Although we're well into 2011, it's taken me this long to finish digesting 2010. It was another great year in the world of music, so without further ado: here's what 2010 sounded like to me.
(* click the song title to hear it on youtube)
(* click the song title to hear it on youtube)
After getting good replay value out of Lekman’s Night Falls Over Kortedala back in 2007, I have come to expect great things from the Swedish crooner. With “The End of the World is Bigger than Love,” Lekman returns with an interesting twist on the classic heartbreak song. His vocals won’t blow you away, but his unique songwriting and arrangement style are a welcome addition to any music library.
2010 was not a great year for M.I.A. /\/\ /\ Y /\, her 3rd studio album, largely failed to generate even a fraction of the hype she received for 2007’s Kala. Critical reception already at a low, M.I.A. went on carry an embarrassing Twitter war with a New York Times columnist over an alleged misrepresentation of her activism in Sri Lanka. Here’s the problem: if you’re going to be stirring up controversy, don’t forget how you gained the public’s favour to begin with. Thankfully, the release of her Vicki Leekx mixtape on the last day of the year hints that M.I.A. might still be interested in putting out decent music. “Bad Girls” brings back that hip-hop swag that brought M.I.A. to pop stardom a few short years ago. Maybe she’s still got a little bit of that “Paper Planes” magic left up her sleeve.
2010 saw G-Unit’s last great hope take it back to the streets in search of his Hunger For More glory days. It’s no secret, then, why his new album was titled H.F.M. 2. “Beamer, Benz or Bentley” seemed to come out of nowhere, taking everyone by surprise early in the year. More surprisingly, the heat lasted for the majority of year, edging Banks back closer to the level of rap celebrity that he could only dream about for the last 3 or 4 years. It’s great to see him back – I always thought he was the real talent in the G-Unit camp anyway.
Aussie electro-rock band Pendulum has been around for a few years, but they never caught my attention until this year when I found a remix to “The Island” while on a random YouTube spree not so long ago. Encouraged by the remix, I took a chance and downloaded their album, Immersion. While a little repetitive, it generally kicks ass. “The Island” is a 2-parter separated in Dawn (Part I) and Dusk (Part 2), producing a two-sides-of-a-coin kind of effect. If you like this one, also check out “Set Me On Fire” – it’s a good one.
Unlike most people, I actually prefer the version of Airplanes without Eminem (mostly for his raging anger that just doesn’t seem to suit the song). “Airplanes” served as a mega hit for the multitalented singer/rapper and also gave us a look at Paramore’s Hayley Williams doing a little solo work. There isn’t much else to say about the song – if you aren’t familiar, you must’ve been closed off to the radio and any mall or party playing popular music (aka you’ve been living under a large, sound-proof rock).
This just might be the one and only time Lissie’s name gets mentioned on the same level as Kid Cudi. The relatively unknown folk songstress has enjoyed modest success for her debut album Chasing a Tiger, but she reached an entirely different audience when she covered Cudi’s “The Pursuit of Happiness” at a live show this past June. Stripped of the Cudder’s drunken groaning and MGMT’s bleeps and blips, Lissie’s acoustic cover is a grungier but still amazing and raw in its own way.
Stars has always had a penchant for the romantic. Though The Five Ghosts proved to be underwhelming as the months passed, it isn’t without a few standout tracks. “The Last Song Ever Written” takes a little while to get going, but the lyrics are simple yet still piercing in typical Stars fashion. Once the ball gets rolling, the song fits like a glove for any respectable Stars fan – an easy choice for my favourite song on Five Ghosts.
With a drum & piano loop instantly comparable to Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch’s “Good Vibrations.” Spanish electro-dance group Delorean’s “Simple Graces” struck some kind of chord with me. Delorean had previously caught my attention with last year’s Ayrton Senna EP, and their full-length offering Subiza did well to boost their presence on this side of the Atlantic. I’m now regretting not dishing out the dough to see them when they visited Vancouver only just a few months ago..
Ms. Badu has been an institution in the neo-soul and hip-hop genres for pretty well her entire 14-year career. Hearing her signature vocals again on “Window Seat” almost wipes from memory the tragic brain cramp that was the music video for the song. Even still, it’s bound to be a satisfying listen regardless of whether you’re going back to the classics or picking up The New Amerykah Part Two. As I said with M.I.A., a little controversy can be a good thing as long as the music is strong enough to keep us interested. Without the music, you’re just another bitch trying to make a point about something. Yawn.
I’ve never been wild about Belle & Sebastian, though the Scottish indie pop-rockers should be commended for doing this for a long time (and well). The opening track to last year’s Belle & Sebastian Write About Love is my favourite from the album. Lead singer Sarah Martin’s voice is so sweet, she could sing a Denny’s menu and I’d still listen to it.
If you ever needed to emo your life away – to something other than Coldplay – MNDR’s “I Go Away” just might be your ticket. The shrill of Amanda Warner’s voice borders on harsh but the synths are rich enough to balance it all out. In all honesty, this is not something any girl should have in her iPod right after getting dumped. If you’re happily single or in a stable relationship, dive right in and snicker at the thought of ever needing this song to provide a soundtrack to your sorrows.
check back for #70-89 tomorrow!
No comments:
Post a Comment