Now 67

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Rite, I'm off to knit tofu with hippy children for the next week but we've got just enough time to squeeze in another quick Now poll before I reject all music save that made by free-spirited bongo weavers or something. If I die from camping, someone else will have to carry this on.

This motley crew of hits were assembled sometime last summer, from the look of them. There is an amazing section at the end but overall, this is a surprisingly quality edition of Now. In acknowledgement of the fact these are relatively recent compilations, I've added a question re: what was left out from the compilation at the end, since that should be fairly easy for ones so close to the present.

Edit: WHUPS, NOW WITH ADDED LJ-CUT

[Poll #1228829]

Comments

My Crimes

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I have grown to quite like that Kate Nash song. :(

Re: My Crimes

[miss-newham.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one...

I also like the Mika song here, as it starts off the same as the Teletubbies theme tune.

Re: My Crimes

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Oh dear god, I'd been wondering what it reminded me of but you're dead right.

Re: My Crimes

[infov0re.livejournal.com]

Whilst it is not great, it certainly (to my mind) fits the criteria of "any good at all".

Re: My Crimes

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Erm yes me too. I still find it hard to listen past halfway but I enjoy it up to then.

Re: My Crimes

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

the thing is, i heard it like a month ago for the first time in a year and it just sounds SO WEIRD. "how ON EARTH did this get to number one????" i thought.

i have also grown to like it.

Re: My Crimes

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

(it didn't get to number one ;))

Re: My Crimes

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

oh, well, yeah, but, number two is almost number one eh?

Re: My Crimes

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

tell that to Vic Beckham!

Re: My Crimes

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

It's great! Unlike everything else she's done. It's the way the strings kick off going into the chorus that make me feel a bit warm and fuzzy.

'Back To Black'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I can't remember where this actually got to in the chart, but I seem to remember it being quite low - but I think it's since become at least equal with 'Rehab' as Winehouse's signature song (cuz it seems more appropriate to link her to songs about her HEARTBREAK rather than jaunty fuck-you party anthems?). The way she sings

and life
is like
a pipe
and I'm a tiny penny rolling up the
walls
inside

is basically perfect - such slow, controlled, dignified phrasing! - and this is easily my favourite thing she's done.

Re: 'Back To Black'

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

This one was released by the point where people were buying 10 thousand copies of the album each but not really the singles.

My favourite thing about 'Back To Black' is the crudeness of the lyrics in places- 'kept his dick wet' as the second line is particularly hitting, cus the instrumentation, etc. is so refined and classy etc. This = why Adele, Duffy etc. <<<< Amy.

The video was kind of crap, though.

Re: 'Back To Black'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Oh yes the hugely DYS funeral for AMY'S HEART. Totally agree on the lyrics - she does that throughout the album, juxtaposing dignified, poetic imagery with these outbreaks of crudity and just sheer inappropriateness ("you love blow and I love puff" is a bit wtf in a song like this too).

Re: 'Back To Black'

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

OH GOD. Listening to the album now, I just noticed how distressing the lyrics of 'Wake Up Alone' are.

'Because Of You'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Shockingly at the time I think this rather passed me by, in a "oh it's OK I guess" sort of way - SO WRONG, it has now become my addiction, I'm so string out on you I can barely move, and I like it...

The melody is absolutely unstoppable, it sort of keeps going and going ("I got a problem and - don't know what to do about it, even if I did I don't know if I would quit but I doubt it I'm - taken by the thought of it" is probably my favourite section to sing along to) and, you know, awesome lyrics. Also, I like the use of that really light midtempo 4/4 beat, you can never quite tell whether the song is a perked-up ballad or a laidback banger. See also the new Jennifer Hudson single!

"i think it's time to hit them with the ma$e flow"

[cis.livejournal.com]

that remix with kanye is also... kind of great?

'unstoppable' is exactly the word, yes.

Re: "i think it's time to hit them with the ma$e flow"

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yes to the Kanye remix!

...three ticks so far :(

my policy

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

buy the odd numbered NOWs = i have this. yay.

Easy

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

1st bunch: mostly phenomenal
2nd bunch: mostly meh
3rd bunch: mostly horrible

Re: Easy

[rubberheadz-inc.livejournal.com]

This times infinity.

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

I actually think this is a pretty decent now. There's the obligatory pile of toss singer-songwriter wankery (c. Nutini, Mika) and the equivalent in band format (The Fray, The sodding Twang), but mostly it's pretty good. I had 4 songs vying for my "which is the best vote" and none of them were Rihanna.

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs.... Fall Out Boy's finest moment?

[infov0re.livejournal.com]

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs.... Fall Out Boy's finest moment?

Not sure. I think it might be in terms of singles (though The Takes Over is a better song), and I tend to find that my favourite of their songs are the ones I connect to most emotionally. As a result, I think that a lot off Take This To Your Grave and Cork Tree still holds up very well. But I think, as a second single off Infinity On High, it's probably a good sign that they were punching above their weight and that the somewhat-novelty hit of Arms Race wasn't a flash in the pan. Takes Over confirms this, obviously, and is a better song, musically.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

I tend to find that my favourite of their songs are the ones I connect to most EMOly

corrected ;)

Poor Paolo :((((((((((((((

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

You h8rs are all officially MENTALISTS. Is a good song.

Re: Poor Paolo :((((((((((((((

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

But doesn't the chorus make you want to hit him?

I liked his first single. That one with the video about the bank raid.

Re: Poor Paolo

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

No, it makes me want to buy shoes.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Moar love for Groove Armada & Stush pls!

"Dip and galang! Dip and stan' up! For the basics! Dip! Stan' up! Galang! Other words where I'm not sure what she's saying!"

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I thought everyone'd be all over that whole section; that Unklejam song's quality, too and a lot of people like the Chemical Brothers, even if I don't but it seems to be noticeable only for its total dereliction in terms of ticking.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Maybe everyone just assumes that the final stretch of a NOW album is always pish. I was pleasantly surprised and ticked several.

[koganbot]

I ticked 7 (as many as I ticked in the first section, and only a couple under what I ticked in the middle): Amy, Manics, Fll T By, Klaxons, Groove/Stush, Unklejam, Chemicals.

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

Yes! She guested at Glastonbury on Groove Armada's set to close the festival (on the other stage) and it was totally the highlight. Stush is A-mazing.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Actually I might change my poll answer - strange_powers is absolutely correct that the Klaxons murdering Grace is worse than Gnasher.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Oh and NOES to McFly - "Transylvania" please over that rub Jellyfish cover!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

YES. Stupid McFly. This coincided with the bad hair as well, you see.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I think Transylvania is on the next one, afaik. I quite like this one but I am not sure whether that's just because I generally cruise at a sort of 'oh go on then, three stars' McFly rating.

Explain yourselves

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Only two people have ticked 'Sheila.' I was willing to let 'Calm Down Dearest' by, even though I once listened to it 330 times in one weekend because it is THAT AMAZING but RLY, what on earth is the matter with you lot? I've heard the damned song about seven million times (my ex-bf found it at some point during the summer of 06) and it is STILL AWESOME. Those strings in the verses! The John Betjeman bit! The fact you can sing it when you're RLY RLY DRUNK and yet it's actually fairly complex, musically! Idk, I know possibly his accent's a bit off-putting and people might find the 'gritty tales of modern young persons' lives' a bit preachy but it's not all hand wringy 'god this is so fkn horrible think of the kids' innit?

I mean ffs enough people liked The Streets.

Re: Explain yourselves

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I think that's the issue - post-Streets wariness means he hasn't got a fair hearing. Well, he hasn't from me anyway.

Re: Explain yourselves

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

I remember loathing "Sheila" when I heard it, but will re-listen (right now he's in my "worst on the list" spot!!!)

Re: Explain yourselves

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

PS, I hate the Streets with much intensity.

Re: Explain yourselves

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Not heard it. I liked (and ticked) "Calm Down Dearest" though. The alBUM is 60000000000000034th on my Must Hear List.

Re: Explain yourselves

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

It is a very good album, if only for the fact it opens with the line 'FOCKING CROISSANT'

Re: Explain yourselves

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

His only good song is Salvador which is brilliant. Depressingly, apparently it was the first song recorded on the album.

Re: Explain yourselves

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

My ex-bf really loved that one but it drives me up the wall. I lovelovelove 'Operation.'