I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza Part 2: The Top 40 Singles

Imagine me talking like I'm Kasey Kasem and I'm introducing America's Top 40. Now, this may be a little harder to imagine, but humor me, and imagine that America's Top 40 was filled with great rock and roll songs from the past year. Perhaps, it would go something like this... Numbers 1-10 1. Tv On The Radio - Wolf Like Me 2. 120 Days - Come Out (Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone) (MP3) 3. Oneida - Up With People (MP3) 4. Hot Chip - The Warning 5. Jim Noir - Eanie Meany 6. Ladyhawk - The Dugout (MP3) 7. Arctic Monkeys - A Certain Romance 8. Trainwreck Riders - In And Out Of Love (MP3) 9. Pablo - Loser Crew (MP3) 10. Band of Horses - The Funeral (MP3) Man, if only the rest of Cookie Mountain hit me like "Wolf Like Me," it would have easily been album of the year. As it is, Cookie Mountain couldn't pass the "Next button test" and it'll have to settle for the top single. There's something about "The Warning" by Hot Chip at Number 4. That something is how they're so polite about beating your ass. Love it. At Number 9, "Loser Crew" by Pablo was my favorite low self-esteem, everything blows song of 2006. Numbers 11-20 11. Archie Bronson Outfit - Dart For My Sweetheart 12. David Vandervelde - Jacket (MP3) 13. Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye 14. Bobby Bare, Jr. - Stop Cryin' 15. Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives 16. The Black Angels - Bloodhounds On My Trail 17. The Thermals - Pillar of Salt (MP3) 18. Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks (MP3) 19. Houseguest - Muted Mesa 20. The Magic Words - Mayflies David Vandervelde does the best Marc Bolan since Marc Bolan with "Jacket." Silversun Pickups, The Black Angels, The Thermals, and Oxford Collapse fill the second ten with fantastic levels of guitar noise. At 19, "Muted Mesa" by Houseguest was re-recorded for their 2006 release, High Strangeness. It's one of those songs that requires the repeat (a sure fire sign of top single material). Numbers 21-30 21. Think About Life - Paul Cries 22. Mission of Burma - Nancy Reagan's Head 23. Beaten Awake - Bubble Bath of Sharks 24. Film School - Like You Know 25. Forward Russia - Nine 26. Black Keys - Strange Desire 27. Hopewell - Beautiful Targets (MP3) 28. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Mercy 29. Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs (MP3) 30. Ratatat - Wildcat At Number 22, Mission of Burma, had one of my favorite lines of the year in "I'm haunted by the freakish size of Nancy Reagan's head/No way that thing came with that body." It's so much fun to sing along with. "Mercy," by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, appeared on the Howl Outtake's ep, released early in the year. It's one of those songs that some amazing way escaped mentioin on I Rock Cleveland. My bad dudes. Numbers 31-40 31. Say Hi To Your Mom - Blah Blah Blah Blah 32. Two Gallants - Steady Rollin 33. Lions In The Street - Mine Ain't Yours 34. This Moment In Black History - Garbage In/Garbage Out (MP3) 35. Catfish Haven - Crazy For Leaving (MP3) 36. The Horrors - Sheena Is A Parasite 37. Fields - Song For The Fields 38. The Futureheads - Skip To The End 39. Radio Birdman - We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today) 40. The New Lou Reeds - Looking For A Boogaloo This Moment in Black History at 34 and The New Lou Reeds at 40, are two shining examples of the kind of Cleveland rock and roll music I've been championing this past year. There's not much pretty about these tunes, but, hey man, it's rock and roll music, and rock and roll music isn't always pretty. Still to come during I Rock Cleveland's Year End Extravaganza Bonanza is the year in Cleveland Rock, as well as those highly anticipated year end awards.