The Top Fifty Favorite Songs Of 2004 - Pt.5

For the last week, it’s been all about me, my thoughts on music – what is good and what is bad. Me. Me. Me. I’m sure you are in awe of the extreme brilliance that is my list. I’m sure you are ready to go out and make a mix CD of these 50 songs, or track down the songs you don’t have, you may even be adjusting your own list due to my keen observations and opinions. Well, as I conclude my list of my favorite songs of the year, I thought I’d take the focus off of me, and reflect on a legend – John Peel, the renowned BBC DJ who died October 25, 2004.

It’s because of John Peel’s Festive Fifty that I even bother to come up with my own list. Ever since that list became easily accessible via the Internet, I’ve been reading. The list, as well as his Radio 1 show playlists, was always a source to discover new bands, but more often I would argue with it, sitting alone at my computer scrunching up my face, rolling my eyes, or saying, “Finally, a pick that makes some sense!” (take 2001’s list that had four of the top seven spots occupied by The White Stripes and The Strokes, I thought Peel had lost his head). Still, I knew deep in my heart that Peel was a genius, the best, the most awesomest DJ/music aficionado ever. Why? Because he was a fan, a bonafide fan of rock n roll. He wasn’t contrarian for the sake of being contrarian; he wasn’t obscure for the sake of being obscure; he wasn’t a snob. He wanted everyone to hear the music that he loved. In addition to his Festive Fifty and his radio show, the releases of his Peel sessions exposed me to countless cool bands (Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Wedding Present, The Smiths, etc.). And he had impeccable taste and a discerning ear. I mean, it’s been widely reported that his all time favorite song was “Teenage Kicks” by The Undertones. That’s quite a favorite song.

John Peel was 65 years old … damn, 65 and he never stopped seeking out new music, new bands. He bucked nostalgia, he didn’t choose to live only in the past. He kept moving forward. As a music fan, it’s inspiring to see. In today’s music industry, where record sales and sex appeal are lauded, Peel was integrity – he didn’t care about pleasing a label or following the charts, he played what he loved. I love this quote by The Fall’s (one of Peel’s favorite bands) Mark E. Smith when asked by Uncut if he was upset when heard the news of John Peel’s passing: “I was, yeah. I'm still upset about it now. I actually only met him about three times but ...he's gone, and when you see some of the bastards still walking around...”

10. “Hello? Is This Thing On?” by !!!
Nothing made me wince as much as reviews and features touting bands that play “dance punk” or “post-punk-disco”. Seriously, could journalists and critics name-drop Gang Of Four or Public Image Ltd. any more than they did in 2004? Based on recommendations from a couple friends, I decided to try out !!! (pronounced “chick-chick-chick”, in case you were wondering). It took time for me to “get” this, but one track that stood out from those initial listens was “Hello? Is This Thing On?”. The groove is infectious, the melody is mysterious and slightly sinister, the bass line is killer, and the last two minutes of paranoid schizo ranting is awesome: “Everybody’s acting like I’m crazy. Am I making any sense at all? Does anybody speak English?” It’s total club music, but the song says everything except “party”, “have a good time”, “let’s get it on”. That's truly edgy.

09. “Vice” by Razorlight
This song is utterly familiar, it’s been sung a million times before, another diatribe about love. “Vice” is dynamic, rising and falling, running and stumbling; lead singer Johnny Borrell’s voice is desperate, pissed off, tender, reaching an anxious pitch, he cries, “I did what I could! Sometimes I run, and, yeah, sometimes I fall If it’s l-o-v-e I’ll see ya later …” It’s the last minute and four seconds that blow my coal – the drum rolling crescendo, the Clash-like call and response vocals (“L-O-V-E”) then Borrell rants, ad libs, and crumbles into a sweaty, heartbroken heap on the floor.

08. “Banquet” by The Bloc Party
More tuneful than Franz Ferdinand, less spastic than The Futureheads, more complex than The Strokes, more addictive than The Killers … STOP! Enough comparisons! It’s the multiple changes, the perfectly applied distortion pedal, and the absolute catchiness of melody and chorus that makes this song Top Ten material from one of the most exciting and promising new bands of 2004. Pay attention the time elapsed indicator on your CD player – at 2:30 you will blow your coal.

07. “You Gonna Be My Love Machine” by Jet vs. Girls Aloud
I despise the “mash-up” phenomena. Sure, it’s kind of cool to see how technology can turn crappy songs into a cool song. Let’s be honest, it’s kitschy-novelty. And I wholeheartedly believe this, until I heard "You Gonna Be My Love Machine"; it’s too irresistible, infectious, and inspired to toss off. By combining the music of that awful Jet song “You Gonna Be My Girl” with the lyrics and melody of “Love Machine” by UK cheese-pop group Girls Aloud, the result is three and a half minutes of astonishing 60’s-girl-group jacked up by 70s-cock-rock creating a near perfect pop song.

06. “Me & Mia” by Ted Leo/Rx
Ted Leo pares his band down to a trio and the results are stunning – a bit rougher but more energetic. Leo’s band gives the solid foundation for his melodies and “Me & Mia” is one of the best he’s ever written. Great hook, great melody, great bridge (!) delivered with the utmost energy and passion. While it’s great to hear any time, the best is in the car with windows rolled down and the stereo cranked on a hot summer day: pure fist pumping, singalonging, air guitaring, head snapping glory.

05. “Death Rattle Dance” by Communiqué
“I’ll never tell, take it my grave …” goes the chorus, as I am jamming the air guitar in full effect, lip synching at the top of my lungs, stomping my foot gently on the floor. I love to rock out … at work. “I wanna scream and shout! Let it out all out! Dancing to your death rattle …” The thing that makes “Death Rattle Dance” so fucking awesome is how the verses pull back and the chorus suddenly soars to epic proportions. This interplay of loud and soft, reserved and exuberant is positively extra-extraordinary.

04. “The Kids Just Wanna Have Fun” by The Legends
From my review for Bandoppler: “A super-fast acoustic guitar line drives “The Kids Just Wanna Have Fun” on the verse; the chorus is a proclamation, carefree, unbridled, and proud. At the two-minute mark the instruments take over and the lead singer delivers an absolutely gigantic hook that would make countless songwriters insanely jealous. This is irresponsible bliss.”

03. “Sparta 2XX” by The Fall
Mark E. Smith spits, slurs, sneers, and smirks his take on football hooliganism compare/contrast the bloodlust of Ancient Greek soccer (Smith taunts “How I will change/When you give me/Something to slaughter” which keyboardist Elini Poulou chants in Greek between verse and chorus – how clever and brilliant) to today’s mainstream UK soccer fan. Musically, Smith and his band construct a catchy, intense tune: the jagged one-chord guitar on the verse, the slinky middle eastern-meets-punk lead guitar riffs, and pounding rhythm; throw in those vocals, it's disconcerting and wild. M.E.S. is a genius.

02. “It’s Only Time” by The Magnetic Fields
Stephen Merritt at his most tender. It’s nice to see another side of Merritt, but even better write such an immediately incredible song (one listen and your hooked). The softly plunking piano and moaning electric guitar set the tone as Merritt mildly sings (in the upper part of his register), “I’ll walk your lands, and swim your sea, marry me, marry me, I will be free, marry me, marry me” – it’s gorgeous, it’s heartfelt, it’s dramatically romantic; makes me think of my wonderful fiancée.

01. “The Rat” by The Walkmen
“Can’t you hear me? I’m beating on the wall!/Can’t you see me? I’m pounding on your door!” sings Hamilton Leithauser – equally pissed and pleading. It’s the juxtaposition of opposites that makes “The Rat” such a unique and wonderful song: the guitars are dissonant and melodic; the rhythm section is frenzied and tight. The melody is delivered with urgency, resignation, and fury. This is jarring and creates an emotional complexity that just isn’t found in pop music. Leithauser laments growing older, the shifting of power – relationships (friends and lovers) fade into self-serving dances, the joy of “going out” disappears in isolation, being the rejected and the rejecter – and his vocal delivery encompasses all of the emotions in a very authentic and honest way (unlike the over-the-top posturing of say, Conor Oberst or countless “emo” bands). “The Rat” transcends the typical hipster struggles (ennui, irony, self-absorption) and addresses universal issues (love, loneliness/alienation, aging). A complete song in every way possible.