2015 Boney Awards...The Songs
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 11:18 am
Part Two of this year's Boney Awards concerns the 80 songs of 2015 that
I enjoyed the most. Again, not necessarily the most creative or artistic,
just the ones that most pleased my ears. And awaaaaay we go!
80. NEW JERUSALEM (FREEDOM IS COMING)-NEAL MORSE
The former leader of Spock's Beard, a band carrying the modern day torch of progressive
rock, returns with another solo album. He left the band shortly after becoming a born
again Christian, stating he didn't want to force his new found beliefs on the rest of
the band or expect them to make music based on his agenda. Likewise, this song gets
his point across without bludgeoning you over the head with it. He has made other records
where his messsage is presented with a lot less subtlety, but here the lyrics are more of
a gentle nudge. And the music is great, especially if you're a fan of bands like Kansas,
Yes, or Genesis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p2-gfDGbTI
79. BORN TO SING-VAN MORRISON w/CHRIS FARLOWE
From an album of duets that revisit some of his lesser known catalog, Van the Man teams
up here with British hitmaker of the 60's Farlowe for this tasty R & B treat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snQOD_UgqX4
78. BONE-KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD
Yeah, I know..nice band name. This band from Australia actually sounds like it came
straight off the stage at Woodstock...the musical equivalent of a tie-dyed shirt. Trippy and
hippie, and goofy enough to win over my ears against my better judgemment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntpt0fq3Jn8
77. COME RAIN, COME SHINE-IVAN AND ALYOSHA
What a pretty song. If this was better known, it would be "our song" for a lot of couples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAtyDdgBT0
76. UMA THURMAN-FALL OUT BOY
Break out the go-go dancers for this one. Seriously..do the frug, the swim, etc.
And how can you resist a song that samples the theme from "The Munsters"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VTxYQL2SbA
75. BLACK AND WHITE-MICHAEL GRIMM
"America's Got Talent" Season 5 winner Grimm scores with this smoky power
ballad. I just like this guy's voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc1DcFLUPmA
74. IT SHOOK ME UP-JD McPHERSON
Not too many artists these days channeling Little Richard, but this one
sounds like an old Specialty Records 45..Alan Freed would've loved this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0hyEu5emzY
73. BREAKFAST AT THE FIGARO-BEN WILKINS
Sophisticated pop with more than a hint of Ben Folds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncTocRl4EGM
72. CHASING THE PAST-THE ZOMBIES
Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent reformed The Zombies a few years back, and have been steadily releasing
music that sounds nothing like an oldies act trying to score a few bucks for nostalgic
baby boomers. It's been consistently good output...this one fuses classical and jazz
elements with a sophisticated melody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKOQzZ4UZpw
71. SAINT CECELIA-FOO FIGHTERS
From an ep released late in the year, this one rawwwks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAVVfAB3-o8
70. THE WRONG YEAR-THE DECEMBERISTS
Chiming guitars and an accordian guide a gentle melody through its course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98XFrVREkm8
69. EVERYTHING'S FINE-THE RAVINES
From one of the most enjoyable albums of the year, this is a power pop
delight full of big beats, ringing guitars and three-part harmony.
The wheel is not reinvented here, but it doesn't need to be in this case.
Note:the video here starts off with a little skit..the song itself doesn't
start until about 1:14 if you want to skip ahead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71sDcLRbOus
68. PENNARIO-GILL LANDRY
Spanish guitars, a sad violin, mariachi horns..this sounds like a song that
might run over the credits of a Clint Eastwood western.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6zwQrM9mKk
67. YOU'D SEE THE THINGS THAT I SEE-STEVE FORBERT
Forbert, who achieved one-hit wonder status with "Romeo's Tune" in 1980,
is still putting out music 35 years later. His voice, never that great to begin with,
has even less shine to it now...but how could I resist this one, sung from John
Lennon's point of view on the day he met Paul McCartney. Forbert imagines (pun slightly
intended) how Lennon might've felt on that July 6th, 1957 day. Wonderful idea for a song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u43vFj4GQvQ
66. HOLD ON (THE BREAK)=WALK OFF THE EARTH
A bouncy, upbeat we-can-take-on-the-world-together anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfW7y_Qk0VY
65. FALLING OUT OF LOVE AGAIN-TIMMY SEAN
Sean in 2015 was pretty prolific, posting a new song every week on the Bandcamp website.
This is a ballad with a lot of John Lennon in its DNA, backed with Beach Boy-ish harmonies.
https://timmysean.bandcamp.com/track/so ... love-again
64. 10,000 EMERALD POOLS-BORNS
Technically, there's a diagonal slash through the O in BORNS, but....
anyway, this is a low-key modern pop entry that glides along quite nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4GrDOOIIbk
63. HOLD ON FOREVER-ROB THOMAS
The Matchbox Twenty singer goes solo again with this gently upbeat ditty. Just one
of those pleasant, harmless pop tunes. Nothing wrong with that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCLN6JuXfpE
62. ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME-COLDPLAY
Their last album was kind of a downer. This one is much brighter in tone. The first single
from it serves as Exhibit A. The video is a little weird, but the song itself cooks along
to a nice little groove.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtXby3twMmI
61. HURT THIS WAY-LIFEHOUSE
Pretty and powerful acoustic number that addresses domestic violence. The banjo adds a nice flavor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymCOY6UkZao
That takes care of our first 20. 60-41 are coming right up...
I enjoyed the most. Again, not necessarily the most creative or artistic,
just the ones that most pleased my ears. And awaaaaay we go!
80. NEW JERUSALEM (FREEDOM IS COMING)-NEAL MORSE
The former leader of Spock's Beard, a band carrying the modern day torch of progressive
rock, returns with another solo album. He left the band shortly after becoming a born
again Christian, stating he didn't want to force his new found beliefs on the rest of
the band or expect them to make music based on his agenda. Likewise, this song gets
his point across without bludgeoning you over the head with it. He has made other records
where his messsage is presented with a lot less subtlety, but here the lyrics are more of
a gentle nudge. And the music is great, especially if you're a fan of bands like Kansas,
Yes, or Genesis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p2-gfDGbTI
79. BORN TO SING-VAN MORRISON w/CHRIS FARLOWE
From an album of duets that revisit some of his lesser known catalog, Van the Man teams
up here with British hitmaker of the 60's Farlowe for this tasty R & B treat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snQOD_UgqX4
78. BONE-KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD
Yeah, I know..nice band name. This band from Australia actually sounds like it came
straight off the stage at Woodstock...the musical equivalent of a tie-dyed shirt. Trippy and
hippie, and goofy enough to win over my ears against my better judgemment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntpt0fq3Jn8
77. COME RAIN, COME SHINE-IVAN AND ALYOSHA
What a pretty song. If this was better known, it would be "our song" for a lot of couples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAtyDdgBT0
76. UMA THURMAN-FALL OUT BOY
Break out the go-go dancers for this one. Seriously..do the frug, the swim, etc.
And how can you resist a song that samples the theme from "The Munsters"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VTxYQL2SbA
75. BLACK AND WHITE-MICHAEL GRIMM
"America's Got Talent" Season 5 winner Grimm scores with this smoky power
ballad. I just like this guy's voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc1DcFLUPmA
74. IT SHOOK ME UP-JD McPHERSON
Not too many artists these days channeling Little Richard, but this one
sounds like an old Specialty Records 45..Alan Freed would've loved this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0hyEu5emzY
73. BREAKFAST AT THE FIGARO-BEN WILKINS
Sophisticated pop with more than a hint of Ben Folds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncTocRl4EGM
72. CHASING THE PAST-THE ZOMBIES
Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent reformed The Zombies a few years back, and have been steadily releasing
music that sounds nothing like an oldies act trying to score a few bucks for nostalgic
baby boomers. It's been consistently good output...this one fuses classical and jazz
elements with a sophisticated melody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKOQzZ4UZpw
71. SAINT CECELIA-FOO FIGHTERS
From an ep released late in the year, this one rawwwks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAVVfAB3-o8
70. THE WRONG YEAR-THE DECEMBERISTS
Chiming guitars and an accordian guide a gentle melody through its course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98XFrVREkm8
69. EVERYTHING'S FINE-THE RAVINES
From one of the most enjoyable albums of the year, this is a power pop
delight full of big beats, ringing guitars and three-part harmony.
The wheel is not reinvented here, but it doesn't need to be in this case.
Note:the video here starts off with a little skit..the song itself doesn't
start until about 1:14 if you want to skip ahead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71sDcLRbOus
68. PENNARIO-GILL LANDRY
Spanish guitars, a sad violin, mariachi horns..this sounds like a song that
might run over the credits of a Clint Eastwood western.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6zwQrM9mKk
67. YOU'D SEE THE THINGS THAT I SEE-STEVE FORBERT
Forbert, who achieved one-hit wonder status with "Romeo's Tune" in 1980,
is still putting out music 35 years later. His voice, never that great to begin with,
has even less shine to it now...but how could I resist this one, sung from John
Lennon's point of view on the day he met Paul McCartney. Forbert imagines (pun slightly
intended) how Lennon might've felt on that July 6th, 1957 day. Wonderful idea for a song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u43vFj4GQvQ
66. HOLD ON (THE BREAK)=WALK OFF THE EARTH
A bouncy, upbeat we-can-take-on-the-world-together anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfW7y_Qk0VY
65. FALLING OUT OF LOVE AGAIN-TIMMY SEAN
Sean in 2015 was pretty prolific, posting a new song every week on the Bandcamp website.
This is a ballad with a lot of John Lennon in its DNA, backed with Beach Boy-ish harmonies.
https://timmysean.bandcamp.com/track/so ... love-again
64. 10,000 EMERALD POOLS-BORNS
Technically, there's a diagonal slash through the O in BORNS, but....
anyway, this is a low-key modern pop entry that glides along quite nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4GrDOOIIbk
63. HOLD ON FOREVER-ROB THOMAS
The Matchbox Twenty singer goes solo again with this gently upbeat ditty. Just one
of those pleasant, harmless pop tunes. Nothing wrong with that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCLN6JuXfpE
62. ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME-COLDPLAY
Their last album was kind of a downer. This one is much brighter in tone. The first single
from it serves as Exhibit A. The video is a little weird, but the song itself cooks along
to a nice little groove.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtXby3twMmI
61. HURT THIS WAY-LIFEHOUSE
Pretty and powerful acoustic number that addresses domestic violence. The banjo adds a nice flavor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymCOY6UkZao
That takes care of our first 20. 60-41 are coming right up...