80: Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
If you read this blog and haven't heard this yet, then you aren't reading very well.
79: Hope of the States - Nehimiah
Sam Herlihy has one of the weirdest voices ever, but you can't argue with HOTS ability to craft one hell of an epic.
78: The Kooks - Jackie Big Tits
A phenomenal song for winding down a party, this song is impossible not to start singing along to even during one's first listen... it just sounds so damned familiar.
77: The Natural History - Watch This House
The Natural History are a secret fetish of mine... short and simple, but incredibly fun little tunes. This is their best, in my humble opinion.
76: The Strokes - Under Control
Bold choice, I know, but the groove in this song speaks to me... it has such a cool vibe that it wasn't even close for me when choosing a favorite Strokes song.
75: Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof
How can anyone deny the brilliance of a song that mentions eaves?
74: Kings of Leon - King of the Rodeo
Long before their breakout success, Kings of Leon were the soundtrack to many a drunken night with King of the Rodeo... nobody is better for creating soundalike lyrics than Kings of Leon.
"You taco roller! You taco roller!"
73: The Bees - Chicken Payback
I still wish I had made my brother dance to this at my wedding rather than John Denver during the hog trough dance... ah well.
72: The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Sister Surround
The true kings of Swedish garage rock are TSOOL, not The Hives. This song is so good live it is scary.
71: Ikara Colt - At the Lodge
Dirty as hell and with more attitude than should really be legally allowed, it's too bad Ikara Colt didn't last long enough to make more of an impact.
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If you read this blog and haven't heard this yet, then you aren't reading very well.
79: Hope of the States - Nehimiah
Sam Herlihy has one of the weirdest voices ever, but you can't argue with HOTS ability to craft one hell of an epic.
78: The Kooks - Jackie Big Tits
A phenomenal song for winding down a party, this song is impossible not to start singing along to even during one's first listen... it just sounds so damned familiar.
77: The Natural History - Watch This House
The Natural History are a secret fetish of mine... short and simple, but incredibly fun little tunes. This is their best, in my humble opinion.
76: The Strokes - Under Control
Bold choice, I know, but the groove in this song speaks to me... it has such a cool vibe that it wasn't even close for me when choosing a favorite Strokes song.
75: Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof
How can anyone deny the brilliance of a song that mentions eaves?
74: Kings of Leon - King of the Rodeo
Long before their breakout success, Kings of Leon were the soundtrack to many a drunken night with King of the Rodeo... nobody is better for creating soundalike lyrics than Kings of Leon.
"You taco roller! You taco roller!"
73: The Bees - Chicken Payback
I still wish I had made my brother dance to this at my wedding rather than John Denver during the hog trough dance... ah well.
72: The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Sister Surround
The true kings of Swedish garage rock are TSOOL, not The Hives. This song is so good live it is scary.
71: Ikara Colt - At the Lodge
Dirty as hell and with more attitude than should really be legally allowed, it's too bad Ikara Colt didn't last long enough to make more of an impact.
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Posts
3 comments:
(I had to break the comments into two separate ones because I got so out of control)
So you are posting so much that I can't even keep up with comments.
First, Grizzly Bear are going to have to start paying us for all of the love we are giving them on this blog. I am almost getting embarrassed. However, with my 2009 and decade lists still unpublished, I know the GB fanfare is still not over. As far as your selection ("Two Weeks"), it is a strong track. Certainly their most sunny offering to date. If I were making a songs of the decade list (which I don't plan to), I think my Grizzly Bear pick would have to be "While You Wait For the Others". Both are fantastic songs, with amazing vocal performances by the band. However, I always tend to be a sucker for the Rossen-lead tracks. I think I am more interested in all the things Droste brings to the table when he is not leading the charge. In my opinion, Rossen is not as versatile of a second man. The whole band deserves the credit for these vocals though. Amazing track/band. I am now even more embarrassed about my GB obsession, and how it is displayed on this blog every other post.
As far as the Strokes pick goes, I am not 100% shocked because this happens to be Jordan's favorite song by the Strokes, as well. It is definitely their more laid back side. I am not sure I could come up with an ultimate Strokes pick for such a list. There is so much to enjoy in their early catalogue. I will say that seeing "Reptilia" live was one of the coolest live performances I have seen of any song. It also spurred the weekly moment at my college house (usually at like 1am on a Saturday) where we played the song and winks flicked the lights on and off along to the guitar breakdown before the chorus to replicate the aforementioned concernt moment. Plus, the song has such a badass line ("The room is on fire as she fixes her hair") that gave the album its name. I am not committing to "Reptilia" as my Strokes pick, but I obviously have a special place in my heart for the song.
Part 2:
In trying to look up some information about this Natural History band, I noticed that the song "Don't You Evah" on Spoon's second to last album (Ga x 5) is a Natural History cover, so that has to count for something. Decent track though.
Vampire Weekend is another tough one. Any band that makes such solid albums will always be tough for me to tiedown to one track. I guess Mansard Roof is what introduced most of us to the boys in VW, so maybe its the logical pick. Although, I always think of "Oxford Comma" as the song that won me over. If I am picking a song for a mix to be a played at a party though, its always "A-Punk". Always. Once again, glad I am not making one of these lists. It'd never get written.
"Mr. November". Great song. Honestly, I don't have a bad word to say about it. It is a great release to close out such a brooding album of pent-up frustrations with young adulthood. I know for a fact I could never pick just one song by the National. "Daughters of the Soho Riots" was the first one that brought me back on my first listen of Alligator. Over the years though, I think almost every track on Alligator has been my favorite at some point. With some of these lines, its impossible not to find something to hang your hat on (see: "Don't draw the ace and fold it", "I pulled off your jeans and you spilled jack and coke in my collar", "We're drunk and sparkling, our legs our open, our hands are covered in cake, but I swear we didn't have any", "I think I'm like Tennessee Williams, I wait for the click, I wait, but it doesn't kick-in"). I could go on and on. If I had to pick a favorite National song of the decade, it'd probably be a tie between damn near all of their output from 2004-2007. Not sure any band quite captures "a moment" as well as these guys.
I have enjoyed reading (and obviously commenting) on your posts thus far. Interested to see what's in the remaining 70 since I have seen a lot of pretty great stuff thus far. Keep it coming.
You'll be seeing "While We Wait for the Others" before too long... dont you worry.
The National are tough because they have so many damned good songs... Karen is another one that I really love, but, yeah, they are among the best at synthesizing lyrics with melody while making both equally important and impactful.
Great band.
Where's your top ten?
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