Here is Part 2 of our countdown of our favourite songs from the past ten years…
180 Strand Of Oaks – Alex Kona (2010)
“Alex Kona was twelve feet tall, his mother got killed by a bowling ball”. What else is there?
179 Port O’Brien – My Will Is Good (2009)
Rhythmic and punchy folk-rock, but with a hook most pop songs would die for.
178 Savages – Husbands (2013)
A stealthy, thrumming motorik bassline anchors a dark post punk nightmare. As intense as they come…
177 Old Nobaddaddy – Gun Is Coming (2016)
Swampy blues built on a stomping revivalist rhythm that leans towards the dark side. This is brooding, gospel-noir of the highest order.
176 Spray Paint – Cussin’ (2014)
A relentlessly ominous, intense slab of brooding punk rock. Terrifying in a totally good way.
175 The Magnetic Fields – Too Drunk To Dream (2008)
Sober life is a prison / Shit faced it is a blessing / Sober nobody wants you / Shit faced they’re all undressing / Sober you’re old and ugly / Shit faced who needs a mirror The best drinking song of the past ten years? Probably.
174 Foxygen – No Destruction (2013)
We may have lost Lou Reed, but his spirit lives on in No Destruction, a naturally laconic pretender to his throne, and this song has the best use of “weaseled” in any song we’ve heard
173 My People Sleeping – Seahorse (2008)
A hypnotic and sorrowful journey into dream pop with flowery psychedelic overtones and an absolute ear-worm of a chorus.
172 Real Estate – Fake Blues (2009)
A bit surf-rock, a bit pastoral psych, but really this is a gem of a twisted country tune smothered in a melancholy haze of gentle reverb.
171 Henry’s Funeral Shoe – Dog Scratched Ear (2011)
Anthemic, swaggering blues boogie at its fiery best.
170 Fontaines DC – Chequeless Reckless (2018)
Chequeless Reckless is built on a beefy, hypnotic, kraut-rock infused cyclical riff and some scalpel sharp lyrics. Play really loud.
169 Ezra Furman – Restless Year (2015)
A wonderful slab of feelgood indie rock, doo-wop refrains and bristling, unrestrained energy.
168 Blessed Feathers – Real Song For Emily (2013)
Stunning folk song with fierce harmonies and a tense, urgent feel. Despite being only two and a half minutes long, the song’s plaintive coda has a bitter air of finality. “Nowhere to look at that horizon, I can’t help, but feel nothing”
167 together PANGEA – Money On It (2017)
Borrows some surf-rock vibes and not a little guitar jangle to fashion a strutting, intense rocker.
166 William Elliott Whitmore – Old Devils (2009)
Foot-tapping, frenzied social commentary, with a strangely prophetic feel
165 The Obits – Two Headed Coin (2009)
Simply wonderful sleazy, rockabilly rumble. Should lurk in the shadows with a greasy quiff and a flick-knife.
164 Vic Chesnutt – Little Fucker (2008)
No one does vindictive, savage, and just plain nasty with such confidence and certainty. Bullseye.
163 The Walkmen – Heartbreaker (2012)
An initial riff wound so tight it might snap morphs into a mid-tempo jangle of light-touch guitars and jubilant percussion.
162 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Janglin (2009)
A horn-driven, totally infectious tune that is utterly without peer for indie-pop charm.
161 Houndmouth – Penitentiary (2013)
Lyrically and vocally perfect, Houndmouth’s debut single is a classic down-on-my-luck tale matched to a rootsy persuasive groove. Nigh on perfect Americana.
You can see tracks 200-181 here.
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