Last week on Pitchfork.com, they released their list of the Top 500 songs from this decade, with the Top 20 being announced Friday- here's the link . For those that aren't familiar with Pitchfork, they are a music website that caters to mostly alternative music fans (like me) with news, interviews and CD/song reviews. Sometimes they exhibit a little TOO much music snobbery, even for me (I know, SHOCKING!). When I read the list, there were some songs I agreed with, and some that I totally did not. Here is their list...
Pitchfork Top 20
20. The Walkmen - "The Rat"
19. R. Kelly - "Ignition (Remix)"
18. Hercules and Love Affair - "Blind"
17. Annie - "Heartbeat"
16. The Rapture - "House of Jealous Lovers"
15. The Knife - "Heartbeats"
14. Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
13. LCD Soundsystem - "Losing My Edge"
12. OutKast - "Hey Ya!"
11. Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"
10. Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)"
9. Animal Collective - "My Girls"
8. Radiohead - "Idioteque"
7. Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On"
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"
5. Daft Punk - "One More Time"
4. Beyoncé [ft. Jay-Z] - "Crazy in Love"
3. M.I.A. [ft. Bun B and Rich Boy] - "Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)"
2. LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
1. OutKast - "B.O.B."
Here are a few thoughts on their list - first, my main problem with their list overall is the same problem I had with their book on the top 500 songs from the punk era to the present (an excellent book, despite any disagreements that I had with it) and that is the fact that they placed too much importance on dance music. I mean, come on - TWO LCD Soundsystem songs in the top 20, and neither of them is even "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"? No way. Second, I wouldn't include Jay-Z, Beyonce or Missy Elliott on my list, but that's mostly due to the fact that I don't listen to Beyonce or Missy (I like Jay-Z, but he wouldn't make my Top 20) or their type of music.
I decided to go through my collection and pick out my Top 20 favorite songs from the decade (I can't believe that it is almost over...):
20. Can't Stand Me Now - The Libertines
The Libertines were, sadly, a flash in the pan group, mostly due to the out of control drug use of Pete Doherty (he is the crazy ex-boyfriend of Kate Moss that was involved with most of HER drug problems a few years ago). Its a shame too - they showed just the right mix of talent and that sneering British attitude of "I don't give a fuck" that the best punk bands had in the 70s. I would have liked to have seen where their music would go as the band matured, but, despite to hundreds of rumors of a reunion, it doesn't look like it will happen.
19. Hello Sunshine - Super Furry Animals
This is one of those songs that starts out one way and then changes into a different song. It starts out with a woman's voice singing in a fairly ethereal way about saying good bye, backed up by lush strings. Then, abruptly, it switches to a man singing about happiness ("sunshine") coming into his life. It is a incredibly simple, beautiful song about new beginnings that would be perfect on any mixtape you gave to your new girlfriend/boyfriend (if people still did that. Which they don't).
18. Have A Nice Day - Stereophonics
Stereophonics are one of those bands that never really hit it big here (aside from a few songs, including this one, that made it to indie radio airplay) despite being pretty huge in England. This song is a pretty straight up pop-rock offering that always makes me think of summer (with lyrics about being on vacation in San Francisco and lazily sitting around and drinking) and never ceases to put me in a good mood when I hear it (despite some of the lyrics sounding like they are disappointed with their choice of holiday - I don't care, it always lifts my spirits).
17. Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes
This is the song that put The White Stripes (and Jack White) on the map and sent them to indie rock (and sort of mainstream) popularity. Thi was probably due to the fact that this song is so different than most of their other music. Their songs are much more blues rock oriented than this one, which is face-paced, even almost frantic. It was accompanied by one of the all time coolest music videos - Jack and Meg White as stop-motion animated Lego characters.
16. The Seed 2.0 - The Roots
A little bit of a departure from the norm from the second best hip-hop group (see #11 below) out there today. The Roots always have had a little different sound than other rap acts because of the fact that there are also a band - they play their own instruments (they are currently the house band on Jimmy Fallon's talk show, which I thought would be kind of odd, but has turned out to be pretty cool because of the different other groups the Roots have been able to play with that have been guests on the show). However, adding guest vocalist/guitarist Cody Chesnutt and amping up the tempo on Chesnutt's song "The Seed" resulted in a sort of countrified-hip hop -soul fusion that was the catchiest song of 2003, despite the songs lyrics being about purposely knocking up your girlfriend (although, depending on what lyrics website you read, there are a few other meanings for what this song is really saying).
15. Abel - The National
I already wrote about (and posted this song) on my The Bands Making the Best Music Right Now blog, so I am not going to add anything to that entry or post the song again. Oh what the hell (this song is awesome...)
14. Golden Age - Beck
This from the album "Sea Change", which was Beck's "break-up" album. Up to this point, Beck's music was, for the most part, electrified, sample-laden, groovy white boy funk. This album was a WILD departure from those songs. All the songs on this CD are stripped down, both musically and lyrically, leaving a raw, painful portrait of a man who had just come from a relationship that could not have ended well. Beck poured a lot of himself into these songs, got it out of his system, and then was back to his old tricks with his next CD.
13. Twin Cinema - The New Pornographers
I have also written before about the New Pornographers, so there isn't really much to add. I think they are the best pop-rock band around right now. Because they rotate 3 singers - Carl Newman, Neko Case and Ban Bejar - they are able to mix up their sound and play to the strengths of each vocalist, which keeps them sounding fresh.
12. Black and White Town - Doves
This song is from the third album by Doves, "Some Cities". It was a number 1 hit for them in the UK, and also received quite a bit of airplay on CD101, which is how I first heard of them. This is a fairly upbeat sounding song with some truly down and out lyrics (the song is about despair and needing to escape). In a case of marketing people only listening to the melody of a song and not the lyrics this song has been used for a lot of sporting events over in England...
11. B.O.B - Outkast
Now, I agree this is a great song, probably the best song by the #1, most innovative hip hop group around. BUT... I don't see it as the best song of the decade. That said, there is no denying the greatness of this sng. It should be called "Machine Guns Over Baghdad", as "Bombs" doesn't nearly do justice to the speed that both the bass line and the lyrics assault you. One of the things that always set Big Boi and Andre 3000 appart from other rapper is that they were willing to step out of the "money, drugs, booze and ho's" lyrical trap that makes most rap today so terrible. They still sound boastful, but in a way that uses rhymes that sound great together as well as manage to get across their point.
Part 2 will follow later...
I think Pitchfork was really stretching things putting TWO Outkast songs in their top 20. The dance bias is pretty annoying overall
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was bad enough how many dance songs made the Pitchfork list, but it was even worse for that book of their's I mentioned in the post - the amount of dance music that made the list of the top 500 songs from 76-06 was terrible.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margaret! New readers are always appreciated.
ReplyDeletei think the outkast songs are exactly where they should be. but i agree with derek on the lcd soundsystem. however, i better see either "star witness" or "hold on hold on" in the top ten...
ReplyDeleteWait Lori - you think that B.O.B. is the best song of the decade? Also, on your second point, you are going to be disappointed...
ReplyDeleteI love that White STripes song, but I had never seen the video. Stop motion legos not conducive to enjoying on You-Tube quality. I'll have to find that one somewhere.
ReplyDelete