Threefor

I am slightly obsessed with sequencing when it comes to albums. I think (foolishly, probably) which songs are first, fifth, last, etc. is very important. It's probably because I am neurotic.

I twittered that Wolf Parade's epic three-way of "Shine A Light", "Dear Sons and Daughters..." and "I'll Believe in Anything" is the best three songs in a row of the past *span of time*. That is what spawned this list.

The one rule: the three-span has to surpass the overall goodness of the album. I don't care if *album X* has ten great songs and you pick three in a row. In the Wolf Parade example, I believe those three songs destroy the rest of the (fucking great) album.

That's it. In most albums you'll find great songs are rarely three in a row. Smart artists will spread them out, with average to below-average songs in between. It's the smart move. So when there are three in a row, giving my skipping thumb a much needed rest, it's great.

Here are some I've found in my iTunes.

Blood Brothers - Young Machetes - "Set Fire to the Face on Fire", "We Ride Skeletal Lightning" and "Laser Life"

I've been listening to these crazy bastards a lot lately (for some reason, incoherent screaming and squealing guitars makes for awesome basketball music) and found out the three openers off their 2006 album are 500% better than the rest of the album. Luckily for them, they rode that momentum wave to create a solid album. Still, nothing beats those three.


Fuck, I miss music videos

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago - "The Wolves (Act I and II)", "Blindsided" and "Creature Fear"

On the complete opposite end of the sonic spectrum from the Blood Bros., Bon Iver's heartbreaking '07 album is full of wonderful, slow-building folk songs. And while only nine tracks, he constructed the album like a baseball lineup, with the 4-5-6 hitters (of course, stand out "Skinny Love" is third. I am pretty sure Mr. Iver is a baseball fan) being the big boppers. Well done sir.

Fucked Up - Hidden World - "Crusades," David Comes to Life" and "Invisible Leader"

If you like hard rock/punk/hardcore/anything with guitars and yelling go out and buy/steal/burn/torrent this album. It's one of the best punk albums of the past five years. It's so good, it actually has two spans of three spectacular songs. Here -- again, the first three songs -- Fucked Up flex their "punk with brains" muscles. "Crusades" is a seven-minute anthem that people probably would have bashed each other's skulls in to in 1987. And "Invisible Leader" has some of the most insane and awesome lyrics I've heard in any song: Rip the flesh with the gnashing teeth / Search the insides of the dying beast / From the book of Enoch / To the Bible codes / We'll spend our final days still looking for that gold.

What?!?!


Not for the audio, as much for the 300+ pound bear yelling

Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances - "Upon Viewing...", "Titus Andronicus" and "No Future"

Similar to Fucked Up, I have no idea what this band is talking about most of the time. There's some Camus in there (like actual excerpts from The Stranger). There's some Seinfeld references. Whatever. One thing I do know is they sure know how to construct a rock song. The 5-6-7 on this nine-tracker are the best, with the self-titled anthem sandwiched between two sprawling, weird-yet-great songs. They may scream pretension, but damn if I care when the songs are this good.


Again, I really miss actual MTV

Jay Reatard - Blood Visions - "Oh It's Such a Shame," "Not A Substitute" and "Nightmares"

It just wouldn't be right of me to not include the man I am listening to on constant rotation in this list. I happen to think Blood Visions is a fantastic album. But if I were to sell some on Jay, it would be, without a doubt, these three. Clocking in at just over five minute total, these three tracks embody everything I (and every American music fan should) love about Jay Reatard. Fury. Cleverness. Truth. Seriously, I want him to be mainstream popular. And I am not just being an indie asshole (even though that's what one would say).


Just spend 20 minutes with the man and get a good cross-section of his tunes. Oh, and he's a genius.