Archive for the 'Jay-Z' Category
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2009
Hey, it’s me. J. Stone. The guy who writes wrote That’s So Fetch everyday for a year and a half.
Good to see you again. Looks as though you’re doing well. I started this blog in July of 2008 with an audience of zero. As an up-and-coming blogger, I devoted my life to entertaining you people. You’d awake every morning with an email from That’s So Fetch at 7am Central Standard Time … then one day, you wake up, and it’s over … Oh how spoiled you were.
Then the blogger moves to New York and writes for various publications. I guess you could say I’m a sellout. Blame it on the man. Blame it on a rent payment or the fact that I buy my Golden Retriever $600 in cashmere sweaters a month.
Enough banter, more list. Don’t you ever think I wasn’t paying attention in 2009. Just because I dropped off the face of the earth does not mean I wasn’t planning this list all year.
Album, movies, and more lists coming soon…
THE TOP 10 SONGS OF 2009
10. CAGE THE ELEPHANT
“Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked”
“Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” is a song with an identity crisis: an un-categorizable mashup of genre-crossing awesomeness. A song with a strong Jack White influence and just enough country, folk and rock to satisfy your musical taste buds.
9. NEKO CASE
“People Got A Lotta Nerve”
Neko Case is an artist you’ve probably never heard of and her 2009 album Middle Cyclone is probably an album you’ve never listened to — how unfortunate for you. She’s a brilliant songwriter and her voice is angelic. She has a diction that would allow her to interestingly sing the alphabet without the slightest hint of incurring boredom upon the listener.
8. THE AVETT BROTHERS
“The Perfect Space”
I was contemplating writing down every song from The Avett Brothers‘ major label debut, I and Love and You, onto tiny pieces of paper and drawing one out of a hat, but this song sticks out on the best record of 2009. Two songs in one: a soft ballad collides with a lil’ up-tempo folk ditty. The most musically appealing song from the album, but not necessarily the most entertaining — that distinction goes to “Kick Drum Heart”.
7. EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
“Home”
By far one of the most unique songs released in the decade-ending 2009. A song driven by infectious whistling partnered with just the right amount of high school band instruments. Two simple vocalists are perfect for this folk tune, making it the 3rd best duet of the year (see nos. 5 and 1).
6. ZAC BROWN BAND
“Toes”
Just about every song on this list was an immediate addition to my iPod within minutes of hearing it, and “Toes” is no exception. It’s a song that - on first listen - by the end of the second chorus, you feel like you’ve been listening to it your entire life. Nothing is better than a hook that’s fun to sing-a-long to, and “Toes in the water, ass in the sand / not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand” might be the best of the year. “Toes” is my number one most played song of 2009.
5. KID CUDI
“Soundtrack 2 My Life”
Kid Cudi is the best thing to happen to hip-hop in years. I knew from the first 60 seconds of his winter ‘08 smash hit “Day N Nite” that his subsequent debut album, Man On The Moon - The End Of Day, would be incredible. Stocked with great singles, the #2 track on the album is the standout. If you like hip-hop, you must have this song in your collection.
4. WHITE LIES
“E.S.T.”
The best and most original rock song of 2009. White Lies has finally released a rock album worth listening to, and one of the better rock albums of the latter ‘00-’09 decade. Sonically impressive and a song that can but put on repeat … and repea … and repe … and rep … and re … and r …
3. EMINEM
“Beautiful”
Eminem = best solo rapper of all time
“Beautiful” = top 3 Eminem songs of all time
“Beautiful” = one of the best rap songs of all time?
2. LADY GAGA
“Speechless”
“Speechless” is Lady GaGa’s coming out party. And no - not out of the closet. This song is 100% proof that she’s an amazing talent and can write one hell of a song. If you haven’t heard this song, then you don’t know Lady GaGa. This isn’t “Poker Face” … it’s a maturation, a statement and a masterpiece.
1. JAY-Z FT. ALICIA KEYS
“Empire State of Mind”
I would put the top 3 songs of 2009 up against any songs from the entire decade. “Empire State of Mind” is easily one of the best songs released in the last 15-20 years. If you don’t like this song, you don’t like hip-hop. If aliens came to earth and asked for one song from each genre to define our race, I’d have no problem with “Empire State of Mind” representing the entire hip-hop genre.
(HONORABLE MENTION)
(11) WEEZER FT. SARA BAREILLES
“If You’re Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To)”
Coming in as an honorable mention, “If You’re Wondering…” is the only curveball to make the list. Explanation: this song is different from the Rivers Cuomo-only version from Weezer’s latest album, Raditude. I found this version on YouTube and it’s unbelievably better than the song on the album, yet it’s not available to purchase…anywhere.
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WEEKLY POP CULTURE UPDATE (10.07.08)
NEW MUSIC
Remixes of Katy Perry’s summer of 2008 anthem, “I Kissed A Girl“, were released today on iTunes. This song is no doubt overplayed and overplayed … and then overplayed some more - but I must admit that it’s really hard not to appreciate it. As far as pop production is concerned - it’s perfect. It sounds amazing. I downloaded the Rock remix - it’s pretty good.
Evidently Oasis is still making records - who knew? If those two assholes could actually get a long, the musical landscape would have been much more promising over the last 10 years. What’s The Story, Morning Glory? has got to be one of the most impressive albums of this generation. If anyone has heard their new album, Dig Out Your Soul, send me an email if it’s worth listening to.
Tom Morello (a.k.a. The Nightwatchman) released his second “alter-ego” solo album last week. I will be the first to tell you that I am a huge Morello fan. The work he did on 4 albums for Rage Against the Machine easily puts him in the top 5 guitarists of all time - and the Audioslave albums were pretty damn good as well. Just listen to the 30 minute clips of his solo album, The Fabled City, and tell me he’s not one of the worst singers to ever put out a major label record. Am I going overboard on this? He sounds terrible.
MOVIES OF THE WEEK
Appaloosa
Really really great Western crafted by the genius Ed Harris (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) in which he directed, wrote, starred, and did the screenplay for. It’s a great character piece with a stellar cast consisting of Viggo Mortensen, Rene Zelwegger, and Jeremy Irons - who were all outstanding. Mortensen and Harris’s onscreen chemistry was impeccable and it’s great to see a western played out so impressively. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a movie that moves quickly and has great character development. Highly recommended. [IMDB link]
The Machinist
Released in 2004, The Machinist stars a 110-pound Christian Bale who has completely emaciated himself for the role of a disconnected insomniac who hasn’t slept in over a year. This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in the last 5 years. Christian Bale paired with the imagery and unbelievable cinematography make this a must see. The next movie you rent should be The Machinist.
SONGS OF THE WEEK
“Surf Wax Off Your Shoulder”
A remix of Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” mixed with Weezer’s “Surf Wax America” … some call it blasphemy, I call it badass.
“Heaven is a Halfpipe” by OPM
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Who else but the beautiful Tina Fey? I do have a crush on Tina Fey and I have noted this many many times before. She reprises her now famous impersonation as Sarah Palin. Laugh out loud funny…
HAYDEN PANETTIERE PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Why I don’t do this every week, who knows. I do know that I just checked and yes, she is 19. Click this picture and make it bigger, trust me.
NON-HAYDEN PANETTIERE PICTURES OF THE WEEK
