Into the Top 20...
20. Coheed and Cambria - Time Consumer: This was the second album I heard from Coheed, this one being off the re-issue. It has a very slow build in to the song, a hallmark of the first album where things were slow to come in. But once Claudio hits in, it’s instantly a Coheed song. The band does some very slick things with guitars every time. It also serves as a very simple sort of almost lullaby that devolves as the song is going to create tension that carries through in all the best theme albums. And it’s all about time, another thing that most of us wish we had more of when we lack it. This is a band that is great live and puts out quality albums every time. Quality lyric: ‘Please hear me about, time consumer, time consume me, consume me.’ The solid thing is that when Claudio sings it instead of hearing time consumer it almost sounds like time consume her. A great song and one for night time on my island.
19. Mariah Carey - Breakdown: Let’s face facts, I’m a Mariah Carey fan. Even through all the weirdness and insane shit that has been her life (Glitter anyone?) I still believe she has been blessed with some of the best pipes that have ever been recorded. She’s had some good songs but this was the one that really gets me. By adding members of Bone Thugz to this song, she gives it a more rap feel than most of her earlier stuff had. And it’s dealing with people able to handle when someone let’s you go and being able to deal with it. The beat is great and it's very chill. A good song for just being by yourself.
18. Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger: One of my favorite videos back in the day. And it’s great because it’s so very Beatles-like but with 90s sensibilities. This was long before I had ever had a relationship or really even wanted to have a clue about love and the ways of the heart but I knew that as soon as the chorus came in that when someone tells you not to look back in anger that something has gone down. I would suffer through some other videos that weren’t as good just to get this one so I could join in on that chorus. And who doesn’t want to remember that it’s better not to look back in anger?
17. Hit the Lights - Hidden Track: Another jam about chloroform, are we noticing a pattern? It’s an acoustic song, big surprise as I dig a lot of acoustic tracks. It’s kind of a dark song but also very up beat in that there is constant movement in the guitar. It’s also about gaining confidence and just being able to stand up for yourself. Cause let’s be honest, maybe the only time you get anywhere with someone is if you actually gag them cause we all know the talkers. Poetic line: ‘She’s losing consciousness, I’m gaining confidence, it’s starting to make sense.’
16. My Chemical Romance - Headfirst for Haloes: Another tough on as the band has put out killer tracks all over the place. This one has the great rock intro and is a vicious song. It’s off their first album so pre-I’m Not Okay (I Promise) and all that. Gerard is angsty in the lyrics and it’s all about blowing ones brains across the ceiling. But that’s not it, it’s all about flying home. Great chant moment, “think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts”
15. Modest Mouse - The Ocean Breathes Salty: Another of what I would consider the bands that do better in the college scene. I really liked the video for this one where the kid has all the various ‘pets’ and they keep dying and they become the members of the band. Definately a song about getting older and dealing with the struggles of life. Thought provoking line: ‘you wasted life, why wouldn’t you waste the afterlife?’
14. The Used -The Taste of Ink: The Used are one of those bands that many labeled as sellouts almost immediately but they do things their way. This song was oddly positive for me at time when things just didn’t always connect up in nice little patterns. It talks about being alive at last and being ready to just great life out there. Good song that would likely keep me a bit more peppy on the island than before.
13. Eve 6 - Inside Out: ‘I would swallow my doubt turn it inside out, find nothing but faith in nothing’. At a first listen the lyrics sound a bit nonsensical, but Eve 6 was definately trying to challenge me to think about just being out there. I’d love to find faith in nothing, just be able to overcome what few mental blocks I have left to become the outgoing and cool sort of guy that I know that I really can be.
12. Fall Out Boy - Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today: Saw these guys live with Taking Back Sunday before they had arrived and blown up. They were a very solid rock act that was only then pioneering the guitar throwing that seems to be everywhere now. This is the first track on Take This to Your Grave and it contains all the elements that really drew me to them at the time: great guitar hooks, Patrick’s vocals that were realistic but also metaphorical high, and Pete actually doing a little screaming to give them a slightly hardcore edge that they seem to have lost as they moved forward into the realm of heavy success. This is a great song and one that always does the job to get me pumped up.
11. Boys Night Out -I Got Punched in the Face: Give it up for awesome Canadian bands that just rock! This is one of the first songs that brought me into contact with Boys Night Out and I’m glad it did. The band mixes very catchy lyrics with screaming and blistering hooks. This is one of those songs that I can easily get into from the first note and just let it carry me from start to finish. There are just some songs where you have no problem giving up control to and just rock out as hard as possible. The screaming breakdowns are amazing and whether I’m standing during this part of the song or not I just have to unleash any pent up energy because the band requires all of that for the emotional quality thrown into the song. Best line: ‘You and me, you know that we were always funny in a car crash sort of way.’
19. Mariah Carey - Breakdown: Let’s face facts, I’m a Mariah Carey fan. Even through all the weirdness and insane shit that has been her life (Glitter anyone?) I still believe she has been blessed with some of the best pipes that have ever been recorded. She’s had some good songs but this was the one that really gets me. By adding members of Bone Thugz to this song, she gives it a more rap feel than most of her earlier stuff had. And it’s dealing with people able to handle when someone let’s you go and being able to deal with it. The beat is great and it's very chill. A good song for just being by yourself.
18. Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger: One of my favorite videos back in the day. And it’s great because it’s so very Beatles-like but with 90s sensibilities. This was long before I had ever had a relationship or really even wanted to have a clue about love and the ways of the heart but I knew that as soon as the chorus came in that when someone tells you not to look back in anger that something has gone down. I would suffer through some other videos that weren’t as good just to get this one so I could join in on that chorus. And who doesn’t want to remember that it’s better not to look back in anger?
17. Hit the Lights - Hidden Track: Another jam about chloroform, are we noticing a pattern? It’s an acoustic song, big surprise as I dig a lot of acoustic tracks. It’s kind of a dark song but also very up beat in that there is constant movement in the guitar. It’s also about gaining confidence and just being able to stand up for yourself. Cause let’s be honest, maybe the only time you get anywhere with someone is if you actually gag them cause we all know the talkers. Poetic line: ‘She’s losing consciousness, I’m gaining confidence, it’s starting to make sense.’
16. My Chemical Romance - Headfirst for Haloes: Another tough on as the band has put out killer tracks all over the place. This one has the great rock intro and is a vicious song. It’s off their first album so pre-I’m Not Okay (I Promise) and all that. Gerard is angsty in the lyrics and it’s all about blowing ones brains across the ceiling. But that’s not it, it’s all about flying home. Great chant moment, “think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts”
15. Modest Mouse - The Ocean Breathes Salty: Another of what I would consider the bands that do better in the college scene. I really liked the video for this one where the kid has all the various ‘pets’ and they keep dying and they become the members of the band. Definately a song about getting older and dealing with the struggles of life. Thought provoking line: ‘you wasted life, why wouldn’t you waste the afterlife?’
14. The Used -The Taste of Ink: The Used are one of those bands that many labeled as sellouts almost immediately but they do things their way. This song was oddly positive for me at time when things just didn’t always connect up in nice little patterns. It talks about being alive at last and being ready to just great life out there. Good song that would likely keep me a bit more peppy on the island than before.
13. Eve 6 - Inside Out: ‘I would swallow my doubt turn it inside out, find nothing but faith in nothing’. At a first listen the lyrics sound a bit nonsensical, but Eve 6 was definately trying to challenge me to think about just being out there. I’d love to find faith in nothing, just be able to overcome what few mental blocks I have left to become the outgoing and cool sort of guy that I know that I really can be.
12. Fall Out Boy - Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today: Saw these guys live with Taking Back Sunday before they had arrived and blown up. They were a very solid rock act that was only then pioneering the guitar throwing that seems to be everywhere now. This is the first track on Take This to Your Grave and it contains all the elements that really drew me to them at the time: great guitar hooks, Patrick’s vocals that were realistic but also metaphorical high, and Pete actually doing a little screaming to give them a slightly hardcore edge that they seem to have lost as they moved forward into the realm of heavy success. This is a great song and one that always does the job to get me pumped up.
11. Boys Night Out -I Got Punched in the Face: Give it up for awesome Canadian bands that just rock! This is one of the first songs that brought me into contact with Boys Night Out and I’m glad it did. The band mixes very catchy lyrics with screaming and blistering hooks. This is one of those songs that I can easily get into from the first note and just let it carry me from start to finish. There are just some songs where you have no problem giving up control to and just rock out as hard as possible. The screaming breakdowns are amazing and whether I’m standing during this part of the song or not I just have to unleash any pent up energy because the band requires all of that for the emotional quality thrown into the song. Best line: ‘You and me, you know that we were always funny in a car crash sort of way.’