Top 100 songs of 2014 (tracks 90-81)






The countdown continues...



90.)
Don't by Ed Sheeran
(The singles are quite enjoyable, especially Don't and Sing. I find the album overrated. In an era of great pop music like the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s I doubt Ed Sheeran would have a big following. His music is good but not great)



89.)
Rimbaud Eyes by Dum Dum Girls 
(Very retro 80s. The chorus will get stuck in your head)



88.)
Love Is To Die by Warpaint
(Love is To Die is the single from their second LP. Disco/Very and Biggy are the other stand-outs. Not quite as strong as their debut album)



87.)
Pretty Girls by Little Dragon 
(Addictive tune)


86.)
Goddess by Banks
(“Cause she's a goddess” is an unforgettable lyric)


85.)
Uptight Downtown by La Roux
(While La Roux’s new singles may only be fluffy nonsense, there’s no denying this is a pop tune that will appeal to many)



84.)
Tough Love by Jessie Ware
(Not as memorable as the singles on 2013’s Devotion, but most of the new album is consistently good)


83.)
Funnel Of Love (featuring Madeline Follin) by SQÜRL (From Only Lovers Left Alive soundtrack)
My favorite from the disc. Incidentally, Jozef Van Wissem who features on the soundtrack is putting out his own album on December 2, It Is Time For You To Return)


82.)
What Is To Be Done? by Stars (listen at Spotify)
(I’m highlighting the ballad, which can bring a tear to your eye. The band have created an album with plenty of variety in both vocal delivery and production. Trap Door is good too and could have been sung by Morrissey. The single From The Night has a catchy chorus and I love the change of tempo halfway through the song)


81.)
Way Back Home by Prince
(The only track I go back to from ART OFFICIAL AGE. His vocal is so different here, he should do more songs where he speaks the lyrics. A haunting ballad that could be autobiographical)





Agree or disagree? Which are your favorites from these albums? As always, comments are welcome. Tracks 80-71 coming soon!

12 comments:

  1. I find the Ed Sheeran album fun. He is a good songwriter but I don't consider myself a fan. I do think that Sing is a fun song.

    I listened to the Dum Dum Girls album recently and I had the same reaction. The whole album sounds so much like a product of those times.

    Glad you picked Tough Love, Uptight Downtown and The Funnel of Love. Love those songs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Cristi B: Not really a fan of Ed Sheeran either, except the singles. I don't see what the big deal is about his songwriting.

      Dum Dum Girls are going for that post punk 80s vibe, a pretty good album from them. Some even call it their best yet.

      Happy you enjoyed those other tracks as well. J Ware might even crack my top 10 albums of the year. We'll see.

      Delete
  2. I love the songs by Dum Dum Girls, Warpaint, and Little Dragon. I don't like Ed Sheerhan. I think he's just bland. Then again, I'm very indifferent towards mainstream pop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @thevoid99: Glad you love those tunes. I know a couple of people in the blogosphere who like Ed Sheerhan, but I find his music kind of overhyped.

      Delete
  3. You know our tastes are very different, but personally I was a big fan of Ed Sheeran's album, I appreciate his rap influences.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Nostra: We needed someone to defend Sheeran :) In terms of rap, I enjoyed new album Everybody Down by Kate Tempest, I will share her music in the next post of the countdown.
      I almost included in top 100 Calm Down by Busta Rhymes ft. Eminem, which has the hilarious lyric at 4.40: “fucking internet bloggers, I sit in front of my computer all day and comment on everything, I'm an expert on everything, everything sucks, play the next song.”
      Apparently music reviewer Anthony Fantano took this as a personal attack, maybe in the end it was rapgenius who was at fault for including Fantano’s picture next to the lyric page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKUhv-gyBjA

      Delete
  4. Again, great job. I've never bothered with a year-end song list, but I might do a top 25 list this year. "Rimbaud Eyes" is a good track, but my favorite from that album is "Trouble Is My Name". Though "Sing" is one of my least favorite tracks on X, I do love the album, which is just outside of my top 10 right now. I LOVE the new albums from La Roux, BANKS, and Jessie Ware, so I'm all over those tracks you mentioned! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Josh: Will be sure to follow your year-end posts! Trouble Is My Name probably wouldn’t crack my top 100 but is pretty good I agree.
      Glad Ed Sheeren album works for you, maybe I’m not the right audience for his music.
      Great we agree on those other tracks anyway!

      Delete
  5. "Rimbaud Eyes" is a lot of fun. So pumped to hear the rest of your choices.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Alex Withrow: Thanks for following along, I just posted the next installment of top 100 today.
      I shared a fan edit of Rimbaud Eyes where they took out a chorus and made the song slightly shorter. I think I prefer that fan edited version.

      Delete
  6. Lots of hate for Sheeran, but "Don't" is my fave of this set of tracks. It's just a fun song. Never heard the rest of the album, though. I also love "Way Back Home," "Goddess," and "Funnel of Love" (even though I hate "Only Lovers Left Alive"). That track is just so haunting a ballad.

    More of me being contrarian, but I hate "Rimbaud Eyes." It is very much pure 80s glam, but in the worst way possible. I'll pass. "Pretty Girls" also gives me an 80s vibe, but in a much more enjoyable light. To be honest, about five of these songs give me an 80s feel. Ironically, Prince's song is not one of them. Another great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Wendell Ottley: Thanks for checking out the music choices! Glad you found a few you enjoyed, thought you might love Prince song! I like Don’t as well, Sheeren’s album is divisive.
      I know what you mean, there’s certainly a yearning for the 80s in contemporary music. Most of the songs in my top 100 of 2014 are good rather than great, whereas a top 100 of any year in the 80s I could pick out 50 GREAT songs for each year.

      Delete

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