ROULETTE 20

"Did my heart break enough this time?"


Another roulette, as I've been so very negligent...

1. Lack Thereof - Ask Permission
Album: Your Anchor (2008)

From an album I recently acquired, an interesting whispery song from Menomena band member Danny Seim. A great listen, very well crafted, even though Seim constantly reminds me of Pelle Carlberg if he'd been more influenced by, say, Menomena than his current lighter and more anecdotal style. An album review hopefully forthcoming.

2. Yael Naim - New Soul
Album: Yael Naim (2008)

A song making the rounds recently, I came across the cover by Tristan Prettyman before hearing the original. Both are wonderful. The original is so damn charming, with the sparse vocals-and-piano beginning breaking out into a warm cacophany of echoing voices. It's such a beautiful naiveté.

3. Rilo Kiley - Breakin' Up (Hot Chip Remix)
Album: Breakin' Up EP (2008)

Shamelessly stolen from Zeon, who posted it less than a month ago, nonetheless anything that gives this rather inspired remix more notice is worth it. Taking the dancing feel of the original and extending it into this lush, introspective and dazzling version is great. May not listen to it much, but I enjoy it very much when I do.

4. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You
Album: Partie Traumatic (2008)

Coming late to the party here, I'm sure. This song first came across my virtual desk as a cover version by a female singer, and it took me a while to look into getting the original. I love the sounding of this song, with the group singing, the great beat, and the vocals dripping with the frustration of unnoticed longing. This song is just plain fun.

5. Forest City Lovers - Pirates (Can't All Sail the Indian Ocean)
Album: Haunting Moon Sinking (2008)

I love this band, who are sadly underappreciated even on my own iPod. Beautiful, forceful, with piano and strings drawing you into a paranoid feel. By the time the ghostly choir begins in the background, your eyes are closed and you're just soaking it in. Truly wonderful piece of music, with a cute title to boot.

And don't forget, search for more at The Hype Machine; purchase albums or mp3's at Amazon, Amazon Canada, Amie St., cdbaby, or Insound.

TOP 100 SONGS 0F 2007: 51-60

And we're on the cusp of the latter half of the best of 2007, getting to the juicy stuff...

60. Arcade Fire - My Body is a Cage (Sendspace link)
Album: Neon Bible

A quiet, mournful song with the organ, quickly becoming an Arcade Fire trademark, playing in the background. The song grows in intensity gradually, finally blasting to life in the last half of the song. The best work here, though, is the lyrics, pathetic, mournful and intriguing, describing the inability to dance with 'the one I love' with the titular metaphor. Metaphors actually get some nice airtime here, making up the bulk of the lyrics of the song.

59. Mika - Relax, Take It Easy (Sendspace link)
Album: Life in Cartoon Motion

Mika's first single before 'Grace Kelly' exploded, it's more low-tune and often more palatable than his more colourful fare. The sound is quite interesting, layers of low beats behind the tale of fear and paranoia set out in the lyrics. Mika's on vocal good form here, instead of the sometimes-grating effect his other songs have. Even with this darker song, there's a great beat under the song that allows you to move to it.

58. Róisín Murphy - Overpowered (Sendspace link)
Album: Overpowered

The best of the same-titled album, this song about the mechanics of love has very interesting lyrics. Murphy doesn't shrink from using larger words. In fact, considering the purpose of this song (science's attempts to explain the concept of love) they fit in perfectly, and it's an interesting lyrical choice. Beyond that, though, it's a well-crafted song with a great beat to it.

57. Rilo Kiley - Close Call (Sendspace link)
Album: Under the Blacklight

Under the Blacklight was a disappointment. I can only preface this with mentioning that, as Rilo Kiley should be taking up multiple spots in my top 10, instead not even making it inside the top 50. It's not the most disappointing - I love Nellie McKay more, and Obligatory Villagers didn't even get one in the top 100. That said, this song, about the dangers of 'money for sex', isn't bad. Lyrics are enjoyable, and Jenny Lewis can rarely do wrong by me.

56. White Rabbits - While We Go Dancing (Sendspace link)
Album: Fort Nightly

Great beat, which belongs to a song about dancing. The lyrics translate the joy of dancing quite well, telling about dancing the night away instead of sleeping through it. Vocals are great, ranging from contempt for the one staying home showing clearly to enjoyment of the act. Because, it clearly asks, who would want to pass on having such a good time?

55. Sia - Buttons (Sendspace link)
Album: 'Buttons' single

I love Sia. Sadly, her album 'Some People Have Real Problems' didn't come out until 2008, but happily this single was released within the confines of 2007. It's a song about paranoia and being a little crazy, and while not Sia's best it's still damn catchy and her voice is still great.

54. Remi Nicole - Dates From Hell (Sendspace link)
Album: My Conscience & I

A favourite of mine from Lily Allen's 'Alright, Still' album last year was 'Knock'em Out', a song about avoiding being hit on by sleazebags. I've been theorising that Remi Nicole is like Allen's less spiteful but just as spunky cousin, and this is as close to a comparison as one can get. Nicole's song is less nasty and more of a lament for the state of men and dating, but it's just as charming, and that's all it needs.

53. Patrick Park - Life is a Song (Sendspace link)
Album: Everyone's in Everyone

The legendary OC-ender, Patrick Park's 'Life is a Song' is a nice tribute to life in general. While tearing down hypocrites who preach heaven and fear death, it reminds us that life is good, and death is inevitable, and that that's okay. Fear is the enemy here, as Park tells us to live in the moment instead of constantly attempting to live a risk-free existence that can't last forever anyway.

52. The Pierces - Ruin (Sendspace link)
Album: Thirteen Tales of love and Revenge

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and while The Pierces' protagonist here shows an icy demeanour, her rage is evident in the lyrics, claiming that 'all I want is for you to come to ruin'. She doesn't cry to herself, instead wishing evil upon the one who has wronged her, and doing so beautifully.

51. Andrew Bird - Scythian Empires (Sendspace link)
Album: Armchair Apocrypha

A subtle anti-war song, focusing on long-lost empires that self-destructed under their own weight while dropping in brief mentions like 'Haliburton attache cases' that hint where his real message is directed. Regardless of that, this is a wonderfully-crafted song, building and building subtly throughout, gaining in momentum all throughout the song without building to a significant explosion. Not 'Apocrypha's best, but close, and it was a heartbreaker to drop it from the Top 50 in the end.

ZIP: HERE.

So, that's another set down as we approach the larger numbers... Remember, though, all of these songs are damn good. There's plenty of songs that didn't even make it into the top 100! :) That said, though, with the next set we enter the big leagues!

If you enjoy these songs, I urge you to check out their artists!

TOP 100 SONGS 0F 2007: 71-80

We're just starting to gain some momentum. so I'm gonna cut to the chase and keep going...

80. Remi Nicole - Right Side of Me (Rapidshare link)
Album: My Conscience & I

A really sweet love song about feeling accepted and loved, even at her worst. It's so honest, very downbeat and low and showcases Remi's voice and lyrics instead of the music. I enjoy the little dialogues Remi relates, and when she finally says, "I think you're amazing," we believe that she does.

79. Tori Amos - The Beauty of Speed (Rapidshare link)
Album: American Doll Posse

I fell in love with this song through a live version, actually, which moved a little slower and forced Tori to sing normally all through the chorus, something I initially disliked, but have grown to love. The lyrics and her vocals here are spine-tingling, and her piano is, just as always, beautiful. While this album has been slow to grow on me, this song readily demanded to be acknowledged.

78. Klaxons - Golden Skans (Rapidshare link)
Album: Myths of the Near Future

One of the catchiest songs of the year, it spread through the blogs like wildfire. I have no idea what it means, but it doesn't really matter to you when you're listening to it and getting caught up in its craziness. Kicks off like one of the bands titular klaxons, demanding your attention as it pounds forward, then

77. Rilo Kiley - Smoke Detector (Rapidshare link)
Album: Under the Blacklight

I have to admit, as a Rilo Kiley song, this is disappointing; in fact, the entirety of Under the Blacklight was. It should have crammed itself all into my Top 20 instead of straggling down here in the 70's. That said, if I forget what this should be, I enjoy Jenny Lewis' fun vocals and the not-bad lyrics.

76. Bowerbirds – Human Hands (Rapidshare link)
Album: Hymns of a Dark Horse

Another quiet Bowerbirds song, wonderful in its simplicity. They showcase their environmental focus here again, speaking about how despite the danger nature may pose, there is no hate; that is unique to humanity, a fact we should be both ashamed and proud of. We are different, Bowerbirds tell us, and it's up to us to realise how to use it for good and not evil.

75. Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers (Rapidshare link)
Album: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Unlike Spoon's usual style, this song is genuinely creepy, with vocals quite and sounding distant and far away like a ghost's, while the music itself pounds on relentlessly. Impressive atmosphere used here, to great effect. Few songs do creepy well, and I like how this one does it.

74. Mgmt - The Youth (Rapidshare link)
Album: Oracular Spectacular

From intriguing newbies to my collection, Mgmt (sometimes called 'The Management') bring a song with layers that is quite mysterious as to its meaning. I believe it's about the core value differences between our generation and those before us, though I can feel a note of paranoia here as well. It makes me curious, and either way it's a fun listen.

73. Tegan and Sara - Soil, Soil (Rapidshare link)
Album: The Con

For a long time 'The Con's redeeming note in my eyes, a really sweet song about waiting on a call from someone important. 'Buried in my yard, a letter to send to you. And if I forget, or God forbid die too soon, hope that you'll hear me, know that I wrote to you." Those lines, the desperation and sadness within them, caught my heart in a big way and held there whiule the rest of the album grew on me.

72. Remi Nicole - Go Mr. Sunshine (Rapidshare link)
Album: My Conscience & I

Bookending young Ms. Nicole's oddly similar spots on this section of this list is this wonderful anthem to summer, the song that introduced her to me and got me excited for her debut (which I ended up loving). It's full of just those little details you love about summer. I'm expecting this song will be on every commercial imaginable.c

71. Modest Mouse - Little Motel (Rapidshare link)

An oddly tender, if at first seemingly nonsensical, song from a band I often associate with, well, songs I don't like too much. The self-perspective the protagonist shows here is impressive, and it's a nice song about the regret of the destruction of a relationship. Regret fills every word of this song, pours through it. It seems remarkably mature for a band that too often fills their songs with screaming and/or whining.

Just remember, if you love any of this music, I urge you to check it out elsewhere! A lot of these artists are still growing, especially Dragonette, Bowerbirds, Remi and Mgmt, who all just released their debut albums in 2007. Apologies for posting this section late. I may post the next today to catch up.

SHOWCASE: RILO KILEY

"They'll see all of it, they'll see all of me, all of the good that won't come out of me, and all the stupid little lies I hide behind."


This time around, a less-obscure pick for those who are familiar with their (formerly) indie bands. Rilo Kiley is at its core its two singers, Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett, known for the former moreso than the latter. Their lyrics are interesting, often with important messages hidden behind neat stories and anecdotes or amusing writing. They've recently approached the spotlight, signing to a major label and having their music showcased on a number of TV shows and films.

I'm biased toward Jenny Lewis, I'll say that straight out. I will pretty much always pick a song sung by her over Sennett, and that's a fact. I just like her voice and style more. That said, I'm not a huge fan of either's other work for the most part. Jenny's CD with the Watson Twins didn't hook me, and Sennett's band The Elected only have a couple songs I'm fond of. The closest non-Kiley work either has done that impressed me is Lewis' involvement in The Postal Service, with Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard.

I'd try to be spread out over their 4 albums and other works, but of course there's a bias as I prefer some songs and albums over others.

Rilo Kiley - American Wife (Portions For Foxes B-Side) (Sendspace link)
It might seem like an off choice to start with, but this is quite possibly my favourite Rilo Kiley song. It's certainly one that gets a lot of playtime. It tells the story of a pair who slowly self-destruct, an intriguing story that weaves in ideas about the inevitability of self-destruction. Probably one of the big draws for me in this song is how unconventional it is in many ways. For example, one part goes:

You have eleven siblings
who've had ten broken limbs,
nine divorces and
eight broken hearts and
seven grandkids and
six bypass surgeries,
five college degrees,
four are sick,
three are well,
two are dead
one's in jail.
No-one here moves away
no-one here moves away...

What at first seems like a neat writing scheme leads into a message of their reality, and the cracks that show when you begin to really look at things.

Rilo Kiley - The Good That Won't Come Out (The Execution of All Things) (Sendspace link)
This is a song about the feeling we all know and few don't succumb to. Have you never felt sympathy for the poor and the hungry, or thought, 'It's a shame about the environment', but not really done anything to change things beyond a quarter in the charity box at Mac's? This song explores this, hinting at the concept of global warning but really speaking about the good in everyone that just doesn't come out, which leaves us standing, feeling sorry, as our Earth melts away.

Rilo Kiley - A Better Son/Daughter (The Execution of All Things) (Sendspace link)
A song that's really about social obligation, to always have a series of qualities (strength, kindness, grown up, smart) and forcing ourselves to seem 'happy' for everyone else even when we're really not in a place where that's who we are. This song always reminds me of Kara, weirdly enough. Might be the bit about sleep paralysis at the beginning. It's weird.

Rilo Kiley - A Man/Me/Then Jim (More Adventurous) (Sendspace link)
This is a song about the 'slow fade of love', and how despite our strongest attempts to reverse it, it will often overtake even the strongest passion and leave its prisoners trapped in a relationship that's gone stale or lead to at least one broken heart. The band returns to their interesting lyric-writing when they have this song tell three mini-stories - those of 'A Man' (who encounters a former lover at a funeral and discusses why they ended things), 'Me' (the story of the narrator, who hears the sad story a telemarketer has to tell), and 'Jim' (whose relationship is in the process of exploding in his face).

Rilo Kiley - The Frug (The Initial Friend) (Sendspace link)
This song, charmingly written song that, at first, seems like a collection of random 'I can' or 'I can't' statements that slowly adds up to a song about refusing to let oneself to be vulnerable, culminating in the protagonist's desperate declarations that 'I'll never fall in love, I cannot fall in love'. A nice example of subtlety, and one of my favourite RK songs despite my lack of analysis here.

Rilo Kiley - Christmas Cake (M3 Holiday Edition) (Sendspace link)
Despite its name, this song is not a happy-go-lucky Christmas song, instead an unflinching look at the realities of being poor and unhappy as the famous holiday approaches. The protagonist, crippled under credit card debt, can't get a decent foothold, warning future parents that 'you'll be paying them off 'til your kids grow up and do the same'. Things slowly get worse and worse as the bills pile higher and higher, eventually landing her permanently in her car and waiting, hopelessly, for the fresh start the New Year promises.

BUY: Amazon Canada, Amazon, InSound

Hope you give this excellent band a shot, as they're one of my favourites of all time. Jenny Lewis' voice and their lyrics combine to make Rilo Kiley, according to LastFM, my #3 overall artist (tied with Andrew Bird). Enjoy!