It was a halfway decent one for me. We didn't take any prolonged vacations or even extended weekends, but there were some good moments. The annual Roscoe camping trip on Memorial Day weekend was a success again. Then there was the very memorable Roselle Park High School all-class reunion in June. Music-wise, of course the Aerosmith and Cheap Trick bill led the way, but festivals in Delaware, and Maplewood NJ, and Rosendale NY spiced up the summer, too!
Since 1985, Billboard has been tracking the "Song of the Summer", using its weekly Hot 100 charts. I don't believe this year's results are in yet, but it's a safe bet it will be Carly Rae Jepsen's infectuous "Call Me Maybe". It was all over the place during this summer. There was jokes made about it (including from yours truly), even the Point Pleasant Beach first aid squad did a take off on it. It was everywhere.
However, much of my list is based on my music preference as well as the role it had over the summer. The Jepsen song only reached #82 on my list. But there were many songs worthy of my top spot. Keep in mind, however, that in compiling this, I used a point system rather than my gut reaction; otherwise Pink's, long-running #1 "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" would be near the top instead of outside the Top 20 (mainly because it didn't come out until the end of July). This system instead rewards songs which have been around the entire summer. So, without further hesitation, here is my countdown of my Top 20 songs of the summer:
20. Florence + the Machine, "No Light No Light"
The third single from their Ceremonial's set, took my a while to get used to. I added this in January, and it petered out, but got a second wind over the summer to hit #13 on my weekly list. And one friend of mine recently posted this as well.
19. Kelly Clarkson - "Darkside"
Not as successful on a national level like its predecessor "Stonger", but I liked it, since I know a couple of people that do have a dark side. Like "Stronger", it peaked at # 7 on my chart, and confirmed her as the most successful singer from "American Idol".
18. Lady Antebellum - "Dancing Away With My Heart"
I added this song as it was pretty sentimental--two high school lovers who haven't seen each other in ages. I plugged this song a bit coming into our all-class reunion in June. No relationships (as far as I know) were suddently rekindled, but all had a great time, and I'll still associate the song with that event.
17. The Wombats - "Jump Into the Fog"
Unlike their song last year "Tokyo", this one took a bit for me to get into, but it eventually did, landing in my Top 10. It was further vindicated when I heard it on "New Rock 101.9", an alternative-rock station which made its debut in New York during August.
16. M83 - "Reunion"
Another song inspired by my all-class reunion, which probably helped it along to the #2 spot, from this seasoned French band's awesome Hurry Up, We're Dreaming set.
15. Electric Guest - "This Head I Hold"
Actually this song reminds me more of the springtime than summer, when I went to a geocaching meeting down in Bridgewater back in April, this was going thru my head. But I liked it so much, I kept it around for much of the summer.
14. The Kooks - "Is It Me"
Third single from this Brit band's latest, hit #2, much like the first single "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". A memorable song, yes, but no Facebook friend quoted a line from it, like they did with that previous hit ("You’re a lover of the wild and a joker of the heart"). Oh well...
13. Linkin Park - "Burn It Down"
One of the most recognizable songs this summer. Many friends liked it, as did I. Strong first single from their Living Things set.
12. Oberhofer - "Away From You"
"You're pushing me away from you", was a lyric stuck in my mind this summer, thus went this catchy rock song that brushed my top 10.
11. Best Coast - "The Only Place"
Another great song by this band which has yet to break.
10. Trails and Ways - "Nunca"
This one, discovered via the "RCD LBL" site, was a gem, and it hit #1 for a couple of weeks to boot, although it never really caught on with my friends.
9.Edward Sharpe & the Magnet Zeros, "That's What's Up"
Always loved this band. They had some fans, but unfortunately the song didn't become as big as "Home" from 2010.
8. Ty Segall & White Fence - "I Am Not A Game"
Again, I related this one more to our Hilton Head trip in early May rather than anything over the summer, but the one-minute jam (which should have been longer, in my opinion), was awesome, recalling my "air guitar" days. This guy had to get his due one of these days.
7. Gotye featuring Kimbra - "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Definittely the song of the spring (not to mention my Lake Placid trip last winter), it still hung around during the summer, spending a few of its twelve weeks at #2 during the early summer. A strong candidate for top honors of the year. We shall see.
6. Mayer Hawthorne - "Henny and Gingerale"
This song flashes me back to the early 1970's, kind of funk soul easy-going groove. The song which I could relate to in say, May, 1973 at the first sign of continued warm weather going into the summer. It hit #1 on my list for a week, to boot.
5. Metric - "Youth Without Youth"
Always nice to see new material from this Canadian band. It got some airplay on New Rock 101.9, and was catchy enough to spend two weeks at number one this summer for me.
4. Maroon 5 - "Come Away To the Water"
While Adam Levine and the boys were having two top 3 hits with their usual pop-funkish style, this surreal, Fleet Foxes song was a hit with our friends Emily and Victoria, as well as Barb. It's from the soundtrack to The Hunger Games, which I recently saw (although not featured in the movie). Would love to see more bands "take changes" like this and put them out as singles.
3. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - "Never Go Back"
I had been waiting two years for Grace to come out with a new album, and it didn't disappoint. But, where was the buzz? Again, the shunning of rock music by pop radio has hurt what should have become a breakout album for this group. But one friend did like this song, and I will soon be adding the new single very shortly.
2. Those Darlings, "Screws Get Loose".
If summer started in April, this would be the runaway hit of the season, but unfortunately, it doesn't, thus this 7-week #1 song is related to the runner-up postion. Still, it was featured prominately in our Roscoe camping trip (my friend Craig Young, played it a couple of times that weekend). I also came close to seeing them play in New York City in July, but it fell through. Recently the girls opened for Old 47's, so it's possible we may hear more from them. This was also a favorite of several of my close Facebook friends as well.
And the #1 song of the summer is:
1. The Shins - "The Rifle's Spiral"
Much talked about was this band's latest album, and the song reached #1 for a week. A favorite by many, it just proved how versatile these guys are. Prevalent during much of the summer, it just went thru my head and never really let go!
BRIEFLY: Pink stays at #1 for a fifth week with "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)"; it's only the third song in the two-year history of SNS to stay atop that long. Actually the top five remain intact, but some interesting stuff takes up residence in the top 10 in the form of Rebecca Ferguson's soulful "Nothing's Real But Love", and the soothing "Elizabeth's Song" by Dirty Beaches which flies from #26 to #8.
I try and feature new material recently released when considering adding songs to my list, however I couldn't avoid a post from a friend (who is a big 1960's obscure garage-rock fan), of a song from three years ago. The Satelliters, The top debut at #55, "Lost in Time", released in 2009, but it sure sounds like the long mid-60's garage record, right down the production. As a rule, if nobody has really heard the song back in '09, I will treat it as a new song, and hopefully will prove to be the soundtrack to the fall. Incidentially they do have new CD out now, Outta Here and a single, "Shake Shake Shake", but I will enjoy "Lost..." first, glad to know there's newer stuff in the pipeline.
The next highest debut goes to The Kopechy Family Band, with "Heartbeat", at #77. They are indeed a "family" of six performing out of their native Nashville, but their sound transcends the country label into more electronic and folk (and by the way, they are not related). They made a brief appearence on SNS last year with the song "Howlin' At the Moon", which got to #94. This one has definitely made more of an impact, with their pop sensibilites coming to the forefront.
Neon Trees have always been one of those bands that you "kind of" like, but for some reason, you can't become a full-fledged fan of them. Faceless wonders, you could say. They haven't been any strangers to my list. Their song "Your Surrender" (from their debut, Habits), just missed my top 20 last year, while the follow-up, "1983" reached #56. Back in January, they released their debut single from their sophomore effort Picture Show, called "Everybody Talks". Now, one of the pratfalls of jumping early on a song is that I might not like it immediately, dismiss it, only to watch the rest of the world fall for it. Added on January 9th, "Everybody Talks" only got up to #68, and I retired it after only seven weeks.
If you want credentials, just read this: #6 on Billboard's Hot 100, #1 on the Adult Top 40 format, and # 7 Alternative. And I slept right thru it. Throwing water over my eyes last week was Gail Caccierelli Bradley who posted the song last week. I have been hearing it sporadically. Well, I'm a bit late to the party but i've re-added the song as it comes back at #92.
Better late than never.
SCENES'N'SOUNDWAVES 100 for Week of September 3, 2012
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
1
|
P!NK
"Blow Me (One Last Kiss)"
Album: The Truth About Love
5 Weeks at #1
|
9
|
|
2
|
2
|
Foxygen - Make It Known
|
7
|
|
3
|
3
|
Dignan Porch - Picking Up Dust
|
8
|
|
4
|
4
|
The Heavy - What Makes A Good Man
|
11
|
|
5
|
5
|
The Avett Brothers - Live and Die
|
8
|
|
6
|
13
|
Rebecca Ferguson - Nothing's Real But Love
|
5
|
|
7
|
10
|
Two Door Cinema Club - Sleep Alone
|
7
|
|
8
|
26
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
DIRTY BEACHES
"Elizabeth's Theme"
(Single only)
|
4
|
|
9
|
9
|
The Raveonettes - Observations
|
10
|
|
10
|
12
|
Matchbox Twenty - She's So Mean
|
12
|
|
11
|
6
|
The Black Keys - Little Black Submarine
|
12
|
|
12
|
14
|
Phillip Phillips - Home
|
15
|
|
13
|
16
|
Ty Segall Band - I Brought My Eyes
|
14
|
|
14
|
7
|
Kelly Clarkson - Dark Side
|
14
|
|
15
|
17
|
Basement Batman - On A Streak
|
6
|
|
16
|
20
|
Grouplove - Itchin' On A Photograph
|
5
|
|
17
|
8
|
Beach House - Lazuli
|
13
|
|
18
|
18
|
Green Day - Oh Love
|
7
|
|
19
|
23
|
Grassfight - Look Homeward Heathen
|
9
|
|
20
|
11
|
Best Coast - The Only Place
|
16
|
|
21
|
22
|
The Killers - Runaways
|
8
|
|
22
|
39
|
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
|
4
|
|
23
|
25
|
The Features - Another One
|
9
|
|
24
|
15
|
Trails and Ways - Nunca
|
15
|
|
25
|
19
|
Fun. - Some Nights
|
23
|
|
26
|
21
|
The Royal Concept - Gimme Twice
|
11
|
|
27
|
36
|
Snow Patrol - In the End
|
6
|
|
28
|
24
|
Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
|
12
|
|
29
|
27
|
Emeli Sande - Next To Me
|
11
|
|
30
|
30
|
No Doubt - Settle Down
|
7
|
|
31
|
35
|
The Mungers - B School
|
9
|
|
32
|
38
|
Weeks - The House We Grew Up In
|
10
|
|
33
|
28
|
M83 - Reunion
|
16
|
|
34
|
32
|
Meiko - Leave the Lights On
|
10
|
|
35
|
42
|
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
|
26
|
|
36
|
45
|
Chromatics - Into the Black
|
6
|
|
37
|
33
|
A Place to Bury Strangers - You Are the One
|
8
|
|
38
|
44
|
Joanna Burns - Simply Speak
|
6
|
|
39
|
29
|
Mayer Hawthorne - Henny and Gingerale
|
17
|
|
40
|
70
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
DJANGO DJANGO
"Default"
Album: Django Django
|
3
|
|
41
|
31
|
Oberhofer - Away From You
|
20
|
|
42
|
37
|
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Never Go Back
|
21
|
|
43
|
62
|
Tristan Prettymen - My Oh My
|
4
|
|
44
|
53
|
The Lumineers - Ho Hey
|
10
|
|
45
|
63
|
Youngblood Hawke - We Come Running
|
4
|
|
46
|
65
|
Yeasayer - Henrietta
|
3
|
|
47
|
40
|
Linkin Park - Burn It Down
|
19
|
|
48
|
43
|
The Shins- The Rifle's Spiral
|
22
|
|
49
|
34
|
The Kooks - Is It Me
|
15
|
|
50
|
52
|
Maroon 5 - One More Night
|
6
|
|
51
|
56
|
Mayer Hawthorne - No Strings
|
4
|
|
52
|
41
|
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - That's What's Up
|
19
|
|
53
|
66
|
The Shins - It's Only Life
|
3
|
|
54
|
67
|
Taylor Swift - We Are Never Getting Back Together
|
3
|
|
55
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
THE SATELLITERS
"Lost In Time"
Album: Where Do We Go
|
1
|
|
56
|
60
|
Daniel Powter - Cupid
|
8
|
|
57
|
46
|
Metric - Youth Without Youth
|
19
|
|
58
|
51
|
Gotye f. Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know
|
33
|
|
59
|
90
|
Hedley -Kiss You Inside Out
|
2
|
|
60
|
49
|
Maroon 5 - Come Away To the Water
|
24
|
|
61
|
64
|
Aerosmith - Legendary Child
|
6
|
|
62
|
47
|
Wolf Gang - The King and All His Men
|
14
|
|
63
|
58
|
The Wombats - Jump Into the Fog
|
26
|
|
64
|
78
|
Jack White - Freedom at 21
|
3
|
|
65
|
55
|
Dr. Dog - Lonesome
|
12
|
|
66
|
71
|
Bloc Party - Octopus
|
6
|
|
67
|
50
|
Gotye - Eyes Wide Open
|
20
|
|
68
|
54
|
Public Image Ltd - One Drop
|
11
|
|
69
|
59
|
Rome - Dedication
|
10
|
|
70
|
72
|
Sean Rowe - Horses
|
4
|
|
71
|
79
|
Coldplay - Hurts Like Heaven0
|
3
|
|
72
|
81
|
Alex Clare - Too Close
|
15
|
|
73
|
57
|
The Gaslight Anthem - 45
|
15
|
|
74
|
48
|
Gossip - Move in the Right Direction
|
12
|
|
75
|
69
|
Ty Segall & White Fence - I Am Not A Game
|
24
|
|
76
|
91
|
Linkin Park - Lost In the Echo
|
2
|
|
77
|
----
|
Kopechy Family Band - Heartbeat
|
1
|
|
78
|
68
|
Train - 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
|
13
|
|
79
|
92
|
Dirty Heads - Dance All Night
|
2
|
|
80
|
61
|
Graffiti6 - Stare Into the Sun
|
17
|
|
81
|
73
|
Ellie Goulding - Lights
|
33
|
|
82
|
75
|
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
|
14
|
|
83
|
74
|
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold
|
27
|
|
84
|
83
|
Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built
|
5
|
|
85
|
89
|
Dave Matthews Band - Mercy
|
7
|
|
86
|
82
|
Lady Antebellum - Dancing Away With My Heart
|
24
|
|
87
|
76
|
Dawes - If I Wanted Someone
|
11
|
|
88
|
85
|
Florence + the Machine - No Light, No Light
|
34
|
|
89
|
80
|
Grouplove - Tongue Tied
|
38
|
|
90
|
84
|
Christina Perri f. Jason Mraz - Distance
|
7
|
|
91
|
77
|
White Violet - Lays Around Lazy
|
14
|
|
92
|
RE ENTRY |
Neon Trees - Everybody Talks
|
8
|
|
93
|
97
|
Keane - Sovereign Light Cafe
|
3
|
|
94
|
----
|
Walk the Moon - Tightrope
|
1
|
|
95
|
100
|
Dispatch - Circles Around the Sun
|
2
|
|
96
|
----
|
Allen Stone - Sleep
|
1
|
|
97
|
86
|
Passion Pit - Take A Walk
|
16
|
|
98
|
----
|
The Script f. will.i.am - Hall of Fame
|
1
|
|
99
|
88
|
Lost n the Trees - Golden Eyelids
|
22
|
|
100
|
94
|
The Rapture - How Deep is Your Love
|
34
|
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