Check this debut video from this young singer-songwriter.
Category: Songs (Page 12 of 96)
Welcome to a new column here at ESDMusic, which I created for the sole purpose of talking about new songs that make me giddy. First up: my boys from Birmingham, Duran Duran.
Last time we heard from Duran, they were, well, royally pissing me off. They had just shelved an album that was reportedly a harder-edged back-to-basics affair, modeled after the Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party, two bands that Duran bassist John Taylor loved. Why would they do such a thing, you ask? Because Andy Taylor had left the band, again, because the band expressed interest in adding one more song to the album…featuring Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Now, I can see where a guy like Justin might appeal to them, but Timbaland? Really? Do they know what he does to the people he produces? He makes sure they all sound like him. You will use this drum machine; you will use this keyboard sound. And you will let him say “wicky wicky” at some point. Is there any place for that on a Duran album? Answer: no, and Andy knew it, so he bailed.
So the band started over from scratch, using the Timbaland collaboration not as a one-off but as a starting point (!). The end result: Red Carpet Massacre, where Duran Duran traded in their identity for one last attempt to remain relevant to the pop charts. The single stiffed, the label dropped them, and Duran went about making things right by doing what I’ve been wanting them to do since 2007: work with Mark Ronson. The band’s new album, All You Need Is Now, released on their own Skin Divers label – a curious name, considering it’s the name of the failed Timbaland collaboration – is the most traditional-sounding Duran Duran album since Seven and the Ragged Tiger (and is actually better than Tiger). And tucked away in the album’s back half is one of the best songs they’ve ever done.
“The Man Who Stole a Leopard”… Jesus, what do you say about this? It builds slowly, a la “The Chauffeur,” and features this gorgeous call-and-response vocal from Kelis that borders on haunting. The lyrics, based on an idea of John and Nick’s (and inspired by the 1965 Terence Stamp movie “The Collector”), tell the tale of a man who, you guessed it, kept a leopard in his apartment, and how his obsession with said creature fulfilled him like nothing else, but also led to his undoing. Ronson tones down the drum tracks some, making for one of those melancholy dance tracks along the lines of “Enjoy the Silence” or “Unfinished Sympathy.” With a run time of over six minutes, “The Man Who Stole a Leopard” is not likely to be among the songs chosen for release as a single, but you can bet that it will – and if the YouTube comments are any indication, already has – become a fan favorite. Give the video one listen, and see if you’re not running to the iTunes store seconds later.
Having children has had a profound impact on my musical tastes. Will it make them cry? Will it teach them naughty words? Will it bore them? Then it doesn’t get played around the house, which has resulted in my sharp turn towards the poppier side of modern. And really, once you’ve seen your three-year-old completely lose his shit when hearing a song with a chorus of “Na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na na na,” it’s hard to push anything on him that doesn’t come armed to the teeth with the pop hooks. Mind you, I think the Ramones are a pop band too, so I’m painting with a pretty broad brush here. But make no mistake – these bands are pop bands, of varying stripes and shapes. If you fancy yourself a hipster, you’d be best to move on and check out one of the other writers’ lists. I gave up being hip a couple years ago, and let me tell you: it’s extremely liberating.
Note: Some of the notes at the end of the write-ups will offer suggestions of which songs to check out. Others actually offer the songs. If you see “Click here for a free download…”, those songs are on our server, meaning you won’t be dragged off to some site that asks you to give up your email address for a song. These puppies all come with no strings attached, so please download away.
Top 10 Albums of 2010
1. Mark Ronson: Record Collection
Ahhhhhh. If I get to heaven, this is what the radio station will sound like. Tasteful drum beats paired with even tastier synth tracks, highlighted by brilliantly chosen guest contributors from Q-Tip and D’Angelo to Simon Le Bon and a devastating performance by Boy George. Definitely gonna ride this bike until we get home.
Download these: “The Bike Song,” “Somebody to Love Me,” “Record Collection”
2. Hey Champ: Star
I’m a sucker for any band that justifies my love for New Order and the Buggles, and this Chicago trio threw down synth pop/rock that, in an ideal world, would have Passion Pit opening for them, not the other way around.
Click here for a free download of Hey Champ’s “Neverest”
Click here for a free download of Hey Champ’s “Cold Dust Girl”
3. Prefab Sprout: Let’s Change the World with Music
Man, what a sweet surprise this was. Originally scheduled to be the follow-up album to 1990’s Jordan: The Comeback, the album was scrapped despite Prefab leader Paddy McAloon already finishing studio-quality demo versions of every song. Eighteen years later, the songs finally see the light of day, and the result is instant nostalgia. He supposedly has dozens more albums on his shelves from the same period. Please don’t make us wait 18 years for the next one, Paddy.
Download these: “Let There Be Music,” “Ride,” “God Watch Over You”
4. The Hours: It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Finish
This one is knocked down a few rungs on a technicality, in that it’s a Franken-album consisting of the best songs from the band’s two UK-only releases. But hot damn, are those songs good. Shimmering, sky-high, piano-driven pop that addresses the darkness in people’s lives but strives for hope and change. No wonder Nike used one of these songs for their unforgettable “Human Chain” ad earlier this year. Favorite lyric: “I can understand how someone can go over to the dark side, ’cause the Devil, he’s got all the tunes.”
Download these: “See the Light,” “Big Black Hole,” “Come On”
The Hours – “See The Light” 2010 Edit from Adeline Records on Vimeo.
5. The Silver Seas: Chateau Revenge
I’m still pissed about this one. I got a sneak peek of the record months before its release because our publicist is tight with the band. We played the daylights out of it, and couldn’t wait to sing its praises when it came out in April…only April never happened. Then it was July, and when it came out, the damn thing was buried. Why, why, why? Not enough irony or cynicism? I see no reason why the Shins can sell millions while the Silver Seas still toil in obscurity. The phrase ‘criminally underrated’ was written about bands like this.
Click here for a free download of the Silver Seas’ “The Best Things in Life”
6. Midnight Juggernauts: The Crystal Axis
The back half of “Lara Versus the Savage Pack” makes me positively giddy. Armed with a hypnotic six-note riff, this Australian trio lays on the strangest chord sequence before finally landing on the original chord in spectacular fashion, then sending one note climbing the walls, guaranteeing that everyone lucky enough to be in the club that plays this song will do the same. A little odder and more groove-oriented than their (awesome) alt-dance debut Dystopia, but one gets the sense that the Midnight Juggernauts are just getting warmed up. Sweet.
Download these: “Lara Versus the Savage Pack,” “The Great Beyond,” “Vital Signs”
7. Codeine Velvet Club: Codeine Velvet Club
The lead singer of the Fratellis hooks up with his wife’s friend (not in that way) and makes what is arguably his best album yet, a collection of ’60s-minded boy/girl songs that could be spy anthems or ballads that Nancy Sinatra would have killed for. They even had the guts to cover a song from one of the most hallowed English pop records of all time (that would be the Stone Roses’ first album, see clip below). Yes, it’s true: Fratelli wrote “I Would Send You Roses” for Roger Daltrey. (Click here to read our interview with Jon Fratelli.)
Click here for a free download of Codeine Velvet Club’s “Hollywood”
8. Scissor Sisters: Night Work
It’s officially time to recognize Jake Shears as one of the most versatile singers in music today. He has a baritone that would give Chris Difford pause and a falsetto that would give Barry Gibb a hissy fit. His band, meanwhile, chugs out the most awesome disco pop the world has heard since, well, disco. I get why these guys aren’t chartbusters in the States – they’re far too comfortable with their sexuality than most Americans are. Still, you’d think that their craft as songwriters would rise above what they do in their private lives. Sigh.
Download these: “Invisible Light,” “Nightlife,” “Harder You Get”
9. Trashcan Sinatras: In the Music
Ah, my beloved Trashcans. I hope they will forgive me for not putting them at the top of my list, but let’s face it: they’re in a different musical place now, and so am I. I still love them – I even made good on my promise to buy guitarist Paul Livingston a drink after their show in Chicago the weekend of Lollapalooza last year – but not quite like I once did. It’s a beautiful record – it’s just not the record I needed this year, hence its ranking in the bottom part of my list. I’ll definitely play it more when the kids get older, though.
Click here for a free download of the Trashcan Sinatras’ “People”
10. Home Video: The Automatic Process
I’m shocked that, in the Internet age, any band would give themselves the name Home Video. I even teased the lead singer for the Australian band Oh Mercy for the same thing earlier this year – who the hell is going to find your band among a million Google hits about Bob Dylan album reviews, or in the case of this electro-pop duo, old VHS titles? But when you’re armed with a song that sounds like a modern-day take on Seal’s “Future Love Paradise” (that would be “Beatrice”), then you can probably name your band any old thing you want. If you like the idea of Radiohead more than the band itself these days, definitely give this a listen. Doves fans should take note, too.
Download these: “The Smoke,” “Beatrice,” “You Will Know What to Do”
Honorable Mentions
Cee Lo Green: The Lady Killer
Any question that “Fuck You” is the single of the year?
My Chemical Romance: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
Any question that “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” is the song title of the year?
Findlay Brown: Love Will Find You
The title track has my vote for video of the year that wasn’t made by OK Go. So sweet I want to pinch his cheeks.
Divine Comedy: Bang Goes the Knighthood
He had a hand in my favorite album from last year (that would be the concept album about cricket, The Duckworth Lewis Method), and that album’s playfulness spilled over to his day job.
Devo: Something for Everybody
Absolutely better than it had any reason to be, and they killed at Lollapalooza.
The Coral: Butterfly House
This was the first I had heard from them in eight years. Nice to see you again.
Fitz & the Tantrums: Pickin’ Up the Pieces
I was late to this party, but once I arrived, I couldn’t stop dancing. We could use about a dozen more bands like this.
Ex-Norwegian: Sketch
It’s like a lost early ’90s alt-rock album. You know, before everything went to shit.
Click here to download Ex Norwegian’s “Jet Lag”
OK Go: Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
My 19-month-old daughter still asks to see the doggie video.
Editors: In This Light and On This Evening
Good for them for getting out of their comfort zone.
Nitzer Ebb: Industrial Complex
Alan Wilder told us that Nitzer Ebb always had good rhythmic ideas, but lacked melodic content. The band listened.
Surprise of the Year
Ratt: Infestation
Shockingly good for a group of guys whose last good song is old enough to buy its own beer.
Notable songs that kicked ass
“He’s Not a Boy,” The Like (Click here for a free download)
It’s like a female Strokes, only fun. And check out this video. Those ’60s outfits just slay me. Va-voom.
“Closer,” Kylie Minogue
I’m still baffled as to how this hasn’t been released as a single. This is the most epic three-minute bubblegum pop song I’ve heard in years. I bet Muse would do a killer cover of it. This version is a little sped up, to keep Kylie’s label from throwing the hammer down, but you get the idea.
“Hot ‘n Fun,” N.E.R.D. featuring Nelly Furtado
How on earth was this song not huge? It’s like a modern-day “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” for crying out loud.
“Burn It Down,” Awolnation (Click here for a free download)
Little Richard surely loves this song, though I’m betting he opts for the version that doesn’t say “motherfucker” in the chorus.
“How You Like Me Now,” The Heavy
A bit of a cheat, since the album came out last year, but the single came out this year. And it made for a hell of a Super Bowl commercial.
“Remedy,” Little Boots
My pop star crush of 2010. She makes me tingly. (Click here to see the video, embedding disabled.)
“I L U,” School of Seven Bells (Click here for a free download)
Breakup song of the year. It’s also the best song My Bloody Valentine never wrote.
“Numbers Don’t Lie,” The Mynabirds
The video for this one totally won me over. Clever low-budget clip, and the lead singer is a total cutie.
“DHDQ,” Andy Bell
Think Eurythmics’ “Would I Lie to You” on synth steroids, about a Debbie Harry drag queen. Yep, that’s what “DHDQ” stands for.
“From Above,” Ben Folds & Nick Hornby
Best song Ben Folds has sung in nearly a decade, and quite possibly the definitive ‘ships passing in the night’ anthem.
“Thinking Bout Somethin’,” Hanson
Go ahead, you can laugh all you want (Ben Folds fans just nodded knowingly), but good luck getting this one out of your head. The video is about 16 different flavors of awesome, too.
Some other cool tunes
“I Want to See You Go Wild,” Andrew WK
“Don’t Turn the Lights On,” Chromeo
“We Don’t Want Your Body,” Stars
“The Coast,” Court Yard Hounds
“Back in Time,” Keane
“Bitter Pill,” Mt. Desolation
More free music!
Amazing that they’re just giving this stuff away.
“Trances Arc,” Boom City
“Your Famous Friends,” The Henry Clay People
“Could It Be,” Mackintosh Braun
“Taxi from the Airport,” Grosvenor
I still love you, only slightly, only slightly less than I used to
Some of my favorite bands put out albums this year. Albums that I thought were merely…okay. Sigh. I hate it when that happens.
Massive Attack: Heligoland
Gorillaz: Plastic Beach
Chemical Brothers: Further
New Pornographers: Together
Bryan Ferry: Olympia
Crowded House: Intriguer
Sneak peeks into 2011
Detstroyer: Kaputt
In a nutshell, Dan Bejar just made a better Bryan Ferry album than Bryan Ferry just made.
Click here to download Destroyer’s “Chinatown”
Exit Calm: Exit Calm
Liam Gallagher and Mani from the Stone Roses love ’em. Big, loud, epic indie guitar rock.
Diego Garcia: The Girls Are Yours
If the first track from the former Elefant man (oh, I hate myself for typing that) is any indication, we have a guitar pop classic waiting in the wings.
Click here to download Diego Garcia’s “You Were Never There”
Each year, when I sort through my favorite songs, I have trouble ranking them because each one has a different meaning to me. I always wind up creating a mixtape (or a playlist, for you younger readers) of those songs and arrange them so that the music flows like a great album or concert set. Without further ado, here’s my mix of the twenty songs I returned to for repeated listens throughout 2010.
“Fade Like a Shadow,” KT Tunstall
Tunstall continues to produce pop gems that are spirited, bright and full of life. This single from her latest, Tiger Suit, has everything you want in a single: a passionate delivery, a great melodic hook, and a unique rhythm that helps it stand out from other songs. A great way to kick off a mix tape.
“I Should Have Known It,” Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
The lead single from Mojo has that vintage Petty snarl and bite. The rest of the album may be a mixed bag, but this great rocker builds to kick-ass guitar jam and stands up with some of their best.
“Baby,” Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
I make no excuses for liking this guilty pleasure. When a song reminds you of your kids, it becomes a favorite whether it’s cool or not. Plus, come on, Luda’s rap is pretty choice.
“The Weary Kind,” Ryan Bingham
“Crazy Heart” was a great movie and Jeff Bridges was definitely worthy of his Academy Award, but the film wouldn’t have succeeded if the song Bridges’ character, Bad Blake, wrote in the film, wasn’t perfect. Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett wrote that perfect song in the form of “The Weary Kind” and Bingham captures everything about Bad Blake and delivers it in his performance of the Oscar winning composition.
“Cuckoo,” Lissie
My big discovery this year was Lissie’s, Catching a Tiger, a collection of lovely melodies combined with the singer’s remarkable voice. “Cuckoo” is the song I played most from the album. It’s one of the finest expressions of being a teenager and feeling like an outcast that I’ve heard in years.
“Can I Change My Mind,” Stone River Boys
Guitarist Dave Gonzalez and singer Mike Barfield, aka the Stone River Boys, blend Memphis soul, Austin blues and old time country for music they like to call country funk. Their cover of Roy Buchanan’s “Can I Change My Mind,” conjures images of warm summer evenings with my family and friends, the grill cookin’ steaks, the kids playing corn hole, and the cooler stocked with ice cold beer.
“Fuck You,” Cee Lo Green
Besides being one of the catchiest songs of the year, and also one of the slickest, there’s an emotional side to “Fuck You,” that taps into the wounded heart of every young guy who’s been jilted or turned down by the girl of his dreams. Show the dejected face of that kid, and I guarantee he’s thinking everything that Cee-Lo is singing on this damn fine song.
“Crash Years,” The New Pornographers
Neko Case and her band mates reconvene for another great jangly rock song. My favorite whistle solo of the year.
“The Power of the Heart,” Peter Gabriel
Gabriel does a cover of Lou Reed and creates magic.
“My Brand New Day,” Michael Stanley
Stanley is a musical icon in Cleveland whose height of popularity was the ’70s and early ’80s. These days he’s a well-loved DJ for Cleveland’s classic rock station, but he continues to write and record music. This unabashedly romantic up-tempo rocker somehow found its way to my favorite L.A. station and made my spring much brighter.
“Bring It On,” The Gaslight Anthem
These Jersey boys shed the Springsteen label with an intense album, American Slang. Although lead singer Brian Fallon received the lion’s share of the press, the album is truly a band effort, best exemplified on this phenomenal track. Drummer Benny Horowitz lays down a tight, solid foundation, bassist Alex Levine holds the song together like glue, and lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia uses his instrument like a second voice, as it sings a counter melody to Fallon’s vocals.
“January Wedding,” The Avett Brothers
The Avetts certainly know how to rock out with their acoustic guitars, bass and banjos, but they also have the ability to pull back, as they do on this lovely ballad from their album, I and Love and You.
“He’s Not a Boy,” The Like
Capturing the joy and harmonies of ’60s girls groups and blending it with the edginess and short precision of the British Invasion, the Like, had one of the most biting and danceable records of the year. Listening to “He’s Not a Boy” makes my head bounce, my foot tap, and makes me happy that I’m not the subject of lead singer Z Berg’s biting words.
“Wake Up Everybody,” John Legend & the Roots, featuring Common and Melanie Fiona
Teaming up with the Roots, the most important band in popular music right now, John Legend takes a brief respite from being the utmost authority on love to record Wake Up!, a collection of socially conscious songs. On this track from that superb album, Legend duets with Melanie Fiona, then steps aside for Common, who delivers a classic rap that carries this cover of a cover of a 1975 song by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes into the 21st Century.
“Anchor,” Alejandro Escovedo
This meaty rocker wears its heart on the rolled up sleeves of the sea-faring protagonist. With songs like this, it’s no wonder that cult figure Escovedo has fans like Springsteen.
“Women of the Ages,” Laura Cortese
I was riding the train to work one October morning, as I read the tragic account of Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old teen who chose to take his own life instead of enduring another day of abuse from his “peers.” This gorgeous song by Laura Cortese was playing while tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Silver Rider,” Robert Plant
On his new album, Band of Joy, Robert Plant found kindred spirits in Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin. The way Plant and Griffin complement each other on “Silver Rider” is uncanny, while Miller goes all Spyboy on us with a chilling guitar solo. Before the new album, Plant and Daniel Lanois did some sessions together. This song may give us an idea of what they would have sounded like.
“Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem, featuring Rihanna
It’s impossible to listen to this explosive number and not think about the tumultuous histories of both Eminem and Rihanna. Em spits out his lyrics like a machine gun and Rihanna makes your heart hurt in one of the best rap collaborations of all time.
“Bloodbuzz Ohio,” The National
I hear this song and I can’t help but think of the gray winter skies of my home state of Ohio. Not sure if that was the intention of the National when they recorded this song, but the song makes me homesick as the end of the year approaches.
“Looking Out,” Brandi Carlile
Another strong, emotional song by the underrated Carlile. The singer-songwriter seems incapable of singing a false note, plus she kicks some serious ass when it comes to rocking out. “When you feel like giving in… like your heart could break in two / Someone loves you!” What better message to end the year on.
RIYL: Cameo, Zapp, Hall & Oates
If you’ve ever flipped the collar on an Izod shirt, owned a pair of Bugle Boy jeans, or purchased Hall & Oates’ Rock ‘n’ Soul, Part One on cassette or vinyl, Chromeo is your custom-built funky time machine – a synthy, vocoder-soaked trip to a parallel reality where musical history stopped in 1984. It was a pretty nifty trick the first couple of times around – and their last release, 2007’s Fancy Footwork, earned them a Daryl Hall endorsement and the ironic love of an audience too young to remember Lionel Richie’s Can’t Slow Down – but most tributes to dead genres wear thin pretty quickly (see: Darkness, The). So it would be a mistake to expect similar results from their next album, right?
Maybe not. Business Casual doesn’t really add anything new to the Chromeo formula, but it doesn’t really need to – whether or not you believe P-Thugg and Dave 1 are serious, they’re really good at recreating that early ’80s vibe, to the point where you might find yourself wondering if you requested “The Right Type” on your local Top 40 station 25 years ago. Everything, from the buzzy synths to the soulful-but-not-too-soulful vocals, sounds like it’s being beamed in from a giant boom box on the planet Atari – and more importantly, the songs are as clever as they are catchy. It’s ultimately a fairly empty exercise, and if you’re old enough to remember when this sort of stuff was originally being made, it probably seems more than a little ridiculous to be witnessing a revival of something that was regarded as inherently disposable even when it was popular. What’s sillier, though: the idea of a band intentionally mimicking yacht soul, or the fact that Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” spent five weeks at Number One?
In the long run, it’ll be interesting to see where Chromeo takes this; even the artists they’re imitating moved on eventually, never to return. But hey, if they can deliver three albums that do this much with such a paper-thin gimmick, there might not be anything they can’t do. Break out the velour and pass the cocaine. (Atlantic 2010)
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