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Top 10 Songs and Albums of 2014 – Are You Ready?

30 Nov

2014git-790x580

There is much truth to the musical pendulum of “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof; time, like the gold attachment on a grandfather clock, swings back and forth and back and forth and suddenly 2011 turns to 2012 to 2013 to 2014 and now, in one month, 2015. With the perpetual swing of the pendulum is the many moments that make up one’s year. And, within those moments, tucked away like a child in bed, is the music that has stuck with you from the year, nestled comfortably in your mind.

So we have reached the almost-end to another year, and, to stay on the topic of the Music Court, we have seen some transformations. Our kick-ass new writer Zoe Brown has taken an active posting role, and she is doing a tremendous job. Stand up and clap for her; yes, get out of your chairs wherever you are and clap! She has helped establish the Music Court as your source for new, eccentric tunes. Many of those songs might be those nestled in your mind as you reminisce on another year in music. Before we officially kick off the annual top 10 countdown, I thought it might be fun to look back on the winners of year’s past and read a little clip from each post (no 2012).

 

2010

#1 “The King of Spain” by The Tallest Man on Earth

Before the song ends, Matsson holds out the word “the” in this vocal climax that is shattering. It is also a perfect way for me to end this countdown. There is an animation in Matsson’s croon that is warm, inviting and aggressive. This is a true strength in his music. He is a folk musician who can provide the erupting emotion that Spector’s “wall of sound” does, but with only himself and a guitar. He is a one-man-band who is significantly stronger then mostly all of his five or more band counterparts. That is an impressive feat. Heck, he might actually be the “King of Spain”

2011:

#1 “The Afterlife” by Paul Simon

… A hypothetical heaven, though, one scribbled down by the consummate raconteur who knows the meaning of excellent music. “The Afterlife” is a keen, hilarious, zany, unexpected, metempirical, almost practical (I cannot list enough adjectives to describe the song’s utter beauty), take on heaven and dying.

2013:

#1 – “Pompeii” by Bastille

“The song begins with a Blue Swede-like vocal rhythm. This rhythmic chanting sets an almost allegorical tone, meaning the melody is representative of intense Roman religiosity. One can almost hear this dark chanting in a temple of worship – overwhelmingly spiritual and subtly lugubrious … While the song is quite literally representative of the destruction of Pompeii, it is difficult not to take it as a metaphorical look at when any unwelcome change occurs in life. Sometimes it is difficult to be “an optimist” and you must “close your eyes” and dream of better days.”

 

Who will hold the top spot in 2014? You will just have to wait to find out. And, this year, at the behest of Ms. Brown, the Music Court will feature a Top 10 Albums of 2014 list as well, which will directly follow the Top 10 Songs of 2014. Get ready! The list begins tomorrow, and will continue almost every day for the majority of December. You better have your eyes ready for some quality music-related reading. We are counting on you!

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The Duke of Norfolk is Flying South

27 May

The Duke of Norfolk

Adam Thomas Howard is the Duke of Norfolk; well, at least that is what his moniker suggests. Although one of the main reasons behind the name was to distinguish himself from the many other Adam Howards in the world, the name, which he has carried since the summer of 2010, is indicative of a sprawling sound that features the authority and flair of British royalty. Some might take a quick listen to Howard’s crunchy acoustic guitar and his distinct southern drawl and consider his title somewhat ironic, but his full sound suggests otherwise. The name catches your attention and Howard’s distinct folk rhythms pull you in.

The Duke of Norfolk is no stranger to album releases and live shows. He released his debut under Adam Howard – Shadows and Shapes – in 2009, and since then has released several EPs and his debut full-length in February of this year under The Duke of Norfolk. Today I have for you a track off of the new album called “The South.”

From the outset the sound is engaging. The soft acoustic lay comfortably over drawn-out strings – much like John Cale’s stylings with the Velvet Underground. The music is uplifting and varied. The strumming is distinctive, and it matches the Duke of Norfolk’s eclectic Conor Oberst-like vocal. The song moves with a fantastic energy and the delightful strings and concluding vocal harmony bring it home to its country/folk roots. Add the Duke of Norfolk to a short list of excellent modern folk musicians.

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Song of the Day – Working Class Hero

20 Feb

Working_Class_Hero_by_vhm_cain

OK. I’m here. I’m typing. This is a good sign. I have been immersed in a lot of work lately, and thus have not had the opportunity to post to my beloved Music Court in a few weeks. I do very much hate falling into long posting droughts, and for more than four years I have prided myself on posting at least once a week (every week). Unfortunately, as they say with going to the gym, when you fall beyond 3-4 days of not posting (going), it is hard to pick back up again. You see, one of my main tenets on the Music Court is not dreck content. Meaning, I will not post for the sake of posting. I’m afraid today’s post falls into that blasphemous category. But, I had to prove to you all that I am alive and well!

Although this post is rather impromptu (and I promise I will be back posting regular content soon), I figured I might feature some John Lennon. This song came up on shuffle the other day as I was driving home from Connecticut, and I just spent the few minutes of mindless driving listening to the lyrics of the piece. Yes, I have heard it several times before, but often times you hear a song and do not truly listen intently to the lyrics. I am continually struck by two elements of this piece. One, this is one of Lennon’s angriest songs – perhaps his angriest. His use of imprecation is at an all-time high and once you get past the fact that he once sang “Love Me Do,” you realize just how incredibly diverse he was as an artist. While the song may seem a bit strange coming from the deep pockets of John Lennon, he accurately represents the utter droll of middle class monotony and subtle, tortuous mayhem. Look, Lennon was a tremendous song writer. Tremendous is an understatement. But this song is perhaps the apex of his melancholy look at the machinery of the “working class hero.”

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Top 10 Songs of 2013 – #1: “Pompeii” by Bastille

31 Dec

Bastille Band

We have reached the end of our annual countdown and standing alone on the top is “probably the happiest song about volcanic destruction you’ll ever hear.” It’s an apt quotation from the band. It is true that I have not ever heard a song about a pernicious volcano that I have liked more. I have also not heard a song in 2013 that I have liked more than “Pompeii.”

Bastille has been going at this whole music thing since 2010, but it goes without saying that 2013 was its most successful year. The London-based rock band was founded by Daniel Smith as a solo project. Not long after, he decided to form a band, and he added two multi-instrumentalists (Kyle Jonathan Simmons and William Farquarson) and drummer Chris “Woody” Wood. Signed by Virgin Records, the band started releasing singles in 2012 to moderate success in the UK. “Flaws,” a track from Bastille’s excellent debut album Bad Blood, worked its way into the top 40. Then, in February of this year, the band released “Pompeii,” and like Mount Vesuvius, the song literally blew up, reaching top 10 chart positions in more than 15 countries.

Bastille is a distinguished part of a new crop of alternative/Indie rock bands that are sweeping the musical climate. This list includes bands like Imagine Dragons (who had quite the 2013), The Neighbourhood, Young the Giant, Foster the People, and Grouplove. Out of all these bands (and there are some more I am leaving out), though, I am most excited about Bastille, whose Muse-like epic musicality makes each song potent,  infectious, and unique.

Although quite different, “King of Spain,” “The Afterlife,” and now “Pompeii” – each #1 song on respective annual Music Court countdowns – share a similar quality: the songs all near perfection (hence their #1 placement!) “Bastille” scores high marks on all qualities of an excellent song (rhythm, melody, lyric, vocal, and instrumentation).

The song begins with a Blue Swede-like vocal rhythm. This rhythmic chanting sets an almost allegorical tone, meaning the melody is representative of intense Roman religiosity. One can almost hear this dark chanting in a temple of worship – overwhelmingly spiritual and subtly lugubrious. Dan Smith’s airy voice breaks the chant and carries effortlessly over clacky percussion. This culminates in a choral diapason with crashing percussion, melodious harmonies, and the chanting. The song swoons until it breaks into war-like percussion (the percussion in this song is ridiculously skilled) and a repeated bridge (partially a cappella). The lyric completely fits the song. Over the “tumbling” “walls” and “darkness from above,” Smith urges listeners to “close your eyes” where “it almost feel [s] like nothing changed at all?” While the song is quite literally representative of the destruction of Pompeii, it is difficult not to take it as a metaphorical look at when any unwelcome change occurs in life. Sometimes it is difficult to be “an optimist” and you must “close your eyes” and dream of better days.

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Top 10 Songs of 2013 – #2: “Say Something” by A Great Big World

30 Dec

A Great Big World

Back on November 1 I wrote a post urging readers to listen to “Say Something” and brace themselves for the inevitable Great Big World rise to the top. Three days later, an eager Christina Aguilera paired with A Great Big World to release a “Say Something” duet, which she recorded with the band. After a consecutive performance of this duet on “The Voice,” the song has ballooned, reaching the #1 spot on the iTunes charts, selling more than 180,000 copies in a week (and more than one million copies overall), and ultimately propelling Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino to high-profile performances and an eagerly awaited upcoming album.

But let’s back up. Admittedly, I was late on the Great Big World train. Prior to the performances on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show, “The Voice,” and even the initial “Say Something” feature on the final of “So You Think You Can Dance” (seven days after it was released as a single in September of this year), A Great Big World was already a known commodity in the Indie Pop world. Signed in May of 2013 by Epic Records, the group previously went on national tours with Ingrid Michaelson, Five for Fighting, and Matthew Morrison. The now long forgotten song “This is the New Year” was featured on Glee, ESPN, The Amazing Race, and One Tree Hill. While the meteoric rise of “Say Something” teetered on an overnight success story, it was more approbation for the hard work put in by the two songwriters who met while attending the Steinhardt school at NYU.

This, though, is a countdown of songs, so let’s get to the #2 song on the countdown. As you are now noticing, I included the version of “Say Something” without Aguilera. I enjoy the uber-popular Aguilera version. Unlike most songs, Aguilera does not actually out-sing the song. She has an incredible voice with almost excessive range, but instead of gratuitousness, she holds herself back and provides a heart-wrenching complement to Axel’s sincere, clean vocal. But, like in most cases, I like the untampered original. A Great Big World, however, might think the contrary. While some misguided YouTubers actually label the song as “Say Something” by Christina Aguilera feat. A Great Big World, which is shameful in its inaccuracy, the band certainly has the Staten Island diva to thank for its rise to the top.

The song, as I expressed in my initial post about it, is minimalistic. It demonstrates musical simplicity at its finest – a soft piano and tender vocal. The lyric is also simple, featuring choral epistrophe and concise verses. While simple, the song is never banal. Conversely, it is one of the freshest songs released in a few years. Perhaps it is its candor or wholeness. The song packs ardor and intelligence into a four-minute piano ballad punch.

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