1/24/10 Spin Review

Sorry it's been so long, I've been really busy doing cool-people stuff.  Without further ado, lets begin!

Worst of the Day-  "Hold It Against Me"

If Britney wasn't totally batshit crazy enough, she had to go remake a cheesy-country-novelty song that most people listen to while they ride mechanical bulls.  I'm generally pretty intolerant of Britney; "Toxic" and a few other songs are mindlessly catchy, and she's hot enough to make me ignore the fact that she can't form a sentence.  This song makes me want to shave my head, and it will probably do the same for you.
0 stars out of 5


Pop Review- "Sleazy" [Remix], Ke$ha feat. Andre 3000

Andre 3000 remixes a pretty average Ke$ha song into some kinda funkalicious ghetto stompa thats pretty classy.  3000 has a swaggering guest verse that raps about his awesomeness and how weird Ke$ha is.  Ke$ha also comes as close to rap as she's ever done in her career at this point, and actually sounds like she could kick your ass for "tryin to circle jerk it and work it".  The song is pretty good; it just needs more Andre 3000 and a little less twinkle in parts.  Recommended.
4 stars out of 5


Alternative Review- "Jar of Hearts", Christina Perri

I just heard this song three days ago, but apparently it has been around for ages.  "Jar of Hearts" isn't really my kind of song; it's a poorly-written piano ballad that moans for ages.  However, Perri has a great voice that conveys a lot of emotion.  If she wants to avoid being a one-hit wonder, she should probably follow the Sara Bareilles path of secretary rock.  This song shouldn't be her only know song.
1.5 stars out of 5


R&B Review- "Down on Me", Jeremih feat. 50 Cent

I wanna punch Autotune in the face.  It ruins EVERYTHING.  It made the terrible Jeremih song even more terrible.  From the Mozart who brought you "Birthday Sex", "Down on Me" is stupid and pointless; a forgettable song pasted over that generic R&B beat.  As I said before, Autotune wrecks the song even more. Jeremih's voice isn't too bad, Autotune wasn't even necessary.  50 Cent sounds like a zombie, and one has to wonder why he even showed up to the studio.  YUCK.
.5 stars out of 5


Rock Review- "Shake Me Down", Cage the Elephant

I didn't think these guys could top themselves after the awesome "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked".  Well, they still haven't, but they came pretty damn close.  Cage the Elephant specializes in jangly guitar sounds, punchy percussion, and the occasional synth.  The only reason that "Shake Me Down" isn't as good as the other song I mentioned before is that the lyrics aren't as cutting and brilliant.  Still, this track really breaks through the January music doldrums.
4.5 stars out of 5


Rap Review- "H.A.M.", Kanye West and Jay-Z

I'm really disappointed.  An album collaboration between Jay-Z and Yeezy could have been spectacular.  The   disappointing first single off the upcoming Watch the Throne, "H.A.M." suggests another vanity project.  Everything is lifeless, from the beat to the lyrics to the rapping itself.  It is so uninspiring! I just don't want to talk about it.
1 star out of 5


I'm dropping hardcore indie and electronica reviews for today, there just isn't enough new stuff to review right now.

Best of the Day- "What the Hell", Avril Lavigne

Yay! Avril Lavigne comes out with her best single yet, a surfer-punk kiss-off with a sing-along chorus.  Avril channels all of her rage into a perfect song that sounds like it should have come out in the summer.  Its surfer-guitars make for a perfect California song, even though Lavigne is a known-Canadian (HISS!BOO!HISS!).  What is likely to be the best song of January, and thats good enough me.

5 stars out of 5

Other Songs From the Past Decade That Are Worth Listening To: Part Deux

Continuing from Thursday's list...

"Howlin' For You", The Black Keys
"Hung Up", Madonna
"I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor", Arctic Monkeys
"Icky Thump", The White Stripes
"Conquest", The White Stripes
"I Don't Like Your Band", Annie
"If The Stars Were Mine", Melody Gardot
"Ignorance", Paramore
"I'm A Slave 4 U", Britney Spears
"I'm Good, I'm Gone", Lykke Li
"In the End", Linkin Park
"Island In The Sun", Weezer
"I Say A Little Prayer", Dianna Agron
"It Don't Move Me", Peter Bjorn and John
"It's My Life" No Doubt (YESYESYES)
"I Want You", Common
"I Will Possess Your Heart (Radio Edit)", Death Cab For Cutie
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies", Panic! At the Disco
"Jerk It Out", Caesars
"Je veux te voir", Yelle
"Just Dance", Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis
"Kids", MGMT
"Konichiwa Bitches", Robyn
"Lasso", Phoenix
"La Tortura", Shakira feat. Alejandro Sanz
"Le Disko", Shiny Toy Guns
"Lovesick", Lindstrom and Christabelle
"Love Song", Sara Bareilles
"Lucky", Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat
"Make Her Say", Kid Cudi feat. Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and Common

Other Songs From the Past Decade That Are Worth Listening To

So, a friend suggested this to me today, and I thought it was a pretty good idea.  Most of the songs I review here are new songs or at least fairly recent, so I agree that a good spotlight is in order.  I'm not gonna rank them like the last one or sort them out, cuz that admittedly takes forever.  So, here goes...

"After Tonight", Justin Nozuka
The entire La Roux album
"Banquet", Bloc Party
"Bebe Buell", Chester French
"Dani California", Red Hot Chili Peppers: only RHCP song I actually like out of all of them
"Be OK", Chrisette Michele
"Black and Gold", Sam Sparro
"Blind", Hercules and Love Affair
"The Calculation", Regina Spektor
"Can't Get You Out Of My Head", Kylie Minogue
"Chasing Pavements", ADELE
"Chewing Gum (Vocal Mix)", Annie
"Chillin", Wale feat. Lady Gaga
"The Church of Hot Addiction", Cobra Starship
"Crystalised", The xx
"D.A.N.C.E", Justice
"Daniel", Bat For Lashes
Most everything by Kanye West except for 808's and Heartbreaks
"Disturbia", Rihanna
"Dominos", The Big Pink
"Don", Miranda
"Electric Feel", MGMT
"Empire State of Mind", Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
"Flathead", The Fratellis
"Galvanize", The Chemical Brothers
"Gamma Ray", Beck
"Girlfriend", Avril Lavigne
"Grace Kelly", MIKA
"Heads Will Roll", Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"The Healer", Erykah Badu
"Heavy Cross", Gossip
"Help I'm Alive", Metric
"Hey Ya!", OutKast
"Crazy", Gnarls Barkley
"Horizon", Ashby

To be continued...
I'll finish the rest over the weekend, the list is too long as it is...

Top 50 Songs of 2010

Sorry, I've been pretty busy with other stuff and traveling.  Here are my picks for top song of 2010.

50)  "Erase Me",  Kid Cudi feat. Kanye West
49)  "Brian Eno", MGMT
48)  "Only Girl (In the World)", Rihanna
47)  "Set Your Arms Down", Warpaint
46)  "Little Lion Man", Mumford and Sons
45)  "Solitude is Bliss", Tame Impala
44)  "General Patton", Big Boi
43)  "Shutterbugg", Big Boi
42)  "Blame Game", Kanye West
41)  "Ghosts N Stuff", Deadmau5 [Nero Remix]
40)  "Howlin' For You", The Black Keys
39)  "Thieves", She and Him
38)  "Black and Yellow", Wiz Khalifa
37)  "Holding You Down (Goin' In Circles)", Jazmine Sullivan
36)  "Teenage Dream", Katy Perry (and that Glee version too)
35)  "Magic", B.o.B feat. Rivers Cuomo
34)  "Sweet Disposition", The Temper Trap
33)  "Bass Down Low", Dev feat. Cataracs
32)  "Roman's Revenge", Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem
31)  "Lights", Potomac Boys Club feat. Ellie Goulding, Waka Flocka Flame, and Wale
30)  "Rolling In the Deep", ADELE
29)  "Misery", Maroon 5
28)  "Power", Kanye West
27)  "Over", Drake
26)  "Stylo", Gorillaz feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack
25)  "Dancing On My Own", Robyn
24)  "Dog Days Are Over", Florence + the Machine
23)  "Love The Way You Lie", Eminem feat. Rihanna
22)  "Rill Rill", Sleigh Bells
21)  "All the Lights", Kanye West feat. everyone singer/rapper you could possibly think of
20)  "Crazy For You", Best Coast
19)  "Well Well Well", Duffy
18)  "I Can Change", LCD Soundsystem
17)  "Wild'n Cuz I'm Young", Kid Cudi (can't get this out of my head now)
16)  "One", Sky Ferreira
15)  "6 Foot 7 Foot", Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz
14)  "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", Arcade Fire
13)  "Rabiosa", Shakira feat. Pitbull
12)  "Janglin", Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
11)  "XXXO", MIA feat. Jay-Z
10)  "Get Some", Lykke Li
9)  "Tighten Up", The Black Keys
8)  "The High Road", Broken Bells
7)  "Tightrope", Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi
6)  "Monster", Kanye West feat. Bon Iver, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj
5)  "Islands", The xx
4)  "Infinity Guitars", Sleigh Bells
3)  "Bang Bang Bang", Mark Ronson feat. MNDR and Q-Tip
2)  "Runaway", Kanye West
1)  "F**k You", Cee Lo Green

Best Artist:  Kanye West
Best Male Artist (not Kanye):  Big Boi
Best Female Artist:  Janelle Monae
Best Band:  The Black Keys
Best Newcomer (Male):  Bruno Mars
Best Newcomer (Female):  Nicki Minaj
Best New Band:  The xx