The Best Songs in Dallas Music, 2010: With Some Help From Sarah Jaffe, The Flowers of God Channel The Velvet Underground at No. 22

[Over the next few weeks, we'll be presenting our favorite local songs of the year, counting down from No. 25 to No. 1, one track a day. Today we take an in-depth look at song No. 22 on the list -- and, please, feel free to click after the jump for a free download of the track. Keep checking back to see how the list pans out as we move closer to No. 1. And, after the jump, check out songs No. 50-23 in the Top 50 list that will update as it grows...]

The Flowers of God still haven't even played their first show -- a problem frontman and former Lift to Experience drummer Andy Young promises to remedy on December 17 at Denton's Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios -- but with just four songs to their name, the band, which also features members of The Baptist Generals, Bosque Brown, History at Our Disposal, Stumptown and The Deathray Davies, has established itself as an act worth watching in the months and years to come.

Yes, its EP In & Out of Love with The Flowers of God is that impressive of a debut, thanks to its slackerish, early '70s-recalling vibe -- a vibe pushed to the front and center of the band's "Tunnelvisionary" track, which finds the band getting a little assist from Denton's pride and joy d'jour.

Bonus mp3:

Thing is, heart-melting as Sarah Jaffe's vocal assist may be when she checks in to take over Young's lead vocal duties about halfway through the song, her efforts here are just the icing on an already delectable cake.

Backwards-looking music everywhere these days, but The Flowers of God's effort stands out not because of the fact that it recalls a certain time, but rather because, out of context, it could easily be mistaken for being of the era it evokes. Credit the fine musicianship of this collective, but also Young's Lou Reed-ish vocal drawl for that much.

And, OK, credit Jaffe, too: In her duet and vocal interplay here with Young, she offers up a tender register not seen on her own work, coming across almost as an entirely different performer. Conscious or not, that change in pitch is yet another key to this song's endearing retro nature.

All in all, it adds up to the best local love song of the year. Even if we're not altogether clear on what a tunnelvisionary is.

The Top 50 Local Songs of 2010 (Links to music videos and free song downloads available where applicable; links to streams where neither a download nor video exists.)
50. Dear Human - "Waiting"
49. Nervous Curtains - "All Yesterday's Parties"
48. Spector 45 - "Try Try Try"
47. Smile Smile - "Beg You To Stay"
46. Robert Gomez - "A Natural State"
45. Florene - "Parc Bitch"
44. Mount Righteous - "Eat Your Wife and Kiss The Barbecue"
43. The Strange Boys - "Be Brave"
42. Soft Environmental Collapse - "A Horse & Buggy Complex"
41. Deepspace5 - "Killing With Kindness"
40. Sextape -- "Lubricated Intimacy"
39. Museum Creatures - "Song ABC"
38. Ocelot - "Beating Hears"
37. Sir Silky - "The Squeeze (The Answer)"
36. Bone - "Homegurl"
35. Ishi - "Come Closer"
34. Hoyotoho - "Born Black"
33. Dorrough - "Get Big"
32. Katie Carroll - "Paper Girl"
31. Final Club - "Ruded"
30. Treal Lee & Prince Rick - "Throwed Off (Fuck Errbody)"
29. South San Gabriel - "All Night Long"
28. The Rocket Summer - "Walls"
27. Darktown Strutters - "Lucifer Rising"
26. School of Seven Bells - "Windstorm"
25. Damaged Good$ -- "WEHATEDAMAGEDGOOD$TOO"
24. The Burning Hotels -- "Austin's Birthday"
23. Doug Burr - "At The Public Dance"
22.

The Flowers of God 

The Flowers of God 

The Flowers of God 

The Flowers of God 

The Flowers of God 

The Flowers of God 

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