Tune of the Year 2009

This year, I’m not going to do a Top 10 per-se, just a general shortlist.

Fleet Foxes – Mykonos (TOTW2)

Take That – Up All night (TOTW11)

Noisettes – Don’t upset the Rhythm (TOTW15)

Killers – World We Live in (TOTW22)

Florence & The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) (TOTW27)

Paolo Nutini – Pencil full of lead (TOTW44)

Hockey – Song Away (September Last Chance)

I’ve slightly surprised myself with this list.

I mean, come on, Take That? The thing is, their comeback has been full of really good pop songs. I don’t think they can really be classed as a boy-band any more, I whilst Gary Barlow has been accepted as a brilliant songwriter for years, he’s really demonstrating it here.

No Arctic Monkeys despite buying the album (yes, I still need to review that…) and having 2 TOTWs. Likewise repeat mentions by La Roux, Lily Allen, or the Yeah Yous managed to get onto the shortlist – but the latter did come very close.

It does say something about the year that there is such a pop-contingent in the TOTWs. The other big things have been come backs and “classic” artists (see Mark Knofler, Michael Bolton, Lionel Richie), and classically-based songs. Take Pencil full of lead – it’s American dance hall music. All of the Noisettes have had that slight 60s funk too.

At the end of the year though, I’m not actually that surprised by my TOTY choice. What I am surprised at is that they’ve only had one TOTW hit, although other mentions have been there. The album is predictably sensational, and I’ve been harking on about the artist to anyone that’ll listen for well over the past twelve months. I’ve looked at the songs objectively, and still can think that my favourite emerging artist of the past few years has produced my favourite song of the year.

It’s very different, and slightly quirky (especially with the video). It’s memorable, and one I could listen to again and again. Ladies, Gents, and other bloggers I present my Tune of the Year 2010 – Florence and the Machine.

And now it’s your turn. Agree, disagree? Here’s the poll to cast your vote – if you agree with my playlist. Comment if you wish, and if you want your own review of 2009 guest posts are always welcome – just drop me an e-mail. In the meantime, 2010 starts right here!

Technorati Tags: Fleet Foxes,Take That,Noisettes,The Killers,Florence and the Machine,Paolo Nutini,Hockey

TOTW2009 - The choons

Well, you can check the full list here, but due to imeem's take over the playlist has sadly vanished for the time being. Thankfully, here it is is video format:



[I've tried to get everything embeddable but it's not quite worked out perfectly if you do have something missing.]

So, what are the statistics?

66 Tracks
4 Artists have featured twice
1 Group has featured three times
2 of them have topped the UK Singles Chart
Some of them it's not surprise they haven't


I'm now going to go away and think of my top 10 - I'll let you go away and think of your own as well.

December last chance: Dionne Bromfield

I've done enough praising of this artist to let the song talk for itself

TOTW52: Fyfe Dangerfield – She Needs Me

Last tune of the year then, it’s that bloke out-of off-of Guillemots.

Plan is to pick last chance before NYE, and then early in the New Year pick the TOTY. Maybe. Watch this space.

Bubbling Under

One Republic – All the right moves

Technorati Tags: Fyfe Dangerfield,One Republic

TOTW51: George Michael – December Song

Well, there’s only two more TOTWs to go this year (including this one).

In the last years I’ve been doing this, by this time I’ve already had a good idea what’s going to be in the running for Tune of the Year. For TOTY2009, I’m not so sure. I might actually to have to think about it after Christmas.

This week isn’t much better. The big news in the music world this week is who’s going to be Christmas #1 later today – A Miley Cyrus cover (who’d have thought we’d be saying that already) or a 17-year old tune? As a long standing loather of any of these ‘talent’ shows, I think it’s a great idea. But I’m not buying either, because Christmas shouldn’t be about either, it should be about a dodgy festive number (see Peter Kay last year, perhaps the best attempt recently). Anyway, I’m not going off on one, when occasional contributor Hazard has already been there.

So, what’s left to be TOTW?

Bubbling Under

Vampire Weekend – Cousins

Slow Club - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Fyfe Dangerfield – She Needs Me

Dionne Bromfield – Ain’t no mountain high enough

Technorati Tags: George Michael,Vampire Weekend,Slow Club,Fyfe Dangerfield,Dionne Bromfield

TOTW50: Passion Pit – Little Secrets

George Michael – December Song – The best word to describe this song is ‘hopeful’. It’s not the bouncy, party Christmas song – it’s a very melancholy number, but the video has a happy ending. The real meaning of Christmas perhaps – not just the boozing and the naff presents, but family.

Dionne Broomfield ft. Zalon – Ain’t no mountain high enough – As you’ll see in a few days, I’m quite impressed by this new singer on Amy Winehouse’s new label. This is now on the radio playlists, and whilst it’s a cover (and therefore not really original), it’s still a cracking song and very well sung.

Pet Shop Boys – All over the world – Can’t be a beat of classical sampling can you? More than a slight nod to the Nutcracker suite – which is only to be expected, it coming from their “Christmas” album

Aled Jones & Sir Terry Wogan – Silver Bells – Two good reasons for mentioning this. Firstly, I have to mention the final week of Wake up to Wogan in one blog or the other. Secondly, it’s for charity – therefore there’s no excuse not to support it. Not sure about the Rupert Bear scarf though Tel?

Passion Pit – Little Secrets – Well, I couldn’t go for a Christmassy TOTW just yet. It’s fresh and unusual. It’s eccentric, and it’s fun.

Technorati Tags: George Michael,Dionne Broomfield,Pet Shop Boys,Aled Jones,Terry Wogan,Passion Pit

November last chance: Jamie Cullum

Technorati Tags: Jamie Cullum

TOTW49: Rod Stewart – Same Old Song

This is a different song for many reasons

1. It’s a cover

2. It’s by Rod Stewart, hardly the most cutting edge of performers.

However, it’s a good song, and Rod gives it his own flair. It’s managed to wake me up a couple of times this week, so that’s reason enough…

Technorati Tags: Rod Stewart

TOTW48: Mumford & Sons – Winter Winds

The song that’s actually going round my head, the song that I actually want to make TOTW is one I heard a couple of times on one night out, and one that it one of the greatest soft-rock songs ever (possible even better than Kip Winger).

Unfortunately, I don’t really think that I can make Journey a highlight from the cutting edge of music, so instead here’s the latest from the band making folk-style music cool again.

It’s a cracking simple tune, with close-knit harmonies, wide instrumentation, and once again shows broad talents. It probably is better than Journey in any event.

Bubbling Under

Basement Jaxx – My turn

Ellie Goulding – Under the sheets

Doves – House of Mirrors

Pixie Lott – Cry me out

Take That – Hold up a light

Technorati Tags: Journey,Mumford & Sons,Basemant Jaxx,Ellie Goulding,Doves,Pixie Lott,Take That

TOTW47: Norah Jones – Chasing Pirates

Bubbling Under

Mumford & Sons – Winter Wind

Technorati Tags: Norah Jones,Mumford & Sons

TOTW46: Lily Allen – Who’s have known?

Only really one contender this week, where the chorus is scarily reminiscent of Take That. No idea what the video’s getting at though

Watching telly, drinking wine. Sounds like my life…

Technorati Tags: Lily Allen

TOTW45: Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone

This video is either, depending on your view, very original and quite witty; or bloody boring. I’m still undecided. It’s directed by Richard Ayoyade out-of-off-of the IT Crowd, so it’s clearly meant to be funny, and there’s some funny bits – but it could do with a bit of, you know, something.

Still, music is not about how it looks, otherwise John & Edward would have been crowned Extractor X-Factor champions long ago – it’s about the song and the singing. Written about “meeting girls in pubs who remind [Alex Turner] of the one he’s trying to forget” (Uncut magazine), the lyrics manage the first rhyme of toast and ghost since Des’Ree without it sounding even half as cheesy. It’s a soft song, and it paints a story which a lot of songs don’t do.

In essence, the simple video matches the simple song – but it manages to still have tension and a climax. All round good egg then.

 

Bubbling Under

Jamie Cullum – I’m all over it

Athele – Black Swan Song

 

Technorati Tags: Arctic Monkeys,Jamie Cullum,Athlete

October Last Chance: Vampire Weekend

Whilst I can't find a video yet, I can find a free download - which is always good.

Nerina Pallot and Jamie Cullum both came very close - but at the end of the idea it's the new "Contra" album that excites me just as much as this single, and I doubt I'd buy either of the other albums, so Vampire Weekend get the last chance!

Technorati Tags: Vampire Weekend

TOTW44: Paolo Nutini - Pencil Full of Lead

I've not heard a song anything like this on contemporary radio since Lou Bega (and that's still not quite right). It goes back to an era before even Rock'n'Roll - jazz, dance halls, and the ilk. It's fun. It's catchy. And it's very very different. Really don't get the video though...

Bubbling under

Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone

Camera Obscura - The Sweetest Thing

Dame Shirley Bassey - Nice Men (Written by K T Tunstall no less)

Technorati Tags: Paolo Nutini,Arctic Monkeys,Camera Obscura,Shirley Bassey

TOTW43: Beverley Knight - In Your Shoes

This week's tune is, quite possibly, one of the best uses of sampling I've heard in years. Taking Rip it Up from Orange Juice, and giving it a totally different twist - especially if you listen to the version with Chipmunk (whoever he is). I prefer the Radio 2 version, no shock there, just featuring the talented vocal of Beverley Knight. It's funky, passionate, and enjoyable.

Official video (feat. Chipmunk)

Bubbling Under 

Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill

Jamie Callum - I'm all over it

Paolo Nutini - Pencil full of lead

Florence & the Machine - You've got the love

Technorati Tags: Beverley Knight,Whitney Houston,Jamie Cullum,Paolo Nutini,Florence and the Machine

TOTW42: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Bapa

Nerina Pallot - Real Life Starter

It starts a bit Kate Nash, but it develops into a real bouncy tune with a catchy chorus, and easily enjoyable.

Spandau Ballet - Once More

Argh! Another comeback band! Sounds like a cross between Take That and a film tune. That said, it isn't actually that bad.

Lisa Hannigan - Lille

Re-release, but a nice gentile number for a Sunday morning.

Michael Jackson - This is It

I'm not a fan of posthumous releases - if it was good enough to be a single, why wasn't it released at the time? Stinks a bit of voyeurism. However, This is It is definitely a good song, and Jackson at his best.

Vampire Weekend - Horchata

Only thing to say is that I'm already looking forward to the album!

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu — Bapa

Simple. Serene. Emotive. Obviously, I had not idea what the lyrics were referring to the first few times I heard this song, but notwithstanding that it's impossible not to be moved by it all. The song has actually been around for a while, and in the UK available for download since June, but physically released only on the 12th October. Amazing from someone who is said to be extremely shy, born blind and living without any modern aids that are available to him.

Technorati Tags: Nerina Pallot,Spandau Ballet,Lisa Hannigan,Michael Jackson,Vampire Weekend,Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

TOTW41: Editors - Papillon

It's a very different direction from what we're used to with the Editors - away with the guitars, in with the synths. But, it's still unmistakably Tom Smith on vocals, which makes it unmistakably Editors. It's reassuringly retro, with a memorable tune, yet modern and distinct. And therefore good.

Bubbling Under

Idlewild - Readers & Writers

Vampire Weekend - Horchata

Technorati Tags: Editors,Idlewild,Vampire Weekend

TOTW40: Fanfarlo - The Walls are Coming Down

Actually a very close run thing this week - The Editors in particular really impressing. In the end, it came to a choice between what I still think are two similar songs - Mumford & Sons and Fanfarlo. But after Wednesday, I suppose it could only be one of them:

Bubbling Under:

Colbie Caillat - Fallin' for you

Robbie Williams - Bodies

Editors - Papillon

Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man

Technorati Tags: Fanfarlo,Colbie Caillat,Robbie Williams,Editors,Mumford & Sons

September Last Chance: Muse & Hockey

I'm breaking the rules again this month, but (as I said last month) I make 'em - so what's the problem?

2 "last chancers" this month, the first one meeting the standard criteria of "frequently mentioned, never quite made it as TOTW, but still a good song". It's feel good in its own way, catchy, and generally enjoyable:

Hockey - Song Away (Official Music Video)

The second one though I'm not sure has even made it to the TOTW shortlist throughout the past month. This is explained because I've hardly heard it on the radio. From hearing it for the first time though, I knew it was a great song. And they shouldn't be penalised for my crap choice of radio stations. So, far later that it should have appeared, here's the video:

Uprising

Technorati Tags: Hockey,Muse

TOTW39: Michael Bolton - Just one Love

I feel a slight hint of shame making this my TOTW. But, it's a good song, it really is. Feel good, memorable (and therefore it is actually the only real song that's got stuck in my head this week), and sung by a classic artist. So, sorry that it's not really "trendy" (and there is a worrying trend developing of the older generation becoming TOTW), but tough - it's my party :)

Bubbling Under

The Joy Formidable - Greyhounds in the Slips (Currently on free download)

a-ha - Nothing is keeping you here