Saturday, August 30, 2008

Bon Iver - Skinny Love

Album: For Emma, Forever Ago
The recording is not fully polished, and that's was so great about it. The beauty of the song's imperfections. You can still hear the squeaks when the fingers slide between frets, or the imbalanced volume of both vocals and guitar. This guy/band is blowing up huge, and for good reason.



Friday, August 29, 2008

Devotchka - The Winner Is

Album: Little Miss Sunshine (Soundtrack)
Having heard this song for the first time, my mother turns to me and says "When I die, I want you to play this song at my funeral". No joke.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Santogold - Lights Out

Album: Santogold
The opening chords are so sinister, yet the song is very upbeat. Santogold's voice makes the song unique and all the more enjoyable.


Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A Tribe Called Quest - Find A Way

Album: The Love MovementFind A Way touches on all the subjects on the insecurities of romance. Whether it is the jealousy of another's boyfriend, the signals we emit when flirting, or whether or not the pursue of love is worth it's consequences. Not to mention, the music is great as well.


Monday, August 25, 2008

De La Soul - It's Like That

Album: The Grind Date
To be honest, I've always thought De La's lyrics were a little weak. But on this track, the beats are undeniably amazing. The keyboard and bass plays on the offbeats which makes it so unconventional. Many people overlook such subtitles that makes a song like this one great.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Bloc Party - Banquet

Album: Silent Alarm
They were England's answer to Franz Ferdinand. They were one of the best at melding dance and rock. This was quite easily the best album of 2005.


Friday, August 22, 2008

Badly Drawn Boy - A Minor Incident

Album: About A Boy (Soundtrack)
So what if Badly Drawn Boy is now churning out lackluster albums. We always have this one to remember him by. The entire soundtrack is a classic from beginning to end.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Phoenix - Consolation Prizes

Album: It's Never Been Like That
They play great upbeat music. It's this feel-good, dancable rock that makes you want to round up your friends and party in the living room. Think Razorlight meets Hot Hot Heat.


Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Streets - Turn The Page

Album: Original Pirate Material
This is the first track on the album, and already, singer/rapper/talker Mike Skinner sets the tone of what it's going to be like: Grand, smart, ambitious, and reflective. It's got all the qualities of an artist desperately trying to break out. If I were to walk into a fight, it would be to this song.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Interpol - Specialist

Interpol EP

I heard this performed live once on television, then I went scrambling through my previous Interpol albums only to find out that it's not on there. You can only find it on their EP, which unfortunately, did not get much attention. Like every Interpol song, it's dark, mellow, and oddly, slightly optimistic.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Roots - Dynamite!

Album: Things Fall Apart
How chill is this track? The guitar plucking delivers the perfect rythem that dances around ?uestlove's straight hitting drums. The most incredible part though, is the a running double bass that persistanly continues throughout the entire song.

Big Wreck - That Song

Album: In Loving Memory Of
This is by far, one of the best singles of all time. Right when the sticks hit the snare to kick off the track, a flood of perfect chords will spew from your headphones/speakers. The song itself is about one's emotional attachment to a song. How original is that? A song about songs.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Consequence - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Album: Don't Quit Your Day Job
This song was originally to be in Kayne's graduation album, but instead was passed on to Consequence. It certainly is a song that motivates. Whenever you're down, this is the single that can certainly pick you up. In fact, the entire album is about discovering your true calling while trying to make a decent living. I'm sure it identifies with a lot of people.


We Are Scientists - After Hours

Album: Brain Thrust Mastery
After watching the trailer to the new Michael Cera movie, I remembered how much I like We Are Scientists. This single certainly has anthemic potential. It's not fancy, the strumming is not original, the beat pretty much remains unchanged, but the plea-like vocals make the song a memorable one. There is also a slow building crescendo from beginning to end. Simple yet really enjoyable.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Jakob Dylan - Everybody Pays As They Go

Album: Seeing Things
"Oh, isn't he that guy from Wallflowers?". Yes, but this album takes a different approach. Almost all his tracks are stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocals. I'm a sucker for male + female vocals, and this one certainly takes the cake.

The Last Shadow Puppets - Meeting Place

Album: The Age Of The Understatement
Something about this song that's really romantic. It's like a classic Sinatra tune, with edge, and less showy. I knew it was special right when the violins trinkled in. The guitar strumming complements the tune well, but the best moment is the additional 45 second violin outro. Beautiful.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Lil Wayne - Dr. Carter

Album: Tha Carter III
This Swizz Beatz produced track takes hip hop back to it's roots. Jazz music infused with metaphorical rhymes. It's like listening to a good episode of ER. Best lines:

Respect is in the heart.
So that's where i'ma start.
And a lot of heart patients don't make it.


Monday, August 11, 2008

Girl Talk - Still Here

Album: Feed the Animals
Best part of the song: Kanye's Flashing Lights meets Blackstreet's No Diggity

Shak K - Compromise

Album: The Old Prince
This guy needs more press! Opened up for Common, and Lupe. His lyrics hits deep with the struggles of retaining integrity in this absurd world. Wait for the female vocals to kick in during the chorus, its flawless. The Compromise beat is re-used a year later by NAS for his remix to Be a Nigger too.


Brendan Canning - Hit the Wall

Album: Something For All Of Us...
This single is a force to be reckoned with. Driving beat, lingering bass, muddled guitars, a perfect formula for the ultimate power pop song. A perfect example of a beautiful mess. Already makes the list for best single of 2008.