Saturday, December 13, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By TV On the Radio

It's December, which means it's time for the onslaught of best of lists.  They've been pouring on hot and heavy over the past few days.  I will get to my annual best of list this week...including my massive 111 best of list with help from all you pretty people.  But I like to wait a couple weeks and scour other "best of" lists in case there's an album out there I've missed.  You never know...the new Smashing Pumpkins and Charli XCX are supposedly pretty epic.  Here's the last of my catch-up list My first introduction to TV on The Radio was on a bachelor party trip about 10 years ago.  Strangely, that marriage is over but TVOTR is still rocking stronger than ever.  When I first heard the feedback-laden caterwaul that would become TVOTR's staple sound it made my skin crawl in the way a trailer for an exciting new movie can give you a rush.  (think the Millenium Falcon racing onto the screen in the new Star wars trailer)  Sadly, I was the only one on the trip who loved what we were listening to.  After three songs from Desparate Youth, the guys in the car voted to remove the CD and move onto something more palpable like...Dave Matthews (yes, it was hell).  All I wanted to do was get home so I could listen to the album...but I was stuck at the bachelor party enduring fancy dinners, drinking, and strip clubs.  Even though Tom Petty may disagree, the waiting isn't always the hardest part. Here are the 11 Best Songs By TV On The Radio:
  1. Dancing Choose (Dear Science)
  2. Wolf Like Me (Return To Cookie Mountain)
  3. Staring at the Sun (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)
  4. Crying (Dear Science)
  5. Second Song (Nine Types of Light)
  6. Dreams (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)
  7. DLZ (Dear Science)
  8. Hours (Return To Cookie Mountain)
  9. No Future Shock (Nine Types of Light)
  10. Halfway Home (Dear Science)
  11. Don't Love You (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)
Buy TV On The Radio's new album, Seeds!!! Buy this book or everyone you know will die. Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring TV On The Radio)

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

The 111 Best Songs By The Smashing Pumpkins

Twenty-five years down the road, the Pumpkins continue to kick ass. Here are the 111 Best Smashing Pumpkins Songs:
  1. Starla (Pisces Iscariot)
  2. Disarm (Siamese Dream)
  3. Rhinoceros (Gish)
  4. Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  5. I Am One (Gish)
  6. Porecelina of the Vast Oceans (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  7. Quiet (Siamese Dream)
  8. Siva (Gish)
  9. Drown (Singles)
  10. Mayonaise (Siamese Dream)
  11. Thru the Eyes of Ruby (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  12. Tarantula (Zeitgeist)
  13. Stand Inside Your Love (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  14. Tonight, Tonight (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  15. Song For A Son (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  16. Perfect (Adore)
  17. An Ode to No One (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  18. Tristessa (Gish)
  19. Rocket (Siamese Dream)
  20. Love (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  21. I Of The Mourning (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  22. Bury Me (Gish)
  23. Ava Adore (Adore)
  24. The Everlasting Gaze (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  25. Slunk (Lull)
  26. Today (Siamese Dream)
  27. Raindrops + Sunshowers (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  28. Soma (Siamese Dream)
  29. Galapagos (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  30. That's The Way (Zeitgeist)
  31. Aeroplane Flies High Turns Left Looks Right (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  32. Muzzle (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  33. Once In Awhile (Ava Adore)
  34. ...Said Sadly (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  35. Bodies (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  36. 1979 (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  37. Waiting (Greatest Hits)
  38. Cherub Rock (Siamese Dream)
  39. Appels + Oranjes (Adore)
  40. The End Is The Beginning Is the End (Batman and Robin)
  41. Here Is No Why (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  42. Hello Kitty Kat (Pisces Iscariot)
  43. Freak (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  44. Dross (Machina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music)
  45. Zero (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  46. Wound (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  47. Mouths of Babes (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  48. Never Let Me Down Again (For the Masses)
  49. Snail (Gish)
  50. Age of Innocence (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  51. Apathy's Last Kiss (Still Becoming Apart)
  52. Widow Make My Mind (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  53. Lightning Strikes (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  54. Daphne Descends (Adore)
  55. Geek USA (Siamese Dream)
  56. Pissant (Pisces Iscariot)
  57. 7 Shades of Black (Zeitgeist)
  58. The Fellowship (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  59. Marquis in Spades (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  60. Eye (Still Becoming Apart)
  61. Landslide (Pisces Iscariot)
  62. Glynis (No Alternative)
  63. Tom Tom (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  64. A Night Like This (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  65. Jennifer Ever (The Smashing Pumpkins)
  66. Untitled (Greatest Hits)
  67. By June (Lull)
  68. A Stitch in Time (Teargarden By Kaleidyscope)
  69. Try, Try, Try (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  70. God (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  71. In The Arms of Sleep (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  72. The Celestials (Oceania)
  73. The Imploding Voice (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  74. Violet Rays (Oceania)
  75. Doomsday Clock (Zeitgeist)
  76. The Tale of Dusty and Pistol Pete (Adore)
  77. This Time (MACHINA/The Machine Of God)
  78. Pug (Adore)
  79. Siamese Dream (Siamese Dream Deluxe Edition)
  80. You're All I've Got Tonight (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  81. One Diamond, One Heart (Oceania)
  82. Frail and Bedazzled (Pisces Iscariot)
  83. There It Goes (Pisces Iscariot Deluxe)
  84. Dancing In The Moonlight (Disarm)
  85. Do You Close Your Eyes When You Kiss Me? (Adore Deluxe Edition)
  86. Crush (Gish)
  87. Thirty-Three (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  88. The Boy (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  89. My Dahlia (Light Into Dark)
  90. Farewell and Goodnight (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  91. The Chimera (Oceania)
  92. Nothing And Everything (The Smashing Pumpkins)
  93. Come On Let's Go (Zeitgeist)
  94. Let Me Give The World To You (Machina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music)
  95. Pox (American Gothic)
  96. By Starlight (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  97. Speed Kills (Machina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music)
  98. The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning (Batman and Robin)
  99. Oceania (Oceania)
  100. Cash Car Star (Machina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music)
  101. Speed (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Deluxe Edition)
  102. Hummer (Siamese Dream)
  103. Ugly (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  104. Dreaming (The Aeroplane Flies High)
  105. Bleeding The Orchid (Zeitgeist)
  106. Jackie Blue (20 Dynamic Super Smash Hit)
  107. To Forgive (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
  108. For Martha (Adore)
  109. Smiley (Peel Sessions)
  110. Not Worth Asking (I Am One)
  111. Behold! The Night Mare (Adore)
Buy Smashing Pumpkins new album,  Monuments To An Elegy...now!    

Friday, December 05, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By David Guetta

This evening my kids attended a dance party at their elementary school.  When you're dealing with kids from as little as five up to the age of eleven, you want to be sure the music is as PG-rated as possible.  I was blown away by the DJs and their lack of discretion in the music.  It's not the bad language that bothered me as much as the content. I'd rather my kids hear Eddie Vedder grumble a "harmless little fuck" than have them listen to "Blurred Lines."  But the content wasn't a total back breaker as much as the lack of content was disappointing.  Most of their selection was very narrow.  A majority of the music fell purely in the rap sector and primarily focused on crunk.  It's fine for a few songs but  when 4 out of 5 songs is the same narrow genre, it feels lazy.  The most variety was a Meghan Trainer or Taylor Swift song.  They played one Michael Jackson song which was the highlight of the night.  It made me realize how difficult (and it's shocking to say this) being a good DJ is.  A great DJ can mix rap, pop, rock, and even country.  A DJ who knows what their doing can mix Lil Wayne and Nirvana.  A DJ is supposed to appeal to everyone in the crowd, even the back row.  About half way through the dance, people started leaving.  Part of it was bedtimes, the other part was a boredom in the music. That's the opposite of what a good DJ should do.  So tonight, go out, dance, and if there's a good DJ playing, give them a big hug. Here are the 11 Best Songs By David Guetta:
  1. Titanium (Nothing But The Beat)
  2. She Wolf (Nothing But The Beat)
  3. Baby When The Light (Pop Life)
  4. Every Chance We Get We Run (Nothing But The Beat 2.0)
  5. One Love (One Love)
  6. Turn Me On (Nothing But The Beat)
  7. Always (Pop Life)
  8. Love Don't Let Me Go (Just A Little More Love)
  9. In Love With Myself (Guetta Blaster)
  10. When Love Takes Over (One Love)
  11. Who's That Chick? (One More Love)
Buy David Guetta's new album, Listen, now!!!  

Thursday, December 04, 2014

The 11 Best B-Sides By Soundgarden

A couple weeks ago, I did a comprehensive break down of Wilco's b-side collection and what were the best tracks from the package.  Like Wilco, Soundgarden has released a collection pulling all their b-side and rare tracks from their epic career.  Also like Wilco, 90% of these tracks were all  previously released and have been readily available on CD singles, soundtracks, and compilations. So here's a look at the best of the extra songs that Soundgarden has to offer that never made it to a proper album. Here are the 11 Best B-Sides By Soundgarden:
  1. Birth Ritual (Singles)
  2. Bleed Together (Burden In My Hand)
  3. Cold Bitch (Spoonman)
  4. Into The Void (Somms)
  5. Heretic (Louder Than Love)
  6. She Likes Surprises (International Track)
  7. Fresh Deadly Flowers (Loud Love)
  8. Kyle Petty, Son Of Richard (Fell On Black Days)
  9. Girl U Want (Somms)
  10. Karaoke (Burden In My Hand)
  11. I Don't Care About You (Outshined)
Buy Soundgarden's new B-Sides album, Echo of Miles...now!!!    

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

The Best Thanksgiving Songs 2014

In making the perfect Thanksgiving holiday mix, I have realized one very important thing:  there are no Thanksgiving songs.  How is it possible in the most capitalistic country in the world that the mass marketing propaganda machine never exploited the Thanksgiving holiday (which is America's own unique holiday) with tunes to celebrate the day?  There are more songs celebrating Festivus (which is a fictional holiday created by George Costanza) than there are songs about Thanksgiving.  Today, that changes. Websites have attempted to make Thanksgiving playlists in the past,  but there are always glaring issues with them.  Because of the lack of overt Thanksgiving songs, songs that potentially encompass the Thanksgiving theme are selected even though they have nothing to do with the mood or feeling of this day.  Playlists tend to pick songs with Thanksgiving food in the title but songs like Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato" is not about the dinner staple but about a dance.  Ray Charles' "Sweet Potato Pie" is about a girl not a dessert.  Also, just because a song has "Thanks" or "thank you" in the title doesn't instantly make it Thanksgiving worthy.  Andrew Gold's "Thank You for Being a Friend" or Dido's "Thank You" are nice gratious songs but only borderline set the right mood.  Or even Drive-By Truckers "Thanksgiving Filter" is dead-on accurate but not appropriate for a family setting. Some songs have major religious themes but ultimately Thanksgiving isn't a religious holiday.  Too many of them feel out of place.  And lastly, some of the Thanksgiving-esque songs just plain suck. So I have challenged myself to make the best Thanksgiving playlist ever.  In making the list, I wanted to encompass what is truly at the core of the holiday.  Having gratitude is a major component, but I believe more than anything, Thanksgiving is about family.  Thanksgiving is about bringing together the family and celebrating our differences as much as our simularities.  And being thankful for having them in our lives. I have scoured the internet and my personal library to create a playlist that is as ecclectic as a Thanksgiving meal and as diverse as the dinner guests. Enjoy and have a happy Thanksgiving. Here are the songs from the list and enjoy the mix below:
  1. Thanksgiving Theme - Vince Guarandi Trio
  2. Let's Turkey Trot - Little Eva
  3. Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
  4. Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie - Jay & The Techniques
  5. Tday - Jo D. Jonz
  6. I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For - Bing Crosby
  7. Home - Jack Johnson
  8. Kind & Generous - Natalie Merchant
  9. Be Thankful - Natalie Cole
  10. Family Time - Ziggy Marley
  11. Family Man - Fleetwood Mac
  12. Family Tree - Gerry Rafferty
  13. Thanksgiving Song - Mary Chapin Carpenter
  14. Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
  15. Thank You Too! - My Morning Jacket
  16. Family Reunion - The O'Jays
  17. Thanksgiving Prayer - Johnny Cash
  18. Nothing Beats A Family - Ricky Skaggs
  19. Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
  20. Thanksgiving - George Winston
  21. The Thanksgiving Song - Adam Sandler
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving song?  

Monday, November 24, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By Fugazi

$5 concert tickets. $10 CDs. No t-shirts. Fugazi was/is/will be an anti-band.  They sold tickets because they needed to.  They charged for CDs because they needed to.  And since they didn't need t-shirts...they didn't sell them.  They didn't sell hats, keychains, posters or even action figures!  I know, right?  To be honest, I never thought I'd do a Fugazi or a Pink Floyd list because of a new release.  Over the past month, I get to do both.  No, this is not a new album, but a reissue of the band's first demo.  Close enough. Here are the 11 Best Songs By Fugazi:
  1. Merchandise (Repeater)
  2. Waiting Room (Fugazi)
  3. Public Witness Program (In On the Kill Taker)
  4. Epic Problem (The Arguement)
  5. Repeater (Repeater)
  6. Five Corporations (End Hits)
  7. Song #1 (3 Songs)
  8. KYEO (Steady Diet of Nothing)
  9. Bad Mouth (Fugazi)
  10. Bed For The Scraping (Red Medicine)
  11. Suggestion (Fugazi)
Buy Fugazi's new album, First Demo...now!!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

The 11 Best Rare Tracks By Wilco

One of the original points of this blog was to do a retrospective of a band leading up to their most recent release.  Only on a rare occassion would I include a new song, but mostly it was a guide to a band's material up until this point.  The only time, I side-stepped that rule was when a band would release their own retrospective.  Material on my list would naturally cross over with the tracklist of the release.  This is especially true in the case of Wilco.  Having heard 95% of these songs over the past two decades, there's nothing new to report except to chronicle the contents.  The retrospective is the retrospective.  A few songs didn't make it onto Wilco's 77-track rare songs LP but for the most part, this set is as exhaustive as they come. Here are the 11 Best Rare Tracks By Wilco:
  1. Promising (Chelsea Walls Soundtrak)
  2. Glad It's Over (Heroes Soundtrack)
  3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Me, Myself, & Irene Soundtrack)
  4. Panthers (A Ghost Is Born Deluxe Edition)
  5. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Bonus CD)
  6. One Hundred Years From Now (Return of the Grievous Angel)
  7. Blasting Fonda (Outtasite)
  8. Thirteen (Big Star, Small World)
  9. True Love Will Find You In The End (Daniel Johnston Tribute)
  10. Message From Mid-Bar (The Whole Love Bonus EP)
  11. A Magazine Called Sunset (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Bonus CD)
Buy Wilco's new Rare Tracks Set, Alpha Mike Foxtrot...now!     Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Wilco)

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By The Buzzcocks of the 70s

The punk scene in England lasted for three years...tops.  From 1977-1979 this pocket of chaotic, fuel-filled, dynamic, rebellious bands screamed their hearts out.  While most bands or scenes go on way too long, not only did the punk scene disolve before it became stale, it did the most punk thing of all time...it ended before it peaked.  It's almost poetic that many of these punk pioneers have reformed decades after their prime to further their music career.  Had they stayed together, they could have conquered the world in the same fashion grunge would do 11 years down the road.  They walked away from it all, from the fame, the pop stardom, and the riches.  Not only did they do it with royal nose up at the establishment, they did it knowing they could have had it all.  By returning later in life, missing their most lucrative years for music making, it's their way of saying they never needed the mainstream in the first place.  It was never about making money, it was about making music the mainstream didn't want but needed.  There's nothing more punk than that. Here are 11 Best Songs By The Buzzcocks of the 70s:
  1. Ever Fallen In Love? (Love Bites)
  2. I Don't Mind (Another Music In A Different Kitchen)
  3. Autonomy (Another Music In A Different Kitchen)
  4. Sixteen Again (Love Bites)
  5. Harmony In My Head (Harmony In My Head)
  6. Nostalgia (Love Bites)
  7. Breakdown (Spiral Scratch)
  8. Fiction Romance (Another Music In A Different Kitchen)
  9. You Know You Can't Help It (A Different Kind of Tension)
  10. Fast Cars (Another Music In A Different Kitchen)
  11. Promises (Twice Bitten)
Buy The Buzzcocks' new album, The Way now!!!    

Friday, November 14, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl is a fighter.  He's not just a great drummer, singer, guitar player, director, or producer...he's an innovator. He challenges what is expected of himself, what his fans want from him, and what he's capable of doing.  By creating the Foo's new album through an HBO documentary in multiple cities with a guest list that any band would beg to have, he's changed the landscape of who the Foo Fighters are.  From an offshoot of Nirvana, the Foos have become their own entity.  They are today's gold standard of rock bands.  In taking on a new endeavor, recording in a new way, always runs the risk of failure.  The Foos know this...but they put themselves out there anyway.  They deserve respect for taking a chance. This is why I am blown away by Taylor Hawkins recent comments about U2 adding their music to everyone's itunes library.  He claimed it was Orwellian.  It's not.  And he obviously didn't read 1984 to know that he's misuing the word Orwellian.  U2 didn't giving away their album for free on your itunes is no different than CBS broadcasting the Big Bang Theory on your television.  You don't like it?   Don't watch, don't listen. The irony here is that it was the Foo Fighters' album, "In Your Honor," that automatically and illegally installed spyware onto your hard drive when you put the compact disc in your computer.  I wonder if there's a word that would describe that type action, when a corporation secretly spies on its customers.  It's a good book Taylor, you should read it. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters:
  1. Everlong (The Colour & The Shape)
  2. The Pretender (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace)
  3. I'll Stick Around (Foo Fighters)
  4. Walk (Wasting Light)
  5. Learn To Fly (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
  6. Come Back (One By One)
  7. Alone + Easy Target (Foo Fighters)
  8. Breakout (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
  9. Low (One By One)
  10. Dear Rosemary (Wasting Light)
  11. Good Grief (Foo Fighters)
Buy Foo Fighter's new album, Sonic Highways...now!     Buy this book or everyone you know will die. Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Foo Fighters)

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By Pink Floyd

I never thought I'd do a Pink Floyd list for a new release.  Maybe there was a box set coming out yet again...or another remastered deluxe special expanded edition.  Maybe.  But new material...I had given up on that fantasy.  Today...20 years since their last release, a new Pink Floyd album is here.  I know, it's not technically a new release.  It's leftover material from the Division Bell session, reworked into an instrumental tribute to late keyboardist Richard Wright.  No, it's not Dark Side of the Moon...but then again...DSOTM is considered one of the greatest albums of all time in any genre.  Expecting the band at 70-years-old to match a one in a million anomaly is foolish.  Expecting the band to do justice to their later work is honorable.  The album is just that, a touching end to a gallant career.  The Endless River sounds like a film score, floating in at the end of a movie as the credits scroll across the screen.  We expect bands to end their careers with the same bang in which they arrived.  The problem with that is our expectations are flawed.  The band will choose to end their career they way the want to end it and not the way the fans deem.  The band is great not in spite of their flaws but because of them.  The Endless River is who the band at this moment time and we should appreciate they are still around to enrich us one more time with their music. Here are the 11 Best Songs By Pink Floyd:
  1. Comfortably Numb (The Wall)
  2. Wish You Were Here (Wish You Were Here)
  3. Dogs (Animals)
  4. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 (The Wall)
  5. Brain Damage (Dark Side Of The Moon)
  6. Us and Them (Dark Side Of The Moon)
  7. Childhood's End (Obscured By Clouds)
  8. Echoes (Meddle)
  9. Have A Cigar (Wish You Were Here)
  10. Green Is The Colour (More)
  11. Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-IV (Wish You Were Here)
Buy Pink Floyd's new album, The Endless River...now!    

Saturday, November 08, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By Calvin Harris

Harris' debut album had more in common with James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem than the Electric Daisy Carnival behemoth he is today.  Harris' ascension to the dance world titan has been a rocket launched at top speed with one guest spot by Rihanna.  Harris' rise from underground EDM artist to the top of the pop charts is indicative of electronic music.  Like alternative rock, that fostered in the club scenes for decades until it dominated the airwaves, EDM now has its time in the sun.  But like all musical trends, it's only temporary.  Alternative rock has continued to evolve since its heyday, what is going to be exciting to watch is how electronic music evolves in similar ways. Once it the eyes of the mainstream pop world turn to the next momentary trend, the most daring creativity will come.  The best is yet to come. The 11 Best Songs By Calvin Harris:
  1. Feels So Close (18 Months)
  2. Acceptable in the 80s (I Created Disco)
  3. We Found Love (18 Months)
  4. Vegas (I Created Disco)
  5. Bounce (18 Months)
  6. I Need Your Love (18 Months)
  7. Ready For The Weekend (Ready For The Weekend)
  8. Thinking About You (18 Months)
  9. Stars Come Out (Ready For The Weekend)
  10. Colours (I Created Disco)
  11. Flashback (Ready For The Weekend)
Buy Calvin Harris' new album, Motion...now!!!      

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

The 11 Best Bonus Tracks from Smashing Pumpkins' Aeroplane Deluxe Edition

Billy Corgan has been called an insane genius.  He has also been called just insane.  He was a 90s icon, who to many of us who lived through 90s know, the Pumpkins were as big if not bigger than Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden when they released Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness.  Though grunge seemed like it was about to pass the mic to rap-metal, the Pumpkins slammed down their 10x platinum double album gargantuan masterpiece to remind everyone they held the throne...dominantly.  Following this madness, the Pumpkins released 5 singles to MCIS with enough B-sides to make up more albums, literally.  About a year later, The Aeroplane Flies High Box Set was released.  It was a concoction of leftovers, covers, and alternative versions, all stuffed in a funky lock box costing about three times as much as a typical Pumpkins album.  It still went platinum.
Last summer, Billy Corgan, revisited the unique MCIS companion Aeroplane box.  Expanded from 33 songs to 90 songs, it was one of the most exhausted remasters effort of its time.  The Pumpkins have definitely set the bar as high as it can go as they've been revisiting their catalogue.  The Pumpkins' underrated Adore, recently had the super deluxe treatment, which is such a massive release of material that will take months just to listen to it...let alone digest it.  It's taken a good year to absorb all the goodness of Aeroplane, and I figure I'll be ready this time next year to do the same for Adore.
The most interesting remaster is yet to come...the often forgotten Machina I & II rock opera.  I can't wait to see how they realize Billy's original vision.  That will be worth waiting for.  Until then...
Here are the 11 Best Bonus Tracks from Smashing Pumpkins' Aeroplane Deluxe Edition:
  1. Silverfuck (Live in Landover 1996)
  2. God (Live at the Double Door 1995)
  3. Love (Live at the Double Door 1995)
  4. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans (Live in Cleveland 1996)
  5. Bullet With Butterfly Wings (Live in Los Angeles 1996)
  6. 1979 (Acoustic)
  7. Star Song (DAT mix/Vocal Rough)
  8. Bodies (Live in Philadelphia 1996)
  9. A/Ab/E/B/F# (Gravity Demo)
  10. Marquis in Spades (8-Track Demo)
  11. The Groover (Gravity Demo)
Buy the 6-CD, 1 DVD Smashing Pumpkins Adore Box Set...now!!!

Sunday, November 02, 2014

The 11 Best Bonus Tracks from the Led Zeppelin Remasters (so far)

  Part two of the Zeppelin Remasters has arrived.  Though the first set of releases (featuring I, II, II) were met with modest reviews, the unearthing of any new Zeppelin material is a monumental moment.  A lot of people haven't been thrilled with the clinical polishing of the Zeppelin classics.  It's too clean.  It's too loud.  A typical critique that all remasters suffer from.  I am not a fan of remasters.  Part of it is my personal attachment to the original arrangements.  The other part is that there are subtle emotional moments that can only be found in the dead air...or as musicians call "the space between."  I've learned to accept remasters as "alternate" versions and not ones that are replacing the originals.  When listening with that attitude, I have less distaste for the re-workings.  The real gem when remasters come out is not the new production of the old songs but the bonus material that comes alongside it.  The early bonus tracks for the Zeppelin remasters have been sparse...in part for the lack of quality material sitting around in their vaults from that early period...but there have been a few gems.  Rumor is, as we get later in the remasters, the truly amazing rare gems will surface (per Page). The following list was not chosen as the best finished songs but the songs that add the most interesting peak behind the scenes. Here are the 11 Best Bonus Tracks from the Led Zeppelin Remasters (so far):
  1. Key To The Highway/Trouble In My Mind (Rough Mix)
  2. You Shook Me (Live in Paris, 1969)
  3. Immigrant Song (Alternate Mix)
  4. La La/Intro (Intro/Outro Rough Mix)
  5. Dazed And Confused (Live in Paris, 1969)
  6. Moby Dick (Live In Paris, 1969)
  7. Gallows Pole (Rough Mix)
  8. What Is And What Should Never Be (Rough Mix With Vocal)
  9. Heartbreaker (Live in Paris, 1969)
  10. Heartbreaker (Rough Mix With Vocal)
  11. How Many More Times (Live in Paris, 1969)
Buy the new Led Zeppelin Remasters IV and Houses of the Holy...now!!  

Saturday, November 01, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By Ryan Adams in 2014

For years, Ryan Adams was a faucet of music that your needed only to turn the knob and album after album would come pouring out.  Between 2000-2011, Adams had 19+ releases in the form of albums, EPs and exclusive singles.  Then for the last three years...nothing.  Well, it's 2014 and Adams is back.  In the past three months, Adams has four releases including a traditional Adams album, an 80s punk album, a country EP, and a Halloween inspired EP.  If he's making up for lost time, then we should see at least three more releases by the end of the year...probably a Christmas-inspired release, a dubstep EP, and a duets covers remix album.  It's funny because it's true. Happy Halloween. Here are the 11 Best Songs Released By Ryan Adams in 2014:
  1. Am I Safe? (Ryan Adams)
  2. Suburbia (Vampires)
  3. Trouble (Ryan Adams)
  4. I Keep Running (Jacksonville)
  5. Jacksonville (Jacksonville)
  6. Kim (Ryan Adams)
  7. Vampires (Vampires)
  8. Wolves (1984)
  9. Stay With Me (Ryan Adams)
  10. Tired of Giving Up (Ryan Adams)
  11. When The Summer Ends (1984)
Buy any of Ryan Adams' 2014 releases:  1984, Jacksonville, Vampires or Ryan Adams...now!   Buy this book or everyone you know will die. Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Ryan Adams)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The 111 Best Songs By Weezer 2014

It's been four years since the last Weezer release and even though there's only one new album (and some random singles) to add to the list, any time there's a new Weezer, it's time to celebrate. Here are the 111 Best Songs By Weezer:
  1. The Good Life (Pinkerton)
  2. No One Else (Blue)
  3. Hash Pipe (Green)
  4. Why Bother? (Pinkerton)
  5. Tired of Sex (Pinkerton)
  6. Pork and Beans (Red)
  7. Buddy Holly (Blue)
  8. Photograph (Green)
  9. Surf Wax America (Blue)
  10. Don’t Let Go (Green)
  11. In The Garage (Blue)
  12. Simple Pages (Green)
  13. Dope Nose (Maladroit)
  14. Keep Fishin’ (Maladroit)
  15. Take Control (Maladroit)
  16. Where’s My Sex? (Hurley)
  17. You Gave Your Love To Me Softly (Pinkerton B-Side)
  18. Getchoo (Pinkterton)
  19. We Are All On Drugs (Make Believe)
  20. The World Has Turned and Left Me (Blue) 
  21. Knock-Down Drag Out (Green)
  22. Possibilities (Maladroit)
  23. Ruling Me (Hurley)
  24. Perfect Situation (Make Believe)
  25. My Name Is Jonas (Blue)
  26. Pink Triangle (Pinkerton)
  27. Heart Songs (Red)
  28. Fall Together (Maladroit)
  29. Crab (Green)
  30. Butterfly (Pinkerton)
  31. Teenage Victory Song (Green B-Side)
  32. I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams (Pinkerton B-Side)
  33. El Scorcho (Pinkerton)
  34. No Other One (Pinkerton)
  35. Represent (Single Version)
  36. Memories (Hurley)
  37. This Is Such a Pity (Make Believe)
  38. Falling For You (Pinkerton) 
  39. If You’re Wondering If I Want You To (Raditude)
  40. The Angel and The One (Red)
  41. Say It Ain’t So (Blue)
  42. Slave (Maladroit)
  43. Troublemaker (Red) 
  44. You Might Think (Cars 2) 
  45. Put Me Back Together (Raditude) 
  46. Across The Sea (Pinkerton) 
  47. Island in the Sun (Green) 
  48. American Gigolo (Maladroit) 
  49. Only In Dreams (Blue)
  50. Turning Up The Radio (Death To False Metal)
  51.  O Lisa (Green B-Side)
  52. Unspoken (Hurley)
  53. Smile (Green)
  54. Jamie (Blue B-Side)
  55. The Damage in Your Heart (Make Believe)
  56. I Want To Be Something (Hurley B-Side)
  57. The Other Way (Make Believe)
  58. Holiday (Blue) 
  59. Starlight (Green B-Side)
  60. Freak Me Out (Make Believe)
  61. O Girlfriend (Green)
  62. Space Rock (Maladroit)
  63. Mykel & Carli (Blue B-Side)
  64. Brave New World (Hurley) 
  65. Living Without You (Maladroit Import) 
  66. Getting Up And Leaving (Pinkerton Deluxe) 
  67. I Don’t Want To Let You Go (Raditude) 
  68. Hang On (Hurley) 
  69. Brightening Day (Green B-Side)
  70. Pardon Me (Make Believe) 
  71. I Don't Want Your Loving (Death To False Metal) 
  72. Let It All Hang Out (Raditude) 
  73. Haunt You Every Day (Make Believe) 
  74. Glorious Day (Green)
  75. Kids/Poker Face (Red B-Side) 
  76. Sugar Booger (Green B-Side)
  77. Trainwrecks (Hurley) 
  78. Love Explosion (Maladroit) 
  79. Everybody Get Dangerous (Red) 
  80. Odd Couple (Death To False Metal) 
  81. Dreamin’ (Red) 
  82. I Hear Bells (Raditude B-Side) 
  83. Slob (Maladroit) 
  84. Susanne (Blue B-Side) 
  85. Tragic Girl (Pinkerton Deluxe) 
  86. Get Me Some (Raditude B-Side) 
  87. Smart Girls (Hurley) 
  88. Unbreak My Heart (Death To False Metal) 
  89. Undone (Blue) 
  90. I’m Your Daddy (Raditude) 
  91. December (Maladroit) 
  92. Hold Me (Make Believe)
  93. Beverly Hills (Make Believe) 
  94. Trippin’ Down The Freeway (Raditude) 
  95. Lullaby For Wayne (Blue Deluxe) 
  96. Cold Dark World (either version - Red) 
  97. Velouria (Where Is My Mind?: Tribute To The Pixies) 
  98. Can’t Stop Partying (Raditude) 
  99. Waiting On You (Pinkerton B-Side) 
  100. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Red) 
  101. Brain Stew (Happy Record Store Day!) 
  102. Worry Rock (A Different Shade of Green: Tribute To Green Day) 
  103. I'm A Believer (Shrek Forever After) 
  104. Always (Green B-Side)
  105. In The Mall (Raditude)
  106. Peace (Make Believe) 
  107. Burndt Jamb (Maladroit) 
  108. Run Away (Hurley)
  109. Run Over By A Truck (Raditude B-Side) 
  110. Death And Destruction (Maladroit) 
  111. Viva La Vida (Hurley B-Side)
Buy Weezer's new album, Everything Will Be Alright in the End...now!!!       Buy this book or everyone you know will die. Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Weezer)

Sunday, October 26, 2014

The 11 Best Songs By The Cold War Kids



Everyone loves surprises.  This morning I woke up after a mother of a Bob Dylan concert last night and had planned on going for a jog before settling in for a day of football and the World Series.  Only to my surprise when checking my 1-6 fantasy football team line-up did I discover that there was an NFL game already happening in London.  Obviously, there's only one choice in this situation...jogging will have to wait until tomorrow.

This week a new Cold War Kids EP was released...barely 18 months after their last release.  And this EP, clocks in at 11 songs...which might as well as be a full length.  Another nice surprise this week.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Cold War Kids:

  1. I've Seen Enough (Loyalty To Loyalty)

  2. We Used To Vacation (Robbers & Cowards)

  3. Something Is Not Right With Me (Loyalty To Loyalty)

  4. Miracle Mile (Dear Miss Lonleyhearts)

  5. Audience (Behave Yourself)

  6. Welcome To The Occupation (Loyalty To Loyalty)

  7. Hang Me Up To Dry (Robbers & Cowards)

  8. Mexican Dogs (Loyalty To Loyalty)

  9. Bulldozer (Mine Is Yours)

  10. Lost That Easy (Dear Miss Lonleyhearts)

  11. Hospital Beds (Robbers & Cowards)


  12. Buy The Cold War Kids new album, Hold My Home...now!!!




    Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Cold War Kids)

    Buy this book or everyone you know will die.

    Sunday, October 19, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs By Ok Go

    Years ago, MTV ruled the world.  Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel, and Guns N Roses didn't just make videos of themselves playing in a room...they made mini-movies.  They made creative pieces of art.  MTV wasn't just a creative outlet for musicians, it was a visual experience.  You could watch and enjoy as much as you enjoyed listening to the music.  Many times the videos were better than the songs they accompanied.  MTV is not what it used to be.  I'm not even sure what it is anymore.  I'm not sure it knows either.  Youtube and Vevo have taken up the video reigns with lackluster results.  Bands still make videos.  But they have more in common with the early days of MTV than they do with the true creative explosion.  All of them...except one band:  Ok Go.  Ok Go makes videos as if no one ever told them that MTV doesn't exist anymore.  Their videos are so spectacular that Michael Jackson offed himself because he couldn't compete with their excellence.  (Too soon?)  Ok Go's videos are so amazing, they may honestly be the best band at making videos of all time.  If music videos are going to fade away into obscurity, at least Ok Go is going to take us out with a huge bang.
    Here are the 11 Best Videos By OkGo:
    1. This Too Shall Pass (Rube Goldberg) -  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    2. Writing's On The Wall (Hungry Ghosts)
    3. End Love  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    4. Here It Goes Again (Oh No)
    5. Needing/Getting  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    6. Last Leaf  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    7. All Is Lost  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    8. Muppet Theme Song (The Green Album)
    9. WTF? (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    10. White Knuckles  (Of The Blue Colour of the Sky)
    11. Primary Colors (Sesame Street)
    Buy OKGo's new album, Hungry Ghosts...now!!!

    Sunday, October 12, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs By The Juan Maclean

    When it comes to weeks like this when there are a lot of good releases, I get torn between doing lists for the big artists like the Weezers and the Stevie Nicks...and the smaller lesser known artists like the Juan Macleans and the Caribous.  The big artists draw the biggest audience...but the smaller artists add some diversity to the site.  If you want to see Weezers best songs I've already done that multiple times.  Just click on an old list and explore.  If you want to know what Juan's best songs are, well...you can't.  Until now. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Juan Maclean:
    1. One Day (The Future Will Come)
    2. Give Me Every Little Thing (Less Than Human)
    3. Happy House (The Future Will Come)
    4. Find A Way (Everybody Get Close)
    5. The Station (The Future Will Come)
    6. Deviant Device (Everybody Get Close)
    7. The Future Will Come (The Future Will Come)
    8. Simple Life (The Future Will Come)
    9. Feels So Good (Everybody Get Close)
    10. Crush The Liberation (Less Than Human)
    11. Tonight (The Future Will Come)
    Buy The Juan Maclean's new album, In A Dream...now!!  

    Friday, October 10, 2014

    The 11 Best Stevie Nicks Team-Ups

    We all have our favorites.  We all have artists who we follow.  We all have artists who we can listen to no matter the album, whether it's considered their best or their worst.  For me that artist is Tom Petty.  He has been one of my favorites for over 25 years.  He also may be the only artist among my favorites I've never seen live.   That changed this week.  After going through a deeply frustrating personal set-back, one of my best friends came through out of the blue with a free ticket to his show in Anaheim.  It could not have come at a better time, and it was exactly what I needed.  Tom Petty...40 years a rock n roll star...put on one of the best rock shows I have ever seen.   It was big, personal, and filled with every riff I ever wanted to hear out of Petty's mouth or Campbell's guitar.  Today, I have gratitude that when we get knocked down that our friends are there to pick us up. One of Petty's best rock friends is the one and only Stevie Nicks.  Many people don't know that Nicks almost became a member of the Heartbreakers in the 80s.  Nicks may have had a massive career in dysfunctional family of Fleetwood Mac but her solo outings were ripe with huge duets and guests that made her equally respected on her own.  And with Mike Campbell sneaking into every one of her solo albums, it's safe to say that she might as well be a Heartbreaker. Here are the 11 Best Stevie Nicks Team-Ups:
    1. Stand Back w/ Prince (The Wild Heart)
    2. Stop Draggn' My Heart Around w/ Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (Bella Donna)
    3. Whenever I Call You Friend w/ Kenny Loggins (Nightwatch)
    4. I Will Run To You w/ Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (The Wild Heart)
    5. Leather and Lace w/ Don Henley (Bella Donna)
    6. Magnet And Steel w/ Walter Egan (Not Shy)
    7. You Can't Fix This w/ Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffe (Reel To Reel)
    8. Too Far From Texas w/ Natalie Maines (Trouble in Shangri-La)
    9. Sorcerer w/ Marilyn Martin (Streets of Fire)
    10. Everybody Loves You w/ Dave Stewart (In Your Dreams)
    11. Twisted w/ Lindsey Buckingham (Twister Soundtrack)
    Buy Stevie Nicks new album, 24 Karat Gold...now!!  

    Sunday, October 05, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs By Delta Spirit

    You can't have a road trip without a soundtrack.  I have taken plenty of day-long car rides with friends and by myself.  A great soundtrack can make the difference between an adventure and torture.  About a year ago, I headed up the coast to Ojai for the weekend.  I brought over 100 different albums with me because you never know what mood you'll be in.  Less than 15 minutes into the journey, we ran into horrible traffic.  Living in LA, you get used to the parking lot-like freeways but when you go out of town, you hope that's one of the main things you can escape.  The problem is every Angeleno leaves LA for the exact same reason, creating the very same perfect storm you're escaping.  My friend who came with me kept a clear head as we eased down the freeway at a steady 3 mph.  My friend suggested we change up the music.  From the east coast hip-hop we were playing my friend pushed for music with a country vibe.  We settled in on the Delta Spirit.  It was the smartest choice we could have made.  From the first howl of Matthew Vasquez's raspy voice on Empty House, the mood soften, and my outlook brightened.  The insanely slow crawl became secondary to the atmosphere created by the music.  The road trip once again became a place I wanted to be.  My friend's suggestion was the right one because once we found the right music our journey became clear.  Within minutes, traffic cleared up and we were on our way.  That's the power of music. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Delta Spirit:
    1. Empty House (Delta Spirit)
    2. Streetwalker (I Think I've Found It)
    3. Bushwick Blues (History From Below)
    4. California (Delta Spirit)
    5. Idaho (Delta Spirit)
    6. Ode To Sunshine (Ode To Sunshine)
    7. Ballad of Vitaly (History From Below)
    8. Gimme Some Motivation (I Think I've Found It)
    9. Strange Vine (Ode To Sunshine)
    10. Golden State (History From Below)
    11. Tear It Up (Delta Spirit)
    Buy Delta Spirit's new album, Into The Wide...now!!  

    Saturday, October 04, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs From Death From Above 1979's Hiatus

    I'm still in shock and I'm not sure I totally believe it...but the legendary, mythical punk rock band from the 00s, Death From Above 1979, has returned with a new album.  This wasn't supposed to happen.  It's been 10 years since their landmark debut in 2004.  Like a bolt lightning when they appeared...they vanished just as suddenly without a trace.  Sort of.  DFA1979, the thundering duo of Sebastien Grainger and  had gone their separate ways.  There were rumors of infighting, creative differences, even Fleetwood Mac like jealousy of sorts.  We knew as much as they wanted to tell us.  The one thing that was certain...new music was not coming anytime soon.  Us fans dealt with the shock of the news like a death.  It was over and it was time to move on.  Though the next album was a full decade away, the two songwriters of the band were still keeping busy making music.  They formed new bands, bringing the undertones of that unique DFA1979 sound with them.  This is a look at the decade between DFA1979's debut and their sophomore album, selecting the best tunes that came out of that era. Here are the 11 Best Songs From Death From Above 1979's hiatus:
    1. Love Can Be So Mean (Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains)
    2. Going With You (Sebastien Grainger - Yours To Discover)
    3. Easy Love (MSTRKRFT - The Looks)
    4. Heartbreaker (MSTRKRFT - Fist of God)
    5. Who Do We Care For? (Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains)
    6. American Names (Sebastien Grainger - American Names)
    7. Renegade Silence (The Rhythm Method - Renegade Silence)
    8. It Ain't Love (MSTRKRFT - Fist of God)
    9. The Streets Are Still A Mess (Sebastien Grainger - Yours To Discover)
    10. Bangkok Hilton (Bad Tits - Garbage Night)
    11. Ways To Come Home (Sebastien Grainger - American Names)
    Buy Death From Above 1979's comeback album, The Physical World...now!!!  

    Friday, October 03, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs By Prince of the 80s

    Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate this artist known as Prince.  There are very few artists who have been as prolific as Prince.  This week, he just released his 33rd and 34th albums at the young age of 56.  Surprisingly, the 2000s were the decade with the most Prince album releases, especially if you count two albums for the double release of Lotusflow3r and MPLsound.  Even though the 90s were populated by more albums, it's the 80s that we are here to go crazy about.  Let's go back to a time when people partied like the apocalypse, raspberrry was a color, and dance floors rained in purple. Here are the 11 Best Songs By Prince of the 80s:
    1. Let's Go Crazy (Purple Rain)
    2. When You Were Mine (Dirty Mind)
    3. Little Red Corvette (1999)
    4. 1999 (1999)
    5. I Would Die For U (Purple Rain)
    6. When Doves Cry (Purple Rain)
    7. Controversy (Controversy)
    8. Raspberry Beret (Around The World in a Day)
    9. Darling Nikki (Purple Rain)
    10. Uptown (Dirty Mind)
    11. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Sign 'O' The Times)
    Buy Prince's new albums, Plectrumelectrum and Art Official Age...now!!  

    Sunday, September 21, 2014

    The 11 Best Songs By Guns N Roses (featuring Slash)

    Being the third week of the NFL season, despite all the crazy parody in the games, all anyone can talk about is abuse.  Players in the NFL are no longer just being suspended for games but they are being kicked out of the NFL...indefinitely.  It's a bold move and draws a giant line in the sand.  The NFL is shouting out loud that they will no longer tolerate players in their league behaving like uncultured cavemen.  If you're going to play in this league, then you must have an image to uphold on and off the field.  These players only hit each other when they are wearing huge pads and helmets, any of them who thinks it's okay to hit an unprotected woman is a coward and a disgrace. But I have a problem with this.  My problem is that this has gone on way too long.  The NFL, NBA, MLB have all turned the other way.  I'm writing this while watching the Pittsburg Steelers play on Sunday night football, led by Ben Roethlisberger.  Why do his "legal" missteps get swept under the rug?  The guy was basically found guilty of rape.  Even the Oscars and Grammys have ignored some of the worst perpetrators.  With Chris Brown releasing a heralded album this week...have we all forgotten that he beat the living shit out Rihanna?  The Grammys did when they gave him the featured spot to perform on their telecast.  Just hope you all remember that when you do music shopping this week and you're looking for new tunes. Here are the 11 Best Songs By Guns N Roses (featuring Slash):
    1. Civil War (Use Your Illusion II)
    2. Rocket Queen (Appetite For Destruction)
    3. Sweet Child O Mine (Appetite For Destruction)
    4. Mr. Brownstone (Appetite For Destruction)
    5. Estranged (Use Your Illusion II)
    6. You Could Be Mine (Use Your Illusion II)
    7. Paradise City (Appetite For Destruction)
    8. Nightrain (Appetite For Destruction)
    9. Coma (Use Your Illusion I)
    10. Locomotive (Use Your Illusion II)
    11. Patience (Lies)
    Buy Slash's new solo album, World On Fire...now!!!