(t5!) My Year In Lists 2007: Singles!

#30: Björk – Earth Intruders

“Earth Intruders” is Björk, as produced by Timbaland! Timbaland! The man who brought sexy back with Justin and got promiscuous with Nelly Furtado all the way to the top of the charts of last year. And he has an opportunity to fuck around with Björk’s elfin wonder?! If the idea of that doesn’t excite you, then you don’t know what excitement is! “Earth Intruders” does deliver as promised, creating the most dance-driven single in her discography since “Hyperballad”. It sounds like “Maneater” Björkified, borrowing its zestful tribal drums and adding some soaring ghost synths, tinkling tones, and Bjork’s trademark yelping, going on about TURMOIL! and CARNAGE! or something.
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#29: Electrelane – To The East

It begins awkwardly with a plodding amalgam of a two-note bassline, kick drums, and hi-hats, sounding like the boring cousin of Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies)”. Eventually layers of instruments discreetly enliven the track. First, the wistful organs fills the gaps. Then, the lead guitarist plays the same eight notes over and over again until it’s imprinted in your brain. Singer Verity Susman introduces herself with an off-key falsetto, extending “you” into four syllables. Then the quartet intensify altogether: the drums are playing in double-time, the bass gets louder, the guitars are thrashing appropriately, and Susman marvelously bellows repetitions of “it could be home”. Next thing you know, you don’t want it to end.
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#28: Arcade Fire – No Cars Go

If you were at all impressed by Arcade Fire’s 2004 magnum opus, Funeral, chances are that you’ve taken the initiative to seek other Arcade Fire releases to scratch your itch for new material. Chances are, if you were driven in your quest, that you discovered “No Cars Go”, first released pre-hype as a track in their 2003 EP. Fast forward to 2007, the Montreal collective has successfully revamped it to be part of their new album, Neon Bible, emulating how it sounds when it’s performed during their remarkable live performances. “No Cars Go” is a persevering ship that, ironically, will go wherever it wants to, Every guitar, drums, violin, horn, accordion, and anthemic vocals are giving it their all, resulting in an orchestral victory.

#27: Lloyd – Get It Shawty

It’s extremely challenging to stay unique in today’s R&B scene: Ne-Yo has to constantly remind everyone that he writes his own songs, T-Pain replaced his larynx with an auto-tuning mechanism, Akon has to sound like a lonesome chipmunk. Yes, Lloyd could have been Mario or Omarion or Chris Brown or pretty much anyone for “Get It Shawty” to work, but how is that proof that it doesn’t? It’s a shimmering electro-pop number, getting the most out of 808 handclaps, synth harps, and Lloyd’s ordinary vocals. Its production is enjoyably sparse, following R&B’s fascination with space during the last few months of 2006 and first few of this year. It’s both chilling and sweet, like the aural equivalent of a sip of slurpee on a hot day.

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#26: Christophe Willem – Double Je

Two things people from France do very well: creating marvelous dance music and speaking French. The former skill serves Willem well. I’m sure even the giftshop girl from the Louvre can create an electrifying 4/4 house beat given the right tools. The perpetual synths make it easy for Christophe Willem’s effeminate falsetto to glide across. Willem, apparently, was the winner of the fourth edition of the French’s American Idol. He’s extremely lucky that he has the French as his music makers otherwise, he would’ve turned into the French Clay Aiken. Unfortunately, the latter skill makes it difficult for me to analyze the lyrics, which is further verification of music’s ability to break down communication barriers.
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#25: Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning

If you’re waiting for a No Doubt reunion anytime soon, don’t hold your breath. It could be possible but because of Gwen Stefani’s overwhelming solo success, she’d be crazy to share the spotlight with them now. Even so, tracks like “What You Waiting For?” and “Hollaback Girl” are far and beyond more superior than anything produced by the O.C. group anyway. But, if you still want your No Doubt fix satiated, “4 in the Morning”, co-written by Gwen and ex-No Doubt guitarist Tony Kanal, is the closest thing you’re getting to one for now. Its glimmering appregiated synths and 80’s new wave mid-tempo are an attractive backing for Gwen’s emotive melody. No Doubt or not, it’s the most poignant work the two has ever written.

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#24: The Dears – You And I Are A Gang Of Losers

Through this soul-tugging anthem of hermit love, The Dears has spruced up their orchestral pop noir style into a more obvious rock song. Gone are the swooning cinematic arrangements and the unusual chord patterns of the former records, “You And I are a Gang of Losers” achieve success through inescapable melodies and shout-along choruses. However, like the past tracks, this song mostly exists as a vehicle for Murray Lightburn marvelous howl as he attempts to follow Morrissey’s reign as the spokesman for the expelled. While the band lifts itself into a glorious outro, Lightburn, both warm and melodramatic as a frontman, rises above it, proclaiming his love for his loser soulmate.
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#23: The National – Mistaken For Strangers

It starts off with those thick guitars, a one-chord metallic clunk menacingly filling the room you’re currently in. It’s virtually discordant, barely in tune with the bassline as if the guitarist responsible doesn’t actually know how to play his instrument. Eventually it’s joined by ominous drum breaks and then by Matt Berninger’s grim baritone exploring the world of a “showered and blue-blazered” sycophant forsaken by his friends. Those peculiar thick guitars later on treads in to become part of a gorgeously layered track. It grows into an almost indistinct sound amongst the other instruments yet I couldn’t imagine what the song would sound like without it. It fits in by being different, arriving at perfection, by being imperfect.
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#22: José González – Down The Line

Sweden’s José González has gained popularity mostly by singing songs others have written, such as his acoustic recontextualization of The Knife’s “Heartbeats” and Kylie Minogue’s “Hand On Your Heart”. But, “Down The Line” can attest that he’s worthy of the latter portion of his singer/songwriter tag. There’s something spellbinding about González’s brand of minimalist folk. Here, he abuses his acoustic guitar, rigorously strumming it like he loathes his own fingers. Along with his pessimistic crooning against an anonymous subject and subtle lo-fi additions like hand percussions and guitar string buzz, he creates a weightless ambience that is a delight to float around in.
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#21: UGK f. Outkast – Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)

It’s difficult to tell who the greatest player is in this anthem. Is it Andre 3000 arhythmically jabbering lines like “I’m so like a Pip, I’m glad it’s night/So the light from the sun would not burn me on my bum” over silky brass and soul crooning on the drumless intro? Is it Pimp C rapping in CAPSLOCK as usual when the razor-sharp beat finally kicks in? Is it Bun B’s stacatto verse over firecracker handclaps? Is it Big Boi demonstrating his precision when every track cuts out except for the savory bassline and the drums? Or is it Three 6’s ability to surround each player with the right environment to showcase their best in? Whoever the keynote speaker is in this player’s convention, we all benefit from the variety of talent displayed.
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#20: Unklejam – What Am I Fighting For?

“What Am I Fighting For?”, whatever the title might suggest, is not a song of protest against the war. It is, however, an incredibly resilient and undeniably addictive track about the empty feeling you get when you love too much. It is a lively number with tenacious muffled bass, rollicking electro-funk synths, and emotive vocals. It’s a gem that crosses early 80’s disco with late 70’s glam rock and early 90’s soul. If this was introduced to me without any information, I would think that this is a long lost dance hit. Or, at least, if Cee-Lo hooked up with Mylo instead of Danger Mouse and cover The Human League, this is how he would sound like.
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#19: Amerie – Gotta Work

The fusion of raucous horns—somewhat resembling Sam & Dave’s “Hold On I’m Coming”—and organic drumming makes this sound urgent as if there’s a massive parade about to usher Amerie in. Then, Amerie works hard for it, singing every note like it’s the last song she’s ever going to sing. It’s distinguishible that “Gotta Work” is “1 More Thing” and, frankly, I’m ok with that. 2003’s “1 Thing” was one of the greatest singles of the new millenium and borrowing from its formula of success can only do any song good. What I’m not ok with is Amerie is consistently being treated like a teir 2 Beyoncé. “Gotta Work” is proof that Amerie is worthy of her own superstardom.
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#18: Timbaland f. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. – The Way I Are

The way I am, Timbaland! “Are” is the second person singular present or the plural present form of the verb “be”. But, since, you’re using first person “I”, you clearly have to use “am”. This is grammar you should’ve learned in grade school, Timbo! But, it’s alright. Who knew that rehashing “Push It” with the same trancy synths you used in “My Love” and the same tickling woodblock you used in “Sexyback”—a relatively paint-by-number production—can be extremely endearing? And this is with Keri Hilson, not nearly the same level of popularity of a JT or a Nelly Furtado, reassuring us that poor boys need lovin’ too. Even if you don’t have a firm grasp on your verb conjugation, you do have this production thing down to a science.
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#17: Battles – Atlas

“Atlas” is, in a word, unstoppable. You have no choice but to surrender to Battles’ onslaught until they decide to let up after seven minutes. Its aggression is menacing. They won’t even give you a moment to decide whether it’s compulsory to dance or rock out to this. So, you are stuck doing this jumping, foot-stomping, ass-shaking, head-banging hybrid. If you want to blame somebody, John Stainer’s syncopated drumming is who’s mostly responsible for this math-rock blitz. Sure, there are accomplices—Tyondai Braxton’s synthesized falsetto is wildly kinetic, so are the herculean guitars and synth chunks—but Stainer piledrives you with this beat, leaving you into a twitching, exhausted, overly joyous mess.
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#16: DJ Khaled f. Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman & Lil Wayne – We Takin’ Over

Ok, DJ Khaled had nothing to do with this banger. I guess, kudos to his address book for being filled with today’s most notable MC’s. With that out of the way, let’s give praise to the stars that do deserve it: Timbaland’s protégé Danja Handz doles out this arrangement of whirling synth buzz, apocalyptic choral organs, and lively drums that does a lot more than serve as a metronome for this posse cut; Akon, whose voice has a reputation for being grate, incurred the track’s swagger and sounds marvelous for once; T.I., who is stuck namechecking the regions they’re planning to take over, is excellent by simply getting by on his charm; and Lil’ Wayne, who’s got more “jewels than your jeweler”, doesn’t hold back as usual.
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#15: M.I.A. – Boyz

Can a song be both tremendously messy and sonically tight at the same time? “Boyz” can. All the thumping bass, synth fanfares, crowd applause, tambourine shakes, and Maya’s “nananananannannana”’s absolutely line up to form an irresistible rhythm so dense and ferocious that it can stop traffic on interstate highways. British immigrant M.I.A. has admitted on an interview that she recorded the frenzied track in India and the nursery rhyme vocals in Trinidad, which doesn’t really surprise. With “Boyz” having traces of grime, bhangra, and soca, Ms. Arulpragasam obviously borrows from the parties on the places she has temporarily resided in.
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#14: The Little Ones – Lovers Who Uncover

Every single element in “Lovers Who Uncover” is in perfect cosmic alignment to construct an enamoring piece of music heaven. The guitar hook is both winsome and dizzying like the teacup ride in Disneyland. The propulsive bass is an ideal foil to the guitars, counteracting but never disruptive. Ed Reyes, knowing what the proper action is when given a guitar combination like this, sings a summery melody to match. And a woodblock solo! If there’s any justice in the world, it would replace the cowbells as the next percussive phenomenon. It sounds like a day in a beach with your closest friends. This is how guitar indie pop should always sound like.
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#13: Feist – 1234

Oh, Feist, you one-syllable siren. At first, I thought you only wanted to declare a thumb war. But, alas, you proceeded to break my heart. I would’ve been fine with it, but it’s the way you’re doing it that’s killing me. Not only are you seductive, saccharine, beguiling like your usual self; but you also invited your whole entourage along—a folk orchestra consisting of acoustic guitarists, banjo players, pianists, trumpeteers, and a handclapping choir of “ohhh”’s. Every single one of you gradually becoming more jubilant as you continue to sever what we have. And you said it’s my fault?! That my heart have somehow changed from when we were teenagers?! Forget you then! Go sell some more iPod Nano’s, you Canadian harlot!
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#12: Mims – This Is Why I’m Hot

Back in March, when "This Is Why I’m Hot” was on the zenith of Billboard America, I mentioned that I wasn’t exactly enamored by Mims' lyrical ability, especially the arrogance of the line “I could sell a mil’ sayin’ nothin’ on a track”. Thinking about it now, however, maybe Mims is onto something, maybe this is actually an astute observation. With an astonishing beat like this—a collection of ghostly synths and snap percussions and space wherever it’s needed—he doesn’t need to say anything more than the necessary dosage. The backing track is tremendously glacial that it doesn't help but further contribute to Mims’ hotness. And by the Reflexive Property of Equality, it probably did wonders to his flyness as well.
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#11: LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great

James Murphy is a cowbell enthusiast, a howling disco-punk missionary, a pied piper for party goers. As a lyricist though, he was more concerned with either holding a mirror up to young hotshot obscurantists or letting the world know who has played at his house. Most LCD Soundsystem lyrics are heavily drenched in tongue-in-cheek humor, but in “Someone Great”, a song about the death of a loved one, he has ditched that approach. Over a midtempo house track and pulsing synths, he illustrates his maturation as a songwriter. Murphy has shown that he can tug at heart strings as he croons a melody so fetching even his own xylophones can’t help but sing along.
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#10: Los Campesinos! – You! Me! Dancing!

Forget the first 74 seconds of post-rock that’ll make you wonder if these indie kids are being intentionally ironic with the title. If you persevere through the ringing intro, you’ll be rewarded with an enfilade of musical instruments playing the most triumphant indie pop melody you’ll ever dance to this year. The jangly guitars is great on its own, but when the glockenspiels and violins and heavily accented vocals join the party, it’s incontestably enslaving. To all you socially inadequate wallflowers still afraid of the middles of the body: go ahead and awkwardly flail your limbs all over. Los Campesinos! has your anthem. “It’s you! It’s me! And it’s dancing!” There is nothing to be scared of.
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#09: Ne-Yo – Because Of You

Other than the paradoxical lyrics of “So Sick", Ne-Yo’s songwriting hasn’t captivatingly impressed me. Even in “Because of You”, possibly a response to the sexual addiction rumors that surfaced, nothing in the love-sick lyrics is extraordinary. In fact, we’ve heard the “sweetest drug” pick-up line before in “Sexy Love”. But everything else in this is so perfect, my indifference about the lyrics becomes irrelevant. Ne-Yo channels the best appregiated hooks and call-and-response harmonies from his arsenal and the best one-two stomps and chicken scratch guitars from early Michael Jackson records. He sings this honeyed melody very fluidly that it practically cascades into everyone’s ears—sublimly not disgustingly, of course.
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#08: Digitalism – Pogo

It feels like rock bands that are seduced by dance music’s vivaciousness, such as The Rapture and Franz Ferdinand, are phasing out (or, at the very least, in the troughs of the music fad cycle). So, Digitalism cashes in on the absense of rock music to dance to with “Pogo”, dance music to rock out to. To fully appreciate this single from the German indie-disco duo, the “volume” dial on your stereo system must be at its highest setting. Because when the low synthesizers, snappy disco beat, and howling vocals shouting about the “good ol’ wild days” are threatening to shatter your ear drums, it will make sense how momentous “Pogo” is. It seems like such a risky activity but it’s totally worth it.
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#07: R. Kelly f. T.I. and T-Pain – I’m A Flirt [Remix]

R. Kelly abandons the outrageous sexual metaphors and surrealistic narrations that bridges melodrama and hardcore porn for just a bit. Instead, Kells recites an honest warning to all his fellow club-goers to not bring their chick with them unless they want their girls going home wiith him by the end of the night. His two companions both accomplish their jobs well: T.I. has proved he’s still a stand up guy and T-Pain, after putting out the amusing hook, “daaammnn 28’s!”, doesn’t do anything to ruin the track. But Kells is deservingly the star here, exhausting a simple piano line and snap track, and dishing out a remarkably velvety verse that advertises his control, precision, and wit. Boasting you’re the King of R&B is alright when it’s true.
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#06: Lil’ Mama – Lip Gloss

Of course it’s novelty rap! How else would you label a four minute track about the fabulousness of Lil’ Mama’s lip gloss? But, fact is, you’ll either move your ass off or yell the chorus along before you laugh at her trivial subject matter. Stylistically, it resembles “Hollaback Girl” or “London Bridge”, but neither Gwen nor Ferg can touch this 17 year old when it comes to rapping skills (not that many “serious” rappers can either). Girl’s spitting these verses over nothing but booming kicks and crunchy handclaps with such self-assurance that you’d think she’s rapping about something important—as if you need to rap about something important to be respected anyway. Around here, it just needs to be poppin’.
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#05: Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around…/…Comes Around

If “My Love” was “Cry Me A River II” sonically, “What Goes Around…/…Comes Around” is the lyrical retread of the song. For the first five minutes, Timberlake barefacedly sobs against infidelity, his falsetto flowing like a soothing waterfall over Timbaland’s gorgeous arrangement of handclaps, gushing strings, and delicate guitars. Then, stabbing reverse synths frost your entire world. Timbaland blows the first part’s production up to ten times its actual size, augmenting it with a synthetic choir and a more rabid beat. Justin becomes the Mr. Hyde of pop, taking his devastation and turning it into a verse that is so vitriolic and vengeful. Karma’s a bitch but in JT’s world, there’s no bigger bitch than Britney or Cameron or whomever the fuck.
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#04: Diddy f. Keyshia Cole – Last Night

Various repressing events have occurred in Sean Combs life since the last noteworthy single he was involved in (I don’t know, let’s say it’s “It’s All About The Benjamins”): he went from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Diddy, threatened American voters to either “Vote or Die”, etc.. But when he creates a single as majestic as “Last Night”, all seems to be forgiven. Other than his wonderfully basslineless, gloriously synthful production (similar to what Prince used to make during his Purple Rain era), it’s Keyshia Cole who shines here, delivering such a passionate performance that she could be singing the recipe for a baked penne casserole and you’d still be moved. This shows that Diddy singles are at its best when his visibility is very slim.
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#03: LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends

As we age, the elusiveness of time with old friends becomes more evident. Even though we exchange promises to keep in touch, bad weather still ruin plans to reunite and disagreements between schedules still exist. “That’s how it starts”, sighs a frustrated James Murphy even though he knows that he’s as guilty as all his friends. While the song’s plodding piano, tumbling bass, and propulsive drums can invigorate an entire dancefloor, it obscures the fact that its thought-evoking lyrics are splendid. It’s rare in an LCD Soundsystem track, which in the past has specialized in both describing and parodying the hipster scene. He once feared that he’s losing his edge, but losing all his friends might be a bigger concern.
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#02: Justice – D.A.N.C.E.

It’s not complicated. They’ve already spelt it out for you. “D.A.N.C.E.” is the type of single that transforms your current scene into a societal Parisian dance floor within seconds, differences in race, religion, or politics forgotten via sing-along choruses, synth blasts, filtered guitars, and funky basslines. It’ll provoke you to lose yourself, to unabashedly revel in its dance music sorcery. Some say that Justice wears their influences too flagrantly on their sleeves, scattering palpable early Michael Jackson references throughout the song (traces of Daft Punk, The Go! Team, Chic, and Sesame Street may also be found). But you shouldn’t be bothered; you’ll be too busy having fun.
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01: Rihanna f. Jay-Z – Umbrella

Not that her deep voice seem particularly adolescent in any way, but there’s an immaturity that can be sensed from Rihanna’s past singles, “Umbrella”, definitely, is the nineteen-year-old Barbadian coming out of her shell. Sure, the immense percussions, the dazzling synth fireworks, the adorable weather clichés, and the overall addictiveness of the melody make it a surefire chart topper. But it’s Rihanna’s dreamiest performance that makes “Umbrella” an enchanting triumph. A heroine sounding this fervent, sincere, and spirited about her man/friend is seldom seen in a pop ballad these days. And “ella-ella-ay-ay-ay” to infinity. That line alone deserves to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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