Best Songs I First Heard in 2007...

As day four of the Tremble Under Boom Lights one-year anniversary celebration (where I've promised the unthinkable with a post here every day for a week) I'm listing the best songs I first heard this year. Feel free to trail through the previous three posts to find out what I was doing approximately 8 years ago, what sessions for the new Dirtbombs album looked like and what the ten most important singles in Detroit history are.

Anyturd, all of these songs get my HIGHEST approval and I strongly suggest you click on the links for downloads. The shit is free...how can you go wrong? Enjoy!

Temptation Greets You Like A Naughty Friend – Arctic Monkeys
Dizzee Rascal grimes up this Monkeys B-side with all kinds of wicked flow. I reviewed this earlier this year, search out what I said then.

Gloves – the Horrors
A simple garage chord progression does wonders. Coupled with Rotter's lyrics about collecting gloves he finds in the street (bothy creepy and great for lyrics) and the syncopated organ stabs and what you get is the most-played song on my iTunes jukebox.

Politicians in My Eyes – Death
While I'd known about this band and their single on Tryangle for a year or so, I just heard the song a little over a month ago. The band consisted of three black brothers from the east side of Detroit who only ever played a few house parties and unleashed a monster of a single that draws equal parts of the Stooges, Blue Oyster Cult, the MC5 and all kinds of scorched punk recklessness before grasping onto a funky ending that all needs to be heard to be believed. Shit, just download it here... http://www.sendspace.com/file/avgkxe there's five unreleased songs I'm not airing out here and those are equally as badass. And it's from 1976!!! Dirtbombs are totally gonna cover some of this shit.

I Won't Look Back - Tall Birds
These guys have two utterly impeccable 7"s under their belts, but this jam off their Psychic Scam self-released CD-r is flawless. Cass is still working hard in hopes of releasing this as a 7". You can hear the almost-as-awesome live version at www.myspace.com/tallbirds

Your Reverie – Kelley Stoltz
I like the way you can hear (what I assume to be) the Echoplex drag the guitar along.

Alleys of Your Mind – Cybotron
If you haven't heard this already, I give up.

Tears Dry on Their Own – Amy Winehouse
While "Rehab" is cool and all, I really dig the lyrics on this one on top of the fact that it musically references "You're All I Need to Get By" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Shows how much people will really dig something when you use a real band to record.

Honey, We Can't Afford to Look This Cheap – The White Stripes
Y'all gonna flip when you hear this one. It tells a simple story with a poignant and piercing turn of phrase. A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, Jack rocking a "Finding it Harder to Be Gentleman"-style piano romp, Beck on the slide guitar...how can you go wrong? Dare I say I think this, coupled with "It's My Fault For Being Famous" are two B-sides that are as good as anything found on Icky Thump.

See Me Mariona – Brian Olive
Wicked awesome to finally something emerge from his solo efforts. I reviewed the 7" for Metro Times, so dig it up at their website, www.metrotimes.com

Girl From the Mountain – Ghetto Brothers
So in Jeff Chang's book Can't Stop, Won't Stop he lists the Power-Fuerza album by New York's slightly gang-affiliated Ghetto Brothers as a starting point for the inception of hip hop sound in NYC. Intrigued, I found the CD reissue and couldn't disagree with Chang more. Nowhere do I feel even a remote resemblance to what hip hop would turn into. In spite of all that, what we do have is a brilliant Latino-infused pop song with ample percussion backing and a searing fuzz solo. Dig it here...http://www.sendspace.com/file/xyroa5

Bigger Hole to Fill – The Hives
Shit, Pelle just nails this one with his non-plussed vocal and the rubbery bassline sounds like something Dave Buick would come up with. Should've opened the album though.

Clear Island - Liars
Uh, if you don't like this you don't like music. At all. Just give up now. You'll never understand.

UMO – OOIOO
RIP The Night Train with Mick Collins. Equal parts Liars and pagan birth ritual. Rock it here...
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8u0xem

Broadzilla – Turbo Fruits
Not even recorded yet and it's the best thing they've ever done. Shit.

And what are the best songs you first heard this year? Don't be shy now...if you just finally heard "A Day in the Life" be proud of yourself and just let us know. Everything will be fine.