Top 25 Best Songs Ever- pt. 4

Next 5 songs!

The White Stripes- Ball and a Biscuit

Jack White will go down as the best guitarist of our era. “Ball and a Biscuit” is a classic 12-bar blues song that White seems to just be itching to break out on at any moment. His thunderous guitar solos here explode out of the speakers. His voice has a certain sass to it that complements the slow parts perfectly. Music today needs more artists like Jack White.

Daft Punk- Face to Face

To me, Daft Punk’s best song is undeniably “Face to Face”. It displays their incredible skill of sampling, rhythmic complexity, and just overall ability to make their listeners wanna dance. It loses a little steam when the vocalist gets on the mic, but the background music is Daft Punk at their best.

Iron & Wine- The Trapeze Swinger

This song is just beautiful. Iron & Wine make the some of the best “go to sleep” music around, and “the Trapeze Swinger” sounds like the perfect lullaby to take a nap to. I’m a huge fan of Iron & Wine’s lo-fi work on albums like The Creek that Drank the Cradle, but I’m not as into their more complex recent stuff. “The Trapeze Swinger” seems to straddle the fence on Iron & Wine’s two eras perfectly. The song evolves over a sprawling nine minutes from a minimalistic beginning to a compilation of many different instruments that seem to each have their own interesting agendas. The background harmonies are the only constant, and they help drive the song to its lofty conclusion

Sufjan Stevens- They Also Mourn who do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)

This song obviously wins the prestigious “Longest Title on the List” award. I love almost every one of Sufjan’s songs, but this is his best. No where else in Sufjan’s extensive musical library does he reach the complexity of this song. The over-the-top orchestral arrangement of seemingly countless instruments in this song is stripped away completely after the 4:30 mark, only to have an explosive finale take home song’s final minute. If you don’t like Sufjan, listen to this song, and then go download all his other albums.

The Shins- Kissing the Lipless

Like Modest Mouse, the Shins were another band who really helped me get into the Indie music scene. “Kissing the Lipless” I believe is the song that can really make anyone like the Shins, and it certainly got me into them. It is a very accessible, highly memorable song that will stick in your head if you listen to it. The thing that amazes me about the Shins is that no matter how many times you listen to it, you still will have no idea what they mean by some of their lyrics. What the hell does it mean if you are growing grass out of the corners of your bed?

Top 25 Best Songs Ever- pt. 3

Lets finish off with a few more 90s jams before we move onto the past decade.

Outkast- Return of the “G”

I really struggled to pick one Outkast song, and almost went with “Spottieottiedopalicious,” but in the end, this one won out. What helped my decision is that this song seems to be the thesis statement for the entire album of Aquemini, which I believe is the best album in hip hop history. “Return of the ‘G’” has one of the most gangsta-sounding beats I’ve ever heard, despite the fact that it’s one of the most pointed rejections of gangsta rap you’ll ever come across. Andre urges other rappers to stop using generic gangsta subject material and be more creative, while Big Boi reminds his listeners that he would rather “kick back with my gators off and watch my little girl blow bubbles” than deal with criminal home invaders, something we all can sympathize with.

Modest Mouse- Dramamine

Modest Mouse is my first representation of indie music on this list, and they are the first of many. Their music really helped me get into the indie scene, which makes up about 90% of the music I listen to today. “Dramamine” was the first song I really heard from MM, and I still think it’s their best. It has a great sleepy guitar riff and Isaac Brock’s voice is still young and raw sounding- much better than the way it sounds today. It also comes from the best-titled album on this list: This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About

Dr. Dre- Still D.R.E.

I just love the way Dre bursts back onto the scene with this cut. He’s still on top of his game, despite having an eight year layoff since his last album release. The beat is an updated take on his quintessential-L.A. beats from The Chronic, which really helps play up the notion that Dre was both the past and the future of hip hop at the time “Still D.R.E.” was released. This song is definitely the cornerstone of mainstream rap at the turn of the century.

Radiohead- Idioteque

This is the song that inspired this list. Perhaps no other song has had such a large impact on my musical tastes than this one. This song stopped me dead in my tracks when I first heard it, and it was the reason I got into Radiohead. I’ve always thought that if you get into Radiohead, it can open a lot of doors for you in terms of what you look for in music. This song is hauntingly eerie, but also extremely captivating. “Idioteque” also made for one of the most famous SNL performances ever. What the hell kind of "instrument" is the dude on the right playing? Is that a switchboard you’ve got there?

Arcade Fire- Wake Up

Arcade Fire is known as one of the best live acts around, but they also make awesome music. “Wake Up” is one of those stadium-rocking anthems that just knocks your socks off. Despite it being released over 5 years ago, it was just used as the musical theme for the NFL Network commercials that were broadcast during the superbowl, which is demonstrative of this song’s power. I love the guest appearance by the xylophone at the end of the song, which comes out of left field but still works perfectly. Best line: “We’re just a million little gods causing rainstorms, turning every good thing to rust!”

Hilarious

I linked to this Tears for Fears video in my last post without really watching it, but holy shit is it amazing. Not that I'm an expert in this field, but this has to be one of the greatest 80's music videos ever shot. Can somebody please tell me what's going on here? Why is there a monkey in the library? why all the sudden does the lead singer start floating? My favorite part is when the keyboard player approaches the circulation desk as if he's about to ask for a book, only to have a keyboard magically appear for him to rock out on. The most perplexing element has to be the level of attractiveness of all the people in this video- literally no one is good looking. My, how far music videos have progressed in the last 20 years.

Top 25 Best Songs Ever- pt. 2

Here’s the next installment of the best 24 songs ever. This time we’ve got a few 70’s songs before we jump to the 90’s. It’s distressing to see the 80’s unrepresented, but if you need something to hold you over, try this song.

Pink Floyd- Speak to Me/Breathe

I’m sure many people might say this isn’t even the best song on Dark Side of the Moon, but to me this is the cut that stands out the most. Dark Side’s tightly wound narrative about the forces in everyday life that lead humans to insanity I believe makes for the best concept album of all time, and “Speak to Me/Breathe” is the perfect intro for it. It starts off with various audio clips of people speaking about insanity that will be replayed later in the album. The section ends with what sounds like delirious screaming, but if you listen closely to the later song “the Great Gig in the Sky,” it’s just a snippet of the woman singer straining to reach the highest notes of her solo. The second half of the song has a dream-like atmosphere that creates the perfect feel of the societal daze that Pink Floyd urges its listeners to wake up from by the end of the album. It seems like every time you listen to this song you notice something new.

Led Zeppelin- Ten Years Gone

Here’s another one that I think many will disagree with me on. The reason it made the list is because it’s the one song that got me into Led Zeppelin, thus making a huge impact on my musical tastes as a whole. This song also represents everything that makes Led Zeppelin great- a good calm intro (see: “No Quarter”), driving guitar riffs (see: “The Ocean”), Robert Plant’s great vocal range (see: “Since I’ve Been Loving You”), and John Bonham’s breathtaking drum fills (see: “Moby Dick”). If you aren’t into Led Zeppelin, 1- stop listening to Avril Lavigne and 2- listen to this song.

Fleetwood Mac- Dreams

“Dreams” barely beats out “You Make Loving Fun” here, but it would have been a travesty if my Fleetwood Mac representation on this list didn’t have Stevie Nicks on lead vocals. Nicks is in top form on “Dreams,” as it sounds like she has 8 or 9 cotton balls stuck in her mouth as she sings her lyrics (which is what makes her voice so charming). The harmonies in the chorus are great, too. This song has also been covered by some great acts in recent years, most notably the Fleet Foxes and the Morning Benders.

Pearl Jam- Black

As I mentioned in my last post, I don’t really listen to much Pearl Jam anymore. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t had a huge impact on my musical appreciation, though. Before I got into Pearl Jam in the 8^th grade, Tool was probably my favorite band and I downloaded songs from bands like Drowning Pool on my 56k internet connection. “Black” is one of those songs that builds and builds, and Eddie Vedder’s last lyrics can send chills down your spine. “Black” ends with a great vocal melody, and is a cornerstone of any of their concerts if you see them live.

Dave Matthews Band- #41

I’ve always thought there are two undeniable truths about DMB: 1- they make great music, and 2- people who like DMB too much tend to get way into other bands that fucking suck, like OAR and Dispatch. The trick is to find a happy medium between liking and becoming obsessed with them. With songs like “#41” it can be hard to stay away from the latter, but one listen to OAR’s “A Crazy Game of Poker” will make any sane person wary of falling into this trap.

Ill Video

While I don't listen to Pearl Jam much anymore, they still put on one of the best concerts around. This summer they're touring with another great act in Band of Horses. Check out this video shot in Madison Square Garden of BoH frontman Ben Bridwell sing Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike" with Eddie Vedder:

Seattle music, baby.

It's Not Griffey

The M's have gotten off to a terrible start this season that in all likelihood has doomed them to go yet another year without making the playoffs. Over the past few dismal weeks an enormous amount of scrutiny has been placed upon Griffey and Sweeney and their lack of performance. While I certainly understand that they have not been performing anywhere near the levels we want them to, it's completely absurd to place responsibility on their shoulders. Releasing or replacing Griffey and Sweeney will not magically make this team start winning again. Instead, it is time to start placing the blame on two players that to this point have somehow escaped most of the criticism. Ladies and gentlemen- Chone Figgins and Rob Johnson are the reasons why the 2010 Mariners suck.

When we gave Chone Figgins a $36 million contract this offseason, we were doing it because we wanted his offense. Sure, he's got a great glove, but the M's already had plenty of great defenders. We signed Figgins because he would upgrade our lineup offensively with his career numbers of .298 BA, excellent .361 OBP, and great speed to boot. Thus far all we've gotten is .200/.312 and only 9 SBs. That is a precipitous drop off that has put a significant dent in the M's chances to compete this year.

Then there's Rob Butterfingers Johnson. Is there anyone more frustrating to watch on the M's? While he is taking more pitches and drawing some walks this year, when you're a team built around pitching/defense and destined to be in close games all the time, it is absolutely impossible to compete with a guy who can't catch the ball behind the plate. Rob Johnson is leading the league with already 5 Passed balls behind the plate. The M's are third in the league in wild pitches, which can also be largely attributed to ol' Butterfingers back there. With Josh Bard hitting and catching well, it's time for Johnson to be put out to pasture. Considering all of our narrow margins of defeat, we simply can't afford to let runners advance due to Johnson's pathetic catching.

So take the blame off Griffey and Sweeney. While we could certainly do a whole lot better than those two, the criticism should primarily go to Johnson and Figgins. If those two fix their flaws, then the M's would be a lot better than they would if they replaced Sweeney and Griffey with minor league call ups.

...but holy shit is this team tough to watch.

Top 25 Best Songs Ever- pt. 1

Starting with the late 60s...

The Beatles- Sun King
I'm one of the many who believe the Beatles are the best band in the history of the universe, but picking one song from them killed me. In the end, however, I decided to pick the one song from them that best represents the things they do in their music that make it so appealing to me. Ethereal harmonies, nonsensical lyrics, and the fact that it's a centerpiece of Abbey Road's "Medley", otherwise known as the best 15 minutes in the history of the album as a medium. If you ever need to calm yourself down, put this song on a good pair of headphones

The Beach Boys- Heroes and Villains
I love concept albums, and The Beach Boys’ Smile is one of the best early rock concept albums. “Heroes and Villains” introduces the haunting melody that is quoted repeatedly throughout the album, which I like to think also played over and over in Brian Wilson’s head as he went insane writing this album. The acapella interlude is by far the most complex thing the Beach Boys ever did, and I can imagine it must have been a grueling experience for the band to get to the point where they had it down perfectly. This song just seems to have a scary power over its listeners that is unlike anything I’ve ever heard

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young- Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
As you can probably already tell, I'm a sucker for vocal harmony. I also love songs that offer multiple movements (Good Vibrations is an honorable mention here). Suite: Judy Blue Eyes seamlessly wanders through 4 movements that are all beautiful, although the best suite is undeniably the second one. And of course, the song ends with one of the most recognizable melodies of 60's rock music.

Nick Drake- Things Behind the Sun
Nick Drake is probably my favorite acoustic artist, and his music played an enormous influence in steering me away from the System-of-a-Down and Greenday I listened to in the 8th grade. From him I learned music doesn’t even need multiple instruments in it to be great. His lyrics are almost haunting in this song, and his voice will always calm me down when my airplane hits turbulence at 30,000 feet. If you don’t listen to Nick Drake, try this song first.

Van Morrison- Sweet Thing
The best song on Van Morrison’s best album. Like all the other songs on Astral Weeks, Sweet Thing sounds like something that was slapped together in five minutes in the studio, but the result is pure genius. The lyrics are beautiful and Van Morrison’s voice always knows when to jump up into its upper registers at the perfect time. Morrison claims “I’m dynamite and I don’t know why”. Maybe it’s because he didn’t realize he was making unbelievable gems like this song.

The Top 25 Best Songs Ever

I think the best way to start this blog off with a bang is to present a list of my favorite songs ever. For a guy like me, choosing my favorite songs can be akin to selecting your favorite child, but after a lengthy struggle with my itunes library I was finally able to narrow it down to 25 certified jams. As I went about this process, I created a few house rules to make the ordeal easier:
1) Each song had to be from a band I love. No 1-hit wonders
2) No one band could appear twice. While I would love to put about 20 Beatles songs on here, I had to choose one only.
3) Each song has had to have a very large influence on my musical taste as a whole

Beyond that, it was a total free-for-all. Over the next few days, I’ll unveil about 5 songs at a time. It was too much for me to try and rank them, so I’ll be rolling them out in roughly chronological order. I'll included youtube links to each song, so if you wanna download it to your hard drive go to dirpy.com.

You're in the Blog

Last week I graduated college. Instead of putting my just-received degree in English/Creative Writing (whoops) towards getting some sort of "job", I've decided to just sit on my couch and write about shit that interests me. Thus, you can expect to find my takes on sports, music, and anything else that grabs my attention as I waste my life carousing the internet. My sports opinions will be focused primarily on my painfully beloved Seattle sports teams, but my music tastes will not be confined to a particular region. If anyone reads this, feel free to suggest things to post on. I am very unemployed at this point, so this blog allows me to feel productive without actually making an impact on anyone/anything. Enjoy.