Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 200-151

I have always been a big fan of lists that contain the top songs from an era. I may not always agree with the lists that Pitchfork posts but they always get a good discussion started. Their latest staff list, Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s, is of particular interest to me. I have been on a huge 90s kick and consider myself somewhat of an aficionado when it comes to a diverse knowledge of music from the period.

I have made my own best of the best list comprised of my favorite tracks from Pitchfork’s. This way you can weave through the obscure electronic crap and get right to the real gems. The 90s had a lot of blood-pumping, anthemic music and that’s definitely what stands out the most for me out of all the songs they have listed so far.

Getting Over The Hump

It's hump day and if you also live in Boston, you know it's a particularly miserable one. The sky has been a dark, ominous mess and rivers of rain have spilled from it for the past three days straight. It's the kind of weather that definitely affects your mood. Here are some videos that have kept my spirits up and hopefully will help you get over the hump as well.

Raising My Hands for New Sufjan Stevens

Today, Sufjan Stevens came out of nowhere to release an incredible 60 minute EP called All Delighted People. I don't want to ramble on about it too much but it is sure to elicit responses of "wow". The title track is a song of epic proportions that contains a refrain of "all delighted people raise your hands". I'm certainly raising mine. Note: this is well worth the $5 if you are willing to shell it out to show your support for this extraordinary artist. Listen below:

Take on the World Mix

Music can serve as the soundtrack to any moment. I needed a playlist for those moments when you look the world in the face, say "fuck it", and do your own thing. I had one of these moments when I recently climbed Mount Washington in New Hampshire on a whim. Probably not the smartest decision for my physical well-being but still one of the more rewarded endeavors I took on this summer. The whole time I couldn't help but think that I needed some music to accompany the 4+ mile hike into the sky and, sadly, I didn't have any. Still, it was tranquil to just listen to the sounds of the nature so maybe it is better that I compiled this after the fact.

For Your Precious Film

I recently watched a movie based solely on the description called Mr. Nobody and it turned out to be one of the best films I have seen in some time. Not many people know of it yet but it is bound to gain recognition as a cult classic in the years to come. Featuring a standout performance from Jared Leto and some talented young actors, the story is a mind-bending glance at life that blends sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and romance to come up with something completely original. My hat goes off to Jaco Van Dormael for the intelligent script and breathtaking direction. The strikingly beautiful scene below helped me realize what an incredible performance is given on Otis Redding's "For Your Precious Love". From the passion in his voice to the warm guitar solo, I don't know how anyone could listen to this without getting chills. Paired with the gorgeous cinematography, it is one for the ages.

Crystal Castles Shatter Expectations at House of Blues

The House of Blues is the Coldplay of the venue world. That is to say, the ones you love to hate. But sometimes, quietly, when no one is around, you admire what they have done. I hate venues that have seats and I can appreciate that House of Blues Boston gets the bigger acts who would otherwise play Agganis Arena or the Orpheum Theatre and allows them to performance in a space where the audience can dance and thrash about. This was abused to the full extent when I caught Rusko and Crystal Castles there on August 17, 2010.

Maps & Atlases are on Solid Ground at The Middle East

In my Mid-Year Report, I mentioned that Maps & Atlases had one of the most impressive full-length debuts to come out in 2010. I also mentioned that the lists featured were going to dramatically change. With the performances I witnessed by Russian Circles, Cave In, and Boris, I knew that my list of best shows had already changed. However, an unexpected entry has emerged into the top 5 shows I’ve seen this year. This one is brought about by the compelling performance I witnessed by Maps & Atlases at The Middle East upstairs on August 11, 2010.

An Explosive Showcase

On Sunday, August 8, 2010, I went to Church to pay homage to the gods of rock n’ rock and hops n’ barley. My friends at Exploding in Sound put on a showcase featuring some of my favorite up-and-coming bands and it was not to be missed. Grass is Green, RIBS, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer, and The Dirty Dishes came together to celebrate Sunday in the most blasphemous of ways: by playing the devil’s music. Seeing that it was my birthday, the only praying I did was to make it to the end of the show.

Boris Invades The Middle East

If you are a fan of progressive metal of any kind, I hope you were at the show on August 7, 2010 at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA. The lineup consisting of Russian Circles, Cave In, and Boris covered much of the metal landscape. Russian Circles impressed with their mathy post-rock onslaught; Cave In mesmerized everyone with their mix of space rock and technical metal; and Boris brought their distinctive noise rock and sludge from Japan.

Getting the Royale Treatment with The Rapture

Hey guys, remember The Rapture? Did you know they were still together? No, well, me neither. Apparently the band everyone was going apeshit over in the early 2000s and then subsequently forgot about is still together. Echoes was a staple of my listening back when it was released and established the band as one of the elite dance-punk bands when the genre was just beginning to boom. I actually loved their much less lauded second album, Pieces of the People We Love, where they began their decent off the face of the earth. It was a no-brainer that I was going to attend their free performance at Royale on August 4, 2010. The concert was sponsored by Amstel Light but I wasn't expecting the unlimited free Amstel Light that I was greeted with at the venue. The beer snob in me wanted to scoff at the fact that it was Amstel Light but I'd be a real asshole if I complained about free beer so I kept it to myself (until now). Surely, I thought the free beer was a recipe for disaster but it simply ended up being a really fun and interesting night.