My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (20-11)

Alright. We're down to the last couple entries here. Feel encouraged to let me know if you want .mp3s of any of this.

And we're off... again:
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
029. Throwing It All Away - Genesis
028. Street Fighting Man - Rolling Stones
027. Disney Girls (1957) - Beach Boys
026. Incident On 57th Street - Bruce Springsteen
025. This Will Be Our Year - The Zombies
024. Life on Mars? - David Bowie
023. Don't Mug Yourself - The Streets
022. I'm A Cuckoo - Belle & Sebastian
021. Mama's Pearl - Jackson 5

Getting close to home!

020. 11:59 - Blondie (http://is.gd/a9NGn)
And we're back to CBGB! Who would have thought cute little Debbie Harry would have been such a genre-bridging music icon? "11:59" is just a damn fine New Wave track, and (along with #18, as you will see) is just a testament to how diverse the scene at CBGB was in the late 70s. It's a deeper cut off of Parallel Lines, their most well-known album, and it was written by Jimmy Destri, probably their least-known songwriter. I love the transition from the intro to the verse. And the consonace in the opening lines is awesome.

019. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations (http://is.gd/a9Oap)
Of course this is the culmination of the "Erik is a pussy" theory. But more importantly, David Ruffin just kills it. I love how the drums are like a little warning before that monster, soulful voice comes in. I also have a special relationship with this song on account of The Temptations made-for-TV movie where Leon as Ruffin steals the mic after quitting the group. Just Perfect.

018. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads (http://is.gd/a9Oy3)
AGAIN with the CBGB! This song is so fantastic! The break beat, that funky bassline, the hook, and David Fucking Byrne being totally batshit brilliant. One thing that separates the Talking Heads from someone like Paul Simon (and concordantly, today, Vampire Weekend from Dirty Projectors) is the difference between using a style (like Graceland and Vampire Weekend S/T being essentially afropop albums) and blending influences to create your own style (like Remain in Light and Bitte Orca using afropop and hip-hop and everything else and melding it together). I personally love all of the aforementioned albums, but I admire the latter style a bit more. This track just does it for me. I love the last verse especially.

017. Come On! Feel The Illinoise!: Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition/Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream - Sufjan Stevens (http://is.gd/a9P3K)
It's odd that this set has 3 of the 5 or so songs on the list in different time signatures (this one being 5/4, #17 being 3/4 and #13 being 3/4, I think?). This song goes along with the same reason I love Beirut so much: cultivating an aesthetic. Just the instruments and everything makes me feel like I'm at the Chicago World's Fair. The lyrics are so the reason why Sufjan is an incredibe songwriter: the ability to squeeze emotional meaning and broader signficance out of history and places and things. Then the turn into part 2 is so beautiful. "Are you writing from the heart?"

016. Fake Empire - The National (http://is.gd/a9Pyj)
Once again we have The National. Everything that's good about them is on display here: the slow unfurling culminating with the brilliant horn cacophony at the end, the drums and bass (my god when the drums synch with the groove of the piano!), and the lyrics. The National, like a lot of my favorite bands, write about America. And this song in particular I think captures the jaded-ness (?) and disaffection a lot of us feel about being in this country.

015. Honey In The Sun - Camera Obscura (http://is.gd/a9PYN)
OK! Going along with what I previously said about Camera Obscura: I don't care if you only do one thing if that one thing is write beautiful, catchy pop songs. Now, I heard criticism of this song being too long, which I will refute with my theory of the "Knock-out Verse." One of my favorite musical devices is when an artist loads a song with words (when the words are good, obviously). A knock-out verse is a verse thrown in at an obvious ending point in a song. My favorite example is in "Born to Run" (at 3:00), but this song uses it effectively and wonderfully. I guess my whole love of Camera Obscure is based on "too much of a good thing."

014. Nightswimming - R.E.M. (http://is.gd/a9Qwz)
This song is just so basic and beautiful. That powerful circular piano riff coupled with those gorgeous, nostalgic lyrics. It always enthralls me.

013. The Way Young Lovers Do - Van Morrison (N/A)
I hate how this song isn't available online (aside from my 8tracks list!). Astral Weeks is maybe my favorite album of all time, and this song is my favorite on it. The bass is incredible (interesting side note, the man, Richard Davis, who played bass on this album, also contributed bass on Born to Run. He's also a professor at the University of Wisconsin, which is cool.) The vocals are Van Morrison, so they're nuts. And throw on top of it those championship horns?! This song is unbelievable. My favorite moment(s) is the transition into the "Then we sat on our own star..." So jazzy and funky.

012. Train in Vain - The Clash (http://is.gd/a9Swv)
The Clash are so versatile. And, it may be a bit of a slight to pick one of their most popular songs as a favorite; but, The Clash were as much a pop group as they were a punk band. Sure, they wrote unbelievable songs about the disenfranchised underclasses, but they also wrote excellent pop songs. And their are fewer better pop songs than "Train in Vain." Joe Strummer just sings this song with such passion. "Stand by me/Or not at all."

011. Wait, Wait, Wait - The Format (http://is.gd/a9STp)
Once again, this song is a prime testament to the "Greatest vs. Favorite" list concept. The Format is/was an (now-defunct) underappreciated indie-pop band from the early/middle part of the decade. I don't understand how these guys didn't catch on; Interventions + Lullabies (the album this song is off of) is full of the same type of well-crafted pop songs as the much-praised Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, just with slightly rougher production. "Wait, Wait, Wait" is full of amazing one-liners, a flawless melody, great harmony and an excellent hook. Do yourself a favor and listen to it if you've never heard it. And read the lyrics: http://is.gd/aaSbu

8tracks: External:


Sliding Home,
Erik

My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (50-41)

Alright! We're into the second half. This is like marathon blogging for me. Deep breath. OK.

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 (http://is.gd/9MHDq)
This track further proves my theory on "cultivating an aesthetic." This song is about big game hunting; yet still manages to remain un-corny. I also love the instrumental outro, it reminds me of "Layla," or "Video Killed the Radio Star."

049. Skating Away - Jethro Tull (http://is.gd/9MHQf)
If I understand this song correctly, it's basically a second-person letter to Jesus, which is pretty goddamn awesome. And it's about how if Jesus comes back, how removed he'll feel from us. Cool right? Throw in a great melody and you've got an excellent song. I also love how the song builds, gradually adding pieces until the finish.

048. Man Out Of Time - Elvis Costello (http://is.gd/9MJnX)
If you know me, you know I'm a huge Elvis Costello fan. And I celebrate the man's entire catalog. But I still think Imperial Bedroom may be his most accomplished album. And "Man Out of Time" might be the best song on the album. Amazing lyrics ("Love is always scarpering or cowering or fawning /You drink yourself insensitive and hate yourself in the morning"). I also love the melodic bassline; which is one of the most underappreciated aspects of Costello's songs. But the highlight here is the hook; just fantastic.

047. Brother Run Them Down - Constantines (http://is.gd/9MJER)
This is another track that I am not sure has the same gravitas as a lot of the rest of the tracks and artists. But I contend it's one of the best post-punk songs I've ever heard. "You are not your generation" is just an awesome line. This was the 2nd track on my "Best of 2008" CD, so I listened to it pretty constantly for a couple months and never grew tired of it. Now going back I really just savor it.

046. M79 - Vampire Weekend (http://is.gd/9MJWY)
This song has pretty much everything I like about Vampire Weekend: awesome orchestration, clever/creative lyrics, up-beat, and, mostly, Ezra's voice just wailing. I guess I don't see what people's beef is with them. It's just music, man. Either you like it or you don't.

045. The Wind - Cat Stevens (http://is.gd/9MKa3)
Mr. Cat Stevens-Islam. This is a flawless folk song. Such a gorgeous, soulful voice sing gorgeous, soulful words. Follow your heart, everyone.

044. Constructive Summer - The Hold Steady (http://is.gd/9MKwB)
This song, and just the Hold Steady in general, rock. So hard. "Our psalms are singalong songs." This track has pretty much been go-to summer music since I first heard it. I automatically connect it with my best friends, so it'd hard not to have a special meaning for me.

043. Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over - Fall Out Boy (http://is.gd/9MKOw)
Say what you will about Fall Out Boy you'd probably be right; on pretty much all accounts. Yes they are kind of douchey. And their followers are pretty much all morons as a general rule. But I am a fan of pop punk. I don't see why you have to sacrifice melody for speed, or edge or attitude. And call Pete Wentz a cock; lord knows I do. But dude writes some clever, heartfelt lyrics.

042. I'll Be Your Man - The Black Keys (http://is.gd/9ML83)
I'll be honest. I first this song as the theme song for the HBO series Hung. And I was never impressed enough by the Black Keys enough to go back into their catalog and listen to everything they put out. But this song is just perfect. Do you ever listen to music and strut? I do. And this song is amazing for that. It's just so soulful and warm (and simultaneously cool).

041. A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke (http://is.gd/9MLkF)
I feel like I've thrown the word "soul" around a lot in this round, but it is no more pertinent than this song. Just a gloriously gorgeous song born out of so much oppression and heartbreak. I think this might be the most important song on this list, even if it isn't my personal favorite. Man, Sam Cooke's voice is larger than life on this song.

8Tracks: External:


Rounding third!
-Erik

My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (100-91) [and intro]

Alright. This was a massive undertaking. Putting together a list of 100 favorite tracks? No time/genre boundaries? Ugh. I also kicked myself more in the ass by ranking everything. So the #1 on here is my #1.

A note/intro: I've been thinking a lot recently about the nature of criticism and what makes a good critic. Is it purely having good taste? What defines good taste? My personal belief is that a good critic can remove himself from what he likes and look at the subject in the context of the music and artist's history. Does it progress the art form? Does it say something new or significant? Or, if not, does it say something old in a significant way? There are so many considerations. And, of course, it's a bit pompous to think one's beliefs are any more relevant than anyone else's; but there's a certain level of commitment involved in order to define oneself as a critic. You have to sort of have a little pretention to think that your opinion matters. And it's not a pretention I take lightly. I do my best to not blindly like or dislike anything, and I encourage anyone who takes criticism sincerely to do the same.

Having said that, this list is MY FAVORITE 100 SONGS OF ALL TIME. This list is not the "100 Greatest Songs of All-Time." Not to say that some of the greatest songs ever written aren't on here; but this list is my personal 100. These are songs that have touched me in a significant way, and stuck with me over the years. My friend Tim (whose musical opinions I regard) undertook a similar list, and one of his main criteria was that the song could be listened to at any time and he wouldn't want to skip it. That's a great way to approach the list, but unfortunately, for me, sometimes different moods (angry, lovesick, confused) influence my desire to hear a song/artist. I tried to adhere to the "No Skip" rule, but it just couldn't be done for me.

So here it is. The beginning. Tracks 100-91.

100. Stuck in America - Sugarcult (http://is.gd/97H8T)
THIS track. Is underrated. THIS album. Is one of the best commentaries on suburban life put out in the 2000s. Just great pop punk songs about really dark subjects (violence, drug abuse, et al)

99. History Lesson - Part II - Minutemen (http://is.gd/97IqZ)
Haha. This song is so great. I love D. Boon's delivery of one of the most iconic lines of the punk movement ("Our band could be your life.") The whole song is just so casual about somethings that people turn into lifestyles: "Punk rock changed our lives."

98. To Clean (Acoustic) - Woods (http://is.gd/97JH7)
Nice. I am so happy that the video is the actual video of this recording! This song came out in 2009 and was listened to constantly. I am really big into the lo-fi aesthetic, but a lot of times it feels like the band uses rough production to cover up lack of talent. This song is just so beautiful. Great lyrics, smooth riffs and that voice. Damn.

97. Furr - Blitzen Trapper (http://is.gd/97KRN)
The title track off of their 2008 album. I love this song. Great melody and such imagination in the lyrics. It also brings me back to a great night I had with my good friend Matty at Palomino in Milwaukee's Bay View. This track came on and soundtracked a really nice chat.

96. At the Chime of a City Clock - Nick Drake (http://is.gd/97LBY)
Nick Drake is just so heartbreaking. His voice is like a vice on my heart. The ochestration on this song is beautiful, especially the haunting saxophone that duets with Nick a couple minutes in. This song is essential for me in wintertime.

95. Search & Destroy - The Stooges (http://is.gd/97MaU)
Raw Power, baby. God. If this song isn't just the powderkeg of frustration over everything ('Nam in particular) that it took to ignite punk, I don't know what is. And that riff! Ah!

94. Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin - Less Than Jake (http://is.gd/97N5H)
I, like many others my age, went through a ska phase in high school. I don't regret it. But I did outgrow it in a lot of ways. But Less Than Jake has been a constant. I've said this before and I'll say it again, Vinny Fiorello is as close to Bruce Springsteen lyrically that's come along. These universal themes of discontent and wanting more out of life pop up all the time. "When I think of how I'm feeling right now, I still remember how I felt 4 years ago." The more things seem to change, the more human emotions remain a constant.

93. Ruby Soho - Rancid (http://is.gd/97OBZ)
I just realized how pop-punk/punk heavy these first 10 tracks are. Not really reflective of the rest of the list. ...And Out Come The Wolves is one of the greatest punk albums ever made. And this song is a great reflection. Just throw it on, have a drink with your friends as Tim Armstrong slurs through your speakers.

92. B.O.B. - OutKast (http://is.gd/97Pwq)
Woah. Just a shot of adrenaline directly to your heart. Andre 3000 is my #3 all-time rapper (behind Ghostface Killah and Black Thought of the Roots). But he's so much more than that. Man, has there been anything like this song since? Was there anything like it before it? The rhythm! The flow! The content! There is just so much to digest, and yet it's a pop song. A great, great pop song.

91. Monk Time - The Monks (http://is.gd/97QPO)
1966. This album came out the same year as Pet Sounds. How nuts is that? If you haven't seen this documentary I highly recommend it. Just the raw intensity of the lyrics and vocals. And the simplicity of the music. This was the foundation of punk, slammed into under 3 minutes. Simply brilliant.

8tracks: External:


More to come! Thanks for listening to my babel.

-Erik

Day 77: George Carlin

Today is a little bittersweet, for it marks what would have been George Carlin's 72nd birthday. Unfortunately, he passed away last year, leaving a huge hole in the comedy world. Being a Milwaukeean, I feel it my duty to personally make up for the fact that in 1972 Mr. Carlin was arrested in Milwaukee for disturbing the peace.

The act that got him arrested was his "Seven Dirty Words" routine. One of his legacies, of course, is his liberal use of profanity (and free speech in general). To commemorate Mr. Carlin, I've put together a list of 10 songs (some of which are short) that display my favorite use of profanity. There are a lot of songs out there that use a bunch of swears, but they come across as obnoxious to me (I'm looking at you, "My Neck, My Back" and "The Whisper Song").

Not to say some of these songs don't use profanity cheaply; they do. But, the difference is, they don't take themselves seriously, and I like that. And so should you.

YouTube:
01. Reel Big Fish - Another F.U. Song
02. Blink 182 - Happy Holidays, You Bastard
03. Tenacious D - Karate
04. Eminem - Kill You
05. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
06. Pantera - Fucking Hostile
07. Dr. Dooom - No Chorus
08. Lil Jon feat. Ice Cube - Roll Call
09. Frank Zappa & Steve Vai - Fuck Yourself
10. Ben Folds - Bitches Ain't Shit

imeem: External:

Day 77: George Carlin

Fuck,
Erik

Vid.


(Image by Thomas Roche, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 74: The Seven Deadly Sins

There are plenty of days like this, May 7, where there isn't a whole lot going on; no notable deaths or birthdays, no holidays, no nothing. But, today is the 7th, which has prompted today's list: the Seven Deadly Sins. I've put together seven tracks that, in my opinion, best represent each of the Cardinal Sins. Enjoy, and let me know you think.

Lust (There are a lot of songs about lust, but this song really embodies the concept for me. The Deadly Sins aren't about moderation. Any of these things taken in small doses probably won't kill you. But, wanting it too much and in excess, that's the killer.)
01. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love
Gluttony (I realize this song is really obvious as far as lyrics are concerned; but I felt it appropriate. And, I didn't wanna settle on "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Fat" or "Eat It.")
02. Dave Matthews Band - Too Much
Greed (This song pretty much exemplifies modern rap's greed.)
03. 50 Cent - I Get Money
Sloth (This song came by good suggestion. It embodies apathy and detrimental laziness about as fully as anything else out there.)
04. Green Day - Longview
Wrath (Both musically and lyrically wrathful.)
05. Metallica - Seek & Destroy
Envy (I love this pick. There are a lot of songs about envy, but this one really goes to the extreme. This person is so envious of someone else's love that he can barely distinguish reality from imagination.)
06. The Temptations - Just My Imagination
Pride (The pride they refer to with the sins isn't being proud of something else; it's hubris. It's a love of self more than a love of anything else. Now, rap is probably the most self-obsessed genre, and Kanye West is probably the most self-obsessed person within that genre. The chorus asks, "Did you realize, that you were a champion in their eyes?" But it asks it in the third person, to which Kanye responds to his own question: "Yes I did." Gotta love it.)
07. Kanye West - Champion

imeem: External:

Day 74: The Seven Deadly Sins

Let Us Pray,
Erik

And...



(Image by Bill Rogers, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 67: Oh, Sad Canada

April 28 brings a strange holiday: National Day of Mourning in Canada. It's supposedly designed to remember those who have died in workplace-related accidents; which is pretty sad stuff I guess. For the holiday I've put together my list of 10 of the saddest songs by Canadian artists. Because I'm creative like that. Enjoy!

YouTube:

01. Joni Mitchell - Blue

02. Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
03. Feist - The Park

04. Stars - Celebration Guns (N/A)

05. Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know
06. Sum 41 - Still Waiting

07. Ron Sexsmith - Words We Never Use

08. Chad VanGaalen - Willow Tree

09. Neil Young - Old Man

10. Leonard Cohen - Stranger Song

imeem: External:

Day 67: Oh, Sad Canada

Here's A Tissue, Eh,

Erik

(Image by Just Us 3, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 52: For Your Health

Holy criminy is this a stretch. Today is WORLD HEALTH DAY, which is sponsored by the World Health Organization. In it's honor I have put together a list about being healthy. Granted, not all of these songs are strictly about living a healthy lifestyle or anything, but, if you really wanted to, you could interpret them in such a way.

Haha, they can't all be winners.

YouTube:
01. James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
02. Chicago - Feeling Stronger Every Day
03. Joe Cocker - Feelin' Alright
04. Spacemen 3 - Feel So Good (N/A)
05. Operation Ivy - Healthy Body
06. The White Stripes - Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine
07. Motion City Soundtrack - Everything is Alright
08. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
09. Mase - Feel So Good (lol I f***ing love this)
10. Jason Mraz - Remedy

imeem: External:

Day 52: For Your Health

I Apologize,
Erik

Bonus Videos!


And


Finally


(Image by Val, 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 30: Less Than Jake

Usually for these artist spotlights I just go through my favorite artists (artists with whom I have a committed relationship) and put together my favorite songs. It's the same case this time around, but I'm starting to run that well a little dry. There aren't a whole lot of artists where I can just say, OK, and rattle off 20 of my favorite songs. The coming weeks will just mean a little more research through the catalogs of some of my favorite artists, who I love and probably should know better regardless.

That said, this week's artist spotlight is Less Than Jake. Not everyone is into ska-punk or pop punk, but I am. I've been a really big fan of LTJ for a long time. It's cool that Bruce Springsteen was last week, because there is a definite through line between his lyrics and Vinnie's (the drummer/lyricist). A lot their lyrics deal with getting out of your current situation looking for something better. And can't most of us relate to that?

YouTube:
All Songs by Less Than Jake
01. Portrait of a Cigarette Smoker at 19
02. Never Going Back to New Jersey
03. The State of Florida
04. Faction
05. We, The Uninspired (N/A)
06. This is Going Nowhere (N/A)
07. Anchor
08. I Think I Love You
09. Nervous in the Alley
10. The Science of Selling Yourself Short
11. 24 Hours in Paramus
12. Big
13. Automatic
14. Five State Drive
15. Short on Ideas/One Last Cigarette
16. The Space They Can't Touch
17. Lockdown
18. Scott Farcas Takes it on the Chin
19. Mostly Memories (N/A)
20. National Anthem (maybe the worst video ever made)
21. Last Hour of the Last Day of Work

imeem: External:

Day 30: Less Than Jake

No White Flags,
Erik

Bonus Vid (song):


and (lol)


(Image by Laura, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 17: Michael Bay

As everyone knows, on this day in 1965, Hollywood icon/director/producer Michael Bay was born. In honor of some of his work (Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys, Armageddon...) I have decided to compile a list of incredibly shallow songs that either cover up or celebrate their shallowness through distraction in melody or guitar riff or nice beats. Now, don't get me wrong, some of these songs are great, proving that artistic value can be salvaged out of piss-poor lyrics. And, some of these songs are just plain dumb. Catchy... perhaps. But dumb. Most of them are just victims of style over substance.

Without further ado...

YouTube:
01. Metallica - Fuel
02. Black Sabbath - Iron Man
03. Foreigner - Hot Blooded
04. Journey - Any Way You Want It
05. Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar on Me
06. Rod Stewart - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?
07. Puff Daddy - It's All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)
08. Cash Money Millionaires - #1 Stunna
09. Jay Z - Big Pimpin'
10. Linkin Park - Paper Cut (Ironically a coincidence that these two songs were matched up for the Jay Z/Linkin Park CD)
11. Good Charlotte - Girls & Boys
12. Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up
13. Fastball - The Way
14. Duran Duran - The Reflex
15. Kanye West - Coldest Winter
16. Queen - Killer Queen
17. The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches
18. Kid Rock - Bawitdaba
19. Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane
20. Poison - Unskinny Bop
21. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
22. B52's - Rock Lobster
23. Jimmy Buffett - MargaritaVille
24. Toto - Africa
25. The Beatles - Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (Unavailable on imeem)

imeem: External:

Day 17: Michael Bay

And, of course, Henry the Horse dances the Waltz?
-Erik

Bonus Video, Collision Course!!!


(Image by Steve Rhodes, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 6: Pop Punk!

Well. I apparently can't use imeem to play anything more than 30-second clips anymore. If anyone knows a legitimate service for uploading and embedding play-lists please let me know. I'm going to continue to embed the imeem lists. But they're probably useless. I will also, when available, make all the songs YouTube link-able.

So, for the first genre tour I chose Pop Punk. Why? Why the hell not, that's why. It's one of the funnest genres; it's like candy. Don't take it too seriously and it won't take itself too seriously? I've got some of my faves on here. So enjoy. And once again I apologize for the bullshit list system I have right now.

YouTube Links.

Green Day - "Basket Case"
Fall Out Boy - "Calm Before the Storm"
Blink-182 - "A New Hope"
The Ataris - "San Dimas High School Football Rules"
MxPx - "Punk Rawk Show"
Lit - "Zip-Lock"
Sugarcult - "Stuck in America"
Houston Calls - "Exit, Emergency"
Hit the Lights - "Three Oh Nine"
Yellowcard - "Miles Apart"
Sum 41 - "Nothing On My Back"
New Found Glory - "It's Been A Summer"
Useless I.D. - "Bring Me Down" (couldn't find a clip for "Run")
Less Than Jake - "Soundtrack of My Life" (either live or acoustic, I chose acoustic)
Motion City Soundtrack - "Broken Heart" (Note: my friend Gus is the dude in the beginning who tears his heart out.)

And the imeem list (external linkage)

Day 6: Pop Punk

Keep on rockin',
Erik

(Image by Zoria Licensed Under Creative Commons)