Hey, you know that annoying guy whose always foisting his own musical preference on you?
Yeah, I hate that guy, too…
And so, in no particular order:
“The Phoenix”, Fall Out Boy
‘Save Rock and Roll’ was a pretty good album that, if anything, was too anthemic. Every song was so epic that after a while I couldn’t stop picturing the ads for Range Rovers and American Eagle Outfitters that these songs would inevitably wind up in the background of. Despite all that, the band came out blazing with one hell of an opening salvo.
Empress Of, “Realize You”
While towards the end of the year I was starting to OD on synths, I’m never not a sucker for the damn things when they’re used right, and they’re used very right here. And while listening to so much music this year made me realize that outside of rap, I’m not much of a lyrics guy, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that when I heard the line “Have you been you with you lately? Because you haven’t been you with me”, I was jealous that I didn’t think of it first…
Dessa, “Warsaw”
What this song is about, exactly? It sounds like it might be the lament of someone with too much dignity to still be there for last call. And then it turns into a defiant battle cry, echoing in an empty room Whatever it’s about, it’s got one of the best beats and some of the best lines I’ve heard all year…
Lana Del Ray, “Young And Beautiful”
Lana Del Ray; At this point, I can no longer remember whether we’re supposed to love or hate or ironically love or want to burn her in effigy. Whatever. However we’re supposed to feel about her, you’d have to be kind of a dick not to appreciate this song, the best off of the monstrously crappy soundtrack of ‘The Great Gatsby’. Del Ray has a gift for making all of her shallow, doomed romances sound like the epic, star-crossed love affairs we always assumed they were supposed to be back when we were stupid teenagers. And that’s nothing to sneeze at, so stop hating already.
“Default”, Atoms For Peace
‘The King of Limbs’ was be a bit of a disappointment to me because it sounded way more like a Thom Yorke side project than a proper Radiohead album (though the term “proper Radiohead” album is probably a stupid phrase to be using in the first place). For the most part, Atoms For Peace sounds like the refined version of what the King of Limbs was meant to be. And ‘Default’ is the best song on the album, all creepy and mysterious and transcendent and junk.
“F.U.T.W.”, Jay-Z
If you couldn’t tell by the title, ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ is exactly the sort of album a “business, man” makes. It sounds like a tax write-off with some awesome beats. I can’t say exactly why this song spoke to me when most of the album didn’t, but I suspect it had something to do with listening to it nonstop after the George Zimmerman verdict…
“We Sink”, Chvrches
As someone who is very much of the notion that having feelings is more trouble than it’s worth, I have to admit that this song struck a nerve with me. “I’ll be a thorn in your side till you die” shouldn’t sound as romantic as it does to me, but it really, really does.
“Stupid In The Dark”, Xiu Xiu
I’m not super familiar with Xiu Xiu, but I heard this randomly and it burned its way into my brain. I think it’s the wailing refrain of “you put my disgrace in the moonlight” that does it for me. It really hits that proper mix of pathetic and cryptic that I tend to gravitate towards as a lifestyle choice…
“Lost That Easy”, Cold War Kids
I don’t know if I can describe exactly why I love this song so much. The first 36 seconds are like this great, ominous build. but there was something in Nathan Willett’s voice that when he bellows the chorus, I’m right there with him. It’s like this amazing, triumphant release and it gets me every time…
“Step”, Vampire Weekend
Honestly, I always feel like I don’t own enough cardigans to be a fan of Vampire Weekend. But then I hear their songs, and I’m all like , “You know what? I’d probably look fine in a cardigan…”
“Yaphet Kotto”, Childish Gambino
I don’t know that I’m quite sold on Donald Glover as a full-time rapper yet. if nothing else, I give him points for referencing ayahuasca, which is not a drug most rappers like to bring up, possibly because it’s tough to rhyme. That is, unless you’re familiar with the works of Puccini, which most rappers are not.
“Sacrilege”, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This song is basically nine lines long, give or take.
Karen O does not fuck around, and that’s why I love her.
“Get Lucky”, Daft Punk
I was slightly disappointed with ‘Random Access Memories’, which I thought wasn’t funky enough (though it’s possible I was holding it to an impossibly funk standard). But damned if this wasn’t the funkiest song of the year… if you don’t hear this and have to forcibly restrain yourself from strutting, you’re basically dead inside.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I
“You’re On Fire”, They Might Be Giants
I probably played this song 200 times the first week it was out, and I haven’t really stopped since. In fact, the odds are good that the minute I finish writing this, I’m going to listen to it again…
Pryorball. 