MAD's ROUND 2!! # 1's have been posted!! (4 Viewers)

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Reranking Sia

Prior knowledge
Knew of her work with Zero 7 and vaguely followed her career until Chandelier went nuts.
Apart from the Zero 7 stuff, I have none of her work in my collection.
Will enjoy hearing this stuff as she has an amazing and distinctive voice and makes interesting artistic choices

Thanks @Scoresman for picking her

31- The Bully
An odd vocal. Works ok overall, but not my favourite from her.

30- Sunday
A fun track. Pretty disposable really, but little wrong with it

29- Somersault
Maybe a weaker effort in comparison to the first 2 listed (#31 and #30 by scoresman), but thats not really a criticism.
Has the same elements that makes Trip Hop a great listen. Almost cant go wrong

28- Distractions
A strong vocal and mellow music behind it makes for captivating listening.

27-Speed Dial #2
I dont know how many times I can say it about Zero 7. Mellow, chill and relaxing with the great voice of Sia on top. While they all cant be winners, there arent any losers either

26- Breathe Me
The music behind this is quite strong and powerful. Maybe doesnt work as well as her Zero 7 though for me, but you can see her forming something special with what she wants to do. This is a high quality track and probably finishes top 10 overall

25- Destiny
I have already said a little on this one. Its one of the pillars of Trip Hop and if it doesnt end up as my number 1 for Sia, something pretty awesome is ahead of it.

In conclusion I am enjoying this list a lot so far. I know some of the variety ahead of us and the strong material to come. Looking forward to it. Excellent pick.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

Homme 29-25:

#29 - Went to Queens' first studio album, don't think it's unfair to say that this isn't their strongest work, and it's not a huge favourite album of mine either, but it had its moments and this was one of a couple I picked off of this album, I just love the entirety of the guitar/bass work on the track. Lyrically it's not up to much, but this got in on the strength of the music
#28 - This track's off the album that they were touring when I saw them live in 2013, although I have no recollection of the specific track from the gig. ...Like Clockwork is very much an atypical of Queens, much like the first track of the playlist which I think was the only other song I picked off the album. Perfectly highlights the range of Homme's vocal abiliities, this is another minimalist track with not a huge amount added from everyone else, but another instance where it's very much the case where less is more
#27, #26 - Going to bundle both these into one. Songs for the Deaf is pretty much the magnum opus of Homme and QOTSA, producing their most notable hits, while at the same time being a quasi-concept album with the CD containing many interludes between tracks as if one is on a drive through the California desert. Both these two tracks are album tracks separated by one song - Do It Again is primarily led by one riff driving throughout the track, which is a solid one, but there's subtle but great differential in the chorus as well as the kick into the end of the track. Another Love Song is somewhat different in that there are guitars playing out the main tune, but for a lot of time they just stfu and let Homme/Grohl do their work, kicking in to offer more of a background track rather than riff-repeat. A great track that is able to go through many different progressions despite being a sub-3 minute track
#25 - Cutting to the most recent of this segment, which I believe without checking is the only track off of Villains. Was loving the hugely long build in before the track kicks in proper, there's enough hints of "classic Queens" in what we get after that to make me like the record, then we go into a fair bit of an unorthodox second half of the track, which is somewhat bonkers but checks enough boxes for me to give it the thumbs up

big Homme fan - looking forward to some EODM too ...Queens rule too

 

[Zegras11]

#24's PLAYLIST

		#24 -
Prince	Ramsay Hunt Experience	International Lover International Lover - 2019 Remaster Prince · Song · 1982 open.spotify.com Prince - International Lover (1999 Tour, Live in Bloomington, 1983) youtu.be
Tanya Donelly	plinko	Mr. Swan Swan Song Series bonus track, 2016 Mr. Swan Tanya Donelly · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com
Talking Heads	kupcho1	Houses in Motion Houses in Motion Talking Heads · Song · 1980 open.spotify.com
Sia Furler	Scoresman	Paranoid Android Paranoid Android Sia · Song · 2006 open.spotify.com
Los Lobos	eephus	Angel Dance Angel Dance Los Lobos · Song · 1990 open.spotify.com
The Seldom Scene	Charlie Steiner	Cannonball 11 Cannonball Track: CannonballBand: The Seldon SceneAlbum: Act IYear: 1972 www.youtube.com
Kid Rock	snellman	Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Kid Rock · Song · 2017 open.spotify.com
Against Me!	scorchy	Walking Is Still Honest Walking is Still Honest Against Me! · Song · 2001 open.spotify.com
Mastodon	KarmaPolice	Curl of the Burl Curl of the Burl Mastodon · Song · 2011 open.spotify.com Mastodon - Curl of the burl live at David Letterman Mastodon at the Late Show with David Letterman playing curl of the burl.Wednesday, October 5. www.youtube.com
Neko Case	Mister CIA	Set Out Running Neko Case - "Set Out Running" (Full Album Stream) "Set Out Running" by @Neko Case from the album 'Wild Creatures'Listen to the full album: https://antircrds.io/3LKmIYmOrder, stream & download at https://neko... www.youtube.com
Faith No More	JBBreakfastClub	Underwater Love Underwater Love Faith No More · Song · 1989 open.spotify.com
black midi	Juxtatarot	Hogwash and Balderdash Hogwash and Balderdash black midi · Song · 2021 open.spotify.com
Nina Simone	Don Quixote	Everything Must Change, from Baltimore Nina Simone- Everything Must Change album Baltimore (1978) Written by Benard IghnerLyricsEverything must change Nothing stays the same Everyone will change No one, no one stays the sameThe youn... youtu.be Everything Must Change Nina Simone · Song · 1978 open.spotify.com
Beastie Boys	Yo Mama	Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun Beastie Boys · Song · 1989 open.spotify.com
Drive-By Truckers	Dr. Octopus	**** Shots Count Shit Shots Count Drive-By Truckers · Song · 2014 open.spotify.com
Jimmy Buffet	-OZ-	Margaritaville Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett · Song · 1977 open.spotify.com Jimmy Buffett and Miranda Lambert - "Margaritaville" St Louis, MO 2017 - I Don't Know TourJimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer BandFeat. Miranda Lambert"Margaritaville"St Louis, MOFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/margaritavi... www.youtube.com
The Jam	Pip's Invitation	Carnation Carnation The Jam · Song · 2015 open.spotify.com
Röyksopp	JMLs secret identity	24 - I Had This Thing (feat Jamie Irrepressible) Röyksopp - I Had This Thing ‘I Had This Thing’ is taken from Röyksopp’s latest album 'The Inevitable End’. The track features Jamie Irrepressibles and describes “confusion, pain and rem... m.youtube.com
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds	salteriffic	stagger lee Stagger Lee - 2011 Remastered Version Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds · Song · 1996 open.spotify.com
CSNY	jwb	It Doesn’t Matter It Doesn't Matter Stephen Stills · Manassas · Song · 1972 open.spotify.com
Roger Clyne	Mt. Man	Buffalo Buffalo Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers · Song · 2005 open.spotify.com
David Berman	The Dreaded Marco	We Are Real We Are Real Provided to YouTube by Drag City RecordsWe Are Real · Silver JewsAmerican Water℗ Drag City Inc.Released on: 1998-10-20Auto-generated by YouTube. www.youtube.com
David Bowie	Binky the Doormat	Ashes To Ashes David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes (Official Video) The official music video for David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes. Taken from Bowie's 'Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)' album released in 1980, which featured the ... www.youtube.com
Pointer Sisters	Mrs. Rannous	My Life My Life Provided to YouTube by RCA/LegacyMy Life · The Pointer SistersHot Together (Expanded Edition)℗ 1986 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music EntertainmentReleas... www.youtube.com My Life The Pointer Sisters · Song · 1986 open.spotify.com
Incubus	MAC_32	Pardon Me Pardon Me Incubus · Song · 1999 open.spotify.com
John Mellencamp	tuffnutt	Again Tonight John Mellencamp - Again Tonight Music video by John Mellencamp performing Again Tonight. (C) 1991 John Mellencamp under exclusive license to The Island Def Jam Music Group www.youtube.com
Sufjan Stevens	Ilov80s	Heirloom Heirloom Sufjan Stevens · Song · 2010 open.spotify.com
Mike Shinoda	Just Win Baby	Believe Me - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
Chris Cornell	Raging Weasel	You Know My Name You Know My Name - From "Casino Royale" Soundtrack Chris Cornell · Song · 2007 open.spotify.com
Josh Homme	titusbramble	El Rodeo El Rodeo Kyuss · Song · 1995 open.spotify.com
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats	AAABatteries	Parlor Parlor Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats · A Little Something More From · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be
Kim Mitchell	Sullie	Dreamthieves Dreamthieves - Kim Mitchell From His 2007 CD Ain't Life AmazingLike Me On Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Two-Pack-Habit/297312310466110Check Out My Original & Covered Songs! &... www.youtube.com
Thin Lizzy	zamboni	She Knows Thin Lizzy - She Knows Lyrics & InformationTaken from the fourth studio album 'Nightlife' released in 1974 by Thin Lizzy. For anyone at a low time in life. I guess we all have junk... www.youtube.com
Collective Soul	falguy	Collection Of Goods Collection Of Goods Collective Soul · Song · 1995 open.spotify.com
Tears for Fears	John Maddens Lunchbox	Secret World (Vocals Roland and Curt) - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. m.youtube.com
Cheap Trick	FairWarning	Oh Candy Oh, Candy Cheap Trick · Song · 1977 open.spotify.com
John Prine	landrys hat	Please Don't Bury Me Please Don't Bury Me John Prine · Song · 1973 open.spotify.com
Ben Folds	Hov34	Evaporated Evaporated Ben Folds Five · Song · 1997 open.spotify.com
Tom Petty	Zegras11	Louisiana Rain Louisiana Rain Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers · Song · 1979 open.spotify.com
Scott Hutchison	sneveneleven	Candlelit Frightened Rabbit - Candlelit (Here Today Sessions) http://heretoday.dkWatch the whole session here: http://heretoday.dk/frightened-rabbit/Here Today are a collective of creative individuals based in Copenhage... www.youtube.com
The New Pornographers	Northern Voice	Brill Bruisers Brill Bruisers The New Pornographers · Song · 2014 open.spotify.com
John Lee Hooker	DrIan Malcolm	Drug Store Woman Drug Store Woman John Lee Hooker · Song · 1962 open.spotify.com
Rainbow	Sam Quentin	Stone Cold Stone Cold Rainbow · Song · 1982 open.spotify.com
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky	zazale	Sérénade mélancolique, Op. 26, TH 56: Serenade melancolique (Melancholy Serenade), Op. 26 Sérénade mélancolique, Op. 26, TH 56: Serenade melancolique (Melancholy Serenade), Op. 26 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Ilya Kaler, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky · Song · 2007 open.spotify.com

 

[Charlie Steiner]

24. Cannonball

This is the last of four songs from their debut album, Act I.

Also known as Cannonball Blues, this is another song that has passed through many famous hands. Originally composed and recorded by A.P. Carter (of the Carter Family) before the family recorded it, the song was covered several times before this version and many times since, including versions by June Carter Cash (2003) and Townes Van Zandt (2004) and should NOT be confused with The Breeders' song of the same name. This version was arranged to allow multiple instruments to have their own riff. I don't recall them ever seeing them do this one live, though I'm sure they probably did at some point.

Time for second spotlight: Dobroist Mike Auldridge (middle figure in my avatar, white shirt, grey slacks)

For those unfamiliar with the dobro, it's a guitar with a metal resonator embedded in the body, providing extra volume without amplification. It's usually held flat as if it were laying on a table, and played using fingerpicks and a slide. It's similar to a steel guitar, though not as twangy. One of Mike's uncles introduced the dobro to bluegrass when he joined Flatt and Scruggs' band a generation earlier, which was his inspiration for taking up the same instrument himself.

On stage, his persona was akin to George Harrison of the Beatles, quietly going about the business of being the best musician of the bunch, providing the steak while Duffey sold the sizzle. He wasn't a wet blanket, just didn't have the outsized personality of Duffey and wasn't very involved in the singing. Nevertheless, his presence fit in perfectly, and he let the instrument do the talking.

I always knew he was widely considered the best dobro player going, but I didn't know until doing this research was how busy he really was outside of the 'Scene. During his fifteen years with the band, he also released 8 solo albums, contributed to a whopping 58 other albums, including 4 Emmylou Harris albums (Elite Hotel, Luxury Liner, Angel Band and All I Intended to Be), 2 Starland Vocal Band albums (Afternoon Delight--and no, that's not his dobro making that iconic sound in the title song--and Rear View Mirror), 2 Linda Rondstadt albums (Simple Dreams and Mad Love), Hank Williams Jr's The Pressure is On album, Mary Chapin Carpenter's Hometown Girl album, as well as a pretty full plate of other bluegrass artists, staying busy almost right up to his death in 2012.

Re: The Starland Vocal Band. Despite their pop success, they were actually a country music band. They were also local to DC and moved in the same circles as the 'Scene and other acts that played The Birchmere. Yet another example of networking via that legendary venue.

Bonus track #7: Linda Rondstadt's voice dances with Mike's dobro in this piece from 1977: I Will Never Marry.

 

[kupcho1]

Talking Heads
#24 Houses in Motion

Yep, another one from Remain in Light. I think someone posted earlier that they might have all 8 songs from the album in their top 31. I don't, but it was a pretty near thing.

The lyrics on this song, even for Talking Heads, are particularly cryptic. Yet again, structures (see also: Burning Down the House, album More Songs about Buildings and Food). Here I think the reference to houses is metaphorical and represents a choice between either (a) full commitment to life or (b) giving up.

Never get to say much
Never get to talk
Tell us a little bit
But not too much
Right about then
Is where she give up
She has closed her eyes
She has give up hope

 

[-OZ-]

24 Margaritaville

?

The most widely known of Jimmy’s songs, might suffer a little in my rankings by overuse. It is a great song, probably objectively too low on this list but here it is.

This does start a bit of a run where 7 of the next 8 songs are from his biggest hits.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Tears for Fears
#24 - Secret World

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

Appears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending LP
Year - 2004
UK Highest Chart Position - Non Single
US Highest Chart Position -Non Single
Key Lyric -
This is a garden, this is a steeple
I hear the crowd before I ever see the people
Yours for the asking, and for the taking
There is a power in the vacuum we are making

Notes
1- Maybe less of a Beatles influence on this one, but its there. This song could easily have been left off the list, but i find it quite sweet

2- The band named their tour and the live LP that followed the release of Everybody Loves a Happy Ending after this song

3- When asked what track he would have liked to include on a best of compilation that wasnt, Curt chose this one.
I tend to gravitate towards stuff — because we’ve been playing live a lot — that sounds great live. And one track that’s always been one of my favorites, it was never released as a single, which was off the last album we did together, was called “Secret World,” and actually, strangely, more poignant today because Paul Buckmaster, who did all the string arrangements on it, just passed away. And his string arrangements on it were just gorgeous. But yes, “Secret World” has always been one.

Where to find
The Hurting - 1
Songs from the Big Chair - 0
The Seeds of Love - 0
Elemental - 0
Raoul and the Kings of Spain - 0
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - 4
Ready Boys and Girls - 0
The Tipping Point - 0
Greatest Hits only - 0
B- Sides - Other/Non Album Songs - 3

Year
1981 - 0
1982 - 0
1983 - 2
1984 - 0
1985 - 0
1986 - 1
1989 - 0
1993 - 0
1995 - 1
2004 - 4
2014 - 0
2017 - 0
2021 - 0
2022 - 0

We move away from 2004 and go right back to the beginning

 

[Don Quixote]

24. Nina Simone, Everything Must Change (from Baltimore, 1978)
YouTube Spotify

There is so little in life you can be sure of
Except the rain comes from the clouds
Sunlight from the sky
And hummingbirds do fly

Nina Simone’s Baltimore album was not her favorite. She complained about not having control over the songs. Despite that, the album is pretty strong overall with some good cuts. The title track is probably the most famous song on the album — her reggae-type cover of Randy Newman’s Baltimore.

I spent too much debating which one to include in my 31, but opted for “Everything Must Change.” Another one of those songs that just stopped me in my tracks the first time that I heard it. This one was written by Bernard Ighner, and has been covered by countless artists. It first appeared on Quincy Jones’ Body Heat album. Nina Simone’s voice just elevates it for me, as the style and lyrics suit her perfectly.

Next up is one that inspired Jeff Buckley…

 

[falguy]

24 Margaritaville

?

The most widely known of Jimmy’s songs, might suffer a little in my rankings by overuse. It is a great song, probably objectively too low on this list but here it is.

This does start a bit of a run where 7 of the next 8 songs are from his biggest hits.

I don't care that I've heard it 1 million times, I still love it. Puts me in my happy place.

I believe I had it top 5 in the American artists MAD list.

 

[Mister CIA]

Mike Cooley songs are my favorite Drive-By Truckers.

 

[Mt. Man]

#24 Buffalo (off Sonoran Hope and Madness, 2002)

(Video) Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Buffalo
(Live Version) Buffalo - Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers

I see blue skies bleeding
Colors screaming some invisible thing is the enemy now
And if I knew it´s name I would call it out loud
Come out and come clean

“Sonoran” as in the Sonoran Desert, which covers most of Southern Arizona (including Phoenix and Tucson) up to the Grand Canyon, the southeast edge of California, the Baja California Peninsula, and most of the state of Sonora in Mexico. Despite being a desert, it’s actually a mix of habitats. Little of this has to do with the song itself, but you know, certainly part of its background.

MA-D artist countdowns. Come for the music. Stay for the occasional geography talk.

Why I Chose It:
It might almost make the list for the soft, slow guitar work at the beginning, even before the lyrics kick in. Or when the song picks up for maybe a minute around 2:45. Yes, those are some personal highlights, but I think the song is strong enough throughout, with every bit of the band showing some stuff.

If the opening stanza sounds familiar, it’s identical to a repeated verse in “As Long As the Grass Shall Grow“ by Johnny Cash. I won’t get into that song too deeply since this isn’t a Johnny Cash countdown, but while being certainly different things, it’s fair to say that the songs share a touch of sentiment to go along with the lyrics. Regardless, it’s an intriguing connection that I found whilst looking up things.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

24.

• Song: **** Shots Count
• Album: English Oceans
• Released: 2014
• Lead Vocals: Mike Cooley

I’ve heard Mike Cooley described as the second coming of Keith Richards and this lead cut to the 2014 album “English Oceans” could have been on Some Girls and is better than anything the Stones have done in decades. Cooley being Cooley, he takes the opportunity here to sell shame to a whore.

Put your cigarette out and put your hat back on.
Don't mix up which is which.
They don't pay you enough to work.
They don't pay me enough to *****.
The boss ain't as smart as he'd like to be.
But he ain't nearly as dumb as you think.
He just wants evolution on budget with the schedule you keep.
Swervin' four lanes movin' like blood through an old man's dyin' heart.
Nothing but time to keep hope alive through the speed of a string guitar.
He bought in young and I have no doubt, he's gonna cash out with a winning deal.
Trophy tailed wife's takin' boner pill rides for the price of a happy meal.

**** shots count.
If the table's tilted, just pay the man who levels the floor.
Pride is what you charge a proud man for having.
Shame is what you sell to a whore.
Meat's just meat and it's all born dyin'.
Some is tender and some is tough.
Somebody's gotta mop up and eat one.
Somebody's gotta mop up the blood.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Tears for Fears
#24 - Secret World

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

Appears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending LP
Year - 2004
UK Highest Chart Position - Non Single
US Highest Chart Position -Non Single
Key Lyric -
This is a garden, this is a steeple
I hear the crowd before I ever see the people
Yours for the asking, and for the taking
There is a power in the vacuum we are making

Notes
1- Maybe less of a Beatles influence on this one, but its there. This song could easily have been left off the list, but i find it quite sweet

2- The band named their tour and the live LP that followed the release of Everybody Loves a Happy Ending after this song

3- When asked what track he would have liked to include on a best of compilation that wasnt, Curt chose this one.
I tend to gravitate towards stuff — because we’ve been playing live a lot — that sounds great live. And one track that’s always been one of my favorites, it was never released as a single, which was off the last album we did together, was called “Secret World,” and actually, strangely, more poignant today because Paul Buckmaster, who did all the string arrangements on it, just passed away. And his string arrangements on it were just gorgeous. But yes, “Secret World” has always been one.

Where to find
The Hurting - 1
Songs from the Big Chair - 0
The Seeds of Love - 0
Elemental - 0
Raoul and the Kings of Spain - 0
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - 4
Ready Boys and Girls - 0
The Tipping Point - 0
Greatest Hits only - 0
B- Sides - Other/Non Album Songs - 3

Year
1981 - 0
1982 - 0
1983 - 2
1984 - 0
1985 - 0
1986 - 1
1989 - 0
1993 - 0
1995 - 1
2004 - 4
2014 - 0
2017 - 0
2021 - 0
2022 - 0

We move away from 2004 and go right back to the beginning

I was surprised to look and see this song was Tears For Fears - and it did sound like the Beatles and I thought I heard some lyrics that seemed to call back to some Beatles’ lyrics.

 

[Scoresman]

Reranking Sia

Prior knowledge
Knew of her work with Zero 7 and vaguely followed her career until Chandelier went nuts.
Apart from the Zero 7 stuff, I have none of her work in my collection.
Will enjoy hearing this stuff as she has an amazing and distinctive voice and makes interesting artistic choices

Thanks @Scoresman for picking her

31- The Bully
An odd vocal. Works ok overall, but not my favourite from her.

30- Sunday
A fun track. Pretty disposable really, but little wrong with it

29- Somersault
Maybe a weaker effort in comparison to the first 2 listed (#31 and #30 by scoresman), but thats not really a criticism.
Has the same elements that makes Trip Hop a great listen. Almost cant go wrong

28- Distractions
A strong vocal and mellow music behind it makes for captivating listening.

27-Speed Dial #2
I dont know how many times I can say it about Zero 7. Mellow, chill and relaxing with the great voice of Sia on top. While they all cant be winners, there arent any losers either

26- Breathe Me
The music behind this is quite strong and powerful. Maybe doesnt work as well as her Zero 7 though for me, but you can see her forming something special with what she wants to do. This is a high quality track and probably finishes top 10 overall

25- Destiny
I have already said a little on this one. Its one of the pillars of Trip Hop and if it doesnt end up as my number 1 for Sia, something pretty awesome is ahead of it.

In conclusion I am enjoying this list a lot so far. I know some of the variety ahead of us and the strong material to come. Looking forward to it. Excellent pick.

Thanks! I think your rankings are spot on!

 

[Scoresman]

Sia - Chrinological #24 - Paranoid Android

scoresman rank #30

The first of a handful of covers I included in my list. I’ll be honest, this made the cut because I wanted to see reactions to it because I still don’t know how much I like it myself. I’m especially curious how a certain member of this group whose username is a Radiohead song thinks of it. I’m waiving the thumper rule here so have at it.

This is a very difficult song to cover. While I think Sia pulls off the haunting voice quality you want in a cover of this song, I’m not a huge fan of the instrumental arrangement that is used. That said I do think she pulls off the range of emotions portrayed in the original song while still making it her own.

 

[kupcho1]

Sia - Chrinological #24 - Paranoid Android

scoresman rank #30

The first of a handful of covers I included in my list. I’ll be honest, this made the cut because I wanted to see reactions to it because I still don’t know how much I like it myself. I’m especially curious how a certain member of this group whose username is a Radiohead song thinks of it. I’m waiving the thumper rule here so have at it.

This is a very difficult song to cover. While I think Sia pulls off the haunting voice quality you want in a cover of this song, I’m not a huge fan of the instrumental arrangement that is used. That said I do think she pulls off the range of emotions portrayed in the original song while still making it her own.

I think the nicest thing I could say about this cover is that it was ill advised. I've liked a lot of the Sia you've put forth. This isn't one of them.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I will be honest, I was scared when I saw the Sia title. I will listen to this playlist tomorrow on my weed run.

 

[Juxtatarot]

I have been enjoying the playlists so far. Of the artists that I didn't know well previously, I've been enjoying John Prine and Nathaniel Rateliff the most although saying that is slighting several.

Some of you may have noticed that I've skipped several rounds for my artist, black midi. I went with the minimum 20 songs. At this point I think I'm doing one every other round until the top 10. I went with the minimum for a couple reasons. First, they are a newer band. Their three albums came out between 2019 and 2022. They have less than 40 songs to their name. Asking you to listen to over half their entire catalog is enough. Second, I thought there was a good chance they would be mostly hated and I didn't want to annoy you all too much.

That said, they are my favorite band of the moment and their last album, Hellfire, might be my favorite album of all time. Time will tell. This might be my only opportunity to force other people to listen to them. I am very pleased that several of you have made positive comments about them -- especially since the songs I have picked so far are IMO average for them. I wasn't expecting that.

 

[snellman]

#24 Sugar Pie Honey Bunch is another remake.

It is from the album Southern Sugar which is more of a hillbilly redneck southern rock. I left off a few songs from this album that I like because I wasn't sure how they would be taken, plus I have to leave some songs off of the top 32. It isn't one of my favorite albums of his, but it does have some good songs with a different sound.

Here are a couple from that album to give you a better idea of the sound:
Podunk
American Rock 'n Roll
Stand The Pain

 

[Yo Mama]

Beastie Boys #24 - Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
Album - Paul's Boutique (1989)

Peacockin'
Ad-Rock: 0, MCA: 0, Mike D: 0, Beastie Boys: 0, Greater NYC: 0

Name Rockin'
Chuck Chillout, Rambo, Bruce Willis, Dave Scilkin, Son of Sam

Rhyme Squawkin'
24 is my age, and 22 is my gauge
I'm writing rhymes on a page, I'm going off in a rage

Yo Mama Talkin'
Yet another style from the Beasties, this time some psychedelic rockish type stuff. Listening to it again, I’m thinking I ranked this too low. So awesome!

Don’t worry, we’ll finally get some serious peacockin’ in the next song. There’s a reason I did that category.

This video is made by stoners and for stoners.

Beastie Boys - Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun

REMASTERED IN HD!Read the story behind the album that redefined the Beastie Boys:https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rediscover-pauls-boutique/Listen to m...

youtu.be

 

[Tau837]

I listened to the #26 playlist.

Excluding my own song, I already knew that I liked these songs:

• Talking Heads - Stay up Late
• Incubus - Talk Shows on Mute

On first listen to this playlist, these were the unfamiliar songs I liked the best:

• Prince - She's Always in My Hair
• Sia - Sunday - should I just write in every Sia song at this point...? this is a true revelation for me so far, unlike anything from previous countdowns
• Kid Rock - Lonely Road of Faith - listened to this a few times and it really grew on me... two KR songs in a row!
• Röyksopp & Alison Goldfrapp - The Night

Another great playlist. I liked a lot of other songs I didn't highlight, they just didn't rise to the same level for me as these.

 

[Tau837]

Mike Shinoda

Just Win Baby

Iridescent - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com

This is a Linkin Park song on their A Thousand Suns album. The album was quite different than the band's previous albums. It was received well critically... here are some critic comments:

Rick Florino of Artistdirect gave the album five stars out of five, saying, "after A Thousand Suns, all rock 'n' roll will revolve around Linkin Park"; he credited Linkin Park with creating their own genre.

Ian Winwood of Kerrang! gave it an "excellent" rating, saying it "can only be best described as a political album". He praised the songwriting, saying, "These are songs that have been constructed as much as they've been written", and that its closest comparison was Public Enemy's 1990 album Fear of a Black Planet.

James Montgomery of MTV called A Thousand Suns a "sprawling, discordant, ambitious and an all-out game changer" and compared it with Radiohead's 2000 album Kid A, but said A Thousand Suns is more optimistic than Kid A.

Jordy Kasko with Review Rinse Repeat gave A Thousand Suns a perfect rating, calling it an "epic quest". He compared it to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and Radiohead's Kid A, saying "A Thousand Suns is an ALBUM. It is not a collection of songs. It is not meant to be listened to as such..."

Christopher Weingarten of The Village Voice praised the album, calling it "2010's best avant-rock nuclear-anxiety concept record", as well as comparing it to Radiohead's OK Computer.

That is pretty high praise IMO.

The song has been described as follows:

The inspiration behind “Iridescent” stems from the band members’ personal experiences. They were going through a challenging time in their lives, and they wanted to create a song that would inspire people to keep going and not give up. The lyrics reflect the idea that even in the darkest moments, there is still hope and a chance for redemption.

The lyrics of “Iridescent” are open to interpretation, but the general idea behind the song is one of hope and resilience. The song is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is still a glimmer of light that can help us find our way forward.

Be inspired!

 

[Yo Mama]

Mike Shinoda

Just Win Baby

Iridescent - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com

This is a Linkin Park song on their A Thousand Suns album. The album was quite different than the band's previous albums. It was received well critically... here are some critic comments:

Rick Florino of Artistdirect gave the album five stars out of five, saying, "after A Thousand Suns, all rock 'n' roll will revolve around Linkin Park"; he credited Linkin Park with creating their own genre.

Ian Winwood of Kerrang! gave it an "excellent" rating, saying it "can only be best described as a political album". He praised the songwriting, saying, "These are songs that have been constructed as much as they've been written", and that its closest comparison was Public Enemy's 1990 album Fear of a Black Planet.

James Montgomery of MTV called A Thousand Suns a "sprawling, discordant, ambitious and an all-out game changer" and compared it with Radiohead's 2000 album Kid A, but said A Thousand Suns is more optimistic than Kid A.

Jordy Kasko with Review Rinse Repeat gave A Thousand Suns a perfect rating, calling it an "epic quest". He compared it to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and Radiohead's Kid A, saying "A Thousand Suns is an ALBUM. It is not a collection of songs. It is not meant to be listened to as such..."

Christopher Weingarten of The Village Voice praised the album, calling it "2010's best avant-rock nuclear-anxiety concept record", as well as comparing it to Radiohead's OK Computer.

That is pretty high praise IMO.

The song has been described as follows:

The inspiration behind “Iridescent” stems from the band members’ personal experiences. They were going through a challenging time in their lives, and they wanted to create a song that would inspire people to keep going and not give up. The lyrics reflect the idea that even in the darkest moments, there is still hope and a chance for redemption.

The lyrics of “Iridescent” are open to interpretation, but the general idea behind the song is one of hope and resilience. The song is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is still a glimmer of light that can help us find our way forward.

Be inspired!

Love this song. It was incredible at the Chester tribute concert - opened up the concert with it and also kicked off the encore section with a reprise of it.

 

[Tau837]

Mike Shinoda

Just Win Baby

Believe Me - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com

This is a Fort Minor song featuring Styles of Beyond and Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill. Shinoda sings and raps in this song.

Mike Shinoda said this about the song:

"Back in like 2003, I think it was, uhm, maybe 2004, we did a tour called Projekt Revolution with Linkin Park. We do this tour every year and it gets bigger and bigger every time we do it, and at one point we had Cypress Hill on tour. And when I watched them play, they had this percussionist, his name is Eric Bobo, he’s the son of Willie Bobo, who’s a famous Latin jazz percussionist. And when I saw him play, I was like, man, you know what, if I ever get the chance to, we are going to get together, and record some music, and so obviously, when I was working on a Fort Minor project, it was a perfect excuse to get together."

Mike describes the song as having "this old school hip-hop foundation, but still feels new." The song features 90's NYC drums, classic rock chord progression, and Latin percussion as well as guest vocals by Styles Of Beyond. Eric Bobo added to the song elements that Mike wanted but couldn't play.

These lyrics seem like they are about moving on from someone who is self-destructive:

I guess that this is where we've come to
If you don't want to, then you don't have to believe me
But I won't be there when you go down
Just so you know now, you're on your own now, believe me

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

#24 -- Prince -- International Lover (from 1999)

In the case of overexcitement
your seat cushion may be used as a floatation device ...

This is the first of three songs that I classify as "5-Star Panty Droppers" in the countdown. Despite the fact that the lyrics are objectively silly. The extended international flight metaphor gets goofier and goofier, as the orchestration becomes more and more over the top. But, IMO, it works. Like all the best Prince panty-droppers, it climaxes with Prince, well, climaxing. He was a lot of things, but subtle was never really one of them.

I'm interesting to see if others find the lyrics so silly as to be off-putting. Or just can't handle the relentless falsetto. It's very much a specific kind of song, but I think it represents Prince is kind of his purest sense. Obsessed with sex. Baroque, over the top, and unrestrained. I love it so.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Sia - Chrinological #24 - Paranoid Android

scoresman rank #30

The first of a handful of covers I included in my list. I’ll be honest, this made the cut because I wanted to see reactions to it because I still don’t know how much I like it myself. I’m especially curious how a certain member of this group whose username is a Radiohead song thinks of it. I’m waiving the thumper rule here so have at it.

This is a very difficult song to cover. While I think Sia pulls off the haunting voice quality you want in a cover of this song, I’m not a huge fan of the instrumental arrangement that is used. That said I do think she pulls off the range of emotions portrayed in the original song while still making it her own.

I think the nicest thing I could say about this cover is that it was ill advised. I've liked a lot of the Sia you've put forth. This isn't one of them.

It was an interesting take, but it leaves out what I find the best part of the song, the chaotic music and screeching guitar.

 

[AAABatteries]

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

AAABatteries

Parlor Parlor Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats · A Little Something More From · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be

I refuse to believe you if you listen to this song and don't either get up and dance, tap your foot or if you are Getz, chair dance.

 

[-OZ-]

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

AAABatteries

Parlor Parlor Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats · A Little Something More From · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be

I refuse to believe you if you listen to this song and don't either get up and dance, tap your foot or if you are Getz, chair dance.

this song has been on my race playlist for a while now.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Round 25

Top 5 Songs "New To Me"

1. City of Roses - Sufjan Stevens
2. Southbound - Thin Lizzy
3. Tremble for My Beloved - Collective Soul
4. Pontius Pilate's Home Movies - The New Pornographers
5. The Alcoholic - Royksopp

Top 5 Songs "Known To Me"

1. The Book I Read - Talking Heads
2. Helpless - CSN&Y
3. Young Americans - David Bowie
4. I'll Be There - Pointer Sisters
5. Mr. Lucky - John Lee Hooker

Other Notes

• This time it was tough to make a Top 5 as well, but for the opposite reason - nothing really jumped out at me this round.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

AAABatteries

Parlor Parlor Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats · A Little Something More From · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be

I refuse to believe you if you listen to this song and don't either get up and dance, tap your foot or if you are Getz, chair dance.

this song has been on my race playlist for a while now.

He's in the Caucasian section of the playlist.

 

[-OZ-]

24 Margaritaville

?

The most widely known of Jimmy’s songs, might suffer a little in my rankings by overuse. It is a great song, probably objectively too low on this list but here it is.

This does start a bit of a run where 7 of the next 8 songs are from his biggest hits.

I don't care that I've heard it 1 million times, I still love it. Puts me in my happy place.

I believe I had it top 5 in the American artists MAD list.

Totally get that, and if I’m ranking “best” or top, it’s in there. But this is favorites which at least for me tends to change often so it was favorites at the time I sent the list.
There’s a fair chance my #1 wouldn’t be on others top 31. But I’ll explain more when it comes up.

 

[AAABatteries]

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

AAABatteries

Parlor Parlor Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats · A Little Something More From · Song · 2016 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be

I refuse to believe you if you listen to this song and don't either get up and dance, tap your foot or if you are Getz, chair dance.

this song has been on my race playlist for a while now.

I too enjoy running to Rateliff’s upbeat songs. Which reminds me, and apologies if I’m repeating myself from a previous write up, but I love both his slow songs and his upbeat songs. I think with his slower stuff he shows his passion and his musical talent but I’d have to say my favorites (which will be shown) are his upbeat songs where his sheer vocal power is on display. Also, it allows the Night Sweats to shine.

 

[falguy]

Finished the 25's last night while soaking in the hot tub. This was a better playlist for my tastes. Also seemed like quite a few shorter length songs . I see it was only 2:30 total which has to be one of the lowest totals we've had.

Anyway,

New songs that I added to my Favorites
The Continental - Prince
The Bully - Sia
With Body and Soul - The Seldom Scene
Oldest Surfer on the Beach - Jimmy doesn't stray much from the formula but it works for me
Down Together - The Refreshments
Feet Don't Fail Me - QotSA
Having a Party - Nathaniel Rateliff
Donald and Lydia - John Prine - it's a waltz, ergo, I have to like it

Known
Young Americans - David Bowie
Your Life is Now - John Mellencamp
Iridescent - Linkin Park - I love many songs off this album. This is one I kind of forgot about.
On Top Of The World - Cheap Trick

Overall a good playlist for me. Looking forward to the 24s and hopefully being caught up when the 23s come out on Saturday

 

[JMLs secret identity]

Röyksopp
24 - I Had This Thing (feat Jamie Irrepressible)

Röyksopp - I Had This Thing

‘I Had This Thing’ is taken from Röyksopp’s latest album 'The Inevitable End’. The track features Jamie Irrepressibles and describes “confusion, pain and rem...

m.youtube.com

Year - 2014
Appears on - The Inevitable End
Vocalist - Jamie Irrepressible
Key Lyric - I'm so confused, I cannot see
This wave of guilt is drowing me
It feels like blood is on my hands
I'd give it all for a second chance

Notes
1- Jamie Irrepressible is a frequent collaborator with Röyksopp. Maybe 10 in total. I do have trouble with his vocals though. They can be quite whiny. Almost every song featuring him is a slog to get through emotionally. This one is good enough to get past the negatives

2- Heres the band talking about choosing collaborators, in particular Jamie
“This bittersweet dancefloor tune is one of four collaborations on The Inevitable End with Jamie Irrepressible of the London, UK art-pop collective The Irrepressibles. The importance of picking the right vocalist for each song is of paramount importance to Royksopp. "We always want to find the right voice matching the specific sentiment of a track," stated Svein Berge. "And the people we've been fortunate enough to work with, are people who not only possess brilliant vocal abilities individually – they also in their own unique way, bring their own universe with them."
"We are inviting them to collide their universe into ours," added Torbjørn Brundtland. "It's not about having a voice for hire. We want the people we work with to feel like they can involve themselves to the fullest – it's about finding the perfect voice for our state of mind."

Running Vocal Count
Röyksopp - 2
Robyn - 1
Gunhild Ramsay Kovacs - 1
Alison Goldfrapp - 1
Jamie Irrepressible - 1
Instrumental - 2

Where to find
Melody A.M - 0
The Understanding - 0
Röyksopp’s Night Out - 1
Back to Mine Series - 0
Junior - 0
Senior - 1
Late Night Tales Series - 0
Do It Again EP - 1
The Inevitable End - 1
Profound Mysteries I - 0
Profound Mysteries II - 0
Profound Mysteries III - 2
Other/Non Album Songs - 2

Year
1999 - 0
2001 - 0
2002 - 1
2005 - 0
2006 - 1
2007 - 0
2008 - 0
2009 - 0
2010 - 1
2013 - 0
2014 - 2
2016 - 1
2022 - 2

Next up another instrumental that the band hid their identity on initially. One of their few numbers not written by themselves.

 

[tuffnutt]

24.
Again Tonight- John Mellencamp
from When Ever we Wanted Album

The 1st of 2 songs from this album to make the list... I must admit when the this album came out my Sr. year of High School my musical tastes had migrated to grunge... so this one wasnt really in my rotation at the time, but "Again Tonight" is still a great pop tune. Not much to say about the song itself, its straightforward, simple, and fun. It was another top 40 hit for John peaking at 36.

 

[scorchy]

Against Me! #24 Walking Is Still Honest

Album: Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!
Year: 2001

Can anybody tell me, why God won't speak to me?
Why Jesus never called on me to part the ####ing seas?
Why death is easier than living?
You can be almost anything
When you're on your ####ng knees
Not today

I screwed up on this one. Though I nominally ranked in order of preference, I did try to intersperse tracks from the various eras/iterations through out, and Walking Is Still Honest ended up lower than it should be.

LJG left home in Naples, FL as an 18-year old HS dropout with a not insignificant criminal record, and headed to the only place in Florida with a legit DIY punk scene - Gainesville. Walking Is Still Honest reflects the disillusionment of living in a crappy crustpunk flophouse, busking on corners, and selling plasma for grocery/drug money. It was first recorded for Against Me!'s debut EP, which sold only 145 copies and is nearly impossible to find. The version from the Spotify playlist was recut for their follow-EP, when the band was still just a purely acoustic two-piece. An electrified third version appears on their debut CD and features the classic four-person Against Me! lineup.

If you can get past the screaming in the verses, the chorus has the kind of hook that foretold LJG's songwriting potential. At least for me, it's that special earworm that sticks in my head for weeks and nails what made the earliest iteration of the band so special.

If a cover sometimes shows the measure of a song, here's a great version by singer/songwriter Jenn Fiorentino: Walking Is Still Honest (acoustic cover)

For a more punk experience, here's an electric live version from 2004: Walking Is Still Honest (Live in DC)

 

[falguy]

Sad but true, just today, while listening to the 24s playlist, I came to the realization that Nick Cave is the artist who does the Peaky Blinders theme. Love that one. Maybe because Stagger Lee sounds a lot like Red Right Hand.

 

[Ilov80s]

Round 25

Top 5 Songs "New To Me"

1. City of Roses - Sufjan Stevens

I am glad you are enjoying the religious banjo playing Midwesterner.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Round 25

Top 5 Songs "New To Me"

1. City of Roses - Sufjan Stevens

I am glad you are enjoying the religious banjo playing Midwesterner.

Yes I really only knew the Illinois album, which I listened to a few times after you took it in the albums decade draft.

 

[KarmaPolice]

CURL OF THE BURL

I am going to color code the songs now. Blue = ones I thought the group as a whole would be able to enjoy for the most part. These were the ones I said might end up on a playlist or two, or workout mix for the non-metal folk. This was a tune off their 5th album, The Hunter. Even though the album name and a song are in memory of Brent's brother who had a heart attack and died while hunting, they got away from the concept album and overall themes on this one. They touch on some things that were going on with the group in their lives, but because of the emotional drain that Crack the Skye and the following tour (Brann now having to answer questions over and over about his sister) this album was more of a scattershot of songs and ideas. It has a lighter tone to it.

Curl is just a groovy straight ahead rocker that I thought paired with stuff like Precious Stones at the beginning of the album. This song is also the best example on the playlist of what I was talking about with Brann having that groovy, heavy John Bonham kick drum in his DNA. I love how the heavy groove mixes with the guitar solo on this one. For the youtubers, I offered up their performance on Letterman of the song. Sounds great and Brent seems to be having fun and hamming it up a bit.

 

[Yo Mama]

CURL OF THE BURL

I am going to color code the songs now. Blue = ones I thought the group as a whole would be able to enjoy for the most part. These were the ones I said might end up on a playlist or two, or workout mix for the non-metal folk. This was a tune off their 5th album, The Hunter. Even though the album name and a song are in memory of Brent's brother who had a heart attack and died while hunting, they got away from the concept album and overall themes on this one. They touch on some things that were going on with the group in their lives, but because of the emotional drain that Crack the Skye and the following tour (Brann now having to answer questions over and over about his sister) this album was more of a scattershot of songs and ideas. It has a lighter tone to it.

Curl is just a groovy straight ahead rocker that I thought paired with stuff like Precious Stones at the beginning of the album. This song is also the best example on the playlist of what I was talking about with Brann having that groovy, heavy John Bonham kick drum in his DNA. I love how the heavy groove mixes with the guitar solo on this one. For the youtubers, I offered up their performance on Letterman of the song. Sounds great and Brent seems to be having fun and hamming it up a bit.

Like the song. Don’t like the font color, which isn’t great with a black background on my phone.

 

[rockaction]

I am going to color code the songs now. Blue = ones I thought the group as a whole would be able to enjoy for the most part. These were the ones I said might end up on a playlist or two, or workout mix for the non-metal folk. This was a tune off their 5th album, The Hunter. Even though the album name and a song are in memory of Brent's brother who had a heart attack and died while hunting, they got away from the concept album and overall themes on this one. They touch on some things that were going on with the group in their lives, but because of the emotional drain that Crack the Skye and the following tour (Brann now having to answer questions over and over about his sister) this album was more of a scattershot of songs and ideas. It has a lighter tone to it.

Curl is just a groovy straight ahead rocker that I thought paired with stuff like Precious Stones at the beginning of the album. This song is also the best example on the playlist of what I was talking about with Brann having that groovy, heavy John Bonham kick drum in his DNA. I love how the heavy groove mixes with the guitar solo on this one. For the youtubers, I offered up their performance on Letterman of the song. Sounds great and Brent seems to be having fun and hamming it up a bit.

Your text is all black and prevents someone with a midnight screen from reading it.

 

[KarmaPolice]

CURL OF THE BURL

I am going to color code the songs now. Blue = ones I thought the group as a whole would be able to enjoy for the most part. These were the ones I said might end up on a playlist or two, or workout mix for the non-metal folk. This was a tune off their 5th album, The Hunter. Even though the album name and a song are in memory of Brent's brother who had a heart attack and died while hunting, they got away from the concept album and overall themes on this one. They touch on some things that were going on with the group in their lives, but because of the emotional drain that Crack the Skye and the following tour (Brann now having to answer questions over and over about his sister) this album was more of a scattershot of songs and ideas. It has a lighter tone to it.

Curl is just a groovy straight ahead rocker that I thought paired with stuff like Precious Stones at the beginning of the album. This song is also the best example on the playlist of what I was talking about with Brann having that groovy, heavy John Bonham kick drum in his DNA. I love how the heavy groove mixes with the guitar solo on this one. For the youtubers, I offered up their performance on Letterman of the song. Sounds great and Brent seems to be having fun and hamming it up a bit.

Like the song. Don’t like the font color, which isn’t great with a black background on my phone.

I was thinking Blue, Purple, Red but didn't see a decent dark blue option.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Dammit, I tried.

 

[Yo Mama]

I am going to color code the songs now. Blue = ones I thought the group as a whole would be able to enjoy for the most part. These were the ones I said might end up on a playlist or two, or workout mix for the non-metal folk. This was a tune off their 5th album, The Hunter. Even though the album name and a song are in memory of Brent's brother who had a heart attack and died while hunting, they got away from the concept album and overall themes on this one. They touch on some things that were going on with the group in their lives, but because of the emotional drain that Crack the Skye and the following tour (Brann now having to answer questions over and over about his sister) this album was more of a scattershot of songs and ideas. It has a lighter tone to it.

Curl is just a groovy straight ahead rocker that I thought paired with stuff like Precious Stones at the beginning of the album. This song is also the best example on the playlist of what I was talking about with Brann having that groovy, heavy John Bonham kick drum in his DNA. I love how the heavy groove mixes with the guitar solo on this one. For the youtubers, I offered up their performance on Letterman of the song. Sounds great and Brent seems to be having fun and hamming it up a bit.

Your text is all black and prevents someone with a midnight screen from reading it.

DARK WEB!!!

 

[Yo Mama]

@rockaction is a doody head

 

[Ilov80s]

I still think my favorite bit of lyrics so far are from Silver Jews

You're trapped, what can you do?
You got Tennessee tendencies
And chemical dependencies
You make the same old jokes
And malaprops on cue

 

[Mt. Man]

Selected favorites from the #24s. Lots of good songs throughout this round. It was definitely hard to slim things down this time around. Back to shuffled order for this one. We’ll see about the 23s since Saturday will be a decently packed day.
–
Familiar songs:
Again Tonight - John Mellencamp
Secret World - Tears for Fears
Stone Cold - Rainbow
Pardon Me - Incubus
You Know My Name - Chris Cornell

New discoveries:
Heirloom - Sufjan Stevens
Dreamthieves - Kim Mitchell (and friends)
Believe Me - Fort Minor/Mike Shinoda
Underwater Love - Faith No More
S#it Shots Count - Drive-By Truckers

Note of possible interest:
If I don’t mention CSNY for a while, it’s because I’m trying to show other folks love. Other big hits for me so far have been Sia (who I know a few songs from, but not much that’s come up yet), Nathaniel Rateliff (totally new to me) and The New Pornographers (who Neko Case has sort of had to share love with). At least one of these wasn’t mentioned above because I ended up putting them here instead.

 

[Ilov80s]

When your heirloom's wilted brown
When the devil's pushing down
When your mourning has a sound
And you hesitate to laugh
How quickly will your joy pass

Sufjan has some bars too....they are just usually sad bars lol

 

[Eephus]

I've probably averaged about two hours each shuffling through #28, #26, #25 & #24. There are definitely some weird segues; it's hard to top Tchaikovsky to Kid Rock.

I'm just walking the dog and listening uncritically so I don't have any favorites to post. The Incubus songs I've heard have been more varied and interesting than I expected. Enjoying the deep cuts from the Jam and Faith No More. I've never really listened much to Sufjan Stevens and Roger Clyne's and David Berman's bands so I've been enjoying those too.

The one song that prompted me to listen to the whole album was "Going Down Slowly" by The Pointer Sisters. I'd never listened to Steppin' before. About two-thirds of it was terrific Funk jams with a few schmaltzy ballads thrown in to interrupt the groove.