A new year’s come round, which means it’s yet again time for HP’s musical round-up of 2008, with the 10 most influential songs of the year on HP’s physical, mental wellbeing and overall mood. The following songs aren’t necessarily released in 2008, just discovered by HP in 08.
Saves me the trouble of cocking up a huge long soppy post about the emotional pain and tribulations of the past year, but yet at the same time satisfies all those visitors who insist on some sort of ritual yearly summary from every blog they visit, come New Year.
Hold tight, people, and prepare to see mainstream music kicked out of the way, shot in the head and then kindly persuaded to take a hike. For we is about to embark on a head-trip spanning extremely exciting genres, from glam rock to Jap rock, and from dream pop to symphonic metal, me homies. To borrow a line from Tropic Thunder: “No worries, chillness and calmness! But hold your *Impolite male anatomical bit. Rhymes with sock*.” Here we go, and remember to keep an open mind, for my taste in music is always the best, in the end. Persevere, my supplicants, and you will be rewarded. Go through the list THOROUGHLY AND SLOWLY and click on all the video links.
Numero Ten
Sigur Ros – Svefn g Englar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWR-jJ3v1pk
Once in a while, we all need music to soothe, and this Icelandic post-rock, dream pop band delivers an incredibly unique and unforgettably haunting sound. I mean, who else plays an electric guitar with a cello bow? You can really fall asleep to this stuff, after you get used to the electric guitar strains. This be number 10, for reminding me of happier times when life all but consisted of Orientation and its associated slackness.
Numero Nine
The Shins – New Slang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYwCmcB0XMw
From the cult classic (to me, at least) movie Garden State, this song features in the following conversation between the two main characters, dude “A” named Andrew Largeman, and Gal “B”, named Sam, in a psychiatrist’s waiting room:
Andrew: What’re you listening to?
Sam: The Shins, you know em’? Well you gotta listen to this one song, it’ll change your life, I swear.
And that, apart from it being in one of the best shows I’ve ever come across, (Go watch, like now. Ask me for the DVD) is an excellent reason to listen to it.
It, like most of the other songs on this list, is amazingly cathartic, and has to do with some sort of lovesick reminiscence or another. As you go down the list, you’ll find yourself beginning to seriously doubt that, but trust me, they do. This be number 9, for the same reason as 10, and was recommended to me by Grace, me fellow BB02 T’starduster.
Numero Eight
Lil Wayne feat. Kanye West – Lollipop (Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPGMdBExHqU
Come on, everybody, from the staunchest hardcore metalhead to the most naive prude with classical music all on the brain, has a secret fondness for the occasional bit of good hip-hop. And Lil Wayne with the vocoder-ed voice has the goodies. This be number 8, for being the most bass-heavy, uncouth, but uncontrollably snappiest goodies ever. So wrap it up, for he so sweet, that she wanna lick the (w)rapper.
Numero Seven
Nightwish – Nemo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUTTA2X74N4
This song doesn’t just stand out, it bloody blasts its way through, assails the mind and drowns you in absolute epic-ness. Music doesn’t get any more overwhelming than this, when you get goosebumps when you listen to the music video. Roaring guitars and a resounding keyboard riff are backed by the operatically-trained vocals of female lead Tarja Turunen. And they sound awesome live as well. This be number 7, for rewarding my first ever foray into symphonic metal.
Numero Sixo
Chris Brown – Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2IExa2A198
This has got to be the catchiest song of the year, and has resulted in Han and I going “For eh eh eh ver” at each other on MSN, while smsing, and even in ingame dota chats, for months on end. And it doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon. Just how can you man, when we’ve only got one night. This be number 6, for being able to get me out of any unhappy mood, and get your feet tapping, no matter how shitted you may be feeling. Here’s your chance, take my hand and come wimme.
Numero Five
Takashi Sorimachi – Poison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7v3wgPvcTo&feature=related
Somehow, every year, one jap song makes its way onto list. And there seems to be a pattern to this too. They always seem to come from incredibly good J-dramas. There’s 07’s pick, “Konayuki” from 1 Litre of Tears, which although I never got to finish, was ohsovery touching. So this year, we have the theme song from Great Teacher Onizuka, sung by the actual GTO character himself. The dude with a multitude of bewildered and mischievous expressions, who somehow manages to be the most irritating person around, wherever, whenever. This be number 5, for coming from a series which again inspired much, most importantly the great importance of no-humji-ness, a valuable trait which everyone should have. Really manz.
Numero Four
Guns and Roses – November Rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLoQteiJNOU
The absolute saddest song ever. No contest. An absolute tear-jerker, in the right situations, this. Cause nothing lasts forever, and we both know hearts can change. And it’s hard to hold a candle, in the cold November rain. This isn’t a song you listen to when you’re feeling down. Trust me, not nice. It’s a song for when you’re tired, and perhaps extremely confused as to why people are doing certain things. This be number 4, for providing an extremely entertaining afternoon during Moose’s chalet last year, where Leo and I lazed on the bed, and generally irritated the hell out of the everyone else in the room by blasting it on our handphones and singing along very badly. And also for tiding me over an annoying period in June.
Numero Three
The Kooks – Always Where I Need To Be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_qHyGD9zo
Do whatever comes naturally to you, you know she just don’t care. This be number 6, for providing incredibly useful advice, which I’ve had relish in dispensing to various peeps with probs. Other than that, the Kooks do wonderfully trippy stuff, and the Brit lilt is addictive.
Numero Two
The Darkness – Holding My Own
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVobTMXV_sM
Discovered this quite late, sometime in October I think. Heard it on Peng Seng’s laptop one afternoon, and realised OMG it’s damn imba, so got him to transfer it over to my phone. Then proceeded to loop it for weeks, for it’s fun attempting to sing along to it. Justin Hawkins and his infallible falsetto are just too groovy. Another sad-ish song, but very inspirational indeedy. Cos I’m holding my own, no matter what I put myself through. Couldn’t find a full music video, so you’ll have to make do with this shortened version. Feel free to ask me to send you, to your own benefit.
NUMERO UNO
And my favourite song of the year:
GROWING ON ME, by THE DARKNESS
(MUST WATCH!!! IF YOU DON’T WATCH ANY OF THE VIDS, AT LEAST WATCH THIS)
Another gem by the absolute kings of glam rock, who unsurprisingly end up on the top of HP’s list for the second year running. It’s unbelievably feel-good stuff, with all the hallmarks of a great Darkness track – the killer falsetto, a crazily hilarious music video, rip-roaring guitar solos, and a wunnerful love song to boot. And that’s what makes it possible to endlessly loop this song for the entire journey whenever I’m taking the bus or train. In the midst of getting high, it still gets you all reminisce-ey. And I can now play rhythm guitar for the entire song, so whoever wants to jam it, oh by golly, you’re welcome! Leo, Moose and Seng, that means you all.
So peeps, get yourselves lost in this song, for you’re reeeelly growing on meeheeee!! Have a very glammy new year.
0 comments:
Post a Comment