Long Island Sound: The year’s top 5 songs with LI roots
Brian Setzer sang this year to "The Girl With the Blues in Her Eyes." Credit: Tony Nelson
The Long Island Sound grew ever more eclectic and more accomplished in 2015. Here’s a look at some of the year’s top songs:
1. Brian Setzer, “The Girl With the Blues in Her Eyes” (Surfdog): The gorgeous ballad with the Massapequa native’s distinctive rockabilly guitar twang may be one of the best songs Setzer has ever written, as strong as anything the Stray Cats or the Orchestra has ever offered.
2. Brand New, “Mene” (Procrastinate!): Nothing sounds quite as good as Jesse Lacey screaming, “We don’t feel anything! We don’t feel anything!” Well, maybe Jesse Lacey saying, “The record is done.”
3. Public Enemy, “Man Plans God Laughs” (SPIT Digital): Never mind the influence PE had on Kendrick Lamar’s album. Chuck D and the guys keep moving forward triumphantly.
4. Melanie Martinez, “Pity Party” (Atlantic): The Baldwin native’s major-label debut is filled with clever pop mixed with elements of trap and, yes, even Lesley Gore.
5. Matthew Koma, “So (Expletive) Romantic” (RCA): Lighthearted, good-humored dance music from the Seaford native. And that sax!
HONORABLE MENTION: John Nolan, “I’ll Be Home Soon” (Collective Confusion); Jeff LeBlanc, “Lost Tonight” (Jeff LeBlanc); Gabrielle Sterbenz, “The Breakup” (FancyGirlMusic); Butchers Blind, “A Place in America” (Electric Giant); Gianni Paci, “Too Good to Be True” (Gianni Paci)
