I wasn't sure what to talk about, where it is the Grammys tonight or the Beiber mess, or something pleasant, like the 50th anniversary of the Beatles coming to America. Wait a minute on that last statement, that kind of makes me feel old, but then again, given the story I mentioned before that, I don't mind at all.
First up, the Grammys. I haven't really read into the details as to who is nominated, or who will perform. I do know that Robin Thicke will perform with legendary (and one of my all-time fave) band Chicago, that should be an interesting pairing. And then I see Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will be there....will they perform together? The surviving Beatles, fifty years on (and on the network that originally aired their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, CBS. That would be a walk down memory lane, wouldn't it? It looks like all the current pop stars of the day will be there as well. Say what you will about the current pop music scene, but much of these songs are pretty tolerable. Well, at least a step up from about five years ago. It's not all rap, and only hints of hip-hop. Even some rock, although not the hard-rocking kind which seemingly has gone extinct. But I'll take Imagine Dragons, Capital Cities, Bastille and others. Lorde looks like she had made inroads as well.
Well, I am looking up the major and salient categories, and there is a very good group for Record of the Year. "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk, "Blurred Lines", Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell Williams, "Royals" by Lorde, "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars, and "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons. I featured all of these songs, all made my year end Top 100 list, all but "Radioactive" made my top 5 weekly list, and that one nonetheless set a record for staying on my list for 49 weeks. So, what do I pick? They're all catchy, the Thicke and Daft Punk tunes were summer smashes (well, "Blurred Lines" was for me in the fall), The Mars tune was a ski trip feature last winter, "Royals" a fall smash as well and the only one of the five to top the charts. My pick would be Lorde, with Bruno Mars second.
Less impressive is Album of the Year, where we have, The Blessed Unrest by Sara Barielles, Random Access Memories by Daft Punk, Good Kid MA.A.D. City by Kendrick Lamar, The Heist by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and Red by Taylor Swift. As much as I know the Record of the Year candidates, I'm lost year. My wife has the Swift album, and yes, it's pretty good. Daft Punk was a favorite of mine i the past, I like "Get Lucky", and it's on my friend Brian Sniatkowski's year end list, I'm assured there's other songs on it beside the smash, so I'll take his word. I don't know Lamar, don't see what the big deal is with Macklemore, and although I like "Brave", not familiar with the other songs on Barielles' album. So I go with Daft Punk and let it go at that.
Then there's Best New Artist, which, probably because it hasn't really gone to the "best" new artist traditionally (Milli Vannilli, anyone?), but in the last ten years or so, it has (Amy Winehouse, Adele, Zac Brown Band, etc). But again, have I heard of them? James Black, Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves? I am in the dark. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis has had success, as has Ed Sheeran. The choice is yours, but whoever wins, I will check out their stuff, like I did with Zac Brown a few years back.
Fast forward to Best Alternative Music Album: The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, the More I Love You, Neko Case, Trouble Will Find Me, The National; Hesitation Marks, Nine Inch Nails; Lonerism, Tame Impala; and Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend. I've featured tracks from all of these albums, so based on that, my pick is Tame Impala, with Neko Case a close second.
MARSY-YADA, YADA, YADA: Nice to see that the Shannon Marsyada Trio ascending to the top spot on my SNS 100 this week. I saw the trio play at last falls Jim Thorpe festival in Pennsylvania. I believe they are coming out with some new stuff soon ("What You Do To Me" was from their last set). Otherwise, since I haven't listened too much this month, I've been slightly increasing the point value of the rising songs, but they rise much quicker since I'm tiring of the older songs on the list. Once I listen, there will be some new early favorites of 2014. Two holiday entries, although dropping, are still in the top 20 (Bad Attitude and Paul Czekaj), it's a shame to just remove them since these artists are from New Jersey and they are original compositions. Caveman, Haim, Young the Giant, and Tired Pony are making inroads in the top 10.
The first anticipated follow-up of 2014 is Foster the People's "Coming of Age", debuting at #60. "Pumped Up Kicks" was my #2 song of 2011, and some other tracks from their debut full-length album also scored on my list. If you're expecting a "Pumped Up Kicks, part 2", then you're selling yourself short. This is a little more "spacey" and a little more guitar-oriented as well. But after a couple listens, it will sound just as catchy. I like it a lot. Because of the more rock-sensibility, it probably won't be as big a pop hit, but it debuts at #12 on the Alternative chart, so that's a good thing. Their second set, Supermodel, is due in March. They will be joining other artists, such as The Strokes, Phoenix, OutKast, and Vampire Weekend at The Governors Ball festival the first weekend in June, at New York's Randall's Island.
SELF DESTRUCT: I really didn't want to address the Justin Bieber mess, since he hasn't ever been on my musical radar, but what's happened over the past few weeks, the past year really, is disgusting and sad. Forget the music right now (which, yes, is forgettable, but still). This kid was 15 years old and was essentially the boy next door, when he became an Internet sensation, and had good morals, and his album sold millions, and then thrust into the spotlight as a mega star. Looking at this innocent kid then and seeing this apparent trouble-making punk with the spiked hair and tattoos and getting busted, hanging out with questionable "friends". It reminds me of Anakin Skywalker turning into Darth Vader. This kid needs help and help fast or he'll turn into another Amy Winehouse (without the talent). I predicted her death on this blog a few years back), and if this guy doesn't go into rehab, he will follow. Nuff said.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
January 26, 2014
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
1
|
4
|
NUMBER ONE:
SHANNON MARSYADA TRIO
"What You Do To Me" Album: For You |
10
|
2
|
2
|
Capital Cities - Kangaroo Court
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - The Walker
|
11
|
4
|
1
|
Wild Belle - Backslider
|
11
|
5
|
11
|
Caveman - Shut You Down
|
8
|
6
|
10
|
Haim - Forever
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
Tired Pony - All Things All At Once
|
9
|
8
|
15
|
Young the Giant - It's About Time
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
|
23
|
10
|
13
|
Cate Le Bon - Are You With Me Now
|
10
|
11
|
9
|
San Cisco - Fred Astaire
|
14
|
12
|
7
|
Field Mouse - How Do You Know
|
23
|
13
|
8
|
Lorde - Royals
|
21
|
14
|
21
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
MAN MAN
"Pyramids" Album: On Oni Pond |
8
|
15
|
6
|
Bad Attitude - Merry Christmas Anyway
|
6
|
16
|
16
|
Cold War Kids - Lost That Easy
|
14
|
17
|
27
|
Eminem f. Rihanna - The Monster
|
6
|
18
|
29
|
Broken Bells - Holding On For Life
|
7
|
19
|
17
|
Zedd f. Foxes - Clarity
|
18
|
20
|
12
|
Paul Czekaj - Christmas Is Forever
|
7
|
21
|
24
|
King Tuff - Sun Medallion
|
12
|
22
|
36
|
Emiliana Torrini -Speed of Dark
|
12
|
23
|
19
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Keeping Our Eyes Out
|
20
|
24
|
20
|
Terraplane Sun - Get Me Golden
|
24
|
25
|
50
|
Katy Perry - Unconditinally
|
7
|
26
|
47
|
Lorde - Team
|
7
|
27
|
25
|
Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)
|
9
|
28
|
23
|
Florence + the Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name)
|
21
|
29
|
22
|
Taylor Centers - Alibi
|
16
|
30
|
42
|
Cut Copy - We Are Explorers
|
8
|
31
|
44
|
Portugal. the Man - Modern Jesus
|
7
|
32
|
46
|
New Politics - Tonight You're Perfect
|
7
|
33
|
26
|
Golden Void - Rise to the Out of Reach
|
22
|
34
|
28
|
Cage the Elephant - Come A Little Closer
|
22
|
35
|
38
|
The Joy Formidable - Silent Treatment
|
11
|
36
|
48
|
The Fray - Love Don't Die
|
9
|
37
|
31
|
Avicii - Wake Me Up
|
18
|
38
|
30
|
Those Darlins - Optimist
|
14
|
39
|
45
|
Valerie June - You Can't Be Told
|
9
|
40
|
63
|
Eli Young Band - Drunk Last Night
|
5
|
41
|
53
|
Dum Dum Girls - Lost Boys and Girls Club
|
5
|
42
|
55
|
Alt J - Tesselate
|
8
|
43
|
32
|
Man Man - Head On
|
23
|
44
|
60
|
Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
|
6
|
45
|
69
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
PAUL CZEKAJ
"Elvis In Heaven"
(Single only)
|
3
|
46
|
51
|
Passenger - Let Her Go
|
25
|
47
|
34
|
Eagulls - Nerve Endings
|
12
|
48
|
41
|
Of Montreal - Fugitive Air
|
11
|
49
|
33
|
The Satelliters - Where Do We Go
|
18
|
50
|
37
|
Wild Belle - Keep You
|
44
|
51
|
49
|
Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball
|
7
|
52
|
59
|
Kings of Leon - Temple
|
7
|
53
|
58
|
OneRepublic - Counting Stars
|
23
|
54
|
82
|
Phantogram - Fall in Love
|
3
|
55
|
39
|
Phosphorescent - Ride On/Right On
|
12
|
56
|
57
|
Emeli Sande - My Kind of Love
|
16
|
57
|
64
|
Of Monsters and Men - Dirty Paws
|
6
|
58
|
67
|
Those Darlins - In the Wilderness
|
4
|
59
|
35
|
Paul Czekaj - Wheels On Fire
|
10
|
60
|
---- |
TOP DEBUT:
FOSTER THE PEOPLE
"Coming of Age"'
Album: Supermodel
|
1
|
61
|
61
|
Jagwar Ma - Come Save Me
|
10
|
62
|
62
|
Twin Forks - Cross My Mind
|
9
|
63
|
75
|
Sara Bareilles - Brave
|
31
|
64
|
65
|
Imagine Dragons - Demons
|
17
|
65
|
18
|
Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Tree
|
8
|
66
|
43
|
Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red & Blue
|
28
|
67
|
85
|
Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes
|
3
|
68
|
54
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
|
47
|
69
|
52
|
Lady Gaga - Applause
|
20
|
70
|
56
|
The Veils - Another Night on Earth
|
20
|
71
|
77
|
Boy and Bear - Southern Sun
|
4
|
72
|
78
|
Lucius - Turn It Around
|
5
|
73
|
86
|
Wild Club - Thunder Clatter
|
3
|
74
|
68
|
Jack Johnson - Radiate
|
6
|
75
|
81
|
St. Lucia - Elevate
|
4
|
76
|
84
|
Franz Ferdinand - Bullet
|
4
|
77
|
80
|
Pixies - Indie Cindy
|
4
|
78
|
92
|
Hellogoodbye - Everything Is Debatable
|
3
|
79
|
---- |
Phoenix - SOS in Belaire
|
1
|
80
|
71
|
Hands - The Game is Changing Us
|
18
|
81
|
73
|
Goo Goo Dolls - Come to Me
|
8
|
82
|
74
|
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
|
18
|
83
|
76
|
Phillip Phillips - Where We Came From
|
16
|
84
|
91
|
Arcade Fire - Afterlife
|
3
|
85
|
70
|
Smith Westerns - Varsity
|
16
|
86
|
83
|
Colbie Caillat - Hold On
|
4
|
87
|
72
|
Bastille - Pompeii
|
12
|
88
|
89
|
Mind Spiders - The Steady
|
5
|
89
|
40
|
Straight No Chaser - Nutcracker
|
8
|
90
|
---- |
Imagine Dragons - On Top of the World
|
1
|
91
|
---- |
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Lariat
|
1
|
92
|
97
|
Christina Perri - Human
|
3
|
93
|
---- |
Vance Joy - Riptide
|
1
|
94
|
99
|
Hunter Hunted - Keep Together
|
3
|
95
|
---- |
Zedd f. Hayley Williams - Stay the Night
|
1
|
96
|
---- |
U2 - Ordinary Love
|
1
|
97
|
79
|
The Colourist - Little Games
|
10
|
98
|
88
|
The So So Glos - Lost Weekend
|
8
|
99
|
66
|
All Tme Low - Fool's Holiday
|
7
|
100
|
98
|
Darius Rucker - Radio
|
3
|
