One of my favorite bands, the Sacramento-based Deftones, are preparing the release of their sixth full-length album, Diamond Eyes, on May 4. In light of this, I am going back, re-listening to, and analyzing their previous albums to gain a perspective of the band’s past while waiting in anticipation of the band’s future.
Deftones by Deftones (2003, Maverick)
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
70. Miley Cyrus – Party In the USA
“Seriously?” Yes, dude, seriously. You know why people hate this song? Because Miley sings it. That’s the only reason. Any other reason and you have no soul. Why? Have you listened to this song? It’s fucking awesome. Seriously. And Hannah Montana had nothing to do with its awesomeness. That crunchy bass line? That banging beat? And the melody is pop gold. I mean, it’s not like Miley had anything to do with the songwriting and production – she didn’t. She just sings. And the Auto-Tune makes her sound like sweet, sweet candy. Seriously. So stop pretending like you don’t love this song just because 14-year-old girls do, too. They’re not always wrong. Sponge Bob is still awesome.
For those of you still willing to lie and say you hate this song, and you don’t crank it when no one’s looking, nodding your head like yeah, moving your hips like yeah, let me ask you this: do you even like music? Seriously.
If you’ve been watching/reading, you already know about South Park, my favorite television program. For years, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have creatively pushed the boundaries of free speech, making fun of everything they can. Christians, celebrities, Mormons, Scientologists, Jews, atheists, and countless others have been poked fun at by the Emmy-award winning show. Parker and Stone call themselves “equal opportunity offenders.” They are American heroes.
Why? Well, did you see last night’s episode?
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
270. The Shins – New Slang
I heard all the brouhaha about Garden State and the hype surrounding this band, but I didn’t actually see the film until I met my good friend Kim in college. I believe it is still one of her favorite movies, and it is one that I enjoyed immensely, though I haven’t watched it since. I managed to get my hands on a copy of Oh, Inverted World back in high school, and, honestly, I didn’t really get it. Sure, the songs were pretty and soft, but I was initially bored. And dumb. It took repeated listens and a few years for me to appreciate it; what a brilliant little debut from a band that would, along with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, probably be the first in the new indie-Internet age to become too popular too quick.
Some of the things I love come under intense fire and scrutiny, and I am forced to intensely defend them. Conversely, there are things that I am done defending – they have crossed a certain line of mediocrity that I cannot follow. And then there are a few things that certainly have made mistakes, but I have not given up on yet.
So, because, as you know, I love lists, after the jump you will be treated to five things I constantly defend, five things I’m done defending, and five things that I feel still deserve defense, even if they’ve slipped up recently.
One of my favorite bands, the Sacramento-based Deftones, are preparing the release of their sixth full-length album, Diamond Eyes, on May 4. In light of this, I am going back, re-listening to, and analyzing their previous albums to gain a perspective of the band’s past while waiting in anticipation of the band’s future.
White Pony by Deftones (Maverick, 2000)
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
80. Nickel Eye – Brandy of the Damned
Seems like all last year, the Strokes were running around doing all kinds of different things unrelated to their core band. Julian and Albert pursued solo projects, while Fabrizio started Little Joy. The only one that sat around and counted money was Nick Valensi. Bassist Nikolai Fraiture started the Nickel Eye project, churning out a debut album in January of 2009. While I was mostly underwhelmed with the majority of the disc, “Brandy of the Damned” is the ultra-repetitive, ultra-catchy standout.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
280. Say Anything – Wow! I Can Get Sexual Too
At this point I feel I need to make a quick reminder (especially to my music snob friends) that a lot of the songs in this list are not really songs I listen to on a regular basis. Most of them are here for nostalgic purposes and to give a perspective of my preference and its evolution over the past ten years. Having stated that, I love all these songs; they all hold a special place in my….uh, music heart. And, as they say, much like most countdowns, as the numbers get smaller, the hits get bigger. So hang in there, hipsters!
That being said, this song is really dumb. The lyrics are stupid, in a Bloodhound Gang kind of way (look for them later in the list, kids!), and this band really does nothing for me. But when this song came out, I rocked this bitch like it was “Stairway to Heaven.” And just try not to smile once while listening. The guy’s voice is humorously absurd, much like the story he’s telling.
One Wolf II: Secret of the Wolf by One Wolf (unsigned, 2010)
Two years ago, when Daniel Markham split from Waiting to Derail, he changed direction completely. He formed One Wolf, making a remarkable transformation from Whiskeytown alt-country to REM-influenced, Western-tinged rock. Much like the local peers in Thrift Store Cowboys, Markham had come into his own, producing what could only be described as the sound of Lubbock. Markham’s skill in pop craftsmanship was honed, but the lyrics were more introspective, the songs slower, sadder, and slightly more rock and roll than country. It was an audible representation of West Texas; Buddy Holly would’ve been proud.
And now, with One Wolf’s sophomore release, Markham and the boys have done a 180…..again.
I spoke with Markham many months ago during a podcast interview for the now-defunct KTXT-FM. Some favorite influences of his at the time were Nirvana, REM, Deadsy, and Starflyer 59. So what’s the new One Wolf record sound like? All of the above, and more. In a word, it’s a lot LOUDER.
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
90. IYAZ – Replay
Usually in December of every year, I go home for Christmas. The indie world is dead at the end of the year, so I usually do research on the pop charts, listening to songs I have missed for most of the year. Nearly all of the songs I am happy to have avoided, but there are always a few candidates that make the cut. I’m a sucker for well-crafted pop music, as everyone knows, and IYAZ’s first single had my head bobbing enough for it to make my year-end list. It’s charming, super-infectious, and it name-drops a common household item that no one owned ten years ago (that would be the iPod).
