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  • Friday Throwback – I Love Your Smile

    Holy cow. Shanice is 34 years old. Time sure flies when your pop stars from the 90s get older. Everyone remembers Shanice right? And no, she’s not the light skinned one. That was Tracie Spencer. No, Eddie from Family Matters didn’t have a crush on her. Again, I believe that was Tracie Spencer. Shanice is the one with the smile. In fact, if you watched Beverly Hills, 90210 during season 1 or 2, you’d remember her very well. They played lots of Shanice at the end of that show as well as lots of Vanessa Williams and Jeremy Jordan (alright!).

    • Doesn’t she look like a young Tootie in that opening shot?
    • Man, she was being romantic with that mic.
    • That dude is taking pictures all up inside her nostrils too.
    • They should’ve created a special character for her on 90210. With those clothes, she would’ve fit in very well.
    • Where the hell did this rap come from?
    • Blow Branford blow.
    • I love your smile! Sike! That was so wrong.
    • She really does.

    Soon, she’d be Saving Forever For You and praying with Johnny Gill. And then she married Flex Alexander. Who knew?

  • OK 2007, You’re Through!: The Top 20 Albums of 2007

    Ah, 2007. We’re just a couple of short days into the New Year and I miss you already. For when I wasn’t busy beating up paparazzi’s cars with umbrellas (ellas-ellas-eh-eh) or perfecting my wide stance on the toilet a la Larry Craig, I was listening to music. A LOT of music. I’ve amassed quite a collection of music over the years, and I dare say I acquired more music in 2007 than any other year. I acquired so much music, in fact, that I wasn’t able to give a fair listen to a pretty good amount of stuff. There was a lot of stuff that may wind up being the equal of the stuff on this list, but I need a bit more time with. That’s to say nothing of albums like Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” (which received it’s physical release on 1/1) and Van Hunt’s “Popular” (scheduled for physical release 1/15) that are (extremely) early contenders for my “Best of 2008” list.

    Anyway, despite things I might have missed, I certainly listened to more than enough music to come up with a Top 20 list, and here are the albums that were among my favorites this year.

    20. Joss Stone “Introducing…Joss Stone” ( http://www.jossstone.com/)

    The young Brit lass was one of several that made great albums this year (Lily Allen just missed my Top 20). I’d been saying for years that Joss would make a great album once her personal maturity caught up with her voice. Thanks to her takeover of the songwriting function and contemporary production from Tony Toni Tone’s Raphael Saadiq, Joss finally lived up to that potential. The Common duet “Tell Me What We’re Gonna Do Now” should’ve been a hit, and she also scored with songs like the summery “Headturner” and the Lauryn Hill-featured “Music”.

    19. K-Os “Atlantis-Hymns For Disco” (http://www.k-osmusic.com/home.asp)

    While Canadian emcee/singer K-os probably spent most of 2007 being mistaken for Wyclef and will.i.am (all three men favor one another strongly), the man has more talent than both men combined. It wasn’t until receiving a copy of his (very) premature hits collection (released this summer) that I realized how good “Atlantis” really was. He’s certainly one of the most versatile artists out there, capable of creating an old-school rap anthem like “The Seekwill”, rhyming over an interpolation of “Jailhouse Rock” (“The Equaliser”), and then turning around and creating pump-your-fist rock tracks like “Born To Run” and “Sunday Morning”. Our neighbors to the North don’t have the greatest rep when it comes to music (Celine Dion/Shania Twain/Nickelback), but here’s one Canuck you should definitely be paying attention to.

    18. Mark Ronson “Version” (http://www.markronson.co.uk/frontpage?cmd=cookie/check)

    Here’s an interesting concept: take a few Brit-rock classics (and one Britney Spears song), re-arrange them to sound like they came from mid-Sixties Motown, and then recruit a gang of “hip” new artists (including a couple that appear elsewhere on this list) to sing them. Somehow, it all worked. Aussie soul singer Daniel Merriweather, Brits Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and Robbie Williams, American funk band The Dap Kings and Virginian-by-way-of-Ethiopia Kenna all joined forces for one of the year’s best party albums. And you haven’t lived until you’ve heard the late ODB rhyming over a reconstituted version of Ms. Spears’s “Toxic”.

    17. Gerald LeVert “In My Songs” ( http://www.geraldlevert.com/)

    R&B’s teddybear passed away mere weeks before this album’s release, and what a shame, because this was the best album released over the course of the crooner’s 20-year career. Experimenting with popular sounds (the sped-up soul samples of “M’Lady”, the Timbaland-esque electro sound of “What You Think About That?”), Gerald was still at his best on the ballads, whether he was professing loneliness on the title track or agonizing about taking a lady’s virginity on “Is This The Way To Heaven?”. One only wishes he was still around to make albums this good.

    16. Rihanna “Good Girl Gone Bad” (http://www.rihannanow.com/)

    It wasn’t much more than a collection of singles, but the singles were so damn good it turned Rihanna’s third effort into arguably the year’s best pop album. From the post-disco thump of “Don’t Stop The Music” to the cagey, mysterious “Rehab” (yet another feather in the cap of Timbaland & Timberlake), this was yet another step in the transformation of Rihanna from Disney Channel-ready disposable pop artist to sexy siren. And, of course, it spawned the year’s best single.

    15. Kenna “Make Sure They See My Face” (http://www.kennakenna.com/)

    After four long years and a label change, Kenna delivered on the promise of his debut, “New Sacred Cow”. Joined once again by Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, Kenna expertly straddled the line between hip-hop and new wave. With influences ranging from The Cure and Duran Duran to U2, “Make Sure They See My Face” was the year’s best Eighties rock-inspired albums, whether delivering electronic rockers like “Daylight” and “Out of Control” or atmospheric ballads like “Static”. Thankfully, your boy Skateboard P stays out of the way on most of this album, only sharing songwriting credit on 2 tracks (which, of course, are the album’s weakest).

    14. Maroon 5 “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” (http://www.maroon5.com/)

    And now for the year’s best Eighties-inspired pop album. Adam Levine and company made the half-decade wait between albums worth it by building upon the promise of “Songs About Jane” with better lyrics, better production and an all-around better record. You’ve gotta love a band with the chutzpah to rip off Hall & Oates (“Makes Me Wonder”), The Police (“Can’t Stop”), and the Talking Heads (“If I Never See Your Face Again”). I would call them the best funk/rock/pop band around if there were any other bands around to even challenge them.

    13. Kings of Leon “Because of the Times” (http://www.kingsofleon.com/)

    Fans of Kings of Leon were allegedly taken aback by the Southern rock band’s cleaner sound, but as someone who was only vaguely aware of the band’s presence prior to hearing this album, I have no such axe to grind. Besides, none of the songs on this album sound even remotely similar to your typical Top 40 (or even rock radio) fare. Caleb Followill sings like a man possessed (judging from “Charmer”, he certainly screams like one) and his brothers and cousin in the band play like a cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Franz Ferdinand.

    12. The White Stripes “Icky Thump” (http://www.whitestripes.com/)

    I must admit, I wasn’t as excited for this as I should have been. The fact that Jack White’s side project, The Raconteurs, sucked major *ss took some of the wind out of my sails. I shouldn’t have worried-The White Stripes are arguably the greatest rock band to emerge this decade, and “Icky Thump” is another shining example of the joyful noise two people with instruments can make. Starting with the title track (which sounds exactly like a song entitled “Icky Thump” should) and continuing through songs that sound as though they were recorded for the soundtrack to a spaghetti western (mariachi horns and all), this album was good enough to wipe that bad Raconteurs taste right out of my mouth.

    11. Mary J. Blige “Growing Pains” (http://www.mjblige.com/?utm_source=maryjblige.com)

    We’re still waiting for The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul to face a challenge from any other divas out there. No other singer out there makes you FEEL them the way Mary J. does. Even with an army of producers and co-writers, every note on this album is undisputably Mary. Other than a pointless duet with Usher, everything on this album is gold, from a Neptunes-produced throwback dance jam (“Till The Morning”) to the uncharacteristically peppy “Just Fine”. She really shines, though, on the album’s ballads, which draw inspiration from Eighties pop-particularly “Smoke” and album closer “Come To Me (Peace)”.

    10. Alicia Keys “As I Am” (http://www.aliciakeys.com/)

    Another R&B diva who finally lived up to her potential, “As I Am” found Ms. Keys delivering a classic singer-songwriter album, splitting the difference between soul divas like Aretha and AM-radio faves like Carole King. “Where Do We Go From Here” bumps enough to get a shot on modern urban radio, but the Prince-like “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” and the John Mayer-featured “Lesson Learned” are the album’s highlights.

    9. Justin Currie “What Is Love For?” (http://www.justincurrie.com/)

    Taking a break from his day job as principal singer and lyricist for Scottish stalwarts Del Amitri (one of the most underrated pop/rock bands ever), Justin Currie released his first solo album, “What Is Love For?” this year. It turned out to be just as rewarding as any album by his band, with Currie’s whiskey-soaked croak taking center stage on a collection of tracks that look at love from a sarcastic, bitter point of view. While one song (“Out of My Control”) is a harder-rocking track in line with his band’s work, most of this album is reflective and somber, making this a perfect fit next to other great albums like David Gray’s “White Ladder” and Ray LaMontagne’s “Trouble”.

    8. Chaka Khan “Funk This!” (http://www.chakakhan.com/)

    On her first album of new material in a decade, the greatest female soul singer of all time NOT named Aretha Franklin cemented her legend. Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (who are as good now as they were producing The S.O.S. Band twenty-five years ago), Chaka’s impassioned wail rides on top of peppy originals (“Super Life” and “Let Go”), as well as covers of everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Prince, Joni Mitchell and The Doobie Brothers. Her disciple Mary J. Blige comes on board for the fiery “Disrespectful”, and the result is the aural version of a wild-west shootout. Obviously the comeback of the year.

    7. Fountains of Wayne “Traffic & Weather” (http://www.fountainsofwayne.com/)

    The power-pop band to end all power-pop bands, Fountains of Wayne’s fourth studio album boasted catchy hooks, hilarious character sketches and great playing. There’s a rocking track about newscasters in love, a vignette about a couple waiting in an airport (“Michael & Heather At The Baggage Claim), and my two favorites, the debt-riddled schlub in the horn-spiked “Strapped For Cash” (there’s an amazing video waiting to be shot for this song!) and “Planet of Weed”, which needs no explanation.

    6. Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds “Live From Radio City” (http://www.davematthewsband.com/)

    I guess you have to be “on” if you know your show is going to be released on DVD, right? Part of the reason I like this album so much is because I was actually at the show where this is taped. But even if you weren’t lucky enough to appear, this CD is all the explanation you’ll ever need for why some folks follow the Dave Matthews Band around (or plan summers around their tour schedule) the way folks used to follow The Dead back in the day.

    5. Kanye West “Graduation” (http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/)

    The fact that this album is the least essential of the three he’s put out and STILL makes it into the Top 5 of my year-end list should speak volumes about the respect I have for West’s artistry. Thematically, Kanye sticks to the topic he knows best (himself), and while the album comes from a place of monumental egotism, ‘Ye not only retains enough of a sense of humor to make the egomania go down easy, but he also has such an ear for big production. Any Kanye album is a listening experience, and “Graduation” is no different.

    4. “Talib Kweli “Ear Drum” (http://www.talibkweli.com/)

    Kweli’s previous album, the “mixtape” “Right About Now” was a rather large piece of animal dung. “Ear Drum” finds the Brooklyn MC back on track, cementing his status as one of the greatest pure rappers of his era. Although the album’s three or four tracks too long, Kweli still stepped up his game here, this time without any assists from his man Mos Def (who needs to do a little bit of damage control himself). Artists ranging from UGK and KRS-ONE to Norah Jones (a particular highlight) and Justin Timberlake appear here, which should tell you how respected Kweli is in the music community. He may never shed the “backpacker”/”conscious rapper” title, but “Ear Drum” is proof positive that Talib Kweli is a great MC. Period.

    3. Modest Mouse “We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank” (http://www.modestmouse.com/photoblog/?p=338)

    I only discovered Modest Mouse one album ago, so forgive me because I’m not too familiar with their earlier work. I will say that lead singer Isaac Brock’s screams and cackles leave me thinking that he’s just one incident away from a ride on the crazy bus, and the band itself sounds more like The Talking Heads than any other band I’ve heard. While there’s nothing as immediate as their breakout hit “Float On”, “We Were Dead” boasts more high points than that album, from the stoner anthem “Fire It Up” (yes, thank you!), to the frenetic “We’ve Got Everything”. Brock’s inability to stay on key (not to mention his lisp) has a bit of a charming factor to it, and this album contains more driving and sailing references than any album I’ve heard before or since.

    2. Me’Shell Ndegeocello “The World Has Made Me The Man of My Dreams” (http://www.theworldhasmademethemanofmydreams.com/)

    It’s a shame that this woman’s such a genius, but no one buys her damn records! Switching gears from her usual funk sounds, this album incorporates elements of everything from Middle Eastern music to folk-rock to electronica to jazz. Actually, it reminds me most of the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink fusion stuff that Miles Davis was doing with “B*tches Brew”. Along the way, Me’shell proves (once again) that she is a fearless songwriter, champion musician and a very seductive vocalist. Maybe it’ll take a few years for Me’shell’s work (all 7 albums of it) to be seen as the visionary music it is, but in today’s disposable culture? Doubt it.

    …and, finally, in a completely anti-climactic move:

    1. Amy Winehouse “Back To Black” (http://www.amywinehouse.com/)

    You know an album’s good when you can sing it in it’s entirety: from the first note to the last. The sad thing is that the genius of this album may permanently be obscured by the artist’s personal life. The irony of that is the reason the album is so good is BECAUSE of the artist’s personal life. Stung by a temporary breakup with the man who eventually became her husband/enabler, Amy Winehouse joined forces with producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi and created “Back To Black”, an album that discusses heartbreak, loneliness and alienation with pinpoint detail. Now, granted, other albums have dealt with breakups, but how many of them have sounded this good? Amy’s voice is spirited yet haunted (especially on the album’s standout songs: the title track and “Love Is A Losing Game”, and the band behind her absolutely smokes. This is real soul music. There’s a reason this album topped so many year-end polls (and is nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy). Hopefully, as a listener, you can look through the tabloid coverage and realize that Ms. Winehouse is quite the talent.

    Now, discuss 🙂

  • The Best Singles of 2007

    Happy New Year everyone!

    I assume everyone is sufficiently recovered.

    Without much going on in the music world this first week of January (buy the Radiohead album), I figured now would be a good time to relive some of the high points of the year that’s just ended.

    Here are my picks for the Top 25 singles of 2007. Feel free to argue as you see fit!

    25. “Ayo Technology” by 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland

    I’m not enough of a snob to not notice the fact that 50 Cent has made a couple of great singles. One day, there will be a killer Greatest Hits album from Curtis Jackson, and this song will be on it. Much like 50’s earlier great singles (“Disco Inferno”, “Outta Control (remix)”, the greatness has more to do with the production and the hook than any fantastic lyricism. Timberlake’s sleazy chorus and Timbaland’s sleazy synthesizers contributed heavily to the, well…sleazy nature of this dance hit, which will no doubt be in heavy rotation in your local nudie bar for years to come.

    http://www.50cent.com/

    24. “International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)” by UGK featuring OutKast

    UGK didn’t get to enjoy their belated (and deserved) props for hip-hop’s most unheralded 20 year career due to Pimp C’s unfortunate death in early December, but man, what a way to go out! Talking trash over a dreamily soulful Willie Hutch sample, Texas’s favorite rapping duo joined up with OutKast (who should really do the whole rapping on one track together thing a lot more often) and created a classic. Andre 3000’s opening verse is probably the best verse on a rap single in all of 2007. How does this guy get overlooked as quite possibly the greatest Southern MC of all time? (fantastic video as well…see below)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3PgZ9bqShc

    23. “Wait For You” by Elliott Yamin

    The guy that should have won “American Idol” in 2006 will probably have the last laugh. His debut solo album has already outsold Katharine McPhee’s and may close in on Taylor Hicks’ soon enough. Not bad for an indie artist, huh? Fortunately, Elliott wasn’t indie enough to resist a great song from the Stargate production team (in a rare break from recreating Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable”). It’s a simple piano ballad with a simple claptrack and simple lyrics, but Yamin’s singing is anything but simple. He may lack lots of things (stage presence, his own teeth), but one thing he doesn’t lack is a killer voice and the ability to sell a song. Definitely the puppy-dog love song of the year!

    http://www.myspace.com/elliottyamin

    22. “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse

    This song would be much higher up on the list if it wasn’t for the fact that it might be a good idea right now for Amy to say “yes, yes, yes” to rehab. Talk about a case of life imitating art. As gimmicky as this song might seem in light of Amy turning into a hot ghetto mess, this is the closest anyone’s come to sounding like vintage Motown, since…probably vintage Motown. Besides, if I were Amy, I’d choose Donny Hathaway and Ray Charles over rehab too! (but seriously, girl…you might wanna reconsider, k?)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5sahXoj0U

    21. “Clothes Off!!!” by Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump

    It must be hard to be taken seriously when your fans call you “Travie”, but Gym Class Heroes and it’s lead emcee put out some of the most fun music of recent years. “Clothes Off!!!” was the perfect spring/summer goofball track, and you’ve gotta love anyone who has the balls to base a song off of the chorus of the cheesy 80s hit “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off (To Have a Good Time). Besides, I feel bad for guest vocalist Patrick Stump, as the single least unattractive man in the music business. Word to Jermaine Stewart (R.I.P. Jermaine).

    Check out the original “Clothes Off” here!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID_N7rv-iN8

    20. “Icebox” by Omarion

    Timbaland to the rescue again! After resurrecting his own career with the help of Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, the producer was immediately deluged with calls to resurrect the careers of other artists. The former lead singer of boy band also-rans B2K was among the many artists to receive the Timbo Touch, and the single that resulted was one of his best. Tim crafts an arrangement of piano plinks and clicking drum machines that sound as cold as the heart that O’s singing about. And it made me actually like Omarion, a pretty big feat within itself. Granted, that like disappears the minute this song goes off, but it’s a start.

    http://www.omariononline.com/

    19. “Out of Control” by Kenna

    Kenna is one of the coolest artists that you’ve never heard of, which is stunning because not only is he a protege of stale hip-hop producers The Neptunes, but he was initially discovered by Fred Durst. “Out of Control” is what would happen if The Cure suddenly decided to recruit hip-hop producers. Kenna emotes like a true drama queen, quotes the Ramones (“I wanna be sedated!!”) and gives us so much new wave it might as well be 1983 all over again.

    http://www.myspace.com/kenna

    18. “Stop Me” by Mark Ronson featuring Daniel Merriweather

    Speaking of the Eighties, one thing I don’t have in common with most fans of the decade’s music is this: I hate The Smiths. I’ve always found Morrissey’s lyrics to be pretentious and his singing akin to the bawling of a dog being shot between the eyes. But, damn, take one of his songs, give it a blue-eyed soul vocal treatment (sung by an Australian to boot!), have a superstar producer jazz it up with some peppy horns and a snatch of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” by The Supremes, and voila! A great song! Maybe there’s something to this Morrissey dude after all.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVvo_s6cyZQ

    17. “Because Of You” by Ne-Yo

    Nope, the King of Pop didn’t bless us with his return in 2007, but in an age where every male pop & R&B crooner sounds like Michael (if they’re not sounding like Prince), his influence was quite pervasive. The title track of Ne-Yo’s sophomore effort was the year’s best MJ rip. Over a beat that was his poppiest (and most danceable) to date, Ne-Yo delivered one of the year’s catchiest choruses. While it’s too bad that the resulting album didn’t live up to expectations, somewhere Michael Jackson is tipping a fedora in appreciation.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-FdoZdfpmE

    16. “Lost Without U” by Robin Thicke

    What would you have thought five or ten years ago if someone told you that Billboard’s #1 R&B single of the year was written, produced and performed by the son of “Growing Pains”‘ Jason Seaver? I’d still be trying to pick you up the floor. Well, guess what, not only did Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without U” sit at the top of the R&B singles chart for an amazing ten weeks this winter, it became one of this year’s official baby-making anthems. Hearing Thicke’s fragile falsetto over a slightly Latin-ized acoustic beat caused some serious rising temperatures and sudden removal of clothing. Then again, Jason and Maggie Seaver were always getting it on…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKNA42bj-do

    15. “The Pretender” by Foo Fighters

    You know, I occasionally hate on Dave Grohl. The guy gets unlimited props and he’s basically made the exact same album six times in a row. But damn if “The Pretender” isn’t one of the best singles he and The Foos have ever made (apologies to “Everlong” and “My Hero”). While his other popular band (what was their name again) mastered the soft/loud dynamic, this song goes from loud to LOUDER while still remaining tuneful. I will admit that I wish I could scream the way he does on the chorus, but I think my throat would quit in protest and stroll right out of my mouth.

    http://www.foofighters.com/

    14. “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” by Fall Out Boy

    I could have easily substituted “This Ain’t A Scene” or “The Take Over” for this song. FOB’s “Infinity On High” was the one album I was most surprised to like this year, and the idiotic video (the one with the monkeys) was what might have put this song over the top. The difference, in my not entirely educated opinion, between FOB and other bands of their ilk is that Patrick Stump sings while the other folks whine and/or scream. Add in a killer chorus (I’m a sucker for those, as you can tell) and you have one of the year’s best rock songs, and the best song produced by Babyface in five, if not ten years.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWHf_vYZzQ8

    13. “Tears Dry On Their Own” by Amy Winehouse

    The third U.S. single (out of 5 so far) from Winehouse’s “Back To Black” was also the very first song I heard of hers back in early December ’06. Winehouse and producer Salaam Remi take one of the most lovey-dovey songs of all time (Marvin & Tammi’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”)and turn it into a lament about screwing around with idiots, while still retaining the hopeful nature of the original recording. Nice move.

    Buy “Back To Black” here: http://www.amazon.com/Back-Black-Amy-Winehouse/dp/B000N2G3RY/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1199322396&sr=8-1

    12. “Bed” by J. Holiday

    Let’s bring Michael back again. If The King of Pop had ever been produced by his archrival Prince (and were he to develop any kind of convincing sexual identity), the end result would sound something like “Bed”. Synthesizers buzz around like horny bees, while the song’s undulating rhythm sounds like get-down, knockout, sweaty, back-breaking SEX. As someone whose made more than his share of slow jam mix tapes (for others as well as myself) AND has put them to use, I can say that “Bed” is a certified boudoir heater.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV7PFX_GOZA

    11. “Don’t Stop The Music” by Rihanna

    It’s hard to imagine that this Barbadian beauty irritated the crap out of me when she arrived on the scene less than three years ago with “Pon De Replay”. As her popularity has grown, she’s managed to score some knockout singles, and this is the dance single of the year (in a country that really doesn’t check for dance music anymore). If I were to hear this in a club, I’d be forced to ignore my better judgment and dance like a fool for the duration of this track. Ah…and in addition to Rihanna’s breathless vocal, you’ve gotta love the fact that it samples the “ma ma say ma ma sah ma ma coo sa” from MJ’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, a song that knows a thing or two about forcing people out onto the dance floor. OK, who gets more mentions on this list? Winehouse or Jackson? It’s gonna be a close one, folks.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsRWpK4pf90

    10. “Strapped For Cash” by Fountains of Wayne

    If FOW weren’t signed to an absolutely atrocious label, they would be superstars (then again, that four year break betwene albums probably wasn’t a good move either). This is fantastic power-pop in the grand tradition of acts like Joe Jackson and good Billy Joel (FOW even quote “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” towards the end of this track). Aside from premium singbility, the song tells a hilarious tale about a guy whose got a teeny little debt that needs to be paid off. If the stars were properly aligned, this song should have been friggin’ HUGE.

    http://www.fountainsofwayne.com/

    9. “The Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn & John

    Swedes must be born with a gene that allows them to write catchy pop songs with ease. How else do you explain ABBA, Ace of Base, the songwriting factory that helped teen-pop make a resurgence a decade ago and this irresistible slice of pop? It hits every hot button. Male and female duet vocals. Busy, danceable percussion. Whistling? Whistling! “Young Folks” is easily the best song featuring whistling since G’N R’s “Patience” back in ’89! PB&J cooked up a winner…so good even Kanye West recorded a version of it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51V1VMkuyx0

    8. “Sober” by Kelly Clarkson

    Her career might be in crisis right now. However, “My December” was Clarkson’s most convincing artistic statement, and “Sober” was one hell of a ballad. The ballad builds gently until it becomes the best Alanis/Evanescence song that Alanis or Evanescence never recorded. Morissette and Amy Lee freakin’ wish they had pipes like Clarkson, who attacks this song’s ending with such ferocity that it sounds like she’s having an exorcism on wax. And judging from the song’s lyrics, maybe she is.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHBHzoyzsDI

    7. “Good Life” by Kanye West featuring T-Pain

    Kanye’s “Graduation” didn’t get released until mid-September, which is unfortunate, because “Good Life” should have been the song of Summer 2007. Lyrically, the song finds Kanye in a celebratory mood, enjoying the spoils of his success. He’s joined by T-Pain (who has parlayed a stunning lack of talent into unprecedent success-at one point recently he was featured on 5 songs in Billboard’s Top 10), and the result was the Block Party anthem that was released a month too late for block party season. (“Good Life” also wins the award for most inventive MJ sample, rendering “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” almost unrecognizable)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmX9ci9Fczw

    6. “Back To Black” by Amy Winehouse

    Like The Shirelles as sung by Billie Holiday, the title track of Amy Winehouse’s second album combined the hollow yet full-bodied production of the Spector era with the whiskey-soaked vocals of old jazz. Who in their right mind expected a sound like this to be a hit in 2007? I hate to say this, but I almost hope that Amy keeps having her heart broken if it results in music this amazing. This song also boasts one of the most uncomfortable video images in recent memory, as the end of the song’s promo clip features the caption “R.I.P: The Heart of Amy Winehouse”. Let’s hope that we go a long time without seeing “R.I.P.” and Amy’s name next to one another.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aygAu1x2uQo

    5. “Radio Nowhere” by Bruce Springsteen

    I’ve never been a fan of The Boss’s more folky efforts. I remember buying “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and being so teed off that I almost returned the tape. Bruce had spent the past six years covering Pete Seeger and releasing quiter albums like “Devils & Dust”, so I was pleased to hear “Radio Nowhere”, Bruce & The E-Street Band’s return to rock. Hearing Bruce repeat the phrase “I just want to hear some rhythm” makes me secure in the fact that there are folks out there who live and die for music as I do. And how many hit songs nowadays have sax solos? Go Big Man!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUI6Eq50y-g

    4. “Makes Me Wonder” by Maroon 5

    Filling in the half-decade gap between their first two albums with a series of crappy live albums, I was a little scared when it came to the band’s sophomore effort. “Makes Me Wonder” quelled that trepidation immediately. It’s certainly the funkiest song to hit the top of the charts in 2007, splitting the difference between the slightly sleazy sound of Rick James and the pop smarts of Hall & Oates. Despite the fact that I wonder what folks see in Adam Levine (not only does he seem dorky, he seems like a total douche), the man makes some good ear candy. And I can respect the fact that the lyrics of the song are a bit nastier (in attitude as well as actual content) than the average pop radio fare.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70FGeQmPjeg

    3. “Love is a Losing Game” by Amy Winehouse

    Single Number Five from “Back To Black” (and the fourth to be included here) is it’s most melancholy and mournful. Actually, this ballad might be the saddest 2 1/2 minutes of music released at all in 2007. You can almost picture Amy sitting in the back of a bar, nursing a drink and singing this song as a band plays behind her. Anyone who has ever been unlucky in love has got to identify with this song. Besides, it’s been covered by Prince and chosen by George Michael as one of his “Desert Island Discs”. You can’t argue with those guys.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVMTshWbtpo

    2. “Us Placers” by CRS

    Now, here’s where I guess I have to stretch the idea of what a single was. This track was never officially released for sale or download, and there has yet to be an official video. It actually only appeared on a mixtape, doomed to never be commercially released either because a) CRS (ebonics for “can’t remember sh*t”) is comprised of rap bigwigs Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams or b) because the musical background is a straight rip of Thom Yorke’s “The Eraser”. Nevertheless, beg, borrow or steal if you have to get this song, it’s a treat. Both Kanye and Pharrell step up with some of their best lyrics (and without profanity…there are two cuss words on the whole song). Skateboard P’s verse touches on the VA Tech shootings in an offhand but still effective manner, made even more effective by Yorke’s eerie vocals. Here’s hoping lawyers can pull an Audioslave and make it feasible for there to be a whole CRS album. …

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xz8FXgLpI4

    and now, the moment you’ve scrolled down to without reading any of the other 24 entries…

    1. “Umbrella” by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

    First of all, a song has gotta be good if it opens with 16 bars from Jay-Z that wind up completely forgotten by the time the song ends. Second, it takes a lot of work to get a song with such cheesy Hallmark sentiments to sound as sleazy as “Umbrella” does (I’ve used that word a lot here…ah well…you all know I’m a freak anyway). I give massive props to whoever plays guitar and keyboards on this track. Third, “Um-ber-el-la-el-la-el-la-eh-eh-eh”…Rihanna vocalizes this word in such a way that I will never look at umbrellas the same way again. Four, watching the NYC Gay Pride parade in June, some radio station float eased down Christopher Street blasting “Umbrella” and thousands of queens, bull dykes and everyone in between started singing along with the song’s chorus. You know you’ve made a good song when the flannel-wearing lesbian, the old man in the buttless leather chaps and the gay police & fire contingent are all singing the same damn song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4X7eFbP3u4

    And that’s all she wrote! Your thoughts?