Songs, 2010

December 30, 2010January 10, 2011 / Jared / Leave a comment

I enjoyed making my list of favorite albums of the year more than this list, because it’s easier to think of things to say about an entire album than it is a single song, but this list is probably more appropriate for the times in which we live. It also allowed me to include some stuff that couldn’t make the albums list because it is from an EP or an otherwise unspectacular album.

A few notes: If the song was released as a single, I generally used the single’s release date, if only to get some great songs from albums released in 2009 on the list (notably the two Florence + the Machine songs near the top). Also, sorry that this takes a minute to load; I think I’m going to have to start breaking up these video-heavy entries up into multiple parts. As always, this is not a list of the best songs of the year, which I don’t necessarily feel qualified to write, and rather just a list of my favorites.

Remind to listen to some more hip hop in 2011. All that really made the list here is Kanye, and that doesn’t even completely sound like what I think of as hip hop anymore. I miss it.

40) MNDR – “I Go Away”

As I’ve said before, I’m very charmed by MNDR, even though normally someone with as many affectations as she obviously has would drive me crazy. OK, by “many affectations” I really just mean her crazy, unnecessary glasses. That’s pretty much all I know about her. Also, yes, I know it’s technically a duo, but c’mon, you know what I mean. Don’t be that person.

39) Active Child – “When Your Love Is Safe”

I was introduced to this band and several others on this list by this great post over at Stereogum, so props to them. This song sounds like it could have been an outtake from that Holland album Beirut put out under the name Realpeople. You know, falsetto vocals on top of pretty electronic music. Although, in the video below it isn’t electronic.

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Albums, 2010

December 27, 2010February 15, 2011 / Jared / 1 Comment

This was a really fun, interesting year in music, which is good because it was also a year in which I was particularly interested in listening to some new albums. I reached a breaking point with all of my old playlists and favorite artists and decided to dedicate myself to searching out a lot of new stuff this year, and I wasn’t disappointed. To be fair, there were a few great new albums from my old favorite artists as well.

As always, this is not a list of the best albums of the year, but a list of my favorites. Although, to be honest, I’ve listened to most of the stuff that is showing up on other best of 2010 lists, and I feel pretty good about this.

15) Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (October 12^th)

It would be wrong to say that I’m disappointed in this album; I actually like it quite a bit when I sit down and listen to it. The problem is that I rarely put it on. It was a pretty crowded year of music for me, and for some reason I’m always in the mood to listen to something else. For now it just barely makes the list, but I suspect that it when I get some more reps in it might climb.

14) Beach Fossils – Beach Fossils (May 25^th)

Man, a lot of bands sounded like this band this year. Or this band sounded like a lot of bands. Whichever it is, this is definitely a good sampling of 2010 in sonic form. Beach Fossils stand out from the pack a bit, though; they’re slightly catchier than similar-sounding groups, and the guitar lines here are great. The guitar parts sound a little like Johnny Marr from the Smiths, except slower and hazier.

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Music Video Monday

May 17, 2010September 10, 2010 / Jared / Leave a comment

Could people please stop making their own music videos for songs? Or at least label them clearly as “homemade”? I’m getting sick of having to dig through all of the personal photo montages set to favorite songs. The worst was when I was looking for videos for my Beatles list. Honestly, earnest chubby guy with glasses and a goatee, I really don’t need to see your acoustic version of “Blackbird.”

Vampire Weekend – “Giving Up the Gun”

I actually prefer both the song “Cousins” and the video for it, but this one has all the famous people in it. How did Vampire Weekend even come into contact with Joe Jonas?

I’m also posting this over “Cousins” because it seems like Johanna and I are the only people that actually still like Vampire Weekend, but I know this song has had some crossover with the haters.

Local Natives – “Wide Eyes” (Live)

I’ve been listening to these guys a lot lately, and I’ve been patiently waiting for them to make a video that I could post, but I can’t seem to find anything. I’ll have to settle for this high-quality live performance. Why are all of these good live performances coming from Britain? This one is from the BBC, and I’ve used a ton of videos from Later…with Jools Holland in the past. Search for “Jools Holland” on YouTube and tell me you wouldn’t watch that show if it were on over here.

(Edit: Video removed for some reason. I put up a different performance)

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Songs, 2000-2009

January 15, 2010May 10, 2010 / Jared / 8 Comments

I debated how to best represent the decade in music in list form. Eventually, I decided on songs over albums; it seemed more fitting in the era of iTunes.

This list shows that my musical tastes, like my politics, are pretty middle-of-the-road. I like the most mainstream and accessible indie rock and I’m a sucker for the occasional pop song.

I should also point out that I think this might be longer than anything I wrote in college. It’s entirely possible that the length of this will make it completely unreadable. But whatever, brevity has never been my strong suit. Here they are, my 150 favorite songs of the decade (music videos when I was able to easily find one that I liked that allowed embedding):

150) Cannibal Ox – “Iron Galaxy” (2001)

This album has such a singular sound that it’s weird hearing Vast Aire rapping over any other production. I think that’s why I could never really get into Look Mom…No Hands. The Vast Aire verse at the end of this song is sort of the end of the golden age of underground hip hop for me, a topic that will definitely be more thoroughly discussed if I ever do a list of my favorite songs of the 90s.

149) Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros – “Johnny Appleseed” (2001)

The best part of John from Cincinnati. Almost makes me want to check out the rest of Joe Strummer’s post-Clash career.

148) Air – “Universal Traveller” (2004)

The only song from Talkie Walkie that holds up for me. Really the only Air song that I listen to on a regular basis. Pops up on the occasional Rick Steves podcast, so that’s a plus.

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