Day 4

Note: Before we get started on day 4, I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware that the titles of the artist - "song" are all going to be links. They'll either be a last.fm page where there's an audio stream of the song or a youtube of a video or performance, just something to give people a chance to hear the song I'm sort of talking about.

Song 16: Nick Drake - "Sunday"
I don't have the stats to back this up, but there has to be more flute in this song than in all of the other songs in my library combined. It's like listening to Sir Robin of Locksley make some elevator music. Also the chorus reminds me of the chorus to David Bowie's "Kooks." Does anyone else hear this?

Song 17: Beck - "Missing"
I haven't heard this song in a long time, but it's sonically a little more interesting than I remembered. The lyrics still get bogged down in Beck's crooner Sea Change style, but the side-to-side panning of the percussion is a fun gimmick. Still, for a song that's nearly 5 minutes long, not a lot happens here.

Song 18: Incubus - "A Crow Left of the Murder"
If I recall, Crow was Incubus' political protest record, but that feels hard to glean from a casual listen. As an aside, I didn't find out until very recently that the word for a group of crows is a murder, so for the longest time I was under the impression that the title was just a bunch of hip posturing. I get it now, Incubus. I get it now.

Song 19: Emily Haines - "The Bank"
One of my favorite voices in my iTunes library! This song has a jazzy flourish to it with the brushed (or at least muted) drums, and an understated piano pushing it forward. Plus, Haines' voice has such a quiet flirtyness to it. Absolutely kills me.

Song 20: Weezer - "Simple Pages"
Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. I actually feel like "The Green Album" has aged remarkably well when you consider how truly awful the follow-ups have been, but it's still striking to me how lifeless this sounds. It's just power chords and Cuomo's mic with a chorus effect. I still think Matt Sharp's back-up vocals might be one of the biggest things that totally derailed this band.