"MANHATTAN" CAT POWER (2012)

Double treble octaves and the unglamorous peek into New York City life. Two reasons why “Manhattan” is one of my favorite Cat Power songs. It came from an album that seemed to be deliberately minimalist in production. It’s a paired down sound for one of the most real songs ever written about New York—and it came from a non-New Yorker. The transience. The furtiveness. The New York we know well, but rarely sing about.

“The hotel above and the street below. People come and people go. All the friends that we used to know.”

"WILD WORLD" CAT STEVENS (1970)

The artist revered by other artists, Cat Stevens has created some of the most original melodies ever created. Nothing against 10,000 Maniacs’ “Peace Train” or Maxi Priest’s “Wild World”, but Stevens’ originals were always much more raw, powerful and emotional than the covers. There is simply nothing else like “Wild World”. Nothing comes close to its melody, its musicality or its intimacy, which detailed Stevens’ fluttering romance with Patti D’Arbanville.

“Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world. It's hard to get by just upon a smile. Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world. I'll always remember you like a child, girl.”

"I WANT TO BREAK FREE" QUEEN (1984)

From a band that has taken me decades to finally appreciate comes a song that I didn’t discover until nearly a decade after it was released. A couple of high school friends of mine were studying abroad in Barcelona for a semester when they came across the song. For some reason, Queen’s “I Want to Break Free” was experiencing a resurgence in Spain among college students at that time. My friends brought this optimistic, inspirational song back to New York, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

“I want to break free. I want to break free from your lies. You're so self satisfied, I don't need you. I've got to break free.”

"TAKE ME OUT" FRANZ FERDINAND (2004)

When Franz Ferdinand’s debut album came out, they reminded me so much of the swagger and the sensibilities of Gang of Four. But they also felt different than the other post-punk revivalists of the era. Franz Ferdinand always seemed to take themselves a little less seriously. They were the party boys who seemed content making fun music. “Take Me Out” ruled 2004 with its tempo-shifting and double entendres.

“If I wane, this could die. If I wait, this could die. I want you to take me out.”

"FADE TO GREY" JARS OF CLAY (1997)

In 1996, Jars of Clay came out of nowhere. They took their name from a Bible verse in 2 Corinthians and took over radio with “Flood”. The debut album was brilliant, but the very first song that the band wrote was “Fade to Grey” which didn’t appear on a full-length album until Much Afraid released one year later. It’s still my favorite JoC track. The drum machine fade. The synths. And those vocals felt like a page ripped right out of lead singer Dan Haseltine’s journal.

“Your trance of love is seeking to turn this world around.”

"THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA" STAN GETZ & JOAO GILBERTO (1964)

Gilberto and Getz are from two different worlds, but come together as one on this classic recording. In one instance, I can listen to “The Girl From Ipanema” and feel like I’m transported to a hot summer night in Rio de Janeiro. In another, I’m transported to a cold, wintry night in Manhattan. I have no idea who the girl from Ipanema is. Nor do I care. This bossa nova staple reminds me of fond old memories just as much as it gets me to look to better days ahead.

“The girl from Ipanema goes walking. And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ahh.”

"BRIGHTER!" CASS MCCOMBS (2013)

The simplest of songs are often the best ones we have. “Brighter!” does its thing with just a simple melody, simple instrumentation and simple production. The clean guitar picking, McComb’s hush-hush falsetto and Americana roots remind me of late night star gazing. I love the ethereal quality to “Brighter!”. There’s a lightness and buoyancy to the music that seems to transcend time and space.

“All eyes move to thee. All eyes aren’t born free. All eyes want to see.”

"1969" THE STOOGES (1969)

“1969” starts out in a familiar, predictable space. There’s almost a bluesy, Doors-esque sound to the first minute and a half. Then music history forever changes after that. The experimental guitar effects carry the rest of the song through, defining the essence of garage rock, containing the early strands of punk, and displaying an eerie premonition of distorted vocals popularized by The Strokes.

“Another year with nothing to do.”

"I WOULD DIE 4 U" PRINCE (1984)

From one of the greatest albums of all time, the songs from Purple Rain are still underrated for what they accomplished musically. You wouldn’t view Purple Rain necessarily as an experimental album, but it was innovative in its amalgamation of rock and R&B, and of synthesizers and organic instrumentation. “I Would Die 4 U” was the last of a string of singles, going beyond the standard pop song fanfare with evocative spiritual themes and perfectionist production polish.

“I'll never beat you. I'll never lie. And if you're evil I'll forgive you by and by.”

"I ZIMBRA" TALKING HEADS (1979)

“I Zimbra” is the record that launched the band’s exploration into new sounds and dimensions. It’s a portal to African popular music. And it showed us how you can take the continent’s textures and rhythms and weave them into new wave. Congas, djembes and surdos mixed freely with guitars, synthesizers and bass. At the same time, “I Zimbra” was a foreshadowing of the sound that would manifest itself in the landmark album Remain in Light.

“Gadji beri bimba clandridi. Lauli lonni cadori gadjam. A bim beri glassala glandride. E glassala tuffm I zimbra.”

"FEEL GOOD INC." GORILLAZ (2005)

Concept albums are a rare thing. Concept bands are even rarer. One of the most impressive musical evolutions in the last 25 years belongs to Blur frontman and Gorillaz co-founder Damon Albarn. When “Feel Good Inc.” came out, it went beyond the music and found a way to us through animated personas and a fictional universe. The images of four characters grabbed us. But none of this could’ve been pulled off without really good music.

“City's breaking down on a camel's back.”

"JUMPIN' JACK FLASH" THE ROLLING STONES (1969)

I probably can’t count the number of times this song lifted me up. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is a song of redemption. It’s the reset button. It’s about getting knocked on your ass and getting back up again. It’s uttered in Jagger’s snarl. It’s flowing in those sweet guitar riffs from Richards. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is a caffeinated jolt to your head. The kind of song that can help you get over a bad week or even a very bad year.

“I was schooled with a strap right across my back. But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas.”

"U-MASS" PIXIES (1991)

This is the song that recounts the hallowed academic grounds where Black Francis and Joey Santiago met. It’s not where The Pixies started, but there would also be no Pixies without U Mass. This is not the best Pixies song, but its opening guitar riff hooked me in on the first listen. And as Pixie fans know, all it takes is a single guitar riff or a signature howl from Francis to make us play these condensed rock songs over and over again.

“We' re not just kids to say the least.”

"TO BE ALONE WITH YOU" SUFJAN STEVENS (2004)

Much of Sufjan’s work gives us a glimpse into the places, the people and the ideologies that have helped shaped him. And in many ways, Seven Swans is his equivalent of Dylan’s Slow Train Coming, an exploration of his Christian faith and journey. The fourth track, “To Be Alone With You”, is a musical memoir sung and played for his maker. The beauty of it is in its vulnerability and in its minimalism. A stark acoustic guitar replaces Sufjan’s flair for the experimental.

“To be alone with me you went up on the tree.”

"REDEMPTION SONG" BOB MARLEY (1980)

This is still my favorite Bob Marley song of all time, and it’s considered by many critics to be one of the greatest songs by any artist. it was probably the most unlikeliest of his songs. More Bob Dylan than Bob Marley. Most of his recordings had the ability to transport us to Kingston. But “Redemption Song” liberated us. It was stripped of any accompanying instrumentation—not a hint of reggae in there. Just Marley’s beautiful vocals and his acoustic guitar.

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our mind.”

"SOUL FINGER" THE BAR-KAYS (1967)

If you’re an 80’s child, chances are you can’t think of Soviet missile control personnel parties without remembering this song. Spies Like Us’ unforgettable scene went back a couple of decades to uncover this instrumental soul fest. Overly simple and repetitious, “Soul Finger” checks two boxes for likeability. First, it’s infectious. The kind of song you can’t get out of your head even if you tried. Second, it’s nostalgiac, whether you grew up in the 60’s or in the 80’s.

"EMPIRE" OF MONSTERS AND MEN (2015)

Like many other OMAM songs, “Empire” straddles two musical worlds. In one world, it lives in the epic, in the cinematic. It seems like a perfect audio companion for forest strolls and mountain treks. But in another world, it’s the perfect campfire song. The kind where everyone joins in. With guitars, voices and anything you can bang on to get a rhythm fired up. Last year, I saw OMAM at Radio City Music Hall where they ushered us into both of these visceral experiences.

“From the rain comes a river. Running wild that will create. An empire for you.”

"FAKE PLASTIC TREES" RADIOHEAD (1995)

Radiohead hadn’t quite hit their experimental rock stride yet on The Bends, but their sound was already evolving substantially. “Fake Plastic Trees” stood out on an album full of the more abrasive guitar stuff. I think it’s perhaps one of rock & roll’s finest examples of a crescendo rise and fall. It’s Radiohead unlocking the ability to trigger multiple emotions in under five minutes. And it’s one of the finest tracks from one of the finest albums of the 90’s.

“A green plastic watering can for a fake Chinese rubber plant in the fake plastic earth that she bought from a rubber man in a town full of rubber plans.”

"AUTUMN IN NEW YORK" ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1957)

Crunchy, rustling leaves. Crisp, cool air. Fall has always been the season I enjoy most in NYC. The slow, peaceful weather traits are a perfect complement to the pace and energy of the city. Like many of their collaborations, Ella and Armstrong are also a perfect combination. In “Autumn in New York”, the duo took the jazz standard and created a timeless rendition that feels as current as the day it was recorded.

“Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds in canyons of steel. They're making me feel I'm home.”

"NARC" INTERPOL (2004)

Everything great about the early Interpol years came together nearly flawlessly on “NARC”. Kessler’s pointed and grating guitar strums. Paul Banks’ haunting baritone belting and echoing in space. And Carlos D and Sam Fogarino laying down a multi-rhythmic tapestry. It’s one of the underrated glue tracks on Antics. It’s powerful and magnetic in concert. And it’s still one of my all-time favorite Interpol anthems after all these years.

“You can see that the gazing eye won't lie.”