See Part 1, songs 26-50.
Here's my top songs from 11-25. There are still a few songs I had to link to the UK iTunes store due to them not being available in the US. Please feel free to comment on this list! 1-10 will be up soon... enjoy!
11. Spoon – The Underdog
Why: This had a classic feel to the song, one that will live on for years to come. The message is genuine and the appeal was undeniable. I imagined this song as a pseudo Billy Joel creation; a blast from the past, which had yet to be discovered.
12. Pinback - Good To Sea
Why: I would have thrown "Devil You Know" on this list, but "Good To Sea" immediately caught my attention when I bought this album. Not that "Devil You Know" couldn't fit on this list but more or less just showed Pinback's evolvement and growth in their music style. This peppiness of this track reminded me of something that could have been on my favorite Pinback album, Summer in Abaddon.
13. The Cribs – Womans Needs
Why: The Cribs were one of my favorite bands this year, and this song gave me every reason I needed to mark it so high. I loved the lyrics "See those guys, they think they're so clever. Catch them outside, women's needs, whatever." I also enjoyed the harmonizing on the refrains, accompanied with mirrored guitar strumming. Great simple lyrics, and carefree style.
14. Editors – Bones
Why: I enjoy any band who can pull what Editors did in "Bones". What had me the most in this song was the breakdown approximately 3:09 into the song. The drums, the strung-out guitar and the vocal ambience all pulled this one together to make for a fantastic song, one that could be used to wake me up and continue to appreciate Editors fantastic work in An End Has A Start.
15. Nine Black Alps – Bitter End
Why: "Bitter End" fits perfectly into a modern day classic rock mix. This is an interesting step for Nine Black Alps, whose style is much different that this particular song, whose style is a bit harder in general. As an opener for Lover/Hate, the refreshing loftiness left me immediately satisfied with my expectations of their follow up to Everything Is.
16. The Rakes – The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect
Why: Most impressing was that even after the full five minutes of this song, the beat and guitar riffs didn't wear me out. This song has the catchiest first 30 seconds of any song I've listened to this year and even though the same notes are revolved throughout the whole song, it never grows tired. Kudos to the long, descriptive song title; we need more of those.
17. Interpol - No I In Threesome
Why: The message is entertaining, and Interpol does what they're best at in this song: long, well-versed songs inspired by their dark side. This is one of those songs that has such passion felt throughout. The shining moment for this song is the change of pace at about 2:33.
18. Shout Out Louds - Hard Rain
Why: I enjoy songs that have a good thing going and extend itself just for that fact. The electric keyboard, the rhythmic pace and the guitar use all had me sold on my first listen through. The vocals of Adam Olenius don't do as much for this song as the guitar work and keyboard tandem did for me.
19. Travis – Closer
Why: Perhaps Travis' biggest song yet. This is also the most earnest love song he's written on The Boy With No Name. Nice slow movement to the song and I enjoyed the folk guitar style concurrent throughout the duration of the song.
20. The Kooks – She Moves In Her Own Way
Why: This reminds me of something that was written so naturally as it's been played on Inside In Inside Out. Lighthearted and smooth, this song sticks like nothing else the Kooks have done to date. Plain old guitar and singing by themselves hasn't been done this well in 2007 by anyone else.
21. Interpol – Pace Is The Trick
Why: I know what you're thinking, and yes, two songs from Interpol in the top 25. "Pace Is The Trick" is my favorite to date from the band and has been made even more accessible to fans by means of the propelling guitar diddy throughout the whole song. The refrain particularly caught me attention when Paul Banks sings "... See How I Stun". I also loved the off-beat drum work at about 2:45 into the song.
22. Spoon - Don’t Make Me A Target
Why: This is the opener for Spoon's stunning album and is placed fittingly so. The first time I played this in a car with someone else listening, they swore they heard this song before. Well the truth is, they didn't, this song is just recreating the beauty of that which is rock. The raw guitars, the "cool kid" feeling of Britt Daniel's singing style all play a part of what makes this song so likeable.
23. Peter Bjorn And John – Up Against The Wall
Why: I listened to this album quite a few times, and most of it seemed someone dull to me, besides their ever popular "Young Folks" and "Let's Call It Off". But once this song hit me, it hit hard. The extended breakdown and chiming of uncountable elements mixing in at the songs end was something I hadn't heard all year from anyone. Possible the contrast from the rest of the album made this song strike me so hard, but nevertheless, the mood of it all caught up with me and pulled me in.
24. The National – Guest Room
Why: Matt Berninger's well-worn, know-what-it-feels-like singing style stifled me here. The passion when he sings "We can't stay here, we can't stay this well" is more heartfelt that anything I've heard all year. The lyrics, "They'll find us here, here in the guest room, where we throw money at each other and cry" is sung just as passionate as the accompanied guitar. This song will undoubtedly stick with me through the next year.
25. Mark Ronson – Just
Why: Its been fun looking at what Radiohead has done, and even more fun listening to remixes of their prior songs and seeing albums spurring left and right including redone song verstions such as this one to even reggae covers. Mark Ronson showed up everywhere in 2007 and has been highly acclaimed, making his mark on the music world in 2007. I may have enjoyed this version of "Just" almost, if not just as much as Radiohead's original version. Saxaphone!
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