Top 100 Songs of the Millennium (2000-2019) - #10-2

[transformers2]

#6
Chien: Eh, it was alright.
Geezer: Considering what they became later in the decade, this is incredible. When dropping that caveat, it's merely a decent pop punk track.
John: A little too folky for my tastes, but the vocals are undeniably pretty.
Leestu: LCD Soundsystem couldn't possibly appeal to me less. Every single song that's appeared here has been agonizing to sit through (8 minutes song are no fun when you're not enjoying them) and the highest compliment I can pay this is that's it's not On Repeat.
NSpan: I found the onslaught of Pillowfight to be pretty enjoyable on the whole. The juxtaposition between Dan the Automator's combo of eerie, minimalist and vintage hip hop production and Emily Wells' lush vocals makes their take on trip hop unique.
Ron B: One of Tame Impala's biggest triumphs to date. The groove on this shit is killer and Kevin Parker croons his ass off.
Screen: Probably Adele's most annoying song outside of Rumor Has It.
Shryke: Slightly different sound from Alanis, same lack of enjoyment from yours truly.
Six: Glad to know there's music coming out of the Shire these days.
Surfer: You call this intense pal?;) The National are really talented, but the vocals are just too monotone for me to get into.

[Shrykespeare]

#5


JohnErle - Castaways - There's something very ethereal and anthemic in this song. I like it a lot. 7.5/10

Six - Scum, Rise - I hear so much of the Smiths in this band. Which is a GREAT thing. Mr. Casey doesn't quite have Morrissey's charisma (but then, who does), but I like this song. 7.5/10

Ron B - Still Dre - Classic gangsta rap. 7/10

Screen - Telephone - I like the song. The video, not so much. 7/10

Geezer - Pints of Guiness Make You Strong - Thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. Thanks for posting the live version. 6.5/10

Surfer - Alan is a Cowboy Killer - based on the title, I feel almost compelled to listen to it back to back with Primus's "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver". Almost. Tell me how that goes. Anyway, good song. 6.5/10

Chien - Back to Black - I'm not an Amy Winehouse fan either, but this is easily the most listenable of her songs (most of which I find unlistenable). 6/10

NSpan - Shanty - Not bad, but not something I"ll revisit. 6/10

Tranny - The Wolf is Loose - I kind of like Mastodon. They're pretty badass, and I like the fact that I can understand some of their words. 6/10

Leestu - Invalid Litter Dept. - I got the emotion, but not the appeal. 5.5/10

[silversurfer19]

Round 5 thoughts

Another very enjoyable round with two crossovers no less.

Chien, Amy Winehouse - While I would never purchase a record of hers, her talent was without doubt and never had an issue with listening to her music. This is probably my favourite of hers too, has a cool retro vibe to it, which personally think is modern enough to separate itself from its influences.

Geezer, Against Me! - I enjoyed the Spaghetti Western style guitars in this quite a lot, and despite being another drinking song this was much more fun.

JohnErle, Shearwater - Not surprised Shryke was a fan, this has a great little 80s mood to it, and the vocals worked well alongside it.

Leestu, At The Drive In - I had to listen to this YouTube version after both my and your posting received negative remarks on the sound quality, and indeed this is way worse than the quality I have on record. Its better on Spotify, but the sound quality on my vinyl remastering is way superior. Anyway, obviously I love it, and great to see it pop up again.

Nspan, The Bright Light Social Hour - This is turning into a round of acts influenced by other eras, this very much reminding me of 70s guitar acts. Had a great vibe to it, really cool beats.

Ron, Dr. Dre - While I could never describe myself as a fan of the genre, the iconic beat to this is phenomenal. Not a fan of all the n words again, but other than that this is very good.

Screen, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé - Worse than their own individual efforts, this just kind of drifted over me.

Shryke, Pet Shop Boys - Didn't really stand out for me despite a couple of efforts, the vocals are nice but overall not a patch on their best work.

Six, Protomartyr - And another crossover! Great song from a fantastic band, they were awesome live when they played near me a couple of years ago, and this song went down a storm.

Tranny, Mastodon - This is closer to the classic metal that I can tolerate, vocals don't grate and some cool riffs.

[Chienfantome]

#6

Geezer, Green Day, Waiting
Never really been a fan of Green Day. I didn't know that song, but it sounds like Green Day, nothing bad, but nothing I'd really want to listen again.

John, Patty Griffin, Long Ride Home
I wish Cameron Crowe at stopped at one point to put music in his films. He seems more obsessed with that that writing characters and dialogues.
Anyway, it's a nice song in its genre, classic but effective in its delicacy.

Leestu, LCD Soundsystem, All My Friends
I think it's not going to become one of my favorite songs after this first listening. Yet like often with LCD, there's immediately something that becomes quite obsessive here. Interesting. The more it progresses, the better it feels.

NSpan, Pillowfight, In the Afternoon
So how many Pillowfight songs that makes after all ? Still not convinced by it beyond the "yeah, listenable" point.

Ron, Tame Impala, The Less I Know the Better
There's something breezy in this, a real summer song. I kinda like it.

Screen, Adele, Someone like you
Excellent choice my young friend, don't listen to the guys, we know better, it's a beautiful song

Shryke, Alanis Morissette, Wunderkind
It's time to debunk a cliché. I do not like a song because it's in a film ! It's just that I spend so much time watching films, most of the times, it's in movies that I discover songs.
But there's no way a Narnia connection is gonna help me like a song !!
That said, even if I haven't listened to Alanis Morissette in 15 years, I still find her pleasant to listen to.

Six, Joanna Newsom, Good Intentions Paving Co.
Lyrics are often the weak point of English-speaking songs, but that's just because I'm used to the quality of French lyrics, but I must say those ain't bad for an English songwriter (man I love doing my French snob). I wouldn't have guessed this was a choice of yours in a mystery round, I think I would have given it to John.

Surfer, The National, Mr. November
Obviously, I can only applaud your choice. No matter how many songs of the National I listen to, I'm rarely disappointed. Good lyrics ( ), a sense of rhythm, a sweet melancholy tainted with energy. This ain't one of my favourites of them, but it's a damn fine song.

Tranny, System of a Down, Deer Dance
Well that doesn't work for me, and that wouldn't even with fantastic lyrics.

[Shrykespeare]

#4


CHIEN

The National, Fake Empire (2007)

So it will probably come as no surprise to see The National in my Top 5, given all the love I’ve already displayed. There are songs that grow on you over time, and that you may not find that exceptional immediately, and there are songs that just pierce through your chest the second you hear the first few notes. Well, those first few piano notes of “Fake Empire” made it one of my favourite songs only seconds after I heard them. And when the drums enter the game, it just reaches that near perfection.



The above didn't work for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuZ4Zm3QcZk



GEEZER

Off With Their Heads, Clear The Air (2010)

It shouldn't surprise anyone that the top of my countdown is full of bands that have been featured numerous times already. Of course my very top songs from the last 20 years are going to come from my very favorite bands of the last 20 years. Off With Their Heads certainly fits that category. A band I have such a deep emotional connection to, and no song embodies that more than this one. Lyrically perfect, musically brilliant (I LOVE the slowly building beginning that builds and explodes at the first chorus). It is easily the quintessential Off With Their Heads song, the one that always gets the biggest crowd reaction, and the one I love the most. Yes it's angry, sad and a little depressing, but that is what Ryan Young is so, so good at. It's also an awesome music video.





JOHNERLE

The Decemberists - The Mariner's Revenge Song (2005)

“Find him, bind him, tie him to a pole and break his fingers to splinters, drag him to a hole until he wakes up, naked, clawing at the ceiling of his grave”

Yes, Mother.

Colin Meloy would be the first to admit the massive influence the Pogues had on songs like this, but unlike a lot of modern bands, The Decemberists never come off as pale imitations of things that came before. If any song this millennium deserves to be turned into a feature film, it's this one. Directed by Robert Eggers, of course.

Also: Sons And Daughters, From My Own True Love (Lost At Sea)





LEESTU

The Drones, Shark Fin Blues (2005)

An amazing song…once voted (in 2009) as the best Australian song ever in a poll of contemporary Australian song writers.





NSPAN

The Uncluded, Delicate Cycle (2013)

Kimya Dawson + Aesop Rock. This collaboration between an ex-Moldy Peaches singer and a hip-hop poet resulted in a series of catchy songs--each a unique blend of anti-folk and rap. This deeply personal track is my favorite.





RON B

Tool, The Pot (2005)





SCREEN203

Calvin Harris feat, Florence Welsh, Sweet Nothing (2013)

Florence's beautiful voice is truly haunting in this. The heavy electronic production adds an intensity that Florence's typical style lacks.





SHRYKE

Leona Lewis, Run (2008)

As with yesterday’s pick, King of Rome, this song is very personal to me, and also has a connection to my first novel, Joshua’s Island. Several years ago, when production had begun on my first book trailer, I was searching for the perfect song to use as a backdrop, one with powerful lyrics and equally powerful music to back it up. I found it in this song, a cover of the Snow Patrol song that is, IMHO, vastly superior. In very few cases in my entire life has a song touched me as deeply as this one. It’s sad, lonely, almost desperate, but also offers hope in the form of unconditional friendship, support, and love, carried to dizzying heights by Leona’s amazing voice. That, right there, is what defines the plot of Joshua’s Island. There was no way this song, my favorite of the millennium by a female artist, wasn’t making my Top 5.



Here’s a link to the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnVmTsHMhaQ



SIX

PJ Harvey, On Battleship Hill (2011)

PJ Harvey is a god(ess) of music for me, having discovered her in the late 90s and been following her ever since. 2 of my favourite gigs of all time were hers. A few years back I got to watch her make her latest album (general public bought tickets to watch her from a one-way mirror as she and her team recorded and performed), and it was an inspiring experience. When you’re a fan of a musician you tend to latch onto their sound, and when they change it up there is a risk of losing what made you like them in the first place. PJ has always managed to do something different and yet still manage to be brilliant. But I still wasn’t expected Let England Shake, a sort of punk-folk album that looks back to WWI poetry while exploring modern political and national tensions. And this is the highlight, a moving, wistful song that surprises in its use of Celtic vocals yet never feels twee, her powerful searing voice giving a jagged edge to the gentle guitars, singing a song about the fleeting pointlessness of violence on a land that will soon forget it.





SURFER

Arcade Fire, Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) (2004)

I'm sure we all know where we were when we first heard this wonderful collective of Canadian musicians earworm their way into our hearts. For me it was via Merge Records, the indie label owned by Superchunk. I had been searching for something to satisfy my Neutral Milk Hotel withdrawals and knowing they belonged to the same label started digging. It didn't take long for this band to take hold and, after catching them on a TV show, I listened to their debut Funeral, for about 8 hours straight as I worked on a (regular) all nighter of drawing for my architecture degree. This fascinating band, balanced somewhere between the afore-mentioned Jeff Mangum project, The Verlaines and Modest Mouse, sparked something in me that has never left. There is something cathartic about Arcade Fire, as their search for salvation in the midst of chaos felt earnest and honest. And the opening track, Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) is the perfect entry point into such a thrilling record. From the gentle hum of the organ and the simple piano line, you know there is something special on its way, as an almost spiritual unveiling of an epic. Win Butler's voice emerges both raw and bold as a tragic story unfolds of a family torn apart and a desperate stretch to believe that young love can indeed conquer all. It makes for a truly beautiful opener of a stunning record, and one that continues to inspire all these years later.





TRANSFORMERS

Between the Buried and Me, Disease, Injury, Madness (2009):

I'm just going to warn all of you that this song comes out swinging right away with all of the shit that makes metal so hard to digest. However, if you stick it out (or just skip over the full force screaming sections-which take place at roughly start-1:40, 5:25-6:25 and 10:29-end), you may be pleasantly surprised by the directions it heads in. It's a remarkable showcase for the combination of musical chops, constant experimentation and organic eccentricity that make Between the Buried and Me such a captivating act.

[Leestu]

#4 playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2j28X ... zaIXYBGiyA

[numbersix]

#4 was a meaty round

Chien: It's the perfect mood-setter for the rest of an exceptional album. Absolutely gorgeous stuff. Love the instrumentation towards the end of the song. Reminds me a tiny bit of Sufjan's Illinoise album, so it's no surprise he ended up singing on High Violet.
Geezer: I forgot it instantly.
John: Well, this was quite the journey. The whole sea shanty vibe makes it a little twee to be honest, but I still enjoyed its power and the narrative of revenge. But like narrative-driven songs (Nick Cave's The Carny springs to mind), it's something I tend not to listen to as much.
Leetsu: Well, those song-writers must have resented the hell out of Nick Cave. This wasn't bad, getting progressively better as the guitars really kick in. Had a 80s alt rock vibe (eg Meat Puppets) and by the end I was enjoying it.
Nspan: Hmmm... not sure if these two elements really gelled, but I like Kimya's amateurish vocals.
Ron B: I'm somewhat apathetic to these guys. I much prefer NIN when it comes to 90s-era industrial rock.
Screen: Compared to the Leona Lewis song below, this is actually a good song. but in reality, this is another song designed for a club. Which is the last place you'll find me. Besides a Leona Lewis gig.
Shryke: Sorry, buddy. The original is cloying enough as it stands, but this is just a cover from a manufactured pop drone, and makes me never want to listen to music ever again.
Surf: I do indeed remember first hearing this now-iconic album. It was off the back of Pitchfork making it one of (if not their #1) the albums of 2004 in their end-of-year countdown in December. It wasn't officially released here until Feb 2005, so I downloaded two tracks on Limewire: Rebellion and Haiti. I was intoxicated by both, as they made me think of Talking Heads in all the good ways. I quickly downloaded the rest of the album and fell in love with every song, professing to my friends that these are the next big thing, only to be totally ignored! This is a great opener of a great album.
Tranny: This is the Return of the King of metal music. I kept thinking it was gonna end and then it went "nope" and gave me some more screamy stuff. I can respect its ambition, and maybe a few riffs and moments here and there, but ultimately this is proggy metal, neither of which I particularly like.

[Leestu]

Leetsu: Well, those song-writers must have resented the hell out of Nick Cave. This wasn't bad, getting progressively better as the guitars really kick in. Had a 80s alt rock vibe (eg Meat Puppets) and by the end I was enjoying it.

Into My Arms came in at 21...I agree he deserves much better. https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment ... e85zi.html

[Leestu]

The Awesome

Tool, The Pot - love Tool...awesome song...and it's not even Tool Tuesday, bonus!!

The Very Good

The National, Fake Empire - one of the highlights of the album...I still prefer their albums from High Violet onward but i do still listen to this one too because they are a great band

Off With Their Heads, Clear The Air - first listen...I'll have to check out the video later which gives me a reason to hear the song again because I liked it quite a bit from one listen

The Decemberists - The Mariner's Revenge Song - first listen...I've heard a couple of The Decemberists album but not this one...enjoyed the story and the music...just curious if you've heard any Richard Dawson? His album from last year 2020 is my favourite but I reckon his 2017 album Peasant would sit very nicely alongside The Decemberists in a record collection

The Uncluded, Delicate Cycle - first listen...Aesop rock is always interesting and so is Kimya Dawson, and together this strangely sort of worked...I used to have to use a laundromat for years as a single student too so I also sort of related to the lyrics

Arcade Fire, Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) - the best song on an over-rated album

The Meh

Calvin Harris feat, Florence Welsh, Sweet Nothing - too much pop for a club banger which is typical Calvin Harris

The Good

PJ Harvey, On Battleship Hill - that would have been a cool experience...I see this as a good album track on decent album but not one of the songs that stood out for me, or that I would get much out of on it's own or as part of a playlist

Between the Buried and Me, Disease, Injury, Madness - first listen...that was epic, and most of it was pretty good, but there were times where it was just too much for me

The Rest

Leona Lewis, Run - first listen...I haven't heard the original so I don't hold whether this is better or not for or against it...I'm glad it means something special to you, but for me it's really testing my claim that any music is better than no music

[JohnErle]

#5

Amy – With her it's really hard to separate the art from the artist, so I haven't listened to this in ages, but it's better than I remembered. There's only one song of hers I ever really loved, and it sure ain't Rehab. It was You Know That I'm No Good.

Against Me! - The title sounds like a Dropkick Murphys b-side, so I was prepared to hate this. The music is very cowpunk, but nothing really grabbed me.

At The Drive In – I was actually happy to hear the quiet bits again, and there are sections that remind me of Porcupine Tree, but the loud screamy bits don't do it for me.

Bright Light Social Hour – Considering how many bands during this countdown have sounded like The Black Keys, I'm surprised there hasn't been any actual Black Keys. This was okay, especially the soloing near the end, but I'm not totally sold yet. It might grow on me with time, so ADDED.

DRE – I heard the n-word twice in the first 20 seconds and hit skip. Not even remotely for me.

Telephone – Autotune is the last refuge of a scoundrel. I didn't make it to end and didn't watch the video.

Pet Shop Boys – My previous comments about Erasure pretty much apply here too. It's too restrained to be club music and too rhythmic to be atmospheric, so I don't know what to do with this. It's just kind of there. I suppose they were headed in this direction with tracks like Being Boring, but I found that much more compelling than this.

Protomartyr – I think I'm done with dark, angry music as a concept. 20 years ago, maybe.

McGillicuddy – Cranking everything to 11 is incompatible with that Pixies loud/quiet/loud approach. This was more loud/ridiculously loud/still loud. Didn't really do much for me except make me want to hear the Pixies.

Mastodon – Again, throw in some dynamics and I might have liked these guys 20 years ago. The production just sounds flat and dull to me.


#4

Fake Empire – It meanders a bit in the intro, but when it all comes together it's quite nice.

Off With Their Heads – This started off really well, and the emotions expressed felt honest, then the wall of pop-punk sound hit, and even that was okay for a while, but then it just kept going and going and going until I lost interest. These guys do seem above average for the genre, though.

The Drones – From what I could hear of the lyrics there was a nice thematic synergy after The Mariner's Revenge Song, but the music didn't do anything for me. And you can tell all those Aussie songwriters from me that Jailbreak should be #1 on that list. And the only Richard Dawson I know hosted the Family Feud.

The Uncluded – It's good to know she has a laundromat career to fall back on if the whole music thing doesn't work out. I fully expected to hate this because The Moldy Peaches plus hip-hop? What could possibly be worse other than autotuned shouty demons? Surprisingly, it's a weird mix that kinda works and it isn't as obnoxiously cutesy as I normally expect from the Moldy Peaches. ADDED.

Tool – I wasn't listening to Tool at this point, so I don't remember this one, but it was pretty good. Not really anything I hadn't heard from them before, but at this point in the countdown I'll give a thumbs up to anything with good dynamics.

Sweet Nothing – Needs more Flo, less Calvin Harris.

Leona Lewis – This is the kind of treacly ballad you'd hear on America/Britain/Lithuania's Got Talent. I know that's a selling point for you, but definitely not for me.

PJ Harvey – This is one of the few PJ Harvey albums I've ever listened to in full because it arrived when I was always on the lookout for stuff to play on DRR. It's interesting, but never really rises above the level of interesting. If I remember right, I liked the title track and a couple of others more than this.

Arcade Fire – For the record, Funeral wasn't their debut, and I was listening to them from the time of their first EP and nearly included the original version of No Cars Go on my list. (Hey, I had to prove I was ahead of the curve for at least one hipster darling this millennium!) My enthusiasm for them has faded immensely since those days, but most of Funeral still holds up.

Between The Buried And Me – Yes, some of the non shouty demon bits were interesting, but then it keeps coming back to shouty demons and my eyes keep rolling.

[Chienfantome]

#5

Geezer, Against Me!, Pints of Guiness Make You Strong
There's a bit of an ear agression at the very beginning of the song that had me scared, but the feeling soon fades away. Although once the voice i heard, it's not something I like.

John, Shearwater, Castaways
The picture appearing on the youtube video ha me afraid a bit, would it be some Christian stuff ?
It ain't bad. There's an interesting rhythm. But when he goes all the way up while singing, it gets me out of it.

Leestu, At The Drive In, Invalid Litter Dept.
Don't really know what to think of this. Fist impression isn't great, but at the same time, there's something in it that intrigues me. there comes a point when I'm tired of it, though.

NSpan, The Bright Light Social Hour, Shanty
I like that intro, it has me giggling on my chair immediately. Never heard of them. I like the voice. Yeah, that's really cool, nice little groove.

Ron, Dr. Dre, Still Dre
The second it starts, something happens, it's a classic. A tad too long, but still very effective.

Screen, Lady Gaga feat Beyoncé, Telephone
So you're not that really into the song, you put it so high because of the vidéo ? You don't sell it well
Really not my stuff anyway

Shryke, Pet Shop Boys, King of Rome
I can see how it's special to you. I like the voice, and the mood, it has something very dream-like.

Six, Protomartyr, Scum, Rise
Still find it intriguing and engaging in a weird way. Really interesting.

Surfer, Mclusky, Alan Is A Cowboy Killer
There's something a bit hypnotizing in the ritournelle of the background sounds. And he suddenly shouts in a weird way though, it feels funny.

Tranny, Mastodon, The Wolf is Loose
Love it. Oh, no, I don't, nice try.

[silversurfer19]

Round 4 thoughts

Chien, The National - Fantastic opener to an album which I recall feeling was much more subdued than Alligator on release, but it works and this song sets the album off well. Considered this for my own list.

Geezer, Off With Their Heads - The video is fun enough, but listened to it both with and without to see if I enjoy the song. Follows the formula, but it has a great propulsion and gets you tapping your foot.

JohnErle, The Decemberists - I was considering The Decemberists for my own countdown, think I prefer The Engine Driver and The Crane Wife 3, but this is a great little song, mixing folk with a sea shanty quite remarkably.

Leestu, The Drones - Wasn't a fan of the vocals, but the bluesy guitars which got more and more aggressive was cool.

Nspan, The Uncluded - Hmm, the two styles didn't really form something cohesive for me, it had a little charm at times but not something I would revisit.

Ron, Tool - Good stuff, while it doesn't match their 90s output this rocks.

Screen, Calvin Harris and Florence and the Machine - Think I am certain now that while I appreciate Florence's vocals, I am just not interested in what she does with it. It is just wasted on this club music that I find myself detached from completely.

Shryke, Leona Lewis - Yeah, while I am not really a fan of the Snow Patrol original this offers nothing other than making it an identikit Pop Idol song for game shows. Dull as dishwater, I'm afraid.

Six, PJ Harvey - To be honest, while I appreciate the intent on this record to do something different, I don't really listen to it all that often any more. Since White Chalk I have felt less interested in her work as she moved further and further away from song structures I was familiar with and her original sound on the whole. It's fine what she is doing, her voice is lovely, it just doesn't really excite me anymore. The Hope Six project I think you are referring to watching the live recording of was lost on me completely. Anyway, this song is OK, meanders a little and doesn't really grab, prefer The Words That Maketh Murder.

Tranny, Between The Buried And Me - Man, that was a slog. The shouty bits were repulsive, the slower bits were a little too proggy and drifting and overall I just kind of moved on to washing the pans while it kept on going, for what felt like forever.

[JohnErle]

FYI, my earbuds just chose a bad time to conk out on me, so that cuts down on the number of places I'll be able to review your picks. I'll get around to it, but it's an annoying time for this to happen.

[Shrykespeare]

#3



CHIEN

Miossec, Je m’en vais (2004)

You may remember Miossec from a few weeks back, I already included another song of that same album from the Breton, “Brest”. “I’m leaving” is the meaning of the title. It’s a sorrowful song about renouncement, one man explaining to someone he loves why he’s leaving. It starts as a ballad, and everytime it grows, it slows down back to the ballad, until the growing doesn’t stop anymore. “Brest” and “Je m’en vais” are two songs sharing the same DNA, and I’ve gone back and forth to decide which of the two I preferred. A few months from now, I might choose the other, who knows.

“I’m leaving way before it’s time
I’m leaving way before I betray you
I’m leaving before we don’t care anymore
I’m leaving before we can’t laugh about it
I’m leaving with all your smell
I’m leaving watching you sleep
I’m leaving because we saw ourselves fly
I’m leaving before we can’t land
I’m leaving because we loved each other so much
I’m leaving before I destroy you
I’m leaving so you never forget me
I’m leaving seeing you smile
I’m leaving thinking everything is true
I’m leaving before I find you
I’m leaving way before I disappoint you
I’m leaving way before I betray you
I’ve only ever loved you
I’m kissing you til I die”





GEEZER

The Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound (2009)

This one should come as no surprise. It ranked very highly for me last time around, and there's been a lot more Gaslight on this countdown than that one. I predicted 10 years ago that this would probably always be my favorite song of theirs, and even after 3 more albums, it still is. I fell in love with this band the exact moment I heard this song. It's a song that means even more to me today than it did then. I love that I got to see them play this whole album on it's tenth anniversary last year. It was one of the best shows I've ever been to. There's not much left to say, I know that some won't get the appeal of this one, and quite frankly I don't care. I will say, it is the highest song on my list that was also featured ten years ago. The other two, were not eligible, for those guessing along.






JOHNERLE

Sparks, Suburban Homeboy (2002)

“We've got an old-school mentality
Oxford and Cambridge mentality”

The first time I heard this song was a “Where has this band been all my life?!?!” moment. I was already a little familiar with 70s glam rock Sparks and 80s synth-pop Sparks, but this was my introduction to the modern “theatrical” Sparks. Name me one other band who've been around since the 70s who managed to reinvent themselves yet again this millennium and who are arguably better now than they've ever been.

I feel I've misrepresented this band a bit because that isn't all they do – remember Unaware? -- but it just so happens that many of my favourite tracks from this millennium have that theatrical quality with incredibly witty lyrics. As with all Sparks, I highly recommend reading the lyrics while you listen to this. These showstopping numbers remind me of listening to Monty Python's comedy albums, or a Broadway parody on the Simpsons, but their music is usually so compelling that it lifts them far beyond novelty acts. Now that Sparks have moved into writing full-length musicals, I'd pay big money to see a Broadway show called Suburban Homeboy.

Also: I Married Myself, I've Never Been High





LEESTU

Green Day, Jesus Of Suburbia (2005)

One of those songs that I remember the first time I heard it, it had an instant impact on me, I’ve listened to it so many times since it was released, and I still love it more and more every time.





NSPAN

Got a Girl, Did We Live Too Fast (2014)

Dan the Automator + Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The best song, by my estimation, of Got A Girl's output.





RON B

DJ Shadow feat. Run the Jewels, Nobody Speak (2015)





SCREEN203

Disclosure feat. Sam Smith, Latch (2014)

The last Disclosure song on my list, and the only one that really crossed over into the mainstream. Sam Smith provides the best performance of their career. They provide the background to the beat from Disclosure, in a reversal of the vocals-first trend of pretty much any other genre. The unique tempo (in 6/8 time) is an interesting addition that sets this apart from most mainstream music.. This all adds to a great mix of unusual but poppy songcraft, and the pinnacle of all of the artists career.





SHRYKE

The Format, The First Single (2003)

Before forming fun., becoming a household name and crafting such modern-day classics as “We Are Young” and “Carry On”, Nate Reuss actually lived in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. In the early oughts, local radio played the shit out of this song, and I instantly fell in love with it. It’s appeal has never wavered in the years since, and it remains my favorite song featuring Nate’s vocals – which puts it in pretty strong company. Reuss reunited the band in February of this year and was planning a reunion tour with dates scheduled in Chicago, NYC, and, of course, Phoenix. (Those dates have been postponed until July – I’m sure you can guess why.) I can only hope that more original music is on the way. Anyway, this song is as up-tempo as it gets, with bashing drums and rollicking guitars that blend perfectly with Nate’s voice. The lyrics aren’t anything world-shattering or awe-inspiring, but I love how he completely mixes up the tempo of the chorus in the last minute. It’s a great song, all the way around.






SIX

Kendrick Lamar, Alright (2015)

Kendrick’s To Pimp a Butterfly is one of the greatest albums of all time. And this is coming from someone who has only a passing interest in hip-hop. Kendrick’s intellect is so beyond the usual hos-and-guns themes that plague the scene. The album itself is an epic journey of an artist’s rise to fame, fall, and rebirth as someone enlightened and aware of himself and his society. This journey works as a metaphor for African American culture too, as Kendrick calls for his people to love themselves and value loyalty and community over violence. Alright comes about half-way through, in which the protagonist has hit rock bottom, and needs to find a way to pick himself up after succumbing to the lure of all things tempting (personified in the song by the character Lucy – or Lucifer). Musically, the beats are simple but excellent, and Kendrick’s breakneck rapping is the best he’s ever done. And to top it off, this song is so powerful that it became the chant of choice for the Black Lives Matter movement, proving just how important Kendrick is.





SURFER

The Strokes, Last Nite (2001)

I can still remember my first encounter with The Strokes. I was attending a music festival in the UK when I saw a couple of guys with the band name emblazoned on the front of their T Shirts, and was instantly intrigued. I hadn't heard of the band prior to this but something drew me in. Upon returning home I removed my mud covered trousers and proceeded to pick up their debut record, Is This It, and while their sound was nothing strikingly innovative, as they harked back to the sounds of the likes of Television, it was instantly fresh. There was a rather sarcastic tone to their music (and indeed the title track), they knew very well the hype that had been built up was unsustainable and played with it, yet at the same time they were so damned exciting. Last Nite is the peak of the band, the song which just spoke to me at that perfect age, driven by a rhythm section to die for. So catchy, I have spent many a night dancing along, and will continue to do so until my hips give in.





TRANSFORMERS

Mastodon, Iron Tusk (2004):

Growing up, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise served as a sort of musical portal. The loaded soundtracks of these games introduced me to the works of everyone from Rage Against to the Machine to Nas to the Dead Kennedys. There is one act from the large cluster that I discovered through this series that is more important than the rest and that would be the mighty Mastodon. Hearing the crushing opening riff to "Iron Tusk" instantly transports me to the moment sometime in the fall of 2005 during a run through a virtual, graffiti-laden skatepark that this song kicked in, which caused me to immediately pause the game and find who the artist was because this shit RIPPED. Within the next six months, I digested everything they put out (which wasn't particularly difficult since they only had 2 records out at the time) and they became my favorite band. Since then, I've seen them live 9 times, bought hundreds of dollars of their merchandise and even had a rather embarrassing fanboy freakout meeting them at a touring festival signing in 2008 (huge plot twist: An awkward 16-year-old really can't keep their cool when they're meeting their musical idols!). Even as they've devolved into a glorified ZZ Top cover band in recent years, they remain a very special act to me whose responsible for creating some of my all-time favorite music. Big thanks to Activision and whoever was responsible for putting the soundtracks together on the Tony Hawk's Games for making what proved to be a lasting impact on a budding metalhead all those years ago.

[Leestu]

#3 playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1sTVt ... DlZEsPCY6Q