#5. The Sweet Science

After blasting onto the music scene with their critically-acclaimed “All Hour Cymbals” back in 2007, Brooklyn rockers Yeasayer put together their latest album with all the urgency of a DMV clerk. While the band busied themselves with touring, partying, and posing for the obligatory “uninterested band leaning against a wall” group shot, music fans from Red Hook to Fort Greene could only fill the intervening months by growing moustaches and pretending to really like Animal Collective. So it was that 2010’s “Odd Blood” was one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and its lead single “Ambling Alp” is the #5 song on our countdown.

#5. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp

Unlike so many songs, “Ambling Alp” is actually about something: boxing. The song’s title is a reference to Primo Carnera, an Italian-American heavyweight champion who earned the nickname “The Ambling Alp” due to his impressive height. The avuncular adages and grandfatherly advice that comprise much of the lyrics are homage to lead singer Chris Keating’s grandfather, a one-time journeyman boxer. They hearken back to a day when men were men, doctors recommended cigarettes, and Communists were a threat other than in the realm of political hyperbole.

Musically, Yeasayer come into the bout in fighting shape. This bouncy track is all about the percussion, and  the drums open up with a flurry of combinations guaranteed to leave the listener dazed and on the ropes from the opening bell. The distinctive swinging feel is evoked by the usage of 12/8 time, wherein each beat is broken into three parts instead of the usual two. Anchored by this unique meter, the soundscape is further punctuated by sound effects from rushing water to something that sounds like C-3PO burping.

Against this dynamic backdrop, the vocals cut out cleanly and surely, unafraid to go toe-to-toe with the one-two punch of the driving beat and relentless keyboards. The cumulative effect is Tyson in his prime: a first-round knockout. "Ambling Alp" is a feel-good song that, while it may not have shaken up the world in 2010, shook my subwoofer with enough frequency to earn the title of #5 song of the year.