It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows where I spent my undergrad years (Lubbock) that, when a compilation celebrating the late great Buddy Holly came around, I would be all over it. Â Especially if that collection of tunes were by modern indie greats like She & Him, the Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, and Modest Mouse. Â There was much ado leading up to this album, and now that it’s out, the results, while sometimes not as interesting, are wholehearted and endearing.
As with most compilations, the listener is encouraged not to take the album in as a whole, but rather pick and choose from their favorites, as there is a lot of diverse talent here (with the exception of Kid Rock.) Â Julian Casablancas does a slacker take on “Rave On,” while Karen Elson’s “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” is a stripped-down, beautiful affair true to the original. Â Paul McCartney throws a curveball with the dirty-sounding “It’s So Easy,” and Patti Smith will turn heads with her ambitious cover of “Words of Love.” Â Legends of many genres sing alongside current hit-makers for an impressive tribute to a talent lost too soon.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
50. Passion Pit – Sleepyhead
Named my favorite song of 2009, I’ve already explained how much I love this song. Even a casual reader of the blog knows how many times I’ve blared it loudly, as I’m doing right now. It never gets old. The song is littered with hooks – in the singing, in the wordless chorus, in the sampling, in the background synths. It all just works. And Passion Pit will likely never top it.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
110. Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
This band has always been awesome. Go back in time and take a listen to the self-titled debut or Rated R if you don’t believe. But I suppose it was this song (and video, and album Songs For the Deaf) that put Josh Homme’s brilliant stoner/stripper rock concoction on everybody’s map. Probably because everybody recognized the temporary drummer (isn’t he in Foo Fighters?!). But still, these guys bring the rock.
