end of another year...
this is the time of year i start getting into 'what did i hear this year that is worth remembering?'
i will have my top 10 albums in a few, but i thought i would note some singles i really liked first, since the album is almost a dead concept to me now.
1. the shins- australia
this is the best single i have heard all year, hands down. complex melody stucture, no familiarity, and all of the good components in place- refrain, solo, etc.
2. the decemberists- the crane wife 1 and 2
yeah, they signed to capitol. can i fault them for going after the money? they are harvard grads, after all. and geniuses of this victorian melody thing- longing and sadness with an unnatural restraint.
3. hem- not california
ok, i will be honest. i am not really remembering all of the single songs i liked this year, just the recent ones. i have always liked this group, and in this song, they take a van morrison-type of turn. it's relaxing, pretty, and pastoral.
4. killers- bling(confessions of a king)
i first listened to sam's town on a cross-state trip with my upgraded iPod headphones. that is the perfect setting for this record, with their bruce springsteen-leaning abandon. this song offered me the most intriguing quote i have heard in a while- 'how do you know that you're right; if you're not nervous anymore?'
5. guillemots- made up love song 43
this is a fractured song- and in the beginning, sounds kind of dumb. but as it goes on, you start to feel the warmth, and by the time you hear 'i love you i dont think you care' you are hooked. then, after the soaring harmonies and dancing bassline, hearing them sing 'i can't believe you care' echo your sentiments exactly.
6. +/- leap year
i've been hearing about this band for a while now, and this is the first song i heard, which happens to be the best one. building drums, awesome breakdown and rebuild. adding the female vocal at the end was a nice touch.
7. death cab for cutie- transatlanticism (live)
probably the most moving moment musically i have had all year. they played with intensity and fervor; almost seems like they knew what it was doing to me. it was brilliant.
i will have my top 10 albums in a few, but i thought i would note some singles i really liked first, since the album is almost a dead concept to me now.
1. the shins- australia
this is the best single i have heard all year, hands down. complex melody stucture, no familiarity, and all of the good components in place- refrain, solo, etc.
2. the decemberists- the crane wife 1 and 2
yeah, they signed to capitol. can i fault them for going after the money? they are harvard grads, after all. and geniuses of this victorian melody thing- longing and sadness with an unnatural restraint.
3. hem- not california
ok, i will be honest. i am not really remembering all of the single songs i liked this year, just the recent ones. i have always liked this group, and in this song, they take a van morrison-type of turn. it's relaxing, pretty, and pastoral.
4. killers- bling(confessions of a king)
i first listened to sam's town on a cross-state trip with my upgraded iPod headphones. that is the perfect setting for this record, with their bruce springsteen-leaning abandon. this song offered me the most intriguing quote i have heard in a while- 'how do you know that you're right; if you're not nervous anymore?'
5. guillemots- made up love song 43
this is a fractured song- and in the beginning, sounds kind of dumb. but as it goes on, you start to feel the warmth, and by the time you hear 'i love you i dont think you care' you are hooked. then, after the soaring harmonies and dancing bassline, hearing them sing 'i can't believe you care' echo your sentiments exactly.
6. +/- leap year
i've been hearing about this band for a while now, and this is the first song i heard, which happens to be the best one. building drums, awesome breakdown and rebuild. adding the female vocal at the end was a nice touch.
7. death cab for cutie- transatlanticism (live)
probably the most moving moment musically i have had all year. they played with intensity and fervor; almost seems like they knew what it was doing to me. it was brilliant.
