Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
90. IYAZ – Replay
Usually in December of every year, I go home for Christmas. The indie world is dead at the end of the year, so I usually do research on the pop charts, listening to songs I have missed for most of the year. Nearly all of the songs I am happy to have avoided, but there are always a few candidates that make the cut. I’m a sucker for well-crafted pop music, as everyone knows, and IYAZ’s first single had my head bobbing enough for it to make my year-end list. It’s charming, super-infectious, and it name-drops a common household item that no one owned ten years ago (that would be the iPod).
Free Energy are a five-piece band from Philadelphia, PA, who specialize in kicking your ass with feel-good 70’s-lifted rock and roll. Their new album, Stuck On Nothing, is ten tracks of pure easy-going fun. If you don’t like having fun, you won’t like Free Energy.
I first saw the band live in New York during my CMJ escapades back in October 2009, and I saw them again last week at SXSW 2010. Needless to say, they put on a hell of a good show. The lead singer has a Julian Casablancas-like swagger, while the backing band delivers punchy, catchy bass lines and squealing guitar solos the Knack wish they wrote.
A sampling of rocking tunes from the group can be found after the jump. Crank ’em up, pump your fist, and shake your ass.
