30
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Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla
An alien fanfare that welcomes you into the world of Sigur Ros. Hoppipolla is the etheral track that graces the BBC's Planet Earth programme. That alone justified my TV licence this year, well that and Doctor Who. But I digress. Icelandic for "jumping into puddles", Hoppipolla carries you along nicely caressing your ears and makes you wonder if the whole of Iceland is this wonderous. I must go there one day and find out for myself. This reminds me of the Cocteau Twins and I can't think of a greater compliment.
Paul M
No of votes: 10, Score:
42, Highest vote: 2nd
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29
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Panic! At The Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies
Apparently the title of this track comes from Generation Xer Douglas Coupland's book Shampoo Planet, a book that I've read (admittedly a few years ago), and I still have no clue what it means. The track itself is another story. It's a great moral tale: your mate's wedding day, everything is beautiful, prim and proper, soundtracked by pizzicato strings and staccato vocal. You're minding your own business when you hear some buffoon of a waiter let slip some gossip about the bride. Do you (a) take your mate to one side and tell him the gory details about his wife to be or (b) lay into the waiter, tell him to be more discreet in future, and put on a brave face. Well, if you're Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco, you do the latter. I'll be honest, I don't think that's the best approach, but he does it with such swagger that it would be a sin (and a tragedy) to argue with him.
Greg B
No of votes: 10, Score:
56, Highest vote: 1st
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28
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Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
Imagine if you will a calm street with a steep hill. Large, box-like cars in dusty colours accentuate the severity of the road's incline; flat, then a sharp drop, flat, then a sharp drop. Every new horizon underlines the shimmering blue sky. The American dream. Just as you lose yourself in the view, a barrage of multi-coloured fluorescent balls come hurtling down the street. You run for your life. If you imagined that correctly, then well done. You now know the essence of Sony's commercial for one of their TVs. Coincidentally, you also know the essence of this number by José González, as it was this very song that accompanied the aforementioned ad. And very fitting it was too. Serene, intoxicating in its ambience, makes you feel all warm inside. The barrage of multi-coloured balls perhaps stretches the metaphor a tad too far, but they certainly are pretty. And so is this song.
Elliot H
No of votes: 10, Score:
64, Highest vote: 1st
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26
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Lily Allen - LDN
Artist link: 14
N Y 1 knw wht ths sng s abt? It's sometimes hard to consider what life was like without Lily Allen. Quieter is one sure-fire answer. This song has already been gracing the airwaves on 2 seperate occasions this year. The first time it made its outing it was during those early summer months and its cheery jazz samples and chirpy vocals gave you that spring in your step as you took your Pret sandwich and pomegranate juice to the park. What a glorious shrine to the capital this was. As you succumbed to repeated listens, you couldn't help but realise that a cloud was hovering over your head - references to "the filth", prostitution, mugging - the other, less salubrious side of life in metropolis. Her outspoken nature is hardly surprising, given she's Keith Allen's daughter, but like Amy Winehouse, on record (okay, MP3) is where she truly shines.
Jason M
No of votes: 11, Score:
54, Highest vote: 1st
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25
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The Feeling - Fill My Little World
Artist link:41
The Feeling have issues. Watch them on stage and you get the feeling (pun, if you can call it that, not intended) that they want to rock out like Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones, but then they open their mouths and out come these jolly little songs about wine, phone calls and the Piccadilly Line. This track is a case in point. It's not a song about lust and debauchery, it's about how nice it would be to spend quality time with someone you like. The Feeling: they don't want to shag you, they just want to hold hands.
Greg B
No of votes: 11, Score:
60, Highest vote: 1st
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24
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Rihanna - SOS
Artist link: 1 36  39 46
It had to happen eventually. When sampling first became popular everyone went back to the 60's and dug out their old Motown albums; then Disco came round again, and the samples switched to the 70's; but 2006 was the year of THE EIGHTIES! A case in point is S.O.S by Rihanna, which 'borrowed' from Soft Cell's "Tainted Love". It's a boppy little number, good for a spot of dad-dancing at weddings while trying to look 'hip with the kids'. Shallow? Maybe. Superficial? Almost certainly. But in this world of serious artists and even more serious songs, why not cast off the shackles of musical melancholy and bust a move to completely pointless lyrics, accompanied by ladies not wearing much? Just like the 80's then!
Kat B
No of votes: 11, Score:
64, Highest vote: 1st
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23
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The Zutons - Valerie
It's always been a pleasure listening to songs by the Zutons, because of how they pen the subject matter they cover - quite often social observation or the old favourite of love and relationships. There were 2 songs of theirs this year that titled a member of the fairer sex, this one was the first. It encompasses a lament about a failed relationship, with the usual desires for her return. Of course, to many there's a more important woman in the band, the saxophone player Abi Harding, who doubtless ensures the competition to get in the first couple of rows in a gig remains pretty fierce. In any event the focus isn't on her but this vignette is as always tightly executed and another worthy addition to their burgeoning collection hugely enjoyable indie-pop.
Jason M
No of votes: 11, Score:
65, Highest vote: 2nd
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22
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Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down
Artist link: 1 14 15 42
The Artic Monkeys' 2nd single cemented their place as energetic, catchy and raw songwriters and myspace.com as a modern day Oppourtunity Knocks. Reached number 2 in the singles whilst the album became the fasting selling thing since they started selling ice in the Sahara. A seedy little tale of late night Sheffield prostitution that probably got Mr Jarvis Cocker to smile appreciatively and spawned Scummy Man - a short film inspired by the lyrics.
Paul M
No of votes: 12, Score:
47, Highest vote: 4th
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21
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Orson - No Tomorrow
I like this track because it reminds me of being young and reckless!!! Like the guitar riff all the way through and especially the intro riff. A great track to shake your ass to on the dancefloor!
Wendy B
No of votes: 12, Score:
66, Highest vote: 1st
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Thanks go to the following people for assisting with getting together our comprehensive aide-memoire: Danny G, Paul M, Kat B
A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Paul M, Kat B, Isaac H, P Shoo, Dan Mc, Karen G, Emyr I, Greg B, Lisa S, Elliot H, Wendy B, Elliott
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