Is this thing on?

#emo100

Previously on the Top 100 emo songs of all time…….

100 – Reggie and the full effect – Thanx for stayin

99 – Roadside Monument – Sunken Anchor

98 – Boilermaker – Slow Down

97 – Hundred reasons – If I could

96 – Jets to Brazil – Chinatown

95 – Coping – F For now

94 – Inside – Ray Brower

93 – Basement – Grayscale

92 – The Jazz June – Viva La speed metal

91 – Everyone Everywhere – I feel fine by Everyone Everywhere

90 – Hunter Gatherer – Low standards for high fives

89 – Football, etc. – Safety

88 – Race Car Riot – Raincheck

87 – Taking Back Sunday – Bike scene

86 – Leiah – Tiglio

85 – Brandtson – Still life

84 – Polar Bear Club – Bottled wind

83 – Starmarket – Losing track

82 – Sunny Day Real Estate – Guitar and video games

81 – Grade – Stolen bikes ride faster

80 – Bob Tilton – September

79 – The Autumn Year – Little lost words

78 – Koufax – Going to happen

77 – Wavelets – Julio won’t get out of the car

76 – The Get Up Kids – Forgive and Forget

75 – Hot Rod Circuit – At nature’s mercy

74 – The Appleseed Cast – Steps and numbers

73 – Stapleton – International departures

72 – New End Original – Lukewarm

71 – Hundred Hands – A Replay

70 – Knapsack – Cellophane

69 – Elliott – Dionysus Burning

68 – The Lapse – We Must Move Backwards To Progress

67 – Owls – Everyone Is My Friend

66 – Suis La Lune – Quiet, Pull The Strings!

65 – Sunday’s Best – Winter Owned

64 – CSTVT – Hiccups

63 – Vitreous Humor – Sharin’ Stone

62 – Beezewax – Dead End Kids

61 – Death Cab For Cutie – A Movie Script Ending

60 – Grown Ups – Three Day Weekend

59 – Funeral Diner – We Become Buried

58 – Snowing – I Think We’re In Minsk

57 – Imbroco – You’re My Lionkiller

56 – Maritime – Tearing Up The Oxygen

55 – Engine Down – The Offer Of Something

54 – Boy’s Life – Sight Unseen

53 – Benton Falls – All These Things

52 – Further Seems Forever – Madison Prep

51 – The Casket Lottery – Ever Since Sulfur

50 – Ghosts And Vodka – Sex Is Popular

49 – Transit – Footwork

48 – Jejune – Solar

47 – Hey Mercedes – Quality Revenge At Last

46 – Jeremy Enigk – Lewis Hollow

45 – Cursive – The Radiator Hums

44 – Joan Of Arc – Post Coitus Rock

43 – Pianos Become The Teeth – Cripples Can’t Shiver

42 – The Get Up Kids – Coming Clean

41 – At The Drive-In – Heliotrope

40 – Owen – O, Evelyn..

39 – This Beautiful Mess – Don’t Go There

38 – Rites Of Spring – Remainder

37 – Rainer Maria – Artificial Light

36 – Sunny Day Real Estate – Theo B

35 – The Gloria Record – Grace The Snow Is Here

34 – Saves The Day – Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots

33 – Penfold – M

32 – The Promise Ring – A Picture Postcard

31 – Mineral – If I Could

To read more about these tracks click HERE for numbers 100-91, HERE for no’s 90-81, HERE for no’s 80-71, HERE for no’s 70-61, HERE for no’s 60-51, HERE for no’s 50-41, HERE for 40-31. And for some background as to why I’m doing this list click HERE

30 – Sense Field – Building

 One of the shortest, if not the shortest, songs on the list, the title track from the classic album of the same name zips by without giving you time to think. Just lose yourself in one and a half minutes of superb, energetic, punky pop brilliance. The guitars at the start, the verse, the catchy chorus, Jon Bunch’s killer voice and the way the song rocks out at the end all make for one hell of a song.

29 – Death Cab For Cutie – The Ice Is Getting Thinner

 Death Cab are one of few bands that can keep on going for years, releasing multiple albums whilst keeping the quality at a premium. Tucked away at the end of the 2008 album ‘Narrow Stairs’ is this beautiful gem of a song. ‘The ice is getting thinner’ has a special place in my heart as it’s my wifes favourite song, which is appropriate as it is amazingly beautiful just as she is (brownie points!!!). Ben Gibbard’s effortlessly lovely voice with simple yet brilliant guitars make this song a real treat.

28 – Dashboard Confessional – Turpentine Chaser

 You don’t get much more emo than Dashboard Confessional. It’s amazing how much energy that one man and his acoustic guitar can invoke in a room full of like minded people. My wife and I got to see him play at the tiny Metro Club underneath Waterstones in Oxford Street towards the end of 2002. I had heard about how the crowd would sing-a-long but it was still a shock when the crowd was united in one voice as soon as Dashboard started playing. ‘Turpentine Chaser’ is taken from his first album ‘The swiss army romance’ and is an emotionally intense example of Chris Carraba at his very best.

27 – Beezewax – The Snooze Is On

 In the latter part of the 20th century my friend Paul was asked if he’d be able to sort out a local show for a Norweigian band who would be coming to the UK shortly. He was given a copy of their debut album, ‘A dozen summits’, and from the opening chords of the first song ‘The snooze is on’ we (the whole of Margate) instantly fell in love. It is one of the most perfect slices of indie pop ever committed to tape, Paul put them on and then several times more and Beezewax became one of our scenes most loved bands. Brilliant.

26 – The Anniversary – All Things Ordinary

 The Anniversary are sometimes forgotten/written off/overlooked which is a damn shame as they made 2 very good and different albums. ‘All things ordinary’ comes from their more classic emo rock debut album ‘Designing a nervous breakdown’ and comes complete with awesome keyboards and excellent male/female duetting vocals. I saw them a few times live and I seem to remember at the 2nd show the drummer had adopted a look resembling a tennis player from the 1970′s which has to be said added to their appeal.

25 – Dismemberment Plan – What do you want me to say?

 I have been debating with myself as to whether or not I can count Dismemberment Plan as an emo band and I came to the conclusion that I don’t really care because this song is so good I would try and include it into any ‘best of’ list I was writing, even if it was a list of novety 90′s rap songs by kids who wore their clothes backwards. It is seriously good, one of the most instantly catchy choruses you’ll hear all year followed by the crazy where they keep yelling “hey!”. Amazing!!!!!

24 – The Appleseed Cast – Forever Longing The Golden Sun

One of the biggest problems you face when compiling a list of top 100 songs by yourself is choosing which songs to include and what to not, which ain’t good when you’re indecisive like I am. The problem is further exasperated when you are faced with an album as entirely brilliant as ‘Mare Vitalis’ where any of the 10 songs could make the list. I think I’ve made the right choice in ‘Forever longing the golden sun’, It’s classic Appleseed Cast, epic, beautiful and completely exhilarating.

23 – Far – Really Here

 This song subscribes to that old showbiz adage of ’leave them wanting more’. It’s teasingly short in the fact that for 2 minutes the song builds slowly with Jonah’s sweet voice carressing your ears before launching in to the uplifting finale. As soon as ’Really here’ ends you’re left shouting “Noooo” in a bad Darth Vader voice because you are just dying for it to continue. ‘Water and solutions’ the album ‘Really here’ is taken from is a classic which everyone should have in their collection.

22 – Pop Unknown – Half Of Ninety

 I love the way this song builds on the quiet, muted guitar riff that starts the song, gradually bringing in the drums, followed by the lead guitar melody and vocals. It has a real laid back beauty to it, the riff gets in your head and always makes me want to listen to the song again as soon it’s finished. ‘Half of ninety’ is taken from the bands first full length ‘If arsenic fails try algebra’ and Pop Unknown are one my favourite of the many brilliant Deep Elm bands.

21 – Hot Water Music – Remedy

 Hot Water Music have an extensive back catalogue of classic, brilliant albums but it’s on one of their later records that you’ll find this peach of an opening track. It’s the perfect song to blast out of your car speakers with the windows down as you pull away, makes me feel cool when I do (well, as cool as someone who drives a yellow Skoda can look). Brilliantly sung and briliantly loud as always. Still popular as ever, Hot Water Music recently sold out their upcoming show at the Old Blue Last in London in 12 minutes!! Such is the massive love for this band.

Thanks for reading again, its getting close to the end now. Again, let me know what you think either here or on Twitter (@alextb3). The next part will go up soon. Cheers x

The Spotify playlist has been updated, click below for the link

Emo 100 (100-21)