#223 - Eels - Cancer For The Cure
Like to thing the black rider esque percussion of this led to tom waits becoming a fan, and subsequent howls on going fetal years later.
#225 - Destroyer - No Cease Fires!
I don’t know who supered86 is but apparently he’s a ‘big deal’
#301 - Michael Giacchino - Spirit Bog
One of my more self-indulgent picks but there isn’t a choice in this whole thing i wouldn’t call self-indulgent. Stupid phrase.
When I was compiling the 90s list I thought back to a ton of video games I loved as a kid, and coincidentally when researching the small soldiers soundtrack (PS1) found out the soundtrack was actually done by my favourite composer, Michael Giacchino; #4 on the 2000s list due to his incredible work on LOST in particular.
This is the first of many video game cuts to come; far more so on this list rather than the last because I think as a kid computer games played a genuine role in the development of my brain, i played them far more, and post-2000 i’d usually play games on mute with records on. Man, this is exciting. I actually replayed childhood favourite Small Soldiers over christmas, with Deerhunter’s Halcyon Digest drowning out Mr Giacchino’s work. My brother bought it for me and I did the same for him. Pretty obscure mix-up right there.
This soundtrack is pretty coo thoughl. Properly epic almost tsarist vibes for planet gorgon. Worst thing is this isn’t even the worst thing i’ve ever typed.
#305 - Michael Rother - Neutronics 98
one half of neu! doing a tribute to conny plank. List of things he was involved with is insane.
#308 - Bright Eyes - If Winter Ends
Quite glad to be writing about this after re-evaluating my Oberst thoughts in light of The People’s Key, and gonna choose my words carefully when i’m aware a few diehards will no doubt read this. While including so-rare-it’s-not-on-his-rarities-compilation Joy In Forgetting… as part of the 2000s list, I never really got the oppurtunity to de-construct his work as an album-maker, arguably (i’m arguing it…) his biggest strength.
And as an album-maker, it began here. With a comparatively poultry opening 40 seconds of non-song, you’ve introduced to the Oberst concept record method. Working to varying degrees on their own (hello, batshit ramblings at the start of The People’s Key vs, say, the atmospheric heavy breathing and apocala-synth that opens Digital Ash) they always avoid the traps of contriving self-indulgence that more or less anyone else would fall into.
They sum up what’s a pretty strong musical career - each record having it’s own wildly specific style, varying massively thematically, instrumentally and with production but still being cohesive to the Bright Eyes brand, with enough standout songs throughout to make a stellar greatest hits setlist.
Gushing? Not really. While I think there isn’t a contemporary that is even close to matching the above strength, and while I’d argue it for each Bright Eyes release (yep, Cassadega too) - I think there are enough flaws with his songwriting to not include him alongside the greats of today, as much as 15-year-old me would argue otherwise.
At the same time, so many of those flaws are what make Oberst Oberst. Always at his best when unreserved, naive and youthfully fucked up, I’d rather hear 1000 earnest embarrassingly earnest cries of “how can i expect anyone else to give a shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit” than a single young songwriter ever described as mature.
Somewhere between the depressing hipper consensus (hiya Pitchfork) that’s emerged of little-worth, and the ott NEW DYLAN shouts circa-2005, then.
#314 - Trembling Blue Stars - Farewell To Forever
there will come a day when I write about songs again. today is not that day.
#329 - Antony And The Johnsons - Deeper Than Love
I’d be lying if - like any other track i’ve been posting lately - I said that this received regular attention, but upon relistening it sounds like Hegarty’s early work wasn’t far behind his post-2000 output, which i somehow criminally ignored. Alongside not including All Saints’ Pure Shores on the 2000s list, no Antony ‘til now is the biggest travesty on Dont Make Lists.
#350 - Cursive - Icebreakers
Another early 7” from a band who would ultimately hit their stride in the following decade with Domestica especially, but still totally worthwhile
#357 - Jermaine Dupri - Money Ain’t A Thang (feat. Jay-Z)
She said she loved my necklace, started relaxin, now that’s what the fuck I call a chain reaction
#362 - Don Caballero - From The Desk Of Elsewhere Go
For me, this is off Don Cab’s best release, 1998’s What Burns Never Returns. Displays the birth of some of the experimentation that make American Don and Battles first EPs so revered.
