Top 250: #51 - #60

60. Dayvan Cowboy, by Boards of Canada
(The Campfire Headphase, 2005)
Back in 2005, Dayvan Cowboy was selected as the track for which Boards of Canada's first ever music video was created. That is it, embedded above. One of the Scottish brothers' best and grandiose compositions has been a long time favorite of ours, and it still plays occasionally. This is the third appearance for Boards of Canada on the list, following Julie and Candy (#168) and Satellite Anthem Icarus. One more appearance is likely, because we still haven't listed the most impressive track from their masterpiece The Campfire Headphase.

59. Where Am I Going, by Manfred Mann Chapter Three
(Manfred Mann Chapter Three, 1969)
The oldest track in the entire Top 250 and the only one to originate from the sixties is Where Am I Going by Manfred Mann Chapter Three. During the seventies, Mann would go on to become famous heading his Earth Band, but we don't think he ever quite surpassed this early masterpiece he made with Chapter Three. We are in a particularly reflective mood here; the slow song sounds like mellow jazz and has surprisingly existential lyrics considering its place on a pop album. It's like the last slow piece of the night, inviting people to one last dance before the smoke stained night club closes its doors.

58. Tender Claim, by Nosound
(A Sense of Loss, 2009)
The Italian group Nosound's Tender Claim represents to us just about the best and most beautiful contemporary art rock there is. A Sense of Loss, out almost precisely five years ago, is a bit uneven but luckily contains such pinnacles as this song and Constant Contrast (#211). On this album, as well as on its predecessor Lightdark (2008), Giancarlo Erra's talent for composing beautiful, ethereal melodies shines and elevates these two the best recordings they have released - Lightdark possibly the true pinnacle. The finale of Tender Claim is arguably the high point for the group so far.

57. Rose, by A Perfect Circle
(Mer de Noms, 2000)
Even this far up on the list, there are still artists that appear on it for the very first time. (In fact, we could reveal already that even Top 3 contains a certain artist's one and only track on the list!) A Perfect Circle released this outstanding experimental / progressive metal track back in 2000. As most readers probably know, the singer here is Maynard James Keenan, even better known as the vocalist for one of our favorites Tool. Mer de Noms was the first album of this supergroup featuring also other musicians from other bands.

56. Parade, by Yasushi Yoshida
(Secret Figure, 2006)
Here, however, comes yet another repeat offender. For Japanese composer Yasushi Yoshida, this is already the fourth appearance on the list. Two of the previous tracks were from his debut album Secret Figure which now offers us yet another soothing and pleasant moment of peaceful instrumental music. Parade is a longer, separate track from Parade (For Closure, #149). In fact, For Closure appears first on the album, as a kind of a prologue to this Parade. It takes you to a wonderfully calm and lovely place - just close your eyes and relax.

55. Once Again, I Revert to That Perspective, by Maju
(Maju-2, 2000)
The second Japanese artist in a row, Maju has already appeared on the list once, with I Drew a Final Breath in the Dream (#106) from this very same album. The electronic music group from Tokyo, led by Hosomi Sakana, has released five full length albums. Of them, the second one that came out in 2000 seems to be our biggest favorite. That said, our number one favorite individual track in their output is from one of the other albums and might well appear further up on the list... Once Again, I Revert to That Perspective is a magical, atmospheric masterpiece of electronic music.

54. Dear Dead Days, by Frost*
(Experiments in Mass Appeal, 2008)
Following the previous track by Frost* that appeared on the list, Toys (#63), Dear Dead Days marks an abrupt change from light entertainment to heavyweight art. Everything about this song is to be taken seriously: the seething, almost unpleasant lyrics about unthinkable conditions in a sick family unit, to the outstanding, even aggressive symphonic / neo-prog composition bordering on genuine hard rock and even carrying faint traces of heavy metal. It is serious songs like this that truly prove that, within its chosen field, Frost* is a force to be reckoned with.

53. October Language, by Belong
(October Language, 2006)
October Language is an awesome instrumental track from an album carrying the same title, recorded and released by New Orleans experimental musicians Turk Dietrich and Michael Jones in February 2006. The duo call themselves Belong and have released only one full length album since, in 2011, in addition to three EP releases. In October Language, they are treading a fine line between post rock and ambient - in much the same way as fellow Americans Caspian or Explosions in the Sky - and do it with undeniable style. We don't really care much about the rest of the album but its title track is pure genius.

52. A Given Right, by Engineers
(Folly, 2004)
This is it: the genesis of Engineers. Their first published recording containing more than just a couple of songs was not a full length self titled debut album that came out in 2005, but an EP called Folly, out a full decade ago - 27 September 2004, to be precise. Prior to it, they had released two singles but this collection contained six songs, so it was like half an album. A Given Right is the opening track, their first true masterpiece. First, there is a quieter sequence that introduces us to the song, then a massive wall of sound with no lyrics; something the group has always done well. Then, the quieter sequence is repeated. Fade out. Enter goosebumps.

51. Insurgentes, by Steven Wilson
(Insurgentes, 2008)
For the second time in a row, we close our blog entry with something taken from Steven Wilson's debut album. Last time, we listed its opening track Harmony Korine (#61); now, it is time to discuss its closing track (or, if you own the Deluxe Version, the last track of Disc 1). The title track brings the album to its peaceful conclusion which is a relief following the aggressively noisy Get All You Deserve that precedes it. Mr. Wilson sings most of the song backed with only a piano, until near the end a moody acoustic guitar is added to the mix. The result is simply brilliant. We can guarantee that Steven Wilson will be back further up on the list.