Hamster's top songs 2017 (not FROM 2017 you plums)

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Oi oi.

 

A few years back now I posted 100 songs I loved. I think a number of people did their own lists off the back of it. Well, I refuse to stagnate over time and want to do another list right now. I love lists, I love music.

 

The only thing about my increasing age is that I'm more likely to look back than look forward, but still, some lush songs around.

 

Let's get started.

 

#1 (in no order) "RUNNING UP THAT HILL" by KATE BUSH

I'll agree that Placebo's cover is actually pretty good but this last year I've really developed an appreciation of Kate Bush thanks to a decent documentary and some research of my own. Kent girl so one of my own etc etc.

 

I legit think that this is her best song. The dancing showed massive self-belief/lack of care about what "the business" thought. I just think it's a song that'll stand up 50 years from now. It's timeless. Her voice is amazing and my co-worker (who is basically my best friend nowadays) reminds me of her 'cos she'd dance like that too given half the chance. Kate Bush is brilliant and the more I learn about her the more I realise that she just did her own thing on her own terms and did it amazingly.

 

 

 

#2 "THE ANSWER" by SAVAGES

Gonna be honest, only discovered Savages in the last 12 months. Then bought their albums and realised that I'd stumbled onto something seriously special. In my mind Savages are the best band to arrive in the last few years. Huge energy, great musicianship, brilliant songs. This is my favourite though and is backed up by an excellent video. The Answer is gloriously relentless. It makes me drive too fast in my car though.

 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#3 "BONE MACHINE" by PIXIES

I'm doing this one now before I think about it more. I'm a huge Pixies (original Pixies with Kim Deal) fan. Surfer Rosa is one of the best albums ever made. Doolittle is great too, but as with Alien/Aliens, the general consensus is wrong. Alien is better than Aliens and Surfer Rosa is better than Doolittle.

Now, Doolittle has Tame, I Bleed, Debaser and Wave of Mutilation among others...But Surfer Rosa has Something Against You, Broken Face, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?, Vamos.....and Bone Machine.

 

Please picture the scene. It's 21st March 1988. "Don't Turn Around" by Aswad is number one in the UK charts. He's just knocked "I should Be So Lucky" by Kylie which in turn had replaced Tiffany who had replaced Belinda Carlisle. Later in the year there were to be number ones from Bros, Yazz, Phil Collins and Enya. I am 7 years old at the start of the year and 8 by the end of it. The charts are all pop. All of it. Ok, have we filled our heads with that? Punk gave way to post punk which was pushed aside by the new wave band wagon which fell apart as Stock, Aitken and Waterman steamrolled everything.

 

But wait, what's this? *Insert Surfer Rosa. Press play. Track 1*

 

 

I am in a band. We are often likened to Sonic Youth and Pixies. When someone says to me "you guys are like the Pixies" it's the greatest compliment.

#4 "GROOVE IS IN THE HEART" by DEEE-LITE

In all honesty I need this played at my funeral. Utterly love this song. Always have done since it was released. It's got everything.

 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#5 "GREED" by FUGAZI

 

Since I joined Tiny Ghost in 2014 I have been on a voyage of discovery, learning of all the gaps I had in my musical education and understanding what bands influenced the band's noise when I first joined. Fugazi are an important band. Very. Greed and Waiting Room are my favourite songs but I think, overall, I find Greed more magical, immediate and intense. That's also why I've posted a live video.
 

 

#6 "THERESA'S SOUND WORLD" by SONIC YOUTH

 

Sonic Youth are another huge band influence. Blame our guitarist who's a decade older than me and learnt everything he knows in that pre-grunge, post-punk era. Kim Gordon's a fantastic bassist and I like how every song sounds different and that they try different things out to get the sound they want. That said this is my favourite because I love quiet-to-loud, distortion and post-rock style builds.
 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#7 "GOD OF WINE" by THIRD EYE BLIND

 

I owe a lot to Third Eye Blind. Sure they're basically a emo band, previous darlings of some of the more rubbish music festivals and, in Stephan Jenkins, they've not got the most likeable front man due to past actions towards previous band members.....but they came around at just the right time for teenage me. Their self-titled first album is still in the pile of CDs directly under my car CD player and their second album Blue is in the case in the glove box.

"Semi-Charmed Life" was their one chart single in the UK and was how I heard of them. I could juggle between 4 or 5 tracks from the first album and a couple from the second as to my favourite song of theirs with "Motorcycle Drive-By" being a long term favourite....but for a while now it's been "God of Wine".

 

 

 

 

#8 "RUN BOY RUN" by WOODKID

 

Someone on here entered it for a Diary Cube Eurovision Contest. I bought the album that week. Video is very special too.
 

 

 

 

 

#9 "KING AND LIONHEART" by OF MONSTERS AND MEN

 

Along a similar style I guess. This makes me cry though. When I first heard OM&M I hoped for much more than I got, but this and another couple of their songs are beeeewdiful.

 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

 

 

#10 "YOUTH" by DAUGHTER

 

Very very nearly "Still", but this a beautiful, beautiful song. First saw it used for an ITV Tour de France advert a number of years back, immediately hunted it down and loved it ever since.
 

 

...Here's the advert.
 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#11 "STAND BY YOUR MANATEE" BY FUTURE OF THE LEFT

I've fallen for them HUGELY these last few months. Two of their albums are basically being swapped between each other in my car and have been for weeks now. This is a catch-all for many of their songs. Particularly Arming Eritrea, Throwing Bricks At Trains, The Hope That House Built, Failed Olympic Bid, Johnny Borrell Afterlife, I Don't Know What You Ketamine, French Lessons......Agggghhhh and another dozen songs.

 

I've had some weird times in my life recently. I think I'm having some kind of midlife breakdown and am questioning my sense of self, who I am and what I want from life. So the 40 minute drive home from work each night has had been singing really loudly along to these. Still, cheaper than buying a Porsche and I don't have a secretary.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#12 "SPARK" by TORI AMOS

My Tori Amos love-in nearly led me to put Cornflake Girl or Professional Widow in. But instead I'm putting in a song that was strong enough for me to buy an album on the back of....and I've never regretted it. Spark is an amazing song. Tori Amos is criminally underrated in the UK. Her songs come from a place of legitimate history, hurt and experience. I put a LOT of time and respect into what she has to say and sing. I wouldn't want to go through 10% of what she's gone through.

 

 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

#13 "SICK SICK SICK" BY QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

Probably the "rockiest" song that will get into my list. Video makes it but the guitar work is beeeewdiful.