Top 10 Songs of 2006: No. 4

4. Los Campesinos! – You! Me! Dancing!/I’m From Barcelona – We’re From Barcelona/Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks

At various points in the year, these three songs were my most played, and each of them subsequently got me more and more excited about the joys of short indie pop.

Early summer, and the song was We’re From Barcelona by I’m form Barcelona. With its big sing along choir, and the cute video I was pulled in. Just like the Polyphonic Spree a couple of years ago, they were only good at one song, but that song was ace.

Then I heard Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn and John. It came along just as I was getting bored of I’m from Barcelona (there are only so many na na nas you can take), and again it ticked off lots of boxes on my list of twee indie. This time it was the whistling and the bongo drums. But these two bands had similar faults. Apart from the one great tune, nothing else in their repertoire was quite as good, and they were quickly forgotten.

The year rounded off with Los Campesinos! Taking the place of that perfect indie band (well for now). What’s more, the band are more than just one great song. In fact it was hard to choose the song to write about. Starting with some standard post rocky intro, in You! Me! Dancing, the band quickly shed their disguise, and stomp their way into a song with glockenspiels. By the chorus it sounds like a party, and you can never overlook a band that just sounds like they are having fun.

Los Campesinos! on Myspace

We’re from Barcelona video on Youtube 

Young Folks video on Youtube 

Top 10 Songs of 2006: No. 5

5. Jonquil – Whistle Low

The wonderful thing about Whistle Low is just what a simple song it is. Half a round and half a lullaby, it sounds the sort of timeless folk songs that have existed forever. The key point of the song is just a simple refrain that is repeated through different vocalists and instruments. On its own it can be pretty boring, but there is just repetition before the final, gentle minute that forms the lullaby just ending the song gently. Sometimes the simple things are really the best, aren’t they?

Listen on the band’s Myspace

Top 10 Songs of 2006: No. 6

6. Borderville – Glambulance

It’s rather strange how I’ve come to really enjoy watching Borderville, although I found it tough to get through a Sexy Breakfast set. Although both bands are quite similar, in their glam rock influence and their slightly less orthodox approach to their music, somehow it just works in Borderville. Glambulance sums up why it is so much fun to watch the band. They have a strong song, and are confident (or silly enough) to throw everything into it in the duration, from the ambulance sounds at the beginning to chicken impressions and a dramatic end. There is also a slight cockiness that they’ve always had, and this is the chorus of this song (with the rising chords) is their call to confront anyone who doubts them.

Listen on their myspace

Top 10 Songs of 2006: No. 7

7. The Knife – We Share Our Mother’s Health

This song is the closest thing to dance music on this list. In a year when most of the electronic music I heard was just getting a bit stale and safe, it’s great to hear that there are still no other bands writing songs like The Knife. It was hard to select just one song off the album, but this one just stands out with its synthesized Latin rhythms and the way the male vocals just sound. Rather than just being happy with a regular 4/4 rhythm and melodies that match, The Knife really use their resources to their advantage, and the vocals in this song are a fine example of that.

Watch on Youtube