Tuesday, December 30, 2008

SINGLES FILE

A weekly playlist for the listener with a one-track mind.

Special Mea Culpa Edition: A random sampling of some of the best tracks that slipped under our radar in 2008.

Frightened Rabbit: "My Backwards Walk" These thickly accented Glaswegians -- who sound like the Proclaimers, if the Proclaimers were always sad, and didn't have a bass player -- released the year's best, most brutal breakup album, "The Midnight Organ Fight," from which this wrenching track springs.

David Byrne: "Ex-Guru" (Fiery Furnaces cover) This neglected track appeared on Thrill Jockey's vinyl-only anniversary box set. It confirmed most everyone's suspicions that Fiery Furnaces songs are even more likable when someone else is doing them.

Torche: "Healer" The Atlanta-based Torche, which released its ear-bleedingly superb breakthrough disc "Meanderthal" earlier in '08, has become the doom-core band of choice for people who don't like doom-core bands. It's certainly the heaviest, bludgeoning-est, math-rock-iest band ever to get compared to Superchunk.

R. Kelly: "Might Be Mine" In which Kelly reasons that he just might be the father of that stripper's baby, because after all, he totally hit that. Predictably kooky, aggrieved and heavy on mind-numbing detail, this hails from his much-leaked but still-unreleased "12 Play: Fourth Quarter."

Ida Maria: "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" Perky, damaged Ida Maria has been called "the Courtney Love of Norway," which might have something to do with her infamous self-destructive streak and fondness for biting people onstage. That this hooky, appealingly forthright track wasn't a hit is utterly baffling.

The King Blues: "What if Punk Never Happened" (Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip remix) British duo Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip are one of the few acts of '08 that were rapturously, ubiquitously blogged about and still managed to be underrated. Here, they make quick work of a tone poem from London punk outfit the King Blues.

-- Allison Stewart