13. "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service (2003)

"Such Great Heights" was one of this decade's most recognizable songs and fittingly so. With the track's accessible electronica and over-emotive (and insanely catchy) lyrics, the song was featured in everything from UPS commercials, to Greys Anatomy, to Garden State, to M&M covers.

For those who don't know, Jimmy Tamborello (from Dntel and Figurine) and Ben Gibbard (from Death Cab for Cutie) collaborated through the postal service, hence the name. Tamborello wrote and performed instrumental tracks and sent the DATs to Gibbard, who then revised the songs and added vocals. Gibbard and Tamborello essentially traded recordings back and forth until they arrived at a finished product. Give Up was released in 2003 and became the indie label Sub Pop's best-selling album since Nirvana's debut Bleach.

The song's exuberant optimism is perfectly backed by the bubbling, propulsive programmed beeps. Gibbard has written some good songs over the past ten years--this is arguably his best and certainly one of the most distinctive tracks of the decade.

Why listen? The defining moment of so-called lap-pop; "Such Great Heights" (especially when compared with its peers) reinforces just how difficult it is to create a great song even if you have all of the tools at your fingertips. The song is also a popular example of indie-rock's slow but ultimate embrace of electronics. (No guitars, no glory!) Fitting that it should come by way of Gibbard, one of the most polarizing figures in the indie-realm. People either like his stuff or they don't. But with this song it doesn't matter. The first few beeps alone are enough to make this list--they might just be the decade's musical code.
Something else? "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," "We Will Become Silhouettes," "Sleeping In," "Brand New Colony."

14. "My Girls" by Animal Collective (2009) / "Bros" by Panda Bear (2007)

Noah Lennox is largely responsible for some of the most forward-thinking, in-the-zeitgeist music of the decade. As one of the members of Animal Collective, Lennox created indie albums like Sung Tongs, Strawberry Jam, and Merriweather Post Pavillion, each with head-turning musical moments. And as Panda Bear, Lennox's Person Pitch sent up layered smoke signals to the sun-soaked deities of pop.

"My Girls" may be the most avante-garde dance record of all time. Its subtle builds, harmonies, and layered, now-you-hear-it, now-you-don't electronica are pure brain candy. And with its submerged vocals, "Bros" sounds like it was smothered in sand the Beach Boys played in and then dedicated to the worship of pop's greatest titans.




Why listen? Seems like a rhetorical question. Pop music this inventive comes along only a few times every decade.
Something else? "Fireworks," "Peacebone," "For Reverend Green," "Summertime Clothes," "Comfy in Nautica."

Sentimental Song of the Decade: "Homesick" by Kings of Convenience (2004)

We are halfway through the countdown and it seems an appropriate time to take a break. But The D Man never sits on his hands, so he would like to recognize one of his favorite songs from one of his favorite albums from one of his favorite bands. Given his usual high-minded largesse, The D Man can be forgiven for some sentimentality. For the record, in one iteration of this list this song was well into the Top Ten. Nevertheless, understanding it was likely rated too high, I decided to take a pause and give The Kings of Convenience their just due. So let's consider the splendid opening track "Homesick" from the duo's splendid second album, Riot on an Empty Street.

This song affected me like few others this past decade. Aside from the lovely guitar lines and pristine vocal harmonies between Erlend Oye and Eirek Glambek Boe, "Homesick" elicited a hopeful meloncholy that equalled the eminence of Simon & Garfunkel. Furthermore, the duo conveyed their intended expression in such a clever way, completely refashioning the song-within-a-song conceit.

The protagonist, apparently a music store clerk, will "lose some sales" because he "can't stop listening to the sound / of two soft voices / blended in perfection" from a record that he found. (A winking reference to the Kings themselves). Later, we find the clerk "searching boxes underneath the counter" to find a record with "a song for / someone who needs somewhere / to long for." Of course, the artists know they are performing that song, and the listener realizes, much to his sad delight, that he is listening to it. But there is some lingering irony as the listener wonders whether the clerk will recognize he has already found what he's looking for.

The dislocation of entering adulthood and leaving youth and home behind has long been the subject of poets and songwriters. "Homesick" immediately captures the essence of such feelings in a brief three minutes and modernizes the tale so that we can understand. The last lines are nostalgic, heartfelt, and pang-inducing: "Homesick / 'cause I no longer know / where home is."

Why listen? An exquisite, lyrical example of traditional minimalism. Two guitars. "Two soft voices, blended in perfection."

Something else? "Misread," "I'd Rather Dance With You," "Cayman Islands."

BONUS: After five long years, the duo's third album will be released in October. The title? Declaration of Dependence. So giddy.

15. "One More Time" by Daft Punk (2001)

Daft Punk ruled the planet at the turn of the century and humans were merely automotons programmed to dance to their music. Don't believe me? Check this out. "One More Time" was an interstellar call to celebrate and dance . . . one more time. Really, that's about it. And then there's the small fact it brought auto-tune to the masses. And the fact it sounds absolutely huge and in the moment. And the fact it would be the song of choice if The D Man went clubbin' at the end of the world.

The french duo of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, preferring anonymous robot personas, stormed the French house scene and ultimately transformed it into epic, electronic dance-pop, culminating in the release of the 2001 album Discovery. "One More Time," with its heavily compressed sound and auto-tune vocals, became a global anthem worthy of the new millenium. Celebratory and wide-eyed, the song captures the essence of the youth, invention, and individuality of the digital age.

For the video, click here.

Why listen? Because you've been hardwired to listen. And dance.

Something else? "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," "Robot Rock," "Digital Love," "Aerodynamic," "Technologic," and just for fun from the previous century, "Around the World."

16. "Mahgeetah" / "Golden" by My Morning Jacket (2003)

For modern listeners, driving in a car frames the context for many of the songs they listen to. And some songs simply sound better while cruising down a long stretch of highway. There may not be two better road songs than My Morning Jacket's "Mahgeetah" and "Golden." The first and third tracks from the band's seminal It Still Moves are perfect companions. A fall day. The dying light. And these sounds washing over you.

"Mahgeetah" is utter nonsense; just the way Jim James apparently delivers "my lady." After that, all you need to hear is the sprawling, feel-good guitars and James' high-wire vocals washed in silos of Kentucky reverb. And "Golden," like the morning sun scattering over the open road, describes a "feeling in my bones / I never felt before," and then wraps that feeling with a spine-tingling pedal steel-guitar. Even the amateur video makers below understood that the song belongs in a moving car.

My Morning Jacket fuses Southern rock, country, and psychedelia to arrive at a new kind of open-hearted Americana; the band's transition from cult-favorites to beloved arena-rockers has been one of the best stories in rock music this decade.

Why listen? You own and drive a car, don't you?

Something else? "One Big Holiday," "Wordless Chorus," "Off the Record," "Anytime," "Lay Low," "Highly Suspicious," "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part II."

17. "Through the Wire" by Kanye West (2004)

Kanye West has ventured into post-rap realms that his lesser peers can't even comprehend. His oft-flawless production, sophisticated samples, and intelligent, fully drawn-out lyrics have expanded his sound into preeminent pop music. While Jay-Z might be this decade's most important MC, The D Man prefers Kanye's best work over the Jigga Man's every time. Kanye's brand of global entertainment is more inclusive than Jay Z's urban-inflected rhymes. And the crispness of Kanye's writing is a nod to the rap-prose of yesteryear and more satisfying than Jay-Z's tendency to descend into half-spoken drivel. A matter of taste? Perhaps. But there is no denying that Kanye, although beknighted by Jay-Z, gave even more back to his mentor, including this huge song with that sweet Jackson 5 sample.

"Through the Wire" established Kanye's signature style and is arguably his most important song. While driving home late from a California recording studio, Kanye fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a near-fatal car crash. Just weeks later he wrote and recorded this track that ultimately laid the foundation for his astonishing debut, The College Dropout. Before "Through the Wire" Kanye was merely a great producer; afterwards, he was a bona-fide hip-hop star. Kanye spent years saving beats and soul samples for his long-in-the-works debut. With a sped-up sample of Chaka Kahn's "Through the Fire," Kanye delivers a comedic and killer blow-by-blow of his emergence, comeback, and eventual triumph. Such hagiography has always been crucial to hip-hop and MC primacy. Never before was it so vulnerable, funny, and clever.

Why listen? West should be thanked for shedding the gangster image predominant in hip-hop and creating a lyrical persona that can embrace vulnerabilities and other timely topical content. West's production, samples, and lyrical hooks have resulted in the finest catalog of any hip-hop artist this decade. "Through the Wire" is an entertaining example of all of the above.

Something else? "Gold Digger," "Touch the Sky," "Heard 'Em Say," "Good Morning," "Good Life," "Homecoming," "Champion," "Heartless."

18. "White Winter Hymnal" / "Ragged Wood" by Fleet Foxes (2008)

Robin Pecknold (center) is some kind of Brian Wilson-inspired Appalachian folk music idiot savant. There may not be an album this decade with more melodic hooks than Fleet Foxes eponymous debut, due in large part to Pecknold's songwriting and lead vocals. Bursting with baroque pop harmonies seemingly hatched in some forest glen, Fleet Foxes' timeless textures weave spellbinding melodies with each listen.

On "White Winter Hymnal," strains of shape-note singing, Pet Sounds harmonies, gospel, and folk collide in an entirely unique camp-fire musical kaleidoscope. On the following track "Ragged Wood," the band's three-part suite displays sunny, shuffling country-rock, sixties-folk, and backwoods spirituals all within a span of five minutes.

Why listen? These two songs are a rousing entrance into a vivid sonic realm that touches on almost every aspect of distinctly American music. Fleet Foxes then combines such influences into something wholly original. There is absolutely no ceiling for what this band can do.

Something else? "He Doesn't Know Why," "Mykonos," "Blue Ridge Mountains," "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song," "Oliver James."

19. "The Funeral" by Band of Horses (2006)

Band of Horses expansive guitars and ringing melodies are drenched with atmosphere. Like shuffling through the leaves on a sidewalk in a small town. Or watching the moon over an empty lake. The group's pretty, autumnal indie-rock does not obscure the band's spare, lyrical heft, but fortifies and envelops it with layered reverb.

On "The Funeral," Ben Bridwell's high-pitched register slowly rises with crystalline guitar tones, humble yet foreboding. Then his voice explodes in glimmering reverb, awash in in what can only be described as Southern shoegaze. The result is an anthemic version of the often anemic or angular sound of their peers. Band of Horses open-hearted, unironic approach to indie-rock is life-affirming and welcome. And "The Funeral" is a striking and altogether potent indie-rock song.

Why listen? By combining elements of Southern rock, shoegaze, and indie-rock, Band of Horses create epic and intimate songs that are endlessly accessible and listenable. In an age of irony, the band forces listeners to take their words at face value which only enchances the music's immediacy. Indeed, if you want to call "The Funeral" the best emo song of the decade, The D Man will have no problem with that.
Something else? "The Great Salt Lake," "St. Augustine," "Is There A Ghost," "Ode to the LRC," "No One's Gonna Love You," Islands on the Coast."

20. "Kim and Jessie" by M83 (2008)

Lush, wide-screen musical cinema, "Kim and Jessie" reverberates listen after listen. A gorgeously rendered pop song, its creation is only possible from the imaginative resonance of Anthony Gonzalez, who understands the textural possibilities of live musicianship and computer generation. The guitars throb alongside synthesizers (see a great live version here) while the song's starry-eyed tale of teenage angst turns somewhat foreboding: "somebody lurks in the shadow / somebody whispers."

One of this decade's prime musical motifs was a renewed interest in so-called 80's retro, sometimes painfully so. But this song may be the look-back's crowning achievement. Given the recent passing of John Hughes, a muse of sorts for M83, one would like to think "Kim and Jessie" could have been his final movie's central montage.


Why listen? A lesson in the musical possibilities of electronica. What the artist can conceive, the musician/programmer can achieve. M83's "Kim and Jessie" is a flawless example of synth-shoegaze bliss.

Something else? "Run Into Flowers," "Don't Save Us From The Flames," "Graveyard Girl," "We Own the Sky," and "Coleurs."

21. "The Rip" by Portishead (2008)

Portishead's ten-year absence came to an end with the aptly-named Third. The group moved their legendary trip-hop into some potent, cinematic soundscapes, each song carried by Beth Gibbons' world-weary vocals. On "The Rip," Gibbons sings over acoustic strums, her voice eventually falling into a bed of electronica, haunted but hopeful.

While, white horses,

they will take me away,

And the tenderness I feel,

will send the dark underneath,

Will I follow?

Given the juxtaposition of the initial acoustic framework and eventual electronic climax, "The Rip" sounds suspended in time between a distant black-and-white past and some isolated future. But under the spell of Gibbons' interpretation, the vivid opening lines ("As she walks in the room / scented and tall / hesitating once more") followed by the supernal chorus translate the song into an otherworldly performance. "The Rip" is jaw-droppingly beautiful and haunting, and, ultimately, vital listening that leaps out of your speakers.

Check out the incredible video for "The Rip" right here.

Why listen? Like the rest of Portishead's third album, "The Rip" is an arresting but rewarding piece of recording artistry. The noir electronica seeps into your veins alongside the lyrical brilliance of Gibbons' plaintive voice. The song's familiar strangeness suggests it will be worth revisiting well into the distant future.

Something else? "Machine Gun," "We Carry On."

BONUS: "The Rip" has plenty of important fans. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood let someone film their version while messing around backstage.

22. "Beautiful Day" by U2 (2000)

"Beautiful Day" established U2 (again) as the biggest band on the planet. U2's stellar 2001 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, re-enthroned the band's sonic magnanimity and appealed to our collective greatness. The Edge's wall-of-sound guitar, Adam Clayton's pulsing rhythm, Larry Mullen, Jr.'s beating drums, and Bono's vocal passion engaged listeners during a third decade of music making. "Beautiful Day" was their clarion call.

U2's relevancy in the early part of this decade will also be tied to the events of 9/11. The D Man's brothers were a few terrifying blocks away and watched the towers fall that fateful day in September 2001. Robbie still has the dust on his shoes from his journey across the Brooklyn Bridge to escape Manhattan. A month later, they attended U2's sold-out show in Madison Square Garden and have since said it was one of the most cathartic experiences of their lives. Indeed, Bono and The Edge agreed that those New York City shows are among the most memorable of their thirty-year career.

Millions shared in that experience a few months later during halftime of the Super Bowl, when U2 paid tribute to the deceased and Bono, ever the attention-seeking Irishmen, ripped open his jacket and unfurled an American flag. It was awesome. Maybe the greatest public performance of all time, certainly of that magnitude. Likewise, "Beautiful Day" became an anthem of peace, hope, and reinvention during the rest of U2's heart-shaped tour.

For the video, click here. For a huge performance at Slane Castle, click here.

Why listen? Powerful, inspiring rock music has long been U2's forte. "Beautiful Day" is a powerful, inspiring rock song. Forget the band's back catalog and this song would have been even bigger, if that even makes sense or is possible. When Bono reaches to sing reach me, I know I'm not a hopeless case, a sort of communal understanding is realized: with each other, we are not cast off forever.

Something else? You already know what else.

23. "Hey Ya!" by Outkast (2003)

Shake it like a Polaroid picture. Shake it. Shake it. Outkast's "Hey Ya!" launched a thousand catch-phrases and burst the pleasure-centers of critics and radio listeners everywhere. Combining Prince-like funk, 60's girl-group fantasies, and whatever else in hell influenced Andre 3000, "Hey Ya!" crossed borders and made everyone want to dance. The song left the stratosphere of pop music and culture behind; we will never hear the likes of it again.

Outkast was the most inventive and exciting hip-hop group of the decade, if that label is even appropriate for the group's outlandish musical triumphs. The duo's triumvirate of originality also included "Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B," all three of which deserve inclusion on this list, depending on your cup of tea. For The D Man, give me extra sugar, ice cold.

For the sweet video for "Hey Ya!," click here.

Why listen? Outkast's ability to eschew the trappings of an often repetitive and narrow genre is commendable. The duo's wildly inventive music draws from more influences than any previous hip-hop artist. Yet there is even more at work in "Hey Ya!": bona-fide zeitgeist-loving domination.

Something else? "Roses," "So Fresh, So Clean," "The Way You Move," and "The Whole World."

24. "Naked As We Came" by Iron and Wine (2004)

Sam Beam's hushed, wistful nostalgia, riddled with half-scriptures and rich Southern romanticism, may be the prettiest folk music in decades. Tears can come easy after a few listens despite the lyrics' decidedly unsentimental approach to love and loss. "Naked As We Came" is representative of a stable filled with achingly beautiful hymns; the song is canonical in every sense of the word. Beam's music imagines backwaters, backwoods, poorhouses, and porches; the subtle, nuanced guitar-playing elevating his lyrics onto some strange spiritual plane. Indeed, Beam's allusions describe lovelorn relationships with Biblical heft. On "Naked As We Came," we get this stunning verse: One will spread our ashes round the yard.

Why listen? Few artists approach Sam Beam's lyrical romanticism or quasi-biblicism. Even without knowing of his art degree and masters in film (he taught film in Miami when he recorded his first album at home), Beam overtly understands the aesthetic possibilities of approaching songcraft as a poet, cinematographer, and musician. The collision of these disciplines is apparent and moving. His last album, The Shepherd's Dog, was an eclectic piece 'de resistance of sorts, moving his music in some interesting against-type directions. Who knows what we will get next?
Something else? "Lion's Mane," "Bird Stealing Bread," "Sunset Soon Forgotten," "Love and Some Verses," "Each Coming Night," "Boy With a Coin," "Flightless Bird American Mouth," "The Trapeze Swinger," "He Lays In the Reins" (with Calexico).

25. "Yellow" By Coldplay (2000)

No matter what you think about Coldplay now, Parachutes was a great album. Overly earnest? A little. Brit-pop for people not smart enough for Radiohead? Maybe. A tour-de-force that led to this decade's biggest arena-rock band? Definitely. Because of first single "Yellow," Coldplay eventually filled stadiums. The song soundtracked every freshman's dorm room and required him to reach over and turn to Track 5 before putting the moves on his lady. And who doesn't want to hear lines like this?

Your skin and bones / turn to something beautiful / Do you know? / You know I love you so

Look at the stars / look how they shine for you / and all the things you do

Coldplay has written more accomplished songs since its debut. But "Yellow" lit up more cellphones in sports arenas than any other song of the past ten years, and for that alone the song easily earns a spot on this list. Of course, there's also the small fact that The D Man, while driving over the University Parkway overpass one night in 2000, listened to "Yellow" and got chills during the falsetto "skin and bones" part. Damn you, Chris Martin. Damn you.

Check out the video for "Yellow" right here.

Why listen? Because you really like it.

Something else? "Don't Panic," "Trouble," "Clocks," "The Scientist," "Viva La Vida," and "Life In Technicolor II."

26. "La Cienega Just Smiled" by Ryan Adams (2001)

Ryan Adams has released twelve albums this decade, give or take. If you're counting at home that's more than one per year. Some critics have railed against his prolific urges, arguing less is more. But there is no denying Adam's considerable songwriting talent. And Heartbreaker, Gold, Demolition, Cold Roses, and Easy Tiger are great albums from start to finish. Indeed, even with a few misses, Adams has written more great songs this past decade than fellow traditionalists Bob Dylan, Neil Young, or Bruce Springsteen combined. Yep, you heard right.

"La Cienega Just Smiled," from the excellent 2001 album Gold, is a perfect illustration of Adams' craft. Lyrics of love and dislocation, a perfect country-tinged guitar, and a beautiful piano, all tied together with an acute sense of country-rock's finest songwriting traditions. Named after a street in Los Angeles, Adams chronicles his fond upheaval from L.A. to New York.

Why listen? In a long line of songwriting formalism rooted in a folk-country-rock ethic, Adams delivers a glowing example of the tradition's seemingly tireless appeal.

Something else? "New York, New York" "Desire," "Two," "Answering Bell," "When the Stars Go Blue," "Starting to Hurt, "So Alive," "This Is It," "Let It Ride" "How Do You Keep Love Alive," "Everybody Knows," "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old," "Follow the Lights," "Fix It," "If I Am a Stranger," or even his cover of "Wonderwall." (Hey, the man seriously has a bevy of good tunes, and many of them aren't even on youtube.)

27. "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear (2009)

Easily one of this year's best songs, "Two Weeks" is an effortless, ageless pop song, displaying the sunnier qualities of Grizzly Bear's baroque melodies and haunting indie-orchestration. The way lead vocalist Ed Droste sings the melody and hits those three notes in yesterday reminds The D Man why he loves great pop music in the first place. Grizzly Bear has produced two of the best albums of the past five years, and for that the group deserves high praise for evolving and innovating in a very natural way. Yellow House's spare instruments, reverbed melodies, and dreamy rhythms resulted in a hazy, elusive classic, which then gave way to the large-scale production and sweeping ebullience of this year's Veckatimest. Keep'em coming, please.

Why listen? Grizzly Bear is a band in every possible sense. The group's individual and collective musicianship, arrangements, production, harmonies, and aesthetics are easily apparent, timeless, and unassailable. Do yourself a favor and spend a solitary headphone evening with Yellow House or Veckatimest.

Something else? Enjoy "Knife," "Little Brother," "Central and Remote," "Colorado," "Ready, Able."

BONUS: The D Man's brother chilled with Grizzly Bear in NYC. So either the band is cool now or Rip is: you decide.

28. "Untitled" and "Obstacle I" by Interpol (2002)

There may not be cooler opening chords than those in "Untitled," the first track from Interpol's astounding debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights. And while the opening track established the dark, urban euro-spherics, second track "Obstacle I" propelled the album forward with its repetitive sci-fi guitar-line and Bowie-esque vocal delivery. Indeed, no one channeled Bowie or Joy Division with more aplomb this decade, all without sounding derivative (unlike the countless other bands Interpol's success spawned). The icy guitar-work and equally icy vocals sound like the music of some dark, sophisticated future where everyone is forced to live in SoHo, wear skinny ties, and wield post-punk guitars. Pretty awesome.




Why listen? By tapping into the potent realm of post-punk, a musical tradition almost religiously adhered to by followers of the gone-to-soon genius of Joy Division's Ian Curtis, Interpol's first two songs became vital participants of this sonic cult.

Something else? "PDA," "Say Hello to the Angels," "Leif Erikson" "NYC," and "Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down."

29. "A King and a Queen" by Okkervil River (2005)

Will Shef's songwriting is some fierce prose, moving in and out of resentment and despondency, with only occasional bursts of self-fulfillment. On Black Sheep Boy, Shef's songs are brooding and wildly alive, replete with bursts of guitar, border trumpets, and picked-over strings. His lyrics thematically hang together like strange fairy-tales hatched in the back of a lonely cantina or conjured up during a red-eyed drive across the west Texas desert. The tenacious "For Real" could easily fit in this spot, but in the more accomplished "A King and a Queen," Shef's restlessness is cast as a love-fable that Leonard Cohen wished he had written.

Why listen? Black Sheep Boy (its liner notes in prose form complete with chapters) is a monument of literate songwriting. "A King and a Queen" has few peers in its high-minded yet thoroughly roots-rock world.

Something else? Enjoy "A Stone," "Black Sheep Boy," "Another Radio Song," "Westfall," "Song of Our So-Called Friend," and "Lost Coastlines."

30. "New Slang" by The Shins (2001)

"You gotta hear this song; it will change your life I swear." With this, Natalie Portman hands her headphones to Zac Braff and the rest is indie-music history. After Garden State, The Shin's "New Slang" became a wry hipster anthem for the internet age, when musical went digital, albums died, and micro-listening was a mouse-click away. To be clear, The Shin's indie-gone-mainstream success, a precursor to a day when the likes of Grizzly Bear would debut in the Billboard Top 10, was not solely due to the movie or their song's ubiquitous online accessibility. "New Slang" is a brilliant song, perfectly updating the textured sonics of 60's pop music. So brilliant, it just may change your life.

Why listen? Enjoy superb traditional pop craftsmanship in the vein of The Byrds or The Beatles. And because Natalie Portman said so.

Something else? Try "Caring is Creepy," "Kissing the Lipless," "So Says I," "Saint Simon," "Gone For Good," "Phantom Limb," or "Australia."

The Dead Weather

Last night at The Depot, The Dead Weather's scuzzed-out blues rock, well, seriously rocked. The D Man and Rip were fired up from the guitar pyrotechnics and almost had to throwdown with some sloshheads to defend a woman's honor. But we're good like that.

,

The super group formed in Nashville, Tennesee, after playing together in Jack White's Third Man studio, with Alison Mosshart (The Kills) on vocals, Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) on lead guitar, Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass, and White (The White Stripes) on drums/vocals. A few thoughts and highlights from the show:

• The band's set was tight and furious. 75 minutes. Loud. Real loud. Ears still ringing.
• Mosshart was cool. Her lead vocals were sharp but not shrill. She was slinky, assertive, and commanded the stage. But she also knew when to get out of the way of the music, or, say, a lights-out solo shred. And yes, White came out from behind the drum kit on two songs and killed it with some lightning fast up-and-down fretwork. And yes, he is my hero.
• Fertita is a GQ-looking axeman that can really play. His presence equalled his dense guitarwork. And his swank keyboards added volume like the Count all night long.
• "Hang You From the Heavens" rocked just like you would expect.
• "I Cut Like A Buffalo" just blew the place up with its funky swagger.
• "So Far From Your Weapon" was almost nice. But White sounded downright manic on "You Just Can't Win"
• "Treat Me Like Your Mother" was an appropriate encore. And it's a simple request.
• The send-off: a righteous cover of Bob Dylan's "New Pony." To answer the question: much, much longer.
• White knows how to brand a band. The White Stripes color schemes, album covers, and throwback canvases are well recognized. The Dead Weather continues to trade on past Americana images, but does so with a darker, backwoods dread that befits the music. The tones and themes, from the album art, t-shirts, and stage backdrop, were flawless.
• Which leads The D Man to his next observation: White has decontructed, recreated, and blown up again American roots and blues music more than any other person alive. The Dead Weather is White's latest vehicle to explore the dense, dark side of blues rock in all of its possible variations. After last night's show, The D Man can attest that White's project is a rousing success. Just a quick listen to White's music this past decade demonstrates his complete command and reinventiveness of America's primal sounds without ever hinting at pastiche. See here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for just a few examples.

Song of the Week

Word has it that Fleet Foxes have quickly become the best live band in the world. No doubt they are one of the best bands to resonate from The D Man's stereo, windows down, sun shining. Enjoy "Ragged Wood" and its three-part suite of timeless melodies that will make your bones shiver even in late summer.

Great Bands, Great Songs, Great Videos

Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "Young Adult Friction."

-More Super 8 film. More guazy guitar hooks. Any complaints?

Passion Pit: "To Kingdom Come."

-Try not to get carried away by the buoyant vibe of this song.

Animal Collective: "Summertime Clothes."

-With music this strikingly original, there is not much you can do with the video.

Song of the Week

After bouncing around the country with his first three albums (and touring with Modest Mouse), Cass McCombs is really finding his footing on his fourth record, Catacombs. (Had to happen sooner or later, right? His great album with that name?). McComb's reedy voice and independent bedroom-folk are difficult to define but witheringly addictive. Check out "Dream Come True Girl". (Yes, Karen Black is seriously freaky). And watch the video for "You Saved My Life." This song just floored me on the first listen. Floored me.

Maxwell

Maxwell is damn cool. And smooth. And he can sing. And did I mention he is smooth?

One of the key artists of the so-called neo-soul movement, Maxwell hit the scene with his 1996 debut, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite. The D Man listened to Maxwell's first album non-stop and can thank it for his first real "moment" with the Mrs. (Details left to your imagination).

After releasing Embrya (1998) and Now (2001), with his stunning cover of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work," Maxwell spent the last eight years "taking some time off." And cutting his hair. But he is returning now in a big way, with a trilogy of albums called BLACKsummers'NIGHT. Apparently, one album will be released for three straight summers. Check out the first single, "Pretty Wings."

Bad Songs

The D Man rarely writes about bad music. But I recently heard a song on the radio that floored me, and I instantly said to myself: "this is so bad, I've got to write about it." While driving in to work, casually listening to a local country radio station (hey, you do it too), I heard a song riddled with so many bad lyrics I almost hit a pedestrian. At the time, I missed the name of the brilliant "artist," but a few Google searches later and I came across Jo Dee Messina and her incredible song.

How many lifeless, meaningless cliches can you fit into a song? Well, feel free to count along with me.

(1) easy ride

(2) the merry-go-round that we call life

(3) take a drive on cruise control

(4) winding road

(5) the money ran out

(6) the engine blew

(7) the clear blue sky

(8) walking in the clouds

(9) safe and sound

(10) knocks me down

(Chorus now--not even remotely finished)

(11) that's the way it is

(12) you gotta roll with the punches

(13) that's the way it goes

(14) you gotta bend when the wind blows

(15) you live, you learn

(16) you crash, you burn

(17) it's hit or miss

(18) that's the way it is (just for good measure)

(Sorry, there's more)

(19) I feel like throwing something

(20) one fine day

(21) hopelessly fallen in love

(22) just what you're looking for

(23) the only problem is

(24) you don't feel a thing

(25) I know from experience

(26) makes perfect sense

(27) you get what you want

(28) but it's not what you think

(29) you get what you need

Unbelievable, right? Is this supposed to inspire me? Motivate me? Entertain me? Make me nod my head up and down and say "yep, you're right, that's the way it is." That's the way what is? Winding roads, merry go rounds, and clear blue skies? Apparently. As someone who has written several songs (see "Like There's No More Love to Go Around" and "Hop, Skip, and A Jump"), The D Man realizes now that, at the very least, he could make a good living penning deep tracks for mediocre country albums. Thanks Jo Dee--have your agent give me a call.

Summer Tunes

The D Man remembers countless soundtracks to summers past. The songs. The places. The sensation that summer is endless despite its fleeting nature. Enjoy a sampling of some of the songs that have been in heavy rotation--in the car, windows down, feeling good.

• The Whitest Boy Alive: "Intentions"
• Camera Obscura: "The Sweetest Thing"
• Passion Pit: "Little Secrets"
• Grizzly Bear: "Ready, Able"
• Phoenix: "Lasso"
• Bat for Lashes: "Pearl's Dream"
• Belle & Sebastian: "If You're Feeling Sinister"
• Junior Boys: "Bits & Pieces"

Song of the Week

It's summertime.  Even in Canada.  And The Rural Alberta Advantage, hailing from somewhere near that great province, have released their impressive debut, Hometowns, on Saddle Creek Records.  Enjoy the homespun video that convincingly captures the essence of Canadian summertime on that great swath of prairie.

                              

Pete Yorn

Pete Yorn's 2001 musicforthemorningafter was easily one of the best albums of that year.  A pleasing blend of slightly-down trodden, acoustic-based rock with touches of Springsteen, The Stone Roses, and even The Smiths, Yorn's debut catapulted him close to the mainstream.  The D Man saw Elbow open for Yorn at old Club DV8, and while the crowd scratched their heads during the British band's set, they were definitely feeling Yorn's California-via-Jersey thing.  (At this point, I should mention that the Mrs. thinks Yorn is super hot).

Since then, Yorn has toured consistently and built a solid fan base with follow-ups The Day I Forgot and Nightcrawler.  Yorn's second album was very solid, if not slightly underrated, while his third effort, although decent, was perhaps a little overproduced and unsuccessful in looking for new musical space.  (When we saw him play at Bricks, my wife said he was totally hot).

On new album Back & Fourth, Yorn teams with Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis and rejuvenates his sound with a set of mellow strummers brimming with melody.  And word has it that Yorn is teaming with Scarlet Johannson (yes, that Scarlet) for a record of duets.  Yorn will be in town on August 16th and The D Man will be there for his fourth time around.  (Yep, you guessed it, still hot).

The King of Pop

Like many, The D Man chooses to remember the Michael Jackson from his days with the Jackson 5 through the Bad album.  The King of Pop was ubiquitous for just about everyone throughout the 1980's.  Rest in peace.  Shu mon.

The D Man's favorite songs:

(1) "Billie Jean"

(2) "Beat It"

(3) "Thriller"

(4) "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

(5) "Smooth Criminal" 

(6) "Rock With You"

(7) "The Way You Make Me Feel"

(8) "We Are The World"

(9) "Human Nature"

(10) "Bad"

Then you have Jackson 5 classics like this, this, and this.  And if this song didn't inspire you, well, you need take a look at yourself and make a change.

Song of the Week

Camera Obscura's video for "French Navy" makes you want to put on a sweater, walk down to the park, and find someone to kiss.  If you're married, hopefully it's your wife.  And if you're into seriously sweet and infectious little pop ditties, you should check out My Maudlin Career.

                                                    

Song of the Week

The D Man is still grooving to the chilled-out twilight electro from Junior Boys' Begone Dull Care.  Enjoy a fan mash-up for the song "Parallel Lines."  The Canadian duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus continue to make sleek, sexy music for those who think technology isn't a dirty word.