Musical Thesis (15/15): Best of Musical Thesis

Musical Thesis (15/15): Best of Musical Thesis  

On August 23, 2016, I published my first album review. The album was Why Are You Okay by Band of Horses. Since that initial review, I have published another 93 album reviews.

When reviewing movies, I am trying to uncover answers to two related questions. How does the film make me feel? Is it any good? When writing these reviews, I keep the answers to those questions at the forefront of my mind.

With reviews of albums, I wanted to do something drastically different. Instead of deciding how good a particular album is, I wanted to view the entire collection of songs as a thesis. If I could easily uncover that thesis, I would then try to judge my own emotions in relation to the artist’s intent.

This approach has radically changed how I listen to music. I have always listened to music with a detective hat on my head. This sort of curiosity keeps me busy digging through lyrics and listening closely to the message the artist is trying to get across. For me, there is a lot of joy in a song that tells a complete story, and then discovering what that story means.

With my Musical Thesis reviews, I wanted to do more than try to find what the artist was attempting to express. I wanted to uncover a thesis holding the album together. From there, I wanted to dig deep into how that thesis made me feel.

In 94 albums, I have heard heartbreak. I have heard songs about feeling lost, the passing of time, normalcy, freedom, protest, family, places that matter, America, and so much more. Together, the 94 albums I have reviewed over the last 8 years attempt to describe the human condition. When I think more introspectively, I see ways in which they describe my human condition. Ultimately, this is why I choose to think critically about art. In music, movies, books, and hundreds of other artistic expressions, I am searching for myself.

Since 2016, I have collected songs from each album reviewed in a playlist. I have often returned to this playlist. Each song mirrors a fossil like record of a time and place that can be connected back to my own life. In this playlist, representing the 15 most impactful songs of the last 15 years, I share a small portion of myself with you. I hope you can find your own story to tell in these songs.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

Musical Thesis: The Ten (August 2024)

The Ten is an ever-evolving list of music I am digging. Be sure to check back often, because the list is always changing. To listen to the playlist, please click below.  

2024 is turning into a strange year for music. In the last eight months, I’ve added nearly 3,000 songs to my library, but much of my year has been dominated by a live acoustic album and a movie soundtrack. As I continue to dig through these new additions, I am uncovering songs reaching across the spectrum of human emotion. In these ten songs, you will hear somber songs, pulsing songs, songs that are energetic, focused, heart breaking, and character focused.   

As you dig through the list, I am interested in hearing what emotions these songs evoke for you.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan  

This Is 40

The rumors are true. Today marks the beginning of a new decade as I slowly march toward figuring out what lies beyond this life. Whatever it is, I hope there is cheese. Based on the pain I feel in my hips, knees, lower back, and how many times I ask people to repeat themselves, I assume death will not come quickly. Instead, she will play a long game slowly robbing me of bodily functions with each passing year. Adult diapers are days away. As she does, I want to introduce a new annual tradition.

“This Is 40” serves as a retrospective. Beginning with 1983, I selected my favorite song from each year I have called this planet home. All songs are from my personal collection. It is my birthday present to you. I hope you’ll enjoy and, perhaps, find something new to love.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

Ideal Setlist: The Decemberists

On 3/22/18, I saw The Decemberists play the Fox Theater in Pomona, California. It was the first stop in support of the album, I’ll Be Your Girl.  

It has always been a dream of mine to see a band’s first stop on a tour after releasing a new album. Often, I see bands deep into a tour. By that time, they have a good sense of how audiences are reacting to new material. Even if their setlist is constantly changing, deep into a tour, they know what works and what does not.  

This was my second time seeing The Decemberists perform live. Given the release of a new album, they, of course, played the released singles, but they also dug deeper into the collection to see what connected with the audience. As the band played some of those deeper cuts, Colin Meloy (Lead Singer) spent some time discussing the genesis of some of the new materials. This made the experience feel pretty special to me.

The setlist for the evening featured a balanced mixture of both new and old material. Much like my first show, the evening ended with Mariner’s Revenge Song. Next to Pearl Jam’s Yellow Ledbetter, this may be one of my favorite closing songs in the history of live music.

As far as my ideal setlist is concerned, the songs below are a collection of Decemberists songs I have returned to most often. You will not find a song from every album, nor are all my favorite songs listed below. Instead, these are 15 songs that keep me coming back for more. As always, I would love to hear from you. What is your ideal setlist?  

To listen to that playlist, click HERE.  

Calvary Captain

Make You Better

A Beginning Song

Stateside

Better Not Wake the Baby

To listen to the entire playlist, click HERE.  

The Harrowed and The Haunted, Starwatcher, I’ll Be Your Girl, Riverswim, Severed, Everything Is Awful, Cutting Stone, Tripping Along, Sucker’s Prayer, Sons & Daughters

Be good to each other,  

Nathan 

Musical Thesis: The Ten (February 2022)

The Ten is an ever-changing list of music I am digging. Be sure to check back often, because the list is always changing. To listen to the playlist, please click HERE. 

The first playlist in this series nicely wraps up the previous year. If you missed it, I named First Aid Kit’s Who by Fire: Live Tribute to Leonard Cohen as my favorite album of 2021. To prepare for that essay, I spent a lot of time with First Aid Kit, but they do not have this playlist all to themselves. Willie Nelson and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, both who made appearances on my ten favorite songs of the year list, join the party. Taken together as a collection of songs, I hear a theme. Religion, poetry, and classic songwriting are very present here. Most of these songs are also very somber, reflective, and approachable. Spending time with them has given me a lot to contemplate, but they have also made me appreciate the power of a live performance. They really make me miss live music. 

First Aid Kit—Suzanne 

First Aid Kit—Who by Fire/As the Mist Leaves No Scar 

First Aid Kit—Prayer for Messiah 

Willie Nelson—Learnin’ the Blues 

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah—Where They Perform Miracles 

First Aid Kit—You’d Sing Too 

First Aid Kit – Hallelujah 

First Aid Kit—Everybody Knows 

First Aid Kit—Chelsea Hotel #2 

First Aid Kit—The Future 

Be good to each other, 

Nathan 

This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.

Become a Patron!

Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2021

Unless I am sleeping or watching television, I am more than likely listening to music. Every year, as we make our way through the calendar, I patiently wait for Friday and the release of new albums. As soon as I can, I add new records to my collection and spend hours lost in a world of discovery.

When the dust settles and we draw near the end of another year, I look back at the 10 songs I listened to most. Are these the best 10 songs of the year? Probably not. I am no music critic. I will leave that judgment call for someone else, but these songs perfectly encapsulate the year for me.

To listen to the “Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2021” playlist, click here.

 Willie Nelson “Learnin’ the Blues”

It all started with The Highwaymen. It soon morphed into a deep appreciation for Johnny Cash. Now, it is morphing into a deep dive into Willie Nelson’s catalog. While “Learnin’ the Blues” is a cover, I will always appreciate Willie’s interpretation of any song he chooses.

Lord Huron “(Deep Down Inside Ya)”

I don’t know if Long Lost by Lord Huron classifies as a concept album, but the story they have created around it is enthralling. “(Deep Down Inside Ya)” isn’t technically a song, but it does give you a sense of the concept behind the album.

The Besnard Lakes “The Father of Time Wakes Up”

I’ve been listening to The Besnard Lakes for a while now. They make big, ethereal, and engrossing music. “The Father of Time Wakes Up” is all this and more. From the opening note, this song hooks me and doesn’t let go.

The Besnard Lakes “The Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings”

I will always make room in my music-loving heart for songs pushing the boundaries of 5+ minutes. Coming in at 17:54, “The Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings” is big and ambitious. It forces the listener to pay attention. Digging through the lyrics when paired with the composition of the song, checks so many boxes for me. Without a doubt, this is a song I would love to hear performed live.  

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah “Where They Perform Miracles”

I am late to the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah party. Some might say I am ten years too late. Nevertheless, I find this song profoundly moving, hopeful, and lovely. It feels so simple, but the story it tells demands your attention.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah “If I Were More Like Jesus”

“If I Were More Like Jesus” is so introspective. As a simple piano performance moves the song forward, I find myself invited in to explore the space, make sense of what I can, and meditate on what I don’t yet understand.

Foo Fighters “Cloudspotter”

On their album, “Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters attempt to make a rock album that forces you to dance. Not every song on this album works for me, but “Cloudspotter” makes me want to move.

Kings of Leon “The Bandit”

I am from Oklahoma, and so are the Kings of Leon. I am always happy to support quality music created by my fellow Okies. While I haven’t spent a tremendous amount of time with When You See Yourself, I love everything about “The Bandit.” It makes me want to dig deeper and spend some serious quality time with the album.

Lord Huron “Mine Forever”

Of all the bands I have discovered in the last 10 years, Lord Huron may be my favorite. They blend alt-country, folk, and rock together perfectly. Each album offers something new to consider and Long Lost is no different.

Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real “A Few Stars Apart”

Bookending my annual list with Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson seems right. I am only beginning to dig through his work. So far, I am deeply impressed and cannot wait to hear more. 

Be good to each other,

Nathan

This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.

Become a Patron!

Ideal Setlist: Jimmy Eat World

On 1/15/21, 1/28/21, and 2/12/23, I watched Jimmy Eat World play the Phoenix Sessions. If I had the luxury of creating a setlist for a Jimmy Eat World show, this would be it. To listen to the entire playlist, click HERE.

“The Authority Song”

“Carry You”

“Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues”

“You Are Free”

“Stop”

Be good to each other,

Nathan

This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.

Become a Patron!

Musical Thesis: My Ten Favorite Songs of 2019

To listen to the entire playlist, click here.

"Hall of Mirrors" by David Gray

"Doom in Full Bloom" by American Football

"Forest Lawn" by Better Oblivion Community Center

"Didn't Know What I Was In For" by Better Oblivion Community Center

"Sleepwalkin'" by Better Oblivion Community Center

"Gold in a Brass Age" by David Gray

"It's Late" by David Gray

"Hard Times" by Guster

"Terrified" by Guster

"Uncomfortably Numb" by American Football  

Be good to each other,

Nathan

This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.

Become a Patron!

Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2018

Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2018 is a special playlist to me. These are the 10 songs that I had on repeat most often. They got me through incredible highs and lows. I hope they can do the same for you. Enjoy!

To listen to the Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2018 Playlist on Spotify, click here.

“Ancient Names, Pt. II” by Lord Huron

“Last Ride” by Beach House

“Severed” by The Decemberists

“Starwatcher” by The Decemberists

“Chinky Pin Hill” by I’m With Her

“Lemon Glow” by Beach House

“888” by cavetown

“When I’m Weary” by Dave Matthews Band

“Everything Is Awful” by The Decemberists

“I’ll Be Your Girl” by The Decemberists

Be good to each other,

Nathan

Last month, 533 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.

Become a Patron!

Ideal Setlist: The Decemberists

On July 16, 2015, I saw the Decemberists play Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington. Below, is my ideal setlist according to the songs most often listened to on iTunes. The first five songs come from YouTube and you can listen to the rest of the playlist on Spotify. 

"A Cautionary Song" 

"Cocoon" 

"Clementine" 

"California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade" 

"When the War Came" 

"The Crane Wife, Part 1 & 2" 

"After the Bombs" 

"Why Would I Now?" 

"Fits and Starts" 

"The Harrowed and The Haunted" 

"A Bower Scene" 

"Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)" 

"Annon Water" 

"The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge) 

"Billy Liar" 

To listen to the Spotify playlist, click here. 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan