I drop to under six hundred minutes left in this project with my two selections today. I’m learning it is incredibly difficult to type with a baby on the desk that is kicking the keyboard of my laptop, so if any typos are overlooked blame the baby. Onwards.
98. The Besnard Lakes – For Agent 13 (mp3) from The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
This song was my introduction to the swelling, atmospheric sounds of The Besnard Lakes. Yet another product of Montreal that I happen to adore, The Besnard Lakes fit one aspect of my music tastes perfectly; I love slow songs that take their time in building to an emotional and sonic point of eruption. This song just happens to do it beautifully as well.
99. Tokyo Police Club – Graves (mp3) from Elephant Shell
I’ve given it time for the preoccupancy to wane. Perhaps weighty lyrics within an all too familiar pop/punk setting such as this can be somewhat forgettable or easily dismissed. Tokyo Police Club had a ton of heat based on their multiple introductory EP’s coming into their first album’s release, and to music critics it seemed like a lot of that was lost with such a serviceable album as Elephant Shell. I disagreed in 2008 as I chose it to be my favorite album of the year, and this particular track as my favorite song as well. I thought perhaps I would fall off the wave of populism and forget about the album like critics assumed I would, but then I hear this song and just have to turn it up.