Sooty's 2011 Year In Review Countdownmania

[Soot and Stars]

#36
Jack's Mannequin-Hey hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)



Keep your eyes on the road on the Glass Passenger
He sings for a traveling band.
Well I'll be tomorrow
Is God only knows
Seems there's a science in hand
But I'll finish the shows when I lay.

I said hey hey hey
We're all gonna die
Hey hey hey
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die someday.

To England turned gray
To the old TLA
To the lands of my portable camera
Labeled proud to the New Yorks shows sold out
I noticed a change in the weather
It's got cold someone hand me my sweater.

I said hey hey hey
We're all gonna die
Hey hey hey
We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die someday.

So keep your eyes on the road on the Glass Passenger
I've return to scene of crime
With my bus and my band I'm making a stand
So sympathy now for the last time.

I said hey hey hey, we're all gonna die
Hey hey hey, we're all gonna die
Well I said hey hey hey, we're all gonna die
I said hey hey hey, We're all gonna die
We're all gonna die someday


Ever since Something Corporate I've been a fanboy of writer/musician Andrew McMahon. While his project with Jack's Mannequin is a different beast altogether I've grown to like it as well with it's more autobiographical direction and sun drenched California pop. This is the third album as Jack with Andrew and it's a combination of the light (Everything In Transit) and dark (The Glass Passenger) of the first two albums. Andrews songwriting became more centered on his own life and needed a different venue to express hence this current incarnation which is Andrew's solo. After starting JM, Andrew was diagnosed and battled with leukemia which is one more aspect that pushed his writing to reflect his inner struggles and victories. This song in sound is very Something Corporate ie. Globes and Maps and Cavanaugh Park which is why I think I favor it so much. I miss Something Corporate and as much as I enjoy the JM vibe I'm hoping it comes full circle as many great artists too. For those that don't know either group this is great just for being the happiest song about dying ever. Just a happy pop chorus exclaiming the inevitable. We are all gonna die. **** it. Let's sing and shout and let the course of life happen. The storytelling and the tinkling piano tells the story of a traveling musician who's life on the road keeps him distracted from his own demons and stuck in his depression as he'll always be saved by the energy of an uplifting chorus.

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 T.V. Obsessions of 2011

#1
Breaking Bad

Dexter was my show of 2010 like I said. The difference is I had greater odds that I was going to love Dexter. Breaking Bad I never expected to like. Chemistry teacher turns meth cook. Ummm yeah. This show grabbed me by the balls from the first episode and blew me away. In 2011, I cruised through 3 seasons of one of the most gripping, unpredictable, intriguing shows I've ever seen period. The acting. Nearly flawless. The characters. Perfectly developed and engaging. The themes of bad and good and the gray areas between are handled great and make for an endlessly watchable show. Bryan Cranston has one of the best performances of an ongoing character ever. He's flawed, tortured but well meaning in his efforts to support his family upon his predicted death by cancer. The dark comedy that ensues once he teams himself with a bumbling, small time hood to cook meth are hilarious. The balance between dark comedy, drama and suspense is balanced to a T in this show defying any true genre label. The lines become grayer as the show goes and regardless of who you favor as things progress you always stay hooked on what will happen to them. The transformations throughout of the characters are as addicting to witness as the meth they cook is to their buyers. Seriously, if you've never seen this show. Watch it! ​

 

[Soot and Stars]

#35
Within Temptation-Sinead



I've gotta try
It's not over yet
No signals of love
Have you left
My heart is bleeding just for you
Bleeds for only you

And it hurts to know the truth

Are you looking for saviours
Chasing a dream
Love turned to hate

Now I'm crossing the border
See then I fade
But I'm not afraid

Oh Sinéad,
For the first time
Love is gonna turn around
I'm telling you
You will like it, I know

Oh Sinéad,
It's the first time
Only you can set it free
Oh Sinéad
Come break away with me

This second chance I know won't last
But it's OK
Got not regrets
And I, I feel the end here
I'm a fool
Getting closer

But I'm doing what I should
I been drowning in sorrow
Chasing tomorrow,
Running away

Now you're crossing the border
See no tomorrow
But you're not afraid

Oh Sinéad,
For the first time
Love is gonna turn around
I'm telling you
You will like it, I know

Oh Sinéad,
It's the first time
Only you can set it free
Oh Sinéad
Come break away with me

But I'm doing what I should
I've been drowning in sorrow
Chasing tomorrow,
Running away

Now you're crossing the border
See no tomorrow
But you're not afraid

Oh Sinéad,
For the first time
Love is gonna turn around
I'm telling you
You will like it

Oh Sinéad,
For the first time
Love is gonna turn around
I'm telling you
You will like it, I know

Oh Sinéad,
It's the first time
Only you can set it free
Oh Sinéad
Come break away with me.


It took buying the new Evanescence album to go back to this album and realize how much better this disc is than I first experienced. The album is an epic effort with a balance of sound and appeal that the Evanescence album doesn't achieve. Evanescence sounded like they were on autopilot while these guys came through trying to bust the doors down. This is as pop as this type of symphonic metal can get and I love it. This is the symphonic beauty that wants to be an 80's pop synth explosion. The vocal in the verse is as delicate and gorgeous as it gets and draws you in and once the song picks up it doesn't let go. Everything from the guitar rhythm to the orchestral sound to the bombastic chorus makes for an epic metal party apparently Evanescence was too lazy to come too.

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 Babes of 2011

#5
Dianna Agron


There's more than one reason I watch Glee. With the perfect blend of angelic features with an underlying sense of sin Dianna is a wildcat of a pick. Slender with great bone structure and a devilish stare this is one firecracker that had me not able to take my eyes off of her. Maybe she could afford to pack on some pounds but it's really her face that gets me. Nice slender lips, perfect teeth, great character in her face, beautiful silk blond hair and a charismatic persona you'll have to see on the show to understand. When she plays the tease she's sexy enough to have any guy wait. At times, she even resembles a blonde Jessica Alba so you know she's in. ​

 

[Soot and Stars]

#34
Bon Iver-Beth/Rest



errant heat to the star
and the rain let in
the hawser rolls, the vessel's whole and Christ, it's thin

well Iʼd know that you'd offer
would reveal it, though it's soft and flat
won't repeat it, cull and coffers that
for the soffit, hang this homeward
pry it open with your love
sending lost and alone standing offers

it is steep, it is stone
such recovery
from the daily press, the deepest nest, in keeper's keep

all the news at the door
such a revelry
well, it's hocked inside of everything you said to me

it was found what we orphaned
didn't mention it would serve us picked
said your love is known
I'm standing up on it

aren't we married?!
I ainʼt living in the dark no more
it's not a promise, Iʼm just gonna call it

heavy mitted love

our love is a star
sure some hazardry
for the light before and after most indefinitely

danger has been stole away


I don't give nearly the hype that most do over Bon Iver but I'd be remiss if I didn't give him the due for the gems he has put out. One of the thing that I don't care for normally in Ivers work is the really awkward high pitch vocal he uses like he's a male sprite or something. I mean it's really weird. He uses none of that hear and instead gives us a Bruce Hornsby styled song the Bruce would be proud of too write. It's got a jazzy ambient vibe with a really cool guitar/horn combo that compliments each other great. I love the little guitar solos and how they are placed within the song. A very well layered, well structured, beautiful piece. Even if you've never been an Iver fan this maybe a song you can latch onto regardless.

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 Babes of 2011

#4
Vanessa Carlton

This is the year I realized "Damn! Vanessa's really grown into her own and then some. Not just musically obviously as this is the hot-tay list I've always love her music but I thought she was cute intitially. Now I think she's HAWT! There are more seductive photos but I was looking for something 2011. Check out the thread for some racier ones. Anyway, Vanessa is perfect for Sooty's taste. She's a hot piano chanteuse with beautiful long raven dark hair and a rocking full figure and nice gams. She's sexy in a more dark seductive sultry way and avoids the bubble headed model type without crossing over into emo/Goth territory. She has a pretty but quirky face which I love. I love little "imperfections" that set a gals face apart from the norm ie Jewel! Anyway, Vanessa definitely got under Sooty's scope in more ways than one! ​

 

[Soot and Stars]

#33
Clare MacGuire-Last Dance

TODAY I FEEL THE MOOD AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE TALKING OH I,

I WASN'T READY TO LOSE YOU, YOU'RE THE FIRST MAN TO MOVE ME
YOU HELPED ME FEEL ALIVE, GOT ME UP FROM 9 TO 5 OH I,
I COULD GET THROUGH THOSE DAYS, WITH YOU ON MY MIND

GOT TO TRY MOVE ON BUT I PROMISE YOU
I WILL KISS YOUR CROWN WHEN LIFE TAKES ME DOWN

I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND
I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND

ANOTHER FACE IN THE CROWD, OH PEOPLE LOVE TO MOVE NOW OH I,
I JUST CAN'T FEEL THE BEAT, CAUSE MY HEARTS FALLEN OUT,

GOT TO TRY MOVE ON BUT I PROMISE YOU
I WILL KISS YOUR CROWN WHEN LIFE TAKES ME DOWN

I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND
I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND

I'VE GOT MY LIFE IN MY HANDS AND YOUR LOVE IN MY HEART,
I'VE GOT MY LIFE IN MY HANDS AND YOUR LOVE IN MY HEART,

I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND

AND IT SEEMS I'VE LIVED MY LIFE WITH YOU AS MY RHYTHM
AND I KNOW I'LL FIND MY FEET AFTER DREAMING.

I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND
I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND

I'VE GOT MY LIFE IN MY HANDS AND YOUR LOVE IN MY HEART,
I'VE GOT MY LIFE IN MY HANDS AND YOUR LOVE IN MY HEART,

I'LL SAVE MY LAST DANCE FOR YOU MY FRIEND

TODAY I FEEL THE MOOD
I WASN'T READY TO LOSE YOU.
TODAY I FEEL THE MOOD
I WASN'T READY TO LOSE YOU.


I know Florence has the mass crowd for pop anthems in 2011 but I thought Clare MacGuire was a strong competitor in this category for sure. This a perfect 80's dance anthem with a very strong Annie Lennox meets 90's Cher style. I love Clare's vocal which channels Lennox but where Lennox put out strength through a strong more quirky way, Clare puts it across with way more energy and passion than Lennox ever did. This is the nice clean dance music I miss with just a merlody for once that doesn't need thumping beats behind it. There was a purity to this which was an absolute gift in 2011.

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 Babes of 2011

#3
Lana Del ray

Lana is the one lady on this list which debuted before my eyes for the first time in 2011. Having said that the crush and fascination still hasn't gone away for me. Lana is sexy in a way I've never been attracted to before. Everything about her screams sex in the way Marilyn Monroe did when she whispered "Happy Birthday Mr. President" back in the day. Obviously that's what they were going for with her fusion of the Nancy Sinatra type style into her music and look. Lana has the sexy voice (God I love that voice) to pull it off as well. Lana can pull off the subtleties of sexual nature and still come off as the girl next door. It's like she was built to be the perfect woman and in a way the image was built. Regardless, it works and I love everything from the sultry pouty lips to the seductive eyes. Lana is a fresh and unique face amongst all the other flowers that bloomed in 2011.​

 

[Soot and Stars]

#32
Every Avenue-I Can't Not Love You



It feels like I'm up on a wire,
And you just keep lifting it higher
I'm right on the edge,
And I'm doing my best not to fall

It feels like the world's spinning faster,
Towards a beautiful perfect disaster
The moment you kissed me,
I knew I was risking it all...

The further I run from you baby,
The closer I get to the truth
And I feel like nothing can save me,
It's something I just can't undo,
Cause I can't not love you

I'm bracing myself for collision,
In the back seat of my heart's decision
I'm rounding the curb,
And I don't have the nerve to say no

The further I run from you baby,
The closer I get to the truth
And I feel like nothing can save me,
It's something I just can't undo,
Cause I can't not love you
Yeah, ooh, ooh
Yeah

The further I run from you baby,
The closer I get to the truth
And I feel like nothing can save me,
It's something I just can't undo,
Cause I can't not love you
Yeah
But baby, baby I can't
I can't not love you baby
I can't not


With an piano melody that sounds inspired by "With A Little Help From My Friends" comes a sweeping pop rock ballad you can't not love. Seriously, lead singer Jason Letkiewicz has one of the best tones ever for this type of song. I love the subdued orchestral sound with the aforementioned piano melody and Enya like digital touches 33-:41). They really let the vocals take the forefront though which they should've and this is one of those pure yet simple love ballads that there should be more of. "Oh but Sooty, that's all you listen too!" Ha Ha fellow CRFers! Look at my list and find me anything that could be considered a pure love song like this. And that's further reason there needs to be more!

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 Babes of 2011

#2
Dia Frampton

There is no lady that describes cute more than Dia. Seriously she may be the most adorable thing ever that can cross into attraction territory period. Some of you may or may not know her from her recent success after wining second place in "The Voice". She ended up releasing her solo debut in 2011 in which her song "The Lonely Ones" made it onto my list. I knew Dia since her work with sister Meg and always found her cute but never got to see her truly up close until "The Voice". First thing I noticed is "damn! She's a cutey!" and then "Damn! I know that Cutey!" The fact that I know Dia has a rock edge from that act and that lyrically on her solo there's a lot of dark terrotory she covers just makes her hotter. Let's focus on what we can see though. The beautiful cherubic face, the beautiful big eyes, nice full lips and down to earth adorable way she carries herself. This is the girl I'd want to take home to Momma and then take her home with me. It doesn't get much more perfect than that. ​

 

[Tray73]

#35
Within Temptation-Sinead

​

I only discovered this band last year - I kept hearing their single Faster (their first release from the above album) on the radio and liked it a lot, so I bought the album and was not disappointed. It is definitely one of my favourites from 2011, so many cracking tracks on it and Sinead is one - probably my second favourite in fact after Faster

I thought this was Jessica Alba!!

 

[Soot and Stars]

#31
Red-Hymn For The Missing

I tried to walk together
But the night was growing dark
Thought you were beside me
But I reached and you were gone
Sometimes I hear you calling
From some lost and distant shore
I hear you crying softly for the way it was before

Where are you now?
Are you lost?
Will I find you again?
Are you alone?
Are you afraid?
Are you searching for me?
Why did you go? I had to stay
Now I'm reaching for you
Will you wait? will you wait?
Will I see you again?

You took it with you when you left
These scars are just a trace
Now it wanders lost and wounded
This heart that I misplaced

Where are you now?
Are you lost?
Will I find you again?
Are you alone?
Are you afraid?
Are you searching for me?
Why did you go? I had to stay
Now I'm reaching for you
Will you wait? will you wait?
Will I see you again?


From a lighthearted ballad we go to the other side full of melancholy and darkness. Still beautiful, still orchestral, still tied together by a nice piano melody. It's cool to hear this song and the prior entry back to back. In this song the tone is more wavering, desperate and sad and truly embraces the uncertainty of the situation. The female in his story is like a phantom that floated through his life just represented by a ghostly haunting voice in his mind. In this song the orchestration actually shares space with the vocal and tells a lot of the story as opposed to the prior where the vocal told the story against the melody. I kind of like how this song had more elements telling the story and that's why this song is one spot higher. A beautifully tragic song of loss and the uncertainty of a future with that loss.

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 Babes of 2011

#1
Marissa Tomei

If you would've told me that I would ever find that chick from "My Cousin Vinny" hot I would called you nuts. I guess the whole Guidette thing does nothing for me. Amazingly, Marissa has exponentially gotten even more hot with age in a way I never thought possible. Not maintained but actually got hot-TER! It wasn't until "The Wrestler" that I stood up and took notice. While that body which is one of the first things I noticed was highly attributed to that there was a lot of other things I noticed about Marissa at that point. First she definitely played a much more attractive and lovable Adrianne ala Rocky to Rourkes character. Marissa played in that movie the type of attractive yet genuine woman that any guy would die for.

Fast forward to 2011, the year when my Marissa love has peaked. In 2011, I saw her in two flicks in two completely different characters. One was dark quirky comedy Cyrus and the other she played a crazy over the top chick in romantic comedy Crazy Stupid Love. Both she was still the hottest character. It was Cyrus where I really fell for her but in either role or even in interviews I fell in love with that smile, laugh and genuine believability. In these roles she falls for the unexpected type goof but in Cyrus it's one part situation but one part seeing the good in people. She comes across as the type that can draw out the best in people. Maybe I'm fooled by good acting but in interviews she seems a little dweeby herself like the girl who would laugh until she snorts. Anyway, the perfect blend of looks and personality is what's hottest and that makes Marissa Sooty's pick for 2011.​

 

[Soot and Stars]

I only discovered this band last year - I kept hearing their single Faster (their first release from the above album) on the radio and liked it a lot, so I bought the album and was not disappointed. It is definitely one of my favourites from 2011, so many cracking tracks on it and Sinead is one - probably my second favourite in fact after Faster




I thought this was Jessica Alba!!

Hello Tray! I'm glad you noticed the Within Temptation tack on there. Metal might be surprised if he peaks in as well. The album was one I grew into and appreciated a lot more when I started listening to it again. Glad I seem to have a good finger on the pulse of what others like as well when it comes to the same albums.

As for Dia, she definitely resembles my all time favorite ladies image which may have scored her a lot of Sooty points. Unfortunately the real Mrs. Alba has been off the grid for a while which maybe the saddest part of 2011!

 

[Tray73]

Yes I'm sure MP will be happy to see Within Temptation's inclusion in your countdown!

Jessica's been busy with family life hasn't she? I'm sure she'll be back soon

 

[Soot and Stars]

Yes I'm sure MP will be happy to see Within Temptation's inclusion in your countdown!

Jessica's been busy with family life hasn't she? I'm sure she'll be back soon

Yes she has! I have her page subscribed to on Facebook and she's just as cute *cough* hot *cough* as ever!