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[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#68 - Just a Girl by No Doubt

Cause I'm just a girl, oh, little old me Well, don't let me out of your sight I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite So don't let me have any rights

Ah, the 90s, a strange time when it was possible for ska to reach a considerable mainstream peak.

No Doubt went through a tumultuous period leading up to the release of their number one album, Tragic Kingdom, in 1995. Eric Stefani, once key songwriter for the band, stopped attending rehearsals, frustrated with label meddling in the creative process. His gradual departure left a vacuum for the other members to fill in. Singer Gwen Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal's seven-year relationship ended, inspiring songs such as the megahit "Don't Speak" and the lesser known "Sunday Morning." Gwen was now writing most of the lyrics and singing about her own struggles and feelings. The music resonated with a wider audience, gaining radio play.

"Just a Girl" is a bouncy upbeat song, driven by a distinct dual guitar and synth riff. Gwen's vocals are energetic and feature her signature springy vibrato. She sings about expectations for and stereotypes about women. For anyone, unequal treatment based on gender can be a source of frustration or cause one to feel trapped in a box by society. The sarcastic lyrics are broadly relatable to women who have been treated as if they are delicate and overprotected, who have been ogled in public, who have been stripped of rights.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#69 - The Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson

The keeper of the city keys Puts shutters on the dreams. I wait outside the pilgrim's door With insufficient schemes. The black queen chants the funeral march. The cracked brass bells will ring To summon back the fire witch To the court of the crimson king.

This is a mammoth of a song that, under the right conditions, can mentally blow you into the stratosphere when it kicks in (with the explosive "KIIIIIIIING, aaaAAAaah..."). We take a few tolerance breaks from the chorus with pleasant and not overindulgent prog instrumentals. Both its sound and lyrical themes bring to mind the Medieval age. In ten minutes, it takes you on a grand journey with characters coded in various colors, painting a vivid, mysterious world. Released in 1969, the album stands as a seminal progressive rock work that would influence many artists into the 70s and beyond.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#70 - Dress by PJ Harvey

Music play make it good for romancing Must be a way I can dress to please him Swing and sway everything'll alright But it's feeling so damn tight tonight.

The instrumentals on this track create an anxious feeling of hurtling forward, out of control. Polly Jean's voice sounds almost panicked at some points. The lyrics depict a woman dressed up in a pretty but suffocating dress to catch the eye of a man, desperate to please at the expense of her own comfort. So often, women do constrict or harm themselves in attempts to impress and meet vague, ever-changing, and impossible standards of beauty. Released in 1991, it still sounds fresh and thrilling.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#71 - A World Alone by Lorde

I know we're not everlasting. We're a train wreck waiting to happen. One day the blood won't flow so gladly. One day we'll all get still. Get still.

This album came out when I was the perfect age for it to deeply resonate. Ten years on, it has become a nostalgic favorite. Lorde crafted songs that spoke to youth raised by the Internet. One track even includes a Tumblr reference ("I won't be smiling / but the notes from my admirers fill the dashboard just the same").

Lorde was only 16 years old when Pure Heroine was released. This isn't surprising, considering much of its content revolves around struggles of growing up. But the way she captures these themes is so sophisticated and honest. The sparse, minimal production may reflect the prevalent loneliness and distance a modern upbringing can foster. The lyrics often have a simple elegance, delivered through beautiful melodies and layered vocals. Some lines are almost universally relatable, while others are distinctly personal—mature reflections on burgeoning fame and the direction her life would take after the release of the album.

This track portrays a feeling of separation from the world but also a close camaraderie with one individual. It feels like a melancholic celebration, at one point contemplating mortality and at others finding peace or joy in time separate from the bustling world. The very last line of this album closer, "Let 'em talk," seems to cleverly answer the opening question of the album, "Don't you think that it's boring how people talk?"

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#72 - Tainted Love by Soft Cell

Sometimes I feel I've got to run away, I've got to get away, From the pain you drive into the heart of me. The love we share seems to go nowhere, And I've lost my life, For I toss and turn, I can't sleep at night.

The earworm synths on this track are iconic, the vocals vulnerable and impassioned. It is a cover, originally performed by Gloria Jones and composed by Ed Cobb, but this version superseded others in popularity. I prefer the extended version in its full nine minute glory, seamlessly sliding into an additional 60s cover of "Where Did Our Love Go." It could be seen as a fun, bouncy club song, but it also has a certain dark sleaziness to it.

Maybe it's worth noting that it had an undeniably Gay™ flavor in a time when this was even less accepted (1981 - homosexuality had only been made legal in England fourteen years earlier). Yet it was just before the AIDs epidemic. A few years later, the band Coil released another cover, slowing down the song and giving it a harrowing, nightmarish sound. This possibly reflected the growing spread of AIDs, with the music video depicting a dying patient. It even included a brief appearance from Marc Almond, singer of Soft Cell.

The lyrics take on an entirely new meaning in this context. The contrast between the songs could represent rapid culture changes; there was more homophobia, stigma, fear, and uncertainty after AIDs emerged. The Soft Cell version feels extra carefree and innocent considering what would unfold in the following years.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#73 - Waiting Room by Fugazi

I am a patient boy. I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait. My time is like water down a drain.

I can’t think of a much more catchy, fun, and energizing punk song (specifically post-hardcore or post-punk) than this one. It hooks me from the start with that infectious opening bass line. There's a genius to the five-second pause in the intro that leaves you listening more closely before the song continues. The eager vocal delivery and the addition of the playful backing vocals complete the track. It’s said to be about sitting in prison, but the song often comes to mind while I’m waiting at the doctor’s office. It immediately makes the moment less of a drag.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#74 - Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz

Windmill, windmill for the land Turn forever, hand in hand Take it all in on your stride It is ticking, falling down Love forever, love is free Let's turn forever, you and me Windmill, windmill for the land Is everybody in?

This track is unlike anything else, from the moment the crazed laughter kicks off the song. The bass line is iconic and catchy as hell. The gentle acoustic guitar adds a folk quality to the melting pot of hip hop, funk, alt rock, and other genres. The chorus feels thoughtful and a bit melancholy, while the rap section is more dynamic and in-your-face. The lyrics paint a dreamy yet dystopian picture. Somehow, all of these elements which might seem discordant in theory work together perfectly in practice. "Feel Good Inc." is a brilliant unlikely hit.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#75 - Donnie Darko by Let's Eat Grandma

Now I'm lying flat on the bathroom tiles Hear the buzz of the hornet fly Trapped inside of my orchid mind I'm going batshit crazy It's not real life, I can't be dialing 999

I adore the album I’m All Ears by Let’s Eat Grandma (a famous phrase for demonstrating the importance of the comma). It was released by the then-teenage duo in 2018, and it hit a sweet spot between pop polish and novice songwriting that I love. The album has a youthful earnestness and a sparse yet striking feel.

This song, "Donnie Darko," carries on for eleven entire minutes. Much of the music is pleasantly simple—the same note repeating, a chugging beat for several minutes, a staccato vocal rhythm—yet it is soaring and beautiful. The track avoids typical pop song structure, so it doesn’t tire. When the vocals arrive, they breathe emotion and life into the song. Eventually, the instrumental builds and transcends into a brilliant synth crescendo.

The band rarely fail to take you on some grand, vivid journey if you let them. My other favorites include Cool & Collected, Snakes & Ladders, Hot Pink (produced by SOPHIE), Falling Into Me…stop me before I list the entire album. There are flavors of prog and psychedelia here, too. The album kind of feels like if digital-age teenage girls made their own version of The Wall.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#76 - Just Like Heaven by The Cure

You, strange as angels Dancing in the deepest oceans Twisting in the water You're just like a dream.

In “Just Like Heaven,” Robert Smith crafted one of the most tastefully saccharine love songs of all time. Innocent, pure affection seems to seep from the song’s melody. At the same time, there may be an undercurrent of melancholy, even in what is perhaps one of the most uplifting tracks from The Cure. The instruments come in one by one, finishing with the unforgettable cascading main guitar line. They all have excellent complementary tones—the drums and bass, guitars, and synthesizer. The drum fills add well-timed accents. The vocals are high and reaching; they feel unrestrained and elated. There’s an 80s flavor but not excessively so. The song feels distinct and timeless. The lyrical imagery is also vivid and poetic, evoking the dizzying feeling of standing on a cliff’s edge...or maybe feeling hopelessly in love.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#77 - Houseplants by Squid

Kids are getting smarter but the rent ain't getting cheaper. Zeitgeist operation and the skin is getting pinker. Houseplants in my future, houseplants to disguise There's a rotten cesspit, fear in your eyes.

Squid is one band in a thrilling re-emergence of post-punk in the UK. Drummer-singer Ollie Judge’s manic, unstable vocals sometimes remind me of the Talking Heads or the B-52s. The lyrics offer a direct reference to “Once in a Lifetime” (This is my beautiful house/But I can’t afford to live in it). The song may resonate with today’s young people, who face an uncertain future with increasingly unaffordable living expenses. They may be repelled by expectations of domestic mundanity and corporate climbing (We speak about our days, yeah, we speak about a raise/Everybody's bored, we're just too afraid to say). The band don’t take themselves too seriously. They left in hysterical fits of laughter, bandmates tickling the singer as he repeatedly sings “houseplants.”

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#78 - Titanium Exposé by Sonic Youth

Waking up, I see you dreamin' of a drive-in. Open your eyes to see the TV set on low. I been waiting for you To smile, all the pretty freezing. Winter time comes summer You are why it's happening.

I find a lot of Sonic Youth to be charmingly unpolished and almost amateurish (in a good way). Goo is my favorite of their albums. It feels a bit raw, with atmospheric distortion but also plenty of catchiness. This track is a favorite and an excellent closer for the album. Thurston Moore sings the verses while Kim Gordon takes the chorus, creating a nice balance. Driving guitar riffs slide in and out of the song, bookended by warped feedback. It’s a taste of what the 90s would have in store with the popular emergence of grunge and dirty, noisy guitars. 

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#79 - Not About Love by Fiona Apple

The early cars already are Drawing deep breaths past my door. And last night's phrases, sick with lack of basis Are still writhing on my floor.

This song paints a vivid picture of the aftermath of a fight in a relationship, when the dust is settling and clarity emerges. The piano feels pounding and percussive, paired with guitar and drums. There are shifts in dynamics and tempo that add to the tempestuous emotion of the song. Apple's lyrics are delightfully evocative. The music video featuring Zach Galifianakis brings extra charm and unexpected laughs.

[luminouscyst]

yo can the porn bots following me in droves please fuck off

[luminouscyst]

I’m avoiding coursework, so, uh, here’s every TV show I can remember watching.

Chernobyl, True Detective S1, Fleabag, Patrick Melrose, The Bear, Breaking Bad, Succession, Better Call Saul, Euphoria season 1, Ramy, Nathan For You, Seinfeld, Mr. Robot, Dream Corp LLC seasons 1-2, Unorthodox, The Sopranos, The Rehearsal, House, Silicon Valley, Twin Peaks, Legion, Teen Titans, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed Edd n Eddy, My Brilliant Friend, Severance, Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman, Undone, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Black Mirror, Boardwalk Empire, The Boys, Dexter, The White Lotus, Westworld seasons 1-3, What We Do in the Shadows, The Handmaid’s Tale season 1, Sherlock, Squid Game, Peaky Blinders, Mad Men, Dopesick, Shameless, Hannibal, Atlanta, Star Trek, Sneaky Pete, Skins season 1-2, The Eric André Show, King of the Hill, That 70s Show.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#80 - In a Week by Hozier

I have never known peace Like the damp grass that yields to me. I have never known hunger Like these insects that feast on me.

This song, with its delicate guitar work and poetic lyrics, is hauntingly beautiful. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier sang it with Karen Cowley, and their vocal chemistry is like honey to the ears. It seems to be a romantic duet about lovers rotting together, consumed by insects, buzzards, and foxes. It is rather morbid, but it’s wrapped in such an elegant, passionate package that it’s almost easy to forget this. One could view it as devastating and tragic, or as a calm embrace of death and a love that transcends life.

[luminouscyst]

top 100 songs:

#81 - My Name Is Mud by Primus

We had our words, a common spat. So I kissed him upside the cranium  with that aluminum baseball bat. My name is Mud.

If anyone were to read all of these, they might notice that I love when music that’s weird also manages to become popular. Perhaps the peak of this is Primus, a strange band who had multiple top ten albums in the 90s and retains a cult following. This song, “My Name Is Mud,” even cracked the top ten of Billboard’s rock chart.

The band is fronted by bassist Les Claypool, who is considered by some to be one of the best bass players ever. The overlooked Larry LaLonde and Tim Alexander are excellent at their own instruments, guitar and drums. Their live shows are captivating for the display of talent alone.

Claypool has a working-class, blue-collar background, and this seems to be reflected in their style. He has a way of writing about mundane topics and making them interesting, sometimes with a macabre twist. He often talk-sings. Here, his delivery has something backwoods about it. It’s fitting for a song that includes a sample from Deliverance. The guitar is vicious and noisy, and the drums hit hard with great tone. Still, it’s a wonder that the song even works and was played on the radio. I couldn’t resist including their infamous Woodstock ‘94 performance above, in which the crowd begins to pelt the band with mud.