Sorry I’m late posting, kids — ironically, had a hard time getting motivated enough to write up the post about motivational songs. In my defense, I have been regularly hitting the gym since the dawn of ‘09, and I’ve given my lists a thorough working out while working out, so I think they’re pretty solid. And yes, that’s not a typo: there are lists. Because I’m so late (and because moods change), I’ve decided to hit you with 2 lists of songs. This first list is for when you’re feelin’ groovy:

1. Primal Scream, “Movin’ On Up”
   This opening track on Screamadelica is a sun-kissed blend of Stones-y southern blues- rock and dancefloor rhythms that never fails to perk me up. The song was produced by the legendary Jimmy Miller, adding lots of classic rock cred to the mix.
2. Cornershop, “Brimful of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix)”
   When the song was originally released as a single, it landed with a thud at #60 on the British charts. Then Norman Cook got his hands on it, sped up the tempo, added some of his trademark bouncy big beat rhythms and other knob-twiddling effects, and voilà! #1 hit.
3. The Hives, “Hate To Say I Told You So”
   No real science to why this song always keeps me going, it’s just a driving slice of late 90’s Swedish garage-punk, and I’m a total sucker for Howlin’ Pete Almquist’s Jagger-esque swagger.
4. N.E.R.D, “Baby Doll”
   N.E.R.D’s debut is a gem, perfectly blending 70’s FM pop/rock and hip-hop beats, and “Baby Doll” always keeps me coming back. The combo of the surf-style guitar and that unshakeable drum beat is unforgettable stuff.
5. Junior Senior, “Shake Your Coconuts”
   Metronomic lo-fi dance beats, frenetic surf guitar, sugary pop breaks, and a loopy sense of humor make this an explosive and fun 2 and a half minutes.
6. Eels, “Last Stop This Town”
   As much as I love the Eels, I’m well aware that E’s songs are generally downers. This song is from Electro-Shock Blues, E’s darkest work which ruminates on his sister’s suicide and his mother’s death. It’s not a completely black affair, as this song attests: he finds ways to lift himself out of the darkness, and when “Last Stop” explodes into its wordless chorus it’s hard to keep still.
7. The Folk Implosion, “Free To Go”
   One Part Lullaby hit my late 90’s sonic pastiche sweet spot: compelling, quirky melodies married to eclectic rhythms and arrangements. It’s in the same groove as the Eels’ Electro-Shock Blues and Beck’s Odelay, and while Lou Barlow & John Davis often create dark, ominous sounds, “Free To Go” is pure, soaring, mid-summer joy.
8. Matthew Sweet, “Where You Get Love”
   Few make power-pop rock as compelling as Sweet did at his height, and this song is fantastic evidence: a super-catchy melody, a big & bouncy sound, and one hell of an explosive chorus.

This next list, tho, is for when you’ve just f*cking had it with work, your boss, your roomate, the a$$hole next to you on the train, or whatever else life decides to bend you over and cornhole you with that day. If I’m in a mood like that, I just can’t take the happy stuff above: I need a shot of fist-pumping anger instead:

1. Fatboy Slim, “Right Here, Right Now”
   There’s a reason you’ve heard this played over the PA system at the beginning of countless sporting events: the combo of anthemic, almost cinematic melody; filling-shaking bass and beats; and chant-like vocal sample is super-compelling stuff, and it’s sure to get you fired up.
2. The Prodigy, “Smack My Bitch Up”
   Kool Keith + hyper-aggressive techno-punk = one hell of a controversy-courting song. I think the furor over it and its accompanying music video has died out a bit in recent years, tho: the song was featured in an episode of Chuck during a fight scene between two women. Stay classy, NBC.
3. Primal Scream, “Accelerator”
   The Scream isn’t all hippie acid-house sounds: “Accelerator” is deconstructed Stooges-style punk, loaded with shredded guitars; cold, industrial synths; and layer upon layer of Kevin Shields-assisted noise that will smack you upside the eardrums.
4. The Dandy Warhols, “Horse Pills”
   A fuzz-rock explosion of noise and shouting about drugs.
5. David Holmes Presents The Free Association, “Don’t Rhyme No Mo”
   Everything is so sharp, so vibrant in the dirty hip-hop funk that Holmes spins here: the ominous drum/bass combo; the off-kilter horns; the swirling flute sample; and Sean Reverson’s energetic, gutteral rapping — it all clicks and kicks your ass.
6. Nine Inch Nails, “Heresy”
   The louder, angrier, and more abrasive Trent Reznor gets, the more he helps me work through stuff. It was a toss-up between “Heresy” and “Wish” for this list, but something about the “Your God is dead/And no one cares” line edged it ahead.
7. New Order, “Crystal”
   The lead track and single from their 2001 comeback album Get Ready cranks up the guitars and dials down the new-wave dance beats. The pulsing, driving rhythm that pushes the song forward never fails to keep me going.

Enjoy the tunes!

Positive Motivation:

Download: Primal Scream, “Movin’ On Up” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Cornershop, “Brimful of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Hives, “Hate To Say I Told You So” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: N.E.R.D, “Baby Doll” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Junior Senior, “Shake Your Coconuts” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Eels, “Last Stop This Town” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Folk Implosion, “Free To Go” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Matthew Sweet, “Where You Get Love” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Aggressive Motivation:

Download: Fatboy Slim, “Right Here, Right Now” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Prodigy, “Smack My Bitch Up” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Primal Scream, “Accelerator” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Dandy Warhols, “Horse Pills” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: David Holmes Presents The Free Association, “Don’t Rhyme No Mo” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Nine Inch Nails, “Heresy” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: New Order, “Crystal” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

P.S.: There is a special kind of associative logic that explains my post title — anyone want to wager a guess?

Here’s what rocked and rolled me in ‘08:

1. Ten Minute Turns, “Aluminum Shine”
   from Leaving Robot City
   The best new song from the best unsigned band in Brooklyn. Leaving Robot City adds electronic flourishes to their winning marriage of impeccably-produced indie rock and earworm-inducing hooks, and the results are pretty damn great. This was my #2 most listened-to song of the year, and it only surfaced in November. Really, really good.
2. MGMT, “Kids”
   from Oracular Spectacular
   The most kraut-rocking-est song about environmentalism you’ll hear all year. Oracular Spectacular is an unexpectedly hypnotic cocktail of spaced-out, electronic, rocking psychedelia (much of the album sounds like if the Stones married the disco attitude of “Emotional Rescue” with the LSD-enhanced aesthetic of Their Satanic Majesties Request — really odd and interesting), and it’s eminently listenable from beginning to end. Definitely worth all the hype it received throughout ‘08.
3. Elbow, “Grounds for Divorce”
   from The Seldom Seen Kid
   The Brits loved Kid (it won the ‘08 Mercury Music Prize) more than me (I dug it generally, but often skipped the more meandering numbers), but there’s one thing we can agree on: we lurve the bluesy stomp of “Grounds For Divorce” — it hit #19 across the pond, and was in consistent rotation in iTunes for me. Their best yet.
4. Gnarls Barkley, “Surprise”
   from The Odd Couple
   Gnarls’ second album landed with a bit of a thud for me (there was no way they were going to top “Crazy,” but I was hoping for something with a little more chutzpah), but I found myself happily drawn to this song over and over. It’s a fantastic blend of soul, hip-hop, and bouncy 60’s AM pop, and I’m hoping it serves as a template (or at least a starting point) for future GB ventures.
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “Hold On To Yourself”
   from Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
   My biggest personal musical discovery of ‘08 was definitely Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Thanks to the advice of some Selective Service faithful, I dug deep enough into his back catalogue to properly prepare me for this year’s Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Cave and his band of dark merry-makers released the best album of the year by far, and it was really tough to pick just one song to feature here. Do I go with the title track, a funky, twisted sing-along that re-tells the biblical story of Lazarus? The English-lit-degree-holder-pleasing “We Call Upon The Author”? The dark romance of “Jesus of the Moon”? In the end, the choice was made by song length, actually: “Hold On To Yourself” allowed my list to fit under 80 minutes, but it’s also loaded with some of the most haunting imagery on the album (the roadside memorial to his dead lover is especially vivid: “As Jesus makes the flowers grow/All around the scene of her collision”). Hard to pick a bad song from Dig.
6. Nine Inch Nails, “Discipline”
   from The Slip
   ‘Twas a big year for the newly label-free and reinvigorated NIN: without warning, they dropped a four volume set of moody instrumentals, Ghosts I-IV; about a month after that, they released a proper album, The Slip, online, asking for nothing in return; and then they ended the year with a massively successful world tour. I know the independent online distribution concept has been labeled “the Radiohead model,” but Reznor one-upped them by (1) keeping The Slip available as a free download, (2) embracing Creative Commons licensing for both album releases, and (3) giving away high-quality files (the mp3s for both albums are encoded at very high rates, and you can download free multi-track files for your own remixing fun, unlike the pay-to-play remixing project Radiohead launched). Oh, and the best part? The Slip is really, really good, too. Check it out at the link above — it’s free!
7. Sons & Daughters, “Chains”
   from This Gift
   The line on these Scots is deliciously retro: This Gift is the soundtrack to a movie Quentin Tarantino hasn’t made yet. Lots to love on the whole album, but this shot of old-fashioned, hip-shakin’ pop got the most headphone love and it has staying power — Gift was released back in January, and it never left the small confines of my 8GB iPhone.
8. Ra Ra Riot, “Can You Tell”
   from The Rhumb Line
   The anthemic sound recalls Arcade Fire, but the songs have loads more heart. I really dig the liberal (and tasteful, Mandel!) use of cello and other strings. Beautiful stuff.
9. Ida Maria, “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”
   from Fortress Around My Heart
   If PJ Harvey were happier and Swedish Norwegian, she’d sound a lot like this. Her self-titled debut album will finally hit the U.S. in early ‘09, but remember — you (might have) heard her here first!
10. Amanda Palmer, “Leeds United”
    from Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
    As a member of the Boston-based Dresden Dolls, Palmer had the dark cabaret-punk schtick down pat, but working with Ben Folds coaxed the pop songstress out of her. Who Killed Amanda Palmer? is easily the best pop album of the year (and the best work Folds did, too — it’s much more consistently satisfying than Way To Normal), and it’s delightfully unusual fun. There are loads of great songs to be found, but this one stands out most to me — word has it that its lyrics were inspired by a couple of soccer hooligans who disrupted a show of hers in Europe.
11. The Heavy, “Colleen”
    from Great Vengeance and Furious Fire
    What I said this summer is still true: “Great Vengeance is a fantastic, gritty, rocking soul album that’s loaded with more fuzzy guitars, funky horns, and hip-hop beats than a David Holmes soundtrack album. It’s also a nice, taut release: clocking in at just over half an hour, the 10 songs are completely devoid of filler and, in what’s become a sad rarity in modern album-making, really leaves you wanting more. Lead singer Kelvin Swaby’s voice conjures images of a chain-smoking Prince with a hint of falsetto Tom Waits — in fact, opener ‘Brukpocket’s Lament’ had me thinking that Vengeance was an Orphans orphan until the heavy horns kicked in on ‘Colleen.’ Unexpectedly excellent stuff.”
12. Ben Folds, “You Don’t Know Me (feat. Regina Spektor)”
    from Way To Normal
    I had very low expectations of Folds’ new album thanks to his dreadful last release Songs For Silverman, so I was happily shocked to discover that he’d rediscovered his groove of classic piano-pop. Normal is pretty good, clean fun from start to finish, altho the more pop-culture-y references and the occasional shot of vulgarity feel a bit forced. The album’s highlight is certainly “Cologne,” but Because Mandel is a Folds freak and I am a gentleman, I decided not to repeat his pick on my list (even though I debuted my list first!). This tune is a close second, tho, so don’t feel slighted. The appearance of Ms. Spektor is gravy.
13. Sharleen Spiteri, “All The Times I Cried”
    from Melody
    Without Spiteri and her band Texas’ hit single “Black Eyed Boy” in 1997, I don’t think there would have been a 60’s soul-pop revival for Amy Winehouse to lead. Spiteri’s always had a pop historian edge to her blue-eyed soulful sound, and on her first solo outing, Melody, she sounds like she’s opened a time capsule of symphonic 60’s pop songs that time forgot.
14. Tom Jones, “In Style And Rhythm”
    from 24 Hours
    The old man proves that he’s still got it on his new album 24 Hours, and this is by far the coolest song of the bunch: lifestyle advice set to a swinging retro beat.
15. Primal Scream, “Beautiful Future”
    from Beautiful Future
    The Scream found their swagger again on Beautiful Future, returning to the electric roots of Evil Heat and XTRMNTR, but adding krautrock and pop to their mix. The result is much brighter sounding, but the lyrics have a delightful darkness to them.
16. The Gutter Twins, “Idle Hands”
    from Saturnalia
    To quote myself: “Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan make beautiful, elegantly sinister music together. Their debut album Saturnalia is a bit of a dark affair, but the songs often soar with energy and rich in imagery. Lanegan also proves that he’s a vocalist without peer: he hits notes that are impossibly low, and on a number of tunes (especially ‘Idle Hands’), his voice becomes a potent instrument, adding a unique texture that’s hard to forget. Great stuff.”
17. The Kills, “Last Day Of Magic”
    from Midnight Boom
    What I said earlier this year still stands: “the songs [on Midnight Boom] are a winning mix of unpredictable, lo-fi percussion; jumpy, amazingly catchy hooks; and snarling, fuzzy riffs. It’s a sleek, taut album, too: with each song clocking in somewhere between 2 and 3.5 minutes, sometimes cutting off just as a song really gets percolating (I could listen to the chorus of ‘Last Day Of Magic’ for 45 minutes, but they wisely cut it at 3:20), they leave you wanting more — it’s amazingly re-listenable. I’ve yet to find a song worth skipping.” Have fun getting “Last Day Of Magic” out of your head.
18. TV On The Radio, “Golden Age”
    from Dear Science
    Something about art-rockers TV On The Radio has never sat well with me: their previous albums were sonically adventurous but absolutely tuneless. All that’s changed with Dear Science, their newest album. They finally found a way to channel their diverse influences (rock, punk, funk, soul, jazz) into a catchy, fun dance album while still keeping the sound dense and complex. There’s nobody out there that sounds quite like these guys.
19. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, “Fix it”
    from Cardinology
    Adams and his insanely talented band hit another home run with Cardinology, their most recent collection of classic-rock-flavored Americana, and “Fix It” is the album’s emotional center. Beautiful, heartbreaking stuff.
20. Mates of State, “Help Help”
    from Re-Arrange Us
    I usually have a low tolerance for power-pop, but the Mates of State have swayed my ears thanks to killer tunes and thoughtful indie arrangements. Their album is a solid treat from beginning to end.
21. The Two Man Gentlemen Band, “When Your Lips Are Playing My Kazoo”
    from Heavy Petting
    I can confidently tell you that the 2 Gents are the nation’s finest upright bass/banjo/kazoo duo. Viva la double entendre!

If I had to rank the albums you should add to your collection this year, it would look like this:

1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
2. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
3. TV On The Radio, Dear Science
4. Amanda Palmer, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
5. The Heavy, Great Vengeance And Furious Fire
6. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Cardinology
7. The Kills, Midnight Boom
8. Mates Of State, Re-Arrange Us
9. Ten Minute Turns, Leaving Robot City
10. Sharleen Spiteri, Melody

Enjoy the tunes!

Download: Ten Minute Turns, “Aluminum Shine” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: MGMT, “Kids” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Elbow, “Grounds for Divorce” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Gnarls Barkley, “Surprise” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “Hold On To Yourself” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Nine Inch Nails, “Discipline” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sons & Daughters, “Chains” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ra Ra Riot, “Can You Tell” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ida Maria, “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Amanda Palmer, “Leeds United” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Heavy, “Colleen” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ben Folds, “You Don’t Know Me (feat. Regina Spektor)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sharleen Spiteri, “All The Times I Cried” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Tom Jones, “In Style And Rhythm” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Primal Scream, “Beautiful Future” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Gutter Twins, “Idle Hands” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Kills, “Last Day Of Magic” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: TV On The Radio, “Golden Age” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, “Fix it” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Mates of State, “Help Help” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Two Man Gentlemen Band, “When Your Lips Are Playing My Kazoo” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

One look at the list, and folks who know me must be wondering, “where the Stones at?” Don’t worry, you’ll get lots of that in a couple of weeks. For now, tho, here are the live tracks that jumped in my noggin when we settled on this theme — enjoy:

1. Bob Dylan, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (from Live at the Gaslight, 1962)
   The Bootleg Series has been a boon for fans of his Bobness, and nearly every release has been loaded with live recordings of historical importance (Dylan plugs in back in 1966, the early home recordings on the No Direction Home soundtrack) or impressive power (his amazing duets with Joan Baez from 1964, the pre-release runthrough of Desire with his Rolling Thunder Revue), but my favorite of his live recordings came from Starbucks. Live at the Gaslight 1962 was released by the coffee chain’s Hear Music label, and it collects a handful of performances recorded at the historic Gaslight cafe in Greenwich Village. It presents a very different Dylan than most people know and recognize: young Bob is sharp, his singing is clear and (for him) tuneful, and the setting (and resulting recording) is intimate. There’s no crowd noise, a feature of the location and time (most folk recordings from that era I’ve heard feature — or, more accurately, don’t feature — a rapt, silent audience), just Bob & his guitar. This version of “Don’t Think Twice…” blows away any other version I’ve heard, and it really makes me wish I could have experienced him back then.
2. The Band, “The Weight” (from The Last Waltz, 1976)
   The godfathers of American roots rock were this bunch of mostly-Canadians, who started life as The Hawks, backing up the legendary Ronnie Hawkins, and eventually became The Band, who were propelled to fame by backing Bob Dylan when he first plugged in in 1966. Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Levon Helm, and Rick Danko became legends in their own right thanks to classic albums like Music From Big Pink and their self-titled sophomore set, and memorable singles like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Shape I’m In,” and this song, which is arguably their calling card. When the group decided to break up in 1976, they decided to go out in style by staging a mammoth live show at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom (the night was filmed by Martin Scorsese), and invited all their famous musical friends to join them. The show featured a veritable who’s who of my Mom’s record collection — Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan — and the group ran through all of their hits and some of their guests’. The resulting live album and concert film had a lengthy tracklisting, but it only presented about 3/5 of the whole show. A boxed set released in 2002 presented the whole show, including this performance of “The Weight” which didn’t make the cut for the original double-album. No guests, just The Band doing their thing, relishing every minute of it — amazing stuff.
3. David Bowie & Nine Inch Nails, “Scary Monsters” (from Live. Inside, October 1995)
   Like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of musical awesomeness, Bowie & Reznor joined forces for an arena tour in 1995, with Bowie supporting his Eno collaboration Outside and Reznor still behind The Downward Spiral. NIN opened each show, and there was crossover each night as Bowie’s band came onstage, with both outfits merging to play some Bowie & NIN songs together. “Scary Monsters” always seemed like one of the more fierce numbers in Bowie’s canon, but the addition of Reznor’s raw vocals and NIN’s industrial sheen, the song practically roars.
4. Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang” (from One Night Stand: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963)
   I’d never heard a live Cooke recording until about a year ago when I discovered One Night Stand, and it was a revelation. The power of his voice was never in question, but his studio recordings always struck me as immaculately controlled. That’s why hearing him live is so impressive — he’s got amazing stage presence, and the show practically oozes raw energy, enthusiasm, and excitement. This rendition of “Chain Gang” completely transforms the song from pleasant golden oldie into something unexpectedly sweaty and vibrant.
5. Aimee Mann, “The Scientist” (from the Lost In Space deluxe edition)
   Lord knows I’m no fan of the Coldplay, but thank goodness for Aimee Mann, whose gorgeous voice and canny arrangement transform Chris Martin’s somewhat cloying song into something really special in this live setting. A gigantic improvement on the original.
6. Pearl Jam, “Yellow Ledbetter” (from Seattle, Washington - November 6, 2000)
   I think Pearl Jam are one of the best live bands still working today. I’ve only seen them once, but I can confidently they know how to work a crowd, and can blow the doors off a big venue like nobody’s business. I also really appreciate their attitude towards live recordings — they’ve released excellent, official “bootlegs” of nearly every live show they’ve done since 2000 at bargain prices (they retailed around $12 a pop). This rendition of perennial show-closer “Yellow Ledbetter” is a special one: it was recorded in their home town at the last stop of their 2000 US tour, and guitarist Mike McCready deftly weaves in some licks from Hendrix’s classic “Little Wing” near the end. And now that I think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the studio version of “Ledbetter,” but that’s okay — it certainly couldn’t top this.

Download: Bob Dylan, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (from Live at the Gaslight, 1962 — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Band, “The Weight” (from The Last Waltz, 1976 — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: David Bowie & Nine Inch Nails, “Scary Monsters” (from Live. Inside, October 1995 — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang” (from One Night Stand: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Aimee Mann, “The Scientist” (from the Lost In Space deluxe edition — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Pearl Jam, “Yellow Ledbetter” (from Seattle, Washington - November 6, 2000 — mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)