The Top Fifty Favorite Songs Of 2003 - Pt.1

I made a resolution to keep this blog updated on a regular basis, yes, I did! And I have failed so miserably. Naturally, I have a million excuses (well, that's a bit hyperbolic, actually, I have about four or five excuses, but it feels like a million). Well, I refuse to disappoint and will be making up for big time over the next two weeks. It is true! Tons of content will be posted Monday - Friday for the next two weeks. And I have a theme, even!

After much consternation, much preparation, much deliberation, I have complete my Best of 2003 lists and I will be posting them throughout the next two weeks. This week (02/02/04 - 02/06/04) will be my Top Fifty Most Favorite Songs of 2003. Inspired by readings of Mr. John Peel's Festive Fifty and Pitchfork Media's publication of their lists, I sat down with 125 of my favorite songs and ranked them, whittling it down to 50. It was one of the toughest things I have ever done. My brain hurt after about ten iterations, but I finally settled on fifty songs ranked in an order that I could defend while simultaneously being satisfied. I will be publishing the list, ten at a time, over the next five days. As they say in show business, without further ado, #50 through #41:

50. “So Says I” by The Shins
The Shins go fairly straightforward on this wonderful indie pop song; high energy, great vocals, and that big “Whooo-ooo-oo”; while the “single” from the excellent Chutes Too Narrow, though it isn’t the best song on the record.

49. “All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed” by Ed Harcourt
Sometimes hearing a song live makes you pay closer attention when listening to the record. This is definitely the case with “All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed.” The melody rises and falls and rises to the driving chorus. Odd glockenspiel riffs and Harcourt’s excellent vocals, make this a must hear. It was a brilliant move for Harcourt to leave in the “background” wheezing and squeaking of the mellotron on the intro.

48. “All You Need Is Hate” by The Delgados
Brilliant hook. The Delgados have an uncanny ability to over-orchestrate, but make it sound so natural. As evidence: this track. Lovely and biting.

47. “Love In Veins” by Ian McCulloch
I know this dude who says, “Ian McCulloch could sing the phone book and it’d be great.” I concur, his vocals are as great as ever. This upbeat rocker with air-guitar inducing leads, nice touch of orchestration, and a great vibe. To anyone who has fallen in love, this song captures the feeling perfectly (the double entendre “I got you under my skin” acknowledges the joyous unity, fear, and irritation).

46. “Back To The Future” by The Joggers
Where did these guys come from? Not really a singles band (the songs are best appreciated in the context of their full length), but this warrants inclusion for the wonderful four-part-indie-pop-post-punk-harmony breakdown just past the halfway point of the song. Spine tingling. Just so out of left field that you can do nothing but say, “That is so cool!”

45. “Because You” by Cosmic Rough Riders
Pure glossy Scottish power pop here; nothing new at all (actually, they may be treading too close to Teenage Fanclub’s sound), but who cares. Insanely catchy, totally sing-a-long, and a great hook; definitely a tremendous song to roll down all the windows and crank up in the car on a summer drive. Nice lyrics that aren’t as sweet as they appear to be.

44. “Spiraling Sideways” by Centro-Matic
Centro-Matic scores no points for originality, but they more than make up for it crafting an excellent indie rock rocker. The thing that really gets me with this song is the changes; so utterly familiar but executed with such ferocity, I can’t help but snap my head back and purse my lips. “Awlright!”

43. “Fractions & Feelings” by Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
What happened on Pig Lib? This track is from the limited edition EP that was packaged with the aforementioned record. This tune is wonderfully classic Malkmus – but older, more mature (in a good way). Love the acoustic guitar and piano juxtaposed against the angular guitar line. It’s much better than any track on Pig Lib, and way too good for an EP. Oh well.

42. “Crackle & Drag (alt. Version)” by Paul Westerberg
From Come Feel Me Tremble, Westerberg puts a “rock” version right in front of this quiet mostly acoustic version that kills that noisier take. Lyrics are the kind we expect from Westerberg, depressingly funny, poignant, a storyteller song (add this to his great story songs like “Androgynous”, “Here Comes A Regular”, “Skyway”, “Johnny’s Gonna Die”, etc.). Love the ending with Westerberg’s annoyed, lazy “Yeah” to a phantom “Paul are you down there?”

41. “Now It’s On” by Grandaddy
Like The Shins, Grandaddy plays it pretty much straightforward on this tasty pop single. Lytle acted like he hated the song when he introduced it at Grandaddy’s show at First Avenue in Minneapolis. What a dork. STILL, the song’s sweet, descending ELO sponged chorus is what really gets me. Add to it that driving fuzzed out guitar riff and, yeah, it is on.

Stay tuned, tomorrow will be #40 - #31 ...