20 Years of Wilco: SONGS

One of my all-time personal favorite bands is 20 years old this year (for-reals, they started recording in 1994). Their lead singer's releasing his first solo album this week and the band still tours. I thought it'd be appropriate to list my 20 favorite songs by them. Good ol' WILCO.
You must listen to all these songs!

20--'Dawned On Me' (2011)
19--'Sunken Treasure' (1996) This song is the basic format for what makes Wilco "Wilco." Acoustic guitars getting slowly drowned out by noise. This songsmith is a talent that separates these guys from everybody else.  
18--'Born Alone' (2011)
17--'I Must Be High' (1995)
16--'Spiders (Kidsmoke)' (2004)
15--'I Got You (At The End Of The Century)' (1996) This will definitely be played at my wedding. My wife is likely to like it.
14--'Reservations' (2002) This is the most gorgeously freaking depressing song of all time. The perfect album closer.
13--'You & I' (ft. Feist) (2009)
12--'Heavy Metal Drummer' (2002) Listen closely. The song sounds basic, but within its 3 minutes, they actually cram in a ton of instruments.
11--'Can't Stand It' (1999)
10--'Impossible Germany' (2007) #datsolo
9--'She's A Jar' (1999) This song captures what I call "front yard paranoia," a perfected theme on Summerteeth.
8--'Handshake Drugs' (2004)
7--'California Stars' (w/Billy Bragg) (1998) Written by Woody Guthrie!
6--'A Shot In The Arm' (1999)
5--'Jesus, Etc.' (2002) Best song title/Best song 
4--'I Am Trying To Break Your Heart' (2002) So basically, all the top 4 songs have the same format as this one (the "Sunken Treasures" formula).
3--'Misunderstood' (studio and/or live version) (1996/2005) This song is pure Americana.
2--'Via Chicago' (1999) The strings sampling on this track is a miracle.
1--'Poor Places' (2002) As I made this list, I realized I've never heard a song like this one before. It's the climax to my favorite album of all time, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Music as layered as this can turn out sloppy, but 'Poor Places' turns out being something beautiful and memorable... And by the end, something very noisy. 

Beck Show (stats)

THE CROWD
I was very close and was practically moshing the entire time- not in a moshpit- just trying to stand. We were all just trying to stand and dance and maybe move a little closer. I have never ever ever sweat so much in my entire life. It was blatantly nuts. Beck told us about 3 times to step back and take care of each other. I had drunk guys dancing with me. I single-handedly saved a crowd surfer. I also dropped one. I found some chick's purse. One guy offered me a smoke. Some teenager was yelling "I just smoked pot for the first time!" I was physically covered in other people's bodies, but I wasn't tiny guy. I was a contributing factor to the crew. Despite my closeness, all my pictures sucked. 9.5/10
THE TALENT
Lots of people around me were making of Future Islands lead singer (Sam Herring), but he is possibly the greatest stage performer I have seen in my entire life. He's crying on stage. His sweat changed the color of his shirt by the end of the show. His vocal styles range from David Bowie to Peter Gabriel to Tom Waits to James Hetfield. A beautiful voice. His body covers the entire stage with pure energy and emotion. The actual main act was alright too, I guess. 8.5/10 (perfect 10 for Sam Herring)
THE SETLIST
Beck played 5 songs from his most lazy album, Guero. However, they were a buncha staright-up electronica dance tracks and they sounded freaking great live. Started with "Devil's Haircut." He played "Debra," which I really really wanted him to play secretly. He also played "Minus," which was freaking bonkers. He played 4 songs from his new (and kinda boring) album. But they were actually my favorite tracks from the album. Everyone toked up during "Wave." The prolonged closer "Where It's At" was perfectly fine. (especially since he broke out his harmonica with "One Foot In The Grave" somewhere in the middle). Played nothing from Mutations. He looked confused while the crowd was still going nuts during during "Lost Cause." And screw it, he played "Debra." 10/10
THE CHARACTER
I showed up dressed in my "2-turnables-and-a-microphone" Beck shirt and a bucket hat and fake Kanye-Graduation shades. I tried to reflect his 90s personality. His personality has been a lot more musically boring recently, but that didn't show in the live show. He namely stuck with the bangers. He brought out this vox-speaking, handheld robot that reminded he's probably kept since the Odelay tour. There were a couple of noise-rock breakdowns, which is a refreshing live experience. He's not the same "I'm high and I don't give a f***" guy he used to be. In fact, I think he's sobered up and positive. But I could tell he's got a lot on his mind. He knows people think of him as the king of alternative rock (the guitarist looked like Danger Mouse). He's old, but he's not giving into any categories just yet. 9.5/10
THE ENERGY
Everybody wants to sound loud. Beck can definitely do that. But there were a couple of reminders during the show that he is also "The Enchanting Wizard Of Rythm." "Beercan," "Where It's At," "The New Pollution." The few slow songs he played were atmospheric enough. The fact that a quarter of these songs were from Guero kinda bugged me, but they are very easy to dance to. Also, this entire blog is based off a quote from "Loser."   9.5/10
OVERALL
This was probably the best show I've ever been to.

Summertime Power Rankings

Summer is my favorite time of the year. Although I must say April is my favorite month; the weather starts getting better and stuff. When it comes to entire seasons, I prefer the one where I don't go to school. 

My summer is coming to a close. I think the same thing at the end of each summer: I could have done more. My regret levels lower every year because I realize I'm an adult with a job and perhaps I don't have much time on my hands. I have come to terms with my regrets and feel like it's fair to rank my summers (starting with my first entire summer in Idaho, age 16). Ranked from worst-to-best (like all good lists).

*2012 I feel like I owe everybody I met that summer an apology. I was at Redfish Lake Lodge for my second time, I was barely off my mission and I was on anti-anxiety pills. I remember being a different person that summer; someone who couldn't keep his mouth shut and was pretty immature. Being anxious while being at the greatest place on Earth? Not that great.

Bodega Bay, 2014

*2007 I didn't live in Stockton anymore. It was my first "real" summer. I just didn't know how to do it right. I was unemployed and rarely even looked for jobs. I spent a lot of time listening to the new radio station, 103.1 I-Rock, which played alternative rock chart music. I was lazy and melancholia. I had friends, but was real quiet around them. I miss that radio station.

*2014 This summer really wasn't that bad. These last 2 month have been the most mentally/emotionally sound I've been in my life. Went on a lot of cool hikes. Hung out with some cool friends. I guess this summer was just over-shadowed by an AWESOME spring time, which was divided by a month of unemployment.

*2010 This was easily my worst summer ever, mentally. I was suffering from some painful anxiety and depression and didn't even know what I had. My mind was in a lonely place. However, physically, I was in Powell River, British Columbia. I have written songs for and about the beautiful people I met there and the beautiful things I saw. The people and the scenery helped me through a dark time.

*2013 Let it be known that I am more emotionally and mentally stable now than I was last summer. But considering how sucky summer 2012 was, summer 2013 was very refreshing. I've kept a lot of friendships from that summer, and they're GOOD ones too. My first summer in Logan. Also possibly my most social summer. Thanks guys! 

*2008 "The Summer of Endless Dreams" -Wyatt Shewmaker

...I just remember having a lot of fun and getting grounded every week. But okay. TW$

Langley DIstrict, 2011

*2011 My mind was not mentally stable in this summer. I was on anti-anxiety meds. But my companion was Elder Graham McKenzie, we were in the Langley District and part of the Abbotsford Zone. This summer was the most goofy fun moment I had all mission long. My comp and I had some deep talks. We also had a ton of inside jokes nobody knows about that make me crack up when I'm alone. We also had our final zone conference with Pres Nelson, which made me cry like a baby. There was some true comrade re built here. 

*2009 My first summer living away from home... at Redfish Lake. NO CONTEST. I just feel like I remember everything...

Mt Thompson, 2009