As my favorite plumber-as-superhero always says, "Here we go!"1. Lolli Zan - "Ancient Girl"
It was only a matter of time before Duluth's Desert Caravan Dance Troupe rubbed off on me. Enter ill-fated attempts at male belly dancing and/or Lolli Zan's irresistible Middle Eastern-tinged pop/rock.
2. John Hermanson - "80s Party"
Sad fact: It wasn't until I heavily got into Storyhill that I discovered this gem from Johnny (aka one half of that tremendous duo). I originally found his self-titled solo disc whilst cleaning my office at NDSU's The Spectrum. Little did I know that, unlike Storyhill's precious Jayhawks-from-Montana sound, the mighty J.H. likes to occasionally rock out like "The Spine"-era They Might Be Giants. I personally guarantee that this track will have you singing and -- please excuse this moment of "hip to be square" but... -- be-boppin' around like you just don't care.
I am blushing, but I don't care. This song makes me giddy.
3. Fleetwood Mac - "That's All for Everyone"
I also got into this one -- also now one of my all-time "most favoritest" songs -- in a roundabout way. Growing up, I was never really into "The Mac," but I always thought the song "Tusk" had something going on. Fast-forward to roughly a month ago: I am rediscovering my vinyl collection (it was pretty much relegated to the scary, spider-filled basement in our last house) and come across "Tusk" the album. Now, I've enjoyed Camper Van Beethoven's complete rereading of it, but nothing could've prepared me for the back-to-back triumphs of "That's All" and "Not That Funny."
Needless to write, Lindsey Buckingham really outdid himself with his band's "Pet Sounds." Bravo!
4. Golden Smog - "Starman" (David Bowie cover)
These guys are infallible. I've said it before, but the Jayhawks breakup was hard on this (former) Minnesota boy -- yet I couldn't be happier about all the attention Golden Smog is getting these days. Just last summer they dropped the awe-inspiring "One Fine Day," and now we get a terrific EP with this spot-on Bowie cover? We are all surely living the good life right about now.
5. Electric Light Orchestra - "Jungle"
Although I've fancied myself an ELO aficionado for some time now, this song's brilliance escaped me for the longest time. It may be big, dumb rock, but so was "Ten." <- Yes, that's my entire argument.
R.I.Y.L. for fans of Three Dog Night -- especially "Shambala."
6. J Church - "Styrofoam"
What at first sounds remarkably like a "Big Me" rewrite quickly gels into J Church's most striking and emotive composition since 1996's "Alone When She Dies."
BONUS: It's oddly poetic for a band primarily popular in punk rock circles.
7. The Frames - "Underglass" (Live @ Lollapalooza 2006)
Now, what the Frames have done here -- ever so brilliantly, I might add -- is taken the most explosive track off "Burn the Maps" and pretty much blown the lid off it.
I really wish Duluth could book an act like this for Bayfront Festival Park....
8. The Push Stars - "Any Little Town"
I never expected much from the bargain-bin "Stop Handgun Violence," but the little comp* sure delivered with this introduction to Chris Trapper and company's "After the Party" album.
9. The SoftLightes - "The Robots in My Bedroom Were Playing Arena Rock"
Cool title, eh? Song's not that bad either, eh.
10. Josh Joplin - "One Becomes Two"
I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but Joplin's music perfectly evokes the feeling I first got when I heard R.E.M.'s criminally underappreciated "Reveal."
11. The National - "All the Wine"
I downloaded the entire album "Alligator" because someone said it was the National's "Pixies album." While that couldn't be further from the truth, it's beautiful nonetheless. Like a slightly less-polished Cinerama.
And how I love me my Cinerama!
12. Pleasant Grove - "Only a Mountain"
I'll admit; Pleasant Grove's quieter moments take awhile to get into, but this epic-in-waiting will blow you away when it finally peaks. This may be rather cliche to say, but it really resonates with a soundtrack feel -- and it's definitely "hip" enough to be featured on something like Showtime's "Weeds."
BEFORE I FORGET: I (HEART) Mary-Louise Parker ... et tu?
13. Dntel feat. Arthur & Yu - "The Distance"
I've already said enough here, so you've just gotta have faith in me, brother.
14. Brian Protheroe - "Fly Now"
Remember when 10cc blew you away with their hardcore soft-rock vibes? Well, I do (and unironically, to boot).
Anyway, this guy -- well, at least this particular track of his -- is just like that, except the masses never learned his name.
What a plain shame.
(p.s. He's since become somewhat of an actor.)
15. Baboon - "Circles"
Baboon's trend of melding its earlier, rawer sound into something magically delicious (no joke) continues with "Circles" and much of their latest, self-titled album. While not an "instant classic" like their last, "Something Good is Going to Happen to You," I'm sure it will be there upon second spin.
16. The Russian Futurists - "2 Dots on a Map"
This reminds me of the Avalanches, and that is always a good thing.
(On a strange sidenote, it could also easily pass as wedding music. Discuss.)
17. The Twelve Caesars (aka the Caesars) - "(I'm Gonna) Kick You Out"
Embarrassing story of the night: While listening to one of the nearly two dozen comps I purchased at Superior's Globe News last Friday, I found this little band the Twelve Caesars that sounded exactly like the Caesars.
...
WAIT.
FOR.
IT.
Same frickin' band. (I'm eternally the fool.)
18. The Fratellis - "3 Skinny Girls"
For a band so incredibly overrated as the Fratellis, this B-side is not bad. (Much more enjoyable than those blokes in the Arctic Monkeys, anyway.)
Perhaps C.K. would agree enough to deem them "rated" proper?
Perhaps.
19. Fields - "Heretic"
While the Fields are ineffective at branding, "Heretic" shows promise.
20. Firewater - "Green Light"
I always like Firewater's songs, but have never really gotten into a full album of theirs. <- Is anyone else finding this to be true?
21. Badfinger - "Andy Norris"
As with R.E.M.'s "Reveal," Badfinger's self-titled release is criminally overlooked. (That should be word enough to facilitate your next import-only CD purchase on Amazon.)
22. Frank Black and the Catholics - "King & Queen of Siam"
Frank Black is a god -- with or without those other Bostonians.
23. Dealership - "I Don't Want Your Love"
I will not rest until everyone I care about owns the three Dealership LPs. (And, with No. 4 on the radar, you best be hustling down to www.dealerkids.com.)
*Which, I'll admit, I purchased for "Kiss Me." But if that cute girl from Second Spin in Denver ever asks, it was for Cake's "Guitar" ... OK?**
**Oh, dammit, that would mean admitting I didn't already own "Prolonging the Magic" ... [BAD WORD]. I am so screwed.
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