In the formidable challenge that is counting down the Top 50 Songs of 2014, today is the day we reach the halfway point and then keep going. The songs are getting progressively better, more epic, catchier, and more emotional. That’s how lists like this work. I hope you’ve enjoyed what’s already been covered in the previous two installments. Click here to see #50-41 in the countdown. Click here to see #40-31. Is there a theme to the set of 10 songs featured in this particular post? Not that I’ve been able to discern. You’ll find a couple of hip hop tracks, a couple of R&B cuts, a couple of synth pop numbers, and some other things that can sometimes feel like they’re straight out of left field. It’s nice to get a little unpredictable from time to time. So here we go: The Top 50 Songs of 2014 #30-21!
So we’re at mid-week, and already I’m a little bit behind on this year’s Listmas entries. This tends to happen every year, and you’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now. Maybe what I should be doing instead is starting to write the entries a lot farther in advance, so there’s less worry down the line. Anyways, that’s neither here nor there at the moment. On Monday I shared with you the first set of 10 songs in the Top 50 Songs of 2014 list. Today I’m pleased to share the second set, #40-31. As for the rest, we’ll get there. Hopefully the full Top 50 list will be done and posted by Monday. Of course there’s today’s edition of Pick Your Poison to enjoy in the meantime. Enjoy tracks from The Capture Effect, Luna Sopor, Morgan Mecaskey, Niia x The Range, ScotDrakula and Yalls. In the SOundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Alex Winston, Anthony Naples, Krill, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Night Beds, of Montreal and S. Carey.
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – Problem (TKDJS Remix)
The Capture Effect – London’s Burning
Hayley Kiyoko – This Side of Paradise (Rogue Vogue Remix)
Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed (LoftyLows Rethink)
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Cracker, Ghostface Killah, J. Cole, K. Michelle, Los Campesinos! and The Smashing Pumpkins. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Chromatics, Ender Belongs to Me, Freeweights, Gold Spectacles, Salvatore Ganacci and ZKPR. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Future of What, Landlady, Motopony, Spazzkid, Stone Jack Jones and VASSY.
Ender Belongs to Me – Getting Colder (ft. Alexandra Lowell)
Frank Alexander – Armageddon Disco
In All Honesty – Heroine For Your Heart
The Lost Brothers – Little Angel
This Top 50 Songs list is not organized in any other way than by perceived order of excellence, so when you have a look at the set of 10 below, you may be surprised at how thematically related almost all of them are to one another. It was a total fluke things worked out like that, and in fact I didn’t even notice myself until writing up this introduction. The overarching theme is love, whether you’re falling into it, out of it, or somewhere in between, which is a subject matter as old as music itself. I just looked it up, and apparently about 60% of all songs written today are about love, so I guess the similarities aren’t all that shocking after all. Anyways, let’s get right into it, shall we? This freight train keeps rolling on with #40-31 of the Top 50 Songs of 2014! Oh, and in case you missed it, here’s #50-41.
Starting today and pretty much every weekday for the next two weeks, I’ll be using these Pick Your Poison intros to let you know about the latest and greatest things going on with the annual Listmas event here on Faronheit. Yes, we’re in year-end mode and it’s time to break down the best music that 2014 had to offer. All this week it’s the Top 50 Songs of the Year, which leads into next week’s Top 50 Albums of the Year. Kind of like an advent calendar, new items will be revealed each day as the countdown progresses. Just a short bit ago I posted the first entry in the Top Songs list, so if you’re intrigued, click here to see entries #50-41. We’re starting off great and only getting better. But if ranked lists aren’t exactly your thing, perhaps you’ll find Pick Your Poison is more up your alley. There’s some good tracks in the set below from DRLNG, Lanterna, Liars, Quarterbacks and Vincent Colbert. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Amen Dunes, Axis: Sova, The Dodos, Moritat, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Twin Shadow and You Blew It!
Averez – Beat of the Drum (Original Mix)
Blooms – Lust (Ellie Herring Remix)
Can Can Heads – Square With A Little Bit Rectangle
Lavender Worm – Synchronized Swimming
Liars – Mask Maker (Extended Version)
Ted Z and the Wranglers – Like A King
Vincent Colbert – Rose Yellow Moon
Welcome, dear reader, to the official kick off of Listmas 2014! For the uninformed, Listmas is the grand tradition here on the good ‘ol site that celebrates the end of the year with a series of ranked lists. It’s not really a new or novel idea, and in fact pretty much every site that covers music releases their own lists, though I suppose very few put it all together under one broad label like this. Yet the word has also become part of the jargon people use to talk about this list-making season every year. Anyways, it’s my sincere hope that you’ll keep checking back and reading the site over the next couple of weeks while the slow roll out of Listmas takes place. We’re starting this week with the Top 50 Songs of 2014 countdown, and following that up next week with the Top 50 Albums of 2014 countdown. There are currently designs for another extra list or two leading up to Christmas and the site’s annual holiday break, but I won’t go into detail on those yet because there’s still a good chance they might never be written or published. The last couple of years this endeavor has become increasingly difficult to put together, and resulted in delays that pushed a list or two past the holidays. So let’s keep our fingers crossed that everything gets done in a prompt and concise fashion this year.
Today we begin the journey of counting down the Top 50 Songs of 2014. Before we launch into this, a couple of quick notes. This list will be parsed out at the rate of 10 songs per post, ideally kicking off on Monday and ending on Friday. Along with the artist and song title, I’m pleased to provide different ways for you to hear each of the songs on this list. Some will be available for free download, but most will be streams through Soundcloud, YouTube or Spotify. The hope is to make all of this music as universally accessible as possible so you can hear everything should you so choose. Once the list is complete, I’ll include a link to a full playlist on Spotify where you can hear almost everything, as a few artists on this list don’t have or refuse to use Spotify. In regards to what you can expect, I’d say don’t make any assumptions and mentally prepare yourself to be outraged at some point. You’re not going to love every song, and the picks range from the very obscure to the super mainstream, even in the Top 10. No artist is featured more than once, though that rule technically doesn’t apply to collaborations or featured vocal spots. The goal is to spread the love as widely as possible, so hopefully that comes across in the end. So without further ado, please join me past the jump for Faronheit’s Top 50 Songs of 2014: #50-41!
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:
Watch Sleater-Kinney on “The Chris Gethard Show”
Music Video: OFF! – Over Our Heads
YouTube Audio Stream: Purity Ring – Push Pull
Music Video: Charli XCX – Breaking Up
Watch the short film “Sox Day: A Day in the Life of Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment”
Music Video: Jessie Ware – You & I (Forever)
YouTube Audio Stream: The Decemberists – Lake Song
Music Video (NSFW): Run the Jewels – Oh My Darling (Don’t Cry)
Read Killer Mike’s op-ed in USA Today on the treatment of rap music in court
Watch a two-hour, fan-shot film highlighting Kanye West’s Yeezus tour
Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss songs from Chromatics, Glass Candy, Gorgeous Bully, Radio Birds, Raphaella, SUNBEARS! and Tunji Ige. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Conveyor, Elephant Micah, Lil Herb (ft. Earl Sweatshirt), Magic Bronson, Moon Duo and Pale Blue, among others.
Chromatics – Kill for Love (Running From the Sun Version)
Gorgeous Bully – Love Song for Someone Else
Raphaella – Artifice (Sohn cover)
As much as I’d love to write a proper intro for this edition of Pick Your Poison, the week so far has sadly gotten away from me and I have no time at the moment. So my apologies for dispensing with the pleasantries and getting right down to brass tax. Listmas 2014 is set to start next week, and that’s going to feature more writing than even I know what to do with. In the meantime, please enjoy tracks from Francesca Belmonte, Lyon Hart, Memoryy, Radiation City and Victoria+Jean. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs by Grimes, Guards, Petite Noir, Phosphorescent, Prince Innocence, Sleater-Kinney and The Soft Moon.
Francesca Belmonte – Hiding in the Rushes
Museum of Love – Who’s Who of Who Cares (Daniel.T. & Cooper Saver Remix)
New Build – Pour It On (Table Man Remix)
The Outdoor Type – Are You Happy
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Owen, Parkay Quarts, She & Him, Walk the Moon, Wu-Tang Clan, Yo La Tengo and Yung Lean. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Anwar Sadat, Bad Cop, Chromatics, Leitbur, Memory Maze and Sun Gods to Gamma Rays. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Butch Walker, Little Boots, Myrkur, Smallpools, Teen Daze and Zs, among others.
Childish Gambino – 3005 (Chordashian Remix)
Chromatics – These Streets Will Never Look the Same (Ruth Radelet Version)
Circle of Reason – Sea of Voices
Little Daylight – My Life (Thugli Remix)
The Marks Cartel – Where Do I Go?
Allow me to wax poetic for a quick minute in regards to The Smashing Pumpkins. Like many people, I’ve had my share of ups and downs with the band over the last couple of decades. More specifically, the issues are with Billy Corgan since he remains the sole original member of the band these days. For me, The Smashing Pumpkins truly ended on December 2, 2000, when they played their “final” show at the Metro in Chicago. Guitarist James Iha was gone, and Corgan would continue to work with drummer Jimmy Chamberlain on his next project Zwan. That went bust after three years, and following one solo record in 2005, Corgan chose to reclaim the Pumpkins name. Chamberlain stuck around for a couple of years, but eventually went his own way too, leaving what might as well be called Corgan and the Hired Hands. The two full lengths since then have largely been given a chilly reception, though you could say that 2012’s Oceania was one of the best things done under the Pumpkins name since pre-Machina. Now there’s a new record called Monuments to an Elegy that’s set for release next week. There’s also a new band backing up Corgan. While the new songs were recorded with guitarist Jeff Schroeder and former Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, the touring band assembled in support of this record includes Schroeder, bassist Mark Stoermer from The Killers and drummer Brad Wilk from Rage Against the Machine. The reason I bring all of this up is because at the start of my Thanksgiving weekend I had the opportunity to see the latest version of The Smashing Pumpkins perform live for the first time, and feel it represents a step in the right direction. See, in the handful of times I’ve been to a Pumpkins show, Corgan has remained stoic, deadly serious and steadfast in his own personal indulgences. There have been times when he’s played 90% new material or gone on long, psychedelic sojourns simply because he felt like it. Similarly, in recent years he’s occasionally lashed out at audiences, frustrated with them for one reason or another, though most often because they weren’t enthusiastic enough. The Corgan that showed up and performed at Thalia Hall in Chicago this past Wednesday kind of seemed like a changed man. He was smiling, he joked between songs, he played a good mixture of classic hits and new material, and just generally had a great time. So did the 850 or so people in attendance. While every Pumpkins show that I’ve seen has been impressive in its own way, this was the first time I was able to say it was a wholly positive and engaging experience. Not only did the band play a pretty wild cover of David Bowie’s “Fame” during the show, but they’ve also started selling merch that pokes fun at a feud between Corgan and CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Where has this Billy Corgan been hiding, and can he come out and play more often? Beyond the serious attitude adjustment, I’ll also say that the new songs sound pretty solid. Don’t expect classic era Pumpkins, but with any luck it might just wind up being the best thing released under that name in more than 15 years. There’s hope for this band yet, and I’m not one to say no to a good redemption story. Okay, now let’s get into this week-starting edition of Pick Your Poison. There’s some great tracks in this set from Blooms, Grand Vapids, Soft Lighting and Stuyvesant. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from A$AP Ferg, Ice Choir, The Pop Group, Sunless 97 & Palmistry, Ultimate Painting and Wu-Tang Clan.
John Lennon – Imagine (An-Ten-Nae Remix)
Kanye West – Love Lockdown (Wize Remix)
La Roux – Uptight Downtown (Club Clique Remix)
Sango – Maluco (The Basement Tapes Remix)
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Andy Stott, Beyonce, Bjork, Eminem, The New Basement Tapes, REM, Snowday, Soundgarden and The Velvet Underground. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Bernaccia, Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment, King Tuff, Valise, Warning Light and YOU. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Bent Denim (covering Angel Olsen), Lip Talk, Little Boots, Outasight, Wedding Dress (covering Wild Beasts) and Young Ejecta.
Apes & Seb Wildblood – Brooklyn
Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment – No Better Blues
Hidden in the Spring – Salt and the Spring
King Tuff – Danger in the Dark
The Legendary House Cats – This Time
Natalie McCool – Wind Blows Harder (THUMPERS Rework)
Warning Light – Phono Stations
It’s the start of a holiday week here at Faronheit, as Thanksgiving looms dead ahead. I’m excited about it, and if you’re in the US (or elsewhere I suppose) I hope that you are too. Unfortunately things are very busy for me at the moment and I don’t have time for a proper intro to this edition of Pick Your Poison. The good news is that I’ve started work on the annual Listmas posts, which will officially begin on December 8th. In the meantime, please enjoy the songs below. There’s some quality tracks in this set from The Bulletproof Bomb, Concord America, Felix Champion, Luka and Ruane Maurice. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Hannah Diamond, Little Boots, Ricardo Donoso, Soda Fabric, Tink and Will Butler.
Anna Lunoe & wordlife – Midnight
The Bulletproof Bomb – Five Green Bottles
Cats of Transnistria – Good Night
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:
Stream two new Beyonce songs, “7/11” and “Ring Off”
Music Video: Iceage – Against the Moon
RIP Motown singer Jimmy Ruffin
Music Video: Run the Jewels – Blockbuster Night Part 1
Bono was in a nasty cycling accident. Here are details on his injuries
Music Video: She & Him – Stay Awhile
YouTube Audio Stream: Charli XCX – Gold Coins
Music Video: Viet Cong – Continental Shelf
Music Video: Belle & Sebastian – The Party Line
Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss songs from Chromatics, Le Rug, Night Panther, NOME and Snowday. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from A-Symmetry, Celine Neon, Gobby, The Neighbourhood, Savage Sister and Telekinesis, among others.
Le Twan – Babooshka (ft. Vyuga)
Luke De-Sciscio – Patterns of Revolution (Demo)
The Mascot Theory – My Eyes See
Monster Rally & Jay Stone – Recollection
Earlier this evening I had a unique concert experience that I wanted to share with you for just a quick minute. While this website is largely devoted to a lot of the best that new music has to offer, it’s extremely important to fully understand that such things wouldn’t even exist without everything that’s come before. Pay attention to and respect the old so you can best interpret and enjoy the new. For example, The Beatles have and will continue to influence bands for the foreseeable future. I never turn down the chance to listen to something widely regarded as classic, because it presents an opportunity to learn and even in some respects continue to discover new music no matter how old it might actually be. Which brings me to Mavis Staples. As a lifelong Chicagoan who loves and is passionate about music, you can’t reasonably ignore Staples and the Staples Singers, who helped popularize gospel, soul and R&B music in the 50s, 60s and beyond. They broke and bent most labels applied to them, and though the family band is no more, Mavis soldiers on and even experienced a bit of a career revival these last few years with a couple of albums produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy was just one of the 20 or so special guests from the world of music who all showed up at the Auditorium Theatre earlier tonight for a big 75th birthday celebration for Mavis. The roster was one superstar after another, from the past up until present day. For every Buddy Miller, Aaron Neville and Bonnie Raitt there was a Glen Hansard, Grace Potter or Win Butler & Regine Chassagne from Arcade Fire. While things certainly skewed towards the older crowd, and there weren’t a whole lot of people under 40 who attended (besides myself of course), the night was filled with great moments worthy of noting. While many of the guests such as Emmylou Harris, Gregg Allman and Michael McDonald sang or performed classic Staples songs, some artists chose to play some traditionals or cover others who cite Staples and The Staples Singers as influences. Widespread Panic covered the Stephen Stills classic “For What It’s Worth,” which got the crowd excited and up on their feet. Patty Griffin, Ryan Bingham, Grace Potter and Emmylou Harris collaborated on a cover of Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” that was positively transcendent. And Win and Regine from Arcade Fire brought the funk by performing the Talking Heads cut “Slippery People” with Staples herself, and it was a song that David Byrne actually wrote with the Staples Singers in mind. For the encore, all of the guests came out together and did a rousing version of The Band’s “The Weight,” which the Staples Singers actually performed in the concert film The Last Waltz. Was it wonderful? You bet it was. I’m not a fan of all the artists and friends of Mavis who came out and played, but at the very least I walked away with a greater respect for some of them. It was all in service to one woman and her amazing catalog, which is just a really nice thing to do. There will be a DVD coming out at some point in the next year or two with the full concert on it, and I encourage you to keep an eye out for it, as it’s just the sort of thing that will increase your musical education. Also helpful is today’s Pick Your Poison, which features some good downloads from The Black Ryder, Colleen Green, Party of One and Royale, among others. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Alasdair Roberts, American Wrestlers, Cheatahs, Disclosure, Flying Lotus, A Place to Bury Strangers and Wu-Tang Clan.
Party of One – Watch While the Heads Roll
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Ariel Pink, Bryan Ferry, David Bowie, Drive-By Truckers, Fugazi, Manchester Orchestra, Mr. Oizo, R.F.C., Robert Wyatt, TV On the Radio and Wilco. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Anabot, Chromatics, Contra, Kitty, Nite Fields and Pale. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Last Lizard, Marissa Nadler (covering Elliott Smith), Mourn, Noveller, Perfume Genius, Sleigh Bells (ft. Tink) and A Sunny Day in Glasgow.
Chromatics – Shadow (8 Track Version)
Chromatics – Red Car
Fickle Friends – For You (Ghost Beach Remix)
Gene Clark – I Saw A Dream Come True
Hanni El Khatib ft. GZA – Moonlight (Remix)
Lorde – Yellow Flicker Beat (Antennae Rework)
