The first few posts of my countdown featured songs that, by happy accident, shared a common link. The top two on my list have probably the best connection of all. I'm not going to tell you what it is up front though, mostly because I am mean.
#2: Good Morning Captain - Slint
I could probably try to write some sort of grand piece tying together all of the reasons I like Slint's most famous song. However, I think it'll be easier to just list out all of the reasons and go from there. In no particular order:
1. It's probably the closest thing to a starting point of post-rock
As you may have noticed, a lot of the songs on this list fall under the large umbrella that is post-rock. Because of the wide range of sounds and styles classified as such, the designation of post-rock can often be a bit of a diagnosis of exclusion. That is, when the typical characteristics of rock are omitted, a band is usually considered post-rock. If we are to accept this as the general definition of the genre, then it seems ludicrous to say that a record from the early nineties was the beginning of the movement, as many, many rock musicians had been doing far more unconventional things for decades.
All that said, I still like to think of Slint as the forefathers of what we know as post-rock. It may not be evident at first listen, but many of the divergent bands that came to exist after Slint share at least part of what made Slint great. Godspeed You Black Emperor features a much more polished orchestration, but they build to swelling crescendos in much the same way. Tortoise is a much jazz-influenced ensemble, but they rely on many of the same odd rhythms and time signatures (of course, they also share a guitarist with Slint, too*). In my favorite connection, the #1 song described later in the post was originally titled "Slint" in a tribute to the band. As unassuming as Spiderland is, it set an example that many would go on to follow.
* David Pajo's career has been pretty fascinating. Not many can say they've been in as wide of a variety of bands as Slint, Tortoise, and Zwan.
2. It touches on one of the fundamental themes of music: Isolation
I've been developing a theory for a while now where there are ultimately two fundamental themes in art: togetherness and isolation. While these themes can obviously apply to the direct message of music itself, this dichotomy also works on another level: How one listens to music. Some music is meant to be enjoyed out loud in large crowds. Other music works best late at night with headphones. In both of these aspects, "Good Morning Captain" swings largely towards the isolation end of the spectrum. Not only does the allegory of The Captain lead beautifully into a naked scream of regret and solitude, but the subtle production of the song (static at the beginning, below the radar lyrics) suggest a removed optimal listening environment. Earlier in the series, I mentioned that Tool's "H." was my #1 in a previous countdown largely because of its ability to communicate this feeling well. "Good Morning Captain" passed that song on this newest incarnation of the list in part because of its ability to more fully embody isolationism.
3. It builds tension unlike (almost) any other song
There is great joy in being surprised by what is coming next in a song. Bands that can turn on a dime (Secret Chiefs 3 or Tortoise come to mind) keep the listeners attention like few others can. On the other hand, knowing what's coming can be great as well. Most quality big hits (like "Rolling in the Deep" or "Umbrella") stay close to the vest, but are still thrilling because of their perfect execution and keen eye for songwriting.
Songs that master either end of this spectrum can be fantastic, but the very best music generally strives for a balance between the two. "Good Morning Captain" follows a rather straightforward path through most of the song, but an existential sense of doom lurks underneath the story of The Captain. This balance creates a sense of tension, which is released perfectly with the wail of the closing section. Slint's other great song "Washer" also exhibits a fantastic ability to build tension (the false climax two-thirds of the way through is great), and features perhaps an even more cathartic release at the end. "Good Morning Captain," and all of Spiderland for that matter, is an important step in the history of rock music. But the main reason the song is so high on this list is because it is simply a great piece of music that uses the tools at its disposal for maximum effect.
#1: Like Herod - Mogwai
More than any other song, "Like Herod" speaks to what I like about music. It is loud, but it sets that up well with near-extreme silence. It takes its time going about its business, but still manages to accomplish a lot. It builds tension quite well, but also settles into a few predictable patterns (which help to make the surprising sections all the more surprising). It seems inaccessible at first, but then hooks you in with multiple listens. Finally, no song has snuck its way into my brain as often or in as many different ways as this one has.
"Like Herod" is not as obviously great nor as widely celebrated as many of other songs on my list, but I would argue that that is by design. Other songs from the same album (Mogwai Young Team) such as "Yes I am a Long Way from Home" or "Mogwai Fear Satan" tend more towards the chords and crescendos that tend to gain recognition. "Like Herod" is much more of the id of Mogwai's output in that it strips away most of the melody and progressions that most music espouses in favor of brutal transitions from uneasy quiet to the punishing "chorus." While one can view this as simply a great song, I think of it as much more than that. I view "Like Herod" as Mogwai's signal to the world (it's the second song on their first album) that music is more than that the boxes that we try to put it in. Considering just this song, (not even mentioning the rest of Mogwai's diverse output) the band shows just how unique and powerful a single piece can be. "Like Herod" is probably not the greatest song ever written, but it is great, and it helps to show just how wide and wonderful the world of music can be. Because of this, it's #1 on my list.
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