critics did: Sit back, let the famous guys make the picks, and argue those picks into the night. It's what the holidays are all about.

Feeling Minnesota
(Sarah Askari)

Former Saturday Night Live cast member, radio host, and New York Times best-selling author Al Franken is now campaigning for a seat in the United States Senate. But the Minnesota native isn't too busy to run down some of his favorite musical moments of the past year.

First, he says, he has a confession: "My favorite music of 2007 bears a striking resemblance to my favorite music of 1975. Also to my favorite music of 1976, 1977, 1978, etc., etc. I'm a Deadhead. That said, I do allow a few new influences into my musical consciousness every once in a while. Here's five non-Grateful Dead things I've been listening to."

Bob

"That's the format used by [Minnesota's] 106.1-FM KLCI, and it's a mix of contemporary and older country that is apparently mimicked by many Bob or Bob-like stations across the country. I love country music, because I like the unabashed melodrama."

Trampled by Turtles

"Speaking of country, I'm a big bluegrass fan. I got turned on to this band by Tom Saxhaug, the state senator from Grand Rapids. I thought it was a little suspicious that he spent most of our first meeting telling me how great their new album was. And wouldn't you know it, his son turns out to be the bass player. But the album really is great."

Fountains of Wayne

"Specifically, their song 'Better Things,' which is a cover of a Kinks tune. I think it's going to be our campaign song because of its message — Better things are up ahead."

The Grateful Volunteers

"OK, this is kind of a cheat. The Grateful Volunteers are a Dead cover band composed of some great [Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members], who are kind enough to play at some of our events. And even kinder enough to let me sing once in a while. Specifically, 'Brokedown Palace.'"

Call Time: The Musical

"This warrants some explanation. As you know, running for Senate requires that I raise a great deal of money — especially since [incumbent] Norm Coleman has the deep-pocketed special interests on his side. So I spend hours and hours a week calling people to ask for support. To keep myself from going crazy, I've been entertaining myself and Kris Dahl — my "call-time manager" — by composing and singing thousands of songs for a musical based on call time titled Call Time: The Musical. Some songs are only 15 seconds long, such as 'I Left a Message and I Hope They Call Me Back' or 'I Don't Think That Was His Office Number (I Think That's His Home).' Most of the songs have original music, but some simply use existing tunes — such as 'Pick Up the Phone, Arlen Lundahl,' [which is sung] to the tune of 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina' from Evita. I should probably have just put 'Springsteen' for this, huh? I really like his new album."

Phoenix Rising
(Niki D'Andrea)

Jordin Sparks has the distinction of being the youngest American Idol winner in the show's history. The 17-year-old Arizona native — whose father, Phillippi Sparks, played for the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys — was sent home after her initial audition in Los Angeles. But she bounced back to win a second audition in Arizona and ended up at the Seattle tryouts, where she killed with a version of Céline Dion's "Because You Loved Me." She made the Hollywood Round and was ultimately crowned the sixth winner of American Idol on May 23.

Since winning, the energetic and talkative teen has been busy. First, she traveled the country from July through September as part of the American Idols Live! Tour. Then she headed straight into the studio to record songs for her self-titled debut album, which was released last month.

The CD boasts creative input from Robbie Nevil, Chris Brown, and producers Eman (Backstreet Boys, Céline Dion) and Sam Watters (Jessica Simpson). The record runs the gamut from pop to rock to R&B — much like Sparks' MP3 player. "If you see my iPod, it's the craziest mix of stuff," she says. "I like post-hardcore, country, rock, hip-hop, '80s music. I'm all over the place."