Chez Wombat

Chas and Dave getting a point 🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇

The Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird The Clash - Rock The Casbah Yazoo - Don't Go Dexys Midnight Runners And The Emerald Express - Come On Eileen The way three of these were played in a row x Videoteque and Space Age Love Song also nice

Lot of love for Men at Work, that would be quite high up for me too. Just a very addictive song, a lot of cultural references from the time haven't aged the best, but this one still holds up. Every Breath You Take is a classic too, first knew about it through the (now tainted) Puff Daddy version, the original is certainly very dark but fit the isolated mood of Synchronicity well when the band were in a bad place. Billie Jean would definitely be lot higher for me, MJ himself is a question mark these days, but most of Thriller remains absolutely timeless and this is a good candidate for his best song. The others in the top 10 aren't big favourites, I do have a soft spot for the Phil Collins cover, he certainly sells it enthusiastically even if it's not quite as smooth as the original.

30; XTM & DJ Chucky feat. Annia – Fly on the Wings of Love 29; Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – The Message 28; Reverend and the Makers – Heavyweight Champion of the World 27; Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Enola Gay (my actual favourite, but it'll make it through no problem) 26; Visage – Fade to Grey 25; Eagles – Hotel California 24; Linkin Park – In the End 23; Oasis - Live Forever 22; Stone Roses – Fools Gold/What the World Is Waiting For 21; House of Pain – Jump Around / Top O' the Morning to Ya 20; Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends 19; The Beatles – Yesterday 18; Coldplay – Violet Hill 17; Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal 16; Robyn – Dancing on My Own 15; Amy Winehouse – Back to Black 14; Blink 182 – I Miss You 13; The Veronicas – Untouched 12; Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell 11; Donovan – Mellow Yellow 10; Katrina and the Waves – Walking on Sunshine 09; Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin' Down 08; Nero – Guilt 07; Muse – Time Is Running Out 06; The Pogues & The Dubliners – The Irish Rover 05; The Stranglers – Peaches 04; Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 03; Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly 02; Mitski - My Love Mine All Mine 01; Taylor Swift feat. Bon Ever – Exile

No Sham Rock - Tell Me Ma means this is an invalid representation I'm afraid x (I kid, good work, Disc 2 looks great)

Timbaland definitely was the man of the moment in 2007, his style is definitely of it's time but it was pretty distinctive at the time. Give It To Me was enjoyably scathing, but I was sad it beat Stop Me which was a wonderfully produced mash-up. I did like The Way I Are a lot more, the production on that still holds up, the grammar annoys me a bit and the fact I cannot find a reason why it was used, but I can look past it x About You Now did get very overplayed and isn't in the same league as their Xenomania stuff, but is a very nice and anthemic pop song and certainly much better than what came after. I was really happy to see the Kaisers get a number 1, but this does seem like more of a response to the hype built in their first era rather than a number 1 that reflects their best work, I don't go back to it much compared to their Employment era. Beautiful Liar was decent, but I always thought it could've been more with the names involved, I think I prefer the Freemasons remix more. I was really sad it beat both Arctics and easily the Manic Street Preachers' best moment of the decade. Shine will just always be the Morrisons song for me, but it's kinda charming and do always like Mark taking the reigns.

BBC Sound Of have gone for someone that's already had commercial success? Shocked I tell thee x I did think Geese may have done a bit better than that.

And before this I thought Matthew would be an easy one to murder and wasn't adding much! Great stuff, I think they honestly could do worse than take him up on that, he's not got any suspicion on him and would get rid of a very strong faithful in Jessie. Although they'll need to deal with Harriet, the only one that saw through that Traitor vs Traitor moment. No surprise at that banishment, Fiona made wonderful TV, but she'd definitely let it go to her head too much and the act last night was really bizarre and showed her to be quite mean-spirited.

Ha, I actually considered Headphones On, but couldn't quite bring myself to confirm a UK hit (albeit a smaller one than I thought, I had it in my mind that this was a top 10...what on Earth at this only reaching #24?!), hype to that nonetheless, and CMAT is a great choice too, my favourite from the album. Not sure I've heard any of the others although the names look familiar (I think I checked out Fleeting based on it being confirmed 50 times but I've forgotten how it goes oop x)

This is what I thought, but with Reece not mentioning Rachel and Steven (insert singer etc.) at the portrait, clearly some things are staying hidden for drama purposes! The Traitors launching a civil war was pretty amazing to watch, but yeah I can't see how this is a good gameplan for either Rachel or Fiona and even if they try to bury it, the others have got to sense something's up after that. With the only other one Stephen who's clearly a nervous wreck on borrowed time, they are not looking the strongest. Their best bet at the moment would be to recruit Jessie.

Sorry I haven't been commenting here but I am reading, this basically reads just like my music taste in 2003-05 so a lot of really great moments, and I do still really enjoy them even if just for nostalgia (Lostprophets aside for, y'know, reasons x) I think these are my absolute favourites that have come so far: 2003 Outkast - Hey Ya! Coldplay - Clocks Foo Fighters - Times Like These The White Stripes - 7 Nation Army Linkin Park - Numb Lemon Jelly - Nice Weather For Ducks (I didn't know this at the time, but it's such a unique, quirky hit) Junior Senior - Move Your Feet (an all time favourite <3) Muse - Hysteria (My favourite song from them, wishing they were this good nowadays) 2004 Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out blink-182 - I Miss You Green Day - American Idiot (Amazing era, both and Boulevard, a timeless work) The Killers - All These Things That I've Done (very underrated these days, Hot Fuss had loads of classics) Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams The Killers - Mr Brightside Keane - Somewhere Only We Know The Streets - Fit But You Know It Snow Patrol - Spitting Games U2 - Vertigo Scissor Sisters, Killers x2, Chemical Brothers and Oasis are my favourites from 05 so far, the latter was the first song I remember hearing from them which is strange given it is quite distinct from the rest of their back catalogue. Their 2000s era wasn't the best, but this was a standout and agree that it showed they could still be innovative.

An excellent top 10 indeed. I did want to reward #3s that peaked there for the most part so put a lot of number 1s/2s lower, although I'll never qualm at Pogues getting top 10 (and beating Mariah and Wham as they should x), pleased to see the choice of Leona #3 though as I'm really not a fan of the other two! Shame One of Us couldn't quite make the top 10, also a lot of love for Final Countdown, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and Muller yogurt classic, Ain't Got No (I Got Life) x

Ooh I was actually right about the Secret Traitor! Good choice, she's clearly loving it and seems a bit of a livewire compared to the other two which should create some interesting tensions between them. I don't understand any Reece didn't say anything about the poster given he was literally with Rachel and Steven when they told him to go away, I'm assuming it's an editing choice x

It was really brilliant, the slow transformation of Carol and how she changes how she thinks about the hivemind was amazingly done and I look forward to seeing how they progress with Manousos now in the picture (I saw lots of people saying it was dragged out, but I don't agree, this is about the characters as much as it is about the plot). I found myself conflicted whether to sympathise with the hivemind at points, but then you see something which shows how inhuman and eerie they are, much more layered villains than you'd get in this genre. Probably gonna be a bit of a long wait until Season 2 sadly but at least it's back x

11. james K – Play 12. Wolf Alice – Bloom Baby Bloom 13. Oklou feat. Underscores – Harvest Sky 14. Gorillaz feat. Trueno & Proof – The Manifesto 15. Florence & The Machine – Everybody Scream 16. Gelli Haha – Funny Music 17. Princess Nokia – Blue Velvet 18. Bambie Thug - REDRUM 19. Another Country $$$$ - TETHER 20. Barry Can’t Swim – The Person You’d Like to Be The top 20 starts off with Barry Can't Swim, I've really liked the few songs I've heard from him and am pleased about his gradual rise to award nominated superpower, but I don't think any have been quite as striking as this one. Instantly kicking off with harsh sirens and an atmospheric, slow guitar line, the spoken word section says 'Change, there is nothing permanent except change', this then changes to a spoken word vocal with, as you'd expect from a title like this, motivational statements in a similar style to Baz Luhrmann's iconic 1999 number 1, Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) saying 'you are an exceptional person' and 'Try not to laugh so hard at everyone's jokes', so far so amusing, but as the production becomes more layered and dream-like, using laugh soundbites and maintaining those blaring calls and steady bassline, the lyrics grow darker 'You miss something/you miss something you cannot name, or touch' and 'Can you hold my hand?/ I am frightened', which creates a really uneasy feeling and deeper look at the themes explored in ...Sunscreen and bears resemblence to the work of former BJSC act, Headache. I'm sad the January release kinda made me forget about it and that it didn't make more buzz as it's a real standout track and a great example of his talents in creating an immersive soundscape. A similarly quite under-the-radar Apple Music find, Gelli Haha, formerly known as Angel Abaya, this is the first time I've heard from her thanks to Apple Music and it was a really distinctive find. The Giorgio Moroder-esque synth line coupled with her angelic, almost soprano vocals, bizarre modified vocal samples and frequent changes in tempo in the verses and even a nonsensical bonk effect to end the track with make for something trippy and intriguing with lyrics contrasting the sometimes cartoonish track looking at the nature of playing the clown. The album, Switcheroo, is full of this sort of weird and wonderful cartoonish and playful songs combined with zany experimentation and diverse sounds so would recommend if you're into that x We have three of my BJSC entries in a row, not intentional but pleasing nonetheless. First up, Princess Nokia, David Lynch's death was one of the hardest hitting for me, still exploring his material and working my way through Twin Peaks, he was a truly unique voice in cinema, so I'm pleased this song came along. Hip hop has been one genre it has been hard for me to find something I like and feel confident enough to send to BJSC and that has been bothering me so I'm pleased this came along to break that spell. The song itself in much the style of Lynch himself, is a dark, moody song that takes sexism and double standards back through history, naming the teachings Lilith, Adam and Eve enforcing these beliefs in the first verse to mythical depictions of femininity like Hades and Persephone before relating it to her own brutal r*pe experience, using Laura Palmer as an example of how women are objectified and mistreated. It's hard hitting and rough, but brilliantly done with the witchy production, creepy laughing in the background and eerie lullaby like piano echoing the uneasy atmosphere in so many Lynchian works. Speaking of dark and classic film references, Bambie Thug continues to be one of the best things to come out of Eurovision and if Doomsday Blue showed genius in it's dark veering between styles, REDRUM is their rebellious self in all it's anarchic and brash glory, with revolutionary inspired lyrics with that Irish twang still present and that absolute beautiful racket of a chorus, you'd worry you might find yourself dead if you don't believe their cry of running riot. Finally, ANOTHER COUNTRY $$$$ are, as the name suggests, an obscure experimental act I heard on early morning 6Music and it's the kind of weird glitchy dance music I'm really a fan of, the beautiful strings and guitar line throughout add a real depth to the glitchy distorted vocals and the DIY feel is very charming that they can concoct such a well-thought out piece. Tangentially related to my BJSC entries is my former BJSC act, james K whom has broken through quite a bit from late 2024 when I sent the beautiful Blinkmoth (July Mix), Friend has a lot of gorgeous soundscapes and dance exploration held together by her beautiful vocals and my favourite of them is play, is much more pop-friendly than the more lingering aforementioned song, but her falsetto vocals are no less beautiful and work brilliantly with the breakbeat production which still forms a wonderful soundscape on an album that proved her a lot more diverse than I thought. My Oklou pick for this countdown is actually a 2024 song, I know, but it was on the album so I counted it. I must apologise if Jim happens to read this as I didn't actually give it any points when it was in Club Bizarre, maybe a mix of cheapness (I have a right to judge that as I am never, ever cheap I'll have you know) and it just not clicking with me as much, but it really has throughout the year. The hypnotic trance beat fitting to the vocals in the chorus are infectious on their own but it's also got a charming quaint vibe to it in comparison to the rest of the album, especially as the song reflects the singer's childhood memories of bonfires in La Fête de la Saint-Jean (St. John's Eve) and this adds a personal level to the otherwise otherworldly electronic sound. Finally, three more well known names. Wolf Alice are probably my favourite band doing that classic British Indie sound, Blue Weekend was a fantastic album and thus far Last Man on Earth is by far my favourite song of the decade, so there was a lot resting on this follow up, but they've proven here that they still can surprise and innovate. Bloom Baby Bloom is a strikingly different sound which shows Ellie on absolute top form, opening with it's showtune like piano, the verses open with breathy and low key intensity before the chaotic chorus comes with a loud yell followed by a graceful simmering down, which I'm just realising now almost mimics a flower with it's seed, sudden shoot and flowering. It shows them at their most creative, and does stand out on an album largely filled with a retro kind of Fleetwooc Mac-esque rock sound, though a shoutout to The Sofa which was a great, more subtly beautiful moment. Gorillaz's album isn't out until later this year, but I've already heard the three singles several times, of them, I think The Manifesto is my favourite (sadly The Happy Dictator got absolutely rinsed by 6Music which soured it's admittedly-still greatness), a seven minute song with a lot going on - Trueno's Spanish first verse with building chanting in the background, transitioning to a more Gorillaz sound with an Eastern feel to the instrumental as Albarn sings cryptically about mountains before the radio friendly parts end and it descends into a much darker vibe as Proof's angry, vicious sounding verse before Trueno comes back with more intensity than before and Albarn takes back control in a gradual fade out with further ominous vibes. It's really quite striking as a whole and I really like that Gorillaz can still afford to be so experimental and blending many different international styles interesting over twenty years after their last big hit. Don't go for the radio edit for this one, it really takes out a lot of the song. I haven't really rated a Florence & The Machine song in a while, their last era was a bit of a write-off for me, but the witchy, Halloween aesthetic they were going for this time perked my interest and Everybody Scream fits that sound great, over a wailing backing, Ms Welch's always impressive vocals fit brilliantly as she plays the banshee over the dramatic and stadium-ready chorus. I haven't yet got round to the album, but did also like One of the Greats, with it's more restrained feel and candid lyrics. Phew, OK, top 10 coming next where we'll slow down a bit x