the shortwave set

[43] Gnarls Barkley, ‘Crazy’

I think this is meant to be the single of the millennium so far. Oops. Seeing as a James Blunt single was in very vague contention for the rundown, we can safely say we’re not sticking to a tasteful script. For all dodgy heart conditions out there however, here’s a promise that Captain Blunty has not made the cut; instead, a perfectly respectable showing for the Gnarls fellows and their nigh-on uncategorisable chunk of hip hop indie soul (OK, lazily categorisable). While it’s been all downhill from here for the duo together, Danger Mouse has used ‘Crazy’ as a handy springboard for all sorts of lucrative cool-cachet producer gigs, our favourite of which is The Shortwave Set’s Replica Sun Machine. That’s “lucrative” in its broadest sense. Opposite sense.

Junior says: “I’ve heard this before.” I think we can all get with that. She gives it the shoulders, which, again, we’ve all done.

Best bit: 1. The opening thumps; 2. The almost-fact that we’re gearing up to churning out one of these posts a day. We’d better, or it’ll run headlong into the 2010 countdown.

2008 Top 20 Singles?

Halfway through the year, always looking for delaying tactics and ways to ramp up the tension for the year-end countdown, here’s a minor indicator – the Top 20 Most Played 2008 Singles on my iPod thingy.

[1] Martha Wainwright, ‘Bleeding All Over You’
[2] The Ting Tings, ‘Great DJ’
[3] Laura Marling, ‘Ghosts’
[4] Alphabeat, ‘Fascination’
[5] Fleet Foxes, ‘White Winter Hymnal’
[6] Coldplay, ‘Violet Hill’
[7] The Ting Tings, ‘That’s Not My Name’
[8] Death Cab For Cutie, ‘I Will Possess Your Heart’
[9] MGMT, ‘Time To Pretend’
[10] Lykke Li, ‘I’m Good, I’m Gone’
[11] Coldplay, ‘Viva La Vida’
[12] Santogold, ‘L.E.S. Artistes’
[13] Portishead, ‘Machine Gun’
[14] Vampire Weekend, ‘Oxford Comma’
[15] Laura Marling, ‘Cross Your Fingers’/’Crawled Out Of The Sea’
[16] Hercules And Love Affair, ‘Blind’
[17] The Shortwave Set, ‘No Social’
[18] Goldfrapp, ‘A&E’
[19] H ‘two’ O featuring Platnum, ‘What’s It Gonna Be’
[20] Foals, ‘Red Socks Pugie’

Admit it. You’re astonished.