The Best Songs in Dallas Music, 2010: With An Assist From "Young Folks," Sore Losers Free Loads Its Way to No. 15

By Pete Freedman Tue., Dec. 14 2010 at 2:53 PM

[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. 15 on the list -- and, please, feel free to click after the jump to grab a free download of the track. Also after the jump, check out songs No. 50-16 in the Top 50 list that will update as it grows...]

Yes, we've written a lot about these guys and their frequent collaborators (A.Dd+, Damaged Good$, Fizzy Dino Pop, et al) over the past year or so. But for good reason. See, once you get past the songs of the slowly dying D-Town Boogie, it becomes clear: In 2010, Dallas hip-hop belonged to Sore Losers.

Bonus mp3: Sore Losers - "Free Loaders"

With Damaged Good$ on hiatus and A.Dd+ still building its fanbase while working diligently on its upcoming full-length debut, the local hipster-hop mantle, whether Sore Losers was ready for it or not, was passed this twosome's way.

Fortunately for them and us, the duo of Brandon Blue and Vincent Brown (affectionately known simply as Brown and Blue) was ready -- and they didn't need a full-length to do it. Riding high off the success of their very-late-in-2009-released mixtape, Free Loaders: The Soundtrack, Sore Losers added a funky backing band called helloeARTh to its live show repertoire and worked had at expanding its fan base.

But with an indie rock sample-heavy sound courtesy of producer Blue and smart wordplay courtesy of lyricist Brown (a formula not altogether different from 2010 national breakout act Chiddy Bang), the adding fans part came easy. And, after one listen to the title track from the duo's mixtape, it's easy to hear why.

Borrowing sounds from Peter, Bjorn & John's 2006 single "Young Folks" and re-arranging them for a bouncy, synth beat, Sore Losers' "Free Loaders" proved in 2010 to be as sufficient a calling card as this still-young act needed.

Brown may start the song bemoaning his vocals ("I'm gonna sound like a bum, but oh well..") and his lack of good traits, but, turns out, things aren't nearly as bad as he'd have you believe. Actually, they're pretty great: By our count, the infectious "Free Loaders" is the best hip-hop track put out in the region this year.

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 feat. Sarah Jaffe - "Tunnelvisionary"
21. Dondria -- "You're The One"
20. Sundress -- "Locust"
19. Blixaboy -- "Lion Eyes (featuring Emil Rapstine)"
18. A.Dd+ feat. Brown of Sore Losers -- "Likeamug"
17. The Secret Handshake -- "Every Single Time"
16. Lalagray -- "The Hard Part"
15. Sore Losers - "Free Loaders"
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