I had a lot of headache problems this year which meant not listening to music under headphones, so I wasn't as deeply immersed as usual. I suspect I own a bunch of really fabulous songs that flew under my radar.
But here are the ones that made a blip.
ALBUMS - Faves out of the complete albums I bought.
Feist's Metals - Here's the song "How Come You Never Go There." Feist really took time to back away from the business and spend time with herself before creating this album. That balance really paid off--it's different from her last album, with delicate and ethereal tunes, and then moments of Big Drums and Sudden Drama. Quite Kate Bushesque.
The Go! Team's Rolling Blackouts - song sample: "Secretary Song." I just love the energy of this band. Music for when you're gonna Clean All the Things.
Kate Bush's Director's Cuts - For this album Bush took two former albums and made new versions of them. Super interesting to listen to, and as beautiful as ever. On one of those albums she'd wanted to set to music Molly Bloom's soliloquy from Ulysses but James Joyce's estate didn't give permission. So she wrote her own lyrics and called it "The Sensual World." First time I listened to the song I just about died, it was so beautiful. For this new album she got permission from the estate and re-recorded the song with the same music but Joyce's words.
INDIVIDUAL SONGS
Love or Break Songs
"Someone Like You" - Adèle - I didn't lurv 21 as a whole, but this song should be a contender for best song of the year. Blood must have run from her pen when she composed this one.
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?
"Time to Think" - Sean Rowe - I never even listened to the lyrics, I just love his voice.
"She's Not Mine" - Robbie Robertson (feat. Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton) - Sound-wise, this is almost as good as "Broken Arrow." Really lush.
"For What It's Worth" - Stevie Nicks - Her album wasn't newish enough to make my tops, but this is a great song.
What you did was, you saved my life
I won't forget it
Okay let's cheer up now...
Dancey Songs
"Jet Lag" - Simple Plan with Natasha Bedingfield - Never been a SP fan but I loved this as soon as I heard it. Can't imagine how hard it is to keep up a relationship if you're anyone who has to travel a lot, and "my heart is so jet lagged" is a cute summary of that feeling. And they made a French version complete with re-done video (not dubbed!) So Canadian.
"Moves Like Jagger" - Maroon 5 - File this under Songs I Tried Longest to Resist but Had to Cave. I even dance when sitting. ...And Jagger finally knows this song is about him.
"Free" - Natalia Kills with will.i.am - You gotta have superficial songs in a recession. I love her fashion sense; though this video feels like it tried to be Grace Jones-esque, and failed.
A Little More Substance
"Complicated" - Ali Milner - After the fiasco that was Am Idol, a couple good vocal shows came out, Eg. The Voice and Cover Me Canada (bands doing covers of Cdn songs). I didn't watch them through cause I wasn't watching a lot of tv, but I sampled most of the songs and this my fave. So this is my Best Cover Song or 2011.
"Say It to Me" - Ali Fontaine - I was sampling Canadian Aboriginal Music Award nominees and came across this. I found it really infectious. She's 18, an Ojibwe from the Sagkeeng First Nation.
"Absalom Absalom" - Steve Bell - A song brilliantly embroidered from the brief glimpse of King David's reaction to his son's death; and touchingly covered by Steve Bell.
You were watching when I took a good man's wife
Gave the order for his murder just to cover up my crime
All the vanity, cruel arrogance and greed
Absolom, you learned it all from me
"Who You Are" - Jessie J - Jessie J's a sort of P!nk--poppy but with a social conscience. I don't know if it was a case of like-attracts-like but I knew a lot of people who, like myself, had it rough this year. The sentiment of "it's okay not to be okay" was oft repeated.
Tears don't mean you're losing
Everybody's bruising
Just be true to who you are
"Illumination" - Lindsey Buckingham - A lot of the greatness behind Fleetwood Mac came from Lindsey Buckingham. His last couple albums have been too internally samey to wow, but when he's on, I'm in.
"Kiss Cam" - Arkells - I've been slowly accumulating Arkells songs so I may be turning into a fan. And they're Canadian! And they put lyrics on their site! Who the hell does that?? LOVE this song, it's so stomp-your-feet.
At a time you were kissing me,
The camera found chemistry; cheering for us in cheap seats.
Driving home I can see you stare at me differently.
We’re stuck in the nosebleeds baby.
That's it! When I post Part II, it will be my fave songs that I bought this past year, but released in years previous to 2011.
5 comments:
Adele ... beyond superlative!
LOVE "Jagger" it makes me smile everytime I hear it!
I didn't know Kate Bush did that! I'll have to look it up. I heart her.
It is past time I thanked you for your lists, reminding me of and/or introducing me to authors and all other manner of artists I've missed, or perhaps forgotten, but somehow recently overlooked.
I am, right now, filled with gratitude that these people are in the world, putting out these sounds to enrich the lives of the rest of us.
And, yes, Adele is amazing.
widder - Her style of music isn't completely within the zone of my fave styles, otherwise she'd be one of my favorite artists. Because her talent itself is undeniable.
Sim - It speaks to your clubbing heart doesn't it? If you were 25 this would have been one of your anthems.
Delia - I didn't find out about it until MONTHS after it came out! iTunes Alerts is failing us.
nancy - Sometimes when I say my wee prayers, I just say thanks for great artists. :-)
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