Foo Fighters Friday: All My Life

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Speener

I’ve always thought that David Grohl has one of the best screams in rock – this is the song to use as an example (when I try and sing along at this in the car, I can’t talk for days after).

Big time rock anthem and a highlight of any Foo show.

Foo Fighters Friday: Best of You

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Speener

One of the staples of any Foo Fighters’ show.

Foo Fighter Fridays: Big Me

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Speener

One of my favorite touring acts, the Foo Fighters are touring this fall. For all of my reader, I’ve decided to post my favorite Foo songs eachFriday until they hit Philly on Thursday, November 10th (why not Foo Fighter Thursday – it doesn’t sound as good and I just remembered today.)

This week I start with Big Me: this is the first Foo Fighters’ video to show off the humor that they’ve become famous for. Not the first single from that album, but probably the most well known.

Top Albums of Decade (2000-2009): 11-20

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Spencer

By definition all of these albums here are classics. To fit into the top 20, an album needs to be a constant play on my ipod or iTunes. These all fit the bill and are great from beginning to end (another requirement).

11. A Rush of Blood to the Heart (2002) – Coldplay – This is the last Coldplay album I can fully recommend. Containing classic songs like “The Scientist” and “Clocks”, this is the one Coldplay album that works all the way through.
12. Funeral (2004) – Arcade Fire – This album will probably rate higher on national magazines decade lists. Widely recognized as one of the best albums of the past 10 years – it’s worthy of all the acclaim. Another band following in the Neutral Milk Hotel path, this album has an epic feel to it.
13. The Woods (2005) – Sleater-Kinney – It’s crazy that this was the end of Sleater-Kinney. Each album they created was a masterpiece, and they saved their best for last. May not appeal to everyone – it’s loud and discordant, but in a way that works for this album.
14. MP4 (Days Since a Lost Time Accident) (2000) – Michael Penn – It’s criminal that Sony sat on this album, allowing it to slip into this decade. One amazing song after another. Songs such as “Trampoline”, “Whole Truth”, and “High Time” are among my all-time favorite Penn songs.
15. Delivery Man (2004) – Elvis Costello & the Imposters – This is the best of Costello’s most recent albums. Great duets, fantastic songwriting.
16. Plans (2005) – Death Cab for Cutie – From the opening notes of “Marching Bands of Manhattan” you know this will be a classic album. I’ve always loved non-traditional love songs, and this album includes the daddy of them all: “I Will Follow You into the Dark”.
17. Twin Cinema (2005) – The New Pornographers – A lot of the New Pornographers work has a similar sound – not in a bad way though. Very literate, fun, bouncy. This is my favorite of their albums – and more good stuff from Canada.
18. One Nil/One All (2001) – Neil Finn - This album is up there with anything that Finn recorded with Crowded House.
19. All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2001) – U2 – Part of me regrets putting this as high as it is on this list; it’s not on par with albums like Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree. Then I remember seeing U2 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden merely a month after 9/11. This album meant more than notes on a page can convey. At least to me it does.
20. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007) – Foo Fighters – As much as I like FF’s The Color and the Shape, this is their masterpiece. Includes all the fun songs, the hard rockers, and the epics.

The running list can be found here: Top 100 Albums: 2000-2009

A Rubber Door’s Top albums of 2007

Posted on December 24, 2007 by Spencer

Here’s my top 18 albums from 2007. Why 18? Well I keep listing albums until I feel there are no more that deserve to be mentioned. I’d love to hear your comments – and if you have your own list, put it in the comments section and I’ll keep a running list of best of 2007 around the blogosphere. For the most part links will link you to iTunes (except for Jay-z and Radiohead).

1	Spoon – Ga ga ga ga ga – For some reason this album got middling reviews. For me every time I heard a song from it I couldn’t believe how good it was. Easily the most accessible of their releases. My Favorites: Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog
2	Foo Fighters – Echoes, Patience, Silence, and Patience – I love Foo Fighters but hadn’t liked anything they’d done recently. This album is the best they’ve had since The Color and the Shape. My Favorites: The Pretender, Home
3	Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha - This album is truly amazing. I’ve described it as a more tuneful Sufjan Stevens album. And it holds together better than a Stevens piece. My Favorites: Fiery Crash, Darkmatter
4	Radiohead – In Rainbows – This album will be remembered for the unique, name your own price, distribution method. It should be remembered as classic Radiohead. My Favorites: Bodysnatchers, Falling into Place
5	Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block – I couldn’t get the whistling song (Young Folks) out of my head all summer – which was like torture since I can’t whistle. Get past that and this some kick ass jangle rock. My Favorites: Objects of My Affection, Young Folks
6	The Apples in Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder – I waited to get this because it’s a double album and took a lot of my eMusic downloads. Stupid. Some people won’t like it because of it’s experimental takes, but it includes a ton of great songs. My Favorites: Energy, 7 Stars
7	Travis – The Boy With No Name – Travis hasn’t been the same since 12 Memories but they still kick Coldplay’s whiny ass. My Favorites: 3 Times and You Lose, Closer
8	Mark Ronson – Version - All I have to say is Ol’ Dirty Bastard redoing Britney Spears’ Toxic. Just one of an album full of great covers – done so differently you forget the original. My Favorites: Toxic, Oh My God
9	Feist – The Reminder – Thanks to Apple’s ubiquitous nano ad I bought this album. 1234 is the catchiest song of the year – but the rest of the album holds its own. My favorites: 1234, I Feel it All
10	Amy Winehouse – Back to Black – Listening to this album, you should have been able to see the train wreck coming. That doesn’t make this into a novelty act – Winehouse (and producer Mark Ronson) update the 60′s girl sound – without making it trivial. My favorites: Back to Black, Love is a Losing game
11	Okkervil River – The Stage Names - This one will surprise you, demanding repeat listen after repeat listen. My favorites: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe, John Allyn Smith Sails
12	John Doe – A Year In the Wilderness – John Doe does what I would want to as a singer/songwriter – work with unique voices such as Kristen Hersh or Kathleen Edwards. His song The Golden State (with Edwards) is one of the best examples of songwriting I’ve heard this year. My favorites: The Golden State, Unforgiven
13	Albert Hammond Jr. – Yours to Keep – Maybe The Strokes should let this guy write because this is better than any of their albums. My favorites: In Transit, 101
14	Crowded House – Time on Earth – I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did. It’s been 14 years since their last release and this sounds like an older Crowded House – but I’m an older me, so it works. My favorites: Silent House, Nobody Wants To
15	Jay-Z – American Gangster – So much better than his last album. This one is fierce and sounds like it has a purpose. My favorites: Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…..), American Dreamin’
16	Kristin Hersh – Learn to Sing Like a Star – Kristin keeps on cranking them out, and she keeps getting better. My Favorites: In Shock, Day Glow
17	Trances Arc – XOXOX – I have a sneaking suspicion this album will keep rising and rising the more I listen to it. I didn’t get it until recently and it’s already made an impression as one of the best pop rock releases this year. My favorites: Peace of Mind, New Style
18	Mark Olson – The Salvation Blues - The former Jayhawks lead singer sounds like he hasn’t skipped a beat. This could have followed up Tomorrow the Green Grass. Some might call that nostalgic; I’ll call it timeless. My favorites: Clifton Bridge, Tears from Above