Monthly Archives: January 2010

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Song of the Day #539: ‘Fire Bomb’ – Rihanna

Best Songs of 2009 – #2

I wonder what Rihanna’s follow-up to Good Girl Gone Bad would have been like had she not been beaten up by boyfriend Chris Brown last February. Clearly she was capable of the sort of darkness and edginess she displays on Rated R but apparently it took that ugly incident to inspire her to capture it on record. I hate to say her pain is our gain, but it’s true.

I suppose 2008’s ‘Disturbia,’ written by Brown, was a start down this path but the songs on Rated R that tackle the violent incident directly and indirectly are a whole new ball game.

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Song of the Day #538: ‘Spy’ – Shakira

Best Songs of 2009 – #3

Shakira is like the villain in a horror movie. Whenever you think she’s down for the count — thanks to some absurdity like, say, the video for ‘She Wolf’ — she emerges stronger than ever. That was the case with She Wolf the album, which I’d come to sort of dread after the acrobatic unitard silliness of that first video. Why was this woman squandering her talent?

But she wasn’t, not at all. She just has very bizarre ideas about how she should express it. She Wolf (the album) turned out to be fantastic, full of thick beats, infectious melodies and the sort of continent-hopping musical experimentation for which Shakira is known. I’ll never doubt her again.

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Song of the Day #537: ‘People Got a Lotta Nerve’ – Neko Case

Best Songs of 2009 – #4

Like Lily Allen, Neko Case had a tough act to follow in 2009. 2006’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is a rich masterwork and one of my favorite albums of recent years.

Last year she put out Middle Cyclone, another fine showcase of her songwriting and vocal talents that works well as an album but doesn’t boast as many “song songs” as Fox Confessor.

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Song of the Day #536: ‘Who’d Have Known’ – Lily Allen

Best Songs of 2009 – #5

I recently named Lily Allen’s Alright, Still on my list of the last decade’s best album so that gives you an idea of the act her sophomore release, It’s Not Me, It’s You, had to follow. This album wasn’t the equal of that one but it was great nonetheless, mining some new territory for Allen while legitimizing the acclaim she received for her debut.

As smart and sarcastic as Allen can be, and as withering with a put-down, I’ve always been most intrigued by her more romantic material. I suppose a sweet song from a bitter person feels more earned somehow.

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Song of the Day #535: ‘Hey Jude’ – The Beatles

I don’t remember when I first became aware of ‘Hey Jude.’ It’s one of those songs that I’ve just sort of always known. I have only one specific memory of the song and it’s a rather lame one.

It came on once when I was bringing my high school girlfriend back to her house and we sat in the car listening to the whole thing. Those “na na nas” seemed to last forever. I’d love to spin that memory into something salacious but we were in fact just sitting and listening to the song. I told you it was lame.

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