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Showing posts with label Daft Punk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daft Punk. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
HYPE
I still can't make my mind up about Annie. There's no denying that Anthonio was amazing, and the Fred Falke remix made a nigh on perfect pop song even better, but I think as a whole her collected body of work is rather hit and miss.
Of course anything I think or feel about an artist is instantly reset when I see the words "Produced by Paul Epworth", a man I have almost as much respect for as the lead singer of the band he helped create the perfect album with. You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Anyway Epworth has co-produced with a bunch of other people that I couldn't care less about Annie's new album, Can't Stop. He took the reigns for one such track, All Night.
All Night is roughly about as poppy as it can get before I switch off and disregard it, but Annie has always had this widespread indie appeal, something impossibly hard to attain for a pop artist but invaluable once it's there. As immediate as her work is, she'll never be a Gaga or a Minogue.
Also, I'll include her upcoming single Songs Remind Me Of You. Stop me if i'm wrong but the instrumentals sound almost identical to New Order's Blue Monday, minus the earth shaking bass. Bit dodgy that.
All Night - Annie
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Now for something completely different, Cage The Elephant. An Indie-Rock band from Texas, their track; Ain't No Rest For The Wicked has this iconic blue-grassy quality that would sound perfect during the opening for the movie in your mind you've always planned on making. Truly an amazing song.
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LCD Soundsystem created this track; Big Ideas, for the card-counting casino heist film, 21. It's classic James Murphy, who clearly has the recipe for brewing and bottling triple distilled cool. This song is all rise.
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Here's a track from Hey Today! called If I Was Wonderman. Recently Featured on the Bang Gang 12 Inches compilation. Reminds me of Daft Punk before they switched from space-disco-loving-party-throwing-future-robots to inevitable-machine-uprising-human-race-ending-psycho-robots. Robots that refuse to release any new material! Getting real sick of waiting.
Hopefully this will ease the pain.
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Diminishing Returns is a new song by Ali Love, channeling 80's power ballad heartbreak induced love songs. Has a really smooth, laid back feel to it. Very cool.
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Ra Ra Riot's album; The Rhumb Line, is hardly new. If you don't have it go out and get it. This track, Ghost Under Rocks, is probably the best I have heard from them so far. At times you can see how comparisons can be drawn to Vampire Weekend, but this song sounds so much more textured than the stripped down sound the other is known for. The strings that kick in near the end are a really great touch.
Ghost Under Rocks - Ra Ra Riot
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Buy the music that these people slave over. They don't do it for the love of it, they do it to get money, power and chicks, so help them out.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
SKYWRITER
Although to say he's a mere clone probably doesn't give him the credit he's entitled to.
The title track from the album features Benjamin Diamond. Now I don't really understand Diamond's deal, because while he sounds amazing when collaborating and guest vocal...i...sing (...?), He's really determined to stray as far into the Pop/Rock territory as his record label will allow on his solo work. And frankly he sucks. Benjamin Diamond should stick to what he's good at. Singing for French dudes.
Skywriter is no exception, my personal favourite on the album, thanks to both an awesome instrumental background and Diamond's silky vocals. Also check out So Much In Love, a very Daft Punk sounding song, with robotic vocoders and all.
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Skywriter - DatA
So Much In Love - DatA
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
REVIEW: PSYCHIC CHASMS - NEON INDIAN
Alan Palomo never fucking stops.
Going from GhostHustler to VEGA and now Neon Indian; Palomo's more than content to have multiple identities functioning at once (in the case of VEGA and Neon Indian), and thankfully, his work never suffers as a result.
While VEGA is very much focused on the 80's Electro-Pop, Neon Indian's Psychic Chasms serves to vent Palomo's desires for more left-of-field experimentations. That said, this album will feel both similar and alien to you depending on what you listen to. Psychic Chasms is a thirty minute amalgamation of Daft Punk, Chromeo, Cut Copy, Thieves Like Us and any 80's Dream-Pop channeling band you care to name. Of course I could run off a list of at least a dozen other acts Neon Indian sounds similar to, but such comparisons are a tad lazy.
The album is simultaneously abstract yet accessible, and it's this quality that I believe is Psychic Chasms' greatest strength. Whenever the instrumental sample-ridden and warped synth-laden sound of the tracks are in danger of losing the interest of those with more conservative tastes, Palomo's silky smooth vocals draw you right back in. Every track is dripping in nostalgia and memory, they all seem like a return to the events of a distant past joined by both prangs of regret and joyful resurgence. No track fits the bill more than Should Have Taken Acid With You, a sleepy dreamscape of love lost and drug fueled euphoria, it's definitely Neon Indian's manifesto functioning at its highest level.
I can't help but draw comparisons to Memory Tapes' Seek Magic; it shares with Psychic Chasms a similar sound and similar influences but, for me, Seek Magic errs too far into the realm of aloofness, gaining attention for its unique compositions, then losing it for not ending the songs in half the time they take to get where they are going.
The quality of Psychic Chasms is deftly maintained throughout the LP, arguably because of Palomo's use of segue songs between the strongest tracks on the album. A similar format was seen in Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, but I think Neon Indian pulls it off more successfully in this release. While it's a shame the album is done before you are; the less compelling tracks are made that much more successful in their shorter length, they begin to feel like intros and outros to the focus pieces of the album. When viewed in this way, it's hard to pick out any songs that really let down the album at all.
When all is said and done, Psychic Chasms is definitely not for everyone. Those looking for soaring, chorus-focused dancefloor tracks, they may be better served to seek out Palomo's more pop-oriented project; VEGA; because you won't find them here. That's not to say there aren't catchy tracks on the album, because there definitely are, and songs like Deadbeat Summer and Terminally Chill are great examples of this, but the album is definitely meant to be taken in as a whole package rather having its importance placed on singular songs.
As far as first albums go, Neon Indian hit the ground running. Although Alan Palomo has had time to refine his approach through his other works, and you can't help but be thankful he didn't attempt an album like this before he was truly ready. Psychic Chasms may take a few listens to take hold of you, but once it does, you'll find a multifaceted soundscape of nostalgia-soaked Chill-Wave that's very appealing.
8/10
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Should Have Taken Acid With You - Neon Indian
Myspace
Sunday, September 20, 2009
TOP 100 SONGS OF THE 2000's (10-1)
The 2000's are really one of the best eras to be in musically. Of course both the very wise and the very ignorant will argue against this statement, but no other point in time before this has it been both so easy to create music and share it with the world, and so possible to have it sound like whatever the hell takes your fancy.
I've always described the 2000's as an amalgamation of all of the best parts that have come before it. Whether it's fashion, design or music, all of it cuts and pastes from trends of the 60's, 70's, 80's and (thankfully least of all) the 90's. However due to the wonderful power of hindsight, we can trim off all those ugly fads that took the world by storm when we knew no better, and what we're left with is the best of the best.
And what better way to celebrate the versatility of this great time we live in (creatively at least), than to count down the top 100 songs of the 2000's.
JUMP TO:
100 - 90
89 - 80
79 - 70
69 - 60
59 - 50
49 - 40
39 - 30
29 - 20
19 - 11
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NUMBER 10
An Honest Mistake - The Bravery
An Honest Mistake is easily the best song in The Bravery's repertoire, the indie-dance identity of the song is juxtaposed with a really distorted raw guitar presence that's reminiscent of the previously mentioned sentimentalities of Bloc Party's Banquet. The song itself is apparently about an accidental homosexual experience one of the band members had whilst drunk, and the fallout associated with the event. However the lyrics could be applied to any situation relationship-wise, and that's one of the best draws of it I think. The Bravery haven't really brought anything to the table as good as An Honest Mistake, which is a shame, but with the timeless appeal of this song I'm happy to forgive them.
NUMBER 9
Gravity's Rainbow - Klaxons
Champions of the emergence of the New Rave genre in 2006, Klaxons provide crazy eclectic sounds and lyrics, harmonised falsetto screaming, a whole lot of noise and most importantly, amazingly catchy party tracks to go wild to. Gravity's Rainbow was one of the best tracks on the incredibly strong 2007 debut, Myths Of The Near Future. Dirty and rough instrumental work provides the backdrop for a rapidly rising feeling of excitement as the verses start, reaching the point of saturation as the chorus kicks in, which sounds like it was specifically designed to be sung by everyone but the band. The completely wacky lyrical work in the verses is not only completely cancelled out, but overcome by the sheer accessibility of the chorus:
Come with me, come with me,
We'll travel to infinity,
Come with me, come with me,
We'll travel to infinity,
I'll always be there oh oh,
My Future Love,
I'll always be there for you,
My future love.
We'll travel to infinity,
Come with me, come with me,
We'll travel to infinity,
I'll always be there oh oh,
My Future Love,
I'll always be there for you,
My future love.
A genre of sound created almost entirely for the teenage population (play it for your parents and you'll see what I mean), Gravity's Rainbow, and Klaxons, felt like the new Smashing Pumpkins of our time, an icon for all to rally under and celebrate the foolhardy experimentation of youth.
NUMBER 8
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
From the opening guitar riff, you're hooked. Mr. Brightside is the best song The Killers have written. The critics seem to think it's Read My Mind from the crime against humanity that was Sam's Town, but they're wrong. Play Mr. Brightside at a party, and everyone goes crazy; the people who listen to nothing but commercial radio, those who obsess about music and have extremely specific tastes, people who don't listen to any music at all and every point in between. The obsession of every single aspect of his ex-lover's new relationship is such a human and flawed quality that the lyrics connect with all listeners even if they haven't experienced it, it's written so plausibly, so honestly that it couldn't be anything less than true. You just can't hate this song, it's amazing in every aspect, it's accessible. memorable, emotional, intelligent and iconic. And I'd be lying if i hadn't acted out every line of the song in a drunken charades-inspired dance routine less than twice.
NUMBER 7
Pogo - Digitalism
Digitalism have always fought an uphill battle unfortunately. Always under the shadow of Justice's juggernaut of a debut album, Idealism's release, actually a month before the release of †, was never allowed the time to gestate and grow in popularity. Of course I say it worse than it is, Idealism proved to be extremely popular in the right circles, and the critics generally praised the album and band. But the similarities between the two bands, both part of the huge boom in European Indie-Dance music that occured in 2007 meant that hype governed which band was more at the forefront of people's minds. Sure, Digitalism were a great sidekick for Justice, they were a great support act, they had a similar sound and their album was pretty good, but † was seen as the better album.
However there was one song that Digitalism had in its arsenal that always made people sit up and pay attention, Pogo. Pogo always felt like Digitalism's track, separate from all else, incredibly catchy and with a more band-orientated feel, helped by the fact that vocal duties were taken up by one half of the duo. Because of Jens Moelle's decision to sing, rather than employ the talents of a guest musician, the act felt more like band than an electronic act like Justice or Simian Mobile Disco, the presence of a song heavily sampling The Cure's Fire In Cairo gave Digitalism an aesthetic that was more aligned to those who ordinarily wouldn't listen to Electronic music. Pogo was the figurehead of the ideology of indie-rock infused electro that Digitalism wanted to convey. Simple but strong lyrics, an obvious danceability, the all important X-Factor, impossible to describe but instantly recognisable, that lets you know these guys are for real. Pogo is all about partying hard and living life to the fullest, one of the best parts of the song being the simple repetition of the line "We could get so wasted" as the track fades out. The song has the perfect mix of uncomplicated lyrics and a more complex electronic instrumental presence, and this gives it its wide demographic of appeal.
NUMBER 6
Kelly - Van She
Van She have this incredible talent of spanning a whole plethora of sounds and genres in their music whilst still maintain both the feel of a Van She song, and more importantly, the undeniable quality. Kelly sounds like the perfect mix of 80's New Wave tributes and modern day New Wave sensibilities. The best thing about Kelly is that it's perfect for any mood or time. It's got a heartfelt melody to it, but a driving force that keeps the tempo up and maintains an interesting and catchy feel for the whole song. The chorus' anthem-like lyrics and the poppy synths, the simple bass and guitar of the verses juxtaposed against, and the overall feel-good mentality of the track as a whole give it a great appeal. One of the most light and carefree tracks the band has created, and one of the most convincing reasons for the argument that they are really something special.
NUMBER 5
Face To Face - Daft Punk
One of the more obscure tracks from Daft Punk's second album, Face To Face never really got the attention it deserved. The lengthy intro lures you into a false sense of security, sounding like Face To Face will be a capable instrumental track and nothing more. Then the vocals come in. To say Face To Face is well written would be an understatement. The vocals, sung by Todd Edwards rather than Romanthony or Robots From The Future, sound both fitting yet unique within the album. The lyrics perfectly summarise a failed relationship, and the reasons involved. It's clear Edwards' voice is perfect for the soul-infused electro identity of the track, and the way its sung, with such passion and vigor, that gives every line lasting meaning and impact. The jittery cut up backing vocals and instrumental work is really interesting, and again, quite unique against the rest of the album. It really feels like Daft Punk were saving best for last with Face To Face, being the second last track right before the epic closer Too Long. Face To Face is easily my favourite Daft Punk track to date.
NUMBER 4
Flux - Bloc Party
Flux was Bloc Party trying to prove to the world that they were a band capable of anything. Born out of Kele Okereke's fear of being pigeonholed into any one sound or genre, Flux sounded like nothing Bloc Party had done before it. Casting away the introspective, overly emotional sentimentality of A Weekend In The City, and the raw angular identity of Silent Alarm, Flux took a decidedly electronic path. With Okereke's vocals auto-tuned and synths and drum machines replacing the traditional instrumental set up the band was used to, Bloc Party were determined to push themselves, kicking and screaming, into greatness. And in my opinion, that's entirely what they did. There are still nuances of the song I am still only picking up on now as i write this summary, all the layers and effects creating a perfect cacophony of electronic brilliance that seems so unlikely for a band that had never even attempted this type of sound before.
The best thing about Flux is that it has an emotional core that Bloc Party are so well known for, but the mindless enjoyment and club-suited sound of the song not only doesn't suffer, but compliments it perfectly. For me, Flux sounds like the painful realisation of a failed relationship occuring in the parallel universe of the night, on a chaotic dancefloor, surrounded by people but never having felt more alone. It sounds like the sonic representation of laser shows and smoke machines, strobe lights and disco balls. Flux is the higher state of mind you reach when you have no clue where you are or what you're doing, when your brain is racing a hundred miles an hour and not functioning at all simultaneously. Flux is Bloc Party proving they are going places, and you're coming along for the ride.
NUMBER 3
Weak Become Heroes - The Streets
Weak Become Heroes was one of the first tracks I heard from The Streets and it still remains my all time favourite. With an effortless style that can only come from a perfect simplicity, Weak Become Heroes uses a simple piano loop over a electronic club beat that never seems to get old, and Mike Skinner's trademark speak-rapping, with observations and phrases so obvious and genuine you wonder why nobody else had thought of them first. The lyrics themselves deal with Skinner's first experience with Ecstasy; the mindless euphoria and the blindly optimistic view of the world that comes with it. Everyone is your best friend, every plan is flawless and genius, every aspect of life, undiscovered until this moment, is beautiful in its inherent existence. I've never taken the drug and even I feel like I know exactly what its like from Skinner's methodical depiction. Weak Become Heroes has this chill lounge feel to it that is so hard to perfect but instantly amazing when conveyed correctly. Even if you think aren't a fan of The Streets' sound, Weak Become Heroes will prove you wrong.
NUMBER 2
Signs - Bloc Party
Signs is the most beautiful and serene song I have ever heard. I could describe why, but it wouldn't do it justice. Just listen to it.
NUMBER 1
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
All My Friends is the closest thing to a perfect song I have heard in my life, not just this decade. The slowly building grandeur of the first 1:20 might be a turn off for some, but don't let it make you give up on the best song you will hear in a long time. All My Friends feels like the title track from the endless ups and downs of that is the album of your life. As cliche as that sounds, there really is no other way to describe it.
The repetition of the instrumental work throughout the track is a perfect metaphor for the passage of time, the lyrics deal with regret and mistakes, with the innocence and wonder lost as we get older. But most importantly, the importance of the person we are and the path we choose to get there.
People tend to associate different songs with heartbreak, love, parties and friendship, but All My Friends applies to all of them. I can think of a line from the song to relate to every important thing that has happened in my life recently. One that always sticks for me relates to the feelings i started to have when high school finally ended, like my life and friends were completely changed and there was no way back to those times in life when we didn't have the burden of responsibility.
NUMBER 8
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
From the opening guitar riff, you're hooked. Mr. Brightside is the best song The Killers have written. The critics seem to think it's Read My Mind from the crime against humanity that was Sam's Town, but they're wrong. Play Mr. Brightside at a party, and everyone goes crazy; the people who listen to nothing but commercial radio, those who obsess about music and have extremely specific tastes, people who don't listen to any music at all and every point in between. The obsession of every single aspect of his ex-lover's new relationship is such a human and flawed quality that the lyrics connect with all listeners even if they haven't experienced it, it's written so plausibly, so honestly that it couldn't be anything less than true. You just can't hate this song, it's amazing in every aspect, it's accessible. memorable, emotional, intelligent and iconic. And I'd be lying if i hadn't acted out every line of the song in a drunken charades-inspired dance routine less than twice.
NUMBER 7
Pogo - Digitalism
Digitalism have always fought an uphill battle unfortunately. Always under the shadow of Justice's juggernaut of a debut album, Idealism's release, actually a month before the release of †, was never allowed the time to gestate and grow in popularity. Of course I say it worse than it is, Idealism proved to be extremely popular in the right circles, and the critics generally praised the album and band. But the similarities between the two bands, both part of the huge boom in European Indie-Dance music that occured in 2007 meant that hype governed which band was more at the forefront of people's minds. Sure, Digitalism were a great sidekick for Justice, they were a great support act, they had a similar sound and their album was pretty good, but † was seen as the better album.
However there was one song that Digitalism had in its arsenal that always made people sit up and pay attention, Pogo. Pogo always felt like Digitalism's track, separate from all else, incredibly catchy and with a more band-orientated feel, helped by the fact that vocal duties were taken up by one half of the duo. Because of Jens Moelle's decision to sing, rather than employ the talents of a guest musician, the act felt more like band than an electronic act like Justice or Simian Mobile Disco, the presence of a song heavily sampling The Cure's Fire In Cairo gave Digitalism an aesthetic that was more aligned to those who ordinarily wouldn't listen to Electronic music. Pogo was the figurehead of the ideology of indie-rock infused electro that Digitalism wanted to convey. Simple but strong lyrics, an obvious danceability, the all important X-Factor, impossible to describe but instantly recognisable, that lets you know these guys are for real. Pogo is all about partying hard and living life to the fullest, one of the best parts of the song being the simple repetition of the line "We could get so wasted" as the track fades out. The song has the perfect mix of uncomplicated lyrics and a more complex electronic instrumental presence, and this gives it its wide demographic of appeal.
NUMBER 6
Kelly - Van She
Van She have this incredible talent of spanning a whole plethora of sounds and genres in their music whilst still maintain both the feel of a Van She song, and more importantly, the undeniable quality. Kelly sounds like the perfect mix of 80's New Wave tributes and modern day New Wave sensibilities. The best thing about Kelly is that it's perfect for any mood or time. It's got a heartfelt melody to it, but a driving force that keeps the tempo up and maintains an interesting and catchy feel for the whole song. The chorus' anthem-like lyrics and the poppy synths, the simple bass and guitar of the verses juxtaposed against, and the overall feel-good mentality of the track as a whole give it a great appeal. One of the most light and carefree tracks the band has created, and one of the most convincing reasons for the argument that they are really something special.
NUMBER 5
Face To Face - Daft Punk
One of the more obscure tracks from Daft Punk's second album, Face To Face never really got the attention it deserved. The lengthy intro lures you into a false sense of security, sounding like Face To Face will be a capable instrumental track and nothing more. Then the vocals come in. To say Face To Face is well written would be an understatement. The vocals, sung by Todd Edwards rather than Romanthony or Robots From The Future, sound both fitting yet unique within the album. The lyrics perfectly summarise a failed relationship, and the reasons involved. It's clear Edwards' voice is perfect for the soul-infused electro identity of the track, and the way its sung, with such passion and vigor, that gives every line lasting meaning and impact. The jittery cut up backing vocals and instrumental work is really interesting, and again, quite unique against the rest of the album. It really feels like Daft Punk were saving best for last with Face To Face, being the second last track right before the epic closer Too Long. Face To Face is easily my favourite Daft Punk track to date.
NUMBER 4
Flux - Bloc Party
Flux was Bloc Party trying to prove to the world that they were a band capable of anything. Born out of Kele Okereke's fear of being pigeonholed into any one sound or genre, Flux sounded like nothing Bloc Party had done before it. Casting away the introspective, overly emotional sentimentality of A Weekend In The City, and the raw angular identity of Silent Alarm, Flux took a decidedly electronic path. With Okereke's vocals auto-tuned and synths and drum machines replacing the traditional instrumental set up the band was used to, Bloc Party were determined to push themselves, kicking and screaming, into greatness. And in my opinion, that's entirely what they did. There are still nuances of the song I am still only picking up on now as i write this summary, all the layers and effects creating a perfect cacophony of electronic brilliance that seems so unlikely for a band that had never even attempted this type of sound before.
The best thing about Flux is that it has an emotional core that Bloc Party are so well known for, but the mindless enjoyment and club-suited sound of the song not only doesn't suffer, but compliments it perfectly. For me, Flux sounds like the painful realisation of a failed relationship occuring in the parallel universe of the night, on a chaotic dancefloor, surrounded by people but never having felt more alone. It sounds like the sonic representation of laser shows and smoke machines, strobe lights and disco balls. Flux is the higher state of mind you reach when you have no clue where you are or what you're doing, when your brain is racing a hundred miles an hour and not functioning at all simultaneously. Flux is Bloc Party proving they are going places, and you're coming along for the ride.
NUMBER 3
Weak Become Heroes - The Streets
Weak Become Heroes was one of the first tracks I heard from The Streets and it still remains my all time favourite. With an effortless style that can only come from a perfect simplicity, Weak Become Heroes uses a simple piano loop over a electronic club beat that never seems to get old, and Mike Skinner's trademark speak-rapping, with observations and phrases so obvious and genuine you wonder why nobody else had thought of them first. The lyrics themselves deal with Skinner's first experience with Ecstasy; the mindless euphoria and the blindly optimistic view of the world that comes with it. Everyone is your best friend, every plan is flawless and genius, every aspect of life, undiscovered until this moment, is beautiful in its inherent existence. I've never taken the drug and even I feel like I know exactly what its like from Skinner's methodical depiction. Weak Become Heroes has this chill lounge feel to it that is so hard to perfect but instantly amazing when conveyed correctly. Even if you think aren't a fan of The Streets' sound, Weak Become Heroes will prove you wrong.
NUMBER 2
Signs - Bloc Party
Signs is the most beautiful and serene song I have ever heard. I could describe why, but it wouldn't do it justice. Just listen to it.
NUMBER 1
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
All My Friends is the closest thing to a perfect song I have heard in my life, not just this decade. The slowly building grandeur of the first 1:20 might be a turn off for some, but don't let it make you give up on the best song you will hear in a long time. All My Friends feels like the title track from the endless ups and downs of that is the album of your life. As cliche as that sounds, there really is no other way to describe it.
The repetition of the instrumental work throughout the track is a perfect metaphor for the passage of time, the lyrics deal with regret and mistakes, with the innocence and wonder lost as we get older. But most importantly, the importance of the person we are and the path we choose to get there.
People tend to associate different songs with heartbreak, love, parties and friendship, but All My Friends applies to all of them. I can think of a line from the song to relate to every important thing that has happened in my life recently. One that always sticks for me relates to the feelings i started to have when high school finally ended, like my life and friends were completely changed and there was no way back to those times in life when we didn't have the burden of responsibility.
You spend the first five years trying to get with the plan,
And the next five years trying to be with your friends again.
And the next five years trying to be with your friends again.
All My Friends is one of those songs that just sticks with you from the moment you hear it. Epic and timeless in its execution, genre defying, emotionally riveting and lengthy while still holding your interest. It feels like James Murphy wanted to create a song that would last and mean something for decades, not just months or years. I believe he succeeded in doing so.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
TOP 100 SONGS OF THE 2000's (29-20)
The 2000's are really one of the best eras to be in musically. Of course both the very wise and the very ignorant will argue against this statement, but no other point in time before this has it been both so easy to create music and share it with the world, and so possible to have it sound like whatever the hell takes your fancy.
I've always described the 2000's as an amalgamation of all of the best parts that have come before it. Whether it's fashion, design or music, all of it cuts and pastes from trends of the 60's, 70's, 80's and (thankfully least of all) the 90's. However due to the wonderful power of hindsight, we can trim off all those ugly fads that took the world by storm when we knew no better, and what we're left with is the best of the best.
And what better way to celebrate the versatility of this great time we live in (creatively at least), than to count down the top 100 songs of the 2000's.
JUMP TO:
100 - 90
89 - 80
79 - 70
69 - 60
59 - 50
49 - 40
39 - 30
--
NUMBER 29
You Only Live Once - The Strokes
With an opening bassline reminiscent of Queen and David Bowie's Under Pressure, You Only Live Once opened The Strokes' third album, First Impressions Of Earth, with a bang. Casablancas took a slightly different approach to the singing style with this one and it's a really nice change of pace from their previous work. Everything sounds so strongly produced and deliberate, every sound and instrument plays its part and the great lyrics tie it all together. Easily one of my favourite songs by The Strokes, It's one of those songs you never skip no matter how many times it comes on.
NUMBER 28
The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (Part Two) - Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
Sam Duckworth, who for all intents and purposes is Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly; combines a strong acoustic focus with electronic backdrops to create some really interesting Indie-Pop that doesn't sound like much else out there. Made to be played on perfect days with cloudless skies, Chronicles has this deeply calming quality to it that really makes the song. Dealing with lost opportunities and past mistakes, the rapid delivery of the lyrics is an interesting touch, while the writing itself is well thought-out and introspective.
NUMBER 27
Get Free - The Vines
Get Free was the song that started it all. The raw emotion and barely contained bad behaviour of Craig Nicholls took the world by storm and ensured The Vines' place on every critic's "To Watch" list. There was something so abrasive and violent about the rough Garage Rock approach, yet it was so marketable, so appreciable, especially to the waves of teenagers who were too young for the angsty grunge movement of the 90's. The Vines were going to be huge. And they were; for a while. The first two albums, Highly Evolved and Winning Days; were incredibly good; taking strong influences from both the 60's and the 90's, splicing them together and creating some truly amazing songs, with an equal distribution of the very loud and surprisingly, the disarmingly peaceful.
But Nicholls' self-destructive tendencies and ongoing battle with Asperger Syndrome eventually tore the band apart, and some serious downtime was necessary. When they did eventually come back for their third album, Vision Valley, it was a much more restrained affair, not without its quality, but it felt like the soul of the band had been ripped out. With the forth album, Melodia, it was dishearteningly clear that The Vines weren't the same band that we heard and fell in love with six years prior. It's true that the most fleeting stars burn brightest, and for a while, The Vines were blindingly good.
I read in NME a few years ago a review of a Vision Valley single, and it really disgusted me actually. They basically went on to say they were completely wrong when they heralded The Vines as an amazing band destined for great things, then proceeded to "admit" that the first two albums weren't that good in the first place. Now while this is obviously indicative of the backtracking NME are notorious for, it really grinds my gears to see two of my favourite albums of the 2000's being dragged through the mud because it's cool to hate the band now due to the awful tragedy of mental illness.
It's clear their latest work isn't up to the quality of their first LPs, but that in no way cancels out that previous quality, those albums are as good today as they were back then. Buy them now.
NUMBER 26
Cut Here - The Cure
Cut Here is a great example of what makes The Cure great. Sounding both refreshingly new, yet appealingly retro, Cut Here would sound completely at home back in the 80's, but it blends perfectly into the 2000's thanks to the huge New-Wave revival that's taking place. Cut Here is a return to the great songwriting of the "In Between Days" period, and covers the always popular topic of love-lost and regret. The chorus may throw you at first, it certainly took a while to grow on me, but as an overall package this is one of the best songs by The Cure you will hear post-2000.
NUMBER 25
The Devil's Crayon - Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts have a very unique sound and approach that frankly, you will either love, or hate. The Devil's Crayon is an Avant Garde masterpiece that has a strong sense of nostalgia, drawing forth memories you haven't even had yet and feeling all at once new and familiar. The song alternates vocal duties between the more accessible, though still confronting voice of Tom Fleming and the androgynous, high pitched shrieks of Hayden Thorpe. I can say with great confidence that you won't like this song based on one listen. But if given a chance, something will keep drawing you back to it, again and again, until you can recognise and appreciate all the nuances of its genius.
NUMBER 24
Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
Sleepyhead is the closest Passion Pit have come to the greatness they have been touted as. Every critic, professional or otherwise, will put Manners as one of the best albums of 2009, a move which has perplexed me from day one. There are at most, three standout songs from the self titled debut that are worth having, the rest all blend together into an annoying, campy, overly sentimental mush that rarely breaks rank to try something interesting or different. Sleepyhead is definitely the exception to the rule.
This is an example of Michael Angelakos' shrill vocal qualities perfectly executed, and used in the best way possible. The synthline that comes in after the first verse is in a word, genius and really adds something to the track you just can't find anywhere else on the album. The chimpmunk-skewed backing vocals, while initially reminiscent of an awful Hip-Hop track, really do combine into the overall cacophony very well and drive home the high energy output of the relatively short track. Sleepyhead has an indie credibility that isn't present in the rest of Passion Pit's songs, It's not overtly romantic and sappy (although it actually is) like the rest of their songs, and the electronic elements are far more at the forefront than most of their other work. Sleepyhead made me fall in love with what Passion Pit could have been, Manners brought my lofty expectations crashing down to earth.
NUMBER 23
Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine - The Killers
Hot Fuss was the best The Killers will ever get. Almost every track on it was of the highest quality, It wore its 80's influences on its sleeve and it didn't try to be or say anything more than it was. It was The Killers unencumbered by the burden and ego-warping qualities of fame, it was simple well written songs with both mainstream appeal and Indie sentimentalities. Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine opens with a Morning Glory-esque helicopter flyover, the bass and synth enter, and then the impassioned vocal work of Brandon Flowers kicks in and you just know this is going to be an amazing song. The song itself deals with the murder of a girl and presumably the suspect's interrogation by the authorities. Of course, read into it deeper it could be a metaphor for the death of a relationship, rather than the death of an individual, and a rather interesting spin on it I must say. A great opener for a great album, Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine shows us what made The Killers so great in the first place.
NUMBER 22
Growing On Me - The Darkness
Channeling the awful/awesome Glam-Rock modus operandi of every rubbish band in the 70's and 80's, The Darkness create truly amazing anthems while taking the piss out of everything their sound stands for at the same time. It's this self referencing parody that makes it all the more surprising that Growing On Me is such a good song, I'll admit it took me a while to actually give it the chance it deserves, but once I did it found itself on high rotation in my music library. It's one of those songs you initially laugh at, perhaps expressing ironic jubilation in much the same way you would with a Cindi Lauper or Bon Jovi track, but at the same time, there's a quality to this, and many other songs by The Darkness, that pulls you in and leads to you genuinely loving it, singing along, and missing it when it's gone. There's something in that I think.
NUMBER 21
Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem
Someone Great is a track that really displays James Murphy's versatility in spades. Although the whole of his second album, Sound Of Silver, is an overall much more mature affair, Someone Great has a melancholy to it that isn't shared by any other song LCD Soundsystem has released so far. The simple synth and percussion work creates a moody atmospheric feel, but still retains this warmth that permeates throughout the song. For me, the song reminds me of early winter mornings, when the sun has only just come up and the chill is almost numbing, but there's a feeling of approaching change that is impossible to ignore. There's an interesting synergy there, as the song itself is about the surreal nothingness associated with sudden unexpected death. Nothing changes, but nothing feels the same. When people pass away, unimportant things are never altered but the way we see the world is distinctly different, and that in turn changes everything. It's that hollow emptiness that is conveyed so well in Someone Great. I still find it hard to imagine something this evocative and human coming from the man who created Daft Punk Is Playing At My House.
NUMBER 20
One More Time - Daft Punk
One More Time was the herald of a new era for Daft Punk. Gone were the House and Techno sounds that heavily featured in their debut album; Homework, replaced instead by Synth-Pop 70's and 80's tributes, Space Disco anthems and robotic auto-tuned vocal work. Matching their new sound, the duo were transformed into robots in a freak accident when a sampler exploded at 9:09am on the 9th of September 1999. What resulted is one of the most highly regarded Electronic albums released in the 2000's.
One More Time is a party track through and through, it utilises Daft Punk's unique skill of repetitious lyrics that surprisingly never get old, vocoded singing and a sonic identity that always reminded me of the space concert in Jetsons: The Movie. One More Time, and Discovery, are examples what Daft Punk should sound like all the time, instead of the mostly average Homework and the truly awful Human After All.
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