Posts tagged ‘No Doubt’
Favorite songs of 2009, finally.
Yeah, I pretty much failed at life when it came to keeping up with my favorite-songs-of-the-year-advent-calendar idea. My bad. At first, it was easy to blame exams and schoolwork. But by the end of the month, my laziness was to blame. And life. I actually had what seemed like a life for a couple days there, it was weird.Then the holidays, can’t forget those.
New Year’s Resolution? Finish these posts and try not to neglect this poor blog. So, let’s roll. I will try to keep commentary to a minimum since there’s quite a few songs to go through.
14. Emmy The Great – Two Steps Forward
“Two Steps Forward” is yet another example of Emmy the Great’s songwriting talent. This is one of Emmy’s older songs that didn’t make it onto her debut album First Love, but it was included on the Edward EP released back in August. I highly recommend you watch the Black Cab Sessions performance of this song.
15. No Doubt – Stand and Deliver (Adam Ant cover)
This year, No Doubt returned and my heart could barely handle it. 2010 will (hopefully) see the band release a new album and I will get to experience more of this. YES PLEASE.
16. Jack Peñate – Let’s All Die
Who doesn’t love a good party jam about death? Hm? I wasn’t exactly head-over-heels for Peñate’s Everything Is New, but “Let’s All Die” was one of my favorite tunes from the album. It wasn’t until after seeing Peñate live that it definitely became my favorite from the album. It’s just too much fun.
17. Jamie T – Sticks ‘n Stones
For the longest time, I had this dinky little live recording of “Sticks N Stones” and of course I loved it, but I had no idea the power this song would have over me once my ears experienced a proper quality recording. HOLY SHIT. This song was born to be on repeat. When I feel like life is kicking my ass, “Sticks N Stones” is there to help me kick life right back, square in the balls. It’s like my own personal “Eye of the Tiger” but a million times better. People, there’s a reason Jamie T is KING.
18. Generationals – Nobody Could Change Your Mind
I like happy music. I really really do. And you know who made some damn good happy music this year? Generationals.
19. Slow Club – When I Go
There’s something very beautiful about the way Charles and Rebecca’s voices complement each other as they sing about back-up plans for love and life.
20. The Lullaby Club – Batman and Robin
The Lullaby Club were a 2009 musical discovery who are still quite a mystery to me. They were a random friend request on the ol’ myspace and for some odd reason instead of hitting the usual ‘ignore/delete’ button on band requests (like I did 98% of the time), I decided to click and have a listen. There was close to nothing on their page, just a link that led nowhere and a couple songs. And as luck would have it, the songs were rather good. If you’re a fan of the whole folk/pop/happiness thing, you might really dig them. There’s something quite familiar about the vocals and I’ve tried to find more information on the band, but my google searches have yielded nothing. If you know anything, please fill me in.
21. Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
I think I’ve made my feelings about this song pretty clear on previous posts. Something about it being so good I want to have babies with the song, or whatever. This summer I discovered that one of the greatest ways to listen to this song is while driving through a thunderstorm, darkened clouds and lightning in the distance, with thunder roaring just as the song reaches its climactic ending. Talk about epic. Totally helps you forget about the possibility of hydroplaning, crashing, and dying.
22. Peggy Sue – Lover Gone
Sometimes when people break up, they write bitter, hurtful songs about their ex-lover. Sometimes when people break up, they write nice songs about their ex-lover and how there’s no hard feelings since ultimately it was for the best. This is one of those songs. 2010 will be a good year for Peggy Sue as it will see the release of their first album Fossils and Other Phantoms. Excitement!
23. The Maccabees – No Kind Words
It was the first taste of what was to come from The Maccabees on their second album Wall of Arms and mother-eff if it didn’t leave you wanting more! Recently, the boys reworked the tune with Roots Manuva and the result, “Empty Vessels,” will be featured on a special reissue of the album in early 2010.
24. Johnny Flynn – Lost & Found
This whole year has been a tease of what Johnny Flynn has in store for his second album, set for release sometime in 2010. Sweet jesus, I am excited!
25. Regina Spektor – The Calculation
Alright, I intentionally saved the best for last. OMG REGINA?! WHAT A SHOCKER! Part of the excitement in a new Regina Spektor album is (a) not knowing how she’s changed up some of her “classics” and (b) not knowing how many songs will actually be brand new songs no one has ever heard before in any way, shape, or form. “The Calculation” was one of the latter. In classic Regina fashion, she wrote a whimsical love story jampacked with Spektoresque metaphors that manages to be as catchy as it is beautiful. Since May, I’ve listened to “The Calculation” at least once a day everyday and I’ve been happy for at least three minutes.
BAM! Done. Better late than never, right? For songs 1-13, check out the tags.
Stand and Deliver!
If you haven’t already heard that No Doubt are back to own your heart, you might have been living under a rock. Today fans were treated to the release of the bands’ cover of “Stand and Deliver” by Adam and the Ants– their first recorded material together in YEARS.
Excited much?!
Things you should consider while/after listening to No Doubt’s “Stand and Deliver”:
1. This is NOT the band’s “comeback” single. They are still hard at work on album #6 and that “comeback” single will make waves in the months to come. It’s just a fun cover recorded for all the fans who have been eagerly anticipating their return.
2. If you’re asking yourself “Good lord, why does Gwen Stefani’s voice sound so weird?” you have obviously never heard No Doubt’s Self-Titled record or The Beacon Street Collection. There’s more to No Doubt than Tragic Kingdom, you know? And Gwen’s voice has always been part of the band’s appeal, she sounds like no one else.
3. Remember, you don’t have to like it. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us won’t love it.
4. Personally, I love it. (You might have already guessed that.) But it doesn’t mean I’m simply being biased because I’ve been a No Doubter for the last 11 years. I wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of Rock Steady. But this…this I actually love. It makes me happier and more excited than most will ever comprehend.
5. I love hardcore No Doubt fans. They are the best kind of fans in the world. See you all this summer.
No Doubt Summer Tour Dates!
I’ve been waiting for this moment for the last five years. No Doubt are back!
5/03/2009 East Rutherford, NJ – Meadowlands Sports Complex (Bamboozle)
5/16/2009 Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay Events Center (Tiger Jam)
5/19/2009 Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
5/20/2009 Bakersfield, CA – Rabobank Arena
5/22/2009 San Diego, CA – Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
5/23/2009 Phoenix, AZ – Cricket Wireless Pavilion
5/25/2009 Salt Lake City, UT – The E Center
5/27/2009 Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
5/28/2009 Albuquerque, NM – Journal Pavilion
5/30/2009 Dallas, TX – Superpages.com Center
5/31/2009 Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
6/02/2009 Tampa, FL – Ford Amphitheatre
6/03/2009 West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
6/05/2009 Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
6/06/2009 Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
6/08/2009 Raleigh, NC – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
6/10/2009 Virginia Beach, VA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
6/11/2009 Philadelphia, PA – Susquehanna Bank Center
6/13/2009 Pittsburgh, PA – Post-Gazette Pavilion
6/14/2009 Washington, DC – Nissan Pavilion
6/16/2009 Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
6/17/2009 Montreal, QC – Centre Bell
6/19/2009 Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
6/20/2009 Boston, MA – Comcast Center
6/24/2009 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
6/26/2009 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
6/27/2009 Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
6/29/2009 Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
7/02/2009 Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheater (Summerfest)
7/03/2009 Detroit, MI – Palace Of Auburn Hills
7/05/2009 St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
7/06/2009 Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
7/08/2009 St. Louis, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/10/2009 Indianapolis, IN – Verizon Wireless Music Center
7/11/2009 Chicago, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
7/13/2009 Winnipeg, MB – MTS Centre
7/15/2009 Calgary, AB – Pengrowth Saddledome
7/16/2009 Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place
7/18/2009 Vancouver, BC – General Motors Place
7/19/2009 Seattle, WA – White River Amphitheatre
7/21/2009 Concord, CA – Sleep Train Pavilion
7/24/2009 Sacramento, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
7/25/2009 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/31/2009 Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
8/01/2009 Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Tickets go on sale soon.
They’ve been a part of my life for the last eleven years and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The venues are too big for my liking and support comes from Paramore. Needless to say, it’s going to be torture, but my goodness it is going to be worth it. I would stand through a five hour Slipknot set while having sharp objects thrown at me if there was a promised 3-minute No Doubt set at the end of it all. Love, dudes. True love.
