tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48915005415467216692024-02-07T12:04:48.568-08:00Embarrassment Of RichesSome very occasional, very random musings on music and other matters, courtesy of former writer (and not-yet-former musician) Rich Challen.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-30464205052022852192016-04-27T06:53:00.001-07:002016-04-27T07:01:25.508-07:00I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man: Memories Of Prince<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMoWD-_SNGCef5cNDToumeMnDOOjjBC8Er7JOkUu5a1CUjtqU7GDzmRVCRUCO6Fec1E8fZ-7vGWnn65X7wza3Hi0PxF883OTPg66emb4O9r9KyDTTC_6mSnCQmGtYWNxjo3lSEAio1VM/s1600/prince-obit-1-800.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMoWD-_SNGCef5cNDToumeMnDOOjjBC8Er7JOkUu5a1CUjtqU7GDzmRVCRUCO6Fec1E8fZ-7vGWnn65X7wza3Hi0PxF883OTPg66emb4O9r9KyDTTC_6mSnCQmGtYWNxjo3lSEAio1VM/s320/prince-obit-1-800.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never wanted to be
Prince.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At various points in
my musical life, I <i>did</i> want to be
Springsteen, or Dylan, or Tom Waits, or even Eddie Vedder. I wrote songs that
emulated—or, more accurately, ripped off—all of the above, plus The
Replacements, The Cure, U2, <st1:personname w:st="on">Ali</st1:personname>ce In
Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins for good measure. But never Prince. That sounds
like a slight, but it wasn’t. It was the highest level of respect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those other guys
with guitars wrote songs that sounded like, well, guys playing guitars. Their
chords were the same chords I could play, the same sounds I could clumsily
create. Their voices sounded like my voice, but better. They were ideals to
aspire to, targets that were far off but attainable. If you squinted hard
enough, you could trace the path they took, and if you listened even harder,
you could (sometimes) pull apart the magic and figure out the tricks yourself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I could never do
that with Prince. Prince wasn’t of this earth. Prince was on another plane
altogether, living in a separate realm where music was effortless and songs
emerged like Athena, fully formed every time. Shooting for Prince would be like
shooting for the sun: Even if your aim was perfect, your range could never even
come close.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t just that
he was a genius songwriter <i>and</i> a
genius instrumentalist <i>and</i> a genius
producer. I honestly believe he <i>heard</i>
things differently from you or I, as though some sounds were colors outside the
visible spectrum, and his gift—his true genius, maybe—was capturing those
sounds in a way that made sense to us, the mere mortals with our limited
frequencies and narrow color palette. How else to explain “When Doves Cry,” a
song that resembled nothing else on the planet when it debuted on May 16, 1984?
How could a piece of music that sounded so foreign, so <i>alien</i>, also resonate so deeply with millions of people across all
races, genders, and ages?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWJPSfrJ0ECZzJhJ4VB_Ez5l3p3Aqy64Aj3E2ISF-lKqsag5dLIMKzTZ7ZcP2cL4fp4nb1DHL427j_L6Y93m9WwN6fk9Xw8KysL_BNyCFI4MZBBY0fTf_UU3017kdiaiCcysUOpvpd-4/s1600/APrince.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWJPSfrJ0ECZzJhJ4VB_Ez5l3p3Aqy64Aj3E2ISF-lKqsag5dLIMKzTZ7ZcP2cL4fp4nb1DHL427j_L6Y93m9WwN6fk9Xw8KysL_BNyCFI4MZBBY0fTf_UU3017kdiaiCcysUOpvpd-4/s320/APrince.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can vouch that it
resonated with me, all of twelve years old, because that’s the period in your
life when you absolutely have a Favorite Song Of All Time, and you can say that
without irony or overstatement, and whereas previous Favorite Songs often
changed month to month or even week to week, “When Doves Cry” became my FSOAT on its
very first listen. And remained so for the next two years. I can’t fathom how
many hours I spent during the summer of 1984, watching and rewinding and
rewatching my VHS tape with the entire video recorded, in full, from its “world
premiere” on MTV, mesmerized in that way unique to children first starting to realize
the world is far bigger than they ever imagined.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By that point I’d
already fallen hard for Prince, thanks to “Little Red Corvette,” but I’d also
fallen hard for Michael Jackson and Hall & Oates and The Police and
Eurythmics too. (In hindsight, 1983 was an amazing year for pop music.) I
wasn’t picking sides the way the media awkwardly would years later, but in
sixth grade? I was all Team MJ. He was the easy choice: The non-white musician
all the white kids loved, the wholesome superstar who won the approval of my
Republican parents by posing with Ronald Reagan, the pop sensation so iconic a
skinny little Caucasian boy with no discernible dance skills could dress like
him for Halloween (red jacket, white T-shirt, one glove) without raising too
many eyebrows. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But Prince? Prince
was something else altogether. He wasn’t safe or wholesome. He was freaky.
Dangerous. The stuff of month-long punishments and bans on further MTV
watching. His early videos were lit like cheap motels, all neon reds and
purples and flashes of pure white, and his band was a mix of men wearing
eyeliner and women wearing lingerie, their skin black and white and shades in
between, and there he was swirling in the center, a trenchcoat-clad figure who
fascinated and scared me in equal measure. I was too young to have even a vague
concept of sex (it would be a couple years before my friend matter-of-factedly
explained what the “pocket full of horses” line meant), but I already understood
Prince exuded the sort of raw, pulsing energy that my more clean-cut
heroes—your Halls, your Oates—never did. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that was both
lure and terror.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL8kSKGFSNsywGVjjDVXDkEqRFhDpG2I3h8L5qSulxcrKRt5Xlrgt8rAgPF4zw2hOfcxANou2oin3xPa8eoCdV3Dy8c3pXRaRtZI6Nn2IaVNhrG5Yz1ucQKlXDYWfNVYbBrdtJzAMyUM/s1600/APrince400.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL8kSKGFSNsywGVjjDVXDkEqRFhDpG2I3h8L5qSulxcrKRt5Xlrgt8rAgPF4zw2hOfcxANou2oin3xPa8eoCdV3Dy8c3pXRaRtZI6Nn2IaVNhrG5Yz1ucQKlXDYWfNVYbBrdtJzAMyUM/s400/APrince400.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One night I snuck
downstairs (past my bedtime) to watch the local <st1:city w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:city> video music station (banned by my
parents), so I was already a double sinner when the clip for “Controversy” came
on. In the video, Prince performs in front of a church's stained glass window, dressed like a French dandy, lit by glowing crosses, singing
“Do I believe in God?/ Do I believe in me?” in a voice pitched above a woman’s
register, all the while staring down the camera like a man possessed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wasn’t even a year
removed from private school, and I thought the music was amazing. I also
thought I might burn in hell just for hearing it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I needed to hear
it, regardless. <i>All </i>of it. I borrowed
three tapes from some older, cooler kid on the bus: <i>1999</i>, <i>Controversy</i>, and <i>Dirty Mind</i>. I already knew and loved the
first three songs from <i>1999</i>, thanks
to Top 40 radio. These versions were longer, weirder, stranger, but still in my
comfort zone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fourth song was “Let’s Pretend We’re
Married.” I listened to the entire thing, mesmerized, with that same
combination of fascination and terror. And then I rewound the tape, and
listened again, but this time with the volume turned down. <i>Way</i> down. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could my mom hear
the words through the walls? I couldn’t take that chance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA505qBCxk9NHzuiFrngdhLVZIDuXnGqutHg9_v4Iabh-LQx6zimYow68R61Uc6XOfWCx3bxQztYOkJZafpYiL0Fds85jIC2aYvCYt41pUhZHOp4CtRSxiVOMUzCfEh93cMHDd05wN5RQ/s1600/APrincePretenddownload.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA505qBCxk9NHzuiFrngdhLVZIDuXnGqutHg9_v4Iabh-LQx6zimYow68R61Uc6XOfWCx3bxQztYOkJZafpYiL0Fds85jIC2aYvCYt41pUhZHOp4CtRSxiVOMUzCfEh93cMHDd05wN5RQ/s200/APrincePretenddownload.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The music was
primal, but futuristic. Simple and crude, but otherworldly. Stripped down to
the barest minimums of beat and melody, yet absolutely engulfing. The vocal was
pitched high, again, but now with other voices in the mix, some lower and some barely
discernible, like a stranger whispering lewd advances in your ear. They were
all Prince, all the versions of him, and then they dropped away until there was
just a single Prince, talking not singing, and he was <i>definitely</i> talking about S-E-X with words that left nothing to the imagination, words that would get me
grounded for weeks just being in their vicinity. And then the other voices
returned, seven minutes in, every single version of Prince now flat-out confessing
his (their?) love of God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In unison.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Followed immediately
by a promise to have fun every motherfucking night. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was eleven years
old. I’d never had a single face-to-face encounter with an African-American. I’d
never kissed a girl. I’d never even held hands with a girl. But I now possessed
cassette dubs of Prince, unfiltered, singing songs about dirty minds and head
and sisters and lady cab drivers and all the places he would jack U off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To say that Prince
blew my world apart is a slight understatement.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DYf0Y1FqNsl6sTAZHfWFTbc2UVtQyG_aya6VvTkUC0pcdUVBXgb367_f-RWA2hqVSBUpQH91tTiFwSK5TM2tyXEIq1xNE3aYaHf_azy5550lkVgaaVrBSNd6al94dZkc2gh7lyvfEuI/s1600/APrince1981.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DYf0Y1FqNsl6sTAZHfWFTbc2UVtQyG_aya6VvTkUC0pcdUVBXgb367_f-RWA2hqVSBUpQH91tTiFwSK5TM2tyXEIq1xNE3aYaHf_azy5550lkVgaaVrBSNd6al94dZkc2gh7lyvfEuI/s200/APrince1981.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
He wouldn’t be the last
one who did that, of course. As the decade wore on, my love of music expanded
along with my tastes, in the same manner as countless other white suburban
teens: Zeppelin and Rush, New Order and The Cure, INXS and Guns N’ Roses.
Michael Jackson fell by the wayside, at least for the short term, along with
Hall & Oates and countless others from my awkward past. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But Prince? Prince
never left. When the rest of my peers stopped caring after <i>Around The World In A Day</i> turned out not to be <i>Purple Rain 2.0</i>, I stayed on board, if just for “Raspberry Beret”
and “Paisley Park” and “Pop Life.” <i>Parade</i>
was the first album I bought in a real record store (Turtle’s Records &
Tapes in Snellville, GA), mainly due to my infatuation with “Kiss” (my FSOAT
for the rest of 1986), and there were enough lifelines on that one—“Girls &
Boys” and “Mountains” and “Kiss,” of course—to make up for all the moments I simply
wouldn’t, or couldn’t, grasp at the time. When you’re an eighth grade boy yet
to experience any significant losses, you can’t appreciate “Sometimes It Snows
In April” for the masterpiece it truly is. Prince was already there, but I
wasn’t. I had to mature into him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My grandfather
passed away the week I bought <i>Sign ‘O’
The Times</i>. It was the first death of any kind I’d ever experienced, and I
still remember how my mom was crying when she picked me up early in the school
parking lot, and then I was crying too, and I sobbed all afternoon and all
night in my bedroom with that Prince cassette on a steady loop, finally hearing
all the levels and layers that were there all along, waiting for me to really
understand. <i>Sign ‘O’ The Times</i> isn’t
a particularly dark record, but it’s shot through with sadness and
spirituality—especially on “The Cross” and “Forever In My Life”—in ways that
rarely exist in pop music. Because this was pop music for adults, not kids, and
while I wasn’t an adult yet, I was finally on my way to becoming one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzhyOVAsCESx-sO8uAcMzLFrAe0UGv5XsbjthoJ3VKuMGpAZBuNVifYLEQbOeaNnvxKAheS9KUq316WTCYDjjAfaDbhdSVcIlDgswN9ujzgRejVvsN06Jp78eR9yzuLr5TL9kdSy63pQ/s1600/APrince-Sign-O-The-Times.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzhyOVAsCESx-sO8uAcMzLFrAe0UGv5XsbjthoJ3VKuMGpAZBuNVifYLEQbOeaNnvxKAheS9KUq316WTCYDjjAfaDbhdSVcIlDgswN9ujzgRejVvsN06Jp78eR9yzuLr5TL9kdSy63pQ/s200/APrince-Sign-O-The-Times.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And of course Prince
was there, guiding me and shaping me, even when I wasn’t fully cognizant of his
influence in my life. I was a good Christian boy in a deeply religious
household, but I was also a teenager with raging hormones and a constantly
frustrated libido. The constant push-and-pull between the flesh and the spirit
suddenly seemed like a very real, very <i>actual
</i>battle occurring inside me, a battle that Prince had already articulated
with “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” and “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Darling Nikki” and
now “Anna Stesia.” Years later, when he devoted himself to the Jehovah’s
Witness faith and renounced all his “dirty” songs, I wondered—for maybe the
first time—if Prince had been just as confused as I was. If he’d had the same questions about love and lust and God and sex and sin and redemption and
the afterworld. If maybe he and I weren’t so different after all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Except, if I were being honest, I knew that was a lie. Prince was different from me, because he
was different from everyone else who has ever lived. Even at my best, I was just an average-to-good
musician with a bit of talent and the occasional knack for catchy songs, but Prince was <i>Prince</i>, a mythical figure with genius
dripping off his fingertips and a voice that made women lose their minds and a
guitar that made grown men cry. Even when I holed up in my bedroom layering
tracks and vocals to create my own one-man band, it would never sound like
Prince. Even when I finished my acoustic sets with an encore blowout of “Little
Red Corvette” (an encore always received far more rapturously than any original
composition I’d played that night), it would never sound like Prince. Even when I worked
“17 Days” into the coda of one of the best songs I ever wrote and caught heads
nodding in the crowd, I knew they weren’t nodding for me, but for Prince.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that was okay.
All us diehards shared a bond, a common story told in a million different ways.
We all paid tribute, and we all paid tribute with the understanding that we
were a mere facsimile of his greatness, a blurry Xerox of a true original.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never wanted to be
Prince, because deep down, I always understood I never <i>could</i> be Prince. None of us could. None of us ever will.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s why
his passing hit all of us so hard. We could live a hundred more lifetimes and
still never get another one like him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But each of us got
him. Once. In <i>this</i> lifetime.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s reason
enough to celebrate.</div>
Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-39055791407040428192016-04-27T06:27:00.002-07:002016-04-27T06:27:46.543-07:00A Celebration Of Prince: Part Two<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prince Rogers Nelson, 1958-2016. Godspeed.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BCPyYl4IZRQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BCPyYl4IZRQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-7762635017839768582016-04-27T06:25:00.003-07:002016-04-27T06:25:34.438-07:00A Celebration Of Prince: Part One<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recorded the morning after the passing of Prince. One of the greatest songs he ever recorded, in my small tiny opinion. I don't think I came close to doing this one justice, but regardless... Enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Iu2W0IYpQ10/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Iu2W0IYpQ10?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-59257750318435193002012-11-02T10:03:00.001-07:002012-11-02T10:07:49.409-07:00RUSH: A Fanboy's Guide Part IV: 2002-2012<img border="0" src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/vaportrails-cover-s.jpg" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Vapor Trails (2002)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star1.jpg" /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Coming
after the darkest period in Rush history, the release of <i>Vapor Trails</i> seemed a small miracle in and of itself, and initial
reviews definitely benefited from five years’ worth of concentrated goodwill.
With the luxury of hindsight, it’s clear the trio were still finding their sea
legs; once past the full-throttle rush of “One Little Victory,” there’s
little worth recommending here. Even worse, the mix of <i>Vapor Trails</i> fell victim to the last decade’s so-called “loudness wars,”
its overly compressed sonics nearly unlistenable today. Until that long rumored
remix arrives, skip it.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"></span><br />
<div>
<br />
<img src="http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/coverpics/RIOcdcov.jpg" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Rush In Rio (2003)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star2_12.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Event”
live albums are a mixed bag, and </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rush In
Rio</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is no exception; after the novelty of hearing 40,000 South Americans
sing along with “Tom Sawyer” wears off, you’re left with a fairly
by-the-numbers setlist and below-average sound (by Rush standards, anyway).
Points for enthusiasm and the first-ever unadulterated setlist on disc, though.</span></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/feedback-cover-s.jpg" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Feedback (2004)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most
artists celebrate their longevity with a lavish box set or expensive reissue
campaign. Leave it to Rush to mark their thirty-year milestone with… an EP of
cover songs?? Coming from a band who’d never released a </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">single</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> cover version before, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feedback</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
is an obvious anomaly, but not an unwelcome one; tackling time-worn touchstones
like “Summertime Blues” and “The Seeker,” Rush sound looser than they have on
record since… well, possibly </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ever</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. If
you’re wondering how the trio shook off their late-period studio malaise to
craft </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Snakes & Arrows</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the
rejuvenation begins here. </span></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/r30-cover-s.jpg" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour (2005)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A victory
lap in audio/visual form, complete with crowd-pleasing opening medley (“R30
Overture,” AKA “Songs Geddy Doesn’t Like To Sing Anymore”) and a nice run
through the highlights of “2112,” “Xanadu,” and “</span><st1:place style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Working</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Man.</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">”
Beyond that, no real setlist surprises, and with two live albums in as many
years, even the faithful were afraid Rush might be running on creative fumes at
this point in their career. How wrong we were…</span></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/snakesandarrows-cover-s.jpg" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Snakes & Arrows (2007)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don’t call
it a comeback, indeed. Arguably the finest Rush album in nearly two decades, <i>Snakes & Arrows</i> finally weds the
songwriting of old with the sonics of right now. Credit secret weapon Nick </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Raskulinecz for being the first producer
since Terry Brown to accurate capture the trio’s sound in the studio, or simply marvel at the way Rush effortlessly roll back the years on “Far Cry,”
“Armor And Sword,” and not-one-but-<i>two</i>
fantastic instrumentals (“Malignant Narcissism,” “The Main Monkey Business”).
At thirteen tracks, a few parts sag, but it scarcely matters; against
improbable odds, Rush suddenly found themselves back in fighting form once
again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Snakes & Arrows Live (2008)</span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cure for Live Album Overload? How about a double-disc set
with </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one-third</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of the songs pulled
from the last studio album? Proving that </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Snakes
& Arrows</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was no fluke, the trio double-down on their cult status with a
fantastic mix of new material and the kind of deep album cuts (“Entre Nous,”
“Circumstances,” “Digital Man,” “Between The Wheels,” “Witch Hunt”) that make
true believers salivate. As a tour document alone, this is possibly their best
since </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exit… Stage Left</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">; coming on the
heels of its studio counterpart, </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Snakes
& Arrows Live</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> might as well be subtitled </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How Rush Got Their Groove Back</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland (2011)</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Never
before has the gap between tour and souvenir been more pronounced. The Time
Machine tour itself? Easily one of Rush’s best. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Time Machine 2011</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">? Disappointing, especially when you consider the
amazing setlist or the near-frightening level of musicianship on display here.
But there’s no disguising the flaws in Geddy’s vocals; mixed way out in front,
his singing sounds flat and tired in a way it never did for the bulk of this
tour. Cooler heads should’ve prevailed—or at least picked a different night to
release. Instead, a missed opportunity all around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Clockwork Angels (2012)</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Raise your
hands if you saw <i>this</i> one coming.
Nearly forty years in, Rush release their first “proper” concept album, and
damned if it isn’t the best thing they’ve done since <i>Signals</i>. With </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Raskulinecz
back on board, <i>Clockwork Angels</i> is a
focused, gutsy masterwork, as sonically varied as it is structurally sound.
“The Wreckers” and “Wish Them Well” recall the anthemic surge of <i>Power Windows</i> without that record’s
synthesized glop; “The Anarchist” and “Caravan” snarl with the heaviness of a
band decades younger. And then there’s “Headlong Flight,” a seven-minute
instant classic that sounds more like 1970’s era Rush than any track they’ve
recorded since the <i>actual</i> 1970s. <i>Clockwork Angels</i> marks not just Rush’s
highest American debut to date, but also a moment when their future seems more
limitless than ever. Can’t wait to see what they conjure up next.</span></span><br />
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Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-61616642995967283892012-01-28T07:56:00.001-08:002012-01-28T07:58:47.900-08:00RUSH: A Fanboy's Guide Part III: 1989-1998<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/Rush_Presto.jpg" width="300" border="0" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Presto (1989)</span></b></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4.jpg" border="0" /><br />New label? New producer? New decade? Whatever the reason, <i>Presto</i> found Rush eager to shake up their approach once more, abandoning layers of keyboards and feats of "look-at-me!" instrumental prowess in favor of a sparse, streamlined sound. If the intent was to shift focus towards the songs, the trio couldn't have picked a better batch; this is Rush at their most melodic and pop-friendly, veering between hard rock ("Chain Lightning," "Show Don't Tell") and moody balladry ("The Pass," "Presto") with effortless ease. The album's biggest flaw? A terrible production job from Rupert Hine that turns the band's attack thin and toothless. Fortunately, the songs have aged much better than their sonics, making <i>Presto</i> a lost gem and a reinvigorating comeback at a time when Rush needed it desperately. <div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><br /><div><br /><img src="http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/r/rush/album-roll-the-bones.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Roll The Bones (1991)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3.jpg" /><br />The sea change initiated with <i>Presto</i> reaped dividends almost immediately, as <i>Roll The Bones</i> became the group's first Top 5 album in a decade and their biggest seller since <i>Moving Pictures</i>. Certainly the album's opening one-two punch doesn't disappoint, with the surging "Dreamline" (a setlist mainstay for six straight tours) finding perfect counterpoint in "Bravado," a composition as straightforward and haunting as anything in the band's catalog. But too many of the remaining eight tracks fall victim to rote riffs and the continuing curse of thin production, and when the trio <i>does</i> decide to experiment... well, that's the elephant<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>or, more precisely, the rapping skeleton<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>in the room. For a huge segment of fans, "Roll The Bones" marks a line in the sand; intentional joke or not, the song remains the most grievous example of Rush choosing to follow a trend, rather than chart their own path independent of pop culture. Unfortunately, that same philosophy would muddy the waters even further on the next album.</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/counterparts-cover-s.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Counterparts (1993)</span></b></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star2.jpg" border="0" /><br />Rush were certainly not the only heritage act to view the surging "grunge" movement as an open invitation to crank up the guitars<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>et tu, R.E.M.'s <i>Monster</i>?<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>and after nearly a decade of fading into the background, hearing Alex Lifeson front-and-center for an entire record ain't entirely bad. But it comes at a price: <i>Counterparts</i> sounds less like Rush than any album before or since. The best tracks ("Stick It Out," "Animate") are heavy as hell but far too beholden to then-current radio trends; the weaker ones ("Nobody's Hero") betray an uncomfortable sentimentality that rarely surfaced in Peart's earlier lyrics. Interestingly enough, <i>Counterparts</i>' most enduring number completely breaks the guitar-centric mold, with the funky (by Rush standards, anyway) instrumental "Leave That Thing Alone" adding badly-needed levity to one of the trio's most leaden efforts. </div><div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eY9WVdbuL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Test For Echo (1996)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star2.jpg" /><br />At least there's one solid takeaway from <i>Test For Echo</i>: "Power trio" Rush finally return for good. (Need a new Geddy bass workout? Try "Driven"! Wanna hear Neil navigate a million time changes without breaking a sweat? Enjoy "Time And Motion"!) Too bad the thrill of hearing the classic sound in action dissipates so quickly; for the first time in ages, there's no joy anywhere in these tracks, no spark of experimentation or creativity. <i>Echo</i> is simply Rush-by-the-numbers, plodding and predictable. Terrible circumstances would soon force the group into an extended hiatus; years later, their eventual return-to-form would make this record and <i>Counterparts</i> seem like momentary stumbles on the road back to greatness.</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CPMTZD90L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Different Stages (1998)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4_12.jpg" /><br />The "four studio, one live" album trend continues, and with a stopgap release to boot<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>but what a stopgap! With <i>Different Stages</i>, Rush offer a complete live show for the very first time, and while the setlist leans a little too heavy on inferior recent efforts (while shortchanging <i>Presto</i> in the process), the trio still find room for a few jaw-dropping revivals: "Natural Science," "The Analog Kid," and, unbelievably, the <i>only</i> full concert performance of "2112" to date. But for diehards, Discs One and Two are merely a two-hour warm-up to the main event: a previous-unreleased 1978 show from the Hammersmith Odeon, with the band at the peak of their prog-rock powers. "Cygnus X-1," "A Farewell To Kings," <i>and</i> "Cinderella Man" in brilliant live quality? One can only imagine what other Holy Grail artifacts Rush are still hiding in their heavily-fortified vault...</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-60255248476403427022012-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:002012-01-28T07:54:54.306-08:00RUSH: A Fanboy's Guide Part II: 1980-1989<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/Rush_Permanent_Waves.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Permanent Waves (1980)</span></b></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star5.jpg" border="0" /><br />Neil Peart declares <i>Permanent Waves</i> the album where Rush was truly born, and who am I to argue? Certainly it's the beginning of their most accessible period to date, signaled with the very first electrifying notes of "The Spirit Of Radio"; the technical proficiency is still 100% Rush, but the mainstream touches<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>nods to new wave, actual <i>choruses</i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>broaden the music in ways that longer epics never could. "Radio" remains the album's calling card (and the other Rush song everyone knows after "Tom Sawyer"), but it's far from the only highlight, as <i>Permanent Waves</i> finds the trio charting its clearest statement of purpose ("Freewill"), hitting new levels of emotional directness ("Entre Nous"), and yes, still acknowledging their prog-rock roots ("Jacob's Ladder"). All that, plus album closer "Natural Science," quite possibly <i>the</i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;">quintessential Rush song of all time: nine flawless minutes of everything<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>from IQ-level lyrics to stop-on-a-dime time-signatures<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>that makes Rush so singularly unique.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><br /><div><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Moving_Pictures.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Moving Pictures (1981)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star5.jpg" /><br />The watershed, both in critical <i>and</i> commercial terms, as Rush found themselves in the enviable position of reaching their widest audience with (arguably) their best album. Side One alone is the stuff of legend, its sequence of four tracks<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>"Tom Sawyer," "Red Barchetta," "YYZ," and "Limelight"<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>now all staples on classic-rock radio and cornerstones of every Rush concert since. And without the worry of overexposure, the second half might hold up even better now than it did in 1981, with the trio shifting from the space-age reggae of "Vital Signs" to the brooding "Witch Hunt" and, finally, "The Camera Eye," their glorious farewell to extended epics. (It would be the last Rush studio track to top ten minutes.) Other albums have their supporters, but practically every true fan agrees on <i>Moving Pictures</i>: a hands-down classic, and justifiably so.</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/Rush_Exit_Stage_Left.jpg" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Exit... Stage Left (1981)</span></b></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4_12.jpg" border="0" /><br />Even after the release of an additional half-dozen live platters, <i>Exit... Stage Left</i> remains the gold standard for Rush concert recordings, which only makes sense: how could a recording of one of the best live acts around playing songs from their best albums <i>not</i> be anything but astounding? As opposed to, say, <i>Kiss Alive!</i>, <i>Exit... Stage Left</i> didn't so much create Rush's reputation as solidify it, although one suspects countless new fans have still been converted over the years thanks to the playing of Side One<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>coupled with variations on the phrase, "These guys sound <i>just</i> like the record live." Plus, you can credit (or blame) <i>Exit</i> for now-standard crowd singalongs to "Closer To The Heart," not to mention the constant level of godlike worship cast in Neil Peart's general direction. His solo on "YYZ" remains the most famous percussion workout this side of "Moby Dick"; listen close, and you can almost hear an entire generation of drummers having their minds collectively blown.</div><div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/63/Rush_Signals.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Signals (1982)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4_12.jpg" /><br />Following up <i>Moving Pictures</i> was bound to be an impossible task, and it's to the trio's credit that they made a conscious shift in direction rather than going for the easy sequel. Much maligned at the time, <i>Signals</i> holds up surprisingly well in hindsight, thanks to Rush now fully embracing the new-wave influence of bands like The Police<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>especially on the "Man" cuts ("Digital Man," "New World Man")<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>without abandoning any of their hard-won idiosyncrasies. Keyboards, while more prominent than ever, actually retain some genuine muscle in this context ("Subdivisions," "The Weapon"), and only the wet-balloon closer "Countdown" betrays any hint of the synthesized glop to follow on future albums. One dud aside, <i>Signals</i> is ever bit the equal of its more lauded Eighties brethren; perhaps more than any other title in the Rush canon, it's long overdue for reassessment.</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Rush_Grace_Under_Pressure.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Grace Under Pressure (1984)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3_12.jpg" /><br />Not like any Rush release before or since, <i>Grace Under Pressure</i> polarizes. Some love the dark, dystopian flavor of Peart's lyrics (Nuclear war! Death! The Holocaust! And that's just the first three songs!), while others suffocate under the record's remorseless bent. Either way, the music of <i>Grace</i> suits the overriding theme perfectly<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>again, one might argue, perhaps <i>too</i> perfectly<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>for this is one chilly album, all icy keyboards and spiky guitars, with nary a hint of the band's earlier, analog warmth to be found. When it works, it works well ("Between The Wheels" and "The Body Electric" in particular), but it also locks <i>Grace Under Pressure </i>into a particular mid-Eighties moment, making it a unique entry in the Rush catalog<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>and an equally hard one to fully embrace.</div><div><div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/31/Rush_Grace_Tour.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Grace Under Pressure Tour 1984 (1985/2006)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3.jpg" /><br />Before the chronology complaints get too loud, a quick clarification: <i>Grace Under Pressure Tour 1984</i> appeared on VHS and laserdisc in 1985, which puts its corresponding soundtrack in the same musical era<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>even though more than two decades elapsed before a proper release. (It's been available in a box set since 2006, and as a standalone CD since 2009.) For the diehards, <i>Tour 1984</i> marks the only official live performance of the "Fear" trilogy in order, along with the earliest airing of "Vital Signs." For all others, this is a much better summation of Rush's "synth period" than the cruddy <i>Show Of Hands</i>, although the truncated setlist greatly dilutes its impact. <div><div> </div></div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Rush_Power_Windows.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Power Windows (1985)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star2.jpg" /><br />Here's where everything goes off the rails. Whereas <i>Signals</i> and <i>Grace</i> were taunt, muscular records despite the heavy influx of keyboards, <i>Power Windows</i> is simply bloated, with nearly every spark of magic over-produced and over-sequenced within an inch of its life. There are still a few solid numbers<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>"The Big Money," "Manhattan Project," and possibly "Marathon" before the choir kicks in<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>but even those have to fight through extra layers of studio polish just to resonate. Uniformity finally wins out on Side Two, which basically amounts to one very long, very synthetic song. Naturally, in the perverse spirit of the times, <i>Power Windows</i> became a big hit on rock radio and even MTV, meaning things would have to get worse before they got better... </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8c/Rush_Hold_Your_Fire.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Hold Your Fire (1987)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star1.jpg" /><br />Imagine a sequel to <i>Power Windows</i>, but with more synths and fewer decent songs. Small wonder <i>Hold Your Fire</i> now feels like Rush's lowest point since <i>Caress Of Steel</i>, minus that earlier record's youthful charm. "Time Stands Still," miraculously, emerges relatively unscathed; every other track points to a band running on Auto Pilot. The only upshot? <i>Hold Your Fire</i> would spur Rush towards a period of drastic reinvention, with a new label and sound within the span of two years.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/Rush_A_Show_of_Hands.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">A Show Of Hands (1989)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star1.jpg" /><br />The Rush formula of "four studio records, then a live album" finally bit them on the ass with <i>A Show Of Hands</i>, easily the weakest of the trio's numerous concert recordings. This is what happens when you spotlight a tour in support of the worst Rush album in over a decade: Eight songs (of fourteen) from <i>Power Windows</i> and <i>Hold Your Fire</i>, two songs <i>total</i> that predate <i>Signals</i>, and one drum solo (of course). Oh yeah, and uniformly flat sound throughout. Rush currently has nine official live CDs available; do yourself a favor and get the other eight first. </div><div><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-22617034219182634022012-01-28T07:49:00.001-08:002012-01-28T07:49:59.350-08:00RUSH: A Fanboy's Guide Part I: 1974-78<div style="text-align: left;"> Last year, in the wake of watching <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rush-Beyond-Lighted-Stage-DVD/dp/B003J27WFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1278621490&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage</i></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>an excellent two-hour documentary detailing the history of Canada's premiere power trio<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>I was once again reminded of just how consistently <i>great</i> these guys have been for well over three decades now. Most of the artists who knocked me sideways in high school are either ancient history (Zeppelin, Floyd) or coasting off past glories (The Cure, Prince), yet Rush continue to thrive, turning out solid new releases and playing to packing amphitheaters without the slightest drop-off in their monstrous musicianship.</div><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Rush1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div> And after years of willful media ignorance (if not outright hostility), maybe society is finally ready to give the band its due. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155056/" target="_blank"><i>I Love You Man</i> used Rush as an entire secondary plotline</a>. In May 2010, <a href="http://media.tribecafilm.com/documents/TFF-Awards_History_updated.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Beyond The Lighted Stage</i> won the audience award at the Tribeca Film Festival</a>. Best of all, <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/176340/july-16-2008/rush" target="_blank"> Steven Colbert trotted the band out for their first American television appearance in decades and, despite a few jokes, actually wound up treating them with outright reverence</a>. Which only proves that, for men (and occasionally women) of a certain age, Rush will always be a rite of passage. Somewhere, in a suburban bedroom or band practice space, hordes of teenagers are still geeking out to Neil Peart's drum wizardry or Geddy's galloping Rickenbacker lines... and honestly, I can't think of a better musical legacy for any artist. </div><div><br /></div><div> The brief summaries below were started last year, then abandoned... then re-assessed and re-written again in the last few days. Treat them as less a summation of all things Rush, and more a handy overview for those curious about the music or simply ready to move beyond the compilations (<i>Retrospective I-III</i>, <i>Chronicles</i>, and <i>The Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits</i>). As always, argue and enjoy...</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/Rush_self_titled.jpg" width="300" border="0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Rush (1974)</span></b></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star1.jpg" border="0" /><br />The red-headed stepchild of the discography, <i>Rush</i> is an inauspicious debut, with little hint of the future greatness to come. Geddy's banshee wail already stands out, but with no Peart to handle drum duties or lyrics<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>the late John Rutsey covers the former, Lee and Lifeson split the latter<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>most of the material comes off as woefully generic, the words to early single "In The Mood" in particular now reading like a bad parody of '70s boogie-rock. "Working Man," a live staple to this day, remains thrillingly epic, but the rest is easily skippable.<div><br /><br /><img src="http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/r/rush/album-fly-by-night.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Fly By Night (1975)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3_12.jpg" /><br />A huge artistic leap forward, <i>Fly By Night</i> is best remembered for the timeless title track and "Anthem," a Peart-penned ode to Ayn Rand and a pivotal song in Rush history. (Witness the band's own label, Anthem Records.) With producer Terry Brown on board for the first of seven studio albums, the trio begins to lock down its signature sound: instrumental precision fused to distinctly <i>non</i>-rock subject matter, best exemplified by the four-part, eight-and-a-half-minute "By-Tor And The Snow Dog." The album loses steam towards the end, but the building blocks were in place, and Rush were about to produce their first classic...</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/Rush_Caress_of_Steel.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Caress Of Steel (1975)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star2.jpg" /><br />...But not quite yet. <i>Caress Of Steel</i> marks the moment when the band's reach exceeds their grasp, resulting in a record of big ideas marred by half-baked execution. The label almost dropped them, the live trek became known as the "Down The Tubes Tour," and 35 years on, it still takes an iron will to make it through all twenty minutes of "The Fountain Of Lamneth." Only "Bastille Day" and "Lakeside Park" stand out, compact gems on an otherwise bloated album, and the casual fan would be better served grabbing both via compilations instead.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Rush_2112.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">2112 (1976)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4_12.jpg" /><br />The breakthrough. Against all odds, <i>2112</i> mines the same territory as <i>Caress </i>but this time everything works; the side-long title suite, a sci-fi version of the band's own battle for artistic freedom, is easily the defining moment of Rush's early career, with the opening movements ("Overture" and "The Temples Of Syrinx") making regular live appearances to this day. The rest of the album, while naturally overshadowed by the epic on Side One, kicks with a newfound passion, especially "A Passage To Bangkok" and "Something For Nothing." With <i>2112</i>, Rush turned a corner, and the next five years would find them firing on all cylinders.<div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/alltheworldsastage-cover-s.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">All The World's A Stage (1976)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3.jpg" /><br />A decent, if not incredibly essential, summation of the early era, with surprisingly strong focus on the first two albums at the expense of then-widely-popular <i>2112</i> (save "Something For Nothing" and an abbreviated take on the suite itself). Rush would produce many <i>many</i> more live discs over time, but this is still the first, and the rawest, which makes it a nice listen for fans of the formative years. <div><div> </div></div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Rush_A_Farewell_to_Kings.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">A Farewell To Kings (1977)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star4_12.jpg" /><br />Now comfortable in their own skin, Rush continued to push the boundaries of songwriting with <i>A Farewell To Kings</i>: "Xanadu" stays remarkably linear over the course of eleven minutes, while at the opposite end of the spectrum, future anthem "Closer To The Heart" is simplicity itself. Both would actually blossom further in a live setting, but that's about the only real knock on an album that also includes lesser-known classics like the title track and the knotty, mind-blowing "Cygnus X-1." Along with <i>2112</i>, this is the pinnacle of the trio's 1970s output.</div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/Rush_Hemispheres.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Hemispheres (1978)</span><br /></b></span> <img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Star3_12.jpg" /><br />What could've been another breakthrough turned out to be the end of the line, at least for the densely-layered prog-rock Rush had been pursuing over the course of four successive albums. The title track delivers more of everything<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>look! another side-long epic!<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>which makes it a favorite in certain circles; personally, I find the result more exhausting than exhilarating. No quibbles with the record's second half, though, a near-flawless hat trick that moves from the heavy rock of "Circumstances" to lyrical standout "The Trees" before closing with the 9:35 workout "La Villa Strangiato," the latter finding Peart, Lee, and especially Lifeson locking together with near-telepathic clarity. Still the finest of the trio's many instrumentals (sorry, "YYZ"), "La Villa" ends Rush's first decade on an incredibly high note, perhaps to foreshadow the next record to come...</div><div> </div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-30744593986941520132012-01-17T04:59:00.000-08:002012-01-17T05:11:42.364-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 7]<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series </span><i>Metal Evolution</i><span>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after </span><i>Nevermind</i><span> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that </span><i>feels</i><span> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.</span><br /><span>Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<span><br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfUwN1qYlfwZpzib7YHQ13CZmUEU-7vq8xr8SBlcwvW_z23brv8ZGXm7XC9lX3py3b6kQilwLmbxgFdbxdZzuC946pcXm7INRrwbHo6jhc87CvMUD34wDST-OLJiwSst9zTveEKo973k/s1600/Default.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfUwN1qYlfwZpzib7YHQ13CZmUEU-7vq8xr8SBlcwvW_z23brv8ZGXm7XC9lX3py3b6kQilwLmbxgFdbxdZzuC946pcXm7INRrwbHo6jhc87CvMUD34wDST-OLJiwSst9zTveEKo973k/s200/Default.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698585847655620386" /></a><span><span>19.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><b><span>Default</span></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Canadians need to stick together—especially if those Canadians are hell-bent on taking down American rock music from the inside. Which explains why Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger’s grubby little hands are all over the first (and only) song people remember from Default. (And saying “Wasting My Time” is the best thing Kroeger’s ever been involved with? Truthful, but not really a compliment.) </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: Default won the 2002 Juno Award for “Best New Group,” thereby placing them in an elite category that also includes Billy Talent, The Philosopher Kings, Glass Tiger, and… Nickelback. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UAocvKHUidg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLC_uTk9B30C4gk0DuxVQOz4-PwNgSEDKVPvhbWGyNhxdQzk6HYE9reV8MxvhOLmS2QQLEjoZ-qSArVDe4Iwh5AaNU_sRt3qocj9Sdhs_1IgxBIRMF95zosuaogiqZPXNuiHjZ8vV7eg/s1600/Lifehouse.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLC_uTk9B30C4gk0DuxVQOz4-PwNgSEDKVPvhbWGyNhxdQzk6HYE9reV8MxvhOLmS2QQLEjoZ-qSArVDe4Iwh5AaNU_sRt3qocj9Sdhs_1IgxBIRMF95zosuaogiqZPXNuiHjZ8vV7eg/s200/Lifehouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698586102609051506" /></a><span><span>20.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Lifehouse</b></span></span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>A band composed of lead singer Jason Wade and whomever he hasn’t fired yet, Lifehouse is notable for proving that contemporary Christian bands can rip off Pearl Jam just as easily as all those heathen acts. Of course, as with every trend the Christian music genre latches onto, they showed up to the party about eight years late.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: Two different songs by Lifehouse—“Hanging By A Moment” and “You And Me”—have <i>each</i> spent more than a year on the Billboard Hot 100, which perfectly illustrates why no one listens to pop radio anymore.</span></p><p></p><span><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e-SVDQ6A-Ps" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9eYjYIeP7feOiBHcrh5PPlOHFbNBFlSsm_1gOr-IoqhbcpF6Obk31wv_joCJ2O6k5dCJoXJ3lCQU95UCL533Spnb4fbz626Mbme23YppsgpRxVVcyYJIzjzD3KWf6iuleebcR11tZMw/s1600/Nickelback.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9eYjYIeP7feOiBHcrh5PPlOHFbNBFlSsm_1gOr-IoqhbcpF6Obk31wv_joCJ2O6k5dCJoXJ3lCQU95UCL533Spnb4fbz626Mbme23YppsgpRxVVcyYJIzjzD3KWf6iuleebcR11tZMw/s200/Nickelback.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698586727939586082" /></a><span>21.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Nickelback</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">Seriously, who else did you expect? The consolidation of post-grunge in its purest form, Nickelback have spent the last decade selling more than <i>50 million albums worldwide</i>, making them the second biggest foreign act in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> <i>behind The Beatles</i>. Which is odd, since everybody on the planet hates Nickelback. Don’t believe me?<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #1</b>: For starters, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/detroit-fans-really-hate-nickelback" target="_blank"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Detroit</st1:place></st1:city> hates Nickelback</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #2</b>: <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/tim-olson-hates-nickelback-cci" target="_blank">Along with Tim Olson</a>.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #3</b>: Plus <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-02-25/entertainment/27057404_1_facebook-fans-pickle-nickelback" target="_blank">everyone on Facebook</a>.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #4</b>: Even <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5166240802/nickelback-responds-to-NFL-petition" target="_blank">the band itself</a> is baffled.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #5</b>: Maybe the best solution is to <a href="http://www.aux.tv/2011/11/nickelblock/" target="_blank">simply install NickelBlocker on your computer</a>. Except then, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. And wouldn’t that be a shame?<o:p></o:p></p><p></p><p></p></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rpIFnTHXExE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></span></p></span></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-62586822566950061612012-01-16T05:02:00.000-08:002012-01-16T05:19:40.142-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 6]<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series </span><i>Metal Evolution</i><span>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after </span><i>Nevermind</i><span> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that </span><i>feels</i><span> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.</span><br /><span>Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<span><br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtXcCZf9AlFUAmH-QhsQCmjN5jZV_izpqTmdXwmnGdUCU_5DuorKamII9-L-caAdvIsAgdD3mZ_2Gu2uArNqi6H3i8iScL8z_VMGD72MntqGCGmIZyyG7zVTlel4MOeHcl_qYY9SSnw0/s1600/Puddle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtXcCZf9AlFUAmH-QhsQCmjN5jZV_izpqTmdXwmnGdUCU_5DuorKamII9-L-caAdvIsAgdD3mZ_2Gu2uArNqi6H3i8iScL8z_VMGD72MntqGCGmIZyyG7zVTlel4MOeHcl_qYY9SSnw0/s200/Puddle.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698215399641824450" /></a><span><span>16.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><b><span>Puddle Of Mudd</span></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>An entirely-major-label-created “band” built around Kurt Cobain doppelganger <a href="http://cheezburger.com/9thPhoenix/lolz/View/2267859712" target="_blank">Wes Scantlin</a>, P.O.M. achieved insane levels of success in late 2001 thanks to one kind benefactor, who not only discovered and signed them, but even directed the video below! (Hint: His name rhymes with Dead Worst!)</span><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: The Muddsters followed up their giant hit with the nearly-as-giant “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKWWyEP7Xaw" target="_blank">She Hates Me</a>,” officially becoming the first act in history to glean inspiration from the oeuvre of Ugly Kid Joe. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xJJsoquu70o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEghe_CFRS-T01oEhJPkvLXbAJUQU91sCmgxKn3nx-JMIk0FMbwwqwTty6kHuagP3kstsaufwXBjXeMFuAAOufhanT4n4FPboFLrcYDrZ9XY8fn9qWWix9bNU4qUItuohKrGYHo7ZIX00/s1600/Oleander.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEghe_CFRS-T01oEhJPkvLXbAJUQU91sCmgxKn3nx-JMIk0FMbwwqwTty6kHuagP3kstsaufwXBjXeMFuAAOufhanT4n4FPboFLrcYDrZ9XY8fn9qWWix9bNU4qUItuohKrGYHo7ZIX00/s200/Oleander.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698215487332328194" /></a><span><span>17.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Oleander</b></span></span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>What’s the simplest way to ensure your fifteen minutes of post-grunge fame? If you’re Oleander, simply “borrow” the opening of “Heart-Shaped Box” for your own “original” composition, and presto! Instant #3 Mainstream Rock hit!</span><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: There is nothing fun about Oleander.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><span><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YnfoZ8gnIhk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEQS1qoST7vVHnaNtDo1LzxJGL_sI-jRIrWvArXiSnRqYiT_14fpQbtiXpNAZqsltW_tPvpt35M3VJDwYAA1GSIkOYZIBzYZB3ppVUSCy5JeqXveR4-m9Y-bmqcnHloVAuPBbXTar8IE/s1600/Tantric.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEQS1qoST7vVHnaNtDo1LzxJGL_sI-jRIrWvArXiSnRqYiT_14fpQbtiXpNAZqsltW_tPvpt35M3VJDwYAA1GSIkOYZIBzYZB3ppVUSCy5JeqXveR4-m9Y-bmqcnHloVAuPBbXTar8IE/s200/Tantric.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698215927071981218" /></a><span>18.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Tantric</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>See “Days Of The New” listing, <a href="http://richpicks.blogspot.com/2012/01/twenty-one-great-post-grunge-bands-week_14.html" target="_blank">Day 4</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: Historians have determined that the first Tantric album (titled </span><i>Tantric</i><span>) bears a closer resemblance to the first Days Of The New album (titled </span><i>Days Of The New</i><span>) than does the second Days Of The New album (titled </span><i>Days Of The New</i><span>). Discuss.</span></p><p></p></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><br /><iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="360" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xcxcbj"></iframe></span><br /></span></p></span></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-13429660546233829142012-01-15T07:39:00.000-08:002012-01-15T07:59:39.274-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 5]<p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series </span><i>Metal Evolution</i><span>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after </span><i>Nevermind</i><span> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that </span><i>feels</i><span> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.</span><br /><span>Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<span><br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span ><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEs21toGrMAfamkIDdiIjP3eHw80vYntXNppi2uMMgL-cZBEHOls53yc-IiAO9tcS056fAMUSOKr4YZ8rDBvRZmR6SZIYzoH-sK5BssGoKRZfy-qD5aBnO6VahnmayOb36hdwPOh5xnY/s1600/Staind.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEs21toGrMAfamkIDdiIjP3eHw80vYntXNppi2uMMgL-cZBEHOls53yc-IiAO9tcS056fAMUSOKr4YZ8rDBvRZmR6SZIYzoH-sK5BssGoKRZfy-qD5aBnO6VahnmayOb36hdwPOh5xnY/s200/Staind.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697885191838154402" /></a><span><span>13.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><b><span>Staind</span></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>Not content to simply defecate on rock music with his own group, Fred Durst is <i>also</i> responsible for the success of Staind, first giving them a national </span><span>spotlight on the 1999 Family Values Tour, and then sharing lead vocals on the group’s first hit, “Outside.” Angry bald men everywhere respond by buying 30 million records from both bands combined over the next decade.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: Lead singer Aaron Lewis has been known to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U1gbw5OeyQ" target="_blank">cover Pearl Jam’s “Black” in concert</a>, proving he </span><i>does</i><span> have a sense of humor after all.</span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wVC1iBVnKJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uKT_LRTyRsOq_Ayk6kh0bFVsGewcvF8Wh2Lm-YBaNLVtPThgZStwZgDtfiyrwpyO3W9ynfMpyEx7z-hE_XBiaRh7JJpv3pxjdw2XA-ts0rCM2rSoJgud9mZRQpeTEx0oZcQHtQemJxY/s1600/Fuel.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uKT_LRTyRsOq_Ayk6kh0bFVsGewcvF8Wh2Lm-YBaNLVtPThgZStwZgDtfiyrwpyO3W9ynfMpyEx7z-hE_XBiaRh7JJpv3pxjdw2XA-ts0rCM2rSoJgud9mZRQpeTEx0oZcQHtQemJxY/s200/Fuel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697885585463864594" /></a><span><span>14.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Fuel</b></span></span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span >Learning from the success of Creed and Staind, Fuel picked yet another non-descript one-syllable word as <i>their</i> band moniker and rode the strangled vocal cords of lead singer Brett Scallions (yes, that’s his real name) to two-hit-wonder glory. (Am I a bad person for <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xj9qu_fuel-shimmer_music" target="_blank"><br />still kinda liking “Shimmer”</a>? Probably.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: </span><i>American Idol</i><span> fourth-placer Chris Daughtry rejected an invitation to become the group’s new lead singer in 2006, choosing instead the far more lucrative route of forming his </span><i>own</i><span> Fuel cover band, better known as DAUGHTRY.</span></span></p><p></p><p></p><span ><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZbHfgXJKn1Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iayYJOMvmU_A0usBV8viFW56lj5dWJJnIpE4PlvNx_rFZrP4ucXYTQ7TGR4aE26bQSq-YtLGpIG2erLsngUOJ2BT9vjk-CHkuxbytcGUxMfOTDOoPSE2qHQdromP6qDlvDAt3fwH1mk/s1600/Godsmack.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iayYJOMvmU_A0usBV8viFW56lj5dWJJnIpE4PlvNx_rFZrP4ucXYTQ7TGR4aE26bQSq-YtLGpIG2erLsngUOJ2BT9vjk-CHkuxbytcGUxMfOTDOoPSE2qHQdromP6qDlvDAt3fwH1mk/s200/Godsmack.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697885865643479602" /></a><span>15.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Godsmack</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>For most acts, stealing your name from a deep-cut Alice In Chains song—<i>after</i> swiping A.I.C.’s entire drop-D, minor-key sound first—would be the ultimate in hubris. Not so for Godsmack, who took plagiarism one step further by stealing <i>the entire Stone Temple Pilots “Plush” video</i> for their own “Keep Away.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: I was going to leave Godsmack off this list, since their sound is more derivative of Pantera these days… until I spied that video and got annoyed all over again.</span></p><p></p></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5KJauwm1PZo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></p></span></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-28476120743061251362012-01-14T07:37:00.000-08:002012-01-15T08:01:00.435-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 4]<p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series <i>Metal Evolution</i>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after <i>Nevermind</i> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that <i>feels</i> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.<br />Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span ><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEAyWvdlhEXL3jCv57vP2es43y4Ea5-wdSTEyVTBqe0q2RfPdbz5gMKWM3DI_FjTVkJ_ytXYNPuf9K5FGGIfxJFXStcngIJQgYBcBgALX2Yc4JWalb43CwtR7GZMU3wAbDnDJJ9_fSZ0/s1600/DaysOf.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEAyWvdlhEXL3jCv57vP2es43y4Ea5-wdSTEyVTBqe0q2RfPdbz5gMKWM3DI_FjTVkJ_ytXYNPuf9K5FGGIfxJFXStcngIJQgYBcBgALX2Yc4JWalb43CwtR7GZMU3wAbDnDJJ9_fSZ0/s200/DaysOf.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697513581975446914" /></a><span>10.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Days Of The New</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span >For those wondering what a band would sound like if their entire scope of musical influence consisted of the Alice In Chains episode of <i>MTV Unplugged</i>, here’s your answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><b>Fun Fact</b>: The second Days Of The New album found frontman Travis Meeks dumping the rest of the band in favor of future Pussycat Doll <a href="http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.6599/title.days-of-the-new-singer-reveals-past-on-nicole-scherzinger" target="_blank">Nicole Scherzinger</a>. The fired members retaliated by creating the world’s first Days Of The New tribute act, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrQ_iIcDN1o&ob=av2e" target="_blank">Tantric</a>. History proceeded to throw up again. </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Wg-HZd4Lb2Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ4qHEW2LN0xHFoQ_d8Vb9mz1Sinul5x7M7rdEEThOmwYoklKjmnmFl9PrfvjWBmTLlG8CgLQN3Oy-0kgpMNY1ZMct70WbgAi5qHArZcRLY6AVEMFqhQHjvw7xvzfojGXw0Bfqc18ZME/s1600/Flys.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ4qHEW2LN0xHFoQ_d8Vb9mz1Sinul5x7M7rdEEThOmwYoklKjmnmFl9PrfvjWBmTLlG8CgLQN3Oy-0kgpMNY1ZMct70WbgAi5qHArZcRLY6AVEMFqhQHjvw7xvzfojGXw0Bfqc18ZME/s200/Flys.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697513924622304402" /></a><span><span>11.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>The Flys</b></span></span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span >Most post-grunge bands managed to sustain bafflingly long careers… and then we have The Flys. Apparently, they came up with a foolproof way to avoid over-extending their fifteen minutes: Simply insert a <i>completely bizarre</i> <i>Rastafarian toasting breakdown</i> about two minutes into your first (and only) chart appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: “Got You (Where I Want You)” appears in the film </span><i>Disturbing Behavior</i><span>, the one box office “success” for Katie Holmes before she became Mrs. Tom Cruise. James Marsden also stars. And dear Lord, this movie is </span><i><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/disturbing_behavior/" target="_blank">terrible</a></i><span>. </span></span></p><p></p><span ><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BM_OWaItNJM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0h7x8qxQNbrURQo0hhqty30ZDkYr4rBQpOIPwBP2RMrLEWL6rNjykk8YOjmdl7DQ24iuEbu0Eou0ucOnsDWxe_gDQgd_6sGWfx0qvJ4DlW6PaJwrYedKlg2DoNkIzHqXvZRIEHXgFHZA/s1600/3doorsdown.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0h7x8qxQNbrURQo0hhqty30ZDkYr4rBQpOIPwBP2RMrLEWL6rNjykk8YOjmdl7DQ24iuEbu0Eou0ucOnsDWxe_gDQgd_6sGWfx0qvJ4DlW6PaJwrYedKlg2DoNkIzHqXvZRIEHXgFHZA/s200/3doorsdown.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697514424650175362" /></a><span>12.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>3 Doors Down</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Imagine a band from <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Escatawapa</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Mississippi</st1:state></st1:place>, gleaning their chief musical inspiration from the album <i>Sixteen Stone</i> by Bush. Now imagine a band even worse than that band, and you’ve got 3 Doors Down.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: 3 Doors Down is </span><i>still</i><span> hitting the Top 10 on the Mainstream Rock charts in 2011, which perfectly illustrates why no one listens to rock radio anymore. </span></p><p></p></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xPU8OAjjS4k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></p></span></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-31895681188630569552012-01-12T06:41:00.001-08:002012-01-15T08:00:46.399-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 3]<p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series <i>Metal Evolution</i>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after <i>Nevermind</i> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that <i>feels</i> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.<br />Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span ><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPYTeSNlvx8BiMbA79lH6nk_uoxkSNazNEM7cQuCnaibncOiW6hfadZqd34P4J-V5-Bc-RGZXKb8uoFHr6c9MVp1ZdwC5VmmPKtb6Cf-WyQzy42o79RL8koxvMkHnKfaBPzfpy8A0fzo/s1600/7M3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPYTeSNlvx8BiMbA79lH6nk_uoxkSNazNEM7cQuCnaibncOiW6hfadZqd34P4J-V5-Bc-RGZXKb8uoFHr6c9MVp1ZdwC5VmmPKtb6Cf-WyQzy42o79RL8koxvMkHnKfaBPzfpy8A0fzo/s200/7M3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696758556689351890" /></a><span>7.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Seven Mary Three</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>Much like our political process in 2000, the state of Florida almost single-handedly destroyed popular music in the late 90’s, beginning with Orlando-based 7M3 (who only moved there after the local FM station put “Cumbersome” in heavy rotation). Flush with early success, <st1:state st="on">Florida</st1:state> proceeded to unleash the following acts upon an unsuspecting world: Creed (<st1:city st="on">Tallahassee</st1:city>), Limp Bizkit (<st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jacksonville</st1:place></st1:city>), and Matchbox 20, Backstreet Boys, <i>and</i> ‘N Sync (all Orlando). Suddenly, selling the state back to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cuba </st1:place></st1:country-region>seems like a fantastic idea.</span><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><b>Fun Fact</b>: Seven Mary Three’s follow-up record, <i>RockCrown</i>, is arguably the best of <i>all</i> post-grunge albums. (And I know that’s akin to being the tallest midget, but still. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNTUzmaSRSM" target="_blank">A lot of this album is pretty great</a>.) Naturally, it didn’t sell. (Sensing a trend yet?) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:47348/cp~vid%3D47348%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A47348" width="512" height="288" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" base="."></embed></span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; width: 500px; text-align: center; font-size: 12px; "><span ><br /></span></div><span ><span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQi9r-t6IpPsJhMY6qBi7R3AkzUJF6mKwYxX974iQt1jINyX95P1zeN_ad-il4SyJNFgBJ3Sbdnrw-AaNYRYrvygVgTb_-3jWtI-_9V4VecvXeBSbxtzawWOYm9g7RlwHyeMTZeyQctw/s1600/Matchbox20.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQi9r-t6IpPsJhMY6qBi7R3AkzUJF6mKwYxX974iQt1jINyX95P1zeN_ad-il4SyJNFgBJ3Sbdnrw-AaNYRYrvygVgTb_-3jWtI-_9V4VecvXeBSbxtzawWOYm9g7RlwHyeMTZeyQctw/s200/Matchbox20.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696758419286477650" /></a></span><span><span>8.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Matchbox 20</b></span></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">For those who would like to pretend otherwise, here’s a brief reminder that, beneath all those tailored suits and model wives and Grammy Awards, there lurks just another pseudo-grunge outfit with trite lyrics and yawling vocals. Also, much better publicists. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact</b>: Hey kids! Did you know that M20 lead singer Rob Thomas co-wrote “Smooth” for Carlos Santana? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp413NynFk" target="_blank">And sang it as well</a>? <i>And</i> won <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-vND5_u8u4" target="_blank">three Grammies for it in 2000</a>? Depressingly, all true.<o:p></o:p></p><p></p><p></p><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="360" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xcz1ee"></iframe><br /><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGaxhQrfgSK0QzsIiXnFa_RKribg3iTGSKRKTu44QFJ0FxDygx6pGbiDJS7pnnpikRTG5EnOcE1AgQbRkrvpBpgWd3xoR-lNRaA9FIbEsP-ajAPRrmGieM8HoMDTwApV_fmg6lbWSA7Q/s1600/Creed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGaxhQrfgSK0QzsIiXnFa_RKribg3iTGSKRKTu44QFJ0FxDygx6pGbiDJS7pnnpikRTG5EnOcE1AgQbRkrvpBpgWd3xoR-lNRaA9FIbEsP-ajAPRrmGieM8HoMDTwApV_fmg6lbWSA7Q/s200/Creed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696758301688374754" /></a><span>9.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Creed</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">As the new millennium dawned, the “Worst Band Of All Time” race quickly boiled down to two equally repugnant contenders: Limp Bizkit (33 million sold worldwide) and Creed (seven consecutive chart-topping singles on rock radio). History, in its attempt to reach a conclusive decision, simply recoiled and threw up on itself, ironically giving birth to Nickelback in the process.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #1</b>: Are you aware that some people <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lfhPlMI_rE" target="_blank">actively dislike Scott Stapp</a>? <a href="http://banana1015.com/even-wolves-hate-scott-stapp/" target="_blank">No</a>! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=feed&story_fbid=154009972862&gid=2227472862&ref=mf" target="_blank">It’s true</a>! <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=creed" target="_blank">I swear</a>!!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact #2</b>: 25 million Americans bought a Creed album between 1997 and 2003. Not one of them will admit to it today.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p></span></span></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J16lInLZRms" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p></span><p></p>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-78037833662768655572012-01-11T14:36:00.000-08:002012-01-15T08:00:30.996-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 2]<p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series <i>Metal Evolution</i>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after <i>Nevermind</i> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that <i>feels</i> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.<br />Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span ><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpW5fNH0ILPvLeRUu2APdKl0P9UKQMf0efajfUhhKcyT6fpIex-ZDEhDinlXV4FCe_mILaeG0Q-vyu79Mw6baSVeLrYn_SNsCUoSONC7PoJHOmibSpIq3fjtjSFzk4C6FL7btqNPkFXtI/s1600/Collective.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpW5fNH0ILPvLeRUu2APdKl0P9UKQMf0efajfUhhKcyT6fpIex-ZDEhDinlXV4FCe_mILaeG0Q-vyu79Mw6baSVeLrYn_SNsCUoSONC7PoJHOmibSpIq3fjtjSFzk4C6FL7btqNPkFXtI/s200/Collective.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696508441512424450" /></a><span>4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Collective Soul</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Proof that even a band of good ol’ boys from Stockbridge, GA could cobble together a workable model of the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Seattle</st1:place></st1:city> sound, Collective Soul broke through with “Shine,” arguably the world’s first example of “gospel grunge.” (See also: Third Day, Switchfoot, Skillet, et al.) Bonus points for inventing the vocal style of “<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yarl" target="_blank">yarling</a>” with one well-placed “<i>Yeah</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><b>Fun Fact</b>: Thanks to seven different singles, Collective Soul managed to spend an entire <i>year</i> atop the Mainstream Rock charts during their career. Seriously. <i>Fifty-two</i> friggin’ <i>weeks</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OD-I_CU2eU8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></p><span ><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvLwvBTucUtpuTIl7-UCHfJnxUMjbm7DkXe83Hss3b0jWDERcPEfZ5YQxYYBsxWJGzPiGvpdsCCUPV1Ji8lUiD1yA4KZTbhcPUzukYu5coSdsg5u7YHT14GHQv6YgK8FNYWSWE34b2nk/s1600/Sponge.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvLwvBTucUtpuTIl7-UCHfJnxUMjbm7DkXe83Hss3b0jWDERcPEfZ5YQxYYBsxWJGzPiGvpdsCCUPV1Ji8lUiD1yA4KZTbhcPUzukYu5coSdsg5u7YHT14GHQv6YgK8FNYWSWE34b2nk/s200/Sponge.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696509056798949058" /></a></span><span><span>5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Sponge</b></span></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">Long before Eminem, Kid Rock, and (ahem) Insane Clown Posse, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Detroit</st1:place></st1:city>’s musical legacy was being carried on the wobbly shoulders of one-hit-wonders Sponge. In terms of guilty grungy pleasures, though, you could do far worse than “Molly.” (Or the no-one-remembers-it-now hit “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqKcUS2Npic" target="_blank">Plowed</a>,” for that matter.) </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact</b>: Sponge’s second album, <i>Wax Ecstatic</i>, was a critical fave that abandoned grunge for a more varied, post-glam update. Naturally, it didn’t sell.<o:p></o:p></p><p></p><span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uY3NqMojwZA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /></span></p></span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnVLf6_UpKBnnnT0ssef1ppQqKjhvDloz-RjDk4b2GTehk_U0VQZosSaumWM6LkGqntkZOffBtooKHEExhODCXK_1-6QJhFEEobFV948Qh6KgASRD5sRqzLmh2xjMdjDv9Y_9qJAahy0/s1600/Silverchair.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnVLf6_UpKBnnnT0ssef1ppQqKjhvDloz-RjDk4b2GTehk_U0VQZosSaumWM6LkGqntkZOffBtooKHEExhODCXK_1-6QJhFEEobFV948Qh6KgASRD5sRqzLmh2xjMdjDv9Y_9qJAahy0/s200/Silverchair.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696510596502153698" /></a><span>6.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Silverchair</b></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>The opening lines of my interview with Daniel Johns, lead singer of Silverchair, way back in 1996: “There's approximation, there's imitation, there's even plagiarism. And then there's ‘Tomorrow,’ the runaway hit by Silverchair that answers, once and for all, the burning question: What if Eddie Vedder was really a blond-headed teenager living in Merewether, Australia?<span class="apple-converted-space">“</span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b>Fun Fact #1</b>: Even then, I was one snarky little individual.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b>Fun Fact #2</b>: Remarkably prescient, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b>Fun Fact #3</b>: This marks the tipping point for post-grunge, the moment when all major labels simultaneously realized that PJ and Nirvana knock-offs <i>would</i> sell… and keep selling, indefinitely. Progress to the next blog post at your own risk, then.</span><o:p></o:p></p></span></span></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/heQi0AZBH-0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p></span><p></p>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-76768895129335910842012-01-11T13:56:00.000-08:002012-01-15T08:00:08.455-08:00Twenty-One "Great" Post-Grunge Bands: A Week-Long Look [Part 1]<p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span>[In the hugely entertaining documentary series <i>Metal Evolution</i>, there’s a special branch reserved on the metal family tree for “Post-Grunge,” that nebulous brand of hard rock that emerged almost immediately after <i>Nevermind</i> hit #1—and hasn’t disappeared from the charts since. “Post-grunge” (also known as “grunge lite,” “fake grunge,” or simply “crap”) borrows liberally from the sound of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and/or Alice In Chains to create a sound that <i>feels</i> like the real thing, despite not having a shred of originality anywhere in its DNA. Unsurprisingly, radio programmers ate this recycled mess up for decades.<br />Can I defend any of these acts? Not really—at least not in their original “post-grunge” guises. But do some still possess a certain nostalgic charm? Of course, especially when you compare the goofy earnestness of a one-hit wonder like Sponge with the grim, by-the-numbers plodding of today’s rock radio landscape. Hell, I even get nostalgic for </span><i>Bush</i><span> every once in a while. How screwed up is that?<br />So below, please enjoy a roughly chronological rundown of the era’s “greatest” post-grunge acts. Bad as they were back then, even the biggest offenders now seem less repulsive in hindsight.<br />Except for Nickelback. Those guys are still f—n’ terrible.]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .25in"><span ><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8gmzfs5aHqwqmhvSvcfDbBW50Ct_F7AlzmJ2GcbueDYalT0c-nbd8pTyN8dCnMayv3SrZJ5mLGpCtmFp01SCd7EtKexvfY7oq9TZjtAC7hurzQo7qf3YH1Sy5NIvuul4XsyeeY0BxB4/s1600/STP.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8gmzfs5aHqwqmhvSvcfDbBW50Ct_F7AlzmJ2GcbueDYalT0c-nbd8pTyN8dCnMayv3SrZJ5mLGpCtmFp01SCd7EtKexvfY7oq9TZjtAC7hurzQo7qf3YH1Sy5NIvuul4XsyeeY0BxB4/s200/STP.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696499297078583426" /></a><span>1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><!--[endif]--><b>Stone <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Temple</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Pilots</st1:placename></st1:place></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span ><span><span> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span>It took exactly one year and five days after the release of <i>Nevermind</i> before the industry found a way to turn grunge into an easily duplicated commodity. Now, some would argue it was merely coincidence that <i>Core</i> sounded so similar to the successful <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Seattle</st1:place></st1:city> bands of the time, especially since STP had written and recorded the bulk of their material before grunge ever took off. Usually all it takes is a couple minutes of the Eddie-Vedder-aping video for “Plush” before those same people shut up. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b>Fun Fact</b>: STP began shedding most of their grunge trappings on their follow-up, <i>Purple</i>, with the “Stone Temple Pilots sound” consolidating for Albums #3-6. Those four albums combined have sold half as much as <i>Core</i> by itself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j5cMv_Ha1tg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEphqTlYunY1MoG9k2jcvgJ65XQQQAy6gllURp_fslZja8-qRJUN-DBs2L0GoAxON0dcNUz2hc3SsTCgo2Y_yiktQ7tdXUpfKSrKf92otmWNnbsnKSlJep85cGbqVG0oATvEdj4i4XDiQ/s1600/Candlebox.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEphqTlYunY1MoG9k2jcvgJ65XQQQAy6gllURp_fslZja8-qRJUN-DBs2L0GoAxON0dcNUz2hc3SsTCgo2Y_yiktQ7tdXUpfKSrKf92otmWNnbsnKSlJep85cGbqVG0oATvEdj4i4XDiQ/s200/Candlebox.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696501917283994642" /></a></span><span><span >2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span><b>Candlebox</b></span></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >The first band to achieve a major-label deal simply by moving to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Seattle</st1:place></st1:city> and pretending to be “grunge,” Candlebox holds a special place in the hearts of coattail riders everywhere. Less than a year after “Far Behind” commandeered airwaves, their second release, <i>Lucy</i>, gave the group a less-welcome bit of notoriety: the first “post-grunge” album to totally bomb commercially.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><b>Fun Fact</b>: <i>Candlebox</i> was the first success for Madonna’s vanity label, Maverick Records, which sank some of that profit into promoting an up-and-coming songstress named Alanis Morissette—meaning it’s entirely possible that, without Candlebox, Lilith Fair never happens. <o:p></o:p></span></p><span ><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JWhXyNL74yI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOioLIBGWCbP9j4TrNSBR7c21t5d8a2-LtOwVeyLvJNXl6ayN8h3pk7X80OS0Fty_ho4-G7-jf6ErkPYPTelGIR2CBdQqYxcL9u9Ki1K1xwXLSO_DiBTpxRuWmficPwB1-EKjMuOZnbg/s1600/Bush.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOioLIBGWCbP9j4TrNSBR7c21t5d8a2-LtOwVeyLvJNXl6ayN8h3pk7X80OS0Fty_ho4-G7-jf6ErkPYPTelGIR2CBdQqYxcL9u9Ki1K1xwXLSO_DiBTpxRuWmficPwB1-EKjMuOZnbg/s200/Bush.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696502819287554578" /></a><span><div style="text-indent: 0px; "><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; ">3.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman'; "> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in; "><b>Bush</b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in; "><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unlike STP and Candlebox, Bush made no bones about their naked desire to follow in Nirvana’s well-trod footsteps, going as far as recruiting <i>In Utero</i> producer Steve Albini to record <i>their</i> “difficult” second album, <i>Razorblade Suitcase</i>. But it’s the band’s debut that remains post-grunge’s watershed moment; from the stolen <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bowie</st1:place></st1:city> lyrics in “Everything Zen” to the <i>Unplugged In New York</i> rip of “Glycerine,” <i>Sixteen Stone</i> moved in excess of six million copies without adding a single original idea to the canon. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fun Fact</b>: Hey kids! Did you know that Gavin <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1320627/Gwen-Stefanis-husband-Gavin-Rossdales-gay-confession-years-late-says-Marilyn.html" target="_blank">used to be gay</a>? And British? And more successful than his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwen_Stefani" target="_blank">wife</a>? It’s true!!<o:p></o:p></p></span></span></span><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/epPW_-da6oQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p></span><p style="font-family: Arial; "></p></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-69511951729643444702011-01-15T08:28:00.001-08:002011-01-15T08:51:23.214-08:00The Best Albums Of 2010: 5-1<div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome to my yearly countdown of the year's best albums. The Top 5 was outstanding in 2010, to the point where <i>any</i> of the following albums could've easily been my #1. Thanks for reading... Please listen and comment!]</span></div><div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheirEUY129fTMyU4MLS9khaZhsWzJ3sUQ31jm4QrX_3ksmoE6AfMNovagSytDbKo4yyHIOCQx5gn30wYyNvHQYfIOmp6qiEzsu77O1u7rWOounuQQoH0JFF6WHGIs4YhaLU8VA4jqH8ts/s1600/black-keys-brothers.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheirEUY129fTMyU4MLS9khaZhsWzJ3sUQ31jm4QrX_3ksmoE6AfMNovagSytDbKo4yyHIOCQx5gn30wYyNvHQYfIOmp6qiEzsu77O1u7rWOounuQQoH0JFF6WHGIs4YhaLU8VA4jqH8ts/s200/black-keys-brothers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562450509388929010" /></a><div><b>5. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">The Black Keys –<i> Brothers</i></span></b><p></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">A decade in and this <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Akron</st1:place></st1:city> duo shocks everyone with their first true masterpiece: Gritty, catchy, soulful… and yes, defiantly “bluesy” in a way that would make Zeppelin proud. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“Sick for days, so many ways/ I’m aching now, I’m aching now.”</span></span></p><p></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2QzGvoUMBoA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2QzGvoUMBoA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8rkcamCh2PU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8rkcamCh2PU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6ePOOVtLpN04P1RDCCWWMUzOXyR8B92hjjtIUbGi5SuIwTo89eCJ0pMR_dMSBKhN59Ims0CXrzGeuT4zK58TaRsyZnFxznKTjHSPsbiM7UUMCXxqWSPVD9ymUwMhciircjxoUL03MEU/s1600/Kanye_West_My_Beautiful_Dark_Twisted_Fantasy_album_cover.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6ePOOVtLpN04P1RDCCWWMUzOXyR8B92hjjtIUbGi5SuIwTo89eCJ0pMR_dMSBKhN59Ims0CXrzGeuT4zK58TaRsyZnFxznKTjHSPsbiM7UUMCXxqWSPVD9ymUwMhciircjxoUL03MEU/s200/Kanye_West_My_Beautiful_Dark_Twisted_Fantasy_album_cover.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562451175295730162" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><span class="Apple-style-span">4. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Kanye West – </span></b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "><b>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</b></span></i></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Ambitious, arrogant, regretful, boastful, unhinged, unfettere</span>d, messy, magnificent: Feel how you want </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt">about the man, but no other artist on Earth could’ve crafted this album in the year 2010. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt">“</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:black">Disguising ourselves as secret lovers/ We've become public enemies/ We walk away like strangers in the street/ Gone for eternity.”</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uayey2PSGpA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uayey2PSGpA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dyQpQhrQ5Zs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dyQpQhrQ5Zs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr85_CQrRdBV7ddYymdudbkrpdkPNpP8FTOXYADYY0n7jXrN5BR8KSzGmyVhoTw2VhhrE5DE5izI4-ItH-2HzhN2SvrSwh_bCErlHAy-yqpPlsmx186buxJrw6kcPjYeTdyvizSH_rx3w/s1600/Robyn-Body-Talk-Album-Art.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr85_CQrRdBV7ddYymdudbkrpdkPNpP8FTOXYADYY0n7jXrN5BR8KSzGmyVhoTw2VhhrE5DE5izI4-ItH-2HzhN2SvrSwh_bCErlHAy-yqpPlsmx186buxJrw6kcPjYeTdyvizSH_rx3w/s200/Robyn-Body-Talk-Album-Art.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562452186737225362" /></a><b>3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Robyn – <i>Body Talk</i></span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Commercial music with a mile-long independent streak; dance pop with a bleeding, broken heart; and proof—in an era where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Billboard</i> is ruled by the least common denominators (Katy Perry, Ke$ha, et al)—that “the mainstream” can still surprise and astound. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“And I never was smart with love/ I let the bad ones in and the good ones go but/ I’m gonna love you like I’ve never been hurt before/ I’m gonna love you like I’m indestructible.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TJnjNw6rbeI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TJnjNw6rbeI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LoDIPobm24o?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LoDIPobm24o?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYl6-EiadHL4f5lkAmklK3DW73fQ5yGytJTnI89Hnj3DWnSfDUqNY4JsXDldXdg5wl0_rQyG14RJKubCnTh4hUSv0FyPyoRZpgOK_v_EOl9n7OGj85tmaqlE2lWpFkUKPYpyYdzGKNyM/s1600/Highviolet.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYl6-EiadHL4f5lkAmklK3DW73fQ5yGytJTnI89Hnj3DWnSfDUqNY4JsXDldXdg5wl0_rQyG14RJKubCnTh4hUSv0FyPyoRZpgOK_v_EOl9n7OGj85tmaqlE2lWpFkUKPYpyYdzGKNyM/s200/Highviolet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562452982214282418" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">2. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>The National –<i> High Violet</i></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Some bands sprout, fully-formed; others refine and refine, none more than this <st1:place st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place> sextet, whose finest album both demands and rewards repeat listens. Six months after its release, it sounds better than ever, a full-fledged American classic. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">But I won't</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: Georgia"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">follow you into the rabbit hole/ I said I would but then I saw/ Your shivered bones.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_yskRDrmqI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_yskRDrmqI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1a1UoljLWrY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1a1UoljLWrY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63aaMupTqjZcUJXp4NDoeLy7fCvLHPtxr8hPL2mKRtilXcDDYYwdh1cCaxc-HZ17grdlv8rDR51JPM6KRdrBbML-hsjAb6Yqn8vIgDv6alDFSf1D6TN576fRg5hdKxbsDHFQtoeaqvQI/s1600/Lcdthisishappening.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63aaMupTqjZcUJXp4NDoeLy7fCvLHPtxr8hPL2mKRtilXcDDYYwdh1cCaxc-HZ17grdlv8rDR51JPM6KRdrBbML-hsjAb6Yqn8vIgDv6alDFSf1D6TN576fRg5hdKxbsDHFQtoeaqvQI/s200/Lcdthisishappening.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562454014212191394" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">1. </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>LCD Soundsystem – <i>This Is Happening</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Whether or not it winds up being James Murphy’s swan song, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">This Is </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Happening</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> certainly feels like a culmination, an album-length statement where every song works, every moment flows, and every touchstone—from Eno to Kraftwerk, Detroit techno to Eighties electro, indie reserve to dancefloor abandon—builds to an overwhelming, epic whole. And in a year of near-equals, that’s enough to make this one stand out just a little bit more. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">Wish you'd try a little harder/In the tedious march of the few/ Every day’s a different warning/ There's a part of me hoping it's true.”</span></span> </span></p><p></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OoA0cTC228M?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OoA0cTC228M?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iDcOn5WZ7W0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iDcOn5WZ7W0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-62147671201673509552011-01-14T08:11:00.000-08:002011-01-14T09:35:58.690-08:00The Best Albums Of 2010: 15-6<div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome to my yearly countdown of the year's best albums. It was a bumper crop in 2010, so I'm breaking this list into two parts: Enjoy these ten "Runners Up" releases, and then check back tomorrow for the Top 5. Sample YouTube links feature tracks <i>not</i> on my "50 Best Singles" list. Thanks for the comments and happy listening!]</span></div><div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUF8QciESwz0cdLXx6seIGEdXa-lA-qSdfa60Pl-tFYz1hxrPBUK88kBPKji5gWSRl85Nzdvqa-Erd2BcaJoQukb6bYYvjOGb7Xdx0Y5y3QPvcWvtlfRJTBlqSuE4Tg8PSaPDzIFPXOw/s1600/JJTheGuitarSong.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUF8QciESwz0cdLXx6seIGEdXa-lA-qSdfa60Pl-tFYz1hxrPBUK88kBPKji5gWSRl85Nzdvqa-Erd2BcaJoQukb6bYYvjOGb7Xdx0Y5y3QPvcWvtlfRJTBlqSuE4Tg8PSaPDzIFPXOw/s320/JJTheGuitarSong.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562076547041141170" /></a><div><b>15. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Jamey Johnson –<i> The Guitar Song</i></span></b><p></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Outlaw-era country cut from the same cloth as Merle and Waylon, rearing its proudly rebellious head in the midst of contemporary <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Nashville</st1:place></st1:city>. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">It might be</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;font-style: normal">lonely at the top</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">, but</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;font-style: normal">it’s</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">a bitch at the bottom.”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qmXaxbRKED0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qmXaxbRKED0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dLZJKwCJhZU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dLZJKwCJhZU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6z8_p6kOpUb5UHrCiBXnLpJ4V60xGmFIbQH4y_pjoVEwOkPf2rp7QX5xSUkPJ0eNDmP8BF7INmnKcreVPpHIDRDo_n_zIc1o9Zk2QU8I1IvZgtBjVKYV2_vws7IxbXPCIICJy4FPvs4/s1600/Bruce_Springsteen_-_The_Promise.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6z8_p6kOpUb5UHrCiBXnLpJ4V60xGmFIbQH4y_pjoVEwOkPf2rp7QX5xSUkPJ0eNDmP8BF7INmnKcreVPpHIDRDo_n_zIc1o9Zk2QU8I1IvZgtBjVKYV2_vws7IxbXPCIICJy4FPvs4/s320/Bruce_Springsteen_-_The_Promise.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562079211420342738" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">14. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Bruce Springsteen – <i>The Promise</i></span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Gems from Bruce’s most fertile period, recast in a lavish—and most deserving—light. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;font-style:normal">“</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Billy and me we'd always say/ </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;font-style:normal">Thunder Road/ We were gonna</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">take it all and throw it all</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> away.”</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xmz9TWOtl1I?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xmz9TWOtl1I?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CiAkfAodJgs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CiAkfAodJgs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAlvWnvs5Gizp4fakUIGlttMSb-vqKe98C7hCn_AQxm7XTqHdeUnB6ZAOW4hMjGtarUHSe49YxGQbLIa_qarwLL7WRvAg1hK0LLZKDShg20XIcQ_bfpN3CUF_-nqR4QysigdI-q5D8xU/s1600/Vampire-contra.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAlvWnvs5Gizp4fakUIGlttMSb-vqKe98C7hCn_AQxm7XTqHdeUnB6ZAOW4hMjGtarUHSe49YxGQbLIa_qarwLL7WRvAg1hK0LLZKDShg20XIcQ_bfpN3CUF_-nqR4QysigdI-q5D8xU/s320/Vampire-contra.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562079014805272258" /></a><b>13. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Vampire Weekend – <i>Contra</i></span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Genre-skipping, engrossing second album from a band still growing—and still getting better. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“Said never pick sides, never choose between two/ But I just wanted you.”</span></span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LtLVdMj1f3I?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LtLVdMj1f3I?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vraoiVCDdaM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vraoiVCDdaM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjsvAMZHPYjdJt41AQCMOsFKvDIR4Nb0F24-weAujfsC9r_dvf_Ami2UsG0JKvsaE5ber4bu9_R2zKIWoxSHZa61ChTJtZ3dtzQ_VQsRuFQbXWuLo652T86xZgN9_G5l80hBsh9tSxlE/s1600/Big-boi-sir-lucious-left-foot-the-son-of-chico-dusty-HQ.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjsvAMZHPYjdJt41AQCMOsFKvDIR4Nb0F24-weAujfsC9r_dvf_Ami2UsG0JKvsaE5ber4bu9_R2zKIWoxSHZa61ChTJtZ3dtzQ_VQsRuFQbXWuLo652T86xZgN9_G5l80hBsh9tSxlE/s320/Big-boi-sir-lucious-left-foot-the-son-of-chico-dusty-HQ.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562080337026537346" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">12. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Big Boi –<i> Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son Of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chico</st1:place></st1:city> Dusty</i></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Slept-on debut from one of the most creative MCs around, for those who prefer hip-hop that provokes body <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">and</i> mind. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“We choose to lead not to follow, it’s a hard pill to swallow/ Better get prescriptions filled ‘cause there might not be tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7fp73J6VjII?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7fp73J6VjII?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GK23f_xtZY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GK23f_xtZY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYxRQ4hb0VjbZweLQPuL-plyA8B5wgmY38RuDQRj6fTigoCLVzJtqEGiXRrLeKHQVZFfz3gkq9Jo0T8evdAJDIYGp5CfYO2yldvXCauxqLGTexslOXIzGFJUZPFfhD8wI34mhlE2OI34/s1600/maximum-balloon.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYxRQ4hb0VjbZweLQPuL-plyA8B5wgmY38RuDQRj6fTigoCLVzJtqEGiXRrLeKHQVZFfz3gkq9Jo0T8evdAJDIYGp5CfYO2yldvXCauxqLGTexslOXIzGFJUZPFfhD8wI34mhlE2OI34/s320/maximum-balloon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562080823089319394" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">11. </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Maximum Balloon – <i>Maximum Balloon</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Futuristic indie-pop, like TV On The Radio with a grab-bag of vocalists. Worth the price of admission alone for the Karen O and David Byrne contributions. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“What a mystery at night they go to sleep alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/g_2o-bSpghw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/g_2o-bSpghw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7sudHXXBqIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7sudHXXBqIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIIUMwVKJlnxw2kYyCUSL1qBDkTWQtTW-2N-2PfUd55XZJrvK7YgiqAKUikdfHlgUvaSXgQolFsz-WHglf6htIslQahn-YBTJFidVLBUQxy1HyMWKaaXNeOzTuwEP4shif00zLJSp7a4/s1600/Plasticbeach452.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIIUMwVKJlnxw2kYyCUSL1qBDkTWQtTW-2N-2PfUd55XZJrvK7YgiqAKUikdfHlgUvaSXgQolFsz-WHglf6htIslQahn-YBTJFidVLBUQxy1HyMWKaaXNeOzTuwEP4shif00zLJSp7a4/s320/Plasticbeach452.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562081238824730770" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">10. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Gorillaz – <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><i>Plastic</i></st1:placename><i> <st1:placetype st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></i></st1:place></b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">A perfectly-realized soundtrack to an imaginary film starring everyone from Bobby Womack to half of The Clash, with Damon Albarn directing the proceedings like a man finally comfortable in his own skin. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“If you can’t get what you want/ Then you come with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1FR5XvKCcu0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1FR5XvKCcu0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BKVdhyslVQo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BKVdhyslVQo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmmsnrBUnBAdoFVy1EQmHqRBcpeZVkg4y9i7EFeXOMzcLAWgScQi3QC78SXc4hELZxSgBqram1FBi9v0Tmn6h1pAFs_h0mlhGxmrKTo8nIzBEgAvS84uhpdIfmE9yCOs6oqOw3L3RvM4/s1600/LOCAL-NATIVES-GORILLA-MANOR.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmmsnrBUnBAdoFVy1EQmHqRBcpeZVkg4y9i7EFeXOMzcLAWgScQi3QC78SXc4hELZxSgBqram1FBi9v0Tmn6h1pAFs_h0mlhGxmrKTo8nIzBEgAvS84uhpdIfmE9yCOs6oqOw3L3RvM4/s320/LOCAL-NATIVES-GORILLA-MANOR.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562083184474302178" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">9. Local Natives</span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt"> – <i>Gorilla Manor</i></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Loose-limbed joy, cribbed from bits of Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes and Talking Heads before being repurposed into the best American debut this year. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“I’ll endure the night/ For the promise of light.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><div><p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pn8xjONVOUg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pn8xjONVOUg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hujyBO-6o-k?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hujyBO-6o-k?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNIxcnZq7wYdQZ9PHZz2Z77vRGnIDmrtaCEVWaTEkxhOfjtcHJZim1nmhelpZ8ihi0Ipnp7fuFNIy420YJVq9W881-vPmeTiAlhmnk744KRRN2UBIThPZkhp5niFnWaWzLAmqOTBsNOw/s1600/The-Roots-How-I-Got-Over-Album-Cover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNIxcnZq7wYdQZ9PHZz2Z77vRGnIDmrtaCEVWaTEkxhOfjtcHJZim1nmhelpZ8ihi0Ipnp7fuFNIy420YJVq9W881-vPmeTiAlhmnk744KRRN2UBIThPZkhp5niFnWaWzLAmqOTBsNOw/s320/The-Roots-How-I-Got-Over-Album-Cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562083676281948818" /></a></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">8. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">The Roots – <i>How I Got Over</i></span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The standout of a stellar year for the Philly collective: an album that moves from the ghetto to the church without once descending into tired thuggery or played-out nihilism. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“I pray these wings strong enough to carry me on/I promise every second felt as if it took an eon.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zI4D1QOLGuM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zI4D1QOLGuM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0HoWBnJKf4o?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0HoWBnJKf4o?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UF7z9_n8JT9lkR0g3xtUR0L4nNLu_79WapGO_X5zL9DR_qettYGrws5M3928xQcsKzb6864HVxvUUhUVgtXYK_2IUpT-mVcP3t_W42jVJQJhxLkzMB51z_7pYSQ6GEZdCgJBPUjg04Q/s1600/Mumfordsonssighnomore.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UF7z9_n8JT9lkR0g3xtUR0L4nNLu_79WapGO_X5zL9DR_qettYGrws5M3928xQcsKzb6864HVxvUUhUVgtXYK_2IUpT-mVcP3t_W42jVJQJhxLkzMB51z_7pYSQ6GEZdCgJBPUjg04Q/s320/Mumfordsonssighnomore.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562084403905082242" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">7. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Mumfor<span class="Apple-style-span" >d & </span>Sons – <i>Sigh No More</i></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">British folk-Celtic hybrid as traditional in its values—faith, family, and love—as it is unbridled in its raucous, organic energy. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“And I will hold on hope/ And I won’t let you choke/ On the noose around your neck.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7m-qP_IWZYg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7m-qP_IWZYg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x6rYPHmSzcE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x6rYPHmSzcE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINax4AsmHkVSFEnSZsYQRo9FxZ4B4GCbrN-Odt1k5LzxcOBvaBlgOEtbohqO7Sr22ypp-Gm6RoPoNmWB0Fg8ifgmzZAjfzI65yADX5SBPY7oWI24l8H10hppWVZWkfmQl8kqVBwoTWm8/s1600/Arcade_Fire_-_The_Suburbs.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINax4AsmHkVSFEnSZsYQRo9FxZ4B4GCbrN-Odt1k5LzxcOBvaBlgOEtbohqO7Sr22ypp-Gm6RoPoNmWB0Fg8ifgmzZAjfzI65yADX5SBPY7oWI24l8H10hppWVZWkfmQl8kqVBwoTWm8/s320/Arcade_Fire_-_The_Suburbs.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562085242563168994" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">6. </span></span><st1:place st="on"><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; ">Arcade</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "> Fire – <i>The Suburbs</i></span></span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Deservedly acclaimed “concept album” from one of the few acts willing to break new ground every time out. (For those keeping score: They're three for three.) </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">“I used to write letters/ I used to sign my name.”</span></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/unwL8TaG8LA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/unwL8TaG8LA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-41868601281333915522011-01-02T07:31:00.000-08:002011-01-02T08:10:54.396-08:00The 50 Best Singles Of 2010: 10-1<div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome back to my yearly countdown of the finest individual tracks of the year. As always, the rules and regulations: This list is limited to commercial singles and/or videos released in 2010. Album tracks and fan-made clips, good as they might be, don't count. Official YouTube links are included when possible to avoid unwelcome deletions. Thanks and happy listening!]</span></div><div><div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvelJedfuG_XSpaKng64eJRZU8w-ZZt44bJvW2pw_Eo8Es9mzXCw7_AE07Prb_ch4FC__SbHVNhXOl06a0Z8-cw-yWcowLj8q9AQFh2Nn_aqJp0x_YfvCTMbZP1OSFmetjlf1rNGc6NRA/s1600/Crystal_Castles_feat_Robert_Smith-Not_In_3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvelJedfuG_XSpaKng64eJRZU8w-ZZt44bJvW2pw_Eo8Es9mzXCw7_AE07Prb_ch4FC__SbHVNhXOl06a0Z8-cw-yWcowLj8q9AQFh2Nn_aqJp0x_YfvCTMbZP1OSFmetjlf1rNGc6NRA/s200/Crystal_Castles_feat_Robert_Smith-Not_In_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557612878543740210" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">10. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Crystal Castles featuring Robert Smith – Not In Love</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Covering a lost 80’s nugget by Platinum Blonde for your second studio album is an interesting concept; getting The Cure’s frontman to recut the vocal for single release is a stroke of genius. This is new-wave for a new century, one of the strongest electronic tracks in ages and quite possibly the best thing Robert Smith has lent his voice to since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Wish</i>.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/32udqal_lyQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/32udqal_lyQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqP-4ALR5yV0H6jp6Ebfed-u65v6NaA1BNv1vY03QEm3ouMj-QBehBtVA7JT_OH68sR3hJG88hCr0gAtBMDffYQ2f_a2xPdoBb5soBNwSJ4J3SkCk9HAIVF2asC5hskmlVkGUuv91eowo/s1600/Janelle-Monae-Cold-War.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqP-4ALR5yV0H6jp6Ebfed-u65v6NaA1BNv1vY03QEm3ouMj-QBehBtVA7JT_OH68sR3hJG88hCr0gAtBMDffYQ2f_a2xPdoBb5soBNwSJ4J3SkCk9HAIVF2asC5hskmlVkGUuv91eowo/s200/Janelle-Monae-Cold-War.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557613032503257170" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">9. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-.15pt">Janelle Mon</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">áe</span> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-.15pt">– Cold War</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-.15pt">The centerpiece of the ambitious <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The ArchAndroid (Suites II & III)</i> finds the middle ground between Sinead O’Connor’s</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> “Nothing Compares 2 U” and OutKast’s “B.O.B.,” defiant heartbreak in a propulsive package.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lqmORiHNtN4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lqmORiHNtN4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_kN2hq1RypOtqk1hmF0wxHtsV2w5PxlG_Tf54oaG7_niuel6OK8ZyywMCMbfiQZfiNDUenX9WFUToxZrsPv24z83jtnBwnWdO6onwcGmWnO2GKiCveuu6wdO-LUzJug-ZKiNKGUEOB0/s1600/Tell_%2527Em_Sleigh_Bells.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_kN2hq1RypOtqk1hmF0wxHtsV2w5PxlG_Tf54oaG7_niuel6OK8ZyywMCMbfiQZfiNDUenX9WFUToxZrsPv24z83jtnBwnWdO6onwcGmWnO2GKiCveuu6wdO-LUzJug-ZKiNKGUEOB0/s200/Tell_%2527Em_Sleigh_Bells.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557614285066919346" /></a><b>8. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Sleigh Bells – Tell ‘Em</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Like a mouthful of Pop Rocks, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Treats</i> is fizzy fun best enjoyed in small doses</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt">, and no single track from Sleigh Bells’ debut offers a bigger jolt than “Tell ‘Em.” If the anarchy cheerleaders from the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video started a band, this is exactly what they would sound like.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kJ05P-71gY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kJ05P-71gY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQIbkucCA9H4ZmvwWjGdJNJ_kacBF_k1BMG2WODs3igH2d_C-2E7jm7P50bwf8mZsCm6C5xuEf_sW1TakxBtUICtGxF-C-Bski9Bq8IDfZzI11P_4cj2916nWYGK0c4Oy6N1OQ3c_tgk/s1600/dream-love-king-album-cover-big1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQIbkucCA9H4ZmvwWjGdJNJ_kacBF_k1BMG2WODs3igH2d_C-2E7jm7P50bwf8mZsCm6C5xuEf_sW1TakxBtUICtGxF-C-Bski9Bq8IDfZzI11P_4cj2916nWYGK0c4Oy6N1OQ3c_tgk/s200/dream-love-king-album-cover-big1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557614443521270018" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">7. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-.15pt">The-Dream – Yamaha</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">Smack-dab in the middle of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: Georgia">Love King</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">—</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">an otherwise by-the-numbers set of current R&B</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">—</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">comes the best Prince track since the Purple One changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. What moves “Yahama” beyond mere homage is </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Terius “The-Dream” Nash’s absolute mastery of production technique; he understands the DNA behind those early Prince cuts, and it shows in every detuned drum track and keyboard blast, reminders </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">of the creative possibilities still lurking in mainstream urban music.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KRGGFjXUo4Q?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KRGGFjXUo4Q?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIp1Y9-1EMQx_HGQO6pnp2wAO8OVHYCrriGQCuyfyjI__KzC9qnt9PLI3AjxXdfZURJBo0ie5pH4g-YXtx8hkl0OImGb9Il77sg1n0zyuvjX4mRghB_dpD6AFxiJ5sYJ7ciMAS71RtcQ/s1600/We_Used_to_Wait.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIp1Y9-1EMQx_HGQO6pnp2wAO8OVHYCrriGQCuyfyjI__KzC9qnt9PLI3AjxXdfZURJBo0ie5pH4g-YXtx8hkl0OImGb9Il77sg1n0zyuvjX4mRghB_dpD6AFxiJ5sYJ7ciMAS71RtcQ/s200/We_Used_to_Wait.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557614764918214098" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">6. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Arcade Fire – We Used To Wait</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia">By now, no one doubts the AF collective’s ability to craft a slow-burning epic or send another chorus straight into the rafters, but even on an album stuffed with nostalgia, “Wait” stands out. “I used to write letters/ I used to sign my name” is more than mere eulogy for the written word; it’s a paean to the band’s own youthful power, even as the rest of this magnificent track points the way towards a wide-open adulthood. </span></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYdJAi-BBrs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYdJAi-BBrs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf6FS1bzcQj3hXrHpldqA155VCwpTxgsGVtDZhuocBGTYp9b-hE5BOA90EKo80H_2iQbs3jX7aXBbV96cHe6IpufHy69BRz5Yluugn5f4yqA7cLoBK31K7CIUAUvGqeYXCeRZGRDJ0CI/s1600/Mumford_and_Sons-No_More_Little_Lion_Man_3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf6FS1bzcQj3hXrHpldqA155VCwpTxgsGVtDZhuocBGTYp9b-hE5BOA90EKo80H_2iQbs3jX7aXBbV96cHe6IpufHy69BRz5Yluugn5f4yqA7cLoBK31K7CIUAUvGqeYXCeRZGRDJ0CI/s200/Mumford_and_Sons-No_More_Little_Lion_Man_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557615055782718642" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">5. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Lyrically, this non-traditional folk quartet play their cards</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> close to their (old-timey) vests even when the music surges forward with abandon; that’s why it’s such a kicker when “Little Lion Man” appears midway through <i>Sigh No More</i> and that pounding chorus—complete with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">very</i> non-traditional F-bomb—finally kicks in. Self-laceration has never felt more intoxicating.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lLJf9qJHR3E?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lLJf9qJHR3E?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbIyQ3bvT0cAWUSe55-JHosdH8lZPTE1vRRHEvPbPVwazSILVAIn7FgYddARd8Y5Z7y1haEi1U8KqGMaDmKpGW8pKg4-0le0M5SOOTZv05gj5XKjA-GZL97YIkQRgSE5WRxk700cPwrM/s1600/2010-12-29-12-39-16-9-the-song-dog-days-are-over-was-taken-from-th.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbIyQ3bvT0cAWUSe55-JHosdH8lZPTE1vRRHEvPbPVwazSILVAIn7FgYddARd8Y5Z7y1haEi1U8KqGMaDmKpGW8pKg4-0le0M5SOOTZv05gj5XKjA-GZL97YIkQRgSE5WRxk700cPwrM/s200/2010-12-29-12-39-16-9-the-song-dog-days-are-over-was-taken-from-th.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557615488062550354" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">4. </span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing: -.15pt">Florence</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt"> + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over</span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Florence Welch’s fantastic debut, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lungs</i>, appeared in 2009 to much critical fanfare but few American sales. That all changed this year, thanks to the release of a <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>demand-your-attention single that put all focus square on the band’s most primal ingredients: a beat that dared to make handclaps cool again, and a voice powerful enough to stop trains. </span></p><div><p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iWOyfLBYtuU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iWOyfLBYtuU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqvuQFk0F0ixruoOwAJ7R3wn5zKBEhdFvOgqvApAMG2CnO6Vmlek1GFS6Bby0mryBOFk0eXeYkdZzrg_vfs4X25HOC7_jxfwmatFmLElVRSD-FJdsgxRRLNIeu2zD4cn60quQPSZgZVI/s1600/runaway-kanye-west.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqvuQFk0F0ixruoOwAJ7R3wn5zKBEhdFvOgqvApAMG2CnO6Vmlek1GFS6Bby0mryBOFk0eXeYkdZzrg_vfs4X25HOC7_jxfwmatFmLElVRSD-FJdsgxRRLNIeu2zD4cn60quQPSZgZVI/s200/runaway-kanye-west.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557615844244122130" /></a></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">3. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Kanye West featuring Pusha-T – Runaway</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Building up from a naked piano chime into arguably the most ambitious moment of Kanye’s already-ambitious career, “Runaway” is more than just a simple response to a year’s worth of controversy; this is every facet of the man—apologetic yet arrogant, pensive but puckish—in one spellbinding single.</span></p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L7_jYl8A73g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L7_jYl8A73g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRHlsljicw1nNVapdZayqVuWPRaHHQg4rwmRpcnAahDHuMqT_sxfxpnXra5fdaf8cfzYuNH11HXl3tUqleRyYcTVrlLOyV9rRPL134E6W6o7X4sR575478AMSTZdLiYjRr3J3XJsjMgs/s1600/robynDancing.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRHlsljicw1nNVapdZayqVuWPRaHHQg4rwmRpcnAahDHuMqT_sxfxpnXra5fdaf8cfzYuNH11HXl3tUqleRyYcTVrlLOyV9rRPL134E6W6o7X4sR575478AMSTZdLiYjRr3J3XJsjMgs/s200/robynDancing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557616250705649586" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">2. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Robyn – Dancing On My Own</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Club music, on its surface, is mindless; no one cares about deep thoughts once the beat kicks in. What makes Robyn one of the most vital artists in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">any</i> genre is her ability to ignite the crowd without sacrificing an ounce of her humanity, and lurking behind every insistent rhythm is real pain, the kind of melancholy that doesn’t disappear even on a crowded dance floor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CcNo07Xp8aQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CcNo07Xp8aQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKCkFrje2liUM37LzrwvXJ-P83VPrJ5i3fy8Wqu4ETX2W34S2djocJlPbDB6iKNCsbI17w42uDmdS18PiT4ESZYYqg5dpiSTsgfX0U-SAsjlUwZ_neRru7wjxkU3xB8nJss6d4OW1cDs/s1600/FYou.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKCkFrje2liUM37LzrwvXJ-P83VPrJ5i3fy8Wqu4ETX2W34S2djocJlPbDB6iKNCsbI17w42uDmdS18PiT4ESZYYqg5dpiSTsgfX0U-SAsjlUwZ_neRru7wjxkU3xB8nJss6d4OW1cDs/s200/FYou.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557617168427847762" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">1. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Cee Lo Green – F*** You</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The genius of the best single of 2010 isn’t its viral popularity—although 35 million views is nothing to sneeze at—nor its ridiculously-catchy-yet-completely-radio-unfriendly chorus. Nor is it the brilliant Motown-for-the-21<sup>st</sup>-century production, or even the hilariously spot-on mood swings (from “I really hate your ass” to “I still love you”) behind that four-letter title. Nope, the real triumph is that every person—even the ones who despise the song—instantly remember where they were when they heard their first “F*** You,” and how many songs in the last decade can you say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">that</i> about?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pc0mxOXbWIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pc0mxOXbWIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-70411651035520328492011-01-01T08:07:00.000-08:002011-01-01T08:50:19.779-08:00The 50 Best Singles Of 2010: 20-11<div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome back to my yearly countdown of the finest individual tracks of the year. As always, the rules and regulations: This list is limited to commercial singles and/or videos released in 2010. Album tracks and fan-made clips, good as they might be, don't count. Official YouTube links are included when possible to avoid unwelcome deletions. Thanks and happy listening!]</span></div><div><div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HTeasfZfSgiEEZHeIU3RRpq_ojJ0B_B0r0FWGbyVL7ipegjflbiH90WCxCy3eWgHZS5VpZEeJU57gQrcd8oDAYtqk2QRXg1cEwF2BperA2VbXIXJM62apBp8EW_4DrG-2hsPDF-8BNg/s1600/Giving_Up_The_Gun_3.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HTeasfZfSgiEEZHeIU3RRpq_ojJ0B_B0r0FWGbyVL7ipegjflbiH90WCxCy3eWgHZS5VpZEeJU57gQrcd8oDAYtqk2QRXg1cEwF2BperA2VbXIXJM62apBp8EW_4DrG-2hsPDF-8BNg/s200/Giving_Up_The_Gun_3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557252973400758210" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">20. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Vampire Weekend – Giving Up The Gun</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Blogosphere mainstays VW push their sound even further into original territory, Ezra Koenig’s vocals skating elegantly over a driving rhythm<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>bed more laptop electro than Afropop.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bccKotFwzoY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bccKotFwzoY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><p></p></div><div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMumJ9H_2uN1MSk_H3OpuLpqRZSicoZGzNwlquUHg32kU84cA8cyVivqgwUdCBZd48y5ubZASwPf-sa1EFHGMEVD_mXeYaxVGaTIN2m5XCS3qq16AREwKdvUpkZZQyW6g0u17aU3zFGs/s1600/Local+Natives+-+Airplanes.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMumJ9H_2uN1MSk_H3OpuLpqRZSicoZGzNwlquUHg32kU84cA8cyVivqgwUdCBZd48y5ubZASwPf-sa1EFHGMEVD_mXeYaxVGaTIN2m5XCS3qq16AREwKdvUpkZZQyW6g0u17aU3zFGs/s200/Local+Natives+-+Airplanes.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557252796602227954" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">19. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Local Natives – Airplanes</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Lyrics about the death of a grandparent typically arrive with suitably portending music; not so with up-and-comers Local Natives, who turn “Airplanes” into a full-blown celebration full of bouncy percussion and joyous harmonies.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"></span><object width="400" height="25"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8pZkZguPAPs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></p></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXtWP8lH8lHWAMRm_khxvrStOnmChnyOjXJ842LBV2pudKjvwlzbbsPdDHInkSD2-yYnjVqi8ynl696VLcJWZlD09Srz_wjItOBo5rWdrp3yMiDTUtduTno1bMqSz-Ew96Bt8OiAVzdQ/s1600/Big_Boi_Featuring_Cutty_-_Shutterbugg.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXtWP8lH8lHWAMRm_khxvrStOnmChnyOjXJ842LBV2pudKjvwlzbbsPdDHInkSD2-yYnjVqi8ynl696VLcJWZlD09Srz_wjItOBo5rWdrp3yMiDTUtduTno1bMqSz-Ew96Bt8OiAVzdQ/s200/Big_Boi_Featuring_Cutty_-_Shutterbugg.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557252563872152562" /></a><b>18. </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Big Boi featuring Cutty – Shutterbugg</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Shoulda-been-huge single from Big Boi’s excellent solo effort, <i>Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty</i>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "> And yes, the vocoder beats AutoTune seven days a week and twice on Sunday.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rWsvkW6rKkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rWsvkW6rKkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZDVCGwgz8YeaSn4vhQVCUYoFFxv2tVq6nRJju8pkyxvbFbG4ymv1DqxBu24vnODwBgKda_xfYeMXkW2rSz9_mD1D-H_gvLwwgRNSJ8xt1Q3F4EZ0hvRzK-yPv_VDXbUJGwji3eEs4WY/s1600/Sadesoldieroflovesingle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZDVCGwgz8YeaSn4vhQVCUYoFFxv2tVq6nRJju8pkyxvbFbG4ymv1DqxBu24vnODwBgKda_xfYeMXkW2rSz9_mD1D-H_gvLwwgRNSJ8xt1Q3F4EZ0hvRzK-yPv_VDXbUJGwji3eEs4WY/s200/Sadesoldieroflovesingle.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557253473226718594" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">17. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Sade – Soldier Of Love</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">A decade removed from <i>Lovers Rock</i>, yet Sade Adu remains as ageless as ever, with her monstrous comeback single adding just a touch of Portishead-flavored darkness to that smoother-than-silk delivery.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IR5_rTCi-Bo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IR5_rTCi-Bo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnvZ8ZiZSmPaoiZWIVYLK1ehLbw8YtOVxZ2_FZwTgPzPwWmyPpTP6kqMiZWHoRR51oRYbQkrtgvm4iZFiw5VvLEKZB48T-kJYC0y_N5joG7VS63fIvUL9qtEkeW2bWpFaNkc1Ar6NBLc/s1600/Best-Coast-Boyfriend.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnvZ8ZiZSmPaoiZWIVYLK1ehLbw8YtOVxZ2_FZwTgPzPwWmyPpTP6kqMiZWHoRR51oRYbQkrtgvm4iZFiw5VvLEKZB48T-kJYC0y_N5joG7VS63fIvUL9qtEkeW2bWpFaNkc1Ar6NBLc/s200/Best-Coast-Boyfriend.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557254549503443554" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">16. </span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing: -.15pt">Best</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family:Georgia; letter-spacing:-.15pt"> <st1:placetype st="on">Coast</st1:placetype></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "> – Boyfriend</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; ">Sun-kissed indie rock as filtered through time-warp nostalgia,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "> with girl group harmonies straight out of the Phil Spector handbook and </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: black; ">Bethany Cosentino waiting-waiting-waiting by the phone—and hoping that he’s home.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_fjMYI33E8Q?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_fjMYI33E8Q?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_v9xFFxH5gbl85EHEoB3G0gkMix68Zd01bqwQkzE7uf8yM1yrvD6wCz42_pFkF55qqG3LCCuPio8YuyjIS5l3q2lMCpd4amIWtR72OHnyHkQOF8WSrpYf3_6W-BBQt38qHZneETZ__U/s1600/bloodbuzz-ohio-national.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_v9xFFxH5gbl85EHEoB3G0gkMix68Zd01bqwQkzE7uf8yM1yrvD6wCz42_pFkF55qqG3LCCuPio8YuyjIS5l3q2lMCpd4amIWtR72OHnyHkQOF8WSrpYf3_6W-BBQt38qHZneETZ__U/s200/bloodbuzz-ohio-national.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557254280749154722" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">15. </span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The National – </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Bloodbuzz <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Ohio</st1:state></st1:place></span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">What makes The National so potent is contrasts, how Matt Berninger’s half-awake baritone seems at odds with the surging drums and insistent build, or that moment when all the wisps of hazy lyrics suddenly consolidate into the most succinct summation of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 2010: “I still owe money/ To the money/ To the money I owe.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yfySK7CLEEg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yfySK7CLEEg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaB-mQL-p3rfzEtmVcSXl_d6tTvF5glfGA7Tcn7jXlMQ3EnZr9CL4T8xeHc-Lzyy-8jKSWJjxPJEW3K2WukMqkLBRJxqG69bAGmfoU9Ml83FiAoRR6VEZvktZO6loCit1tSBbgo-mlns/s1600/Robyn_-_Indestructible.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaB-mQL-p3rfzEtmVcSXl_d6tTvF5glfGA7Tcn7jXlMQ3EnZr9CL4T8xeHc-Lzyy-8jKSWJjxPJEW3K2WukMqkLBRJxqG69bAGmfoU9Ml83FiAoRR6VEZvktZO6loCit1tSBbgo-mlns/s200/Robyn_-_Indestructible.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557254761458849314" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">14. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Robyn – Indestructible</span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Initially debuted in hushed chamber music fashion, then recast as infectious club banger, and perfect in both guises. Robyn is one of the very few artists making pop music for adults, smart and hooky all at once; ignore her at your own peril. </span></p><div><p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ketX6HITIDU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ketX6HITIDU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgGokxjQZKzo-ht7y-OiAJSBy5EctEMQEXt9fjFdl5t-E1DrSttua7mMgo81ppNFjNfzbwiD_rRVndCR8TfhF5xdiEQ4IwckFFdmT3GB-WuDUEflaFH3IQUfTjtI3TmS8y8YRZ-Ir7ds/s1600/Gorillaz+%25E2%2580%2593+On+Melancholy+Hill.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgGokxjQZKzo-ht7y-OiAJSBy5EctEMQEXt9fjFdl5t-E1DrSttua7mMgo81ppNFjNfzbwiD_rRVndCR8TfhF5xdiEQ4IwckFFdmT3GB-WuDUEflaFH3IQUfTjtI3TmS8y8YRZ-Ir7ds/s200/Gorillaz+%25E2%2580%2593+On+Melancholy+Hill.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557255053718240242" /></a></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">13. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Gorillaz – On Melancholy Hill</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">For most of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Plastic</i></st1:placename><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> <st1:placetype st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></i></st1:place>, Damon Albarn seems content to let his well-chosen cast of guests do the heavy lifting, but he wisely takes over for the album’s very best track, a late-summer gem that sounds like the electrified cousin of “Waterloo Sunset.”</span></p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/04mfKJWDSzI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/04mfKJWDSzI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa6QP18bVYSOqZ8ntsueNS9aiNzgZ4HF94-Xt8MEOPF2o7TsgaU-uTLIwL3GYJr9oNDDjHexEuyr9XB5SRW1Kke8xxf-MkQMJmzUwYOoXpVvVQS1cxqetO4rAXOMtfB3N2webGMp5aGQ/s1600/Gaslight.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa6QP18bVYSOqZ8ntsueNS9aiNzgZ4HF94-Xt8MEOPF2o7TsgaU-uTLIwL3GYJr9oNDDjHexEuyr9XB5SRW1Kke8xxf-MkQMJmzUwYOoXpVvVQS1cxqetO4rAXOMtfB3N2webGMp5aGQ/s200/Gaslight.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557260595955674818" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">12. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">No young band does pure rock better than the Gaslight, as evidenced by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">American Slang</i>’s opening number, a potent mix of unvarnished guitars, four-on-the-floor beats, and absolute conviction.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oAqbnTKQBIY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oAqbnTKQBIY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-5nckgABEveNDZCiRbsFX8EB03lYtXoxnJUNUynuvvsSycOid4l_3WlotjLAYOG3hDSyCsFuE9vKnqFm04FFObtU3Js9VESDPPuYjOA23Ks8e11OJ1hqZQfJ_1tht5dIRMWe0J50cTc/s1600/Beach+House+-+Norway.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-5nckgABEveNDZCiRbsFX8EB03lYtXoxnJUNUynuvvsSycOid4l_3WlotjLAYOG3hDSyCsFuE9vKnqFm04FFObtU3Js9VESDPPuYjOA23Ks8e11OJ1hqZQfJ_1tht5dIRMWe0J50cTc/s200/Beach+House+-+Norway.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557255869027723890" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">11. </span></span><st1:placetype st="on"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Beach</span></st1:placetype><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> House – <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Norway</st1:country-region></st1:place></span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The wonderfully haunted standout from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Teen Dream</i> lives up to its album’s title, woozy and elusive at first before exploding into the kind of spellbinding sonics that need no translation.</span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ciHpW0rlKcM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ciHpW0rlKcM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-8462225808230895242010-12-30T06:34:00.000-08:002010-12-31T07:30:42.773-08:00The 50 Best Singles Of 2010: 30-21<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome back to my yearly countdown of the finest individual tracks of the year. As always, the rules and regulations: This list is limited to commercial singles and/or videos released in 2010. Album tracks and fan-made clips, good as they might be, don't count. Official YouTube links are included when possible to avoid unwelcome deletions. Thanks and happy listening!]</span><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxy_9t8ljs-757CkKPHwNvxRyCMAmWUDW4BQHmDzW_aZysdehQL2m_juArfkqsxps4EenVRWowKWM0t5ea-N5n_wj3-tZOuQJmUBK0SvVDQzqqNOvDG9eVosigSc4Tc1EgPh-Z4y-PalA/s1600/Monster-Kanye-West-.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxy_9t8ljs-757CkKPHwNvxRyCMAmWUDW4BQHmDzW_aZysdehQL2m_juArfkqsxps4EenVRWowKWM0t5ea-N5n_wj3-tZOuQJmUBK0SvVDQzqqNOvDG9eVosigSc4Tc1EgPh-Z4y-PalA/s200/Monster-Kanye-West-.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556489896126199074" /></a><b>30. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Kanye West featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj – Monster</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Hard to think of a more appropriate title for one of the best posse cuts in ages: Bon Iver gets sinister, Jay-Z raps about zombies and vampires (and love), while Nicki Minaj basically destroys everyone in her path, fulfilling a year of hype with a guest verse miles beyond anything on her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">own</i> album proper.</span></p><div><br /><object width="400" height="50"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xelnue?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xelnue?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0" width="400" height="50" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><p></p></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHn3FuHj25znsqFr46mZ4IRrJjfHAoIPWijxInk63eNKSsNCwbyOwt5Ea3J7h3aOGWN6bJlL7_BwhDArLZe_b6eF035xR1SO0lXYKXxDFl_K8e8hPkkjht0Ob4FNucKGhB4jvi5jgSQI/s1600/broken-bells.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHn3FuHj25znsqFr46mZ4IRrJjfHAoIPWijxInk63eNKSsNCwbyOwt5Ea3J7h3aOGWN6bJlL7_BwhDArLZe_b6eF035xR1SO0lXYKXxDFl_K8e8hPkkjht0Ob4FNucKGhB4jvi5jgSQI/s200/broken-bells.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556490186024714258" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span">29. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Broken Bells – The Ghost Inside</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Here’s the best reason yet for breaking up the Shins, as James Mercer uses his new project to unleash a hidden soul streak (not to mention a mean falsetto) atop Danger Mouse’s gleaming beats.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rVxTsXRjNTw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rVxTsXRjNTw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMPo00HokGAExR5GC1ejcelm7Lbe58Kxg9vCkCSsr8vP_tDabpbUyCmGzSgswfdymtlJrrCyDkc0C6lMSkuOuAYtZQNxTSsHCfUjSVLw97RGgMZ73hmxoKgLmCZSbMmXl4XuhJm3yN2Y/s1600/The-National-Terrible-Love-7_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMPo00HokGAExR5GC1ejcelm7Lbe58Kxg9vCkCSsr8vP_tDabpbUyCmGzSgswfdymtlJrrCyDkc0C6lMSkuOuAYtZQNxTSsHCfUjSVLw97RGgMZ73hmxoKgLmCZSbMmXl4XuhJm3yN2Y/s200/The-National-Terrible-Love-7_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556490420821822178" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">28. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>The National – Terrible Love (Alternate Version)</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Revisiting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">High Violet</i>’s leadoff number for a deluxe re-release, The National swap the original’s murky build for a Technicolor explosion that takes an already classic song to even greater heights.</span></p></div><div><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Efg1h0EzLeE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Efg1h0EzLeE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKHFMl-rK9bq53tawI93GEapQyELV02p9LmIjekifz_pBABt4LUdtM0yIDBb18F1pVE6xXbMSXU2vw5OEj2jl6ZLF-dBSOUiT6TvaXk6YS1FgdT-pR8380u0Co238lEHLhgiyVdJe4Pw/s1600/maximum-balloon-tiger.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKHFMl-rK9bq53tawI93GEapQyELV02p9LmIjekifz_pBABt4LUdtM0yIDBb18F1pVE6xXbMSXU2vw5OEj2jl6ZLF-dBSOUiT6TvaXk6YS1FgdT-pR8380u0Co238lEHLhgiyVdJe4Pw/s200/maximum-balloon-tiger.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556490736564763282" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">27. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Maximum Balloon featuring Aku – Tiger</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">David Sitek (AKA TV On The Radio’s secret weapon) stretches his production muscles via assistance from </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Aku Orraca-Tetteh, resulting in a sprightly mix of modern electronica and Fela Kuti Afrobeat.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G06zb2yCTKY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G06zb2yCTKY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePHEzfwtDe-OXm3s5jP2Q8gIPiFbBNBi2F-uUEG-e07pyII2Je4nH5P0_HqhVydTsXH8e3hiVnVmFEq3NLc6dBF-K4fdL-gaBzrGRYpKHTsirqvViS1HIwVHPnDpPH9Vd5GhyphenhyphenKxc0Swk/s1600/-Beg_Steal_Or_Borrow_3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePHEzfwtDe-OXm3s5jP2Q8gIPiFbBNBi2F-uUEG-e07pyII2Je4nH5P0_HqhVydTsXH8e3hiVnVmFEq3NLc6dBF-K4fdL-gaBzrGRYpKHTsirqvViS1HIwVHPnDpPH9Vd5GhyphenhyphenKxc0Swk/s200/-Beg_Steal_Or_Borrow_3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556490973184243554" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">26. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs – Beg Steal Or Borrow</b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">LaMontagne wraps his still-astonishing pipes around gorgeous pedal-steeled country; improbable (but welcome) Grammy nominations quickly follow.</span></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T6a_1R3w5i4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T6a_1R3w5i4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-eIZ9swAkuKWfncgogBiHKTfvjs3xWFirh-Ezrga94XY9ZW7VD5SsQvQXV0iAlMEPoK57vyrWeyV0ZuP0xckPHKZaAgIDDJ5pLntrD_-drVsmNalUILlpk24o94l-S_hIEbZXSTvxaU/s1600/Janelle-Monae-tightrope-artwork.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-eIZ9swAkuKWfncgogBiHKTfvjs3xWFirh-Ezrga94XY9ZW7VD5SsQvQXV0iAlMEPoK57vyrWeyV0ZuP0xckPHKZaAgIDDJ5pLntrD_-drVsmNalUILlpk24o94l-S_hIEbZXSTvxaU/s200/Janelle-Monae-tightrope-artwork.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556491207948062370" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">25. </span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Janelle Mona</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">é featuring Big Boi </span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; letter-spacing:-.15pt">– Tightrope</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">“Retro” doesn’t have to mean “reserved,” especially when it’s Janelle </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Mona</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">é complimenting her futuristic R&B with organic beats, daredevil horns, and one monstrous earworm of a chorus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HjWj5gJ6Kvc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HjWj5gJ6Kvc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></p><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcWjrdfzqosS0BO_G6E14OTNzsawL0OHSY_zgDHQE3o1j5fmAOkVYaUbZt3ciUam-gf1zqv37NmKbXCDiQ9uscW3Rpo25YeCU6SOUBucdsREuGSIx-qIFjPB4DMxDPRl6l5-84lD4M-g/s1600/lcd-soundsystem-i-can-change-608x608.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcWjrdfzqosS0BO_G6E14OTNzsawL0OHSY_zgDHQE3o1j5fmAOkVYaUbZt3ciUam-gf1zqv37NmKbXCDiQ9uscW3Rpo25YeCU6SOUBucdsREuGSIx-qIFjPB4DMxDPRl6l5-84lD4M-g/s200/lcd-soundsystem-i-can-change-608x608.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556491444518510706" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">24. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>LCD Soundsystem – I Can Change</b></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">It says a lot about the greatness of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">This Is Happening</i> when its acclaimed single—a desperate tale of love and bad poetry married to percolating Eighties synths—is only the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">fifth</i> best song on the album itself. Saving something for 2011, Mr. Murphy?</span></span></p><div><p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tW8FKkVnqng?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tW8FKkVnqng?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlDeut-BQH32Si3Vnd75QRuip5-G1C61YvPMEjNV2v_xzTnsSZ3h8EcMpVj7pvK61PKx5LkPpOHDhmd17KqzhMHn-X0q0WqOssXBKOwWV_qil1xYfYQMvaF8o3rXi9hch2Sz_lIwhEyQ/s1600/Eminem-_Lovethewayyoulie.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlDeut-BQH32Si3Vnd75QRuip5-G1C61YvPMEjNV2v_xzTnsSZ3h8EcMpVj7pvK61PKx5LkPpOHDhmd17KqzhMHn-X0q0WqOssXBKOwWV_qil1xYfYQMvaF8o3rXi9hch2Sz_lIwhEyQ/s200/Eminem-_Lovethewayyoulie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556491647818060386" /></a></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">23. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Eminem featuring Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Superstars attach their personas to everything they touch, and nowhere was this better illustrated than on Em’s #1 summertime single, an unflinching look at domestic abuse given additional weight via the backstories of all involved parties.</span></span></p><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uelHwf8o7_U?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uelHwf8o7_U?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tW2Zqgp3hGtCZLvBVzCYqQCi6tOSxHnG7xfpDZr-e7aanTcA6SDwegtgIhavi6_31ayRFGC68vriSN7BQtNcXG7p4_YCLioTAp-XJj_SYPAsu3C6ypS4LXjQDPtWdgGoEoIQ4HelftI/s1600/The_Black_Keys_-_Tighten_Up.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tW2Zqgp3hGtCZLvBVzCYqQCi6tOSxHnG7xfpDZr-e7aanTcA6SDwegtgIhavi6_31ayRFGC68vriSN7BQtNcXG7p4_YCLioTAp-XJj_SYPAsu3C6ypS4LXjQDPtWdgGoEoIQ4HelftI/s200/The_Black_Keys_-_Tighten_Up.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556492035120102994" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">22. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>The Black Keys – Tighten Up</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Nine years into their career and the Keys finally get their first true breakout single, thanks to a skittering beat and a fantastic riff—plus the best whistling since “Young Folks.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"></span></span><object width="400" height="25"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mpaPBCBjSVc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></p><br /><p></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZq6XeNUViSmjkzev0O6H3E_dK6_hgvtq6XWpWtzgBpqtVGyJ_391wkSLIDomzNftZHee2pPNB9qU1O0dNf7py0eQzSEvtywE5DYAh2sGpGTiReNIMyq7g-2reMTaN6MT7k5D13GC9zg/s1600/Kanye_West_-_Power.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZq6XeNUViSmjkzev0O6H3E_dK6_hgvtq6XWpWtzgBpqtVGyJ_391wkSLIDomzNftZHee2pPNB9qU1O0dNf7py0eQzSEvtywE5DYAh2sGpGTiReNIMyq7g-2reMTaN6MT7k5D13GC9zg/s200/Kanye_West_-_Power.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556492244719430834" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">21. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Kanye West featuring Dwele – POWER</b></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The first glimpse of just how wonderfully, weirdly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">unhinged</i> Kanye’s new record would be: that African stomp from “Jesus Walks” fused to a left-field King Crimson sample as ‘Ye takes down his own 21<sup>st</sup> century schizoid celebrity.</span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-35607631139336306172010-12-29T10:13:00.000-08:002010-12-30T05:39:24.935-08:00The 50 Best Singles Of 2010: 40-31<div><span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome back to my yearly countdown of the finest individual tracks of the year. As always, the rules and regulations: This list is limited to commercial singles and/or videos released in 2010. Album tracks and fan-made clips, good as they might be, don't count. Official YouTube links are included when possible to avoid unwelcome deletions. Thanks and happy listening!]</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHQx2Gx8Cwwx_pfqItTwDngbr_p1P6ZjKnlY70gSB0bUCMSjXI54qKFa1E1NEDOB5WKsze8Agr6Mkq7TANJhQMlkp78BvtZrUEk_PVxG9ta9i3-gsv7MtmeYMjC0I3f4miAX146qYL8M/s1600/Gorillaz_Stylo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHQx2Gx8Cwwx_pfqItTwDngbr_p1P6ZjKnlY70gSB0bUCMSjXI54qKFa1E1NEDOB5WKsze8Agr6Mkq7TANJhQMlkp78BvtZrUEk_PVxG9ta9i3-gsv7MtmeYMjC0I3f4miAX146qYL8M/s200/Gorillaz_Stylo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556159598950786354" /></a><b>40. </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Gorillaz featuring Mos Def & Bobby Womack – Stylo</b></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Kudos to Damon Albarn for introducing a new generation to the raw, uncut greatness that is Bobby Womack; that sinister electro-funk groove is just a bonus.</span></p></div><div><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nhPaWIeULKk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nhPaWIeULKk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHWMEIhOekjf7hHXhDEfsrz3i3FcVmrjb60xmP_ZgLinMnyQ3h2wFJEXToULjp7EWkdGamcl4isVR7l_5TOAfayKzZKwnr0h0_-lExaY5aoVp6Vbw25W4_qB2AvbAPi89uYoIaOCihZM/s1600/holdsteady.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHWMEIhOekjf7hHXhDEfsrz3i3FcVmrjb60xmP_ZgLinMnyQ3h2wFJEXToULjp7EWkdGamcl4isVR7l_5TOAfayKzZKwnr0h0_-lExaY5aoVp6Vbw25W4_qB2AvbAPi89uYoIaOCihZM/s200/holdsteady.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556161276239735714" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>39. The Hold Steady – Hurricane J</b></span><o:p></o:p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Craig Finn and company ended their run of consistency this year with the disappointing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Heaven Is Wherever</i>, but flashes of early greatness abound on this pounding single—particularly in its final thirty seconds.</span></p></div></div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bG4ABgTuCqA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bG4ABgTuCqA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><div></div><div></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFZtLCYhwOXbuwLhZ6oQBV36OLIBx62w7q_JiUb26LZzrNkxIjsVYIRXsWztv19JOJR77Oc-hYzIVjRTWLz9oSI58gfqYmI2plMC-ZY52cpA53rYgW3goBRZZ4R4Gpnao7AJHGwpYzI/s1600/BenFolds_FromAbove.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFZtLCYhwOXbuwLhZ6oQBV36OLIBx62w7q_JiUb26LZzrNkxIjsVYIRXsWztv19JOJR77Oc-hYzIVjRTWLz9oSI58gfqYmI2plMC-ZY52cpA53rYgW3goBRZZ4R4Gpnao7AJHGwpYzI/s200/BenFolds_FromAbove.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556162165263146850" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">38. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Ben Folds & Nick Hornby – From Above</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">North Carolina</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">’s favorite piano-playing son turned out his best album in almost a decade thanks to novelist Nick Hornby; this jaunty track is merely one of many <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lonely Avenue</i></st1:address></st1:street> highlights.</span></p></div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X5peqCDJi0A?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X5peqCDJi0A?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7zh1aDGdscOtzxQadkQQQi04m1c9yJdKqx9AZeWhOBlnZGz7Kpqls8e9jynnKMtJw8wWyIplo5P7tJFVkipidBRQClBdQpjX6M4C1-9xuUTE3j-HhtmtI4weDW4KSfIrdEdWJyKnHOI/s1600/39.Arcadefire_readytostartjpg231110.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7zh1aDGdscOtzxQadkQQQi04m1c9yJdKqx9AZeWhOBlnZGz7Kpqls8e9jynnKMtJw8wWyIplo5P7tJFVkipidBRQClBdQpjX6M4C1-9xuUTE3j-HhtmtI4weDW4KSfIrdEdWJyKnHOI/s200/39.Arcadefire_readytostartjpg231110.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556162759931604274" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">37. </span></span><st1:place st="on"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Arcade</span></st1:place><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"> Fire – Ready To Start</span></b></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Montreal</st1:place></st1:city> collective revisit the go-for-broke energy of “Keep The Car Running,” turning it inward and down. “Businessmen drink my blood,” sings Win Butler, the entire weight of Dylan’s mantle on his shoulders.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"></span><object width="400" height="25"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9oI27uSzxNQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIli9g-mb24uoNweOGaVw0lXwROz2A48nqOfw4iogNh6HogtxEkcZeaQAEk8dDtA_gZxN7jNYJvQc26CDO3i-emBWZQC2ZUbPLk7bjo6SmRe5NBhVpVdyyalcgG_vyK1j8BYl6yQHLgCU/s1600/Robyn_-_Hang_with_Me.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIli9g-mb24uoNweOGaVw0lXwROz2A48nqOfw4iogNh6HogtxEkcZeaQAEk8dDtA_gZxN7jNYJvQc26CDO3i-emBWZQC2ZUbPLk7bjo6SmRe5NBhVpVdyyalcgG_vyK1j8BYl6yQHLgCU/s200/Robyn_-_Hang_with_Me.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556163529338373858" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">36. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>Robyn – Hang With Me</b></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Bouncy and effervescent on its surface, but of course nothing is ever that simple in Robyn’s world, and gradually “Hang With Me” reveals itself to be that rarest of love songs—one with eyes open and feet planted firmly on the ground.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-3a2qoyONVA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-3a2qoyONVA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmEFFW-v1YB0JQjdmG8HW6X8bpdwCVAhBfqRMLCbdgrYm95YbqpY9CDiQ056O5C9O1c0_lZxXsxsWWBDsRBz2687uZe0B6v-6ewioVVxa8SkOgkZk1_Y8BlfNAN6lKMt-hkV4XkTR96M/s1600/underworld-scribble1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmEFFW-v1YB0JQjdmG8HW6X8bpdwCVAhBfqRMLCbdgrYm95YbqpY9CDiQ056O5C9O1c0_lZxXsxsWWBDsRBz2687uZe0B6v-6ewioVVxa8SkOgkZk1_Y8BlfNAN6lKMt-hkV4XkTR96M/s200/underworld-scribble1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556164154886299170" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">35. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Underworld – Scribble</span></b><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Long after the fickle tides of dance music should’ve relegated them to the bargain bins, Underworld resurface with their best single in forever, as rapturous and expansive as anything from</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia">Second Toughest In The Infants</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia">. A marvelous, welcome return to form.</span></span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dHs8LxPepKU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dHs8LxPepKU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H2pWgeD2jXMg9ycTb9-dZviKatggRqTIF_KO_45cm9JiwoRshK6vl-ROM3aBSE2RdgviY98VhgotZYJlfvxlPVDI7YFS9bRi46uChMM9ERoU_4JlZVJcifCknABPCvV7ojRK3tR02EI/s1600/Nothing-on-You.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H2pWgeD2jXMg9ycTb9-dZviKatggRqTIF_KO_45cm9JiwoRshK6vl-ROM3aBSE2RdgviY98VhgotZYJlfvxlPVDI7YFS9bRi46uChMM9ERoU_4JlZVJcifCknABPCvV7ojRK3tR02EI/s200/Nothing-on-You.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556167271016276898" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">34. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars – Nothin’ On You</span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The less said about guest-rapper-on-his-own-song B.o.B. the better; instead, treat this track as the coronation of Peter “Bruno Mars” Hernandez, whose of-the-moment production and sweetly naïve vocals were all over the charts in 2010.</span></p><div><p><object width="400" height="50"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xddhs9?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xddhs9?width=&theme=none&foreground=%23F7FFFD&highlight=%23FFC300&background=%23171D1B&start=&animatedTitle=&iframe=0&additionalInfos=0&autoPlay=0&hideInfos=0" width="400" height="50" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /></p></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcSLgjYYksCPkpJnOOuoW2-ty48m7Jc6UPY7U6NDbPSVjLGjbiooBBlE5e7Yg49CPJfQ9T4Da0gIIE60_0VkclbvxqY0HYOf7vL-BSHkqV14YvLo72dpfS2-f2jzQ_BjF2HhGEkoxM9o/s1600/spoon-written-in-reverse.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcSLgjYYksCPkpJnOOuoW2-ty48m7Jc6UPY7U6NDbPSVjLGjbiooBBlE5e7Yg49CPJfQ9T4Da0gIIE60_0VkclbvxqY0HYOf7vL-BSHkqV14YvLo72dpfS2-f2jzQ_BjF2HhGEkoxM9o/s200/spoon-written-in-reverse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556168997885479762" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">33. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Spoon – Written In Reverse</span></b></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">The minimalists of the indie world finally let their hair down and it suits them well. More throat-scraping vocals and atonal piano on the next album, please.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><br /></span></div><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYWlg9iHHlY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYWlg9iHHlY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKIcqSUeAVTdUHWSZfl0p5IfzF3wgR-HLrNuEHPV2Ne0hUfZi_9ATpQtxzrHBmDF8m5z2ht1-Hz8R5m9Yn3UU3UaIvykemxnAYs449qOV7ytSJYXm7QBnAnGqhZHi_bWt1IzFP99vkw8/s1600/Mark_Ronson_Bang.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKIcqSUeAVTdUHWSZfl0p5IfzF3wgR-HLrNuEHPV2Ne0hUfZi_9ATpQtxzrHBmDF8m5z2ht1-Hz8R5m9Yn3UU3UaIvykemxnAYs449qOV7ytSJYXm7QBnAnGqhZHi_bWt1IzFP99vkw8/s200/Mark_Ronson_Bang.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556169380214090674" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">32. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Mark Ronson & The Business INTL featuring MNDR & Q-Tip – Bang Bang Bang</span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Brit producer-turned-celeb Ronson ditched his trademark retro-soul this year (and Winehouse to boot), exchanging it for a new muse (Amanda Warner of MNDR), a new sound (ridiculously catchy electro), and the always-glorious return of Q-Tip.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"></span><object width="400" height="25"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TM6TCGltfHM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></p><div><div><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlS84vrGttSxFy59EpXowfZyEeFYyPABrAW7huJOZjt6fJIutnlyzTM07WC_xx46rjkSVPjPb9ce9P4PoCxUzB40r_EshxMRP8cd5LLFkd-PcrVAx_uyjDnYjB5gfPatP98zVLldLKJBs/s1600/Glitter_song.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlS84vrGttSxFy59EpXowfZyEeFYyPABrAW7huJOZjt6fJIutnlyzTM07WC_xx46rjkSVPjPb9ce9P4PoCxUzB40r_EshxMRP8cd5LLFkd-PcrVAx_uyjDnYjB5gfPatP98zVLldLKJBs/s200/Glitter_song.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556169666079815218" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">31. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; "><b>No Age – Glitter</b></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Easily the most accessible single yet from this no-nonsense punk duo, recalling the best moments of Nineties “alternative” radio with extra dollops of noise.</span></p><div><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3_t3q1tjH4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3_t3q1tjH4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-54355060553691250842010-12-29T07:08:00.000-08:002010-12-29T14:42:16.724-08:00The 50 Best Singles Of 2010: 50-41<span class="Apple-style-span">[Welcome back to my yearly countdown of the finest individual tracks of the year. As always, the rules and regulations: This list is limited to commercial singles and/or videos released in 2010. Album tracks and fan-made clips, good as they might be, don't count. Official YouTube links are included when possible to avoid unwelcome deletions. Thanks and happy listening!]</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_t-71Bo8NvrgWS1imIRmf8asXRhoFrBf5MnYblaWVwiIyU8l2dCjJvApW4l4dGkgjTaF86HDBF5DdKZitUnNudS5UwS7K7OgjuM9YdynW2ynejO5HzeI5U6l2r0oWF1_TPGnDsgl7s0/s1600/BoH.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_t-71Bo8NvrgWS1imIRmf8asXRhoFrBf5MnYblaWVwiIyU8l2dCjJvApW4l4dGkgjTaF86HDBF5DdKZitUnNudS5UwS7K7OgjuM9YdynW2ynejO5HzeI5U6l2r0oWF1_TPGnDsgl7s0/s320/BoH.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556122778851108530" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>50. Band Of Horses <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">–</span> Laredo</b></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Jaunty county-rock standout from BoH’s otherwise underwhelming (and inexplicably Grammy-nominated) third album, <i>Infinite Arms</i>.</span></span></p></div><br /><object width="400" height="25" style="font-weight: bold; "><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YH8QICzCO8g?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YH8QICzCO8g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho-vAwY-iO5uq6HDeed2nNUDGBiLmzJA6neuI83_kuqoYb4pztfuS9V00n2NIocq3R3XuvUZAtzld7yvlT0Ys8At5D9N99le-BXx315jn4vPpxJRkGOfTOr5wA07mv0nJvUbgkhKm7lQ/s1600/Katy_perry_teenage_dream_album_cover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho-vAwY-iO5uq6HDeed2nNUDGBiLmzJA6neuI83_kuqoYb4pztfuS9V00n2NIocq3R3XuvUZAtzld7yvlT0Ys8At5D9N99le-BXx315jn4vPpxJRkGOfTOr5wA07mv0nJvUbgkhKm7lQ/s200/Katy_perry_teenage_dream_album_cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556124634300371490" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>49. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream</b></span><o:p></o:p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Not in any way a validation of Katy Perry, but rather an acknowledgement of the continued greatness of Swedish hitmaker Max Martin; with the right vocalist (Gay Lead #2 from <i>Glee</i>, for example), this is a pop song for the ages.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span><object width="400" height="25"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/98WtmW-lfeE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object></p></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL_seOz-5uNvYYmXOHT5iqHm_wK7SdbNxG6fuTYxPD7gc0y-w-NGSaTbp26L53XQL__EccgQqOZ9mSFy17o6NcysUdzrdbUt2NwzfkjtU02wxC3CNgx1FIiRron8lbfMJagZMXZ12dUo/s1600/Mia-xxxo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL_seOz-5uNvYYmXOHT5iqHm_wK7SdbNxG6fuTYxPD7gc0y-w-NGSaTbp26L53XQL__EccgQqOZ9mSFy17o6NcysUdzrdbUt2NwzfkjtU02wxC3CNgx1FIiRron8lbfMJagZMXZ12dUo/s200/Mia-xxxo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556127807871428786" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">48. </span><o:p></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span">M.I.A. featuring Jay-Z – XXXO (Main Mix)</span></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:"EVERYTHING MUST GO";letter-spacing:-.15pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Revolutionary-turned-spoiled-brat </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Maya Arulpragasam</span> borrows a beat from Gaga and a guest verse from Hova for an uncharacteristically poppy single. About the emptiness of online hookups, natch.</span></p></div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KOvetfF6TsI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KOvetfF6TsI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht103JAUj3drh4pUxsv6PmhnOsOD7ZnVzVqeVklbL5jkanjYoDV58nSOGfyT5h9hCLkOtczKKIarA90Q44BAhDcmaloPiNVDQ2J-wgdbuzmDmTmU33JnVkAJMcsnTIdmTPZ5_OoWrbcg4/s1600/600px-Thebandperry_-_Ifidieyoung.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht103JAUj3drh4pUxsv6PmhnOsOD7ZnVzVqeVklbL5jkanjYoDV58nSOGfyT5h9hCLkOtczKKIarA90Q44BAhDcmaloPiNVDQ2J-wgdbuzmDmTmU33JnVkAJMcsnTIdmTPZ5_OoWrbcg4/s200/600px-Thebandperry_-_Ifidieyoung.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556129354768965058" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">47. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">The Band Perry – If I Die Young</span></span></b><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">Forget Taylor Swift: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">This</i> was as good as contemporary county got in 2010, un-ironically heartfelt and unabashedly romantic.</span></p></div><div><br /></div><br /><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7NJqUN9TClM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7NJqUN9TClM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpkDPeHv5emOmhCxWOOwlD0cYfKKA7j9cq9MRTvR1Y182sSQa6hyw_MwzVgNDZUt7xYEkKIemV5bgtlUK-4IAGXuVgDYt-VJesQWCh31YJArPfHYeg6FFkt1J2x2gz7DPaCjFMqvBmD4/s1600/HowToDestroy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpkDPeHv5emOmhCxWOOwlD0cYfKKA7j9cq9MRTvR1Y182sSQa6hyw_MwzVgNDZUt7xYEkKIemV5bgtlUK-4IAGXuVgDYt-VJesQWCh31YJArPfHYeg6FFkt1J2x2gz7DPaCjFMqvBmD4/s200/HowToDestroy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556130278862641106" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">46. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">How To Destroy Angels – The Space In Between</span></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>The new Trent Reznor project sounded a lot like </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">the <i>old</i> Trent Reznor project, albeit with ex-West Indian Girl vocalist (and current Mrs. Reznor) </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Mariqueen Maandig</span> handling “creepy vocal” duties.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nWbfgGDl6XE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nWbfgGDl6XE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdyIUdMHIL1rNfPPwZH2UVIODNKH5bWcnLFCbf3t0GhWUzPULbH-ulo0833eAvsA8tRnmXB3DYkkRlgsA4Xa_d55mWHhUU7wg9oMOjwJI17t3zk8ZPkY7QpTyYDVpGOFXPoumVFVW68o/s1600/BRUCE_SAVE_MY_LOVE_COMP3__33247_zoom.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdyIUdMHIL1rNfPPwZH2UVIODNKH5bWcnLFCbf3t0GhWUzPULbH-ulo0833eAvsA8tRnmXB3DYkkRlgsA4Xa_d55mWHhUU7wg9oMOjwJI17t3zk8ZPkY7QpTyYDVpGOFXPoumVFVW68o/s200/BRUCE_SAVE_MY_LOVE_COMP3__33247_zoom.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556131319410079442" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">45. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Bruce Springsteen – Save My Love</span></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">A fantastic outtake from 1978 gets an E Street makeover thirty years after the fact, finding new life as the lead single from Springsteen’s justifiably-acclaimed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Promise</i>.</span></span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TWC54lTvszA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TWC54lTvszA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMTaJ0hPkyFi74-01bSdLa0gEOHthwkIScL1GZ5s9PH1YNd9nhy8jifr5ol8OqKdB5xTzu5KVjZzuDyOKIwFtTGviEToW8Zut7iBL_FaAPGSoAqrUxvTKB2Yej8wtRQP7G2bBx7VDzxg/s1600/Telephone-LadyGaga.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMTaJ0hPkyFi74-01bSdLa0gEOHthwkIScL1GZ5s9PH1YNd9nhy8jifr5ol8OqKdB5xTzu5KVjZzuDyOKIwFtTGviEToW8Zut7iBL_FaAPGSoAqrUxvTKB2Yej8wtRQP7G2bBx7VDzxg/s200/Telephone-LadyGaga.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556131872779190626" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">44. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé – Telephone</span></span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">On its own, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Fame Monster</i> track offers little more than a beat and a collection of producer tricks, but of course the music is only a part of </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Stefani Germanotta</span>’s multimedia assault; as a soundtrack to the epic Michael-Jackson-meets-Tarantino video clip, “Telephone” works like gangbusters.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EVBsypHzF3U?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EVBsypHzF3U?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrUcs5svgYG56i8ab8_Xni4Bamwr-yc13g0veAqKloUYe4MWXlhzlasifJzkAOIA2Kw1dGwgkc3uhSxxx_uRIroXHYu1iXRf3qIbyi2rE22WMNJeSxs3mQOY8mosNg43Ukch0ndzi58w/s1600/The_Black_Keys_-_Brothers.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrUcs5svgYG56i8ab8_Xni4Bamwr-yc13g0veAqKloUYe4MWXlhzlasifJzkAOIA2Kw1dGwgkc3uhSxxx_uRIroXHYu1iXRf3qIbyi2rE22WMNJeSxs3mQOY8mosNg43Ukch0ndzi58w/s200/The_Black_Keys_-_Brothers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556132886469507794" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">43. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">The Black Keys – Next Girl</span></span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">A love song dressed in swamp-blues rags, skuzzy and infectious and further proof that the Keys could do no wrong this year.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x_PrT25o8Vs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x_PrT25o8Vs?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUqf7hpQTBRxxwWjofR-VKhgA6TmWObJnNeX4GOyYn9tkJVijWTAApsO61X7iYShVKK14hKIZ8qTuo7HTQV0GQYzO7GfUb-yzNL-KWXCtohiKYwkxSKXL5D2CHQPGFTN85vEiWcUfQ4c/s1600/WindowSeat.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUqf7hpQTBRxxwWjofR-VKhgA6TmWObJnNeX4GOyYn9tkJVijWTAApsO61X7iYShVKK14hKIZ8qTuo7HTQV0GQYzO7GfUb-yzNL-KWXCtohiKYwkxSKXL5D2CHQPGFTN85vEiWcUfQ4c/s200/WindowSeat.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556133752347481346" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">42. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Erykah Badu – Window Seat</span></span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt">The bare-it-all video grabbed most of the attention but did a disservice to Badu’s sultry, understated vocal, possibly her finest work since the glory days of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Baduism</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Mama’s Gun</i>.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9hVp47f5YZg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9hVp47f5YZg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbto-xxPN0eEayfPOp21M9SGkKzNT5YZa16y7Tlfa0kFVoybd21qH2qeiNbLqYPGKwljLo02OJ0OS0JtKzvX5qu8z4W5Q_FcZid0AzuzZ8sopMjvu8a6I2uoWwmCvSPRT3pYmxqtEd68/s1600/Only_Girl_%2528In_The_World%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbto-xxPN0eEayfPOp21M9SGkKzNT5YZa16y7Tlfa0kFVoybd21qH2qeiNbLqYPGKwljLo02OJ0OS0JtKzvX5qu8z4W5Q_FcZid0AzuzZ8sopMjvu8a6I2uoWwmCvSPRT3pYmxqtEd68/s200/Only_Girl_%2528In_The_World%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556134184872714786" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">41. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Rihanna – Only Girl (In The World)</span></span></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-hyphenate:none;tab-stops:-.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Georgia;letter-spacing:-.15pt"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Rated R</i> only confirmed that dark and depressing doesn’t suit Rihanna, which made this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Loud</i> standout all the more intoxicating; freshly recast as a Euro-house-disco queen lost in 1998, she’s never sounded more alive.</span></p><div><object width="400" height="25"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pa14VNsdSYM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pa14VNsdSYM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="25"></embed></object><br /></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-41870180411897552262010-08-13T06:49:00.000-07:002010-08-27T06:38:34.546-07:00The Sounds Of Summer: 10 Songs For Your Summer Playlist<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yeah, I know, I know; summer's almost over and the kids are heading back to school any day now. So what? It's still 95 degrees every day, and these are the songs you need when the windows are down and the shades are on and the highway is wide open. If you're a close friend you probably already have a couple mix CDs with these songs (and others) attached. If not, download away!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/RobynDancing.jpg" /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">1. Robyn -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Exclusive-Version-Explicit-Digital-Booklet/dp/B003PVE174/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281708400&sr=301-1" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Dancing On My Own</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My pick for Single Of The Year until something better comes along. Gorgeous Swedish heartbreak wrapped in thrilling club music duds, as if to prove that Top 40 </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">can</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> aspire to heights beyond mere ear candy.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Available on: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Body Talk Pt. 1</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Konichiwa/Interscope)</span></span><p><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Sleigh.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">2. Sleigh Bells -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Treats/dp/B003P72KGC/ref=dm_ap_alb1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281708123&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Tell 'Em</a>"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Drum machines + metal guitar + lighter-than-air female vocals? It's a formula that has no business sounding this good blasting out of crappy car stereo speakers, pummeling pop with a sticky-sweet center.<br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Treats</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Mom & Pop Music)</span></span></span></p><div><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/LCD.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">3. LCD Soundsystem -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Is-Happening/dp/B003HY3530/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281708697&sr=301-1" target="_blank">All I Want</a>"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">James Murphy's third (and best) album is a love letter to Seventies post-punk and art-rock, channeling Eno as filtered through Bowie and Iggy, most gloriously on "All I Want." Yeah, it's a definite homage to "Heroes," but only Murphy could go beyond mere parody to recontextualize the actual spirit of the original, turning it inward and downward. Desperation in anthem-sized form? Perfect. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This Is Happening</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Virgin)</span></span></span><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Arcade.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">4. Arcade Fire -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Suburbs/dp/B003X73QA8/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281709306&sr=301-1" target="_blank">We Used To Wait</a>"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A highlight on an album stuffed with 'em, as Win Butler bemoans the death of letter-writing while the AF collective builds a slow-burning epic behind him. Still wondering if this band validates five years of critical acclaim and hype? The first release of that to-the-sky chorus ("Oooh, we used to wait") is concrete proof.<br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Suburbs</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Merge)</span></span></span></div><div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/BestCoast.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">5. Best Coast -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Treats/dp/B003P72KGC/ref=dm_ap_alb1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281708123&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Boyfriend</a>"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sun-kissed girl-group vocals straight out of the Phil Spector handbook, atop a riff borrowed from The Cure circa-1987. The perfect soundtrack for August sunsets and long, ugly break-ups on the beach</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.<br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Crazy For You</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Mexican Summer)</span></span></span></div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Dream.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">6. The-Dream -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003T5DE5G/ref=sr_1_album_1_rd?ie=UTF8&child=B003T5BVOM&qid=1281710105&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Yamaha</a>"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Smack-dab in the middle of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Love King</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>an otherwise by-the-numbers set of current R&B<span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">—</span>comes the best Prince track since the Purple One changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. What follows is a glorious twelve-minute suite showing The-Dream (the same man who gave us "Umbrella" and "Single Ladies") at his absolute peak, a reminder of the creative possibilities still lurking in mainstream urban production.<br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Love King</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Island Def Jam)</span></span></span></div><div><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Underworld.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">7. Underworld -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scribble/dp/B003SBK34Q/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281710655&sr=301-1" target="_blank">Scribble</a>"</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">More than a decade removed from their chart-topping peak, Underworld return with their best single in forever, as rapturous and expansive as anything from <i>Second Toughest In The Infants</i>. A marvelous, welcome return to form.<br />Available on: <i>Barking</i> (Om/Cooking Vinyl)<br /></span></span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Janelle.jpg" /><br /><br /><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">8. Janelle </span></span></strong><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Monáe</span></span></b><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> -</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="hhttp://www.amazon.com/The-ArchAndroid/dp/B003L0V758/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1281710922&sr=301-1" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Cold War</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">"</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">One of the few completely unique voices in modern R&B, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Monáe</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> walks the thin line between defeat and defiance on this standout from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The ArchAndroid</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, backed by a track that feels like OutKast's genre-melding sound updated for 2010 in full-blown Technicolor.<br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The ArchAndroid</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Bad Boy/Wondaland)<br /></span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Mark.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">9. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UPWMQW/ref=sr_1_album_1_rd?ie=UTF8&child=B003UPR28A&qid=1281711399&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Bang Bang Bang</a>"</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">God bless UK producer extraordinaire for bringing Q-Tip back to the radio. The fact that this track also kicks like a '60s garage band trapped inside an early Nineties disco? Bonus.<br />Available on: <i>Record Collection</i> (Columbia)<br /></span></span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Roots.jpg" /><br /><br /><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">10. The Roots featuring Monsters Of Folk -</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RNU8KY/ref=sr_1_album_1_rd?ie=UTF8&child=B003RNU8O0&qid=1281711676&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Dear God 2.0</a>"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Roots' finest album since 2001 works for a variety of reasons, not least being the seamless integration of contributions as disparate as Joanna Newsom, John Legend, and My Morning Jacket's Jim James. It's the latter at work here, as James' high-and-lonesome croon provides the perfect counterpoint to Black Thought's gritty, grungy soul-searching, the age-old quest for spirituality blown up to the level of street symphony. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />Available on: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">How I Got Over</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Island Def Jam)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-59026106198386301082010-03-26T06:22:00.000-07:002010-03-26T09:36:48.796-07:00An Embarrassment Of Riches...Hard to remember a time when I've been more excited about all the new music coming down the pike. In the coming months, no less than <em>three </em>different artists who placed albums inside <a href="http://richpicks.blogspot.com/2009/12/100-albums-of-decade-30-21.html" target="_blank">my Top 25 of The 2000s</a> will be debuting their latest efforts... and in the past week alone, it seems like the Internet floodgates burst wide open. Here's a quick rundown of what's grabbing my attention, along with the official links where you can listen:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/National.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>The National -</strong> "Bloodbuzz Ohio"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Exactly as dark and epic as you'd expect, with lyrics to match: "I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees/ I never married but Ohio don't remember me." Based on the handful of tracks I've heard, <em>High Violet</em>—due on May 11th from 4AD—feels like the early frontrunner for album of the year. Stay tuned.<br /></span><br /><br /><p><br /><object width="452" height="70" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><br /><param name="id" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><br /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /></param><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=-8214529535186932027&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=memberAffiliate. 8425@22965"><br /></param><param name="src" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><br /></param><param name="name" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param></object><br /></p><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"> <a href="http://downloads.pitchforkmedia.com/The%20National%20-%20Bloodbuzz%20Ohio.mp3" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:100%;">Download the MP3 from Pitchfork.com.</span></a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Hold.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>The Hold Steady -</strong> "Hurricane J"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Not quite as gripping as "Stuck Between Stations," sure, but that final thirty seconds is pretty damn awesome. And how about that album cover? May 4th on Vagrant.<br /><br /><p><br /><object width="452" height="70" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><br /><param name="id" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><br /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /></param><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=-8214529535187153944&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=memberAffiliate.8425%4022965"><br /></param><param name="src" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><br /></param><param name="name" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param></object><br /></p><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Gaslight.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>The Gaslight Anthem -</strong> "American Slang"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Three for three from the "The" bands. For myself and others, <em>The '59 Sound </em>was one of 2008's undiscovered gems, so here's hoping the third album from The Gaslight Anthem makes a bigger splash this time. For those of you awaiting a new Springsteen record, this'll do nicely in the interim. Out on June 15th from SideOneDummy.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:100%;">Stream the track from the band's MySpace page.</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/Robyn.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Robyn -</strong> "Fembot"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">How much do I wish <em>this</em> was the cover art for Robyn's first release since her self-titled breakthrough? No details on album title or release (June?), but <a href="http://www.robyn.com/" target="_blank">you can stream the first single at her website</a> right now. Deceptively simple, winkingly modern, and ridiculously catchy. More, please...<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><img src="http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/lcdrunkgirls.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>LCD Soundsystem -</strong> "Drunk Girls" </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">A bit underwhelmed by the leadoff single from James Murphy and company... but then again, "North American Scum" wasn't exactly representative of the magnificent <em>Sounds Of Silver</em>, either. Here's hoping this is the goofy throwaway on an otherwise worthy follow-up. Out May 18th on DFA/Virgin.</span><br /><br /><object width="452" height="70" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><br /><param name="id" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><br /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /></param><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=-8214529535186792114&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=memberAffiliate.8425%4022965"><br /></param><param name="src" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><br /></param><param name="name" value="lalaSongEmbed"><br /></param></object><br /></p><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><img src="http://www.redperspective.com/Images/2010/MGMT.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>MGMT -</strong> "Flash Delirium"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">And finally, speaking of deflating expectations: The new MGMT has already gone from "highly anticipated" to "epic collapse" in the brief time it took this baffling first single to dance around ye olde World Wide Web. Take all the psychedelic filler from <em>Oracular Spectacular</em>, remove any trace of what made "Kids" or "Time To Pretend" so invigorating, and you're left with "Flash Delirium." <em>Oof</em>.<br /><br />In a bold—or foolhardy—move, <a href="http://www.whoismgmt.com/" target="_blank">the entire album, <em>Congratulations</em>, is now streaming at the band's website.</a> Be advised, it doesn't get a whole lot better. Out April 13th on Columbia.</span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-43132067763698227432010-03-19T08:23:00.001-07:002010-03-19T09:04:48.348-07:00R.I.P. Alex Chilton<img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/bucklberry/band%20pics/alex-chil-bach1.jpg"><br /><br />Like any good music geek, I discovered Alex Chilton through music magazines, the words of critics from a generation removed loudly proclaiming the genius of this great, undiscovered cult band called Big Star. I bought <em>#1 Record/Radio City</em> through one of those (now extinct) record-and-tape clubs without hearing a note of music. Arguably, it was the best blind purchase I ever made in my entire life.<br /><br />Big Star's small, perfect body of work is older than I am, and yet it hasn't aged a minute in nearly forty years. They should've been famous in their heyday; instead, they became cult legends long after their break-up. You can hear their influence hang heavy over R.E.M., the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, and almost any other melodic guitar band of the past two generations. Chilton's songs have been covered by everyone from Wilco to The Bangles to Jeff Buckley, and Cheap Trick's version of "In The Street" still blasts from TV sets every night in syndication as the theme to <em>That 70's Show</em>. <br /><br />Alex Chilton changed the world before he turned twenty-five. Wednesday night in New Orleans, the godfather of power-pop passed away at the age of 59. Below are ten essential moments from the canon of Big Star, along with one of the finest tribute songs imaginable. Enjoy.<br /><br />September Gurls (from <em>Radio City</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627138059991958&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627138059991958&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627138059991958" title="September Gurls - Big Star" target="_blank">September Gurls - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />Thirteen (from <em>#1 Record</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627056455613334&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627056455613334&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627056455613334" title="Thirteen - Big Star" target="_blank">Thirteen - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />In The Street (from <em>#1 Record</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627052160646038&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627052160646038&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627052160646038" title="In The Street - Big Star" target="_blank">In The Street - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />Back Of A Car (from <em>Radio City</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627125175090070&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627125175090070&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627125175090070" title="Back Of A Car - Big Star" target="_blank">Back Of A Car - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />Kanga-Roo (from <em>Third/Sister Lovers</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569479526484126&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569479526484126&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569479526484126" title="Kangaroo - Big Star" target="_blank">Kangaroo - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />You Get What You Deserve (from <em>Radio City</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627116585155478&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627116585155478&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627116585155478" title="You Get What You Deserve - Big Star" target="_blank">You Get What You Deserve - Big...</a></div><br /><br />The Ballad Of El Goodo (from <em>#1 Record</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627047865678742&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627047865678742&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627047865678742" title="The Ballad Of El Goodo - Big Star" target="_blank">The Ballad Of El Goodo - Big S...</a></div><br /><br />What's Going Ahn (from <em>Radio City</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627112290188182&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627112290188182&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627112290188182" title="What's Going Ahn - Big Star" target="_blank">What's Going Ahn - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />Nightime (from <em>Third/Sister Lovers</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569496706353310&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569496706353310&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569496706353310" title="Nightime - Big Star" target="_blank">Nightime - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />Watch The Sunrise (from <em>#1 Record</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627086520384406&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627086520384406&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627086520384406" title="Watch The Sunrise - Big Star" target="_blank">Watch The Sunrise - Big Star</a></div><br /><br />The Replacements - Alex Chilton (from <em>Pleased To Meet Me</em>)<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" width="220" height="70"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569453762805262&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"/><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" width="220" height="70" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allowNetworking="all" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569453762805262&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.28866%4082679"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569453762805262" title="Alex Chilton - The Replacements" target="_blank">Alex Chilton - The Replacement...</a></div>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4891500541546721669.post-88936844608644850052010-03-16T06:46:00.000-07:002010-03-16T07:45:59.306-07:00Ten Thoughts On The Glorious Train Wreck That Is The New Lady Gaga VideoWith over half a million views in the first 12 hours (and the official YouTube vid rapidly closing in on 18 mil as of this writing), Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video is officially The Biggest Pop Music Event Of 2010 Thus Far <span style="font-size:78%;">(TM)</span>. Below, the not-remotely-MTV-approved clip itself, followed by ten (mildly snarky) observations:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GQ95z6ywcBY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GQ95z6ywcBY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br />10. Is product placement less annoying when it's funny (a la <em>30 Rock</em>)? The advertising of Miracle Whip and Wonder Bread garnered a chuckle; crass positioning of Virgin Mobile, not so much.<br /><br />9. Nice shout-out to the "Gaga is a hermaphrodite" controversy there.<br /><br />8. Caution tape as wardrobe? <a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/list/17233" target="_blank">Not remotely clichéd at all.</a> (And yes, I know this is probably just an ironic comment on caution tape as cliché, or something...)<br /><br />7. Like another multi-platinum dance diva before her <span style="font-size:78%;">[Obvious Madonna reference #1]</span>, Lady G is not a good dancer (but dances constantly), is not particularly attractive (yet still insists on shedding her clothes on a regular basis), is not an especially gifted singer (which is why she writes to her strengths), and wears outfits that no human on earth could pull off convincingly (although she comes close). So why is she the biggest pop artist on the planet? <strong>Attitude</strong>.<br /><br />6. Beyoncé, despite her outward appearance as the "anti Gaga," is far more convincing in this video than in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0461498/" target="_blank">any of her actual "acting" roles</a>. And to think this was almost Britney....<br /><br />5. While we're on the subject: Why is the word <em>motherf**ker</em> "bleeped" when uttered by Ms. Knowles, but not Miss Gaga? Does Honey B have a Disney movie coming out in the third quarter or something?<br /><br />4. Is this all just an elaborate plan for Lady G to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justify_My_Love_(video)" target="_blank">sell 400,000 copies of the "Telephone" video </a>on <strike>VHS</strike> <strike>DVD</strike> Blu-Ray for $9.99? <span style="font-size:78%;">[Obvious Madonna reference #2] </span><br /><br />3. And shouldn't she have ponied up the extra cash to hire <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000233/" target="_blank">the director of <em>Kill Bill</em></a>, rather than <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0959774/" target="_blank">the director of "Smack My Bitch Up" and "American Life"</a>? <span style="font-size:78%;">[Obvious Madonna reference #3]</span><br /><br />2. Cost of 56 dancers and extras: $200,000.<br />Cost of film crew, lights, and locations: $375,000.<br />Cost of Gaga wardrobe: $12.50 (approximate).<br />Seeing Beyoncé driving the P**sy Wagon: <strong>Priceless</strong>.<br /><br />1. Yes, it's an overlong, extravagant, nonsensical, Day-Glo mess... but give Lady G some credit: When was the last time there was this much attention paid to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8IVlfyIc8g" target="_blank">a single music video</a>?Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18166287168965383300noreply@blogger.com0