Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Halfway Point 2010: 21-25

In the last four days, I have posted ten songs. In that same four days, Danny Valencia has fourteen hits. Challenge accepted, Danny.

21. Band of Horses – “Compliments”

Previously discussed here.

22. Japandroids – “Younger Us”

I think Pitchfork nailed it with this one:
There's a particular kind of nostalgia that hits you when you know you're too young to feel nostalgic about anything. That's Brian King, bleating with all his heart on "Younger Us": "Remember that night you were already in bed, said fuck it, got up to drink with me instead!" Then, later: "Gimmie younger us." And by the time the song's three and half minutes of straight bash wind to a close, he's just screaming wordless anguish. Now, King's not an old dude, and he still attacks a stage like a guy who still gets out of bed to say fuck it and go drinking on a regular basis. But that sense of youthful abandon just out of reach is what pushes "Younger Us" straight into your gut.

23. Gaslight Anthem – “The Queen of Lower Chelsea”

Whew. It had been too long between Gaslight Anthem songs.

24. Scissor Sisters – “Skin Tight”

Kass has referred to this as "the new gay national anthem." That sounds about right. (Follow-up question, though ... what was the previous gay national anthem? I always assumed "It's Raining Men." Hallelujah!)

25. Sleigh Bells – “Rill Rill”

Previously discussed here. This one has a little of the Black Kids disease, where the shiny, professionally-produced album version just isn't as good as the raw demo. Also, it's called "Rill Rill" now, not "Ring Ring," despite the fact that it's still the same song. I think it's a mandate for all artists on MIA's label that you have to be weird for completely inexplicable reasons.

1 comment:

  1. I missed one! This is great stuff too. Not sure you've left me anything to bitch about...

    That said, Harder You Get is my latest favorite off the Sisters album. The song just feels like, "Here kid. This is a little taste of the 80s, but you can just keep living in 2010."

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