My Morning Jacket - Holding on to Black Metal (album: Circuital)
I love the shit out of this song. Kinda a weird back story too: the band took the music from some 60's Thai pop group, added lyrics, and made this song their own. A heavy riff and girl group-style backing vocals? There was 0% chance I wasn't going to dig this.
Cults - Go Outside (album: Cults)
This is a ridiculously indie music video, starring Emma Roberts and James Franco's brother. I think the song is light and amiable. I think Emma Roberts is fucking hot.
Dom - Living in America (album: Sun Bronzed Greek Gods)
This was the first album I realized I had overlooked when thinking of Grouplove (the band, not orgies). Dance pop dance pop dance pop.
Givers - Up Up Up (album: In Light)
This was the second. I don't know: Vampire Weekend-y? It's bouncy.
Kreayshawn - Gucci Gucci (album: Beats the hell out of me; this is a guilty pleasure and the only Kreayshawn track I own)
I assume everyone's heard this, but when I checked which songs I played the most in iTunes this year, this one was at the top, so it didn't seem fair to leave it off. Say what you will about Kreayshawn (I'd probably hit it), but whoever did the production on this needs to work more in hip hop.
Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance (album: Gimme Some)
The horrid, horrid (and yet predictably popular; have I bitched about this before?) sitcom Two Broke Girls tried hard to ruin this song. I won't claim it escaped unscathed, but I still like it.
Ryan Adams - Lucky Now (album: Love is Hell)
This album was hyped as Adams returning to the form of his solo debut, Heartbreaker, and I can see where the comparisons come from. The problem is that the only people who think Heartbreaker is Adams's best work are people who are unwilling to admit that it comes to recordings, he is equal parts awesome and suck (the people willing to admit this consequently believe Gold to be his best album). So I thought the album this year was a little too mellow and country-y as a whole, but this song is one of his better ones. It's too bad the O.C. is no longer around; this song would totally be played during the angsty final montage of an episode, and One Tree Hill seems a little beneath Mr. Adams.
Bonus video! Here's Ryan Adams talking about Moonlighting, possibly while stoned, while performing for the crowd of David Letterman.
The Kooks - Junk of the Heart (album: Junk of the Heart)
Unfortunately, this album is crap. Still, I mostly buy what the Kooks sell, and this song works as a windows-down summer song.
Raphael Saadiq - Good Man (album: Stone Rollin')
I love every influence Raphael Saadiq has, primarily groups from 60's and 70's Motown and soul. If you can play only one song from your Cadillac's tape deck this year, make it this one.
The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness (album: Angles)
Another shitty album, but this track stands alongside Last Nite as one of their most fun.
Real Estate - It's Real (album: Days)
This album would have made my top 20. It's got an easygoing 60's Beach Boys vibe to it.
tUnE-yArDs - Bizness (album: w h o k i l l)
I don't know how to describe this band, this song, or this album. Well, I guess I can say the album is a little too all over the place for me. But I like the song, in a weird, way-I-like-some-of-what-the-
Locksley - The Whip (album: Locksley)
This band reminds me of Fountains of Wayne after they lost their grunge edge. There's nothing wrong with writing unabashed melodic power pop that will probably be featured in beer commercials for the next decade. Also, the song showcased the power of having a wordless "whoa" vocal hook. Bucket, are you listening? Whoas are the easiest way to music profit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
No comments:
Post a Comment