SYP Says

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 10/29-11/5: Lentil by Sia

"Lentil" by Sia

Best known for being a singer for the trip hop/dance/lounge group Zero 7 and her first big solo hit "Breathe Me" which was used in the finale of HBO's series, Six Feet Under, Sia's got a new live LP available on iTunes and a new full-length studio album out next month which is preorderable from her Web site. I saw her perform at Portland's Doug Fir Lounge last weekend and she was really good. Her voice sounded amazing and she's got a fun, goofy stage presence that makes her live shows worth seeing.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 10/22-10/29: Human Fly by Nouvelle Vague

"Human Fly" and "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Nouvelle Vague 

Two for the price of one this week! Brought to you by the same French duo that reimagined The Dead Kennedys, Joy Division, and XTC into Brazilian pop fun on their first album, Nouvelle Vague's sophomore effort remakes these two Cramps and Bauhaus classics into '60s bossa nova tunes perfect for Halloween. Bwahaha...

Halloween Songs 2007

In addition to this week's Best Song of the Week pick, here are my Top 13 spooky tunes to get you in the mood for All Hallow's Eve...

A tip: Have iTunes open when you click on the iMix below.

Own the entire songlist as an iMix!

Own the entire songlist as an iMix!

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 10/15-10/22: Starlight by Muse

"Starlight" by Muse 

In honor of Harry Denton's Starlight Room in San Francisco. Quite a place that. Amazing view. Good Negronis. I know. I'm obsessed. What exactly is in Campari anyway? Oh right, back to the music. I'm a fan of the U.K. band Muse's dramatic rock sensibility and their latest album, Black Holes and Revelations. It's a bit aggressive, a little techno, a little "arena". The album is actually from last year, but whatever.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 10/1-10/15: Two Kinds by Film School

"Two Kinds" by Film School

It's Fall and with that comes the penchant for songs that are a little more contemplative, a little darker, a little more what-am-I-going-to-do-with-my life. San-Francisco-based Film School's got a great Cure/Interpol college band vibe perfect for those late nights after you're tired of cramming for that next big art history exam (or marketing presentation, in my case).

This is a video of another good tune of theirs called "11:11".

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 9/24-10/1: Money by Jesca Hoop

"Money" by Jesca Hoop

I've been a fan of Jesca Hoop's for the last couple of years ever since I heard her songs "Seed of Wonder" and "Life within a Life" on Nic Harcourt's Sounds Eclectic show on KCRW.

After a long wait, this former Mormon and, believe it or not, nanny of Tom Waits's kids(!), has released her first full-length album just in time for Fall TV Season. Just after I downloaded Kismet, ads with "Money" started airing for the new show DirtySexyMoney. Not sure if the show is any good, but the song is!

"Hoop is a striking, dark haired songwriter from Northern California who writes and sings twisty, sprawling, lyrically abstract songs featuring strange sonorities and offbeat rhythms. Her music sounds as is it comes from an imaginary country, and she sings in the accented English of someone from that country"
— The New York Times

Rich stuff. Here's Jesca singing "Big Fish"--couldn't find a video of her doing "Money."

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 9/17-9/24: Mt. Washington by Emily Wells

"Mt. Washington" by Emily Wells 

Listen to the mp3 of Mt. Washington here (it's freely available on her site and on her MySpace page, along with some other tunes).

Unconventional folk artist/singer/songwriter Emily Wells pretty much did everything on her most recent album, Beautiful Sleepyhead and the Laughing Yaks, from writing the songs and playing most of the instruments to producing and mixing. I really like her voice a lot--raspy yet beautifully lyrical, strange and quirky. She performs often at the hip Hollywood music club Hotel Cafe--sort of LA's version of Joe's Pub in NYC. Check her out if you're in town. She's been getting raves lately from NPR, Flavorpill and others, so see her now before she hits it big.

Best Songs of 2007: Week of 9/10-9/17: Sin City by The Flying Burrito Brothers

"Sin City" by The Flying Burrito Brothers

OK--clearly this is not a song from 2007, however, this week's tune is in honor of my upcoming trip to Vegas for shop.org and at the request of my bud, Keith Pepper of Hitwise. Co-founded by The Byrds band members Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, The Flying Burrito Brothers were a very influential early country-rock band. This is a real oldie from over 30 years ago. Wish me luck at the craps table!

Best Songs of 2007: Week 9/3-9/10: History Song by The Good, The Bad & The Queen

"History Song" by The Good, The Bad & The Queen 

The Good, The Bad & The Queen is a Britpop supergroup of sorts. Produced by uber-producer Danger Mouse, TGTBTQ brings together Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Paul Simonon, legendary bassist of The Clash, Tony Allen, the drummer of Fela Kuti's afrobeat band Africa 70, and Simon Tong of The Verve on guitar.

I love the undercurrent of groovy moodiness on this debut and I particularly love the guitar and bass lines on this album's starter song. I can listen to it over and over.

TGTBTQ live at York Hall, Bethnal Green. The song starts about a minute in.

Best Songs of 2007: Week 8/27-9/3: Silver Lining by Rilo Kiley

"Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley 

I must say I'm a bit disappointed in Rilo Kiley's just-released CD, Under the Blacklight. It's not because I'm one of those traditionalists who thinks RK should still be doing the same alt-folk tunes from 10 years ago; I just don't think the music on this endeavor is as good as the music on earlier albums, especially 2004's More Adventurous, which I love. That said, it's growing on me and there are some songs I do like from their latest. This is one of them. Jenny Lewis still has a fantastic voice!