Top 5

1. Matthew Ryan – Irrelevant
   

It is no secret that Matthew Ryan is one of my favorite artists ever. (And that is not hyperbole) “Irrelevant” is a classic desperate, dark and depressing Matthew Ryan song off his debut album, Mayday.

There’s only one light on in the house

And that’s the light up in the hallway

Shining off the back of my head

And I’m concentrating hard

On the cigarette to the ashtray

And the ashtray back to my lips

So I lean up from my easy chair

I rub my three-day beard

Give a thousand-yard stare

As I recall all the time and the money

We spent

Before I became irrelevant

2. Willie Nelson – Crazy

I’ve been thinking about Willie for two reasons. 1) I went to Glueks last night and caught the last hour and a half of Mary Lucia’s live broadcast. When I think of Lucia, I think of her playing Willie Nelson’s version of “The Rainbow Connection.” 2) On Sunday night at the 331 Club, there will be a Willie Nelson tribute with a ton of artists participating.

I have always liked Willie’s version of this song better than Patsy Cline’s. I prefer the raw, shaky voice as opposed to Cline’s beautiful instrument. That is not a knock on the supreme vocal talent of Patsy Cline. It’s just that I hear more emotion and passion in Willie’s trembling voice.

3. Rolling Stones – Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

I was just listening to Sticky Fingers. I always think of this song as the song after “Wild Horses.” I actually had to go look at the name, but the name doesn’t matter, what matters is the rocking guitars and that kind of boogie sex rock that the Rolling Stones are so good at creating.

4. The Dames – Taiwan

I went to Grumpy’s downtown recently and for the first time I didn’t play the jukebox. Usually when I am there, I will play a Pixies song, a Pavement song and this song by The Dames. It is too bad the Dames called it quits because they were one of the few acts that could possibly define themselves as metal that I liked.

5. Archers of Loaf – Harnessed in Slums

At Glueks last night, I met up with one of my oldest friends. I knew this guy in Germany in the early nineties. I started thinking about those days and how much I absolutely loved this band. (I still love this band)

They were the best at that angular bright dual guitar attack. I regret that I never got to see them live, but as I said I spent those few years in a small town in Germany, which didn’t make many touring band’s itinerary.

They did play once at the Entry after I moved to Minneapolis. I though about going, but I can’t remember why I didn’t. Then they broke up before they toured again. Sad.