shuffle 10 #2

1. The Shins -- Girl Sailor

Though not as strong as the nearly-perfect Chutes To Narrow, Wincing the Night Away is a solid indie pop album. Most likely you've heard at least one Shins song by now, if not, you should. Lyrically intricate and musically accessible. Girl Sailor is a fairly middling Shins track, but displays many of the charms that make the Shins a great indie-pop band for the 00's.


2. The Descendents -- Sour Grapes

The Descendents are THE seminal pop-punk band. Before you listen to Weezer or Green Day you need to listen to The Descendents to hear where it all began. This is off their third album (maybe out of print now... but available on I-tunes). This is a standout track on this album... about the geeky punks anger/desire over an unattainable new wave girl. We can all relate, can't we? Check out the first Descendents album, Milo Goes To College, for a true punk-pop classic.


3. Everclear -- Santa Monica

I don't think I have to say much about this song... almost everyone has heard it. This is the song that put Everclear on the map in the post-grunge 90's music scene. It displays everything great, and not so great, about Everclear. Art pretty much sets the musical/lyrical pattern here that he repeats in nearly every Everclear song. But, this song still pretty much rocks when the guitars kick-in, halfway through.


4. Band of Horses -- No One's Gonna Love You

This song was the "hit" single of the second album, Cease to Begin. Band of Horses are dreamy indie rock... all echo and jangle and smooth high vocals. Oh, and lots of beards in Band of Horses. Anyway, this is a solid follow-up to their debut album, although nothing quite reaches the heights of the song Funeral.

5. Tori Amos -- 1,000 Oceans

From her To Venus and Back album, Tori Amos' 1000 Oceans is one of the most beautiful songs she's ever written...and that's saying something. It shows her at her best, simple and lyrical without some of the quirky vocal turns she is so fond of throwing into many of her songs. If you've always been a bit cold on Tori's style of music, maybe give this song a try... it's a keeper.


6. Death Cab For Cutie -- Transatlanticism

There's something both satisfying and sad about seeing the little indie band you loved from the early days make it to the big time. Both the song and the album Transatlaticism were instrumental in bringing Death Cab to the world stage. This song was featured to great effect in an episode of Six Feet Under. Sure, I miss seeing these guys for free at a local Seattle youth club, but they deserve all the success they can handle.


7. Elliott Smith - Figure 8

Like Death Cab, I used to see Elliott Smith play half-empty clubs in Seattle on Tuesday nights. Of course, two years later Good Will Hunting came out and Elliott found himself standing on an Oscar stage next to Celine Dion. Elliott was the picture of the tortured poet, all quiet and sad and beautifully broken. But, he wasn't playing a part and ultimately he bowed to his own demons, killing himself by stabbing himself in the heart. The song Figure 8 (a cover from Schoolhouse Rock) never made it onto the album of the same name.... but has resurfaced in the years since the album's release. It's sad and all too brief.... like Elliott's life.

8. Nirvana -- School

Been awhile since you've heard Bleach? Well, give it a spin. I love the raw energy of the early stuff by Nirvana. Kurt's guitar playing is always bordering on the unhinged and his vocals are just as raw as ever. School is a great, heavy riffing song that just begs for you to rock out!

9. Raconteurs -- Steady As She Goes

Love or hate Jack White, you have to admit, the guy can write a song. Anyway, I actually like this side-project more than White Stripes. Something about teaming up with Brendan Benson brings out the poppier side of Jack, which I prefer. This is a solid song.... and the most recognized from the album Broken Boy Soldier. However, my fave track off the album is Hands.

10. Conor Oberst -- Cape Canaveral

Solo album by frontman/songwriter from indie fave Bright Eyes. He supposedly wrote most of this album in Mexico and it shows... all dusty boots and drowsy afternoons. It's a great driving album.