Sunday, December 13, 2009

THE 50 BEST SONGS of 2009: PART THREE














Part three (3)











30: Polly Scattergood
Nitrogen Pink

No, it’s not Tori Amos recovering her mojo but 22 year-old Scattergood who has recorded the best Amos track of the year. With swelling honesty juxtaposed with slurring innocence and girly recollection the track builds on a decidedly electro-meets-party vibe that spills over once Scattergood blows it all towards the end.





29: Franz Ferdinand
Twilight Omens

A camp delight, especially with its smart lines like, ‘I put your number into my calculator’. The band’s punk style has definitely cooled but suffusing it with dance/pop has definitely started to pay off.




28: Jenny Wilson
Hardships!

Wilson has channelled her interpretation of a Simone de Beauvoir quote into an existential brilliant pop number. When she breaks out the final couplet, it collapses into this breathless, giggly thing.




27: Bat for Lashes
Glass

Fits the sprite imagery best on her sophomore Two Suns. Khan adjusts her spare atmospherics with drums and fabled lyrics and comes up with a winning combination.




26: Micachu
Vulture

Glittering cut and paste methodology works well because Mica has learnt to craft her timing.



25: Tanya Morgan
So Damn Down

Where the band reaches a level of hypnotic groove that makes it impossible not to nod your head off.




24: Fever Ray
When I Grow Up

Stunning how Dreijer manages to effortlessly juxtapose her cold soundscapes and monotone and unearth undeniable funk.



23: FrYars
The Box

A track that obsesses wryly over death and a criminal cover-up. When Garrett tears into the final couplet it becomes the sheer bliss that Antony Hegarty hasn’t produced in years.




22: Deerhunter
Rainwater Cassette Exchange

Dreamy shoegazing with lovely doo-wah twitches, proving that Cox can dip his hands into pop whenever it suits him.




21: Blackout Beach
Cloud of Evil

Epic in its giddy scope, Mercer croons his longing for Donna, the fictional character that crops up throughout his latest solo effort.