BFS Holiday Music Exchange
By Dan on Dec 17, 2007 in Blog, Music
As someone always on the lookout for new music but also someone overwhelmed by the vast selection that lies just a mouse click away, I value the endorsements of good-rocking folk like you. So in the spirit of harmony and giving, I’m kicking off the first annual BFS Holiday Music Exchange.
Mind you, I’m not suggesting that we file swap, as that would be illegal. Rather, I just want everyone to recommend their five favorite new songs from the past year.
It was a good year for new music for me and it was hard to narrow the list down. Nevertheless, I’ve arrived at five and here they are, in no particular order.
Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John feat. Victoria Bergsman What do you get when combine a drum machine, whistling and cool Swedish accents? One of the hottest songs of 2007. Lyrically: this song wouldn’t have worked if the person who wrote it spoke English as their first language. Musically: you won’t stop whistling the hook until well into 2008.
Will You Return? – The Avett Brothers This song has a hootenanny-type feel to it. At first, it sounds like a drunk guy picked up a banjo and started banging out a tune. Then the harmonies kick in and you realize that these guys can really sing and play. This, my friends, is a fun song.
Modern Trick – Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles Sound-wise, this song is a bit of a departure for them. It’s slightly trippy and puts me in the mind of something groovy, only there’s a pedal steel where a Moog might have been. Great song on a great album by a great band.
Use It – The New Pornographers If you like a good piano-driven rocker, this is the song for you. It features cool lyrics like this:
Your Little Hoodrat Friend – The Hold Steady A toe tapping tale steeped in depravity and squalor from “America’s Favorite Bar Band.” This would be a killer karaoke song, if one were inclined to engage in such public displays.
*This is not an uncommon occurrence for me. There will be a song that I’ve heard countless times and thought it okay, but nothing to iPod about. Then I’ll hear this song in a different context, say in a movie soundtrack or performed live, and POW! – it will reveal itself to be a kicker of previously unappreciated quality.
**That, by the way, is a song that I’d pay top dollar to hear.
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Great topic, Dan. It’s gonna take a while to decide on my five.
Anonymous Communist | Dec 17, 2007 | Reply
5 songs, huh? You stole my PB&J song, so I’m going to fight the urge to spend all night working on this and just blurt out the first five that come to mind – in no particular order, of course.
WILCO – The Thanks I Get
The Weepies – Not Your Year
Son Volt – The Picture
Morphine – You Look Like Rain
The Kooks – Sofa Song
Yeah, five songs isn’t enough.
Russ | Dec 17, 2007 | Reply
I thought this was going to be about holiday music.
Marie | Dec 17, 2007 | Reply
This requires careful consideration and I have total holiday brain drain. Right off the top of my head, I’m going to go with the soulful Color Me Badd-inspired “Beautiful Girl” by Flight of the Conchords. A sensitive love song directed at the mysterious, unknown girl at a party, it is careful not to become too saccarine by putting qualifiers on nearly every compliment paid to the muse:
“Looking at the room
I can see that you
Are the most beautiful girl in the…..room
(in the whole wide room)
And when you’re on the street
Depending on the street
I bet you are definitely
In the top three….
Good lookin’ girls on the street
(depending on the street)”
Singer Jemaine goes on to serenade her with compliments and predictions of what job she might hold because of her hotness:
“You’re so beautiful
You could be a waitress
You’re so beautiful
You could be an air hostess in the sixties”
culminating with the ultimate compliment, restrained with some conservative and wise fiscal advice
“You’re so beautiful
You could be a Part…Time….Model
But you’d probably still have to keep your normal job”
Wow! I’ve used up a lot of space here. Just one song for me.
Happy Holidays!
nancy | Dec 18, 2007 | Reply
Russ,
If this were Stump the Band, you would have bested me on four of five. But that’s what the BFS Holiday Music Exchange is all about; introducing new stuff to the musically curious. Based on what I know of your proclivities, I’m guessing that the Weepies and/or the Kooks are heavily influenced by Fred Schneider.
Nancy,
I haven’t heard that song yet, but I did spend a Friday evening recently Utubing the Conchords. Jenny was a particular favorite of mine.
An Com,
We’re waiting.
Thanks for commenting,
Dan
Dan | Dec 18, 2007 | Reply
Patience, young Jedi.
As you can see below, I’ve picked my five. I posted them at my place because I have little else interesting to write about.
Thanks for the fun exercise.
Anonymous Communist | Dec 18, 2007 | Reply
NS – I’m this song isn’t being played by you from your someone special…
Whitney | Dec 21, 2007 | Reply
Not in ranked order…
1. Young Folks – LOVE IT Dan! I’m familiar with it from Grey’s Anatomy, but its definitely an ear worm in a good way.
2. The Thanks I Get – Best WILCO in a long time!
3. Long Road to Ruin (Foo Fighters) – The FooS rock, life really IS a long road to ruin and this video is hilarious!
4. Love Like This (Natasha Bedingfield) – She’s souful w/o being terribly commercial and this song has a funky beat.
5.Thanks for the Memories (Fall Out Boy) – Its just an awesome anthem to all those boys who didn’t make the cute come light of morning.
Anon BLT | Dec 21, 2007 | Reply
Love the Morphine tune, Foo Fighters and Flight of the Conchords – although I’m not sure you can truly count that as a new, commericially (or even independently) acceptable music. Clumsy (Fergie) is also a good one! Happy Holidays BlogFree!
Anonymous | Dec 21, 2007 | Reply
Hey Dan,
I will offer up some of my favorite CDs from the past year or so.
Rilo Kiley – “Silver Lining” from Under the Blacklight; “Portions for Foxes” from 2004’s More Adventurous.
You cannot go wrong with anything that Patty Griffin has put out. Her amazing debut – Living With Ghosts has got to be one of my favorite CD’s of all time. But to name her best song I would have to say “Useless Desires” from her Impossible Dreams CD.
The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter by said artist. Just came out a few months ago but “Mind’s Eye”, “Right Moves”, “Open Doors” etc etc – I keep finding new favorites everytime I list to this CD.
Strange Weirdos by Loudon Wainwright III (this is the soundtrack to Knocked Up). He is still writing great songs after all these years. I know you have kids (not sure if any girls, but I do and “Daughter” really strikes a chord in me; “You Can’t Fail Me Now” is the other standouts on this one. Check out his older stuff for great songs dealing with all manner of family relationships.
Both Love & Fear and The Wounded Heart of America by Tom Russell. I just discovered Tom after last year after seeing him perform “Stealing Electricity” on Letterman. He is a great underappreciated artist of our time. He has written many songs for other artists like Johnny Cash, John Prine, Joe Ely and many more for years. Some of my favorites -”The Pugilist at 59″, “Muhammad Ali”, “Stealing Electricity”, “Who’s Gonna Build Your Wall” “Gallo Del Cielo”
If you still like a harder edge on your rock n roll – you can’t go wrong with Kings of Leon; “Red Morning Light” from Youth and Young Manhood is a good introduction. They have a new CD out that has gotten good reviews but I haven’t heard yet.
Back on a mellower note Kristin Mooney’s self-titled CD is beautiful. She has a haunting voice and her band on this was basically Calexico. “Boyfriend”, “Better Than Ever” and “Deliver Us From Us” are amazing. She also has a new CD just out.
Fountains of Wayne’s CD Welcome Interstate Managers is just filled with great pop songs. “Stacy’s Mom” which got a lot of airplay was about the 8th best song – check out “Hackensack” and “Hey Julie”.
Kids Music has become a huge thing and for my money you cannot beat Peter Himmelman. Any of his 3 kids CDs “My Best Friend is a Salamander”, “My Lemonade Stand” and “My Green Kite” (chronological order) will keep you kids singing and laughing and you won’t want to pull your hair out listening to it with them (over and over and over and over).
Well that was certainly longer than I intended it to be. I look forward to listening to your picks and hope some BFS followers will check out my list.
Doug
Dr. Snacky | Jan 6, 2008 | Reply
Doc Snacky,
Interesting you should mention Loudon Wainwright’s Daughter . Last week I heard a cover of that song. I believe it was by someone who has collaborated with Wainwright and I want to say it was Jon Brion, but I can’t remember. It’s a very cool song.
Thanks for commenting,
Dan
Dan | Jan 6, 2008 | Reply
This is first time in my life when I don’t know what to say. After reading all comments I’m shocked. What has happened with our society, with our young generation? They are commenting terrible information, their lexis sounds terrible. Is that true, that only words they know is “cool”, “cute” and cussing words? What are they thinking of? It’s better not to think about it, it’s too sad
Anthony | Apr 11, 2008 | Reply