Don't mistake excitement or interesting arrangements for a good song. Good songs sound great in the simplest arrangements as well as when intricately arranged (arrangement being the specifics of how the song is presented, solo piano, big band, a capella choir, etc.). Bad songs are frequently hidden behind massive arrangements. A good or great song fits it's intent, it's meaning down to the ground and seems authentic.
Rock your socks off with this Brazilian hit from 1966, Mas Que Nada , the very definition of cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHxOkLN6XqE
'Cliché 'is a matter of perspective. There has to be a 'norm' for there to be an 'unusual'. That means know the norm for your music styles.