Weekly Top 10: Songs for Spring

Though spring has actually been upon us for the past week and a half, the 70-degree temperatures currently in my locale have finally made it official. Below you'll find tracks both about spring and evocative of spring as well. Some may be more obvious (The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun"), while others may not jump out right away (Wilco's "Hummingbird"). Still, an enjoyable, seasonal collection. Check it out.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: SXSW Acts (Part 2)]

Weekly Top 10: SXSW Acts (Part 2)

With one of the country's largest festival events less than a week away, we figured this would be as good a time as any to feature some of our picks from our favorite artists in attendance down in Austin, TX. Today's playlist is only for artists who perform at SXSW on either Friday, March 19 or Saturday, March 20. So without further ado, check out this entertaining collection of great acts-- all of whom will be appearing at SXSW.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: SXSW Acts (Part 1)]

Weekly Top 10: SXSW Acts (Part 1)

With one of the country's largest festival events just a week or so away, we figured this would be as good a time as any to feature some of our picks from our favorite artists in attendance down in Austin, TX. Today's playlist is only for artists who perform at SXSW on either Wednesday, March 17 or Thursday, March 18. Next week's will feature those who play on either Friday or Saturday. So without further ado, check out this entertaining collection of great acts-- all of whom will be appearing at SXSW.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Brooklyn Bands]

Weekly Top 10: Brooklyn Bands

This week, we're looking to profile some of our favorite Brooklyn-based bands. As the current hub of indie music, Brooklyn has become a vibrant and ambition collection of artists. Many perform together, listen to each other's music and take cues from innovations they may develop. It's a true music scene, and it's just getting bigger and better each day. You're no doubt aware of all of these bands, but we think this list still serves a purpose. Check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Mixtape Rap Songs]

Weekly Top 10: Mixtape Rap Songs

In the past year, we've talked a lot about mixtapes, and their ever-growing importance in the burgeoning hip-hop scene. Smaller budgets aside, artists put almost as much time and energy into these collections of tracks as they do their full-length studio albums. Mixtapes speak just as loudly about emcees' individual talents, and in many cases are even more readily accessible and widely listened to, as well as a first impression of their work. Due to this, recent mixtapes have been full of many hidden (and not so hidden) gems, that are sometimes a harder act to follow than the artists ever could have expected. Some of the songs we've listed here were hits, and others will only see the light of day as part of the pack. Top 40 or not, these are our favorites. Check out our picks below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Lil' Wayne]

Weekly Top 10: Lil' Wayne

If nothing else, this week's Top 10 will be topical. As 106 million people who watched the game in the United States might know, the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl this past Sunday. One of the city's most famous sons, Lil' Wayne, will be going to jail (soon?) for gun possession charges. So, with that wrap-around logic, we bring you this week's Top 10-- Lil' Wayne tracks. Enjoy below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Winter Songs]

Weekly Top 10: Winter Songs

Seasons have often been a powerful inspiration for music. From the colorful foliage of autumn, to the carefree pace of summer. In the past, we've highlighted the Top 10 songs that best embodied both the summer and fall. This week, we have decided to bring you our Top 10 songs that embrace the dead cold and sweeping, snow-covered landscapes of winter. So grab a mug of hot cocoa, curl up on the couch with a blanket, and enjoy.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Los Angeles-Area Artists]

Weekly Top 10: Los Angeles-Area Artists

Inspired by my first trip to Los Angeles this past December, this week's playlist covers mostly current artists from the area. It's incredible that a region which spawned the likes of The Eagles and The Beach Boys (they're not on here-- I don't count them as existing in the last 20 years, even if their Wikipedia pages do) is rarely talked about for indie artists. These days, most of the acts coming out of L.A. are mainstream, or just fail to play the type of music we talk about here. But I digress. Check out this week's top 10 below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Out-Of-Genre Covers]

Weekly Top 10: Out-Of-Genre Covers

Everybody does covers. Be it for an album, or just a live set, every artist has a few songs which aren't there own, that they love to play. However, what takes real talent is executing an out-of-genre cover. That is, a cover of a song or artist completely unlike the music you play. Example-- an alternative band playing a hip-hop song with their own spin. Those who perfect this art are the best of the best, and to them, we dedicate this collection. Check out the out-of-genre covers collection below, and enjoy.

[Previously on Animal Nosies: Weekly Top 10: Canadian Bands]

Weekly Top 10: Canadian Bands

Our first Weekly Top 10 of the new year features our favorite selections from our neighbors to the north. We also tried to diversify our selections, so even though the Canadian music scene is known for being a very close-knit, interrelated group, we've attempted to branch out as much as possible. This means that there's only one selection from The Unicorns' and Broken Social Scene's family trees (so don't hate). Check it out below, courtesy of new playlist providers, Playlist.com.

Weekly Top 10: Title Tracks

This week's idea for the playlist comes courtesy of Matt, so he should receive all credit for any popularity the idea may end up having. Many times, artists name an album after an overwhelming idea presented forth, a lyric that had substantial meaning, or in other cases, a certain track on the album. Though it shouldn't inflate standards that the song shares a name with the album, it can at times-- if a track is important enough to have the same name as the record, then some feel it should be the one most indicative, or just best, in general. For the tracks below, we felt that each of the ones we chose fell into one, or both of those two categories. Maybe you agree. In any case, check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs Without Choruses]

Weekly Top 10: Songs Without Choruses

The days of the one size fits all, hook-heavy, verse/chorus/verse formula are long gone. These days, songs come in many shapes and sizes, and although we have nothing wrong with a good catchy chorus, this week's Top 10 highlights our favorite songs that do without. These tunes make it on their own merits, without the help of a memorable rallying point. They stand out for their unique structures and varying styles. Check them out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs About New York]

Weekly Top 10: Songs About New York

To clarify, I'm not (I repeat, NOT) a Yankees fan. However, to me, there is nothing more obnoxious than a Philadelphia fan, so this list seemed appropriate. To commemorate the greatest city in the world winning its 35th (includes Yankees, Mets, Brooklyn Dodgers and NY Giants) World Series title, I give you our top ten songs about THE city-- New York.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: 'Ghost' Songs]

Weekly Top 10: "Ghost" Songs

In light of Halloween coming up this weekend, we decided to make our Weekly Top 10 reflect the holiday. Below is a collection of our favorite songs involving ghosts. You'll notice that the word "ghost" is contained in the title of all of them. So enjoy the tracks. Hopefully your Halloween is both a successful and safe one.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Album Closers]

Weekly Top 10: Album Closers

Nothing seems to make, or ruin, a great album like the last song. Something otherwise great can be sullied in your eyes (ears) if that final glimpse leaves much to be desired, and something a little above average can gain a much higher evaluation solely off of that last collection of notes. Here, we list our favorites of the ladder category-- our favorite album closers. Though Imeem does not have one of my top picks, Grizzly Bear's "Foreground," I'll forgive them for the most part, as the rest of the list is pretty solid. Enjoy below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs Featured on How I Met Your Mother]

Weekly Top 10: Songs Featured on How I Met Your Mother

This week's Top 10 is inspired by one of my favorite shows on television, How I Met Your Mother. Basically, I was watching a marathon's-worth of the show, and decided that this would work fairly well as a theme. Though it's not based entirely on music like some other sitcoms, it does have its moments where music plays a central and deciding role in the action. Trust me, you'll enjoy this, just like the show.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Greeting Songs]

Weekly Top 10: Greeting Songs

This week's Top 10 may seem a bit confusing at the onset, so allow me to clear it up for you. Our criteria for a "greeting song" was any song that had at least one of the following-- "hello," "hi," "welcome" or "hey" (or a variation thereof)-- in the title. Hence, "greeting song." I think it worked out alright, but I'm probably a bit biased in that regard. If you're interested in being "greeted" by our playlist, check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs About Autumn]

Weekly Top 10: Songs About Autumn

Though we're about a week late, autumn is upon us. As the signs of fall (and in Syracuse, winter) form around us, what better to ring in the new season than music? As much as I wanted all of these songs to be named "autumn-something," that didn't happen. Yet, surprisingly, the end result was still just as good. Every song here either has an autumn-esque name, evokes images of the season, or both. I think it's a pretty good time. You should check it out too if you feel like you need a playlist for walking past the orange and red leaves in the morning.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs Under Two Minutes Long]

Weekly Top 10: Songs Under Two Minutes Long

Another playlist this week, however it's of the shorter variety-- Our favorite songs that clock in at under two minutes. Unfortunately, we were unable to include some of our favorite selections from The Beatles, The Olivia Tremor Control and Animal Collective, but we still made due with what we had. Enjoy the list below. It shouldn't take long.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Songs About Baseball]

Weekly Top 10: Songs About Baseball

With the baseball season winding down (though mine technically ended months ago), I thought this would be an appropriate time to talk about some of our favorite songs about baseball. Most of them you probably know. One of them ("Today Is the Day") actually isn't, but since Yo La Tengo is named for a baseball-related term ("I've got it"), I had to pick a track from them. Also, please excuse the Joe Cocker version of "Catfish"-- Imeem didn't have Bob Dylan's original. And yes, "Meet the Mets" is one of the greatest baseball-related songs to ever grace this earth. Don't hate. It's been a rough year to be a Mets fan already, if you haven't noticed.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Weekly Top 10: Cover Songs]