Cosmic's Top 27 Songs of 2011

[Sunny]

Love "Walk" but then I'm a Foo Fighters fan. They would have to be one of the best bands to see live. Dave makes sure his fans here are never disappointed

 

[Prime]

#26




Shake Me Down
Artist: Cage The Elephant
Album: Thank You, Happy Birthday


Cage The Elephant's entrant on this countdown is one of the most unpredictably structured on the whole shebang. Jumping from the general bummers of life in the verses to some good ol' sunny day optimism in the chorus. It has a well crafted use of dynamics with light guitar playing that quickly explodes with unusual drum sounds that I've heard are from a toy drum kit and goes in and out of these shifts in fresh ways throughout the entire song.​

I love Cage The Elephant, and this song specifically is a very very nice choice.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

#10

Bad As Me
Artist: Tom Waits
Album: Bad As Me






You’re the head on the spear
You’re the nail on the cross
You’re the fly in my beer
You’re the key that got lost
You’re the letter from Jesus on the bathroom wall
You’re mother superior in only a bra
You’re the same kind of bad as me

I’m the hat on the bed
I’m the coffee instead
The fish or cut bait
I’m the detective up late
I’m the blood on the floor
The thunder and the roar
The boat that won’t sink
I just won’t sleep a wink
You’re the same kind of bad as me

No good you say
Well that’s good enough for me

You’re the wreath that caught fire
You’re the preach to the choir
You bite down on the sheet
But your teeth have been wired
You skid in the rain
You’re trying to shift
You’re grinding the gears
You’re trying to shift
And you’re the same kind of bad as me

They told me you were no good
I know you’ll take care of all my needs
You’re the same kind of bad as me

I’m the mattress in the back
I’m the old gunnysack
I’m the one with the gun
Most likely to run
I’m the car in the weeds
If you cut me I’ll bleed
You’re the same kind of bad as me
You’re the same kind of bad as me



Out of the warped brain of Tom Waits we have "Bad As Me", one of the most infectious yet equally off putting songs of his career. The drums that make up the core of the song clatter along with a really raw sound and is overlayed by great sounding baritone sax and jangly blues guitar that all makes you want to dance but is at the same time ever so subtlety sinister. Vocally Tom sounds really great on this track too (yeah, I know. That's a crazy thing to conceive). His usual drunken cackling of a madman style of singing sounds surprisingly clear, not only on this song but on the whole namesake album for that matter. Where "Bad As Me" really shines though is where Tom always does his finest work, the lyrics. Everything he describes is very off and unnerving and all comes back to the idea that "yeah, I'm shitty but you're the same kind of shitty as I am.".​

 

[Tray73]

Excellent job Harmony! I know I've not posted on this thread before (sorry for taking so long to pipe up!) but I have been visiting it I've enjoyed seeing (& listening to) your selections and your thoughts about the songs, some of which I had heard before but others new to me. Of the songs listed so far my favourites are Lonely Boy by The Black Keys (I've been hearing this particlar track a lot on the radio in the last few months and it is infectious from the first listen ), The Drop Kick Murphey's 1953 (I'm one of those people who normally hate the sound of the bagpipes but not on this track - they definitely add a special 'something' to the song) and If I Had A Gun by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (was never a fan of Oasis - apart from the odd track sung by Noel - but this song and the other I've heard from the album, AKA... What A Life, I really dig in a big way!).

Oh and I absolutely agree with you and Jen regards Adele's Someone Like You - there are other songs by Adele, including Set Fire to the Rain, that I much prefer.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Love "Walk" but then I'm a Foo Fighters fan. They would have to be one of the best bands to see live. Dave makes sure his fans here are never disappointed

I've not actually seen them live but I still agree. I've seen their Live At Wembley concert more than once and it's unbelievable. Just a barebones rock and roll hit machine putting on one hell of a show.

Excellent job Harmony! I know I've not posted on this thread before (sorry for taking so long to pipe up!) but I have been visiting it I've enjoyed seeing (& listening to) your selections and your thoughts about the songs, some of which I had heard before but others new to me. Of the songs listed so far my favourites are Lonely Boy by The Black Keys (I've been hearing this particlar track a lot on the radio in the last few months and it is infectious from the first listen ), The Drop Kick Murphey's 1953 (I'm one of those people who normally hate the sound of the bagpipes but not on this track - they definitely add a special 'something' to the song) and If I Had A Gun by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (was never a fan of Oasis - apart from the odd track sung by Noel - but this song and the other I've heard from the album, AKA... What A Life, I really dig in a big way!).

Oh and I absolutely agree with you and Jen regards Adele's Someone Like You - there are other songs by Adele, including Set Fire to the Rain, that I much prefer.

It's alright, Tray. Just going from the views I have in this thread I know WAY more people are following it than actually posting in it.
I'm glad you're liking what I'm doing with this thread though. I actually could have gone up to 50+ picks like Sooty but that seemed a bit too long for me so I just went with the creme de la creme. I'm especially happy to see that you're enjoying things that you otherwise wouldn't have really listened to. That's a big part of what I'm doing this.

We've reached a point over here where the radio stations have finally started to move on from "Someone Like You" and guess what Adele song they've supplemented in? "Set Fire To The Rain" that's which one. It's about time they start to catch up with us.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Harmony I need to play catchup on your thread my dear. I saw you had You and I featured. I couldn't really get into it though I still find it pretty neat Brian May was involved with it. Have you heard anything on whether or not they have any future collaborative efforts coming? I guess I'm too much of a fan of her dance-ish tunes and had a hard time coming to grips with her work on Born This Way. Makes me wonder what she has in store for the future. I do believe she had a New Years special for MTV or something along those lines that I need to find.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I couldn't tell ya, Jen. Brian usually keeps the stuff he does pretty hush hush. Lately he's just been doing a lot of surprise performances on stage with a ton of different acts like The Darkness and My Chemical Romance. I'm not sure what else he's up to though. I know Roger Taylor is working on a new solo album but I have no idea for Brian, solo, collaborative, or otherwise.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Well I bet you'll love what he does with The Darkness.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Oh trust me, I did.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Cosmic, I'll pick up where I left off! First, you picked another song that'll be on my list in "Walk" where once again I'll have to follow up on your verbage. Booooo!!! Excellent pick obviously! I picked a different Adele song than you but obviously you made a wise choice as most people seem drawn to that song and deservedly so.

One thing I have to comment on is your list is so much more vibrant and happy than mine. You are far more poptastic than me right now and that's a kudos coming from me. Givers and Gomez are excellent tracks. I love them and there exuberant qualities. Should expect that from a gal that shares interest in the Scissor Sisters, The Darkness, The New Radicals and Matt and Kim.

Have to say on the negative front that I enjoy the Lady Gaga song just fine but that's the biggest album where nothing made my list. I appreciate the change in style but nothing really grabbed me as fun like the last. My least favorite song on your countdown is The Black Keys. Nothing I've heard from them stands out to me honestly. I don't follow the appeal.

The winner of this batch is Tom Waits though. I don't know why but it sounds like either Modest Mouse slowed down to me or a Tim Burton animated character singing (or two as he changes vocals like it's too different characters). It's a psychotic song but it draws you into it's madness. I love the rhythm in which the sax and guitar are used. It's crazy but more insane how it all works.