Top 2010 Songs

Here is my countdown of the ten best singles this year of 2010. It was a weak year for music but there were some salvageable tracks out there though I feel that there wasn't one big monster song that I'll recall as the years anthem.

10. Hollywood by Codeine Velvet Club
This band is fronted by the singer of Fratelis. it has a groovy 1960s vibe of something like a show tune.
9. Billionaire by Travie McCoy
Bruno Mars helped out on this little ditty of a song that in some respects is exactly how I often feel. The song is actually pretty shitty but it got stuck in my head enough to warrant top ten status.
8. Tighten Up by The Black Keys
Sounds like an old blue eyed soul number but it's really just a couple of dudes from Ohio.
7. Tatooine by Jeremy Messersmith
It's a little song that's really quite sweet on the ears. The construction paper video is also really cool, simple but cool.
6. California Girls by Katy Perry
This song was everywhere this past year and made east coast girls pissed off more than usual. Snoop Dogg lends his stoned vocals to this track making it better on the comedy scale. This song also had a crazy video that made me wonder about the sanity of Mrs. Russel Brand.
 5. Die By The Drop by The Dead Weather
This one sounds like being stoned. It's another organ heavy song featuring Jack White and the chick from the Kills.
4. Modern Man by The Watson Twins

Somber and sweet. This song got no notoriety but that's why this countdown is unique.

3. Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) by My Chemical Romance

The title is kind of a joke but the song seriously makes you want to raise your fist and chant along, this song is a crowd pleaser for sure!

2. Stylo by Gorillaz

Another song with guests cracking the top ten, this time it's Mos Def and bobby Womack. The Gorillaz gave us another hypnotizing track to groove to.

1. Bed Intruder by Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers 

How could there be anything better than a clip taken from the news, given a beat, ran through pitch perfect and magic! This is the modern world, this is the age we live in, this is the number one!

Retro Concert? More, More, More!

As you know old washed up pop stars form decades past can now tour the reunion/nostalgia circuit and do well. I have been a contributor to this biz for the past few years starting when me and some friends took on what was a true wonder, Van Halen. Our hopes for the show ranged from wondering what the hell we were doing going to see a bunch of fifty year olds play songs that at best were 25 years old to being totally amped for some real rock! What we got were all the hits, played with great professionalism and a great time; Hot For Teacher, Runnin' With The Devil, Unchained . . . all were just so damn good to hear live! This experience led to rocking shows like Mötley Crüe, AC/DC, Iron Maiden that did not disappoint; you get to hear all the famous songs and a couple new ones that aren't so bad. There's no sitting around to here one or two songs; they are all good. Recently I went to another one of these shows and bore witness to Billy Idol.

Homeboy delivered a show that back in 1990 would have been a total fantasy. He's still an ass but knows it's his bread and butter. mercifully he didn't play his biggest hit, Cradle of Love which surely caused some folks to be disappointed but I've always hated that song as it's sort of too much of the pop rock. Instead we got his cover of L.A. Woman from the Charmed Life album.
Rock n' roll is a fantasy and these bands are putting on fantasy shows that take us back to a time that is heightened by our own interpretation of the past, our own emotions connected with the music of our youth (unless you're one of those kids being dragged to the show by their parent). Part of me thinks this is sad because Rock is supposed to be young, dirty and dangerous and what we get is the too old to go crazy version. This however is better than what the kids are putting out there today, I mean Neon Trees are supposed to be a rock band but they don't rock and they just sound like a poppier rendition of The Strokes. They are the Cradle of Love to White Wedding. So while the young folks struggle to get it up let the old guys bring it harder!

Hold it! Come to think of reunion shows, my first was back in 1989 when I saw The Who's 25th anniversary show; it was alright, better for the experience than being a fan. There were so many drunk dudes who are my age now there; the circle is complete.

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 46

You will experince the rocking highs of Mt. AC/DC and Peaks of Damone and you will be then dropped into the Abyss Hall & Oates, you will swim through the Sea of Nightrain and a Blue Bayou. Wandering the dark valleys where Siouxsie & The Banshees sing you run from the Wolfmother! Alas it's all a fantasy under strict control of he Dream Police!
Enjoy because I am a dork!

1. That's The Way I wanna Rock & Roll by AC/DC

This almost a lost track in the lexicon of AC/DC, maybe it was because it was contending with more energetic songs of the late 80s

2. Dream Police by Cheap Trick

Epic, synth rocker!  I saw them in 1988 and they did a great show!

3. What Girls Want by Material Issue

It's a funny song and sort of right on

4. Aweful by Hole

I'm not sure which rock star wrote this song for Courtney Love but it is the bands best song. It's a sick overview of being a young girl in Hollywood

5. Out Here All Night by Damone

Boston Rocks! I was delighted and intregued when I first heard this song; it has ballz! Welcome Damone!

6. I Turn My Camera On by Spoon

This song is flacid and a way to shill after too much guitars

7.The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill by The Beatles

Why this song? It's kind of like a kids song; it has a sing along  and sounds cute.

8. Maneater by Hall & Oates

Smooth sax, keyboards, distinct bass . . . this is almost background music for porn but wound up being a top ten hit.

9. No Shelter by Rage Against The Machine

Starts off smooth but gets very agro quickly. This was the best thing about the 1998 Godzilla movie.

10.Live Wire by Mötley Crüe

This is the beginning of a band that got huge, besides the various Tommy Lee, drum stupidy at the end of the song it was one of the groups best tracks.

11.Knock On Wood by Morningwood

Covering disco is a very clever thing indeed

12.Nightrain by Guns N' Roses

Some songs have a life of their own, this song is one of them; it lives in it's own universe of cheap booze

13.Trains to Brazil by Guillemots

Because the Nightrain is a bit too much for some the Train to Brazil is much more nice

14.Disappear by INXS

There is nothing wrong with loving Austrailia's second greates band. They make the people want to dance!

15.Sorry by Buckcherry

Somebody told these guys that singing about partying was nice and all but you have to show the world that there's more to you than that. So Josh and boys wrote a song and apologized for it.

16.Mysteries by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

From the excellent Show Your Bones album.

17.Life Is Sweet by The Start

An L.A. band that is crazy sounding and feels very influenced by the band that follows

18.Love in a Void by Siouxsie & The Banshees

Young and angry and in love, Goth punk at a high level

19.Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt

I know it's a Roy Orbison song but I prefer to think of it as hers

20.Haven't Got a Clue by Dramarama

The call in the beginning of the song is from a prankster who harassed a bartender and recorded it. It's horribly funny.

21.Woman by Wolfmother

If you knew me when this song was hot you were annoyed at how much I listened to this Black Sabbath influenced piece. It rocks but alas they never got this bad ass again.

22.We Will Rock You by Queen

Thank you Queen for existing

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 45

 Many new bands on this little guy right here, well new for 2005. This was the first mix made in 2006 and it seems I was looking out for new bands and sticking with the  gold!


1. Gold Lion by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
From one of the best albums of 2006! Karen O shows off her Siouxie pipes in this one.
2.The Passenger by Siouxie & The Banshees
It's a Goth sing along!
3. Departures by Medelia
This is sweeping music complete with agonized vocals
4. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
One of the top five breakup songs of all time
5. Jetsetter by Morningwood
Quality pop rock
6. American Gigolo by Weezer
This is kinda' a rocker that turns into typical Weezer. They also throw a little Welcome To The Jungle in it.
7. It's So Easy by Guns N' Roses
So much fire power and attitude. So angry, so horny, so young
8.Growing Up With GNR by Aqueduct
A friend sent this song to me a s a gift; it's cool
9. Prepare for the Fight by The Lovemakers
Bay Area band with keay boards and boy and girl singers, very 80s
10.Send ME an Angel '89 by Real Life
Speaking of keyboards this one haunts us with them
11.Dirty Harry by Gorillaz
This is the chill out song of the mix
12.I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys
The Arctic Monkeys were supposed to be the next big thing and dubbed the best teenage band in the world
13.Shake by Yin Yang Twins feat. Pitbull
Even I want to dance to this song
14.Bam Bam Sister Nancy
If you love music and know music you love this song or maybe you heard it in an [Adult Swim] promo.
15.Galang by M.I.A.
Before she blew up with Paper Planes
16.Don't Run Wild by The Del Fuegos
Mid 80s Boston Rock!
17.Touch, Peel, Stand by Days of the New
There's areally good rock "Yeah!" in this post grunge era grunge song.
18.Arbeit Macht Frei by The Libertines
Translates to "work will set you free"
19.Outsiders by Franz Ferdinand
This is a little funky and a little trippy but mostly white
20.Cosmopolitan by Nine Black Alps
This band was also supposed to be the next big thing five years ago.
21.Stutter by Elastica
A band that came and went so fast they didn't even say goodbye
22.88 Lines About 44 Women by The Nails
Ending a mix with comedy is always a good thing

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 44

This is an 80s heavy mix with three songs from 1981 alone, can you figure out which ones? The newer songs in this mix are weak but that is bound to happen so we can enjoy the past more. Listen and enjoy the songs; they're all available for down load someplace.

1. The Queen Is Dead by the Smiths
A song about being drag
2. Bright Yellow Gun by Throwing Muses
A great little band from Providence
3. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
His biggest hit and a song that still speaks to covetous men today!
4. Suck My Kiss by Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is what the Chili peppers are really all about in the end
5. Rock Show by Peaches
Not her best effort but it's kinda' fun
6. Hung Up by Madonna
Danceable as always
7. Heroes by David Bowie
One of his best. There's some neat production on this.
8. Love To hate You by Erasure
I think this is my favorite Erasure song
9. Rock & Roll Queen by The Subways
This song was in an awful movie called RocknRolla
10.Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
She was a rocker chick inthe first degree but then she got soft on us and ran with shadows
11.The Stroke by Billy Squier
Really it's just funny that there's a song called The Stroke.

Before Kip Winger there was Billy Squier

 
12.Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain
More like, just like heroin
13.Crimson and Clover by Joan Jett
Like always Joan nails her covers
14.This Boy by Franz Ferdinand
A little spinner of a song
15.Johnny and Mary by Robert Palmer
Somber stories from the man who would bring us, Simply Irresistible and Addicted To Love
16.Different Drum Linda Ronstadt with The Stone Poneys
Linda was breaking hearts before she hooked up with Governor Jerry Brown
17.I'm Not A Loser by Descendants
What is this song about? Read the lyrics and you figure it out.
18.Girls Attractive by Diamond Nights
I bet there are people who like this song much more than I do.
19.The Love Cats by The Cure
One of their best tunes! Chicks dig it!
20.The Witch by The Cult
When 80s goth rock bands trip into the 90s with a drum loop this happens
21.In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins
A favorite for years and maybe Phil's best song, he hadn't gone all Sussudio on us. Recently it's been heard and loved in The Hangover