Author Archives: acompleteunknown

The 11 Best Songs By Trentemoller

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When it comes to internationally famous Danish rock stars, the list is quite small.  If they were to hold an outdoor festival, your line-up would consist of a drum solo by Lars Ulrich, a reading of Hans Christian Andersen by Brigette Nielsen, and Trentemoller.  The road to get there has not been paved.  For Trentemoller to have the break out success they’ve sustained so far is feat itself.  Maybe its the format of electronica that allows the DJ/creator to speak through the music without relying on words…on the other hand, that hasn’t stopped Sigur Ros.  Granted, they are the only band out of Iceland to find success the way they have.  After a string of singles, remixes, and cook books…Trentemoller delivers his third album to get your Friday rolling and your party started.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Trentemoller:

  1. …Even Though You’re With Another Girl (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  2. Take Me Into Your Skin (The Last Resort)
  3. Sycamore Feeling (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  4. My Dreams (My Dreams)
  5. Like Two Strangers (The Last Resort)
  6. Shades of Marble (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  7. Neverglade (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  8. The Mash and The Fury (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  9. Moan (The Last Resort)
  10. Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!! (Into The Great Wide Yonder)
  11. Blue Hotel (My Dreams)

Buy Trentemoller’s new album, Lost…now!!

The 11 Best Tears For Fears Songs of the 80s

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Reunions are a tricky thing.  This week Slash said he would be open to a GNR reunion.  Gene Simmons said there’s no way KISS would reunite for the Hall of Fame ceremony.  And Boston announced a new album with deceased singer Brad Delp on lead vocals.  If you can get a dead guy to reunite and sing with you, then anything is possible.  The Tears for Fears split in the early 90s seemed like it was a done deal with Roland carrying on the TFT name solo.  Though their creative differences weren’t the worst musical break-up we’ve seen, it seemed like a reunion was a broken dream.  Then in 2004, on a break from their illustrious solo careers, Smith and Roland reunited not just for some gigs but even recorded a whole new album.  It wasn’t 80s bliss but it was entertaining.  Now despite this year’s cover of the Arcade Fire’s Ready To Start, the band’s best song in 25 years, it was the ’80s where they sowed their seeds.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Tears For Fears of the 80s:

  1. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Songs From The Big Chair)
  2. Head Over Heels (Songs From The Big Chair)
  3. Mad World (The Hurting)
  4. Shout (Songs From The Big Chair)
  5. Change (The Hurting)
  6. Watch Me Bleed (The Hurting)
  7. Pale Shelter (The Hurting)
  8. Sowing The Seeds Of Love (The Seeds Of Love)
  9. Mothers Talk (Songs From The Big Chair)
  10. The Way You Are (The Way You Are)
  11. Year of the Knife (The Seeds of Love)

Buy the new Deluxe Special Extended Anniversary edition of The Hurting…now

The 11 Best Songs By The Avett Brothers

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News Flash:  The Good, The Bad and The Unknown’s first book with be arriving in book stores and online on November 29th, 2013.  It’s called The 111 Best Music Lists of the 2000s, authored by yours truly.  Here’s another chapter ripped from the pages of the official release.

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At the start of their career, the Avett Brothers released most of their albums without a record label, relying on touring to support their craft.  It was no surprise that record labels weren’t banging down the doors to sign up an acoustic duo that featured a banjo.  This was 2000, not 1900.  But the brothers believed in the music they were making and refused to give up or give in. After eleven albums in ten years, the Avett Brothers’ persistence in making quality music was finally noticed… by Starbucks, of all companies.  The coffee chain gave the band national recognition when they made their song, “I and Love and You,” the musical pick of the week.  The band’s 2009 album went on to critical acclaim and was picked by many as one of the best albums of the year, making the banjo a new household item.

Fun Fact:  In their spare time, Brother Scott is a renowned painter and print maker and Brother Seth releases solo albums under the moniker Darling.

Song Note (I And Love And You): This song was inspired by a gig the band played at Brooklyn’s Galapagos.

The 11 Best Songs By The Avett Brothers: 

1.      November Blue (Country Was)

2.      Talk on Indolence (Four Thieves Gone)

3.      Head Full of Doubt Road Full Of Promise (I And Love And You)

4.      If It’s The Beaches (Gleam EP)

5.      Bella Donna (Second Gleam)

6.      I And Love And You (I And Love And You)

7.      Paranoia in B Major (Emotionalism)

8.      January Wedding (I And Love And You)

9.      Colorshow (Four Thieves Gone)

10.  Pretty Girl From San Diego (Emotionalism)

11.  At The Beach (Mignonette)

Buy The Avett Brothers new album, Magpie and the Dandelion…now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Morcheeba

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Built out of the ashes of the trip-hop movement in the ’90s, Morcheeba may be the lone survivor of a genre that seems to ripen with age.  With only a thread of Massive Attack remaining, a Portishead that may be still around but who really knows, and Tricky who gave up trip-hop for a less longstanding ’90s genre called grunge, Morcheeba remains the only artist from that era who is still keeping pace.  Their last album wasn’t just a welcome return, it was like the band transported it via telephone booth from 1996 to our doorsteps (or earbuds).  Trip-hop was a brief moment in musical time.  It hit softly, made a little imprint, but has withheld the test of time.  Like Pearl Jam, Morcheeba has struggled but emerged stronger than ever.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Morcheeba:

  1. Blindfold (The Big Calm)
  2. The Music That We Here (The Big Calm)
  3. Tape Loop (Who Can You Trust?)
  4. Blood Like Lemonade (Blood Like Lemonade)
  5. Undress Me Now (Charango)
  6. Trigger Hippie (Who Can You Trust?)
  7. Recipe For Disaster (Blood Like Lemonade)
  8. Wonders Never Cease (The Antidote)
  9. Otherwise (Charango)
  10. Part of the Process (The Big Calm)
  11. God Bless And Goodbye (The Antidote)

Buy Morcheeba’s new album, Head Up High…now!

The Unknown: The Head And The Heart

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The sophomore slump is a brutal undiscriminating fate that can befall any band.  My most anticipated sophomore album of the year was Yuck’s “Glow & Behold.”  It failed to fulfill any of my expectations. This album is so band I had to double check to make sure I was listening to the right band.  In 2011, Yuck had my favorite album of the year.  This year, Yuck’s album ranks dead last on my list of 150 albums from 2013 behind such stellar musical bowel movements including Jack Johnson’s snoozefest, MGMT’s bad drug trip and Snoop Lion’s tribute to weed.  The Naked and Famous’ new album (another highly anticipated sophomore offering) skimmed by but just barely.  Now it’s the The Head and The Heart’s turn to prove that their rookie year was no fluke.  It’s early but I’m hopeful. They put out some big shoes to fill on their debut album, I just hope they can fill one of them this time out.

Rivers and Roads

Buy The Head and The Heart’s new album, Let’s Be Still…now!

 

The 111 Best Pearl Jam Songs

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The only grunge rock band to survive the 90s, 00s, and is still in tact in the teens.  For 22 years Pearl Jam is still with us, still strong, and still owning the game.  Here’s a look back at what they’ve done for us so far.

This list contains all their material from their main releases not including any of the official live albums or live bootlegs.  The only live songs included (a couple) are from the Christmas Singles or from part of a compilation.

Here are the 111 Best Songs By Pearl Jam:

  1. Black (Ten)
  2. Porch (Ten)
  3. Rearviewmirror (Vs.)
  4. Not For You (Vitalogy)
  5. Alive (Ten)
  6. Even Flow (Ten)
  7. Once (Ten)
  8. Corduroy (Vitalogy)
  9. Animal (Vs.)
  10. Jeremy (Ten)
  11. I Got Shit (Merkin Ball)
  12. State of Love and Trust (Singles Soundtrack)
  13. Indifference (Vs.)
  14. Immortality (Vitalogy)
  15. Garden (Ten)
  16. Do The Evolution (Yield)
  17. Daughter (Vs.)
  18. Yellow Ledbetter (Jeremy)
  19. Release (Ten)
  20. Got Some (Backspacer)
  21. Insignificance (Binaural)
  22. Sonic Reducer (Christmas Single 1992)
  23. Last Exit (Vitalogy)
  24. The Fixer (Backspacer)
  25. Breath and a Scream (Singles Soundtrack)
  26. Hail, Hail (No Code)
  27. Small Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town (Vs.)
  28. Better Man (Vitalogy)
  29. Johnny Guitar (Backspacer)
  30. Smile (No Code)
  31. MFC (Yield)
  32. Nothingman (Vitalogy)
  33. God’s Dice (Binaural)
  34. Unthought Known (Backspacer)
  35. W.M.A. (Vs.)
  36. Brain of J. (Yield)
  37. Crazy Mary (Sweet Relief Tribute)
  38. In My Tree (No Code)
  39. Rats (Vs.)
  40. Grievance (Binaural)
  41. Last Kiss (Christmas Single 1998)
  42. Save You (Riot Act)
  43. Leash (Vs.)
  44. Unemployed (Pearl Jam)
  45. Why Go (Ten)
  46. World Wide Suicide (Pearl Jam)
  47. Long Road (Merkin Ball)
  48. All Or None (Riot Act)
  49. Go (Vs.)
  50. Inside Job (Pearl Jam)
  51. Crown of Thorns (Pearl Jame Twenty)
  52. Spin The Black Circle (Vitalogy)
  53. Mankind (No Code)
  54. Sad (Lost Dogs)
  55. Force of Nature (Backspacer)
  56. Thin Air (Binaural)
  57. Whipping (Vitalogy)
  58. Ghost (Riot Act)
  59. Nothing As It Seems (Binaural)
  60. Red Mosquito (No Code)
  61. Breakerfall (Binaural)
  62. Get Right (Riot Act)
  63. Dissident (Vs.)
  64. Thumbing My Way (Riot Act)
  65. Fatal (Lost Dogs)
  66. Satan’s Bed (Vitalogy)
  67. Given To Fly (Yield)
  68. Green Disease (Riot Act)
  69. Deep (Ten)
  70. Army Reserve (Pearl Jam)
  71. In Hiding (Yield)
  72. Light Years (Binaural)
  73. Strangest Tribe (Christmas Single 1999)
  74. Man of The Hour (Big Fish Soundtrack)
  75. You Are (Riot Act)
  76. Brother (Ten Reissue)
  77. Can’t Keep (Riot Act)
  78. Habit (No Code)
  79. Love Reign O’er Me (Reign Over Me)
  80. Glorified G (Vs.)
  81. Life Wasted (Pearl Jam)
  82. Supersonic (Backspacer)
  83. Ole (Ole)
  84. Severed Hand (Pearl Jam)
  85. Low Light (Yield)
  86. Other Side (Save You)
  87. Cropduster (Riot Act)
  88. Gone (Pearl Jam)
  89. Just Breathe (Backspacer)
  90. Someday At Christmas (Christmas Single 2004)
  91. Lukin (No Code)
  92. Comatose (Pearl Jam)
  93. Faithful (Yield)
  94. Wash (Alive)
  95. Leaving Here (Home Alive)
  96. Hold On (Lost Dogs)
  97. Gonna See My Friend (Backspacer)
  98. Hard To Imagine (Chicago Cab)
  99. I Am Mine (Riot Act)
  100. Down (I Am Mine)
  101. I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Christmas Single 2000)
  102. Come Back (Pearl Jam)
  103. Off He Goes (No Code)
  104. Undone (I Am Mine)
  105. Footsteps (Jeremy)
  106. Love Boat Captain (Riot Act)
  107. No Way (Yield)
  108. Alone (Go)
  109. Wishlist (Yield)
  110. Santa Cruz (Christmas Single 2008)
  111. I’ve Got A Feeling (Alive)

Buy Pearl Jam’s new album, Lightning Bolt…now!

 

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!!