#65 - 61
#65
"Sucker Train Blues" - Velvet Revolver
All reserves I had about this supergroup were laid to rest when I heard this song. From the upperbass picking intro, it thrashes into a high voltage thriller, set into high speed tempo by the slamming drumline. Slash and Dave Kushner play very well off each other, dropping a goosebump-inducing lick. Meanwhile, Scott Weiland shows off his highly refined vocals by shapeshifting from guttural and snarky during the verse to light and airy during the chorus. Combine all the factors, and it makes for a killer song and one hell of an intro to the band's first album.
#64
"Champagne Supernova" - Oasis
Everyone knows and loves this song. You can't talk about the greatest songs of the 90s without mentioning this song. Noel Liam Gallagher delivers the vocal performance of a lifetime in this song. The accentuated instrumentation stacked on top is stellar. Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, hammonds organ, and drums. The little guitar lick dropped right after the 2nd verse (3:05) is certainly on the list of most important or recognizable. The accelerated, elongated outro (from the last chorus on) just brings a very deep, almost galactic feeling with it, until it fades out to the last note. Key to this song is the beautiful instrumentation to compliment the magnificent vocals.
#63
"The Magnificent Seven" - The Clash
Punk with a twist of disco? The song has an amazingly danceable feel. This is completely due to the groovy, jumpy bassline. It's such an infectious line that it'll have even the tightest of tightasses dancing in his seat. Or at least tapping his foot. Joe Strummer doesn't have much of a guitarline here, but he adjusts his normal punk vocals well. His lyrics, though, just as loopy. I love the line "Italian mobster/shoots a lobster" for some reason. The whole song is crazily infectious.
#62
"Police Truck" - Dead Kennedys
From one iconic punk song to another. Certainly has to be one of the most overlooked songs ever, in my opinion, in punk or straight up rock. The rapid tempo and simplistic punk drumline deliver attitude and motion to the song while the guitarline absolutely shines, particularly on the solo/breakdown area (1:03). I have to say this may be one of my favorite guitarlines in any song period--and that's really saying something. The vocals aren't exactly what I'd call the greatest, but they do the job. The song wraps up quickly at just under 2 and a half minutes. But it is the attitude and swing of a rollicking good time.
#61
"Clumsy" - Our Lady Peace
OLP's most sterling effort they ever put forth. While it may not necessarily be Raine Madia's greatest vocal performance, as an entire band, they never sounded better than this. The instrumentation again is absolutely brilliant, pairing piano with an acoustic line as well as 2 electrics, plus some auxiliary percussion to join the original drumline. Emotional lyrics sang through varying vocals gives the song a great lovely vibe. It's a brilliant piece of work with a lot to take in.
"I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
No one's around
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need, a friend
As clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing...
"Sucker Train Blues" - Velvet Revolver
All reserves I had about this supergroup were laid to rest when I heard this song. From the upperbass picking intro, it thrashes into a high voltage thriller, set into high speed tempo by the slamming drumline. Slash and Dave Kushner play very well off each other, dropping a goosebump-inducing lick. Meanwhile, Scott Weiland shows off his highly refined vocals by shapeshifting from guttural and snarky during the verse to light and airy during the chorus. Combine all the factors, and it makes for a killer song and one hell of an intro to the band's first album.
#64
"Champagne Supernova" - Oasis
Everyone knows and loves this song. You can't talk about the greatest songs of the 90s without mentioning this song. Noel Liam Gallagher delivers the vocal performance of a lifetime in this song. The accentuated instrumentation stacked on top is stellar. Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, hammonds organ, and drums. The little guitar lick dropped right after the 2nd verse (3:05) is certainly on the list of most important or recognizable. The accelerated, elongated outro (from the last chorus on) just brings a very deep, almost galactic feeling with it, until it fades out to the last note. Key to this song is the beautiful instrumentation to compliment the magnificent vocals.
#63
"The Magnificent Seven" - The Clash
Punk with a twist of disco? The song has an amazingly danceable feel. This is completely due to the groovy, jumpy bassline. It's such an infectious line that it'll have even the tightest of tightasses dancing in his seat. Or at least tapping his foot. Joe Strummer doesn't have much of a guitarline here, but he adjusts his normal punk vocals well. His lyrics, though, just as loopy. I love the line "Italian mobster/shoots a lobster" for some reason. The whole song is crazily infectious.
#62
"Police Truck" - Dead Kennedys
From one iconic punk song to another. Certainly has to be one of the most overlooked songs ever, in my opinion, in punk or straight up rock. The rapid tempo and simplistic punk drumline deliver attitude and motion to the song while the guitarline absolutely shines, particularly on the solo/breakdown area (1:03). I have to say this may be one of my favorite guitarlines in any song period--and that's really saying something. The vocals aren't exactly what I'd call the greatest, but they do the job. The song wraps up quickly at just under 2 and a half minutes. But it is the attitude and swing of a rollicking good time.
#61
"Clumsy" - Our Lady Peace
OLP's most sterling effort they ever put forth. While it may not necessarily be Raine Madia's greatest vocal performance, as an entire band, they never sounded better than this. The instrumentation again is absolutely brilliant, pairing piano with an acoustic line as well as 2 electrics, plus some auxiliary percussion to join the original drumline. Emotional lyrics sang through varying vocals gives the song a great lovely vibe. It's a brilliant piece of work with a lot to take in.
"I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
No one's around
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need, a friend
As clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing...