Song Of The Year: "When The Sun Don't Shine" - Best Coast

"I just want to tell you that I always loved you." OK, not the most original sentiment, but when has a great pop song needed to be completely original? And face it, that's pure concentrated heartbreak right there.

I'm old and I'm jaded. I still love music but there are days when I've heard it all. And then there's a song like this. I had to pull my car over to make sure I could get the name of it on my phone. I don't remember the last time I had to stop what I was doing for a song... but I wish it was more often!

When The Sun Don't Shine was my introduction to Best Coast and I was hooked, even though I had to wait for the album to come out. (Another "when's the last time that happened" phenomenon!) Bethany Cosentino's vocals sound a lot like the young Neko Case but the overall vibe goes much further, like a Shirelles/Nuggets combo.

This plaintive gem is short and sweet. A handful of chords, just a few more words, and it's done - although it's not done with me.

The Year Wanes, The Lists Wax

The best excuse someone who runs a dormant music blog can make is... "I was too busy listening to music." Sounds airtight to me. But now that 2010 is almost over, it's time to ask the big question... "what's good?" Hang on, and I'll tell you!

Mo' Retro: The 2009 Top 25

Dear Blogheads: I got so hung up on my Decade lists, I realized that I forgot to carry on the old Poddish tradition of the year end lists. 3 months late, I now give you my most played songs of 2009.)

2009 ended up as a pretty great year for music, if you were bored with the same-old, same-old. (Of course, a lot of people don't bore as easily as me, so maybe it was a painful year for everyone else!) Apart from a few stalwarts like Camera Obscura, Neko Case, the Jaxx, and Superchunk (straight outta the "where have you been?" file!), there was a lot of newbies bringing the noise... although there wasn't much of anyone bringing the funk last year.

Without further ado, here's the list (along with my iTunes play counts... stat geeks, you know who you are). Anything with a link takes you to streaming audio at Blip.fm or you can just go to my playlist there to listen to the bigger batch of goodies.

1. French Navy - Camera Obscura (30 total plays)
2. What A Drag - Bear Hands (24)
3. Golden Phone - Micachu (22)
4. Plastic Bag - Navvy (22)
5. Sunlight - Tune-Yards (22)
6. To The Dregs - Wavves (21)
7. News - Tune-Yards (20)
8. Jealous Of Roses - Bibio (18)
9. Sticker - Navvy (18)
10. Count In My Head - Kids Love Lies (17)
11. Dead Lazers - Kap Bambino (16)
12. Blackjack Eddie - Violet Violet (16)
13. New In Town - Little Boots (15)
14. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth - Neko Case (15)
15. Fuzzy Felt - The Kabeedies (14)
16. Red Sign - Kap Bambino (14)
17. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit (14)
18. Fossil, I - Sky Larkin (14)
19. Antibodies - Sky Larkin (14)
20. Blood Gets Thin - Pete & The Pirates (13)
21. For You - Tune-Yards (13)
22. Raindrops - Basement Jaxx (12)
23. Satisfied - Esser (12)
24. Ode to Millers - Kasms (12)
25. Blinders (Fast Version) - Superchunk (12)

French Navy, if you haven't heard it, is an indie-pop girl-group gem. Here's a long-winded appreciation, from an earlier blog post. There's more about Navvy, Kap Bambino, Tune-Yards, and Bibio too!

I'll dig into some of these other musical biscuits soon.

Shout-Out Time!

The Fruit Bats (featuring my pal Ron Lewis on keys) were invited to participate in The Onion's AV Club's cover project. The AV Club created a list of 25 songs and once it's covered, it's no longer eligible to play.

The Bats lucked out by showing up early and getting their pick of all but one of the list. (Ted Leo was first.)

Here they are playing Hall and Oates' One On One.

Pity the poor schmucks who are going to get stuck with We Built This City, although, fingers crossed, it could end up being awesome!

Surveying The Soundscape

Maybe the Best Of The Decade lists took more out of me than I thought - or perhaps I'm now listening to everything with a much more critical standard, but I'm not feeling it with 2010 yet. There's been some decent stuff that's come out this year, but I haven't connected with much of it.

Best of the batch so far is the Lightspeed Champion album, Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You. and the new Quasi record which is much improved over the last couple of so-so efforts. I want to get excited about the Lonelady debut, since she has created some awesome singles in the past, but the best songs were recut and aren't as immediately brilliant.

I still need more time with the new Laura Veirs and These New Puritans discs too, but there's some good stuff within.

Here's some Lightspeed and Quasi for you to chew on while I mull over what to rant about next.

Welcome Back!: Quasi

Even though the last couple of records didn't really do it for me, I'm happy to see Portland's finest duo (errrm, make that trio!) re-emerge with a rockin' new song.

Repulsion is the unhinged rave-up you want from Sam Coombes, full of sass and fire. Sam's back on the guitar thing (oh, how I miss the skronky old Roxichord, though) and he's cranking it up.

There's a definite joyful verve to this punker, especially when the various members fall into the chorus at different times. For some bands, this might seem like a blown take, but for Quasi, it's all (messed-up) good.

The new album is supposedly imminent and live shows will certainly ensue. (But, please tell me that they'll be reprising the Quasi Sings The Who set that they did in Portland. Having seen them play Pictures Of Lily ages ago, I'm ready for a full night of that action!)

From The Future: New MGMT Album in April

A song about Brian Eno, a song about "Lady Dada", and guest vocals from the girl from Royal Trux? Oh, MGMT, you had me at a song about Brian Eno.

See you in April!