This is How We Balk on the Moon
There Will Be Lists Pt. 4
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20. Marco Polo fea. Masta Ace- Nostalgia
(Rawkus)
The throwback hip-hop pearl of 2007, Marco Polo gives veteran Masta Ace a beat that has DJ Premier’s name (and particularly his scratching) all over it. It’s not a flashy piece, but it’s a treat and lets the perennially underrated Ace impress as per usual, someone who, in his own words, has “been a star since Pat Benatar.” He succeeds in hitting us with his best shot.
(Dead Oceans)
It seems like Matthew Houck is singing directly to me, as if I met him under a bridge and asked him to recount something beautiful. The harmonium softly swells to match the bittersweet images that Houck provides to enhance our understanding of what he’s seen, namely in the form of wolf metaphors.
(XL/Matador)
Admittedly, I never got into Maths+English, but if everything was this harsh on the album, I’d be a lot more engrossed. I think I read one blog compare the sound to Primal Scream during Xtrmntr-era, which is pretty accurate, and only serves to further the point that in almost any other rapper’s hands, this would come off as the second coming of “Rock Superstar.” On his second verse, Dizzee has one of his best pieces of storytelling yet, detailing him and his boys beating up an old couple in the alley before finding out a girl from school saw him, and oh yeah, he can hear sirens too. By the time the guitars start playing some “Freak on a Leash”-esque riff, Dizzee just unleashes a concluding verbal assault that fucking sounds great. I don’t really know who else is hard enough to pull this off, besides maybe a rapping Carl Weathers.
17. Los Campesinos!- You! Me! Dancing!
(Arts & Crafts)
What a fucking guitar riff. And it’s even duplicated by a xylophone! I’d love to be able to confess to people upfront my inability to dance a single step, so leave it to Los Campesinos! to take the frontline in the war against high dancing expectations.
16. Marnie Stern- Absorb The Numbers
(Kill Rock Stars)
Beginning with the high timbre of Stern’s voice singing about breath catching up, there’s something a bit off about this song. For the first portion of the song, the track’s the aural equivalent of a hot mess, with all the elements close to being together but not quite there. When the drums and the guitar hammering come together, though, there’s this magical moment, something rarely replicated in any other song this year. Not to content to let us revel in this instant, Stern and drummer go back to a more clattering state, a decision that can’t help but be admired, like giving us a sneak peak at heaven or the new season of Lost, only to kick us back out onto the street again
(Interscope)
Even though I found Kala to be rather overrated, it did provoke various reactions in me, so I’ll give credit to it. The most positive of these reactions came via “Paper Planes,” which seems to be the unanimous choice for the greatest track on the album, and it’s not much a stretch to understand why. M.I.A. utilizes probably her best production ever and lets her flow perfectly play off the snap-laced, gunshot-laced, cashier-laced musical assembly, topped off by the Clash-sampled propelling riff. This almost atones for most people thinking “Jimmy” isn’t an incredibly shit song, as only Coke Machine Glow seems to back me up on.
14. Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma
(XL)
Usually these hype-laden bands never strike the right chord with me, and it’s not like their sound should make me go for them (I don’t even like Graceland that much!), but “Oxford Comma” is simple and catchy enough that I made room for it in the birdhouse in my soul. Who knows if they’ll go on to bigger and better things, but they likely will never top referencing Lil’ Jon in a paean about truth.
13. Spoon- You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
(Merge)
“You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” seemingly typifies what makes Spoon such a durable indie-pop group. Apparent on first listen is the top-notch hook, one of the most charming in the band’s catalog. Yet it’s what’s noticed on further listens- the horns, the gently backing falsetto, the piano hammering home the chords- that thrusts the deceptively simple pop into their usual high strata.
12. Jesu- Conqueror
This certainly was the Western Conference Shoegaze Champion of the year. It leaves me in a haze every time I hear it, like I’m in some dense fog near the Pacific Coast, and although I never know if I’ll find my way out of the mist, I don’t really seem to mind my indistinct state.
(Hydra Head)
11. Outkast- Da Art of Storytelling Pt. 4
(Gangsta Grillz)
It’s just great to hear both of these guys kill it on the same track again. The beat never gets in the way of the tales, and Andre’s line about girls exfoliating and cheering him on is one of the best in hip-hop this year. This excuses most of Idlewild, and special mention needs to go to DJ Drama for his hilarious but heartfelt shout-out at the end of the song. Gotta love him getting out of jail.
There Will Be Lists Pt. 3
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30. Escort- All Through The Night
(Escort)
Two things: no matter if the track is a bit long, the opening bass kick followed by “Giveittomesayitomeworkitwithmeifyourereadyimabouttopop” is the best introduction to a song this year. Secondly, the music video utilizes the Muppets far better than anything since A Muppet Christmas Carol.
29. LCD Soundsystem- All My Friends
(DFA)
Everyone loves this song, and I do think I may have to be in my thirties to appreciate fully, but it’s still pretty heart-wrenching to hear James Murphy break out of his reserved tone to intently ask the listener “where are your friends tonight?” Personally, I would probably guess that they are probably watching VH1 reality shows while eating Tostino’s Pizza Rolls.
(Roc-A-Fella)
In my book, I feel like S Dot Carter and Just Blaze have consistently collaborated for some of the best work in each of their careers. This one’s no different, as Blaze lays down a beat very similar to last year’s “Show Me What You Got,” but this time Jay-Z doesn’t spit a lyrical clunker. Instead, his flow glides like Jordan from the foul line, never losing any steam while also comparing himself to Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, and even Kanye’s jaw. It would be easy to give this spot to the solid single “Roc Boys,” but this is Jay and Blaze’s second chance, atoning for the mostly whack Kingdom Come, and like letting Dwyane Wade grab his own rebound, there’s little chance of it not going in the second time. It takes two basketball similes to make a thing go right.
27. Black Kids- I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
(Self-released)
There have been a few moments in my life when an ex has asked me to teach their new boyfriend how to dance with her. I never had a good excuse, so I’d walk over with my tail between legs and offer a few pointers on the Charleston, the Chicken Noodle Soup, and the like. Now, with the help of the Black Kids, I just need to direct their attention to my iTunes and pump this bouncy track, and POOF- no more free lessons.
26. General Public vs. Rihanna- Tender Umbrella
I was a bit shocked that “Umbrella” blew up as much as it did, since I never loved it. But pair it with one of the undeniably best 80s pop songs in General Public’s “Tenderness,’ as Party Ben did, and now you’re on some David Blaine shit. They compliment each other perfectly, as Rihanna’s elongated “eh-eh-eh” fits in with the post-chorus guitar line in a moment of glorious synchronicity. Monster mash-up.
25. Yeasayer- 2080
(We Are Free)
I can’t exactly pinpoint what this sounds like (besides the 25th best song of the year), but it does the trick when it comes to quasi-roots rock. When the whole band starts singing near the middle of the song, something inside me crinkles and lets it seep into my pores, the raw unadulterated emotion overcoming any Fleetwood Mac comparisons that may steer me away from truly grooving to it.
24. Simian Mobile Disco- I Believe
(Wichita Recordings)
I believe…that this could be…what I need…to believe in over-hyped indie dance acts.
(Kompakt)
I never fell in love with The Field’s highly-lauded full-length, but the hype is all good when it comes to “Everyday.” It comes the nearest to replicating a trip to another world (not a trip to a “Different World,” which Nick at Nite provides nightly), touching a bit of the infinite while simultaneously making your life seem very small. The vocal loop seems to gently nudge the listener towards the pearly gates of musical bliss, and one comes to think that maybe this is what it sounds like after you die, as you bolt across different planes of existence. Maybe it just sounds like a Swedish hipster dance party.
(Roc-A-Fella)
Spent enough time writing about “Yeezy” (fuck off) a few months ago, and my opinion hasn’t changed, but despite my pertinacious stance I will give credit where it’s due. One of the his best productions, “The Glory” takes strings, piano, and a choir and creates a swirling background for him to spit his usual self-conscious/egotistical prick shtick. I do compliment the fact that when he says he wants to be compared to Big, he includes Pun and L in addition to Biggie Smalls. How thoughtful, ‘ye.
21. Animal Collective- Fireworks
(Domino)
There was a great day this past summer when my housemates and I threw a party during the day and it turned into a full-fledged water gun fight, eventually devolving into boys against girls. Naturally, the duders topped the dudettes, not before I was sneak attacked by two of my housemates who threw a bucket of water on me from our roof. Afterwards, we all were soaked and thrust our attention towards the Slip n’ Slide for a bit, before the beer and the heat consumed us all, forcing us inside to dance and drink more. This song wasn’t played that day (we mostly heard Mystikal- I was DJing, of course), but I when I look back with fondness to that day, it’s become more and more soundtracked exclusively by this song. Why, I’m not sure, besides the fact that it’s the kind of song you’d you love to hear beside your fondest memories from the past year.
Tags: Animal Collective, Black Kids, Escort, General Public, Jay-Z, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem, Rihanna, Simian Mobile Disco, The Field, Yeasayer
There Will Be Lists Pt. 2
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40. The Clientele- Bookshop Casanova
(Merge)
I profoundly want to strut to this song, a feeling induced by the quarter note-propelled lead guitar, and I rarely want to strut my stuff. My posture’s pretty weak, actually, so it takes an immense jangle to reverse my spinal position and put some fleetness in my step. This tune works for me, so what else can I say in defense. “Bookshop Casanova”: kid-tested, mother-approved.
39. Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass
(Definitive Jux)
A very solid track for Ian Bavitz, where the production is superb enough to keep up with what Aesop’s spitting. Peep the third verse, where his voice exudes total confidence in being firmly idiosyncratic even while the words aren’t totally comprehendible on first listen, summing up his career pretty well. Aesop is always a dude who I’d like to really get into more, if only because when he’s on point, he’s nothing like any other MC in the game, thoroughly tantalizing with his flow and diction.
(Columbia/Sony Urban)
With “1 Thing” in 2005, “Take Control” in 2006, and “Gotta Work” repping in 2007, can we firmly establish that Amerie may be a dark horse candidate for singles artist of the second half of the decade? Riding a Sam and Dave horn riff and those big drums copped from “1 Thing” (which single-handedly sold the Hitch OST), Amerie gives us life-affirming lessons, much like a 21st-century Edna Garrett. She sounds like she’s close to throwing her voice out each time she goes high, leading to her having an appealing rasp when she belts it out, and it definitely works. If she keeps it up, she’ll be competing with Shanice circa 1991 for my R&B affection.
37. Burial-Archangel
(Hyperdub)
I don’t really know how to put this, but if you don’t find this the least bit haunting, with a warped vocal singing “tell me I belong,” I’m not sure if you know my steez. Almost every blog I read who mentions that they love this song also subtly mentions that they aren’t dubstep experts, and I’d do the same, so maybe that speaks to the sublimity of “Archangel.” Or maybe there’s just no one who could actually claim dubstep as an area of expertise. I mean, I don’t know if there’s a master’s degree for it.
36. Dinosaur Jr.- Almost Ready
(Fat Possum)
I have only recently, as in the past year, begun listening to Dinosaur Jr., so I wasn’t anxiously looking forward to their new album. The opening guitar riff has a Beverly Hills 90210 theme quality to it, but it evolves into a song that could be put next to “Freak Scene” or “In A Jar” on the top shelf of their greatest power pop tunes.
(Permanent Vacation)
Yeah, there’s some slinky production, and yeah, Diamond’s voice is pretty adept when it comes to cooing disco come-ons, but it’s really the first line that seals it: “I came, I saw, I conquered your heart.” I’ve said that to at least three girls and it’s never done me wrong yet.
34. Magik Markers- Bad Dream/Hartford’s Beat Suite
(Ecstatic Peace/Arbitrary Signs)
It’s weird to think that may favorite song off a noise-rock group’s album is their one ballad, but it’s way too haunting to disregard as an anomaly. The lyrics seem to recount the plot of Corpse Bride, but don’t hold me to that. I didn’t catch that one in the theaters.
33. Black Milk- Popular Demand
(Fat Beats)
One of the best beats of the year, this sounds as close to a J Dilla tribute as one can come without rapping over one of his beats. It comes from rapper/producer Black Milk, who was a friend of Dilla, and although he is only adequate as an emcee, save for a great hammock simile, the production is the Mary Katherine Gallagher of the song. Before the track ends, Black Milk throws in a “let’s start it off…let’s go!” in a nod to “Dilla Says Go” off of Donuts, which is a nice touch.
(Ed Banger)
I don’t even like this song that much, but it was so ubiquitous, such a party hit no matter which continent I was on (although Europe loves their Craig David a bit more), I couldn’t help to begin to dig it, just a bit. It’s that funky guitar, I think.
31. Lil’ Wayne- My Daddy (We Takin’ Over Remix)
(Young Money Entertainment)
I find myself enjoying Weezy F. Baby much more for impersonation (re: David McNamera) than for his music, most of the time, but this track of Da Drought 3 seems to find him at his most enjoyable, as he kills the “We Takin Over” beat. Truthfully, this isn’t his best lyrical performance of the past year- he even starts babbling at one point before bringing it home with a clutch Scott Storch stinger- but it’s the flow that’s pertinent. He doesn’t really relent for two minutes, making his finishing “bye” come more abruptly than the end of a Tom Brady one-night stand.
Tags: Aesop Rock, Amerie, Black Milk, Burial, Clientele, D.A.N.C.E., Dinosaur Jr., Kathy Diamond, Magik Markers, Weezy
There Will Be Lists
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Here’s the ‘very sorry song’
Won’t you help and sing along?
Bum bum bum
I blew it!
He’s sorry
I knew it!
So sorry
I’m very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!
Just don’t do it any more, you scurvy scalawaagg!
- Calvin and Hobbes, “The Very Sorry Song”
So I fucked up, and totally neglected this for three months. To be fair, I often thought about updating (not as much as I thought about Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch’s “Good Vibrations”), but I was living it up in Prague. We’ll get to that at some point, but for now, here’s my gift to you: my 50 favorite songs of 2007 (as of today, because it’ll probably change every week or so.)
The songs are all available to download, so think of it as my personal mixtape to you. And whoever else downloads it.
50. Jurgen Paape + Boy Schaufler- We Love
(Motivo Productions)
There’s something very restrained and soothing, with the minimalist lyrics and synth reminiscent of Orbital’s “Chime.” I always imagine this as a song that I would be enjoying from the sidelines at a club, catching a dancing girl’s eyes and mouthing to her, “Good track. I am enjoying this.” She likely diverts her attention elsewhere after this encounter. Oh, we love.
49. Beirut- Forks and Knives (La Fête)
(4AD)
Sounds hella French. Like, this should replace the first song from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
48. Groove Armada fea. Mutya Buena- Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)
(Columbia)
So say you’re in a car, you’re feeling on top of the world, and your ex pulls up next to you. Your first inclination is to panic and let this ruin your day. I mean, just as you’re on top of your life, there homeboy is again. But really, just don’t react and look ahead. I know that’s what Mutya Buena (with the help of Groove Armada) would do, and damned if you don’t listen to her advice.
47. Tenniscoats- Baibaba Bimba
(Hapna)
I have no clue what the lead singer’s saying, and while I’d like to hedge my bet that she’s singing in Japanese since Tenniscoats from Nippon, I have this overwhelming feeling it’s just gibberish. If so, anyone who knows me knows that I love babytalk in songs, and it helps that this tune is cuter than a 365-day calendar of Zooey Deschanel.
46. Charlie Wilson- Charlie, Last Name Wilson
(Jive)
One of the best choruses of the year, as it’s literally Charlie Wilson’s pickup of a girl, a pickup line so earnest and formal that it’s nearly impossible to not appreciate. The clincher is the last minute of the song when Charlie loses his cool and starts cranking with his pipes lines such as “girl, I got a big old house” and pleads for her to pick up the phone and call him. Hell, he gives the girl his manager’s number, his studio’s number, even his mama’s number. What I marvel at is the fact that Uncle Charlie could even be single at this point, a talent of his magnitude still looking for love in his 60s. Of course, after this song, he should never again have any trouble picking up ladies. Don’t forget, the name is Charlie.
45. Pantha du Prince- Saturn Strobe
(Dial)
This is the kind of techno that would sound ace in a car commercial. I guess that doesn’t sound like a compliment, but it would sell me a Kia or two.
44. Ghostface Killah fea. Method Man and Raekwon- Yolanda’s House
(Def Jam)
While part of me wanted the obligatory Ghostface pick to be “Supa GFK,” if only for him finishing the song by chanting “Momma gotta big butt, momma got a big butt,” I have to give it to this, on account to his near-perfect attention to detail. It makes me so content to hear him go from talking about eating fishsticks while a girl puts on lipstick to him barging into another room to see Method Man with his “balls out” getting it on. As heard before from Jadakiss on “Run,” working with the Wallaby Champ can lead to some great asthma-related punchlines, and Meth doesn’t disappoint, as he chastises Ghost for laughing at his asthmatic hook-up. Man, I just want to kick it with these guys.
(Sub Pop)
Something just incredibly pretty about this, it’s purely a nice tune that feels, perhaps due to the warbled vocals, like it washed up on the riverbank. The singer rambles on about crackheads and Persian rugs, narrowly avoiding triteness (unlike any of these best songs captions) and we all luck out because it’s sheer dream-like feel can’t be denied. Let’s get this on the Garden State II soundtrack.
(Studio !K7)
An extremely catchy chorus fuels what is a lesser but easily more fun song than Hot Chip’s “Boy From School,” which seems to be the indie synth-pop equivalent to a TBS New Classic.
41. Girls Aloud- Can’t Speak French
(Universal)
It once was hip to love Girls Aloud as a choice manufactured pop group, but I think that changed once Stylus closed its proverbial doors. I’m not sure, yet I still think they put out another song that amazes me, not only by how catchy it is, but also by how interesting it is compared to it’s other chart-topping buddies on the UK pop charts. While not quite the treasure “Biology” or “The Show” each were, “Can’t Speak French” succeeds in once again eschewing most modern pop trends and being master-crafted. All I know is that with this airy, indefinable gem, Girls Aloud has now had one of my favorite pop songs for three of the past four years, and that’s not because anyone else told me it was hip to. I mean, I only read Spin anyways.
The list has only just begun. There’s forty more to come, and you won’t have to wait three months to see the rest (probably only two and a half.)
Drew R.
Tags: 2007, Beirut, Best, Charlie Wilson, Girls Aloud, Hot Chip, Mutya, Pantha, Tenniscoats, We Love
