[HEADING=2]13.[/HEADING]
[HEADING=1] A Top 10 Special[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]Because I have nothing better to do and I'm coming up to 500 posts so why not?[/HEADING]
[HEADING=1] A Top 10 Special[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]Because I have nothing better to do and I'm coming up to 500 posts so why not?[/HEADING]
Hello there, since I've been asked by many to step outside my comfort zone and do music that I wouldn't usually listen to I'm thinking of taking up an offer I previously refused of reviewing Sub Focus. But before I take this thread on that path I'm going to talk you through exactly where I'm coming from with these reviews. And what better way to do that than by showing you my top 10 favourite songs of ever.
A brief introduction. Hello, my name is Jonny and I am a self confessed music addict. I'm listening to music almost every waking second of the day: when I wake up I plug my iPod in and I usually fall asleep to music. How can one become addicted to music? Well many of you may have realised I am very into the slower, more emotional songs and that is because while all music stirs emotions, these songs stir the emotion of bliss. The effect only lasts for a few plays each good song so I am constantly searching for more, and more and more, which explains the 10,000 or so songs on my hard drive. Now some songs do this a lot better than others so I'm going to show you the ones that I've been listening to for years, all in spoiler boxes to stop it from taking up too much of the page, enjoy.
Kreuzberg by Bloc Party
Now I believe I've stated this before but this is the best song I have ever heard and judging by the fact this has to be a review otherwise I'll get told off for bumping a thread with nonsense, I'm going to tell you why. Kreuzberg starts off with just the guitar repeating the same set of notes accompanied by a faint hum of orchestral instruments, this simplicity continues through the verse with the singer excellent voice before the chorus kicks in. While it is definitely not a loud chorus, it is in comparison to the verse, a heavier, more rhythmic guitar part kicks in with a simple set of keyboard notes that just sound perfect to me. Everything fits together properly and I can't fault a single piece, then after the second chorus the interlude/ outro begins, a slow build up of voices, guitar, drums and the excellent keyboard into a crescendo at the end.
The effect this song, even this band, have on me is profound. When I was listening through the original list of 46 that I had to cut down for 10 for this 'review' I found my jaw hurting from me grinning like an idiot while it was playing, even though this is a pretty depressing song, I guess it just cuts into my teenage anxiety. In fact all of their songs do, if I didn't have a 'no more than one song per band' policy then Bloc Party would take up most of this list.
Now I believe I've stated this before but this is the best song I have ever heard and judging by the fact this has to be a review otherwise I'll get told off for bumping a thread with nonsense, I'm going to tell you why. Kreuzberg starts off with just the guitar repeating the same set of notes accompanied by a faint hum of orchestral instruments, this simplicity continues through the verse with the singer excellent voice before the chorus kicks in. While it is definitely not a loud chorus, it is in comparison to the verse, a heavier, more rhythmic guitar part kicks in with a simple set of keyboard notes that just sound perfect to me. Everything fits together properly and I can't fault a single piece, then after the second chorus the interlude/ outro begins, a slow build up of voices, guitar, drums and the excellent keyboard into a crescendo at the end.
The effect this song, even this band, have on me is profound. When I was listening through the original list of 46 that I had to cut down for 10 for this 'review' I found my jaw hurting from me grinning like an idiot while it was playing, even though this is a pretty depressing song, I guess it just cuts into my teenage anxiety. In fact all of their songs do, if I didn't have a 'no more than one song per band' policy then Bloc Party would take up most of this list.
Magnet by Bombay Bicycle Club
I remember reviewing this album before I started this thread, I believe it bore the stamp of 'fan-wank' since I just went on about how I love it so much. That love had a lot to do with this song, it's confusing though as on the outside this song comes across as a generic piece of pop-rock music. That is, until the chorus kicks in.
The only word I can think to describe it is epic, it comes out of nowhere and 'blows your face off with awesomeness', so to speak. It is very well done and made up of heavy guitar, heavier drums and some synthesisers thrown on top. It psychs you up into a near frenzy and then chills you out in the outro, it's more of a journey than a song.
I remember reviewing this album before I started this thread, I believe it bore the stamp of 'fan-wank' since I just went on about how I love it so much. That love had a lot to do with this song, it's confusing though as on the outside this song comes across as a generic piece of pop-rock music. That is, until the chorus kicks in.
The only word I can think to describe it is epic, it comes out of nowhere and 'blows your face off with awesomeness', so to speak. It is very well done and made up of heavy guitar, heavier drums and some synthesisers thrown on top. It psychs you up into a near frenzy and then chills you out in the outro, it's more of a journey than a song.
Big Big Love (Fig.2) by Foals
And now we get to a song I've already reviewed, I think I reviewed it when nobody read this thread so I guess I can churn out the samebollocks stuff again. Big Big Love is one of the most chilled out and relaxing songs I've ever heard and is one of a few such songs on this list. It involves a lot of repetition mixed in with extra instruments being added or taken out and the volume changing that makes the song build up and the down which, while messing with your head, is really cool.
Another thing to note is when the guitar proper comes in at around the 23 second mark it is absolutely amazing. When this song was played at a party I was at everyone seemed to go in a trance.
And now we get to a song I've already reviewed, I think I reviewed it when nobody read this thread so I guess I can churn out the same
Another thing to note is when the guitar proper comes in at around the 23 second mark it is absolutely amazing. When this song was played at a party I was at everyone seemed to go in a trance.
Set Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol
This is possibly the most heard of song on this list by a band that you should have heard of. This is a duet with Martha Wainwrite, who I've never heard of but has a very high voice that perfectly complements the Snow Patrol singer's low one. This is yet another one of those songs that shines in the chorus', it's fairly bland, although still good, in between them but as soon as the chorus starts the music picks up and it really is very, very good.
This is possibly the most heard of song on this list by a band that you should have heard of. This is a duet with Martha Wainwrite, who I've never heard of but has a very high voice that perfectly complements the Snow Patrol singer's low one. This is yet another one of those songs that shines in the chorus', it's fairly bland, although still good, in between them but as soon as the chorus starts the music picks up and it really is very, very good.
The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage by Panic! At the Disco
It's a shame this band were branded with the 'emo' badge, as a result they didn't get the attention they deserved. The whole of the first album was full of great music and intelligent lyrics. The song in question is probably the heaviest on the album, it's fast paced and loud, it demands your attention! Now I haven't actually listened to this song in ages since it came out 4 years ago but I still got the rush when I started playing it. Apart from the rather 'gay' opening the song is almost faultless, it knows when to rest, when to pick back up again and then when to go crazy. Tis good.
It's a shame this band were branded with the 'emo' badge, as a result they didn't get the attention they deserved. The whole of the first album was full of great music and intelligent lyrics. The song in question is probably the heaviest on the album, it's fast paced and loud, it demands your attention! Now I haven't actually listened to this song in ages since it came out 4 years ago but I still got the rush when I started playing it. Apart from the rather 'gay' opening the song is almost faultless, it knows when to rest, when to pick back up again and then when to go crazy. Tis good.
Lucky You by Lostprophets.
The best song in the best album by Lostprophets, Lucky You is a masterpiece in bridging the transition between the quiet and the very loud. As usual with Lostprophets, the guitar is fairly important, here it takes back-seat to the singing but it's constantly changing to complement the voice. This song also does a similar thing to Magnet in the way there's a few minutes at the end of the song that just chills you out again, ready to repeat the song. Okay the lyrics are cliché and the song is a bit long but I just don't care with this song, somehow it manages to work, and work very well at that.
I have to confess that my favourite part is the cool down where the instruments leave one by one till it's just the voice whispering 'lucky you' over and over again.
The best song in the best album by Lostprophets, Lucky You is a masterpiece in bridging the transition between the quiet and the very loud. As usual with Lostprophets, the guitar is fairly important, here it takes back-seat to the singing but it's constantly changing to complement the voice. This song also does a similar thing to Magnet in the way there's a few minutes at the end of the song that just chills you out again, ready to repeat the song. Okay the lyrics are cliché and the song is a bit long but I just don't care with this song, somehow it manages to work, and work very well at that.
I have to confess that my favourite part is the cool down where the instruments leave one by one till it's just the voice whispering 'lucky you' over and over again.
23 by Jimmy Eat World
At 500 plays (keep in mind it is a 7 minute song) and counting, the only reason this song is not at the top of my list is that I've played it to death. I still get a bit of the ol' rush when I listen to it but I used to be hands down obsessed with this song. What this song is is a build up song, it gets slowly louder, with more and more parts added in till the end where they all come in at once. The singer's voice works perfectly with this song, it's smooth and emotional and it plays against the ever-returning guitar riff/ solo bit that plays in the interlude between verses. The theme of the song is very similar to Kreuzberf in the way it's about leaving it too late to do anything substantial with your life. Which I think most of us here can relate to.
At 500 plays (keep in mind it is a 7 minute song) and counting, the only reason this song is not at the top of my list is that I've played it to death. I still get a bit of the ol' rush when I listen to it but I used to be hands down obsessed with this song. What this song is is a build up song, it gets slowly louder, with more and more parts added in till the end where they all come in at once. The singer's voice works perfectly with this song, it's smooth and emotional and it plays against the ever-returning guitar riff/ solo bit that plays in the interlude between verses. The theme of the song is very similar to Kreuzberf in the way it's about leaving it too late to do anything substantial with your life. Which I think most of us here can relate to.
Trouble by Coldplay
I reviewed this one quite recently, number 10. I believe, so some of you may remember me referring to this as a 'piano ballad'. But it's slightly more than that, it has very subtle guitar in the background which elevates the song into great. Unlike other Coldplay songs, this album doesn't end in a bang, instead it slowly fades out. Needless to say this is a very heartfelt song and is the only reason why I defend Coldplay from being called generic, as this song certainly isn't. The other songs? Yeh I guess.
I reviewed this one quite recently, number 10. I believe, so some of you may remember me referring to this as a 'piano ballad'. But it's slightly more than that, it has very subtle guitar in the background which elevates the song into great. Unlike other Coldplay songs, this album doesn't end in a bang, instead it slowly fades out. Needless to say this is a very heartfelt song and is the only reason why I defend Coldplay from being called generic, as this song certainly isn't. The other songs? Yeh I guess.
Another Space Song by Failure
You know the thing that pissed me off about this band? It's that they broke up due to poor sales of this album which is frankly fantastic (if you see the album title you'll find that there was a pun hidden in the sentence). This song is another one of the mellow, relaxing ones like Big Big Love, but this one is done with a heavy amount of distortion. It never seems to pick up and this annoyed me the first time I listened to it but it really does grow on you. This song 'drifts', if you can use that word to describe music, and is a joy to listen to from one of the most underrated bands of ever.
You know the thing that pissed me off about this band? It's that they broke up due to poor sales of this album which is frankly fantastic (if you see the album title you'll find that there was a pun hidden in the sentence). This song is another one of the mellow, relaxing ones like Big Big Love, but this one is done with a heavy amount of distortion. It never seems to pick up and this annoyed me the first time I listened to it but it really does grow on you. This song 'drifts', if you can use that word to describe music, and is a joy to listen to from one of the most underrated bands of ever.
Go On by Taking Back Sunday
The confusing thing about this song is that I don't actually like most of it, it lacks work and polish as it was only ever released as a demo before the band split and then reformed with different members. The whole beginning of the song is pretty bland and a bit shouty and blunt but it isn't too bad. So why is this song in the top 10? Well it's all thanks to the last minute which compromises of one of the most moving piano outros I've ever heard. i don't know quite why I like it, it just sounds amazing to me.
The only youtube link I could find has terrible quality, yay. Oh well you can hear the outro well enough.
The confusing thing about this song is that I don't actually like most of it, it lacks work and polish as it was only ever released as a demo before the band split and then reformed with different members. The whole beginning of the song is pretty bland and a bit shouty and blunt but it isn't too bad. So why is this song in the top 10? Well it's all thanks to the last minute which compromises of one of the most moving piano outros I've ever heard. i don't know quite why I like it, it just sounds amazing to me.
The only youtube link I could find has terrible quality, yay. Oh well you can hear the outro well enough.
I hope that gives you an insight into what goes through my head when I'm reviewing albums and what I'm comparing them to. If anyone feels the need to tell me their top 10 then go ahead. Back to normal next time, I promise.
I was actually on 493 posts so I had to spam the off-topic forum before I could post this, it was disheartening and sickening I know, but I'm sorry.
