My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (10-1)

Alright everyone!! Here's the final installment of my 100 favorite tracks project. Thanks a bunch for checking this out.

Where we've been:
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
020. 11:59 - Blondie
019. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
018. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
017. Come On! Feel The Illinoise!: Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition/Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream - Sufjan Stevens
016. Fake Empire - The National
015. Honey In The Sun - Camera Obscura
014. Nightswimming - R.E.M.
013. The Way Young Lovers Do - Van Morrison
012. Train in Vain - The Clash
011. Wait, Wait, Wait - The Format

010. Skyway - The Replacements (http://is.gd/ag3ku)
As a sidenote, Paul Westerberg looks exactly like Thomas Jane in that video. This track is just gorgeous. I love how Westerberg takes such a mundane act of waiting for a ride in downtown Minneapolis and finds this song. Just perfect, tight, and excellent.

009. See You Later - Elliott Smith (http://is.gd/ag58B)
This is kind of an unknown Elliott Smith song. He wrote it when he was with the band Heatmiser, but always played it live solo. It found remastered home on the poorly-named New Moon. This track is, of course, a heartbreaking look at Elliott's addictions and depression. I wish I could say, you know, "I love this song!" but hearing Elliott's pain is devastating to me. But, the fact that he can draw these visceral emotions out of me makes me realize what I love about music. I listen to music to feel something, anything. Just the fact that such beauty can come out of such sadness is the sign of true art.

008. Cemetry Gates - The Smiths (http://is.gd/ag6Lj)
This is the only album, The Queen is Dead, that has two tracks on this list. This song is so clever, and a testament to how great of a songwriter Morrissey is. I love the allusions and the little bits of philosophy he imparts in a catchy pop song. I just realized how pretty evenly divided this top 10 list is among the decades. This track is perfect example of why the 80s produced some of the best pop music of all time; better than the 90s and 00s and debatable to the 70s

007. Rock and Roll - Velvet Underground (http://is.gd/ag7BB)
This track has it all: the great rhythm and guitar, Lou Reed showing that he doesn't have to be completely abrasive and maybe, just maybe, he can write a straight solid rock and roll song, an incredible hook and blistering guitar solos. Looking back on Minutemen's "History Lesson - Part II," ("Punk rock changed our lives") this song, released in 1970, has the exact same mentality. Times and sensibilities change, but the power of music as an outlet for rebellion and escape is constant.

006. Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady (http://is.gd/ag9rL)
Just like what I said about The National, The Hold Steady's Craig Finn writes about America. This song, I think, is his masterpiece in that regard; full of literary allusions, colloquial references and common threads that tie us all together as Americans. Finn delivers these intelligent lines with so much vitriol; chocked full of piss, vinegar & Pabst. I don't think I could pick a favorite line if I tried. And on top of everything this track rips and roars, and then hits you with that smooth, almost Bruce Hornsby-esque bridge.

005. Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen (http://is.gd/aga5i)
Springsteen is incredible for a lot of reasons, but what I love him most for is his overabundance of incredible lyrics. This song clocks in at about 5:00, and throughout most of it the Boss is singing (lyrics: http://is.gd/ahDgh). I'm sure you've heard this song, so I don't need to give you a play-by-play. Some of my favorite parts: "Come take my hand/We're riding out tonight to case the promise land," "Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet," and the hopelessly "triumphant" end.

004. For No One - The Beatles (http://is.gd/agauv)
This is my favorite Beatles song, which is sort of odd, because it was recorded solely by Ringo and Paul, who are not my favorite Beatles. But, this song is emblematic of why the Beatles are incredible: even deeper cuts on their records were perfectly crafted pop music. They couldn't write bad pop songs. It just didn't happen. The French Horn in this song is perfect, too.

003. Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel (http://is.gd/aiA)
THE song of the 1990s. Where to begin with this one? I'll start with just general attitude and work backwards: this song is manic. Everything about this song sounds like it belongs in a schizophrenic's head. Musically, to this day I've never heard a guitar song like that fuzzy, raucous acoustic monster Jeff Mangum's playing. The drums and rhythm are powerful and officious. The vocals are just all over the map and furious. The horns just fan the flames that is this song. The lyrics are completely obsurd: basically a historial account/sympathy letter to Anne Frank. I don't think there has been a more powerful song written in the "indie" canon to this day.

002. I Want You Back - Jackson 5 (http://is.gd/agegM)
OK! So this is my favorite pop song ever written. Simply enough. If you've heard this song and not liked it, excuse me, but there is something seriously wrong with you. I could pick out dozens of things I love about this song, but it really boils down to 1 thing: the chord progression. Flawless, unapologetic, up-beat, brilliant pop music.

001. Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (http://is.gd/aggXd)
I don't care if this is cliche. This song is the culmination of everything I love in a song. As I discussed in the intro, I think a good critic has to draw lines between what's good and what they like. But, for me, when I listen to music, the historical significance of the song or album plays into my enjoyment. Like, "Like A Rolling Stone" wasn't created in a vaccuum. It's important to see where/when the song was born to understand its creation. I don't even know where to begin with this one either. It's the ultimate triumph of iconoclastic songwriting, both sonically and lyrically. The words are the voice of the changing guard of every era. And the voice of changing ways. I constantly find myself in a state of transition, and this song screams into that void of uncertainty.

I recently heard this song back-to-back with "The Times They Are A-Changing." "Like A Rolling Stone" is the next step in the percieved peaceful revolution. Like, instead of changing times it's, "Times have changed. Learn to live in the new world or die. And PS. Go fuck yourself." This changing attitude also coincided with Dylan going electric. Listen to this track closely and acoustic instruments (guitar and piano) are isolated to one channel and electric (organ and guitar) are isolated to the other. Dude was battling himself and his changing musical ways in his own song!

I also spoke of the "Knock out" verse earlier. This entire song is a knockout verse. It could end at any time, but just when you think it could end he comes right back, "Awwwwww! Princess on the steeple..." And every verse is perfect.

What else. The chorus. "HOW DOES IT FEEL?!" The way those words are sung just cuts through everything with a hot knife of disdain and anger. Please, I impore you, if you've never seen the video I posted for this song, watch it. He's literally screaming into the mic as these passive folk-fucks stare blankly into this typhoon of protest. When the so-called forces of change aren't forceful enough you have to be bigger than they are. This song is why Bob Dylan is revolutionary. And why this is my favorite song of all time.

Thanks a lot for checking this out.

8tracks: External:


Best,
Erik

My 100 Favorite Tracks of All Time (80-71)

I really should restrict myself to a more consistent regiment of when I post these. I have no firm schedule. But my goal is to have it all available by the end of next week.

Alright. Part three!! Definitely out of the 70s and 80s punk realm for a while, I believe. I think the list will bring a little bit more variety from here on on (though, for the record, it has been pretty eclectic thus far, in my opinion). Note: I encourage all of you who check this out to make a similar list! It's a fun exercise if you're serious about the music you love. I also encourage you to discuss/judge this list.

A recap of parts ONE and TWO:

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 (http://is.gd/9uaOC)
Chan Marshall turns me to putty. Ugh. It's not fair to have a voice so velvety and sultry (and to also look like she looks!? So mean.). This song just puts me outside on a warm summer night drinking with friends underneath stars and moons and tiki torches. And then that turn at 2:30 just seals the deal. Check your pulse if your toe isn't tapping.

079. Venus - Television (http://is.gd/9ucOO)
And we're back to CBGB in the 70s (you were warned!). For those of you who have listened to Marquee Moon in it's entirety you know it is just unbelievable. For those of you who haven't; please get with the program. There are a lot of songs on this list that offer little snapshots of a given time or place; I like to think of this song as a little picture of New York in '76-'77, complete with references to Richard Hell. But the highlight of this track are the guitars. The technique and interplay is fantastic. I prefer this track to the more notable title track just for length. I get tired in most 10-minute songs. But the whole album is sellar.

078. In The Neighborhood - Tom Waits (http://is.gd/9ugaH)
"With Swordfishtrombones, The Black Rider was thrown out of the nightclub into the alley and, finding himself in his true element, he made its trashcan residents and urine stink the genetic code of the rest of his career." -Rob Mitchum, Pitchfork. "In the Neighborhood" is like a cartoon sketch of any inner city. It's simultaneously playful and depressing, sugar and spice, and, of course, it's Tom Wait's as the ringmaster, drunkenly spewing concrete on a piano somewhere dirty. And oh how I love it so.

077. Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem (http://is.gd/9ukZA)
What is the point in doing anything if you take yourself so seriously? I love the music video, because I feel with every reference he throws out that I understand I'm catching a slap in the face. And it's totally fine. I can relate to a lot of the sentiment in this track ("the kids are coming up from behind.") And you can dance to it too, which is always nice. And because I'm the master of meta (ugh I feel like an asshole right now):

076. Vitamin C - Can (http://is.gd/9uqpz)
Krautrock was a bizarre, bizarre movement in Germany in the late 60s and 70s. I think what made it so fascinating, to me, was how disjointed everything was. From early electronic experiments to crazy jam rock, it encompassed nearly everything. But my personal favorite of the entire "genre" is, and always will be, Can. Those drums! Do you breakdance? Well you do now! I love this track so much because it doesn't sound like it belongs anywhere. It just mysteriously came from this crazy nebula of jazz, funk, rock and punk and burrowed into our ears.

075. International Player's Anthem - UGK (feat. Outkast) (http://is.gd/9urYY)
Andre 3000's verse.

074. Someday - The Strokes (http://is.gd/9utTp)
There are some songs on this list that I can't even fully explain. They just hit me. "Someday" is one of those songs. Maybe it's Julian Casablancas' voice, or the simple yet perfect guitar riff, or the lovely nostalgic lyrics, or the consistent and effortlessly excellent rhythm section, or the, shit, it's obviously all of the above and more.

073. These Days - Nico (http://is.gd/9uvLD)
I think in order to really appreciate the Nico version you have to know the original Jackson Browne version. Her version is completely turned on its ear. Instead of being one of the millions of songs about regret after a relationship, little twists in the words made her version about regret at the end of life. This song just levels me. Especially Nico's haunting voice and the orchestration. Just beautiful.

072. All Falls Down - Kanye West (http://is.gd/9uwYt)
This track comes from notorious doucher Kanye West. I want to hate him so much (and in many ways I do), but then I go back and listen to his old albums when he had shreds of sincerity and get completely blown away. The beat is so soulful and the lyrics are such a refreshing change of pace from the kind of rap that populated manstream hip-hop for the majority of the decade. I guess this song is also bittersweet to me, because I see what happened to Kanye, who I sort of regarded as a bastion of honesty in the world of rap, and see what's become of him. "When it falls down, who you gonna call now," indeed.

071. Debaser - Pixies (http://is.gd/9uAcD)
This song is a sort of late edition. Originally I had "Here Comes Your Man," but then I went back and listened to the Pixies a bit more. And I realized "Here Comes Your Man" doesn't really capture what I really love about the Pixies, or what they do best: and that is rock. "Debaser" fuckin' rocks, man. And as a film student, I was forcefed "Un Chien Andalou" like a billion times.

8Tracks: External:


OK! You know where we're headed from here.
-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 99: The Factory

Today, August 6th saw the birth of artist and icon Andy Warhol. I'm sure you all know as much about him as anyone else.

In honor of his birth-date, I put together a shortish-list of artists known to have hung out in The Factory, Warhol's infamous studio, which really flourished during the mid-1960s. Now The Factory was rumored to have seen the likes of dozens upon dozen of some prolific musicians of the era. But, I'm just going to to go with ones that were infamous for their association with the studio.



YouTube:
01. Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side
02. John Cale - Paris 1919
03. Nico - The Fairest of the Seasons (Cover Only)
04. Velvet Undergound - White Light/White Heat
05. Rolling Stones - Sister Morphine
06. David Bowie - Space Oddity
07. Bob Dylan - One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
08. The Doors - Break on Through (To the Other Side)
09. Jackson Browne - Song For Adam
10. Blondie - X Offender

imeem: External:

Day 99: The Factory

Yeah,
Erik

Video!


(Image By Sonia Fantoli, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 98: Wildcard (22)

New Week, New Wildcard.

YouTube:
01. The Hold Steady - Stevie Nix (30 sec. on imeem, "40 Bucks" instead)
02. Weezer - My Name is Jonas
03. Delorean - Seasun
04. 10cc - Dreadlock Holiday
05. Sublime - Badfish
06. Joshua James - You're the Cocaine (N/A)
07. She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
08. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
09. Ben Folds Five - Brick
10. Rosa Passos - Doce Presenca (N/A) (30 secs. on imeem, "Wave" instead)
11. Simon & Garfunkel - Keep the Customer Satisfied
12. Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True
13. Pet Benatar - Hit Me with Your Best Shot
14. Black Eyed Peas - Weekends
15. Neon Indian - Terminally Chill
16. Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
17. Suicide Machines - I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
18. Velvet Underground - Stephanie Says
19. Climax Blues Band - Couldn't Get It Right (30 secs. on imeem)
20. Osker - Patience

imeem: External:

Day 98: Wildcard (22)

(Image by James Emery, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 88: Left Eye

Today, May 28, 2009, would have been the 38th birthday of Lisa Lopes of popular music group TLC. She was the "L," which stood for "Left Eye" (though it could have just as easily stood for "Loved setting Andre Rison's house on fire").

Left Eye died tragically in 2002 in a car crash in Honduras. To commemorate Ms. Lopes, I've put together a list of 15 songs about eyes.

YouTube:
01. Debbie Gibson - Lost In Your Eyes
02. Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
03. Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes
04. Guess Who - These Eyes
05. The Eagles - Lyin' Eyes
06. The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
07. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
08. The dB's - Big Brown Eyes
09. Pogues - Pair of Brown Eyes
10. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
11. Sinead O'Connor - Damn Your Eyes
12. Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
13. Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes
14. The Beta Band - Needles In My Eyes
15. Van Morrison - Brown-Eyed Girl

imeem: External:

Day 88: Left Eye

The Light The Heat,
Erik

Video!


(Image by zoethustra, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 78: Wildcard (16)

It's beat time! It's hop time! It's Wildcard time!!

YouTube:
01. The Monks - Monk Time
02. Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin'
03. Kenny Loggins - Mr. Night
04. Black Crowes - Kickin' My Heart Around
05. Five Iron Frenzy - Pre Ex-Girlfriend
06. Public Image Ltd. - Swan Lake
07. Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move
08. Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
09. M.I.A. - Galang
10. Pharrell - Angel
11. Aceyalone - I Think I Know Too Much
12. Blondie - Rapture
13. The Tubes - She's A Beauty
14. Interpol - NYC
15. Beach House - Apple Orchard
16. Coldplay - Don't Panic (I can't seem to escape this song; so I figured I'd just throw it on a list.)
17. The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby
18. Willie Nelson - Whiskey River
19. Tommy James & The Shondells - Crimson & Clover
20. Roy Orbison - In Dreams

imeem: External:

Day 78: Wildcard (16)

A Candy-Colored Clown,
Erik

Bonus!


(Image by Josh Harper, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 59: LSD, Man

Alright druggies, today is your day. Set up your black lights. It's time to expand your minds.

I'll never claim to be an expert on psychedelics, but on this day in 1943, Dr. Albert Hofmann first discovered the psychedelic effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). For this day I've assembled a list of songs that will either mellow you out or blow your mind, depending on what type of trip you're having. Enjoy, man.

YouTube:
01. Pink Floyd - Time
02. Outkast - Love Hater
03. The Dukes of Stratosphear - Collideascope
04. The Velvet Underground - Heroin
05. Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
06. 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me
07. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child
08. Tim Buckley - Starsailor
09. Radiohead - Motion Picture Soundtrack
10. Sigur Ros - Hjartad Hamast
11. Elliott Smith - Ostriches & Chirping
12. DJ QBert - Inner Space Dental Commander
13. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
14. Neutral Milk Hotel - Marching Theme
15. The Beatles - A Day In The Life (N/A on imeem, "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" instead)
16. This Heat - Independence (N/A)
17. Jonny Greenwood - Henry Plainview
18. Miles Davis - Black Satin
19. J Dilla - Won't Do
20. Beach Boys - Vegetables
21. King Crimson - In the Court of King Crimson

imeem: External:

Day 59: LSD

Far Out,
Erik

Bonus Videos!


And


And Finally


(Image By Dave, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 36: Pre-1980s Punk

This week's genre tour was a little tough to define. I wanted to do a strictly Roots Punk list coming off the heels of The Clash list. But the genre definitions within the punk movement are shady at best. So I decided that I'd limit the list to songs released before 1980. This sort of narrows down what's fair game. On one hand there are Protopunk bands that set the ground rules for punk (The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, Velvet Underground), more straight-up Punk acts (Dead Boys, Ramones, Sex Pistols), alongside the first wave of Post-Punk bands like Gang of Four. Overall the list is just a collection of some of my favorite songs from this era. The attitude, message and relentlessness of the music encapsulated the movement. Enjoi Oi Oi!

YouTube:
01. The Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting for the Man
02. Patti Smith - Pumping (My Heart)
03. New York Dolls - Personality Crisis
04. The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner
05. Iggy & The Stooges - Search & Destroy
06. Ramones - Judy is a Punk
07. The Clash - Janie Jones
08. The Jam - The Modern World
09. The Damned - New Rose
10. Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer
11. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
12. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
13. Wire - Ex Lion Tamer
14. Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict
15. Gang of Four - Ether

imeem: External:

Day 36: Pre-1980s Punk

Hey Ho! Let's Go!
Erik

Video:


(CBGB Image by Joseph Holmes, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 35: The Clash

The Clash. There's not a whole lot to say that hasn't already been said. Within the roots punk movement they were a voice of non-violence and peace, as well as defenders of equality and injustice. Not to mentioned they rocked incredibly hard while being simultaneously musical for a punk band. They were also one of the first bands to really dive in blending styles. Between reggae and punk, hip-hop and pop, their repertoire is impressive over such a relatively short span of albums (they only had 6-7 studio albums).

In making this list, I wanted to show some of their diversity; but with such incredible albums like The Clash and London Calling, the list turned a bit more favoring towards those albums than I would like. But what can you do? A great album's a great album. And I also probably should have the song "London Calling" on this list. But I don't. Nor did I go down the route of "Rock the Casbah" or "Should I Stay Or Should I Go."

In the words of Craig Finn: "Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer. I think he might've been our only decent teacher."

YouTube:
(All songs by The Clash)
01. White Riot
02. Know Your Rights
03. Police & Thieves
04. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
05. Train in Vain (Stand By Me)
06. Washington Bullets
07. Hateful
08. Stay Free
09. Police On My Back
10. Capitol Radio Two
11. Pressure Drop
12. Lost in the Supermarket
13. Complete Control
14. City of the Dead
15. English Civil War
16. Spanish Bombs
17. Straight to Hell
18. Hitsville U.K.
19. This is England
20. The Man in Me (Dylan Cover)

imeem: External:

Day 35: The Clash

Can't Fail,
Erik

Bonus Vid! (The Clash rapping before it was cool)


(Image By Ian Burt (via Pennie Smith). 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 1: A Tribute to Michigan

As previously stated, Mondays will usually be a specific genre, but today's a bit different.

It appears that Michigan became our 26th state on this day in 1837. The state has a great history of music from Motown to early punk to modern-day hip-hop. I've tried to include a nice cross-section of styles in the list (with a lot of R&B and Soul, because that's what made Detroit famous). And, instead of using songs about Michigan/Detroit, or music produced there, I went with artists hailing from The Great Lakes State. I decided to take it chronologically, so if it doesn't flow perfectly, be patient. And enjoy!

Also, the imeem player is probably the best way for me to post these play-lists. So if you don't have an account, I'd encourage you to create one! And, as a bonus, most offices don't have imeem blocked off, so you should be able to enjoy this at work!

(Note: Not every day is going to have such a long list. Some days will be shorter depending on what the lists' influence is.)

Day 1: Tribute to Michigan

As always I can be followed on Twitter!

-Erik


PS: Bonus Video!


(Image by Derek Farr, Licensed under Creative Commons)
(Video from The Temptations, 1998)