The top mp3s have gone through many incarnations since the beginning of Consequence of Sound in 2007. What used to be an exhaustive roundup of all the singles, remixes, covers, and undiscovered gems emailed to us any given week evolved into a compilation whittled down to our 10 favorite new songs. For 2013, we’re again changing up the format with the hope of giving our selections some added weight. We’re still posting about our 10 favorite songs, but they’ll be ordered in quality from 10-1. Who takes home #1 this week? You’ll have to click ‘Next’ to find out.
10. Man Or Astro-Man? – “Communication Breakdown Pt. II”
If they’ve proven anything in their intermittently active 30-plus years, it’s that Man or Astro-Man? are not afraid of embracing a theme (or punctuated band names), thriving in the outer space motif. The sci-fi fascination continues on “Communication Breakdown Pt. II”, wobbly guitars playing in the reverb-drenched space, heavy bass and pounding drums acting as the warp drive. While Major Tom and ground control had their communication issues, but frontman Star Crush (aka Brian Causey) doesn’t seem to be getting any assistance: “I radiate, you disintegrate / Keeps breaking up, do you respond?” Like surfing through a blackhole, the track will bend your mind but in a totally tubular way. This is the second cut from Defcon…5…4…3…2…1, the Alabamans’ first new album in 12 years. -Adam Kivel
