The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #18

#18. Little Hurt - Alaska


Little Hurt is the solo project of former The Mowgli's singer Colin Dieden. You might remember The Mowgli's landing at #13 way back in 2013 with their hit "San Francisco", which ended up easily being the biggest hit of their career. Last year Dieden took up the moniker "Little Hurt" as an old nickname; an homage to Frank Thomas, aka the "Big Hurt". He's released 5 songs so far under the new solo project, most of which revolve around mental health challenges. "My Head Hurts", "It's Ok Not To Be Ok", etc. It seems to be the trend in popular music, but honestly that's what life is doing right now, right? For what its worth, all of the songs are pretty good, if not overwhelmingly cheesy. But then, that's what The Mowgli's did well, so we shouldn't be surprised.

I have to say - "Alaska" is the most Vampire Weekend song I've ever heard that Ezra Koenig didn't record. Silly, poignant lyrics, silly little guitar, hand claps and keys. The lyrics speak of someone who is just trying to get away from everything, and even though he hates the snow, he has to get as far away from everything as possible. I'm pretty sure we can all relate, right? The video is amusing, with a little cardboard cutout of Dieden dancing around his new city. For only being released midway through the year, the song has cobbled together over 3m streams.



Favorite Line: "Eating ice cream in my bed, I guess the problem is I don't really give a shit"








Title: Alaska
Artist: Little Hurt
Album: Alaska single

Previous #18s
2019: James Truslow - Overwhelmed
2018: The Raquels - Just A Txt
2017: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Fire Escape
2016: House of Heroes - In The End
2015: New Found Glory - Selfless
2014: Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better
2013: Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier
2012: Santigold - Disparate Youth
2011: House of Heroes - Galveston
2010: Rammstein - Fruhling in Paris
2009: Sick Puppies - I Hate You

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #19

 #19. The Broken Relics - Goodbye Tennessee


It's always nice to welcome a band back to the Top 20 Countdown, I just didn't expect it to be a band that was featured last year, at #2 no less! The Broken Relics are out first local entry, with the band hailing equally from Columbus and Youngstown. After putting out their debut EP last spring, they immediately got back to writing and had had multiple new songs popping up at their shows at the end of the year. I've followed them closely since we first met, and have heard at least 5 or 6 of the new songs they're putting together for a TBD released debut LP. I'm not just saying this as a fan of the band, but I absolutely know that this LP will be even bigger than their first effort, and cannot wait until the band shares the music with the rest of the world.

"Goodbye Tennessee" marked the end of their time recording the EP, which they put together while in Nashville. I've often heard the band speak fondly about their time there, and the song embodies the country-rock feel of the area. It is unique in its slower tempo but also in the fact that lead guitarist Zach Warmouth sings lead on the 2nd verse. It was that part that caught me when I first listened to the track, but the entire song just has a wonderfully melancholy feel to it. It definitely doesn't fit with the previous EP or the newer material I've heard, but it still stands as a solid song showing expert musicianship between the quartet. The song also has a respectable 4k streams on Spotify.


Favorite Line: "I hope you'll understand, I'm just a man, you know"











Title: Goodbye Tennessee
Artist: The Broken Relics
Album: Goodbye Tennessee single



Previous #19s
2019: Sigrid - Sucker Punch
2018: Rick Springfield - In The Land of the Blind
2017: The Head and the Heart - Rhythm & Blues
2016: Metric - The Shade
2015: The Frozen Ocean - Kerosene
2014: Destiny Potato - Take A Picture
2013: Relient K - PTL
2012: Silversun Pickups - Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)
2011: The Knux - Razorblade
2010: Demon Hunter - Collapsing (ft Bjorn Strid)
2009: Parachute - She Is Love

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #20

 #20. Seether - Dangerous

Seether has been kicking around the modern rock charts for the past 18 years, pumping out hit single after hit single, and remaining fairly consistent in sound and lyrical ability. To their credit, they've had a #1 US Mainstream Rock hit on each of their albums, and although they're 13 years removed from their last gold record, they  manage to stay relevant in a genre that has been overtaken by an entirely different sound and style. Much of what they do is centered around the angsty voice of lead singer Shaun Morgan, which has always had a gritty feel to it that matches their sound. Indeed, their record new Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum has had an even edgier sound than their last release Poison the Parish and hearkens back to their glory days of Disclaimer and Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. Other jams I enjoyed from this record include "Beg" and "Bruised and Bloodied".

In spite of the fact that they've never graced the Countdown (or really gotten terribly close), they've always been a band I enjoyed. "Dangerous" is an intriguing track due to the fact that it opens with a bass guitar line, rather than their usual crunchy guitar sound. The song ramps up quickly once the chorus drops, and although it doesn't feel like a typical Seether song, it worms its way into your mind and takes root. It seemed like any time I scrolled past our local rock station, this song would come on within a few minutes and I'd be nodding along. The video is an animated take on Little Red Riding Hood, where the protagonist ends up being a vampire. They actually shot a couple of animated videos for the record - pretty cool stuff. "Dangerous" racked up over 5.5m streams on Spotify, while the video has an additional 2m views.

Favorite Line: "We all must subdue and suspend belief that this gets better"






Title: Dangerous
 Artist: Seether
Album: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum



Previous #20s
2019: Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
2018: Ghost - Dance Macabre
2017: Liam Gallagher - Wall of Glass
2016: Safemode - Hold On
2015: Florence and the Machine - Ship to Wreck
2014: I, The Breather - Swine:Cult (ft Ricky Armellino)
2013: Grouplove - Ways To Go
2012: Reptar - Stuck in My Id
2011: Avril Lavigne - What The Hell
2010: Dark Tranquility - The Fatalist
2009: Collective Soul - Staring Down