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 9)

Please bear with me. This list runs for almost 7 months! I missed updating this 101 songs because—guess what—I'm busy doing what has to be done this 4th year. I told it on my past post.

But speaking of school...We're already down to the top 20 songs of my third year. These songs are pieces and parts of my past school year. These songs were the songs I got to listen to most of the time.

For this part, we have a new band to be featured—a distinctive band in the Philippines named Up Dharma Down. Also expect some Linkin Park, M83, FTP, and James Blake.

Don't know them yet? Know them here.

20. "Can you feel the rush rush?"

Davenport|Never The Strangers

At 20 we have a synth-filled, dramatic song of Never The Strangers. I don't really know why this is entitled "Davenport". It is either a place or the type of sofa.

But what I liked in this track is that it speaks of going away and being away, and it is spoken thoroughly. 

19. "Iindak na lamang ba sa tibok ng puso mo/At aasahan ko/Hindi mo lamang aapakan ang aking mga paa"

Indak|Up Dharma Down

I really like Up Dharma Down. I like their sound and the sweet vocals of Armi Millare, as well as the lyrics that are poetic and impressive.

This one, written in Filipino, amazes me. The piano notes, and that electronically produced beat before the refrain, and those remarkable lyrics. Wow!

For your information, the song tells me of dance, first of all. Then, it speaks of a person's confusion on who to dance with, on who will she choose. 

It tells me that this person isn't sure of what her decision will be, but she'll choose. And she'll dance, while someone is watching...While someone is sad.

Since it's "Indak", it'll be nice to be played at prom.

Actually, there's an album version of this song, but the one featured here is the first one I've heard, and I like it better.

18. "Nalilito na ako hindi na dapat gan'to"

Sana|Up Dharma Down

Yes. It's UDD again. It's another Filipino song worth hearing. 

From the beating intro to the video game-inspired music video, it's awesome. Here, we get to hear Armi's magnificent vocals in a more dynamic level. Also, we hear those heartfelt lines of wishes, somehow emptying to zero.

17. "Just waiting! Just waiting!"

Steve Mcqueen|M83

We have another M83 song here, which still comes from their recent album. The first seconds are like an entrance to a story-book world, or a different dimension, like Narnia. Then, synths and beats will burst like whirling matter.

It is a combination of the synthetic and the ambient. Of something from synthpop and something from house music and something from rock.

16. "Sana'y nagtanong ka lang kung 'di mo lang alam"

Oo|Up Dharma Down

Back to UDD.

This expressive song focuses on a person's frustration over another and his/her interest. This speaks of a hopeless feeling, or a regret over liking someone. But what I like here is that the lyrics is so clear and direct.

It's another dimension of UDD that is heard here, away from electronica and more of jazz. It's so brilliantly orchestrated.


15. "I tie my hands up to a chair so I don’t fall that way"

Helena Beat|Foster The People

FTP impresses us once again with their upbeat, keyboard-filled sounds, together with lyrics with deeper meanings.

"Helena Beat" is a party-perfect song. It tells us of a fall in humans, a fall they don't care about.

The beats that are heard as the song opens are what I think is the 'Helena Beat". It's an "ear-opener" for me.

14. "Waiting for the end to come/Wishing I had strength to stand"

Waiting For The End|Linkin Park

I felt this song all throughout, because—really—I waited for the end.

I waited for the end of the school year, the end of every tasks, the end of every hardships, the end of every sorrow.

And so this song hums with me.


13. "Is this the way I've always been?"

The Reeling|Passion Pit

The banging and dancing and running of every note and beat makes this Passion Pit single great. Another thing to consider is the additional choir sound care of PS22 Chorus.

Thanks to 99.5 before it became Play FM, I heard this electro-pop piece.

12. "Like a waterfall in slow motion"

Limit To Your Love|James Blake

Let's now slow it down.

I found this out from Live From Abbey Road. It was the first time that I heard something classical fused with something modern. The first time I heard a classical piano contained with drum-pad beats, push-button effects, and sounds coming from a Prophet synthesizer that's better than an Autotune.

But also, the emotions and colors that are conveyed in this track makes it good to hear. The lines travel through your consciousness, and somehow you're already in the vibe of the music.

11. "It doesn't even matter"

In The End|Linkin Park

LP's songs are really heartfelt and emotion-filled, aside from being distinctively rock.

This one is something that I felt anytime. Doing everything that you could, but having its value lost in the end. Having trust, then losing it when it's all over, even when it's not all over yet.


Do they sound good for you? Let's add one more.


Bonus track: "All of my life/In every season/You are still God"

Desert Song|Hillsong

Of course, contemporary Christian music isn't ignored by this blogger. This is my pick because it fits right into what I've gone through the past school year.

Here I was, barren, dry, baffled...But here's my God, who was—and still is—with me. He has a plan. He knows what's best for me—all of us. So there's still a reason to live...and to depend on God each day.


Get ready for the last 10 songs very soon! In case you've missed the songs before these, you may start here. Thank you so much for hanging out!