In The Buzz

Where Hip Comes to Die

Top 5 Album Closers

5. Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets, from Here Come the Warm Jets

This song basically breaks down to being a meditation on the beauty of the Fuzz pedal. Layered processed guitars build up and repeat phrases of blissfully smeared melody. Scattershot drum tracks slowly coalesce and join the frothy goodness… its like a musical milk shake.

4. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up, I am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings, from Shut Up, I am Dreaming

The promise of ‘Shut Up, I am Dreaming’ is realized on its final track. The whole album builds and builds, whispering the whole time that sweet release is on its way. The epic piano hop of the almost title track is joyous and playful, and desperate and longing.

“And if I fall into the drink,
I will say your name, before I sink.
So… don’t make a sound.
Don’t make a sound.”

Few bands can relish in and celebrate despair so convincingly.

3. Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), from Speaking in Tongues


It’s not the funkiest, or smartest, or most rocking, or weirdest the Talking Heads have ever been… but its definitely the sweetest. The Talking Heads are not known for their love songs, but few songs have ever captured the naivety of new love so perfectly with out pilfering the archive of saccharin sweet clichés that every other song writer draws from. Its impossible to listen to this song with out being carted off to that naïve place in your own head that still believes in the power of love, and puts a smile on your face.

2. Pavement – Filmore Jive, from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain


The lo-fi demo-esque opening leads into a wonderfully overdramatic plea for a visit from Mr. Sandman… Reverbed, chorused, strangled, desperate… it describes the vocals and the guitar. This is the beginning of the artistic vision Stephen Malkmus would eventually realize with the Jicks, but he never again captured that vision so perfectly.

1. Beatles – A Day In The Life, from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band


Everything about this song is perfect. The orchestration never overtakes the pop roots of the song, and the pitch perfect vocal performances from both Lennon and McCartney suck you in to the disjointed plotline. Its 2 songs in one, shifting back and forth; vignettes of pop tunes stitched together in perfect disharmony.
And then of course there’s the chord.

Technorati Tags: top 5, music, rock, indie, last tracks, album closers, lists

posted by Unknown at 2:10 PM