Modest mouse

Another band from the "alternative rock" movement, the first song I came across was "float on". Brilliant song, which was a conscious attempt on the group's part to make upbeat music after the band lost a couple of friends
"Bad news comes dont you worry, even when it lands,
Good news will work its way to all them plans."
is a such a reassuring thing to tell yourself when you're having a bad time that one immediately takes to this song.

I believe that modest mouse are one of the smartest artists out there. They perform on themes as varied as Love, Death, God, Social causes etc, but most importantly whatever they say, they say it well.

You gotta hand it to them for coming up with lyrics like
"We were aiming at the moon, we were shooting at the stars,
But the kids were just shooting at the buses and the cars" ( Bury me with it).

and later in the same album

"Jaws clenched tight, we talked all night,
Oh! but what the hell did we say?
The good times are killin me"

To anyone who's not heard them before, "Good news for people who love bad news (2004)" would be a great album to start with. (Don't you just love ironic themes?)

I Came as a Rat

Well I ain't sure, but I been told
He's baking cakes inside our souls
Stayed awake, took a nap
Got myself my bottles back
I'm breakin' them out on the street
Walkin' around in my bare feet
I do not need you to tell me that I am not a cat

I caught a ride, we caught some air
He's never gonna cut his hair
It takes more time to make a fake
We night swam down in the lake
Washed the dirt off our intentions
Prattle on 'bout bad inventions

I came as ice, I came as a whore
I came as advice that came too short
I came as gold, I came as crap
I came clean and I came as a Rat
It takes a long time, but God dies too
But not before he'll stick it to you

Well I don't know, but I been told
You never die and you never grow old

Uh oh!

I came as a call, I came as flat
I came too soon so I came back
I came as flowers, I came as nice
I came as dirt and I came as its price
It takes a long time, but God dies too
But not before he'll stick it to you
I don't know, but I been told
You never die and you never grow old
Uh Oh!

Poets of the Fall (POTF)

Poets of the Fall are an independent rock band from Helsinki, Finland that was founded by Marko Saaresto and Olli Tukiainen in 2003.


heres wiki's take on them.

i remember getting on to this band in my frst year, being introduced to by a friend. i was on the lukout fr gud music then. i needed it :).
i remembr spending most of my frst summer break listening to them. they are relatively new and relatively gud.
some songs that i'd suggest you listen to are:
1. Lift
2. Late Goodbye (this also happens to be the ending song of Max Payne 2)
3. Carnival of Rust

among others.

theres another reason for me mentioning them. we are having them perform live at our college cultural festival this year(if nothing goes wrong.so far so good). it was suposed to be a surprise, but i spilled the beans.

heres a link to lift

R.E.M

Although "Loosing my religion" is what most people would think of when they think R.E.M, they go much further. As legend has it after numerous attempts at arriving at a name, Peter Buck decided to open the dictionary and name the band after the first word his finger points to.

A Band that was at the top of its game in '87-'93 period, they were well known for taking up social and political causes, be it "First we take manhattan.." or "The end of the world as we know it" and "Welcome to occupation" and ofcourse the definitive "Loosing my religion".

"Document"(1987) is their breakthrough album. Although "Out of Time"(1991) put them right on top, "Automatic for people" (1992) is perhaps their most accessible album.

One of the most influential bands from the 80s, influencing alternative bands like Modest mouse, Sonic Youth, Pavement, Live and so on. (Modest mouse citing R.E.M as their inspiration is what made me sit up and take a fresh look at R.E.M. beyond loosing my religion)

Shiny Happy People

Shiny happy people laughing
Meet me in the crowd
People people
Throw your love around
Love me love me
Take it into town
Happy happy
Put it in the ground
Where the flowers grow
Gold and silver shine

Shiny happy people holding hands
Shiny happy people laughing

Everyone around love them, love them
Put it in your hands
Take it take it
There's no time to cry
Happy happy
Put it in your heart
Where tomorrow shines
Gold and silver shine

Shiny happy people holding hands
Shiny happy people laughing

Trivia: This song was based on a poster "shiny happy people" protesting the killings by Chinese government to suppress the Tiananmen Square uprising.

John Barleycorn Must Die - Traffic

This is again a re-discovery so as to say, listened to this album a lot when i was in US, 'n saw it today again in my ipod...

One of my friends suggested this album, along with coupla other albums from Tim Buckley as a must-have, and thats how i came across it...
Its a brilliant album...one which you not only like it @ first hear...but one which keeps growing on you as well...the opening track 'Glad' is my fave, along with 'John Barleycorn', 'Every Mothers Son' and 'Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love'.
btw 'coz of this came across this nice trivia/story of 'John Barleycorn'.


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Now playing: Can - Mushroom
via FoxyTunes

Freedom - Neil Young

this was more of a rediscovery...i think coupla days back...was just browsing thru' the albums in my ipod 'n happened to see 'freedom' in there...'n started listening to it...'n man i had so forgotten how good it is! just fabulous 'songs'....
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Now playing: Warren - I Won't Pick Up Your Phones
via FoxyTunes