Another Brit wave

I guess the Brits are back from that post-Oasis lull. My 10 favorite albums of 2007 include five from English artists, not counting patriarch Robert Plant’s collaboration with Alison Krauss, and easily could have included this year’s collections by the Arctic Monkeys, Jamie T., Lily Allen and PJ Harvey, among others. America’s own Kanye West and the White Stripes represented the hip-hop and rock genres most proudly, with little notable competition (Kanye’s label chief Jay-Z came close with his “American Gangster”-inspired epic). Though the Arcade Fire is based in Montreal, the band’s leader Win Butler hails from the U.S., so we can split that vote.

Arcade Fire, “Neon Bible” (Merge)

Radiohead, “In Rainbows” (no label)

The Klaxons, “Myths of the Near Future” (Astralwerks)

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand” (Rounder)

Kanye West, “Graduation” (Roc-a-Fella)

M.I.A., “Kala” (Interscope)

The White Stripes, “Icky Thump” (Third Man/Warner Bros.)

Bloc Party, “A Weekend in the City” (Vice)

Simian Mobile Disco, “Attack Decay Sustain Release (Wichita)

Vusi Mahlasela, “Guiding Star” (ATO)

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 richard.cromelin@latimes.com