Best of 2010 – Keegan Dewitt’s Top Ten Songs

1. “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry
This song is pretty perfect. I’m always a really big fan of a song that essentially repeats the same thing musically, but drops changes in that only speak to your guts. This song could make a bald scientist feel like he’s about to meet the woman he’s going to marry.”

2. “Baby I’m Yours (ft. Irfane)” by Breakot
Breakbot is one of the most exciting producers working right now. While the LA record execs are busy thinking they are being inventive by giving all the new records to Danger Mouse, Breakbot will just keep on quietly making incredible hits like this. Until his new record comes out on…”

3. “Golden Train” by Penguin Prison
Penguin Prison is another amazing artist thriving in a dance scene that is outworking and outclassing popular music right now. This is one of a couple songs he released in 2010 that were just straight up hits.

4. “No Strings (produced by Classixx)” by Mayer Hawthorne
Classixx is a yet another set of producers that have been doing solid solid stuff for the past couple of years. Here they take Mayer Hawthorne and really nail it. Classixx has an LP forthcoming next year and people should be genuinely excited. These guys, along with Breakbot, are easily the most talented people working right now that not enough people are talking about.”

5. “Bombay” by El Guincho
Most blog-savvy people know El Guincho from their controversial video for this song (linked above), but overall, this record is a truly diverse and exciting release for 2010. There just isn’t that much like this happening that is hitting American ears currently.

6. “Holidays” by Miami Horror
Not to keep repeating myself, but how is this song not charting as a hit in the US? Because the dance seen is so rich with talent right now. Miami Horror has tons of promise, and here they enlist some Luther Vandross samples to prove their point.”

7. “Goodbye England” by Laura Marling
Tough to argue with this song. I prefer Laura Marling when it’s a bit more tender and constructed like this track. This song really helped me sneak my way into the new record, which lacked some of that tenderness for me. Stunningly simple arrangements throughout too.

8. “Excuses” by Morning Benders
This song is really stunning. There is so much aping of the Ronettes and other string-laden hit-makers and this is truly the first, in my opinion, to come close.”

9. “Timshel” by Mumford & Sons
Perhaps this is a sentimental pick for me in that my sister is named Timshel, but this is a beautiful song none-the-less. For me, this song really show Mumford & Songs when they are at their best. My first encounter of them was at SXSW a few years back when they were playing all of the dirty dive slots during the week. I caught one, then another, then another, each time bringing along a new person. The shame would be if they got lumped in with Americana as they seem want to do, because, as this track shows pretty vividly, they are way to dynamic and interesting for that, especially live.”

10. “Ain’t Good Enough For You” by Bruce Springsteen
Hidden on the second disc of The Promise is this absolute gem by Bruce. This song can make a room of hipsters dance and sweat, it can make a grown man feel a spark start in his heart, it bridges that divide, like the majority of Bruce’s great stuff. When I first head this track a few weeks back I had that special thrill I did the first time I heard all the other truly incredible tracks he’s written. That jump in your heart ‘what IS this?!?!?!”. So good.

Keegan DeWitt is a film composer and recording artist from Nashville, TN and New York. He has scored the Independent Spirit Award nominated “Quiet City” and can be heard scoring “Cold Weather” out in February via IFC. His latest release is a limited edition 7″ titled “Two Hearts / Reluctance” on Theory 8 Records. This follows up his “Nothing Shows” EP, the first record of original material to be released via the heralded Daytrotter brand.