10. Death Cab For Cutie - "Doors Unlocked and Open"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxeo_N3Z0c
There are songs that make you want to get in your car and drive until the road ends. This is one of them.
9. Portugal. The Man "Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ES2fIBPOLs&ob=av2e
8. Foo Fighters - "These Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q73Jb8ChjuM
The Foo's delivered their best album in years in 2011, and this song captures the emotion of the record well: anger, aggression, acceptance. Awesome.
7. Bon Iver - "Calgary"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd-N6wo8Cwk
6. Needtobreathe - "Keep Your Eyes Open"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWmKYzqZ-54
5. Foster the People - "Houdini"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEVa3jAaweE
While "Pumped Up Kicks" was getting all the radio play this year, this song was running laps around it. I defy you not to catch yourself whistling this hook later today.
4. The Killers - "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNXsjs6ED5Y
Can you put a U2 cover song from 1991 in your top songs of 2011? When it's hands-down the best U2 cover you've ever heard, you sure can.
3. Fleet Foxes - "The Shrine/An Argument"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_XXismYUZs
Two understated, poetic and sometimes bizarre songs sandwich the most powerful 90 seconds of music in 2011. Epic.
2. The Boxer Rebellion - "Both Sides Are Even"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aaACjXX1t0
The Boxer Rebellion describe their music as "cinematic." This song would be a the movie's climax.
1. Reeve Carney featuring Bono and The Edge - "Rise Above 1"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PomErClAIFk
Am I biased? Yes, probably. But this song was, for my money, the best, most memorable and most underrated song of the year. Broadway road-trip in 2012, anyone?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Top 30 Songs of 2011: 20-11
20. Wilco - "I Might"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNs7NLwuHx0
19. The Fray - "Heartbeat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWnXSV6uZps
Yes, I do have The Fray in my top 20. And don't even try to pretend like you don't love this song too.
18. TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9erHKnztSA
17. Sleeper Agent - "Get it Daddy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUF2RDHDtzM
The underdog rock hit of the year. These guys are so young it almost makes me feel like I'm too old to be listening to their music.
16. Real Estate - "It's Real"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWcViTXdYc&ob=av3e
15. The Decemberists - "Don't Carry it All"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEnUp2j8TV4
If you want to have one of your songs land in my Top 30 list, here's a good recipe: heavy drums + harmonica. Love it.
14. Fleet Foxes - "Lorelai"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVyLukxXKIc
13. Augustana - "Shot in the Dark"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gue2tmm8iE
One of the most underrated bands out there today, Augustana turns out a song Bruce Springsteen would be proud of.
12. Lucinda Williams - "Blessed"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubs-9C1zge0
11. M83 - "Midnight City"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE
This is one of those songs where it's hard to explain why it's so good. You just know it is. "Hurry Up We're Dreaming" is one of the year's best albums, as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNs7NLwuHx0
19. The Fray - "Heartbeat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWnXSV6uZps
Yes, I do have The Fray in my top 20. And don't even try to pretend like you don't love this song too.
18. TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9erHKnztSA
17. Sleeper Agent - "Get it Daddy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUF2RDHDtzM
The underdog rock hit of the year. These guys are so young it almost makes me feel like I'm too old to be listening to their music.
16. Real Estate - "It's Real"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWcViTXdYc&ob=av3e
15. The Decemberists - "Don't Carry it All"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEnUp2j8TV4
If you want to have one of your songs land in my Top 30 list, here's a good recipe: heavy drums + harmonica. Love it.
14. Fleet Foxes - "Lorelai"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVyLukxXKIc
13. Augustana - "Shot in the Dark"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gue2tmm8iE
One of the most underrated bands out there today, Augustana turns out a song Bruce Springsteen would be proud of.
12. Lucinda Williams - "Blessed"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubs-9C1zge0
11. M83 - "Midnight City"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE
This is one of those songs where it's hard to explain why it's so good. You just know it is. "Hurry Up We're Dreaming" is one of the year's best albums, as well.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Top 30 Songs of 2011: 30-21
30. Coldplay - "Paradise"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ZWlDks0nQ
29. Peter Bjorn and John - "Second Chance"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxcHS27DuEo
28. John Wesley Harding - "There's a Starbucks (Where the Starbucks Used to Be)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X402vbMaL2E
27. MuteMath - "Blood Pressure"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv2mjAgFTaI&ob=av2e
26. Fitz and the Tantrums - "Don't Gotta Work it Out"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h-rwXG8zWs
25. U.S. Royalty - "Equestrian"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQr_qgEBNLY
24. Portugal. The Man - "You Carried Us"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwCv-SGzVYo
23. My Morning Jacket - "You Wanna Freak Out"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZZ4ScvB_rM
22. Cass McCombs - "County Line"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOcnITphyjk&ob=av2e
21. The Black Keys - "Nova Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOJH7YQCcmo
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Top 30 Tunes of 2010: 10-1
Drumroll, please...
10. Jakob Dylan -"Nothing But the Whole Wide World"
9. The National - "England"
8. Broken Bells - "The Ghost Inside"
7. Kanye West - "Runaway"
6. Kings of Leon - "Pyro"
5. Jimmy Eat World - "Invented"
4. The Morning Benders - "Excuses"
3. Arcade Fire - "We Used to Wait"
2. Brandon Flowers - "Only the Young"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBENjCPS8LI (also probably my favorite video of the year)
1. The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Top 30 Tunes of 2010: 20-11
Top 30 Tunes of 2010:
20. Cults - "Go Outside"
19. Keane - "Clear Skies"
18. Fran Healy - "Fly in the Ointment"
17. Kings of Leon - "Radioactive"
16. LCD Soundsystem - "I Can Change"
15. Josh Ritter - "Lark"
14. Brandon Flowers - "Crossfire"
13. Band of Horses - "On My Way Back Home"
12. Sun Airway - "Put the Days Away"
11. Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Top 30 Tunes of 2010: 30-21
Okay, a couple things.
First, I'm not a music expert, just a big fan. So I'm not about to claim that the following 30 songs are unquestionably the greatest musical, lyrical compilations of the past 12 months.
That said, they're 30 awesome songs that I thoroughly enjoyed this year, and I think you will too.
Secondly, it was taking way to much time to embed the videos for each of these, so I've included the links to YouTube.
Finally, please send me your comments or suggestions. I would love to hear what artists/songs made your 2010 a bit more musical.
Part 2 (20-11) will be on its way tomorrow. Enjoy...
Top 30 Tunes of 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxaGJNihf28
29. Jonsi - "Go Do"
28. Fierce Bad Rabbit - "Divided"
27. MGMT - "Flash Delirium"
26. Bob Schneider - "40 Dogs (Romeo and Juliet)"
25. The Black Keys - "Tighten Up"
24. Codeine Velvet Club - "Hollywood"
23. Greg Laswell - "Lie to Me"
22. Beach House - "Norway"
21. Chiddy Bang - "All Things Go"
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Lebron Saga: Why It's All Michael Jordan's Fault
I am not an NBA fan. This morning, the reasons for that fact have never rung truer.
The NBA is a sport to celebrate the individual star.
The NBA is a sport full of selfish, self-promoting egotists.
The NBA is no longer about building a team, but rather collecting the most superstars.
The NBA is the only sport that could produce the kind of marketing show that Lebron James put on in Connecticut last night.
And while everyone today searches for a villain - Lebron, Dan Gilbert, ESPN, the collective media, the American sports fan, etc. - I can find one person to point most of the blame at:
Michael Jordan.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think MJ intentionally created the circus we know today as the NBA. I think he was the greatest player in NBA history who saved the league and made basketball a worldwide phenomenon for the first time.
But just as MJ saved the game, he simultaneously ruined it. Hear me out.
Jordan was known for his incredible individual skill. Sure, there had been great players (Magic, Bird, Dr. J., Kareem, and so on) before, but none had been so impressive to watch by himself in NBA history.
The dunks, the jumpers, the cross-over dribbles, the fist-pumps, the tongue... it was unlike anything we'd ever seen before. And with a growing sports media - more cameras, more TV stations, more magazines - we ate it up.
And seemingly overnight, the game of basketball was changed forever. Every NBA franchise began searching high-and-low for "The Next Jordan." Teams were built around marketable superstars, rather than championship-minded squads.
Penny. Shaq. McGrady. Kobe. Melo. Lebron.
While my dad's generation grew up on pick-up games, getting a group of guys together to play at the gym, my generation grew up with one-on-one games in the driveway, dunk contests and an ever-present dream to "Be Like Mike."
Even our video games changed. For example, the most popular basketball game for Super Nintendo at the time was "NBA Jams," where you played 2-on-2 basketball, complete with high-flying dunks and the ability to "catch fire" if you made enough shots in a row.
And as big as the changes were within the sport, they were even bigger away from it. Jordan became larger than life phenomenon off of the court. He was a marketing dream - and the world bowed before him to buy his shoes, his sports drink, his jerseys.
Nike became the dominant sports apparel company in the world. "Just Do It" and swooshes were on every kid's backpacks and t-shirts in America. The Air Jordan saga proved that one, ultra-talented player could be bigger than his team, bigger than the league, bigger than the game itself.
And thus was born the sports world we live in today. And, truthfully, it's not just found in the NBA.
We live in a world where Tiger Woods can be the most powerful advertising tool on the planet. A world where a football player's Twitter account can have nearly a million followers. A world where one baseball player can earn over $45,000 per at-bat. A world where the big stars get paid more to tell people what car to drive than they do to actually play their sport.
Clearly it isn't just the NBA that has been infected by this media-crazed, cash-infused philosophy, but I believe the NBA has certainly become the worst.
Can you imagine Albert Pujols holding a similar press conference to announce his new deal with the Cardinals? Or Peyton Manning being covered for an entire four-hour period on ESPN? In the off-season?
I can't. At least not yet.
But in the NBA, the individual can be bigger than the team, bigger than the league, bigger than the game.
It all started with MJ. Where will it end?
The NBA is a sport to celebrate the individual star.
The NBA is a sport full of selfish, self-promoting egotists.
The NBA is no longer about building a team, but rather collecting the most superstars.
The NBA is the only sport that could produce the kind of marketing show that Lebron James put on in Connecticut last night.
And while everyone today searches for a villain - Lebron, Dan Gilbert, ESPN, the collective media, the American sports fan, etc. - I can find one person to point most of the blame at:
Michael Jordan.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think MJ intentionally created the circus we know today as the NBA. I think he was the greatest player in NBA history who saved the league and made basketball a worldwide phenomenon for the first time.
But just as MJ saved the game, he simultaneously ruined it. Hear me out.
Jordan was known for his incredible individual skill. Sure, there had been great players (Magic, Bird, Dr. J., Kareem, and so on) before, but none had been so impressive to watch by himself in NBA history.
The dunks, the jumpers, the cross-over dribbles, the fist-pumps, the tongue... it was unlike anything we'd ever seen before. And with a growing sports media - more cameras, more TV stations, more magazines - we ate it up.
And seemingly overnight, the game of basketball was changed forever. Every NBA franchise began searching high-and-low for "The Next Jordan." Teams were built around marketable superstars, rather than championship-minded squads.
Penny. Shaq. McGrady. Kobe. Melo. Lebron.
While my dad's generation grew up on pick-up games, getting a group of guys together to play at the gym, my generation grew up with one-on-one games in the driveway, dunk contests and an ever-present dream to "Be Like Mike."
Even our video games changed. For example, the most popular basketball game for Super Nintendo at the time was "NBA Jams," where you played 2-on-2 basketball, complete with high-flying dunks and the ability to "catch fire" if you made enough shots in a row.
And as big as the changes were within the sport, they were even bigger away from it. Jordan became larger than life phenomenon off of the court. He was a marketing dream - and the world bowed before him to buy his shoes, his sports drink, his jerseys.
Nike became the dominant sports apparel company in the world. "Just Do It" and swooshes were on every kid's backpacks and t-shirts in America. The Air Jordan saga proved that one, ultra-talented player could be bigger than his team, bigger than the league, bigger than the game itself.
And thus was born the sports world we live in today. And, truthfully, it's not just found in the NBA.
We live in a world where Tiger Woods can be the most powerful advertising tool on the planet. A world where a football player's Twitter account can have nearly a million followers. A world where one baseball player can earn over $45,000 per at-bat. A world where the big stars get paid more to tell people what car to drive than they do to actually play their sport.
Clearly it isn't just the NBA that has been infected by this media-crazed, cash-infused philosophy, but I believe the NBA has certainly become the worst.
Can you imagine Albert Pujols holding a similar press conference to announce his new deal with the Cardinals? Or Peyton Manning being covered for an entire four-hour period on ESPN? In the off-season?
I can't. At least not yet.
But in the NBA, the individual can be bigger than the team, bigger than the league, bigger than the game.
It all started with MJ. Where will it end?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)