ILM's Top 77 Tracks of 2014

http://i.imgur.com/0ZSuvFu.jpg

26 KIRA ISABELLA "Quarterback" [370 points, 10 votes]
http://youtu.be/tUQ2ltrdkTw

Jessie Ware always has a top production but as I wrote previously she doesn't seem to do many interesting vocal melodies with it. She definitely has the range to get on top of the song instead of just surfing on the backing track. Still, love this.

Is Julio Bashmore still producing her?

Have I missed a Spotify playlist of things placing here? Am on mobile and loading the whole thread crashes my browser. Anyone?

i love the sentiment of this song but don't like the song itself that much tbh

same

lol wut

gd song

huh.

spotify http://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/57m9LpUGkWDzGOiIgNsTeR

Thanks Grady!

oh i like everything about quarterback, glad it made the 77

wow three consecutive votes of mine. this was my #2 and it's both incredibly powerful as art and incredible important as social commentary.

Kira Isabella - Quarterback (country takes on Steubenville, rape culture)

thank forks, he's tending to it

yay for Quarterback

surprised this is so low, was kind of hoping it'd be in the top ten

this was the excellent article where i first read about "quarterback" http://www.wonderingsound.com/feature/kira-isabella-quarterback-country-radio-date-rape/

and katherine st asaph's blurb at the singles jukebox (linked in the ilx thread) is brilliant writing as well

Thanks Forks! :)

love this song so much though

This is the worst song to place so far imho.

I think I'm country pop impaired because every song in this genre I've heard all sounds the same to me.

I'm happy it adds to the diversity of our poll

really enjoyed those flop-takes, thanks

― gr8080, Wednesday, January 21, 2015 2:28 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

thx gr8s, lovin' the rollout. my girl was over this morning and the whole time i was trying to stealth read this thread on my phone, she was like "wtf are you doing" lol

the end of that spotify url looks like the random letter creating AI is trying to spell gangster

Is this the only country to place so far?

I don't know if this classifies as country-pop. This sounds like American radio fodder for me.

flopson ur grievous error is not getting ur 'girl' into the traxpoll

yes such a radio-friendly track this one is

Damn, I'd seen a bit of talk about this song but oh wow. An uncomfortable listen in a good way. I like how it sets itself up as a "You Belong With Me" type thing then totally flips it.

Turned off 'Quarterback' because I'm pretty sure it's leading up to a rape scene, and I don't think I really want to listen to that right now, thanks. Maybe a trigger warning would be handy? I totally don't think it's inappropriate, in fact it's good that someone does want to sing about tough topics, but I was feeling incredibly unhappy just then.

songs about date rape, your usual radio fodder

lol xp

anyway this song is really heartbreaking, devastating, glad it placed even if i'm not surprised. i voted for it.

actually yeah emil.y is right that it prob could use a trigger warning :/

they play sublime's date rape on alt stations

"He was a quarterbaaaack". Could be a burger flipper too, or paperboy. I don't even know where to begin with this rubbish, this ain't for me.

And Emily otm

'quarterback' is the key part though, bc QBs are the golden boys of middle america at the high school and collegiate level

well turns out he was a quarterback, get over it

british

Yeah this isn't meant for me at all.

Oh this song is about rape? Is that what it has going on that makes it so special? I wasn't paying attention to the lyrics, changed song halfway because it sounded like commercial radio fodder to me, I guess the lyrical content is obviously not suitable but you can't deny it sounds like any other country-pop song released this year, rape lyrics apart.

it's ok, i didn't hate it when i first listened to it (during nom process) but i'm skeptical of its social commentary value - it seems to be a pretty widespread trope now. maybe the novelty is doing it in [nominally] country music where maybe this kind of thing doesn't have the same kind of ubiquity.

"He was a quarterbaaaack". Could be a burger flipper too, or paperboy. I don't even know where to begin with this rubbish, this ain't for me.

― a pleasant little psychedelic detour in the elevator (Amory Blaine), Wednesday, January 21, 2015 7:38 PM (12 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

about the most ignorant thing it's even possible to post about this song

no, he couldn't be anything other than a football player. firstly, the protagonists in the actual real life events the song was inspired by were football players. secondly, this is a song about social status and how it intersects with rape culture: as a quarterback (not a burger flipper or a paperboy!) he's put on a pedestal by the whole school and the whole town, which is why they believe him and not some band nerd girl.

all right this is definitely a cool way to talk about this song xxpost

He was a centre half! He was a right back!

I'm all for anti-rape songs or just songs commenting on the experience for victims to relate. Not a fan of the music medium they chose.

'quarterback' is the key part though, bc QBs are the golden boys of middle america at the high school and collegiate level

― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Wednesday, January 21, 2015 8:40 PM (27 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That's exactly what I hated about this. Thought this was a cliche? And I don't even know what a quarterback actually does or entails, I don't understand American football (lol European). Is it like Josh Hartnett in Virgin Suicides? A sports heartthrob turning vile or something?

is it a cliche bc it actually happens irl

aren't you Noodle Vague? ur being uncharacteristically tone deaf right now xp

i mean i know the british thing but still, lex gets it

Lex, I'd never thought I'd say this, but for you - always claiming ignorance about sports except tennis - lecturing someone about what a quarterback is, is hilarious.

Xp got it, thanks Brad