The Best Songs in Dallas Music, 2009: "Five Minutes" Is All Binary Sunrise Needs at No. 13.

[Editor's Note: Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be presenting my favorite local songs of the year, counting down from No. 25 to No. 1, one track a day. Right now, though, we take an in-depth look at song No. 13 on the list--and feel free to click after...

By Pete Freedman

December 21, 2009

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[Editor's Note: Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be presenting my favorite local songs of the year, counting down from No. 25 to No. 1, one track a day. Right now, though, we take an in-depth look at song No. 13 on the list--and feel free to click after the jump for a free download of the track. Lastly, keep checking back to see how the list pans out, and, also after the jump, check out songs No. 40-26 in the Top 40 list that will update as it grows...]

No. 13: Binary Sunrise -- "Five Minutes"

It starts with what seems like a simple enough bassline--just an undulating, penetrating bounce to get the foot tapping away. But by the time Binary Sunrise's "Five Minutes" comes to its conclusion, that simple bassline proves more like a backbone, the support beam in an oddball pop track that will work its way into the innermost workings of your mind, grabbing ahold of whatever it can, and fighting valiantly to never relinquish its grasp.

Bonus mp3:

Binary Sunrise -- "Five Minutes"

We've made no secret about out feelings on the matter: "Five Minutes" has long been among our favorite regional songs of the year. The credit for as much goes out to far more than just the bassline; there's the sonic freakouts during the chorus, the howl with which frontman Kenneth Kemp speaks his mind, even the whole idea of the song. It all adds up to a spitfire combination, with Kemp coming off like a tweaker just trying to get his fix.

Be it as a band onstage or simply as a man trying to find his match, Kemp's pleas for the listener to give him "just five minutes" aren't cloying, but somehow charming. Like Jonathan Richman's oddball pop, Kemp's musical ability to toe this cloying/charming line is a fine asset to boast--and he uses this asset deftly, both on this song and throughout Binary Sunrise's sumer-released debut album.

Indeed, the greatest part of this song may be its own, perhaps accidental, cleverness. Throughout it, Kemp is begging for five minutes of attention. But just three-minutes and 43 seconds after its start, he's done. Turns out, maybe, he didn't need that whole stretch of time to get his point across.

One thing's for sure, though: On a song like this, neither does his audience.

The Top 40 Local Songs of 2009 (Links to music videos and free song downloads available where applicable; links to streams where neither a download nor video exists.)
40. The Wax Museums -- "Safety in Numbers"
39. Macon Greyson -- "Pushing Strings"
38. The Burning Hotels -- "Austin's Birthday" (video)
37. The Riverboat Gamblers -- "DissDissDissKissKissKiss" (video)
36. Salim Nourallah -- "Endless Dream Days"
35. The Phuss -- "Preacher, Preacher"
34. The Southern Sea -- "These Things Always End Badly"
33. Fungi Girls -- "Pacifica Nostalgia"
32. Giggle Party -- "Jason Bought a Hatchet" (video)
31. Carter Albrecht -- "Country Living" (stream)
30. This Old House -- "At Risk"
29. Occult Detective Club -- "You'll Follow Me"
28. Bad Sports -- "Nothing But Agitation"
27. Darktown Strutters -- "Quakertown"
26. The Crash That Took Me -- "Patricia Lynn" (stream)
25. Red Monroe -- "Pat Mayse Lake"
24. Danny Balis -- "Tethered"
23. Sleep Whale -- "Cotton Curls"
22. PVC Street Gang -- "Cutlass" (video)
21. Air Review -- "Jura"
20. Xrabit & Damaged Good$ -- "Follow the Leader" (video)
19. Doug Burr -- "The Righteous Will Rejoice"
18. Seryn -- "We Will All Be Changed"
17. galleryCat -- "Say Say Say"
16. Sunnybrook -- "Waving Hands"
15. The O's -- "You've Got Your Heart"
14. Ishi -- "Pastel Lights"
13. Binary Sunrise -- "Five Minutes"
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...and be sure to keep checking back, as this list will update daily

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