1. MAdE - "Half An Hour"
MAdE (yes, it's stylized as such) were a Canadian band from Toronto that formed in the early 90's. They gained a substantial following doing the club circuit in Toronto and had a record deal with Universal which saw their major label debut Bedazzler released in 1997. Not much else has been heard from their camp since then, but rumours are abound that a revival is in the works
2. Mudmen - "5 O'Clock"
Before Sandy and Robby Campbell decided to form a band they worked with bricklayers and mixed mortar, cement and mud for a living. When it became time to name their Celtic-inspired rock group, the term Mudmen seemed appropriate.
3. Matchbox Twenty - "3am"
Got some alliteration happening here it seems. Florida band Matchbox Twenty (for some reason they changed it to the spelled out version of 20) made a tempest-like splash on the music scene when their album Yourself Or Someone Like You was released in 1996. Spawning 4 major hits, out of which "3am" got the most attention. Rob Thomas and the boys are still active today, but have yet to recapture the appeal that their first album came with.
4. Our Lady Peace - "4AM"
Our Lady Peace's second album Clumsy was a monumental achievement for the group. The maturation of lyrics and songwriting is evident on all songs. The vocals and drums are on full display on Clumsy, both elements would be jarring on any other recording but OLP found a way to use them in a way that compliment the songs perfectly. It can be argued that this song's title is not a reference to the time of day, but rather singer Raine Maida's father Anthony (For Anthony Maida) but it's left open to interpretation.
5. Chicago - "25 Or 6 To 4"
Before a huge shift in style and content in the 80's Chicago was one of the more innovative rock groups of the 60's and 70's. Using big band ideals and multiple vocalists and musicians in their songs made Chicago stand out in the crowd and grow a worldwide fanbase. Sadly group turmoil and the death of their guitar player in the late 70's saw a change in the band's dynamics and they would focus on more commercially appealing music and power ballads. The title of "25 or 6 to 4" is often debated but the usual and simplest explanation is that it was written at 3:35 or 3:36 am, hence "25 or 6 to 4"
6. Iron Maiden - "2 Minutes To Midnight"
One of Iron Maiden's biggest hits and most well known songs is "2 Minutes To Midnight". Bruce Dickinson said it was written about the Doomsday Clock that was often referenced during the Cold War and the threat of a nuclear attack. It touches on humanities dual fear and fascination with such an event
7. Michael Franti & Spearhead - "11:59" feat. Sonna Rele
Michael Franti and his group Spearhead are an American hip-hop group known for fusing their music with elements of ska, punk, rock and most notably reggae. Franti himself is a large advocate for peace and outspoken about many social justice issues. He explains that this song is about enjoying every second we have on Earth and to use the time we do have to fight for what we believe in.
8. Incubus - "11am"
Perhaps my favourite album by Incubus is Morning View released back in 2001. The album was written in a beach-side house that the band had rented and many of the songs have a slower, easy-going vibe to them, such as "11am". There are some moments of all out heavy aggression but for the most part it's a great album to put on while you're lying in a hammock or just staring up at the stars on a warm summer night.
9. K'naan - "Take A Minute"
I like that we're on this vibe of peaceful, chill out and socially conscious songs. I guess alot of those songs have time frame themes because this world can't go on forever unless we all learn to coexist and love one another. K'naan is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper and songwriter, who is probably known best for his song "Wavin' Flag" which was used as a theme song during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
10. Fallout Boy - "7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)"
Let's end with a more upbeat song. A good one to be used as an alarm to go off every morning, ripping you from a peaceful dream. I haven't really understood nor enjoyed anything Fallout Boy has done since their 2005 album From Under The Cork Tree, but that album and 2003's Take This To Your Grave has many memorable moments and great pop-punk, dare i say, emo tracks. Sadly I just feel since then they've been riding the success and intrigue of "Sugar, We're Going Down" and haven't been coming up with anything groundbreaking or interesting since.
Hopefully i'll have TIME to update more often.
Get me some requests for lists and i'll have some more inspiration for 'em!
JZ
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