Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Shrykespeare »

SONG #6


BANKS

Craig David & Artful Dodger - Re-Rewind (Radio Edit)

This is another cheat, though my last. This song was #2 in the UK on my birthday in 1999 when I was 11 (the #1 song was some weird prayer), and I only know that because I was deep in some sort of pandemic Google hole last year. I listened to it once and never stopped. It's such an infectious song and I could not get enough of it last year.





JOHNERLE

Sparks, Nothing Travels Faster Than The Speed Of Light

“Driving to you there's no space and no time
Driving to you there's a clear grand design
Faster than light and much faster than fate
Knowing that you're not the kind who will wait.”

There is only one universal constant in the world of physics -- Sparks will always be brilliant.





LEESTU

Car Seat Headrest, Can’t Cool Me Down

While the CSH move into synthpop indietronica took me by surprise at first this has a lot of their typical identifiable traits and is actually still a very CSH song. Every time I listen to it, I find different sections fascinating.





RON B

Grouplove, Deleter





SCREEN

Dua Lipa feat. Da Baby, Levitating





SHRYKE

Coldplay, Champion of the World

So I'm flying on my bicycle
Heading upwards from the Earth
I am jumping with no parachute
Out into the universe
I have E.T. on my bicycle
Because giving up won't work
I am riding on my rocketship
And I'm champion of the world

If you know me, you know how I feel about bullying. (After all, I’ve written multiple goddamn books on the subject!) Though I’m not a diehard Coldplay fan, they’ve had several hits over the years that I connected emotionally with, perhaps no more than this one. The video is both sad and playful, highlighting how bullying makes one introverted and gives one leave to immerse oneself in one’s imagination (which is often one’s only escape). I’ve listened to it dozens of times, and it still gives me goosebumps.

Album: Everyday Life: Sunset (double album)
Other great tracks: Arabesque, Orphans, Everyday Life





SIX

Crack Cloud, The Next Fix

Crack Cloud are a Canadian collective (now based in London, I think), encompassing all manner of artists, and all recovering drug addicts who support each other through music. It’s a noble cause, even if you don’t like the music. Fortunately for me, they’re pretty amazing. The Next Fix uses guitar polyrhythms to evoke a sense of itchiness, of withdrawal, before its breaks out, the vocoder and synths embracing the listener with a sense of solidarity and warmth.





SURFER

Protomartyr, Worm In Heaven

It's funny, as I was listening to Protomartyr's last album again recently, and my wife, who has never really listened to them (I know..), remarked that they reminded her of Monster-era R.E.M. Now while I don't entirely agree with that sentiment, the band certainly sound bigger than ever before, at least to my ears. On their haunted punk ballad of an album closer, Worm In Heaven, the band have given one of their finest moments. It is a song in search of a place in this world while we are here, with one eye on what comes after. Casey's often abrasive voice becomes a shoulder of comfort, providing aching, bittersweet sentiment in contrast to the closing lines that question whether our time here matters at all. “I exist, I did / I was here / I was / or Never was.”





TRANSFORMERS

Dua Lipa, Hallucinate

Dua Lipa lets her Euro House influences shine through on this hypnotic yet explosive tune that deserves to be a new rave/dance club staple whenever we enter a post-pandemic world.




UNDEADMONKEY

Riley Baron, Breathe

Don't remember where i discovered this song, but i truly enjoy it.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by JohnErle »

Shrykespeare wrote:
March 2nd, 2021, 10:35 pm

JohnErle - Sparks Plugs - This was actually damn cool. (And BTW, there are other songs that mention Winnipeg. https://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/Winnipeg TWO of them are by Neil Young. Interestingly, this list doesn't include Sparks...)
I don't know that Neil Young song, but I should have known Stompin' Tom would have mentioned Winnipeg at one point. I also recognize some of those other Canadian artists, but I don't know the songs.

As for the alternate band names you keep coming up with, I fear I've created a monster. ;)

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Leestu »

#7

Best round so far!

Surfer: Brigid Dawson And The Mother's Network, Ballet Of Apes - oh man! now that's a standout song. I love the psychedelic jazz of Sunwatchers (haven't heard their 2020 album yet, but their 2019 effort was my #3 album for the year), I must get around to this album very soon...best new song of this countdown for me for sure!!!

Screen: Iceage, Catch It - awesome song!...it was my #21 song for 2018 from my #7 album for 2018

Six: IDLES, Reigns - another great song from the best album of the year, powerful song and a disturbingly effective video

Ron B: Tame Impala, Lost in Yesterday - great song!

Transformers: Run the Jewels feat. 2 Chainz, Out of Sight - yes it is a lot of fun, an instantly bop along beat with some great sounds throughout

UDM: Rufus Du Sol, Treat You Better - this song really grew on me over the years, and their song Innerbloom was very high in my best songs of the millennium countdown

Shryke: Erasure, Nerves of Steel - cool song, I enjoyed that, great vocal performance, good video

Banks: Selena Gomez, Rare - surprisingly decent pop song

John: Sparks, Left Out In The Cold - it's okay and objectively I have only compliments, but like most of the Sparks songs so far it just don't have that personal x factor that appeals to Stu to make them stand out in the slightly quirky art pop field

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by numbersix »

My round

Banks: That brings back memories. There was even a comedy sketch show named Bo Selecta that ran for a good 5 years (and now has been removed from all platforms due to its use of blackface). Not sure if the song, like the show, stood the test of time

John: Loved it. They remind me also of Super Furry Animals, the 90s Welsh act who had a sort of quirky Britpop sound. Bet they were huge fans of Sparks.

Leets: I too was taken by surprise by thir synthy approach, but that surpise turned into mild disappointment as musically it was all very nice but a tad forgettable.

Ron B: Not sure if it's a compliment or insult, but I was convinced this was an older song that's been everywhere. Guess this one broke into my subconscious int he last 12 months somehow.

Shryke: The noble approach to the video aside, this song was as awful as its lyrics.

Surf: Interesting pick. For me its one of those songs that doesn't do it for me on its own, but works really well as the closer to an album. In this instance I can indeed hear the REM influence, although maybe more New Adventures than Monsters.

Tranny: Not my thing.

UDM: Couldn't finish it.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by silversurfer19 »

Round 8

Banks, Future/Drake - For something that was apparently everywhere pre-pandemic (I really wouldn't know), thus literally just passed me by without leaving an impression.

JohnErle, Sparks - My favourite Sparks so far, this sounds very modern, not something I would expect considering how long these guys have been going. If LCD Soundsystem or Hot Chip had made this I wouldn't have been surprised. Lots of energy.

Leestu, Noah Dillon - It was nice enough, but that's about all.

Ron, Juice WRLD - Still pretty decent and memorable enough from the last time out. Enjoyed it.

Shryke, The Violent - Sounded like an Incubus song. And that belongs in the 90s at best. Not really appealing anymore.

Six, US Girls - I tried her last album after it received so much acclaim but didn't really get anything from it. This was much better, had a kind of retro vibe to it.

Transformers, Kvelertak - Decent enough, not much screamo and the guitars were cool, won't seek out the album but was a good listen.

Undeadmonkey, Selena Gomez - Didn't offend as much as I expected, but also didn't grab my attention. Thats a win though, I guess.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by silversurfer19 »

Round 7

Banks, Selena Gomez - Better than the last song just as it waw a bit more energetic, but thats about all.

JohnErle, Sparks - On the other hand, this is kind if what I have come to expect from Sparks, and so it didn't really grab me like some of the previous songs have.

Leestu, Matt Berniger - Ugh, Holes is my all time favourite Mercury Rev song, and the emotion from that song is pretty much completely stripped in this version, not to mention the sweeping operatics that I love from the band so much. Can't believe this is from the guy who brought us Alligator and The Boxer.

Ron, Tame Impala - Has a Michael Jackson vibe about this which is very nice. Enjoyed this a lot.

Screen, Iceage - While the album this song is from is not my favourite from Iceage, its still damn good and proved they were not resting on their laurels by doing something new. Hurrah and Painkiller are my favourites from the album. I do love the slow build up until its crashing finale, however.

Shryke, Erasure - Where is that energy and fun I remember Erasure being in my youth. I know it's been a long time since then, but this was just dull.

Six, IDLES - This is definitely the exception to the rule of the last album, and by embracing their more chaotic side becomes one of the few highlights I can recall. Perhaps I need to give the album another go, as while my initial thoughts have not changed on the record so much with all the songs listed, there must be something for them to keep popping up. Maybe as a whole it will come together and I should just ignore the lyrics.

Transformers, Run The Jewels - At this point i think I will probably have heard the entire album by the time this countdown is over. This is different from much of the other songs, but this is cool, much more 90s old school (coming from someone who doesn't really know this genre) than what I have heard from them thus far. But a lot of fun.

Undeadmonkey, Rufus Du Sol - Was fine, very contemporary radio pop, harmonies were nice. Can imagine it all speeded up in a club setting.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by JohnErle »

Re-Rewind – The #2 song on the UK charts on my 11th birthday was Words by F.R. David, whoever that is. #1 was True by Spandau Ballet so I'd be happy with that. Other classics in the top 30 were Let's Dance - David Bowie, Love Is A Stranger – Eurythmics, Flight Of Icarus – Iron Maiden, Blue Monday – New Order, Overkill – Men At Work, She's In Parties – Bauhaus, some creepy dude named Michael Jackson, and there's my beloved Big Country hanging in the top 30 after 10 weeks with Fields Of Fire. Popular music really was better back then.

(I couldn't find your song on Spotify, and it's not even close to being from 2020, so I took a little trip down memory lane instead.)

CSH – Every time I see that acronym I assume it stands for Crosby, Stills, and Hash. Writing that joke brought me infinitely more joy than any CSH song ever has. At least they've ditched the no-fi gimmick, so this is the most listenable CSH I've ever heard. Still not for me.

Grouplove - It's a repeat, right? It's simple and catchy, but the production sucks.

Oldplay – Also simple and catchy, but with way too much bass and compression.

Crack Cloud – The first minute was kind of annoying, and I was ready to hit skip, but then it settled into an interesting groove. The production is problematic for me, though.

Protomartyr – Not bad, not great, and not terribly distinctive. It's good background music for a hipster café.

Dua Lipa – Not as terrible as I expected, but still not even remotely for me.

Riley Baron – That was a great palette cleanser after an underwhelming round. ADDED

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Shrykespeare »

Yes, JohnErle, Deleter was on my list as well. And also, my "alternative band names" have become an entity unto themselves. Lucky (or unlucky) for all, the countdown is almost over.


#6

Banks - Craig David & Jammy Dodger - Cheating is allowed, so can we come up with a better name for it? Anyway, this song didn't do anything for me.

JohnErle - Sparks & Recreation - Has this group always sounded like they never got out of the 60s? Not that that's (always) a bad thing, just wondering. Most of what I've heard have been an amalgam of Rush, Led Zep, the Beatles, and the Moody Blues.

Leestu - Car Seat Headrest With a Sort of Raffia-like Base that has an Attachment - is "indietronica" a word you just made up? Anyway, this was cool.

Ron B - Grouponlove - My #18! And my second crossover! Great choice!! The energy is so infectious, it never fails to get me moving (which at my age is a Herculean feat).

Screen - Plaid UA & Da BB - Was this on someone else's list? Those handclaps seem very familiar.

Six - Jimmy Crack Cloud - And I don't care. :) This was okay, but nothing I'd return to.

Surfer - Protoplasm - I kind of see the Monster comparison. This was decent.

Tranny - Audial P - Huh, this was cool. Maybe I'm coming around to all you DL fanboys' side.

UDM - Robber Baron - It was okay.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Shrykespeare »

SONG #5


BANKS

Dua Lipa, Don't Start Now

At this point ReelSociety is basically just a fanpage for Dua Lipa. This is my favorite of hers.





JOHNERLE

Sparks, The Existential Threat

Written and recorded before COVID, Sparks still managed to capture the current zeitgeist in their own inimitable way. This is easily my favourite video of 2020.

And in case you've haven't figured it out yet, my entire top 10 will be from A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. I said no to this countdown a couple of times and warned Shryke that I only had a couple of albums to draw from, but he convinced me to participate, so if you're sick of Sparks already, blame Shryke. And if the daily exposure has finally caused something to click in your brain, you can thank Shryke.





LEESTU

RAT!hammock, Word Of The Day

Clever song writing in this angsty but positively upbeat indie rock track reminiscent of some of the great lo-fi indie rock bands of the past. Still to release a debut album, and with only a handful of singles so far, yet here they are in my top five for the year, and one of their 2019 songs was top three last year and made my millennium list. Definitely a band for at least me to watch out for. I hope they can build on this and exceed their potential in the future.





RON B

Gorillaz feat ScHoolboy Q, Pac-Man





SCREEN

Chelsea Wolfe, Survive





SHRYKE

Night Traveler, Carolina

We're hurt the most by ones we most let in
If I knew every future sorrow
I'd let you break my heart again

One of my happiest discoveries of 2020 was Night Traveler. This Austin-based duo have perfected what I like to call the “late-night driving song”. Adam Fischer’s soothing tones on this record are like musical caramel, and not more so than on this song, one of the most hauntingly beautiful tunes I’ve ever heard in my life, and the line “We’re hurt the most by the ones we most let in,” is a truth that speaks directly to me.

Album: Dreams You Don’t Forget
Other great tracks: Put Your Money on Me (my #59), I Still Love You, Watching You





SIX

Fontaines DC, I Don’t Belong

As I mentioned before, lockdown was a pretty tough time, particularly when I lost an uncle and couldn’t attend his funeral. So my mood was pretty low. I know some people need upbeat music to help them through hard times (as do I. See my track tomorrow), but sometimes I need some misery as company. So this track by the breakout Dublin band is so much of a dirge it could feature on The Cure’s Disintegration, but it has a power in its stumbling rhythm and unflinching chorus.





SURFER

Coriky, Clean Kill

Not going to lie, I got goosebumps when I heard Coriky were finally releasing some music. The idea of MacKaye and Lally back in the studio together and with Amy Farina as the perfect foil to the spiky vocals, it made for enticing listening. Make no mistake though, as while it's been a while since the 80s heyday of the elephant in the room that was Fugazi, MacKaye has lost non of his vitriol, and the band channel this fury through their words and music into something quite special. Clean Kill utilises the metaphor of a drone pilot to direct their disgust of an apathetic society, as a we distance ourselves in order to to sleep at night while horrible things are carried out. While the two vocalists trade turns at delivering these barbed words, Lally weaves around in the background like a snake with basslines that have long made him one of the most influential in the genre. I am glad they are back, they were very much needed.





TRANSFORMERS

Yves Tumor, Gospel for a New Century

Boring, overlong anecdote time! Since there's so much god damn music released every year, I keep a Word document full of albums that I at least intend to listen to by year's end (I never have or likely ever will finish one). One of the techniques I employ to discover new records by artists I'm not familiar with to add to said list is going through the year's top rated albums chart on RateYourMusic and adding anything that has genre tags that appeal to me. Yves Tumor's "Heaven for a Tortured Mind" had been sitting on that list since roughly May/June (it was released in April) and shortly before Christmas, I chose to give it a spin because of its sub-40 minute running time. This late night-induced decision proved to be a blessing because once this track-which is the album opener-kicked in, I knew I was in for a wild ride. This shit sounds like if an alien got a hold of some Prince, King Crimson and Lenny Kravitz records, took a fuckton of mushrooms and then created some of the haziest yet soulful psych rock that the universe has ever seen.





UNDEADMONKEY

Billie Eilish, everything I wanted

My Favorite Billie song. nice to see that at least a few of my picks were on other lists as well.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by JohnErle »

Round 7 was solid, round 6 was a disaster, but round 5 was the best yet, apart from a few rough patches. There's a pattern developing that's the opposite of the (false) theory of early Star Trek movies which states that only the even numbered ones are worth watching.

Dua Lipa – I can understand wanting to look at her, but not wanting to listen to her. It just sounds like generic pop, mixed with generic funk, and bit of generic disco.

RAT!hammock – Did you really post this band before? I'm surprised I don't remember that band name. The distortion is used to good effect here, but the vocals are nice and clear, and the overall effect is infectious and fun. ADDED

Gorillaz – It started off okay, but it felt like there was a sample from something else I couldn't place, and then it totally lost me once the rapping took over.

Chelsea Wolfe – It's too old to warrant being here, but it's probably the best thing I've heard from her, so I'll let it slide. If you like this, you should also be listening to Bat For Lashes. ADDED

Carolina – The intro had me worried this would be another of your overly simple tracks, but then it started adding new layers to keep me interested. The chorus is very nice, and I liked how it ended much more than how it started. In a lesser round this would have been a standout track. ADDED

Vic Fontaines DS9 – I wasn't expecting much based on your description, but that was great! Hardly a dirge, it has a slow-burning, hypnotic groove that got under my skin immediately. I liked that hint of the Cramps in some of the guitars, and the singers' voice, though I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics. Unlike so many of their contemporaries who always try way too hard, this has a relaxed, confident, effortlessly cool vibe that I dug. It even has good dynamics that gives the song somewhere to go when they add that subtle extra intensity in the guitars near the end. This is probably my favourite song of the countdown so far, and I also liked the other one from this album, so I'll check out the whole thing soon. ADDED

Clean Kill – There's a bit too much indie wanking for my tastes, but the core of the song is really good, and maybe the wanking will grow on me. ADDED

Yves Tumor – That intro was fucking awesome! It lost me a bit once the vocals started, but it started to win me back before it was over. ADDED

Billie Eilish – Another solid track. My understanding is that her brother writes most of her stuff, so I wish they were operating under a band name like Sparks instead of giving all the credit to her. She gets plenty of exposure, but I want to learn more about the brother. ADDED

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Shrykespeare »

John...

Funny you should say that. Billie's brother Finneas is the artist responsible for my #81 song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuX-WRciqBc
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by numbersix »

Agreed, 5 was a good round indeed

Banks: I don't get the adoration. It's not bad but nothing you haven't heard in the charts over the last 15 years

John: Maybe a bit too theatrical, but still fun, particularly the vid

Leetsu: Okay, but won't stick with me

Ron B: Like all of the latest Gorillaz stuff, it was decent

Screen: Great track from 2015

Shryke: So very derivative

Surf: This was nice. I was disappointed by The Evens, which had only one or two songs I liked. This started off similarly, like a tepid Fugazi but won me over as it shifted around. Good stuff!

Tranny: Excellent album. The first time he really went for it vocally hence the strain, but you gotta love him for gunning for it. This is such an amazing opener. Hope to catch him live one day

UDM: First track of yours in a while I could finish. Surprisingly subdued and minimalist for a pop song. Nice one!

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Leestu »

#6

Surfer: Protomartyr, Worm In Heaven - great closer to the album...I think I've said before I definitely prefer listening to the songs from this album as a whole experience (that's why only two songs from it made my top 100 and both in the lower half, yet it's a top 10 album of the year for me) and this is a near perfect closer in that regard

Six: Crack Cloud, The Next Fix - this is an awesome project and I hope they have a lot of success, both musically and in their lives...I've liked everything I've heard from them so far, and already have this album on my to listen to list...it seems like they effectively capture some of the feelings involved in using, withdrawing, and rehab

Ron: Grouplove, Deleter - I heard this just a little too much throughout the year to be a favourite but it's a good fun catchy song

John: Sparks, Nothing Travels Faster Than The Speed Of Light - catchy and fun...liked this one

UDM: Riley Baron, Breathe - minimal instrumentation to show of the vocals...not really my thing but it was okay

Shryke: Coldplay, Champion of the World - the album was an interesting attempt at experimenting a bit, but Arabesque was the only song I liked...in the context of the album I totally missed what this song was about and therefore unlike some of the album tracks I found it typical blandish Coldplay

Banks: Craig David & Artful Dodger - Re-Rewind (Radio Edit) - I can see the appeal but it didn't appeal to me

Screen: Dua Lipa feat. Da Baby, Levitating - I already listened to the album throughout the year to see what all the fuss is about, then I've been listening again as her songs have been picked, but a minute in to this song again I decided I just can't anymore...not that it's that bad, I just don't want to listen to it

Transformers: Dua Lipa, Hallucinate - there is too much Dua Lipa for me in this countdown

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Chienfantome »

Dammit, I've missed most of the countdown. I'll try and catch up with it, at least the Top 10.
I've had a f%$!ing health issue those last 3 months that has burdened me a bit. I'm better now so I'll be more present.
I hope I haven't missed something extraordinary ;)
Fluctuat nec mergitur

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (10-2)

Post by Shrykespeare »

Chienfantome wrote:
March 4th, 2021, 12:12 pm
Dammit, I've missed most of the countdown. I'll try and catch up with it, at least the Top 10.
I've had a f%$!ing health issue those last 3 months that has burdened me a bit. I'm better now so I'll be more present.
I hope I haven't missed something extraordinary ;)
If you consider an absolute glut of fanboy love for Dua Lipa or Run The Jewels "extraordinary", then yes. If not... we'll you'll just have to spend a few hours listening.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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