The Top 31 of 2007 - #14

Cale's Pick

Tegan and Sara: The Con

Released: July 24, 2007

Being the exquisite portrait of masculinity that I am, Tegan and Sara are not what you'd expect to hear on my iPod. But they're there. And they play a lot. At work, I plug in my iPod to the PA system so that no matter where I go in the building, my music is always with me (one of the benefits of working in a gym, I suppose). But not all my music is appropriate for work, and it just so happens that Tegan and Sara is. So everytime the sisters come on, I always get the weirdest looks from people who know that the music playing is my own. The sort of, "You listen to this?" look. Yeah, I listen to this. And I'm proud of it. Not to sound sexist, though I'm sure many will interpret it as such, but I can't really think of too many great female songwriters. Maybe one or two dozen at best, whereas I could list off great male songwriters for hours. The Quin sisters are great songwriters, even if they rarely deviate from the standard "relationship" theme. Even then, it's usually a different take than most others would offer up. And then when they decide to deviate, well...you're just in for a treat. Because Tegan and Sara may be mediocre, if not interesting, vocalists and musicians. But when it comes to songwriting skills, you'd be hard pressed to find many who are as earnest and talented as Tegan and Sara Quin. Word.

For reassuring me of my masculinity (in some medieval, roundabout way), Tegan and Sara girl-rock their way to the #14 spot.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #14

"If Silence Means That Much to You" by Emma Pollock, from the album, Watch the Fireworks.

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Jill's Pick

Jill Scott: Collaborations

Released: January 30, 2007

I told you a few reviews back that I really like Jill Scott. She is fantastic alone, but when she lends her voice to someone else's track, there's some magic there that can't be passed up.

I figured it out, what I couldn't describe about why I like Jill Scott in my last review: I like being in her world when she sings. There's something magical about it. There's something soothing and there's this overall idea that she conveys that everything is going to be okay and sometimes I need a reminder of that.

"Kingdom Come" is a nice Gospel inspired bit. There's a nice mix of Jazz and Rap. It's the track "Daydreamin'" though that just...wow. Lupe Fiasco comes up with this track that just...every time I hear it, I feel like I'm in a Rap version of Tim Burton's Willy Wonka. (You know, the one with Johnny Depp.) It's one of the few songs I actually see in my head, for as odd as it sounds. I just see over-saturated color and huge flowers and I really probably should keep that to myself so that one doesn't think I'm on some kind drug. It's just a track that is made a million times better with Jill Scott's voice in and out of it.

The only thing missing is a version of "You Got Me" by the Roots. It would have had to have been a live track and there are a few out there. Jill Scott wrote the hook for that song but they chose Erykah Badu to sing it on the album version. They do it in two different entirely different ways, but Jill Scott adds something more...personal...to it. It's too bad it was left off because it's really one of her finest endeavors. (After "Daydreamin'" which is just GOLD)

My favorite track: (of course) "Daydreamin'"

Songs you should give a listen to:

--"Daydreamin'" (Lupe Fiasco)

--"Said Enough" (Isley Brothers)

--"One Time" (Eric Roberson)

--"Kingdom Come" (Kirk Franklin)

--"Love Rain (Coffee Shop Mix) (Mos Def)