20. Web in Front
Song: "Web in Front"
Artist: Archers of Loaf
Album: Icky Mettle
Year: 1994
Length: 2:05
Label: Alias Records
The shortest song on this list marks the fact that we're halfway through, so those friends of mine who aren't exactly clamoring for the continuation of the Top 40 All-Time countdown, there's only 19 songs to go... For everyone else, Archers of Loaf was a Chapel Hill band (much like the artist in the #19 position - coming soon!) that had moderate college radio success with debut album Icky Mettle and the "hit" single "Web in Front." While they never really hit it big (even in indie rock circles), and disbanded after 1998's mixed reviewed White Trash Heroes, their debut album is generally considered one of the seminal indie rock masterpieces of the 1990s. Here is Robert Christgau's review of the album, which garnered an A rating from the venerable music critic.
Guitars screeching every which way, beats speeding and hesitating and slamming chaos back into the box, twentysomething boyvoices whining and arguing and drawling and straining, it's the world according to indie rock: a tantrum set to music as sharp and self-contained as a comedy routine. Aurally, this is now--one now, anyway. If it has zero to say about tomorrow, why don't you just worry about that then?
And I found this article at Stylus in which a reviewer claims that "Web in Front" is the perfect break up song, and he gives it this rave...
This song is properly recognized as a classic indie rock anthem, and in my mind is as near to perfection as rock music gets, but there’s one line that makes “Web in Front” truly extraordinary to me: “All I ever wanted was to be your spine.”
Personally my favorite line is "You're not the one who let me down, but thanks for offering" but the entire song is truly, truly magical. Otherwise, it probably wouldn't have beaten all these great songs for a spot in the Top 20...
Top 40 Vague Space Favorite Songs (so far)
21. "A Perfect Sonnet" Bright Eyes
22. "I'll Believe in Anything" Wolf Parade
23. "Seven" Sunny Day Real Estate
25. "Age of Consent" New Order
26. "Summer Here Kids" Grandaddy
27. "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" The Smiths
28. "Bankrupt on Selling" Modest Mouse
29. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" The Arcade Fire
30. "The Moon" The Microphones
31. "Bad Blood" Bright Eyes & The Album Leaf
32. "Gardenhead - Leave Me Alone" Neutral Milk Hotel
37. "The Shy Retirer" Arab Strap
40. "Carry the Zero" Built to Spill
#20 Favorite Song of All-Time
Stuck a pin in your backbone.
Spoke you down from there.
All I ever wanted was to be your spine.
Lost your friction and you slid for a mile.
Overdone, overdrive, overlive, override.
Youre not the one who let me down,
But thanks for offering.
It's not a voice and I'm not around.
But thanks for picking it...
Up, on the radio.
Sampled your rust from a faucet, I know.
I've got a magnet in my head,
A magnet in my head.
Extra thick, extra long, the way it was wasted.
And there's a chance that things'll get weird.
Yeah, thats a possibility.
Although I didn't do anything,
No, I didn't do anything.
All I ever wanted,
All I ever wanted,
All I ever wanted was to be your spine.
(repeat)
And a mouth kept shut and a tongue twist tied.
You're the web in front, of my favorite lie.
You're a buck my lip, you're a lash my lie.
You're the web in front of my favorite lie.
Stuck a pin in your backbone.
Spoke it down from there.
All I ever wanted was to be your spine.
Ive got a magnet in my head, a magnet in my head.
Extra thick, extra long, the way it was wasted... wasted.
I found this kick ass live performance on YouTube of an Iowa show in 1998. "Web in Front" is actually the second song in this video, after "Vocal Shrapnel", so you have to go a little more than halfway through to hear it, but believe me, it's well worth it.
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