I first discovered Ladytron when their debut album, '604' was released in 2001. 'Playgirl', that album's lead single, received reasonable amounts of airplay on Xfm, and I began incorporating that song into my DJ sets at around that time - indeed, I believe I played 'Playgirl' at that same party I mentioned when discussing my #72 song of the decade.
But Ladytron remain one of Britain's most criminally underrated bands, even though they have been producing electronic pop of a consistently high standard throughout the decade. The Liverpool four-piece are far from being a household name, and have actually never had a single reach the UK Top 40.
'Destroy Everything You Touch' was as close as they got, charting at #42 in September of 2005 (whilst the album 'Witching Hour' only got to #81 in the albums chart). It's truly a travesty that a song of such magnificence received so little acclaim. To my knowledge, it barely appeared in end of year 'Best of 2005' lists, despite the fact that it's a song much beloved by everyone I've ever discussed it with.
Mira Aroyo's haunting vocals wormed their way inside my brain and never left. Accompanied by the glossy production and swirling synth soundscape that is Ladytron's modus operandi, it's one of those songs that seems to adapt to every possible scenario. It fits perfectly into a night out, a night in, a happy moment, a sad moment and every possible scenario in between.
If there's one song in my Top 100 that I wish more people knew (and loved) it would be this, so I urge you to watch the video below, and then let me know if you agree with my sentiments.
Showing posts with label alternative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alternative. Show all posts
Friday, 19 February 2010
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
16: Hot Chip - Over And Over
"Like a monkey with a miniature cymbal"
The nonsensical playfulness of 'Over and Over' was a breath of fresh air blowing through the British alternative music scene in 2006. Hot Chip's insanely addictive club floor-filler was NME's Single of the Year, and, as I'd mentioned previously, was inescapable that summer. Yet it didn't suffer from overkill, probably because of its inherent freshness and impish lyrics about monkeys with cymbals, Casio keyboards, and generally, being "laid back". Every time that familiar beat started playing, I found myself hopping from foot to foot, allowing myself even a little headbang for the thrashy electro breakdown in mid-song.
The word play that was employed towards the song's culmination was bizarre and amusing to me. Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard spell out various words, each one letter shorter than the previous, and, apparently not bearing any relation to each other. So "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" and "S-E-X-I-N-G" make some sort of sense, but then that context is blown off course by the follow-up "C-A-S-I-O" and "P-O-K-E". I genuinely have no idea what they are on about. Does it matter? Not really. It's still a fine example of a modern electro-pop song, undeniably cool. "We'll give you laid back" indeed.
The nonsensical playfulness of 'Over and Over' was a breath of fresh air blowing through the British alternative music scene in 2006. Hot Chip's insanely addictive club floor-filler was NME's Single of the Year, and, as I'd mentioned previously, was inescapable that summer. Yet it didn't suffer from overkill, probably because of its inherent freshness and impish lyrics about monkeys with cymbals, Casio keyboards, and generally, being "laid back". Every time that familiar beat started playing, I found myself hopping from foot to foot, allowing myself even a little headbang for the thrashy electro breakdown in mid-song.
The word play that was employed towards the song's culmination was bizarre and amusing to me. Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard spell out various words, each one letter shorter than the previous, and, apparently not bearing any relation to each other. So "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" and "S-E-X-I-N-G" make some sort of sense, but then that context is blown off course by the follow-up "C-A-S-I-O" and "P-O-K-E". I genuinely have no idea what they are on about. Does it matter? Not really. It's still a fine example of a modern electro-pop song, undeniably cool. "We'll give you laid back" indeed.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
20: Sigur Ros - Hoppípolla
Just lovely.
NB - This is not the actual video for the song, but instead, the trailer for Sir David Attenborough's award-winning BBC TV series, Planet Earth. I prefer this one.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
22: Interpol - Evil
Interpol are the New York band who made it cool to be miserable. And 'Evil', from their second album 'Antics' was their biggest hit of the decade (#18 in the UK singles chart), the sound of a band truly achieving the potential that they had already demonstrated on their debut album, 'Turn On The Bright Lights'.
Make no mistake, 'Evil' is a thoroughly depressing song. It opens with the haunting picked guitars and Paul Banks' pained vocal. "Rosemary, heaven restores you in life". His voice is mostly devoid of emotion, until it comes alive as he asks "but hey, who's on trial?" To me, the song as a whole speaks of the loneliness of lost love, with the perfect chorus line "I spent a life span with no cellmate" as the song's centrepiece. The drums are barely noticeable aside from the chorus, where they set the tone.
Interpol started the trend (which then became seen as something of a Joy Division revival, despite the lack of any similarities between the two groups), but Editors, White Lies and countless others have followed suit. It's never been so hip to be blue.
Make no mistake, 'Evil' is a thoroughly depressing song. It opens with the haunting picked guitars and Paul Banks' pained vocal. "Rosemary, heaven restores you in life". His voice is mostly devoid of emotion, until it comes alive as he asks "but hey, who's on trial?" To me, the song as a whole speaks of the loneliness of lost love, with the perfect chorus line "I spent a life span with no cellmate" as the song's centrepiece. The drums are barely noticeable aside from the chorus, where they set the tone.
Interpol started the trend (which then became seen as something of a Joy Division revival, despite the lack of any similarities between the two groups), but Editors, White Lies and countless others have followed suit. It's never been so hip to be blue.
Friday, 27 November 2009
34: The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
"I've said it once before, but it bears repeating"
The second ever charting UK single from Jack and Meg, which almost scraped into the Top 20 in the spring of 2002. Clocking in at just 1m 50secs, it's probably the shortest song in my countdown - a rapid-fire burst of hyperactive guitar. Whatever that emotion is in Jack's voice, it certainly doesn't seem like "love", but that's just one of the many quirky contradictions inherent in the White Stripes' music.
Of course, this song is most famous for its fabulous, multi-award-winning video.
The second ever charting UK single from Jack and Meg, which almost scraped into the Top 20 in the spring of 2002. Clocking in at just 1m 50secs, it's probably the shortest song in my countdown - a rapid-fire burst of hyperactive guitar. Whatever that emotion is in Jack's voice, it certainly doesn't seem like "love", but that's just one of the many quirky contradictions inherent in the White Stripes' music.
Of course, this song is most famous for its fabulous, multi-award-winning video.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
36: M83 - Don't Save Us From The Flames
The first ten seconds of this song, from 'Before The Dawn Heals Us', the third studio album by Antibes-based Anthony Gonzalez (aka M83) justify its appearance in this list. Mammoth drumroll, giving way to an epic choral soundscape. Nothing more to say - I love this band, and of all the brilliant songs they've recorded this decade, 'Don't Save Us From The Flames' is my clear favourite.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
37: Arctic Monkeys - 505
There's this bit in '505' which, when the Arctic Monkeys played it as part of their encore at Glastonbury 2007 (see video below), was one of the most euphoric moments I've ever experienced at a live show. It's at the end of the bridge, when they've reduced the volume and slowed the pace of the song right down, and then Alex Turner bursts back in, full pelt, with one of the most beautiful and poetic verses ever written - "but I crumble completely when you cry, it seems like once again you've had to greet me with goodbye, I'm always just about to go and spoil the surprise, take my hands off of your eyes too soon". I think it was about that moment, the penultimate song of a devastatingly good headline set, that I realised just how important this band have become.
It's easy to dismiss the Arctic Monkeys as being a product of the lad-rock, Britpop generation that preceeded and surrounded them, but tracks like '505' really distinguish them from the Fratellis and the Enemys of this world. Their songs are exquisitely constructed, with meaningful lyrics sung with real power and emphasis by their enigmatic frontman. They have had a huge impact on British music this decade, and with no signs of slowing up after three sensational albums, we can expect to see them cropping up in plenty of end of decade lists ten years from now.
It's easy to dismiss the Arctic Monkeys as being a product of the lad-rock, Britpop generation that preceeded and surrounded them, but tracks like '505' really distinguish them from the Fratellis and the Enemys of this world. Their songs are exquisitely constructed, with meaningful lyrics sung with real power and emphasis by their enigmatic frontman. They have had a huge impact on British music this decade, and with no signs of slowing up after three sensational albums, we can expect to see them cropping up in plenty of end of decade lists ten years from now.
Friday, 20 November 2009
40: The White Stripes - My Doorbell
When I've been researching information about songs in my countdown, I've frequently turned to SongMeanings.net to see how different people interpret the song in question. But none of the user comments I've read on that site are quite as perceptive as this one, from user "memememe" about 'My Doorbell':
"it's obviously about his dick. any time a guy thinks about something that many times repetitively in that short of a period of time, it has to be about his dick."
Whilst I'm sure memememe is posting slightly tongue in cheek, 'My Doorbell' might as well be about Jack's dick. It certainly doesn't appear to be anything to do with the "bell, chime, or buzzer outside a door that is rung to announce the presence of a visitor or caller". The White Stripes do not write lyrics for people to understand, that much is clear.
Anyway, putting interpretations to one side for a minute, 'My Doorbell' follows the White Stripes' template to a 'T'. Meg (a.k.a. Bamm-Bamm Rubble from the Flintstones) smashes her drums, one at a time. There are no fancy drumrolls where Meg's concerned - it's just "der, der, der-der, dum, der, der, der-der, dum. And Jack (he's the slightly unhinged one, in case you didn't know) plays along to the same rythmn on his piano, while singing the song's main hook over and over - "I'm thinking 'bout my doorbell, when you gonna ring it? When you gonna ring it?"
Given that they are the most inventive band of their generation, this is pretty standard fare, but it jumped out on first listen to 'Get Behind Me Satan' as the one song that would be universally loved, and from my perspective, it's certainly proven to be the case.
"it's obviously about his dick. any time a guy thinks about something that many times repetitively in that short of a period of time, it has to be about his dick."
Whilst I'm sure memememe is posting slightly tongue in cheek, 'My Doorbell' might as well be about Jack's dick. It certainly doesn't appear to be anything to do with the "bell, chime, or buzzer outside a door that is rung to announce the presence of a visitor or caller". The White Stripes do not write lyrics for people to understand, that much is clear.
Anyway, putting interpretations to one side for a minute, 'My Doorbell' follows the White Stripes' template to a 'T'. Meg (a.k.a. Bamm-Bamm Rubble from the Flintstones) smashes her drums, one at a time. There are no fancy drumrolls where Meg's concerned - it's just "der, der, der-der, dum, der, der, der-der, dum. And Jack (he's the slightly unhinged one, in case you didn't know) plays along to the same rythmn on his piano, while singing the song's main hook over and over - "I'm thinking 'bout my doorbell, when you gonna ring it? When you gonna ring it?"
Given that they are the most inventive band of their generation, this is pretty standard fare, but it jumped out on first listen to 'Get Behind Me Satan' as the one song that would be universally loved, and from my perspective, it's certainly proven to be the case.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
45: Hot Chip - Hold On
Hot Chip are the least likely pop stars of their generation. Nerds with guitars and laptops, sitting in their bedrooms at home, aren't supposed to have top ten albums and singles. Pop stars have a certain "look", Hot Chip look like cast members from 'The Big Bang Theory', all spectacles and knitwear. These guys shouldn't be mates with Kylie, but they are. They are the anti-stereotype.
After years of grafting at the fringes of the UK music scene, 2006 album, 'The Warning' provided the significant breakthrough in their career. The critically acclaimed album, voted best that year by Mixmag, managed to bridge the gap between indie shoegaze and electronic dance. 'Over And Over' was NME's single of the year, and was unavoidable - every TV show, every branch of TopShop, every radio station was playing it. A string of high energy live shows merely enhanced their reputation.
Tricky second album time, folks. Not for the Hot Chip boys, whose 2008 long player, 'Made In The Dark' was, if anything, better than its predecessor. It spawned the chart-bothering 'Ready For The Floor', but the whole album (reputedly inspired by Prince's 'Sign O' The Times') was packed with impressive electronic dance anthems, like 'Shake A Fist', 'Bendable Poseable', 'One Pure Thought' and this song.
'Hold On' is a relentless, growling song, building and building to a crescendo until the drums come crashing down on the chorus. Hot Chip's lyrics are nonsense, as on all their previous work, but don't let that put you off. "I'm only going to heaven if it feels like hell, I'm only going to heaven if it tastes like caramel" sings Alexis Taylor.
Again, no video available sadly, but here's a truly astounding performance of the song from the BBC's 'Later With... Jools Holland' show.
After years of grafting at the fringes of the UK music scene, 2006 album, 'The Warning' provided the significant breakthrough in their career. The critically acclaimed album, voted best that year by Mixmag, managed to bridge the gap between indie shoegaze and electronic dance. 'Over And Over' was NME's single of the year, and was unavoidable - every TV show, every branch of TopShop, every radio station was playing it. A string of high energy live shows merely enhanced their reputation.
Tricky second album time, folks. Not for the Hot Chip boys, whose 2008 long player, 'Made In The Dark' was, if anything, better than its predecessor. It spawned the chart-bothering 'Ready For The Floor', but the whole album (reputedly inspired by Prince's 'Sign O' The Times') was packed with impressive electronic dance anthems, like 'Shake A Fist', 'Bendable Poseable', 'One Pure Thought' and this song.
'Hold On' is a relentless, growling song, building and building to a crescendo until the drums come crashing down on the chorus. Hot Chip's lyrics are nonsense, as on all their previous work, but don't let that put you off. "I'm only going to heaven if it feels like hell, I'm only going to heaven if it tastes like caramel" sings Alexis Taylor.
Again, no video available sadly, but here's a truly astounding performance of the song from the BBC's 'Later With... Jools Holland' show.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
48: Arctic Monkeys - Leave Before The Lights Come On
One day, years from now, cultural historians will appraise the lyrics of a certain Mr. Alex Turner, and will conclude that he was the premiere popular poet of his generation. In the same way that Morrissey had his finger on the pulse of British life in the 80s, the Sheffield frontman has a knack for describing society accurately, and with great wit.
'Leave Before The Lights Come On' is a prime example. At first glance, the song would appear to chronicle that moment at which the club lights come up at the end of a night, to reveal the carnage and devastation that has gone before. But dig deeper, and Turner is also describing the feelings of dread and regret that result from waking up alongside a stranger.
The Arctic Monkeys came out of nowhere, and took the music scene by storm. The story has been well recounted - the first big MySpace success story, they sold out London's famous Astoria whilst still unsigned, hit #1 with their first two singles, had the fastest selling debut album in history, and headlined Glastonbury less than two years after signing their first record deal.
Amazingly, 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' was rejected as an album track for 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not', and so never appeared on an Arctic Monkeys album. Despite this, it peaked at #4 in the charts in August 2006, and remains one of their fans' best-loved songs. In particular, it showcases the extraordinary drumming talents of Matt Helders, whose drum fills, particularly on the instrumental bridge are a sight to behold.
'Leave Before The Lights Come On' is a prime example. At first glance, the song would appear to chronicle that moment at which the club lights come up at the end of a night, to reveal the carnage and devastation that has gone before. But dig deeper, and Turner is also describing the feelings of dread and regret that result from waking up alongside a stranger.
The Arctic Monkeys came out of nowhere, and took the music scene by storm. The story has been well recounted - the first big MySpace success story, they sold out London's famous Astoria whilst still unsigned, hit #1 with their first two singles, had the fastest selling debut album in history, and headlined Glastonbury less than two years after signing their first record deal.
Amazingly, 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' was rejected as an album track for 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not', and so never appeared on an Arctic Monkeys album. Despite this, it peaked at #4 in the charts in August 2006, and remains one of their fans' best-loved songs. In particular, it showcases the extraordinary drumming talents of Matt Helders, whose drum fills, particularly on the instrumental bridge are a sight to behold.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
56: Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot
Despite it being this decade's equivalent of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' or 'Jump Around' (massively overplayed on radio, churned out by DJs at pop club nights to appease the rock fans dragged along by their friends), and despite the Kaiser Chiefs being this decade's Oasis (lad-rock, shouty, repetitive lyrics, lots of 'na-na-na' vocals), somehow, 'I Predict A Riot' still retains a certain charm. That's probably largely down to the Yorkshire-isms of the song. The second line of the song uses the word "thee", whilst revered civil engineer, John Smeaton gets name-checked.
The Leeds band released their debut album, 'Employment' in March 2005, and it went to #2 in the UK albums chart, and five times platinum, selling over 1.5million copies, no doubt helped by the presence on the album of 'I Predict A Riot'. Actually, the song performed surprisingly poorly in the charts four months earlier, when it was released, failing to even crack the Top 20.
The lyrics detail a disorderly night out in their home town, and as such, provide a direct link with their Yorkshire peers, the Arctic Monkeys. But where the Sheffield lads paint a grim picture of urban life, the 'Chiefs' seem to revel in the bad behaviour of the ASBO generation. "I predict a riot and I want to join in" seems to be the message of the song. For rebellious teenagers, this was the UK's answer to America's burgeoning emo scene; for balding mid-lifers, it was a chance to relive past glories. Its universal appeal is unquestioned.
The Leeds band released their debut album, 'Employment' in March 2005, and it went to #2 in the UK albums chart, and five times platinum, selling over 1.5million copies, no doubt helped by the presence on the album of 'I Predict A Riot'. Actually, the song performed surprisingly poorly in the charts four months earlier, when it was released, failing to even crack the Top 20.
The lyrics detail a disorderly night out in their home town, and as such, provide a direct link with their Yorkshire peers, the Arctic Monkeys. But where the Sheffield lads paint a grim picture of urban life, the 'Chiefs' seem to revel in the bad behaviour of the ASBO generation. "I predict a riot and I want to join in" seems to be the message of the song. For rebellious teenagers, this was the UK's answer to America's burgeoning emo scene; for balding mid-lifers, it was a chance to relive past glories. Its universal appeal is unquestioned.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
63: Ash - Burn Baby Burn
If I'm listing my favourite songs of this decade, it would be totally remiss of me not to include at least one song by a band that I saw play live on at least seven occasions during said decade. 'Burn Baby Burn's as good a choice as any.... both NME and Q magazine's single of the year for 2002, and the first song ever played on that most "Noughties" of radio stations, BBC 6 Music.
If I could have been any modern rock star, I'd have chosen to be Tim Wheeler. He's always made it seem so effortless, with that "don't give a f**k" attitude, like a credible man's Liam Gallagher. Just hearing a short blast of the soaring guitar intro to 'Burn Baby Burn' conjures up images in my head of Wheeler, standing in perfect rock stance (see Jack Black teaching the kids in 'School of Rock' if you don't know what I mean), flying-V draped across his torso.
'Burn Baby Burn' was the second single off what I consider to be Ash's best album, 'Free All Angels' (controversial, moi?) It was released in 2001. I was just finishing my first year of Uni, and Ash, whose members are the same age as me, were already bona fide stars, on their third major label release. Nevertheless, I felt like I could identify with them. I saw them play at Oxford Brookes Student Union a week after the release of the album, and it was one of the most memorable gigs of my life - I came close to being ejected by security for "crowd surfing too much". For me, Ash summed up everything that was right about British indie-rock this decade, and 'Burn Baby Burn' is still one of their finest moments.
If I could have been any modern rock star, I'd have chosen to be Tim Wheeler. He's always made it seem so effortless, with that "don't give a f**k" attitude, like a credible man's Liam Gallagher. Just hearing a short blast of the soaring guitar intro to 'Burn Baby Burn' conjures up images in my head of Wheeler, standing in perfect rock stance (see Jack Black teaching the kids in 'School of Rock' if you don't know what I mean), flying-V draped across his torso.
'Burn Baby Burn' was the second single off what I consider to be Ash's best album, 'Free All Angels' (controversial, moi?) It was released in 2001. I was just finishing my first year of Uni, and Ash, whose members are the same age as me, were already bona fide stars, on their third major label release. Nevertheless, I felt like I could identify with them. I saw them play at Oxford Brookes Student Union a week after the release of the album, and it was one of the most memorable gigs of my life - I came close to being ejected by security for "crowd surfing too much". For me, Ash summed up everything that was right about British indie-rock this decade, and 'Burn Baby Burn' is still one of their finest moments.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
65: Radiohead - Idioteque
"We are not scaremongering, this is really happening"
Released just 10 months after the turn of the Millennium, 'Kid A' was probably the most divisive album of the decade, and 'Idioteque' was its signature motif. Off the back of the the 8 million selling 'OK Computer', Radiohead followed up with a record which was lauded by many as groundbreaking, yet hated by those who had grown to love Radiohead for their songs.
'Idioteque' couldn't have been much further away from the likes of 'Creep' and 'Karma Police' if it had been written as a duet for tuba and mandolin. Sampling an obscure piece of computer-generated electronica from 1973, with layered drum patterns and Thom Yorke's increasingly frantic lyrics about the impending apocalypse, 'Idioteque' sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before. I'd probably pinpoint the first time I heard that song as the moment at which my music tastes finally veered away from indie/Britpop and started to move in divergent directions, towards electronic dance, rap, pop and folk.
'Idioteque' was recently named as the 8th best song of the decade by Pitchfork, who noted that it became an instant fans' favourite, "inevitably eliciting greater screams when introduced in concert than any other song". It also drew much of the ire of those fans who felt betrayed by their beloved band. But for me, its bleepy electronic core is as stunning and visionary as anything Radiohead released before or since. Make your own mind up.
Released just 10 months after the turn of the Millennium, 'Kid A' was probably the most divisive album of the decade, and 'Idioteque' was its signature motif. Off the back of the the 8 million selling 'OK Computer', Radiohead followed up with a record which was lauded by many as groundbreaking, yet hated by those who had grown to love Radiohead for their songs.
'Idioteque' couldn't have been much further away from the likes of 'Creep' and 'Karma Police' if it had been written as a duet for tuba and mandolin. Sampling an obscure piece of computer-generated electronica from 1973, with layered drum patterns and Thom Yorke's increasingly frantic lyrics about the impending apocalypse, 'Idioteque' sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before. I'd probably pinpoint the first time I heard that song as the moment at which my music tastes finally veered away from indie/Britpop and started to move in divergent directions, towards electronic dance, rap, pop and folk.
'Idioteque' was recently named as the 8th best song of the decade by Pitchfork, who noted that it became an instant fans' favourite, "inevitably eliciting greater screams when introduced in concert than any other song". It also drew much of the ire of those fans who felt betrayed by their beloved band. But for me, its bleepy electronic core is as stunning and visionary as anything Radiohead released before or since. Make your own mind up.
Friday, 18 September 2009
68: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
The only song performed by cartoon characters to appear in this list, 'Feel Good Inc.' lived up to its name as one of the most feel good songs of the decade. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's virtual creations outlasted many human contemporaries with their eclectic mix of trip-hop and rock. 2D, Noodle, Murdoc and Russel can now count 15 million album sales, 8 charting singles and a Grammy, for this song ("best collaboration with pop vocals").
The collaborators in question are De La Soul, whose rapping turned 'Feel Good Inc.' from a pleasant pop song with a catchy chorus into a massive international hit that wormed its way into our brains. There's a really impressive flow to the rap, and when De La Soul order "don't stop, get it, get it" you actually pay attention.
The "ah ha ha haaaaaa" is genuinely menacing, in a kind of Count from Sesame Street style - I'm not sure if Gorillaz were hoping to scare small children, but aside from those moments, this is an upbeat song of the highest quality. It peaked at #2 in the UK charts, embarassingly kept from the top spot by Tony Christie and Peter Kay's dreadful 'Amarillo'. But Gorillaz did hit the top of the charts with the follow-up to this, 'DARE', and deservedly so.
Gorillaz are working on a third album at present... the kind of longevity that the Simon Cowell reality popstars can only dream of. Long may the animated success continue.
The collaborators in question are De La Soul, whose rapping turned 'Feel Good Inc.' from a pleasant pop song with a catchy chorus into a massive international hit that wormed its way into our brains. There's a really impressive flow to the rap, and when De La Soul order "don't stop, get it, get it" you actually pay attention.
The "ah ha ha haaaaaa" is genuinely menacing, in a kind of Count from Sesame Street style - I'm not sure if Gorillaz were hoping to scare small children, but aside from those moments, this is an upbeat song of the highest quality. It peaked at #2 in the UK charts, embarassingly kept from the top spot by Tony Christie and Peter Kay's dreadful 'Amarillo'. But Gorillaz did hit the top of the charts with the follow-up to this, 'DARE', and deservedly so.
Gorillaz are working on a third album at present... the kind of longevity that the Simon Cowell reality popstars can only dream of. Long may the animated success continue.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
74: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
"Wait, they don't like you like I love you"
A second appearance in my countdown for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ('Zero' was at #90), but a totally different sounding song. Whereas 'Zero' is all shimmering disco balls, 'Maps' always strikes me as a lament. What it is, precisely, that Karen O is lamenting, I'm not sure, but she has her reasons, I expect.
I loved 'Maps' from the very first time I heard it. My favourite bit is the second verse, where Karen suddenly raises her voice to sing the line "I'll stay the same" - a defiant message, a refusal to compromise.
When my friends and I played this song on Rock Band, I always ended up doing vocals. And despite the fact that I have a terrible voice (and hate hearing myself sing), I always enjoyed singing this one... it's just a lovely, sweet vocal, the perfect accompaniment to the lullaby-esque tune.
A second appearance in my countdown for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ('Zero' was at #90), but a totally different sounding song. Whereas 'Zero' is all shimmering disco balls, 'Maps' always strikes me as a lament. What it is, precisely, that Karen O is lamenting, I'm not sure, but she has her reasons, I expect.
I loved 'Maps' from the very first time I heard it. My favourite bit is the second verse, where Karen suddenly raises her voice to sing the line "I'll stay the same" - a defiant message, a refusal to compromise.
When my friends and I played this song on Rock Band, I always ended up doing vocals. And despite the fact that I have a terrible voice (and hate hearing myself sing), I always enjoyed singing this one... it's just a lovely, sweet vocal, the perfect accompaniment to the lullaby-esque tune.
75: MGMT - Kids
MGMT seemingly appeared out of nowhere (they're actually from Brooklyn, NYC) in early 2008, and quickly took the music world by storm. Their debut album 'Oracular Spectacular' topped multiple end of year album polls, and its two biggest hits were unavoidable in restaurants, bars, clubs and high streets throughout Western Europe and North America.
There wasn't a lot to choose between 'Time To Pretend' and 'Kids', when it came to compiling this countdown, but I think the former has suffered from greater over-exposure.
So yes, you're familiar with 'Kids' too, by now. That memorable staccato synth, that leaves an indelible mark on your brain. The disco beat that emerges, then supplanted by those haunting vocals. That chorus, with the nonsensical lyrics ("control yourself, take only what you need from it, a family of trees wanting to be haunted"). 'Kids' is the song to soundtrack a thousand sporting montages on TV, and despite the feeling that it could have been written in the late 70s, it belongs as much to the Noughties as any song on this list.
There wasn't a lot to choose between 'Time To Pretend' and 'Kids', when it came to compiling this countdown, but I think the former has suffered from greater over-exposure.
So yes, you're familiar with 'Kids' too, by now. That memorable staccato synth, that leaves an indelible mark on your brain. The disco beat that emerges, then supplanted by those haunting vocals. That chorus, with the nonsensical lyrics ("control yourself, take only what you need from it, a family of trees wanting to be haunted"). 'Kids' is the song to soundtrack a thousand sporting montages on TV, and despite the feeling that it could have been written in the late 70s, it belongs as much to the Noughties as any song on this list.
Monday, 10 August 2009
85: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
The most widely recognised riff of the decade underlays this hit from Jack and Meg White, from the summer of 2003. The White Stripes laid claim to being one of the most innovative and influential bands of the Noughties, and with this Grammy-winning number, they achieved the peak of their mainstream success.
The riff itself sounds like it is created by a bass guitar, but The White Stripes' have never used that instrument - their standard set-up is Jack on guitar and vocals, Meg on drums. For 'Seven Nation Army', Jack ran his 1950s-style semi-acoustic through an octave pedal, set down an octave. (NB - I have no idea what this means, but Wikipedia says it, so it must be true). It is allegedly based around Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 5. A young Jack White supposedly misheard the name 'Salvation Army', hence the song's title.
The song has become massively popular with sports fans, particularly amongst Italian football fans, who sung it all the way through their country's success in the World Cup in 2006. Liverpool fans sing it to Javier Mascherano, and The Guardian described it as "the indiest football album ever." But it has also appeared as entrance music for a Welterwight boxing title fight, at the opening of an Australian cricket innings, and during the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich. Put simply, 'Seven Nation Army' has emerged as the ultimate in multi-purpose popular music. Which is quite an achievement for a track with a wild guitar breakdown and thrashing drums. Well done, the Whites.
The riff itself sounds like it is created by a bass guitar, but The White Stripes' have never used that instrument - their standard set-up is Jack on guitar and vocals, Meg on drums. For 'Seven Nation Army', Jack ran his 1950s-style semi-acoustic through an octave pedal, set down an octave. (NB - I have no idea what this means, but Wikipedia says it, so it must be true). It is allegedly based around Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 5. A young Jack White supposedly misheard the name 'Salvation Army', hence the song's title.
The song has become massively popular with sports fans, particularly amongst Italian football fans, who sung it all the way through their country's success in the World Cup in 2006. Liverpool fans sing it to Javier Mascherano, and The Guardian described it as "the indiest football album ever." But it has also appeared as entrance music for a Welterwight boxing title fight, at the opening of an Australian cricket innings, and during the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich. Put simply, 'Seven Nation Army' has emerged as the ultimate in multi-purpose popular music. Which is quite an achievement for a track with a wild guitar breakdown and thrashing drums. Well done, the Whites.
Friday, 10 July 2009
96: White Lies - Death
The first 2009 song to appear in this countdown is this 5 minute epic from Ealing's newcomers to the alternative scene, White Lies. The first British band to hit #1 in the album charts during 2009, White Lies originally released 'Death' last autumn without much success, but it hit #17 when it was re-released a month ago.
From the instant I heard 'Death', I fell in love with the song. Harry McVeigh's 'doom and gloom' vocal is accompanied by a slowly building riff and rhythm, until it bursts into life at the end of the song's bridge. Of course, the song is most easily recognisable for its chorus lyric "this fear's got a hold on me". However, the lyrics in the verse and bridge are well constructed, and allow listeners to draw their own conclusions as to the meaning. Personally, I subscribe to the theory that the lyrics are about a fear of flying (which, coincidentally, was the band's original name), but specifically, the lyrics are ambiguous enough to not only relate to aviophobia, but also to a fear of falling in love, or worse, of falling out of love.
Finally, I defy you to find me a more powerful lyric thus far in 2009 than "I live on the right side, I sleep on the left, that's why everything's got to be alive or dead".
Fact fans: eight of the ten songs on the album 'To Lose My Life' feature the words 'die', 'dead', 'death', 'died' or 'deceased' in their lyrics.
From the instant I heard 'Death', I fell in love with the song. Harry McVeigh's 'doom and gloom' vocal is accompanied by a slowly building riff and rhythm, until it bursts into life at the end of the song's bridge. Of course, the song is most easily recognisable for its chorus lyric "this fear's got a hold on me". However, the lyrics in the verse and bridge are well constructed, and allow listeners to draw their own conclusions as to the meaning. Personally, I subscribe to the theory that the lyrics are about a fear of flying (which, coincidentally, was the band's original name), but specifically, the lyrics are ambiguous enough to not only relate to aviophobia, but also to a fear of falling in love, or worse, of falling out of love.
Finally, I defy you to find me a more powerful lyric thus far in 2009 than "I live on the right side, I sleep on the left, that's why everything's got to be alive or dead".
Fact fans: eight of the ten songs on the album 'To Lose My Life' feature the words 'die', 'dead', 'death', 'died' or 'deceased' in their lyrics.
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