Monday, December 14, 2009

Best of 2009 - The Singles

As you take a look through the list of my favorite singles from this past year, you may notice something a little off. Yep, my favorite songs this past year have been dominated by a lot of female artists or female fronted bands. But, the men also represent this year... just not as strongly as last year.

16. Trouble Andrew - Chase Money

Snowboarder turned electro-punk Trevor Andrew turned in one of the best songs of the year with "Chase Money." It keeps the punk philosophy, adds some electronics into them mix and comes out with awesome, snot-nosed electro-punk.

15. Bird Automatic - About The Money
The band of Aussie's chimed in with this little Britpop gem. Gentle, warm and soothing... fitting for a drive at dusk through Nida, OK.

14. Kite In The Air - Stretch It On
Electro-pop from the Bay Area that's in the same league with Ladytron or Goldfrapp, only more pop oriented and more approachable.

13. 100 Damned Guns - Red River Valley
One of my absolute favorite bands. This song has the drive of psychobilly and the bluegrass all mixed into one nice little pot.

12. Camera Obscura - French Navy
This band of Scots take an approach to pop music that hasn't been seen since The Supremes went out of style. Their girl-group pop sound is a delight to my ears. They take the girl-group, 60s style pop and create something that should sound like a copy and make it sound fresh.

11. Spoon - Got Nuffin
Really, what needs to be said about these Austin kids?

10. Ryan Thomas Becker - Seek Fire, Anime Kids
Denton's Ryan Thomas Becker pretty much hit this one square on the head. It's pretty much RTB2-lite and doesn't reflect the sonic direction of his album Neighborhoof. But, this song brings it... hard.

Leht turned this one on it's ear. Turning a gentle number into a bombastic force ready for the dance floor.

8. Pretty Lights - Keep 'Em Bouncin'
In the vein of DJ Shadow more so than Girl Talk this song by Colorado's Pretty Lights does just what the name says.

7. Neko Case - People Got A Lot Of Nerve
Neko could probably record herself singing over a trucker taking a dump after a long haul and it would still sound gorgeous.

6. Raveonettes - Last Dance
Swedes. Awesome at pretty much all kinds of pop music. The Raveonettes took away some of the darker tonality of their music and turned in this stunning number.
5.
Jaydiohead - Wrong Prayer

Mash-ups using Jay-Z samples are pretty much going to be around for the foreseeable future. However, this mix of Radiohead's "I Might Be Wrong" and Jay's "Pray" is one of the best around, period.

4. Great Northern - Houses
This one is, if anything, an anthem suitable to be turned all the way up and left there.

3. Action Painters - Supermarket
A very indie, new wave sound from NYC and a band that has the potential to move up in the hipster capital of the world.

2. Metric - Sick Muse
A very, very late addition to my list. One of the best power-pop songs to come out this year from a band not fronted by a dude. Poppy and catchy as hell, a song with a killer hook that won't easily get out of your head.

1. Oohlahs - Lemmings Anthem
Again... anthem. Brings back the sound of early 90's girl-fronted "alternative" bands. By far the song I've listened to the most this past year.

2 comments:

anhjch said...

Raveonettes are Danish (as am I) :-)

Nino said...

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