Sam's Best of 2014

I Love You(But I hate your Friends)-Neon Trees

Neon Tree's are maybe my guiltiest pleasure and one of the most criminally underrated commercial pop rock bands to ever walk the face of the earth and I truly would put their 2012 release Picture Show in my top 10 albums of all time looking back and as cheesy as it is that and this album both inspired me to write a story I am still working on to this day and would one day hope to turn into a comic or movie or even Netflix series or something.

This song is a bombastically catchy and snarky fucking tune that showcased a band like me hiding their eventual decline into obscurity though one last bombastic effort of vitriol covered in some false sense of joy that is this songs poppy instrumentals, Tyler Glenn's cheeky vocal performance, and the kind of playful lyrics.

Overall looking back at this list there was a host of strong fucking songs from the criminally overlooked, "Black Soap," by Ex cops, Kimbra's, "90's music," and many many more that didn't even make the list it's rather crazy in all honesty.

What's also crazy to think of for me because I almost didn't make it beyond this year and this album at the time was basically an emotional crutch that I clung onto for dear life because I was confused, scared, and on the constant verge of wishing I'd never decided to get better but rather fade away so it's hard to reflect on these emotions and reading that number 1 post I figured that I had a lot I wanted to say but never really could bring myself to actually bringing forth and this is when my writing really started to be affected because of it.

Song of the Day 5/3/16

So recently one Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees fame has recently announced that he's denounced the Mormon faith and has decided to drop a very strongly worded solo single and video to let the world know about this recent deceleration of loss of faith.

The song in question isn't bad it feels like a more electronic focused cut that could have fit onto the last Neon Trees album but hearing it so many times I think it's soul purpose as a song is to express an idea of a clash between religion and sexuality and the fact that he's gay and will never get a complete acceptance by the faith he's spent his life following his whole life and how he's done with it.

While it's nice to see him step out I kind of hope that this doesn't delay any new work from Neon Trees or at the very least his solo album have more variety in sounds instead of just doing kind of club beat sounding new wave but only time can tell otherwise here's a track that kind of acts as more a think piece and expression of a desire to expand one's material as well as being the first Song of the Day in god knows how long...

Sam's Top 20 of 2015 #12

#12 Song's I can't Listen To-Neon Tree's

YOU know Tyler Glenn it's kind of cruel to release a new single out of the blue during an awkward point of the year for me and then proceed to not do a god damn thing afterwards.

This song is like a bridge between the super 80's new wave punky tones of Picture Show with a slight poppy tone that heavily dominated Pop Psychology without sounding like an unnecessary b-side and it's fucking awesome but it's like getting teased by the finest girl you'd ever seen because it came kicked ass and just left me wanting more but no I haven't gotten another tune or any news of more new music to come.....songs still great though and definitely every time I find myself randomly hearing it I find myself just getting blown away with each subsequent listen.

Sam Reviews a Video Songs I can't Listen To-Neon Trees

So Tyler Glenn is out and proud...wait we already knew that so I guess this video is just more him being adorable as hell showcasing the build up and decline of a relationship inter-spliced with band shots, some performance clips, and other random shit to kind of showcase the point of how emotions effect us all....and that's about it as typical as it sounds I'm highly disappointing really because this song is a pretty bad ass bit of 80's new wavey rock goodness and the video isn't really anything at all so I guess you can say rather then being underwhelmed with the single this time I just feel that way towards the music video....

Song of the Day 5/28/15

So for whatever reason I just can't get enough of this awesomely new wave tune in the form of Neon Tree's newest ode to a failed relationship in the form of this faced paced energetic rocker, "Songs I can't Listen To," which is an awkwardly appropriate tune when the occasions right and one accurate side effect of relationships gone wrong in it's exclamations of how music really can take you to a time and  a place and whenever someone ends something good those songs go with it which is saddening but still at the very least we can all accept it and of course rock out to this song which sounds like it'd of fit nicely tucked away in the middle of Picture Show.

Hello....is anyone there? Also NEW NEON TREES!!!!

Hey world it's me Sam and I realized that I kind of went about a month not posting on here just randomly out of the blue to which I really can only explain that last month was one of those times where in which I kind of both have a decent amount of bullshit I gotta sort through and also other things just kind of went down that left me in a wide variety of moods and that's kind of where this fun little tune comes into play.

So not only have The Smashing Pumpkins announced that they're doing some acoustic shows and coming around my neck of the woods to which I totally bought a ticket, Prom was pretty fucking amazing this year especially Vance Joy, oh and Neon Tree's have released a new single so.....FUCK YEAH!!!!!

Ok on the topic of the new single it's a super New Wave tinged rocker that kind of sounds like it'd fit perfectly fine onto Picture Show's track list and it's lyrically a semi somber tale with it's themes of heart ache and it's very VERY appropriate metaphor of how when somethings over we all end up with, "a list of songs I can't Listen to," which for the better part of this month has been something buuuuut i digress because while this is a very understated tune tat kind of doesn't build up to anything spectacular at the end it's still a nice little number that I can see myself digging more and more as I give it repeated listens.

I'm aware it's been a minute and while I should just take the time to really update I think this song should be a good idea of both moving on from annoying periods and making something good but if I were to say anything semi personal....I've been working on some stories hopefully i can make something of them...

5 Years 5 Albums: Day 2

Picture Show-Neon Trees (2012)

You know these guys were one of the first bands I wrote an album review on and while Habits was a great introduction to this fun little power pop group I think they really took shape and blew my mind in the most unexpected way possible with their second effort.

This album was from the gate something that seriously impressed me and even to this very day I still hold it in high regards because it’s really just that a truly substantial effort from a group looking to make a record that people would remember and it really is an album worth remembering because it’s songs are very solidly written numbers that are a bit cheeky and kind of gives things a thematic feel with strong musicianship and them making their best efforts to actually showcase a sense of growth from the album before which while being a fun little bit of power pop glory at times sounded a little too much like they were making something that’s trying to be like Sam’s Town Era killers.

The overall tone and sound of this record very 80’s indeed kind of struck because in time I’ve kind of digressed in my overall musical taste for older alternative music and this album is something that’s both old school but still fresh and it’s kind of 80’s teen romance tone gives it a quality that I found myself wanting to really write a story to and I have been to varying degrees of success yes but still it’s an album that motivated me to really think about writing a story and that’s something that really has helped as things kind of went in directions I never thought they would.

Probably one of my favorite albums of all time all I can hope is that I’ll eventually get that story done and that this band continues to produce records of equal quality as this opus of a record..

Quality Cuts: Weekend, Mad Love, Still Young

Song of the Day 1/30/15

Some Kind of Monster-Neon Trees (From Iron Man 3: Hero’s Fall Sountrack)

Yeah I’m rather upset that this bad ass little chugging Neon Tree’s gem is on a random Super hero Movie soundtrack that I honestly wouldn’t ever care for if it weren’t for the fact that it’s NEON FUCKING TREES and not only is it a good song it’s fucking great people it’s just the right amount of them doing a darker tinged tune that’s both rocking with a bit of that poppy charm that this band is rather good at doing and this song’s a good idea of the sound they really had going during Picture Show just before they decided to get more lyrically introspective in the album to come so if anything it’s a great transitional track that got absolutely no attention which is a damn shame because it’s rather great…

Sam's Top 20 of 2014: #1

1. Neon Trees- I love you(But I hate Your Friends)

I went to a lot of shows this year and I just got to see SO MANY AMAZING FUCKING ACTS but the show I was honestly THE MOST hyped up for was this little power pop group’s free offering up in Power and Light because not only did they manage to make my favorite album of the year, NOT ONLY did I get to see an AMAZING SHOW FRONT FUCKING ROW, not only did I get to shake Tyler Glenns hand, and not only DID I get the most important record I’ve had in quite some time for free but in all honesty I think that same album and show was probably the therapy I needed.

Like I said my life went to a really dark place people and in some sick fucked up way there wasn’t too many things that consistently gave me any sense of joy or happiness but oddly enough it was the songs that were the most important and Pop Psychology as an album is one of those records that filled with them and while I’d say Living In another World is the song I really NEEDED to hear live and did and of course loved it’s a bit hard to really think of it as the best because of all the songs released and meant to promote these acts and the efforts they were making this was probably the song that sold me the most on Pop Psychology and it’s still the most consistent tune that I find myself loving all these odd months later and constant rotations.

It’s a big energetic ball of wonder with a music video that seems like some odd art house bojankies that only the Talking Heads would do that is also something true as hell in that you may like someone but you never like their company and everyone can attest to that.

I honestly think this was the best song of the year for many reasons but if I had to say anything it’d probably be this amongst all the amazing shows, bad ass new artist, and amazing songs I’ve heard this one without a doubt when I look at the list I compiled was my clear cut choice of what I truly thought was the best and because of that its ranked accordingly. 

Neon Trees had an amazing year and followed up an album amazing enough to make me write a fucking screenplay to it with a collection of songs that was the strongest effort I’ve listened to through and through and because of that I just can’t help but be glad their music actually hit me in a special place and gave me some encouragement to really REALLY write something special and this song is a good example of the joys I can feel because of the music I hear so sorry to be all preachy and kind of cheesy but this song FUCKING KICKS ASS PEOPLE and it’s my pick for the best song of 2014 thanks for reading through these 20 day’s people here’s to a hopefully great 2015 and of course go like the fucking facebook page it’s all I really could ask for shit I’ll link it AGAIN! 

But all jokes aside I’m going to attempt to come up with something hopefully the beginning of next week then most likely take the rest of the year off because I didn’t post enough this year and I’ll be back January 1^st but until then listen on and keep on kicking ass…

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #4

Lessons in Love-Neon trees

I can’t lie to you guy’s of all the new releases that I was able to get a hold of this year this album singlehandedly was both the biggest surprise and best overall offering I listened to this year and that’s saying a lot considering the fact that I went in on a limb hoping for something passable.

The thing that was so good about this offering other then it’s wonderful kind of movie like flow was the strength of the tracks on it and the various styles they were willing to try and this hauntingly little dance number just stood out amongst the others and has still maintained this aura of awesome that I can’t deny.

Like the people we love the best things in life are dark and mysterious and I use those two words to describe this tune because it’s this oozingly sexual cut that has a danceable vibe to it that’s bound to make bodies move and it’s those feelings that make me just keep coming back for more.

So yeah all day, all night, I’m likely to keep this song in rotation and it’s a mammoth of a tune that could only be topped by a series of tunes that truly halted or stayed with me this entire year.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #9

Everybody Talks-Neon Trees

Yeah buddy it’s official this fun little group of power pop driven new wave Mormons have officially gotten off the list of the best one hit wonders and released what’s arguably the best album of the year with a tune that initially didn’t excite me much but over time it’s blast of energy driven love strung shenanigans managed to keep my attention and change my thoughts.

I really am liking the fact that this year was really good for a lot of bands that I really do like and what really makes this song shine other then it’s easy sing-along style and it’s wonderfully childlike innocence hidden double meanings is the fact that it’s but a small taste of what was the most surprisingly bad ass album of the year.

Happy 2 Year's SOTD

You know what I realized a few weeks ago? I’ve been writing Song of the Day for 2 years, yeah on February 8, 2010 I wrote my very first Song of the Day on the Smashing Pumpkins forums and it’s been one hell of a ride since then.

Now there wasn’t too much thought process behind doing it other then the attempts to make a thread on there that I could consistently keep updated unlike the other board members at that time and I did to very little feedback in fact most of the members I’m sure mocked me but you know I decided to say fuck it and kept pressing through and eventually after some time I started to thoroughly feel that my abilities as a writer were greatly improving and with the suggestion of a good friend I decided to expand and launch this blog that I’ve been maintaining for just over a year now. It was one hell of a trip keeping posted on the forums, this blog, and my personal Facebook account but I did until of course when I reached the year long anniversary where I made the sad announcement to quit the thread on the Forums and devote myself full time to this website.

Now let’s cut this sad talk because this is a cause of celebration people I’ve been doing this shit for 2 years and I don’t plan on stopping any day soon so let’s get to discussing the things I’ve noticed after doing this for so long.

Fun facts for all fun facts in deed ever since I’ve been doing this I felt it’d be a good idea to keep a list of all the songs I’ve written about and a little log of the number of times I’ve mentioned any particular artist and since I love countdowns I think I’m going to tell you guy’s the top 5 most represented acts and my impressions upon realizing the numbers.

5. Placebo 7 Song’s of the Day



If you know me personally you know I’ve been quite the fan of this little British Trio for quite some time and the fact that they’ve clocked in so many Songs of the day shouldn’t be any surprise.

There’s not much to really say while I do have a tendency to listen to them in certain mindsets and such they’ve honestly made some of the most criminally overlooked tunes with the posted video being an example of such. With a variety of sounds from the dirties of rift rockers to these kind of out there electronic tinged danceable cuts they’ve made songs for every possible interest I’ve had over these two years and time and time again I’ve found myself coming back and reminding myself just why I hold them in high esteem by wanting to bring up a song that truly does speak to me and with many more on the way I’m pretty sure these guys will rope me back in soon enough.

4. Foo Fighters 8 Entries



That cut right there should be more then enough a reason to bring up just why I’ve written about these guys so much so quickly. Wasting Light is one hell of an album and upon listening to this song and then the album I found myself having a new found respect and admiration for a band that I always felt made good songs but hadn’t yet clicked with me.

It is surprising yes to realize that I wrote about 8 different songs but hey I don’t see no problem in that especially when you get to the next two acts like…

3. Neon Trees 9 Entries



This last year has had a lot to do with these numbers I will admit but looking at this I pretty much wrote the equivalent of their whole first album god damn people.

Ok all joking aside I really can’t lie this little power pop group really has made some quality numbers like the one I posted above, and really the fact that the album in question was just filled to the brim with equally worthwhile cuts I really couldn’t help but write about these guys in a pinch. Big chorus’ simple rifts, and a variety of styles really gives these guys a chameleon like quality that managed to give them a tune to describe every possible thing I was going through and time and time again I just had to tell you guys how bad ass one of their songs has been and again their nowhere near ready to quit this so let’s hope the rest of the world gives these guys a shot.

2. Cee-Lo, “Mo Fakun Lady Killa Green,” 17 Entries



I’m aware that it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s number 2 but HOLY DAMN people 17 cuts from this smoother then smooth boss hoss of a performer and its’ all because of the epic work that is The Lady Killer.

Yes I love that album and pretty much all of the tunes that followed. I was taken at Fuck You and I stayed because he really was someone that just delivered time and time again and the fact that he felt to let the internet be home to some lesser known cuts lead me to not only have to listen to him but write about him pretty much every month for a year straight and if he continues this way he MIGHT just dethrone the champions of champions which if you couldn’t of guessed it by this point well then you just might not know me that well.

1. The Smashing Pumpkins 24 Entries



Ok now in a show of hands who honestly did not expect this to be the case really let me count.

Ok if not only being started on their fan site wasn’t enough these guy’s are my favorite band of all time period the end no questions asked and it’s been that way for as long as I’ve loved this crazy little thing called music people and in the two years I’ve written these songs of the day they’ve been working on that massive behemoth of a project that is Teargarden By Kaleidoscope and of course with each new cut I felt some contractual obligation to discuss and of course with the massive flooding of bands that have interested me over these two years the only constant is that I’ll always have a moment where I fall back on one of their cuts and be reminded just why I love them.

There’s very few outlets where we all feel our voice’s to be spoken and for me this band has made everything I possibly could and will forever want through the rifts and lyrics of one William Patrick Corgan and if my undying gratitude of fandom isn’t enough of a reason to have written about them so much then I’ll never know what is and because of that the most covered artist amongst my collection of tunes has been The Smashing Pumpkins.

It’s crazy really to think of just how many possible things I’ve covered over the past two years and the shifts in interest and genres covered are quite astounding and while I couldn’t really bring myself to figuring out the statistics of genres covered and such there’s one last things that I feel needs to be brought up like….



The first song I ever wrote about for Song of the Day was a cover of the song, “Lovers in A Dangerous Time,” by the Barenaked Ladies, and the reason I bring that up is because looking at my top list you’ll notice there’s a lot of respected alternative acts that in some way are me exercising my credibility muscle but of course the first thing I feel to write about is a band that I’ll occasionally feel a bit embarrassed to say I like because of the fact that their decidedly pop in many ways.

But at the time I started this I was finishing High school and there wasn’t a whole lot going on in my life, I had reached the end of my teenage years and it was time to start being an adult but for whatever reason the only thing I wanted to do was my Choir Class at the time. Yes I know that’s a bit odd to say but it was my last real thing to do and at the time of course like many a person there was a girl I was interested in, but of course in details I’m not willing to talk about opportunities where lost and all I was left with was the desire to sing a song that actually required some talent and that’s where this song came in.

There’s really something magical about this song and it’s messages of love being possible in even the harshest of conditions and of course the fact that this is the most prime example of just how vocally talented this group was just lead me to have this song on endless repeat….that and I think I was just getting hooked on the phenomenon that is Glee but we’ll ignore that whole part for the more credible but cheestatic sounding story now where was I?

Oh yeah this song’s always been a personal favorite of mine and because the band in question kind of shaped my interest to listen to a little bit of everything I felt that starting out with something a bit out there but accessible would lead me to feel comfortable to cover a wide range of tunes and I’m glad to say that has proven correct so why don’t we wrap this bad boy up by raising a toast to Sam’s Song of the Day here’s to more songs to come.