David Ames' Monday Music Motivation

Every Monday, David Ames will let a machine decide what we listen to, as he hits shuffle on his iPod and writes about the first five tracks he hears. No matter what they are...

Total Songs on iPod: 10,375

1. A Perfect Circle – “The Outsider (Resident Renholder Mix)”

Track 3 on Resident Evil: Apocalypse: Official Movie Soundtrack (2004)



A Perfect Circle is one of those bands that I seem to enjoy the more I get older. I loved Tool when I was in high school and liked APC, but as I’ve gotten older my allegiance has shifted somewhat. This song was originally released in a much less industrial version on Thirteenth Step, their sophomore album, but I’m glad it was this version from Resident Evil: Apocalypse that showed up. It takes the anger and melancholy of the original and magnifies it to a higher level.

2. Snow White’s Poison Bite – “Will You Meet Me In the Graveyard”

Track 4 on Featuring: Dr. Gruesome and the Gruesome Gory Horror Show (2013)



Let me first say that this band is someone I have never really heard of. They wound up on my iPod because they were on a compilation I picked up at Warped Tour this past year. They appear to be a Punk Pop version of My Chemical Romance minus the musical skill. They aren’t necessarily bad and in fact, I didn’t hate the song. It was just nothing incredibly special. I think I would have enjoyed them more had I not watched the music video because all I could think was that it looked like a Hot Topic commercial. Give it a listen if you are a fan of the scene. You won’t find anything brand new but it is still a great addition to the genre.

3. Glassjaw – Siberian Kiss

Track 2 on Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence (2000)



Glassjaw was introduced to me when ShoutWeb, the alternative music review website for unknown bands, was in its infancy. I immediately bought their first album, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence, and was not disappointed. This song starts out like a punch to the gut, all sound and screaming, followed by incoherent yelling. Still, their post-hardcore genius bleeds through when Daryl Palumbo starts singing and the music turns into a more traditional chorus. His voice is so incredibly recognizable (and brilliant live). This is a great song to get started with Glassjaw although I may start somewhere else in their catalog if you want an easy access introduction.

4. I, the Breather – Empathy

Track 8 on These Are My Sins (2010)



I, the Breather has been on my list of bands to watch ever since I saw their first video for “Forgiven.” They are the perfect band when you just want to rage. Incidentally, they are also a Christian band but one cannot tell directly from the outset as ITB follows in the footsteps of bands like August Burns Red. They groove hard and their music is as heavy as it is aggressive. This song, however, is a lovely instrumental piece that bridges two songs together on the album. It is beautiful and haunting and sounds poignant. It is short but it is still a great listen.

5. Balmorhea – To the Order of the Night

Track 1 on Constellations (2010)



Oh my, what a perfect song to end this list on. I accidentally stumbled onto Balmorhea when I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole while listening to Clint Mansell. They have quickly become one of my favorite groups. All instrumental, this mix of drums, strings, guitar, and banjo really bring a sense of Irish/Appalachian charm to their music. If I had the choice, they would work with Clint Mansell and score my life. This song is the opening track on their amazing album Constellations and deserves to be listened to in a dark room with a single candle lit.









Images - Amazon