jraff's Digest

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #18:ZZTLower State of...

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:25:44 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#18:
ZZT
Lower State of Consciousness (Original Munich version)
Lower State of Consciousness, 2007

Finally, something with a beat! Put on your headphones and turn it up! Hopefully this will wake you all up a bit on this grey monday.
ZZT is a one-off collaboration between Montreal’s Tiga and Munich’s Zombie Nation. An obvious hommage to Josh Wink’s classic “Higher State Of Consciouness”, with a slightly darker mood and harsher frequencies.

britneyfontanapants:(via ghostpatrol)

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:26:09 -0500

britneyfontanapants:(via ghostpatrol)

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #19:Sufjan StevensSeven...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:00:00 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#19:
Sufjan Stevens
Seven Swans
Seven Swans, 2005

Like most people, I discovered Sufjan Stevens when he released “Michigan”, the first record in his series dedicated to the American States (he only made two of those so far, though), and quickly fell in love with his delicate, intricate and layered lyrics and melodies, his soft voice, his banjo.
So when his next record (Seven Swans, this one) came out, I got it as fast as I could, and loved it too! Alas, I guess I just wasn’t paying enough attention, at the beginning, but some kind of weird feeling crept over me with each new play of the record: something was… off.
So I did a little research, read the lyrics and interviews, and it turns out Sufjan is super religious and this whole album is about Jesus/God/something. Which, honestly, turned me off his music quite a bit at first! But it’s just… sooo… good. Who cares, if the love song is about a girl, a boy or a Deity, right?
Anyway. This song still works for me because it’s so damn gorgeous, it’s uplifting and hopeful, but at the same time the instrumentation is sparse and sounds like it’s breaking apart… It sounds like… a soft … thunderstorm ? I don’t know.

…

We didn’t sleep too late.
There was a fire in the yard.
All of the tress were in light.
They had no faces to show.
I saw a sign in the sky:
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans.
I heard a voice in my mind:
I will try, I will try, I will try.
I will try, I will try, I will try.

We saw the dragon move down.
My father burned into coal.
My mother saw it from far.
She took her purse to the bed.
I saw a sign in the sky:
Seven horns, seven horns, seven horns.
I heard a voice in my mind:
I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.
He said: I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.
He said: I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.

He will take you. If you run,
He will chase you.
He will take you. If you run,
He will chase you
‘cause He is the Lord.

‘Cause He is the Lord…
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans,
seven swans, seven swans…

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #20:Franz...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:54:48 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#20:
Franz Ferdinand
Outsiders
You Could Have It So Much Better, 2005

Obviously, this is not Franz Ferdinand’s finest record, since their first (self-titled) one was incredibly catchy, fun and popular, full of awesome singles such as Take me out and Michael… But as I said in the intro, some albums are so good that I wasn’t able to chose only one song out of them, since I play them top to bottom almost everytime.
So instead I went with “Outsiders”, a non-single track off their worst record, which is still the one song of theirs I’ve played the most I think.

…

It’s been some change
But we’re still outsiders
If Everybody’s here
Then hell knows we ride alone…

I’ve seen some years
But you’re still my Caesar
With everything I feel
I feel you’ve already been here

The only difference is all I see is now all that I’ve seen

it’s bright on the outside
The bright love the dark side I know
It’s obvious but sometimes you just have to say it so
You don’t feel so weak
About being such a freak
alone

In seventeen years
Will you still be Camille
Lee Miller, Gala or whatever
You know what I mean yeah

Love’ll die
Lovers fade
But you still remain there
Squeezing in your fingers
What it means for me to be yeah

The only difference is what might be is now what might have been

When you saw me sleeping
You thought I was dreaming
Of you
no I didn’t tell you
That the only dream
Is Valium for me

I’ve seen some years
But you’re still my Caesar
With everything I feel
I feel you’ve already been here

Love’ll die
Lovers fade
But you still remain there
Squeezing in your fingers
What it means for me to be yeah

The only difference is what might be is now

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #21:Joanna NewsomPeach Plum...

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:20:38 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#21:
Joanna Newsom
Peach Plum Pear
the Milk-Eyed Mender, 2004

And now, for something completely different!
I’ll be honest, the first time I heard this song I could barely stand it - Joanna’s voice is, err… an acquired taste, I guess? It’s only when Final Fantasy covered it, and I could hear the lyrics properly, that I fell in love with the song.
And so I came back to this, the original version, and now I find that Joanna’s voice actually matches the lyrics so well…Also I love the hapsichord! It’s very rarely used in modern music, so its use here is a definite plus.

…

We speak in the store
I’m a sensitive bore
you seem markedly more
and I’m oozing suprise.

But it’s late in the day
and you’re well on your way
what was golden went gray
and I’m suddenly shy.

And the gathering floozies
afford to be choosy
and all sneezing darkly
in the dimming divide.

I have read the right books
to interpret your looks
you were knocking me down
with the palm of your eye.

Go Na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na

This was unlike the story
it was written to be
I was riding its back
when it used to ride me.

And we were galloping manic
to the mouth of the source
we were swallowing panic
in the face of its force.

And I am blue, I am blue, and unwell,
made me bolt like a horse.

ooh, Na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na

Now it’s done.
Watch it go.
You’ve changed some.
Water run from the snow.

Am I so dear?
Do I run rare?
And you’ve changed some:
peach, plum, pear.

…

And Final Fantasy’s version:

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #22:TV On The RadioFamily...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:43:29 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#22:
TV On The Radio
Family Tree
Dear Science, 2008

…

Under my love
Wake up to your window
The day calls in billows
It’s echoing moonlight on to the blue nightmare of your heart
In cosy red rainbow
It’s shaking off halos
And the memory of our sacred so and so’s

Oh take my hand sweet
Complete your release and bury your feet
And married we’ll be
Alone in receiving ours is a feeling not that they would see
They don’t know that we could be
That way your cradle escaped the sea
And your raven haired Mama cought told you so’s

We’re laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There’s a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young

Ah me all mine
Is it safe to say that we’ve waited patiently
Call me on time
And recall the tune that has place us gracefully
All into line
There’s the garden grave and a place they’ve saved for you
I’ll fall by your side
Though your silver haired Mama throws told you so’s

We’re laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There’s a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young

And now we’ll gather in the shadow of your family tree
In haunted harmony
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the valley of your family tree
There’s a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep us young

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #23:MuseEndlesslyAbsolution,...

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:56:19 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#23:
Muse
Endlessly
Absolution, 2004

Sometimes Muse get on my nerves with their Queen-meets-Radiohead antics/anthems, but this song is just subdued enough for me to be able to listen to it more than once a month or so!

…

There’s part of me
You’ll never know
The only thing
I’ll never show

Hopelessly, I’ll love you endlessly
Hopelessly, I’ll give you everything
But I won’t give you up.
I won’t let you down
I won’t leave you falling
If the moment ever comes

It’s plain to see,
It’s trying to speak
Cherished dreams
Forever asleep

Hopelessly, I’ll love you endlessly
Hopelessly, I’ll give you everything
But I won’t give you up
I won’t let you down
I won’t leave you falling
If the moment ever comes.

Hopelessly, I’ll love you endlessly
Hopelessly, I’ll give you everything
But I won’t give you up
I won’t let you down
I won’t leave you falling
But the moment never comes.

Google wave!

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:39:18 -0500

I have tons of invites, that I can send to your email address, if you leave it below. Anyone want one?

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #24:MetronomyThe End Of You...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:47:00 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#24:
Metronomy
The End Of You Too
Nights out, 2008

This was a very though choice, I knew I wanted something by Metronomy, but I love pretty much every track on this record. So I decided to pick this one for #24, since it’s the one I played the most (according to last.fm), and post some of the excellent videos the band made for other songs I love.

…

A Thing For You

…

Metronomy ‘Radio Ladio’ from Matt Dollings on Vimeo.

Radio Ladio

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade #25:Radiohead Where I End and...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:50:19 -0500

My top 25 songs of the 00s decade

#25:
Radiohead
Where I End and You Begin
Hail to the Thief, 2003

I don’t think a lot of people would pick this album as Radiohead’s finest, and even then, not a lot would pick this song out of it. And yet… I’ve listened to this so many times! I love how the warmth of the bassline (and… keyboards? atmospheric guitars? I’m not sure) contrasts with the coldness of the lyrics.

…

There’s a gap in between
There’s a gap where we meet
Where I end and you begin

And I’m sorry for us
The dinosaurs roam the earth
The sky turns green
Where I end and you begin

I’m up in the clouds
I’m up in the clouds
And I can’t and I can’t come down

I can watch and not take part
Where I end and where you start
Where you, you left me alone
You left me alone

X’ll mark the place
Like the parting of the waves
Like a house falling in the sea
In the sea

I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive

and There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies

I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive

and There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies

I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive

and There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies
There’ll be no more lies

I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive
I will eat you alive

artsandcrafts: via

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:27:21 -0500

artsandcrafts:

via

nevver: The Londonist

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:01:05 -0500

nevver:

The Londonist

(via evoke)

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:01:01 -0500

(via evoke)

(via purelikegolddd)

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:00:52 -0500

(via purelikegolddd)

Introducing: My top 25 songs of the 00s decade!

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:18:06 -0500

So, Christmas is almost here already, and so is the new year… And every website I read has been running these “best of ‘09” lists for movies or books or records; some of them also have lists for the end of the 00 decade.

And a lot of the artists that I really love get left out of those lists, so it inspired to make my own list. I decided to go with my top 25 songs of the 00s decade. Starting tomorrow, then, I’ll post one song a day, from #25 up, up until december 31st with song #1.

Let me tell you, getting the list down to 25 entries was HARD!

First I went over my entire library, removing anything dated before 2000. Then I made a first pass, looking through the list for songs that really touched me, that I had listened to a lot of times, etc. That got me to more or less 175 songs.

Second pass, removing multiple entries of the same artists, or songs that I liked but didn’t listen to that many times, and I was down to about 100.

From there I didn’t know what else to cut, so I took the opposite route and tried to start with the songs, out of those 100, that I absolutely needed in my 25, thinking I’d fill in the remaining spots once those were chosen. However, this selection was… 28 songs long, already over my limit! I cut it down to size (which took me about half an hour! for three extra songs!), and finally had my top 25.

Then came the order I would put the songs in, which wasn’t that hard actually. But still. It was very hard to pick only 25 songs to represent the last ten years, much harder than I thought it’d be. Some of my favourite artist didn’t even make it to the top, because their albums as a whole were to good and I couldn’t pick up individual songs (like Arcade Fire, or Wolf Parade). Some on my 25 I almost never listen to, except for the one song that makes in on the list.

So yeah. In the end I went with the kind of songs I’ve listened to repeatedly, obsessively, even, and that means most of them are on the “sad/introspective” end of the spectrum; although there are a few upbeat numbers, for when I feel like dancing like a spaz or getting cheered up!

The first song comes up on monday!

In the meantime, I decided that, since I went through all the trouble to make this list, I should also post the rest of it, if only in youtube links and the like.

So, as a preview of my upcoming countdown of my top 25 songs of the 00s decade, here are positions 26-100, in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

a.c. newman - Miracle Drug
andrew bird - Fake Palindromes
Arcade Fire - Intervention
arcade fire - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
arthur h - lily dale
asa-chang & junray - hana
Bat For Lashes - Siren Song
Boards of Canada - In a Beautiful Place out in the Country
cake - commissioning a symphony in c
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - It Wasn’t The Same Somehow
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Satan Said Dance
Colder - One Night In Tokyo
Jose González - Heartbeats(The Knife cover)
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
css - Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
cursive - Driftwood
DangerDoom - Benzie Box(ft. Cee-Lo)
Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month
Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights
Department of Eagles - No One Does it Like You
Feist - 1234(Vanshe Technologic Remix)
Feist - my moon my man(boyz noize remix)
Final Fantasy - The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead
Final Fantasy - This is the Dream of Win & Regine
fischerspooner - Emerge
fischerspooner - Horizon
Foals - The French Open
Gang Gang Dance - Princes
Grizzly Bear - Knife
Grizzly Bear - Knife (covered by CSS)
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Handsome Furs - Dead + Rural
hot hot heat - Bandages
Ida Maria - Oh My God
Immaculate Machine - Phone No.
Islands - Where There’s a Will There’s a Whalebone
Katamari Damacy - WANDA WANDA
katerine - 78-2008
klaxons - gravity’s rainbow
Klaxons - Magick
lady sovereign - luv me or hate me
Les Georges Leningrad - supa doopa
Liars - Plaster Casts of Everything
Lightning Dust - I Knew
louise attaque - comme on a dit
M.I.A. - Jimmy
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Magneta Lane - The Constant Lover
Mara Tremblay - Le printemps des amants
Matt & Kim - Yea Yeah
MGMT - Kids
Moderat- A new Error
Monkey - Monkey Bee
New Young Pony Club - The Get Go
no doubt - Ex Girlfriend
Peter Bjorn and John - Nothing to Worry About
Portishead - We Carry On
radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place
Robyn - Konichiwa Bitches
Sunset Rubdown - You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
the chemical brothers - Electronic Battle Weapon 8
the chemical brothers - Star Guitar
the decemberists - eli, the barrow boy
the faint - I Disappear
The Lonely Island - Like a Boss
The Presets - Are You the One
The Rapture - Pieces Of The People We Love
the Unicorns - I Was Born(A Unicorn)
the white stripes - seven nation army
the white stripes - fell in love with a girl
Tokyo Police Club - Nature Of The Experiment
von bondies - cmon cmon
Wolf Parade - You Are A Runner And I Am My Father’s Son
yeah yeah yeahs - Art Star
yeah yeah yeahs - Y Control

-clu-:Pier Schneider and François Wunschel

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:39:48 -0500

-clu-:Pier Schneider and François Wunschel

(via purelikegolddd)

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:10:13 -0500

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afterimg:Cheeseburger on a trampoline (via Laser Bread)

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:35:31 -0500

afterimg:Cheeseburger on a trampoline (via Laser Bread)

foggy Montreal night.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:09:45 -0500

foggy Montreal night.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:09:32 -0500

foggy Montreal night.