Unfortified Castle

The tap-filled anthem is one of my 21st-century rock favorites, but its lyrical theming didn't register with me until very recently.

It's the end of my last break, and a song about being on the road soundtracks the way I feel underneath a calm exterior.

I'd been sitting on this song for a while, never imagining I'd write about it for this reason... but it painfully fits the moment.

Jim Croce's ballad is never an easy listen for me, especially now as I think of major life changes coming in the short term.

Okay, how has it taken me this long to talk about Santana on here? That's borderline criminal — and I'm remedying that ASAP.

My 210th Senior Year Soundtrack selection is a staple of 2000s pop... sort of.

...but the meme's wide reach means that's how most think of the Blue Öyster Cult's classic tune.

It's a fitting song to soundtrack my return home... but that's a pretty new way for me to approach it.

Outkast's magnum opus has taken on quite an interesting life since its 2000 release.

...as is pretty much every Rage Against The Machine song.

It's an excellent pop track on its own, it came with an album announcement, and its message is welcome as I work through internal matters.

Simply put, it's N.E.R.D — that says more than any genre label.

The White Stripes' 2001 single showcases their unmistakable sound in my favorite ways.

The ever-excellent band combine classic rock influences with their modern indie sound on a recent single.

The Pointer Sisters' eternally catchy hit is more than meets the ear.

125 seconds. 26 "I know"s. Four chords. One perfectly short piece of art.

One of the finest pop compositions of the 60s is very much embedded in its time.

My old System of a Down favorite is extreme in its timbral changes, but musically consistent — a recipe for an intense, engaging listen.

Their title track from last summer's EP has an unavoidable gravitas as it speaks to the fallout the innocent suffer from war.

Is it cool? (Is it cool?) I don't know, but it's February 14, and it feels right.