You know those Civil War documentaries and movies with montages of battles that end with a wide shot of dead bodies strewn out along an open field? Bon Iver’s “Perth” - the last of three Bon Iver tracks to appear on this Top 50 list and the opening track off the self-titled second album – is perfectly suited for the occasion of evoking such a sense of loss and isolation through its militaristic drumming solemn guitar work. While the song is actually inspired by Justin Vernon’s acquaintance’s reaction to the death of his friend Heath Ledger, it’s evident that although the song isn’t about a particular battle from the Civil War or any war for that matter, it’s fits the notion of the personal battle and struggle people encounter to cope with the passing of someone close.
Monday, December 26, 2011
#22 – “Lotus Flower” by Radiohead: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Radiohead is an interesting band in regards to the fact that they’re almost always the group people namedrop as a means of getting a sense of “cred” (David Bowie – as incredible as he is – is another perfect example of this). They’re the “weird”, “experimental”, almost “indie” band for the masses. When anyone who expresses disliking towards a Radiohead song or album, Radiohead fans often feel compelled to suggest that such listeners “just don’t get it” and urge them to go back and listen to their Nickelback albums. As the follow-up to 2007’s incredible “In Rainbows”, “The King of Limbs” has proven to be a huge disappointment. While I understand that the group would have a desire to record an album dedicated to subtle atmospheric sounds, there is virtually nothing on it that truly catch this listener’s attention throughout 37 minutes. The lone exception is “Lotus Flower.” Through a forceful yet calculated bassline and percussion, the song hearkens back to the title track of “Kid A” (but you can actually understand Thom Yorke’s falsetto vocals here) and somehow proves to be extremely danceable (you’re going to have to watch the clip to see what I mean).
#23 – “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
If you were given the opportunity to put money on the upcoming Grammy Awards and for some reason bet against Adele, you’d be a fool as she’s going to win just about every single award she’s nominated for. But is Adele – one of the few artists who’s selling tons of albums and records in 2011 – and her “21” album really the “GREATEST THING EVER!!!!!111” like so many people are proclaiming? The first half of “21” and last track (“Someone Like You”) are absolutely stunning songs with the underlying theme of a failed relationship. Opening track “Rolling in the Deep” is certainly one of these examples. But what kills the album as a whole is the fact that songs six through ten on this eleven track album just feel so derivative. Everyone knows that Adele can sing, but she deserves better songs than the some of the generic mid-tempo ballads that she’s singing on the second half.
#24 – “Need You Now” by Cut Copy: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
No, this isn’t a cover of the Lady Antebellum song that somehow won Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards. Cut Copy’s “Need You Now” is the perfect way to open this year’s “Zonoscope” album. It slowly builds chorus after chorus until the dance song hits an utmost satisfying climax where singer Dan Whitford longingly proclaims, “I know where going crazy, but I need you now.” The song then erupts into a state of synth ecstasy full of pure emotion.
#25 – “MoneyGrabber” by Fitz & The Tantrums: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
With a sound influenced by soul music and the era of Motown and a lead singer who’s voice could easily be mistaken for Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates if you didn’t already know), Fitz & The Tantrums certainly have a sound that doesn’t feel like it is from 2011. But that doesn’t mean it’s not welcome. Although the lyrics are drawn from the standard I-Hate-You-Bitch-For-Only-Wanting-Me-For-My-Money-So-Now-I’m-Going-To-Write-A-Song-About-You-As-Revenge bin, you will definitely be singing along to the biting sendoff after a listen or two.
#26 – “Say It Out Loud” by Nicola Roberts: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
When cutting edge UK girl group Girls Aloud (picture a 2000s version of the Spice Girls – only a million billion times better) went on hiatus back in 2009, many of the act’s members unsurprisingly decided that they’d pursue solo careers during their time off to varying degrees of success on a commercial and critical level. Deemed the “Ugly Duckling” of Girls Aloud, Nicola Roberts’ (the fact that she’s heavily criticized for her looks is quite pathetic as she is better looking than most people out there) debut album may have generated only modest success commercially, but that sales aren’t always indicative of quality as “Cinderella’s Eyes” features some excellent pop songwriting and production. “Say It Out Loud” is the perfect example of that – a sugary track just takes off during the final 90 seconds, where chopped up vocals are fighting against beeps and blips.
#27 – “My Eyes” by Nero: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
For Nero’s debut album “Welcome Reality”, the UK dubstep group decided that they’d try writing a soundtrack to a movie… a movie that doesn’t actually exist (other artists have also attempted this as well). The album’s high note is the Nine Inch Nails-esque “My Eyes”, which features vocals from unofficial member Alana Watson. For a song like this, they definitely nailed the soundtrack concept down correctly. It’s like you’re listening to a futuristic James Bond theme from 2060, where going to space wouldn’t be as absurd as it was in “Moonraker”.
#28 – “Only If For A Night” by Florence + The Machine: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
If you’ve ever heard or seen Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine perform before, there’s a certain sense of mysticism and supernatural essence that she evokes. Thus, as the opening track on her new album, “Only If For A Night” immediately sets the tone for the “Ceremonials” album. This is a song that would nicely fit the death march scene at the end of Igmar Bergman’s film “The Seventh Seal” or a Salem Witch Trials re-enactment (if the witches actually did exist).
#29 – “Behold The Hurricane” by The Horrible Crowes: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
In another era or dimension, New Jersey’s the Gaslight Anthem would be the greatest American rock band alive. Owing a great deal of debt to Bruce Springsteen, which they proudly recognize and Springsteen humbly accepts, the Gaslight Anthem has the songs and pure emotion that could easily fill up the largest stadiums in the world… if only people would give them the chance. With three albums and an EP in the can since 2007 and their fourth album expected in 2012, Gaslight’s lead singer Brian Fallon formed the Horrible Crowes side project with his friend/guitar tech Ian Perkins. While this project may sound like the Gaslight Anthem minus the punk edge, “Behold The Hurricane” demonstrates Fallon’s songwriting skills and ability to handle a song as he never walks down the path to the Bullshit Department. When Fallon says, “Be still my heart. I age by years at the mention of your name,” the listener envisions him getting older every time he hears the name of his lost lover. The listener believes every word he says.
#30 – “Lonely Star” by The Weeknd: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Toronto’s The Weeknd has generated some of the biggest buzz in the music industry throughout 2011. In addition to dropping two huge mixtapes (with a third coming very shortly) and completing remixes for artists like GaGa and Florence + The Machine, he has received the backing of Drake and unsurprisingly found himself receiving a guest appearance on Drake’s new album and writing credits on several songs. While the Weeknd does seem to have more misses than actual hits throughout his first two mixtapes, it’s evident in a song like “Lonely Star” that he is extremely talented in generating an atmospheric sound that can only be classified as “contemporary R&B nighttime music” with a touch of Prince.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
#31 – “Body Work & Fuck My Brains Out” by The-Dream: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
If a song is entitled “Body Work & Fuck My Brains Out”, it’s kind of obvious what it's about. In addition to writing and producing songs like Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, and Justin Bieber’s “Baby”, The-Dream has maintained a solo career that contains many should-be monster hits (If you don’t believe me, check out “Yamaha” and “Rockin’ That Shit”. At nine and a half minutes in length, it’s pretty much two songs sewn together in a package that leaves most current R&B/ pop artists wishing they had a song like it. What those artists will likely do is just ask The-Dream to write one for them.
#32 – “On The Floor” by Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
What in the world does a 41-year-old (at the time and near death bed for pop stars) have to do to get a hit song when she hasn’t had a legitimate one since 2005? As heard in “On The Floor”, all she needed to do was have someone adapt the pan flute part of the 1982 Bolivian folk song “Llorando Se Fue” from Los Kjarkas into a dance single while listing random places like Brazil, Morocco, London, Ibiza, L.A., New York, Vegas, and Africa. Getting Lady GaGa producer RedOne and Pitbull (who just so happens to appear on every hit song saying “¡Dale!” these days) certainly helps as well. Side note – How the hell does this music video have 447 million hits?
#33 – “Guns and Horses” by Ellie Goulding: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
In the UK where she’s from (and other parts of the world), Ellie Goulding is one of the biggest pop stars going. But in the United States, despite high profile appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and serving as an opening act for Katy Perry, she’s still barely a fringe/ word of mouth pop star. In “Guns and Horses”, Goulding’s pixie vocals gleam over this heavy-on-the-folktronica track. Her songs have a knack for booming hooks, and this is no different.
#34 – “Jack Sparrow” by The Lonely Island feat. Michael Bolton: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Over the course of my day, I hear a lot of rap music. For every great track I hear (like an “Aston Martin Music” from Rick Ross), there’s about three dozen songs that leave me scratching my head thinking, “They made this shit?” Well… The Lonely Island’s second album “Turtleneck & Chain” might just be the most consistent album of 2011 as they parody the cesspool nether regions of hip-hop. From start to finish, you'd probably enjoy it more than 99% of the rap albums out there. What’s so great about songs like their hit “Jack Sparrow” is that the music sounds exactly like what is going on in contemporary mainstream rap music with featured guests and all, but if you aren't paying any bit of attention to the sheer absurdity of the lyrics (or videos if you only know them through YouTube), you wouldn’t be in on the joke.
#35 - "Whirring" by The Joy Formidable: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
If it weren’t for me assuming my friend's name for the night to enter a radio contest concert, I would have never seen the Welsh alternative rock band The Joy Formidable or heard their single “Whirring” live. Fronted by guitarist and lead singer Ritzy Bryan (who has a stage persona that draws similarities to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong), her guitar work and voice (the drumming’s also pretty awesome) guide this song into the stratosphere. This is a rock song by a band with big hooks and a big sound – something that’s currently lacking in the rock scene at the moment.
#36 - "Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution" by Cut Copy: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
For a song by Australia's Cut Copy entitled “Blink and You’ll Miss A Revolution”, it’s only natural that the introduction of the song would contain noise from a crowd in the streets. While the theme is revolution here, it’s quite evident that you’ll be more inclined to have a desire to dance along to the songs of the 1980s than do research on the Arab Spring revolutionary demonstrations after listening to this track. I mean, lead singer Dan Whitford does say, “Take me on a journey with the rhythm in my feet” just moments after asking "Have you heard the latest re-invention in the street?".
#37 - "Holcene" by Bon Iver: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Because the people at the Grammy Awards seem to have forgotten about him and the band back in 2008 and 2009, Justin Vernon’s Bon Iver has found itself nominated for four awards at the upcoming award ceremony. One of the strongest songs off the self-titled album from the potential “Best New Artist” is “Holcene”, which is nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Set to a Springsteen “Secret Garden” vibe, the lyrics are almost indecipherable if you haven’t found them with a Google search. But Vernon makes it important for you to know that he “can see for miles, miles, miles.” It’s a song that just captures this atmosphere and idea.
#38 - "Where Have You Been" by Rihanna: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
You know that song old country song "I've Been Everywhere"? You know... the one later covered by Johnny Cash that you've heard tons of times for the past few years in those really irritating commercials from Choice Hotels? Well, elements of that song somehow pop up in "Where Have You Been" from Rihanna. Let's just say that it is by far the best song on Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" album and should/will be played at every single club for the next year with its incredible house sound and breakdown provided by producer Calvin Harris.
#39 - "Cruel" by St. Vincent: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
If you were to only listen to the music of St. Vincent's "Cruel", you'd instantly recognize a sound akin to the Talking Heads - "Road to Nowhere" in particular - mixed with the distinctive guitar work of Robert Fripp (King Crimson). While the music may give off such a positive vibe, the lyrics (and video) are a muscular critique on the dehumanization of individuals - women in particular - in society.
#40 - "Under Cover of Darkness" by The Strokes: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
It's difficult when music acts release debut albums that are deemed 'instant classics' because every subsequent album they release is going to be compared to it. Because of 2001's "Is This It", The Strokes became a band that 'suffers' from such a problem. So it's only natural that singer Julian Casablancas would proclaim that "Everybody's been singing the same song for 10 years" about him and his band in "Under Cover of Darkness" - their first single since returning from hiatus. Just when you think the first chorus from this rock track is great, wait until you hear the second.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tracks #40 through 31 Arrive Tomorrow.
They're all set and ready to go, but you'll just have to wait until tomorrow for the next ten.
#41 - "Seal It With A Kiss" by Britney Spears: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Like Rihanna, Britney Spears is the essence of a "producer's dream" - an "artist" who is only as good as the producers who produce the songs chosen for her (maybe she has some choice in that) to sing. So give credit to the team of Max Martin/ Dr. Luke (they work on just about every song you hear on the radio) and Dream Machine for this track - one that features an insanely catchy chorus and some seriously enjoyable dub-step.
#42 - "Heart in Your Heartbreak" by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Producers Flood and Alan Moulder worked on some of the biggest albums of the 1990s with monster artists (have you ever heard of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" from the Smashing Pumpkins?), and they decided to work on tracks with indie band the Pains of Being Pure at Heart on their second album - "Belong". So what was the result?: one is "Heart in Your Heartbreak", which has that 'straight out of 1995' alternative pop-rock hit vibe that will instantly grab your attention.
#43 - "We Found Love" by Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Lyrically, Rihanna pretty much only says "Yellow diamonds in the light" and "We found love in a hopeless place" in the song... and she says it about 84 times too in case she didn't get the point across. But let's be honest, when has anyone ever really listened to a Rihanna song for its lyrical brilliance? It's an excellent pop dance track by an artist who is solely a "producer's dream", the producer being Calvin Harris this time around.
#44 - "Punching In A Dream" by The Naked & Famous: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
As I've said earlier, The Naked & Famous primarily owe much of their sound to MGMT. But when you listen to "Punching In A Dream" compared to any track off MGMT's last album, The Naked & Famous are taking MGMT's sound and are doing something entertaining - and enjoyable - with it.
#45 -"Discoverer" by R.E.M.: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
The greatest American band ever - listen to anything they released from 1982 to 1996 if you don't believe me - released their 15th and final album this year: "Collapse Into Now." The album almost serves as a summary of their entire career with "Discoverer" being a familiar, yet highly appreciated track.
#46 - "Minnesota, WI" by Bon Iver: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
This is one of the many products that arise when a folk artist writes an album that is a mixture of Springsteen's "Nebraska" and "Tunnel of Love".
#47 - "Young Blood" by The Naked & Famous: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Despite the fact that MGMT has about three good songs - stay away from 2010's "Congratulations" album - it's evident how much influence they've had when you listen to a track like this from the Naked & Famous.
#48 - "Russian Spies" by Against Me! : The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
Following two albums released under a major label and an unwarranted large amount of backlash as a result of it due to their sound becoming "polished", punk band Against Me! left Sire Records and released this single before their Summer 2011 tour... Funny how this is in line with the sound of their excellent major label work, but since they're now "indie" again, it's more beloved.
#49 - "That's Where You're Wrong" by The Arctic Monkeys - The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
As the most hyped British band in recent history, The Arctic Monkeys (actually) continue to deliver top notch tracks on their fourth album, this one about a past love being the best.
#50 - "Nuclear Seasons" by Charli XCX: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (I Heard)
UK up and comer with an incredible Goth Pop sound.
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