Matt's Top 300 Favorite Songs (MT3FS); numbers 270-261

I'm currently watching the major league debut of Stephen Strasburg, so this might be a really quick "Matt's Top 300 Favorite Songs." I just want to say that I've been watching baseball my entire life, and I have never seen anything like Strasburg. The hype, his stuff, it's unreal. He has the nastiest stuff I have ever seen. He has Barry Zito's curveball, a nasty slider, and oh yeah.. he hit's 100 mph on the radar gun. It's gonna be fun watching this kid pitch for a long time. Anyways, on with the show...

Matt's Top 300 Favorite Songs (MT3FS): numbers 270-261

Number 270: Tegan and Sara - Where Does the Good Go? (off of the album "So Jealous," 2004)


Tegan and Sara make their first appearance on my top 300 songs with "Where Does the Good Go?" I was introduced to this song after purchasing a Live Session iTunes exclusive EP and fell in love with it instantly. I'll admit I jumped on the Tegan and Sara train way late, with the release of "The Con" but that doesn't change the fact that they're an extremely talented duo. Their last album, "Sainthood" is outstanding. Check it out.

Number 269: AFI - Days of the Phoenix (off of the album "The Art of Drowning," 2000)


The beginning of the end for A Fire Inside. "The Art of Drowning" was a polarizing album, stepping further away from the skate punk/hardcore scene that embraced AFI, and was the first step towards whatever "Decemberunderground" was. However, it's not a bad album. It's actually a quite good album. I remember being in 9th grade and hearing "Days of the Phoenix" and being blown away. AFI will probably never re-capture their "fire" (pun intended), but that doesn't mean their back catalog is terrible.

Number 268: Box Car Racer - "There Is" (off of the album "Box Car Racer," 2002)


Tom Delonge has never  been one to shy away from...umm...big statements. With Box Car Racer, it was no different. The blink-182 guitarist compared Box Car Racer to artists like The Minutemen, Refused, and Fugazi. I'll let you be the judge of that. But "There Is" might be the best song Delonge ever wrote. I get sucked into cheesy, sappy love songs at times. This is one of them.

Number 267: Millencollin - "No Cigar" (off of the album "Pennybridge Pioneers," 2000)


Not going to lie, I heard this song while playing "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2." It was by far the best song I have ever heard on a video game. Sweedish punk rock at it's best... well, besides these guys. I was never huge into Millencollin like my buddies Chris and Jason were, but I did dig "No Cigar."

Number 266: The Clash - "I'm So Bored With the USA" (off of the album "The Clash," 1977)


The first inclusion of The Clash. "I'm So Bored With the USA" is a song I find myself singing randomly while doing basically anything. The "I'm Sooooo bored with the USA" part finds its way into my head for weeks. The Clash's self-titled release is amazing. Absolutely amazing. The Clash were amazing. There's nothing more I can really say.
Number 266: The Clash - "I'm So Bored With the USA" (off of the album "The Clash," 1977)

Number 265: Jay-Z - "Dirt off Your Shoulders" (off of the album "The Black Album," 2004)


"You are now tuned into the mother fucking greatest" Jay-Z says as "Dirt off Your Shoulders" opens. He's not that far off. HOVA has transcended hip-hop, having punk rock boys like myself listening to and buying his albums. "Dirt off Your Shoulders" is a great jam; a song I like to blast in my car while driving around. I love Jay-Z.

Number 264: Social Distortion - "Ball and Chain" (off of the album "Social Distortion," 1990)


Despite not listening to Social Distortion much in the last few years, I would be crazy to leave "Ball and Chain" off of the list. In high school, I probably listened to this track a thousand and a half times. My Mom likes "Ball and Chain," and she knows all the words. It cracks me up. She calls them "Social D," too. Haha. The point is, "Ball and Chain" is a great song. Maybe the best Social Distortion track. Who cares that it's popular and gets played on KROQ. It's a great song.

Number 263: Thursday - "War All The Time" (off of the album "War All The Time," 2003)


I used to love Thursday. I still do, but not like I used to. "War All The Time" and "Full Collapse" are outstanding albums; probably the best of that bullshit "emo" genre. Interesting side note. The video for "War All The Time" received a ban from MTV for "disturbing" overtones after 9/11. Watch the video and let me know what you think.

Number 262: Cassino - "American Low" (off of the album "Sounds of Salvation," 2007)


Members of Cassino were previously members of Northstar, a band that sounded very similar to Taking Back Sunday. However, I think Cassino is much better. "American Low" is a great Americana-style track. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Number 261: Motion City Soundtrack - "My Favorite Accident" (off of the album "I Am The Movie," 2003)


"I Am The Movie" was one of the best debut albums of the decade. Motion City Soundtrack brought an interesting sound to both Epitaph and punk rock. There is no way you can say otherwise. Senior year in high school / first year at RCC was dominated by "I Am The Movie" and "My Favorite Accident" was on repeat most of the time. I still like Motion City Soundtrack, but nothing they record will come close to "I Am The Movie."

Strasburg just got strikeout number 14. Absolutely amazing. Up next on the list, The first appearances for blink-182, The Gaslight Anthem, and The Get Up Kids. Stay tuned.