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]

New Kings of Leon Video, "Notion"

Kings of Leon aren't done yet capitalizing off their hit 2008 record, Only By The Night.  After garnering praise at the Grammys, and reaching many-a best of the year list, they're seemingly on to yet another success, this time from newest single "Notion".  One of the standout tracks from an album chock full of positive moments, "Notion" provides an explosive (you'll understand the pun come the video) look into a nervous breakdown, and a battle with personal insecurities.  Give the video a look below if you're interested in the band, brick walls, debris or fire.

Congrats to the 2009 Grammys Winners

Normally I'd just ignore the Grammys, but this year, it seemed that the powers that be went out of their way to actually listen to music, rather than just base it upon radio play and record sales.  That being said, I wanted to congratulate the following Animal Noises mainstays for their respective awards, as well as laugh at Katy Perry and the Jonas Brothers for failing to win awards.

Animal Noise Congratulates:

Kings of Leon

Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group with Vocals, "Sex on Fire"

Radiohead

Best Alternative Music Album, In Rainbows

Best Boxed Set or Special Limited Edition Package, In Rainbows

Lil' Wayne

Best Rap Solo Performance, "A Milli"  

Best Rap Song, "Lollipop" (Feat. Static Major)

Best Rap Album, Tha Carter III

Jay-Z, T.I., Lil' Wayne & Kanye West

Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group- "Swagga Like Us"

Best of 2008: #11, Kings of Leon

Rank: #11

Album: Only By the Night

Artist: Kings of Leon

Label: RCA

As our countdown continues, we've reached #11, Kings of Leon's Only By the Night.  This record, (surprisingly) like so many others on this list, was also nominated for multiple Grammy awards.  Who knew the people at the Grammys knew anything about real music?  I spoke about this album at length when it came out, so I'll apologize in advance if any of this seems repetitive.  What Only By the Night does best, as far as I'm concerned, is make an 80s new wave/80s hair metal sound acceptable in today's music landscape, tweaked by a noticeable southern influence.  The album is filled with interesting, moving rock- all influenced by frontman Caleb Followill's foray into painkillers (his claim, not mine).  

Only By the Night has one of the best opening sequences of the year, at least as far as setting the mood is concerned, in "Closer".  It's tough to describe this track, besides the smokey bar atmosphere and neon lights it seems to allude to.  This mental aesthetic holds true from start to finish, with the hypothetical steamy nightlife breathing on every track.  Catchy and driving at times, desperate and soul-searching at others, the record manages to maintain an interesting sense of uncertainty, one that keeps you eagerly awaiting the next track.  "Sex On Fire," as just anyone who's heard the album already knows, is the track that really grabs your attention, and gets you excited for what you're hearing.  Between that, and Followill's best Richard Marx impression on "Be Somebody," along with the rest, you'll be sure to find great material.  For comparisons, see The Strokes, Kasabian and The Black Keys.

Best Track: "Sex On Fire"

Pre-Screening: Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon

Only By The Night

RCA Records

Out: September 23rd

I'll preface this review with a slightly unrelated note: I will not write up anything about the new of Montreal album, Skeletal Lamping, because of how much I hate it. With that in mind, I'm talking about a much better album than that in Only By The Night by Kings of Leon today.

To start, the album sounds like 80s hair metal, but better. The mood, the lyrics, everything just screams "if they were really that good at making music 25 years ago, they probably would have done this". Could the superior new sound be attributed to the painkillers that frontman Caleb Followill has been dabbling in as of late? If you ask him, he'll give emphatic 'yes', I'm sure, as he has claimed recently that the pills have allowed him to write the "best songs of his career." I wouldn't be too concerned about that...yet.

So what about the songs? Well, to start, "Closer" is a great opener. It really sets up the southern-influenced rock you're going to be experiencing over the ensuing 40 minutes, and puts you in the proper mindset for the album, which, though not relaxed necessarily, is an easy listen. This aesthetic holds on "Crawl", before the record truly opens up with the first single- "Sex On Fire". The track shouts the spirit of the album, a certain aspect of the nightlife which many would not embrace in song. The tune's catchy, energetic and simple chorus, "And you- your sex is on fire. And so- were the words to transpire," grab you right in with a great pop riff to back it up.

The album does not have a bad track, so stay tuned for #4, "Use Somebody" through #6, "17," and beyond. The entire middle series is the real meat of this one, and where you'll find the best material, if you're one of those people who'd much rather listen to bits and pieces of a record than the entire compilation in its intended form. The rest of the record really sends home the theme, and spirit of Only By The Night, with standout "Be Somebody" doing a pretty solid Richard Marx at times, but with no ill effects. The final track, "Cold Desert," presents the lasting argument, and perhaps refrain from the nightlife theme. A much calmer song than the others, it almost looks back upon the life lived in the previous nine tracks through the eyes of someone wiser, more learned from their experiences. The questions of self-doubt are apparent in this one, as is some degree of weariness with lines like, "I'm too young to feel this old." Still, this one finishes very well.

Like I've said- though I don't condone not listening to full albums, I will, as always, give a shout to the tracks that I felt stood above the others. For those interested; "Sex on Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Manhattan" are your best bets. For anyone who enjoys Kings of Leon's previous work, the aforementioned Marx, or an edgier version of The Strokes, this could be your album of the year, or at least something that'll warrant a couple spins around the ol' Itunes.

Rating: 8/10; Solid start to finish. What more can you ask for?