Five for Friday

Tonight... five songs I can't get out of my head:

1. The Almost - Hands - from the album Monster Monster. It's a potent song with one of the catchiest hooks in the current crop of rock radio. The video is well worth viewing (but warning - you might be singing "whoa-oh oh-oh oh" for the next 24 hours).

2. DJ Earworm - Blame It on the Pop (United States of Pop 2009). Every year, DJ Earworm produces a mashup of the top 25 songs of the year (as determined by Billboard charts). This past year's mashup is the best he's ever released. Not only did he mix 25 different songs together into one fluid tune, he spliced the lyrics into one cohesive mass as if it was written by one lyricist and one singular composer.

3. FM Static - Take Me as I am - from the album Dear Diary. This is another mind welding piece of modern rock goodness. It is a song the begs you to sing along. And I do (at least I do in the car - ask my wife, she'll confirm that factiod). This is an example of what I call simplistic complexity. The repetitive piano melody, basic drum beats, universal lyrics about longing for acceptance.... On their own the parts are ordinary, yet together it's a dynamic and compelling composition.

4. NeedToBreathe - Something Beautiful - from the album The Outsiders. I can't stop listening to this song. Really, I can't. It's like a drug. I may need therapy. But it's so calming and soothing. It's great to listen to when you need to relax (which currently seems to be a great need in my life).

5. Pantless Knights - Entrepreneur State of Mind (New Dork) - Spoof? Parody? Genius? First, I must say I like Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind, but the Pantless Knights take the song to new levels of awesome. Plus the dude's beard is epic. This song (the dork version) has been rattling inside my cranium since a friend of mine posted it on facebook Wednesday afternoon. And since I've spent the last two days hibernating in the land of data, New Dork seems the fitting theme to start my weekend.