Glen Thoughts

As the first decade of this millennium draws to a close, it is time to start looking back a bit.  One of the ways that I intend to do that is by creating my own personal playlist of the decade.  This includes 25 songs that have made an impact on me in the past 9 years and 11 months.  I do not think that I have the ability or desire to rank pieces of art objectively.  So my criteria are simple.  All songs on the list must have been released in a year that begins with 20.  Also, for the purposes of accessibility, they are all going to be singles.  With that specific definition left up to me.

I plan on releasing the list in groups of five over the next month and a bit.  I do not have any schedule, they will just appear when I see fit I suppose.

Interestingly enough, I found that most of these songs were released in between 2004 and 2007.  These two years are significant to me both musically, as they are the year that my favourite band, Arcade Fire, released their two albums, and also personally, as they are the two years that I received University Degrees.  I am not certain if there is a connection or not, but it does add a certain credence to the notion that we need music when we are seeking meaning to our lives.  Something that certainly comes with facing the unknown world outside of the comforts of Academia.

Enough dither, there is plenty of time for that as the list goes on.

Track #1

The Killers – All These Things That I’ve Done

Album:  Hot Fuss (2004)

What better song to get you in the mood for some good old fashion reflection?

For me this is the song that made the Killers for me.  I had bought the album after enjoying “Somebody Told Me” and really falling for “Mr. Brightside”, but when this song came over my car speakers I was overwhelmed.  It is able to just feel epic.  The slow intro, the steady build, and of course the iconic sing-a-long make this a song to remember.

As much as I loved this song when I first heard it, it seems to have grown on me as I have grown.   As I grow up, and try to carve out a bit of meaning I find that I “want to shine on in the hearts of man”, and that I too “need direction to perfection”, and of course I lament “the cold-hearted boy I used to be”.  This is a song about growing up and trying to figure things out.  This is something that my 21 year old self who knew all the answers didn’t seem to get, but the 26 year old gets more and more every day.

Favourite Lyric: “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier”

Track #2

Bloc Party – This Modern Love

Album:  Silent Alarm (2005)

The first of many songs about heart-break to crack the list.  However, what makes this song special is not how well it describes one particular heartbreak, but how it summarizes so much about heartbreak in general this decade and the complications that seem to arise in this strange modern world that we have grown use to.

In this song, the singer seems to be chasing a girl who has a host of other issues as he asks her questions like “What’s always in the way?” and “Why so scared of romance?”.  However, he doesn’t seem to know the first thing about chasing someone down as he says things like “I’ve never known what’s good for me”.

He says that “This modern love breaks me/This modern love wastes me” which is a situation that is certainly not unique to him.  While relationships are difficult in this day and age, it is worth noting however that they probably were difficult in any sort of nostalgic time that people consistently long for.  It’s just that we never had to deal with any of those issues.

Favourite Lyric: “You told me you wanted to eat up my sadness/ Well jump on, enjoy, you can gorge away”

Track #3

Beck – Lost Cause

Album:  Sea Change (2002)

Probably the saddest song you will ever hear.  This song truly captures hopelessness like few others have.

While this song is clearly dedicated to a relationship that isn’t worth fighting for, it has some very clear applications on other aspects of life.  Has any of it really been worth it or has it been a lost cause?  This song makes the list because of the inevitable regret that comes with reflection.  It may be misplaced, but it’s hard not to feel it for a little while at least.

Favourite Lyric: “I’m tired of fighting/Fighting for a lost cause”

Track #4

Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead

Album:  Set Yourself on Fire (2004)

Two years ago, almost to the day, I had a theme here called “Stars Week” as I counted down the days until I got to see one of my favourite bands for the first time.  This song was the first one that I looked at.  For the most part my feelings of why this song is special to me haven’t really changed, so here is a copy/paste from my original post.

“This is one of those amazing songs to listen to late at night when you are thinking about someone from days past. When the song reaches it’s zenith and Amy Milan’s angelic voice chymes in with “I’m not sorry I met you/I’m not sorry it’s over/I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save”, then the song is able to pass through the last step in the grieving process, acceptance as closure is finally attained.

I guess I feel that this song spoke to me so clearly, because I found it at a very crucial time in my life, when I was ready to move on. Sad and angry songs are great, but they don’t ever deal with the root of the issue. I had heard this song, and the band before this crucial stage in my life but I wasn’t all that into them. But it was when I heard this song at that very crucial point in my life that I became hooked. While I know that I searched out this song, I can’t help but feel that it found me when I needed it the most.”

To add to that original entry.  Both times I saw this band play this song stood out as major highlights.  Their energy and passion for this song was noticeable.  The best part of both performances was the sing-along for the “Lise through this and you won’t look back” parts.  It send shivers up my spine and is impossible to separate from the song itself.

Favourite Lyric: “I chose to feel it and you couldn’t choose”

Track #5

Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)

Album:  Funeral (2004)

Simply put:  If I had never heard this song, I wouldn’t be writing such a passionate post about music.

Now don’t get me wrong, I always liked music.  But really, who doesn’t?  I tried to go beyond the Top 40, but usually found that to be rather challenging, or to be honest, a little pointless.  I didn’t get it.  But then I heard this song.

This album was highly recommended to me by my friend Ryan, and I gave a few tracks a listen, but it didn’t really click with me.  Then one day something strange happened.  It was just one of those days that everything was going wrong.  It was cold and rainy, I was having a fight with my girlfriend, and work wasn’t going too well.  I was listening to my iTunes and this song came on, and everything somehow clicked.  I was in need of a rebellion, and I found one.

This song made me rebel from my musical paradigm at the time.  I never “got” music before then.  I never felt that a song written by people I have never met could honestly and truly say anything about my most intimate thoughts and feelings.

The more I listen to this song the more I fall for it.  It is playing right now as I type and I am still just as amazed at what I am hearing as I was five years ago.  It stretches not only what music means to me, but what I feel music can be.

Favourite Lyric: “Come on baby in our dreams we can live our misbehaviour”

That concludes the first quintet of songs.  While these five were all very personal, the next five will be looking at these past 10 years as a decade of conflict.  They’ll be posted…sometime…

Until next time,

G

Tags: arcade fire, special songs, stars

This entry was posted on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 4:32 am and is filed under About G, Muzzak, Year in Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.