Nightglow Window

The Last 15 Years (or so)

After noodling over my three favorite songs yesterday, I got a little worried. "My god, there's nothing even remotely new on my list." I was on the verge of being a dinosaur.

But putting together a list of my favorites of the last 15 or so years is tough. First, it seems to "matter more," somehow, than admitting that I loved Fox On The Run as a kid.

Then there's been just so much music over the past 15 years that it's loony to try to list even some of it. But I tried, and it was fun recalling the songs that got me excited (or at least caught my attention).

So here it is, in rough chronological order.

Midnight Oil – Dead Heart
The spastic gyrations of Peter Garrett, like some epileptic David Byrne, ruled my world in late 1980s and very early 1990s.

INXS – Disappear
Remember how huge these guys were? This is still a damn sexy song.

Jane's Addiction – Stop
This one will forever remind me of the photography darkroom at SDSU J School. This one always seemed to be cranked as we played with the chemicals in the dark.

Pearl Jam – Black
Last verse still kills.

Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike
Hey look, it’s Eddie Vedder again.

Breeders – Cannonball
Reminds me of Athens, Ga.

Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
Come wallow in the Moz one’s greatness.

Beastie Boys – Sure Shot
Sabotage was the more popular hit, but I love the old school rap of Ill Communication.

Sublime – What I Got
Still blown away that Ken Greengard from Joyride is listed in the liner notes. Whatever happened to that brand?

Len – Steal My Sunshine
A guilty pleasure, so sue me. See also Burning Sensations, New Radicals, and Jamiroquai.

Beck – Where It’s At
Timeless rhyming gymnastics.

Oasis – Wonderwall
Maybe you are going to be the one to save me

Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Impression I Get
Never had to, knock on wood.


Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight Tonight
Oh sure, I’ll listen to Gish and love it, but this sweeper is one of my favorites of the last 15 years and sits in my top ten of all time.

Garbage – I’m Only Happy When It Rains
A little mid-nineties nugget.

Dave Matthews Band – Crash Into Me
Where to begin? DMB’s best.

Sarah McLachlan – Ice Cream
Another softy that I’ll never tire of.


U2 – Beautiful Day
Soaring and sweeping. Don’t call it a come back.

Strokes – Last Night
The soundtrack of my February 2002 trip to Oz.

Radiohead – Where I End And You Begin
I wore a groove in this one during 2002.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
Wait.

Shins – New Slang
Thanks to Taylor Steele for turning me on to this one in Shelter.

Modest Mouse – Ocean Breathes Salty
Why the hell should I mind?

Dido – Thank You
Argh, I’m going soft! But I get all squishy listening to this one.

Green Day – Holiday
What an incredible album this was. Will we get many more of those cohesive bodies of work in the iTune age?

Bjork - bachelorette
A voice like a icepick to the soul. Awesome video too.

Interpol – obstacle1
Really all of “Turn On The Bright Lights” deserves to be on this list.

Moby – Porcelain
I heard this one for the first time watching a Grant Brittain slide show. Don’t think that didn’t leave an impression.


Coldplay Clocks
Easily one of my favorite bands of all time. Right up there with the Police, REM, and U2.

My Morning Jacket – Anytime
Southern rock with an alt twist. Solid.

Jack Johnson – Gone
Yeah, I like him.

Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
Kooky cool.

Bloc Party – Banquet
This one was a monster in 2005

Killers – Mr. Brightside
Rocker.

TV On The Radio – Wolf Like Me
Awesomeness.

Spoon – The Underdog
Is this one about Bush?

Arctic Monkeys – Florescent Adolescence
I'm guessing that she'd rather just forget it.


Okay, what am I missing?