1. Slow and Steady Wins the Raceby Pedro the Lion
release: 2000thoughts: This song is perfect for starting everything off. It's a gentle acoustic guitar & vocal driven story, allegorical and ambiguous in its content. It is unmistakeably Pedro the Lion, complete with elongated, almost drunken lyrical emphasis. However, his lyrics pack a punch, asking thoughtful questions about religion. And it's such an articulate song, I find it difficult not to take notice of its meaning. Whether it is seen as cynical or contemplative is up to you.
listen for: A definitive allegory with a Post Modern twist.
mentionable lyric: "She asked me where my brother was / I said I don't know, and ate"
2. Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur
by Sigur Rós
release: 2008thoughts: Translated plainly, "within me a lunatic sings." This is a gorgeous song taken from the band's newest record. If their prior work was an album celebrating/brooding the cold winter in the snow, then this is all about the spring. And this is indeed a perfect song to show this. It's a song of celebration; my reason for picking it. Generally speaking, I tend to gravitate toward the darker Sigur Rós songs as my personal picks. But I figured you would enjoy the sporadic joyful sound, with all of its bells, horns and piano. And just a heads up, this song is in fact sung in Icelandic. No made up languages here.
listen for: Just about everything in a song that should make somebody happy to be alive.
mentionable lyric: Unfortunately, I am not fluent in Icelandic.
3. Gold Mine Gutted
by Bright Eyes
release: 2005thoughts: Conor Oberst released two full length studio albums in early 2005 (three albums total, counting one live addition made later that year). The first was a folk album full of slurrish love songs, and political acoustic wagon numbers. The second, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, was a product of his listening to The Postal Service. An entire using only what is electronic; synths, guitars, drum machines, cryptic lyrics. Its songs are dark meditations on the current state of the world. And this one is no exception.
listen for: An unforgettable, pristine, and chilling keyboard line. It sets the tone for the entire song.
mentionable lyric: "And all those white lines that sped us up / We hurried to our death / Well I lagged behind, so you got ahead"
4. Dr. Strangeluv
by Blonde Redhead
release: 2007thoughts: "Dr. Strangeluv" is an accomplishment within Blonde Redhead's own right. It is a first for them, having never written anything quite like it. The song is masterfully crafted, so equal and fitted between all of the instruments, that one needs not strain to pick out each and every one of the sounds escaping your speakers. Completely melancholy. Completely gorgeous.
listen for: An infectious guitar sound, played beautifully and to full capacity during the chorus.
mentionable lyric: "Where have they gone / I always thought I could never leave them / They are calling me / But they don't know I can't stay all night long"
5. Transmission
by Joy Division
release: 1981thoughts: The sound of so much to come. I imagine you've heard it before, but Joy Division paved the way for so much music. Their sound was truly an extraordinary one, unlike anything released before. Though the album that first harbored this song was released in '81, the song itself had been written two years earlier and released as a single, and was actually what they played on their television debut. Its styling, perhaps seems somewhat familiar. And you would be correct in thinking so, because so much music and so many bands have accredited to this bands' sound over the years. In light of lead singer Ian Curtis' suicide, this song, already dark in theme, is given a haunting second listen as its chilling romp gives you reason to dance, dance, dance.
listen for: A preface to a generation of new music.
mentionable lyric: "Touching from a distance / Further all the time"
6. Spectacle
by Sean Lennon
release: 2006thoughts: Sean Lennon: son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, half brother to ostracized Julian Lennon, and subject of "Beautiful Boy." This is such a miserable song, obviously about heartbreak. I feel that most can relate with these lyrics; a woman who seeks the affection and attention of anyone and everyone. The worst kind of unfaithfulness. Perhaps one of the best releases of 2006.
listen for: An astonishing arrangement, exceeding even his daddy's own.
mentionable lyric: "Your favourite dress for the world to see through / You spilled your drink, but you didn't mean to"
7. Hard to Explain
by The Strokes
release: 2001thoughts: The Strokes have a way of calling to mind a certain place, a certain time for music. They have a way of beckoning us to exist in their realm. In one respect their music is reminiscent, paying dues to the greats (especially those in the same band as Lou Reed). But all that velvet carpet aside, they have proven to be unmistakeably in their own league. Their very ethos gives off a sense of certainty, as if nothing else really stands up against this. Their assurance embedded within the lyrics of their songs is fascinating. The lyrics themselves are nothing to shit your pants over. The real magic of The Strokes exists in their music. And the lyrics never cease to casually and intelligently fall in line.
listen for: An amazingly melodic guitar walk throughout the song, courtesy of one Albert Hammond, Jr.
mentionable lyric: "Oh man, can't you see I'm nervous, so please / Pretend to be nice, so I can be mean"
8. Paranoid Android
by Radiohead
release: 1997thoughts: Released in the middle of 1997, this album was a departure from the Radiohead that used to be, and this song is one strong declaration of this departure. The complexity of "Paranoid Android" is dizzying. It's a three part, 6-and-a-half-minute epic, complete with tempo changes, multiple time signatures, and one very anxious Thom Yorke. I considered many other tracks, however nothing seemed more appropriate for this mix. Had I chosen a song from Pablo Honey or The Bends, you might have thought them too soft, or some kind of "strange grunge." Had I chosen a number from Kid A or Amnesiac, you might have figured Radiohead to be an electronic band, or just too experimental for your tastes. Or I could have given you a song from Hail to the Thief or In Rainbows. No. OK Computer is where you must begin with Radiohead. Some don't like the album. But as for the other seven-eighths of music enthusiasts, this album falls somewhere between AMAZING and PERFECT. Great rock 'n roll; creative, insightful, unabashedly their own.
listen for: A cleverly placed computerized voice, confirming that it may be paranoid, but insisting that it is no android.
mentionable lyric: "Ambition makes you look pretty ugly"
9. Troy
by Sinéad O'Connor
release: 1987thoughts: This song, whether it be about a murder, a failed love, or both, is a magnificent move to be made by an artist. But even more so, to be made on one's debut album. With vocals shrieking and wailing like a sea-laden siren, Sinéad paints us a picture that is both epic and tragic. And you can hear the betrayal in her voice as she sings, "I have learned."
listen for: A tragic, foreboding string section.
mentionable lyric: "And you should've left the light on / You should've left the light on"
10. Not Even Jail
by Interpol
release: 2004thoughts: Interpol has never sounded so good, so full, so confident. Lead singer, Paul Banks' lyrics set up a scenario of impending doom, on whatever level of intensity this song might be written in. And as always, his words seem caught up in a cryptic fray. With playful jabs, he levels out the end results of a life that not even jail can contain. This is the dubiously warm current of Antics, Interpol's second record. The album went, pretty much full circle from its predecessor. Even if you cannot come to a solid conclusion as to what he is divulging, one does get the feeling that it is honest, whatever it is. And it is very good.
listen for: A glistening guitar and rhythm section outro.
mentionable lyric: "I'm subtle like a lion's cage / Such a cautious display"
11. Dancing Barefoot
by Patti Smith Group
release: 1979thoughts: In what seems to be a drug-induced set of lyrics, using more than a handful of pronouns to initiate each sentence, Patti Smith (and Group) take us through a mirage of a story. It's beautiful, and dark, and holds an almost spiritual theme to it. Released in '79, Wave was a disaster, commercially speaking. Its unsuccessful reception resulted in an almost decade-long hiatus. However, there were gems on the album. "Dancing Barefoot" is most certainly one of them.
listen for: That perfectly fitting, tastefully expelled, middle eight synth solo.
mentionable lyric: "The plot of our life sweats in the dark like a face / The mystery of childbirth, of childhood itself / Grave visitations / What is it that calls to us? / Why must we pray screaming? / Why must not death be redefined? / We shut our eyes, we stretch out our arms / And whirl on a pane of glass / An afixiation, a fix on anything / The line of life, the limb of a tree / The hands of he, and the promise that she is blessed among women"
12. Daysleeper
by R.E.M.
release: 1998thoughts: Appropriately placed following this mixes' prior track, Michael Stipe, who needs no introduction, never ceases to impress me. He follows in the tradition of his hero, Patti Smith, and continues with the onslaught of lyrical poetry, at times, even in the beat fashion. However, he carries himself and R.E.M. with a lighter touch than the "Godmother of Punk" ever did. His words flow like an effortless ride into the sea, in a boat of paper, in this story of one who works while everyone else sleeps.
listen for: Desperately emotional songwriting, showcasing every thing that makes R.E.M. completely there own.
mentionable lyric: "I'm the screen, the blinding light / I'm the screen, I work at night"
13. Between My Legs
by Rufus Wainwright
release: 2007thoughts: There is a subconscious similarity between the classical music styling (as vast and disputable as that may be) and sex. Its crescendos, rising and falling, are much like foreplay, and its eventual resolve is just like smoking that much needed cigarette after the fact. But this song: it's not even within a classification close to that of 'classical.' But here we are with a musical orgasm on our hands (sorry, no pun intended). Dirty? Oh yes. Very. But so good, so very good. Rufus Wainwright is the catchiest songwriter to be heard in years, with a voice uniquely so. His talent has grown (as his gay vibe). But all in all, this number showcases so much, and will leave you speechless as to what in God's name just happened. Also, don't be surprised if you can't get this song out of your head for weeks.
listen for: A middle section that never quite ends, with British actress Sian Phillips reciting a perfectly placed climax over a momentous finale.
mentionable lyric: "Again, I'm afraid of one thing / Will I walk away from love, knowing nothing / wearing my heart between my legs?"
14. Hand In Glove
by The Smiths
release: 1984thoughts: The Smiths had a short-lived career, and in such a small amount of time, they developed an almost cult like following. Their lineup of four, consists of two that precede their reputations. Johnny Marr was the mastermind behind the music, while Morrissey was the lyrical writer and melodramatic front man. This song is thick with The Smiths' signature sound, and is as well, a robust example of Marr and Morrissey's lethal combination.
listen for: Johnny Marr, as he delivers a spinning acoustic, signature guitar part.
mentionable lyric: "Hand in glove / The Good People laugh / Yes, we may be hidden by rags / But we've something they'll never have"
15. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
by Bob Dylan
release: 1964thoughts: The profound and thought-provoking Bob Dylan is on this mix because he is an incredible musician. Even more so, he is an incredible lyricist. As he sees it, Bob Dylan tells it. This song is a story that leads us into an unraveling injustice. Dylan asks the listener to refrain from feeling pity or sympathy, as each blow to the character delivers a sorrowful sigh. But at the end of the song, after all has been done, and the final blow of greatest proportions has been served, he says "Now is the time for your tears." The final stanza will blow you away.
listen for: The slight bursts of emotion and woe throughout the song. (at a point in the song, he even speeds up in tempo, seemingly more and more angst-ridden as the song develops)
mentionable lyric: "And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished / And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance / William Zanzinger, with a six month sentence"
16. Dirty Day (Better Kiss)
by U2
release: 1997thoughts: Obscure in its accessibility, "Dirty Day" is a fascinating song about the complicated relationship between a father and son. Released originally on U2's 1993, Zooropa, this version was given play four years later on a single from the album to follow. It's chock-full of quips and truths, and rightfully holds some of Bono's most subtly clever lyrics. (I have so many favorites in this song) Bono learned to master the art of couplets through Dylan. But apparently, Charles Bukowski was a large inspiration for the creation of this song.
listen for: An ending to the song, that borrows a phrase from Bukowski.
mentionable lyric: "Looking for explanations I don't even understand / If you need someone to blame, throw a rock in the air, you'll hit someone guilty"
17. Dream Brother
by Jeff Buckley
release: 1994thoughts: I did in fact save the best for last. This song comes from an album I know like the back of my hand. "Dream Brother" is a mystical story, rich in middle eastern theme. I picked it because it's the odd song out on Grace, therefore eliminating any preconceived notions you might have had about its sound or delivery. This was no easy decision. I nearly didn't pick this track at all. However, ending your mix with such a magical story of passion and betrayal seems only appropriate. Dig deep into this one.
listen for: Jeff's beautiful voice, as a completely original instrument itself.
mentionable lyric: "The love you lost with her skin so fair / Is free with the wind in her butterscotch hair / Her green eyes blew goodbyes / With her head in her hands / And your kiss on the lips of another"
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