Anonymous Communist

Diggity Dan at BFS has a fun new meme going: The BFS Holiday Music Exchange:

I just want everyone to recommend their five favorite new songs from the past year. Now when I say new, I don’t mean to restrict your selections to cuts that were released in 2007. What I’m looking for our songs that first garnered great status, in your estimation, within the last year.

I’ll gladly participate. Talking about music is one of my favorite things. That, and ripping off other people’s blogging ideas. I’ve noticed that none of these songs actually is from 2007. I’m so lame it hurts. I’ll include videos if I can find them.

(Related aside: I would just embed the music using Audio Player, a fantastic plugin for WordPress, but my host *coughYahoocough* apparently prohibits such exercise of common sense. Assbutts.)

In alphabetical order:

“Alfie,” Lily Allen – I could have picked any song off of “Alright, Still,” but this one encapsulates everything I like about the album: catchy vocal melody, charming (but possibly fake) Cockney accent, tight production, etc. Plus Lily Allen is the most adorable woman ever.

“All For U,” Aceyalone – I’d been familiar with Aceyalone only on the strength of his guest appearances with groups like Dilated Peoples. When I saw “Magnificent City” at this year’s delete sale, I had to get it. Combine Acey’s flow with the soul-powered production of RJD2 and you get a funky, danceable (if you are into that kind of thing) hip-hop record sans references to crack, guns and various luxury brand names. The video I found is a live version shot in what amounts to a collection of frame grabs.

“Blue Flowers,” Dr. Octagon – So it took me a decade to finally own this album. Sue me. A true hip-hop classic (think “Paid in Full” or “Low End Theory”), “Dr. Octagonecologyst” also undoubtedly is Kool Keith’s finest work. In it, Keith takes the form of Dr. Octagon, a time-traveling gynecologist from Jupiter, and in “Blue Flowers” he drops lyrics that make no sense literally but fit like a snug glove rhythmically around producer Dan the Automator’s eerie, string-heavy beat. Add in the incredible turntable work by DJ Q-Bert and you have an integral piece of the hip-hop canon. The guy from McSweeney’s liked it, too.

“One Man Wrecking Machine,” Guster – See this post from several weeks ago.

“Sookie Sookie,” Grant Green – Older music fans may be familiar with the Steppenwolf version of this song. On Blue Note’s “Blue Break Beats” compilation, soul-jazz guitarist Grant Green just takes the main riff and turns it into 11 minutes of pure groove. It’s impossible to not start buggin’ out when Green kicks off his first solo. Unfortunately, I can’t find any video. You’ll just have to be content with the snippet.