Archive for January, 2010

Finally….. drum-roll….. The Top 10.

As hard as it was to come up with my top 40 songs of 2009, it was quite easy to pick the top 5 or 6.  They all come from albums that I would classify as the Top Albums of 2009  I would love to give my thoughts on each of the top 10 songs, but time is short and 2009 was so 2009.  Here are my thoughts on the top 4.

#1 – I was totally enthralled with the peace and love, country-folk-caravan-of-hippies trip vibe that was imagined by Alex Ebert, vocalist of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and formally of the power pop group Ima Robot.  In a world that has seen it’s share of struggle this year, I was always able to clear my mind and go to a happy place with “Home”.

I little background on Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes (via Wikipedia) – After breaking up with his girlfriend, moving out of his house, and joining Alcoholics Anonymous, Ebert began work on a story about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. According to Ebert, Sharpe “was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind…but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.”  I hope you fall in love with Edward if you haven’t already.

#2 – Phoenix dropped the “hottest” track I can remember in the last few years.  Just because music is “Good”, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “Hot” and vice-versa.  “Hot” and “Good” are actually mutually exclusive.  However, in the case of Phoenix, 1901… this shit is “Hot” and “Good”.

With Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix bridged the gap between Pop and Indie-Electro without becoming something empty and fake (ie Maroon 5).   Even though I have heard the song 100’s of times (mostly due to the Cadillac commercial) I still bounce my head and think to myself……. Damn this track is HOT!!

#3 – Where Phoenix crossed over to Pop with their Indie-Electro sound, Grizzly Bear almost did the same with their Indie-Folk style.  When Jay-Z starts pimping your jams and comes to your shows, you know you have crossed over something.  Veckatimest is arguably my favorite album of 2009.  Does that mean I argue with myself?  I do.  This album took some time to grow on me and then I just listed to it non stop for 3 weeks.  3 very good weeks of 2009.

#4 – When I argue with myself,  sometimes I say, “Passion Pit, Manners is the Best Album of 2009.”  And usually I win the argument.  Passion Pit laid down an album full of amazing tracks.  Eyes as Candles is my favorite of the bunch (make sure you listen for the sax riffs at the end.  Sick.)  Passion Pit may be our generations ABBA with the dance beats and falsetto pipes.  Happy music for everyone!!!!

1.  Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below

2.  1901 – Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

3.  Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest

4.  Eyes As Candles – Passion Pit, Manners

5.  No Intention – Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca

6.  The High Road – Broken Bells, The High Road – Single

7.  Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap, Conditions

8.  Lisztomania – Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

9.  Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.) – Monsters of Folk, Monsters of Folk

10. These Are My Twisted Words – Radiohead, These Are My Twisted Words – Single

11. Ready, Able – Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest

12. The Reeling – Passion Pit, Manners

13. Hesitation Blues -Willie Nelson & Asleep At the Wheel, Willie and the Wheel

14. You’ve Got the Love (XX remix) – Florence + the Machine (XX Remix), Single

15. 40 Day Dream – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below

16. Hell On Earth – Deer Tick, Born On Flag Day

17. It’s Nice to Know You Work Alone – Silversun Pickups, Swoon

18. Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) – Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3

19. Silver Trembling Hands – The Flaming Lips, Embryonic

20. Southern Point – Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest

21. Party In the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus, Party In the U.S.A. – Single

22. Thunderbird – The Golden Filter, Thunderbird – EP

23. Deadbeat Summer – Neon Indian, Psychic Chasms

24. They Done Wrong _ We Done Wrong – White Rabbits, It’s Frightening

25. One Life Stand – Hot Chip, One Life Stand – Single

26. Golden Phone – Micachu, Jewellery

27. The Rake’s Song – The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love

28. In The Hospital – Friendly Fires, Friendly Fires

29. We Share the Same Skies – The Cribs, Ignore the Ignorant

30. Carries On – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below

This is the first of 4 posts with 10 songs each which will make up the “Top 40 Songs of 2009 – According to Coach” at cutbucket.com.  Picking 40 songs out of all of the great music that has come out in 2009 proved to be a tremendous challenge which is a testament to all of the new and wonderful sounds that filled my ears this year.

The thing to remember here is that these selections are my opinion based on many things including “my taste”.  The beauty of music is that we all have our own taste and style of sound we prefer.  2009 was an exceptional year regardless of your taste and my selections are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the great music released this year.  Whatever your taste is, there are far more than 40 songs which can tell the story of music in 2009.  What an amazing musical time we are living in.  The maturity of the internet, while still far from perfect, has allowed so many more artists to find a channel in which to be heard over.  It’s a great time to be a fan of music.

The criteria that I considered were the following -

Number of Listens – How many times did I play each song (based on tracking within iTunes).  Of course, songs that came out later in the year were weighed against the available length of time listen to each song.

Sticky Factor - Did each song have the ability to “stick in my head” so to speak.? Was it recognizable again immediately after the first couple of listens?  Did I find myself humming the tune in my mind days after hearing it?

Overall Production Value – This speaks for itself…

Uniqueness – We don’t want no posers here.

Single Song Value – This was one of the hardest factors in my consideration.  Was the song strong enough to stand on it’s own without being part of an album.  In the day and age of single song downloads this is very important.   When picking the top “Songs” this has to be a factor.  If I were to pick the top “Albums” this would be a completely different mix of artists.

NOTE ::  As it relates to Single Song Value I had a very tough challenge placing the songs from Animal Collective’s release “Merriweather Post Pavilion”.  To truly appreciate the outstanding quality of their album I feel it needs to be judged as just that… AN ALBUM.  It is by far one of the top 3 of the year!!!  What is so special about Merriweather is it’s value as a work of art as a complete album in the day and age of the single song download.  That being said, none of the individual songs jumped into a natural spot within this list.  Therefore, I have included what I believe are the strongest singles from the album and put them at the bottom of the list.  This by no means represents the value of this album, I just didn’t know what else to do.  I highly suggest you listen to the entire album start to finish if you are going to listen to it at all. SORRY FOR THE LONG EXPLANATION.  I FELT IT WAS DUE.

NOW ON TO THE LIST….

31. About Face – Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest

32. Tell Me True – Sarah Jarosz, Song Up In Her Head

33. Soldier (Feat. Santigold) – N.E.R.D.

34. Walking On a Dream – Empire of the Sun, Walking On a Dream

35. What You Do to Me (feat. Billy Danze, Jim Jones & Nicole Wray) – Blakroc, Blakroc

36. Ghosts N Stuff – Deadmau5, Ghosts N Stuff – Single

37. Higher Than the Stars – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Higher Than the Stars

38. Things Will Never Be the Same Again – JJ, JJ N° 2

39. Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion

40. Brother Sport – Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion

A couple of my favorite songs right now are actually by Hollywood movie stars. One hit it big with a major love story (I own it, but have never watched it) and the other is like the king of Indie flicks.

Ryan Gosling (The Notebook) and his best friend team up as Dead Man’s Bones to create some seriously spooky sounds. Apparently they’re huge fans or horror movies. This track is awesome and the kids’ choir kills it. By the way, be sure to check out their web site:

www.deadmansbones.net – Even spookier.

Then there is Coconut Records, which is Jason Schwartzman. I frickin’ love this guy in Rushmore, Shopgirl and he steals it in Funny People. He’s got an album coming out this month. Here are two tracks from him.

I usually hate it when “Entertainers” cross over between mediums – see Jared Leto, Keanu Reeves, Russel Crowe, etc., etc., but these guys get it right in my mind.

Enjoy.

Listen: Dead Man’s Bones – Pa Pa Power (feat. the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children’s Choir)

Listen: Coconut Records – West Coast

Listen: Coconut Records – Nighttiming