She & Him, "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"

s&h

There is a noise

Múm

Year's end is supposed to prompt lists of ten and critical insta-nostalgia, but quite frequently, for me, this fruitless exercise makes me think of songs and albums from the previous years which continue to trump the latest releases. Múm are one of those bands that consistently outdo their peers and stick in my craw with songs like "Half Noise", which is one of their minor efforts but commands attention, like a Mozart Serenade or something.

And then there's the astonishing revision of The Smith's "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by Schneider TM. This is on the back end of the Orb's Back to Mine entry, and it is one of the real gems of the past few years.

STM aka Dirk Dresselhaus