SIDE A | by Adam Magerman
1. Yo La Tengo | Autumn Sweater
Sweet and sophmoric. Reminds me of high school.
2. Smog | A Hit
Like a lot of bands, Smog wrote a song about how much he sucks. A Hit is so good because it carries an attitude of disinterest. The music drags almost lazily as Bill Callahan sings about his shortcomings. He doesn't really even say he sucks, just that he'll never be a rock n' roll saint. Like he'll never be on a poster with Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Maybe he's right, but the song is still amazing.
3. Portishead | Mourning Light
This song is like a climax. The music builds and builds and...I'm reaching out in this mourning light.
4. Ol' Dirty Bastard | Hippa To Da Hoppa
Return To The 36 Chambers is the most fun I have listening to music.
5. Quasimoto | Real Eyes
In high school my friend's Dad gave him a VHS of Fantastic Planet, an old french film from the 70s. We used to get high and watch this on rotation. The animation is bizarre, and the music is absolutely beautiful. A year or two later I got my hands on Quasimoto's The Unseen, and found that they had sampled a few of the tracks from the film. In Real Eyes, Madlib samples a flute part from the film.
6. The Dismemberment Plan | That's When The Party Started
I heard Travis Morrison quit music. That sucks.
7. Beck | Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs
Nobody sings the blues like Beck.
8. Cat Power | Bathysphere
Her voice and guitar follow tension so well, like a manic episode. The harshness of the acoustic guitar, and her screeching vocals drive the energy in and out. Plus, that chorus drives me NUTS!
9. R.E.M. | Turn Your Inside Out
My papa used to play Green for me all the time when I was growing up. Not many people have mastered their own voice like Michael Stipe, and this song certainly highlights that ability.
10. King Crimson | I Talk To The Wind
One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Michael Giles is my favorite drummer, and he is perfect on this song, playing off of Ian McDonald's flute solos so well. This whole album is a masterpiece.
1. DMX | How's It Goin' Down
I was so into this song when it came out, it's got that laid back feel me flow style hip hop vibe, but then DMX is like get at me dawg growling all over this thing.
2. Bruce Springsteen | Jungleland
Whenever I would listen to this song in the car with my dad he would always bring up memories he had with all of the things Bruce was mentioning in the song. Like when Bruce sang they'll meet 'neath that giant Exxon sign that brings this fair city light my dad would be like that fucking sign was huge, you could see the fucking light from that thing ten miles away. I'm pretty sure every kid who grew up in New Jersey has the same memories with their dad. It's weird.
3. Polaris | Hey Sandy
The them song from one of my favorite shows: The Adventures Of Pete And Pete. All of the songs in the show were done by this like kind of gypsy looking indie band. They rocked, I found the soundtrack somewhere when I was like a freshman in high school. I still listen to it. This was probably my introduction to indie rock.
4. The Smashing Pumpkins | We Only Come Out At Night
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness blew my young mind. When it came out MTV was playing Tonight, Tonight on a continuous loop, I hated that song at the time, I like it a little bit now. This song is still my favorite on the album. It's scary and really pretty at the same time with the harp and all. The beat sounds like a slowed down Suicide drum track.
5. Black Sabbath | Hand Of Doom
One of my favorite build-ups in music. If your too impatient to wait for the slaying, just fast forward to about 2:05 and prepare for Ozzy to take your soul.
6. Ricky Nelson | Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
The guitar in this song is totally twisted. For some reason I think this version of this song was totally ahead of its time. I'm probably totally off base. There are about a million versions of this song, this is the best...Hands down.
7. Destroyer | This Night
Dan Bejar is on another planet. There was a time a few years ago when I only listened to Destroyer. My life was awesome.
8. Squeeze | Up The Junction
I love happy songs with sad lyrics. No hook, just a story in three parts. When I first found this song I listened to it about 100 times in a row.
9. Jeff Buckley | Lover You Should Have Come Over
You have to be in a pretty dark/fucked up place to write a song this sad. I always appreciate that in music. People always assume it's easier to write songs when you can't bare to get out of bed, they are totally wrong.
10. The Ronettes | Be My Baby
Girl groups make me feel great, and usually bring the best out of me.
1. Yo La Tengo | Autumn Sweater
Sweet and sophmoric. Reminds me of high school.
2. Smog | A Hit
Like a lot of bands, Smog wrote a song about how much he sucks. A Hit is so good because it carries an attitude of disinterest. The music drags almost lazily as Bill Callahan sings about his shortcomings. He doesn't really even say he sucks, just that he'll never be a rock n' roll saint. Like he'll never be on a poster with Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Maybe he's right, but the song is still amazing.
3. Portishead | Mourning Light
This song is like a climax. The music builds and builds and...I'm reaching out in this mourning light.
4. Ol' Dirty Bastard | Hippa To Da Hoppa
Return To The 36 Chambers is the most fun I have listening to music.
5. Quasimoto | Real Eyes
In high school my friend's Dad gave him a VHS of Fantastic Planet, an old french film from the 70s. We used to get high and watch this on rotation. The animation is bizarre, and the music is absolutely beautiful. A year or two later I got my hands on Quasimoto's The Unseen, and found that they had sampled a few of the tracks from the film. In Real Eyes, Madlib samples a flute part from the film.
6. The Dismemberment Plan | That's When The Party Started
I heard Travis Morrison quit music. That sucks.
7. Beck | Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs
Nobody sings the blues like Beck.
8. Cat Power | Bathysphere
Her voice and guitar follow tension so well, like a manic episode. The harshness of the acoustic guitar, and her screeching vocals drive the energy in and out. Plus, that chorus drives me NUTS!
9. R.E.M. | Turn Your Inside Out
My papa used to play Green for me all the time when I was growing up. Not many people have mastered their own voice like Michael Stipe, and this song certainly highlights that ability.
10. King Crimson | I Talk To The Wind
One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Michael Giles is my favorite drummer, and he is perfect on this song, playing off of Ian McDonald's flute solos so well. This whole album is a masterpiece.
SIDE B | by Dan Svizeny
1. DMX | How's It Goin' Down
I was so into this song when it came out, it's got that laid back feel me flow style hip hop vibe, but then DMX is like get at me dawg growling all over this thing.
2. Bruce Springsteen | Jungleland
Whenever I would listen to this song in the car with my dad he would always bring up memories he had with all of the things Bruce was mentioning in the song. Like when Bruce sang they'll meet 'neath that giant Exxon sign that brings this fair city light my dad would be like that fucking sign was huge, you could see the fucking light from that thing ten miles away. I'm pretty sure every kid who grew up in New Jersey has the same memories with their dad. It's weird.
3. Polaris | Hey Sandy
The them song from one of my favorite shows: The Adventures Of Pete And Pete. All of the songs in the show were done by this like kind of gypsy looking indie band. They rocked, I found the soundtrack somewhere when I was like a freshman in high school. I still listen to it. This was probably my introduction to indie rock.
4. The Smashing Pumpkins | We Only Come Out At Night
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness blew my young mind. When it came out MTV was playing Tonight, Tonight on a continuous loop, I hated that song at the time, I like it a little bit now. This song is still my favorite on the album. It's scary and really pretty at the same time with the harp and all. The beat sounds like a slowed down Suicide drum track.
5. Black Sabbath | Hand Of Doom
One of my favorite build-ups in music. If your too impatient to wait for the slaying, just fast forward to about 2:05 and prepare for Ozzy to take your soul.
6. Ricky Nelson | Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
The guitar in this song is totally twisted. For some reason I think this version of this song was totally ahead of its time. I'm probably totally off base. There are about a million versions of this song, this is the best...Hands down.
7. Destroyer | This Night
Dan Bejar is on another planet. There was a time a few years ago when I only listened to Destroyer. My life was awesome.
8. Squeeze | Up The Junction
I love happy songs with sad lyrics. No hook, just a story in three parts. When I first found this song I listened to it about 100 times in a row.
9. Jeff Buckley | Lover You Should Have Come Over
You have to be in a pretty dark/fucked up place to write a song this sad. I always appreciate that in music. People always assume it's easier to write songs when you can't bare to get out of bed, they are totally wrong.
10. The Ronettes | Be My Baby
Girl groups make me feel great, and usually bring the best out of me.
