Ah, the middle. Not quite the best, but better than the rest. What song has the prestigious honor of being exactly halfway between my favorite and the best of the rest? Read on, blogspot faithful, and find out...
60. "A Picture Postcard" by the Promise Ring
Ah, to be young and emo again. Those were the days, no?
59. "Rock Lobster" by the B-52's
58. "Icebox" by Nada Surf
Matthew Caws, if you're reading this, sorry about making an ass of myself backstage at the metro, but still, thank you for playing this song
57. "End of the Line" by Murder By Death
I still want to adapt this album into a screenplay, but this song could probably be a whole miniseries on its own
56. "New Denial" by the Good Life
55. "Waltz #2 (xo)" by Elliott Smith
54. "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S" by Modern Life is War
Play this one as loud as you can stand
53. "Dead of Winter" by the Eels
This song sneaks up on you. If you've listened to it less than, oh, 53 times, it hasn't fully hit you yet. I remember exactly where I was when I cracked the (perhaps not too difficult) code of this song (a hotel parking lot in Oklahoma City, on my way to Chicago) and I nearly burst into tears
52. "Poison Oak" by Bright Eyes
51. "Simple Things" by Belle and Sebastian
This girl in my dorm sophomore year told me this was the best song on this incredible album, and i scoffed at her. While I do love others as well, I've come around. Sorry Brenna, you were probably right.
50. "Diamond Sea" by Sonic Youth
The centerpiece track on my "Songs They Played on KROQ When It Was the Best Radio Station on Earth" mix (alternately titled, "Hey! Remember Middle School?") Congrats Sonic Youth, we're halfway home.
49. "I Want to Conquer the World" by Bad Religion
Someday this will be the curtain call music for a show I direct. Mark my words.
48. "Epitaph" by Badly Drawn Boy
47. "Guess I'm Doing Fine" by Beck
46. "X-Static" by Foo Fighters
I listen to a lot of sad bastard music, but there are few that do it better than the way Dave Grohl sighs "Wish I could have felt I'd won/For once" at the end of this one
45. "Trying Your Luck" by the Strokes
44. "Neverending Math Equation" by Sun Kil Moon
This might be the only cover on here. I don't know. I do know that I am the same as I was when I was six years old.
43. "The Promise" by Pedro the Lion
Is this song about being Christian? Perhaps. Can I still relate? Absolutely.
42. "Sparks" by Coldplay
Say what you will about Chris Martin and Coldplay (and i've said a lot, just ask my old roommate) and how much they suck now (also a lot), theyre first album was pretty great, and this song is still fantastic
41. "If Winter Ends" by Bright Eyes
I couldn't have appreciated this song before I lasted through my first Chicago winter, and I plan on appreciating it during my next.
almost there kids! excited? i sure am.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Fourth Quintile 80-61
Thanks for the heads up Jesse
Ah, the bottom of the middle. Not prestigious enough to be in the top half, not distinguished enough to be at the bottom. The lost fifth, if you will. Here they are. Give em some love.
80. "For the Enemy" by Okkervil River
Just saw them play live, and it was incredible. They didn't play this song, which was too bad, cause its my 80th favorite song of all time. They did, however, play my 10th favorite song, so that was cool.
79. "Don't Hate Me" by The Get Up Kids
The theme song of every parting since high school. Just as applicable this week as it was then.
78. "Busses/No Busses" by Bear vs. Shark
My other favorite band (see 80). Thanks for this song, Dave.
77. "A Skeleton on Display" by Now Its Overhead
76. "Idioteque" by Radiohead
Try interpretative dancing to this song. There's really no other way to really appreciate it.
75. "80 Windows" by Nada Surf
I was at a club in LA to see Kevin Sousa's band, and this album was on, and no one I knew listened to it besides me, and I mentioned that to the DJ, and he said it was good, but especially that one song, that was so good, and his band was going cover it and become famous, and when I asked which song he said "you'll know". It was this one, and I did.
74. "Hey" by The Pixies
73. "Table for Glasses" by Jimmy Eat World
72. "Only a Northern Song" by the Beatles
Also my essence song, circa my sophomore year acting class
71. "Missing the War" by Ben Folds Five
70. "Sea Anemone" by Jets to Brazil
69. "Chapter 8- Seashore and Horizon" by Cornelius
68. "Mayonaise" by the Smashing Pumpkins
Held the top spot, once upon a time in middle school
67. "Bloodgiver" by Bear vs. Shark
66. "Via Chicago" by Wilco
I'm coming home, I'm coming home, Via Chicago
65. "Born of a Broken Man" by Rage Against the Machine
64. "Pool Shark" by Sublime
The acoustic version, but also, the punk version
63. "Galapagos" by the Smashing Pumpkins
62. "Sweet Jane" by the Velvet Underground
61. "So Long" by Rilo Kiley
In other news, TBA is awesome.
Ah, the bottom of the middle. Not prestigious enough to be in the top half, not distinguished enough to be at the bottom. The lost fifth, if you will. Here they are. Give em some love.
80. "For the Enemy" by Okkervil River
Just saw them play live, and it was incredible. They didn't play this song, which was too bad, cause its my 80th favorite song of all time. They did, however, play my 10th favorite song, so that was cool.
79. "Don't Hate Me" by The Get Up Kids
The theme song of every parting since high school. Just as applicable this week as it was then.
78. "Busses/No Busses" by Bear vs. Shark
My other favorite band (see 80). Thanks for this song, Dave.
77. "A Skeleton on Display" by Now Its Overhead
76. "Idioteque" by Radiohead
Try interpretative dancing to this song. There's really no other way to really appreciate it.
75. "80 Windows" by Nada Surf
I was at a club in LA to see Kevin Sousa's band, and this album was on, and no one I knew listened to it besides me, and I mentioned that to the DJ, and he said it was good, but especially that one song, that was so good, and his band was going cover it and become famous, and when I asked which song he said "you'll know". It was this one, and I did.
74. "Hey" by The Pixies
73. "Table for Glasses" by Jimmy Eat World
72. "Only a Northern Song" by the Beatles
Also my essence song, circa my sophomore year acting class
71. "Missing the War" by Ben Folds Five
70. "Sea Anemone" by Jets to Brazil
69. "Chapter 8- Seashore and Horizon" by Cornelius
68. "Mayonaise" by the Smashing Pumpkins
Held the top spot, once upon a time in middle school
67. "Bloodgiver" by Bear vs. Shark
66. "Via Chicago" by Wilco
I'm coming home, I'm coming home, Via Chicago
65. "Born of a Broken Man" by Rage Against the Machine
64. "Pool Shark" by Sublime
The acoustic version, but also, the punk version
63. "Galapagos" by the Smashing Pumpkins
62. "Sweet Jane" by the Velvet Underground
61. "So Long" by Rilo Kiley
In other news, TBA is awesome.
Not a list
Hey, TBA is fun. So was Musicfest NW. I got my haircut by a ten year old. You can read about it here.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/aenow/2007/09/tba_notebook_haircuts_by_child.html
I'm super famous
j
http://blog.oregonlive.com/aenow/2007/09/tba_notebook_haircuts_by_child.html
I'm super famous
j
Thursday, September 06, 2007
The Omega section: Tracks 101-80
The bottom quindrant (whats a quadrant thats actually part of five? anyone? quindrant can't be correct), but still, that still makes them better than the 6000+ songs in my library that failed to make the cut (take that, Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn"). Of course, I couldn't cut it down to just 100, though i suppose just not including number 101 would have done just that. But I can't bear to. So here goes:
101. "A Certain Cemetery"- Pretty Girls Make Graves
100. "Inmates"- The Good Life
The centerpiece on a great concept album/song cycle, great wordplay from Tim Kasher, and the first of many songs on the list that a) top the eight minute mark and b) have a female guest singer
99. "Plans"-Bloc Party
98. "B-13"- Jump, Little Children
One of three or four songs I like by a band I'm mostly indifferent too, yet seem to keep making these lists
97. "St. John the Divine"- Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
96. "Chinatown"- Jets to Brazil
95. "Crystal Ship"- The Doors
94. "Between the Bars"- Elliott Smith
93. "Half a Person"- The Smiths
92. "China Girl"- David bowie
91. "Problems and Bigger Ones"- Harvey Danger
Someday I'll make a mix of the songs that got me through eighth grade, and I'll probably call it Problems and Bigger Ones. Either that or, Aly Post, why won't you go out with me?
90. "Happiness is a Warm Gun"- The Beatles
At one point in time, I think this was my favorite song. I'm not sure why. I think I was troubled back then.
89. "From the Trapeze"- Mayday
Heres the dilemma I have with these things. I've absolutely adored this song for about three months, whereas I've counted the previous one as among my favorites since elementary school. How do you judge those together? How do you weigh that? The obvious answer is probably you spend your time worrying about more important things, or, more succinctly, who cares, but still. Inquiring mind wants to know.
88. "Scared Straight"- The Long Winters
87. "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"- Bob Dylan
86. "Excerpts from Various Notes Strewn Around the Bedroom of April Conn0lly, Feb 24, 1997"- Cursive
Definitely the longest song title on the list
85. "La Cienega Just Smiled"- Ryan Adams
84. "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl" Broken Social Scene
83. "Time and Time Again"- Counting Crows
What still gets me about this song is Adam Duritz's sarcastic exhalation in the line "maybe someday I won't be so lonely/and I'll walk on water (ha) every chance I get." Its kind of fantastic, in a dorky, bitter sort of way.
82. "Alone Again Or"- Love
seriously people. go buy a Love album. thank me later.
81. "American Music"- Violent Femmes
that's the first entry. four more where that came from.
the suspense is terrible...I hope it lasts.
101. "A Certain Cemetery"- Pretty Girls Make Graves
100. "Inmates"- The Good Life
The centerpiece on a great concept album/song cycle, great wordplay from Tim Kasher, and the first of many songs on the list that a) top the eight minute mark and b) have a female guest singer
99. "Plans"-Bloc Party
98. "B-13"- Jump, Little Children
One of three or four songs I like by a band I'm mostly indifferent too, yet seem to keep making these lists
97. "St. John the Divine"- Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
96. "Chinatown"- Jets to Brazil
95. "Crystal Ship"- The Doors
94. "Between the Bars"- Elliott Smith
93. "Half a Person"- The Smiths
92. "China Girl"- David bowie
91. "Problems and Bigger Ones"- Harvey Danger
Someday I'll make a mix of the songs that got me through eighth grade, and I'll probably call it Problems and Bigger Ones. Either that or, Aly Post, why won't you go out with me?
90. "Happiness is a Warm Gun"- The Beatles
At one point in time, I think this was my favorite song. I'm not sure why. I think I was troubled back then.
89. "From the Trapeze"- Mayday
Heres the dilemma I have with these things. I've absolutely adored this song for about three months, whereas I've counted the previous one as among my favorites since elementary school. How do you judge those together? How do you weigh that? The obvious answer is probably you spend your time worrying about more important things, or, more succinctly, who cares, but still. Inquiring mind wants to know.
88. "Scared Straight"- The Long Winters
87. "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"- Bob Dylan
86. "Excerpts from Various Notes Strewn Around the Bedroom of April Conn0lly, Feb 24, 1997"- Cursive
Definitely the longest song title on the list
85. "La Cienega Just Smiled"- Ryan Adams
84. "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl" Broken Social Scene
83. "Time and Time Again"- Counting Crows
What still gets me about this song is Adam Duritz's sarcastic exhalation in the line "maybe someday I won't be so lonely/and I'll walk on water (ha) every chance I get." Its kind of fantastic, in a dorky, bitter sort of way.
82. "Alone Again Or"- Love
seriously people. go buy a Love album. thank me later.
81. "American Music"- Violent Femmes
that's the first entry. four more where that came from.
the suspense is terrible...I hope it lasts.
The List of Lists
That's right folks. A months long labor of love has finally been completed as I have....
Made a complete list of my top 100 songs of all time!
Now, I know this excites exactly one person (and he is typing this while listening to Ted Leo) but still, it took forever, and was surprisingly hard. (go on, you try it. you do it...) but I did it, at least for today (every time I looked at it I changed it, and even after I "finished" I swapped in six new tracks, one landing as high as the forties) and I'm excited. And I'm listening to it on my new expensive headphones, which is also exciting. so i want to share it with you. In easy to swallow, 20 track chunks. Will there be pithy running commentary? Most likely.
so, in particular order...
Made a complete list of my top 100 songs of all time!
Now, I know this excites exactly one person (and he is typing this while listening to Ted Leo) but still, it took forever, and was surprisingly hard. (go on, you try it. you do it...) but I did it, at least for today (every time I looked at it I changed it, and even after I "finished" I swapped in six new tracks, one landing as high as the forties) and I'm excited. And I'm listening to it on my new expensive headphones, which is also exciting. so i want to share it with you. In easy to swallow, 20 track chunks. Will there be pithy running commentary? Most likely.
so, in particular order...
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