RMDS: Top Songs of 2006
Finals are over and Christmas is rapidly approaching - and we couldn't be happier here at RMDS. To celebrate, Joe (remember him?) and I have collaborated to create our Top 11 songs of 2006 - that we both were able to agree on. (Oh, before I forget, folloiwng our combined list will be some of the songs Joe and I specificially held close to our respective hearts). Anyways, enough with the filler: these our the songs that we conversed about endlessly on the phone over the summer, played on repeat in the dorm, and became devastated over when they weren't played live (see #5 and #2). These are our favorite songs of 2006 in all their epic, dancy, and retrospective goodness. Enjoy:
11. The Crane Wife 3- The Decemberists (mp3)
Critics can predict the decline of The Decemberists till the cows come home (I'm not convinced that said cows aren't mentioned somewhere on The Crane Wife), but as long as Collin Meloy delivers the goods melodically, I have a hard time getting concerned for Portland's finest. Insert joke about hanging my head here.
10. Trill - Clipse (mp3)
If any element of this song had been slightly mishandled, it could've been horrible. The beat is just dirty enough, the hook perfectly lazy, and Pusha T and Malice rap with just enough of a detached sense of "do you really think we're trying our hardest?" to convince listeners that they really are T to the RILL.
9. Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers (mp3)
This song makes me sad. Real sad. Buy you don't have to be. That's just me. But I think everyone can enjoy that melting guitar riff, and the sooting "Hey Ohhh's" no matter what mood they are in. Right?
8. Sad Sad City - Ghostland Observatory (mp3)
Think 80's, synths, and the funkiest beatz you've ever heard...got it? Now you kind of have an idea of how good this song is. "Well I, need you...to want me, to hold me, to tell me the truth..." Try getting that out of your head. I sure can't.
7. Hold Up - Girl Talk (mp3)
I would only be repeating what better writers had already attempted when I to reflect upon the manic collage art of Girl Talk. This is the ultimate party song from the ultimate party album. It made me shake that laffy taffy and come to a fresh appreciation of both Nas and Rivers Cuomo. Also, this song contributed greatly to me making a fool out of myself to music. Long live pop music.
6. Woke Up New - The Mountain Goats (mp3)
If it's not obvious by the title, this is THE song to wake up too. Often Woke Up New was the only thing that could somewhat reconcile having to trudge through another 40 hour work week this summer. For this, I thank you Josh Darnielle; you know how to write a damn, fine song.
5. Lightspeed - Matt & Kim (mp3)
Lightspeed came out of nowhere to blow away RMDS and all our friends, and then they didn't even play it live. Ugh. (Insert sad smiley face here). Regardless, this song captures all of my little league sports angst and the increasing reality of growing up, and rolls it up into one ball of melodic retrospect. I lub you Matt & Kim.
4. Girl In The War - Josh Ritter (mp3)
I will admit it, I am suspicious of music in any way associated with Nashville. I often buy Paste Magazine, read the track listing of their sampler, get super intrigued, and then listen to it and quickly become super bored. Josh Ritter throws all of my west coast prejudice back in my face. He may be a little bit Nashville, but I hear some Dylan here, maybe even some Cohen. This song is an example of songwriting worth paying attention to, and of production that dresses up said songwriting without crushing it completely. I have a feeling that Josh Ritter might be showing up on end of the year lists a few more times before his career is over.
3. Fidelity - Regina Spektor (mp3)
The most hopeful, pristine pop vocal imaginable. I instantly associate this song with clear skies and sunny days and the general feeling of coming up for air. This song really shows the genius of Regina Spektor: she is just as comfortable making a radio-friendly, winningly produced piece of pop perfection as she is cranking out the piano ballads and anti-folk urban storytelling. Just watching people smile the first time the chorus hits is enough to earn this song the number 3 spot in a year chock full of great singles.
2. Parantheses - The Blow (mp3)
A song packed with more catches, hooks, and draws than anything I've heard all year. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this song, so I'm just going to give you the mp3, and some of the lyrics - if that doesn't convince you, than you are a hard ass who has never had a crush: “…And when you’re holding me we, make a pair of parentheses / There’s plenty of space to encase whatever weird way my mind goes / I know I’ll be safe in these arms / You’re not a baby if you feel the world /All of the babies can feel the world / That’s why they cry.” MELT.
1. Funeral - Band of Horses (mp3)
This song stands as clear reminder of the easiest way to make a great song great: lots and lots of build-ups and sudden changes in dynamics. Soft-Loud-Loud-Soft all the way. We here at RMDS found ourselves listening to this one while lying face down on the floor more than once. Almost as awkward a moment as when we played Girl Talk for our visitorrs...that's another story. But anyways, hands down, single of the year.
Pete's Top 10 Songs (that aren't seen above)
We Share Our Mother's Health - The Knife
The Start Of Something - Voxtrot
Province - TV On The Radio
Rough Gem - Islands
Rubies - Destroyer
Majesty Snowbird - Sufjan Stevens
Cosmia - Joanna Newsom
Click Click Click Click - Bishop Allen
My Love - Justin Timberlake
Antarctica - Antarctica Takes It!
Joe's Top 10 Songs (that aren't seen above)
Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
Springfield - Sufjan Stevens
What You Know - T.I.
Street Lights - Rocky Votolato
In A Sweater Poorly Knit - mewithoutyou
Never Went To Church - The Streets
Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Too Much - The Game
Kilo - Ghostface Killa
Bump - Spank Rock
Well, that about does it for now. Joe has a flight home to Seattle later today, and I have a long car ride to Colorado tonight. So wish us safe travels, leave us some comments regarding our picks, and look forward to our year end lists in a few days! ...oh, Happy Holidays!
11. The Crane Wife 3- The Decemberists (mp3)
Critics can predict the decline of The Decemberists till the cows come home (I'm not convinced that said cows aren't mentioned somewhere on The Crane Wife), but as long as Collin Meloy delivers the goods melodically, I have a hard time getting concerned for Portland's finest. Insert joke about hanging my head here.
10. Trill - Clipse (mp3)
If any element of this song had been slightly mishandled, it could've been horrible. The beat is just dirty enough, the hook perfectly lazy, and Pusha T and Malice rap with just enough of a detached sense of "do you really think we're trying our hardest?" to convince listeners that they really are T to the RILL.
9. Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers (mp3)
This song makes me sad. Real sad. Buy you don't have to be. That's just me. But I think everyone can enjoy that melting guitar riff, and the sooting "Hey Ohhh's" no matter what mood they are in. Right?
8. Sad Sad City - Ghostland Observatory (mp3)
Think 80's, synths, and the funkiest beatz you've ever heard...got it? Now you kind of have an idea of how good this song is. "Well I, need you...to want me, to hold me, to tell me the truth..." Try getting that out of your head. I sure can't.
7. Hold Up - Girl Talk (mp3)
I would only be repeating what better writers had already attempted when I to reflect upon the manic collage art of Girl Talk. This is the ultimate party song from the ultimate party album. It made me shake that laffy taffy and come to a fresh appreciation of both Nas and Rivers Cuomo. Also, this song contributed greatly to me making a fool out of myself to music. Long live pop music.
6. Woke Up New - The Mountain Goats (mp3)
If it's not obvious by the title, this is THE song to wake up too. Often Woke Up New was the only thing that could somewhat reconcile having to trudge through another 40 hour work week this summer. For this, I thank you Josh Darnielle; you know how to write a damn, fine song.
5. Lightspeed - Matt & Kim (mp3)
Lightspeed came out of nowhere to blow away RMDS and all our friends, and then they didn't even play it live. Ugh. (Insert sad smiley face here). Regardless, this song captures all of my little league sports angst and the increasing reality of growing up, and rolls it up into one ball of melodic retrospect. I lub you Matt & Kim.
4. Girl In The War - Josh Ritter (mp3)
I will admit it, I am suspicious of music in any way associated with Nashville. I often buy Paste Magazine, read the track listing of their sampler, get super intrigued, and then listen to it and quickly become super bored. Josh Ritter throws all of my west coast prejudice back in my face. He may be a little bit Nashville, but I hear some Dylan here, maybe even some Cohen. This song is an example of songwriting worth paying attention to, and of production that dresses up said songwriting without crushing it completely. I have a feeling that Josh Ritter might be showing up on end of the year lists a few more times before his career is over.
3. Fidelity - Regina Spektor (mp3)
The most hopeful, pristine pop vocal imaginable. I instantly associate this song with clear skies and sunny days and the general feeling of coming up for air. This song really shows the genius of Regina Spektor: she is just as comfortable making a radio-friendly, winningly produced piece of pop perfection as she is cranking out the piano ballads and anti-folk urban storytelling. Just watching people smile the first time the chorus hits is enough to earn this song the number 3 spot in a year chock full of great singles.
2. Parantheses - The Blow (mp3)
A song packed with more catches, hooks, and draws than anything I've heard all year. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this song, so I'm just going to give you the mp3, and some of the lyrics - if that doesn't convince you, than you are a hard ass who has never had a crush: “…And when you’re holding me we, make a pair of parentheses / There’s plenty of space to encase whatever weird way my mind goes / I know I’ll be safe in these arms / You’re not a baby if you feel the world /All of the babies can feel the world / That’s why they cry.” MELT.
1. Funeral - Band of Horses (mp3)
This song stands as clear reminder of the easiest way to make a great song great: lots and lots of build-ups and sudden changes in dynamics. Soft-Loud-Loud-Soft all the way. We here at RMDS found ourselves listening to this one while lying face down on the floor more than once. Almost as awkward a moment as when we played Girl Talk for our visitorrs...that's another story. But anyways, hands down, single of the year.
Pete's Top 10 Songs (that aren't seen above)
We Share Our Mother's Health - The Knife
The Start Of Something - Voxtrot
Province - TV On The Radio
Rough Gem - Islands
Rubies - Destroyer
Majesty Snowbird - Sufjan Stevens
Cosmia - Joanna Newsom
Click Click Click Click - Bishop Allen
My Love - Justin Timberlake
Antarctica - Antarctica Takes It!
Joe's Top 10 Songs (that aren't seen above)
Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
Springfield - Sufjan Stevens
What You Know - T.I.
Street Lights - Rocky Votolato
In A Sweater Poorly Knit - mewithoutyou
Never Went To Church - The Streets
Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Too Much - The Game
Kilo - Ghostface Killa
Bump - Spank Rock
Well, that about does it for now. Joe has a flight home to Seattle later today, and I have a long car ride to Colorado tonight. So wish us safe travels, leave us some comments regarding our picks, and look forward to our year end lists in a few days! ...oh, Happy Holidays!
posted by pete at 12:33 PM
2 Comments:
That's a really good list...except for you know what. (T-Rill my A-ss)
haha. thanks. but you can take up your gangster lingo discrepencies with joe, since he did that write up!
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