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"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" - Elvin Bishop

Elvin Bishop is more known for his great blues-based guitar work than he is anything else. Sure, he had a pretty good run in a couple different styles, but he never hit the same notoriety that his guitar work did. The guitar work I am speaking of is the work he did with the blue rock icons The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, but his solo work still has plenty of fast and soulful licks that can make anyone want to pick up the guitar. Elvin Bishop is often overlooked for his guitar work, sadly, but when there are so many raw and potent blues pickers out there, it is hard to keep them all straight. Funnily enough, the way I found out about Elvin Bishop is from The Charlie Daniels Band. I was getting around to getting further into blues rock when I was 14 or so, I had a crazy deep love for Cream and Eric Clapton, so I knew the next step was taking in more blues rock that came out of the 1960s before heading backwards and forwards. Though at the same time country music was gaining more and more traction in my musical collection, mainly Johnny Cash and George Jones, but being someone who was really into classic rock there are few better places for a rocker to move into country music than with The Charlie Daniels Band. It was my first time taking in a Charlie Daniels Band compilation, 1983s A Decade of Hits, and track number two on that perfect compilation is "The South's Gonna Do It Again", I found the track a shitload of fun since I understood most of the references in its lyrics, be it Lynyrd Skynyrd or ZZ Top, but one I did not understand was the line "Elvin Bishop sittin' on a bale of hay, he ain't good lookin' but he sure can play" and that introduction to this man I didn't even know had me hooked. I tried out Bishop's second solo album Feel It! and at that point I was a little disappointed, I don't think I was old enough to understand the raw soul in that album and concluded my wonderment with Bishop and moved on. Give it a year or two, and there I was still highly obsessed with all things Cream (and still am), but this time I came to the table with a combat plan on how to tackle such a large and often repetitive genre like blues rock and the blues in general. So, I sat my butt on down and started playing through some albums and songs, some Albert King here and some Taj Mahal there, but there was one band that really left a heavy imprint on me and that was The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, I loved the electricity and jamming nature of the band. It was unlike most of the other groups I was expanding into. They had dragged out songs that were reminiscent of Cream but still something unlike them, it was like if the Grateful Dead did more of a straight forward electric blues sound for their prime albums. Sort of something heavy and fresh like Iron Butterfly, but with the direction of Muddy Waters. After burning through their first 3 albums like it was the sweetest sound I ever heard, I pulled up Wikipedia to see who exactly was playing that guitar that helped make the band what they were and lo and behold there was that name again.... Elvin Bishop. I cursed my name for not looking further into Bishop, thinking he was solely known for that solo work. To think that I could have had some timeless blues albums like East-West, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw already rolling around in my ears. Those albums opened up a serious can of musical expansion for me at that age, and even still I come back to those albums (especially East-West) often when I want some electric blues. One of the driving factors of why I come back often to those ones is the man behind the guitar, he gives the standard blues a more jam band feeling with somewhat psychedelic licks we would later hear from garage rock bands like The Troggs and Vanilla Fudge. So, after cursing my name for missing out on such a great band, I did what I did best during that time in my life, I abused the living hell out of their songs. I was more than content with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and was still under the idea that Elvin Bishop doesn’t have all the great of solo material, and I kept with that for another 2 to 3 years. Then finally it was time that I started my massive year by year study, and to do just that I had to compile an obscene number of artists, names, albums, facts, and so on and so forth, and one of those names was Elvin Bishop. At this point in my life, my musical tastes expanded, and I was practically fond of anything, so I figured this would be a great time to try out Elvin Bishop once more, since obviously I didn't know what the hell I was talking about with my previous notion of his solo work. So, I started in once again, starting with the debut that showed the guitar work of Bishop off very well, but I was still left unimpressed. Though slowly but surely as I went through album after album I started to notice that there was much more to Bishop than guitar work. He touched many different sounds, and each he did a great job with. I found a new-found respect for the musician and his solo work, and once again had to curse my name for thinking I knew something when I knew nothing. It was around this same point that I got to his 1975 highest selling album Struttin' My Stuff and that new-found respect turned into a few found admiration, and a lot of that admiration was strengthened in his biggest hit "Fooled Around and Fell in Love". This song doesn't have Bishop on vocals, it has the wonderful singer Mickey Thomas, and I honestly feel he is the one who sells this song. Sure, that smooth as butter guitar work that even has a little solo mid-song is a treat, but it all comes down to those strong vocals out of Thomas. Mickey Thomas is mostly known for his time with Jefferson Starship (see "Jane"), and then their later rebranded band Starship (see "Sara"). Each song he sings lead for in those bands are sensational, he is genuinely an underrated vocalist, but also his knack at having something between arena rock and rock n roll vocals is something I never tire of. Anyway, he has been part of many different songs from Elvin Bishop up until that point but none even come close to the greatness of "Fooled Around and Fell in Love", the song that saw Thomas getting invited to Jefferson Starship since they were impressed to say the least. This song is Bishop's most beloved song by a large margin, but if you listen to it side by side to his other big songs like "Travelin' Shoes" and "Rock My Soul" it is easy to see why, they are practically day and night. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" has this commercial sound that was selling like hotcakes when it released in 1975, and it is honestly a great sound with a decent set of lyrics revolving around a man who abused love and treated it like a game until he was bitten by the love bug and finally understood the power of it. Love is genuinely the strongest thing on the planet, stronger than music and certainly stronger than hate. I think Jerry Reed or Johnny Cash explains it best on "A Thing Called Love". One thing that makes "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" so powerful is how well the atmosphere is set up, it makes it hard to tell which decade it came out of exactly. It has that sweet swaying feeling of some of the bands of the late 1950s, the pop sound of the 1960s, the dreamy atmosphere of the 1980s, but the vocal and guitar love affair of the 1970s. Not only that but the lyrical theme is something still relevant today, love tracks never go out of style, and even with all those points it wouldn't have been nearly as powerful if it wasn't for how well the song is put together. A chorus that keeps you feeling mellow and breezy but still allows the band to show off in their own way in between those parts, especially Elvin Bishop with that dance room guitar solo at 2:25. Anyway! This post is going to be a big one, so I might as well stop while I am ahead. Give the song a listen and let my story teach you to fully try out a band before you think you know something. I learned the hard way with Elvin Bishop and plenty of other artists. Each artist deserves a fair shake, so give Bishop his and listen though the track! Enjoy! 
​
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1975
Album: Struttin' My Stuff (1975)
Genre: Soft Rock
Mood: Romantic
Perfect For: Casual listening, Romantic thoughts, Swaying mellow with the one you love 
Where To Next: "Starlight" - Electric Light Orchestra
Rating: 8 / 10

"The Devil in Me" - Morgana Lefay

Morgana Lefay is a criminally overlooked metal group, though they didn't get too much attention, they still managed to put out 11 studio albums in their time. I have yet to get into their 2000s material, but I listened through anything I could that came out of the 1990s. Most of their best albums were released by the label Black Mark Production, a label I first came across and learned to trust when I first got into Bathory all those years ago. With a name like Black Mark Production, you know they got to have something good. The name of the label was heavily influenced by Bathory and their legendary black metal cornerstone Under the Sign of the Black Mark, and Quorthon who is Bathory through and through has had heavy ties with this label since their debut in 1984. Once I got to the age I could connect labels and artistic vision, I always kept eyes on those that line up with the style of music that I appreciate. When I was creating my year-by-year studies for both the 1980s and the 1990s, I added whatever I could from their roster, and that is how I came across the death metal gem Edge of Sanity (check out "The Day of Maturity"), Lake of Tears (listen to "So Fell Autumn Rain" if you are a gothic metal fan), and one of the best finds from the label Morgana Lefay. Truth be told, I wasn't ready to be blown away by the band once I started through their discography for my studies. Though year by year as I sifted through the 1990s I was always looking forward to "M" rolling around since I knew another one of their albums were coming around for my listening pleasure. Their fifth studio album Maleficium caught me completely off guard, an album cover that makes you think you are in for a low budget power metal album tricks you as the band jumps into some thrashed metal with a serious groove. Track after track brings in something fresh, there isn't a dull moment on the album, and if you are a metal fan that likes digging up those hidden tracks that will give you chills then you will find a ton from both this album and Morgana Lefay's other great albums. I think this album serves as their peak truth be told, I have yet to jump into anything past their self-titled sixth studio album though so we shall see if there is another that can beat this in my opinion. They are the type of group that seemed to get stronger with each release, but every band has their limits, and I wouldn't be shocked if Maleficium is that limit. Like I said previously, it melds in many different metal styles but stays comfortably far from the extreme metals that were filling all the blank spaces in metals history at this point. In a way the band was still stuck in the metal sound of the 1980s, but that isn't always a bad thing, so long as you keep that sound and try something new with it. The lower quality of the recording gives it a certain character that I cherish about these lesser known metal bands, it feels raw and wicked. It matches the album cover, and it holds an atmosphere of dungeons and something wicked that is hiding in the darkness. A great style for late night drives, but still holds up for a casual listen at home at 3 PM. Easy to take in, but also equally easy to zone in on and lose yourself in the music. "The Devil in Me" is the 11th track on the album, and is one of the longer ones on its 14 song track listing. While there are some tracks that really hit the spot, none lean into the groove metal side more than "The Devil in Me", it lets you know it means business right from the get-go with a strangely Overkill reminiscent intro. I would explain Morgana Lefay as a strange hybrid between Savatage and Overkill with a little bit of Pantera to spice it up. We have the vocals and atmosphere of Savatage, the heavy backing of Overkill, and that strange yet highly addictive groove thrash metal that we hear with Pantera, just a lot more slowed down. I tend not to be one to say "they are like these bands", but sometimes the influences are hard to deny. Sometimes it is also fun to see how each member probably had their influences that all got mixed together and then had the gods of heavy metal strike it with a bolt of lightning. Well, I hope the track bites you like it did me, there are some styles that never survived into the modern times but aged like wine, and for those forgotten soldiers of metal like Morgana Lefay they aged the finest in my opinion. The true heart and soul of heavy metal music. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1996
Album: Maleficium (1996)
Genre: Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal
Mood: Devious
Perfect For: Playing loud in your car, Having a cigarette, Casual listening 
Where To Next: "Handful of Rain" - Savatage
Rating: 7 / 10

"That's All You Gotta Do" - Brenda Lee

I gave you the general rundown about Brenda Lee on the previous two posts about her, so I won't go all in on doing it again. Still, it blows my mind that this album was released when she was 16 years old, and the recording of the album was while she was 14–16 years old. From what I can recall about those years for me; I wasn't singing on stage nor was I already bloody rich from Christmas songs. Wonder what it was like, being famous at such a young age. It had to feel daunting and empowering at the same time. Most children stars end up messed up later in life, but you don't hear all too much about Brenda Lee having too hard of a go at it. I guess she was meant for it, and also was already on the path since she was winning competitions since an even younger age. It might have just felt like the next step. I was busy getting the cash to re-up on some goodies during my preteens and teen years, but I guess I should have focused on becoming a child star. Maybe next life. Brenda Lee got the nickname "little miss dynamite" and honestly, I don't think I have heard a more fitting nickname in all of my life. Her vocals are fucking intense! Her earlier rock albums will shake you to the core with those sweet as honey vocals that can easily turn incendiary in a heartbeat. My favorite ones from Brenda Lee tend to be the ones like "That's All You Gotta Do", ones that jump between the explosive nature of "Dynamite" and the soothing singing of "I'm Sorry" both of which come off the same album. Brenda Lee had success with her early rock sound, and even found fame later on in the country world, which gained her a spot in the country music hall of fame. She is still a known name today, both because she is a marvel of a singer, and because she has legions of Christmastime hits like the incredibly famous "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" which is at over 1 billion streams on Spotify. If I could go back in time, I would dedicate all of my energy to putting out a 1950s Christmas song and owning all rights since that seems like a good way to rake in that cash. Alright, that is enough with the rambling about little miss dynamite, since I am certain she will show back up on this website within a couple of months. Let's talk a little bit about her 3rd studio album Brenda Lee which was released in 1960. This album is my favorite from her discography; it has everything that makes Brenda Lee the great artist she is. It is crazy energetic and doesn't rely heavily on her age like some child pop star albums tend to do. There is a great classic atmosphere throughout each and every track, and each and every track is great. We have plenty of notable original work, great covers like Hank Williams "Jambalaya", and it holds some of her most respected songs like "Sweet Nothin's", "Let's Jump the Broomstick", and "I'm Sorry" which was her first single to hit the top spot on the Billboard 100. Lyrically, most of the songs revolve around romance, but that is expected for its year, especially with her being a lady singer. 1960 is a strange year in music, it is the year that the original vision of rock music was dying. Those hillbilly pickers in the rockabilly world were finding it difficult to gather attention, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley were following the trend of more pop washed rock music and leaving behind a little bit more of the blues, Elvis finally got back from the military after a two-year stint, rock music was becoming less of a villain in the public eye, and all the teenagers were craving something easier to dance to. It seemed like rock might have just been a youthful fad, but boy were they wrong. Brenda Lee came along with this album at a perfect point, a point where teen idols were coming out of each sunny state and the population didn't know exactly what it wanted from this rock n reelin' rhythm that completely ate up the music world leading into the end of the 1950s. This album has something for just about anyone from the time. Lovey-dovey tracks for the teenage crooners, rockers for those that played their Elvis and Buddy Holly albums into the ground, country fans found a home within many of her songs, boys found the thrill in the electric tracks, and the gals found a home within the ones that mixed together romance and rhythm. "That's All You Gotta Do" was actually the first song that I listened to from Brenda Lee aside from "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" since that song is nigh impossible to avoid come Christmastime. I instantly lost my breath from the sheer power of her vocals. The song is doused in the rockabilly sound that changed my life, but is also somewhat reminiscent of the doo-wop that helped get me hooked on early rock music to start with. The song was written by Jerry Reed while he was still more of a songwriter than a singer, just a straight forward love song about being there for your lover whenever they're feeling low. It peaked at #6 on the charts, both due to its easy to get behind nature and its assistance from other massive hits from this album being placed all around it. I have listened through a good portion of Brenda Lee's 37 studio album discography, and I haven't found another song I cherish more than "That's All You Gotta Do". It is a full rock n roll package from start to finish, and I will never be unimpressed with the vocals that are on this song. It has a female Elvis Presley approach, but still holds her own strong style that sounded unlike any other female singer of the time. She was the second female singer to ever hit the top of the charts, coming in after Connie Francis, who barely beat her by a month with her sensational "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". It was a year that showed a changing tide for female singers in the music world, it still took a while in the rock world, but Brenda Lee certainly lit a candle. Give the song a listen! It is a quick one in comparison to our last song of the day, and it goes down as smooth as the creamiest ice cream! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1960
Album: Brenda Lee (1960)
Genre: Rock n Roll, Rockabilly
Mood: Feverish love
Perfect For: Casual listening, Winter dates, Romantic times at home 
Where To Next: "Honey Bop" - Wanda Jackson
Rating: 9 / 10

"Flying" - UFO

We have previously talked about UFO in our December 2024 song of the day section. Funnily enough, that one was another track that showcases their early style. UFO isn't known for that sound, even if that sound helped pioneer space rock, but if you compare their debut and this album here to their main material like the albums Phenomenon and Light Out you will see a day and night difference in approach to their rock sound. Granted, those albums and these albums see a couple of years gap between them. UFO is one of rock's most underrated bands. Don't get me wrong, they had a very good career, releasing 22 studio albums and many live albums, and are regarded as one of the most important hard rock bands to popularize heavier music, but even then the band is still criminally underrated. They hold some of the best albums that came out of the 1970s and did a lot for rock and metal music in the background. I adore plenty of their albums and never can get enough. Their first two albums are space rock masterpieces, albums full of long and floaty hard rock music that sounds exactly like the year they came out of. Our song of the day today is one of the best from those albums, but we will get to that. After this album they went on to release their groundbreaking 3rd studio album Phenomenon, which saw the band leaving behind their bluesy space rock sound for a more straight forward and polished hard rock sound. That sound came with 2 very important steps in the bands' history, firstly it was their first album under a major record label, and secondly it was their first album with guitar gremlin Michael Schenker. I am honestly shocked we haven't talked all too much about Schenker here yet, he is one of my favorite guitarists and most anything he touches turns to gold, and if not gold he released a steady sterling silver that you know will survive the test of time. He started his rock conquest with the Scorpions for the band's first two albums before they blew up as the Scorpions we know and love now. Following that he was the lead guitarist for UFO, he was a big reason why UFO blew up since his playing fit perfectly in with the others in the golden age of guitar gods. He was with UFO for 6 albums, and those 6 are easily their best. After a small stint back with the Scorpions for their breakout album Lovedrive he went on to start his own band the Michael Schenker Group, a band I am also super shocked hasn't been included yet since they are another that I cherish immensely. That group shows off his guitar work like none other and reminds you what each of those previous bands are missing when he isn't around. He still came back to UFO in and out throughout his career, but he found a new and stable home within his own solo band. Great guitarist. Man.... I went off about a dude that isn't even on this album... sorry UFO... let's get back to the topic at hand. UFO was a respected enough band, but never got close to the sales of other bands that they either equaled or outright blew out of the water. Hence, why I claim they are underrated. Album after album of pure hard rock gold. I will admit that their first two albums are not for everyone, but if you are someone who likes some fuzzy and heavy rock music, then you will find yourself right at home. I know that I love these two albums, they are the perfect album for playing in the background as you get drunk and/or stoned. They are simply a good time that have plenty of "woah man" moments and also many moments that are just meant to relax to. "Flying" is one of two of the massive songs off the band's second studio album UFO 2: Flying, the other being "Star Storm" which is a blast of a track. I am sure we will get to that one another time. "Flying" is a goliath of a rocking track, coming in at 26:30, it is the longest track the band ever recorded and was one of the longest rock songs up until that point. It lets you know what your ears are going to be taking in right from the get-go with trippy guitar work that while it isn't anything all too crazy, the effects are what makes the track what it is. Makes it clear why this album is a classic and one of the most important in the small space rock genre that never really blew up. Pretty well a bunch of dudes getting high and jamming out somewhere between psychedelic rock, traditional hard rock, blues rock, and garage rock. I think it is a wonderful style that is one of my favorite to take into my ear holes. The track takes a whole 2 minutes before vocalist Phil Mogg joins into the mess. He comes back here and there to tell you the tale of "Flying" which isn't much of a happy tune, and is written like our character is stuck in a very bad dream. I honestly cannot tell if the character in the story is dead or not, it is written like it is some strange out-of-body experience after death. For these long songs that rely heavily on a heavily distorted dream like atmosphere, I like to read the lyrics alongside the music since it makes it hit so much harder. The song feels like a more traditional garage rock song up until the 7-minute mark when things change, and we get some fun guitar playing by the bands original guitarist Phil Mogg alongside the grooving bass work of Pete Way and the steady clanking of Andy Parker which always gave a serious bite to UFO both in the space rock sound and the hard rock. This instrumental break keeps you grooving along all the way until the song comes back to its pre-set up style at the 12:24 mark with an explosion. The jamming that was set up isn't slowed down when the vocals come back in. At this point in the story the character found a new resolve in defiance to accepting his fate 6 feet under, and the band really sells that point with jamming of pure power. Then it is a battle between band and vocals from then on out, jumping between instrumental breaks and guitar solos. If their goal was to make a song that sounds like you are stuck in a dream, then they got the job done with top marks. The whole album has this strange feeling to it, a feeling I am obsessed with, and with the band having plenty of talent it is all that much better. So give the song a listen! I know, I know, a song that is almost 30 minutes?! Yes. This song is a titan, but is well worth it! What is time really, anyway? Why does there have to be an obsession with watching the clock? What did father time ever do for you? He never waits, so why chase the pendulum? Just kick this song on and lose all sense of time, there are few better ways to spend 30 minutes and a million ways to waste it, so give the song a spin and... enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1971
Album: UFO 2: Flying (1971)
Genre: Space Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Entrancing
Perfect For: Relaxing, Going on a long thoughtless drive, Grooving, Getting baked, Getting drunk 
Where To Next: "Master of the Universe" - Hawkwind
Rating: 8 / 10

"The howling" - Watain

Watain is a fairly new band to enter the fold though the impact they have had since showing up is one of pure force. How I take in most bands modernly is I find a small handful of songs that I really like and slowly but surely expand it within a couple of years until I have everything comfortably under control. I take in so many new bands on the regular, it is damn near impossible to remember each one, hence why they go through a pretty cruel and strict indoctrination process. That is not the case with Watain, I first heard "The howling" and instantly jumped further and further into the band. There are the few that I cannot help but obsess over as soon as I hear them. If you are playing the song right now I am sure you will understand why, they are fucking powerful and heavy as a motherfucker. One of the best in modern black metal without a doubt. The band gathered fame through their heavily satanic themes, imagery, and complimentary style. Though what really thrusted them into the eyes of the public is their stage shows. I have never been to one, though I would love to, but they are infamous for using pyrotechnics that look like they will burn the whole place down, wicked as hell stage props, pieces of animal carcasses, real blood that gets spewed all over the crowd and attire that makes you sick to your stomach. Speaking of getting sick to your stomach the band caught some trouble after a concert in 2014 which had people that attended puking after the blood was shot all over them, it brought them into the eye of the media which naturally then brought into question animal abuse allegations and everything else under the sun. There have been plenty of bands that came before who use fake blood, Gene Simmons of KISS did it early, GWAR is famous for stupid antics like beheading mannequins of politicians and sending an explosion of blood into the crowd, and so many other groups utilized it, but in the end not many went that extra step. You would have to be pretty extreme... and have a sound that is just as diabolical and extreme to lure that fan base... and Watain has just that. I ain't squeamish, but I don't think I could sell anyone to go with me to the show if there was a chance of an entrail ending up on your shoulder, and honestly I don't know if I personally want that either. It would be something to see though, but that room has gotta smell rank. But with the fire and heavy as hell music, it might have a certain kind of magic in the air to it, and not the type that falls under the right hand path. Anyway! Thankfully, the band is much more than just a crazy stage show, they genuinely put out some truly great music. Too many bands that do that shit on stage have lacking music, but that is without a doubt not the case with Watain. Their studio work is great from what I have taken in, they started out in 2000 with the straight forward and fast as hell debut Rabid Death's Curse, and they only grew more powerful with each release. They found their sound that separated them from everyone else in the 2000s black metal with Sworn to the Dark, a seriously haunting and heavy album that gives me chills even thinking about it. 2013 saw the band releasing The Wild Hunt, for many this is prime Watain. It had a much more planned out approach to their style, some songs on that album like "They Rode On" meld progressive metal with blackened death metal to give you a serious kick in the ass. The following album Trident Wolf Eclipse kept all they learned from melding multiple metal genres yet left it behind to return to their original sound but with a little more of a planned approach, fine-tuned metal crafted perfectly for sacrificing your neighbors cat. All jokes. Don't do that. Cats are awesome and if you ever have that desire to hurt something so cute, then please wear some cinder block shoes and go swimming. Thanks. Alright! After those intense albums, we finally get to the album that holds our song of the day, The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain. This was the first album that I listened to by them, I stumbled upon it when trying to find new bands to get my rocks off. I saw the album cover and knew it was probably gonna be some heavy shit, but I had no idea on just how heavy it was to be. The intro track "Ecstasies in night infinite" lit a fire under my ass almost instantly. If it wasn't for me being too lazy to launch out of my seat, I would have! But still I wasn't completely sold, I needed something even more intense for that day. Something that wasn't just another black metal group that liked Satan, blew up your ears and sounded closely to Dissection. I was about to move along but thought I should try one more, the following track and leading single to the album "The howling". Man, I cannot express to you how the song made me feel. I was ready for the slaughter! I fell deeply in love with the vocals, they are black metal enough to make your hair stand on end but not so much that you cannot understand even a single word. Secondly, I liked how the song was split up, it didn't feel like a chaotic pot of sound like many black metal groups do. It had its own parts and knew how to keep you seated and sated. Great shit. I know that black metal isn't for everyone, but I think most modern metalheads can find something to love in Watain. They are one intense group, and are one of the best modern black metal groups I have come across for the last long while. Give it a spin and see what you think about it! I should have people sign a waiver before viewing this website. All damaged including but not limited to bleeding out of your ears, bleeding out of your eyes, bleeding out of your anus, sudden urges to sniff bleach, driving erratically, involuntary headbanging, disorientation, desire to drink Faygo, and other harmful side effects of listening to this song are fully on you for loading it up on your chosen streaming service. You have been warned. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2022
Album: The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain (2022)
Genre: Black Metal, Extreme Metal
Mood: Evil
Perfect For: Losing yourself to the music, Getting stranded in the deep forest while hearing wolves in the distance 
Where To Next: "Beyond the Horizon" - Dissection
Rating: 9 / 10

"Two Six Packs Away" - Dave Dudley

For all those people that hate country no matter the decade, get ready to let out a big sigh of disappointment since we are doing two in a row! Granted, to say that Gene Autry and Dave Dudley are similar would be like saying Elvis Presley and Black Oak Arkansas are the same. Both country masterminds, both great in their own separate way, but they are not from the same country sound. One thing they do have in common is fronting the American mythology theme, cowboys singing on the lone prairie, George Washington with an AR-15, the hobo that slips money to farmers across the country, and when it comes to Dave Dudley, he sings of what might have been considered the cowboy of the 1960s. The drifters upon the open road, the American big rig driver. Man, when it comes to the country music of the 1960s and into the early 1970s, there were some truly fun themes. We had plenty of tales about the criminal on the run, truck drivers banding together to drop off their load laws be damned, civil rights songs, traveling tunes, and so many more themes that appealed to the common working man. Not because we fully understood the feeling of the character in the song, but mainly because that could be us in one way or another. We could be the man shifting gears with a fever, or even the man who accidentally killed a man and is now running to save their sorry hide. Exciting and interesting tales that aren't so unreal they aren't relatable. Dave Dudley found himself as one of the leading forces in "trucker country". His fucking phenomenal and catchy song "Six Days on the Road" is both his biggest claim to fame but also became a rallying call to truckers across the nation. That song inspired many other musicians to try it out for size as well. You have been to those casinos and truck stops, targeting the truck driving man is a smart business plan. They tend to have a bit more money due to the pay, and they crave both the thrill of life off the road and the creature comforts we all indulge in. And with country music being run like a business, Dave Dudley showed the serious selling power of country music written for the men that keep this country moving, especially modernly where everyone and their dog buys everything online. Dudley is also known for his other trucker hits, like "Me and Ol' C.B." and "Truck Driving Son-of-a-Gun". Though to just put Dave Dudley as a novelty singer that only talks about big rigs would be missing out on his other half of tunes which is where I find him to truly shine. He isn't the best country singer out there, shit he isn't even trying to be, but it comes down to his persona and how he sings that really hooks me. With that in mind, let's take a look at our song of the day, "Two Six Packs Away". This song shows off that bassy singing that honestly sounds like he is quite drunk already. For a song about drinking and driving in a comedic fashion, you damn well best hope the singer sounds as drunk as the lyrics portray. He does the same style in plenty of his well respected drinking songs, and also the ones where he plays the stepped-on husband role like we hear in "Mad". Though he certainly sounds soused in "Two Six Packs Away". This is one of my favorite tracks of his, and believe you me I have all my pockets stuffed with quality Dave Dudley tracks. It is catchy as shit and makes you want to bounce around, the whole band paints a wonderful wreckless and stupid atmosphere for our character telling his tale about getting arrested after smashing into a tree while drinking and driving to go see his chick the next town over. You know how drunk the bastard was too, since he tells the judge that there were two trees and he went between them, and the judge ain't having none of that shit. Classic, simple, yet effective humor that appeals to the drinkers now as much as it certainly did then. The lyrics are the shining part of this song, something that country has to rely on since the singer is the main focus most of the time. To put the cherry on top, this song also has one of my favorite lyrical styles, it starts about the same way it ends. After he gets busted, all he is thinking about is heading back to the bar to tie one on, and he knows after he gets those drinks his baby is still waiting just two six packs away and off he goes to do it all over again. I really wish whoever owns Dave Dudley's discography would be more serious about releasing his studio albums on streaming services instead of holding onto them. He is a great country musician that should not be overlooked, and I would like easy access to his other great songs. I have abused, and I mean abused, most of what he has on Spotify and now that I have a good set up for my record player I am gonna go find those full albums, but still I would already have so many more loved songs if they just put his catalogue on. I fucking hate how country music doesn't care to keep their musicians of yesterday nice and accessible. They suck at archiving, and they also suck at setting up their own history for future generations to see. And since they mainly have a casual fan base, they cannot rely on the good majority of fans to keep it up for them. I swear here and now that if I ever become disgustingly rich, one of the first big purchases I will do is buy the rights to many of these forgotten catalogues so I can spread it far and wide. Dave Dudley alongside so many other country musicians truly deserve it, and it makes my blood boil that someone is dragging their feet, even if it wouldn't make them much money. Well, that is enough out of me for now. I give you this song as a gift, from me to you! So don't spit upon this gift! Play it! Dig it! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1965
Chosen Compilation: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (2002)
Genre: Country
Mood: Inebriated
Perfect For: Getting drunk, Drinking and driving, Casual listening 
Where To Next: "Hard Headed Me" - Roger Miller
Rating: 9 / 10

"Back in the Saddle Again" - Gene Autry

Need a breather after the more intense tracks we have been choosing? Well, I got one hot and ready for you that will mellow you right out. This old of country tends to have been forgotten hard though it holds a special place both in American music history and an atmosphere that has hardly ever been reused since. I thank the video game series Fallout immensely for popularizing this style again, it shows that sometimes people dig the more obscure music but need it shown in a certain light for its power to sell. I dug the old country music before I started into the outstanding Fallout series, but when it comes to the jump blues and big band music they included, that was a big musical exposure that left a deep imprint on my musical tastes. You gotta love how some video games and shows do a lot for the older music, especially the artists that were once legends but have faded today. Gene Autry is exactly that, a massive name in the country world that gets less love each year. He pops back up to the populaces ears when Christmas comes around, and he still has a few respected songs, but that is about it. During his music stardom days in 1939 all the way until the 1950s, he released well over 20 chart topping country songs. Not only was he one of the biggest names of early country music, but he was also a popular actor who typically portrayed honest and straight shooting hero cowboys. Many of his best songs came off of his sweet crooning upon the open prairie of the silver screen, and he is attributed with bringing cowboy music to the masses, using those films as the vessel. Aside from a massively successful music and acting career, he also had a big hand in sports and even has his own comic. So even if he is a little more forgotten today, there is a long line of products and media to keep each one of us satisfied for years to come. It is crazy how much the old musicians did in their lives, Gene Autry went from singing on the radio to releasing decade defining music then making a shitload of movies, then became a soldier in WW2, had his own radio shows, got into the rodeo game, owner of a baseball team, was a leading seller in cowboy comic books, and so much more. He practically saw the fame of cowboy themed stuff through the 1930s-1950s, he was in 93 movies and many more television shows, and made some of the best cowboy country at the same time. Legendary performer and icon in the western world. Anyway, today we look at "Back in the Saddle Again", his trademark song and one of the most well known songs from all cowboy country. This was one of the first tracks I heard from Gene Autry, and is easily one of my most favorite from the genre. It is easy to get behind and makes you long for an adventure. The song was written by Ray Whitley and Gene Autry but was originally sung by Whitley. After hearing it sung, Autry really liked it and included his version on the 1939 movie Rovin' Tumbleweeds. It was then recorded and released as a single in 1939, and the rest is history. The thing about this old of tunes is there is some serious history that was made by it, but to us, it seems like a pretty simple and straight forward song. It is on many lists of "most important songs of the 20th century", and I fully think it deserves its place there. The strange American mythology of old cowboy music is a shitload of fun. The atmosphere is always so carefree and easy. The lyrics are usually straight to the point but still well written. You can easily picture the person Gene Autry is trying to display. A cow poke in dusty jeans with a bright yellow shirt on, an old trusty hat that has been worn through many storms, riding upon a simple yet strong black stallion. His horse has a look of dedication, while our cowboy wears a face of carefree pride, there is easiness on his shoulders, but his waist holds the weight of a .44 pistol that wears the face of the devil. He rides through the hills and towns, the women's love goes aflame, and the men pondered on how fast his horse is, or better yet how fast he could clear leather. While the wild wild west was certainly created by Hollywood, there is a special thrill of adventure that fills the air when cowboy music plays. Gene Autry is the ultimate country singer who revolves around the wild west, he influenced legions of country singers and serves as one of the most important figures in country musics long history. So do yourself a favor and listen to this famous track you won't be disappointed, and even if it ain't for you, you still took in a little piece of music history. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1939
Chosen Compilation: Gene Autry's Western Classics (1947)
Genre: Cowboy Music, Country, Western
Mood: Cool and breezy
Perfect For: Going on an adventure, Riding a horse, Relaxing, Casual listening, Coffee in the morning 
Where To Next: "Waitin' for the Evening Mail" - Riley Puckett
Rating: 8 / 10

"Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" - Marilyn Manson

I hope I don't have to type out that damn track name over and over again, so please be understanding when I say "our song of the day" a little more often than usual. With that aside, let's jump into our post of the day! Marilyn Manson is one infamous figure in rock and metal music, and in my area he is more famous for his persona than his music. Don't get me wrong, Marilyn Manson sure is an interesting person and had one raunchy ass career, but he isn't just that, he is one potent musician that put out plenty of great albums in his prime years and even now still releases albums. I will admit I haven't listened to any albums after 2012's Born Villain, and from my picking through a couple of tracks, I don't think I am missing too much. I am head over heels for his earlier sound though, a proud fan until death! I don't think anyone did the shock rock thing better in the 1990s & 2000s than this man right here. Today we look at his 2009 album The High End of Low, one of his last good albums before he mellowed out the sound. In this album we see a much more mature Marilyn Manson, the tracks that reach back to his industrial metal sound don't rely on shock to hook you, and the more straight forward hard rock tracks are packed with tighter playing and lyrics that are a little more personal and well put together. I have always dug Marilyn Manson as a lyricist, I honestly think he is underrated, but more in the Clint Eastwood or Sylvester Stallone kind of way where most words don't hold much weight, but the one-liners knock you dead. Our song of the day is probably the strongest track off the album with "Running to the Edge of the World" coming in as a hot second. I first heard this song when I was a preteen that spent my days closed off in my room listening to music and playing video games (some things never change, ey?) and I started my love for the Saints Row series with their raunchy 3rd game. That game had great but odd songs on their radio stations, in comparison to Saints Row 2 and even Saints Row (2022) it honestly lacks. There are some amazing choices there like "Pepper" by the Butthole Surfers, "Ball and Chain" from Social Distortion, "Suicide Jag" by Chemlab, and so many great songs, but even then I always expect more out of their radio stations when I replay it. Another great track off of that game is our song "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" which sounds perfect in the background of blowing up rival gang's cars in comedic fashion. At this point in my life I was 13 and already head over heels for Marilyn Manson's crown jewel Antichrist Superstar and many of his other earlier albums, I just had yet to make it over to his more modern work, so our song of the day today was a great entry point to just that. If I recall right, I went and pirated (like a good person) this album and listened through it while at school the next day. I was sort of unimpressed, but over the years I have come back many times and like it almost as much as the others. Not the kind of album I would have paid full price for, but in the age of streaming I am happy to come back now and then cost free. I mainly cherry-pick, though, there are the wonderful tracks and then there are the much more cliché tracks that don't really pique my interest. Our song of the day was one of the leading singles off the album, and once again is probably the best on it. It is a fist-pumping good time washed in the gothic rock sound he stuck to on his previous album, but with a more mainstream rock of the time kiss that forces its chorus into your head for hours after listening through the track. There are times I wake up dying to listen to a certain song, and that is when I chose this song for my song of the day. I listened to it while brushing my teeth and then one more time on the way to work, following that, there wasn't an hour that day I didn't have this song playing in the background of my head. Catchy as all hell! So now it is your turn! Give the song a play and enjoy! Not the most work friendly track out there, but when you saw that title and who it was by, I am pretty sure you weren't playing it over your speaker at work. Or do it! Command that workspace! Assert dominance in the form of a musical monster mash! Don't let anyone control you! Except me when I tell you to play the song! Do it! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2009
Album: The High End of Low (2009)
Genre: Gothic Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Catchy
Perfect For: Playing Saints Row: The Third, Casual listening, Working, Driving a little faster 
Where To Next: "WWIII" - KMFDM
Rating: 8 / 10

"Let's Lynch the Landlord" - Dead Kennedys

Isn't it crazy that the song of the day section of this website has yet to be graced by the punk icons the Dead Kennedys? Well, how about we change that right here, right now? Dead Kennedys are one of the most successful and influential punk groups to ever be, especially in the hardcore punk scene. The band only released 4 studio albums and later on a couple of live albums, but even with the lower album count, their impact on punk rock is unmatched by any other band out of the 1980s. We all know that punk rock doesn't move people with intricate playing nor with mental imagery that sparks positivity, no, the genre is frustration incarnate. The 1960s saw a more artsy straying from traditional rock music, the 1970s saw the start of the genre but still held some of those rock ties close, but when the 1980s rolled around punk had its umbilical cord cut from its rockin' mama and released some of the most innovative yet simplistic music money could buy or pockets could hold. There were plenty of groups on the scene, some direct rip-offs of previous bands, and some came as fresh as a daisy. The Dead Kennedys were of the latter sort, there was nobody like them in 1980, sound wise it was similar but what really set the Dead Kennedys apart was their demeanor and the unique vocals from Jello Biafra. Biafra is often regarded as one of the biggest figures in punk music. His vocals are infamous, his stage antics are well known, and most importantly, his talent with the pen is unrivaled in the punk world and I say that as a fact. Some of his lyrics are immensely well written, and then there are some that are plain stupid, but that is part of the fun of the band. When people say punk rock is just a couple of cords on repeat and a lot of spunk, they certainly aren't wrong, but when it comes to the Dead Kennedys they would be dead wrong. They mixed multiple previous rock sounds in a blender with razor blades and crack cocaine and served up a heaping serving of hardcore punk mania that many bands still replicate to this day. For those here that know the Dead Kennedys but never took the full step into listening through an album, I highly recommend their debut Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, the album is full up with some of their most well respected tracks and there is enough angst here to fill the river delta. This shows off the band in its most primitive form, before Biafra found his true talent behind the pen and started writing quite deep words, and before the band started to try separating themselves from the others that were doing the same style as them. This album is a full frontal attack to your senses, the kind of style that makes your nose bleed and gives you a hard on all at the same time. It pulls no punches with lyrics unlike anyone else in 1980, and while bands have certainly utilized shock appeal in their lyrics, they still shroud it a little bit or only release one song on the album that is dipped in the darkness. But this album doesn't shroud a thing, I mean shit, the first song off the album is the amazing "Kill the Poor", a track that uses that famous Dead Kennedys satire approach making fun of the social elite with an overly real and straight up manner. Not the kind of song you bring home to mother. A great song that is followed up with track after track of straight forward lyrics that shouts the truth more than they speak it. Track #4 is our song of the day, a track that is bristling with energetic fun but once again approaches some big societal issue with a twisted smile. "Let's Lynch the Landlord" is a track I don't really need to explain the lyrics to you, the theme is in the title after all, and it is a message I fully agree with. Landlords are leaches on society, and living in UT where they cherish the greedy realtors with crooked schemes much more than the humans that suffer under them, I cannot help but smile when I hear this song. The lyrics don't really have any deep meaning, when Jello rallies the listeners to stab back against the bastards, I am pretty sure he means it. I got lucky this time around with the landlord me and my lady got, he is one chill dude that is as friendly as he is transparent. I am so damn lucky, since there are plenty of horror stories you will hear from practically anyone you meet, and I have had my fair share. Property owners and their scummy management are willing to knock you down to pick the quarter up under your foot. Leaches and bastards, the lot of them. Hang em high! Makes me fucking sick. What is with this world? How do we fix this mess? Well.... listen to the song and I think you will have your answer. This track is one of the weaker ones off the album, which is like comparing Cheerios to Crispy Oats. The track goes down smooth and is a ton of fun! The rest of the album keeps the energy up and serves up many more tracks of quality hardcore punk music, some like "Holiday in Cambodia", "California Uber Alles", and "Chemical Warfare" deserve your immediate attention. An essential album for anyone getting into punk rock, and as a fan of this album for well over a decade, I can promise you it never grows stale. So long as there are human right violations, scummy rich bastards, civil unrest, and the putrid smell of the shitty thing called humanity, the Dead Kennedy will forever be relevant and say the words we all think. So what are you waiting for? Give the song a spin and save this album for listening to later on in the day. You won't regret it! One of those albums you gotta hear before you die, no matter your opinion on punk rock. Oh! And as always... enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1980
Album: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Eating the rich, Casual listening, Going for a drive suspiciously slow in a rich neighborhood, Eating cookies 
Where To Next: "Property Is Theft" - T.S.O.L.
Rating: 7 / 10

"See You on the Other Side" - Ozzy Osbourne

Well, today we talk about Ozzy Osbourne and the impact this one individual had on all music. For those that don't know, Ozzy passed away, which serves as one of the final pillars of the gods of heavy metal collapsing. We lost Dio in 2010, Lemmy in 2015, and now Ozzy in 2025. All we have left for the big four heads that started heavy metal is Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and when he passes, it will be a cold cold day. Ozzy was one of the biggest musical icons of our time, those that grew up alongside Sabbath, those that rocked out to his solo work, and those that saw the more icon experimental stage of Ozzy all grieve for the passing of such a legend. Alongside his band members in Black Sabbath, he brought forth a rock sound unlike anything else at the time. Stuff that was touched by the long pinky nail of the devil himself. A sound that forever shifted what hard rock meant, and serves as the earliest example of a "true metal" sound. Black Sabbath are the godfathers of heavy metal, if not the fathers, and through their balls to the wall heaviness and reckless lifestyle we saw the birth of a genre that became a true force to be reckoned with. Many bands put out a good handful of truly great albums and then fade away for the next big thing, but Black Sabbath had over 8 truly stellar and flawless albums, and many more that still had a good amount of kick ass songs, 6 of those legendary albums had Ozzy behind the microphone and creative energy. The true golden years of Black Sabbath were with Ozzy, even if I still do love what Dio did with the band. So to have that many iconic albums under your belt is already a feat many a musician never achieves, but Ozzy had to push it further with his solo work. That solo work saw him becoming even bigger of a legend in the rock and metal world. He served as a mentor to countless new guns in the metal world, and even those he didn't directly have a hand in their drive, he touched through his music. During the 1980s, Ozzy released 5 studio albums that shook the world. His name was known far and wide, both due to his antics and from the potent albums that we crafted and pushed out with only top tier musicians playing alongside him. You would think that would be it, huh? There is no way he can still put out top-selling albums... but you would be wrong. Ozzy still had a majorly successful career throughout the 1990s, one of his best albums No More Tears came out in 1991 and his only other studio album from that decade Ozzmosis wasn't as good as the previous but still held a ton of fucking great songs like our song of the day today "See You on the Other Side". Following that, Ozzy was sure to keep a steady flow of albums and tours all the way up until Scream in 2010, an album that still showed that Ozzy had that knack that made him one of the biggest names in the game. A ten-year gap followed that until 2020s Ordinary Man, an album that was still good and sort of showed that Ozzy aged a good bit between those. Lyrical themes were a little bit more reflective and saw him having a few guest artists like Elton John on "Ordinary Man" and Post Malone on "It's a Raid". He also appeared (and commanded if you ask me) Post Malone's big hit "Take What You Want". Ozzy was never afraid of helping new blood, and joining all kinds of different musicians, no matter the walk of life. You could be listening through a Coal Chamber album and boom out of nowhere there is Ozzy, dipping your fingers into Billy Morrison and there he is, and alongside other massive rock names they always had a spot for the prince of darkness. It is truly a tremendous loss that the whole rock and metal community felt the tremors of a gods passing, there is a strange empty spot in the world of music now, I am not sure how to explain it. After finding out about the passing of Ozzy, I changed my normally scheduled listening to dedicating the day to listening to the man. Mainly I stuck to his solo work, even though I think the Ozzy in Black Sabbath wrote more personal lyrics that were shrouded in drug enforced mysticism. He was always a tremendously talented lyricist, and Black Sabbath shows it off best if you ask me. By the time I started listening through Ozzmosis again, I knew there was a certain track on there that was going to hit a little bit different now, and that track is "See You on the Other Side". I have listened through this album as many times as I have hairs on my arms, while still a respected album I feel it gets overlooked since it is one of the first that Ozzy seemed to take a more mellow approach. Following 1991s No More Tears, he claimed it would be his last album, that he is done with recording and all the bullshit that came along with it.  Though from my deep studies of Ozzy he seems to love to hear himself say that since he always comes back. Or did. Alongside the prince of darkness we had his long time guitarist and friend Zakk Wylde, old friend from Black Sabbath Geezer Butler on bass, and drummer Deen Castronovo which has been on countless albums many great many not so much. The album gathered good attention but was met with mixed emotions from both fans and critics alike. After so many perfect albums, it is only fair to stumble a little bit, especially that far in your career. I dig the album, I have never turned down listening to it, and even if I don't choose it first there are plenty of great tracks. When this song started up at my work, it was hard not to get a little choked up. I am not an emotional man, and being a fan of mostly older music I am more than used to reading so-and-so died, but those people aren't Ozzy. Diary of a Madman was an eye-opener of an album for me, I listened through that thing religiously for a good long while, it was one of the leading forces in having me dedicate my life to rock and metal music, there would be no AintNoisePollution without Ozzy, and many others of his albums I know by heart. I can close my eyes and hear them start to finish without a single problem. He was one of the many musicians that crafted me as a person. His albums were always home no matter where I was. "See You on the Other Side" is already a sad as hell song, but now it is even sadder, don't think I can ever hear it the same, but that is a good thing. I want to feel it. I want to be reminded of all that Ozzy did for me, even though I never knew him. The Closest I got to him was forever away at a concert, but even that moment is carved into my brain as a peak moment of my simple existence. Alright, enough gushing, I know we are all taken back from his passing. I just wanted to release some of my thoughts about how much his music meant to me, and that he will be missed, especially since he was still putting out good music up until his death. "See You on the Other Side" was written by Lemmy, Ozzy, and Zakk Wylde. Lemmy has helped write, or wrote outright, a good handful of Ozzy songs, they were buddies, but how could you not when both are from the same cloth. This track was one of the singles off the album, and is a classic amongst Ozzy fans, especially from his 1990s releases. Ozzy hit the pinnacle of what you could be as a rock musician, he touched legions of lives with his music and person, he released plenty of rock and metal's all-time classic tracks and albums, and for this boy blue from Utah he might as well have been family. I know I always ask for you to listen to the song, but in solidarity this time, give the song a spin. Even in death, Ozzy will forever have his face on mount rockmore, I will be a fan until death. Death comes for all, and I hope to hell we have a new Ozzy album by the time I see you guys on the other side. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1995
Album: Ozzmosis (1995)
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Mood: Mournful
Perfect For: Loss, Grieving, Hope, Sorrow 
Where To Next: More Ozzy, baby!
Rating: 8 / 10

"Maybe Next Time" - Face to Face

Even with Face to Face having as strong fan base, and a tremendously popular hit, I tend to find them still underrated. They are a long-running powerhouse in the punk world, no matter if they are doing a hardcore punk sound, pop punk or a more alternative rock sound like today's song they always put out great stuff. "Disconnect" is the band's main claim to fame, though many from that album and their 1996 self-titled are punk classics from the 1990s. Some punk rock fans shutter when they hear the term "pop punk" but when it comes to Face to Face there is nothing to fear. Nothing about their middle class parents hating them, nor any suicide notes in the form of a song. Much love to the pop punk world, but when it took its transition a different way leaving behind a lot of the skate punk roots things got a little different. I will soon be taking the full deep dive into it, so maybe I will walk away with a higher fondness of the style, but from where I stand now it is hard to not prefer the 1990s pop punk like Face to Face, Blink-182, and the Screeching Weasels. Anypoo, Face to Face released many of the diamonds of punk from the decade, and moved into the 2000s with a little bit of a feeling of confusion. 1999 saw the band dumping all their previous style, taking up different lyricism and sound and fronting a more user-friendly alternative rock sound. It seems the band wishes to forget about the album now, but I personally have always really dug this album. It is a breath of fresh air. There is still a punk rock feeling to it, but more like the Sonic Youth kind of punk sound. A lot of the songs are dreamy and easy to take in. Following this album they went full-frontal attack with a hardcore punk sound on 2000s Reactionary and then switched it up again and 2002 pulling in the rope and doing a more mellow yet thrilling standard punk rock sound. The band always seems to jump, and while I appreciate that about them, it might be a reason why people tend to get stuck in one spot in their discography. Why they are respected as a strong skate punk and pop punk band, but are often forgotten when it comes to the other genres they fiddled with. So, if you aren't impressed with this song or any of the others off this album I advise you to try out some of the other albums, their first three are their true treasure trove. Alright, time to head a few lines back in the post and talk about "Maybe Next Time" off of 1999s Ignorance Is Bliss. This one holds a spot of infamy in the Face to Face world, there are many like me that appreciate it, but there is an equal amount of people who aren't fans. I mean, I got it fairly easy due to modern amenities. I can play through something and not feel too much pressure about it. Though if you were following the band before streaming and went to the store to buy this album, jumped into the car to give it a play on the way home and heard it kick off with "Overcome" you might stop the car to make sure they put the right CD in that case. I mean, instrumentally it feels like Face to Face on that track, but when it comes to the vocals from Trever Keith you can certainly tell this is a different direction. It gets even further away from what you would expect from Face to Face as the album moves on as well, by the time you get to the final song on the album (and our song of the day) you are left with mixed emotions. Not what you came for, but also it really isn't bad. The album feels like a local band's debut album, it has all the jams you could ask for and an atmosphere that is perfect for daydreaming, but it falls short in comparison to what Face to Face has put out previously. I chose "Maybe Next Time" while going to meet up with a friend for a beer a county over. Traffic was thick, and what is usually a 30-minute drive turned into an hour drive. Luckily, it was a gloomy day that tried raining a couple of times, so I was already in a melancholy mood. I love nothing more than a rainy day, that feeling in the air and the overall depressing views for some reason fills me with dreams and happiness. It was the perfect set-up to have this album come along. "Maybe Next Time" shows off what I am talking about. Now that I am listening to it again in a bright and sunny room, it doesn't nearly hit as well as it did then. This is the kind of music made for a brooding, gloomy day. A great way to end the album, too. If this album wasn't from such a known name, it would have been a hit I bet. It doesn't break the mold of the alternative rock that flooded the air waves at the time, but is a welcome addition nonetheless to the sound that already was set up. Well, that is all from me for now, you know what to do. Load the track up, kick your shoes off, let your hair out, and enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1999
Album: Ignorance Is Bliss (1999)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Mood: Melancholy
Perfect For: Gloomy days, Casual listening, Relaxing 
Where To Next: "Cacophony" - Blink-182
Rating: 7 / 10

"The Funeral" - Band of Horses

Band of Horses is one of many artists that I have waited for my year by year studies to get further into them. Honestly, I am not sure why I allow myself to suffer, but sometimes I think I enjoy suffering. I could easily just listen to this album, or maybe one of their others, but I choose to just keep this one song and "The Great Salt Lake" and go no further. Maybe I should break my own rules and just do it right now.... nah... I like having something to look forward to when I get to 2006 in my rock studies. Anyway! Today we look at Band of Horses, a band I intend to get further into but don't have all too much knowledge of in comparison to some of my other posts so it might be a bland one. You would have to have been deaf to not have heard this on the radio during the 2000s in my area. I dug it the first time I heard it, and I dig it all that much more now as an adult. This comes off the band's debut Everything All the Time, the album that flew under the radar at the time but has since become a classic for the year. It was released by Sub Pop records, and as I have said one hundred times, that is one label you can always trust with the groups they sign. Like I mentioned previously, I know only two tracks by Band of Horses, the legendary song "The Funeral" and "The Great Salt Lake". I won't lie, I was incredibly disappointed when I found out that "The Great Salt Lake" was not about the Great Salt Lake here in Utah, but was written for Lake Murray in South Carolina. The song is still a soulful one, but I knew from the lyrics that it probably wasn't about our beloved stinky salt spit. We aren't here to talk about that track though; we are here for "The Funeral" the band's most famous song and a 2000s indie rock classic that never seems to grow stale. The song is incredibly moody; it makes you feel so damn deep and depressed no matter what you are doing. The kind of atmosphere that steals the air and forces you to just listen. A perfectly crafted song that knows how to set them up to knock them down. That intro is so melancholy it makes me sick. It takes a whole 1:20 of goosebump inducing guitar work harmonizing with the vocals of Ben Bridwell before the band comes fully together to strike you down with strange power. I dig the first set of lyrics, it really grabs you with the already moody feeling of the tune. But then I will admit that the lyrics lose me, it almost seems like Yoda wrote the tune with how things are said. Still, I cannot deny that it gives the song a special kick and also gives you a chance to not fully get sucked into just the lyrics and fall in love with all that is going on in the track. The song's lyrics are depressive, the atmosphere feels almost hopeful but in the end it is depressive, the song title is depressive, the music video is depressive and overall the song is just a little bit edgy and a little bit sad, which is a home run with me since I am both of those to my shame. I dig the track, and not to sound like a broken record, but I cannot state how excited I am to jump into the band's discography when I finally get around to 2006, even if it will probably be well over a year before I get close to it. Some things are worth the wait, and I think that Everything All the Time and Band of Horses as a whole is something I want to savor when it shows up. Just a matter of seeing if I can keep myself in line long enough. For now, I abuse this song. Well, my least favorite posts on this section of the website come from bands I don't know all too much about. It feels like fishing in a fountain. Honestly not sure where to go, and it is a tremendous shame when the song is this damn good! Sometimes it is all about the music doing the talking. This song is a personal one, it is meant to be listened to when you are by yourself sifting through your emotions, so no matter what I say here we honestly might not even have the same vibe or emotions from this song. So... just do me a favor and give the song a spin, won't ya? There is only so much I can type out here, some things really need to be tried to fully understand. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2006
Album: Everything All the Time (2006)
Genre: Indie Rock
Mood: Depressive
Perfect For: Going for a solo night drive, Feeling those feels, Focused listening, Thinking 
Where To Next: "Wake Up" - Arcade Fire 
Rating: 9 / 10

"Soul Sacrifice" - Santana

It is safe to assume that my Saturday choice is gonna be crowned victor over many other great choices that day. I am happy to have moved up to Salt Lake City, there are more like-minded people and the city skyline always makes me feel poetic. I also swear music is hitting different up here. I am not sure if it is me that is changing or what, but the music follows suit. Or is it there is something in this new chapter that has me picking up on different wavelengths. Some of the songs I loved dearly for years in my previous home just feel... different. Then there are others that I have adored for a long time that seem to have a new place within my heart. I guess that is life though, if you get stuck in the same bands forever then you miss out on so many others. Santana is one of the groups that I first picked up when jumping into all things rock when I was a preteen, many of his song has been tripped to, smoked to, drank to, fucked to, and there are even more that has complimented many a day throughout my life. Though, Santana has had a special place since moving up to SLC. There are few days that I can go without taking in some of the tracks that helped me form as a human. "Soul Sacrifice" is a perfect example of just that. What would have just been a casual drive after getting my oil done (yes, I know I can do it at home, but this place is literally the same price so what is the point) turned into an adventure within itself. Do you ever have the perfect song play for that moment? Perfect enough that it starts at a wonderful point upon the road and literally ends when you pull into your parking spot without even trying? Shit feels like a movie. It feels like destiny. For some songs that run 3 minutes, there is a good chance of it happening, but to pull one off that is 6:37 is a little bit different. Driving through the little streets of SLC's marmalade district made me feel right at home while Santana played in the background. There is something magical about "Soul Sacrifice". It could be that I did a lot of psychedelics to both this song and the album it came off of, but it always makes me feel so damn chill. The song comes off of Santana's self-titled debut album released in 1969. An album that I believe should be on everyone's record shelf right now. He is one of the most, if not the most, important figures in Latin rock. His rocking style had many people that would never listen to anything that came out of Latin America listening to many full albums of primo guitar work bathed in Caribbean rhythms. He has many timeless hits like "Black Magic Woman", "Maria Maria", "Evil Ways", "Smooth", and so many more under his belt and certainly is in a safe place when it comes to albums and songs that will survive the test of time. That debut I mentioned previously holds some of his most loved songs, and it shows off a more still wet behind the ears Santana before he fully found his place amongst the stars. I love the style of this album in comparison to some of his others, it is right for the throat rock music that still gives plenty of experimentation to have you coming back to it time and time again. It is easy to see why Carlos Santana is one of the many guitar gods that came out of rock from this same time. The album lays waste to your senses with a speed freaks delight, and unlike many of the guitar gods, Santana actually gives you good breather tracks in the album. A constant battle for your poor arm hairs as they raise up as high as they can stand and then lower once more. I strongly suggest anyone who likes rock music to give it a go, and I fully stand by my opinion that it is the best place for a new Santana fan to start, even if some of his other albums hold a little more critical acclaim. It is a raw sounding Santana that inspired many both from Latin America and the United States. The album holds a plethora of sounds that it really is a marvel to take it all in, especially in one sitting. Load up a bowl and give it a go, it will be one of those moments in life you won't forget any time soon, no matter how far gone you might get. "Soul Sacrifice" comes in as the final track on the album, and I can really not think of any other album that has a better outro track than this great instrumental. It leads into the song with a great dancing rhythm, before each member of the band showcases their skills behind their instrument. There is certainly a heavy leaning towards Carlos Santana singing to you with his six string serenade, and the drumming and congas from Michael Carabello and Michael Shrieve really make this the song it is. I love the dueling guitar and organ that comes and goes in the song after your brains are beat in by the drums. This song practically thrusted Santana in to the limelight. It was the outro song he did at his legendary Woodstock performance, and for the only band that performed without an album, he showed that he was the new kid in town with this track. Within one show, Santana was a known name, and the debut sold with a fever that many debuts from unknown groups ever see. Santana was high as a kite on psychedelics throughout the show but recalled fondly saying "by the time we got to 'Soul Sacrifice', I had come back from a pretty intense journey. Ultimately, I felt we had plugged in to a whole lot of hearts at Woodstock". A lot of hearts were certainly in tune with the band, and even now there are youngsters finding this album and having their heart connected to the whole even this many years later. A damn good song that is well worth the listen of practically anyone who can stand a long instrumental that doesn't ask any questions nor give any answers. This could be a song for you as much as it was for me. Give it a listen and see for yourself! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1969
Album: Santana (1969)
Genre: Latin Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Mood: Chill
Perfect For: Casual listening, Getting stoned, Having a beer on a summers day, Going for a mellow drive, Getting inspired 
Where To Next: "Suavecito" - Malo
Rating: 9 / 10

"You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" - Judas Priest

Hope we have some heavy metal maniacs amongst us for this post since we are once again taking another look into the metal gods Judas Priest! Judas Priest are one of the most well-known names in the metal world, their massively successful discography and their presence during the start of metal's forging left them with the title metal gods. That term may have been moderately self-entitled, but at the same time I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of the title than Judas Priest. The band first came along with the hard rock heyday in the mid 1970s. Their debut Rocka Rolla along with Sad Wings of Destiny and Sin After Sin saw Judas Priest with hippie clothing and hard rock fury. Rob Halford even had long purrrrtty hair! Something that is equally awesome and hard to look at. Those albums are highly underrated and are overlooked by far too many Judas Priest fans, if you are one of them then go back and give them a spin, especially the 2nd and 3rd studio album. Rocka Rolla is good, don't get me wrong, but in my opinion, it can hardly hold a candle to the other two. They had those 3 albums that already helped them get a more solid fan base and were well respected as those that release harder hard rock. Heavier than Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Led Zeppelin but still not heavy enough to branch away on their own journey. That was until 1978 rolled around that is, the year that saw Black Sabbath releasing their last studio album with Ozzy, and had two very bold Judas Priest albums. This was the year that Judas Priest fully found their heavy metal sound, a sound that would help influence the genre more than almost anyone at the time. The stage was set. The swords were sharpened. Flame and blood were at hand. Metal was born and was ready to take the fight to the stage, a battle it eventually won in the 1980s and took over the world as a known and dangerous music genre. I am not saying Judas Priest created heavy metal, but they might as well have. They released both Stained Class and Killing Machine (Hell Bent for Leather in the United States) in 1978, both stellar and essential albums from Judas Priest. This new-found fury with a commercial knack in their music didn't chill the hell out until 1986's Turbo and only stayed docile for a little bit before coming back even more heavy. Though I am sure we will get to that, I think we already talked about "Panic Attack" which is one of my favorite modern Priest songs, "Metal Meltdown" from their fucking intense 1990 release Painkiller, and the classic "Better by You, Better Than Me" from the afore mentioned Stained Class out of 1978. So how about we talk about their 6th studio album British Steel? This is the most essential Judas Priest album if you ask me, it has most everything you could ask for when it comes to commercial appeal 1980s Priest. It holds two of their most beloved tracks "Breaking the Law" (which gets stuck in your head for fucking hours) and also "Living After Midnight" which shows a more pop orientated metal sound but still is heavy enough to grow hair on the chest of any baby within ear shot. If those two tracks weren't enough to sell this album, there are also the fan favorites "Metal Gods", "Rapid Fire", "Grinder" and "United". Furthermore, there is a personal favorite of mine, "The Rage". This album is a complete heavy metal package, and it holds a legendary status amongst the long hair reprobates that stay true to the teaching of heavy metal. It blew my mind growing up, it almost single-handedly sold my soul to the gods of rock n roll, certainly a defining album in my musical cannon. It isn't just me though, without this album we might not have had Metallica, nor would we have had many bands. This album reached far and planted enough seeds in the brains of the youth that its effects are still being felt today. One of those albums that I think everyone needs to hear once in their life, and if I could have a choice to listen to any album again for the first time, then British Steel would be at the top of the list. Pure powerful heavy metal music that never goes out of style. "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" is track #7 on the album and comes right after "Living After Midnight". In my opinion it is the weakest track on the album, but this album's weakest is plenty of band's best so don't take that as a negative. That is also opinion based, "United" is right behind it and if you have the 2001 release of this album in your collection "Red, White & Blue" probably wins the title of the worst track. Damn, what a way to introduce a song. No room for negativity when a song rocks this damn hard! "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" is still a great track, and while it might be a pain to type out on the website over and over again, I do it with pride! The track starts off with some dual guitar, getting you ready for the heavy metal attack that will soon enough take fold when Rob Halford joins in on vocals at the 0:57 mark. It keeps a steady pace through the track, this invigorating atmosphere that has you pumping your fist as the chorus charges up and Halford releases those famous pipes of his. Lyrically, the song holds the heavy metal trope of "nobody can hold me down", a lyrical theme that always feels good no matter who does it. I fully agree with the song title and chorus, you don't have to be old to be wise, and as I grow older, I find that a lot of our elderly population can be dumb as hell, but that could just be my area. I know, I know, respect your elders and all that jazz, but I only respect those that deserve it and the ones that almost kill my ass on the highway when I am just trying to get to work get nothing but my spit. Anyway, the song complements the album wonderfully. An easy-going song that is as easy to head bang to as it is just to kick your feet up and take it in. I chose the song while listening through it on my new record player that I cannot get enough of. It sounded great, and as I type this out and have listened to it twice, I can promise you it sounds great again and will sound great for you too. Give it a spin! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1980
Album: British Steel (1980)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Mood: Invigorating 
Perfect For: Casual listening, Jamming out at home, Getting ready for the day
Where To Next: "Midnight Ride" - Girlschool
Rating: 7 / 10

"Tell Me Why" - Neil Young

Alright, we have had some seriously electric choices recently! Ones chock-full of energy or an overall feeling of happiness. So I think it is time we take a step back and feel low down, and when it comes to feeling low down my first place I always head is to Neil Young. There is a realness in his vocals that is impossible to compare to someone else. The guitar work and overall atmosphere always itches this sorrowful scratch that never ceases to be itching in the back of my brain. I have made some very serious decisions in my life while Neil Young has been playing. There are lyrics in some of his songs that convinced me to pull the trigger on both good things and bad things. "Don't Let It Bring You Down" and "Like a Hurricane" has convinced me to break up with a chick. "Comes a Time" and "Sugar Mountain" helped me feel more comfortable in my skin when leaving behind my teenage years. "Powderfinger", "Cowgirl in the Sand", "Four Strong Winds" and so many more has defined many of my travels around Utah. Neil Young has been there for so much of my life. His homey high tenor voice has caught me at some of my most exposed moments. In a strange way he was almost a father figure through my life, no offense to my actual father figures, but when I say that Neil Young's material helped me through the learning of life I genuinely mean it. Alright, enough gushing and sounding like a freak, especially if Neil Young comes across this website some day, wouldn't that be crazy? Shit gives me chills. Though, I am a realist and I know only my mom loves my website. Anyway! We have previously talked about Neil Young back in April before my life moved on to the next chapter, but it has been awhile, so let's sharpen you up on who Neil Young is. He is one of those musicians that seemed destined for greatness, having minor success in the music circuits in Canada before taking a life leap and running off to the city of angels, Los Angeles. After a little bit of time, Neil Young helped start up the folk rock powerhouse Buffalo Springfield, a band that has a ton of A grade material but is mainly known for their decade defining song "For What It's Worth". Following that he embarked on his solo career, and also played in the folk rock essential group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, another group that will set you right. His solo debut album released in 1968, and while this self-titled has a song or two that is good, there isn't all too much there that is worth rushing down to your record store to find it. I still dig it, but could live my life comfortably never hearing it. Though the same cannot be said about his second album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere alongside Crazy Horse, the backing band that helped Neil Young gain his iconic style. That album is gold and worth every second you invest into it, and if you are like me, you have invested a national reserve of seconds into it. Though, we will get to that album some day, for now we talk about the album that came after that shining diamond of an album, the fittingly titled After the Gold Rush. This album is an essential listen to from the 1970s, and it is one of Neil Young's best albums from his legendary discography. It holds some of his massive hits such as "Old Man" and many of his most heartfelt tracks that are almost painful to listen due to how much he wears his emotions on his sleeve. One of those tracks is our song of the day, "Tell Me Why". This song kicks off the album in a fantastic fashion, it feels low down and muddled. If you moved into this album following the harder edged previous album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, you might be shocked to see Neil Young went fully back to his countrified folk roots. It is the kind of song that beckons you to jump behind the wheel of an automobile and hit that road. Washing away the memories of broken love mile by mile. Another track that asks the hard questions of life, and even in comparison to our previous song of the day by Skeggss, this one really gets you feeling weak. Another track perfectly written for someone going through the confusing transitionary period in life of being an adult but not quite feeling like an adult. The song is melancholy as they come, but that is what I love most about Neil Young. There is a certain raw power that comes from that chorus too. The ramping up the volume while the backing vocals take a more forefront spot, cradling Neil Young in a blast of sound before the song fades back into its mellow nature. The guitar work is great, and as you could guess, those lyrics are top tier. "Tell me why is it hard to make arrangements with yourself, when you're old enough to repay, but young enough to sell". Those are some damn heavy lyrics that always hit me right in the face and the butt at the same time. This song is intoxicating in how it's set up, the rise up to the fall down shakes you up. Simply put, this song is powerful, it is emotional, and personal all wrapped into a 2:45 minute package. This whole album keeps this theme, and each track off of it is great, I cannot recommend this album enough, truly. Man, this was a whole post about me praising Neil Young, but I guess I do that for most bands, must get repetitious to read. Fuck it, I am not ashamed, why would I be? These groups mean the world to me, and I will push Neil Young albums on people so long as I live! So listen to it! Yeah, you! Come onnnnn! If not the album, then just this song will do, but I would be shocked if you don't have the strong urge to give the full album a spin after. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1970
Album: After the Gold Rush (1970)
Genre: Folk Rock
Mood: Melancholy
Perfect For: Having a cigarette while thinking of life, Driving on a lonesome highway, Life decisions, Feeling sad
Where To Next: "Helpless" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Rating: 9 / 10

"L.S.D." - Skeggss

I swear when I post a modern rock band on this website, there is a 78% chance they came out of Australia. I truly think that if rock is saved from the grave, it'll be by those cobbers from down under. Skeggss is a group that grabbed my attention a little less than a year ago, and each time I find the time to take in more of their material, I am more and more impressed. They don't shake it up all too much, but the sound they found and perfected is amazing. Some sped up surf rock mixed with a little bit of a punk sneer. Their lyrics are one of the highest selling points with me, it seems to have been written by and for people around my age. Those that want to party but cannot either find the time or the give a shit to see it through. There are plenty of the reckless tracks from the band, but I swear there is also a sense of remorse woven into the song. The kind of tunes you listen to while you wish you had beer money. The kind of band you listen to when you do have the beer money. People like me that are having a hard time leaving behind the little boy to fully become a grown man. Though, I think that is all lies that people lose their inner child, I think people just fake it through life and never let that side shine through. I personally am pretty childish, not in the dirty joke or whiney way, but the curious, confused, and loves to pester kind of way. One of my favorite parts about getting to know someone better is you get to often see that their inner child survived as well, but is only shown when there is a certain bond created... did you come here to listen to me rant or to find a new song? Alright, back to it. "L.S.D." was released by the band in 2014, it was their first single and hasn't been included on any studio albums. Even with it being their oldest song, it is easily the strongest song from their catalogue I have found. It holds the top place on their Spotify top ten by a pretty steep margin. Though that doesn't mean you should just give this song a go and that is that, check out their other stuff. Their most recent album Pacific Highway Music is a great one, much better than I thought it would be. If I was the type to go out and buy a new album upon release, then I would have been happy to pick this one up for full price, and I would even give the cashier a tip for just handing it to me. I have yet to listen all the way through the other two studio albums, but I will get there. From the tracks I cherry picked, I am pretty sure they are going to be great albums. Their debut My Own Mess charted damn high in Australia at number 2, and their follow-up hit number one. When I first came across the Skeggss I wasn't all too sure what I stumbled upon. I had yet to get to their song that was fairly low down on the queue, so I had plenty of time to check out their albums. A peculiar art style that lead me to believe it was going to be some sunbaked skate punk, which I would have been down for, but when "L.S.D." kicked on I was pleasantly surprised to see some garage rock forcefully exiting my speakers. I listened through this track over and over again and added it quickly to my prime picks playlist, there are few finer feelings than finding a fucking great song. This is the type of track that really steals all your attention. It doesn't even sound like something that would, but before you know it, all you want to do is lay on a rooftop and stare at the stars while this song plays mellowly in the background. The lyrics of the track that revolve around the complex questions of life, the questions of life and death, and if you are following the proper path to reflect fondly of your life. But the answer to all those questions according to vocalist Ben Reed is to turn that shit off and just enjoy the sunshine. Simple yet effective words. Something I try to remind myself daily since I constantly stress on how I spend my time. Though does any of that shit even matter in the end? Isn't life for the living? Existing is simply existing? So long as you aren't hurting anyone else then you are living right. Who cares if you are a rich man by the end? Who cares if everyone around you is chasing their tail? Sometimes it is best just to kick your feet up, nothing is lost and nothing is gained, just the simple act of living. For me, it takes a good song to really show that to me. It takes a good song to remind me of the simple things of life. Skeggss is the perfect remedy for a shitty work week. This track is covered in a silk of simplicity, but once you pull off that cover, you find some wisdom that makes the simplistic bristle with complexity. The band is great. Great for a beer on a Saturday, hanging out with friends, laying in bed with your partner, or pretty well anything so long as you want a good time. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2014
Single: L.S.D. (2014)
Genre: Garage Rock, Rock
Mood: Hopelessly hopeful
Perfect For: Daydreaming, Driving at night, Having a smoke in the middle of the night
Where To Next: "Boys Off Work" - The Ruminaters
Rating: 9 / 10

"The Guns of Brixton (Live)" - The Clash

The Clash is one of the most essential names in punk rock, they were one of the first to come along and gather massive fame in a genre that often got overlooked up until that point. The roots of punk were on the more artsy side of music, using music as a form of frustrated release but with a pinky up kind of outlook on music and art. There were those that came before The Clash with a straight forward raunchy style like The Stooges, The Dictators, and Death (not the metal band) and there were plenty that took the glam approach that made the transition for punk to take over the end of the 1970s much easier for rockers. By the time The Clash, Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Damned, and so many more came to take the stage, it was all ready for them to change the rock world forever. Each of the big bands that forced punk rock into the ears of the masses brought their own thing that forever set the route punk was taking. The Clash found massive acclaim in the UK and went on to popularize many varying styles in the punk world including dub, ska, post punk, and even divided fans with joining in on the new wave style that showed a softer side to the reckless youth that raged in concert halls across the world. I am one to appreciate all things The Clash. Their shorter discography gives you much more time to enjoy everything they put out, especially when practically all of it is good. The band released 6 studio albums in their time, and through the raw power and influence of those albums, they are often regarded as one of the most important bands to ever release an album. They even have the nickname "the only band that matters", and while I don't agree with that, there is some truth to those words. They really changed the punk world and released some albums that will never fade. Their place in the rock history books is safe forever. It is through albums like their punk masterpiece self-titled, their extremely known and legendary third album London Calling, and the fun party anthems that came off many of the albums following that one. Why am I here even typing this shit out? I am sure if you are drawn to this website you already know who The Clash is, what they have done, and most importantly many of their immensely famous songs. So how about we just take a look at our song of the day and the album it comes off of instead? Today we take a little look at 1999's live album From Here to Eternity: Live, which was recorded at varying places from 1978 to 1982. I am not one of those music listeners that spit upon live albums, it might not be my first go to for some bands, but there are the ones that really grab me from start to finish, and this album is one of them. Another thing I tend not to go for is live albums that were released well after they were recorded, some bands release an obscene amount of subpar live albums well after their prime has passed and for someone like myself that takes it all in they can get repetitive and are more often than not quite dull. Throw all those words out the window though when it comes to From Here to Eternity: Live. This live album is great, and well worth the listen. It shows off exactly what makes The Clash so damn addictive and why they are a name forever carved into the tree of rock n roll history. It shows off many of the different stages of The Clash. We have the punk favorites like "London's Burning" and "Career Opportunities", the reggaeton and dub sound on "The Guns of Brixton" and "(White Man) In Hammersmith", and the crowd pleasing new wave tracks that thrusted The Clash into suffocating fame like "London Calling" and "Train in Vain". Easy to say, there is something here for everyone. It seems each few song blocks are meant to put out a certain theme and this live albums serves as a strange auditory history of the band. I wouldn't suggest this album for a new fan of The Clash, nor would I to the casual listener of the band, but for someone who has picked through the chests full of shining gold that is their studio discography, then I would strongly suggest giving the album a go. As for those that are curious but don't wanna set aside over an hour for a live album, then it is still a good time to cherry-pick a couple, so why not start with my favorite live version of a song from this album "The Guns of Brixton". The studio version of this song is damn good time, it was the first song to be written and sung by the bassist of the band Paul Simonon who by London Calling in 1979 wanted a bigger piece of The Clash pie. The song is a unique one on the album, not only because of its heavy reggae style and a vocalist that isn't Mick Jones, but there is a hard edge to this track. Something sinister, but with lyrics like that it is expected. The lyrics are inspired by the crime film The Harder They Come (1972) which modernly is recognized for its soundtrack that helped bring reggae to the world. Simonon also used the influence of his growing up in Brixton in south London to tie it up into a wonderful package. I honestly think the live version is almost better than the studio. There is a ton of energy in this track, that dark edge is brought forth into the light with hard driving guitar work and fun twiddling drums. One thing I tend not to like about some live versions of songs is they feel rushed in a strange way, and "The Guns of Brixton" does exactly that, but this time around I think it compliments it. That rushed feeling makes it a lot more punky in comparison to the reggae side of the studio version. A perfect compliment to the album, and worth the listen back to back with the studio version. Feel free to give it a shot and see which one you dig more, especially if you already appreciate the studio version and haven't listened through this album yet. Hope you dig the track! I know I sure do. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1999 (Recorded 1981)
Album: From Here to Eternity: Live (1999)
Genre: Punk Rock, Reggae, Reggae Rock
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Casual listening, Imagining you're at the show, Driving
Where To Next: "Reach the Rock" - Havana 3 A.M.
Rating: 8 / 10

"Tear It Up" - Juice Newton

Welcome ladies and gents to the rock n roll circus! Today we are taking a look at Juice Newton, while she's not a rock artist we still chose a hidden gem from her collection that shows off a more rocking side. Newton is one of those artists that are really hard to place exactly what genre she is. Country would be the most fitting genre, but she pushes past that genre with a more folk, pop, and rock surrounding sound. She was one of the most successful names in the crossover country game, a country style that showed up near the end of the 1970s when disco and punk really smashed up the set lines of musical genres. Crossover country is typically used as a fancy term for pop country music, but it is actually more of a term that means that the artist had success in different crowds and charts. I, too, use "crossover country" to explain pop country since that is the genre that most of the recording artists went to, but there are plenty that crossed the folk lines like John Denver and Townes Van Zandt, and those that crossed the rock line like Charlie Daniels. So I will continue to use that term to explain Juice Newton but know it isn't the most accurate term, even if the populace has accepted what it means, much like they did with calling bison buffalo, who the fuck started calling bison buffalo? And why does everyone just roll with it? That and band-aid? Getting side tracked... Juice Newton had massive success in the crossover country world, dishing out 14 chart topping hits during the 1980s, and some like her version of "Angel of the Morning" and "Queen of Hearts" are some of the most well known songs to come out of its decade. She has had plenty of decade defining country hits, hits that show exactly what mainstream country music was going through at the time. I personally am not fond of crossover country, I think it destroyed the soul of country music and started the trend we see in modern country music. It lost all ties to the earth and started shooting for the stars, which is great, but country music was made for and by common people. This newfound stardom and country with a sheen makes my stomach hurt. It was during the late 1970s that country started taking this route fully, and even now those roots are there and show in modern country. I think it is the reason so many people are turned off from country music, well mainstream country music I should say. What were once cowboys are now urban cowboys, shiny trucks that have never once touched dirt with a shining tow hitch to boot. Damn... I really can't stay on topic today.... where were we... oh yes! While I may have a negative opinion of most crossover country, there are still plenty of artists and songs that push past my own "ick". Juice Newton is one of those, I love her hits and the times I have taken the time to listen through her albums I am pleasantly surprised, even if it is something I probably wouldn't be jamming at a red light. She has enough varying styles in her albums that it keeps me entertained, always wondering what the next song might bring. Her hits truly deserve their spots at the top. The presence of the folk-rock side of her material keeps me happy, and even when it gets a little too poppy for my taste I know there is something waiting just for me. So with that in mind, why don't we talk a little bit about her cover of "Tear It Up"? This song is rooted in the rock n roll era, a good timing dancing song with all the "woop-doo-wops" you could ask for. You can still feel the song came well after that style of music was a thing of the past, but you can also feel that Newton sings it as someone who is a fan of the old rock n roll, doo-wop, and R&B. The song was written by the Burnette brothers, who are mainly known for their legendary rockabilly outfit The Rock and Roll Trio, known modernly as Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio on most streaming services. If you have yet to listen to the group and go about your day thinking you love rock music, then you got some catching up to do. I love that group. Surprised they haven't shown up on the website yet... maybe I am the one with some catching up to do. The original song came out in 1956 and saw Johnny Burnette losing his mind in that hillbilly fever that made rockabilly so damn compelling! The two versions are pretty damn different, but an over 20 years difference will do that, especially when one is clean as hell and the other is as murky as that old rockabilly comes. Both songs are electric to say the least. Nothing much else to say about the track really, the song is a pretty straight forward good time. It comes off her 2nd solo studio album Take Heart. It shares a track listing with some of her fan favorites, but none of them at the time hit the same fame or notoriety as what was to come when she released her following album in 1981. One of her weaker albums to the masses, but I personally find it to be a decent one. I would buy the album solely for this one song truth be told, it is a damn fine one. I will never be disappointed by anything based in rockabilly music, be it a pop country cover or be it the goldmine of Warren Smith. Anyway, you know what to do, give the song a spin and tear that dance floor up! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1979
Album: Take Heart (1979)
Genre: Crossover Country, Country, Rock n Roll
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Dancing, Casual listening, Driving in that summer sun
Where To Next: "Not Fade Away" - Tanya Tucker
Rating: 7 / 10

"Lady (You Bring Me Up)" - Commodores

Sometimes I feel guilty posting things that aren't rock music. The whole premise of this website was all for the love of rock n roll, buuuut as time has moved on, I can't help but want to integrate other tunes. I suppose the base website supports rock and all its friends, but when it comes to the song of the day section, it serves as a vessel to expose my dear readers to songs, and also to celebrate the great music that has served as the silver lining to our brutal planet. Also, we mostly talk rock anyway. I just want to say I appreciate you coming to this corner of the internet to give my posts a read, and I hope that you found a couple of songs in the time I have been doing this section of the website. Rock music is still my heart and soul, metal is my religion, punk is my release, and all the others help fuel the man that is me. I will admit though, by the time I sit down and boot up the computer my guilt does fade away since I know I am still dishing out some high-quality tracks, never cutting corners and always am excited to talk about the bands and songs that I love. I do this for me as much as I do it for you. So, thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings, and also thank you for taking the time to listen to these kick ass songs. I hope it makes your week a little more bearable. I do wonder who most of you people are, though, and I wonder even more what you think about the songs. Alright, enough about that! Let's take a look at who we have here today. I have previously done a Commodores post about their massively famous song "Brick House", a song that is forever paired with the goofy dog Mocha, I wish you could read this Mocha so you could see all the shit talk in that post, much love. Commodores are known for many things in the funk and R&B world, they have been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, but only won one in 1986 for their big hit "Nightshift" which is sensual and soulful as they come. I am not one for their 1980s material I will admit, but there are a few that push past that like the iconic "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" which serves as our song of the day today. The song comes off the band's 9th studio album In the Pocket, which came out in 1981. It is the last Commodores album to feature Lionel Richie before he went off to do his solo material that practically floated the R&B and pop flagship. Commodores were honestly never the same following his departure, though that is probably a personal preference since, as I stated, I am not too fond of the 1980s albums. "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" is one of the Commodores most well-known hits, it peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 100 and was one of the Commodores tracks nominated for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals, ultimately losing to "The Dude" by Quincy Jones, and if there is a song you wouldn't mind losing to that would be one of them. Still, there is no doubting the great time that "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" gives you. Shit makes you want to dance along to it and lose yourself in the funky flashing lights of the music. Lionel Richie does a fantastic job behind the microphone, but we can't just chock it up to his sensational vocals. This is the type of song that you can feel that each person involved gave their all. The band does wonderful, keeps a steady and strong beat that keeps you hooked, and those that were behind those dials and switches put together a clean sound that is forcefully fun. I chose the track when spinning my Commodores greatest hits album, one of the few compilations I have on both CD and vinyl. It came in as the second track on that compilation, right after you get in the mood with "Painted Picture" one of their new songs that released on it. That is one good compilation, and it shows off so many different sides of the band, it gives you their most loved but still leaves room for the two new songs and still included "Sail On" which is one of the band's oddest ones since it is in country style. A great place to start for a new fan, and also a worthwhile compilation for seasoned Commodores fans. Well, though I am sure you know the song already, do me a favor and play it play it play it! Annnnd enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1981
Album: In the Pocket (1981)
Genre: R&B, Soul, Disco
Mood: Dancey
Perfect For: Dancing, Chores, Casual listening, City lights, Being half drunk, Hanging out with your lovely lady
Where To Next: "The Dude" - Quincey Jones
Rating: 7 / 10

"Attention Span" - Rebelution

There were so many quality choices for the song of the day for the 12th. A long day of driving around running errands and doing some shopping will always do that. That night, my lady and I had a few drinks and listened to some of the records I bought at an antique store. I walked away with some damn good choices for like 35 bucks. The two albums we listened to from the haul that night was Desolation Boulevard by Sweet, an album that I have adored for a long ass time, and the bluesy and so damn smooth Bridge of Signs from Robin Trower that has always been a favorite of mine to get stoned to. I won't bore you with the other ones I bought, but the others are just as grand, wouldn't be shocked if you see them here on this website sooner than later. We also listened through some I already owned, like the iconic debut from Boston, and ended the night once everyone started getting tired and sick with Waylon Jennings. So, with all those fucking great albums, and a day of driving around, I had a massive handful of tracks that gripped me that day, but none sold the day better than Rebelution. Strangely... I don't think Rebelution has made the website yet, so lets give you a little rundown about the band. When it comes to modern reggae music there are few bigger names than Rebeltion. They were one of the leading forces in pushing forward the reggae rock sound during the 2000s. Their debut Courage to Grow is an essential from the California sound and while that album has some of the best Rebelution in my opinion, that was only the start for them since following that debut they released great album after great album. They do a great job of keeping up with the changing sounds in reggae music and even modernly each album they put out is top tier. An impressive band that has a decently wide array of sounds on their albums, so far as reggae allows that is. Their dub is iconic, the almost ska punk style on their first album is great, and most importantly they released some of the most defining reggae albums of our century. "Attention Span" is honestly one of the best places to start into Rebelution especially if you intend to start from the earlier material before heading into the modern releases. Grooving and mellow with a great intro that always makes me want to get stoned, could be from muscle memory though. Back in my teenage days I can hardly count the amount of bowls I loaded to this album and with "Attention Span" being situated right in the middle of the album it was about the point where you are feeling mighty fine and are questioning if you should load up another or not, and with the following track being "Green to Black" the music always answered for you. Anyone who knew me back in the day practically knew most of this album and 2012's Peace of Mind by heart since it was on heavy repetition, especially when it was time to party it up. Rebelution always serves up a great time, their studio material has been there with me through thick and thin, and no matter what might be going on in life there are always some lines in those lyrics that make you stop and say "you know what... they are right". That is one thing I adore about reggae, especially when it comes to the 2000s and on reggae, their lyrics are always so damn uplifting. It is empowering music, and since everything about the style of reggae music is mostly positive, it somehow can seed itself into your ears much easier and effectively. "Attention Span" doesn't really show off what I mean about the uplifting lyricism, but it is off the album Courage to Grow and the title track for the album shows off exactly what I mean. That track has honestly helped me plenty of times in my life, not to sound like an edgy teenager, but no seriously. Powerful music that always hits me right in the heart and soul, sober or not. "Attention Span" is a much faster paced reggae track that is bristling with energy, a great song for the middle of the album too. This album has always felt a little intrusive to me. Both due to the serious lyrics that make you think a little too hard and also because its strangely personal atmosphere. It always feels like you are having a one on one with the band. Easy to see why this album is the most popular on Spotify. I cannot be alone on feeling what this album puts out. It feels like you are all alone at the base of a mountain trying to figure out the best path up, the steep and difficult one with a better pay off? Or maybe that one that wraps around and sure, it is easier, but you miss out on half of the sights to see on the steep one. Choices, choices, choices. Anyway! "Attention Span" once again isn't the best example of that but still is one of Rebelution's most endearing songs that is essential listening for anyone who digs the mellow groove that is reggae music. I find them to be essential listening for pretty much anyone who has ears. Great music! Powerful music! Music for you and music for me while we traverse that mountain trail of life. So give the song a listen, and if you have time on this lazy afternoon, give the album a spin too, it will not disappoint. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2007
Album: Courage to Grow (2007)
Genre: Reggae, Reggae Rock
Mood: Grooving
Perfect For: Getting stoned, Heading out for a hike, Hanging out outside, Seeing live, Summer days
Where To Next: "Sacrifice" - The Expendables
Rating: 8 / 10

"Jumpin' Jack Flash" - The Rolling Stones

We have talked about the stones many times here on this website. They are one of the biggest and most well-known rock bands to ever come into the rock 'n roll circus. Their lips logo is probably the most recognized band logo in existence. I often say a lot of this same stuff for a lot of the other bands that I introduce, but when it comes The Rolling Stones, I mean it, these guys are immensely famous. A lot of the time they get compared to The Beatles when it comes down to fame and impact, I mean the two came along at the same time and The Rolling Stones served as a raunchier Beatles for many. One was cleaner cut and family friendly while the other had long hair and did nasty things at their performances, well so far as dancing provocatively was considered nasty back in the mid 1960s. The Beatles certainly outsold them, and are probably more widely known but what really makes The Rolling Stones have my bet on being a more successful band is just how long they were in the limelight. There has not been another band that has had nearly as long of a successful career as the stones. They found fame right off the bat with their self-titled debut album (known as England's Newest Hit Makers in the United States) that released in 1964, and they kept that fame up a huge amount of successful songs and albums all the way up until their last studio album in 2023 Hackney Diamonds. I am a massive fan, and can tell you that not every single album deserves the chart position they got, but for the most part The Rolling Stones kept with the changing sounds while still keeping their core sound intact while serving up piping hot rock music. They were bluesy when it was good, they were psychedelic when it called for it, they were political during unrest, harder when the rock got harder, poppy when the rock got poppy, and all those things they did, they did it well and released at least a handful of great tracks from each album under those sounds. They still gave out some experimental tracks as well, all within safe margins, though. Furthermore, they helped form the "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll" lifestyle that made and break many a talented musician. Even if they tended to follow trends, they helped move those trends forward. Each album sounds like a Rolling Stones album, but still each album brings something a little different each time. I can go on and on about how much The Rolling Stones did for rock music. It isn't fair in the first place to try playing the "who would win, Batman or Superman" type of question between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones anyway, but there is simply no denying how crazy long The Rolling Stones career was, and there is certainly no questioning their throne at the top of the mountain of amplifiers. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" came after the band found themselves washed in the LSD of psychedelic rock, it is viewed as the band's return to a more blues-based rock sound. This track never showed up on a studio album, the first time it found itself on an album was 1969's greatest hits album Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2). As someone who has listened through everything The Rolling Stones has put out (aside from a couple of live albums) I cannot overstate how easy it is to overlook some great songs that the band put on a US release but not a UK release, and the same is easily said about their singles. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is not one you can miss easily though, it is one of their finest tracks if I do say so myself, and for it to not be on an album but still hold this high of a notoriety in the rock world is something unique in itself. After its placement on that compilation, it is safe to assume you will see it on practically any greatest hits compilation following. The song was a big hit and even modernly it lands pretty high up on most of the "greatest rock songs ever" lists. It has a very famous guitar intro, complete with that Keith Richards and Brain Jones cherry on top as they weave in and out of each other's playing, something they are well respected for and helped create the layered sounds that The Rolling Stones was dishing out during their prime years. Lyrically the song is nothing all too special, but even with being a Rolling Stones fan I will be one of the first to say their lyricism usually isn't all too profound, and I am not even slightly ashamed to admit it. Though, it isn't always about the words, it is how you say it, and when it comes to the iconic vocals of Mick Jagger we are in safe hands. Great frontman, and a good singer that pushes the band forward. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a Rolling Stones classic, through and through, simplistic yet so damn thrilling. This is the song the band has played live the most, and the version off their legendary live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out which released in 1970 is one of the best off the album and serves as a damn fine intro song. Anyway! Give the song a play even though you probably already know the track. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1968
Single: Jumpin' Jack Flash / Child of the Moon (1968)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Lively
Perfect For: Having a beer, Working, Small drives, Getting ready for a night of fun, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Your Wall's Too High" - Steppenwolf
Rating: 9 / 10

"Chick Habit" - April March

Today we got a weird one, but it is always nice to spice up the regular picks. Spotify has been trying to force-feed me this song for a year, I swear. Each time I jump on the varying ways Spotify allows you to expand your musical compass easily I will often see the same songs as I am sure is the case for you too. I think some of the reason it keeps showing me some of the same songs over the span of a year is because each time it comes back around I express interest. One that kept coming up was "Chick Habit" by an obscure musician under the name April March. From the looks of my minor looking into, she is not only obsessed with all things French (hence her other songs in French) but also has a long list of other arts she has taken part of. She did all the weird ass creations in Pee Wee's Playhouse (that show felt fucking gross), did a lot of the background art for Ren and Stimpy (also a show that felt fucking gross) and even wrote a couple of episodes. Aside from that, she has worked on children's books and did the intro song to Cartoon Network's I Am Weasel (thankfully is a little less gross). When it comes to her music, I haven't personally dug deeper into her other work aside from her Spotify top 10 which is mainly made up of French songs off the same album as "Chick Habit". The album, or I guess EP, shares the same name as her biggest hit song that we are talking about today. I dig the album enough, it is... cute... if I had to put it into words. I am not talking shit by saying that, straight up it feels cute, but that might be because she sings so innocently and novice in a strange haunting way. It is kind of enchanting, and a little bit hypnotizing. Funnily enough, the times I have heard this song I kept thinking to myself "now this is something that would easily be in a Tarantino film", and now that I am here looking into her a little bit more, it indeed was in Death Proof, a movie my girlfriend has been trying to get me to watch for a long while. I have always been fond of Tarantino films, but I am not much of a movie or show person so it is nigh impossible to get me to sit still to watch them, but I will and maybe this song is a calling to give it a go. "Chick Habit" is a cover from France Gall who released the first version in 1964, it found great fame in France so it isn't shocking April March picked it up since she is France obsessed. The song was written by Serge Gainsbourg which is a well known name in the European music world, even my American self knows about him, and as you know the good ol' USA tends to not hear much unless it is the sound of gunshots, eagles crying, and the sound of cash registers. Anyway! You gotta look into him yourself if you like, quite the man for better or worse. Where was I... oh yes! The song across the ocean was called "Laisse tomber les filles" which pretty much means "drop it with the girls". Check the song out too, it is an interesting take especially since French is a language both fun and perplexing to the ears, if you ask me at least, it's on the list for one of those languages I would like to learn some day. April March also does a French version of the song under the same name mentioned before. But we are here to talk about the English version, "Chick Habit". The song has this strange whimsical vibe to it. It is certainly something unique, and also something unlike anything else you have heard today (probably). It feels like it came years and years before its release in 1995. The song is a "you will get yours" kind of song. Our character in the story is telling a dude to stop messing around with those gals or else you're gonna end up dead or alone.. or both. The lyrics are kind of silly, but let's be honest, the whole song is meant to feel a little silly. I would have eaten this song up back in my self entitled "Casanova" days, but now I find it simply fun. I think April March does a great job painting a picture, and with that simplistic way of putting out the lyrics it is honestly a little bit creepy. This song could work at a cocktail party as easily as it could work at a Halloween party. The song is also another damn catchy tune, that spy movie backing and a little bit of a surf rock rhythm lets the song move along smoothly. It is a fairly quick song, only coming in at a little over two minutes, but there is enough of a presence in the song to make you liable to play it on repeat for a little bit. Be it a cautionary tale for you heartbreakers out there, or a song with a little bit of spite while you think of that heartbreaker you used to know, give the song a play and see what you think! E n j o y!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1995
EP: Chick Habit (1995)
Genre: Pop, Indie Pop
Mood: Fun
Perfect For: Casual listening, Playing it on some old speakers, Heading off to a date
Where To Next: "Mr Mystery" - Fabienne DelSol
Rating: 6 / 10

"Time Heals" - Gear Daddies

The Gear Daddies are an underrated group to say the least. Their brand of alternative country mixed with alternative rock is at a perfect balance, especially with the album that holds our song of the day. The band only released 3 studio albums in their time. Their debut Lets Go Scare Al is an odd one but an easy one to get behind, I think its album cover might confuse those at the record store back in the day, but once you got it home you would be glad to find you have something of quality. Not the kind of album you sit down and listen to while your jaw is on the floor, but the kind that plays in the background just to enjoy. It feels like the kind of album that is playing in a country bar when the main characters of a movie walk into the joint. A good start, but nothing in comparison to their second studio album, Billy's Live Bait. This is their most loved album, and it holds the band's two bigger and only hits, "Stupid Boy" and "(I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni". It also holds our song of the day "Time Heals", but we will get to that here soon. This album might as well be their "greatest hits" since it is a genuinely great album that is highly underrated. I enjoyed their debut, but it wasn't until this album that I found myself impressed and willing enough to call myself a fan. Their 3rd and final studio album Can't Have Nothin' Nice, released in 1992 and was a decent way to end their career. As much as it pains me to say, within that album you can see why they only had three albums. They were onto something, but lacked the backing power to see it through. They came a little bit too late for the revival of americana, but also a little too early for alternative country to see its brief moment of fame. Still, I would suggest giving each album a listen if you enjoy what you hear here today, but maybe start with their crown jewel Billy's Live Bait. Let's talk a little bit more about that album, since I don't feel like I gave it justice. The album cover is not a great one, though it strangely matches the small town boredom vibe that is the Gear Daddies. It is a little more rock leaning than their debut, and overall the band feels like they are playing a little tighter and with more direction. They know how to throw a serious hook, and they certainly don't hold back from putting out some damn catchy choruses, but that is alternative rock's claim to fame in the 1990s. If the people don't wanna sing it back to you at a show, you might have missed something. "Time Heals" is easily my favorite Gear Daddies track, and also I am confident in saying it is the best off the album, even if it often gets overshadowed by the hits off it. Give those a spin after and see if you agree. What I adore most about "Time Heals" is that atmosphere. It feels like it was written from the heart, and even with its fun feeling, it also feels a bit personal. There is an edge that follows suit with a lot of the music that comes out of the upper Midwest, I can't quite put my finger on it, but that feeling it puts out makes me feel like I have lived and experienced life there without ever setting my tires upon Minnesota asphalt. Something cool and casual yet also spurs up the longing for change. There is some home teaching in it too, something raw and human, but once again I am having a bitch putting it into words. See "Time Heals" for example, the song is exciting but still feels like it is longing for something. The song revolves around the wise words from our character's father which takes form in the chorus. Throughout the song, he is reminded of those words as he moves along. "Time heals and time forgets" is something we all need to be reminded now and then. Life moves on without waiting, and a lot of what you were 5 years ago is simply not who you are now. The people that get stuck at a certain point in life aren't fully living, evolving as a person is so damn important. Something I have to remind myself too. Objects in the rearview mirror may appear closer than they are. I know you didn't come here for a lesson, or for me to drawl on with cliché advice, especially since I can't even take my own advice, so I will spare you. Another little thing I like about this song is that catchy ass chorus, and what sets it apart from any other catchy ass choruses since this is from the 1990s is it doesn't just end. Right where most bands would end the chorus and mellow the song out, the Gear Daddies push it on until the guitar takes form so you never have a full moment to take it in nor to have the song fully peak, it stays strong from start to finish. It helps the flow of the song, and makes it a little more unique in comparison to some of the other tracks off the album. So give yourself a little time and load that song up on your phone, it is a good one, that I can guarantee. You get some sound advice to boot as well. Have fun getting it stuck in your head, and as always, enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1990
Album: Billy's Live Bait (1990)
Genre: Alternative Country, Country Rock, Alternative Rock
Mood: Fun
Perfect For: Casual listening, Going for a drive, Having a smoke, Heading to work
Where To Next: "Looking for a Way Out" - Uncle Tupelo
Rating: 8 / 10

"Seventh Son" (Live at the Whisky A Go Go 1965) - Johnny Rivers

When it comes to versatility, there are few that did it better during the 1960s and 1970s than Johnny Rivers. He is the type of musician that played in the background but made serious waves on the direction music was taking. Through his live albums during the 1960s at the Whisky A Go Go he popularized discotheques during this period, a pain in the ass term to spell that means a place where people go to dance to music, especially of the pop variation. People were previously going to places to dance, but a lot of the time it was a jukebox sending them off or a live performer. Crazy to think about now, since almost any bar or pub you go to has constant and typically loud music playing. I hate going into a bar and it is quiet, half the atmosphere is the music, and for people like me, it can make or break a drinking establishment with what music they choose. I ain't a snob though, and I know it is probably going to be popular music of the last couple of years buuuut that doesn't mean I tend to choose places with tunes that are more to my liking. Typically makes for my song of the day selection, that and I can annoy people who are with me about pointless facts of the band playing. Getting side tracked again, let's just jump into the album that this version of "Seventh Son" comes off of. Johnny Rivers released Meanwhile Back at the Whisky a Go Go in 1965. This was the third live album recorded at the venue, the previous two coming out of 1964. All are great ones to listen to, and in my opinion I think that is where the best of Johnny Rivers resides, even if his studio work is damn good too, especially his 1960s material. "Seventh Son" was the only single that came off of the album, and is also the best song on the album if you ask me, even if his version of "Greenback Dollar" does hold a special place in my heart and plenty of the other covers (mostly blues and folk) are almost equals. "Seventh Son" was written by Willie Dixon, a blues legend, and I honestly feel Johnny Rivers does a great rendition, even if it feels a little less swinging than the original recorded version by Willie Mabon in that sweet rhythm and blues style. Anyway, the term seventh son is abused in music, be it Iron Maiden or blues legends, but it is a great little piece of folklore that believes that the seventh son of a seventh son has mystical powers. That means no sisters between the father or the son, a feat that I am sure is almost impossible, so who knows, maybe it does give you some special powers. The character in our story is one with those powers, so with that in mind, you can understand why the song is so damn moody. It is magic in the form of music, and Johnny Rivers commands the stage with a serious presence. That magical sound is made up with pieces from blue-eyed soul and Elvisesque swamp rock, like we hear later on his cover of "Polk Salad Annie". A great way to start off the live album, and it makes it really easy to see why this song launched to fame in the top ten on the Billboard 100. I chose the song when finally getting my turntable up and running. Isn't it weird that it took me this long into my life to actually get one? Not sure why I dragged my feet other than knowing it is a big pain in the ass to start up, and it was, but the feeling of hearing Van Halen's self-titled debut the way that the gods of rock n roll intended was worth it. I had some piece of junk record player before from the infamous Crosley brand, and I could have maybe dealt with it if it wasn't for the straw that broke the camel's back that is it had a really hard time playing singles. I have plenty of singles I picked up in bulk at some point or another, many of which are originals that seemed to have been potentially owned by a radio DJ back in the day due to the strange notes written on the slips. I have been excited to listen to them, many of which are country and rockabilly singles, but I got a couple of Johnny Rivers ones so when I was testing if it could do it "Seventh Son" was the chosen one. The quality of it was great, and the speakers filled the air with its mystic tension, I knew then it was to be my song of the day, especially since this song could have easily taken the pick no matter which medium I used to listen to it. Just a plain great song that has great lyrics written by Willie Dixon, the more American version of the seventh son legend where in a mining town British adventurer and writer Edward Augustus Kendall met a man who relayed the tale of a seventh son who lived in the nearby hills that had a caul on his head who knew everything about the world inside and out. I am sure he was full of shit, but it sure is something, and I want to believe for the fun of it. Anyway! A great song and a wonderful first full swing to test out what my turntable can do! I am excited to listen through more of what I got and to gather more, even if it can get expensive. So stay tuned and see what we are gonna spin next, you might just hear about it here on AintNoisePollution! Thanks for reading! Until next time. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1965
Album: Meanwhile Back at the Whisky a Go Go (1965)
Genre: Rock
Mood: Moody
Perfect For: Casual listening, Relaxing at home, Driving in the sun, Having a beer
Where To Next: "Polk Salad Annie" (Live 1970) - Elvis Presley
Rating: 9 / 10

"Take Warning" - Operation Ivy

Operation Ivy rests in a spot of legend in the punk world. Their roughneck approach to ska and punk landed them as one of the leading forces in the third wave of ska. Even with all the fame and acclaim, the band only had one album and one EP, both of which are completely full of damn good songs. Both of those pieces of media would be put onto their self-titled compilation, which serves as the most accessible piece of Operation Ivy you can get modernly. The others never even made it to CD, so to find the album Energy and the EP Hectic is a special find that many people keep their peepers open for when digging through those vinyl crates at second hand stores. You can easily buy it online for a fair price, but what is the fun in that? Before the internet, it was a fairly hard disc to get, but I am glad that their compilation exists to make my life a little easier to access them on any streaming service. Anyway, "Take Warning" comes off the band's only studio album fittingly named Energy, one of the most important albums ever to release in ska punk and in my opinion punk overall. The album is a start to finish goldmine of quality tracks that are as aggressive as they are groovy. It became an album that many would emanate, and not only that, but Operation Ivy served as a vessel to get each member doing something big in the punk world following the short stint that was Operation Ivy. Guitarist and vocalist Tim Armstrong (under the name of "Lint" for Operation Ivy) alongside bassist Matt Freeman went on to create Rancid, a band that helped define the 1990s punk sound, so to have two of punks biggest names coming from these two is something of awe. You can certainly feel the Operation Ivy sound in Rancid's first couple as well, soon enough they formed their own strong sound but for the first little while it was ska heaven, just maybe not as powerful as what they did in Operation Ivy. Jesse Michaels which gave us those spitty vocals went on to have other bands that put out great albums and rubbed shoulders with many different musicians such as Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), nothing ever hitting the same fame as his work we hear here today though. Then lastly we have Dave Mello which gave no mellow drumming to Operation Ivy but didn't do too much following, mostly trying to keep out of the public eye. So I guess the most impressive thing the band went on to do after was set up Rancid to become the legendary name they are, still you cannot put down the other member's separate work since it is as good just not as impressive. Man, I am having a hard time typing today, sometimes it just goes that way but let's get back into it. Operation Ivy holds a special place in my heart as well. I came across them many a moon ago, it felt like finding the holy grail of punk rock. I heard the whispers of Operation Ivy growing up but was still too young to fully get sucked into ska, but by the time ska came into my life it was like a musical rebirth. The genre is also a good challenge since there were so many bands in the ska punk movement that released like 4 important songs and then fucked off, making it hard to gather everything that I can. One of those genres I miss something no matter how much I check under every rug and behind every door. Though, if you are even going to type in "ska punk" into google, Operation Ivy will be one of the first to show up. The album is legendary, and it impressed me thoroughly when I first listened to it. Their most well known song "Sound System" was religiously listened to for a good long while, and even all these years later the majority of the songs from this album can be seen in any punk playlist I ever put out, since no matter what mood you are in they are there to make it a party. Great stuff to play loud as hell, and they are still damn good played quiet and mellow. I grieve I never got more from the band, though. Right after they finished the album and were getting ready to do the fine-tuning such as the album cover and such, the band broke up. Their last performance was at the party for the album's release. Sparkle and fade. Still, there is no doubting the impact that this one album had on all of punk music. You can feel it in ska punk bands like The Suicide Machines, and you can also feel it in more mainstream punk bands like Green Day. They are like the Sex Pistols of the ska world. Well, if you have yet to listen through some of their material, I beg you to do it now. Maybe start here with "Take Warning" which is a perfect rallying call for the band and one of my favorites off the compilation we will include below. Lyrically, the song feels a lot like a Rancid song. It is a positive and powerful song that is put out with raw aggression and a more reggaeton backing in comparison to some of the other tracks, giving it a much more ska feel than a punk feel. A great song that I am excited for you to listen to! Thanks for reading, even if this one was a tad bit weaker than some of the other posts. Can't win 'em all. I will just let the music do the talking. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1989
Chosen Compilation: Operation Ivy (1991)
Genre: Ska Punk
Mood: Energetic
Perfect For: Getting pumped, Working, Jiving around the house
Where To Next: "Hooligans" - Rancid
Rating: 8 / 10

"Some of Shelly's Blues" - Michael Nesmith

Everyone sings the praise of The Monkees, though it seems not many took the time to see what the Monkees did with their solo work. Michael Nesmith in my opinion has the best solo material, but Davy Jones is a quick second. If you compare each of the members solo work it is funny how it creates the Monkees much like The Beatles and their solo work, guess it makes sense, but it is also a little funny. Those two bands are different stories though are strangely similar, they were both heavily guided musically during the start where the fame became hard to handle, then after they were unbound they went crazy with expansion and experimentation but still managed not to lose their core vision. Anyway, we can talk Beatles another time. The Monkees had a damn good run both with their music and their show, I was shocked on how much I adored the band once I jumped into their studio material all those years ago, and a lot of that admiration came from the fun sunbaked guitar playing of Michael Nesmith and the songs that he lead the vocals on like "Love Is Only Sleeping", "All the King's Horses", and many more. Though let's take a quick look at The Monkees song "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" which is if not my favorite Monkees song, it holds a strong place in my top 5. That song is off the band's Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. which is one of my favorite albums of theirs, that fondness comes from the style of that album. Unlike many of their other fun pop baked albums, this one sees the band taking on a more psychedelic sound and also messing around with country rock, much like we hear in "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?". Now, why do I bring this up in a post not about The Monkees? Well, to show you the roots and where Michael Nesmith came into play during the band's freedom period. If you have yet to hit play on the song, give it a play now, and you will find yourself in some pure quality country rock. Not all of Nesmith's solo work is based in country rock, he plays around, but if you ask me that is where the gold is. "Some of Shelly's Blues" shows off not only Nesmith's great acoustic guitar skills, but it also lets you see how great of a lyricist he is. Simple words that are woven into a song with pure skill. This track was previously recorded by the Stone Poneys, a group led by the powerhouse Linda Ronstadt before her true fame came, and also the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band which is country rock royalty. I love each of those versions, but there is something homey about this version here today, I mean he is the one who wrote it so who else would understand the true tone of the song better? Lyrically, it covers the tale of a man talking to his woman that is trying to jump ship. The question of what life would be without your chosen partner is something we all think about at one point or another, either out of boredom, frustration, wanderlust or pure human curiosity. If you are someone who has never pondered that, then you are either a liar or honestly need to do a little bit of thinking. It is healthy for a relationship if you ask me, it strengthens what you love most about your partner and reminds you why they are the one you chose. If you cannot answer that question to yourself without serious thinking, then maybe you need to do a different sort of thinking and a whole lot of walking. As for this song, I find it well written on the topic. Why gripe about what is wrong when your life has been fairly smooth up until this point, so settle on down and stay with the one who genuinely loves you instead of trying to create excitement. The version with Linda Ronstadt on vocals hits a little bit different with the alternate gender roles, in a strange way it hits a little less hard, but that could be due to my preference for the Nesmith version. Anyway, that is for you to decide and if you want a little extra credit then pull up the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band version off their 1970 goodie Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy. The rest of the album is a good one, well worth the full price, and one that is perfect for a chill time at home. The album cover is decent enough, but nothing to write home about, even if I do find the small letters that say "buy this record" mixed into the imagery kind of silly. Fun fact, when it came out on CD, it says "buy this Compact Disc" instead. Modernly, it should say "don't pirate this album". Anyway, a great song off a stand-up album that is just sitting there waiting for you to play it... so whatcha waitin' for? Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1973
Album: Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash (1973)
Genre: Country Rock
Mood: Homey
Perfect For: Casual listening, Thinkin' about life and love, Relaxing at home, Having a beer
Where To Next: "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round" - The Monkees
Rating: 8 / 10

"...And Justice for All" - Metallica

Well, it looks like we are here again talking about Metallica. The most successful heavy metal band to ever hit the scene, and one of the highest selling and respected artists the world has ever seen. They now have the most selected songs in the song of the day section, I mean it is only 6 selections out of 424 different posts but still that is impressive! It isn't shocking though, you cannot have a metal or rock website and not have Metallica show up a ton, it is impossible! This is the first choice from the band's 4th studio album ...And Justice for All released in 1988. This album is without a doubt one of their strongest, even though the recording quality is a little lesser than the others. It was the last full album to see the band taking on a full thrash metal sound all the way until 2008's Death Magnetic. Metallica catches a ton of heat in the metal community for "selling out" following this album, so for many of the elitists that think their opinion on it matters, this is the last album with their full respect. I don't jump on that bandwagon; I like the luxury seating of finding something good in all Metallica! Well... except Lulu... but maybe we will cover that at another time. ...And Justice for All is the first full album to feature Jason Newsted on bass which I honestly feel bad for him to be trying to take the place of such a well-respected and talented bassist like the late Cliff Burton who passed in 1986. I am not one to hate on Newsted, I find him to be a great bassist that gets the job done no matter how dirty it might be. He gathered my respect in Metallica quickly, and then when I started doing the deep dive into all things metal 16 years ago or so, I found him to be even more impressive with Flotsam and Jetsam (a favorite speed metal band of mine) and his work in Rock Star Supernova alongside Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (Guns n Roses), and Lukas Rossi is a lot of fun. He has plenty of other bands and songs under his belt, though nothing got close to the critical acclaim and success like his time with Metallica. Once again, they are a fucking huge band, so there is no shame in that. I don't think they intended for him to show off too much in this album, nor do I think he was trying to out bass the bass maestro Cliff Burton, so his presence in this album is sort of muddled. That also brings me back to one of the qualms I have with this album, that recording, after such a crisp and bombastic album like their previous studio album Master of Puppets you would expect them to keep the same recording and sound, but ...And Justice for All sounds so muffled, even though I would say this is the band's most complex album they ever put out. You can hardly even hear the bass guitar, and when you do it sounds like he's playing with a blanket over the amp. Even with that recording and the lacking of Cliff, the album went on to become one of the band's most well-known due to timeless metal tracks like "One", "Harvester of Sorrow", "Blackened", and so many more! It is a worldwide multi-platinum selling album and was the band's fastest bestselling album upon release. It was the one that really set them in stone as one of the faces of Mount Rockmore. A great album, and for a long time this was my favorite album of theirs until Kill Em All took that title and has still yet to be dethroned. Alright, I think that sums up the album alright for now, if you want more then just wait until I inevitably choose another track from this album or just do the research yourself, you think I do this shit for free?! (I do). "...And Justice for All" is the title track from the album, and is the second on the track listing coming right after "Blackened" which is heavy enough to make you piss blood. After such an earth shaker, the band gives us a second to catch our breath, and that is this track. That doesn't mean this sucker isn't a heavy track, oh no, this track is heavy as hell, but it shows off that complex song structuring like I mentioned earlier. A beautiful guitar intro that soon enough has another guitar join in before it teases the loud drums and dual guitar unity before finally sending the song off with a bang. This is one of my favorite metal songs to drum along to on the steering wheel, Metallica is one of the best for that since Lars doesn't typically do some crazy ass drumming. Smooth and steady, which gives the guitars all the room to do the talking. Like a lot off this album, it is revolving around injustices and the problems we deal with in a capitalist society where even hardly smiles ever come free. Serving as the title track is never an easy feat for a song, there is a lot riding on it both with the theme of the album and the set tone, but when it comes to "...And Justice for All" it does fucking great. One of the highest points of the album is the first two tracks. This song was one of the promotional singles from the album, another thing that is not to be taken lightly for a song, especially one this long. The band does a wonderful job of keeping it fresh though. One of my favorite parts of the song is in the middle where the instrumental break kicks your ever lovin' ass! The guitar work of both Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield is some of my favorite on this song, even if it isn't their most technical playing. Melodic while aggressive. Light as a feather while being heavier than steel. After the instrumental break it moves back into the song without a hiccup as James Hetfield gets back to singing about the betrayal of the justice system. Then the song finally has its final block as the sweet singing of guitars sends you off to lick your wounds after such a song of power. Every song you listen to following it for a solid 30 minutes will seem a little lacking. Anyway! You know what to do now! Sit your cute little butt down, load up the song on your favorite music medium, annnnd enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1988
Album: ...And Justice for All (1988)
Genre: Thrash Metal
Mood: Intense
Perfect For: Steering wheel drumming, Banging your head, Casual listening
Where To Next: "Practice What You Preach" - Testament
Rating: 8 / 10

"Hertz" - Amyl and The Sniffers

Hope everyone's 4th of July went well and safely. I have always viewed it as a pointless holiday, but I am damn glad to get an extra day off of work! I think this was the first 4th I have had while working that I actually had it fully off, it was nice. Wish working didn't take up so much of our life! Think of all the music we could listen to or make! Anyway, just because it was the holiday doesn't mean I didn't make time for some musical expansion for new music Friday. On the downtime, I was trying out some new tracks and bands, but it wasn't from my own searching that I found Amyl and The Sniffers. My family threw a little get-together for the 4th, not because we wanted to celebrate the Stars and Stripes, but just because it was an excuse to get together. My stepfather Nathaniel III (or Nate if you haven't seen his birth certificate) asked if I have heard Amyl and the Sniffers. I first thought he asked if I have heard "The Anal Sniffers", which after just checking turns out there isn't a band under that name, so maybe you should start one up! I ain't buying any merch though. Anyway! After some joking about the misunderstanding, he played them. I wasn't blown away by their leading song "U Should Not Be Doing That" though by the time we got to the third song "Hertz" I knew another band has been found to be kissed! With its overly in your face spittiness and hard driving choruses, the band is a ton of fun! I won't lie though, it takes a second to get comfy in the band due to the shock appeal lyrics and overall trashily lusty feeling that fills the sound. That is the appeal though, and that is what helps separate the band and Amy Taylor on vocals from the potent rock and punk that is constantly streaming out of Australia. The band is like a mosquito bite, at first you are disappointed you got bit, but there is some enjoyment in satisfying that itch, and sometimes you do it until you bleed. I think the group would have no opposition to having a mosquito bite being an analogy to explain them. Anyway! I had a small handful of songs end up on one of my most holy playlists, known as the "prime picks". They are a small series of playlists that are private to only me but are made up of new songs that I discovered that are fantastic. I hear hundreds of songs a year in the name of expansion, and hardly any make it into the prime picks. So, to have a group or song be shown to me that gets put in there means not only will I forever affiliate that song with you, but also you got some good taste! So thanks Nate (or Nathaniel III as your birth certificate states) for the good suggestion! Alright, let's take a little more look into the band, even though these posts are the hardest to do since I can't just rant and rave from memory. Looks like the band came out of Melbourne, the same place as some of my most favorite modern rock groups, like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Australia came into the modern rock world with serious aggression! They have always been around in the rock, punk, and metal world, though I don't think they ever had such a far grasp as they do now with these top tier acts coming out from down under. A lot of time they try a different approach, see Amyl and the Sniffers for example, their sound is obviously fresh and modern but at the same time there is strong influence from 1970s punk and the art rock. You can feel the snottiness from The Damned, some of the aggression from the hardcore punk scene from the 1980s, the Australia pub rock sound of today, some of the lusty lyricism that is common modernly, and a little kiss of a sound that could only come out of the band themselves. It is bands like this that stresses me the fuck out though, I study music day in and out, but somehow I have yet to hear this band with 1,214,463 monthly listeners?! I know I got my head stuck in the older stuff, but this shit is right down my alley, so how did I miss it until now?! No matter what I do, I miss something, there is just too much music for one man! So do a boy a favor, would ya? I got my email hooked up in my contact info, and I check it.... sometimes... but if there is something you think I would like (especially with modern music) then don't hesitate to send it over to me. That or if you got your local band that needs a little love, then let me see let me see. I am a shit critic, I just don't have a snobbish or rude bone in my... ear, so I won't hate anything you send me more than likely. Keep it rockin' that is all I ask. Anyway! Give the song and band a listen, they are certainly to be unlike anything you have heard today. Shit, let your neighbors hear it too! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2021
Album: Comfort to Me (2021)
Genre: Pub Rock, Punk Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Driven
Perfect For: Driving, Casual listening, Wanting to see a live show, A night on the town
Where To Next: "Tuning In" - Teen Mortgage
Rating: 8 / 10

"Fight Till Death" - Slayer

Alright, did you get a chance to catch your breath with that last song? Good! Well... time to have it knocked back out of you! On your way to the floor, be sure to thank the gods of heavy metal for allowing Slayer the chance to punch you in the gut! Slayer is one of my all-time favorite bands, they have been in my top 5 for most of my life, and I don't think that will ever change. No matter how much I abuse their many amazing songs, I never grow bored, I am always thrilled as hell to hear one of their intros since I know it is about to command those few minutes. I think this is their 5th song to be included on the website, which up to this point has them tied with Metallica and The Beatles. Those other two I adore, but nothing like I adore my precious Slayer! Fuckin.... SLAYER! Alright, now that we got that out of the way, let's jump into the band a little bit shall we? I am sure this will sound like a broken record since I have previously ranted and raved about how much I adore this band, but what do you do. Slayer came along with the thrash metal attack that happened in the mid 1980s. A time when metal was finally gaining strong traction into becoming a genre that would rise to the surface amongst the other big sounds of the time. Metal was getting stronger year by year, but they needed something that fully separated them from the hard rock sound from the previous years for the world to take them seriously. The answer to that was thrash metal, something that isn't so extreme is scares you away, but is still some seriously heavy shit that raises those hackles. The big four of the thrash metal are Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax and none of those other bands shared the same starting ground as the almighty Slayer. Sure, they are heavy groups but nothing like what Slayer was doing during their first 2 albums before they left that murky black metal / death metal feeling behind for a cleaned up fully thrash metal attack. Their imagery was much more extreme, with the satanic themes and an obsession with death. Their brand of metal was faster than any others and they weaponized the heavy metal drums. I love their early sound equally to their prime years and also their heavier sound they started pushing out in 1994 on. "Fight Till Death" comes off the band's powerful debut Show No Mercy, an album that sailed under hitting mainstream appeal but still gathered them a much stronger fan base. A fan base that is infamous for being extremists. Carving "Slayer" into their flesh and losing their goddamned minds at shows. Their debut is a goldmine of early death metal songs, it holds a fucking great atmosphere that makes you feel plain wrong and wicked. Kind of like the feeling of déjà vu or maybe what I figure it would feel like when you know you are going to die. Why would you listen to something like that, you might ask? Well... because it feels good! It feels like sin! It feels like cheap thrills. It is the human condition of being drawn to things that burn you. Moth to the flame. They put that feeling into sound and force-feed it into your fuckin' orifices! "Fight Till Death" is one of the fastest and most intense songs on its 10 song track listing. It comes after the violent "Die by the Sword" and before the well put together and thought out "Metal Storm / Face the Slayer" which is one of the band's best in my opinion. The song starts out like many of the others, but bam out of nowhere that speed gets ramped up! It makes you want to hop around like a hellish imp that is watching a pure virgin being burned at the stake! Once again... why listen to something like that? Because it is powerful grandpa! Sin is humanity! The lyrics were written by the late Jeff Hanneman which pushed out some of the band's greatest lyrics. He tended to like the more serious topics later on, but during this earlier stage him alongside Kerry King wrote some of the best war and satanic themed songs metal has ever seen! There are a ton of war based Slayer songs, and all are great and set the mood perfectly. The music is like getting blown apart by artillery, so might as well make the lyrics match. Slayer brought a whole new level of mayhem to the metal world, and helped kick up dust for the more extreme side of metal to shine through the dark forest of heavy metal. I am a little sad I never got more of this style of Slayer, but it was a fair trade for their straight forward thrash attack that made them metal gods that will be synonymous with the metal name forever. This album cover shows you exactly what is about to happen to your ear holes too. Sometimes the worst album covers in the metal world hold some of the most raunchy and heavy shit you will ever take in. This album is no different, and I personally really like this album cover. It is simple yet heavy, shitty yet perfect. It holds my favorite logo of theirs. The whole album feels like it was thrown together cheaply, but that really is the spirit of the earlier days of heavy metal. It was youth and reckless abandon for this new and volatile form of music that truly has the power to take over your body with its relentlessness. The recording quality of the album sucks, but that is the beauty. The album cover sucks, but that is the beauty. The playing is top-notch but is played in a reckless and fast way, and that is the fucking beauty! I love this album. I will until I die. And I hope it grabs you too! Raise the horns and enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1983
Album: Show No Mercy (1983)
Genre: Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Early Death Metal, Early Black Metal
Mood: Violent
Perfect For: Thrashing, Smashing, Slashing, Bashing, Crashing, Lashing, Clashing
Where To Next: "Battleaxe" - Battleaxe 
Rating: 8 / 10

"Send Me No Wine" - The Moody Blues

Sorry to the daily readers for the late post, sometimes things get busy, and sometimes I get plain too tired to do a post. Not fair, though we all need a little rest now and then. Though we are back, and boy do I have a goodie for you! "Send Me No Wine" is a song that gets stuck in my head for days, I swear. Even all the way until now, this song has been on my mind. The Moody Blues had a pretty long and respectable career; they altered in sounds as time moved along, and it is within their 1967–1981 material that the band shined the brightest. They have some of the most atmospheric progressive rock to ever come along, and the times they mixed psychedelia with it is my all-time favorite sound they ever produced. The Moody Blues were a later bloomer with me for some reason. I knew about them well before I started taking my studies immensely seriously, but was content abusing "Nights in White Satin" and "Question" for well too long. When it was finally time to take the full jump into the band, I didn't know what to expect. Their debut was a cliché British beat album, it had great covers and an awesome Beatles-Esque sound that was pleasant but nothing all too special. My opinion changed practically instantly once I first pressed play on their experimental and essential second album Days of Future Passed, which came out in 1967. That album is fucking phenomenal and unlike anything from its time, well worth the listen, but it is certainly the kind of album you gotta sit down and take it all in without distractions to fully see its prism of light unfold. They followed that up with an album that practically defined my early 20s, which is In Search of the Lost Chord, an album I still cannot believe humans made and not some rock demigods. Then album after album up until they changed their style with 1981's Long Distance Voyage were instant classics that I just cannot get enough of! Go check out some of their work man, they will seriously blow you away! Today we take a little looksie into their fourth album On the Threshold of a Dream that saw the band taking on the progressive rock thing fully and leaving a little more of the psychedelic backing behind. That psychedelic feeling is certainly still there, you can feel it in "Send Me No Wine", it feels sort of like someone is whispering to you sweetly while brainwashing you. The album cover follows suit with their strange and artistic approach to their imagery. A robot grasping onto a branch with eyes and ears on it, images mixed in all over, great font work, and wonderful color schemes give this feeling of creativity and freedom. Darkness envelopes around that which is organic and true, which is another great way to explain how The Moody Blues make you feel. Aside from "Give Me No Wine" (which I think is the best track off the album) we have some of the band's other classics like "Never Comes the Day" and "Are You Sitting Comfortably". This one doesn't get the same attention as some of their other albums that surround it, but it is still equally potent and beautiful. "Send Me No Wine" is one of my favorite The Moody Blues tracks, something about it always has me obsessed. It starts off a tad bit different from a lot of their other material, it is a reach back to their roots sound, but you leave that behind once the easy to get behind rhythm of the song eats you up. That chorus is damn fun and once again gets stuck in your head for a long, long while. It is hard not to fall in love with the upbeat nature of the song. It serves as a wonderful breath mint after taking in the moody and heavy feeling tracks that play on the album before this song mellow you out. Furthermore, it feels a little bit like country music and the lyrical content matches that wonderfully. I could see a musician like Willie Nelson doing a great version of the song, especially in the style he utilized on his unique 1978 release Stardust. Have we even had any Willie Nelson on this website yet?! I guess that one Waylon / Willie track last month and another duet awhile ago, but damn that is crazy we haven't yet had a solo track of his. I guess we haven't had a Moody Blues track either until now. Easy to say, we have so many great bands and songs just waiting to be guilt-tripped into your ears and onto your playlists! So give the song a listen, would you? It would make me happy! Too many people don't care about stranger's happiness... you aren't one of them... are you? Do you want to make me CRY? Sicko. Just playing around, but no seriously give the song a listen! This one is a really good one! So do it! Annnnnd enjoy!

​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1969
Album: On the Threshold of a Dream (1969)
Genre: Progressive Rock, Rock
Mood: Catchy
Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving to work, Getting ready in the morning, Listening to for little ol me
Where To Next: "The Sheriff" - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Rating: 9 / 10

"Swap Meet" - Nirvana

Is there really any better way to start off the month than with some Nirvana? I mean... I guess winning the lottery might beat it, but since we aren't the lucky ones, this will have to serve as second best. Nirvana is certainly one of the bands I don't need to introduce here. Chances are if you are even somewhat interested in this website and its rock n roll appeal, then Nirvana already has fed their sweet sound into your ears for years now. If that isn't the case, then you are a rarity, and I think this website and post are just for you so you can educate yourself! Nirvana is one of the most successful rock bands to ever grace the planet. They were the leading force in the grunge scene that ate the 1990s. They are currently the 137th most popular artist on Spotify, and keep in mind The Beatles are the 150th. The Beatles is the perfect example and gauge on how much a band has survived the test of time, and in this case, Nirvana has them beat. What makes that even more impressive is the fact that The Beatles have 12 studio albums in comparison to Nirvana which only has 3 studio albums and one compilation which tends to be treated as a normal studio album, soooo I will say 4. 4 albums and they are this well known. One more food for thought, when it comes to Spotify most of the listeners tend not to take the time to choose an album or even craft themselves a playlist, they tend to click on the premade Spotify ones (or listen to mine if they are cool). Now, why is that something to mention? The Beatles show up on practically any rock based playlist, be it the ones for "rock drives" or "best of rock" or even playlists that mix all the decades and genres together for "feel good summer" playlists. Now, Nirvana is certainly gonna be on a ton of those as well, but not nearly as many, so under that thought process it shows that more people go out of their way for Nirvana. Growing up you would have thought Nirvana was still as popular as when they released Nevermind, aside from maybe Metallica I haven't seen any other older band hold such a strong fan base no matter the decade. Even today, I am sure that Nirvana is doing very well with the younger generation, and Spotify backs up that claim. Easy to say that Nirvana isn't going anywhere any time soon, so long as there are people with ears there will be a strong Nirvana fan base. Alright, enough about that, let's talk a little about "Swap Meet". The song comes off of 1989's Bleach, which is the band's debut and most stand out release to date. Aside from "About a Girl" there isn't all too much that shows this is the same band that broke records with "Smells Like Teen Spirit". It is raunchy and rough, a thorough example of what true grunge music was and is. It also shows off what frontman Kurt Cobain meant for Nirvana to sound like in comparison to their later material, which tormented his already tormented soul. You can feel the influence of the Meat Puppets, Melvins, and Mudhoney heavily. I have always been ultra fond of this album, I think it is great down to its last second. Well crafted in its chaotic and carefree nature. The album cover is great and explains the album's style wonderfully. This album hardly sounds like anything else coming out of 1989, it is clean while being grossly distorted, it is punky while still having this hard rock edge that doesn't leave it resting comfortably with other big punk names of the time. Bleach is the only album with Chad Channing on drums before Dave Grohl got behind the sticks and gave the band his special brand of rock drumming. It is also the only Nirvana album to be released by Sub Pop Records, which I have said in previous posts always has their musical Geiger counter crackling. An overall important album that often gets left to sleep in the shadow of the band's other LEGENDARY albums. "Swap Meet" is one of many odd tracks that fill its 11 song track listing. It comes in near the end of the album at track #8 on the original release track listing. After the attack of "Scoff" with its addictive repetition, we need something with a bloody edge of a freshly sharpened blade, and that is exactly what "Swap Meet" is. The aggressive driving guitar and drums of this song is where the glory rests. Lyrically, it is a plain odd one, but that is Kurt Cobain lyrics for you. I will be one of the first to say that "Swap Meet" might be one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it is one I personally cherish. The whole album is sporadic and aggressive, though there is a truly bombastic nature in "Swap Meet" you will rarely hear on any other track from the band's studio album material. Every time I drive by the swap meets around Salt Lake City, I always think to myself "the Sunday swap meet is a battleground" and if you ever went to one on a busy day then you would agree. The power of money! The power of the sale! Most importantly, the power of music! "Swap Meet" isn't meant to move you, there is no drive to make you pissed or happy, just a simplistic song with a strong rhythm that forces you to stomp your feet. Strange this is the first Nirvana track on the song of the day section, and I chose one of the more oddity ones, but still I am happy to have it here, and I am happy to have you give the song a spin! Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​Year Released: 1989
Album: Bleach (1989)
Genre: Grunge, Punk Rock, Hard Rock
Mood: Messy
Perfect For: Heading to a swap meet, Casual listening, Working
Where To Next: "Creepy Smell" - Melvins
Rating: 6 / 10