Top 100 Songs of the Millennium (2000-2019) - #70-61

[Shrykespeare]

#65



CHIEN

Asaf Avidan, Reckoning Song (One Day) (2008)

There are songs that come out, and you don’t really like them, and that was what happened with this one, as the radio version was some sort of dance thing that’s really not my stuff. But then one day I discovered the live versions of “Reckoning Song”, just Asaf Avidan and his guitar, and that’s really something else. So that’s the one in my Top, and the one I let you listen to here.





GEEZER

The Gaslight Anthem, 45 (2012)

The lead track and single off the Gaslight Anthem's album "Handwritten" that arguably launched the band to pretty big mainstream success. This is just a perfect modern rock and roll song to me.





JOHNERLE

Goldfrapp, Ooh La La (2005)

To paraphrase my comment on Ida Maria, if I need to explain why this is on my list you may already be dead.

Also: Strict Machine, Number One





LEESTU

Faker, Hurricane (2005)

An upbeat, catchy, energetic, good mood, fun, sing along song. Sometimes all I want from music is a good time and this song (and to a lesser extent the rest of this album) scratches that itch.





NSPAN

The Rapture, Whoo Alright Yeah Uh Huh (2006)

Discovered this band from a ReelSociety music countdown. They quickly became one of favorite modern bands.





RON B

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dani California (2006)

For a while there it seemed RHCP would release a great song every few years, while i think their best album was Californication they were always so good at cranking out some awesome music.





SCREEN203

Disclosure ft. London Grammer, Help Me Lose My Mind (2013)

Yes, another Disclosure song...

I can't stress enough the impact that Disclosure has had on my musical tastes. While I understand why most people here dread Disclosure's appearance, the fact that their songs mostly sound the same dosen't matter to me when the formula is this solid. Love the buildup to the chorus in this one.





SHRYKE

Erasure, Solsbury Hill (2003)

Yes, I’m following a song by one of my favorite aging artists (Peter Gabriel) with another of my favorite aging bands, doing a cover of a song by Peter Gabriel. Everyone knows this one. Some might hate Erasure’s happy, poppy, disco-ey take on it, but not me. I think it’s awesome. And while some may turn their nose up at Andy Bell flaunting his gayness with reckless abandon, I can’t help but admire his fearlessness. This is the second of Erasure’s three songs on my list, and it’ll be a long while before we get to the next one.





SIX

Idles, 1049 Gotho (2017)

Those of you outside of the UK may not feel the impact of Idles, but these guys are the last band propping up guitar music. Rather than influence teens, their socially aware punk (or snowflake-Oi as comedian Lee Stewart called them) is reawakening old feelings thought lost to people in their 30s and 40s, those of us who grew up on Nirvana, Pixies, Radiohead, and never saw days like that. Taken from their debut album Brutalism, this is an incredible punk song about loneliness and depression. Soon the solidarity of songs like this turned into empowerment, and you’ll hear more on my thoughts on this in a few weeks.



Above video didn't work for me. Try this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptVGPpk7rr0



SURFER

Ezra Furman, 'Suck The Blood From My Wound' (2018)

Furman returned with his most ambitious record to date when he released Transangelic Exodus. A concept record following the narrative of two homosexuals on the run from the law, the album found him at his most thematically cohesive, whilst also developing his voice as an artist. The record's opening track and lead single is a fascinating introduction to this world, as Furman liberates himself and screams with true pride as his persona, Angel, escapes a hospital ward and begins his quest for freedom. Its an exhilarating song, fuelled by passion and rage, and you believe every second of it.





TRANSFORMERS

Converge, Dark Horse (2009)

Converge are more or less the Radiohead of 21st century metal with their flair for experimentation, countless accolades received and number of acts they've influenced along the way. Despite all of that acclaim, their notoriously harsh, chaotic sound makes them among the most unpalatable acts in the scene. That sense of chaos along with the unpredictability and raw emotion that comes with it is what makes songs like "Dark Horse" so appealing to me and appalling to others.

[Leestu]

#65 playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3y0Vp ... b4M5ztF1fQ

[Leestu]

Catching up after a busy few days, and I listened a few days ago so just quickly...

#68

The I Love It

Green Day, American Idiot - still timely now after 16 years, and Green Day at their radio friendly punk rock best

The Excellent

Big Thief, Not - in my top 100 songs of 2019...love the way it develops and how it ends up...probably my favourite Big Thief song

Lucero, My Best Girl - I picked up this album from one of your lists Geezer...I listened to it quite a bit...I love the sound of this song, musically and vocally, and I like the lyrics

Explosions In The Sky, 'The Birth And Death Of The Day - first listen...lots of great songs today...I was lost in this song

Future Islands, Seasons - great vocal performance here...has anyone heard his rap album? Goes by the name of Hemlock Ernst

The Great

Chelsea Wolfe, 16 Psyche -great song from a great album

Very Good

Phoenix, Napoleon Says - first listen...did anyone know this song already? ...that was fun and interesting...the first Phoenix song I've heard that has got me interested to hear more

The Good

Vince Staples feat. Juicy J, Big Fish - it's catchy, but there are many other Vince Staples songs I prefer over this (Crabs In A Bucket is my personal favourite from Big Fish Theory)

Lightning Dust, Diamond - first listen

The Okay

Juliette Armanet, L’amour en solitaire - first listen...nice voice...decent for a piano ballad

[Leestu]

#67 trying to be quick

The Awesome

Hilltop Hoods, Nosebleed Section - such a consistently high quality band over a long time now and this is a fun song, and one of my favourite's of theirs

The Excellent

Every Time I Die, Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow - first listen...this rocked...love his grungy voice...after this and the other song of theirs from ealier I am adding an album

The Great

XTC, Wounded Horse - first listen...Wow! This was great...I haven't heard any XTC from this decade but I love their 80's material, especially The Dukes Of STratosphear albums...shame this isn't on spotify, I would be adding it (or the album) to some playlists

The Very Good

Alain Souchon, La vie ne vaut rien - first listen...even without understanding the lyrics this song clicked with me for some reason...I got into the story telling timing, the upbeat tune but with a nostalgic feel, and the softly wailing guitars in the background at times...I liked this

Arctic Monkeys, Fake Tales Of San Francisco

Wilco, Radio Cure - one of the better songs on this album

Laura Marling, Salinas - first listen...as good as other songs I've heard of hers...I should listen to more

The Good

Social Distortion, Don't Take Me For Granted - first listen


The Okay

Barenaked Ladies, Too Little Too Late - first listen

Cassie, Me And U - first listen...did not expect to like this but yeah there is something about that beat..the lyrics and vocals are a bit generic though

[Shrykespeare]

#65

Screen203 - Help Me Lose My Mind - DAMN, Screen. This was absolutely fantastic. I love London's voice, and the groovy beat and synth rhythms were right in my wheel-house. I've played it five times (and counting), and it just gets better each time! 8.5/10

Ron B - Dani California - You can always count on the Peppers for great music, and entertaining videos. This is definitely one of their best songs of the millennium. 8/10

Leestu - Hurricane - Couldn't agree more, Stu. Sometimes a catchy beat is all you need. And I really like this. 7.5/10

JohnErle - Ooh La La - No worries, mate. I'm not QUITE dead. Love the sultry vibe and the electronic beat. Plus, she's HAWT. 7/10

NSpan - Whoo Alright Yeah Uh Huh - Much like Leestu's pick, this one got me with its catchy beat. Cool choice. 7/10

Geezer - 45 - Thoroughly enjoyed this. Lots of great songs today!! 6.5/10

Chien - Reckoning Song - Can't even imagine this as a dance hit. Really like the toned-down-ness of this one. 6/10

Tranny - Dark Horse - Great guitars, so much so that I didn't even mind the unintelligble vocals. Much. 6/10

Surfer - Suck the Blood From My Wound - Bizarre video, almost Lynchian (Six will love it). Song was okay. 5.5/10

Six - 1049 Gotho - Sorry, Six, the one song that did absolutely nothing for me. 4.5/10

[Leestu]

#66

The Awesome

fun. feat. Janelle Monae, We Are Young - an old family favourite

The Excellent

Jeff Rosenstock, Nausea - Yes,Jeff Rosenstock is great. I really recommend all his albums...he's a great songwriter with a lot of variety and a range of influences to his indie power pop, singer/songwriter, pop punk and this song showcases that well

The Great

Rex Orange County, Loving Is Easy - great, blue-eyed soul, '70's soft rock vocals over modern indie pop music... a beautiful song that is fun to sing along too...the Triple J audience agree with you Ron, voting this song at #91 in the top 100 songs of the decade yesterday.

The Very Good

The Mars Volta, Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus - this is a fun ride, although maybe a bit self indulgent at times, it mostly works in keeping your attention

The Good

Vampire Weekend, M79 - first listen...enjoyable, quirky indie pop

Spoon, Everything Hits at Once - I can't really get into spoon but I like the sadness of this song

Lana Del Rey, California - the first album of Lana's I've actually liked, even if its way too long with a bunch of songs that could have been left off for a more compact album of all quality songs. This is one of the middling songs on the album for me.

The Okay

Beirut, Postcards from Italy - first listen...definitely has a European sound to it

Peter Gabriel, Growing Up - decent enough

The Meh

Solange, Losing You - first listen...I've listened to her last two albums, and although critics may love her they do nothing for me...this earlier song was a little better than those, probably due to the production, which was cool, but overall I can't say I enjoyed it

[Leestu]

The Excellent

Idles, 1049 Gotho - excellent song...one of my favourite bands of the last few years...hanging for them to come here to see them live, who knows when that will be me now

Asaf Avidan, Reckoning Song (One Day) - first listen...well I did not expect that voice to come out of him when I started the video...what a great voice, and a great vocal performance...great finger plucking bluesy (nearly anti folk) folk song too

The Great

The Rapture, Whoo Alright Yeah Uh Huh - cool, fun, funky, punky, dance track

Very Good

Ezra Furman, 'Suck The Blood From My Wound' - like a warped Springsteen...I like it

Goldfrapp, Ooh La La - love the glam swagger in both the video and the song

Converge, Dark Horse - first listen...liked the noisy, controlled chaos

The Good

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dani California - you usually know what you're going to get with a RHCP song, and that's exactly what you get here, nothing more, nothing less...except for the fun video!

The Okay

The Gaslight Anthem, 45 - first listen...a bit too stadium rock for my taste in punk rock...however for what it is it's well done

Erasure, Solsbury Hill - first listen...interesting take on the song...glam seems to be the theme for today

Disclosure ft. London Grammer, Help Me Lose My Mind - first listen...I like London Grammer's best songs, she has a gorgeous voice...good production

[numbersix]

Still alive at 65

Chien: Lovely guitar playing here. The voice is a little annoying at first but when he goes for it then it's kinda cool.
Geez: Didn't move the dial for me.
John: This is my favourite era of Mrs Goldfrapp. This and Strict Machine are simply hot.
Leetsu: Well I'm glad someone is having a good time listening to this song
NSpan: Great track. The best from their non-DFA era. This and How Deep is Your Love nearly made my list. But there's some Rapture coming up in a few months.
Ron: Going to quote Nick Cave: "I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the fuck is this garbage?’ And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
Screen: This was actually quite pleasant.
Shryke: I like some 80s Erasure stuff, but the problem is that this cover sounds a little uninspired. Then again, I'm no fan of the original.
Surf: Sounded like an electro-pop Springsteen. Not bad.
Tranny: The reason I don't like much metal is the excessive show-offy nature the music boasts. In that sense, this track felt almost restrained and I really enjoyed it because of that. The jarring noise works for me. Hope there's more of these guys on your list.

[JohnErle]

#65

A common theme this round is songs I would like more with a different singer. Idles, Asaf Avidan, and Ezra Furman all fall under that category.

So Idles are the latest band being hailed as the saviours of guitar rock in the UK, huh? I remember when it was Big Country, U2, and The Alarm. Later it was Oasis and Blur. Guitar rock always seems to be on death's door if you believe the UK music press. (You should never believe the UK music press.) In ten years it'll probably be a band called Death's Door.

The rapture are another band I forgot about. I used to play that one on DRR. Good stuff.

That was a pretty douchey thing for Nick Cave to say about RHCP. One musician slagging another is bad form. I like a lot of their early stuff, but not Dani Cali.

And I'm tempted to say something super douchey about that Erasure cover, but I'm not a fellow musician so it would seem less catty if I did. Suffice to say I hated it.

[Shrykespeare]

#64



CHIEN

Tom Rosenthal, Go Solo (2014)

Another spleeny song that crushed my heart and sent goosebumps down my spine a few years ago. I can be such a softy sometimes, right ? I can let myself buried in my spleen sometimes and this is the kind of song that buries me.





GEEZER

Against Me!, Walking Is Still Honest (2002)

Ok so this is an old Against Me! song, so the vocals and sound are going to be rough. I apologize to those of you who will be turned off by that, but this song is just so thoroughly fantastic in its lyrical content and attitude that I had to use a video that displayed them. I bet Six will like this more than anyone. I wish there was a really quality fast-tempo live recording of it that captured the intensity, but I couldn't find it, so this is the album cut.





JOHNERLE

The Apparitions, God Monkey Robot (2006)

I can't believe I nearly overlooked this song! It feels a tad high on my list because of my one-hit wonder rule, but I forgot to post it earlier and had to do some shuffling around. For all I know this band is consistently brilliant but I never took the time to look beyond this incredible song. Fantastic video too.





LEESTU

Hobo Johnson, Typical Story (2019)

Hobo Johnson is a polarising artist, but I love his who-gives-a-fuck attitude, and his DIY, punky aesthetic that he brings to hip-hop.





NSPAN

The Bright Light Social Hour, Detroit (2010)

Austin's own BLSH just headlined a campaign rally for Bernie Sanders. They've come a long way since their humble beginnings, but they're still kicking ass. And this track from their 2010 debut still occasionally makes appearances in their contemporary setlists.





RON B

Holy Holy, Teach Me About Dying (2019)

Even though the lyrics are a bit of a downer sometimes, I just love the super up tempo beat with some cool synths mixed in.





SCREEN203

Chromeo, Jealous (I Ain't With It) (2014)

Another pick more for nostalgia than anything else, this synth-disco homage is not necessarily a good song - the lyrics are cheesy and stupid - however, it has one of the best synth hooks ever.





SHRYKE

Eminem, Without Me (2002)

This was the song that made me an instant Eminem fan – even though the novelty wore off quickly, I never stopped loving this hilariously funny song, which is alternatively self-aggrandizing and self-deprecating. The video plays out as a serious of comedy sketches, including an awesome tongue-in-cheek play on the classic Batman TV series. Yes, this is the more radio-friendly, edited version, so you’re free to look up the dirty one if you want.





SIX

Hot Chip, Over and Over (2006)

This is a real indie anthem. Hot Chip were core to the movement of indie kids listening to dance music. To look at the band one would be urged to wedgie them all, but it was their nerdy look and sensitive nature that gave an interesting take on upbeat electronic music. Over and Over just never gets old, and always remains catchy.





SURFER

Big Thief, Shark Smile (2017)

I had listened to and enjoyed Big Thief for a little while before they released their sophomore record, Capacity. And while Masterpiece is a lovely record, it wasn't until I heard Shark Smile that I fell in love with this band. Written in response to Adrienne Lenker's experience of losing three friends in road incidents in the year prior to the album's release, this song of a doomed road trip is all the more poignant. As she pleads ''take me, too'' as one character survives while another is lost, you feel the honesty in the breaking vocals. Backed with a Springsteen-esque sound, it captured my heart, and I have been obsessed with this band ever since.





TRANSFORMERS

The Weeknd, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls (2011)

R&B got turned on its head when The Weeknd burst onto the scene. Mixing silky crooner vocals with nihilistic, self-loathing lyrics and scuzzy, sample-heavy instrumentals made him the crown prince of sleazy sadness. This track plays out like a drug trip that starts off well before descending into a nightmare. The first half is a playful and fun come-up while the second half is a cruel, sinister hellscape that feels impossible to escape from.

[Shrykespeare]

Just a reminder...

When we reach #61, we're going to do the "Mystery Round". I will post the eleven songs with only the songs' names, artists, and years of release. No descriptions.

I will give everyone 24 hours to email or PM me their guesses on which song belongs to whom. In that time, I would ask that you not post your opinions about song #61, as it would clue others in to which one is yours. (Continue to post your critiques of previous rounds if you're still catching up.) Let's see if anyone can get a perfect score. Bragging rights!

When 24 hours have passed, I'll post how everyone did, along with everyone's descriptions.


For most of you, what I have of your lists runs out at 61 or 60. Try to get your next batch in to me by Thursday if possible.

Thanks, guys!

[Leestu]

#64 playlist

https://open.spotify.com/user/purplepas ... VrnHOgnBlA

[Shrykespeare]

#64


Surfer - This was really good, Surf. I love the guitars, and Adrienne's smoky vocals remind me so much of Hope Sandoval's (which is a really good thing). 8/10

Six - Over and Over - Nothing wrong with Nerd Rock. Every decade has it - Devo, They Might Be Giants, and the like have always impressed me, and so do these guys. Stylistically, theyremind me a little of OK Go. Good song. 7.5/10

Transformers - House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls - Interesting song. The profanity felt a little gratuitous, but I love the cool underlying beat in the second half of the song (second song?). The first half worked a lot better for me. 6.5/10

Ron B - Teach Me About Dying - The synths got me a lot more than the vocals. Anything that reminds me of late 80s/early 90s alternative will score high for me, and this did that. 6.5/10

Screen203 - Jealous - This is from 2014?? OMG. This threw me back to the early 80s, listening to cheesy stuff like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m39piBT2vE. Thanks for the flashback, dude. 6/10

Leestu - God Monkey Robot - Well, THAT was bizarre. Good song, though. 6/10

Chien - Go Solo - Liked the piano, but neither the vocals nor the lyrics impressed me. 6/10

NSpan - Detroit - This is SUCH an NSpan song. If I didn't know it was yours, I'd know it was yours. Sounds like something my dad would listen to... if my dad had been at Woodstock. (Point of fact - he wasn't. I was actually BORN on the final day of Woodstock.) 5.5/10

Geezer - Walking Is Still Honest - Sorry, Gez, I don't think I would have liked even a HQ version of this song. 4.5/10

Leestu - Typical Story - Did this guy listen to anything but Butthole Surfers and Beastie Boys growing up? Sorry, not for me. 4/10

[numbersix]

64

Chien: Very spleentastic, but didn't do much for me.
Geez: I'd like to hear that live version. This was okay musically, and yeah the vocals were decent.
John: Sounds like it very much wants to be part of the era of the Strokes, Kings of Leon, and The Killers. It was okay, but didn't distinguish itself enough.
Leets: I think I'd need to listen to those lyrics again, but musically it wasn't bad.
NSpan: Bluesy rock has never really registered with me, for some reason.
Ron: This kinda won me over. Nice.
Screen: Same as above. I didn't think I'd like it but the bass grew on me
Shryke: This is amusing. I like his stuff when the wit compensates for the hate.
Surf: I've only recently discovered them (this time last year to be exact) so working through their back catalogue. This song is amazing, although I'd argue Mary is amazinger.
Tranny: I really like this first album. There are a few tracks that would be in my Top 200 songs, including this. Bonus points for sampling Siouxsie and the Banshees!

[Leestu]

The I Love It

Eminem, Without Me - I don't love it as much as I used to all those years ago but it's still a fun classic song

The Excellent

The Bright Light Social Hour, Detroit - first listen...I'm sure I've said before that add a bit of psych and I'm usually sold...obviously influenced by the late '60s/ early '70s era but I love that era so I'm not complaining...added the album

The Great

The Weeknd, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls - first listen...Wow! I did not expect an interpolation of a Siouxsie & The Banshees song ...this was quite fascinating...better than anything I've heard after The Hills...maybe I need to check out their earlier albums

Holy Holy, Teach Me About Dying - I don't know that they're downer lyrics, personally I interpret them as positive...for me it's mainly the vocals I like in this song (and the subtle psych elements) but I agree the uptempo synths are cool too...his wife is a talented singer/songwriter as well (Ali Barter)

The Very Good

Big Thief, Shark Smile - I never knew what this song was about, thanks for that...one of my favourites from probably my favourite Big Thief album

Hot Chip, Over and Over - I think this song seems to get better with time, I know I didn't get into it much at the time but it's grown on me over the years

The Good

Against Me!, Walking Is Still Honest - first listen...I like the attitude and the amateurishness, but that's probably also what stops it being a great song...as you imply Geezer, maybe a faster, more polished version, with better sound quality would elevate the song higher in my esteem

The Apparitions, God Monkey Robot - first listen...enjoyed this but it didn't stand out much to me from other music of the post-Strokes era...although I feel this could be a grower and/or a decent track as part of a good album

Tom Rosenthal, Go Solo - first listen...I sort of liked it, but it was too short, just as it started to go somewhere it ended

The Rest

Chromeo, Jealous (I Ain't With It) - first listen...for some reason I always thought Chromeo was a rapper ...I don't mind '80s nostalgia but this is the nostalgic of the music from the '80s I didn't like