It's the weekend, so I finally have time to reveal the next five songs in this countdown. Can I rank the remaining 35 songs equal first? No, I didn't think so. Every one of them is a favorite and it's painful to even consider choosing five for this round. I just did a quick calculation to see what songs I could ignore for now, thinking that they will be in the final Top 20. There were 25. So you can see that I am having real trouble.
I guess the only way to do it is to pick the least brilliant from those that are left, because saying worst or weakest just doesn't apply to these songs.
35. Life Like Weeds (The Moon & Antarctica)
In this life like weeds you're just a rock to me
You're just a rock to me you're just a rock to me
And in this life like weeds you're just a rock to me
And in this life like weeds and in this life like weeds
I could have told you all that I love you
And in the places you go you'll see the place where you're from
I could have told you all that I love you
And in the faces you meet you'll see the place where you'll die
I could have told you all that I love you
And on the day that you die you'll see the people you met
I could have told you all that I love you
And in the faces you see, you'll see just who you've been
I wish I could have told you all
In this life like weeds, in this life like weeds
Eyes need us to see, hearts need us to bleed
In this life like weeds you're a rock to me
I know where you're from but where do you belong?
In this life like weeds you're the dirt I breathe
In this life like weeds you're a rock to me
In this life like weeds, in this life like weeds
I know where you're from but where do you belong?
In this life like weeds, eyes need us to see
Hearts need us to bleed, in this life like weeds
In this life like weeds you're the dirt I breathe
All this talkin' all the time and the air fills up, up, up
Until there's nothin' left to breathe
And you think you feel almost everything
And we know in there that our hearts
Are just made out of strings
To be pulled, strings to be pulled
So you think you've figured out everything?
But we know in there that our minds
Are just made out of strings
To be pulled, strings to be pulled
All this talkin' all the time and the air fills up, up, up
Until there's nothing left to breathe
Up until there's nothin' left to speak
Up until the better parts of space
The first verse reminds me of my closest friend. In this chaotic existence, where things are constantly shifting and changing, there's not much we can count on. That applies to people, places, where we work, our own well being and all kinds of other things. So few things are reliable or permanent.
How many loyal friends do you have? Does the company you work for value its staff, or will it destroy lives to supposedly improve? Look at yourself and think about where your own loyalties lie. Would you throw away friendships easily, or stick with people when they need you the most? Then think about your health and all of the things you take for granted every day. One day you might wake up and find some of those things gone.
I suppose what I am trying to say is value what you have and stay true to yourself. The most important thing for most people is that they are alive and healthy. After that, what is the most important thing to you? For me it is other people.
That's just the first verse and I am already off on various tangents rambling about the meaning of life.
The lyrics are just one facet of this song. The music works perfectly as well, with the tempo changes and different vocal styles. It has a lot of layers, like life itself. Looking deeper, it is yet another layer of the album as a whole.
Are you a rock or a weed?
34. A Different City (The Moon & Antarctica)
I wanna live in the city
With no friends or family
I'm gonna look out the window
Of my color TV
I wanna remember to remember
To forget you forgot me
I'm gonna look out the window
Of my color TV
Through the cracks in the wall
Slow motion for all
Dripped out of the bars
Someone smart said nothin' at all
I'm watching TV
I guess that's a solution
They gave me a receipt
That said "I didn't buy nothin'"
So rust is a fire
And our blood oxidizes
My eyes rolled around
All around on the carpet
Oh, hit the deck
It's the decal man
Standin' upside down
And talkin' out of his pants
I wanna live in a city
With no friends or family
I'm gonna look out the window
Of my color TV
I wanna remember to remember
To forget you forgot me
I'm gonna look out the window
Of my color TV
Through the cracks in the wall
Slow motion for all
Dripped out of the bars
Someone smart said nothin' at all
I'm watchin' TV
I guess that's a solution
They gave me a receipt
That said, "I didn't buy nothin'"
So rust is a fire
And our blood oxidizes
My eyes rolled around
All around on the carpet
Oh, hit the deck
It's the decal man
Standin' upside down
And talkin' out of his pants
Through the cracks in the wall
Slow motion for all
Dripped out of the bars
Someone smart said nothin' at all
The guitar sound makes this song what it is. It's a bit of a rant when compared to the rest of The Moon & Antarctica. In a way, my life matches the first verse. I left behind my brother, sister and closest friends when I moved from England to Canada. I guess that was my mid-life crisis?
I often feel like I am wasting my life and burying myself in things that don't matter very much. Maybe to some of you this series proves that theory? To me, it's something that I need to do. Music has always been incredibly important to me and I doubt that I have ever been this obsessed with another band. I feel that it's my responsibility to put that into words so that other people have a chance to experience what I do when I listen to this music.
Those of you who know The Moon & Antarctica well will want to hear The Cold Part as soon as this next video ends. The two belong together.
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy (This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About - Bonus Vinyl Track)
So you let your hair down
And you let your makeup dry
Stupid
And you let the ball drop
Why'd you do it?
Why'd you do it?
Going to let your bridge burn
With your secretive pining
And he was
A manic depressive
Named Laughing Boy
Named Laughing Boy
It took me a while to become familiar with this song because I gave up my vinyl collection and turntable when I moved countries. One of the rules I decided on for this project was that the song has to have been officially released. A couple of my choices, including this one, are vinyl-only releases.
I have to wonder why the song didn't get a wider release. The more I hear it, the more I like it. It's not typical Modest Mouse by any means. The deliberate plodding nature reminds me of something Neil Young and Crazy Horse might have recorded, but the guitar helps it feel more like a few other Modest Mouse songs.
This is more of a jam than a song packed with lyrics and meaning. The few lyrics probably refer to the way Isaac Brock thinks, or once thought about himself. The meaning of the name Isaac ranges from 'laughing' to 'he laughs' or 'he who laughs'. Brock's stage persona is certainly that of a man having a good time, but is he another tortured artist struggling to find happiness? I hope not. The band's music certainly makes me happy.
If you don't own the vinyl version of This Is a Long Drive, this song deserves to be listened to repeatedly.
32. Grey Ice Water (Building Nothing Out of Something)
You're standin' by the grey ice water
Out in the wind above the ground, out in the weather
You had yourself a crazy lover
Becomin' frozen, trying hard to forget her
You got a job up in Alaska
It's easy to save what the cannery pays
'Cause there ain't no way to spend it
You're standin' by the grey ice water
Out in the wind above the ground, out in the weather
You had yourself a crazy lover
Becomin' frozen, trying hard to forget her
You took the path of least resistance
On the phone, cutting out talking
Short to long distance
At home on a boat, at home it's a fish trap
At home on a boat, it's a fish trap
At home on a boat, it's a fish trap
On the Arctic glass
On the Arctic glass
On the Arctic glass
The first 45 seconds of the song set the scene and create a mood with the off-kilter guitar somehow making sense. I'm already transported to another place. I love the tempo change in the second half of the song when the full band kicks in.
Why are some of the best songs about failed relationships? Maybe because there's real feeling in those songs? David Gedge's Wedding Present made a career out of such stories.
I may have mentioned that some songs suddenly click with me and I can't get enough of them? Or perhaps I have just sat here thinking it while I have been writing this series. Grey Ice Water falls into that category. At some point, everything fell into place for me. I was particularly happy to hear it played at the last concert I managed to attend. Building Nothing Out of Something is so underrated.
This video contains a few sounds that are not part of the song, so you'll have to find a clean version if that annoys you. I think it's a great video so that's why I am choosing to include it:
31. I Came As a Rat (The Moon & Antarctica)
Well, I ain't sure, but I've been told
He's baking cakes inside our souls
Stayed awake, took a nap
Got myself my bottles back
I'm breakin' them out on the street
Walkin' around in my own bare feet
I do not need you to tell me that I am not a cat
I caught a ride, we caught some air
He's never gonna cut his hair
It takes more time to make a fake
We night swam down in the lake
And washed the dirt off our intentions
Prattled on 'bout bad inventions
I came as ice, I came as a whore
I came as advice that came too short
I came as gold, I came as crap
I came clean and I came as a rat
It takes a long time, but God dies too
But not before he'll stick it to you
Well, I don't know, but I been told
You'll never die and you'll never grow old
I came as a call, I came as flat
I came too soon so I came back
I came as flowers, I came as nice
I came as dirt and I came as its price
It takes a long time, but God dies too
But not before he'll stick it to you
I don't know, but I've been told
You never die and you'll never grow old
I Came As a Rat assaults you with information at the start of the song. There are two lines that I absolutely love:
"It takes more time to make a fake" - Just a brilliant observation that gets me thinking.
"It takes a long time, but God dies too, but not before he'll stick it to you" - Yep, that fits sometimes.
The song is very atmospheric, with its swirling, loopy nature and layers of intricate guitar blending with the whole mix. The bass and drums also play their part and help hold everything together. Maybe Pixar should have used it on Ratatouille?
If you just pick Modest Mouse songs at random and take note of the lyrics, you'll notice that they are not the usual mindless cliches that are present in the songs from most bands. Brock is one of the best writers out there. You can't help but notice the insight and intelligence in these songs.
Can they play it live? You bet.
Another installment with five impossible decisions will be up in the next day or two. Thanks for reading.
Here's the story so far:
100. Birds Vs Worms
99. Fire It Up
98. We've Got Everything
97. Dukes Up
96. Out of Gas
95. Strangers to Ourselves
94. Of Course We Know
93. Space Travel Is Boring
92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright
91. Dance Hall
90. She Ionizes & Atomizes
89. Other People's Lives
88. Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
87. One Chance
86. Polar Opposites
99. Fire It Up
98. We've Got Everything
97. Dukes Up
96. Out of Gas
95. Strangers to Ourselves
94. Of Course We Know
93. Space Travel Is Boring
92. Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright
91. Dance Hall
90. She Ionizes & Atomizes
89. Other People's Lives
88. Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
87. One Chance
86. Polar Opposites
85. Might
84. Pups to Dust
83. Sunspots in the House of the Late Scapegoat
82. All Night Diner
81. March Into the Sea
80. Coyotes
79. Blame It On the Tetons
78. The Good Times Are Killing Me
77. Perfect Disguise
76. A Life of Arctic Sounds
75. Satellite Skin
74. Ohio
73. People as Places as People
72. The Waydown
71. Guilty Cocker Spaniels70. Florida
69. Missed the Boat
68. The Cold Part
67. Whenever You See Fit
66. Wicked Campaign
65. Lives
64. Beach Side Property
63. Bankrupt On Selling
62. Shit Luck
61. Little Motel
60. Satin in Your Coffin
59. Shit in Your Cut
58. The View
57. Ansel
56. Custom Concern
55. Sugar Boats
54. Dashboard
53. Education
52. Bukowski
51. What People Are Made Of
50. The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box
49. Alone Down There
48. Float On
47. King Rat
46. Lampshades On Fire
45. Be Brave
44. Night on the Sun
43. Interstate 8
42. The World at Large
41. Head South
40. The Best Room
39. Gravity Rides Everything
38. Tundra/Desert
37. Paper Thin Walls
36. Convenient Parking
35. Life Like Weeds
34. A Different City
33. A Manic Depressive Named Laughing Boy
32. Grey Ice Water
31. I Came As a Rat
Building nothing out of something (overview)
Building nothing out of something - songs 100 to 96
Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91
Building nothing out of something - songs 85 to 81Building nothing out of something - songs 95 to 91
Building nothing out of something - songs 80 to 76
Building nothing out of something - songs 75 to 71
Building nothing out of something - songs 70 to 66
Building nothing out of something - songs 65 to 61
Building nothing out of something - songs 60 to 56
Building nothing out of something - songs 55 to 51
Building nothing out of something - songs 50 to 46
Building nothing out of something - songs 45 to 41
Building nothing out of something - songs 40 to 36
Building nothing out of something - songs 35 to 31
Building nothing out of something - songs 30 to 26
Building nothing out of something - songs 25 to 21
Building nothing out of something - songs 20 to 16
Building nothing out of something - songs 15 to 11
Building nothing out of something - songs 10 to 6
Building nothing out of something - the Top 5
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