nye madness...
or lack thereof. no plans and it's already after 6. ho-hum... last week was fun, i didn't get to play all of the tracks i mentioned, but i did get to play a few i'd never heard out before, such as the cut copy track and the curtis vodka remix mentioned above, puzique - don't go (which very easily could have featured in the list below), the eli remix of mia's jimmy as well as his and grayson's remix of britney's gimme more. i didn't get to play any chromeo though, my bad.
anyway since it's the end of the year i thought i'd muse on my favourite tracks of the year. i'll start with the obvious: bonde do rolê made a huge impression on me, and though their album was far too short and even at that a bit patchy, there were of course some stand out tracks, the best of which was, no doubt, gasolina.
Bonde do Rolê - Gasolina
lcd soundsystem's sound of silver was undoubtedly album of the year, and i could pick any of its tracks as a standout. it's a tough one, but someone great has to rank as one of the most beautifully deceptive songs about loss and heartbreak ever written. it's synth lines dance about around each other while a wobbly bassline sits angrily beneath, while james sings painful lyrics about death and regret. hearing this live in tripod was undoubtedly a musical highlight of this year.
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
everyone who even mentions wilco this year seems to cite impossible germany as sky blue sky's highlight, but since i first heard that at lollapalooza in 2006 i'm not going to go down that road. like a proper fanboy, i went to see them twice in vicar street, and both nights they were as impressive as i had expected. again, i could pick any of the songs from sky blue sky as a starting point for their return to their alt.country (emphasis on the country) roots, but i'm going to go with hate it here, another poignant song which deals with the loss of a loved one. in a way it seems like the cheesiest song they've ever recorded, but at the same time it exemplifies the ease with which the band can apply themselves to whatever style they choose.
Wilco - Hate It Here
a lot of attention has been paid to paper planes and $20, but for me the highlight of m.i.a.'s kala is the turn. a languidly eastern inflected jaunt, it serves as an almost delicate respite between the frenetic energy of the likes of world town and xr2, but never eases up on style or substance.
M.I.A. - The Turn
to be honest i was a bit disappointed by show your bones, the second album from yeah yeah yeahs. it seemed less raw and punkish, more geneeric indie rock. so rockers to swallow, the opening track from this year's is is ep, was a breath of fresh air. strange, then, that i first heard it in the middle of diplo's pitchfork mix back in august. maybe not - his remix of gold lion was one of the best of 2006....
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Rockers To Swallow
devendra banhart can be a truly terrifying creature, singing about six nippled frogs and regaling interviewers with ideas of fruit goddesses, pyramids of bananas, and Antony (of Antony & the Johnsons) as a glowing oracle with black orchids coming out of his face. the man can sure write a tune though. sea side is another delicate piece, evoking feelings of yearning and passion.
Devendra Banhart - Sea Side
simian mobile disco put on a whopper live show - as good as any other dance act out there today. watch as their meteoric rise continues in 2008, and pray smd don't fall by the wayside in the same manner as simian. album and show opener sleep deprivation is a pounding introduction to these boys, and they were good enough to host a club friendly version on their website.
Simian Mobile Disco - Sleep Deprivation (Club Version)
jens lekman is a charming fellow. he's not the best looking singer in the world, he has a bizarre dress sense, and even his vocals are a bit on the eccentric side. but these aspects add to his charm more than anything else. his songs, even when they are about breakups, are the most joyful compositions i've heard from anyone this century, and his lyrics are all the more delightful on account of his prosaic style - i was slicing up an avocado/when you came up behind me/with your silent brand new sneakers/your reflection i did not see. drab, mundane, hilarious.
Jens Lekman - Put Your Arms Around Me
i could have a separate list of remixes of the year, but one really stands out - boys noize's remix of feist's my moon my man. the song itself is sublime, but the remix must be commended as a thrilling example of what a remix can do. alex supplies his signature bassline and techy chords, as well as a robotic "my moon my man" sample which sounds great over any other track - perfect for djs - and allows feist's beautiful vocals to be heard in a wonderful new context.
Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
track of the year: JUSTICE - PHANTOM
to be honest, when i first heard this, about this time last year, i didn't think much of it. even hearing erol play it in january didn't really do anything for me. then i gave it some time. and i started to like it. twelve months on and i could listen to it all day. i know justice have their detractors, but i really don't care. this is an unbelievable tune. go forth and enjoy.
anyway since it's the end of the year i thought i'd muse on my favourite tracks of the year. i'll start with the obvious: bonde do rolê made a huge impression on me, and though their album was far too short and even at that a bit patchy, there were of course some stand out tracks, the best of which was, no doubt, gasolina.
Bonde do Rolê - Gasolina
lcd soundsystem's sound of silver was undoubtedly album of the year, and i could pick any of its tracks as a standout. it's a tough one, but someone great has to rank as one of the most beautifully deceptive songs about loss and heartbreak ever written. it's synth lines dance about around each other while a wobbly bassline sits angrily beneath, while james sings painful lyrics about death and regret. hearing this live in tripod was undoubtedly a musical highlight of this year.
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
everyone who even mentions wilco this year seems to cite impossible germany as sky blue sky's highlight, but since i first heard that at lollapalooza in 2006 i'm not going to go down that road. like a proper fanboy, i went to see them twice in vicar street, and both nights they were as impressive as i had expected. again, i could pick any of the songs from sky blue sky as a starting point for their return to their alt.country (emphasis on the country) roots, but i'm going to go with hate it here, another poignant song which deals with the loss of a loved one. in a way it seems like the cheesiest song they've ever recorded, but at the same time it exemplifies the ease with which the band can apply themselves to whatever style they choose.
Wilco - Hate It Here
a lot of attention has been paid to paper planes and $20, but for me the highlight of m.i.a.'s kala is the turn. a languidly eastern inflected jaunt, it serves as an almost delicate respite between the frenetic energy of the likes of world town and xr2, but never eases up on style or substance.
M.I.A. - The Turn
to be honest i was a bit disappointed by show your bones, the second album from yeah yeah yeahs. it seemed less raw and punkish, more geneeric indie rock. so rockers to swallow, the opening track from this year's is is ep, was a breath of fresh air. strange, then, that i first heard it in the middle of diplo's pitchfork mix back in august. maybe not - his remix of gold lion was one of the best of 2006....
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Rockers To Swallow
devendra banhart can be a truly terrifying creature, singing about six nippled frogs and regaling interviewers with ideas of fruit goddesses, pyramids of bananas, and Antony (of Antony & the Johnsons) as a glowing oracle with black orchids coming out of his face. the man can sure write a tune though. sea side is another delicate piece, evoking feelings of yearning and passion.
Devendra Banhart - Sea Side
simian mobile disco put on a whopper live show - as good as any other dance act out there today. watch as their meteoric rise continues in 2008, and pray smd don't fall by the wayside in the same manner as simian. album and show opener sleep deprivation is a pounding introduction to these boys, and they were good enough to host a club friendly version on their website.
Simian Mobile Disco - Sleep Deprivation (Club Version)
jens lekman is a charming fellow. he's not the best looking singer in the world, he has a bizarre dress sense, and even his vocals are a bit on the eccentric side. but these aspects add to his charm more than anything else. his songs, even when they are about breakups, are the most joyful compositions i've heard from anyone this century, and his lyrics are all the more delightful on account of his prosaic style - i was slicing up an avocado/when you came up behind me/with your silent brand new sneakers/your reflection i did not see. drab, mundane, hilarious.
Jens Lekman - Put Your Arms Around Me
i could have a separate list of remixes of the year, but one really stands out - boys noize's remix of feist's my moon my man. the song itself is sublime, but the remix must be commended as a thrilling example of what a remix can do. alex supplies his signature bassline and techy chords, as well as a robotic "my moon my man" sample which sounds great over any other track - perfect for djs - and allows feist's beautiful vocals to be heard in a wonderful new context.
Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
track of the year: JUSTICE - PHANTOM
to be honest, when i first heard this, about this time last year, i didn't think much of it. even hearing erol play it in january didn't really do anything for me. then i gave it some time. and i started to like it. twelve months on and i could listen to it all day. i know justice have their detractors, but i really don't care. this is an unbelievable tune. go forth and enjoy.
posted by Aidan at 5:07 PM
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