youth

My Top 20 Songs of September 2013

The summer was sensational for songs, and September didn’t let up. Brilliant tune after tune made its way to my ears. I went in detail with the written accompaniments of my favourite songs of the summer, so I’ve decided to switch things up a bit here and practice some brevity.

That said, here are my Top 20 Songs of September 2013, described in 10 words or less.

20. Porcelain Raft – The Way Out

Getting pretty damn good at using synths that “cry.”

 

19. Flyleaf – Something Better

The best not-by-Paramore Paramore song of the year.

 

18. Two Door Cinema Club – Changing Of The Seasons

The seasons might change, but the hits keep coming.

 

17. In The Valley Below – Peaches

Peaches is delicious, succulent, juicy, fresh, from the first bite.

 

16. Foxes – Youth

Those lips. That look. The hooks. This song.

 

15. Autumn Hill – Fire

Brilliant New Country-Pop. That chorus, burning hearts and ears.

 

14. Katy Perry – Roar/Ylvis – The Fox/Natalia Kills – Saturday Night

Does The Fox Say Roar On Saturday Night?

 

13. Gavin DeGraw – Best I Ever Had

Toe-tapping, foot-thumping, piano pop of the highest order.

 

12. Goldfrapp – Jo/Drew

Ethereal. Deep breaths. Cold air. Warm summers. Jo and Drew.

 

11. Mikky Ekko – Kids (Monsieur Adi remix)/Zedd – Clarity

Kids: when remix trumps original. Clarity: a flat-out smash.

 

10. Arcade Fire – Reflektor

A reflection of a band with unparalleled creative might.

 

9. Editors – The Phone Book

My favourite song from their latest album. Wonderful.

 

8. The Killers – Shot At The Night

Simply, spectacularly: M83 + The Killers = a monster tune.

 

7. Haim – Strong Enough

A fantastic choice of a cover that makes magic. #TeamCrow.

 

6. Placebo -A Million Little Pieces

No more glowing in the dark for… my heart.

 

5. Avicii – Wake Me Up

Made when Gustaffson came out to it vs. Jones. Monstrous.

 

4. King of Leon – Supersoaker

Meh at first. I was so wrong. Absolutely massive.

 

3. Blue October – Sway/Bleed Out

Sway: Justin Furstenfeld doesn’t get the credit he so rightly deserves.

 

Bleed Out: He’s shown an incomparable ear for melody, mood, major songs.

 

2. Alt-j – Matilda (Johnson Somerset remix)

Absolute transcendence. Rarely ever said of remixes. Pure, powerful, bliss.

 

1. Neko Case – Local Girl

For me, quite simply the best voice on the planet.

 

And a bonus, brilliant, breathtaking live rendition.

Over Fifty Years Later

I knelt down to tie her slightly scuffed saddle shoes. The laces had come undone as she skipped jauntily through the Midway. Toronto was beautiful, and so was she. The sky was clear as we drew near; a smile adorned her mouth and her welkin-blue eyes gleamed. It was a marvellous setting for a first date. It was just the beginning…

There it stood. It was majestic and mighty and right in front of us: The Flyer. Patty Conklin’s newest roller coaster was the talk of the Exhibition. To say she was excited would be a criminal understatement. She almost pulled my arm off as she moved us into line. I don’t think she stopped bouncing the entire wait – good, I thought, then maybe she wouldn’t notice my feeble attempt to stay calm. (My tight white T-shirt and dungarees represented the ideal, but James Dean I was not.)

We boarded, and I was nervous as hell. She, on the other hand, wore her giddy well. She wore everything well. We were off. I don’t know how fast it went, but I felt as though I’d been rocket-launched. As we twisted and turned, her auburn hair pranced in the wind, her face radiant as the sun serenaded it. I felt lucky. I would say that my heart fell into my lungs at the first precipitous drop, but it had already fallen, for her…

Over fifty years later, I still remember that day. The Flyer. My nervousness. Her eyes. My wife.