Sunset Rubdown

My #7 favorite band of all-time (from my continuing list) is an artist that first released an album only 2 years ago, and only has 2 albums under their belt.  The first album was basically a solo side project for Spencer Krug, co-leader of Wolf Parade, which only had one album release under their belt at the time.  The second album used a full-fledged band and became my #1 album of 2007.  The first album was #2 in 2006.  So that's why Spencer and his mates are so high on this list after such a brief career.  Basically, I absolutely love everything he sings and I got my chance to see him and Wolf Parade up close and personal last week in Philly, which was an absolutely amazing experience.  But as much as I love it when he and Dan Boeckner get together, I love Sunset Rubdown even more.  They are right now my #7 favorite artist, and could move up into the top 5 with another incredible release or two.  I have no doubt that will happen, very soon. 

Here's some details about the rising acclaim for Canada's finest:

The new lineup released the Sunset Rubdown EP in January 2006, and the album Shut Up I Am Dreaming followed in May to wide-spread critical acclaim, finishing the year with a 15th place ranking on Pitchfork's best albums list. Random Spirit Lover' was released in October, 2007 on the band's new label, Jagjaguwar, and was heralded as one of 2007's best albums by critics and music publications. ^[1]

The CD made numerous top-20 albums of the year lists, earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" distinction and finished in 14th spot in Pitchfork's year-end Readers Poll. The album was also nominated for the U.S. Indie Music industry's Plug Award in the Best Indie Album of the Year category.

Top 20 Favorite Sunset Rubdown Songs

1. "The Mending of the Gown" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 5:36  (#43 song of all-time)
2. "Apistat Commander (Xiu Xiu cover)" Remixed and Covered, 2007, 6:15 (#61 of all-time)
3. "Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 4:47  (#87 of all time)
   • You’re the one who ran in the wild ‘cause you’re the one the wild called
     And you’re the one who followed the child to save the sun from how it falls
     You’re the one who had knives set aside for the throats of hunters
     But they tricked you with a trinket and a name
     
     And I’m the one who sat at your capture and I’m the one who whispered low
     That’s the one who followed the child to save the son
     And look—it’s starting to snow!
     
     Now you’re the one who’s riding around on a leopard
     You’re the one who’s throwing the shit in the air
     You’re the one whose wild hide will weather in the weathering days
     To a leather made soft for princes to lay their princely heads of hair
     Upon the end of your feral days
     Upon the end of your feral days
     Upon the end of your feral days
     
     You’re the one who ran in the wild a virgin to a name;
     You’re the one who lived off a forsaken land.
     I’m the one who sat at your capture
     And let the snow fall on this whispering rapture
     And you’re the one who’s kissing your captor’s hands
     
     “Well shit, I know we’re all growing old!
     But where there’s a will, that is the way
     So way to go.”
     Say goodbye to your feral days.
     Say goodbye to your feral days.
     Say goodbye—bye-bye-bye
     
     Because you’re the one who’s riding around on a leopard
     You’re the one who’s throwing dead birds in the air
     You’re the one whose wild hide will weather in the weathering days
     To a leather made soft so princes can lay down their princely white heads of hair
     
     Say goodbye…
     Say goodbye to your feral days.
     Say goodbye—bye-bye-bye.                        
        
     Your highness is holding your chains.
4. "Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 7:23 (#90 of all time)
5. "Us Ones in Between" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 4:26 (#144 of all time)
   • You are a waterfall waiting inside a well
     You are a wrecking ball before the building fell
     And every lightning rod has got to watch the storm cloud come.
     
     And I’ve heard of pious men and I’ve heard of dirty fiends
   • But you don’t often hear of us ones in between
     And I’ve heard of creatures who eat their babies;
     And I wonder if they stop to think about the taste.
     
     I saw the sun go down outside of Arkansas;
     And I saw the sun come up somewhere in Illinois.
     And in the darkness I taught myself to hate.
     But where were you, oh where were you?
     And where'd the fucking sun go?
     
     And I am a creature and I am surviving.
     And I want to be alone but I want your body.
     So when you eat me, mother and baby,
     Oh baby, mother me, before you eat me.
     
     And you should always pass when you get the inside lane.
     Don’t pull your hair out; I won’t pull my hair out.
     for I have never, seen a sun
   • That did not bury it's head in the side of the world when the day is done.
     
     You are a waterfall waiting inside a well
     You are a wrecking ball before the building fell
     And I will mutter like a lover who speaks in tongues, oh he speaks in tongues.
     Oh I speak in tongues.
6. "Winged/Wicked Things" Daytrotter Sessions, 2006, 4:33
   • Download Sunset Rubdown - "Winged/Wicked Things".mp3
7. "For the Pier (and Dead Shimmering)" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 5:14
8. "Stadiums and Shrines II" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 3:57
   • Download Sunset Rubdown - "Stadiums and Shrines II".mp3
9. "The Empty Threats of Little Lord" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 5:08
10. "Trumpet, Trumpet, Toot! Toot!" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 5:28
11. "The Men are Called Horsemen There" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 7:05
12. "They Took a Vote and Said No" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 3:44
    • Download Sunset Rubdown - "They Took a Vote and Said No".mp3
13. "Child-Heart Losers" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 2:02
    • There's a child heart in the child
      There's a child heart in the child
      There's a child heart in the child
      Living wild oh
      La la la la la
      Fire makes it go
      
      And you were pretty before you knew
      And you were pretty before you knew
      And you were pretty before you knew it oh
      La la la la now
      Fire makes you go
      
      All a diamond is, is good timing
      All a diamond is, is good timing
      All good diamonds are uncut diamonds, oh
      La la la la la
      Fire makes it so cold to the eye
      Who lets that take place?
      And where'd you learn to stage dive with such grace
      Indescribable face
      What do you stay beautiful for?
      And don't you worry about the floor?
      
      And...
      Why so many many many many many violins?
      Why so many many many many many violins?
14. "The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 6:07
    • Download Sunset Rubdown - "The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life".mp3
15. "Idiot Heart" Daytrotter Sessions Encore, 2008, 6:05
    • Download Sunset Rubdown - "Idiot Heart".mp3
16. "Snakes Got a Leg III" Shut Up I Am Dreaming, 2006, 3:53
17. "You Go On Ahead" Black Cab Sessions - unreleased, 2008, 6:03
18. "The Courtesan Has Sung" Random Spirit Lover, 2007, 4:31
19. "Jason, Believe Me You Can't Trust Your Dreams" Daytrotter Sessions, 2006, 3:15
    • Download Sunset Rubdown - "Jason, Believe Me, You Can't Trust Your Dreams".mp3
20. "A Day in the Graveyard II" Sunset Rubdown EP, 2006, 2:28

Comments

[Hasselbeck]

Hey where's MeatLoaf on this list? How about Barry Manilow?

[LegFuJohnson]

They only have two albums and you listed your top 20 songs? How bad were the 3 or 4 that didn't make the cut?

[Bill]

Every song they've ever made is good of course, with the possible exception of "Colt Stands Up, Grows Horns" from Random Spirit Lover. I didn't really care for that one.