30
|
Klaxons - Golden Skans
A new musical genre these days should be approached with a certain amount of trepidation. Once upon a time, it heralded an evolution of music and an opportunity to widen its potential audience, not to mention avoiding the whole scene going stale. Unfortunately everything got a bit muddy by the late 90's as the music press decided that they could try and create whole new scenes by coming up with a new name and bunging half a dozen bands in the same pigeonhole (Romo, anyone?). So when the genre "nu rave" appeared, the hardened cynic that I am, I didn't really give it much truck. However, one of the supposed spearheads were Klaxons, who could deservedly carry the torch, having startling originality, a stupendous live reputation and all backed up with the sort of tomfoolery that ensures people keep watching just to see what they do next. "Golden Skans" won't have you diving for your whistle, but it's the choicest cut from their Mercury Music Prize winning album, which effectively makes it the critics song of the year.
Jason M
No of votes: 12, Score:
50, Highest vote: 2nd
|
 |
|
29
|
Kylie - 2 Hearts
Artist link: 1  34
Having been a queen of the soap opera in her earlier days, there is a grim irony that Kylie's life in recent times has been a harrowing story-line that has kept fans and the media on the edge of their seats. But Ms Minogue is not a woman easily beaten and she returns once again transformed into a new musical guise. It's a beguiling mix of glam rock pomp and pop, with Kylie drawling over the vocals like a cocktail bar jazz singer. A bit like a musical, the verse you picture as just Kylie in front of a red velvet curtain, and then as the chorus arrives the curtain goes up, a thousand light bulb background set dazzles and you sense the diminutive aussie is striding triumphantly up a gold coloured staircase, pronouncing "I'm in love" ("wooooo!" go the backing singers to confirm). It's a sub 3 minute pocket musical that's guaranteed to get a curtain call every time.
Jason M
No of votes: 12, Score:
63, Highest vote: 2nd
|
 |
|
28
|
Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder
Artist link: 3 30 43
A major comeback single from Maroon 5. It's so catchy you can't do anything else than just sing along. Singer Adam Levine does a great job, although the lyrics, mostly in the first verse, can be a bit disturbing: "The way it felt between your thighs, Pleasure that made you cry"... well I guess apart from that, "Makes Me Wonder" is just a fab song!
Lisa K
No of votes: 12, Score:
66, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
27
|
My Chemical Romance - Teenagers
Artist link: 11
Should I be embarrassed that I, as a 36-year-old man, thought that this bit of shouty emo was the best single of 2007? Possibly. Should I really be proud of the fact that one cold night last November I crammed into the O2 Arena with 20,000 other people, most of whom were little more than half my age, and screamed along with them as some bloke in dodgy eye-liner sang about teenagers scaring the living shit of him? Probably not. Wouldn't my time be better spent listening to Radio 2 and talking about how fantastic Led Zeppelin are? Almost certainly. But you know what? I don't care! I'm not ready for your old people music yet! Pass me my hoodie and crank up the volume, and if the neighbours complain and threaten to call the cops... then I'll apologise and turn it down again, obviously, I'm not unreasonable. And besides, old people, they really do scare the living shit out of me.
Greg B
No of votes: 12, Score:
76, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
26
|
Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
This is the one with the guy from Heroes in the video - you know, with the wonky mouth. He was inked up to look like Robbie Williams, while Fergie looked tiny and wandered around angstily in her knickers, perhaps musing on the difference in maturity levels between this and her song about dirty tourist hot-spot London Bridge. 'Big Girl's Don't Cry' was a new side to the hip hopstress, without either hip or hop. Word of her abilities may now have reached those who still think of toe-sucking on the mention of her name.
Danny G
No of votes: 12, Score:
78, Highest vote: 2nd
|
 |
|
25
|
Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80s
It's just as well this song isn't a recipe, because if it had been, one look at the ingredients would have set your stomach on the churn cycle. I mean: squeaky synth riff, oh-so-cheesy sample, chorus sang in a falsetto, and incessant references to the decade that spawned leg warmers, puffball skirts and Rick Astley. Thankfully, as Ready Steady Cook will attest, it's amazing what you can make with any ingredients. So, what you get here from Calvin Harris turns out to be a very slick, extremely catchy number that might just make you think the 1980's is better than it really was. And of course, in 73 years time, they can release it again!
Jason M
No of votes: 13, Score:
62, Highest vote: 2nd
|
 |
|
24
|
The Editors - Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
This the first release from The Editors 2007 album was originally planned to coincide with the introduction of government's controversial legislation last summer (working title "Smokers outside the rose and crown") but in its final form stands out as an epic event in its own right. All the Editors staples are there - walls of guitars suddenly stripped down to melancholy piano and the sad sad vocals of lead singer Tom Smith, the nose of indie rock. "We've all been changed from what we were... our broken hearts smashed on the floor". Gulp, lump in throat, to my mind even sadder than seeing those inpatients puffing on their Rothmans...
Isaac H
No of votes: 13, Score:
81, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
23
|
The Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
It never fails to amaze me how fickle the music industry is. This song was originally released in 2006, off of an album that was actually released in 2005. It did not one jot of a thing the first time around, and their record label at the time (Fearless) dropped them. I suspect that sometime in 2007 someone from that same company was being jettisoned from the premises as the earnestly plucked tune picked up its gazillionth (it's a billion trillion marillion, incase you were wondering) play from a radio station somewhere in Antarctica and all the staff at Hollywood records who signed them instead booked their holidays in the Maldives. All the more ironic then, that inspite of being able to make good of his promise "Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar" that the Delilah in question was an unrequited love. So if this song makes you feel a bit emotional, fear not, there's 2 others to whom it serves up a far more painful reminder.
Jason M
No of votes: 14, Score:
68, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
22
|
Timbaland - Apologize
Artist link: 13
When you hear the heartwarming intro to this song, it leads you to misconceptions. As you hear the lyrics, you suddenly realize its another tear dropping, well-produced song, and it hits you at the core of your heart. The song definitely proves Timbaland can create a masterpiece of music that moves your body, or like Apologize, bring back old memories of a nasty breakup or fight. This song never gets old and definitely deserved to be in the Top 50.
Jake U
No of votes: 14, Score:
87, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
21
|
Take That - Shine
Artist link:6 7  19
Last year's chart saw the return of Take That to their rightful place at the top of the boyband tree, thumbing their noses at pipsqueaks such as the previously all-conquering Westlife. But could they do it again this year? Well, the answer to that was 'Yes...obviously!' "Shine" was the one of the songs of spring and seemed to be in the charts for about 17 years, endlessly bobbing up and down, probably due to it being one of the catchiest tunes ever; hear it once and that's it, you're gone for the day. Whilst not the traditional Take That musical style, its sheer boppiness couldn't fail to win everyone over to their brand of optimism. Long may their reign last.
Kat B
No of votes: 14, Score:
89, Highest vote: 1st
|
 |
|
Thanks go to the following people for assisting with getting together our comprehensive aide-memoire: Danny G, Paul M, Kat B, Greg B, Lorraine W
A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Kat B, Isaac H, P Shoo, Dan Mc, Harley R, Emyr I, Greg B, Lisa S, Veronica S, Elliot H, John M, Kathy R, Jane B, Jake U, Lisa K, Scott