Most Played Songs of 2012 // (from #11 - #20)

Last year I called the latter portion of the most-played list the section of "shame." I don't know if 2012 just marked a good year, whether my music taste shifted or it was just dumb luck, but I have to say I'm pretty darn proud of the lower half this year.

There's a good mix of popular, club, critically acclaimed and a little cheese. Let's get started, shall we?


20. Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)


Perhaps what's most shocking is Gotye's massive hit single Somebody That I Used to Know didn't rank higher. After all, it was inescapable by mid-March. But if I've learned anything it's that songs that are overplayed on the radio often have a short shelf life on my playlist. Gotye might be considered a one-hit wonder in many circles, but his album is solid and this live performance video I shot at the Kool Haus in Toronto proves he shouldn't be dismissed.


19. Caro Emerald - Back It Up


Every year I'm a little late to the game on one obscure song, and this year it was Dutch singer Caro Emerald's Back It Up. However, in this case I was really, really late. The song came out in 2009 but it took a batch of remixes released a year ago to bring it to my attention. The thing is, Back It Up is a good enough song that it doesn't need a remix to bring it to life.


18. Infinity Ink - Infinity


I'm a sucker for a song that sounds like a legit early '90s dance track, and Inifinity Ink pulled that off and then some with their sort of self-titled single Infinity. The song even has a gratuitous, meaningless rap section that appears middtrack, with the nameless rapper proclaiming that Infinity Ink "has got the sound." Yes, it's all a little silly, but damn is it a great combination of cool and fun.


17. Loreen - Euphoria


It's no secret that I have a sick obsession with Eurovision, so it's probably no surprise that a couple of tracks from the European pop song competition snuck onto my list. The first comes from Sweden's Loreen who took the contest by storm and nabbed the top prize with Euphoria. After her victory I heard this song pumping out of headphones on commuter buses and at a few clubs in Canada, which is rare considering that Eurovision is basically off of Canadians' radar. Perhaps not for much longer?


16. Amelia Lily - Shut Up (And Give Me Whatever You Got)


I can't really explain how this single from Amelia Lily, the 8th place singer on the UK version of X Factor, snuck onto my "most played" list, especially considering that I only first heard it back in November. But the clumsily titled song Shut Up (And Give Me Whatever You Got) has a pumping sugar pop beat and screaming vocals that encouraged me to sing it a lot and clearly put it on repeat. The rest is shameful history...



15. ZZ Ward - Put the Gun Down


It frustrates me that ZZ Ward's killer pop-blues single Put the Gun Down didn't get more recognition this past summer because it's exactly what should appeal to the Southern Americans with a sense for classic revenge songs. Perhaps the concept of the song was a little too dark. Either way, I hope they bring it to a kareoke club nearby soon because it'd be a great song to sing to a crowd of drunken partiers.


14. Hoodie Allen - No Interruption


Hoodie Allen helped redefine the truly independent musician this year when his debut album jumped into Billboard's Top 10 without any major publicity, and if you haven't heard of him it probably means you're too old. When it came to the pre-teen crowd this guy was edgy and hyped, and when it came to his live conerts, I can tell you I saw young teens doing things there I wish I could unsee. Let's focus on the music, shall we? No Interruption was his first single and its video is a spectable of gritty nerd-cool shot on a shoestring budget.


13. Emeli Sande - Next to Me


The fickle U.S. market paid hardly any attention to Emeli Sande's debut album earlier this year. The Brit scored massive attention and accolades overseas, but in North America she fizzled, even after practically hosting the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics. No matter, he label hasn't given up on her yet. In January they will re-release the incredibly catchy Next to Me in the U.S. in hopes that it'll catch fire on the second go 'round. Maybe if they angle her as the new Alicia Keys...



12. St. Lucia - Before the Dive


St. Lucia is my proudest find of this year. They're a consistently good band, they're cool, creative and hark back to the sounds from the '80s that I enjoyed most. Their debut EP was practically perfect so I hope their debut album (due sometime in 2013) will impress me just as much. Before the Dive was a song I fell in love with late this year, after practically skipping it everytime I put on the EP, in favour of other songs.


11. Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You


Big surprise (not!) that Frank Ocean made my list, especially considering that he's on practically every critc's list this year. There's no doubt that Channel Orange was the most surprising, consistent and exciting debuts of the year. Ocean poured his soul into that album and you can feel it in every track. Thinkin Bout You isn't the best song on the album (the best song wasn't the single, I think that prize goes to Bad Religion), but it was the first released and therefore takes a high ranking position on my most-played list.


Next up, the Top 10 Most Played Songs of 2012...coming soon.

Club Song of the Day // Infinity Ink - Infinity

Party season is officially over in Ibiza and with it I've decided to recap some of my favourite songs that kept the clubs pumping all summer. I'm going to pick two this year -- one I will post today and the other tomorrow.

Here is my second favourite track of the summer, a wildly dark and different song from UK DJs Infinity Ink, a song that channels a few quirks of '90s house tracks (random rappper for 15 seconds, anyone?), but maintains the attitude of a sexy house track that works best at 4 a.m.

 

Gorburger launches on The Warner Sound with Tegan and Sara

The Warner Sound, the online media division of Warner Music, launched a wildly unusual YouTube series called Gorburger today. It's a platform for artists signed on the Warner labels, but also serves as an insanely weird mix between My Pet Monster, MTV and Japanese television.

The first episode is a wildly awkward five minutes with Tegan and Sara.

Song of the Day // Hot Chip - Night and Day

Somehow I forgot to post this sizzling electronic track from Hot Chip, but for most of you, I'm sure the band isn't a revelation, since they've been on the scene for a good decade, with such "on-the-edge-of-mainstream" songs as Over and Over.

Night and Day is only one of the many amazing songs on their latest album, In Our Hands, which hit stores last month. The video is wild and nonsensical, but I decided that it distracts too much from the structure and feel of the song. So here it is in its most basic, audio form.
 

 

 

Song of the Day // Tristan Pettyman - My Oh My

A couple months ago I posted a video of Tristan Prettyman singing a song from her upcoming album called Marry You. It was a gut wrenching performance that a lot of you responded to strongly.

Well, that track isn't the first single (no surprise) and the album isn't out yet -- but the upbeat first single is, and its very summery and catchy. Here is My Oh My -- it's a little bit country a little bit pop'n'roll. Hope it perks up your day.

 

 

Song of the Day // Elton John vs Pnau - Sad

If you believe the story, Elton John stumbled across Pnau's music back in 2008 and fell in love with the sounds of the Australian electronic producers. He ultimately signed them to his label, and helped pave the way for a ...

side-project from one of the two members, called Empire of the Sun.

After a world tour with Empire, the producers settled down with John to create their latest album, as well as another album for John that took samples of his mostly lesser known songs and turned them into new tracks. The result is Good Morning to the Night, a project that has shot up the UK charts this week and is likely to take the #1 spot.

Sad is the first single, and the music video is an absolute visual treat.

Breaking Down Bergman // Introduction

It's rare that I'll post something non-music related on here, but today I'm going to make an exception.

Last November I launched a YouTube series with my friend Sonia Strimban where we pledged to watch all of Swedish director Ingmar Bergman's films from first to last, and analyze each. We've been doing that ever since, quite consistently, for our series called Breaking Down Bergman.

This week our first video crossed the 1,000-view mark, which for most things might not be so impressive, but for a director who has gone relatively unknown by the masses, it's not a bad feat. I'm pretty proud of it, and despite all of the difficulties I'm proud with what we've come out with so far.

If you want to join us in our journey of watching all of Bergman's films -- including the most famous, the Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries and Persona -- here's the first video. We'd love to have you along for the ride...

Random Chris Brown music review

I posted this image on my Facebook yesterday after a friend picked up on it. The review of Chris Brown's new album comes from Cityview, a weekly based in Des Moines, Iowa.

On one level, it's worth a laugh. On another, it's a sign of protest. Then on another, it makes me wonder if Chris Brown will ever overcome his reputation at this point -- one that has not only been tarnished by his past actions, but also by his refusal to honest own up to them.

Song of the Day // Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments

I figured that this song would explode in the social media world, so I didn't jump to make it a SOTD last month -- but what the heck happened? More people need to be talking about Jessie Ware, the UK vocalist who is steadi...ly building a solo career after nabbing some attention when she stepped in to provide vocals for SBTRKT's song Nervous.

Wildest Moments is one of those songs that strikes an inexplicable level of truth that, even if it doesn't speak directly to your experiences, has a universal truth. Ware's debut album, Devotion, drops in the UK next month, and perhaps that's when she'll convince the masses that she has the goods.

Song of the Day // Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Stronger

Admit it, with a name like "Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs" you're at least a bit curious about Brit electronic producer Orlando Higginbottom. The story behind it was his goal to simply come up with a stage name that transcended the trendy pseudonyms of most DJs.

He said he wanted: "Something that couldn't be cool, couldn't be put into some kind of scene that gets hip for six months and then falls out of fashion."

I posted the ultra-amazing Dream On last year, and while his debut album Trouble doesn't include that track, Stronger is its own original concoction that's a force to be reckoned with.

By the way, he's playing Toronto on Aug. 10 and the tickets are $15.

Club Song of the Day // Florence & The Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name) (Calvin Harris Extended Remix)

The downside of Song of the Day is that there are just too many songs and not enough days! This has been on my playlist for weeks, but I haven't shared it here yet.

I'm not a huge fan of Florence + the Machine's music, and I've certainly favoured remixes of their tracks over the originals. Spectrum is a perfect example: a relatively dull and pretentous original track (don't hit me!) that's amped up a new level of dramatics with the hands of Calvin Harris. Pure dance magic!

Song of the Day // Isaac Tichauer - Doing What I Got

The lover of 90's R&B in me -- namely Brandy -- really got me hooked on one of the latest Australian dance producers to sweep the global scene. Isaac Tichauer takes the music world by storm from his homebase in Sydney, and once he starts "sittin' on top of the world" in this track, you'll understand why this certainly won't be the last we hear from him.



Check out the free download of "Doing What I Got" on SoundCloud and his Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/IsaacTichauer

North By Northeast // The Wrap-up

Alright! I admit it! I failed you all!

It's true, I promised a more extensive outline of the North By Northeast music festival, but I just blew it. There were videos I took and they ended up on YouTube, but not on here. But, I will make it up to you by posting them now.

I also have additional footage I have yet to put online. It's coming, I promise. But, for now, enjoy these couple of videos because they're all fantastic performances.

Friends - Ideas on Ghosts
A song written about and dedicated to Samantha Urbani's deceased brother.



Oberhaufer - Haus
The indie darlings deliver one of many epic performances from the festival.



The Lumineers - Ain't Nobody's Problem But My Own
Perhaps the most infectious song I heard all festival. Dare to get that twang out of your head.

North By Northeast // Day One

Don't take this as some sort of commitment to covering the festival in its entirely, but I do promise I will post a handful of videos captured at this year's North By Northeast music festival in Toronto.

Last night I unexpectedly spent most of the evening at the Tracks on Tracks showcase held at the Gladstone. The event specifically focused on Canadian bands from the West. All of them had travelled to the show as part of a cross-country tour on a VIA Rail train. While in transit they performed for passengers, and then the grand finale was this evening.

While I didn't stick around for the entire night, I can tell you that both the Matinee and Maurice were entertaining alternative rock performers, while I hear that the Topless Gay Love Tekno Party got the glitter flowing -- literally -- all over the floor.

I managed to capture one performance (I lost the others due to technical difficulties) from solo singer Adaline, whose songs have been featured on Grey's Anatomy. I really dig Rebels of Love, which is her new single.

Club Song of the Day // Nelly Furtado - Big Hoops (Bigger The Better) (Sultan & Ned Shepard Remix)

One of the best new club tracks this season comes from Nelly Furtado's flop first single from her upcoming album. Sultan & Ned Shepard completely spin the track around and make an entirely new sound from it. The song has captured the attention of top DJs, including Tiesto.

Song of the Day // Graffiti6 - Free

Graffiti6's track Free has been floating around the Internet for months, once being a free song of the week on iTunes, but it was more of a grower for me than an instant hit.

So, I present it to you today in case you haven't heard it before. The duo is comprised of British producer TommyD, who is best known for the guy who made Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy (I'm not kidding!) and singer Jamie Scott. Free is a soulful throwback track that'll reel you in over time.

Eurovision 2012 // My Top Picks - The Top 5

It all comes down to this -- my Top 5 choices for this year's Eurovision contest which comes to its epic finale on Saturday May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan. If you missed my picks for the bottom half of the Top 10 then head over to the first post.

The top picks I chose are, I think, diverse, interesting, creative and all worthy of attention.

May the best one win!

5. Anggun - Echo (You and I)


France's entry from Anggun was another prequalifier which makes it difficult to gauge how well she will do at the finals. She's a veteran of the music industry having spent the past 25 years as a charting performer, and she has the chops to impress, while the quality of the song also gives her the potential to rank high. In interviews she expressed her disappointment with the rehearsals, so perhaps she'll step up her performance on game night.




4. Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better


As I've said previously, Soluna's entry for Denmark is probably the best song from this year's competition. I could see it being a hit on North American radio stations, and it reminds me of the Lilith Fair era of music that defined the late '90s. Unfortunately, her stage presence is a little underwhelming and it'll cost her a top position. Really, the main problem is that this song doesn't deserve to be in Eurovision. To put it lightly, it's better than this contest. Eurovision is more about being showy and over the top to a perfection, if not just plain silly. Soluna has a competent track that isn't improved by her silly military uniform.


3. Tooji - Stay


A couple months ago I was rooting for Tooji to take the top prize. The song was shut out of Sweden and wound up migrating over to represent Norway. In its infancy, Stay was an energetic, pulsing club track that Tooji took to the stage with wide-eyed wonder and a surprising amount of precision. When he performed it again earlier this week at the semi-finals his vocals were flat, he looked like he'd overpracticed and the whole performance had lost its spark. I wish he was still my number one pick, but he's slid, and slid fast.


2. Roman Lob - Standing Still



This isn't one of my favourite songs in the competition, but it gets a higher rank because I understand just how strong the entry is, and that its exactly the kind of song that could sneak a win. Roman Lob is cute, he has a presence and the track goes down smooth. Standing Still is the kind of song that would have a home on American Idol or any other singing contest show. All of these factors could play into him scoring high or taking the top spot for Germany. Unfortunately it's a little hard to say in advance because he was another prequalifier so we haven't seen his full live performance.




1. Loreen - Euphoria


Sweden has a stunning opportunity to come out as the winner with this powerful track from Loreen who showed real potential early in the game, but has emerged as a force to be reckoned with this past week in the semifinals. The dance track could've been written for Celine Dion if she went the direction of dance diva, but Loreen owns it quite well with a geisha-inspired dance sequence. If she can flutter around, lessen that slurred speech and keep a tune, I think she'll take this one home.

So what do you think? What are your Top 5 picks?

Don't forget to log onto the Eurovision website at 3 p.m. EST (9 p.m. CET) on Saturday to stream the show live. And have fun!

Eurovision 2012 // My Top Picks

I swear I haven't been neglecting you all intentionally, but things have been busy and honestly much of my music-related time has been spent scouring the contestants for this year's Eurovision contest which comes to its epic finale on Saturday May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

While the contest is widely considered a joke when it comes to quality, and is best known for birthing the career of ABBA, I think recent years have displayed some real talent. While the contest is still a guilty pleasure of mine, in the pop world it needs a little more respect. If anything, it's pure fun.

So here it is, my Top 10 picks for the contest this year. It's not necessarily what I think will win, but it's a combination of my opinion on the songs, performances, and realism on whether they could actually win or not. For example, I love Soluna Samay's song and think it's probably the best of this year, but her life performance is incredibly dull, which is why she ranks so low.

Even if you don't follow Eurovision and could care less, consider these 10 cheesy pop tracks that you could add to your guilty pleasure list, or listen to once and forget about forever. Whichever you choose, I will definitely be on the Eurovision website at 3 p.m. EST (9 p.m. CET) streaming the show live.


The Top 10

10. Gréta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget


For what Iceland's entry lacks in song quality (it's pretty standard and sort of dull), it makes up for in a whalloping, dramatic live performance. It's just a shame that the passion and talent they have on stage couldn't be used for a more winning song, but the way they rock the violin mid-song gives them some extra credit.

9. Nina Zilli - L'Amore È Femmina (Out Of Love)


Italy chose a sizzling throwback to the '60s for its entry and while the track is quite good it was also a pre-qualifier which means we've seen very little of Nina performing it live. That makes it hard to decide how good the live show really will be on Saturday night. The rehersal footage isn't bad though...




8. Ivi Adamou - La La Love


I've really had trouble getting past the live performance of Ivi Adamou's La La Love, an otherwise fun dance track. There's something about her presence that seems sloppy and silly, and it really hurts her chances. The only thing I can compare it to is a teenage girl in high school performing in her school play, half trying to be "showy" and half in love with her own show. It doesn't work very well, and Cyprus should've seen this early on when they chose her as the performer, whittling down three of her songs to this one. The only factor ranking this song so high is its enthusiasm.

7. Gaitana - Be My Guest


If Gaitana could just rein it in a bit then the entry for Ukraine would be higher in my books, but judging by the way she sang at the Thursday semi-final she can't help but belt it out at a nauseating level. Earlier in the contest she performed the celebratory song without straining so much, but perhaps she was just too excited? Either way, she's no Whitney or Aretha so bring it down a bit.

6. Jedward - Waterline


As much as Jedward gets on my nerves these twins have ambition, and they came back to Eurovision this year with a weaker song (they competed last year with the song Lipstick), but a performance that's full of surprises and really delivers. It starts with their costumes, which look like what would happen if He-Man and She-Ra had gay twin babies, but it builds with the "waterline" and a big wet finale. These guys really want to win, and their efforts are on full display.

Continue onto my Top 5 picks for this year...

Song of the Day // Ladyhawk - Sunday Drive

OK, I'm back. Sorry, I've been incredibly busy, but I'll make it up over the next few days. Here's a good one for you to start...

One of the best feelings I get from music has to be when a relatively new artist puts out new music that's actually an improvement over their previous work.

Ladyhawk has done that with Sunday Drive, a stomping pop track that has a slight '60s R&B flavour. It doesn't sound like a hit, but it sounds like the kind of song you'd add to your playlist and listen to for years to come.

Club Song of the Day // Otto Knows - Million Voices

Sweden has been unstoppable in club music for the past year, and Otto Knows is riding along in the pack with Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Axwell, Dada Life, Adrian Lux -- oh the list just goes on. In fact, here's the list that goes on and on...

Million Voices operates on a tribal beat has exploded onto the club scene over the past two months. The structure is simple, but it builds and builds to a point where you won't be able to resist the joy it's releasing into the atmosphere.

You'll see what I mean.

Song of the Day // Tooji - Stay

Mark your calendars because Eurovision is just around the corner (finals are May 26), which means all of the countries are running their winning performers through all the steps in search of the next great Euro popstar (read: cheese star).

While many Europeans groan at the cornball live performances, cliche-ridden lyrics and overall embarssing songs that tend to come out of Eurovision, there's no denying that every once in awhile a gem of the sugary pop genre emerges.

This year my vote goes to Tooji who is representing Norway with the song Stay. He is a social worker by day and a rising star by night.

Tooji worked with the producers who created Sweden's track last year, Eric Saade's Popular, which placed third in the 2011 competition.

I really like the confidence that this song carries. It's sure to make it far, if not win. I've linked the original track below, as well as the live performance from the Norwegian finals where he won.

Song of the Day // The Airplane Boys - New Blood

Literally overnight The Airplane Boys, based out of Toronto, went from being relatively ignored local rappers to a Twitter sensation, thanks to a performance at Coachella where they dominated the room. I'm sure the buzz of TDot that's come thanks to Drake and The Weeknd helped a little too.

The Fresh Blood music video is one of my favourites of theirs (and they have several already) as it takes a moody track and turns it into a creepy visual that rides the True Blood sensation without ever feeling like a copycat.

Tupac raps with Snoop Dogg at Coachella 2012

Surely to go down at the biggest "WTF?!?!?" moment in music this year, Tupac took the stage at Coachella more than 15 years after his death. How, you ask? A hologram, duh! While hardly perfect, the image of Tupac was certainly stunning, especially when Snoop Dogg took the stage to rap alongside him.

I can only describe it as surreal. You have to watch to understand the rest...

Song of the Day // Hoodie Allen - No Faith In Brooklyn (feat. Jhameel)

What's the buzzing sound you're hearing? It's probably Hoodie Allen who has managed to take his relatively low-profile Internet presence last year -- which got a boost from a late-year giveaway of his first album, Leap Year on his website -- and turn the chatter into a bonefide blog success.

Part of what's refreshing about this guy is that he doesn't seem like a rapper. In fact, if I hadn't heard his music I would've presumed he was just another poser. But from what I've heard so far he has a style that's familiar enough to be mainstream, but distinct enough to be his own.

Another interesting thing about this guy is that his lyrics are clever and flow well, but he never sounds like he's trying to be clever -- it feels natural, which means it isn't obnoxious. As my friend said, "It leaves you wanting more."

Hoodie Allen's first official single is a mellow rap track with a smooth hook sung by Jhameel. I smell a hit...




The same day the video was released Hoodie posted a candid YouTube video thanking his fans...

Song of the Day // Katy Perry - Wide Awake

I assume many of you are pretty much done with Katy Perry for the forseeable future, but give pause to this song from the re-release of her album Teenage Dream, which comes with several new tracks. Wide Awake takes the trademark sound of Katy Perry that we all know (and some have been forcefed) and makes what ranks amongst her best. It's a mid-tempo song with soothing repetition ...and a soaring chorus that makes it an exceptional effort from an artist who is often less than exceptional. I think you'll be pleased with just how good this is -- and perhaps the record company will decide to make it a single sooner than later.

Follow the link here: http://hypem.com/#!/search/katy%20perry%20wide%20awake/1/

Song of the Day // Agesandages - No Nostalgia

For those who embraced Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and in particular their song Home this equally rootsy track tends to evoke very similar emotions while sounding entirely different. The AgesandAges album Alright You Restless of came and went about a year ago, and this track fell by the wayside. It's a shame because it's a little gem.

Song of the Day // Kimbra - Settle Down

You've all heard Gotye's hit song Somebody That I Used to Know by now (you have...right???) but have you taken a chance to listen to guest vocalist Kimbra sing solo? If not, her album is out on May 22 in the U.S. and the U.K. This track reminds me a lot of Esthero.

Song of the Day // Last Dinosaurs - Zoom

Last Dinosaurs send their euphoric rock sounds from a homebase in Brisbane, Australia, and I really hope they catch on.

Zoom has an increidbly unique sound that's laced with familiarity -- a boppier verison of the harder rock bands from a decade ago. I just love their guitars and it takes me back to my early years in university when the Strokes and the Hives were all the rage.

Their music video time travels a little bit further, back to the '80s with a Tron-esque appearance.

My Music Video // Gotye - Learnalilgivinanlovin (Live in Toronto)

How'd you spend your Saturday night? I was at Gotye at the Kool Haus in Toronto, Canada shakin' my tailfeather with a couple friends. I managed to catch some video of him and his band performing live which I've quickly turned into a few "music videos" that I hope you'll find entertaining. The first in the series is Learnalilgivinanlovin.

If you haven't heard of Gotye you obviously didn't read my blog yesterday, nor have you gotten out from under that rock lately, sir. So perhaps you should give it a watch and don't say I didn't tell you so.

P.S. This is one of the songs Drew Barrymore first fell in love with when she heard the Somebody That I Used to Know singer.

Retro Song of the Day // Gotye - Thanks For Your Time

Anybody want to buy me a ticket to Australia? I've been wanting to go there forever so I could sample their music scene. Of course, Gotye (pronounced Gauthier) only escalated the urgency in this matter since it took years before his work ever truly made it in North America.

Most of you probably know him -- he being Wally De Backer -- from the hit song Somebody That I Used to Know, which went viral when a group of Canadians who call themselves Walk Off the Earth decided they should share a guitar and jam out on the track. Bam. A few months later the original version is rocketing up the charts. But Gotye had years of work before that song ever reached its peak of success, and he'd also released two prior albums. Even Drew Barrymore tried to break him into mainstream by featuring the song Learnalilgivinanlovin’ in a couple of her films.

One of the tracks you likely haven't heard yet is Thanks For Your Time, which is one of my favourites. It has a mysterious feel to it and both a synth drum AND a bongo of some description. The result is tres cool. Oh, the video isn't too bad either.




...and if you've been living under a rock...

Club Song of the Day // Franky Rizardo - Real Love

Franky Rizardo is one of those people that makes me feel old -- real old. He's only in his early 20s and the Dutch DJ has already spent more than a year as one of the most buzzed about artists in House music, winding up on the playlists of Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Fedde le Grand and Erick E. How is that fair?

Perhaps it will all make sense when you spin (click?) Real Love, his latest single from Defected Records, which is both a dancable and smartly structured House track. My favourite part is at 2:15 when the percussion kicks in. Yum.

Oh Canada! // Canadian partier does his best rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody

The latest viral sensation from the Great White North (my hometown!) comes from what's an almost too-good-to-be-true security video from a Royal Canadian Mounted Police vehicle.

After insisting he isn't drunk this guy starts to belt out Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody with (almost) stunning accuracy.




Of course, this leads us to the ultimate question of the day:

Song of the Day // Carolina Liar - Me And You

If emo and mainstream pop were put in a blender then Carolina Liar would probably emerge. I realize that's probably a turnoff for most (as most blended foodstuffs are...unless it's a smoothie...mmm smoothie), but the band's new single Me and You is easy to digest.

Based in the U.S., but comprised of members from both South Carolina and Sweden, Carolina Liar has an accessible sound that harkens back to the early days of the '00s where every rock band was trying to look like Kurt Cobain but not sound like him. This will likely be their biggest track to date.

P.S. Listen to this verison and not the obnoxious "Single Mix" that just hit radio.

The Good Version:



The Wretched Single Mix:

Most Played Songs of 2011 // The Top 10

While the lower end of my Top 20 revealed a lot of music I might be ashamed I listened to this year, I think the Top 10 reveals a good combination of quality popular hits, a few fantastic songs that never caught on and maybe one or two surprises.
I highly recommend downloading all of these.

10. Alexis Jordan – Happiness

This track was a hanger-on from 2010, but it's easy to understand why. I discovered Happiness early in 2011 after it had very minimal success on the North American charts the previous summer. The track uses Deadmau5's Brazil as the backing for Jordan's soothing vocals that take the original track up a notch every time she reaches for a high note.


9. Nadia Ali, Starkillers & Alex Kenji – Pressure (Alesso Remix)

Other remixes were hard-pressed to compete with the magic that Alesso made here. He took a track that initially was pretty soggy and injected a building tension that uses Nadia's vocals to frame a pulsing beat that could take down the walls of almost any club. The genius at work here has been totally under appreciated.


8. Adele – Rolling In The Deep

I'm surprised this track isn't higher on my list, but I think it had more to do with it being played everywhere I went in public, which lessened the need for me to play it on my iPod or computer. Adele fuses soul, pop, R&B and an overall contextualization of where music has been, and where it's going, which makes this not just a stellar track, but one we'll be telling future generations "I remember when I first heard that song on YouTube..."

7. M83 – Midnight City
The sheer power of this song almost trumps the fact that Midnight City is an exercise in modern musical genius from an artist that deserves more recognition from the masses.The thumping combination of electro beats, and vocals that linger in the shadows, make it nearly inconsequential that you probably have no idea what this song is really about (I didn't until I read into the lyrics and did a little more exploring). This is probably my favourite track of the year, and it should rank higher on this list. Did I mention the song climaxes with the best saxophone solo in recent memory...OK, settle down over there Gaga, we like your song too.

6. Outasight – Tonight Is The Night

Perhaps the biggest guilty pleasure in my Top 10 is this pop track which was catchy enough to be picked by Pepsi to launch a "legends" TV campaign. Inspired by the 80s party atmosphere, rapper/singer Outasight spouts lines about how he's finally coming out to party. Yes, that's about it. But for some reason it really works because he convinces you that going out to party is some sort of social uprising. "Comes a point where lying no longer works, so you have to stand up for how you wanna live." Sounds like he's coming out to me...


5. Miranda Cosgrove - Dancing Crazy

Avril Lavigne penned this song, and Miranda sings it like she's the Sk8er Girl herself. Somehow it all works to pop radio perfection, and in another time this probably would've been a hit. Unfortunately, that was 10 years ago when NSync rules the airwives. No matter because the naive party energy ("put your hands up" instead of put your drinks up?; and flirting with lines like "I like you and you like me") taps into that side of you that wishes you still had some naive party energy.


4. Lady Gaga - Born This Way

At this point some of you have screamed at your computer with wide eyes "BORN THIS WAY? REALLY?!?!" and that's part of the reason why this track ranks so high. It was an anthem that burst onto radio with a fury that was inescapable, but a message that rarely makes it to radio. It was aggressive and proud in a way that didn't do it by putting others down. Few songs like that exist these days since hip-hop took over, and Gaga's confidence in this song gave soggy playlists some new life.


3. Penguin Prison - Don't Fuck With My Money
This electo-pop-funk ditty is infused with a few vocal grunts a la Michael Jackson, and it should've been a big hit on radio, but the expletive in the title seemed to turn many people off, and the "Don't Mess With My Money" version just didn't have the same power. I've found a little consolation in knowing that a lot of people I know heard this song and said "Wow, this is really great!" Perhaps that'll at least ensure it ends up on the soundtrack to a bunch of movies.


2. Olav Basoski - New Day
I'm surprised this song didn't hit the top of my Most Played because it sort of took over my life when I first heard it. Of course, it's a party song like many others on my list, but there isn't much of a message here. Instead, it hinges on an irresistible optimism that's built on that beat. It takes over from the get-go and only lets up once mid-track to give House music fans a moment to breathe. New Day could've found a home in discotheques 30+ years ago, but is also feels fresh in 2011.


1. Oh Land - White Nights

Part of the reason White Nights soared so high is because the trippy music video gave Oh Land's track a second life on my playlist. But, I must admit it was one of the songs I talked about most in 2011. The bouncy, percussive atmosphere White Nights was perfect for afternoon daydreams of bounding through meadows and wrestling with minotaurs. Or was that a dream...? I can't be sure.


Hope everyone found a few songs they loved!

Most Played Songs of 2011 // (from #11 - #20) - (aka. The Shame Part of the List)

Note: I plucked this off my former blog and migrated it over here (a little late for a 2011 list, but it's something worth reading, I think). It's not fresh content, but it's probably new to you!

Everybody makes a list of their “best” songs of 2011, and that’s all and good, but how many people actually listened to their favourite song of the year the most? I’d place bets that many didn't. In fact, I’m one of them because if I had to say so, I think M83’s Midnight City is the most creative and interesting song of this year — but it’s not my most played — gadzooks!

Instead, I’m letting an invisible computer tracker show you what I listened to most this year. Granted, songs released later in the year didn't get the advantage of time to rack up extra plays on my iTunes, but I think this list provides an amusing insight into my guilty pleasures and even missteps in 2011.

The bottom half of the top list appears to be largely a collection of my guilty pleasures from the year. Maybe you’ll find a few you enjoy yourselves…even if it is secretly.

20. Gym Class Heroes - Stereo Hearts (Feat. Adam Levine)



Say goodbye to the mainstream because this is about the last time most of you are going to recognise a track on this list for…well, quite some time. Infectious, diverse, optimistic and the return of Adam Levine to the vocal glory he deserved this year (which was quickly followed by the surge of popularity of that Jagger song).


19. Kimberly Caldwell – Desperate Girls & Stupid Boys

The former American Idol contestant flopped with this song, but I think her growly voice is unique and the rock/pop grrrl power angle has been overlooked lately.


19. Oh Land – Sun of a Gun

The pulsing sexuality of this song made it an instant appeal to me. Then the snapping. Then the full blown chorus. There’s a minimalist approach to the sound of this track, even when it’s full blown percussion, and that tension underneath just makes it sizzle.

18. Andy Grammer – Keep Your Head Up

Rainy days and solemn evenings always got a pick-me-up when this song came on. It took a good eight months after release for this fearlessly upbeat song to catch on, and if anything that serves as an extra reminder that sometimes persistence leads to success. It also proves that once people learn the words, they’re more than willing to sing along if it feels right.

17. Britney Spears – Selfish

Once the shock subsides, I’ll confirm that Britney somehow made it onto my list, even though I wholly resent her as an “artist” or whatever you call her. But it was hard for me to deny her this year when she was full-on airhead in Selfish, a bonus track from her latest CD, ridden with lazy cliches and bad songwriting that was just too delicious to let go. Think Showgirls for the pop world. Anyhow, I couldn't resist singing disastrous lines like “boom-boom baby, pick you up in my Mercedes.” Like really, somebody wrote that down and thought it was OK? Consider this an extreme guilty pleasure that is best enjoyed with a stripper swinging on a brass rail. I still can’t get over the fact she sounds like she’s singing “sailfish”…


16. The Dears – Omega Dog
Forget the Beibers and the Lavignes, the Dears need to find some more success outside of Canadian rock radio. Sure, they've had the critics in their grasp for years, but their most recent album had some real gems on it, including the simmering eletro-rock intensity of Omega Dog, which feels like at least three different songs in the span of five minutes — all of them solid tracks.


15. Theophilus London – I Stand Alone

Theophilus made waves (at least in my books) in 2010 on the Penguin Prison remix of Ellie Goulding’s Starry Eyed, but he’s a very unusual rapper that I knew from the start the mainstream wouldn't know what to do with. Take in case the video for I Stand Alone, a wholly competent rap/rock track that has him dressed in a cowboy hat and furry jacket. Immediately he wasn't looking to be like everyone else, and so it was, the song fell by the wayside. Too bad really.


14. Aqua – How R U Doing

I have no one to blame but myself for this one. The song came out, I was excited that Aqua had a new track and I listened to it a whole lot. It’s incredibly dumb, and with lyrics like “we gonna pop what’s in the bottle, gonna rock what’s in the shottle” I should shrug my head in shame. There is something infectious about this song, but it’s comparable to gonorrhea.

13. Ultraviolet Sound – Girl Talk
Man, the shame just continues. Still, I find a lot of fun in the stories told in this relentlessly pop-electro track. It’s the kind of song you either get or you don’t, and I can’t really blame you if you’re on the latter end.


11. Jedward – Lipstick

Anyone who knew me this year learned time and time again how obsessed I was with Eurovision, and while many of the tracks made their way onto my Top 30 for the year, most of them lingered in the 20s (thank god). All except this one, perhaps the most embarrassing of them all. Jedward is from Ireland and the teenieboppers there love their over-the-top theatrics and lack of music skills. Of course, they’re also from one of those TV talent shows from several years ago where they were panned by everyone, but they've managed to keep the interest of the public, mostly because of performances like the one above, at the Eurovision finals.


All right, now that I've sweated it out through these, I’m proud to tell you that the Top 10 list that will appear here soon features songs I am entirely proud to tell you are some of my favourites of the year — no guilty pleasures!

Power Track of the Week // Hooray For Earth - No Love

My obsessive posting on Facebook it oft disheartens me when I post a song I'm enthusiastic about and nobody "Likes" it, nobody responds with a comment, a tree falls in the forest. All of those people are idiots.


Power Track of the Week is my chance to tell you all "HA!" And so... HA!


Hooray for Earth was a song I posted last July, but this month it has spiked in plays on Last.Fm and elsewhere because a BBC Radio host just picked it as a recommended song and video game MLB ‘12 put it on its soundtrack. One user on YouTube compared it to MGMT.


I'd like to think all of this attention is because I posted about them last July.

Greetings Earthlings...

I have landed on the Blogger website today to preach the gospel of music. After years of sharing my thoughts and tracks almost exclusively on my Facebook and Twitter accounts -- as well as LiveJournal back when kids were still listening to 8-tracks -- I suddenly realized I was only limiting myself and hurting others.

Now I can finally take over the world one stanza at a time!

Muah-hahahaha!