The single was also featured on the Friends Original TV Soundtrack, a album which of course features the famous theme song for the show, “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts, but also such classics as “It’s a Free World, Baby” by R.E.M and “I Go Blind” by Hootie and The Blowfish.

Barenaked Ladies is one of my favorite bands from the ’90s so this song is just one of many that I thoroughly enjoy but this one tends to be toward the top of the list, mainly due to this line in the song, “Your so nineteen ninety / And It’s nineteen ninety four.” There is something about using a year as a term to describe someone that makes me laugh every time, especially when that year happens to be almost twenty years ago. It’s a song that a lot of people can relate to as I am sure most people had a shoebox full of memories under thier bed when they were a kid and a song that is thoroughly fun to dance and sing along to as shown by the music video below.

The music video is better than the average music video, I have to admit, but it is pretty over the top. It features the band playing in the shoebox referenced in the song and tells the story of the teenage girl sneaking out of her parents house to go see a Barenaked Ladies concert with what appears to be the man of her dreams and the subsequent “fooling around” that ensues back at his apartment. This, of course, all turns out to be a dream at the end of the video. Classic.

According to the Wikipedia article on the song, the video was supposed to feature Lisa Kudrow and Matt Lablanc from Friends but “each pulled out nearly last minute, and had to be replaced with unknown actors.” I’m not sure if those two actors would have made the video any better but it certainly would have made the video more popular. Anyway, they did a good job with the music video and at least look like they had a great time making it (see: Tyler Stewart tackling giant lipstick around the 1:30 mark).

Enjoy.

I don’t have much more to say other than enjoy it. You can read my review of Paper Empire or my post on “Absolutely Still” if you are up for further reading. Enjoy it.

The album kicks off with a song many of you may be familiar with, “Absolutely Still“. The first single off of Paper Empire, “Absolutely Still”, was released a few weeks ago and according to Kevin, the music video has already been recorded and they even have a few behind the scenes pictures of the shoot on their myspace page. It continues to grow on me every time I listen to it. The second track, “All In”, is definitely a concert song. I can picture Ezralites singing along to this one at the next concert. My favorite line is “The moral to the story / There really isn’t one / The bottom of the line / Is to have a bit of fun.”

“Black Light”, the fourth track, is one of the more up-tempo songs. This song really shows their mastery of the kick it up and the break it down and the transition between the two. Next up is “Fit”, which fell a little flat on my ears. Not bad but not great. Maybe my least favorite on the new album. The fifth track, “Hell No!”, will definitely get your attention. I predict that it will be another concert favorite and while the chorus doesn’t have much substance with lines like, “Hell no y’all! We ain’t gonna sit down / Hell no y’all! Gonna shake this mother to the ground / Hell no y’all! We ain’t gonna back down”, it’s one of my favorites. They slow it down a bit with “Hey Love”, a song that was featured on Kevin’s facebook page for a while. “Hey Love” is my favorite song on the album so far and a great “love” song. “I Just Knew” is easily the slowest song on the album. Perhaps the slowest, most acoustic sounding song ever from Better Than Ezra. Similar to “Fit”, its not bad but its not my favorite either.

“Just One Day” proposes a simple question, “What would you do? / What would you say? / If everyone you loved came back for just one day.” A simple song about healing and moving on. “The Loveless” is a song that was up on Kevin’s myspace page for a while. It’s a mellow song that I could see a TV show picking up for a theme song. Its got that kinda vibe. “Nightclubbing” is a lot like “Juicy” from Before the Robots but in my opinion a lot better. If you liked “Juicy”, you definitely will like this one. Most of Better Than Ezra’s songs would cause a riot of disgruntled partons at a nightclub but this one might actually pass the grade on the dance floor.

“Turn Up The Bright Lights” is the kind of track that sucks you in from the beginning. Easily my favorite from the album. Its a song about enjoying the city and someone special. The last song on the album, “Wounded”, truly encapsulates what this whole album is about. Kevin Griffin was quoted as saying, “There’s a really precarious nature to everything that you hold dear in your life,” when referring to the album title, Paper Empire. He really gets down to the heart of the matter in this song and it’s a good way to end the album.

At a little under 48 minutes long, Paper Empire‘s twelve tracks have a lot to offer. Highlights include: “Hell No!”, “Hey Love”, “Nightclubbing”, and “Turn Up The Bright Lights”. It’s a very strong effort and I have few complaints. It is hard to rank it with their other albums, having only listened to it for a few hours but I can see it falling somewhere in the middle.

Rating: Four out of Five stars; a solid album.

If you are like me and want a cool collectors item, you can head over to BetterThanEzra.com and pre-order the album. They will send you a signed copy of the album.

Better Than Ezra will be on the road all summer promoting the new album so be sure to head over to their myspace page to see if their heading to a city near you.

That’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed the review.

Along with the news of the new album and the release of the new single, came the announcement that long time drummer, Travis Aaron McNabb, was leaving the band to continue his gig with the country duo Sugarland. Sugarland, who picked up two Grammys this year, needed a drummer for their live performances and Travis has been filling that void for about a year and a half and is now taking on a permanent role. Filling the void on the other end is new Better Than Ezra drummer Michael Jerome (pictured above-right). I haven’t heard him play yet but both lead singer Kevin Griffin and Bassist Tom Drummond are fans of his drumming skills and have faith that he will be the replacement that the need.

As for the song itself, “Absolutely Still”, its pretty much classic Better Than Ezra. I wouldn’t rate it as my all time favorite Better Than Ezra song, but its pretty good. It only has about 12,000 plays on their myspace page and doesn’t seem to be getting much press but I expect it to pick up some steam when they release Paper Empire.

They have released 20+ tour dates already in an effort to promote the new album and hopefully will add some more as the summer approaches.

That’s about it for now. Enjoy the new one from Better Than Ezra.

The Chorus:

Time is wasting
Time is walking
You ain’t no friend of mine
I don’t know where I’m goin’
I think I’m out of my mind
Thinking about time
And if I die tomorrow, yeah
Just lay me down in sleep

I think almost anyone can relate to these lyrics. Very rarely is time on your side and this song drives home that point quite nicely. I felt that it would fit well this week as the uncertainty of the economy rolls on as well as the bitter cold winter.

While front man Darius Rucker continues to promote his solo career, Hootie and The Blowfish has taken a back seat. They are still together as a band though and have a few shows lined up in the next few months. While it is unclear when and if a new album will be out any time soon, it should be noted how rigorously they have toured for the last decade. It doesn’t look like they will give up playing shows around the country any time soon.

The music video for “Time” shows them doing what they do best, performing in front of a huge crowd.

That’s it for this week. If you have an idea for a future Song of the Week, make a comment below.

Thanks for listening.

With the exit of Ice Cube in 1989, N.W.A. continued to feud and eventually disbanded in 1991. The stage was set for an epic battle of rap supremacy in the early 90s. An East-West Coast divide had formed with Bad Boy Records on the East Coast, and Death Row Records on the West Coast. Tupac threw gasoline on the fire when he accused Biggie and Combs of being involved with the shooting he fell victim to in a NYC recording studio in 1994. With each record after that, the drama escalated and I think we all know how this story ends.

I think it was summed up best by The Notorious B.I.G. when he said:

I was in shock of everything. I wasn’t shocked about him getting shot. ‘Pac is a strong dude, yo. He’s real strong, so when he got shot I was just like, ‘Again?’ You know, he’s always getting shot or shot at, he gonna pull through, make a few records and it’s going to be over. But when he died it took me by surprise. Even though we were going through our drama I would never wish death on nobody. ‘Cause there ain’t no coming back from that.

Unfortunately for everyone, the feud turned to violence and two of the greatest rappers ever were both assassinated, within six months of each other. The rivalry that sparked some of the best rap music ever was officially over and the game was forever changed.

That is your history lesson for today.

’90s rap is not something that I am a expert on but I know my fair share. That is why I have complied my top five songs from each year of the 90s. The rules are the same as the two previous lists and in case you forgot them, I have explained them below.

How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.

Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.

Interested in ’90s Pop and Rock as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Pop Music
90s Rock Music

Starting with 1999:
1. “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
2. “What’s My Name” by DMX
3. “You Can Do It” by Ice Cube feat. Mack 10 & Ms. Toi
4. “My Name Is” by Eminem
5. “Deception” by Blackilicious

1998:
1. “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” by Jay-Z
2. “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” by DMX
3. “Changes” by Tupac Shakur
4. “You Got Me” by The Roots
5. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauren Hill

1997:
1. “Hail Mary” by Tupac Shakur
2. “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” by Puff Daddy feat. Mase
3. “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G.
4. “Feels So Good” by Mase
5. “Burbons and Lacs” by Master P featuring Silkk The Shocker & Gotti from The Gambino Family

1996:
1. “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” by Tupac Shakur feat. Snoop Dogg
2. “Tha Crossroads” by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
3. “California Love” by Tupac Shakur feat. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
4. “Hit ‘Em Up” by Tupac Shakur feat. Outlawz
5. “What They Do” by The Roots

1995:
1. “One More Chance” by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige
2. “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” by Dr. Dre
3. “1st of tha Month” by Bone Thungs-n-Harmony
4. “I Got 5 On it” by Luniz
5. “Shook Ones Pt. II” by Mobb Deep

1994:
1. “Gin and Juice” Snoop Dogg feat. Daz Dillinger
2. “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” by Outkast
3. “C.R.E.A.M.” by Wu-Tang Clan
4. “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G.
5. “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony feat. Shatasha Williams

1993:
1. “Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
2. “It Was A Good Day” by Ice Cube
3. “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” by Snoop Dogg (with Dr. Dre & Jewell)
4. “Down With The King” by Run-D.M.C.
5. “Hip Hop Hooray” by Naughty by Nature

1992:
1. “So What’Cha Want” by Beastie Boys
2. “Deep Cover” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
3. “The Phuncky Feel One” by Cypress Hill
4. “Uptown Anthem” by Naughty By Nature
5. “Take It Personal” by Gang Starr

1991:
1. “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J
2. “O.P.P.” by Naughty by Nature
3. “Shut ‘Em Down” by Public Enemy
4. “O.G. Original Gangsta” by Ice-T
5. “Check The Rhime” by A Tribe Called Quest

1990:
1. “100 Miles and Runnin’” by N.W.A.
2. “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” Ice Cube
3. “Around the Way Girl” by LL Cool J
4. “Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em” by Eric B. & Rakim
5. “Streets of New York” by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo

Similar to my 90s pop and 90s rock lists, this is only a small sampling of the genre. I just tried to represent all of the most influential acts of the decade and remind you of some the classic jams of the ’90s. While this blog tends to focus on alternative rock, it is nice to take a step back and reflect on another great genre.

Hope you enjoyed this collection of music.

Agree or disagree with my selections? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters is a unique rock band from Boulder, Colorado that formed in the mid 80s. They have released a remarkable eight studio albums in the last twenty years and while they haven’t charted a song in ten years, they are making the headlines in a new way. All The Love You Need, their latest album, is available for free digitally at Itunes Music Store, Amazon, and their website. They also have links to download the lyrics and cover art. They were even nice enough to mail out 25,000 free albums to the first people to request it on their website. They have realized that they have become mostly a touring band over the last few years and as a result just want to get their music out there for people to enjoy and recognize at their next concert. They are currently on tour and already have over 30 shows booked for 2009.

I leave you with a great acoustic version of “Bittersweet” by Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Enjoy.

This is the first time the Counting Crows have been featured on the countdown but I have a feeling that it won’t be their last appearance. They had quite a run during the ’90s which continued well into turn of the century. They have sold over 10 million albums and have charted 8 singles on the US Modern Rock Charts. They are currently touring in Australia after releasing their fifth studio album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, last year. While their sales numbers have declined over the years, they have such a strong fan base, I doubt they will hang it up anytime soon.

As for the music video, its not quite as good as the song. As with most music videos, it shows the band performing the hit single. Lead singer, Adam Duritz, is seen sitting on a bench at a bus stop where he sees some rather strange things. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Interested in other songs from the countdown? Check out the other Top Songs of the 1990s here.

I tried to go with more of these band’s more popular and familiar songs but I plan on creating a few more of these playlists, where I dig a little deeper into the genre.

My favorite from this playlist has to be “Push” by Matchbox Twenty, one of the best songs of any genre from the 90s. The opening to “Push” never fails to bring chills down my spine.

Fortunately, this is not the only great song on this playlist. All of these artists have proved their worth over the years, and these songs only sample their excellence.

Enjoy.

90s Post-Grunge Playlist:

1. “Heavy” by Collective Soul
2. “Push” by Matchbox Twenty
3. “Everything Zen” by Bush
4. “Old Apartment” by Barenaked Ladies
5. “How’s It Going To Be” by Third Eye Blind
6. “I Alone” by Live
7. “Inside Out” by Eve 6
8. “Good” by Better Than Ezra
9. “Everlong” by Foo Fighters
10. “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers

They have recently updated both their official website and myspace page in preparation for the new album’s release. Currently all of the songs on the band’s myspace page appear to be from the new album, including one of my favorites, “All I Was Looking For” and the title track, “Little White Lies”.

While it has been over ten years since Fastball’s All the Pain Money Can Buy, they are still kicking and hoping that the new album will revive the popularity that they once had.

That album was actually one of the first albums I purchased when I was younger. I have always been a fan of “The Way”, although my favorite from All the Pain Money Can Buy is “Which Way To The Top?”, a really laid back, relaxing song featuring the artist Poe.

My favorite line from “Which Way To The Top”:
“Oh, just waiting for the perfect wave
And a place in the shade”

It is great to see that they are back at it.

Tour Dates

November 6th – Bend Studios – Dallas, Texas
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November 10th – Rialto Theater – Tucson Arizona
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November 11th – Belly Up – San Diego, California
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November 12th – Viper Room – Los Angeles, California
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November 13th – Fishlips – Bakersfield, California
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November 14th – The Canyon Club – Las Vegas, Nevada
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November 15th – Brixton – Redondo Beach, California
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November 16th – The Red Devil Lounge – San Francisco, California
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November 18th – Toad Tavern – Denver, Colorado
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November 21st – The Fine Line – Minneapolis, Minnesota
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November 22nd – Joe’s Sportspub – Chicago, Illinois
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November 23rd – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, Ohio
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November 24th – Ram’s Head – Annapolis, Maryland
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November 25th – Bowery Ballroom – New York, New York
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November 26th – Stephen Talkhouse – East Hampton, New York
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November 26th – Jammin Java – Vienna, Virginia
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November 29th – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, New Jersey
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December 1st – Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, Georgia
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December 2nd – The Mercy Lounge – Nashville, Tennessee
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