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Monday, 4 November 2013

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, herehere, here and here.

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