Trotter's Top Ten Albums of 2013

Having fretted (as I do every year) in case I didn't even have ten decent albums to choose from, it turned out I needn't have worried.  Seems I had at least twelve to consider putting into the old top ten.  What was surprising was who wasn't in the running (even more so after having completed the look back at the tunes of the Noughties).  Back then I couldn't imagine a top ten album countdown without The Strokes, Kings of Leon and The National, but oh dear, times have definitely changed.  They all released records that I either didn't bother buying or (perhaps worse) forgot that I had bought.  You must try harder chaps!

Offsetting those were the comebacks from Alison Moyet (in fine voice, humour and foul-mouth at the Festival Hall in October) and the Pet Shop Boys, both of which narrowly missed out on a place.  As did The Joy Formidable with their second long player 'Wolf's Law', but that did mean the excellent 'This Ladder is Ours' was able to earn a place in the top ten (er...nine) tracks of the year.

Anyhoo, with apologies to albums I'm waiting on Santa for (Parma Violets, John Grant et al), let's get to the part you're here for...

10) 'Mosquito' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Falling perilously close to that category above, YYY's slip through the quality filter on the strength of a couple of standout tracks (full-on gospel choir, Lily Cole in an incredible video for 'Sacrilege' and the ultimate riff in 'Slave') which are among the best they've done.  Shame the rest of the album didn't live up to them or its brilliant predecessor 'It's Blitz!' though.

Look at: 'Sacrilege', 'Slave' and 'Despair'


9) 'Arc' by Everything Everything


Chances are that if you heard their debut and didn't like it you probably won't be very interested in their second album, as on the face of it they've produced more of the same here.  But when your 'same' is something as completely unique, challenging, beautiful and bizarre as Everything Everything that's not too bad a thing.  Definitely a case of being rewarded if you stick with repeated listens and get some way to figuring what's going on. 

Look at: 'Cough Cough', 'Kemosabe', 'Don't Try' and 'Duet'


8) 'If You Wait' by London Grammar

Never mind the album, we should thank London Grammar purely for exposing Radio 1 as the idiots that they are with their tweet that asked listeners whether they thought the female singer was fit, which they then tried to pass off as ironic.  That aside, the music's not half bad either. Almost choral style vocals that only an English band could possibly get away with over a mimimalist, Zero 7-like musical backing.

Look at: 'Strong', 'Nightcall' and 'Wasting My Young Years'


7) 'AM' by Arctic Monkeys

I didn't bother buying the Arctic's last album, they seemed to have fallen into a trap of trying to impress their new mate from Queens of the Stone Age and lost many of the qualities that made them special in the first place.  I was surprised then when their new album got such good reviews and was swayed to have a listen.  Although I doubt they'll ever get to the highs they achieved on their debut (at least their album titles are a lot shorter now) this at times comes pretty close and on tracks like 'No. 1 Party Anthem' and 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?' they got back to displaying the musical creativity and clever lyrics that got them noticed in the first place.  Bonus points for releasing three singles in a row with question marks in the title.  Great quiffs too.

Look at: 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?', 'R U Mine?', 'Do I Wanna Know?' and 'One For the Road'

6) 'Modern Vampires of the City' by Vampire Weekend

Firstly, this deserves a place on here for that title alone. Like the Arctic's before them, this also got great reviews at the time of release and did well in end of year charts, so much so that I had to return to it to see what the fuss was about.  Also like 'AM' it's a record of a band finally being confident in their sound, pushing it at the margins but still being true to themselves.  'Diane Young' (get it?) was a great first single to herald how different they are prepared to sound but also how much like them they still sound.  I doubt anyone else could get away with those distorted vocals. 'Obvious Bicycle' may also be the best song title of the decade.

Look at: 'Diane Young', 'Ya Hey', and 'Unbelievers'

5) 'The Bones of What You Believe' by Chvrches

One of the best, no-expectations purchases of the year without a doubt.  Sure, they were surrounded by an early buzz and I am a sucker for pounding, electronic pop with female vocals but I was really surprised at how good 'Ch-ver-ches' as I like to call them to amuse my small mind, actually are.  The music is majestic, powerful and catchy but it's the coolness and at times pure vitriol in the lyrics that really sets them apart from any of their contemporaries (with titles like 'By the Throat', 'Lies' and 'Gun' you get the gist).  I almost broke my own rule and put 'Lies' into the Top Ten Singles it is such a good tune, but I'm a good boy so you'll just have to listen to it here.

Look at: 'Lies', 'Gun' and 'The Mother We Share'

4) 'Holy Fire' by Foals

Foals got a big push this year with what was hoped to be their 'step-up to the stadiums' album.  You could guess this because every interview they gave managed to ask that question of them.  'My Number' was even the link tune for the Beeb's Glastonbury coverage.  For me it wasn't quite as good as their last effort and there were a few 'voice like a foghorn' moments if I'm honest, but then not much is as good as 'Total Life Forever', and it didn't become the mega-seller their label clearly hoped it would be.  They still remain a band that I'd join in a heartbeat if I had any musical abilities whatsoever...and I knew them...and they wanted me to join rather than stalk them...obviously.  Still, 'Inhaler' was one of the most visceral tunes in a pretty tame year and 'Late Night' with its splendid rhythm guitar got the 'play over and over again until your ears go numb' treatment.  A track so good, it rocketed to number 146 in the charts. Huzzah!

Look at: 'Inhaler', 'My Number' and 'Late Night'

3) 'Days Are Gone ' by Haim

My listening experience of Haim's album went like this...muchos hypos, purchase to see what the fuss is about, hmm, a few catchy songs that sound quite similar, tails off towards the end, put away until November, come back to album, ooh, that's the song I really like, no it's this one, no this one, these ones are different, shows they can do more than the one thing, sounds good, sounds great, number three in top ten, the end.  To me, they look like extras from Girls, sounds more like Fleetwood Mac than Pat Benatar, but with a bit of Taylor Dayne (yes) thrown in for good measure and produced some of the catchiest tunes of 2013.  Yes, over-hyped and an indie-boys pre-packaged poster wet dream but the range of songs here, particularly 'My Song 5', shows enough promise to suggest they'll be sticking around for a while.

Look at: 'Don't Save Me', 'Falling', and 'Forever'

2) 'Reflektor' by Arcade Fire

Favourite band, luxury of a double album (which actually isn't much longer than some single discs), production by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, backing vocals by a resurgent Mr. Bowie - what could possibly go wrong?  Not much actually, though it did surprise me that Q's reviewer said it sounded exactly like what you'd think a James Murphy-produced AF album would sound like as if that was a BAD thing!?!?  'It's Never Over' is the standout, even moreso than 'Reflektor' and gave me goosebumps when they performed it at the Roundhouse.  There are very few songs that you'd accuse of being padded out to make up the double album status and there's a joyfulness back in their sound (samba drums! house piano!) and stage performances that show them (and the new songs) off to their very best.  'The Suburbs' would be a tricky act to follow so a 'dancier' direction at least took the heat off direct comparisons.  If they really are playing Glastonbury next year they must make everyone wear suits and fancy dress. I do wish they hadn't sampled Jonathan Ross though...

Look at: 'Reflektor', 'It's Never Over', 'Afterlife' and 'Here Comes the Night Time / We Exist / Normal Person'

1) 'Silence Yourself' by Savages

It takes a great album to better Arcade Fire and, frankly, this is it.  In a music scene which seems to treasure accessibility over quality, partay vibes over creativity and an 'anyone can do it if they take their clothes off or go on tv' attitude over mastering your sound and image, Savages seem to have done everything right.  Yes, you could accuse them of taking themselves all too seriously but it's refreshing to have a band out there that will NOT lighten up.  You just want to set them and their manifesto onto Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry and see what happens frankly.  Their album is dark, bitter at times and full of honest emotion.  Everything, lyrics, tunes, image, seems to have been put together with care, even the way 'silence yourself' is sung on 'Marshal Dear' makes you believe it was done on purpose with a particular sound in mind.  The comparisons to Siouxsie vocally, Ian Curtis performance-wise and late '70's / early '80's alternative indie are as true as they are well-earned.  A fantastic, impactful debut.

Look at: 'Husbands', 'Shut Up', 'Marshal Dear' and 'She Will'

Listen to: a lot of this sort of stuff on Spotify.

Trotter's Top Ten Tracks of 2013

Here we are then, ready to look back at the best of the year, singles-wise it's slim pickings though...  

Partly that might be because I've been a tad distracted with a little two-year side project that you may have noticed, so I must confess to not having built up as extensive a longlist as normal (i.e. there's not even ten here!).  Basically you can take or leave this lump of tunes in any order you like.  Just make sure this one's at the front as there was absolutely no contest for tune of the year...

Daft Punk 'Get Lucky' - Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams keeping his sexism in check (or all used up with Robin Thicke depending on your POV) but most importantly of all, Nile Rodgers.  Say no more.  Except for a final word from Peter Serafinowicz, who admirably and delightfully filled the vacuum of there being no official video.

The rest...

Frightened Rabbit 'The Woodpile' - wore me down after many years and many friends' recommendations (still sound like Biffy Clyro to me though).

Kodaline 'Brand New Day' - one step away from Coldplay-level stadium status.

TOY 'Join the Dots' - let's all get psychedelic (rock) again!

Lady Gaga 'Applause' - I know, I hated it too when it came out, but I've been humming it ever since.  Best song never to win the Eurovision.

Cults 'High Road' - stealing Foster the People's bassline and looking good doing it.

The Joy Formidable 'This Ladder is Ours' - if it was the early '90's they would be huge. Sweet, sometimes heavy, guitar rock channelling your best Belly and Primitives.

Lily Allen 'Hard Out Here' - Planet Pop was a duller place without her and I can't understand the folk that can't understand the choices made in the video and the vocodering vocals of the tune.

Laura Mvula 'Green Garden' - because we had a summer this year.  And hand claps are cool.

And as there's only nine here, I'd happily take recommendations as to what should round out the old list.  But in the meantime have a little listen to them all here if you fancy.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 10 (1-10)

Well done! You've come so far.  With no messin' about, here's the final stretch - in reverse order to build the suspense before revealing Leona Lewis is number one... 

10 'Hey Ya!' by Outkast - I do love a song that just jumps straight into the fun bit (intro's do have their place sometimes I guess) and this certainly does that, just a shame Outkast had already got to their 'release separate albums because we can't stand each other' stage, or we would've had plenty more like this.  Still, 'shake it like a polaroid picture' and 'gimme some sugar, I am your neighbour!' will have to do, even if there's a diminishing number of folk that will get the Lucy Liu reference...

9 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes - speaking of intro's, this may very well take the prize.  Face it, you're humming it now, and now you're playing the video in your head.  You may also be wishing that Meg could use her other arm while playing the drums too, but you can't have everything.  In a parallel universe where I'd not heard this more times than I'd care to mention, this may have got a tad higher.

8 'Maps' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs - although they got pretty famous for their post-NYC-punk clatter, it was this subdued beauty that made the critics really stop and take notice.  Karen's tears are real, as is the emotion she pours into every heartbreaking lyric here.  It's a stunning tune that starts with the simplest of guitar riffs and builds into a rage of drumskin banging and rockstar guitar shapes. Sublime.

7 'Freak Like Me' by Sugababes - for precisely three months, six days and seventeen minutes 'mash-ups' were the sound of the Noughties.  Until, that is, DJ's ran out of Destiny's Child songs and had to start recycling god-awful 90's rave tunes and selling them back to the yanks.  Easily the finest of these such 'mash-ups' is this clash of  dirty soul and 70's electronica sung by a recently remodelled girl group ready for a relaunched, raunchier image.  Strangely enough no-one really complained about them singing about the 'dog in me' - presumably because they managed to keep their clothes on in the video.

6 'Out of Time' by Blur - happily, one of Blur's finest moments emerged from their acrimonious final (for now at least) album.  Damon kept the African influences to just the right level, infusing the song with melancholy from the start.  It's just about the best melody he's ever written too, coming across more wistful than despondent but still tugging at the heartstrings.  The video fits the song perfectly, so much so that you expect the final camera shot to pan to the African choir on a warship (it doesn't).  Strangely there's a bit that keeps reminding me of the theme tune to Mr. Rossi - though I suspect this is just me.

5 'The Rat' by The Walkmen - okay now, so I completely overlooked this on the year of its release, just don't tell anyone, but I'm making amends in this countdown.  A simple rule of thumb for any up-and-coming indie band should be 'Can you write a tune as good as The Rat?'  If the answer is 'no' then you should go on the X Factor instead.  Full of spitting vitriol, soaring guitars and packed with acerbic energy but still being incredibly catchy, it makes you want to press play again even before it's over.

4 'Destroy Everything You Touch' by Ladytron - powerful, pounding synths under ice cool female vocals - what's not to like?  Ladytron have always been a band that I know I should like but never quite got, until this.  I'm frightened to look at the number of plays this has had on my old gramophone as I could probably have learnt a language in that time instead.  Unfortunately you're stuck reading this in English then.

3 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' by Kylie Minogue - such an apt title for a pop song isn't it?  Sharing a fair few similarities with the previous track in it's driving, future-of-the-1970's electronic sleekness, but with added sexKylie and Julian MacDonald dresses. Although she'd already done the comeback by donning those hot pants a couple of years before, this was the tune that cemented her place in pop royalty and made Madonna call for the botox.

2 'Crazy in Love' by Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z - for many months (believe it or not this countdown was actually planned) old Mrs. Carter was in the top spot.  But then, a bit like Seven Nation Army, there's only so many times you can hear 'oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-no-no' without going as crazy as the title suggests.  Still, a classic of our time, and a showcase of how US R&B (and sampling) should be done.  About as perfect a debut solo single as you can get.

1 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash - a surprise?  Yes and No.  Yes, firstly because it's a cover (and by definition that generally means they're second-best) and secondly because it's a sad, downbeat, slow song.  But then no, because it's one of the best covers ever, never mind for the decade, and also why do number ones have to either be slices of perky pop or indie classics?  So this being in pole position answers the question 'which track of the decade made you feel the most?'  Intellectually its a great number one, because it takes a song and, without altering the lyrics, completely changes its meaning from Trent Reznor's ode to drug abuse to the final, reflective thoughts and actions of an old man nearing his end. It is so sad and touchingly sung that you'd have to have no tear ducts not to well up while listening to it.  It's also Johnny Cash.  Throw in the video and you'll be well away.  As far as songs with impact go, there's little competition.  But if you want to end on a happier note I hear there ain't no party like an S Club party...

(so, no Leona, but for a second you thought I'd done it didn't you?)

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the rest of the countdown (shame!) you can listen to them over on my account...

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 9 (11-20)

And so we're almost there, but before the Top Ten, here are the 'nearly men' of the Noughties, those fantastic tracks that just weren't quite good enough to sneak a place in the top echelons of the chart (apart from when at one point the Top Ten had thirteen tunes in it).  So after far too much dissecting the merits and failings of them all, for what is an art form and shouldn't be ranked in any order, here's the penultimate batch of goodies...

11 'Olympic Airways' by Foals - splendid track by the ultimate boys club everyone wants to join due to how perfectly they meld their sounds together, them against the world, topped off with a vid of them all playing in the woods with fires, balloons and mattresses (and an unfortunate squid)
12 'Hard to Explain' by The Strokes - speaking of boys clubs...the perfect indie band's best song, full of brash energy and urgency and demanding your attention
13 'Say My Name' by Destiny's Child - showcasing the overlooked genius of Rodney Jerkins production that lifted R&B to world-conquering status in the 90's and 00's and setting off a trend for contrasting your home décor with your outfit.  What did happen to those other members??
14 'Float On' by Modest Mouse - back when Mr Marr seemed to be playing guitar for just about anyone, but this was definitely where his talents were best realised in that work-for-hire period.  One of the best intros of the decade
15 'Pure Shores' by All Saints - hands down our best girl band, tragically taken from us too soon due to fashion squabbles and sorely missed; this track dating waaaay back to when Di Caprio was thin
16 'Comfortably Numb' by Scissor Sisters - perhaps its sacrilege to prefer this to the original, but I do and it's my countdown and I'll prefer electronic, glam covers if I want to... 
17 'Charmer' by Kings of Leon - showcasing the Followills at their visceral best, even if at times Caleb is sth-creaming like Bonnie Langford.  Finest moment being the drop-off at 1 minute 26 seconds - pure class.
18 'Paper Planes' by M.I.A. - perhaps M.I.A. has been more hit and miss lately, but then she can be forgiven after releasing this controversy-baiting number about being a gun-toting, drug dealing gangsta (whilst being married to a multi-millionaire obviously)
19 'Take Me Out' by Franz Ferdinand - we all have a solemn duty to think of this classic when someone says 'Take Me Out' rather than the Paddy McGuiness end-of-days slash light entertainment vehicle.  For that alone, its place is secured.  That and the best tempo change in a song EVER.
20 'More Than a Woman' by Aaliyah - it might be wistful to imagine that, but for a plane crash, Aaliyah might have had the global megastar status that went to others instead, but on the strength of this tune she was well on the way...sadly missed and well worth a posthumous retrospective. 

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 380 you can listen to them here, here, here, here, here, here, here and (phew!) here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 8 (21-40)

And so the Top 40...starting with a squadron of pop princesses showing the current crowd how to keep it classy, everyone's favourite Scientologist, a couple of absolute dance floor classics, moody indie goodness and some hounds with Mackem accents...

21 'The Fear' by Lily Allen - quite timely considering her new outing, this deftly showed her at her lyrical and musical best with a fine line in barbed punnage about the tabloids.
22 'Hometown Glory' by Adele - cat nip now to many unfortunately, which does her and her first hit no favours.  She broke the mold with this tune about south-east London.
23 'Overload' by Sugababes - points to this track when asked 'how would you put together the perfect girl group debut single?'
24 'Lonesome Tears' by Beck - more well known for his Haircuts and Losers but Beck's beautifully crafted, understated 'Sea Change' album was easily his best and this is the best track from it.  Strings by his Dad too!
25 'Since U Been Gone' by Kelly Clarkson - easily the best tune from a reality tv series winner that saw some absolutely ear-bleedingly hideous monstrosities foisted upon us in this decade.  And don't let Kelly near your wardrobe...
26 'PDA' by Interpol - this, rather than their Joy Division- aping debut single, was what made me sit up and notice them.  I'd then go on to be ever so slightly obsessed with them.
27 'Insomnia' by Faithless - hands down the best alliteration of the Noughties - 'tearing off tights with my teeth' - you're now singing it in your head aren't you?  Arguably the best dance track ever, let alone the decade.
28 'Bonkers' by Dizzee Rascal - it only took about four minutes for Dizzee to go from hard-edged bot in da corner to media darling - but good on 'im I say.  Bonkers just cemented that position and made him as close to the UK version of a US rapper's career trajectory that we've ever produced.
29 'No I in Threesome' by Interpol - pretty much the most Interpol-ish of all Interpol songs, showing off all the band members at their best.  The video also perfectly matches the moody, strange energy of the track.
30 'Hounds of Love' by The Futureheads - who knew in 2000 that what we needed was a Sunderland version of a Kate Bush classic.  Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh...
31 'La Ritournelle' by Sebastien Tellier - sparkling, twinkly remixed tune with a vid guaranteed to leave you misty-eyed.
32 '2+2=5' by Radiohead - the angry side of Thom and the boys barking out how 'you have not been paying attention' and continuing to twiddle with strange bits of electronic equipment.
33 'Rehab' by Amy Winehouse - the tune's almost become as iconic as herself and although there are better examples showcasing Amy's amazing vocals, no track is as synonymous with her as this one.
34 'Last Night' by The Strokes - ah, the world's best pub singer at their energetic slash laid-back finest.   
35 'Love's Not a Competition (But I'm Winning)' by The Kaiser Chiefs - more well-known for their brand of chirpy, chipper jump-up-and-down numbers but this has two things going for it - video filmed at Colombus Circle, NYC and a track of sufficient quality that not even Paramore could run it!
36 'Rebellion (Lies)' by The Arcade Fire - stunning live, with a chorus made for crowd sing-a-longs and a track that fits their travelling troubadour schtick to a tee and what turns out to be their best tune. 
37 'Pyramid Song' by Radiohead - instead of the angry side, this time its the melancholic side that's on display here in a haunting, powerful ballad with a video to match.
38 'Special' by Mew - probably the track and video I've played the most from the band that I'd say was my best accidental discovery (thanks MTV).  Nothing beats a tune sounding like you've stumbled into it half way through and some strange Scandinavian black and white dancing by a lake and a dining table. 
39 'Crystalised' by The XX - back when they were four (members rather than years old, but they weren't far off I suppose).  They offered something unique with sparse electronics and duelling male/female vocals and then took over the world a little.
40 'Biology' by Girls Aloud - as innovative  a pop song you could hope to find or three catchy bits from different songs spliced together - you decide.  But definitely the best of the band put together by Geri Haliwell, Pete Waterman and Dr. Fox - what could possibly go wrong?

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 320 (!) you can listen to them here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 7 (41-60)

In this batch of twenty the keyword is 'catchy' (and I try not to use it too many times, honest).  We've got a brace of killers, a US rapper drinking Ribena, an eight minute opus from a former bunch of comedy-goths, dad dancing, cartoon stalking and some rather splendid tunes from Satan's pop factory...

41 'Minerva' by Deftones - the closest you'll get to the 'wall of sound' this century, but replace girl-group southern harmonies with shouty, beardy rockers with Spinal Tap sized speakers in the desert
42 'Hot 'n' Cold' by Katy Perry - created by a squadron of expert aural scientists in an underground pop bunker in order to perfect the catchiest tune to snare a hair-sprayed-up, dandy comedian (and soundtrack the best programme on television in Masterchef Australia)
43 'Sea Within a Sea' by The Horrors - the leap in quality and originality this band took with this tune was never surpassed in the decade and still really hasn't been.  As close to a 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as this generation will ever get.
44 'Heads Will Roll' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Richard Ayoade and Karen O's YYY's on directorial and band duties respectively.  Plus werewolf action amongst the over-privileged elite.  And tic-a-tape blood.  Say no more.
45 'Undertow' by Warpaint - making best use of, and yet also dodging, 'all-female rock band' clichés.  Undertow is Warpaint's statement to the world, achingly cool but tight-knit all at once - even better when they perform it live.
46 'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers - the absolute masters of launching straight into catchy guitar hooks from the very first second (part 1)
47 'Call the Shots' by Girls Aloud - speaking of scientist-created pop perfection, not only is this one of the girls' most sublime slices of pop, but the bittersweet lyrics also allow plenty of opportunity for wistful looks off camera whilst caressing your own face. 
48 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' by Arctic Monkeys - after the impact of The Strokes had worn off mid-decade, along came the band we'd all wanted but just hadn't realised.  From Sheffield.  Aged about 12.  With lyrics that some are still convinced must have been nicked from a band twice their age.
49 'Whirring' by The Joy Formidable - straddling that tricky line between melodic and raucous, and sometimes being both at once.  Though I do prefer the video where they drag their instruments up a hill and then beat the crap out of them.
50 'American Boy' Estelle ft. KanYe West - turning out unfortunately to be a bit of a one-hit wonder, a bit of KanYe can't have done Estelle any harm.  And this tune allowed us insight into his Dick van Dyke world view of the UK and his delivering the immortal line 'before he speak, his suit bespoke'.  He also namechecks Ribena which is worth the price of admission alone.
51 'Reptilia' by The Strokes - both video and song perfectly capturing the economic- best of The Strokes.  Deceptive simplicity, meticulously planned, pent-up energy fighting against seemingly laissez-faire performance.
52 'Elusive' by Scott Matthews - it's all about the silence and breathing between notes on this one.  Beautiful - and always reminds me of Christmas for some reason.
53 'Swastika Eyes' by Primal Scream - nevermind silence, there's not a second to catch your breath here.  I much prefer 'bonkers disco' Scream to 'Mumford's dirty uncle' Scream - and this is the former at the peak of their blistering, ear-drum shattering best.
54 'Stand Inside Your Love' by The Smashing Pumpkins - I've no doubt if this hadn't been delivered with Billy's usual fingers-down-a-chalkboard delivery and avant-garde video it would've sailed up the charts and given radio stations something of theirs to play other than 'Tonight, Tonight'.  One of my favourite bands best (and last) tunes.
55 'Skeleton Boy' by Friendly Fires - the world would be a duller place without Ed Macfarlane's particularly cool brand of Dad-dancing, especially to this little piece of euphoria.
56 'When You Were Young' by The Killers - the absolute masters of launching straight into catchy guitar hooks from the very first second (part 2)
57 'Toxic' by Britney Spears - watch closely Miley, this is how it's done.  Tongue should be firmly in cheek rather than stuck outside it.
58 '156' by Mew - By now, even if you've only heard of Mew through my ramblings you'll know they have a knack of pairing angelic vocals, seemingly innocent lyrics with an undercurrent of disquiet and danger - jolly tune about a stalker/kidnapper being a case in point.
59 'Don't Know Why' by Norah Jones - the tune the Cadbury's Flake ad agency was no doubt kicking themselves that they'd let slip through their fingers.  Silky smooth and laid back - the only thing missing was the bath water running.
60 'That's Not My Name' by The Ting Tings - proof that feminist rallying cries neither had to be solemn nor particularly intelligent, but you do have to have a bloke on the drums.

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 340 (!) you can listen to them here, here, here, here, here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 6 (61-80)

So in this here edition we highlight several of New York's Finest who spearheaded rock's 21st Century revival and a couple of the homegrown variety, repent for past sins of not liking The Arcade Fire (I had my reasons!), partner dance moves with Britain's glummest electroniclasts and admonish someone for their spitting Misdemeanors.  All this and a Two Ronnies reference!

61 'My Delirium' by Ladyhawke - with one of the best guitar lines, fringes and use of watercolours of the decade
62 'Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above' by CSS - for precisely three months, two days and 57 minutes, the coolest band on the planet.  Bonus points for obscure band reference (see Number 376)
63 'House of Jealous Lovers' by The Rapture - riding the New York Cool wave of the Noughties and with one of the best intros in this countdown - coming on all '50's b-movie space invasion disaster flick - then getting even better (Misfits wouldn't be the same without it)
64 'Back to Black' by Amy Winehouse - a perfect example of why Amy was such an incredible vocalist, sincerity dripping from every word and a delivery that was both vintage and modern at once. 
65 'Only One Word Comes to Mind' by Biffy Clyro - inventive, discordant, disjointed, brash and frankly incomprehensible - and easily their best effort.
66 'All You Do Is Talk' by BRMC - known more for their dark, dirty brand of balls-to-the-wall rock, when they 'go slow' its that much more effective, none more so here.  Those strings will break your heart.
67 'Amsterdam' by Coldplay - the closing track from their best album, never released as a single but played over and over by yours truly, particularly on those 'just one more play' listens post-pub.  Their trademark melancholy-turned-uplifting shtick perfected.  
68 'Ice Cream' by New Young Pony Club - cool electronics, breathy, seductive female vocals, more double-entendres than at Two Ronnies' Finishing School' (oo-er) and a video shamelessly targeted at spotty, teenage indie-boys - what's not to like?
69 '1901' by Phoenix - if your foot isn't tapping in the first three seconds I'm afraid you're dead.
70 'Someday' by The Strokes - not only did The Strokes look and sound perfect, but their timing was equally impeccable.  Exploding on the music scene at the start of the decade and influencing dozens of bands that came after them.  This countdown would be very different without them. 
71 'Zero' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs - I'm sure if we met, Karen O and I would be inseparable best friends, if it wasn't for that restraining order.
72 'Get Ur Freak On' by Missy Elliott - I promise I'll stop with the 'R&B used to be creative' spiel, but just listen to this and tell me it still doesn't wipe the floor with what's cynically put together today.  Minus points for advocating spittin' in yo face. 
73 'Chop Suey' by System of a Down - speaking of inventive, this is a classic of its time.  These folk were unfairly lumped into the nu-metal movement - even recently when the children with crayons at the NME labelled them misogynistic - this, in comparison to Fred 'in his 30's and stomping off to his room to write a song about boobies Durst.
74 'Time to Pretend' by MGMT - beautifully bonkers and, to put it kindly, ploughing their own furrow - but more power to them for sidestepping the stadium-level career that awaited them after taking over with this track.
75 'Helicopter' by Bloc Party - if the UK had any equivalent to The Strokes at all it was this band and this, their best effort.   Refreshing too to see a black, gay frontman to an indie-band, even if Kele would eventually resort to taking his top off and bust some moves to dance music.
76 'Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)' by The Arcade Fire - fun fact! I hated this band for blatantly ripping off the intro here to New Order's 'Touched by the Hand of God'.  I've mellowed somewhat since.
77 'Monster Hospital' by Metric - if I was Prime Minister every song would start 'Bam-chicka-bam-chika-boom-boom-boom-shalang-shalang-boom' and usher in a zombie apocalypse.  Including school assemblies.
78 'Rest My Chemistry' by Interpol - the most-Interpolist of Interpol songs, with tales of making 'hallways scenes to regret' and 'bathed in nothing but sweat'.  if that's not true I'll be very disappointed.
79 'Who Can Say' by The Horrors - the precise moment when Faris Badwan becomes a stellar frontman and dons a white dinner jacket to deliver the coldest, 'being cruel to be kind to be cruel' spoken word section of a song this side of Motown.  Genius.
80 'Islands' by The XX - choreography wasn't on the list of 'first thousand words you think of when describing The XX' until this rather marvellous video that matches the song perfectly in a captivating style (while the band sit around looking moody obvs).

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 320 (!) you can listen to them here, here, here, here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 5 (81-100)

As Celine once sang (although probably not about my Top Tens), now that things are getting serious, I reckon each track deserves at least a sentence don't you?  Slabs of twenty from now on chaps. 

The first batch of the Top 100 includes a couple of Tracks of the Year - would be rude to say which are the ones that appear here and haven't matched their potential with the cruel passage of time though...but they do both rhyme with each other...

81 'The Bucket' by Kings of Leon - back when they were long-haired and relevant, nice vid too. Why pay for cameramen when you have shelves?

82 'Paris' by Friendly Fires - speaking of nice vids, think Busby Berkeley's Babes trapped inside a kaleidoscope...or not.

83 'Dog Days are Over' by Florence and the Machine - where Flo hit her Earth Goddess stride and announced her plan for world domination - or at least to flap about in a floaty frock with face paint.

84 'Foundations' by Kate Nash - some acerbically bitter lyrics wrapped in a sugar-coated tune, really showing up today's pop standards...shame the music press decided she was no longer cool though.

85 'Ms Jackson' by Outkast - the best song ever written about Erykah Badu's mum!

86 'We are Your Friends' by Justice vs Simian - Simian should be extremely grateful for that Justice do-over, and so should we, if only for one of the best videos of the decade.

87 'This is Love' by PJ Harvey - team up Polly at her rock-chick finest with Sophie Muller, one of England's finest video directors, and you've just worked absolute magic in sound and vision.

88 'Where's Your Head At' by Basement Jaxx - definitely finished monkey business.

89 'Sound of the Underground' by Girls Aloud- ironically shortly after Cheryl sang about 'banging on the bathroom wall' she would find herself doing something similar to a toilet attendant...and to make matters worse Nadine sings the best bit.

90 'Love is an Unfamiliar Name' by The Duke Spirit - I said this lot were criminally under-rated didn't I?  'Best use of a recurring mantra to close out a song' award is in the bag.

91 'Blinded by the Lights' by The Streets - no, this is the best Streets track actually.

92 'The Prayer' by Bloc Party - looking back its easy to overlook transitional tunes from bands that announced a significant change in direction that would then become their standard sound.  With the sound of crushing drums the boys from Bloc Party stepped onto the dancefloor.

93 'Hope There's Someone' by Antony and The Johnsons - a song of genuinely heartfelt emotion seeping from every piano chord and trembling lyric...and a deserving winner of the Mercury.

94 'Daft Punk is Playing at My House' by LCD Soundsystem - James Murphy definitely challenged for the Funkiest White Boy of the decade.  Wouldn't be surprised if he played at Daft Punk's house too.

95 'Well Thought Out Twinkles' by Silversun Pickups - so while Billy Corgan was pretending to still be in the Smashing Pumpkins it seemed that an LA band had surreptitiously snuck in and stolen all their tunes.

96 'Somebody Told Me' by The Killers - neon, lounge suits, video screens in the desert and singing Mormons - what's not to like?
97 'Mind Over Money' by Turin Brakes - another tragically overlooked band of the age and probably my biggest case of hair envy, giving wind-machine-Mariah a run for her money in a wind-swept Center Parcs by the look of things.

98 'Creator' by Santigold - inventive and playful R&B seemed to both be born and die in this decade.  Santigold was one of the last to do something truly creative in the genre.  It later went on to flog hair wax.

99 'Dare' by Gorillaz - perhaps the most amazing thing about this song was that Shaun Ryder was still around to sing it - even if Damon had actually written 'It's There' as the lyric.

100 'Tendency' by Battle - a bit of a none-hit wonder this lot, but memorable at least for mixing Animal-from-the-Muppets-style drumming with Shadows guitars.

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 300 Spartans you can listen to them here, here, here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 4 (101-150)

So in this instalment, right before we get into your final 100, we've got the biggest quiff of the decade and its most famous hat, a Britney-baiting video from her ex, five girls no good at languages, Ian Brown conducting his own four letter spelling bee, the best choreography at a funeral, milkshakes and maneaters, Thom Yorke getting romantic with PJ Harvey (gulp!), the finest lyrics about fandom and fame from Jack White via Rita Hayworth, the only appearance from Pete Docherty, the unlikeliest X Factor winner's single and an opportunity to watch The Strokes drown.  Who could ask for more?

  

101 'You Only Live Once' by The Strokes
102 'Always: Your Way' by My Vitriol
103 'Once Around the Block' by Badly Drawn Boy
104 'Shiver' by Coldplay
105 'Cornerstone' by Arctic Monkeys
106 'Banquet' by Bloc Party
107 'No Kind Words' by The Maccabees'
108 'Plug In Baby' by Muse
109 'In for the Kill' by La Roux
110 'Comforting Sounds' by Mew
111 'For Lovers' by Wolfman feat. Pete Docherty
112 'Everything in its Right Place' by Radiohead
113 'Many of Horror' by Biffy Clyro
114 'Cry Me a River' by Justin Timberlake
115 'On Board' by Friendly Fires
116 'This Mess We're In' by PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke
117 'Fell in Love with a Girl' by The White Stripes
118 'A-Punk' by Vampire Weekend
119 'On Call' by Kings of Leon
120 'A Quiet Life' by The Longcut
121 'In the Backseat' by Arcade Fire
122 'Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll' by BRMC
123 'Run for Cover' by Sugababes
124 'Good Fortune' by PJ Harvey
125 'Go to Sleep' by Radiohead
126 'Black Coffee' by All Saints
127 'Am I Wry? No' by Mew
128 'Lights Out' by Santigold
129 'Love Affair' by Kylie Minogue
130 'Maneater' by Nelly Furtado
131 'Can't Speak French' by Girls Aloud
132 'Over and Over' by Hot Chip
133 'The Heinrich Maneuver' by Interpol
134 'Evil' by Interpol
135 'Accident and Emergency' by Patrick Wolf
136 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman' by The Darkness
137 'Slow Hands' by Interpol
138 'Clocks' by Coldplay
139 'Moving to New York' by The Wombats
140 'Hexagram' by Deftones
141 'Take, Take, Take' by The White Stripes
142 'Treat Me Like Your Mother' by The Dead Weather
143 'The View from the Afternoon' by Arctic Monkeys
144 'I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes' by Tom Vek
145 'You Got the Love' by Florence and the Machine
146 'Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)' by Arcade Fire
147 'Helena' by My Chemical Romance
148 'F.E.A.R.' by Ian Brown
149 'With Every Heartbeat' by Robyn
150 'Milkshake' by Kelis

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous bucketloads you can listen to them here, here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 3 (151-200)

So in this 'bite-size' edition we have: the hotpants that changed the world, three tunes from the best
front-woman in music at the mo, the opening track from the album that set Coldplay on a U2-sized trajectory, the sadly-deceased R&B star that Beyoncé owes her career to, a one-armed scissor, proof that when Madonna line-dances she does so on her own, a cheerful little ditty to spousal abuse, *that* Dandy Warhols track, Daft Punk and the band that name-checks them, hilarity in the Radiohead studio, Biffy channelling vintage Sisters of Mercy, the best key change of the decade from Neil Hannon, a very hard button to button and some of the finest lyrics from a startlingly talented young Sheffield upstart and his pals...
 
151 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' by Dizzee Rascal
152 'Ideoteque' by Radiohead
153 'Come Away with Me' by Norah Jones
154 'Bohemian Like You' by The Dandy Warhols
155 'Jump in the Pool' by Friendly Fires
156 'Weapon of Choice' by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
157 'Whole New Way' by The Horrors
158 'Bliss' by Muse
159 'Jigsaw Falling Into Place' by Radiohead
160 'Disco Infiltrator' by LCD Soundsystem
161 'Do You Want To' by Franz Ferdinand
162 'Valerie' by The Zutons
163 'Sexy! No, No, No...' by Girls Aloud
164 'Tribulations' by LCD Soundsystem
165 'The Time Is Now' by Moloko
166 'L.S.F.' by Kasabian
167 'Date with the Night' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
168 'Fake Tales of San Francisco' by Arctic Monkeys
169 'Changes Are No Good' by The Stills
170 'Apply Some Pressure' by Maximo Park
171 'Kiss with a Fist' by Florence and the Machine
172 'One More Time' by Daft Punk
173 'Conversation Intercom' by Soulwax
174 'Big Exit' by PJ Harvey
175 'One Armed Scissor' by At the Drive-In 
176 'Are You That Somebody' by Aaliyah
177 'Fire' by Kasabian
178 'The Hardest Button to Button' by The White Stripes
179 'Red Socks Pugie' by Foals
180 'Lost Cause' by Beck
181 'When the Sun Goes Down' by Arctic Monkeys
182 'Black & Gold' by Sam Sparro
183 'Kiss of Life' by Friendly Fires
184 '505' by Arctic Monkeys
185 'Love What You Do' by The Divine Comedy
186 'And I Was a Boy from School' by Hot Chip
187 'Red Morning Light' by Kings of Leon
188 'Living is a Problem Because Everyone Dies' by Biffy Clyro
189 'Don't Tell Me' by Madonna
190 'Cloaking' by Seafood
191 'Our Velocity' by Maximo Park
192 'Kids' by MGMT
193 'Nothing But Green Lights' by Tom Vek
194 'Decent Days and Nights' by The Futureheads
195 'The Angry Mob' by Kaiser Chiefs
196 'Politik' by Coldplay
197 'No Cars Go' by The Arcade Fire
198 'Pin' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
199 'Spinning Around' by Kylie Minogue
200 'Y Control' by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 200 battle weary centurions you can listen to them here and here.

Trotter's Top 400 of the Noughties - Part 2 (201-300)

So here's a second 100 for the Noughties, and although some may not think you're ready for this jelly,it features a lovely song that will always remind me of a certain SipidiSloss wedding now, two former Mouseketeers, a stuntdriving squirrel, Bob Hoskins, the last decent thing New Order did (and the first band to call themselves The Killers), the misogynistic track that obviously wooed Beyoncé, an ode to pre-nup, eating seeds as a past-time activity, the first appearances on this list of defining bands of the '00s Kings of Leon, The Strokes, White Stripes, Arcade Fire), 3:08 minutes of pure joyous pop, as well as the under-rated (The Duke Spirit, Mystery Jets, The Stills) and the over-rated (Razorlight, The Kooks, Ting Tings) and the voice of her generation.  There should be something for everyone on here though - more bite-sized (relatively) chunks to follow...

201 'Hysteria' by Muse
202 'Feel Good Inc.' by Gorillaz
203 'The Pretender' by Foo Fighters
204 'Cuts Across the Land' by The Duke Spirit
205 'Work It' by Missy Elliott
206 'Pounding' by Doves
207 'Melatonin' by Silversun Pickups
208 'Just Because' by Jane's Addiction
209 'The Fool's Fooling Himself' by Scott Matthews
210 'King of the Rodeo' by Kings of Leon
211 'Umbrella' by Rihanna
212 'Intervention' by Arcade Fire
213 'All My Life' by Foo Fighters
214 'Mansard Roof' by Vampire Weekend
215 'Hoppipolla' by Sigur Ros
216 'Atlantis to Interzone' by Klaxons
217 'I Believe in You' by Kylie Minogue
218 'Lion Rip' by The Duke Spirit
219 'Buck Rogers' by Feeder
220 'Black Cherry' by Goldfrapp
221 'Strange and Beautiful' by Aqualung
222 'I Wish I Was Someone Better' by Blood Red Shoes
223 'The Great Escape' by We Are Scientists
224 'Fascination' by Alphabeat
225 'Toxicity' by System of a Down
226 'Hotel Yorba' by The White Stripes
227 'Gloves' by The Horrors
228 'Molly's Chambers' by Kings of Leon
229 '99 Problems' by Jay-Z
230 'I'm Outta Time' by Oasis
231 'Freakin' Out' by Graham Coxon
232 'Gold Digger' by KanYe West and Jamie Foxx
233 'Fallin'' by Alicia Keys
234 'Go with the Flow' by Queens of the Stone Age
235 'Followed the Waves' by Melissa auf de Maur
236 'Catch the Sun' by Doves
237 'North American Scum' by LCD Soundsystem
238 'Move Your Feet' by Junior Senior
239 'L.E.S. Artistes' by Santagold
240 'Bootylicious' by Destiny's Child
241 'Mirrorball' by Elbow
242 'Hate to Say I Told You So' by The Hives
243 'Love is a Losing Game' by Amy Winehouse
244 'Used for Glue' by Rival Schools
245 'Love at First Sight' by Kylie Minogue
246 'Fit But You Know It' by The Streets
247 'Do You Realise??' by The Flaming Lips
248 'If You Got the Money' by Jamie T
249 'Naive' by The Kooks
250 'Golden Skans' by Klaxons
251 'Lapdance' by N*E*R*D
252 'Great DJ' by The Ting Tings
253 'Lucio Starts Fires' by Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong
254 'Bulletproof' by La Roux
255 'Symmetry' by Mew
256 'Worry About It Later' by The Futureheads
257 'Monster' by The Automatic
258 'Your Love Alone is Not Enough' by Manic Street Preachers
259 'Crystal' by New Order
260 '22 Grand Job' by The Rakes
261 'The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager' by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
262 'Heartbeat Song' by The Futureheads
263 'Never Felt Like This Before' by Shaznay Lewis
264 'Geraldine' by Glasvegas
265 'The Test' by The Chemical Brothers and Richard Ashcroft
266 'What May Be The Oldest' by Seafood
267 'Night Time' by The Xx
268 'Grounds for Divorce' by Elbow
269 'Blind' by Hercules and Love Affair
270 'Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine' by The White Stripes
271 'Underdog (Save Me)' by Turin Brakes
272 'There Goes The Fear' by Doves
273 'One Day Like This' by Elbow
274 'Aerials' by System of a Down
275 'Strict Machine' by Goldfrapp
276 'Venice Queen' by Red Hot Chili Peppers
277 'The Bomb' by New Young Pony Club
278 'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera
279 'Rock Your Body' by Justin Timberlake
280 'The Zookeeper's Boy' by Mew
281 'Blood' by Editors
282 'Two Doors Down' by Mystery Jets
283 'Lola Stars and Stripes' by The Stills
284 'Games For Days' by Julian Plenti
285 'Taste You' by Melissa auf de Maur
286 'Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?' by The Cribs
287 'Oxygen' by JJ72
288 'Sing It Back' by Moloko
289 'Oxford Comma' by Vampire Weekend
290 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley
291 'Golden Touch' by Razorlight
292 'Sheila' by Jamie T
293 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer' by Queens of the Stone Age
294 'Always Like This' by Bombay Bicycle Club
295 'B.O.B.' by Outkast
296 'Let Me Know' by Roisin Murphy
297 'Don't Let Him Waste Your Time' by Jarvis Cocker
298 'Sweet About Me' by Gabriella Cilmi
299 'We Used to Vacation' by Cold War Kids
300 'The Racing Rats' by Editors

Now listen to a good old earful of all of these over on that there Spotify malarkey...and if you missed the previous 100 plucky centurions you can listen to them here.