#1 - Cadets - A Drop in the Ocean
Number one. Numero uno. The first, the best, the alpha on a list of amazingness. For five long years, the #1 song spot has been owned by upbeat, poppy alt-rock anthems that have generally served to provide joy in times of hopelessness and happiness abundant. That trend has been broken in 2014, not by a thunderous metal tune but by an electronic, space-rock style jam from the duo of Cadets.
Cadets is the brainchild of former Ocean is Theory singer Josh Williams and producer Adam Smith. While the other members of Ocean is Theory went on to form Young Edison, Williams met up with Smith and released an EP in late 2013 before coming up with an absolutely brilliant business model for 2014. Balking at the idea of traditional record releases, the band decided to release a new song every full moon of 2014. While their spacey love songs range from low hundreds to the 8000+ on "A Drop in the Ocean", it's a brilliant concept for a small band in a new age of technology. Each song has an accompanying YouTube video, and both "A Drop in the Ocean" and "Island" have received a decent amount of airplay on Radio U. I also enjoy the tracks "Daylight", "Stay" and "Empire of Stars", as well as their electronic take on The Cranberries hit "Zombie".
But as is with many albums, your first love often lasts the longest. "A Drop in the Ocean" was an unstoppable juggernaut in 2014; starting slow and finishing with an outstanding flourish of awesomeness. While "Alienation" might have been the early favorite to take the crown, "A Drop in the Ocean" simply would not be stopped. The song opens up with massive soaring synths, deep bass notes and Williams' deep crooning voice. A perfect space song about finding a never-ending love. A drop in the ocean that never stops it's motion. The early beeping keys pulse through the entire song and push it to its highest limits while the bass drives the song down into your soul. And to top everything off, Williams finishes (and opens, if you listen closely) the song with perhaps the line of the year: "It's a Friday funeral, it's a Sunday all alone". What an amazing song. I immediately went to their page and downloaded the song when I first heard it, and I haven't looked back. I can honestly say that this might be one of the strongest #1's as far as lasting effort goes, but of course only time will tell on that one.
Title: A Drop in the Ocean
Artist: Cadets
Album: A Drop in the Ocean
Previous #1s
2013: Surfer Blood - Demon Dance
2012: Fun. - Some Nights
2011: Young The Giant - My Body
2010: Hockey - Song Away
2009: Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
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