[Shaun]

pound the alarm ahead of suburbia and champagne supernova? have a word with yourself

nice dream, somewhere in my heart & the killing moon

[Stu]

thirty two.
TOOL//Sober

Youtube video

sounds like.
A horror ride withdrawal.

it's here because.
A lot of bands advertise themselves as downbeat and a lot more get perceived as downbeat but whereas in many cases this is frivolous to the often quite catchy, smiles-behind-the-madness sound pallet offered up, Tool actually do sound like they mean it. They're definitely not happy about something and even though I enjoy them so it does vaguely seem whilst listening like I'm being reprimanded for my choices. Chastised for my sins.

The downtuned guitars are reminiscent of grunge meeting industrial on a park bench circa 1992 but Tool really is Maynard James Keenan. A name like a suspect from a Thomas Harris book and one of rocknroll's finest vocals to boot. He manages to scream ... quietly.

Brilliantly haunting and other such superlatives.

[Stu]

The placings are somewhat hazy up until about 20 on, I'll admit. Meaning they are made on the fly. Then again I do prefer that song and have listened to it more and would put it on a desert island disc over the other two you mentioned.

A certain amount of judging songs on their own terms and spreading out the genres comes into play as well. Otherwise the bottom end of the chart would be loaded with some very good pop songs whilst the top 25 would be completely wrist cutting fodder.

[Stu]

thirty one
GRIMES//Oblivion

Youtube video

sounds like.
The future.

it's here because.
Reservations about putting a relatively young and unabashedly hipster tune on the chart? Fuck all, really.

Grimes floats in your ears like some sonic ghost and refuses to leave, lighting up your optimism for how good music today can sound and validating a largely post rock world where ethereal, majestic sounds can be arranged in a studio using apple macs and minikorgs.

Terrific.

[Shaun]

best song of 2012 by a mile

[Stu]

Yeah I nicked the word 'ethereal' from your summation of it. It was spot on.

thirty.
EMINEM//Stan

Youtube video

sounds like.
Every twelve year old's bedroom at the turn of the century.

it's here because.
Still hit and miss king Eminem's finest moment by a very large stretch. Even Dido is used to great effect in it and if you're still not sold on the big D well the video provides her getting driven into a lake for your amusement.

Eminem's delivery alternating between the two characters in this song is spot on from the neurotic, troubled Stan to the composed Professor Eminem answering his fan mail. The subject matter is *sigh* haunting as well and really it's just a great concept song. Concept rap.

The groove that underpins the whole thing is the real attraction though. That droning, hypnotic bass over the relaxed, trip-hop-on-ambien beat is mesmerizing all these years on.

[Shaun]

aaaw the rasmus

[Z]

Really enjoyed that latest batch of songs - and for years I've had that Rasmus song rotating in my head every now and then without ever knowing who sang it, all I had was "GUILTY WHOAAAAOOOOOOOH" on repeat haha

[Shaun]

tbf that was because you were obsessed with the OJ trial more than anything else

[Stu]

twenty nine.
THE WONDER STUFF//Here Comes Everyone

Youtube video

sounds like.
Partying in a field.

it's here because.
The Wonder Stuff are the first band I ever fell in love with and the first band I ever really heard I guess. Tapes of them used to be stashed all over my aunts house like hidden treasures and I would uncover the history of my first real musical band my reading the line notes obsessively.

Though they faded out fast and ruined their reputation forevermore by doing the cancerous "Dizzy" with Vic Reeves I and about twelve other people still remember them as an amazingly fun, energetic, hippyish band from the west country.

The Hup! and Never Loved Elvis albums are more than worth looking into. Consider yourself told.

[Stu]

twenty eight.
CHICANE//No Ordinary Morning

Youtube video

sounds like.
Butterflies in your stomach.

it's here because.
No Ordinary Morning might be the most delicate, beautiful track to have come out of the nineties dance explosion and the mostly four to the floor groups that it produced.

It's something they would lay over a death scene in Skins. Emotional almost to the point of cheese but oh so very good. Listen to the warm pad sounds. You hear that? That's just superior sonic texture.

[Stu]

twenty seven.
THE BANGLES//Eternal Flame

Youtube video

sounds like.
Sounds like I could fucking CRY WITH JOY.

it's here because.
That's me trying to hit the high notes at 00:35. We were lonely in those days. Eternal Flame is genuinely one of the most stirring tracks ever though, and that's why it sits here just as the list is getting hot. Forget Atomic Kitten ... The Bangles were way better and way hotter. I'm not sure which wanky terms to dig up to describe my love for this one but here you go. It's great.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Stu

twenty seven.
THE BANGLES//Eternal Flame

Youtube video

sounds like.
Sounds like I could fucking CRY WITH JOY.

it's here because.
That's me trying to hit the high notes at 00:35. We were lonely in those days. Eternal Flame is genuinely one of the most stirring tracks ever though, and that's why it sits here just as the list is getting hot. Forget Atomic Kitten ... The Bangles were way better and way hotter. I'm not sure which wanky terms to dig up to describe my love for this one but here you go. It's great.

..just one of the most emotional songs ever, I adore it.....The Bangles weren't really thought of as credible artists by music critics at the time but what did they know, they produced some good songs..Eternal Flame, Manic Monday and Walk Like an Egyptian were all big hits and well deserved to be...

Originally Posted by Stu

twenty nine.
THE WONDER STUFF//Here Comes Everyone

Youtube video

sounds like.
Partying in a field.

it's here because.
The Wonder Stuff are the first band I ever fell in love with and the first band I ever really heard I guess. Tapes of them used to be stashed all over my aunts house like hidden treasures and I would uncover the history of my first real musical band my reading the line notes obsessively.

Though they faded out fast and ruined their reputation forevermore by doing the cancerous "Dizzy" with Vic Reeves I and about twelve other people still remember them as an amazingly fun, energetic, hippyish band from the west country.

The Hup! and Never Loved Elvis albums are more than worth looking into. Consider yourself told.

They're actually from the west midlands. I'd say 8 legged groove machine is definitely their best album. I saw a Miles gig last year - he did a great acoustic version of circlesquare.

[GypsyGoth]

The Bangles

[Stu]

Seriously thought the West Midlands and West Country were one and the same. Oh well. Thanks for clearing that up! I do a terrible acoustic version of Circlesquare.

This shiznit will continue tomorrow with 27-30.

[Shaun]

west country = us devon, somerset and cornwall folk. ooarr.

[Stu]

Are Feeder still big there?

[Shaun]

.... yes

[Stu]

Anyway let's get this thing out of the way, shall we?

twenty six.
MORRISSEY//Everyday Is Like Sunday

Youtube video

sounds like.
Fey, bashful and overbearing all at once. Typical Moz, then.

it's here because.
It's a shame Morrissey's awe inspiring ability to make weird, sweeping statements about pigs and stuff has detracted ever so slightly from his superb back catalog of albums like Viva Hate, Your Arsenal and return to form You Are The Quarry. Never at risk of approaching the majesty of The Smith's discography but a stellar body of work nontheless.

The most annoying thing is how bloody serious people take him. Read the article, write him off as a secluded, heartless has been and forget the tunes. He's only Morrissey for christ sake. He's an old coot. He means well when he says the genocide of babies is nothing compared to the guilty taste you get from KFC chicken or something.

Every Day Is Like Sunday stirs with it's plucky strings and quietly rousing lyrics. It pulls off the typical Moz/Smiths contradiction of having quite sweet music offset by desolate, dreary subject matter.

[Tom4784]

Adore The Smiths but I just can't take to Morrissey's solo material.

[Stu]

twenty five.
THE PRODIGY//Start The Dance

Youtube video

sounds like.
A clarion call for nutters everywhere.

it's here because.
"Oi Liam you got some pukka tunes mate but here's the thing see you got no show. Me and my mate here will chum you up and help you out. I'll dance like I'm off me 'ead on pills and he'll shout "where's my fuckin' people?" over all your songs. Great stuff."

That's my story of how The Prodigy started and I'm sticking too it. The Essex rave champions turned career dance monstrosity have achieved stunning longevity and respectability in the often fickle, ever changing world of dance music. Infectious to the point of grabbing anyone and pulling them in regardless of taste, they simply have an awesome sound and if you know anybody that doesn't like them you should probably sever ties.

But which tune to represent them in this countdown. Firestarter was the breakthrough but is a bore in comparison to Breath and Smack My Bitch Up, both from the 1996 smash Fat Of The Land. Omen is too fresh. Charly and No Good too representative of their fun but sign-of-things-to-come rave days.

It's Start The Dance, isn't it. A total rise up anthem designed to bring down your thin, cheap bedroom walls on a Friday night over a few cheap tins.

They're still going strong as a live act you must see before you die. I've had the pleasure. Keith still looks like he hasn't quite come back from that first Glasto, either.

[Stu]

twenty four.
NYM//Lesser Known Good

Youtube video

sounds like.
The kind of journey that ends in a hot bath.

it's here because.
A rather anonymous entry from an unknown producer who aint even internet famous. I'm confident in my love for this tune though. Confident in it's twenty four placing. It's just one of the most loveliest pieces of music I've ever heard. The first time I heard it was when my friend played it for me over some smokes at his house down by the train station as the sun was coming up. His window overlooks the waterfront. It was magic, man.

I don't know how else to sell it to you, really. It's a really unknown quality. It's just a fantastic piece of ambient grooveage. Don't be tab surfing if you plan on spinning it. Open your ears and stick with it to the end.

It might have been just the drugs.

[Stu]

twenty three.
WARPAINT//Warpaint

Youtube video

sounds like.
The best thing going today.

it's here because.
I think I'm getting to see Warpaint at Electric Picnic this year. A real treat considering it's exactly the type of band I fall for, and their eponymous song on display here is a great example of why.

The subtle intro kind of hands you into this haunted house of tribal drone where the tantalizing vocals lull you into a fall sense of security. The Peter Hook New Order Resonant Post Punk Bass Thingy™ dances around you saying go on, it'll be alright. It builds and builds and builds to a thrilling guitar cut fest climax. A bit like good sex. And they're sexy out too. In that way that they probably only shower once a week and are harboring some dodgy tattoos up their skirts.

Anyway. Here's Warpaint. I'm too tired to write good.

[Stu]

twenty two.
LITTLE DRAGON//Ritual Union

Youtube video

sounds like.
Going around on a Wurlitzer or something, I dunno.

it's here because.
Because it's the best tune from the excellent Little Dragon, a bit of a hipster oddity and the only four piece from Gothenburg that I can claim to name.

Ammi likes this one, I know that. I posted it in ... some random music thread awhile back ... I think ... and she said she loved it. Trust Ammi on this one.

I said to her I found it somewhat satanic and she didn't pick up on it but I'll continue that discourse here. Something sounds very evil in it. It's a bit of a twisted tune. The weird bouncing electronic noise that follows "got me again-en-en-en" is quite dark, amongst other things. But it's part of the appeal I think. It's a quirky, wonderful tune that must be at this point my most repeated tune ever.

The vocals in it are superb too. The kind of vocals you know you can't replicate but feel duty bound to squelch out anyway as you go about your flat hoovering up dead spiders before your cooler friends come and introduce you to the next Gothenburg four piece who will blow your fucking mind.