Essential 11 for January 2011

Now that the year end lists are out the the way -- back to one of my regular features -- the Essential 11. The 11 songs that are getting some airplay somewhere that imho need to get more or are so good they cannot wear out their welcome. In other words, the songs that your station should be playing. This month's is a rather rockin' 11 -- We'll start off with a song that should have been in --

1. Dog Days Are Over -- Florence and the Machine I was put off of her by the "kiss with a fist is better than none" song, (which I sincely hope was failed satire or irony gone horribly wrong) But here she comes on like Kate Bush's badass daughter, warning of the apocalypse and raising a roller roller hell.

2. Girlfriend -- Best Coast Guitar driven noise pop about an unrequited crush -- not the most original idea in the world, but it works.

3. Mine Tastes Like Honey -- R.E.M. The first single off Collapse Into Now. a good deal more tuneful than the free track "Discoverer" the band released just before the New Year. It's a sprightly rocker with typically eliptical Michael Stipe lyrics.

4. My Body -- Young the Giant Tribal drums with a giant melody and a solid wall of guitars.

5. Howlin for You -- The Black Keys -- Howlin for You I heard Queens of the Stone Age are considering a plargarism suit, claiming that this is a copy of their song "Burn the Witch", with which it shares a beat and a single guitar chord progression. Are you kidding me?
Anyone with ears can tell you that this is a copy of "I'm A Man" which has been copied a hundred times before -- and it never gets old, especially not when the Black Keys hits it.

6. Sleigh Bells -- Infinity Guitars Derek E. Miller sure knows how to sling a Kinks-like guitar roff. Allison Kruaus sure knows how to rock a school uniform, a baseball bat and shades (watch the video!) Together they make a mighty noise!

7. 99 Problems -- Hugo The classic JayZ hit as acoustic delta blues. A hilarious concept that somehow works so well I can ignore the use of the sexist b-word.

8. You've Seen the Butcher -- Deftones A feverish sex dream for metalheads.

9. Americanarama -- Hollerado a carnival ride of a song mourning the death of American cities from an Ottawa area band that previously had a huge Canadian airplay hit with "Juliette" a rocker about a old woman's last day on earth. Try not singing along after a couple of listens.

10. Bambi -- Tokyo Police Club Accessible, yet has indie hip up the ying yang. The keyboard work the propulsive keyboard work is what makes this track so compelling.


11. Pyro -- Kings of Leon A haunting track from the band you're not supposed to think they're cool anymore (but they are)