The Top 20 Songs About Love

Ahh, the love song. It's without a doubt the most common of all songs in popular music, and yet a good one can still feel fresh and poignant. That's because love is so complex that it can take on many forms. One love song could be about how blissful life is with your loved one at your side, another could be about how much pain and sorrow is involved in loving another person. The love song is so often defined as the former, with complete disregard to the latter. So today, I'm introducing a new series which will last the next four weeks. Every Friday, I'll reveal to you my Top 20 Songs About Love. Because there are so many love songs out there, I had to find some way to narrow it down. Therefore, only songs on my computer will be eligible. Granted, there are a lot on there (around 6,000 or so, I believe), so while not completely comprehensive, it's at least a good starting point. Here are songs 20-16:


#20: Tegan and Sara - "I Know, I Know, I Know" - This song was one of the few on "So Jealous" that toned down the fast-paced chick rock. It was all the more effective because of it. It tells the story of two lovers, one moving away and the other staying behind. Or at least that's how it's supposed to go. As they're driving to the one's new destination, one trys to convince the other to stick around and vice versa. They argue, cry, laugh, scream...and it's all out of love. The sisters sing, "The same as I love you, you'll always love me too. This love isn't good unless it's me and you." I'm down with that. This is a great song, and one of Tegan and Sara's best.


#19: Buddy Holly - "Everyday" - This is one of those carefree lovesongs, the kind that infect your soul and force you to inexplicably whistle it's tune to no end. Buddy Holly doesn't get as much love these days as he used to, but this song is one that everyone should listen to. It's not complex or deep, but a short, simple pop song. As such, it's one of the most enjoyable on this list, even if it is towards the bottom.

#18: Incubus - "I Miss You" - Before it was every 15-year-old girl's Myspace profile song, "I Miss You" was just a sidenote on Incubus' 1999 album, "Make Yourself." Then the band blew up, and before you know it, every dumb, aviator-wearing girl was blaring this out of their Mercury Cougars. Brandon Boyd is no lyrical genius, to be sure, and this song is evidence of that. However, he has never sounded more passionate or earnest than he does here. We all know what it's like to have someone we love leave for a prolonged period of time, and Boyd captures it almost perfectly here ("You have only been gone ten days, but already I'm wasting away"). In the end, it's an absolutely beautiful song; one that is universally relatable and timeless in it's presentation.


#17: Rilo Kiley - "Rest of My Life" - I believe it's safe to say that while many people heard Rilo Kiley's "Takeoffs and Landings," very few people paid much attention to this song. After all, it's been Jenny Lewis who has always had the spotlight pointed at her, so this short little song by Blake Sennett at the end of the album was rarely noted by critics or fans. Truth be told, I've always preferred Blake Sennett to Jenny Lewis, and this song is a large part of that. It's about being in love with someone that you can't have. Blake sings, "There are worse ways for a guy to spend his time than to sit and think of you. I think I'd marry you. Just your smile leaves me satisfied, though you're not mine. So for the rest of my life, I'm gonna search for someone just like you." It's an absolutelty heartbreaking song, but one of my favorite Rilo Kiley songs of all time. You should hear it.


#16: My Brightest Diamond - "Gone Away" - Like Incubus' "I Miss You," this song is about being in love with someone who has gone away. However, unlike that song, this one shows almost no hope of seeing that person again. Shara Worden sings, "You've gone away where there isn't a telephone wire, still I wait by the phone. You don't even write to say goodbye." I guess that really makes it a song about loving someone who doesn't love you anymore, and in that sense it's really one of the more depressing songs on the list. Still, you can't really go wrong having this song (or album, for that matter) on your iPod or computer. Sure, it may make you want to sit in a corner and cry, but that's part of what makes it a great love song.

Now for week two of this four-week series. In case you missed it, here's last week's list. This week's list contains some classic songs about love that even the old folks will enjoy (not to mention one or two that they used to stone people for). That's really all the introduction that I care to write, so let's get on with the list!

#15: Bright Eyes - "Kathy with a K's Song" - This seldom heard song by Conor Oberst has to be one of my favorites of his. Featured only on two EPs (one of which never saw the light of day in the US), the artist's assertion that "Love is real" is made all the more powerful by his trademarked half-crying, half-singing voice. Oberst sings, "Love is real. It is not just in long distance commercials" and by the end of the song he's screaming "I can hear it now" at the top of his lungs with every bit of humanity inside of him. It's a touching song, but one that's tough to listen to because of the raw earnesty that it presents. Still, if you've got 6 minutes to waste, you could spend it listening to something worse (like every other song on the EP, for example).

#14: Frankie Valli - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - This classic love song has been featured in just about every fictional love story caught on film that happened to take place in the 1960s. Of course, that type of movie isn't really my thing and it wasn't until I saw "10 Things I Hate About You" that I realized what an awesome song it was. And then a few years later I hear a version of the song that Muse did, and I finally fell in love with it. Unsurprisingly, the Muse cover is my favorite version of the song, but I have to give credit where credit's due. The fact of the matter is that the song may never have been a classic if it weren't for Frankie Valli. So for that, I commend him with the honor of being #14 on a list on some random blog. You're welcome!

#13: The Flamingos - "I Only Have Eyes For You" - Like the previous song, this one is featured in almost every romantic movie that was made before 1970. When you hear them singing "Are the stars out tonight? I don't know if it's cloudy or bright" the first thing that pops into your head is a sky blue Pontiac parked at make-out point. After that, one of two things happens. One, the couple make out, or two, they get murdered by some psycho with a machete. Maybe that's just what I think of. All that aside, you have to give it up to the Flamingos. This song is timeless, and just as cool today as it was back in 1959. Word.

#12: Eagles - "Wasted Time" - This classic song by Eagles was featured on the "Hotel California" EP. Of course with such awesome songs like the title track and "Life in the Fast Lane," it's often overlooked. Not by me. When I was younger my mother had a copy of this record, and I used to listen to this song over and over again. It deals with two ex-lovers, one of which is trying to make himself believe that all the time spent with the other wasn't wasted, but that it meant something. Of course, if the song itself doesn't get you all teary-eyed and emotional, then the string reprise that follows it sure will. It's one of the most under-appreciated Eagles songs of all time, and if you haven't heard it, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Hotel California." It's one of the greatest rock albums ever made anyways, so you really have nothing to lose.

#11: Sufjan Stevens - "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!" - Ahh, here we are back at the indie songs. Of course, when you think of indie love songs, you don't necessarily think of Sufjan Stevens singing about a wasp stinging his best friend. But wrapped up inside of all the typical Sufjan Stevens nonsense is a song about loving a friend. Sure, this isn't exactly romantic love, but it's still love. You're instantly captured as Sufjan reminisces about a time that his best friend was bit by a wasp while swimming. At the end of the song when he sings "My friend his gone. He ran away. I can tell you, I love him each day" it just breaks your heart because we all know what it's like to say goodbye to a friend you'll never see again. So what if it's not the standard boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl formula? It's an amazing song anyway, and one everyone should hear.
I'm absolutely crazy about lists for some strange reason. I'm like John Cusak in "High Fidelity" I'm so crazy about lists. In case you haven't been keeping up, for the last few weeks I've been counting down the top 20 songs about love (that I have on my computer). Each Friday, 5 new songs are revealed until I finally reveal them all. Here are songs 20-16 and here are songs 15-11, just in case you weren't already caught up. Here are songs 10-6.

#10: Loney, Dear - "I Will Call You Lover Again" - Emil Svanängen is a really, really fragile male, in case you didn't know. Practically every song on 2007's Loney, Noir is about him feeling inferior or awkward. This song is no different. It's about him essentially ruining a perfectly good romantic evening with his self-doubt and perceived inferiority. My favorite line in the entire song is where he sings "I'll steal your photographs just to know that I was actually not dreaming this time, that I was for real this time." It's not your typical love song, that's for sure. But it's honest and I totally relate to it.

#9: Stars - "What I'm Trying to Say" - Stars have this unbelievable ability to craft these amazing love songs. This is one of their best. It deals with a couple being in love but not wanting to say "I love you," either because it's too cliche or it doesn't fit them. The chorus is so catchy and true that you can't help but fall in love with it. They sing "I am trying to say what I want to say without having to say 'I love you!'" It's possibly the most genius chorus ever written in pop music, and shows just how talented the band is.

#8: The Postal Service - "Brand New Colony" - There's really no denying that Ben Gibbard is a brilliant lyricist, especially when the subject matter of the song is love. This song is proof of that brilliance. He begins by singing about all the things he'll be for his lover, all the different ways he would be a part of her life. He sings, "I'll be the platform shoes, undo what heredity's done to you. You won't have to strain to look into my eyes," and you just think "Wow, that was awesome." Later in the song when he fantasizes about leaving the world they and starting a brand new colony, just the two of them, it is perhaps the most perfect example of love and devotion that one could paint in a pop song. But this is Ben Gibbard, and it just comes with the territory.

#7: Muse - "Blackout" - When I was compiling this list and shortening it down to 20 songs, this was a song that I knew had to be up towards the top. It's one of the most sobering songs about love ever! It's definitely not one of Muse's more rockin' songs, but it's one of my favorites nonetheless. It deals with two young lovers coming to terms with the fact that their love will probably not last. Matt sings, "Don't kid yourself and don't fool yourself. This love's too good to last, and I'm too young to care." The lush string instrumentation really carries this song and makes it as haunting as it is. If you've never heard it, rush out and pick up a copy of Absolution. It's one of the best rock albums of the last decade anyway, so you really have nothing to lose.

#6: Stars - "In Our Bedroom, After the War" - What? Two Stars songs in the same list? That's right folks. This one comes courtesy of their new album of the same name. It's about two lovers living in a post-war world, acknowledging the fact that life isn't perfect and that some things aren't the way you want them to be, "But at least the war is over." Like "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead," Stars' best song, this one builds slowly from the beginning before erupting with strings and vocals crying "Up in our bedroom after the war!" I get goosebumps every time I hear it, it's so good. Granted, I'm not the biggest fan of the new album, but this is more than enough reason to give it a purchase. It's an absolutely beautiful song. One filled with hope and love, and one that's worth being on this list.


It may be a day later than usual, but this week's Top 5 will conclude my forgettable list of the top 20 songs about love (on my computer). You can find the other 15 songs on this list here. I now present to you the Top 5 Songs About Love!

#5: The Cardigans - "Lovefool" - It's really no secret that The Cardigans are one of my more guilty pleasures. Hell, a few months back I even crowned Nina Persson as my favorite female frontwoman! She beat out Jenny Lewis and Neko Case! But as good as Nina is, she's never been better than on the band's breakout 1990's pop song, "Lovefool." Nina's sugary vocals croon over the band's perfect arrangement, pleading, "Love me, love me! Say that you'll love me." Your heart would break if the song weren't so catchy and poppy, because at it's core, "Lovefool" is really a song about being madly in love with someone who doesn't love you anymore. Not really the type of song you typically sing along to wildly, but that's part of what makes it such a timeless song.

#4: Death Cab for Cutie - "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" - I'm still pissed that this lost the Grammy to "My Humps" by The Black-Eyed Peas, for Best Pop Songwriting no less!! But that is the type of world we live in, ladies and gentlemen; a world where Bin Gibbard, and already accomplished writer, writes his most poignant of love songs and it gets beat out by an ex-crack whore singing about her "lady lumps." The fact of the matter is that there are very few love songs, on or off my computer, that can compare to this gem. It's about loving a person so much, that when they die you'll have nothing left to do but die as well. Gibbard sings, "Love of mine, someday you will die but I'll be close behind. I'll follow you into the dark." He expresses his lack of confidence that heaven or hell will greet them, but knows that as long as they have each other in the afterlife, they'll be happy. It is one of the most selfless portraits of love ever created, and one that you'll remember for your entire life.

#3: The Wrens - "She Sends Kisses" - Honestly, I'm a little upset that more people don't know this song. Hopefully it's placement at #3 will encourage all of you to go download it or something. The song is uber-depressing. It tells the story of a guy who's just lost the love of his life, describing it as "ten tons against me." He spends his days looking at old photographs, listening to their favorite records, trying to replace her with other women ("I put your face on her all year"), but ultimately never forgetting the one that got away. That's probably her fault too though, she keeps writing him. And every time she writes he gets his hopes up, he starts remembering, but it never amounts to much. It's not a beautiful song by any means, but it's touching, brutally honest, and it rocks! This isn't so much a love song as it is a song that portrays love as is sometimes is; painful and depressing. But it is brilliant, and everyone needs to hear this one.

#2: The Dears - "22: The Death of All the Romance" - Of all the songs on this list, this is the only one that I can't analyze and tell you what it's about. I just don't know. I know it's a duet, and I know it deals with love and romance, but that's all I can decipher. Really though, is that such a bad thing? I mean, sometimes love is so complicated, so unexplainable that you just accept it for what it is and deal with it. The bottom line is, I may not know what this song is about specifically, but I know that is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and one of the best duets of the last 20 years. If that's not enough of a reason to listen to it, I don't know what is.

#1: The Postal Service - "Such Great Heights" - As I was compiling this list, this song kept moving up and down the list until I finally just decided to place it at number one. It's the third Ben Gibbard song on this list, and though not as well written as "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," it is a much better love song. Unlike so many love songs on this list, "Such Great Heights" is not drowning in melancholy or about a subject that is less than preferable. Like Buddy Holly's "Everyday," this is a song that's about the blissfulness that we all hope that love could be like. It's about being a perfect match for someone ("I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they are perfectly aligned"), missing them when they're gone, and loving every minute of when they're around. It is not the most realistic of love songs, to be sure, but it is everything that we all hope to one day attain. For that, "Such Great Heights" is not only perfect, but entirely worthy of the top spot on this list.

How to Submit Music to Audio Overflow

Whether you're a local band looking for some extra exposure or a record label trying to spread the word on your latest artist, Audio Overflow has got you covered! At Audio Overflow, we review pretty much everything that crosses our desk; the good, the bad, and the god-awful.

If you'd like to submit your music to Audio Overflow, please send us an email at audiooverflow@gmail.com. Within 6-8 hours you should receive a reply containing a mailing address which you can send all promotional materials to.

If you would like to send a link to music on the internet, we'll gladly give it a listen. However, we only review physical copies (i.e. CDs, Vinyl) of music at this point in time. Please include any information that you believe could be helpful when reviewing your music, including:

• Artist Name
• Member Names
• Album Name
• Artist History
• Instruments played, etc.

We cannot guarantee that we'll review everything that is sent our way, but out of appreciation of your support, we will definitely try our best.

Thank you for your interest in Audio Overflow. We look forward to hearing you.

--Cale
Audio Overflow

UPDATE:  Though we do not perform official reviews of audio files (i.e. MP3s), we do have a feature in which we spotlight unsigned or up and coming artists' myspace pages.  If you would like your page to be featured for our "myspace music monday" feature, please send us an email and we'll schedule you or your band in the next available spot.

Cale's Largely Forgettable Review of "Sonic and the Secret Rings"

Call me crazy, call me a fan of deep gameplay, but I've just never understood this whole Sonic the Hedgehog hullaballoo. Back when Sonic made his console debut in the early 90s he immediately separated himself from his biggest competitor, a chubby plumber, and in doing so, set himself apart as the "cool" console mascot. And cool he was. While Mario was busy breaking bricks and lollygagging his way through pipes, Sonic was flying through worlds with ease, doing all sorts of cool tricks in the process. However, what Mario lacked in "coolness" he always made up for with deep, addictive gameplay. Sonic was cool, yeah, but when it came down to the quality of the gaming experience, he just never could gain ground on that chubby guy.

This flaw of Sonic followed him into the 3D era as well. The arrival of the Sega Dreamcast brought Sonic fans the Sonic Adventure series, which often slowed down the speedy hedgehog in favor of more traditional 3D platforming. In a way, it worked. But this was Sonic, and you can't very well have Sonic and not have speed! So Sonic the Hedgehog has been in sort of a drought over the better part of a decade, trying his best to keep up in his old age. Often plagued by poor camera control and even poorer character control, Sega's mascot is no longer the poster child for "cool" gaming, but the perfect example of what a video game shouldn't be.

The light at the end of the tunnel for Sonic was supposed to be his latest adventure, Sonic and the Secret Rings, and at first look, it seems like a pretty solid idea. Bring Sonic back to his roots, make him fast, recreate the 2D Sonic experience in 3D. So the folks over at Sega have Sonic constantly moving in this game along a set path, the player steers him left and right by tilting the Wii remote accordingly. To jump, simply hit the 2 button. Shove the remote forward mid-air to perform a homing attack (a gesture that really feels quite solid).

So far so good. Sonic is once again running through worlds, collecting rings and other valuables while blasting into enemies. But then the core flaw of Sonic the Hedgehog once again becomes apparant. The gameplay is still pretty shallow. Sega has tried to paint over this problem by allowing Sonic to gain experience points throughout his adventure, making him faster, stronger, and more cocky. Still, this is 2007. Running fast and collecting rings may have been compelling, or jaw dropping in 1991, but we've come to expect more from our games nowadays, especially when they're platformers. Sadly, Sonic and the Secret Rings does not recreate the excitement and experience of the traditional Sonic game, nor does it create a new experience to get excited about. It's simply disappointing.

However, from a visual standpoint, Sonic and the Secret Rings does not disappoint. You won't find the benefits of high definition gaming as you would Sonic's other current-generation endeavors. But what Sonic and the Secret Rings lacks in polish and shine, it makes up for in beauty and detail. The worlds that Sonic speeds through are beautifully and meticulously created, often giving players something to gawk at when the game slows its pace occasionally. Having played Sonic the Hedgehog on Xbox 360, I can safely say that Sonic and the Secret Rings is a much more satisfying game where both visuals and gameplay are concerned.

In the end, the gamers will decide if Sonic and the Secret Rings is a hit or a miss. Sonic fans of old may enjoy the new twist on the old gameplay, but fans who never really latched on to the series will most likely be disappointed again. Is it the best 3D Sonic game? It really depends on what you're looking for. As a traditional 3D platformer it fails, but in recreating the 2D world of Sonic in 3D it at least comes close. Sonic may not be as cool as he used to be, but at least he's trying.

Halo DS? Apparently, it's a possibility.

Recently, IGN Wii Editor Matt Casamassina posted a blog entry that got everyone buzzing. In it, he talked about an early version of Halo that was in the works for the Nintendo DS. Far-fetched? Read on!

Once upon a time, a very smart publisher came up with a brilliant idea. It
contacted Microsoft and got the ball rolling on a very unlikely project: Halo
for Nintendo DS. Needless to say, there were many egos involved and
unfortunately because of some issues that I won't detail, the project was
eventually cancelled. But not before it was completely up and running and fully
playable. I know all his because I recently learned of the back-story and got a
chance to play a leaked build of Halo on DS for myself.

Above: a terrible mock-up of Halo on DS; the real thing actually doesn't
look much different.

Amazingly, the ill-fated DS version of the title plays remarkably well.
Think Metroid Prime Hunters but with a Halo facelift. I had the opportunity to
run through the beginning beach area and noted while playing that it looked like
Xbox Halo except on DS, it was running fast, and the control was responsive. The
trademark Halo music even played out of the tiny speakers of Nintendo's
handheld. It is really, truly a damned shame that certain publishers couldn't
make this happen because it would have undoubtedly been a huge hit and would
have only furthered the popularity of DS and the Halo franchise.

Now that DS is enjoying a clear lead over PSP and the Halo franchise is
bigger than ever, I'd like to see this game-that-could-have-been actually come
to exist on the retail market. It's too good of an idea and the execution is too
impressive to let it collect dust in the forgotten cabinet of a publisher's
vaporware library.

Would you buy Halo on DS?

Yes, Matt. Yes I would. And I know there are thousands...err...millions of people who would buy into that to. It makes sense from all circles. Nintendo could use a killer app like Halo to sell the DS to millions of gamers who may consider the DS to be subpar to the PSP (These are people who haven't actually played both systems. The DS is clearly superior.). Not only that, it'd be nothing but money for Microsoft. Sure, putting a Halo game on the Wii would lose them some money, but on a handheld they'd rake in the dough. Microsoft has already stated on numerous occasions that they are not working on a handheld console. And why would they? After seeing the graphically, functionally, superior PSP fall to the DS, why risk millions of dollars in an unconquerable market?

Simply put, Halo on the Nintendo DS would be good for Nintendo and good for Microsoft. Who knows what the deal is though? Microsoft has already allowed Age of Empires and MechAssault games on the DS, so Halo just seems right. Portable Halo multiplayer over Nintendo WiFi Connect? Yes, please.

Of course, the nerds have already started an online petition in an attempt to get Microsoft's attention. But come on, name one of those things that have ever worked. Until a miracle happens, looks like us DS owners are stuck with great games like New Super Mario Bros. and Elite Beat Agents. I think I can manage.

Cale's Largely Forgettable Review of "Gears of War"

Wow.

I have been playing console games since the 80s. With each new generation of systems, there is a game that will truly define the generation. Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario 64, Halo, Metal Gear Solid, and Splinter Cell all stand out as generation-defining games. Up until this point, the new generation of games has not differed too much from the previous one. Aside from extra sparkle and polish, no game released this generation has changed the way we look at and play games.

Until now.

For fans of shooters, both first-person and third-person, Gears of War is a must own game! Fans of tactical shooters like Ghost Recon or Socom will fall in love with the cover system in Gears of War. Though not as complex as those games (you only have to press A), the cover system in Gears of War feels incredibly intuitive and you'll find yourself a pro at the mechanics in just a matter of minutes. This is great, because Gears wastes no time throwing you into the action of the game. It starts of strong and never slows down, and never feels dull. Never. Additionally, the level design in Gears of War is designed to take full advantage of the cover system, while maintaining the realistic feel of the landscape and architechture.

For fans of "more run-and gun" Halo-esque shooters, Gears of War does not disappoint here either. As I already stated, the action in Gears is non-stop, so you won't find any moments where you're begging for more action. In fact, I've found that some points in Gears of War are so intense that it's literally tough to handle. One scene in particular where your character is forced to defeat a huge, blind enemy had my heart pounding like no other game has ever done before! I cannot recall a time where I have actually screamed in a game, but this definitely did it for me.

The Berserker will own your soul...and scare the balls out of you!

Overall, the game is a rather pleasant mixture of both the run-and-gun and more tactical shooters. It plays out flawlessly. If you're looking for a killer multiplayer experience on Xbox Live, Gears of War is possibly the strongest game available on the service as of right now. Players have the option of playing a ranked game, or an unranked game and there are 3 main types of gameplay. There is no respawning in matches, so when you are dead, you are dead. But the round system and 8-player limit gets you right back into the action in no time.

My only complaint with multiplayer is that if you're new to the game, you will find it increasingly difficult to jump into a game with people of the same skill level. Unlike the matchmaking system in Halo 2, if you are brand new to the game, you may very well be put up against people who are the best players in the world, without warning or acknowledgement. In other words, you won't stand a chance. There is a huge learning curve for multiplayer, so don't be surprised if you wind up getting booted out of several matches by the host due to your skill level. More consideration by the developers would have greatly benefitted the less skilled gamers out there. Hopefully, this will be addressed in further Gears of War titles.

Graphically speaking, Gears of War is the most visually impressive game ever seen on a home console, bar none. It's easy to get caught up in the action in Gears, but if you ever get a chance, take the time to look around the environment and see the amazing job that Epic did in creating this game. The level of detail in every square inch of the playing field and beyond is simply breathtaking. Spot on character models and fairly decent voice acting rounds out what is simply one of the best shooters ever created and by far the best game to be released on a next-gen console thus far.

The detail in the level design will distract you from whooping up on locusts!

Gears of War is definitely not for everyone. The gore and violence in this game are through the roof, and the gameplay can be intense beyond belief. However, if you're a fan of shooters, you simply cannot pass up this marvel of a game. Gears of War is definitely one of the best games of 2006 and the first game to set itself apart from the rest of the pack in this console generation. Check it out!