CRF's Best Songs of 2012 Project

Soot and Stars · Jan 19, 2013

Cosmic Harmony said:
Cosmic's #49
Weeping China Doll- Steve Vai

Cosmic, in particular I thought this wasa great year for instrumentals but I hadn't heard this one at all. I didn't know Steve Vai was still releasing material. This definitely has a sludgy Sabbathy feel to it and I have to ask if that style is typical of Vai? I wouldn't have made that connection from what I've heard prior but he pulls it off well. I do like all the layers to this and you are correct about this being a journey. It also feels more modern than I expected. There's a space rock element that makes it more accessible for new music fans. Most recently I've heard this style of Doom and Symphonic rock from While Heaven Wept so I have an ear for this type of music. Really good piece and one that doesn't leave me the slightest bit bored.

Taboo said:
Taboo's #48

Kingdom Come

(Album: The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 And Beyond)

Awesome Live performance:

Wow, I was a huge fanboy for these guys last year and I completely missed this one. I don't think there is any pair in the last five years that harmonize better these two. Not even close!

Prior to this I had just heard the track with Taylor Swift and for some reason thought that's what this was going to be. I agree with Cosmic. This is a slower song but it has that more haunting, revivalist feel like "Barton Hollow" did. It doesn't sound like your typical over the top soundtrack fare and is all the better for it. It actually sounds like it's telling a story which fits what a soundtrack should do. I'm glad that something by them seeped into 2012 because they nearly owned 2011 for me!

Cosmic Harmony · Jan 19, 2013

Soot and Stars said:
Cosmic, in particular I thought this wasa great year for instrumentals but I hadn't heard this one at all. I didn't know Steve Vai was still releasing material. This definitely has a sludgy Sabbathy feel to it and I have to ask if that style is typical of Vai? I wouldn't have made that connection from what I've heard prior but he pulls it off well. I do like all the layers to this and you are correct about this being a journey. It also feels more modern than I expected. There's a space rock element that makes it more accessible for new music fans. Most recently I've heard this style of Doom and Symphonic rock from While Heaven Wept so I have an ear for this type of music. Really good piece and one that doesn't leave me the slightest bit bored.

Glad you enjoyed it so much, Sooty.

Steve's a very eclectic player so there isn't a ton that he doesn't do. He does have a fair number of songs in this really heavy vein though. "Bad Horsie" comes to mind first...

That is some HEAVY slide playing.

Taboo · Jan 19, 2013

Cosmic Harmony said:
Cosmic's #49
Weeping China Doll- Steve Vai

Holy shit! Niiiice huge sludgy-opening riff, some soaring melodies, harmonically complex and great leads. If this is what the rest of the album somewhat sounds like, then I must check it out sometime. I really like this one Cosmic, good pick

Soot and Stars said:
Soot and Stars #48

Oh I like the bluesy-groove to this one and I dig his voice. He's kind of like the male version of Lianne jeje. This guy has soul and a feel that is missing in most of todays artist.. Kinda refreshing to hear good music like this again. You can Rock out to it or mellow out. Great Stuff Sooty

Sunny · Jan 19, 2013

This is a top thread!!

So far I really like all the artists you have put up here and good to see Gary Clark Jnr in the mix

Soot and Stars · Jan 20, 2013

Sunny said:
This is a top thread!! So far I really like all the artists you have put up here and good to see Gary Clark Jnr in the mix

Sunny, we always seem to be on the same page musically! I just saw your thread for him!

Soot and Stars · Jan 20, 2013

Soot and Stars #47

Heavy Blanket

Dr. Martens Blues

From The Album
Heavy Blanket

Runner Up
Galloping Towards the Unknown

Since Cosmic rolled out the instrumental I figured this was the time to roll out my favorite instrumental guitarist of the year with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. fames project, Heavy Blanket. I don't know why I latched onto this so much as I'm usually not huge into instrumental jams and guitar virtuosos. This stuff kicks ass though and is full of nuclear blasts of energy. It's like if you threw the 70's and 90's into a blender and added the funkiest riffs of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's a little messy but that adds to the charm. It never dwells too long in one area and is a jam that keeps you jamming the whole duration!

Cosmic Harmony · Jan 20, 2013

Cosmic's #47
Here's To Us- Halestorm

Halestorm is a band that I've been keeping tabs on for the last several years since they caught my ear with their song "I Get Off" and I really want to love them much more than I do. They have everything it takes to be a real rippin' and roarin' hard rock band but instead they play in a vein of metal that I'm not really wild about. Still, they have always had a knack for writing terrific ballads however and that's what planted them on my list.

===The following sentence may be infuriating to some people but stick with me.
It's like pulling a band-aid off. We'll do it quick and it'll be all better. Trust, mama. ==

"Here's To Us" is the closing track to Halestorm's sophomore album "The Strange Case Of...Halestorm" and it was brought to national attention after being covered by Glee....

:shock:

Are people still there? Ok, good. I did not know that little tidbit when I first heard this song. My impression on the virgin list was that this was a real song for a high school graduation, certainly more than Green Day's "Good Riddance" or Vitamin C's "Friends Forever" and all that warm and fuzzy dribble poo they go on about when high school sucks.
This is a song about a cherished teenage past time....drinking, though with quite a bit more depth than your average song about the sauce. "Here's To Us" is all about drinking to the good times and drinking through the bad times with the attitude of "Sure, we may **** up sometimes but at least it's our way." (Take that Sinatra) The chorus is anthemic in the truest of power ballad ways and Lizzy Hale's vocals are more than mighty enough to sell exactly what she's saying and make you want to sing along because I think this is a song that everyone can relate to on some level.

Taboo · Jan 21, 2013

Taboo's #47

Love Interruption

(Album: Blunderbuss)

Landing at the 47th spot on my list is a smooth-angry-sincere song about all of the violent things they want love to do to them: "I want love to roll me over slowly, stick a knife inside me and twist it all around … Murder my own mother and take her off to somewhere like hell or up above.". White's is brilliantly backed up by Ruby Amanfu on backing vocals. I've seen a couple of live performances of these two singing this song and what I really like is how well they sing together and the way they look at each other. They sorta' remind me of John and Joy from The Civil Wars, just Sizzling! lol.. The song is driven by electric piano and acoustic guitar, subtly embellished with woodwinds, and features no percussion whatsoever. There are times when the music cuts out so you can concentrate on the anguish in the lyrics. I like sometimes quirky musical styles and Jack can be wonderfully quirky without being really oddball. I also like the bluesy touch to this song. It's long enough to get stuck in your head but short enough to make you want more.

Cosmic Harmony · Jan 24, 2013

Soot and Stars said:
Soot and Stars #47

Heavy Blanket

Dr. Martens Blues

From The Album
Heavy Blanket

The second I heard that base playing I immediately thought of Geezer Butler and Sabbath. It just strikes me as a jam that they would do and this was really a very big surprise since I am quite familiar with Dinosaur Jr.'s music and I don't like them at all.

Definitely a cool, kind of sloppy, 70's jam, Sooty. I don't have a ton else to say about it but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Taboo said:
Taboo's #47

Love Interruption

(Album: Blunderbuss)

I'll be honest, I was sort of disappointed Jack's solo album. This song however, despite being rather subtle, was one of the better songs for me though. The best part of it really was the chemistry of Jack and Ruby, which is brought to the forefront by how reserved the instrumentation is.

Taboo · Jan 24, 2013

Soot and Stars said:
Soot and Stars #47

Heavy Blanket

Dr. Martens Blues

From The Album
Heavy Blanket

Runner Up
Galloping Towards the Unknown

Very nice blistering psych drenched instrumental blues jam. It's plain that this is someone who's in his element and just loves to play guitar.

Cosmic Harmony said:
Cosmic's #47
Here's To Us- Halestorm

Love her voice and love this song!! I will say that I've listened to their newest album a couple of times, but what kills it for me is that there is little or no dynamic range, it is all just very LOUD! But other than that I really dig this band and Lizzy's voice is just superb.

CRF's Best Songs of 2012 Project

Soot and Stars

I AM SOOT!

Cosmic Harmony

Senior Member

Taboo

Toward the Within

Sunny

Settled down at last and very happy.

Soot and Stars

I AM SOOT!

Soot and Stars

I AM SOOT!

Cosmic Harmony

Senior Member

Taboo

Toward the Within

Cosmic Harmony

Senior Member

Taboo

Toward the Within

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