Song of the Day #1,625: ‘I Feel My Stuff’ – David Byrne & Brian Eno

everything_that_happensThis is the second track from the Davd Byrne and Brian Eno collaboration, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, to show up on a Random Weekend.

And as much as I enjoy David Byrne’s work, both as a solo artist and as leader of Talking Heads, I just can’t make it through his work with Eno. This track runs six and a half minutes and I have yet to make it through three of them without turning it off.

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Song of the Day #1,624: ‘Try’ – Pink

pink_truth_about_loveTop Songs of 2012 – #11

I haven’t gotten around to reviewing or ranking Pink’s latest album, The Truth About Love, but when I do it will rank right up there with the best records I heard this year.

I’m relatively new to Pink — 2008’s Funhouse was the first of her albums I heard, and the only one before picking up The Truth About Love. Both of these records reveal a confident, talented, brazen woman with a powerhouse voice and great songwriting chops.

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Song of the Day #1,623: ‘Rocky Ground’ – Bruce Springsteen

springsteen_wrecking_ballTop Songs of 2012 – #12

Here I am, completely contradicting my comment two days ago that I don’t approve of rap breaks in pop or rock songs. Bruce Springsteen hands a verse over to Michelle Moore in the middle of today’s SOTD, and it’s downright sublime.

In my defense, ‘Rocky Ground’ is not your typical pop/rock song. It’s something more akin to folk rock gospel… a deeply spiritual track that earns its detour into spoken word territory.

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Song of the Day #1,621: ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ – Taylor Swift

taylor_swift_redTop Songs of 2012 – #13

Red, Taylor Swift’s chart-topping follow-up to Speak Now, is generally disappointing for reasons I can’t put my finger on.

I think it boils down to Swift’s worldview having a shelf life. She certainly has a gift for melody and she can turn a phrase, but I hear far too much of her in every song she writes, and frankly I’m a little tired of spending that much time with her.

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Song of the Day #1,620: ‘Payphone’ – Maroon 5

payphoneTop Songs of 2012 – #14

At first I didn’t get Maroon 5’s ‘Payphone.’ The hook didn’t stick with me after a listen or two and I wasn’t sure why it was turning into such a big hit.

But at some point it dug in and I realized that it’s a true beast of a song. And then it became ubiquitous and almost fell out of favor before I got around to making this list.

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