Welcome back,
Today's year in review continues with my favorite songs of 2010. Here we go!
10. Radioactive - Kings of Leon
Even though Only by the Night had some of Kings of Leon's best songs on it (Closer, Sex on Fire), overall it left me disappointed because of its general mediocracy and because it abandoned the unique sounds of their previous album. So when KOL's next single, Radioactive, came out, I was a bit skeptical. But to my surprise, it was more than just a radio friendly sing-a-long hit. While not as raw as their first few albums, Radioactive had the energy and warmth that had been missing from their past few singles. Come Around Sundown might not be their best effort yet, but i think Radioactive shows that they're at least headed in the right direction.
9. Tighten Up - The Black Keys
I almost went with TBK's "Everlasting Light" for this spot. Both songs have excellent feels with undeniable grooves (whatever the hell that means). But what made my final choice was Tighten Up's downtempo coda. The Keys took a song with a great sing-a-long guitar lick and then turned it into a super-heavy jam for the last minute. It was kinda like when metal bands go into half-time for breakdown sections, only it's there for different reasons. Tighten Up proves even further that the Black Keys are the kings of modern blues rock.
8. The High Road - Broken Bells
It seems like everything Danger Mouse touches is pure gold and his collaboration with the Shin's James Mercer is no exception. The group's lead single, The High Road, immediately caught my attention. The melody is so catchy you feel like you've know the song for years. Danger Mouse's production is impeccable as usual and I quite enjoyed his use of computer noises that sound like they're straight from an old-school Nintendo game. And as a side note, nearly all of the tracks off the Broken Bells album were good enough to put on this list, so choosing just one was a close call.
Best Coast's lyrics may seem numbingly simple at first, but that's kind of the point. Through very few and simple words, Best Coast provokes exactly the feeling they intend to, and do it so well that anyone who listens to the song can relate and feel the exact same way. This song shines in it's simplicity. Catchy as hell, too.
6. F*** You! - Cee Lo Green
What a brilliant perfect hook. It attracts attention to itself with obscenity that would normally make the song seem like a gimmick. Yet the song holds it itself up with a chorus so catchy and infectious that you're left singing it for hours. I could listen to Cee Lo say absolutely anything and I'd hang onto every word. His voice is so soulful and soothing that he's essentially the Morgan Freeman of singing. What's so great about this song is that Cee Lo doesn't beat around the bush. He tells you exactly what he means. He's not f***ing around.
A friend of mine once said, "Weezer is not incapable of writing a great song, but they are incapable of knowing which of their songs are great ones." In my opinion, "Ruling Me" proves at least the first half of that. A truly great pop song, I can't help but feel good when it's infectious chorus kicks in. I can't for the life of me figure out why Weezer hasn't released this as a single yet. Hell, it should have been Hurley's lead single, rather than "Memories." Nevertheless, this is one of the most well-written songs to come out this year, in my opinion. Even though Weezer has been doing whatever the hell they want lately, the definitely still know how to write a good pop song.
4. Frost Hammer - High on Fire
High on Fire never fails to melt my face with their brutality. I have been getting into High on Fire a lot this year, so much so that I tried sneaking into a bar to see them (see my last post). They are definitely one of the heaviest bands around. Matt Pike's Lemmy vocals roar over thundering drums and lumbering guitar. Throw in one of Pike's best guitar solos in High on Fire's catalogue and you have one the best metal songs in 2010.
Who knew hip-hop could be so sensitive? I actually studied the symbolism of the two music videos for this song in my Design & Production class for Telecomm. This is a rare hip-hop song that catches my attention for a few reasons. First, the lyrics are much more mature than the majority of rap songs out there, showing concern for consequences of living the high life. But that's lame, the main reason I can't get it out of my head is the insane beat and music featuring none other than MGMT. I've always thought that rap was better with actual music behind it (which is why I like Jaydiohead so much), and Pursuit of Happiness' combination of a trippy synth-line and backwards guitar solo make for a truly unique track and surprisingly one of my favorite songs of 2010.
2. Suburban War - Arcade Fire
Every song off The Suburbs was flawless. "Suburban War" just seemed to sum up the whole album in so many ways. It's a bit of a retrospective song, and is a bit of a turning point for the album. The beginning has the soft, tender lyrics describing what used to be matching the lyrical nature of the first half of the album. As the song picks up, everything falls apart and nothing is as it was. "All my old friends, they don't know me now," describes how now everything is different. This song manages to wrap up all of the emotions from one of the best albums of 2010.
1. Rhinestone Eyes - Gorillaz
I chose this song as the best of 2010 because it was probably the most crucial in my changing perspective on electronic-influenced music. Even though Kid A introduced me to electronic-tinged music first, this song made me appreciate how synth-lines and electronic beats can make songs that aren't limited to dance club music. The synth in this song functions as a guitar by providing riffs, atmosphere and chord changes. It may sound obvious, but the presence of a synth in music used to mean that it was just techno to me. But because of this shift in thinking, I have become a fan of artists such as The Knife, The Postal Service and Kraftwerk. I certainly would have thought the Gorillaz's newly released The Fall was rubbish if i hadn't heard and love a song such as "Rhinestone Eyes." And after all, that's what good music should do: introduce you to new sounds and show you how they can be used to create music.
Wow, only one metal song on this list? I must be getting soft...Ha! I actually was introduced to dozens of awesome metal bands this year, but only a couple had albums come out this year (and unfortunately, I never got around to getting Kylesa's Spiral Shadow). However, I am pleased with the outcome of this list. It may be a bit mainstream for some, but I feel like its a pretty diverse list nonetheless. If you have any objections, I would love to hear them.
Next up are the best albums of 2010, and I promise to get it out before 2011 rolls around, cus that'd be lame. I'm just about done narrowing down my choices, so I'll just need to get off my lazy rear and write it. (I should probably start writing before 2:00 AM, but hey, old habits die hard.)
Stay tuned!
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