Now, we’ll take a look at the best songs of 2010. There’s a flat out tie for first place. Both of Now I’ve Heard Everything’s top songs got there through their musical and lyrical intensity. One is about love and its aftermath; the other is about The Minnesota Twins.
The Baseball Project (featuring Craig Finn) – Don’t Call Them Twinkies: The Baseball Project joined forces with The Hold Steady‘s front man, Craig Finn, to craft this combination history lesson about and homage to The Minnesota Twins. The lyrics are by Finn and The Baseball Project’s Steve Wynn wrote the music. This is as rousing and intense a piece of rock as you can find. And if you don’t think there’s intensity in baseball, you’ve never sat there when your team was behind two runs, with one out, men on first and second and the tying run at the plate. This song will be part of the new album by The Baseball Project, which will be released in February, but it was released on iTunes right before the playoffs this past October.
Misty Boyce – Trouble: Whether the lyrics to this song are confession or fiction, they chronicle the results of a horrible break up. The narrator admits to some destructive behavior and all but orders a potential partner to stay away for his own good. The starkness of the lyrics are emphasized by the spare piano work. Although the record has strings on it, this song can be even more effective when done live with just a voice and piano. Trouble stands out even more as Misty is usually lyrically and musically upbeat, even playful. You’ll find this song on Misty’s debut album, the self-titled Misty Boyce.
The rest of the best songs of 2010 will be presented in alphabetical order by artist.
Del-Lords – When the Drugs Kick In: The EP from which this song is taken, Under Construction, was made up of five rough mixes and just put together so that the reunited Del-Lords would have something to sell when they toured Spain earlier this year. But this song sounds top notch to me. The song is well written (with a cautionary message) by Scott Kempner and boast some very tasty lead guitar work provided by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel.
Sasha Dobson – Burn: From Sasha’s EP of the same name. This song, and others on this EP seem to be born out of a disintegrating relationship. Set in some smokey after hour, Sasha’s emotional vocals are matched by the wonderfully expressive lead guitar provided by Steven Elliot. You don’t so much listen to this song as feel it.
Maura Kennedy – Chains: From Maura’s Parade of Echoes. Maura calls this her rock song, well, because that’s what it is. Power chords, very nice lead guitar work, loud bass and lyrics about love and obsession, it’s all here. Great vocal too.
The next five songs are shown here.
I’m gonna look up that Baseball Project right now. I love The Hold Steady. You missed a song called “Sascrotch” by a band from Jersey called Ape Fight. It has a funny as hell video too.
If you like Don’t Call Them Twinkies, be sure to be back here Friday when I post the best videos of 2010!