There are so many great Primal Scream songs that fit this month’s theme that I thought they deserved their own playlist — enjoy the bonus tunes!

As a pretty clean & sober guy, it was, ironically, drugs that introduced me to Primal Scream: I was obsessed with the movie Trainspotting in college, and I spent a lot of time spinning the soundtrack. Based solely on the titular instrumental track that the Scream donated to that disc, “Trainspotting,” I sought out their album Vanishing Point & was hooked. That album’s mix of rock, dub, psychedelica & electronics was a potent cocktail, and it opened my ears up to some amazing stuff. Here are my favorite altered consciousness Scream songs:

1. Primal Scream, “Loaded”
   This is really what started their ascent to the big time in the UK. The first single from their 1990 acid house masterpiece Screamdelica, it hit #16 and signaled a new direction for the band which had been releasing mostly retro rock for the previous five years — its fusion of Exile-era Stones-y rock, soul, and British club grooves is still hypnotic. FYI, the vocal sample is a bit of Henry Fonda dialogue from the flick Wild Angels.
2. Primal Scream, “Higher Than The Sun”
   I’ve never touched the stuff myself, but this is what I’d imagine my consciousness would be like on LSD. Though the rest of Screamadelica was produced by Andrew Weatherall and the great Jimmy Miller, eclectic ambient geniuses the Orb provided the final mix of this song, turning it into a high-flying headphone odyssey.
3. Primal Scream, “Can’t Go Back”
   This lead single from their most recent album, Beautiful Future, is a breathless look inside the mind of someone watching their girlfriend overdose. Unlike the positive vibe exuded by the Screamadelica tracks, this song is dark, dark stuff.
4. Primal Scream, “Deep Hit Of Morning Sun”
   The opening song on Evil Heat, which bridges the sonic gap between the urban, abrasive XTRMNTR and the colorful, psychedelic Screamadelica.
5. Primal Scream, “Pills”
   One of the frightening high points of XTRMNTR, Gillespie spits venom while a creeping, drug-fueled paranoia washes over the song. Wild-eyed stuff.
6. Primal Scream, “Some Velvet Morning”
   Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie duets with supermodel Kate Moss on this slinky cover of the Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood classic. And yes, that’s one of the oddest sentences I’ve ever typed out. This is the original mix of the song that appeared on Evil Heat — the single release was extensively reworked & eventually ended up on their Dirty Hits best-of compilation, but I’ve always preferred the darker original.
7. Primal Scream, “Trainspotting”
   The murky, experimental instrumental which made me a fan. Can’t hear this song without picturing Ewan MacGregor’s Renton.
8. Primal Scream, “Shoot Speed/Kill Light”
   A soaring shot of Krautrock amphetamine high which closed XTRMNTR.

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

Download: Primal Scream, “Higher Than The Sun” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Primal Scream, “Can’t Go Back” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Primal Scream, “Deep Hit Of Morning Sun” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

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

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

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

Download: Primal Scream, “Shoot Speed/Kill Light” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download a handy ZIP of all of the songs:

Download: More Songs About Amphetamines and Ecstacy (ZIP)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

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?

Happy New Year, folks!

Before we dive headfirst into 2009, I wanted to look back one more time. This week I realized that this was the 10th year I’ve put together an annual best-of compilation CD. It started out as something to give my musically-curious coworkers, and it’s become an annual tradition that I share with good friends, family, coworkers, and, now, teh intarwebs. And yes, I’m well aware that some of you have actually heard some/most of the songs I include, but when I first titled the collections “The Best Songs You Didn’t Hear,” I guarantee that the recipients really had never heard the songs before, and I don’t feel the need to change.

I thought it would be fun to say hello to ‘09 and to cap a decade of compiling by presenting a best of the best collection: my favorite 2 songs from each annual set. I hope you dig the songs as much as I did and still do!

1. Supergrass, “Moving”
   from Supergrass
   I don’t think these Brits ever topped their self-titled 1999 album, which was a perfect amalgamation of late-period Beatles and mod Brit-rock jangle.
2. Matthew Sweet, “Trade Places”
   from In Reverse
   Easily the best song from Sweet’s last great record, 1999’s Pet Sounds-y In Reverse.
3. Primal Scream, “Exterminator”
   from XTRMNTR
   XTRMNTR is as abrasive as Screamadelica is warm, but it’s impossible to ignore. That bassline will shake your fillings loose, too.
4. Fatboy Slim, “Demons (feat. Macy Gray)”
   from Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
   Big Beat finally met Proper Song Structure to excellent results here.
5. Eels, “Fresh Feeling”
   from Souljacker
   E’s quirk meets swooning romance, resulting in this remarkable high point in his expansive canon.
6. Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray”
   from Know Your Enemy
   It’s a shame press-baiting, lackluster singles like “Baby Elian” knocked Know Your Enemy off the radar, because people missed this gem, written by lead singer James Dean Bradfield about his ailing, aging father.
7. Bright Eyes, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love”
   from Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
   Dylan meets The Cure on what is still the definitive Bright Eyes album.
8. Def Leppard, “Torn To Shreds”
   from X
   Latter-day Lep is generally uneven, but when it works, like on this insanely hook-filled midtempo rock ballad, it really works. They haven’t equaled this song since it was released in 2003.
9. Idlewild, “Live In A Hiding Place”
   from The Remote Part
   Scottish rock meets gentle R.E.M.-like melodies to earworm-inducing effect.
10. Basement Jaxx, “Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal)”
    from Kish Kash
    Who knew the future of pop would be so overlooked in 2003? Addicting grime/dance.
11. Björk, “Who Is It”
    from Medúlla
    Unique as ever, Björk’s last great song is a completely vocal composition.
12. Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse, “December 4th”
    from The Grey Album
    Danger Mouse’s blending of Jay-Z’s Black Album and the Beatles’ “White Album” is still the definitive mashup album, 4 years later.
13. Spoon, “I Summon You”
    from Gimme Fiction
    I know they’re Austin’s favorite sons, but here they’re channeling Liverpool brilliantly.
14. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, “Sweet Illusions”
    from Cold Roses
    Adams finally found the perfect complement in The Cardinals, and they make beautiful, Dead-tinged Americana together.
15. Alabama 3, “Hello… I’m Johnny Cash”
    from Outlaw
    A3 dialed back the acid house and turned up the railroad shuffle of the Man In Black for this fantastic tribute.
16. Ten Minute Turns, “Wolf In The Water”
    from Sad Animals
    Their melodic, everything-often-including-the-kitchen-sink approach to rock makes Ten Minute Turns Brooklyn’s best unsigned act.
17. Malcolm Middleton, “Fuck It, I Love You”
    from A Brighter Beat
    Deliciously tuneful and brutally honest songwriting from the former Arab Strap-per. Like Badly Drawn Boy with a hangover.
18. Amy MacDonald, “Let’s Start A Band”
    from This Is The Life
    Inspiring folk-rock with a dash of mariachi horn from the most promising singer/songwriter in Scotland.
19. MGMT, “Kids”
    from Oracular Spectacular
    The most kraut-rocking-est song about environmentalism you’ll probably ever hear.
20. TV On The Radio, “Golden Age”
    from Dear Science
    TVOTR finally found a way to channel their diverse influences (rock, punk, funk, soul, jazz) into something tuneful by simply making into a catchy, fun dance album.

Happy 2009 everyone!

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

Download: Matthew Sweet, “Trade Places” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

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

Download: Fatboy Slim, “Demons (feat. Macy Gray)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Eels, “Fresh Feeling” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Bright Eyes, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Def Leppard, “Torn To Shreds” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Idlewild, “Live In A Hiding Place” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Basement Jaxx, “Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Björk, “Who Is It” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse, “December 4th” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Spoon, “I Summon You” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

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

Download: Alabama 3, “Hello… I’m Johnny Cash” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ten Minute Turns, “Wolf In The Water” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Malcolm Middleton, “Fuck It, I Love You” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Amy MacDonald, “Let’s Start A Band” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

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

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

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)
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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)

…because 1997 was really the year I “got” music in the way some people “get” religion. When I came to college, my entire CD collection fit into a Nike high-top shoebox. When I left, it occupied about 4 entire milk crates. Some of that growth was due to the late, great BMG CD club (which I joined early and often), but most of it was thanks to Rudi, who didn’t know what kind of monster he was creating when he showed me my first issue of Q magazine. It (and the occasional bundled CDs) opened the door wide to British music, and I quickly became a voracious musical Anglophile.

I’d been a big fan of Brit rock (Oasis, Kula Shaker, and Pulp all spent quality time in my CD player), but Q (and the soundtrack to Trainspotting, too) broadened my horizons past jangly guitars. I quickly distanced myself from the Dave Matthews/Rusted Root scene that thrived on campus and dived head-first into electronica, trip-hop, and British pop. ‘97 was the year I became obsessed with Primal Scream, got into arguments over the merit of Future Sound of London’s “Dead Cities,” and turned my writing for my campus newspaper into a weekly review of the latest & greatest in (for the campus populace at large) obscure British music. Good times.

There’s a lot of music that debuted in ‘97 that I discovered & loved much after the fact (Björk’s Homogenic is a prime example), but I decided to give you a list of exactly where my head was at that year. Hope you dig!

1. Primal Scream, “Burning Wheel”
   I never would have discovered the Scream without the soundtrack to Trainspotting. The wordless titular track on the CD intrigued me, and it lead me to the Scream’s ‘97 album Vanishing Point which blew me completely away — I’d never heard anything like it (which, wonderfully, is par for the course for most Scream albums). This opening track from the album sets the table & sums the it up nicely: equal parts late-60’s Stones, Detroit punk, Madchester dance, and hallucinogenic dub, all of it utterly captivating.
2. The Prodigy, “Breathe”
   Remember the firestorm of controversy around The Prodigy? Misogynistic samples (”Smack My Bitch Up”), aggressive songs (”Firestarter”), and a freaky, frightening public face (Keith Flint) took their ‘97 album The Fat Of The Land to #1 in both the US and UK. It didn’t hurt that Fat is loaded with innovative music that was the first truly popular blending of dance music, rock n’ roll, and punk attitude, too. I do believe our culture has turned a corner, tho: just a couple weeks ago, the NBC show used “Smack My Bitch Up” to accompany a fight between two women on an episode of Chuck.
3. David Bowie, “I’m Afraid Of Americans”
   See? I wasn’t the only person to jump into British techno feet-first: David Bowie made Earthling, a whole album steeped in the (then) current jungle/electronica culture. This tune actually owns a lot to the mutual love-fest between Bowie and NIN’s Trent Reznor that was going on at the time — the menacing, fuzzy guitars and pseudo-industrial sheen of the beat could certainly pass for ‘97-era NIN. Reznor actually remixed this track six times over on a CD single (one version features [oddly] Ice Cube rapping), but I still prefer this original. It’s a great, paranoid song.
4. Texas, “Black Eyed Boy”
   This I discovered thanks to one of Q’s year-end best-of CD compilations — I remember the first time I heard it, thinking “who are Texas, and why do they sound so much like the Supremes?” The answers are (1) they’re a Scottish pop band whose fourth album shot them into the stratosphere in their native UK (White On Blonde hit #1 and spawned 5 British top-10 singles) and (2) it turns out they’re masters of classic-sounding blue-eyed soul, hitting the 60’s-throwback-pop mark a decade before Amy Winehouse made it über-popular. Singer Sharleen Spiteri’s voice is a total knockout, innit?
5. Sneaker Pimps, “Walking Zero”
   ‘97 was also a big year for downtempo trip-hop: Tricky, Portishead, Massive Attack, and Morcheeba all received a lot of attention, but one of my favorite albums of the year flew pretty well under the rader: the Sneaker Pimps’ Becoming X was a very radio-friendly set of tunes thanks to input from the great Nelle Hooper. “6 Underground” got some attention from radio thanks to its appearance on a number of film soundtracks including The Saint and Cruel Intentions, but my favorite cut is this darker, much more ominous song — love the way the big beats mix with the string samples.
6. The Chemical Brothers, “Setting Sun”
   The Chems’ Dig Your Own Hole was the other big British dance album of the year, and nearly the polar opposite of The Prodigy’s aggro Fat of the Land: it was all big beats, psychedelic sounds, and good times. Instrumental cuts like “The Private Psychedelic Reel” and the Grammy-winning “Block Rockin’ Beats” are solid, but the album soars when the Chems are joined by guest vocalists. Oasis’ Noel Gallagher takes the mic on “Setting Sun,” and the resulting creation is a nifty slice of rough-edged “Tomorrow Never Knows”-inspired techno.
7. The Rolling Stones, “Saint Of Me”
   Bowie wasn’t the only oldie looking for a jolt of youth this year — the Stones recruited hot shots like hte Dust Brothers and Danny Saber to augment their then-standard Don-Was-supplied sound to mixed results. This Dust Brothers-produced tune was the high point of the Bridges to Babylon album, the gospel-inflected mirror image of “Sympathy for the Devil.” The personnel on the song is an interesting mix of band members & guests: Keith Richards is not on the track, so guitar duties are handled by Ronnie Wood and Waddy Wachtel, a member of Keith’s X-Pensive Winos side project; and that’s Me’Shell Ndegeocello filling in on bass.

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

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

Download: David Bowie, “I’m Afraid Of Americans” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Texas, “Black Eyed Boy” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sneaker Pimps, “Walking Zero” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Chemical Brothers, “Setting Sun” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Rolling Stones, “Saint Of Me” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)