The first 10- This is the first of my top 50 listened to series. I've included where I first heard them and what I think now. Also, who doesn't love a chickadee?
Learned About 'em: The first song of theirs I ever had was Sunrise, it was on AQ's daffodils.
Ideas!: I can't claim to know that much about Yeasayer, they have become fairly popular since the release of their last CD ODD BLOOD, but I haven't really gotten past All Hour Cymbals yet. My favorite songs by them include Sunrise and Tightrope however most people I have shared them with prefer Sunrise. Last I heard they were scheduled to visit the Boulder area this spring.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: The music is easy to listen to and enjoyable; artist on the rise.
49:Artist: Shapes and Sizes
Learned About 'em: I pulled these guys off of eMusic one day.
Ideas!: They have whacky beats and sometimes strange vocals. I only have their self titled album though I'm sure they have released more since. I know the songs Island's Gone Bad (which my brother and I made fun of for a summer 'point my finger and thumb and shoot the gun' and something about fruit) and Northern Lights the best.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: I wouldn't say I particularly like this band nor that I will listen to them much in the future.
48:Artist: Bright Eyes
Learned About 'em: I really don't know how I came across Bright Eyes, probably a long time ago but I was unaware of it at the time. I'm sure “Bowl of Oranges” was on AQ's Daffodils, but that is the only definite time I can remember seeing their name for the first time.
Ideas!: I really like Bright Eyes, I think Conor Oberst is a terrific lyricist. Most all of his songs are heartbreaking but it's nice to have your heart broken every once in awhile. I have I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and also LIFTED or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground and I think I listen to them a fairly equal amount. I love songs like Lua, We are Nowhere And It's Now, and First Day Of My Life. I don't normally do this but I also recommend the music video for First Day Of My Life, it's pretty sweet. Last year Bright Eyes disbanded.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: Though Oberst has moved on, I will certainly continue to love Bright Eyes.
47:Artist: Bubba Sparxxx
Learned About 'em: On an old Madden soundtrack, I can't remember which one.
Ideas!: I have one song, Back In The Mud, and it's really pretty awful. I have nothing to write about this except that I listened to it far to much at one point.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: What a ridiculous name, what a ridiculous song.
46:Artist: Grandaddy
Learned About 'em: On eMusic
Ideas!: These guys really rock, they deserve to be listened to a bit more than they have been but for some reason I never get around to them. I have several albums by them but probably listened to Fambly Cat the most. The song AM 180 is super catchy and fun, I wish I had more to write about them!
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: Get your act together and listen to them more...
45:Artist: Morning Runner
Learned About 'em: On a friends Myspace
Ideas!: Another one song wonder, Burning Benches, which really is a pretty good song. I read an article about it once that said the song was originally much softer but they thought it too much of a love song so they added a bit of insanity and lust at the end to convey more of the feeling you get when fall apart longing for someone who doesn't want you.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: I have no idea what they're like beyond this song.
44:Artist: Hot Hot Heat
Learned About 'em: This was a birthday present several years ago.
Ideas!: I got the album Make Up The Breakdown and listened to it a bunch of times, it now mostly reminds me of playing Battlefield Vietnam. They have squeaky vocals and loud drums, they're pretty ok I guess.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: Ehhhhh, maybe they've gotten better.
43:Artist: Radiohead
Learned About 'em: No idea.
Ideas!: Ok so it is fairly blasphemous to most people to have them so far down on the list but what can you do? I really like Radiohead and I loved how In Rainbows was released for whatever price you wanted to pay for it; though as I remember I paid for it much later at a regular price of about $15. They were a huge 90's band and continue to crank out good sound.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: I hope I get around to them more soon.
42:Artist: Pretty Girls Make Graves
Learned About 'em: No idea.
Ideas!: I can't say much about these (girls?). I vaguely remember playing Midnight Club while listening to them and I know they're pretty decent. I don't know anything about their discography except that Elan Vital (my album) has a cool picture of an animated ice cream cone on it.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: A smooth dark sound.
41:Artist: Death Cab for Cutie
Learned About 'em: Maybe through I Will Follow You Into the Dark?
Ideas!: Terrific stuff, he music is music is occasionally boring but his lyrics are always very clever. He wrote a sleuth of songs which I fell in love with such as the aforementioned Follow You Into the Dark, Soul Meets Body, Title and Registration, and President of What?. The last single he put out was a single for the Twilight series and all Twilight prejudices aside I wasn't impressed. This coupled with what I thought was a pretty weak record in I Will Possess Your Heart has me a little disappointed with Ben Gibbard but I really do think that with talent like his it's just a matter of time before he turns out another great record.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: I wonder how many times his songs have been played at weddings.
40:Artist: Bishop Allen
Learned About 'em: AQ's Daffodils
Ideas!: I'm on my way to moving past The Broken String, I just haven't pressed the download button yet. He has a really adorable song called Butterfly Nets which I always equated with someone going off to college (It's all about someone leaving for greener pastures but having a place to come home to if they should falter). It took probably a year before I decided to pull the trigger and get some more and so I downloaded The Broken String, It begins with a neat song about the Monitor vs. the Merrimack and continues to be a pretty good record for the whole first half of the CD. It sort of tapers off after the 5th or 6th song to be sure well worth a listen though.
Chicka-dee-dee-dee: One of my favorite lines! “If it's ever gonna get any better, it's gotta get worse for a day.” -Rain
1. I really liked this post. Bright Eyes broke up? I did not know that. Conor has put out solo stuff though.
ReplyDelete2. I like the blog header.
3. My daffodil cd must have been super awesome... but I guess my other cds weren't. =[ i shall make you a good cd soon!
4. I miss you.
5. You have another contributor? Look at you!
6. I'M GOING TO UGANDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!