#40: DJ Krush f/Angelina Esparza- Aleuthea (Truthspeaking) (2003)
DJ Krush- A.K.A. Hideaki
Ishi- may be one of Japan’s best-kept secrets, with a long discography of trail-blazing
trip-hop. “The Message At The Depth”, the album that this song comes off of,
was edgy, mind-blowing trip-hop, with the turntablist at his provocative best
here with Angelina Esparza, who combines Krush’s cutting, dark beat with lyrics
that reference the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of
World War II. This is riveting stuff, another top-notch winner from one of the
underground world’s best artists.
#39: Max Pezzali- Eccoti (2005)
Italy’s Max Pezzali has had a
long career as the frontman of 883, but in 2004, Pezzali took a break from his
band to record two solo dics, with a third due in 2007. “Eccoti” was lifted off
his second solo work, “TuttoMax”, a combination of his work with 883 and new
material as a solo artist but became one of Italy’s biggest singles by the end
of 2005. It’s easy to see why: with Pezzali’s expressive and booming voice with
a peaceful arrangement behind him, “Eccoti” is simply beautiful. This is one of
the best Italian pop songs to come out in recent years from an artist who
deservedly owns the Italian charts.
#38: Coldplay- Talk (2005)
When Coldplay are at their
best the band can be a stirring combination of the powerful, anthemic
“epic-ness” of U2 and the tripped-out weirdness that is Radiohead. This is the
case here, an explosively catchy single with booming guitar riffs contrasting
Chris Martin’s mellow voice to create a somewhat dark but incredibly
enthralling song. It’s an indication that Coldplay could become the classic
band they were destined to be after “Yellow” came out, and if the band ever
finds its consistency, their potential could pan out beautifully.
#37: H.I.M.- Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly (2005)
Yes, Ville Valo has a
tendency to sound incredibly whiny and has a look that screams more “wimp” than
“rock star”, but make no mistake about it- Valo’s band, Finland’s H.I.M.,
simply rock. “Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly” is simply the band’s best work
to date, featuring piercing, driving guitar riffs that announce the song’s
presence and keeps it stuck in the memory banks. It also helps that Valo’s
sombre singing voice is complimented nicely here, creating H.I.M.’s signature
dark “love metal” sound that has made them one of Finland’s most interesting
bands in recent history. With songs like this, it’s only a matter of time
before that foothold in North America only grows.
#36: Bedouin Soundclash- When The Night Feels My Song (2005)
From metal to folk-pop we go
with Vancouver’s Bedouin Soundclash, who broke into the Canadian mainstream
with this single. This particular song features a simple acoustic rhythm that’s
upbeat and catchy, a hook-filled pop song that’s simple on the outside but
compellingly complex on the inside. A great start from a band with a future in
the mainstream.
#35: The Rasmus- In The Shadows (2005)
Finland’s The Rasmus came
together because they thought the Finnish music scene “sucked”, and, in doing
so, created a sure-fire classic in the dance-rock anthem “In The Shadows”. With
piercing, driving guitar riffs and drumwork, “In The Shadows” in your face and
instantly compelling, a catchy, entertaining single that is as much a rock song
as it is a dance song. The band may not have come close to matching this song’s
quality, but if they can hit a home run like this one, you can be sure they can
do it again.
#34: Matchbox 20- Unwell (2003)
Before Rob Thomas embarked on
a solo career there was Matchbox 20, an alternative rock band that always
produced impressive (if indistinctive) work but never seemed to really take hold
in the mainstream. It’s a pity really, because they were always an interesting
band, and “Unwell” was a perfect example of that. Reflective and mellow, its
mostly acoustic arrangement meets Thomas’ expressive tones in a stunningly
beautiful song about a person who’s pleading that’s he’s only depressed, not
crazy even when his actions suggest otherwise. This is Matchbox 20 at their
best, but with an already impressive stable of hits under their belt, the band
look to have more songs like this in the years ahead.
#33: P-Unit- Generic Rap Song (2004)
Like the “Blair Witch
Project”, “Generic Rap Song” was a college research assignment that took off in
ways the students never could have realized. Released at the height of the rap craze,
“Generic Rap Song” poked fun with stunning precision on the rap stars of the
day, including Sean Paul, Puff Daddy and Ja Rule, with the students (whose band
name should not be confused with the band in the Smirnoff commercials)
mimicking their targets perfectly while ripping Ludacris’ “Move B***” beat,
which was rap’s most generic beat to date. The best moment: when Ja Rule is
targeted, as their characterization of Rule paints him as a no-talent hack that
will sing anything to get ahead, indicative of his real career. Hilarious
stuff.
#32: Anonymous Twist- Puttin’ In Work (2006)
Toronto underground hip-hop
artist Anonymous Twist came out with a bang with “Puttin’ In Work”. Featuring a
booming beat and impressive rhyming ability, Anonymous Twist- born Owen Chaim-
shows himself to be an ambitious rapper looking to make the most of his
opportunities, and here he slams his chance home and then some. This particular
song is about keeping up your work ethic and to never back down in the face of
adversity. If this single is any indication, Anonymous Twist won’t be so
anonymous for much longer.
#31: Michelle Branch- Breathe (2003)
Sedona, Arizona’s Michelle
Branch makes her first splash on the charts here with “Breathe”. A mixture of
country and rock in a hook-filled gem, this song- about breaking up- has an
up-tempo feel that makes it perfect for the open road. This song never got its
due on the Billboard Charts- hitting just #36- but being Branch’s catchiest
single to date, it shows that the pop songstress hasn’t missed a beat.
#30: Dierks Bentley- What Was I Thinkin’ (2003)
Since this debut single
Bentely has crafted a career by creating a musical persona of a drifter that’s
never up to any good but always had that soft side. It doesn’t always work, but
“What Was I Thinkin’”- co-penned with Bracebridge’s Deric Ruttan- was a great
start. An energetic song about a man who commits almost every stupid act you
could think of because of that “little white tank top”, “What Was I Thinkin’”
is a smartly hilarious song that everyone can relate to. The album this came
off of-a self-titled work- was generic and didn’t quite compare to this single,
but this song pointed that he had potential, and he’s realizing it now with
great success.
#29: T. Raumschmiere- Monstertruckdriver (2003)
Maybe the greatest debut
single since my chart began, “Monstertruckdriver” from T. Raumschmiere- real
name Marco Haas- was different and extremely enthralling. Dance-punk at its
finest, “Monstertruckdriver” is in-your-face, a full-embodied song that
emulates the trucker attitude- big, strong, tough and doesn’t get fazed. Haas’
work continued in brilliant form in this fashion, and this is a remarkable
debut for a remarkable artist.
#28: Don’t Look Down- Bender (2004)
Before breaking up in 2005,
New Jersey’s Don’t Look Down had one final hurrah with “Bender”. Emo at its
best, “Bender” was up-tempo and anthemic, an in-your-face single that made its
presence felt regardless of whether or not you wanted it to. It’s a pity
they’re no longer around, because they had a lot of potential.
#27: Kelly Clarkson- Breakaway (2004)
Maybe this isn’t the
prototypical Kelly Clarkson song- it’s string-heavy with nary a rock guitar in
sight- but it is by far her best-written song and the song that best showcases
her incredible vocal range. Beautifully sung with genuine power and emotion,
“Breakaway” is a reflective song about starting anew. It was intended as an
autobiographical song (the single lent its name to the album, which was
Clarkson’s first since ditching her American Idol management), but is so
broad that it resonates for everyone. While her later work was edgier than this
single, Clarkson can deservedly point to this single as the one that truly
established her as an artist, having a title that fits in more ways than one.
#26: Alpha- The Things You Might (2004)
Trance meets trip-hop in this
song from British electronica duo Andy Jenks and Corin Dingley, better known as
Alpha. A song that is both direct and serene, “The Things You Might” was also
filled with hooks, creating a musical experience that is as danceable as it is
relaxing. Few artists have melded dance and trance well, and judging by this
song’s quality, it’ll be a while before anyone can match it this well- if ever.
#25: Big & Rich- Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) (2004)
If Garth Brooks polarized
country fans by making “big ticket”, platinum-busting country music, Big &
Rich- the pairing of “Big” Kenny Alpin and former Lonestar guitarist John Rich-
polarized country fans with a style of country that was more in tune with hip
hop and rock than it was with the traditional country of Brad Paisley or Toby
Keith. Still, the emergence of Big & Rich- with their trail-blazing direct,
flashy but light-hearted sound- could only benefit country, which- like metal-
suffers from the complex of far too many conservative-minded acts that don’t
challenge the sound, stagnating the genre when it could be growing. Here, the
band produce a humourous single that is part come-on and part story-telling,
detailing all the trouble the two cowboys got themselves into (with them
getting the girl in the end). It probably made a few traditionally-minded
people blush and this song certainly isn’t for the faint-of-heart, but the
raucous single pushed the envelope and that’s all that was needed.
#24: Chris Cagle- What A Beautiful Day (2003)
From envelope-pushing to an
artist that rarely ever tested new waters, “What A Beautiful Day” may be a love
song, but it’s anything but “yet another song about love”. Telling the story of
a relationship chronologically right from the start to the 50-year anniversary,
“What A Beautiful Day”, with its piano-led chorus and mellow, upbeat tone, was
simply beautiful.
#23: The All-American Rejects- Move Along (2006)
Every few years, a song about
suicide gets released. Two of the better examples include Blink 182’s “Adam’s
Song” in 2000, and Good Charlotte’s “Hold On” in 2004, and while both songs are
effective as heartfelt ballads, “Move Along”- the title track to The
All-American Rejects’ second album- went for a far more up-tempo but direct
approach. The result was a song that is incredibly catchy and energetic but at
the same time brutally honest, chiding one not to make the mistake they can’t
correct. The result is a song that is the most personal of a group of heavily
personal songs, and by far The All-American Rejects’ opus.
#22: Green Day- Holiday (2005)
When Warning was
released, many were willing to write off Green Day as well past its “best-before”
date. They did not have a consistent chart presence after Insomniac, as Nimrod
was too different and Warning was simply dull. So when American Idiot
was slated for release, very few expected it to storm the chart like it did. In
retrospect, its success should never have been in doubt, as it was a return to
Green Day’s punk roots with an inspired album full of vitriol and energy- this
time directed at society at large- that defined Green Day in the first place. Here,
the band creates an energetic and enthralling single that implores the listener
to go on a holiday from a government that refuses to listen to its people,
becoming an anthem for those who feel disenfranchised. Vitriol never sounded
this good.
#21: Fall Guy- Join Tha Fall Guy (2004)
Considering how stale the
mainstream world can get, in 2004 I decided to branch out a little more to
venture to musical places I never knew had existed. One of those places was
Garageband.com, a collection of independent acts that advertised that it had a
roster greater than that of Recording Industry Association of America. My first
foray there yielded a few gems, but none were as distinctive or as interesting
as Fall Guy. This particular song- a rap-metal song- is an introduction song,
telling the audience who he is and for each of them to join his “Fall Guy Army”
of sound. Ostensibly it’s a cliché, but this song is so rousing that you can’t
help but be captivated by the charismatic Fall Guy, who certainly won himself
many new members to his army with this invigorating song. I haven’t been able
to find anything else from this guy since this song, but I hope he does,
because this was an excellent start.
-DG