CRF's Best Songs of 2012 Project

[Taboo]

Taboo's #35
(ambient/post-rock)

Hammock - Cold Front

(Album: Departure Songs)




Cold Front - I LOVE ethereal and atmospheric music and this song right here is just extraordinary, calming and soothing. Hammocks music is sad yet it always inspires hope inside of me somehow. It's strange how powerful sounds can be. This song is so sublime, melancholy, and hopeful at the same time. Just can't get enough of it. If you're into similar ambient/post-rock bands like Sigur Ros, Ólafur Arnalds & God Is an Astronaut than I really think you will love this.
​

 

[Vehicle]

The United States Military parodying a video done by the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders...


And my personal favorite...



That last video is a beautiful example of my whole point. Groups of women, groups of guys it doesn't matter. They all were singing along, smiling, and having an amazing time. Just pure joy.

You don't have to explain yourself with this song. It is exactly what it's supposed to be. A catchy pop song. I love it.

And, I have to add another video.

I told you guys before, my son did a documentary of my daughter's senior year softball season.

Well, from hours and hours of footage, he came up with a small handful of videos. This is one of them.

I should probably explain beforehand, that the squad always had music blasting during practice, and between innings of their games.

Hence the dancing.



It's funny. Every one of these kids has eaten the last of the pizza of drank the last of the milk or wiped out the donuts at my house over the years. They're scattered now. I miss those knuckleheads.


That being said, I'd love this song, even if I didn't have this tie to it.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Soot and Stars #35

Carry On

From The Album
Some Nights

Runner Up
Some Nights


Fun. is likely another group that peaked ears at first, got thrown at us as one of the few surface dwellers for rock in the loosest terms, shoved down our throats and forgotten that they actually crafted some great tracks. Some of their better qualities were evident on their first album but IMO the debut was a mess. This album is full of harmonies, spirited pop anthems and accurately a sense of fun throughout. To me this comes from a recent movement to be influenced by Freddie Mercury that has been started within the last 5 years or so by artist like Mika. Not just everyone can do it though as you have to have pipes which both Mika and the lead vocalist of Fun. has. I have to say the torch may also be passed as this album by Fun. blows away the much more disappointing effort by Mika here who has no placement whatsoever on my list. The one bad trait that Fun. has is you go by technical preferences rather than aesthetic is the unnecessary moments of autotune. On one hand the singer doesn't really need it but I think it's used for effect so I can let it go. It sounds fine to me. Anyway I picked Carry On as Some Nights really wore on me after the constant exposure to it. I liked the more understated "Carry On" from the first listen of the album and it stuck with me. It still has some of the qualities of "Some Nights" which are great qualities but when the dust settles I can still hum along to this one without the radioactive effects of radio's tampering with a good thing. I don't blame the group for that and it's still a brilliant pop "somewhat" rock album. ​

 

[Sunny]

So glad to see Fun here Is that Nate Ruess the lead singer now? Love his voice. You are so right Soot - once you hear their songs you sing along when you hear them again.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Cosmic's #35
Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen






Yep, this is actually happening. For real. I can say without shame that I genuinely adore this song. It's simply a well crafted, infectious pop song that is sweet but doesn't take itself all that seriously and in that lies the key to why this is song is so great. On it's own merit as a song it's just fun but the phenom that surrounds it is what put it on my list, especially as high as it is.
Carly Rae Jepsen is the butt of the joke throughout the entire music video (which has a twist ending that M. Night Shyamalan wishes he was creative enough to write) and if it were not so campy then "Call Me Maybe" would have gone sour. If the video were 100% seriously then people would have just been making fun of it or getting annoyed by it (which still did happen but it would have been in greatest mass). Because she was making fun of herself that meant that people were joining in the fun by creating parodies, posting memes, and just having an all around ridiculously good time singing it with their friends in the car and beyond. It became this enormous piece of pop culture in all of it's cheesy glory that just made people happy whether through the song itself or the millions of jokes that followed.
Every time I thought that maybe the song's impact had worn off I'd get linked to or stumble upon something that made it awesome again. Here are just some examples....

The United States Military parodying a video done by the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders...


And my personal favorite...



That last video is a beautiful example of my whole point. Groups of women, groups of guys it doesn't matter. They all were singing along, smiling, and having an amazing time. Just pure joy. ​

You bumped off Meg Myers for this???? O.K., I'm not going to roast you too bad but I will say this. Yes, this is a fun, infectious, earworm pop ditty that does it's job but so was Rebecca Black with "Friday" and one is not anymore well crafted than the other and I dare say Friday is still way more fun. Why am I comparing the two? Well one is treated as a joke and the other is on every hipster magazines year end list as the "I oh so ironically love this next to my so serious Tame Impala, Frank Ocean and Jack White albums. Anyway, I'm referring to them and I don't hate the song. I just don't get how this is randomly liked out of all the bubblegum out there. Credibility in the pop world is like "Spin The Wheel" today.

Taboo's #35
(ambient/post-rock)

Hammock - Cold Front

(Album: Departure Songs)




Cold Front - I LOVE ethereal and atmospheric music and this song right here is just extraordinary, calming and soothing. Hammocks music is sad yet it always inspires hope inside of me somehow. It's strange how powerful sounds can be. This song is so sublime, melancholy, and hopeful at the same time. Just can't get enough of it. If you're into similar ambient/post-rock bands like Sigur Ros, Ólafur Arnalds & God Is an Astronaut than I really think you will love this.
​

This one was o.k. but I have a hard time commenting on it. It was one big blanket of sound with no dynamics. I picture it being on more of a yoga relaxation album than Sigur Ros but that's just me. I think it actually has score elements to it though like what M83 were doing for the Oblivion movie. I like it fine and it could fit into my listening but I heard better songs of this type earlier in your list where I could pick out a lot more nuances and liked better personally.

 

[Soot and Stars]

So glad to see Fun here Is that Nate Ruess the lead singer now? Love his voice. You are so right Soot - once you hear their songs you sing along when you hear them again.

Yes it is Sunny! I'm so bad at remembering band members even in bands I like. It's so much easier to listen to solo artist. You never forget the singers name!

 

[Sunny]

I remembered because of a recent conversation with a friend who really rates his voice

 

[Soot and Stars]

I remembered because of a recent conversation with a friend who really rates his voice

Yeah, it's an interesting debate on all those who trash autotune and say it's for those who lack talent. This band has a great vocalist and just uses it for effect. Autotune is not the devil.

 

[Taboo]

Cosmic's #35
Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen






Yep, this is actually happening. For real. I can say without shame that I genuinely adore this song. It's simply a well crafted, infectious pop song that is sweet but doesn't take itself all that seriously and in that lies the key to why this is song is so great. On it's own merit as a song it's just fun but the phenom that surrounds it is what put it on my list, especially as high as it is.
Carly Rae Jepsen is the butt of the joke throughout the entire music video (which has a twist ending that M. Night Shyamalan wishes he was creative enough to write) and if it were not so campy then "Call Me Maybe" would have gone sour. If the video were 100% seriously then people would have just been making fun of it or getting annoyed by it (which still did happen but it would have been in greatest mass). Because she was making fun of herself that meant that people were joining in the fun by creating parodies, posting memes, and just having an all around ridiculously good time singing it with their friends in the car and beyond. It became this enormous piece of pop culture in all of it's cheesy glory that just made people happy whether through the song itself or the millions of jokes that followed.
Every time I thought that maybe the song's impact had worn off I'd get linked to or stumble upon something that made it awesome again. Here are just some examples....

The United States Military parodying a video done by the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders...


And my personal favorite...



That last video is a beautiful example of my whole point. Groups of women, groups of guys it doesn't matter. They all were singing along, smiling, and having an amazing time. Just pure joy. ​

I think that this is one of those songs that you will either really hate or love. Well like this song . It's is a brilliantly catchy pop song. The first time I heard it on the radio I was instantly hooked. The best part of this song is the chorus, which effortlessly cements itself in your head thanks to what appears to be some genius. Oh and Cosmic I love that video too, I remember the first time I saw it... Just awesome . This song is just fun and infectious with a great sound and beat. Love it!

Soot and Stars #35

Carry On

From The Album
Some Nights

Runner Up
Some Nights


Fun. is likely another group that peaked ears at first, got thrown at us as one of the few surface dwellers for rock in the loosest terms, shoved down our throats and forgotten that they actually crafted some great tracks. Some of their better qualities were evident on their first album but IMO the debut was a mess. This album is full of harmonies, spirited pop anthems and accurately a sense of fun throughout. To me this comes from a recent movement to be influenced by Freddie Mercury that has been started within the last 5 years or so by artist like Mika. Not just everyone can do it though as you have to have pipes which both Mika and the lead vocalist of Fun. has. I have to say the torch may also be passed as this album by Fun. blows away the much more disappointing effort by Mika here who has no placement whatsoever on my list. The one bad trait that Fun. has is you go by technical preferences rather than aesthetic is the unnecessary moments of autotune. On one hand the singer doesn't really need it but I think it's used for effect so I can let it go. It sounds fine to me. Anyway I picked Carry On as Some Nights really wore on me after the constant exposure to it. I liked the more understated "Carry On" from the first listen of the album and it stuck with me. It still has some of the qualities of "Some Nights" which are great qualities but when the dust settles I can still hum along to this one without the radioactive effects of radio's tampering with a good thing. I don't blame the group for that and it's still a brilliant pop "somewhat" rock album. ​

I really liked the intro, but I'm not too keen on the vocals. Oh and let me say that I didn't know who this band was until I heard the guy singing, which reminded me that it's the same dude that sings that "toooniiiight, we are young" song, which I genuinely hate! LOL.. As the song goes on there's a nice small solo section which I didn't see coming. But other than that there's just not enough stuff I find interesting in the song, just not for me.

 

[Taboo]

Taboo's #34
(alternative/pop/vocal jazz)

Fiona Apple - Werewolf

(Album: The Idler Wheel...)

"Werewolf" you start to chastise a former lover, but quickly take responsibility instead: "I could liken you to a werewolf the way you left me for dead/ But I admit that I provided a full moon." set to a chiming piano. Lyrically this song is brilliant and fun! This is one of the more melodic ones on the album. Werewolf is minimalistic, with a stripped down approach which makes it feel even more personal. It's gorgeous and bizarre and sensual and violent all at the same time
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