Top 10 Songs of 2011
2011 was quite a year for new music! Of course, the biggest happening was that my fave band of all time, The Human League, released a new album, "Credo," in March. But so much more awesome music was made too - Aqua dropped their comeback album "Megalomania," the full edition of "All You Need Is Now" by Duran Duran came out early in the year, Blondie's long-awaited "Panic of Girls" hit the streets, and Tiffany released her first country album, "Rose Tattoo" shortly after her SyFy movie "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid", co-starring Deborah Gibson, was aired. Several other past favorite artists of mine released new material too: Melanie C (aka Sporty Spice), Scritti Politti, and CSS. It was a difficult process to compile, but here's my top 10 of 2011!
10. "A Day Late And A Dollar Short" - Scritti Politti
This song is great and sounds like a good mesh between the more poppy, electronic 80's Scritti and the more recent singer/songwriter style of "White Bread Black Beer," most likely because it was co-written by David Gamson, who was in the band during the Cupid & Psyche era. I like the upbeat feel to this song, it's very sing-a-long, and has the right amount of electronic flourishes mixed in with the vocal harmonies. Unfortunately, because this and another new track, "A Place We Both Belong," were tacked on to a greatest hits album, I didn't end up listening to it as often as I would of had it been part of an album of new material, which is why it ranks last on my countdown. However, supposedly Mr. Gartside is working on a new album, so who knows what 2012 will bring?
9. "Whatever You Do" - Crush
I feel bad that I still haven't downloaded "Luscious Excelsis" - the new album by my friends Crush, but I do have this song thanks to Marc Loren's "Best of 2011" 3 CD set (his annual holiday gift to his music-obsessed friends) and it's a great tune! I saw them perform it live when I performed with them at Que Sera this past summer. Out of all the indie bands that I've had the honor of performing with and getting to know over the past decade that I've been living in LA, Crush is definitely my favorite musically. At first, I wasn't crazy about the auto-tuning here but after a few listens it starts to sound natural, much like another song higher up on this chart. Once I get the whole album, I might change my mind about which song should be on this countdown, but for now, "Whatever You Do" will do!
8. "Chocha" - Teddybears
I only stumbled upon this song because the video features Jeff Turner, famous to Tiffany fans as the stalker who tried to give her a Samurai Sword as a gift when he confronted her on the steps of the courthouse where she was trying to sue her parents for emancipation. More recently, he's been featured in the documentary "I Think We're Alone Now." Anyway, a fellow Tiff-head tipped me off to this video and I watched it in horror - it's a pretty scary video even if you aren't already acquainted with the star. But the song itself is really catchy and grows on you quickly, to the point where I actually went out and bought the album, which is chock full of great, diverse songs. Another hot tune on the album is "Cardiac Arrest," which features Robyn.
7. "What I Heard" - Blondie
The lead single off Blondie's latest disc, "Mother," is a great song and I really enjoyed the zombie-themed video. But once I got the CD and put it in the player, this song absolutely jumped out and grabbed hold of me! It's such a scorching, powerful track that combines everything that Blondie has ever been great at, with the drums, the keyboards, guitars and vocals all combining with a sense of urgency similar to "Union City Blue" or "Goldenrod." I wasn't completely blown away by a lot of the album, "Panic of Girls," but it is definitely nice to have Blondie back, and the packaging and artwork on the Fan Pack, which I ordered from Amazon UK, was really terrific. I should probably revisit this album again because I think some of the songs are slow-burners that I just haven't given enough attention to yet, but this song is immediate and powerful!
6. "Judas" - Lady Gaga
Here we are again, Ms. Gaga! You are nothing if not prolific, talented, and able to write one catchy song after another! Although I found "Born This Way" to be a fun gay anthem, "Judas" was my favorite song off this album. It seemed so "out there" and neurotic, I am so glad that it was a single, since most of the other single releases have been the more bland, radio-friendly tracks. This one has some bite to it, and it's all aggro-electro until suddenly the chorus comes in and it's a huge sing-a-long! Of course I had to look up the words right away because Dylan was getting annoyed with my own made up substitute lyrics when I first started singing them. And would you believe I just finally saw the video a few days ago? I kept thinking I'd see it on New Now Next but I never got around to it. Luckily, most of her recent videos are available On-Demand on our cable box.
5. "Crazy Girls" - Tiffany (featuring Lindsay Lawler)
"That's what crazy girls dooooo!" sing Tiffany and whoever Lindsay Lawler is. It's actually kinda nice to hear my girl Tiff sharing the microphone with another female vocalist. The only duets she had done before had been with dudes and they tended to be of the sappy, lovesick variety. This is a kickass country song about a couple rowdy chicks getting all Thelma and Louise (bringing the boys to their knees). I love the part in the bridge where they say "sign says slow down, road closed up ahead, I say we turn around, I say we speed up instead!" Whenever I hear this song, I wish my friend Ryan and I had done a video for it where were dressed up as Thelma and Louise and lip-sanc the words, driving around in a convertible! Anyway, I was a little unsure how I would feel about Tiffany's switch to country music before I heard the album, but it was all for not: "Rose Tattoo" is a fantastic set of songs, all of them very catchy and polished, you don't have to be a country fan to enjoy these tunes!
4. "Hawaiian Air" - Friendly Fires
Here we welcome another new band into my repertoire. I discovered Friendly Fires after a Facebook friend posted that this album reminded them of the Thompson Twins. Since TT are one of my favorite 80's bands that have yet to reunite (and most likely never will), I thought I'd look into this. I got the album and immediately heard the TT connection on the opening track, "Live Those Days Tonight," but it was this song that really caught my attention. It's the type of vibe I was going for with my own song, "Winnipeg Beach," which was probably the best received track on my album which I released in April of this year. Anyway, "Hawaiian Air" is especially touching to me because in 2009 I spent Yuletide on Maui with my family and it was such a great memory, I used the song as the opening credits on our home movies DVD from the trip.
3. "The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child" - Fatty Gets A Stylist / Kate Miller-Heidke
Oh my, I love this song! I just completely stumbled onto Kate Miller-Heidke earlier this year when I found her album "Curiouser" in the bargain bin at Amoeba and took a chance on it, having never heard of her before. I ended up loving it and found out through her web presence that she was releasing a new album under the name "Fatty Gets A Stylist," which was a project with her husband, Keir Nuttall. I downloaded the album and absolutely loved it, even more than "Curiouser." The opening track, "Are You Ready," was used in a New York state lottery commercial and at some point they decided to release the album under Kate's name instead of the FGAS moniker. Regardless, it's a great disc and this song is so moving! It also reminds me of my friend, Tiger.
2. "Playmate to Jesus" - Aqua
I really did not get my hopes up to high when it was announced a couple years ago that Aqua was reuniting. I LOVED Aqua back in the day, when their first album, "Aquarium," was released. My friends and I couldn't get enough of that album and all the remixes on the import singles, which I collected like a fiend. When it came time for their follow up, "Aquarius" was released and although I thought I loved it at the time, it really was not that great. Songs like "Cartoon Heroes," "Back From Mars," and "Goodbye to the Circus" just sounded too much like a Disney cartoon soundtrack and pigeon-holed them into a category that I wasn't really that interested in. Then, they broke up and were silent for many years, only to return with a handful of great new songs for their greatest hits album, among them the fantastic "Back to the 80's." It was then silent again for awhile until finally they released "How R U Doin," which was the lead single from their comeback album, "Megalomania," which still didn't get released for almost another year - but it was worth the wait. This lead single shows a more mature, sophisticated Aqua, sounding current and vibrant. Because I fell in love with this album so quickly and thoroughly, I made it a point to finally see Aqua live this year, on their home turf in Copenhagen, and it was a truly amazing experience. They opened with this song.
1. "Never Let Me Go" - The Human League
2011 was definitely the year of The Human League as far as I was concerned. From the release late last year of "Night People," through the hot anticipation of the first few months of 2011 finally leading to the release of "Credo" (tied for my favorite record of the year with Aqua's "Megalomania"), and then anxiously awaiting the US tour in the fall, Phil and the girls were always at the forefront of my mind this year. "Never Let Me Go" was the second single from the album, or the first "real" single if the record label was to be believed ("Night People" was just meant as a club teaser). I loved this song from the get go: the funky, soul syncopation hearkening back to the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced "Crash" album, with the creepy, offbeat synth sounds reminiscent of the band's first couple albums, brought up to date with a sheen and quality evidenced in their most recent efforts, "Octopus" and "Secrets," this is the Human League as you would hope they would sound in 2011. The auto-tune effect on the vocals was slightly disorienting at first but after a few listens totally feels right. If this track had been released by Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or someone like that it would have been a huge hit, but alas it's the League, doomed to be known forever as "that 80's band who sang Don't You Want Me," but at least for me, it was a high point of the year!
Honorable Mentions
"French Bacon" Electric Six - A great little ditty from another stellar E6 album.
"Hits Me Like A Rock" CSS - Brazilian indie rockers get light and breezy.
"Think About It" Melanie C - Sporty Spice gets her dance-rock drama on.
10. "A Day Late And A Dollar Short" - Scritti PolittiThis song is great and sounds like a good mesh between the more poppy, electronic 80's Scritti and the more recent singer/songwriter style of "White Bread Black Beer," most likely because it was co-written by David Gamson, who was in the band during the Cupid & Psyche era. I like the upbeat feel to this song, it's very sing-a-long, and has the right amount of electronic flourishes mixed in with the vocal harmonies. Unfortunately, because this and another new track, "A Place We Both Belong," were tacked on to a greatest hits album, I didn't end up listening to it as often as I would of had it been part of an album of new material, which is why it ranks last on my countdown. However, supposedly Mr. Gartside is working on a new album, so who knows what 2012 will bring?
9. "Whatever You Do" - CrushI feel bad that I still haven't downloaded "Luscious Excelsis" - the new album by my friends Crush, but I do have this song thanks to Marc Loren's "Best of 2011" 3 CD set (his annual holiday gift to his music-obsessed friends) and it's a great tune! I saw them perform it live when I performed with them at Que Sera this past summer. Out of all the indie bands that I've had the honor of performing with and getting to know over the past decade that I've been living in LA, Crush is definitely my favorite musically. At first, I wasn't crazy about the auto-tuning here but after a few listens it starts to sound natural, much like another song higher up on this chart. Once I get the whole album, I might change my mind about which song should be on this countdown, but for now, "Whatever You Do" will do!
8. "Chocha" - TeddybearsI only stumbled upon this song because the video features Jeff Turner, famous to Tiffany fans as the stalker who tried to give her a Samurai Sword as a gift when he confronted her on the steps of the courthouse where she was trying to sue her parents for emancipation. More recently, he's been featured in the documentary "I Think We're Alone Now." Anyway, a fellow Tiff-head tipped me off to this video and I watched it in horror - it's a pretty scary video even if you aren't already acquainted with the star. But the song itself is really catchy and grows on you quickly, to the point where I actually went out and bought the album, which is chock full of great, diverse songs. Another hot tune on the album is "Cardiac Arrest," which features Robyn.
7. "What I Heard" - BlondieThe lead single off Blondie's latest disc, "Mother," is a great song and I really enjoyed the zombie-themed video. But once I got the CD and put it in the player, this song absolutely jumped out and grabbed hold of me! It's such a scorching, powerful track that combines everything that Blondie has ever been great at, with the drums, the keyboards, guitars and vocals all combining with a sense of urgency similar to "Union City Blue" or "Goldenrod." I wasn't completely blown away by a lot of the album, "Panic of Girls," but it is definitely nice to have Blondie back, and the packaging and artwork on the Fan Pack, which I ordered from Amazon UK, was really terrific. I should probably revisit this album again because I think some of the songs are slow-burners that I just haven't given enough attention to yet, but this song is immediate and powerful!
6. "Judas" - Lady GagaHere we are again, Ms. Gaga! You are nothing if not prolific, talented, and able to write one catchy song after another! Although I found "Born This Way" to be a fun gay anthem, "Judas" was my favorite song off this album. It seemed so "out there" and neurotic, I am so glad that it was a single, since most of the other single releases have been the more bland, radio-friendly tracks. This one has some bite to it, and it's all aggro-electro until suddenly the chorus comes in and it's a huge sing-a-long! Of course I had to look up the words right away because Dylan was getting annoyed with my own made up substitute lyrics when I first started singing them. And would you believe I just finally saw the video a few days ago? I kept thinking I'd see it on New Now Next but I never got around to it. Luckily, most of her recent videos are available On-Demand on our cable box.
5. "Crazy Girls" - Tiffany (featuring Lindsay Lawler)"That's what crazy girls dooooo!" sing Tiffany and whoever Lindsay Lawler is. It's actually kinda nice to hear my girl Tiff sharing the microphone with another female vocalist. The only duets she had done before had been with dudes and they tended to be of the sappy, lovesick variety. This is a kickass country song about a couple rowdy chicks getting all Thelma and Louise (bringing the boys to their knees). I love the part in the bridge where they say "sign says slow down, road closed up ahead, I say we turn around, I say we speed up instead!" Whenever I hear this song, I wish my friend Ryan and I had done a video for it where were dressed up as Thelma and Louise and lip-sanc the words, driving around in a convertible! Anyway, I was a little unsure how I would feel about Tiffany's switch to country music before I heard the album, but it was all for not: "Rose Tattoo" is a fantastic set of songs, all of them very catchy and polished, you don't have to be a country fan to enjoy these tunes!
4. "Hawaiian Air" - Friendly FiresHere we welcome another new band into my repertoire. I discovered Friendly Fires after a Facebook friend posted that this album reminded them of the Thompson Twins. Since TT are one of my favorite 80's bands that have yet to reunite (and most likely never will), I thought I'd look into this. I got the album and immediately heard the TT connection on the opening track, "Live Those Days Tonight," but it was this song that really caught my attention. It's the type of vibe I was going for with my own song, "Winnipeg Beach," which was probably the best received track on my album which I released in April of this year. Anyway, "Hawaiian Air" is especially touching to me because in 2009 I spent Yuletide on Maui with my family and it was such a great memory, I used the song as the opening credits on our home movies DVD from the trip.
3. "The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child" - Fatty Gets A Stylist / Kate Miller-HeidkeOh my, I love this song! I just completely stumbled onto Kate Miller-Heidke earlier this year when I found her album "Curiouser" in the bargain bin at Amoeba and took a chance on it, having never heard of her before. I ended up loving it and found out through her web presence that she was releasing a new album under the name "Fatty Gets A Stylist," which was a project with her husband, Keir Nuttall. I downloaded the album and absolutely loved it, even more than "Curiouser." The opening track, "Are You Ready," was used in a New York state lottery commercial and at some point they decided to release the album under Kate's name instead of the FGAS moniker. Regardless, it's a great disc and this song is so moving! It also reminds me of my friend, Tiger.
2. "Playmate to Jesus" - AquaI really did not get my hopes up to high when it was announced a couple years ago that Aqua was reuniting. I LOVED Aqua back in the day, when their first album, "Aquarium," was released. My friends and I couldn't get enough of that album and all the remixes on the import singles, which I collected like a fiend. When it came time for their follow up, "Aquarius" was released and although I thought I loved it at the time, it really was not that great. Songs like "Cartoon Heroes," "Back From Mars," and "Goodbye to the Circus" just sounded too much like a Disney cartoon soundtrack and pigeon-holed them into a category that I wasn't really that interested in. Then, they broke up and were silent for many years, only to return with a handful of great new songs for their greatest hits album, among them the fantastic "Back to the 80's." It was then silent again for awhile until finally they released "How R U Doin," which was the lead single from their comeback album, "Megalomania," which still didn't get released for almost another year - but it was worth the wait. This lead single shows a more mature, sophisticated Aqua, sounding current and vibrant. Because I fell in love with this album so quickly and thoroughly, I made it a point to finally see Aqua live this year, on their home turf in Copenhagen, and it was a truly amazing experience. They opened with this song.
1. "Never Let Me Go" - The Human League2011 was definitely the year of The Human League as far as I was concerned. From the release late last year of "Night People," through the hot anticipation of the first few months of 2011 finally leading to the release of "Credo" (tied for my favorite record of the year with Aqua's "Megalomania"), and then anxiously awaiting the US tour in the fall, Phil and the girls were always at the forefront of my mind this year. "Never Let Me Go" was the second single from the album, or the first "real" single if the record label was to be believed ("Night People" was just meant as a club teaser). I loved this song from the get go: the funky, soul syncopation hearkening back to the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced "Crash" album, with the creepy, offbeat synth sounds reminiscent of the band's first couple albums, brought up to date with a sheen and quality evidenced in their most recent efforts, "Octopus" and "Secrets," this is the Human League as you would hope they would sound in 2011. The auto-tune effect on the vocals was slightly disorienting at first but after a few listens totally feels right. If this track had been released by Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or someone like that it would have been a huge hit, but alas it's the League, doomed to be known forever as "that 80's band who sang Don't You Want Me," but at least for me, it was a high point of the year!
Honorable Mentions
"French Bacon" Electric Six - A great little ditty from another stellar E6 album.
"Hits Me Like A Rock" CSS - Brazilian indie rockers get light and breezy.
"Think About It" Melanie C - Sporty Spice gets her dance-rock drama on.
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