- "English House" - Fleet Foxes
- "Doomsday" - Murray Gold (Doctor Who S2)
- "Everything is Alright" - Motion City Soundtrack
- "Harrowdown Hill" - Thom Yorke
- "I Can't Decide" - Scissor Sisters
- "Me and My Shadow (feat. Jonathan Wilkes)" - Robbie Williams
- "Stallion Daze II - Power of Heart" - Bubble & Squeak
- "The Robot Trilogy II - to the Edge and Back" - Bubble & Squeak
- "Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?" - The Gaslight Anthem
- "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" - She & Him
Brief descriptions:
1. "English House" is pretty much the definition of gorgeous, shimmery alternative rock. I realize this sounds terribly schmaltzy, but this track is truly evocative of a tranquil little cottage in the English countryside.
2. "Doomsday" is probably my favorite track from the
Doctor Who soundtrack (though I do love "The Master Vainglorious"). Melanie Pappenheim's vocals are just beautiful, and the "emo rock" vibe of the piece isn't cheesy at all.
3. This is Motion City Soundtrack's most famous song, but... eh. I do love it. It's an excellent balance between the irritating rhotic vocals of indie rock bands and true punk.
4. "Harrowdown Hill", being connected with the death of David Kelly, is a pretty intense and poignant song. Its catchy hook and Thom Yorke's vocals, however, make for a wonderfully electronic pop tune.
5. Ah, my favorite song ever! This has played on my iTunes countless times, really (I think about 59). It's just fun honky-tonk pop with actually rather depressing lyrics, haha. The refrain is also ridiculously catchy. (Also, points for being in the S3 finale of
Doctor Who. Obviously.)
6. After his performance in
De-Lovely, I've always thought that Robbie Williams was more suited to swing/jazz than contemporary pop. His foray into swing in the CD
Swing When You're Winning is a fantastic example of this. My favorite track, "Me and My Shadow", is a great duet between Williams and friend Jonathan Wilkes, albeit with, er, weird spoken interactions. (N.B., however: avoid "I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen" on Williams' album; it's the most ridiculous song I've ever heard. His duet with Rupert Everett on "They Can't Take That Away From Me", though, is definitely worth a listen or two.)
7. Some of you theatre geeks may know Bubble & Squeak as Jesse Swenson's band (he of
Spring Awakening fame), but I strongly encourage everyone to go buy their latest release,
Dansing is an Emotion (with an "s"!), on iTunes. They've resurrected that synthy 80s Britpop sound, and this time with biting, ironic lyrics. This particular track references Tom Selleck's moustache and getting one's hand caught in a blender. How much better could it get?
8. Okay, I really had to include another cut from Bubble & Squeak's album. The Robot Trilogy, a series of three tracks detailing a robot's accidental birth and his newfound emotions, is less ironic than some other tracks, and almost has a
Man of la Mancha theme to it. Part II is my favorite among the trilogy; its memorable refrain and strangely poignant lyrics smack of a potential single.
9. The Gaslight Anthem, one of my favorite indie groups, recently put out an EP entitled
Señor and the Queen. Their sound is a gritty punkish one, but with certain folk and Springsteen-esque influences (which is explained by their hailing from New Jersey).
10. The combined efforts of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have resulted in a lovely album,
Volume One. The best track, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?", is a selection of of light, folky pop with cute lyrics; Deschanel's soft, ethereal vocals certainly don't hurt, either. This track is reminiscent of post-war pop and its carefree message.
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