The Unforgiving Minute

And I’d a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would ‘a fared well.

The Shins - New Slang

I no one’s hero, she no one’s princess

Danced like a fire burning in the darkness

I saw the end before the beginning

Magic and mayhem, love keeps us spinning

-Jon Fratelli, Magic and Mayhem - From the Cocktail Hour podcast

This song has been steadily climbing up into my list of all-time favorites, and my recent discovery of the acoustic version is doing nothing to slow that down.  With the risk of sounding like a complete and total fanboy, I still believe Jon Fratelli is one of the best songwriters of the current era.

Once imitated, never forgotten

Restlessly faded and misbegotten

Here’s to the moment, here’s to the worst night

Here’s to the broken electric moonlight

She was the punchline, I was the bad joke

Under the stars her thick promises broke

I saw the end before the beginning

Magic and mayhem, love keeps us spinning

Faith (When I Let You Down) - Taking Back Sunday

I was going to do a (rather late) review of Taking Back Sunday’s latest album, but there’s something I can’t get over.

What is the deal with releasing a self-titled album that isn’t your debut?

I’ve never been a fan of the concept of a self-titled album in the first place.  With all the possibilities of awesome album names out there, why do something boring like calling it the exact same thing you named your band?  Did you just have trouble coming up with an album name idea?  Here, I’ll give you some for free:

• Thundermuffin
• Hot Jamz ‘95
• Your Dad’s Pajamas
• Lorem Ipsum Dolor
• 16pt Helvetica

I can come up with more but I had to stop myself.  The point is, there’s only one reason that you should name your album after your band and that is if you want that album to represent the music that your band is -and forever will be - known for.  The ONLY reason you self-title an album is if that album IS the essence of your band.  That’s why self-titled debuts are acceptable, even if still disappointing.  But 3rd, 4th, even 5th albums?  Unless you’re redefining who you are, and want this new definition to last for the rest of time, think about it again.  When someone says, “Oh man, remember [band name]?” the other person will definitely remember [band name]’s album called [band name].  UNLESS [band name] doesn’t HAVE an album called [band name], in which case they’ll most likely remember Your Dad’s Pajamas.

So, bottom line:  if you need help coming up with an album name, I am your man.

I can’t work out without music.  Well, I mean I can, technically, but I won’t.  And since we’re being technical now, by “work out” I mean go for a jog.  I’m done being pedantic now.

In my humblest of opinions, Three Days Grace produces some of the best workout music out there.  When I go for a jog I play Break and Animal I have Become back to back, and by the time they’re finished the adrenaline is pumping through my veins like that Chimera virus in Mission Impossible II.  (How’s that for a vivid simile?)

Anyway, here’s a handful of my favorite pump-up beats, which are a sampling of my “Running Tracks” playlist on my iPod.  (A pun!  How deliciously drole!)

• Break, Three Days Grace
• Animal I have Become, Three Days Grace
• Through the Fire and Flames, Dragon Force
• Plug in Baby, Muse
• Woman, Wolfmother
• Bleed it Out, Linkin Park
• Saviour, Rise Against

What am I missing out on?  What are your favorite adrenaline-inducing songs?