Playlist: My Favorite/The Most Beautiful Parts of My Music Collection
So this idea's been brewing in my head for a while. These are the top...15 parts of my music collection that I find the most breathtaking, intriguing or just plain beautiful. I'll count down, but I really didn't keep track until the end, the higher numbers were too hard to sort out. Since this is technically meant to be a mixtape it goes by the main mixtape rule: Only one song from each artist. There would normally be an abundance of Sufjan, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and Jaga Jazzist but not this time. I figure you guys would be happier that way. Here we go, I'll give you the DL first so you can hear the parts as you read through this.
http://s58.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=08SX81IGBQW500TU4BBFE64M4G
15. Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse by Minus the Bear
The guitar and bass are what we're looking at in this song. The way the 2 guitars complement each other so well and the bass just lays the foundation. Throughout the song the guys weave their sounds in and out of each other. The vocal melody complements it so well it's astonishing, the tone and inflection used in his voice is perfect. The downside? The guy's lyrics suck. He couldn't write a good lyric to save his life, everything comes off cheesy and ridiculous. The music is what we're looking at in this song, Minus the Bear is unmatched in the world of Math-rock. They know how to make complicated rhythms sound normal and they know how to combine them to make them beautiful.
14. She Spider by Mew
It's bands like Mew, Kashmir and Kent that make me proud to be mostly Danish. Mew makes beautiful music effortlessly. This song's turn on a dime transition is breathtaking. I remember the first time I heard it. I wasn't paying any attention to the song at all, it was background noise on my computer and then it happened. It slapped me in the face and demanded my attention. I still get goosebumps.
13. Passenger Seat by Death Cab for Cutie
Taking a hint from Brian Eno's Ambient 1 (Music For Airports) the piano part is simple and unobtrusive, it's there but out of the way. The big thing here is Ben Gibbard's voice. It's perfect. It works with the innocent lyrics flawlessly. The best moment? When Gibbard sings "If you feel embarrased, then I'll be your pride. When you need directions, then I'll be the guide" It's on "be" that he kills me. He rips my heart out. And that's never felt more satisfying.
12. The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice
This was always my one exception to my "Only full albums, no single songs" rule in my music collection. After hearing this song in the Closer trailer, I searched for hours to find it. I would listen to this on repeat, just over and over again. I was repeatedly astonished by its simple beauty. Why was it the one exception to the rule? I couldn't bring myself to by the album and be let down. I didn't want to have to hear what the guy REALLY sounded like apart from the beauty of this song. I eventaully bought it, and while it certainly didn't live up to this song, it is still a very solid album from a great songwriter.
11. Lateralus by Tool
Tool Tool Tool. When will I ever get over you? I've been listening to you longer than any other band, and yet you've long since fell from the top band slot. Tool is amazing, Tool is the best thing in Prog rock right now and yes Danny Carey is the best rock drummer right now. This song is a testament to their complexity and mastery of timesignaturization. Yes, Danny Carey plays more than one time signature at a time. Yes, it hurts my brain to think about it. Yes, the band IS playing a different time signature than the two Danny is playing. This song blows your mind live. Nuff said.
10. Who Is It (Carry My Joy On the Left, Carry My Pain On the Right) by Björk
All the sounds you hear on this song are voices. Only voices, no that's not a drum machine, no those aren't keyboards. They're all sounds from a human mouth. The entire album of Medulla is done completely in voices. Björk is a genius. And no, that's not a bass line, or a synthesizer, that's a guy growling.
9. The Outer Banks by The Album Leaf
This album was recorded in Sigur Ros' Swimming Pool recorded studio, can you tell? The best thing about this song is when the beat drops and out and you're left with keyboards. Then all at once everything crashes on you in full swing with an added bassline. This song is the perfect example of ambient electronica post-rock. Yes, that's a genre, genres sure are silly aren't they?
8. Fix You by Coldplay
Yeah, the album sucked, but this song is still one of the best of the year. Without the four part harmony this song would lose 100% of its effect. The climax of this song is what makes it, the build up is mediocre. But sheesh, that climax rips you apart. You don't really need me to go on, you've all heard it. Why couldn't the album have been half as good as this song?
7. Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
A perfect song. Period. The strings, the vocals, the lyrics. They all combine to make the perfect song. Too bad it's just over 2 minutes...
6. John Wayne Gacy Jr. by Sufjan Stevens
There are two parts of this song that just get to me. The first one being Sufjan's prolonged falsetto cry of "Oh My God." Has falsetto ever been used more effectively? I think not. The second is the final line "And in my best behavior I am really just like him. Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid." Jeesh, what a spine-tingling beautiful turn of events. Start with a song about a serial killer, then note that we've all fallen short and we're all just like him.
5. Δ by dredg
The song starts off normally enough. A decent intro into some soft soothing guitars with simple drums. But then it drops out and we're left with chimes...where'd the song go? It's when some guy in the background yells "HEY!" that we find out. The song explodes back into our ears and we're treated to Gavin Hayes' muted voice in 2 forms. His normal singing voice in our left ear and a haunting whisper of the same lyrics in the other ear. Astonishingly beautiful, instantly breath-taking and unrelentlessly disturbing.
4. Pyramid Song by Radiohead
A 4/4 song subdivided into 16th notes and counted as 123 456 7812 345 678. A perfect piano part with Thom's voice softly singing and humming. PERFECT drums, just perfect, intro, everything. The first time I played this song while driving in the car, I had to stop. And I had to sit there, and listen to it the entire way through. It was occupying my mind so much that I thought I would crash. This song is the pinnacle of Radiohead's beauty, but don't think there aren't others...don't underestimate the best band we have today.
3. Oh Comely by Neutral Milk Hotel
Jeff Mangum is/was a genius. Plain and simple. He wrote abstract lyrics that inticed moods and feelings unrelated to the subject. He bent words to fill his meaning and does it effortlessly and stunningly.
your father made fetuses with flesh licking ladies
while you and your mother were asleep in the
trailer park
thunderous sparks from the dark of
the stadiums the music and medicine you
needed for comforting
so make all your fat fleshy
fingers to moving and pluck all your silly strings
and bend all your notes for me
soft silly music is
meaningful magical the movements were
beautiful all in your ovaries
all of them milking
with green fleshy flowers while powerful pistons
were sugary sweet machines
smelling of semen
all under the garden was all you were needing
when you still believed in me
say what you want to say and hang for your
hollow ways moving your mouth to pull out all
your miracle for me
Yes. He's amazing, even if you don't agree.
2. Swedenborgske Rom by Jaga Jazzist
This instrumentalist's entire catalog should be up here. But this one moment takes the cake. When the first part f the choir comes in soft and slightly muted, at first you wonder where he's going with this...then the rest of the choir comes in, creating one of the most beautiful textures I've ever heard. The first few times I listened to it, and even now if I'm in the right mood, I cried. It was that beautiful. Where's Doug? He can make fun of me now.
1. Untitled 8 (Popplagi / The Pop Song) by Sigur Rós
I bet you were wondering where these guys were. Well here it is, the most beautiful moment in my collection of music. The climax to this wonderful song remains to be the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. This is the hallmark of Sigur Rós' music. This is their best song, but there are about 40 other songs that could go here. And I'm still waiting for the newly recorded version of Hafssól. But for now, at least, this is it.
-Ben
http://s58.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=08SX81IGBQW500TU4BBFE64M4G
15. Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse by Minus the Bear
The guitar and bass are what we're looking at in this song. The way the 2 guitars complement each other so well and the bass just lays the foundation. Throughout the song the guys weave their sounds in and out of each other. The vocal melody complements it so well it's astonishing, the tone and inflection used in his voice is perfect. The downside? The guy's lyrics suck. He couldn't write a good lyric to save his life, everything comes off cheesy and ridiculous. The music is what we're looking at in this song, Minus the Bear is unmatched in the world of Math-rock. They know how to make complicated rhythms sound normal and they know how to combine them to make them beautiful.
14. She Spider by Mew
It's bands like Mew, Kashmir and Kent that make me proud to be mostly Danish. Mew makes beautiful music effortlessly. This song's turn on a dime transition is breathtaking. I remember the first time I heard it. I wasn't paying any attention to the song at all, it was background noise on my computer and then it happened. It slapped me in the face and demanded my attention. I still get goosebumps.
13. Passenger Seat by Death Cab for Cutie
Taking a hint from Brian Eno's Ambient 1 (Music For Airports) the piano part is simple and unobtrusive, it's there but out of the way. The big thing here is Ben Gibbard's voice. It's perfect. It works with the innocent lyrics flawlessly. The best moment? When Gibbard sings "If you feel embarrased, then I'll be your pride. When you need directions, then I'll be the guide" It's on "be" that he kills me. He rips my heart out. And that's never felt more satisfying.
12. The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice
This was always my one exception to my "Only full albums, no single songs" rule in my music collection. After hearing this song in the Closer trailer, I searched for hours to find it. I would listen to this on repeat, just over and over again. I was repeatedly astonished by its simple beauty. Why was it the one exception to the rule? I couldn't bring myself to by the album and be let down. I didn't want to have to hear what the guy REALLY sounded like apart from the beauty of this song. I eventaully bought it, and while it certainly didn't live up to this song, it is still a very solid album from a great songwriter.
11. Lateralus by Tool
Tool Tool Tool. When will I ever get over you? I've been listening to you longer than any other band, and yet you've long since fell from the top band slot. Tool is amazing, Tool is the best thing in Prog rock right now and yes Danny Carey is the best rock drummer right now. This song is a testament to their complexity and mastery of timesignaturization. Yes, Danny Carey plays more than one time signature at a time. Yes, it hurts my brain to think about it. Yes, the band IS playing a different time signature than the two Danny is playing. This song blows your mind live. Nuff said.
10. Who Is It (Carry My Joy On the Left, Carry My Pain On the Right) by Björk
All the sounds you hear on this song are voices. Only voices, no that's not a drum machine, no those aren't keyboards. They're all sounds from a human mouth. The entire album of Medulla is done completely in voices. Björk is a genius. And no, that's not a bass line, or a synthesizer, that's a guy growling.
9. The Outer Banks by The Album Leaf
This album was recorded in Sigur Ros' Swimming Pool recorded studio, can you tell? The best thing about this song is when the beat drops and out and you're left with keyboards. Then all at once everything crashes on you in full swing with an added bassline. This song is the perfect example of ambient electronica post-rock. Yes, that's a genre, genres sure are silly aren't they?
8. Fix You by Coldplay
Yeah, the album sucked, but this song is still one of the best of the year. Without the four part harmony this song would lose 100% of its effect. The climax of this song is what makes it, the build up is mediocre. But sheesh, that climax rips you apart. You don't really need me to go on, you've all heard it. Why couldn't the album have been half as good as this song?
7. Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
A perfect song. Period. The strings, the vocals, the lyrics. They all combine to make the perfect song. Too bad it's just over 2 minutes...
6. John Wayne Gacy Jr. by Sufjan Stevens
There are two parts of this song that just get to me. The first one being Sufjan's prolonged falsetto cry of "Oh My God." Has falsetto ever been used more effectively? I think not. The second is the final line "And in my best behavior I am really just like him. Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid." Jeesh, what a spine-tingling beautiful turn of events. Start with a song about a serial killer, then note that we've all fallen short and we're all just like him.
5. Δ by dredg
The song starts off normally enough. A decent intro into some soft soothing guitars with simple drums. But then it drops out and we're left with chimes...where'd the song go? It's when some guy in the background yells "HEY!" that we find out. The song explodes back into our ears and we're treated to Gavin Hayes' muted voice in 2 forms. His normal singing voice in our left ear and a haunting whisper of the same lyrics in the other ear. Astonishingly beautiful, instantly breath-taking and unrelentlessly disturbing.
4. Pyramid Song by Radiohead
A 4/4 song subdivided into 16th notes and counted as 123 456 7812 345 678. A perfect piano part with Thom's voice softly singing and humming. PERFECT drums, just perfect, intro, everything. The first time I played this song while driving in the car, I had to stop. And I had to sit there, and listen to it the entire way through. It was occupying my mind so much that I thought I would crash. This song is the pinnacle of Radiohead's beauty, but don't think there aren't others...don't underestimate the best band we have today.
3. Oh Comely by Neutral Milk Hotel
Jeff Mangum is/was a genius. Plain and simple. He wrote abstract lyrics that inticed moods and feelings unrelated to the subject. He bent words to fill his meaning and does it effortlessly and stunningly.
your father made fetuses with flesh licking ladies
while you and your mother were asleep in the
trailer park
thunderous sparks from the dark of
the stadiums the music and medicine you
needed for comforting
so make all your fat fleshy
fingers to moving and pluck all your silly strings
and bend all your notes for me
soft silly music is
meaningful magical the movements were
beautiful all in your ovaries
all of them milking
with green fleshy flowers while powerful pistons
were sugary sweet machines
smelling of semen
all under the garden was all you were needing
when you still believed in me
say what you want to say and hang for your
hollow ways moving your mouth to pull out all
your miracle for me
Yes. He's amazing, even if you don't agree.
2. Swedenborgske Rom by Jaga Jazzist
This instrumentalist's entire catalog should be up here. But this one moment takes the cake. When the first part f the choir comes in soft and slightly muted, at first you wonder where he's going with this...then the rest of the choir comes in, creating one of the most beautiful textures I've ever heard. The first few times I listened to it, and even now if I'm in the right mood, I cried. It was that beautiful. Where's Doug? He can make fun of me now.
1. Untitled 8 (Popplagi / The Pop Song) by Sigur Rós
I bet you were wondering where these guys were. Well here it is, the most beautiful moment in my collection of music. The climax to this wonderful song remains to be the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. This is the hallmark of Sigur Rós' music. This is their best song, but there are about 40 other songs that could go here. And I'm still waiting for the newly recorded version of Hafssól. But for now, at least, this is it.
-Ben
