#850 - "We Can Work It Out" - The Beatles - Past Masters - The second of twenty-two Beatles songs on the countdown, "We Can Work It Out" was one of the last great songs for the band, as they brought in guest star Billy Preston to lend a hand.
#849 - "This Is Love" - P.J. Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea - The second of four Harvey songs on the list, "This Is Love" is a raunchy blues rocker that's one of the wildest songs ever written.
#848 - "Diamonds And Guns" - The Transplants - The Transplants - This is the only song on the top 1000 for the Transplants, but it mixes all of the best elements of Blink 182 and Rancid to make by far the craziest and most potentially offensive song to eve be featured in a major commercial (and that includes "Lust For Life"!).
#847 - "Tuesday's Gone" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lynyrd Skynyrd - The second of four Skynyrd songs on the list, "Tuesday's" would be their best ballad if they didn't also write one of the greatest ballads of all-time, which we'll be seeing later.
#846 - "Politik" - Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head - The first of six Coldplay songs on the countdown, "Politik" is Coldplay's cynical take on, well, politics, presented with their trademark sweep.
#845 - "Ordinary World" - Duran Duran - Greatest Hits - The first and only Duran Duran song on the countdown, "Ordinary World" was by far the most grown-up song that the band ever recorded. They're still together, but they've never come close to this high-water mark again.
#844 - "Money (That's What I Want)" - Barrett Strong - Greatest Hits - The original and greatest version of this song is Barrett's only hit and only song on this list. An extremely important song in the history of blues rock n roll.
#843 - "Holidays In The Sun" - The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bullocks, Here's The Sex Pistols - The second of four Pistols songs on the list, "Holidays" is the broadest of their political attacks, targeting a large array of powerful figures rather than the concentrated focus of a "God Save The Queen".
#842 - "I Fought The Law" - The Clash - The Clash - The second of eighteen Clash songs on the list, "I Fought The Law" is a cover of the legendary 50's songs by the Bobby Fuller Four. The song is updated with machine gun guitars and a faster, much more intense pace.
#841 - "Only The Good Die Young" - Billy Joel - The Stranger - The first of four Billy Joel songs to make the list, "Only The Good" got Billy in a lot of trouble because of it's lyrics, but it's the beat and the incredible story that the song tells that makes it great.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Top 1000 Bands #850-#841
850 - The Romantics - An 80's band that had a huge hit with "What I Like About You", the band managed to have a few smaller hits to avoid the one-hit wonder status.
849 - Nazareth - An average 70's rock band that hit it big with "Hair of the Dog" and "Everybody Hurts".
848 - The Kills - An underground indie band with a few great albums. One of the many indie bands I discovered through Blender.
847 - The Minutemen - A legendary 80's punk band that I never really got that much into, but they have a handful of songs that I think are top notch.
846 - Chubby Checker - Early rock n roll superstar that had a breakthrough smash with "The Twist".
845 - Razorlight - A British band that's made a big splash in recent years, Razorlight is an up-and-coming indie band that I discovered through Paste magazine.
844 - The Gossip - A New York punk band with an incredible lead singer, the band never managed to get beyond the whole female Ramones schtick, but they've made a lot of great music over the years.
843 - The Dead Prez - A politically-charged rap group that wasn't quite as good as Public Enemy, but made their own mark nonetheless.
842 - Longwave - An early 20th century indie dance rock outfit that never broke out, but made a hell of an album or two along the way.
841 - Lupe Fiasco - One of the coolest new rappers in the industry, Lupe crossed over and enjoyed success with indie kids as well as rap fans.
849 - Nazareth - An average 70's rock band that hit it big with "Hair of the Dog" and "Everybody Hurts".
848 - The Kills - An underground indie band with a few great albums. One of the many indie bands I discovered through Blender.
847 - The Minutemen - A legendary 80's punk band that I never really got that much into, but they have a handful of songs that I think are top notch.
846 - Chubby Checker - Early rock n roll superstar that had a breakthrough smash with "The Twist".
845 - Razorlight - A British band that's made a big splash in recent years, Razorlight is an up-and-coming indie band that I discovered through Paste magazine.
844 - The Gossip - A New York punk band with an incredible lead singer, the band never managed to get beyond the whole female Ramones schtick, but they've made a lot of great music over the years.
843 - The Dead Prez - A politically-charged rap group that wasn't quite as good as Public Enemy, but made their own mark nonetheless.
842 - Longwave - An early 20th century indie dance rock outfit that never broke out, but made a hell of an album or two along the way.
841 - Lupe Fiasco - One of the coolest new rappers in the industry, Lupe crossed over and enjoyed success with indie kids as well as rap fans.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
December 2007 Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame Inductions
The following artists were inducted into my Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame in December 2007:
Marvin Gaye
The Beach Boys
Coldplay
Santana
Otis Redding
Van Morrison
Marvin Gaye
The Beach Boys
Coldplay
Santana
Otis Redding
Van Morrison
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Nothing. It's been that way for awhile, too.
Modern / Mainstream Rock
Seether tragically ended The Foo Fighters record-setting run at the top of the Modern Rock chart, as "Fake It" is now number one on both charts.
Debuting last week were Paramore's "CrushCrushCrush" at #20 and The Foo Fighters debut "Long Road To Ruin" at #19 on Mainstream.
Nothing. It's been that way for awhile, too.
Modern / Mainstream Rock
Seether tragically ended The Foo Fighters record-setting run at the top of the Modern Rock chart, as "Fake It" is now number one on both charts.
Debuting last week were Paramore's "CrushCrushCrush" at #20 and The Foo Fighters debut "Long Road To Ruin" at #19 on Mainstream.
New Movies In Recent Weeks
Juno - A front-runner for a ton of Awards, Juno looks to be the best and smartest comedy in years.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Charlie Wilson's War - Directed by Mike Nichols, written by Aaron Sorkin, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, this movie is smart and hilarious.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Sweeney Todd - The bloodiest and one of the best musicals of all-time, Sweeney Todd is a fun movie with a lot of black humor.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Walk Hard - Team Apatow goes for the trifecta with this hilarious send-up of rock n roll biopics and rock history itself. Sadly, it's not doing well at the box office, but it is very good.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
There Will Be Blood - I don't know much about this one, but the advance reviews have been stellar, so when I get a chance, I'll see it.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Atonement - One of the front-runners for Best Picture, this movie still isn't available in most markets. When it is, I intend to check it out, though.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
The Great Debaters - The last of the watchable films on this list, this movie does have a whiff of "seen it before" to it, but it still should be worth a look.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets - This is basically the same movie as the original, almost plot point to plot point. You'd be better off seeing Da Vinci Code or Indiana Jones or one of the other movies that this one rips off.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem - Loved all the Aliens movies. Loved both Predator movies. HATED AVP and this sequel is supposed to be even worse than the original. Nothing worth seeing here.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
The Water Horse - A kids movie about the Loch Ness Monster. Not a chance.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
One Missed Call - Someone didn't get the memo about the J Horror fad being long dead. At least they had the common sense to release it in the dead zone of January.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
P.S. I Love You - Pure chick-flick dreck. The stars of this one should have just plain known better. Oh, and the reviews are awful too.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Charlie Wilson's War - Directed by Mike Nichols, written by Aaron Sorkin, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, this movie is smart and hilarious.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Sweeney Todd - The bloodiest and one of the best musicals of all-time, Sweeney Todd is a fun movie with a lot of black humor.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Walk Hard - Team Apatow goes for the trifecta with this hilarious send-up of rock n roll biopics and rock history itself. Sadly, it's not doing well at the box office, but it is very good.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
There Will Be Blood - I don't know much about this one, but the advance reviews have been stellar, so when I get a chance, I'll see it.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Atonement - One of the front-runners for Best Picture, this movie still isn't available in most markets. When it is, I intend to check it out, though.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
The Great Debaters - The last of the watchable films on this list, this movie does have a whiff of "seen it before" to it, but it still should be worth a look.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets - This is basically the same movie as the original, almost plot point to plot point. You'd be better off seeing Da Vinci Code or Indiana Jones or one of the other movies that this one rips off.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem - Loved all the Aliens movies. Loved both Predator movies. HATED AVP and this sequel is supposed to be even worse than the original. Nothing worth seeing here.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
The Water Horse - A kids movie about the Loch Ness Monster. Not a chance.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
One Missed Call - Someone didn't get the memo about the J Horror fad being long dead. At least they had the common sense to release it in the dead zone of January.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
P.S. I Love You - Pure chick-flick dreck. The stars of this one should have just plain known better. Oh, and the reviews are awful too.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
New Shit The Last Few Weeks
DVDs:
The Simpsons Movie - A hilarious movie that comes close to the greatness of the early seasons of the show.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Stardust - A clever science fiction film that rivals The Princess Bride as a quirky fractured fairy tale.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Eastern Promises - Director David Cronenberg is on a hell of a roll, teaming up with Viggo Mortensen for a second straight top ten of the year film.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Shoot Em Up - Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti star in an indie flick that got great reviews. It should be worth a look at least.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Halloween - Rob Zombie's re-make of John Carpenter's legendary horror film is certainly not as good as the original, but it's still one of the better horror movies of recent years.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Once - One of the best reviewed movies of the year. It should at least be worth a rental.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Kingdom - A flop at the box office, but it did get decent reviews.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Balls Of Fury - A goofy movie that has a few laughs in it, but not enough for a purchase.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
War - Jet Li's latest also featured Jason Statham. Worth a look if you like the genre.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Resident Evil: Extinction - Better than the second, but still not very good.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Brothers Solomon - A comedy misfire that didn't do much at the box office, it still might be worth a cheap rental.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Heartbreak Kid - The Farrelly Brothers hit a new low while Ben Stiller maintains his status quo in this lousy comedy.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Rush Hour 3 - The first two movies sucked and this is the worst of the series. Yuck.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Underdog - The less popular of Jason Lee's sell-out movies isn't even worth this sentence.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
CDs:
Radiohead - In Rainbows - If you haven't downloaded it already, be sure to buy this album. It's a staple of the best of lists this year and for good reason. It's possibly their best album since OK Computer.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo - It's not as impressive as I thought it would be, especially given the high-water mark set by the Killers B-Sides album. It's not worth a purchase.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
The Simpsons Movie - A hilarious movie that comes close to the greatness of the early seasons of the show.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Stardust - A clever science fiction film that rivals The Princess Bride as a quirky fractured fairy tale.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Eastern Promises - Director David Cronenberg is on a hell of a roll, teaming up with Viggo Mortensen for a second straight top ten of the year film.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Shoot Em Up - Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti star in an indie flick that got great reviews. It should be worth a look at least.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Halloween - Rob Zombie's re-make of John Carpenter's legendary horror film is certainly not as good as the original, but it's still one of the better horror movies of recent years.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Once - One of the best reviewed movies of the year. It should at least be worth a rental.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Kingdom - A flop at the box office, but it did get decent reviews.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Balls Of Fury - A goofy movie that has a few laughs in it, but not enough for a purchase.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
War - Jet Li's latest also featured Jason Statham. Worth a look if you like the genre.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Resident Evil: Extinction - Better than the second, but still not very good.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Brothers Solomon - A comedy misfire that didn't do much at the box office, it still might be worth a cheap rental.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
The Heartbreak Kid - The Farrelly Brothers hit a new low while Ben Stiller maintains his status quo in this lousy comedy.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Rush Hour 3 - The first two movies sucked and this is the worst of the series. Yuck.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Underdog - The less popular of Jason Lee's sell-out movies isn't even worth this sentence.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
CDs:
Radiohead - In Rainbows - If you haven't downloaded it already, be sure to buy this album. It's a staple of the best of lists this year and for good reason. It's possibly their best album since OK Computer.
VERDICT - BUY IT.
Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo - It's not as impressive as I thought it would be, especially given the high-water mark set by the Killers B-Sides album. It's not worth a purchase.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #860-#851
#860 - "Intervention" - The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - The first of three Arcade Fire songs on the countdown, "Intervention" is actually their best song, which will be reflected when I revise this list down the road. The song is by far the heaviest and most passionate song that the band has released so far.
#859 - "Message In A Bottle" - The Police - Regatta De Blanc - The first of five Police songs on the countdown, "Bottle" features the band's best chorus along with the usual great songwriting story.
#858 - "Darkness" - Rage Against The Machine - The Crow Soundtrack - The third of twelve Rage songs to make the countdown, "Darkness" was the band's first major exposure to audiences as part of the Crow Soundtrack, the greatest rock soundtrack ever put together.
#857 - "A Daisy Through Concrete" - The Eels - Daisies Of The Galaxy - The first of three Eels songs to make the list, "Daisy" was one of the band's bigger hits, though the focus on this one is more on atmosphere than hooky chorus.
#856 - "Give Peace A Chance" - John Lennon - Working Class Hero - The second of five Lennon songs on the countdown, "Give Peace A Chance" is his second-most well-known song, though there a few others that I prefer myself.
#855 - "Possum Kingdom" - The Toadies - Rubberneck - The first and only Toadies song on the countdown is also the band's only hit. They didn't last long, but they did manage to produce this song, which was one of the best and most widely aired hard rock songs of the 90s.
#854 - "Enjoy The Silence" - Depeche Mode - Violator - The first and only Depeche Mode song on the list (not that they didn't have other great songs, but no others quite made their mark), "Silence" is the band's biggest crossover hit and a little bit superior to "Personal Jesus".
#853 - "Hallelujah" - Leonard Cohen - Various Positions - The second of three Cohen songs on the list, "Hallelujah" is the original version of the frequently covered soundtrack favorite. Cohen's version has a darker tone than the version that made it into Shrek and gloomier than Jeff Buckley's cover, which will be featured later in the list.
#852 - "California Uber Alles" - The Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death - The first of two DK songs on the countdown, "California" is their most famous song, which they describe as a cautionary tale of fascism in disguise, specifically in the form of California Governor Jerry Brown.
#851 - "Can't You See" - The Marshall Tucker Band - Country Trucker - The first and only Tucker song on the list, "Can't You See" is a haunting Southern Rock blues ballad about the effects that lost love can have on a wounded heart.
#859 - "Message In A Bottle" - The Police - Regatta De Blanc - The first of five Police songs on the countdown, "Bottle" features the band's best chorus along with the usual great songwriting story.
#858 - "Darkness" - Rage Against The Machine - The Crow Soundtrack - The third of twelve Rage songs to make the countdown, "Darkness" was the band's first major exposure to audiences as part of the Crow Soundtrack, the greatest rock soundtrack ever put together.
#857 - "A Daisy Through Concrete" - The Eels - Daisies Of The Galaxy - The first of three Eels songs to make the list, "Daisy" was one of the band's bigger hits, though the focus on this one is more on atmosphere than hooky chorus.
#856 - "Give Peace A Chance" - John Lennon - Working Class Hero - The second of five Lennon songs on the countdown, "Give Peace A Chance" is his second-most well-known song, though there a few others that I prefer myself.
#855 - "Possum Kingdom" - The Toadies - Rubberneck - The first and only Toadies song on the countdown is also the band's only hit. They didn't last long, but they did manage to produce this song, which was one of the best and most widely aired hard rock songs of the 90s.
#854 - "Enjoy The Silence" - Depeche Mode - Violator - The first and only Depeche Mode song on the list (not that they didn't have other great songs, but no others quite made their mark), "Silence" is the band's biggest crossover hit and a little bit superior to "Personal Jesus".
#853 - "Hallelujah" - Leonard Cohen - Various Positions - The second of three Cohen songs on the list, "Hallelujah" is the original version of the frequently covered soundtrack favorite. Cohen's version has a darker tone than the version that made it into Shrek and gloomier than Jeff Buckley's cover, which will be featured later in the list.
#852 - "California Uber Alles" - The Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death - The first of two DK songs on the countdown, "California" is their most famous song, which they describe as a cautionary tale of fascism in disguise, specifically in the form of California Governor Jerry Brown.
#851 - "Can't You See" - The Marshall Tucker Band - Country Trucker - The first and only Tucker song on the list, "Can't You See" is a haunting Southern Rock blues ballad about the effects that lost love can have on a wounded heart.
Top 1000 Bands #860-#851
860 - Spacehog - A 90's-era modern rock band that managed to put one good song per album.
859 - The Boomtown Rats - Although the band is more well-known for lead singer Bob Geldorf's charity work, the band did have one huge hit with "I Don't Like Mondays" and several smaller hits along the way.
858 - !!! - A dance rock band that had a few hits per album.
857 - Tone Loc - One of the biggest names in pop rap in the late 80s, Loc had two major hits before the bottom fell out, "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild Thing".
856 - Matthew Sweet - An indie rock songwriter who had a series of hits in the 90s and still pops up from time to time.
855 - Independent Progress - A punk band from Minneapolis that I first saw at a concert in Pierre. Good stuff, political, but not so hardcore that you can't understand them.
854 - The Plain White T's - An emo band that had a huge hit in 2007 with "Hey There, Delilah". The rest of their album is decent, but we'll see if they ever hit it big again.
853 - Mudvayne - A 21st-century math-metal outfit that manages to create a decent song every once in awhile, though a lot of their hits are rather poor.
852 - The Wrens - An indie band that's put together a series of decent albums but never had a breakthrough hit.
851 - James - The brit-pop band that produced that "Laid" song that's been covered 5000 times in 10 years. They had other hits too, but nothing terribly notable.
859 - The Boomtown Rats - Although the band is more well-known for lead singer Bob Geldorf's charity work, the band did have one huge hit with "I Don't Like Mondays" and several smaller hits along the way.
858 - !!! - A dance rock band that had a few hits per album.
857 - Tone Loc - One of the biggest names in pop rap in the late 80s, Loc had two major hits before the bottom fell out, "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild Thing".
856 - Matthew Sweet - An indie rock songwriter who had a series of hits in the 90s and still pops up from time to time.
855 - Independent Progress - A punk band from Minneapolis that I first saw at a concert in Pierre. Good stuff, political, but not so hardcore that you can't understand them.
854 - The Plain White T's - An emo band that had a huge hit in 2007 with "Hey There, Delilah". The rest of their album is decent, but we'll see if they ever hit it big again.
853 - Mudvayne - A 21st-century math-metal outfit that manages to create a decent song every once in awhile, though a lot of their hits are rather poor.
852 - The Wrens - An indie band that's put together a series of decent albums but never had a breakthrough hit.
851 - James - The brit-pop band that produced that "Laid" song that's been covered 5000 times in 10 years. They had other hits too, but nothing terribly notable.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #870-#861
#870 - "Big Exit" - P.J. Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea - The first of four Harvey songs in the top 1000, "Big Exit" is one of the darkest blues rock songs to come out of the 90s and announced Polly Jean as a unique voice in indie rock.
#869 - "Maggie's Farm" - Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home - The second of fifteen Dylan songs on the countdown, "Maggie's Farm" was one of Dylan's last great pre-electric songs and paints a vivid picture of brutal life on a workfarm.
#868 - "China Girl" - David Bowie - Let's Dance - The second of ten Bowie songs on the list, "China Girl" is Bowie's cover of the Iggy Pop original and one of his last great hits in the 80's.
#867 - "Sunshine Superman" - Donovan - Sunshine Superman - The first and only Donovan song on the countdown, "Sunshine" is one of the best folk-pop crossover songs of the 1960's and while Donovan never quite did figure out what he wanted to do with his career, he did manage to leave this mark on music in the years after Dylan went electric.
#866 - "Ladder" - Joan Osborne - Relish - The first of two Joan Osborne songs on the countdown, "Ladder" never became the massive hit that "One Of Us" did, but it's nearly on the same level as that legendary song. Sadly, Joan never quite got to the level of Relish again, but she's still in the business to this day.
#865 - "Levon" - Elton John - Madman Across The Water - The second of eight Elton John songs in the top 1000, "Levon" is a classic ballad that's a bit difficult to follow, but doesn't stoop to sappy sentimentality.
#864 - "Megalomaniac" - Incubus - A Crow Left Of The Murder - The second and highest charting Incubus song on the countdown, "Megalomaniac" is the band's most exciting and up-tempo song and also one of the band's rare ventures into politics, as it isn't too difficult to figure out who the song is addressed to.
#863 - "War" - Edwin Starr - War - The first and only Starr song on the list (and his only major hit), "War" is one of the great protest songs of the Vietnam era, if not ever.
#862 - "Secondhand News" - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - The second of seven Fleetwood Mac songs on the countdown, "Secondhand News" is one of the many brilliant songs on Rumours, one of the best albums of the 1970's. The song is particularly notable for it's poppy chorus.
#861 - "Swing Life Away" - Rise Against - Siren Song Of The Counter Culture - "Swing Life Away" is one of the finest examples of what sometimes happens when a band that's well known for hardcore songs mellows out a bit and gets a huge hit (another example would be "(Good Riddance) Time Of Your Life" by Green Day). Of course "Swing" is the only major hit that Rise Against has had so far (and their only song on this list), but they've had a few minor hits in their native genre of political punk that give hope that a bright future is in the waiting.
#869 - "Maggie's Farm" - Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home - The second of fifteen Dylan songs on the countdown, "Maggie's Farm" was one of Dylan's last great pre-electric songs and paints a vivid picture of brutal life on a workfarm.
#868 - "China Girl" - David Bowie - Let's Dance - The second of ten Bowie songs on the list, "China Girl" is Bowie's cover of the Iggy Pop original and one of his last great hits in the 80's.
#867 - "Sunshine Superman" - Donovan - Sunshine Superman - The first and only Donovan song on the countdown, "Sunshine" is one of the best folk-pop crossover songs of the 1960's and while Donovan never quite did figure out what he wanted to do with his career, he did manage to leave this mark on music in the years after Dylan went electric.
#866 - "Ladder" - Joan Osborne - Relish - The first of two Joan Osborne songs on the countdown, "Ladder" never became the massive hit that "One Of Us" did, but it's nearly on the same level as that legendary song. Sadly, Joan never quite got to the level of Relish again, but she's still in the business to this day.
#865 - "Levon" - Elton John - Madman Across The Water - The second of eight Elton John songs in the top 1000, "Levon" is a classic ballad that's a bit difficult to follow, but doesn't stoop to sappy sentimentality.
#864 - "Megalomaniac" - Incubus - A Crow Left Of The Murder - The second and highest charting Incubus song on the countdown, "Megalomaniac" is the band's most exciting and up-tempo song and also one of the band's rare ventures into politics, as it isn't too difficult to figure out who the song is addressed to.
#863 - "War" - Edwin Starr - War - The first and only Starr song on the list (and his only major hit), "War" is one of the great protest songs of the Vietnam era, if not ever.
#862 - "Secondhand News" - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - The second of seven Fleetwood Mac songs on the countdown, "Secondhand News" is one of the many brilliant songs on Rumours, one of the best albums of the 1970's. The song is particularly notable for it's poppy chorus.
#861 - "Swing Life Away" - Rise Against - Siren Song Of The Counter Culture - "Swing Life Away" is one of the finest examples of what sometimes happens when a band that's well known for hardcore songs mellows out a bit and gets a huge hit (another example would be "(Good Riddance) Time Of Your Life" by Green Day). Of course "Swing" is the only major hit that Rise Against has had so far (and their only song on this list), but they've had a few minor hits in their native genre of political punk that give hope that a bright future is in the waiting.
Top 1000 Bands #870-#861
870 - Say Hi To Your Mom - An indie rock punk that could break through at any point.
869 - The Primitives - A British indie band that never broke in America beyond their hit "Crash", which was featured on the Dumb And Dumber Soundtrack.
868 - Oleandor - One of the forgotten late-90's modern rock bands, Oleandor managed to put together a few hits before fading into obscurity.
867 - Ride - 80's shoegaze legends who will forever be stuck in the dead zone between the Jesus And Mary Chain and Spiritualized.
866 - Jackie Wilson - The 60's R&B legend who hit it biggest with "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher".
865 - John Mayer - The 21st century singer-songwriter who wishes he was the new Stevie Ray Vaughan, but in reality ended up the new James Taylor at best.
864 - Ocho - A local folk singer from Pierre who puts on a great show and has a bunch of solid songs.
863 - The Call - A forgotten 80's indie band with a few solid songs, but no hits.
862 - Marc Broussard - A singer-songwriter with a voice like Tom Waits and a promising future.
861 - Isaac Hayes - One of the biggest stars of soul music in the 70s, he's best known as Chef on South Park and for writing the theme for Shaft.
869 - The Primitives - A British indie band that never broke in America beyond their hit "Crash", which was featured on the Dumb And Dumber Soundtrack.
868 - Oleandor - One of the forgotten late-90's modern rock bands, Oleandor managed to put together a few hits before fading into obscurity.
867 - Ride - 80's shoegaze legends who will forever be stuck in the dead zone between the Jesus And Mary Chain and Spiritualized.
866 - Jackie Wilson - The 60's R&B legend who hit it biggest with "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher".
865 - John Mayer - The 21st century singer-songwriter who wishes he was the new Stevie Ray Vaughan, but in reality ended up the new James Taylor at best.
864 - Ocho - A local folk singer from Pierre who puts on a great show and has a bunch of solid songs.
863 - The Call - A forgotten 80's indie band with a few solid songs, but no hits.
862 - Marc Broussard - A singer-songwriter with a voice like Tom Waits and a promising future.
861 - Isaac Hayes - One of the biggest stars of soul music in the 70s, he's best known as Chef on South Park and for writing the theme for Shaft.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #880-#871
#880 - "Hard To Explain" - The Strokes - Is This It - The first of three songs by the Strokes on the list, "Hard To Explain" was the band's follow-up to their breakthrough hit "Last Nite". It also features one of the longest choruses in rock history.
#879 - "Once" - Pearl Jam - Ten - The second of twenty-five Pearl Jam songs in the top 1000, "Once" was never a single or a radio hit, but it's one of my favorite songs on Ten and one of the most up-tempo PJ songs.
#878 - "Crash" - The Primitives - Bombshell - The first and only song by the Primitives on the list, "Crash" is one of many songs on the "Dumb & Dumber" soundtrack to make the list.
#877 - "Thank You" - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - The first of twenty-four Zeppelin tunes to make the list, "Thank You' is one of my favorite ballads by the band.
#876 - "For The Movies" - Buckcherry - Buckcherry - The second of three Buckcherry songs to make the countdown, "For The Movies" is a slower song by the standards of the band, but it features one of the best choruses of all Modern Rock.
#875 - "Gloria" - Them - Them Featuring Van Morrison - The first of three Van Morrison songs on the countdown, "Gloria" is one of the staple songs of the garage rock era.
#874 - "Buddy Holly" - Weezer - Weezer (The Blue Album) - The first of five Weezer songs in the top 1000, "Buddy Holly" is the song that broke the band through to the mainstream. Though it's not the best song on the album, it was by far the most popular thanks to it's hilarious video.
#873 - "Optimistic" - Radiohead - Kid A - The first of eight Radiohead songs on the countdown, "Optimistic" is one of the few songs from the band's last few albums to make my list. The song is much more up-tempo and accessible than the band's recent moves into electronica.
#872 - "Closing Time" - Leonard Cohen - The Future - The first of three Cohen songs to make the charts, "Closing Time" is a bit on the long side, but it paints one of the most vivid pictures of a place in musical history (the only major competition being "Piano Man").
#871 - "Righteously" - Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears - The first of two Lucinda Williams songs on the countdown, I first heard this song on an episode of "Alias", one of the first shows to focus on an indie rock soundtrack. Lucinda is one of the best artists in the alt country genre.
#879 - "Once" - Pearl Jam - Ten - The second of twenty-five Pearl Jam songs in the top 1000, "Once" was never a single or a radio hit, but it's one of my favorite songs on Ten and one of the most up-tempo PJ songs.
#878 - "Crash" - The Primitives - Bombshell - The first and only song by the Primitives on the list, "Crash" is one of many songs on the "Dumb & Dumber" soundtrack to make the list.
#877 - "Thank You" - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - The first of twenty-four Zeppelin tunes to make the list, "Thank You' is one of my favorite ballads by the band.
#876 - "For The Movies" - Buckcherry - Buckcherry - The second of three Buckcherry songs to make the countdown, "For The Movies" is a slower song by the standards of the band, but it features one of the best choruses of all Modern Rock.
#875 - "Gloria" - Them - Them Featuring Van Morrison - The first of three Van Morrison songs on the countdown, "Gloria" is one of the staple songs of the garage rock era.
#874 - "Buddy Holly" - Weezer - Weezer (The Blue Album) - The first of five Weezer songs in the top 1000, "Buddy Holly" is the song that broke the band through to the mainstream. Though it's not the best song on the album, it was by far the most popular thanks to it's hilarious video.
#873 - "Optimistic" - Radiohead - Kid A - The first of eight Radiohead songs on the countdown, "Optimistic" is one of the few songs from the band's last few albums to make my list. The song is much more up-tempo and accessible than the band's recent moves into electronica.
#872 - "Closing Time" - Leonard Cohen - The Future - The first of three Cohen songs to make the charts, "Closing Time" is a bit on the long side, but it paints one of the most vivid pictures of a place in musical history (the only major competition being "Piano Man").
#871 - "Righteously" - Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears - The first of two Lucinda Williams songs on the countdown, I first heard this song on an episode of "Alias", one of the first shows to focus on an indie rock soundtrack. Lucinda is one of the best artists in the alt country genre.
Top 1000 Bands #880-#871
880 - Golden Earring - The band that's best known for "Radar Love" also made the under-rated "Twilight Zone" before slipping into obscurity.
879 - A Flock Of Seagulls - A rock n roll pariah because of the videos they did in the 80s that showcased the dumbest looking hairstyle in music's history, Seagulls were actually a fairly decent new wave band.
878 - Dolly Parton - The legendary country singer who defined the genre in the 70s and the 80s and wrote Whitney Houston's biggest hit, though Houston completely destroyed it.
877 - Juliana Hatfield - The poor man's P.J. Harvey, Hatfield had a couple of hits during the grunge hey-days of the early 90s.
876 - Witch - J. Mascis' recent guitar-driven metal side-project. No clue if they'll release another CD, but their first one was good enough for this spot.
875 - Merle Haggard - A legendary country artist who was one of the founders of the outlaw country genre, the closest country ever came to respectability outside of Johnny and Willie.
874 - Eve - The second-best member of the Ruff Ryders, Eve has made a successful solo career for herself and is currently the most talented female rapper in the world.
873 - Skywynd - A relatively local band (they're from Minneapolis but they play Sioux Falls a lot), Skywynd has created a series of solid pop rock songs that could yet lead to a major breakthrough.
872 - Killing Joke - An 80's New Wave band that never really had a hit, but managed to create some great underground albums in their day.
871 - Talk Talk - Another 80's New Wave band, but this one actually had a hit with "It's My Life", which was later murdered by Gwen Stefani.
879 - A Flock Of Seagulls - A rock n roll pariah because of the videos they did in the 80s that showcased the dumbest looking hairstyle in music's history, Seagulls were actually a fairly decent new wave band.
878 - Dolly Parton - The legendary country singer who defined the genre in the 70s and the 80s and wrote Whitney Houston's biggest hit, though Houston completely destroyed it.
877 - Juliana Hatfield - The poor man's P.J. Harvey, Hatfield had a couple of hits during the grunge hey-days of the early 90s.
876 - Witch - J. Mascis' recent guitar-driven metal side-project. No clue if they'll release another CD, but their first one was good enough for this spot.
875 - Merle Haggard - A legendary country artist who was one of the founders of the outlaw country genre, the closest country ever came to respectability outside of Johnny and Willie.
874 - Eve - The second-best member of the Ruff Ryders, Eve has made a successful solo career for herself and is currently the most talented female rapper in the world.
873 - Skywynd - A relatively local band (they're from Minneapolis but they play Sioux Falls a lot), Skywynd has created a series of solid pop rock songs that could yet lead to a major breakthrough.
872 - Killing Joke - An 80's New Wave band that never really had a hit, but managed to create some great underground albums in their day.
871 - Talk Talk - Another 80's New Wave band, but this one actually had a hit with "It's My Life", which was later murdered by Gwen Stefani.
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Godmack's Greatest Hits album was the top debut of the week at #35. So much for Christmas shopping for music, I guess.
There were no other debuts.
Modern And Mainstream
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 on their respective charts.
Debuting this week on Mainstream were Kid Rock's "Amen" at #17 and Linkin Park's "Shadow Of The Day" at #19.
Godmack's Greatest Hits album was the top debut of the week at #35. So much for Christmas shopping for music, I guess.
There were no other debuts.
Modern And Mainstream
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 on their respective charts.
Debuting this week on Mainstream were Kid Rock's "Amen" at #17 and Linkin Park's "Shadow Of The Day" at #19.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
1000 Greatest Songs #890-#881
#890 - "The Needle And The Damage Done" - Neil Young - There's A World - The first of Neil's six songs on the countdown, "Needle" is a somber and haunting ballad that would only become more relevant as heroin became the drug of choice of artists throughout the 90s.
#889 - "All My Ghosts" - Frank Black And The Catholics - Frank Black And The Catholics - The first of three Frank Black songs on the list, "All My Ghosts" features yet another one of the brilliant hooks that have made him one of the most talented songwriters of his generation.
#888 - "Your Time Has Come" - Audioslave - Out Of Exile - The first of three Audioslave songs, "Your Time" is the last great song that the band produced before breaking up after only three albums.
#887 - "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - What's Your Name - The first of four Skynyrd songs on the countdown, "Simple Man" is now sadly associated with beer commercials and Shinedown, but before all that happened, it was best remembered as the best ballad that the band ever wrote.
#886 - "Welcome To Paradise" - Green Day - Dookie - The first of nine Green Day songs, "Welcome" is the first of a couple songs from Dookie and featured all of Green Day's signature marks, a great hook and a fantastic chorus.
#885 - "Yesterdays" - Guns N Roses - Use Your Illusion II - The first of eight GNR songs to make the list, "Yesterdays" was never a big hit, but I received the single as a Christmas gift and it's always been a favorite of mine.
#884 - "So Says I" - The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow - The first of three songs by the Shins on the list, "So Says I" is yet another brilliant indie pop song from the current champs of the genre.
#883 - "Rock And Roll" - The Velvet Underground - Loaded - The third of seven Velvet songs to make the list, I first heard this song as a cover by Perry Farrell and liked it enough to look up the original, which is even better. Lou Reed at his finest.
#882 - "Heaven Beside You" - Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains - The first of eight Alice songs on the countdown, "Heaven Beside You" is one of the best songs off of the last true Alice album before the band fell apart.
#881 - "Peace Frog" - The Doors - The Morrison Hotel - The second of ten Doors songs to make the song, "Peace Frog" is perhaps the most un-Doors-like song to ever become a hit. Of course, it was on one of their last albums when the band had pretty much broken up, but still.
#889 - "All My Ghosts" - Frank Black And The Catholics - Frank Black And The Catholics - The first of three Frank Black songs on the list, "All My Ghosts" features yet another one of the brilliant hooks that have made him one of the most talented songwriters of his generation.
#888 - "Your Time Has Come" - Audioslave - Out Of Exile - The first of three Audioslave songs, "Your Time" is the last great song that the band produced before breaking up after only three albums.
#887 - "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - What's Your Name - The first of four Skynyrd songs on the countdown, "Simple Man" is now sadly associated with beer commercials and Shinedown, but before all that happened, it was best remembered as the best ballad that the band ever wrote.
#886 - "Welcome To Paradise" - Green Day - Dookie - The first of nine Green Day songs, "Welcome" is the first of a couple songs from Dookie and featured all of Green Day's signature marks, a great hook and a fantastic chorus.
#885 - "Yesterdays" - Guns N Roses - Use Your Illusion II - The first of eight GNR songs to make the list, "Yesterdays" was never a big hit, but I received the single as a Christmas gift and it's always been a favorite of mine.
#884 - "So Says I" - The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow - The first of three songs by the Shins on the list, "So Says I" is yet another brilliant indie pop song from the current champs of the genre.
#883 - "Rock And Roll" - The Velvet Underground - Loaded - The third of seven Velvet songs to make the list, I first heard this song as a cover by Perry Farrell and liked it enough to look up the original, which is even better. Lou Reed at his finest.
#882 - "Heaven Beside You" - Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains - The first of eight Alice songs on the countdown, "Heaven Beside You" is one of the best songs off of the last true Alice album before the band fell apart.
#881 - "Peace Frog" - The Doors - The Morrison Hotel - The second of ten Doors songs to make the song, "Peace Frog" is perhaps the most un-Doors-like song to ever become a hit. Of course, it was on one of their last albums when the band had pretty much broken up, but still.
Top 1000 Bands #990-#981
890 - The Door Keys - A punk band from Indiana that I first heard at their concert in Pierre. Disorganized, but a lot of fun.
889 - Voxtrot - One of the most recent indie rock bands to light up the blog scene. They only recently released their debut album, but it's a good one.
888 - Rick James - 70's funk legend who enjoyed a huge revival thanks to the Chappelle Show.
887 - Twisted Sister - The signature band of 80's hair metal, they were actually pretty decent for at least their first few singles. They burned out rather quickly, though and haven't been heard from since.
886 - Gram Parsons - You know that whole country rock thing that developed in the 70s and is still around? Yeah, he invented it.
885 - The Knack - A one-hit wonder from the 80's who hit it big with "My Sharona".
884 - Paramore - An interesting newcomer, Paramore has enjoyed a great deal of success with their hybrid of Evanescence and Riot Grrl sounds.
883 - Catatonia - A friend of mine introduced me to this band. They're an interesting enough group, but nothing groundbreaking.
882 - Quasi - A late 90's indie rock band that's gone in some interesting but experimental directions in recent years.
881 - The Vaselines - All of their best songs are best known because Nirvana covered them. They're the band behind "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam", which isn't as good as Nirvana's, "Son Of A Gun", which is actually better than the cover and "Molly's Lips", which is fucking awful. They use a damn bicycle horn in the song. Seriously.
889 - Voxtrot - One of the most recent indie rock bands to light up the blog scene. They only recently released their debut album, but it's a good one.
888 - Rick James - 70's funk legend who enjoyed a huge revival thanks to the Chappelle Show.
887 - Twisted Sister - The signature band of 80's hair metal, they were actually pretty decent for at least their first few singles. They burned out rather quickly, though and haven't been heard from since.
886 - Gram Parsons - You know that whole country rock thing that developed in the 70s and is still around? Yeah, he invented it.
885 - The Knack - A one-hit wonder from the 80's who hit it big with "My Sharona".
884 - Paramore - An interesting newcomer, Paramore has enjoyed a great deal of success with their hybrid of Evanescence and Riot Grrl sounds.
883 - Catatonia - A friend of mine introduced me to this band. They're an interesting enough group, but nothing groundbreaking.
882 - Quasi - A late 90's indie rock band that's gone in some interesting but experimental directions in recent years.
881 - The Vaselines - All of their best songs are best known because Nirvana covered them. They're the band behind "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam", which isn't as good as Nirvana's, "Son Of A Gun", which is actually better than the cover and "Molly's Lips", which is fucking awful. They use a damn bicycle horn in the song. Seriously.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Mudvayne had the top debut of the week at #51.
Also debuting this week was nothing else. At all. Questions on why the music industry is going under quickly? Anyone?
Modern and Mainstream Charts:
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 yet again.
Debuting this week are "Long Road To Ruin" by the Foo Fighters at #15 on Modern, Five Finger Death Punch at #19 on Mainstream with "The Bleeding" and Breaking Benjamin with "Until The End" at #20 on Mainstream.
Mudvayne had the top debut of the week at #51.
Also debuting this week was nothing else. At all. Questions on why the music industry is going under quickly? Anyone?
Modern and Mainstream Charts:
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 yet again.
Debuting this week are "Long Road To Ruin" by the Foo Fighters at #15 on Modern, Five Finger Death Punch at #19 on Mainstream with "The Bleeding" and Breaking Benjamin with "Until The End" at #20 on Mainstream.
New Movies This Week
The Golden Compass - A cross between Narnia And Lord Of The Rings, Compass is much better than it's trailer makes it appear to be. I liked it so much I want to buy the other two books, if only because the film was such a flop that there won't be any sequels.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
I Am Legend - Will Smith stars in another filming of the book of the same name. The most famous previous version was Charlton Heston's The Omega Man. It looks like it's going to be pretty good and Smith has a fantastic track record at the box office, so this one looks like a winner.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Alvin And The Chipmunks - Oh, Jason Lee, we knew you well. You used to make indie flicks for the likes of Kevin Smith and Cameron Crowe. You have a hit show on TV that is both funny and intelligent. And yet you now choose to make the worst kind of family films? First Underdog and now this? I hate to give you this moniker, but you've earned it.
Whore.
VERDICT - A leading candidate for worst movie of the year.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
I Am Legend - Will Smith stars in another filming of the book of the same name. The most famous previous version was Charlton Heston's The Omega Man. It looks like it's going to be pretty good and Smith has a fantastic track record at the box office, so this one looks like a winner.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Alvin And The Chipmunks - Oh, Jason Lee, we knew you well. You used to make indie flicks for the likes of Kevin Smith and Cameron Crowe. You have a hit show on TV that is both funny and intelligent. And yet you now choose to make the worst kind of family films? First Underdog and now this? I hate to give you this moniker, but you've earned it.
Whore.
VERDICT - A leading candidate for worst movie of the year.
New Shit The Last Two Weeks
DVDs:
The Bourne Ultimatum - Amazingly, this series seems to get better and better as each film progresses. I don't know if I've ever seen that before. The Bourne movies are exciting, intelligent and with the exception of the steady cam problems they have, are damn near perfect action movies. Oh, and they look fucking awesome in Blu-Ray.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Superbad - The lesser of the two Apatow films of the summer, Superbad is also the second-funniest movie of the year. Apatow packs his DVDs with fantastic features and the Unrated version is definitely the one to get.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix - The Harry Potter movies just seem to keep getting better and better and this is no exception. While the first two movies were too long, the last three were also very long, but were so exciting that they seemed shorter than most feature films half their length. Oh... and the stories? They get even better in the last two books.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Don't even bother trying to figure out what the hell is going on in this movie, but it's a lot of fun and exciting. Plus, the special features on these DVDs are always excellent.
VERDICT - BUY IT
The Nanny Diaries - Finally, a movie that isn't a must-buy. You can tell that it's Christmas season because of all the top-shelf DVDs that are coming out, but this one sucks. Scarlet Jo needs a better agent at this point, though apparantly the source material for this was supposed to be pretty good.
VERDICT - SKIP IT
CDs:
Two solid weeks in November and December and not a single damn CD worth buying. WTF?
The Bourne Ultimatum - Amazingly, this series seems to get better and better as each film progresses. I don't know if I've ever seen that before. The Bourne movies are exciting, intelligent and with the exception of the steady cam problems they have, are damn near perfect action movies. Oh, and they look fucking awesome in Blu-Ray.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Superbad - The lesser of the two Apatow films of the summer, Superbad is also the second-funniest movie of the year. Apatow packs his DVDs with fantastic features and the Unrated version is definitely the one to get.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix - The Harry Potter movies just seem to keep getting better and better and this is no exception. While the first two movies were too long, the last three were also very long, but were so exciting that they seemed shorter than most feature films half their length. Oh... and the stories? They get even better in the last two books.
VERDICT - BUY IT
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Don't even bother trying to figure out what the hell is going on in this movie, but it's a lot of fun and exciting. Plus, the special features on these DVDs are always excellent.
VERDICT - BUY IT
The Nanny Diaries - Finally, a movie that isn't a must-buy. You can tell that it's Christmas season because of all the top-shelf DVDs that are coming out, but this one sucks. Scarlet Jo needs a better agent at this point, though apparantly the source material for this was supposed to be pretty good.
VERDICT - SKIP IT
CDs:
Two solid weeks in November and December and not a single damn CD worth buying. WTF?
Top 1000 Songs #900-#891
#900 - "Take It Easy" - The Eagles - The Eagles - The first of four Eagles songs in the top 1000, "Take It Easy" was the band's first big hit and possibly the greatest country rock song of all-time.
#899 - "Don't Go Back To Rockville" - R.E.M. - Eponymous - The second of twelve R.E.M. songs on the list, "Rockville" is one of many great songs that came around before the band had it's major breakthrough.
#898 - "Colossal" - Wolfmother - Wolfmother - The second of three songs from Wolfmother's outstanding Zeppelin-esque debut album, "Colossal" also featured heavy doses of influence from the band's other huge forefather, Black Sabbath.
#897 - "Wise Up" - Aimee Mann - Magnolia Soundtrack - The third of eight Mann songs to make the countdown, "Wise Up" was many of her great songs that appeared on her breakthrough performances on the Magnolia Soundtrack.
#896 - "Bodies" - The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols - The first of four Pistols songs off of their only album, "Bodies" is the band at it's crudest. The song is also possibly the angriest, most vicious song ever recorded.
#895 - "Proud Mary" - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Rollin' On The River - The first of five songs for CCR, "Proud Mary" is far more famous for it's cover by Ike and Tina Turner, but I prefer the original version with it's twangy working class sound.
#894 - "(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon - Double Fantasy - The first of five Lennon songs on the countdown, "Starting Over" has a great early rock n roll vibe to it and has the usual outstanding lyrics from the greatest Beatle.
#893 - "Kiss Me On The Bus" - The Replacements - Tim - The second of four Replacements songs on the list, "Kiss Me On The Bus" is a fantastic alt country song with a style that is wedged right between their slow songs and their fast ones.
#892 - "Last Chapter" - Big Timber - Lean Down - The first of four Big Timber songs to make the list, "Last Chapter" was one of the first songs that the band played in Pierre, where I first heard them. They are, by the way, the best band I've ever seen play in Pierre.
#891 - "Death Valley Blues" - Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum - The first and only song by Lanegan on the countdown is easily my favorite thing he's done outside of the Trees and Queens Of The Stone Age. It's not that I don't like Mark's music, but for the most part it's very down-tempo and that's not usually the type of song that stands out, though "Death Valley Blues" is like the anti-Lanegan tune, hence it's inclusion on the countdown.
#899 - "Don't Go Back To Rockville" - R.E.M. - Eponymous - The second of twelve R.E.M. songs on the list, "Rockville" is one of many great songs that came around before the band had it's major breakthrough.
#898 - "Colossal" - Wolfmother - Wolfmother - The second of three songs from Wolfmother's outstanding Zeppelin-esque debut album, "Colossal" also featured heavy doses of influence from the band's other huge forefather, Black Sabbath.
#897 - "Wise Up" - Aimee Mann - Magnolia Soundtrack - The third of eight Mann songs to make the countdown, "Wise Up" was many of her great songs that appeared on her breakthrough performances on the Magnolia Soundtrack.
#896 - "Bodies" - The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols - The first of four Pistols songs off of their only album, "Bodies" is the band at it's crudest. The song is also possibly the angriest, most vicious song ever recorded.
#895 - "Proud Mary" - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Rollin' On The River - The first of five songs for CCR, "Proud Mary" is far more famous for it's cover by Ike and Tina Turner, but I prefer the original version with it's twangy working class sound.
#894 - "(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon - Double Fantasy - The first of five Lennon songs on the countdown, "Starting Over" has a great early rock n roll vibe to it and has the usual outstanding lyrics from the greatest Beatle.
#893 - "Kiss Me On The Bus" - The Replacements - Tim - The second of four Replacements songs on the list, "Kiss Me On The Bus" is a fantastic alt country song with a style that is wedged right between their slow songs and their fast ones.
#892 - "Last Chapter" - Big Timber - Lean Down - The first of four Big Timber songs to make the list, "Last Chapter" was one of the first songs that the band played in Pierre, where I first heard them. They are, by the way, the best band I've ever seen play in Pierre.
#891 - "Death Valley Blues" - Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum - The first and only song by Lanegan on the countdown is easily my favorite thing he's done outside of the Trees and Queens Of The Stone Age. It's not that I don't like Mark's music, but for the most part it's very down-tempo and that's not usually the type of song that stands out, though "Death Valley Blues" is like the anti-Lanegan tune, hence it's inclusion on the countdown.
Top 1000 Bands #900-#891
900 - Allanah Miles - A one-hit wonder for her instant classic "Black Velvet".
899 - Dick Dale And His Del-Tones - Surf-rock guitar legend Dick Dale and his band created some of the most famous instrumentals of all-time.
898 - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Campbell of Belle And Sebastian teamed up with the Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan for an album and this ranking is the result.
897 - Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheel - One of the best bands of the 60s, Mitch Ryder is best-known for "Devil With A Blue Dress On".
896 - Ash - One of the best of the Brit-pop artists, Ash's biggest hit was "Girl From Mars".
895 - The Posies - A little-known 90's indie rock band that created many great songs but never broke through.
894 - Annie Lennox - The Eurythmics lead singer had a series of hits on her own, including "Walking on Broken Glass".
893 - What The Kids Want - An underground punk band that I caught in Pierre a few years back.
892 - Brand New - One of the biggest names in emo history. That's good enough for #892 in my book.
891 - House Of Pain - Irish frathouse rapper Everlast got his start in this band, who had a huge hit with "Jump Around".
899 - Dick Dale And His Del-Tones - Surf-rock guitar legend Dick Dale and his band created some of the most famous instrumentals of all-time.
898 - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Campbell of Belle And Sebastian teamed up with the Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan for an album and this ranking is the result.
897 - Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheel - One of the best bands of the 60s, Mitch Ryder is best-known for "Devil With A Blue Dress On".
896 - Ash - One of the best of the Brit-pop artists, Ash's biggest hit was "Girl From Mars".
895 - The Posies - A little-known 90's indie rock band that created many great songs but never broke through.
894 - Annie Lennox - The Eurythmics lead singer had a series of hits on her own, including "Walking on Broken Glass".
893 - What The Kids Want - An underground punk band that I caught in Pierre a few years back.
892 - Brand New - One of the biggest names in emo history. That's good enough for #892 in my book.
891 - House Of Pain - Irish frathouse rapper Everlast got his start in this band, who had a huge hit with "Jump Around".
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #910-#901
#910 - "Run To The Hills" - Iron Maiden - Death On The Road - The first of two Iron Maiden songs on the countdown, "Run To The Hills" is political in the heavy metal tradition, as the song combines historical content with their usual speed metal licks.
#909 - "Chop Suey!" - System Of A Down - Toxicity - The first of four System songs to make the list, "Chop Suey!" is a bizarre metal song with lyrics that allude to the last moments of Christ's life.
#908 - "Human Touch" - Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch - The 90's weren't kind to the Boss, but he did manage to put out two solid albums on the same day and this, the first of eleven Springsteen songs to make the top 1000, was the best from those two albums.
#907 - "That'll Be The Day" - Buddy Holly - Greatest Hits - John Wayne inspired Buddy Holly to write this, his best song and only song on the chart.
#906 - "Anna Molly" - Incubus - Light Grenades - The first of two Incubus songs to make the top 1000, "Anna Molly" was a number one hit for the band in 2006 and their best song since their first album.
#905 - "California" - Phantom Planet - The Guest - The first of two Phantom Planet songs on the list, "California" is sadly best known as the theme song of "The OC", but was actually released years before that show began.
#904 - "Incinerate" - Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped - The first of two Sonic Youth songs to make the list, "Incinerate" is on their most recent album and serves as proof that the band is just as good now as they were in their prime.
#903 - "Ants Marching" - The Dave Matthews Band - Under The Table And Dreaming - The second of three DMB songs to make the countdown, "Ants Marching" is the most up-tempo song that the band ever made and one of my favorites.
#902 - "Call Me" - Blondie - No Exit - The first of the two Blondie songs to make the list, "Call Me" was one of the signature songs of the early New Wave era and became a huge hit after being featured in "American Gigolo".
#901 - "D'You Know What I Mean" - Oasis - Be Here Now - The first of six Oasis songs to make the list, "D'You" is one of the last great songs that the band would ride before sliding out of the spotlight. Like all Oasis songs, it's too long, but it does a great job of sweeping you up with it's excellent chorus.
#909 - "Chop Suey!" - System Of A Down - Toxicity - The first of four System songs to make the list, "Chop Suey!" is a bizarre metal song with lyrics that allude to the last moments of Christ's life.
#908 - "Human Touch" - Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch - The 90's weren't kind to the Boss, but he did manage to put out two solid albums on the same day and this, the first of eleven Springsteen songs to make the top 1000, was the best from those two albums.
#907 - "That'll Be The Day" - Buddy Holly - Greatest Hits - John Wayne inspired Buddy Holly to write this, his best song and only song on the chart.
#906 - "Anna Molly" - Incubus - Light Grenades - The first of two Incubus songs to make the top 1000, "Anna Molly" was a number one hit for the band in 2006 and their best song since their first album.
#905 - "California" - Phantom Planet - The Guest - The first of two Phantom Planet songs on the list, "California" is sadly best known as the theme song of "The OC", but was actually released years before that show began.
#904 - "Incinerate" - Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped - The first of two Sonic Youth songs to make the list, "Incinerate" is on their most recent album and serves as proof that the band is just as good now as they were in their prime.
#903 - "Ants Marching" - The Dave Matthews Band - Under The Table And Dreaming - The second of three DMB songs to make the countdown, "Ants Marching" is the most up-tempo song that the band ever made and one of my favorites.
#902 - "Call Me" - Blondie - No Exit - The first of the two Blondie songs to make the list, "Call Me" was one of the signature songs of the early New Wave era and became a huge hit after being featured in "American Gigolo".
#901 - "D'You Know What I Mean" - Oasis - Be Here Now - The first of six Oasis songs to make the list, "D'You" is one of the last great songs that the band would ride before sliding out of the spotlight. Like all Oasis songs, it's too long, but it does a great job of sweeping you up with it's excellent chorus.
Top 1000 Bands #910-#901
910 - Harry Nilsson - John Lennon loved him, but Nilsson only really had one big hit, "Everybody's Talkin'" from Midnight Cowboy. When I say "from Midnight Cowboy", I mean that they played it about 1000 times during the movie.
909 - Eddie Cochrane - One of the founding fathers of rock n roll, Eddie scored big hits with "C'mon Everybody" and "Summertime Blues".
908 - Colin Hay - The former lead singer of Men At Work enjoyed a late career comeback thanks to a cameo on "Scrubs".
907 - Smokey Robinson - The Motown legend has enjoyed a long and successful career in R&B with his sweet and high singing voice.
906 - Killswitch Engage - One of the great new metal bands to come out in the past few years, Killswitch Engage is an old-school revivalist band that's just getting started.
905 - Union Underground - A late-90's metal band that bridged the gap between Monster Magnet and Clutch.
904 - The Living Things - A modern rock T. Rex revivalist band that enjoyed a few hits off of their debut glam-rock album.
903 - The Dead Milkmen - An obscure indie rock band that had a breakthrough hit with "Bitchin' Camaro".
902 - Tokyo Police Club - An up-and-coming indie rock band that's got a big-time buzz going for them on music blogs, TPC already has one great album under their belt.
901 - M.I.A. - A unique artist who practically has a genre to herself, M.I.A. combines political lyrics with dance beats to create something that's never been heard before.
909 - Eddie Cochrane - One of the founding fathers of rock n roll, Eddie scored big hits with "C'mon Everybody" and "Summertime Blues".
908 - Colin Hay - The former lead singer of Men At Work enjoyed a late career comeback thanks to a cameo on "Scrubs".
907 - Smokey Robinson - The Motown legend has enjoyed a long and successful career in R&B with his sweet and high singing voice.
906 - Killswitch Engage - One of the great new metal bands to come out in the past few years, Killswitch Engage is an old-school revivalist band that's just getting started.
905 - Union Underground - A late-90's metal band that bridged the gap between Monster Magnet and Clutch.
904 - The Living Things - A modern rock T. Rex revivalist band that enjoyed a few hits off of their debut glam-rock album.
903 - The Dead Milkmen - An obscure indie rock band that had a breakthrough hit with "Bitchin' Camaro".
902 - Tokyo Police Club - An up-and-coming indie rock band that's got a big-time buzz going for them on music blogs, TPC already has one great album under their belt.
901 - M.I.A. - A unique artist who practically has a genre to herself, M.I.A. combines political lyrics with dance beats to create something that's never been heard before.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #920-#911
#920 - "Brighter Than Sunshine" - Aqualung - Strange And Beautiful - The only song in the top 1000 from Aqualung, "Brighter Than Sunshine" was so well-regarded by Blender magazine that they said it should have replaced "Fix You" on the latest Coldplay album. It would have fit in nicely, too, as it's one of the finest songs of the latest wave of Brit Pop, which is mostly artists that sound like Coldplay, which hilariously enough is constantly accused of ripping off U2 and Radiohead.
#919 - "Last Child" - Aerosmith - Rocks - The first of seven Aerosmith songs is from the band at their cocaine fueled best. Sobriety and a lack of quality would follow later on, but for a few years, the band was at the top of the musical world.
#918 - "I'm Waiting For The Man" - The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico - The second of seven VU songs, "Waiting" is yet another druggy classic from the masters of druggy music and was featured prominently in the graphic novel "V For Vendetta", though not in the movie.
#917 - "Train Kept A-Rollin'" - Aerosmith - Get Your Wings - The second of seven Aerosmith songs on the chart, "Train" is Aerosmith's cover of an old blues song. I've heard several versions of this song, and this is by far the best.
#916 - "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys - Endless Summer - The first of four Beach Boys tunes to make the countdown, "Don't Worry Baby" is a breezy surf-rock love song, which was a specialty of Brian Wilson and the boys.
#915 - "Deathly" - Aimee Mann - Magnolia Soundtrack - The first of eight Aimee Mann songs on the countdown, "Deathly" is one of many great songs featured on Aimee's breakthrough work on the soundtrack to the tedious artsy-fartsy movie "Magnolia".
#914 - "Wake Up" - Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine - The second of twelve Rage songs on the list, "Wake Up" is a typical call-to-arms from the Machine. The song was featured at the end of "The Matrix" in the final scene of the movie, that did not have two sequels. That's right, they don't exist, it was merely the robots trying to trick you into believing the theory is crap by making two terrible movies to discredit the first. And the robots are right behind you... right now! Boo!
#913 - "Jane Says" - Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking - The first of two Addiction songs on the list, "Jane Says" is a strange ballad about an abused woman. I believe the title of the song is a tribute to the Velvet Underground / Lou Reed tradition of naming songs with a woman's name and "Says".
#912 - "Detroit Rock City" - KISS - Double Platinum - The only KISS song to make the list (if you're curious, I despise KISS with the exception of this song, "Rock N Roll All Nite" and "Calling Dr. Love" because they were the triumph of style over substance and ruined rock for 10 years by inventing hair metal), "Detroit Rock City" is a hooky novelty song with a great chorus.
#911 - "Mr. Harris" - Aimee Mann - Whatever - The second of eight Aimee Mann songs on the countdown, "Mr. Harris" is a song about a May-December romance that features the usual alignment of great lyrics and a brilliant chorus that are typical of Mann's work.
#919 - "Last Child" - Aerosmith - Rocks - The first of seven Aerosmith songs is from the band at their cocaine fueled best. Sobriety and a lack of quality would follow later on, but for a few years, the band was at the top of the musical world.
#918 - "I'm Waiting For The Man" - The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico - The second of seven VU songs, "Waiting" is yet another druggy classic from the masters of druggy music and was featured prominently in the graphic novel "V For Vendetta", though not in the movie.
#917 - "Train Kept A-Rollin'" - Aerosmith - Get Your Wings - The second of seven Aerosmith songs on the chart, "Train" is Aerosmith's cover of an old blues song. I've heard several versions of this song, and this is by far the best.
#916 - "Don't Worry Baby" - The Beach Boys - Endless Summer - The first of four Beach Boys tunes to make the countdown, "Don't Worry Baby" is a breezy surf-rock love song, which was a specialty of Brian Wilson and the boys.
#915 - "Deathly" - Aimee Mann - Magnolia Soundtrack - The first of eight Aimee Mann songs on the countdown, "Deathly" is one of many great songs featured on Aimee's breakthrough work on the soundtrack to the tedious artsy-fartsy movie "Magnolia".
#914 - "Wake Up" - Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine - The second of twelve Rage songs on the list, "Wake Up" is a typical call-to-arms from the Machine. The song was featured at the end of "The Matrix" in the final scene of the movie, that did not have two sequels. That's right, they don't exist, it was merely the robots trying to trick you into believing the theory is crap by making two terrible movies to discredit the first. And the robots are right behind you... right now! Boo!
#913 - "Jane Says" - Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking - The first of two Addiction songs on the list, "Jane Says" is a strange ballad about an abused woman. I believe the title of the song is a tribute to the Velvet Underground / Lou Reed tradition of naming songs with a woman's name and "Says".
#912 - "Detroit Rock City" - KISS - Double Platinum - The only KISS song to make the list (if you're curious, I despise KISS with the exception of this song, "Rock N Roll All Nite" and "Calling Dr. Love" because they were the triumph of style over substance and ruined rock for 10 years by inventing hair metal), "Detroit Rock City" is a hooky novelty song with a great chorus.
#911 - "Mr. Harris" - Aimee Mann - Whatever - The second of eight Aimee Mann songs on the countdown, "Mr. Harris" is a song about a May-December romance that features the usual alignment of great lyrics and a brilliant chorus that are typical of Mann's work.
Top 1000 Bands #920-#911
920 - Prozac Rat - This band was started by two guys I went to school with. I've only heard one album's worth of material, but it's pretty impressive stuff.
919 - The Germs - A late 70's punk band that never really broke through but ended up inspiring a lot of artists in the early 80's.
918 - Nelly Furtado - I'm not so much a fan of her recent output, but her debut album was interesting.
917 - The Five Man Electrical Band - They wrote "Signs" one of the definitive songs of the 60's. They didn't do anything else to my knowledge.
916 - The 4 Non Blondes - Lead singer Linda Perry went on to write decent songs for pop singers in recent years, but this band is famous for "What's Up".
915 - Lisa Loeb - She's had a lot of success as a songwriter, but her only major breakthrough as a singer was "Stay", which was huge in the mid-90s.
914 - Kelly Clarkson - Yeah, she was on American Idol, but whoever is writing her songs now is more than earning their pay. Notably, I wouldn't be familiar with her music if not for the shitty radio situation in Pierre before I got XM.
913 - Camper Van Beethoven - "Take The Skinheads Bowling" is their notable song, but they did manage to put together a couple of solid but weird albums while never escaping the shadow of the Dandy Warhols.
912 - She Wants Revenge - You may not recognize the band, but if you listen to indie rock, you know the genre. It's called "Joy Division rip-offs". SWR is by far the least of the bands in this genre to get successful.
911 - Ten Years After - Late 60's rockers who played Woodstock and scored a big hit with the cynical "I'd Like To Change The World".
919 - The Germs - A late 70's punk band that never really broke through but ended up inspiring a lot of artists in the early 80's.
918 - Nelly Furtado - I'm not so much a fan of her recent output, but her debut album was interesting.
917 - The Five Man Electrical Band - They wrote "Signs" one of the definitive songs of the 60's. They didn't do anything else to my knowledge.
916 - The 4 Non Blondes - Lead singer Linda Perry went on to write decent songs for pop singers in recent years, but this band is famous for "What's Up".
915 - Lisa Loeb - She's had a lot of success as a songwriter, but her only major breakthrough as a singer was "Stay", which was huge in the mid-90s.
914 - Kelly Clarkson - Yeah, she was on American Idol, but whoever is writing her songs now is more than earning their pay. Notably, I wouldn't be familiar with her music if not for the shitty radio situation in Pierre before I got XM.
913 - Camper Van Beethoven - "Take The Skinheads Bowling" is their notable song, but they did manage to put together a couple of solid but weird albums while never escaping the shadow of the Dandy Warhols.
912 - She Wants Revenge - You may not recognize the band, but if you listen to indie rock, you know the genre. It's called "Joy Division rip-offs". SWR is by far the least of the bands in this genre to get successful.
911 - Ten Years After - Late 60's rockers who played Woodstock and scored a big hit with the cynical "I'd Like To Change The World".
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #930-#921
#930 - "No Shelter" - Rage Against The Machine - Godzilla Soundtrack - The first of twelve songs for Rage is one of their very few contributions to soundtracks, this song features two of my favorite Rage lyrics:
"What ya need is what they sellin
Make you think that buyin is rebellin"
and
"Hospitals not profit full
Yet market bulls got pockets full"
#929 - "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" - Bright Eyes - Digital Ash From A Digital Urn - The first of four Bright Eyes songs in the top 1000, "Take It Easy" is the best song off of the lesser of the two albums Bright Eyes released simultaneously on what is by far the greatest day in the band's career.
#928 - "Surrender" - Cheap Trick - Live At Budokan - The only Cheap Trick song to make the list, it was a tough call to choose only one song off of this excellent live album, but "Surrender" was the best pure rock song of the bunch.
#927 - "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" - Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde - The first of fifteen Dylan songs on the countdown, "Rainy Day" is the best display of one of the sides of Bob Dylan that rarely shines through in his music, his excellent sense of humor.
#926 - "Butterflies And Hurricanes" - Muse - Absolution - The second of five Muse songs and the second song off of their classic indie rock album Absolution, "Butterflies" has a typical Muse sound to it, which is to say it sounds like someone screaming while a building collapses around them.
#925 - "Time Won't Let Me Go" - The Bravery - The Sun And The Moon - The only Bravery song to make the list, "Time" is the closest the band has ever come in their never-ending race to top The Killers, who they will forever be linked to like Megadeth is to Metallica. The song has great lyrics and an excellent chorus. It's one of the best songs of 2007.
#924 - "Christine" - Siouxsie And The Banshees - Kaleidoscope - The first of four songs on the top 1000 for Siouxsie, "Christine" is yet another example of the style and sound that helped Siouxsie invent post-punk in the late-70s. They were never the most successful band in the genre, but they were always the best.
#923 - "Candle In The Wind" - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Although I considered disqualifying this song from consideration due to it's pathetic reappropriation in 1997, "Candle" (the first of nine Elton songs) makes the list due to it's original meaning and intent, which not even Elton himself could destroy, no matter how hard he tried.
#922 - "Butterfly" - The Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion - The second of six Screaming Trees songs, "Butterfly" is yet another brilliant Trees song with intricate verses and an awesome chorus. How they failed to become a huge success during the one period of time when mainstream audiences were willing to listen to good music (the 90's) is beyond me.
#921 - "Exhuming McCarthy" - R.E.M. - Document - The first of twelve R.E.M. songs to make the list, "Exhuming" features my favorite lyrics by the band (which says a lot!). The song is pretty obscure, but if you can find it, it's worth a listen for it's multitude of stab-shots at the heart of 80's-era yuppies.
"What ya need is what they sellin
Make you think that buyin is rebellin"
and
"Hospitals not profit full
Yet market bulls got pockets full"
#929 - "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" - Bright Eyes - Digital Ash From A Digital Urn - The first of four Bright Eyes songs in the top 1000, "Take It Easy" is the best song off of the lesser of the two albums Bright Eyes released simultaneously on what is by far the greatest day in the band's career.
#928 - "Surrender" - Cheap Trick - Live At Budokan - The only Cheap Trick song to make the list, it was a tough call to choose only one song off of this excellent live album, but "Surrender" was the best pure rock song of the bunch.
#927 - "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" - Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde - The first of fifteen Dylan songs on the countdown, "Rainy Day" is the best display of one of the sides of Bob Dylan that rarely shines through in his music, his excellent sense of humor.
#926 - "Butterflies And Hurricanes" - Muse - Absolution - The second of five Muse songs and the second song off of their classic indie rock album Absolution, "Butterflies" has a typical Muse sound to it, which is to say it sounds like someone screaming while a building collapses around them.
#925 - "Time Won't Let Me Go" - The Bravery - The Sun And The Moon - The only Bravery song to make the list, "Time" is the closest the band has ever come in their never-ending race to top The Killers, who they will forever be linked to like Megadeth is to Metallica. The song has great lyrics and an excellent chorus. It's one of the best songs of 2007.
#924 - "Christine" - Siouxsie And The Banshees - Kaleidoscope - The first of four songs on the top 1000 for Siouxsie, "Christine" is yet another example of the style and sound that helped Siouxsie invent post-punk in the late-70s. They were never the most successful band in the genre, but they were always the best.
#923 - "Candle In The Wind" - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Although I considered disqualifying this song from consideration due to it's pathetic reappropriation in 1997, "Candle" (the first of nine Elton songs) makes the list due to it's original meaning and intent, which not even Elton himself could destroy, no matter how hard he tried.
#922 - "Butterfly" - The Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion - The second of six Screaming Trees songs, "Butterfly" is yet another brilliant Trees song with intricate verses and an awesome chorus. How they failed to become a huge success during the one period of time when mainstream audiences were willing to listen to good music (the 90's) is beyond me.
#921 - "Exhuming McCarthy" - R.E.M. - Document - The first of twelve R.E.M. songs to make the list, "Exhuming" features my favorite lyrics by the band (which says a lot!). The song is pretty obscure, but if you can find it, it's worth a listen for it's multitude of stab-shots at the heart of 80's-era yuppies.
Top 1000 Bands #930-#921
930 - The Georgia Satellites - A one-hit wonder that made the best southern rock song of the 80's, "Keep Your Hands To Yourself".
929 - Ram Jam - An under-rated and mostly forgotten band that managed to score a bit hit with "Black Betty" before calling it quits.
928 - Natalie Imbruglia - Natalie had a couple of big hits in the late 90's and then disappeared. I don't know if she's been heard from since.
927 - H.I.M. - Another day, another Scandinavian metal band. This one goes for the goth angle of the genre and occasionally comes up with a decent song, though many of their tunes are laughable.
926 - Tapes N Tapes - The band that lit up the blog scene in 2006, Tapes N Tapes has a solid album to their name, but that's about it so far.
925 - Stars Of Track And Field - Their songs are mopey but pleasant sounding. What else would you expect from a band named after a Belle And Sebastian song?
924 - Eagle Eye Cherry - Like his sister, Eagle Eye only had one hit, but it was a big one, "Save Tonight".
923 - Morningwood - An indie pop band with emo leanings, Morningwood has a handful of good songs, but they're mostly potential at this point.
922 - Damien Rice - The Generation X heir of James Taylor is a great songwriter, but his music can be very dull at times.
921 - The Futureheads - An indie dance rock band with a couple of catchy songs, but they haven't quite put it all together just yet.
929 - Ram Jam - An under-rated and mostly forgotten band that managed to score a bit hit with "Black Betty" before calling it quits.
928 - Natalie Imbruglia - Natalie had a couple of big hits in the late 90's and then disappeared. I don't know if she's been heard from since.
927 - H.I.M. - Another day, another Scandinavian metal band. This one goes for the goth angle of the genre and occasionally comes up with a decent song, though many of their tunes are laughable.
926 - Tapes N Tapes - The band that lit up the blog scene in 2006, Tapes N Tapes has a solid album to their name, but that's about it so far.
925 - Stars Of Track And Field - Their songs are mopey but pleasant sounding. What else would you expect from a band named after a Belle And Sebastian song?
924 - Eagle Eye Cherry - Like his sister, Eagle Eye only had one hit, but it was a big one, "Save Tonight".
923 - Morningwood - An indie pop band with emo leanings, Morningwood has a handful of good songs, but they're mostly potential at this point.
922 - Damien Rice - The Generation X heir of James Taylor is a great songwriter, but his music can be very dull at times.
921 - The Futureheads - An indie dance rock band with a couple of catchy songs, but they haven't quite put it all together just yet.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Top 1000 Songs #940-#931
#940 - "Tasty Taste" - Welcome To The Cinema - Welcome To The Cinema - The first and only song from Brookings, SD's Welcome To The Cinema (a band that I've seen play a couple times in Pierre) to make the charts, "Tasty Taste" is a brilliant slice of indie dance rock that could have been a cut from the first Franz Ferdinand album.
#939 - "Heroin" - The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico - The first of seven Velvet Underground songs in the top 1000, "Heroin" was one of the most shocking and unnerving songs to come out of the 1960's and one of many VU songs that helped to form the underground music scene in New York that would save rock n roll ten years later.
#938 - "Cold Shot" - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather - The first of three SRV songs on the list, "Cold Shot" utilizes Stevie's blues hook to it's maximum potential.
#937 - "Comfort Eagle" - Cake - Comfort Eagle - The only Cake song to make the top 1000, "Comfort Eagle" is a typically quirky cut from one of the most unique bands in all of rock.
#936 - "Hang Me Up To Dry" - The Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards - The only Cold War Kids song to make the countdown, "Hang" is an intense and creeping song with a fantastic chorus.
#935 - "No More Tears" - Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears - The first of three Ozzy songs on the countdown and one of the last truly great songs for the Ozzman, "No More Tears" is a creepy metal song that was also one of the last shots fired before that crappy nu-metal shit took over.
#934 - "Nearly Lost You" - The Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion - The first of six Trees songs on the list, "Nearly Lost You" was by far the band's biggest hit, becoming a decent-sized hit on MTV back when they used to play music videos... or music for that matter. Easily the most radio-friendly song the band ever made, but not quite my favorite.
#933 - "Crazy On You" - Heart - Dreamboat Annie - The second of three Heart songs to make the top 1000, "Crazy On You" has great guitar work and an excellent chorus. In other words, a Heart song from the 70's.
#932 - "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" - The Electric Light Orchestra - Afterglow - The first of two ELO songs, "Head" is a much more typical ELO song than the Beatles-esque song that tops it on the countdown. It's a very hypnotic, dreamy song with a sweeping chorus.
#931 - "Stuck In The Middle With You" - Stealer's Wheel - Greatest Hits - The only Stealer's Wheel song on the chart or on the radio for that matter, "Stuck" had it's big moment in the sun when Quentin Tarantino included the song in the torture scene of his movie "Reservoir Dogs".
#939 - "Heroin" - The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico - The first of seven Velvet Underground songs in the top 1000, "Heroin" was one of the most shocking and unnerving songs to come out of the 1960's and one of many VU songs that helped to form the underground music scene in New York that would save rock n roll ten years later.
#938 - "Cold Shot" - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather - The first of three SRV songs on the list, "Cold Shot" utilizes Stevie's blues hook to it's maximum potential.
#937 - "Comfort Eagle" - Cake - Comfort Eagle - The only Cake song to make the top 1000, "Comfort Eagle" is a typically quirky cut from one of the most unique bands in all of rock.
#936 - "Hang Me Up To Dry" - The Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards - The only Cold War Kids song to make the countdown, "Hang" is an intense and creeping song with a fantastic chorus.
#935 - "No More Tears" - Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears - The first of three Ozzy songs on the countdown and one of the last truly great songs for the Ozzman, "No More Tears" is a creepy metal song that was also one of the last shots fired before that crappy nu-metal shit took over.
#934 - "Nearly Lost You" - The Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion - The first of six Trees songs on the list, "Nearly Lost You" was by far the band's biggest hit, becoming a decent-sized hit on MTV back when they used to play music videos... or music for that matter. Easily the most radio-friendly song the band ever made, but not quite my favorite.
#933 - "Crazy On You" - Heart - Dreamboat Annie - The second of three Heart songs to make the top 1000, "Crazy On You" has great guitar work and an excellent chorus. In other words, a Heart song from the 70's.
#932 - "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" - The Electric Light Orchestra - Afterglow - The first of two ELO songs, "Head" is a much more typical ELO song than the Beatles-esque song that tops it on the countdown. It's a very hypnotic, dreamy song with a sweeping chorus.
#931 - "Stuck In The Middle With You" - Stealer's Wheel - Greatest Hits - The only Stealer's Wheel song on the chart or on the radio for that matter, "Stuck" had it's big moment in the sun when Quentin Tarantino included the song in the torture scene of his movie "Reservoir Dogs".
Top 1000 Bands #940-#931
940 - Ambulance LTD - A bit of a one-hit wonder, but they're one of the more original bands to come out in recent years.
939 - Alicia Keys - Pop/R&B singer Alicia Keys makes the list on the strength of "Fallin'" alone, though she has many other solid songs.
938 - I'm From Barcelona - A brand new indie rock band with an interesting sound.
937 - Probot - Dave Grohl's metal side project that featured guest appearances by some of the greatest legends of heavy metal, including Lemmy from Motorhead.
936 - The Blues Brothers - The Saturday Night Live novelty act managed to put together a few albums, including one with a great cover of "Soul Man".
935 - The Troggs - They only had one hit, but it was a big one, the garage rock anthem "Wild Thing".
934 - The Pure Prarie League - A southern rock band that only broke through with one big hit, "Amie".
933 - The Standells - Another band, another one hit wonder. Their hit? "Dirty Water".
932 - Little Feat - Pretty much a one-hit wonder, Little Feat did manage to put together a large following on the basis of their other southern fried albums.
931 - DragonForce - 80's metal throwbacks DragonForce have some of the fastest guitars in the business working for them. If you can handle the cheese factor, they're actually pretty good.
939 - Alicia Keys - Pop/R&B singer Alicia Keys makes the list on the strength of "Fallin'" alone, though she has many other solid songs.
938 - I'm From Barcelona - A brand new indie rock band with an interesting sound.
937 - Probot - Dave Grohl's metal side project that featured guest appearances by some of the greatest legends of heavy metal, including Lemmy from Motorhead.
936 - The Blues Brothers - The Saturday Night Live novelty act managed to put together a few albums, including one with a great cover of "Soul Man".
935 - The Troggs - They only had one hit, but it was a big one, the garage rock anthem "Wild Thing".
934 - The Pure Prarie League - A southern rock band that only broke through with one big hit, "Amie".
933 - The Standells - Another band, another one hit wonder. Their hit? "Dirty Water".
932 - Little Feat - Pretty much a one-hit wonder, Little Feat did manage to put together a large following on the basis of their other southern fried albums.
931 - DragonForce - 80's metal throwbacks DragonForce have some of the fastest guitars in the business working for them. If you can handle the cheese factor, they're actually pretty good.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Top 1000 Bands #950-#941
#950 - "Maps" - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell - The first and only YYYs song to make the charts, "Maps" is a fairly uncharacteristic song for the band, as it's a power balled reminiscient of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You". This song is so good that Kelly Clarkson ripped it off and had a #1 hit.
#949 - "No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature" - American Woman - The first of two Guess Who songs to make the charts, "No Sugar Tonight" is a driving, straight-forward 70's rocker with a fantastic chorus. "New Mother Nature" is a bit weaker than the first half, but it's still a great song.
#948 - "I'm The Man Who Loves You" - Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - The only Wilco song to make the list, "I'm The Man" is the most up-tempo of all Wilco's songs, which are usually slower and more country-tinged.
#947 - "Money (That's What I Want") - The Beatles - With The Beatles - The first of twenty-two Beatles songs to make the countdown, "Money" is a reminder that the Beatles spent the first few years of their career as a band that covered 50s-era R&B songs.
#946 - "Solid" - The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia - The first of two Dandy Warhols songs in the top 1000, "Solid" served as the theme song for one of the greatest shows of all-time "Undeclared" (another of their songs that didn't make the cut, "We Used To Be Friends" was also the theme song for the similarly excellent Veronica Mars) and yet another great Warhols song whose lyrics can't keep up with the outstanding beat.
#945 - "No More Mr. Nice Guy" - Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies - The first of two Alice Cooper songs to make the list, "Nice Guy" is one of the most straight-forward songs of Alice's career and by far his best-written song.
#944 - "Think I'm In Love" - Beck - The best song off of Beck's last album (and first of nine on the list), "Think I'm In Love" is sort of a mix of the usually hyperactive Beck and the slower, more insightful Beck that shows up every couple of years.
#943 - "Dancing With Myself" - Billy Idol - Kiss Me Deadly - The first of two Billy Idol songs to make the list, "Dancing" is a sharp and well-written song from the early days of punk rock that Billy was in from the start.
#942 - "The Funeral" - Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time - The only Band Of Horses song to make the list, this is the best Arcade Fire song that wasn't written by The Arcade Fire. Great lyrics, great backing tune and a fantastic build to the song make for a promising start for the band.
#941 - "See No Evil" - Television - Marquee Moon - The first of three songs on the chart for Television, one of the most influential bands to come out of the New York art rock scene of the 70's, "See No Evil" is the most accessible of the major hits that the band would have while bridging the gap between The Velvet Underground and The Talking Heads.
#949 - "No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature" - American Woman - The first of two Guess Who songs to make the charts, "No Sugar Tonight" is a driving, straight-forward 70's rocker with a fantastic chorus. "New Mother Nature" is a bit weaker than the first half, but it's still a great song.
#948 - "I'm The Man Who Loves You" - Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - The only Wilco song to make the list, "I'm The Man" is the most up-tempo of all Wilco's songs, which are usually slower and more country-tinged.
#947 - "Money (That's What I Want") - The Beatles - With The Beatles - The first of twenty-two Beatles songs to make the countdown, "Money" is a reminder that the Beatles spent the first few years of their career as a band that covered 50s-era R&B songs.
#946 - "Solid" - The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia - The first of two Dandy Warhols songs in the top 1000, "Solid" served as the theme song for one of the greatest shows of all-time "Undeclared" (another of their songs that didn't make the cut, "We Used To Be Friends" was also the theme song for the similarly excellent Veronica Mars) and yet another great Warhols song whose lyrics can't keep up with the outstanding beat.
#945 - "No More Mr. Nice Guy" - Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies - The first of two Alice Cooper songs to make the list, "Nice Guy" is one of the most straight-forward songs of Alice's career and by far his best-written song.
#944 - "Think I'm In Love" - Beck - The best song off of Beck's last album (and first of nine on the list), "Think I'm In Love" is sort of a mix of the usually hyperactive Beck and the slower, more insightful Beck that shows up every couple of years.
#943 - "Dancing With Myself" - Billy Idol - Kiss Me Deadly - The first of two Billy Idol songs to make the list, "Dancing" is a sharp and well-written song from the early days of punk rock that Billy was in from the start.
#942 - "The Funeral" - Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time - The only Band Of Horses song to make the list, this is the best Arcade Fire song that wasn't written by The Arcade Fire. Great lyrics, great backing tune and a fantastic build to the song make for a promising start for the band.
#941 - "See No Evil" - Television - Marquee Moon - The first of three songs on the chart for Television, one of the most influential bands to come out of the New York art rock scene of the 70's, "See No Evil" is the most accessible of the major hits that the band would have while bridging the gap between The Velvet Underground and The Talking Heads.
Top 1000 Bands #950-#941
950 - Wilson Pickett - R&B legend Pickett makes it on the strength of legendary songs like "Mustang Sally" and "In The Midnight Hour".
949 - K.D. Lang - She's had a number of great hits, but "Constant Craving" is the one that stands out the most.
948 - The Matthew Good Band - A Canadian band that doesn't have a very big following in America, but has been creating solid music for more than a decade.
947 - The Rapture - An up-and-coming indie dance-rock group that's coming off their best album.
946 - The Descendants - The legendary 80's punk band makes the list, but not very highly, as I've never really gotten that into them for some reason.
945 - Amy Rigby - Indie singer-songwriter Amy Rigby has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, but has yet to translate it into the success she deserves.
944 - The Dears - A brand new indie-rock band with an excellent debut album. They should be shooting up the chart pretty soon.
943 - Isis - One of the best prog metal bands in the business today, Isis is a band I only discovered recently, but so far, so good.
942 - Commander Venus - Connor Oberst's first band (he was a teenager when the band was together) isn't in the same league as Bright Eyes, but they're still really good.
941 - Buddy And Julie Miller - Folk singer-songwriting team Buddy and Julie Miller have been producing decent music for the past couple decades.
949 - K.D. Lang - She's had a number of great hits, but "Constant Craving" is the one that stands out the most.
948 - The Matthew Good Band - A Canadian band that doesn't have a very big following in America, but has been creating solid music for more than a decade.
947 - The Rapture - An up-and-coming indie dance-rock group that's coming off their best album.
946 - The Descendants - The legendary 80's punk band makes the list, but not very highly, as I've never really gotten that into them for some reason.
945 - Amy Rigby - Indie singer-songwriter Amy Rigby has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, but has yet to translate it into the success she deserves.
944 - The Dears - A brand new indie-rock band with an excellent debut album. They should be shooting up the chart pretty soon.
943 - Isis - One of the best prog metal bands in the business today, Isis is a band I only discovered recently, but so far, so good.
942 - Commander Venus - Connor Oberst's first band (he was a teenager when the band was together) isn't in the same league as Bright Eyes, but they're still really good.
941 - Buddy And Julie Miller - Folk singer-songwriting team Buddy and Julie Miller have been producing decent music for the past couple decades.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
New Movies This Week
The only new movie this week is "Awake". It stars Darth Vader and Dark Angel, so you know that the acting is going to suck and they didn't bother to screen it for critics, so the story probably sucks too.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Amy Winehouse's first album "Frank" was the top debut in a weak week for rock, debuting at #61.
An AC/DC compilation debuted at #73.
Also debuting this week was a Nine Inch Nails remix album at #77.
Modern and Mainstream Rock:
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 on their respective charts.
Debuting this week is Mudvayne's "Dull Boy" at #20 on Mainstream.
Amy Winehouse's first album "Frank" was the top debut in a weak week for rock, debuting at #61.
An AC/DC compilation debuted at #73.
Also debuting this week was a Nine Inch Nails remix album at #77.
Modern and Mainstream Rock:
The Foo Fighters and Seether stayed at #1 on their respective charts.
Debuting this week is Mudvayne's "Dull Boy" at #20 on Mainstream.
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