Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
210. The Go! Team – Universal Speech
Cheerleader chanting, party-inducing raps, and cheeky melodies made the Go! Team an indie rock sensation right around the time I entered college in 2005. This rarely-referenced album track from the sophomore effort Proof of Youth is one of my personal favorites. I’m pretty sure it’s that infectious drum beat at the beginning and the way it glides along with that piano line. It’s a surefire way to get sampled in hip-hop in the future, that’s for sure.
Last month, Epitaph reissuedThe Shape of Punk to Come, the seminal hardcore album from the now-defunct Swedish band Refused. In celebration, Pitchfork hosted the documentary Refused Are Fucking Dead for one week on Pitchfork.tv. After viewing the film, I blew the dust off my old copy of the group’s third and final album for another listen.
What can I say that hasn’t been said before? Even today, one cannot deny the influence and importance of this appropriately-titled record, and the world has taken notice. The disc is one of the most acclaimed of the punk genre in recent memory. Incorporating drum machines and electronic noises, Refused strayed away from the purely traditional sounds of their previous releases in order to provide what they felt was an appropriate backdrop for their anti-establishment, left-wing lyrics. New rhetoric, new approach. Politics aside, the sounds of The Shape are revolutionary – inevitably more than the group’s message turned out to be.
It would seem that every underground dance-related phenomenon needs a CHR makeover at some point. What I mean is, after a while, someone comes along, polishes the gritty edges and buries the key ingredients beneath a plethora of lyrics most likely about drinking unaffordable tequila and having unprotected sex.
Ten-plus years in the making, the emerging genre of dubstep would appear to be bursting at the seams, eager for a Scott Storch-like figurehead to propel it onto satellite radio. Leave it to Rusko to step forward, ready to sugar-coat the burgeoning movement for our relatives attending middle school.
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
20. Kid Sister – Right Hand Hi
We waited a long time for Ultraviolet, and it was worth it. Sure, most of the tracks had been previously heard (thank you Internet), but having them all in one cohesive package made for a pretty stellar dance mixtape. Not to mention it began with this banger, an ode to “stackin’ money and drinkin’ all night.” How could you not get that hand up high?
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
220. Eisley – Marvelous Things
The Tyler, Texas quintet has remained active over the years, but it was this song, played late night on MTV2, that made me fall in love with their soft take on indie pop. It’s infectious, laid-back, and a perfect introduction to the band.
