Year-end
ramble time! Below is the first part of my favorite songs list.
As usual, every downloadable track posted throughout the week comes from the
pool of nearly 500 that I shared over the last 11 months. Also, just
so you know, this list is not exactly a good representation of my top albums
of 2010 (I'll divulge those next week). Enjoy.
- 50 Through 41 -
50)
:The
Heavy - How You Like Me Now?:
Technically this song is from 2009, but that Kia commercial
with the fun-seeking toys debuted earlier this year and
that's when I feel as though the world was exposed to this
incredibly catchy bit of neo-soul. Expect to hear it
at sports stadiums forever. From The House That
Dirt Built.
49)
:The
Ting Tings - Hands:
Want to know the trick to this song? Don't think of
the Ting Tings. This is a straight up dance track
(with producer Calvin Harris' hands all over it) and
expecting novelty pop like That's Not My Name or
Shut Up And Let Me Go will only lead to unattractive
facial expressions. From a currently untitled LP.
48)
:The
Long Tangles - Dry Room:
Courtney Hans and Earl Vallery are a couple of the nicest
people in the Austin music scene and, as you'll see in this
Mates Of State-esque track, whatever they're involved in
always seem to exude the utmost charm. From the
Blueprints And Maps EP.
47)
:Pepper
Rabbit - Older Brother:
Considering that they're only a duo, Pepper Rabbit seem to a
have a wealth of sounds in their arsenal. Fortunately,
and perhaps more importantly, this track shows that they
know how to weave all of it into something great. I
still need to seek out their album. From Beauregard.
46)
:Antarctica
Takes It! - Constellations:
Singer/songwriter Dylan McKeever finally put out a full
length and, while it didn't exactly live up to my way too
high expectations, I thought it managed to deliver a couple
of indie pop gems. This is one of them. From
Constellations.
45)
:Minus
The Bear - My Time:
If I made a guilty pleasure list there's a good chance this
would rest at the very top, as there isn't a single moment
of it that doesn't make me mumble "full retard" under my
breath. Still, it's a fun listen and there's something
endearing about their attempt at full on pop. From
Omni.
44)
:Josh
Ritter - Change Of Time:
Despite not being able to name more than a handful of his
tunes, I still think of myself as a Josh Ritter fan.
He always does a great job of crafting folk music that's
accessible and interesting, and this is proof of that.
From So Runs The World Away.
43)
:Botany
- Feeling Today:
Bedroom projects are as hit or miss as anything these days,
so it's especially nice when something this good comes
along. I love its simplicity. By the way, the
"about" section for Botany over at
Western Vinyl is amazingly ridiculous.
From the Feeling Today EP.
42)
:Now,
Now - Neighbors:
This song first made an appearance here at SOTO not all that
long ago, but it's so accessible I feel as though I've been
listening to it for years. My guess is that Cacie
Dalager's infectious voice is what's to blame. From
the Neighbors EP.
41)
:Venice
Is Sinking - Tugboat (Galaxie 500 Cover):
Recorded live in a theater, this track has a particular
amount of warmth to it that really makes for a great listen.
Plus, as I said in my original post, I love it when a band
makes a song their own and doesn't just "cover" it.
From Sand And Lines.
- John Laird -
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