TOP 100 SONGS 0F 2007: 81-90

So, last time around, I gave ya some Jon, some Bird, some Bjork, some Sophie and some identical twins. Trust me yet? If not, keep going, as you've only scratched the bottom of the pile. So, here goes...

90. Brandi Carlile - The Story (Rapidshare link)
Album: The story

Used recently to promote Grey's Anatomy, this was one of the songs that convinced me I'd fall in love with Carlile. That never came to pass, but this is still a beautiful song about companionship. She really does have an amazing voice.

89. Sondre Lerche - Say It All (Rapidshare link)
Album: Phantom Punch

It's hard to describe this song. I like the lyrics, of the perils of trying to 'say it all' and just digging yourself a bigger grave, and the music is generally quite good (though sometimes, in the wrong mood it's pretty annoying). The teasing tone Lerche does at points is often quite amusing, though.

88. Of Montreal - A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger (Rapidshare link)
Album: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

A bizarrely bouncy tune set to the story of feeling imprisoned by one's environment, in this case Norway. "I spent the winter with my nose in a book, trying to restructure my character, because it had become vile to its creator." The lyricism here is utterly brilliant, simultaneously detailing a breakdown and making you bounce along with it.

87. The Bird and the Bee - Polite Dance Song (Rapidshare link)
Album: Would You Please Clap Your Hands?

I originally had another Bird and Bee song here, but another of these such lists turned me onto 'Polite Dance Song', which is hilarious fun. Inara George's debut CD irked me in style, but as the Bird in this pairing she's utterly brilliant, and rarely better shown that here. When 'would you please' and 'apologies' mesh together in the background, the two go together very well, giving a really nice sound.

86. Bowerbirds – My Oldest Memory (Rapidshare link)
Album: Hymns of a Dark Horse

Bowerbirds is a rather obscure band at the moment, though I believe the internet is slowly giving them some press. I'm happy to add myself to that group here, as 'My Oldest Memory' is quite a nice song. It's quiet, vocal-based with a quiet strumming behind-the-scenes and a chorus with a choral sound. It's unassumingly good.

85. Rufus Wainwright – Tulsa (Rapidshare link)
Album: Release the Stars

Reportedly written about a sexual encounter between Wainwright and The Killers' lead singer Brandon Flowers, this song is nice reminiscence even without that. This song is all about the little things, the buildup to the morning described in the early lines. It's hinting, almost mocking while at the same time appreciative. And if it is just bragging about landing one of music's well-known 'indie'-singers, well, for some reason that just makes it even funnier.

84. Gwenno - U & I (Rapidshare link)
Album: U & I EP
"You and I have been running around like headless chickens, and I've had just about enough of it." This excellent song from one of the Pipettes, a pretty singer names Gwenno, is the highlight of what I've heard from her, which has been largely quite good. Not following the 'from another era' feel of her bandmates, she's made a sweet, poppy song here with clear vocals that just rolls from beat to beat.

83. A Fine Frenzy - Let It Snow (Rapidshare link)
Album: Myspace released

I'm not a Christmas music person, as noted earlier on in this list, but two songs blew me away this year and will probably be listened to even as the snow melts away and the presents are all forgotten. The second of these is Alison Sudol's beautiful 'Let it Snow', taking a song I've never particularly loved and making it a beautiful experience.

82. Measured in Angles - The Diderot Effect (Rapidshare link)
Album: History of the Engine

Now, this is odd. An instrumental, very mechanical song that comes in at under two minutes isn't exactly a peer among the rest on this list musically, but I have to say I somehow found the style of Measured in Angles, an instrumental band from both sides of the Canada/US border, mysteriously enchanting. This band, apparent;y while using traditional rock instruments, perfectly recreate a mechanical sound. This band is much better than I'd have expected it to be before listening.

81. Scala & Kolacny Brothers - The Blower’s Daughter (Damien Rice cover) (Rapidshare link)
Album: One-Winged Angel

The original is beautiful. How does one enhance such a song, while abandoning Damien Rice's painful vocals? Scala does the job nicely, taking their generally gorgeous choral style and working it particularly well here. Shivers go up and down your spine as they rise to the climax and slowly bring it down for a denouement.

So, there it is, part two of a rather insane undertaking. Once this list is done, you may never need another song again! However, if you do, I urge you to check them out elsewhere!