The Metaphorical Boat's Top Songs of 2014 - 10-6

We now plunge straight into the top 10, with some of the best songs of the year, from 10-6, plus a little bit about why exactly they float The Metaphorical Boat:

10. Eels - Parallels

I'm genuinely surprised that "Parallels" by Eels was never really pushed as a single/buzz track/stream enticer in 2014, as it's the best song that Mark Oliver Everett has committed to tape in yonks. The song is a tribute to his quantum mechanist father's Parallel Worlds Theory, with the song imagining that there is a timeline out there where he is still alive and happy. A song that is absolutely stunning in its simplicity.



9. In An Instant - Something Right and Something Real

After getting us incredibly excited with a batch of demos last year, Bangor boys In An Instant finally gave us their first set of official tracks this year, with the highlight being "Something Right & Something Real". The song sees the band meld rock with electronic production in such a way that hadn't been done so successfully by a local act since fellow Bangor boys Two Door Cinema Club.



8. The War on Drugs - Red Eyes

The 2nd track from The War on Drugs to make the countdown. "Red Eyes" is a driving rock tune that has one foot in the 80s and one in the here and now.

7. Go Swim - Call Sign

"Call Sign" by Go Swim can best be described as a manic version of "Inhaler" by Foals. Vocalists Steven and Julianne perform dual lead vocals, singing manic, alternating lyrics which both compliment and oppose each other at the same time, whilst the rhythm of the track changes from intense to danceable almost at the drop of a hat, without feeling jarring or out of place. It felt like a real breath of fresh air when it came out in February, and many months later it still retains that intensity and instantness.

6. Billy Lockett – Old Man

It takes a lot for a song to make your humble captain cry, but Billy Lockett managed to do that with "Old Man", a heartfelt tribute to his father, who died earlier this year. It is an absolutely gorgeous piano-pop song that had all the hallmarks of a monster radio hit about it, and although it did not become the ultimate smash that it deserved to be, it did touch a lot of people emotionally, myself included.