WARMER MIXTAPES #212 | by Justin Enoch [Audience] of Since 1902
I couldn’t possibly fit all the songs that I wanted on this list. By the time I narrowed the songs down, I still had 50! Here’s my best try at my top songs.
1. Annuals | Dry Clothes
There’s so much to say about this song. So I’m only going to say a little bit to save you from the blabbering. Annuals are probably the most influential band that I’ve ever listened to. In fact, every song I’ve written since listening to Annuals has in some way been influence by them.
2. Broken Social Scene | Our Faces Split The Coast In Half
So music is this stimulus for your brain. You tie events to music. No song helps me conjure up great memories more than this song. I listened to this on the train from Tokyo to Kyoto and it takes me back to that place every time the opening guitar note is strum. Could there be a more beautifully produced song than this? I still haven’t found one.
3. XTC | Garden Of Earthly Delights/Snowman
This is most definitely cheating. It’s was so hard to pick one XTC song so I put two! Andy Partridge is a genius and XTC is easily my favorite band of all time. Garden Of Earthly Delights is raucous, wild, and absolutely amazing.
4. Nine Inch Nails | Demon Seed
For a while there I’m pretty sure I wanted to be Trent Reznor. I think one of the reasons was how distinct Nine Inch Nail’s sound was. Every drum machine layer, every blip and bloop, every scream and snarl, is purely Trent Reznor. It helps that this song is awesome.
5. Radiohead | Fog
Probably the most beautiful Radiohead song ever recorded. That’s saying a lot for the band that made Kid A.
6. Patrick Watson | Day Dreamer
He’s got such a good voiceeee! His production is immaculate and all the electronic flourishes throughout this song still confound me. Close To Paradise is definitely one of my favorite albums ever.
7. Sufjan Stevens | Decatur/Year Of The Ox
I think Sufjan Stevens and his band making a human pyramid during on of their shows really solidified Sufjan’s stature as one of the best artists of all time. Decatur has such great harmonies and compiles everything I love about Sufjan in one song. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to rip off Year Of The Ox. He really established his own electronic sound on Enjoy Your Rabbit.
8. Paul Simon | Graceland
What can you say about Graceland? It’s perfect in every single way. This reminds me of driving up the New England coast with the top down.
9. Neil Finn | Addicted/Elastic Heart
Neil Finn really is a god of fantastic songwriting. He’s got a great voice, awesome lyrics, creative arrangements, and two of my favorite albums of the 2000’s.
10. Yo La Tengo | Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
The first band I saw live was Yo La Tengo, they’re some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Georgia’s voice is perfect in this song. I especially love the down-tempo chill vibe of this. It’s about as close as you can get to a perfect song
+11. Badly Drawn Boy | Silent Sigh
This is such a good melodic song. Badly Drawn Boy is such a creative mastermind. I just recently relistened to The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast and it’s still as fresh as ever.
+12. What Laura Says | Lambhair McDaniel/Garden Of Wonders
What Laura Says are hands down the best band of this year. They came through St. Louis and absolutely rocked my ears.
+13. Flying Lotus | Zodiac Shit/Galaxy In Janaki
Flyo’s Cosmogramma is the best album of the year. It’s as simple as that. It’s unfair to call what he does music. It’s definitely a whole experience every time I listen to it. Flyo is on his own plane of music.
