101 Songs of My Third Year (Part 10)

We're finally at the final 10! At last! What to expect? It's yours to unfold. Well, you really have to listen. You may find these songs nice and put it in your cellphones—ahem—smartphones. So why don't you give them a try?

Let's unfold these remarkable songs I listened at third year.

10. "You got to push, got to shove"

Life On The Nickel|Foster The People

Yeah yeah yeah. We have FTP again...or FTPs. Anyway, aside from the unique electronic and pop-ish sound of FTP, the words of "Hustling", a.k.a. "Life On The Nickel", is relative to how my day to day life turned out before.

For me, the word hustling is like working in the wee hours of the night and staying awake like an insomniac. Working here, working there.

I also like the pumped-up live version.

9. "But then I act like I know everything"

Broken Jaw|Foster The People

Yeah yeah...A slow progression followed by a DJ-like upbeat tempo. That's how I'll describe "Broken Jaw".

8. "Your social guides give you swollen eyes /But what I've got can't be bought"

Call It What You Want|Foster The People

Yeah. 3 songs in a row from FTP. Because they're really the band that I can relate myself to.

Here, we have a classic piano riff combined with things electro. Also, we hear what it conveys. And what it conveys to me is something I can grasp at an instant.

Otis(autistic). Serious. Demure. Formal. Whatever. Call me what you want. What's important is that I am being myself and not "themselves".

7. "Most nights I don't know anymore"

Some Nights|Fun.

It's a cry that I'll cry aloud. It's a battle hymn I'll hum.

Coming from their second album, "Some Nights" reveals a more powerful power pop that's really fun.'s.

Look at it. Some nights. And it's true. Some nights I stay up late in the dark. And some nights I think that life's so uncertain.

6. "And I'll kneel down/Know my ground"

I Will Wait|Mumford and Sons

A very energetic folk rock song from an emerging band named Mumford and Sons.

It's unusual for me to see orchestrated guitars, banjo, bass, piano, and even membranophones...until I saw Mumford and Sons on Late Show with David Letterman. So great. Harmonic vocals and heartwarming words summed up into 3 words: I will wait.

I will wait for the completion of third year, I thought. I will wait for the completion of my academic life. I will wait for the fulfillment of my dreams. I will wait for love (I don't even have time to think of that in the meantime). Seriously. Everything is settled in God's timetable.

5. "There's been a lot of talk of love/But that don't amount to nothing"

Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It|Stars

The first song I've ever heard from Stars, thanks to Jam 88.3. A very heartfelt and heartwarming song colored with synthesizer lines and New Wave-ish guitars and drums.

It's true. It's a lesson I've learned and even learning—so far. Give without asking back. Accept when you're given. How simple to read, but how challenging to do.

4. "If you're lost and alone/Or you're sinking like a stone."

Carry On|Fun.

A lever that will wake you up and push you through. It's an encouragement brought to you by fun.

No matter how hard life is, we have to carry on. We have to go on and go forward with God's help.

Power pop again...From a piano line to a pulsating interference of beats and rock sounds.

3. "I played soldier, you played king"

Burn It Down|Linkin Park

"Burn It Down", one of LP's current singles, is the most electrifying among the tracks in their latest album Living Things. More of synths, and more of LP's energy.

And more of LP's meaningful words. And I've sensed that I can relate to this one.

Like a wave, we're brought up, then we learn that we're being put down. We're lifted up, then in time we're down below.

2. "...Ayoko maging robot"

Otomatik|Pedicab

The band's recent single, which also introduced me to the band. Not only do I like the homegrown electronic sound made by the 5-piece band of a guitar, a professional drums, a bass synth, a touch-here-touch-there effects, and a different kind of vocals.

I also like the the content of it: the reality that we tend to burn out and still working on something. It's such a burden, because we're humans. Not robots. Therefore, we have limitations, and we hope that we will take a break from this daily routine of work and being restless.

I can't afford being stressed for a long time, and how stressful the last school year has been!

1. "Do you need you take my youth to.."

Turn It Well|Up Dharma Down

And finally, we have reached #1...with Up Dharma Down's "Turn It Well", out from their currently released album Capacities.

It is the song that rekindled my awareness about UDD. A great and harmonious combination of 80's-like keyboard sounds, drum-pad-played loops, good guitars, and a sweet voice.

Also, "Turn It Well" is a nice reminder for all of us to take a break from our busyness and get relaxed for some time. I refer this thought to the title of the song.


And here it goes..My 101 songs in third year. It's been a hard series to work on because I lost the time to consequently post part after part. Finally, it's done. I hope you've found something new to listen out of all these songs.

Let's keep the music going.

101 Songs of My Third Year (Part 6)

We're finally halfway through the 101 Songs of My Third Year. So many songs that it took a list as long as this.

I hope you'll find something new here to listen and like.

What to expect? Linkin Park. Muse. Indie bands like Two Door Cinema Club and Foster The People. Then local rappers like Loonie and Gloc 9.

But also, with these songs come the words they convey that a teenager like me can relate to.

Just check it out!



50. "All I want to do is be more like me and be less like you"

Numb|Linkin Park

Actually, I have heard of Linkin Park since elementary years. My siblings are fans of the band, and I'm becoming one too. 

Numb. So true. I can relate to the lyrics directly since I have become tired of the expectations of and the pressures by some people around me. Because I'm who I am, and I want to become more of that.

I felt like I'm screaming this song out. Like I'm shouting it to all the burdens I had. 

49. "You hid there last time, you know we're gonna find you"

Undercover Martyn|Two Door Cinema Club

Another good song from a band most of you might not know yet, indie for short.

Unearthed from radio from a band that has one of the coolest long names. A good blend of guitars and space-like synths.

When I found out that "it's sort of a made up story [about] a guy who's scared to do something, but he knows he has to go and do it and it will pay off in the end", I can agree to it. I found myself that way before.

48. "I've found myself against all the odds again"

Chin Song For The Unsuspecting Hero|Foster The People

Foster The People, at last. This song, from one of the indie bands that helped me appreciate modern music more, is so close to me. 

A wonderfully-written song of a gloomy mood. To me, it speaks of yearning, of desperation, of being devastated. I can instantly relate to it because of having slept for long times, wondering that friends "have gone", saying out things to God, and being at the odds.

But again, I could use some cheering up. Hero? Unsuspecting hero? I don't assume to be. 

But we can be.

47. "You're just crushing me down, crushing me down, crushing me down" 

Warrior|Mark Foster, Kimbra, and A-Trak

Here's a collaboration between Foster The People's frontman, singer Kimbra (who made a duet with Gotye for Somebody That I Used To Know), and DJ A-Trak. This one was shared by the blogger in earthingsblog.wordpress.com (the blog is nice anyway, check it out!).

And the song does sound like Foster's band. Splendidly composed, perfectly mixed.

Warrior. I'm thinking/imagining like that. Someone battling life and whatever it throws in. By that I'm reminded that there shouldn't be anything that tries to push and crash me down to stop me. I have to learn to be a warrior(of my own right).

46. "Marami pang pagkakataon ang nasa 'yong harapan"

Bakit Hindi|Gloc 9 feat. Billy Crawford

Another inspiring song from one of Pinoy music's finest artists, and also a creative poet, Gloc 9.

Saw it on the music channel, and I found it good to listen to, especially when—again—I'm on the hard times.

But that's true. We aren't perfect. We're working, doing, and sometimes we fail. But that shouldn't stop us. This one is another pat in my back, telling me to keep on dreaming, and believing. Why not?

45. "Just some scars from a life that used to trouble me"

Sight of The Sun|fun.

A special track from the power pop band, which was heard—again—on the radio. So simple, yet so brilliant. It seems like it was just dawn, and the sun's just shining.

44. "And now I have finally seen the light"

Madness|Muse

Haay. Madness. Most of us may have gone to that, or maybe just few. 

But this one's notable. Being aware of the band, and their album, The 2nd Law, I have stumbled upon this electronica-inspired and club-sounding single. There's still rock coming from rocking guitar riffs. And the vocals, I feel like it's close to heart, and coming from it.

43. "It's better just to stay in bed. Didn't want to fail myself again"

Save Me|Gotye

Have you ever felt like that? Feeling like you want to stay in your comfort zone, or simply in your bed? Feeling fed up of failing many times? I've felt that way.

Hoping to be saved from all the things that drowning you deep? I felt that way too.

I found out this single from the musician who created one of the songs that you know and maybe sing along, what else but "Somebody That I Used To Know". I found this when I was channel surfing, and I stopped into a Chinese version of Channel [V]. I heard an English voice, plus some rippling tunes, and saw a nice art on the music video. 

It appeared to be this.

That just made me think of something, though not much connected to the song, and I want to share it to you. 

Jesus saved me, and He can save you too. Save you from being fallen. Just believe and receive.

Hopefully, we'll talk more about that soon. 

42. "Kung wala ka pang mali wala ka pang nagagawa"

Tao Lang|Loonie feat. Quest

We're going to hip-hop and rap again with this track with realistic lyrics, coming from Loonie, one of the prominent rappers from the famous hip-hop battle here, Fliptop. Also with Quest, who was featured in the previous list.

The lyrics is direct as well as true. Because the truth is we are all human. We have slipped for a lot of times, but we do learn from them. Therefore, we should understand each other, as well as forgive each other. 

Also, please, don't pressure us.

41. "All along the western front. People line up to receive"

Electric Feel|MGMT

I've spotted this out from another blog. MGMT's mix of psychedelic and synthetic sounds engaged my ears, and it just fit well.

Their sound, their persona, and even their artwork, all in all, are colorful.


For your information, this long list will run with 4 more posts..More to come, more to find out, and more to listen. I hope you like today's list.

Thanks for checking this out!