The Floating World: 2004 (Part 1)
We used a pretty interesting methodology to make this year's singles list (at least to me, since I'd never used it before). We each sent in a list of twenty singles, first of all; then Todd compiled the top forty from all of those lists, sent that out, and we each picked our twenty favorite and ranked them, which determined the eventual order of those forty. I like it; it introduced me to a few great new songs and produced a pretty awesome list.
This was also the year I officially became a fan and follower of pop, after uneasily coexisting with it for four or five years now and feeling as if I had to repudiate it for years before. The singles roundtable for Stylus (every friday, called Singles Going Steady) was the big part of this, and as a result this was the first year I felt confident putting together a list. I'm sure some of it is just my prejudices now and then, but I'd swear the listless crap I hated as a kid has nothing on some of the great stuff I heard this year. Of course, there was probably stuff at least as great (like, say, Thieves' "Unworthy" in previous years, I just didn't know about it.
Anyway, here was my original list, with commentary:
01. Six By Seven – "Ready For You Now"
Still the most uplifting thing I've heard, probably ever, but I accept that this may be more a product of my relationship with this band, and the role they used to fill for me. I don't think I would have found anyone but Chris Olley singing "I'm ready for you now", opening himself up to love and life, quite so redemptive.
02. The Walkmen – "The Rat"
As I said, I have no real desire to get into the Walkmen, but I did go ahead and download a few more tracks. Still, this is frankly incredible; part of me wishes they hadn't returned to the opening refrain after the central part, instead letting the track die out with a cry of When I used to go out, I knew everyone I saw / Now I go out alone if I go out at all (sadly appropriate for me this year, to boot). Instead "The Rat" surges back to anger, but also back to demanding something from the world. How I imagined it would be more striking, but I'm thinking the actual version is more appropriate, or at least healthier.
03. Ciara feat. Petey Pablo – "Goodies"
This totally snuck up on me. I think I gave it an 8 for Singles Going Steady, but over a couple of weeks I found that it was running through my head more and more and then, while back in Kincardine for whatever reason, I saw the video, and the song just made sense (not because of the video, which is pretty meh). I could probably listen to this for hours on end. I love Petey Pablo's two verses, particularly
You think you bad, but you ain't bad
I'll show you what bad is
Bad is when you capable of beatin' the baddest
I been workin' at it ever since I came to this planet
And I ain't quite there yet, but I'm gettin' better at it
Which is actually pretty emblematic of why I've been liking his stuff now that I've downloaded some. He's not humble, not exactly, but there's a wryness there I find very appealing, even when he's boasting about his prowess. And then, of course, there's the whistle; if you don't love it, fine, but I can't understand you.
04. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell – "Drop It Like It’s Hot"
Well, I wrote about it for the singles list (here is closest); not much to add here, other than that due to "Can You Control Ya Hoe?" and others I definitely will not be purchasing any Snoop Dogg albums anytime soon. This is killer, though, even if I feel a little guilty for liking it.
05. The Killers – "Mr. Brightside"
This moved up one since I wrote this, but that'a a pretty minor shift. The self-mocking bitterness in Brandon Flowers' voice as he sings Destiny is calling me / Open up my eager eyes / 'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside, especially when coupled with his strangely perfect theatricality in the video (which is kind of a twisted cousin to the schlocky one for Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved") strikes a major chord with me. But also, and more importantly, it's unbelievably catchy and forceful, plowing ahead at full speed for the duration. The album was a bust, but this alone makes me hope they'll improve. Flowers is too interesting to have him fade back into obscurity.
06. Lloyd feat. Ashanti & Scarface– "Southside (Remix)"
I wrote a bit about the appeal of this one to me before in this space, so I don't want to repeat that, but I will say that "Southside" remains as perfectly, terrifyingly blank as ever. Right when Lloyd starts he keep interrupting himself, and when (the relatively unprocessed) Ashanti does it it sounds like a vocal technique; on him, it sounds like an argument between robot clones. Are his vocals always like this? If so, they should have called the album Digital Thug or something.
07. Snow Patrol – "Run"
I've said it before, and I'll say it again here: My love for "Run" is utterly unironic. I know it's over the top and sincere in a way some people don't want to deal with. I don't care. One of the few songs I would get a lighter out for, if I ever saw Snow Patrol in concert. Also the only Snow Patrol I've ever heard, but as with the Walkmen I have no problem with that. Although I hear the album is good, so maybe I will check it out. Someday.
08. The Hives - "Walk Idiot Walk"
From my third-favorite record of the year. Honestly, this pales in comparison to most of Tyrannosaurus Hives (like, say, "B Is For Brutus" or "A Little More For Little You" or "Diabolic Scheme" or "Antidote", or or or), but it's still wonderful. I remember wondering how apparant the Kraftwerk influence they talked about would be, and I think it's there. Buried beneath the Who, but there. Also, at 3:31, this is a good twenty seconds longer than anything else on the album, which is great.
09. Destiny’s Child – "Lose My Breath"
I remember first hearing about this through NYPLM, who reported about the firestorm of controversy on ILM (aka I Love Music, part of ILX where X equals "everything", a massive set of message boards where all the cognoscenti in the online music writing scene go, and I don't, because I have no spare time) where "Lose My Breath" had just leaked and half of them there hated it and half of them thought it was awesome. I think it's obvious which camp I fall into, but I'm kind of surprised there was a debate - this doesn't seem like a very difficult single to me. I think the bone of contention was that it's not "melodic" enough, which is fair enough - instead it pummels, cajoles and pushes inexorably forward. Plus the other two are (shock! horror!) better than Beyonce. Everything else on the album sounds nothing like this, and thus isn't nearly as good. More marching bands in pop, please.
10. Big & Rich – "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)"
Look, either you think it's a stupid novelty (I think you're wrong, but we can both live with that), or you hate fun, or else you love this song as much as I do. All of it. The "bling blingin'" bit, the Lone Ranger bit at the beginning, all the cheesy injokes that aren't really in, and especially AND WE MADE LOVE!. What happens, unsurprisingly, when you leave musicians alone and they create music separate from consideration of market forces.
11. Basement Jaxx - "Good Luck"
Magnigicently angry, with an ending that drags on way, way too long. If it had been three minutes long, keeping the intensity and the Jaxx's inmpossibly vivid sound, this would have been top ten for sure.
12. Franz Ferdinand – "Take Me Out"
It's about snipers, which is still my favorite thing about it. Still the only thing by Franz Ferdinand I've really loved, but what a single! The kind of perfect moment most bands get once, if they're lucky.
13. N.O.R.E. feat. Tego Calderon, Nina Sky, Gemstar & Big Mato – "Oye Mi Canto"
My first, and still favorite exposure to some form of reggaeton. I haven't heard much from Nina Sky, but it's all been gold, and they're twins too so I've got to like them (it's like a secret society). N.O.R.E. is just ridiculous, in the best way (rhyming cream cheese and bagel on it with remix with Tego on it is genius, pure and simple), and the Spanish bits still rock, even though (especially because?) I don't know what they're saying.
14. Belle & Sebastian - "I'm A Cuckoo"
I played this so often before K and I saw Belle & Sebastian last year she got sick of it. The luster has worn off a little, but still the best Thin Lizzy Homage/heartsick post-break up lament ever.
15. Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
I'm not all about Kanye like some (the amount of end-of-year ink he's getting is ridiculous), but this was the first thing I heard from him that justified the hype. It took maybe twenty listens before something stopped surprising every time.
16. Death From Above 1979 – "Romantic Rights"
No offense to the rest of the song, but this is here because of the intro, which sounds very much like some sort of machine made of barbed wire and glass getting caught on something and trying to work itself loose. The rest is gravy, although very good gravy.
17. Blink 182 - "I Miss You"
I feel like this should be higher, but then I look up and everything above is even better. Just about the last thing I expected from Blink 182, but easily the best thing they've done since "Adam's Song", and possibly even better than that. I still don't like Tom Delonge's voice (although those Boxcar Racer songs I kept are still pretty decent - "Letters To God" especially, and their influence shows here), but I also still like Mark Hoppus'.
18. Von Bondies - "C’mon C’mon"
Pure adrenaline, pure smash n' grab, I don't care what he's singing about, I stand by my "War-era Bono fronting a garage band" comment, it's over so quick.
19. Scissor Sisters – "Take Your Mama Out"
Much sweeter than I would have expected, and would fit nicely on, say, Screamadelica. Pity about the "Comfortably Numb" cover, though.
20. Green Day – "American Idiot"
Green Day and I go back, man. And the album's great. This is still good out of context, but it lacks a little something.
Now, if I'd heard the forty Stylus wound up going with, you can bet the list would have been a little different; at least the following would have made it somewhere:
Girls Aloud – "The Show" (top five, maybe top three)
The Knife – "Heartbeats" (top ten)
Ghostface – "Run" (that hat!)
Rachel Stevens – "Some Girls" (weird subtext alert)
Jim Jones – "Crunk Muzik" (those synths!)
Just don't ask me what I would have taken out, though.
There will at least be a part 2, for albums, but it might take more than one part. We'll see. And next year, I think I might take Dom's approach, doing one album and song a day. But as he tells us, "Shark niggas been biting my steez for years".
This was also the year I officially became a fan and follower of pop, after uneasily coexisting with it for four or five years now and feeling as if I had to repudiate it for years before. The singles roundtable for Stylus (every friday, called Singles Going Steady) was the big part of this, and as a result this was the first year I felt confident putting together a list. I'm sure some of it is just my prejudices now and then, but I'd swear the listless crap I hated as a kid has nothing on some of the great stuff I heard this year. Of course, there was probably stuff at least as great (like, say, Thieves' "Unworthy" in previous years, I just didn't know about it.
Anyway, here was my original list, with commentary:
01. Six By Seven – "Ready For You Now"
Still the most uplifting thing I've heard, probably ever, but I accept that this may be more a product of my relationship with this band, and the role they used to fill for me. I don't think I would have found anyone but Chris Olley singing "I'm ready for you now", opening himself up to love and life, quite so redemptive.
02. The Walkmen – "The Rat"
As I said, I have no real desire to get into the Walkmen, but I did go ahead and download a few more tracks. Still, this is frankly incredible; part of me wishes they hadn't returned to the opening refrain after the central part, instead letting the track die out with a cry of When I used to go out, I knew everyone I saw / Now I go out alone if I go out at all (sadly appropriate for me this year, to boot). Instead "The Rat" surges back to anger, but also back to demanding something from the world. How I imagined it would be more striking, but I'm thinking the actual version is more appropriate, or at least healthier.
03. Ciara feat. Petey Pablo – "Goodies"
This totally snuck up on me. I think I gave it an 8 for Singles Going Steady, but over a couple of weeks I found that it was running through my head more and more and then, while back in Kincardine for whatever reason, I saw the video, and the song just made sense (not because of the video, which is pretty meh). I could probably listen to this for hours on end. I love Petey Pablo's two verses, particularly
You think you bad, but you ain't bad
I'll show you what bad is
Bad is when you capable of beatin' the baddest
I been workin' at it ever since I came to this planet
And I ain't quite there yet, but I'm gettin' better at it
Which is actually pretty emblematic of why I've been liking his stuff now that I've downloaded some. He's not humble, not exactly, but there's a wryness there I find very appealing, even when he's boasting about his prowess. And then, of course, there's the whistle; if you don't love it, fine, but I can't understand you.
04. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell – "Drop It Like It’s Hot"
Well, I wrote about it for the singles list (here is closest); not much to add here, other than that due to "Can You Control Ya Hoe?" and others I definitely will not be purchasing any Snoop Dogg albums anytime soon. This is killer, though, even if I feel a little guilty for liking it.
05. The Killers – "Mr. Brightside"
This moved up one since I wrote this, but that'a a pretty minor shift. The self-mocking bitterness in Brandon Flowers' voice as he sings Destiny is calling me / Open up my eager eyes / 'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside, especially when coupled with his strangely perfect theatricality in the video (which is kind of a twisted cousin to the schlocky one for Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved") strikes a major chord with me. But also, and more importantly, it's unbelievably catchy and forceful, plowing ahead at full speed for the duration. The album was a bust, but this alone makes me hope they'll improve. Flowers is too interesting to have him fade back into obscurity.
06. Lloyd feat. Ashanti & Scarface– "Southside (Remix)"
I wrote a bit about the appeal of this one to me before in this space, so I don't want to repeat that, but I will say that "Southside" remains as perfectly, terrifyingly blank as ever. Right when Lloyd starts he keep interrupting himself, and when (the relatively unprocessed) Ashanti does it it sounds like a vocal technique; on him, it sounds like an argument between robot clones. Are his vocals always like this? If so, they should have called the album Digital Thug or something.
07. Snow Patrol – "Run"
I've said it before, and I'll say it again here: My love for "Run" is utterly unironic. I know it's over the top and sincere in a way some people don't want to deal with. I don't care. One of the few songs I would get a lighter out for, if I ever saw Snow Patrol in concert. Also the only Snow Patrol I've ever heard, but as with the Walkmen I have no problem with that. Although I hear the album is good, so maybe I will check it out. Someday.
08. The Hives - "Walk Idiot Walk"
From my third-favorite record of the year. Honestly, this pales in comparison to most of Tyrannosaurus Hives (like, say, "B Is For Brutus" or "A Little More For Little You" or "Diabolic Scheme" or "Antidote", or or or), but it's still wonderful. I remember wondering how apparant the Kraftwerk influence they talked about would be, and I think it's there. Buried beneath the Who, but there. Also, at 3:31, this is a good twenty seconds longer than anything else on the album, which is great.
09. Destiny’s Child – "Lose My Breath"
I remember first hearing about this through NYPLM, who reported about the firestorm of controversy on ILM (aka I Love Music, part of ILX where X equals "everything", a massive set of message boards where all the cognoscenti in the online music writing scene go, and I don't, because I have no spare time) where "Lose My Breath" had just leaked and half of them there hated it and half of them thought it was awesome. I think it's obvious which camp I fall into, but I'm kind of surprised there was a debate - this doesn't seem like a very difficult single to me. I think the bone of contention was that it's not "melodic" enough, which is fair enough - instead it pummels, cajoles and pushes inexorably forward. Plus the other two are (shock! horror!) better than Beyonce. Everything else on the album sounds nothing like this, and thus isn't nearly as good. More marching bands in pop, please.
10. Big & Rich – "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)"
Look, either you think it's a stupid novelty (I think you're wrong, but we can both live with that), or you hate fun, or else you love this song as much as I do. All of it. The "bling blingin'" bit, the Lone Ranger bit at the beginning, all the cheesy injokes that aren't really in, and especially AND WE MADE LOVE!. What happens, unsurprisingly, when you leave musicians alone and they create music separate from consideration of market forces.
11. Basement Jaxx - "Good Luck"
Magnigicently angry, with an ending that drags on way, way too long. If it had been three minutes long, keeping the intensity and the Jaxx's inmpossibly vivid sound, this would have been top ten for sure.
12. Franz Ferdinand – "Take Me Out"
It's about snipers, which is still my favorite thing about it. Still the only thing by Franz Ferdinand I've really loved, but what a single! The kind of perfect moment most bands get once, if they're lucky.
13. N.O.R.E. feat. Tego Calderon, Nina Sky, Gemstar & Big Mato – "Oye Mi Canto"
My first, and still favorite exposure to some form of reggaeton. I haven't heard much from Nina Sky, but it's all been gold, and they're twins too so I've got to like them (it's like a secret society). N.O.R.E. is just ridiculous, in the best way (rhyming cream cheese and bagel on it with remix with Tego on it is genius, pure and simple), and the Spanish bits still rock, even though (especially because?) I don't know what they're saying.
14. Belle & Sebastian - "I'm A Cuckoo"
I played this so often before K and I saw Belle & Sebastian last year she got sick of it. The luster has worn off a little, but still the best Thin Lizzy Homage/heartsick post-break up lament ever.
15. Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
I'm not all about Kanye like some (the amount of end-of-year ink he's getting is ridiculous), but this was the first thing I heard from him that justified the hype. It took maybe twenty listens before something stopped surprising every time.
16. Death From Above 1979 – "Romantic Rights"
No offense to the rest of the song, but this is here because of the intro, which sounds very much like some sort of machine made of barbed wire and glass getting caught on something and trying to work itself loose. The rest is gravy, although very good gravy.
17. Blink 182 - "I Miss You"
I feel like this should be higher, but then I look up and everything above is even better. Just about the last thing I expected from Blink 182, but easily the best thing they've done since "Adam's Song", and possibly even better than that. I still don't like Tom Delonge's voice (although those Boxcar Racer songs I kept are still pretty decent - "Letters To God" especially, and their influence shows here), but I also still like Mark Hoppus'.
18. Von Bondies - "C’mon C’mon"
Pure adrenaline, pure smash n' grab, I don't care what he's singing about, I stand by my "War-era Bono fronting a garage band" comment, it's over so quick.
19. Scissor Sisters – "Take Your Mama Out"
Much sweeter than I would have expected, and would fit nicely on, say, Screamadelica. Pity about the "Comfortably Numb" cover, though.
20. Green Day – "American Idiot"
Green Day and I go back, man. And the album's great. This is still good out of context, but it lacks a little something.
Now, if I'd heard the forty Stylus wound up going with, you can bet the list would have been a little different; at least the following would have made it somewhere:
Girls Aloud – "The Show" (top five, maybe top three)
The Knife – "Heartbeats" (top ten)
Ghostface – "Run" (that hat!)
Rachel Stevens – "Some Girls" (weird subtext alert)
Jim Jones – "Crunk Muzik" (those synths!)
Just don't ask me what I would have taken out, though.
There will at least be a part 2, for albums, but it might take more than one part. We'll see. And next year, I think I might take Dom's approach, doing one album and song a day. But as he tells us, "Shark niggas been biting my steez for years".
Glad to see the Bondies getting some love. I barely cut them from my list, but "C'mon C'mon" got lots of play in my world last year (and inspired a visit to the VB's back catalog).
Posted by
Justin Cober-Lake |
11:43 AM