#4

SpaceJam

The Wonder Villains

 

 

Album: N/A

Chart position: Did not chart

 

Derry based unsigned electro four-piece The Wonder Villains make #4 on the list with their ode to the Looney Tunes/Michael Jordan crossover film, produced by Oppenheimer’s Rocky O’Reilly. I was somewhat hoping that they would be topping critics’ lists of tip for 2011, but it was not to be.

 

There’s no video for the song on YouTube, the closest I could find was this video blog, so feel free to check out their MySpace to listen to the song in full.

 

#3

Not In Love

Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith

 

 

Album: Crystal Castles

Chart position: #54

 

This record came almost out of nowhere to cement its place at number 3 in my chart. Canadian duo originally recorded this song, a cover of hair metal band Platinum Blonde’s 80s single, for their 2nd album with the group providing the vocals. Somehow through the year, the managed to convince Robert Smith of The Cure (my 2nd favourite band) to re-record the vocals of the track. And what a corker it is. Robert Smith’s vocals are really suited to dance music (c.f “Please” by Paul Hartnoll, the Jade Puget remix of The Cure’s “Freakshow”), and this song is very much boosted by his presence. It makes a change from the usual screeching normally found in CC’s songs.

 

A little piece of trivia to leave you with. The Cure left their old record label Fiction Records for Geffen at the start of the 21st century because his contract there wouldn’t allow him to record with other artists outside the Cure. So guess what record label Crystal Castles are signed to?

 

An excellent top 5 so far. 'Not in Love' is amazing, 'Space Jam' is one of my favourites from Unknown Pleasures so far, and I quite like that Teenage Fanclub song having just listened to it.

#2

At the Indie Disco

The Divine Comedy

 

 

Album: Bang Goes the Knighthood

Chart position: Did not chart

 

The last time I met Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy, he joked that whenever he played live, the crowds either wanted to hear the song about the horse or the song about the bus. After this song, hopefully they’ll begin to request the song about the disco.

 

“At the Indie Disco” is a sarcastic, yet warm tribute to the music that frequents the student’s unions, name dropping the Cure, Blur and the Pixies as well as Tainted Love and Just Can’t Get Enough, amongst a soft rock ballad with swooping string sections. He’s also responsible for one of the best lyrics of the year: “she makes my heart beat the same way as at the start of Blue Monday.”

 

And the honour of being my favourite single of 2010 goes to...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#1

Beaches and Friends (The Twelves Remix)

French Horn Rebellion vs Database

 

 

Album: N/A

Chart position: Did not chart

 

And we reached the end of the line. “Beaches and Friends” started life as a collaboration between synth-pop duo French Horn Rebellion and electro trio Database, which gave as a nice but ordinary electro song. However, when the bands turned the song over to Brazilian remixers “The Twelves,” the song morphed into what eventually became my favourite song of the year.

 

The song is heavily inspired by 70s funk and soul records, with a dance and indie sensibilities thrown in for good measure. When you listen to the original and this one back to back, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they were two different songs.

Edited December 22, 201014 yr by Brett-Butler

And here's the top 50 in full:

 

1. Beaches & Friends - French Horn Rebellion vs Database

2. At the Indie Disco - Divine Comedy

3. Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith) - Crystal Castles

4. SpaceJam - Wonder Villains

5. Baby Lee - Teenage Fanclub

6. Can't Shake This Feeling - Grum

7. Release the Bees - Not Squares

8. Hustle - Tunng

9. Tenderoni - Kele

10. The Sound of Sunshine - Michael Franti & Spearhead

11. AM/FM - !!!

12. Windstorm - School Of Seven Bells

13. Paradise Circus - Massive Attack

14. Young Blood - The Naked And Famous

15. Los Angeloser - Meat Loaf

16. Yeah Yeah Yeah - New Politics

17. Girl Number One - Tim Ten Yen

18. Bright Red Chords - Loomis & The Lust

19. Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) - The Vaccines

20. Islands - The xx

21. Hay Loft - Mother Mother

22. Splash - Sub Focus ft. Coco

23. Berkeley Girl - Harper Simon

24. Put In a Little Gas - Colourmusic

25. The Island - Pt. I (Dawn) - Pendulum

26. I Wanna Be Adored - Lana Mir

27. Goodmorning - Paul Shevlin

28. Who Do You Love - Museum of Bellas Artes

29. We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool & D Cup

30. This Momentary - Delphic

31. New Rules - Shine 2009

32. The Chemical Song - Citadels

33. Drunk Girls - LCD Soundsystem

34. Holiday - Vampire Weekend

35. Waterfall – The Fresh and Onlys

36. Dead American Writers - Tired Pony

37. I'd Rather Be With You - Joshua Radin

38. Marken Lag Stilla - Dungen

39. Angel Dance - Robert Plant

40. Bang Bang Bang - Mark Ronson & the Business Int.

41. Superfast Jellyfish - Gorillaz

42. One Night, One Kiss - The Russian Futurists

43. Hello - Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

44. Ambling Alp - Yeasayer

45. Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells

46. Hey, Soul Sister - Train

47. Scribble - Underworld

48. Say You Don't Want It - One Night Only

49. Barbra Streisand - Duck Sauce

50. Go Do - Jónsi

 

Any songs you love? Love to hate? Surprises? Discoveries? Let me know!

 

#2

At the Indie Disco

The Divine Comedy

Album: Bang Goes the Knighthood

Chart position: Did not chart

 

The last time I met Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy, he joked that whenever he played live, the crowds either wanted to hear the song about the horse or the song about the bus. After this song, hopefully they’ll begin to request the song about the disco.

 

“At the Indie Disco” is a sarcastic, yet warm tribute to the music that frequents the student’s unions, name dropping the Cure, Blur and the Pixies as well as Tainted Love and Just Can’t Get Enough, amongst a soft rock ballad with swooping string sections. He’s also responsible for one of the best lyrics of the year: “she makes my heart beat the same way as at the start of Blue Monday.”

Any year with a Neil Hannon album has to see him as the favourite to provide the best lyric of the year.

 

How many lyricists can beat

 

On the National Express there's a jolly hostess

Selling crisps and tea

She'll provide you with drinks and theatrical winks

For a sky-high fee

Mini-Skirts were in style when she danced down the aisle

Back in '63 (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

But it's hard to get by when your arse is the size

Of a small country

 

Anyone who saw the Ray Davies programme last night would offer him up as an alternative

Great to see Young Blood do so well, hope it's big here next year! Really like Not In Love and I agree what you said about CC - the screeching usually puts me right off them personally. Had a listen to your #1 - very good song, really infectious, sounds very French!

Thanks goodelta - Beaches & Friends isn't normally the sort on thing I'd enjoy, so I'm surprised how much I liked it this year. It does have a touch of the French about it.