Top 100 Songs of the Millennium (2000-2019) - #50-41

[numbersix]

Chien: I admire the lyrical themes, but the music and performance is just mediocre to me.
Geez: Wasn't bad
JohnE: I've tried to get into these guys during the noughties a couple of times, but never founds anything that gripped me. This song was decent, but once again doesn't excite me enough.
Leetsu: This was excellent. Loved every second of its 12 minutes. WAY better than the Twin Fantasy version which I was familiar with. I really didn't like that album as it felt overbaked.
NSpan: Never watched Veronica Mars so this isn't familar to me. It was okay. It sounds kinda dated now for some reason.
RonB: Kinda funky, for sure. Although this isn't a patch on their 90s era of funky punk, or punky funk.
Screen: It's okay, but it makes me just want to listen to FKA Twigs who does stuff like this but pushes it into much more interesting directions.
Shryke: I think it's fair to say the 80s was Dolby's most important era.
Surf: I only got into Mitski recently, through her last album. I will need to dive deep into her earlier stuff.
Tranny: One day, one of us will shock you by liking one of your hyperactive metal music. Not me, not today though.

[silversurfer19]

Round 47 thoughts

Chien, Eddy De Pretto - I can see why he has had the success, his vocals are good and generally it's a nice enough listen without doing anything particularly new.

Geezer, Frank Turner - Look forward to hearing more of him over the course of your countdown, as he is pretty huge over here but I have never really explored anything of his work. On first listen, it's very you, decent vocal delivery and propulsive beat. At the same time, not doing anything I have heard many times before so unsure why he has had so much success, perhaps we will find out in the next few weeks...

JohnErle, Shearwater - Nice, but pretty forgettable.

Leestu, Car Seat Headrest - Yeah, I haven't heard this version before, so much more lo-fi than even his more recent offerings which, though cleaned up, are still pretty lo-fi. This is a song that has so many sections to it, keeps twisting and turning throughout. Really need to listen to this a lot more. As our resident CSH fanboy, what do you think of the new releases that are up online?

Nspan, The Dandy Warhols - Much prefer this to Bohemian Like You, even if this has also been massively overplayed on adverts. Has a kind of laid back style to it with a crunching chorus.

Ron, RHCP - Bringing back Frusciante definitely helped the band in terms of melodies, and this was one of the better tracks on By The Way, it is funky and reminded me of many a night out in rock clubs. Obviously it doesn't hit the highs of their earlier work and even Californication, but it is a lot of fun.

Screen, Tinashe - Quite enjoyed this, nice vocals and chilled beats, but with the added creeping backing vocals. Not sure I'd go out of my way to hear it again, but no issue listening to it at all.

Shryke, Thomas Dolby - You introduced me to Dolby during a previous countdown if I recall, but that was much more interesting I think. Nice vocals, but otherwise a little dull.

Six, Perfume Genius - You're right, I love Perfume Genius' earlier records, there is a delicacy to those records that is quite lovely. But he really stepped up his game on Too Bright, and this was one of the highlights.

Tranny, After The Burial - While my almost 2 year old rocked out to this, it was not a song that was really appreciated in our household, my wife hit the mute and I had to finish off on my headphones! A little bit too much for me, really.

[JohnErle]

Shearwater, You As You Were - first listen...nice song...I didn't mind Jet Plane And Oxbow (the only album of theirs I've heard), so the quality mustn't have dropped off that much

I like Jet Plane & Oxbow too, don't get me wrong, but it and, to some extent, Animal Joy, were a radical change in sound to the point where it didn't sound like the same band any more. Still good, but very different. I feel like a lot of bands could have made Jet Plane & Oxbow, but only Shearwater could have made Rooks or The Golden Archipelago. (stay tuned)

One comparison you might understand and one you probably won't is when My Morning Jacket ditched the reverb or Big Country retired the bagpipe guitars. No matter how good they were after that, i.e. Perfect World in the also-rans thread, there's a part of me that will always miss the early sound, while also acknowledging that artists need to grow and going to the same well too often can kill a band just as easily.

[Shrykespeare]

#47

NSpan - We Used to Be Friends - I like The Dandys, and I never got into Veronica Mars, so this song wasn't ruined for me. Awesome stuff! 8/10

JohnErle - You As You Were - Really enjoyed this. Had kind of an 80s feel to it, like something The Call might have recorded. 7.5/10

Ron B - Can't Stop - Always down for a Peppers song. This isn't my fave of theirs by any stretch, but it's a good listen. 6.5/10

Geezer - Get Better - Liked this. Not something I'd normally listen to, but good stuff nonetheless. 6.5/10

Leestu - Beach Life-In-Death - This was good, but I reallllllly wish it had ended after the first five minutes. Song went nowhere for me after that. 6/10

Six - Grid - This was...strange. Not sure yet if it's in a good or bad way. I probably won't stick around to find out either way. 6/10

Tranny - Drifts - Tranny, NEVER apologize for loving what you love. Whether it's metalcore or soft pop or indie-alt or Dan the Fucking Automator , if it's what fills your soul and makes you happy, then that's awesome. The fact that this genre doesn't float any of our boats counts for nothing. I'm gonna love Smash Mouth no matter what these music snobs say. Did I like this? Well, the guitars were cool... 5.5/10

Surfer - Townie - Just okay for me. 5.5/10

Screen203 - Party Favors - Not my thing, but had a good beat. 5.5/10

Chien - Kid - Not for me. 5/10

[JohnErle]

#47

Eddy Spaghetti - That was very French, not very me.

Frank Turner – That was very you, not very me.

Car Seat Headrest – If the media kept shoving a band down my throat as often as you guys post Car Seat Headrest, I'd hate them by now. Since it's coming from you guys, I remain no worse than indifferent. That song ain't lo-fi, it's no-fi. And 13 minutes worth? No thanks.

We Used To Be Friends – It's in my top 5 Dandys songs. Good stuff. I also have no idea which show used it.

Thomas Dolby – I could name 4-5 Dolby songs off the top of my head, so I guess I know his stuff better than some. That was okay, but a little too ethereal for a lunch-time listen squeezed in at work. It might grow on me if it catches me in the right mood and setting. (Obligatory Big Country sidebar: Eddi Reader did a duet with Stuart Adamson on Fragile Thing, the first single from their final album.)

RHCP – There's enough of their classic sound there for me to give it a thumbs up. ADDED.

Perfume Genius - That's a solid maybe. ADDED.

I haven't had time to give the rest a fair listen yet, but hopefully I'll remember to do so.

[Shrykespeare]

We Used To Be Friends – It's in my top 5 Dandys songs. Good stuff. I also have no idea which show used it.

Veronica Mars. I never watched that show either.

[Leestu]

Leestu, Car Seat Headrest - Yeah, I haven't heard this version before, so much more lo-fi than even his more recent offerings which, though cleaned up, are still pretty lo-fi. This is a song that has so many sections to it, keeps twisting and turning throughout. Really need to listen to this a lot more. As our resident CSH fanboy, what do you think of the new releases that are up online?

Very interesting. I like the return to his lo-fi sound, but at the same time experimenting with something different (for him) with the synth driven, Can't Cool Me Down, and the intoductuon of brass on Martin. They are no instant favourites, but they still have his vocal style that I love, and they are growing on me. They both do make me intrigued to see where this takes him on the new album.

[Shrykespeare]

#46



CHIEN

The National, Slow Show (2007)

Boxer is one hell of a fantastic album. Truth is I could have picked almost any song of this album to feature in my Top 100, I chose a couple, including this “Slow Show”. Berninger’s voice is one of the most charismatic and fascinating to listen to. “Slow show” has this sort of rhythm that gets under your skin and won’t let go of you, and it’s not a “show off” song, it’s simple, honest, beautiful.





GEEZER

Jeff Rosenstock, Get Old Forever (2015)

This is the first song I heard from Jeff Rosenstock, the first track off his We Cool? album, and to this day, it is still one of my absolute favorites. It starts out so soft and unassuming. You'd never expect the wall of sound you are about to get hit with, but as soon as it kicked, I knew I'd be hooked on this guys music forever, and I still am. There's nothing like experiencing a crowd just explode as soon as this song does.





JOHNERLE

The New Pornographers, My Slow Descent Into Alcoholism (2000)

It takes a lot of chutzpah to ask Neko Case to join your band then tell her “That's okay, Neko. I'll handle lead vocals on this one.“ That's the kind of confidence that can only come from liquid courage. Bonus points for getting one of the guys from Fubar to appear in your video.

Also: Sing Me Spanish Techno, From Blown Speakers





LEESTU

Viet Cong, Death (2015)

Now known as Preoccupations, but at the time they were Viet Cong. The album this comes from, Viet Cong, is my favourite album of theirs, with nearly every song deserving to be on this list. However, with my one song per album rule it is the epic closer to the album that makes it. My personal interpretation of this song is that it is a musical depiction of the process of being born, living, falling ill, and eventually dying.





NSPAN

Band of Skulls, Not the Kind of Nothing I Know (2019)

With their latest record, BoS moved (slightly) away from their garage-rock origins. The new record has a polarizing pop-appeal. That said, I still think it kicks ass.





RON B

Chemical Brothers, Galvanize (2004)

I should have way more Chemical Bros songs on my list, but it turns out my faves from them are before 2000. This is my fave from after that.





SCREEN203

La Roux, Cruel Sexuality (2014)

Another La Roux pick (only one more), but this is another summery pop gem from Elly Jackson. Love the last 2 minutes in particular.





SHRYKE

Afro Celt Sound System feat. Peter Gabriel, When You’re Falling (2001)

I had never heard this gem prior to several months ago, when I began my two-decades-in-four-months music blitz. Peter’s been a staple of my playlist for decades, and he’s well known for infusing African rhythms into his songs, so while this song was not exactly breaking new ground, it still found a way to worm its way into my heart. Peter’s voice remains timeless decades after leaving Genesis, and he never fails to give it his all vocally.





SIX

The Walkmen, The Rat (2004)

Out of the ashes of Jonathan Fire Eater emerged The Walkmen, with a charismatic new singer called Hamilton Leithhauser. He sounds like Rod Stewart after a night out on the town. The music itself took the energy and youth of the rock-n-roll revival coming out of NY at the time, and throws in some 60s and 70s psyche to create this song that’s as urgent as it is bitter.





SURFER

Low, Monkey (2005)

Over the years I have come to love so much of Low, each record a beast in its own right, but The Great Destroyer is probably my favourite. On a given day I could probably have picked any one of the songs from that record, but ultimately I went with the thumping drums and searing guitars of Monkey. The overlapping vocals of Alan Sparkhawk and Mimi Parker are mesmerising as they discuss the culmination of an uncommitted relationship, while the slow buzz of it all descends into something immersive and quite terrifying. And so while the band have largely moved into different territory over the past decade or so, this is a song that I still come back to time and time again.





TRANSFORMERS

Kanye West, Black Skinhead (2013)

It took a thoroughly unexpected detour into the world of raw, industrial hip house for me to develop an appreciation for the bold, experimental genius of Kanye West. This song is a lightning rod that makes me want to run through a wall every time I put it on.

[Leestu]

#46 playlist

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

[Leestu]

The I Love It

The Walkmen, The Rat - good to see this on someone else's list...I wasn't expecting that!

The Awesome

Kanye West, Black Skinhead - one of Kanye's best songs, and the first album of his I really got into...love the industrial sound

The Excellent

Low, Monkey - first listen...not as slow and depressing as '90s Low...loved the guitar sound, and the combination of their vocals

The Great

Chemical Brothers, Galvanize - I prefer earlier The Chemical Brothers too, but this is still a great song, as is Go

Jeff Rosenstock, Get Old Forever - he really is one of the most interesting songwriters in the pop punk genre...great energy to this song

The Very Good

Band of Skulls, Not the Kind of Nothing I Know - easily the best song on a very disappointing album...this and Cool Your Battles are the only songs I liked

The Good

The New Pornographers, My Slow Descent Into Alcoholism - first listen...a catchy upbeat song

The Okay

The National, Slow Show - I don't know. As a The National fan I should love this album but for some reason, apart from a couple of songs, it hasn't clicked with me, including this song. Maybe it's the simplicity you mentioned

Afro Celt Sound System feat. Peter Gabriel, When You’re Falling - first listen...it's okay just not really my thing

The Meh

La Roux, Cruel Sexuality - first listen...perfectly fine for what it is, meh for my personal tastes

[numbersix]

A fine 46.

Chien: This record is what got me into The National properly. It's superb, and Slow show is a beautiful, moving track. Good choice.
Geezer: It throws in a bunch of pop-punk elements together, which makes it familiar but at least a bit more ambitious than the norm.
John: One of the great things about this endeavour is hearing bands you were supposed to check out but never did. TNP is certainly one of them. They're more poppy than I expected, but this was a nice, breezy song - musically, at least.
Leetsu: Love this album. Not my favourite from it, but it's a fine closer.
NSpan: I liked the slight pop element. Sometimes too derivative styles in a song are better than one! Do you like Ty Segall? He does stuff like this so well.
Ron B: The 90s was definitely their era, but this is pretty good, even if only a single sample looped.
Screen: Maybe it's the sunlight blaring into my apartment/prison, but this was actually really fun synth-pop.
Shryke: Not even the sunshine can make me like this I appreciate the experiment, but that Celtic element puts me off. Gabriel's vocals are good though.
Surf: A great opening track. Low get almost noisy here. I don't think TGD is a great album, it's more a signal of the bladness they sometimes treaded afterwards, but there are great tracks on the album.
Tranny: Overplayed for sure but still an infectious, intoxicating track.

[silversurfer19]

Round 47 thoughts

Great round, by the way, so much I love even if nothing from it made my own list.

Chien, The National - I'm glad you are here to keep providing us with The National songs, when on form they are a fantastic band. This isn't in my top couple of songs from Boxer, the opening combo of Fake Empire and Mistaken For Strangers probably hold those positions. But this is still a very lovely song, great piano and vocals.

Geezer, Jeff Rosenstock - I only got into Rosenstock a couple of years ago, but he is great. This is a great opener for the album. Probably personally prefer Nausea or You, In Weird Cities from that album, but you can't go wrong with that album or Worry really.

JohnErle, The New Pornographers - I am obviously a big fan as a song from this album made my own countdown. I like this song, but it was never in any real consideration for my own countdown, I like far more of their songs than this.

Leestu, Preoccupations - Again, another band who I have already featured in my countdown and this is also a fantastic song.

Nspan, Band Of Skulls - Definitely prefer early Band Of Skulls with their garage rock style. Gets better when the guitars come in, but otherwise I will just stick to anything from Baby Darling or Sweet Sour.

Ron, Chemical Brothers - Fantastic song. If I was to include a Chemical Brothers song in my own countdown, it would probably be this. Has such an awesome beat.

Screen, La Roux - I think I mentioned earlier in the countdown that I was a fan of her voice, not really been won over by her actual music yet but I live in hope, as there is definitely potential here

Shryke, Afro Celt Sound System - Did nothing for me, like others have mentioned, Gabriel's voice is still immaculate, but the Afro vibes didn't really bring anything new that haven't existed for 30 years or more.

Six, The Walkmen - Yep, great to see this pop up again. The more I hear it, the more I think I probably should have included it on my own list. Great choice.

Tranny, Kanye West - Hey, I know this Kanye song! Fantastic production and good pace to it all. Really pumps you up. Do I actually like a Kanye song?!?!

[silversurfer19]

Very interesting. I like the return to his lo-fi sound, but at the same time experimenting with something different (for him) with the synth driven, Can't Cool Me Down, and the intoductuon of brass on Martin. They are no instant favourites, but they still have his vocal style that I love, and they are growing on me. They both do make me intrigued to see where this takes him on the new album.

Yeah, similar to my own feelings really. I haven't really been stunned by anything since Teens Of Denial, but it's good to see him mixing both his old style with new ideas.

[Chienfantome]

#47

Geezer, Frank Turner, Get Better : Not bad in its own genre I think.
John, Shearwater, You As You Were : Best new song I heard this round.
NSpan, Dandy Warhols : Never heard it. And I probably won't get back to it.
Ron, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Can’t Stop : That intro is a classic I'll never get tired of.
Screen, Tinashe, Party Favors : Not my type.
Shryke, Thomas Dolby feat. Eddi Reader, Oceanea : I was thinking it was good, up until it turned into a duet and the song didn't feel right anymore to my ears.
Six, Perfume Genius, Grid : A bit too much show-off kinda music, but still really interesting and a good listen.
Surfer, Mitski, Townie : It sounds like a thousand other songs to my ears.
Tranny, After the Burial, Drifts ; Man that was awesome. Oh no sorry, I just relistened to my choice this round, I couldn't go far in yours

[Chienfantome]

Not a huge fan of the #46 choices...

I like how The New Pornographers song is quite surprising, I like the good vibes of the La Roux song, I like the voice of Peter Gabriel and the Electricity of The Walkmen.