Sooty's 2011 Year In Review Countdownmania

[Soot and Stars]

I am talking about a song match. As far as I know you've only heard one song from Felix so you know exactly which one I'm talking about.

Yes bnut I'm not sure about having more than that one as a song match!

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Well then I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Tray73]

First class work on this thread Sooty I've sat down with a cuppa and had a catch up with your thread this afternoon. Being honest with you, there's a few artists that aren't my cup of tea at all (Lil Wayne and Eminem spring to mind first but I bet you'd have probably guessed that!) and some I've heard before and think are so-so... but you've posted plenty I think are great! Also, as is usually the case thanks to your rather brilliant ecclectic musical taste, you've sparked my interest big style in a couple of bands I'd never heard of before - I absolutely must check out The Civil Wars work as their cover of The Pumpkins' Disarm is beautiful and Eisley's Ambulance appeals to me on every level, from the piano and strings backing to the vocalist's style, and what a gorgeous, moving song

And thanks for the giggle - those so bad they're good vids, especially the So Cold In The D one. Think I need the brain bleach now

 

[Soot and Stars]

First class work on this thread Sooty I've sat down with a cuppa and had a catch up with your thread this afternoon. Being honest with you, there's a few artists that aren't my cup of tea at all (Lil Wayne and Eminem spring to mind first but I bet you'd have probably guessed that!) and some I've heard before and think are so-so... but you've posted plenty I think are great! Also, as is usually the case thanks to your rather brilliant ecclectic musical taste, you've sparked my interest big style in a couple of bands I'd never heard of before - I absolutely must check out The Civil Wars work as their cover of The Pumpkins' Disarm is beautiful and Eisley's Ambulance appeals to me on every level, from the piano and strings backing to the vocalist's style, and what a gorgeous, moving song

And thanks for the giggle - those so bad they're good vids, especially the So Cold In The D one. Think I need the brain bleach now

Tray, first thank you for checking the countdown and trust me it just gets increasingly better as most countdowns do! I think you will LOVE The Civil Wars and they will have a special place in my countdown! If you like Eisley I think you'll like there earlier stuff even better. It has a very ethereal almost Celtic quality to it. Both have threads here and The Civil Wars has quite the modest fan base here! Seriously though I appreciate the time you put in and I'm glad you got something out of it!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Goin' Through Changes: List Update

Since starting this list I've made a major sweep at picking up loose ends and blind spots and what I've found has made such an impact on me that I would've either stopped the presses on this list or accounted for them and expanded it. It's eccentric as hell but hey, that's me. One album that skyrocketed into my favorites was one that I thought had potential but NEVER expected to like it as much as I did. It didn't even make the top ten albums I hadn't picked up in 2011. These additions account for that and three albums that were on the list and one more wild card. Only one album will affect the uppermost part of the list but the other ones will fit in without slighting the list. They are hard hitters for sure.

One more note, I rectified a song that's grown on me a lot since first debuting it on the list. That would be Mr. Charles Bradley whose soul train moved him up from #57 to #44 while Moby's sweet instrumental moved to the "South' side of the list as a consequence. Sorry Moby!

 

[Soot and Stars]

#41
Staind-Paper Wings

Your pathetic your ****ing weak
And I'm sick of it all
Social anesthetic of people you bleed
And I'm sick of it all
Your unapologetic even though you shouldn't be
And I'm sick of it all
You just don't get it and you never did
And I'm sick of it all

Falling faster to the end
Sick of it all

The weight of your sorrow
Make some paper wings and learn to fly
If there's no tomorrow
Burn your paper wings and say goodbye

You cut me so ****ing deep
And I'm sick of it all
You ****ing drained me and I can't breathe
And I'm sick of it all
I break down on my knees
And I'm sick of it all
Your so unreal how just don't get it

And I'm sick of it all

Falling faster to the end
Sick of it all

The weight of your sorrow
Make some paper wings and learn to fly
If there's no tomorrow
Burn your paper wings and say goodbye

I can't go on like this
Not even one more day
I can't go on like this
I can't go on

I can't go on like this
Not even one more day
I can't go on like this
I can't go on

The weight of your sorrow
Make some paper wings and learn to fly
If there's no tomorrow
Burn your paper wings and say goodbye
Burn your paper wings and say goodbye


This is a late edition, but just in time to fit in the list as I'm still making it. Staind at one point was a can't miss band but after a while they became stale to me. Aaron Lewis is the godfather of the melodic, hard rock genre staying as hard as you can get for still getting mainstream radio rock play but talk about riding a formula. Looks like Staind realized it and they kicked out the heaviest material since "Disfunction". Maybe even heavier. I like it better than that album because they really kick it up to the right notch here but they are better songwriters now so it works better. This song just has the **** the world feel that energizes you like only song songs can. Their is still a sense of melody here and breaks in the right place so it's not just heavy for heavy's sake. I possibly haven't heard a song so heavily charged at this quality since The Used "Maybe Memories"!

Bonus Countdown: Top 5 So Bad They're Good Songs of 2011

#1
Rebecca Black-Friday



I don't think this will surprise many. This had to get #1 as a sentimental favorite and possibly the most fun I've ever had with an Internet Meme sensation with the exception of possibly ICP's "Miracles". Finally we have the equivalent of the cheesy guilty pleasure film. The one that all your friends have to watch and if they "get" why then you are BFF's forever as you giggle ironically. When I saw this, it was on someone's facebook page and they were playing a slowed down version that made the song sound artsy. Little did I know that would be one of hundreds of variations of Mrs. Blacks masterpiece as she was sped up, covered by Bob Dylan and Meatloaf, cut up and flipped in every direction possible. I then took it upon myself to figure out what the buzz was here and looked up the original. That's the day I fell in love with Mrs. Black and tried to spread the word.

From the second Mrs. Black rose from her bed to her alarm in her Disney Channel motifed bedroom I fell in love with that autotuned robotic ball of spunk. First of all, I envied her. Friday or not I've never arisen that fresh, wide eyed and energetic from my sleep. Never!!!! Especially as early as 7 AM. But Rebecca had a great day planned for her as you'll find out.

First of all, Rebecca loves routine. As you can tell, she is so obsessed with her routine it has to become part of her story. "Gotta have my bowl! Gotta have cereal" Plus, Rebecca is obsessed with a tight schedule as she hears every ticking second of the clock. I guess this becomes engrained when you have to make it to the busstop every day on time.

The thing is, either in a bout of rebellion or double life, or just a "rare" conflict with story logic Rebecca doesn't take the bus. Instead, as she says with the most awkwardly "Oh yeah" face I've ever seen "she sees her fraaaaaaaaands"! This kicks in the OCD again as the famous dilemma arrives. "Which seat should she take?" After all who's cooler? The one's kicking in the back seat or the one's kicking it in the front seat? Hmmmm, well I don't know.....I'd say the front seat because they are actually DRIVING at such a young age!!! Where this detour from the bus is leading I don't know but I'd guess a dark path.

Rebecca confirms this as she spends more time getting excited about later in the weekend to partying than the Friday she's experiencing. I mean isn't the point of naming your song Friday and saying it over and over again to I don't know....celebrate Friday. Well noooooo, because you aren't drunk, passed out and having underage sex yet so **** Friday. I guess 'getting shitfaced on Saturday doesn't have the same ring to it or family market value to it.

So anyway, fun fun fun, Rebecca chants like a robot stuck in a loop until the director gives her a swift smack like any bad machinery and then's "She's got this!!!" Actually everyone's got "it". Her, her friends at the left, right, back, front, middle, Hell even your Grandma may have it. Apparently "it" spreads. Whatever "it" is may be severe OCD as even though she's been riding from 7AM to ****ing night (who the Hell are her parents ) she still keeps switching seats at a moments notice and can't make up her ****ing mind.

Next Rebecca reminds us that Thursday came before and that if you forget that makes today "Friiiiday!" Next comes Saturday (getting wasted) followed by Sunday (going to confession about being wasted). Next comes a brotha because of the fear the Mrs. Black may be too much saturated white for America to handle. That was a nice ten seconds. Too bad Rebecca and her friends were too scared to ride wiiiith you. The rest of the song is the familiar chorus as Rebecca is too blitzed by that point to remember the rest of the song. Soon to be passing out in the field murmuring "I need an adult! Mooooom" the song ends and created an unexpected phenom.

Listen, I know the humors old but at the time it was great fun. It became a huge thread here in which I shared a common humor with friends and even won over the critics and got them to lighten up. I would scream out or post "It's Friiiiiday" for the longest time and talk about which seat I would take or my bowl of cereal. One of my favorite forum moments believe it or not. One of the most fun times. Plus, I bought the song off I-tunes. No lie! Honestly, it has merit IMO. It was catchy as Hell and through further exploration Rebecca could hold her own singing so throwing her a bone and maybe giving her a chance at the limelight was fine in my book. She definitely gave me something worthwhile. A reason to smile, laugh and not be so serious for a period. ​

 

[Tray73]

Tray, first thank you for checking the countdown and trust me it just gets increasingly better as most countdowns do! I think you will LOVE The Civil Wars and they will have a special place in my countdown! If you like Eisley I think you'll like there earlier stuff even better. It has a very ethereal almost Celtic quality to it. Both have threads here and The Civil Wars has quite the modest fan base here! Seriously though I appreciate the time you put in and I'm glad you got something out of it!

No probs, it was interesting going through your thread and I always find your thoughts on songs refreshing as you are so open and put your thoughts into words so well It's going to be cool seeing what comes next on each update of your countdown!

I suspected there would be threads for The Civil Wars and Eisley here so I will go and have a look and listen now

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Well Sooty babe I've been away from a little while but I swear I'll fulfill my groupie duties this weekend and catch up on your thread.

Still waiting on a Coldplay mention and of course your thread wouldn't have been the same without the Rebecca Black mention. I was reading a list of the top 20 worst videos of 2011 and there were like 6 on there you went gaga for. Gotta love your cheesiness.

 

[Prime]

#55
Alesana-A Gilded Masquerade



As the water drips from the sky,
I start to wonder if I’m still alive
Then I have to find the answer.
Could it be that it was a dream,
And I’m still beside her?
Right before my eyes
as such, a big surprise
The water stops.

Wickedness will rain,
And drown us in her sorrow.
(Sorrow and her thirst)
If I hope to survive,
I must think faster.
I’m losing ground.
(I’m losing ground)

Bridge:
Should I pull back her veil?
You had the best of me.
(The best of me)
All that glitters is not gold.

Chorus:
I may be wrong but your brilliance is my darkness.
You had me convinced.
(You had me convinced)
That together we could fly.
Until I started scratching at the surface.
(And I saw beyond your masquerade!!)
Your body is an illness.

Temples crashing down all around me
Panic
(Heading towards her strings)
The golden city falls,
And with it our lives go up in flames
(Go up in flames)


Should I pull back her veil?
You had the best of me.
(now taste the worst)
All that glitters is not gold.


I may be wrong but your brilliance is my darkness.
You had me convinced.
(You had me convinced)
That together we could fly.
Until I started scratching at the surface.
(And I saw beyond your masquerade!)
Your body is an illness.

All shall be made clear.
We've been watching you, wanderer.
My blood runs cold.
There's no need to run farther.
I fear I know the truth.

I tear back the cowl! And stare into my own eyes!
(Come into our arms, brother.)
Now we can be one forever.

Who are you, who are you, who are you?
Yeah!
Hey! x8
Hey! x8

I pull back the veil.
You had the best of me.
(now taste the worst)
All that glitters is not gold.

Chorus:
I may be wrong but your brilliance is my darkness.
You had me convinced.
(You had me convinced)
That together we could fly.
Until I started scratching at the surface.
(And I saw beyond your masquerade!)
Your body is an illness.

I may never be the same again.
(I may never be the same again..)


This will be my only song on my countdown with death growls on it. I loved the ballads on Alesanas prior release but didn't like the abundance of screaming. I previewed this song in particular and got a good recommendation from member Prime that the album was more my style. He was write. The music became more epic and majestic and the screams while still there were melded into the music better. The main singer actually has a decent voice and the female touches are nice as well. When it speeds up the music reminds me of a group I really got into, Monty Are I. The screams are kind of cool hear as they are more musical and this is a cool pop song. I love the shouting and evil carnival music at the last third of the song!
​

Good to see that you enjoyed the album as much as I assumed you would. I agree entirely with what you said. You hear a lot more from the clean vocals and how good of a voice he really does have as opposed to the other albums prior. You hear some of his vocals in The Emptiness, but not as much.​

 

[Soot and Stars]

Well Sooty babe I've been away from a little while but I swear I'll fulfill my groupie duties this weekend and catch up on your thread.

Still waiting on a Coldplay mention and of course your thread wouldn't have been the same without the Rebecca Black mention. I was reading a list of the top 20 worst videos of 2011 and there were like 6 on there you went gaga for. Gotta love your cheesiness.

Good to see that you enjoyed the album as much as I assumed you would. I agree entirely with what you said. You hear a lot more from the clean vocals and how good of a voice he really does have as opposed to the other albums prior. You hear some of his vocals in The Emptiness, but not as much.

Jen, are they ones on my list or just ones you know I like! And Coldplay will come!

Prime, I knew you'd appreciate that one!