"Poem for the People" - Chicago

     Welcome one and all, to the rock and roll circus! We have had plenty of great picks this month, and I think it has been one of the most diverse months so far. Though all good things must come to an end, and the same is to be said about February. How did your month go? Mine was bland but decent. I got a ton of great vinyl records, had plenty of good times, and got whacked hard with an anxiety-ridden depression bout that I am still fighting back. I adore the changing of the seasons, but it sure does make my brain go all wacky. Not only that, but I am sad I won't be able to wear my precious jackets here soon, and even worse, I will have to see my arms again. I hate my arms! As for AintNoisePollution, February brought in plenty of prime choices. We will end the month with 13 rock picks, 6 metal, 3 country, 4 pop, and 2 others to make up one hell of a playlist, one I hope will keep you busy for a little while. We didn't have a single 10 / 10 track, but there were plenty that got mighty close. Overall a solid month, a month that brought in varying shades of rock music and plenty of other genres to keep things fresh and lively. We end the month with one of the greatest American rock groups, Chicago. This is their second choice on AintNoisePollution, the first being the merrymaking "Introduction" off their debut. I chose that track while listening through the album for the first time on vinyl format. Like the majority of Chicago albums, I have listened to that one a ton of times throughout my life, but there is something especially special about spinning a Chicago album. It could be since their earlier albums are double albums, so you really gotta carve out some time to take in their magic at home. Plus, their album covers are simplistic yet visually appealing. They have fun artwork and slightly interactive sleeves that keep you entertained. Chicago is the type of band that you cannot fully understand unless you take in one of their albums to completion. Sure, they have plenty of tracks that stand alone greatly, but when you listen to it as an album, like it was intended to be, you will find yourself completely in awe at how fucking talented the band is. I guess that is to be said more for Chicago before their transition into the softer side of rock on their 8th album, Chicago X. I still love their soft rock side, but not nearly as much as the experimental jamming jazz fusion style that is featured on their first couple of albums. Those first couple are art pieces, sometimes a little odd to get into, but completely moving. Their later core albums are more so just something easy to get behind, still art, but more so realism paintings in comparison to abstract or surrealism paintings. For today, we are talking about their second album, Chicago II, or I guess at its time it was simply a self-titled release. I wonder if they intended from the start to have a long series of self-titled releases all with similar album covers. I will admit, it was a smart play. I don't know if there was another band that did it as well. I look forward to collecting them all on vinyl, it will be a joy to flip through them in order. I think I am up to Chicago III, but I know a little shop in Tooele that is currently holding my next one, Chicago at Carnegie Hall (AKA Chicago IV). I have yet to go grab it since I don't have space for one of Chicago's live albums, which is a box set with 4 separate LPs coming in just shy of three hours. My gal likes some Chicago but gets burnt out, so she might scratch the other ones while I'm not watching if I put her through a 3-hour sitting. I will grab it in time since I want to buy them in succession. Anyway, I chose our song of the day while having my first listen through of their second album on vinyl format. A great time, might I add. This is my second most abused Chicago album, and even with the tons of listens this album has had before, it was best on vinyl. Don't worry, I am not a vinyl snob, but there is no denying that is the ultimate place to listen to early Chicago.

     After the band introduced their album names being Chicago # after Chicago III, this album has been known as Chicago II, and I will be calling it that for the rest of the post. This was the band's first album under the Chicago name; they were previously called the Chicago Transit Authority. They switched their name after a lawsuit from the actual transit authority. Probably for the best since Chicago has a better ring to it, simple yet effective, and those long band names started fizzling out at the start of the 1970s. The 1960s had a ton of long and strange names. Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, The Chocolate Watchband, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, and so on and so forth. So, Chicago Transit Authority wasn't all that off the mark for its release in 1969. The band started out under the name The Big Thing, which I find to be an even better name, but Chicago became a name that is now weaved into the fabric of rock music, so it is difficult to imagine them being named the Big Thing. Anyway, this was the first album under the Chicago name and was the first to have their iconic band logo and their suit of albums that all look the same with varying themes around the Chicago name. This one is a nice metallic album cover with that strong cursive logo being loud and proud. Their first album is a masterpiece that did well on the charts, especially when it came to its singles, and Chicago II did even better on those charts. It was a hot seller who landed at the #4 spot in the US and did just as well for the most part across the globe. Jazz fusion is a genre that doesn't always sell too crazy, but Chicago always did it so well that people were lining up to buy their albums. It was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and won some achievements from the magazines for being the greatest album to come out in 1970. It really was a bold album for its time. Not only that, but it showed that rock was more than a one-trick pony. You could bring in a jazz backing and have the pure-blooded rockers losing their minds at how well it was done. It features one of Chicago's most famous songs, if not their most famous song from the early years, "25 or 6 to 4", a rock staple. For me, it was that track that was my first taste of Chicago and was the track that lured me into their albums, where I found a deep love for the group that hasn't been shaken since. Their debut was great and sold quite well, but many consider this one to be their breakout album. It was the one that forever set Chicago on a path to be a unique force in the rock military. Chicago albums are always balanced wonderfully. This album is a double LP, and on one side it is commercial-leaning rockers, and then on the next it is strange experimental jazz tracks. They are marvels to take in, it feels like you are part of something while they play. It isn't just an album of great songs, or one where you can tell they had ups and downs within their songs; it is a complete piece from start to finish. A journey. An artistic expression of music's power on the imagination. Jamming takes fold into one of their straightforward rock tracks, and then when the song is coming to a close, there is a surprise horn section that brings you back into their bold style until you lose track of time and fall back into a rocking track. There isn't a dull moment in the album. I will say, they like to fuck with the listener. The copy I bought sadly had a scratch on it that made one of the tracks loop, but the rest of the album did not. Since it is Chicago and they sporadically do repetitive parts, I kept thinking the damn thing was looping again. I was on edge the whole damn time. Strange, since I have listened to the album plenty of times in digital format, so you would think I'd know, but I wasn't trusting my own senses. Even with that, I had a blast, they have a way of making a simple day turn into a special one. An all-consuming sound.

     Our song of the day, "Poem for the People", is the 3rd track off the album. It comes in on side one, a side where the band has a little more of a commercial style in comparison to the other sides, where the band seems to be mostly jamming out. "Poem for the People" is easily one of the greatest moments on the album. It comes in at only 4:25, which is a tad bit shorter than the rock opera suites that consume a good chunk of Chicago II. It is one of the songs off the album that does a great job at being a stand-alone track. You can add this one to any of your playlists and it won't hinder it. A chill piano intro sets the stage for the horns to come in before the whole band comes together to paint colors of sunshine out of your speakers. Both Robert Lamm and Peter Cereta take care of the vocals on this track, but the uplifting words of the track were written by Robert Lamm. It seems we have had a theme throughout this month: a lot of societal strife and civil unrest in my choices this month. How could it not be? The US is burning in front of our very eyes, and it is on everyone's mind at all times, myself included. Some of those choices have been an aggressive stance. "Poem for the People" is more a plea to open your mind and see all the harsh things happening all around you. Not asking for change, or trying to urge you to revolt, simply to look around and realize this stuff is going down. That is the first step, to get the ostriches to stop burying their heads in the sand. Oh man, is this a wicked world, a world where mothers are being torn from their babies, a world where children starve and fat pigs pick their teeth from the mansion on the hill. Where you work for pennies to make those that step on you dollars, all for survival. We consume the earth but never send Mother Nature a Christmas card. A wicked world, one that we need to look at with reality, not waiting for the next person to take the step to fix it. I am part of that problem, so don't think I am looking down my nose, but I too take certain steps to not worsen things that are already wrong with this world. Shit, it can even start with holding doors open for strangers. For letting someone merge onto the highway death trap. Small steps to becoming better for the society we are all forced to dance in. Lyrically, the song is fairly simplistic, but that is the name of the game with the message put out by it. Easy to read, easy to hear, and easy to understand. The song is a smooth one; the Chicago stance of being a "rock and roll band with horns" still stands true. The band steals all sound out of the room and simply asks for your attention to hear the song that they wrote for you and me. Earlier when I mentioned there are the small moments that confuse you into thinking the damn album is skipping, it does show up on "Poem for the People" at the 4:01 mark, not as bad as some other moments, but it did make me perch up to save my precious turntable from getting stuck in a loop. Something you should expect out of Chicago is how many layers of sound are on each of their tracks, especially the earlier albums. There is crazy drumming stealing the show from the bass and electric guitar making love. Horns cradle the whole track along but steal the attention from the smooth vocals. Then those vocals cover up the drumming that is now moving into the rhythm the horns have been on from the start. Innerweaving of instruments creating a shimmering gem of rock music, all for your senses to grasp onto something for dear life. It is a compelling sound that I don't think any other jazz fusion has done as well without alienating the casual music listeners. The world sure is a funny place, as the lyrics state, but at least we have great music to help us along on our journey. The daily strife is almost manageable when bands like Chicago put out timeless tracks and albums that are just as relevant today as they were upon their release. I am so glad to have this track here with us on AintNoisePollution, and I hope that it makes your day better. This track marks the end of another month, one month closer to death, but also one month closer to a better day. I hope you enjoyed the choices month; I had a lot of fun typing these posts out for you. Come back next month to see what I have in store for you. Rest assured it will still be top-shelf picks from a wide assortment of sounds, styles, and decades. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1970
Album: Chicago (Chicago II) (1970)
Genre: Jazz Fusion, Rock
Mood: Uplifting
​Perfect For: In-depth listening, Inspiration, Relaxing at home, Writing, Reading
Where To Next: "Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Time Since Come and Gone)" - Captain Beyond
Rating: 9 / 10

"The Place" - Sepultura

     And the ups, downs, lefts, and rights are still coming in hot! This time around we got some thrash/death metal legends here on the website, the almighty Sepultura. Man, do I love me some Sepultura! They are one of the extreme metals that never get too extreme, a perfectly intense band that doesn't scare away new fans. They are one of the easier vessels to use to get into the more extreme side of heavy metal. Sepultura has had one long career, a career that saw the band having its ups and downs, but overall they tended to release a solid album that never got too far away from the popular genre of the time. Most people come to Sepultura for their groundbreaking albums like Roots (1996), Chaos A.D. (1993), and Arise (1991), but they have had plenty of albums outside their massively important three, which helped bring in a more extreme sound into mainstream metal. Originally Sepultura came along with an early death metal sound on their debut Morbid Visions in 1986, something that mixed in Possessed, Slayer, and Venom. It wasn't your traditional thrash metal sound, it had heavy notes from both death and black metal. I have loved that album since the first time I heard it. I have always had a soft spot for the shittily recorded metal albums of the 1980s, there is a magic in how raw that shit is. Plus, this is one of Sepultura's darkest albums; it followed suit with plenty of the metal names of the times and used a lot of satanic imagery and lyrics. Sepultura dropped it pretty quick following this album but poked at it here and there during this early sound of theirs. They later went a more political, war-ridden, and frustrated route that did suit them better and gave them a chance to be more than another "satan band" which metal had many of. I am all about the devil, though I don't believe in the devil. I just love the idea of sin, the big naughty 3-letter word. Anyway, Sepultura kept this diabolical thrash metal sound for their next two studio albums, the blackened Schizophrenia in 1987, and their intesne third album Beneath the Remains in 1989. Beneath the Remains is one of my favorites of theirs, it is the perfect album to show the wisened transition of the band into their signature style. It still has the dark and grimy feeling but replaces some of the shock with grooving drops and frenzied drumming that gets your nipples hard every time. I would consider it to be an essential thrash metal album, even if it is just to showcase the transitionary period of metal moving more into the spotlight after the mass success of Metallica and others. All those that came before stand in the shadow of the band's ultimate album, Arise. This masterpiece came out in 1991 and, in my opinion, is their all-time greatest album. Many share the same opinion, both those that are hellbent for leather who live, breathe, and eat heavy metal, and those that like to dabble in the genre. From start to finish, Arise gets the blood pumping. I often feel high while it plays, but that could be the brain cells going kaput from playing it louder than suggested. The album and all of its songs sound great in my truck, a little sound system that gives your body a massage while the music gives your ears a massage. Arise is the first to truly showcase the band's iconic sound, and unlike their previous, it brings in a serious groove metal backing. It is genuinely impossible not to bang your head during this album. Wanna see for yourself? Well, turn up the volume and start up "Dead Embryonic Cells" or "Meaningless Movements" and see if you can stop yourself. An essential metal album is putting it lightly. I wouldn't even be mad if you stopped reading this post and didn't even listen to our song of the day so long as you loaded up that album. Though today isn't the day we deep dive into that album, nor is it the day to deep dive their next album, Chaos A.D., which is the band's highest-selling album and is usually in a hot tie with Arise for being their greatest. Man, both of those albums are so good!

     Well, Sepultura rode the wave of fame that came with being one of the biggest icons out of 1990s heavy metal. They released two other great sellers, 1996's Roots, which was the last with Max Cavalera, and the weaker yet still thrilling Against in 1998. Following that the band was falling on hard times, they lost one of the most essential pieces in their puzzle, Max Cavalera, who went on to form Soulfly and found new fame in new markets. Sepultura then did what any band struggling to keep it up might do, they jumped on the nearest leather-clad wagon and got to mixing their style with what was popular. Which brings us to 2001's Nation, an album of hits and misses but an album with spunk and vision. Like its predecessor, Against, it is damn political but unlike Against, it goes straight for your throat with raw vigor. It is one where they put on the nu metal shoes on much tighter but still managed to carve out time for their previous style. It also featured a couple of different musicians on there, like Jello Biafra from Dead Kennedys and Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed amongst others. That album gets undue hate, but it is difficult to keep releasing the absolutely killer stuff they had in the 1990s, so it is to be expected. Then came a live album, an EP of covers, and a series of half-baked albums that still sold okay and stayed true to their mean hooks. Still, the clock kept on ticking, and the band found themselves in a spot where they could do some experimentation so long as they pleased the core fans, something they never failed to do. They went through a couple of different lineups, and in 2005 Igor Cavalera left the band, which had 2005's Dante XXI being the final Sepultura album with a member from the original lineup of the band. Isn't it odd some bands can keep going even after the original members are gone? Well, that was another kick for Sepultura, but they kept on releasing albums. Some are great, some underrated, and some that simply don't hit the spot. All of that changed for the band with their 2020 album, Quadra, which is one of the band's greatest and showed that they still had a way to death-grip your balls and throat with their music. Quadra is a lovechild of the band's previous sounds, the modern metal climate, and some fresh ideas all mixed together. A true treat to the ear with some killer tracks, the most notable is "Isolation" which completely caught me off guard the first time I listened through that album. It is one mean track, and that hackle-raising aggression hardly cools down through the album's 51-minute running time. If you are a Sepultura fan who is stuck in their earlier material, I urge you to check out the album, you will be pleased as punch. Well, that one also sets us up for our song of the day, "The Place". This is the band's most recent song; it was just released on Thursday. It took all of my focus and energy to not add it to the queue once I saw it released, but I knew it was to be the shining gem on my new music Friday. Some things are worth the wait, and "The Place" was more than worth it. It is the first song from their upcoming EP The Cloud of Unknowing, which is set to be released in April. After hearing "The Place" I think it is the upcoming release I am most excited for, right in front of Lamb of God's soon to be released 12th studio album, Into Oblivion. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect from this new track. I mean Quadra was a great album, so I had high hopes, but I didn't wanna get those hopes crushed. It more than exceeded my expectations, and I hope the rest of the tracks can keep up. The song starts off pretty mellow, but by the 30-second mark moves into something strangely progressive for the majority of the intro. Later in their career, Sepultura didn't try hiding their newfound love for heavily structured tracks, but "The Place" brings it in with some serious heat. A fairly long intro of 1:50 before vocalist Derrick Green comes in with strangely tranquil singing. It doesn't last too long before the shouts and screams come into it, but not to the extent of some of the band's previous work. Easy to get behind, and even if you find it rough on the ears (call the wambulance), the song comes and goes with the extreme vocal style. My favorite part of the song is at the 3:48 & 4:35 mark, where the band comes together to get you grooving. A great track that doesn't rely on aggression, but don't mistake that kindness for weakness; it is still a below the belt hitter. Lyrically, it is based around political themes, as it should, and I especially like them calling out ICE with strongly worded lines. Anyway, I can talk all day, but that just holds you back from enjoying some Sepultura, so I will stop while I am ahead. Be sure to check out the new EP this April, which will celebrate the band marking the end of their touring days. I look forward to The Cloud of Unknowing, and even if the other tracks aren't as good as "The Place", I am gonna give it many listens even if it is just for the one song. Only time will tell, but we are in safe hands. Sepultura has had mostly great music since their start, and I doubt that will change now. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2026
EP: The Cloud of Unknowing (TBR 2026)
Genre: Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal
Mood: Unifying
​Perfect For: Watching the world burn, Finding inspiration for change, Playing loud, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ca ira!) - Gojira
Rating: 8 / 10

"Women Do Funny Things to Me" - Del Reeves

     Time to keep the mixing pot that is AintNoisePollution proud and true. We are bringing a little country into the fold with a musician who knows how to mix comedy with core country music. Country from yesteryear was never scared to throw humor into their music. That humor always makes me feel closer to the musician, and country music is all about feeling like you sort of know the person. Or the character they portray, that is. I think Jerry Reed is the best at bringing a little humor into country music, but Del Reeves is right behind him. Del Reeves didn't only have novelty tracks; he had the serious ones too, but his claim to fame was the comedy tracks. More often than not they revolve around women, but he had a fair shake at the trucker country movement that popped up in the 1960s. Reeves found most of his fame within the 1960s, being one of the highest-selling male country artists from the decade, but he still carved a name for himself throughout the 1970s and even a little bit into the 1980s. He is widely known for his chart-topping 1965 country classic "Girl on the Billboard", one of those songs that I never skip when it plays. I ain't the type to skip songs anyway, but "Girl on the Billboard" is a damn good time. It was the one that fully set up his signature sound. Part of that signature sound is the little jingle he always does, you hear it on our song of the day and will hear it on plenty of others. He says "doodle-oo-doo-doo" and then the band usually answers with the same rhythm back. Country is sometimes a hard genre to stand out in, but with that little thing he does, it makes you know who is coming across the speakers. Our song of the day comes off the album Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo out of 1965, so he knew what he was doing. Now it is that time that I rant and rave about how poorly country artists and those that own their catalog did on keeping the music alive! A good chunk of both famous and lesser-known country artists got media locked for a solid section of their discography. Del Reeves has a ton of albums, few of them making it to any other format aside from LPs. No cassette, no eight-track, and one of the biggest sins, no digital. I get that it takes money to get things rolling into the next format and that things get lost, but come on! Del Reeves has a ton of great albums that are just begging to be added to playlists. A whole catalogue of great songs that will never be heard by the younger generation since they are locked onto vinyl format. The same format that takes a pretty penny to really set up. Not to mention that they are getting harder to come by just at your local shop; you gotta almost always have to buy country records online in my area. There are plenty of country albums from the 1970s and forward, but the stuff out of the 1950s and 1960s aren't all too easy to come across at your local shop. I have had better luck at thrift stores, but then they are all fucked up like someone used them to cut vegetables on. It isn't even the forgotten legends of country music like Del Reeves; the same is to be said about genre-defining artists like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and so on. Luckily the bigger names did make it into the digital music age, but still! It is a shame, a crying shame! It pisses me off to no end! I constantly daydream about getting rich enough so I can buy all the catalogues of these country stars and get to work to get their albums out there again! It truly breaks my heart. These artists are so damn good, and people will have a hard time getting to listen to their sweet, sweet music. Del Reeves has had only compilations, gospel, and a random Christmas album on Spotify for a long time now. Trust me, I often check, since I had to go out of my way to listen to his albums on YouTube or strange sites, like I had to with Faron Young, Tom T. Hall, and Conway Twitty until they finally released more of his. Alright, enough about that, it gets my blood boiling. Maybe I am missing something, I am just some dude that loves music and works at a warehouse, so what do I know about the ins and outs of this problem? But if I know one thing, it is that people will not do anything without monetary gain, and in the old country there is hardly any of that. Mark my words! If I ever get wealthy, I am going to get these albums out there, I swear it! Now..... Any of you know how to get rich?

     Rant over. Back to the music. Del Reeves first started in the music business after he got out of the military. This was around 1955, and as any wild child might do in the 1950s, he cut his teeth recording rockabilly tunes and found regular spots on local broadcasts. They never got anywhere, but he did that under Capitol Records, which is the right place to be to get your name out there. Nearing the end of the 1950s he had his own local television show where people would come on and play or do silly little skits. He did that until the early 1960s when he uprooted from Stockton, California, to Nashville and found fame with his first single, "Be Quiet Mind". That is still one of his greatest, a serious little tune that came out of its time and is a classic from the Nashville sound. I would say pull it up on Spotify... but it isn't on there! Deep breaths.... Deep breaths.... Ahem. His debut got his name out there pretty quickly; it was a common coin eater at taverns all around the nation and charted at the #9 spot on the country charts. For the following years he released a high charting single and jumped between labels and studios to see it through. He didn't find massive fame but still was respected as a great performer. He eventually settled down and joined the roster of United Artists Records, a label mostly known for soundtracks but was starting to move out of it to other genres including jazz, R&B, and country music. Del Reeves was likely their most popular country artist. He gained the nickname "the Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo Kid" for his little intros. It was with United Artists Records that he had his most famous song, the aforementioned "Girl on the Billboard". A bold song that was all about being obsessed with the other sex. Both a trucker song and a common girl watcher song, something for the city slickers and the country bumpkins. The track is a funny one revolving around passing a billboard over and over again of a pretty gal and the thoughts that surround it. Certainly one for the boys, but with the way Reeves performs the song, you can't take it all too seriously. The track shot to the top of the charts and helped steer the country ship in 1965. It also spawned Reeves's second studio album of the same name, which hit the #8 spot, and I can tell you with confidence it is an album any country fan can enjoy. Del Reeves was one of the strongest country stars of 1965; he didn't just have that one hit, he also had his third-highest charting track, "The Belles of the Southern Bell", hit the #4 spot on the country charts. That one, as you guessed it, is another with commentary on the fairer sex. It, too, showed up on the album Girl on the Billboard. Now, to end the year strong, Del Reeves released his 3rd single, our song of the day, "Women Do Funny Things to Me". This time the song charted at #9, but that still marks three songs that landed on the top ten charts, a strong chart presence to say the least. I love those other two, but I would be lying if I said I liked them more than "Women Do Funny Things to Me". The song is another Reeves comedy classic about how he is one brave cuss that did everything from killing a tiger with his bare hands to getting shoved into a barrel and being tossed over Niagara Falls but still turns into a quivering mess when he has to talk to chicks. Cleverly written song that has this special catchiness, both of which are Del Reeves standards. The kind of track that makes you crack a smile each and every time. A little less dogged lyrics than the other two, but that overall silly skirt chasing vibe is certainly still there. The track ended up on Reeves third studio album, Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo, which found its way into the record crates of country fans nearing the end of 1965. That album charted at #6 making it his highest-charting album ever. Reeves had 17 charting albums overall, but only two made it over the 10th spot hump, both of which we discussed here and came out in 1965. 1968 was his other high-charting year for songs, and those ones are just as great but a tad bit more serious. Check out "Wild Blood" if you are interested, that one is a favorite of mine. There is plenty to love from Del Reeves, so don't be sitting here picking your nose and reading this! It is time to pull up some great music and let the woes of the day fade away. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1965
Chosen Compilation: The Original UA Hits (2013)
Genre: Country
Mood: Silly
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Bettering your mood, Traveling
Where To Next: "The Name of the Game Was Love" - Hank Snow
Rating: 8 / 10

"Underneath It All" - No Doubt

     Man, this month has had some pretty good variance. I don't even know what to expect from day to day. We just got done with a minor rock n roll block and then talked of the grimy Cirith Ungol, but how about we bring in some crystal clear pop-laced music? Today, we talk of No Doubt. Honestly, I am pretty shocked how many times No Doubt has been selected. Not because I don't like the band, but I didn't think they would be a repeat customer here on AintNoisePollution. "Underneath It All" is the fourth choice we have had here. Granted, that is 4 out of 659 choices we have talked about, but that is more than the majority of my favorite artists. So, why No Doubt? What is it about them that gives them a leg up on bands I prefer more? Catchiness. A great time. And I think they are a little bit of an oddity band in my collection, which makes them stand out a bit more. I am someone who adores ska music in all shapes and sizes, and No Doubt is one of the few ska groups that broke out into the mainstream. By the time they got to the album we will be talking about today, Rock Steady, they lost a fair amount of that punk-laced ska sound in trade for the pop backed sound that made them superstars. "Underneath It All" still has that reggae style to it, but it is more dancehall in comparison to ska or roots reggae. I only recently found out just how popular dancehall was. I mean, I knew it was a popular as hell genre, but I didn't know just how popular it was. Even today. Now, I love reggae, but I will admit that I don't know its history and subgenres even close to as well as I know that of rock and all its relatives. I am conflicted on dancehall; it is a good genre, but I am not one for the more dancey styles. On "Underneath It All" it features Lady Saw, known as the "Queen of Dancehall". For this post I took a little bit of time to listen through a solid handful of her songs. It isn't too shabby, but man, it is dirty as hell. More horny than a fluffle of bunnies! Did you know a group of bunnies is called a fluffle?! That is cute as fuck. Ahem, anyway, Lady Saw found plenty of fame with her very lusty lyricism backed by a party atmosphere. She found worldwide fame with her inclusion on Vitamin C's hit "Smile" and found even more acclaim with being featured on "Underneath It All" which awarded No Doubt a Grammy and gained a crazy amount of sales. Even if you don't listen to No Doubt or were born 20 minutes ago, you know "Underneath It All", it is just one of those kinds of songs. Anyway, the addition of Lady Saw solidified No Doubt in having a strong dancehall song and shows that the band's knack for melding pop with reggae is still around. "Underneath It All" is No Doubt's highest-charting US track. It hangs out at the #5 spot on their most streamed song on Spotify with a massive 127 million listeners. Once again, you cannot miss this song even if you tried. It falls behind their ever-popular "Hella Good" for being the most popular song from Rock Steady. Well, I am honestly not sure if we had a history lesson for the last 3 chosen tracks, but I will skip over it this time and just jump right into their massively successful 2001 album that holds our song of the day. Rock Steady released in 2001 at the end of the year, the perfect Christmas present then and a great Christmas present still now. A timeless album that is criminally from its time, but that is some of the appeal. Rock Steady got No Doubt back on the tongues of everyone out there. Their previous album, Return of Saturn, saw a pretty big dip in attention. Some of that is due to the fact they had a 5-year gap between it and the band's 1990s definitive Tragic Kingdom. Some of what I think makes Return of Saturn a little weaker as well is they were still reusing the same sound. Not that it is a bad thing, some bands made a whole career on rinse and repeat, but No Doubt did it like they were a little lost. Growing pains, if you will. Rock Steady didn't even try to stay in the same place, it jumped all over touching on genres that were popular at the time and those that serve as core influences to No Doubt.

     The band set the foundations here in the states, namely Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the real magic was when they jumped on a plane to collaborate with varying artists. They touched upon new wave, electropop, and most importantly, dancehall. Dub visionaries Sly and Robbie helped No Doubt along on "Underneath It All", the hip-hop touch to "Hella Good" comes from the Neptunes, and there are plenty more fingers in this pie. Don't get thinking No Doubt was just along for the ride and Gwen Stefani was simply a pretty face to sell the whole deal. They naturally put in their heart and soul to the project that saw them hitting high up on charts worldwide. It alienated some of the OG fans, but it brought in a whole new market of fans that ate this album up. Plenty of its lusty tracks are still radio staples, club classics, and energizing tracks that pump from speakers all around the US. It is an album I think most people should listen to at least once. Even someone like myself, who has a fondness for that old-time sound, can still find plenty of tracks to really sink my teeth into. There are a ton of styles crammed into this album, all of which are polished to a sheen and are prepared to define your night. None were more polished up than "Underneath It All", the song I find to be their greatest from the album. I find that opinion in the vocal work from Gwen Stefani that matches timidity with strength, wanting to be loved while being equally frightened by the idea of it, loving with honesty. During the writing of "Underneath It All" Gwen Stefani was in a relationship with Gavin Rossdale, the vocalist of Bush. They had a relationship with ups and downs, and many of the Stefani written songs from Rock Steady are influenced by their relationship. In this one it is a happy song about her relationship with Rossdale. A song about loving someone for them, not looks or image, but the core person. Rossdale and Stefani were married for a long time, 14 years, one of the longest relationships in rock music between two band leaders. Anyway, "Underneath It All" sat well with the American people; it was their highest charting track in the US but didn't do as hot in other countries. Stefani comes off timid in this song, it gives the track a lovey-dovey feeling that I don't think they have ever pulled off as well again. The music video is a dirty one, which sort of shows the two sides of the coin of love. No Doubt never shies away from being a little lusty, so it isn't all too shocking. Part of the aesthetic of the band, but the music video still has some deeper meaning instead of cheap thrills. The concept was supposed to be that Stefani would start out completely caked up with makeup but slowly lose more of it until the end, where she was her natural self, being loved for who she is underneath it all. It turned into her losing a little more clothing and makeup until the end, where she jumps into bed in some undies and with no makeup. Something for the perverts that will buy the album for it and for the fans that appreciate the meaning behind it. Everyone wins. The music video is also very much from its time, with plenty of colors and random scenes much like late 1990s and early 2000s music videos tend to have. Music videos are fine and dandy, but it is all about the music here at AintNoisePollution! The constant rhythm from the drums keeps the song moving, and with that reggae style in the background, it is almost impossible to not smile a little bit while listening to the track. Lady Saw did her part on the spot when invited while No Doubt was recording in Jamaica. Her addition adds some credibility to their full expansion into dancehall territory. Some found plenty of negative things to say, calling it a cheap buy-in, but I think Lady Saw brought in some spice to the track, to say the least. Alright, I think that is enough said about the track. One of those you just gotta listen to! We keep things fresh here on AintNoisePollution, so check back tomorrow and see who we will have here. Will it be AC/DC? Neil Diamond? Possessed? Hank Williams? The Used? Cattle Decapitation? Elvis? Who knows! But for today, we give plenty of love to No Doubt and their decade-defining "Underneath It All". Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001
Album: Rock Steady (2001)
Genre: Dancehall, Reggae, Pop Rock
Mood: Lovey-Dovey
​Perfect For: Relaxing around the house with the one you love, Summer days, Casual listening, Turning that bass up
Where To Next: "When It's Over" - Sugar Ray
Rating: 9 / 10

"I'm Alive" - Cirith Ungol

     Today we talk about one of the most underrated metal bands to ever be, Cirith Ungol. Now, for you learned folk out there, or better yet, you dorks, you might recognize that name. Just to give you an idea of what you are about to be taking in, the band named themselves after the infamous mountain pass in the Lord of the Rings series. The part where the troupe passes through the higher pass and falls into the clutches of the spider Shelob is a tense-ass part. I still remember the mental imagery well, though I haven't read through the series in a solid couple of years. Great books. I don't recall that part in the movies, but I will admit that I haven't watched them since I was a child. Save your boos, I know, I just don't get around to movies and TV all too often. I am always busy tying these posts for you, something I am more than happy to do. Anyway, Cirith Ungol took their name from a fantasy novel, so it is safe to assume you are in for an enchanting ride. One might think that Cirith Ungol is to be power metal with that name, and while that is sort of true, they are one band that is honestly fairly challenging to put into simply one metal genre. Their style is a ton darker and grimy in comparison to the vast majority of power metal bands. They almost are more doom metal, but that too wouldn't fully fit them since they are so much more than that, and these dudes can be fast as hell when they choose to. I guess just "heavy metal" would be an accurate description. For me, it would be traditional heavy metal, but categorization isn't everything. Cirith Ungol is honestly one of a kind and a band that I have been fond of for a damn long time. When I tell people I like fantasy stuff, it is more so in line with the feeling of Cirith Ungol. I am currently doing a playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3 for the first time, and it gets close to expressing the feeling put out by Cirith Ungol. Better yet, I would say that the core Dark Souls series better fits it, especially the first of the series. It is grimy, a little hard to get into, aged in the strangest way, and has this air of toxic mystery that is enticing, menacing, and unsettling. The whole time it feels like you are in a forgotten dungeon where forgotten souls wait in silence for the day they are released, sanity long gone to the void. I honestly cannot remember when I first heard Cirith Ungol, but I do know they have been with me for a long time now. I love the lyricism, the imagery, the gloomy style, and even the shrill vocal work from Tim Baker. He sure is a unique singer, and honestly I think he is one of the main reasons people have a hard time getting into the band. Not because they are bad, but more so because they are unique. Matching that with some very unique guitar tones and atmosphere, imagery, and lyrical themes, you have yourself a hot spot for a cult classic. "I'm Alive" is a fan favorite from the band, and while it isn't my ultimate favorite, I have never pressed skip on this track, no matter the moment it came across my speakers. Cirith Ungol was in the works for a long time. The band first formed in 1971, and while part of a band called Titanic, the members were butting heads on which way to go with their music. The majority of the band wanted to play something with a heavier hit to it, which saw them leaving their guitarist behind and starting up the band we are talking about today. With a new name, the band played their first show in 1972 at an anti-Vietnam War rally. I wish I could have heard how early Cirith Ungol sounded, even though I am sure they played plenty of covers. They were one of the many hard rock groups that were onto something but simply had to wait until the time was right to get discovered. Heavy metal was gaining traction more and more every day since the start of the 1970s. Uriah Heep, Budgie, Atomic Rooster, and Blue Cheer, among other bands, were inspiring people left and right with their heavier sound in the background. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, and many other heavy hitters were popularizing the genre to the masses. All it took was a couple more bands to get that heavy metal style circulating, and after Motörhead, Judas Priest, Scorpions, and the hard rock acts of the 1970s came along and left a trail of dead behind them, it was time for the metal cry to be heard.

     Cirith Ungol got signed in 1980, and by the next year they had their debut album, Frost and Fire. Now, Frost and Fire is a Cirith Ungol classic! It might be a tad bit weaker than their essential King of the Dead, and doesn't have the same entry level sound as their most famous song, "Join the Legion", but it served as a start. Many consider this to be one of the earliest doom metal albums, something that I too agree with. It is something difficult to explain, and while it isn't a true blooded doom metal album, the roots are there. I honestly don't even know if the intention was to put out something wholly unique for its time, but they did. The album starts off with "Frost and Fire" which instantly lets you know what kind of album this is to be. Once the vocals come in, you can feel the D20 starting to slip into your hand. The mighty thirst for mead and adventure instantly consumes you. The title track offers up a galloping style, something the traditional heavy metal sound is well known for. It gets you prepped to take on the next track on the album "I'm Alive" which is also our song of the day. This one is one of the best to show you what I mean about it being an early doom metal style. It also is a great one to explain how Cirith Ungol had plenty of their early sound still there, something strangely reminiscent of the hard rock of the early 1970s. In a way it feels they used necromantic spells to bring back the heavy metal of the 1970s, but the spell was unstable and spawned something not of this earth. "I'm Alive" mixes fast speed on the chorus and instrumental breaks with the stage setting versus that keeps you entranced. I am especially fond of the middle of the song with that instrumental break. The bass work battling alongside the hard-driving drums always gives me chills. Sure, it is a little simplistic, especially in comparison to some of their later songs, but that simplicity makes you want to bang your head while guitarist Jerry Fogle melts your face off. After the intensity of the break, they bring it all back in to that grimy feeling while telling the story of a man who has done it all and seen it all. It seems like he might have sold his soul, but ultimately he is alive and well and will have his last laugh. Once the track finishes up, we move into "A Little Fire" which is more hard rock than heavy metal but still a complete joy. Maybe we will talk about that one next time, but for today it is all about the moody "I'm Alive". Frost and Fire didn't chart, nor did it sell all that much. The band was signed to a small label, which is a given for the early days of heavy metal. Cirith Ungol gets a ton of hate, and I mean a strangely large amount. I have never understood why. Sure, it isn't for everyone, but to claim this is the "worst heavy metal album of all time" as some music journalists called it, is plain foolishness. People will hate; it is just the way it is, but how could you completely hate the album? The majority of the tracks are great; they express the early days of heavy metal wonderfully. It is almost a historic album for how heavy metal this heavy metal album is. It is also rooted in doom metal, a genre that would later meet plenty of hate but ultimately proved to be one of the most formidable metal genres out there. Plus, just check out that album cover! Kick ass! Cirith Ungol has plenty of great album covers, stuff pulled right out of a high fantasy novel. Literally. Each album cover of theirs is taken from book covers from the Elric of Melnibone series. The person who did the art for those is none other than the famous fantasy and sci-fi artist Michael Whelan. That dude has done a serious amount of book covers and has also done a ton of album covers for plenty of big bands. Most of his album covers end up on my lists of favorite album covers. Ones for Sepultura, Obituary, Meat Loaf, Evile, and even the randomly epic one for the Jacksons with 1984's Victory. Cirith Ungol was heavily influenced by the stories of Elric of Melnibone, and I am sure some of that is due to the fucking killer artwork on them. Anyway, that is enough about me fan-girling. I will just let you listen to the tune. It is a goodie! If you enjoy even one aspect of the song, go check out some more, namely from King of the Dead. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1981
Album: Frost and Fire (1981)
Genre: Traditional Heavy Metal, Doom Metal
Mood: Murky
​Perfect For: Preparing for battle, Tabletop games, Reading fantasy novels, Elder Scrolls Online, Banging your head
Where To Next: "Death or Glory" - Holocaust
Rating: 7 / 10

"Rock Around With Ollie Vee - Alternate Version" - Buddy Holly

     I guess we are going to have a couple back-to-back choices this month. Buddy Holly is the choice for today! A very welcome addition that will make this month's playlist a grand slam! Buddy Holly is one of the most iconic from the early days of rock. He was a musician who hit the peak of his fame when tragedy struck, a day remembered as "the day the music died". We will get to that in time, and honestly, we might have already since this is Buddy Holly's second choice here on the website. Last time we covered one of his most famous songs, "Not Fade Away" from the album The "Chirping" Crickets out of 1957. That one is a release from the Crickets, and it was their only one with Buddy Holly in the front line. The Crickets released other material, but this one here is their main claim to fame. The Crickets could hardly chirp without the iconic vocals of Buddy Holly, just a sad but simple fact. I feel bad for bands that get a taste of fame, but then the frontman dies suddenly. Not too many of them pushed past it, and many more chose to end the band there since it simply couldn't be the same without the frontman. Buddy Holly walked away from the Crickets before tragedy struck, so I am sure they weren't to be in his future either way. Anyway, "Not Fade Away" is an absolute classic from the 1950s rock world, and like the majority of Buddy Holly songs from his time alive, it shows off the fun style that Buddy Holly brought to the genre. Not quite rockabilly, not quite pop, but he used both of those styles in his brand of rock n roll. We talked about that song back in July of 2024, so I think we are due a little reminder of who Buddy Holly is. Born Charles Holley in Lubbock, Texas, he was the youngest of 4 kids. He grew up in the Great Depression, and his family wasn't all too wealthy, but what they had loads of was love and music. His whole family, outside his father, knew how to play instruments, and they often played and sang together. He was nicknamed Buddy since a young age, and that almost became his name more than Charles. At first they pointed young Buddy to playing the piano, which never stuck, and then after that they tried out the steel guitar, but Buddy insisted on getting a guitar like his brother brought back with him after he served in World War 2. He got his hands on his first acoustic guitar when he was 12 or so and was taught by his brother. Buddy Holly was heavily influenced by artists like Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Hank Snow, the Carter Family, and plenty of other country stars of the time. Something that never quite left Buddy, and the route I think he would have gone once the core days of rock music fizzled down. Time moved along, and eventually he met his pal Bob Montgomery. The two had similar music tastes and started jamming together, often covering country musicians who had a two-piece like the Louvin Brothers. He would play with other classmates and started up a little two-piece called Buddy and Jack, and after that Buddy and Bob with his original jamming partner. Around this same time, Buddy started listening to nighttime radio a lot more, which featured R&B, jazz, and the blues. He was especially smitten with R&B and started integrating it into his country and western style. Once Buddy graduated high school, he dedicated all his time to making a career from music. He saw Elvis perform, which only furthered his goals, and in a lot of ways he started melding in the Elvis style of rock n roll. So, now he had country, R&B, and rock n roll all under one sound, something that gave him a leg up when the time came for his chance in the spotlight. Soon enough he opened for a show or two for Elvis, and even had a chance to open up for the rock icon Bill Haley. At that show he was spotted by a talent agent who then got to work convincing the Grand Ole Opry to seek out someone willing to record this young star. He got signed fairly quickly to Decca Records, and in the contract they accidentally misspelled his last name as "Holly" instead of "Holley". He released his first single in 1956, one of my favorites from Holly, "Blue Days, Black Nights" which would later be featured on his second solo album, That'll Be the Day, in 1958. Within 1956 he also released "Modern Don Juan", "Love Me", and "You Are My One Desire" all of which also ended up on That'll Be the Day, where they fared much better since his first couple of singles didn't even chart. That led to Decca dropping him, but the contract he signed stated that he couldn't record those songs under his name for the next five years. All around, he was annoyed with how it went with Decca but didn't lose hope. Alongside his band, he marched over to Arizona where the famed Norman Petty lived, who just had success producing some decade-defining rock songs. Since he was bound by Decca, they decided to record some of the material he previously put out but under the name The Crickets, and there we have it.

     Now, the story of Holly isn't a jolly one. Buddy Holly released his first big-time single in 1957, a career-defining song of his, "That'll Be the Day". Buddy was now a name that everyone was getting to know quickly, and the success of his following singles out of 1957 & 1958 and the release of The "Chirping" Crickets in 1957 solidified Buddy alongside the Crickets as rock royalty. All was going well; they were touring left and right and were getting spots on some big-time shows. For the UK tour, they played 50 shows in 25 days, and met a ton of budding and current stars. In 1958, during Holly's time in New York City, he met his wife Maria Elena Holly, who was a receptionist for the music publishers Peermusic. He proposed to her on their first date, talk about moving quickly, but she said yes the next day. Strange love story, but better than the one we touched on in the last post. Love at first sight is cute yet unwise. Well, Buddy was now a star and was even to be married in the next little while. Good for him. She even helped him when things got tense with royalty disputes and dishonest management, which led to plenty of drama. Since the record label didn't want Holly to damage his image, they sort of didn't make it all too public that they were married. She told people she was the Crickets secretary and took care of their laundry, well-being, and a lot of the money that moved through the band. Due to a lot of the drama that happened with manager Norman Petty, Holly went his own way in 1958, which also saw him leaving the Crickets behind, who stuck with Petty. Around the same time, he met fellow Texan Waylon Jennings, whom he assisted with getting a couple of songs out there, and they became close buds. He joined the ranks, something that almost got him killed. His time in New York was coming to an end since he wasn't getting any money from his royalties and knew he had to get back on the road to pay all these newfound bills. He kicked off his doomed Winter Dance Party tour in January 1959. It was poorly planned, and it seemed not to be working out from the start. They had their tour bus break down twice due to the cold, and with the distance between venues, it was seemingly impossible to make it to the shows without putting the bands through poor conditions. Their tour bus didn't have a heater, and one of the times it broke down, it gave members of the band frostbite. Even if Buddy was a star, things weren't going so hot, so he figured it was time to figure out how to get the band safely to the next show to avoid the headache the buses were causing. He chartered a small plane for his band and the other musicians along for the tour. We had the young star Ritchie Valens, who was bringing in a new sound to rock music with some Latin influence. Then there was the Big Bopper, a rising star that found pretty big fame with his hit "Chantilly Lace" before the tour kicked off. After they finished a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, they boarded the plane. Due to its size, not everyone could get on; the rest were bus bound. Ritchie Valens won his seat with a coin toss, supposedly saying, "That's the first time I've ever won anything in my life", and the Big Bopper got his spot on the plane since he was fighting a mean case of influenza; it was supposed to be Waylon Jennings spot. Buddy, Ritchie, Big Bopper, and the pilot took off in rough weather but only made it about 5 miles before the plane crashed down, killing everyone on board. A massively famous rock event, it took out some of the most potent budding performers and went down as one of the greatest losses in all of rock music. I barely even summed up the story; there is much more to it. Buddy naturally gained even more fame after his death. He died far too young at the age of 22. Buddy's wife heard about the loss of her husband from the news, and the shock and sorrow brought forth caused her to miscarriage. She did not attend the funeral due to the immense pain of losing not only her husband, but for the loss of their child. All around, it is one sad tale, and if you like yourself a sad story, I do suggest reading up on it yourself.

     Sorry for the long post! I made it most of the month without falling back into it, but the story of Buddy Holly is a damn good one. Inspirational and tragic. Fun fact about your author, Buddy Holly was the first musician I ever looked into. My school was throwing one of those "wax museums" when I was in elementary school. You know the kind, you dress up as them and then stand there silent until someone comes and presses your button, then you tell them about the life of your chosen historical figure. I was hanging out next to Sacagawea and Abraham Lincoln, but they weren't wearing a way oversized, kick-ass pinstripe suit. Little did I know that studying musicians was going to be my future, and I am sure I did a terrible representation of Buddy. Anyway, Buddy Holly only released 3 studio albums in his time, two of which were under his name and one was under The Crickets. Our song of the day was one of his singles that was released in 1957, "Rock Around with Ollie Vee". It was later featured on his second solo album and his final album overall, That'll Be the Day. Our selected version is an alternate take, but both are great versions. I just have a fondness for this one over the other version. The recording of That'll Be the Day took place in 1956, only taking 3 sessions, each of which took a couple of hours. While this is a studio album, it is more so a compilation of previously released Buddy Holly tracks that failed to chart when they first came out. With this being Buddy's last album before his death, it sold very well after the news broke out. I mean, the album was already doing mighty well before that, but death always sells. It has since become a very hard one to get an original on vinyl, something that makes me want to cry. There have been many different versions of the album to come out, some with added instruments, some serving as a greatest hits compilation. "Rock Around with Ollie Vee" is the 4th song off the album. It keeps the same theme of damn fun rockin' tracks. This one is damn boppy, and Buddy lets out his famous hiccups and mumbling rockabilly-esque vocals. Lyrically it is all about rocking, one of the greatest lyrical themes out there, especially when you add in some good time gals. The 1950s had the best rock themed tracks, the next being out of the 1970s. I wonder why that lyrical theme started falling out in the 1990s, probably since the rock genre was so split up left and right, it was difficult to tell what was and wasn't rock. This is one prime Buddy Holly album, and for a man who only had three releases, it is obviously an essential. All the Buddy Holly releases when he was alive are some of the greatest to come out of the 1950s. Buddy Holly has been at the top of my "which celebrity would you save if you could have" list forever. I ponder what he might have done almost daily, I do cherish his music so, and all three of his albums are perfect from start to finish. It wasn't anything new, but it was one of the most perfected versions of early rock n roll. I am damn glad they decided to release this album and bring new life to some of his best hits that flew under the radar. I could listen to this album a couple times a day for years and never grow tired of it. It is simply too fun of an album, and it is in songs like "Rock Around with Ollie Vee" that you can feel that! Alright, this post has gone on too long. If you made it all the way through, I thank you for sticking around with me! It means so much! I hope I taught you a little something and that you enjoy this Buddy Holly track. He is one of the biggest icons out of the 1950s rock world, and thus, deserves each and every one of our attention. Take it as a history lesson, take it as rock n roll in its purest form, take it as what you will. All I know is you are going to love it! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1957
Album: That'll Be the Day (1958)
Genre: Rock n Roll
Mood: Fun
​Perfect For: Dancing, Stompin' your feet, Driving around town, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Bird Dog" - The Everly Brothers
Rating: 8 / 10

"It Won't Happen with Me" - Jerry Lee Lewis & Orion

     Welcome back everyone, I got one of rock music's first wildmen for you today! One of rockabilly royalty, an early star in rock n roll, and one wild piano player, "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis. You don't just gain the nickname "The Killer" for being one of rock's tame musicians; you gotta have a certain ferocity to get that name. Plus, you might have potentially murdered your 5th wife, gotten arrested ramming into Graceland's grandiose gate with your Cadillac while soused, and have plenty of other things stacked against you. His persona was wild, his musical style was wild, and his way of handling the piano like he was riding it into hell all make up the legend of "The Killer". Jerry Lee Lewis has been a longtime love of mine; I put him up there with my other favorites from 1950s rock n roll. Like many in the early days of rock music, especially in rockabilly, there was a pretty heavy country music leaning to his sound. He dropped some of the rockabilly well into the 1960s after some comeback success and traded his signature sound for the country style of the time. Lewis was one of the few musicians to walk away from the 1950s rock sound with a solid career. Nothing in comparison to the legendary career of Elvis Presley, but if you take a look at the later record sales of musicians like Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, etc., you will see that Jerry Lee Lewis survived longer than the majority. Survived is a key word there, since I think he wouldn't have held the title long if artists like Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, and Ritchie Valens didn't die so damn young. Wonder if they would have done any collaborations together; I would have loved to hear a Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis album. The wildness of Jerry Lee Lewis's piano work with the fun vocals and guitar work from Buddy Holly would have been awesome. Well, no use in dreaming of that one. Jerry Lee Lewis both survived longer in the music world and on our earthly plane. He passed away in 2022, outliving practically everyone from the original rock guard, and by a good margin for the stars that came out of Sun Records. With all of that said, Jerry Lee Lewis is a legend. He played a massive role in popularizing rock music, especially for the country folk. He released his first single in 1956, a cover of Ray Price's "Crazy Arms". It failed to chart, but I find that version to be better than the vast majority of covers of that song, and let me tell you that "Crazy Arms" has a ton of covers. It showed up on Lewis's debut self titled album in 1958, and that album too didn't chart but is respected modernly as one of the greatest from the early days of rock n roll and rockabilly. Even if his first single didn't do too hot, his next single was a massive hit. He covered Big Maybelle's "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and released it on Sun Records in 1957. It was a nationwide hit! The soul and body of rock n roll of the time. It is a fair amount different from the original, what with the frantic abuse on the keys and very rockabilly vocal work. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" became a staple in the rock world from that moment on, and once again, serves as the purest form of the original rock n roll sound. That track is so damn good, I will never get sick of the raw energy Lewis brings into it. He wasn't a one-hit wonder, not even within 1957. He released his most famous song within the same year, "Great Balls of Fire". This one track served as massive inspiration for me, it practically defined my early years of getting into rock music. Easily one of the most essential songs to come out of the 1950s, it defines the decade. It must have been a shocker to hear that song back in the day; it was more aggressive than anything out there, especially in the mainstream. The B-side to "Great Balls of Fire" was his awesome cover of Hank Williams "You Win Again", another cover that he knocked out of the park. In 1958 Jerry Lee Lewis was riding a massive high of success; it seems like he was on track to become a massive star in the rock and country world. He was releasing chart-topping songs left and right. Then came the controversy. It was discovered he was married to his cousin (oof), who was only 13 at the time they wed (double oof). Once that was discovered, people were obviously not happy about it. His first time going into the UK, there was a crowd waiting for him to get off that plane. He thought he was going to get cheers and fainting women, but what he actually got was a shitload of pissed people throwing stuff and telling him to go back home. The tour was canceled immediately, and it seemed to be the end of his career. As it should be.

     Jerry Lee Lewis is the classic case where you have to sometimes look past the person to enjoy the music. There is no doubting that Lewis puts out great material. The music industry is filled to the brim with sick people, plenty of whom have a thing for younger girls. Fuckin' gross. I hate to ask it, but try looking past Jerry Lee Lewis as a person. Focus on his great music. I will admit, Jerry Lee Lewis has one crazy story, one of the most entertaining musicians to look into. I just wish he didn't marry a child. Who does that? Your 13 year old cousin at that! That was even his third wife, which makes you wonder what those first women went through with "The Killer". Anyway, Jerry Lee Lewis hit his pinnacle of fame and then, as quickly as he gained it, lost it all. He fell off the charts, his songs were hardly getting play outside the sensational "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". There were still singles and albums being released during this stage, but they didn't hit much fame. He was still following through on the rockabilly thing, and he released plenty of genuinely great songs during this time. In 1964 he released the live album Live at the Star Club, Hamburg, one of the greatest live albums I have ever listened to. The talent was there, and it showed off his live performances which are something of legend, but still, it didn't chart. Jerry Lee Lewis was frustrated; his singles under Smash Records weren't moving, and his compilations were falling into the hands of core fans but nobody else. It seemed it was all over for "The Killer" until he was approached by Eddie Kilroy, who suggested Jerry Lee Lewis stop being the wild child and cut a through-and-through country song. 10 years after Jerry Lee Lewis hit rock bottom, he had himself a chart topper with a cover of Del Reeve's "Another Place, Another Time" in 1968. Nobody expected Jerry Lee Lewis to come back, and to come back with a grand country sound that melded wonderfully with some of country music's greatest stars. It was a full-fledged comeback unlike any we have hardly ever seen. He had songs charting in the top ten on the country charts from 1968 all the way into the 1980s. I have listened to every album Jerry Lee Lewis has ever put out, and the grand majority of the compilations and live albums, and his country years are some of the best country albums I have heard. He had a natural voice for the country genre; he knew the sound he wanted and pulled it off well, and while his wildman piano style of his rock years is the cream of the crop, his piano work in the country years gives his songs a classic barroom piano player style that spruces up a genre that typically is copy and paste. Alright, I think that gives you an idea of Jerry Lee Lewis, all the glitter and the grime. This is Lewis's first time on the website, but I am certain there will be more since I am a massive fan of Jerry Lee Lewis. So there will be some more to tell, but if you can't wait, I urge you to look into the man, he is a wildcard. A fuckin' walking trainwreck that plays great music. Our song of the day is an oddity. This isn't the normal version of Jerry Lee Lewis's cover of "It Won't Happen with Me", it was very tempting to choose that one, but today we have the version from the oddity, Duets, which released in 1978. Why is this one odd? Well, it was almost a scam put together by Shelby Singlton who acquired the rights to some of Jerry Lee Lewis's songs and invited an unknown singer to duet with Jerry Lee Lewis originals. For a good while nobody knew who the other voice was, especially since it sounded just like Elvis Presley.

     Now, there have been a ton of Elvis impersonators. We even have our own local Elvis impersonator here in Utah known simply as "the Utah Elvis". You can make a whole career from pretending to be The King, shit, if I ever get married you best bet I am gonna hire an Elvis impersonator to perform. It would be a sin not to. There has been no other Elvis copycat out there that hit the same notoriety as Orion. You haven't heard of Orion? Well, you've got another artist to look into! He didn't even mean to become an Elvis impersonator but was picked up by Shelby Singlton to record some Elvis covers and release those songs under "?" which led conspiracy theorists to run into the streets shouting, "Elvis isn't dead! It was a hoax! Lizard people got 'em!" Once people stopped paying attention to those strange singles, Singleton did it again with duet albums with plenty of the big names from the Sun Records catalog. He showed up on the Jerry Lee Lewis album we are talking about today and a Carl Perkins one, never saying who it was, simply calling this unknown singer "Friend" in the liner notes. Well, it sort of worked, but people still didn't care. Orion had some albums of his own, and it is surreal to hear his tracks since plenty of them sound quite identical to the king of rock and roll. He has plenty of good tracks, and I guess he was in on the absurdity of his place in the rock n roll world since he performed with a mask on up until 1983, when he threw down his mask in concert and claimed he would never wear it again. He did indeed wear it again once his career stagnated. Sadly, Orion was murdered in a botched robbery at his pawn shop in 1998. Strange piece of music history. I won't lie, I honestly like his music, it is novelty. His duets add some spice to songs I already know and love, and give you a little bit of a tease of what it might have sounded like if Elvis did duets with his fellow Sun Records stars. Our chosen song was originally released by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1961 as the B-side to another Hank Williams cover, "Cold, Cold Heart". The track is a silly one, covering the tale of Lewis trying to court a lady, but she is mainly interested in the more pretty boy singers out there. A good choice for a duet rendition since Jerry Lee Lewis is telling his love interest that she should choose him over Elvis since the king will be too busy "wiggling it past your door". Orion in this version comes back with a threat to stop talking that trash. The original version is a damn good boppin' track, energetic in that Jerry Lee Lewis style and also strangely comedic, which is something Lewis never shied away from, especially if he is the brunt of the joke. Our chosen version of "It Won't Happen with Me" is pretty close to the original, just a little touched up and the random added line from Orion there. I do suggest trying out the original version, since it is better, but today's choice works out well too. A really strange, and honestly kind of cheap idea for an album. I don't like what Shelby Singleton did with the Sun Records catalog, but I do respect him as a talent finder and producer since he had a hand in some of my favorite country tunes. Still, even with the skeevy way he tried convincing people Elvis didn't actually die is somewhat comical, and it gave these strange duets to pretend that the king indeed did not die. It also gave Orion a small spotlight to get a few singles out there that fared decently. Did Jerry Lee Lewis know this was going down? Probably not. Shelby Singleton owned the rights to use his music, so there wasn't much he could do other than take in some back cash. The album didn't sell well and has become a strange hidden gem from Lewis's large discography. Well, that is all from me for today. Give the song a try, if you like it then check out some more from "The Killer" and even stop by and listen to Orion. He does a very Elvis-feeling cover of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" that is peculiar. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1978
Album: Duets (1978)
Genre: Rock n Roll, Rockabilly
Mood: Amusing
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting ready in the morning
Where To Next: "Memphis Sun" - Orion
Rating: 8 / 10

"Days of Old" - B.B. King

     B.B. King IS the blues. He gained the nickname "King of the Blues" due to his crazy amount of innovation in blues music. He is also one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" alongside others that helped make electric blues famous, like Albert King and Freddie King. Note that none of them are related; they just all happened to be Kings strangely. Guess it was fate, maybe one of those prophecies of 3 separate individuals changing the whole world. Well, the blues and rock world, that is. Albert King doesn't actually have the surname King; guess he just liked the ring of it. Anyway, B.B. King is arguably the most famous out of the Kings, but that wasn't based on pure luck. King is a born musician; he would tour vigorously and release albums often. When I say this man toured, I mean he fucking toured. He was known to play 200 or more concerts a year since he started hitting that stage. He did this all the way until he was in his 70s, might I add. That is a crazy amount of shows, but he was doing what he loved, and he did it damn well. All walks of the musical spectrum have been graced by the sound of B.B. King at one point or another, and some genres were heavily influenced by B.B. King. Be it rock, B.B. King helped bridge the gap between it and the blues and served as one of the most influential in starting up the blues rock craze of the 1960s and onward. Not to mention some of his early singles and LPs were some rock n rollers. R&B artists obviously had plenty of love for King. Then there is the blues, the genre he is the king of, so naturally he had a heavy impact on its evolution. B.B. King practically wrote how you do a proper electric guitar solo in blues music, something that has never left the genre since. He was the man to take on the heavy load of getting the blues out of its "same old same" and bringing it into the shop for a new coat of paint and a tune up. When you hear a Hendrix track, an Eric Clapton original, a Joe Bonamassa instrumental, or practically any blues-leaning guitar solo with plenty of bending strings, just know that came from B.B. King. He influenced legions of guitar players, and many claim he is the most important guitar player to hit the record shops. I could go on about this man and his talent at playing his signature guitar, Lucille. B.B. King grew up in the Mississippi Delta, the true birthplace of true blues music, so he was already born into the right place to be the next person to usher in the popularization of the genre. He didn't have the easiest life growing up, but like many from the times, he found comfort in the music performed at churches. It was there that he cut his teeth with a little help from the preacher, who taught him some chords. He got his hands on his first guitar at the age of 15 or so and often listened to the airings of King Biscuit Time, a legendary broadcasting program that played plenty of the blues and would later become a staple for the big names to get a chance to play on there. B.B. King didn't want to work on the plantation forever; what he wanted to do was play his guitar as a career musician. He moved on down the road and got a job driving tractors, which saved him from serving in the army too long because it was an essential worker skill, and on his time off he would play at churches in the area. Getting better and better as time was moving along. He became some sort of folk icon in the area, but with skills such as he held, that is to be expected. It was still a local love, and mostly he did it for his love of playing music. In 1948 he played on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio show based out of West Memphis, AR, which gained him plenty more fans, and people wanted to hear more from this mysterious cat that showed up out of the blue to give you the blues. This led to him getting spots playing at local joints around West Memphis and Memphis, and soon enough he was getting spots on some of the biggest broadcasts in the area. Modernly, it doesn't seem like too big of a deal to get a spot on a radio channel, but back then it was one of the biggest things that could happen to you. This was before your standard studio albums came out, so to have people hear your songs in their house, in the cafe, in the auto shops, and more was some serious business. He got a solid spot as a singer and disc jockey with WDIA based out of Memphis. He gained the nickname "Beale Street Blues Boy", later "Blues Boy", and ultimately "B.B.". The king has risen.

     B.B. King had a long and very storied life, one of those people historians will be picking apart for decades and still not have all the answers. Be it his 15 kids, all of whom came from 15 different women, none of them being his 2 wives. Be it the crazy stories of being upon the road for a whole lifetime. Be it his time in the studio with the majority of the biggest names in blues, R&B, and rock music of the time. This dude was everywhere. Even with all of that, he has a pretty modest discography for how long his career was. He has 43 studio albums (some of which are more compilations), 16 live albums, and a crazy amount of singles. That might sound like a huge amount of albums, and it is, but in comparison to some of the others, it is a little light. He released a new studio album almost yearly from 1956 to 2008. For me, I find that there is even better material in his live albums. One thing I can easily tell you about electric blues is that their live albums are out of this world. Solid gold each time I listen to a new one. How far have I made it into B.B. King's discography? Well, honestly, not as far as one might think. Criminal, I know. I have probably only tackled a third of his albums throughout my life. Each time I try a new one out, I am pleased as punch and hope to soon set aside more time to listen through his complete discography within the next couple of years. I gotta finish my rock, metal, and punk studies first. Don't let that make you think I don't know my blues. Oh boy, do I know my blues, but still I don't listen to it nearly as much as I do rock and its affiliated, more intense genres. I will be doing my deep deep studies of blues, folk, reggae, and big band next. Anyway, let's just get into our song of the day and the album it comes from. "Days of Old" shows off that early B.B. King sound wonderfully. His discography is strangely challenging to follow, a common issue with blues, folk, and country music. For such a legend, he really needs someone to come through and catalog his releases better. Anyway, our choice today comes from the compilation The Great B.B. King, which was first released in 1960. It is mostly made up of previously released songs making their first time onto an LP and some other goodies. This isn't the worst place to start within B.B. King, but as it goes with King, you can start just about anywhere. He showed the changing of the blues as the days went on better than most. His 1950s blues has a little bit of a lacing of the genres of the time. For "Days of Old" it has that rock-a-rollin' beatin' boogie. The songs on the album were put together by B.B. King and His Orchestra, giving it a much more larger than life sound. A solid rock n roll backbeat keeps things together and helps set the stage for B.B. King to do his thing. Lyrically it is a good timing track, the best kind of lyricism to match the raw energy of a guitar master and an orchestra. A great track, not one to show off that famous B.B. King style, but still a solid sender. Now, if you dig this song, I strongly urge you to listen to more from the man. He really knows his way around making a thrilling track. Few better artists out there to chill you out after a long day, to help you tip that bottle back, or to complement a lonesome highway. You will understand quickly how he is such a legend in the blues and guitar player world. Trendsetter is putting it lightly; this guy perfected that guitar sound before many of the later legends even picked up the guitar. Give the track a spin! I am sure we will see more B.B. King here as time moves on, but for now I give to you the reckless and rockin' "Days of Old".

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1958
Chosen Compilation/Album: The Great B.B. King (1960)
Genre: R&B, Blues, Rock and Roll
Mood: Fun
​Perfect For: Going out drinking, Casual listening, Taking in some city lights
Where To Next: "Mighty Mighty Man" - Roy Brown
Rating: 7 / 10

"That's Good" - DEVO

     Alright, the Swans are odd, but not even in the same way as Devo. These dudes are so damn quirky it can cringe me the hell out. But through that quirkiness, and with a strange amount of talent, Devo sticker-slapped their name into the history books of rock music. Devo isn't a traditional rock band in the slightest; they are one that played the thin line between punk, new wave, pop, and rock with a style that is based in oddity, art, and being goofy. Take a second and peep at that godawful album cover below. Devo does have some decent album covers out there, the iconic nature of Freedom of Choice and even the outlandish Hardcore Devo volumes, but overall they have awful album covers. Gotta give credit where credit is due, they stayed on brand. Through their imagery, it took me a little bit longer to get sucked into the band than the majority of others from the new wave movement. Like everyone else out there, I was already well familiar with the iconic "Whip It", but never saw much reason to move past that, especially since my first taste of Devo was seeing the music video to that song as a kid. There's nothing wrong with being silly, but for those that know me, they know I don't care too much for humor. Not quite a stick in the mud, but if it isn't silly animal videos or nihilism, I tend to be pretty straight-faced. Makes it difficult to enjoy certain things, things like DEVO or famous comedy movies. I get the jokes and applaud the audacity of bands like Devo, but still, I would rather watch or listen to something that is a little more serious. Even with all of that said, I do dig Devo, and have listened through a good majority of their discography through my life. It was their debut that really got me into the band. Q: Are We Not Me? A: We Are Devo is an essential new wave album that came out in 1978. Another terrible album cover hides something exciting within. Their debut is the closest to punk rock Devo ever got, with "Uncontrollable Urge" serving as a bridge between punk and new wave. An outlandish album, but not as quirky as some of their later albums and hits. Before that debut came out in 1978, Devo had a long time getting their shit together. They started up in 1973 with the vision of starting a band with sci-fi themes, letting in plenty of satirical social commentary. They chose their name from the topic of "de-evolution" a term used to explain the path that humanity is taking. Just look around you or peruse the internet for a while, and you will see what they mean. Two of the founding members, Bob Lewis & Gerald Casale, were so smitten with the idea they published cartoons and the like of the topic around Kent University, the school they were attending for the arts. They met fellow Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh, who was part of a different band at the time but played around with Casale and Lewis in their vision of starting up a joke band. Following the Kent State Massacre, Devo went from a bunch of dudes joking around with instruments in hand to a band now with a reason to play their obscenities to their classmates. Their first name was the "Sextet Devo" and they took in Gerald's brother Bob into the fold and some other buddies, but that name only stuck for one show that they did at the Kent State performing arts festival. They dropped the idea of being a 6-piece and solidified it to 4 members, which had people come and go, and took on the name Devo. They were putting out very homemade, artsy movies, one of which won the Ann Arbor Film Festival and also gained the attention of both Neil Young and David Bowie. Bowie had a big role in getting the band started up in the music industry and took it upon himself to start talking to people to get Devo in the studio. They released their first single, "Mongoloid" in 1977 with the fan favorite "Jocko Homo" (not as insensitive as it sounds) on the B-side. While that was fine and well, it was their next song, a cover of the Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" that had people perking up their ears to listen. While that song is a cover, it hardly even seems like the same song, but that is alright since the writer, Mick Jagger, said he liked what they did with their song.

     Devo was so out there it was hard to not notice them, kind of like that nutty tweaker on the street you want to watch but know if you make eye contact they are going to beeline it to you. They would even go so far in shows as to play "Jocko Homo" for 30-minute sets, repeating the same part over and over again until the crowd was trying to climb the stage to strangle them. Being an annoyance is just what Devo was put on this earth to do, but they did it with a special artsy frill you couldn't help but love them. Anyway, their debut rolled out in 1978 and gained them pretty wide recognition. The album was a moderate success, peaking at the 12th spot in the UK and the 78th in the states. It did what debuts are meant to do, get your name out there and show that you are worth the populace's hard-earned dollars to buy your albums and go see you live. Devo melded the comedic nature of their vision with the musical landscape of the time. That debut of theirs is often regarded as one of the greatest new wave albums to ever hit the scene, a statement I fully agree with. They took that fame and dished out another 3 studio albums, all of which charted strongly and spurred tracks that got a repeat slot on plenty of stations and a spot of pride on MTV. They had the kind of music videos that you get lost in and quickly would call up your pals to say "what the fuck did I just see?!" so it isn't shocking. Our song of the day comes off their fifth studio album, the fittingly titled Oh, No! It's Devo. Ugly as sin album cover aside, the album is a good one. By this point the band lost a good chunk of that punker backing and went deeper into the dance pop sound that was literally shaking the floors across the world. Devo is a strong force in 1980s music since it appealed to the clubs as much as it appealed to the pimple-faced dweebs in schools nationwide. Devo got plenty of hate too, but that hate was a good chunk of their bread and butter. Even bad coverage is still free coverage. Oh, No! It's Devo was made for the rough critics and those that didn't like the band. They titled the album after what people might be saying when they hear that Devo is putting out another album. In reviews, Devo was called both fascists and clowns which got the band thinking, "what would a record sound like by fascist clowns?" and there we have it. You can tell your friends at work that you listened to a song by fascist clowns, you're welcome. As always, Devo puts something out that is equally dorky and thought-provoking. I gotta give them credit for using comedy as a form to broach touchy subjects and those that take a little more open thinking. I doubt it worked; those that don't use their brains often don't listen to lyrics, but there is always hope. For example, "I Desire" made up its lyrics with direct pulls from John Hinckley Jr., that crazy cat that tried to kill President Reagan to impress actress Jodi Foster, who he never knew. Good choice in chick, terrible choice in execution (no pun intended). Unless... I've been doing this wrong... Maybe he is onto something. All jokes. Anyway, just goes to show that Devo was down to do something they wanted to do, even if it caused them some drama. Our song of the day, "That's Good" is one of the greatest from the album, if not the shining gem off the whole thing. The song revolves around the theme of "if everybody wants what you want, then how will everyone get it? So change what you want to get what you want". Do with that what you will. The song ran into more Devo branded controversy with it being one of the first music videos on MTV to get censored since it has images of a french fry going into a donut and then a naked girl (shoulders up) having a little too good of a time. Very Devo. Spoiler alert: the french fy breaks in half and leaves the girl disappointed. Anyway, "That's Good" is more similar to the commercial hits like "Whip It" and "Girl U Want" than that of the more out there tracks of Devo's, hence why it is still one of their most popular. Catchy as fuck. Well written lyrics, even if they are repetitive much in pop fashion. The song comes in fun and ends abruptly, which always makes me want to play it again and again. For Devo's first song on the website, we chose one of their greatest, in my opinion. Hope you dig it! If you don't, well, come back tomorrow and see what I have for you. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1982
Album: Oh, No! It's Devo (1982)
Genre: Synth Pop
Mood: Quirky
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Fun nights at home, Fun nights on the town, Commuting
Where To Next: "Girlfriend Is Better" - Talking Heads
Rating: 8 / 10

"Killing for Company" - Swans

     Aaaah the Swans, a band that forever pushes boundaries and forever cannot stay in one place. It is strange to imagine that the Swans are a hidden gem in numerous ways. They are gods of the underground music world. Innovation is the name of the game with the Swans, and through that innovation they helped kick-start plenty of styles and sounds. Today's choice is an odd one to use to explain that, but I still stand by their first selection. Truth be told, Swans are pretty new to me; I only started getting into them when I was doing my studies of the 1980s a couple of years back. What I find funny about the band is where they show up in my studies. The way that I set it up is I separate rock, country, punk, and metal and go through the genres one by one on a revolving day schedule. When I did the 1960s, I was doing each genre until it was complete for that year, which I think made me miss out on some great tracks and also sort of burn through it since I grew bored. Now that I am thousands of albums and even more songs into my studies, I finally got it down, and it was in the 1980s that I figured it out fully, so I never tired of any sound or style that might have consumed the decade. For the Swans, I would see them in my punk section one year, metal the next, rock for the next couple, and then back to metal before jumping over to punk. I guess that is to be expected since they are one of the most potent from the experimental rock category. Mostly Swans sticks in noise rock, industrial, and the post-rock and post-punk genres. They were one of the first to come along with a countermovement to new wave music in the 1980s, a genre fittingly called no wave. No wave is some real dirty shit, and I don't mean lyrically; I mean atmospherically. It is meant to be grimy in response to the sparkly sound that came out of new wave. If you want to hear that style, I suggest Swan's debut album Filth which came out in 1983. I am conflicted on my stance on this album, some songs really knock me dead and the others honestly bother me. I have admittedly always had a problem with noise rock. I gotta be in the right mood to listen to it properly, and I am often not in that mood. Still, Filth has some really heavy tracks, and that is what I go to that one for. It is even a respected album in the metal genre, some calling it an early example of sludge and industrial metal. Filth features some very dark lyricism, something that complements their sound but sickens your stomach. There is an appeal there, that shock appeal that has you feeling icky after the album comes to a close. Their next studio album, Cop, is another with the same themes and atmosphere. For Cop, it is a little more industrial, but not in the dancing way, more like the industrial machines you hear at the start of a workplace disaster video. Now, their third album steps away from some of the disgusting sound of their previous albums. Greed is a little easier to get into, but without that set sound they brought forth from a depraved mind, I find it to be a little lacking. It feels like eating sweet pancakes after drinking more than half a bottle of rotgut whiskey. Though, if you eat the pancake before drinking, you will enjoy the night better. Within three albums the band tried out plenty of styles, they released pieces of music that influenced some of the big names to come, and most importantly, they got some traction with each next album. Swans never fully found themselves too high on the charts; shit, their first time getting a spot was with their seventh studio album White Light from the Mouth of Infinity in 1991. That one only charted at #195 on the Belgium charts. It wasn't until To Be Kind in 2014 that they had an album that people were ranting about both in the underground and the mainstream. I knew of and sampled that album well before I tried the band out for size, and since that was my only time ever hearing them, I wasn't prepared for the debauchery that was their first couple. They really are an odd band.

     If I went through every single album of theirs I have listened to or sampled, we would be in for a long post. So, how about we fast forward to one of their most mellow albums, The Great Annihilator. This is the Swans 9th studio album, it came along when the band was having a little taste of fame that dribbled off the chins of mainstream music listeners. For many, they consider this album to be a true shining gem, but it isn't one that was built to chart. It hit the 149th spot on the Belgium charts. Like the grand majority of Swans albums, it honestly is a piece of art. It isn't the kind of album to listen to while having a picnic, nor one while having sex, but more so one you sit there, listen, and say "wow". Once again, I honestly chose kind of an odd track to serve as an example. "Killing for Company" brings forth that post-punk sound they helped sort of start up with their place in the no wave movement. They moved pretty heavily into the postpunk genre as time moved along, but their sound was beyond perfect to join the cause. A fairly long track for what it is, just shy of 7 minutes of repetitious yet hypnotic beats. The intro to the track lets you know pretty quickly it is to be one of those kinds of tracks. It takes almost 30 seconds before some heavily distorted guitar and bass backed by foreboding drums to break the humming. Once they come in, they create their own repetition. Now, many scold that which is repetitious, but I have always found there is an art in it. For "Killing for Company" it serves to get you fully pulled in. It is like a pocket watch swinging back and forth before your eyes get those swirls like in the cartoons. Once you are hooked, some mighty depressive vocals come in, almost reminiscent of the vocals of Ian Curtis of Joy Division. This same feeling sticks around throughout the whole song. It feels desperate, it feels lost and cold, but mostly it feels depressed. Lyrically, the song is based around the serial killer and necrophile Dennis Nilsen and his crimes. He killed his victims out of loneliness, the same loneliness that Swans perfectly execute with this song. Swans are known for their messed-up lyrics, so this is pretty tame in comparison. Who doesn't love a serial killer track? The spoken word portion of "Killing for Company" is one of the best moments, it feels like the comforting death a silver-tongued vampire serves. Luckily, Dennis Nilsen died following an unsuccessful surgery. Why the hell are we repairing what is already too damaged? I am a little cold, but have always found it odd that we give extra medical care to seriously fucked-up individuals. I mean, he wasn't held in the US, and I am not one to bash how other countries do stuff. But for us, it bothers me when I hear that sickos are getting better medical treatment than me while being kept alive for no reason. I don't deserve it, nor do they, but at least I don't kill people, bathe them, dress them up, and then keep them around my house for a while. Some seriously twisted ducklings out there; stay safe. Anyway, enough about that dude, let's get back to the band. Swans are famous in the underground for doing things their own way, be it good or be it plain awful but in a good way. The Great Annihilator is one of the good ones to say the least. A little easier to get into than some of their others. This was the second to last before the band went on a 13-year break. I have sampled To Be Kind, but haven't fully taken in any of their albums past 1996's Soundtrack for the Blind. Once I was fully getting into their varying sounds, they broke up, but it gives me time to listen to each again since each is a story of its own. It might as well be completely different bands between 1983's Filth, 1989's The Burning World, 1995's The Great Annihilator, and 2014's To Be Kind. An ever-evolving band with an ever-evolving style and lineup (outside of Michael Gira). Sorry if this post was confusing, I am feeling under the weather and couldn't keep my focus. Anyway, if you dig this track, press shuffle on the band and enjoy something different on each track. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1995
Album: The Great Annihilator (1995)
Genre: Post-Punk, Gothic Rock
Mood: Depraved
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Winter nights, Drinking wine by your lonesome, Murdering people I guess
Where To Next: "Day of the Lords" - Joy Division
Rating: 7 / 10

"Witch Hunt" - Rush

     Rush is quickly becoming one of the bands most often selected on AintNoisePollution. I honestly would question the vision of the website and its name if there wasn't plenty of Rush to be had here. This is their 5th time here in the song of the day section, but only their first song coming from their iconic eighth studio album, Moving Pictures. This was an album that meant the world to me for years, and still it serves as one of the best landing points within Rush's massive and critically successful career. I tend not to come to it as often now as I did back in the day, but no matter the time or track, I always stop to listen for a solid while. How could you not? This is prime rock music, rock music with a commercial leaning that can really jive with just about anybody. Well, last time I think we did a little bit of a dive into Rush's beginnings, so we will skip that. How about we talk about Rush's now? Rush is embarking on another tour this year, mainly hitting the biggest hubs, as any legendary band will. They are flying by night right over Salt Lake City after a couple of shows in Los Angeles, and then later exiting stage left after their time in Colorado to head to Washington. I do love Utah, and I especially love Salt Lake City, but it is a shame how many of the big-time bands skip over us. There is no real reason to stop by when there are bigger towns and a little less prudent locals to be had a little further down the line. SLC does always turn out and turn up for bands that come through, but still, more money to be had in California and Washington, so I can't blame them. I don't even want to imagine how much those tickets cost. It would be great to see Rush live, but with Neil Peart missing from the drum set, it just wouldn't be the same. Since we are on the topic, who are they touring with? Who could even hope to fill the shoes of such talent? For Rush's 2026 tour, they are bringing along Anika Nilles, a famous YouTuber and drum instructor. Honestly, I hadn't seen any of her videos before I started typing this up. I am not one for social media nor YouTube, but you can see its benefits. It can lead you to drumming for Rush! Well, not just anyone; you gotta be immensely talented to take that train, and when it comes to talent, it seems like Anika Nilles has it by the truckload. Nobody can ever dethrone Neil Peart; that is just one of those simple facts, but Rush still chose a solid touring musician to come along for their Fifty Something 2026 tour. If you are someone lucky enough to go see the show, be sure to send a postcard. It will be an odd tour for the band, I am sure. It is their first without Peart after all. It is good they are getting back out there, though, and I wouldn't mind if this turned into a fever for a new studio album. Rush hasn't released a new studio album since 2012's Clockwork Angels, and if they release another with even half the same quality, then it will be one worth many listens. Guess only time will tell. Once Rush's name started falling into the background during the late 1980s into the 1990s, they were smart enough to not release album after album of subpar material. There would be years between each release, and that gave everyone enough time to prepare for another goldmine of progressive rock. I think the biggest hurdle of the band releasing another album is the lyrics, something Neil Peart took care of and did it with a wisened pen. I have no doubt that the others can write great lyrics. I read Geddy Lee's book My Effin' Life a year or two back, and it is easy to see that his clever mind could do it. Plus, one of my favorite Rush tracks was written by Geddy Lee, "Cinderella Man". Lee also has had one solo album, My Favorite Headache, that released in 2000 and gives you a taste of what could be. Is it as deep as Peart? Nope. Though, it is still some solid set of lyrics that touch on some personal topics. Alex Lifeson also has a way with words, but there is no doubting that he talks best with that guitar. Lifeson had one solo album in 1996 under the pseudonym Victor that gives you a taste of what could be, too. Well, I guess we will see if the band enters the studio ever again. They really don't have to since the albums that Rush released are something of legend.

     Speaking of something legendary, how about we jump into the album that holds our song of the day? I can confidently say that many of us out there have abused this album plenty, even if just for a handful of songs. Moving Pictures saw Rush blowing up to a newfound stardom. The album achieved platinum status within two months of the album's release. It is Rush's most famous album and, more than likely, their highest-selling one. My girlfriend bought the album on vinyl, and even the record shop owner was like, "I am surprised this album didn't fly right off the shelf". Just goes to show that even now Rush's Moving Pictures is a rock staple that sells well. It holds their most famous song, "Tom Sawyer", one track that everyone out there instantly recognizes. I can think of few more iconic songs, the type that you know all the words to even if you don't listen to rock music too much. It also holds some of their other massively famous songs like "Limelight", "Red Barchetta", "Vital Signs", and one of the greatest instrumentals to date, "YYZ". There is plenty to love in this album, and based off the hits that came from it and the sales, I think everyone out there will agree. I tend to be more of a 70s Rush fan, but they lack that special something Moving Pictures has. It is a timeless album with a timeless sound. Bombastic as hell, melodic as a mother, and atmospherically sparkling clean. "YYZ" might be the most impressive song on the album to me, but when it comes to a completely all-consuming song, it is "Witch Hunt". This track has so much thought put into it that it blows my little rocker mind! A wide array of instruments paints this image of fear. The track starts off eerie and moody; tension grows with thumping drums and chimes of all sizes until the chants and shouting of a crowd come into the picture. Once Lifeson comes in with the proud guitar work, the stage is set. "Witch Hunt" is the first song from the band's fear series. The others are as follows: "The Weapon", "The Enemy Within", and "Freeze". It is a treat to listen to them all in order; check it out if you find the time. Time is what you always need for Rush, even if Moving Pictures was the first Rush album with cut short tracks in comparison to the goliaths that were included on the band's previous albums. That doesn't mean that Moving Pictures doesn't have any long ones since "Camera Eye" comes in at 11 minutes, but they attempted something a little less difficult to get into for the casual music listener, and it worked. Anyway, "Witch Hunt" is one intense track. There is always something lurking there, and the still of the night feeling of the song is so intense you can hear your own heartbeat while it plays. I chose the track while driving in the thick of Salt Lake City's first snowstorm of the season. I live on the top of a big ass hill in the city, and to get up it felt like a quest. A matter of life and death to take Queen Mocha the dog out to potty on my lunch break. What typically takes me 35 minutes took a good bit over an hour to see it through. This song really matched the stressful feeling of slipping and sliding on the interstate. Visibility was quite low, and as anyone who lives in a snowy area knows, snow muffles sound to a strange silence. "Witch Hunt" also muffles sound in the strangest way. It was a match made in heaven! A memorable drive, to say the least, and a lot of that came from Rush. I will admit, "Witch Hunt" did not help keep my stress levels down, if anything, it boosted the stress. I can't blame the track; it was built for this kind of tension. As you could have guessed from the title of the song, it is one bathed in hatred. Funny that this song is still relevant today, but for the modern US, it would be called "Snape Hunt". The final lines of the song are my favorite, even if the earlier lyrics are the ones to build the tension.

Quick to judge, quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear, walk hand in hand

Neil Peart undeniably had a way with words, a straightforward approach with the goal of planting a seed of wisdom. Well, I hope you dig the track this go around! The deepest track from Moving Pictures, the kind of track that can please all walks of Rush and rock fans. Well, you know what to do! Play the song already and see what it is all about! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1981
Album: Moving Pictures (1981)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Mood: Tense
​Perfect For: In-depth listening, Driving in a snowstorm, Contemplating the foolishness of man
Where To Next: "The Weapon" - Rush
Rating: 9 / 10

"Wasting Love" - Iron Maiden

     Crazy to think this is only the second selection from Iron Maiden so far. There are a ton of metal bands that found critical acclaim and became absolute legends in the metal world in the 1980s, but I can think of few who had so many hit albums and still even make great material today. Iron Maiden is a powerhouse for entry-level heavy metal music. I am always blown away by how many people know Iron Maiden from all age groups and musical walks; there is a known respect for the band that will never fade. You would have to be deaf and blind to miss Iron Maiden; their imagery is almost as famous as their music. I am certain that everyone here reading this post today knows a good handful of tracks from them, and even more of us know a ton. When it comes to heavy metal, there are varying degrees of heaviness, and those degrees reflect how entry-level they are. Iron Maiden is one of the lowest degrees. Still heavy as all get-out, but still there is a commercial sound there that has had them making more and more fans each and every year since their break out album The Number of the Beast in 1982. Their signature style is one that had one of the biggest impacts on heavy metal music. From the iconic bass work, the galloping rhythm, crazy intense drumming, dual guitar work (even three guitarists at one point), and heavy metal staple vocals from Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden became one of the gods of heavy metal. A band that showed the glory of the metal to a whole generation, and that generation went out and replicated it in their own way, and then more people replicated their take on the Iron Maiden style, and the rest is history. Most come to Iron Maiden for the Bruce Dickinson era of the band, which is fair since that is their ultimate form, but impressively, Iron Maiden has had two other singers during their fame, and it didn't completely sink the ship. When Blaze Bayley joined in, the ship almost did sink, but that isn't due to Bayley's lack of skill since he is a great singer, but more so that the magic of the Dickinson sound is where it is at. I personally really love the band's first two albums, which feature original vocalist Paul Di'Anno and a young Iron Maiden that focused more on speed than melody. There is a substantial amount of genuinely outstanding Iron Maiden songs; the majority of their albums are all stellar, and even their live albums are a treat for the ears. I can't overstate how important this band was both to me and to heavy metal music. They are legends and will forever be tied to the heavy metal genre. Alright, alright, enough sucking off the band. Our choice for the day is "Wasting Love", one of the greatest from the band's 9th studio album, Fear of the Dark. Everyone always talks about Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, and the majority of their other 1980s releases, but if there is one that stands above all the others from the 1990s onward, it is Fear of the Dark. This was the band's longest studio release of its time, and that can sometimes be a worry. If you know what I mean, you know what I mean. Double albums can sometimes be a whole lot of filler, but that is not the case for Fear of the Dark. From start to finish, the album seriously knocks you dead! We have the tracks that go for your throat like "Be Quick or Be Dead" that show off just why Maiden is metal royalty. Tracks like "Wasting Love" that bring in a softer side to the band, serving as an enchanting breather track. Then there are the shining gems of the album, the ones that feel like they rose from the grave to give you a truly unique ride. Those tracks are the title track, "Afraid to Shoot Strangers", and "Judas Be My Guide", but none pull off that cold draft in summer feeling like "Fear of the Dark". Throughout my life I have turned many people on to Iron Maiden, they are an easy sell after all, but no other track of theirs has been such a hit as "Fear of the Dark". People love that track! How could you not? There has never been anything else like it in Iron Maiden's long career, and the same can be said about the vast majority of heavy metal bands out there. A truly one of a kind track that will have you falling deeply in love with the band. While that track is a 10/10 song that leaves a blade deep in your earhole, I tend to come to Fear of the Dark for wide variety of phenomenal styles from one of the best in the metal game.

     Fear of the Dark released in 1992, it gave Iron Maiden their second wind since their previous studio album, No Prayer for the Dying, fared poorly with fans in comparison to the band's dead ringers they had released before, even if No Prayer for the Wicked features the band's only UK #1 hit with "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter". Fear of the Dark marked many firsts and lasts for the band. This was the first album to have Steve Harris producing the full album. Don't tell me you don't know who Steve Harris is! He is the bassist and founder of Iron Maiden; it is his vision that has led Iron Maiden to legendary status. When it comes to a bassist that pretty well wrote the book on heavy metal bass work, it is Steve Harris, and he would have his face and iconic "shoot em down" stage stance on the front and back of that sucker. It was Harris that had a barn outfitted into a building that this album was recorded in, and he also wrote more than half of the lyrics to Fear of the Dark. Once again, this was Iron Maiden's first double LP studio album with its hefty playing time, which is just shy of an hour long. The bonus disc that came with the 1995 reissue adds another 35 minutes, and I do suggest taking those tracks in too since half are damn fine covers, my favorite being their cover of Montrose's "Space Station No. 5". This was the first album to feature a power ballad, our song of the day, "Wasting Love". Don't wince when you hear that Iron Maiden did a power ballad. It is very much still in their own style and allows some seriously mean right hooks to keep your heavy metal heart sated. This was the first Iron Maiden album cover to not be done by Derek Riggs, this time it was Melvyn Grant's first time putting out his version of Eddie for the album art. His depiction of this grotesque Eddie is one of my favorites. I have been a longtime fan of this album cover; I think I like it more than any of the others. It hardly looks like the Eddie we know and love from the previous albums, but still, the artwork is top-notch and always sort of creeps me out. Great color usage too; it really explains what is on this album before you even spin it, a perfect complement to the title track, "Fear of the Dark". Anyway, this post will be huge if I pick apart this album, maybe next time, but for now let's jump into "Wasting Love". "Wasting Love" is the 6th track on the album, and like I mentioned earlier, it is the perfect resting point in the middle of the album. It was the third single to be released from Fear of the Dark and shows off how Iron Maiden did some experimenting with their sound in the album. A much more chill track, something not unreal from Maiden, but they typically didn't do it in a power ballad way, they usually did a progressive approach to tell you a story with a whirlwind of ups, downs, and all arounds. "Wasting Love" is pretty straightforward; even the guitar solos aren't there to melt your flesh but more so to make you think. To make you feel. Still an impressive as hell instrumental bit, something I always look forward to. Lyrically the song revolves around the theme of sex and the loneliness brought about by it when that sex isn't with someone special. A different approach to sex lyricism, but one that is more impactful than just another song about fucking. You wouldn't even be able to fully tell what the song is about unless you look at the lyrics, another wise move since it is a message that should be whispered more than shouted for the best results. The song was written by vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Janick Gers. "Wasting Love" is one of the many outstanding songs on Fear of the Dark. Another thing I really do love about this album is how it aged. Iron Maiden's first two albums aged strangely since they are heavily dipped in the early heavy metal style. The core 1980s Maiden material with Dickinson aged great, but they have this little feeling of being out of its time. Now, Fear of the Dark could have been released yesterday, in the 1980s, or in the next 13 years and still have this same timeless impact. So many good songs on this one! Songs that aged greatly and will forever be one of Iron Maiden's greatest achievements, as far as I am concerned. Alright, that is enough out of me. I haven't had a "rant and rave" post for a while, I tend to avoid them now, but I simply couldn't help myself with this song and album. Give the track a try and see if you like this side of Iron Maiden, I bet you will. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1992
Album: Fear of the Dark (1992)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Mood: Hopeful
​Perfect For: Driving, Casual listening, Self reflection
Where To Next: "Phoenix Rising" - Annihilator
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Love You Love Me Love" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

     Welcome back! For today we have our second Joan Jett track here on AintNoisePollution. This time around it is a love song, "I Love You Love Me Love", a song that challenges how many times you can say "love" in one chorus. We will get to that, though. First, let's talk a little bit about our Queen of Rock n Roll. Joan Jett is an icon in the rock and punk world, being one of the first iconic female musicians in rock music. She cofounded the Runaways, an all-girl rock group that pushed the boundaries of what women could do in hard rock and even what they could do in a polished-up punk rock sound. The Runaways are one of those groups you should never overlook; they have an impressive amount of simply kick-ass songs from their 4 studio albums and one live album. The Runaways also served as a launching point for Lita Ford and, obviously, Joan Jett. The other members used what they gained in the Runaways to move into film or live a quiet life doing what they love. For Jett and Ford, they kept the fire up and released some definitive tracks of the 1980s. The Runaways never found too much fame upon their own shore but still gained a huge cult following, and as the years moved on, there are plenty of modern music listeners reaching back into their great studio albums. They mainly had themes revolving around youth, rebellion, and being bad girls, a market that sold quite well in Japan (go figure). Those lyrics struck true since the band found their fame while still being teenagers, another achievement from the band since that had hardly been done before. It is a shame that there were differing visions for the band and issues with money, among other things, I would have loved to hear more from the Runaways. Joan Jett put together her first album after the band fell out, but nobody was biting. Since she knew she had something, she opened up her own label and released her self titled debut solo album in 1980. She got signed by Boardwalk Records soon after, and they rereleased it under the name Bad Reputation, and yes, that album holds that thrilling as hell title track. I have a deep fondness for that debut. It is true to the bone Joan Jett, and she plays from the heart. One thing I have always really liked about Joan Jett in comparison to the other female artists out there is where her influences come into play with the style of the time. That debut brings in plenty of that glam rock and balances it out with touches of punk rock, rock n roll, cleaned-up new wave, and girl group pop reminiscent of the 1960s. She does an impressive job of creating her own sound, even on the covers in which there are plenty of on that album. Jett sang, wrote a lot of the lyrics, and played rhythm guitar. She was backed by some big names from all over the musical spectrum. A great debut, and one that I jump into more often than her others. The rerelease of that album came along in 1981 in January, and her second studio album came out in November of the same year. A hard-working lass, that Joan Jett, she released two completely killer albums and practically stole 1981. That second album is her most famous. You know it, you love it, I give to you I Love Rock 'n Roll! An essential album, to say the least. I Love Rock 'n Roll was the first to include Joan Jett's backing band, the Blackhearts. The Blackhearts have had a ton of lineup changes, but this album holds the ultimate version and the one who was included alongside Joan Jett in the Rock Hall of Fame. Joan Jett had been a longtime fan of the song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" which was originally recorded by the hidden gems the Arrows in 1975. She had been performing it for years before it got its place on one of her albums, and since then it has become a bona fide Joan Jett classic. So much so that many people don't even know that it wasn't originally her song. Brings us back to the topic of our last post, sometimes it is a double sided dagger to have a legend cover your tracks. I love both versions, but there really is no denying that the Joan Jett version is better. The way she handles her bad girl demeanor with those lyrics always give me chills, innocent chills I might add. That one song is worth buying the whole album, but lucky us, there are still plenty of other kick-ass songs, 9 others to be exact. This is one album that I suggest listening to the version that features the bonus tracks, since that just adds more to love.

     I could go on and on about how kick-ass that album is, and the rest of her material, but we would be here all night. Joan Jett was already a name people knew in the Runaways, but her solo work blew her up to an iconic status, more so than any other member from the Runaways. Her musical vision is unique and bold but is met with an easy to get behind commercial appeal that puts her up there with the best women in rock music history. I wouldn't be shocked if she is at the top of the list. I Love Rock 'n Roll sold marvelously, and with the support of the hit songs off her debut, she now had some wiggle room to release another album with a sound of her choosing. That came in the form of the album called... well... Album. Album released in 1983 and was met with a little less acclaim. The album still sold well but only achieved the gold status and peaked at #20 on the charts. I will admit it is a little bit of a downgrade in comparison to her fabulous I Love Rock 'n Roll, but who cares? I love how Album is a little more aggressive, and while I adore Joan Jett's masterful working of covers, it is refreshing to hear more original material which her first two albums had few of. Still a good one, and one that anyone moving through Joan Jett's discography cannot miss. Now that she caught your speakers on fire with Album in 1983, it was time to apologize with some puppy dog eyes and release her next album, Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth, in 1984. This one is a bit more tame; it focuses on a more mature sound that brings back a lot of her glam rock backing. None show that off better than the cover of Gary Glitter's "I Love You Love Me Love", our song of the day. Gary Glitter is one of the greatest examples of glam rock, a genre that found a ton of fame with their outlandish dressing style and a style heavily dipped in the more obscure yet poppy side of music. They served up a culture of their own, often playing around with gender identities and sexualities well before any other genre proudly did it. The UK was the breeding ground for that more underground style, though there were plenty of bands that did break through like David Bowie, T. Rex, Sweet, Slade, and plenty of others. The US answered it with groups like the New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, and Suzi Quatro, though they didn't hit the same stride and often got thrown in with art rock or punk. Anyway, this is one of my favorites from Joan Jett, right there alongside one of my other all-time favorites of hers, "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" which are both covers of Gary Glitter. His music is great, but as a person, Gary Glitter is a scumbag. I will let you do your own research on that one; we are here to talk of Joan Jett. Anyway, this is the second track from Glorious Results of Misspent Youth, and it is also the most famous from it. "I Love You Love Me Love" was the leading single off the album, a grand choice even though her record label was having a hard time getting a single off the album. They dropped the name to "I Love You Love" since the title was too long, something I can agree with but at the same time like about this song. That chorus that says "love" 13 times is damn catchy, and a lot of that is due to how many times it says it. If you are someone who hates love songs, well, do I have bad news for you. This one is so sweet it will give you cavities. Gary Glitter found a ton of success with the track, much more than Joan Jett, but I think hers is better. It could be since a lady is singing it, but that Joan Jett touch always improves a song. I am a fool for a strong girl vocalist that still allows some of the sensitive songs onto the album, and we have that strongly here with "I Love You Love Me Love", even if Joan Jett isn't the one who wrote it. The atmosphere of this track is very much before its time, but Joan Jett was never afraid to bring in old styles. With Joan Jett on vocals, it brings it back into the 1980s, and with the track being a little more fast-paced than the original, it keeps with the speedy nature of the 1980s rock world. Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth has its ups and downs, but our song of the day is one worth every second of its playing time. It is the type of song that will get stuck in your head for a long ass time, just too catchy! So, why don't you see for yourself? All it takes is a couple of minutes. Feel that youthful love feeling again, brought to you by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1984
Album: Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (1984)
Genre: Power Pop
Mood: Cutesy
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Romanticism, Planning dates, Writing love letters
Where To Next: "What I Like About You" - The Romantics
Rating: 8 / 10

"The Other Song" - Spirit

     If there is one classic rock band that really doesn't get the respect they deserve in the modern day, it is Spirit. The band has found a pretty passionate following ever since their debut hit the market in 1968. A self titled debut that serves as one of the most unique and driving psychedelic rock albums to date. They have plenty more outside some classic gems; they also have some heavily influential tracks that would inspire many bands, infamously so like Led Zeppelin. Many say that guitarist of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, ripped off the memorable guitar intro to "Stairway to Heaven". An intro that is almost identical to Spirit's "Taurus". I am not one of those that constantly hound Led Zeppelin for borrowing things and am a staunch believer that all bands and genres borrow from each other. It is just how art works; it is that way in almost all forms of art, and it always seems to be the legends that get the most backlash from it. Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin wrote plenty of original material that then got borrowed, stolen, and sampled a ton of times by many artists, but nobody tar and feathers them. Still, the guitar parts of "Taurus" which is a moody instrumental heavily influenced early Led Zeppelin, who were currently opening for Spirit during a small portion of their North American leg of the tour supporting their debut self titled album in 1968. Zeppelin would sample a couple of other things from Spirit, but I don't fault them. If there is a band that is more than worthy to find inspiration from and tweak some of their guitar work for your own, it would be Spirit. I am sure everyone who knows the infamous "Taurus" vs. "Stairway to Heaven" debate knew it was going to show up on this post, and I think that is a large portion of why "Taurus" is Spirit's most streamed song on Spotify. I can't solely say that is why, since it is a beautiful, albeit short, instrumental track, but it will lure in plenty of new fans. Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise to have your song sampled or covered by legends. It keeps your song forever relevant, and your name too, but you lose your song. Elvis Presley is a prime example of just that. When the king covers your song, it almost becomes his. Not exactly fair, but at the same time, there will be fans showing up to listen to your songs well after you're buried six feet deep because a legend has covered one of your songs. I feel bad for some of them, but in the end, I am happy. I have studied music religiously for the last 18 years of my life, and I can tell you one simple truth. People move on. An artist who broke new ground and sold records so fast you would think they were on fire will naturally become a beacon of the past. A past that people don't care about since there is always something new. A lot of the reason I started up AintNoisePollution was to keep those artists in the spotlight, or for them to find new fans even well after they passed or the band broke up. Elvis covering some songs, Led Zeppelin ripping off a guitar intro, and even hip hop sampling songs from many years back all serve the same purpose as my little corner of the internet. Sure, I don't make any money from this; shit if anything, I lose money, so I can see how you gotta give credit (and royalties) where it is due, but from an artistic standpoint, I would consider it an honor. Easy for me to say, but still, I will die on this hill. If an artist says, "yup, I wrote that just last night" then that would be a different thing. Led Zeppelin was taken to court for "Stairway to Heaven" and walked away victors; art copies each other it is a simple fact. Damn, this post was certainly not supposed to go this way, but here we are. Let's bring it back in. Spirit never hit big-time fame, but who needs that fame? What they did have was a passionate fan base and a style that was stronger and better put together than the majority of bands out there at the time. Their style brought jazz into psychedelic rock, folk into world music, pop into classical, and progressive rock into the blues. A competent style that shows off why they were such a hit in the artsy crowds and those that preferred LPs more than singles. 

     In their time they released 14 studio albums and a hearty handful of live ones. Only 5 albums charted above the 100 line, and their fourth album, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, was the highest charter. When it comes to Spirit, I have made it all the way up until their 1989 studio album Rapture in the Chambers but have yet to make it further into their discography. As someone who typically sticks within their 1968 to 1975 material, I am well versed in those albums. Shit, that debut of theirs out of 1968 and 1972's Feedback were go-tos of mine during my psychedelic phase of my youth. Those albums are great for solo trips, they will completely rearrange your psyche, and you will walk away feeling squeaky clean and new. A laxative of tripping, if you will. What? That sounds like an insult? I would say quite the opposite, those albums really help you get things off your chest. They aren't nearly as stressful of trips as Pink Floyd, not as carefree as Grateful Dead trips, and they aren't as depressive as Alice in Chains trips. They are something refined, a sipping kind of sound in comparison to taking it as shots. Fine, a cognac of tripping, if you will. Better? Anyway, our song of the day comes off a sort of hidden gem of theirs, Son of Spirit. With "The Other Song" being one of their most played songs, how could this album be a hidden gem? My question exactly. Honestly, I was shocked to find this was one of their most played songs. I use Spotify like I use oxygen. I am sure those fuckers hate me over at Spotify HQ, but even with all that, I rarely go to artists pages. I have built such a vast collection of playlists that I am mainly in the "library" tab. So, when I made my choice to have this Spirit track be my song of the day, I was indeed shocked to see the song near the top of their most popular songs. To further my curiosity, it isn't even the song off the album; it is the one included in the 1997 compilation of their recordings under Mercury Records. Was "The Other Song" used in a movie recently or something? Maybe the song is more famous than I gave it credit for. The version that comes from Son of Spirit has hardly any plays in comparison. Well, who knows, but I do wonder if "The Other Song" was included on something or what. That doesn't mean it isn't worthy of that stream count, boy howdy does this song deserve it, it is one simplistically exotic track. "The Other Side" is a tried and true deadringer for getting messed up. The first sweep of that groovy guitar sent off by a quiet "now listen to this" always gives me chills. Even being someone who now hardly sparks up a bowl, and certainly left the harder stuff behind, I get high from just hearing this track. Could it be the abuse of stuff while this song played? Probably. But I would imagine even a newborn baby would be floating away if this song was playing. If I ever have a kid, I will test it with good headphones on full blast! "The Other Side" is obviously the song that did best from Son of Spirit modernly, and as someone who has listened to the album plenty of times, it is certainly the shining jewel. I do have a love for the following track off the album "Yesterday" which is a good Beatles cover, but "The Other Side" always steals my breath. A great intro gets you floating, then the jazz break at 2:43 brings you right back down to earth to boogie. While the guitar work of Randy California runs the show of the majority of Spirit, I wanna give my love to drummer Ed Cassidy. That dude is an underrated genius behind those sticks. He is the thing that lets the guitar groove along, the spice in that rum. "The Other Song" is only 5:31 minutes long, but it feels like you lived a whole lifetime in its unsettling sound. Each and every time I listen to this song I feel empty after it leaves. It's like not wanting to take the last bite of cheesecake since you know it will be gone. All great things must come to an end, and the same is to be said about "The Other Song". A lot of power only coming from a three-piece band. Son of Spirit is an album that feels like a band trying to hold on to that last bit of fame. It was Spirit's first album to completely miss the charts, and it didn't get much better following it. Not because the album is lacking, but like the start of this post poked at, the beat goes on, something new comes, and something old goes. The simple circle of life. Well, do your part! Keep the spirit of Spirit alive and well! Spin the track, you will be more than pleased. I should warn you, if you are one prone to getting lost in the clouds, then listen to this track when you are home and safe. You will float away; I am not even joking. I typed this whole post in the ozone layer. Send help. Give the song a spin! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1975
Album: Son of Spirit (1975)
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Jazz Fusion
Mood: Tranquil
​Perfect For: Getting high, Listening to in a dark room, Waking up, Bird watching, Rainy days
Where To Next: "Unwind with the Clock" - Strawberry Alarm Clock
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Would for You" - Jane's Addiction

     Welcome! We have some Jane's Addiction for you today. I am honestly pretty shocked that this is only their second time on the website, the other being "Been Caught Stealing" which was featured here last summer. Jane's Addiction has a fairly small discography for how famous they are. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter how many albums you have, but how great they are. For Jane's Addiction, their albums are mostly all great! They were trendsetters nearing the end of the 1980s. I have always found their songs and albums to jive better with the alternative rock sound of the 1990s than practically anything that came out of the 1980s. They were ahead of their time, but each genre or musical sensation needs someone to kick it off, and that is Jane's Addiction in the case of the 1990s alternative rock style. Jane's Addiction only released 4 studio albums, and 3 live albums. Their debut was a live album, a bold step since that tends not to go well for the majority of bands out there. I think the only way you can successfully pull that off is to either have an iconic one or already have a cult following. Jane's Addiction had both with that debut self titled live album. If there is such a thing as an underrated Jane's Addiction album, it would be that debut. I went a couple of years as a fan before even realizing it was there, something that shocked me and had me praying to the gods of rock n roll for forgiveness. Which led me to my first blood sacrifice, that poor cat, and that poor neighbor! Probably still looking for it. Just kidding. I went a while thinking Nothing's Shocking was their debut, I didn't even know there was an album that came before. In my defense, I was still in the starting days of my studies at the age of 10 or so, and streaming services were still in their early days. The discography that I totally legit and totally didn't pirate didn't even include that debut for some reason, so it wasn't until I put my research into the band that I noticed it. Anyway, that debut shows early versions of some of their best tracks; songs like "Jane Says" and "Pigs in Zen" would later become some of their most impactful songs. In comparison to the studio versions, there is something left to desire, but you still gotta love that rawness of the live versions. I am more there for the two covers that come near the end of the album. They do a damn fun version of "Rock & Roll" which is one of my favorite tracks to hear covered. It was originally released by the Velvet Underground and has since been covered by plenty of great names like Mitch Ryder and my favorite version, which comes from the all-girl powerhouse, The Runaways. Not only did they cover Velvet Underground, but they also took a bold stab at "Sympathy for the Devil" from the Rolling Stones. That song is always a hard one to cover, and I haven't really heard anyone do it justice, but the Jane's Addiction version does have some appeal. I would say it is one of the better versions of the track, but there is simply no beating the original for that one. It really is a unique song, even with it not being anything too new. You can't properly cover "Free Bird", "Stairway to Heaven", or "Sympathy for the Devil", it is just the way it is. But Jane's Addiction still did the song justice, and better yet, they made it their own with the infamous vocal spasms of Perry Farrell. Their studio debut came a year later, the highly influential Nothing's Shocking, in 1988. It came along at the perfect time to help the changing rock and alternative rock sound into the next decade. It was a taster for what was to come, and people loved the taste they got. That album holds some seriously potent songs, and from start to finish that album is a complete joy to listen to. I have never gotten sick of it, and I have listened to that puppy well over 150 times throughout my life. I come back to it when I get the time, and all the songs from it have their place on the majority of my playlists.

     I could keep talking about how great their albums are, even the touch overrated Strays (2003) and the great comeback album The Great Escape Artist (2011), but that would be one big-ass post. Plus, Jane's Addiction is the kind of band I hardly need to introduce. I think all of us have had an experience in one way or another with Jane's Addiction playing, probably inebriated too. So, we will press that rewind button and head on back to that debut of theirs since it holds our song of the day, "I Would for You". For those that live under a rock and haven't listened to a Jane's Addiction album, I will let you know that there are always these spacey and moody tracks on those albums. For their self titled, the best comes in the form of "I Would for You". This song was mellowly playing at a bookshop in downtown SLC, a place that suited its floating feeling well. Or maybe not floating. What would you call this? Head in the clouds, feet on the floor? Worn down? Sort of feels like when you haven't slept for a day or two, emotionally irrational with too little energy to act upon those emotions. Well, whatever you call it, it was meant for this bookstore. I had a couple for Valentine's, which is to be expected. Sorry Andy Williams, you almost had a winner, but it wasn't your kind of romance that was needed this time; we had Jane's Addiction serving it up. Lyrically, the song is a love track, but with that Jane's Addiction lyrical rambling on. Random things are thrown in there, but they still come back to that main theme on repeat. This is one of the tracks to show off that Jane's Addiction really was a visionary in the alternative rock world, this one is closer than the majority of their others with that 1980s alternative sound. The mellow bass lines give a The Cure feeling, while their later stuff gave off a The Cult feeling. I would suggest this album if only so you could listen to this deep and mellow track. A great one, a little romantic, a little road-worn, a little real, a little mystery. The song has another version that showed up on the 1986 Radio Tokyo demo tape, which you can hear on the 1991 compilation Live and Rare. Still a solid version, but I still prefer the one that shows up on that debut. Anyway, it is fun to see Jane's Addiction at the start of their soon to be critically acclaimed run. They were honestly short-lived, especially for their prime years, but there is simply no denying how much impact the band had. It isn't all too shocking to see how they lured in a passionate fanbase, and that fanbase still grows with each new sun. They were a group that was responsible for spawning all sorts of unfelt emotions for me as a kid. It is always a trip into the past to hear one of their first three albums. I burned many a mile to "Mountain Song" playing loud, slept like a baby while "Classic Girl" played on, loaded a pipe to "Stop!", and spent many a summer afternoon getting baked by the sun with "Jane Says" playing. Ritual de lo Habitual and Nothing's Shocking were practically the soundtrack to my youth. I still find new memories with them as an adult, much like what happened with our song of the day at a bookstore. Here's to many more memories with Jane's Addiction for the both of us. If this is your first time hearing them, the millionth, or if you just remembered how much you loved these guys, this is a calling to listen to their albums! You are in for a gooooood time! In that I have no doubt. For today, it is "I Would for You", a great hidden gem from the band. Press play, close your eyes, float away, and as always, enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1987
Album: Jane's Addiction (1987)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Dreamy
​Perfect For: After sex talks, Romantic days, Mellow dates, Casual listening, Late night cigarettes
Where To Next: "Pets" - Porno for Pyros
Rating: 7 / 10

"Wake Up Stop Dreaming" - Wang Chung

     Well, time for some musical whiplash! We had two that served as hidden gems to the nu metal and rap metal world. For today, we have something immensely dance forward. Honestly, this track is a bit of an oddity from my large collection of songs. I love some dancing music, but I am more fond of those that are earthy and often depressive. I find my fun in the mellow tones as much as those that are fueled by fire and brimstone, so there really isn't too much room for dancing music. Still, I make time for it, be it in disco, funk, and especially in the varying pop forms that came out of the 1980s. I stand firmly on my opinion that pop music hit its highest high in the 1980s. It was a great melding of artistic expression, dance, and pop musicianship, something that hardly has popped up in such a large movement ever since. The 1980s spurred a shitload of one hit wonders, and plenty of them were from the varying pop scenes. Wang Chung is a massively known name, but they too had only a strong handful of hits. Who needs albums of hits when you have a solid couple that can outrun the majority of bands full discographies on how many times people stream that song? Wang Chung is known for the tracks "Dance Hall Days", "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", "Space Junk", and "Let's Go". They have plenty of other great songs, but those ones are for sure their bread and butter. In their time they have released 7 studio albums, one of which charted strongly globally. Personally, I have only listened to two of their albums throughout my lifetime, but those selected albums have gotten a ton of love. Like many in the dance music world, it was a rough start. Wang Chung started up in 1980, but they had a couple of bands before that who never got a taste of fame. Did you know that their signature song, "Dance Hall Days", was originally a commercial failure? They were releasing material under the name Huang Chung at the time and didn't have too much of a following, so you cannot fault them, but it is funny to imagine. We all know "Dance Hall Days", it is a song that is synonymous with 1980s pop and it's aesthetic, but I guess the world wasn't ready for its initial release in 1982. All it needed was one more year when they rereleased the song as a single to hype up their second album (and best, if you ask me) Points on the Curve. Like many of us, it was "Dance Hall Days" that got me into Wang Chung. I think I first heard it on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when I was a kid, and it has been one of those tracks that have followed me around ever since. Talk about a peaceful and weightless track, got to love it! When I got a little older and found myself really into Tears for Fears, I followed up my discography run of theirs with a sampling of Wang Chung. That led me to listening to Points on the Curve for the first time. Honestly, I think I was a little too young for when I first played that one. Not because the album was too intricate or too mature for a 12 year old, but I still missed some of the point of it. I enjoyed it but moved on to greener pastures. Years would pass, still listening to "Dance Hall Days" solely, before I tried the album out for size again. This time around I found something of merit, something that was mighty impressive. Points on the Curve is a great album, one that doesn't ask for much other than some of your attention. Great for being in the background, and if you are one to listen to each detail of it, you will find yourself taken away. After hearing that album, I decided I should probably listen to their follow-up album the next day, and that was my first listening of their 3rd album, To Live and Die in L.A.

     This one is an odd one. For those out there that have loved the hits of the 1980s pop hotshots and went to check out the album after, you will know what I mean. You think you know what to expect when jumping into a Wang Chung, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, or the others albums, but you don't. Each one seems to be confused in a strange way. There are the tracks you can feel were reaching for a mainstream market, those that are made for dance floors, and then those that are incredibly depressing. Sort of strange, and obviously not meant to be taken fully in in album form. That doesn't mean they don't put out good albums that are worth your dollars, but don't expect something like in rock or punk; it is something different. Punk might have different colors of M&Ms in their box, but 1980s pop has different types of M&Ms in their box; each bite is a different flavor. To Live and Die in L.A. is a good album, one I would suggest to anyone who digs synth pop or dance pop. Just know the album is also a soundtrack album for the movie of the same name, so expect some tracks that throw off the vibe. Our chosen song off the album is "Wake Up Stop Dreaming". It was the second single released from the album, and in comparison to the leading single "To Live and Die in L.A.", it was a commercial flop. I mean, the single didn't even chart, even though I would say it is the best song on the album. It is a bold track, I will admit, one of those songs that can't seem to sit still. Each minute brings in another something to mix up the pot, which could make some press that skip button. For me, I take it as a breath of fresh air since that 1980s pop can be copy and paste half the time. It is pop music after all; can't fault it for that. "Wake Up Stop Dreaming" shows off what I was talking about with how strange the albums can be once you step away from the hits. You can tell this one was run through a couple of times until they got it down perfectly. I found this track is even better with headphones so you can hear each new detail and how much is going on in the background. I love the shameless use of the drum machine, and while that could be a negative to some, I find it a positive since it adds in a nostalgic feeling. "Wake Up Stop Dreaming" almost needs to be listened to a couple of times back to back to actually hear all that is going on. I tend to get sucked up in the background so hard I don't even pay attention to the lyrics. This song makes me want to watch the movie the song was written to support. I love myself a neo-noir film, but I rarely find time to sit down and enjoy a movie. Having listened through this album a solid couple of times, I bet it is some of the reason the movie did well in the box office. A solid soundtrack and completely suck you into a movie or video game, never underestimate the power of music! Anyway, I think I talked enough in this post. So, I shall stop while I am ahead and let you get to listening. Hope you dig the song, even if it is a little different from what usually fills our playlists. It is good to shake it up though, you will never find new inspiration and memories if you don't give yourself a new soundtrack. Thanks for reading! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1985
Album: To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Genre: Pop, New Wave, Dance Pop
Mood: Gyrating
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Dancing, Chores, Relaxing
Where To Next: "The Politics of Dancing" - Re-Flex
Rating: 7 / 10

"What Are You Afraid Of" - Clawfinger

     Welcome back! Our hot pick for the day is a track from Clawfinger, a group that melds politics and rap metal almost as well as the ones that found commercial success in it, Rage Against the Machine. Now, RATM has lyrics that really make you think and piss you off. For the most part, Clawfinger drops that deep thought approach and takes on an aggressive up front stance. The classic question of who is mightier? The sword or the pen. Not saying that RATM is the pen, cause they undeniably have a sharp side, but Clawfinger is the exact idea of the sword. One thing that always shocks me is that Clawfinger comes out of Sweden. Rap metal and its ilk almost always come out of the US, which is to be expected, so it is odd that one of the pioneering bands of the genre comes from outside the country. It doesn't matter all too much, but since they have lyrical themes and imagery that rest in our shores, I think it loses them a little bit of credibility. I mean, the topics they take on, like racism, war, and civil unrest are something that is worldwide, sadly. So it doesn't matter where they came from; it's just always a shocker. Clawfinger is a fairly new band to me, I only came across them maybe 2 years back, but they instantly grabbed me with how well they meld the rapping with a heavy as hell style. Plenty of the rap metal groups put too many rap eggs in their basket, making it seem more like a statement than a potent band, but that is not the case with Clawfinger. The band formed in 1989 but didn't gain much attention until they released their debut album in 1993. Deaf Dumb Blind is one kick-ass album, and one that really doesn't explain what is within by its album cover. A colorful album cover gives the idea it will be a shoegaze album or maybe a side project by a progressive rock artist. Though what is within is something mighty serious. Strangely melodious hard rock/heavy metal filled up with aggressive lyrics. I don't know how to tiptoe around the leading single off that album, a bold name to say the least that gained them plenty of controversy. Even with a name like that, it is a through-and-through anti-racism song that is meant to get your attention. Get attention it did, and it was some of the reason the album won the Swedish Grammy Award in the hard rock category. I have never been too fond of that track, but it might honestly just make me a touch uncomfortable. For those that are going to go to the artist's page after this, don't be shocked by that track; this isn't some racist group, and that song still is good. Especially for one with a strong stance from start to finish. Anyway, Deaf Dumb Blind got people's eyes falling over this potent group out of Sweden fronting a sound that was still in the works. Plenty of nu metal and rap metal artists cite Clawfinger as a big influence, but how could you not? An aggressive style like this is bound to lure in many fans, myself included. No matter your stance on rap or hip hop, the band doesn't lean too heavily into it, they are something of their own path. Hardly rock, hardly metal, hardly rap, hardly anything other than a vessel to spread a message of love. In 1995 the band got back into the studio to record their second studio album, Use Your Brain. This time around the band chose imagery that does explain what is within the album. The album title explains the band wonderfully. They are always challenging you to truly look at yourself in the mirror. Don't like what you see? Change it. Take a look out the window and hate the sight of the flag of your country? Be the change. Do it with an album perfectly made for the revolution. Clawfinger may not be the molotov, but they are the lighter to start up the flames of change.

     Use Your Brain was the album that really got me into Clawfinger. I liked that debut, but it is nothing in comparison to their second album, if you ask me. This one is where they really got their sound down, and they honed in on their lyricism that is still provocative but in better taste. There were three singles that came off the album, "Pin Me Down", "Do What I Say", and "Tomorrow". All three of those are reason enough to add this album to your collection, but I have an extra fondness for my favorite song of theirs, "What Are You Afraid Of". This song is mean, a hard-driving track that is a loaded gun against right-wing radicals and racists. Now, I tend to leave politics out of this website; it was a choice early on. It is one of my favorite lyrical themes, shit, you can hardly make it through some albums in punk and metal without getting smacked with some politically baked songs. I, too, love folk and the music of the counterculture movement of the 1960s, so yeah, it is to be expected at some points in AintNoisePollution. I think this song is the perfect choice for right now. A time when things are immensely uncertain and civil unrest is at an all-time high. Masked thugs with beer bellies prowl the streets kidnapping and killing innocents just so they can feel some slight control in their meaningless lives. Crazy that a song over 20 years old is just as relevant today. Things sure haven't changed. They could be wearing a red armband, have red stained hands, or be wearing a red hat, but ultimately they are all the same. Cowards that live a sad life and want to feel some power. So, what are they afraid of? What is even the point of all the hate? I cannot fathom it, I truly cannot. Is it just a blame game? Are they bored? Do they want to feel like the victim? It is so strange. Not to be that "I don't see color" guy, but really, I don't really care what color someone is. It doesn't even occur to me to treat anyone differently. It all comes down to who you are. Black, white, brown, green, blue, purple, and so on. To me, if you're an asshole, you're an asshole. I think some people are destined to be assholes, to be self-centered fucks who think the world revolves around them. They could be white and the same personality would prevail the same as if they were black. So, fuck the assholes of the world, fuck racists, fuck ICE, fuck the politicians, fuck the enablers, fuck the rich, and fuck the fools who run this country like it is their own. It is our land, and I mean all of us, no matter your race. I hope I can look back on this post in 5 years and say, "Boy, those sure were some weird years", but something tells me that won't be the case. I will more likely be standing in front of a white-hooded judge who will use this post to damn me to the labor camps. Hello, future Caleb! They want a war and a scapegoat. Wonder who will be next on their chopping block? The human race has failed; we are so fucking stupid, and it seems to just be getting worse. As the title of this album states, use your brain. Alright, enough with the anger, let's get back into the music. Clawfinger had pretty great success from this album, but still didn't find too many sales in the United States. In comparison to some of the bands doing the same thing, Clawfinger really does stand out from the crowd. That European sound comes off heavier than that of rap metal in the US. "What Are You Afraid Of" is one of the greatest to show off how they were on to something before many bands were following suit. Sometimes the political tracks can be a little bit much, kind of like listening to the gospel songs that are so strong in their stance that they don't allow any personal thought. "What Are You Afraid Of" is certainly for someone who shares the same mind, but it isn't trying to sell, just send a message to the pricks who are quick to change the song due to lyrics that put them on blast. The song almost feels like it was supposed to be released this year, like it was planned to become a relevant song for 2025 and 2026. "Scum" certainly is meant for the modern day, and the album it comes off of, Before We All Die, which is set to release in just a couple of days. It will be the first thing I listen to next Friday since I have really dug the singles that come off it. Well, for now I give to you "What Are You Afraid Of". I won't make it a common thing to have political tracks on the website. If a song makes an impact on me that day, I choose it, simple as that. Hope you dig the track! If you don't, be sure to check in tomorrow to see if I can hook you then. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1995
Album: Use Your Brain (1995)
Genre: Rap Metal, Hard Rock
Mood: Revolutionary
​Perfect For: Protesting, Watching the world spin, Frustration, Casual listening, Playing loud
Where To Next: "Food for the Brain" - One Minute Silence
Rating: 8 / 10

"Joy Ride" - Snot

     Y'all wanna talk about a cult classic? Well, today we got one. I have never been exactly sure what checkmarks a band needs to be considered a cult classic, but I would consider Snot to be one of them, though they have a pretty big fanbase. A fanbase fittingly named "snot heads" which is honestly one of the most fitting and great fanbase names I have heard. Snot was a band that found damn good acclaim and were luring in fans nationwide with their rap, punk, and funk-forward approach to nu metal, the metal subgenre that redefined heavy metal in the 1990s into the 2000s. Sadly, the band was short lived since their vocalist died in a car wreck in 1998, just a year after the band made a name for themselves and released their critically acclaimed debut, Get Some. A tremendous shame since I think they would have been a big name. To make matters worse, it wasn't just vocalist Lynn Strait that died in that car wreck; it also claimed the life of his dog, Dobbs, who appears on the album cover below. It is kind of funny how we don't flinch when we hear of a human dying, but bring a dog into the picture, and it is the Titanic tenfold. Humans are strange. Anyway, I do wonder where Snot would have gone. They have a style in that debut that could have gone many ways. Would they have dived deeper into the nu metal genre? Switched to a raunched-up hard rock sound? Go back to their hardcore punk roots? Stoner metal? Rap metal? K-Pop? Some things we will never know, but one thing is for certain, that we lost a band with an immense amount of potential. Snot formed in 1995 out of California. Vocalist Lynn Strait came from some local punk bands that had a local fanbase. Snot quickly got a name around Los Angeles and California, and soon enough that name came across to Geffen Records who would sign the band. They quickly got to work to release their debut album, Get Some, which was released in 1997. That album is a fucking great ride, much better than I thought it would be on my first listening when I was 19 or so. Sometimes I wonder how many albums are out there that I have simply missed. I am a collector of songs, you see, and there are moments when I get an obsession, and it typically comes when I somehow miss a great group. I had abused countless nu metal albums and bands for years before I came across Snot. That debut was at first supposed to be a sampling listening, but after hearing the tracks "Snot", "Snooze Button", and "Joy Ride" while eating a mediocre burger in a parking lot, I decided to spend the next 2 hours driving around town taking the album in a couple of times. Since that day, each of the tracks from Get Some has a special spot in plenty of my playlists. An album to kick your ass, but unlike many in the nu metal world, there is this special funky thing to it that always gets the blood pumping. An album that anyone who likes nu metal shouldn't sleep on, it beats out some of the best from the genre. The success of that debut got their name circulating across the country and even landed them a spot in Ozzfest. Their show at Ozzfest gained them even more fame, well, maybe more so infamy. Lynn Strait famously came on stage nude, one of the biggest no-nos you can do on stage thanks to Jim Morrison of The Doors getting in major trouble with it in the 1960s. Fair enough. Strait came on to stage in the nude after emerging from a toilet prop that Limp Bizkit (naturally) used for their shows. That got Strait arrested, a silly thing to do but a silly thing that gets you put on a list. Anyway, with that and the massive success of their debut (not in sales), it seemed Snot was bound for glory, and then that fatal accident happened in 1998. Strait was one of many that died in a nasty 6-car wreck while getting off the freeway; only one person survived.

     Following the wreck, the band still followed through on releasing their second album, Strait Up, in 2000. It was already getting put together, but Strait didn't lay down any vocal tracks before his death. Strait Up was released as a tribute album to Lynn Strait and features some massive names on vocals like Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Sepultura, etc.), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Ozzy Osbourne (fuckin' Ozzy, man), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Jonathan Davis (KoRn), and plenty of others. A great album, one with varying styles, but all of them are intense and touching. Snot disbanded following that since Strait was the band, as was their mascot Dobbs. RIP. Their last release was in 2002, which was a live album recorded in 1998 under the name Alive! a little "thank you" for the fans. Snot has reunited for some shows off and on for a couple of years, but never for too long. Their legacy rests within their debut, and that debut holds our song of the day, "Joy Ride". Get Some released in 1997 and is an album all about letting yourself go! A reckless abandon album that is easy to lose yourself to with its funky grooves that are packed in between in your face vocals, thick bass lines, drumming, and mean guitar work. "Joy Ride" starts up like all the best "driving fast as fuck" songs, with an engine revving up and the wheels leaving their story on the asphalt. In retrospect, this is a haunted track due to Strait's demise. The song is a road rage track, a madman with a gun in the passenger seat whispering sweet nothings to his frail sanity. A fucking great track to drive to, even as someone who doesn't really like to speed or shoot strangers for some kicks. "Joy Ride" is one of the best to show off Snot's spot in hardcore punk. It has the backing vocals that have been with punk since 1981's self-titled release from the Adolescents. Not only that, it is built like a punk track, all piss and vinegar with some dangerous lyricism. The track comes in hot and ends hot, well I guess it ends with that car he is joyriding in crashing out. Lyrically, it isn't anything too deep, but this isn't the type of song or band whose lyrics you have to dissect. It is straightforward; it is reckless abandon that gives some vocals to an exhilarating style. Nu metal often gets a cold shoulder for dishing out a shitload of copycat bands, but don't even think about putting Snot in with those that found minor fame in it. I truly do believe that Snot would have had a place among some of the biggest names from it. I mean, this debut of theirs practically proves it. Sad death or not, the band released one of the most essential nu metal albums to date. I don't think their story is what made the album such a sensation for future generations; it all rests within the music. Music that raises your hairs and could make a sweet old lady turn into a demon on the roadways. We could see something else from the band soon. There is talk of the original living members entering the studio in 2025 to try mixing some new material. I am conflicted on that; sometimes it is better to let sleeping dogs lie, but I am still excited for it. Some of the members went on to be part of some other pretty big bands, both on tour and in the studio. Guitarist Sonny Mayo toured with plenty of bands and had his place on 3 Sevendust albums. He is the type of dude you can call upon and expect to have something great come out of it. Drummer Jamie Miller was with theSTART for a good while, but they never gained too much fame. He also filled in for many drummers on tours, and played the drums for Bad Religion's most recent studio album, Age of Unreason, which dropped in 2019. He was part of a couple of other bands, but I will leave it at that. If they get back to the studio, I look forward to seeing what will come out of it, both from the original members and the newbies that came along for the reunion tours. Guess we will see, but I don't think it could come close to the material on Get Some. That album is magic. Well, that is all from me! Play the track! If you do it at work, make sure there isn't that annoying boss within kicking distance. If you do it while driving, turn on that cruise control and keep it cool! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1997
Album: Get Some (1997)
Genre: Nu Metal
Mood: Thrilling
​Perfect For: Driving like a maniac, Commuting, Playing loud, Working out, Riding motorcycles
Where To Next: "Jesus Built My Hotrod" - Ministry
Rating: 8 / 10

"Wild Wild Life" - Talking Heads

     Welcome! Today we have one of the most innovative bands to come out of the strange punk rock world. There are many out there that fight back with someone putting the Talking Heads in the punk category. I am sort of one of them, but there is simply no denying their place within it. Not your traditional punk rock sound, but more of an immensely artsy-fartsy band that kept some of the fundamental ideals of punk rock. I would say there are few that did more for the new wave movement, one that is based heavily in punk rock and also in pop but overall was a thing of its own. New wave was one of the biggest music genres in the late 1970s into the 1980s, one that many shunned almost instantly but gained fans like wildfire. It was honestly challenging to place, so I am not too shocked it had a little difficulty coming into power. It was too deep for the pop fans, too commercial for the punk fans, too artsy for the rock fans, and too punk for the disco and pop rock fans. Talking Heads were one of the bands that helped usher in the genre and are still known as arguably the greatest group to come out of it. When they released their debut album, Talking Heads: 77, in 1977 there really wasn't anything quite like it out there. Jazz inspired punk rock with a funky knack wasn't anything new per se, but with the plain strange lyricism and vocals of David Byrne, it stood above any past attempt at finding a place in the charts. Their debut barely made it into the top 100 upon release yet found pretty positive reception from critics. Modernly it is regarded as one significant and potent album. It is funny how it often takes some time for society to catch on to something. Artists like the Talking Heads, AC/DC, Sublime, and so many others were met with serious opposition when they first came along but then would eventually be put on the throne of their respective genres. I guess nobody likes something new and bold until others do. Dumb dumb humans. Anyway! Talking Heads really did bring something new to the world with that debut. They took all they learned in art school and melded it with varying musical influences, be it funk, punk, or even world music. They brought all that to New York City and joined in with the punk movement there, being one of the many that came out of that with a strong paycheck, even if the Talking Heads were an oddity among them. The ending days of the 1970s in music were one of mass expansion. A time when even the oddest groups could get signed in the name of artistic expression. The clothes were getting more wild, cars were getting uglier, the books more introspective, the lyrical themes more abstract, the way music was taken in changed up, and bands would get signed for simply being themselves more so than the talent they held. Talking Heads had talent, but they weren't laying down crazy riffs or weaponizing emotions; the talent they had was making people think of nothing and everything while giving a colorful, funky backdrop to dream upon. 1977 saw them releasing their first album to great acclaim and minor sales, and it also had them releasing their first charting single, "Psycho Killer" which is certainly one of the band's signature songs. 1977 also saw the marriage of drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth, who are still married today. Talk about a unique marriage; I couldn't even imagine how that would feel. The Talking Heads attack on the underground was swift and effective; they were one of the lords of it, but now it was time to take the fight to the masses.

     The masterpiece More Songs About Buildings and Food released in 1978. This second album of theirs shows off how damn good new wave is. It also sees the band dropping some of the artsy style for something much more dance forward, something that didn't leave the band since its release. Some of that is due to their famous collaboration with Brian Eno, a man known for his artistic direction that marries the experimental with pop potential. His albums with the Talking Heads are some of his finest, but he also produced many other legends. Not only that, he is famous as hell for his time with Roxy Music as a technical advisor and his own solo work which was a pioneer in ambient music. Outside of that, he wrote plenty of the jingles and start-up tunes for computers and phones. A man who is everywhere! He has that magic touch, and everybody knows it, especially for musical expansion and art. Anyway! He produced three of the Talking Heads albums, each of them being the band's greatest as far as I am concerned. More Songs About Buildings and Food was a massive success and got their name plastered all over music shop windows and had their songs being played on radio stations worldwide. Something fresh and danceable, but something you can also bring to music theory classes and dissect. That album has a ton going on, and a ton of that is great! We will talk about that album another day; of that I am sure. Their third album, released in 1979, was a bold one by the name of Fear of Music. Another great album, especially if you are someone who appreciates the abstract side of the Talking Heads. A strange album to say the least, but one I think you need to listen to at least once before you die. Another classic from their discography. Remain in Light is the band's 4th studio album and is the one that solidified them into legendary status. Perfect from start to finish with plenty of commercial tracks that lured in a shitload of fans. Some consider this to be one of the most important out of the early 1980s, myself included. The greatest place to start within their discography if you haven't uncorked a Talking Heads album before. If you haven't, then what the hell are you even doing?! This album was a forward thrust into getting new wave fully out there and is to blame for some of the musical shift that happened in 1980. The band then released their first live album The Name of This Band Is Talking Head in 1982, and their fifth studio album, Speaking in Tongues, had Talking Heads breaking out into the big time with their first top-charting hit "Burning Down the House" in 1983. Once again, another classic from this absolutely legendary band. Their second live album, Stop Making Sense, released the following year in 1984, one of the best live albums out there from all genres, a true gem. Little Creatures is their sixth studio album, and while that one is also kick-ass, you can start feeling the stagnant waters rising within the band. You cannot expect to release a stellar album every single year, but the Talking Heads practically did, and Little Creatures is still a classic. Finally, we get to the album that holds our song of the day, 1986's True Stories. This album is still a good one, I might even suggest it to a budding fan, but I think the ideas and internal musical directions were starting to shift. This album only holds one completely essential track, but the others are still a shitload of fun. That essential track is our song of the day, "Wild Wild Life". It was the leading single to True Stories, and it was also one of the biggest reasons the album still sold very well. It was a worldwide hit that holds the same quality as the hit singles the band has been releasing for the last 9 years. It is an oddly hypnotic song with the way David Byrne keeps you seat locked in his quirky vocals. Lyrically I am not even sure what is going on half the time, but that is the Talking Heads for you. They will have you singing along with how catchy it is and saying some dumb things. The song is a commentary on TV culture and the media of the 1980s in a very Talking Heads way. There are plenty of moments in this track that leave you impressed and wanting to dance. Even if the song didn't have a sensationally catchy chorus, I think it would have been a big hit. This was the Talking Heads last big-time worldwide hit. A great note to end on, and it wasn't like the Talking Heads were hurting for decade defining hits. I chose the track while waiting at a traffic light and got completely sucked into the song while watching one of those inflatable dancing dudes they put in front of stores. It went strangely too well with this song. Well, give the track a spin and see how you like it. The kind of song we all probably already know, but why not listen to it again? Sorry to cut the post short, but it was starting to grow long and stale. Some days they just go that way. I appreciate you reading along, and I look forward to seeing you here again to take in some more great music! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1986
Album: True Stories (1986)
Genre: New Wave
Mood: Eccentric
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Having fun, Parties, Sunny days
Where To Next: "Shout" - DEVO
Rating: 8 / 10

"Where Have You Been All My Life" - Gerry & the Pacemakers

     In the US we hear talk of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Animals, and plenty more from the British beat scene. What we don't hear enough talk of is our spotlighted band, Gerry & the Pacemakers. They aren't a hidden gem by any means, but it seems they found a lot more fame outside the US. I am sure even with that there are plenty of us out there that recognize some of their massive hits like "Ferry Cross the Mersey", "You'll Never Walk Alone", "How Do You Do It?", and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying". In the modern tongue, they are still on the rock radar because of those hits, but if you were to just listen to those and think your job was done, then you are a damn fool. They have some fantastic albums, and for those compilation lovers out there, you are in good hands since some of their best songs never got put onto a proper studio album. Well, since it is their first time on the website, we will be giving you the classic AintNoisePollution rundown on who they are. Gerry & the Pacemakers came along a little before the British beat/British Invasion/Mersey beat gave rock music a whole new meaning. Beat music is a melding of American and British rock n roll, R&B, and pop, and it was in the making for a couple of years before the Beatles shook the whole world in the early 1960s. You see, rock was actually dying; it was seeming to be a teenage fad that came and went. The majority of the icons of the 1950s were moving on to their other passion projects, be it the blues, country, or full-fledged pop. Plenty of the stars also died or were getting shipped off to the military, so there was a year or two when things were growing a little stale. Then came these shaggy dudes from Liverpool, a four piece that held that traditional rock backbeat but brought in something that was the best of all the popular music out there, the Beatles. This was a craze and started a whole resurgence in rock music, even if they were more in line with the pop groups of the time at the start of their discography. It wasn't like the world never heard anything like the Beatles, but more so they never heard all these genres crammed together under a clean and powerful medium. The gate was opened, and the invasion started in the US. There was band after band bringing in their own unique take on the beat sound. The rest is history. One of the best ones to come along after the gates opened was Gerry & the Pacemakers. They directly followed in the footsteps of the Beatles but still made it clear they weren't trying to do the same thing. They came out of Liverpool as well and were also managed by Brian Epstein. Not only that, they also had their recordings done by George Martin, all of which are the same as the Beatles. Once again, they weren't riding on coattails but more so served as reinforcements to getting that British beat sound to seed its way further into the mixing boards of the studios and on the needles of radio DJs worldwide. Since they also came out of Liverpool, they were one of the earliest rivals to the Beatles. They even were the first Liverpool band to have a #1 hit on the UK charts. They ultimately didn't win that fight, but losing to the Beatles is one of those things that are just to be expected in the 1960s. Since their hit single "How Do You Do It" did so damn well, Brian Epstein urged the Beatles to do a version of it. The Beatles and the record label mutually agreed not to have it be their first single and settled on "Love Me Do" instead. You can find the Beatles version on their 1995 compilation Anthology 1, but it was never released up until then. Anyway, that just shows that Gerry & the Pacemakers made serious strides even before the Beatles broke that gate open but still found even greater fame following Beatlemania, especially out of their home country. Gerry & the Pacemakers then had two more #1 hits in 1963 with "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "I Like It". They were one of the hotshots of the year and went on to have more hit singles up until 1966 when the music world changed, and they couldn't keep up with it all.

     Still, they helped move rock along, a hidden hero that helped rock survive the growing pains of the 1960s. I think they deserve the same love as some of the big bands out of the British beat. Their debut LP, How Do You Like It?, released in 1963 and it served as their ultimate release. I fucking love that album! I remember the first time I listened to that one I was completely blown away. Catchy chorus after catchy chorus, great cover after great cover, and it features the majority of their greatest songs. I would suggest this album to anyone out there who loves 1960s rock and pop (before psychedelic rock), since it is one you simply cannot afford to miss. I listened to it twice in a row the first time it came across my studies, and even all these years later I get a craving for it often. One I watch for when going record shopping. I can't wait to show it to my girlfriend so she can say, "Yeah, it was alright". Hard critic, that one. I guess if she had a chance to listen to the album without me being like, "Did you know that the bassist Les Chadwick wore pink socks two times?!" every other song. Anyway, this album is a lot more powerful than it looks. The album cover is cheaply made but fun with the band holding onto Gerry Madsen's guitar. It does explain what will be heard, but still shouldn't be taken lightly. The album starts off with a high-energy version of "A Shot of Rhythm of Blues" which was originally recorded by Arthur Alexander. That track was covered a lot, and during the early days of the British beat, it was a regular one to be performed by a plethora of bands, including the Beatles. While Dave Edmunds has a great version, and the original is damn fine, I don't think there is a better one than Gerry & the Pacemakers. After that they cover Hank Williams "Jambalya (On the Bayou)" which is a bold choice but one I am fully there for since I love me some Hank. The third track is our song of the day, "Where Have You Been All My Life". I think this has gotta be my favorite from them; it is so much fun and performed with great vocal skill and plenty of emotion. This too is a cover, the song was originally recorded by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil in 1962. The original is a soul heavy track, but Gerry & the Pacemakers gave it that British beat touch that makes it rockin'. Another one that was on heavy repeat by the band pushing out the style in Liverpool, so it is only fair it showed up on Gerry & the Pacemakers debut. Plenty of other great songs are on the album, but since I am sure we will have another one from it pop up in the coming months, I will stop there. "Where Have You Been" is a quick one, coming in at 2:33, but that is another given from the early days of rock music. Gerry sings this song wonderfully, the verses are full of quivering vocals that give way to a group-sung chorus that is aggressive yet pretty. The whole first half of this song always has me on edge; you can feel it gaining more and more power until the release at 1:15 when the chorus comes in to give you full body chills. Lyrically it is just another love song. It is about a lonesome man who couldn't find the sunshine until his little lady came along, and now it is only happy days. A simple tune, but like the others on the album, it serves as a window into the past. It is drowning in the style of its time, yet that is a lot of what makes the track so whimsical and carefree. Give it a try, and if you like what you hear, then check out the rest of the album. It is a fairly short one and will leave you pretty impressed, in that I am sure. If you are anything like me, this song and "The Wrong Yoyo" are about to get a ton of listens. Oh! On a side note, I have put out two lists this last little while you might like. Check them out in either the lists part of the website or the updates section on the home page. Thanks! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1963
Album: How Do You Like It? (1963)
Genre: Rock and Roll, Pop, Beat
Mood: Cutesy
​Perfect For: Date night, Love letters, New relationships, Casual listening
Where To Next: "I Couldn't Live Without You" - Petual Clark
Rating: 8 / 10

"How Far We've Come" - Matchbox Twenty

     While I was growing up, I always figured that Matchbox Twenty and some of the similar bands to them were kind of teenage girl music. Not that it is a bad thing if they were; some artists that I listen to all the time were strategically pointed at teenagers, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. As I grew older and slowly but surely started getting more into Matchbox Twenty, I found that it isn't the case. I am sure they have a heavier leaning of females in their fan base, some of whom are teenagers, but to me they seem to have written music for when you are a little bit older instead of being young. Some of their lyrics make more sense the older I get, some of the emotion they let out in the recording studio is better understood as an adult. Which leads me to three conclusions. One, I just got more into their style as I got older and found a home within it. Two, it is the truth, and the band wrote material for those that walked the confusing streets of life away from the safety nets of parents and educational institutions. Three, I have grown up into a teenage girl. All could be the case, and it wouldn't matter since I would consider myself a fan now more than I was when first listening to their albums in completion when I was 15 or so. This is the band's second time on the website, the first time they showed up was with another one of their massive hits, "3AM". We covered that track back in December of 2024, so let's get a refresh on who the band is and their impact on pop rock and alternative rock. It is safe to assume that we all know a handful of Matchbox Twenty songs. They are the type of group that is damn near impossible to miss. Even kids now probably recognize the earworm of a chorus on "Push", the banjo intro of "Unwell", and that melancholy yet pretty playing on "3AM". Those tracks are essential from the 1990s and the 2000s; the same is to be said about our song of the day. Their hits are the backbone of pop rock and ushered in a resurgence in the genre, for better or worse. As a youth, I was too cool for Matchbox Twenty. Not sure what the hell my problem was, I guess I had something to prove to society that I didn't fall victim to the pop rock radio hits. That doesn't mean I didn't jam to their songs in secret. As I have grown older, I have found myself more lost in their albums than I thought I ever would. A great thing too, since they have some solid albums with very well put together songs. The band was a quick sensation with their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You, which was released in 1996. That album went platinum in many countries, charted high in the others, and achieved diamond status in the US and Australia. That album practically ruled that year, and even now still continues to sell. I wouldn't mind getting a copy on vinyl one day, but for now I am happy to play it often on Spotify. Anyway, members of the band already had time together in their previous band, Tabitha's Secret, which sort of became Matchbox Twenty after they broke up. They never found much fame, but some of that is due to them not releasing a full album until 1997, after Matchbox Twenty already came along with that debut that made them stars. I listened through Tabitha's Secret's 3 albums in my studies, and it is alright. Certainly not the same power as Matchbox Twenty, but still it is worth your time if you are a big fan of Matchbox Twenty. Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Paul Doucette were the ones that came from Tabitha's Secret. While the band never broke out, it did serve as a place where members of Matchbox Twenty got their playing tight and also gave them some experience in a recording room. Many bands find it hard to get accustomed to playing music in the recording studio, but that wasn't the case for our spotlighted band. That debut of theirs is an alternative rock masterpiece, and even if you aren't into the hits that came off it, I would still suggest listening to the whole thing since you will find that not every song is the same and there are some really deep and good ones on there.

     Matchbox Twenty went on to release their second album in 2000, Mad Season. This one is a good one too, but nothing in comparison to their debut. They dropped a lot of what made Yourself or Someone Like You special, that melancholy feeling that is alternative rock's bread and butter. This time around, it was much more poppy, and not even in a good way. They tried melding their artistic expression with a genre that doesn't allow that easily. The album still sold very well, but they lost a good chunk of fans that weren't there for the stylistic shift. Not only that, they came back with the album almost 4 years later. Plenty of their fans had already moved on, and if you know anything about pop based music, you gotta keep in the public eye, or the masses will move along to the next person who makes them want to cry, shake their booty, or both. The album still sold quite well and gained multiplatinum status in time. One that you cannot afford to miss from their collection of albums, but one that has rubbed me wrong since my first time listening to it, not even sure why. The same is not to be said about their third album, More Than You Think You Are, which is so pop heavy that it makes you sick. That sickness is one that you might welcome, though, kind of like getting sick before going to a wedding you don't want to attend. It sucks to be sick, but at least you got sick at the right time. All 5 of the singles that came from it are definitive of 2002, especially "Unwell" which still gives me flashbacks of doing errands with my grandma as a kid. No, I don't think my grandma was a fan of Matchbox Twenty, but it has that commercial appeal in a headlock. The kind of track that a baby or a grandma can get behind. You don't even need to listen to the lyrics, even though the lyrics are written greatly and emotionally simple to get into. A great album, and one of their best undoubtedly. I have almost listened to it more than their debut, mainly since plenty of the songs are so damn catchy it is impossible to not jump back in. More Than You Think You Are was the band's last from their prime years, and the band was okay with that since they wanted to focus on their other ventures, namely vocalist Rob Thomas's solo career. Matchbox Twenty wouldn't release another proper studio album until 2012's North, which I have still yet to move into quite yet. Though, they kept some of their fans satisfied with the release of the compilation Exile on Mainstream in 2007, which featured 7 new songs and remasters of some of their biggest hits. It is in that compilation that we find our song of the day, "How Far We've Come". For those that like Yourself or Someone Like You more than the very heavily dipped pop sound of Matchbox Twenty, then this is a track for you. Not like you haven't heard it before, since this is one of their most endearing songs they ever released. Currently it's their 5th most played song on Spotify, and I doubt that spot will be knocked lower any time soon. An essential from the band that was released in 2007 in the form of a single a month before it found its home on Exile on Mainstream. The song was one of the most played and sought-after singles in 2007 and 2008, and as a kid I heard it on repeat on the radio for a solid year at least. I miss the days of lying in front of the radio and taking it all in. Then came MP3s, iPods, pirating, and finally the modern age of streaming. Getting off track. "How Far We've Come" is one high energy track; from start to finish it is strangely hard driving for a band that found fame in the 2000s with something overly easy and emotional. The music video to the track was one I would sometimes watch on Comcast OnDemand. I was too young to fully understand the imagery I was seeing, but it was interesting to see the progression of man in a more positive light. Especially since I learned a lot of my history timeline from Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" which shows off the negatives of the world. A powerful track, one bristling with a sorrowful emotion. Not even the stuff you cry to, but the stuff you listen to so you can come to an understanding of a poor situation and overcome it. Good lyrics are met with explosive energy from the whole band, especially Kyle Cook and Rob Thomas on that aggressive strumming that keeps the song flowing the whole time. The music video makes me think this song is more of an "I guess we are fucked, but what is there to lose? Might as well try our hardest" kind of song more so than a hopeless one. As a species, we have overcome so much, and we always survive. Mother Earth's favorite little cockroaches. Still, there is always that sliver of optimism, the flashes of humanity that give you hope. That is shown best in music, shown best in the love of a mother, shown best in a new young couple, and shown best in those among us that don't quit even after they hear the bell. My spot in it all is to try to be a good person no matter what, and to spread the love in the form of music. So, help me do my part and give this song a spin. The world can be a truly wicked place, but always be sure to take a second to look into the past at the people who gave future generations hope even when the odds were completely stacked against them. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2007
Compilation: Exile on Mainstream (2007)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Inspiring
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Hope, Acceptance, Keeping your nose to the grindstone
Where To Next: "The World I Know" - Collective Soul
Rating: 9 / 10

"Almost Cut My Hair" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

     Man, has this week had a lot of soul or what? It has strangely all been solo artists for the most part this month aside from Van Halen. That one too is even named after the Van Halen brothers, so it seems this month started out with a theme. Today is not much different, but this time it is 4 big names in the folk and rock world that came together to put out plenty of timeless classics during their time. I am sure you could guess from the names, but the supergroup is made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young. It is almost like those four were destined to end up in each other's lives, and each of them had their hand in supporting the rock and folk sound of the 1960s and 1970s in plenty of bands and within their work all together. Neil Young sort of jumped on the train a little late since Crosby, Stills, & Nash already released an album in 1969 that featured the hits "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Marrakesh Express". "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is something wonderful to behold, and if you haven't had a chance to play it yet, then I do suggest giving it a swing. The ultimate single that ever came from CSN to show their unique talent at putting out compelling songs and playing a thin line between something mystic and something grounded. The material with Neil Young along is a lot more grounded, having more serious themes that sometimes get political and sometimes tell things simply how they are. One thing is for certain, each member is a visionary in the folk rock world and is immensely talented with a pen. Before Crosby, Stills & Nash got together, each of them were part of a decade defining group. Graham Nash left behind a band that he cofounded and helped lead to glory called The Hollies, a group I am sure all of us are well acquainted with. The band lived on after his departure, but they undeniably had a gaping hole the shape of Nash. He is the lighter voice you hear in the Crosby, Stills, & Nash famous vocal harmonies. David Crosby was a part of the Byrds, the band that practically revolutionized folk rock and had one of the strongest hands in making art shine within rock right before the psychedelic craze took over the rock world. If a song from the Byrds or CSN/CSNY has a little bit of a comedic approach to the negatives of society, there is a good chance it was Crosby that wrote the lyrics. Now how about Stephen Stills? A man who seemed to always have great music flowing out of him. He first was a part of Buffalo Springfield, a breeding ground band that had the majority of the members do something great following their breakup. Buffalo Springfield, too, was something great, and they released plenty of songs that are the heart and soul of the counterculture of the 1960s. "For What It's Worth" in itself put them in the history books, and I would say it is one of the most recognized songs out of the 1960s. For all the right reasons, that song is damn iconic. Stills would also have a decent solo career, cofounded the blues rock hidden gem Manassas, and had his place in many different albums from other artists. The kind of dude who seemed to be everywhere. I think his best material came out of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the many varying forms of those 4 playing together. Lastly, we got the one who arrived a little later to these folk rock icons, Neil Young. You know who Neil Young is; he had one hell of an influential and great solo career. He was in Buffalo Springfield alongside Stills, and their musical synergy always leaves me with my jaw dropped. After each of their bands either kicked them out or the band fell apart, they slowly but surely met each other at varying times and got to dreaming up something great. The music world tends to all party together after all, and kindred spirits are something you can feel across the room. Crosby, Stills & Nash had a hard time starting up their first album since 2 of them were already bound by contract to a label, but with a little shaking and making deals, they finally got together to release their debut album in 1969.

     When I tell you that debut is great, I mean it, like a little bit too great! An album I wish I could listen to for the first time again since it left such a heavy imprint on me. I can recite that damn album word for word since I have absolutely abused it since the first time I listened to it many moons ago. An essential folk rock album that I think you would really like, so check it out. That debut was controlled by Stephen Stills; he played lead guitar, bass, organ and played the leading acoustic guitar in the songs that he wrote for it. 4 out of 10 of the songs were written solely by Stills, and one was cowritten by him, so he had a larger part of the album, but he didn't even play on the tracks "Lady of the Island" and "Guinnevere" so I guess it all balances out. Once again, check that album out, it will make your year. That debut did well, and since the three of them were already really well-known names, it seemed their story was to carry on following their departure from the legendary bands that helped form the music scene of the 1960s. Their follow-up album, Deja Vu,  came out in early 1970. This time, it went from a 3-piece to a 4-piece aside from the backing band, and with that, the band hit a new massive acclaim with the addition of Neil Young. I would say this album is even better than their debut, and it seemed everyone else agreed since the album sold better and featured 3 hit songs. "Our House" is one of their greatest and one of the greatest love songs I have ever heard. "Teach Your Children" is a clever track that sets your mind at ease. A track that pleads to the old to understand the young and also tells the young to respect and understand the old and all they went through. It is one of the many that have an almost country feeling to it, something that I think helped this album stand above Crosby, Stills & Nash. "Woodstock" was their version of a song written by Joni Mitchell, the lady of the canyon, who played a big role in each of CSNY's lives, especially Neil Young and David Crosby. She is a lyricist that writes words in solid gold, like an angel of the inkwell. The music world of the 1960s and early 1970s sure had a clique of artsy folk kids who put out thought provoking music. I don't think we will ever see that again. Anyway, "Woodstock" is one of their greatest songs, and in my opinion it is the best version of it. Each of those singles got plenty of radio play and served their purpose to get people to buy Deja Vu which gained the 7x platinum status. Many would consider this to be one of the greatest albums to come out of the 1970s, something I fully agree with. It really is an all-consuming album. Not surprisingly, it is the highest selling album from the band and also from each of the members of CSNY, even Neil Young who had a massively successful career. Our song of the day comes off Deja Vu, one of the best written tracks on the whole album, "Almost Cut My Hair". This is one of the tracks written and sung by David Crosby. It is a slightly comedic track that is a rallying call for longhairs such as myself, even all these years later. The track serves as a counterculture anthem, one that states that they won't cut their hair in an act of defiance. Now, that might sound silly and dramatic. I have been a long hair for practically my whole life, and even now at the age of 27, it still serves as my last act of rebellion. It is easier now; things are getting more relaxed in the public view with tattoos, piercings, colored hair, and long-haired freaky people. But we still have a long way to go. Where I grew up, it was a statement to say the least, a place where religion put blinders on the majority of the county. Anything not sparkly and safe was something to shun. Mormons controlled the streets there, and they sure kept them clean and boring. The same is to be said about the 1960s and the 1970s; it was viewed as a way to strike out at social norms. The atmosphere of the track is dirty and dramatic. There is this feeling that the song was written from a personal place, even if the lyrics are fairly straightforward yet clever. It went on to be an iconic song in the counterculture, once again, a rallying call to those that stand by their conviction of self and don't give in, though it would be easier to. The mentioning of growing paranoid due to seeing a cop car in their side mirror while driving shows off the political tension of the time, where they would prey on anyone who looked different from the clean-cut white working man, both for skin color and personal style choices. Stand in line or get beaten. Some things don't seem to change, huh? It is one of my favorites from Deja Vu both due to the impact it had on a teenage me, and also since the song has this strange feeling to it. In comparison to the other tracks on Deja Vu and CSN/CSNY songs, it feels weird with the lack of vocal harmonies. Plenty of the songs on the album steal the air, they ask for your silence while they tell you something. A great track and one that is personal to me. So, now I give it to you. Give it a spin, and even if it isn't something that pertains to you, I hope you can feel the frustration in the song. Enjoy!  

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1970
Album: Deja Vu (1970)
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock
Mood: Frustrated
​Perfect For: Getting stoned, Writing, Relaxing, Challenging social norms, Driving through small towns
Where To Next: "Signs" - Five Man Electrical Band
Rating: 9 / 10

"High Plains Drifter" - Kirk Hammett

     Welcome! Today we talk about one of the many guitar masters of the heavy metal world, Kirk Hammett. As many of you know, he is the lead guitarist of Metallica. He has been with them ever since the controversial dismissal of Dave Mustaine, who would go on to form Megadeth. Many put Hammett fairly high up there with the greatest guitarists, especially in heavy metal music. Half of what makes Metallica so damn hard-driving comes from Hammett. The guitar synergy between vocalist and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and Hammett is always an absolute joy to bang your head to. We all know about Metallica, all the good, the bad, and the ugly, but it seems like Hammett always tried to stay out of the drama and just wanted to write some heavy as hell riffs. Riffs that would serve as the cornerstone for much of later heavy metal, especially in the thrash, speed, power, and death metal world. So who is Kirk Hammett? How did he go from a horror flick obsessed kid to one of the most recognized people in the metal world? Hammett was born in San Francisco in 1962 but mostly grew up in El Sobrante. Man, you always forget how fucking huge California is! That place is considered a CDP (census designated place) but looks like it is part of the human tornado that is California. Our CDPs are a series of barns, farms, and homesteads that are spread far and wide. I guess it makes sense, but it is hard for me to fathom. I really want to drive through California and check out a good chunk of their cities just to feel how populated it is. Salt Lake City can sometimes be a burden with all the humans out there, with me being part of the problem of being out as well. Anyway, Hammett grew up in El Sobrante, which is about 21 miles out of San Francisco and 15 from Oakland. His home life could be rough, but nothing all too insane. Still enough to make him get lost in things that weren't involving his family. Things like horror movies, comics, novels, and all things related to pulp horror. He traded that love for that of music when he was exposed to a plethora of bands by his brother. He started selling his collection of horror stuff and bought himself records, which naturally led to him getting his hands on his first guitar at the age of 15. Like anyone who finds something that they absolutely love, it becomes a driving force in their life. For the remainder of his youth, he focused on getting better guitars, altering them with parts, and zoning in on a special tone that his ears would know when they heard it. It was the Gibson Flying V that was the guitar that he found that sound in, much like many in the metal world. I would say that is the most iconic guitar in the metal world, maybe only being rivaled by the Ibanez RG. Both are beautiful guitars, but that Flying V has something simple yet sinister about it that lured in many. He got to shredding and further expanding his musical horizons until he landed on the almighty heavy metal. He cofounded one of the best thrash metal bands, Exodus, who started up in 1979. Exodus played a massive role in the thrash metal scene that came out of the Bay Area, the breeding ground of thrash metal. If you want to study heavy metal but don't want to start from the 1960s roots, then I would suggest starting with the Bay Area thrash scene and then work your way backwards before moving forward once more. Anyway! During his time in Exodus he was part of the demo tapes and was a student under Joe Satriani, one of music's all time greatest guitarists. That dude only took a select few under his wing, and he picked well with Hammett. Kirk Hammett was picked up by Metallica in 1983 and left Exodus behind to help record Metallica's debut album, Kill Em All. Hammett was never on any of the studio albums put out by Exodus aside from a guest appearance on the track "Salt the Wound" off their damn good 2014 album Blood In, Blood Out. 

     Metallica flew him out to New York to try out for the band after they kicked Mustaine out. He proved his mettle (in both ways) with a flawless execution of "Seek and Destroy" and that was when Metallica knew they made the right choice. I do wonder what Metallica would have been like with Dave Mustaine, but Kirk fit the band almost too well to even question it. I ain't gonna go into who is the better guitarist since, frankly, I don't really care. Both are great! For Kill Em All, he was mostly just playing other people's riffs and playing them well, but for the second album, Ride the Lightning, he had a more active role in dishing out his famous guitar fury. Through a twisted act of fate, Metallica hit a giant hurdle during a massive high in their career: the loss of bass icon Cliff Burton while on tour. It could have been Hammett since it all came down to the drawing of a card to decide who gets the bunk and who gets to sleep elsewhere. Well, Cliff Burton won and got to bed in the bunk. It was a sleep that would last forever since the tour bus slid off the road and flipped, flinging Cliff from it and then crushing him after. A quick death at least, but one of those deaths that shook the whole metal community. That dude could play bass better than the majority of the rock and metal world, and it was a tremendous loss of a good person and great musician. The band recovered and continued their path to being the biggest metal band of all time. Album after song after show was met with feverish fans and critical acclaim, and the band hit a new massive acclaim in 1991 when that Kirk Hammett guitar work helped get "Enter Sandman" to one of the highest selling metal songs of all time. After their immensely famous 1991 self titled album (the Black Album) completely changed the metal world, Hammett started messing with plenty of different styles. He had a newfound passion for blues and jazz, something that was shown in his work on the infamous albums Load (1996) and Reload (1997). The band played on, and Metallica has released 11 studio albums and plenty of others. 10 of those studio albums were put together with a lot of guitar magic from Kirk Hammett. He has said that he is currently sitting on a shitload of stuff he has written, just waiting to throw it on the next Metallica album. I cannot wait. Though, outside Metallica, Hammett has been on plenty of other songs and albums. Today, we take a peek at his only solo outing thus far, an EP released in 2022 called Portals. Since its release, I have listened to the 4 tracks on it a fair amount, a quick place to jump into if I want some nipple-hardening instrumental tracks. I am especially fond of "High Plains Drifter", a westernesque, beautiful instrumental track that shows that Hammett is more than a bloodthirsty metal maniac on that guitar. It was the only single released off the EP, and when I first heard it, I was honestly a little taken aback. I got my brain ready for some thrashing and trashing, but ultimately it was this competent song that feels like it was written for a high-production western drama. Especially with the moody drumming, horns, viola, and classic Western flick vocal work. The song really ramps up in the middle of the song; it must be the part where the cowboy starts getting closer to the villain who ran off with his love interest a couple of towns back, where he left countless bodies in his wake. Great for mental imagery, and a great one to separate the man from Metallica since this features playing hardly like anything we hear on a Metallica album aside from maybe "No Leaf Clover" and a little bit on "Hero for a Day". A great instrumental piece that is genuinely epic, it gives me chills each time it takes off. A little odd in a playlist since it always stands out with its cinematic approach, but a welcome addition nonetheless. It is a hypnotizing track that at first might lose a little bit of your attention, but once the guitar solo comes in after the bombardment of drums, you are completely transfixed. Give the song a spin and see if it can get its hooks in ya! Thanks for reading along; I hope you learned something new. If not, come back tomorrow, and maybe that lesson in music will have you walking away with another great track or album to add to your collection. For now, I give to you a Kirk Hammett epic. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2022
EP: Portals (2022)
Genre: Instrumental Rock, Progressive Metal
Mood: Epic
​Perfect For: Focused listening, Riding a horse.... hell bent for leather, Gun battles, Burning down a one horse town
Where To Next: "No Leaf Clover (Live with the San Francisco Symphony)" - Metallica
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Just Can't Help Believin' - Live" - Elvis Presley

      I am a massive Elvis fan, something that often takes people off guard by the way I dress and hold myself. I think when people hear that Elvis is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, artists they hear "I Can't Help Falling in Love" or "Hound Dog" going through their head. I do love those songs, especially "Hound Dog", but there is so much more to Elvis. As someone who has painstakingly listened to each and every studio album (even the budget ones), live albums, outtake releases, soundtracks, and half or more of the literal hundreds of compilations, I can promise you there is something for everyone. He is the king for a reason. With all of that said, this is only his 6th time on AintNoisePollution, which is honestly pretty shocking. We have tapped into some of his greatest hits like "That's All Right" and "It's Now or Never", a hidden gem with his cover of "Your Cheatin' Heart", the feverish "Bossa Nova Baby", and the Christmas essential "Blue Christmas" all of which are outstanding choices. There are plenty of sides of the king that we are missing, and today marks the first time we have a 1970s era Elvis pick. This one barely made it into the 1970s, with the album it came off being released in 1970 from the studio/live hybrid album That's the Way It Is. This is one of the greatest from the later discography of Elvis, and it offers up that 1970s style of Elvis wonderfully. I would say the shift in style came following his comeback album out of 1968 simply called Elvis, my favorite live album he ever put out. Following that, Elvis started playing with a few different genres he had a long-time love for. He finally got out of the soundtrack circuit he was trapped in by contract and also the steady flow of income during a time when the Elvis brand of rock music was a thing of the past, and our song of the day comes off the first album to feature all new songs with a new Elvis. What I find strange about 1970s Elvis is how much people picked up on it for the future. The flashy rhinestone jumpsuits, the big ol gold glasses, the hair, the swagger, the Las Vegas thing, and so much more are a big part of his iconic image, and all of that came out of this last stage of Elvis, a stage where his record sales were nothing in comparison to his groundbreaking 1950s and 1960s work, and also the end of the line for the king who passed away in 1977 pretty young at 42. You would think the public eye would be going for the goofy dressed kid of the 1950s or maybe even the dolled up 1960s Elvis, since that is when he was a bigger icon. I guess the clothes weren't nearly as... Elvis as when it was the later stage. Anyway, getting off topic again. Where were we.... oh yeah. I honestly would have thought we would have had at least one 1970s pick from Elvis so far. While it is my lesser favorite decade of his (I still LOVE it), there are still so many great tracks to choose from! Southern soul, strong ballads, some almost blues-based rock songs, oodles of great live tracks and albums, and plenty of great studio albums. A time when you feel like you get to know Elvis a little bit more since the majority of his earlier material was written to be targeted certain ways. In a lot of ways, Elvis led one of the saddest lives in music. He was forever alone while being surrounded by so many people. Loved by thousands upon thousands of strangers, but still not feeling like a single one understood him. He loved his family above all else, and even they couldn't understand the complex emotions going on. Must have been rough. He is the classic example of "money can't buy happiness", and the same is to be said about immense fame. All it does is wear you out and get you killed in your 40s. Still, he lived a life doing what he loved and became a legend. More than the majority of us could say. Every time I take the time to read up more on Elvis, I walk away depressed. Aaaaand getting off track again. One of those days. Fresh start! 

     Elvis released his 12th studio album, and I don't even know what album overall, in November of 1970. It saw Elvis taking a step in another direction. A move that rubbed some wrong but still gained him some new fans that like this style of Elvis. He took a step away from his traditional style into something washed in a more mellow tone. Some took that as Elvis not knowing what the hell he wanted anymore; some called him washed up and simply trying to appeal to a more mature and boring crowd, much like Neil Diamond. I think he knew what he wanted, but there were so many different styles he wanted to front that it got done in a confusing manner. Still a little bit of the country side to this album, a place for the southern soul, boogie rock, rock n roll, the pop touch, and plenty of R&B. This album shows that even this far into Elvis's massive discography, he still has loads of talent and the ability to truly move you. His performance of "I Just Can't Help Believin'" is something truly beautiful. It is full of so much emotion it makes you sick. 4 of the tracks off this album were recorded live during his time at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, and I find those to be the best from the album. The other 8 were studio tracks recorded in Nashville. Those ones are still great, but they lack some of that raw emotion the live ones have to offer. The album was released alongside the documentary Elvis: That's the Way It Is which led many to believe this was a soundtrack album. It is not, they just made it confusing by releasing them side by side and also by having them share the name. It is an easy assumption to make since Elvis had 17 soundtrack albums released before this studio album. Did I tell you Elvis has a fucking huge discography? It took me a good long while to listen through them all, and I even relistened to over half of them many times, and some well over 100 times since I can't get enough of that boogie! Anyway, Thats the Way It Is did well and achieved the #8 spot on the country charts and a modest #21 spot on the Billboard charts. Not his highest seller, mind you, but still a high seller. I would have certainly been one to buy this album back in the day, if only for the kick ass tracks like our song of the day, "Patch It Up", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "I've Lost You". This isn't the kind of Elvis album I would suggest a budding fan to start on, but it is one that I think you certainly need to hear and should look forward to if you take the deep dive into his discography. An essential album, both to show his progression as a musician and also just to get some mellow and easy Elvis. Our song of the day, "I Just Can't Help Believin'", is the opening track for the album. It sets the album off on the right foot, instantly grabbing you with the intense vocal work of Presley. The song was originally recorded by B.J. Thomas, a hidden pop country legend of the 1970s. The original is great, but lacks that Elvis touch, so I would say Elvis's version blew his out of the water. Probably a bias since it is me, but still, this Elvis version is potent. There have been other versions of the track, with plenty of them being great, especially the 1970 version put out by David Frizzell (Lefty Frizzell's younger brother). The Elvis version shows off why people came in droves to see Elvis perform live even this far into his career. He has that emotion in clutch, and he performs so damn wonderfully. It feels like a personal experience even just listening to it on this album; I couldn't imagine what it was like in person. A strange facade of making you think Elvis is like one of us. I mean, he is since he is only human, but he lived a life that we couldn't even fathom. His whole band did spectacularly on this track, and you can see why he was always so gracious to his band, especially in the Las Vegas days. They are a big part of what makes these tracks so all-consuming, even if Elvis is the one in the spotlight. For this track it is the Sweet Inspirations, one of the greatest backing vocalist groups in all of rock and R&B history. For the studio tracks, we have the Jordanaires which is a given since they have been with Elvis through a lot, and also the Imperials which fit Elvis like a glove with their strong gospel music backing. The personnel on post 1950s Elvis albums are often huge, and Thats the Way It Is is no different. Anyway, I told myself this post couldn't be a huge one, Elvis or not, so I will stop while I am ahead. Hope you dig this song! I give it as a gift from me to you. It has been alongside me for years, and I hope it will find a place in your life as well. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1970
Album: That's the Way It Is (1970)
Genre: Blue-Eyed Soul, Country
Mood: Romantic
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Date night, Writing love letters, Being proud of the one you're with
Where To Next: "Who Cares About Tomorrow (Live at the Troubadour, 1969)" - Rick Nelson
Rating: 8 / 10

"I've Been Lonely for So Long" - Mick Jagger

     You got those moves like Jagger? Well, I sure hope not since he is one awful dancer. Singer? Stage presence? Lyrical aptitude? Great! Dancer? No. Maybe... in an expressionist sense? But no. Wanna see some of that prime dancing? Jump on YouTube and check out the music video of him and David Bowie doing their version of "Dancing in the Street". One of the greatest awful music videos out there. One of those train wrecks you cannot help but watch with your mouth open. It looks like what you and your friends would do at sleepovers as a child. Maroon 5 had a pretty big hit with their song "Moves like Jagger", and the song was put together under the idea that nobody can move like Jagger. He is just a joy to watch in his strange dancing, once again like a train wreck. I've never been too fond of that song, but it has the pop stranglehold that forces the song to be stuck in your head. I haven't even heard that track in well over 5 years, and I still know it. Anyway, we aren't here today to talk of Maroon 5, maybe next time. Today we are here to talk about Mick Jagger. A legendary frontman for one of rock's greatest bands, The Rolling Stones. Plenty of the Stones and affiliated members had some solo material, but I don't think any did nearly as well as Mick Jagger. The Rolling Stones had their fair share of ups and downs throughout their immensely long career, a career that is still going after 64 years. So, with that in mind, it is only to be expected for members to embark on their own solo career when tensions were high or they were simply not putting music out for a period. Mick Jagger released his first solo album in 1985, arguably the best album out of his solo work, She's the Boss. Some consider his first solo outing the 1975 collaboration album Jamming with Edward! which is a recording of a 1969 jam session between Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones), Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones), Ry Cooder, and Nicky Hopkins. I don't think that counts as his debut in the slightest, especially since there are plenty of Stones on board. His debut, She's the Boss, is still a little bit Rolling Stones, but with a voice as tied to the band as Mick Jagger's, it is challenging to see past it. Plus, he was part of the vision of the Stones, so his own artistic vision of his main band will bleed into the solo; it happens to practically every solo career. What sets it apart from The Rolling Stones is how dance-forward it is. There are some tracks that are hardly anything like what The Rolling Stones did up until that point, and in some ways those are the lacking tracks from the album. That is more than likely a bias thing with me. I have always had a love/hate relationship with Jagger's solo work, but the tracks I dig, I really dig. "I've Been Lonely for So Long" is one of my favorites from his solo material, if not my favorite. When it comes to the singing skills of Mick Jagger, I always fall in love with those that have the higher notes. The Rolling Stones tracks like "Fool to Cry" and "Emotional Rescue" feature those notes. I wish I was more well versed in musical theory and also vocal scales, but I am not, but you will know what I mean if you listen to those tracks after you check out our song of the day. Anyway, Mick Jagger didn't release his debut in any sort of anger; it was simply an option brought to him by the Rolling Stones new label, Columbia Records. What he did wrong was be secretive about this deal he struck with the recording label, and once Keith Richards found out about it, he wasn't happy. This brought in a lot of internal strife, which is only fair, but Keith Richards and Mick Jagger practically have been fighting since the start of the band. Richards went so far as to compare Mick Jagger's debut to that of Mein Kampf, saying that "everybody had a copy, but nobody listened to it". When I first read that in his autobiography Life, I chuckled since I too owned a copy of She's the Boss for a good while but never listened to it. Hit the nail on the head. Even now I am always tempted to buy the album on vinyl but know it will be the same story. It isn't a bad album by any means, but like the other Stones solo albums, why listen to it when you can bust out the massive catalog of great albums The Rolling Stones put out as a full unit?

     Still, that debut of Mick Jagger's did well enough and spurred a big hit single, "Just Another Night" alongside other pretty big hits. After that, Mick Jagger did that aforementioned song, "Dancing in the Street" with longtime friend David Bowie, a track that shot to the top of many countries' charts. 1987 saw Jagger releasing his 2nd solo album, Primitive Cool, one that I could take or leave. There are still some decent tracks on there, but nothing to bring to a social soirée and say, "You gotta hear this". Great for a collector, but it is sort of a bore in the end. The same isn't to be said baout Mick Jagger's third solo album, Wandering Spirit. This was probably one of the most shocking albums that I came across when doing my 1990s rock studies. I already listened to the previous two albums a good handful of times throughout my life, so when I saw that Mick Jagger name roll across my screen for its turn of listening, I honestly kind of sighed. Though, by the middle of the album, I was honestly really impressed. A ton of great songs with a more touched up and refined style. I still think She's the Boss is the best solo album Jagger put out, but Wandering Spirit is a quick second. It separates itself from the Stones work well, and track by track it is smooth and easy. You can tell that the years between the previous Jagger album and the resurgence of The Rolling Stones album sales with 1989's Steel Wheels and the material they were playing with for 1995's Voodoo Lounge saw Mick Jagger getting some wind in his sails once more. So, yeah, I was impressed with the album. Impressed enough to give it a second listen right then and there. My favorite track to come off the album is "I've Been Lonely for So Long". A cover of the underrated soul artist Frederick Knight, who found decent fame with it in 1972. Who has the better version? Neither. They are honestly equal; it just depends on the mood you are in. It isn't all too shocking that Jagger covered a Frederick Knight track. He has been a longtime fan of R&B and soul, as is the majority of The Rolling Stones. Wandering Spirit had plenty of great stars of both yesteryear and of the 1990s on the album. The most fun addition to this track is Flea playing the bass guitar. I don't even hear any slapping! What gives?! There's no denying that the bass is a little more in your face for this track, but when Flea is involved, that is a given. Since it is a Mick Jagger album, he is the one in the forefront, but the backing singers who give layers to the chorus also deserve some of the love. That chorus is in the main body of the song, and they repeat it over and over again, but with it being a cover of a soul track, that is something to be expected. Wandering Spirit was a commercial success and gave us some more Rolling Stones affiliated material to hold us through the 1990s, a decade where the band only released 2 great studio albums and 3 stand up live albums. "Sweet Thing" was the single that gained the most attention, and for all the right reasons, but still I gotta give it to "I've Been Lonely for So Long" for being the best track off the album. Music is art, and art is subjective, so that is just my opinion. Modernly, I would consider this album and song to be a hidden gem. It still gets plenty of love, but I don't think many new fans are coming this way when there are so many Rolling Stones albums to get caught up on before you move into the solo work. I mean, no matter how you handle your discography runs, I would still suggest hanging out with The Rolling Stones for a bit before taking the dive into the solo works. Much like I would with the Eagles, the Beatles, and the Who. It just makes it more fun, and in a way, it makes you feel like you understand the individual more in their main band once you hear just them and their artistic vision in their solo work, for better or worse. For today, be sure to check out the selected song, and if you already know The Rolling Stones well, then go ahead and use this track as your diving board into the surprisingly well put together discography of Mick Jagger. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1993
Album: Wandering Spirit (1993)
Genre: Rock, Soft Rock
Mood: Catchy
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving, Summer days, Hanging around home
Where To Next: "Emotional Rescue" - The Rolling Stones
Rating: 8 / 10

"Who's Your Boyfriend" - Billy Squier

     In our previous song we were busy asking, "Who's your girlfriend", but in today's post we ask about the boyfriend. While this isn't one of Billy Squier's massive radio hits, I think it is better than "The Stroke" and "Everybody Wants You". Those are still great tracks, but I do have a higher love for the tracks off the beaten Squier path. Well, aside from "Lonely Is the Night" since I think that is one of the greatest songs ever put together. Anyway, today we will be focusing in on Billy Squier's debut album, The Tale of the Tape, an underrated album from his strong discography. But before we get into that, let's get to know Billy a little better. Squier came along nearing the golden age of the guitar gods but was still there in time to get his name added to the list. He became a quick radio icon for hits like "The Stroke", "Emotions in Motion", "Lonely Is the Night", "My Kinda Lover", "Everybody Wants You", and plenty of others in the 1980s. He released some of the tracks that defined the early 1980s rock sound. Smooth guitar work meets a nighttime atmosphere; those two together gave Squier a leg up against plenty of the legends of the past moving into the new sound of rock and even had him standing against some of the other brightest rising stars. For me, I have been a big fan of Squier since I was fairly young. I started like many with "The Stroke", a song I am still not sure if it is about a hand job or not. I don't care people are saying it is about the record industry. It almost is too perfectly written not to be about someone shakin your skin snake. Well, dirty track or not, that song is still a golden hit and one that will be found in practically any "greatest of the 1980s" playlist out there. Anyway, Squier played the perfect role as the one who brought in plenty of different rock and pop styles all under one easy to get behind sound. He released 9 studio albums, 2 live albums (past prime), and a good handful of singles, many of which were hits, with his first hit single being released in 1981. His prime years were brief, but he still left his mark and bridged the gap between the 1970s rock sound and the 1980s rock sound. I am sure you know plenty of his songs and just didn't know it was Squier who put them out. He isn't some hidden gem by any means; he hit the same acclaim as some of the greats of rock music, but it was certainly his large amount of hits that ultimately survived the test of time. Squier had his first taste of fame in 1977 after forming his first legit band, Piper. Piper only released two studio albums in their short life, but they are surprisingly damn good. Usually when you reach back to a legend's previous bands, you tend to be disappointed, but Piper was a pleasant surprise. Their debut self titled album is a prime example of a hidden gem, and I am especially fond of a little track called "Who's Your Boyfriend (I Got a Feelin')". Yes, our song of the day was originally released during the Piper period of Billy Squier, but I think his solo one is much better. Still, Piper and Can't Wait are everything you could want out of a straightforward rock album. Piper was well received by critics and quickly gained themselves a local fan base, but the band still broke up. A sad but necessary step for Squier to become a rock icon in the 1980s. In 1979 Capitol Records snatched up Billy Squier for his solo career and instantly threw him in the studio to start working on his debut. Billy Squier was a tad bit older than some of the others in the rock world when he took off. Practically a grandpa at the age of 30. All jokes, but it did take Squier a little bit to hit the top. Though, it was probably for the best. His guitar work, lyrical themes, and vocals weren't built off youthful angst, nor were they meant to bring forth a sense of power to the powerless. His sound is something a little more mature, something that can only come from someone who has both lived a regular life and put in a ton of work to make it. In that I think that is why Squier did so well, he wrote songs that were bristling with dedication to his craft. Something you can feel on the majority of his tracks.

      Well, it was the spring of 1980. Things were changing in the music world. Music was getting heavier or stranger, the dance floor was filled with the negative side of heavy cocaine abuse, and it seemed like the traditional sound of rock was giving way to something more energetic. Billy Squier released his debut in that mess, an underrated little album called The Tale of the Tape. The album sadly didn't break into the chart with the same fervor as the following album, Don't Say No, did. It was sort of a flop, but it still did show that Squier was on the right path. I will admit not every single track is something to rant and rave about, but there are enough good ones to make it a worthwhile addition to your record collection. It peaked at #169 on the Billboard charts and helped push his career onward. The Tale of the Tape had two singles released from it, "You Should Be High Love" and "The Big Beat". Neither of the tracks made the charts but found their own sense of fame once hip hop rose to power. "The Big Beat" is one of those tracks that you can hear for your first time and swear that you heard it elsewhere. It has been heavily sampled in hip hop, the most notable of which were "99 Problems" from Jay-Z and "Here We Go" by Run-DMC. There are plenty of other artists that sampled it, mostly in the hip hop world but also even in the R&B/pop world with Alicia Keys using it for her hit song "Girl on Fire" many years later in 2012. Strange way for one of your forgotten tracks to find new fame, but any coverage is good coverage. Once again, Squeir isn't a hidden gem, but that doesn't mean he isn't packed to the brim with hidden gem songs. The singles are the cream of the album, but you will find a much better taste when you bite into the rest of the cake. Tracks like "Rich Kid" and the solo version of "Who's Your Boyfriend" are where it is really at. The album cover looks like something Peter Frampton would have put out, and the style of music within the album sounds like something Journey would have put out. A little more of an edge to it in comparison to Journey, but that easy to get behind commercialized sound is certainly there. All for the better since Squier didn't rely on intensity to show that he is a musician worth his weight in gold. Still, just consider this a sampler album, a slightly mundane start but one that shows that Squier has the potential to completely rock you. I have always been fond of the album, but it was one of the first I listened to from him, so that is to be expected. Our song of the day was originally released in Piper's self titled debut album in 1977, and while that version is great and a little bit on the glam rock spectrum, I am much more fond of the version on Squier's debut. "Who's Your Boyfriend" is more of a power pop track than a rock one. But who needs genre definitions when the chorus is this catchy and the drums keep beat this damn well? Not the type of track to bring in the most insane innovation, but one that is a pure joy to listen to. The lyrics were written by Squier, and they cover the tale of a lovestruck fool that was left by his gal a while back. Still, he can't let it go, and he spends his time searching around for her. Questions of who is buying you all that fine clothing, and most importantly, what is the dude's name. Mainly, he seems to be wanting just to find her to win her back, or maybe win her for the first time, which brings in a strange stalker aspect, so with that in mind, I will continue with the idea that this was written as an innocent "I want you back" kind of song. I am sure it is just one of those, especially with its previous glam rock version, a genre that wasn't all too shameful with those kinds of lyrical themes. I am not sure what the character in the story feels he has to offer, but I have seen plenty of shitty flicks about this same topic, and so long as love is there, our character will prevail! Either way, our journey alongside him with the greatly sung lyrics is memorable and enjoyable. "Who's Your Boyfriend" is the 7th track on the album and serves its purpose of keeping the album feeling fresh quite well near the end of its tracklisting. I dig this song; it always gets stuck in my head for hours, but I guess that is the Squier way. Following this album, he released his essential Don't Say No, but I like to come back and check out this debut to get some straightforward and easy rock that is still a little wet behind the ears. I hope you like the song! If you don't, be sure to check back tomorrow, and you might find yourself with your next favorite song! Only one way to know. See you tomorrow! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1980
Album: The Tale of the Tape (1980)
Genre: Power Pop, Rock
Mood: Innocent
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Chores, Dating, Wine at home, Getting ready for a night out
Where To Next: "Even the Losers" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Rating: 7 / 10

"Women in Love..." - Van Halen

     The day has finally come! We get a post of Van Halen with David Lee Roth at the helm. I don't dislike the Sammy Hagar era, and I still find some merit in the Cherone era, but it all pales in comparison to Van Halen in their strongest and truest form with David Lee Roth on the microphone. Rock has spurred so many iconic frontmen, but none seem to be having as good of a time on stage or in the studio as David Lee Roth. He has so much energy that when he dies, I am sure the whole of the United States is going to have a power outage. Have you seen anything that he has been up to recently? He seemed to drop out of the public eye and only sometimes pops up from time to time to show off some of the actually great art he is putting out. Who is to say that he isn't actually hooked up to some machine somewhere, giving all that energy we hear in Van Halen and his solo work to keep all of us powered up? Maybe he is doing it just for my little website, and if that is the case, then thank you, Dave! Also, do me a favor and send over a signed copy of that debut self-titled album of yours; my lady digs that one. Chances are that isn't the case, but seriously, I cannot help but feel like I am 16 years old and full of piss and vinegar when I hear some Van Halen. The ultimate party band, even Mötley Crüe probably partied to them. So many damn fun tracks, and unlike some of the bands that put out party material, the whole band is immensely talented. That means there is something there for music listeners such as myself that like to fully focus on the music being played, and plenty of tunes for those that enjoy it in the background. You gotta listen to Van Halen albums a solid 10 times to hear even half of what is going on. It isn't even in the progressive nature where you stroke your chin and say "quite", but more so that there is so much damn sound packed into their songs that it is difficult to focus on just one thing at a time. Like many of us out there, I have listened through their core albums well over 100 times each, and if I were to listen to Van Halen II again right here and now, I would find something new to appreciate and would still be as giddy for the next track as I was when I was 13 listening to it for the first time. There are bands out there that you will never forget your first time hearing them, and Van Halen is one of those groups. For me, it was "Hot for Teacher" that was my first taste. Talk about one hell of a song, something that is genuinely divine from start to finish, and a song that nobody has been able to replicate ever again. "Hot for Teacher", "Bat Out of Hell", "Free Bird", "Stairway to Heaven", "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", and so many other epic tracks that are so damn original and powerful that they are a musician's wet dream of adding their song to that list. There is only a couple in each quarter of a decade, and Van Halen had, arguably, the greatest epic track with "Hot for Teacher". Anyway, I saw the music video at a young age, probably 8 or so, and was HOOKED! Not because it was one of my first tastes of seeing a half naked lady dancing across the ol' television screen, but also since the damn song was gut-wrenchingly powerful. It was just one of those moments, ya know? Like your first beer. Important life moments go as follows: first kiss, first beer, getting your first set of wheels, first time having sex, and the first time hearing Van Halen. Hate to tell you, once you got all those under your belt, you already hit the peak of life. All jokes aside, they are just that powerful of a group. "Hot for Teacher" set something off inside me, once again not because of the half naked lady dancing across the ol' television screen, but something more in line with finding a purpose in life. Finding an identity within something more powerful than anything else on this planet. The enchanting magic that comes from music.

     Alright, enough about me, let's get into the music. Van Halen is one of rock's genre defining bands. Each member of the early days was top tier, and the songs that came out of the group are something of legend. The band was started up by the Van Halen brothers after they served their time performing at parties and the like in their band the Broken Combs. They jumped between names for a while, sometimes being Genesis, sometimes being Mammoth (which Eddie Van Halen's son later used for his band name), and even went out there calling themselves the Trojan Rubber Co. from time to time. While Eddie Van Halen may be a guitar virtuoso, he sure wasn't as talented at picking band names. Genesis was the one they rolled with for a while before they discovered there already was a Genesis, and from the crazy stuff they put out, it was wise to not push that one. So they rolled with Mammoth for a while, and during that time they rented a PA from a cat named David Lee Roth, who too was part of a band. Roth tried out for their band a couple of times but never left too much of an impression on the band. One day they said, "What the heck" and let him join on anyway, mostly since that dude had so much aura it was hard to deny his stage appeal. At the urging of David Lee Roth, they changed the band's name to Van Halen since he thought it had much more grabbing power. Solid choice, and it indeed does. For the next little bit the band vigorously played shows and did all their own promotion, which gained them a hearty local fanbase. They started adding in some people to the band and getting their act down. All the pieces were falling into place for one of rock music's greatest bands. Through all that hard work, they worked their way up the Los Angeles music scene until they were playing at the popular venues, the same venues that saw countless top tier acts getting signed. Gene Simmons of KISS came out to see them perform and was damn impressed. He took it upon himself to get a demo tape and to work on it in hopes of getting them signed. To his disappointment, the KISS management said that the band would never make it and to drop it. Fools! Fools, I tell you! Van Halen certainly did make it soon after, they wowed plenty of bigwigs, but the biggest of the wigs, Warner Records, was the one to sign them. A classic case of "don't call us, we will call you" which was written on a napkin, and within a week the band was having dinner with music business folk and talking brass tacks. In 1978, Van Halen released their debut album, a self titled masterpiece that served as one of the building blocks for the future of American hard rock. It was something so unlike all the other albums of its time. Crazy energy, moody guitar intros, eccentric singing, and most importantly, a guitar hero that the world hadn't seen since Jimi Hendrix entered the scene. The album was a major commercial success, and overnight they became a national sensation and even found decent fame across the globe. The album was a prime example that rock n roll wasn't hurting; it was finding a new stage to rock the nation. Van Halen was the leading band in this new scene, and that debut is in my opinion their greatest set of songs they ever put out. If you haven't heard it from start to finish, I strongly suggest it! They toured fiercely and opened for some of the biggest names and quickly gained a reputation for their often explosive live shows. The charisma of David Lee Roth left a serious impression on you, and the flawless guitar work from Eddie Van Halen had kids from Los Angeles to Bangor, Maine going to the pawn shop to pick up their first guitar. 

     That debut of theirs is iconic, one of the greatest rock albums of all time if you ask me. They kept that energy up for their second album, Van Halen II, which was released in March of 1979. Their second was only a baby step below that of their debut, but it is still as essential as Van Halen and 1984. It features some of their greatest tracks! The hit singles "Dance the Night Away", "Beautiful Girls", and "Somebody Get Me a Doctor" are some of their greatest. Van Halen isn't the type of group that relies on singles. Their prime albums might as well be greatest hits albums. Van Halen II has a much more party forward approach to lyrics and atmosphere. A good timin' album that serves perfectly for a night of drunken revelry or running wild in the streets. "Dance the Night Away" is the track that fully kept the Van Halen name circulating around, not that they needed it. It was the only song off the album that was put together during the recording of the album. The others were already in the ol' songbook of Van Halen and were ones they played live during the early days. In a way, you can tell, the others seem to be perfect hyping songs for a club. While "Dance the Night Away" is iconic, we aren't here today to talk about that track. We are here today to discuss "Women in Love..." which I find to be one of the greatest off the album. That is a strong statement since the whole album is made up of great tracks. What I adore most about "Women in Love..." is that intro. Now, Van Halen has plenty of genuinely gripping song intros where they show you how to feel and take in the music. Even within this album, we have some of their best intros. The bass kick off on "You're No Good", the smooth picking of "Bottoms Up!" before the full band comes in with vigor, the guitar lick at the start of "Beautiful Girls" which every future Los Angeles rock band copped a feel of following its release, and plenty more. Still, none are nearly as beautiful as "Women in Love..." with quick picking completely drowned in watery tones and that special Eddie Van Halen virtuoso playing. He commands the track all the way until he lets someone else join him at the 0:35 mark when his brother Alex whacks those drums. This track utilizes that classic Van Halen "set them up and shut them down" composition that keeps you focused the whole time. While David Lee Roth starts into his swagger heavy talk-singing, you can hear Eddie Van Halen doing something completely to his own rhythm in the background. Bass and drums are sure to be there to cradle the two. Then the whole band comes together for that chill addling chorus with some Van Halen harmony and vocal work. The guitar solo at 2:28 feels shaky and strange, more like Eddie playing around and keeping the track light before the chorus comes back in. David Lee Roth doesn't belt on this track as much as he does on some of the other tracks on the album. He is still there to give you some of his iconic "hiccups" and strange noises, but overall it is a pretty tame one from ol' Diamond Dave. Lyrically it isn't anything too mind blowing, but it is one of the first popular hard rock tracks that bring in some lyrics about a bisexual woman. Our character is torn since he loves his lady, but she has an inclination for both sides. It is said multiple times that she has to make up her mind, her or me. He isn't mad, just wants her to make up her mind, "leave me alone, or lady, stay the night". At face value it just seems like another sexed up Van Halen track, and it still is, but it's a cut above some of the others since it touches on things less brought into those lyrical themes. All of those lyrics are tied together with a bow of fun guitar work and a great, larger than life atmosphere. Alright, this post has gone on long enough. Sometimes I cannot help myself but type, type, type! Hope you couldn't help yourself but to read, read, read. Hope you dig the track, but I am sure you will. Check out the rest of the album if you haven't heard it yet, it's a blast! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1979
Album: Van Halen II (1979)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Moody
​Perfect For: Having your gal leave you for a gal, Casual listening, Night drives in the city
Where To Next: "Always Somewhere" - Scorpions
Rating: 8 / 10

"Feelin' Low" - Ernie Chaffin

     Welcome! Hope you are ready to kick February off on a lonesome note. That lonesome feeling is one of my favorites for music, especially for the older stuff. Music serves as the perfect visual representation of history. It shows the changing of the times, words, slang, and the general feeling of the population. Now, Ernie Chaffin isn't exactly the best example of that since he never gained any true fame, but what his songs show is the changing atmosphere within an emotion. Lonesome music of today is hardly anything like what it was back then. Lo-fi and indie do a wonderful job at representing being lonesome and being sad, but I don't think they do it as well as the artists of yesteryear. The lonesome atmosphere is best put together simply; it is a simple emotion after all. It shares similarities with plenty of others, be it disappointment, insecurity, depression, boredom, or plain sadness, but there is something more there. Something that is wholly crushing. Ernie Chaffin shows it off with his vocals full of despair and an atmosphere that too feels like loneliness, sounding like it was recorded in a room that only holds memories with a cold draft coming through the cracks in the walls. As things change, so do emotions, or maybe how we portray them. The anger of the 1980s was put into metal in a much different way than what was going on in the 2000s. Happiness was expressed in bubblegum pop back in the 1960s and then was put on a neon flashing dance floor in the 1980s. Loneliness was brought forth by an empty midnight train in the 1950s and then was traded for crowded sidewalks where everyone avoids eye contact in the 2010s. When it comes to being lonesome, getting a little too rowdy, and even falling in love, there really aren't many better labels that captured the feeling better than Sun Records. If you made it this far to find the website and to hopefully read along with me when you get the chance, I am sure you already know about Sun Records. They are one of the most legendary labels in the music world. They are known as "the birthplace of rock and roll" and while that isn't entirely true, it certainly ain't wrong either. Sun Records is known for bringing a lot more attention to rockabilly and rock and roll and being the launching point for some of music's biggest names. Sun Records recorded a ton of timeless rock and country tracks from plenty of musicians, the majority of which never made it out of Sun Records. Those who did became icons, musicians like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins helped define rock music and their influence is still felt even until this day. Outside of the legends Sun Records spurred plenty of cult classics, rockabilly icons, and took their chances on about anyone who had talent no matter the genre or color of their skin. Sam Philips was a damn smart man and he could always sniff out talent, even if it took a little convincing and dedication from artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash to get their chance to step into the recoring booth. Sun Records never really got much money throughout their time, though it often goes that those who do the most for the art world tend to be poor and that is exacly what Sam Philips was dealing with. He knew that some of the massive stars he recorded didn't have a chance on the Sun Records label and would often urge them to try out some other labels, even sometimes being the one to contact those labels since he believed in the music in which he helped create. Elvis Presley is the prime example of just that. After the crazy fame that came from the Elvis craze, he knew that Elvis would simply have to get picked up by someone else so he can reach his full potential. When RCA came a knockin' Elvis was aprehensive to leave his home label behind but Sam Philips practically pushed him out the door with a smile and told him to knock em dead. Sun Records didn't even start out as a rockabilly label, that all came when Elvis broke out of their humble little studio. Originally Sun Records was the home for the blues that sometimes recorded gospel and country music. I personally adore the Sun Records label and have time consumingly listened to everything they ever put out. My favorite label with one of the grandest visions in all of music history. I hope I can visit it one day, it would be surreal, even thinking about it gives me chills. Wonder if I would swoon. I know it sounds silly since it is just a building, but I have a seriously deep love for the music that came out of it.

     Thoughtout all my many listens to the great artists who entered that studio, both the old and even the new stuff, I have found few that can beat some of the tracks of Ernie Chaffin. I mean, obviously the legends are better, but when it comes to the many hidden gems and forgotten great musicians who had a single pressed with that rooster on the center label, he is one of the greatest. Ernie Chaffin never broke out and thus became a hidden gem in the modern day. He came along during the rockabilly explosion brought forth by Sun Records and the breakout success of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Sonny Burgess, Warren Smith, and many others. With Sun Records he released 4 singles, all of which are fucking great. Those singles were eventually put into a compilation entitled Sun Records Originals: Born to Lose, which was released in 2023. Sun Records puts out a bunch of compilations, so be sure to keep your eye out, especially since it often features practically impossible songs to find from artists that you will find no place else. The one released for Ernie Chaffin is made up of his 4 singles and a couple of other tracks that came out of the woodwork. Sun Records came from a time when singles were still king; not many would collect or purchase LPs at this point, so to find some recorded tracks modernly from the lesser known can be a bitch. Thankfully, Sun Records makes it a point to keep their historic recordings accessible for future generations. Anyway, Ernie Chaffin released his first single featuring the two songs "Laughin' and Jokin'" and "I'm Lonesome" in 1957. Both are great tracks, especially "I'm Lonesome" on side two. Within that same year, he released the single that holds our song of the day, "Feelin' Low" which had another powerful track on the back of it, "Lonesome for My Baby". One of the best tracks out of 1957 and a complete hidden gem that I am so proud to show to you today. It is a pretty straightforward tune, but what it has in its clutch is that lonesome feeling we were talking about earlier. A mellow yet catchy rhythm sets the stage for Ernie Chaffin to come in and lay out some fairly simplistic yet damn fun and emotional vocal work. It covers the tale of a man who wanders the street looking for his lover, but she is never to be found. As expected, this makes our character feel real lonesome and blue, even to the point he considers suicide. In the end, he can only blame himself. She is out having a good time, but our poor little fool is the one to pay the price. I really love the vocal work of the track, it feels like he is the one experiencing it firsthand. Who knows, maybe he was, something I cannot confirm since there really isn't much to find about Chaffin out there. He had his greatest songs recorded with Sun Records but also had some cut with Hickory Records and some others throughout his short career. He came to Sun Records with something more unique than the other recording artists. Yes, it is still similar and still rockabilly, but there is something powerful there that the others don't hold. Less boogie, more raw emotion. He cut some other unreleased material throughout his life, and some of it is slowly showing up on the web. He passed away in 1997 following a tractor accident, which is strangely fitting. Anyway, take some time out of your day and listen to this quick track. It will make you feel low down, in that there is no doubt. If you find yourself with some extra time, check out some of the others. Take in a little Sun Records history with one of their most talented. A man who came, recorded, and then left. His music left an imprint on me, something I am sure he didn't expect to happen so many years later. I put him up there with some of Sun Records best artists. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1957
Single: Feelin' Low / Lonesome for My Baby (1957)
Genre: Rockabilly
Mood: Lonesome
​Perfect For: Waking up in the morning, Cigarettes and coffee blues, Lonely nights, Wasted days 
Where To Next: "The Black Haired Man" - Jack Clement
Rating: 9 / 10