On to the Next One

Okay. So, as mentioned a few blogs back, I purchased some stuff from GCR. What did I purchase? Why, the 2004 effort from Last Conservative, On to the Next One, that's what! Why did I get this one? Well, because I'd been wanting it for a while (not quite the five years it's been out, but long enough), yet I'd just... Never had gotten it, y'all know? And, get this, it came with a sample of Klear's work, so... Two-fer-One! Woot.

Y'all know what this means! Time for another one of Jess' dirt cheap, .02 reviews!


Artist: Last Conservative
Album: On to the Next One
Released: 2004
All right. Very quickly, LC is an alt-rock band out of Buffalo, signed to GCR. Basically, they're one of Takac's babies. Their frontman, TJ, from what I've heard, is charismatic and quite a prolific songwriter. And, fun fact: ex-Gooey sideclowns and the one and only Miyoko are guest musicians on this disc.

So, without further adieu, LC's OttNO...

Song One: On to the Next One
Alright, so we're starting out with the title track? I can dig it. Rough, loud guitars, and a little scream? Cool start, and then it all drifts when the vocals kick in. Oooh, and what nice vocals... It's pained enough, but not weak... It's strongly vulnerable! (Shush, I know I'm throwing out contradictions...) I really like this song - it's a fantastic opener. My slight complaint is that... There seems to be these extra little... Sound effects that seem just a wee-bit distracting. But, it's all good, because this is great. If the rest of the album's like this, I'm gonna be very happy.
4/5

Song Two: Can't Get Away From You
Okay, the topic's tried and true - thematically, there's nothing new here, but in the delivery of said theme, there's some lyrical diamonds. And, this is probably gonna be an ongoing thing with this band... Awesome, soul-felt lyrics... Delivered from a talented and earnest song-writer, built up with good pop rock music... (Gee... Sounds like another Buffalonian band....) This song's pop-ier, but it's definitely hooky and catchy.
3/5

Song Three: Over My Head
This song is also called 'Come On'.... Okay, smart-ass-ness aside... Like the previous, we're continuing more into straight-up pop territory, and it's just as catchy, if not catchier... But, the lyrics are a bit meh. He seems to string along a few cliches, but it still somehow works. I know, I can't explain it... Shush. I just dig it. The music's awesome, and the little effect on his voice half-way through is just enough bite for this sugar-sweet song.
3/5

Song Four: FourFive
Okay, and we're rocking again! Yay. Okay, this one just rocks. I mean, that's really the only way I can put it. Sorry I'm being vague on this one.
4/5

Song Five: Anything But Goodbye
I'm sort of liking the keyboards... Oh, they go quickly, okay. His vocals sound a little clearer on this one... And... I really like it. I like the balance between good 'ol pop rock and... Pop... There's... ... There's an all-over-the-place feel to it, but IN A GOOD WAY. Like... there's... So much going on, but...Each and every little musical element shines through... I guess that's good mixing? (Remember, I'm a music-retard.)
5/5

Song Six: Hope and Pray
Once again.... Just more rock. ....It's that.... Fast/slow style the Dolls do so well, and these guys do it well, too. One again, lots of different noises coming into play, but each having their chance to shine... God...
Okay. BRUTAL HONESTY TIME. ....Every time I want to bitch about the possibility that this seems overproduced.... The mixing's awesomeness shuts me up. Amazing...
Oh, and despite what I just said.... Cool echoing.
4/5

Song Seven: Car Alarm
....starts off with a car beeping. Alright. Clever. But, then, thankfully, it drops the gimmicks and just ROCKS. Once again... It's all I can say, unless I just start repeating what I've been saying: his kickass voice, the great mixing, etc... Well, I can say that I think I've found a favorite song. :-)
5/5

Song Eight: Come Down
.............
I was wondering if there'd be a ballad on here, and sure enough, burried between massive amounts of ROCK, here it is.
And, it's impressive. (or I'm just a sucker for men that scream... or write about darkness/light metaphors.)
5/5

Song Nine: Keep Your Promises
Their music's really kick ass.... Sorry, just felt like reminding all of y'all of that.
Hmmm.... I really, really like the sound of this one... A whole lot.
That voice I'm really starting to love is a little drowned out on this one, but... Yet again.... Despite the loudness... I can hear it ALL, so clearly... WHO MIXED THIS?!
Oh, fuck me....
Um... Well, GOOD JOB, ROBBY! Mixing is fantastic....
Anyway..... *blink*
Uh... Where was I?
Oh, right..... Um, scratch what I said earlier.... THIS is my favorite.
5/5, easily.

Song Ten: Hey Hey
....Cover of a Neil Young song?.....
Nope.
Okay, well..... Let's see: A song about the effects of love... That sounds like a perfect pop summer song: a lot of fun, and very single-ish.
3/5

Song Eleven: Irish
.............................................................................................
I just don't like this one. Sorry, LC.....
1/5

Song Twelve: I Know You Know I Know
(or IKYKIK -prounounced: Icky Kick, hihi)
Yeah, this is much better than Irish... Awesome lyrics this time around, perhaps more metaphorical than the rest of the album, and he sounds just as good as ever, and IT ROCKS! like the rest of the album... Another solid song.
4/5

Song Thirteen: Mary
Alright. Last song... How's it gonna go down?
Static? Okay.... I get it, this band and their producer (oh....fuck, same Doll.) like sound effects. Okay. A little like EC does, too... I can finally go along with it and stop twitching. Congrats, y'all've won me over....
OH SHIT, THERE'S STRINGS.
aaaaand, I'm done for.
....Omg... So many different sounds... I swear I hear accordion and ... Some sort of brass, too. Well, rock on... It SO WORKS.
Man, this would be a great encore song.
5/5

....While I was listening to this, I was half-assed talking to another Goober, and we both had the same wondering: could you tell if something was produced by Rzez vs. Tak, and... Yeah, I think it could be differentiated, possibly pretty easily. I'm not sure why I'm bringing this up, but, there ya go.

Anyway... This album got better as it went on, except for the minor mistep toward the end with Irish. It's a great pop rock effort, and I can see it being my new driving cd when I'm going back and forth between H-Ville and H-Town. I'm diggin'.

And, I was going to review the Klear sampler, but I'll save that for later... Don't wanna burn through all my new music in one week, y'all know?
the kings and the queens are all powerless now

There's New Music Amoung Us

Okay, so school's back in session, but there really ain't much to say, you know? I won't start being in the classroom at H-Ville HS (Go Hornets!) until the 26th, thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. day. I haven't had my Texas Crossroads course with Young yet, that's Thursday night. Art's going to be the first fourth of my Honors Seminar, and my books were frickin' cheap compared to last semester, and that's really about all there is for that topic.

So, here's the real point.

Actually, wait, before I dive into the meat of this post... Everclear has a new single! It's on my sidebar, Jesus Was a Democrat. And, it's typical hard pop/angry pop, with all the EC trappings I've come to endear over the years. (How many years? A LOT OF YEARS... As in 14 years, which, consequently, brings about the point that they were, in fact, my Number One first, before a certain trio from B_Lo...) You can download it for free over at their website. Hopefully this means that 2009 will bring new music from BOTH them and the Dolls.

Moving on... Not like it's any real news or anything, but each third of 2/3 of the Dolls has a side-project. Malinin has 40 Marshas, this really interesting, eclectic experimental take on spoken word and musical expression. On the other hand, Takac has amungus, this electronica/techno pop-ish take on clubby music. Neither musical act could be further from the Dolls. (Which makes me wonder, but that's another rant for another day...)

So, being the Goober that I am... I purchased amungus' ep, the truth is..., with some Christmas money. (Yeah, I'm late to the dance party, I know...) And, see, here's the thing... I highly doubt I'd enjoy 40 Marshas' work. Nothing against Malinin, of course, but... I just have a feeling it's a SERIOUS acquired taste, you know? But, the thing is, even though I enjoy techno/dance/trance music, and I'd already heard three of amungus' pieces, I was still concerned about them, too. I mean, what if it sucked? I'd just have to sigh and be, like, "Awww, Robby, hunny... You and Brian tried! Now, go back and play bass s'more," I guess, right? But, if it was awesome... Would I end up being all, "Robby! This is kickass. You and Brian need to make more now!!!! Screw that Dolls album that's in the works; just let John finish it!" (All right, you got me... I'd never be like *that*.)

In the end, I decided to just clear my head of my preconceptions, and go into the album with a clear head and as little expectations as possible, thinking, for a second there, that I probably would have liked the last Dolls album a LOT more if I'd done the same... And, you know what? It totally paid off.

amungus is an interesting and alluring marriage of thought and creative expression between Takac and web design company SlenderFungus' founder, Brian Schulmeister. SF seems to have been handling the visual aspect of the Dolls' web-presence since, I'd say, the GF days, so perhaps that's how Takac and Schulmeister met. I don't know, and it doesn't matter. All that matters is the SOLID, KICKASS MUSIC they've made. Seriously. The music they've written is overall hooky, pop beats; infectuous and energizing. The lyrics, which they have writing credits for (at LEAST they do on all songs, with one or more others helping) are straightforward, but still pack emotion in their simplicity.

Of course, the emotion in question is Love. It's either long-distance love, empty sexualized love, love that's evolving, or, just the plain 'ol catch-all of Love fluorishing or in trouble. Simply? It's an album about love that doesn't suck. (Yeah. I went there.)

Bad Kitty - Prrrrr! Rawwwr! Hissss!!! [and more kitty-cat noises here]. And, man, what a way this is to start out an album. It's sexy. It's hip. It's awesome.

Green Tea - My favorite, right here. The beat of it is just... Man, I wanna strip down and shake my ass. For serious (but I won't, b/c no one wants to see that).

Search Your Soul - I HAVE MY THEORIES ABOUT THIS. But, I won't bore anyone with 'em. This is another favorite, right here. It's pop. It's catchy. The message is great. IT'S A DUET! And we all know how much I love those... It just rocks. I could really hear this one on the radio.

Man Up - Nikki Hicks has a hell of a voice. This proves it; this, being a song about a man who needs to get off the fence and MARRY his (assumed) long-term girlfriend.

Serious Chemistry - You ever been trollin' through MySpace of Facebook, see that one pic of that one hot dude? Started talking to him, and found out that, hey, y'all actually click? Well, apparently so has the heroine of this song, more or less. It's still a song about love.

Broken Love - I also have my theories about this one, too, but that's for another day... My third favorite, right here. It's just refreshing to hear the word 'concubines' in a song. Plus, the idea of love being, well, fixable is endearing. If two people are really meant to be together, then they will be, blahblahblah.

Untouchable - Just a cool groove. And, no, this is not Cuz You're Gone II.

And the DC Mix of Man Up is cool, but... Well, it's not the highlight of this ep.

love lasts forever, like, infinite

Frontmen, man.

Ok, so, I figure, what the hell, right? We did this Inspirational Robby Pullstring Doll thing, Erica, and me, and Sam, too... And, I figure... Why not do a set of phrases for a John Doll, too? Yeah? I mean, Robby does his own.....

Ugh.

Takac does his own thing so much, I doubt he'd need Rzeznik's help with it, and if my memory serves... Rzeznik once pretty much said he makes an effort NOT to say anything when Takac comes to him with a song... So, this sort of idea is REALLY ridiculous, but... Screw it, why not?

Therefore, I (proudly?) present my list of Ten Things a Rzeznik Pullstring Doll would say to Takac, in no particular order, and with no particular purpose.

1. Damn it, this is our dream, and it can't happen without you here! So... Yeah, you know.
2. You know, even when no one else seems to be... I'm always listening.
3. I *want* to come see Amungus, I really do... I promise I'll make it to the next show!
4. I wish I could be more like you sometimes. ....All outgoing... Infectuous... Everyone loves you, you know.
5. I am so... Proud of our studio. I always knew we'd make good parents. *pause* HEY, STOP GIGGLING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
6. You're right. If we could survive the guyliner phase, we CAN do anything... Though, you looked sort of handsome... Well, not handsome... You... Uhm... YOU'D STILL MAKE AN UGLY WOMAN! ...Yeah.
7. What?! You're in shape! Round is a shape.
8. Ok, I know this is gonna sound weird, but I was thinking that maybe, next time, we could sing together... Sound good?
9. I'm sorry.
10. You're the brother I never wanted, but the one I've always needed.

Well, these all sound bromance-y enough, so I think my work is done. (funny how most of these turn upon validations of worth.)

a thousand other boys could never reach you, how could I have been the one?

Year End Wrap-Ups: Music

Okay, so Christmas is over. It was great. I had a blast with my family, and I got what I wanted. I hope everyone else had a happy, loving time. And, news flash, I'm not going to Odessa. My mom finally made her decision, listened to me, and said we'd go next year after I graduate. So, this time next year, I'll be hanging out in the big O-D.

So, tonight we watched The Dark Knight. We rented it from Blockbuster, because I'm stubborn and I refuse to buy it now, and miss out when some awesome Collector's Edition of the Trilogy comes out in three-four years from now. I missed out on LOTR, PotC, X-Files, and Millennium because I was impatient. Not this time, dammit. I will stick by my guns! (Although, damn... Tonight, I believe, was my 8th viewing of TDK and it's STILL a great movie, and Dudley loved it. It was his first time to see it. He liked it so much, in fact, that he said he's see it in theatres if the rumor that they're re-releasing it is true.)

Speaking of TDK, the Golden Globe nominees for this year have been released, and Ledger is up for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Film. I think it's fantastic he got a nomination, and I hope he wins. Though, if he does, I hope it's for the right reason.

Back to Christmas for a second. I got a digital camera, and I love it so much. So much. So, if anyone wants any, there'll be pictur- Oh, wait, no one wants any? All right, rock on.

Since I'm not going to Odessa, tomorrow mom and Dudley and I are going to see The Day the Earth Stood Still. And, before I leave, Mom and I are gonna see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. And, when I go see Dad next week (Tuesday night), we're going to see Valkyrie, which, sadly, seems to be getting mediocre reviews so far. Oh, well.

And, while we're on the subject of reviews... I guess it's time for me to start weighing-in on 2008. Not from a personal standpoint, mind you, but from an entertainment stance. I mean, NOW is the time most people start making those 10 Best lists...

So, I'll finish this post with a truncated rant about music: Simply, I really didn't listen to all that much this year. Being in H-Ville, I'm cut-off from radio, which is my main source of music. MTV has sucked for years, and half the time that I'm up late enough to watch music videos on VH1, I'm finishing an assignment, or they're playing some lame singer-songwriter bullshit. On-line? I listen to Pandora, which I've sadly tailored to the point where I hear the same bands over and over.

So, what does all this boil down to? It means that I've been happily stuck in my musical corner this year, like I was last year. Like I'll be until I move back to H-Town permanently. In my corner, I just paid attention to what I'm used to, my normal bands. So... Here's what I loved and didn't quite love so much about this year in my music:

• First off, of course, is Goo Goo Dolls. Their Greatest Hits: Volume Two came out this Summer, and it was fantastic. My only slight beef was that it didn't have quite the video content that the band wanted on there, but that was probably due to legal issues, so it's not their fault, and not really a fault of the album. This issue of legality and copyright, somehow, is probably the reason why my favorite cover, Nothing Can Change You, wasn't included, either. Regardless, the collection is worth it for *any* fan, die-hard or casual.
• Keane had a new album, called Perfect Symmetry, and it was their Viva la Vida. It was the representation of a new musical direction for the band. Sadly, though, unlike Coldplay's VlV, I don't think it was well-received in the U.S. It may have been better-received in their native country, the U.K., and I hope it was, but I don't know. I liked it a lot. I'm not sure where'd I rank it in comparison to the rest of their catalogue, but I know I liked it. In fact, I'm still using it in my car.
• Since I've already used it in an analogy... Coldplay came out with Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends this year. As already alluded to, it was Coldplay's most adventurous and experimental album to date. I loved it. In fact, I think there's only one and half songs off of it that I didn't like, and that's good for me and them. I won't be surprised if they sweep the Grammys.
• Augustana had Can't Love, Can't Hurt this year. Overall, I'd say it's a solid sophomore effort. Probably, thought I'd have to listen to both to be sure, but... I think I'd say it's a better album than their first. Sweet and Low is a great song, and it should have done better, I think, as a single. (In personal news... I've had, like, three chances in the last two years to see them, and I've missed it each time... Grrrr.)
• Even though I've only heard the one single, Dancer, I'm sure The Killers' new album is amazing. They're always reliable for good music.
• Sarah McLachlan also released a Greatest Hits compilation this year. I got it, since I've lost all my albums of hers. I'm happy with the compilation. It's all her hits, so how could I not be? Well, I do wish she had made an excecutive decision and put Fear on it... Oh, and I can honestly say that, unless you're a die-hard McLachlan fan, the deluxe version isn't worth it. Sorry, Sarah.
• Even though it came out in 2007, I just got Emerson Hart's solo album, Cigarettes and Gasoline. He was the lead singer of Tonic, but they split up, and now he's doing his own thing. It's good, if a little on the country-side in places, but I would have to say that, overall, I think I prefer Tonic's work over his solo effort. Green Hills Race for California, however, is a damn good song.
• Supposed to have come out in 2007, but released this year was Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows. To be Gooey for a second... This was the Crows' LLI. No, it wasn't filled to the brim with saccharine-sweet ballads, but it was under-whleming. However, compared to a lot of what comes out lately that falls into the same generalized category of pop-rock, BOTH ALBUMS are good. BUT!! Compared separately to the rest of their respective bands' catalogues... Meh, not anything amazing, on either account. However, two songs on SNaSM really stand out to me: 1492 and Cowboys. Give those a chance, and the rest of the dichotic album might grow on you, slowly.
• One last compilation, and this one's from my #2 band, Everclear. They released, back in April, their collection of covers, called The Vegas Years. The only one I didn't enjoy was their cover of Neil Young's Pocahontas. I just don't think it was a good song for them to cover. However, the Speed Racer theme and Tom Petty's American Girl were both fantastic. Plus, from a Gooey standpoint, it was interesting to hear another band, my #2 no less, cover American Girl. Apparently, and I wouldn't know this of course, EC's been using it to close their live-shows since, like, 2004. Anyways, it's a must-have for any die-hard EC fan. God knows I had mine when it came out.
• Last is my rave for Panic at the Disco's sophomore album, Pretty. Odd. It's absolutely amazing compared to their debut, and I loved their debut. This is just better, because it proves, in my opinion, that they're more than a flash-in-the-pan, that they have staying-power, and that's hard to come by in this day and age. Even if you didn't like their first album, I recommend this one, at least to listen to 30-second previews before you make your decision.

Looking ahead to 2009: Silversun Pickups is supposed to drop their sophomore effort, Wikipedia already has info up about a supposed April-release for Lifehouse, which I'm really not all that excited about (unless Bryce really is going to sing on this one...), rumor has it that Aerosmith will drop something, which means they'll tour; maybe EC will have an album of NEW material, since 2006 was their last release of original work; it's been confirmed that Starsailor's dropping their fourth album in March, and, last but certainly not least... Goo Goo Dolls are rumored to have a new album next year, which I think won't drop until 2010, but that's just my pessimism.

(Last-minute/final note: Amungus released an album, but I have not yet got it.)

that's what we learned about flyin'

Greatness of Goo

So, like a moron, I gave this stupid assignment to my Goo friends, asking them to make a list of the Ten Songs they would have a casual/non-fan listen to in order to try and convince them of the Dolls' greatness. Basically, to prove how kickass they are, which Ten Songs, from your own personal collection, would you use? And, I gave this to them, thinking, for a second there, that I'd somehow escape having to do it myself, since I'm usually much more interested in others' opinions than my own.

But, no. Here I am, and here's the list, in no order whatsoever. (Mind you, I did this while listening to anything BUT the Dolls... I figured that the songs that I could clearly think about were probably the ones I felt showcased them the best) And, here we go...

Black Balloon - Okay, we all knew this song would make my list. Is really anyone surprised? No? I didn't think so. I would say "favoritism aside," but this has EVERYTHING to do with favoritism, because this song must have been my favorite for ten years for a reason. And, I think I know why.
See, we've been studying Whitman a lot this semester, which is fine with me, and lately it's hit me how similar I think Rzeznik and Whitman are. They're both artistic bards, struggling with the crowd and isolation at the same time. With both often preoccupied, or inspired, with the singular, Whitman's poetry and Rzeznik's songs end up written in such a way that the universal takes hold. As much as I poke fun at Rzeznik for his "vague" lyrics, I know it's truly a gift he has and uses to bring us all closer, further into that tiny little space he, or his hauntings, occupy. It's a beautiful thing, and I think it's done exceptionally well and beatifully with Black Balloon.
We all know it's about Tammy, Takac's ex-wife, so the root of the song, and the instances within, are either true or closely based-on fact. Regardless of that preciseness, Rzeznik still manages to tackle the universal, and craft a semi-personal tragedy into what, I think, is one of their greatest love songs. That's his lyrical gift, I'd say.
So, to wrap it up, because goddamn, I cannot write this much about each of the Ten songs, Black Balloon is on my list because I think it's their best love-song and is one of the best representations of Rzeznik's particular lyrical-style, amongst the more generality that's it's just a good song.

So Far Away (instrumental) - I think, as far as Gooey instrumentals go, this is the best (with Kevin's Song and String of Lies (instrumental) not too far behind). In fact, this song has two sets of lyrics: what's heard on the album (ie.: SFA) and a demo-rarity, Dancing in Your Blood, and I sometimes wish that they would have chosen DiYB, but that's beside the point... The point is, they liked this music so much, instead of starting over, they tried like hell to write lyrics for it, and we know how much Rzeznik bitches about lyric-writing... Anyhow, just to show off the band's kickass music, I would use this selection. And, that's all there really is to say about this one.

Here Is Gone (acoustic) - To tone it down, get the amps off of 11, and go all acoustic and intimate, hands-down, the HiG acoustic is the top choice. For starters, the plugged-in album version of this song is fantastic: in fact, HiG is one of those Goo singles that probably should have done better (and, maybe Gutterflower would have done better, and LLI would have never happened, or would have been different, at least...). And the song just gets even better when the electricity's zapped off. The powerful lyrics burn through on the raspy and torn wings of Rzeznik's vocal chords, and you can hear his heart bleeding, as yours will, too, by the end.

I Don't Wanna Know (Fleetwood Mac cover) - While not my favorite cover (that goes to Nothing Can Change You and/or Don't Fear the Reaper), this is on the list because of what Rzeznik and co. did to make it so awesome. Essentially, they re-wrote the song. Fleetwood's version, no offense, is border-line cheesy, in the vein of Captain and Tennille. The Dolls took it and changed it into an amazing alt rock song that should have got radioplay when it was tacked-on to that tribute album. In short: they Gooified it.

Broadway (Live) - Let me set the record straight, I don't like the album version of this song. I never have, and I probably never will. That said, even when I'm not at an actual concert, and I just have this song pop up on my Winamp's shuffle, I'm IMMEDIATELY THERE, with the Dolls, in the front row, cheering and rocking out. And, it doesn't matter which concert it's from, either. It could be a Broadway from a '99 concert, or one from '07, and it'd STILL be amazing. Time does not damage the live performances of this song, which is a blessing not all of the Dolls' songs have been fortunate enough to receive (*cough*: Iris). This song is just perfect to showcase how the Dolls are, contrary to popular myth, one of America's best rock bands.

We'll Be Here When You're Gone (remix) - OMG, something from LLI (sort of) makes the list?!, you ask. Shut up, I reply. *smirk* This is on the list because of its epic trancey beauty, and because it shows a whole other side of Goo that was barely hinted at with the GF gem, Truth is a Whisper. In fact, if they decided to go all Silversun Pickups/Interpol/Keane/The Cure-ish on us, and get all electronicy, I'd be totally cool with it. But, anyway, this makes the list because it shows, and shows very well, yet another side of this multi-faceted band; and, not only that, but I think it also proves the Dolls' staying power -- evidence of their ability to constantly re-invent and evolve and mature as a band.

Lucky Star - I'm sure you were wondering when I'd get to Takac. Well, here we are. God, I don't know where to start... All right, I'll sum it up for you. This song is Takac's Black Balloon. Lyrically, it's absolutely Takac's best song. And, just like Black Balloon, it's a love song, but in only the way Takac could write one. It showcases his polar-opposite style, how he's buried in the speficifics, and leaves the universals to Rzeznik.
Besides developing the (delicious) way they complement each other, the lyrics still carry feeling. Maybe you don't weep like you do when you hear Iris or Become, but you're heartless if your ears don't perk up at least a little on the "But I remember" line -- the raw emotion in Takac's voice is unavoidable.
The music is up to par against (but not necessarily better than) anything else of Takac's: rockier and punkier, overall, when compared to Rzeznik's stuff (especially the recent stuff), so it's really the whole package that puts this song on the list. And, as a final note, I'll eat my hat when Takac tops this song.

String of Lies - Here's, possibly, the surpise! entry. Why? Because, when I first thought about this list, and I thought about which duet I would use (and there's not very many to choose from), my knee-jerk choice was Tell Me (Something I Don't Know), a demo-rarity. Then I thought of this, and then I thought of Hey. So, I pulled them all out and listened to them, and decided on this one.
I chose this one because of a number of reasons:
First, I wanted to shine a light on the core of the band; Rzeznik and Takac, their chemistry and talent wonderfully blended together, which is what the band is, despite how the equality has shifted from Takac, to the two, to Rzeznik, over their 20+ years together. (Also, if I'm trying to impress a casual or non-fan, I'd like to point out that the Dolls are, actually, a dual-singer band, which is often by-passed as of late...)
Second, musically this is a great alt rock song: I think one of their best. It's powerful and it makes you just want to rock along. (Be careful playing it in the car, you might get pulled over for speeding...) The guitar solo in it shows off Rzeznik's skills, while the overall song (which is SO CLEARLY Takac-ish, and almost makes me wonder if he wrote the majority of the music and then opened the rest up to Rzeznik) is just a fantasic representation of the blending of their punk roots with their alt rock styaing power.
Third, the lyrics seem born from something specific (Takacism) but in the end, reach out to a universal (Rzeznikism) theme of mistrust plagueing a relationship. Maybe Rzeznik and Laurie had a fight, or maybe Takac's letting off steam regarding the faltering friendship between Rzeznik and Tutuska ("always compromise..."). I have no idea. Either way, these are their best duet-lyrics. You can even note how it seems highly particular who sings which line (ie: it's not a simple trade-off, Rzeznik sings line 1, Takac sings line 2, rinse and repeat). Some serious thought went into this one.
Overall, SoL is their best duet, and maybe their best song, holistically. It shows off both singers' voices and musical talents (the overall song and the solo). It presents both their lyric-styles. It, even, highlights a key theme of a number of their songs. It embraces their punkier roots and anticipates their current pop rock ways.
And, in short, it embodies the heart of this band: the two of them, and how perfectly they work together.

Big Machine - This makes the list because, until I'm proven wrong with the new album, this is the best rock song, courtesy of Rzeznik, of the Dolls' modern era (and this list, I know, has been somewhat in-balanced as far as time is concerned). It's adult pop rock at its finest, really. The sound is huge, but not overwhelming, and the lyrics are accessible. It's just a great rock package, and I wanted something to showcase their modern pop rock sound. (Long Way Down, Lazy Eye were considered, until I made this decision; which then lead to thoughts of What A Scene, Dizzy, this one, and Stay With You).

Tucked Away - And, we'll put this list to bed with, what I think is, Takac's best modern era song. And while we're thinking about the now; if Big Machine is Rzeznik's best, then this is Takac's, and funny how they both come from GF. The music is powerful, especially the driving beat, and emotion just oozes from Takac's vocals, and maybe that's because this is another song supposedly about Tammy. Regardless, the song is simply kickass, and proves, like Big Machine, that there's rock and passion still there, beneath the adult rock ballads.

And, there you have it. (be sure to click song titles to download the song)
Am I heart-broken that this list isn't 50/50 between the two? A little, but, let's face it... If you're trying to hook someone on Goo, which means they'll jump on the fan bandwagon NOW, why have a Takac-heavy list? The equality has shifted, for whatever reason, as of late... It's just how they do things. Same goes for having nothing on there prior to SSCW. It's just not representative of the band they are now, and I'm cool with it.

Oh, and there's this for a laugh: The Dolls supposedly need a bail-out.

and all the stars you see are on dirty sidewalks