Best Songs of 2012

Hey,
It's almost 2013! Seriously, I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by. As quickly as it has gone, we've had some incredible music come out this year. At the risk of sounding cheeky, can I say it may have been one of alternative music's best years? Granted, the crap on the radio was still crap ("Whistle", anyone?) but I think the alternative scene is improving and spreading into popular culture, maybe even just a little bit. I think fun. wins the award for best out-of-nowhere hit single and follow-up single with "We Are Young" and "Some Nights." I love seeing bands getting some validation, even it means I have to put up with obnoxious 12 year olds tweeting "OMG!!!! We R Young!" Yes, you are. You're 12.
Anyways, my intent was to do a 12 best songs of 2012 list, but there's just too many good ones, so I'm doing 15 best songs; I couldn't narrow it down!
Here is my list of the 15 Best Songs of 2012:

15."Relax My Beloved" by Alex Clare
14. "All Alone" by fun.
13. "Little Black Submarines" by The Black Keys
12. "Empty Party Rooms" by Minus the Bear
11. "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid
10."No Diggity" by Chet Faker
9."Body Electric" by Lana Del Rey
8. "Speak Up" by POP ETC.
7."Before the Dive" by St. Lucia
6."Holiday" by Electric Guest
5."Because I Know That I Can" by Andy Burrows
4."Demons" by Imagine Dragons
3."American Daydream" by Electric Guest
2."Handshake" by Two Door Cinema Club
1. "This Head I Hold" by Electric Guest

15. "Relax My Beloved" by Alex Clare. Alex Clare gained notoriety for his song "Too Close," which blended blues and dub step seamlessly. However, I think it's safe to say that "Relax My Beloved" is a million times better. It combines his soulful vocals with that Sonny Moore-influenced sound in the background and sounds absolutely beautiful and almost raw in a strange way. The lyrics have captured my heart with such lines as "then maybe again/ we will weep like we've done a thousand time before," and many others. Great song.

14. "All Alone" by fun. I reviewed fun.'s album a while back, and I still am in love with "All Alone." Between the gentle instrumental intro, that ridiculously creative percussion line, one of the best lines of the year: "how do you cry/ with inanimate eyes," and Nate's powerful vocals, this remains one of the best songs off their album and another reason why I am proud to support these guys! They're awesome! :)

13. "Little Black Submarines" by the Black Keys. Ah, the Black Keys. I was angry with them at first for not putting their newest album on Spotify, but after actually listening to it; I understand why. It's too good to put on Spotify. I realize how pretentious that sounds, but seriously, listen to it and you'll see why. The Black Keys specialize in polished blues/ R&B and that perfectly describes track 13 on my list. "Little Black Submarines" showcases their dirty guitar licks, gravely vocals, and their talent of reviving music of the past (and doing an excellent job, if I say so myself).

12. "Empty Party Rooms" by Minus The Bear. I first listened to this band a few years ago when their label, Dangerbird, offered a free sampler off Amazon.com. The song was amazing and I keep coming back for more. And this band never disappoints. "Empty Party Rooms" has a very mellow tinge to it. Certainly, it is more laid-back than most of their usual stuff and I like it for that very reason. Critics tend to criticize (hence their title "critic") bands for experimenting and trying new stuff. I call bull. This song belongs on the album as much as the others and I love the chill sound. Still, it is a very complex song with beautiful guitar lines, heavenly background vocals, and Jake's capable voice carrying the song.

11. "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid. Woodkid is the musical alias of Yoann Lemoine, a French director. This is definitely a different track; I like different. :)  I like the strong lyrics, beautiful vocals, manic percussion, and the string section.

10. "No Diggity" by Chet Faker. "No Diggity" was super big back in the 1990's and Chet Faker put a really cool, grungy, emotional spin on it. Where the original feels sexy and all like "make it rain," this rendition is more vulnerable and honestly, more convincing. I believe him when he says he likes the way I "work it." Whatever that means. Additionally, his raspy, convincing vocals have won me over.

9. "Body Electric" by Lana Del Rey. I realize Lana is a slightly controversial choice, considering she is somewhat mainstream, but I think she is still holding onto her indie roots. This song is too intricate to get played on the radio and the lyrics area sickeningly deep, which means the song would get pushed aside so Lil Wayne and every other pop princess can sing about how much they like butts and sex. Mini rant aside, this song builds and climaxes perfectly, and Lana Del Rey's vocals are absolutely electric.

8. "Speak Up" by POP ETC. Formerly known as the Morning Benders, POP ETC is what would result if The Ready Set and Panic! At the Disco had a lovechild together. And a beautiful lovechild it is. I love the dreamy string section, slightly distorted vocals, and floating sensation of the verses that directly contrasts with the steadier bridge into the chorus. Very cool song.

7. "Before the Dive" by St Lucia. I remember highlighting this song about a month ago and I've yet to get it out of my head. Which, in my book, is the mark of a good song. St. Lucia's incredible talent really shines through the track, boasting a stunning orchestral section, a dangerously catchy intro, and poetic lyrics. Love it.

6."Holiday" by Electric Guest. The introduction of the song alone warrants getting placed on the list, but because of the creative guitars in the background and the line "she's a painted face," they earned spot number six. :)

5."Because I Know That I Can" by Andy Burrows- I love Andy Burrows.Based on how often I've reviewed him, I suppose that's fairly obvious. :) He has a convincing voice and is a talented songwriter. This song has a very "Condor El Pasa" by Simon and Garfunkel vibe and paired with Andy's voice it has won me over.

4."Demons" by Imagine Dragons. This song begins slowly and about 45 seconds into it, it just all goes "KAPOOOF!" I don't think that's a word. Regardless, the track is a beautiful concoction of forbidden love and the best use of a bass drum I've heard for quite some time.

3 ."American Daydream" by Electric Guest. I know this is the second song by the same band, but it's so good I felt like I had to highlight this one as well. The percussion gives the song a sort of monotonous feeling which enforces the lyrics "we keep going/don't stop running" and the distortion on Asas vocals also increases the dragging feeling. Still, I think it's one of the best songs on the album, simply because they dared to be different.

2."Handshake" by Two Door Cinema Club. I love these British bands. They bring something interesting to the music scene, not that American/European bands don't. Don't get me wrong. But, like a lot of other British bands, TDCC fits into their own little genre. They're not quite solid Alt rock, nor are they pop, but a strangely delicious blend of the two. As well, TDCC writes some of the best lyrics: "She said the devil will want you back/ And you'll never find love in an open hand/ Shut your eyes, so you see I'm there/ And know you'll always have this if you stay this mad." So good.

1. "This Head I Hold" by Electric Guest- Yes, another Electric Guest song. They are one of my favorite bands and their album Mondo maybe one of the best debut albums ever. This song earns the number one spot for five reasons 1) Asa's falsetto is incredible the way it soars and makes the song really distinct, 2) That drum line at the beginning...that's the kind of stuff that made Darren King, the drummer of MuteMath, a legend, 3) the keyboard the complements the other instrumentation,4) the infectious melody, and 5) The lyrics! The lyrics make the song. A truly fantastic track.

Thank you for reading this and every other post. You guys rock and I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Until then,
Bella

Get Cubs To The Mountains Review

Hey,
I don't know if you all remember or not, but a few months ago I highlighted a band called Get Cubs. If not, click here. They recently released their debut album To The Mountains. All I can say is TGFTB (Thank God for the British). It appears we are going through a much needed British invasion at the moment and I couldn't be happier about it. In a music industry that is rife with untalented pop stars who can barely sing a single note without the aid of auto tune and bands that are really just singing groups with one member than knows like two chords on his guitar, it's nice to see bands like Get Cubs come along. Get Cubs maybe music's saving grace. Josh, their lead singer, has a strong, memorable voice and their instrumentation is pop meets rock meets melodic beauty.
Without further ado, my five favorite songs from Get Cubs's album To The Mountains.

5. Spain- Love the introduction, which instantly hooked me! The manic drums and bold vocals really set this song apart from the others. This song truly sounds like something Two Door Cinema Club would have put out, except it's even better.

4. Plastic Parade- I've reviewed this song before but I had to do it again; it's that good. I love the poetic lyrics, tambourine, acoustic guitar lines, and complicated rhythmic patterns, which all complement each other, layering with purpose and design. Stunning.

3. I Can't Tell- Get Cubs certainly does not neglect the rhythmic component of their songs and I commend them for that; it is something that is most definitely missing in most of today's music. Not only is I Can't Tell's melody infectious, the rhythms add to the song, creating a musical masterpiece of sorts. I love how the song builds, beginning from humble, bare bones roots and then exploding (in a good way).

2. Delilah- This song makes the list simply because, not only do they use instruments to add a rhythmic component to their songs, they also use Josh, their very capable lead singer, too. I also love the guitars that strengthen the beautiful melody.

1. Sights and Sounds- I love the steady, contagious beats at the beginning and the way every other component trickles in. This song will be stuck in your head; I promise! :) The "oh" 's and the chorus are super catchy. I think this has to be the best track on the entire album.

So, that's it for this week. Go check out Get Cubs on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and listen to their album on Spotify or on Soundcloud. Support these guys! They deserve it.

Until next week,
Bella

Beacon Is a Solid Follow-Up Album

Hey,

This week Two door Cinema Club dropped their new album “Beacon.” Much like last week’s post, I am picking my top three songs. I realize I did five last week, but I’m doing three this week only because these three really stand out. Speaking of last week’s post, I was really excited to see that Imagine Dragons’ album is in the Top Ten on iTunes. I am so excited for that band. They are very talented and it’s great to see them get the recognition they deserve.

                Anyways, here are the top three songs from Beacon:

 

3. Sleep Alone. I realize I highlighted this song a couple of weeks ago, but it truly is one of the standout songs on the album. The distinct vocals, complex, poetic lyrics, and that guitar line I can’t erase from my mind all contribute to the track’s reappearance on my blog. J “He needs no army/ where he’s going/ cuz he knows” is such a great line. Their songwriting skills have truly improved—not that their debut album’s lyrics were poor—and it is always exciting to see an artist/artists mature.

2.  Sun- When a band opens a track with “Ocean blue/what have I done to you/cut so deep/yet growing through and through,” I think it’s fairly easy to see why it earns a special place on my playlist. J My other favorite line is 'Over and over many setting suns/ I have run, I have waited for the rain to come/ When through that mist I see the shape of you/ And I know, and I know that I'm in love with you.” Factor in that steady, bumping drum line and that bluesy riff, and I’m in love. Solid effort.

1. Pyramid- It was a difficult decision to decide who should get the top spot, between “Sun” and “Pyramid,” but the slightly darker lyrics, that guitar riff in the background, the percussion that refuses to settle into mediocrity, and the somber verses switching into the manic chorus. This song brings back beautiful memories of MuteMath. That is as high of a compliment as I can offer, truly.

So,  I am seeing MuteMath on Tuesday, September 18^th, so that means I will be giving a nice little summary of the concert, like I’ve done in the past. The week after that, I will do a post (like I have done for the last two weeks) about my favorite tracks from Minus the Bear’s new album.

                Thank you for reading!

                ~Bellla

Bubblegum Pop

Hey,
It's been 3 weeks since I gave a Top 5 PLaylist, so here's another installment. No theme here, just random, like always. :)

In no particular order--because I'm too much of a softy to rate these songs--my weekly playlist...

5. Heart Skips A Beat by Olly Murs
I realize this guy is hardly indie/unknown, given the fact that he tried on the X-Factor in England and toured with One Direction, but, this guy has pipes. The original version is mediocre, but check out this acoustic performance. He has a great voice and I would love to see Olly push his vocals and explore other types of music besides bubblegum pop.

4. Bronte by Gotye
I love the soft, Bon Iver-esque instrumentation. Wally's (AKA Gotye's) vocals just lightly waft over the instruments, complenting never dominating, serving as another mechanism in this beautiful machine. The poetic lyrics remind me ever so slightly of a lullaby, coupled with the graceful, lilting tempo. I respect you, Wally. I do. I really wish this song would make it on the Top 40, but that's just a silly thought. The majority of people who listen to the radio want one catchy line they can post on Facebook with an immature emoticon and some club jam. Not beautiful simplicity.

3. Treading Water by Alex Clare
Alex Clare has gained significant notority for his song "Too Close," but I am willing to argue that "Treading Water" is a much better track off his album Lateness of the Hour. "Too Close" is good; I'm not saying that it's bad, but I like TW better. I'll explain. :) Reasons: the romantic, bittersweet lyrics detailing a failing relationship, the gentle beginning leading up to a gorgeous Dubstep-style climax, the way Alex blends several musical styles (which one could point out he did the same thin on TC), the way he transitions from a roaring chorus to a soulful second verse, and how the song just goes full force right to the very last second.

2. Get Higher by Paper Tongues
I found these guys a few years ago and remembered them the other day when I was listening to another band (Imagine Dragons) whose voice reminds me of the Paper Tongue's lead singer. I love the rock influences, the lead singer's unrelenting powerhouse vocals, the religious-without-being-righteous lyrics, and the guitar lines. I'm so glad I rediscovered this song as it brings back some great memories from JUnior High.

1. Sleep Alone by Two Door Cinema Club
These guys are one of the best alternative bands right now, up with MuteMath, Panic! At the Disco, and Young the Giant. I honestly cannot find anything to complain about with this song; all I hear is a fantastic, complex song that represents exactly what I love about alternative music.
A. The guitar lines that carry the song
B. Tempo changes
C. Volume changes
D. Confusing, poetic lyrics
E. A dinstinctive vocalist
F. A talented drummer
G. An infectious chorus
H. An original sound
I. Utilizes various instruments besides guitar, base and drums
J. Makes me smile

Alright, that about wraps it up for this week. :)
In a couple of weeks, I'll be seeing MuteMath in concert (2nd time!!!!!) so as soon as that happens, you'll get a new review of this tour. :D

Until next week,
Bella