So pitchfork's acclaimed year-end album list was really, really, discouraging, but what disappointed me even more was their singles list. Last year and before, pitchfork did a pretty good job of pointing out interesting and unheard singles from the year; now they only picked silly mainstream rap and already-known indie rock tracks. The few neat singles they mentioned (trentemoller remix, etc) I had mostly already heard. Anyway, here are some of my favorite songs of the year (not all of them were released as singles), and while they may be as boringly obvious as some of pitchfork's picks, they won't be filled with shit cred-appeal picks.
P.S. These aren't in order, but I will do 3-4 installments of these songs.
The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip-Galvanize
not only does it feature one of my favorite MCs ever, but the Bros. lay down some of their best, most widestream breakbeat-acid beats in one of the year's best party tracks. With the number of times I've played this, even I would think I have grown tired of it, but when it comes on to this day I still smile.
The Russian Futurists-Paul Simon
I'm not exactly a fan of the Futurists, but this album-opener sounds exactly like its title implies: an over-the-top happy, Paul Simon-y anthem. I heard this song in Bloomington this summer, and every time I hear it I think of sunshine and singing birds.
Wonder & Plan B-Cap Back
I don't know anything about grime, and I don't like a lot of what I hear, but this last track on the Run the Road comp gets me. the MCs keep belittling those who follow fads, all the while telling the listener to use the song as a ring tone. At the end they acknowledge the irony of the song, making the track ironic on a few levels. The best part: the song is catchy, and would sound great as a ring tone.
Need New Body-Brite tha' Day
A friend of mine sent this song to me, and it got me really excited; the rhymer sounds halfway between MC Chris and Ninja High School. The lyrics are hilarious: "i've got some pastries / let's just eat 'em up," and the beats are fun. I was pretty disappointed when I heard the rest of the album, but this track is certainly a keeper.
The Books-Be Good to the Always
I read a review with the books, and they said that their next project will involve putting new Books music to video, expanding their realm of sampling. If they do, I hope they go back and put this song to words; as the Books kept the same sound, more or less, this year, they also made baby steps at mainstream appeal, including making singles-worthy tracks like this one and doing collaborations with Prefuse (another song on my year-end list). I like the rest of this Books album, but i LOVE this song.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-In this Home on Ice
When I first downloaded this track, I thought I was in heaven: a modern band putting together My Bloody Valentine soundscapes with late-Talking Heads ramblings. I tried to buy the album, but wasn't willing to have it shipped from the band's website and couldn't have it ordered at any record store, so I didn't hear the rest of the album for a few weeks. Of course, after hearing a song like this, when I heard the rest of the album almost a month later I was supremely disappointed, and thus did CYHSY fall from grace. Still, though, this song is excellent, ranking among the best for the year.
Gorillaz-DARE
Yes, Feelgood Inc. is another contender for single of the year, but for me personally this trumps it in every way. Human League, anyone? Catchiest hook of the year? Maybe. It's funky, but not too funky; it's fun, but not quite goofy (even though I do like goofy songs, as you will see from my singles picks [Need New Body and the Futurists already]). The album, I felt, had some filler, but the singles are great, and this is the greatest among those.
Jamie Lidell-Multiply
Jamie Lidell is everything that I should consider a guilty pleasure, but I'm not ashamed at all. He is white (and British!), and he does imitate everyone from Al Green to Marvin Gaye to the Temptations. All on this song. This was the song of the summer, yet somehow I've kept playing it through the fall and winter. A wonderful track, probably in my top 5 singles if I had to make one.
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