Jukebox Jury: Travis McCoy, Paul F. Tompkins Rate 2008's Hits

Travis McCoy and Paul F. Tompkins / Photo by Brian Finke

BRITNEY SPEARS, "WOMANIZER"
Sounds like this girl's got a chip on her shoulder. It's about time the media started paying a little attention to her.

TOMPKINS: Give it to me, Britney! Give it to me! Who am I kidding? This is not good.
McCOY: Britney looks great these days, though.
TOMPKINS: It was touch and go there for a while. She's a good kid. I'm glad she's still around. I don't want to listen to her music, but I'm glad she's still around.
McCOY: The melody is like a nursery rhyme. Nursery rhymes never go out of style.
TOMPKINS: This song has five words in it. The melody almost reminds me of "The Farmer in the Dell."
McCOY: It's kinda "I Kissed a Girl"–ish.
TOMPKINS: What a medley that would be!
McCOY: "I Kissed a Womanizer."
TOMPKINS: I can't listen to this anymore.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, "I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART"
The decade's biggest "bookish" band gently delivers a winsome eight-minute epic about a creepy stalker.

TOMPKINS: I saw these guys live for the first time at Radio City Music Hall this year, and I didn't realize how energetic they were. You don't expect that with the type of music they make. I also didn't expect how many glasses were on people's faces at that show. That might have been the most glasses ever inside Radio City at one time.
McCOY: A lot of sweaters, too.
TOMPKINS: A very bearded crowd.
McCOY: Ben Gibbard's cool, though. He's another guy, like Estelle, who sings great live and on record.
SPIN: You're the first person to ever compare Ben Gibbard and Estelle.
McCOY: He earns it, man. I'm a huge fan of his lyrics. He gets straight to the point. No magic tricks.
TOMPKINS: I forgot how long this song is.
McCOY: I'll be honest, I'm getting antsy.
TOMPKINS: But I love the way he sings, "It's going to take some time." I always appreciate it when songs describe what's happening in the song. Message received, Ben Gibbard.
McCOY: Death Cab are practical that way.

JONAS BROTHERS, "BURNIN' UP"
The Disney factory's latest tween idols serve up purity-ring power pop.

McCOY: This sounds like Maroon 5 Jr.
TOMPKINS: Come on, these little fellas are trying hard.
McCOY: The whole Disney thing is running the industry. I want to be signed to Disney. I want that demographic. What do I have to do? Do I have to shrink a few inches? Should I shave?
TOMPKINS: You need to look more like a chick. I love how all the Disney guys look like girls, but all the girls are hardcore sluts. There's always camera-phone pictures of them bangin' someone -- usually right around the time the girls are ready to start their own careers.