Monday, November 26, 2007

Top 10 Songs of 2007

Top Ten Songs of 2007


Wow, somehow it's that time of year again...


..and yes I know there's technically a few weeks left in the year, but there's nothing really mind-blowing coming out in December sooo here we go:


1) Jesus Christ
Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me


No song this year paints a better image of dark and brooding. The first thing you hear is a single guitar, playing a simple little motif that will haunt your dreams. The vamp continues throughout the verses. Anticipation builds and builds until to the intense bridge comes out of nowhere to hammer you fiercely over the head.

Frontman Jesse Lacey waxes poetic, digging in with his mournful crooning voice, and strikes occasional gold: "Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face/The kind you'd find on someone that could save."

I've spun this song more times than I care to remember this year..definitely more than any other song..making it an easy choice for numero uno.

listen

2) Ghost White (Radio Version)
Rupesh Cartel
The Disco and the What Not


This song is the muthafrickin TRUTH. Pulsing with energy, this synth-rock number never lets up on the gas from start to finish. The vibe never sags or dissipates, and the chorus is pure adrenaline.

The synths truly do sound ghostly at the beginning, whirling around at devilish paces like spirits at play under a Van Gogh moon. The vocal patterns fit the verse perfectly, explosions of words spelled by breaks that prove the ghost vacuum of silence can be louder than words.

listen

3) Contact
As Cities Burn
Come Now Sleep

I've been more or less obsessed with this tune for months now. This year's slow-burner lulls your senses in a warm liquid bath of reverb guitars and swirling vocals. Smooth guitar licks dance overhead like fireflies stopping to drink from the current.

'Contact' still remembers to hit the afterburners in the second half though, building the intensity with pounding drums and waves of distortion. The lyrics hold such a fornlorn longing, both in their delivery as well as their content, and your heart aches for the voice of the song as he searches for greater meaning.

Definitely a song that gets better with each listen.

listen

4) Thin Layer
The Honorary Title
Scream and Light up the Sky


The first track on an waay underrated album certainly isn't lacking in the grand department. It reaches for the stars, grabbing at the cosmos more ably than The Killers' Sam's Town. The verses move along quickly, mere stage-setters for the HUGE chorus.

Its easy to picture frontman Jarrod Gorbel delivering the words prone with arms outstretched to the heavens that The Honorary Title reaches with this tune. Ringing guitars provide the rope ladder leading up and beyond.

Just when you think the song is winding down, it comes back up again one last time for an scything, unforgettable ending.

listen

5) Impossible Germany
Wilco
Sky Blue Sky

I had the privilege of seeing Wilco perform this song at the 930 Club long before this record was recorded, and was blown away by its sheer elegance. Fortunately that same vibe carries over to the studio version.

The guitars take you along for the ride, a midnight waltz through an enchanted forest sipping bubbly from opaque fountains sprouting from the soft earth. Jeff Tweedy's voice provides the narration in his usual vague manner.

After the verses, the woods open up and resident fret-shredder Nels Cline is allowed room to operate, which he does with surgical precision. The call and response interplay between him and guitarist Pat Sansone is not to be missed.

listen

6) Night is Alive
Innerpartysystem
The Download EP


Imagine a futuristic goth prom, bodies swaying in a dark room lit by pale flickering of strobe lights. I picture this song playing in the background.

"Night is Alive" opens with an ominous sounding bass line that soon gives way to simmering groove. The bass keeps thumping away, joined by ambient synths, and drummer Jared's foundation of solid dance beats.

Oh, and then the chorus begins; prepare for face-melting balls to the wall mayhem. The singer effortless hits the high major 7th on the outro and it's pure bliss. One of the best electro-rock songs of 2007.

listen

7) Fake Empire
The National
The Boxer


I'll admit I didn't like this song at first, but it's really grown on me over time. The guy's voice is truly compelling, you find yourself unable to walk away. Something about the way he delievers the lyrics works really well. Think Leonard Cohen doing Sinatra, sitting in a fifth avenue bar at 2am nursing a scotch.

'Fake Empire' works in layers, adding them gradually along the way. The momentum really starts during the third verse with the introduction of the drums. Don't forget the snappy brass at the end thrown in for good measure.

listen

8) CIA
State Radio
Year of the Crow

Don't know too much about these guys, but their new record has some pure jams. This political thriller features lyrics such as "Don't you ever let let us down C.I.A./As you call in sick your empire needs protecting."

Politics aside, the music is good too. It morphs from the Wailer's reggae of the verses to an invigorating punk rock chorus that dares you not to sing along. By the way, it's the singer foremerly of Dispatch, but don't let that ruin it for you because this is actually good.

listen

9) Don't Make Me a Target
Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga


Instantly one of my favorite songs by Spoon, "Don't Make Me a Target" swaggers lazily along at a medium groove, but there's a definite underlying current of urgency in the choppy guitar rhythms.

Another political song, this one pokes fun at Bush with lines like: "Clubs and sticks and bats and balls/For nuclear dicks with their dialect drawls/That come from a parking lot town."

The urgent tension finally releases when the band doubles up the time for the instrumental breakdown. Usually with Spoon's music I feel like they're holding something back. I still get that a bit with "Don't Make Me a Target", but I was won over completely by their blazing live rendition.

listen

10) No Cars Go
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible


Think BIG. The Arcade Fire certainly have musical aspirations greater than the sum of their parts. They craft musical bodies large enough to swallow star systems whole.

"No Cars Go" explodes with galactic energy, the band kicking off with a euphoric swirl of no less than accordian, brass, strings, and choir behind them.

The song was actually written a long time ago. It was written about a remote location discovered by singer Win Butler, as evidenced by the lyrics: "We Know a place where no planes go/We know a place where no ships go".

After the happy go lucky verses, military drums bust through the door for the bridge, armed with a copy of Joshua Tree in hand, and Butler channels Bono in his prime for a huge energy swell.

listen

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Rock Band





Holiday shopping fervor has already infected the American mindset. Among the hottest commodities of the year will be two video games: "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" and "Rock Band".

"Guitar Hero III" came out last month and made $115 million in the first week alone. "Rock Band" is poised to come out this Tuesday, Nov 20th. Both games are developed by Harmonix Music Systems, based in Massachusetts.


prices at bestbuy:
"Rock Band" (with microphone, guitar, and drums): $169.99
"Guitar Hero III" (with guitar): $99.99


check out a demonstration of "Rock Band" at this year's E3 video game convention

Personally I detest these games, especially as they are being cranked out in fast food quantities these days. They are thinly-veiled marketing vehicles.

But most importantly, I've played both games and I have to say neither is as fun as playing the actual instruments. I would encourage prospective buyers to re-consider, and instead drop $100 on a cheapo guitar.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Blender.com just recently posted a list of their all-time top 100 rock & roll movies. They did a decent job, with a few odd choices that have little to do with music (Trainspotting?) here and there.


Here are my personal top 5:

1) Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe): The film is based on Crowe's real-life experiences as a teenage journalist for Rolling Stone Magazine. It paints a beautiful portrait of the changing musical landscape of '73, including an increasingly corporate-based record industry and bands merely looking to cash in on the spoils of fame. Rock music is the life-blood and driving force behind this film.

2) A Hard Day's Night (Richard Lester): Smart comedy sheds human light on The Beatles and showcases each member's unique personality. The Fab Four are a delight in front of the camera, and none of the dialogue sounds forced. Came out at the height of their fame as pop stars before they stopped touring.

3) This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner): The gold-standard for fake documentaries. Christopher Guest, Michael McKeon and Harry Shearer star in this absurd yet painfully truthful spoof of late 70's glam rock bands. Hits a home run showing the difficult and sometimes ridiculous lifestyle of rock stars.

4) Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Live in New York City (Chris Hilson): This is a TV specical, not a movie, but noneoftheless remains one of my favorite live performances captured on film. On the grand New York stage of Madison Square Garden, New Jersey's beloved son rocks the house with amped up versions of crowd favorites such as "Atlantic City". The moving rendition of ballad "The River" will send electric tingles up your spine.

5) I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (Sam Jones): This documentary was shot during the recording of Wilco's album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Director Sam Jones got behind-the-scenes access to the band, and captured unexpected in-band squabbling and turmoil on camera. Does a great job of showing the uncertainty that goes along with making an album, as well as record label politics.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Black Kids


Black Kids are among the most promising new artists of 2007. Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, they've gone from obscurity to fame in a matter of months. Their meteoric rise lends further credence to the notion that in the electronic era of the internet, one can truly become an overnight sensation.

Things really took off for them in August after playing a scorching set at the Athens Popfest in Georgia, where numerous members of the media were present. Soon after, Black Kids became a hot buzz word for bloggers and music press alike.

"Black Kids are amazing," says NME.com.

They remain unsigned to a label, and their only release to date is their five-track ep, "The Wizard of Ahhhs", which they have up for download on their myspace page.

listen to their songs or download them for free

Their sound is familiar, striking a balance between old school indie punk (The Clash) and new (The Arcade Fire). While it doesn't transcend any new ground, it's an impressive batch of songwriting for a debut effort.

Really looking forward to a full-length in the near future.