December 13, 201113 yr Author So we're getting closer to the number 1 spot. What song do you think will come up on top? Let's hear your predictions. And as a special bonus, if you guess the correct answer, as a treat I will do a blog post about a band/song of your choice (within reason).
December 13, 201113 yr I'd imagine that The Vaccines are still to come, probably with Norgaard, so I guess I'll go with that!
December 13, 201113 yr Author And we kick off the top 5 with... #5 Brittle Heart Brett Anderson ZOIGxfr_6wg&ob Album: Black Rainbows Chart position: Did not chart Fresh off a successful reunion tour with the greatest band ever, Brett Anderson kick started his forth solo album with the delightful ‘Brittle Heart.’ In comparison to his first three solo records, this was a full on rock record, regaining that spark that seemed to be slightly lacking in his other solo albums. It justifiably became his biggest radio hit in years, getting heavily played on XFM, 6music and Absolute Radio. Let’s hope we see Suede album no.6 in the near future, eh?
December 13, 201113 yr Author #4 Midnight City M83 dX3k_QDnzHE Album: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming Chart position: Did not chart Whilst I am a big fan of M83 (Saturdays=Youth was my favourite album of 2008), at first I did not find ‘Midnight City’ all that engaging, just a good M83 song. However, like most great songs, the more I listened to it, the greater it became, ultimately making it to number 4 in the list. It is probably the most ‘pop’ song that Anthony Gonzalez will ever write, with its incredibly earworm-inducing synth line. And just when you think if can’t get any better, out of nowhere the saxophone comes in, and takes the track to a new level of awesomeness. It’s a pity the album’s rather hit and miss.
December 13, 201113 yr Author #3 The Piper’s Song Gypsy & the Cat wFE9FpD86JY Album: Gilgamesh Chart position: Did not chart At the start of the year, I downloaded this song from iTunes rather absent mindedly, thinking that I may play it once then forget it. However, after listening through to the Australian duo’s track once, I realised how special it really is. “The Piper’s Song” is a glo-pop song, very much in the MGMT/Empire of the Sun mode, which also has a real 80s feel to it (I converted a friend to the wonders of Gypsy and the Cat by telling him that it sounds like Toto in Technicolour). Starting innocently enough with some intricate guitar lines, once the drums and synth bass kick in, you realise that this is a song that will touch your very soul.
December 13, 201113 yr Author And falling at the last hurdle is… #2 Buy Nothing Day The Go! Team fQ4f_lgdYz8 Album: Rolling Blackouts Chart position: Did not chart “Thunder, Lightning, Strike” is arguably one of the greatest albums of the 00s, so anything that The Go! Team release will always be compared back. This was the task faced with Ian Patton et al after the release of their less-well received follow-up album. When it came around to writing album number 3, I’m sure the question they asked themselves was ‘How can I make a record that not only captures the essence of what makes The Go! Team special, but also brings it in new directions? The answer can be found in the album’s 2nd single, “Buy Nothing Day”. Whilst it borrows the same energy and song structure as TLS’s “Huddle Formation”, its live band feel gives the song a unique edge. Featuring guest vocals from Beth Costanzo of Best Coast (a band I just cannot get into, no matter how hard I try), plus a surprise vibraphone solo, “Buy Nothing Day’s” anti-capitalistic ode is a dizzy high for the group.
December 13, 201113 yr Author And my number 1 song of 2011 is... #1 Norgaard The Vaccines 8VI3q4T-1Jc Album: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? Chart position: Did not chart And my favourite song of the year is The Vaccines, with their punk-pop song about a run-in with a Danish model. What makes the song special isn’t complexity (the song only features the same three chords, more or less repeated throughout), nor originality (as many people have noticed the similar style to The Ramones or Eddie and The Hot Rods). What makes the song so special is that its 98 seconds serves no purpose but to make you feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself. Isn’t that what all great songs should go for?
December 13, 201113 yr Author And here is the list of the top 50 songs of 2011: 1. The Vaccines - Norgaard 2. The Go! Team - Buy Nothing Day 3. Gypsy & The Cat - The Piper's Song 4. M83 - Midnight City 5. Brett Anderson - Brittle Heart 6. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks 7. Jonny - Candyfloss 8. The Wonder Villains - Zola 9. Tribes - We Were Children 10. Mazes - Most Days 11. This Many Boyfriends - Young Lovers Go Pop! 12. Shonen Knife – Perfect Freedom 13. Emperor's Club - Our Time 14. Petter Seander - When Something Dies 15. Noah and the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. 16. Eugene McGuiness - Lion 17. James Blake - Limit To Your Love 18. Justice - Civilization 19. The 2 Bears - Bear Hug 20. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong 21. Cashier No.9 - Oh Pity 22. Amidships - The One 23. Elbow – Lippy Kids 24. White Lies - Bigger Than Us 25. Wild Beasts - Reach a Bit Further 26. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - I’ll Take Care of U 27. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - AKA...What A Life! 28. Foster the People - Houdini 29. Battles - Ice Cream 30. Asian Dub Foundation A History Of Now 31. Biscuithead and the Biscuit Badgers - The Seaweed Under the Sofa 32. South Central -The Day I Die 33. The Joy Formidable - Cradle 34. My Morning Jacket - Holdin' On To Black Metal 35. Pop Will Eat Itself - Chaos and Mayhem 36. The City and Horses - We Will Never Be Discovered 37. King Charles - Bam Bam 38. 2:54 - Scarlet 39. Morning Teleportation - Expanding Anyway 40. Coldplay - Paradise 41. Nero - Me & You 42. Snow Patrol - Called Out In The Dark 43. Very Truly Yours - Girls Tell You Secrets 44. Eminem - Space Bound 45. Deerhoof -Super Duper Rescue Heads ! 46. The Vals - Look to the One 47. Steel Panther - If You Really, Really Love Me 48. Young The Giant - My Body 49. PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder 50. Metronomy – The Look Many thanks to all of you for reading and commenting. Hopefully you discovered at least one new song that you enjoyed.
December 13, 201113 yr Great number one choice. Many of the others were pretty decent choices too. No Chapel Club? :(
December 14, 201113 yr Nice number one :) The Vaccines are surprisingly good for an indie act, they haven't released a song I've hated so far :o
December 17, 201113 yr Author And here are my top 10 albums of 2011. I have included a brief outline of what I love about each album on my blog, which you can see here. As you can see, some albums feature songs that didn't make the top 50, some albums did better than the songs, whilst The Go! Team are going to be gutted at finishing as runner-up in both lists. 1. The Pains of Being Pire at Heart - Belong 2. The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts 3. Brett Anderson - Black Rainbows 4. Jonny - Jonny 5. Shonen Knife - Free Time 6. Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys! 7. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From...? 8. Emmy the Great - Virtue 9. Foster the People - Torches 10. The Leisure Society - Into the Murky Water
December 20, 201113 yr Excellent top 10 there, there 5 I have are all great. I'm now intrigued about Shonen Knife...
December 26, 201113 yr So many songs I haven't heard! :drama: Pleased to see Midnight City so high, I initially wasn't overly fussed about it, but I really like it now! I've even got it as my ringtone :lol: . Nice to see Paradise here also, my favourite Coldplay single to date and also Metronomy although I do prefer The Bay :) Nice countdown, shall try and get round to checking out the ones I don't know at some point in the very near future!
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