The 11th Annual Boney Awards--songs #80-61 for 2017
Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 10:52 am
It's that time of year again..when I share my favorite music of the year just passed and you think "sheesh! This guy has no taste...and who the hell are these artists anyway?"
Nevertheless, here's the first installment. This year I thought I'd do things differently, and the feedback on the proposal was unanimous. Instead of overwhelming you with the entire lists of songs and albums, I'm going to spread out the unveiling over the course of four weeks, the songs posted each Sunday, the albums at some point in the middle that I haven't decided yet. This way, hopefully, you'll have more time to explore the music at a less frenetic pace.
A final note: if you find something you really like and might want to purchase (most of these artists are not household names and don't make rock star money, not even close), I buy most of my cd's and downloads from http://www.bandcamp.com, http://www.cdbaby.com, http://www.amazon.com, and from iTunes. Some of these are also available on the artist websites.
OK, then, on with the show. Here's today's countdown installment:
80. ONE FOOT-WALK THE MOON
ALBUM: What If Nothing
We get the countdown started with this lively modern pop entry, which features a memorable keyboard hook.
79. SOMETHING COMPLETELY-CHRIS CHURCH
Album: Limitations Of Source Tape
Nice little Power Pop number, with the requisite ringing guitars,handclaps and smooth backing vocals necessary to
properly pull off this type of music.
78. COLD CUTS-THE 1957 TAIL-FIN FIASCO
Album: Not For Everyone
I was saddened by the passing of Steely Dan's Walter Becker last year, but it is nice to know that their are bands around
that are carrying the torch. In fact, you'd be forgiven, if you don't listen TOO carefully here, to mistake this U.K. band's
tune by for a lost Dan track. Check it out..the singer sounds pretty darn close to Donald Fagen indeed.
No You Tube link available, but here's an audio link:
https://the1957tail-finfiasco.bandcamp. ... /cold-cuts
AND..at least for now, the album is available as a free download!
https://the1957tail-finfiasco.bandcamp. ... r-everyone
77. HOTEL BIBLE-ZERVAS & PEPPER
Album: Wilderland
Think Crosby, Stills & Nash with some America mixed in.
76. IMAGE OF THE BEAST-PROCOL HARUM
Album: Novum
In my mind, one of the most criminally underrated groups ever, they returned in 2017 with a new album that nobody
noticed (or apparently few cared) was out there. Too bad. There was some good music on it, including this one,
which shows that their unique style remains intact.
75. WEST GWILLIMBURY-RON SEXSMITH
Album: The Last Rider
Easygoing 70's style pop. There's a lot of early solo McCartney in this song's melodic makeup, and the banjo adds some nice
flavoring.
74. LONG SHOT-FALLON CUSH
Album: Morning
Solid no-frills rocker from this Australian artist.
73. WHERE COWBOYS RIDE-SARAH DARLING
Album: Dream Country
A sweet, lovely sigh of a song. Don't let the title scare you off if you don't like country music. There's very little "twang"
in this.
72. IN HER RAINCOAT-PLASTICSOUL
Album: Therapy
No surprise that a band named after a phrase that inspired the title of The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" album would sound like the
mid-period Fab Four of that time period. By way of explanation, McCartney uttered the words "plastic soul, man, plastic soul"
after recording the first take of "I'm Down". The term was used, usually in a derogatory way, to describe white singers trying
to sing black rhythm & blues without really capturing the necessary feel of the music. That evolved into the album title "Rubber Soul".
No You Tube link to the STUDIO version, so here's the audio track:
https://plasticsoulmusic.bandcamp.com/t ... r-raincoat
71. CREO QUE VOY a LLORAR-JULIAN LENNON
Album: Single track
This is actually a remake of the song "Saltwater" from his "Help Yourself" album, updated 25 years later the current age.
Very pretty, timely, and yes, addressing the elephant in the room, lots of his dad's influence here musically and lyrically.
70. CASTLE ON THE HILL-ED SHEERAN
ALBUM: รท
Probably one of the few tunes on my list you may actually know, as it hit the Top Ten. I didn't much care for "Shape Of
You", which went to #1, but this one I did like a lot.
69. COUNT TO TEN-MICHAEL SLAWTER
Album: An Assassination Of Someone You Knew
From North Carolina and propelled by some fine punchy guitar strumming, this is another cool power popper.
68. FOREVER DONE-THE MYLARS
Album: Melody Records
Not that this will mean much to anyone, but the guitarist/vocalist for this band used to be in a group called the Crash Moderns,
who scored a couple of times in one of my past countdowns. The melodic power pop sensibility is still there on the fine album this
track appears on.
67. SO BEGINS THE TASK-STEPHEN STILLS & JUDY COLLINS
Album: Everybody Knows
Stills teams up with the subject of his classic "Suite:Judy Blue Eyes" on an album of duets that includes this nice remake of a
song from his 1972 album "Manassas" album.
66. INNER CITY DREAM-WESLEY FULLER
Album: Inner City Dream
Just last year this Australian gent landed songs at #3 and #13, and here he is again. Ear candy of the best kind.
65. GOODBYE TO ALL CAROUSELS-LISA MYCHOLS
Album: Single track
She's been around for awhile and making good music, but in 2017 she REALLY seemed to hit her stride..at least to my ears anyway.
This is the first of FOUR appearances on this countdown. One if TWO artists on this year's list that appears four times. I'm not sure,
I didn't check, but that may be a record. No one has ever scored 5 songs on my list for a single year, I DO know that. If Lesley
Gore fronted the Go-Go's, it might sound like this...really great, that is...
64. WEST TO EAST-STEVE HACKETT
Album: The Night Siren
Former guitarist for Genesis. Naturally, his former band's sound figures prominently here, but there's also quite a bit of Pink
Floyd on this track.
63.ANYMORE-GOLDFRAPP
Album: Silver Eye
This outfit has had success in the past, both on the sales and dance charts. Naturally, they come up with a tune I like, and it tanks.
Anyway, this has a nice little electronic groove to it. As the folks on American Bandstand used to say, it has a nice beat and you can
dance to it. Or so I assume, I'm not much of a dancer lol.
62. LITTLE BIT-MAVIS STAPLES
Album: If All I Was Was Black
The inimitable vocals of Mavis are laid down over a supremely funky groove of guitar, bass & drums. Just outstanding. Just TRY
and sit still in your seat for this one!
61. LEROY BOY-BILL DeMAIN
Album: Transatlantic Romantic
Remember Todd Rundgren's "We Gotta Get You A Woman"? This is a sequel to that song as the singer attempts to catch up with Leroy's
progress over the years. I don't know if Todd is aware of this song or not, but in my opinion, it's a worthy effort and, of course,
very reminiscent of early 70's Rundgren.
That's it for now. Come back next Sunday, February 25th, for songs #60-41!
And remember, as Casey Kasem used to say, "Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the cookie jar".
At least, I THINK that's what he used to say....
Nevertheless, here's the first installment. This year I thought I'd do things differently, and the feedback on the proposal was unanimous. Instead of overwhelming you with the entire lists of songs and albums, I'm going to spread out the unveiling over the course of four weeks, the songs posted each Sunday, the albums at some point in the middle that I haven't decided yet. This way, hopefully, you'll have more time to explore the music at a less frenetic pace.
A final note: if you find something you really like and might want to purchase (most of these artists are not household names and don't make rock star money, not even close), I buy most of my cd's and downloads from http://www.bandcamp.com, http://www.cdbaby.com, http://www.amazon.com, and from iTunes. Some of these are also available on the artist websites.
OK, then, on with the show. Here's today's countdown installment:
80. ONE FOOT-WALK THE MOON
ALBUM: What If Nothing
We get the countdown started with this lively modern pop entry, which features a memorable keyboard hook.
79. SOMETHING COMPLETELY-CHRIS CHURCH
Album: Limitations Of Source Tape
Nice little Power Pop number, with the requisite ringing guitars,handclaps and smooth backing vocals necessary to
properly pull off this type of music.
78. COLD CUTS-THE 1957 TAIL-FIN FIASCO
Album: Not For Everyone
I was saddened by the passing of Steely Dan's Walter Becker last year, but it is nice to know that their are bands around
that are carrying the torch. In fact, you'd be forgiven, if you don't listen TOO carefully here, to mistake this U.K. band's
tune by for a lost Dan track. Check it out..the singer sounds pretty darn close to Donald Fagen indeed.
No You Tube link available, but here's an audio link:
https://the1957tail-finfiasco.bandcamp. ... /cold-cuts
AND..at least for now, the album is available as a free download!
https://the1957tail-finfiasco.bandcamp. ... r-everyone
77. HOTEL BIBLE-ZERVAS & PEPPER
Album: Wilderland
Think Crosby, Stills & Nash with some America mixed in.
76. IMAGE OF THE BEAST-PROCOL HARUM
Album: Novum
In my mind, one of the most criminally underrated groups ever, they returned in 2017 with a new album that nobody
noticed (or apparently few cared) was out there. Too bad. There was some good music on it, including this one,
which shows that their unique style remains intact.
75. WEST GWILLIMBURY-RON SEXSMITH
Album: The Last Rider
Easygoing 70's style pop. There's a lot of early solo McCartney in this song's melodic makeup, and the banjo adds some nice
flavoring.
74. LONG SHOT-FALLON CUSH
Album: Morning
Solid no-frills rocker from this Australian artist.
73. WHERE COWBOYS RIDE-SARAH DARLING
Album: Dream Country
A sweet, lovely sigh of a song. Don't let the title scare you off if you don't like country music. There's very little "twang"
in this.
72. IN HER RAINCOAT-PLASTICSOUL
Album: Therapy
No surprise that a band named after a phrase that inspired the title of The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" album would sound like the
mid-period Fab Four of that time period. By way of explanation, McCartney uttered the words "plastic soul, man, plastic soul"
after recording the first take of "I'm Down". The term was used, usually in a derogatory way, to describe white singers trying
to sing black rhythm & blues without really capturing the necessary feel of the music. That evolved into the album title "Rubber Soul".
No You Tube link to the STUDIO version, so here's the audio track:
https://plasticsoulmusic.bandcamp.com/t ... r-raincoat
71. CREO QUE VOY a LLORAR-JULIAN LENNON
Album: Single track
This is actually a remake of the song "Saltwater" from his "Help Yourself" album, updated 25 years later the current age.
Very pretty, timely, and yes, addressing the elephant in the room, lots of his dad's influence here musically and lyrically.
70. CASTLE ON THE HILL-ED SHEERAN
ALBUM: รท
Probably one of the few tunes on my list you may actually know, as it hit the Top Ten. I didn't much care for "Shape Of
You", which went to #1, but this one I did like a lot.
69. COUNT TO TEN-MICHAEL SLAWTER
Album: An Assassination Of Someone You Knew
From North Carolina and propelled by some fine punchy guitar strumming, this is another cool power popper.
68. FOREVER DONE-THE MYLARS
Album: Melody Records
Not that this will mean much to anyone, but the guitarist/vocalist for this band used to be in a group called the Crash Moderns,
who scored a couple of times in one of my past countdowns. The melodic power pop sensibility is still there on the fine album this
track appears on.
67. SO BEGINS THE TASK-STEPHEN STILLS & JUDY COLLINS
Album: Everybody Knows
Stills teams up with the subject of his classic "Suite:Judy Blue Eyes" on an album of duets that includes this nice remake of a
song from his 1972 album "Manassas" album.
66. INNER CITY DREAM-WESLEY FULLER
Album: Inner City Dream
Just last year this Australian gent landed songs at #3 and #13, and here he is again. Ear candy of the best kind.
65. GOODBYE TO ALL CAROUSELS-LISA MYCHOLS
Album: Single track
She's been around for awhile and making good music, but in 2017 she REALLY seemed to hit her stride..at least to my ears anyway.
This is the first of FOUR appearances on this countdown. One if TWO artists on this year's list that appears four times. I'm not sure,
I didn't check, but that may be a record. No one has ever scored 5 songs on my list for a single year, I DO know that. If Lesley
Gore fronted the Go-Go's, it might sound like this...really great, that is...
64. WEST TO EAST-STEVE HACKETT
Album: The Night Siren
Former guitarist for Genesis. Naturally, his former band's sound figures prominently here, but there's also quite a bit of Pink
Floyd on this track.
63.ANYMORE-GOLDFRAPP
Album: Silver Eye
This outfit has had success in the past, both on the sales and dance charts. Naturally, they come up with a tune I like, and it tanks.
Anyway, this has a nice little electronic groove to it. As the folks on American Bandstand used to say, it has a nice beat and you can
dance to it. Or so I assume, I'm not much of a dancer lol.
62. LITTLE BIT-MAVIS STAPLES
Album: If All I Was Was Black
The inimitable vocals of Mavis are laid down over a supremely funky groove of guitar, bass & drums. Just outstanding. Just TRY
and sit still in your seat for this one!
61. LEROY BOY-BILL DeMAIN
Album: Transatlantic Romantic
Remember Todd Rundgren's "We Gotta Get You A Woman"? This is a sequel to that song as the singer attempts to catch up with Leroy's
progress over the years. I don't know if Todd is aware of this song or not, but in my opinion, it's a worthy effort and, of course,
very reminiscent of early 70's Rundgren.
That's it for now. Come back next Sunday, February 25th, for songs #60-41!
And remember, as Casey Kasem used to say, "Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the cookie jar".
At least, I THINK that's what he used to say....