August 31, 20031) Hey Ya - The Love Below – Outkast
This song is going to be so huge. I mean, just ugly, ugly HUGE and deservedly so. With it’s electrofunkfolk feel, it’s arguably the best radio single I’ve heard since JT’s “Cry Me A River.” Yeah, I just referred to him as JT. Shut up.
2) This is Our Emergency - The New Romance – Pretty Girls Make Graves
PGMG rocks this dirty hipster anthem “from state-to-state, from Williamsburg to Silverlake.” Normally a line like that would make me wince, but by the time Andrea Zollo drops it, I’m already too wrapped up in the song to care. PGMG’s definitely got the anthemic dance punk down.
3) The Trouble With Public Places – Out West – Cadallaca
Cadallaca nails down exactly what I hate about going to concerts with this track. Concerts would be great if it weren’t for the people. Not all the people, just some of the people. The trouble with public places are that it’s filled with jerks.
4) Y-Control – Fever To Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Dave Eggers says that “Maps” and “Y-Control” are one of the great one-two punches in history. Well, if “Maps” is a teasing jab jab jab from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, then “Y-Control” is their devastating right cross. This is one of the best songs of their very short career.
5) First We Take Manhattan – I’m Your Fan – R.E.M.
When R.E.M. covers dark and moody stuff, they usually end up turning it into something a bit too hopeful and uplifting. Sometimes, it just ruins the song. Here, the band restrains itself just enough to maintain Leonard Cohen’s sinister tone.
6) That’s When I Reach For My Revolver - Mission of Burma – Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma’s cathartic art rock never got much better than this song. The brooding bassline and the matching chimes of the guitar lead to the catchies chorus about suicide ever. Ryko’s Mission of Burma reissue was the CD that forced Peter Buck to finally buy a CD player in 1989.
7) Cruel To Be Kind – Labour of Lust - Nick Lowe
One of the great songs ever from one of rock’s most underrated performers… one question though: what’s with those weird sound effects in the middle of the song, the whips and cracks and the popping sound of a pacifier? I always thought they kind of ruined the song. “Kind of,” since the song still rocks.
8) Rumours In Town – Guitar Romantic - Exploding Hearts
I didn’t pick up on Exploding Hearts until it was too late, until after 3/4 of band died in a van accident last month. The album left behind is a brilliant piece of pop-punk, the Undertones just on the verge of crossing into Cheap Trick. “Rumours In Town” echoes the Jam, right down to the extra “U” in the title.
9) I Love John, She Loves Paul – Handsome Western States - Beulah
I’ve never really analyzed this old Beulah track at all, but doesn’t that title really say it all? Those words describe pretty much every rift caused by base differences, from Israel vs. Palestine to Me Vs. That Girl in High School That One Time.
10) Dance Me To the End of Love – Various Positions - Leonard Cohen
Slow and sensual, this is easily one of the top ten sexiest songs ever written by a Jewish Zen Buddhist Monk. All the other songs in that top ten were also written by Leonard Cohen, of course.
11) The Soldiering Life - Her Majesty - The Decemberists
Who’s voice does this guy remind me of? I can’t place it and it just drives me NUTS. Regardless, ya gotta love the military imagery juxtaposed with the spare and quiet elegance of the music. A lovely song about unlovely times and acts.
12) Armenia – Who’s Next – Petra Haden
Petra Haden, formerly of that dog, once pulled off this side project where she created a solo a capella that covered “Who’s Next” from front to back. I’ve only ever found the opening track, but it’s frightening and haunting and beautiful. I can’t even imagine what the rest of the album might sound like.
13) When I Was a Baby – B-Side - New Pornographers
I’m always a sucker for songs in triple/waltz time, because they have that built in swaying rhythm that makes them irresistable. Adding Neko Case and a few four-part harmonies don’t hurt the irresistable-ness of this song either.
14) All the Pretty Girls Go To The City - Kill the Moonlight – Spoon
All the Pretty Girls do go to the city, that’s certainly not a lie. I love the arrangement of this track, as all the various instruments never seem to lock in and dive in all at once. Instead, they trade off and take turns moving the melody forward until the song ends.
15) Sail Away – Sail Away - Randy Newman
You’d never be able to tell that the guy that writes all those cheesy movie songs was the same guy that wrote this beautiful piece with such dark, dark humor. You think you’d ever see a song about a slave trader in a Disney movie? I don’t think Randy Newman will every write anything like this again, which is a real shame.
16) You Got What I Need – Cry To Me – Freddie Scott
Someone asked me where the hook came from for Biz Markie’s “She’s Just a Friend,” and well, it’s from this old soul number. As a whole, it’s not THAT great a song, but the chorus is killer in any form. The only problem is that it’s hard not to listen without breaking into Biz Markie’s classic.
17) Good Times – Hot Shit - Quasi
“Hot Shit” is a wild, genre hopping adventure, exemplified by this complete mess of a track. It starts with a gospel choir floating into a blues vocal, with a wonky Toms Waits/Led Zeppelin in Poor Tom shambling drumbeat before settling into the dreamy indie-pop that Quasi is more famous for.
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They aren’t kidding with that title, either. All the previous Quasi records didn’t really prepare me for this one, which is one of those weird quantum leap records that just leaves everything else in the dust. It still sounds like Quasi, but there are echoes of Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Tom Waits, Led Zeppelin, Pavement… it’s Quasi-Everything. And it’s funny too. I believe there’s a bonus live CD attached to any copy bought at an indie record store, so I’ll have to hunt down that version.
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