Sorry for the delay.
8. Even Less (full version) from Stupid Dream / Recordings
Even without the second half of the song, I'd still place it awfully high. There's only one thing I dislike about this song, and it's that Steven changes the line to "to even less" on every version of the song that isn't the studio version. I don't get it. But regardless, Even Less does a bunch of things that make it memorable. For starters, it was the beginning of a new era of sound for the band, opening Stupid Dream. Less psychedelic, more mellow and melodic. It has some of SW's best lyrics, particularly the "chorus." "And I may just waste away from doing nothing, but you're a martyr for even less." I could spend my whole life doing nothing with myself, but it's better than killing yourself for a cause that nobody will remember. Damn. I'm also a fan of the intro riff, and I wish I could play it myself, but it's got too many slides. The song's excellent enough without the second half, but the second half does nothing but improve the song. A long-drawn drum bit by Maitland builds up with layers of other instruments, reaching more quality lyrics (I'm a sucker for sneaky title drops). "And I had a stupid dream that I could change things, but I'm a martyr to even less." Again. Offing yourself for your stupid dream is never the answer. And then the song closes with the riff again, and then a few whined lines of vocals at the very end that simply trail off lazily. I never tire of this track.
7. The Start of Something Beautiful from Deadwing
This one tends to be high up on most fan's lists, and for good reason. From the minimalistic sounding keyboards making up the intro and verses to the huge build up of the instrumental section and last chorus, this song is probably the song I would say is most representative of PT's 'modern' sound. Certainly a song I'd give in a compilation album to attempt to make a new fan out of someone (alongside Blackest Eyes and Trains). Another sarcastic song of unrequited love by Wilson, this track stands out by being less in your face about it. The lyrics blend in with the melodies very well, and the instrumental segment of the song is one of PT's best. The soft keyboards that merge into loud guitars that break into the last chorus. For many people the song could very well be the start of something beautiful (zing.).
EDIT: Wow, why did I write so much for Even Less. TSOSB feels left out.