Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

Very rarely is it a real pleasure to give a single a good review but it leaves a big smile upon my face to say that Portishead's Chase The Tear is absolutely superb. Now why am I so happy, well similar to Radiohead's Harry Patch all the proceeds from this single will be going to an extremely good cause; this time all the profits made from Chase The Tear will go direct to Amnesty International. As a member and soon to be volunteer for Amnesty I can assure you they're a fantastic organization who protect our civil liberties and human rights across the world, but hell don't take my word for it they've got a nobel peace prize to their name. So if you like the sounds of this track, or just feel like doing a good thing for the day I urge you to download the beautiful Chase The Tear.

Okay enough talk of Amnesty I could shower them with good will all day. So how good is Case The Tear, well it's stands in stark contrast to Third's lead single Machine Gun, the fury and spite in Beth Gibbons voice is absent and in it's place is a more ethereal and beautiful almost laid back croon, her performance is ghostly and understated. It stands as a stark contrast to the pulsating eighties electro groove of the minimalist arrangement. Portishead haven't sounded this groovy in years and the metronomic rhythm refuses to relent as the drums are layered sparingly on top, the result is a trance like state that allows Beth's subversive and sweet croon to slip into your subconscious. The arrangement truly is wondrous in it's subtly, the rarest interspersion of jagged guitar, soaring synths and a fuzzing booming bass add gravitas to an otherwise light track. All in all Portishead have created their most approachable single ever, subversive and low key, yet suitably fun and danceable. Could this be a sign of things to come? Portishead often make beautiful music but could the next Portishead album, dare I say it, be a fun filled thrill ride? Probably not, but if you wanna have a good time and support a good cause then download this delightfully well judged single.

In the 21st Century ambition has almost become a dirty word, rather than looking to the grandest of stages and the boldest of gestures bands of this decade have tended towards minimalist cool rather than superstar pomp. As a result it is perhaps unsurprising that whilst this decade has spawned multitudes of brilliant works it has created so few new stadium sized superstars. It would appear that if any word describes the music of the 21st Century it is intimacy, bands today make highly personalized work, about themselves, their relationships, their hardships, their local towns, their inner neurosis, today's music speaks of shared experience rather than shared conceptions. While this is no bad thing, with the notable exception of Snow Patrol and Coldplay, there have been so few bands who paint in the broadest brush strokes. Perhaps it's not surprising, after all it's a daunting task to write music so broad and sweeping in scope that it can touch people across the world in a heartfelt and urgent way without speaking to them on a personalized level. This style of work and level of ambition requires both great simplicity but also great textural depth, it must be both impersonal and personal but most of all it has to be grandiose and limitless in scale. On This Is War 30 Seconds From Mars take on this most challenging of objectives, they reach for the stars inciting the backlash; they most certainly have the ambition, they've shown that before, but do they have the quality to match?

Right from the word go even the slightest suspicion of minimalism is dismissed, 30 Seconds To Mars all hints of low-fi thrashing screamo are unceremoniously dropped and in their place stands; orchestral arrangements, children's choirs, tribal chantings, Queen sized hand claps and lots and lots of wide open spaces with sparse epic feeling drum arrangements. They've certainly held nothing whatsoever back, opening track proper Night Of The Hunter is almost symbolic, starting with some classic emo posturing; "I Was Born Of A Womb Of A Poisoness Man, Beaten And Broken And Chased From The Land" before suddenly Jared Leto's voice grows and he promises to "Rise Up Above It, High Up Above It". It serves as a statement of intent, 30 Seconds To Mars intend to break free of the chains of emo and shoot themselves towards the stratosphere. The track therefore becomes suitably epic building on a stadium sized drum line and some electro squelchery that gives way to a floating string arrangement and some suitably monumental wailing. Jared Leto has set caste himself as the revolutionary leading the masses in a united battle cry. By the end Night Of The Hunter is almost drowned by it's own self importance, it's repugnant and vital in equal measure and it sets the trend for the album as a whole.

It soon becomes apparent that 30 Seconds To Mars have mastered the art of the epic arrangement, the wall of sound created by the guitars is near unscalable, and every last flourish of strings or pound upon the drums sounds essential. For the most part the timing on this album is perfect when you want that fist pumping hands to the sky moment to burst through it does, the album refuses to disappoint, almost every track has a euphoric moment to unite thousands rather than stir individuals. However it is at this point that the This Is War's biggest flaw begins to reveal itself; while Jared Leto certainly has the ambitions and the messianic sense of self importance that all truly great stadium sized front men need, he lacks the creativity and lyrical subtly to match. The song writing is wrought with cliché and second hand sentiments, Leto's lyrics are almost too predictable to a cringe worthy extent. Even the brilliant Kings And Queens is weighted down by Leto's syrupy sentiment "The Age Of Men Is Over, These Lessons That We've Learnt Here, Have Only Just Begun", the trend continues across the album "It's The Momentum Of Truth, The Moment To Lie, The Moment To Live And The Moment To Die". Leto's vacant eye rolling simplicity becomes overbearing on the albums centrepiece Hurricanes as Leto asks "Tell Me Would You Kill To Save A Life, Tell Me Would You Kill To Prove Your Right" it all sounds rather forced. Leto wants to sound grandiose and important yet settles for generic sloganeering, his lines feel tragically predictable like a bad movie script, he has all the intent but his words lack that spark of originality. Worst of all the album is completely devoid of a sense of humour, Matt Bellamy overcomes his own lyrical pomposity with a playful quirkiness and a defusing sense of the ludicrous. Jared Leto on the other hand is deadly serious, there is no knowing wink and a nod, and in many ways his own arrogance is simply asking for a critical dissection.

This Is War conjures a sense of tacit disappointment, it builds you up, raises you to a state of euphoria and then when it's time to deliver leaves you deflated. Across the whole album Leto is calling for his listens to rise up, he repeats again and again, that this is a call to arms and it's time for war. Leto riles his audience, he strikes the pose of the a generational leader he riles up his troops but when it's time to step up to the microphone and tell us what we're fighting for he tragically has nothing to offer but empty gestures. However while This Is A War may not be a vital and life changing experience no matter how hard or how often it insists, it's still manages to thrill more often than bores. Tracks like This Is A War, Kings & Queens and Vox Populi feel so vibrant and so momentous that they overcome their inherent shallowness and become anthemic almost religious experiences. On the other hand the album is often weighed down by it's own over the top verbage and grating sense of self importance and tracks like Hurricanes and Alibi are simple an unbearable drain on an otherwise intriguing LP. It is somewhere between Kings & Queens and Hurricanes that you notice exactly what this album is lacking; fun, a knowing wink and nod, a shameless thrill. The album is sorely lacking a track like The Kill that has all the epic power and importance rammed into a sharp three minute pop package. It's a shame because there are certainly more than a few four minute tracks on this album that sprawl aimlessly and could have been condense into a urgent and punchy three minute tour de force.

There is one area in which 30 Seconds To Mars deserve unconditional praise and that is in regards their musical arrangements. This is a bold album, it may not reinvent the wheel but it's not scared to push boundaries either; combining the gloomy sparse industrial soundscapes, with stadium sized U2 riffs, euphoric children's choirs, skipping hip hop beats, eighties electro squelch and emo screams. This Is War rarely sounds boring, it's only Leto's wailing that feels tired, a track like the horribly titled Stranger In A Strange Land has a daring arrangement that refuses to sit still. It becomes apparent that musical arrangement is the one area where 30 Seconds To Mars truly meet the stadium rock brief, their sound is undeniably epic, pleasantly familiar and yet never predictable, it truly is a triumph of marrying inclusivity and exclusivity with delightful ease. It's a shame that the rest of This Is War could not match the scope of their arrangements, as while the album is far from a bad record, it is no great shakes either, wrapping itself in the clothes of the revolutionary but with little in the way of substance to match the style. The sheer ambition of the piece and it's undeniable scale may well be enough to elevate 30 Seconds To Mars to loftier surroundings but like so many before them they offer little that will hold up in the cold light of day and stand the test of the time. This Is War feels vital but unfortunately it's anything but, another case of style over substance.

Absolution - Muse, Mutter - Rammstien

Bloc Party would go onto to become indie house band, and almost define the sound and ambition of so many up and coming scenesters in the late 2000s, but for Bloc Party it all started here. She's Hearing Voices was a declaration of intent, with it's glorious off beat drum line, it's sharp and effects laden guitar work and Kele leading the world in his low key maniacal chanting. In hindsight Bloc Party would never really sound this exciting or this daring again. Hear It Here

The 21st Century would be a tough place for an artist like Bjork, while it appeared that music on the whole had embraced her, and that niche music making was prominent, suddenly Bjork no longer looked like an innovator she looked like one of the many. Luckily Bjork was a true artist and never struggled for inspiration. Declare Independence started with what sounded like an electronic rape of Michael Jackson's Beat It, before it gave way to a powerful industrial march towards independence. Declare Independence seemed both a call to arms for the oppressed and to the one dimension scenester sheep of the world. No one expected Bjork to sound this vital in 2008. Hear It Here

Sometimes you feel a track is so perfect it cannot be bettered, Dolly Parton's Jolene seemed so definitive it seemed unimaginable that anyone else could claim the track as their own. But with the first primal cry of Jolene Jack had claimed the track as his own, Jack's raw and fragile voice bleed with emotion, it was as if his heart was breaking with each and every syable. Where these words his own I'd call this the most emotional powerful track of the decade, a lo-fi work of art. Hear It Here

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart were one of the few bands who managed to sublimely combine the post Strokes sound that dominated this decade with the dreary hazy sound that dominated the indie world in the previous decade. The result is a sound that at times can be europhic and disillusioned in equal measure. Most importantly Young Adult Friction sounds beautiful, the melodies are sublimely judged, and while they may not reinvent the wheel and influences are worn on the sleeves theirs a joy to behold in the precision and knowing soulfulness of their music. Hear It Here

In 2007 the Yeah Yeah Yeahs traded in their garage rock bluster for some thick and sexy grooves. While alot has been said out Karen O as a front women there is absolutely no doubt that she has one hell of a sexy voice, and she puts it to good use on this disco studded, sleek and sexy monster. Zero pulsated and grinded remorselessly while Karen crooned and squelled like she was having the time of her life. It seemed that for all the rock and roll bluster the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were always destined to be dancing queens. Hear It Here

In 2003 having effectively saved the world the backlash had reached unheard of levels and it was ready to engulf their brilliant and tragically under appreciated second album Room On Fire. Yet no level of ill will or resentment could undermine 12:51, it immediately flew into the charts, it was short sharp and sweet, it was everything the Strokes did best in one record. A perfect slice of garage rock minimalism, the melody was addictive, the narrative was glorious shallow and ironic, the guitar work was slick and well Fab's drums were as metronomic as ever, but best of all 12:51 sounded utterly effortless. Hear It Here

In 2006 Timbaland was ontop of the world and could legitimately claim to be the greatest producer walking the face of the earth. Justin Timberlake was his greatest pupil, and together they made some staggering music. What Goes Around... was typical of Timberlake's approach rather than making short sharp pop he was pushing boundaries creating sprawling five minute pop epics rather than two minute suger snaps. What Goes Around had a rich and vibrant arrangement and Timberlake never aloud the melody to settle, this track felt like it was a constant state of flux always evolving building understated hook ontop of understated hook. Hear It Here

Be Mine! highlight Robyn's underrated power as a slick and sharp songwriter. While she never seemed content to stick in one place lyrically and as a result her album varied wildly in quality, you kind of wish she'd have stuck to the Be Mine! formula more often. A desperate semi psychotic rant/cry for help, it's a situation that so many have us have faced, when you become obsessed or even a addicted to one person, their you're image of the ideal but of course they'll never be yours, it'll never happen. It was refreshingly honest and strikingly real. Hear It Here

Aha Shake Heartbreak was the album that solidified the Kings as one of indie's front runners and started their long rise to superstardom. Many still consider this LP as their finest and with good reason it was full of sharply crafted well judge pop music. King Of The Rodeo showed the beginnings of their stadium ambition, it had the slick and repetitive main riff, and understated and addictive groove, yet unlike their later work the Kings were firing this track out at rapid pace with Caleb spitting out with genuine venom. Hear It Here

Some tracks are definitive, they sound like mission statements, they perfectly encapsulate at band one particular moment in time, and for LCD Soundsystem their was no more definitive track in 2004 than Yeah. Whether you prefer the Crass version or the Pretentious version, it matter little as both were sublime, and this track simply oozed irony, it was utterly non plussed, this was the sound track to eye rolling world wide, it was sarcastic scornful and groovy as a motherfucker. The tracks undoubted highlight was the zombie-like repetition of the dreary "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" rarely has music said so little and yet implied so much. This may well be my personal favourite track of the decade. Hear It Here

In 2006 the Yeah Yeah Yeahs unleashed upon the world the biggest and most pure pop song to date, Cheated Hearts was a glorious piece of music, it was sweet and soothing and even the screech O and the crunching riffs of Zimmer somehow only served to add more layers to this charming and addictive pop songs. The ultimate genius of this track was it's ability to sound strangle chaotic maintaining a cobbled together sound and yet at the same time it's such a wonderfully polished pop song. It's this wonderful contradictions that gives Cheated Hearts it's brilliance. Hear It Here

It feels almost sacrilegious to say this but in the early 2000s Rachel Stevens released some of the most daring and exciting pop music on the planet, and Some Girls was their pierce de resistance. Of course it was Rachel Stevens name was on the album but it was Richard X's striking song writing and revolutionary production that truly deserves the credit. Some Girls while in many was the perfect pop song was far from complete, it had one major flaw that accounts for it's low positioning on the list, it never felt honest. When Lily Allen sings of giving head and frustrated depression it's believable, it's equally believable when Lady Gaga recites ridiculous tales of sexual exploits and tacit shallowness, these feel like Organic voices. Rachel on the other hand, was always a sham, she positioned herself as the every girl who gets passed up for a superior shallower and prettier model; now did she really expect anyone to buy that? Hear It Here

Some tracks send shivers down your spine from the first note, New Born is the ultimate example of just that, this was a track that was always destined to be a festival show stealer, it was a track created for the biggest of stages. It builds divinely the opening piano line starts the hand claps, Matt conducts a mass singalong and they build to that perfect moment when the guitar explodes and they drop THAT bassline ripping festival fields to shreds creating a sea of flying limps. While New Born may not be this decades greatest tracks, it is one of those tracks you simple must see live before you die! Hear It Here

From one great live track to another, while New Born was an unholy masterpiece of pomp and bluster, Daddy's Gone was more of a religious experience, fraught with emotional honesty, and stripped down minimalistic power. Lyrically Daddy's Gone was staggeringly honest and incredibly brave, it's one of those tracks that would either go down in legend as a thing of beauty or an utter laughing stock. Of course Daddy's Gone will always be remembered as the former, and in 2007 there was no more powerful, emotive or divisive band than Glasvegas. Hear It Here

It seems almost unthinkable to go from a track as powerful and beautiful as Daddy's Gone to a tracks as inane and false as Oops...I Did It Again, yet there couldn't be a more sublimely ridiculous track than Oops...? It has everything that made Britney so great in those early years. Of course there was a series of irresistible hooks and charming melodies, but what makes this track and Britney on the whole brilliant is her stupidity, this track, the video, the "oh babies" are just so inane and idiotic it's utterly diffusing. It's a master class, it's the definitive proof that if you can knowingly parody yourself, act a total fool and keep a straight face that you can achieve anything and everything. Rarely has their been a track where every last line is so addictive and yet so hilarious. Hear It Here

So having started at the bottom and made it to the top, Dizzee Rascal soften his sound slightly and rather detailing lifes obstacles and heart aches Dizzee decided it was time to spread the love around and start sending out a hopefully and aspirational message. Of course Dizzee was still yelping he was fair from the smiley Dizzee we know today and he was still dropping punch lines left right and centre "You Can't Marathon Without Training, Or Stretch The Arsehole without Straining". Hear It Here

The Kings were transformed into headliners in 2007 with the break through album Because Of The Times it perfectly married stadium ambitious with dirty gritty rock and roll. On Call would serve as the fore runner for the likes of Sex On Fire, a huge bellowing anthem rife with emotional tense and the strength of devotion. This track took the Kings within touching distance of the summit. Hear It Here

So with a little help from Soft Cell a little lady called Rihanna started to make a splash. It was funny, back in 2006, no one really took Rihanna seriously yet she kept churning out the hits at a relentless pace, at the time I don't think anyone expected her to surpass this then masterpiece but looking back now it almost feels passée. Of course it's anything back, infact the bassline and effects were years ahead of the time, and it was create to hear someone making relentess pummelling groovey pop music. Hear It Here

Roll Deep have undoubtable been one of the most important creative and revolutionary force in underground music this decade, they've spawned some of the UK's biggest artists but more importantly they've sound a root out of poverty and a escape from the streets. Roll Deep put there powers too good use on the scathing Badman perhaps the most powerful statement made on the war on knives and against gang violence. This track was real, honest and raw and it's message is more powerful than a million fake plastic celebrity voice overs. Hear It Here

The Cool Kids truly were a little bit cooler in 2007 positioning themselves as the new black Beastie Boys they brought back a sense of carefree fun that had been missing since the days of De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. However, Cool Kids never sounded retrospective, Gold And A Pager had a monster hook and some seriously stripped down post-Neptunes production this beat could have easily fallen off the back of a Clipse LP. Hear It Here

Behind Timbaland's ultra slick hip hop beats laid the middle eastern flourishes of Baligh Hamdi, from a production point of view this track is beyond smooth and remarkably creative. Ten years later this track still sounds as fresh as ever, if anything, it's the rhymes that sound dated, but while flows may have evolved this tracks ability to combine the divinely laid back with the remarkable intense remains a unqualified success. Hear It Here

How exactly do I position Emily in a list of 1000 great singles, it was too good to be low down, but it's hard to argue it case as a pop single so it couldn't reach the upper echelons, as a result the 500s seem about right. Emily is a beautiful crafted track, with a glorious constantly evolving and continuously effecting arrangement to a dramatic and impassioned vocal performance. Joana Newsom created one of the most daring and captivating narratives in modern pop history, this knocks spots off most audio books let alone pop songs. A work of pure genius, and I for one will never forget that "That The Meteorite Is The Sources Of The Light, And The Metoer Is Just What We See, And A Meteorite Is A Stone Devoid Of The Fire That Propelled It To Thee". Here It Here

Oh yes my friends it's time for that riff and that bassline, some while probably consider this a shockingly low placement for one of the decades most recognizable and defining rock tracks. And while they could certainly make their case, I always found it a rather laboured affair, but there is no doubt but when this little track is unleashed on a death disco you better watch out because shit is about to get royally fucked up, and yes those are the technical terms. Hear It Here

In 2008 the coolest track of the year was undoubtedly release by Little Boots Stuck On Repeat was an absolute revelation, it was ice water running through it's rains, it was built on pulsating wall of electro noise and Boots beautiful let her voice ride arthymically against the beat only to suddenly and unexpectedly merge tone mid sentence, to create a beautiful hidden melody. Unfortunately the follow up album was so great, and it seemed without Hot Chip genius Joe Goddard at the helm Little Boots didn't have much to offer, but for a brief moment she was the toast of the critical town. Hear It Here

Did Interpol just out Wilco Wilco? Well maybe but any boorish comparisons to any number of ice cool US or Manchuian bands robs Interpol of their just deserts for some of the most painstakingly beautiful songwriting of the 21st Century. NYC was like a death march, richly laden and incredibly powerful, Interpol took their bare and raw elements and brought them together into one of the biggest and most tragically powerful walls of noise imaginable. Proof that Interpol were no mere imitators they were the real deal Hear It Here.

"Can't You See What You've Done To My Heart And My Soul, This Is A Wasteland Now" ouch Interpol managed to deliver another devastating emotive jab of top notch indie but this time something was different. In Slow Hands Interpol realized they could turn their often beautiful but remarkable rough around the edges sound into rousing festival sized anthems. Interpol would developed rapidly from here on in producing not only powerful albums but anthemic singles to match. Hear It Here

It's easy to forget that after bombast and brilliance of Helicopter and She's Hearing Voices that it was infact the tender and fragile So Here We Are that thrust Bloc Party towards superstardom. Built around a simple and effecting riff Kele laid down some gorgeous ethereal vocals to create a song that felt less like a single and more like a moment in time preserved perfectly. It's seems like a long time since this track hit the charts but Bloc Party have rarely surpass it. Hear It Here.

Looking back In My Place seems like a curious choice for the first single from the career defining A Rush Of Blood To The Head. Yet looking back now the tracks understated beauty and unparalleled control of melody shines through. Chris Martin vocally and lyrically is wrenching desperately it's a track that screams out with emotion, it's a tidal wave of pent feelings being released at once, yet the track is sublimely well controlled and conveyed. Shrewd songwriting of the highest order. Hear It Here

Topping Boys & Girls In America was an impossibility, and the Hold Steady sounded too damn good to change tack, so what was a band to do? Well Craig Finn return full of urgency, dispencing "Life's Most Valuable Lessons" left and right, meanwhile the band beefed up their sound creating tryanical walls of sound. Stay Positive was a track that grabbed you, it was a mix of a narratives and social commentary but every line spoke volumes and felt vital. This track also contained one of the most powerful musings on the music industry that I can remember; "There's Gonna Come A Time, When The True Scene Leaders Will Forget Where They Differ, And Get Big Picture, Because The Kids At The Shows Will Have Kids of Their Own, And The Singalong Songs Will Be Their Scripture". Hear It Here

After years of being the troubled boy in the corner Flex was the first sign that Dizzee would trade in his tragic social detailing and become the nations biggest feel good party starter. The was a wonderful light hearted to charm to Flex best displayed by it's opening salvo; "I Love It When I See A Pretty Girl Winding, I Can Even Watch A Butters Girl Winding" the rode to Dance Wiv Me started here. Hear It Here

Who'd of thought with this soulful little ditty with it's country stomp vibe would managed to set indie disco across the nation alight? It seemed improbable but six years Lily Allen would take the cooky country stomp and conquer the world all over again. Hotel Yorba brilliance lies not only in it's bizzare dance-ability, but in it's contradiction, it's all things to all people, it's a charming little throwaway, it's a torn emotion longing, it's escapism from drudgery, it's aspirational or it's a two minute nursery rhyme goof. The fact is this track works on every level and that's why it's brilliant. Hear It Here

Some tracks just hit you like a freight train, Dominos while beautiful simplistic has incredible power, I remember when I first heard it I did a double track, your absorbed by the music it pulls you it with it's warp sonic delights. While Dominos is not actually one of The Big Pink's best tracks, it makes an impact and a mark like no other, it feels like a drug it warps your mind and leaves you begging for more, luckily The Big Pink had much more to offer than just a few catchy singles. Hear It Here

The Eminem Show would be Eminem's last great album and it's hard to think of a more emotive or powerful track than the heartbreaking Sing For Moment. It was the perfect marriage of Eminem's most poetic and proactive lyrics and the divine sample of Aerosmith's Dream On. Steven Tyler provides the perfect chorus and Joe Perry's solo is a work of art. "They Say Music Can Alter Moods And Talk To You" with that one line Eminem said more than I ever could. Hear It Here

Some artists are so distinctive that the second you hear their voice you know it simple couldn't be anyone else. M.I.A was so unique, in 2005 she sounded almost too different to everything else going on, and when she played Glastonbury that year it was as if she was in glorious technicolour and everyone else was in monochrome. The real skill of her music and of Pull Up The People is how disarming her raps are, their carefree and almost child like, they sound free as a bird even when their carrying the weight of the world, and that is no mean feat. Hear It Here

Some tracks get chronically overplayed and Good Life suffered this fate in 2007 it was too good and too inescapable. Looking back now it seems like a remarkable charming aspirational feel good anthem, as time wore on Kanye's bragging would begin to grate massively, but on the Good Life he felt earnest heartfelt and reminded the world why we fell in love with him in the first place. A brilliant ground breaking video didn't hurt either. Hear It Here.

On second album Sam's Town the Killers discovered their balls, sorry for being so crude but it's true, even a sweet little ballad like Read My Mind was sonically Beefed up and felt positively epic. Rather than simply penning great songs to fill dance floors Brandon Flowers was beginning to great songs period, huge epics that carried on the US great history of broad brush strokes emotive song writing. Read My Mind was the type of songs that could effect you on a deeply personal level and yet united thousands across the world in song at the same time. Hear It Here

In 2001 Britney was beginning to seem like old hat, so out went sweet and innocent and in came sticky and sexy. It would take her almost five years to realize that being morose and sex obsessed suited her much better than "heart felt" pop balladeering. Pharrell wrote the perfect song, they conjured the perfect video and Britney stepped up to the plate with as much sas as she could muster and hit a home run with ...Slave 4 U. Hear It Here

How would we DJ were it not for Short Circuit it seems like every DJ at one time or another has used the epic hook from this track if only fleetingly. Yet despite the many remixes Short Circuit still works best as a stand alone art house piece, musically it hopes around so brilliantly starting as a dance floor smash before calming down into a sublimely measured post euphoria chillout piece. These Boys never dissapoint. Hear It here

"Hey, Don't Write Yourself Off Yet, It's Only In Your Head You Feel Left Out Or Looked Down On" arrrh how sweet, Jimmy Eat World would of course go onto to say that you should just be yourself, to be proud of who you are and just stick with it. Now had this track been released five years later they'd surely have been labelled "emo fags" but like for Jimmy Eat World they hook the world good, and they hooked us young on their infectious pop punk melodies. Proof that sunshine pop-punk doesn't have to be a parade of knob gags. Hear It Here

The was so much anticipation for the Arctic Monkeys that when Alex Turner fired out the immortal line "This Bird Said It's Amazing, Oh So All That's Left....Is The Proof That Loves Not Only Blind But Death". That was the moment when the world collectively wet their knickers, when we all realized that something very special indeed was going on with these four lads from Sheffield. Reading Festival and I Bet You... would follow but this is the moment when the hype reach fever pitch. Hear It Here

While Chris Martin will never be compared to the likes of Alex Turner as one of this generations great song writers, Martin's lyrics after all are about as subtle as brick to the face, there can be no argument that the man knows how to create a moment. He did exactly that when he effectively debuted Fix You to world at Glastonbury creating one of those unforgettable Glastonbury moments. Fix You was perhaps the ultimate tear jerker pitched to perfection, deeply emotional music made for the world's biggest and most open stages. Hear It Here

While Ian Brown's solo career for the most part has been largely forgettable and oft regrettable he did manage to stumble upon one last moment of genius that even the Stone Roses would have been proud to embrace. F.E.A.R while occasionally over simplistic, hits more often than it misses and with a powerful yet understated

orchestral arrangement it has a subtle power. Hear It Here

By 2008 the world had given up on Metallica as anything other than a live attraction, why they were timeless on stage, they were fast becoming the dancing dads at the wedding in the studio, but then out of nowhere with a little help from Rick Rubin they emerge revitalised and ready for battle. The Day That Never Comes was a sprawling epic with big epic sweeps and huge riffage and then in the second half it happens, the chains are undone and yes Kirk Hammett for the first time in seemingly eternity lets his guitar sing, or more preciesely scream bloody but beautiful murder, and you know what? It was worth the wait. Hear It Here

Give me a D, now give me and Arkness, yes once upon a time that was would actually get a huge reactions in arenas and stadiums across the land. The biggest surprise is that six years of turmoil and ridicule later and this track still sounds amazingly good. Yes perhaps Justin vocals aren't as "fun" as they once were but there's not doubting that this is a track that will thoroughly rock your socks, and it remains one of the greatest pieces of retrospective rock ever penned. Hear It Here

"He's A Friend And He's A Friend, And He's So Proud Of You, He's A Friend And I Knew Him Before You, He's A Friend And We're So Proud Of You, Your Famous Friend Well I Blew Him Before You" oh yes who hasn't enjoyed belting that ridiculous line out at one time or another. Simple put this is the best pure pop song Franz Ferdinand ever wrote (and there's alot of competition) what it lacks up for subtly it makes up for with spades of knowing tongue in cheek humour. Hear It Here