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"Dreamer" - Ozzy Osbourne

     It is time we talk about Ozzy Osbourne once again. Always a joy to have the prince of darkness here with us. I can think of few better artists to include in one of our monthly playlists to really spice things up. Ozzy has forever played a thin line between heavy metal and hard rock throughout his career. He is one of the metal gods and an absolute icon in the rock, metal, and music world as a whole. I hardly need to tell you about who he is since he has a face and persona that will forever be a part of music history. This is the third post for Ozzy's solo material. The last two were "See You on the Other Side" which was chosen on the death of this legend back in July, and just last month we had the intense "I Don't Wanna Stop" grace the website. Today, we talk about "Dreamer" which comes off his 2001 album Down to Earth. I am a little shocked that we haven't had any of his 1980s material here yet, especially since that is the best decade of albums he released. I still adore everything else he did, but that 1980s stuff is diamond-encrusted, to say the least. I still do indeed have a soft spot for Down to Earth. Being born in 1998 and growing up in the 2000s, it was one of the most accessible Ozzy albums to me. The hit songs like "Get Me Through" and "Dreamer" were tracks I was already familiar with before I took my deep dive into everything Ozzy in the following years. Down to Earth is the eighth studio album put out by Ozzy, and it marked his comeback to the studio following a 4-year absence of completely new material. Ozzy was content keeping on the road and even said he wanted to be like the Grateful Dead and continuously be on tour. It was the record label that pulled him in to dish out another album. This was the first album of new material released from Ozzy since the popularization of Ozzfest, an annual metal festival that featured a ton of different styles of heavy metal. Ozzfest practically helped rewrite how to do heavy metal festivals, and it was held mostly annually since 1996. They stopped doing them in 2018. After the death of Ozzy, there was urging from the fans to maybe bring it back, something that Ozzy's wife, Sharon Osbourne, is currently in talks with to get rolling. Sadly, I am sure it will be ungodly expensive to attend, and with the changing music world, it will likely not have that "thing" to it that made it so magical. Much like Warped Tour. Granted, it wasn't like they were only having well-established heavy metal legends on that stage. The shows always followed the modern trends, so if it is done right, the spirit of Ozzy will live on through the festivals he helped create history with. As a young lad, I used the Ozzfest lineups to further expand my musical horizons. It was how I discovered Static-X, The Sword, Priestess, and many more. Their musical compass on which bands to sign was always something to be trusted. A dowsing rod of heavy metal heaven. Getting off topic. Ozzy wasn't too keen to get back into the studio, but those album sales are often the bread and butter of keeping up the lifestyle of being on the road. Plus, the fans wanted to see what the prince of darkness had next for them. His previous album, Ozzmosis, dropped some great tracks even if the album itself was a little lacking in the serious heavy hitters. In between the two albums, the compilation The Ozzman Cometh was released, which is the best Ozzy compilation out there, and that one also featured different versions of Black Sabbath's "Black Sabbath" and "War Pigs" plus a previously unreleased track "Back on Earth" which never made it onto Ozzmosis. Down to Earth was the perfect canteen of water to quench the thirst after such a long wait.

     In a way, it isn't all too much different from his previous album, Ozzmosis. But unlike that one, there was a heavier focus on releasing tracks that feel fully thought through. This was the only studio album to feature Robert Trujillo solely on bass guitar, that same one I was practically throwing myself at on the Infectious Grooves post. Following this album, he joined up with Metallica, where he has been ever since. Like I already mentioned, anything he touches is fuckin' gold and that stands true with his bass prowess on Down to Earth. He did come back for some of the songs on Ozzy's last album, Patient Number 9, in 2022. Ozzy had a lot of help writing the songs and lyrics on this album from other musicians and also people in the music business. This was the only Ozzy album to not have Zakk Wylde help write the songs since he joined up with the band on 1988's No Rest for the Wicked, and you can tell. Wylde still is the man behind the guitar for this album. Ozzy went so far as to ask River Cuomo from Weezer for some ideas, who handed to him "Hash Pipe", but it was ultimately not selected for the album. Could you imagine? I can't even think of how that would sound. I mean, I get close in my head, but it still feels like some novelty cover. Weezer had a lot of success with that track, and for someone else to give it a shot just seems so odd. Ozzy should have done a version for his following studio album, Under Cover, which is a covers album. Anyway, our song of the day, "Dreamer", is the best track off the album in my opinion. This is one of those songs that I really find myself within. Being a dreamer is something that has followed me throughout life. I live in a world of my own making and am constantly disappointed by the reality of life. The music video was one I would often binge-watch on YouTube back in the day, and I can recall it scene for scene. Rob Zombie was the producer for that music video, another fun little fact. The lyrics are very much Ozzy Osbourne, who has had songs in both his solo work and Black Sabbath about his love for Mother Nature and the folly of man. While this is a song that embodies the feeling of being a dreamer and dreaming your life away, it is more so one in which Ozzy reflects on how he wishes that humanity could get its shit together. Don't we all, Ozzy, don't we all? The lyrics were cowritten by Mick Jones of Foreigner fame and also Marti Frederiksen, who is one of rock music's hidden icons who wrote plenty of hit material for a ton of varying rock, pop, and even country songs. Well, add Ozzy to that list since he helped dish out one of his best 2000s hits. The track peaked at #10 and above on 6 different countries charts upon its release and did well in plenty of other countries. Following the passing of Ozzy, it reentered the charts and found a heartfelt place in many countries again. I can see why this was one of the songs played heavily following his death. "Dreamer" is referred to by Ozzy as his version of John Lennon's iconic "Imagine". It is the third track from Down to Earth, an album that used all the best tracks at the start of the album, but that is alright since it clears the expectations early and lets you get into some great hard rock. Hits have their place, but when it comes to Ozzy, there is plenty of great shit to be had away from them. This is a track I cannot help but sing along to when it comes on, albeit terribly, but I still give it my all. I mean, this is a track that I do really relate to, so it isn't all too shocking. The track is a mellow one that still ramps it up every now and then. Ozzy and the band craft an atmosphere that is so melancholy that it holds your attention the whole time. The chorus is the greatest point of the song; you really get lost in it. Ozzy questions humanity, saying that no matter what religion you might believe in, there is no hope if we don't band together. The track was released in 2001, and seeing the landscape of society, politics, and the powers that be, I don't think he saw his dream come true before the end of his life. Humanity is done. We fucked up too many times, and honestly the vast majority of society is stupid, selfish, and self destructive. In a way, I think we deserve our fate. A blunder of a species. I just feel bad for all this new life we keep bringing into the world. They will look back on us with anger, a generation of idiots who simply didn't care. Stare into our phone, forget the outside world, forget your neighbor, and just chase that little escape found in doom scrolling. So, sorry Ozzy, we failed you like we failed ourselves. I am a dreamer, and I dream of a better day, but you can hardly dig yourself out of piles of manure when they keep dropping more. Anyway, no matter how grim this ball of hate we inhabit can be, there are always great things to make living worthwhile. Love, adventure, and Ozzy Osbourne. Find your meaning in it all! Play the song! Better yourself! Do it for Ozzy! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001
Album: Down to Earth (2001)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Melancholy
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting inspired, Listening to after a hard day
Where To Next: "Imagine" - John Lennon
Rating: 8 / 10

"Rock and Roll Girls" - John Fogerty

     Welcome back! Hope you are ready for some sweet, sweet rock n roll from one of the greatest in the game. John Fogerty is a name that is synonymous with rock music. He is one of the living legends from the golden era, and his place at the helm of Creedence Clearwater Revival helped steer rock for a solid couple of years. Creedence Clearwater Revival is a band simply without a bad song; there are very few of them out there. A lot of that was brought forth by the vision of John Fogerty, but to say that out loud is a good way to get kicked in the left shin. CCR fell apart due to legality issues and internal power struggles, a lot of that struggle came from John Fogerty, who didn't handle it all too well. He treated the band a little bit too much like business, drilling the members and making sure everything was completely perfect. He even went so far as to not allow anyone to be intoxicated while "working" in the band, something practically unheard of in rock music during the summer of love in 1967 and the days that followed. I can't say I fully blame him, but there is always give and take, especially when the rest of the band is mighty talented as well. If it was "John Fogerty and His Creedence Clearwater Revivals" then I would get it, but each member should certainly still have their own freedoms both in personal choices and artistic expression when you are in a band. Anyway, we aren't here to talk about Creedence Clearwater Revival, but since they are such legends, it will be difficult to stay away from it. Honestly, I am quite shocked that there hasn't been more CCR here. We have only had 3 tracks so far, and the majority of them were during the early days of the website. When I say they have a perfect string of albums, I mean it, they are fucking great no matter where you start. Alright, well, while CCR has only had a couple of choices here so far, John Fogerty as a solo artist hasn't had any. Today we have "Rock and Roll Girls" one of his greatest off his biggest hit album, Centerfield. Fogerty started up CCR with drummer Doug Clifford, his brother Tom Fogerty on rhythm guitar, and Stu Cook on bass guitar. John took on vocals and lead guitar, both of which are iconic and unique. It was his guitar that really helped popularize "swamp rock" and is still one of my all-time favorite tones in rock music. Well, CCR did very well for themselves. Hit after hit saw them becoming a band that completely defined the late 1960s and also helped transition rock music from the peace and love sound of the 1960s into the stern rock sound of the 1970s. They released 3 multiplatinum selling albums all within 1969, and the albums that surround that year are just as kick ass. Wish I could put that on my resume. We will save the nitty gritty for when we formally talk about CCR. For now we will just brush on past it. CCR released 7 studio albums before they split and had one live album come out directly after, Live in Europe (1973), which was one of two of the CCR albums with them as a three-piece band. The band broke up in 1972, and we never got another studio album, just a bunch of compilations and live albums. John Fogerty was the only member to have a strong career outside of CCR. Stu Cook went on to perform with some other groups, none of which hit the big time. The same is to be said about Doug Clifford, but he did appear on some of the Tom Fogerty albums. Now, that brings us to Tom Fogerty, the forgotten brother, who did have a solo career. I listened through the majority of them, and they are all decent but aren't all that great. I'm not talking shit, but it is the simple truth. John Fogerty had it easier since he was a voice people already knew, and he is simply an intense musician who plays through raw passion, and you can feel it. 

     Following the breakup of CCR, John Fogerty had already been putting in some work to start his solo career. He released his first solo album in 1972, an assortment of country and western covers called The Blue Ridge Rangers. That debut is a great one, something I try to check out often since he does a fantastic job on some of my favorite country tunes, especially "You're the Reason" and "She Thinks I Still Care". The original release of that album doesn't say his name anywhere on the cover; it was a quiet release, which was wise. The reissue has his name plastered all over it. He gave a sequel to the album in 2009 with The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again, this time with some more country tunes that reach further into the 1970s instead of the traditional country tunes. Both are good, but that first one is a great hidden gem. Our song of the day is sort of a reach back to that debut of his with the little bit of yodeling that takes place. Fogerty made it clear he had a thing for country music in CCR, and he does it damn well. Wonder if things would have been different if he would have taken his spot on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry instead of the Fillmore. Fogerty released his second studio album in 1975. This one was a self titled release, and some consider it to be his true debut since he released this and everything after under the John Fogerty name. This one is an often overlooked goldmine from his solo discography. A solid album full of fun tracks, the greatest being "Rockin' All Over the World" which was later made a sensation by the intense rock group Status Quo. There are a ton of good tracks on that debut. It still is a little country cooked, but with a special focus on some boogie that helps it give off a more rockabilly feeling in the end. I strongly suggest that album for fans of rockabilly, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and those that dig Fogerty's solo work but mainly stay in his commercial sound found on Centerfield. Well, now that we've said the name of it, let's jump into the album that holds our song of the day. Centerfield is Fogerty's biggest hit album in his solo work, and for all the good reasons. It was the first one I listened to from Fogerty, and being someone who was religiously into CCR for years before I took on the band's solo spin-offs, I was blown away. It is one potent album. Not in the way that Metallica might beat your ass or Jefferson Airplane will have you feeling a contact high, but more so in the way of simply great songwriting and musicianship. You can tell each note is calculated to make you feel good. The album came 9 years after his previous one since Fogerty was caught up in a legal battle with record labels and, honestly, probably just wanted a break. Can't blame him. The life of the famous stars seems so enticing to us simple folk, but I am sure it takes one hell of a toll. The reason this album was so meticulously put together was due to the fact that it is all John Fogerty. He did all the instruments, lyrics, and the majority of everything else in between. It is brimming with passion, something you cannot help but hear and feel empowered by. Not many musicians could come back from such a long time out of the studio and put out something this flawless. All the songs sometimes meld into each other, but I don't say that in a bad way, quite the opposite. It is a joy to sit down and take the whole thing in. There is a tinge of youth within it, almost like looking through a photo album of someone you never knew but feel like you do for some reason. The album had three big time hits come off it: the title track "Centerfield", "The Old Man Down the Road", and our song of the day, "Rock and Roll Girls". Who doesn't love some rock n roll girls?! Am I right?! Well, Fogerty didn't write the song talking about groupies or some motorcycle mamas. He was inspired to write the song after he watched his daughter at play with other girls while they listened to the radio. A song that seems so face value actually has a deeper meaning. It serves as an homage to the music of the past and even borrows some of the melodies of Fogerty's favorite tunes like "Wild Weekend" from the Rockin' Rebels. Not only that, it is a personal song of changing times and all of our places within them. It is the vocals that completely lead this track, even if the other instruments are a lot of fun, your attention is always sucked into those iconic vocals of Fogerty. The track wasn't anything new but more a fun take on an old style. Fogerty also used it as a middle finger to Fantasy Records, who he was still in a legal battle with since they were suing him for the similarity between the CCR track "Run Through the Jungle" and his new hit single "The Old Man Down the Road". Might I add that Fogerty wrote that damn song?! But Fantasy Records held the copyright and was fucking him. Money kills everything, art and music especially. Anyway, there isn't too much to say about the track. It goes down as smooth as your favorite drink paired with your favorite food after winning the lottery. Great song and one of the best out of the John Fogerty solo work. Hope you dig it! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1985
Album: Centerfield (1985)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Fun
​Perfect For: Working, Driving nowhere, Casual listening, Sunny days
Where To Next: "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)" - John Mellencamp
Rating: 8 / 10

"Over Now" - Alice in Chains

      Two Alice in Chains picks in the same month? Yes please! Now you poor readers have to sit through me gushing about the band once more! Suffer! Well, we covered their rise to fame, but now we get to the downfall. I guess downfall isn't quite the right term, more so the end of the Alice in Chains we know and love, though they still reformed in 2009. Our song of the day comes off their self titled third full studio album, but many fans call it the "Dog Album" and I tend to be one of them. I have always loved this album cover, and I am not even sure why. The choice of a three legged dog for their third album's cover art is very much so Alice in Chains. One thing I have always dug about the selected album art for the band is how well it does at expressing the emotions within. I am not one of those people that can taste colors, but the power of color is truth. Some bands utilize it, some bands just plaster their ugly mugs on the front of their album and call it good. I am not sure if Alice in Chains meant to, but they are one of the ones that do it and do it well. Their debut album, Facelift, has a plethora of chaotic colors, something fun and strangely groovy, and that is precisely what their debut is. Their following EP, Sap, is one of blacks and silvers with a splash of brown, and for an album mainly based around acoustic tracks that are dark and vulnerable, they chose a fitting color theme to match. Their second studio album, Dirt, is, as you guessed it, brown through and through with some blood red. That one has to be intentional. Probably the most heroin based album you will ever listen to, and the album art follows suit. A woman buried in mud that has been there so long the mud turned to dirt all around her, serving as a metaphorical tomb. The brown completely matches the desperate and emotional feeling of the album, something gritty and earthy that resonates within the majority of its listeners. The blood red brings in a menacing feeling, almost complimenting the already creepy lady that isn't quite dead yet and sure isn't alive. For their next release, Jar of Flies, it holds that same dark yet earthy color scheme. This time around, though, there is a little bit of light shining through. A small sliver of hope that makes it clear this album is gonna be a little more peaceful than the last one, which simply reeks of distress and desolation. The boy's face is emotionless as he stares at you and the jar of flies. On the left side of the album art, there is a flash of green. Is that green decay or is it life? I guess that is up to you to decide since the album is bristling with both of those. More metaphors and deep colors that have you staring at it longer than any of their other album covers. This leads us into our spotlighted album of the day, Alice in Chains, which was released in 1995. This time around we have a downtrodden looking, three legged dog. I have always grown a little sad when I would see this album cover; that damned dog looks so sad yet so at ease. This time around we have a strikingly greenish yellow album, something gross to look at, a color that grabs your attention and also makes you want to look away. The feeling of the album is unlike any of the other Alice in Chains releases; it is so damn dirty. I personally really love the atmosphere of this one, and the album cover displays it well. Something depraved, hopeless, and gloomy. Their first album is reckless and a little happy, their second is the loss of hope and God, and their third, to me, resembles death. The end of the road. 

     This would be the last studio album to have Layne Staley on vocals, who passed away in 2002. Staley died of an overdose, and sadly wasn't discovered for two weeks. Staley had battled with heavy addiction for a long while, and all we can hope is he found peace. He did a lot in his lifetime, and the music released in both Alice in Chains and Mad Season is some of the best to come out of their respective years. He is one musician that I would save if I had the chance, right alongside Janis Joplin and Buddy Holly. So much raw passion and magic was within his vocals and music, but so is life, the clock continues to tick, and the reaper's scythe never ceases. That path is never a pretty one; there are few ways out. Anyway, some of that magic is shown in this album, and I am happy to give "Over Now" as the first track off the album on AintNoisePollution. "Over Now" is the final track off the album, coming in at number twelve and being the best choice to end the album on. It is one of those tracks that urge you to listen to the album on repeat. Kind of like the end of those Drumstick ice cream cones, scientifically meant to get you to gorge. There are repercussions from doing that with ice cream, but the only negative of doing that to Alice in Chains is just a bad case of the blues since this album is a sad one. Even the less depressive ones have this dispirited feeling to them. "Over Now" is about the breakup of the band in 1994, which was brought about by Staley's drug addiction and natural internal conflict. It was during this stage that Layne Staley joined up with Mad Season and released the spectacular Above, which you should check out if you haven't yet. Anyway, this is one of the few Alice in Chains tracks that have guitarist Jerry Cantrell taking the lead vocals role with Staley coming in for harmony. The lyrical content isn't as deep as some of the others, but the atmosphere is where it is at for this track. Even with the lyrics being simplistic, you can tell it is still loaded with meaning, especially the line "When it's all worn out, I'd rather go without". "Over Now" also shows the Alice in Chains transition away from some of the heavier songs that were featured on Dirt. The band used Jar of Flies to sort of get away from the heavy hitters, since that one is mostly acoustic. "Over Now" might as well have been on Jar of Flies since it is more in line with that sound than that of Alice in Chains and Dirt. In a sad way, this track shows off some of the end of the road mentality for Alice in Chains. I mean, Layne Staley was going through a rough time with his addiction, they let go of bassist Mike Starr in the middle of their last tour due to heavy addiction, and they even had to cut the tour short since drummer Sean Kinney was going through his own battle against alcohol and couldn't stand playing with Staley while he was high. The whole thing was coming to a close, and it is heavily laced in this album. Alice in Chains has a heavy theme around the number 3. The album art is the three legged dog, the back of the album features a picture of Frank Lentini, a three legged man that toured with circuses as a sideshow. It was their third album, there were rumors of Staley dying due to addiction before its release, making people think there were only three members. Three, three, three. Well, all the unsettling images and stylistic choices were there for a reason. It is an album of sickness. Japan didn't appreciate the art, and so the Japanese release of the album is simply white with "Alice in Chains" in the corner. I think the album art has to be there to fully get the idea of the album. The pure sorrow of the album is intoxicating and can make you depressed on your birthday. It has the same lyrical concept as the previous albums, but this new dirty sound just makes those lyrics feel so... sad... so hopeless. While I love "Over Now" and stand by its choice for the website, you simply gotta listen to the other tracks to fully understand what I mean. The big hits off the album are "Heaven Beside You", "Again", and "Grind," which will show you what I mean if you don't want to take the time for a full listen. I do strongly suggest this album, maybe not for your first Alice in Chains album, but it is one you cannot afford to miss. There really aren't many like it; it is hopelessness in its purest form. Alright, that is enough out of me, check the song out! It won't disappoint. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1995
Album: Alice in Chains (1995)
Genre: Acoustic Rock, Grunge
Mood: Hollow
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Reflection, Autumn drives, Depressed days
Where To Next: "Hurt a Long Time" - Jerry Cantrell
Rating: 7 / 10

"Cheap Sunglasses" - ZZ Top

     Don't blow your top, we got ZZ Top here with us today to serve up some A+ grade rock n roll boogie! Man, do I love ZZ Top! They were one of the first classic rock bands to fully grab me. I still remember the first time seeing one of the music videos from their kick-ass essential album, Eliminator. You know the ones; it has all the 1980s flair you could ask for. Not only is it criminally from its time, but they also feature attractive ladies, fuzzy as hell guitars that they spin around (so cool), and a kick-ass signature car. I love those music videos, and for me, it was an eye opener to the earlier days of rock music. ZZ Top is a band that has been alongside me longer than most of my favorites. I have religiously listened to their first 10 studio albums for the last many years, especially albums like Fandango! (1975), Eliminator (1983), Rio Grande Mud (1972), and the synth-forward Afterburner out of 1985. They are the type of band that has something for just about any rocker out there; they got the blues, the boogie, the red hot rockers, soft rock ones, and a little bit of southern rock to balance it all out. I can think of few better bands to grab a nice room temperature beer and crack it open. This is their debut on the website, but I am going to try steering away from our typical copy and paste. We will just talk about whatever we want and see where the post takes us. One thing you do need to know about ZZ Top is they are proud Texans coming right out of Austin, and also what you need to know is the band has always been a three-piece. Something that always impresses me about their 1970s albums since it has the same serious oomph you would expect out of a band the size of the Allman Brothers Band. Now, in comparison to some of the bigger bands with similar styles, ZZ Top isn't nearly as thought out or even jam centric; they make music that is simply supposed to be a good time. I mean, shit, they have a breakup song revolving around how his chick ran off with his favorite pair of pants. There have been many bands that did the boogie rock thing, but I really cannot think of anyone else that does it better than ZZ Top. The type of material that gets you raving at a party, something for the morning after, and something that lets you forget the classic "I'll never drink again, man" and all of that can typically be experienced all within the same album, especially out of their 1970s material. I have never been able to decide where I find my favorite material from the band. I really adore their 1980s style, something so damn commercial it is impossible to not get behind, yet the grimy sound they had with the blues boogie rock in the 1970s has me coming back more often. Some of that could be due to the fact that as a kid I played the living shit out of Eliminator, and even still it is one of my favorites, so maybe as I grew older I found more merit in the less commercialized sound of the boogie rock and southern rock sound. ZZ Top didn't just release good material in the 1970s and 1980s; they still have some stand up albums in the 1990s, like Recycler (1990) and the underrated gem Rhthymeen (1996). The others are decent, and I even find merit in the blunder album XXX out of 1999. The 2000s show that ZZ Top still had talent at dishing out great blues-based rock, and I find their live album Live from Texas (2008) one of their best, even with it being a live one. ZZ Top's final studio album, La Futura, was a shitload better than I expected as well. It was to sadly be their last after finding modest fame once again due to the passing of bassist and co-vocalist Dusty Hill. RIP hombre. What I am trying to say is ZZ Top released fucking great albums in the 1970s, great albums in the 1980s, decent ones in the 1990s, a good one in 2000, and one final great one in 2012. Your first album of theirs is a sacred choice, so choose well! If you haven't already, that is.

     Our song of the day from them today is their well known and well respected hit "Cheap Sunglasses". One thing I have learned during all my studies is if a song title mentions "sunglasses" you are either in for one coooool ride or one that is borderline creepy. Now, what is this track, you might be asking? A little bit of a mix of the two, but that classic ZZ Top humor pulls it through, something sleazy more than creepy. The only creepy part is him following a chick around, one of those real attractive dames, but he wasn't planning anything malicious; he just couldn't get over how good she looked in those cheap sunglasses. ZZ Top is known to have some wild dressing style, something between a pimp and a cowboy, if a ragged ol' Ford made sweet sweet love to a Cadillac. Not only in their dressing, their instruments were often wacky as well. Headless guitars, ones so fuzzy it's a wonder they actually work, an overkill of strings, that sort of stuff. One thing that they tended to always have was some heavily tinted sunglasses, presumably of the cheap variation based off the lyrics to our song of the day. "Cheap Sunglasses" came off the band's sixth studio album, Deguello, one of their heaviest if you ask me. That is due to what the band was taking in during the two-year gap between albums, a little bit of punk rock and a little technological expansion, which saw them tweaking the sound a little more than their previous albums. For an album title that means "no surrender" with a kick ass album cover to boot, it was clear ZZ Top wasn't messing around this time. Now, don't go thinking they were stepping away from their style and started talking about bringing down the government, since that is far from the truth. It is that same ol' ZZ Top sound that people love them for, but with a harsher edge to it. For those that haven't listened to a ton of ZZ Top, you might hear "Cheap Sunglasses" and say, "Is he talking about this song?" and honestly, no, I am not. "Cheap Sunglasses" served its role as a teaser for the sound to come after, more than their current ramped up sound. Gotta have a hit to keep the lights on, and that is both the singles from Deguello, "Cheap Sunglasses" and their cover of "I Thank You", both of which are ZZ Top essentials. Practically every song off this album is a goodie, hence why I would consider this one of their greatest. It switches things up but still serves that boogied up blues in old beer bottles. "Cheap Sunglasses" shows off everything that is great about ZZ Top's signature sound. Funky intros give way to some mean guitar tone licks, a tone this time around brought forth by a blown tube from Billy Gibbons already large as hell Marshall amplifier. After you get sucked into the track, the band moves into a strange mystical part at 1:05, my favorite part of the track, and then the blitzkrieg happens with the full band pitching in to really sock it to ya. Grooving guitar work from Gibbons that comes free of charge, well, if you are streaming it for free, that is. Man, each member of ZZ Top does a damn good job at what they do! No wonder they were a decade defining band in not one but two decades. Fun fact, their drummer Frank Beard was the only member of ZZ Top to not have a big beard. False advertising, if you ask me. Anyway, "Cheap Sunglasses" has some fun lyrics that keep you satisfied, but it is all about the jamming parts of the track. They do an impressive job of separating the parts so it feels like you listened to three songs in its 4:46 running time. ZZ Top might not have switched their style up all too much throughout their career, they had the blues at the start, boogie after, synthesizered hard rock in the middle, and blues at the end, but they did that all with a signature sound that is still luring in legions of fans that just want to kick back and jam out. So, whatcha waiting for? Don't sit here reading this! Play some ZZ Top, man! One of the best things us simple folk can do, and luckily for us, we can do it every day if we so desire. I know I enjoyed talking about and listening to this track again and again, it never gets old for me. Now it is your turn, tune in and drop out! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1979
Album: Deguello (1979)
Genre: Boogie Rock, Blues Rock
Mood: Good Timing
​Perfect For: Kicking back after work, Heading to your local pub, Buying some cheap sunglasses
Where To Next: "Road Fever" - Blackfoot
Rating: 9 / 10

"You Don't Mess Around with Jim" - Jim Croce

     Welcome readers! Our spotlighted artist today is one of the greatest songwriters in history as far as I am concerned. Everyone talks about the artistry of words that pour from acts like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchel, and Jimi Hendrix, but I throw my hat in with Croce at being even better than them. Now, I ain't talking down on those others, since they too are immensely talented at writing compelling lyrics. They just don't have the Jim Croce thing. What is that thing? Honestly, I cannot quite put it into words, but I will try. Jim Croce writes lyrics that are deep as sin but still relatable. In comparison to Bob Dylan, who writes immensely thought out words that are meant to get your brain moving to meaning, Croce doesn't worry about that jive. For those out there that know Jim Croce for his hits, you might be scratching your head a little bit on how I could even try saying that Croce beats out Bob Dylan, arguably the greatest lyricist of all time. I am talking about the track that step away from his charting hits, though even those hits still are immensely well put together. Art is subjective, so this is all personal opinion, and Jim Croce really writes songs that designate in my soul! A kindred spirit is found in all the albums he put out. Songs like "Age", "I Got a Name", "I Am What I Am", "Time in a Bottle", "Dreamin' Again" and so many others are songs that have me staring out windows for hours, just reflecting. They express the feeling of escapism but with a harsh reality waiting there, not the kind of songs you cry to, more so the songs that you work on yourself to, often with a little joke to seal the song up. It isn't only in his words that you feel so damn exposed, it is also in the way that he says those words. Wonderful playing from him and his band, especially Maury Muehleisen, take you away no matter where you are. You can feel the hot Georgia sun on your back, the cold winds of Wyoming in the winter, and the crunch of the leaves on the streets of home all within one song. He has the songs that serve as cautionary tales, rambling tunes, clever comedic tracks, love songs, story telling, and the songs that explain the simple reality of existence and resistance. Wonderful musician that was taken away too soon. Alright, enough gushing for a second. As is the usual with an artist's debut on the website, I will give you a little rundown on them. Sadly, Jim Croce has a fairly short story, but it is a story needing told. Jim Croce was a hardworking musician before his breakout success in 1972. He was a relative late bloomer to music in comparison to many that we talk about here. He didn't fully take on the passion until attending college, but once it grabbed him, it was all he could think about. He met his wife Ingrid in 1963 and by 1966 they were tying the knot. As a wedding gift, his parents gave him 500 dollars to record his debut album, Facets. They had hopes that it would bomb so he would give up on trying to make it in the music world and would get back to his studies so he could support his newly forming family. Well, to their disappointment, the album actually did well yet still lacked the far reach that talent like Croce needed to make a living off of it. That 500 bucks got him some studio time, but only allowed 500 copies of Facets to get pressed. Those 500 copies sold very quickly, mostly by his small pocket of fans he gained by performing at beer joints. In comparison to his later work, that first album ain't all that great. Still, it served as a start for our budding folk icon. The album was reissued in 2004 and is now easily accessible on most streaming platforms. Good luck finding an original copy of that debut on vinyl, a holy grail type of vinyl. Anyway, that debut got him some cash but didn't make it so he could keep on keeping on. He joined the national guard and served for a short time in Vietnam, mostly to avoid getting drafted. After getting out, Jim Croce with his wife Ingrid became a musical duo that played shows covering folk songs and even got around to writing their own material. During a residency at a steakhouse in Lima, Pennsylvania they refined their sound and eventually got urged to uproot themselves and run off to the big city, New York City to be exact. Upon those dirty streets they released their only duo studio album, and my favorite Croce album, Jim & Ingrid Croce in 1969.

     I cannot express how much I adore that fucking album! It has been a life defining album of mine since I first listened to it 8 years ago or so. I just recently bought the album on vinyl in its original form, sort of pricey and I could only find a slightly cheaper version of it all the way in the Netherlands. So hopefully it gets here soon, since I cannot wait to listen to it with my little lady! Anyway, the album is the ultimate example of a "hidden gem". How little people have played this album is mind-boggling, it is genuinely perfect and so beautiful. This stage of Jim Croce's material is a little different from what we hear later, but I am all there for it, just wish the two released more material together. If you seek the album out, be sure to find the original version with the two sitting together on the cover, and make sure it has the track "I Am What I Am". Anyway, the album didn't really shake too many leaves off the trees, but still showed how potent both of them were at writing top tier songs. Ingrid reflected that they drove over 300,000 miles and played a ton of shows during the two-year stint trying to promote that album. Since it sort of failed again, Jim decided to get back into the rat race, since the previous years of his life were chasing after stardom. He did plenty of odd jobs like driving a truck, working construction, welding, and plenty of other rough jobs. He wasn't cut out for that life but escaped reality in his music, namely writing songs. Croce would write songs about people he actually met, and some were about himself, just with some names changed up. He later would meet musical companion Maury Muehleisen from a friend, and the two hit it off as friends and as musicians. This was a big step in getting Croce to the life he desired. Once Ingrid got pregnant, Jim found a serious fire to make it in the music world. He recorded some material and sent it off to the record labels in New York City, and then after their son was born he was busy on the road promoting the music. In 1972, he finally had luck with ABC Records and released his career defining album You Don't Mess Around with Jim, it had 3 of his biggest hits on it and plenty of the songs off the album are folk royalty. Tracks like "Time in a Bottle", "You Don't Mess Around with Jim", and "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" are Croce essentials and set him up to becoming the next big name in music. After that album, he released Life and Times at the start of 1973, another classic from him. Jim Croce finally made it! He was a name everyone was talking about. This rough around the edges folk master that worked hard for him art and it showed. Now, the world was waiting for that next golden hit. That doesn't mean that all the money was rolling in quite yet, he still was finding it hard to make ends meet, but that wouldn't stop his determination. That might be some of what makes his music so damn good, it was life or death practically. But who needs money when you were now touring the world doing what you love? Croce and Muehleisen were finishing up the last touches on Jim Croce's next album I Got a Name and even played some of the songs live to let everyone know something damn good is coming. Croce finally was seeing his dreams come true, but those dreams came a little late. He was craving being back home, home with the woman he loves and their new baby boy, so he wrote a letter at the end of the tour telling his wife that he wanted to take a break from music and start a simple life with them. Ingrid got that letter, but she never saw him again.

     You know, my girlfriend said something to me that I thought was funny. She asked why when I was talking about musicians and death, it was always with an airplane wreck. On September 20, 1973, Croce boarded the plane to go to one of his last shows of the life and time tour, but there was a problem with takeoff and the plane crashed. It claimed the life of Jim Croce, aged 30, and 5 others on board including Maury Muehleisen. It happened a day before one of his most famous songs were released, "I Got a Name", which always gives that track this dark feeling. I will say, it is a sad one, he finally made it to where he wanted to be, but his lifetime obsession turned into his demise. Ingrid never got to have that quiet life with Jim, nor did their son get a chance to know his father outside from the music that he left behind. Both Ingrid and their son A.J. made music as well, so it was just in the blood, and through the music he left behind and that in which his most loved played, the Croce name lives on. Must have been rough. ABC Records released a single of "Time in a Bottle" following his death, which I am sure Ingrid could hardly listen to since that song is simply heartbreakingly beautiful. Always makes me want to quit my job, get my lady, our pupper, and hit the road to live life to the fullest. Well, there is the story, but I only wish I could have explained it a little better. Crazy how many budding musicians lose their lives right after gaining fame, sort of like the devil came calling for their end of the bargain. Our song of the day is one of Croce's most famous by a long shot. I am sure most of you out there know "Don't Mess Around with Jim", it is a rave to listen to each time it comes across my playlists. It is the leading single of the album of the same name, which released in 1972. It is easy to see how this was one of the leading forces in his breakout success. A great story tellin' kind of track, and Jim Croce paints the picture well as if he was someone who was there to see it all. The story revolves around this dude named Big Jim Walker (not meant to be Croce), a mean pool hustler that people knew not to mess around with. Not because he was all too bright, rich, or attractive, but mostly because he was mean and very large. Well, he swindled the wrong cat, a fella named Slim McCoy who came back to get his money after losing it all. They all warn Slim to let it go, you don't mess around with Jim. Well, he didn't want to hear it, he just wanted that money. Jim was found with over a hundred stabs and a couple of shots in his carcass, the only part of him not being covered in blood was the bottom of his shoes. After that happened all the people in the pool hall were now warning strangers to not mess around with Slim. Chain of command switched up. One of those tracks that show the talent of Jim Croce, a simple switching of names has a strange amount of power. That chorus is catchy as all get out, and the story telling work is one of Croce's best. Jim Croce would go on to write "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" which was another song of a similar tale. Like I mentioned earlier, Croce wrote a lot of songs from his time meeting people, especially at bars. While I am sure the story isn't true, there is some influence there that came from real life. The song always reminds me of a book I read awhile back, I think it was called The Man with the Golden Arm, it has a similar aesthetic. That book is a strange one and a sad one, my favorite duo. Anyway, "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" is one of Croce's finest, especially from a commercial standpoint. It holds his signature sound that consumes the majority of his songs, outside his early days and those that get close to the soft rock side of things. This has been another long post, I am not sure why I am making these longer as the months move on. Hopefully you don't mind! I cannot help myself when it comes to musicians that I adore, and Jim Croce is one of them. An artist that seems to have written songs that he knew would reside in the souls of people over 50 years later. A great musician, and one that was taken away too soon. Do yourself a favor and give the song a spin. Check out some of the other material from Jim Croce as well, all great stuff! Be forewarned, it will make you wanna jump the next train so be sure to kiss your loved one's goodbye before you spin one of his albums. ​Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1972
Album: You Don't Mess Around with Jim (1972)
Genre: Folk, Folk Rock
Mood: Mellow
​Perfect For: Having a beer at your favorite joint, Casual listening, Having a smoke
Where To Next: "Stagger Lee" - Grateful Dead
Rating: 8 / 10

"Never Fade Away" - Samurai (Refused)

     What is up, chooms? Today we talk of Samurai, though I am sure all of you know about them already. They are the legendary band that defined rock music from 2003-2008. They practically sparked the revolution against the corpos on the street, if not the ones responsible, then they were the ones offering the soundtrack to the revolution. Some of the fame of the band came from their intense shows, their timeless hits like "Never Fade Away", "Chippin' In", and "The Ballad of Buck Ravers", and from the notoriety brought about from frontman and from who shared vocal and guitar duties with Kerry Eurodyne, none other than the infamous Johnny Silverhand. I am sure you remember 2023, the terrible bombing of the Arasaka Headquarters, a day that would go on to be known as the Night City Holocaust. I am sure the band doesn't like the affiliation, but with a terroristic act carried about by your deranged frontman, even over a decade after the band broke up, it is hard not to talk about that elephant in the room. Though, since I am sure Samurai will show up here again, we will sort of just glance over that. Silverhand was a very well known anti-corporation advocate, to a fault. He would belligerently challenge anyone who supported those that were controlling our lives. He was even more forward about it in his solo studio work following the downfall of Samurai. Well, after plenty of varying attacks on the corpos, it all came to a head when Silverhand alongside like-minded rebels stormed the Arasaka HQ to save their friend and expose the corporation for crimes against the net and humanity. The mission was a failure, it saw Silverhand falling at the hand of the chromed out of his mind corporation lapdog Adam Smasher. The bomb that was planted still went off and plenty of people lost their lives that day. Through all that work, nothing much came from it, and like corporations might do, they spend the next long while covering it up and silencing anyone involved. Johnny Silverhand went down as a terrorist in the history books, but an absolute legend in the underground societies of Night City. Alright, let's pull it back in for a second, shall we? Samurai is more than just Johnny Silverhand, though he admittedly was the gristle and grit of the band that made them who they were. In their time, they released 3 studio albums and 3 other albums consisting of live material and out takes, all of which were full up of only top tier material. Through the band and Silverhand a whole culture was created, the Rockerboys and Rockergirls. Rebels that took the music a little too serious, they lived the genre more than just listened to it. The band started out as any local band would, they hit the streets and played any gig they could get their hands on. They would play alley ways, dive bars, clubs, and anything else that landed them some money. During a concert in 2003 they caught the attention of the head executive of Universal Music, and within 3 months had their first studio album out the door and their first massive hit "Blistering Love". This set them up to practically tour the world, everyone was chanting their name. They went from street kids to selling out stadiums, all within one year. They toured vigorously for years and kept releasing solid gold records. All the glamor came to a close in 2007 when after suffering abuse in her new relationship, keyboardist Nancy Hartley threw her abuser out of her apartment on the 83rd floor. She was arrested, but only served seven months in prison. All it took was seven months to seal the coffin on one of the USA's best rock bands to ever be. I mean, it isn't too shocking since each member had an ego the size of Africa. Members went on to do their own solo work, jump ship to other bands, or simply faded out of the public eye. In 2077 however, the band got back together for one last show, a pop-up event at the first place they ever played a show together. Granted there was no Silverhand, he was replaced by an unknown singer and guitarist that played a little too flawlessly, some might think it was Silverhand reincarnated. Naturally I didn't go to the show, it seems like autonomous car deaths and cyberpsychosis attacks have been on the rise, so I stay in when I can. 

     Their story sounds like something out of a video game, right? Well, you would be correct! Samurai is a fictitious band that has their place in the Cyberpunk franchise. I barely got around to and absolutely LOVED Cyberpunk 2077, it was one of the greatest games I have played within 10 years! It was so damn difficult to pull myself just to finish it, but eventually I got a little tired of doing everything (and I mean everything) on the map and doing the same to the DLC. Still, that game left a serious imprint on me! One of the things that I really dug about it was the character Johnny Silverhand who was modeled after and voiced by Keanu Reeves, a rockerboy in the game and a rockerboy in real life. In the game you can hear plenty of songs that the band released, and they are some impressive tunes, especially considering they were released for a video game. Little did I even realize it was the punk rock band Refused doing the songs! I felt like an idiot and also instantly understood why I was digging it so much. I couldn't think of a better band to portray that Samurai ideology, since Refused never shied away from some really intense lyricism against conformity and a deep hatred for capitalism. In the game, there are a small handful of songs, but the one I think is the best is "Never Fade Away". The track compliments the aesthetic of the game wonderfully, and was one of my favorites to do all the constantly chaotic actives the game has to offer. That chorus would get stuck in my head a little too often, and I know it will live rent-free in my psyche. I won't be able to hear this track without thinking of the great characters in the game, but that is to be expected. The track was "written" by Johnny Silverhand following the death of his love interest, in which he thought he was the cause of, even if it went so much deeper than that. I know it might be odd to see this track here on the website. But why not? It is great, a great song, and I have always promised to only hand out the best of the best. Plus, it was recorded by one of punk rocks most aggressive yet melodic masterminds, Refused. I think even if it wasn't written for Cyberpunk 2077, it would end up here since those dudes really know how to get the blood pumping! Did you even hear that hard driving guitar work?! Who would not fall in love with it?! If you just thought to yourself "me", then you know where the door is, gonk. It is a shame we never got more albums from Refused since their 1990s material is top-notch and punk rock that pushes the boundaries. I have only made it up to their fourth studio album so far, 2015's Freedom, but I am excited to finish it off with their 2019 album War Music, when I can find some time. War Music will likely be their final album since the band broke up in 2025. War Music came not long after they recorded some stuff for Cyberpunk 2077, and I am hoping it is a little reminiscent of it. Anyway, I knew this was going to be a weird post, and I wasn't even sure how I should pull it off. I didn't want Refused to have their debut on the website revolving around the game, since the band deserves more than that. They just did too damn good on this fucking track, so I blame them. I am not going to count it as their debut on AintNoisePollution, but in the end it is. I never know what my next track is going to be, so who knows, maybe tomorrow we will have a straight forward Refused track. I guess I will just stop while I am ahead. Play the track, will you? Don't mind that it is a song written for the inclusion on a video game. Still a top tier track completely annihilated with raw energy and a beautiful chorus that makes you feel inspired to do better for those around you. I would have been a fan without a doubt if I was in that universe. For those that played the game, then you know it is probably for the best we aren't in that universe. No matter how cool it would be to have cybernetic enhancements. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: "2007" (Actually 2019)
Album: "The Ballad of Buck Ravers (2007)" (Actually a single of the same name in 2019)
Genre: "Chrome Rock" (Actually Melodic Hardcore Punk)
Mood: Blood Pumping (Actually... Wait, that one is true)
​Perfect For: Burning rubber on the streets of Night City, Bringing down a corporation, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Resist and Disorder" - Rezodrone & The Cartesian Duelists
Rating: 8 / 10

"Pretty Girl (The Way)" - Sugarcult

     Today we have a group new to me. From looking at the stream counts and their overall notoriety in pop punk and power pop world, I am sure I am just late to the party. You know, it is strange finally making it into the 2000s. For well over fifteen years the majority of what I have listened to is stuff that came before 2000. I had my bands that made it through that, especially in the metal world, but not many in the grand scheme of my musical canon. I am coming across bands that often have 10x more listens than my favorite groups, and it leaves me a little confused. Sort of like getting to the station and realizing you misread the time on your ticket and are there 12 hours too late. What I do have coming into the 2000s this way is roots. Unlike the majority of listeners out there, I started from the beginning of commercialized music. I see all the roots, the inter workings, and the history reflected in bands and genres. It is a trip. I am listening to Brand New's debut Your Favorite Weapon as we speak, and it is fun to see how the band came to be. To hear the notes of past bands, to view their spot in the alternative rock and pop punk as fuel to the fire. They came along into a scene that was already established, I mean it is still in its early days in 2001, but they too served their time to keep the style alive. Sugarcult is another one of those bands, another band that didn't come with an original sound but found how to perfect a style to suit their unique take on it. I have been listening to so many legends for so long. Visionary artists that practically set up the foundation for music for decades to come, and from those visionaries there were others to follow, much like Sugarcult and Brand New did in pop punk. I am not saying that negatively, it is simply the way that art takes form. Replication, reuse, and refine. Now that I am coming into the 2000s, the last great decade for true rock music, I am both thrilled and scared. I have been so busy for years upon years, listening to music that practically comes from a different world. A different US, one that was getting over war and still didn't have smartphones. I listen to the lyrics from Johnny Cash, and honestly it feels sort of like reading a history book of the common man. People back then lived the same life as myself, but so much more differently. The public mental cognition was much different than now. Their fears were different. The goals. I am only on 2001, but it is strange to be hearing music that is more... me. Me and those around me. Lyrics of the modern man, and I still haven't even got to the 2010s and 2020s where the lyrics will refer to things that I both use on the daily, and also public icons that I know of and have grown up alongside. It isn't even just lyricism that I am talking about, it comes down to the atmosphere. The form of anger they use that comes from the same blood that I have running in me. The sorrow is the same tears that I have dropped. It furthers my love of music, it makes me feel more involved in it. Though, I will admit that I love living in fantasy. A natural-born dreamer am I. To a fault. Well, I knew that I was going to have to get caught up. No matter how many hundreds upon hundreds of albums I will be tearing into for the 21st century, my heart will forever be caught up in the old stuff. It is just who I am, it is the sound and style I like. Am I an old soul? Probably. But there is something there that I feel was written for me more than what is found in the modern day. I was meant for a different time, in that there is no doubt. Not sure how to move into the modern day, I am out of my territory, but I love it. Nothing like musical expansion to feel like I am aging. So, with that spiel out of the way, let's talk about a band that I came across in my musical expansion.

     Sugarcult is a band I honestly haven't heard up until I barely listened through their debut album just last night when I chose this track. They are more power pop than they are pop punk, but the lines of that can sometimes be immensely thin. Pop consumes all, it is the natural path of music. It is the cancer, something that has too much money running through it, so nobody will do anything about it. I am not one of those that sit there and say "maaaan pop is just the worst", there are plenty of bands and hundreds of pop songs that I adore. Shit, just go through my website and you will see it's true. Tomorrow could be the Carpenters for all I know. Still, there is no denying its damaging force on genres. Once again, I ain't talking shit, since it is damn good, but once that "pop" name shows up in a genre, it is on a timer until it gets consumed. It happened with heavy metal in the 1980s and the 1990s, and it almost snuffed the genre if it wasn't for the genre shoving it down into overdrive and getting more extreme to survive it. Country music did not survive, the country name is still around but almost is a shell of its previous self. Pop when it comes to country music is almost like one of those louses that chomp off the fishes tongue and eats all that comes through until the fish ultimately dies. A genre will never per se die, but its time being a cash cow will perish and it will become a niche. Now, how about rock? Rock was too big of a thing to fully get killed by pop, but take a look at the 1980s. Due to the mass expansion of genres brought forth by punk and disco, the term got altered. True traditional rock wasn't selling like it used to. Those that survived from the 1970s altered their sound for a pop based style. Think of Genesis, Yes, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and so on. Pop didn't kill rock music, but they offered it a deal that they couldn't refuse. Join us or die. They joined, and if it wasn't for the rise of grunge music in the 1990s I think rock would have been buried then. A charting rival to grunge was alternative rock and Britpop, the bands that came out of the deal rock signed with pop back in the 1980s. So now rock was set on two paths, and alongside metal music traditional rock survived the 2000s. That pop side was still there and still selling like hot cakes, something that still even happens now. Lastly, that leaves us punk music. A genre without boundaries with roots set up in the 1960s that made sure the genre couldn't be squished, just expanded upon. Pop came in multiple times to try shaking that beast, but each time there were rivaling subgenres to keep the genre on its core path. Art punk and glam punk brought in some pop into punk in the early 1970s, new wave really challenged punk music in the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s. Much like metal, it was met with an extreme genre to rival the pop. Two sides of the same coin to bring forth balance. Yin and Yang. The 1990s were no different, pop punk in the guise of skate punk was setting up roots, got realtively large fame and then when the moment arose it dropped the "skate" part and became fully pop punk. Pop punk is a genre that did see punk music through, even if people (including me) hate to admit it. So, punk wasn't able to be beat since punk is hardly a genre, almost more of an ideal with similar fundamentals between all the subgenres. One thing to note, there are always outliers, no matter the genre or decade, that defies the status quo. Oof! I got way off-topic. Guess it is going to be another long one.

     Alright, since Sugarcult is a new band to me, I won't have all too much to say. While I was doing some of the nitty-gritty work of my website last night it was their turn to fall upon my ears. I was conflicted with the album, there were some solid senders on that one, but also some so washed in pop music it felt like they were trying to feed a cat some dog food. For those that don't hear the term "power pop" all too often, then check out the band's debut album, Start Static. This album is so damn energetic, it made me feel like a horny 17 year old. Power indeed. Like I stated above, the band isn't just another pop punk band, and some might not even consider them pop punk. There are notes of alternative rock, pop rock, punk rock, and plenty of that power pop. I don't know where they will go next, and it will be a couple of months until I make it to their second studio album Palm Trees and Power Lines, which released in 2004. If they keep on the path they are on, and since pop punk is going to hit one of their biggest highs in 2004, I am sure I am safe to assume they are going to go all in on that pop punk stance. Anyway, there were plenty of good songs that filled that album, but I liked none better than "Pretty Girl (That Way)". Our song of the day is the 8th track on that debut of theirs. It was also the third single off of it. For an album full of angst, I was shocked how many solid guitar intros there were to the songs. Our song of the day is a prime example of just that. It has the kind of bite that makes you fall into escapism. Day dreamable licks that remind you just how soothing a guitar can be. Before the vocals come into the picture, it makes you question what you are listening to for a second. It is heavily dipped into the hard rock sound that came out of the 2000s, like Breaking Benjamin and the like. Though, unlike those bands, Sugarcult doesn't ramp up the track all too much following the airy intro. They keep it moody and a touch depressive. I guess around the 1:55 mark, the band does gain some energy on the instrumental send off, but it is short-lived before vocalist Tim Pagnotta comes back in to command your emotions. The track is repetitive but in a damn good way. I am not one that hates repetition, I think it can often make a song memorable. If you make it all the way through a repetitious track, that means it found a home within you. Those words spoke something to you, or maybe you simply enjoyed the way it sounded. Lyrically, this track is about an abusive relationship, mainly about the girl the lyrics are talking to. She is the type to look past her choice of men's issues for the way they make her feel, the love that she feels from it. Bruised ego and heart brings in a massive fault. Still, the lyrics are well written and there might have been many ears listening to this song both back in the day and modernly that found the message they needed to hear. There have been tracks throughout my life that have helped me make some hard decisions, and I am sure "Pretty Girl (That Way)" is the same for plenty of folks out there. Could it be you? Well, you won't know unless you listen to the track. If it does, well, maybe you need to think of things a little differently. You have to work for love, but love shouldn't be work. Anyway, enough out of me, this post has gone on for well too long. I will try cutting them down, I have been dishing out some big whoppers recently. Once again, thanks for reading along, but now it is time to let the music do the talking. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001
Album: Start Static (2001)
Genre: Power Pop, Pop Punk
Mood: Heart to heart
​Perfect For: Regrets in love, Regrets in life, Sorrowful mornings, Escapism, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Won't Be the First Time" - As Friends Rust
Rating: 6 / 10

"Dig" - Incubus

     Welcome one and welcome all, to this place of rock n roll assault. Now, who do we have on the front lines today? None other than Incubus, an obscurity in the alternative rock world but one that survived the test of time when so many from the alternative rock world did not. Incubus is one of those groups with a very passionate fan base, and through them, the Incubus name will never fade. The band isn't a cult classic by any means, but they have the aesthetic of one, but some of that could be that Incubus is truly one of a kind. They are one of the strongest names out of early 2000s alternative rock world. Their break through album, Make Yourself, released in 1999 and opened up the path for a ton of different atmosphere forward groups to find relative fame on the air waves. Trend setters is a fitting title for Incubus. Well, this is the group's second time on the website. Our first pick was "Stellar" which we talked about a hot minute ago in June 2024. That is one of the greatest Incubus tracks hand down, one of the best to show that Incubus sound during their prime years. Today, we talk about their last big time hit "Dig". I mean, Incubus still did great following the release of their sixth studio album Light Grenades, but they started to fall out of the limelight, which is inevitable for the majority of bands. We will get to that. First, let's talk about the group a little bit, since I am sure that early post was during my stage of not knowing what I wanted out of the blog. Incubus has sort of an odd start, especially for the fans that came to the band after hearing "Pardon Me", "Drive", and especially "Dig". Incubus formed in 1991 while guitarist Mike Einziger, vocalist Brandon Boyd, and drummer Jose Pasillas were still in high school. Those three are the only members of Incubus that has been along for the whole ride, no matter the varying musical changes they underwent. They were jamming together for a while before taking a name and hitting the competitive Sunset Strip circuit. They regulared the clubs there and gathered a small but hearty fan base. They found time for some recording while not preoccupied with school work and eventually released an EP and their debut album Fungus Amongus. Now, once again, for those that came to Incubus from their hits, those first two studio albums of theirs are gonna be plain peculiar. You can feel the core sound forming, especially on their second album S.C.I.E.N.C.E., but they are hardly the same group at this time. Anyway, that debut Fungus Amongus was self released in 1995, and it is sort of an odd one. Think Primus meets KoRn meets Jane's Addiction. A unique album from the band, but it feels like a band that didn't quite know what they were doing in the studio, for better or worse. That album still served its purpose of getting their name out there, and it was Immortal Records (later Epic Records) that got their hands on this fresh group. This gave Incubus the cashflow and backing to release their second album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E, in 1997 which is a much better album and one that I have always shared a love/hate relationship with, but many Incubus fans love it. Since they were now signed to a bigger label they went on tour with labelmates KoRn and The Urge which even furthered their sales and reach. Strange to think of KoRn going on tour with Incubus as we know them now, but it wasn't all too unreal they toured together since early Incubus was much heavier. They also did shows with bands like 311, System of the Down, Ultraspank, and others which honestly explains their second album best. 

     After heavy touring and self promoting, it was time for the band to get into the studio and dish out their awaited third album. This is when things changed forever for Incubus. Upon the release of Make Yourself in 1999 Incubus went from a strange nu metal band to something commercial and almost more pop than metal. Some of that is due to the fact that Scott Litt took interest in being part of the recording of the album. He made a name for himself being the producer of alternative rock legends R.E.M. and also for being the one behind the board on Nirvana's hit songs "Heart Shaped Box" and "All Apologies". With his masterful touch Incubus had two severely radio friendly tracks to show the world, "Drive" and "Stellar". "Drive" is one of the most essential tracks to come out of the ending days of the 1990s, and almost is the perfect example of a track to show the changing sounds between the 1990s and the 2000s. Make Yourself is without a doubt the ultimate place to start in Incubus, and it serves as their most essential album to date. I don't think they will ever be able to top that one, it is phenomenal. The album still holds their nu metal roots, but their known softer and moody signature sound was showing through in the hits. Now that they were a band that everyone knew, and their songs were getting more than plenty of love on the radio, it was time they dropped some of their heaviness for alternative rock heaven. Their fourth studio album Morning View is exactly that. Much more cleaned up and accusable, they traded the intense for the artsy, something I think suited them much more. They could have lived and died within the nu metal genre, but it was better to jump from that sinking ship into something that would set them up to being a group that defined alternative rock in the 2000s. Morning View is one of the greatest pieces they ever put out without a doubt. I find that one to be a tad blander than Make Yourself, but that is solely a personal opinion. It was their highest selling album so that only proves it is a personal opinion. A much more positive album, and a lot of that came from the band having taken their time recording the album. A great place to start in the band if you like the more mellow side of rock music. Two years after the release of Morning View the band released their first live album in 2003 and then released their fifth studio album A Crow Left of the Murder in early 2004. This one shows some of the innovative writing from the band, and it also is a place for artistic expression since each track brought in something both previously used and even new stuff like some jazz to mix it up. A good album through and through, but still nothing in comparison to Make Yourself if you ask me, but I just think I have too much of a fondness for that album, even if it is well-founded. Incubus released 3 live albums in 2004, all of which are decent but for deeper fans. Finally, we get to the album that holds our song of the day. I already knew of the Incubus name by the time I got my hands on my first CD of theirs, but hadn't actually sat down to take a full album in quite yet. Light Grenades was my first Incubus album I listened to from start to finish, and thus I have a soft spot for it. Modernly I don't come back to it nearly as much as the other hit albums, but when I do, it is like a ride into the past. I put the songs "Dig", "Love Hurts", and "Anna Molly" up there with the best songs they ever did, especially "Dig" which was the most successful single off the album in a retrospective view. "Dig" is our song of the day this go around, a solid alternative rock track certainly out of its time. This track got an ungodly amount of radio time in 2006 and that stayed for years after. You could hardly turn on the radio when I was a kid without hearing it coming out of the speakers. Not too shocking since the song is criminally born for the radio, almost to a fault. Catchy as hell, memorable love laced lyricism, and a chorus that rivals some of the best from ABBA. Don't even get me started on the guitar intro on this song, I fucking adore it. I remember driving around with my dad as a kid on the lonesome highways of Texas in the middle of the night with this song playing on the radio. I would always feel so at peace, so weightless. Even now listening to it makes me feel so damn nostalgic. And sad. Not quite sure why. Sometimes I wish I could recapture that feeling, the early days of my love affair with the highway. The simplicity of a boy and his father with the radio playing loud. Cheap cigarette smoke filling the car, minimal conversation, and the humming of the road. Things have changed, but my deep love for "Dig" hasn't changed one bit. This track isn't a boy meets girl kind of love song, but more an open slate on the emotion of love. It could be pointed towards your friends, your dog, mother, lover, or even the song itself. I love that open-ended approach to an age old lyrical concept. There are few songs that do it, and I would say there are even fewer that do it this well. "Dig" is one of their best songs, both from my bias from memories, and also since it is just a powerful track from start to finish. Easy to get into, lose yourself to, and easy to get stuck in your head for hours after hearing it. Well, I guess you will just have to see for yourself, though I am sure you already know the song. Give it another play, won't you? Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2006
Album: Light Grenade (2006)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Optimistic
​Perfect For: Late night drives, New love, Strong long term love, Camaraderie, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Forever" - Papa Roach
Rating: 9 / 10

"L'Enfant Sauvage - Live at Brixton Academy, 2013" - Gojira

     Oh no, there goes Tokyo, go go Gojira! This is the first time we are talking about Gojira here on AintNoisePollution. If there is one band that holds the same love as the bands I have carted along with me for a decade or more it is Gojira. I haven't listened to them nearly as long as some of the other bands on here, though these last 3 years alongside them have had the same impact on me. They are an intense fuckin' group, and I mean that in every possible way. Not so extreme that they don't pull in the fans, but extreme enough that I cannot drink anything while listening to them without violently spewing it out. They are a full body workout kind of band, they tune your mind with their deep and well written lyrics, and the heavy nature of their music takes a toll on your body. I will pay that toll, yes sir, each and every time I see their name come across my phone. They are phenomenal, and I only wish I discovered them earlier. Since it took this long to have a post about them here on the website, I am ashamed. For those that don't know the name we will go over who they are like usual. Firstly, I wanna add that this is sort of an odd track to start on the band. It isn't due to the song we chose, but since we chose a live version. Gojira does fuckin' great live, something I learned in person a couple of years back, and something you will experience here today with this song. Still, it is a live track, and I know that rubs many wrong. So, if you dig what you hear then please take the time to check out some of their other material. You will not be disappointed, and since this is a band I personally think you will really like, I will take a little more time to go through their albums with you since I have been visiting them more often than I visit any other modern metal bands discography. I have my favorites that I still get a crazy itching for, but I am also sure to go and check out everything else a couple of times a year to make sure I don't miss even a single great track. Sometimes it takes a couple of listens to get the idea of an album, especially one so deeply written like those of Gojira's. When I did my album reviews (and hope to again soon) I had this rule that I wouldn't even think of typing out a review until my third listen of the chosen album. Your first time sitting down with an album is an introduction, the music and your mind might keep on stumbling on words or cutting the other off much like a first date. It is full of lust, confusion, pride, and human vulnerability. The second listen feels like coming home. You remember this song, and you love it, and damn it is that song again and yes indeed it isn't the best track. Now the third listen? This is usually when you get the vision of the musical piece. You know what to expect out of the album, and how to better listen to it. Is this one best over some whiskey on the rocks? Focused listening? Perfect for staring off and daydreaming? Don't have to worry too hard on keeping your focus, since it would come natural if it is an album that has already proved itself to you in one way or another. I mean, that is just a me thing, but I stand by it that you cannot fully appreciate an album without taking it in a small handful of times. Some days you are simply in the wrong mood to bust out a Gojira album, and other days it is exactly what you need. Alright, with all that in mind, let's zone back in on our spotlighted band of the day, Gojira.

     Gojira started up in 1996 under the name Godzilla, inspired by the imagery of Godzilla being an icon of immense power, something they wanted in this band they were forming. They served as a go-to opening band for many of the extreme metal groups passing through their quarter of France, and as things started gaining traction they found it wise to switch their band name to the Romani spelling of Godzilla to avoid legal backlash. During a tour with Immolation they started catching the eyes of fans and labels alike and soon became one of the most talked about names in French heavy metal. They had some demos, but still didn't drop that first album, for many of the record execs they found Gojira to be a little too ambitious and couldn't see their sound being top sellers. Fools. They kept getting both high praise and high push back, so they decided to take matters into their own hands and start up their own label, Gabriel Editions. Gojira released their debut album on that label, Terra Incognita, in 2001 and after convincing a local store to sell their new album it sold decently well. Following a tour in support of it, the name spread fast and hard, and they gained some notoriety on shores they have only seen pictures of and signed on with a national distributor label Boycott Records. That debut served its purpose well, and while they were a completely out there band, people really dug it. That was actually the first album I listened to from the band and got full body chills the whole time. So damn innovative, intense, and beautiful. It is a little different from their breakout album From Mars to Sirius, but I would still consider it as one of their best. It is an album about the exploration of the soul, Terra Incognita means "unknown land" in Latin and the album revolves around the Hindu tale of Brahma and how he hid divinity in each person after we abused it too much. The album was written by Joe Duplantier while he lived in a cabin in the middle of nowhere far from society for two years with his girlfriend. Makes sense, it has this strange feeling to it. Anyway, the band achieved acclaim, but still didn't break out into the mainstream market. Their second studio album The Link came out in 2003 and ramped up the death metal standing of the band. They also release their first live album called Link Alive ​in 2004 which is a live recording of the album and tracks off their debut. Still progressive, still groove heavy, but a shitload more intense. I have considered this their heaviest album to date, and it is one that you don't wanna eat anything before you take it in since you might just shit yourself. The Link is the ultimate fan favorite, but for a budding fan, I wouldn't suggest starting there. I mean, it is a great album and one I do fully suggest, but once again it is a lot more intense. Now, where would I suggest a new fan to start? Their third album From Mars to Sirius which released in 2005. This album saw them go from being an obscure but mesmerizing band to a worldwide sensation. Something completely fresh and new to heavy metal music, and not as death metal forward as their first two albums. It holds two of their most popular songs, "Flying Whales" and "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe", both of which are 2000s metal essentials! This was the second album I listened to from the band, and I can tell you without a single doubt that this album is genuinely perfect. Wonderfully crafted from start to finish, great lyrics, great drops, fierce drumming meets iconic guitar work. This album influenced a ton of young guns in the metal world, and the name "progressive metal" practically changed overnight. From Mars to Sirius is a concept album that revolves around the resurrection of a dead planet through planet wide reform. They broach a topic in which a lot of their songs (and even their merch) revolve around, environmentalism. Something I adore about Gojira. The album also touches on life and death, and a few other topics, all of which are skillfully written with a pen of fire. Their fifth album is another genuinely perfect album from start to finish called The Way of All Flesh. This album revolves much more heavily on life and death. The intense outlook is honestly pretty motivational. This album is one of my favorite from them. It brings back some of the more intense style of their previous albums, but still keeps that grooving and iconically depth heavy style they are known for. The album met all the expectations of the fans who waited 3 years for its release. A fucking great album that I cannot suggest enough. That album also had a companion live DVD & album called The Flesh Alive that released in 2012 some years later. A great one to show off how damn intense the band is live.

     Hope you brought your popcorn since this is gonna be a long one, but I warned you. Gojira's fifth album is one to never disappoint. L'Enfant sauvage is the album that obviously holds the studio version of our song of the day, and we will come back to it. For now, I just want to let you know that this is the band's most well put together album. A little more leaning on the progressive metal stance gives it this refined overtone. Much like the other Gojira albums, this one is also a concept album. This time, the album is loosely revolving around the film of the same name. The album's title translates to "The Wild Child". I don't think they were talking about some reckless youth who rides motorcycles and pinches gals bums, but more so about the topic of the film of the same name, which covers the true tale of a Victor of Aveyron. He is a child who was found that grew up in the woods and exhibited behaviors of wild animals, they call them feral children and there have been a couple of them through history. What a cool topic, one I need to look into more, and it just makes me want to more since Gojira wrote an album inspired by the topic. Anyway, we will come back to this album, let's move on. Their third live album Les Enfants Sauvages is the one who holds our song of the day, and while it is earth rumbling heavy, it is still a live album and wouldn't suggest it for anyone's first. For a fan like myself, it is hog heaven, but come back to it after you take a dive into their discography. Magma released in 2016 and like the previous couple, it is indeed perfect. Many might consider this to be their ultimate album, something I do disagree with, but I can see why they would think that. This is the easiest album of Gojira to get into, since it dropped a lot of the extremity of Gojira and replaced it with much more progressive compositions. That core Gojira sound is there loud and proud, but it is a lot more strung out than the others, which go right for your god-damned ear holes until they bleed. A peaceful album that topped most of the "Greatest of" lists of that year. This one might be the best place to enter into Gojira if you aren't one for more intense heavy metal. A great album, and this was my third album I ever listened to from the band so it holds a special place in my heart. Finally, we get to their most recent studio album, Fortitude. This sensational gem released in 2021, and while it is hard for me to choose one album of theirs to be crowned "my favorite", I think Fortitude is the one. After the rebirth sound of Magma, they still needed something to show that they don't fuck around, and that is Fortitude. The tribal aesthetic in imagery and sound in this album is one of the greatest things I have heard out of metal in a long ass time. A strangely positive album in comparison to their previous, which was much sadder and death heavy. I kind of want to claim this is the ultimate Gojira album, since it has a little bit of everything they have done mixed together in an album with a message. They played a good bit of songs off this album for the live show I went to with them and Mastodon, and it was one of those moments I will never forget. A hard band to not be the headliner since they steal every ounce of energy you have, they don't even demand it, you just give it to them like they were some harpies of heavy metal. Alright, I think that serves as a decent view into each album the band put out. Shall we return to our song of the day? I know this is a long post, I am sorry, but if you made it this far then you might as well finish strong.

     "L' Enfant Sauvage" is one of the strongest Gojira tracks off their 5th studio album of the same name, which released in 2012. A track that feels forever long but has a relatively short playing time in comparison to some of the band's other heavy hitters. The live version of the track is the one that was chosen while I relistened through their third live album called Les Enfants Sauvages. Talk about a completely enjoyable hour of heavy as sin music. The live album has a heavy leaning on the previous live album, but they still feature some of their best of the years prior like "Toxic Garbage Island", "Flying Whales", and "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe". My favorite tracks off it are the drum solo (simply called "Drum Solo") and I love the live version of "Explosia" which sets the album off and seriously fucks you up. So, why did I choose "L' Enfant Sauvage" then? Well, I found the words spoken before the song starts to be a perfect compliment to the creative nature of Gojira. That creative nature that has them taking a bold stance on many of societies biggest issues, both on the mortal and spiritual planes. At the end of "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe" vocalist and guitarist Joe Duplantier talks to a respectful and mostly quiet crowd where he says "this one is about a child that lives inside of each one us, and we need to protect it. It's the most previous thing we have in this life. Stay awake. Stay focused. Stay Wild." And then boom the song takes off after one of heavy metal's greatest drummers, Mario Duplantier, hits those symbols. Man, that cat can play! He is one powerful drummer and is one of the biggest reasons that Gojira had the success they worked hard to gain from precise playing and a unique vision of music. If you didn't connect the name, he is the younger brother of vocalist Joe Duplantier. When I saw them live, he was the one getting the crowd going with onstage antics and a drum solo that even Hades felt and started bumping his head. He is the one of the album cover, but go figure. Gojira is full up of great musicians, even their weakest link could be at the top of any list of greatest musician, but there is no doubting the absolute power that comes from the sticks and pedals of Mario Duplantier. My truck loves Gojira, I swear it runs best when they are playing, but it could be since my subwoofers are pumping out so much air that it propels me forward. Anyway, like I have already said, this album is fucking great, but it isn't the ideal place I would tell someone to start. For those that are unlucky and haven't had a chance to see Gojira live, this one is the best to show off how damn well they do. One of those concerts you cannot afford to miss, something I heard in the past and knew I had to go when I heard they were coming to town. It is the first and only concert I waited in the queue online when the tickets became available, which I am glad I did since it sold out damn quickly. One of the best concerts I have been to, and I suggest you give it a go. Even my little lady who didn't know the band prior to seeing them live was an instant fan. The power of music, man. Gojira has plenty of that power. You could start any of their albums and instantly feel how much raw strength comes from them. Alright, I think this post has gone on long enough. One of my longest ones yet, but I am okay with that. Now my fingers can rest after I proofread this puppy. If you were with me through it all, I thank you! You are the reason I do this! Why I care so, and as your reward you have a fresh new band (if you haven't heard them yet) to become obsessed with. You only get one go at the chosen first album from a band, and I hope you choose well! Honestly, for a group like Gojira you can start just about anywhere and strike solid gold. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2014
Album: Les Enfants Sauvages (Live at Brixton Academy) (2014)
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Mood: Intense
​Perfect For: Inspiration, Casual listening, Working out, Playing loud
Where To Next: "I Am Colossus - Live" - Meshuggah
Rating: 7 / 10

"Whoa Mule (Shine)" - Bo Diddley

     Bo Diddley is a.... legend! We have talked about a ton of artists on this website, but there have only been a few that have done more for music and their genre than Bo Diddley did for rock music. He was one of the most important people in the starting days of rock music. He never charted too high, but that just goes to show that chart position doesn't reflect genius. Elvis Presley might have got the name "King of Rock" and Chuck Berry the "Father of Rock" but Bo Diddley had a nickname to trump both of those, "The Originator". You don't just get that name, nor can you call yourself that and expect people to obey. That kind of nickname comes to someone who really was an original and set the standard for years to come in anything they put their mind to. Bo Diddley was the one who transitioned blues into rock n roll. He was the one who perfected what the rock beat was, and even had this signature beat that is still even used today. Ever hear the song "I Want Candy"? Well, that beat is the Bo Diddley beat. That same one is used in pop, R&B, blues, rock, hip hop, and practically any other genre. Not only did he help usher in a whole new genre and style, he also did a lot for the technical side of music. He has some wild guitars, something that he is known for, and through those cigar box guitars he had to improvise to get the sound he desired. He even had his own recording studio where he cut his own music and those from plenty of other artists. If you are someone like me, you have listened to a ton of music from the golden days of rock n roll in the 1950s. Throughout all those artists and singles from the decade, Bo Diddley is instantly recognizable before he even breathes into the microphone. It is in his guitar work and tone that we find that signature sound. I could go on about this dudes achievements and importance, but for the sake of time and attention span we will start talking about who Bo Diddley is. Or should I say who Ellas Bates McDaniel is. Kind of like we poked at within our previous post about Skeeter Davis, sometimes you need a unique name to stand out at the record store. I am not saying you gotta call yourself the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, but a name like Ellas Bates McDaniel doesn't have that zap to it like Bo Diddley does. Anyway, Bo Diddley was born to a sharecropper and teenager, a deadly duo, and he never met his mother. He was adopted by his uncle and aunt who he took the last name of. When he was 5 his adoptive father died and the McDaniel's moved to Chicago. The family was religious and attended church, it was there that Bo Diddley picked up the trombone and violin. He played with the church for the majority of his youth, but eventually left that behind for a more joyous sound he heard within a different church. Then came his ultimate love, the guitar. His first songs were revolving around what he learned at that church, guitar in hand. Funny how that works, religion had such a massive part in the early days of rock music and music overall. For such a "sinful" genre, the majority of its high priests cut their teeth under the cross. Jerry Lee Lewis picked up his signature piano sound in church, Elvis in his wild vocals, and too did Bo Diddley in a way. He dropped that frantic playing in time, but you can still feel it in some of his early recordings. Anyway, after finding his fingers working the strings in church, he then used his new-found talents to make some extra scratch on the streets playing with some buddies. It was there he met long time musical partner Jerome Green, go listen to a Bo Diddley album and you will hear Jerome taking jabs at Bo Diddley in a track or two. Bo Diddley knew his path in life after seeing bluesman John Lee Hooker in concert, and set forth recreating that sound with something boppin' behind it. He played with some pals in the Langley Avenue Jive Cats, a great name for a group, but that group was more of a way for people to meet Bo and him to meet other talents on the streets of Chicago. Through grit, he eventually got himself a spot playing at the 708 club which had plenty of blues players coming in and out. He did that for a year or two and put out two songs, his great original version of "I'm a Man" and the track that set him forever on his path, "Bo Diddley".

     "Bo Diddley" went straight to the top of the R&B charts. Where did the name come from? Well, nobody rightly knows, and Bo Diddley never said. Bo Diddley was an interesting person. Unlike the other musicians that formed rock music and found big fame in it, he was sort of an illusive and often rude character. I guess he is a bluesman to the core, he plays his music, grabs his hat, and walks on out the door. Still, for someone who never really said where he got the name from, he sure loved saying those two words. If you are reading this as someone who has listened to a ton of Bo Diddley, then you know that 1/2 of his songs have simply got to say "Bo Diddley" at some point, or have to talk about something related to Bo Diddley. I mean, look at his album names. I honestly love the series that is "Bo Diddley Is a.... _____". The one for our song of the day is Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger, but we will come back to that here real soon. Bo Diddley would need a page to himself for me to tell you all about him. He is a musician I have been listening to religiously for well over 14 years now. I know the majority of the songs from his core albums like the back of my hand, luckily they are all quite similar. Bo Diddley put out some major players in the 1950s rock n roll scene, even if they didn't sell too hot in their time. He is a definitive musician in early rock music. Bo Diddley is a visionary and a hardworking chap who never gave two inches if he didn't want to. I wish I could put into words how important this man was. Truly. So, since I cannot, how about we just get into his spotlighted album since I am certain that he will be back here before we know it and we can talk more about the Originator then. "Whoa Mule (Shine)" comes off of Bo Diddley's fifth studio album Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger which released in December 1960. This one is probably my favorite Bo Diddley album, something I am not sure if I share that with many. I rarely hear much about this album, but it is a fucking great one. Before this album came out the Bo Diddley name was talked of in practically all music circles. The rockers were ranting and raving about "Pretty Thing", R&B fans were jiving to "Bring It to Jerome", blues cats were hanging out and listening to "Who Do You Love?" and even country fans were checking out "Before You Accuse Me". Bo Diddley had 4 albums before this one, some touching on doo-wop, some completely being washed in blues, some top tier story telling with a comedic swipe, but all were wrapped together perfectly and served as an essential album for the year it came out in. Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger takes all of that and brings it into something that seemingly looks like his try at the country charts. It is not country, but some of the lyrical content and guitar work does show that Bo Diddley had a thing for western themes. Our song of the day, "Whoa Mule (Shine)" is a prime example of that. This album gets a lot of love modernly and gained attention then for his version of "Sixteen Tons" which I find to be the best version ever put out. The song is also famously talked about for being the song he was supposed to sing for the Ed Sullivan Show, but he opted to play "Bo Diddley" instead. Some say it was since he mistook the cue card in which he thought he was playing both "Bo Diddley" and "Sixteen Tons", and others say he simply was marching to the beat of his own drum and played what he wanted. Ed Sullivan was fuming and banned him from the show, even went so far to say that he wasn't cut out for the music industry. Ed Sullivan had his hand in helping popularize rock music, but he was also a big baby half the time. Either way, "Sixteen Tons" is the most essential track off this album by a long shot, even though I love the others equally. "Whoa Mule (Shine)" is a fun track off the album. It is the 8th track and comes right after "Sixteen Tons". It is a simple track that revolves around a pain in the ass.... well... ass. This mule is a stubborn cuss that lets the cows out of their pen and just causes trouble. After wrecking a wagon, the farmer who owns good ol' Shine goes for the gun to put him down. Our character that is telling the story seems to be that mule's only friend, and also happens to be the farmer's son. I am not sure what the ending means, but I like to think that they both run away from the angry pappy and rode into the sunset, causing more mischief and going on adventures. The track is silly, with the loading clip-clop going on in the background it instantly feels silly and cartoonish. I love driving to this track, feels like I am on a pony, especially with my truck being aggressively finicky and thinks a small bump is a speed bump and will launch ya. The kind of track to put an instant smile on your face. A memorable song from a memorable album. I love the album art, the lyrical content, the easy-breezy feeling, and the little bit of humor to keep things light. Spin the track, maybe try out this album, and you know what I am to say next. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1960
Album: Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger (1960)
Genre: Rock and Roll, R&B
Mood: Silly
​Perfect For: Going for a drive, Summer days, Adventures, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Big Boss Man" - Jimmy Reed
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Can't See Me Without You" - Skeeter Davis

     Welcome readers! Sorry I didn't post yesterday, some days just go that way. Well, all that matters is that we are here now. For not one post, but two of them! I hate missing a post since it takes a lot of time and energy to type out two in the same sitting, and in that it looses some of that glitter that shines off some of my better posts. Who knows? Maybe these two will prove that statement wrong. We will have some Bo Diddley later on, but for now, we have one of crossover country's earliest stars. A star that did it better than almost anyone else during the 1950s and the 1960s, Skeeter Davis. She was an active musician for a crazy long time, first being part of the Davis Sisters in the late 1940s, embarking on her solo career in the 1950s, and playing shows to passionate fans up until her final show in 2002. She passed away from breast cancer in 2004 and upon that day we lost one of the prettiest singers in country music history. Is she fully country? Not really, no, once again she was one of the first to find success in the crossover country world. We have previously covered what crossover country music is, so I won't go into much detail but think of it as pop country. A style of country that was accessible to the masses, no matter if you were a city slicker or a country bumpkin. Since she too started out as a teenage star, she did well in the teenage market of the 1950s and into the 1960s. She was one of the first to find pretty big fame as a female country singer in a time when country was still very male forward. She didn't go for the throat like some of the female musicians would do later on, like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. What she did do was give a shoulder to cry on for love starved teenage girls and anyone out there that knows the taste of saddness. She released material that was very girly, but that doesn't mean she didn't lure in male listeners. Her way of singing with a cutesy demeanor was a hot seller for both sides. She is as similar to Lesley Gore as she is to Kitty Well. Skeeter Davis isn't her real name, she gained the nickname as a kid from her grandfather that saw she had more energy than her other many siblings, so he started calling her "Skeeter", a very country way of saying mosquito. It stuck around and sort of became her name, she took it even further with having it as her stage name. Granted, Skeeter Davis grabs your attention a little more than Mary Penick. Skeeter didn't live too fun of a life as a kid, her mother was massively depressed and often attempted suicide and due to her mental state Skeeter felt neglected and turned to her father for the better part of her life. Like many who had a shaky childhood, she turned to music as her comfort. Her family were protestant Christians, and if you know anything about that section of religion, they love their singing very loudly and.... well intensely. So, she already was training her pipes before she came across her infatuation with songs from musicals. Those two mixed together explain her musical roots wonderfully, and also explain her success in both country and pop music. In high school she met her friend Betty Jack Davis, who too was into music and singing. They would perform on lunches and never missed a talent show. After they won a yodeling competition, yes that is a thing, they were awarded with a window on the local television show to perform a couple of songs. They went on under the name the Davis Sisters. Their time in front of the camera got around, and they soon enough had people calling them up to perform on various radio stations. The two graduated from high school and packed up the ol' truck to find fame in a bigger city, Detroit. Now, Detroit isn't known for country music, they are known for the blues and being a heavy hitter in the rock world. Still, there were singles cut and the Davis Sister name started spreading. This isn't a post about the Davis Sisters, so I will sum it up here soon, but the story doesn't end pretty, I can tell you that.

     In 1953 the two were offered a contract with RCA, the top dogs, and obviously accepted. They released their biggest song, and one of Skeeter Davis's most famous, "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" which was originally recorded by Sonny James. That song did very well and got them on the road touring the region to play the song on various radio stations. Pretty quickly, the song rose to the top spot on the charts and stayed there for 8 weeks. They were the freshest stars on the scene, but it was short-lived. After performing on the radio in Wheeling, WV, they loaded up and got into the car to move on down the road. Early the following morning, a driver in the opposite lane fell asleep behind the wheel and smashed head on into the vehicle that the Davis Sisters were in. It killed Betty Jack Davis in the collision and had Skeeter Davis in critical condition. She survived and was taken care of by Betty's mother, who then capitalized on the situation and kept Skeeter heavily medicated while "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" amongst others played on repeat for a month. She essentially got brainwashed to follow the whims of Betty's mother, who had the goal of replacing her late daughter with Betty's younger sister Georgia Davis in the Davis Sisters. Once Skeeter got back in shape they continued on with Georgia taking the place of her best friend while Davis was in a slump of loss and confusion. This only went on for about two years, with plenty of singles getting cut in that time. Nothing ever hit the same fame as "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" which is known as one of the best country songs of the 1950s. The Davis Sisters disbanded in 1956, and following that there were many people more than willing to help Davis along in her solo career. A lot of her early material had her vocals layered in an attempt to sound like the Davis Sisters material. This only went on for the first couple of years in the 1950s. During her early solo career she was met with mass depression, much like her mother went through, and that is reflected in that damn somber vocals we hear in some of her early tracks like "Am I That Easy to Forget" which I think is one of her best recordings. Throughout the 1950s she had success with "answer songs", sorrowful war songs, pop ballads, country cryin' tunes, and duets. With the changing music scene coming into the 1960s, she found plenty of fame within the pop scene of the time. Criminally of the time, songs about teenage love, forgotten kisses, and frustration with being a woman in a society built to keep you chained. She knows first hand about being chained, since her first marriage wasn't a pretty one. Skeeter Davis had a damn fine career in music, and while she didn't hit the same stardom as some of the names out there, she is modernly respected as a trendsetter in crossover country and being one of the first iconic female solo country artists. Our song of the day comes off her 1967 album What Does It Take (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied). The album was named after her hit song of the same name, which was seemingly a comeback single for her, since it charted higher than some of her others in the last couple of years. It is a damn good track, but I have a higher love for the third track off the album, "I Can't See Me Without You". This one is a good example of her core sound but colored in the technicolor raincoat of the latter half of the 1960s. A lot more pop than country, and if it wasn't for her slight drawl and previous material, she would have melded in with many of the sorrowful pop singers of the time. A mellow song, even if it is a sad one. It has the typical lyrical content of many Skeeter Davis tracks. A heartbroken little lady that can't seem to find her way through the heartache. Sadly, the glove fits her too well and, much like the majority of her material, it almost feels like she is portraying her own character. The track is only 2 and a half minutes long, so there isn't a true chance to get bored. A sad song washed in a little bit of happiness. Melancholy. A confusing feeling, something that I come to Skeeter Davis for. Sad songs washed in happy colors. A great track for her first one on the website, but not exactly what she was known for. So, if you dig the track, even a little bit, go check out this legendary performer. There are bags full of great songs, albums, and duets. She was one of the most impressive discoveries of mine when I was going through the 1960s, and is one of my favorite female country stars. Something special in her sorrow. Give the song a spin! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1967
Album: What Does It Take (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied) (1967)
Genre: Pop, Crossover Country, Nashville Sound
Mood: Melancholy
​Perfect For: Sad nights, Sad mornings, Sad afternoons, Getting coffee, Rainy days, Fresh snow
Where To Next: "The Bubble Broke" - Lesley Gore
Rating: 7 / 10

"Infectious Grooves" - Infectious Grooves

     You want funky? You got funky! Infectious Grooves didn't just come across that name and rolled with it. They named their band for exactly what they are. I will admit, they are funky in both ways. Sometimes they can be quite silly, but that is some of the fun of the band. A good portion of us know Suicidal Tendencies, the band that was revolutionary in the crossover thrash sound in the 1980s, but did you know that Cyco Miko had his fair share of side projects? All of which are kick ass? Anything the man touches turns into a cult classic, and Infectious Grooves is one of his greatest bands. There is simply no beating ST, but the Grooves aren't even trying to. It is impossible to not hear how this is just a much more funky Suicidal Tendencies that isn't scared to get down and do exactly what they please. As many probably know, I am a massive Suicidal Tendencies fan, they are one of my favorite bands and are one that helped define who I am as a person. After I burned through the bands discography a ton of times and listened to some of their albums well over 200 times, I knew I finally had to move along and see about all the other Cyco Miko bands out there. I was a little hesitant with the Infectious Grooves since I knew they were a little out there. All my worry faded away almost instantly once I kicked off their first album The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move... It's the Infectious Grooves. The first track is "Punk It Up", one of the bands greatest and arguably the best of the album. A bass guitar smacks you right in the face right off the bat, and that bass sticks around to constantly make you bump your head and have your legs go numb. Track by track I was hooked by the album, it felt so damn sleazy and sporadic. Like the Red Hot Chili Peppers if they kept with the funk rock sound and had a mean addiction to huffing gasoline. Infectious Grooves are a supergroup, they had some real funky sonsofbitches in their band at all times. The first line-up was made up of Mike Muir (Cyco Miko), Dean Pleasants, and Robert Trujillo all of which found fame within Suicidal Tendencies. Robert Trujillo still is a member of the Infectious Grooves even though he has also been the bassist with Metallica since 2003. That dude has got to be one of the greatest bassists in rock and metal history. If I hear he is part of something I already know it is going to be good, I don't even have to listen to it, he is just that type of dude. Aside from those from the suicidal army, we have Stephen Perkins on drums who was with Jane's Addiction and all the varying groups that stemmed off of Jane's Addiction and Perry Farrell. Perkins was only with the Infectious Grooves up until their first studio album. Dave Kushner was with the band for this album and just recently came back to the band, he has played with a ton of great names, his biggest fame being the rhythm guitarist in another supergroup, Velvet Revolver. Last but not least we get that heavy metal meanness from Adam Siegel, a super underrated heavy metal maniac who founded Excel, one of the post intense crossover thrash bands out there. I am shocked Excel hasn't shown up here, but I have only barely tapped into my massive well of bands and songs. Anyway, with all those peeps, it was only destined that Infectious Grooves was going to come along and FUNK you UP!

     Our song of the day this go around is the bands eponymous track "Infectious Grooves". When I am first getting into a band one of the first places I go is to the bands self-titled song if they have one. Those songs never let me down. They almost have to be killer, because it is named after the band. If your self-titled track sucks, then there might be a chance you do. Now, how about the Infectious Grooves? Does their self-titled track suck? Nope. Not at all. It isn't their best track, sure, but it is damn thrilling and a goat on a boatload of fun! Another thing I tend to look for when getting into a band is the album with the best name from their core discography, and with this track coming off the bands debut album The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move... It's the Infectious Grooves I would say they passed the test with flying colors. What a great album name! Sleazy, sure, but fucking great. It gives you an idea of what you expect. The album art is dorky, but there is an appeal to it, another thing that explains the bands sound. With an album title like that and a hip hop looking album cover, you might be a little confused on what to expect, but if you then look at that logo work from the band, it is clear as day. It is going to be some dirty shit, something that doesn't take itself seriously while putting out some serious material. The second give away this album is going to be some goooood shit is shown within the bands second song which features the prince of fuckin' darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. Now, Ozzy has shown up in some strange tracks in his time, but he too is another musician like Robert Trujillo that if he is there, it is gold. "Therapy" is one of their most popular tracks for a reason, it is funky and it has Ozzy Osbourne, is there much else you could ask for? Anyway, our song of the day comes along in the middle of the album at track #7. Solid drumming opens up the track before Cyco Miko comes in with his classic call-outs to get you pumped. He explains the band and what you should expect out of them. The guitar is hard driving and is the main part that reminds you that we are dealing with a Suicidal Tendencies side project. Naturally you gotta give the biggest praise to the bass work, that is what keeps this track funky even with the more metal leaning of its playing time. Metal enough it has its own serrated guitar solo. I am sure if you are listening to this track as you read this you caught that infection. Infectious Grooves is best explained in this track, the purpose of a self-titled track, so now you get the idea! I doubt you will be able to forget the band now. The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move... It's the Infectious Grooves released in 1991 but didn't gain too high of sales, though it did still manage to achieve the #6 spot on the heat seekers chart. How could it sell high? This album lives and breathes being in the cult classic category. The tracks "Therapy" and "Punk It Up" had pretty good repeat on MTV, but in a way it was in novelty. This album wasn't meant to be album of the year material, more so the exact idea of a good time partying album. A ton of primo material, and being a massive Suicidal Tendencies fan, it has a ton of songs that I absolutely love. It has also gotta be one of the albums with the most material written by Robert Trujillo, so that is a massive plus. The band went on to release their next album Sarsippius' Ark in 1993 which is a truly strange album, comically so. Their third album is one of their best, Groove Family Cyco. It isn't too bad of a place to start into the band especially if you are coming from Suicidal Tendencies. That one also holds their most famous track "Violent & Funky". Their final studio album of all new material is Mas Borracho out of 2000, and that is another funky ride. There are other releases but most are material  alongside Mike Muir's other bands. Infectious Grooves are a strange group, but they certainly leave an impression on you. So, play the song, maybe play it again after, and shake that booty! Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1991
Album: Wasting Light (1991)
Genre: Funk Metal, Funk Rock
Mood: Well... Funky!
​Perfect For: Driving, Hanging around the house, 40 ouncers, Having a good ol' time!
Where To Next: "Outta Time" - Scatterbrain
Rating: 8 / 10

"Rope" - Foo Fighters

     Welcome! We have with us here today one of the most successful rock bands in history, the Foo Fighters. Everyone here today knows the name, and the good majority of us know countless songs since they were literally impossible to miss so long as you were alive in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and so on. Even now, I can rarely make it through a day of driving around in the company truck without hearing one of their songs come across the radio. For some, that battering of Foo Fighter hits might be an annoyance, but for me it is a phenomenal time. Dave Grohl is one of those artists that I would love to go to dinner with, he just seems like a good dude, even if he did catch heat this last year or two ago when he cheated on his wife. Dave Grohl is Foo Fighters, but the members of the band he has around him are of top caliber. My favorite thing about the Foo Fighters is while they are completely washed in a commercial sound in their hits, once you get away from those hits you will find some seriously deep shit. Their albums are always a joy for that reason, right when you think you get the idea of the album they mix it up with something completely from the heart. I am a little behind when it comes to their discography. I have yet to sink my teeth into their 10th studio album Medicine at Midnight, nor have I had the chance to listen to their most recent studio album, But Here We Are out of 2023. I know, I should be lashing myself right now, but I will get there. Well, we are at that time when I give you a run-down of the band that will either go on forever or be a brief mention before I go off on a side tangent. Foo Fighters was originally put together as a one-man band effort by Dave Grohl after the death of Kurt Cobain and the downfall of the Nirvana empire. He went into a massive musical slump, the death of a friend and the fading of fame had him really unable to make anything worthwhile. Stress, loss, and overall confusion of his place in life is what Foo Fighter's 1995 debut album sounds like. I have a deep admiration for that first one, even if I know that every single track isn't gold. It feels like someone playing with their thoughts and accidentally pressed record. Dave Grohl did everything on that album aside from a little help on "X-Static" from Greg Dulli of Afghan Whigs fame. It took him only 6 days to get that thing put together and recorded, and you can tell, but I would say for the better. It turned out people really liked it too, and tracks like "Big Me", "This Is a Call", "I'll Stick Around" amongst others were what people wanted to hear. Grohl didn't expect much from the album and gave it out to friends under the name Foo Fighters to serve as a pseudonym. Eventually it found its way to the record labels who reached out since it had serious potential. The album sold strikingly well, being the second-highest selling Foo Fighters album in the US, and saw Dave Grohl getting on the road to support it with a tour that too did very well. We wouldn't hear another album from the Foo Fighters that was that innocently personal and quirky, hence why I come back to it often. Anyway, the next Foo Fighters album featured a full band instead of Dave Grohl doing all the work, though Grohl still did all the vocals, majority of the drums, and some of the guitar work. The Colour and the Shape is the ultimate Foo Fighters album, it holds some of the bands biggest hits like "Everlong", "Monkey Wrench", and "My Hero" amongst fan favorites like "Walking After You" and "Doll". A kick ass album from start to finish which almost had them winning a Grammy like it was nothing. "Everlong" is one of the best songs ever written, and I will happily die on that hill. A great album and I would say their most essential, the best place to start within the band.

     Alright, well Dave Grohl was back to it, being part of one of the biggest names in rock music once again. He now was faced with the daunting task of following up a solid gold album. Foo Fighter's debut is the unique first album that bands tend to have, the second was their complete breakthrough, and now we have their third, There Is Nothing Left to Lose. This one kept all that was outstanding about The Colour and the Shape and polished up the edges to release something that showed the Foo Fighters weren't a one-trick pony. This brought in some experimentation, something I think did the Foo Fighters well. When people are quick to scoff at the Foo Fighter name, I would suggest showing them this phenomenal album. Even with some different styles filling its playing time, it still has those classic Foo Fighter hits like "Learn to Fly" and "Breakout". One by One out of 2002 ramped things up a little, a little heavier around those edges. It was the Foo Fighters answer to the harder rock sound that consumed the US at the time. Tracks like "All My Life" off this album melded wonderfully with what was going on in the rock world and landed them with the best hard rock performance in 2003 and also had One by One winning the best rock album in 2004. Another solid gold album, filled up with only that top tier material that you can expect out of Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters. 2005's In Your Honor is another heavy ringer and what I love about this one is the guest starts who really kick the album into gear. Foo Fighters alongside Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones? Hell yeah. How about the musical visionary Josh Homme who Grohl worked with in Queens of the Stone Age? Kick ass. This album did break the streak of the band winning a "best of" album, but it is still easily as good as the others if you ask me. They released the EP Five Songs and a Cover in 2005 as well, which is a good one but more so for the fans outside "Skin and Bones" which is one of my favorite Foo Fighters songs. "Skin and Bones" was the name of their first live album in 2006, another one for the fans, but feel free to stop in if you like live albums. 2007 saw the release of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace which is another damn good album. That one got the Foo Fighters name fully circulating again with the immensely powerful hits like "Let It Die" and "The Pretender". This was the first Foo Fighters album I ever listened to and was instantly smitten with the band. After a greatest hits album, one of the best greatest hits albums ever might I add, we finally get to the album that holds our song of the day. Wasting Light is one of the band's easiest albums to get into, not that the Foo Fighters even try making it hard. The album debuted at #1 in 12 countries, and was the first Foo Fighters to top the chart in the United States. I am always a fool for the Foo Fighters material that is a little personal and Wasting Light has a ton of that. Dave Grohl went into the studio with one idea in mind, to make a definitive Foo Fighters album. An album that showed exactly who the band was, and I would say that he hit the nail on the head. It features a little taste of the previous Foo Fighter sounds, and something for the future. Personal lyrics are consumed by heady guitar lines and mean hooks. Wasting Light got 4 Grammy Awards and the two most successful tracks off of it, "Rope" and "Walk", are often regarded as some of the best rock songs out of the 2010s. Well, we said the name, so let's talk about it a little bit. Our song of the day this go around is the band's leading single "Rope", an intense song that is completely drowning in emotion. The song itself was written in 2007/2008 and had its first demo recorded in 2008. Everyone knew it was a killer track, but they waited until 2011 to have it show up on an album. It ended up being the #1 song on the billboard chart for the year, not an easy feat, especially since the rock n roll wheels were starting to slow. It has all the energy you could want from a Foo Fighters track. Hard chugging drumming melds with the guitar and bass to leave you completely impressed, especially at the instrumental breakaway part near the end of the song. The chorus is something to look forward to with its fantastic execution. A classic case of "set 'em up, knock 'em down" that is infectious and could have a whole room rocking out. "Rope" is easily one of the band's greatest tracks, and I am sure the majority of us out there have already heard it plenty of times. Alright, I will just let you play the song already if you haven't already. Hope you dig it! Who am I kidding... I know you will! These kinds of tracks are super famous for a reason. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2011
Album: Wasting Light (2011)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Energetic, Desperate
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Commuting, Working, Ending the night on an intense note
Where To Next: "Check My Brain" - Alice in Chains
Rating: 9 / 10

"Hard Travelin'" - The Kingston Trio

     We just got done with one for thrashing, bashing, smashing and mashing, so how about we bring it in for something chill. Not much slower, truth be told, but much more relaxed. In the previous post we talked about themes that are not of this world, things such as sword and sorcery, diabolical insanity, and things that go bump in the night. For this one, we zone in on a musical trio that talks of things that we all deal with. Songs of the common man. That has long time been folk's thing. I mean, duh, the genre's name is folk, since the genre tends to perform folk tunes that have been around for a damn long time. That doesn't mean there isn't space for expansion or bringing in your own material, but they play others songs proudly. Songs of the land, songs of the road, songs of the welfare line, songs of hard living as a freeborn human with the responsibilities to challenge that freedom. America's favorite troubadours are one of the most successful in the folk genre, a trio named The Kingston Trio. They are one of the backbones of American music and have plenty of hits under their belt. In comparison to a lot of the names in the folk world during their heyday they are one that broke through barriers and had success in the strangest markets and the strangest fan bases. It could be a very old lady in the room with a poetic teenager, a steelworker in the same room as an accountant, all enjoying the same moment with great music. The Kingston Trio were the group that ushered in a new age for folk music, something called folk pop which is one of the easiest folk genres to get into. Their impact on the genre was huge, and it was within them that there was a larger market for the sound instead of being some secret passed around music circles and collage campuses. The Kingston Trio in a way became a musical vehicle, it moved all across the country playing shows in the strangest of places. They would play in a dive one day, a hotel the next, backcountry hootenanny, and then into the city to play a larger venue. A folk legend in a way, something that would come to town, speak the truth with a comedic touch and then move on down the road while letting you keep the change. Even though the 3 original members of the band are dead, they still tour with different members, keeping the spirit of the Kingston Trio alive and well. The original members of the band were Bob Shane, Dave Guard, and Nick Reynolds. Those threes vocal harmony is what I figure male angels sound like. It always amazes me how wonderful their vocal skills are, each and every one of them. The typical Kingston Trio song has all three of them singing in perfect unison, with each member taking a verse in between before coming back together. A wonder to hear. It makes it easy to understand why they are one of the biggest names out of the folk world, and also how they ushered in the pop folk movement that many started picking under. Their self-titled debut out of 1958 did more for music than just in the folk world, it sold so damn well it was one of the albums that showed the value of LP records. Before that, a lot of groups were more than content with having singles released and then putting them all together awhile later in the form of a compilation LP. Honestly, it made a lot of sense, especially since the radio was still king and a lot of the home audio stuff was a touch expensive. Only those super into music would go out and buy themselves the gear to play things at home. Your local café or bar would have stuff to pick your songs, and radio DJ's steered the town's musical ship. The Kingston Trio's debut was a very fast selling LP, so much so that record labels started stroking their chin, and those who didn't have a record player were now going to get themselves on to show their friends this marvelous band. What is so special about that album other than it being a 1950s classic? Well, there is one song on that puppy that completely defines the music of the 1950s, their version of "Tom Dooley" which is still the group's most popular song. Arguably the most famous murder ballad, and it was around since it's writing in the late 1800s following the murder of Laura Foster by Tom Dula (pronounced "Dooley" in their dialect) which became a folk legend, and then in turn folk song. Great track, one that we all gotta know, it always makes me want to learn guitar and banjo just to play it.

     The Kingston Trio has a relatively low amount of singles and albums for the notoriety they gained. One of those groups that no matter what they put out, it was damn good. It never sold too hot aside from "Tom Dooley", "Reverend Mr. Black" and their first five studio albums and one live album. They still had chart topping albums outside of that, but nothing that hit the same spot as those first couple. They became folk legends of the folk music world through their talent on broaching difficult topics, their political comedy, and an atmosphere that makes the room so damn quiet you could hear a pin drop. The way they play so mellow just to break out in loud chants is always something that gives me chills. My favorite form the band, "Greenback Dollar", is one of the best examples of how damn well they put their songs together to completely move you. Our song of the day today is off the groups 7th studio album (and 9th overall) Make Way. There is a good amount of quality tracks off this album, one that is well worth the purchase for someone who wants a timeless folk album. My favorite points are "Speckled Roan", "Hangman", "Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies", and the highest point, "Hard Travelin'". I knew the original of this version from Woody Guthrie before I knew The Kingston Trio's version. That song has been a long time favorite of mine from the modernly underrated visionary Woody Guthrie. If the Kingston Trio is the folk Jesus known for bringing folk music to the masses, then Woody Guthrie is the god who created it. Woody Guthrie was a man who lived the lyrics he wrote, and those lyrics were damn advanced for their time. He is known for very strongly worded tunes, often politically activated, but still it was songs written for the downtrodden Americans that he saw all around him during the great depression. Songs praising unions, anti fascism songs, man's place in nature, songs to make you question the powers that be, the importance of farmers, but with all those hot topics he still did it all under this easy to get behind simplistic style of a man and his guitar. "Hard Travelin'" was originally released by Guthrie in late 1940 or early 1941, and follows his classic way of writing songs. The Kingston Trio version is a little different, it drops some of the lyrics and more so focuses on a repeating approach, which brings in the pop side of their pop folk sound. The Woody Guthrie version is better by a long shot, but for you listeners out there that find it hard to jive to that old of music, then The Kingston Trio version might be a little more to taste. The meaning of "Hard Travelin'" is sort of explained in the song's title. It revolves around a man who travels on down the road, working all sorts of hard jobs, be it the steel mills of Pittsburgh or in a group of men drilling into the earth. Anything to get that cash to move along, all for the freedom of the road that only the most restless souls could understand. The ultimate goal for our character in the story is to find himself a kindhearted woman way down the road so he can finally settle down. When it comes to traveling tunes, Woody Guthrie is almost unrivaled. Both since he is the character in the story and also since he tells it true. It isn't fully about the romance of movement, nor is it about running away, it is the simple truth of the rambling man. It is a hard life, and there is usually always a goal that never gets fulfilled. Guthrie came from a time when this life was an option, modernly these tracks are sort of novelty. Ain't nobody gonna hire you unless you are pretty and live close enough to the place. Background checks, residency checks, references, transport, and so many other things make this life impossible. Granted, I am more than fine to not work in a metal refinery or shoveling under that hot sun for some scratch, but still I would like the option. Tracks like this are a window into the past, not saying people fully lived this way, but the option was there if you were so inclined. Anyway, The Kingston Trio still does this song a ton of justice with a fun call out and answer composition that keeps you seated the whole time. The vocal work is intense, and you can almost feel it in your chest when they come all together for the chorus. Music like The Kingston Trio puts out always feels right at home, it feels like they are there performing for just you. See for yourself, why don't ya? Give the song a spin and see if you can keep your fingers from searching up more from the group. As always, if you need help navigating an artist or genre, I am your man! Feel free to hit me up in the email on the contact page, I sometimes check it. Sometimes. I need to get better about it. Anyway, give the song a spin and get ready to grow some wheels on your heels. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1961
Album: Make Way (1961)
Genre: Folk
Mood: Nomadic
​Perfect For: Long drives to nowhere, Daydreaming, Working a shit job, Traveling, Motorcycle rides, Wayfaring
Where To Next: "I Ain't Got No Home" - Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Rating: 8 / 10

"Mad House" - Armored Saint

     Time to return... to the METAL! Who will bring us the power and glory? Today, it is Armored Saint that is our spotlighted artist. This is the bands debut here on AintNoisePollution, and we have one of their best off the bands most successful and essential album March of the Saint. We will come back to that, but for now let's talk a little about the band. Armored Saint is one of the strongest from the traditional heavy metal world. They are somewhere between speed metal and power metal. That power metal zest comes mainly from the bands imagery and some lyrical themes. Stylistically they are speed metal but even then they don't fully fit that same mold. Simply put, they are heavy metal in the truest form, hence my traditional heavy metal stance. I was thinking about it while listening through this album on vinyl, lucky find I know, and I started to wonder if I am one of the few that use that term. I rarely see it around, but at one point or another I must have and started using it. To some it might seem like that is a work around way of saying "classic metal" and while I will admit that I do dislike the "classic" terms, it is a pretty similar way of saying it. When I say traditional heavy metal, focus on the "tradition" part. Traditional heavy metal is the bands that live and breathe the original heavy metal ideals and style in the late 1970s and 1980s. There are bands now that can also be put under that banner, some of the best being bands like Enforcer and White Wizzard, some even putting them in as a movement called "new wave of traditional heavy metal". For those that don't know exactly what I am talking about, then give this song a listen and you will see. In the modern tongue it might come off as hard rock, it doesn't have too extreme of vocals and those vocals follow suit with what bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, Angel Witch, etc. were doing at the time. In heavy metal, those vocals almost play a bigger role than the instruments on where to place them in the large amount of genres. Anyway, heavy metal started out with this ideal that they are going to play fast and more reckless than the legends of the past year, but still pay tribute to the gods. They will do that with outfits covered in spikes and chains. Write songs that are not of this world, ones about demons and dragons, bloodshed and satanic rituals, shit right out of a pulp novel but ramped up with fast as sin guitar work and vocals that force its wicked image into your mind. It was within this that many found a voice, the losers of society and those ready to throw a molotov. A culture brought forth by the raw power of its music. It took a couple of years for that culture and style to be expanded upon, and more importantly, it took a good while until the glory of heavy metal was brought to the masses. Crazy to think that its style was actually sort of frightening for its time, but looking back on it now they honestly seem quite tame since the metals of today are very intense all the way through. You can see how legions of people fell into the heavy metal army, and those people lived and breathed it. That culture will never return, but the evolution of it has its own beauty. It came from a time when music was still raw, in comparison to now where everything is condensed and clean unless you try to make it rough around the edges. Most of the early heavy metal albums were poorly recorded since the band didn't have the money, and the record execs were not about to drop that dough for this freakish band of gremlins decked out in leather and smelling like weed to lose their shit in the studio for a little bit. Traditional heavy metal is a time of mythology, a time for the most intense music ever to first find its footing. A time when the culture of heavy metal was more than an interest, it was an ideology. Armored Saint is one of the best examples I can muster to show you exactly what that sound is.

     Armored Saint formed in 1982 in Los Angeles, the most important city to heavy metal's history in the US, and released their first EP in 1983. The band met in high school and quickly started up Armored Saint after being inspired by the imagery and kick assery of the film Excalibur in 1981. Heavy metal was in its starting days still, bands like Judas Priest and Motörhead showed the power of it all, but the US was still taking a little longer to catch up to what was going down in Europe. Still, there were plenty of hands learning to play and down beers like champs and Armored Saint was amongst those raising the flag of metal. The band was starting to gain local traction, even enough so that vocalist John Bush was invited to audition for Metallica after the band's debut Kill Em All due to James Hetfield having a hard time finding his footing as the vocalist. He denied the offer since he was comfortable and happy with Armored Saint, wonder what the timeline of metal would have looked like if they liked him enough to take up the vocals. I figure they would sound a little bit like Anthrax on their first album, Fistful of Metal. They also offered the bass position to Joey Vera following the passing of Cliff Burton, who too denied and stayed a knight in Armored Saint. Anyway, the band got the dough together and released their first demo tape which would mostly become their self-titled EP in 1983 which had some eyes fall upon them and gained them a spot on the legendary Metal Massacre compilation that gave plenty of bands their start. The track "Lesson Well Learned" showed up on Metal Massacre II in 1982 as the first track, which then gained them even more attention and soon enough they were signed on with Chrysalis Records in 1984. Armored Saint released their debut album in the same year, a masterpiece of heavy metal called March of the Saint. I have had a deep love for this album for a long ass time, it was one of the first loves of mine when starting my deep studies into heavy metal while still a pup. It has everything you could want from a traditional heavy metal album. The vocals are on point and intense, yet not so much so that you have to second look who is playing. The guitar work is moody in intros and relentless in verses. Bass and drum cradle the band wonderfully and even find some time to throw in some flourishes of their own. I love the album cover, the logo work, the band's attire, the lyrical content that is epic but not too much so, and overall it is a memorable album full up of outstanding tracks. As is the fate of heavy metal, the album didn't sell all too well and only found minor success with the track "Can U Deliver" on MTV. While this is their most essential and powerful album, the band wasn't too fond of the recording process. Producer Michael James Jackson was the one behind the board, and he insisted on polishing the sound to give the band a much more commercial approach, something the band had no intention of doing before coming into the studio. That wasn't the only thing that frustrated them, the other was how much this album cost the band which was a whopping 300,000 dollars, something practically unheard of for the majority of wet behind the ears metal bands, and in an interview in 2006 the band said they are still in debt over that one. Even with all of that, the band still managed to put out something damn intense and moving. Something that I would put up there with the best of the best albums that came out of the wild west days of early US heavy metal. "Mad House" is one of the shining tracks off of said album. It comes in as the third track after the kick ass introduction track "March of the Saint" and the bands most famous song of all time "Can U Deliver". It is hard for me to choose a favorite track off this album since I love them all, but "Mad House" is up there. This track features the very idea of a traditional heavy metal send off, mean and fast guitar licks get your hackles up before vocals come in to seal the deal. The track doesn't alter its path all too much but that is part of the power of the track. A solid almost 4 minutes of a head banging good time. I want to give some love to the drummer of the band Gonzo Sandoval who I think is the one who really keeps things interesting throughout the song and album. Don't get me wrong, each member of the band is giving it their all and doing it damn well, but I really do love the drums from Sandoval. "Mad House" is the type of track that I just gotta let the music do the talking. A formidable track that really shows that traditional heavy metal vision. Raise those beers, raise those horns, and get that head banging! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1984
Album: March of the Saint (1984)
Genre: Traditional Heavy Metal
Mood: Aggressive
​Perfect For: Banging your head, Driving fast, Beer, Reckless summer nights
Where To Next: "American Metal" - Lizzy Borden
Rating: 8 / 10

"A Pirate Looks at 40" - TJ O'Neil

     TJ O'Neill is more so known for being a collaborator with reggae rock artist Stick Figure. He was one of the people who helped Stick Figure along with plenty of songs, the most notable being "Weight of Sound", but he also showed up on "Whiskey Sun" off their 2019 goodie World on Fire. He has been a long time friend of Scott Woodruff who is Stick Figure, and thus has been around with the band for a good long while often sharing a lot of the writing credits for some of the bands biggest tracks. O'Neil played a massive role in 2022's Wisdom. I am trying not to make this a post about Stick Figure, since this is one of O'Neil's only solo ventures, but he flew way too close to one of the biggest names in reggae music of the 21st century. Our chosen track is his cover of Jimmy Buffett's massively successful "A Pirate Looks at 40", one of my favorites from Buffett that really shows off how great a writer he is, if that was ever even doubted. "A Pirate Looks at 40" features Stick Figure, KBong (Stick Figure keyboardist), and Johnny Cosmic (rhythm guitarist of Stick Figure). O'Neil himself is a regular in Stick Figures work, so in a way this one feels a lot like a Stick Figure track. O'Neil's only other two tracks on Spotify are the single "Railroad Shelter" alongside Stick Figure, and the single "Beginning to End" which is pretty far from the reggae song we are talking about today. "Beginning to End" is a more a laid back almost alternative country track. I hope that he gets some time to put out something of his own, maybe a little reggae, maybe a little country. Wouldn't that be a trip? Is there even a reggae country subgenre? I mean, I know that Willie Nelson put out a reggae album, but that is a given. I gotta check, please hold.... Looks like there is a track from an artist named Maoli called "Country Reggae", a strange track but a good one so far. I mean, it is a lot more reggae, just lyrically and occasionally a little country. There is a compilation from Positive Vibrations that has some big names in the country world doing some reggae. Another strange one, but I will admit that it is fun to hear Dolly Parton, Alabama, and Rascal Flatts giving it a go, even though I am thinking this might be a remix thing. I don't think it has really been done... I wonder how it would sound? I mean, it might be kinda awful, but it also might be kind of fun. There are some artists that have kind of dabbled in it, but I wonder if it just doesn't work out. I always pick my brain on sounds that haven't really been tapped quite yet, and this is one of them. Genres always intermingle, and I think the lyrical themes of religion, liquor, and good smoke work well in both and maybe could be something worthwhile. Outside strange compilations and one offs, there ain't much. This is your calling, reader! See if you can mix the two! Good luck! Maybe there is a reason it isn't something easy to find, or maybe it is an untapped market. A minor market albeit, but a market nonetheless if it is done right. Reggae itself has a strange history, especially in America. Anyway, getting way off-topic buuuut if you are reading this right now TJ O'Neil, then maybe give it a go! Also, thanks for the solid Stick Figure work, some of their greatest came from your influence and vocal pieces.

    You know.... In a way our post is a reggae country track. What do you like the sound of better? "Reggae country" or "country reggae"? Maybe the second one? Has a better ring to it, the other sounds like "bear country" and the like which isn't what we are going for. Well, today sort of is a country reggae track. Jimmy Buffett isn't per se a country musician, he found a lot of success in that market and too has a ton of country tunes which is where he got his start, but he is a wild card. A musician that really doesn't fit anywhere. He is one of the few popular artists in the small gulf and western genre, better known as tropical rock, and that is where I have always put him. So I still wouldn't count it as country reggae, especially since this cover is through and through that sweet sweet reggae music. Anyway, "A Pirate Looks at 40" is TJ O'Neil's second most popular song out of his 3. It is a great track, and honestly I didn't even know about it until the moment I added it into the ranks of my playlists. At first, I was like "it can't be that good", I mean, Jimmy Buffett is one hard cat to cover. A simple truth. But, in some ways, I almost like it more. There is no beating Jimmy Buffett, but O'Neil alongside Stick Figure does a great job. That reggae sound helps paint the picture a little better, too. Especially in the "mother, mother Ocean" parts. A laid back track that sets the mind at ease as soon as the instruments jump in. The trading of the microphone until they come together for the chorus feels so damn good as well. A good time track, even though it isn't too happy of one. One's love for the sea is loud and clear, and the personal blunders of life come together wonderfully to paint a perfect image of a man who simply watches the ships sail past with middle shelf rum and ice tray cubes in hand. I have always been a fool for nautical themes, better yet that of piracy, so this track was a quick add to my prime picks collection much like the original was many moons ago. Nothing wrong with a mellow track that makes one dream, but too makes one happy to knock a couple back with good company. It has seemed like I have a ton of time to dream recently, but much too little time having a beer with company. Maybe that is a dream now too. Eh, what do you do, all that matters here and now is we got ourselves another quality track! There ain't too much to say about TJ O'Neil at the moment, maybe in time he will release more solo work for us to dig our teeth into. I made it a point to not talk Stick Figure the whole time, thus why this might be a shorter post. After all the massive posts so far this month, it is probably for the best. So, take in this chill track and enjoy the shorter set of words talking about it. I mean, I hardly even talked about the damn thing, but what do you do! Just press play! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2019
Single: "A Pirate Looks at 40" (2019)
Genre: Reggae
Mood: Seafaring
​Perfect For: Diggin' your feet into the sand, Diggin' your hand in the beer box, Diggin' some good tunes
Where To Next: "Treasure" - Stay High (with Stick Figure)
Rating: 8 / 10

"Man of Constant Sorrow" - Rod Stewart

     Welcome readers to another day of great music here on AintNoisePollution. I am excited to get into the music with you! Today's choice is a near and dear song to me, a song that I love to hear covered and performed by a wide array of musicians. Rod Stewart just so happens to be the one who got chosen for our first version of "Man of Constant Sorrow", and it also just so happens that I love Rod Stewart. I am more for the 1970s Rod Stewart material, but I still do have a fondness for his 1980s and onward collection. I would say I am there for the songs of the 1980s, but the albums of the 1970s. Rod Stewart has a pretty damn large discography made up of 32 solo studio albums, 4 live ones, and a massive assortment of singles and compilations. I have absolutely abused the albums from his debut An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down in 1969 all the way until his 1977 album Foot Loose & Fancy Free for the last 8 years or so. While I haven't made it through all of his albums, I am up to his 2001 album Human which was an okay one. Rod Stewart is known for a fairly wide array of styles, and he always seems to be watching the current trends and making sure he has a place in them, for better or worse. Tracks like "Maggie May" and "Every Picture Tells a Story" were some of the ones that showed me the raw and rocking power of classic rock, I knew those tracks for a couple of years before I even started into his discography, obviously starting with 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story. As I grew older I started getting further and further into Rod Stewart and the bands he was in prior to his solo work and the ones he was in while also putting out his own material. It was a pretty quick admiration from me on his vocals and also that raw swagger that few pull off nearly as well as the Rod. It seems Stewart was simply born for the stage, but that doesn't mean he didn't put in the blood, sweat, and tears. Rod first started out as a busker on the stone streets of London and through that determination is now one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. He started his busking in 1962, and started playing harmonica and helped on the vocals in Jimmy Powell's group the 5th Dimension in 1963. He left the group within the same year due to frustrations relating to not having as many chances to sing, which is fair since Rod Stewart is a great singer, gravelly vocals and all. The group didn't make it too far anyway, so probably for the best to move along, maybe they would have had they let Rod Stewart sing a little more. He joined up with the All-Stars, a group that sang the blues at bars around the UK, but during Rod Stewart's time with the group they were known as "The Hoochie Coochie Men" which is well... very... very Rod Stewart. The All-Stars were like a classroom for many budding talents, some of which were bound for glory like Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, many of the Rolling Stones members, and more. Plenty of people dropped in after fame to play some tunes, and many musicians never made it into the light but served their purpose in the music world they way they saw fit. Anyway, Rod Stewart didn't stick around long since he jumped into the Jeff Beck Group. This is one of my favorite stages of Rod Stewart's vocal work, especially on the amazing album Truth which is an album that can forever play over my speakers and I will still crack a smile. So from a busker in 1962 to vocals for one of rock's greatest guitarists band in 1967, not too shabby. Everything works if you let it. He wasn't with them all too long, but stayed around for two albums and a tour. Due to infighting Rod Stewart jumped ship in 1969 and joined up with Faces, an offshoot of the Small Faces who had plenty of hits the previous years. The band changed up their name once their vocalist and guitarist Steve Marriott left to start up Humble Pie. Rod Stewart fit the sound wonderfully and even gained the band some hit albums with their third album A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse in 1971 and fourth with Ooh La La in 1973. The Faces are fucking great, and I almost like their material with Rod Stewart as much as I like Rod's solo work.

     Alright, that gives you a little taste of Rod Stewart away from his solo work, but we overstepped the timeline. We are talking out "Man of Constant Sorrow" off of Rod Stewart's first solo album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down. The album was first released in the US in 1969 under the name The Rod Stewart Album, and in 1970 four months later in the UK under the name An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down. There is no difference aside from the albums name, the track listings are the same. This album is a creative piece for Rod Stewart that I swear often gets overlooked even though to me, it features songs that match the emotion and power of some of his hit albums. The album wasn't a success upon its release, it only charted in Australia at #31. At this point Rod Stewart only really tasted some fame from The Jeff Beck Group, so it isn't all too shocking. That and both album covers for it aren't very memorable, even the strange UK one that I can't really tell what is going on, it will be the one I feature below. Can't tell if it sparks childhood memories and homey thoughts, or that of fear and kidnapping, but I am hoping it is more of a "home video" kind of album cover if that makes any sense. Anyway! The line-up of the album is one of power, and is made up of Rod Stewart's long time friends, past bandmates, and future stick around members. We have Ronnie Wood on guitar which played with Stewart in both the Jeff Beck Group and also Faces, that same Ronnie Wood that would go on to play with the Rolling Stones and even had his own modest but great solo work. There was also Ian McLagan on the keys who also came out of the Faces and the prior band the Small Faces. Keith Emerson dropped by to work his magic on the organ for "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing" and so many other potent musicians on this album. The singles that came off of the album was Rod Stewart's cover of the Rolling Stones "Street Fightin' Man", and even better, "Handbags and Gladrags" which is a blue-eyed soul masterpiece originally recorded by Chris Farlowe in 1967. If you haven't looked at the track listing, or haven't guessed, this album has a fair amount of covers. It is 50% great covers and 50% great original songs. "Man of Constant Sorrow" is a version of the traditional folk song first written by fiddler Dick Burnett in 1913 originally called "Farewell Song", and first recorded in 1928 under the name we know now in 1928 by Emry Arthur. That version is a difficult listen now due to mastering and antiquity, but in some ways it has this edge to it that the others don't. A realness and lyrical scheme that makes more sense for its time. There has been a ton of versions, and like I said at the start of the post, I adore hearing this song no matter who put out a version. The first popular one was in 1951 from The Stanley Brothers, and following that there were plenty of big names putting out a version. I don't know if I have a favorite version, but if I had to pick I would give it to Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan, or maybe even the version we are hearing here today. It is mainly covered by folk musicians, bluegrass musicians, and some country singers. Rod Stewart is a mix of all of those on this album, but mostly he brings in some smooth soul. He arranged the track, but the lyrics are mostly the same from the 1961 version from Bob Dylan with his take on it on his debut. The lyrics have changed a lot throughout the years, but the melody and emotion tend to stay the same. For this version the song talks about a man who left his woman behind, bound for a life of rambling even if it sees him dead. As time moves along he robs a train and finds his way back to his hometown to come back for the girl, a classic tale in folk and country. Once he settles back down he finds she can be wicked, and he should have just stayed out there in the wide open world, a happy bum. A simple tune that goes by smoothly and quickly. What I adore about Rod Stewart's version is how much raw emotion is in the vocals, something this album often gets praised for as well. He really sells the feeling of rambling, hard decisions, and acceptance. I have had the multiple versions of this song serve as a personal track for a long while. If it hasn't been clear, I have a thing for daydreaming and a constant pulling of the highway. What takes more courage? The staying or the running away? Still, I am fine enough with my lot, but still there is always a bite of temptation of hitting the road and becoming a stranger in an unknown city. Plenty of my most favorite tracks are rambling tunes, but within those favorite tunes of mine a lot of them warn of that life. Pretty on paper, foolish in action. My favorite line from one of those tunes is in Tom Paxton's "I Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound", man I love that song! He says the lines

"Well, if you see my passing by and you sit and wonder why
And you wished that you were a rambler too
Nail your shoes to the kitchen floor, lace 'em up and bar the door
And thank your stars for the roof that's over you"

Which always serves as a reminder to me to find peace in my semi charmed life. Love those that love me. Find adventure in the mundane. Sanity while sailing upon the luna sea. Anyway, after you play our song of the day go for that one next. Wanna know your author better? Well, that is the track to do it. Enjoy this hidden gem from Rod Stewart! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1969/70
Album: An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969/70)
Genre: Folk Rock
Mood: Sorrowful
​Perfect For: Rambling, Day dreaming, Early morning drives, Casual listening, A nip from the bottle
Where To Next: "Big Country" - Gram Parsons
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Know Somethin (Bout You)" - Alice in Chains

     Yay! Today we get to talk about one of my all-time favorite bands, Alice in Chains. I really don't think there are many bands out there that has had such a constant impact on my life like Alice in Chains. Both of my parents were fans and I heard a ton of their material from a very young age, especially when I was around my dad. While I have had countless of my own memories surrounding Alice in Chains, the band will forever remind me of my pops. Speaking of, I should probably shoot him a text. Anyway, Alice in Chains is one of the first bands I found myself a big fan of. I didn't fully understand any of the lyrical content, nor the impact Alice in Chains had on the music world, but I still found myself entranced in the homey yet wildly impressive vocals of Layne Staley, the calming yet thought-provoking backing vocals and guitar work from Jerry Cantrell, thick lines of smoke that came out of the bass guitar of Sean Kinney & Mike Starr, and the ever supportive grand slam of drumming that came out of Sean Kinney. I practically grew up alongside Alice in Chains, and they are one of the bands that I refuse to skip, no matter the moment. Growing up all my friends probably heard their earlier studio albums over and over again, and now as a withering adult, I am sure those around me still get their fair share of Alice in Chains. I will admit, I don't listen to their albums after the passing of Layne Staley all too much, but every now and then I come back to hear them again. Still good albums with plenty of great songs, but it doesn't have that same thing. I have listened to the band's first 3 studio albums and 3 EPs religiously for what feels like my whole life, they each have easily got a couple of hundred plays from me. If there is ever the rare moment where I cannot decide what to listen to then Alice in Chains always comes in at that moment since I know no matter what, I am in good hands. Alice in Chains is a decently depressive moment, but no matter what, there is always this realness and sliver of hope in each of their songs. It sort of is the same feeling as staying up all night, usually narcotic induced, and seeing that sun crawl over the hill. It is a new day, a new start, and it feels so damn warm. Daunting? Yes. Scary? Absolutely. Yet, there is always that little fragment of human perseverance and the simplicity of knowing you made it another day that warms the bones. That is the best way to explain the music of Alice in Chains. For those that only know the tracks "Rooster", "Man in the Box", and "Would?" might be thinking I am talking silly, but those of us that have dived into the core Alice in Chains album a ton of times know exactly what I mean. I think this is the band's 3rd time here on the song of the day blog, both of which were picked in 2024 while I still didn't know what I wanted out of these posts. So, I will give you a little run-down on who Alice in Chains is. There might be some overlap from when I talked about "No Excuses" and "Grind", but that is just the way it goes. Alice in Chains started up in 1987 in Seattle, the birthplace of grunge. Grunge is a genre based in the influences of punk rock, alternative rock, indie rock, heavy metal, and a dose of glam rock/metal. There were plenty of bands from a ton of different backgrounds, all making music under those pine trees in Seattle. Alice in Chains is one of the acts that came from glam rock/metal backing before finding their home as one of the flagships of grunge. Need proof? Well, Layne Staley's first band was called Alice N' Chains, after they broke up he formed Alice in Chains. Secondly, there is a fair amount of proof on the band's debut album, Facelift. Don't be thinking you are going to hear "Nothin' but a Good Time" on it, but it is almost more similar to what Mother Love Bone did than what Soundgarden was doing.

     Anyway, I will try keeping this post a little shorter since I have been rambling on some of my last ones. Seattle had just as many musicians kicking around than they did coffee shops, so putting together a band wasn't all too hard of a task. Layne Staley met Jerry Cantrell and the two hit it off. Cantrell was homeless and just got the boot from his band, so Staley let him live out of the recording space with him. He gave the number to Sean Kinney to get his music going again, and then also gave the number to bassist Mike Starr. Cantrell was doing his thing with that band and helping out with Staley's funk band he was running, but on one condition, that Staley joins up with his fresh new band in turn. Cantrell went so far as to have Staley there as the band was holding auditions for the lead vocals role, all the choices were purposefully awful. Once they brought in a male stripper to try out, Staley said "alright, alright, I am in". After some time, Layne Staley's funk project run aground, and he dedicated all his energy to Cantrell's band that still didn't have a name. They played shows around Washington, sometimes under the name Diamond Lie and sometimes under the name Fuck, mostly doing David Bowie and Hanoi Rocks covers with some originals thrown in to mix it up. Staley once again prompted the name Alice in Chains, something his past band disliked, and it wasn't much different with the new band but they rolled with it. Can't be too much worse than "Fuck". They gained the attention of a local promoter which gave them enough money to cut the demo The Treehouse Tapes, which took a little bit to finish since the studio got raided (being the biggest marijuana raid in the states history) before they were supposed to come in to lay down some tracks. Well, it eventually got done and then quickly found its way to music managers which then got passed on to Columbia Records who signed the band almost instantly and there we have it. Alice in Chains were a top priority for the label which gave the band the resources for their first EP We Die Young, it features 2 tracks that showed up on the band's debut album Facelift that came out one month after the EPs release in 1990. Facelift is an oddity out of Alice in Chains 3 early studio albums and EP's, but it is honestly one of my favorites. It is rooted in a Faith No More meets Mother Love Bone meets Soundgarden sound that is similar yet so unlike their other material. It is a sampler pack of seeing which direction the band might have gone. They went the "Man in the Box" and "Bleed the Freak" route. It was the first grunge album to make it to gold certification and serves as one of the greatest grunge albums to date, especially before the genre's breakout success following Nirvana's Nevermind in 1991. Facelift soon enough hit the multiplatinum sale achievement, as it should since this album is fucking awesome. Jerry Cantrell has said that this album was supposed to reflect the moody aura of Seattle. It is one of the leading reasons I am genuinely dying to visit the city. So much so it has become an obsession, since this album also explains how I feel on the inside as well. You ever have a place that feels like home, but you never even have been there? That is Seattle for me, I dream of it all the damn time. One day. Got that dreamers disease. The album has a ton of different styles, but all of which are core Alice in Chains. There isn't a bad track on this album. Great lyrics meet a grimy yet shined atmosphere that feels depressed but pushing through. It was written from the realness of the streets, be it kids pushing drugs, death in the family, or the nihilist view of the forgotten youth of America. It is easy to see how this album is often regarded as one of the best and most important grunge albums to date. It was also a favorite album of Ozzy Osbourne, the highest praises out there, just like getting kissed on the forehead by god. Not only that, it is a perfect example of the changing rock scene from the 1980s party time, and the 1990s repercussions of those parties. It feels hopelessly hopeful. Bleak. Cold. Loving. Harsh. Something you really just gotta listen to for yourself, man.

"When We Was Fab" - George Harrison

     Well, we have talked about some for the throat heavy metal for the last two days, so how about we bring it on in for a little bit and get back to that sweet rock n roll?! George Harrison is one of the high priests of the genre after all. As I am sure all of you here know, George Harrison was one of the four Beatles that completely changed the music world. While he hardly ever showed up on the vocals for the Beatles outside of a couple tracks, he was the main one laying down the lead guitar licks that helped define a whole genre of music. He was always the Beatle that seemed to take the back seat the most, maybe being tied with Ringo Starr. It must have been difficult to have the two massive egos of Paul McCartney and John Lennon being in the room, but it seems that Harrison always met it with peace and love. Seeing how everyone was busy fighting and that their yellow submarine was about to crash, Harrison made it a point to step up and start writing more of the material nearing the end of the Beatles. Something that was well worth the work since he walked away with plenty of material that later would show up in some of his solo work. I am not trying to make this a post about the Beatles, but it is hard not to talk about his place in one of the most well known bands of all time. Shit, the first song we chose for Harrison is one about the Beatles. The songs that Harrison wrote and/or sang on in the Beatles are some of their best. His biggest achievement in the band is "Something", which I consider to be one of the greatest love songs ever released. Even before the Beatles broke up Harrison had already released two studio albums. The first being out of 1968, an album put together for the soundtrack of the movie Wonderwall, hence the albums name Wonderwall Music. It was the first solo album ever put out by any of the Beatles but is hardly anything like what Harrison did within his main band. That debut is practically solely instrumentals aside from some minor spoken word parts. It isn't the best album, but it is a good one for just letting play in the background. I am not an authority on that since I have only listened to it a solid 3 times in my life. His second studio album released in 1969, Electronic Sound, and as he did with his previous album, the album title really explains what is within. I will say, this album simply isn't for me, still a step up from the avant-garde albums John Lennon put out on his first three, but I just cannot jive to avant-garde music no matter how many times I have tried. Is it a good album? Honestly, I don't even know, but I will tell you that it isn't for me. I will give it to Harrison though, he never stopped expanding his musical horizons, he was the leading cause in the Beatles evolutionary sound. Still, this is an album I have only listened to twice for my studies and then never looked back. Synthesizers and electronica would consume everything in time, but George Harrison was one of the first big names to give it a go. Electronic Sound is an album for those that appreciate the style, and those die hard George Harrison fans. Fans like myself tend not to check those albums out all too much, but for his third album, that is a happy home for me. This is his ultimate album, and one of the greatest achievements George Harrison has to his name, even within the Beatles. I cannot overstate how genuinely perfect that album is! It went x7 platinum and hit the top of the charts across the globe. A good chunk of his most well known solo tracks are on this album. Songs like "My Sweet Lord" and "What Is Life" are one of the leading causes for this album's success. You find even more gold past those inspirational and great tracks, goodies like "All Things Must Pass", "Isn't It a Pity", and a personal favorite "I Dig Love" with some sweet slide guitar. One I cannot suggest enough, especially to those that are starting their venture in the essential classic rock albums of the 1970s.

     I would need a whole page just to talk about that one album, but maybe another time. It isn't the one to hold our song of the day, we will get there shortly. All Things Must Pass shook the world, it had the same commercial appeal as fellow Beatles solo albums in 1970, outside of Ringo who was doing Ringo things, but I do love Ringo's 1970 material and think they are just as good. Don't care what anyone says. Anyway, even outside the Beatles, they were putting out stuff that was encrusted in diamond. Though, how long can gods stay in heaven? Surely they would fall from grace, like every single musical artist has done in the past. Just a matter of when. Harrison followed up All Things Must Pass with a live album called The Concert for Bangladesh which was made up of material from two charity shows put on by George Harrison and friends in 1971. The idea for the concerts was prompted by Ravi Shankar, one of the biggest icons in Indian classical music, and one of the most important people in George Harrison's musical makeup. Harrison was on board for the concerts, with all the money going to refugees of the Bangladesh liberation war. This album was more than a solid 100 minutes of great music for a great cause that saw some top tier names performing with each other like Ringo Starr, Badfinger, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan who came back to the stage after a 5-year hiatus. It was a monumental event showing how much success could come from charity events in the form of concerts. A good album, but you gotta set some time and attention aside to take it on since it is a long one, and one that incorporates a good amount of varying genres. An essential for a Beatles fan, but one you can skip on modernly if you aren't into live albums. In 1973 Harrison released his fourth studio album, Living in the Material World, which is another prime album in Harrison's solo discography, being his second-hottest seller and I would say his second-best album. This one is a classic and is a little more straight forward rock music, no frills like we saw on All Things Must Pass. I would almost suggest this one before his 3rd studio album simply because it is so easy to fall in love with. It was the last Harrison solo album to sell like hot cakes, but don't go thinking it was his last good one. Dark Horse was his next album, which dropped in 1974. This one is a good one, but it is strangely personal, which I think rubbed a couple of people wrong. For me, I love how open the album is, it feels completely genuine and takes his spiritual music a step further, in some ways it is the most authentic album ever put out by any of the Beatles. Not only that, it is strangely funky, and it has some drops and hooks that always knock me dead. Alright, I am taking too long explaining each album so we are going to burn through the next couple. His sixth studio album, Extra Texture, is a good one but a tad bit bland. It feels like he dropped some of the lyrical content and personality of his previous albums and replaced it with songs he hoped would hit high on the charts, they did not.  Thirty Three & 1/3 released in 1976 and went the more pop route, something that hardly left his material from that point on. Once again, a decent one, but a bit bland. His self-titled eighth album is a damn shining gem and has been a long time favorite of mine of his. A great one that brings back some of that rooted feeling that I always loved about Harrison in comparison to the other Beatles. Somewhere in England is another gem of his, an album full of soul, especially the hit "All Those Years Ago" which was a personal tribute to John Lennon who was murdered in 1980. In 1982 George Harrison went the experimental route on his 10th studio album Gone Troppo. That album is a plain odd one, and another that I don't know if I missed the point or if it genuinely wasn't that great of an album. Think if George Harrison wrote a track to show up on The Breakfast Club, and you get the picture. That album was a blunder and one that I have only spun a couple of times, but like anything Harrison, there is still a redeeming track or two. Finally, we get to the album that holds our song of the day, Cloud Nine.

"The Hunter" - Ostrogoth

     Hidden gem incoming! Ostrogoth is easily one of the most underrated bands I have ever come across! They played a solid role in selling me on "true metal" back as a budding metal head. I remember playing "Queen of Desire" criminally loud on my headphones when I was 9 or so. Due to their difficulty in finding both on pirating websites, and even at times YouTube, I went through a multiple year gap where I could only access the band's most successful album Ecstasy and Danger. Being a kid I didn't have the resources to go out and buy things, and also while eBay was doing fine at the time, I didn't even know how to shop on the internet in the first place. Now I have a problem. Speaking of.... maybe I need this album on vinyl... hmmmm.... Well, depending on how well this post goes, maybe I will award myself with it. Anyway, I only listened to that album for probably over ten years, and it is one I never tire of. Tracks like "Queen of Desire", "Lords of Thunder", the title track "Ecstasy and Danger", and " "Stormbringer" are tracks that forever live rent-free in my ears. It was only once I started gathering all the bands I love into a massive collection on Spotify that I finally realized I had access to most of their discography. To my disappointment, they weren't nearly as good as Ecstasy and Danger, but there were still plenty of redeeming tracks that I have been religiously coming back to for years now. Ostrogoth started up in 1980 in Ghent, Belgium and while they didn't find too much success they did share the stage with some great names from the early years of heavy metal. They have a cult following that is obsessed with their take on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal style. They themselves aren't from England, but most of Europe jumped on that heavy metal boat once it started sailing across the world. To compare them to bands like Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Saxon, etc. would be accurate and also not quite so. They are a tad bit more raunchy with shrill vocals that get your nose bleeding, something that not a lot of bands out of the NWOBHM scene followed. In a lot of ways they went the speed metal route alongside bands like Acid and Flotsam and Jetsam, both of which had a release or two on the same label as Ostrogoth, Mausoleum Records. During their time they released 3 studio albums from 1984-1987 and have had two EPs, one out of 1983 and one random one out of 2015. I have listened to all of those albums and EPs a shitload of times and can say with confidence that those that like that traditional heavy metal style will find a lot of to love in the band. The great thing about bands like Ostrogoth is they appeal to both metalheads and rockers since they are through and through heavy metal, but in the modern tongue some might consider them to be more so a hard rock outfit. On tracks like "The Hunter", I can completely see why, but don't you try throwing my precious "Queen of Desire" under the hard rock banner, that one reeks of the original vision of heavy metal. Surprised that song wasn't the first Ostrogoth track to show up here, but I stand by my choice, "The Hunter" is a solid track. Since we already poked upon it, and my post is already growing stagnant, I think we should just move on into it. Here we go!

     "The Hunter" is in my opinion the best track off the band's final studio album, Feelings of Fury. The album released in 1987 and saw the band dropping some of their heavier tracks for those that are a little easier to serve to a hard rock market. By 1987, this brand of heavy metal already died out. The majority of speed metal and NWOBHM bands integrated into some of the more successful styles out there aside from those that were so famous they could do what they wanted like Iron Maiden, Accept, and Motörhead. The majority of which went to thrash metal, which was a fair choice since the majority of bands served as influences for the genre. Some went the progressive metal route, some went to doom metal, some black metal, and the other vast majority moved into power metal which is another genre that spurred off of speed metal and NWOBHM. There was also a fair pocket that dropped the heaviness and went the rock route like Diamond Head and also like our spotlighted band Ostrogoth. Ostrogoth went through a massive lineup change in this album's recording and release, the only original member was drummer Mario Pauwells, who has been the only constant member throughout the band's albums and random tours throughout their history. I think that was one of the last mess-ups the band did, that lineup change and addition of vocalist Peter De Wint changed up their sound, and not for the better. It kind of made it a boring album, not something I would pass up most days, but nothing in comparison to their previous two. The selling impact just wasn't there, and not every track was as good as "The Hunter". I hate to be talking down on an early love of mine, but it is a simple truth. There is a reason the band never made it into the big time, even if I do still dig the fuck out of their albums. "The Hunter" is the 6th track off the album, and it is indeed it's highpoint. A solid guitar lead intro to the track kicks it off right. Somewhere in between the glam metal sound and Running Wild gives way to a heavy metal attack that is thrilling from start to finish. Hook heavy guitar work jives wonderfully with the drums. Vocals are intense and fuzzy, which has been one of their signature things from the start. What is something they mixed it up with on "The Hunter" is during the middle of the track there is a part that completely switches the rhythm and sets the stage up great for a dual guitar attack which consumed the gut of the track and is the most enjoyable part of the track. I do have a special spot for the vocal pieces right before the chorus comes into the mainframe. It has that same ear-piercing power that the chorus of "Queen of Desire" has, and I am all there for it. Feels like someone reaching through the speakers and throttling you. Prime head banging material, but still chill enough on the guitar work to allow hard rockers to come in happily without a cover charge. The modern vocalist, Josey Hindrix, is a powerful singer but just doesn't work with the band's sound nearly as well as the previous vocalists. You can find their most current EP on YouTube if you are so inclined, I suggest the traditional heavy metal reach back of "Clouds" which I wish was on Spotify. If you liked "The Hunter" then I truly cannot suggest you go listen to "Queen of Desire", that track means the world to me! A perfect example of what made early heavy metal so damn intense! Still, for now, I am happy to have "The Hunter" here. Hope you like the track enough! As always, if it ain't for you, then just check back tomorrow then maybe that one will get your rocks off. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1987
Album: Feelings of Fury (1987)
Genre: Traditional Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Speed Metal
Mood: Mean
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Banging your head, Cheap beer, Pushing the capabilities of your speakers
Where To Next: "Beggar's Night" - Running Wild
Rating: 7 / 10

"Destroy" - Windir

     Ready for some musical whiplash? It has been a solid minute since we have had a black metal group on the page. Shit, I don't know if we have had one for months upon months. Well, I can think of few genres better to spice things up. For many in the metal world, they avoid the black metal genre, a foolish mistake. I would know, I was one of them for a long time. Black metal is arguably the hardest metal genre to get into since it is so unlike all the others. Death metal might be extreme, but in the end there are a ton of similarities to thrash metal. The "core" genres (metalcore, deathcore, grindcore, etc.) are also one of the extreme genres that seem hard for casual music fans to get into, but that one has ties into a ton of different genres. I mean, the "core" part of metalcore and the like is rooted in hardcore punk. Much like hardcore punk, the genre seems to lure in diehards, but I guess the same is to be said about all the extreme music genres. I think that is part of what makes each of those genres a sensation, they are meant for cult following status in a strange way. Outside a couple from each genre, none really ever make any headway in the mass market. Probably for the best, since it keeps the genre humble, and also offers plenty of space for exploration and expansion. Anyway, like I was saying, the black metal subgenre still stands as the one I think many have the hardest time to get into. The fan base does indeed rub some people wrong. I have only met a small handful of black metal fans in my life, and each of them were both in it until death and also were a touch peculiar. What does that say about me? It took me a solid ten years of being deeply in love with heavy metal until I finally found that thing that made me adore black metal. For those that like it, but still don't love it, then might I suggest a couple of bands to wet your palate. For me, it was Bathory that got me into black metal. I am a massive fan of traditional heavy metal and practically all the bands and styles that came out in the 1970s and 1980s. I still have a ton of love for the bands of the 1990s and 2000s buuuut for both my starting years in heavy metal fever and also now, I have always been into the early stuff with all my heart. Anyway, so for me, Bathory was the ultimate entry point. There is melodic black metal for those that sludge, doom, and stoner. Symphonic for gothic, industrial, and certain death metals. Norwegian for those that love the extreme. The list can go on and on. For a genre like black metal, there is honestly more to it than meets the eye. In face value, it seems like haunted screaming and wailing, the guitar is repetitive and hard driving, drumming and bass follow the same style. Though, under all of that is immensely deep and powerful lyricism, a hypnotic trance induced by the repetition unlike any other genre outside of electronic, and those vocals might be odd but behind them is its own intense power and talent. I have found few better genres to sleep to, I know it sounds odd, but it is the truth. There is something really sublime under such a dark front. It feels like black magic. So for those out there that saw this great album cover and the genre it was tied to and almost skipped over it, I challenge you to fully try it on for size. Forget about the vocals that give rise to agitation. Forget about all you know about heavy metal and the bands you love. Truly take this in as something more than noise coming from your speakers or headphones. You might find yourself completely entranced.

     With all of that said, how about we talk a little bit about our chosen band, Windir. I am fairly new to the band and only discovered them from my studies maybe a year back. The first album I heard from them was their debut out of 1997 Soknardalr. That one was a goodie, it impressed me more than I honestly thought it would. The good thing about black metal is you cannot understand a damn thing they say, so it doesn't really matter what language it is in. For Windir, they come out of Norway, the breeding ground for the best black metal, and thus their beautiful language really compliments the sound. The band had all their lyrics in the Sognamal dialect for their first album and also their essential and hauntingly beautiful second studio album Arntor. Our song of the day, and the album it comes off of, is the band's first to be written mostly in English in an attempt to reach a larger audiance internationally. I have almost a bigger fondness for their first two albums, but I would probably listen to their third album more often if I had that black metal itch. Our song of the day "Destroy" is the 6th track off of that third album, 1184. This one might have dropped some of the folk tales of their previous two albums, but there is still some potent ass lyricism to be had here, once again if you can understand anything that Terje Bakken (Valfar) says. At first Windir was a solo ran project, a common case with black metal, but this was the first to include a whole band. I would say it was a good step, sure it lost some of that lonesome and dark feeling, but with crazy parts of songs like the 3:30 mark on "Destroy", it seems it was a worthwhile trade. Valfar sadly died a shitty death of hypothermia. I know it might sound crude, but he has had one of the most black metal deaths I have ever read about. He froze to death after getting caught in a blizzard on the way to his families cabin in Norway. Once again, not poking fun since that is not an enjoyable way to go I am sure, but it is strangely fitting. Makes this album cover a little more potent too, in a strange way. Anyway, "Destroy" is one of the best I have heard from the band thus far, and I only have one more album to listen through for Windir for my studies. If that one is anything like the others I have taken in, I am going to be in good hands, and you might even see them here again in a couple of months. One thing that I adore most about heavy metal is how intense some of the parts of songs can get. Rock can really knock you dead as well, but nothing like the power of heavy metal. I am talking full body chills that no other genre can conjure up. They weaponized music, much like punk weaponized art, and rock weaponized the masses. "Destroy" has a couple of moments that really are gut-wrenchingly powerful, as does some of the other kick ass tracks off of 1184 like "Todeswalzer" and "The Spiritlord". Unlike some of the bands out of the black metal scene, it seems that Windir doesn't want to get stuck in one place on this album. Right when you think you get the idea of the album, they bring in something earthshaking to make sure you keep paying attention until the last strings are strummed. Skillful craftsmanship consumes "Destroy". It is within moments like this song that I am reminded of just how intense and well put together black metal is, almost being more so than the other genres. Once again, face value black metal just seems to be intensity incarnate, but under that there is something truly magical. Well, I know the style isn't for everyone, but give it a go, would you? When you get stuck in one place, be it in life, love or in music, your drive starts to decay. Always spice things up if possible, and music should be no different. I hope you dig the track! It is one that completely took me off guard and is probably one of my best discoveries out of my 2001 studies so far. Thanks for reading, it seems I couldn't keep on track this go around, but we made it to the end! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001
Album: 1184 (2001)
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Mood: Foreboding
​Perfect For: In depth listening, Casual listening, Winter hikes, Driving fast
Where To Next: "The Eruption" - Emperor
Rating: 9 / 10

"Not What I Had in Mind" - George Jones

     Welcome back readers to our first country post of the month. In my opinion, the 1960s was the best decade for country music, with the 1950s chomping right at its heels. There were so many great country hits during the 1960s, and the overall feeling and aesthetic were made for the road, heartache, beer joints, and lonesome city lights. The 1960s saw varying styles in the country world, my favorite of which is the folk country sound that hardly made it out of the 1960s aside from a few musicians, but it no longer had its time in the limelight. Well, our artist today is not from the folk country scene, though he could have been if he wanted. We are talking about the versatile and one of country musics all-time greatest musicians, George Jones. I don't say that light, one of country musics all-time greatest, he seriously is one hell of a performer and icon. George Jones gained many nicknames in his time, the possum, no show Jones, the greatest country singer, but one really says it all about George Jones, "the Rolls-Royce of country music". He put out a crazy amount of material from his first single "No Money in This Deal" in 1954 all the way up until his final album with some recently recorded songs and past duets, Burn Your Playhouse Down in 2008. Jones passed away in 2013, but there are still archive releases coming out even now, I think the last one was The Lost Nashville Sessions in 2024. What entails a "crazy amount of material"? Try 69 studio albums, 9 studio albums with his wife Tammy Wynette, 3 live albums, 11 collaborative albums, 132 compilations, 136 solo singles, 15 singles off his Jones & Wynette material, 31 collaborative singles, and he showed up on a ton of songs outside of that. Now, that is a serious amount of releases! One of the reasons I never even dared take on his full discography. I have been a fan as long as I have been into country music, so well over 10 years now, and even then I have maybe made it through half of his material. It is easy to get lost in his discography, to say the least. Now, to make it even more impressive, practically all of those studio albums charted in some chart, and he has had over 160 charting singles. He is a genuine legend and an icon in the country world. With all that said, I am immensely shocked that he hasn't shown up on the website yet, I practically listen to him daily it feels like. Well, I guess I should introduce him for those that either live under a rock or aren't too fond of classic country music. George Jones was born in Texas, and it seemed that sorrow you feel in his songs was his calling since he was dropped by the doctor upon birth, resulting in a broken arm. Good way to start life. His family were simple folk, but simple folk that liked to play music, something that obviously rubbed off on a growing lad. He first heard country music at the age of 7 when his family first bought a radio, and it was an instant grabber and family bond. He would listen to the Grand Ole Opry radio show and insisted that his parent wake him up or tell him if his icons Roy Acuff or Bill Monroe got on stage. You can feel the heavy influence of Roy Acuff in George Jones singing, and if you know anything about the real early days of country music, then you know that Roy Acuff played a large hand in setting up the country style that later took the 1950s and onward by storm. George Jones was just one of many who picked up on it. Jones came from a broken home following the death of his sister. His father became an abusive drunk, and at times would come from drinking in the middle of the night with his drinking friends and force Jones to sing songs or get beat, so he sang. A depressing way to start your singing career. Jones later too would have a massive issue with drinking, going so far to get the nickname "No Show Jones" since he would often be too drunk to preform or even not show up due to it.

     Jones left home at 16, and started performing on the radio in Jasper, Texas. During this time Hank Williams was the new kid in town, he was a country sensation that steered country music in a more rootsy direction. Something that sat better with everyone, no matter lifestyle, education, or location. He had a way with words, and those words shook George Jones to the core, and thus became a massive fan. Jones moved to a different channel and got lucky one evening and even met his new icon, a moment I am sure pushed Jones to trying to become a star. Well, Jones got married and then divorced within a year, and also enlisted in the military and was honorably discharged in 1953. He got married again (this time it lasted 14 years) and cut his first single in 1954 "No Money in This Deal", a poorly recorded single that didn't gain him fame. He cut a couple more in 1954 but finally had his first hit in 1955, a track called "Why Baby Why" that became a country standard and was covered by some big names for years to come, my favorite being the one from Hank Locklin. Due to his placement in the Louisiana Hayride, a TV program that modernly is famous for including an early Elvis Presley which caused minor controversy and also the home for Hank Williams, he started meeting plenty of budding stars including his long time friend Johnny Cash. It seemed that George Jones was on his way to becoming a big name, he had top ten big hits with "Why Baby Why", "What Am I Worth", "You Gotta Be My Baby", "Just One More", "Gonna Come Get You", "Color of the Blues", and "Treasure of Love" from 1955-1958 amongst other great singles and tracks. His first #1 hit was a cover of the Big Bopper with "White Lightning", and that chart topper was the first big step to seeing his name in lights at some of America's biggest venues. Singles were the name of the game for country stars, the fans weren't as into LP's like rock and others, and George Jones didn't have his first hit record until a compilation in 1963 and his studio album George Jones Sings Like the Dickens! in 1964. He had released a crap load of LP's before that, but none got too popular, everyone was too busy sucking up all the great singles he was regularly dishing out. Our song of the day is his 1962 hit "Not What I Had in Mind" that peaked at the #7 spot on the country charts, getting a little overshadowed by a bigger hit of his earlier that year "A Girl I Used to Know", and one of his all-time greatest songs at the start of 1962 "She Thinks I Still Care". Still, "Not What I Had in Mind" is through and through a George Jones classic that shows off his prowess on that microphone that has him high up on lists as one of musics greatest singers. If you are new to George Jones, it can be daunting to know where to jump into his material, but for what it is worth I think the hits out of the early 1960s is the best place to start, but there is no true answer since he had great songs in practically every decade from the 1950s on. Anyway, "Not What I Had in Mind" is your standard but great country tune of the time. The track was released in 1962 but for the album fans out there it comes off his 1964 compilation/studio album George Jones Sings More New Favorites which hit the shelves and sold decently but never hit the big time charts. By that point Jones was a hotshot in the country world, everyone knew if you covered one of his tracks then you yourself would have a big hit. On the album cover, we see Jones holding awards proudly with "America's no. 1 country singer" right above his head. Must be nice seeing that, wonder how it felt. Like I said before, "Not What I Had in Mind" is your standard country track, but what helps it stand apart from the others is the enjoyable way that George Jones says his words. The words that portray a character that stepped out of line and lost his true love. Seems he was fooling around with chicks and tying one on too often, and now that his house is empty, he realizes he is the biggest fool in town. George Jones has plenty of cheatin' songs, and even more that talk about the consequences of not being a good spouse. Might not be too shocking he was married four times, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette was a rough one heavy with alcoholism, laughter, and tears. One thing that George Jones is known for in the music world is how well he portrays the characters he sings about, many of which seem like he is singing about himself. More often than not, that isn't the truth, but he is a natural-born performer that can really paint the picture of his stories with top tier singing and enough emotion to make you question if you yourself have ever felt such raw emotion in your lifetime. Well, try the song out for size and enjoy one of the biggest stars country music has ever seen. If you dig it, maybe check out some more George Jones, he has a massive collection of albums and songs that are worth your time. My email is on the contact page, and I would be happy to curate a George Jones playlist for little ol' you. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1962
Album: Sings More New Favorites (1964)
Genre: Country
Mood: Regretful
​Perfect For: Having a drink, Coffee in the morning, Casual listening, Doing chores
Where To Next: "Wille the Weeper" - Billy Walker
Rating: 8 / 10

"Tourniquet" - Evanescence

     The 2000s was an expansion heavy time for rock music, a lot of that expansion in the end redefined what rock music was, and thus served as one of the final nails in sealing the coffin for the golden days of rock music in the years to come. Crazy to even imagine that rock music was king for such a long time, and I only got to experience that for the final days. I know rock bands are still emerging, but I don't think we will have a golden age again for a very long time. Society was built around the bands that we talk about here often, unlike now, where the stars of today are mainly pop icons and rappers. Not a bad thing, mind you, but just a different world. One of the things that also served as a nail in that coffin was how people take in music now days. There isn't nearly as much of a fever to get into a band in hopes to break out, since the money isn't nearly as there as it used to be. That, and you have to fight against a massive amount of groups, practically anyone can put music on streaming services but to have your stuff punched into a vinyl record or moved into CD format has a mean learning curve or a pretty steep paywall which the majority of fresh bands don't have the funds to pull off. This is coming from American eyes, and I know that other countries still have some big names in the rock world, but when it comes to us here in the US, it seems that if it doesn't sell fast due to skin or similarity then it never hits those big time charts. I guess that is progression, but I just wish I had more time to be in a time when rock was still king. Where Elvis and his pelvis would make headlines for depravity, and when bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd would define a whole summer for the youth of America and the working man. I am happy to be in the streaming era, it makes this website a possibility and also gives me so many bands that I could live & die never hearing the same song twice if I so desired. It will be the death of music in the long run, or maybe this is just the growing pains into something that I cannot foresee. I am damn curious what 10 years will bring. With AI coming into the picture, I am not thinking it will be too pretty. Alright, you didn't come here to hear me sound like an old timer in a whippersnappers body, you came here to find some new tunes. Today we talk of Evanescence, one of the most successful, innovative, and essential hard rock groups to come out of the 2000s. I will admit, I never per se considered myself a fan. Do I respect the music? God yes. Very impressive! Something all consuming to say the least. Though, for some reason, I missed the bus back when I was a kid and am only now barely moving back into bands like Evanescence in my studies as an adult. To call yourself a fan of a band is something sacred to me, and just because I like a couple of songs from a band doesn't mean that I am a fan. You got to live alongside the band, they become a piece of you, a mentor in some ways and a hype man in others. So, I dig Evanescence, and am very excited to take in their whole discography as time allows, and we will see what happens. I chose this song while trying to help my mom's coworker with some musical expansion for her daughter, who has got really into Evanescence. Something that sounds simple on paper, but it was a chosen band that I knew was going to be a pleasant challenge, since Evanescence has always been an oddity that is hard to place. They are trailblazers in hard rock, frontwoman and visionary of the band Amy Lee comes from so many musical influences that Evanescence is simply a one of a kind band. If we simply went off of "Bring Me to Life" then it would be a breeze, but that track is not the core sound for the band, and wasn't even one that Amy Lee wanted to turn out the way it did. While their debut was getting put together, the record label Wind-Up was yanking Amy Lee and band left and right. They were worried about the commercial potential of not only a hodgepodge of musical styles that don't fit the current mold, but were even more so concerned about a female being the lead singer. In the rock world, that is a good way to get a laugh and a toss in the bin for the dumb populace that surrounds us on the daily. So, after being told she will have to take the backseat on the vocals, on her own band, she declined which saw the label dropping the band. Music is business, and the businessman is a bastard.

     After some time, they reached back out and said "okay, okay, you can sing in your own band I guess, but you need to have a male co-vocalist on the leading single "Bring Me to Life", cool?". Well, it wasn't cool, but it was the band's best shot, so Amy Lee agreed begrudgingly. The song became a massive success, so much so it hit the top section of the charts worldwide, and in the modern tongue you cannot meet anyone out there with ears who has never heard such an iconic song. That sounds awesome, right? It would be if that was what the band wanted to be known for, but in the end it got them thrown in with nu metal bands and the commercial hard rock sound of the early 2000s. Give and take is the name of the game if you want to make it into the big time, and in the long run it gave the band a podium in which to rise to power. That track isn't our song of the day, but I wanted to bring it up since that one song does make it a little more difficult to place Evanescence. Since it had been well over a decade since I listened through any Evanescence album, I figured I better catch back up to give proper suggestions on a budding fan of that hard rock sound. I listened through a handful of albums of Evanescence growing up since my dad liked them, and too did my step-brother, but I never sat down myself to take it in. I listened through the earth shaking debut Fallen, which holds our song of the day, the band's second studio album The Open Door which is hauntingly beautiful, and made it halfway through their 2011 self-titled album before I ran out of time and had to compile that list. Once again, Evanescence is... fucking intense. They have everything I love about gothic and symphonic metal packed into a hard rock edgy package. There is no doubting Amy Lee's place in being one of the greatest vocalists to ever hit the rock scene. She is a sensation to listen to and gave me more chills than the cold wind gave me that day. On that debut, I was reacquainted with songs of my youth, and those that I haven't given an in depth listen to ever in my life. I could have chosen plenty of tracks off that beast of a first album, but I strangely ended up with "Tourniquet" running through my head for the rest of the day. You can see how Fallen was picked up by Christian rock fans, it does seem mighty religious, especially on "Tourniquet". They even went so far to find "hidden messages" in songs like "Bring Me to Life" which they mistook as a calling to god for help. The record label saw that and promoted the album in the Christian rock category, which had the band thinking "how about no" and made it clear they were not Christian rock in interviews and the like. The label had to go and send apology letters to plenty of stations and retailers, many of which instantly stopped playing anything related to this heathen band. Still, you cannot fully fault the label for that since in a lot of ways this album feels heavily religious, and Christian rock was riding high in their most successful point in rock music history during the transition of the 1990s into the 2000s. The band did not need the Christian market in the slightest, since the album sold sensationally well! Like, break records well. Try the 7th highest selling album of the 21st century well, just above American Idiot from Green Day and just below Lady Gaga's The Fame. A lot of that success came from the immensely powerful singles off the album like "Bring Me to Life", "My Immortal", "Going Under", and "Everybody's Fool" all of which define what 2000s rock is all about.

"The Blessed Hellride" - Black Label Society

     I have felt like a Black Label fan girl today. It just so happens that I am wearing my favorite shirt, which is a Black Label Society shirt, and this last weekend me and my lady bought tickets to see them live in March. Now today I get to type about how great the band is! All is well. Alllll is well. Well, as much as I am a big fan, it was only chance that I wore the shirt the same time I am doing a post about them. I am very much excited to see them live, it will be my first time since I missed out the last time they came through. One of my all-time biggest "concert regrets" was missing this one show back when I was 19 or so. I cannot recall the name of the show right now, but it was like "night of the shred" or something like that. It was a strictly instrumental metal show with some of the guitar world's best names, one of which was Zakk Wylde, a long time icon of mine. For some reason or another, I didn't go, and I have forever regretted it. I am hoping to make up for that regret with this show. I have been a massive Black Label Society fan for a long time now, they were one of the groups that defined my rebellious teenage years and has stayed right there beside me ever since. When I first came across them when I was a preteen or maybe even a little younger, and my love for them has grown year by year, a group that I will never miss a release. If you know me in real life, you know I am a big Zakk Wylde fan in all forms, and even more so a Black Label Society fan. Well, I guess if you are in Utah, then maybe I will see you at the show! I will be the one with the long hair and a band tee, you can't miss me, I promise! Sure would be a trip if I was approached, I think I would feel glad but honestly a little vulnerable. I won't say no to a free beer, though, hint hint. Alright, enough about all of that. Black Label Society has been on the website 3 times so far, and each choice has been stellar. Previously we have talked about "Doomsday Jesus" which is one of the best off their 4th studio album The Blessed Hellride and the hidden gem "Southern Dissolution" from the album that started it all for me, Order of the Black. Today we will return to The Blessed Hellride, an album that has one memorable album cover and also holds a good portion of Black Label's most well known tracks. For a second, I want to go on a side tangent. Ever since typing out yesterday's post about The Doobie Brothers, I keep getting caught up on band names. For a long time I wondered what my band name would be. I tend to go for something a little rockabilly like Caleb and the Hellcats, but there are a ton of great choices out there. So, while we are here, do you have an idea on how Zakk Wylde came across Black Label Society? Well, it is no secret that Zakk Wylde likes his booze, that much is made more than clear in the plethora of drinking songs that Black Label Society has dished out, so I always figured the "black label" in Black Label Society was there for Johnnie Walker Black Label. After some minor research, it turns out I was right. A great choice of spirit to name your band after, it is one of my go to drinks as well when I can afford it. I love its smoothness and smokiness. I will warn that once you puke up smokey whiskey it tends to leave its mark on you, but even with that I still don't turn down some Johnnie Walker. Now, where does the "society" part come into play? Well, if you haven't noticed from the lyricism or album covers, and if you ever looked into the band yourself, they are a biker band. Dressed the part too, they are a heavy metal 1%er's and thus follow a lot of the same views of the outlaw biker world. Live life to the fullest, with a bottle in one hand and a middle finger loud and proud on the other. "No gray areas in life and music", and that is also why the band tends to be decked out in black and white patches and clothing. A philosophy I fully get behind, so long as you aren't hurting others along the way, party on.

     In some ways, Black Label Society is almost the fans more than it is the band. They might be the ones commanding the masses in this Black Label mafia, but we are the soldiers of metal. We are the society. We wear the colors and represent the vision. Free admission, so long as you follow the vision of the band and have yourself one good ass time. The last thing to say about that is what "black label" tends to mean on most things. Liquor uses black label for their potent and proud bottles, clothing lines use it as a power word, shit, most things out there use "black label" for that of power and importance. Alright, enough about that, how about we talk about the album already?! Well, today we chose the title track off of The Blessed Hellride. This was the second album I ever took in from the band, following my deep deep love for Order of the Black which consumed most of my time with the band back in the day. At that point in the life, I lived out a fantasy almost daily of donning patches and riding with some mean son of a guns. A daydream, something that grew more apparent as time moved along, and I realized I am not cut out for that life. That outlaw mentality dwindled as I grew up, but the dream of riding a motorcycle never ceased. I guess calling it a dream isn't the right way of putting it, I knew I would get a motorcycle some day, and that day came back in 2020 when I bought my first little dinky bike. A piece of hud Chinese bike called a Lifan, but it served its purpose of getting me on that road and teaching me the ropes so I don't turn into an asphalt crayon. I did love that bike, I hope it is doing well, but I am sure it is sitting there like a skeleton in a yard. Since then, I have got a better bike every couple of years, and while I haven't ridden nearly as much since I lost my riding companion, I am excited about this summer. A new town with plenty of roads I never felt the humming of the engine between my legs on. I have listened to a shitload of BLS while riding those horses made of steel, and The Blessed Hellride is a usual go to when I wait for my bike to warm up. I honestly don't like to ride with music all too often, I feel it takes away from the experience a little bit, and also it stresses me out not being able to hear things as well. But when I do, Black Label Society is one of my first desires to crank up loud and tear out of town. So why The Blessed Hellride out of all the great albums the band put out? Mainly because of its flow. I find this one to have the best mellow tracks out of all the albums, and the heavy ones really get the blood pumping something fierce. It features some of the bands commercial tracks like "Stillborn" which is the bands most famous track, but it also has some of their heaviest like "Funeral Bell", "Destruction Overdrive", and "Doomsday Jesus" that is equaled out by some great southern metal mellow ones like "The Blessed Hellride", "Blackened Waters", and "Dead Meadow". There are also plenty of core Black Label Society tracks that we hear on "Stoned and Drunk" which is going to explain my mental state come March when I see them live. I hope they play that one live, but I don't know what songs they are going to choose. That one has been a long time favorite track I listen to while trying to get pumped for a night of good times. Anyway, our focus today (if I can stay focused that is) is "The Blessed Hellride" a mellow track that holds this very heady atmosphere that has time stopping for a little bit. The track starts off like something you would expect off of Zakk Wylde's first "solo" band Pride & Glory that would sort of turn into Black Label Society as time moved along. Wylde played the guitar, sang, and also did the bass lines for this whole album but that kicking and thumping drumming comes from Craig Nunenmacher (ain't that a name) who was with BLS since 2001's live album Alcohol Fueled Brewtality up until 2006. I find his drumming to be a fine addition to that Black Label Society sound. "The Blessed Hellride" has lyrics that seem to be about the partying type, someone who is always on something and keeps that rolling. The song follows "Suffering Overdue" which is seriously heavy, makes you want to take a tall shot, while "The Blessed Hellride" is for the morning after where you say "never again, man". The track goes down smooth, and for one that is the second most mellow track off the album, I would say it doesn't hinder anything. Zakk Wylde has that knack to make even the mellow songs come off as heavy. A great tune, one that I will bring with me to the grave, and one I now give to you my dear readers! I hope you dig it, a solid track, if I do say so. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2003
Album: The Blessed Hellride (2003)
Genre: Hard Rock
Mood: Strung Out
​Perfect For: Riding your motorcycle down lonesome streets, Having a beer, Getting ready in the morning
Where To Next: "Confessions of an Aging Lothario" - Black Tooth Grin
Rating: 8 / 10

"Wheels of Fortune" - The Doobie Brothers

     Ahhhh, it is sweet to come back to more straight forward rock music. Don't get me wrong, I love all the choices I make, but still there is simply no place like home. With that said, I suppose that "Wheels of Fortune" isn't quite the best example of straight forward rock, but the Doobies overall are one of the best examples of that pure rock sound in some of their other tracks and essential albums. Since this is the band's first time on the website since I got my vision down, which is plain odd, I shall give you a minor rundown on whom the band is. That, or go on a random side tangent and barely even talk about the band. I haven't decided yet, so let's just see how the night goes, yeah? The Doobie Brothers are slightly hard to tie to simply one rock sound, we have some that are hard rockers, some that are certainly southern rock, some that hit the pop rock side, and even those that get a little too close to disco for comfort. With all of that, it is just easier to call them... rock. Rock in the truest form that kept with the changing tides of rock music as they came. The band formed in San Jose, California in 1970 but didn't release their debut album until 1971. A good portion of the bands out there don't get a chance to drop that debut for a good while, but when you are a band like the Doobies that is rife with commercial potential, it doesn't take too long to get that deal. John Hartman was the band's original drummer, and he headed on down to California to meet up with Skip Spence, who found moderate success in his band Moby Grape in the 1960s. Moby Grape was putting together a small reunion in hopes of getting things rolling again, it never happened, but what did happen was Skip Spence introducing John Hartman to Tom Johnston, and between those two the Doobie Brothers idea started swirling around. They enlisted some other musicians, most of which found it more than easy to jive together, so all they needed now was a band name and to start getting that name out there. After no luck figuring out a band name, their friend jokingly said "why don't you call yourself the "Doobie Brothers" since you are always smoking pot?", and what was supposed to be a joke for a couple of shows around San Jose soon enough stuck. With a name like that and their original boogie orientated rock sound, they gathered a solid local fan base, one of their biggest fans being the local chapter of the Hells Angels who often had them playing shows at their favorite venue and bars. The most important one being the venue Château Liberte. While playing there they cut a couple of demos and in time those demos showed up on the desk of Ted Templeman who scored them a place on the Warner Bros Records roster. That self-titled debut of theirs came out in the spring of 1971, and overall it was a commercial failure. The only single off the album, "Nobody", also didn't make it over the #100 chart. The band would later re-release the single in 1974 to better luck, but even then time already moved on and people wanted more of their sound that made them famous. I will admit, I can see why this album didn't do too well. It is a good one, but nothing in comparison to their others. I love the tracks "Travelin' Man", "Beehive State", "Slippery Saint Paul" and "Nobody", but I tend to cherry-pick with this album more than listen to it from start to finish. A simple album that is great for a day of traveling, but not so much for a day kicking around the house. Still, it was a start and didn't get them booted from the label, so all was well. After some heavy touring, they returned to the studio in 1972 for their second album, Toulouse Street. This is where the band really starts getting their sound, and I find it to be one of their best albums. It sold much better, achieving the 21st spot on the charts, and the singles off this album like "Listen to the Music", "Jesus Is Just Alright", and "Rockin' Down the Highway" are some of the greatest songs the Doobies ever put out! "Listen to the Music" is still one of classic rock's most identifiable songs. That one track could have kept their name on the radio forever, but luckily for us, they had plenty more great tracks and albums to follow this one. Their third album shoveled even more coal into the Doobies train and was the one that really broke them out into rock stardom. The Captain and Me is in my opinion the best place to start into the band. A great album through and through, and I would say their finest album out of the 1970s, even with their more pop rock powerhouse albums being there like 1978's Minute by Minute. Though the band was being pressured to release material faster, they came back with something unlike their previous albums. Sure, it still had that little country baked knack to it, but it was more thought out and well put together. They brought in more instruments and styles and left the studio after almost a year of recording with a truly iconic rock album.

     Alright, this post is seemingly going to be huge, so I will sort of quickly poke at albums until we get to the one that holds our song of the day. Their 4th studio album, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, was their highest selling album during their earlier days when they kept that boogie rock in their pocket. A great album that shows off the talent of the Doobies better than any other. Strangely underrated modernly outside "Black Water", but still an iconic one from their discography. Next up is Stampede, which didn't sell nearly as well as the previous two, and kind of is a lacking album overall, which pains me to say since I am a big fan of the Doobie Brothers. Still, worth your time, but I wouldn't start there. Their sixth album Takin' It to the Streets got them some of those sales back, and a lot of that is due to the singles off this bad boy. This is the album that holds our song of the day, so we will stick here for a good while. Takin' It to the Streets released in 1976 and is kind of a triumph story. The band was touring heavily, which was tearing apart the band's mental and physical health. None felt it harder than vocalist and guitarist Tom Johnston, who due to health issues was having to cancel shows and recording, and had to leave the band in the end of 1974. The band was about ready to call it quits, and without the leader of the band, it seemed for the best. Before that happened, they were urged by guitarist Jeff Baxter to consider choogling on and called up Michael McDonald who he knew from his time in Steely Dan to see about getting a new vocalist for the Doobie Brothers for the remainder of the tour. Well, it was a great match, it gave the band this much smoother feeling, something that helped them stay out of the value basket at the music stores while music was going through a big change once disco and punk rock came into the picture in the coming years. Well, even with the record company and the band getting massively stressed out, the remainder of the tour went damn well. It must have been damn scary to come into a band mid-tour, especially since they needed more than just a singer, but Michael McDonald handled it in stride. It went so well in fact that McDonald was shocked when the band offered him to stay on and help them out in the making of their next album, Takin' It to the Streets. With the new vocalist, the style too changed up a little bit, what was once a boogie band that wasn't scared to get on the hard side at times and the country side at other times was now much smoother. The album is a potent one! It was like a second wind for the band, and the world agreed, since Takin' It to the Streets got the band back up to the platinum sales they gained on the two albums before Stampede. The title track is a bona fide rock staple, both for the rockers and those that like the softer side of rock music. While I will admit that I have a deeper love for their earlier sound, there is a ton of great material on this damn album. One that everyone needs in their rock collection, even if it is just for our song of the day, "Wheels of Fortune". This is the opening track off the album. A great choice since the track sort of melds the old fans into the new sound without too much of a shock. It doesn't have McDonald on vocals, he is on the next (and most successful song) on the album, one that he wrote, "Takin' It to the Streets". "Wheels of Fortune" revolves around the way of life, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Forever, we spin the wheel and cross our fingers, but that mean ol' wheels always has the final say. Kind of a biographical track for the band in some ways. The lyrics on this track are great, the grooving atmosphere is addictive and pleasant, but what really makes this track shine is the instrumental bit from 1:55 until 4:05! Funky bass work, with each instrument coming in to jam alongside the drums and bass as they lay down thick THICK lines of funk. It is one of the best examples to show off the band's core sound, and also lets you hear the dual drums very easily. Did you know that the Doobies had two drummers smacking away? Yep, one of the things that help their heavily layered style. I mean, they only had that from 1971-2016, now there is only one drummer buuut still I always find it mighty impressive. Makes it so you have to focus when listening to the Doobies so you can hear it all. Great for a casual spin, even better for an in depth listening experience. Overall, that jamming makes up most of the song. The vocals come back for one more spin of the wheel before the song fades out. The album cover explains the sound within this album before you even press play, and once you do you are going to be happy as a puppy in a kibble store all the way until the close of the album with "Carry Me Away". The album is a little different from their first couple, but it was a wise move that kept them a known name until 1989 when the name started fading. I guess it wasn't a choice, more so circumstances that had them spinning the wheel of fortune and walking away with a win. They still tour even now, some bands cannot just give it a rest, but who can blame them? These types of people are made for the road. Well, give the song a play! It's a classic! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1976
Album: Takin' It to the Streets (1976)
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock, Jazz Fusion
Mood: Groovin'
​Perfect For: Focused listening, Letting the stress of the day fade away, Driving, Taking chances
Where To Next: "Lowdown" - Boz Scaggs
Rating: 7 / 10

"How Far Can Too Far Go?" - The Cramps

     Do you feel that? Feels like the Cramps are coming on. Today, we take another look at one of psychobillies most respected groups. I guess it would be wrong to put the Cramps solely in psychobilly, since they played a huge role in the gothic side of punk rock in the 1980s, they even coined the term "gothabilly", though that isn't fully respected as a musical genre. Gothabilly is more the mixing of gothic culture with rockabilly music, but still the musical differences are prevalent, with leaning a little more into the artsy side of punk instead of psychobilly that puts all its punk tokens in the fast as shit vending machine™. The last time we talked about the Cramps was back in August with the lively live track "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" off one of the best live albums in punk history(in my opinion), Smell of Female. That one tends to be one of my go-to albums for the Cramps, but when it comes to the studio side, I have a fondness for all of their albums. The good thing about the Cramps is they are one of those groups that no matter what, you know you will find some damn good songs no matter the album you decide to pick up. I started in their peculiar yet influential debut Songs the Lord Taught Us, which is an iconic album in the goth subculture and psychobilly alike. That first album of theirs came out in 1980, and while they released an EP in 1979 that comprised of material originally put together in 1977, it was that debut that first gave the world a taste of their strange hoodoo. The Cramps are a band that could have come out of any decade, they are a novelty group that defies decades, yet still you can tell they came along at the perfect time to find some minor fame. Much like in the punk rock world, and the same about rockabilly, there are few that ever make it to the big time. Big time meaning massive record sales and sold out shows. Those that tend to make it change their musical direction in time, selling their soul to the almighty dollar. In the grand scheme, The Cramps never made it to that status. Though, what they did do was become an iconic band of their time, and too did they leave an impact on punk music. That is worth so much more than gold. Money rarely lives on, it makes life easier while living, sure, but leaving a legacy is worth a ton more. Being a novelty band is a tough one, you make a lot of dedicated fans, but always find yourself playing in strange venues, but the Cramps wore that with pride and had a good go in their time. They released 8 studio albums, 2 live albums, 2 EPs, and 23 singles up until the band broke up in 2009 following the death of vocalist Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser). They had one single hit the top of the UK indie charts with "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" and 2 studio albums, 1 live album, and 1 compilation also hit the top stop in the UK indie charts with the studio albums hitting it in 1980 with their debut and 1986 with A Date With Elvis. Not too shabby for a band built on b-flick horror tropes, fast licks, moody atmospheres, and dirty ass lyrics and jokes. That debut is a decent place to start in the band if this track is enjoyable, but I really cannot suggest their third album enough. It is there that we find our song of the day, so let's just get into it.

     "How Far Can Too Far Go?" is a classic off of their 1986 studio album A Date with Elvis. I find this album to be a rebirth of the band, a slight alteration of their style that served them well and even had them charting in countries that never gave them much of a chance in the past. What helped this album fare better than some of their others is due to them releasing some zingers the previous 3 years. In 1983 the band released their live album Smell of Female that showed the band had the same energy in their live material as they do in their studio work, something pretty rare in the massive amount of bands out there. Even more importantly, they released their first compilation album ...Off the Bone, which was made up of material rrecorded from 1977-1979 before they even released their first studio album. Many would consider this the ultimate place to start into the Cramps, a thing I too won't deny, it has everything you could want from a Cramps album. Their earlier sound is a little more... out there... than that of what we will hear on "How Far Can Too Far Go?". People like the oddness that is the Cramps, so it isn't all too shocking the compilation hit the #1 spot on the UK indie charts and 44 on the standard UK charts. Their following release was their second compilation released, Bad Music for Bad People, which dropped in 1984. This is probably the most punk rock album they ever put out, and it has been passed around in the punk inner circle since its release. This is a disgustingly aggressive album, that is still very much Cramps and very much strange, but there is no denying its punk placement. They hit a new high in the eyes of punk, horror, goth, and rock n rollers, especially in the UK and Europe with those releases. They didn't ride the high though, they didn't release another album until 1986, their third official studio album A Date with Elvis. The album art is an iconic one, though I am not sure where the album's name ties into the whole picture. It is taken from Elvis Presley's 8th studio album of the same name, and while I am sure Elvis left an impression on the band, it is an odd choice. It grabs your attention, especially with bassist Poison Ivy in a cheap devil's costume hanging out with religious books and sandwiches or whatever that is on those plates. Anyway, an overall good album cover, it is sleazy but that is just the rhythm of the Cramps. "How Far Can Too Far Go?" is the first song off the album, and it does the job well of kicking it off with some fire! Heavy distortion and sexual tension eat your ears up! It holds a little more true to the rockabilly side of their style with this track. Overall, A Date With Elvis is a lot more mellow. The band pulls together to put more emphasis on the rock side of their style, leaving behind some of the oddness and crazy vocals. That isn't a good nor a bad thing, but it does make this album a little easier on you, for better or worse. The Cramps aren't here to change your world, but more paint the world with some stinky murky green tones like a smacked out toddler. I would say overall it is a better sound, but within that means leaving behind some of their core fundamentals that pulled the fans in the first place. I have been a fan of the band for a long ass time after first hearing "The Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon", and I have listened to all their albums a good handful of times, some more than others. I tend to come back to this album more than any of the others, since it is just a good ol time. Plus, it doesn't make people give you a funny look like some of the other albums. "How Far Can Too Far Go?" has some strange lyrics, something to expect out of the Cramps, that I am not quite sure what it is about. I mean, at face value it seems pretty straight forward about a place where people go to get wild with tractor pulls, slight depravity, and the like. But knowing the Cramps, I cannot help but think there is something sexual going on there, with a hammer involved to be exact. Who knows. It ain't the kind of song to take too seriously, just a fun time with a phenomenal atmosphere that shows off the core Cramps style. Well, that is the end of the post, I would say it went a little better than my previous Cramps post. So long as you try the tune out for size, my job is done. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1986
Album: A Date with Elvis (1986)
Genre: Psychobilly
Mood: Raunchy
​Perfect For: Casual listening, Having a couple of beers, Motorcycle rides, Hot Summer days
Where To Next: "Hollywood Babylon" - Misfits
Rating: 8 / 10

"I Am the Bullgod" - Kid Rock

     There are times when you have to try your best to separate a person from their art, and Kid Rock is without a doubt one of the best examples. The music world has had all types of scummy people, be it the pedophiles, killers, those that rip off others material, and so on. If you were to try avoiding everyone who has done something bad, then you would find yourself with an awfully small record collection. It is the sad truth of life. People are shit, and when some of those people get a ton of money and power, they often become even worse. Now, Kid Rock doesn't have any allegations, nor has he killed anyone. He is simply... a douche bag. Nothing more, nothing less. The start of Kid Rock was an odd one in the grand scheme. He slummed around the Detroit hip hop scene and found a pretty steady following. Kid Rock's first album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, released in 1990 and is completely unlike any other record he ever put out. If he stayed on this path, he never would have become the infamous icon he was in the later half of the 1990s and onward. It is good, but nothing all too special, but once again it gained him a steady yet small fan base. He released his second studio album in 1993, and this one was a little more heavy on the rock side. It was also the first to establish one of his favorite lyrical themes, trailer parks and being white trash, the thing that made Kid Rock a ton of dough. This strange pimping, stoned, god of the trailer park wasteland. The Polyfuze Method is the name of that second album, and aside from a small selection of tracks, it honestly kind of sucks. Alright, let me take that back, it probably just isn't for me. As for his third studio album Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp, that one is where Kid Rock starts fully becoming his own. It is the first Kid Rock album with his backing band, the Twisted Brown Trucker band. Now we got a little heaviness to add to the mix, something that did Kid Rock well and put him alongside even some of the bands that came out of the nu metal scene. Well, the stage is now set for his breakout album in 1998, Devil Without a Cause, but we will come back to that in a second. You want to know what is funny? I always despised when people would say "you will grow out of it" when it comes to music. The most common example of that is people saying it about heavy metal. Personally, I always found those that would fall out of a genre never were really in the genre. Ya know? When I love a band, they will never leave my side. Once I consider myself a fan, I am a fan until I die. Well... for the most part... and I only have one example of a band or artist that I outgrew, and that is Kid Rock. I used to be an avid fan, loud and proud, back when I was a teenager and before. I mainly lived within his discography from 1996 to 2007's Rock n Roll Jesus. I cannot count the amount of shots I took to "Cowboy", the beers I cracked to "You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me", and how many bowls were loaded and scorched to "I Am the Bullgod". Kid Rock during that stage honestly put out great material, material that incorporated a ton of his influences wonderfully. It always felt like a passion project from one rocker to another, and I appreciated it. Now that I am quite a bit older, I tend to skip some of the Kid Rock songs when they come up, and I am certainly not playing it loud in my vehicle like I used to. I am not ashamed to admit it, even if artists like Kid Rock tend to be a closet listen for a lot of people, and I still make time for some Kid Rock from time to time. Still, he is the only artist after I got super into music around age 10 that I left behind, aside from maybe the songs from Devil Without a Cause. I sometimes feel guilty about that, but then I look him up and get instantly reminded why I shouldn't care when I see some of his modern material, or better yet, his god awful merch. I will stand by that he is indeed a great artist, but I just wish he took all that talent, energy, and fame and put it to something actually good.

     The last thing I want to note about my past love for Kid Rock is how it later came to bite me in the ass. He is the most common "you look like so-and-so" that I get. I don't even look like the fool! I don't know if it is the long hair or what? I mean, I only have been told I look like Kid Rock maybe 6 times in my life, but that is still quite a bit when I haven't been told I look like anyone else. Where are the Johnny Depp and Chris Hemsworth comparisons? I look just like those dudes, but maybe more muscular and attractive. Psh. Alright, back into the music. 1999 saw Kid Rock becoming one hell of an icon, especially to the rednecks and trailer trash. Devil Without a Cause is Kid Rock's ultimate album, the best place to start in his discography, and through and through his most energetic and potent album. It is still heavily dipped in him sucking himself off, but not nearly as much as we hear on the fittingly titled album Cocky or his hit "American Badass". It features some of his core hip hop sound on songs like "Black Chick, White Guy", "Roving Gangster (Rollin')", and "Welcome 2 the Party (Ode 2 the Old School)". There is a place for the heavier stuff like "Bawitdaba", country material on "Only God Knows Why", and that rock thing he later moved into more heavily on "Wasting Time". All of which have plenty of mixing of styles and sounds. One thing they all share is how much god-damn fun this album is! It is just an all around good time, strategically pointed towards drinkers, tokers, and sin lovers. I will die on this hill, there is a place for Devil Without a Cause in the history books, even if Kid Rock is a self-centered dick that makes me ashamed of my own race. Pointed words, sure, but I still respect his core material and find him a very thrilling recording artist. There are few tracks that I dig more than our song of the day "I Am the Bullgod", which was a teenage anthem of mine, even if it embarrasses me to admit it now. It is one of many that show the talent that comes from a youth that hit the streets and refined his word craft. The track originally was released on the vinyl version of his second studio album The Polyfuze Method but found a much better home on this album here. It is within this song and many others that I genuinely believe this is an album everyone should listen to once in their life, no matter their opinion on Kid Rock or the trashy ass style. I mean, it practically started up a whole new side to the rap rock world, for better or worse. "I Am the Bullgod" is the fourth track off the album, and was the second single released from it. One of the finest Kid Rock songs ever and is a great example of the purest Kid Rock sound. Some solid beats and turntable meet the guitar work that set the tone for the track. Kid Rock comes in with vocals, mainly revolving around how great he is and how fucked up he gets. The flow of the song is damn energetic and there are some solid lines there to keep the party energy up. It isn't all too shocking, since Kid Rock and the Twisted Brown Trucker Band were infamous for being immensely wild partiers. So much so that Eminem had his first dance with cocaine while coming in to lay down some material on the track "Fuck Off" and said he would never touch the stuff again. Nothing like seeing a bunch of passed out playboy bunnies and piles of various drugs all over a recording studio to make you second think some shit. "I Am the Bullgod" has a lot of different styles mixed into it. Plenty of hip hop, plenty of hard rock, plenty of southern rock, and a funky ass backing that has this track leaving a serious impression on you. It is always a pleasant ride when I come back to this album and track, and in some ways I was shocked to see it land in the rankings for my final pick for the song of the day. Kid Rock did put out some great tracks that make your heart race. So, for today, I give to you this track! If it ain't for you, then stick around for tomorrow and let's see if we can get you a new track to spin all week long. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1998
Album: Devil Without a Cause (1998)
Genre: Rap Rock
Mood: Party
​Perfect For: Getting drunk, Getting stoned, Getting high, Settin' the trailer park ablaze
Where To Next: "Play Me" - Korn & Nas
Rating: 9 / 10

"March to the Sea" - Baroness

     This month has had a good flow so far, all killer but each in their own way. Our spotlighted band for today is going to mix it up even further with the sludgy yet progressive sound of Baroness. Baroness is probably one of my favorite from the more modern metal world. Today it seems the extreme and the silly stand above a lot of other groups in the heavy metal genre, but there is still plenty of wiggle room for truly original bands to come through and completely floor you. Baroness is a band I only discovered about 8 years ago but only got super into within the last 3, and while I have been trying to make time to get through all their albums, I keep getting stuck on the same ones I have been abusing since their discovery. My favorite of which is Yellow & Green out of 2012, but I will say that recently I have been getting more and more into their debut album Red Album which is immensely potent especially in the way of progressive metal, and their most recent studio album Stone which I think is one of the best metal albums to come out of the current decade if I do say so myself. What does disappoint me about Stone is how it broke the mold of having color themed albums. I like when a band does that, be it Weezer or be it Baroness, but I can see why you would want to break the mold. Another thing I am disappointed about is how I somehow missed that they were coming into town during the fall last year, so I missed a good concert I am sure. I hope they come back through, and I also hope they don't come with too steep of a price tag. Anyway, Baroness has carved themselves out a hearty fan base, and it is very easy to see why once you press play on this song. Baroness started up in 2003 and John Baizley has been the sole member throughout its lineup changes, he is also the one who does the artwork for the band's album covers. That was the first thing I loved about the band before I even listened to any of their songs. I can really think of few bands that have better album covers! The artistic vision of the art melding with the music is divine. He also did some stuff for other bands in the form of merch and some album covers. I have listened to Skeletonwitch's Serpents Unleashed for a solid couple of years and didn't even realize it was the same artist, which makes sense why I am so fond of that album cover. Such a pretty art style that I cannot get enough of. When it comes to Baroness, they are one of the few bands that I sit there even after the song is over and just appreciate the dark yet innocent album art. My favorite of album cover of Baroness albums is Yellow & Green, that one is so hauntingly beautiful, take a peep at it below. Baroness was at the right place for getting their name out there. The first album they helped put out was in 2007, a split between Baroness material and Unpersons which were another band out of Savannah, Georgia and while I have only listened through the album once I would say it is a decent piece, not as impactful as the bands true debut or other kick ass albums, but still a decent one. They also did a collaborative 7" record with High On Fire and Coliseum in 2007, one I would like to get my mitts on, but have yet to go track it down. Finally, we get to the band's debut album, The Red Album, which is as great of a debut you could ask for. A great place to start within the band, and one that I have been smitten with for the last couple of months. That got their name out there mighty quick, Revolver magazine even called it the best album of the year. It took the band 2 years to dish out another album, Blue Record, but this is the case of waiting is worth it since they came back with something truly wonderful and mystic. Another one that is worth every second you sink into it, and if you are anything like me, you will sink a shipping container of seconds into that puppy.

     Almost 3 years later, they released their 3rd studio album Yellow & Green in 2012. Now, this one took everything from the previous two albums and sharpened it to such a degree that it cuts deep just listening to it. This was the first taste I had from the band with the song "March to the Sea", their most famous song and our song of the day. I was blown away by that track. I mean... completely smacked down. There are some tracks that no matter what I am doing I stop to just fully listen, and "March to the Sea" is that and more. I was sort of new to Spotify when I came across the track. I was forming my first ever expansion playlist, something I make a ton of time for now, and was gathering plenty of songs and styles outside my musical comfort shell. An evolutionary moment I truly needed, and it was there I wizened my ears to a plethora of varying sounds. Years before that I was completely abusing about 120 bands that I listened to every single day, but with the ease of Spotify I started gathering more and more bands. Now I have an obsession with finding my next "holy shit" moment, something that doesn't come along more than maybe 5 times a year. Practically an addict trying to recreate those first highs. Well, in the hot ass Summer of 2017 I had one of my biggest ever "holy shit" moments with this song. I pushed my poor Jeep speakers to the fucking max multiple times a day listening to "March to the Sea". I moved into the rest of the album with ease, and with it being a double album, I had a ton of material to listen to over and over again. I stayed within Yellow & Green for a good while, a foolish thing since I was missing so many other great songs in the band's discography that I only started abusing just a couple of years ago, and even more heavy since last September. No matter what, though, I always come back to this album and more importantly, "March to the Sea". I am sure we all have those songs that no matter the mood or moment, the track just sets you right. It never even slightly grows stale no matter how much you listen to it. Well, I give to you "March to the Sea" which is one of those tracks you can add to the list. Even if this style of music isn't for you, I will bet my bottom dollar that you too will start craving its toxic embrace. There is something completely moving in this song. Its atmosphere is intoxicating, and for a song about the needle and the damage done, you can feel the withdrawals, sorrow, high, and release all crammed into a 3:11 minute song. The track starts off completely mellow, young and carefree, the smell of daisies in your nose, the sense of adventure beaming from the sun. Though, soon enough things start getting dark, you grow up and start smelling the tainted air from the factory, and adventure seems to be something so close yet so far away, always hindered by poor weather and empty coin purses. That peaceful intro comes back again after the band has its way with your senses for its moving verses that warn against the abuse of narcotics. A song that is written from the heart, and you can feel it. "March to the Sea" shows off what many felt betrayed about within this album, its more mellow flow. This album is a ton more accessible to the casual fan, it took away some of the sludge and replaced it with flower pots. For me, I think it was a great move, but I can see how many of the original fans were put off by it. I came in to Baroness during their cleaned up sound, so it was heaven for me playing Yellow & Green for the first time, and even if I was a fan before their transition I think I would have been pleased as punch. It is a lot of the reason that Yellow & Green is their highest charting album so far, and why both "March to the Sea" and "Take My Bones Away" is often regarded as their best tracks. While on tour supporting the album the band had their bus take a dive off of a bridge in England which left the band recovering for half of a year and cancelling the remainder of their tour, it also was the leading cause for drummer Allen Brickle to leave the group. Anyway, I hope you dig the track, and better yet I hope it is a "holy shit" moment for you. If I could give a single person one of those moments, I could die happy. So, sit yourself down in a quiet space, and turn the volume up just a little higher than usual and press play. If I could relive the first time hearing this song again I would in a heartbeat. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2012
Album: Yellow & Green (2012)
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, Hard Rock
Mood: Murky, Lost
​Perfect For: Focused listening, Stressful days, Coming down, Getting your mind blown
Where To Next: "Teardrinker" - Mastodon
Rating: 10 / 10

"Walkin' the Dog" - Aerosmith

     Welcome readers! Well, I had a great post typed out, but my internet wanted to destroy the damn thing. Got it all prettied up when my internet turned off. Once I got it going again, I came back to the computer to see that the page refreshed and all I typed was gone, no way to get it back. Shit sucks, I really liked it too, but that is alright I guess we will just try typing it all back out. I guess there is always room for practice, and who knows, it might even turn out better. Anyway, well as you can see, we are here to talk about Aerosmith once again. They are now tied with The Rolling Stones and The Beatles for the second most selected artist on the website. I will admit, I am a little shocked to see the Beatles there, not because I don't love them, because I certainly do. What I am not shocked to see there is Aerosmith, they are a band that means the world to me. I don't say that lightly. This is a band that has been with me since the start of it all, one of the leading forces in my lifelong passion for music and the studies of it. They were the first band that I fully looked into, back when I was 8 or so, and were the ones that sparked something deep down. You know, when I first started my studies it was for a completely different reason. I thought if I could find what all these legendary bands had in common, I too might be able to replicate it and soon enough the cash and chicks will be busting down my door. I wasn't quite sure what that thing was, could it be something mystical? Something that wasn't written down but all of them had it and just didn't know? A trait? Well, I jumped into a ton of bands discographies for years to come. All of which were legends, and some were just bands I loved, and soon enough I came up with the golden answer! There was nothing that all of them shared per se, and that was shown to me while reading through a Gene Simmons book. He explained that it all comes down to one thing, time and place. He admits that KISS wasn't the most talented band in the world, nor even in their hometown of New York City, but they just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Turns out there isn't anything mystical about these iconic musicians, they all had their own paths to gaining fame. Some suffered and strived for years to get a hit single, and others just happened to once again be in the right place at the right time and become sensations within the year. If Aerosmith came along with their heavy blues sound in 1986 they would have been run over by a different craze. If they came along in 1954 they would have probably been viewed as talentless saps. It was only fate they came along when they did with their debut in 1973. It comes down to time and finding a place within a set sound. Some artists formed what the public liked to take in like The Beatles, some perfected an already created sound like Elvis Presley, and some chartered their own path into the musical sea and came up with gold like Frank Zappa. Aerosmith was like Elvis, they came along while hard rock and the more bluesy side of hard rock was having it's high. They perfected their sound, they set their sights on the height of the sunrise and saw it through. Aerosmith themselves are mighty talented, so don't take this as me saying they just came along while things were hot, since they were one of the leading ships in the hard rock army. What I am trying to say is it comes down to time and place once again. Sometimes it feels like it was destiny for bands to show up when they did, to command the youth of the nation for a decade or more. I ain't one to believe in predetermined destiny, but there are historical music moments that make me question it. Hence, the obsession of finding that missing piece in these unique humans, so I too can join the party. I never found my childhood dream get rich quick card, but what I did find was a deep passion for the study and listening of music. Something that never left me, and I have worked at it every single day in one way or another since I was 11 or so. It was Aerosmith that planted that seed within me. They were the band that started it all and set me on a course of rock n roll heaven. Within that I found I wasn't talented with the instrument, my spot was behind the pen and finely tuning my ear to hear every detail in a song. Hundreds of notebooks filled and multiple online projects later, and I ended up with my pet, AintNoisePollution. Something I am still striving to work on and get better, just hope I found the right time and place.

    Alright, enough about me. I just wanted to show you what the power of Aerosmith can do! Though since you are here on the website, I think you already know the lusty magic that is Aerosmith. I am not quite sure what I have said about the band in the past, so hopefully there aren't any broken records to be heard within the post. Aerosmith started up in 1970 in Boston, playing some heavy blues rock around the local scene. They might have started in the blues, and returned to it often, but what kept Aerosmith being considered "America's greatest rock and roll band" is their ability to adapt. They brought in a fair amount of varying styles into their hard rock groove, they touched on pop, heavy metal, rap rock, R&B, straight cut blues, and glam. Their blues based hard rock sound was the foundation for the band's first two albums but upon their third album Toys in the Attic they were shot up to legends in the rock world, a status they never fell from even when some of their albums didn't fare as well like 1982's Rock in a Hard Place. They altered their style to match the cocaine addled world of 1980s rock, even getting damn close to pop rock and weaponizing power ballads with the iconic vocals from Steven Tyler. Once the 1990s came along, they kept pace with cleaning up their recording, getting a little more straight forward and even approaching the alternative rock world at times. They stayed in the chart for a damn long time, and even just recently collabed with Yungblood on the EP One More Time, which got their name out there once again after 55 years into their musical career. Legends is to say the least about the band, they are rock royalty that released a crazy impressive amount of albums and singles. One of the ultimate places to start for anyone wanting a classic rock band with a seriously competent set of albums. Yes, this is coming from a massive fan of the band, but who would know better? All bands must have their start, and with that start comes their debut album, and that is the one we will be zoning in on for a little bit. Aerosmith got picked up in 1972 by Clive Davis of Columbia Records. Clive Davis is a bloodhound when it comes to finding musical talent, he signed some of the biggest bands to ever be, and thus became an influential icon in the music industry. He attended the bands show at the famous Max's Kansas City in New York City, a place known for its wide array of notable patrons and budding talent. He was impressed to say the least, and offered the band the chance of a lifetime, to cut their debut album under a major label, unlike most bands that work their way to the big labels. Still, the band was still wet behind the ears even with playing shows for the last little while with a few different bands, that stage was their home well before a studio was. So, it took a second or two to get the mojo working, a lot that came down to the producer, Adrian Barber, who wasn't really working with the band. They needed the help, and he was too busy not giving a shit and getting high. The Allman Brothers Band's self-titled debut, Cream's Goodbye, and the Velvet Underground's Loaded were his claim to fame, and with those previous heavy hitters you think he would have cared more about Aerosmith. Due to all this confusion, the band often froze up when it was time to lay down some grooves, but within that fear Steven Tyler whipped out some of his most unique vocals on this album where it sounds like he swallowed a frog. He wanted to replicate the bluesmen but with a rock n roller's swagger, hence why his vocals sound different on this one and the band's following album Get Your Wings. The recording of their debut album shot by, and they got it done within a month. 

"Sweet Love on My Mind" - Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio

     If there is one album that encompasses everything great about rockabilly, this is the one. An essential album for anyone studying the history of rock music, and honestly an album I think every rocker should listen to at least once in their life. This was a game changing album for me. I was more than satisfied with the 1950s rockabilly landmarks like Carl Perkins Dance Album, Johnny Cash's Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar, and Elvis Presley's debut self-titled at the time. Once I got into the expansion stage of my rockabilly and early rock albums I had a pretty big list to listen through, and listen through them I did with a big ol' grin, but all of them were completely blown out of the water by Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio. This was the only album released from The Rock and Roll Trio, but Johnny Burnette went on to have a minor yet still great solo career, his biggest solo hit being "You're Sixteen" which was a teen love standard during the cherry cola year of 1960. He also had pretty large success with his single "Dreamin'" but outside that he didn't see too many other big time hits and died in an unfortunate boating accident in 1964 at the age of 30. Still, the impact that Johnny Burnette, his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and friend Paul Burlison had on rock music within The Rock and Roll Trio was heavily felt. More so heavily felt within the musical world since the album nor any of its singles ever found any charting success. Now, rockabilly was already certainly a thing upon its release in 1956, but few did it with this much ferocity. This album practically mapped out how to pull off rockabilly, but if you followed their set path then don't expect your albums to sell like hotcakes. Expect a solid pat on the back at the local bar, and maybe some free drinks while your song remains within the jukebox. But that is the way music is supposed to be. I am glad all these stars made more than a living with their music, the majority of which highly deserve it, but in the end it takes away a little bit of soul from the music when you chase the dollar. Keeping in the limelight drives many people into dark corners, the same corners they meet with money hungry record execs who couldn't care less about the vision of the band and solely has their eyes on getting a nicer office off the backs of creative visionaries. Rockabilly is a genre you cannot pen up, it is white lightning in musical form. Even without buying a vacation home from their hard work, the band and Johnny Burnette went down in music history, something that lasts a lot longer than a fat paycheck. Many budding guitarists that came across this album were wildly impressed with the guitar work of Paul Burlison, it broke a lot of the conventional guitar playing of the time. It was unlike most anything else with its aggressive nature and driving send-offs. This was one of the first albums to feature distorted guitar work ever recorded. It was more of an accident due to Burlison's amp having a valve come loose during a concert, but within that little error they found a sound that worked a little too well with their countrified rock n roll. The crowd agreed, and too did guitarists who picked up this album on a whim and were impressed. The drumming was kept pretty causal, but still serves as the perfect wagon for the band to ride on while going off. The vocals from Johnny Burnette were leaden with emotion. That emotion is shown off in songs like "I Just Found Out" with its "cat got your tongue" stuttering. Many don't come to this album for the heart jerkers, they come for the reckless songs that see Johnny Burnette shouting into the microphone signalling the band to go cat go!

     Each song off this track is a damn good one, and the damn good one we chose for today is "Sweet Love on My Mind". Coming in as the 3rd track off the album, it mellows you out just a smidge after the energetic as sin cover of "Honey Hush" and the hillbilly heavy "Lonesome Train (on a Lonesome Track)". After you get gone dancing with your baby, you gotta have a track to cool it down and let those dogs rest, and that is exactly what "Sweet Love on My Mind" is. The track was written by Wayne Walker, a man that wrote some of country music best chart toppers in the 1950s and 1960s. His biggest claim to fame wasn't this track, it was one written for Ray Price in 1956, "I've Got a New Heartache" which is honestly one of my favorite Ray Price tracks. This isn't the kind of writing that will have scholars picking their brain in the future, it is the kind of writing that is simple, easy to understand, and relatable. We all got some sweet lovin' on our mind sometimes. This song is from the point of view from a man who has a woman that is leaving him behind, but still wants some lovin' just one more time. Why not? Especially since the character has a one track mind that probably had him finding some trouble in love. His current flame is a little bit of a problem as well, so I guess it is for the best that the relationship hit a dead end. The ending of the track shows that his desires were left unmet. That'll teach him. The lyrics are a lot of fun, and it is easy to get lost in the story, but I gotta give the love to the simple drum smacking that keeps this thing rolling along. In comparison to some of the hot rod hearted tracks on the album, this one is a tame one, so you don't get too many chances to get the true Rock and Roll Trio kick assery. Not everything has to be intense in rockabilly, I have often been more fond of the mellow ones, and this album is no different. I would consider this to be one of the best moments on the album, and even with the "complete edition" of the album that was released in 2004 it still stands as one of the best tracks. I am very grateful for that re-release in 2004 since the album was locked on vinyl format all the way until then, making it hard for future generations to hear the fire of Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio. I would be a very sad camper if I never came across this album back in the day. It honestly felt like the missing piece of a puzzle finding its way home. The influence that came from this album in my life was heavily felt. The influence that came from this album was also heavily felt in future rock bands that replicated some of the synergy between the brothers Johnny and Dorsey. In 1956, it was a lot of stars with a backing band, The Rock and Roll Trio were more of a band as we see them now. A bunch of dudes coming together to really sell something that each member puts their blood and sweat into. I just regret the band didn't get too much recognition for their innovation of rock music upon its release, gaining that legend status many years later. The album holds some thoroughbred rockabilly classics like "Tear It Up", "Honey Hush", and "Train Kept A-Rollin'" some of which were covered heavily by a ton of rockabilly, country, and even straight laced rock bands for years in that Rock and Roll Trio style. Today I have for you one of the finest songs off of one of rockabillies most impressive and important albums to date. So, with all that praise and info in mind, do yourself a favor and press that play button! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1956
Album: Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio (1956)
Genre: Rockabilly
Mood: Yearning
​Perfect For: Bein' a Dog, Casual listening, Having a drink, Relaxing at home with the missus
Where To Next: "Red Headed Woman" - Sonny Burgess
Rating: 8 / 10

"The Spider and the Fly" - The Rolling Stones

     Happy new year! Hope everyone had a good kick-off for another set of 365 days. Now it is time to accidentally write the wrong year for longer than we really should. Habits are hard to break. So I guess we will see if I can keep to it on the website and not have the dates wrong here. Don't worry, I tend to double-check everything, but I am only human in the end. I have thousands of songs and hundreds of bands that could have been our first song of the day for the year. In the end, we have ourselves another Rolling Stones track. Fine with me, the Rolling Stones are one of the foundations of rock music. I welcome them once again with open arms. We just barely got done talking about them a couple of days ago with "Waiting for a Friend" so hopefully this post doesn't come off as a broken record. This is the sixth post for the band, making them one of the most selected bands since the start of the song of the day blog. They are tied with The Beatles for second place, with the first being Metallica with 7 selections. All three of those are legends in rock music, so it really isn't all too shocking they get picked so much. I try not to drown my readers in songs they already know, but I don't make the rules for my selections, they have to come natural. This is the first Rolling Stones post from their earlier sound, a style that is based more in blues than any other genre. The Rolling Stones started off like most in the British beat rock n roll, they took serious notes from the blues and R&B legends of the past more than the rockabilly and mainstream rock n roll like Elvis Presley. The Rolling Stones were infamous for using and abusing a blues backing, something that helped them stand apart from The Beatles which certainly had this more pop boy band feeling to them. They were penned as the "Bad Boy Beatles" for a reason. Their dressing was a little more extreme, and they had this sexual thrill to them. The Beatles had their cute smiles and such that had the chicks genuinely losing it, but The Rolling Stones weren't afraid of being the taboo. That both hurt and bolstered their image, they were the answer to The Beatles. The Rolling Stones had a place in rebellion. Funnily enough, it wouldn't seem that way in the modern day. How could a band that was known for tracks like "Route 66" and "Tell Me" off their first album be perceived as rebellious? I mean, the record itself wasn't anything too scandalous, it came down to their image. There weren't many famous people of the time that stepped away from having a clean cut and pretty teeth. Outside of maybe Mick Jagger, the Stones weren't all too much to look at. Now, I say that as a feller, so maybe I am missing something, but in the end I stand by that statement. They had this bad boy appeal. You know the type, the boys you bring home to make your hardworking pops blow his top for kicks. Songs like "I'm a King Bee", "Walking the Dog", and "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" (all of which were covers) showed the Stones were coming in with something edgy, especially on their debut. That debut of theirs came out in 1964, a self-titled release in the UK in April and England's Newest Hit Makers in May 1964 in the US. The American version had a different track listing than the UK, and honestly I am not sure which one I dig more, but both are stellar. I would wager that this is the Rolling Stones most raw album, I wouldn't quite say amateur, but there is that youngster knack backing to the album. Something that relies on mood more than solid playing, but that is something that I adore about that debut. The album is bathed in that 1960s sound that the majority of bands were doing at the time. Even with that, this album made them a genuine overnight sensation! Sure, they did a little tour before that, had an EP, and gained traction throughout their first two years, but this album absolutely launched them into stardom. Wouldn't that be a trip? Grinding away one day and then the next you are suddenly plastered on chick's walls? I always hope to jump on my website one day and see that thousands upon thousands of people viewed my website... maybe one day! I would be glad but also terrified I would be getting some lawyers knocking at the door since I am not fully sure what I can legally post on this website, especially in images. Imagine I get sued by the bands I love and talk about here, wouldn't that be a kick in the head?

     Anyway, back to the Stones! These young chaps were now a big deal, they had their first album and were getting calls from businessmen from various nations. That debut did well, but their second album did even better. That is the one that proved they weren't just a fad, they were a band that was to help define rock music for the 1960s. In the US their second studio album is 12 x 5 which released in October 1964, it is an album that expanded on the UK EP Five by Five. I will tell you what, it is sort of a pain to talk about early Rolling Stones since there are two different timelines of releases and track listings all the way until their first album that was released the same both in the UK and US, Their Satanic Majesties Request out of 1967. Anyway, for the second Rolling Stones album in the US, 12 x 5, we see the band mature a bit. Not only are there some original songs, but some of the covers on that album are their most exciting. The same thing is to be said about the band's second UK studio album The Rolling Stones No. 2, which I would consider to have the better Richards-Jagger originals like "Off the Hook" and "What a Shame". The band's third US studio album, released in 1965 under the name The Rolling Stones, Now! consists mostly of songs previously released solely in the UK. In a way, it is sort of a compilation, but once again The Rolling Stones is a bitch to talk about in this stage, so we will just call it a studio album. A great album, easily one of my favorites from them, with better quality and vision in comparison to their previous ones. Now we get to the band's third studio album in the UK and fourth studio album in the US, Out of Our Heads. This album released in 1965 and has different track listings depending on which version you get your hands on. I have listened to both of them an obscene amount of times throughout my life, and in my opinion I find the US version to be the best one. Why? Well, because it features "Play with Fire", "The Last Time", "The Spider and the Fly", and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was the band's first #1 song in the US, and still is respected as one of their all-time greatest. Sure, the UK version has some great tunes that aren't on the US track listing like "Oh, Baby (We Got a Good Thing Going)", "She Said Yeah", "I'm Free", "Talkin' 'Bout You", and "Heart of Stone" but none of those beat the mentioned gems of the US track listing. A lot of those songs are still stuck in their previous sound, while the ones off of the US track listing which saw the band starting to take their next step in the changing rock world they would help form. "I'm Free" is a great one, and I wish it was on the US track listing, but it does indeed jive better to the mellow feeling of the UK track listing. A great driving tune. Our song of the day is one that is only found on the US track listing, "The Spider and the Fly". It was released in the UK as the b-side to "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" but first found its home within the US track listing to Out of Our Heads in July 1965. It is arguably the bluesiest track off the album, and while the rest of the album has a ton of great intros to the songs, I do have a soft spot for this one. That bluesy intro makes me snuggle on down in my seat while driving when it kicks off. Single hand on the steering wheel, the other coolly sitting on the window. The track was written by the glimmer twins lyrical duo, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. It is a song that was written to poke fun at what Mick Jagger does following a show. What might have been a boyish jab, it is sort of complimentary to a rocker. If you could have guessed from the lyrics, it mainly revolves around spiders and flies being a metaphor for romance and lust. You can't forget this is a cheating song, though, since it makes it quite clear his lady at home said don't be messing around, or she will squish her little spider. Fair enough, but like I have previously said in posts, The Rolling Stones have had many a questionable lyric in their time, but at least this one knows its spot as an infidelity track. Anyway, a fun one that is bluesy and mellow. The story telling is a great touch and the band pulls together to release one memorable track. It is one of the biggest reasons the US version is superior to me. I just don't think Out of Our Heads would be the same to me without this track, I always look forward to singing along to it. Well, give the track a spin, would ya? I think this is a mighty fine song to kick the year off, and I think you will agree. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1965
Album: Our of Our Heads - US Release (1965)
Genre: Blues Rock
Mood: Mellow
​Perfect For: Going for a drive, Lonesome nights, Casual listening, Sex
Where To Next: "Wang Dang Doodle" - Howlin' Wolf
Rating: 8 / 10