Monthly Archives: October 2013

The 11 Best Songs By Korn of the 90s

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In the 90s, we were sure of three things: Flannel shirts and jeans were acceptable forms of formal wear, Bill Clinton felt our pain, and Jonathan Davis was a lunatic.  Rumors about where his unchecked aggression came from varied from him being a dark Lord worshiping Satanism to him being an unmedicated schizophrenic.  I even heard one rumor that claimed he was raised by Nazis in South America.  No matter what Davis’ inner turmoil was, he delivered an animalistic scream that shattered the expectations of metal music.  He dug deeper and cried harder.  He was more emo than Chris Hardwick and he was more demented than Ross Perot.  It was a contradicting marriage of emotions that elevated the connection that metal could have on its audience.  Korn comes straight out of Bakersfield, which could make anyone want to scream their lungs out.  They were just smart enough to set it to music.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Korn of the 90s:

  1. Got The Life (Follow The Leader)
  2. Falling Away From Me (Issues)
  3. Blind (Korn)
  4. Make Me Bad (Issues)
  5. Shoots and Ladders (Korn)
  6. Chi (Life Is Peachy)
  7. Lost (Life Is Peachy)
  8. A.D.I.D.A.S. (Life Is Peachy)
  9. Clown (Korn)
  10. Good God (Life Is Peachy)
  11. Let’s Get This Party Started (Issues)
Buy Korn’s new album, The Paradigm Shift…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Sleigh Bells

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I remember hearing Atari Teenage Riot in the 90s and thought to myself, in about twenty years, there will be a band that will harness this chaotic sonic clash and turn it into musical gold.  That was 17 years ago and though I’m off by about 3 years, Sleigh Bells for all intensive purposes is has become the next generation WiiU Tweenage Riot with just a better name. Though the previous name would better suit them.  Their guitars explode like they’re spewing over-tuned digital vomit. They play as if the only volume setting on their amps is 11.  And if screaming in key would be a disservice to the music, then hell if they’ll do it.  Sleigh Bells isn’t music you want to listen to if you want to study or go to sleep.  But if you’re amping up for a big game or a knight fight, then they should be number one on your speed dial.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Sleigh Bells:

  1. Infinity Guitars (Treats)
  2. Kids (Treats)
  3. Comeback Kid (Reign of Terror)
  4. Rill Rill (Treats)
  5. Demons (Reign of Terror)
  6. Tell ‘Em (Treats)
  7. Crush (Reign of Terror)
  8. Run The Heart (Treats)
  9. Riot Rhythm (Treats)
  10. Road To Hell (Reign of Terror)
  11. Holly (Tell ‘Em)

Buy Sleigh Bells new album, Bitter Rivals…now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Cage The Elephant

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With a rip and tear, CTE has brought some wild native enthusiasm back to rock music.  From the Cobain scratchy howl that bellows from larynx of lead singer Matthew Schultz to the thrust in gut from the raunchy romp of the guitars wielded by the one-two punch of Parish-Schultz (Brad), Cage embodies all the ferocity that ever rippled out of Seattle while serving it up in a rocket launched out of the heart of LA’s sunset strip.  There’s monstrous thumps and murky grumbles.  It’s scarring and refreshing.  And their live show is packed with so much energy, they could power a small town in the midwest.  Let’s be realistic, a very small town.  While the promise of the Arctic Monkeys faded while they matured, Cage The Elephant is accelerating at enjoying their immaturity.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Cage The Elephant:

  1. James Brown (Cage The Elephant)
  2. In One Ear (Cage The Elephant)
  3. Aberdeen (Thank You Happy Birthday)
  4. Tiny Little Robots (Cage The Elephant)
  5. Shake Me Down (Thank You Happy Birthday)
  6. Soil To The Sun (Cage The Elephant)
  7. Right Before My Eyes (Thank You Happy Birthday)
  8. Ain’t No Rest for The Wicked (Cage The Elephant)
  9. Always Something (Thank You Happy Birthday)
  10. Sabertooth Tiger (Thank You Happy Birthday)
  11. Back Against The Wall (Cage The Elephant)

Buy Cage The Elephant’s new album, Melophobia…now!!!

The Best Songs By Kaskade

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In the 90s, there was no one who annoyed the crap out of me more than Sinead O’Connor.  So, when she stormed into the fray this week to teach Miley Cyrus a lesson, she was the last person I expected to perfectly word how everyone was feeling about Miley’s bizarre debacle.  Sinead is no princess.  She pushed plenty of boundaries and did some dumb ass shit.  From ripping up the picture of the Pope on SNL to her fight with Madonna and the Catholic church.  So, if Sinead is writing a letter telling you that your behavior is out of line then you better fucking listen.  At this point, there’s really only one person who can stop Miley Cyrus:  Mickey Mouse.  Since the Mouse gave her her start, then he needs to be the one to pull her aside and get her in line.  All he needs to do is show her a video of Jett Jackson’s “suicide” from a secret camera and I’m sure that will shut her up for a long time.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Kaskade:

  1. I Remember (Strobelight Seduction)
  2. Eyes (Fire & Ice)
  3. Say It’s Over (Dynasty)
  4. Be Still (Love Mysterious)
  5. Room for Happiness (Fire & Ice)
  6. Turn It Down (Fire & Ice)
  7. Empty Streets (Dynasty)
  8. Back On You (Strobelight Seduction)
  9. Never Ending (Love Mysterious)
  10. Angel on My Shoulder (Strobelight Seduction)
  11. Dynasty (Dynasty)

Buy Kaskade’s new album, Atmosphere..now!!

The 11 Best Moby Songs of the 00s

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Continuing the countdown to the release of my book, here’s the Moby chapter.  I would love to hear your thoughts!! 

In 1999, Moby released his ground-breaking album Play. The album turned electronic music on its side with its historically haunting audio sampling.  For one brief moment, Moby’s sound was the only game in town. In the ’00s Moby might be best remembered for being the target of Eminem’s wrath at the 2002 MTV video awards.  After Moby called Eminem a homophobe, racist and misogynist, Eminem’s ire had so much strength that it not only publicly embarrassed Moby, but it also derailed his musical popularity.  Play made Moby one of the most respected songwriting innovators.  Eminem’s angst made him last night’s leftovers.

After that, Moby’s career wasn’t the same.  Even though 18 sonically picked up where Play had left off, it was criticized for being too safe.  Moby had set his own bar too high.  He pushed his sound on Hotel but it was dismissed for lacking focus.  He tried to win back his original techno fans on Last Night, by combining early techno with a modern twist.  No dice.  On his 2009 release, Wait For Me, he put out his best-reviewed album of the decade.  Many praised Moby’s return and welcomed his comeback.  If it hadn’t been for Eminem, would they have realized that Moby had never left?  From 18‘s darker vision of loneliness, to Hotel‘s personal honesty, to Last Night’s viral enthusiasm, while no one was paying attention, Moby continued to build a richly layered catalogue of music on par with his best efforts. 

The 11 Best Moby Songs:

1.      Sunday (The Day Before My Birthday) (18)

2.      At Least We Tried (18)

3.      Where You End (Hotel)

4.      Shot In The Back of the Head (Wait For Me)

5.      Raining Again (Hotel)

6.      In This World (18)

7.      Mistake (Wait For Me)

8.      The Stars (Last Night)

9.      In My Heart (18)

10.  One of These Mornings (18)

11.  Lift Me Up (Hotel)

Fun Fact:  Recently, Moby co-owned a tea shop, called TeaNY, where he helped out serving customers. 

Buy Moby’s new album, Innocents…now!!! 

The Unknown: HAIM

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Female rock groups have always been in short supply.  For every Patti Smyth there’s a hundred Chad Kroegers.  And that many Chads Kroegers is never a good thing. It feels like musical men have forgotten what it takes to wield a guitar and kick some ass.  It’s like dancing in the moonlight is better than barking at the moon.  Well, maybe it’s time for the women to take over rambling on.  HAIM has arrived to show us exactly how it’s done.  With Jett’s love of rock n’ roll and Ford’s deadly kiss, HAIM hit like Benatar’s best shot.  The lyrics ooze with wit and wild.  The music pounds with hook and slammers.  These girls have come to take over the rock crown and this time it’s the men who will be sitting in the back seat.

PS.  I’m working on getting my music hosting fixed.  They changed my password and now I can’t remember it.  Good times.

Buy HAIM’s new album, Days Are Gone…now!!!