R&P: Let's decide -- What are the best songs of 2009 (Round 1 - Part 3)?

Ensiferum vs. Converge

This is the first one where I have already heard both songs. "Stone Cold Metal" has that very interesting "western" portion, but "Dark Horse" destroys worlds. 'Axe to Fall' is pretty easily the best album of the year in my opinion, and "Dark Horse" is the ideal opener. It has everything: emotion, power, excitement, and motion. One of the best tracks of the year, by one of the best bands of the decade. "Dark Horse" by a mile. And a half. This coming from the one that suggested "Stone Cold Metal"

Grizzly Bear vs. Telekinesis

"Two Weeks" starts out quite nice. not trying to do too much, but doing what it does well enough. It has kind of an "old school" vibe to it, and the falsetto vocals, while they skirt the boundary of my personal taste, are not particularly offensive to the ear. As you said, there are some very nice melodies and harmonies. Not bad at all. "Coast of Carolina" starts out nice enough, though and seems fairly well put-together, with some very nice sounds. again, not trying too hard, but having a nice flow. This is actually a pretty good match-up, with both songs surprisingly good. "Two weeks gets the edge, though for being a little more interesting.

Animal Collective vs. Generationalists

As I said in Part 2, "My Girls" is the song by Animal Collective that I actually do like. It is quite interesting, with a nice pulse to it, and very nice, somewhat ethereal vocals, and it's catchy in a good way. Overall, actually a very good song. "When They Fight, They Fight" starts off a little annoying. I guess I just don't like what they are doing with it. It's not terrible, but If I want that kind of music, I'll listen to a band that actually did back in the day. "My Girls" wins pretty easily.

Lily Allen vs. St. Vincent

"The Fear"'s beat is interesting, and good enough during the chorus, though it breaks down a little between. The vocals are for the most part unnotable, sometimes slipping into my "unpleasant" range, but for the most part, alright. The whole song, actually, is petty forgettable. I don't hate it, but I doubt that I would choose to listen to it again. "The Strangers", n the other hand, while a little simpler, immediately strikes me as more engaging. The beat seems a little more "driving", the instrumentals a little more interesting, and overall, just a little more "present". This is built up much more in the second half, and this song definitely goes somewhere, rather than just kind of existing. "The Strangers" wins pretty solidly.

Manic Street Preachers vs.B'z

"Peeled Apples" comes off right at the beginning as being very present, and very active. As it enters the meat of the song, it mellows a little into more standard rock fare, though the driving bassline remains. Vocals aren't my favorite, and the structure of the song seems pretty used, though the break in the middle adds a little interest. "Dive comes off as a little obnoxious straight from the beginning, though this one too mellows out a little, but this time benefits from the change. The non-lyrical vocals ("lalalalala") in this one really disagree with me, which really hurts it, because they are such a big piece of the song. The solo seems pretty out of place, too. "Peeled Apples" by a little.

No Hope Kids by Wavves I like the Yoko. I would rather have the Yoko shrieking than the Yoko sex sounds but I'm mature and we all make them so that isn't the reason I'm voting for the other. I just really like the Wavves. It's something I'd probably have in heavy rotation if I had it. So, I guess I'll be getting it. You Dissolve by The Thermals Maybe against a different song On a Highway would've been more appealing to me. I really enjoyed You Dissolve and I think that I might have know those kids in the video when I was 12 or 13. "Come Monday Night" by Stuart Murdoch I think this song is great. It sounds kind of Ye-ye. The Modest Mouse is a repetitive drone. I Knew by Lightning Dust Sophie's choice. The Visitor" by Jim O'Rourke The other one seems meh.

Converge - Dark Horse (The other song wasn't terrible, but I'm really not a fan of that type of metal, it just sounds a bit cheesy.)

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks (Good match-up, but I like Two Weeks more. Probably because I've listened to it a lot over the past few months though haha.)

Generationals - When They Fight, They Fight (Since I already voted for an Animal Collective song, and I really liked this catchy tune, I'll give it to them.)

St. Vincent - The Strangers (I love this tune, it was definitely the standout on the album for me. Glad to see that people are liking it.)

Manic Street Preachers - Peeled Apples (I haven't listened to any Manics albums since The Holy Bible, but I'm really digging this song.)

1: You've mistranslated Enisferum, it actually means 'Nintendo music and silly vocals'. This style of metal is just no good. I like the whistling thing in the middle though. Oooh and now a piano, this is getting decent actually. Piano and whistling! Song is totally redeeming itself. Is that a banjo? Right on. Oops, back to senseless yelling. I don't understand this Converge song. Why bother singing if it's going to be turned down so low in relation to the music? It's like the band is in your front yard and the singer is down the block.

Stone Cold Metal.

2: The first song left me feeling meh. I thought the second one would too but then the guitar kicked in.

Coast Of Carolina.

3: I really don't get this band Animal Collective. I've listened to quite a bit of their music now and I just don't like it. The opening of the other song reminded me of Motown, liking this. And now a singer like the girl groups from the early 60s. Yay!

When They Fight, They Fight

4: Wow a song I've actually heard before. I really missed out on music from 2009. It's pretty fun, better than most of her other songs. Lily Allen is alright for what she is, I think people try to take her as a 'serious' artist, at which point she of course is no good. If you think of her as a literate Britney Spears she's not bad. The other one is just alright. Wait just a minute, at about the 2:30 mark it starts getting great. Not as immediately accessible as the Lily Allen song but I like it better

The Strangers.

5: I've been meaning to buy this Manic Street Preachers album after someone posted some songs from it a while back. This song is dope! Love the guitar and the drums. Definitely my favorite song from this thing so far. Is the DJ talking part of the song? How odd, sounds like it was taped off the radio. The B'z song is cool too but I like my rock to straight rock and the poppyness of the chorus doesn't do that.

Peeled Apples.

Hi Waves! :)

Match Up 1: Converge

Match Up 2: Telekinesis

Match Up 3: Animal Collective

Match Up 4: St. Vincent

Match Up 5: Manic Street Preachers

Dark Horse

Two Weeks

My Girls

The Fear

Peeled Apples

i'll vote on the rest of these in a bit but for now:

3- when they fight they fight- can one of my obscure picks pull the upset and beat the amount of stock votes that animal collective will get just for being animal collective? we shall see... one thing i am sure of: indie rock fans need to keep an eye on the "park the van" label

ok the rest

1. dark horse

primarily because i hated the other one. it felt like it came out of a bad video game.

2. two weeks

with that cool opening to coast of carolina, i thought i might actually have to think about this one. then the actual song started.

4. the strangers

the opening to the fear was kinda cool actually, and then the actual song started.

5. peeled apples

dive was just so cheesey, manic street preachers didnt do much for me, but they still win in a run away.

Converge

Two Weeks

My Girls

St. Vincent

Peeled Apples

"Dark Horse" - Converge

I don't know.....

"Coast of Carolina" - Telekinesis

Grizzly Bear is so overrated. "Coast of Carolina" is a beautiful song. I've decided to root for my nominations.

"When They Fight, They Fight" - Generationals

I'll like sugar. Sweetness is better than blandness.

"The Strangers" - St. Vincent

I enjoyed Lilly Allen's first album because it was fun...meaningless fun but still fun. Her new one and that song are just dead.

"Peeled Apples" - Manic Street Preachers

WAIT. Do not close the question. I want to answer this. lol But right now it's 2AM and I am a little tired.

But wait, how come Jimmy Jazz call Ensiferum Nintendo music, their new album is awesome! Petri Lindroos is just a great musician, I don't care what anyone says. Not Nintendo music, GOOD MUSIC.

Also, David's answer made me laugh. The metal wore him down. Hahaha I love that dude. R&P Always makes me laugh.