Tag Archives: Catfish and the Bottlemen

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Top 100 Songs of 2016 (Part 6) #50-41

FOR THE FIRST FIVE LISTS CLICK BELOW.

#100 – 91       #90-81     #80-71       #70-61       #60-51

50. “Singing In The Rain” – Simple Plan

Canadian rock band, Simple Plan released their 5th studio album this year titled Taking One For the Team. Their second single off the album, “Singing in the Rain” is a story of how no matter how shitty life may be, they will not let anything drag them down.

“I got a song in my heart and I’m bulletproof,
There’s nothing in the world that’s gonna kill this mood.
No matter what life wants to throw my way,
I’ll be singing, I’ll be singing in the rain.”

His car won’t start, his girlfriend broke up with him, a fortune-teller tells him that he is doomed, but he doesn’t care because there is a storm coming and he is going to sing in the rain and make the best of his awful, miserable life.

Whenever you are having a bad day, “Singing in the Rain” will help you realize that you need to man up, move on, and make the best of what you have.

49. “You Look Like I Need A Drink” – Justin Moore

One of the most clever breakup songs of the year is Justin Moore’s “You Look Like I Need A Drink.” It’s country, rock and pop all rolled into one incredibly fun song.

When his girlfriend walks into the house Moore can tell something is up, and has a feeling that he is about to be dumped. His response: “you look like I need a drink.” This will now be my go to phrase whenever I feel as though I am about to get bad news. Or good news. Or any news at all, I suppose.

 

48. “Soundcheck” – Catfish and the Bottlemen

“Soundcheck” is the first single off Catfish and the Bottlemen’s second studio album, The Ride. It is a tale of the lead singer of a band being so in love that he rushes through his soundcheck just to be able to catch his girl on her fag break. Needless to say, Catfish and the Bottlemen are Welsh.

“And I raced through soundcheck
Just to meet you on your fag break
And you convinced me
To put life aside and want you.”

The song is pure rock with a catchy melody and fist-pumping chorus, which makes it one of, if not the best Catfish and the Bottlemen song to date.

47. “Peace Of Mind” – The Killers

“Peace of Mind” was recorded ten years ago when The Killers released Sam’s Town, which in my opinion is the greatest album of all time, and many believe to be the most underrated album of the decade. But, then again, I am very Killers biased as they are my favorite band.

“Peace of Mind” never made the album, but when the band re-released the album for the ten-year anniversary, they included the bonus track of “Peace of Mind.” And of course it is, like everything else The Killers do, perfect.

46. “Figuring It Out” – SWMRS

SWMRS formed after drummer Joey Armstrong (son of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong) and lead singer Cole Becker watched the movie School Of Rock together in school.

“Figuring It Out” is one of the most infectious songs of the year, and by the second or third time you listen to it, you will be singing along. The song is punk rock meets rock and roll, with a dabble of very tolerable pop. It is anthemic and meant to be played as loud as your radio (or iPhone) can go.

The band may be young, but it sure seems like they are figuring out this whole music thing with ease. Expect to hear much more from SWMRS in the coming years.

45. “Parlor” – Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats could sing about boiling water and make it into one of the most addictive songs of the year. Case in point, “Parlor” is insanely fun and begs for you to get up and dance. You won’t care what Rateliff is saying, nor what the song is about because you will be too busy pushing loved ones aside as you make your way to the dance floor if you ever get invited to another wedding in your life.

44. “Life Itself” – Glass Animals

Glass Animals had a huge year in 2016 thanks to their breakout hit, “Life Itself.” The band told Variance magazine back in May that the song was about “a “guy who was born a bit strange, and struggles to become part of society. Because of that, he spends more time alone in his own head, getting stranger, and it becomes an awful cycle of doom.”

I can’t get a job so I live with my mom/I take her money but not quite enough/I sit in the car and I listen to static/She said I look fat but I look fantastic

Yikes! That sounds way more depressing that one would assume based on how fun and catchy the song is. So next time you have a huge smile on your face while bee- bopping around to this infectious track, remember the sad story of what it is about and have some decency, you insensitive jerk.

 

43. “Not Easy” – Alex Da Kid

Alex Da Kid may be a newcomer in terms of being known as a solo artist, but he has produced many hit songs for some of the biggest names in music. The 34-year-old out of England has produced massive hits for artists like Dr Dre, Enimem and Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Imagine Dragons, just to name a few.

“Not Easy,” released just a few weeks ago, is about to take the world by storm and will surely be one of the biggest hits of 2017. It is about breaking the heart of someone you love and feeling awful about it. Alex Da Kid is about to be a household name, and “Not Easy” will put him on the map as the solo artist that all others will strive to be.

42. Glitter & Gold – Barns Courtney

Much like “Fire,” Barns Courtney’s other song that made this year’s countdown, “Glitter and Gold” is about overcoming rejection and not giving up on your dreams. Whatever Courtney did to help him get over his rejection from a record label worked because 2016 was his biggest year yet with two radio hits that are equally enjoyable.

It may sound terrible, but let’s all hope that Barns Courtney gets rejected more often so he can reward us with more incredible music in the new year. No offense Barns.

41. “The Driver” – Charles Kelley feat. Dierks Bentley

“The Driver” is far and away this years best song with the use of multiple perspectives. The song tells the insanely beautiful story about a musicians life on the road.

Stage 1 is from the perspective of the driver of the equipment.

“I’m the driver, bringing their circus to town
First one in and the last rolling out, shutting down
The up all-nighter, all the stars and sunrises I’ve seen
Every corn field and town in between
West to east”

Stage 2 is from the perspective of the “dreamer.” The fans that attend the shows and wait for hours to get in the first row.

“I’m the dreamer, soaking up every line
Searching for truth all the time, oh yeah
The believer, that music can save a soul
The one who’s at every show in the front row, singin'”

And the final stage is the perspective of the singer. The star of the show that used to be exactly where the dreamers are standing.

“I’m the singer, pouring out all that I had
Every love song and heart break gone bad
And looking back, when I was younger
Sitting right there where you are
Sending a prayer to the highest star
And here we are”

The song is all tied together with a chorus so be

autiful that it will send chills down your spine. Charles Kelley (with the help of Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay) hit the ball out of the park on this track, making it one of the best country songs of the year that even a rock and roll guy will appreciate.

Top 40 coming this week!

Top 40 coming this week!

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Top 100 Songs of 2016 (Part 3 – #80-71)

#100 – 91       #90-81 

 

80. “The Sound” – The 1975

“The Sound,” off The 1975’s sophomore album I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, is the bands highest charting single to date, and the most difficult to get out of your head. The Manchester England natives have a knack for writing funky, upbeat, pop-rock, and “The Sound” is The 1975 at its best. It is a perfect example of what 80’s new wave music sounds like in 2016. If Boy George and Culture Club were new on the scene today, I would imagine this is what they would sound like. And probably even what they would look like.

Boy George (photo: Dean Stockings)

The 1975 lead singer, Matthew Healy. Photo credit: alchetron.com)

 

79. “Genghis Khan” – Miike Snow

Quite possibly the most bizarre, (and amazing) video of the year is Miike Snow’s “Genghis Khan.” The song tells a story of a man that becomes super jealous and possessive when he thinks of his love interest with anyone else besides him.

“I get a little bit Genghis Khan/don’t want you to get it on/with nobody else but me.”

Genghis Khan, of course, was known for being a brutal emperor with many wives and children. And while the song itself is as radio friendly and catchy as it gets, it is the music video that makes “Genghis Khan” so memorable.

Heavily influenced by James Bond films, the video tells the story of a super villain gone good guy, as he decides what to do with the man he kidnapped. It is Stockholm syndrome at its finest, and both the captor and the captive have a change of heart towards each other, and end up joining forces for an epic dance scene that even Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire would be jealous of. If you watch one music video this year, this should be the one.

 

78. “Five Stars” – Jason Cardinal

Rhode Island native, and one man band, Jason Cardinal, released his second studio project this year titled Five Stars. The title track off the album is a soulful, bluesy, pop rock gem. With his unique, raspy voice and beautiful harmonies, coupled with an impressive guitar solo, Cardinal proves that he is a forced to be reckoned with in the genre.

The amount of passion that Cardinal has for his music is evident, and anyone that has ever been to one of his shows knows that he is one of the hardest working men in the business. “Five Stars” takes Cardinal to new heights and opens the door for 2017 to be the biggest year yet for his music career.

 

77. “The Sound Of Silence” – Disturbed

Originally recorded by Simon and Garfunkel and written by Paul Simon in 1963, “The Sound Of Silence” became the highest charting song in Disturbed’s history.

While the song has been covered many times throughout the years, few artists, if any, have made the track as bone-chillingly haunting as Disturbed. A strong case could be made that the last 90 seconds of the song may be the most epic 90 seconds of any song released in 2016.

Disturbed’s version of the classic song is the stuff that nightmares are made of, which ironically makes it so beautiful.

 

76. “The Hand Of John L. Sullivan” – Flogging Molly

Flogging Molly, the Irish-American 7-piece Celtic punk band released their first track in over five years in 2016. “The Hand Of John L. Sullivan” is about boxing legend and Boston native, John L. Sullivan.

Known as “Boston Strong Boy,” John L. Sullivan was so admired that it was considered an honor to shake his hand. For decades politicians that met him would tell voters that they could “shake the hand that shook the hand of John L. Sullivan.”

(photo: newenglandhistoricalsociety.com)

 

More recently John L. Sullivan can add “Meme Superstar” to his resume, as he is known to millennials as the “Overly Manly Man” that is shown with his fists up and ready to fight in many memes about being a manly man.

(www.instructables.com)

 

Flogging Molly is fun, their music is fun, and The Hand Of John L. Sullivan” is fun. Hopefully, they can get out a new full length album in the new year, and continue to supply us with more essentials for our St. Patrick’s Day playlist.

 

 

75. “Paracetamol” Declan McKenna

After his 2015 breakout hit “Brazil,” 17 year old Declan McKenna shows no signs of slowing down. “Paracetamol” was written when McKenna was just 15 years old. He was inspired by a story about a transgender girl, Leelah Alcorn, that committed suicide in December of 2014 when her mom told her that she would never be a girl, and sent her to Christian transgender conversion therapy.

Back in May, McKenna told theguardian.com that he wanted to write a song about the media’s representation of LGBT communities in general, but instead of writing it from the perspective of the victim, wrote it from the perspective of the authoritative figure talking about somebody they are oppressing.

At just 17 years old, Declan McKenna is not just an extremely talented musician, but an even more gifted song writer, who is not afraid to write about hot button issues. McKenna is wise beyond his years, and “Paracetamol” is proof of that.

 

74. “Bad Decisions” – Two Door Cinema Club

How could I not fall in love with a song that starts with the lyrics “save me / I’ve been drinking wine / And I’ve just made a big mistake / Happens all the time.”

Two Door Cinema Club just summed up my last 5 years in about 7 seconds.

“Bad Decisions” is a dance, disco track taken right from the 1970’s. It’s difficult to not think of Bee Gee’s when listening to the falsetto-heavy song about living by trial-and-error. The video, which places animated band members in a video game, is a trippy journey through bizarre situations that they must find their way out of.

“Bad Decisions” stands out from the rest of the music out there today, and makes it clear that Two Door Cinema Club is making better and better decisions as they continue to progress as a band.

 

73. “Company Of Strangers” – Third Eye Blind

90’s rock all-stars, Third Eye Blind released their EP We Are Drugs back in October. The latest track off their album, “Company Of Strangers,” is about a love interest that prefers empty connections with strangers rather than deeper, more meaningful relationships.

“I said show me your true face and She said I’d rather wear a blindfold
Truth be told I want a robot
A robot heart is all I want”

Like many Third Eye Blind songs “Company Of Strangers” starts out slow and ends with a bang. The catchy hook is enough to get you out of your seat and start fist pumping, which is everything you have come to expect with Third Eye Blind.

 

72. “Give Me A Try” – The Wombats

English band The Wombats are desperately trying to win someone over with their new track, “Give Me A Try.” Sure, William Shakespeare compared his lover to a warm summer’s night, but the Wombats compared their crush to Vicodin on Sunday nights. If you ask me, those two things are like 6 in one, half dozen in the other. So, the Wombats are basically the modern day William Shakespeare, right?

Bottom line: give “Give Me A Try” a try. You will not be disappointed.

 

71. “7” – Catfish and the Bottlemen

The mystery behind the title of the latest Catfish and the Bottlemen song, “7” was revealed by the band in an interview with RadioX back in April.

“It’s called “7” because I wrote it when I was seven hours behind the time difference from the person I wrote it about” says Catfish frontman, Ryan “Van” McCann. Upon further research, it is apparently about a mate of McCann’s that thought it was hysterical that Bottlemen wrote a song about it.

The combination of “7” and their other hit this year, “Soundcheck,” is proof that Catfish and the Bottlemen are major players in the alt rock game.

Come back Tuesday for the next set of 10 songs!

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Top 100 Songs of 2015 – Part 6 (50-41)

Songs 100 – 91     Songs 90-81     Songs 80-71     Songs 70-61     Songs 60-51 

50. All Your Favorite Bands, Dawes

Anyone that considers themselves a music lover knows that there is not much more devastating than their favorite bands breaking up. Dawes frontman, Taylor Goldsmith said of the “All Your Favorite Bands”…

“I know that my favorite bands are a really deep part of who I am.” “They help define me, they help represent me, they trigger certain emotional memories, and they stand for the ideals and lifestyle that I will always hope to achieve. And I don’t mean rock and roll fantasies, but rather concepts like freedom and enlightenment.”

“I would love for someone wishing me well to put it in the terms of ‘may all your favorite bands stay together.’ That would be a real friend. That person would know what truly matters. To me, the statement of ‘All Your Favorite Bands’ immediately gets down to a highly personal and singular part of anybody in a way that few other concepts can.”

“All Your Favorite Bands” is a beautiful, thought provoking song that will make you question why nobody has ever wished that blessing on you before. Hopefully, for the sake of music fans everywhere, Dawes will be one of those bands that stays together forever.

*The addition of Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers, in the music video makes a great song even more amazing.

49. Wasn’t Expecting That, Jamie Lawson

Break out the tissues for the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking song of 2015. “Wasn’t Expecting That” (released in Ireland in 2011, but did not make it to the States until this year) is a love story to end all love stories. Newcomer Jamie Lawson tells the story of a couple’s journey together from their first meeting, until the woman’s untimely death, and it could not be more beautiful and traumatic at the same time.

Based on this track alone, it looks as though Lawson could be following in his buddy Ed Sheeran’s footsteps as a dominant force in the singer-songwriter world.

48. Big Decisions, My Morning Jacket

My Morning Jacket has been around for nearly 18 years, and “Big Decisions” is arguably their best song, and most successful song to date. Lead singer, Jim James says that the track is about people that are unhappy with their lives and constantly complain, but refuse to make any changes.

Just about everyone can listen to this song and think of that one friend they have and relate. How many times have you thought, “what do you want me to do, make all the big decisions for you” while giving advice and pretending to feel sympathy for your disaster of a friend? Thanks to My Morning Jacket, you can now play “Big Decisions” and let the song speak for itself.

47. Where Do Broken Hearts Go, One Direction

Before you spit your drink out all over your computer screen or phone, I think you need to listen to the song, and ignore the band name. Despite being One Direction, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” is just as much rock as it is pop. If you are not a One Direction fan, or secretly are one, but you are too embarrassed to admit it to yourself, I am here to tell you that it is alright to like this song, no matter how old you are.

Do yourself a favor and blast this song in your car and sing along. You will not be sorry.

46. I Don’t Wanna Be Sad, Simple Plan

https://youtu.be/aOKXGfk_-6I

Canadian pop-punk-rock band Simple Plan is back and as fun as they have always been. If you or someone you know is sad, this is a must watch video. “I Don’t Wanna Be Sad” will turn your frown upside down, and make your sad feelings disappear, if only for a few minutes. The motivational track is just enough to hold fans over until they release their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Taking One For the Team in February, 2016.

45. Ship To Wreck, Florence and the Machine

We have all had those mornings where you feel the same was that Florence feels in “Ship to Wreck.” You drank too much, partied too hard, hooked up with someone you would rather not have, or simply made disastrous, awful decisions. We feel you, Flo.

Florence said the following about her writing “Ship To Wreck.”

“I was thinking about my own self destructive side, and how you can make something only to tear it down, enjoy/destroy, create/devastate etc. When you’re in that whirlwind, you often end up breaking the thing you love the most.”

At 2015’s Coachella festival Florence introduced the song the with..

“Some time off I had in London where I had some drunken parties and trashed my house and said a drunken ‘I love you’ too soon.”

“Even though all that disastrous stuff happened, I got this song out of it,” she added. “It all works out, and even if it doesn’t, write a song about it.”

The rock world is thankful for your drunken parties, your trashed house, and your drunken “I love you’s” Florence. Keep up the partying, and keep releasing songs about your self destruction.

44. Cocoon, Catfish and the Bottlemen

Welsh rock band, Catfish and the Bottlemen formed back in 2007, but it was not until late 2014 that they released their first full length studio album, The Balcony. From the first second when the guitar rips, “Cocoon” is a rock and roll juggernaut which keeps the pace through the entire track.

Simply put, the song “Cocoon”, written on a rooftop in New York City across from a million strangers, is about “being in love with the moment,” says lead singer Van McCann.

Hopefully now that Catfish and the Bottlemen have released their first album, fans will not have to wait another 7 years before they release their next one.

43. Wherever is Your Heart, Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile could sing the McDonalds dollar menu and it would probably be considered one of the best songs of the year. This woman can do no wrong. Each and every time she releases a song, it is better than the one before it (with the exception of “The Story“) which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest female fronted songs of all time. In fact, if she ever released a song I was more obsessed with than “The Story” I think my head would explode.

“Wherever Is Your Heart” is pretty damn close to being her best though. Nobody can do folk-rock and make it sound SO folky and SO rock at the same time, quite like Brandi Carlile. “Wherever Is Your Heart” starts out as a laid back, peaceful track that you want to listen to as you lay in a hammock on a warm summer’s day. It ends with me wanting to jump out of the hammock, rip off my shirt, and sprint around my block which singing along with Carlile.

* On a devastating note: I just found out that Brandi Carlile is married…… and a lesbian. Therefore she will definitely never be able sing “The Story” to me at our wedding. I’m crushed.

If you have never heard “The Story” you have failed at life, and you must save face and listen to it immediately. Multiple times.

42. Dumb, The Heydaze

https://youtu.be/d0fusFSSVy8

I’m beginning to think that The Heydaze have some sort of recording device in my house because the lyrics to “Dumb” are basically the words that come out of my mouth every morning in the summer. And on the weekends. And Tuesdays.

“Dumb” is one of the most playful songs on the year, and catchy as hell. Hopefully The Heydaze can continue to drop hits like “Dumb” and steer clear of one-hit wonder status. Because of their unique style, they certainly have the ability to stand out from the pack and expand their audience in 2016 and beyond.

41. Renegades, X Ambassadors

Quite possibly the most inspirational song of the year, “Renegades” is about people overcoming their challenges. The video features athletes with physical disabilities competing as any other athlete would compete. From weight lifting, to wrestling, boxing, and rock climbing, disabled athletes are shown overcoming the odds and achieving their goals.

It is especially poignant since one of the members of the band, Casey Harris (keyboards) has been blind since birth.

“Renegades” is a great rock song, but more importantly, it is a great song to inspire people with any sort of disability that they are capable of achieving whatever they put their minds to: like being in a killer band, and having one of the best rock songs of the year.