New Year Playlist : The Golden Eleven
This tracklist is in reply to a meme created by my friend George. To participate, you pick your favorite 11 bands and then pick your favorite track by each and post a link to those tracks. I don't normally do memes, but when music is involved, i melt like butter. Unlike most of my playlists, these tracks are not selected specifically to comprise a playlist all their own. This playlist exists purely to inform and give insight.
Chosing the artists was tricky but not too difficult. I tried to limit it to bands and artists whose songs are ingrained upon my life's emotional palette. There are plenty of songs that fit this, but fewer artists who create/have created such music consistently. Next, I wasn't sure which approach to take in choosing the songs. I could have chosen the song that encapsulates the artist's career best, or the song that first hooked me to them, but i decided that the list would be the most telling if it reflected something of my relationship with the music.
So here you have it: The one song from each artist that over the years has forged the deepest of emotional connections within me. Listed in descending order:
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New Year '09 Playlist : The Golden Eleven
11- Sonic Youth - Hoarfrost - This one always comes back and always feels relevant, no matter what I'm going through, so that's why it has managed to keep it's claws in me.
10- Garbage - The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - So, this group was one of my gateway bands. It bridged my tastes into the music I hold dearest to me now. (other noteworthy gateway bands include cake and the smashing pumpkins). While the overall emotional reach may not be as far stretching as the other bands listed here, there are a few songs that still hit the mark. This track remains one of my favorites.
9- Cyann & Ben - Sparks Of Love - It was quite difficult to chose between this one and "Dance With the Devil". I went with this one because there were already enough downers on this list to add one more. Overall, this band is one of my favorites not from single songs, but because of their consistently warm, fierce and beautiful sounds. It helped over a particularly tough time in my life before moving to Chicago.
8-Bjork - All Is Full Of Love (album version) - This song sums up how I feel about everything. It is the musical representation of my ultimate spiritual and emotional safety net.
7- Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely - This was a toss up too. There are alot of Radiohead songs that have touched me emotionally. I had to search deep inside for the one that could strip me down and still be consoling and comforting. Few hit that mark to the degree that this one did. "True Love Waits" and "Let Down" were both high contenders.
6- Portishead - Undenied - It didn't take much to isolate this one. It has always stood out to me. So much so that I, myself, have actually covered it twice.
5- Smashing Pumpkins - In The Arms Of Sleep. This also didn't take long to figure out. This song speaks to the most consistent set of emotions I've experienced. I can relate it to every boy I've ever been interested in, no matter what the consequences resulted. I always call this song "Safe In The Arms Of Sleep". If I had to pick a song that summed up the band, it would have been much harder (probably a toss up between "Tonight Tonight", "Disarm", and "Blue Skies Bring Tears"... Perhaps that will be a tracklist in the future...)
4- Tori Amos - Cooling - This was a very tough decision between "Cooling" and "Beulah Land". Moreso because "Beulah Land" is a song where I can find emotional rest, and "Cooling" just digs a bit deeper. It has been there for me during some tough times. I highly recommend Beulah Land too, and since it's not the easiest track to find I'm also providing the link to it here: Beulah Land
3- Sigur Ros - Glosoli (with music video) - The music of Sigur Ros awakens my constantly awondered inner child. It is the most emotionally resonant music I have ever heard. It hails that title due mostly to the range of emotions evoked in the music. This is one of the most uplifting songs I have ever heard, along with another song from this album "Hoppipolla". Best viewed with the music video. Why anyone would want to think of anything else while listening to this is beyond me.
2- Janis Joplin - Piece Of My Heart - She sings heartbreak and loneliness unlike any other woman out there. I still remember the first time I really clicked with this song. Sure, everyone knows it, but when you can relate to it and you're really listening to the words, you can get under the surface and to the heart of many a woman's hurt.
1- Cat Power - Maybe Not - So this one was the hardest to pinpoint, and for that fact it would be unfair not to list the other songs that could have easily taken this spot had I been in a different mood: "Not What You Want", "Wild As The Wind" & "Good Woman". Over half of the album "Myra Lee" are contenders as well... sigh. I suppose everyone who is choosing their favorite song by their favorite artist would be expected to be just as torn. That's sort of the point of these memes I guess.
11 - Sonic Youth : Hoarfrost
10 - Garbage : The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
9 - Cyann & Ben : Sparks Of Love
8 - Bjork : All Is Full Of Love (album version)
7 - Radiohead : How To Disappear Completely
5 - Portishead : Undenied
6 - Smashing Pumpkins : In The Arms Of Sleep
4 - Tori Amos : Cooling
3 - Sigur Ros : Glosoli & Glosoli Video Link
2 - Janis Joplin : Piece Of My Heart
1 - Cat Power : Maybe Not
Chosing the artists was tricky but not too difficult. I tried to limit it to bands and artists whose songs are ingrained upon my life's emotional palette. There are plenty of songs that fit this, but fewer artists who create/have created such music consistently. Next, I wasn't sure which approach to take in choosing the songs. I could have chosen the song that encapsulates the artist's career best, or the song that first hooked me to them, but i decided that the list would be the most telling if it reflected something of my relationship with the music.
So here you have it: The one song from each artist that over the years has forged the deepest of emotional connections within me. Listed in descending order:
Mac users: Option + click
PC users: Right click + "save target as"
New Year '09 Playlist : The Golden Eleven
11- Sonic Youth - Hoarfrost - This one always comes back and always feels relevant, no matter what I'm going through, so that's why it has managed to keep it's claws in me.
10- Garbage - The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - So, this group was one of my gateway bands. It bridged my tastes into the music I hold dearest to me now. (other noteworthy gateway bands include cake and the smashing pumpkins). While the overall emotional reach may not be as far stretching as the other bands listed here, there are a few songs that still hit the mark. This track remains one of my favorites.
9- Cyann & Ben - Sparks Of Love - It was quite difficult to chose between this one and "Dance With the Devil". I went with this one because there were already enough downers on this list to add one more. Overall, this band is one of my favorites not from single songs, but because of their consistently warm, fierce and beautiful sounds. It helped over a particularly tough time in my life before moving to Chicago.
8-Bjork - All Is Full Of Love (album version) - This song sums up how I feel about everything. It is the musical representation of my ultimate spiritual and emotional safety net.
7- Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely - This was a toss up too. There are alot of Radiohead songs that have touched me emotionally. I had to search deep inside for the one that could strip me down and still be consoling and comforting. Few hit that mark to the degree that this one did. "True Love Waits" and "Let Down" were both high contenders.
6- Portishead - Undenied - It didn't take much to isolate this one. It has always stood out to me. So much so that I, myself, have actually covered it twice.
5- Smashing Pumpkins - In The Arms Of Sleep. This also didn't take long to figure out. This song speaks to the most consistent set of emotions I've experienced. I can relate it to every boy I've ever been interested in, no matter what the consequences resulted. I always call this song "Safe In The Arms Of Sleep". If I had to pick a song that summed up the band, it would have been much harder (probably a toss up between "Tonight Tonight", "Disarm", and "Blue Skies Bring Tears"... Perhaps that will be a tracklist in the future...)
4- Tori Amos - Cooling - This was a very tough decision between "Cooling" and "Beulah Land". Moreso because "Beulah Land" is a song where I can find emotional rest, and "Cooling" just digs a bit deeper. It has been there for me during some tough times. I highly recommend Beulah Land too, and since it's not the easiest track to find I'm also providing the link to it here: Beulah Land
3- Sigur Ros - Glosoli (with music video) - The music of Sigur Ros awakens my constantly awondered inner child. It is the most emotionally resonant music I have ever heard. It hails that title due mostly to the range of emotions evoked in the music. This is one of the most uplifting songs I have ever heard, along with another song from this album "Hoppipolla". Best viewed with the music video. Why anyone would want to think of anything else while listening to this is beyond me.
2- Janis Joplin - Piece Of My Heart - She sings heartbreak and loneliness unlike any other woman out there. I still remember the first time I really clicked with this song. Sure, everyone knows it, but when you can relate to it and you're really listening to the words, you can get under the surface and to the heart of many a woman's hurt.
1- Cat Power - Maybe Not - So this one was the hardest to pinpoint, and for that fact it would be unfair not to list the other songs that could have easily taken this spot had I been in a different mood: "Not What You Want", "Wild As The Wind" & "Good Woman". Over half of the album "Myra Lee" are contenders as well... sigh. I suppose everyone who is choosing their favorite song by their favorite artist would be expected to be just as torn. That's sort of the point of these memes I guess.
11 - Sonic Youth : Hoarfrost
10 - Garbage : The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
9 - Cyann & Ben : Sparks Of Love
8 - Bjork : All Is Full Of Love (album version)
7 - Radiohead : How To Disappear Completely
5 - Portishead : Undenied
6 - Smashing Pumpkins : In The Arms Of Sleep
4 - Tori Amos : Cooling
3 - Sigur Ros : Glosoli & Glosoli Video Link
2 - Janis Joplin : Piece Of My Heart
1 - Cat Power : Maybe Not