Pazartesi 21 Oca 2008, 19:08
Everyone did top 100, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 even top 5 albums of the now-oh-so-very-past-year, since I’ve always suffered of the salmon syndrome, I’m doing the top 15 most played albums of 2007 in mid-january! Whoooooppeeee.
That’s right most played no quality stacking against one another. I’m just too lazy for that and actually comparing quality… well I just don’t need the headache! There were far too many good and great albums last year, by far the best musical year I have ever experienced.
This stats were calculated on December 26, due to a series of reasons, and not posted until this day because I’m a proclaimed procrastinator… well, that and I actually had some stuff that were more important. Shocker! I know.
The categories are most played track, and runner-up; least played and most skipped, thanks to that amazing yet overlooked iTunes counting stat; and best video from that album just because I like to embed stuff from YouTube. Some results were surprising to say the least.
Oh yeah, we are doing it countdown style! The positions were determined not by total plays but averaged plays:
Average plays = Total Plays / Total tracks in the album
I mean it’s just plain unfair to stack them up by total plays when clearly favorite albums that have a lot of tracks will always prevail! Also the fact that 9 seems to be the new magic number for total tracks in albums, leaving the good old 12 to bite the dust.
Only “full albums” qualify. Anyways, too much talking let the fun begin!
15 White Rabbits – Fort Nightly (played 191 times – averaged 17 plays per track)
A very decent debut album, I should say. They sound promising. they just need to learn how to mix it up a little. After the first couple of tracks, it begins to feel repetitive. Kind of the same rhythm, notes… I don’t have the “technical know how” in music to explain what is going on in here, so I won’t try.
What they are not lacking is energy, especially in the first couple of tracks. Maybe that’s another reason why the album feels a bit dragging as well.
Most played track: Kid On My Shoulders (played 59 times)
This was the first track I heard from them. Like a said earlier, it’s a very energetic song. My favorite part is hands down the piano.
Runner-up: The Plot (played 47 times)
Very nice one-two opening tracks they’ve got going on here. Like I said before it carries the same energy. The constant element on the song has been passed from the piano to the guitar, which it’s nice since it gives it a rockier edge I really liked.
This song also has that sort of “hit” quality that doesn’t come around too often. Quite anthemic, both lyrics and music. I can’t help but sing-along “he’s not impressed, he’s not impressed ohhhhh”. He seems like such a jerk. It’s probably my favorite track on the album.
Least played track: Reprise (played 7 times)
This one is easy, well it’s sort of a joke, drunken singing of The Plot, in case you haven’t heard it.
Most skipped song of the album: I Used To Complain Now I Don't (skipped 8 times – played 12 times)
This is where the surprising stats start to pile up. I don’t dislike this song that much, it just failed to delivered on a various artist playlist. Also it can’t keep up with the preceding track, While We Go Dancing.
Best video from this album: The Plot
It’s sort of the only video I’ve seen from them. Your generic band playing/doing random stuff video. Why do record labels invest their money on this sort of stuff? Rarely any of them manage to be interesting.
I can’t find that video on YouTube but I’m putting their David Letterman performance, believe me you won’t see a difference.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0V-Xn5s6LVw
14 LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver (played 161 times – averaged 17 plays per track)
I’m not much of a “dance person” but I really like his style. And when I say “really”, I mean it. Like I said I’m not much of a dance person but James Murphy has managed to capture my attention more than once by now.
There weren’t clear favorites in the stats, most of the song got an even number of plays. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a lot of other songs to pair it up with, resulting in a lot of full album plays.
It was a surprising winner on a couple of end of the year lists. It is a very solid album; I just don’t think it was “the best”.
Most played track: Us v Them (played 30 times)
This song won “Best use of a cowbell” in the DGA Awards by a landmile! Love the energy! This song adds a very nice latin flavor, I guess he discovered salsa between the debut and this album, and put it to a good use.
It’s always refreshing for me to listen to song that put a creative use to such elements that I’m already tired of listening to.
Runner-up: Time To Get Away (played 27 times)
One of my favorite music instruments are by far percussions. James Murphy seems to like them as well. Here he mixes them up with some sort of synthesizing, bass and I don’t know what else. You never really know with these samplers.
All throughout the album, the vocals are very nicely done as well. The backup ones don’t hurt either.
Least played track: New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down (played 5 times)
It’s just too eclectic, doesn’t fit with the rest of the album.
Most skipped song of the album: North American Scum (skipped 6 times – played 21 times)
Got played out quite fast. Maybe it’s because this song managed to make it into my local radio station rotation, so I got to hear it a lot on the radio before the album came out.
The lyrics are quite entertaining to say the least but it falls sort of flat compared to the other great songs he’s got in here. It also has a feeling of Daft Punk is playing in at my house part two. The title may have also attracted more people than usual.
Best video from this album: Someone great (played 18 times)
You can’t see her because she’s gone. Duh!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kaYsczkWti0
13 Band of Horses – Cease to Begin (played 185 times – averaged 19 plays per track)
The guys at BoH want to show their rockier side. Whooppeee. They should stick to it, I’d say. It didn’t have more plays because I didn’t jump into it right away. An extremely solid, very nice album indeed.
It did receive a mayor eye roll over twice(!) the past couple of months before it got released. No, it had nothing to do with the Walmart “scandal”. (Oh, the outrage for some people!) First, the title then the album cover. Errrr. Still to this day, errrr. I guess I should have seen the album title coming, I mean “Everything all the time”…
Most played track: Is There a Ghost (played 48 times)
This is where it starts off all rocky. It sort of clashes, in a way, with Ben’s echoic vocals. That gives it a nice contrast; the first minute or so is more of what I’d heard from them up until now and then guitar come crashing on. The simplicity behind the entire song doesn’t hurt either.
Runner-up: Cigarettes, Wedding bands (played 30 times)
To prove that Is There a Ghost wasn’t intended to be a one-track thing. I like it even more. The aggressiveness of the vocals mixed with a hint of melancholic makes this a great song, one of my favorites.
Least played track: Lamb on the Lam (in the city) (played 4 times)
It’s sort of self explanatory, isn’t it?
A tag question! I’ve been watching too much Smallvile. You can tell, can’t you? The writers of that show just love tag questions, don’t they? I’m not exaggerating here!
Most skipped song of the album: The general specific (skipped 3 times – played 9 times)
Too country for me.
Favorite lyrics: Ode to LRC (played 26 times)
I just had to add this here. I really like this song, especially the lyrics. I love how towards the end he just sounds resigned to live in this wonderful world.
“In a town so small how could anybody not look you in the eye or wave as you drive by, the world is such a wonderful place”
Best video from this album: Is There a Ghost
I guess that you can’t get much sleep if there are ghosts in your house. A great improvement from The Funeral and The Great Salt Lake videos! Keep it up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK716RqoUms
12 Noisettes – What's The Time Mr Wolf? (played 257 times – averaged 23 plays per track)
You have a lack of energy? You need the Noisettes! That lady has a lot to spare and she wants to give it to you. For real.
Most played track: SpeedHorn (played 52 times)
What a way to close an album! In the highest note possible, in this track they managed to bring a softer side mixed with their energy and a whole lot of passion. I just love it towards the end when she just seems to lose it and goes haywire.
Runner-up: Scratch Your Name (played 40 times)
A very nice think-about-the-future/optimistic-self track. Goes nicely along IWE, that got 34 plays by the way.
Least played track: Hierarchy (played 2 times)
I don’t have anything against this song. They can pull of this sort of mellow songs, it just didn’t get added to playlist a lot. I got surprised of how little change it got. I feel bad now.
Most skipped song of the album: Scratch Your Name (skipped 13 times – played 40 times)
Again an amazing stat, considering it was the second most played track. Just like with LCD Soundsystem, I don’t have much people to pair them with, so when I put them in my yun yun playlists they end up getting skipped a lot.
Best video from this album: Sister Rosetta (Capture The Spirit)
They must be a riot live!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGLYNtqGuyQ
11 Radiohead – In Rainbows (played 280 times – averaged 28 plays per track)
Perhaps the most over hyped album of the year. Scratch that perhaps. It got a very either you like it or not reception. Some hailed it as gasping-out-of-breath-the-best-ever, which it’s not at all! I think people got caught up in the excitement of a *new* Radiohead album.
It was a fairly decent album, compared to their gems just fall way too short. It had a feeling of being trapped between The Bends and OK Computer, which it’s not bad at all, it may had something to do with the fact that a lot of these songs were old tracks. That could also explain how quick they got it done. I guess they figured since they were going to do their “ground breaking” experiment, they should play it safe(?)
One thing I can say for sure it’s that they’re done experimenting and are ready to embrace all they’ve done thus far. So I wouldn’t expect any Kid A or Ok Computer from here on.
I gotta admit I also got caught up in the excitement, gave it like a 200 plays the first week then it sunk like a rock in my charts. Again, it’s not that I disliked it, just wasn’t a special album. That’s all.
Most played track: Videotape (played 41 times)
The loops are way to repetitive, too in-your-face, I think they should have let the beautiful piano melody lead the way. Still, I liked it a lot, mostly because of the lyrics that are classic Radiohead. In the best way possible.
Runner-up: Faust Arp (played 38 times)
Very nice strings and rhythmic singing. By far the catchiest in the album. Guess they weren’t satisfied with Wolf at the door. This song carries the same vibe all around.
Least played track: Reckoner (played 12 times)
Surprisingly, it beated out Bodysnatchers by 1 play count. This song didn’t click with me. I still think it’s better than Bodysnatchers that was a complete disaster, in my opinion. As if they felt forced to include a rock track.
Most skipped song of the album: Faust Arp (skipped 9 times – played 38 times)
Yet another skipping surprise.
10 Beirut – The Flying Club Cup (played 385 times – averaged 30 plays per track)
I didn’t care much The Gulag Orchestra but this album is just another in universe, maybe another galaxy.
Maybe the presence of an actual orchestra or the themed French music is far more to my liking. It’s just a magical album. I can’t describe it any other way.
Most played track: Nantes (played 52 times)
The lyrics and melodies are so sad and beautiful. I just love this track. Every track is so rich in its own right.
I get a giggle off the talking in the middle. I wish I knew what they are saying.
I also love how he matched the line “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile” in here and Cherbourg. Both used in a different context. Here he’s melancholic resigned to accept that she doesn’t seems to be happy, over there is like almost losing it and screaming at her: why aren’t you happy?
Runner-up: A Sunday Smile (played 39 times)
The first track I heard, I just knew I had to give this album a chance!
Least played track: A Call To Arms (played 3 times)
Obvious. The real award should go to La Banlieue that got played 23 times. Still better than most albums, hey we’re in the Top 10!
Most skipped song of the album: A Sunday Smile (skipped 6 times – played 39 times)
I got this track for free, on stereogum I think. And it got a lot of plays before the rest of the album. Afterwards I just wanted to hear more of the other songs.
Best video from this album: the whole Blogothèque special!
La Blogothèque are some French guys that do some amazing live sessions, in case you haven’t heard. Their English version site it’s called Take Away show. Thanks to their awesomeness I got into Grizzly Bear!
The only performance that has managed to be mentioned in the same breath it’s this one. They filmed the whole album so just head over to The Flying Club Cup site to see them all.
In honor of them, I’m putting Clicquot that was filmed with Ed Droste on vocals. I get dizzyyyyyyyyy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TLV6jygKNCM
9 Handsome Furs – Plague Park (played 323 times – averaged 36 plays per track)
I don’t get why these guys didn’t get much love. Maybe people prefer Wolf Parade since I barely know them I love Handsome Furs! They are quite different from one another. It’s not like you’d like them both by default.
Handsome Furs are less rock and more electronic, lots of drum machines mixed with other more traditional instruments and ethereal loops all around. I really like the atmosphere they have built around them.
I had to add “(Album)” to every track so it would show on their track page. Who added that anyway? A Sub Pop records employee I know.
Most played track: What We Had (Album) (played 77 times)
A perfect opener, it really captures the feeling behind the whole album. This guy really knows how to do the off-key singing. His voice is unique to say the least. He just embraces his awkwardness.
Runner-up: Dumb Animals (Album) (played 56 times)
It sounds more about a wounded, dumb animal. I really like that about it.
Least played track: Snakes On The Ladder (Album)(played 2 times)
I don’t get why it got so little plays. Sometimes I just get caught up on a couple of song and won’t leave their side.
Most skipped song of the album: Dead + Rural (Album)(skipped 9 times – played 36 times)
I’m not sure if the upbeat bordering in disco goes well with the echoic vocals, very new age. That was the point, I’m just not much of a fan.
Best video from this album: Cannot Get Started (Album) (played 26 times)
It’s not a good video but it’s slightly less boring than Dumb Animals! *snores*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Ib9JP7PS4
8 The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (played 424 times – averaged 39 plays per track)
They sure know how to shake off that sophomore slumb myth by putting together this stellar album. Also managing not to feel repetitive at all, still addressing the social issues, religion and politics. They haven’t shaken up their nostalgia for old times past and the way we used to live in. Maybe that’s why this album sounds way more old fashioned than Funeral.
Most played track: Black Mirror (played 101 times)
The music has some sort dark and mysterious feeling behind it. You feel like lurking from the shadows into the mirror, waiting for it to uncover its dark, deeply hidden secrets.
I just love how dramatic this song turns when the strings hit around the bridge.
Runner-up: No Cars Go (played 84 times)
I didn’t think this song could be more energetic and fun than its original EP version. I was wrong, wrong so wrong! It was my favorite b-side and it didn’t lose a thing, they actually made it even better!
They paced it up, added an extra set of “Hey!” You are ready to go. Its secretly adventurous feeling remains intact as it loses itself in a soaring set of ohhhs. Making it more anthemic than ever! Every time I listen to this, I just go shouting “Hey!” out loud. I have to control myself. Here and the Rebellion clapping.
That’s the sort of quality that makes me love these guys even more with each listen.
Least played track: Windowsill (played 8 times)
This song serves as a good example to my old fashioned feeling statement. It’s a good song. You just feel the heartache in here. Emptiness and desperation brought by MTV into his life. What have you done to him?! Set him free you evil monster!
Again, I just tend to get hung up on a couple of tracks. Plus No Cars Go is next, you just know I skipped it a bunch of times to get there.
Most skipped song of the album: Black Mirror (skipped 12 times – played 101 times)
This track just skyrocketed in my charts. After you’ve been listening to a song all the time for a couple of weeks, it comes a time when you just want to listen to other songs.
Best video from this album: Neon Bible (played 28 times)
You go ahead and make it now! It’s just an incredible project, this interactive music video. These guys know how to raise a bar.
7 The National – Boxer (played 475 times – averaged 40 plays per track)
Just like with Beirut’s album, all song were evenly played. No time fillers in here, it’s just a breathtaking album from start to finish. Actually, I have a half-written journal on this album that I started for the Weekly Album Appreciation Club series. Actually I just wrote introductory paragraphs and a couple of lines on some songs. Anyways here’s what I had written before I decided to leave it:
I can’t think of any album cover that could describe better the feeling behind the actual music. The dark and moody atmosphere centered around the band playing on stage, in a sort of calm and relaxed way, just enjoying the dancing couples in a dimly lit room of a small family wedding. It lets you see in advanced how personal this entire album feels.
Just like the cover, the music is not overdoing it yet reaching greatness at every level. Something The National seems to have mastered backed by this strong as Mount Everest album. I dare say the best they’ve done, and that’s saying a lot.
Most played track: Brainy (played 55 times)
These guys sure know how to put heart-breaking slow songs and more upbeat ones with the same amount of quality. Gotta give it a “cool point” for bring up Yo La Tengo.
Strings also give a nice finishing touch all throughout the album.
Runner-up: Mistaken For Strangers (played 47 times)
True contemporary poetry that’s what this song is, their songwriting skills put to the best of uses. Almost as good as Start a war, now that’s a gem! I just had to bring it up. I won’t put stats because it’s actually higher than this song now.
Least played track: Gospel (played 28 times)
Like I said, there are no bad or so-so songs in here. Maybe too evenly slow paced, that’s all I could think. Maybe the song with the least amount of “whoa” factor from the bunch, not bad though. I sound a bit like Simon from American Idol here.
Most skipped song of the album: Gospel (skipped 3 times – played 28 times)
Read above.
Best video from this album: Mistaken for strangers
I had never seen a video off this album, which prompted me to do a YouTube search.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cgRsYkKb1eI
6 of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (played 482 times – averaged 40 plays per track)
of Montreal it’s just an amazing phenomenon. I can’t think of any other band that puts sad quirky lyrics and confused feelings with such an upbeat, fun, psychedelic melodies. Most pop bands go the easy way with catchy melodies and empty lyrics, not them! They don’t around the bush either. They deserve a standing ovation for all of this… and their hum?-like song titles.
They’ve really brought it all together in this album, way more cohesive than their previous efforts.
I could have live without the horrible Outback jingle. Stomach turning bad. (x_x)
Most played track: Suffer For Fashion (played 74 times)
Some people do like to suffer for fashion. They just want their lives to be as complicated as possible. Bunch of drama queens!
Runner-up: She's A Rejector (played 71 times)
Love the use of the acoustic guitar, rarely heard on their music.
You just gotta laugh at the line: “that’s the girl that made me bitter, I want to pay some other girl to just walk up to her and hit her”
Least played track: We Were Born The Mutants Again With Leafling (played 8 times)
Overall it just didn’t click in my ears.
I really like how they connected the endings and beginning of a few songs in the album. This one really transitions well from “She’s a rejector”.
Most skipped song of the album: Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse (skipped 10 times – played 69 times)
Lyrically this is my second favorite track on the album. The personal misery depicted in here, over the top dramatic music, still fun to listen to. Very few people have managed to get the best out of a synthesizer. And I must confess I’m not a fan at all of 80’s music.
Most amazing song of the album: The Past Is A Grotesque Animal (played 51 times)
Everything is a great fit. Lyrics, vocals, music. It all comes together to bring immeasurable awesomeness. Few songs can go longer than 6 minutes without getting pretentious or losing momentum. Actually, I found myself repeating this song more than a couple of times.
It’s also has a very sing-along quality that I really like in songs. Some lines are unavoidable:
”The past is a grotesque animal and its eyes you see how completely wrong you can be”
”It’s so embarrassing to need someone like I do you. How can I explain I need you here and not here too”
”At least I authored my own disaster” (*nice line!)
”It’s like we weren’t made for this world but I wouldn’t want to meet someone who was”
”Let’s just have some fun, let’s tear this sh*t apart, let’s tear the f*cking house apart, let’s tear our f*cking bodies apart, let’s just have some fun!”
”We want our films to be beautiful not realistic”
If I keep going I’ll post everything in here, so I’ll stop now. You got the point. The song is great. ;)
Play counts for songs this long should count for two! Then it’d be an unquestionable number one.
Best video from this album: Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
School plays can rarely afford such an amazing load of make-up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VeIL7juFE0
5 The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse (played 450 times – averaged 50 plays per track)
Their music is quite haunting. It has this easygoing attitude that sort of wraps you up, lets you journey into every song. The falsetto/girl vocals mixed with some neo-progressive goodies moments eliminate any possibility of stillness. They sure love their guitars and know how to use it as a their best resort.
If you’ve heard of them but haven’t given them a chance because they sound to you like some Arcade Fire rip off. Believe me. That’s from the distance. They are nothing of the sort. They achieve greatness on their own rights and merits. The only similar points are: both Montreal, their core members are a wife/husband duo and they both sing. That’s it!
Most played track: Disaster (played 85 times)
They are just obsessed with spies, I tell you! She seems to be a femme fatale. The worst of her kind. The kind of woman that gives the rest of us a bad, bad reputation.
I still wonder about this spy obsession. Which side is she on? Obviously not his. To whom is she giving all his precious secrets and who would benefit from destroying his life’s work? Damn spies and their hidden agendas!
Runner-up: Devastation (played 78 times)
Greatness! Massive greatness. Almost 6 minutes of it, that’s this song. Can’t describe it any other way. Over the top drama.
Least played track: Cedric's War (played 13 times)
Cedric has not gotten love from me. He seems to be a very decisive person.
Most skipped song of the album: On Bedford And Grand (skipped 9 times – played 46 times)
No idea why, I like this song.
Best video from this album: For Agent 13 (played 65 times)
The only video they’ve released actually. It’s kind of exasperating really. Both song and video are too slow paced. The video just seems slower! It’s like you’re screaming inside: “Where does this corridor ends?!” It’s worse at the end when you find out there wasn’t much waiting after all the slow pacing towards it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqiwiCn2sT4
4 Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (played 605 times – averaged 50 plays per track)
One has to give it up to these guys that didn’t explode under the pressure of the huge levels of success achieved with their debut album. I just knew it in my heart that they weren’t one-hit wonders. I kind of have a radar for this sort of things.
I really liked how they tried to give this album a different angle, not try to repeat what had brought them so much success. They come around with an edgier, more rock less punk, album. With lost of bass and bigger guitars. Not leaving their innate catchiness aside, of course.
Some people didn’t like but that’s ok. I guess they started separating one-timers from would be fans, as themselves try to define their own sound. I have a hunch that they’re in for a marvelous third album.
Most played track: Teddy Picker (played 115 times)
The catchiest track by far, still so short! Why do you torture me? Why?!
I always end up listening to their song twice. This explains their huge amount of play counts. A modest count really, considering I saw a guy who had like 10,000 plays for them here on Last.fm. Yupe, that’s almost as eye-popping as the russian guy who has over 100,000 plays for Radiohead. I doubt this guy, really. It’s plain inhuman to listen so many times to one artist.
Runner-up: Do Me A Favour (played 96 times)
I just love this song. By far, my favorite from this album. Wittiness intact, this guy is almost a modern poet. Gotta love that guitar solo. Alex Turner sure knows how to turn a song around him. Not that it’s narcissistic or anything. I like your music just the way it is. ;)
Least played track: Balaclava (played 9 times)
(x_x)
Most skipped song of the album: The Bad Thing (skipped 25 times – played 18 times)
It’s never a good sign when a song has more skips than plays. Maybe too pop for my liking. Not catchy but pop. If I had something against catchiness these guys wouldn’t be on my library.
Best video from this album: Fluorescent Adolescent (played 10 times)
I don’t really like this song. Feels a bit awkward and out of place. Doesn’t feel them. It’s just too sweet-toothed.
Then I found out that it was co-written with a girlfriend of his. Then I went: “that explains it!” Maybe he shouldn’t let his girlfriends co-write songs from now on.
I really liked that live performance they did dressed as clown. Too cute. Just like the song, I like them edgier.
For every Fluorescent Adolescent and The Bad Thing, there are a couple of Do me a favour, Old Yellow Bricks and 505s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N64QMKEbJQg
3 Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (played 484 times – averaged 54 plays per track)
I just can’t add anything else to these last three artists that I haven’t covered on previous journals. So reading back to them, here’s what I think of this album in a nutshell: I like how many things they have going on at once, not in the album but in every single song. They are truly multidimensional. It gives them this high energy that it’s truly refreshing.
You can feel their enthusiasm and their wish to experiment with all these folk and electronic sounds in each one of their songs.
Most played track: Peacebone (played 81 times)
It’s the most fun song in this album. By the time they get to “a peacebone, a peacebone, a peacebone” I’m just jumping out of control.
I have this Annie the musical meets Mario Bros. Nintendo theory for the music. And I stand by it!
Runner-up: Chores (played 73 times)
Here’s where they accurately mix “classic” Animal Collective with Panda Bear’s Person Pitch style. A stand out track, that’s for sure.
Least played track: #1 (played 29 times)
I have nothing against it. I like how they’ve put together this sort of cheesy 50s ballad, à la Animal Collective.
Most skipped song of the album: #1 (skipped 12 times – played 29 times)
When you are listening to the album on shuffle, this song kind of cuts the rhythm.
Best video from this album: Peacebone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvGHQHiY70
Related journals: Weekly Album Appreciation Club: Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
2 Menomena – Friend And Foe (played 1354 times – averaged 113 plays per track)
I tell you it was just WWIII between these guys and the band at number one! Fierce, head to head, track to track, until the very last weeks. I’m really proud of the guys at number one. I just didn’t think it was possible for Menomena to lose that title. I seriously got completely obsessed with this album. For weeks, almost a month, I’d only listen to them. It got to a point where I had to stop and say: “I need to listen to someone else, for their own sake!”
To sum it up, this album managed to reignite my love for music. I’m not exaggerating here. It was a like whole new world. Like my ear had been numb for a while. If you want to read my undeniable love and have the word “amazing!” thrown at you every couple of sentences just read the journal I wrote. ;)
Most played track: Wet And Rusting (played 191 times)
This song just reached 200 plays. Yoohooo! This was it. The one to blame for all this Menomena love. Bless her! It’s just too amazing. Seriously you like this song, you’ll love the album!
Runner-up: Evil Bee (played 144 times)
These guys want to kill me! With their awesome goodness! It’s just a great song, proving that you can do more with less.
Taken from the journal:
The mood shifts so much, from a sort of hopeful feeling – with the acoustic guitar, the slow drums; to menacing – with the bass and the first hints of the saxophone; to threatening – with piano and full-blown drums and saxophone; to liberating – by the end of the song.
Least played track: Ghostship (played 48 times)
Compared to the rest of the song, this one may be the most modest of the bunch. Still very good.
Most skipped song of the album: Ghostship (skipped 14 times – played 48 times)
Best video from this album: Evil Bee
Menomena sure knows how to make great videos. All the singles from this album had some amazing videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BXr_4g0o9M
Related journals: Weekly Album Appreciation Club: Menomena – Friend and Foe
1 The Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (played 1199 times – averaged 133 plays per track)
A standing ovation to these guys! You managed to do the unthinkable: outdo Menomena in play counts! Whoof, you’ve work hard, you’ve earned it. You can take a couple of months off to rest, but not too much. ;)
I just love how they bring these melancholic songs with that huge noise, and use the accordion to keep it melodic. When you think songs are about to self-destruct on your ear they manage to keep it together. They just have a charm about them that makes them a truly special band. And this it’s only their first full length! Oh my.
Again, all The Twilight Sad love can be fully rubbed on by reading the journal.
Most played track: I'm Taking The Train Home (played 185 times)
A not-so-late bloomer. It managed to pass the runner-up in the last couple of weeks! Their live version of this song it’s just unbelievable. After watching a couple of live video, it just skyrocketed on plays. The guitar on those bridges are incredible. Just don’t focused too much on them, they are too sad and heartbreaking.
Runner-up: And She Would Darken The Memory (played 176 times)
The noise in this song is just amazing. Really, it’s just a powerful song. How powerful is it? If Superman was a song, this song would beat him up and send him home to his momma crying.
Least played track: Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters (played 22 times)
It’s an ambient album closer. Goes on perfectly if you just put the album on repeat and Cold days from the birdhouse follows.
Most skipped song of the album: Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters (skipped 35 times – played 22 times)
Again it’s a full ambient track. If I’m listening to all the noisy songs, I want more noise to follow.
Related journals: Weekly Album Appreciation Club: The Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters