Honorary Mentions of 2008

There were some albums that just didn't quite do it for us as a whole, but maybe they had that one really good song that we played on repeat. Here are (lucky number) 13 songs that we think deserve Honorary Mentions for 2008 (again in no particular order).

Polite Dance Song [mp3] - The Bird & The Bee (iTunes)
We couldn't stop blasting it everywhere, and although it technically debuted at the end of 2007 on the Please Clap Your Hands EP, it was put on the 2008 album Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future, so it still counts.
EDIT: So when I (lise) looked up this song on iTunes, the Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future was listed on iTunes with a release year of 2008, complete with song list and samples. Then I was reading Pitchfork's Guide to Upcoming Releases and was shocked to discover that that album is set to release for the first time later this month! Not believing my eyes, I immediately went back to iTunes and found that the Ray Guns album is no longer listed. So...either I was celebrating New Years really early without knowing it, or iTunes lies to us and then laughs fiendishly while we appear shame-faced to the rest of the world. Whatever. The song stays.

Be Mine Everyone [mp3] - Sam Champion (iTunes)
This catchy rock tune had everyone in the blogosphere talking (and dancing) this year. Em first heard the song when she saw Sam Champion perform at Prospect Park this summer and it still never fails to make us rock out.

Be OK (mp3 removed by request)  - Ingrid Michaelson (iTunes)
This song could've been another Hurt Myself-esque song, given different instrumentation and slower tempo, but Ingrid took these lyrics and made it a piece of upbeat catchy pop gold.

Kill The Lights [mp3] - Britney Spears (iTunes)
Simultaneously sexy and creepy, this is our favorite track off of Britney's rather fascinating, strange "comeback" album (personally, we liked "Blackout" better...)

Days Go On [mp3] - Greg Laswell (iTunes)
One of Lise's gfps, and a perfect example of how a song can carry a repetitious hook if it just keeps on moving forward.

A Song for Ellie Greenwich [mp3] - Parenthetical Girls (iTunes)
Parenthetical Girls brought in sounds from just about every era imaginable on their last album. This interesting single has stayed on our playlists since we got it in the summer.

Handlebars [mp3]- Flobots (iTunes)
This seemed to be the song that more people than you realized knew. All that needed to be said was "I can lead a nation with a microphone, with a microphone, with a microphone," and you'd hear someone else sing "and I can split the atom of a molecule, of a molecule, of a molecule."

Jager Yoga [mp3] - CSS (iTunes)
While it's no Alala or Music is my Hot Hot Sex, CSS still knows how to make a catchy dance tune.

The Stoop [mp3] - Little Jackie (iTunes)
We love our summer songs here at GFP, and this was definitely one of top. Nevermind that Little Jackie pulled in New York from Flava Of Love/I Love New York to do backup vocals (really?!?), this song is still great and makes us bob our heads along.

Losing Myself [mp3] - Brazilian Girls (iTunes)
We're not sure anything could top their 2006 hit Jique, but this is a fun, slightly dark, multi-lingual dance song anyway - Brazilian Girls' specialty.

Inside a Boy [mp3] - My Brightest Diamond (iTunes)
Haunting and dramatic. 'Nuff said.

White Shade [mp3] - Lukestar (iTunes)
This one took a little while to grow on us but now we're listening to it on repeat. Part breathy ballad sound and part sexy rock, this song has something for everyone.

Can't Shake It [mp3] - Kate Miller-Heidke (iTunes)
The relateable story of not being able to look gorgeous while dancing in the form of a wonderful pop-electronic hit from an Australian ex-opera star.

Sounds of Summer

Lise already posted her top 5 summer songs, but I have been reluctant to admit that summer is over. I'm still not ready for it to end, but I think I can safely list the songs that topped my summer playlist (though picking 5 is too hard, but I've managed to narrow it down to 10). The songs tend to come from all different genres all over the place and were played on repeat for different reasons, which I think is indicative of the type of summer I've had. Well, and my eclectic music taste, in general. In no particular order:

Waltzing with Lady Dawn [mp3] - Matt Jones - "The Black Path" (iTunes unavailable)
That's Not My Name [mp3] - The Ting Tings - "We Started Nothing" (iTunes)
Polite Dance Song [mp3] - The Bird & The Bee - "Please Clap Your Hands EP" (iTunes)
Be Mine Everyone [mp3] - Sam Champion - "Heavenly Bender" (iTunes)
The Blood [mp3] - Frontier Ruckus - "I am the Water You Are Pumping" (iTunes unavailable)
Talk Radio [mp3] - The Dandy Warhols - "Earth To The Dandy Warhols" (iTunes)
Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner [mp3] - The Dresden Dolls - "No, Virginia" (iTunes)
This is Where We Are [mp3] - Ravens & Chimes - "Reichenbach Falls" (iTunes)
A Song for Ellie Greenwich [mp3] - Parenthetical Girls - "Entanglements" (iTunes)
Hold It In [mp3] - Jukebox The Ghost - "Let Live and Let Ghosts" (iTunes)

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Cold War Kids celebrate Brooklyn

Friday night I spent a lovely night in Prospect Park for part of the Celebrate Brooklyn series. It was supposed to rain, but the weather couldn't have been much nicer actually.

First up was Sam Champion. They didn't blow me away but they had a decent energy and I liked their music for the most part. They had a few great poppy rock tunes, including the one I've posted below, which is rising its way into my list of favorite tracks of the moment. On a side note, the bass player made me really happy because he was smiling and rocking out with his cool hair the whole time.

Next up was Elvis Perkins in Dearland, who I saw last year at Siren Festival. They were even better than I remember them being. They looked like they were having so much fun on stage and their music really is great. They're each such talented musicians, particularly the guy who plays 4 or 5 different instruments. Though it seems to me they all play a bunch of different instruments because some of them came out with the Cold War Kids and created a brass/woodwinds section for them. I also really like the drummer of Dearland, because he doesn't let himself get stuck in the back at the drum set. For some songs he gets up and carries this big bass drum and cymbal and jumps around the stage. He's pretty fun to watch. I would have to say Elvis Perkins in Dearland stole the show.

Cold War Kids were headlining and they were good, but Elvis Perkins in Dearland was a tough act to follow and the times when I liked them most was when Dearland came up and played with them. It amped everyone's energy up quite a bit each time. One cool thing about Cold War Kids though was that they played a lot of new stuff that hasn't come out yet, so that was fun to get a sneak peak at that. Overall a good show.

Be Mine Everyone [mp3] - Sam Champion - "Heavenly Bender" (iTunes unavailable)

All The Night Without Love [mp3] - Elvis Perkins in Dearland - "Ash Wednesday" (iTunes)

We Used to Vacation [mp3] - Cold War Kids - "Robbers & Cowards" (iTunes)

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