Remix

Everyone is making end of the year lists, and I feel left out. At the same time, between partying, graduating, moving and generally being broke I didn't consume nearly enough to make a good list of stuff from this year. So I am going to give you a playlist instead. Sure, some of these songs are from this year, but most are just kick ass oldies (meaning last year). I can't figure out how to post the songs, so I will just link to where you can listen to them.

Interpol - Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down - In Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, Chuck Klosterman talks about the dichotomy between weed people and coke people. Sure, many people (including Chuck) do both on occasion, but everyone (save those poor non-partakers) has a preference. Chuck says that weed-heads enjoy sitting around and having intellectual conversations, while coke heads "chase the members of Interpol around New York City". Well, sign me up for two rails of nose candy then, because who needs to talk when you can listen to songs like this?

Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - This is my favorite song from one of the best albums of the past few years. The simple drum beat drive the song and the lyrics chant along with them, though unlike Destroyer the lyrics are intelligible and evocative. "When Daddy comes home you always start a fight, so the neighbors can dance in the police disco lights."

The Decemberists - Yankee Bayonet - I've already mentioned that I love this album, and I today this is my favorite song. What can I say? I love male-female duets, Bob and Joan and Carly and James and now this.

Sigur Ros - Svefn-G-Englar - If you heard about a ten minute song, entirely in Icelandic, consisting of electronic music and shrieking vocals, tell me you wouldn't get excited? Sigur Ros's second album Ágætis Byrjun (literally "Good Start") is absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't decide whether to include this song or Starálfur, but went with this one because it has no relations to Tom Cruise (Starálfur was featured prominently in Vanilla Sky).

The Killers - When You Were Young - The Killers first album was the musical equivalent of a bag of potato chips. Delicious (especially when you are a little out of it), but unfulfilling. Sure it was easy to listen to, but did it have to be so stupid? "I got soul, but I'm not a soul-ja" Well, their follow up broke new ground, for them anyway. They went arena rock and the big change was now they weren't easy to listen to and stupid. However, in the midst of hugely successful mediocrity (is their any other kind of huge success?) they did produce one great single, which begs the question: Why don't people use Jesus as a reference point in pop songs more often? Sure, pop songs might talk about praying or getting comfort from our sweet lord, but as a comparison to whoever we are dating? That is rare. Plus, Jesus is just one of those words that sounds good (like Fuck or multi-syllable rhymes). It has a nice two syllable punch, Geez (which you spit)-Us (which is a rising tone that can be exaggerated for added effect).

Alright, work got in the way of freetime at work today, so I will finish my list tomorrow. I know that is only five songs, but two of them are longer than seven minutes, so in total this has a longer run time than your average Weezer album.