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Song of the Day 08/31/2025
"Somewhat Damaged" - Nine Inch Nails
Finally, we reach the end of the month, thanks for reading along! I hope you found some good music, I would say this month was crammed with great tracks, we even had four 10 / 10 rated songs. I should start doing something special at the end of the month, some kind of review of the month both personally and statistically, but I will take the evolution of these posts one step at a time. Did you notice I switched how these posts looked? After people kept saying "those posts look like shit" enough, I took the step of making them into paragraphs for easier reading. If some English teacher looked at it, they would still probably hate them, buuuut this is about rock n roll baby! Not some strictly informational reviews that tend to be a snore fest. Alright, that is enough about that topic, let's get into the music, shall we? Today we talk of Nine Inch Nails, this is their debut on the song of the day blog, but for many of us it certainly isn't the first time we have listened to them. Nine Inch Nails is a one of a kind band, one of the first to truly sell the melding of industrial music with the rock crowd, many were doing it before but couldn't hit that mainstream success that Nine Inch Nails has. It is honestly kind of shocking, both due to the lyrical content and also their crafting of songs to be best played in album form, but I suppose when the songs are that good, it is hard to not become instantly hooked even as a casual music listener. The band released their first album in 1989, a damn good album well ahead of its time, under the name Pretty Hate Machine. This was one of those albums that helped form my developing brain, the lyrics were deep, dark, and depraved with an atmosphere to match just that. The album cover is instantly recognizable, mainly due to the breakout success of their song "Head Like a Hole" alongside other instant industrial rock classics like "Down In It" and "Terrible Lie". A great album that I cannot suggest enough, it has a gross feeling much like NIN is known for that really leaves you feeling all messed up after, but satisfied. Following that, Trent Reznor and band left behind some of the more mellow tracks for something heavier and for the throat in their EP Broken, and took away the more intense metal backing for the remix album to answer it Fixed in 1992. Everything came full circle for the band's 2nd studio album, The Downward Spiral, this was when the band fully came into their own and created a fan base that still is just as crazy about them, and honestly they are sort of crazy in general. Nine Inch Nails fans around my area are certainly a different breed, you can tell they are a fan without even asking them, the same is said about Depeche Mode fans and the 311 fans. Music is an expression of self, a leading force in who we are is the art that we choose to take in, so it is expected. Wonder what I look like I listen to, I mean I only mainly wear band tees, so I let you know, but still. Getting off track, 1994 saw The Downward Spiral eating that year, its hypnotic melding of industrial with metal, techno with rock, art rock with alternative rock is something to truly take in and savor. Another "icky" feeling album, but if I don't feel like I am committing a sin against god and man while listening to a NIN album, I don't want it. This album also got the remix treatment with Further Down the Spiral the following year in 1995. Finally, we get to the band's third studio album which released 5 years after the previous, 1999's The Fragile. This is the album that holds our song of the day, so let's spend a little bit more time with it.
In comparison to the band's previous sound, this one is a lot more cleaned up with a heavy emphasis on experimentation with electronic music, more so than the hard rock they found their fame in. Often, to change your sound is a scary move for a band, especially all those years later, but it went off well! Trent Reznor is a visionary when it comes to musical direction, a man with a vision that no matter what the release might be, if he is involved it is going to be a good one. I will admit that I do miss the murky feeling of the previous albums, but if he didn't take the jump I am not sure the band would have survived into modern day where a lot of NIN is straight ambient electronica. The Fragile is a great way for the band to leave the 1990s behind and move into greener pastures. It saw the release of 3 singles, the haunting "The Day the World Went Away", the experimental "We're In This Together", and the return to Reznor's synth-pop sound in "Into the Void". That final track is in my opinion the strongest one on the album, but with its pop knack, how could it not be? The album has a ton of varying tracks, some good, some stellar, and some subpar, but each one of them you can feel the set emotion. It is a long ass album, coming in at 1 hour and 43 minutes, and thankfully for you and me, each minute of the album is worth the listen. It feels like you went on some journey of redemption, or maybe like you drove home in the dead of night and finally see home in the distance right when the sun peaks over the hill. A heavy album, one you gotta be prepared for before taking on, it is liable to move you and change you. I won't beg for you to listen to the album like I do on other posts, this one is completely up to you, but I do still suggest it. Plenty of great songs that can satisfy just about any Nine Inch Nails fan, no matter your preference of style. I find my love for the album within the opening track, "Somewhat Damaged". For years, I have abused this album, and growing up their debut and 1990s material was my home within Nine Inch Nails, so "Somewhat Damaged" feels like coming home for me. Catchy as sin with a long intro that builds the power up with every 10 seconds adding a different layer of sound. The personal lyrics from Reznor is one of the best things from this stage of Nine Inch Nails, I mean the album is called The Fragile after all. My favorite part of the song is at the 1:45 mark, it brings in some of that gritty industrial metal sound, making it one of the heaviest songs on the album. The repetition of the lyrics "Broken, bruised, forgotten, sore - Too fucked up to care anymore" explains Nine Inch Nails excellently at this stage. The whole song has this driving rhythm that is honestly sickening, but sickeningly addictive, kind of like pushing on teeth that hurt or fucking with scabs unit they bleed. To even further that pulling fingernails feeling, supposedly this was one of the songs played on repeat at Guantánamo Bay to torture suspected and detained terrorists, according to a CIA document entitled Guidelines for Interrogation Methods. A great choice, but that shit is a little messed up. Well, luckily for us we can listen to it in peace, for now at least. Weird times, man. Well... enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: The Fragile (1999)
Genre: Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal
Mood: Chaotic
Perfect For: Feeling depraved, Feeling stressed, Venting frustration
Where To Next: "Bad Blood" - Ministry
Rating: 7 / 10
Finally, we reach the end of the month, thanks for reading along! I hope you found some good music, I would say this month was crammed with great tracks, we even had four 10 / 10 rated songs. I should start doing something special at the end of the month, some kind of review of the month both personally and statistically, but I will take the evolution of these posts one step at a time. Did you notice I switched how these posts looked? After people kept saying "those posts look like shit" enough, I took the step of making them into paragraphs for easier reading. If some English teacher looked at it, they would still probably hate them, buuuut this is about rock n roll baby! Not some strictly informational reviews that tend to be a snore fest. Alright, that is enough about that topic, let's get into the music, shall we? Today we talk of Nine Inch Nails, this is their debut on the song of the day blog, but for many of us it certainly isn't the first time we have listened to them. Nine Inch Nails is a one of a kind band, one of the first to truly sell the melding of industrial music with the rock crowd, many were doing it before but couldn't hit that mainstream success that Nine Inch Nails has. It is honestly kind of shocking, both due to the lyrical content and also their crafting of songs to be best played in album form, but I suppose when the songs are that good, it is hard to not become instantly hooked even as a casual music listener. The band released their first album in 1989, a damn good album well ahead of its time, under the name Pretty Hate Machine. This was one of those albums that helped form my developing brain, the lyrics were deep, dark, and depraved with an atmosphere to match just that. The album cover is instantly recognizable, mainly due to the breakout success of their song "Head Like a Hole" alongside other instant industrial rock classics like "Down In It" and "Terrible Lie". A great album that I cannot suggest enough, it has a gross feeling much like NIN is known for that really leaves you feeling all messed up after, but satisfied. Following that, Trent Reznor and band left behind some of the more mellow tracks for something heavier and for the throat in their EP Broken, and took away the more intense metal backing for the remix album to answer it Fixed in 1992. Everything came full circle for the band's 2nd studio album, The Downward Spiral, this was when the band fully came into their own and created a fan base that still is just as crazy about them, and honestly they are sort of crazy in general. Nine Inch Nails fans around my area are certainly a different breed, you can tell they are a fan without even asking them, the same is said about Depeche Mode fans and the 311 fans. Music is an expression of self, a leading force in who we are is the art that we choose to take in, so it is expected. Wonder what I look like I listen to, I mean I only mainly wear band tees, so I let you know, but still. Getting off track, 1994 saw The Downward Spiral eating that year, its hypnotic melding of industrial with metal, techno with rock, art rock with alternative rock is something to truly take in and savor. Another "icky" feeling album, but if I don't feel like I am committing a sin against god and man while listening to a NIN album, I don't want it. This album also got the remix treatment with Further Down the Spiral the following year in 1995. Finally, we get to the band's third studio album which released 5 years after the previous, 1999's The Fragile. This is the album that holds our song of the day, so let's spend a little bit more time with it.
In comparison to the band's previous sound, this one is a lot more cleaned up with a heavy emphasis on experimentation with electronic music, more so than the hard rock they found their fame in. Often, to change your sound is a scary move for a band, especially all those years later, but it went off well! Trent Reznor is a visionary when it comes to musical direction, a man with a vision that no matter what the release might be, if he is involved it is going to be a good one. I will admit that I do miss the murky feeling of the previous albums, but if he didn't take the jump I am not sure the band would have survived into modern day where a lot of NIN is straight ambient electronica. The Fragile is a great way for the band to leave the 1990s behind and move into greener pastures. It saw the release of 3 singles, the haunting "The Day the World Went Away", the experimental "We're In This Together", and the return to Reznor's synth-pop sound in "Into the Void". That final track is in my opinion the strongest one on the album, but with its pop knack, how could it not be? The album has a ton of varying tracks, some good, some stellar, and some subpar, but each one of them you can feel the set emotion. It is a long ass album, coming in at 1 hour and 43 minutes, and thankfully for you and me, each minute of the album is worth the listen. It feels like you went on some journey of redemption, or maybe like you drove home in the dead of night and finally see home in the distance right when the sun peaks over the hill. A heavy album, one you gotta be prepared for before taking on, it is liable to move you and change you. I won't beg for you to listen to the album like I do on other posts, this one is completely up to you, but I do still suggest it. Plenty of great songs that can satisfy just about any Nine Inch Nails fan, no matter your preference of style. I find my love for the album within the opening track, "Somewhat Damaged". For years, I have abused this album, and growing up their debut and 1990s material was my home within Nine Inch Nails, so "Somewhat Damaged" feels like coming home for me. Catchy as sin with a long intro that builds the power up with every 10 seconds adding a different layer of sound. The personal lyrics from Reznor is one of the best things from this stage of Nine Inch Nails, I mean the album is called The Fragile after all. My favorite part of the song is at the 1:45 mark, it brings in some of that gritty industrial metal sound, making it one of the heaviest songs on the album. The repetition of the lyrics "Broken, bruised, forgotten, sore - Too fucked up to care anymore" explains Nine Inch Nails excellently at this stage. The whole song has this driving rhythm that is honestly sickening, but sickeningly addictive, kind of like pushing on teeth that hurt or fucking with scabs unit they bleed. To even further that pulling fingernails feeling, supposedly this was one of the songs played on repeat at Guantánamo Bay to torture suspected and detained terrorists, according to a CIA document entitled Guidelines for Interrogation Methods. A great choice, but that shit is a little messed up. Well, luckily for us we can listen to it in peace, for now at least. Weird times, man. Well... enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: The Fragile (1999)
Genre: Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal
Mood: Chaotic
Perfect For: Feeling depraved, Feeling stressed, Venting frustration
Where To Next: "Bad Blood" - Ministry
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/30/2025
"It's Now or Never" - Elvis Presley
Man, we're talking about some of the most essential artists out of their respective decades these last couple posts. Weezer and Beastie Boys might have been an important piece in the ever evolving sound of rock music, but they don't get close to the impact that the king had on both the music industry and also rock music as a whole. I mean, you don't get called "The King of Rock n Roll" for just anything, and before people start hooping and hollering with that Elvis hate that I see all the damn time, I stand by the statement. Fight me. Just playing, even Elvis has said previously that he doesn't deserve that title, to him Fats Domino is the king of rock n roll, and while I am deeply in love with Elvis's music, I agree with that full-heartedly. Fats was rock before rock was even a thing, a perfect vessel to bridge the gap between R&B and blues to this new-found rockin' rollin' fever that shifted the tides of music forever. Elvis became more than just a musical icon, he became America in a strange way, a man that is too easy to forget was simply just another human and not a well advertised product. But was he even like you and me? I don't think we could ever even start to understand the difference in our lives to his, both due to the time period and the unreal status. He found crazy fame at a young age, enough fame that the whole nation knew his face both with love and hate. He was viewed as a force of moral corruption, and while writing this in 2025 it is hilarious how much trouble Elvis and his pelvis shook up. That is nothing today, but if you look back then it was a completely different America, for better and for certainly worse. So here comes this dude that dresses funny, sings funny and has some wacky hair, the same dude these chicks are flipping the fuck out about, and it made people question the changing of the tides. The same people that tripped about that were the same that saw all that was going on in California in the late 1960s, and then the harder sound in the 1970s, and then the satanic panic in the 1980s, and so on and so forth. No matter the decade there are fools that worry the world is leaving them behind and is going to hell, but guess what buddy, the world has been there for a long time, you just didn't see it from your limited life view. People are scared of what they don't understand, and instead of minding their own they gotta create hate. So you try being 21 and having all of that hate, all of that misunderstanding, and all of that attention being smashed onto your shoulders. Imagine growing up dirt poor with nothing and then out of nowhere the whole world turns upside down. Yet, you still release pure gold, the beautiful curse of the Midas touch. Elvis changed the whole music world within one year, he gave a platform for the budding rock n roll world to be played. Others were already there, ready for the fight, but they needed someone to break through racial tension to finally bring the fight to the masses. No more Sinatra, no more crooning pop stars, it was the age of golden rock n roll.
Elvis is one of my favorite musicians ever, he has held the top spot for the last many years of my life, and he has been there through thick and thin since I first heard "Jailhouse Rock" at 12. I still hold one of the highest spots in time spent listening on Spotify, and there is hardly a day that goes by where I don't listen to at least one Elvis track if I can find the time. So with my new passion for collecting vinyl records, it was only a matter of time until I got my hands on an original copy of one of those albums I have streamed, pirated, and abused for well over 10 years. So, thanks random eBay guy for having a lot of 4 classic Elvis albums at a great price since I was only finding overpriced ones or broken ones locally. Elvis has a series of compilations called "Elvis' Golden Records", they serve as the LP form of singles that were released in a set period. Today we talk of Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 which was released in 1963 but comprised of his hit singles from 1960, 1961, and 1962. This is my 3rd favorite out of the golden records compilations, early 1960s Elvis has this special pop feeling to it that I can never get enough of. This compilation holds plenty of his most successful hits like "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", "Stuck on You", "Surrender", "It's Now or Never" and "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" and so many more. In this compilation you can see him moving away from the more rockabilly sound of his starting years, it is clear and clean with lyrical themes that sold immensely well with the hopeless romantic teenager. Elvis has always been a singer for the brokenhearted, sure the man has enough love songs to fill all the classic Cadillacs out there, but none hit nearly as well as his heartbroken songs. Shit, his first massive hit was called "Heartbreak Hotel", a song that atmospherically was unique and expressed this sense of loneliness that nobody has ever achieved again. I am sure we will get to many of the other songs on this compilation and the same is to be said about Elvis as a whole, still blows my mind that this is only the third Elvis song we have talked about so far. Though, I have plenty of bands and songs to cover here, and I can assure you that there is a ton of top shelf rock n roll coming your way!
Today our song of the day is "It's Now or Never", the first song off this outstanding compilation. The single came along in July 1960 and is one of the highest selling singles of all time, being one of 14 singles that achieved sales of over 15 million copies. "It's Now or Never" sold 20 million copies! 20.... million... copies... could you even imagine? That is like if 20 million people checked out my website. I would just hope it was one of my good post days, but if the post was the blog variation of "It's Now or Never" I would be in great shape. Man, this song is outstanding, genuinely perfect with so much soul you cry out of every hole in your body. A performance that shakes you to the core and reminds you how it is that Elvis became known as the king! I think few other Elvis songs match this crippling of a performance, the only other one I can think of off the top of my head is "If I Can Dream". With a song this powerful it is no shocking matter it is one of the highest selling songs of all time. It is without saying that it is Elvis's highest selling song, even if it isn't one that gets the same attention modernly as some of his other revolutionary hits. The wide reach of this song in particular probably has a place in it being based around the Italian song "O sole mio". Elvis was inspired to do a version of the track after hearing Tony Martin do a rendition of it while stationed in Germany during his time with the Army, and due to his fondness of singer and actor Mario Lanza who recorded the song in 1940 he started kicking around ideas to do a version himself once he got out of the military. He just needed a set of lyrics to match his vision, so after hiring some songwriters out of New York City, "It's Now or Never" was ready to give everyone that Elvis right hook. Most of the globe felt the hit, but while he was busy singing, the rest of the United States was pushing forward many different styles during the awkward growing pain rock went through in 1960-1962. "It's Now or Never" had surf rock legends The Ventures chomping at its butt with their career defining "Walk, Don't Run" but both couldn't hold out against America's next dance crazy "The Twist" from Chubby Checker which had all the sock hops thumping. 1960 might be an odd year for rock music, but there are some songs that came out of it that are solid rock music gold. Still, in comparison to "The Twist" Elvis still had the better song, even if "The Twist" is as classic as classic can be. Alright, this is one big ass post, so I will stop while I am ahead. I did all this work for you, so spare a measly 3 minutes for me and give the song a listen! Thanks! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1960
Chosen Compilation: Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
Genre: Pop, Rock and Roll
Mood: Romantic
Perfect For: Romantic dinner of frozen lasagna, Drinking wine, Date night, Romantic drives, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Burning Bridges" - Jack Scott
Rating: 10 / 10
Man, we're talking about some of the most essential artists out of their respective decades these last couple posts. Weezer and Beastie Boys might have been an important piece in the ever evolving sound of rock music, but they don't get close to the impact that the king had on both the music industry and also rock music as a whole. I mean, you don't get called "The King of Rock n Roll" for just anything, and before people start hooping and hollering with that Elvis hate that I see all the damn time, I stand by the statement. Fight me. Just playing, even Elvis has said previously that he doesn't deserve that title, to him Fats Domino is the king of rock n roll, and while I am deeply in love with Elvis's music, I agree with that full-heartedly. Fats was rock before rock was even a thing, a perfect vessel to bridge the gap between R&B and blues to this new-found rockin' rollin' fever that shifted the tides of music forever. Elvis became more than just a musical icon, he became America in a strange way, a man that is too easy to forget was simply just another human and not a well advertised product. But was he even like you and me? I don't think we could ever even start to understand the difference in our lives to his, both due to the time period and the unreal status. He found crazy fame at a young age, enough fame that the whole nation knew his face both with love and hate. He was viewed as a force of moral corruption, and while writing this in 2025 it is hilarious how much trouble Elvis and his pelvis shook up. That is nothing today, but if you look back then it was a completely different America, for better and for certainly worse. So here comes this dude that dresses funny, sings funny and has some wacky hair, the same dude these chicks are flipping the fuck out about, and it made people question the changing of the tides. The same people that tripped about that were the same that saw all that was going on in California in the late 1960s, and then the harder sound in the 1970s, and then the satanic panic in the 1980s, and so on and so forth. No matter the decade there are fools that worry the world is leaving them behind and is going to hell, but guess what buddy, the world has been there for a long time, you just didn't see it from your limited life view. People are scared of what they don't understand, and instead of minding their own they gotta create hate. So you try being 21 and having all of that hate, all of that misunderstanding, and all of that attention being smashed onto your shoulders. Imagine growing up dirt poor with nothing and then out of nowhere the whole world turns upside down. Yet, you still release pure gold, the beautiful curse of the Midas touch. Elvis changed the whole music world within one year, he gave a platform for the budding rock n roll world to be played. Others were already there, ready for the fight, but they needed someone to break through racial tension to finally bring the fight to the masses. No more Sinatra, no more crooning pop stars, it was the age of golden rock n roll.
Elvis is one of my favorite musicians ever, he has held the top spot for the last many years of my life, and he has been there through thick and thin since I first heard "Jailhouse Rock" at 12. I still hold one of the highest spots in time spent listening on Spotify, and there is hardly a day that goes by where I don't listen to at least one Elvis track if I can find the time. So with my new passion for collecting vinyl records, it was only a matter of time until I got my hands on an original copy of one of those albums I have streamed, pirated, and abused for well over 10 years. So, thanks random eBay guy for having a lot of 4 classic Elvis albums at a great price since I was only finding overpriced ones or broken ones locally. Elvis has a series of compilations called "Elvis' Golden Records", they serve as the LP form of singles that were released in a set period. Today we talk of Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 which was released in 1963 but comprised of his hit singles from 1960, 1961, and 1962. This is my 3rd favorite out of the golden records compilations, early 1960s Elvis has this special pop feeling to it that I can never get enough of. This compilation holds plenty of his most successful hits like "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", "Stuck on You", "Surrender", "It's Now or Never" and "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" and so many more. In this compilation you can see him moving away from the more rockabilly sound of his starting years, it is clear and clean with lyrical themes that sold immensely well with the hopeless romantic teenager. Elvis has always been a singer for the brokenhearted, sure the man has enough love songs to fill all the classic Cadillacs out there, but none hit nearly as well as his heartbroken songs. Shit, his first massive hit was called "Heartbreak Hotel", a song that atmospherically was unique and expressed this sense of loneliness that nobody has ever achieved again. I am sure we will get to many of the other songs on this compilation and the same is to be said about Elvis as a whole, still blows my mind that this is only the third Elvis song we have talked about so far. Though, I have plenty of bands and songs to cover here, and I can assure you that there is a ton of top shelf rock n roll coming your way!
Today our song of the day is "It's Now or Never", the first song off this outstanding compilation. The single came along in July 1960 and is one of the highest selling singles of all time, being one of 14 singles that achieved sales of over 15 million copies. "It's Now or Never" sold 20 million copies! 20.... million... copies... could you even imagine? That is like if 20 million people checked out my website. I would just hope it was one of my good post days, but if the post was the blog variation of "It's Now or Never" I would be in great shape. Man, this song is outstanding, genuinely perfect with so much soul you cry out of every hole in your body. A performance that shakes you to the core and reminds you how it is that Elvis became known as the king! I think few other Elvis songs match this crippling of a performance, the only other one I can think of off the top of my head is "If I Can Dream". With a song this powerful it is no shocking matter it is one of the highest selling songs of all time. It is without saying that it is Elvis's highest selling song, even if it isn't one that gets the same attention modernly as some of his other revolutionary hits. The wide reach of this song in particular probably has a place in it being based around the Italian song "O sole mio". Elvis was inspired to do a version of the track after hearing Tony Martin do a rendition of it while stationed in Germany during his time with the Army, and due to his fondness of singer and actor Mario Lanza who recorded the song in 1940 he started kicking around ideas to do a version himself once he got out of the military. He just needed a set of lyrics to match his vision, so after hiring some songwriters out of New York City, "It's Now or Never" was ready to give everyone that Elvis right hook. Most of the globe felt the hit, but while he was busy singing, the rest of the United States was pushing forward many different styles during the awkward growing pain rock went through in 1960-1962. "It's Now or Never" had surf rock legends The Ventures chomping at its butt with their career defining "Walk, Don't Run" but both couldn't hold out against America's next dance crazy "The Twist" from Chubby Checker which had all the sock hops thumping. 1960 might be an odd year for rock music, but there are some songs that came out of it that are solid rock music gold. Still, in comparison to "The Twist" Elvis still had the better song, even if "The Twist" is as classic as classic can be. Alright, this is one big ass post, so I will stop while I am ahead. I did all this work for you, so spare a measly 3 minutes for me and give the song a listen! Thanks! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1960
Chosen Compilation: Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
Genre: Pop, Rock and Roll
Mood: Romantic
Perfect For: Romantic dinner of frozen lasagna, Drinking wine, Date night, Romantic drives, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Burning Bridges" - Jack Scott
Rating: 10 / 10
Song of the Day 08/29/2025
"Fight for Your Right" - Beastie Boys
Ahhhhh... Nothing like coming home! This will be the third time we talk about the Beastie Boys and their legendary 1986 debut Licensed to Ill. I will try not being a broken record but quite frankly I can't remember what I have and haven't said already soooo I am just gonna do it again! This was one of the first albums I ever listened to, I have been literally obsessed since I was a little kid, young enough to not even understand any of the lyrics or references that the Beastie Boys do superbly. This album followed me year by year, and even now 20 years after I first played it on my little silver radio I make sure to give it plenty of love. One of those albums that never grow stale even with it being overplayed practically anywhere you go. Plenty of the songs are 1980s classics both in the hip hop world and the rock world. Few bands melded the two genres better and with such a natural feeling to it. They were influential as a motherfucker, and I say with confidence that Licensed to Ill is one of the most important albums to be released in the 1980s. Looking at its stats, I would say that I am not alone on that statement. The album is diamond certified, this one song alone is at 241,000,000 streams on Spotify, it is the first hip hop album to ever top the charts, and it was one of the fastest selling debut releases that came from Columbia Records. Yes, that Columbia Records that you see plastered on some of the United States' most successful groups from all walks of the musical spectrum and has been around since the late 1800s. Licensed to Ill is perfect from start to finish, never a dull moment within its 44-minute runtime, each song brings something special while still being comfortably situated in between similar tracks. Some albums make you ponder about freewill vs. predetermined destiny. How can something so potent and perfect come to fruition unless it was already written in stone?! I am not saying god made this album, nor the devil, but something else. One thing is for certain, if there is a god, there is no way he doesn't have this album sitting on his shelf. If I die and discover that it isn't true, then get ready to see a falling angel, no fun in heaven. The Beastie Boys went on following this album to have an almost perfect run of studio releases, all aside from the last 2 hit platinum or higher sales. But even with all that, they never released another that hit the same world shaking acclaim as this album right here.
It is all fine and dandy to talk albums all day with me, but I am sure you are here for the songs. "Fight for Your Right" is a song you already know. I am sure you don't even need to press play on the ol' playlist to know each line by heart. This song and band finds everyone at a young age it seems, and sticks around for life, well so far as most people I have met that is. Its famous intro has been used in many different forms of media and is one of the most recognized song intros ever. That "KICK IT" really sets the song off with an explosion! A whole song dedicated to the freedom to party! The lyrics are obviously from a more adolescent point of view, best taken in as a rebellious youth, but even as a boring adult now, there is enough raw power to make you look past those lyrics. It becomes more of an antiestablishment song than an anti-parental figure song. The song is well put together, never a moment of too much repetition, and with its fairly low running time at 3:28 it's perfectly spaced with verse and chorus. Witty and funnily written lines that like I mentioned earlier everyone knows all too well. The song was written by MCA, and while it wasn't meant to be more than a party song, it soon enough became their known style since everyone jumped on board. It is one of those songs that the band respected but didn't love that it was their staple, much like "Stairway to Heaven" is to Led Zeppelin. It is the ultimate place to start in the Beastie Boys for someone who somehow made it this far into life without hearing these 3 microphone fiends. This song was a childhood anthem for me, not because my parents were helicopter parents or irrationally controlling, but because I loved the song and found an identity within its angst. My dad gave me grief for long hair and dressing like a bum, and he too smoked like a fiend, but when I got caught with that I was just told "that is dumb, but you do you". Still, even when I was 7 and didn't understand what a "porno mag" was, I was still completely sucked into the song. As I got older it made more sense to why this song hit its spot within my youthful angst, as I am sure is the same story for many others and I am confident it will find a home within many of the youth even today. Some extra great things about this song are the man on the guitar for this song and also "No Sleep till Brooklyn" is the aggressive guitarist for Slayer, Kerry King. Slayer was also signed by Def Jam Records and Rick Rubin was the producer for their metal staple Reign in Blood, which came out a month after Licensed to Ill. Kerry King is also in those songs respective music videos. I think some of the success for "Fight for Your Right" is that music video, it is a classic! Always a go to for a music video night while having some beer. If you haven't watched it before, I suggest it, while it is heavily washed in that 1980s goofiness it is an essential! Anyway, give the song a spin again and get wild! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1986
Album: Licensed to Ill (1986)
Genre: Rap Rock
Mood: Paaaaaaarty!
Perfect For: Paaaaaaaaaarty!, Getting drunk, Fun summer days, Casual listening, Getting pumped
Where To Next: "Rock Box" - Run-D.M.C
Rating: 10 / 10
Ahhhhh... Nothing like coming home! This will be the third time we talk about the Beastie Boys and their legendary 1986 debut Licensed to Ill. I will try not being a broken record but quite frankly I can't remember what I have and haven't said already soooo I am just gonna do it again! This was one of the first albums I ever listened to, I have been literally obsessed since I was a little kid, young enough to not even understand any of the lyrics or references that the Beastie Boys do superbly. This album followed me year by year, and even now 20 years after I first played it on my little silver radio I make sure to give it plenty of love. One of those albums that never grow stale even with it being overplayed practically anywhere you go. Plenty of the songs are 1980s classics both in the hip hop world and the rock world. Few bands melded the two genres better and with such a natural feeling to it. They were influential as a motherfucker, and I say with confidence that Licensed to Ill is one of the most important albums to be released in the 1980s. Looking at its stats, I would say that I am not alone on that statement. The album is diamond certified, this one song alone is at 241,000,000 streams on Spotify, it is the first hip hop album to ever top the charts, and it was one of the fastest selling debut releases that came from Columbia Records. Yes, that Columbia Records that you see plastered on some of the United States' most successful groups from all walks of the musical spectrum and has been around since the late 1800s. Licensed to Ill is perfect from start to finish, never a dull moment within its 44-minute runtime, each song brings something special while still being comfortably situated in between similar tracks. Some albums make you ponder about freewill vs. predetermined destiny. How can something so potent and perfect come to fruition unless it was already written in stone?! I am not saying god made this album, nor the devil, but something else. One thing is for certain, if there is a god, there is no way he doesn't have this album sitting on his shelf. If I die and discover that it isn't true, then get ready to see a falling angel, no fun in heaven. The Beastie Boys went on following this album to have an almost perfect run of studio releases, all aside from the last 2 hit platinum or higher sales. But even with all that, they never released another that hit the same world shaking acclaim as this album right here.
It is all fine and dandy to talk albums all day with me, but I am sure you are here for the songs. "Fight for Your Right" is a song you already know. I am sure you don't even need to press play on the ol' playlist to know each line by heart. This song and band finds everyone at a young age it seems, and sticks around for life, well so far as most people I have met that is. Its famous intro has been used in many different forms of media and is one of the most recognized song intros ever. That "KICK IT" really sets the song off with an explosion! A whole song dedicated to the freedom to party! The lyrics are obviously from a more adolescent point of view, best taken in as a rebellious youth, but even as a boring adult now, there is enough raw power to make you look past those lyrics. It becomes more of an antiestablishment song than an anti-parental figure song. The song is well put together, never a moment of too much repetition, and with its fairly low running time at 3:28 it's perfectly spaced with verse and chorus. Witty and funnily written lines that like I mentioned earlier everyone knows all too well. The song was written by MCA, and while it wasn't meant to be more than a party song, it soon enough became their known style since everyone jumped on board. It is one of those songs that the band respected but didn't love that it was their staple, much like "Stairway to Heaven" is to Led Zeppelin. It is the ultimate place to start in the Beastie Boys for someone who somehow made it this far into life without hearing these 3 microphone fiends. This song was a childhood anthem for me, not because my parents were helicopter parents or irrationally controlling, but because I loved the song and found an identity within its angst. My dad gave me grief for long hair and dressing like a bum, and he too smoked like a fiend, but when I got caught with that I was just told "that is dumb, but you do you". Still, even when I was 7 and didn't understand what a "porno mag" was, I was still completely sucked into the song. As I got older it made more sense to why this song hit its spot within my youthful angst, as I am sure is the same story for many others and I am confident it will find a home within many of the youth even today. Some extra great things about this song are the man on the guitar for this song and also "No Sleep till Brooklyn" is the aggressive guitarist for Slayer, Kerry King. Slayer was also signed by Def Jam Records and Rick Rubin was the producer for their metal staple Reign in Blood, which came out a month after Licensed to Ill. Kerry King is also in those songs respective music videos. I think some of the success for "Fight for Your Right" is that music video, it is a classic! Always a go to for a music video night while having some beer. If you haven't watched it before, I suggest it, while it is heavily washed in that 1980s goofiness it is an essential! Anyway, give the song a spin again and get wild! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1986
Album: Licensed to Ill (1986)
Genre: Rap Rock
Mood: Paaaaaaarty!
Perfect For: Paaaaaaaaaarty!, Getting drunk, Fun summer days, Casual listening, Getting pumped
Where To Next: "Rock Box" - Run-D.M.C
Rating: 10 / 10
Song of the Day 08/28/2025
"El Scorcho" - Weezer
Weezer is a band that has a sound that is completely theirs. Something that is damn easy for everyone and their mama to get fully into it. It is impossible not to. I have met many people, many people with many different tastes and walks of life, many people who are very opinionated on bands and put down anything they aren't comfy with. Though when it comes to Weezer, everyone loves Weezer, I have yet to meet anyone who cannot get behind these dudes, dorky as they may be. Speaking of dorky, today is a really strange one, but it is probably one of the funnest Weezer tracks to date, which in itself is one hell of a statement. Their debut album is where Weezer really shines, everyone knows that, but it didn't allow them the space to experiment and become their own, that is where the follow-up Pinkerton comes into play. The album found a shitload of hate upon its release, which I can see why, not because the album sucks because that is far from the truth, but because it is so damn different from their debut album which is often hailed as one of the best albums out of the 1990s and one of the best alternative rock albums of all time. There are still the tracks that keep you under that dreamy and immature feeling that is their debut like "Why Bother" and "The Good Life" but overall it is a completely different beast. The masses weren't fond of the album at the time, it got voted as the third-worst album out of 1996, but the true fans and those that didn't have their nose up the Spice Girls butts saw what the album really was, a musical statement that Weezer was not to be another group that did the same thing every time, a thing they never changed and something I admire about them. In retrospective review of this album, it is a goldmine of clever writing, intense power pop anthems, alternative rock experimentation, and influential craftsmanship that would go on to help the building blocks for pop punk and emo.
"El Scorcho" is a weird one, fucking addictive and powerful, but it is kind of weird. They let you know what it is going to be like from the start though with a silly spoken "El Scorcho" after some gurgling. The whole time the song has you feeling drunk, but that could also be since I have drank to this song many of times. Rivers Cuomo was inspired to write this song while struggling with talking to women while he attended Harvard. A fitting theme for this album since it seems to be a self burn throughout its whole playtime. And much in Weezer style, the lyrics are easy to understand but at the same time it feels like you are missing the punch line the whole time. It feels like reading someone's diary but having to skip 2 pages each time you turn the page. 1990s Weezer always sounds so personal, and there are no other albums of theirs that feel so raw, almost like they are still a local band more than alternative rock gods. Those choruses are where the power of Weezer is, no matter the song it seems that chorus is crafted to punch you in the butt while you fall on your head. "El Scorcho" utilizes that chorus like an atomic weapon, it is something to always look forward to between strange drunk adolescent feeling lyrics and random punk rock jamming breaks to remind you of their roots. This song was the leading single for Pinkerton, coming out 5 days before the album's release, and it is also partially to blame why this album flopped. Once again, I can see why to the public eye, it sounds like your cute little neighbor kid got into the liquor cabinet and started going around shattering windows. Many of the radio stations refused to give it the time of day. The quirky and frankly awkward music video was denied on MTV as well, I think it is a great music video so they missed out on that shit. Still, this whole album was meant to show Rivers Cuomo and Weezer in their rawest and most open stage, so far that the music video was intended to feel so strange and personal just so you don't get the wrong idea of the intended meaning much like what happened with their hit song "Buddy Holly". It seems like some Weezer fans sleep on this album, mainly focusing on the "colored albums" and the hits off the other ones, and if you are that guy or gal, then what are you even doing? Sitting there reading this while you miss out on all the fun? Time to catch up! If you aren't an album listener in general, I get it, but sometimes you cannot miss out on something. It is like going to an art museum just to quickly glancing at a painting and moving along. You miss the power and the passion of the piece, man. I am sure it gets annoying to have some dude on the internet beg you to listen to a song or album, but I cannot help it! Music is what gives texture to life! So let me help you decorate your soul and give the song a listen, would ya? Thanks! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1996
Album: Pinkerton (1996)
Genre: Power pop, Alternative rock
Mood: Emotion on sleeve
Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting drunk, New relationships, Being bad at talking to chicks
Where To Next: "Charmless Man" - Blur
Rating: 9 / 10
Weezer is a band that has a sound that is completely theirs. Something that is damn easy for everyone and their mama to get fully into it. It is impossible not to. I have met many people, many people with many different tastes and walks of life, many people who are very opinionated on bands and put down anything they aren't comfy with. Though when it comes to Weezer, everyone loves Weezer, I have yet to meet anyone who cannot get behind these dudes, dorky as they may be. Speaking of dorky, today is a really strange one, but it is probably one of the funnest Weezer tracks to date, which in itself is one hell of a statement. Their debut album is where Weezer really shines, everyone knows that, but it didn't allow them the space to experiment and become their own, that is where the follow-up Pinkerton comes into play. The album found a shitload of hate upon its release, which I can see why, not because the album sucks because that is far from the truth, but because it is so damn different from their debut album which is often hailed as one of the best albums out of the 1990s and one of the best alternative rock albums of all time. There are still the tracks that keep you under that dreamy and immature feeling that is their debut like "Why Bother" and "The Good Life" but overall it is a completely different beast. The masses weren't fond of the album at the time, it got voted as the third-worst album out of 1996, but the true fans and those that didn't have their nose up the Spice Girls butts saw what the album really was, a musical statement that Weezer was not to be another group that did the same thing every time, a thing they never changed and something I admire about them. In retrospective review of this album, it is a goldmine of clever writing, intense power pop anthems, alternative rock experimentation, and influential craftsmanship that would go on to help the building blocks for pop punk and emo.
"El Scorcho" is a weird one, fucking addictive and powerful, but it is kind of weird. They let you know what it is going to be like from the start though with a silly spoken "El Scorcho" after some gurgling. The whole time the song has you feeling drunk, but that could also be since I have drank to this song many of times. Rivers Cuomo was inspired to write this song while struggling with talking to women while he attended Harvard. A fitting theme for this album since it seems to be a self burn throughout its whole playtime. And much in Weezer style, the lyrics are easy to understand but at the same time it feels like you are missing the punch line the whole time. It feels like reading someone's diary but having to skip 2 pages each time you turn the page. 1990s Weezer always sounds so personal, and there are no other albums of theirs that feel so raw, almost like they are still a local band more than alternative rock gods. Those choruses are where the power of Weezer is, no matter the song it seems that chorus is crafted to punch you in the butt while you fall on your head. "El Scorcho" utilizes that chorus like an atomic weapon, it is something to always look forward to between strange drunk adolescent feeling lyrics and random punk rock jamming breaks to remind you of their roots. This song was the leading single for Pinkerton, coming out 5 days before the album's release, and it is also partially to blame why this album flopped. Once again, I can see why to the public eye, it sounds like your cute little neighbor kid got into the liquor cabinet and started going around shattering windows. Many of the radio stations refused to give it the time of day. The quirky and frankly awkward music video was denied on MTV as well, I think it is a great music video so they missed out on that shit. Still, this whole album was meant to show Rivers Cuomo and Weezer in their rawest and most open stage, so far that the music video was intended to feel so strange and personal just so you don't get the wrong idea of the intended meaning much like what happened with their hit song "Buddy Holly". It seems like some Weezer fans sleep on this album, mainly focusing on the "colored albums" and the hits off the other ones, and if you are that guy or gal, then what are you even doing? Sitting there reading this while you miss out on all the fun? Time to catch up! If you aren't an album listener in general, I get it, but sometimes you cannot miss out on something. It is like going to an art museum just to quickly glancing at a painting and moving along. You miss the power and the passion of the piece, man. I am sure it gets annoying to have some dude on the internet beg you to listen to a song or album, but I cannot help it! Music is what gives texture to life! So let me help you decorate your soul and give the song a listen, would ya? Thanks! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1996
Album: Pinkerton (1996)
Genre: Power pop, Alternative rock
Mood: Emotion on sleeve
Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting drunk, New relationships, Being bad at talking to chicks
Where To Next: "Charmless Man" - Blur
Rating: 9 / 10
Song of the Day 08/27/2025
"Honestly?" - American Football
Today we talk about a band that is extremely new to me. New enough that the first time I heard them was the same day I chose one of their songs for my song of the day. While I do my year-by-year studies I go through all I can find for the selected genres, be it the good, the bad, and the ugly, and throughout those studies I don't typically find all too many new bands that completely grip me. There are a ton of good ones I come across that I would be happy to buy a record for or go see live, but none that actually have me lost in admiration. This band is one that completely floored me, I am still riding a buzz from it. American Football is a name I have heard before, but I never took the time to actually listen to them. I knew they were immensely short-lived and only released one studio album for their prime years, they have 2 more now, but from 1999 to 2016 is one hell of a long time. Still, even with their debut self-titled they made a name for themselves and that one album was adored enough to see them in the emo music hall of fame. People liked the album so much that they crashed the label's website when the band announced their reunion. I will get to their later albums in time, but for now I am still not done abusing their first album. I already was in love with it as soon as I saw that album cover, something about that nighttime feeling makes me feel so damn thirsty for both adventure and heavy emotions. An album cover that is so simple, yet shouts more than speaks what kind of music is going to be on that CD. I thought maybe it was going to be solely indie until I saw the band's name and remembered hearing that about the legacy of American Football. Little did I know I was going to take in an album that is often considered one of the most important emo releases to date. And furthermore, I had no idea I was going to take in something so damn good! Like.... fantastic... enough that I would suggest this to strangers on the street, even though I have only listened through the album once, and it isn't even my typical cup of musical tea.
"Honestly?" is the 3rd song off the album, and by the time it kicked on, I was completely in love with the album. It is moody as all hell and makes you feel so damn depressed. Cliché Midwest emo lyricism which I could take or leave, but if I came across this album earlier in my life then I would probably be much more into them. I will admit that while the lyrics are very of the genre, it is still well written. Shit, since American Football seems more based around their atmosphere, they could almost make any lines in their songs smack hard. A band of this caliber can have a song that says "my cat put her paw on my pizza, so I had to throw it away" and there I would be ugly crying to the deep metaphors of cats and pizzas. So, the lyrics are hit-and-miss, but it is all about that humid and heavy atmosphere that you cannot help but get lost within. My favorite part of the song is once the vocals come to a close and the band takes control of your psyche. Pretty guitar work that is perfect for late-night burned-out drives, or sneaking a smoke on the roof of your house while staring at the stars. It does get a tad bit repetitive, but that has never been a negative with me, I like how weird it makes you feel with the repetition. I know by the 5-minute mark my girlfriend would give me a certain look which means "can you please change this" since if she does it herself, I will sit there and pout. The repetition finally gives way around the 5:30 mark and the guitars lull you to nirvana. A wonderfully crafted song and an even better crafted album with 100% quality tracks. I curse myself that I didn't come across this album sooner, but at the same time I am glad I found it when I did since I think I appreciate this atmosphere more now than I would have when I was younger. This kind of melancholy indie rock, alternative rock, and emo really speaks to me at this point in my life, and I am getting more and more excited to finish 1999 so I can get more into what the 2000s have to offer from the genres. Well, I guess that is all you are gonna get out of me for this one. So, give the song a listen, and make some time for that album since I promise you it will leave you impressed and hollowed out. Try not to cry. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: American Football (LP1) (1999)
Genre: Emo, Indie Rock
Mood: Hopeless
Perfect For: Staring off like a freak, Daydreaming, Being sad, Cigarettes, Coffee
Where To Next: "Safe in Your Skin" - Title Fight
Rating: 8 / 10
Today we talk about a band that is extremely new to me. New enough that the first time I heard them was the same day I chose one of their songs for my song of the day. While I do my year-by-year studies I go through all I can find for the selected genres, be it the good, the bad, and the ugly, and throughout those studies I don't typically find all too many new bands that completely grip me. There are a ton of good ones I come across that I would be happy to buy a record for or go see live, but none that actually have me lost in admiration. This band is one that completely floored me, I am still riding a buzz from it. American Football is a name I have heard before, but I never took the time to actually listen to them. I knew they were immensely short-lived and only released one studio album for their prime years, they have 2 more now, but from 1999 to 2016 is one hell of a long time. Still, even with their debut self-titled they made a name for themselves and that one album was adored enough to see them in the emo music hall of fame. People liked the album so much that they crashed the label's website when the band announced their reunion. I will get to their later albums in time, but for now I am still not done abusing their first album. I already was in love with it as soon as I saw that album cover, something about that nighttime feeling makes me feel so damn thirsty for both adventure and heavy emotions. An album cover that is so simple, yet shouts more than speaks what kind of music is going to be on that CD. I thought maybe it was going to be solely indie until I saw the band's name and remembered hearing that about the legacy of American Football. Little did I know I was going to take in an album that is often considered one of the most important emo releases to date. And furthermore, I had no idea I was going to take in something so damn good! Like.... fantastic... enough that I would suggest this to strangers on the street, even though I have only listened through the album once, and it isn't even my typical cup of musical tea.
"Honestly?" is the 3rd song off the album, and by the time it kicked on, I was completely in love with the album. It is moody as all hell and makes you feel so damn depressed. Cliché Midwest emo lyricism which I could take or leave, but if I came across this album earlier in my life then I would probably be much more into them. I will admit that while the lyrics are very of the genre, it is still well written. Shit, since American Football seems more based around their atmosphere, they could almost make any lines in their songs smack hard. A band of this caliber can have a song that says "my cat put her paw on my pizza, so I had to throw it away" and there I would be ugly crying to the deep metaphors of cats and pizzas. So, the lyrics are hit-and-miss, but it is all about that humid and heavy atmosphere that you cannot help but get lost within. My favorite part of the song is once the vocals come to a close and the band takes control of your psyche. Pretty guitar work that is perfect for late-night burned-out drives, or sneaking a smoke on the roof of your house while staring at the stars. It does get a tad bit repetitive, but that has never been a negative with me, I like how weird it makes you feel with the repetition. I know by the 5-minute mark my girlfriend would give me a certain look which means "can you please change this" since if she does it herself, I will sit there and pout. The repetition finally gives way around the 5:30 mark and the guitars lull you to nirvana. A wonderfully crafted song and an even better crafted album with 100% quality tracks. I curse myself that I didn't come across this album sooner, but at the same time I am glad I found it when I did since I think I appreciate this atmosphere more now than I would have when I was younger. This kind of melancholy indie rock, alternative rock, and emo really speaks to me at this point in my life, and I am getting more and more excited to finish 1999 so I can get more into what the 2000s have to offer from the genres. Well, I guess that is all you are gonna get out of me for this one. So, give the song a listen, and make some time for that album since I promise you it will leave you impressed and hollowed out. Try not to cry. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: American Football (LP1) (1999)
Genre: Emo, Indie Rock
Mood: Hopeless
Perfect For: Staring off like a freak, Daydreaming, Being sad, Cigarettes, Coffee
Where To Next: "Safe in Your Skin" - Title Fight
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/26/2025
"Wild in the Streets" - Circle Jerks
Don't look at me like that, while the band has a crappy name, that doesn't mean the band themselves is crappy. Quite the opposite, actually, they are one of the most popular and greatest bands to come out of the 1980s hardcore punk scene. One of many from California that raised their banner in the hardest and fastest style of punk rock that had ever been up until that point. Even in comparison to heavy metal, there wasn't anything so raw and reckless out there, nothing more extreme until black and death metal showed up. Circle Jerks show a little less extreme style in comparison to maybe Black Flag and Bad Brains, they hold the speed but add in a little bit of texture that helps separate them from all the other rabble. Punk rock has most bands coming out of the same decade sounding about the same, but each and every one of them that made it into the limelight has something that took them there. Circle Jerks found quick fame within the scene with their 1980 debut Group Sex, an album that is a landmark in the hardcore punk genre and in my opinion is an album that anyone who appreciates music should take in. Historic in the punk world, and also genuinely good, even if you aren't too fond of punk rock. For a band called "Circle Jerks" they really don't rely on shock all too much, but that doesn't mean the band doesn't have a special spot for humor. Raunchy humor I will admit, but cleverly written raunchy humor which is one of my favorite themes in punk rock so long as the band does it right, and these guys do it perfectly. I have been a fan of this band since I first started getting into punk rock well over a decade ago. I will admit I was put off by the bands name at first, but much like the Buzzcocks, once I started into their music that faded quick as can be. Still.... I don't think I would go out and buy a shirt with a big ol' crazy design on it, as much as I would like to.
Today we aren't looking at their groundbreaking debut Group Sex, I am certain that day will come, but for now we take a look at their follow-up studio album Wild in the Streets. Personally, I am more fond of this album than their debut, and it might just be my favorite album from them even if their 4th album Wonderful does have a special place in my heart. I was shocked to see Wonderful wasn't an album that people liked, I don't see why honestly, but I guess music like any art form is subjective. For those on the outside of punk rock it might be odd to view the genre as art, though I would argue that out of all the main rock based genres it is most certainly one of the artsiest even if it doesn't show it in face value. It sits on the fence on the classic pen vs. the sword argument on which is more powerful. On one hand, punk is a full-frontal assault on the senses, it acts as a sword as it reaps the souls of those that are within earshot. But on the other hand, punk is often extremely witty and well written, they talk about societal issues and even sometimes have a solution for those problems (which often leads us back to the "sword"). I guess it is sort of like a gorgeous sword dipped in blood. Skillfully handmade from pommel to blade tip, but if you don't take the warning from its craftsmanship, then you will find that its killing power matches its beauty. I am getting off track, well sort of, but let's get back to the topic of our song of the day. "Wild in the Streets" is, as you probably guessed it, the title track to the album of the same name. The album released in 1981 and after such a stellar debut it became another instant classic to hardcore punk. This track is their most listened to one on Spotify, and it isn't too hard to see why, it is so damn aggressive it makes you piddle a little. Following that, it is mostly tracks off that debut we keep coming back to, which is a shame since I think plenty of the tracks off this album like "Moral Majority" and "Leave Me Alone" are just as potent if not more than plenty of the tracks off their debut. "Wild in the Streets" is a rallying call to all the reckless youth far and wide to get out and fuck some shit up out on the streets. It became especially popular amongst skateboarders. And even with my youth fleeting like my beauty, it even makes me want to act up. This is the kind of track that is almost impossible to not speed to while driving. It is skillfully crafted without too much trying to be a perfect anthem for chaos. The lyrics were written by Garland Jeffreys which actually has the original version of the song back in 1973. The two songs are day and night, and the lyrics are altered to match the more reckless nature of the Circle Jerks, I mean it is hardly even the same song, yet I am glad it is there since it would later become an anthem for punk rock. Check it out if you are in the mood for something more mellow, and if you are someone who likes to see the changing of the guard in music history then it might be a fun little comparison. Do it after you give this song a good once over, though! Annnnnd enjoy!
Year Released: 1982
Album: Wild in the Streets (1982)
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Mood: Reckless abandon
Perfect For: Skating, Rioting, Getting soused, Driving fast, Annoying your girlfriend, Running wild in the streets
Where To Next: "Right Side of My Mind" - Angry Samoans
Rating: 10 / 10
Don't look at me like that, while the band has a crappy name, that doesn't mean the band themselves is crappy. Quite the opposite, actually, they are one of the most popular and greatest bands to come out of the 1980s hardcore punk scene. One of many from California that raised their banner in the hardest and fastest style of punk rock that had ever been up until that point. Even in comparison to heavy metal, there wasn't anything so raw and reckless out there, nothing more extreme until black and death metal showed up. Circle Jerks show a little less extreme style in comparison to maybe Black Flag and Bad Brains, they hold the speed but add in a little bit of texture that helps separate them from all the other rabble. Punk rock has most bands coming out of the same decade sounding about the same, but each and every one of them that made it into the limelight has something that took them there. Circle Jerks found quick fame within the scene with their 1980 debut Group Sex, an album that is a landmark in the hardcore punk genre and in my opinion is an album that anyone who appreciates music should take in. Historic in the punk world, and also genuinely good, even if you aren't too fond of punk rock. For a band called "Circle Jerks" they really don't rely on shock all too much, but that doesn't mean the band doesn't have a special spot for humor. Raunchy humor I will admit, but cleverly written raunchy humor which is one of my favorite themes in punk rock so long as the band does it right, and these guys do it perfectly. I have been a fan of this band since I first started getting into punk rock well over a decade ago. I will admit I was put off by the bands name at first, but much like the Buzzcocks, once I started into their music that faded quick as can be. Still.... I don't think I would go out and buy a shirt with a big ol' crazy design on it, as much as I would like to.
Today we aren't looking at their groundbreaking debut Group Sex, I am certain that day will come, but for now we take a look at their follow-up studio album Wild in the Streets. Personally, I am more fond of this album than their debut, and it might just be my favorite album from them even if their 4th album Wonderful does have a special place in my heart. I was shocked to see Wonderful wasn't an album that people liked, I don't see why honestly, but I guess music like any art form is subjective. For those on the outside of punk rock it might be odd to view the genre as art, though I would argue that out of all the main rock based genres it is most certainly one of the artsiest even if it doesn't show it in face value. It sits on the fence on the classic pen vs. the sword argument on which is more powerful. On one hand, punk is a full-frontal assault on the senses, it acts as a sword as it reaps the souls of those that are within earshot. But on the other hand, punk is often extremely witty and well written, they talk about societal issues and even sometimes have a solution for those problems (which often leads us back to the "sword"). I guess it is sort of like a gorgeous sword dipped in blood. Skillfully handmade from pommel to blade tip, but if you don't take the warning from its craftsmanship, then you will find that its killing power matches its beauty. I am getting off track, well sort of, but let's get back to the topic of our song of the day. "Wild in the Streets" is, as you probably guessed it, the title track to the album of the same name. The album released in 1981 and after such a stellar debut it became another instant classic to hardcore punk. This track is their most listened to one on Spotify, and it isn't too hard to see why, it is so damn aggressive it makes you piddle a little. Following that, it is mostly tracks off that debut we keep coming back to, which is a shame since I think plenty of the tracks off this album like "Moral Majority" and "Leave Me Alone" are just as potent if not more than plenty of the tracks off their debut. "Wild in the Streets" is a rallying call to all the reckless youth far and wide to get out and fuck some shit up out on the streets. It became especially popular amongst skateboarders. And even with my youth fleeting like my beauty, it even makes me want to act up. This is the kind of track that is almost impossible to not speed to while driving. It is skillfully crafted without too much trying to be a perfect anthem for chaos. The lyrics were written by Garland Jeffreys which actually has the original version of the song back in 1973. The two songs are day and night, and the lyrics are altered to match the more reckless nature of the Circle Jerks, I mean it is hardly even the same song, yet I am glad it is there since it would later become an anthem for punk rock. Check it out if you are in the mood for something more mellow, and if you are someone who likes to see the changing of the guard in music history then it might be a fun little comparison. Do it after you give this song a good once over, though! Annnnnd enjoy!
Year Released: 1982
Album: Wild in the Streets (1982)
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Mood: Reckless abandon
Perfect For: Skating, Rioting, Getting soused, Driving fast, Annoying your girlfriend, Running wild in the streets
Where To Next: "Right Side of My Mind" - Angry Samoans
Rating: 10 / 10
Song of the Day 08/25/2025
"Dreams" - The Cranberries
Alright, alright, we have been having a lot of good time tracks, but how about we bring it on in and take in some emotionally leaden music. When I am in the mood to feel like I am being rained on right before the sunshine comes out and dries me off, then I think of no better place to go than The Cranberries. I can be having one of the best days of my life and out of nowhere feel so damn down. I could be driving away smiling with everyone throwing the rice on my wedding day, but if "Ode to My Family" comes on over those speakers, then I would lose that smile. But it isn't really a loss of smile that comes out of sorrow, it is almost a self reflective loss of smiles. Inward thought is forced upon you when the unique and strong vocals come out of Dolores O'Riordan. If you are reading this and thinking "man, does this guy know how to sell a song or what" I want to make it clear this isn't a bad thing, that emotionally heavy sound is the power of what The Cranberries are. It isn't just sorrow, it is bittersweet, hence the feeling of being rained on, and then the sun comes out and you can feel all that rain drying or turning warm making you feel all sorts of warm on the inside. Heavy music. So who are The Cranberries? I know we talked a little about them some months back but for a band this great I have no regrets reminding you about them. They are a group often thrown in with the alternative rock sound out of the 1990s, a statement I agree yet disagree with, they have a ton more range than some of the other alternative rock groups at the time. Each and every time I re-listen through some of their albums like 1993's Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? or 1994's No Need to Argue, I am taken back by how each song is different from the last and gives you something else to appreciate. I will admit, those two albums are my home for The Cranberries, I have listened up to Roses within their studio work, but I cannot help but b-line it right back to those two albums each and every time I get that Cranberries hankering. They are practically greatest hits albums with the amount of great songs that come out of them. I will get there though, especially since I have heard great things about their 7th studio album Something Else, which released in 2017. Until then, we talk about "Dreams" which came off of their debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?.
I couldn't imagine what it was like first hearing this album upon its debut in 1993, songs like "Dreams" and "Linger" were already making their moves across the globe and once the album dropped it saw its place rightfully at the top of both the Irish charts and the UK's. It was met with feverish acclaim in the UK where it stayed on the charts for 86 weeks, a feat pulled off by few, especially with a debut album. The album was the fifth one in rock history to top the charts a year after its release. If you are someone who have listened through this album, it is extremely easy to see why. This is the kind of album that makes time stop, and once the final song "Put Me Down" comes to a close, you are left with this emptiness that can only be filled by playing it again. I got this CD at a pretty young age, I don't remember where I got it, but I will forever remember staring at that album cover and thinking "man.... these people don't look too happy" and then listening to it and being like "man.... these people don't sound too happy". One of the first examples for my child brain to see the massive differences in sounds within rock music, it took Aerosmith to really show me, but The Cranberries activated a part of my brain that I still utilize each and everyday I do my studies. As a child I was obsessed with "Linger", I had a big crush on the singer even though I never once saw her face outside the photos within the CD, I always figured she smelt of freshly watered flowers. I am still ultra fond of Dolores O'Riordan's vocals, I think it is the strongest thing in The Cranberries and what really sets them apart from every other 1990s band. I know I am not alone since it seems a lot of the 2000s female lead bands took notes from her as well, wonder if they thought she smelt like freshly watered flowers too. Our song of the day today is the band's massively successful song "Dreams", it holds the 3rd place for most listened to Cranberries song on Spotify behind "Zombie" (duh) and "Linger", and it still gets plenty of radio play in my area even though they tend to cut out the outro. Understandable but sad. This song sickens me with how well it grips you. It has an atmosphere like it came out of the 1980s, but as soon as the vocals come into play, you know exactly which decade it came out of. Irish musicians are one of the few countries that you can also pick out the accent fairly easily, the other being Scottish buuuut some things you just cannot hide. "Dreams" is a bittersweet song, it sounds so hurt yet the lyrics are strangely uplifting. A love song shrouded in a melancholy style that always floors me with its simple beauty. Even now as I am listening to it again, and I cannot help but keep staring out the window instead of typing. Makes me want to sail a ship into the unknown, to live and die in the arms of my precious Alesha, to love a life that doesn't seem to love me. Dreams have beat me down, they have left me as soon as I understood the lie we are sold as children. Do dreams come true? Not usually. Shit, this is America! The American dream is a reality... if you can afford to dream. But what do you do? You are here reading my stuff as we speak, and that is enough for me, and maybe since you are reading it some others might read it too! That hope and drive never truly leaves me, I know it hurts to dream, but I cannot help it. "Keep on dreamin' boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die". Well.... That is all from me! Thank you for reading this and making my dreams come true! Oh! And listen to the song! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1992
Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993)
Genre: Alternative Rock, Dream Pop
Mood: Melancholy
Perfect For: Stargazing, Daydreaming, Romantic evenings, Writing a love letter, Hope
Where To Next: "Disappear" - Mazzy Star
Rating: 10 / 10
Alright, alright, we have been having a lot of good time tracks, but how about we bring it on in and take in some emotionally leaden music. When I am in the mood to feel like I am being rained on right before the sunshine comes out and dries me off, then I think of no better place to go than The Cranberries. I can be having one of the best days of my life and out of nowhere feel so damn down. I could be driving away smiling with everyone throwing the rice on my wedding day, but if "Ode to My Family" comes on over those speakers, then I would lose that smile. But it isn't really a loss of smile that comes out of sorrow, it is almost a self reflective loss of smiles. Inward thought is forced upon you when the unique and strong vocals come out of Dolores O'Riordan. If you are reading this and thinking "man, does this guy know how to sell a song or what" I want to make it clear this isn't a bad thing, that emotionally heavy sound is the power of what The Cranberries are. It isn't just sorrow, it is bittersweet, hence the feeling of being rained on, and then the sun comes out and you can feel all that rain drying or turning warm making you feel all sorts of warm on the inside. Heavy music. So who are The Cranberries? I know we talked a little about them some months back but for a band this great I have no regrets reminding you about them. They are a group often thrown in with the alternative rock sound out of the 1990s, a statement I agree yet disagree with, they have a ton more range than some of the other alternative rock groups at the time. Each and every time I re-listen through some of their albums like 1993's Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? or 1994's No Need to Argue, I am taken back by how each song is different from the last and gives you something else to appreciate. I will admit, those two albums are my home for The Cranberries, I have listened up to Roses within their studio work, but I cannot help but b-line it right back to those two albums each and every time I get that Cranberries hankering. They are practically greatest hits albums with the amount of great songs that come out of them. I will get there though, especially since I have heard great things about their 7th studio album Something Else, which released in 2017. Until then, we talk about "Dreams" which came off of their debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?.
I couldn't imagine what it was like first hearing this album upon its debut in 1993, songs like "Dreams" and "Linger" were already making their moves across the globe and once the album dropped it saw its place rightfully at the top of both the Irish charts and the UK's. It was met with feverish acclaim in the UK where it stayed on the charts for 86 weeks, a feat pulled off by few, especially with a debut album. The album was the fifth one in rock history to top the charts a year after its release. If you are someone who have listened through this album, it is extremely easy to see why. This is the kind of album that makes time stop, and once the final song "Put Me Down" comes to a close, you are left with this emptiness that can only be filled by playing it again. I got this CD at a pretty young age, I don't remember where I got it, but I will forever remember staring at that album cover and thinking "man.... these people don't look too happy" and then listening to it and being like "man.... these people don't sound too happy". One of the first examples for my child brain to see the massive differences in sounds within rock music, it took Aerosmith to really show me, but The Cranberries activated a part of my brain that I still utilize each and everyday I do my studies. As a child I was obsessed with "Linger", I had a big crush on the singer even though I never once saw her face outside the photos within the CD, I always figured she smelt of freshly watered flowers. I am still ultra fond of Dolores O'Riordan's vocals, I think it is the strongest thing in The Cranberries and what really sets them apart from every other 1990s band. I know I am not alone since it seems a lot of the 2000s female lead bands took notes from her as well, wonder if they thought she smelt like freshly watered flowers too. Our song of the day today is the band's massively successful song "Dreams", it holds the 3rd place for most listened to Cranberries song on Spotify behind "Zombie" (duh) and "Linger", and it still gets plenty of radio play in my area even though they tend to cut out the outro. Understandable but sad. This song sickens me with how well it grips you. It has an atmosphere like it came out of the 1980s, but as soon as the vocals come into play, you know exactly which decade it came out of. Irish musicians are one of the few countries that you can also pick out the accent fairly easily, the other being Scottish buuuut some things you just cannot hide. "Dreams" is a bittersweet song, it sounds so hurt yet the lyrics are strangely uplifting. A love song shrouded in a melancholy style that always floors me with its simple beauty. Even now as I am listening to it again, and I cannot help but keep staring out the window instead of typing. Makes me want to sail a ship into the unknown, to live and die in the arms of my precious Alesha, to love a life that doesn't seem to love me. Dreams have beat me down, they have left me as soon as I understood the lie we are sold as children. Do dreams come true? Not usually. Shit, this is America! The American dream is a reality... if you can afford to dream. But what do you do? You are here reading my stuff as we speak, and that is enough for me, and maybe since you are reading it some others might read it too! That hope and drive never truly leaves me, I know it hurts to dream, but I cannot help it. "Keep on dreamin' boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die". Well.... That is all from me! Thank you for reading this and making my dreams come true! Oh! And listen to the song! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1992
Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993)
Genre: Alternative Rock, Dream Pop
Mood: Melancholy
Perfect For: Stargazing, Daydreaming, Romantic evenings, Writing a love letter, Hope
Where To Next: "Disappear" - Mazzy Star
Rating: 10 / 10
Song of the Day 08/24/2025
"The Heart of Rock and Roll" - Huey Lewis & The News
I guess classic 1980s bands and songs was the theme of my vacation, since most of the songs listened to during driving and such were from that wonderful decade. Huey Lewis & The News are a name that is synonymous with rock music of the 1980s, they perfected the fine line between previous rock styles, modern rock knack, pop washed ballads, and straight forward rockers. Much like our previous song, they also have one of the most recognized "movie songs" with their wildly successful "The Power of Love" from Back to the Future. Huey Lewis and The News are a hardworking band, not one that had everything handed to them. They released their self-titled debut in 1980 which didn't gather all too much attention, and even in my retrospective shoes I can see why, they were fumbling with this pub rock sound that was dipped heavily in new wave. Not an album you have to play right now, but it still is well worth your time if you already listened to the other 1980s releases from the band, I have a fondness for "Hearts" especially. Anyway, following their debut we have their second studio album Picture This, one of my favorite albums they put out and one of the strongest pop based rock albums to come out of 1982. In this album we see the band finally finding the sound that would give them fame, though I will admit that outside of the hits they still weren't quite there yet, and I say that with love since I personally put this album up there with Sports and Fore! but my critic side of music listening still has a say in these matters. Speaking of Sports, that is their 3rd album, and it is also where the band fully formed into one tight and strong unit, a unit that commanded the mid 1980s with this release. It is a perfect album from start to finish, and one of the most recognizable from the decade. Huey Lewis and The News truly deserved the limelight before this album, but all it took was this one album to send them on a path of rock stardom. While the singles off this album get most of the love it certainly isn't one to just pick out the singles and be on your way. Track after track shows off a mature rock sound that appeals to businessmen as much as it appeals to rebellious teenagers. Good time music for good time people, topics that were heavier than most of the other pop rock musicians out there, and a special cynicism that I have always loved Huey Lewis for. This album is an essential for anyone going through the 1980s, and in my opinion is an essential album for any self-respecting rocker, no matter your rocking walk of life. The album had 5 hit singles come out of its 10 tracks, many of those singles were chart toppers in over 40 countries and some stayed up at the top for an impressive amount of time. Our song of the day is one of those singles and is one of the high points on the album, "The Heart of Rock and Roll".
"The Heart of Rock and Roll" is a song all for the love of rock music, and it holds the lyrical theme of "rock's not dead" something you tend to only write once something has indeed died. Rock was certainly hurting in the 1980s, but I don't think died, more so it was re-birthed into something heavier and flashier. Heavy metal taking the place of hard rock and new wave/pop rock taking the place of soft rock made the term "rock music" hard to pin down, there were glammed out dudes screeching on stages that Lynyrd Skynyrd were on only 8 years back. Time moved fast, dancing turned fast, the rock roared, and the drugs moved faster. So many started thinking that rock was dying, a fair thought when all the genres were creating subgenre after subgenre, but in the end that was not the truth, rock would go on to have many more years of glory before finally succumbing to its own weight in the future, or at least stepped down out of the spotlight. "The Heart of Rock and Roll" is a rallying call to the rockers across the globe, reminding them that the heart of rock n roll is still beating strong! Not that you needed proof but let's look into the lyrics and point out where some of the action was going on in 1983, the year the amazing Sports released. The first city Huey Lewis points out is New York, the big apple, a city which always has both a thriving mainstream scene and a dangerous underground scene just waiting to take the leap into the big time. There is never a shortage of rock talent in New York City, so there is no better place to start the song off with. Secondly we have Los Angeles, it is here that the rock world practically survived and burned out all within one decade. Glam, glitter, yet still bitter hard rock was burning on the Sunset Strip, bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken, and so many more were either currently pushing out top grade rock music or were soon to make their attack on the world. Then Huey Lewis goes on to list off many places, Washington DC was fighting the world with their razor sharp punk scene, San Antone might be known for plenty of country music, but it was a prime spot to stop for bands like Def Leppard and Styx, Boston has always been home to many stellar rock groups and 1983 was no different, Seattle is another music capital for the United States even if their prime years came near the end of the 1980s in the 1990s, and San Francisco is a no brainer in the rock world with its bristling culture and rock history. There are plenty of other cities names dropped, but I cherry-picked the important ones to rock up until that point and also in 1983 itself. The song ends on two immensely important cities, Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan. Detroit is rock city, countless bands cut their teeth there before moving into international superstars, and it is also the home for Motown, a genre of R&B that did more for rock than almost any other outside source. And Cleveland was one of the reasons this song was written, originally the lyrics were written as "the heart of rock n roll is in Cleveland" instead of "the heart of rock n roll is still beating". San Francisco is the home of Huey Lewis and The News, but they were completely impressed when they did a show there. Cleveland had a big music scene at the time, some of the best underrated metal bands came out of the scene like Shok Paris and Breaker. This is a song to appreciate all things rock, from the depressive Seattle scene or the electric Los Angeles scene, great rock n roll was happening all across the country, and it was clear it isn't just NYC or Los Angeles where it was happening. Alright, I think that is enough talking about the song, it is one I will never skip when that fun intro kicks on, and I am happy to have it here to share with y'all even though I am sure you already know it. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Sports (1983)
Genre: Pop Rock
Mood: Rocking
Perfect For: Casual listening, Drives through the city, Heading out to listen to a local band
Where To Next: "Rock Me Tonite" - Billy Squier
Rating: 9 / 10
I guess classic 1980s bands and songs was the theme of my vacation, since most of the songs listened to during driving and such were from that wonderful decade. Huey Lewis & The News are a name that is synonymous with rock music of the 1980s, they perfected the fine line between previous rock styles, modern rock knack, pop washed ballads, and straight forward rockers. Much like our previous song, they also have one of the most recognized "movie songs" with their wildly successful "The Power of Love" from Back to the Future. Huey Lewis and The News are a hardworking band, not one that had everything handed to them. They released their self-titled debut in 1980 which didn't gather all too much attention, and even in my retrospective shoes I can see why, they were fumbling with this pub rock sound that was dipped heavily in new wave. Not an album you have to play right now, but it still is well worth your time if you already listened to the other 1980s releases from the band, I have a fondness for "Hearts" especially. Anyway, following their debut we have their second studio album Picture This, one of my favorite albums they put out and one of the strongest pop based rock albums to come out of 1982. In this album we see the band finally finding the sound that would give them fame, though I will admit that outside of the hits they still weren't quite there yet, and I say that with love since I personally put this album up there with Sports and Fore! but my critic side of music listening still has a say in these matters. Speaking of Sports, that is their 3rd album, and it is also where the band fully formed into one tight and strong unit, a unit that commanded the mid 1980s with this release. It is a perfect album from start to finish, and one of the most recognizable from the decade. Huey Lewis and The News truly deserved the limelight before this album, but all it took was this one album to send them on a path of rock stardom. While the singles off this album get most of the love it certainly isn't one to just pick out the singles and be on your way. Track after track shows off a mature rock sound that appeals to businessmen as much as it appeals to rebellious teenagers. Good time music for good time people, topics that were heavier than most of the other pop rock musicians out there, and a special cynicism that I have always loved Huey Lewis for. This album is an essential for anyone going through the 1980s, and in my opinion is an essential album for any self-respecting rocker, no matter your rocking walk of life. The album had 5 hit singles come out of its 10 tracks, many of those singles were chart toppers in over 40 countries and some stayed up at the top for an impressive amount of time. Our song of the day is one of those singles and is one of the high points on the album, "The Heart of Rock and Roll".
"The Heart of Rock and Roll" is a song all for the love of rock music, and it holds the lyrical theme of "rock's not dead" something you tend to only write once something has indeed died. Rock was certainly hurting in the 1980s, but I don't think died, more so it was re-birthed into something heavier and flashier. Heavy metal taking the place of hard rock and new wave/pop rock taking the place of soft rock made the term "rock music" hard to pin down, there were glammed out dudes screeching on stages that Lynyrd Skynyrd were on only 8 years back. Time moved fast, dancing turned fast, the rock roared, and the drugs moved faster. So many started thinking that rock was dying, a fair thought when all the genres were creating subgenre after subgenre, but in the end that was not the truth, rock would go on to have many more years of glory before finally succumbing to its own weight in the future, or at least stepped down out of the spotlight. "The Heart of Rock and Roll" is a rallying call to the rockers across the globe, reminding them that the heart of rock n roll is still beating strong! Not that you needed proof but let's look into the lyrics and point out where some of the action was going on in 1983, the year the amazing Sports released. The first city Huey Lewis points out is New York, the big apple, a city which always has both a thriving mainstream scene and a dangerous underground scene just waiting to take the leap into the big time. There is never a shortage of rock talent in New York City, so there is no better place to start the song off with. Secondly we have Los Angeles, it is here that the rock world practically survived and burned out all within one decade. Glam, glitter, yet still bitter hard rock was burning on the Sunset Strip, bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken, and so many more were either currently pushing out top grade rock music or were soon to make their attack on the world. Then Huey Lewis goes on to list off many places, Washington DC was fighting the world with their razor sharp punk scene, San Antone might be known for plenty of country music, but it was a prime spot to stop for bands like Def Leppard and Styx, Boston has always been home to many stellar rock groups and 1983 was no different, Seattle is another music capital for the United States even if their prime years came near the end of the 1980s in the 1990s, and San Francisco is a no brainer in the rock world with its bristling culture and rock history. There are plenty of other cities names dropped, but I cherry-picked the important ones to rock up until that point and also in 1983 itself. The song ends on two immensely important cities, Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan. Detroit is rock city, countless bands cut their teeth there before moving into international superstars, and it is also the home for Motown, a genre of R&B that did more for rock than almost any other outside source. And Cleveland was one of the reasons this song was written, originally the lyrics were written as "the heart of rock n roll is in Cleveland" instead of "the heart of rock n roll is still beating". San Francisco is the home of Huey Lewis and The News, but they were completely impressed when they did a show there. Cleveland had a big music scene at the time, some of the best underrated metal bands came out of the scene like Shok Paris and Breaker. This is a song to appreciate all things rock, from the depressive Seattle scene or the electric Los Angeles scene, great rock n roll was happening all across the country, and it was clear it isn't just NYC or Los Angeles where it was happening. Alright, I think that is enough talking about the song, it is one I will never skip when that fun intro kicks on, and I am happy to have it here to share with y'all even though I am sure you already know it. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Sports (1983)
Genre: Pop Rock
Mood: Rocking
Perfect For: Casual listening, Drives through the city, Heading out to listen to a local band
Where To Next: "Rock Me Tonite" - Billy Squier
Rating: 9 / 10
Song of the Day 08/23/2025
"You're the Best" - Joe Esposito
Right behind "Eye of the Tiger" this track right here is the ultimate 1980s montage song. It was built for it, and tracks like it "No Easy Way Out" from Robert Tepper, "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins, and "The Final Countdown" from Europe show off exactly why the 1980s were a goldmine for epic movie moments. Songs like this one and some others were written perfectly for the moment in their respective movies, the crafting that goes into some of the 1980s movie songs is unreal. I wish with all my bum that modern movies took the same care in making some kick ass soundtracks, it is all bang no buck nowadays. I am sure there are still some movies out there that break that stigma, but in comparison to movies like Footloose, The Breakfast Club, Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, and so many more they fall short. I am not one to ever really think about buying soundtracks, but even one song as good as our song of the day would have me second thinking it solely for that one song. Todays choice comes off the soundtrack to The Karate Kid (1984), one of the decade defining movies of the 1980s that still has a strong fan base and earned new-found fame from the Netflix series Cobra Kai. I have seen the original a handful of times throughout my life, especially since for a little bit there it seemed destined to be playing for free at motels me and my dad would stay at when I was a kid. I never watched any of the sequels, but I did watch the reboot, a movie I actually quite enjoyed, even if people always wince at that statement. Is it as good as the original? No. But with its modern touch it seemed more accessible to younger Caleb. Alright, this blog isn't about movies, so I shall leave it there for the most part, but it is impossible to talk about "You're the Best" without talking about The Karate Kid.
The soundtrack to the movie held more than just "You're the Best", it had a pretty stacked track listing that makes me wonder if I want it on vinyl. It was the US debut spot for Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" yet the song didn't make the original track listing and also included artists like Gang of Four, Jan and Dean, and Survivor who was asked to make a song for the movie after their incredible success with "Eye of the Tiger" for the Rocky III Soundtrack. It would be weird to already have okay recognition in the rock world but to become a soundtrack band out of nowhere, it worked for them though with "Eye of the Tiger" but their song "The Moment of Truth" that they performed for The Karate Kid never got even close to the acclaim of their previous hit. So we got a top tier movie mixed with top tier musicians, a match made in heaven that saw Joe Esposito becoming a known name even if a lot of that fame brought ridicule. I get that people cringe to these kinds of songs, but I don't see why, they are great tracks that are methodically crafted to feel epic, pumped, and ready for action! The mans career was based around creating songs that show up in movies, not your touring band that never pays the bill, but the corporate side of rock music where a jingle or fun song can land you with a 100 dollar steak. "You're the Best" is arguably his best, but he has had success with multiple classic movie songs like "Lady, Lady, Lady" off of Flashdance (1983), "Success" from Scarface (1983), "Come into My Life" off the movie Coming to America (1988), and many more. All of which have that theatrical feeling, something I respect Esposito for. "You're the Best" was tried for many different decade defining movies, it was written for Rocky III but got dropped for "Eye of the Tiger", and it was also attempted to be the theme song for Flashdance but rightfully fell before "Maniac" by Michael Sembello (which I am glad since I adore that song). Other than the lyrics to the song, namely "history repeats itself", the song matches The Karate Kid better than any other song could. A great song and one of the best scenes in the movie, so in my opinion it was good that the other movies didn't pick it up. I chose the song while playing ping pong with my family and girlfriend and it was agreed to find a "1980s montage" playlist on Spotify. That playlist included some plain strange tracks, half of them weren't even famous movie songs nor were they even out of the 1980s. Guess they didn't expect some random people to be playing it and scoffing when "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy came along. Great song, but maybe not the right crowd, unless I am missing something. Anyway! Give the song a listen and relive some of the music that came out of a decade chock-full of timeless movies. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1984
Album: The Karate Kid Soundtrack (1984)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Empowering
Perfect For: Karate matches, Nostalgia, Training, Going to the gym, Running
Where To Next: "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)" - Paul Engemann
Rating: 7 / 10
Right behind "Eye of the Tiger" this track right here is the ultimate 1980s montage song. It was built for it, and tracks like it "No Easy Way Out" from Robert Tepper, "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins, and "The Final Countdown" from Europe show off exactly why the 1980s were a goldmine for epic movie moments. Songs like this one and some others were written perfectly for the moment in their respective movies, the crafting that goes into some of the 1980s movie songs is unreal. I wish with all my bum that modern movies took the same care in making some kick ass soundtracks, it is all bang no buck nowadays. I am sure there are still some movies out there that break that stigma, but in comparison to movies like Footloose, The Breakfast Club, Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, and so many more they fall short. I am not one to ever really think about buying soundtracks, but even one song as good as our song of the day would have me second thinking it solely for that one song. Todays choice comes off the soundtrack to The Karate Kid (1984), one of the decade defining movies of the 1980s that still has a strong fan base and earned new-found fame from the Netflix series Cobra Kai. I have seen the original a handful of times throughout my life, especially since for a little bit there it seemed destined to be playing for free at motels me and my dad would stay at when I was a kid. I never watched any of the sequels, but I did watch the reboot, a movie I actually quite enjoyed, even if people always wince at that statement. Is it as good as the original? No. But with its modern touch it seemed more accessible to younger Caleb. Alright, this blog isn't about movies, so I shall leave it there for the most part, but it is impossible to talk about "You're the Best" without talking about The Karate Kid.
The soundtrack to the movie held more than just "You're the Best", it had a pretty stacked track listing that makes me wonder if I want it on vinyl. It was the US debut spot for Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" yet the song didn't make the original track listing and also included artists like Gang of Four, Jan and Dean, and Survivor who was asked to make a song for the movie after their incredible success with "Eye of the Tiger" for the Rocky III Soundtrack. It would be weird to already have okay recognition in the rock world but to become a soundtrack band out of nowhere, it worked for them though with "Eye of the Tiger" but their song "The Moment of Truth" that they performed for The Karate Kid never got even close to the acclaim of their previous hit. So we got a top tier movie mixed with top tier musicians, a match made in heaven that saw Joe Esposito becoming a known name even if a lot of that fame brought ridicule. I get that people cringe to these kinds of songs, but I don't see why, they are great tracks that are methodically crafted to feel epic, pumped, and ready for action! The mans career was based around creating songs that show up in movies, not your touring band that never pays the bill, but the corporate side of rock music where a jingle or fun song can land you with a 100 dollar steak. "You're the Best" is arguably his best, but he has had success with multiple classic movie songs like "Lady, Lady, Lady" off of Flashdance (1983), "Success" from Scarface (1983), "Come into My Life" off the movie Coming to America (1988), and many more. All of which have that theatrical feeling, something I respect Esposito for. "You're the Best" was tried for many different decade defining movies, it was written for Rocky III but got dropped for "Eye of the Tiger", and it was also attempted to be the theme song for Flashdance but rightfully fell before "Maniac" by Michael Sembello (which I am glad since I adore that song). Other than the lyrics to the song, namely "history repeats itself", the song matches The Karate Kid better than any other song could. A great song and one of the best scenes in the movie, so in my opinion it was good that the other movies didn't pick it up. I chose the song while playing ping pong with my family and girlfriend and it was agreed to find a "1980s montage" playlist on Spotify. That playlist included some plain strange tracks, half of them weren't even famous movie songs nor were they even out of the 1980s. Guess they didn't expect some random people to be playing it and scoffing when "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy came along. Great song, but maybe not the right crowd, unless I am missing something. Anyway! Give the song a listen and relive some of the music that came out of a decade chock-full of timeless movies. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1984
Album: The Karate Kid Soundtrack (1984)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Empowering
Perfect For: Karate matches, Nostalgia, Training, Going to the gym, Running
Where To Next: "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)" - Paul Engemann
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/22/2025
"Ride Into the Sun" - Def Leppard
Today, we take a look at one of the most underrated EP's my ears have ever taken in! Def Leppard is a massively successful band, one of the biggest names to come out of the 1980s, and a ton of their songs get the same abuse today as they did when their diamond and multi-platinum albums released in the 1980s. I hardly need to tell you though, I am sure you listened to them even today, shit you might be listening to them while reading this! And if you aren't... then shame on you! Well, after you read this compelling and repetitive ranting about how great this band is I am sure you will be smitten with a deep desire to listen to some Def Leppard, and if not.... Then once again shame on you! Well, we already know the power of Def Leppard, but how many of you out there have listened through their debut EP released in 1979? It took me years into the abuse of their discography to even realize that had something before their debut studio album On Through the Night, but once I found it I was in love. The EP was media locked in vinyl until 2017 when it had a "record store day release" and also was finally put out in digital form. That first album of theirs is part of my beloved New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, my main home when it comes to the power and the glory that is heavy metal, and I always cried heavy metal tears that I never got more Def Leppard with that sound. Sure, High 'n' Dry and even Pyromania had it there, but it was clear that they were going for something with a little more of a mainstream and easy to get into sound, a thing that I shouldn't be put down since it would later give us many more great albums and songs from the band, but still I couldn't help but be a little sad that I would never get more of that sweet heavy sound from the band. That was once again until I came across this little EP, a whole 3 songs coming in at 14:37, and following that I felt like I found something that was once hidden in the dark but simply must be brought to the light. It had that feeling similar to when you find some cash on the ground, you feel a little guilty but once you walk away without someone flagging you down you want to jump for joy with this new-found 5 dollar king's bounty. For those that are coming to this version of the band after having a deep love for Hysteria, then you might be in for a little shocker. It is a primitive and raw Def Leppard, a version of the band that scalps you and replaces that flesh with denim and leather.
Even with this album only having 3 songs, there is enough raw and relentless power here to have you coming back time after time. This EP has gone on to be a record collector's dream, the original release only saw 1000 pressed, and if you are lucky enough to own one of those then you have a piece of music history and I envy you. There are plenty of copies of the Vertigo re-release with a yellow middle sticker, but even that I would love. Anyway! There are three songs on this EP, "Ride into the Sun", "Getcha Rocks Off", and "Overture", all of which are kick ass tracks, but when it comes down to it, I am not sure there is much competition to "Ride into the Sun" being the most potent. It holds one of my favorite lyrical themes, riding a motorcycle to nowhere, come what may. It has a perfect atmosphere for that theme too, there is a wanderlust feeling to the track to balance out the recklessness of it all. I also love the inclusion of having your best gal riding on the bike behind you, it turns the traditional heavy metal motorcycle lyricism like you hear on "Stallions of the Highway" by Saxon or "Iron Horse / Born to Lose" by Motörhead into something different. It feels like a young couple against the whole world, riding into the sun. I listen to this song most of the rides I have taken when I wear headphones, it matches the road wonderfully. It doesn't only fit traveling by motorcycle, this is still a great one for driving in general. That is exactly what I was doing when I chose this track. My family was having a vacation at Bear Lake at the Idaho/Utah border, my little lady and I were having a good conversation as we burned through canyon roads, eating up that pavement as much as we were eating up the sun burning through that cracked windshield. I heard this intro kicking off so I set myself at ease, I turned on that cruise control, got a little more comfy, took a long drink of tea as I fumbled to get a cigarette out of my pack. That right there is one of the best feelings, hearing the perfect song as you drive along, it is better than sex, and it is a feeling I wish I could feel at all times. It is the feeling of being at ease, the feeling of inner peace and belonging. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it makes me lose all stress and woes, and it always seems to happen when I am driving with my sweet little missy. I don't know if she ever feels that while we drive along, but I feel it enough for the both of us. Def Leppard has a good handful of tracks that hit well while driving, but none match "Ride into the Sun", I mean the track is fully made for it. Sadly, it was the only track out of the 3 to be shelved for a while, "Getcha Rocks Off" was included on the band's debut studio album On Through the Night under the name "Rocks Off" and "The Overture" came along for that rocking ride. This song would have been a perfect addition to that album, they missed out, and it never showed back up until it was included as the B-Side for the band's hit single "Hysteria". That version is much more cleaned up and lacks that special atmosphere that has "Ride into the Sun" being branded on my heart, I honestly don't like that version almost at all, but I am still glad it got a little love. So be sure to listen to the right version if you listen along after reading these! Anyway! That is enough out of me, I will let the music do the talking! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1979
EP: The Def Leppard E.P. (1979)
Genre: Traditional Heavy Metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal
Mood: Nomadic
Perfect For: Riding motorcycles, Driving fast, Driving slow, Driving with nowhere to go
Where To Next: "Stallions of the Highway" - Saxon
Rating: 9 / 10
Today, we take a look at one of the most underrated EP's my ears have ever taken in! Def Leppard is a massively successful band, one of the biggest names to come out of the 1980s, and a ton of their songs get the same abuse today as they did when their diamond and multi-platinum albums released in the 1980s. I hardly need to tell you though, I am sure you listened to them even today, shit you might be listening to them while reading this! And if you aren't... then shame on you! Well, after you read this compelling and repetitive ranting about how great this band is I am sure you will be smitten with a deep desire to listen to some Def Leppard, and if not.... Then once again shame on you! Well, we already know the power of Def Leppard, but how many of you out there have listened through their debut EP released in 1979? It took me years into the abuse of their discography to even realize that had something before their debut studio album On Through the Night, but once I found it I was in love. The EP was media locked in vinyl until 2017 when it had a "record store day release" and also was finally put out in digital form. That first album of theirs is part of my beloved New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, my main home when it comes to the power and the glory that is heavy metal, and I always cried heavy metal tears that I never got more Def Leppard with that sound. Sure, High 'n' Dry and even Pyromania had it there, but it was clear that they were going for something with a little more of a mainstream and easy to get into sound, a thing that I shouldn't be put down since it would later give us many more great albums and songs from the band, but still I couldn't help but be a little sad that I would never get more of that sweet heavy sound from the band. That was once again until I came across this little EP, a whole 3 songs coming in at 14:37, and following that I felt like I found something that was once hidden in the dark but simply must be brought to the light. It had that feeling similar to when you find some cash on the ground, you feel a little guilty but once you walk away without someone flagging you down you want to jump for joy with this new-found 5 dollar king's bounty. For those that are coming to this version of the band after having a deep love for Hysteria, then you might be in for a little shocker. It is a primitive and raw Def Leppard, a version of the band that scalps you and replaces that flesh with denim and leather.
Even with this album only having 3 songs, there is enough raw and relentless power here to have you coming back time after time. This EP has gone on to be a record collector's dream, the original release only saw 1000 pressed, and if you are lucky enough to own one of those then you have a piece of music history and I envy you. There are plenty of copies of the Vertigo re-release with a yellow middle sticker, but even that I would love. Anyway! There are three songs on this EP, "Ride into the Sun", "Getcha Rocks Off", and "Overture", all of which are kick ass tracks, but when it comes down to it, I am not sure there is much competition to "Ride into the Sun" being the most potent. It holds one of my favorite lyrical themes, riding a motorcycle to nowhere, come what may. It has a perfect atmosphere for that theme too, there is a wanderlust feeling to the track to balance out the recklessness of it all. I also love the inclusion of having your best gal riding on the bike behind you, it turns the traditional heavy metal motorcycle lyricism like you hear on "Stallions of the Highway" by Saxon or "Iron Horse / Born to Lose" by Motörhead into something different. It feels like a young couple against the whole world, riding into the sun. I listen to this song most of the rides I have taken when I wear headphones, it matches the road wonderfully. It doesn't only fit traveling by motorcycle, this is still a great one for driving in general. That is exactly what I was doing when I chose this track. My family was having a vacation at Bear Lake at the Idaho/Utah border, my little lady and I were having a good conversation as we burned through canyon roads, eating up that pavement as much as we were eating up the sun burning through that cracked windshield. I heard this intro kicking off so I set myself at ease, I turned on that cruise control, got a little more comfy, took a long drink of tea as I fumbled to get a cigarette out of my pack. That right there is one of the best feelings, hearing the perfect song as you drive along, it is better than sex, and it is a feeling I wish I could feel at all times. It is the feeling of being at ease, the feeling of inner peace and belonging. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it makes me lose all stress and woes, and it always seems to happen when I am driving with my sweet little missy. I don't know if she ever feels that while we drive along, but I feel it enough for the both of us. Def Leppard has a good handful of tracks that hit well while driving, but none match "Ride into the Sun", I mean the track is fully made for it. Sadly, it was the only track out of the 3 to be shelved for a while, "Getcha Rocks Off" was included on the band's debut studio album On Through the Night under the name "Rocks Off" and "The Overture" came along for that rocking ride. This song would have been a perfect addition to that album, they missed out, and it never showed back up until it was included as the B-Side for the band's hit single "Hysteria". That version is much more cleaned up and lacks that special atmosphere that has "Ride into the Sun" being branded on my heart, I honestly don't like that version almost at all, but I am still glad it got a little love. So be sure to listen to the right version if you listen along after reading these! Anyway! That is enough out of me, I will let the music do the talking! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1979
EP: The Def Leppard E.P. (1979)
Genre: Traditional Heavy Metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal
Mood: Nomadic
Perfect For: Riding motorcycles, Driving fast, Driving slow, Driving with nowhere to go
Where To Next: "Stallions of the Highway" - Saxon
Rating: 9 / 10
Song of the Day 08/21/2025
"This Wheel's on Fire" - The Band
Sorry for the absence these last couple of days, I went on a little vacation with my family and lovely girlfriend. So expect a couple of days of me trying to catch up. There were a ton of primo song choices throughout that trip but we will get to that, for now let's check out The Band. I have always had a love/hate relationship with the band's name, I am honestly surprised they were the first band to find success under that name, I mean it is so right there for when some bands are picking their names. Though, at the same time, it is sort of silly. That silliness is not The Band; these guys are some of the most talented musicians to come out of the late 1960s leading into the 1970s. Each member is top tier, and the overall vision and sound of the band was ahead of its time. So, who is The Band? What makes them such an important band? The Band was originally under the name "The Hawks" who served as the backing band to Mr. Dynamo, better known as Ronnie Hawkins, rockabilly royalty. Once that genre started fading out and rock was taking a different turn they gained the attention of Bob Dylan, folk royalty, and that set them on a path to finding the fame and recognition they so deserved. So, with backing up some of the decade's most respected names, it is only fitting their band name was simply The Band. Bob Dylan and The Band would go on to be the best of pals, Dylan showed up and helped a ton of material with The Band, and so too did The Band in return. The Band backed up Bob Dylan during his infamous 1966 world tour, the tour that followed his departure from traditional folk music into a more electric backed sound that almost sank his career. I thank the stars Bob Dylan gave folk music this new coat of paint, that he went on to release stellar albums throughout his career since he wasn't one to stay in one place. I also thank him for picking up "The Hawks" for his first electric tour, and while I am sure The Band might have done it on their own there is no doubting Bob Dylan's assistance in getting them into the driver's seat like they deserved. Anyway, following that tour The Band spread their wings and went their own way releasing Music from Big Pink in the summer of 1968, one of that year's most impressive albums. That doesn't mean Bob Dylan didn't have his fingers in the big pink pie, the album artwork is a painting by Bob Dylan and much like any self-respecting 1960s rock album there are some select Bob Dylan covers. The intro song "Tears of Rage" was written by Bob Dylan and pianist/vocalist Richard Manuel, and Bob Dylan helped here and there on top of that. I am not trying to discredit anything that The Band did without Bob Dylan, all of that is certainly just as potent and important, but I am not gonna miss a chance to sway the plethora of Bob Dylan fans that might be reading this to check out more of The Band aside from "The Weight".
Music from Big Pink holds all that The Band learned from touring alongside Bob Dylan, and with that in mind, it isn't too shocking that those songs they played night after night bled into their own personal sound. But did Bob Dylan mix together a pot of sounds that touch on blues, rock, folk, country, soul, R&B, and even classical all within 42 minutes of glory? No, he did not, that was all on The Band and what each member of this band that had already been playing as a tight unit for over a decade now. I am honestly shocked this is the first time this album made it onto the song of the day, every single track gets plenty of love throughout my playlists and personal listening time, a perfect album that each and every rocker out there has just got to listen through. Alright, I could talk your ears off about this album, so maybe let's just try focusing on one track, yeah? Our song of the day is track #10 off the album "This Wheel's on Fire", a song that has been covered a ton and each band that gives it a go always does it in style. This is a song written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko (bassist/vocalist of The Band), and the original version was recorded in 1967 during the famous sessions that would be released later in 1975 under the name The Basement Tapes (be sure to go check it out too!) but the version we are talking of today is solely The Band playing, it is technically the first version to see the light of day. So... I am not sure if that makes this the original or not since it was previously recorded but took a while to see its spot upon the record player. I am honestly not sure which version I like more, but if I had to choose one right here right now it would be the version on The Basement Tapes. As you would expect with a song mostly written by Bob Dylan, it is strange lyrically but ever so heavy. I am honestly not even sure what this song is about, like a lot of Bob Dylan material it has a strange alluding to the bible making it seem like it is some sort of commentary from God on the impotence of man who would ask help from the heavens when they cannot even help themselves. The song has a very groovy feeling to it, the utilization of more unique instruments like the clavinet really gives the song its own presence in an album full of influential experimentation. That experimentation touched the ears of many later giants like Elton John, Wilco, and The Grateful Dead. Some of the best examples of that unique touch that had The Band being a launching point in rock music is shown in "This Wheel's on Fire" and "Chest Fever", and the more loved and cozy songs like "The Weight" and "Tears of Rage" show the duality of The Band, they never give you the same song twice in a row, yet they also never lose that sound that made them the legends they are. "This Wheel's on Fire" is my second favorite Bob Dylan laced The Band track off of Music from Big Pink, coming right behind the following track on the album "I Shall Be Released". If you haven't listened to this album before, then consider it your homework, even if something this damn good could hardly be considered work. Anyway! Give the track a listen and maybe the album if you have got the time. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1968
Album: Music from Big Pink (1968)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Odd, Serious
Perfect For: Casual listening, In-depth listening, Having a beer, Driving, Working
Where To Next: "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" - Country Joe & The Fish
Rating: 8 / 10
Sorry for the absence these last couple of days, I went on a little vacation with my family and lovely girlfriend. So expect a couple of days of me trying to catch up. There were a ton of primo song choices throughout that trip but we will get to that, for now let's check out The Band. I have always had a love/hate relationship with the band's name, I am honestly surprised they were the first band to find success under that name, I mean it is so right there for when some bands are picking their names. Though, at the same time, it is sort of silly. That silliness is not The Band; these guys are some of the most talented musicians to come out of the late 1960s leading into the 1970s. Each member is top tier, and the overall vision and sound of the band was ahead of its time. So, who is The Band? What makes them such an important band? The Band was originally under the name "The Hawks" who served as the backing band to Mr. Dynamo, better known as Ronnie Hawkins, rockabilly royalty. Once that genre started fading out and rock was taking a different turn they gained the attention of Bob Dylan, folk royalty, and that set them on a path to finding the fame and recognition they so deserved. So, with backing up some of the decade's most respected names, it is only fitting their band name was simply The Band. Bob Dylan and The Band would go on to be the best of pals, Dylan showed up and helped a ton of material with The Band, and so too did The Band in return. The Band backed up Bob Dylan during his infamous 1966 world tour, the tour that followed his departure from traditional folk music into a more electric backed sound that almost sank his career. I thank the stars Bob Dylan gave folk music this new coat of paint, that he went on to release stellar albums throughout his career since he wasn't one to stay in one place. I also thank him for picking up "The Hawks" for his first electric tour, and while I am sure The Band might have done it on their own there is no doubting Bob Dylan's assistance in getting them into the driver's seat like they deserved. Anyway, following that tour The Band spread their wings and went their own way releasing Music from Big Pink in the summer of 1968, one of that year's most impressive albums. That doesn't mean Bob Dylan didn't have his fingers in the big pink pie, the album artwork is a painting by Bob Dylan and much like any self-respecting 1960s rock album there are some select Bob Dylan covers. The intro song "Tears of Rage" was written by Bob Dylan and pianist/vocalist Richard Manuel, and Bob Dylan helped here and there on top of that. I am not trying to discredit anything that The Band did without Bob Dylan, all of that is certainly just as potent and important, but I am not gonna miss a chance to sway the plethora of Bob Dylan fans that might be reading this to check out more of The Band aside from "The Weight".
Music from Big Pink holds all that The Band learned from touring alongside Bob Dylan, and with that in mind, it isn't too shocking that those songs they played night after night bled into their own personal sound. But did Bob Dylan mix together a pot of sounds that touch on blues, rock, folk, country, soul, R&B, and even classical all within 42 minutes of glory? No, he did not, that was all on The Band and what each member of this band that had already been playing as a tight unit for over a decade now. I am honestly shocked this is the first time this album made it onto the song of the day, every single track gets plenty of love throughout my playlists and personal listening time, a perfect album that each and every rocker out there has just got to listen through. Alright, I could talk your ears off about this album, so maybe let's just try focusing on one track, yeah? Our song of the day is track #10 off the album "This Wheel's on Fire", a song that has been covered a ton and each band that gives it a go always does it in style. This is a song written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko (bassist/vocalist of The Band), and the original version was recorded in 1967 during the famous sessions that would be released later in 1975 under the name The Basement Tapes (be sure to go check it out too!) but the version we are talking of today is solely The Band playing, it is technically the first version to see the light of day. So... I am not sure if that makes this the original or not since it was previously recorded but took a while to see its spot upon the record player. I am honestly not sure which version I like more, but if I had to choose one right here right now it would be the version on The Basement Tapes. As you would expect with a song mostly written by Bob Dylan, it is strange lyrically but ever so heavy. I am honestly not even sure what this song is about, like a lot of Bob Dylan material it has a strange alluding to the bible making it seem like it is some sort of commentary from God on the impotence of man who would ask help from the heavens when they cannot even help themselves. The song has a very groovy feeling to it, the utilization of more unique instruments like the clavinet really gives the song its own presence in an album full of influential experimentation. That experimentation touched the ears of many later giants like Elton John, Wilco, and The Grateful Dead. Some of the best examples of that unique touch that had The Band being a launching point in rock music is shown in "This Wheel's on Fire" and "Chest Fever", and the more loved and cozy songs like "The Weight" and "Tears of Rage" show the duality of The Band, they never give you the same song twice in a row, yet they also never lose that sound that made them the legends they are. "This Wheel's on Fire" is my second favorite Bob Dylan laced The Band track off of Music from Big Pink, coming right behind the following track on the album "I Shall Be Released". If you haven't listened to this album before, then consider it your homework, even if something this damn good could hardly be considered work. Anyway! Give the track a listen and maybe the album if you have got the time. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1968
Album: Music from Big Pink (1968)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Odd, Serious
Perfect For: Casual listening, In-depth listening, Having a beer, Driving, Working
Where To Next: "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" - Country Joe & The Fish
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/20/2025
"Flight Response" - Days of the New
Do you guys have a band that has always seemed to be there even if they don't get the same playtime as some of your favorites? That is Days of the New for me. I remember picking up their 3 studio albums at a yard sale forever ago. This moment was so 2000s I almost want to choke, I already knew "Touch, Peel and Stand" from it being on the radio, but my knowledge of the band wasn't much more than that. I dug the album covers enough and what I did know, so with a little bit of allowance money I picked up those 3 CDs and a monster energy T-shirt that I thought was so damn cool, all of that for a crumpled 5 dollar bill. If those purchases weren't meant to be together I don't know what is, but still since I first picked up those CDs I have been a fan of the bands work. I remember my mom didn't mind the CDs but she sort of thought the monster shirt was a poor choice, in retrospective I can see why, surprised I didn't buy "Metal Militia" merch in the future. I was excited to listen to that debut, and it was certainly a good listen with many of those tracks being some of the best to come out of the 1990s, but the album that our song of the day comes off of was a completely different story. Days of the New are mainly known for their acoustic rock sound that is happily rooted in some grunge atmosphere, a sound that nobody did quite like them earning them many hit songs, but they dumped that sound for something more experimental and plain odd on their second studio album. Don't get me wrong it is still a stand-up album, but after coming away from their debut I was a little disappointed. I was too young at this point to appreciate a band spreading their wings no matter how close to the sun they may get, and my opinion has changed since, but at the time I wanted another album that for the most part sounded similar to that debut.
"Flight Response" is the first song off the album, it gives you the feeling that this album is going to be like the previous, but after you move along track by track it becomes apparent that it certainly is not. There is a strange orchestration at some points, some electronic, and the addition of Nicole Scherzinger of later Pussycat Dolls fame on some of the tracks. Now, as a more learned music listener now, I am quite fond of this album, but I would be lying if I said it didn't take me second to find that love. The band matured into something more than a cliché of the 1990s rock sound, and for that I thank this album, but there is still that part of me that relates to the first time I listened through their short discography where I want more of what I fell in love with on that debut. But for fans like me, there still are those tracks, and today I am serving up just that with "Flight Response". This song grips you pretty hard from the start, it begins with the sound of galloping hooves that rise the tension before some western-esque guitar work joins in. The whole intro to the song starts getting more and more intense as it moves along, even without the galloping they keep the rhythm those hooves set into motion. The song revolves around anxiety, and they matched the atmosphere wonderfully since the song is strangely stressful with its folds of sound. A great way to kick off the album, I just wish they kept the same style throughout it. I think I am mainly alone on that hill though, stuck in my love for that debut too much to see past it. It is easy to tell this album is more thought out though, it shows the band being a more mature force in the rock world, even if the album failed to hit the same sales as the previous. I think Days of the New knew what they were doing, since the leading single of the album "Enemy" utilizes electronic music instead of their preset acoustic rock sound. They could have easily led with "Flight Response" but instead decided to show this new sound that they were proud of. I should more so say what Travis Meeks was proud of since this album featured mainly new musicians in the band since most of the band ran off to form Tantric (see "Breakdown"). No matter your stance on this album, or if you are someone who is just barely taking a deeper dive into the band outside of "Touch, Peel and Stand" and "Shelf in the Room" this is not an album you cannot afford to miss out on. It is a touch underrated and has become a forgotten gem from 1999. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Days of the New (Green) (1999)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Stressful
Perfect For: Casual listening, Commuting from work, Being stressed
Where To Next: "Wooden Jesus" - Temple of the Dog
Rating: 8 / 10
Do you guys have a band that has always seemed to be there even if they don't get the same playtime as some of your favorites? That is Days of the New for me. I remember picking up their 3 studio albums at a yard sale forever ago. This moment was so 2000s I almost want to choke, I already knew "Touch, Peel and Stand" from it being on the radio, but my knowledge of the band wasn't much more than that. I dug the album covers enough and what I did know, so with a little bit of allowance money I picked up those 3 CDs and a monster energy T-shirt that I thought was so damn cool, all of that for a crumpled 5 dollar bill. If those purchases weren't meant to be together I don't know what is, but still since I first picked up those CDs I have been a fan of the bands work. I remember my mom didn't mind the CDs but she sort of thought the monster shirt was a poor choice, in retrospective I can see why, surprised I didn't buy "Metal Militia" merch in the future. I was excited to listen to that debut, and it was certainly a good listen with many of those tracks being some of the best to come out of the 1990s, but the album that our song of the day comes off of was a completely different story. Days of the New are mainly known for their acoustic rock sound that is happily rooted in some grunge atmosphere, a sound that nobody did quite like them earning them many hit songs, but they dumped that sound for something more experimental and plain odd on their second studio album. Don't get me wrong it is still a stand-up album, but after coming away from their debut I was a little disappointed. I was too young at this point to appreciate a band spreading their wings no matter how close to the sun they may get, and my opinion has changed since, but at the time I wanted another album that for the most part sounded similar to that debut.
"Flight Response" is the first song off the album, it gives you the feeling that this album is going to be like the previous, but after you move along track by track it becomes apparent that it certainly is not. There is a strange orchestration at some points, some electronic, and the addition of Nicole Scherzinger of later Pussycat Dolls fame on some of the tracks. Now, as a more learned music listener now, I am quite fond of this album, but I would be lying if I said it didn't take me second to find that love. The band matured into something more than a cliché of the 1990s rock sound, and for that I thank this album, but there is still that part of me that relates to the first time I listened through their short discography where I want more of what I fell in love with on that debut. But for fans like me, there still are those tracks, and today I am serving up just that with "Flight Response". This song grips you pretty hard from the start, it begins with the sound of galloping hooves that rise the tension before some western-esque guitar work joins in. The whole intro to the song starts getting more and more intense as it moves along, even without the galloping they keep the rhythm those hooves set into motion. The song revolves around anxiety, and they matched the atmosphere wonderfully since the song is strangely stressful with its folds of sound. A great way to kick off the album, I just wish they kept the same style throughout it. I think I am mainly alone on that hill though, stuck in my love for that debut too much to see past it. It is easy to tell this album is more thought out though, it shows the band being a more mature force in the rock world, even if the album failed to hit the same sales as the previous. I think Days of the New knew what they were doing, since the leading single of the album "Enemy" utilizes electronic music instead of their preset acoustic rock sound. They could have easily led with "Flight Response" but instead decided to show this new sound that they were proud of. I should more so say what Travis Meeks was proud of since this album featured mainly new musicians in the band since most of the band ran off to form Tantric (see "Breakdown"). No matter your stance on this album, or if you are someone who is just barely taking a deeper dive into the band outside of "Touch, Peel and Stand" and "Shelf in the Room" this is not an album you cannot afford to miss out on. It is a touch underrated and has become a forgotten gem from 1999. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Days of the New (Green) (1999)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Stressful
Perfect For: Casual listening, Commuting from work, Being stressed
Where To Next: "Wooden Jesus" - Temple of the Dog
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/19/2025
"Down 'n' Dirty" - Loudness
Loudness was Japans response to the blossoming heavy metal scene in the early 1980s. The British certainly ruled the heavy metal world for a hot minute, but that doesn't mean that countries like the United States, Germany, and Japan weren't pulling their weight. Japan has always had a feverish love for heavy metal, and have been a beloved spot for plethoras of hard rock and heavy metal bands even all the way back in the proto-metal days. Deep Purple is a prime example of just that, one of the most well-loved live albums out of the 1970s hard rock is Deep Purple's Made in Japan. It almost became a little bit of a hard rock and heavy metal trope to have at least one grand live album that took place in Japan, be it Iron Maiden with Maiden Japan, Scorpions with their thrilling Tokyo Tapes, Dokken's Beast from the East, and we cannot forget about the outstanding Judas Priest 1979 live album Unleashed in the East. The list could go on, and many icons in the heavy metal world have said Japan (namely Tokyo) is their favorite place to perform. The crowds give space for the band to really perform, in comparison to the USA where it is common for people to be shouting and spitting the whole time in a heavy metal induced psychosis (see Slayer's Live Undead). That doesn't mean that they don't rage, it is metal after all, but they know when to show respect to the artist enough to perform without everyone giving a performance of their own. There have been a ton of great heavy metal and hard rock groups to come out of Japan, but none deserve your attention nearly as much as Loudness. They are hailed as the most important metal band to come out of the rising sun, their first 4 albums were neck breaking, but they didn't yet have their sights on trying to take over the countries where metal was running rampant. That changed when their 5th studio album Thunder in the East came along with a more commercial approach that saw them being thrown in with many of the glam/pop metal genre across the globe.
Many put Loudness with the glam metal scene, but being someone who started with the band on their debut album The Birthday Eve, it is hard for me to lose that speed metal outlook. Our song of the day today certainly is part of the glam metal sound though, but don't just listen to this one song and say "I listened to the band" because this one isn't the best example of the band, a good one without a doubt, but still not the best example. Loudness have a damn long career though, they have 26 studio albums under their belt, so it is only expected they would switch up their sound in the ever fluctuating heavy metal world. I have only listened to one or two of their modern albums, but they certainly still stand up as a heavy metal powerhouse, especially on their 2018 album Rise to Glory. Everything I have heard has been straight forward good music, nothing too shocking or new, but not something you would ever regret if you bought it in physical form. Our song of the day comes off of the band's ninth studio album On the Prowl, which released in 1991. This is a weird album for them, it is mostly reworking of previous songs, but there are still some new ones "Down 'n' Dirty" being one of them. Listening to some of the reworked songs like "In the Mirror" which originally came off the bands 1983 album The Law of Devil's Land side by side is a trip, not only since it is now in English, but also since that more cleaned up sound with an almost 10-year gap shows how far heavy metal has come for recording quality. A fun album, but I wouldn't suggest this as the first album from the band. One of the best (if not the best) songs on the album is "Down 'n' Dirty". You can tell just from the song title that this is to be one of the band's glam metal tracks. It is straight forward but doesn't pull any punches either.
The song was written by Michael Vescera, the vocalist for Loudness for this album and the previous one, and famously the vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen on his pop laced neoclassical albums The Seventh Sign and Magnum Opus. I think his time with both of the groups were great, but like some of the oddity singers that pop up in the middle of a band's career, it tends to lack in comparison to some of the band's other material. "Down 'n' Dirty" is the first track on the album, it gives you the idea that each track might be as potent, but admittedly it just isn't the truth if you ask me. They used the high point of the album up on the first song, but still it is a swinging way to start off an album without a doubt. The song has a great moody intro that is reminiscent to many of the greats in the glam/pop metal world such as Dokken and Tesla. Smooth guitar work comes streaming out of Akira Takasaki, nothing you need to send a letter to Eric Clapton about, but still there is no doubting that it is his guitar work that leads this song into glory. With it being an exact replica of many glam/pop metal songs that means it has to have one hell of a chorus, everything else just holds your attention enough until you get back to that chorus. Overall a decent song, but this isn't the typical style I go for with Loudness, I much prefer their earlier and rawer metal sound on their first couple of albums. I am glad they broke out of solely Japan with this style, but sometimes selling yourself means losing yourself. Still, I ain't putting down the track, I mean it impressed me more than enough to end up on the website after all, I just don't want people listening to this one song and thinking they understand Loudness since there is a ton of potent albums and songs you would miss out on. So, give the song a listen and as always have a damn good time with it. If you have an extra good time, go back and see the progression of an unsung hero of heavy metal. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1991
Album: On the Prowl (1991)
Genre: Glam Metal, Pop Metal, Hard Rock
Mood: Domineering
Perfect For: Casual listen, Summer drives, Getting down and dirty
Where To Next: "Get It On" - Kingdom Come
Rating: 7 / 10
Loudness was Japans response to the blossoming heavy metal scene in the early 1980s. The British certainly ruled the heavy metal world for a hot minute, but that doesn't mean that countries like the United States, Germany, and Japan weren't pulling their weight. Japan has always had a feverish love for heavy metal, and have been a beloved spot for plethoras of hard rock and heavy metal bands even all the way back in the proto-metal days. Deep Purple is a prime example of just that, one of the most well-loved live albums out of the 1970s hard rock is Deep Purple's Made in Japan. It almost became a little bit of a hard rock and heavy metal trope to have at least one grand live album that took place in Japan, be it Iron Maiden with Maiden Japan, Scorpions with their thrilling Tokyo Tapes, Dokken's Beast from the East, and we cannot forget about the outstanding Judas Priest 1979 live album Unleashed in the East. The list could go on, and many icons in the heavy metal world have said Japan (namely Tokyo) is their favorite place to perform. The crowds give space for the band to really perform, in comparison to the USA where it is common for people to be shouting and spitting the whole time in a heavy metal induced psychosis (see Slayer's Live Undead). That doesn't mean that they don't rage, it is metal after all, but they know when to show respect to the artist enough to perform without everyone giving a performance of their own. There have been a ton of great heavy metal and hard rock groups to come out of Japan, but none deserve your attention nearly as much as Loudness. They are hailed as the most important metal band to come out of the rising sun, their first 4 albums were neck breaking, but they didn't yet have their sights on trying to take over the countries where metal was running rampant. That changed when their 5th studio album Thunder in the East came along with a more commercial approach that saw them being thrown in with many of the glam/pop metal genre across the globe.
Many put Loudness with the glam metal scene, but being someone who started with the band on their debut album The Birthday Eve, it is hard for me to lose that speed metal outlook. Our song of the day today certainly is part of the glam metal sound though, but don't just listen to this one song and say "I listened to the band" because this one isn't the best example of the band, a good one without a doubt, but still not the best example. Loudness have a damn long career though, they have 26 studio albums under their belt, so it is only expected they would switch up their sound in the ever fluctuating heavy metal world. I have only listened to one or two of their modern albums, but they certainly still stand up as a heavy metal powerhouse, especially on their 2018 album Rise to Glory. Everything I have heard has been straight forward good music, nothing too shocking or new, but not something you would ever regret if you bought it in physical form. Our song of the day comes off of the band's ninth studio album On the Prowl, which released in 1991. This is a weird album for them, it is mostly reworking of previous songs, but there are still some new ones "Down 'n' Dirty" being one of them. Listening to some of the reworked songs like "In the Mirror" which originally came off the bands 1983 album The Law of Devil's Land side by side is a trip, not only since it is now in English, but also since that more cleaned up sound with an almost 10-year gap shows how far heavy metal has come for recording quality. A fun album, but I wouldn't suggest this as the first album from the band. One of the best (if not the best) songs on the album is "Down 'n' Dirty". You can tell just from the song title that this is to be one of the band's glam metal tracks. It is straight forward but doesn't pull any punches either.
The song was written by Michael Vescera, the vocalist for Loudness for this album and the previous one, and famously the vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen on his pop laced neoclassical albums The Seventh Sign and Magnum Opus. I think his time with both of the groups were great, but like some of the oddity singers that pop up in the middle of a band's career, it tends to lack in comparison to some of the band's other material. "Down 'n' Dirty" is the first track on the album, it gives you the idea that each track might be as potent, but admittedly it just isn't the truth if you ask me. They used the high point of the album up on the first song, but still it is a swinging way to start off an album without a doubt. The song has a great moody intro that is reminiscent to many of the greats in the glam/pop metal world such as Dokken and Tesla. Smooth guitar work comes streaming out of Akira Takasaki, nothing you need to send a letter to Eric Clapton about, but still there is no doubting that it is his guitar work that leads this song into glory. With it being an exact replica of many glam/pop metal songs that means it has to have one hell of a chorus, everything else just holds your attention enough until you get back to that chorus. Overall a decent song, but this isn't the typical style I go for with Loudness, I much prefer their earlier and rawer metal sound on their first couple of albums. I am glad they broke out of solely Japan with this style, but sometimes selling yourself means losing yourself. Still, I ain't putting down the track, I mean it impressed me more than enough to end up on the website after all, I just don't want people listening to this one song and thinking they understand Loudness since there is a ton of potent albums and songs you would miss out on. So, give the song a listen and as always have a damn good time with it. If you have an extra good time, go back and see the progression of an unsung hero of heavy metal. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1991
Album: On the Prowl (1991)
Genre: Glam Metal, Pop Metal, Hard Rock
Mood: Domineering
Perfect For: Casual listen, Summer drives, Getting down and dirty
Where To Next: "Get It On" - Kingdom Come
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/18/2025
"Think Too Much (a)" - Paul Simon
Paul Simon's 6th solo studio album is an often-overlooked goldmine into the one of America's greatest lyrical minds. Paul Simon found fame in the 1960s into the 1970s in the legendary folk rock duo Simon and Garfunkel, and his solo material from the 1970s kept him a name that was in everyone's household with some of the 1970s best albums like Still Crazy After All These Years and the toxically catchy There Goes Rhymin' Simon. For many musicians that would have been the end of the road, over 10 years of great critical acclaim and musical success, but he took it a step further in keeping with the changing tides of music and went on to have a hearty career throughout the 1980s into the 1990s. He would pop back in here and there and release decent albums, even though none found the same affection as his 1986 release Graceland, 1990s The Rhythm of the Saints, and 1975's Still Crazy After All These Years. Each of those albums hardly resemble each other, but one thing is always the same with Paul Simon, he always releases albums that you can just tell he put his heart and full talent into. Each album I have gone through has left me impressed in one way or another, there is just so much soul in his ever-changing yet thrilling discography. His folk days in Simon and Garfunkel are where my heart rests when it comes to his work, I cannot get enough of that damn group, but there is a ton of his solo material that I would never leave behind. A song for each and every mood, a song for each day of the week, and a song for you and I. We brought up some of the albums in his solo work that define his career, but what about the ones that for some reason didn't gain the same attention even though they are equally potent? Hearts and Bones is exactly that. When it comes to his 1980s material, I stand by this album being one of his best, and a personal favorite of mine.
Paul Simon got a resurge of attention after Simon and Garfunkel got back together for their famous concert in Central Park, where they played a free benefit concert to a crowd of 500,000 people. That is one of the moments in music history that I would use a time machine for. I have watched the performance many times on YouTube, and if you are someone who likes live performances, I cannot stress how good this one is. They also recorded the show for the duos first live album The Concert in Central Park, which went multi-platinum across most of the globe. So with that in mind, the spotlight was on Paul Simon once more, especially since Art Garfunkel's solo work never gained nearly as much traction in comparison to Paul Simon's. Hearts and Bones was originally meant to be titled Think Too Much and was also intended to be a Simon and Garfunkel album, instead Paul Simon went on the quest for a solo album even though Art Garfunkel helped with a lot of the material on the album. Paul Simon went so far to scrub off his vocals off the album and reworked it to be released as a solo album, kind of scummy I am not gonna lie. This obviously didn't sit all too well with Garfunkel, and served as the final chapter in the Simon and Garfunkel story. I do wonder what it would have been like with both of them on this album, but in the end I can hardly imagine it since I am already too comfy with the version of the album we are talking about here today. The album is a gradual rise for Paul Simon, it shows him approaching his canvas this time with a brush heavily dipped in pop instead of the steady rock backing he has carried with him since the start of his solo career. What might seem like a bad thing on paper is actually a great thing, since it saw him moving into the 1980s with a style more modernly acceptable. That pop presence was heavily overlooked on this album, though, it was overall a commercial failure for one reason or another. It has since become a fast favorite with many budding Paul Simon fans, and I am a prime example of that. I had no idea this album was a commercial failure when first taking it on many years back, it felt just as well put together and written as the wildly famous Graceland.
Since this album was originally meant to be titled Think Too Much, it is no shocker that both versions of this song off the album are one of the highpoints of its 10 song track listing. I prefer "Think Too Much (a)" over "Think Too Much (b)", and most of that rests in the drum machine and atmosphere. They are practically day and night. Paul Simon employed Nile Rodgers of Chic fame on that drum machine and also some of the guitar work we hear on the track. Nile Rodgers is immensely famous for his musical direction, be it with Chic, his talented lyrical pen, or his knack at production. Hearts and Bones has a crazy amount of talent throughout the album, the amount of musicians and studio personnel that is on this album must have been insanely expensive to put together. I am sure it was a kick in the booty once the album didn't sell as well as practically anything else Paul Simon was ever involved with. I am glad the album gathered the attention as time moved along, since once again, I think this is one of his best albums. It is fun when it is time to be fun like we have on our song of the day today, and it is serious when it needs to be serious like "Hearts and Bones" which reflects on Paul Simon's relationship with actress Carrie Fisher whose marriage only lasted a whole year. "Hearts and Bones" shows off why I love Paul Simon though, his talent with the pen is hardly matched by anyone in my heart. Wish I could write as well as him. Anyway! "Think Too Much (a)" is probably my favorite song off the album, it is sickeningly catchy, so much so that you simply have to listen to it a couple of times. A perfect example of music at the time and also a perfect example of how Paul Simon cannot stand to stay in one genre at any given time. If you are someone who digs Paul Simon but only keeps to his hit albums then you are missing out on a great one! Give this song a listen and if it hooks you, then don't stop there! Give the rest of the album a listen, man. We live in a day and age where albums can be listened to without worrying about price, you just gotta set aside the time. Time is the currency we pay to listen to great music now, and I can say with confidence that Hearts and Bones is worth its 41-minute price. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Heart and Bones (1983)
Genre: Pop Rock
Mood: Fun
Perfect For: Casual listening, Chill drives, Making dinner, Relaxing at home
Where To Next: "Heartbeat City" - The Cars
Rating: 8 / 10
Paul Simon's 6th solo studio album is an often-overlooked goldmine into the one of America's greatest lyrical minds. Paul Simon found fame in the 1960s into the 1970s in the legendary folk rock duo Simon and Garfunkel, and his solo material from the 1970s kept him a name that was in everyone's household with some of the 1970s best albums like Still Crazy After All These Years and the toxically catchy There Goes Rhymin' Simon. For many musicians that would have been the end of the road, over 10 years of great critical acclaim and musical success, but he took it a step further in keeping with the changing tides of music and went on to have a hearty career throughout the 1980s into the 1990s. He would pop back in here and there and release decent albums, even though none found the same affection as his 1986 release Graceland, 1990s The Rhythm of the Saints, and 1975's Still Crazy After All These Years. Each of those albums hardly resemble each other, but one thing is always the same with Paul Simon, he always releases albums that you can just tell he put his heart and full talent into. Each album I have gone through has left me impressed in one way or another, there is just so much soul in his ever-changing yet thrilling discography. His folk days in Simon and Garfunkel are where my heart rests when it comes to his work, I cannot get enough of that damn group, but there is a ton of his solo material that I would never leave behind. A song for each and every mood, a song for each day of the week, and a song for you and I. We brought up some of the albums in his solo work that define his career, but what about the ones that for some reason didn't gain the same attention even though they are equally potent? Hearts and Bones is exactly that. When it comes to his 1980s material, I stand by this album being one of his best, and a personal favorite of mine.
Paul Simon got a resurge of attention after Simon and Garfunkel got back together for their famous concert in Central Park, where they played a free benefit concert to a crowd of 500,000 people. That is one of the moments in music history that I would use a time machine for. I have watched the performance many times on YouTube, and if you are someone who likes live performances, I cannot stress how good this one is. They also recorded the show for the duos first live album The Concert in Central Park, which went multi-platinum across most of the globe. So with that in mind, the spotlight was on Paul Simon once more, especially since Art Garfunkel's solo work never gained nearly as much traction in comparison to Paul Simon's. Hearts and Bones was originally meant to be titled Think Too Much and was also intended to be a Simon and Garfunkel album, instead Paul Simon went on the quest for a solo album even though Art Garfunkel helped with a lot of the material on the album. Paul Simon went so far to scrub off his vocals off the album and reworked it to be released as a solo album, kind of scummy I am not gonna lie. This obviously didn't sit all too well with Garfunkel, and served as the final chapter in the Simon and Garfunkel story. I do wonder what it would have been like with both of them on this album, but in the end I can hardly imagine it since I am already too comfy with the version of the album we are talking about here today. The album is a gradual rise for Paul Simon, it shows him approaching his canvas this time with a brush heavily dipped in pop instead of the steady rock backing he has carried with him since the start of his solo career. What might seem like a bad thing on paper is actually a great thing, since it saw him moving into the 1980s with a style more modernly acceptable. That pop presence was heavily overlooked on this album, though, it was overall a commercial failure for one reason or another. It has since become a fast favorite with many budding Paul Simon fans, and I am a prime example of that. I had no idea this album was a commercial failure when first taking it on many years back, it felt just as well put together and written as the wildly famous Graceland.
Since this album was originally meant to be titled Think Too Much, it is no shocker that both versions of this song off the album are one of the highpoints of its 10 song track listing. I prefer "Think Too Much (a)" over "Think Too Much (b)", and most of that rests in the drum machine and atmosphere. They are practically day and night. Paul Simon employed Nile Rodgers of Chic fame on that drum machine and also some of the guitar work we hear on the track. Nile Rodgers is immensely famous for his musical direction, be it with Chic, his talented lyrical pen, or his knack at production. Hearts and Bones has a crazy amount of talent throughout the album, the amount of musicians and studio personnel that is on this album must have been insanely expensive to put together. I am sure it was a kick in the booty once the album didn't sell as well as practically anything else Paul Simon was ever involved with. I am glad the album gathered the attention as time moved along, since once again, I think this is one of his best albums. It is fun when it is time to be fun like we have on our song of the day today, and it is serious when it needs to be serious like "Hearts and Bones" which reflects on Paul Simon's relationship with actress Carrie Fisher whose marriage only lasted a whole year. "Hearts and Bones" shows off why I love Paul Simon though, his talent with the pen is hardly matched by anyone in my heart. Wish I could write as well as him. Anyway! "Think Too Much (a)" is probably my favorite song off the album, it is sickeningly catchy, so much so that you simply have to listen to it a couple of times. A perfect example of music at the time and also a perfect example of how Paul Simon cannot stand to stay in one genre at any given time. If you are someone who digs Paul Simon but only keeps to his hit albums then you are missing out on a great one! Give this song a listen and if it hooks you, then don't stop there! Give the rest of the album a listen, man. We live in a day and age where albums can be listened to without worrying about price, you just gotta set aside the time. Time is the currency we pay to listen to great music now, and I can say with confidence that Hearts and Bones is worth its 41-minute price. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Heart and Bones (1983)
Genre: Pop Rock
Mood: Fun
Perfect For: Casual listening, Chill drives, Making dinner, Relaxing at home
Where To Next: "Heartbeat City" - The Cars
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/17/2025
"Rumors" - Timex Social Club
Sometimes I miss the bus and show up quite late to a well known track. As always, it blows my mind how many songs, albums, and artists I miss when I try so damn hard to gather it all in my studies. I guess it makes sense for the Timex Social Club since I am going to head back to gather all R&B, funk, and soul after I finish rock, metal, and punk all the way until the modern day. "Rumors" was one of the 45's I have carried around with me for a while, when I didn't even have a record player. I cannot tell you how grand it is to go through them all now since I gathered 60 or so and am still gathering more, most of the sets I get or have had were random collections of them so it can easily go from Blondie to Hank Snow to The Charlie Daniels Band to Timex Social Club, I have found many great forgotten gems this way so far and have been introduced to tracks like "Rumors". Timex Social Club is the exact idea of a one hit wonder, so much so that the version from Timex Social Club only shows up on dance compilations and remix albums on Spotify. After the success of this single, it was rerecorded for their only album Vicious Rumors, but none of the tracks gained the same acclaim as "Rumors" but the singles that came off of it still had the album show up lower on the charts. The group split up, and the members didn't do all too much with their new-found fame. The producers went on to form Club Nouveau, one of the most thrilling dance based R&B groups out of the 1980s. Their first single was an answer track to "Rumors" called "Jealousy", it also covers the history of the band's split. Club Nouveau had massive success with "Rumors" as well into the modern day, their inclusion of the track on their 1998 compilation The Collection, Vol. 1 has more plays than the original on Spotify, though that could be due to difficult access to the original version from Timex Social Club.
I am not often one to lean too heavily into hip hop or rap. I ain't one to spit on it though, I fully dig the style and respect its presence in the music world. Though I do have a soft spot for classic hip hop, it is still heavily dipped in the funk side of the R&B world and even includes some guitar work for some of the groups like Run-DMC. It is a genre that I know I will be expanding more into in time, something I am excited and intimidated by. Timex Social Club has its place in that golden age of hip hop, even if this song is still much more on the R&B side of things. The group is known for melding funk and R&B glued together by great lines and execution. "Rumors" as you guessed it revolves around the destructive nature of rumors. It was written by the group while they were still in high school, arguably the best time to write a song about vicious rumors. Due to the knack and popularity of this song, the band was included in a leg of Run-DMC's tour alongside LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, and Whodini. This is the first song I have listened to under the "post-disco" genre, a genre I didn't even think about being there but like I have mentioned with post-punk, it seems that "post" genres tend to just push anyone who is reminiscent of previous styles under one banner without much thought into their presence in the core sound. I am not too fond of the label of "post" genres, even if I will admit they are similar while not being similar at all. Anyway! The song is written about a few different rumors and how it makes our singers ears burn when hearing them. Hating them so far that he pleads with his congressman to pass a bill so you can smoke anyone starting them. I can get behind that, rumors are products of people with too much time on their hands. I am sure I had my fair share growing up, but I didn't let it bother me too much, going so far to turn my ears off if I saw anyone staring too hard. In a state ran by a religious cult, I am sure they were there thick, but I knew that a good majority of the LDS community had too easy of a life, boredom creates people trying to find problems to complain about. Look at the state of our country right now for fuck's sake, too many people finding something to victimize themselves when it has nothing to do with their life. If anyone in my life was starting that talk with me, I would typically shut them down fast. I don't get people who gossip or play in rumors, talk about base level usage of your brain and a waste of time. Anyway! I know this isn't our typical style here, but I try keeping things fresh and "Rumors" is just too good to overlook! So if you are like me and have somehow missed out on this song until now, be sure to add it to your playlists. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1986
Album: Vicious Rumors (1986)
Genre: Funk, New Jack Swing
Mood: Dancey
Perfect For: Casual listening, Having an "in day", Driving at night
Where To Next: "Big Mouth" - Whodini
Rating: 8 / 10
Sometimes I miss the bus and show up quite late to a well known track. As always, it blows my mind how many songs, albums, and artists I miss when I try so damn hard to gather it all in my studies. I guess it makes sense for the Timex Social Club since I am going to head back to gather all R&B, funk, and soul after I finish rock, metal, and punk all the way until the modern day. "Rumors" was one of the 45's I have carried around with me for a while, when I didn't even have a record player. I cannot tell you how grand it is to go through them all now since I gathered 60 or so and am still gathering more, most of the sets I get or have had were random collections of them so it can easily go from Blondie to Hank Snow to The Charlie Daniels Band to Timex Social Club, I have found many great forgotten gems this way so far and have been introduced to tracks like "Rumors". Timex Social Club is the exact idea of a one hit wonder, so much so that the version from Timex Social Club only shows up on dance compilations and remix albums on Spotify. After the success of this single, it was rerecorded for their only album Vicious Rumors, but none of the tracks gained the same acclaim as "Rumors" but the singles that came off of it still had the album show up lower on the charts. The group split up, and the members didn't do all too much with their new-found fame. The producers went on to form Club Nouveau, one of the most thrilling dance based R&B groups out of the 1980s. Their first single was an answer track to "Rumors" called "Jealousy", it also covers the history of the band's split. Club Nouveau had massive success with "Rumors" as well into the modern day, their inclusion of the track on their 1998 compilation The Collection, Vol. 1 has more plays than the original on Spotify, though that could be due to difficult access to the original version from Timex Social Club.
I am not often one to lean too heavily into hip hop or rap. I ain't one to spit on it though, I fully dig the style and respect its presence in the music world. Though I do have a soft spot for classic hip hop, it is still heavily dipped in the funk side of the R&B world and even includes some guitar work for some of the groups like Run-DMC. It is a genre that I know I will be expanding more into in time, something I am excited and intimidated by. Timex Social Club has its place in that golden age of hip hop, even if this song is still much more on the R&B side of things. The group is known for melding funk and R&B glued together by great lines and execution. "Rumors" as you guessed it revolves around the destructive nature of rumors. It was written by the group while they were still in high school, arguably the best time to write a song about vicious rumors. Due to the knack and popularity of this song, the band was included in a leg of Run-DMC's tour alongside LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, and Whodini. This is the first song I have listened to under the "post-disco" genre, a genre I didn't even think about being there but like I have mentioned with post-punk, it seems that "post" genres tend to just push anyone who is reminiscent of previous styles under one banner without much thought into their presence in the core sound. I am not too fond of the label of "post" genres, even if I will admit they are similar while not being similar at all. Anyway! The song is written about a few different rumors and how it makes our singers ears burn when hearing them. Hating them so far that he pleads with his congressman to pass a bill so you can smoke anyone starting them. I can get behind that, rumors are products of people with too much time on their hands. I am sure I had my fair share growing up, but I didn't let it bother me too much, going so far to turn my ears off if I saw anyone staring too hard. In a state ran by a religious cult, I am sure they were there thick, but I knew that a good majority of the LDS community had too easy of a life, boredom creates people trying to find problems to complain about. Look at the state of our country right now for fuck's sake, too many people finding something to victimize themselves when it has nothing to do with their life. If anyone in my life was starting that talk with me, I would typically shut them down fast. I don't get people who gossip or play in rumors, talk about base level usage of your brain and a waste of time. Anyway! I know this isn't our typical style here, but I try keeping things fresh and "Rumors" is just too good to overlook! So if you are like me and have somehow missed out on this song until now, be sure to add it to your playlists. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1986
Album: Vicious Rumors (1986)
Genre: Funk, New Jack Swing
Mood: Dancey
Perfect For: Casual listening, Having an "in day", Driving at night
Where To Next: "Big Mouth" - Whodini
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/16/2025
"Doolin-Dalton" - Eagles
Alright, we have taken a second to expose both some modern names and older names that need the love, but I think it is about time we come back to showing some love to a band that has one of the highest notorieties in the rock world, the Eagles. We have talked a ton about the Eagles here on the song of the day blog, but all of our choices thus far have been off the band's 1974 release On the Border. That album shows the band moving away from the more country rock sound that gave them their start and moving into the "Californicated rock sound" that they broke the nation with on their 1976 legendary release Hotel California. Today we take a peak at the band's second studio album Desperado, in my opinion this is one of their best albums if not my favorite they have put out. Through and through, this album is genuinely perfect and immensely well put together. The album loosely revolves around the infamous Doolin-Dalton gang, a group of outlaws during the wild west that was involved with plenty of robberies and killing of law men, the gang would famously be hunted down by over 100 deputies until each and every member met their death by the smoking barrel of judge, jury, and executioner .44 of the strong arm of the law. They were known as the Wild Bunch (not to be confused with Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch) and are one of the most famous outlaw tales that came out of the west, especially in the rough Oklahoma territory. Glenn Frey was already wanting to try his hand at a concept album, an album talking about anti-heroes of history and fiction, and it just so happened that while jamming with fellow musician Jackson Browne he showed Frey the book he received as a gift from his birthday which was about gunfighters from the wild west. It seemed to be fate, but ultimately the band got "Doolin-Dalton" all finished up and couldn't get it rolling on any others aside from "James Dean" which would be included in the band's following album On the Border. Still, the band didn't give up all the way, they were already a strong selling country rock group so it seemed fitting to keep a more western theme and atmosphere which turned into this album here Desperado. The title track is one of the Eagles many massively famous songs, but it wasn't released as a single, giving room to the other massively successful song "Tequila Sunrise" instead. For some albums, you know you are there for the hits and once they roll out of your ears you are left with a bunch of lacking songs, that is far from the truth for Desperado. Each song is a zinger! The instrumental tracks that connect to dead ringers are even worth their weight in gold. Top tier country rock that is thrilling as they come, and it even has a more later Eagles sound teaser in "Saturday Night", the only song that sort of throws off the vibe of the album. Something you gotta love about this album is its presence, it feels sort of like a concept album with songs like "Doolin-Dalton", "Desperado", "Outlaw Man", and "Bitter Creek" and while there is a revolving theme it isn't a concept album, it doesn't impose on you at all, it feels natural. I cannot praise how well it is put together, truly. There are few albums I can think of that are better for traveling in the more rural area of the United States. This has played for a ton of different adventures between me and my girlfriend, often not in direct order except once, but still these songs are wonderful for the open road no matter which one you choose. Alesha has gained a fondness for this album more than she has with hardly any of my other beloved albums I have tried, so it isn't shocking that she was the one to find and select this album when shopping for what to listen to while drinking the following night. A great addition to the collection since I am also immensely fond of this album, and you can't beat the price of free. I love wild west themes, always have always will, and it is even better when a band does the theme justice this well. Anyway! Our chosen song is "Doolin-Dalton", one of two tracks that are about that Wild Bunch, the other being "Bitter Creek". It is the song to start off the album, a spot that serves the album wonderfully. It lets you into the country world right off the bat, starting on a more story telling country note, making you smell the lather on your horse and the smell of gun smoke while you listen through the album in your easy chair. A good quick history of the demise of the Doolin-Dalton gang, mainly revolving around Bill Dalton, which eventually went and met Bill Doolin. There is a wonderful mythology in the wild west, and while most of the history got lost in the glamor of Hollywood, The Eagles still pull off an earthy and real feeling when talking about men that shouldn't be idolized. It is the American way though, we love to make icons out of criminals, be it serial killers, ruthless gunfighters of the west, or the street sweeping mobsters, though admittedly I am part of the problem since I too fall for the romance of these stories. Aren't humans odd? Anyway, this song is not meant or built for philosophical thought. It gives the feeling of desperation under the hot sun, feeling the hangman's noose growing tighter around your neck with each gulp of whiskey in every new town. They kicked off the theme very well with this song before the band moves into the fast and addictive "Twenty-One", the song I listened to first and multiple times on my twenty-first birthday as I traveled south to see some red rocks. This album has countless memories for me, and most of those memories are upon desert highways and passing through one-horse towns. So! Give the song a listen! Both for the history and for quality country rock. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1973
Album: Desperado (1973)
Genre: Country Rock
Mood: Sunbaked
Perfect For: Traveling, Adventuring, Riding motorcycles, Getting drunk, Camping, History
Where To Next: "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" - Billy Joel
Rating: 8 / 10
Alright, we have taken a second to expose both some modern names and older names that need the love, but I think it is about time we come back to showing some love to a band that has one of the highest notorieties in the rock world, the Eagles. We have talked a ton about the Eagles here on the song of the day blog, but all of our choices thus far have been off the band's 1974 release On the Border. That album shows the band moving away from the more country rock sound that gave them their start and moving into the "Californicated rock sound" that they broke the nation with on their 1976 legendary release Hotel California. Today we take a peak at the band's second studio album Desperado, in my opinion this is one of their best albums if not my favorite they have put out. Through and through, this album is genuinely perfect and immensely well put together. The album loosely revolves around the infamous Doolin-Dalton gang, a group of outlaws during the wild west that was involved with plenty of robberies and killing of law men, the gang would famously be hunted down by over 100 deputies until each and every member met their death by the smoking barrel of judge, jury, and executioner .44 of the strong arm of the law. They were known as the Wild Bunch (not to be confused with Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch) and are one of the most famous outlaw tales that came out of the west, especially in the rough Oklahoma territory. Glenn Frey was already wanting to try his hand at a concept album, an album talking about anti-heroes of history and fiction, and it just so happened that while jamming with fellow musician Jackson Browne he showed Frey the book he received as a gift from his birthday which was about gunfighters from the wild west. It seemed to be fate, but ultimately the band got "Doolin-Dalton" all finished up and couldn't get it rolling on any others aside from "James Dean" which would be included in the band's following album On the Border. Still, the band didn't give up all the way, they were already a strong selling country rock group so it seemed fitting to keep a more western theme and atmosphere which turned into this album here Desperado. The title track is one of the Eagles many massively famous songs, but it wasn't released as a single, giving room to the other massively successful song "Tequila Sunrise" instead. For some albums, you know you are there for the hits and once they roll out of your ears you are left with a bunch of lacking songs, that is far from the truth for Desperado. Each song is a zinger! The instrumental tracks that connect to dead ringers are even worth their weight in gold. Top tier country rock that is thrilling as they come, and it even has a more later Eagles sound teaser in "Saturday Night", the only song that sort of throws off the vibe of the album. Something you gotta love about this album is its presence, it feels sort of like a concept album with songs like "Doolin-Dalton", "Desperado", "Outlaw Man", and "Bitter Creek" and while there is a revolving theme it isn't a concept album, it doesn't impose on you at all, it feels natural. I cannot praise how well it is put together, truly. There are few albums I can think of that are better for traveling in the more rural area of the United States. This has played for a ton of different adventures between me and my girlfriend, often not in direct order except once, but still these songs are wonderful for the open road no matter which one you choose. Alesha has gained a fondness for this album more than she has with hardly any of my other beloved albums I have tried, so it isn't shocking that she was the one to find and select this album when shopping for what to listen to while drinking the following night. A great addition to the collection since I am also immensely fond of this album, and you can't beat the price of free. I love wild west themes, always have always will, and it is even better when a band does the theme justice this well. Anyway! Our chosen song is "Doolin-Dalton", one of two tracks that are about that Wild Bunch, the other being "Bitter Creek". It is the song to start off the album, a spot that serves the album wonderfully. It lets you into the country world right off the bat, starting on a more story telling country note, making you smell the lather on your horse and the smell of gun smoke while you listen through the album in your easy chair. A good quick history of the demise of the Doolin-Dalton gang, mainly revolving around Bill Dalton, which eventually went and met Bill Doolin. There is a wonderful mythology in the wild west, and while most of the history got lost in the glamor of Hollywood, The Eagles still pull off an earthy and real feeling when talking about men that shouldn't be idolized. It is the American way though, we love to make icons out of criminals, be it serial killers, ruthless gunfighters of the west, or the street sweeping mobsters, though admittedly I am part of the problem since I too fall for the romance of these stories. Aren't humans odd? Anyway, this song is not meant or built for philosophical thought. It gives the feeling of desperation under the hot sun, feeling the hangman's noose growing tighter around your neck with each gulp of whiskey in every new town. They kicked off the theme very well with this song before the band moves into the fast and addictive "Twenty-One", the song I listened to first and multiple times on my twenty-first birthday as I traveled south to see some red rocks. This album has countless memories for me, and most of those memories are upon desert highways and passing through one-horse towns. So! Give the song a listen! Both for the history and for quality country rock. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1973
Album: Desperado (1973)
Genre: Country Rock
Mood: Sunbaked
Perfect For: Traveling, Adventuring, Riding motorcycles, Getting drunk, Camping, History
Where To Next: "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" - Billy Joel
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/15/2025
"Overtime" - Home Front
For my new music Friday this go around, I had some decent tracks show up, but the one that gripped me the most was Home Front. The band is completely new to me, and looking at their collection of 2 EPs and 1 studio album that came out in 2023, they are still a new kid in town, and I am happy to have them here to maybe show a new song to those that are fond of modern music but like a group with a vintage touch. As I have stated before, I am always on the search for some modern groups, but I tend to be pickier than I am with the decades I have genuinely abused for most of my life. So, when a modern group shows up that grabs me, I tend to not let them go. What it is about Home Front that left me impressed maybe has something to do with what I just said, I tend to be fonder and more lenient with older groups and Home Front certainly sounds like they came out of the 1980s and a little into the early 1990s. They meld punk rock with a more new wave sound much like The Cure did, a band that I think they sound very similar to. Though luckily for us, they don't lean on that too heavily, they are certainly their own group and the modern recording and sound of todays' releases really do the new wave style justice. I guess you would call Home Front "post-punk" more than anything, but I swear that genre swallows anything punk with a popish leaning and they just don't know where to put it. A great sound, don't get me wrong, but I could hear 6 post-punk bands back to back and not see how they are part of the same movement. Anyway! Home Front is a fun group and while I was taking some deliveries for my work pushing through traffic "Overtime" came on. At first, I really thought this was another 1980s group that somehow was overlooked when I was doing my 1980s studies, but when I got back to base and started looking into the band, I was shocked to see that they only formed in 2021. I listened through their debut EP Think of the Lie, which was a pleasant Echo and the Bunnymen-esqe 20 minutes. I ran out of time before I could move into their other EP Nation or their studio album which seems to hold most of their "can't miss" tracks 2023's Games of Power. I am hoping that next Friday I might have a second to take on that album and see if I can gather anything else, and if any of those other songs are as good as "Overtime" then they will have a welcome home within my collection. Games of Power was included on the long list of the 2023 Polaris Music Prize, a Canadian music award that shines light on the up and comers in many different genres. I always forget to check into that listing to find some new music, but sometimes it takes a potent group like Home Front to show me that I need to remember to check into certain sources so I don't miss a beat. It was originally where I discovered another Canadian group Black Mountain, another group you should check out after you get done here if you like the more psychedelic rock sound. Anyway! I am excited to get further into Home Front, and I wish I had more to say about the song. It is a song that came out way later in time, though still is something that sounds just as great now as it would have in 1985. A great chorus and a dreamy atmosphere that sets your mind at ease. Enjoy!
Year Released: 2023
Album: Games of Power (2023)
Genre: Post-punk, New Wave
Mood: Mellow
Perfect For: Going for a chill drive, Working, Casual listening, Relaxing
Where To Next: "Age of Consent" - New Order
Rating: 7 / 10
For my new music Friday this go around, I had some decent tracks show up, but the one that gripped me the most was Home Front. The band is completely new to me, and looking at their collection of 2 EPs and 1 studio album that came out in 2023, they are still a new kid in town, and I am happy to have them here to maybe show a new song to those that are fond of modern music but like a group with a vintage touch. As I have stated before, I am always on the search for some modern groups, but I tend to be pickier than I am with the decades I have genuinely abused for most of my life. So, when a modern group shows up that grabs me, I tend to not let them go. What it is about Home Front that left me impressed maybe has something to do with what I just said, I tend to be fonder and more lenient with older groups and Home Front certainly sounds like they came out of the 1980s and a little into the early 1990s. They meld punk rock with a more new wave sound much like The Cure did, a band that I think they sound very similar to. Though luckily for us, they don't lean on that too heavily, they are certainly their own group and the modern recording and sound of todays' releases really do the new wave style justice. I guess you would call Home Front "post-punk" more than anything, but I swear that genre swallows anything punk with a popish leaning and they just don't know where to put it. A great sound, don't get me wrong, but I could hear 6 post-punk bands back to back and not see how they are part of the same movement. Anyway! Home Front is a fun group and while I was taking some deliveries for my work pushing through traffic "Overtime" came on. At first, I really thought this was another 1980s group that somehow was overlooked when I was doing my 1980s studies, but when I got back to base and started looking into the band, I was shocked to see that they only formed in 2021. I listened through their debut EP Think of the Lie, which was a pleasant Echo and the Bunnymen-esqe 20 minutes. I ran out of time before I could move into their other EP Nation or their studio album which seems to hold most of their "can't miss" tracks 2023's Games of Power. I am hoping that next Friday I might have a second to take on that album and see if I can gather anything else, and if any of those other songs are as good as "Overtime" then they will have a welcome home within my collection. Games of Power was included on the long list of the 2023 Polaris Music Prize, a Canadian music award that shines light on the up and comers in many different genres. I always forget to check into that listing to find some new music, but sometimes it takes a potent group like Home Front to show me that I need to remember to check into certain sources so I don't miss a beat. It was originally where I discovered another Canadian group Black Mountain, another group you should check out after you get done here if you like the more psychedelic rock sound. Anyway! I am excited to get further into Home Front, and I wish I had more to say about the song. It is a song that came out way later in time, though still is something that sounds just as great now as it would have in 1985. A great chorus and a dreamy atmosphere that sets your mind at ease. Enjoy!
Year Released: 2023
Album: Games of Power (2023)
Genre: Post-punk, New Wave
Mood: Mellow
Perfect For: Going for a chill drive, Working, Casual listening, Relaxing
Where To Next: "Age of Consent" - New Order
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/14/2025
"Fraulein" - Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt is one of the most underrated country musicians of the 1960s and 1970s. He is the mastermind behind many big country hits like "Pancho and Lefty", but his own material got overlooked even though many big names throughout many genres have cited him as a big influence. He is one of my favorite songwriters, and when it comes to the folksier country music, he is easily one of my favorites. Townes Van Zandt didn't find much fame with his debut album in 1968, though thankfully many of those songs would go on to be rerecorded and included throughout his career, namely the title track off that album which would be rerecorded for his self-titled 3rd album, my all-time favorite album of his. His second album, Our Mother the Mountain, sounds like something John Denver would be known for in the future; it is a very nature driven album which isn't too shocking since Townes Van Zandt was truly in love with mother nature, and he expresses that in plenty of his songs. After those two cult albums, we finally get to his self-titled third album which holds some of his all-time best songs, and was an album that I found an instant obsession with when it first started up. If my old friend was still in my life he could tell you how obsessed with this album I was, I remember I instantly went and picked him up for a drive once I finished it for the first time so he could listen to it too. It was a great core memory of driving around Springville canyon, half-baked, listening through that album. I cannot suggest that album enough for anyone who likes country music, folk music, or honestly anyone who likes more mellow music since he is hardly a full-blooded country musician, he always marched to his own drum and had his own unique way of singing and composing songs. Great musician. After that iconic release he tried out a few different sounds but still kept true to his vision, many of those albums are some essential music out of the 1970s as far as I am concerned. Our song of the day is off his 6th studio album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Don't let that name fool you, he was alive, but was certainly not doing too well. He was haunted by an unfortunate addiction to heroin and alcohol throughout most of his life, it was the alcohol that ultimately did him in while battling the evil addiction. Much like nature, he talks about his problem in many of his songs, and those are often the most heavy feeling. The brightest minds are often consumed in addiction, I know there is rhyme to reason, but it still always makes me wonder why. Anyway, Van Zandt was alive during the release of The Late Great Townes Van Zandt, this album holds a couple of his experimental tracks like "Silver Ships of Andilar", a more traditional country sound like our song of the day and also "Honky Tonkin'", but this album is more well known for his signature song "Pancho and Lefty" which was covered by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson in the 1980s and was one of the most successful country songs out of that decade. I personally think the Townes Van Zandt version is where it is at, he has a special way of selling a story, and nobody sings a story better than he who wrote it. Anyway, not the topic of today, but I am certain it will show up some day soon. Our focus today is "Fraulein", one of my favorite country songs to hear covered. It was originally recorded by Bobby Helms, that version is arguably the best, but it was also fondly covered by many different artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Colter Wall, Chuck Berry, Hank Locklin, David Allan Coe, and it even got a response song (a popular thing at the time) from Kitty Wells called "(I'll Always Be Your) Fraulein". Bobby Helms even went back a couple of years later and gave a response to his own hit song where it turns out the character in the story already had a wife back at home and found out too late that his pretty fraulein was his true love, but his true love killed herself to his dismay. Dark and depressing, but classic country sure loved that shit, drank it up as much as they drank that rotgut whiskey. Anyway, Townes Van Zandt sounds drunk and homey as was his thing, it is sung from a heart that is well versed in country music. The story of the song covers a man that is in love with a German woman but left her behind for whatever reason, it was originally released in 1957, and during that year songs about war in country and folk was a fairly popular topic even with World War II coming to a close ten years back. I guess that big of a thing doesn't fade and when tracks like "A Dear John Letter" was one of the biggest country hits in the 1950s it keeps it on everyone's mind so it isn't too shocking the theme keeps popping back up. So "Fraulein" could be about a soldier that had to come back to the US, or maybe he just was a restless soul that needed to move along. Still, the man seems to truly love the woman, and it is a beautiful song no matter who does it. Townes Van Zandt does a great version of it, and it is a nice reminder that he is rooted in country music even if he didn't sound much like anyone else upon its release in 1972 or well... ever. This album is a cult classic, and Townes Van Zandt has become a cult musician. Those like me that were lucky enough to come across him will find a treasure trove of well-thought-out and performed songs. And even with Van Zandt living an exciting yet troubled life, and also for being included in movies and writing many songs that were covered relentlessly by other musicians, he isn't given the respect he deserves. So, if this song wasn't for you, or you thought it was good but nothing special I implore you to take a little extra time and try out a couple of his different songs like "Waiting Around to Die", "Lungs", "To Live Is to Fly", "Flyin' Shoes" and "Rake". He has so many great songs, many of which I think really need to be floating around the country world way more than they were and are. With all that said, give the song a listen and see if you dig it, there are many great versions and even those response songs that will keep you busy for a little bit. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1972
Album: The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
Genre: Country, Folk, Folk Country
Mood: Mellow
Perfect For: Writing a love letter, Casual listening, Relaxing
Where To Next: "Anyway" - George Hamilton IV
Rating: 7 / 10
Townes Van Zandt is one of the most underrated country musicians of the 1960s and 1970s. He is the mastermind behind many big country hits like "Pancho and Lefty", but his own material got overlooked even though many big names throughout many genres have cited him as a big influence. He is one of my favorite songwriters, and when it comes to the folksier country music, he is easily one of my favorites. Townes Van Zandt didn't find much fame with his debut album in 1968, though thankfully many of those songs would go on to be rerecorded and included throughout his career, namely the title track off that album which would be rerecorded for his self-titled 3rd album, my all-time favorite album of his. His second album, Our Mother the Mountain, sounds like something John Denver would be known for in the future; it is a very nature driven album which isn't too shocking since Townes Van Zandt was truly in love with mother nature, and he expresses that in plenty of his songs. After those two cult albums, we finally get to his self-titled third album which holds some of his all-time best songs, and was an album that I found an instant obsession with when it first started up. If my old friend was still in my life he could tell you how obsessed with this album I was, I remember I instantly went and picked him up for a drive once I finished it for the first time so he could listen to it too. It was a great core memory of driving around Springville canyon, half-baked, listening through that album. I cannot suggest that album enough for anyone who likes country music, folk music, or honestly anyone who likes more mellow music since he is hardly a full-blooded country musician, he always marched to his own drum and had his own unique way of singing and composing songs. Great musician. After that iconic release he tried out a few different sounds but still kept true to his vision, many of those albums are some essential music out of the 1970s as far as I am concerned. Our song of the day is off his 6th studio album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Don't let that name fool you, he was alive, but was certainly not doing too well. He was haunted by an unfortunate addiction to heroin and alcohol throughout most of his life, it was the alcohol that ultimately did him in while battling the evil addiction. Much like nature, he talks about his problem in many of his songs, and those are often the most heavy feeling. The brightest minds are often consumed in addiction, I know there is rhyme to reason, but it still always makes me wonder why. Anyway, Van Zandt was alive during the release of The Late Great Townes Van Zandt, this album holds a couple of his experimental tracks like "Silver Ships of Andilar", a more traditional country sound like our song of the day and also "Honky Tonkin'", but this album is more well known for his signature song "Pancho and Lefty" which was covered by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson in the 1980s and was one of the most successful country songs out of that decade. I personally think the Townes Van Zandt version is where it is at, he has a special way of selling a story, and nobody sings a story better than he who wrote it. Anyway, not the topic of today, but I am certain it will show up some day soon. Our focus today is "Fraulein", one of my favorite country songs to hear covered. It was originally recorded by Bobby Helms, that version is arguably the best, but it was also fondly covered by many different artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Colter Wall, Chuck Berry, Hank Locklin, David Allan Coe, and it even got a response song (a popular thing at the time) from Kitty Wells called "(I'll Always Be Your) Fraulein". Bobby Helms even went back a couple of years later and gave a response to his own hit song where it turns out the character in the story already had a wife back at home and found out too late that his pretty fraulein was his true love, but his true love killed herself to his dismay. Dark and depressing, but classic country sure loved that shit, drank it up as much as they drank that rotgut whiskey. Anyway, Townes Van Zandt sounds drunk and homey as was his thing, it is sung from a heart that is well versed in country music. The story of the song covers a man that is in love with a German woman but left her behind for whatever reason, it was originally released in 1957, and during that year songs about war in country and folk was a fairly popular topic even with World War II coming to a close ten years back. I guess that big of a thing doesn't fade and when tracks like "A Dear John Letter" was one of the biggest country hits in the 1950s it keeps it on everyone's mind so it isn't too shocking the theme keeps popping back up. So "Fraulein" could be about a soldier that had to come back to the US, or maybe he just was a restless soul that needed to move along. Still, the man seems to truly love the woman, and it is a beautiful song no matter who does it. Townes Van Zandt does a great version of it, and it is a nice reminder that he is rooted in country music even if he didn't sound much like anyone else upon its release in 1972 or well... ever. This album is a cult classic, and Townes Van Zandt has become a cult musician. Those like me that were lucky enough to come across him will find a treasure trove of well-thought-out and performed songs. And even with Van Zandt living an exciting yet troubled life, and also for being included in movies and writing many songs that were covered relentlessly by other musicians, he isn't given the respect he deserves. So, if this song wasn't for you, or you thought it was good but nothing special I implore you to take a little extra time and try out a couple of his different songs like "Waiting Around to Die", "Lungs", "To Live Is to Fly", "Flyin' Shoes" and "Rake". He has so many great songs, many of which I think really need to be floating around the country world way more than they were and are. With all that said, give the song a listen and see if you dig it, there are many great versions and even those response songs that will keep you busy for a little bit. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1972
Album: The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
Genre: Country, Folk, Folk Country
Mood: Mellow
Perfect For: Writing a love letter, Casual listening, Relaxing
Where To Next: "Anyway" - George Hamilton IV
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/13/2025
"The Faded Line" - Lamb of God
Back in the day, I was an old metal purist, I mean there were some groups that pushed through but never found true love if they started in the 2000s. Honestly, I am not even sure why I wouldn't go past the 1990s for the most part, if your name wasn't Rammstein or 3 Inches of Blood I didn't want much to do with you. That was 15 years ago or so, so truly a different Caleb and I learned fast that there is potent music no matter the decade. I am not a warrior on the frontline for "true metal", I was in the end stuck in my ways, and it was holding me back massively on my musical journey. Do you know who showed me that? Lamb of God. I am ashamed to look back on my previous stance in the metal world, and I am so damn glad I got over myself. I remember I first heard Lamb of God from their music video of "Redneck". I would regular Comcast's On-Demand music video section, and at the time the most popular heavy metal music video was that one there. Right from the get-go when I heard that guitar I was hooked, plus that is one of my all-time favorite music videos, growing up in a heavily religious zone and state. I tried justifying it however I could, why was this band actively changing my musical taste? My second serving of Lamb of God was on the outstanding song list on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, man that game practically gave me the stepping stones to my musical transcendence, that Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Grand Theft Auto and Brutal Legend. On that game you would skate and destroy to plenty of punk, rock, metal, hip hop, and rap. The Lamb of God song on there was "Black Label", a song I still cherish, even though it is a ton more face value extreme than a lot of other Lamb of God. The band was first formed under the name Burn the Priest, a form of Lamb of God that wasn't trying anything too intricate and just relied on sickeningly heavy death metal to get their point across. I come back to Burn the Priest's one album once a year, and each time I happily put it away again since it isn't for me, aside from "Lies of Autumn". Cool to see where the band started, but I am happy they found their sound in time. Their first album under the Lamb of God name, 2000s New American Gospel, still kept that primal attack to your senses, but you can tell they are starting to find more of a groove reminiscent to their famous material, there are plenty of songs on that one that I love but none get the love like "Black Label". When I first heard it on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, I honestly didn't know how I felt about it. At the age of 8 there really wasn't anything that extreme I ever heard, my family isn't one for that style and I never went out of my way to listen to extreme metals that young, so "Black Label" felt like popping my ear cherries. I honestly didn't like it, but something about it was like a train wreck, I just couldn't help but listen to it over and over again and revel in its full body attack. Eventually I loaded it into the same MP3 I talked about in the previous post, man that thing was trusty with years of service (pour out some of your beer in its name) and the rest was history. That one track and "Redneck" were pretty well all I knew from Lamb of God for years, but by the time I got a bit older and was collecting my large array of bands for study there was Lamb of God again, but this time I was gonna be taking on full albums and most anything I could get my selfish hands on. I started on the band's essential album Sacrament since I already knew "Redneck" and used it as a diving board into their wonderful discography. The album floored me, those years of avoiding modern music built up a wall and that album threw the first rock at it, and what was at first a small ding turned into a crack within days. Then came the second album I listened through from them, 2004s Ashes of the Wake, and if Sacrament was the first rock then this album would be the first cannonball. Talk about one heavy as hell album, I am surprised the first time I played that album I didn't piss blood, and as I sit here listening to some of it again as I type this, I am still shocked by it. The album is perfect from start to finish, it holds many of the bands more intense songs and also makes room for a more thought out approach to the album in comparison to their previous two releases, leaving the metalcore zone for a full frontal grooving extreme metal approach. Our song of the day "The Faded Line" is one of many great songs off the album. It is perfectly situated between "Now You've Got Something to Die For" and "Omerta" two of the heaviest tracks on the album. "The Faded Line" is one of the finest tracks on the album for the drum work from Chris Adler, one of the best drummers in metal history as far as I am concerned. You cannot miss out on the guitar either, some crazy acrobatics from Mark Morton, he is also the leading lyricist on this track so it is only fitting the song was built around that guitar work. It is another song rooted in the revolving theme of the album, the war in Iraq and the damage done. A heavy as hell song that doesn't grow stale with its intense galloping rhythm that even Iced Earth and Iron Maiden rarely achieved and that is their bread and butter. It wouldn't be Lamb of God either without showing some of their metalcore roots with a well-placed breakdown beat down, and while that breakdown isn't nearly as intense as some in that particular genre, Lamb of God always does a great job at pulling off the breakdown while not making it the only thrilling part in the whole song, I like to think of theirs as the revitalizer, gives you a kick in the dick. The song is intense from the get-go and ends on such an abrupt note that it leaves you confused as you collect the pieces of your brain off the wall from your mind being blown. If you are feeling pissed or need a little energy boost, Lamb of God is for you. If you want chills from your big toe to the scalp, Lamb of God is for you. If you love the pure power of heavy metal, Lamb of God is for you. If you like songs that make you feel peaceful, Lamb of God is not for you. Give the song a listen and see for yourself if Lamb of God is for you! Annnnnd enjoy!
Year Released: 2004
Album: Ashes of the Wake (2004)
Genre: Groove Metal, New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Extreme Metal, Death Metal
Mood: Brutal
Perfect For: Headbanging, Getting PUMPED, Working, Pissing blood, Getting that anger out
Where To Next: "Perseverance" - Hatebreed
Rating: 8 / 10
Back in the day, I was an old metal purist, I mean there were some groups that pushed through but never found true love if they started in the 2000s. Honestly, I am not even sure why I wouldn't go past the 1990s for the most part, if your name wasn't Rammstein or 3 Inches of Blood I didn't want much to do with you. That was 15 years ago or so, so truly a different Caleb and I learned fast that there is potent music no matter the decade. I am not a warrior on the frontline for "true metal", I was in the end stuck in my ways, and it was holding me back massively on my musical journey. Do you know who showed me that? Lamb of God. I am ashamed to look back on my previous stance in the metal world, and I am so damn glad I got over myself. I remember I first heard Lamb of God from their music video of "Redneck". I would regular Comcast's On-Demand music video section, and at the time the most popular heavy metal music video was that one there. Right from the get-go when I heard that guitar I was hooked, plus that is one of my all-time favorite music videos, growing up in a heavily religious zone and state. I tried justifying it however I could, why was this band actively changing my musical taste? My second serving of Lamb of God was on the outstanding song list on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, man that game practically gave me the stepping stones to my musical transcendence, that Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Grand Theft Auto and Brutal Legend. On that game you would skate and destroy to plenty of punk, rock, metal, hip hop, and rap. The Lamb of God song on there was "Black Label", a song I still cherish, even though it is a ton more face value extreme than a lot of other Lamb of God. The band was first formed under the name Burn the Priest, a form of Lamb of God that wasn't trying anything too intricate and just relied on sickeningly heavy death metal to get their point across. I come back to Burn the Priest's one album once a year, and each time I happily put it away again since it isn't for me, aside from "Lies of Autumn". Cool to see where the band started, but I am happy they found their sound in time. Their first album under the Lamb of God name, 2000s New American Gospel, still kept that primal attack to your senses, but you can tell they are starting to find more of a groove reminiscent to their famous material, there are plenty of songs on that one that I love but none get the love like "Black Label". When I first heard it on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, I honestly didn't know how I felt about it. At the age of 8 there really wasn't anything that extreme I ever heard, my family isn't one for that style and I never went out of my way to listen to extreme metals that young, so "Black Label" felt like popping my ear cherries. I honestly didn't like it, but something about it was like a train wreck, I just couldn't help but listen to it over and over again and revel in its full body attack. Eventually I loaded it into the same MP3 I talked about in the previous post, man that thing was trusty with years of service (pour out some of your beer in its name) and the rest was history. That one track and "Redneck" were pretty well all I knew from Lamb of God for years, but by the time I got a bit older and was collecting my large array of bands for study there was Lamb of God again, but this time I was gonna be taking on full albums and most anything I could get my selfish hands on. I started on the band's essential album Sacrament since I already knew "Redneck" and used it as a diving board into their wonderful discography. The album floored me, those years of avoiding modern music built up a wall and that album threw the first rock at it, and what was at first a small ding turned into a crack within days. Then came the second album I listened through from them, 2004s Ashes of the Wake, and if Sacrament was the first rock then this album would be the first cannonball. Talk about one heavy as hell album, I am surprised the first time I played that album I didn't piss blood, and as I sit here listening to some of it again as I type this, I am still shocked by it. The album is perfect from start to finish, it holds many of the bands more intense songs and also makes room for a more thought out approach to the album in comparison to their previous two releases, leaving the metalcore zone for a full frontal grooving extreme metal approach. Our song of the day "The Faded Line" is one of many great songs off the album. It is perfectly situated between "Now You've Got Something to Die For" and "Omerta" two of the heaviest tracks on the album. "The Faded Line" is one of the finest tracks on the album for the drum work from Chris Adler, one of the best drummers in metal history as far as I am concerned. You cannot miss out on the guitar either, some crazy acrobatics from Mark Morton, he is also the leading lyricist on this track so it is only fitting the song was built around that guitar work. It is another song rooted in the revolving theme of the album, the war in Iraq and the damage done. A heavy as hell song that doesn't grow stale with its intense galloping rhythm that even Iced Earth and Iron Maiden rarely achieved and that is their bread and butter. It wouldn't be Lamb of God either without showing some of their metalcore roots with a well-placed breakdown beat down, and while that breakdown isn't nearly as intense as some in that particular genre, Lamb of God always does a great job at pulling off the breakdown while not making it the only thrilling part in the whole song, I like to think of theirs as the revitalizer, gives you a kick in the dick. The song is intense from the get-go and ends on such an abrupt note that it leaves you confused as you collect the pieces of your brain off the wall from your mind being blown. If you are feeling pissed or need a little energy boost, Lamb of God is for you. If you want chills from your big toe to the scalp, Lamb of God is for you. If you love the pure power of heavy metal, Lamb of God is for you. If you like songs that make you feel peaceful, Lamb of God is not for you. Give the song a listen and see for yourself if Lamb of God is for you! Annnnnd enjoy!
Year Released: 2004
Album: Ashes of the Wake (2004)
Genre: Groove Metal, New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Extreme Metal, Death Metal
Mood: Brutal
Perfect For: Headbanging, Getting PUMPED, Working, Pissing blood, Getting that anger out
Where To Next: "Perseverance" - Hatebreed
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/12/2025
"After Forever" - Black Sabbath
Man, I feel like we have talked about Black Sabbath one million times on this portion of the website, but strangely enough, this is only Sabbaths second track to show up here. That statement still blows my mind, a band that has been in my top 5 bands for a long ass time, often being my first answer when someone asks "what's your favorite band", and it is only the second time it shows up. For some of the bands it is understandable since they might only have 20 songs that I cherish, but for Black Sabbath I love practically anything Ozzy or Dio based, and even some from the more odd Sabbath albums. Anyway! Due to the recent passing of metal god Ozzy Osbourne, I am hearing Black Sabbath and Ozzy everywhere. Isn't it funny how the saying "nobody loves you until you're dead" rings true with musicians? Sad but true. I mean, Ozzy certainly wasn't hurting for a fan base by any means, but now it seems that everyone is digging back through their Black Sabbath collection, which is a thing I am glad for, I never tire of Black Sabbath. I know I gave an introduction to the band when I was talking about the Sabbath oddity "Junior's Eyes" back in June, but I will give a refresher (if you even need one for this legendary of a band). Black Sabbath are pretty well the creators of heavy metal, there were many that came before with a heavier sound and a little more heavy metal stage antics, themes, and imagery, but none got close to the pure evil heaviness that came out of Black Sabbath. Their debut in 1970 was safely in its time, while still being something unlike anyone has done up until that point. Take all the more progressive long songs, drop some of that artsy intricacy, add in some dark themes, overload your amps, distort that guitar, and bring in four top tier musicians, and you got yourself Black Sabbath's self-titled debut. Within that same year, the band released their breakthrough (and essential) Paranoid, an album that really showed off what Black Sabbath was capable of both for mainstream appeal and also raw diabolical musicianship. Both of those albums are some of the heaviest stuff to come out of the 1970s, and any self-respecting metalhead best know those albums like their social security number. Sabbath would go on to release album after album of innovative hard rock that would soon enough be known as the beast "heavy metal". Did they know what they were doing? For once, I think they did. It seemed each album had a battle plan to change the playing board, and change the playing board they did. I could give you a rundown of each album and talk Black Sabbath until my death, but let's focus album by album since I am sure the band will show up plenty of times and I don't want to sound like a broken record more than I already do. After those previous two heavy as hell albums, it was time for the band's 3rd album, I am sure the fans of the day couldn't wait and once 1971s Master of Reality showed up I am sure it was worth the wait. This was the first album of Black Sabbath I took into my ear holes, it was one of those moments that set me on this quest for the love of rock n roll and the glory of heavy metal. Black Sabbath is one of those bands that I love to ask people where they jumped into the band, since there are so many great albums and so many memories people had with their first play. It feels sort of like a rebirth, feels like finding out what life is about, and I wish with all my heart I could go back and do it again. Even thinking about that moment gives me chills. I was in love with Black Sabbath as soon as I heard "Paranoid" on the radio, but that love turned into obsession once I heard that diabolical intro to "Children of the Grave". If I recall right, I heard the song off one of their compilations I owned on CD and was fucking floored, I planned out a time to listen to that album in silence since I knew I came across something that was destined for me for that moment. So like any good little boy, I went and pirated that album and loaded it into my silver MP3 and started into my planning for its cherry popping. The morning came, and I checked to make sure my MP3 had enough juice, I was taking the bus to school at the time, so I said goodbye to everyone like normal and then started walking towards the bus stop, but unlike a normal day I decided to walk the other way away from the bus station. I watched the bus pull away from afar and then set on my path to get to some wilderness where I found a sort of clean log and sat my butt down. Pulled out the MP3, turned the volume up, closed my eyes, and pressed play. I cannot express the euphoria of listening through this album start to finish for the first time, like I mentioned before it felt like I found my meaning in life. I was listening through some sacred knowledge that many others in the past also tuned into. I felt one with the metal. A perfect album, meant to be listened to as an album, not one dull moment and countless thrilling moments forced through my headphones and into my young ears. I saw god in the form of music, or maybe it was the devil. The second song on the album is "After Forever", a strangely religious track, but if you know Black Sabbath that wasn't all too uncommon. But a song that has a line that practically says "it's cool to love god, guys" is an odd one in almost any metal that isn't Stryper. Still, there is no denying the great lyrics of "After Forever", it is a song questioning god and faith and putting down those that both called Sabbath "satanists" and those that are false Christians. Even with the lyrics revolving around Christian themes, the song is damn heavy and well constructed. Master of Reality already was showing off that true Black Sabbath sound that guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler found while down tuning their instruments, giving the band a proto-doom metal sound. The song gives sections for wildly impressive guitar and bass attacks, and the ever impressive drumming from Bill Ward stays steady throughout. Ozzy is Ozzy, there is no doubting his commanding presence in Sabbath and "After Forever" is no different, he always sells those lyrics. "After Forever" ends in an explosion that gives you chills before the band moves into the pretty instrumental piece "Embryo" that serves as a wonderful transition to the legendary "Children of the Grave". Our song of the day gives lyrical texture to the album, it goes from a song about loving pot, to loving god, to the politically activated track "Children of the Grave". Once again, this album is sold best from start to finish, but that doesn't mean that most of the non instrumental tracks can't stand up by themselves. A great album that I could shout about from the top of a mountain. My love for its 8 tracks is almost unmatched, the same can be said about most of the main Black Sabbath albums. Glad I can write about my memories with this album, and I am even more glad that I can preach it to my dear readers. Give the song a play already! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1971
Album: Master of Reality (1971)
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, White Metal
Mood: Serious
Perfect For: Casual listening, Thinking about religion, Having a beer, Looking at the illustrations for the Divine Comedy
Where To Next: "My God" - Jethro Tull
Rating: 8 / 10
Man, I feel like we have talked about Black Sabbath one million times on this portion of the website, but strangely enough, this is only Sabbaths second track to show up here. That statement still blows my mind, a band that has been in my top 5 bands for a long ass time, often being my first answer when someone asks "what's your favorite band", and it is only the second time it shows up. For some of the bands it is understandable since they might only have 20 songs that I cherish, but for Black Sabbath I love practically anything Ozzy or Dio based, and even some from the more odd Sabbath albums. Anyway! Due to the recent passing of metal god Ozzy Osbourne, I am hearing Black Sabbath and Ozzy everywhere. Isn't it funny how the saying "nobody loves you until you're dead" rings true with musicians? Sad but true. I mean, Ozzy certainly wasn't hurting for a fan base by any means, but now it seems that everyone is digging back through their Black Sabbath collection, which is a thing I am glad for, I never tire of Black Sabbath. I know I gave an introduction to the band when I was talking about the Sabbath oddity "Junior's Eyes" back in June, but I will give a refresher (if you even need one for this legendary of a band). Black Sabbath are pretty well the creators of heavy metal, there were many that came before with a heavier sound and a little more heavy metal stage antics, themes, and imagery, but none got close to the pure evil heaviness that came out of Black Sabbath. Their debut in 1970 was safely in its time, while still being something unlike anyone has done up until that point. Take all the more progressive long songs, drop some of that artsy intricacy, add in some dark themes, overload your amps, distort that guitar, and bring in four top tier musicians, and you got yourself Black Sabbath's self-titled debut. Within that same year, the band released their breakthrough (and essential) Paranoid, an album that really showed off what Black Sabbath was capable of both for mainstream appeal and also raw diabolical musicianship. Both of those albums are some of the heaviest stuff to come out of the 1970s, and any self-respecting metalhead best know those albums like their social security number. Sabbath would go on to release album after album of innovative hard rock that would soon enough be known as the beast "heavy metal". Did they know what they were doing? For once, I think they did. It seemed each album had a battle plan to change the playing board, and change the playing board they did. I could give you a rundown of each album and talk Black Sabbath until my death, but let's focus album by album since I am sure the band will show up plenty of times and I don't want to sound like a broken record more than I already do. After those previous two heavy as hell albums, it was time for the band's 3rd album, I am sure the fans of the day couldn't wait and once 1971s Master of Reality showed up I am sure it was worth the wait. This was the first album of Black Sabbath I took into my ear holes, it was one of those moments that set me on this quest for the love of rock n roll and the glory of heavy metal. Black Sabbath is one of those bands that I love to ask people where they jumped into the band, since there are so many great albums and so many memories people had with their first play. It feels sort of like a rebirth, feels like finding out what life is about, and I wish with all my heart I could go back and do it again. Even thinking about that moment gives me chills. I was in love with Black Sabbath as soon as I heard "Paranoid" on the radio, but that love turned into obsession once I heard that diabolical intro to "Children of the Grave". If I recall right, I heard the song off one of their compilations I owned on CD and was fucking floored, I planned out a time to listen to that album in silence since I knew I came across something that was destined for me for that moment. So like any good little boy, I went and pirated that album and loaded it into my silver MP3 and started into my planning for its cherry popping. The morning came, and I checked to make sure my MP3 had enough juice, I was taking the bus to school at the time, so I said goodbye to everyone like normal and then started walking towards the bus stop, but unlike a normal day I decided to walk the other way away from the bus station. I watched the bus pull away from afar and then set on my path to get to some wilderness where I found a sort of clean log and sat my butt down. Pulled out the MP3, turned the volume up, closed my eyes, and pressed play. I cannot express the euphoria of listening through this album start to finish for the first time, like I mentioned before it felt like I found my meaning in life. I was listening through some sacred knowledge that many others in the past also tuned into. I felt one with the metal. A perfect album, meant to be listened to as an album, not one dull moment and countless thrilling moments forced through my headphones and into my young ears. I saw god in the form of music, or maybe it was the devil. The second song on the album is "After Forever", a strangely religious track, but if you know Black Sabbath that wasn't all too uncommon. But a song that has a line that practically says "it's cool to love god, guys" is an odd one in almost any metal that isn't Stryper. Still, there is no denying the great lyrics of "After Forever", it is a song questioning god and faith and putting down those that both called Sabbath "satanists" and those that are false Christians. Even with the lyrics revolving around Christian themes, the song is damn heavy and well constructed. Master of Reality already was showing off that true Black Sabbath sound that guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler found while down tuning their instruments, giving the band a proto-doom metal sound. The song gives sections for wildly impressive guitar and bass attacks, and the ever impressive drumming from Bill Ward stays steady throughout. Ozzy is Ozzy, there is no doubting his commanding presence in Sabbath and "After Forever" is no different, he always sells those lyrics. "After Forever" ends in an explosion that gives you chills before the band moves into the pretty instrumental piece "Embryo" that serves as a wonderful transition to the legendary "Children of the Grave". Our song of the day gives lyrical texture to the album, it goes from a song about loving pot, to loving god, to the politically activated track "Children of the Grave". Once again, this album is sold best from start to finish, but that doesn't mean that most of the non instrumental tracks can't stand up by themselves. A great album that I could shout about from the top of a mountain. My love for its 8 tracks is almost unmatched, the same can be said about most of the main Black Sabbath albums. Glad I can write about my memories with this album, and I am even more glad that I can preach it to my dear readers. Give the song a play already! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1971
Album: Master of Reality (1971)
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, White Metal
Mood: Serious
Perfect For: Casual listening, Thinking about religion, Having a beer, Looking at the illustrations for the Divine Comedy
Where To Next: "My God" - Jethro Tull
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/11/2025
"Twenty Flight Rock" - Tiger Army
If there is ever a day I refuse to listen to an Eddie Cochran song or a cover of one, then please shoot me in the back of the head. The man is a legend in the golden days of rock n roll. Though we aren't here to talk solely about him, today we take a look at the poorly named Tiger Army, a group that found decent fame in 1999 and continued into the 2000s honing their sound. What is that sound, you might ask? Well, they are one of the musicians that reached into the past and did the music honor by giving it a modern touch to appeal to a new generation. Most of their albums consist of psychobilly, a melding of rockabilly and punk rock, but it isn't uncommon for them to do a more traditional rock n roll sound, western, and straight cut punk rock. I have been a big fan of the group since the first time I heard their biggest hit "Outlaw Heart", a song I have abused for years and years and will for many more. I have listened through every studio album they have put out and each time I am pleased to the bone, but that is easy enough since they are part of a genre that is a favorite style of mine. "Outlaw Heart" might be their biggest track, but many off of that same album are just as potent, and within that album there is our song of the day "Twenty Flight Rock". That debut is my home when it comes to Tiger Army, it is just so damn thrilling and great. It shows the band off at its youngest stage too, so that punk rock edge is a tad bit more prominent. For those that prefer some of their later albums like 2004s Tiger Army III: Ghost Tigers Rise, that might be a negative, though I find that half of this album being more punk rock gives it a much easier to take in flow. There isn't much of a chance to get bored when we have two separate great genres flowing through your fortunate ears. The album was released by Hellcat Records, a label which put out a great label sampler called Give 'Em the Boot well into the 2000s, and I cannot count the great bands I have discovered through those compilations. The label was started by punk visionary Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion) and Tim Armstrong (Rancid, Operation Ivy, Transplants) so you know that the musical dowsing rod will always point towards water. The stars were aligned for Tiger Army to come along and give out one great album, and even if the masses didn't jump on the wagon, I think they made one of the best punk albums to come out of the later half of the 1990s. There are the fast as hell songs, the songs meant for neon nights, motorcycle rides, and breakups. Our song of the day "Twenty Flight Rock" is the 9th song on the album, and is easily one of my most favorite to come off of its 13 song track listing. Once again, though, kill me if I ever stop loving an Eddie Cochran cover or original. Eddie Cochran found massive success with this song and many artists have covered it, ranging from Cliff Richard to Montrose. It has been engrained into rock's history, a perfect example of what makes rockabilly such a fun genre. It was also the song that Paul McCartney used to audition for the Beatles, and John Lennon must have agreed that anything Cochran is gold. The song covers the story of a dude that wants to rock with his lady, but she lives on an upper floor and the elevator is out, so time and time again he runs up those stairs. Now... when it comes down to what kind of "rocking" this couple is intending to do, I will leave that up to you. Like a lot of the songs out of the 1950s, it seems that rocking is both well... rocking out and then there is the rocking that has a dirtier backing. Both are strangely fitting for the song, but I think it is more of an innuendo that this dude keeps making that trek to get some. Problem is, by the time he gets up there he is too tired to even do anything, cruel is life. All this strain and desire to... rock... catches up to him too, since the song ends on the line "all this climbin' is gettin' me down, they'll find my corpse draped over a rail". Both all for the love of rock n roll, and also for the love of the finer sex, I can respect that. Tiger Army does a great cover of the track, it is a lot louder and is even a touch faster than the original. The song comes in at a hot 1:33, but there is enough energy in the song to make it feel much, much longer. The good thing about this good and fun of songs with such a short playtime is it is easy to listen to over and over again, and believe you me, there might not be anyway to stop it once it bites you. Great song, great cover, and a perfect compliment to an album that is already bristling with this much of a rave up. "Twenty Flight Rock" is a rock classic, classic enough that musicians cover it even today, and it was not different in 1999 when Tiger Army gave it their swing. If I ever start a band, and we get big enough to release an album, you can bet your bottom dollar that a rendition of "Twenty Flight Rock" will be on that puppy. For now, I type this out for you and play this song again but a little bit louder this time, I suggest you give it a spin as well. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Tiger Army (1999)
Genre: Psychobilly, Rockabilly
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Rocking (in both ways), Driving, Running, High energy activities, Dancing around the house
Where To Next: "Baddest of the Bad" - The Reverend Horton Heat
Rating: 8 / 10
If there is ever a day I refuse to listen to an Eddie Cochran song or a cover of one, then please shoot me in the back of the head. The man is a legend in the golden days of rock n roll. Though we aren't here to talk solely about him, today we take a look at the poorly named Tiger Army, a group that found decent fame in 1999 and continued into the 2000s honing their sound. What is that sound, you might ask? Well, they are one of the musicians that reached into the past and did the music honor by giving it a modern touch to appeal to a new generation. Most of their albums consist of psychobilly, a melding of rockabilly and punk rock, but it isn't uncommon for them to do a more traditional rock n roll sound, western, and straight cut punk rock. I have been a big fan of the group since the first time I heard their biggest hit "Outlaw Heart", a song I have abused for years and years and will for many more. I have listened through every studio album they have put out and each time I am pleased to the bone, but that is easy enough since they are part of a genre that is a favorite style of mine. "Outlaw Heart" might be their biggest track, but many off of that same album are just as potent, and within that album there is our song of the day "Twenty Flight Rock". That debut is my home when it comes to Tiger Army, it is just so damn thrilling and great. It shows the band off at its youngest stage too, so that punk rock edge is a tad bit more prominent. For those that prefer some of their later albums like 2004s Tiger Army III: Ghost Tigers Rise, that might be a negative, though I find that half of this album being more punk rock gives it a much easier to take in flow. There isn't much of a chance to get bored when we have two separate great genres flowing through your fortunate ears. The album was released by Hellcat Records, a label which put out a great label sampler called Give 'Em the Boot well into the 2000s, and I cannot count the great bands I have discovered through those compilations. The label was started by punk visionary Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion) and Tim Armstrong (Rancid, Operation Ivy, Transplants) so you know that the musical dowsing rod will always point towards water. The stars were aligned for Tiger Army to come along and give out one great album, and even if the masses didn't jump on the wagon, I think they made one of the best punk albums to come out of the later half of the 1990s. There are the fast as hell songs, the songs meant for neon nights, motorcycle rides, and breakups. Our song of the day "Twenty Flight Rock" is the 9th song on the album, and is easily one of my most favorite to come off of its 13 song track listing. Once again, though, kill me if I ever stop loving an Eddie Cochran cover or original. Eddie Cochran found massive success with this song and many artists have covered it, ranging from Cliff Richard to Montrose. It has been engrained into rock's history, a perfect example of what makes rockabilly such a fun genre. It was also the song that Paul McCartney used to audition for the Beatles, and John Lennon must have agreed that anything Cochran is gold. The song covers the story of a dude that wants to rock with his lady, but she lives on an upper floor and the elevator is out, so time and time again he runs up those stairs. Now... when it comes down to what kind of "rocking" this couple is intending to do, I will leave that up to you. Like a lot of the songs out of the 1950s, it seems that rocking is both well... rocking out and then there is the rocking that has a dirtier backing. Both are strangely fitting for the song, but I think it is more of an innuendo that this dude keeps making that trek to get some. Problem is, by the time he gets up there he is too tired to even do anything, cruel is life. All this strain and desire to... rock... catches up to him too, since the song ends on the line "all this climbin' is gettin' me down, they'll find my corpse draped over a rail". Both all for the love of rock n roll, and also for the love of the finer sex, I can respect that. Tiger Army does a great cover of the track, it is a lot louder and is even a touch faster than the original. The song comes in at a hot 1:33, but there is enough energy in the song to make it feel much, much longer. The good thing about this good and fun of songs with such a short playtime is it is easy to listen to over and over again, and believe you me, there might not be anyway to stop it once it bites you. Great song, great cover, and a perfect compliment to an album that is already bristling with this much of a rave up. "Twenty Flight Rock" is a rock classic, classic enough that musicians cover it even today, and it was not different in 1999 when Tiger Army gave it their swing. If I ever start a band, and we get big enough to release an album, you can bet your bottom dollar that a rendition of "Twenty Flight Rock" will be on that puppy. For now, I type this out for you and play this song again but a little bit louder this time, I suggest you give it a spin as well. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Tiger Army (1999)
Genre: Psychobilly, Rockabilly
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Rocking (in both ways), Driving, Running, High energy activities, Dancing around the house
Where To Next: "Baddest of the Bad" - The Reverend Horton Heat
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/10/2025
"I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train" - Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver is a country musician of legend, his albums are great and so are many of his genre defining outlaw country songs like "Live Forever", "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)", "Wacko from Waco", and our song of the day "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train". Though even with all that great music, where he really shines through is with his pen. He is witty, talented, and real behind that pen. That pen of his is what gained him fame before his singing ever did, but still his music is something to not be taken lightly. Billy Joe Shaver is a musician that actually lived out some of his songs, he was a wild one since birth and represented the restless spirit that we all have inside of us. Like I mentioned in a previous post about Gene Autry, it just seemed that some of these musicians were bound for a different life than you and I and they crammed that life with a ton of experience and grit. He found a love for country music at a young age, a passion that never burned out. While he was young he left school behind to help tend fields with his uncle but still went back to play sports later on. When he turned 17 he ran off to the military, serving his time in the Navy, and upon his tour coming to an end he jumped around random jobs for a little while, even having a small stint as a rodeo clown. Following those failed ventures, he finally got himself a steady job in a lumber mill. While working there he lost most of two of his fingers so he had to learn to play guitar without them. His wandering spirit started pulling at him to move along, and move along he did but instead of heading towards the city of angels like most famous tales in the United States he went eastbound and found himself in Memphis, Tennessee the starting grounds for countless musicians. It wasn't long until his writing caught the eye and ear of many musicians, most notably Waylon Jennings, who was so fond of Shaver's songwriting that most of his massively successful 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes was written by Shaver. That one album shows off just how great Billy Joe Shaver is as a country songwriter, he is witty when it is time to be witty, but also he can write with a pen of pure emotion from a man that has lived a fairly busy life up until this point. Songs of dreams, rambling fever, love, and one of Shaver's favorite themes, sin. Eventually his name got around and everyone from Bob Dylan to Elvis Presley praised his writing, some even covered their fair share of his songs. To have Bob Dylan praise your songwriting is like god giving you a fist bump after doing the deed, it really shows you hit a special spot of acclaim that the previous legends are impressed with you. Tom T. Hall is one of country musics best songwriters, and even he covered a good amount of Shaver tracks. Lastly, another important songwriter in the country world, Kris Kristofferson, has said that Billy Joe Shaver was on the same level as Ernest Hemmingway's books. He certainly held a special spot of acclaim and kept his album sells steady all the way up until his death. Even during his trouble with the law after shooting a guy in the face outside a bar in Lorena, TX, he was releasing great material. Funnily enough all that famously happened the same year he put out a pure hearted gospel album, duality I suppose. Didn't I mention this guy lived the life? His lyrics show off the man is a wild child, and his actions back it up. Somehow the dude survived, and Billy Joe Shaver had a resurgence of fame, especially since he famously asked the dude "where do you want it?" before clocking the bastard. There is a song from Whitey Morgan and the 78's (top grade modernish outlaw country) called "Where Do You Want It?" that is played in a very Shaver style that explains the scene wonderfully, so if you aren't in a reading mood then give that song a listen as well. Man, I have been talking about the man more than the man's music, so let's get into it. "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train" is one of Shaver's most well known songs. His countrified way of singing is a blast to listen along to, and the writing is a top tier. The song comes off of his debut album Old Five and Dimers Like Me, an album that is a good ol' time, but I don't think that version is nearly as good as the cleaned up and strangely sped up version of his 1982 self-titled album. The song is loosely a story about Billy Joe Shaver, lines alluding to his raising, which gives it a special kick. Shaver is the perfect example of "it isn't how well you sing it, it is how you sing it" and he certainly makes it an interesting time. Not only that the whole band puts on a wonderful show to match the atmosphere of the words, I am damn fond of the guitar work. I stand by this being the best place to start into his music if you are new to him. I am immensely picky when it comes to country music after the 1970s, but I always make an exception for those in the outlaw country world, especially Billy Joe Shaver, which has most of his best tracks within the 1980s. Billy Joe Shaver lived a life on the backline of the country world, never hitting the same fame as those covering his songs, but his impact on the genre is damn important and impressive. A true son of a gun who also just happened to have a special talent at writing songs about raising hell in his earlier career and then songs of redemption in his later career. Thanks for reading along! Hope you maybe found a new song or musician to take that dive into. Stay tuned for more great music, and as always, enjoy!
Year Released: 1982 (chosen version)
Album: Billy Joe Shaver (1982)
Genre: Outlaw Country
Mood: Countrified
Perfect For: Going for a long drive in the countryside, Casual listening, Having a few drinks
Where To Next: "Ain't No God in Mexico" - Waylon Jennings
Rating: 9 / 10
Billy Joe Shaver is a country musician of legend, his albums are great and so are many of his genre defining outlaw country songs like "Live Forever", "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)", "Wacko from Waco", and our song of the day "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train". Though even with all that great music, where he really shines through is with his pen. He is witty, talented, and real behind that pen. That pen of his is what gained him fame before his singing ever did, but still his music is something to not be taken lightly. Billy Joe Shaver is a musician that actually lived out some of his songs, he was a wild one since birth and represented the restless spirit that we all have inside of us. Like I mentioned in a previous post about Gene Autry, it just seemed that some of these musicians were bound for a different life than you and I and they crammed that life with a ton of experience and grit. He found a love for country music at a young age, a passion that never burned out. While he was young he left school behind to help tend fields with his uncle but still went back to play sports later on. When he turned 17 he ran off to the military, serving his time in the Navy, and upon his tour coming to an end he jumped around random jobs for a little while, even having a small stint as a rodeo clown. Following those failed ventures, he finally got himself a steady job in a lumber mill. While working there he lost most of two of his fingers so he had to learn to play guitar without them. His wandering spirit started pulling at him to move along, and move along he did but instead of heading towards the city of angels like most famous tales in the United States he went eastbound and found himself in Memphis, Tennessee the starting grounds for countless musicians. It wasn't long until his writing caught the eye and ear of many musicians, most notably Waylon Jennings, who was so fond of Shaver's songwriting that most of his massively successful 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes was written by Shaver. That one album shows off just how great Billy Joe Shaver is as a country songwriter, he is witty when it is time to be witty, but also he can write with a pen of pure emotion from a man that has lived a fairly busy life up until this point. Songs of dreams, rambling fever, love, and one of Shaver's favorite themes, sin. Eventually his name got around and everyone from Bob Dylan to Elvis Presley praised his writing, some even covered their fair share of his songs. To have Bob Dylan praise your songwriting is like god giving you a fist bump after doing the deed, it really shows you hit a special spot of acclaim that the previous legends are impressed with you. Tom T. Hall is one of country musics best songwriters, and even he covered a good amount of Shaver tracks. Lastly, another important songwriter in the country world, Kris Kristofferson, has said that Billy Joe Shaver was on the same level as Ernest Hemmingway's books. He certainly held a special spot of acclaim and kept his album sells steady all the way up until his death. Even during his trouble with the law after shooting a guy in the face outside a bar in Lorena, TX, he was releasing great material. Funnily enough all that famously happened the same year he put out a pure hearted gospel album, duality I suppose. Didn't I mention this guy lived the life? His lyrics show off the man is a wild child, and his actions back it up. Somehow the dude survived, and Billy Joe Shaver had a resurgence of fame, especially since he famously asked the dude "where do you want it?" before clocking the bastard. There is a song from Whitey Morgan and the 78's (top grade modernish outlaw country) called "Where Do You Want It?" that is played in a very Shaver style that explains the scene wonderfully, so if you aren't in a reading mood then give that song a listen as well. Man, I have been talking about the man more than the man's music, so let's get into it. "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train" is one of Shaver's most well known songs. His countrified way of singing is a blast to listen along to, and the writing is a top tier. The song comes off of his debut album Old Five and Dimers Like Me, an album that is a good ol' time, but I don't think that version is nearly as good as the cleaned up and strangely sped up version of his 1982 self-titled album. The song is loosely a story about Billy Joe Shaver, lines alluding to his raising, which gives it a special kick. Shaver is the perfect example of "it isn't how well you sing it, it is how you sing it" and he certainly makes it an interesting time. Not only that the whole band puts on a wonderful show to match the atmosphere of the words, I am damn fond of the guitar work. I stand by this being the best place to start into his music if you are new to him. I am immensely picky when it comes to country music after the 1970s, but I always make an exception for those in the outlaw country world, especially Billy Joe Shaver, which has most of his best tracks within the 1980s. Billy Joe Shaver lived a life on the backline of the country world, never hitting the same fame as those covering his songs, but his impact on the genre is damn important and impressive. A true son of a gun who also just happened to have a special talent at writing songs about raising hell in his earlier career and then songs of redemption in his later career. Thanks for reading along! Hope you maybe found a new song or musician to take that dive into. Stay tuned for more great music, and as always, enjoy!
Year Released: 1982 (chosen version)
Album: Billy Joe Shaver (1982)
Genre: Outlaw Country
Mood: Countrified
Perfect For: Going for a long drive in the countryside, Casual listening, Having a few drinks
Where To Next: "Ain't No God in Mexico" - Waylon Jennings
Rating: 9 / 10
Song of the Day 08/09/2025
"In the Times of Our Lives" - Iron Butterfly
We haven't talked about Iron Butterfly here since all the way back in March. So let me give you a little bit of a rundown once again for those that might have missed it. Iron Butterfly is one band that fully expresses the early hard rock sound that came out of the 1960s, so much so that they are often viewed as a predecessor to heavy metal much like Cream, Vanilla Fudge, Blue Cheer and others. Heavy metal has one interesting history, it is why that the genre is often the most studied, but it is odd to think how Iron Butterfly could even be compared to Slayer or better yet to Enslaved. It all comes down to roots and musical evolution. Iron Butterfly wasn't even aware of what impact they were making, they were just a damn good band that wanted to put out a heavier sound than most anything else out there at the time on the mainstream side. They did just that, especially on their fittingly named debut Heavy, an album that I don't think anyone here can afford to sleep on, especially if they like acid rock and psychedelic rock. That debut is a great one, but even then it falls a little short of their following breakthrough album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. That album is in my opinion one of the most essential albums to come out of the 1960s, I could die a horrible death while that album is playing and die with a smile. 1968 was a heavy year for the rock world, it had both of those Iron Butterfly albums I mentioned, Jimi Hendrix with Electric Ladyland, Steppenwolf's self-titled, Wheels of Fire out of Cream, Vincebus Eruptum from Blue Cheer which is often regarded as "the first heavy metal album", and so many more. I would need at least 4 hours of your time to talk about all the outstanding albums that came out of 1968, plenty of those albums played a serious role in the progression of heavier rock music. Though we aren't here today to talk of an album that came out in 1968, today we are looking at Iron Butterfly's 3rd studio album Ball which released in the start of 1969. The album sold like hotcakes upon its release due to the success of the band's previous album and also people falling deeply in love with the heavier sound bands were putting out at the time. Ball kept that original heavy sound but took a step towards a more thought out approach, kind of like they teased with the titan "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", this whole album feels more experimental and complete. Each song moves into the next with ease, but still keeps things fresh with each new song. This one is a great one to trip to and can also be played in the background of a casual day at home. "In the Times of Our Lives" is probably the greatest track off the album if you ask me, and also is a great one to kick the album off with a fever as the first song. It was the second single to come out of the album, following behind "Soul Experience" which was the track at an equal running for our song of the day. I chose "In the Times of Our Lives" since this one album was practically a quest for the whole day. On Friday night I was checking the classifieds and spied someone who was selling a bunch of records for a damn good deal, and on the top of the stack there was that familiar bright yellow album cover that I have stared at for hours it seems on my phone and computer. I knew that I was gonna have to wake myself up a little earlier so I can take the drive to Ogden to grab this sweet sweet album before other people showed up since I already own their first two albums on vinyl. Once I got there it was a much better set up than I thought it was going to be, this dude had his impressive collection organized and laid out in bins on the table in his backyard all for my viewing pleasure. This great deal I talked about before was 10 records for 20 bucks, and most of the albums were in great condition, so I naturally walked away with 20 albums, great choices too! Well, I went through bin after bin, starting to grow a little worried someone already came by and bought the album I made the trek to go get. There was only one bin left, and I was getting ready to jump the other guy that was there since he might have already grabbed that puppy, but I kept my cool and moved to that last bin. Thumbed through some other great albums and was nearing the middle of that bin, and boom... there it was, Ball. I whispered "fuck yeah" and added it to the stack I already put together, and then got back to making my life or death decision on what other albums I wanted to bring home that day. Threw my money at that feller and rushed full speed out of his yard and jumped into my truck. I just kind of stared at the album for a while. This sacred relic of rock that had the power to change a normal night into one full of mystic guitar casting power. Turned the engine over, popped it into reverse and started moving out of the parking lot when I realized I didn't seat belt the album and his friends in, foolish of me I know, so I clicked them in and got on my way excited to hear the album later that day. When night came, I had some cataloging to do with my girlfriend and the second album we played that night was Ball and album that Alesha herself chose to play next, and life was good. Sounded great, and for 2 bucks I started feeling like I robbed that poor bastard buuuut that was his set price. A day ode to the raw power of Iron Butterfly! Even if this one isn't as strong as the previous two, I was glad to listen to it for the hundredth time but this time in the form it was supposed to be taken in. I could have chose any of the tracks, but once again I find "In the Times of Our Lives" to be the brightest shining star in an album full of stars. Iron Butterfly if you cannot tell is another band that means the world and more to me! Great stuff, man. So... why don't you give it a listen? It has lyrics that work well to live to and also to die to. Not morbid but real. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1969
Album: Ball (1969)
Genre: Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Mystic
Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting high, Lounging around, Appreciating life
Where To Next: "Gypsy Ball" - Blue Cheer
Rating: 8 / 10
We haven't talked about Iron Butterfly here since all the way back in March. So let me give you a little bit of a rundown once again for those that might have missed it. Iron Butterfly is one band that fully expresses the early hard rock sound that came out of the 1960s, so much so that they are often viewed as a predecessor to heavy metal much like Cream, Vanilla Fudge, Blue Cheer and others. Heavy metal has one interesting history, it is why that the genre is often the most studied, but it is odd to think how Iron Butterfly could even be compared to Slayer or better yet to Enslaved. It all comes down to roots and musical evolution. Iron Butterfly wasn't even aware of what impact they were making, they were just a damn good band that wanted to put out a heavier sound than most anything else out there at the time on the mainstream side. They did just that, especially on their fittingly named debut Heavy, an album that I don't think anyone here can afford to sleep on, especially if they like acid rock and psychedelic rock. That debut is a great one, but even then it falls a little short of their following breakthrough album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. That album is in my opinion one of the most essential albums to come out of the 1960s, I could die a horrible death while that album is playing and die with a smile. 1968 was a heavy year for the rock world, it had both of those Iron Butterfly albums I mentioned, Jimi Hendrix with Electric Ladyland, Steppenwolf's self-titled, Wheels of Fire out of Cream, Vincebus Eruptum from Blue Cheer which is often regarded as "the first heavy metal album", and so many more. I would need at least 4 hours of your time to talk about all the outstanding albums that came out of 1968, plenty of those albums played a serious role in the progression of heavier rock music. Though we aren't here today to talk of an album that came out in 1968, today we are looking at Iron Butterfly's 3rd studio album Ball which released in the start of 1969. The album sold like hotcakes upon its release due to the success of the band's previous album and also people falling deeply in love with the heavier sound bands were putting out at the time. Ball kept that original heavy sound but took a step towards a more thought out approach, kind of like they teased with the titan "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", this whole album feels more experimental and complete. Each song moves into the next with ease, but still keeps things fresh with each new song. This one is a great one to trip to and can also be played in the background of a casual day at home. "In the Times of Our Lives" is probably the greatest track off the album if you ask me, and also is a great one to kick the album off with a fever as the first song. It was the second single to come out of the album, following behind "Soul Experience" which was the track at an equal running for our song of the day. I chose "In the Times of Our Lives" since this one album was practically a quest for the whole day. On Friday night I was checking the classifieds and spied someone who was selling a bunch of records for a damn good deal, and on the top of the stack there was that familiar bright yellow album cover that I have stared at for hours it seems on my phone and computer. I knew that I was gonna have to wake myself up a little earlier so I can take the drive to Ogden to grab this sweet sweet album before other people showed up since I already own their first two albums on vinyl. Once I got there it was a much better set up than I thought it was going to be, this dude had his impressive collection organized and laid out in bins on the table in his backyard all for my viewing pleasure. This great deal I talked about before was 10 records for 20 bucks, and most of the albums were in great condition, so I naturally walked away with 20 albums, great choices too! Well, I went through bin after bin, starting to grow a little worried someone already came by and bought the album I made the trek to go get. There was only one bin left, and I was getting ready to jump the other guy that was there since he might have already grabbed that puppy, but I kept my cool and moved to that last bin. Thumbed through some other great albums and was nearing the middle of that bin, and boom... there it was, Ball. I whispered "fuck yeah" and added it to the stack I already put together, and then got back to making my life or death decision on what other albums I wanted to bring home that day. Threw my money at that feller and rushed full speed out of his yard and jumped into my truck. I just kind of stared at the album for a while. This sacred relic of rock that had the power to change a normal night into one full of mystic guitar casting power. Turned the engine over, popped it into reverse and started moving out of the parking lot when I realized I didn't seat belt the album and his friends in, foolish of me I know, so I clicked them in and got on my way excited to hear the album later that day. When night came, I had some cataloging to do with my girlfriend and the second album we played that night was Ball and album that Alesha herself chose to play next, and life was good. Sounded great, and for 2 bucks I started feeling like I robbed that poor bastard buuuut that was his set price. A day ode to the raw power of Iron Butterfly! Even if this one isn't as strong as the previous two, I was glad to listen to it for the hundredth time but this time in the form it was supposed to be taken in. I could have chose any of the tracks, but once again I find "In the Times of Our Lives" to be the brightest shining star in an album full of stars. Iron Butterfly if you cannot tell is another band that means the world and more to me! Great stuff, man. So... why don't you give it a listen? It has lyrics that work well to live to and also to die to. Not morbid but real. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1969
Album: Ball (1969)
Genre: Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Mystic
Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting high, Lounging around, Appreciating life
Where To Next: "Gypsy Ball" - Blue Cheer
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/08/2025
"Real Thing" - Turnstile
If there is one band that shows off what I love most in modern music, it is Turnstile. Their melding of the hardcore punk sound with a more modern rock edge has had me coming back many times since I started the hard push into finding modern bands that represent the great side of guitar based music. It took me awhile too, if you haven't noticed I tend to be stuck in the golden days of rock music and even my 2000s choices tend to be from other genres than rock and punk. I am happy to include Turnstile here, even though I am sure to many modern music fans this group is nothing new to them. I first came across the group maybe a year back after picking through their breakthrough album Glow On. For such a peaceful looking album cover, I really didn't expect this caliber of in your face music to be within it. That is some of what I have learned to love in both modern music and in this band, the aesthetic of it all with a style that works as well doing dishes at home as much as it works for skateboarding and busting your head upon concrete. Turnstile has incredibly energy that instantly found a happy home within my ears. Hardcore punk vocals but with a much more mature and dream like atmosphere that doesn't grow stale. Our song of the day is off the band's second studio album Time & Space, it shot to #1 on the US heat seekers chart in 2018 and gave the band the foothold it needed to become one of the biggest names in modern punk music on their next release. This was the second album I picked through and the first I actually made the time to sit down and take in, since its intro track "Real Thing" was impossible to not play a couple of times in a row. The song is electric! For my new music Friday I figured I should head back to the band for some good ol' expansion, especially since I heard their newest album Never Enough was one you couldn't miss out on. For an album that came out in June, most of the tracks already have higher plays than some of my favorite bands has ever had, so I thought I should get with the times and see what is new and exciting in the music world. Now, I don't wanna sound like a prude since the album I could tell was a good one, but I don't think it was for me. For a fan that started in their heavier sound, it was hard for me to sit through the album when only maybe half of the tracks had the insane energy I come to Turnstile for. "Birds" is fucking awesome, and I think it is one of the best tracks to come out of 2025 so far, but a lot of the other songs I wasn't all too fond of. I have been obsessive over tripping on my age recently, 27 is a strange age since you aren't really young anymore, young enough to not really fit in with the 30-year-olds but also too old for the younger generation. You are sort of in a blank spot, and so while listening through Never Enough, I had a small taste of what angst and anger the younger generation are feeling now. Punk has always been for the young, it was built by them and is a genre that will never fade away since a new form shows up each decade for the youth to get behind, but each decade punk rock is vastly different and for a strange small second I realized that this is the punk music for the younger generation. I don't think my ears will hear it the same as them, as I am sure people felt when hearing Blink-182 loud and proud on the radio after spending the 1980s scouring through music stores to find the new D.O.A. album. 27 ain't old by any means, but I am noticing that it is time that I leave some of my youthful vigor behind and start thinking of boring ass 401K's and shit. Not really, but really. I will cancel a whole day of fun just because my tum tum hurts and I wanna sit at home and complain about it. Aging sucks. One day closer to the grave. This band and some of the others honestly do make me feel a little older, doesn't mean I don't dig that music because I promise you that I do, but it is something about it. Anyway! You didn't come here to hear about growing pains, you came here for some rockin' so let's get back to it. "Real Thing" in my opinion is one of the band's best songs to date. It holds their more raw punk sound with no frills, lyrically the song isn't anything all too special, but I don't think it needs to be when the energy is up this high. You can feel the power of being released on a major label, another great release from the long-running Roadrunner Records. It is cleaner than their previous ones, but still keeps the local band feeling there to not seem like they lost touch with their crowd. This song and the rest of Time & Space saw itself being placed fairly high on many end of the year lists for best releases, and while the band didn't start a movement with their sound, they came along with a freshened up sound that is highly addictive. They took all the great styles of modern rock, pumped it full of piss and vinegar, cleaned up the corners, and then swan dived into a crowd of adorning rock and punk fans that needed something new and exciting to relate to while not having to take too much of a leap of faith into a new band. They move into your collection without asking nor dinging up the walls all the way until they are at the top of your collection. Enjoy!
Year Released: 2017
Album: Time & Space (2018)
Genre: Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Hard Rock
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Working, Working out, Going for a walk in the city, Casual listening
Where To Next: "DVP" - PUP
Rating: 8 / 10
If there is one band that shows off what I love most in modern music, it is Turnstile. Their melding of the hardcore punk sound with a more modern rock edge has had me coming back many times since I started the hard push into finding modern bands that represent the great side of guitar based music. It took me awhile too, if you haven't noticed I tend to be stuck in the golden days of rock music and even my 2000s choices tend to be from other genres than rock and punk. I am happy to include Turnstile here, even though I am sure to many modern music fans this group is nothing new to them. I first came across the group maybe a year back after picking through their breakthrough album Glow On. For such a peaceful looking album cover, I really didn't expect this caliber of in your face music to be within it. That is some of what I have learned to love in both modern music and in this band, the aesthetic of it all with a style that works as well doing dishes at home as much as it works for skateboarding and busting your head upon concrete. Turnstile has incredibly energy that instantly found a happy home within my ears. Hardcore punk vocals but with a much more mature and dream like atmosphere that doesn't grow stale. Our song of the day is off the band's second studio album Time & Space, it shot to #1 on the US heat seekers chart in 2018 and gave the band the foothold it needed to become one of the biggest names in modern punk music on their next release. This was the second album I picked through and the first I actually made the time to sit down and take in, since its intro track "Real Thing" was impossible to not play a couple of times in a row. The song is electric! For my new music Friday I figured I should head back to the band for some good ol' expansion, especially since I heard their newest album Never Enough was one you couldn't miss out on. For an album that came out in June, most of the tracks already have higher plays than some of my favorite bands has ever had, so I thought I should get with the times and see what is new and exciting in the music world. Now, I don't wanna sound like a prude since the album I could tell was a good one, but I don't think it was for me. For a fan that started in their heavier sound, it was hard for me to sit through the album when only maybe half of the tracks had the insane energy I come to Turnstile for. "Birds" is fucking awesome, and I think it is one of the best tracks to come out of 2025 so far, but a lot of the other songs I wasn't all too fond of. I have been obsessive over tripping on my age recently, 27 is a strange age since you aren't really young anymore, young enough to not really fit in with the 30-year-olds but also too old for the younger generation. You are sort of in a blank spot, and so while listening through Never Enough, I had a small taste of what angst and anger the younger generation are feeling now. Punk has always been for the young, it was built by them and is a genre that will never fade away since a new form shows up each decade for the youth to get behind, but each decade punk rock is vastly different and for a strange small second I realized that this is the punk music for the younger generation. I don't think my ears will hear it the same as them, as I am sure people felt when hearing Blink-182 loud and proud on the radio after spending the 1980s scouring through music stores to find the new D.O.A. album. 27 ain't old by any means, but I am noticing that it is time that I leave some of my youthful vigor behind and start thinking of boring ass 401K's and shit. Not really, but really. I will cancel a whole day of fun just because my tum tum hurts and I wanna sit at home and complain about it. Aging sucks. One day closer to the grave. This band and some of the others honestly do make me feel a little older, doesn't mean I don't dig that music because I promise you that I do, but it is something about it. Anyway! You didn't come here to hear about growing pains, you came here for some rockin' so let's get back to it. "Real Thing" in my opinion is one of the band's best songs to date. It holds their more raw punk sound with no frills, lyrically the song isn't anything all too special, but I don't think it needs to be when the energy is up this high. You can feel the power of being released on a major label, another great release from the long-running Roadrunner Records. It is cleaner than their previous ones, but still keeps the local band feeling there to not seem like they lost touch with their crowd. This song and the rest of Time & Space saw itself being placed fairly high on many end of the year lists for best releases, and while the band didn't start a movement with their sound, they came along with a freshened up sound that is highly addictive. They took all the great styles of modern rock, pumped it full of piss and vinegar, cleaned up the corners, and then swan dived into a crowd of adorning rock and punk fans that needed something new and exciting to relate to while not having to take too much of a leap of faith into a new band. They move into your collection without asking nor dinging up the walls all the way until they are at the top of your collection. Enjoy!
Year Released: 2017
Album: Time & Space (2018)
Genre: Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Hard Rock
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Working, Working out, Going for a walk in the city, Casual listening
Where To Next: "DVP" - PUP
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/07/2025
"Dizz Knee Land" - Dada
Honestly, this is sort of a weird track, but it is the epitome of 90s alternative rock through and through. It has all that happy feeling that you would expect, and also has the strangely dark lyrics that confuse your brain with a conflicting theme and atmosphere. "Dizz Knee Land" was one of those tracks that almost any streaming service previously tried shoving down my throat, be it Pandora before Spotify and everyone joined easy to use music streaming apps, or be it my beloved Spotify all those years ago when I first started using it. It has been close to 10 years now with me religiously using Spotify, man that is gross to think about, and even before Spotify blew up and had a little dinky website that only had odd tracks off of cheap compilations for most bands I was there and even then it was saying "I see you like Third Eye Blind and Everclear, you NEED to listen to this song by Dada". When I first came across the song, I hate to say that I wasn't much of a fan, and I don't even know why, though it could be because of those plain random lyrics. Though year and year went by with Dada showing up pretty well anytime I tried doing musical expansion, and before I knew it I was actually quite fond of the track and also the album it came off of, Puzzle. I found myself happily placed in this melancholy commentary of the modern American dream, washed in easy to get behind music. It might sound like I am putting them down, honestly I think it is me that deserves to be put down for sleeping on the band. It was a pleasure to try out some of their albums through my 1990s rock studies, namely the debut I mentioned previously and the follow-up album American Highway Flower. The band is practically a one hit wonder, their main claim to fame is "Dizz Knee Land" but "Dim" still gets plenty of love as well. I mentioned before about the strange lyrics, the song has a repeating theme of bad things happening but then following it up with "I'm going to Disneyland". According to bassist and main lyricist Joie Calio, there isn't all that much to look into in the track. It is a commentary about how life is strange, and the things we see both on the TV and throughout our day-to-day life jump between sweet to evil. The human condition. We can see a young mother dying in birth and then change the channel and see an advertisement for the theme park that everyone loves to go wait in lines at. I was talking about this theme with my family just yesterday. At my job I take deliveries and pick up materials usually once a day, and I tend to drive down the same streets, one of the streets I regular I have always found funny yet sad. There is this golf course, nice and pretty with its perfect grass and perfect plastic people golfing the day away, and right on the other side of the fence is tweaker and homeless central. There is always some crazy lady pacing back and forth shouting obscenities on the dirty sidewalk with dead grass all around it, and then on the other side of the fence there is some polo people getting ready to hit that ball. Duality. The reality of life. The perfect symbolism for what is making this country turn to a shithole, but who am I? Some dude in a truck with a shittily tied down truck load just hoping that the tweaker doesn't run out in front of my truck? I don't stop to help her, nor do I stop to shout obscenities alongside her to the wealthier population on the other side of the fence. I just move along. It is out of my mind almost as soon as it enters. I allow that golf course to be there in its perfectly manicured state, and I too allow all those bums to be sleeping under the hot desert sun. I live my selfish existence and hope I can make it through another day to pay my rent and see my wonderful girlfriend again. Day in and out. A meaningless existence. Now I'm going to Disneyland. Life is full of ups and downs, and it is certainly full of strip malls, homeless encampments, liquor stores, and golf courses. Damn! Back on track, I always do this shit. "Dizz Knee Land" is Dada's biggest song, and I think a lot of that comes out of its atmosphere. Potent pop leaning guitar work that has you feeling weak in the knees. If you could taste the sun, I think it would taste a lot like the intro to this song. It has this peaceful sun baked feeling that a lot of the 1990s alternative rock had, and is one of the leading reasons why it is a favorite time period of rock music for me. The good thing about Dada is they aren't just a one-trick pony, their guitar work is actually fairly impressive especially on some of the other tracks like "Dorina" which is one of the bolder tracks on the album. The album and this song feel very real, something within reach and something you want to take home with you. It is radio friendly, though not bland. The lyricism is simple yet deep all at the same time, and it touches on topics that the more mellow rock bands tend to steer clear of. A refreshing style in a rinse and repeat genre. Dada truly doesn't get the attention they deserve outside of "Dizz Knee Land". They are a strikingly diverse band that brings something new each time I get to another one of their albums for my year by year study. This song is definitely the best place to start with them, and if you grew up around the time of its release you probably heard it on repeat on the radio, though you are already here, and I love to beg people to listen to songs it seems, so give the song a listen pretty please. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1992
Album: Puzzle (1992)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Strangely happy
Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving through the rougher side of town, Driving through the safer side of town
Where To Next: "3 Strange Days" - School of Fish
Rating: 8 / 10
Honestly, this is sort of a weird track, but it is the epitome of 90s alternative rock through and through. It has all that happy feeling that you would expect, and also has the strangely dark lyrics that confuse your brain with a conflicting theme and atmosphere. "Dizz Knee Land" was one of those tracks that almost any streaming service previously tried shoving down my throat, be it Pandora before Spotify and everyone joined easy to use music streaming apps, or be it my beloved Spotify all those years ago when I first started using it. It has been close to 10 years now with me religiously using Spotify, man that is gross to think about, and even before Spotify blew up and had a little dinky website that only had odd tracks off of cheap compilations for most bands I was there and even then it was saying "I see you like Third Eye Blind and Everclear, you NEED to listen to this song by Dada". When I first came across the song, I hate to say that I wasn't much of a fan, and I don't even know why, though it could be because of those plain random lyrics. Though year and year went by with Dada showing up pretty well anytime I tried doing musical expansion, and before I knew it I was actually quite fond of the track and also the album it came off of, Puzzle. I found myself happily placed in this melancholy commentary of the modern American dream, washed in easy to get behind music. It might sound like I am putting them down, honestly I think it is me that deserves to be put down for sleeping on the band. It was a pleasure to try out some of their albums through my 1990s rock studies, namely the debut I mentioned previously and the follow-up album American Highway Flower. The band is practically a one hit wonder, their main claim to fame is "Dizz Knee Land" but "Dim" still gets plenty of love as well. I mentioned before about the strange lyrics, the song has a repeating theme of bad things happening but then following it up with "I'm going to Disneyland". According to bassist and main lyricist Joie Calio, there isn't all that much to look into in the track. It is a commentary about how life is strange, and the things we see both on the TV and throughout our day-to-day life jump between sweet to evil. The human condition. We can see a young mother dying in birth and then change the channel and see an advertisement for the theme park that everyone loves to go wait in lines at. I was talking about this theme with my family just yesterday. At my job I take deliveries and pick up materials usually once a day, and I tend to drive down the same streets, one of the streets I regular I have always found funny yet sad. There is this golf course, nice and pretty with its perfect grass and perfect plastic people golfing the day away, and right on the other side of the fence is tweaker and homeless central. There is always some crazy lady pacing back and forth shouting obscenities on the dirty sidewalk with dead grass all around it, and then on the other side of the fence there is some polo people getting ready to hit that ball. Duality. The reality of life. The perfect symbolism for what is making this country turn to a shithole, but who am I? Some dude in a truck with a shittily tied down truck load just hoping that the tweaker doesn't run out in front of my truck? I don't stop to help her, nor do I stop to shout obscenities alongside her to the wealthier population on the other side of the fence. I just move along. It is out of my mind almost as soon as it enters. I allow that golf course to be there in its perfectly manicured state, and I too allow all those bums to be sleeping under the hot desert sun. I live my selfish existence and hope I can make it through another day to pay my rent and see my wonderful girlfriend again. Day in and out. A meaningless existence. Now I'm going to Disneyland. Life is full of ups and downs, and it is certainly full of strip malls, homeless encampments, liquor stores, and golf courses. Damn! Back on track, I always do this shit. "Dizz Knee Land" is Dada's biggest song, and I think a lot of that comes out of its atmosphere. Potent pop leaning guitar work that has you feeling weak in the knees. If you could taste the sun, I think it would taste a lot like the intro to this song. It has this peaceful sun baked feeling that a lot of the 1990s alternative rock had, and is one of the leading reasons why it is a favorite time period of rock music for me. The good thing about Dada is they aren't just a one-trick pony, their guitar work is actually fairly impressive especially on some of the other tracks like "Dorina" which is one of the bolder tracks on the album. The album and this song feel very real, something within reach and something you want to take home with you. It is radio friendly, though not bland. The lyricism is simple yet deep all at the same time, and it touches on topics that the more mellow rock bands tend to steer clear of. A refreshing style in a rinse and repeat genre. Dada truly doesn't get the attention they deserve outside of "Dizz Knee Land". They are a strikingly diverse band that brings something new each time I get to another one of their albums for my year by year study. This song is definitely the best place to start with them, and if you grew up around the time of its release you probably heard it on repeat on the radio, though you are already here, and I love to beg people to listen to songs it seems, so give the song a listen pretty please. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1992
Album: Puzzle (1992)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Strangely happy
Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving through the rougher side of town, Driving through the safer side of town
Where To Next: "3 Strange Days" - School of Fish
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/06/2025
"Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" - The Cramps
I cannot think of many more bands that fronted a completely unique punk rock sound than The Cramps during the 1980s. They were one of the first bands to put out the psychobilly sound, a sound that saw punk rock making sleazy unprotected love to rockabilly. Many bands following The Cramps site them as one of their biggest influences, but honestly, how could they not be? I was hooked by The Cramps from the first time I heard "The Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon" off their fourth full studio album, Stay Sick! (1990) but The Cramps put out a ton of great studio albums, live albums, EPs, and compilations up until that point. The band was put together by vocalist Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy, who are a husband-and-wife power duo that were the only continuous member in their love child. The Cramps never gained the stardom that would buy them a few vacation homes, though the impact they had on punk rock was priceless, and I forever praise their name that they opened up the floodgates for kick ass psychobilly and horror punk bands to start making their way through the cracks of the unforgiving music industry. If this is your first time listening to the band, then I suggest you start with the band's first compilation album ...Off the Bone, which features a ton of thrilling covers and also some of the band's most respected original material, like their fuzzy and chaotic "Human Fly". That compilation will filter out those that can't get behind the jive that the band puts out, but if that one isn't for you then feel free to feel around here and there since pretty well anything The Cramps put out is worth the listen if you ask me. Today we take a look at my favorite album they put out, the live 1983 album Smell of Female. It is fairly rare for a band to have a live album as my favorite release from them, but from start to finish, Smell of Female is a messy album that captures the lyrical wit of the band and also the raw energy that could only come out of The Cramps. Like much of The Cramps, they add in some humor, but not in your traditional sense. Their lyrics have this dirty edge to them, like for example there is the shining gem from this album "You Got Good Taste", a loosely veiled song that seems like he is talking about how this chick dresses super fine and has good taste in style and interests, though in the end he is talking about going down on her, Lux Interior even "slips up" with stopping just shy of rhyming on my favorite part of the song "you got good taste, you got good taste, come over here and sit on my... lap". Though when it comes to The Cramps, that is their bread and butter, and honestly a lot of my admiration for them. There is being plain gross, then there is being witty in a gross manner. Anyway! "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" is the intro song to this live album, I guess this is more of a "mini-album" but I am more familiar with the version with the bonus tracks which pushed it over to a normal playing time, and let me tell you how great this album kicks off with the power of this song. I put a lot of my berries in the intro track to a live album, something about them being introduced and then the band kicking off always makes me feel like I am there. For this one, they come along with pure force! The double guitar attack always gives me chills! It sets the raunchy mood for the night at the Peppermint Lounge, an overly fitting venue for their first live album, especially since they don't seem shy to show off their love of the music that came out of the "twist craze" of the early 1960s. The Peppermint Lounge is known to be an important place in the early days of rock n roll music, it was the starting point of both the twist and also go-go dancers, and most anyone who was anyone got caught up in this craze. Joey Dee and the Starliters were the house band here and released their ever famous "Peppermint Twist" on Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge, one of those historic songs which serve as a historical reminder of the dance craze that swept across the nation. The original venue was only open until 1965 but came back around in 1980 serving as a port for many different groups, especially those from the hip-hop and the more obscure side of rock and pop music. The Cramps were one of the biggest names to come in and out of there, but seeing the songs they have covered, it shouldn't be much of a shock that the Peppermint Lounge was right down their alley. I loved this album as soon as I saw that they had a live album out of there, just didn't expect this outrageous of raw power. I mean, this whole album simply reeks of raunch even before you start playing it. Guess you might as well grab your fan base from the album cover, since you can already guess what might be within it. So give the song a listen! Even if this doesn't sound like something for you. Might as well give one of the most frantic punk groups a spin! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Smell of Female (1983)
Genre: Psychobilly, Punk Rock, Rockabilly
Mood: Raunchy
Perfect For: Hot summer driving, Casual listening, Playing loud with headphones
Where To Next: "Pervy in the Park" - Demented Are Go
Rating: 8 / 10
I cannot think of many more bands that fronted a completely unique punk rock sound than The Cramps during the 1980s. They were one of the first bands to put out the psychobilly sound, a sound that saw punk rock making sleazy unprotected love to rockabilly. Many bands following The Cramps site them as one of their biggest influences, but honestly, how could they not be? I was hooked by The Cramps from the first time I heard "The Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon" off their fourth full studio album, Stay Sick! (1990) but The Cramps put out a ton of great studio albums, live albums, EPs, and compilations up until that point. The band was put together by vocalist Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy, who are a husband-and-wife power duo that were the only continuous member in their love child. The Cramps never gained the stardom that would buy them a few vacation homes, though the impact they had on punk rock was priceless, and I forever praise their name that they opened up the floodgates for kick ass psychobilly and horror punk bands to start making their way through the cracks of the unforgiving music industry. If this is your first time listening to the band, then I suggest you start with the band's first compilation album ...Off the Bone, which features a ton of thrilling covers and also some of the band's most respected original material, like their fuzzy and chaotic "Human Fly". That compilation will filter out those that can't get behind the jive that the band puts out, but if that one isn't for you then feel free to feel around here and there since pretty well anything The Cramps put out is worth the listen if you ask me. Today we take a look at my favorite album they put out, the live 1983 album Smell of Female. It is fairly rare for a band to have a live album as my favorite release from them, but from start to finish, Smell of Female is a messy album that captures the lyrical wit of the band and also the raw energy that could only come out of The Cramps. Like much of The Cramps, they add in some humor, but not in your traditional sense. Their lyrics have this dirty edge to them, like for example there is the shining gem from this album "You Got Good Taste", a loosely veiled song that seems like he is talking about how this chick dresses super fine and has good taste in style and interests, though in the end he is talking about going down on her, Lux Interior even "slips up" with stopping just shy of rhyming on my favorite part of the song "you got good taste, you got good taste, come over here and sit on my... lap". Though when it comes to The Cramps, that is their bread and butter, and honestly a lot of my admiration for them. There is being plain gross, then there is being witty in a gross manner. Anyway! "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" is the intro song to this live album, I guess this is more of a "mini-album" but I am more familiar with the version with the bonus tracks which pushed it over to a normal playing time, and let me tell you how great this album kicks off with the power of this song. I put a lot of my berries in the intro track to a live album, something about them being introduced and then the band kicking off always makes me feel like I am there. For this one, they come along with pure force! The double guitar attack always gives me chills! It sets the raunchy mood for the night at the Peppermint Lounge, an overly fitting venue for their first live album, especially since they don't seem shy to show off their love of the music that came out of the "twist craze" of the early 1960s. The Peppermint Lounge is known to be an important place in the early days of rock n roll music, it was the starting point of both the twist and also go-go dancers, and most anyone who was anyone got caught up in this craze. Joey Dee and the Starliters were the house band here and released their ever famous "Peppermint Twist" on Doin' the Twist at the Peppermint Lounge, one of those historic songs which serve as a historical reminder of the dance craze that swept across the nation. The original venue was only open until 1965 but came back around in 1980 serving as a port for many different groups, especially those from the hip-hop and the more obscure side of rock and pop music. The Cramps were one of the biggest names to come in and out of there, but seeing the songs they have covered, it shouldn't be much of a shock that the Peppermint Lounge was right down their alley. I loved this album as soon as I saw that they had a live album out of there, just didn't expect this outrageous of raw power. I mean, this whole album simply reeks of raunch even before you start playing it. Guess you might as well grab your fan base from the album cover, since you can already guess what might be within it. So give the song a listen! Even if this doesn't sound like something for you. Might as well give one of the most frantic punk groups a spin! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1983
Album: Smell of Female (1983)
Genre: Psychobilly, Punk Rock, Rockabilly
Mood: Raunchy
Perfect For: Hot summer driving, Casual listening, Playing loud with headphones
Where To Next: "Pervy in the Park" - Demented Are Go
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/05/2025
"Magnum Opus" - Kansas
Welcome readers to another post all for the love of rock n roll! Today we look at Kansas, a band that is immensely famous and has served as the backbone to rock music since their fame busted out on the album we are looking at here today. For a band that has a high amount of hits, a good handful of classic albums, and most importantly the talent to match, it is shocking that many casual rock fans often overlook just how potent Kansas is as a progressive rock cannon. "Carry on Wayward Son" might as well be the anthem for rock music, and for many that and "Dust in the Wind" are their idea of Kansas. Though that isn't the case for me, I love those songs with all my heart and butt, but the progressive rock sound that is Kansas is the sound that I know. Let's take a peek at the album that holds our song of the day, the band's highest selling album, Leftoverture. Released in 1976 the album was an instant rock classic, so much so that it went 5x platinum in the United States alone, it holds some of the band's most beloved songs like the aforementioned "Carry on Wayward Son" and also "The Wall" and "What's on My Mind". Side 1 of this album puts them in the same category as other massive names of the time like Styx, Foreigner, Boston, and many more under this more cleaned up yet still hard rock sound that gave rock music another coat of paint to push through the rest of the 1970s. That is where Kansas found their claim to fame, up until this point they went all in with the progressive rock sound, not the obscure kind like you would expect out of Kevin Ayers, but a more Rush approach where they will knock you straight dead in between easy to get behind hard rock. Something commercial enough for a fan to be made after buying one of their first few albums on a whim, but still enough that the progressive rock dorks (much love) can find a happy home. I dig those first couple of albums, especially their self-titled debut, which is one of the few places to see Kansas taking on a more boogie based rock sound, which is a ton of fun. Anyway, they couldn't break out of their own fan base with those albums though their two 1975 releases Masque and Song for America did give a teaser to what was about to take the world by storm, but it wasn't until Leftoverture that they found the fame that still sees the band touring even after 50+ years of vigorous touring, didn't I say they were one of the bands that serve as the backbone to rock music? Side 1 of the album is the easy side, it is the side that fully grabs you, and it honestly is the better side no matter what anyone says, but it isn't the true vision of Kansas. It isn't where the power truly lies, nor is it where the talented musicianship really shows through, that is where side 2 of the album comes into play. Sometimes it gets obscure and for those that bought the album for "Carry on Wayward Son" it might have come as a shocker that Kansas does some serious magic when they feed into their original core prog sound. "Magnum Opus" is the perfect example for just that. I mean, the song is called "Magnum Opus", did you think it would be a quick ditty about teenage love? The song comes in at a sweet 8:25, an almost perfect running time for a track if you ask me, and it consists of 6 parts, all of which have character enough to be a standalone track. The song is a ton of fun and serves as the perfect way to tidy up and close the album. Part 1 of the song titled Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat is an epic instrumental bit that primes your ears for the following part called Howling at the Moon, which brings in the vocals and adds in some of the moodiness of the track and sets the stage. It is the only part of the song that has vocals, and it is another track that pays homage to the power of music and what the band is trying to lay down for your listening pleasure. Following the send-off, we get to part 3 of the song, Man Overboard which might sound exactly as you would expect it. A ton of dramatic dueling as it jumps between guitar vs keyboard and violin attacking the drummer. That tension keeps ramping up until we get to the 4th part of the song Industry on Parade which is my favorite part of the song. So damn dreamy and floaty, shit makes me feel like I am being hypnotized, and right when all of your attention is sucked into the music and your hair is standing on edge we move into part 5, Release the Beavers. While typing this out, I wonder if those that aren't intro progressive or psychedelic rock are like "what the hell is with those names". Well, release the beavers they did, for whatever that means, this part gets a special spotlight on synthesizers and the drums, and we cannot forget about the forever thumping bass guitar that sees it all through. Finally, we are at the final part which is probably the oddest but most fun, Gnat Attack, another part that sounds exactly as they put it. A fully epic mainly instrumental ending the album, the kind of song that makes you wanna restart the album just to hear all of its kick ass songs once again. I do want to state one thing, I am not putting down "Carry on Wayward Son", that song is phenomenal and deserves its spot at the top, and it isn't any simpler than "Magnum Opus". The whole album from start to finish is a pure joy, especially for those that like a little artistic expression in the form of music. No matter where you rest as a Kansas fan, I suggest trying this song out, it is worth every second of its playtime. If you are still here reading this, then thank you, but maybe it's time to let the music do the talking, yeah? Enjoy!
Year Released: 1976
Album: Leftoverture (1976)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Mood: Artsy
Perfect For: Focused listening, Day dreaming, Lounging around the house
Where To Next: "Nimrodel" - Camel
Rating: 7 / 10
Welcome readers to another post all for the love of rock n roll! Today we look at Kansas, a band that is immensely famous and has served as the backbone to rock music since their fame busted out on the album we are looking at here today. For a band that has a high amount of hits, a good handful of classic albums, and most importantly the talent to match, it is shocking that many casual rock fans often overlook just how potent Kansas is as a progressive rock cannon. "Carry on Wayward Son" might as well be the anthem for rock music, and for many that and "Dust in the Wind" are their idea of Kansas. Though that isn't the case for me, I love those songs with all my heart and butt, but the progressive rock sound that is Kansas is the sound that I know. Let's take a peek at the album that holds our song of the day, the band's highest selling album, Leftoverture. Released in 1976 the album was an instant rock classic, so much so that it went 5x platinum in the United States alone, it holds some of the band's most beloved songs like the aforementioned "Carry on Wayward Son" and also "The Wall" and "What's on My Mind". Side 1 of this album puts them in the same category as other massive names of the time like Styx, Foreigner, Boston, and many more under this more cleaned up yet still hard rock sound that gave rock music another coat of paint to push through the rest of the 1970s. That is where Kansas found their claim to fame, up until this point they went all in with the progressive rock sound, not the obscure kind like you would expect out of Kevin Ayers, but a more Rush approach where they will knock you straight dead in between easy to get behind hard rock. Something commercial enough for a fan to be made after buying one of their first few albums on a whim, but still enough that the progressive rock dorks (much love) can find a happy home. I dig those first couple of albums, especially their self-titled debut, which is one of the few places to see Kansas taking on a more boogie based rock sound, which is a ton of fun. Anyway, they couldn't break out of their own fan base with those albums though their two 1975 releases Masque and Song for America did give a teaser to what was about to take the world by storm, but it wasn't until Leftoverture that they found the fame that still sees the band touring even after 50+ years of vigorous touring, didn't I say they were one of the bands that serve as the backbone to rock music? Side 1 of the album is the easy side, it is the side that fully grabs you, and it honestly is the better side no matter what anyone says, but it isn't the true vision of Kansas. It isn't where the power truly lies, nor is it where the talented musicianship really shows through, that is where side 2 of the album comes into play. Sometimes it gets obscure and for those that bought the album for "Carry on Wayward Son" it might have come as a shocker that Kansas does some serious magic when they feed into their original core prog sound. "Magnum Opus" is the perfect example for just that. I mean, the song is called "Magnum Opus", did you think it would be a quick ditty about teenage love? The song comes in at a sweet 8:25, an almost perfect running time for a track if you ask me, and it consists of 6 parts, all of which have character enough to be a standalone track. The song is a ton of fun and serves as the perfect way to tidy up and close the album. Part 1 of the song titled Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat is an epic instrumental bit that primes your ears for the following part called Howling at the Moon, which brings in the vocals and adds in some of the moodiness of the track and sets the stage. It is the only part of the song that has vocals, and it is another track that pays homage to the power of music and what the band is trying to lay down for your listening pleasure. Following the send-off, we get to part 3 of the song, Man Overboard which might sound exactly as you would expect it. A ton of dramatic dueling as it jumps between guitar vs keyboard and violin attacking the drummer. That tension keeps ramping up until we get to the 4th part of the song Industry on Parade which is my favorite part of the song. So damn dreamy and floaty, shit makes me feel like I am being hypnotized, and right when all of your attention is sucked into the music and your hair is standing on edge we move into part 5, Release the Beavers. While typing this out, I wonder if those that aren't intro progressive or psychedelic rock are like "what the hell is with those names". Well, release the beavers they did, for whatever that means, this part gets a special spotlight on synthesizers and the drums, and we cannot forget about the forever thumping bass guitar that sees it all through. Finally, we are at the final part which is probably the oddest but most fun, Gnat Attack, another part that sounds exactly as they put it. A fully epic mainly instrumental ending the album, the kind of song that makes you wanna restart the album just to hear all of its kick ass songs once again. I do want to state one thing, I am not putting down "Carry on Wayward Son", that song is phenomenal and deserves its spot at the top, and it isn't any simpler than "Magnum Opus". The whole album from start to finish is a pure joy, especially for those that like a little artistic expression in the form of music. No matter where you rest as a Kansas fan, I suggest trying this song out, it is worth every second of its playtime. If you are still here reading this, then thank you, but maybe it's time to let the music do the talking, yeah? Enjoy!
Year Released: 1976
Album: Leftoverture (1976)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Mood: Artsy
Perfect For: Focused listening, Day dreaming, Lounging around the house
Where To Next: "Nimrodel" - Camel
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/04/2025
"None of Your Doing" - Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf is a band that has been with me for a long long time. One of those bands that mean the world to me and I never get sick of nor do I ever miss a beat to show songs to people I first meet. One of those "spirit bands" that serve as an expression of your inner self. Man, do I love them! What is odd is how this is their first time on the website after over a year of doing a song every day. Though they cannot be blamed, I have hundreds of bands and thousands upon thousands of songs on repeat, with more entering the rock n roll carnival every day. Steppenwolf is one of those bands that everyone knows, but not everyone knows the name of the band. Their immensely famous "Born to Be Wild" is a staple in the rock world, it has been blasted by bikers, saints, sinners, and truck stop angels across the country, a true testament to the heart and soul of the American dream. Not the American dream we are lied to about, with the big cars and big house, but the true American dream. The dream of riding a motorcycle to nowhere, the dream of individual freedom that even now is near impossible to keep intact. Aside from that one track that carved their name into the tree of music history, we have "Magic Carpet Ride" which is a classic rock well... classic. The iconic stoner anthem "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam" pleased the smokers, blues tracks like "Sookie Sookie" pleased the drinkers, "Monster/Suicide/America" pleased the music snobs, and "Rock Me" pleased the masses with pure quality rock n roll music! There are a ton of outstanding Steppenwolf tracks, and many of those tracks might as well be tattooed on my forehead since my admiration for them knows no bounds. For those here to find out where to go next on their own musical journey, then this is your calling to take on Steppenwolf! Start on their self-titled debut and move along, but feel free to stop by the time you get to the band's name changing to "John Kay and Steppenwolf", that material is a little more weak aside from a track here or there. Today we are taking a look at "None of Your Doing", one of the best to come off the band's second studio album The Second which released in 1968. 1968 was a busy year for Steppenwolf, they had their debut release in January, and then ended the year with their second studio album in October. These two albums serve as their two most powerful releases, but that doesn't mean the others are to be taken lightly, but even I will admit they lack the same raw appeal as the first two. Those first two releasing in the same year is something mighty impressive, it blows my mind when a band can release two hit albums within the same year. Crazy to think that they aren't a household name still, I mean don't get me wrong they are still very well known but more for their hits than anything else. Anyway! The Second is a classic, it falls a little short in comparison to that debut, but is still an album that any self-respecting rocker needs on their shelf. It holds "Magic Carpet Ride" which could sell the whole album with that one track, probably some of the reason this is the highest charting Steppenwolf album. That song is genuinely great, but there is no reason to just jump to that song and call it good, you would be missing so many other Steppenwolf classics, like the more artsy side seeing the band taking on a more jam band approach with the medley that follows "Magic Carpet Ride", and yes once again "None of Your Doing" which has been a long time favorite of mine from them. I often find myself heading to it before "Magic Carpet Ride", but none on this album can beat the literally perfect "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam". "None of Your Doing" comes in as the third track on the album. Right after the strangely muffled "Tighten Up Your Wig" this song moves in with an equally chill intro that has you floating away before John Kay comes in with a story about a failed relationship that is honestly really well written. A realistic look at the troubles in life, and how in a strange way it is somewhat your own fault to not see the warning signs on the road of life. Like most of the songs on this album, it is really well put together, and its 3-minute playtime never grows stale for even a second. A powerful execution with the chorus, and a great utilization of the ups and downs of emotion that the band forces you through. This song and the rest of this album always feels like coming home. A nostalgic album for me, I first picked it up and got into it when I was about 13, and it stayed as an album you would likely hear playing around me for years to follow, especially once I got the money to keep the ganja rolling on through. It means a lot to me, and that means it could mean a lot to you too. So give the song a spin! Both to understand more about your dear author and also just so you can relax and take in some great music. Free thrills! From me to you! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1968
Album: The Second (1968)
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Rock
Mood: Head in the clouds feet on the ground
Perfect For: Relaxing at home, Getting stoned, Going through a break up, Living life, Reminiscing
Where To Next: "Flying on the Ground Is Wrong" - Buffalo Springfield
Rating: 8 / 10
Steppenwolf is a band that has been with me for a long long time. One of those bands that mean the world to me and I never get sick of nor do I ever miss a beat to show songs to people I first meet. One of those "spirit bands" that serve as an expression of your inner self. Man, do I love them! What is odd is how this is their first time on the website after over a year of doing a song every day. Though they cannot be blamed, I have hundreds of bands and thousands upon thousands of songs on repeat, with more entering the rock n roll carnival every day. Steppenwolf is one of those bands that everyone knows, but not everyone knows the name of the band. Their immensely famous "Born to Be Wild" is a staple in the rock world, it has been blasted by bikers, saints, sinners, and truck stop angels across the country, a true testament to the heart and soul of the American dream. Not the American dream we are lied to about, with the big cars and big house, but the true American dream. The dream of riding a motorcycle to nowhere, the dream of individual freedom that even now is near impossible to keep intact. Aside from that one track that carved their name into the tree of music history, we have "Magic Carpet Ride" which is a classic rock well... classic. The iconic stoner anthem "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam" pleased the smokers, blues tracks like "Sookie Sookie" pleased the drinkers, "Monster/Suicide/America" pleased the music snobs, and "Rock Me" pleased the masses with pure quality rock n roll music! There are a ton of outstanding Steppenwolf tracks, and many of those tracks might as well be tattooed on my forehead since my admiration for them knows no bounds. For those here to find out where to go next on their own musical journey, then this is your calling to take on Steppenwolf! Start on their self-titled debut and move along, but feel free to stop by the time you get to the band's name changing to "John Kay and Steppenwolf", that material is a little more weak aside from a track here or there. Today we are taking a look at "None of Your Doing", one of the best to come off the band's second studio album The Second which released in 1968. 1968 was a busy year for Steppenwolf, they had their debut release in January, and then ended the year with their second studio album in October. These two albums serve as their two most powerful releases, but that doesn't mean the others are to be taken lightly, but even I will admit they lack the same raw appeal as the first two. Those first two releasing in the same year is something mighty impressive, it blows my mind when a band can release two hit albums within the same year. Crazy to think that they aren't a household name still, I mean don't get me wrong they are still very well known but more for their hits than anything else. Anyway! The Second is a classic, it falls a little short in comparison to that debut, but is still an album that any self-respecting rocker needs on their shelf. It holds "Magic Carpet Ride" which could sell the whole album with that one track, probably some of the reason this is the highest charting Steppenwolf album. That song is genuinely great, but there is no reason to just jump to that song and call it good, you would be missing so many other Steppenwolf classics, like the more artsy side seeing the band taking on a more jam band approach with the medley that follows "Magic Carpet Ride", and yes once again "None of Your Doing" which has been a long time favorite of mine from them. I often find myself heading to it before "Magic Carpet Ride", but none on this album can beat the literally perfect "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam". "None of Your Doing" comes in as the third track on the album. Right after the strangely muffled "Tighten Up Your Wig" this song moves in with an equally chill intro that has you floating away before John Kay comes in with a story about a failed relationship that is honestly really well written. A realistic look at the troubles in life, and how in a strange way it is somewhat your own fault to not see the warning signs on the road of life. Like most of the songs on this album, it is really well put together, and its 3-minute playtime never grows stale for even a second. A powerful execution with the chorus, and a great utilization of the ups and downs of emotion that the band forces you through. This song and the rest of this album always feels like coming home. A nostalgic album for me, I first picked it up and got into it when I was about 13, and it stayed as an album you would likely hear playing around me for years to follow, especially once I got the money to keep the ganja rolling on through. It means a lot to me, and that means it could mean a lot to you too. So give the song a spin! Both to understand more about your dear author and also just so you can relax and take in some great music. Free thrills! From me to you! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1968
Album: The Second (1968)
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Rock
Mood: Head in the clouds feet on the ground
Perfect For: Relaxing at home, Getting stoned, Going through a break up, Living life, Reminiscing
Where To Next: "Flying on the Ground Is Wrong" - Buffalo Springfield
Rating: 8 / 10
Song of the Day 08/03/2025
"Introduction" - Chicago
You wanna talk about an album that is genuinely flawless? An album perfectly built, and serves as a one of a kind buzz you won't find almost anywhere else in rock music? Well today we are taking a look at it! Though let's take a step back for a second and talk about Chicago, not the city which serves as a blues haven, but the band that came out of it. Chicago was one of the first to fully popularize jazz fusion, a genre which was first brought to light by Larry Coryell, a man who was influenced by John Coltrane just as much as the British beat and brought those two together into an explosion of amazing guitar work which earned him the title of "godfather of fusion". In the musical world, most visionaries tend not to see the monetary equal of their impact, and so is the same with Coryell. Great stuff that I suggest you try out, his 1970 release Spaces is truly something to take in. Anyway, while he might have been the one to truly start this sound off, it wasn't until some others joined the party that the genre blew up into a well respected genre, a genre that played both on the more underground artsy side of rock music and also the mainstream. One of the most well known groups to be under that banner was Chicago, a group that had fire and a vision, and they pressed that into their debut Chicago Transit Authority. The album was a sleeper hit though, sort of flew under the radar but would soon after became a staple in jazz rock once the band picked up some speed and everyone went back to gather their previous albums. This album is set up to be taken in as an album, a move that I truly appreciate, and I know is sometimes a gambit of its own. Shit, the whole band was a gambit that turned out for the best, since there were many bold moves for a debut. Let's start with the first bold move, which is the band's name. I have always found it incredibly ballsy to use a city or state as your band's name, there is instantly a weight that is placed upon your shoulders since you are the musical face of that city within your genre. Chicago did it damn well, and are a proud face of their home city, and the same can be said about Boston, Alabama, and Kansas. Each of those artists in a strange way sum up the culture of those zones, and while Chicago is known for a boat load of great styles and sounds, I think Chicago expresses both the jazz and the rock side of our 2nd largest city wonderfully. The second thing I find incredibly bold about this debut is its length, in 1969 it wasn't all too common to have a double album, and it was even less common to have your debut be a double album. A ton of bands had a hard time finding enough A grade material to create a simple 8 song track listing, but Chicago went ahead and did 12 songs all of which are phenomenal, even the moodier instrumental bits that would seem like random playing if you jumped into the middle of the album on a whim. That leads us to the third bold thing about this album which I cherish about it, this album is solely meant to be played as an album. Sure, their famous "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" can be played solo, but for the most part the rest of them rely heavily on their surrounding tracks to see the vision though. Even "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" sounds a whole lot better with "Introductions" before it and "Beginnings" coming after. Each side of this album overall feels like one big ass song, a song that is full of so much thrill you bleed out of your nose. I could talk your ear off about this album all day, and it was a minor dream come true to have the chance to listen to it on my record player with an original copy, sometimes it really is the small things in life. So I will stop rambling on about the album and jump right into the first track off of it, the fittingly titled "Introduction". Chicago truly meant for this to be taken in as a complete album, since it has its own welcoming track. The song starts off fun and whimsical and gets you ready for what your ears are about to take in. It is rare an album has a hype track, but this one does, and it does it wonderfully. The lyrics tell you exactly what to do, and that is to kick back and let the band groove and play for you, but to still stay on your toes since they are gonna try out some new things for your ears to feast upon. It is almost a walkthrough on how to take this album in, always expect it to change on a whim to keep you hooked as the varying parts of the song bud into one beautiful garden of sound. This song was probably written both as an intro to their concerts and also for this album, once again it was wonderful foresight to know it would be a nice touch to starting off the album. I really wish more bands did it, I know it is certainly there, but it is still rare to have it on the studio side of things. The song is a wonderful jam, easy to get behind and get lost in the master musicianship that consumed Chicago and gave them 17 platinum selling records (some of which were multiplatinum) even though their style changes with time. This track is a unique one and will get you hooked enough to listen though the whole album, since this is easily one of those albums you have gotta listen to at least once in your lifetime. I cannot state on how amazing this album is, a work of art as much as it is a timeless album. Check it out! Though, start with this song since I took the time to type this out. Let's see if you have the power to hold back from listening through the rest of this addictive album. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1969
Album: Chicago Transit Authority (1969)
Genre: Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock
Mood: Funky
Perfect For: Sitting down to take in an album the old fashioned way, Casual listening, Getting pumped, Musical expression
Where To Next: "Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin" - The Mothers of Invention
Rating: 7 / 10
You wanna talk about an album that is genuinely flawless? An album perfectly built, and serves as a one of a kind buzz you won't find almost anywhere else in rock music? Well today we are taking a look at it! Though let's take a step back for a second and talk about Chicago, not the city which serves as a blues haven, but the band that came out of it. Chicago was one of the first to fully popularize jazz fusion, a genre which was first brought to light by Larry Coryell, a man who was influenced by John Coltrane just as much as the British beat and brought those two together into an explosion of amazing guitar work which earned him the title of "godfather of fusion". In the musical world, most visionaries tend not to see the monetary equal of their impact, and so is the same with Coryell. Great stuff that I suggest you try out, his 1970 release Spaces is truly something to take in. Anyway, while he might have been the one to truly start this sound off, it wasn't until some others joined the party that the genre blew up into a well respected genre, a genre that played both on the more underground artsy side of rock music and also the mainstream. One of the most well known groups to be under that banner was Chicago, a group that had fire and a vision, and they pressed that into their debut Chicago Transit Authority. The album was a sleeper hit though, sort of flew under the radar but would soon after became a staple in jazz rock once the band picked up some speed and everyone went back to gather their previous albums. This album is set up to be taken in as an album, a move that I truly appreciate, and I know is sometimes a gambit of its own. Shit, the whole band was a gambit that turned out for the best, since there were many bold moves for a debut. Let's start with the first bold move, which is the band's name. I have always found it incredibly ballsy to use a city or state as your band's name, there is instantly a weight that is placed upon your shoulders since you are the musical face of that city within your genre. Chicago did it damn well, and are a proud face of their home city, and the same can be said about Boston, Alabama, and Kansas. Each of those artists in a strange way sum up the culture of those zones, and while Chicago is known for a boat load of great styles and sounds, I think Chicago expresses both the jazz and the rock side of our 2nd largest city wonderfully. The second thing I find incredibly bold about this debut is its length, in 1969 it wasn't all too common to have a double album, and it was even less common to have your debut be a double album. A ton of bands had a hard time finding enough A grade material to create a simple 8 song track listing, but Chicago went ahead and did 12 songs all of which are phenomenal, even the moodier instrumental bits that would seem like random playing if you jumped into the middle of the album on a whim. That leads us to the third bold thing about this album which I cherish about it, this album is solely meant to be played as an album. Sure, their famous "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" can be played solo, but for the most part the rest of them rely heavily on their surrounding tracks to see the vision though. Even "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" sounds a whole lot better with "Introductions" before it and "Beginnings" coming after. Each side of this album overall feels like one big ass song, a song that is full of so much thrill you bleed out of your nose. I could talk your ear off about this album all day, and it was a minor dream come true to have the chance to listen to it on my record player with an original copy, sometimes it really is the small things in life. So I will stop rambling on about the album and jump right into the first track off of it, the fittingly titled "Introduction". Chicago truly meant for this to be taken in as a complete album, since it has its own welcoming track. The song starts off fun and whimsical and gets you ready for what your ears are about to take in. It is rare an album has a hype track, but this one does, and it does it wonderfully. The lyrics tell you exactly what to do, and that is to kick back and let the band groove and play for you, but to still stay on your toes since they are gonna try out some new things for your ears to feast upon. It is almost a walkthrough on how to take this album in, always expect it to change on a whim to keep you hooked as the varying parts of the song bud into one beautiful garden of sound. This song was probably written both as an intro to their concerts and also for this album, once again it was wonderful foresight to know it would be a nice touch to starting off the album. I really wish more bands did it, I know it is certainly there, but it is still rare to have it on the studio side of things. The song is a wonderful jam, easy to get behind and get lost in the master musicianship that consumed Chicago and gave them 17 platinum selling records (some of which were multiplatinum) even though their style changes with time. This track is a unique one and will get you hooked enough to listen though the whole album, since this is easily one of those albums you have gotta listen to at least once in your lifetime. I cannot state on how amazing this album is, a work of art as much as it is a timeless album. Check it out! Though, start with this song since I took the time to type this out. Let's see if you have the power to hold back from listening through the rest of this addictive album. Enjoy!
Year Released: 1969
Album: Chicago Transit Authority (1969)
Genre: Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock
Mood: Funky
Perfect For: Sitting down to take in an album the old fashioned way, Casual listening, Getting pumped, Musical expression
Where To Next: "Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin" - The Mothers of Invention
Rating: 7 / 10
Song of the Day 08/02/2025
"Caballo Diablo" - The Charlie Daniels Band
Country music tends to be a pretty straight forward genre, it isn't all too interesting to look into the genre itself, but it is highly entertaining to look into the musicians themselves. Some interesting characters, and they have some of the most relatable stories in music history. Rock stardom seems like a strange dream, you get the money, the fame, the girls, and all the reckless behavior and don't have to pay dues until the money runs dry. Though with country it tends to be normal and simple people like you and I that get famous but tend not to outgrow their own britches, so long as you don't hit the same fame as artists like Johnny Cash. Now, what is it that makes Charlie Daniels an interesting individual? Well, he straddles the thin line between being a rock musician and country musician. His fiddle playing is rivaled by few in the country world and his band lays down a southern rock / country rock sound that melds wonderfully with the scene of the time, but still keeps themselves far enough away to be a beast of their own. An odd group that hit a certain fame that almost anyone from the country rock world never really saw, a lot of that fame came from their wildly successful "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" which has got to be one of the most well known songs across the United States. Everyone knows that track, and its admiration is found in the strangest of places within all sorts of genres. Just a damn good song, a true 10/10 timeless track. Anyway, what I found odd about many of the earlier Charlie Daniels albums is the label that signed them, the very "hippie" leaning label Kama Sutra Records. Kama Sutra is another that I trust with my ears when it comes to their roster of artists, and their imagery on the albums are also a nice touch. They tend to sign the mellow, the mellow that doesn't talk about being a fist fightin' spittin' son of a gun, much like Charlie Daniels talks about on many of his songs. The label released the later releases from some of the early rock classic groups like Gene Vincent & The Shangri-Las, plenty of the more folk rock based groups like Brewer & Shipley & The Lovin' Spoonful, and some oddities like the proto-metal underrated gems Dust, the one of a kind Flamin' Groovies, and the psychedelic soul landmarks The 5th Dimension. They had their fingers in many different pots, but each of those flavors taste oh so sweet. Then we have The Charlie Daniels Band, one of their oddest to have on the label, but one of the most important and long-lasting that touched their label. They released 4 studio albums with Kama Sutra Records, their 2nd to 5th studio albums, and that 5th studio album is who holds our song of the day, my favorite from the band, Fire on the Mountain. The album released in 1974 and was the band's first hit album, it went platinum in 1992 but still made waves for the group upon its release in 1974. It has some of the most raw and rocking Charlie Daniels you can find with its jamming live track "No Place to Go", but still holds some of those country fried tracks that reminded you of its country basing, like "Orange Blossom Special" and "Caballo Diablo". Fire on the Mountain became a classic for its ferocious power and also the wide grab within different genres fan bases, plus the album holds some of the band's biggest hits "The South's Gonna Do It Again" and "Long Haired Country Boy". Both of those track titles might have you rolling your eyes but hear me out on them, okay? "Long Haired Country Boy" might be sort of a cringe track due to its chorus, but all the lines that aren't the chorus are seriously potent and show off the damn fine lyricism that Charlie Daniels pumps out, I particularly love "A poor girl wants to marry and a rich girl wants to flirt, a rich man goes to college and a poor man goes to work, a drunkard wants another drink of wine and a politician wants a vote, I don't want much of nothin' at all but I will take another toke", shit makes me chuckle every time. Then we have "The South's Gonna Do It Again", yes, the boys are from the south so expect some southern pride with a hard southern accent. Though, don't get yourself in a tizzy, The Charlie Daniels Band is one of those strangely open-minded groups, a group you wouldn't expect hold some overly open-minded lyrics and personas, they are sort of like Lynyryd Skynyrd which does "Sweet Home Alabama" but then also has songs about banning non hunting firearms, has rainbows and pot leaves on their album cover for Second Helping, and has plenty of nature obsessed songs. Or maybe like Willie Nelson, that doesn't really care so long as nobody is hurting anyone else. "The South's Gonna Do It Again" is about how southern rock and country music were pumping out some seriously golden musicians, but also alludes to "the south's going to rise again" in the title so that is a shame. Though, when Charlie Daniels found out that the KKK were using it for recruitment he famously went on air to say "I'm damn proud of the South, but I sure as hell am not proud of the Ku Klux Klan. I wrote the song about the land I love and my brothers. It was not written to promote hate groups." Charlie Daniels doesn't give a damn, but he does love his music, and he does it well. Alright, enough about that, let's get into our song of the day before I lose your focus with multiple topic changes. The first track off the album is "Caballo Diablo" which means "devil horse" in Spanish. The song tells the tale of a mean man that is a known horse breaker that won't give up when a horse that refuses to be ridden appears. This horse in particular was known to be a son of a gun that has killed two previous bronco breakers, but those two riders weren't nearly as mean as our character who is also half devil. The song's story is written damn well and the band builds up that tension wonderfully. It certainly feels like a band of 6 since there are so many different things going on in the song at the same time. The tension builds up until the 3-minute mark when it is finally time our character approaches the devil horse, jumps on and tries breaking him down. Though down is exactly where they go, since the horse jumps off a cliff and splatters both the rider and himself under that hot Mexican sun. A great tale, a wonderfully written song, and most importantly a flawless performance from the whole band. I love how they start off the album, and while the A-side of that album is where it is at, you never lose the buzz you got from "Caballo Diablo" throughout the whole 42-minute playtime. Charlie Daniels is well known for his talent as a bandleader and also as a storyteller and few show it off better than this track here and the following songs on this album. Give the song a listen and see for yourself, and as always... enjoy!
Year Released: 1974
Album: Fire on the Mountain (1974)
Genre: Country Rock
Mood: Pistolero
Perfect For: Listening to the story, Going for a drive, Off-roading, Searching for wild horses
Where To Next: "The Strawberry Roan" - Marty Robbins
Rating: 9 / 10
Country music tends to be a pretty straight forward genre, it isn't all too interesting to look into the genre itself, but it is highly entertaining to look into the musicians themselves. Some interesting characters, and they have some of the most relatable stories in music history. Rock stardom seems like a strange dream, you get the money, the fame, the girls, and all the reckless behavior and don't have to pay dues until the money runs dry. Though with country it tends to be normal and simple people like you and I that get famous but tend not to outgrow their own britches, so long as you don't hit the same fame as artists like Johnny Cash. Now, what is it that makes Charlie Daniels an interesting individual? Well, he straddles the thin line between being a rock musician and country musician. His fiddle playing is rivaled by few in the country world and his band lays down a southern rock / country rock sound that melds wonderfully with the scene of the time, but still keeps themselves far enough away to be a beast of their own. An odd group that hit a certain fame that almost anyone from the country rock world never really saw, a lot of that fame came from their wildly successful "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" which has got to be one of the most well known songs across the United States. Everyone knows that track, and its admiration is found in the strangest of places within all sorts of genres. Just a damn good song, a true 10/10 timeless track. Anyway, what I found odd about many of the earlier Charlie Daniels albums is the label that signed them, the very "hippie" leaning label Kama Sutra Records. Kama Sutra is another that I trust with my ears when it comes to their roster of artists, and their imagery on the albums are also a nice touch. They tend to sign the mellow, the mellow that doesn't talk about being a fist fightin' spittin' son of a gun, much like Charlie Daniels talks about on many of his songs. The label released the later releases from some of the early rock classic groups like Gene Vincent & The Shangri-Las, plenty of the more folk rock based groups like Brewer & Shipley & The Lovin' Spoonful, and some oddities like the proto-metal underrated gems Dust, the one of a kind Flamin' Groovies, and the psychedelic soul landmarks The 5th Dimension. They had their fingers in many different pots, but each of those flavors taste oh so sweet. Then we have The Charlie Daniels Band, one of their oddest to have on the label, but one of the most important and long-lasting that touched their label. They released 4 studio albums with Kama Sutra Records, their 2nd to 5th studio albums, and that 5th studio album is who holds our song of the day, my favorite from the band, Fire on the Mountain. The album released in 1974 and was the band's first hit album, it went platinum in 1992 but still made waves for the group upon its release in 1974. It has some of the most raw and rocking Charlie Daniels you can find with its jamming live track "No Place to Go", but still holds some of those country fried tracks that reminded you of its country basing, like "Orange Blossom Special" and "Caballo Diablo". Fire on the Mountain became a classic for its ferocious power and also the wide grab within different genres fan bases, plus the album holds some of the band's biggest hits "The South's Gonna Do It Again" and "Long Haired Country Boy". Both of those track titles might have you rolling your eyes but hear me out on them, okay? "Long Haired Country Boy" might be sort of a cringe track due to its chorus, but all the lines that aren't the chorus are seriously potent and show off the damn fine lyricism that Charlie Daniels pumps out, I particularly love "A poor girl wants to marry and a rich girl wants to flirt, a rich man goes to college and a poor man goes to work, a drunkard wants another drink of wine and a politician wants a vote, I don't want much of nothin' at all but I will take another toke", shit makes me chuckle every time. Then we have "The South's Gonna Do It Again", yes, the boys are from the south so expect some southern pride with a hard southern accent. Though, don't get yourself in a tizzy, The Charlie Daniels Band is one of those strangely open-minded groups, a group you wouldn't expect hold some overly open-minded lyrics and personas, they are sort of like Lynyryd Skynyrd which does "Sweet Home Alabama" but then also has songs about banning non hunting firearms, has rainbows and pot leaves on their album cover for Second Helping, and has plenty of nature obsessed songs. Or maybe like Willie Nelson, that doesn't really care so long as nobody is hurting anyone else. "The South's Gonna Do It Again" is about how southern rock and country music were pumping out some seriously golden musicians, but also alludes to "the south's going to rise again" in the title so that is a shame. Though, when Charlie Daniels found out that the KKK were using it for recruitment he famously went on air to say "I'm damn proud of the South, but I sure as hell am not proud of the Ku Klux Klan. I wrote the song about the land I love and my brothers. It was not written to promote hate groups." Charlie Daniels doesn't give a damn, but he does love his music, and he does it well. Alright, enough about that, let's get into our song of the day before I lose your focus with multiple topic changes. The first track off the album is "Caballo Diablo" which means "devil horse" in Spanish. The song tells the tale of a mean man that is a known horse breaker that won't give up when a horse that refuses to be ridden appears. This horse in particular was known to be a son of a gun that has killed two previous bronco breakers, but those two riders weren't nearly as mean as our character who is also half devil. The song's story is written damn well and the band builds up that tension wonderfully. It certainly feels like a band of 6 since there are so many different things going on in the song at the same time. The tension builds up until the 3-minute mark when it is finally time our character approaches the devil horse, jumps on and tries breaking him down. Though down is exactly where they go, since the horse jumps off a cliff and splatters both the rider and himself under that hot Mexican sun. A great tale, a wonderfully written song, and most importantly a flawless performance from the whole band. I love how they start off the album, and while the A-side of that album is where it is at, you never lose the buzz you got from "Caballo Diablo" throughout the whole 42-minute playtime. Charlie Daniels is well known for his talent as a bandleader and also as a storyteller and few show it off better than this track here and the following songs on this album. Give the song a listen and see for yourself, and as always... enjoy!
Year Released: 1974
Album: Fire on the Mountain (1974)
Genre: Country Rock
Mood: Pistolero
Perfect For: Listening to the story, Going for a drive, Off-roading, Searching for wild horses
Where To Next: "The Strawberry Roan" - Marty Robbins
Rating: 9 / 10
Song of the Day 08/01/2025
"Then the Morning Comes" - Smash Mouth
I can never tell if I feel bad for Smash Mouth or glad for them. They are the exact idea of the pros and cons of having your biggest song become synonymous with a movie, especially if that movie was a success and became a popular meme for years to come. "All Star" became sort of a joke song since it came along with the random Shrek memes that ate up the internet for a good chunk of time. Now Smash Mouth sadly is known as that "one Shrek band" which is a shame. While "All Star" is easily their most famous song, they have a good amount of other hits that shouldn't be overlooked. The band is simply fun, but I am not sure if they would have hit the same acclaim if it wasn't for their song becoming a joke. So I am happy for them, they did better than a lot of other bands that would have faded away after a couple of hits. When it comes to Smash Mouth, I have always considered them a "greatest hits" kind of band. I own a couple of their albums on physical formats, and have listened through their 1997–2003 studio material many times throughout my life, and each time I do it again I sit there waiting for those hit tracks to come around. Lots of fillers, not much killer, but that is an opinion of mine so it shouldn't be taken too serious. I will say though, their second studio album Astro Lounge is actually a pretty good album. It took notes from all the good tracks off their strange and punky debut Fush Yu Mang and kept with that style, leaving behind most of the obscure ska washed punk sound and trading it for the alternative rock sound that reached into the past to bring back some surf rock-esque styles. In a strange way, Astro Lounge became an iconic album, even if people never bought the album. Plenty of the songs were used on many movies and TV shows, not only "All Star" which was used on Shrek, Mystery Men, and so many other things, but also their cover of The Four Seasons "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" which was commercial heaven (first time I heard the song as a kid was for a Pizza Hut commercial), "Come On, Come On", and "Then the Morning Comes" were also heavilly used in media. Easy to say, the album was well known, and Smash Mouth became a band that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. Once again, do I feel bad for them or happy for them? Seems like a sad outcome for your band, always running away from what made you famous, but at the same time at least they have that fame and potentially the money. Would Smash Mouth have made it otherwise? I am honestly not too sure... I mean, I really appreciate their 1960s space aesthetic, and I really really appreciate the vintage touch they used in their music. They obviously had a thing for the old cartoons, and brought some of that into their music. The almost psychedelic pop nature of some of their hit songs like "Walkin' On the Sun", "Come On, Come On", and "Then the Morning Comes" made them stand out, and the recognizable and simple vocals from Steve Harwell are easy to get behind. So they might have found fame for themselves another way outside their big hit songs, but what we have today is history, no going back now. Well, we have touched on "Then the Morning Comes" a couple of times, so let's just jump into our song of the day. This song screams the late 1990s and early 2000s, you can almost see reptar jumping out of your speakers. It is safely held in its own time period but isn't hindered by it, both since it was using sounds from previous decades and also since nostalgia is a beast you can monetize if done right. "Then the Morning Comes" is the ninth track on the album. It comes along at the perfect spot on the album, there is a quality track every 2nd or 3rd track on the album, and an amazing every 1/3rd of the album. Our song of the day is one of the amazing tracks on this album. It is one of the band's most well known and best songs to date. One thing I really want to point out about Smash Mouth is how talented the songwriting is, I am shocked each time I listen to "Walkin' On the Sun" and "All-Star" since it is written much better than I honestly expect it to be. Most all lyrics are written by the band's guitarist Greg Camp. They are cleverly written lyrics, that speak raw truths but in a strangely comedic way. "Then the Morning Comes" isn't really one of those songs, but it is still a well written one. Mainly since the atmosphere sells those lyrics wonderfully. It feels like you are waking up for another day of life, going to sleep, and waking up to that alarm clock over and over again. That seems to be the goal though, since even the silly music video follows suit with vocalist Steve Harwell having a dream about trying to win over this hot chick but something embarrassing happens on repeat and she laughs him off, finally by the end of the song we see that he already has the lady in his bed in real life and everything is quite alright. Anyway! While Smash Mouth might be a novelty band to many casual music listeners, there is no denying how damn good some of their songs are! Their albums might not be perfect, sure, but that doesn't mean you should completely overlook them. Well, you probably already know this song, but I did my part with typing this shit out, so do your part and give the song a listen! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Astro Lounge (1999)
Genre: Alternative Rock, Psychedelic Pop
Mood: Odd
Perfect For: Driving in the summer heat, Getting ready in the morning, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Fly" - Sugar Ray
Rating: 9 / 10
I can never tell if I feel bad for Smash Mouth or glad for them. They are the exact idea of the pros and cons of having your biggest song become synonymous with a movie, especially if that movie was a success and became a popular meme for years to come. "All Star" became sort of a joke song since it came along with the random Shrek memes that ate up the internet for a good chunk of time. Now Smash Mouth sadly is known as that "one Shrek band" which is a shame. While "All Star" is easily their most famous song, they have a good amount of other hits that shouldn't be overlooked. The band is simply fun, but I am not sure if they would have hit the same acclaim if it wasn't for their song becoming a joke. So I am happy for them, they did better than a lot of other bands that would have faded away after a couple of hits. When it comes to Smash Mouth, I have always considered them a "greatest hits" kind of band. I own a couple of their albums on physical formats, and have listened through their 1997–2003 studio material many times throughout my life, and each time I do it again I sit there waiting for those hit tracks to come around. Lots of fillers, not much killer, but that is an opinion of mine so it shouldn't be taken too serious. I will say though, their second studio album Astro Lounge is actually a pretty good album. It took notes from all the good tracks off their strange and punky debut Fush Yu Mang and kept with that style, leaving behind most of the obscure ska washed punk sound and trading it for the alternative rock sound that reached into the past to bring back some surf rock-esque styles. In a strange way, Astro Lounge became an iconic album, even if people never bought the album. Plenty of the songs were used on many movies and TV shows, not only "All Star" which was used on Shrek, Mystery Men, and so many other things, but also their cover of The Four Seasons "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" which was commercial heaven (first time I heard the song as a kid was for a Pizza Hut commercial), "Come On, Come On", and "Then the Morning Comes" were also heavilly used in media. Easy to say, the album was well known, and Smash Mouth became a band that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. Once again, do I feel bad for them or happy for them? Seems like a sad outcome for your band, always running away from what made you famous, but at the same time at least they have that fame and potentially the money. Would Smash Mouth have made it otherwise? I am honestly not too sure... I mean, I really appreciate their 1960s space aesthetic, and I really really appreciate the vintage touch they used in their music. They obviously had a thing for the old cartoons, and brought some of that into their music. The almost psychedelic pop nature of some of their hit songs like "Walkin' On the Sun", "Come On, Come On", and "Then the Morning Comes" made them stand out, and the recognizable and simple vocals from Steve Harwell are easy to get behind. So they might have found fame for themselves another way outside their big hit songs, but what we have today is history, no going back now. Well, we have touched on "Then the Morning Comes" a couple of times, so let's just jump into our song of the day. This song screams the late 1990s and early 2000s, you can almost see reptar jumping out of your speakers. It is safely held in its own time period but isn't hindered by it, both since it was using sounds from previous decades and also since nostalgia is a beast you can monetize if done right. "Then the Morning Comes" is the ninth track on the album. It comes along at the perfect spot on the album, there is a quality track every 2nd or 3rd track on the album, and an amazing every 1/3rd of the album. Our song of the day is one of the amazing tracks on this album. It is one of the band's most well known and best songs to date. One thing I really want to point out about Smash Mouth is how talented the songwriting is, I am shocked each time I listen to "Walkin' On the Sun" and "All-Star" since it is written much better than I honestly expect it to be. Most all lyrics are written by the band's guitarist Greg Camp. They are cleverly written lyrics, that speak raw truths but in a strangely comedic way. "Then the Morning Comes" isn't really one of those songs, but it is still a well written one. Mainly since the atmosphere sells those lyrics wonderfully. It feels like you are waking up for another day of life, going to sleep, and waking up to that alarm clock over and over again. That seems to be the goal though, since even the silly music video follows suit with vocalist Steve Harwell having a dream about trying to win over this hot chick but something embarrassing happens on repeat and she laughs him off, finally by the end of the song we see that he already has the lady in his bed in real life and everything is quite alright. Anyway! While Smash Mouth might be a novelty band to many casual music listeners, there is no denying how damn good some of their songs are! Their albums might not be perfect, sure, but that doesn't mean you should completely overlook them. Well, you probably already know this song, but I did my part with typing this shit out, so do your part and give the song a listen! Enjoy!
Year Released: 1999
Album: Astro Lounge (1999)
Genre: Alternative Rock, Psychedelic Pop
Mood: Odd
Perfect For: Driving in the summer heat, Getting ready in the morning, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Fly" - Sugar Ray
Rating: 9 / 10
