The Top 10 Songs of 2013 – Preview

5 Dec

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Rejoice! The Music Court is bringing back the end-of-the-year Top 10 song list. Hooray. It’s the highlight of any holiday season! Ok … maybe it’s just some reading fodder that you can scoff at when you binge on holiday leftovers. For the rest of December, the Music Court will feature our list of the top 10 songs of 2013.

Check out the full-song in-review of The Top 10 Songs of 2010 and The Top 10 Songs of 2011 by clicking on those links, or click on the subcategories on the right-hand side of this page to view individual posts. There is no 2012 list (sorry!)

First, some logistics prior to previewing the list. In order to be considered for this list, the song must have been released in 2013. Yes, this seems obvious. But when I say 2013, I mean that the song may have been released as a single in 2013, or if it was not released as a single, it must have appeared on an album released in 2013. Often songs are released on albums the year prior to when the song is released as a single. This simply provides us with more options.

This list is clearly subjective. It is completely biased to the taste of those at the Music Court. That being said, you can certainly berate us for getting everything wrong. That’s the fun part of these lists. Comment on rankings you disagree with. Give us your top 10! We want to hear from you. Also, please understand that I (Matt) am not the biggest rap/hip-hop fan. Thus, the list is skewed towards pop/folk/rock (my beloved genres). There is a rap song on the list, though. I promise.

So … what songs almost made it on to the list but couldn’t quite supplant any of the top 10 songs? Here is the list leading up to the top 10:

19. “A Song about Love” by Jake Bugg

18. “Afterlife” by Arcade Fire

17. “Southern United States” by Leif Vollebekk

16. “Winter Road” by Bill Callahan

15. “New” by Paul McCartney

14. “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke

13. “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk

12. “365 Days” by ZZ Ward

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But, how? “Get Lucky” and “Blurred Lines” were arguably the two most popular songs in 2013. They should most certainly appear on the top 10 list. You must have something against Pharrell Williams, who is featured in both songs. Credit to Pharrell, by the way. What an amazing year! In June he became the 12th musician in history to hold the #1 and #2 spot on the Billboard Top 100 at the same time … and for two COMPLETELY different songs. Incredible. But, while both songs fall close to the top 10, I do not just go by mainstream success. Both songs are as infectious as chocolate-covered pretzels, but, to me, the top 10 songs all have more enlightened qualities.

And … just missing the top 10. The #11 song of 2013:

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Know the lyric? It is “Demons” by Imagine Dragons, which many of you know because of it was overplayed on mostly all rock stations since it was released as an official single in October of this year. The lyric of the song is powerful; a clear depiction of a protagonist with pernicious flaws. It is somewhat hidden behind the crashing melodies and dramatic harmonies, but the music is just so good. Imagine Dragons certainly knows how to intertwine a catchy melody with hard rock sentiments. It’s a great song. Can you imagine the excellent stuff on the top 10 list?

Be Tuned in on Monday, Dec. 9 for the #10 song on the list! 

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Whetherman’s Weathered Mind

4 Dec

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Take one seasoned, bucolic folk artist whose music inspires laid back scenes of pastoral pastures and fresh water streams. Mix this artist with a full band of five additional skilled musicians who infuse even more rhythm and melody to the music. Your end-product: a dozen colorful pieces enriched with apple pie Americana and rustic soul. 

Whetherman is the independent project of musician Nicholas Williams, who, since 2007, has released studio albums under the moniker. Streams and Pastures is the newest release from Williams, who has added five additional band members to complete an efficacious six-person band. Williams (Guitar, Harmonica, Ukulele, Banjo, Mandolin) adds Rachel Murray (Vocals), JP Salvat (Percussion), Alex Hayward (Drums, Misc.), Adam Mantovani (Upright Bass), Eric Brigmond (Keys, Trumpet) and Drew Matulich (Fiddle/Mandolin) to the mix. Quite a stock of instrumentalists, huh? Such cases leave open the potential issue of overcrowding, but Whetherman skillfully balances the instrumentals and creates a relaxed blend of music that hits on folk, country, and Americana roots.

Each song on Streams and Pastures is distinctive. That’s difficult to do. While the music abides by an overarching home cooked feel, Whetherman successfully uses its stock of musicians to develop dulcet individualized music. Let’s hit on my two favorite songs from the album. 

Williams and Rachel Murray sing over initial percussion and acoustic instrumentation. The song is carried by laid back percussion and plucked, airy strings, which help establish an easy-going tenderness and calm atmosphere. It’s highly listenable. You don’t want it to end. In overwhelmingly simplistic terms, the music is just nice. 

“Weathered Mind” is more upbeat and infectious. The country swing is effervescent. The gradual layering of tracks works so well in this song, and the culmination of sound is melodious. The song sounds like it was created by the spawn of Jack Johnson and Ray Lamontagne, tranquil and weightless like Johnson’s acoustic stylings and instrumentally conscience like Lamontagne’s folk. 

Check out the band’s Website, Facebook, Twitter

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Ian Watkins and the Protective Power of Fame

29 Nov

The case of Ian Watkins makes uncomfortable reading. His crimes are of course horrific, but the idea that the lead singer of Lostprophets managed to elude justice and continue being a pedophile turns the stomach.

It is hard to believe that no one around him noticed what was going on. I happened to see Lostprophets last year, shortly before Ian Watkins was arrested, and had no idea of the allegations that would appear – however can the same be said for those backstage who were close to the band, or his friends and colleagues?

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Like disgraced presenter Jimmy Saville, it’s hard to conclude that his crimes weren’t covered up by his celebrity. Saville escaped justice completely, while it took almost 20 years to build up enough evidence to arrest Watkins.

Apparently, one of his ex-girlfriends went to the police four years ago but they didn’t take any action. How much influence his fame had on delaying his arrest we will probably never know.

Also like Saville, Watkins also used his privileged position to gain access to his victims. The details are horrific but suffice to say that his crimes would have been far more difficult if he hadn’t abused his status to seduce fans.

Rockstars have always enjoyed the bounties of fame. This often includes taking advantage of their sometimes innocent fans. Tales of excess and debauchery are part of the rock’s glamour – who can forget the infamous story of Led Zeppelin and the fish? It’s all too easy to slip into the pattern of giving eccentric rockstars a free pass to do whatever they want, until it’s too late.

The revelations about Ian Watkins will undoubtedly be difficult for the music world to come to terms with. However the message is clear – being famous shouldn’t make people immune to the law. Being a celebrity doesn’t mean they don’t have to face consequences.

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Holding on For Life After the Disco

28 Nov

Broken Bells

When James Mercer (of the Shins) and Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) first collaborated in 2010, the duo created a fresh, Indie album under the moniker Broken Bells. The album not only saw huge commercial success, but also it depicted the seamless collaboration between acoustic and electronic sounds. “The High Road,” the first single off of the band’s debut, is a quintessential example of the “melodic” and “experimental” sounds the band produces. Here is a live version of “The High Road” for your eager ears.

Flash forward to 2013 and the dangerous shins are at again with the release of a new single, “Holding On for Life,” which will appear on their new album After the Disco in early January, 2014. In what I presume will be an early album of the year candidate, After the Disco, if “Holding on For Life” is any indication, will feature a more natural amalgamation of the complementary styles of Mercer and Burton. Listeners can look forward to an even more comprehensive mixture of sound. Let’s listen to the first single.

If the cover of the album and trippy opening suggests anything, it is that we have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and entered into some psychedelic, Van Gogh-like space dreamscape. And, in typical Broken Bells fashion, the music suits the scenery. Mercer’s skilled vocal is carried by a strummed acoustic that sits over spacey electronics and segmented percussion. At 50 seconds, though, Broken Bells transforms into the disco. In what we English nerds can best term allegorical, Broken Bells turns into the Bee Gees, and it is bloody awesome. It is short, but the call-back is skillful. It’s an excellent single from a band that just continues to prove its creativity in what often is a dry musical landscape

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Arctic Monkeys Live Review

22 Nov

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(Sheffield Motorpoint Arena, 18th November)

It would have been understandable if the fans inside the Motorpoint Arena had held reservations about what was to come. After all, when the lead singer’s come down with Laryngitis just weeks before, you might be wondering if the gig would be a bit half-arsed, just completing their contact?

They needn’t have worried. From the start, it was clear all of the band were on fine form. The brooding glam rock of their first song, Do I Wanna Know, was almost drowned out by the crowd by cheers and people actually dancing instead of acting as Youtube cameramen.

It was also abundantly clear that the Sheffield band’s most recent album was the focus of the night. A whopping nine songs – almost half of the setlist – were taken from AM. It had been receiving rave reviews from critics and it was clear that the audience adored it just as much. Arabella, I Wanna Be Yours and One For the Road were all greeted by waves a cheering from fans that already knew every word. R U Mine, the last song in their encore, also remains a monster of song – possibly the most perfect one they’ve ever written.

Between the appreciation for the new album, the band managed to find time for a whirlwind tour of their hits. Quite a few songs from the middle period of their career were missed out, but who’s got time when the crowd’s holding a mass-singalong to I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor or swaying their lighters to Mardy Bum?

Even if Arctic Monkeys have already performed that setlist a dozen times before, the gig still felt special. There was a palpable sense of energy throughout, which was reciprocated by the audience.

Alex Turner has a reputation a stoic, restrained frontman, preferring to let his songs talk for him, however he was relatively chatty in Sheffield. Perhaps enjoying being back in his hometown, he seemed relatively chatty, asking the audience ‘Are you mine?’ and playfully telling them off when they began singing too early.

Although they didn’t bring any gimmicks like Muse or U2, Arctic Monkeys put on a hell of a live show. It was technically very proficient. With just some lights, a couple of small screens and a towering AM backdrop, they put on an incredible show where the stage always seemed to reflect the mood.

For some reason, the speakers mangled the sound for a couple of the subtler songs like Fireside, but it handled the louder ones brilliantly. The sound was at the perfect volume that encourages you to sing until your voice is raw.

Simply put, this good a band with such a magnificent back catalogue of songs can’t help but put on a hell of a show. Seven years of touring has made them into a well-oiled machine that knows exactly what crowds want.

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