Top 100 Songs of the Millennium (2000-2019) - #60-51
Posted: March 20th, 2020, 12:34 pm
#60
CHIEN
Julien Doré, Paris-Seychelles (2013)
Julien Doré took France by surprise, a decade ago, getting known on a TV contest, bringing a style and music no one was expecting there. He’s since become one of the most original singers here. His songs mix poetry and vibes with a unique effect, that may be hard to feel if you don’t speak French, but his music and voice might do the job for you.
GEEZER
The Menzingers, I Was Born (2010)
This is another track off their second album, and I think its the song that really made the punk community start paying attention to this little band from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Its so hooky, and showed a more polished sound, hinting that the Menzingers had so much potential in their bag of tricks, which they proved in spades with their follow up album. Still the standout track from Chamberlain Waits.
JOHNERLE
XTC, I'm The Man Who Murdered Love (2001)
I put a bullet in his sugar head
He thanked me kindly then he lay down dead
Phony roses blossomed where he bled
And all the cheering angels shook my hand and said
XTC were one of the best bands of the previous millennium, but they only had one album to draw from at the very beginning of this one. Still, this track is as good as anything they've ever done.
Also: Stupidly Happy, You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
LEESTU
Cloud Nothings, Wasted Days (2012)
Great guitar music with rough sounding vocals I love, that patiently builds to an epic finale.
NSPAN
Handsome Boy Modeling School, A Day in the Life (2004)
Dan the Automator + Prince Paul + Mars Volta + RZA
RON B
Tenacious D, Tribute (2002)
I still can't believe how this song has achieved cult status; my younger brother by almost 10 years even loves it. It still rocks my socks off
SCREEN203
Sia, Breathe Me (2005)
I struggled figuring out where to place Sia's various songs, as they are beautiful, but often very depressing. This is one of my favorites of hers - she does a great job at conveying so much emotion in her voice alone, and the stirring violins in the background all add up to a beautiful but tragic story that could only be told this way.
SHRYKE
Better Than Ezra, Briefly (2001)
While my list is heavily populated with radio hits, there are a few album cuts by some of my all time favorite artists, and this is one of them. Kevin Griffin’s voice is at its most regretful, its most melancholy, in this song off of Closer, their best record since the millennium turned. The lyrics cut me deep the first time I heard it, and that’s why it’s in my Top 60.
SIX
LCD Soundsystem, All My Friends (2007)
I remember this playing on the radio at work back in 2007, and my boss, who had no interest in modern music, stopped to ask about the song. That’s the great thing about James Murphy – he can tie together some many groups through his blend of punk, indie, and dance. And this is probably his most accessible song, with its Bowie vibe.
SURFER
Ex Hex, Beast (2014)
Forming a couple of years after Mary Timony's foray with Carrie Brownstein in Wild Flag, Ex Hex embraced the influence of The Runaways, The Cars, Cheap Trick and a whole host of bands from that era in a fantastic collection of power pop classics in 'Rips'. Stripping back her sound to reveal a foundation of pure rock n roll, Beast finds Timony and Co. at their leanest, with a propulsive riff that is immediate and demands your attention. It has a clean sound to it, but not overly produced, and so what results is an undeniably fun and exciting record that I return to time and time again.
TRANSFORMERS
Deftones, You've Seen the Butcher (2010)
Early on in my metal journey, I actually kind of hated Deftones. They had a song called Minvera that annoyed me on an old NHL game and the lone record I had heard from front back to back (Saturday Night Wrist) in my early high school years was super dull. Then the hype train for their 2010 comeback album Diamond Eyes reached a point where I couldn't ignore it anymore, so I forced myself to check it out. To my surprise, I loved it pretty much immediately. This was the second track I heard from that record and the one that I credit above all for helping me reassess and develop an appreciation for the entire Deftones catalog (except for Saturday Night Wrist-which can still fuck right off).
CHIEN
Julien Doré, Paris-Seychelles (2013)
Julien Doré took France by surprise, a decade ago, getting known on a TV contest, bringing a style and music no one was expecting there. He’s since become one of the most original singers here. His songs mix poetry and vibes with a unique effect, that may be hard to feel if you don’t speak French, but his music and voice might do the job for you.
GEEZER
The Menzingers, I Was Born (2010)
This is another track off their second album, and I think its the song that really made the punk community start paying attention to this little band from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Its so hooky, and showed a more polished sound, hinting that the Menzingers had so much potential in their bag of tricks, which they proved in spades with their follow up album. Still the standout track from Chamberlain Waits.
JOHNERLE
XTC, I'm The Man Who Murdered Love (2001)
I put a bullet in his sugar head
He thanked me kindly then he lay down dead
Phony roses blossomed where he bled
And all the cheering angels shook my hand and said
XTC were one of the best bands of the previous millennium, but they only had one album to draw from at the very beginning of this one. Still, this track is as good as anything they've ever done.
Also: Stupidly Happy, You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful
LEESTU
Cloud Nothings, Wasted Days (2012)
Great guitar music with rough sounding vocals I love, that patiently builds to an epic finale.
NSPAN
Handsome Boy Modeling School, A Day in the Life (2004)
Dan the Automator + Prince Paul + Mars Volta + RZA
RON B
Tenacious D, Tribute (2002)
I still can't believe how this song has achieved cult status; my younger brother by almost 10 years even loves it. It still rocks my socks off
SCREEN203
Sia, Breathe Me (2005)
I struggled figuring out where to place Sia's various songs, as they are beautiful, but often very depressing. This is one of my favorites of hers - she does a great job at conveying so much emotion in her voice alone, and the stirring violins in the background all add up to a beautiful but tragic story that could only be told this way.
SHRYKE
Better Than Ezra, Briefly (2001)
While my list is heavily populated with radio hits, there are a few album cuts by some of my all time favorite artists, and this is one of them. Kevin Griffin’s voice is at its most regretful, its most melancholy, in this song off of Closer, their best record since the millennium turned. The lyrics cut me deep the first time I heard it, and that’s why it’s in my Top 60.
SIX
LCD Soundsystem, All My Friends (2007)
I remember this playing on the radio at work back in 2007, and my boss, who had no interest in modern music, stopped to ask about the song. That’s the great thing about James Murphy – he can tie together some many groups through his blend of punk, indie, and dance. And this is probably his most accessible song, with its Bowie vibe.
SURFER
Ex Hex, Beast (2014)
Forming a couple of years after Mary Timony's foray with Carrie Brownstein in Wild Flag, Ex Hex embraced the influence of The Runaways, The Cars, Cheap Trick and a whole host of bands from that era in a fantastic collection of power pop classics in 'Rips'. Stripping back her sound to reveal a foundation of pure rock n roll, Beast finds Timony and Co. at their leanest, with a propulsive riff that is immediate and demands your attention. It has a clean sound to it, but not overly produced, and so what results is an undeniably fun and exciting record that I return to time and time again.
TRANSFORMERS
Deftones, You've Seen the Butcher (2010)
Early on in my metal journey, I actually kind of hated Deftones. They had a song called Minvera that annoyed me on an old NHL game and the lone record I had heard from front back to back (Saturday Night Wrist) in my early high school years was super dull. Then the hype train for their 2010 comeback album Diamond Eyes reached a point where I couldn't ignore it anymore, so I forced myself to check it out. To my surprise, I loved it pretty much immediately. This was the second track I heard from that record and the one that I credit above all for helping me reassess and develop an appreciation for the entire Deftones catalog (except for Saturday Night Wrist-which can still fuck right off).