Hottest 100: My Top 10

Yesterday, I submitted my top ten music tracks for the year to Triple J's Hottest 100. Not an easy task considering I had to cull it down from a shortlist of about forty. I'll use a generic quote and say "so many great bands missed out, etc." Bullshit. Yeah, there were plenty of good songs, but be honest with yourself. How many of those tracks can you remember the lyrics too or even correctly match up with the artist? On Triple J, there's always a mish-mash of songs that sound exactly the same. These are the kinda songs that I've excluded. Anyhow, I will list the tracks in no particular order right down to my #1 pick, along with my thoughts for selecting them.

Dead Weather, The - Treat Me Like Your Mother
I saw the video clip before I heard the song and fell in love with it visually. My favourite clip of the year. That doesn't necessarily mean that the song is great, but in this case, it is. A kick-ass track from the best alternative album of the year. It just edges out their other track, I Cut Like a Buffalo. M-A-N-I-P-ULATE really does invoke images of gunfire.

Flight Of The Conchords - Hurt Feelings
Nothing from the Conchords new album (or TV series) competes with the material on their debut... except for this. The lyrics are ridiculous, but funnily enough ring true in some cases. "Were you ever called homo 'cause at school you took drama?" Yerp, that was me. Still the best comedy duo (are there any others right now?).

Kasabian - Fire
Man, Kasabian's new album was good! The West Rider Pauper Lunatic Asylum - easily in the Top 3 of the year. Track after track, I couldn't fault it. I really was hooked to this album as a whole. But this was the hit. The standout with the hooks and the most simple of choruses.

Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry
The local girl next door. Her voice makes me wanna listen to Sarah Blasko! Who woulda thought. And who woulda thought an Australian Idol contestant could create good music? Not me, the biggest Idol hater in history. Lisa Mitchell could sing me to sleep.

Miike Snow - Animal
Swedish fun. Doesn't even feel swedish. Took me a while to get the words in the chorus, probably the reason why I grew to love it so much. I listened to it too many f**kin times! It's super catchy. Think they're playing Coachella. I like!

Royksopp - Happy Up Here
The first great song of the year. Heard it at the Quiksilver Pro in January and was hooked for weeks. It's classic Space Invaders stuff.

Tame Impala - Sundown Syndrome
Not off the original indie-favourite EP, but clearly the standout. I know their cover of Remember Me will get most of the votes, and I was tempted to follow the trend. Then I recalled the kazoo solo and how much I loved seeing and hearing that live. Nobody uses the kazoo anymore! And the way that chorus builds like some kinda preacher in an empty hall, an echo chamber. That gets me every time. Can't wait for their debut LP.

Temper Trap, The - Down River
This song makes me picture Huckleberry Finn on some whacky modern day adventure. Sweet Disposition was great, but I guess it came out last year. Pitchfork Media ran these guys into the ground and unfairly so. They deserve the acclaim they are getting elsewhere because they're definitely a tight little band. This song has a certain something, because I still can't stop playing it. It has that hook. And the back end of it sounds like a glorious celebration! Huzzah!!

Blakroc - Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)
Words can't describe how pumped I am on this album. The most recent of releases, but better late than never. Black Keys and Damon Dash? Why not. Assemble Dash's friends and you've got the best off the wall collaboration since Linkin Park and Jay-Z's Collision Course (completely under-rated in my opinion). But back to Blakroc. It's convinced me to finally admit that, musically, the Black Keys are my favourite band. When you hear Mos Def chime in on Hoochie Coo, followed up by the raw talent of Jim Jones, you just know this was always gonna work. The Black Keys knew for sure and for certain. On the Vista was a close second, along with What You Do to Me (feat. Billy Danze). What a gig if they can get these guys to Coachella in April. My #1 album of the year and this song is the (s)hit.

And the #1 track of the year.....

Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind
The hooks, the chorus, Keys' strong vocals, HOV's arrogant lyrics, and all-round pro production. Yeh, it's pop. But it's just so damn good. I'd never hung on Jay-Z's every word quite like I did with Empire State of Mind. It's a fantastic shout-out to New York on a grand level. I can't believe Triple J didn't even include this in their shortlist! Get real. As if "Little Lion Man" will be remembered in a few years time. AS IF. This track is the best song of the year. It's everything you want in a hip-hop song. F**k you Triple J when you get it wrong again this year. Actually, f**k the voters. You're the one's responsible. When it comes to hip-hop, Jay-Z still reigns supreme. Amazing.

Here are the clips for your viewing enjoyment: