Comments

Not going to pile on here. Many much more eloquent expressions above. Not to be overlooked among their best songs is "So Far Around The Bend" from the "Dark Was The Night" compilation, and would be on my personal top 10.
It's hard to argue with anything here, given the quality and volume of the catalog. And I won't, though I'm surprised to see nothing from either "Songs for Drella" (a collaboration, but aren't they all) or "Magic and Loss". I think both stand up to his best work. And, in my list, I would have included "Halloween Parade" over "Dirty Boulevard" from the "New York" album; as raw, personal and emotional a song as anything he ever recorded, and a perfect screenshot of the height of the AIDS epidemic in NYC.
Great article. Just to give credit where it is due, the solo guitar on Mathew Sweet "Girlfriend" belongs to Robert Quine (if you are speaking of the song itself) or to Quine and Richard Lloyd if speaking about the album.
You totally deserved it.
Even after having listened to "NO!" something like, oh, six or seven hundred times while driving with my kids somewhere, I'd still say that several of the songs from that album deserve consideration for this list: - Where do they make balloons? - Four of two - The house at the top of the tree But, this particular list is daunting ... my all time favorite song I only heard once, on "Dial-a-song", it was only on there for one day, in 1986 or 1987 I think, and it was about the Mets ... And, FWIW, I was at what I believe was their first official show, at some kind of protest for squatters' rights in Tompkins Square Park in NYC.
No, that was self-deprecating humor, an apparently overly oblique reference to the mundane things that I find in my possessions, to emphasize the forgotten gems that an artist like Sufjan finds among his.
This has a really nice chorus. The "don't be distracted" bit makes me think it might have been destined for "Age of Adz" instead of "All Delighted People". And, I was rummaging around in my coat pocket this morning and found a peanut butter sandwich I made in 2010 that I forgot to eat ... it was pretty good too. God, Suf and I are so much alike, doncha think?
Well, Stereogum screwed this one up BIG TIME by not actually screwing it up. Bring "Call the Doctor" up to third and it's perfect. I love this band beyond words, and "Dig Me Out" is as perfect an album as I can name.
Meh. I liked the fake lineup better.
Then I, for one, would gladly don butterfly wings and submit to his rule.
That was Roger Waters? Damn, I thought it was a Spinal Tap parody, and it was my favorite part!
McCartney, as old as my Grandpa, did more than hold his own with Grohl et al. Hearing the rhythm section on that song, btw, brought chills. I thought Eddie Vedder did a great vocal on "Comfortably Numb" and emphasized how lame the rest of that set was. And, Clapton and his band were about 10 levels musically above anything else, though Clapton should just play guitar and let someone else sing.
I'd like to point out the brilliance of creating an unranked list, and the generally higher quality of discussion in the comments section that results from that approach.
BTW, anyone getting the banner ad for One Direction on the right column of this page? Now there's a good use of advertising budget.
Some guys should just be sidemen.
And, with this list, I have finally lost all interest in Stereogum's doomed "Worst-to-best" series. "Zen Arcade" was a stop-the-world moment, recognized as such at the time by the music fans that passed on this information person to person in record stores (seriously, that's how it was done); the press that covered such things; and by the bands that would ultimately influence, well, about half of the stuff you write about on this site (Nirvana, Pixies, J&MC, etc).. "Flip Your Wig" and "New Day Rising" were excellent albums and probably had better execution and songcraft, but had nowhere near the importance. So, the Stereogum approach to list-making is weighted to ignore influence and importance, which is a legitimate approach, but one I personally won't care to wade through any more.
There should be an asterisk on your forehead.
So Paul, there's a lot of love for you music out here. Thinking of getting a tour together anytime soon?
I'd put 14 Songs higher, but really good list.
Really, I usually stay out of these silly rankings, but to put anything other than Let It Be up top is to ridiculous. C'mon, you all are nuts. Good night to you.
Breasts, however, are not.
This is great. Sounds like "Flip Your Wig" vintage Husker Du. Which is a good thing. BTW, when is the Husker Du worst-to-best feature running? I will have some thoughts on that ...
Omitting the Whiskeytown catalog from this ranking is just silly. He fronted it, wrote almost all the songs (and all the best ones), and was the only regular member except for Caitlin Cary. He just dropped the moniker to reflect the reality of the situation and, no doubt, to retain more financial equity for himself. Including that catalog would add "Stranger's Alamanac" at or very close to the top of this list.
I'm trying to think of another indie band that includes two members with male pattern baldness.
Unless I missed it or NBC edited it out, it appears that, according to Danny Boyle, the history of British contribution to music does not include Radiohead. Someone please tell me I'm wrong.
Well, if GNR makes this list then the Replacements certainly could have. An epic drunken onstage brawl followed by a live-broadcast farewell concert where the band members were replaced by their roadies ... And, if ever they do reunite, I will finally be at peace.
There's a great radio interview with Lennon (who was clearly high) from WNEW (I think). The interviewer was asking about Ringo, and asked John if he was the best drummer in rock. John laughed and said that Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles.
I agree Hartford. It's the one I reach for first. YHF is clearly more "significant" to the band's history, and the better documented, but AGIB continues to reveal and reward.
Is that Carrie Brownstein rocking out on the toy keyboard?
Matt introduced Richard Reed Parry as a member of Kings of Leon. Aaron (or Bryce???) remarked that Matt would soon be leaving the band to resume his standup comedy career. Funny ...
I think I'd be more likely to name Bryce Dessner than Aaron, but good mention either way.
It's hard to ignore the arc of Hole's career as Kurt came into and out of Courtney's life (Before Kurt - unlistenable; During Kurt - one of the best albums of the decade; After Kurt - unlistenable). And, playing the guitar parts on LTT and seeing how similar they are in some parts to Nirvana's chord progressions ... it's hard to ignore. However, in Courtney's defense, I'd say the following: - She didn't screw it up - She undeniably wrote the lyrics, which are perhaps the album's strongest feature - Her vocal performance on that album is phenomenal. - There's a story behind every great album. Inspiration (at one extreme) to ghost writing (at the other) happens all the time, and to the greatest bands. It's not to hard to imagine a period of intense creative collaboration during whatever moments of lucidity Kurt & Courtney managed to pull off. And, if we were to review the bands that ended up sounding like Nirvana ... well, the Internet doesn't have enough space.
"Underrated" C'mon, she made one great rock record, which is one more than any of you wiseasses.
That's too great. At the Asbury Park show on Monday night he asked if anyone was going to the protests on Tuesday ... wish I'd figured out that he was hinting that he was going to be there. BTW, is that the same sweater he was wearing like 15 years ago? Isn't the guy married? How does he get away with that?
"Feeling Gravity's Pull" and "Boxcars"
I'd add Chronic Town to your list: "Boxcars", "Gardening at Night", "Million" ... two or three of those were always the encores in their early shows. Speaking of which, this band is (or was) smashingly-good live. Intimate, creative, electric energy, charming.