The Max Top 50 of 2007
Dec 29, 2007 23:13:03 GMT -5
Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Dec 29, 2007 23:13:03 GMT -5
Since I can rarely agree with the Best of lists made by all the big music mags and newspapers, I usually make my own at the end of every year. It's always neat to see how my lists compare to the real ones but in the end, it's all opinion anyway. My list is a mixture of what I both listened to the most this year and/or liked the most, was the most impressed by or that simply stood out for me. I doubt many people will agree with my list. I find that my taste in music is usually too "indie" or has a lot of artists that nobody has heard it for the mainstream and too "mainstream" for indie so in that sense, I'm an outcast from both groups but at the same time, I get the best of both worlds... well, what I pick from them to like. So here are the 50 songs that shaped my year. Keep in mind that I'm not a professional and if you read thru even half of what I have written, you'll realize it quickly. lol
50. Alanis Morissette - My Humps
This started out as just a YouTube clip but it got lots of views on YouTube and put Alanis back in the spotlight for a few days. It sucks that this video gave her more attention than anything else she's really done in a couple of years since her last studio album, I thought was pretty good. But alas, that's how the industry works. This song is still pretty funny though! And awesome!
49. Regina Spektor - Samson
One of the more stripped down songs of the year but I quite like it, with just Regina and the piano. Regina really reminds me of Tori Amos. She might not be as nuts but I think there are similarities. This song, to me, sounds like a musical adventure over a snowy hill in late January. Although I think it would be phenomenal with a string section.
48. Mark Ronson - Valerie [featuring Amy Winehouse]
This is a funky song with Amy Winehouse on vocals. It has a stronger beat than a lot of the stuff on her 'Back To Black' album so it stands out against her solo material but that doesn't take away from the awesomeness of this track.
47. Pink - U + Ur Hand [Bimbo Jones Radio Edit]
I'm actually not a huge fan of this song but this is an example where the remix completely changes how I feel about the song. Bimbo Jones did an awesome job turning 'U + Ur Hand' into an awesome song from a really mediocre one. It's great to dance to too! I like how the vocals in the chorus nearly take a backseat to the beat. Jones did a similar type remix for Pink's other hit 'Who Knew' but the end result isn't an improvement over the original and is pretty much the same style as this remix. It worked once and once was good enough!
46. Simon Wilcox - Eyes On You
Simon Wilcox released her third solo CD this year. The first song from it was easily distinctive with the guitar at the beginning. I think that's what made the song otherwise stand out and made me take notice of it enough to get to like it as it wasn't easy. The song is slightly rockier than that of her last album, which sounded like a jazzy/R&B Sarah McLachlan.
45. David Usher - Some People Say
After a not-so-great album, David Usher released a really good CD this year and the last track from it was 'Some People Say'. It's pretty standard pop/rock but I think it's an awesome night-time driving song... if I had a car. I'd say it's the best song he recorded since his 'Hallucinations' album in 2003 and I really like the nearly epic-sounding ending. Good stuff!
44. Maroon 5 - Won't Go Home Without You
Sure, the song pretty much takes 'Every Breath You Take', 'I Just Called To Say That I Love You' and Fastball's 'The Way' and moulds them into one song but I still think this is a super catchy song! Maybe thanks to the influences but whatever. I don't know if I can say that this song is better than some of Maroon 5's older stuff, which I do like, but as far as their new album goes, I think this is the best song that I'm familiar with from it.
43. Robyn - With Every Heartbeat
So I guess Robyn has been busy since she had a few hits back in the late 90s in North America. Her career in the UK is as strong as ever and this song is the first of hers that I've heard. She's dropped the bubblegum pop sound for the most part and adapted a more Eurodance/pop style, at least as far as this song goes. I like what I hear so I might have to check some of her other new songs out as well. I also recommend 'Hey U' by the Basement Jaxx which has vocals by Robyn as well from 2006.
42. Mindy Smith - Out Loud
I don't know anything about Mindy Smith but I randomly downloaded this song over the summer and I love it! There's nothing overwelming about the track which is why it took me a long time for me to take notice but eventually, I did. It has a very slight country sound but not too much to make me turn it down.
41. Melissa McClelland - Skyway Bridge [featuring Greg Keelor]
I pretty much love all of the songs that I've heard from Melissa McClelland. This is a key track from her latest album 'Thumbelina's One Night Stand' that also has a video you can watch on her MySpace. I really like the bridge where the song begins to pick up more than the first 2/3rds.
40. Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
Fall Out Boy are a band that everyone loves to hate but they're not that bad! I thought this song was awesome when it first came out at the beginning of the year. I thought initially that it really sounded funky like new Maroon 5 while still holding on to the sound they established from their breakthru album. Also had a pretty fun video too.
39. KT Tunstall - Saving My Face
KT Tunstall is a new gem to my CD collection with her first album 'Eye To The Telescope'. Her second studio album is really great too with 'Saving My Face' being one of my favourites from it. It's not as immediately catchy as 'Suddenly I See' and probably will have a quicker burn-out rate than that did for me as well but for now, I'll enjoy this one.
38. Regina Spektor - Better
For some reason, I really like how this song starts off with just the piano before the guitar and drums kick in and then stop for a brief second and in comes Regina! The song itself is quite simple with most of it consisting of the chorus "If I kiss you where it's soar will you feel better" but it's a great upbeat pop/rock song.
37. Eve - Tamborine
I haven't really been looking out for much rap or hip-hop music lately because I find most of it really isn't that good but I know that Eve can usually come up with something pretty good. This song was great to hear downtown and great to dance to! I think this song shows that she's a good rapper when it comes to make good party/dancy tracks.
36. Patty Griffin - Heavenly Day
For whatever reason, I'd never taken any notice to Patty Griffin but this year I heard a few new songs from her latest CD and thought they were heavenly. I think now that my music tastes are beginning to take in a bit more modern old-styled country and alt/country, I can make room for singers like Patty who takes the folk side of the country scene for her music. Plus, it's hard to not like the writer of 'Top Of The World'.
35. Sheryl Crow - Try Not To Remember
I think Sheryl Crow is one of the more respectible artists in music today as far as singers from the 90s-onward goes. She's probably the closest we'll have to "musical legends" in 30 years time, assuming she's still making music. This song shows her versatility in some ways because it's not typical of her style. It's pretty much standard soundtrack fare as it is from the Home Of The Brave movie soundtrack but it has an awesome string section at the end and the big sound they were going for for the recording definitely was achieved here.
34. Killers - Tranquilize [featuring Lou Reed]
I think this song might be one of the best that the Killers have recorded. It's very Killers and it's a killer track! lol...
33. Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
I'll admit, I haven't heard anything from Rilo Kiley minus a Christmas song on the 'Maybe This Christmas 2' Nettwerk compilation from a few years back. I did hear Jenny Lewis' album though and loved their cover of 'Handle With Care' (one of my favourite songs from last year's list, lol!). But this song is pretty much enough to convince me of their greatness because I super love it. It has a slight country feeling the way that a Cowboy Junkie's song would have but has the production of a pop song so you don't feel completely alienated.
32. Mika - Grace Kelly
2007 introduced Mika. His first big hit 'Grace Kelly' is a mixture of Freddy Mercury, George Michael and the Scissor Sisters, all mixed into one great catchy song. It's really hard NOT to like this song even if you choose not to like Mika.
31. Serena Ryder - Good Morning Starshine
I know this song because it was sang at the end of the X-files episode of The Simpsons, lol. So when I kept hearing it on Satellite radio during my short stint working at Starbucks, it grew on me. I really like Serena's voice. She sounds so ahead of her years being only in her early 20s and she does bring this song to life. I recommend checking out her covers album that is made up of songs from the 1900s, all with a Canadian connection.
30. Timbaland - Apologize [featuring One Republic]
I don't like the labeling of this song. Yeah, it's on Tim's album. I think MuchMusic's take is probably the best approach: Timbaland introducing OneRepublic. Anyway, I think he did the song justice as it did give the song attention and when I eventually grew to love this recording, I got into the original version that's on OneRepublic's album which has strings and piano in the forefront and much less of a beat, which is what Tim added to the song along with the synth. I'm thinking this version might be a little TOO polished but it still sounds awesome and after a ton of plays, I'm still not sick of either version yet.
29. Dragonette - I Get Around
To me, this song is old. I first downloaded from Martina Sorbara's website upon announcing that she wouldn't be doing solo recording anymore, only as part of a new group called Dragonette. Fast forward two years later and this song becomes a minor hit and I'm still liking it. I love the techno/pop sound of this song. It's an awesome introduction to the group who have already opened for Duran Duran, Girls Aloud and the Killers. While not yet really breaking thru in the UK, they have had a lot of buzz about them over the last year so I think it's only a matter of time. I just hope they come to Halifax before they're too big not too...
28. Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
When 'Neon Bible' was released earlier this year, the Arcade Fire were compared a lot to 80s Bruce Springsteen. I think this song makes use of those comparisons the most as can be heard with the drums and the vocal recording. As great as the song is, I don't think it quite reaches the greatness of a few of the songs on 'Funeral' but it's still a great track nonetheless.
27. Lucinda Williams - Are You Alright?
Like Patty Griffin, I never really took notice to Lucinda Williams until this year when I fell in love with this song. She's been in the biz for a long time although I didn't realize how long until I learned that she actually wrote 'Passionate Kisses' that was made famous by Mary Chapin Carpenter back in the early 90s. Wow! Anyway, sometimes I just really need a fix of some true alt/country and as much as I love Kathleen Edwards, I need to dig alittle deeper. Lucinda satisfies that craving for now but I've already started to look up old Mary Chapin songs...!
26. Jann Arden - Bring The Boys Home
When I first heard this song at the end of 2006, I immediately realized just how great Jann sounds in this song. In fact, I don't think she's ever sounded better vocally. Maybe it's because the songs she writes doesn't command enough of her voice as the songs she covers in 'Uncover Me', which include this song as well as 'Peace Train', 'Love Is A Battlefield', 'California Dreamin' and other great tracks.
25. Pink - Who Knew
This song is from 2006 but it was re-released again this year and it made me once again realize why I love it. I'm not a big fan of Pink but this year I grew to appreciate her more as an artist. I think this song could sound better with some tinkering but from what's there, it sounds pretty tight now and Pink sounds sincere on the song, which suits her sometimes raspy voice. Kelly Clarkson or Mariah Carey could not pull this song off. It just wouldn't work.
24. Mika - Love Today
This song is just pure fun! Plain and simple. I'm not usually a fan of falsetto singing but Mika gets away with it in this song because he does it well.
23. The Miniatures - Would You Kill If You Had To [featuring Simon Wilcox]
I discovered this song because it's from an album that I randomly bought last year because, based on the cover it looked like an album I'd like. LOL! I do that sometimes. And because of the MapleMusic logo on the back, I figured it would be something decent and up my alley. While I didn't end up getting into the album completely, a few songs did catch on for me but I think this one song pretty much made the purchase worth it. It features Simon Wilcox and it's one of those songs where you have to turn up really loud and pretend you're the star of the music video. LOL!
22. Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)
Fergie might seem alittle out of place on here... but maybe not. I just think this song is great! Actually, for the most part, I think Fergie is great! lol. Except for that dreadful 'Fergilicious' song, I've liked everything else I've heard from her to some degree. I like this song because it appeals to all the frequencies. Awesome guitar, great kick drum, Fergie finally shows off that she can sing more than just skanky songs. I'm even almost curious to hear how this song would sound as an acoustic recording. And get this, I even like the remix with Sean Kingston.
21. Kelly Clarkson - Sober
I eventually got over the fact that Kelly got famous because of American Idol and even, for the most part, decided to admit that maybe American Idol isn't THAT bad. When she released her third album, I did get it and I did immediately love 'Sober'. I think it is, by far, the best song Kelly has recorded and it sucks that record label politics prevented it from getting heard because she sounds top notch on this song. You can almost feel it!
20. Nelly Furtado - Say It Right
This song is one song that I really can't get sick of. I don't quite know what it is but I absolutely love the layout of this song and the beat is just great. Timbaland kinda reused a similar one on 'Apologize', which I also really like, so I guess it worked out this time, lol.
19. Final Fantasy - This Lamb Sells Condos
The piano playing in this song is really what catches my attention here and it has entrapped me! That and I love the album title 'He Poos Clouds'. It's all great! I definitely must recommend this one because I know most of you haven't heard it yet.
18. Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3
I can admit that before this year, I have never heard of the Decemberists. But I do love their new album and I also hear that it's not as good as their previous ones so I have something to look forward to whenever I get around to going back in time. This song is one of the highlights from the new disc. I like the sombre sound of the music and lyrics.
17. Pink - Dear Mr. President [featuring Indigo Girls]
I think what it is about this song that I like isn't that it's an anti-Bush song but that it takes some of the direct issues that Pink has chosen and includes them in the song in a scenario in which she meets the President and discusses them one-on-one. However, at the end after bringing light to some of the issues she says "Dear Mr. President/you'll never take a walk with me." I think the lyrics to this one are pretty powerful and can be a great addition to the already-growing number of "protest" songs dedicated to the current president.
16. John Mayer - Belief
This is another song that I think has great lyrics and certainly made me realize something that is pretty common sensical and that came with the last lines of the song "What puts a hundred thousand children in the sand/Belief can/What puts a folded flag inside a mother's hand/belief can." Really puts things in perspective that when it all comes down to it, everybody has beliefs and when people fight, they're all essentially fighting for the same thing and a belief is a pretty hard thing to change unless you can thoroughly convince someone.
15. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
Another funky song courtesy of Amy Winehouse. I'm usually not a fan of the horn section but Amy uses them in her music and she makes them work. Probably because they're more in the background of the song just behind the beat. Either way, another awesome song!
14. Rihanna - Umbrella [featuring Jay-Z]
It's a pretty incredible thing when a singer can go from being on my immensely dislike list to having a song that I love. Rihanna does that! 'Unfaithful' was my Worst Song of 2006 but when I opened up and let 'Umbrella' in, I decided that it was a great track. I really love the Travis Barker remix as it throws in more distortion guitar and a heavier drum beat which turns it from a pop song into a rockin' pop song. The chorus is potentially annoying but I think it adds character and just makes it one of the year's most fun songs! I also think it's awesome that so many other artists have incorporated this song into their live set as well. It's one of those universal songs like 'Crazy' (Gnarls Barkley).
13. Brandi Carlile - Again Today
There's something about a song that starts off on a quiet note and slowly builds up until either the bridge or the final chorus when everything lets loose. This song is somewhat one of those. Brandi's powerful vocals shine on this track as does the great instrumentation of the band that was recorded live off the floor.
12. Melissa McClelland - Whisper [Jeff Trott Mix]
I thought twice about including this song in my list because it's from a 2006 album and is a non-single and was also on my list last year as well but when I thought about it, I listened to this song a LOT this year. I absolutely love it! I know that Melissa has influences from Bruce Springsteen in her music, since she has a cover of 'Factory' on her last album but this song reminds me a bit of him as well, specifically, I think his song 'Streets of Philedelphia'. I'm unsure why this song is listed as being a "bonus" track but then again, it doesn't really suit the rest of the album so I guess they cheated by putting it on there. Good for the cheaters!
11. Alicia Keys - No One
I think Alicia sounds great in this song. I've read comments from people that said she sounds strained in this but I really think that sometimes, you can't sing crystal clear all the time. It gets boring. In this song, with the straining, you can pick up the sense of yearning in Alicia vocals and that's because of how she sings the song. I might not know what I'm talking about most of the time with this music stuff but I know what I'm talking about here. Alicia kills it!
10. KT Tunstall - Ashes
Between studio recordings, KT Tunstall released an acoustic collection of mostly unreleased songs. Track 1 on that collection is 'Ashes' which opens with the line "I am a pain in your ass." My interpretation of the song is a hated-relationship to where the man is tied to the woman and when he dies, "the twisted irony is/your ashes come home to me." I think this track is as good as anything on KT's debut CD and in most cases, is even better. Awesome song!
9. Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar [featuring Martha Wainwright]
For awhile, it seemed like everyone was all about Snow Patrol. And then 'Chasing Cars' got big and nobody seemed to care anymore. Well, I did! LOL! And it was this song that I focused most on. It's a vocal collaboration with Martha Wainwright who really compliments the song quite well. I don't know if there's a music video to this but I kind of had one made up in my mind involving some camera tricks, cars and melting snow. This can be a chilling song. It works for me.
8. Decemberists - O Valencia
One of the first instant favourites for me this year was this song. I immediately loved the stylings of the Decemberists with their guitars, drums and vocals. It sounds very European-styled to some degree but I can't quite put my finger on it. Having grown up in Newfoundland, the instrumentation of this song and some of the other songs I've heard from the Decemberists sound familiar to me but I don't know in what way.
7. Tegan and Sara - Call It Off
Tegan and Sara released another awesome album this year with 'The Con'. The last track on it is 'Call It Off' and I think it's nearly lyrical perfection. It's also quite a simple recording as well with just some light percussion, guitars and a synth. They usually have good harmonies with each other but this time around, the end result is this incredible song. Wonderness!
6. Patty Griffin - Trapeze [featuring Emmylou Harris]
This is another song that I discovered randomly while working at Starbucks. Because the music wasn't up very loud, I only ever heard the powerful ending so eventually, I managed to snag the title and artist and I downloaded it. My next step is to buy the album. Anyway, this song is about the ups and downs in the life of a woman, using the setting of a circus as the metaphor to tell the story. Very moving and incredible song!
5. Melissa McClelland - Passenger 24
Imagine being in a tavern in the 1930s and someone comes out and starts playing on the old upright piano and out comes a woman in her late 20s as she starts to sing. Soon, the patrons join in to hum with her. That's this song! I absolutely love it! I got to see Melissa perform it this year at Ginger's Tavern (lol). It wasn't quite like the recorded version though but it worked. I have to say that I do prefer the image I have that's based on the album version and it sounds like it was so much fun to record! That piano is awesome!
4. Amy Winehouse - Rehab
I think one of the bad things to happen to this song was the fact that it became a hit. Now this song and to an extent, Amy herself, are seen as a novelty and at the end of the day (or year), that will hurt the reputation of the song more than help emphasize how well written and arranged this song actually is. Aside from the fact that Amy has been in and out of trouble all year, the song itself is great because it places the listener in the shoes of a person who is being forced into rehab. The general/initial reaction of someone who is told they need to get help is denial. This song is about denial. It's not promoting rehab avoidance or drug use or whatever else uptight people who hate this song might claim. People are morons anyway. I think, lyrically, this is the year's best song. It also doesn't hurt that it's catchy and has great musical arrangement. The horns are killer and Amy sounds great!
3. Tegan and Sara - The Con
I don't know what to say about this song specifically that wouldn't apply to either the entire album 'The Con' or to all of Tegan and Sara's music so I probably won't even bother trying to explain why I loved this song as much as I do. It's just plain awesome. As redundant and repetative as I might be getting right now, it's all true!
2. Serena Ryder - Weak In The Knees
I first heard this song early in the Spring on the radio occasionally and it caught my ear after a few listens. I was delighted to know it was by the same singer that sang the cover of 'Good Morning Sunshine'. Buying the CD was like killing two birds with one stone. After a ton of listens later and this song still feels fresh to me. It was ultimately the chorus that got me hooked on this song. It's one of those instant classic songs for me that I know I'll still be playing over the next couple of years.
1. Brandi Carlile - The Story
I was debating whether to put this song or 'Weak In The Knees' at the top of my list. I ultimately chose this song because the style of music is more centred on what I consider to be my favourite style and genre of music. I love how the recording has character and feeling, such as the slight crack in Brandi's vocals during the final chorus which she says is "technically wrong but emotionally right." I love that they didn't go back and fix it. Brandi's voice sounds similar to other female rockers such as Janis Joplin or Melissa Etheridge. While not as raspy as their voices are, she does have the same texture in her sound.
-honourable mentions-
Intervention - Arcade Fire
Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn And John
Yellow Brick Road - Raine Maida
We Will Not Be Lovers - Shaye
Timeless - Kate Havnevik
Little London Night - Sarah Slean
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance (I consider this more of a 2006 song, otherwise, it would have been around here somewhere)
50. Alanis Morissette - My Humps
This started out as just a YouTube clip but it got lots of views on YouTube and put Alanis back in the spotlight for a few days. It sucks that this video gave her more attention than anything else she's really done in a couple of years since her last studio album, I thought was pretty good. But alas, that's how the industry works. This song is still pretty funny though! And awesome!
49. Regina Spektor - Samson
One of the more stripped down songs of the year but I quite like it, with just Regina and the piano. Regina really reminds me of Tori Amos. She might not be as nuts but I think there are similarities. This song, to me, sounds like a musical adventure over a snowy hill in late January. Although I think it would be phenomenal with a string section.
48. Mark Ronson - Valerie [featuring Amy Winehouse]
This is a funky song with Amy Winehouse on vocals. It has a stronger beat than a lot of the stuff on her 'Back To Black' album so it stands out against her solo material but that doesn't take away from the awesomeness of this track.
47. Pink - U + Ur Hand [Bimbo Jones Radio Edit]
I'm actually not a huge fan of this song but this is an example where the remix completely changes how I feel about the song. Bimbo Jones did an awesome job turning 'U + Ur Hand' into an awesome song from a really mediocre one. It's great to dance to too! I like how the vocals in the chorus nearly take a backseat to the beat. Jones did a similar type remix for Pink's other hit 'Who Knew' but the end result isn't an improvement over the original and is pretty much the same style as this remix. It worked once and once was good enough!
46. Simon Wilcox - Eyes On You
Simon Wilcox released her third solo CD this year. The first song from it was easily distinctive with the guitar at the beginning. I think that's what made the song otherwise stand out and made me take notice of it enough to get to like it as it wasn't easy. The song is slightly rockier than that of her last album, which sounded like a jazzy/R&B Sarah McLachlan.
45. David Usher - Some People Say
After a not-so-great album, David Usher released a really good CD this year and the last track from it was 'Some People Say'. It's pretty standard pop/rock but I think it's an awesome night-time driving song... if I had a car. I'd say it's the best song he recorded since his 'Hallucinations' album in 2003 and I really like the nearly epic-sounding ending. Good stuff!
44. Maroon 5 - Won't Go Home Without You
Sure, the song pretty much takes 'Every Breath You Take', 'I Just Called To Say That I Love You' and Fastball's 'The Way' and moulds them into one song but I still think this is a super catchy song! Maybe thanks to the influences but whatever. I don't know if I can say that this song is better than some of Maroon 5's older stuff, which I do like, but as far as their new album goes, I think this is the best song that I'm familiar with from it.
43. Robyn - With Every Heartbeat
So I guess Robyn has been busy since she had a few hits back in the late 90s in North America. Her career in the UK is as strong as ever and this song is the first of hers that I've heard. She's dropped the bubblegum pop sound for the most part and adapted a more Eurodance/pop style, at least as far as this song goes. I like what I hear so I might have to check some of her other new songs out as well. I also recommend 'Hey U' by the Basement Jaxx which has vocals by Robyn as well from 2006.
42. Mindy Smith - Out Loud
I don't know anything about Mindy Smith but I randomly downloaded this song over the summer and I love it! There's nothing overwelming about the track which is why it took me a long time for me to take notice but eventually, I did. It has a very slight country sound but not too much to make me turn it down.
41. Melissa McClelland - Skyway Bridge [featuring Greg Keelor]
I pretty much love all of the songs that I've heard from Melissa McClelland. This is a key track from her latest album 'Thumbelina's One Night Stand' that also has a video you can watch on her MySpace. I really like the bridge where the song begins to pick up more than the first 2/3rds.
40. Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
Fall Out Boy are a band that everyone loves to hate but they're not that bad! I thought this song was awesome when it first came out at the beginning of the year. I thought initially that it really sounded funky like new Maroon 5 while still holding on to the sound they established from their breakthru album. Also had a pretty fun video too.
39. KT Tunstall - Saving My Face
KT Tunstall is a new gem to my CD collection with her first album 'Eye To The Telescope'. Her second studio album is really great too with 'Saving My Face' being one of my favourites from it. It's not as immediately catchy as 'Suddenly I See' and probably will have a quicker burn-out rate than that did for me as well but for now, I'll enjoy this one.
38. Regina Spektor - Better
For some reason, I really like how this song starts off with just the piano before the guitar and drums kick in and then stop for a brief second and in comes Regina! The song itself is quite simple with most of it consisting of the chorus "If I kiss you where it's soar will you feel better" but it's a great upbeat pop/rock song.
37. Eve - Tamborine
I haven't really been looking out for much rap or hip-hop music lately because I find most of it really isn't that good but I know that Eve can usually come up with something pretty good. This song was great to hear downtown and great to dance to! I think this song shows that she's a good rapper when it comes to make good party/dancy tracks.
36. Patty Griffin - Heavenly Day
For whatever reason, I'd never taken any notice to Patty Griffin but this year I heard a few new songs from her latest CD and thought they were heavenly. I think now that my music tastes are beginning to take in a bit more modern old-styled country and alt/country, I can make room for singers like Patty who takes the folk side of the country scene for her music. Plus, it's hard to not like the writer of 'Top Of The World'.
35. Sheryl Crow - Try Not To Remember
I think Sheryl Crow is one of the more respectible artists in music today as far as singers from the 90s-onward goes. She's probably the closest we'll have to "musical legends" in 30 years time, assuming she's still making music. This song shows her versatility in some ways because it's not typical of her style. It's pretty much standard soundtrack fare as it is from the Home Of The Brave movie soundtrack but it has an awesome string section at the end and the big sound they were going for for the recording definitely was achieved here.
34. Killers - Tranquilize [featuring Lou Reed]
I think this song might be one of the best that the Killers have recorded. It's very Killers and it's a killer track! lol...
33. Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
I'll admit, I haven't heard anything from Rilo Kiley minus a Christmas song on the 'Maybe This Christmas 2' Nettwerk compilation from a few years back. I did hear Jenny Lewis' album though and loved their cover of 'Handle With Care' (one of my favourite songs from last year's list, lol!). But this song is pretty much enough to convince me of their greatness because I super love it. It has a slight country feeling the way that a Cowboy Junkie's song would have but has the production of a pop song so you don't feel completely alienated.
32. Mika - Grace Kelly
2007 introduced Mika. His first big hit 'Grace Kelly' is a mixture of Freddy Mercury, George Michael and the Scissor Sisters, all mixed into one great catchy song. It's really hard NOT to like this song even if you choose not to like Mika.
31. Serena Ryder - Good Morning Starshine
I know this song because it was sang at the end of the X-files episode of The Simpsons, lol. So when I kept hearing it on Satellite radio during my short stint working at Starbucks, it grew on me. I really like Serena's voice. She sounds so ahead of her years being only in her early 20s and she does bring this song to life. I recommend checking out her covers album that is made up of songs from the 1900s, all with a Canadian connection.
30. Timbaland - Apologize [featuring One Republic]
I don't like the labeling of this song. Yeah, it's on Tim's album. I think MuchMusic's take is probably the best approach: Timbaland introducing OneRepublic. Anyway, I think he did the song justice as it did give the song attention and when I eventually grew to love this recording, I got into the original version that's on OneRepublic's album which has strings and piano in the forefront and much less of a beat, which is what Tim added to the song along with the synth. I'm thinking this version might be a little TOO polished but it still sounds awesome and after a ton of plays, I'm still not sick of either version yet.
29. Dragonette - I Get Around
To me, this song is old. I first downloaded from Martina Sorbara's website upon announcing that she wouldn't be doing solo recording anymore, only as part of a new group called Dragonette. Fast forward two years later and this song becomes a minor hit and I'm still liking it. I love the techno/pop sound of this song. It's an awesome introduction to the group who have already opened for Duran Duran, Girls Aloud and the Killers. While not yet really breaking thru in the UK, they have had a lot of buzz about them over the last year so I think it's only a matter of time. I just hope they come to Halifax before they're too big not too...
28. Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
When 'Neon Bible' was released earlier this year, the Arcade Fire were compared a lot to 80s Bruce Springsteen. I think this song makes use of those comparisons the most as can be heard with the drums and the vocal recording. As great as the song is, I don't think it quite reaches the greatness of a few of the songs on 'Funeral' but it's still a great track nonetheless.
27. Lucinda Williams - Are You Alright?
Like Patty Griffin, I never really took notice to Lucinda Williams until this year when I fell in love with this song. She's been in the biz for a long time although I didn't realize how long until I learned that she actually wrote 'Passionate Kisses' that was made famous by Mary Chapin Carpenter back in the early 90s. Wow! Anyway, sometimes I just really need a fix of some true alt/country and as much as I love Kathleen Edwards, I need to dig alittle deeper. Lucinda satisfies that craving for now but I've already started to look up old Mary Chapin songs...!
26. Jann Arden - Bring The Boys Home
When I first heard this song at the end of 2006, I immediately realized just how great Jann sounds in this song. In fact, I don't think she's ever sounded better vocally. Maybe it's because the songs she writes doesn't command enough of her voice as the songs she covers in 'Uncover Me', which include this song as well as 'Peace Train', 'Love Is A Battlefield', 'California Dreamin' and other great tracks.
25. Pink - Who Knew
This song is from 2006 but it was re-released again this year and it made me once again realize why I love it. I'm not a big fan of Pink but this year I grew to appreciate her more as an artist. I think this song could sound better with some tinkering but from what's there, it sounds pretty tight now and Pink sounds sincere on the song, which suits her sometimes raspy voice. Kelly Clarkson or Mariah Carey could not pull this song off. It just wouldn't work.
24. Mika - Love Today
This song is just pure fun! Plain and simple. I'm not usually a fan of falsetto singing but Mika gets away with it in this song because he does it well.
23. The Miniatures - Would You Kill If You Had To [featuring Simon Wilcox]
I discovered this song because it's from an album that I randomly bought last year because, based on the cover it looked like an album I'd like. LOL! I do that sometimes. And because of the MapleMusic logo on the back, I figured it would be something decent and up my alley. While I didn't end up getting into the album completely, a few songs did catch on for me but I think this one song pretty much made the purchase worth it. It features Simon Wilcox and it's one of those songs where you have to turn up really loud and pretend you're the star of the music video. LOL!
22. Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)
Fergie might seem alittle out of place on here... but maybe not. I just think this song is great! Actually, for the most part, I think Fergie is great! lol. Except for that dreadful 'Fergilicious' song, I've liked everything else I've heard from her to some degree. I like this song because it appeals to all the frequencies. Awesome guitar, great kick drum, Fergie finally shows off that she can sing more than just skanky songs. I'm even almost curious to hear how this song would sound as an acoustic recording. And get this, I even like the remix with Sean Kingston.
21. Kelly Clarkson - Sober
I eventually got over the fact that Kelly got famous because of American Idol and even, for the most part, decided to admit that maybe American Idol isn't THAT bad. When she released her third album, I did get it and I did immediately love 'Sober'. I think it is, by far, the best song Kelly has recorded and it sucks that record label politics prevented it from getting heard because she sounds top notch on this song. You can almost feel it!
20. Nelly Furtado - Say It Right
This song is one song that I really can't get sick of. I don't quite know what it is but I absolutely love the layout of this song and the beat is just great. Timbaland kinda reused a similar one on 'Apologize', which I also really like, so I guess it worked out this time, lol.
19. Final Fantasy - This Lamb Sells Condos
The piano playing in this song is really what catches my attention here and it has entrapped me! That and I love the album title 'He Poos Clouds'. It's all great! I definitely must recommend this one because I know most of you haven't heard it yet.
18. Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3
I can admit that before this year, I have never heard of the Decemberists. But I do love their new album and I also hear that it's not as good as their previous ones so I have something to look forward to whenever I get around to going back in time. This song is one of the highlights from the new disc. I like the sombre sound of the music and lyrics.
17. Pink - Dear Mr. President [featuring Indigo Girls]
I think what it is about this song that I like isn't that it's an anti-Bush song but that it takes some of the direct issues that Pink has chosen and includes them in the song in a scenario in which she meets the President and discusses them one-on-one. However, at the end after bringing light to some of the issues she says "Dear Mr. President/you'll never take a walk with me." I think the lyrics to this one are pretty powerful and can be a great addition to the already-growing number of "protest" songs dedicated to the current president.
16. John Mayer - Belief
This is another song that I think has great lyrics and certainly made me realize something that is pretty common sensical and that came with the last lines of the song "What puts a hundred thousand children in the sand/Belief can/What puts a folded flag inside a mother's hand/belief can." Really puts things in perspective that when it all comes down to it, everybody has beliefs and when people fight, they're all essentially fighting for the same thing and a belief is a pretty hard thing to change unless you can thoroughly convince someone.
15. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
Another funky song courtesy of Amy Winehouse. I'm usually not a fan of the horn section but Amy uses them in her music and she makes them work. Probably because they're more in the background of the song just behind the beat. Either way, another awesome song!
14. Rihanna - Umbrella [featuring Jay-Z]
It's a pretty incredible thing when a singer can go from being on my immensely dislike list to having a song that I love. Rihanna does that! 'Unfaithful' was my Worst Song of 2006 but when I opened up and let 'Umbrella' in, I decided that it was a great track. I really love the Travis Barker remix as it throws in more distortion guitar and a heavier drum beat which turns it from a pop song into a rockin' pop song. The chorus is potentially annoying but I think it adds character and just makes it one of the year's most fun songs! I also think it's awesome that so many other artists have incorporated this song into their live set as well. It's one of those universal songs like 'Crazy' (Gnarls Barkley).
13. Brandi Carlile - Again Today
There's something about a song that starts off on a quiet note and slowly builds up until either the bridge or the final chorus when everything lets loose. This song is somewhat one of those. Brandi's powerful vocals shine on this track as does the great instrumentation of the band that was recorded live off the floor.
12. Melissa McClelland - Whisper [Jeff Trott Mix]
I thought twice about including this song in my list because it's from a 2006 album and is a non-single and was also on my list last year as well but when I thought about it, I listened to this song a LOT this year. I absolutely love it! I know that Melissa has influences from Bruce Springsteen in her music, since she has a cover of 'Factory' on her last album but this song reminds me a bit of him as well, specifically, I think his song 'Streets of Philedelphia'. I'm unsure why this song is listed as being a "bonus" track but then again, it doesn't really suit the rest of the album so I guess they cheated by putting it on there. Good for the cheaters!
11. Alicia Keys - No One
I think Alicia sounds great in this song. I've read comments from people that said she sounds strained in this but I really think that sometimes, you can't sing crystal clear all the time. It gets boring. In this song, with the straining, you can pick up the sense of yearning in Alicia vocals and that's because of how she sings the song. I might not know what I'm talking about most of the time with this music stuff but I know what I'm talking about here. Alicia kills it!
10. KT Tunstall - Ashes
Between studio recordings, KT Tunstall released an acoustic collection of mostly unreleased songs. Track 1 on that collection is 'Ashes' which opens with the line "I am a pain in your ass." My interpretation of the song is a hated-relationship to where the man is tied to the woman and when he dies, "the twisted irony is/your ashes come home to me." I think this track is as good as anything on KT's debut CD and in most cases, is even better. Awesome song!
9. Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar [featuring Martha Wainwright]
For awhile, it seemed like everyone was all about Snow Patrol. And then 'Chasing Cars' got big and nobody seemed to care anymore. Well, I did! LOL! And it was this song that I focused most on. It's a vocal collaboration with Martha Wainwright who really compliments the song quite well. I don't know if there's a music video to this but I kind of had one made up in my mind involving some camera tricks, cars and melting snow. This can be a chilling song. It works for me.
8. Decemberists - O Valencia
One of the first instant favourites for me this year was this song. I immediately loved the stylings of the Decemberists with their guitars, drums and vocals. It sounds very European-styled to some degree but I can't quite put my finger on it. Having grown up in Newfoundland, the instrumentation of this song and some of the other songs I've heard from the Decemberists sound familiar to me but I don't know in what way.
7. Tegan and Sara - Call It Off
Tegan and Sara released another awesome album this year with 'The Con'. The last track on it is 'Call It Off' and I think it's nearly lyrical perfection. It's also quite a simple recording as well with just some light percussion, guitars and a synth. They usually have good harmonies with each other but this time around, the end result is this incredible song. Wonderness!
6. Patty Griffin - Trapeze [featuring Emmylou Harris]
This is another song that I discovered randomly while working at Starbucks. Because the music wasn't up very loud, I only ever heard the powerful ending so eventually, I managed to snag the title and artist and I downloaded it. My next step is to buy the album. Anyway, this song is about the ups and downs in the life of a woman, using the setting of a circus as the metaphor to tell the story. Very moving and incredible song!
5. Melissa McClelland - Passenger 24
Imagine being in a tavern in the 1930s and someone comes out and starts playing on the old upright piano and out comes a woman in her late 20s as she starts to sing. Soon, the patrons join in to hum with her. That's this song! I absolutely love it! I got to see Melissa perform it this year at Ginger's Tavern (lol). It wasn't quite like the recorded version though but it worked. I have to say that I do prefer the image I have that's based on the album version and it sounds like it was so much fun to record! That piano is awesome!
4. Amy Winehouse - Rehab
I think one of the bad things to happen to this song was the fact that it became a hit. Now this song and to an extent, Amy herself, are seen as a novelty and at the end of the day (or year), that will hurt the reputation of the song more than help emphasize how well written and arranged this song actually is. Aside from the fact that Amy has been in and out of trouble all year, the song itself is great because it places the listener in the shoes of a person who is being forced into rehab. The general/initial reaction of someone who is told they need to get help is denial. This song is about denial. It's not promoting rehab avoidance or drug use or whatever else uptight people who hate this song might claim. People are morons anyway. I think, lyrically, this is the year's best song. It also doesn't hurt that it's catchy and has great musical arrangement. The horns are killer and Amy sounds great!
3. Tegan and Sara - The Con
I don't know what to say about this song specifically that wouldn't apply to either the entire album 'The Con' or to all of Tegan and Sara's music so I probably won't even bother trying to explain why I loved this song as much as I do. It's just plain awesome. As redundant and repetative as I might be getting right now, it's all true!
2. Serena Ryder - Weak In The Knees
I first heard this song early in the Spring on the radio occasionally and it caught my ear after a few listens. I was delighted to know it was by the same singer that sang the cover of 'Good Morning Sunshine'. Buying the CD was like killing two birds with one stone. After a ton of listens later and this song still feels fresh to me. It was ultimately the chorus that got me hooked on this song. It's one of those instant classic songs for me that I know I'll still be playing over the next couple of years.
1. Brandi Carlile - The Story
I was debating whether to put this song or 'Weak In The Knees' at the top of my list. I ultimately chose this song because the style of music is more centred on what I consider to be my favourite style and genre of music. I love how the recording has character and feeling, such as the slight crack in Brandi's vocals during the final chorus which she says is "technically wrong but emotionally right." I love that they didn't go back and fix it. Brandi's voice sounds similar to other female rockers such as Janis Joplin or Melissa Etheridge. While not as raspy as their voices are, she does have the same texture in her sound.
-honourable mentions-
Intervention - Arcade Fire
Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn And John
Yellow Brick Road - Raine Maida
We Will Not Be Lovers - Shaye
Timeless - Kate Havnevik
Little London Night - Sarah Slean
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance (I consider this more of a 2006 song, otherwise, it would have been around here somewhere)
You're like a closet Pinkch 
