Fishpork’s 100 Favorite Tracks of the 2000s

This is an attempt at the impossible. Here are our 100 favorite songs of the past decade (featuring multiple tracks from Animal Collective, The Knife, Radiohead, and Elliott Smith). Our top two choices are more like 1a and 1b. Be patient, as the page needs to load the embedded songs.

1. Panda Bear - “Bros” (2007)

2. The Knife - “We Share Our Mother’s Health” (2006)

3. Animal Collective - “For Reverend Green” (2007)

4. Grizzly Bear - “While You Wait For The Others” (2009)

5. The Knife - “Heartbeats” (2003)

6. Grizzly Bear - “The Knife” (2005)

7. LCD Soundsystem - “Someone Great” (2007)

8. TV on the Radio - “Staring at the Sun” (2003)

9. Crystal Castles - “Crimewave” (2008)

10. Beirut - “Ciloqut” (2007)

11. Thom Yorke - “Harrowdown Hill

12. Animal Collective - “Derek” (2007)

13. Nine Inch Nails - “Me, I’m Not” (2007)

14. Beck - “Lonesome Tears” (2002)

15. At The Drive-in - “One Armed Scissor” (2004)

16. Animal Collective - “Grass” (2005)

17. Deerhunter - “Nothing Ever Happened” (2008)

18. Atlas Sound - “Recent Bedroom” (2008)

19. Panda Bear - “Comfy in Nautica” (2007)

20. System of a Down - “Chop Suey” (2001)

21. Animal Collective - “Peacebone” (2007)

22. Battles - “Atlas” (2007)

23. Error - “Jack the Ripper” (2004)

24. Enon - “Pleasure and the Privilege”

25. Elliott Smith - “Son of Sam” (2000)

26. Animal Collective - “Did You See the Words” (2005)

27. The Knife - “Marble House” (2006)

28. LCD Soundsystem - “All My Friends” (2007)

29. Thom Yorke - “Analyse” (2006)

30. The Flaming Lips - “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell” (2002)

31. Girl Talk - “Smash Your Head” (2006)
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32. A Perfect Circle - “Judith” (2000)

33. Radiohead - “Idioteque” (2000)

34. Tapes N’ Tapes - “Manitoba” (2006)

35. TV On The Radio - “I Was A Lover” (2006)

36. Radiohead - “Reckoner” (2007)

37. Fever Ray - “Coconut” (2009)

38. Animal Collective - “My Girls” (2009)

39. Built to Spill - “Things Fall Apart” (2009)

40. Wilco - “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart” (2002)

41. Modest Mouse - “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” (2000)

42. Animal Collective - “Leaf House” (2004)

43. Modeselektor - “Happy Birthday” (2007)

44. Arcade Fire - “Wake Up” (2004)

45. Autolux - “Blanket” (2004)

46. MGMT - “Time to Pretend” (2007)

47.  Built to Spill - “Conventional Wisdom” (2006)

48. Wilco - “Side With the Seeds” (2007)

49. Elliott Smith - “Happiness/The Gondola Man” (2000)

50. Avey Tare - “I’m Your Eagle Kisser” (2007)

51. Department of Eagles - “Waves of Rye” (2008)

52. Animal Collective - “Summertime Clothes” (2009)

53. Radiohead - “2+2 = 5″ (2003)

54. Dredg - “Sang Real” (2005)

55. While Lies - “Farewell to the Fairground” (2009)

56. Grizzly Bear - “Ready, Able” (2009)

57. Matisyahu - “King Without a Crown” (2005)

58. Modest Mouse - “Paper Thin Walls” (2000)

59. Dillinger Escape Plan - “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” (2002)

60. Elliott Smith - “Twilight” (2004)

61. Deerhunter - “Flourescent Grey” (2007)

62. Holy Fuck - “Lovely Allen” (2007)

63. LCD Soundsystem - “Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up” (2006)

64. The Notwist - “Boneless (Panda Bear Remix)” (2008)

65. Liars - “Nothing Is Ever Lost or Can Be Lost My Science Friend” (2004)

66. The Mars Volta - “Inertiatic E.S.P.” (2003)

67. The Notwist - “Solitaire” (2002)

68. Of Montreal - “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” (2007)

69. Queens of the Stone Age - “Tangled Up in Plaid” (2005)

70. Radiohead - “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” (2007)

71. Saul Williams - “Raised To Be Lowered” (2007)

72. Autolux - “Great Days for the Passenger Element” (2004)

73. Sigur Ros - “Untitled 8″ (2002)

74. Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs - “Maps” (2003)

75. Portishead - “Threads” (2008)

76. Sufjan Stevens - “Chicago” (2005)

77. Ugly Casanova - “Things I Don’t Remember” (2002)

78. Animal Collective - “Brothersport” (2009)

79. Radiohead - “Pyramid Song” (2001)

80. Nine Inch Nails - “Only” (2005)

81. El-P - “Flyentology” (2007)

82. Queens of the Stone Age - “No One Knows” (2002)

83. Ghostface Killah - “Shakey Dog” (2006)

84. Modest Mouse - “Missed the Boat” (2007)

85. UNKLE - “Persons and Machinery” (2007)

86. Amon Tobin - “Verbal” (2002)

87. The White Stripes - “Denial Twist” (2005)
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88. Tomahawk - “Captain Midnight” (2003)

89. Modest Mouse - “Bukowski” (2004)

90. Sigur Ros - “Hoppipolia” (2005)

92. Fuck Buttons - “Sweet Love For Planet Earth” (2008)

93. Bon Iver - “Skinny Love” (2008)

94. Built to Spill - “In Your Mind” (2001)

95. The White Stripes - “Icky Thump” (2007)

96. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - “We Are Rockstars” (2008)

97. Dub Trio - “Not Alone” (2006)

98. Modest Mouse - “The World At Large”

99. The Walkmen - “In the New Year” (2008)

100. Nine Inch Nails - “The Great Destroyer (Modwheelmood Remix)” (2007)

Fishpork’s Favorite Albums of the 2000s

Compiling a list of your favorite albums for an entire decade is quite the challenge, especially when that decade was as strong as the 2000s were. Six of our favorites come from two bands (Animal Collective and Radiohead), and two were from this past year (Veckatimest and Merriweather Post Pavilion). This list is by no means a definitive statement of the best music from last decade. Instead, these are our favorite albums that were on heavy rotation in our iPods and scrobbled endlessly on Last.FM.

1. Strawberry Jam (2007) - Animal Collective

2. Silent Shout (2006) - The Knife

3. The Moon and Antarctica (2000) -  Modest Mouse

4. Kid A (2000) - Radiohead

5. Figure 8 (2000) - Elliott Smith

6. Veckatimest (2009) - Grizzly Bear

7. De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) - The Mars Volta

8. Future Perfect (2004) - Autolux

9. The Eraser (2006) - Thom Yorke

10. Person Pitch (2007) - Panda Bear

11. Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) - TV on the Radio

12. Sea Change (2002) - Beck

13. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) - Wilco

14. High Society (2002) - Enon

15. The Loon (2006) - Tapes N’ Tapes

16. Microcastle (2008) - Deerhunter

17. Feels (2005) - Animal Collective

18. Sound of Silver (2007) - LCD Soundsystem

19. In Rainbows (2007) - Radiohead

20. Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009) - Animal Collective

Album Review: Remind Me Where The Light Is

My bold prediction of 2009: Great Northern will not be on an independent label for much longer. The epic and stunning Remind Me Where The Light Is is one of the most complete and compelling records I’ve heard so far this year. While not my favorite of the year, the album contains absolutely no filler. Solon Bixler (ex-30 Seconds to Mars) and Rachel Stolte team up for an inspired sophomore effort that compels from start to finish. Most of the songs on the record are very accessible and would play well on mainstream radio. This is not to take anything away from Great Northern. It’s a compliment to the band’s compelling compositions. In an effort to expand their sound, the band decided to work with producer Michael Patterson (Beck, She Wants Revenge). Every track is a potential single.

The band has been releasing sneak peak videos titled with the number of remaining days left to the album’s release, but we’ve been spinning an advance copy for weeks and have anxiously been waiting to post a positive review. Unfortunately, Grey’s Anatomy got their hands on the stunningly beautiful “Driveway” to play during a scene where Meredith tells Derek about Izzie’s brain cancer (no, I don’t watch the show!). Bixler’s voice on the track is impressive for someone who was not a lead singer in his former band (that would be Angel Face … I mean Jared Leto).

Although Rachel Stolte handles the vocals on a majority of the songs, the lyrical collaboration on tracks like “Story,” “Warning” and “33″ are high points on the album. Piano-driven tracks “Warning” and “33″ highlight Stolte’s tremendous sense of melody, and Davey Latter provides serviceable percussion. Other album highlights include the Arcade Fire-like “Mountain” and Stolte’s incantation of Stevie Nicks on “Numbers.” A highly anticipated May gig at Johnny Brenda’s (200 capacity) in Philly promises to be a real treat. Remind Me Where the Light Is was released digitally on iTunes on 4/14 and will be in stores next Tuesday.

http://www.myspace.com/greatnorthern

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Radiohead Nominated for Album of the Year

This year’s Grammy Award nominations have been announced, and it’s really hard to care. Although it technically came out in 2007, Radiohead’s magnificent In Rainbows, got a nod for the most prestigious (if one would dare use such a word to describe them) Album of the Year award. The band has been nominated in this category twice before with 1997’s OK Computer and 2000’s Kid A, losing to Bob Dylan and Steely Dan (respectively) Is the third time a charm?

Other notable nominations include Beck’s Danger Mouse-heavy Modern Guilt and In Rainbows again for “Best Alternative Album” (is alternative still a genre?). Radiohead is also nominated for Best Rock Song, Best Music Video, Best Rock Performance with “House of Cards”.  MGMT’s “Electric Feel (Justice Remix)” was nominated for Best Remixed Recording. Nigel Godrich, Rick Rubin and one-trick pony Danger Mouse have been nomindated for Producer of the Year. Unfortunately, the Best Recording Package category did not include Of Montreal’s Skeletal Lamping. Hey Grammys, how about adding an Indie Rock category?!

Here’s the full breakdown of nominations from the Grammy web site.

Nine Inch Nails @ Wachovia Center

I avoid arenas at all costs ever since The Mars Volta played an inaudible set opening up for System of a Down a few years back at the Wachovia Center. Generally speaking, large venues like outdoor festivals and arenas do not produce the sound or intimate setting one desires when seeing your favorite band. Although I still believe in that notion, recent events have made me realize that certain acts can pull it off. My last concert review raved about the sound that Radiohead was able to achieve at their recent All Points West headlining gig. This past Friday, Trent Reznor and company pulled off what I thought was just not possible at the Wachovia Center (and I’ve been there a bunch times).

Fans have been raving about the lights, set lists and sound on Nine Inch Nails’ recent Lights in the Sky over North America tour. I had seen YouTube videos of the lights, read set lists on EchoingtheSound, but was reluctant to believe that good sound was possible in that building. I don’t like to admit it often, but I was wrong. And I wouldn’t expect anyone else to shut me up. Let me just say that sound was mixed to perfection. Although you can’t overcome all of the downfalls of playing in an arena designed for sporting events, it just worked this time. Take notes System of a Down, The Mars Volta and Tool.

On a poor tip I overheard at a parking lot tailgate, we planned to enter the arena at 8:30 in time to hit the general admission floor at 8:50. As we entered I heard the opening riffs of 999,999/1,000,000 and rushed to the gate and entered the floor. It actually sounded so good, we first thought it was the PA system. “What arroagant bastards would play their own songs before a show?” I thought to myself. That was not the case, as an amazing 31-song set list would follow the opener.

The lights were something I’ve never seen used before. And, honestly, I could not explain how they worked if I tried. There are some YouTube videos that highlight some of these techniques but will not do them justice. You simply have to experience this for yourself. I’m posting one of those videos here anyway:

My favorite was when the lighting tech used a flood light to erase the images on a screen that is dropped in front of the stage. It makes me wonder how much money all of these lighting rigs cost.

The setlist was as satisfying as any NIN show I’ve been to (and I’m in double digits now). I’ve never heard Down In It played live before, and it was certainly a treat. Trent introduced it, saying,”This is an old song, a really old song.” Down In It was the first NIN single ever released. It came out in 1988 and preceded the 1989 release of debut album Pretty Hate Machine. Another rare track that surprised the crowd was Reptile. From what I can remember, it received the loudest cheers, both as the song began and after it was finished. Several songs from the Ghosts I-IV album were performed in chunks, highlighted by Trent playing a giant xylophone and new bassist Justin Meldel-Johnsen (formerly of Beck) on stand-up bass.

The new players represent the strongest overall lineup of the live band. Robin Finck plays a much meaner lead guitar than Aaron North did. North’s acrobatic antics on stage lost their novelty rather quickly, and Finck’s presence is menacing. Meldal-Johnsen is better known as being Beck’s bassist for years and looks a bit strange with his super-fro dyed black. However, he has a lot more energy than Jeordie White (formerly of Marilyn Manson) presented in the last incarnation. And what can you say about Josh Freese. This guy is on something. It’s not because of his physique but his relentless intensity. Some of the songs played on this tour have some complicated percussion arrangements that not many drummers would be able to pull off so effortlessly night after night. For now, I will forgive the fact that Josh is also the studio drummer for the Inidigo Girls, Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, and Miley Cyrus.

Trent looked awkwardly buff as usual and should definitely be tested for steroids. He’s sporting a dark beard now, which could only explain that he is hard at work on Year Zero 2 and the HBO project (and doesn’t have time to shave). He was more talkative than usual and described how he had tried to escape Pennsylvania for 18 years as a youth and now finds himself back where he started. He went on about how at the beginning there were all dudes at his shows, and now he notices more chicks (which I’ve heard him say at least three times before). He also mentioned that he talks too much and will stop at future shows.

Overall, the show was great, especially considering the size of the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. It’s interesting to see how the theatrical side of NIN live, as well as the lineup, has evolved over the years. And it’s difficult to imagine how Mr. reznor will possibly top these concerts. Then again, I remember saying that two years ago. Here is the full set list:

1. 999,999 [Intro]
2. 1,000,000
3. Letting You
4. Discipline
5. March Of The Pigs
6. Head Down
7. The Frail
8. The Wretched
9. Closer [The Only Time Breakdown]
10. Gave Up
11. Me, I’m Not
12. The Great Destroyer
13. Ghosts 5
14. Ghosts 17
15. Ghosts 19
16. Piggy [Ghosts]
17. The Greater Good
18. Pinion [Interlude]
19. Wish
20. Terrible Lie
21. Survivalism
22. The Big Comedown
23. Ghosts 31
24. Only
25. Down In It
26. Head Like A Hole

ENCORE

27. Echoplex
28. Reptile
29. God Given
30. Hurt
31. In This Twilight

Beck Finds Danger on Modern Guilt

No one can fault Beck for waiting long between his album releases. He’s one of the more consistent artists working today. Nine albums in 14 years ain’t bad. And he rarely lets the quantity of records or time it takes to release them affect his undeniable skill. It’s more in line with the pace that Bob Dylan and the Beatles released records in their day (not quite). Beck compares to Bob Dylan in more ways than just his relentless work ethic. Many have called him our generation’s Dylan, and similarities peaked when Beck released Sea Change in 2002. The album was immediately compared to Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. Both records were recorded during a post-breakup period for each artist. For Beck it was his breakup with a girlfriend of nine years. For Dylan, it was the end of his marriage. The similarities are presented again here in 2008. Beck has been quoted as saying:

“Highway 61 Revisited is one of the first great anti-covers. Dylan looks burnt, shirt wrinkled — like he’s waiting for catering at the gig or something. And somebody’s just randomly walked in behind him. In an era of Patti Page-style, perfectly lit and posed covers, this cover was a defecation. And these days you’d rarely see such a throwaway picture on such an ‘important’ album.”

Beck’s inspiration led him to adopt Dylan’s cover and style for his latest. In this image, you can notice the homage he pays to both the picture and font style. One might ask: Does Beck’s latest compare with Dylan in terms of the music (Highway 61)? Not being a big fan of Dylan, I’m not able to give an educated or unbiased response to that question.

In an effort to change things up, Beck recruited the services of Gnarls Barkley mastermind, Danger Mouse. For months, their sessions were the talk of music blogs everywhere. With the early release of the first single, Chemtrails, the new album was one of the most anticipated records of the year. With that anticipation, Modern Guilt was finally released in July to generally favorable reviews. My intitial reaction was not what I expected. Being a huge fan of Beck since Mellow Gold in high school (but not as crazy about Odelay as the rest of the world), I was a bit disappointed by this effort. There are some very high moments (Walls, Profanity Prayers and Volcano), but the rest sounds too much like a Gnarls Barkley record. To the masses, that may be good thing. However, I do not find myself dancing about when their hit Crazy blares on the radio. Actually, I refuse to listen to the radio these days. The songs feel a bit too much like b-sides  from St. Elsewhere. And why wouldn’t they since Danger Mouse is providing much of the production? However, the Danger Mouse signature sound feels like it’s losing its novelty.

The record does show a progression in Beck’s lyrics. You get more serious verses here instead of the usual non-sensical, fun poetry that Beck is known for. More in tune with his melancholy side featured in the dreary but excellent Sea Change, Beck laments, “I’ve been drinking all these tears so long | All I’ve got left is the taste of salt | In my mouth” in Volcano, a standout track on the album. Beck’s referring to a story he read about a Japanese girl committing suicide: “And I heard of that Japanese girl | Who jumped into The Volcano | Was she trying to make it back back | into the womb Of the world?” Obviously, he’s not his cheery self. This creates some awkwardness, as Danger Mouse’s overproduced beats don’t quite match the mood of these verses. In the end, the album is still recommended over the painfully bland selection of whiny lyrics and hollow rhythms that you’d hear on the radio. But then again, I don’t listen to the radio. So what do I know?

August’s Fresh Pork Cuts!

Mark’s:

• Beck - Volcano
• Of Montreal - Id Engager
• Tanya Tagaq Gillis - Fire Ikuma featuring Mike Patton
• UNKLE - Clouds Featuring Black Mountain
• Black Mountain - Bright Lights

Pete’s:

• Sigor Rós - Við spilum endalaust
• We Are Scientists - Lethal Enforcer 
• Nada Surf - Weightless
• The Decemberists - Little Boxes 
• Kings of Leon - Charmer