artists

Top 100 Songs of 2010 (25-11)

25. The National – Conversation 16

The most affecting song on the sublime High Violet LP. It’s miserable, taut, cathartic and illuminating. Matt Berninger sounds more than sad, he sounds like he’s about to jump. Not possessing the strength to stop himself, he relents, “I was afraid I’d eat your brains…cause I-I-I’m evil…” A downtrodden ne’erdowell with a penchant for cannibalism is probably not ideal company. But when he’s this expressive and parallel-world romantic, I think most would glady acquiesce. The sound of a band at their scintillating best, I don’t see how The National can top High Violet and “Conversation 16”. An instant classic.

24. Bombay Bicycle Club – Always Like This

A song that I quite liked last year but one that I truly recognized this year —  a vexing, haunted lament of a tune. This song has left me non-plussed because it starts out so jauntily and then when least expected, it goes all translucent harmony and transfixing. It’s a close-your-eyes, take-a-deep-breath-and-enjoy kind of moment. Radiant music supplemented by a beautiful lyric. Those poignant, unmitigated words, “I’m not whole, I’m not whole, you waste it all; oh you can wait for what I can give; you know what I am, so you know how I live; try to look proud, but you’re not in the slightest; it’s happening now and it’s always been like this.” Seminal stuff from this awesome English band.

23. Gold Panda – You

Loquacious stuff from Derwin Panda, a ballad containing an astonishing 550 words in under four minutes. Just kidding. Containing only three words, “you”, “and” and “me”, the song is vocoded, chopped and screwed yet somehow manages to end up sounding like it lives and breathes among human kind. The song is a fervent and rejoicing love song — incredible considering it repeats only three words, over and over and over. The best electronic music pushes through its technical definitions and seeks to find a connective element that resonates with the listener. Gold Panda has hit the jackpot in that regard. Affectionate at its lily-blossoming core, a love letter simply asking for more, “You” is me, us and everyone else. An impressive trick.

22. The Knife – Colouring of Pigeons

The bewilderment. The grand finale. The dare. The OMG they didn’t. The 2+2=tongue. Come again? The move from an upper-east side flat to the Amazon forest. The Darwin-inspired opera. The reuniting of Karen Dreijer Andersson and brother Olof. The sound of lifting up a sewer drain and having a three-eyed lizard invite you down for some crumpets and English Breakfast tea. The agitated, berserk, rabid genius. The sounds-like-absofunkinlutely-nothing-made-by-anyone-else-on-this-planet-not-that-anyone-could-even-if-they-tried opus. The cymbal at second one. The ominous prayer. The Guillermo Del Toro-style phantasmagoric. The insanity of it all. The growth. The not giving a shit. The crowning. The answer. What was the question?

21. Interpol – Memory Serves

“Obstacle 1”, “C’Mere”, “Slow Hands”, “The New”, “Evil”, “PDA”, “Roland”, “Pioneer to the Falls” and “No I in Threesome” are some of the best songs Interpol have ever done. “Memory Serves” has just joined the fracas. Tension-filled, as the self-titled LP was the last one to be recorded with lauded rhythmic gymnast Carlos D., the issues within the group bleed onto the record. It makes for a more interesting listen; a frenetic, guitars-crashing-in-waves clusterfuck of a song. Thankfully before he left, the band came up with this delerious, hyperkinetic slow jam. While the guitars do all the heavy lifting, the bass saunters in and smokes a cigarette whilst Paul Banks hypnotizes with his slow rolling delivery. The boys are back.

20. Gorillaz – On Melancholy Hill

Dreamy, playful, yearning and floating gently towards Plastic Beach. Gorillaz have had an awesome run over the past three albums, but “On Melancholy Hill” is probably the catchiest song they’ve ever put to record. It also wins the award for song sounding most like its title. The song is melancholic, and it’s knowing, as if on a hill of some kind observing a town or group of people, able to see their follies, but unable to send word of how to fix them. Damon Albarn sounds relaxed but anxious, contemplative but unsure, able but unwilling. The sound of unrequited love, “On Melancholy Hill” is simply a fantastic song.

19. Miike Snow – Cult Logic/Silvia

From the eponymous debut of October, 2009 (and also the deluxe edition release of 2010), “Cult Logic” is simply bad-ass. Its magnetism is instantly rewarding. From the opening second, the song hooks. Simple, straightforward and stirring, “Cult Logic” is St. Peter, waiting at the gates of Dance-pop Heaven, judging those wanting to get in. “Silvia’s” allures are harder to reach. It’s about a feeling. It’s about a point in time. It’s about a destination…You have to bargain with “Silvia” to truly receive its gifts, but the good thing is, whatever you end up giving it, you get more in return. Cascading synths, a consistent piano melody and free-roaming, emotive distortion of the vocals make “Silvia” utterly unique.

18. Marina & The Diamonds – Are You Satisfied?/I Am Not a Robot

The statement of intent and the statement of being. The call to arms and the construction of a moat. The question and the answer.  “Are You Satisfied?” and “I Am Not a Robot” are amazing in equal measure however different the path they take to get there. “Are You Satisfied?”, the thrilling album opener from the unbelievable Family Jewels LP leaves no room for interpretation as to what Ms. Marina Diamandis is after — success. She’s welcoming stardom with a cheeky smile, prodding it with a stick and taunting it with a school-yard sing-along. This woman will get what she wants. There’s simply no other way. “I Am Not a Robot”, oh “I Am Not a Robot”. You are a stunningly vital piece of music. A defence mechanism of a song. Sung with chemical-weapon force, you can hear the exact moment when she becomes a Hypergiant star. The moment happens at 0:47 and things are not the same after that point. Sure, the song is jaunty like Madoff schemes Ponzi, but the sheer horsepower of Diamandis’ voice is what carries this song into another universe. I want to enter into a common law relationship with this song after only a few months of seeing it. We’ll see how things work out, but I’m so optimistic that I want to go furniture shopping and sign up for that joint bank account.

17. Glasser – Home/Apply

“Home”; the caressing, tender, slow-building ode to familiarity. “Apply”; the ritual, the fire, the unknown. Cameron Mesirow has authored two staggeringly different and affecting songs with “Home” and “Apply”. Chanting home over and over again, Mesirow sounds like she’s yearning and celebrating — the difference is irrelevant. When the elevating synth comes in at 1:11, it propels the track to mountain tops like Eyjafjallajokull chose to randomly pop. “Apply” stalks the listener, like a pack of lions moving with calculation toward a zebra — the black and white coloured animal doesn’t stand a chance. Neither did we. The sound of a woman birthing a fantastical intention. Surreal and dazzling.

16. Manic Street Preachers – Some Kind of Nothingness/Golden Platitudes

I’m going to limb out and say that Manic Street Preachers are the most underrated English band of the past 25 years. Hell, they might be the most underrated band on the planet. Anything you could possibly want from a vital rock band — scathing, earnest wit; raw, biting rock ‘n roll; luscious, angelic melodies. James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore and the ghost of Richey Edwards have done it all. The Holy Bible, Everything Must Go, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, Journal For Plague Lovers and now Postcards From a Young Man are proof that the Manics are capable of anything. Self-described as the “singles” album, Postcards From a Young Man, a stark departure from the awesomely coarse previous effort JFPL, it’s the sound of the band taking a long, relaxing cruise with melody and making sweet love to it on a nightly basis. Man, did it produce some pretty babies. “Some Kind of Nothingness” is nostalgic and love-torn, erupting into the choir-led refrain, “Remember you? Stretched ouuuuuuttttt in the sun. All alone forever, conclusions foregone…” “Golden Platitudes” is equally awesome. JDB longs for the bygone, but damn does he sound great singing it. Again, a choir joins to refrains of “La la la la la lahhh” and the band sounds like they’ve just created a religion with their exuberance. Wildly impressive stuff — again — from the Welsh vets.

15. The New Pornographers – Crash Years

The catchiest thing they have done in a lonnnnnggggg time. Usually, The New Pornographers charms are hidden — purposely — as they, generally speaking, have more fun that way. “Crash Years” is different. It’s smack-your-face instant. It’s the whistling. It’s the “tonight will be an open mic.” It’s Neko. It’s always Neko. Grab a hand and sing-along. There’s nothing else to do.

14. Foals – This Orient

An awe-inspiring, fast-paced, thrilling, layered, nuanced song from the Total Life Forever record. The Oxford, England band achingly repeat: “it’s your heart; it’s your heart, that gives me this Western feeling.” They keep saying it’s someone else’s heart that makes them swoon, when in actuality, it’s theirs all along. Foals’ Statue of David. Electrifying.

13. Brandon Flowers – Crossfire

Crossfire would stand up as one of the best Killers’ tracks, and it most certainly is the best Brandon Flowers track on the otherwise disappointing Flamingo (excepting “Welcome to Vegas”). It’s possible BF is saving the rest of the A-material for the next Killers record. God I hope so. Nevertheless, “Crossfire” is a commanding, smashing standout of a song. Brandon Flowers has never really used his falsetto like he does in this song, and the result here is gorgeous. A pop-rock juggernaut of a song. Well done BF. More please.

12. Kanye West f. Dwele – Power/Blame Game f. John Legend & Chris Rock

“No one man should have all that power?” Really? Because that sounds like an awfully facetious statement by Kanye, considering he’s the most powerful dude in music. I didn’t really like “Power” at first. I thought it was a decent beat, but it didn’t hit me. Then, after a certain number of listens, I was bludgeoned over the head with a stick and that has allowed me to see (hear) much more clearly. Kanye is burning in “Power”, and his smouldering presence is hella palpable. It’s the choir led-loop to start the song. It’s the lyric. It’s the deep-breath comedown at 3:20. Bonus points for how “Power” fit so well with The Social Network teasers. “Blame Game” is a different animal. It’s the prettiest melody Yeezy’s ever been a part of. Sure, it samples Aphex Twin’s gorgeous “Avril 14”, but that shouldn’t take anything away from “Blame Game”; Kanye makes it his breathtaking own. It’s the aching violin. It’s the angelic piano line. It’s the supportive bass. The music is resplendent, awesome considering its belied by one of the dirtiest, biting lyrics of the year. John Legend sounds great, Kanye slays and Chris Rock is a riot. Bonus points to the hint of laughter from Yeezy’s ex-chick as she tells Rock who, ahem, reupholstered a certain part of her anatomy. Yeezy learned. Now Yeezy teaches.

11. Hot Chip – Take It In

It’s pretty simple: “Take It In” was in my top 50 songs of 2009, and I had listened to it quite it a bit. In 2010 though, I saw it for what it is, namely, the sweetest, warmest, most comforting song of the year. Buoyed by that bewitching, once-in-a-lifetime chorus, “Take It In” is the best song the amazing Hot Chip have ever done. There’s just not much more to it than that. Supreme and vital.

Top 100 Songs of 2010 (50-26)

50. Far East Movement – Like a G6

Simple, unoriginal and hands down one of the catchiest songs of 2010. Brilliant.

49. Lady Gaga f. Beyonce – Telephone

Didn’t really appreciate this song in 2009. The attraction of this song lies in multiple areas, some of which being: Gaga’s glitchy hooks, Beyonce’s winning guest spot, and the digital manipulation. Apparently Britney Spears declined this song. Ouch. Probably for the best, no way she should have done better than Gaga.

48. Arcade Fire – Rococo/We Used to Wait

Like the album as a whole, “Rococo” grew…and grew and grew. Then it grew some more, like Elin does Tiger abhor while Nike tries to image restore. Didn’t actually like it like much to begin with. It’s absolutely massive now. There’s one other song on the album that I think may be a better pure pop song, but this one is close. A caustic remark on fickle youth, the music mimics the lyric and burns holes in headphones. The guitar that comes in at 2:30 is fan-freaking-tastic. “We Used to Wait” is an angel relatively speaking, but it still packs a bite as a stand alone track. No one, absolutely no one, can encapsulate the Zeitgeist like Arcade Fire can. On a collision course to become Canada’s best ever band (if they haven’t already done so).

47. Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are

Hella sweet and melodically superior to 99% of contemporary pop. Bruno Mars is clearly a talented cat. Bonus points for those bells. Bonus points for reminding me of her.

46. Salem – Redlights

Witch House. Dread Electronic. Drag. These are terms that can describe Salem and “Redlights” in particular. I think there’s an even better way to reference this song…let’s use a contemporary of Salem’s to help: Crytal Castles. The Castles, a solid group in their own right, are like that 16 year-old kid that goes to a rave club and pops E, proceeds to dance up a storm until exhausted, then passes out. “Redlights” (and Salem by extension) is the big brother of that 16 year-old kid who’s upstairs at the club, behind closed doors, completing a bulk meth-amphetamine purchase and nodding his head militantly to the beat as he looks down at the jumping club through his one way mirror. Dangerous. Listen, but at a distance for your own good.

45. Kendal Johansson – Blue Moon

Seriously, what’s up with Sweden? Why are they habitually awesome at music? It’s baffling. We can point to their social policies, support of the arts or water filtration system, but I don’t think we’ll find anything concrete. It has to stay a mystery lest others begin to copy. Kendal Johansson is yet another Swedish treasure and “Blue Moon” is a crying salutation; a devastatingly heartbroken jeremiad. The sound of two lovers’ engraved intials on an open rock face, only to be slowly eroded by years of water crashing over the rock. This song reminds us that time corrodes. Essential.

44. Kings of Leon – Pyro

The best song from Come Around Sundown. Most likely to be a huge radio hit in 2011 and it won’t be undeserved. Sticking point: “IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII won’t ever be your cornerstone.” Dude sounds serious.

43. LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean

The opening song on LCD’s latest is the best track on the record. For the first couple of minutes, it leaves the listener wondering what’s going to happen — it doesn’t sound like much, flutish beeping beginning at 1:49 notwithstanding. But then, at 3:08, the beat detonates and shit gets real in a hurry. Should have known. The rest of the song is as catchy and poppy as James Murphy has ever done. Lyrically, the always interesting Murphy offers another quotable line, “acting like a jerk except you are an actual jerk.” Do what he says and just dance yrself clean. You’re dirty even if you don’t know it.

42. Robyn – Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do/Dancing on My Own

The first thing we heard from Robyn this year was “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do”. Okay then. The song is brazenly farouche. Robyn tells us the multitudinous things that are “killing her”. The thing is, for all of her dying, the song is so fetching we must assume she’s not that hard done by, as she’s clearly having tonnes of fun being slayed. “Dancing On My Own” is the song that everyone seems to love most. It took me a while to hear it. While I still think there are a couple of better songs from the Body Talk series, “DOMO” and its many allures eventually wins out in the end. It’s the lyric, the digital noise, and maybe most of all, the utterly charming way Robyn, as only Robyn can, says Ooo-Wooo-Wooo. On a parallel earth, Robyn is playing to 100,000 seat stadiums nightly.

41. Sean Kingston f. Nicki Minaj – Letting Go (Dutty Love)

The most addictive song Sean Kingston will ever release. Sounding contemporary leaves the possibility it will sound dated in a while. This matters not. It sounds unbelievably good right now. Even Nicki Minaj, at her scene-stealing best, can’t upstage the strength of the hooks here.

40. Vampire Weekend – I Think Ur a Contra

My favourite song they’ve yet done in their brief but impressive career. A lilting, blossoming beauty of a song. Ezra Koening sounds angelic. A quiet, serene storm of a song. Simply beautiful.

39. Crystal Castles – Empathy/Not in Love f. Robert Smith

“Empathy”, harkening back to their debut album, tells us Crystal Castles still feels. It’s the sound of a Pacman pursuit, only when the ghost catches Pacman, it explodes upon contact, like the car when it meets the mysterious man in Unkle’s amazing “Rabbit In The Headlights” video, and subsequently breaks your computer/video game system. Dangerously accessible, “Empathy” is sweet poision. “Not in Love” comes to life with Robert Smith. Crystal Castles and Mr. Cure work wonders together. Nothing seems even remotely awkward or contrived with this hook-up. The song is a thrashing concoction of bleeding synths. The chorus of “Not in Love” just might be the biggest of the year. Well done.

38. The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio/England

The National do heartbroken rock better than anyone. This is a fact. In the past the melodies have not always accompanied their wounded sentiments. That has changed. “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is a colossal song, and in its four-plus minutes it’s filled with more drama than an entire Toronto municipal election. The song gushes blood like Paul Bunyan’s steps make thuds. “England” is simply august. It boggles my mind how The National pack so much emotion into a record. It’s one thing to intend to do so, but another (inspiring) thing altogether for the feeling to be so palpable and enduring for the listener. The National are a special treasure indeed.

37. Interpol – Success/The Undoing

Confident, greasy, salacious and erudite Indie is what Interpol do best. Apparently they cracked the hint of a smile with their last record, Our Love to Admire, so they said enough of that sunshine shit and went back to black. They still sound absolutely essential on “Success” and “The Undoing”, making tunes that only they can. “Success” opens the album and when the door kicks in at 1:42 , Interpol are back with a manic intensity. A deep breath can be taken. All is well, Interpol are intense and the world will not fall off its axis. “The Undoing” closes the album and is a haunted lighthouse sprinkled with Spanish pleas, swarming with honey-less bees. Along with “Pioneer to the Falls”, “The Undoing” is maybe the most epic Interpol have ever sounded. Vital.

36. Cee Lo Green – No One’s Gonna Love You

What a wonderful song Cee Lo chose to cover. Cee Lo, he of the one-of-a-kind, mega-sized voice; Band of Horses, wounded and heartfelt in almost everything they do. What a perfect combination. I wonder how Cee Lo came to choose “No One’s Gonna Love You”. He would have sounded great covering any BOH song, though he definitely picked the right one. It probably had something to do with the lyrical content of the song and that it fit nicely with the over-arching theme of The Lady Killer album. This is one of BOH’s best songs, but the reason why Cee Lo makes it so valiantly his own is the way he strokes it, converses with it and protects it. From the outset, it’s the way he sings the last word of the opening line, “it’s looking like a limb torn offfffffffffffffffffffffff.” The original is steady and contemplative, the cover soars like a phoenix. Magical.

35. Take That – The Flood/S.O.S.

The comeback. Sure, Take That, the all(Europe)-conquering boyband of the 1990’s have released a couple of records since 2006, purveying MOR tunes that made the band relevant again. They sung new songs and sold out arenas. All well and good. Now though, they’re alive. It seemed inevitable that Robbie Williams would come back to the group eventually. The biggest world-wide pop star of the past 15 years was at a cross-road. He didn’t seem ambitious anymore. He had clearly hit a lull. All this as he watched his former bandmates, the ones that a decade before had to watch his star explode, become a huge force again. Publicly, they’ve patched up their differences and seem comfortable with each other, surprisingly maybe, after such a long time apart. That’s part of the reason why “The Flood” and “S.O.S.” work so well. Conversely, some of the tension from such a long and ugly relationship remains, and that embedded friction is what really causes these songs, and the Progress album by extension, to skyrocket. Album opener “The Flood” is the best song they’ve ever written, a heart-on-the-sleeve, transparent lyric about how it all went down combined with the strongest melody they’ve ever come up with. Horripilating stuff indeed. “S.O.S.” is a frenetic, rock-tinged, paranoid ditty that sounds absolutely fantastic. Mark Owen takes care of the verses until Robbie comes in, sounding like he’s having the most fun he’s had in forever. Progress is probably a one-off, a record that will age well and proves these lads were at their most indispensable in their mid-30’s. Wowzers, didn’t see that one coming.

34. Wintersleep – Experience The Jewel

The best song from their sadly under-appreciated gem of a record, New Inheritors, “Experience The Jewel” is a marquee attraction like LeBron James’ mouth wishes it had a button for automatic retraction. Musically, a peaceful opening leads into a warm, steady middle section, and eventually culminates into a frothing crescendo of strings and guitars. Damn, have these Nova Scotia lads become awesome composers and musicians. People who know, know, but on the whole, Wintersleep are still Canada’s best kept secret.

33. How to Dress Well – Ready For The World

Hmmm. “Ready For The World” is flummoxing. It kind of belies any genre or typical song contruction. Its closest musical kin is probably Burial’s awesome “Archangel”. “RFTW” is just as awesome. This song floats around in the ether like voyeurism to a peeper. Maybe the biggest charm of this song is its malleability. It can mean 100 things to 100 people, and it would all make sense. A staggeringly deep and feeling tune.

32. Janelle Monae – Cold War

The most powerful song from one of the break-out stars of 2010. In terms of pace and swagger, this song is eerily reminiscent of Outkast’s “B.O.B.” Where that song was powered by an insane, speakerboxx-pounding, martial drum beat, “Cold War” is propelled by Monae and a crazy, capricious guitar line. We should have known the Cold War never ended, but there could have been no way of knowing that its re-emergence would be so blatantly publicized.

31. MGMT – It’s Working/I Found a Whistle

Anyone who jumped off the bandwagon has no ears. There are myriad pleasures on Congratulations, the strongest of which may be the album opener, “It’s Working”. MGMT sound impeccable, and there are more hooks in this song than drugs in which Lindsay Lohan partook. I know, it doesn’t seem possible, but it’s true. Masters of double-tracking similar sounding words and double entendres, MGMT are at it again with “It’s Working”. Speaking again of the likelihood of confusing fans with a new direction, MGMT whimsically sing that it’s part of a grander scheme. And just like the “Electric Feel/Electric Eel” double-track, “It’s Working” is wonderfully layered with “It’s Lurking”, a comment on the insidious nature of their songcraft that requires multiple visits. I have to disagree with them about it lurking though, because it’s incessant and immediate. It sounds like a care-free Beach Boys track mixed with some amazing Mama’s & Papa’s style harmonizing. Brilliant stuff. “I Found a Whistle” is a flabbergastingly simple song. Relating to their uniquely awesome child-like sensibility, the song is a ballad about the joys of finding a cool toy. So simple, so affecting. MGMT are for real and have already proven they can do whatever they want and pull it off with aplomb.

30. Gayngs – Crystal Rope

Wow. This sounds like nothing else out right now. Almost indescribable. The sound of Law & Order. The sound of cheating. The sound of love-making. The sound of clay-making. The sound of stepping in tar. This song is imperative.

29. Goldfrapp – Rocket (Richard X One Zero remix)

Let me be clear, the original is kind of average. Richard X’s remix however, is a sleazy, sweltering and sizzling sauna of a song. A pure disco romp filled with circumstance and pomp. Alison Goldfrapp comes alive on this remix. Goldfrapp’s best tune since “Number 1”.

28. Linkin Park – Waiting For The End

Instantly joins “Numb”, “In The End” and “Faint” as one of Linkin Park’s best songs. It’s not as “hard” as previous efforts, but “Waiting For The End” gives us the best of LP —  a teflon strong melody, Chester’s continually amazing voice, and electronic wizardry. Mike Shinoda has improved markedly as an actual singer and helps lift this tune up and into the stratosphere. Clearly having grown up, Linkin Park are still anxious, though seemingly not so worried about what lies ahead. The end result is a rock solid album in A Thousand Suns and especially the standout “Waiting For The End”.

27. Against Me – Teenage Anarchist

Tom Gabel spits venomous fire and wraps it up in saccharine, addictive guitars. “Teenage Anarchist” is a great track, in the vein of “Thrash Unreal” with its relatable, smart and ever-catchy hooks. No one does it like Against Me. Well done.

26. Band of Horses – Laredo/Compliments…

Redolent of fresh-air activity, cottage- and backwoods-sentimentality, and a smile-inducing obviousness about the every-day, Band of Horses win yet again with “Laredo” and “Compliments”. “Laredo” is the instantaneous smash, centred around a guitar riff that spans canyons and prances with coyotes. “Compliments” is the calculated and plodding, nature-conjuring woodsman, dazzling for its matter-of-fact sound and lyric. Ben Bridwell coo’s, “deep in the heart of the country, was a house I built from logs; a raven and a ladyhawwwwwk. Quiet and calm through the day, see the sun burn through the hall; approaching was a yellow, dawww-aww-awgg-aww-aww-awg.” Earnest is thy clothing Band of Horses. No one wears it better.