Kevin Bronson on December 23rd, 2009

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Here’s my twist on a best-of-the-Noughties list: It’s 3 a.m. on a recent chilly evening and I’m on my couch, away from my record collection and my iTunes, with a notepad in my lap. I’ve assigned myself to come up with 50 songs from 2000 to ’09 that I love – at least the ones I can remember at this moment, in this mood, with this much caffeine in my system.

The only rule is that after I remember a song and jot it down, I ask myself, “Do I still love this song?” If the answer is no, I scratch it off. If it’s just a song or artist that popped into my head because of their ubiquity, I scratch that off too. I tried to think chronologically (it was tough), remembering where I was and what I was doing each year. I also start with the notion that I need to include bands that were important to me. As I suspected, the list is largely informed by the annual “Popular With Me” mix CDs that I make for friends, copies of which hardly ever leave my car. They are my default listening. The list is pretty L.A.-heavy too, reflecting the fact that in late 2002 I started writing about local music. Oh, and one song per band.

No surprise to anyone who knows me that my song of the decade is “Lazy Eye” by Silversun Pickups [pictured at Spaceland in August, 2004, when not many of us were interested.] I love everything about it – the loping bass line, the obtuse lyrics, the loud/soft dynamic and the fact that, like the years I’ve spent listening to it, it’s pretty one moment and squalid the next.

Below, my list (complete with scratch-outs, because sometimes you remember things you’d just as soon forget) – and a stream of the original SSPU demo of “Lazy Eye” – when the song was a minute and a half longer and much more of a slow dance:

1. Silversun Pickups, “Lazy Eye” (2004 on a self-released EP; 2006 on “Carnavas”).

Stream: “Lazy Eye” (demo) [audio:http://www.mediafire.com/?0z1aduyqvyy]

2. Modest Mouse, “Float On” (2004).
3. The Wedding Present, “Interstate 5” (2005). Must have the extended version.
4. Arcade Fire, “Rebellion (Lies)” (2004). Can’t believe I saw them at Spaceland.
5. The National, “Abel” (2004).
6. M83, “Kim & Jessie” (2008).
7. The Dandy Warhols, “Bohemian Like You” (2000).
8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, “Whatever Happened to My Rock ’n’ Roll” (2001).
Britney Spears, “Oops! … I Did It Again”
Justin Timberlake, “Cry Me a River”
9. Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy” (2006).
Incubus, “Drive”.
10. Mercury Rev, “The Dark Is Rising” (2001). Just epic.

11. Spoon, “The Fitted Shirt” (2001). Could have been any of 7 or 8 songs.
12. Brendan Benson, “Folk Singer” (2002). Nod to co-writer Jason Falkner.
The Raconteurs, “Stead As She Goes”
13. Starflyer 59, “Unbelievers” (2003). SF59’s “Old” is a simply brilliant album.
14. The White Stripes, “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001). That video.
14. Hot Hot Heat, “Bandages” (2002). First Spaceland show was memorable too.
Avril Lavigne, “Sk8er Boi”
15. Outkast, “Hey Ya” (2003).
16. The Strokes, “Last Night” (2001).
Foo Fighters, “Best of You”
17. British Sea Power, “Remember Me” (2003). Early Spaceland shows, stuck in my head too.
Daft Punk, “One More Time”
18. The Postal Service, “Such Great Heights” (2003).
19. Death Cab for Cutie, “Transatlanticism” (2003). The mind groups in predictable ways.
20. Rilo Kiley, “The Execution of All Things” (2002). Pre-“Grey’s Anatomy.”

Bright Eyes, “Lover I Don’t Have to Love”
21. Desaparecidos, “Greater Omaha” (2002).
22. The Weakerthans, “Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call.” Great, but probably recalled due to the hour.
23. The Little Ones, “Lovers Who Uncover” (2006). Never get tired of this.
24. Aberdeen, “Sink or Float” (2002). One of the first music pieces I wrote for the Times.
Coldplay, “Yellow.” Note: I loved it for about 2 years, then the warranty expired.
Weezer, “Keep Fishin'”
Green Day … Jimmy Eat World …
25. Interpol, “NYC” (2002).
She Wants Revenge, “Tear You Apart”
26. The Hives, “Hate to Say I Told You So” (2002).
27. Art Brut, “Formed a Band” (2005). Look at us.
28. Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out” (2004).
The Kaiser Chiefs, “I Predict a Riot”
Snow Patrol, “Spitting Games”
The Stills, “Still in Love Song”
The Bravery, “An Honest Mistake”
Doves …
Maximo Park …
29. Bloc Party, “Banquet” (2004).
Razorlight, “Golden Touch”
30. Editors, “All Sparks” (2005).

31. The Lassie Foundation, “Under the Moon” (2008).
32. Earlimart, “Heaven Adores You” (2004). It was the first of 12 Earlimart songs that came to mind.
33. Mezzanine Owls, “Lightbulb” (2006).
34. Cold War Kids, “Hang Me Out to Dry” (2006). Grouping the locals again.
35. Autolux, “Subzero Fun” (2004).
36. The Flaming Lips, “Do You Realize?” (2006).
37. LCD Soundsystem, “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” (2005).
38. Idlewild, “American English” (2002).
39. The Delgados, “I Fought the Angels” (2004).
Teenage Fanclub, “It’s All in My Mind.” Like, but not love. Brain must leave Scotland.
Mogwai … Much respect, but like I said …

Taking a deep breath. Feeling like I’m missing obvious people.
Amy Winehouse, “Rehab”
Kanye West …
Eminem …
And for some reason James Blunt entered my head just now
40. U2, “Beautiful Day” (2000).
41. Radiohead, “House of Cards” (2007).
42. The Killers, “Mr. Brightside” (2005).
43. Aimee Mann, “Red Vines” (2000).
44. The Shins, “So Says I” (2003).
Band of Horses, “The Great Salt Lake”
The Walkmen, “The Rat”
45. The Softlightes, “Heart Made of Sound” (2007). A special place for this one.
The Stratford 4, “Hydroplane.” Soft spot for popgazers, but ….
46. Stars, “Ageless Beauty” (2005).
47. Arctic Monkeys, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (2005).
48. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Zero” (2009).
Klaxons, “Golden Skans”
50. The Whigs, “Like a Vibration” (2008).
Er … MGMT, “Kids” … PBJ, “Young Folks” …. The Airborne Toxic Event, “Sometime Around Midnight” … Beck … I’m stopping now. Thanks for playing along.