Scott’s Songs for the Cynical & Sinful
the annotated list

  1. "Wave on Wave" by Pat Green (from the album Wave on Wave) Texas seems to produce the best country singers -- at least the most straightforward and non-pop ones. Many of these singers are quite popular in their home state, but never seem to reach mainstream acclaim. Pat Green is one of these. Wave on Wave was his first (and so far, only) modestly successful commercial hit.
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  2. "My Old School" by Steely Dan (from the album Countdown to Ecstasy) One of the best Steely Dan songs ("Deacon Blues" is probably the best overall, but it drags on too long for a good mix). My first two years of college were spent at William & Mary and this song was played at every single party there, undoubtedly for the line "I said oh no, William & Mary won't do..."
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  3. "The Captain" by Kasey Chambers (from the album The Captain) A nice and depressing alt-country song from Australia's Kasey Chambers. She’s a great singer to enjoy every once in a while, but listening to too much of her whine at once is overkill and near-suicidal.
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  4. "Anastasia Says" by Darling Violetta (from the album Bath Water Flowers) While probably best known for the cello-laden opening theme to Angel, Darling Violetta produces some lush high quality alternative rock. This is another example of my love of depressing songs.
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  5. "Eurotrash Girl" by Cracker (from the album Kerosene Hat) Simply one of my all-time favorite songs. It has everything a good song needs: fun lyrics, an infectious beat and a little sophomoric humor. Speaking of sophomoric humor, Cracker intentionally placed empty tracks on the album so this song would end up as track #69.
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  6. "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" by Warren Zevon (from the album Excitable Boy) I'm really not sure I can explain this song. It may have a deeper meaning -- but then given Warren Zevon, it might not. It's just another fun song with clever lyrics and a hummable tune. Plus you get to learn your African geography.
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  7. "Speed" by Montgomery Gentry (from the album My Town) Nothing fancy here, just a good down home country song that growls along. Probably the most overtly commercial song on this mix.
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  8. "The Boxer" by Carbon Leaf (from the album Echo Echo) This band was suggested to me about a month ago when I was looking for suggestion for my free Pepsi iTunes downloads. Great band, especially this song which has been on my playlist since first hearing it.
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  9. "The Mighty Quinn" by Manfred Mann (from the album Mighty Garvey) Originally a Bob Dylan song, this tune about Eskimos appeals to my sense of the absurd. As far as I know, the song has nothing to do with the Denzel Washington movie The Mighty Quinn which is about a Jamaican police chief, with nary an Eskimo is sight.
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  10. "Angry All the Time" by Bruce Robison (from the album Bruce Robison) Bruce Robison is another lesser known Texas country singer. Many of his best songs have been covered by more mainstream acts such as the Dixie Chicks ("Travelin' Soldier").
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  11. "Virus of the Mind" by Heather Nova (from the album South) I heard this song originally on an NPR interview with Heather Nova. The song has an admittedly pop sound to it, which is ironic as there is an unsubtle message about going against the grain.
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  12. "Lady Stardust" by David Bowie (from the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) The best David Bowie album, and easily one of my favorite albums; Ziggy Stardust is definitely on my "5 Desert Island Albums" list. This is an acoustic version of the song "Lady Stardust" from the bonus tracks on the Rhino release of the album.
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  13. "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss (from the album Now That I've Found You: A Collection) The original version, written and sung by the late Keith Whitley, was excellent, but this is the rare cover that transcends the original. Alison Krauss's ethereal voice adds new depth to the song. And how many more SAT-words can I add to this description?
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  14. “Past the Mission” by Tori Amos (from the album Under the Pink) This album helped me survive my VA General Surgery rotation during medical school, which was easily the worst thirty days of my life. This has always been my favorite song on the album.
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  15. “Barbie Doll” by Jack Ingram (originally from the album Hey You, this version from the live album Unleashed) This is a good bar song; easy to sing along loud enough to draw glares from passers-by. It’s about a beautiful girl who knows all too well that she’s beautiful and presses it to her full advantage. This version is off the album Unleashed which features live performances by Ingram, Bruce Robison (mentioned above) and his brother Chris Robison. If you want a good sample of great Texas country music, this is it. This song has nothing to do with Aqua’s Barbie Girl, another song that I am strangely fond of.
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  16. “Fight Test” by The Flaming Lips (from the album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots) Another song and group introduced to me recently. I knew a few of their songs after their flirt with mainstream success in the 90s, but it was only a small part of their repertoire. For some reason, this song reminds me a great deal of Cat Steven’s Father and Son.
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