THE Songs of the 2000s...according to me.

Most of these 11 songs are based on three things:

A. How much do I enjoy the song personally.
B. How much 'cultural relevance' has the song held in the past 10 years.
C. How musically inclined is the song (is the song an intricate piece or is it "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's?)

10. "The Underdog" - Spoon/"Paper Planes" - M.I.A. Some may not be thrilled with me splitting my "10" spot, but who gives a shit? I just had way too hard of a time trying to choose one of these over the other. Though very different, both of these songs are fantastic. From start to finish, "The Underdog" has excitement in the sounds of both the guitar, drums, and horns. You have to love the horns and I love that they have a bari sax. That's just cool. When the horns come in, you feel a warm feeling just come about and that's the feeling that this song does so well. As for "Paper Planes", there is a lot that can be said about this song. The baseline has a constant beat that is just really easy to feel, then with the snaps and the synth that carries through this is just a fantastic song. M.I.A. really brought something fresh to the table with this song. Not only was it a gateway for "mnstrmrs" to come over get a taste of some good music, but it really way a fresh, innovative take on hit hip-hop song.

The Underdog - Spoon
Paper Planes - M.I.A.

9. "Jesus, Etc" - Wilco. Everything about this song is smooth. As soon as it starts, it just has a crazy smooth soothing sound with the great keyboard chords, the steady trap beat and of course the amazing violin part throughout the song. The intricate fiddling parts of the violin songs sound so good as a healthy balance to the sailing violin part. As far as the lyrics go, you really don't even to need to have heard this song before to know that the lyrics are cool. With a name like "Jesus, Etc", it had to have great lyrics. This is my favorite Wilco song easily. Jeff Tweedy really wrote a heartfelt tune with this one, "Our love is all we have".

Jesus, Etc - Wilco

8. "High And Dry" - Radiohead. This "Old Radiohead's" best song. If you listen to Radiohead, you know what I mean. This song, for me, defines how very talented Radiohead really is. This song is not really what I would call a prototypical Radiohead song, and you know what, that's alright. Actually, it's what makes it so cool. That's not to say this "type" is better or worse, it's just different. This is just really great, well written, relatable song. "They're the ones who'll spit at you. You will be the one screaming out."

High And Dry - Radiohead.

7. "Touch The Sky (ft. Lupe Fiasco)" - Kanye West. Kanye West, love him or hate him, the guy puts out some pretty ridiculously good music. This is not only one of my personal favorites from Mr. West, but when I hear this song I just want to bust a move. I'm a sucker for horns so naturally I love the horns playing the main melody. Kanye does things like this better than anyone in hip-hop or rap. He takes the best of both worlds in making dope beats and then using classical instruments such as horns and strings to really bring a lot real mass to his music. He is also one of the best persons in music this day in age when it comes to sampling, maybe the best. For this track, he did a wonderful sample of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up". Another notable would definitely be "Stronger" when Kanye sampled Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". This track also introduced one of my favorite rappers today in Lupe Fiasco. Kanye gives Lupe the final verse in his tune, and young Lupe does not disappoint. I guess you could say the Kanye has an eye for talent. He may very well be our generation's most culturally relevant artist.

Touch The Sky (ft. Lupe Fiasco) - Kanye West

6. "Wake Up" - Arcade Fire. "If the children don’t grow up, our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up." I remember the first time I listened to Funeral, to say I didn't fully appreciate it was very much so an understatement. This song is pure bliss. It is an anthem for childhood and youth. It takes me back and really makes me feel sentimental every time I hear. It was appropriately picked out to be used in the theatrical trailer for Where The Wild Things Are. Though the hipster status of the song has gone up tremendously since the trailer was released. It speaks much higher volumes than just that though. This song is a cry out for help from a child who doesn't understand and just doesn't want to grow up because they love their youth. Musically speaking, this song is absolutely incredible. It has one of the most brilliant transitions in a song I have ever heard about 2/3 of the way through. It is just an amazingly cool sound. Right from the start with the guitar part, and the ailing voices in the chorus line that sound like children pleaing with time to stop making them older, and then of course after the transition there is the melodic sound of xylophones and glockenspiels that take you back to an ageless, no worries state of mind.

Wake Up - Arcade Fire

5. "Roses" - Outkast. That goddam Caroline. I absolutely love this song. Everything about this song is just flat out cool. People may not agree on my choice of Outkast song, but this song is pretty much the tits. I feel like most Outkast picks would be "B.O.B." and "Ms. Jackson." Outkast is the ultimate combination of rap/hip-hop/jazz. This track is a great dance jam, extremely relatable and very culturally relevant. "Yo shit don't stank" is just one of the many lines that Andre 3000 has made cool. "She's the reason for the word, bitch." Damn Andre, what the hell did that "crazy bitch" do to you? Think she regrets it?

Roses - Outkast

4. "Digital Love" - Daft Punk. This song is a love song. Whenever I hear this song, no matter where I'm at, I have hard time not dropping everything I'm doing or thinking about and just start dancing. I love this song. It holds a bit of sentimental value for me. Maybe you can relate, maybe you can't, but if you can then you know exactly why this song is #4 on my list. When this song is played and done, I can't help but feel a bit of nostalgia to hear it 'one more time'.

Digital Love - Daft Punk

3. "Postcards From Italy" - Beirut. Zach Condon is the most impressive singer/songwriter/composer/instrumentalist of our generation. A mere 23 years old, his track record is impressive to say the least. His voice, rich in sound, hauntingly carries across the accompaniment of ukulele with blends lustrous melodies coming from the piano, trap, and of course, the horns. The horns really capture the essence of this song. The hook where the song transitions into a horn duet with the soft accompaniment of the ukulele until Zach's haunting voice comes back in truly shows off the capabilities yet regularities of the horns in Beirut. The lyrics of this song literally give me goosebumps. Beautifully written in a poetic manner, the words, soft, hold such heartfelt longing. "And I would love to see that day, her day was mine." This beautifully written masterpiece that should be experienced by all.

Postcards From Italy - Beirut

2. "Fireworks" - Animal Collective. Euphoria. State of feeling when listening to "Fireworks" by Animal Collective. To quote Carles of HRO, "Animal Collective is a Band Created By/For/On the Internet". Hate them or love them, this is true and we live in an internet time of age. This song is similar for me to "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire in that it takes me back to a childhood state of mind yet different because unlike "Wake Up", "Fireworks" makes me want to jump up and down, yell, and throw things, like I'm four years old again. And that's a good thing. I could literally listen to this song on repeat all day. I have a newfound appreciation for this song after watching 15 minute long version at Lollapalooza, jumping up and down hysterically for the entirety while sweating my balls off. And it was the best 15 minutes ever.

Fireworks - Animal Collective

1. "Twilight" - Elliott Smith. Having discovered Elliott Smith about two months before he died, I never had the chance to see him live. This is one of my top "if you could turn back time's" and will be forever. Most people will not/wouldn't agree with this pick and frankly I don't care. The amount of sentimental value that lies with me in Elliott Smith's music is far too vast and means so much to me personally that I had to put this song as my number 1. I really honestly believe that Elliott Smith is the singer/songwriter of our generation. Some of his work just amazes. Not only was a quill-man of songwriting, his guitar skills were off the chart. He also had easily recognizable, whispery-thin vocals that send shivers down my back. I really do feel that I have a valid case for making this my number 1 pick on my list. If you have never heard this song before, then you may not have the appreciation for the accolades I give it, but please take my word in that you will not regret taking 4.5 minutes to listen to this song. Even if you have heard this song before, take another listen and enjoy his mastery again. Here is a link for to the lyrics. R.I.P. Elliott (10/21/03). XO.

Twilight - Elliott Smith

"Twilight" live version

Please feel free to comment on this list and leave your feedback on great/terrible you think this list is. I can take the heat, trust me.

A Few Summer Tunes

Summer is starting to wind up for those of us who have some kind of schooling that we attend in the fall. So I thought I would reflect by posting a nice, random, short inventory of some summer mp3s for y'all to listen to while you chill at home, chill on the road, chill in the office, chill on the boat, chill in your underwear, chill in her underwear, or chill wearing no underwear. Most of these are pretty fresh, while some are from earlier this summer. This is just a random list of songs from the summer that you may have missed, so I thought I would post them.

"Walkabout" is a new one from Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter) featuring Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) of Animal Collective in gazy, upbeat cheerful tune. One of the best of the summer. I also posted a new one from Nathan Williams (Wavves) as both the tracks he's made this summer have been great, the other being "Mickey Mouse" of course. Volcano Choir is Justin Vernon's (Bon Iver) side project and their new album is to be released this fall. "Island, IS" is the only song I've heard so far, but I dig it. A new one from Radiohead (or so we think, maybe?), a great song from The Almighty Defenders which is a side project from King Kahn and The Black Lips, a newish one from the trippy "glo-fi" artist Washed Out, a great song from Mos Def's latest album, a Simian Mobile Disco song from their upcoming album Temporary Pleasure featuring Jamie Lidell, a crazy hot reggae tune from Major Lazer with a taste of Santigold, and finally a song Animal Collective has been playing at most of their live shows lately that features a hook from a Grateful Dead tune. Hopefully this gives you a little something to listen to over the next week or so. Enjoy!

Walkabout (ft. Panda Bear) - Atlas Sound

Cool Jumper - Wavves

Island, IS - Volcano Choir

These Are My Twisted Words - Radiohead

Cone Of Light - The Almighty Defenders

Feel It All Around - Washed Out

Auditorium (ft. The Ruler) - Mos Def

Off The Map (ft. Jamie Lidell) - Simian Mobile Disco

Hold The Line (ft. Santigold) - Major Lazer

What Would I Want Sky (Live on BBC Sessions) - Animal Collective

The Twilight Zone

I didn't want to write this post out of fear of this turning into some kind of Twilight blog but I really don't have any hobbies/girlfriend/friends/bar doesn't open 'til 4, so I decided I would weigh in on the issue anyways.
Why are Justin Vernon and Thom Yorke writing music for Twilight? I have developed a few sound theories.

1) It's a joke. Maybe to these guys writing songs for Twilight is like a big, ironic joke. I compare to my wolf sweatshirt or APK's snow leopard tee. Do we really think they look cool and that people think we are badass and awesome for wearing them? Of course not. Do we think they are funny and hope other people think we are funny for wearing them? Well, yeah, they're fucking wolf shirts, man. Maybe Twilight is one big wolf shirt. Maybe Thom Yorke and Justin Vernon got together and said "You know what would be funny, if we wrote music for a movie that every junior high girl in America will see" and they are having a good laugh. Maybe the more alt you are, the more ironic a thing you have to do to get that feeling of smug self-satisfaction.

2) It's a science experiment. Alt people love Thom Yorke and things Thom Yorke loves and does. Some of them even watched the Grammys this year because he was there! The fucking Grammys! So, in the interest of science, some scientists (I'm looking at you Pistol P) did a science experiment where they took something alt people hate (mainstream fiction loved by junior high girls) and threw their supreme diety into the mix. This turn of events leaves people like those in the picture above confuses. "Wait," they say, "we don't like Twilight because its too mainstream and only idiots read it and we're cool and not idiots." "But," they continue, "Thom Yorke likes it, so it must be really good, maybe we should be into it." At this point, they either go buy the book or their heads explode. This is all a part of conspiracy to kill off weirdos or allow the vampires to take over I haven't decided yet. Also, I am anxious to see how the elitist indie blogosphere treats this one. "Well, it's the Twilight soundtrack, so no. But it's Thom Yorke and Bon Iver, so we kind of have to." It's like digging through dog crap to find the ring it swallowed, and Pitchfork's hands will never smell right again.

3) They are really big fans of the book. No, probably not. I take this one back.

4) They're in it for the money. Consider this: Radiohead let you pay what you wanted (i.e. FREE) for In Rainbows. Justin Vernon couldn't even afford to record For Emma in a real-life recording studio and had to do it in a crappy cabin in the woods. These two are obviously hard up for some coin, so when the Twilight folks came-a-courtin' they were more than willing to offer to write a few tunes. Unless, of course, they are taking the route I would take and demanding roles in the films as payment. If that's the case, the director shouldn't worry, what with Thom Yorke's pale skin and sunken eyes and Justin Vernon's wild beard and love of living in the forest they would make the perfect vampire and werewolf, respectively.

Probably gonna buy this soundtrack. Probably going to put it in my iTunes as "Rare Radiohead Demos" or "Bon Iver B-Sides" so people don't think less of me.

Thom Yorke and Bon Iver Write Songs For New Twilight Movie Soundtrack

This really isn't 'new' news and I really didn't necessarily want to post anything about it, but it's just so bizarre to me. Chris Weiitz, the director of both the first Twilight movie and the new one, New Moon, has confirmed that both Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Thom Yorke will be writing music for the upcoming sequel. Wow. At least those teeny bopper vampire loving girls will atleast have some decent tunes in their iTunes now I suppose (hopefully). Oh and if you don't know who Thom Yorke is, welcome to Earth. Are there any thoughts on this matter?