The dozen or so albums Elvis Costello has released in the new millennium have run the gamut from work for symphony orchestras and jazz pianos to hard-edged country, alternative folk and a pop-funk collaboration with The Roots.
But the best of them may well be 2008’s Momofuku, the most conventional of the bunch.
Eschewing the high-concept themes of Costello’s other recent work, Momofuku was bashed out over a few weeks and released with little fanfare. And it’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
‘Metal Heart’ is a track from Garbage’s 2005 album Bleed Like Me, the last record they released before 2012’s comeback album, Not Your Kind of People.
Following their excellent first three records, Bleed Like Me was a bit of a disappointment. At least that’s how I remember it. I’ll be honest, I haven’t listened to it very often since its release. When I want to hear Garbage, I will almost always reach for their sophomore release, Version 2.0, one of the very best 90s albums.
Best Songs of 2013 – #21
Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories is one of the most celebrated albums of the year, certain to sit at the top of many a critic’s best-of list.
I don’t think it’s all that great, to be honest. Yes, ‘Get Lucky’ is one of the breakout songs of the year (and one I considered for this list) but the record too often suffers the failures of its genre. Electronic music is repetitive and boring. So is much of this album.
Best Songs of 2013 – #22
Another of my new discoveries, Mikal Cronin’s ‘Weight’ is, like yesterday’s track, a throwback to a 60s sound that I just love.
Cronin is a power pop multi-instrumentalist out of California who has released two solo albums and spent time in a couple of indie bands.
I don’t know if I’ll ever hear another song by this guy, but I’m sure glad I heard this one. It has the vibe of a great lost Kinks song.
Best Songs of 2013 – #23
Foxygen’s ‘No Destruction’ is another song I discovered doing research for this countdown. I was immediately drawn to the Dylan-esque delivery and drunken musical backdrop.
This song also has a strong Velvet Underground vibe. Funny how many modern bands reach back to that era for inspiration. I guess up-and-comers are lucky to have half a century of rock-and-roll music to tap into. But it’s still tough to beat the 60s.
