Song of the Day 2/10/13

Out of My League-Fitz and the Tantrums

You know ever since my little anniversary post I’ve been listening to Fitz and the Tantrums first album on a pretty steady rotation and it’s still as bad ass now as it was when I first got it, and of course with that in mind I figured why not actually take the time to write about how awesome they are and upon the typing of them into the Youtube search bar I’ve just come across the fact that they seem to have a new single coming out which is for lack of a better term…..FUCKING AWESOME!

Ok I’m going into this with a open mind because let’s be frank you never really want to expect to hear the same thing twice and oh is this something interesting.

Rather then that very throwback sound that hooked me on this bad ass little group we have here a very modern sounding little indie rock tune that has fitz kind of out of place vocals over a very stark kind of echoing rhythm that’s very steady in a lot of ways, but after a second listen it’s pretty cool in a lot of ways albeit a little too much like what’s popular on alternative radio at this moment in time, but also you can’t really blame them for trying to do something a little different.

So in conclusion what we have here is actually a pretty strong bit of new music from a band that sadly might only really be a hidden gem amongst music groups but still a killer chorus with a nice change of sound is something I can’t find any fault with.

Good job Fitz.

Happy Birthday SOTD!

Hey you want to know what’s awesome everybody? The fact that today marks the 3 year anniversary of Sam’s Song of the Day.

*cue all the celebratory party shenanigans*

Aaaand with that fun little realization I figured this year’s overly spectacularly well thought out post would be….umm….I actually have no idea what I was going to do to celebrate that this year to be really honest with you people, because well I’ve been lazy as hell as of late on this fine little outlet of imagination which is quite annoying really but there’s a bit of a silver lining in this.

Today’s Friday and I’ve been writing these for 3 years and admittedly it’s hard to keep consistent after so long because well life just doesn’t always let us focus on that task and I’ve noticed that this week’s song selections while limited are good examples of doing what I love best which is to listen to the tunes that make me happy or give me something to relate to which is quite annoying to think of how I seem to not really have the ability to just sit back and absorb the good tunes like I use to but even so let’s crank these jams up and celebrate the fact that I’ve spent the last 3 years of my life giving you guy’s a song to listen to.

So with that I figured what tune other then the big band styles of Fitz and the Tantrums and their take on those gold digging wenches of life…

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #1

Anyway-Cee-Lo Green

You know it was about this time maybe before last year that I first heard this song and while I will say it’s utter blasphemy to include it on this list let alone at the top spot let me make note way back at day 1 where and I quote:

                “Now by the best tunes I’ve heard this year I mean that they had to have come out sometime between late 2011,”

That would in theory not only allow this tune the ability to be eligible but with this being you know Sam’s Song of the day I’d figure it’d be pretty damn obvious that I’d include a tune that I’ve found and used every conceivable excuse to mention in any particular post that’s come about and as such also find a way to include it on the best of list this year so with that in mind let me give you a brief reasoning as to why this song towers above all others.

Ah Cee-Lo how your ability to not only record the best collection of throwback jams amazes me but the fact that you recorded a song that’s like Discovery-era Daft Punk with all its hyper disco themed instrumentals and some lyrics that take sweet sweet liberty in being able to use the wonderfully silly to the fact that we’ll dance to anything you’ve made a song that’s every wonderful thing about being a child in the fact that it’s the most simple tune and it just works in every way, no over complicated themes here just the fact that Cee-Lo loves his woman and knows she feels the same even if he’s one smooth ass lady killin’ son of a biscuit eating bulldog, and for making the most wonderful of wonderful pop songs I’ve heard all year and for making it stay as wonderfully awesome 12 months later I salute you.

The end of the world couldn’t stop this amazing bunch of songs so I can only hope next year continues the hype those are my top 25 cuts of the year, happy holiday’s to everyone and maybe just maybe I can give ya some decent filler as I go give my mother a call.

OH yeah and on a smaller note MERRY CHRISTMAHAUNAKWANZIKA!!!!

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #2

Somebody that I use to Know-Gotye

The most unlikely smash of the year this very reggae inspired police tinged cut was the best number one smash of the hit and the tune that single handedly introduced me to the gloriously talented song bird known as Kimbra and to think it was all the by-product of an Australian singer songwriter, a bitter break-up, and some time in his parents farm to produce the most modestly strong tune of the year.

The first time I ever heard this song was in a haze of sleep depravity during a late night session of listening to the radio after loveline so I can’t really say much other then the fact that I thought it sounded like what’d happen if sting and Katy Perry decided to make a song together, but oh was I about to be taken to another place whenever this song crawled into my subconscious and started to really pick up steam along the way because by the time I finally realized what was happening I was blown away that this wonderful little number wasn’t just the best tune I’d heard in a long time but it was becoming a massive hit and that was an amazing feeling to know that the rest of the music buying public could finally realize this.

Here we have the break out alternative hit of the year and every one’s about ready to listen to this album that while being the most read article on this site, but a starting point for a musician that at the very least was going to soon become a staple of album oriented radio and what happens…6 months later after this hit number one it’s nowhere to be found.

This was a supernova large in impact but quick to fade away a damn shame considering the artist involved really are as great as this ranking indicates, but as amazing as this tune is there was just one that stood above it.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #3

Kill Your Heroes-AWOLNATION

Yeah I’m not going to lie I absolutely dread the song Sail and it’s empty screaming style and because of that I just completely ignored this band entirely and what a shame that was because this song is so amazingly hate filled that I can’t help but wish I’d looked past that one bad tune earlier.

Like I noted, “Not Your Fault,” is what made me take interest in this band but this song just blew my mind because I’m not so sure what it is but it’s an incredibly angry cut filled with some wild imagery of murder and the grim realities of things to come but in some odd way there’s a slight ray of hope in its chorus and it’s mentioning of why you need to just continue keeping on. 

Too damn good to ignore for long in some sick and twisted way I guess this teaches us all not to judge a band by one bad song, because maybe just maybe they’ll make something so angrily amazing that you can’t help but sing along.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #4

Lessons in Love-Neon trees

I can’t lie to you guy’s of all the new releases that I was able to get a hold of this year this album singlehandedly was both the biggest surprise and best overall offering I listened to this year and that’s saying a lot considering the fact that I went in on a limb hoping for something passable.

The thing that was so good about this offering other then it’s wonderful kind of movie like flow was the strength of the tracks on it and the various styles they were willing to try and this hauntingly little dance number just stood out amongst the others and has still maintained this aura of awesome that I can’t deny.

Like the people we love the best things in life are dark and mysterious and I use those two words to describe this tune because it’s this oozingly sexual cut that has a danceable vibe to it that’s bound to make bodies move and it’s those feelings that make me just keep coming back for more.

So yeah all day, all night, I’m likely to keep this song in rotation and it’s a mammoth of a tune that could only be topped by a series of tunes that truly halted or stayed with me this entire year.