My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (30-21)

Once again, no pithy snark for you.

Recapitulation:
100. Stuck in America - Sugarcult
099. History Lesson - Part II - Minutemen
098. To Clean (Acoustic) - Woods
097. Furr - Blitzen Trapper
096. At the Chime of a City Clock - Nick Drake
095. Search and Destroy - The Stooges
094. Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin - Less Than Jake
093. Ruby Soho - Rancid
092. B.O.B. - Outkast
091. Monk Time - The Monks
090. Waiting Room - Fugazi
089. Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
088. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone - Minor Threat
087. Daylight - Aesop Rock
086. In the New Year - The Walkmen
085. Judy is a Punk - Ramones
084. I'm the Man Who Loves You - Wilco
083. My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg) - Ramones
082. White Riot - The Clash
081. Many Rivers to Cross - Jimmy Cliff
080. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
079. Venus - Television
078. In The Neighborhood - Tom Waits
077. Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem
076. Vitamin C - Can
075. International Player's Anthem - UGK (feat. Outkast)
074. Someday - The Strokes
073. These Days - Nico
072. All Falls Down - Kanye West
071. Debaser - Pixies
070. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
069. Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp
068. For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
067. Leaves That Are Green - Simon & Garfunkel
066. Mr. Pitiful - Otis Redding
065. Four Winds - Bright Eyes
064. Forks and Knives (La Fete) - Beirut
063. If Looks Could Kill - Camera Obscura
062. People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case
061. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon
060. Newsflash - Windmill
059. Rose Parade - Elliott Smith
058. Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
057. You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
056. Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
055. Losing Out - Black Milk (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
054. The Boy with the Thorn in His Side - The Smiths
053. Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)? - Buzzcocks
052. All I Need - The Temptations
051. God Only Knows - Beach Boys
050. Elephant Gun - Beirut
049. Skating Away - Jethro Tull
048. Man Out Of Time - Elvis Costello
047. Brother Run Them Down - Constantines
046. M79 - Vampire Weekend
045. The Wind - Cat Stevens
044. Constructive Summer - The Hold Steady
043. Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over - Fall Out Boy
042. I'll Be Your Man - The Black Keys
041. A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
040. Landslide - Smashing Pumpkins
039. Here Should Be My Home - No Age
038. Metal Firecracker - Lucinda Williams
037. So Far Around the Bend - The National
036. Shakey Dog - Ghostface Killah
035. I Only Want to Be With You - Dusty Springfield
034. July, July! - The Decemberists
033. I Want You - Bob Dylan
032. No Rain - Blind Melon
031. Answering Machine - The Replacements

030. Let's Not Shit Ourselves (To Love and Be Loved) - Bright Eyes (http://is.gd/a5Gee)
This song is Bright Eyes in 9:00. The crash course. It breaks up pretty much all of his themes and distills them verse by verse: human commentary, political ire, personal tragedy and tied all together with love. The scene of him and his father in the hospital is some of the most moving words put to music. This is also probably as close to a Bob Dylan song that's ever been produced. Musically, just a solid rebel country song. But the centerpiece here are the lyrics. The fact that they can take a riff, run with it for 9 minutes and keep me completely enthralled is a testament to how great the words are.

029. Throwing It All Away - Genesis (http://is.gd/a5LJK)
Phil Collins: the fucking melody man. There's a definite schism in the history of Genesis, from prog to pop. And for me, I favor the latter incarnation, mostly because of Phil Collins. The melody on this song is remarkable; and it never gets old for me.

028. Street Fighting Man - Rolling Stones (http://is.gd/a5M6v)
This song is just pure rock and roll. Whenever I hear the guitar riff I get wild-eyed like Zack Attack. I can't really say much more. Rock and roll, man.

027. Disney Girls (1957) - Beach Boys (http://is.gd/a5Mzr)
"All my life I've spent the night with dreams of you." This is just a gorgeous love song with a fantastic melody. This is the kind of love I think everyone aspires to find one day. Even if you don't realize it now, growing old with someone is something to revere and covet.

026. Incident On 57th Street - Bruce Springsteen (http://is.gd/a5MUG)
This is the first cut on my favorite record side of all time (Side 2 of The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle). This song is everything I love about the Boss: great lyrics, tight and deceptively complex instrumentation, and a great narrative. Bruce just captures the sights, sounds and mood of his place and time so well.

025. This Will Be Our Year - The Zombies (http://is.gd/a5N84)
Oddessey and Oracle is a brilliant album on par with Sgt. Pepper's and Pet Sounds, and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. This is pretty much a flawless pop song, and one of the best love songs ever written. This block of tracks has been pretty stacked with awesome melodies, and this song is no different.

024. Life on Mars? - David Bowie (http://is.gd/a5Nks)
Looking back, I think "Queen Bitch" would have been on this list. My bad. But "Life On Mars?" is my favorite Bowie song. If you've ever partied in Madison you can relate to the lyrics, and the chorus is just a monster. I love this song.

023. Don't Mug Yourself - The Streets (http://is.gd/a5NAS)
What up Mike Skinner?! The Streets is one of, if not the, most original thing to come out in hip-hop in the 2000s. This song is the only straight-up funny track on this list, and it doesn't disppoint. Probably my favorite song to throw on at a party. "Oi oi oi oi!"

022. I'm A Cuckoo - Belle & Sebastian (http://is.gd/a5O9k)
Just like "July, July!" and The Decemberists, there are a dozen Belle & Sebastian songs that could be on this list. But I always come back to "I'm A Cuckoo." How can you hear this song and not fall in love with it? I'm finding my descriptions getting less and less expository as we get closer to #1, but it makes sense; it's hard to explain why we specifically love something that we feel strong connection to.

021. Mama's Pearl - Jackson 5 (http://is.gd/a5OuT)
If you haven't noticed, I'm a sucker for great pop songs. And, really, there was no better time and place than 60s/70s Motown for pop music. I look at this song and "I Want You Back" as long-lost twins born two years apart. Once again, no great explanation for this track: I just always love to hear it. Funny story, the demo version of this song was hilariously called "Guess Who's Making Whoopie (With Your Girlfriend)" but was changed to keep with Michael's child-like image. OK, now I know Michael had a lot in his life to screw him up; but has anyone thought he had messed up sexual issues because he was singing about nailing girls since he was born, basically? Think about it.

8tracks: External:


Woah we're close!
Erik

My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (40-31)

I don't have any clever lead-in.

Recap:
100. Stuck in America - Sugarcult
099. History Lesson - Part II - Minutemen
098. To Clean (Acoustic) - Woods
097. Furr - Blitzen Trapper
096. At the Chime of a City Clock - Nick Drake
095. Search and Destroy - The Stooges
094. Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin - Less Than Jake
093. Ruby Soho - Rancid
092. B.O.B. - Outkast
091. Monk Time - The Monks
090. Waiting Room - Fugazi
089. Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
088. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone - Minor Threat
087. Daylight - Aesop Rock
086. In the New Year - The Walkmen
085. Judy is a Punk - Ramones
084. I'm the Man Who Loves You - Wilco
083. My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg) - Ramones
082. White Riot - The Clash
081. Many Rivers to Cross - Jimmy Cliff
080. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
079. Venus - Television
078. In The Neighborhood - Tom Waits
077. Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem
076. Vitamin C - Can
075. International Player's Anthem - UGK (feat. Outkast)
074. Someday - The Strokes
073. These Days - Nico
072. All Falls Down - Kanye West
071. Debaser - Pixies
070. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
069. Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp
068. For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
067. Leaves That Are Green - Simon & Garfunkel
066. Mr. Pitiful - Otis Redding
065. Four Winds - Bright Eyes
064. Forks and Knives (La Fete) - Beirut
063. If Looks Could Kill - Camera Obscura
062. People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case
061. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon
060. Newsflash - Windmill
059. Rose Parade - Elliott Smith
058. Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
057. You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
056. Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
055. Losing Out - Black Milk (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
054. The Boy with the Thorn in His Side - The Smiths
053. Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)? - Buzzcocks
052. All I Need - The Temptations
051. God Only Knows - Beach Boys
050. Elephant Gun - Beirut
049. Skating Away - Jethro Tull
048. Man Out Of Time - Elvis Costello
047. Brother Run Them Down - Constantines
046. M79 - Vampire Weekend
045. The Wind - Cat Stevens
044. Constructive Summer - The Hold Steady
043. Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over - Fall Out Boy
042. I'll Be Your Man - The Black Keys
041. A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

040-031:
040. Landslide - Smashing Pumpkins (http://is.gd/a0blC)
I have always admired this song more than my significant distaste for Stevie Nicks. It's such a perfect expression of transition ("I climbed a mountain and I turned around.") I like this version so much more than the original, because I think Corgan's voice just nails it. And he sings these lyrics so emphatically he may as well have written them.

039. Here Should Be My Home - No Age (http://is.gd/a0bSj)
This is a newer track by lo-fi duo No Age. Songs like this are the beauty of the "greatest vs. favorite" debate. Now, I know this probably isn't the 39th greatest song ever written, but there are few musical moments that I love more than when the drums open up halfway through this song; just, so much attitude and energy. And I am always struck by the delivery on the line "If I'm around here, then here should be my home/But it's not at all."

038. Metal Firecracker - Lucinda Williams (BAD covers only on YouTube)
My two favorite country albums of all time are Johnny Cash as Folsom and Lucinda Williams' Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. The whole album is full of raw emotion, which is what I look for with country music. I mean there's always a place for a clever turn of phrase like a Neko Case song, but my heart just melts for simple country girls. The sentiment on the chorus of this song is so devastatingly self-deprecating. "All I ask is don't tell anybody the secrets/Don't tell anybody the secrets I told you." Like, you can do whatever you want to me and it's fine, just please keep what we had between us. And delivered in the drawl, Lucinda, I'm yours.

037. So Far Around the Bend - The National (http://is.gd/a0dy1)
Woah this song and band snuck up on me. I don't know what took me so long. Like, I heard Boxer, and thought it was good. And I heard this song on Dark Was The Night, and must have just overlooked it. But after rediscovering it via Tim Kringle's 2009 review I went back and looked at the National's catalog. And now they are one of my favorite bands. OK. This song. Things I intensely love about this song: 1. Patience. The National is as good as they are because of their rhythm section; the backbone. This song doesn't rush. It unfolds wonderfully. If you need any evidence of their great rhythm section just look at 2:00 into this song. 2. The lyrics (especially the unnecessary and brilliant second chorus). 3. Nico Muhly's whimsical and lovely orchestration. Such a great song.

036. Shakey Dog - Ghostface Killah (http://is.gd/a0dTe)
No chorus. No need for a chorus. This song is straight fire from the beginning to end. One thing I noticed the last time I heard this song: well, obviously, the beat samples "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue" by the Dells, and the song begins with the word "Green" over and over. How did I miss this? Well either way, Ghost comes out firing. This may be narratively the most engaging rap song of all time. At a little after 3:00 the story peaks pretty hard and Ghost is "on the floor like, 'Holy Shit!'" and I pretty much feel the same way. I am in awe of this song.

035. I Only Want to Be With You - Dusty Springfield (http://is.gd/a0evo)
This is as close to a perfect pop song as you can get. There really isn't a whole lot of conmplicated justification for why I love it. I just don't think I've ever been in a room where "I Only Want to Be With You" has come on and not been cheered up.

034. July, July! - The Decemberists (http://is.gd/a0f0g)
There are a lot of Decemberists tracks that could have been on this list. But, like the previous track, I don't think "July, July!" has ever come on and not been welcomed. And, of course it's just emblematic of Colin Meloy's hyper-literate and imaginative songwriting and great pop sensibilities.

033. I Want You - Bob Dylan (http://is.gd/a0fvg)
As I said in the intro, this list could have contained most of sides A and B of Blonde on Blonde (specifically "Visions of Johanna," "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again," "I Want You" and "One of Us Must Know [Sooner or Later]"). But I settled on "I Want You," because I tend to associate songs with movie scenes. And this song I associate this this scene (NSFW) http://is.gd/a0Opw, which is my favorite love/sex scene of all time. "The cracked bells and washed out horns blow into my face with scorn/But it's not that way; I wasn't born to lose you."

032. No Rain - Blind Melon (http://is.gd/a0fJL)
This song is possibly the catchiest song about horrible depression of all time. Just heartbreaking lyrics and peppy, pretty music. That's my kind of track. I also like this song for the same reason I like "So Far Around the Bend": its patience. No rush. Just relax and enjoy the late Mr. Hoon's sadness.

031. Answering Machine - The Replacements (http://is.gd/a0g7r)
Let It Be is such an amazing album. I was really close to putting "Unsatisfied" on here, but went with "Answering Machine." I love how it's like an acoustic folk song, but with that tough guitar sound and Paul Westerberg's punk vocals. "Try and free and slave of ignorance/Try and teach a whore about romance." The lyrics to this song are just unbelievable.

8tracks: External:


Woot,
Erik

My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (70-61)

Alright! So begins the fourth installment of my 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time. What have we seen so far? We've been all over; from mid-1960s folk to modern-day indie rock to old soul to hip-hop. This list does not get any more focused, so be warned. You are in for more unexpectedness:

Recaps: 1, 2, 3:

100. Stuck in America - Sugarcult
099. History Lesson - Part II - Minutemen
098. To Clean (Acoustic) - Woods
097. Furr - Blitzen Trapper
096. At the Chime of a City Clock - Nick Drake
095. Search and Destroy - The Stooges
094. Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin - Less Than Jake
093. Ruby Soho - Rancid
092. B.O.B. - Outkast
091. Monk Time - The Monks
090. Waiting Room - Fugazi
089. Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
088. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone - Minor Threat
087. Daylight - Aesop Rock
086. In the New Year - The Walkmen
085. Judy is a Punk - Ramones
084. I'm the Man Who Loves You - Wilco
083. My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg) - Ramones
082. White Riot - The Clash
081. Many Rivers to Cross - Jimmy Cliff
080. Lived In Bars - Cat Power
079. Venus - Television
078. In The Neighborhood - Tom Waits
077. Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem
076. Vitamin C - Can
075. International Player's Anthem - UGK (feat. Outkast)
074. Someday - The Strokes
073. These Days - Nico
072. All Falls Down - Kanye West
071. Debaser - Pixies

070. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley (http://is.gd/9yxtM)
I know a lot of Elvis fans are more into his early rock and roll career, but I personally lean towards his '70s big band/Vegas show era; especially "Suspicious Minds." Trust, man. Trust is the key to any adult relationship. Without it you've really got nothing. Because if you don't have it you're constantly thinking about what the other person is doing, and that's not constructive. It just makes you resentful. This song just also feeds into me being a total wuss, too. ("I can't walk out/Because I love you too much, baby.") And the ochestration is awesome, as are the background vocals.

069. Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp (http://is.gd/9yA7I)
This track sort of seems like an odd pick as I look at it amongst these other ones. I am just a sucker for that electric piano sound. Put that in pretty much anything and I'm in (I'm looking at you, "You're My Best Friend."). And I love how it builds. It starts basic with just Rodger Hodgeson and those keys, then guitar, then bass, then drums. And I always smile when I hear the hook. Just a solid, solid song.

068. For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder (http://is.gd/9yBO7)
Stevie!!! Woah is his voice just an absolute monster. This song is of course no exception. If this song doesn't bring a smile to your face there is something weird going on between your ears, man. Just a beautiful, positive, happy love song meant to be revered forever.

067. Leaves That Are Green - Simon & Garfunkel (http://is.gd/9yD8h)
So we go from one of the most optimistic songs ever written to an earth-shatteringly bleak one. I guess that's how it goes sometimes. "Hello Hello Hello Hello/Goodbye Goodbye Goodbye Goodbye/That's all there is/And the leaves that are green turn to brown." This song is off of their second album, Sounds of Silence. I pretty much celebrate Paul Simon's entire catalogue, so it was tough for me to reduce his songbook down to 2. This song just does it for me. I guess partly because not many people know it, so I feel like it's something I own. I also like how it sounds like it should be in a Wes Anderson movie but just hasn't yet.

066. Mr. Pitiful - Otis Redding (http://is.gd/9yGIt)
I apologize there isn't a full video online. It's a shame, mostly, because watching Otis perform is the best way to experience his music. I've said this a million times, but I consider Otis Redding to be the biggest tragedy in music history. The man died at 26 (and I will forever blame the city of Madison for it). The reason he is such a tragedy is because I think he could have been the true bridge between rock and r&b. He and the Rolling Stones already had sort of a back and forth relationship covering each other's songs, but I think it could have been more. And I hear "Mr. Pitiful" and I just hear raw soul. Such a powerful voice. Dammit. So good.

065. Four Winds - Bright Eyes (http://is.gd/9yIQ6)
What's great about this song are the lyrics. Please read them: http://is.gd/9yK2H. But, what really makes the song unbelievable is the fact that these lyrics are put to, I contend, a pop country track. Like, this could be a Keith Urban song if Keith Urban wrote complex songs about obscure mysticism. And the harmonies are key.

064. Forks and Knives (La Fete) - Beirut (http://is.gd/9yLhk)
I lovelovelove Beirut. And here's why: above all else, Zach Condon has cultivated an aesthetic. Through his voice, instrument selection, influence and song subject matter he has created a sound that reflects a place and time without being gimmicky. When I hear "Forks and Knives" I think of wealth. You know how you hear rap and they talk about a new car or designer clothes or money and it sounds rich, right? But (and of course I am referring to Chris Rock's "Wealthy vs. Rich" bit) it's not wealthy. I hear this song and I think about a kid who has never worked a day in his life, probably had an au pair, and then coincidentally slept with that au pair, and now summers for years on end in various luxury locales in Europe. And all of that from some kid from New Mexico. Fantastic.

063. If Looks Could Kill - Camera Obscura (http://is.gd/9yOXc)
Tracyanne Campbell's voice just knocks me out. I hear the argument pretty frequently that all of their stuff sounds the same. Well, perhaps you're right. But when the one thing you do is perfectly constructed pop music about love and heartbreak, why switch up the formula?

062. People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case (http://is.gd/9yQG3)
LOL. "You know/They call them killer whales/But you seem surprised/When it pinned you down to the bottom of the tank/Where you can't turn around." In light of everything that's happened recently this song has taken on new meaning. But, in all cases, Neko Case's voice is a force of nature. I don't understand how people can listen to only radio country. I mean, sure, if that's one thing you listen to, whatever. But there are people out there like Neko Case or the Drive-By Truckers or Bright Eyes or Lucinda Williams or etc. etc. who are doing essentially the same thing just a million times better. Anyway, this song is brilliant.

061. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon (http://is.gd/9ySup)
Now, I'm not the hugest Spoon fan. I don't take everything they do to be the greatest thing ever. But man was I a huge fan of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga; mostly because of this song and "The Underdog." I love the arrangements and I love the way Britt Daniel's voice sounds, but I think what I love most is the unrelenting snare from start to finish. "Let it go on and on," indeed.

8tracks: External:


Almost half way!
-Erik

2009 Discs 1 and 2: The Singles and The Calm

As noted, this (last) year's end of year mix came in 3 parts. The first was the cassette (2009 in Lo-Fi), the second was Disc 1: The Singles and the last was Disc 2: The Calm.

Disc 1: The Singles is meant to play at random. None of the songs are meant to flow into each other. It was designed to be listened to on an iPod, in a playlist on shuffle. The first and last tracks are designed as opener/closer, respectively to bookend the list, but they still function anywhere else in playing order. The track list is as follows:

01. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When the Saints Go Marching In)
02. Girls - Lust for Life
03. Camera Obscura - Honey in the Sun
04. Passion Pit - Moth's Wings
05. Delorean - Seasun
06. Sleigh Bells - Crown on the Ground
07. Raekwon - Kiss the Ring (feat. Inspectah Deck & Masta Killa)
08. The Very Best - Chalo
09. Foreign Born - Early Warnings
10. Double Dagger - The Lie/The Truth
11. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Some Trees (Merritt Moon)
12. The Shaky Hands - Allison and the Ancient Eyes
13. Dirty Projectors & David Byrne - Knotty Pine
14. Animal Collective - My Girls
15. The Mountain Goats - Deuteronomy 2:10



Disc 2: The Calm is meant to play like a standard album, front-to-back. It's much more folky/acoustic. Generally speaking, throw on some headphones, lay back and relax and listen. Track list:

01. Mazes - Laid in the Darkness
02. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
03. White Antelope - Silver Dagger
04. Mumford & Sons - Sister
05. Bowerbirds - Northern Lights
06. The Tallest Man on Earth - Pistol Dreams
07. Telekinesis - I Saw Lightning
08. Beirut - Mimizan
09. Dirty Projectors - Two Doves
10. Woods - To Clean (Acoustic)
11. The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath
12. Grizzly Bear - While You Wait for the Others
13. Pink Mountaintops - Vampire
14. Antony and the Johnsons - Dust and Water



That's all!
Erik

Next lists will be my 100 favorite tracks of all time. Stay tuned!

(Special thanks to Matty [SS# 386-05-1812] for album art!)

Valentine's 2010

Woah. OK. SO I should have posted this on Valentine's Day. But I put together a pretty great list of love/loveish songs from 1959-2009. I'm pretty proud of the project because it's so all over the map (punk/r&b/rap/indie/etc.). It's divided into 2 lists, so yeah. Enjoy!

The List:
01. Jackie Wilson - I'll Be Satisfied (1959)
02. Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs - Stay (1960)
03. Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby (1964)
04. The Beatles - I've Just Seen A Face (1965)
05. Bob Dylan - I Want You (1966)
06. Wilson Pickett - I'm In Love (1967)
07. Zombies - This Will Be Our Year (1968)
08. Van Morrison - Into The Mystic (1970)
09. Al Green - I'm Still In Love With You (1972)
10. Ramones - I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (1976)
11. Buzzcocks - Love You More (1979)
12. Michael Jackson - The Girl is Mine w/ Paul McCartney (1982)
13. Prince - I Would Die 4 You (1984)
14. Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (1986)
15. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (1989)
16. R.E.M. - Nightswimming (1992)
17. Weezer - Falling For Your (1996)
18. Elliott Smith - Say Yes (1997)
19. Wilco - I'm the Man Who Loves You (2002)
20. OutKast - Hey Ya! (2003)
21. The Perceptionists - Love Letters (2005)
22. The Hold Steady - Citrus (2006)
23. Jens Lekman - Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig (Maybe I Am In Love With You) (2007)
24. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You (2009)

Heart 1:


Melissa Joan Hart 2:


Love,
Erik

Day 96: Wildcard (21)

This week's Wildcard is a compilation of the past 20 weeks of Wildcards. I chose 1 song from each list. And one bonus video. Enjoy! (Note: I'm not assembling anything else this week [vacation]) Take it easy!

YouTube:
01. Andrew Gold - Lonely Boy
02. MF Doom - Rhymes Like Dimes
03. Bedouin Soundclash - St. Andrews
04. Can - Vitamin C
05. Lucinda Williams - Right in Time
06. Television - Venus
07. Black Milk (feat. Royce Da 5'9") - Losing Out
08. Butthole Surfers - Pepper
09. Blondie - 11:59
10. Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
11. The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself
12. EPMD - Richter Scale
13. Phil Collins - Take Me Home
14. The Ronettes - Be My Baby
15. Warren Zevon - Acidentally Like A Martyr
16. Pharrell - Angel
17. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
18. The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year
19. Belle & Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
20. Hüsker Dü - Celebrated Summer

imeem: External:

Day 96: Wildcard (21)

-Erik

(Image by Art G., Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 82: Wildcard (17)

It's Wednesday, babay. You know the drill. And, as always, old Wildcards can be found here.

YouTube:
01. Public Enemy - Welcome to the Terrordome
02. Aerosmith - Love In An Elevator
03. Cream - Strange Brew
04. The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So
05. The Creation - Making Time
06. Boards of Canada - Roygbiv
07. Cocteau Twins - Lorelei
08. School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
09. The Pop Group - We Are Time
10. Berlin - Take My Breath Away
11. Jefferson Starship - Jane
12. Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
13. DangerDoom - Sofa King
14. All-4-One - I Can Love You Like That
15. The Charade - Keeping Up Appearances (N/A)
16. Rilo Kiley - Execution of All Things
17. Madness - One Step Beyond
18. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You (N/A on imeem, "Middle Cyclone" instead)
19. Times New Viking - The Early '80s (N/A)
20. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge (Burn!)

imeem: External:

Day 82: Wildcard (17)

5-Laced,
Erik

(Image by Art G., Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 73: Wildcard (15)

Alright, Wildcard time!!!

YouTube:
01. 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me
02. Redman & Method Man - Da Rockwilder
03. Cannibal Ox - Raspberry Fields
04. The Notwist - Boneless
05. The Offspring - Not the One
06. The Fall - Spoilt Victorian Child
07. Vetiver - Everyday
08. The Carpenters - Close to You
09. Fleetwood Mac - Hypnotized
10. The Fratellis - The Gutterati?
11. Pras feat. Mya & O.D.B. - Ghetto Superstar
12. L.T.D. - (Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again
13. U2 - With or Without You
14. Television Personalities - This Angry Silence
15. Eddie Money - Two Tickets to Paradise
16. Rod Stewart - Maggie May
17. Warren Zevon - Accidentally Like A Martyr
18. Taken By Trees - Open Field
19. Kurt Vile - My Best Friends (Don't Even Pass This) (N/A)
20. Her Space Holiday - Sleepy Tigers

imeem: External:

Day 73: Wildcard (15)

Yowza,
Erik

Vidi-ideo


(Image by Tony Case, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 55: Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst)

This week's artist spotlight is a newer gent. A songwriter by the name of Conor Oberst, more popular as the creative force behind Bright Eyes. I've said it before, he isn't for everybody. But, neither was Dylan.

His songwriting is complex and deep, covering topics ranging from the human condition, mortality, drugs and almost everything else in between. I've compiled my list of some of my favorite songs by Mr. Oberst. Most of the songs are Bright Eyes, because I think that showcases his best work. I hope you enjoy.

YouTube:
All songs by Bright Eyes unless otherwise noted
01. When the President Talks to God
02. First Day of My Life
03. Bowl of Oranges
04. If Winter Ends
05. The Calender Hung Itself...
06. Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed)
07. Conor Oberst - Milk Thistle
08. At the Bottom of Everything
09. Four Winds
10. Conor Oberst - Souled Out!!!
11. Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch - Lua
12. A Song to Pass the Time
13. Hot Knives
14. Arienette
15. Conor Oberst - Cape Canaveral
16. Road to Joy
17. Method Acting
18. Gold Mine Gutted (N/A on imeem, instead "Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh")
19. Land Locked Blues
20. I Believe In Symmetry (N/A on imeem, instead "You Will. You? Will. You? Will.")

imeem: External:

Day 55: Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes

From the Bottom of Everything,
Erik

Bonus Vid:


(Image by John Packer, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 43: Wildcard (9)

Yay! A new Wildcard! If you're new to this blog. I encourage you to go back and Check out the last 8 Wildcards. I don't think you'll be 100% disappointed. Now for this week's: a lot of newer (last 1-2 years) music. I hope you enjoy.

YouTube:
01. Jackson 5 - (Stop!) The Love You Save
02. People Under the Stairs - Swan Fever
03. Streetlight Manifesto - 9mm and a 3-Piece Suit
04. Fall Out Boy - 20 Dollar Nose Bleed
05. Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
06. Noah and the Whale - 2 Atoms in a Molecule
07. Dave Clark Five - Till The Right One Comes Along
08. Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why (This Video is Perfect)
09. Calexico - Sonic Wind
10. Wilco - Far, Far Away
11. Collective Soul - Shine
12. The Uglysuit - Chicago
13. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Think I Wanna Die
14. Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
15. Bishop Allen - Rain
16. Blondie - 11:59
17. Elton John - Someone Saved My Life Tonight
18. Joni Mitchell - California (Cool Performance! And I think everyone has an aunt that looks like Joni Mitchell.)
19. Ludacris (feat. Common & Spike Lee) - Do The Right Thang
20. Dan Deacon - Snookered

imeem: External:

Day 43: Wildcard (9)

That Felt Good,
Erik

Bonus Vid! This Had Been Stuck In My Head So Bad!!

Rob Roy "Fur In My Cap" Directed By Ethan Lader

(Image by Phil Hilfiker, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 37: Drinkin' Songs

It's St. Patrick's Day! It's a time for all of us to cut loose and join the ranks of the Irish, a people who couldn't escape the stigma of alcoholism if they drunkenly killed everyone else in the world with broken bottles, enabling them to be the only people left who could possibly remember that such a stigma ever existed, despite the fact that most of their brain cells have been killed in a similar microscopic bar fight within their brains by tiny alcohol cells holding proportionately small broken bottles; even with such limited brain capacity and the rest of the world dead, these ginger-haired, freckled bastards would carry the mark of generation upon generation of inescapable dependence on alcohol.

Which brings me to today's list. Drinking songs. Enjoy! (Note: This drinking song list does not include rap. That's sort of a different ballgame. Rappers don't write songs about drinking, they write songs about partying, for the most part.)

YouTube:
01. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
02. Old 97's - Melt Show
03. Big D & the Kids Table - Little Bitch
04. AC/DC - Thunderstruck
05. Guns N' Roses - Mr. Brownstone
06. Dropkick Murphys - The Dirty Glass
07. The Pogues - Sally MacLennane
08. Sublime - 40oz. to Freedom
09. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)
10. Billy Joel - Piano Man
11. The Hold Steady - Massive Nights
12. Poison - Nothin' But A Good Time
13. Reel Big Fish - Beer
14. Gogol Bordello - Alcohol
15. Andrew W.K. - Party Hard
16. Catch 22 - Chasing the Moon
17. Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
18. George Thorogood - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
19. Metallica - Whiskey in the Jar
20. Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down

imeem: External:

Day 37: Drinkin Songs

Stay Drunk,
Erik

Video!


(Image by discopalace, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 34: On The Road

On this day in 1922, novelist and poet Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, MA. His masterwork On the Road is cited as generation-defining and one of the greatest pieces of American literature. It happens to be one of my favorite books ever. So, in honor of Mr. Kerouac's legacy (he passed in 1969) I've assembled a list of driving songs, perfect for being on the road. Enjoy, maybe they can end up in your ear on your next road trip.

YouTube:
01. Led Zeppelin - Ramble On (crummy live version)
02. Pavement - Range Life
03. Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream
04. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
05. Jackson Browne - Running On Empty
06. Paul Simon & Willie Nelson - Graceland
07. Bright Eyes - Another Travelin' Song
08. The Allman Brothers Band - Jessica
09. The Band - The Weight
10. Drive-By Truckers - Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Incredible Song)
11. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
12. Death Cab For Cutie - Company Calls
13. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
14. America - Ventura Highway
15. Bob Seger - Hollywood Nights
16. The Kinks - Powerman (Cover Only)
17. Iggy Pop - The Passenger
18. ZZ Top - La Grange
19. Sniff 'n' the Tears - Driver's Seat
20. Supertramp - Take the Long Way Home

imeem: External:

Day 34: On The Road

(Note: Because Led Zeppelin are apparently Internet proof, their song has been replaced by "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts on the imeem list.)

Keep on Truckin',
Erik

Bonus Vid!


(Image By Ron Reiring, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 23: Wildcard (5)

This week's Wildcard has some fun and some serious, some old and some new. And a lot of French for some reason... I hope you dig it.

YouTube:
01. Clipse - Keys Open Doors
02. J-Zone - Block Itch (N/A)
03. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
04. The Pietasters - Every Afternoon (N/A)
05. Dan Potthast - Stepping Stones to California (N/A)
06. The Format - Wait Wait Wait
07. Minus the Bear - Guns & Ammo
08. Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons
09. Serge Gainsbourg - Ballade de Melody Nelson
10. Freddie Scott - (You) Got What I Need
11. Gene Chandler - Rainbow '65
12. Michael Jackson - Human Nature
13. Golden Silvers - Another Universe (N/A)
14. Malajube - Montreal -40C
15. Black Flag - Rise Above
16. Van Halen - I'm The One
17. Social Distortion - Story of My Life
18. Lucinda Williams - Right in Time
19. Joan Baez - Diamonds & Rust
20. Antony and the Johnsons - Dust and Water

imeem: External:

Day 23: Wildcard (5)

Woot!,
Erik

Bonus Video! (It is Ash Wednesday after all...)


(Image by Stefano Corso, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 12: Ten Over Ten

I realize that this isn't the most creative concept ever, but instead of doing a list based on the day's events, I thought I'd base it on the date: February 10. An idea that's been done is doing a top ten list of songs over ten minutes. I figured I'd throw my hat in the ring.

Now a trap a lot of people fall into with a list like this is that the longer the song is the better the list is. Wrong! Just because Rush's "2112" is 20-plus minutes long doesn't necessarily make it good. Same goes with "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd. And everyone knows "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" for its length. But that doesn't make it good.

Another cop-out is solos. Any song can have a 10-minute guitar solo. But writing a great composition with lyrics is a true feat.

(Note: You may not like all of these songs. But I recommend you give 'em a chance. Bright Eyes especially isn't for everybody; and if it isn't for you, at least check his lyrics, they are phenomenal.)

Without Further Ado:
01. Bright Eyes - Let's Not Shit Ourselves (To Love and To Be Loved)
02. NOFX - The Decline (Part One) (Part Two)
03. The Decemberists - The Tain (Part One) (Part Two) (Part Three) (Part Four) (Part Five)
04. The Mars Volta - Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus (Part One) (Part Two)
05. Iron Maiden - Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Part One) (Part Two)
06. Bob Dylan - Desolation Row
07. Lou Reed - Street Hassle
08. Traffic - Low Spark of the High-Heeled Boys (Part One) (Part Two)
09. Genesis - Driving the Last Spike (Part One) (Part Two)
10. Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

imeem (External, it's much better on imeem):

Day 12: Ten Over Ten

Keep it long,
Erik

PS, Bonus Video:


(Image by Karen Biggs, Licensed Under Creative Commons)