Part 2 of music

This is part one of my year-end wrap-up. I’ve taken the last two days compiling a list of 50 songs I liked or discovered this year accompanied by commentary. Here’s the top half:

1. “Bamboo Banga” M.I.A – This track is the perfect introduction to an album that collected all the sounds of the Third World and shine light on the blights of these ignored regions. There’s no surprise that five of her songs made the list.
2.“Get Innocuous” LCD Soundsystem – Like in No. 22, I didn’t know what to expect with this record. The iTunes preview is not a very good, but once I heard all seven minutes of it, it was on repeat forever.
3. “Hot Thing” Talib Kweli feat. Will.I.Am – This song restored my faith in hip-hop. Talib really praises all aspects of a woman, from the thighs and hips to the white voice she use to conduct business. More rappers should learn from this.
4.“Me & Mr. Jones” Amy Winehouse – Everybody liked “Rehab” because it seemed like the running joke comparing it to her life outside of music, but this track had better humor and showed off the musical roots that are all over the record.
5. “Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…” Jay-Z – For years, I never bought a Jay-Z album since the business he started was built on a foundation of drug money. However, this is the best non-soundtrack soundtrack to a film, unlike all those “Scarface” odes that pop up every three months.
6. “I Wonder” Kanye West – Of the tracks on “Graduation,” this one goes straight to the point. Yeah, he has a big mouth and cockiness that get in the way, but this song just enough preachy and entertaining without wanting to ring his neck.
7. “Modern Girls and Old-Fashioned Men” The Strokes feat. Regina Spektor – Another song I didn’t discover until this spring. There haven’t been many songs since this one was released in 2004 that can match the boy-versus-girl duet.
8. “Everything’s Just Wonderful” Lily Allen – There is a time for a fun record and Lily is my source for that. It’s a mix of masquerade and low self-esteem that isn’t depressing.
9. “Say Goodbye to Love” Kenna – Thank you VH1 for showing only two hours of music videos beginning at 3 a.m. I wouldn’t have a dance party in my home office every night. Whenever this song was on the screen, it was party time.
10. “Icky Thump” The White Stripes – I don’t know the words or even what the song is all about. But Jack White makes his voice the third instrument in this duo.
11. “Thinking About You” Norah Jones – Much of “Not To Late” sounds like the same boring songs Norah gets awards for. However, the song and the video (that’s why it’s so high on this list) are bubbly and not as slow as the rest of it.
12. “Let It Go” Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim – Keyshia is not a very good singer, but it was about time she had people to give her songs that are actually in her range.
13. “Oh My God” Mark Ronson feat. Lily Allen – While trying to find out when Amy Winehouse’s “Frank” would get its U.S. Release, I found “Version” and heard this fun Kaiser Chiefs cover. The horns section on this song make it more playful.
14. “Hit That” M.I.A – This would have been the top song for the year if Maya would have included it on “Kala.” It sounds like the best fifth-grade double-dutch made up song to come out in a while.
15. “Stronger” Kanye West – This is one where both the video and song worked. Synthesizers, lyrics and Daft Punk worked just fine together.
16. “D.A.N.C.E” Justice – I only heard on the radio once. I only saw the video once on YouTube. Yet, it was enough for me to download the extended remix from iTunes.
17. “Dejalo” Rilo Kiley – I liken this song to those morning shows: annoying but informative and entertaining.
18. “Again & Again” The Bird and The Bee – There are times when all you need is a throwback sound and look to make a good modern-day song.
19. “Paper Planes” M.I.A. — Gunshots in songs are just as bad as sirens in songs, especially when you’re driving.
20. “I’m a Flirt/Them Jeans” R. Kelly vs. The Virgins – This was the first mash-up I had heard of the year, and I could not stop playing this. Too bad this is much better than the original.
21. “Vultures” John Mayer Trio – The two-year-old track found new life in my iTunes library. “Try” has a bad fit on me for a while until I heard this song.
22.“North American Scum” LCD Soundsystem – I had never heard of the band until I say all the accolades the band has received on Metacritic. On the iTunes preview, it was this song that piqued my interest. Very funny and very much jump around type music.
23. “Hate on Me” Jill Scott – This is the perfect result after hearing “Gettin’ In The Way,” “The Way” and “Golden.” Jill keeps the
24. “Because of You” Ne-Yo – It reminds me of when Michael Jackson had a career and was just eccentric.
25. “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” UGK featuring OutKast and BunB – Thank goodness there is still something left of southern rap, but I’m said that Pimp C can’t make any more of this.

permalink | | | 12/30/2007

C

This is a great list. Some of those I hadn’t actually heard – thank you for that ;)

367 days ago | permalink

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