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Song of the Day 07/31/2026

"Highway 51 Blues" - Bob Dylan

     Howdy folks, we got some Bob Dylan here today. We all know him, we all love him, and if you are one of those that don't like some Bob Dylan, I am sure you can still respect all he did for music. Which was a lot. Before we get into our post, let's talk about the month. It has been a hot one, but we have had one solid lineup of tracks to help us through it! As one might guess, it was a rock-heavy one this go-around. We had 16 rock picks, 2 metal ones, 4 punk, 4 folk, 3 country boppers, and 2 other genres. Overall, we had a ton of 9/10 picks, almost more than other months, I swear. As for the holy 10-star rating, we had three! James Taylor made us tear up with "Fire and Rain". "Cherub Rock" from the Smashing Pumpkins always hits just right. Always. Then we had the uplifting "Tin Man" from America, a soft rock classic that can make a boring day one full of splendor. Thanks for reading along with me this month! Keep on comin' back and I will keep dishing them out. Thanks! Alright, let's get into today's post. Bob Dylan was one to challenge social norms as much as he challenged what you could get away with on the radio. He would put out songs that were damn longer than what most people were putting on singles, but with him being such a sensation, a lot of stations would make it a point to carve out a solid 6 minutes to play one of his songs. Bob Dylan is based in folk music, another thing he helped widen, and he might as well have created the folk rock genre, even if he didn't mean to. When it comes to the 1960s, there were few artists that did as much for music as Bob Dylan. I mean, yeah, the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix are those that did a little bit more, but Bob Dylan is an icon. One of the artists that define the human soul and creativity. For today, we take a look at early Bob Dylan. His self-titled debut, out of 1962, is a standalone album. It is heavily rooted in the revivalist folk style, something that was taking the inner artsy circles who liked folk by storm. It was a moment of expression in American music history. Something we really need again. Bob Dylan was well trained in the school of Woody Guthrie, something he makes clear with his almost country-esequ approach to the folk genre, and if you need proof of his deep love for Woody Guthrie, how about the 12th song on that debut of his? "Song to Woody" was written for Woody Guthrie, where he talks about experiencing the same stuff that Woody saw and the impact of those words of his on this young star to be. Bob Dylan didn't have an easy start in the music world. Other than those that truly believed in Bob Dylan when he made it to New York City, many didn't think he would become the megastar he is. You see, folk was full up of a lot of artists doing the same thing, and Bob Dylan blowing into town with a similar yet different sound was nothing new. All sorts of greasy kids were coming into town to see the tall buildings and budding singer-songwriter scene out of Greenwich Village. He was just another face, and a face that could hardly score a solid enough gig to get some food. Luckily, those in the folk scene were gracious enough to keep each other fed and alive. Bob Dylan made it, and he made it with strength, but it wasn't with this debut of his. This album sold pretty weakly upon its release. After Bob Dylan blew up, people came back and bought his debut and saw the roots to one of the most enigmatic icons in rock music history. Folk had a ton of characters, so Bob Dylan doesn't stand out in their history books too hard, well, aside from his massive sales that haven't ever been rivaled by anyone in folk, no matter the decade. It was a bold move to sign Bob Dylan, especially to a big-time label. Folk hardly sold. Sure, it was highly respected, but during a time where the Beatles were about to dominate the world and music as a whole was in a strange growing point, there was hardly any market for the acoustic guitar and clever lyrics. Well, Columbia gave him a shot; all Bob Dylan had to do was what he did best. Play and sing. The song is mostly made up of folk standards, all of which are grand. I love this album of his and would put it up there next to the best of them. The only song that is a tad bit weak, maybe, is "Gospel Plow", but that could just be to taste. Anyway! There were two original songs penned by Bob Dylan that showed on the debut, "Song to Woody" and "Talkin' New York", both of which are very Woody Guthrie, but with Bob Dylan's own youthful performance. "Talkin' New York" features some of my favorite Bob Dylan lines, which is saying something. The album was recorded in 1961 and released in 1962 and only took a solid three afternoons to get it all done. I mean, it is folk; there isn't much editing needing to be done since that takes the soul out of it. The difficulty came from Bob Dylan himself, who had never set foot in a studio and hardly knew what he was doing. The album was quickly put together and cheaply too, but Dylan was undisciplined and still wet behind the ears. The kid they heard going ham at a Leadbelly song in audition was a little harder to catch on to recording than they thought. Still, the album got done, and while it failed to make any waves at the time, it was a start to one of the most sensational artists of all time.

     Our song of the day is one of the shining gems off of it. "Highway 51 Blues" is a standard that was originally recorded by Curtis Jones. Jones was a blues pianist who put out "Highway 51 Blues" in 1938. It wasn't a massive hit, but it did spawn multiple covers from varying styles and decades before it landed in the lap of Bob Dylan. The version you are hearing here today from Bob Dylan was one of the songs that were recorded and cut within one take. You can feel that too, but I like the raw honesty that is found in the song. Bob Dylan likely had a love and discovered the version from Tommy McClennan out of 1940 called "New Highway 51". For those that don't listen to the extra-old music, it was pretty common to call it the "New blah blah blah" when doing your own version of a song, especially in the blues. Some artists still do it now, but it is less common. The credited artist that was put down by Bob Dylan and his label on the album was Curtis Jones. Though, Bob Dylan used a few different artists' things to get his version out. The phrasing and words were taken from the McClennan version, and the guitar pieces are strangely that of "Wake Up Little Susie" from The Everly Brothers. Yeah, listen to the two tracks side by side and you will see it. That ain't too shocking; Bob Dylan was heavily into music before making his own, and it was hard to miss the Everly Brothers when Dylan was growing up. Bob Dylan created his own strong version of "Highway 51 Blues". It was the perfect melding of the original style but with something modern, something rockabilly-esque. He did it damn well. Like a lot of the songs on Bob Dylan's debut, it is that guitar you should be focusing on. It is a ton of fun. Sporatic and feels like a little bug is jumping across the strings the whole time. It is damn in your face and strangely hard-driving, but with "Highway 51 Blues" being the final song on the first side of the album, he had to make sure you would stick around for the second half. Take it as a threat. That aggressive nature has this song being regarded as one of the first folk-rock songs. Yeah, it doesn't have the electric instruments, but Bob Dylan really attacks you with those strings and harsh vocals. Lyrically, the song is pretty straightforward. It is built in the common blues style. I love the ramblers touch, it is what has me coming back. Like a lot of the songs off this album, Bob Dylan left most of the material behind for his later shows. He has only played "Highway 51 Blues" live twice, but once he got his own material rolling, there wasn't much use moving backwards. "Highway 51 Blues" is a killer track, aggressive and folksy, but it isn't the strongest on the album. I still dig it, and the track certainly finds a healthy home within his debut. This was one of the songs that did Bob Dylan no favors on selling albums. It was for a certain market, and that market was from many years back. For those of us that love this debut, it is a welcome addition to any playlist. The album itself is a strange piece, admittedly. It is the home for the folk fans that found Bob Dylan but fall flat for the rock fans that come to Bob Dylan. I won't lie, it is an acquired taste on some of the songs, but I love how it shows his roots. It is a raw Bob Dylan, one before fame hit him like a truck. There is an honest and youthful nature in the songs. The first time I came across it after abusing many of Bob Dylan's albums for years up until that point, I was a little worried. I knew where he came from, but I wasn't mature enough of a music listener leading up to that album. I was like... 15? 16? So, the man and acousting guitar tended to be left behind for a full band, ya know? Well, my first listen went wonderfully. It was like a window into a past I hardly touched. I used it as a launching point into some more folk-based music, and since that moment it has become a massive piece of my music collection. Bob Dylan has a way with his material, even if this debut is unlike any of his other albums. His second studio album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, in 1963, still is much more raw and folksy, but you can tell he knows what the hell he is doing at that point and is on his way to creaing a whole set sound that inspired many generations. This debut is amateur, but that is the thrill of it. Raw music. Man and guitar. Emotion. Music history packed into a fast-paced 37 minutes. Well, I guess we will see what you think. A strong way to end the month, and for those of you out there that have never taken in Bob Dylan's debut but have adored the others, then what are you waiting for? It is an interesting album, and songs like "Talkin' New York", "Pretty Peggy-O", "You're No Good", "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", "Man of Constant Sorrow", "Song to Woody" are some mighty fine songs. They can run through my ears any day without charge. The others are good too, but those 6 make up some of my favorite Dylan tracks. Alright, I will let you see for yourself. See you tomorrow. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1962

Album: Bob Dylan (1962)

Genre: Folk

Mood: Aggressive

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving on open highways, Taking a walk, Having a beer

Where to Next: "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me" - Dave Van Ronk

Rating: 7 / 10

Song of the Day 07/30/2026

"Here's to Life" - Streetlight Manifesto

     Man, I hate doing two posts back-to-back. I swear one of them always comes off weak. Well, guess we will see which way it goes this time! Here we go! Streetlight Manifesto is one of those groups that everyone should know, especially if you are a fan of ska or punk. I first came across the group what feels like forever ago when I stumbled upon their "A Moment of Silence", which is a song that never grows stale. They were one of the odd cases of discovering them but never expanded upon. That all changed once I got more into the ska punk band, Catch 22. Man, do I love Catch 22! Nothing makes me wanna speed and go out in a ball of flames quite like Catch 22. So, for those that are new to the room, you might be wondering what ties the two bands together. Well, that, dear children, brings in the topic of Tomas Kalnoky, a ska punk musician that seemingly doesn't get the credit he is due! Anything this dude has touched has this upper-tier ska sound and advanced songwriting, not the same shit they have been doing forever, but something special. What he busts out sometimes makes you wonder if it is even part of the punk scene anymore. Tomas Kalnoky started his minor fame conquest as the lead singer and guitarist for the third-wave ska punk band, Catch 22. While Catch 22 has a ton of good albums, there is simply no beating their debut, Keasbey Nights, which released in 1998. Now, if you came to this website today thinking, "Man, I want a new album to blow my socks off", then you came on the right day! I cannot suggest that album enough. It is one of those that bite you so hard the first time that the scars will follow you for the rest of your life. Make sure you eat before playing the album since it is so energetic you are going to need all the fuel you can get. Anyway, Tomas Kalnoky only stayed with Catch 22 for that debut album and the demo tape that came before. He left to go to college. NERRRRD. It wasn't long until that memorable voice and guitar work found its way onto another album, but this time it was part of the peculiar yet wonderful acoustic-based collective, Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution. We actually talked about the group back in December. I wonder how the post held up in comparison to today. Also, I just found out that we might have our first double track... In a way. Well, I would still say the two versions are quite a bit different. The song of the day for Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution is the first version of "Here's to Life", but that one is acoustic, with a mostly different vision, and doesn't have that same zap as what we hear on the electrified version on Streetlight Manifesto's Everything Goes Numb. So maybe in a strange way it is a double, but I almost consider it a cover... In a way? Whatever, who knows, my brain seems to not want to work. Back to the flow. Tomas Kalnoky alongside previous Catch 22 multi-instrumentalist, Jamie Egan, started up the Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution and there were a ton of people who had a moment there, but they only released one EP called A Call to Arms in 2001. Another one I think you should give a listen, especially if you want something a little more relaxed and musically impressive than that of Catch 22's Keasby Nights. Catch 22 is still where it is at, though, so do that one first! Or do whatever you want. Who am I to tell you what to do? The Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution almost serves as the groundwork for Streetlight Manifesto. I mean, the members, the songs, the overall energy, the experimentation, and the blissful energy all followed into Streetlight Manifesto. While Catch 22 is a ton of fun, and The Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution is impressive, there isn't much denying that Streetlight Manifesto is where Tomas Kalnoky came into his own.

     Kalnoky, with previous Catch 22 members John Ansley and Jamie Egan started up Streetlight Manifesto. The other half of the band came from members of One Cool Guy, a band that never really got off the ground. Streetlight Manifesto was to be just another fun little project for the Rutgers University bands that were obsessed with ska, but before they knew it, they had something truly special. They got together to put out a 4-track demo, which featured songs that made it into their debut, like "Point/Counterpoint", "Everything Went Numb", "The Saddest Song", and "We Are the Few". That demo got them signed to the same label as the band's previous home, Catch 22. They released their debut album, Everything Goes Numb, in 2003. This one is a gem! A highly impressive ska punk album, even if Kalnoky was hesitant to accept that it was part of ska. He didn't like the culture of the genre, which is fair since it is randomly rife with skinheads. Everything Goes Numb followed suit with most of the ska world; it didn't sell worth jack, but it did gather a ton of passionate fans. Critics also liked it. Like I mentioned before, this album is strangely intricate. It is a jump-up from your common ska-punk album, which tends to be a repetitive sound, a good and fun sound, but a repetitive one. The compositions of Streetlight Manifesto are so damn mature; they are deep and intense. It feels like a perfectionist was there crafting it down to each second being something truly special. Each song has you locked in, and if there is a time where you start getting bored of it, the next minute of the track will have you back in! They throw in some wild stuff that you didn't see coming before moving back into the high-paced attack to your senses. "Here's to Life" is the 8th track on the album. It starts off damn aggressive with the drums being the focal point of intensity. This is the kind of song that you accidentally start speeding to; some things just come naturally. This song was a long time in the making. Originally Toman Kalnoky wrote it for Catch 22 but was too picky with how it sounded and decided to shelf it for later use. That is some of what makes this a standout track. It has that Catch 22 feeling, but there is something special there, something unique. That is shown best at the 2:15 mark when the song moves into something much more mellow. Moody. In a ballet, this is usually the point when someone gets stabbed and then the curtain falls while the tensions are high. That more calm nature gives way to skillful drumming and an acoustic guitar strumming along with heartfelt lyrics. 3:15 brings in some... Jazz?! Another part of the song that has you being like, "Alright, okay, this is some seriously impressive stuff". Once again, Streetlight Manifesto is unlike any other ska band you might have heard. A great spot for someone who isn't overly fond of the genre to still enjoy one of the genre's most shining gems. This song always gets me! Can you tell these dudes met each other at college? For the ending, it ends in an explosion, bringing the band back to their core ska placement. After "Here's to Life", the album moves into "A Moment of Silence", my most beloved song from the band. "Here's to Life" gets my senses at overload, but then "A Moment of Silence" brings it all back down with its realism lyrics. Tomas Kalnoky has some strong lyrical prowess, something he has shown on anything he has touched. "Here's to Life" is personal and deep, and "A Moment of Silence" can talk to us all with ease. Sort of like having a heart-to-heart with a stranger. There is an innocence there that almost speaks truer than that of talking to a friend. A reminder of the human condition. That we are all in this together. Pretty well, each song off Everything Goes Numb is a damn good ride. There are the more punk-forward tracks, some of which I could leave behind, but they all play a role in keeping you satisfied the whole running time of the album. If you like what you heard on "Here's to Life", I really think you will love the rest of the album. It is honestly the kind of music that can change your life. That might seem... Extra, but it is the truth. There is power here. So, I think you are ready for this power. This responsibility! All my wisdom and rock n roll training has led you up to this moment! All jokes. Still, you will feel that power as soon as you get to the halfway mark of the track. A great song; hope you dig it. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2003

Album: Everything Goes Numb (2003)

Genre: Ska Punk

Mood: Sporadic

​Perfect For: Focused listening, Driving, Enjoying life, Heading to get food

Where to Next: "Spare Change?" - Mad Caddies

Rating: 9 / 10

Song of the Day 07/29/2026

"Testosetrone" - Bush

     Sorry for missing a post yesterday! I hate to do it, but sometimes life gets in the way, ya know? No matter. We are here now! The end of the month is approaching! That means everyone is broke and wondering where all the days went. I tend to be someone who hates the passing of time; it reminds me of all I missed out on and all my failures in life, but when it comes to July and August, I am glad to see the fuckers leave. That heat is not any fun. Plus, everyone seems to be raging cock wagons due to either being in a good "summer vibe" mood or the heat makes them angry. Isn't it strange how when people are happy they tend to also get a little entitled? I guess they feel indestructible? Who knows. We aren't here to talk about that, but I hope your month is ending smoothly and strongly. It is another set of days we will never be able to repeat. Today we have our second post with Bush. They are one of rock's favorite whipping boys out of the 1990s. Something I have never understood, but I also wasn't there. I am sure for the Alice in Chains and Soundgarden fans Bush might have come off a little weak, but that doesn't stop them from being good. I have never once been ashamed of being a fan of the band, but those that are too worried to just listen to things they enjoy proudly lost all meaning of the music. For them, the music becomes a status, a personality type, instead of being the art form it really is. Bush is great. They are commercial as sin, sure, especially within their hits, but they have proved plenty of times that some of their best material is away from their massive hit songs. "Testosetrone" is exactly that. Not quite a hidden gem since it comes off the band's iconic Sixteen Stone, but still one that doesn't get the same love as some of the band's other songs. It could be due to half the Bush fanbase not being super into rock, but they liked what they heard on the radio. So, they come into "Testosterone", which not only has some mighty bold lyrics, but also has this more raw feeling to it overall. The other half of the Bush fanbase fell in love with the track's aggressive nature, and for a commercial band, they didn't pull any punches with getting in your face with this song. We will come back to that; for now, let's talk about Bush. Who doesn't like some Bush, ammirite? Bush is one of the biggest names that came out of the "post-grunge" subgenre. I am someone who hates the post-genres, not the bands within them, but I hate the title. Post this and post that only muddle the expansions within a genre. For the sake of the post, let's talk about the post-grunge genre. So, they are still grunge bands, but their style is more based in alternative rock. It is more like an alternative rock group that brought in elements of grunge into their sound more than the other way around. For many, they view it as what killed off grunge, but for me, I think it had the genre surviving strongly into the 2000s. The legends of the grunge era either ended up dead by the start of the 2000s, or they moved on from their core band that gained them fame into something else. Nirvana to Foo Fighters. Soundgarden to Audioslave. Pearl Jam to... Well, Pearl Jam, but their style changed quite a bit. You get the picture. During the later years of the prime grunge era, there were some much-brighter-styled grunge bands coming around. Bush was one of the strongest, and their hits like "Machinehead", "Greedy Fly", "Glycerine", "Comedown", "Swallowed", "Everything Zen", and "Little Things" completely stole the show in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Those hits are mighty straightforward and from the heart. They feel youthful, but serious enough pretty well anyone can get into it, so long as their ears are turned on. Still, that easy to get behind nature and something a little more commercial to it got the band all sorts of slander in the core grunge fanbase. But who needs to hear that shit? Especially when you have yourself a multi-platinum top-selling album for your debut. Time has shown that Bush is timeless. Other titans from the post-grunge genre include Candlebox, Stone Temple Pilots, Live, Collective Soul, Silverchair, and plenty of others from the 1990s. The genre survived strongly into the 2000s, with bands taking the post-grunge sound and creating the 2000s hard rock sound as we know it now. Those bands include Nickleback, Creed, Seether, Puddle of Mudd, Three Doors Down, and a ton of others. Between what nu metal and post-grunge brought into the game, that is what created the hard rock sound of the 2000s in America. They abused those two for a little bit too long, which had most of those groups fail to move into the 2010s when the rock sound changed.

     Bush didn't come out of Seattle, another thing that made it a little hard to put them next to the monsters of grunge that came out of the emerald city. Bush came out of London, something people tend not to realize. How would you know, though? Their style is criminally American, which makes sense why they thrived here. The UK was still too busy strongly sniffing at the pits of Blur and Oasis to give them much time. Can't blame them; those two are definitive bands and define the rock sound that came out of the UK. Anyway, yeah, Bush had most of their fame here in the US and also in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Bush had a fairly strong run, especially in their early days. Their debut album, Sixteen Stone, is a perfect album. Each song has something to offer, and it has been a long time love of mine ever since I picked up a CD of it at a yard sale as a kid. I still have it too, and even with the cover being all cracked to shit, I will never get rid of it for sentimental reasons. This album has been there for breakups, long nights, good nights, reckless days, and having beers with friends. It rolls with just about any mood you might be in. Sixteen Stone released in 1994 and is often regarded as their ultimate album, something I agree with. They never quite hit the same high as they did with this one, though their second album did chart better overall, it still lacked in the same sales and timeless appeal. It is an essential album to explain the rock climate of the 1990s. Half the songs on the album are radio staples and songs that everyone knows. Bush was instantly tied into Nirvana, a band that everyone said they sounded like. I can see it, sure, but they are two very different bands. The only song off of Sixteen Stone that gives me that Nirvana feeling is maybe "Little Things". That label followed them around like a curse, but it also helped them find a fanbase pretty quick. The album came out pretty soon after Nirvana broke up, so there was a void to be filled, and Bush fit the shoes mighty well. I mean, nobody is Nirvana; those dudes are legends for a reason, but there is no denying that Bush did come around at the right time with a similar sound. I would say that while Sixteen Stone doesn't change things up dramatically between tracks, there are a lot of different sounds going on. We have "Glycerine" which is a ton more hollow and depressive, which comes after the grunge-heavy "Everything Zen". Then after "Glycerine" we come into "Body", which is back to that heavy grunge hit. There are some strangely punky moments, early punk, mind you. Groove heavy ones, moody ones, commercial ones, mean ones, and the sad ones. It is a full package that never breaks the mold enough to have you thinking the band is taking a strange, artsy approach, but enough variance to keep you satisfied the whole way through. Our song of the day, "Testosterone", comes in as the 8th song on the tracklisting. The second half of the album shows the band's true colors. All the energetic big hits were at the start. The only big hit left is "Glycerine", which is perfectly situated near the end to give you that "come back again" track that has you restarting the album to get that high again. Overall, they pace this album so damn wonderfully. An art that seemingly started to get lost around this same time. "Testosterone" is a mean song, and the lyrical content is fairly shocking from a band like Bush. The track is about dismantling the machismo mentality. The track seemingly starts off pretty mellow. Smooth guitar work broken up by steady and heavy-hitting drums. The lyrical content is kind of hillarious. There are clever lyrics about this theme that make you think, but vocalist Gavin Rossdale went for the throat with this song. It kind of feels like a venting track, honestly. He wrote all the songs on the album, by the way. Anyway, I like the lines "Hotdog, 7:30 every morning", I always chuckle. That is pretty manly, but like the gross kind of feller, but I think that is the person that Rossdale is going after. The cowardly men, the ones who wanna put out an image of being a hard motherfucker but are just chickenshits. I guess that is why the song repeats "I'm real full of it". The song isn't deep, but that is the beauty of it! Just a silly criticism that makes you wonder if those types of men are the same all across the globe, or if Bush was like hmmmm... Americans.... Hotdogs? Hotdogs. Guns? Guns. Gillette? Gillette. War? War. Either way, I always look forward to this track. When I was tuning my amp, I was choosing songs I was immensely familiar with, and "Testosterone" was one of the chosen ones since I never miss a detail, and it was a good one to get my sub to pick up the drums stronger. Anyway, I will leave you here with the track. Hope you dig it! You can't go wrong with any song off this album. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1994

Album: Sixteen Stone (1994)

Genre: Post-Grunge, Alternative Rock, Grunge

Mood: Peeved

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Playing loud, Summer days, Talkin' shit

Where to Next: "Sex Type Thing" - Stone Temple Pilots

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/28/2026

"Waitin' in Your Welfare Line (Live) - Buck Owens

     We haven't had enough country here this month, right? Now, for those newcomers who might be sighing at that sentence, can it. Everyone hates country music; I swear it is something people say but don't think about what that entails. Sure, mainstream country from the 1980s onward can be rough, unless you are into that style, but the stuff that came before and even during those decades there are plenty of great country groups. The genre is deeper than it lets on. There are artists for the casual listeners, for the in-depth listeners, cowboys, for the pop fans, hillbillies, rockers, hicks, jazz fans, folk fans, and really everyone in between. All you gotta do is tune into the right stuff, most of which isn't on the radio. I mean, the old guns were at some point, but things have changed in the country world, and if you ask me, it wasn't for the better. Once pop got its talons in the genre nearing the end of the 1970s, it all changed. Once again, there are still those moments that push past the "ugh" that comes from the set sound. Tell me you don't secretly jam "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton. That song is a perfect example of where country went wrong, but when it comes to the song itself, there is a ton to love. No matter the decade, there were pockets of artists beating their own path. They rarely got the same fame, but the influence was heavy-felt. So don't go saying you hate country music unless you know what you are talking about. Not all of the genre is your cliché sound. Anyway, while we are on the topic of country music, I guess we should introduce our star artist of the day, Buck Owens. When it comes to mainstream country stars of yesteryear, few had better success and acclaim than Buck Owens. This is all sounding familiar... I forgot we already had a Buck song at the start of this month. Well, if you recall, Buck Owens has sales, boys! He became a household name and a name that a good chunk of America willingly let in their house for decades. He was one of my first country artists I got really into once I left my safety harness of Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, and Willie Nelson. I almost remember the moment I had the country bug bite me. I was driving around in Springville, Utah. Now, if there is one fitting place for it to happen, that is the one. Springville modernly is going through an expansion, an awkward one at that. Old-time downtown meets shopping malls, and big ol' fields meets cookie-cutter warehouses. Anyway, at the time, Springville was still this cute little farm town with some shops that I loved driving through. The cops in the area were annoying, but it was still a good place to smoke a bowl. There I was driving along, trying to find new tunes and figure out the ins and outs of Spotify when it was in its early "big time" stage. Honestly, I didn't see it taking over the whole music streaming world, but here we are. I was trying to find anything related to our lord and savior, Johnny Cash. Cash has a country vision that has always resided within me, so there was no better artist to get me further into the genre. I was finding a lot of songs that I was truly digging. Then along came "Act Naturally" from Buck Owens, and I was instantly in love with it. His damn fun, sort of hickish but soothing vocals backed by mellow strumming got me hooked. Self-deprecating lyricism, one of the 1950s & 1960s country lyrical tropes, which then became a favorite lyrical theme of mine. Buck Owens doesn't try hiding his country- boy roots, not even in the slightest, but it isn't overkill. By the middle part of the song there was this little guitar part, something with some serious twang. It felt like it came right out of a heavily strung guitar that sat out in the desert heat for a decade. Little did I know at the time that it was the Bakersfield sound I was hearing; all I knew was that I really dug it, and Buck Owens served as a diving board from that moment on into all the varying sounds of early country music. His commercial sound made it easy as hell to jump into the mellow mainstream country artists like Ray Price, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, and others. He also made it easy to get into his fellow Bakersfield sound artists like Merle Haggard. Lastly, he showed me a whole world of country-fried self-destruction. The liquor songs, the ones of sin, the ones of murder, and most importantly, the ones where the vocalist just talks down on himself the whole time. I already liked country music up to hearing Buck Owens, but he sure helped me along, and that love grew deeper as I went through his complete studio discography for the first time, no easy task with his 39 studio albums, most of which are repetitive. But hey, it is country music; what do you expect?

     It dawned on me the other day that I don't think I have gone through all of his live albums; there were some glaring holes in my studies when it comes to country live albums. I noticed it when I heard Buck Owens cover "Johnny B. Goode" on his 1969 live album, Live in London. I was blown away by how intense that version was, especially from a dude that is usually pretty mellow in his studio work. After that moment I had this deep craving for more, especially since I have heard that Buck has some of the best live albums in country music. No Johnny Cash, mind you, but still something I couldn't afford to miss. So, I decided that the time had come and loaded up his first live album, Carnegie Hall Concert, which was released in 1966, right in the prime years of Buck Owens. I don't know what I expected, but I walked away with something truly entertaining to add to my collection. The album is hardly even music; half the damn thing, if not more, is comedy. I know Buck Owens was a funny bastard, but I didn't expect his shows to be more of a performance than a live show. Alongside his backing back, the Buckaroos, which I would wager is one of the best backing bands in country history, there was plenty of messing around on stage. As someone who is pretty crude to those I like, pretty well to a fault depending on who you ask, it was sort of weird hearing my own humor through the speakers. Buck would bust his band's balls every chance he got, but that seemed to be part of the fun. They rarely jabbed back, but I am sure a lot of this was just part of the show. On track #7, called "Buck Talks to the Audience", he goes right at the band with clever burns. They seem to kind of enjoy it, though, but I guess you get used to it if you have a pesterer for a band leader. I know I would pester; it is just in my blood. The band has a full chance to get in the joke on the 13th track, "Fun 'N' Games with Don and Doyle". A weird comedic bit, but it fully pulls you into it, making you feel like you are there in the crowd. What this live album really showed to me is how fuckin' impressive the Buckaroos really are. I have never doubted it and have always assumed it is within them why Buck's early sound was so damn dynamic, but to hear them have their own sets on stage was a joy to take in. On that aforementioned "Fun 'N' Games with Don and Doyle", you get to hear some great impressions of some of the country music icons of the time. While Buck Owens is the star, Dolly Holly, the Buckaroos' bassist, is the second star. He even takes vocal duties on the band's version of "The Streets of Laredo", which he does a strikingly good job at; that boy has some loooow vocals. It was hard not choosing that track, but my heart went with a personal favorite of mine, "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line". Buck had a big hit with it in 1966, with the single hitting the top of the country charts, even making it to 57 on the Hot 100 charts. The studio version beats the hell out of the live version, so if you dig what you hear here, be sure to go check out the studio version. A classic Owens track, and a welcome addition to this phenomenal live album. Carnegie Hall Concert isn't only a hidden gem from Buck Owens's discography; it also serves as a slightly historical moment in country music, showing the expansion of popularity taking place during the late 1960s. Carnegie Hall had previously had country shows take place there, like Ernest Tubb with the Grand Ole Opry Stars did two shows there before Buck. Johnny Cash got a slot there in 1962 to great acclaim. Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, the bluegrass duo, did a show and released an essential bluegrass album, Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall, in 1963. I haven't listened to that one for a while; maybe I will do it tomorrow. Then came Buck, who put his own album out in 1966. Both are good, but there is no beating that Flatt and Scruggs one. Anyway, for a venue like Carnegie Hall, a place known for classical music and mellow pop stars, it wasn't all that common to have country music taking place there. Truth be told, these are the venues where country thrives, but nobody was giving them much of a chance during this stage of country music history. Anyway, good for Buck Owens for cutting a live album at it. Though, I think it is the Buckaroos who really deserve the love this go-around; they are the ones that make this album so damn fun. Well, I guess this was a post more revolving around the album than the track, but that is alright. This isn't an album you need to load up right now, but if you like Buck Owens, you will love it. One a fan cannot afford to miss, and I kick myself for taking so long to get to it. Hope you dig the song. Once again, the studio version is better, so head there after if you want to. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1966

Album: Carnegie Hall Concert (1966)

Genre: Country

Mood: Mellow

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Loafing around the house, Having a beer

Where to Next: "Opportunity to Cry / Permanently Lonely (Live 1966)" - Willie Nelson

Rating: 7 / 10

Song of the Day 07/27/2026

"Letter Bomb" - Circle Jerks

      If you have a band name like the Circle Jerks come across your screen when going through a playlist, there is one of two things about to happen. A) You are about to hear some music that is not that great, but the shock appeal is something comical. B) You are about to hear something way better than it has any right to be. For today, I can say with pride that you have something great! Option B! So long as you like the snotty hardcore punk sound of the early 1980s, that is. For me, I am a massive fan, and I consider the early days of hardcore punk to be the glory years for all of punk rock. The 1970s punk rock world is classic and timeless; that comes in as my second favorite era, but that hardcore punk sound is damn good. For a genre that is pretty straightforward, there were some serious innovations taking place within some bands. What is this for the Circle Jerks count on the website? Their second time? We talked about their signature song, "Wild in the Streets", all the way back in 2025 in April. "Wild in the Streets" is the ultimate song the band ever put out. That punk gem came off the band's second studio album of the same name in 1982. Wild in the Streets features some of the band's best material, and for it being only their second studio album, they really came into their own sound. They took some of that previous punk rock sound but sped it up and added some serious youthful anger to boot. Our song of the day, "Letter Bomb", is off the same album, and there is a solid chance that next time we talk about the Circle Jerks, it will be from this album. I find it to be their best, even if their 1980 debut, Group Sex, is another champion from 1980s punk. The band only released six studio albums in their time and have had many reunions, the most recent of which started in 2019 and has been going pretty good. The band has had plenty of drama, something pretty common from the punk rock groups of the time. I guess when you get a bunch of pissed-off people together, what do you expect to happen? Anyway, since 2019 the band has gone on a couple of tours alongside some other prestigious punk bands out of the 1980s hardcore punk scene. No new material yet, but sometimes it is best to leave a pretty solid discography alone instead of throwing out a random one much later in the career. The band was put together by Black Flag's first vocalist, Keith Morris. Morris cofounded Black Flag alongside guitarist Greg Ginn in 1976 but only stuck around long enough for the band to put out their debut EP Nervous Breakdown in 1979. That one is a classic from the Black Flag discography. Sure, it doesn't have Henry Rollins, my favorite stage too, but that snotty beginning always gets the blood pumping! Anyway, he left Black Flag due to artistic differences, rigorous band practice schedules, and his own problem with substance abuse. He went along and formed his next band, the Circle Jerks, in the same year he left Black Flag in 1979. The Circle Jerks hold some of that mean sound we hear on Black Flag's Nervous Breakdown, but with something youthful to it. Rough around the edges, but not in the homicidal way how Black Flag likes their style; something about the Circle Jerks just screams "practical joker". The band has fun and wrecks your face along the way; it really is a win-win for everyone. There are some varying lyrical themes, and the style, while still being safely situated in hardcore punk without too much movement, sounds like the band all had their say in what was going down, which brings many notable parts on that debut. That is something that Keith Morris wanted to make very clear with the Circle Jerks; it is a group effort. He was often left out of the loop when it came to Black Flag, a band he helped start, and he didn't want any of the members of Circle Jerks to feel the same way. 

     1980s Group Sex is a damn fine debut. Not the kind of album that even tried holding back. It had mass appeal to teens and adults alike; pretty well anyone who wanted a good time was welcome, so long as they weren't sensitive to less... Friendly lyrical content. It is one of those cornerstone albums. If you aren't into punk, I think you could stomach that debut. Wanna know why? It is 15 minutes long. Yeah, 14 songs in 15 minutes. The songs move so quickly you might miss three of them if you sneeze. Very punk rock. Their second album, Wild in the Streets, showed the band wasn't just a fast-playing band that put out edgy lyrics. This one is 15 songs in 25 minutes, so now you will only miss one song if you sneeze. The album was released in 1982 and was met with praise from the hardcore punk fans across the globe. Sure, the album was still raunchy as sin, but what do you expect out of a band called the Circle Jerks? Love songs? I come back to this album more than any of the band's others; it just has that thing. In 1983 the band released their third album, Golden Shower of Hits. The name might point towards a greatest hits album, but it is just a straightforward studio album. This was the last one to feature Circle Jerks' signature crude, rude, and lewd style since they dropped it for something more mellow in 1985's Wonderful. Did I say "mellow"? Well, that is far from the truth. The album is still a mean one, and it honestly is one of my favorites from the band. I was shocked to find there was a lot of hate for the album. Sure, the album isn't nearly as thrilling, and it was just a copy and paste of their previous albums, but it is still a good one. "Making the Bombs" is one of the best punk songs out of the 1980s, and I don't care what you say. The band's fifth studio album, VI, was released in 1987. VI is arguably the band's most thought-out album. There is some actually seriously impressive playing on the album. Maybe they got sick of just doing the same thing, which is wise since it gained them no favors with Wonderful. It is easy to skip over the album, but you would be a fool to do so. The Circle Jerks released their final studio album in 1995. Oddities, Abnormalities, and Curiosities is a fun album, but nothing to go rush to the store to buy. The band must have been showing their roots since they dropped the aggression for something more traditional in punk rock styles. It could have been to jump on the resurgence in mainstream interest in punk in the mid-1990s. Hardcore was a sure way to get you to sell out clubs and small venues, but you needed something more commercial to hit those big venues. All that last album did was alienate their fanbase, but it still is nice to have one more Circle Jerks album. I rarely listen to that album and often forget it even exists. It is good and worth the collection for any punk album collector, but nothing all too special. Since that album there have been two archive live albums released, both of which are better than I expected, but you know how those archive releases go. Good, but there was a reason it was not released during the band's prime. Alright, to our song of the day now that you know a little bit about the band's rough and rowdy ways. "Letter Bomb" doesn't have a song title that shouts "world peace". Though, as the saying goes, "If you want peace, prepare for war". Circle Jerks serve as the igniting spark to revolution. I don't hate any race, gender, or religion out ther, but I sure do hate the rich. Literally hate. I don't use the word lightly. "Letter Bomb" is all about sending plastic explosives to your boss and all the other rich bastards that rule our lives. Extreme? Certainly. Though, with an energy level as high as the lyrical content, how can you not get sucked in? I mean, the song speaks the truth, even if it goes about it the wrong way. We don't need more death, but it would be nice to be feared by all the elite of the world. Remember what happened to Luigi? I mean, for a second there we had them sweating. We just need a little more of that energy. Yes, violence is the wrong way, but the same people who strategically got you into corporate slavery and could care less about what happens to you. Even if they make 17 bucks off your corpse, they will sleep like babies in their probably really comfy bed. Man, I bet they have comfy beds. If only I could live that life for just a second. Think about the record collection! The good you can do with that much money. Disgusting just knowing that there are those that have so much while people suffer across the globe. For what? What a world, man, what a world. That is where the Circle Jerks come into the picture. They speak the words we are all thinking. Like some sort of intrusive thoughts with guitars backing them up. If the song ain't for you, don't stress; it only lasts a fuckin' minute. That is all you really need though, the song will wear you right the fuck out. A nice deep cut from the band you don't wanna miss if you like that punk rock fury. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1982

Album: Wild in the Streets (1982)

Genre: Hardcore Punk

Mood: Pissed

​Perfect For: Working, Going to work every day to avoid being homeless, Working, Working, Working, Working

Where to Next: "Let's Lynch the Landlord" - Dead Kennedys

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/26/2026

"Soul to Squeeze" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

     Man, is this just the "Great Songs of 1993" section of the website or what? Speaking of those sorts of sections, I have taken a step back from doing lists while working on the other website. Frankly, I am too lazy to do all the work here just to port it over and then have to fix it anyway. Truth be told, I am not sure how many people go there anyway. Since we are on the topic of the lists, I am trying to decide whether I want to gut it or not. A lot of those lists are immensely outdated, some of them dating back 4 or more years ago. My taste has expanded and changed a shitload since then. I mean, they are still damn accurate, but I was shocked to see Creedence Clearwater Revival at the top of my favorite rock artists of the 1960s list. Not because I don't adore the group, since I do, but are they still at the top? I remember at the time I was head over heels in love with their fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys. I am talking about hardly going a day without diving into it again. An addiction, if you will. I almost played it so much that I lost feeling in my ear when it played, since it was mainly just playing in my head already. Crossed wires. So, yeah, there is a solid chance that CCR isn't #1 anymore, but I still stand by the lists. I just need to update them, but those suckers took me so much time! Plus, I am immensely behind on my 1980s and 1990s sections. I am just behind. I love the website, but man, does it take a lot of time and care. Alright, enough about that. Let's talk some Chili Peppers! Much like the Smashing Pumpkins, they are 1990s royalty! Though, unlike the Smashing Pumpkins, they already had a strong fan following and somewhat known presence in the mainstream before they switched their sound to something so commercial it practically shifted what we consider alternative rock. We are choosing a track today that you couldn't have missed if you even tried while listening to the radio. "Soul to Squeeze" is a solid track from the band. Though, I fear the new fans coming through the band's discography, since there will always be new Red Hot Chili Peppers fans even after they are dead and gone, won't be able to easily find this track since it was first released as the B-side to the singles for "Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away" in 1991 and then finally got its own single release in 1993, being released alongside the soundtrack to the Coneheads movie. You know... People know me as a stick in the mud, and while I don't fully agree with the statement, I will say that I am not fond of comedy movies. The shit cringes me out. Sometimes I question if I understand humor. Though I do understand humor. Inside of me I feel the funny, but I have no need to laugh or even smile. "The joke is understood. You sure are funny. Haha." is exactly what plays through my head. Now, Coneheads is one strange movie—really strange. If you don't know about it, go look it up; the thing is a cult classic. One thing I will certainly not put down about the movie is that soundtrack. If it helped "Soul to Squeeze" find its own strong home in the Red Hot Chili Peppers discography, I tip my hat to thee. Not only that, but the movie honestly is loaded up with great tracks. It is one of the only places to find the cover of "Magic Carpet Ride" with Slash (of Guns N' Roses) and Michael Monroe (of Hanoi Rocks) giving it their best shot. It is far off from the original version from Steppenwolf, but I like to hear the likes of Slash and Monroe together. Anyway, "Soul to Squeeze" eventually found its way onto the band's 2003 Greatest Hits, an album that should be in everyone's collection. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have no shortage of great albums, but if you certainly need at least one album in your CD collection, this is the one. It features plenty of the band's best, and for fans like myself, I am extra fond of the compilation due to its leaning into the band's material from Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the Chili Peppers' greatest studio album so far as I am concerned. This greatest hits album also features two new songs, "Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population", two immensely underrated songs, especially when it comes to "Fortune Faded". Any Red Hot Chili Peppers fan simply needs this compilation. You know, greatest hits from bands are typically always good; I mean, it is in the title, but some have a special flow to them, and this is one of the special ones. Some of the bands' roots, some of their prime material, a little taste of recent hits, and a place to include the unreleased tracks that need a home and a chance to steal back those soundtrack-locked songs for the LP fans. The album cover is engrained into my mind with its heavy use from my early years of becoming a music addict. It was first in CD form (thanks, Mom), then I ripped it onto my own discs, then it moved into being on my MP3, to my iPod, and finally to the streaming days. This one has been through the ringer with me! I am sure there are many of you that had the same experience.

     "Soul to Squeeze" is an essential Red Hot Chili Peppers track, and it gets its fair share of love. The atmosphere is sublime, and it is core early Red Hot Chili Peppers, even with its later true release. Something mellow for the masses, you know? Like we covered in the Smashing Pumpkins post, it isn't always how well you sing, but how you sing it. For "Soul to Squeeze", Anthony Kiedis keeps you more than satisfied. Even with the silly part where he says the highly enlightened words, something mortals can hardly stand hearing without having their brains ooze: "Doo-doo dingle zing a dong bone ba-di ba-da ba-zumba cong gone bad". You still with us? I know it is difficult to hear; some truths are just so bitter they get stuck in your ears. All jokes. Truth be told, I look forward to that part of the song; it is silly and very much in the style of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I have met few people who actually like it. I will admit, it takes away from the heavily emotional feeling of the song and comes from left field, but I like it. Anyway, maybe aside from that moment, this is just a blissful song. I chose the song after having some issues getting my sound system going. I had a place install my head unit and performance speakers annnnd they butchered it. So, after having a random-ass crisis, my loved ones were nice enough to get me the money to get the rest of the job done and get some of the butchering fixed. I will never forgive that shop! What happened to treating customers like humans and not walking, talking wallets? Whatever. If you are a Utah native, don't go to California Audio in West Valley. Try somewhere else. Shit, pay some bum on the street that has no idea what he is doing, and you might walk away happier. Well, I brought it to another shop, and he got me rolling with style. I finished my system with an amp and baby sub, and we now have one rockin' Wrangler. The first song that showed me I was in the right area now of sounding good was "Soul to Squeeze". I know, most people would have jumped in and played something crazy! Though after the day my lady and I had, I was more focused on getting home, and while sitting there messing with some of my new gear in my parking spot, that is when "Soul to Squeeze" came along to remind me of the simple things. The thing that has always commanded my life: sitting in a car and listening to music. That has been a Red Hot Chili Peppers thing since they came around; they are practically the embodiment of sitting in your car and listening to music. All their songs sound fantastic on an upgraded system, and the majority of their less funky ones sound great on even a beater stock system. They just have raw appeal, and you can feel the simplistic emotion that comes out of each of their songs within yourself more than hear it with your ears. Getting off topic. "Soul to Squeeze" will be considered the first song I truly listened to on the new system, a system I still intend to sink more money into when I actually get money and catch up on paying everyone back. "Soul to Squeeze" was originally recorded in 1991 to be featured on the tracklisting to the band's last truly funky album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but it didn't make the cut. I love that album! I would make love to that album if CDs and vinyl weren't so damn sharp! It is too good. If I meet another fan and we get to the classic question of "what is your favorite album?" and they reply with something past 1999, my attention slowly fades away. Not really. I love all forms of Red Hot Chili Peppers; they are just that kind of band. Sure, there is a perfect place to jump into the group and a less perfect one, but once you get bit by the peppers, there is simply no going back, and you will likely love it all. "Soul to Squeeze" would have been a perfect addition to Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is honestly kind of disappointing that it didn't make the cut. It has a perfect atmosphere that matches the feeling of the more commercial tracks on that album. Not "Sir Psycho Sexy", oh no. That isn't the kind of song that charts; it is the kind of song that gets the mothers of America to march. "Soul to Squeeze" charted strongly upon its single release in 1993. It hit the #7 spot on the US charts and hit pretty high in most countries with ears. The lyrics to this song are strangely deep and reside within me, well, aside from the scatting part, that is. The traveler's heart is found within this song, the heart that gets hit with depression and obsesses on finding themselves upon shores never trodden. The song puts my heart at ease; it always has. Now I give this track to you. Man, you are going to love it. Know it? Play it again. Don't know it? Play it once and then play it again. Don't like the Chili Peppers? Go get help, play it once, and then play it again. It is just that simple. Alright, I will leave you to it! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1991/1993

Chosen Compilation: Greatest Hits (2003)

Genre: Alternative Rock

Mood: Nomadic

​Perfect For: Summer days, Traveling, Going for a pointless solo drive, Finding yourself, Casual listening, Chilling

Where to Next: "Doesn't Remind Me" - Audioslave

Rating: 9 / 10

Song of the Day 07/25/2026

"Cherub Rock" - The Smashing Pumpkins

     Freak out, give in. It doesn't matter what you believe in because we have with us one of the finest bands to come out of the 1990s, the Smashing Pumpkins. Man, does this band kick ass! To each person there are many sides; we have the ones based in the seven deadly sins, the ones we learned to be from the beat down and build up from society, and then the inner us, the one that nothing can touch and many lose touch with over time. For me, the Smashing Pumpkins are that inner me. Their melancholic, sometimes chaotic, sometimes creative energy has always found a home deep within my soul. Each time I listen to anything from Gish, Siamese Dream, and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness I feel like a piece of me is finally being expressed, like it has a moment to show its true colors, especially within Siamese Dream. I can hardly listen to that album without wanting to ugly cry, smile, and bite my own lip off all at the same time. Now, that might sound like a negative, but I can say without a doubt that it is indeed a positive. Like many of the songs, artists, and albums that have a place on this website, this band is another that means a lot to me. They were an early love, and throughout the years they have always been there. Unlike some bands, they aged to also keep that flow. The youthful grunge-based angst that is featured on their first two albums, but when 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness rolls around, we get something a little more mature, a little more emotional. There is still that anger, that burning for change, but this time it is met with cold reality and a little bit of understanding. 1998s Adore follows suit, but now we go pretty hard into the sorrow of the realization of aging and our spot within this society. It is a cold album with a strong electronic backing, something that serves as a strange transition point from teenager and young adult to a full-fledged adult, belly fur and all. The Machina duo is a time of figuring shit out, seeing what is good and what is bad. Trying our damndest to try to find our own voice within our own story instead of that of the narrator. Then after those two albums in 2000, the band took a break from the studio for a couple of years until 2007, when they came back and released their somewhat lackluster album, Zeitgeist. Now, don't be taking that "lackluster" to heart; there is nothing there with hate. The album is a decent one through and through. Within that one we see the aging into our thirties, a time where people fully come into themselves and realize they might have just been doing the same thing on repeat for the last little bit. You can reach back and try reclaiming your youth, but time has moved on, and honestly, that sleeveless tee won't look good on you anymore. So you get back into the studio of life and hash out some experimental material for a little bit before putting out one of your best albums, Oceania. For many, this one might seem like the end of the road, an album all about transitions, about change, something that at first might seem a little daunting, but then you realize that maturity has finally come; you found a sound within yourself that not only resonates with your inner child but also can freely talk to your full adult self. 2014's Monuments to an Elegy follows suit with a sweet ride of life. Shiny and Oh So Bright sees you going through a little bit of a midlife crisis, but hey, it is alright. Still a fun and smooth time, but maybe let that inner kid take a nap for a little bit, ya know? Cyr in 2020 came along at the prime time of hitting that stage where while your body is worn, your soul strives for more. The three-piece album, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts, is that stage where you finally made it in life to the point that you can dedicate more time to what you truly love instead of just chasing the dollar or others' opinions, and it works, man, does it sound good! No matter what others say. Finally, we get to Aghori Mhori Mei, which was released in 2024. An album where you can take all you learned through your career, all you learned in life, and get to package it all together as a compelling tale of wisdom. You see, I have grown alongside the Smashing Pumpkins since I was a kid. Albums like Siamese Dream were definitive of my teenage years, and while I still adore that album, fucking adore it, some of the messages slip through my fingers now. The sound is still there; it is still a band's signature sound that explains my inner workings, so some things never change, but even now I am mature enough to fully appreciate some of the belly of the Smashing Pumpkins when I couldn't before. For a fan of the band that started in at a different point, the story might be different. You might read that random rambling on about ages, music, and growth and think, "What the hell is this guy smoking?" and I wouldn't blame you. We all take in things different. See things different. That is the beauty and blunder of life. So, I stand by how the Smashing Pumpkins in a strange way signify the changing of the times, of aging. Either way, they always keep things fresh, sometimes to a fault.

     You might be thinking, "Get on with it, already!" and we are here now so don't blow your top. "Cherub Rock" is easily one of the best songs to come out of the 1990s, and I will die on this hill. The track serves as the Smashing Pumpkins greatest tie-in to the grunge scene. I have seen plenty of arguments out there about the band's place within the genre, and while I wouldn't consider the band to be a grunge band, I would consider albums like Siamese Dream and Gish to have a place within that world. Some might be on a track-by-track kind of basis, but there is no denying that "Cherub Rock" is heavily whacked with that grunge stick. It is one of the Smashing Pumpkins heaviest songs, not in the metal kind of way, no, but in a raw, aggressive way. "Cherub Rock" has some heavily distorted beat downs, but they balance that out with the entrancing vocal work of Billy Corgan and an atmosphere so murky you could drown. That dude knows how to put together a compelling song, and better yet, he knows how to entertainingly sing. Operatic vocalists or those that lull you to sleep have their own accolades, but I put my money on the singer who can make me feel the song. To feel the lyrics. Corgan never misses the mark on that. His vocal work is highly recognizable for a reason. "Cherub Rock" is the opening track to the band's immensely essential album, Siamese Dream. It was also the first single to come out before the album even hit the shelves—talk about a way to get people psyched! I would have called out of work when it released just to listen to it the whole day if I thought even one third of the songs on the album were as good as this one, and luckily enough, each song is a solid sender! "Cherub Rock" is the type of track that honestly sounds great on any sound system. You could be listening to it through a barely working pair of cheap headphones and enjoy it just as much as a state-of-the-art audio system. It all comes down to its heavy and murky atmosphere that never once leaves a second for silence. A full-bodied kind of song that has you smelling like it once it comes to a close. The track is a hodgepodge of many different sounds. It is the melding of arena rock, shoegaze, indie rock, progressive rock, grunge, traditional hard rock, and has its main home in the alternative rock genre, where the Smashing Pumpkins reign as one of its kings. There was a lot that went into the track. You know that guitar solo at 3:10 after an intense tension-building rise to power? That solo has always got me sucked into the song harder than any other part. Well, that solo has that effect by recording the same solo twice on two different recorders and then playing them side by side with the speeds slightly altered. It sure is a full wall of sound that never fails to give me chills, especially since Billy Corgan then comes back in with the vocals being youthful and dreamlike. The track has many highs, enough to fill a whole car with, but that solo never fails to be my favorite, especially with its lead-up and then holding the energy up high until the end. The record label wanted "Today" to be the leading single for Siamese Dream, but Corgan was adamant that it was "Cherub Rock", thinking it would blow "Today" out of the water. Truth be told, it should have, but "Today" showed itself to be more popular once it was released as a single. "Today" is another bonafide 1990s classic that should never be skipped when it starts playing; that is one of those sins that will never be forgiven. "Cherub Rock" lyrically is based around Billy Corgan's views of indie rock and the media. The track is the best one to start the album off, nothing like the band's fuzzy and moody intros to keep you seated and sated. It sets the tone and pace for the rest of the album. The following tracks on this classic are all damn good. You could jump into any of them and get your hackles rising, but few do it better than "Cherub Rock". Well, I will stop my talking and let you get into your listening. You already know the track, who doesn't? But that is no excuse to not play it again and again, and maybe again. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1993

Album: Siamese Dream (1993)

Genre: Alternative Rock, Grunge

Mood: Dreamy

​Perfect For: Summer days, Youthful memories, Casual listening, Playing with the windows down

Where to Next: "Heart-Shaped Box" - Nirvana

Rating: 10 / 10

Song of the Day 07/24/2026

"Shut Me Up" - Mindless Self Indulgence

     I guess we are having two odd tracks back-to-back. You are welcome. I love the random nature of this website sometimes. It is a good challenge for me, too. For today we have with us one of the finest to come out of the still underground genre, electropunk. Now, electropunk never had too much time in the spotlight, but in the dark corners of the internet forums, YouTube, and online communities, there was one group that showed that there could be a market, albeit a strange market, and that was Mindless Self Indulgence. There are few groups out there that scream "2000s" so damn loudly! Trust me, I was there; I survived those strange years of transitioning into the boring and sleek humans we are now. That stage was a ton better than the swag era, man, anything but the swag era. I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking about that disastrous time period. Shutter glasses? Are you shitting me? They were dumb in the 80s and were dumb in the 2010s. Anyway, I grew up in the 2000s and would consider myself, alongside the others born in the end of the 1990s, some of the last to experience both sides of the playground. We came around nearing the end of mandatory cursive and moved heavily into keyboarding. We rode bikes to parks to just fuck around, knowing that we had to be home before those lights turned on. Still, I would come home and play on my PS2, which turned into a PS3, and then have my own money when the PS4 came around. I feel lucky to have seen both sides; I just wish I knew that the economy and world were going to be in such shambles by the time I turned into a full adult. Simpler times, it felt like. Don't get me wrong, I am sure there were hard times then too, but I was just a kid hidden from all the terrors of the world. Each generation has its woes, but I am not sure if the other generations have felt the same bite. We are not seeing the end days yet, but we are sure getting to the backstory stage. Mindless drones fill the streets begging for attention on social media. A constant race of kids chasing dopamine they found in a silly and flashy video. The dollar means hardly anything. Everyone is rude as fuck; some might hurt you just to feel alive again. The world is getting more stupid by the day, and we turn our brains off in the fog of social media and quick stimulation, following this age-worn line into the meat grinder for the next generation to come along and see all we left them, which is nothing. Silly, silly human race. The America I was raised in is a much different place than it is now, and as someone who has mainly lived their life through older music and movies, it is strange to look out the window some days and think that this is even the same place. We were never all we thought we were; that is just the American way to pretend we are something special, but there still was something there. Some vision. Some pride. Now pride tends to come in the form of a high ego. Well, whatever it might be, there is still great music modernly like there was years ago, so at least some things will never change. Hope I don't look back at this post in 4 years and say, "Boy, how things have changed". Alright, enough real talk for a second; let's get into the music. Mindless Self Indulgence always brings me back! I was quite smitten with them when I was a kid. It was the right degree of edgy, you see. The lyrical content of early Mindless Self Indulgence is shocking to say the least. Each word either has something silly or something gross, and as a kid, that is all you really need. Shit, Mindless Self Indulgence might as well have had "babies' first curse words" printed on the front of the CD since it taught me some mighty strong words. As kids might just do, I went and tried out all those words on friends, authority, and enemies alike. From the band's catchy as hell but offensive as hell "Stupid MF" I learned some key words. One set of words came in the form of the repetitious "You stupid motherfucker", which I then went and said to my sister. Before I get into the next piece of that story, I want to make one thing very clear. I was very lucky growing up that I had parents that both allowed me to listen to mostly whatever I pleased. Mindless Self Indulgence was one of the only times I stepped out of line and took the music too seriously. Some parents might shun what my mom and dad allowed me to listen to, but I tell those parents to can it. That freedom gave me a special comfort, and it made it so I didn't really have to hide what I liked. So what Green Day was talking down on the government, or The Offspring had a few songs with minor curse words? That shit didn't phase me, and truth be told, I heard that stuff at home! Anyway, back to the original story. I called my sister a stupid motherfucker and likely followed it up with other things. Then I stormed out of the house to go do my thing, whatever the hell that was. Well, I had to go home eventually, and when I started walking up the creaking stairs to the front door, my mom was inside waiting with Mindless Self Indulgence's You'll Rebel to Anything in hand. This was the only time I could recall her taking a CD from me. She set up a short-lived rule about what we can listen to, something that frightened me for a little bit since I had some even seedier songs already bookmarked on YouTube I hope she didn't discover. Eggshells lined the flooring of the house for a couple of days until one day I found the CD! It was in the CD player in her car! She broke her own damn rule, and when I went after her for it, I recall her saying she "listened to it so she didn't strangle her coworkers". Fair enough, man. That is the power of the music! Still, I didn't ever get that CD back.

Mindless Self Indulgence had a pretty heavy imprint on little kid me, and it also helped me learn how to spell bigger words well before I knew what indulgence even meant. Man, that word was my bane while I was trying to write it on homework and in notebooks. I could go through my memory bin and likely find plenty of notebooks that have "indulgence" crossed out multiple times until I still spelled it wrong but thought it was correct at the time. So, yeah, if you have kids... Maybe not Mindless Self Indulgence; they sure got some lyrics and atmosphere. Now, if you are a little kid reading this, fuck yeah. Hide that shit. Don't let them see it! Also, props for reading the website! The trick to schoolyard scuffles is if someone falls over during it, just continuously push them back over right before they stand up to both damage them and tire them out before anyone gets actually hurt. Plus, nothing like getting laughed at by everyone to shatter that ol' image. Honor be damned. Alright, enough ill-gotten wisdom from your author; let's get into the music! "Shut Me Up" is easily the band's most famous song. I honestly didn't even know the band were still mighty popular until I looked into them a couple of months back. Good for them. In the modern PC climate of today, I am frankly shocked. I know it is hateful words for the purpose of love, but still. "Shut Me Up" still holds the top spot, but that should be expected. The song is addictive as they get. It has no right to be as good as it is either. I can still run the whole music video through my head. That music video is criminally out of its time. It follows perfectly with the YouTube humor of the mid 2000s, and it is with that video that the band gained some pretty good attention. The single for "Shut Me Up" hit the top of the US Dance charts and #7 on the US Hot Singles Sales charts. Not too bad for such an obscure band. The album that holds "Shut Me Up" is 2005's You'll Rebel to Anything, their first charting album and one that helped remind you what "parental advisory" is all about. It was only released in the United States until 2007, when it got its first international release. I mean, the band had relative success outside of the US, but we were always their biggest fans. "Shut Me Up" is the ultimate place to start within the band. Not only does it prepare you for the onslaught of the rest of the album, but it also gives you a taste of both their early sleazier sound and their later, more tame sound. The song kicks into gear with an industro-guitar attack before the beats come into the picture. There are few bands as natural at making a song about getting your ass kicked sound so appealing. Catchy as much as it is rebellious. A song and band that take themselves quite seriously while treating the whole damn thing like a childish joke. Their vision and songs always vex me, but that is the appeal. If their sound is going to mix allllll sorts of styles together, why not make what they do a complete storm of confusion? There is an appeal in that confusion. It is addictive. That is why people have been coming back for years. The first time you hear it, you are like, "What in the fuck is this?" but before you know it.... You want more. And then some more.... Their sound is crazy! From my time with the band when I was younger and my recent reinitiated love for the band, I can say with a pretty strong stance that you will not find a finer album from the band than You'll Rebel to Anything. We got tracks like "Shut Me Up", which help sum up what the internet culture of the time was about. "Stupid MF" with its insensitivity giving you angsty chills. "What Do They Know?" shows the band can still dish out a pretty straightforward commercial track that will get stuck in your head for days. "2 Hookers and an 8 Ball" for the fans back home. A rough cover of Rush's "Tom Sawyer". The full frontal lyrical attack of "Bullshit" and "You'll Rebel to Anything" that is backed by an over-the-top catchiness. There are some fuckin' strange lyrics on this album. Some will have you chuckling, and others will have you wondering if they just copped out on finding good lyrics like "You can call me little miss piss with a kiss". Come on, yeah, it rhymes and is sort of comical, but try harder! For many groups I would bounce as soon as I saw these kinds of lyrics, not because I am a prude, just cause I ain't wasting my time with that. But Mindless Self Indulgence is just too addictive. The ol' dumpster fire. A train wreck. Watching a rat eat his dead buddy. Something disgustingly alive that you can't help but feel that animal magnetism from. Alright, enough talking out of me. Time for you to check the song out. There is a good chance you have ended listening to it before, likely on a late night of trying to go to sleep after a bender, but now is the time to try the band out for size again, maybe even sober! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2005

Album: You'll Rebel to Anything (2005)

Genre: Industrial Rock, Electropunk

Mood: Aggressive

​Perfect For: Getting pissed, Getting pumped, Getting piss pumped

Where to Next: "Sex Bomb" - Lords of Acid

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/23/2026

"Alice's Restaurant Massacree" - Arlo Guthrie

     Welcome back! Today we talk about one of the most compelling, longest folk songs that I think I've ever heard. "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is likely going to be one of the oddest that pops up this week, but in all the right ways! It is the titan on Arlo Guthrie's debut album, Alice's Restaurant, which released in 1967. That one is likely his biggest claim to fame, though he has had a ton of lasting songs and albums within the folk and folk rock community. Arlo Guthrie is one of those artists that are absolute legends! Though, his sales won't reflect that. Alice's Restaurant was both his highest-charting and highest-selling album. Guthrie put out 1 live album and 2 other studio albums in the 1960s, both of which charted fairly, though the third album out of 1969 hardly counts since it comes in the form of a soundtrack to the movie Alice's Restaurant, which, as you guessed it, is a comedy based around our song of the day. In the 1970s Arlo put out one live album alongside Pete Seeger, another folk mastermind. There were 7 studio albums that came out of the 1970s, two in the 1980s, four in the 1990s, and three out of the 2000s. Arlo Guthrie toured religiously up until just 2020. A whole lifetime of telling his stories, singing his songs, and bringing smiles across the whole globe. I haven't made it all the way through Arlo Guthrie's discography, but I have a solid chunk of it down. Some of his albums and songs became synonymous with the growing pains of my early 20s, and as I have now made it into my later 20s (gross), his words almost make more sense and cut even deeper. Arlo is known for his political songs, comedy songs, and realistic songs, something that he does better than a lot in the folk scene, which is really saying something since those three are a big chunk of the whole genre's game. I mean, I don't know if he beats his dad, though. Wait! Shit! I haven't even dived into that one yet. So, at the start of this month we finally had a Woody Guthrie song come onto the website after praising that man's name in many other posts from a wide plethora of artists. Well, Arlo is the son of Woody Guthrie, something he successfully separates himself on with style but something he wears with honor. How could you not? Woody Guthrie is the American people, the singer of the common man, and one hell of a legend. Arlo filled his shoes and showed he could walk whatever way he chose in them. Arlo's mother is Marjorie Guthrie, Woody's second wife, and the person who stood beside him when he was dying from Huntington's disease. Following the passing of Woody, she went on to do a lot for disease advocacy, going so far as to get President Carter to form a commission to study neurological diseases. So, Arlo came from the souls of two very strong individuals, something he brought with him into his music. Sure, today's song might be a silly one; that is the fun of it, but it is wrapped with a serious message. One thing I always come back to Arlo Guthrie for is how well he melds the serious with the comedic. It is something his pops did as well, but Arlo's aged even better. He laughs through some mean truths, and each truth tends to have a sharp edge to it. Alright, our song of the day is likely going to take a giant chunk of the post. I am confident that Arlo Guthrie will return, and if it takes too long, then pull up some songs yourself. He has a massive catalogue of great songs. Alright, "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" comes off of Arlo's debut album, Alice's Restaurant. The album was released in 1967 and hit the 17th spot on the US charts and eventually hit platinum status. This is one essential album to listen to for anyone who likes folk, especially the folk of the 1960s. The track listing comprises 7 songs, but the first side of the album is dedicated to one goliath of a track, our song of the day. The whole album is highly enjoyable, but they should have flipped the order since by the time you are done with "Alice's Restaurant Massacree", you are run dry of energy. This song really holds your attention the whole way through with Arlo's special brand of playing the fool.

     "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is one of the finest storytelling songs out there. It is based on a true story from Arlo, but one that is massively blown out of proportion. The song itself is rooted in talking blues, a genre of blues music that keeps a steady beat in the background and sets the stage for a campfire-feeling story time. Guthrie covers the tale of how his littering led to him not being able to get drafted. Now, how could that turn into an 18-minute song? Something immensely uncommon in the music world at the time. Well, it is Arlo Guthrie. He fills the time with humor and clever character building. The story goes that he was helping out a friend, Alice, clean up her trash, which was half a ton of it. So, he and his friend loaded up their van to take it to the dump, but the dump was closed due to it being Thanksgiving. While looking for somewhere to dump it, they came across a place where there was already trash, so they threw it out of the van. Well, as you would expect, the next morning he got a call from the police, which asked him to come down. They thought that they were just going to get a scolding and have to go clean up the trash. To their surprise, they were arrested and were brought to the scene of the crime where all the hillbilly cops were already at work gathering all the evidence. They were hellbent on busting these two and made sure to gather a ton of well-put-together physical evidence, the most notable of which was fancy printed photos. To the cop's dismay, the judge came into the courtroom guided by a seeing-eye dog, which, to keep up the joke, destroyed all his work, and Arlo and his friend walked away with a small fine and needing to clean up that trash. The story at this point changes fairly dramatically to the next part where Arlo goes to get enlisted in the army. He more than passed the test to see if he was a fit soldier with his deep need to kill. All was going wonderfully until they asked if he was ever arrested, in which he told the story he just got done telling us. There was the trouble, so they sent him with all the hardened criminals, rapists, and killers, to wait until someone would come talk to them and get them to say they have rehabilitated themselves. Arlo thought that was pretty comical since he was just a litterbug that was being asked to say he is a better man so he can go and kill and burn villages. Which got him put on a watchlist, and he warns that you might be on the list as well. Then after all of that bit is done, he moves into how if we all sing the intro of "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant" when getting questioned or drafted, they won't know what to do with themselves. Anyway, I probably butchered the explanation, especially since the song tells the story wonderfully. Anyway! Through this silly story it is a wraparound way to be one powerful protest song. The song is his signature song and has since been added into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its historic, cultural, and aesthetic significance. That is no light achievement; it pretty well means the song is important enough to be archived forever. What an achievement! The song was the one that busted Arlo Guthrie into mainstream success. Bob Fauss of Radio Unnamable took a special interest in the song and would play it religiously over his midnight broadcast. This got a lot of people digging it, and following Guthrie's performance of the song at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival, he was now a name everyone was seeking out his cleverly worded songs on compelling albums. This led to him giving the people what he wanted, and he released Alice's Restaurant in October of the same year to positive acclaim from both critics and fans. Guthrie didn't expect much from it, I mean, the song is crazy long. Singles rarely exceeded 3 1/2 minutes during this time, so who was going to take time both in the radio station and also at home to listen to it? Turned out there were a ton of people! For some families "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" turned into a Thanksgiving tradition, something I am sort of wanting to do as well now. Anyway, even if it wasn't for the playing time, it was also due to the style of the song. This was not the kind of stuff selling at the time, not even in the folk or blues genres. It was incredibly outdated, but once again, people were there for it! Guthrie continued to play the song live up until the end of the 1970s, but he brought it back in the 1980s, often using it as a jumping point to alter the lyrics to match the time or tell random ass stories, but no matter what, the song was still sandwiched between the songs "Alice's Restaurant jingle". A strange track, but by the end of it you will be wanting to play it again. It is a fun track. I am shocked that he uses a slur near the end of the song, especially with him being a lifelong activist, but some things age like milk. Either way, don't let that stop you from enjoying this song. The song is certainly an anti-war song, but according to Guthrie, he meant for it to be more of an anti-stupidity song, something that almost makes more sense. Alright, I think that sums it up about right. It is a long song this go-around, but man, is it worth it! There is never really an end to the jokes; they are more just a shaggy-dog kind of tale, but I love it. Anyway, hope you dig the track! You know what to do. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1967

Album: Alice's Restaurant (1967)

Genre: Folk, Talking Blues

Mood: Goofy

​Perfect For: Focused listening, Story time, Going for a walk, Daydreaming

Where to Next: "Wildwood Weed" - Jim Stafford

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/22/2026

"Raining in My Heart" - Buddy Holly

      Not a day goes by where I don't wonder what Buddy Holly would have done if he hadn't died so damn young. As I have talked about previously, I think he would have gone the country route in the long run. All the signs were there, and it was the common route for the white side of the rock 'n' roll pioneers. To finalize the deal, Buddy Holly was heavily influenced by the country stars in his youth, and he was personal friends with Waylon Jennings, who played in Holly's band on bass before his passing. Guess we will never know. At the same time, Holly was seemingly growing more into the pop side of the rock catalogue with his solo material away from the Crickets. So he might have followed the same fate as some of the artists who tried winging it in the pop field and slowly became yesterday's news. Well, there is no way of knowing, so we can just appreciate all the great music he put out in his time. There are some mighty names in the 1950s rock world, and Buddy Holly is one of the greatest amongst them. This is the third time we are talking about Buddy Holly; the previous two were the legendary "Not Fade Away" and the deep cut "Rock Around with Ollie Vee". Today, we are talking about the mellow and heartfelt "Raining in My Heart". The song was released in 1959, a little less than a month before Buddy Holly met his fate upon that cursed Beechcraft Bonanza on February 3rd. It was the last single to be released from Holly while he was living; the others within the year were posthumous releases. Most of the singles from the time were put onto two compilations, The Buddy Holly Story in 1959 at the end of February, and then The Buddy Holly Story Vol. 2 in 1960. Those were the first of many posthumous compilations following his death. "Raining in My Heart" charted fairly low in comparison to his previous hits. It had the hard fight of finding a place next to "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", which served as the A-side to the same single and is admittedly one of Buddy Holly's greatest songs. "Raining in My Heart" was recorded in October of 1958, so don't be digging into the track trying to find some sort of conspiracy. There is no answer or secret message within the recording. It is crazy how many people obsess about that. No, Elvis didn't fake his death. There is likely no other Paul McCartney, or any of the other Beatles replica theories for that matter. I get it, most of the musicians on that list hit a special godhood that practically hasn't ever been even close to getting touched again, so the idea of them dying is a strange thing to believe. I hate those theories; I always have. They not only seem sort of disrespectful, but they are also just plain odd. I thought with the internet being wider now there would be more conspiracy theories out there, but it honestly seems to have taken a step back. Probably for the best. They are fun, I won't lie, and they help get the brain moving, but most are so full of holes that you can never make it back to shore. "Raining in My Heart" is just a moving and simple pop song sung wonderfully by Buddy Holly. During his solo stage nearing the end of his life, Buddy Holly really shows off his vocal skills more than he did with his time with the Crickets. During that stage he is an utter joy to listen to; there is a lot of fun within his vocal work, but what is shown on his solo material trumps it. Is it better? No. I mean, that is up to you to decide. They are damn similar, but the difference is still clear as day. The best ones to easily show the difference between the Crickets' stage of Holly and his solo work are within two songs, "Everyday" and "Raining in My Heart". Pop washed, heavily pop-washed, but it fits Holly like a glove. Once again, I sure do wonder where he would have gone with his sound and if he was to be another rock 'n' roll pioneer that fell off the wagon. 

     "Raining in My Heart" became one of Holly's most haunting tracks with its forlorn atmosphere mixed with his death, which came soon after. It is one compelling song, and one that always makes me feel low, even on a good day. I am not the only one who has been touched by this song. Leo Sayer had a pretty successful cover with it in 1978 with his soft rock/pop sound. That one is a peach, not even close to the original, but still highly enjoyable. Other versions have been put out but never hit the same acclaim as Holly's and Sayer's. Other great versions include Status Quo, Anne Murray, Bobby Vee, and a personal favorite from Skeeter Davis on her Buddy Holly tribute album, Sings Buddy Holly, in 1967. That album has some of my favorite Skeeter Davis songs, but that shouldn't be too shocking since I love just about anything that was touched by Buddy Holly at one point or another. All of those versions combined still cannot touch the original; it just has that thing. The track is sad but whimsical. It is criminally from the time, but not so much so that it makes you only listen to it at select moments. It has that human soul to it that makes it appropriate for any day, any time. "Raining in My Heart" has been on many Buddy Holly compilations since its first placement in 1959, though from my own many run-throughs of all things Buddy Holly, The Buddy Holly Story is one of the ultimate compilations of his songs. It has the big-time hits like "Peggy Sue", "Maybe Baby", "That'll Be the Day", and plenty more timeless tracks. Though, what makes this one better than just any ol "greatest hits" album out there is the placement of some less-played nuggets like our song of the day, "Heartbeat", "It's So Easy", and "Think It Over". Each song off that compilation is a complete joy. I mean, Buddy Holly had a relatively short career, so it is only fair that most of his material is great since it never had a chance to grow stale. Now, how do you feel about the release timing? The compilation was released within the same month as his death. I hope it was an honest release, not a quick cash grab. It did indeed sell well, hitting the top 20 mark in the US, UK, and Canada. Nothing sells better than death; the more tragic, the better, and Buddy Holly's was a tragic one. "The day the music died". I don't know why you would have to wait, especially since the fans probably wanted something new, but it makes you wonder where the money went, ya know? It ended up being the highest-selling Buddy Holly LP in America and is rivaled by only a couple of other releases in the UK. It honestly always leaves a bad taste in my mouth when a new compilation drops directly after a big-time musician dies. Feels like a cash grab. Still, I wasn't alive back then, so my opinion is pretty unnecessary. I am indeed glad this one came out, though. It is filled with only the best of the best, and what might have been missed got thrown onto the second part of the Buddy Holly Story compilation set. Both are worth your time and serve as a spectacular spot to jump into one of the greatest artists of the 1950s. If you have made it this far into the website and haven't gone back to check out some of the originators in the 1940s and 1950s, you've got some serious homework! Through all my studies, the 1950s section was the most fun. It is strange that it really wasn't all that long ago, but it certainly feels like a completely different world. A different country. A wholly different society. So, do yourself a favor and load up some Buddy Holly today. You can't go wrong just about anywhere you jump in, even the ones where they added string arrangements years later. He just has a pleasant voice and style, and few show that off better than "Raining in My Heart". Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1959

Chosen Compilation: The Buddy Holly Story (1959)

Genre: Pop

Mood: Forlorn

​Perfect For: Lonesome mornings, Having coffee and toast, Sleepless nights, Rainy days, Casual listening

Where to Next: "I'm Sorry" - Brenda Lee

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/21/2026

"Reach for the Sky" - Social Distortion

     Man, I sure am dragging my feet with the new website. I guess I shouldn't say dragging my feet; I tend to work on it with my extra free time, but with work being... Well... Work. I tend to want to rest up a little bit with some games or going on drives. Know, every other minute tends to be spent here on the Weebly website and working the Weebly website to work on Articulation. I am making some pretty solid progress, but there is still a daunting amount of work. I love having complete control with AintNoisePollution, but there are times I wish I had a little bit of help for the mundane, repetitive stuff like porting over lists. For this one I have to go down a list of songs, most of which are over 100 songs long at least, and simply go down the list, pressing the spacebar on each line. Easy work, but after your 11th time, it grows old. Anyway, enough bitching. It will all be worth it to get off this sketchy website editor, especially since it crashes at random; even this post might be a rewritten version, and you won't even know it. Alright, let's leave that alone for now and talk about the AintNoisePollution debut from one of my all-time favorite bands, Social Distortion. You might be thinking: "How can they be one of your favorites if they only barely showed up?" and while that is a damn fair question, they are here now. The flow of this website sometimes astounds me. It often paints me in a different light since most of my soul bands, my all-time favorite artists, are rarely even seen. Has anyone ever asked you if you were to start up a band, what would it sound like? Well, for me, Social Distortion is typically my answer. They are a hybrid of most everything I love from rock music. They are a punk group, but as their career moved, there were some damn fine expansions to their sound that touched on rockabilly, blues, country, and rock and roll. A mix that was a match made in heaven, and while plenty had done it before Social Distortion became a big-time name, none did it nearly as well as Social Distortion. For a band that has a relatively small discography of 8 studio albums, their most recent being Born to Kill, which was released this year in May to positive acclaim. For the most part, each of Social Distortion's albums is wonderful. Their first five seemed to have followed me through life since I first heard "Story of My Life" on Guitar Hero III. Since that day, I have never quenched my thirst for the band. I will forever be thirsty! Certainly one of my biggest inspirations, and they have one of my all-time favorite styles. Yes, I love talking about myself here on the website, but through that I have shown you that my music collection is ginormous. Even with all those top-tier bands, the oddities, and the massively varying styles, Social Distortion stands above just about every other group I commonly listen to, something I doubt will change. But the question is, what sound am I talking about? Social Distortion eventually found their set style, but even within that style, they have moved around. The band started up in 1978, something people tend to be shocked about, especially if they came to the band following hearing the wonderful "Story of My Life" or "Ball and Chain". In the late 1970s, Social Distortion attacked the mainstream alongside other bands from the Orange County hardcore punk scene. Through playing shows, raising hell, and eventually releasing their first single in 1981, the heavy-hitting "Mainliner" in 1981, they became local heroes. "Mainliner" would make its way onto the 1995 compilation, Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past. It was stuck on single format for a hot minute, and while it isn't the best place to start with the band, "Mainliner" is the perfect song to show off the band's early hardcore punk style. The band released another single a year later called "1945", a massive step up from the band and our first taste of quality Social Distortion. It wasn't until 1983 that the band released their first studio album, the fittingly titled Mommy's Little Monster. Once again, not where I would point a new fan, unless that new fan was a punk fanatic, but if they were fanatical for the genre, they would already know Social Distortion. I love Mommy's Little Monster. It has almost got as much play as the following Social Distortion albums that feature the band's signature sound. Their debut is still in that hardcore punk style, but a much more solidified version of it that would be an influence on skate punk and even pop punk, which would show its teeth many years down the road. Social Distortion sounded a lot like every other punk band out there, but for a genre like punk, that is a given. Following the release of Mommy's Little Monster and the subsequent tour, frontman Mike Ness sort of hit a hard wall and bounced into a hard place. His wall was called heroin, and that hard place was Johnny Law. His habits got worse, and he started going between the jailhouse and the rehab center, and as one might expect, it pretty well destroyed the band, so they went on hiatus until Ness could get his shit together. 5 years down the road, and it seemed it was time for another studio album, but this time it was in a style quite unlike that of Social Distortion's debut, and there was a whole new lineup to boot.

     This version of Social Distortion took on a strange honky-tonk stance, something outlaw and roadworn but still grasping some of their youthful punk vigor. Their second album, Prison Bound, is a fuckin' gem. It released 5 years after the band's debut, and with that stylistic shift and massive lineup change, it is hard to even consider the two releases being from the same band. I love Prison Bound, and plenty of the songs off the album hold the spot as some of my favorites from the group, but as a fan that can say all that, I can also say that this album has some serious growing pains from the band and Mike Ness. Still a great album, but in comparison to their following couple, there is still something to desire. Though, even with that, there is still a ton to praise. The band found their signature sound! That is no easy task; there are plenty of bands that struck big by just following what was going on at the time, but not Social Distortion. "Cowpunk" was already a thing, and having strangely westernesque punk tracks wasn't anything new, but this outlaw feeling, something serious and gritty, is something new, and Social Distortion made it damn clear they were following their own path. In 1990 the band released their most essential and PERFECT album, Social Distortion. Fuck, I love that album. Even seeing that album cover has me fawning over it. I have listened to that album more than almost any other album out there. It is here we see the band fully become their own, having their first seriously charting songs with "Let It Be Me", "Ball and Chain", and the Johnny Cash cover "Ring of Fire". It was even their first charting album, even if it was quite low. The world wasn't ready, but that third studio album of theirs got the world ready for the next couple, which fared better, and the band gathered more fans with each next release. Classic after classic, man! Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell in 1992, which brought back some of the punk knack of the band and brought it into the light just to drop it completely and perform a cover of the hidden country gem, "Making Believe", with such natural grace. Then after a little break, the band released White Light, White Heat, White Trash in 1996. For that one they got back to the truly serious nature of their punk sound. Though, they now got that taste of mainstream attention. Still, it didn't break them; oh no, if anything, backing the band against the mainstream wall had them dishing out some of their best material. Something for the core fans as much as the new ones. Plus, with it being released in 1996, a time when punk was getting mainstream appeal again, Social Distortion released one of the strongest to complement the decade. Then in 1999, the band went on another hiatus. Frontman Mike Ness went along and did two solo albums, both of which came out of 1999. I love those solo albums; they have some stellar covers that remind you of Ness's influences, and as you could guess, they are the same as mine! Fun albums, especially for fans of the slower Social Distortion tracks. In 2000 Social Distortion was set to release their sixth studio album, but the band lost their last original member from the group, aside from Mike Ness, guitarist Dennis Danell. This threw a wrench in the operation, and we wouldn't see another Social Distortion album until 2004. Sex, Love, and Rock 'n' Roll released in September of 2004 and was a tribute to their lost friends along the way, especially Dennis Danell. For a band that liked to disappear for a couple of years and then reappear, they seem to always come back with something special. Sex, Love, and Rock 'n' Roll is a great album, even though I will admit that the sometimes too clean production of it sort of rubs me wrong. I will always come back, and I will always love the album, but I tend to go elsewhere first. I like the grime. Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll is a strangely positive album, likely being the one wrapped in the most sunshine from a band that often talks about the sinful and sorrowful. The second single off the album, "Reach for the Sky", serves as our song of the day. The track has gone on to be one of Social Distortion's most loved tracks. It is the opener for the album as well. The kind of track that lets you know what is what within the first minute and sets the pace for the rest of the album. A song with a fairly strong meaning of taking hold of your life and enjoying each moment since "tomorrow may never come". Life can be extinguished at random. A scary thought, but when you really think about it, there is an excitement there. It urges you to live life how you see fit. Society will keep you chained to your working station; that is just a fact, but the time we have away from the factory is ours to an extent. Want to spend the day picking at your belly button? Hell yeah, get that lint! Working on a motorcycle? Hiking? Doing a big fat nothin'? Well, it is your life, so long as you are doing what you love. "Reach for the Sky" is a classic, and I bet it felt really good hearing this album for the first time after waiting 8 years for the band's next studio album. It isn't as strong as the band's previous couple, but it is still an essential album for anyone who digs what they have heard from the band. It fit wonderfully into the sound of the time, both in rock and punk, and it helped the band gather up a whole new generation of fans. Could you be a new fan? Sitting there in your chair... Or bed... Or car... Or wherever the hell you are. I bet you could find at least a handful of new tracks to adore. If you are already fluent in Social Distortion, then you already know I am telling the truth and can use this as an excuse to dive into another album of theirs again. Wherever you stand on the band, try the song out. It has a message, man, something we need to hear from time to time. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2004

Album: Reach for the Sky (2004)

Genre: Punk Rock, Hard Rock

Mood: Serious

​Perfect For: Summer days, Living it up, Grieving, Planning out your weekend, Reminiscing, Casual listening

Where to Next: "Five Lessons Learned" - Swingin' Utters

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/20/2026

"Pudding Time" - Primus

    Well, within three days we have gone from the lyrically profound to the lyrically simplistic to the lyrically silly. I mean, Primus isn't known for their deep words that will have you pondering life. Don't get me wrong, there are the tracks that are pretty damn well written with a bigger meaning, like "Too Many Puppies", "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers", "American Life", "The Seven", and a couple more. There are also some silly ones in a kick-ass way, like "Tommy the Cat", a song all about an alley cat named Tommy that starts with the very cat line "I remember it as though it was a meal ago". That song is more clever than it really has any right being, even if that cleverness gives way to that Primus band of bass-forward heavy funk. Still, they can write songs about the DMV, clever vagina innuendos, fume-huffing wildcards, and then a song about pudding. That is just Primus, for better or worse. We have strangely never talked about Primus here on AintNoisePollution, but today is the day. Truth be told, "Pudding Time" isn't the ultimate song, and it isn't even close to the best off of the band's 1990 debut album, Frizzle Fry, but it is still a worthwhile track that will have you losing it to the band's known ability to move you! Primus is an acquired taste, there is no doubting that, but I have met few more passionate fanbases than that of Primus fans. They are a unique group, almost to a fault, and that uniqueness only got more outlandish as the band moved along, even having an album heavily influenced by Willy Wonka. It tracks. They are the kind of band, especially Les Claypool, that might just have a Willy Wonka album for no reason. Well, I can say with pride that I am one of many that consider themselves big fans. Primus was an essential band of mine growing up, and that love has yet to wane, and I don't think it ever will. There is simply nobody like Primus, something that will make my "where to next" section below a pain in the ass. The early stage of the band is the heaviest. It was a time when they were a force to be reckoned with and a time when it was damn near impossible to actually categorize them into any set genre. The band released 6 studio albums from 1990 to 1999. They called it quits during the start of the 2000s. It is a classic case of infighting, confusion on direction, and the evil thing of simply running out of ideas. Truth be told, you can sort of tell it was coming with each next release following 1995's Tales from the Punchbowl. Les Claypool went off and did his own thing, or well, I should say things. Les Claypool is one busy beaver, and as a fan that has been with him through many different groups, I can hardly even keep up. Plus, while it pains me to admit, a lot of those side projects sound about the same. Still great. Still good. They all have that Claypool thing, but there isn't all too much variety. Anyway, guitarist Larry LaLonde didn't do too much during the haitus/breakup. He didn't need to really; the sales from Primus were mighty, not to mention his place before Primus in the death metal pioneers Possessed, a connection I always forget is there and shocks me each time. He was also part of the short-lived and immensely underrated Blind Illusion, the band that also had Les Claypool on bass and where they found their synergy. Now, for you Primus fanatics, don't be rushing to Blind Illusion's debut for anything reminiscent of that of Primus; that is a wholly different beast. I do strongly suggest it though; that is one hidden gem that will certainly have you running down the street praising its name. Gold. Anyway, the drummer at the time when Primus had their falling out was Bryan Mantia, but that dude already had his sticks all across the board before even joining Primus, and following their hiatus, he hit the road, Jack, and carried on. He never came back to Primus except for a small stint on tour in 2024. The drummer everyone tends to talk about is Tim Alexander, the drummer for Primus's prime years. A fuckin' tank on that kit, something people don't talk about often for some reason. He is the punch of Primus. The thing that gets you banging your head. Well, I am sure you are sick of reading and would rather just bang your head, so let's see what we have in store.

     "Pudding Time" comes off the band's debut studio album, Frizzle Fry, which was released in 1990. There is no denying that Frizzle Fry is one of the greatest Primus albums and is an essential release of theirs. Bassist and vocalist Les Claypool has said it is his favorite Primus album, something he takes pride in. While this is the band's debut studio album, their first release was the live album, Suck on This, in 1989. That live album is better than you would think. I slept on it for a solid couple of years before I went back and picked it up. I was blown away by that one! It is a heavy hitter and the perfect place to get a dose of that zany Primus humor. They make a joke in a silly voice, and you are thinking, "Great, one of these bands", but then they kick into "John the Fisherman" and you are like, "Wait... Hold On". Primus will always have you dropping your guard so they can go in for the kill. Part of their appeal. Anyway, that live album of theirs is a joy and is regarded as one of the most essential albums in the "alternative metal" genre's early days. The seventh song on Suck on This is the first time "Pudding Time" comes along. There are moments that the live version outshines the studio, and "Pudding Time" is one of those times. The live energy that is on that one has you looking past the silly lyrics and getting completely engrossed in the funkiness of it all. The majority of the songs off of Suck on This found their way onto Frizzle Fry, and the others got their spot on the band's later studio albums. No track left behind! Frizzle Fry is full up of great songs, the kind of tracks that fully move your bowels in the best kind of way. It featured the band's first single, "John the Fisherman", which is still one of Primus's most beloved songs. I use that one or "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" to get someone introduced to the band, and more often than not, people already know those songs; they got a reach that impresses me. Truth be told, I don't know how you could ever not fall in deep love with the sound! Anyway, there are some oddity tracks here, and then there are those that are great for casual music enjoyers to sink their teeth into. The commercial ones tone down some of the odd nature of the band, but it wouldn't be Primus without that oddness, so it is still there. For a new fan to the band, it is a toss-up on what the first album should be. I mean, Frizzle Fry shows off the band's almost progressive nature, but albums like Sailing the Seas of Cheese might be better overall, if not one that punches a lot harder. The two most endearing songs off of Frizzle Fry are "John the Fisherman" and "Too Many Puppies", both of which have this hard-driving nature, something genuinely perfect to drive to. Like, almost down to a science. I could list all the songs I adore off this album, but that might take up some space I want to save for something else, so I will pass. Instead, how about we just get into our song of the day, "Pudding Time"? I don't think I have ever heard a better drop after some silly words than "It's pudding time, children". The song kicks into serious gear when that part comes around. I know it is time to roll the windows up and turn the volume to a dangerous level when that 1:32 & 3:38 mark rolls up. The song lets you know it means business from the get go. That thumping pedal from Alexander on drums and the constant jumping between bass-forward and guitar-forward parts are always a joy before they join all together right before the vocals come into play. This song is almost just them jamming with some random words in between. What are those words? Random talk? Nursery rhymes meet consumerism and greed. Lyrics aren't the focus for this track; that is made clear by how plainly aggressive the whole band is throughout the whole playing time. Primus isn't your idea of heavy metal, and I have always considered them more of a hard rock, boogie rock, or whatever the fuck they are, but "Pudding Time" has you noticing their metal-based roots. For a second there you get a glimpse of Claypool & LaLonde's metal roots in Blind Illusion. A seriously heavy track that is plain odd and cartoony, something that should be expected from the band. They are a classic case of "fortune favors the bold". Their bold style made them complete legends of rock and heavier music. One of the strangest groups to have a fairly strong radio presence. Primus is without a doubt a band that will forever be around; they will lure in fans no matter the decade or century. There is something truly unique in their sound that you cannot find elsewhere, and if you get close, you will just find yourself wanting to listen to Primus instead. So, yeah, "Pudding Time" isn't the proudest debut on AintNoisePollution, but it is still one mean and silly song, one I am glad to share with you today. So, slurp this gooey gem up and good luck only playing it one time! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1990

Album: Frizzle Fry (1990)

Genre: Funk rock, Hard rock, Funk metal

Mood: High-velocity

​Perfect For: Playing loud, Driving in stressful zones, Casual listening, Taking a load off, Getting stoned

Where to Next: "Riddles Are Abound Tonight" - Sausage 

Rating: 7 / 10

"Ting-A-Ling" - The Clovers

     When it comes to genres that have been forgotten in the test of time, doo-wop comes second on that list behind country music. Luckily for great bands like the Clovers, doo-wop gets thrown in with both rock 'n' roll and R&B, two genres that catalogue information and releases wonderfully. Country music fans just dropped the ball when it comes to archiving their genre, and it seems nobody wants to fix it. Guess it makes it harder when a lot of oddity country labels go belly up, and I don't even know where the music rights and master recordings went after that. Too much monkey business. The Clovers came along in the strong early years of R&B before rock 'n' roll and had their second wind during the heyday of doo-wop. You can tell what doo-wop sounds like simply from the genre's title; it is named that for a reason. Doo-wop was a powerhouse rhythm and blues genre that spawned in most major cities across the US in the 1950s and early 1960s. It is based around a vocal group with each member falling on a different spot on the vocal range map. There is typically a really high singer and a really low singer. As the genre gained traction, it became a force of its own. The Clovers are an early version of doo-wop, a time when it is still strongly situated in straight-cut rhythm and blues. Doo-wop was a natural progression from artists like the Ink Spots that followed the same style but predated it by a hot minute. Many consider them the fathers of the genre, something I agree with. I am shocked the Ink Spots haven't found their way to the website yet, but we will get there, I am sure. Anyway, according to The Complete Book of Doo-Wop, there are 5 things that the song needs to be considered part of the doo-wop genre.

1. It is vocal music made by groups
2. It features a wide range of vocal parts
3. It includes nonsense syllables
4. It has a simple beat and low-key instrumentals
5. It has simple words and music

     And while that might seem sort of rude, it ain't quite wrong. Doo-wop is one simple genre, but that is the beauty of it. The sound is simple and easy to get behind, something that compliments a steamy date night as much as a simple drive to work. From a time in American history when tastes in music were divided by foolish racial notions, doo-wop found success with both the whites and the blacks. There is something in that which proves that doo-wop really can appeal to just about anyone. It just feels good. There is a pop knack to it in its simple themes and simple style, but it has an of-the-time feeling that has it often thrown in with the rock of the time, with even some rock bands taking notes from the big-time doo-wop bands such as the Beach Boys, who practically did the same thing but with a little more aggression and less mellow instrumentation. Oh, and lots of surfing randomly. It is a subgenre of R&B, but it certainly made its way into just about everyone's music collection of the time. It still gets plenty of love modernly. It was one of the earliest genres that grabbed me when I was younger, and I have had a deep love for it ever since. Now, reaching back to my earlier claim about it being the second most neglected mainline American genre. Doo-wop groups lived and breathed hit songs more than hit albums; it came from the time of that, and also you might find that the albums are good but insanely repetitive for some of the artists. Hits are awesome, but hits also get lost. It was a constant fight against the clock and other bands to make sure your name was on that top songs list. To make matters even worse for many bands getting lost in the test of time, their names were often similar as hell, something you don't want to do when most groups sound similar. Is this the Clovers, Coasters, Cadillacs, or the Capris? Hard to tell when they all sound the same. That is indeed part of the fun, especially of the time, and I doubt they were looking so far into the future to see that things were going to change drastically for music within a decade. Doo-wop has a crazy history for its overall short-lived time as the king of the charts. It is one that we will likely touch on often since there are a ton of groups from the genre that are core bands for your dear author.

     For today, we are sinking our teeth into the Clovers, a band that had its place in doo-wop but is so much more than just another name from the genre. The Clovers had their main hit modernly with "Love Potion No. 9" in 1959, a true classic from doo-wop and rock 'n' roll. It was actually one of the first doo-wop tracks I ever heard, thanks to the phenomenal film American Graffiti and its impactful soundtrack. From 1951 to 1956 the band had 20 hit singles, most making it over the top ten mark on the charts, and three making it to the top of the charts. "Love Potion No. 9" strangely isn't one of the chart toppers; that one hit the 23rd spot on both the US pop and US R&B charts. The three that shot them to being a big-time name in R&B were "Don't You Know I Love You", "Fool, Fool, Fool", and our song of the day, "Ting-A-Ling". All three of the songs aren't your best example of doo-wop in comparison to some of their others. Sure, the vocal style is there, but these are some hard-hitting early R&B songs. "Ting-A-Ling" is a favorite of mine from the 1950s, no matter who does a version of it. There have been plenty of good covers of the track, most released in the 1950s and the early 1960s, but even past those decades we see it show up in strange places. Buddy Holly has one of my favorites, and his might be more famous modernly, but there are also versions from Larry Williams, The Heptones, The Crickets (without Buddy Holly), and a couple more notable artists. I first cut my teeth with the Clovers version, but I tend to come back to the Buddy Holly one, mostly since I am a massive fan of his music. The version from the Clovers, who set it all off, was released in 1952, a time when rock was still finding out what to call itself and also how to get itself on the mainline charts. R&B was a force of its own, and "Ting-A-Ling" shot up to the top of the charts within the same year. It was their last #1 hit song, but they still did mighty fine throughout the rest of the 1950s. Their last hit overall was in 1963, but the group kept their name known due to the cover of "Love Potion No. 9" by the Searchers in 1964/1965. Anyway, they are another group that came and went, but they released some stellar stuff in their time. I never tire of their hits, and even some of their albums are great. "Ting-A-Ling" released as a single in 1952 and then found its home in LP form in 1957 on their self-titled release. If you love "Ting-A-Ling" that is the next place you should go. Not a single bad track on that one, and it holds some of their greatest songs. Our song of the day is one of those songs talking about the ladies. Yes, sir, we got a lady-killer song. Or killed by ladies. Just depends on how you look at it. The 1950s was prime for these kinds of songs. There is a little silliness, realness, and sleazy romanticism to it. It is a sound that I adore, and the Clovers are one of the best in the field. The song lyrically is fun, the style is laid back, and there is even a saxophone solo. Come on! That is the making of one good song with those three. The track is pretty old, so as you would expect, it feels like a window into the past. With that in mind, that means this song sounds great no matter the power of your speakers or headphones, one of the great things about 1950s music. From my own experience, it still sounds wonderful on a nice sound system. Anyway, the Clovers are a goat on a boat load of fun. I chose the track while off-roading, and something about the way they were singing mixed with the creaking left and right of bouncing through holes just fit. Also, I just needed the right moment and excuse to throw this song onto the website. I sure do love it. Now I share that love with you to maybe love it too. I know some of the goldy oldy stuff isn't for everyone, but come on, you cannot tell me you aren't diggin' the song, man. Just a good, simple time. They don't ask you for anything, nor do you need to offer it up. You just plug in, press play, and.... Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1952

Album: The Clovers (1957)

Genre: R&B

Mood: Suave

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Mellow drives, Dating, Getting ready in the morning

Where to Next: "Searchin'" - The Coasters

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/18/2026

"Tin Man" - America

     July so far has been raking in the top-tier tracks! This might just be one of the best songs of the day playlists I have had for a while. Nothing against the others; I mean, those ones are awesome too, but there is something special with the flow taking place this month. There are still many days, so we will see what comes next, but I have been really enjoying the more rock-based instead of the left and right genre junctions. Anyway, today we have another rocker, but one with a more mellow note. Today we see America having their debut on AintNoisePollution with their mellow yet moving song "Tin Man". This is one of those tracks I always load up if I am having a depressive day. The pop-rock-backed America is a sound that is hit and miss with me, but the ones that hit hit like a truck. I love the more acoustic-based ones, and "Tin Man" is the perfect melding between their acoustic rock and their soft rock sound. "Tin Man" has gone on to be one of their most essential songs and a definitive one of 1974 that helped the band's fourth studio album, Holiday, find enough ears to hit the third spot on the Billboard charts and get to gold status. A great album from them, especially for a lazy day at home or roaming around the beautiful Utah mountains. America has been a long-time force in the rock world, having their heyday in the 1970s and having moderate success in the 1980s with albums like Your Move (1983) and View from the Ground (1982). In the 1990s into the modern day, they have still released some solid albums. Even if they didn't shake up the music world all too much, their style and time have passed, but fans will always be there for these mellow musicians. I have listened through everything that the band has ever put out, and some of their albums are core albums for me, none more so than their self-titled debut from 1972, which is a 1970s classic that I cannot recommend enough. Many miles were rambled to "Don't Cross the River", many psychedelic trips to "A Horse with No Name", sleepless nights with "Seasons", and countless date nights with "Sister Golden Hair". They were a band that defined my early 20s, and I am excited for them to continuously be there for the rest of my life. Love the band, and I am sure you feel the same way. If this is your first song aside from the massively successful "A Horse with No Name", then "Tin Man" might be a good follow-up. Many think that "A Horse with No Name" is what the band's core sound is, and while that is their biggest hit, they never really hit that same feeling again, though some like "Sandman" and "Never Found the Time" try. "Tin Man" is better at showing who the band is than the others; once again, it is the marriage of both the folk-based acoustic sound within their first 2 albums and the soft rock sound that had them keeping the America name alive well into the 1980s. This is a group that you can't just jump into anywhere. As a fan, I appreciate all they did, but I would be a fool to claim that each of their albums is essential. If you jump into anywhere from 1972 to 1976, you are in safe hands, but following that, you might find that the songs are hit and miss, all still good, but some that just don't have you wanting to come back for more. Nothing wrong with that; it is more common than not to not have a perfect swing. Only maybe 8 percent of the bands that make it onto the website would I suggest jumping into just anywhere. How could a band only release great stuff unless they were short-lived? All of this is down to opinion, to taste, but I stand by that America doesn't have a perfect run, though there are phenomenal songs within each of their releases, even the awkward Human Nature in 1998 that sees the band trying to reach back to their debut album sound but without the same... thing to it. What is that thing? Don't know. That debut of theirs feels like camping at nighttime. It's kind of stressful, being in a bubble of light from the fire, wondering what is outside of it watching, and then getting drunk enough to sleep uncomfortably on a rock since you were too lazy to properly set up a tent. We aren't here to talk about that debut, which is a shocker for the band's debut; let's get back to taking a look at their 1974 classic album, Holiday​.

     Holiday was met with great acclaim and sales. America was never the type to hit the same massive fame as some of their counterparts, but in their time, they released some essential songs on strong albums. Their fourth album hit the 3rd spot on the US and Canadian charts; they even found their way into the 25th spot on the Australian charts. Those boys downunduh had America's back since the start. Nothing too shocking, and I have found that the Australians know what is what, both in the modern day with their many wicked rock and punk scenes and back in the day when it comes to music as a whole. Anyway, some of what made Holiday a strong seller back in 1974 was the hit singles that it spawned. "Tin Man" was the first single to spawn, and it is just a blissful track; you cannot help but get lost in its fresh spring-flower feeling. "Tin Man" had "In the Country" as the B-side, which served as the final song on Holiday and is a wonderful complement to "Tin Man". The second single is what I consider to be the best song off the album, even though there are many treats on it, "Lonely People". Out of all the America songs that I adore, "Lonely People" is one of the most abused. "Lonely People" had "Mad Dog" on the B-side, another track that made the final cut of Holiday. In a way, I wish we were talking about "Lonely People" here today; even thinking about that song sets my soul at ease, but "Tin Man" is still one hell of a song to have as the band's debut here on the website. I am sure you already know it; the song is just one of those that makes its way all over the place since it is so uplifting and peaceful. "Tin Man" is the ace I keep in between my knees while playing poker. It is a powerhouse that I only whip out if I want a moment of true peace. I have found that songs like "Tin Man" are best not overplayed; they need to come along naturally or when the time is right. Not since you won't enjoy it at any moment; this song could be played while getting broken up and you might start smiling, but for me, I like to save this one and all its power. "Tin Man" is the second track off of Holiday. It follows "Miniature", an instrumental that has you wanting to frolic through fields of clover and one that has you calm right down before it moves into "Tin Man" without a hitch. "Tin Man" is wonderful as a standalone track, but I sure do love starting it off with "Miniature". The cool-as-a-cucumber acoustic work that intertwines with the bass guitar has you letting your hair down. The personal vocal work from Dewey Bunnell is cozy, and the positive lyricism laced with wisdom has you floating away. Leaving your cares at the door for a solid 3 and a half minutes. The song is immensely well written; it has you really thinking. You can tell that the members of America are well learned, something that helped set them apart from the "good time" kind of soft rock artists that wrote easy-to-get-behind lyrics. America is strangely deep, though their compositions tend to still be in an easy-to-get-behind style, the perfect melding of two things. Something for the casual listener and something for the folks like me that look too deeply into a single song.

     "Tin Man", as you guessed it, uses the character from the Wizard of Oz as a launching point to touch on some strong thoughts. The song heavily revolves around finding yourself. Happiness comes from understanding yourself, knowing that nobody needed to give you a heart, certainly not a potent con man, since you already had the biggest heart of them all. Social situations stimulate and damn the soul, but none of that matters when you know yourself. The opinions of others seem to mean nothing, so long as you are sure in yourself, for better or worse. The human connection falls short, the desire to be loved, the fear of time, and all else that humans fret upon. Like in the lines, one of my favorites from America, "And cause was never the reason for the evening", reflects on how there really is no meaning to the evening. No need to sit there and think of yesterday or really the following morning. Time moves. People talk. All of these are things you cannot change, but how you perceive them can be. So, yeah, the Tin Man already had kindness and heart all along; all he needed to do was discover it, and something you might need to do as well. "Tin Man" comes from the place of a songsmith more than a simple lyricist, once again, something that set America apart from the rabble of soft rock of the time. Dewey Bunnell wrote some of the most compelling songs of the 1970s, and "Tin Man" is one of the most formidable. This one song is reason enough to listen through the whole album right now. Maybe I will again. It is mighty powerful. "Tin Man" came upon me while sitting in the parking lot of the state capitol. To see all the joggers, dogs, old folks sitting, the young laughing, kids jumping about, and some dude with a guitar strumming along with the sun, it was honestly immensely peaceful. I could have died right then and departed this world without a care. All these souls are all within the same place, experiencing their own reality. Some of them needed compassion, some courage, and some logic, but all of them had a home, a place to call their own. Do they know they are living in the glory years at that moment? Do they even think about the rising of the sun or the closing of a day? Are they aware that all that they need for their own contentment rests within themselves at that moment? Do they realize death is as natural as the moon rising? What we do with our time is life, and so long as you aren't bothering anyone while doing it, I would say that it is a life well spent. No matter the money. No matter the people you have around you. Life is life, and within this life there will be a day that we stop and realize that we are what we desired all along. That Oz could never give to us what we already had within ourselves. Alright, enough with this random talk; it is just the product of what comes out of the powerful tracks such as "Tin Man". Maybe you need a second to catch your breath, especially with another week of working looming around the corner. Take that time. Listen to the peaceful and layered sound of "Tin Man", a song that has you thinking, dreaming, crying, and trying all within its 3:27 playing time. A musical refresh of the soul. A song of reality, brought to you by the skilled craftsmanship of Dewey Bunnell and the rest of America. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1974

Album: Holiday (1974)

Genre: Soft Rock, Folk Rock

Mood: Enlightened

​Perfect For: People watching, Mellow mountain drives, Camping, Feeling good, Finding yourself

Where to Next: "Ripple" - Grateful Dead

Rating: 10 / 10

Song of the Day 07/17/2026

"Desert Cruiser" - Truckfighters

     The desert rock scene is the perfect complement for getting stoned. Not in the crazy way, but that puff you take following a long workday when the sun is setting and you are on your way home. A strong indica kind of high. This is knowledge from long ago, a time when weed wasn't CRAZY FUCKING STRONG. Why does the stuff have to fuckin' kill you now? There used to be strains like "Brain Havoc" and you would have a nice time. Now you buy something along the lines of "Butterfly Kisses" and you are on your ass within 15 minutes. I could have just aged, but still, fuck me, some of this shit is just too strong. Anyway! I miss those days, and I wonder why good ol' marijuana had to bite me so. I was a habitual smoker for a long time, pretty well all of my growing years, and then one day it just started giving me straight panic attacks. A true shame, but probably for the best since it is just another expensive habit. My most expensive habit, other than driving here and there, is cigarettes. I don't even wanna write here how much those suckers cost me a month. Cigarettes, ganja, being thirsty as fuck and drinking a random bottle of hot water you found in your car, off-roading, being in the sun too long—all of these things explain the Truckfighters and the whole of the desert rock scene. We have talked a lot about doom metal, stoner rock, and all the other offspring of Black Sabbath, but we haven't really deep dived into the desert rock scene all too much. Truth be told, the Truckfighters kind of jumped into the scene at an odd time. They were much later than the others in the desert rock scene like Kyuss, Fu Manchu, and so forth. Their style altered in sound from time to time, setting them into the almost spacelike atmosphere. And one of the biggest things that set them apart is where they are from. The desert rock scene thrived and was created in Palm Desert, California, but the Truckfighters strangely come out of Sweden. The Swedes are an odd bunch. A scene does well somewhere, and there is almost always an answer from Sweden, and in a lot of ways they do it even better. It is like they hear it and say, "I can do it better". The original music that comes out of there is also top tier, and then we join the party here in the United States, so I guess that is just the way it goes. Anyway, the Truckfighters showed that even if you come from a land lacking in deserts, you can still put out some stellar mirage-inducing desert rock. I mean, I guess they have arctic deserts, but that is more of a black metal kind of thing. The Truckfighters are a touch underrated, but very few from the stoner rock genre get their time in the limelight. Their easily most famous album is the one that holds our song of the day, Gravity X. This is one of those albums that I would point a budding fan to when it comes to stoner rock. It has everything you could ever want from the genre, and tracks like "Desert Cruiser", "Gargarismo, "Manhattan Project", and "Momentum" are bonafide classics of the genre. Even for a casual music listener, I think you might get a massive kick out of this album. It doesn't force anything on you; it is just equally heavy and mellow, something that gets you lost in a serious trance. Today's choice, "Desert Cruiser", was one of the first stoner rock songs that I fell deeply in love with. It is the band's most popular song, something that hasn't changed through the 10+ years I have been jamming it. "Desert Cruiser" is one heavily layered track, and through its repetition you get completely lost within those folds. Do you want to head bang? Well, there is a spot for it. Want it playing in the background and wonder why your floorboards are violently shaking? This is the one. Getting stoned? Drunk? Heading back from bible study? Well, load the song up, and you will find yourself a new favorite song. It is one mighty sucker! The song comes in at 7:30. It is the longest song on the album and is the one to kick it off. I have listened to Gravity X a ton of times throughout my life, and I mean a ton. "Desert Cruiser" is truly the crown jewel of the album, but there isn't a bad song on the sucker. Since then I have listened through their whole discography, and songs like "Mind Control", "Get Lifted", "Freewheelin'", "Nitro", and many others might try putting up a fight, but there is just no beating "Desert Cruiser".

     Like I just mentioned, it is the song to kick off the band's debut album. This was the first taste for so many people, and from looking at their stream counts, their fast licks and desert-baked bass lines left a strong impression on many rockers. Truckfighters is mostly just two people, Ozo (Oskar Cedermalm) & Dango (Niklas Kallgren), but they have had plenty of drummers come and go. Ozo is the man behind the vocals and bass, two of the most important things in stoner rock, and then we have Dango giving you that entrancing guitar work. They chose some silly stage names, and I am not quite sure why; I couldn't find much about it. We have Ozo, Dango, Fredo, Paco, and Pezo that had a piece in creating their debut, Gravity X. I won't be giving you a full list of silly names since the band has had a pretty high number of members come and go. From what I can find, they chose the names to serve as an alterego. These "fuzz monsters" who get on stage and rip that shit up. They are no longer Swedish stoner rock royalty; they are these beasts that just rolled up on rat rods, desert cruisers, American muscle, and dune buggies covered in bird poop. Their full goal is to make your stomach turn with very loud bass, drums, and guitar, nothing more, nothing less. The middle part of "Desert Cruiser" shows that off without much effort. If you want to do it right, get yourself some decent speakers and turn those things up. You know that vibration you feel in your stomach at a really loud concert? You can give yourself that feeling from the comfort of your own home. I have had a long-time goal to see one of the desert rock or stoner rock legends live. I bet it would be one of the only times I would bring earplugs, but at the same time, maybe that is sacrilege. Who needs hearing? Maybe it would be a blessing to have those strange holes on the sides of your head blown out by immensely loud and fuzzy amplifiers that send you to hot rod heaven. At the same time, I kind of need to hear, I guess. What would I do with the website then? How would you spend your time other than reading these randomly long posts where I ramble on about random information? I guess I owe it to you to protect those things! I wish there was an easier way to clean them. Strange that humans found a way to clean and replace just about everything in the body, but there doesn't seem to be a normalized way to clean your ears. Maybe I have been doing it wrong? Maybe I am not hearing at my ultimate potential. Getting off track. Lyrically, "Desert Cruiser" is pretty straightforward but fun. The song covers roaring through the desert in a 1968 Mustang, and with his best gal in the back seat and some clanking bottles of whiskey rolling around, he is having a damn good time, even if he is running out of gas. A mighty fine year for American muscle, especially with the Mustang. What would make it better is specifying it is a fastback; now that is a prime look for a car! Man, why did cars have to lose so much soul over the years? Plain weird to think people were just cruising around in those little puppies! They were listening to the Cream deep cuts on late-night radio and eating up the road without a camera in sight. Cars now are slick and better on gas, there is no doubt about it, but they lack that soul. Shit, everything seems to lack soul now. I blame IKEA! They brought this minimalist, sleek look into the world, and we never came back from it. Everything is boring now with the same colors as your neighbors. Logos are getting minimal, cars are all looking like each other, houses are cheaply built and look like every other joint, businesses are boring, and most everything else is so damn plain. Does nobody like unique stuff now? We have hit the pinnacle of losing our expression of soul. AI will give it to you now. Car companies rarely take risks, so I hope you like black, silver, white, red, or blue for a choice of color. HOAs only care about what the nosy Susan and Bill care about, so be sure to keep your lawn pretty and your house boring. Man, we are fucked. The soul is gone. We sold it for some cash to stay alive or to be able to buy forcing our plain tastes on others. Well, while we sit in our boring houses and drive our boring cars, I am glad that we have open access to a ton of music! How else would the common person come across Truckfighters? They aren't underground, but the genre they come from rarely sees the light of day outside of core fans. So, there are always plusses; I just miss the personality in things. Once Ronald McDonald stopped having his creepy ass sitting on a bench in McDonald's, it marked the end of an era. IKEA, Tesla, McDonald's, and Apple screwed us all! Alright, I don't know what else to say, so I will stop ranting. Thanks for reading! I am damn proud to have this song on the website and am excited for you to give it a spin. Sure, it can be repetitive, but that is the glory of it! It gets heavier as it goes, so give it a second if you have the attention span of a dog in a zoo. Hope you dig it! If not, check back tomorrow, but I think you will dig it. How could you not? Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001

Album: Gravity X (2005)

Genre: Desert Rock, Stoner Rock

Mood: Sun-baked

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Drives without AC, Space cruising, Motorcycle rides, Off-roading, Desert highways

Where to Next: "Doom Machine Smoke Break" - Wizzerd

Rating: 9 / 10

Song of the Day 07/16/2026

"Let It Rock - Live" - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

     "Let It Rock" is titled this way on the official album track listing, but as you might see on the playlist, it is "Let It Rock/Little Queenie". Some people even call it the "Chuck Berry Medley". We will be talking about both songs down the line, but for now, let's celebrate the first time Bob Seger has found his way to AintNoisePollution. Bob Seger is an artist that I have drank deeply from his musical well for a long time now. Song after song, album after album, Bob Seger sings songs that are written within my soul. It isn't only in lyrical content that I found a happy home; it is in his brand of rock music. For those new fans here, our song of the day shows off the explosive nature of his live shows, but it doesn't fully reflect that of his studio work. How would I explain his sound? I mean, it is perfectly situated within the mainstream rock of the time. He allows in plenty of boogie, though the boogie ones don't show up on the singles very often. He is like Bruce Springsteen, where he sings songs of real life but with this little reckless edge and much less of a folkish feeling. Roots rock is his core sound, but with a California dreaming backing. He is one of those rockers who were in it for the glory of rock 'n' roll. A rocker who went on and made music in the same path as what he loved growing up but with a modern and personal touch. Bob Seger was 31 by the time he fully made it, but before then he was in plenty of bands, most of which went nowhere. I would consider Bob Seger's ninth studio album, Night Moves, his true breakout album, even though the other ones got a ton of regional success. Night Moves is an album I would suggest to anyone, and I have personally listened to that one album so much that I would consider it one that helps explain who I am. It took him nine albums, though he kept on trucking. Don't go thinking those others are something you can go sleep on like the rest of the nation did until they went backwards to listen to everything else after the success of Night Moves and his following albums alongside the Silver Bullet Band. Those early albums are a shitload of fun, and Bob Seger found his signature sound by the time he released his 1975 album, Beautiful Loser, another album that I simply adore. For his debut, that comes in the form of Ramblin' Gamblin' Man, which was released in 1971. This was released while Bob Seger was still running under the name "The Bob Seger System". During this time, you can tell that Seger didn't fully know what he wanted out of his sound; he just wanted to jam varying rock and roll styles, some of which gathered him up attention. Bob Seger was already known around Michigan before he had his own thing fully going. He was first part of The Decibles, a band put together with his fellow high school students. It was there that he had his first song put out, "The Lonely One" in 1961. The single didn't chart, but for a bunch of kids, it was still something. I haven't been able to find a version of that song, which annoys the hell out of me, and I don't want to try buying it in its original form for a ton of money, but it would be nice to hear it just once. Once the Decibles fell out, he joined up with the Town Criers, a cover group who never cut any songs. Though it was there that he found some of his groove. He was blown away by James Brown's spectacular Live at the Apollo, and you can feel he brought that energy into his own live albums, but Bob Seger also got bit by the Beatles when they hit the American shores with force. So, in a strange way, Bob Seger really is a melding of the Beatles and James Brown, especially for his early career. Anyway, Bob Seger then moved into The Omens, which never found much success, but through all these groups, he was gaining more traction, and that name of his was getting around. He was asked to write a song for another local band, for which he wrote "East Side Story", but it failed to chart for them. So, Bob Seger figured he would release it from his own band, which he just started up, called Bob Seger and the Last Heard, the first to see Seger getting some attention. Minor attention, but at least a spot on the charts.

     Bob Seger & the Last Heard can be found on most streaming services. I won't lie, with a sound like theirs, it is fun, but they weren't going to make it too far. Still, it was a crucial step in Bob Seger eventually making a name for himself. The band's biggest hit song was "Heavy Music", which charted at the #70 spot on the charts in the US and 82nd in Canada. When things were gaining traction, the label that Bob Seger was part of went belly up, so he was back out on the streets. Luckily, since he showed some promise, he got offers from some big-time labels and settled on Capitol Records since they offered higher than the others and were more fitting to his sound. Capitol Records wanted the band's name changed, and during this growing pain stage, half of the band jumped ship. Now the group was known as the Bob Seger System, a much more precise name and one that rolls off the tongue with ease. The band released their first album, and Bob Seger's first overall, Ramblin' Gamblin' Man. This hit-or-miss album came out in 1969. There are some great tracks from it, like the title track, which I adore, "2 + 2 = ?", and "Train Man". The album failed to make many waves, and the same is to be said about the following two Bob Seger System albums, even if they are still some standouts that hold some hidden gems for the American icon. In 1971, Bob Seger released his first album without a backing band, Brand New Morning, an all-acoustic album. The Bob Seger System fell apart after their third album was a commercial failure, and with hopes of winging it all alone, Seger put out Brand New Morning. This one also bombed, and Seger saw himself getting the boot from Capitol Records. Still, there is no keeping artists like Bob Seger down, and he managed to release his fifth studio album in 1972, called Smokin' O.P.'s. I honestly adore this album; it is a great covers album and got Bob Seger moving again since his next two solo albums had a pretty strong set of musicians helping them along, and they featured early versions of some of his greatest songs. Once again, you don't want to miss out on these early ones. Bob Seger returned to Capitol Records in 1975 for his eighth album, Beautiful Loser, a wonderfully put-together album and the first studio album of his that had me calling myself a fan. Beatufiul Loser hardly sold well upon release, but it is considered one of his best modernly. Finally, we get to the year that Bob Seger went from a hard-working rocker that just couldn't manage getting his album to the top to a hard-working rocker that now was a big star. In 1976 Bob Seger released two of his most essential albums, the studio album Night Moves and one of the greatest live albums of all time, Live Bullet. If someone asked me where to start into Bob Seger's large discography, I would just say the two from 1976. Live Bullet shows off everything that is great about Bob Seger. His years of trying to bucket water out of a sinking ship taught him how to sell records: with a breathtaking live performance, something that Live Bullet has a ton of! This was the first album of his I ever listened through, and this was from a stage where I was still indifferent to live albums. Live Bullet changed that instantly; it was the album that showed me that live albums could be just as important as the studio stuff, and there are times they are even better. Bob Seger, alongside the Silver Bullet Band, had already done a ton of shows, sometimes doing it six days out of the week, so when it came time to record the album, it was just another day at the office. The album is historic in showcasing the energy of live shows of the time and also because the songs are genuinely great! Our song of the day, "Let It Rock/Little Queenie", is a prime example of just that. Bob Seger has never shied away from putting out covers of the artists that he adores. Within Live Bullet we have covers of Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Ike & Tina Turner, and Van Morrison, and I must say that Bob Seger almost blows each of them out of the water with his version. "Let It Rock" is a core Chuck Berry song, one of the highs off his 1960 album, Rockin' at the Hops. While Bob Seger doesn't blow this song out of the water, he pays it proper homage and does a miraculous job at making it modern and highly energetic. "Let It Rock" gets the energy to a cataclysm and allows each member of the band to show off what makes them one of the most powerful backing bands in rock history. "Let It Rock" is a tried and true classic for rock 'n' rollers, a song about working hard so you can play and rock and roll over the weekend. The song eats up the first 3 minutes of the song before the band moves into "Little Queenie", one of Berry's most classic songs, even if it aged like milk. I love that song, but I am a massive Chuck Berry fan, so I am there for the whole ride. You can tell that Bob Seger and his band are also big Chuck Berry fans; I wouldn't be shocked if Berry was the artist who left the biggest imprint on Seger. In the middle part of the song, Bob Seger introduces the band that had been rocking you for the last 70 minutes. The song and album come to a close with Drew Abbott sockin' it to ya with his guitar. As someone who has listened through Live Bullet many, many times. I cannot begin to tell you how good the damn album is! Truly an essential live album and one that explains rock music of the time in America. I wish I could talk about it more with you, but I used up most of the post giving a boring crash course on Seger's early career. I know for a fact that other songs from this album will show up; it is just a matter of when. Thanks for reading along! Spin the track! It is a solid rocker that will make your day, I promise. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1976

Album: Live Bullet (1976)

Genre: Rock, Rock and Roll

Mood: Energetic

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Mellow drives, Working, Chores

Where to Next: "Back in the U.S.A." - Linda Ronstadt

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/15/2026

"Fire and Rain" - James Taylor

     Welcome! Man, James Taylor is one hell of a musician. He gets plenty of love from the classic rock community as much as the folk community. He just has that special thing that makes you feel like you personally know him. The strife that fills his voice in some of his songs is heavy enough to leave you completely worn out. Our song today, "Fire and Rain", is a prime example of just that. Though I have listened to James Taylor for years and have completely lost myself in emotion within his many outstanding albums, it was just today that I realized that "Fire and Rain" is his most streamed song. Not once did I think it was a hidden gem; this song is legendary for a reason, but I didn't think it was the #1 song of his. It isn't shocking, but I really thought it would be "Sweet Baby James" or "You've Got a Friend", both of which are still in his top ten. Well, I guess I don't need to type this out then; you probably already know and love this song! Well, for the sake of the song, we will be doing a post anyway. That is why you came here after all. James Taylor is a name synonymous with the softer side of folk rock. He has had plenty of hit songs as a recording artist and also has his hands in many other pies that ended up being hot sellers for other artists. I know that James Taylor is a name that I can rely on when I want something mellow for around the house. A man who complements a roadworn day of traveling as much as serves a friend that comes to visit across your speakers on hard days. His homely nature is some of the reason that Taylor had success across five decades, and even his self-titled debut in 1968 has something special that makes it so he almost had six decades. Speaking of that debut, I have always chuckled at that album cover. It is sort of similar to how people dress now, no? I guess silly album covers never really go out of style, though I don't know if that one was supposed to be silly when it was released. Well, you cannot win them all. Most artists have at least one questionable album cover. Anyway, James Taylor became a comfy name in the folk rock world due to his soft-spoken nature that gets you sucked into the stories he is telling. There is no doubting his natural ability at making you believe that each song he sings comes from his own collection of memories. "Fire and Rain" is a song that actually does come from his collection of memories and troubles, which is why this one is so thick with emotion. "Fire and Rain" comes off of James Taylor's second solo album, Sweet Baby James. The album hit the shelves in 1970 and was met with mixed reception, but overall it sold damn well and got his name to the #3 spot in the US charts and in similar positions elsewhere on the globe. There were many who griped about his hopeless lyrics wrapped in depressive vocal work; many thought it was flat, which I find to be part of what makes this album so compelling, and his vocal skills are anything but flat. People don't always want happy, especially since life is often filled with more sadness than happiness. James Taylor was barely winging it at life during this time. His debut was released in 1968, and while it gained some attention and affection, it was hardly successful enough to keep the lights on and food on the table and to help him fight his addictions. While Sweet Baby James was getting put together, Taylor was pretty well homeless. He couch-surfed with anyone who would take him, and the meals came in waves. Though, like any folk artist out there, you gotta starve a little bit to fully appreciate the food, and that is often reflected in their lyrics and atmosphere. Strife, sorrow, despair, poverty, death, war, disease, and everything wicked always bring in the best music. Why? I am not sure. Maybe when comfort is taken out of the equation, true humanity shines through. People always bond best during rough times. You will have an easier time making friends while being trapped in a building avoiding a rainstorm or being caught in a traffic jam that spans miles than you will just living your day-to-day. Humanity needs socialization; they need purpose, and above all, they need comfort. When the outside can't give it to you, there is a chance you might seek it from the stranger next to you in line. Suffering seems to be the muse of musicians, be it self-induced, mental, or situational, and James Taylor is walking proof of just that on Sweet Baby James.

     To many, myself included, this is an essential album from the 1970s. Strong songwriting, personal singing, mellow instrumentation, and a sunbaked feeling that makes you question if the toast at the diner has a lot of butter to cover up how long it has been sitting out. It feels like humanity. A testament to the human condition. James Taylor went from a common singer to a star pretty well within the year. A man who put out a good but underplayed album in 1968 went on to be nominated for a Grammy within the next couple of years. He had made it, and the world was stoked to see what was going to come next, which came in the form of his third album, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, an album I think might be even stronger than Sweet Baby James. That comes down to opinion, so do with that what you will. Anyway, Sweet Baby James is a big-time album with some of the most blissful songs out of 1970. We have the title track, "Sweet Baby James", which is a big favorite of mine. If I were to have a boy, I might crappily sing this song to him to get him to fall asleep, and even if I have a gal, it might go the same way. Since I have neither, I might just have to sing it to Mocha the dog, but I think it would honestly make her think I have finally lost it. All those threats of how I am going to eat her paws or cute little ears might seem to be reality. Maybe it is. "Sweet Baby James" is a damn pretty track and is reason enough to go out and buy this album right here right now, and that is only the first track! We still have 10 more in the chamber to go! "Lo and Behold" keeps up the calm feeling, and Taylor goes even further into his folk styling. I tend to jump over this track due to its religious lyricism, something that shows up often on the album, but the other songs can typically roll along without standing out too hard. "Lo and Behold" is a goodie but quite religious. There are plenty of good ones following it. "Sunny Skies" is a jazzy track that is beloved by the fanbase and served as the B-side to "Country Road". "Steamroller Blues" sees James Taylor now taking on a bluesy stance, keeping things interesting following the soft rock, folk, and jazz styles of the previous three songs. "Country Road" takes the fifth place on the tracklisting and also serves as one of James Taylor's best songs in my ears. Love that song. Then, you cannot be much of a folk artist if you don't whip out an old one from time to time, and James Taylor chose the classic "Oh, Suzanna" for his. Another high of the album that compliments "Country Road" wonderfully and closes out the first side of the album. James Taylor wanted to make sure you stuck around to hear the rest of his album, and there is no better way to do that than to have the second side of the record start off with his ever-so-famous "Fire and Rain". This track is one that goes right for your heart, especially since it came out of James Taylor's heart. The song is inspired by many of life's cruelties to Taylor, and as he has stated in interviews, the song is built in three parts. It talks of his struggles with losing a friend to suicide while he was off recording his debut album in 1968. His loved ones feared it would mess up the process and kept it secret from him, and he found out 6 months later. Must have hurt, and he talks about that with the lines "Suzanne, the plans they made brought an end to you". The second part of the song covers Taylor's struggle with drug addiction. He wrote this song while in rehab, so you know that it is coming from a place of frustration, confusion, sorrow, and loss. Then the final part covers James Taylor having a hard time coming to terms with fame and mortality. His place in the spotlight, and while it is beautiful, oh, how it burns. Taylor wrote the song while in a massive depression, a depression that was brought on due to his previous band never taking off and from all his own personal issues of the time. "Fire and Rain" comes from his inner person, and he dipped his pen directly into his life forces pumping strength to ink such a timeless song. This track is respected as one of the greatest of the century, something that I undoubtedly agree with. A powerful track to say the least. While the singing and acoustic work from Taylor is the star, you cannot forget all that is going on in the background. Heavy double bass lines that keep the song feeling low down, simplistic drumming that keeps the beat but never gets in your face, the many beautiful strings, and the piano work, which comes from Carole King, a legend in her own right and a long-time friend to Taylor. She even wrote her classic song, "You've Got a Friend", in response to this song, which James Taylor found big-time acclaim with covering it for his following studio album. It isn't shocking that so many people were touched by "Fire and Rain", and that statement is still just as true today. The song's unshaking popularity will always be around so long as a head hangs low and there are dark clouds ahead, and with the state of the world today, "Fire and Rain" will be around for a long time more. So, do yourself a favor and give the song a spin. If this is your first time, then welcome; find something of merit in the track, something that makes your bleeding path seem sweeter. If you are someone who, like me, has been here thousands of times, then you know you will find the same level of clarity within its 3:20 running time. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1970

Album: Sweet Baby James (1970)

Genre: Soft Rock, Folk Rock

Mood: Emotional

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Focused listening, Depressive days, Rainy days, Coffee in silence, Life

Where to Next: "You've Got a Friend" - Carole King

Rating: 10 / 10

Song of the Day 07/14/2026

"State of the World Address" - Biohazard

     We are halfway through the month, and I gotta say that July blows. This fuckin' heat, man. We will be equal to Nevada and Arizona in time, and let me tell you, I will be out that door a-runnin'. Each month has its ups and downs. This one has been full of wanderlust and working on the new website. AintNoisePollution mark III is halfway through! I am getting there, but I have a ton of work before me. Even when it drops, there are sure to be some bugs to work through and some cosmetic things that need touching up. Still, I appreciate you making time for my corner of the internet and hope to unveil the new website to you next month, but only time will tell! Stay tuned! Alright, time for another post. Today we talk about Biohazard, a powerhouse in rap metal. Rap metal is a massive subgenre, and to me, it is more of an umbrella term than anything else. Still, there are few that did more for the genre than Biohazard. They were one of the first to successfully meld metal, hardcore punk, and rap with such natural grace. Biohazard is pretty timeless as well, which can be fairly rare in the rap metal world. The nu metal bands that did the same thing aged in the strangest manner, but Biohazard isn't one of those guys. There are times they are more punk than anything, which tracks in their lyrics and simple yet mean song compositions. Those lyrics caught them some heat when first starting up since they seemed to have white power undertones, which naturally rubbed plenty of people wrong. The band fought back but eventually said it was more of a publicity stunt than anything. Still, you can't just be doing that shit, especially with such a mean backing where every word from vocalist duo Evan Seinfeld and Billy Graziadei is so damn in your face. Two of the songs most often put on blast are the songs "America" and "Master Race", but the band has claimed they are more there to gain awareness than anything else. Truth be told, that is sort of Biohazard's biggest thing, saying some true as hell things and then having people react to it. Anyway, Biohazard is more than a band for angsty racists and roid-taking gym junkies; there is a ton to the band and the fanbase comes from many different walks of life. I first came across them when doing my initial tasting of subgenres for my studies when I was 14 or so, and honestly, I wasn't all too into their sound, and when I knew they were coming up in my year-by-year studies, I wasn't really looking forward to it. I ate my words within the first couple of songs with my second tasting. The band is great, aggressive, punky, and real. They are straight to the throat, and they do it with a funky style that always has you coming back for more. I collected a ton of songs from my studies so far, and plenty of those songs have since got plenty of love. I came to the party way late, partly out of not being born yet and simply needing a second to fully appreciate the rap metal genre. Biohazard started up in Brooklyn in 1987. It was originally thrown together by vocalist and bassist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist Bobby Hambel, and drummer Anthony Meo. There were some lineup changes, and for the band's debut, we had Seinfeld on bass and vocals, Billy Graziadei on guitar and vocals, Hambel still on guitars, and drummer Danny Schuler. This lineup is the ultimate Biohazard lineup, and throughout the band's history, it was mainly the lead guitarist that came and went; everyone else stuck around aside from dipping out for an album or two. Evan Seinfeld is an interesting dude. He is fully tatted up, one of the most intense Jewish people I have ever seen! As someone who grew up around the Latter-day Saints, I wonder how other Jewish people think about his looks since that was a giant part of the LDS people around me. That doesn't matter since it is what is within the heart when it comes to faith, and even then through the lyrics and persona, I wonder how faithful Seinfeld is. Doesn't matter to me. He is the main part of Biohazard that makes the band such a thrilling group. Hard vocals, aggressive bass lines, and a lyrical knack that makes you want to bring down the government. He has been part of Biohazard for all albums aside from one, Reborn in Defiance. Evan Seinfeld even had some acting roles, most of which were gang and prison-based. He is married to porno actress Tera Patrick, with whom he has filmed many skin flicks. Overall, just a wild dude. That is naturally reflected within his music and stage show.

     There is more to Biohazard than just Evan Seinfeld; this is a congregation of New Yorkers who saw the filth of the streets and brought it into their music. They were there with the punks who went to hip hop shows. Who then went to clubs and bars and got into trouble. Then got thrown out and found themselves in a recording studio talking about all they have seen and learned in hopes that those who have never seen that alley might understand the stench. "State of the World Address" is the band's first song on AintNoisePollution. I first would consider myself a fan about 3 years back, and since then, they have impressed me more and more. Their music is meant to be full frontal, stealing the show from what is going on in the moment. The perfect complement to driving in the heat, and also it works wonderfully while doing stuff around the house. Music for the streets that makes you want to get out and take in real life. "State of the World Address" admittedly has an intro that rubs me a little wrong. I don't know why, but I always find these call-out intros sort of silly, though it is a fairly common thing in rap metal. At least you know the name of the song right off the bat. "State of the World Address" is the title track to the album of the same name, which was released in 1994. It is without a doubt one of their finest albums, the perfect complement to their most famous album, Urban Discipline, which was released 2 years prior. The band's first 4 albums are all a treat! Something you might have to be in the mood for, but when it grabs you, it grabs you with all its might. State of the World Address was the last to feature lead guitarist Bobby Hambel, and his absence is heavily felt in the band's next albums. He came back to the group in 2008 and got things rolling again with some of his best licks being on the band's most recent album, Divided We Fall, which was released in late 2025. I presaved and listened to that sucker the day it came out and was more impressed than I thought I would be. The band never ceases to give me a damn good time. Anyway, State of the World Address is the second-best place to start within the band, and I wouldn't stop anyone from jumping into it for their first. Biohazard isn't the type of group that is an "album band", they are certainly a track-by-track kind of group, especially since most of their songs sound about the same, in a good way. With this album being heavily political, as one should expect out of this band and rap metal as a whole, they handled promotion in a strange manner. They quietly released it to mainline retailers and instead took to the streets to pass out the album and content material to various social justice organizations. Their label, Warner Brothers Records, wanted the band to get away from the underground and move into the spotlight, something that almost worked through their long-burn tactics. The word got around about the band and their new album, an album that is one hell of a powerhouse. The band got a spot on Headbangers Ball for a couple of months and even had a fan competition where fans could show off their best Biohazard tattoos. Modernly, this album is considered one of the best rap albums of all time, something I cannot deny since it is a thorough, conscious joy to the ears and senses, no matter your stance on hardcore punk, metal, or rap. You can see how Biohazard helped really kickstart the rap metal genre, a genre of metal that thrived in the underground during the 1990s and 2000s. There are still great bands coming around even today. "State of the World Address" is a phenomenal way to kick off the album. The breakdowns on the album are damn good. Headbanging and mosh-friendly, but in punk style, it is the kind of mosh that gets out of hand. "State of the World Address" sets the tone for the whole album, with straight truth in words and energy that is palpable. The lyrical content of the track is damn relevant all the way today in 2026, 22 years later. We really cannot stand each other in the modern day. I cannot count the times I get screwed over daily so people can get ahead, be it the douche who cuts everyone off to save himself 30 seconds, the rude coworkers who push their problems onto my plate simply since they are lazy, or the dumbass neighbors who block off parking spots simply so they don't have to walk a little bit. This world is screwed, and the good majority of people who inhabit it are selfish fucks. I am ashamed to live on the same planet as these people, and it gets taxing. Man, does it get sickeningly taxing. Things seemingly are getting worse, and I blame a lot of that on social media and the cost of living. Nobody has anything to lose, and those that do create a world of their own where nobody else matters except their fold. Stop the world and let me off. Anyway, I am sure you aren't here to be reminded of the state of the world, but that is what happens when Biohazard comes over the speakers. It is meant to get you pissed, and if you walk away feeling like a sunny day, you listened to the song wrong. Sadly, this is also the kind of music those rude ass people might bump to and miss the message while they are purposefully denying you a merge spot. Is it really that hard? The flow goes better when you don't run people off the road! Man, I hate this species. I wish there was an escape that didn't mean moving to the middle of nowhere. People do bring culture, but people also bring in selfish human nature. I am sick of it. I am sure you are too. If you are one of those people, who the fuck do you think you are? Seriously. You aren't special. Let's take some time to help out your fellow man, even if it is a small gesture like holding a door or helping someone get on the death trap we all share called the highway. Alright, I am done. Time for you to jam some Biohazard! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1994

Album: State of the World Address (1994)

Genre: Rap Metal, Hardcore Punk

Mood: Pissed

​Perfect For: Dealing with rude drivers, Driving in traffic, Casual listening, Heading to work, Working Out

Where to Next: "Black Hoodie" - Body Count

Rating: 7 / 10

Song of the Day 07/13/2026

"The Lemon Song" - Led Zeppelin

     Alright, you ready for some truly crazy info? Well, I guess it is crazy to me more than anything, but still. Today is the first time that Led Zeppelin has a post on the blog! I know! Fuckin' bonkers. How could any self-respecting rocker not be here talking about the hammer of the gods every other post?! There are moments that I am ashamed that certain bands haven't rolled around, but none have felt so shaming as not having a single Led Zeppelin post. Now, I have been doing the song of the day for years before actually making a section for the website and ultimately making it the focal point of the website. I started it up as a way to use music as a photo album, and since then it has become a beast! It used to be sort of just a thing for at least one Led Zeppelin track to be on each of those early playlists. I wonder why things have changed so? My musical expansion has been wonderful for finding new bands and for revisiting some tried and true classics, but it also has the bands that mean the most to me taking the back seat, something I trip on almost daily. It is the natural progression, but why is it that Led Zeppelin, one of the mightiest and most successful rock bands of all time, hasn't had their chance on AintNoisePollution? I would say they are the only band that I know that had a genuinely perfect run, not a single bad song, and all of their albums are worth every second they play, even the fanbase bash favorite, Coda. Led Zeppelin is more of an experience than a band, something you really have to take in to understand, but once you are there, you will never be the same. Led Zeppelin found itself at my door at a damn young age, and through them I expanded into countless other hard rock bands of the time. They showed me the world of rock, and that hasn't slowed down any time soon. I rarely ever skip Led Zeppelin when they come over my speakers; it is just an unwritten rule to stop your talking when the band starts up. This isn't just a me thing; they are immensely famous for a reason. We had Elvis, who defined rock music in the 1950s, and then that style got smashed by the Beatles in the 1960s, and then we have Led Zeppelin as the next evolutionary step. They changed the game, and alongside so many other potent hard rock groups, they ushered in a whole new era and definition of rock music. Their debut faired wonderfully for the most part, but for a band of their caliber, you would have expected it to be the chart-topper worldwide, but those that missed out joined in by the second. They shook the whole London rock world before fame; everyone was talking about this peculiar band, but they were so entranced that they turned around, went home, and tried doing it themselves. That is some of the reason there were plenty of groups that sounded like Led Zeppelin during their early days at the end of the 1960s. For the next 4 decades, and even now, there have been Led Zeppelin replica bands, ones that took the sound of the band as scripture and played just like them. Now, some might bash bands that do that, but they must have never heard Led Zepplin. How could you not want to sound like these suckers? Each member of the band is highly respected for the instrument they play and the innovations they brought with it. I would love to give you a full history of the band, but that would take the whole damn post and more than likely the whole page. These dudes have history, but that comes with being one of the biggest bands of all time. There really isn't such a thing as a "hidden gem" when it comes to Led Zeppelin, but there are the ones that only true fans drink from, and one of the first that comes to mind that fits the definition is the bombastic "The Lemon Song". Strange name, but it isn't all the way off the mark from what the band typically does. "The Lemon Song" comes off the band's second album, the juicy sucker, the wondrous and thrilling Led Zeppelin II.

     Led Zeppelin II released within the same year as their debut in 1969. Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut (often called Led Zeppelin I) released in January, and the album we will be talking about today was released in October. Could you even imagine having two HEAVY HITTING albums coming out within the same year from the same band? I guess Led Zeppelin was never really the type to share, and from 1969 to 1975, there really was no other space for another band to breathe in. I know it is a different world now, but I wonder if another band could do the same thing. It has happened, in that I am sure, but there is just no way it had the same impact as Led Zeppelin did with their two first albums. I know that is probably a personal opinion, but still. Alright, Led Zeppelin II was released in October of 1969. Upon its release, it was a massive success and was Led Zeppelin's first (of many) to hit the top of the charts in the UK and the US, and the rest of the world mostly followed suit with it hitting the top of the charts or damn near it. Led Zeppelin II is a beast of an album. It saw the band going even heavier into their blues-based sound, but with some serious stern backing. Many consider this Led Zeppelin's heaviest album, something I wholeheartedly agree with, though I will admit that Led Zeppelin III has some heavier tracks, but as a whole, we got the heaviest album with us today. I wonder what the heaviest Led Zeppelin track of all time is... I would throw my vote in with "Wearing and Tearing" from Coda. Led Zeppelin isn't afraid to cover and infamously sample some pieces of blues songs, and within this album it is no different. A good chunk of the album is original material, but then there are the mean three blues songs here with "Whole Lotta Love", "The Lemon Song", and "Bring It On Home". Led Zeppelin has been put on blast many times for copyright, and while it breaks my heart to admit it, they sure did it kind of skeevy. Jimmy Page is a phenomenal guitarist and songwriter, so why did he have to go sample and not give credit? Anyway, our song of the day is one of those three. "The Lemon Song" is based off of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor". Led Zeppelin would often play "Killing Floor" live during their early days and did it all the way into the tours supporting their first two albums. Even within those later shows, vocalist Robert Plant would introduce the song as "Killing Floor". By the time the album was moving across the whole world, it was now known as "The Lemon Song". The songs are practically the same thing and even start the same, but the lyrical content is different in some sections, and the original is quite unlike "The Lemon Song" aside from here and there. I would say that "Killing Floor" followed a natural evolution into being a core Led Zeppelin track. They loved it and played it, and as Led Zeppelin, especially Robert Plant, does it turned into a completely different song through Plant's improv vocal lines. This dude is a trip to hear live; sometimes he says some truly silly things while the band is seizing with their instruments in the backline. "The Lemon Song" was one of many Led Zeppelin tracks that got them sued, which is fair but also unfair. I get that it is his song; nobody is doubting that, but it seemed he wanted a quick paycheck, which he got out of court. Sampling is as natural as music itself; it is all roots, and if you dig something enough, it becomes a part of you. I ain't defending Led Zeppelin, since yeah, they sort of tried getting away with ripping off people's stuff, but I also get why they did it and how easy it is to do. Something sounds good? Wouldn't you try to replicate it? Still, you gotta give credit where credit is due, something they didn't do. Led Zeppelin didn't play "The Lemon Song" live again following 1969, and looking at the stream counts on Spotify, it is the second least streamed song off the album, being closely ahead of "Moby Dick" which I am flabbergasted is the least streamed. Do people hate drum solos that much? That is one of the band's most impressive tracks!

     Anyway, "The Lemon Song" is one of the campiest songs on Led Zeppelin II. The track is immensely smooth,  smooooth as butter. Not a dull moment on the track, and if you start maybe thinking that it is growing stale, then the 1:25 mark reminds you that Led Zeppelin can kick you right in the butt in a second's notice. I tend to listen to music fairly loud, and I know when "The Lemon Song" comes around I need to be ready for that explosion of sound that happens off and on throughout the song's playing time. It can go from mellow to LOUD fast as hell, something you might have experienced yourself if you listened to the song before reading the post. I love that random blast, and Led Zeppelin also brings the volume down at one point with Robert Plant even saying, "Now take it down a bit", and the band follows suit. You can still hear Jimmy Page back there complimenting the sound with his guitar, but that moment is meant for Robert Plant and John Paul Jones on bass guitar. John Paul Jones wrote the song's bass line, which was whipped up on the spot while recording this song in the studio, and to me, he is the most impressive member of the band on "The Lemon Song".  He really helps separate this from being another rock band doing a blues-kind of song; even though Led Zeppelin is bluesy, I have never found them to be too intense in the genre in comparison to other big names of 1960s rock. Anyway, that more chill part is easily one of the best parts of the track; you really get to feel the blues mixed with Zeppelin's ever-evolving experimentation to create a whole new experience. Within this one song it feels like Zeppelin mixed 3 songs together. The mellow moment sticks around for a good while before that explosion happens again at the 5:35 mark, but this time you are ready to turn it down. But who wants to turn it down?! Oh no, that is the moment you turn it up, silly goose! Have your senses beaten the fuck down by Jimmy Page's majorly famous loose guitar work. The band recorded "The Lemon Song" while on tour in the United States. Talk about busy beavers. Another thing that is crazy to think about. Led Zeppelin wrote, recorded, and played these songs on tour all at the same time, and then the album came out and there isn't even a single weak track on the sucker! They just don't make them like that anymore. They recorded "The Lemon Song" straight live in the studio to capture some of the band's live energy, and that is a big chunk of the reason this song seems so damn in your face. You can even tell with how they overpowered the system for a little bit with the intro that seems to cut out a little bit. No need for all the electronic work; this is straightforward hard rock straight from the band to your ears. It is almost a window to what might have been for us unfortunate ones that were born too late to see these guys live. I wouldn't blame anyone for inventing a time machine just for going to see Led Zeppelin live. Sure would be a trip. I have watched their live performances religiously for years, and they sure are something to see. Kind of strange at points, and like I mentioned before, the improv can sometimes be a lot, but to be there in person seeing it, likely high as hell, would be insane. So "The Lemon Song" is one of the best to hear their energy without loading up one of their great live albums. You might think that it is still engineered since Robert Plant's vocals seem echoed, but that is due to the small room with wooden walls giving that effect. Led Zeppelin has been highly praised for their unique recording processes, something that once again other bands would try replicating to get that same sound. Something earthy, but still something that gives you chills. Led Zeppelin is a beast of a band, and with them only barely getting their piece of the action 797 songs in blows my mind! I cannot believe it! Well, that just means we get more for later. The sooner the better! I cannot wait to talk more about the band, since like a lot of you out there, I have spent countless hours alongside their impressive collection of songs and albums. For now, I give to you the intense and wonderfully put together "The Lemon Song". Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1969

Album: Led Zeppelin II (1969)

Genre: Hard Rock, Blues Rock

Mood: Groove and then Smooth

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Playing loud, Summer days, Getting stoned, Getting drunk

Where to Next: "I'm a Mover" - Free

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/12/2026

"Dog Eat Dog" - Ted Nugent

     You wanna hear a song that will have the chorus getting stuck in your head for a long time? Well, we got one of those for you today. Now, something I want to make clear is how much I dig Ted Nugent's music, but when it comes to the man, I could care less. There are moments when you have to separate the musician from his music. Ted Nugent is sleazy, greasy, and hard rockin' in all the right ways, and some of that moves over to his personal life. His glaring political problems aside, he is just an opinionated asshat. When I first read his biography, God, Guns, & Rock and Roll, I was flabbergasted to find that he is a douche. I mean, should I have been shocked? No, in retrospect I don't know what I was expecting. But when I was first looking into the Nuge at 14, I didn't expect this dude that played so damn smooth and held plenty of my year-defining albums was going to be the way that he is. Ted Nugent gets close to drug tracks; songs like "Stranglehold" are the first that come to mind, not to mention his work with the Amboy Dukes, but then in the end he is staunchly against them. Now, that isn't why I am bitching, but he is like ultra-against them. Anything that doesn't go along with his mental wonderland is viewed as perverse, and he wants the ultimate punishment for it. He is living in La-La Land, where other perceptions of life just mean that person is wrong. Is it shocking he is as far right as you can go politically? It is what it is. Also, we aren't here to talk politics; people can think and follow what they like. That is what makes the world what it is, for better or worse. So, no, I won't stoop to his level. It doesn't take long to find out that the freedom people are talking about is only if you follow their ideals. "You're free to speak your mind, my friend, as long as you agree with me". Anyway, Ted Nugent as a musician is fuckin' kick ass. He has had 16 studio albums, half of them being worth every cent of the asking price. The other half is still good, but he took that red pill and put more emphasis on "true 'Murica" lyricism than that of actual compelling songs. I still listen to those albums, but I sure know where the skip button is. From 1975 to 1980, Ted Nugent only released great stuff, especially with his self-titled 1975 debut, Free-or-All in 1976, Cat Scratch Fever in 1977, and Weekend Warriors in 1978. Those four are rock essentials! None more than Ted Nugent and Cat Scratch Fever; those albums will have you sweating the whole way through. They are full-body experiences. Ted Nugent never once hit the artistry of that debut again, something I wish I could say otherwise, but once he found his horny niche, he never went back to it. After that debut his style never really altered until he took off his mask and showed the ugly opinions under it on Spirit of the Wild with its unfortunate "Kiss My Ass". Don't write that album off; there are plenty of goodies on there, and I would consider it a Nugent classic, but this is the first taste before he moves into something subpar with edgy lyrics. I ain't putting down every song, but each album following Spirit of the Wild has something to rub me wrong. Dammit, I am going down that rabbit hole again. Alright, Ted Nugent albums also come down to who is singing when it comes to quality. I mean, Ted Nugent himself isn't the worst singer, and his voice complements the set style more than the material with some of the other lead vocalists that commanded certain albums. Ted Nugent's tried and true vocalist is Derek St. Holmes, the man who was there for Nugent's best albums off and on through the years. St. Holmes was on Ted Nugent, Free-for-All, Cat Scratch Fever, Double Live Gonzo!, Nugent, Spirit of the Wild, and Shutup & Jam! all of which make up a good chunk of Nugent's quality albums. Something many don't know is who else was on Free-for-All on vocals. We have fucking Meatloaf on that sucker! Strange, I know, but he was around for half the songs on the album. This was a year before he became a superstar with his own solo work. The second main singer other than Ted Nugent was Charlie Huhn, who was there for Weekend Warriors, State of Shock, Scream Dream, and the great live album Intensities in 10 Cities. Huhn is underrated when it comes to Nugent's singers. We had one more with Brian Howe, who was only around for Penetrator before lending his pipes to Bad Company during their slump but still decent years from 1986 to 1993. Nugent has also had a ton of different vocalists on tour. Some of Nugent's biggest hits have him singing, and honestly, without the tuned ear, you might miss who is singing track by track, especially with Nugent's intense guitar work.

     Alright, let's stop while we are ahead about pointless Ted Nugent vocalist info. I guess it isn't pointless, but it is something for a fan. Are you a fan? Well, if you weren't, that is going to change today with our chosen track, "Dog Eat Dog". When I was quite younger, I always thought Ted Nugent was saying "dog, dog, doggie dog", which is actually why the song was chosen for the song of the day. On the last post we talked about trying the new Jeep out off-roading, but on Sunday it was testing how well it does with the dog, dog, doggie dog in the back of it. She did well for her first longer trip. While my girlfriend and I were trudging our way down the steep-ass hill we live on, the song came on over the speakers. My girlfriend said, "This is your song", to Mocha the dog. To which I replied that it was more of a fitting song to us stupid humans and the society we created. It genuinely sounds like he is saying "dog, dog, doggie dog". Also, she was pretty sure he was talking about some sick shit, but with it being Ted Nugent, that is a safe assumption. The song still has some sexual context, but that is just Ted Nugent for you, which is made clear by the time you make it halfway through Cat Scratch Fever, and no, on that title track he isn't talking about some household kitty. "Dog Eat Dog" is a chaotic yet fun song much like the lyrical content tells you. It is the most popular song off his second solo studio album, Free-for-All, which rocked the nation in 1976. I would say that Free-for-All is Nugent's third best solo album; some of the tracks on this fucker are mean and smooth, but I will admit that not every single song is something killer. Still, nothing is bad either; it is just a fast rocker that showcases Ted Nugent's guitar prowess wonderfully. On the album cover you get to see Ted Nugent's signature guitar, his 1962 Gibson Byrdland. Much like we already talked about previously with George Thorogood's ES-125, I am also a full fool for the Gibson Byrdland. That thing is beautiful! And Ted Nugent commands the stage with its sound. Nugent is well known for his energetic and frantic stage show, which successfully got shown off on some of Nugent's live albums. He is surprisingly one of those artists who put out great live material. Some of the live variations of songs are even better than the studio, but "Dog Eat Dog" isn't one of those; this one is best in the studio. Still, it is worth hearing it on his 1997 live album, Live at Hammersmith '79. If you want a sleazy-ass live album, then go check out Intensities in 10 Cities. There is some questionable stuff on that one, but overall that is a damn good live album. "Jailbait" is a gross one, but I will let you look that one up. Annnnyway, Free-for-All is honestly one of Nugent's tamest albums, just some straightforward rock that doesn't pull any punches. "Dog Eat Dog" is one of three songs that Derek St. Holmes handles the vocal work on, with the other two being "Turn It Up" and "Light My Way". Those other two cannot rival the power of "Dog Eat Dog", and a lot of that comes from the storytelling nature of St. Holmes's vocal work. He just has that smooth singing that helped Ted Nugent become a household name in the heart of rockers across the US. Speaking of the United States, the Nuge hit the 24th spot on the chart with Free-for-All, and the single for "Dog Eat Dog" peaked at the 94th spot. Not all too much of an achievement for one of Ted Nugent's best tracks. In time, Free-for-All would achieve the 2x platinum status in the United States and gold in Canada. As I am sure you aren't too shocked to find, Ted Nugent didn't have too much success out of the United States, the place that supported a good chunk of his career, even when record sales were dropping faster and faster. "Dog Eat Dog" is a perfect track to show off Ted Nugent's prime years. It has what you would want from rock music out of 1976. Smooth guitar work, a hard-driving chorus, great composition, and that something special that helped separate the hard rock sound from what everyone else was doing at the time. High energy is one of Ted Nugent's biggest claims to fame during his early career, something he excels at wonderfully, no matter who is singing. I do believe this is only the Nuges' second song on AintNoisePollution, the first being "Spirit of the Wild" from the album of the same name. Once again, get over who Ted Nugent is for a second, and just jam the music! During this stage he was just a rockin' madman. I like to consider this his "Motor City Madman" stage. That is his coolest nickname, much better than that of the Nuge, which sounds like a WWE wrestler, and even worse, "Uncle Ted" which indeed sounds like a creepy uncle, something that fits him more than I care to admit. No matter your opinion on the man, it shouldn't hinder his early material; this stuff is fuckin' iconic! Time for your listen, even though I am sure you already know this track. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1976

Album: Free-for-All (1976)

Genre: Hard Rock

Mood: Hard-Driving

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Driving in the summer heat, Working

Where to Next: "Shinin' On" - Grand Funk Railroad

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/11/2026

"Louie to Frisco" - George Thorogood & The Destroyers

     So, do you think you capitalize "The" after an ampersand? George Thorogood & the Destroyers looks normal, right? Meh, I will just go back and forth and more than likely just say "George Thorogood" throughout the post anyway. Looking back on schooling, I found that the Alpine School District, and potentially Utah as a whole, sort of taught English wrong. Through my short stint in college, everything I had previously learned I found out was wrong. If not wrong, then set in a single format that they claimed you just HAD to follow. Writing and English are so much more than that. Truth be told, I wasn't a good student. I was a little shit when I did go to school, and by the time I got my own vehicle, I dropped school practically altogether. The United States education system is flawed and is the first example of what society is truly about: control. It gets you prepared for waiting for the factory bell to start working, when to take breaks, and when to go home. Some people go through school with a blessed path; there are those types that excel in that kind of zone, and then they become more successful in life. Conformity. Though, for people like me, it is a good way to just leave a whole chunk of kids behind. I guess that is America. That is the society we are born into. If you aren't a certain perfect and pretty person, get ready to struggle for life. Anyway, we aren't here today to talk about the failing education system that is so outdated it can't even keep up with how kids operate nowadays. I fear for our nation. We are here today to talk about one of the boogiest bad motherfuckers in the game, George Thorogood. Now, George Thorogood has had one serious career with a sound that few have really tried replicating, and if they do, it just sounds like they want to be like him. He is perfectly situated in boogie rock with a hard blues-rock sound. I would say that he is one of my favorite guitarists, and a piece of that is the weapon he brings onto stage with him, the beautiful Gibson ES-125. I am a fool for all guitars that are or look like a Gretsch, my second favorite sounding and looking guitar. The first slot has to be the Gibson SG in red like Angus Young's. That thing is one gooood lookin' guitar. Sinful in all the right ways, but nothing too crazy like what we saw in the metal world. Anyway, George Thorogood is one mean guitarist, and while his vocal work isn't anything all too impressive, it serves as the perfect voice to sell the stories he dishes out. What kind of stories? Ones that are honestly not too reputable. Songs that cover drinking, drinking, traveling, drinking, trucking, broken hearts, drinking, riding motorcycles, and drinking. Did I mention drinking? Well, this boy has some of the best drinking tunes out there. Tried and true. Shit makes you feel a little hiccupy just listening to them. Most of the characters he portrays are burnouts, but that shit sells, and sell it did for good ol' George Thorogood. Thorogood is the type of musician that brought old songs back in style with a sound that was somewhere between two decades. It had a hard rock edge, but nothing too intense, so he could still stand up next to some of the roots rock artists of the 1970s and the 1980s, but with a strange rockabilly meets blues feeling; a lot of that comes from his rough barroom guitar work. His heavy use of a guitar slide is one of the most notable things he brought to his signature sound. Sure, other artists used that thing heavily, but I don't think anyone did it nearly as well as George Thorogood in rock. He serves as some strange middle part of the evolution line, and through that he never once really stood out too hard, but he stood out enough to sell strong and steady. Many of his tracks became rock essentials, like the immensely overplayed "Bad to the Bone", and while that song has been used for pretty well everything and is a rock radio staple, it never really grows all too old, but that might just be a me thing. Anyway, "Bad to the Bone" is a legendary track, but he also had a ton of fame with his version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", the empowering "I Drink Alone", and his versions of "Who Do You Love?" & "Move It On Over", which brought those goodies back into the light, dripping with road-fevered rock 'n' roll. Once again, George Thorogood found a lot of success with revamping some of the songs he loved but the world left behind. He has released 15 studio albums, 8 live albums, and some compilations. Our song of the day comes off of one of those compilations, and we will get there soon. Thorogood has had success worldwide, especially in North America and Oceania. He is a backbone to United States rock 'n' roll, and I am damn glad to bring him onto the website for his debut after all this time.

     For his debut, we are throwing out a hidden gem. "Louie to Frisco" has only shown up on his essential 1992 compilation, The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Very fitting for the "best of" to be called the "baddest" when it comes to Thorogood. As I am sure you put together, it isn't bad as in "bad" but bad as in "bad", ya know? This album isn't bad at all, but it sure is bad. Bad to the bone. Alright, enough about that. There could have been plenty of tracks that would have been picked for his AintNoisePollution debut, but a hidden gem serves him the best. I adore, and I mean adore, George Thorogood; he has been a long-time favorite of mine, and through my many run-throughs of his discography, and some of those albums getting listened to so much I can recite them, I can tell you that his hits only show a fraction of his talent. "Louie to Frisco" is just that. While George Thorogood didn't shake up his style all too much throughout the years aside from cleaned-up recordings, there is a special style he created. He is one of those artists that don't really need to shake up his sound since it is perfect the way it is. "Louie to Frisco" sounds like it was meant to be on his fourth studio album, More George Thorogood and the Destroyers, from 1980. Yet it only had its first release in 1992 on a single, then its place on today's compilation. Truth be told, I am not sure when he first recorded it or if he ever played it live, but I am damn glad that he did since it is a quick go-to when I want some of that bluesy rock bash. I chose the track while heading to test my Jeep out on its off-roading capabilities, which it did with flying colors. So, while driving through the west desert of Utah, I couldn't ask for a better band to come along than George Thorogood & the Destroyers. Something about his reckless style just screams, "Do something stupid, and do it with style". Plus, through my hours of listening to Thorogood while traveling or riding motorcycles, his style makes you feel like you are going fast as fuck even if you are going under the speed limit. "Louie to Frisco" was originally recorded by the rock 'n' roll legend Chuck Berry, a man that Thorogood obviously took serious notes from. Chuck Berry featured it as the title track to his underrated 12th studio album, From St. Louie to Frisco, out of 1968. You know you've got a true fan on your hands when they choose to cover a song from a hidden gem. Chuck Berry is a legend, but once music moved on, they mostly left him behind. He has a ton of great albums after the spotlight left him to shine on the Beatles, and it seems that George Thorogood knew that all too well. For later Chuck Berry, "Louie to Frisco" is one of his greatest tracks alongside "Back to Memphis", "I'm a Rocker", "Hi Heel Sneakers", "Tulane", "Oh Louisiana", and I could go on. Shit, have we really not had a Chuck Berry track yet?! I need to go lash myself real fast. Okay, I am back. Well, I guess that George Thorogood will have to do for now, and he will do it with style. His version of "Louie to Frisco" comes in red hot! A drunken piano kicks the boogie off, and when Thorogood comes in with his guitar work, you are hooked! A rambler's delight, one that I have trodden many a mile while jamming. I am a fool for these types of tracks, almost to a fault. It strikes even harder at my heart and soul when the song is about rockin' all over the damn nation. I swear I was destined to be a tour bus driver back in the day, that or a tour manager. You might say, "Why not do it now?" and the simple answer to that is.... well... I am broke. You think they are going to choose a warehouseman over all the other people who went to college? This your first time in the land of the free? Well, if it is, then I am glad you stopped in to learn some United States history from George Thorogood. He is America, not the shit they feed you in school, but the true idea of freedom. More like an Easy Rider vision of America. Plus, within "Louie to Frisco" and its wanderlust lyricism, you get to hear some of the best ports you can pull that rusty ol' automobile into, even leaving the United States for T-Dot Toronto. Do you know how much I dream about visiting that city? I love Salt Lake City, but my heart yearns for something new! It is heartbreaking that I cannot live out my dreams since dreaming is just too expensive modernly. I get frustrated by it often, but there is one thing I can do: live it out mentally from all the songs from people who lived the life. Some days it aint enough, but it sure spices up my little travels around the state that crafted and destroyed me, our beautiful little beehive that is currently on fucking fire. It is hot as fuck today. I gotta go burn in a warehouse tomorrow. You would think they would try keeping the place cool. So, while I am half a breath away from puking up my morning coffee, I will be dreaming through the stories told to me from the ramblers, like our wonderful song today, "From Louie to Frisco". Alright, well, I best rest up for the big day, and I bet you need a little rest too. Hope you dig the track! How could you not? This thing will rock and roll you to your soul. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1992

Compilation: The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers (1992)

Genre: Boogie Rock

Mood: Rockin'

​Perfect For: Traveling, Rambling, Off-Roading, Daydreaming, Casual listening, Boogying

Where To Next: "Long Twin Silver Line" - Bob Seger

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/10/2026

"Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie" - Eddy Arnold

     Welcome back! Today we have a cowboy tune for you, yessir, we do. Who doesn't like a solid cowboy ballad?! Well, it is clear as day that Eddy Arnold does since he has some of the best ones ever put out. Before we get into that, let me express (like usual) how shocked I am that Eddy Arnold hasn't been on the website yet. Yes, I know this is a website based around rock music, so it ain't all too shocking. Still, Eddy Arnold has been an artist of my soul for a long ass time. His country style is a bit more tame than the majority of my favorites from the genre, but with a career as long as his, there is something for just about anyone who likes country music. How long are we talking? Try a little over 70 years. Eddy Arnold has 52 studio albums, 167 singles, and a massive collection of compilations. I have made it through his studio discography and enjoyed each second of it, and some of those albums are favorites of mine. Not every album is one you need to rush to the ol' record store for, and good luck finding the 78s, but there is a ton of great and modernly underrated albums that this man dished out. From 1965 to 1968, he had a string of 8 country chart-topping albums, all of which are grand. I am more of a fan of those that came before. Albums like Cattle Call, Sometimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue, Have Guitar Will Travel, and so many more. If you jump into any Eddy Arnold album from the 1950s to 1980, you are in for a good and mellow time. So, if you are someone who digs country music and doesn't recognize the name, shame on you, but that is alright; we are showing you a goodie today, even if it isn't the best example of his style since it is a cover of a western standard, like the majority of the album. Before we get into it, let's talk about who Eddy Arnold even is. Born Richard Edward Arnold, he lived a fairly standard life in the country music world, especially for the time. He was born in 1918 and was raised on a sharecropper's dollar in Henderson, Tennessee. His father passed away when he was 11, which saw Arnold dropping school to take care of his family on the farm. That wasn't the only thing about Arnold; he also learned the guitar and spent a solid chunk of his time playing. When he went back to school, he would play the guitar for school functions. By the age of 16 he scored himself a slot playing his songs on a local radio station in Jackson, Tennessee. This moved to him playing on other channels and getting slots playing in nightclubs. He quickly gained a name for himself in the 1930s and was a star who found lofty spots on many different radio shows across the East. It wasn't too long until Eddy Arnold got his shot to play as a solo artist at the Grand Ole Opry in 1943. For a country bumpkin, that is like making it to the Super Bowl. Scary as all hell, but it shows you were something special. Anyway, after his spot on the Grand Ole Opry, he was approached by RCA to sign on and cut some songs. RCA wasn't the easiest label to get signed onto, and even with it being in the early days of the recording industry, that showed you were in the right place. Arnold was managed by Colonel Tom Parker, the same colonel that built, beat, and shined Elvis Presley into the star he was. A hard man, but one that was a bloodhound for payola. In 1945 Eddy Arnold put out his first single, an awkward yet peaceful song called "Mommy Please Stay Home With Me". Just remember it was from the time. The song was a cautionary tale where a baby boy dies crying the song title while the mom is out merrymaking in town. A song that is strangely silly now, but maybe I am just a cold person. Anyway, Eddy Arnold's second single within the same year did much better. "Each Minute Seems a Million Years" is a good one, and it got his name at the #5 spot on the US Country charts. Now, on the B-side to that puppy, we had a little song called "The Cattle Call", which Eddy Arnold redid with much acclaim within the same album we will be talking about a little later on. That one track is a big piece of Eddy Arnold history. It was released first as a B-side in 1945, as the A-side in 1949, it hit the top of the charts in 1955 and then was a leading reason that the album of the same name sold so well in 1963, and then he had a charter with it one more time in 1999 alongside LeAnn Rimes. Anyway, we aren't here today for that song.

     By 1950, 17 top ten hits of his were on the country charts, some even making it onto the mainline US charts. His story was just starting there, since he dominated the singles and album charts for country music in the 1950s. His popularity hardly waned until the later half of the 1970s, but even then he was charting with almost each release. Eddy Arnold almost holds the record for most charting singles in country music but got beat out by George Jones. Arnold has had 147 songs hit the charts, most of which were fast climbers. There is a ton to love from him, and with him being around in each decade up into the 2000s, even if he stopped charting in the 1980s, there are plenty of varying styles of country music he tapped his boots into. For today, we look at my favorite album from him, Cattle Call. Cattle Call released in 1963 and was Eddy Arnold's first studio album to chart on the Billboard charts. He previously had a Christmas album do it, but those ones play by different rules. Fucking Christmas music was a cash cow! Still is. Cattle Call is made up of western standards, some of which are damn old, but Eddy Arnold modernized them alongside producer (and country legend) Chet Atkins. There are a ton of great versions of songs on this album. He does wonderfully, if not better than most others, with "The Wayward Wind", "Cattle Call", "Cool Water", and "The Streets of Laredo". I mean, the only other person that would give Eddy Arnold a run for his money with doing western standards well after their heyday would maybe be Marty Robbins. But to be second to Marty Robbins in anything is like standing next to God. Anyway, each song on the album is blissful and mellow. My darling girlfriend is well familiar with this album, and I am sure she tires of half the songs by now. Most times we go on a nice long drive into the middle of nowhere, there is a high chance a couple of these songs are going to come along. "The Wayward Wind" was one that I abused in our first 2 years of checking out all the hidden corners of Utah. She digs it though, and she takes a personal satisfaction in replicating "Cool Water", no matter which version I choose, and let me tell you that I have a massive collection of that song since I adore it. The best one is Marty Robbins', and I stand by that. Anyway, for today we have "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie". Man, I hate spelling prairie. The song itself has nothing to hate. "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie" is a classic western folk ballad based off of "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie". I have sunk my time into this song many times, and I think that the original version is better. Less happy. Cowboy and western ballads sure can be happy, but I like the mellow, depressing ones. There have been many different titles to the song. We have "The Dying Cowboy", "Bury Me Out on the Lone Prairie", "The Cowboy's Lament", "Oh, Bury Me Not", and plenty of others. The song itself was also taken from the sea song "The Ocean Burial". Funny how all the old-time songs just share from each other. Anyway, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" is the best version, but they are all about the same thing; the second best is the version of "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie". The original version has the cowboy dying and begging not to be left there, where the coyotes howl and the snakes hiss and is far from any city. In that story he ultimately gets buried there anyway. While the other pleads that when the day comes, take him back to the trails he rode under that relentless sky and bury him there in a place he loves most. The Eddy Arnold version brings forth a longing for the lone prairie. I am far from a cowboy, but even I long for the prairie while this song plays. The version that Eddy Arnold recorded for the album comes from the 1934 version first recorded by Carson Robison. This one song has a ton of history and is often regarded as the most famous cowboy ballad. You might already know the song but don't know where you know it from. It is a historical track, in that there is no doubt, and while a lot of versions are antiquated, there is still a gripping appeal to the song. The mellow strumming, the longing for nature, and the desperation of death—all of these things have a timeless appeal, no matter if you wear a cowboy hat or a bucket hat. There are a ton of great versions of this song, be it the one we are talking about today or the many others. Cowboy ballads are many, and the good thing about them is that they have been recorded hundreds of times throughout many decades, even now. Eddy Arnold himself has one of the best collections of them on Cattle Call. If you want some more, then this album is for you. Be sure to reach back and hear some of the earlier versions of the songs too; you just cannot go wrong if this style is for you. Alright, that is enough out of me. I have a deep desire to go offroading aimlessly into the desert now, even though that is already what I did today. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow, but only time will tell which song gets picked. Thanks for reading along! You know what to do now. Load that song up, enjoy the piss out of it, and then come back again tomorrow for some more. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1963

Album: Cattle Call (1963)

Genre: Western, Country, Cowboy Ballads

Mood: Mellow

​Perfect For: Riding a horse, Going off-roading, Camping, Daydreaming, Dying, Casual listening

Where To Next: "The Little Green Valley" - Marty Robbins

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/09/2026

"Remember the Future, Pt. 1" - Nektar

     Man, I am so paranoid about Weebly now. Each post has me wondering if it will even post or if I will even get it done before it gives me the boot. Well, here we go again! Stressful, but blissful, much like our spotlighted artist, Nektar. I have noticed that we have had a mean progressive rock track each month for the last little bit, but the majority of those pale in comparison to Nektar. Much like we talked about previously with Mystery Machine, Nektar is also damn underrated. Not in the same way as Mystery Machine, oh no, that is a sad case right there with them. Nektar still made quite the dent when they were releasing material in their prime years, but those albums got lost in the test of time. The same case is found within a good chunk of the kick-ass progressive rock scene of the late 1960s into the 1970s. Like we talked about with Gentle Giant last month, when the 1980s came around, progressive rock had their backs against the wall. An awful decision stood before them: change with the times and alienate their fans or keep true to their sound but find themselves in the bargain bin by the end of the year. Nektar followed suit with some of the groups that took to a more straightforward hard rock sound with progressive lacing, but it didn't work out too well for them, and they disbanded in 1980. The band came back in 2001 with their 9th studio album, The Prodigal Son. I had my first playthrough of that just a couple of months back, and while it wasn't bad, that ship already sailed. Still, they still release material even now, and from my sampling of some of the albums, they seem to have gotten their mojo working again. That is the strange thing about the transitionary 1980s. The way music was getting taken in was a little different than how it was from the late 1950s until the end of the 1970s. The 1980s introduced MTV, and with the addition of CDs and casettes showing up, you could now take your music easily with you anywhere you went. Face value held more than musical value. The new way music was being pushed kicked around all the way until the iPod era. Now, the iPod era was a godsend for older music. It gave some wiggle room to easily access plenty of albums that became difficult to find in stores and allowed you to poke around a lot of different sounds and genres. Following the iPod era, we have the streaming era, the one we are in now. Modernly, it is easier than ever to collect music and to have a noncommittal listening experience. Shit, just look at this website. I give you hundreds of songs, and even if you don't like them, you can listen to it and not feel like you got fleeced of your hard-earned money. That also hurts music deeply, but the streaming era is killing the music industry as a whole quickly. Concerts and merch are going up because of it. Artists are having an even harder time breaking out into the big time since the money isn't quite there, and the massive number of artists doing the same thing from the comfort of their homes makes it damn near impossible to get your name out there. There is still a positive side. A rebirth for those that didn't have a chance to shine. For avid music listeners like myself, I am challenging what you can do with the streaming era. My project is a testament to that, and honestly, I might be one of the only few that are doing it. It has been 8 years now since the deep study started, so maybe some others jumped aboard. If you are interested in doing it... don't. Just kidding, go for it, and let me know so I can share my playlists and notes to save you the hundreds of hours I have sunk into laying out the groundwork. Anyway, I think our next music era will be the AI era, something that fucking terrifies and sickens me. I am staunchly against AI, and that damn thing is getting smarter every day. Gross. Anyway, I don't know where I am going with this. Oh yeah. Nektar had a little success getting back to it due to the noncommittal listening experience of the mid-2000s onward. Through that you can really do any style you like, and people might come along. There is hardly a set scene for artists that aren't part of the next big thing. So, yeah, some old bands can come on back with an original sound and do well. They don't have to worry about keeping on the charts, since the charts hardly mean a thing now, especially in rock music. Nektar might have fallen off the wagon, but truth be told, they were never quite on the wagon. Their most successful album is the one that holds our song of the day, Remember the Future.

     When I say "successful" don't let that make you think these guys were giving Pink Floyd and Stevie Wonder a run for their money. Remember that progressive rock rarely made it into the big time; yes, there were those that did, but maybe only 15 percent of the groups found commercial fame. Nektar's fourth studio album, Remember the Future, is their biggest claim to fame. The album peaked at the 19th spot in the United States and at the 23rd spot in Canada. Those are pretty good numbers for a group like Nektar. So, what kind of group is Nektar, you might be asking? Well, they are a perfect melding of progressive rock and psychedelic rock. These dudes make you think. They make you float out of your seat, I will tell you what. With the psychedelic backing, they often get thrown into the space rock category, which is damn fitting. Their intense composition doesn't do the cliché progressive thing half the time; there is a little bit of jamming there that makes it a full ride no matter the type of rocker you may be. You like the heavy stuff? "King of Twilight". How about stuff that makes you feel like you are sleepwalking? "Astronauts Nightmare". Want something funky? Bam! "Desolation Valley / Waves". They got a lot of good stuff, top-tier hidden gems just waiting for your earholes. For today, we take a look at a long one, the first half of their highest-charting album, Remember the Future. Much in the progressive rock style, this little beauty is a concept album. The story to it is an odd but moving tale of an alien, Bluebird, who came down to warn the people of the wrong they are doing to the planet. Though, nobody wants to listen since they can't see past how he looks. With humans being humans, they just wanted to do him harm instead of hearing his message. So, when he was going to give up, he came across a blind kid who, never having been able to see the world, hears his message. Well, more so he sees it via visions given to him by Bluebird. Throughout the album our alien companion shows the blind boy the history of the planet and our species. Then before you know it, the album takes an environmentalist and humanitarian stance. He shows the boy visions of human greed and the effects it was having on the planet. This poor fuckin' kid! I mean, he was already blind, but now he has some strange alien coming along and being like, "Check this shit out". It is like the ending of A Clockwork Orange but via psychic visions. All jokes. Anyway, there are two songs on the album, "Remember the Future, Pt. 1" & "Remember the Future, Pt. 2". Our chosen song is part one, which is made up of 4 pieces under one banner. Each one is a giant of its own, and I don't know if I quite have a favorite, but if I had to choose, I would say the second piece, titled "Wheel of Time". The first part of the album is a lot more... positive? The second half is when things get serious, but I am sure we will cover that another time. I honestly love the whole story, even if it is a little silly. Who cares, though? The whole album is skillfully crafted. You can just tell each piece was specifically put together to get a rise of a certain emotion. The album will have you bopping along one second and then drifting away to seeing the same visions of bluebirds, open plains, evolution, and damnation alongside the blind boy. They just don't make music like this anymore; this shit is down to earth but still quite spectral. The repeating statement that the past is done, but the future is yours is a comforting set of lyrics, even if it was meant for a bigger picture. I am sure some of you came to the website and loaded the song up and were like, "Fuck, it is a long one today". And indeed it is. But don't go skipping the song; you will be missing out on some wild stuff, man, some fucking great music. The last piece of the song is "Confusion", which is a trippy instrumental that ends the track with a bang and shows off their progressive credentials wonderfully and how it was only fitting they went with the hard rock sound later in their career. The song is long enough that I listened to it in three different settings on the day it was picked. I do deliveries and pickups at work often, and I first started the song up when doing departure paperwork, drove to the first stop, and paused it, and then listened to it on the way back and unloaded all my product during the same playthrough. When the song came to a close, it felt like I was gone for hours, maybe I was. From that moment on I couldn't get the song out of my head. I love Nektar more than a lot of the progressive rock bands out there; they've got a special magic that talks to me like no other. This song and the whole album is a GEM! I cannot believe there isn't more talk of it going around. Genuinely perfectly crafted. Anyway, the song ends fairly abruptly, which tells you it is time to stand up and flip the record over. There are times I get all giddy sharing a song, like it is a piece of me, and this is one of those times. If you got yourself a second, I strongly suggest this track. I will admit, the song is long and takes a little more focus, but when you are situated within its folds, you will be stunned the whole way through. Good shit, man, gooooood shit. Also, just check out that album art and logo work; Nektar has a ton of great album art. Alright, that is enough of me tripping out on it. See for yourself, why don't you? Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1973

Album: Remember the Future (1973)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Mood: Mystical

​Perfect For: Focused listening, Jamming, Going for a nature drive, Tripping, Getting stoned

Where To Next: "Nine Feet Underground" - Caravan

Rating: 9 / 10

Song of the Day 07/08/2026

"Pound for Pound" - Mystery Machine

      Mystery Machine is the epitome of an underrated group. These dudes are hidden gems from hell! Out of all the new bands that I discovered through my studies of the 1990s, it was Mystery Machine that left one of the biggest impacts. Their style is somewhere between psychedelic, noise rock, hard rock, shoegaze, stoner rock, and straightforward rock music. This is the type of band you could see playing at your favorite local haunt, and also one you wouldn't be even slightly shocked to hear on the radio. I wonder why they never got fully discovered. Through their debut album, Glazed, in 1993 alongside a vigorous touring schedule, they managed to carve out a strong yet small fanbase. This got them in a spot where they could release their second album, 10 Speed, which was their most successful album. That one released in 1996 and showed the band might be onto something. It was a little more clear and easy to get behind in comparison to their layered and chaotic debut album. With things looking up for the group, they went ahead and released their 3rd album in 1998 called Headfirst Into Everything. Though, as it goes sometimes, the album completely flopped even though they actually had a budget to make a clear, clean, and compelling album this time around. With three overall commercial failures, the band was dropped from their label and got on with their lives. Some of the members of the band went on to try some other ventures, but those too failed to make much of a commotion. In 2012 they released one more album that will likely be their final, Western Magnetics. I haven't made my way to that one yet, but seeing as how I will have to wait a long time, I might just listen to it tomorrow during my new music Friday. From what I can tell, it is a collection of previously unreleased songs with potentially some new ones. Well, if it is anything like the other three, I think I will enjoy the hell out of it. Their debut is my favorite by a long shot. When I first listened to Glazed, I instantly fell in love with it; some albums just click, and this was one of them. Then came their second one, and I could instantly recognize that the band was trying something more commercial, but not in the bad kind of way. It was more so songs that you could proudly play loud as hell at a traffic light and not get too many frowns from. Well, I guess if you care what others think, that is. I'm not that type of dude, but I would love to spread the word about this group since they are genuinely worth it. Our song of the day is one of their best songs, and on Spotify, it is their most streamed song, so that is saying something. The top track on Spotify isn't usually a band's greatest song, but that depends on who you ask and the band. "Ride", "Floored", and "Valley Song" hold that title for me. Still, there is no denying that "Pound for Pound" is a great song and is one of the best places to enter into the band. 

     The track is strangely hypnotic. The intro has you wondering what genre it is going to be. You can feel that almost alternative metal style, or is it going to be something punky? But when the vocals come into play, you find yourself situated in a mood-heavy alternative rock style. Something menacing but mellow. Lyrically, the song is a little confusing, but I do dig them, no matter what they might mean. The track isn't one that you need to zone in on for the lyrics. With its hard-driving style, it is just a simple good-time kind of song. Great for driving around, no matter the speed, but also one that is great for waking up and getting the day going. There is a strange edge of shoegaze to the style on the album that holds "Pound for Pound", 10 Speed. The same is to be said about their debut. I mean, the notes are there, but not the style as a whole since it is a little more intense. So... Like.... Bootgaze? Whatever it is, it is a strong sound, something that I think that grunge fans, rockers, punkers, shoegaze fans, and even some metalheads can get behind. Once again, it is crazy they didn't get discovered by a bigger label; they could have easily had some solid hits. Sure, there was some pretty steep competition coming out of their home city of Vancouver, but even with that, they serve as a perfect answer to what was coming out of Seatlle during 1996. I wish I could find more info from or about the band; it seems they sort of disappeared. All I can find is info about this seemingly famous wedding cover band under the same name. Maybe it is them? I doubt it. No, that cover band doesn't come dressed as the Scooby Doo crew, nor does the band we are talking about today. Would have been kind of cool but overly silly, something that shouldn't be together with this kind of style. Mystery Machine does have a lot of stoner imagery, though. Their album cover for Glazed makes that quite clear, but it also seemed clear they wanted to get away from some of that in their later releases. I stand by that their debut holds their best songs and atmosphere. It is some damn mellowly stressful stuff that I think you might really like if you give it a go. Once again, this group is insanely underrated for how great their music is. Supposedly that is shown damn well in their live shows, which would get fairly violent. I wonder how that looked since their music may be intense, but it isn't violence-inducing if you ask me. Anyway, I guess we will throw out a short post today, but not due to lack of enjoyment from the song. Mystery Machine will win you over with or without my ramblings. Load that song up and give it a spin! I gotta go get myself to bed. One more workday and then we get the weekend! This one is going to be a strange one, I can just feel it, but that is alright. I hope you finish the week off strong and keep out of the heat. Always remember that you have a home on AintNoisePollution. Maybe Mystery Machine will be a great band to dive into this weekend. That is all up to you, friend. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1996

Album: 10 Speed (1996)

Genre: Bootgazing (Wait, that is an actual subgenre... I'll be damned) Ummmm... Alternative Rock

Mood: Energizing

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Commuting, Working on cars

Where To Next: "A Little Late" - The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Rating: 8 / 10

Song of the Day 07/07/2026

"Silver Dagger" - Joan Baez

     Now that we had one solid hard rocker with Deep Purple's "Lazy", I think it is time we bring it back on down. Down to something rootsy, something that reminds you of true existence and life. There are many artists out there that we could do that with, but I want that folk fix, and if you are anything like me, you want that fix too. So, how about we go for Joan Baez today with her debut on AintNoisePollution? Baez is certainly not any kind of noise pollution; her singing and guitar picking are divine. This is the kind of stuff that could have stopped war well back in the day. It hardly stopped too much during its time, but humanity had already been well lost by then. Joan Baez put out her version of "Silver Dagger" in 1960 when she released her debut self-titled album. Since she then released a couple more self-titled albums throughout the 1960s, fans call this Joan Baez, Vol 1. No matter what it is called, this album is enlightening and so damn mellow it makes all your cares fall around your feet. That is something Baez is known for, even on the tracks that leave the scent of blood in the room after it is done. It is no shocker that she was one of the biggest names in folk music for a long time, and unlike plenty of the others that came along from this time, she is still putting out music even today and is quite active in protest. She kept with the changing musical tides quite well while still keeping her core folk sound that has had fans flocking to her since this debut. Her most recent studio album, Whistle Down the Wind, released in 2018 and is still one powerful set of songs. I especially like her version of "Civil War" originally by Joe Henry, and the most popular song off the album, "The President Sang Amazing Grace", which was released in 2016 by Zoe Mulford. Joan Baez reminds the country what they were and, more importantly, what they could be. She takes the form of a mother of a nation, of a people she has seen beaten down time after time to bring up the rich and lose their rights so they don't lose their lives. She might not be nearly as aggressive in her songs, but you can feel the conviction in each word she speaks. This debut that holds "Silver Dagger" is one of her more mellow ones, more conventional folk music of the time. A good chunk of the tracks avoid some of the more straightforward political tracks aside from "Donna Donna" which is a classic tune comparing helpless cattle to that of the populace of the world. I mean, this debut has a few less intense subjects, but even those ones feel like life or death with the way that Joan Baez performs them. She recorded and released the album in 1960 when she was just 19 years old. I am now getting to the age I was always worried about approaching. The age where I realize that all the stars I listen to, no matter the decade, were younger than I am now when they wrote, performed, and released some seriously impressive material. Now, there were still plenty of bands that got a late start, and then there are the bands that were already made but still were changing up and releasing plenty of good material when they were 28, but I couldn't imagine putting out an album like Joan Baez's debut when I was 19. My soul was there, but I just didn't have that same gift as some of these musicians. No need to compare yourself to others. That is a one-way ticket to Pain Town and is honestly a waste of effort and emotion, but I cannot help reflecting on how crazy it was that artists like Joan Baez were putting out such moving and mature material at 19. Joan Baez arranged a lot of the songs off the album, but she didn't write any of the words. Most of them were traditionals that she recorded with some personalization. If you were a folk artist of the 1960s and before, you must have dedicated your life to these old-time songs. I find it crazy that someone her age sang these songs with such grace, like she lived and wrote these songs herself. Her age helped sell some of the lyrics and imagery to some of the songs; none fit better than "Silver Dagger", my favorite track off the album.

     "Silver Dagger" is a traditional folk ballad, one that came out of Great Britain. There have been multiple renditions of the song under plenty of different names. Like some of the folk standards out there, this song has answer tracks and even two set songs that were covered, with one being from the point of view of the girl in the story of "Silver Dagger" and then the response track of "Katy Dear" from the point of view of the male suitor. The version we are hearing here today is only a section of the song, but I love how it starts and ends, so there is no need to bring forth another one. This one is short and sweet, and Joan Baez performs the song beautifully. The story is about a young girl that has suitors knocking on her door all the time, but her mother is wary of men, especially since she learned firsthand the pain that comes from love. So, she threatens any man that comes to get her daughter, and she also threatens her daughter with said dagger in some versions. The version of the song "Katy Dear" is a trippy one, since the song follows a strange Romeo and Juliet kind of tale. These two lovers cannot be together since Katy Dear's parents won't allow it, so they use the dagger to kill themselves so they can forever be together. You know... I hate stories that go that way. I find it kind of stupid. That might sound crude, and maybe I never got a flavor of that kind of love, but why would that make any sense? Just run away or something. No need to prove a point with that shiney silver dagger. Anyway, Joan Baez's version is a lot more tame, especially since she only sings a fraction of the original ballad. The story is fine and dandy, but I mainly adore the way Baez sings the track. Not only the singing but also the constant impressive guitar work in the background. Being somewhat of a heartbreaker myself when I was younger, I find a special joy in the lyrical aspect and the mental imagery of some of the lines. Especially "My daddy is a handsome devil, he's got a chain five miles long, and on every link a heart does dangle of another maid he has loved and wronged". Great mental imagery, man, good stuff. Anyway, Baez sounds so damn pure in the track. You get the idea she is the one the song is truly about. The hopes of love, the reality of overbearing parents that only want safety for their children from the experiences they went through, and the cold safety that comes from deciding to never give your heart to anyone. The track is kind of a haunting one, but that is folk for you; there is always an edge of melancholy to it. Talk about a great way to open an album up. "Silver Dagger" is the first track off the album, one that has its ups and downs, but each song leaves you completely at peace and a little depressed. There have been plenty of versions of "Silver Dagger" throughout time, including this one and the answer track "Katy Dear". While I haven't listened through all of them, I don't know if any could beat the version of Baez. It became a core song from her large discography, and she would often perform it in many shows. The impressive guitar work in itself is worth finding any version from her you can find. The version she does alongside Bob Dylan in 1964 is always a joy. Bob Dylan and Joan Baez had a strange love, something we will have to save for another time since it will turn this post into a goliath. In the version you hear on Bob Dylan's archive release of Concert at Philharmonic Hall, Joan Baez jokes around and says that the song was one of Bob Dylan's early songs, taking a jab at this dude that honestly kind of did her wrong throughout their turbulent relationship. There are a few Dylan tracks that poke at her and plenty of hers that poke at him, like her most famous song, "Diamonds and Rust". I guess two of folks' biggest names of the 1960s were bound to cross paths, and you know what comes out of that. On that live version of "Silver Dagger", Bob Dylan doesn't sing but lends his famous acoustic guitar and harmonica to see the song through. While "Silver Dagger" is the most impressive track on her debut, it is an essential album for anyone who likes this brand of early folk music. I know I love it, and so long as you have your hearing aids turned on, I think you will love it too. If not, no problem, to each their own, but be sure to come by tomorrow to see if you like what I have cooking then instead more. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1960

Album: Joan Baez (1960)

Genre: Folk

Mood: Haunting

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Courting a new love, Reflecting on love, Appreciating music

Where To Next: "Cactus Tree" - Joni Mitchell

Rating: 8 / 10

"Lazy" - Deep Purple

     Alright, if this damn post glitches out at any point and makes me lose my progress, you will be seeing a post talking about how I am quitting this blasted website builder and dedicating all time to moving stuff over. The progress of that has been slow, and I really need to focus on it, but these posts take so long, and I cannot afford to fall behind now that I have such a good rhythm. Anyway, speaking of this website, let's talk about a band that serves as one of the biggest inspirations to starting such a project up, Deep Purple. AintNoisePollution was created for bands like Deep Purple. To talk and fawn over the grandeur of their all-consuming rock. One half of the wesbite was dedicated to the legends that we praise, and the other half was for those that don't get the same attention. Deep Purple doesn't need attention; they are bona fide legends of rock music. They had a heavy hand in the progression of the harder sound that came out of the early 1970s alongside Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and so many others. While Led Zeppelin came along before the 1970s were in full swing, with both Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II coming out of 1969, Deep Purple predated even them with this proto-metal sound that they had starting in 1968. What is strange about Deep Purple's early discography is where it sold best, which is in the US. Now, that shouldn't be too shocking. We were getting into the heavy stuff while the Brits were still trippin' on blues rock. But, for one of the British hard rock trinity, you would think they would have found heavier fame there early on. This early form of Deep Purple is unlike what we know them as now. Mark I of the band fitting comfortably into the heavier side of the psychedelic rock that was gaining more power and would later be the launching point of hard rock and heavy metal. The first lineup of Deep Purple was made up of Ritchie Blackmore on guitars, Ian Paice on drums, Nick Simper on bass guitar, Jon Lord on keyboards, and Rod Evans on vocals. Now, Rod Evans is a fine singer, but he didn't have the same kick in the teeth as Ian Gillan, the band's most well-known vocalist. Rod Evans was only with Deep Purple for their first three albums, and while people tend not to reach that far back aside from "Hush", I strongly suggest it to see the band's roots, and it just so happens that they are great albums. It is psychedelic, artsy, and moving. Rod Evans would go on to form Captain Beyond, a criminally underrated band that found minor fame in the 1970s. Anyway, Mark I of Deep Purple is something else, but they would have faded away to obscurity if they didn't switch it up, and switch it up they did with Mark II of the band, which had the legendary bassist Roger Glover taking the spot of Nick Simper and Ian Gillan taking the place of Rod Evans on vocals. In the modern tongue, this is the band's most famous lineup and when they put out the best material. Don't get me wrong, I adore all forms of Deep Purple; they are a band that is written within my soul, and I will adore them until I die, but that Mark II lineup is immensely powerful. Anyway, Roger Glover was a missing piece of the band's sound, though I am not putting down the bass work from Nick Simper. Simper went on to form the short-lived Warhorse, which is another hidden gem out of early 1970s hard rock. Deep Purple spurred a shitload of great bands, and I mean a lot. I don't think there is any other band out there that has had so many high-caliber bands that came out of it. Even the Yardbirds didn't have this many. Anyway, yes, Mark II is where the magic is at with the band. The second best is Mark III, which had David Coverdale (later of Whitesnake) on vocals and Glenn Hughes on bass. Throughout all the lineup changes, which there were a lot of, there was only one forever member, drummer Ian Paice. We can cover more of the ups and downs of the band as the posts move along; for now, let's zone back into the glorious Mark II of the band.

     With the Mark II lineup, we have 4 stellar studio albums to sink our teeth into from 1970 to 1973, then two more out of 1984 and 1987, and one more in 1993. So we have 7 studio albums with that lineup and a wide array of live albums. Speaking of live albums, if you want to see the raw power of this lineup, go check out the band's famous Made in Japan out of 1972. That has gotta be one of my favorite live albums of all time, if not my favorite. Anyway, our song of the day comes off the band's sixth studio album and third with the Mark II lineup, Machine Head. If an alien were to come knockin' on my door and said "Show me one album to explain the rock genre", I would hand that green bastard Machine Head. This album is perfect from start to finish. It was one of those moments for me as a kid that I will never forget. It was like finding God, like pulling the sword from the stone, and drinking from the holy grail all in one. A moment where I knew what my life was going to be about, and that was the dedication to rock music. This might all sound pretty overkill for just an album, but if you are thinking that way, then you will never understand. Our song of the day is "Lazy", and while this is one of the weaker ones off the album, it still holds more power than some bands' complete discographies and the horse they rode in on. "Lazy" is an epic one, and if you like what you heard here, then go see what the multiple live versions have to offer. I promise that even all of those are intense, especially the version from Made in Japan, which comes in at a whopping almost 11 minutes. Even the studio version is a big one, serving as the longest song on Machine Head. I mean, it is only 7:19, but it feels like you go on one hell of a ride that lasts a whole lifetime, in the best kinds of ways. "Lazy" is always a standout moment when you run through the album. Unlike the others, this one is strangely bluesy. Deep Purple and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore never shied away from doing some blues rock. Machine Head is known for its lengthy and intense instrumental bits, and while "Highway Star" earns the trophy for that one, "Lazy" comes in at a hot second. The intro to this song is one big ass instrumental attack from Jon Lord on that keyboard and organ. For this song, Lord used an overdriven organ, which certainly gives it this strange space-like feeling, getting you prepped for the next song on the album, "Space Truckin'". It isn't until the 1:20 mark that we get some drums, and the song then fully kicks off at the 1:40 mark when Ritchie Blackmore comes in with some smooth bluesy guitar work. Still, it gets drowned out by that fuckin' organ, but that is Deep Purple for you. Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore battle throughout the whole song for control. They take turns during solos, and I can't even tell you who wins. Shit, everyone wins. Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, and more importantly, you and I, since we get to listen to this jam-friendly piece. We don't even get a peep out of Ian Gillan and his famous vocals all the way until the 4:21 mark. Ian Gillan brings his harmonica into the picture too, something that stays on both the studio and live versions. Even the vocals are bluesy. This track fits perfectly into what Deep Purple was achieving with the heaviness of this album, but "Lazy" always serves as a breather track. You might be thinking, "You call this relaxing?!" but when it comes to Deep Purple, yes. Lyrically, it isn't anything too special; what is special is that fuckin' Hammond organ. Did you expect to hear an organ and guitar battle today? Well, if your answer was yes, then you are my people! If no, then now you know what you are missing out on. There aren't many out there that do it like Deep Purple. They aren't legends for just any reason. They got there through compelling songs, a bold style of the time, and so much talent you would need two lifetime loans from the devil just to get a fraction of it. The song leaves abruptly if you are listening to the track on streaming services, but if you are doing it old school and listen to the song on vinyl, you will find that it almost was more of an intro track to "Space Truckin'" than anything. If you are unlearned of Deep Purple, you might be thinking that "Space Truckin'" is a dumb name, but then I would think you are dumb! You heard me! I would say it to your face! Don't believe me?! Meet me at Gracie's in the next 30, and bring beer money. Anyway, trucking in space? You kidding me? That is cool, man. Plus, you should hear that loud son of a bitch before thinking it is a silly name. Traveling around the solar system while playing Deep Purple real loud has been a long-time dream of mine. Unachievable, sure, but we live in a day and age where most dreams seem just as likely. Anyway, we aren't here to be down; we are here to jam! I did my part; I brought to the table a beast of a song. Now you've got to do your part and play the damn song. Fair is fair. You are gonna love it. Enjoy! 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1972

Album: Machine Head (1972)

Genre: Hard Rock, Blues Rock

Mood: Jammy

​Perfect For: Focused listening, Casual listening, Driving fast, Driving slow, Working, Relaxing, Truckin' around Jupiter

Where To Next: "The Wizard" - Black Sabbath

Rating: 8 / 10

"That's Why They Call It a Union" - Less Than Jake

     You know.... I might not be sad about leaving Weebly behind. I wrote out a whole damn post, a longer one too, and the thing glitched and lost everything I wrote. That shit always has my breathing turn ragged and makes me want to smash my face into the keyboard. Talk about a waste of fuckin' time, man! Shit sucks. I loved how it turned out too. Well, I guess I will do it again and hope I can do it quickly since I have plans tonight. Alright, where to start? What parts did I have that were good? Well, here we go! Less Than Jake is a powerhouse from the ska punk genre. ​You know, there are few that make it into the limelight within that genre. The good majority of bands that started out that way tend to change their sound or self-destruct. Less Than Jake is one that changed to stay relevant, but their early material is prime ska punk, and the later is awesome ska-laced skate punk and pop punk. While we are on the topic of the band, what a strange name. Less Than Jake isn't the worst out there; it certainly beats the hell out of the Butthole Surfers. The Butthole Surfers must be one of the only bands out there that had a hit with such a wild name. Anyway, there are good band names and then there are bad ones. Less Than Jake is neither of those, but it does make you wonder how they got the name. Well, the drummer of the band, Vinnie Fiorello, was the one with the practice pad during the early days of the band. At the Fiorello household they had a parrot (some stories claimed it was a bulldog) named Jake. The band was good to do their jamming, but in time the bird would start squawking, and it would have Fioello's mom telling them to cut it out since it was bothering the thing. So, the band made the joke that they were "less than Jake" and the name stuck. It is okay to have a silly band name so long as you have a strong backing. Isn't it kind of odd how the brain creates words out of band names? Metallica doesn't mean anything, but ultimately it is now a word. While we are on that note, how do you feel about mispelled band names? You would think the brain would be pissed about trying to put words to images, but you don't think of a deaf leopard when you hear the name "Def Leppard". I wonder if some bands ended up regretting their names once they hit the big time. When I am first getting to know someone and want to gauge their older music knowledge, I always throw out some questions to see if they spell it back to me correctly. "How do you feel about thrash metal songs like "Sweating Bullets"?" and if they hit me with the "I love Megadeath", then I know they don't love the band as much as they think they do. I guess you cannot blame them for that since some bands wanted to be edgy and spell things wrong. Anyway, Less Than Jake doesn't have too bad of a band name, and in some ways, it fits the band's style. Now, Less Than Jake might not have been as silly as some of the ska punk bands out there, and they certainly aren't as hardcore as the other half of the subgenre, but they are one of the bands that melded it into the punk sound of the early 2000s with such grace that they are well-respected names in ska punk as much as skate punk and pop punk. There are few better albums to show that off than their fifth studio album, Anthem. Less Than Jake was one of the earliest punk bands that I liked. I first came across the band with our song of the day, "That's Why They Call It a Union", when I was a wee rocker. It was featured on the fuckin' great song listing from Tony Hawk's Underground 2. Man, those games always had the best soundtracks. Modernly, game companies hardly put songs on games, and I don't know why. Sure, I am sure it is expensive, but it plays such an important role. Never underestimate the power of having a strong soundtrack to a game. It is a great way to expose bands to a whole new generation that might not have come across them otherwise. Anyway, I fell deeply in love with the song when I was 7 or 8, and that love was never shaken. I only listened to this one song for a long time and was content with that. Once I got a little bit older, I got my hands on two Less Than Jake CDs, Anthem (2003) & Hello Rockview (1998), both of which got plenty of play, especially Anthem. That album has always served as home plate with me and the band. For the following years I took on the band's discography at leisure, but no matter what, I returned to Anthem. Now, I am going through their discography again for my year-by-year studies. It has been a joy to return to some of these albums I haven't spun for years, aside from Anthem, which has gotten plenty of love. I chose our song of the day while giving the album another listen through when they showed up for the 2003 punk section, but this time with my critic's hat on. As always, the album excelled, and I just knew I had to share one of the songs from it with you, and there is no better one than my favorite off it, "That's Why They Call It a Union".

     "That's Why They Call It a Union" might not get the same public love as some of the other tracks, but I always look forward to hearing it. Other gems off this album are "Plastic Cup Politics", "The Science of Selling Yourself Short", "Look What Happened", "She's Gonna Break Soon", and "The Ghosts of Me and You". Some of the reason that "That's Why They Call It a Union" might not have as high of a stream count is the band's abandonment of their ska sound on this track. The most popular song off the album is the wonderful "The Science of Selling Yourself Short", which holds that ska sound high and mighty. That one track could sell this whole damn album, and I am honestly shocked we haven't talked about it yet. "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" is one of the bands' most famous songs overall, and if you go listen to it, you will see why almost instantly. It doesn't have the same raw energy as "That's Why They Call It a Union", but that nihilistic, good-timing atmosphere is intoxicating. "That's Why They Call It a Union" comes in furiously with its introspective lyricism revolving around a broken home. What many might just call a bad marriage song and walk away would be missing what the song is actually about. It is so much deeper than that. From what I can tell, the song is from the perspective of a kid watching his parents fight before the break. The song starts off with his father leaving after three years of constant fighting, saying he is sorry but he has to go; he cannot be what he expects out of others. The song then moves into the inner thoughts of the kid, where he is seemingly blaming himself. Though, the final part of the song has me wondering if he repeated the story within his own life. Bad marriage, an abandoned kid, and a full circle of understanding the good and the bad of a marriage vow. Now, you know me, I am probably looking too hard into simplistic lyrics, but I like my ending the best. In reality, it is likely just a nasty divorce song from the point of view of a kid left behind. It makes you wonder who in the band wrote it and if it is from a personal experience. Each song from Anthem has its own artwork within the CD booklet, and the one for "That's Why They Call It a Union" only furthers my curiosity about the story. It is a drawing of a kid peeking into the room where his dad sits in a dark place. His face is nothing but pain as he stares at his missing ring finger. So, did the kid go with the dad following the divorce? In the background there are some pictures, but there isn't his mom anywhere in them or in the shadowed room. A sad scene, but one that perfectly matches the atmosphere of the song. A song full of frustration, confusion, and depression. "That's Why They Call It a Union" is one of the heavier tracks on the album, both in style and lyrical content. It is a solid sender for any kid who had to watch a divorce, especially an ugly one. The honesty in the song is what is the shaking part. There is no blame being put anywhere other than the mom blaming the dad, and then the kid blaming himself. They are all victims of a broken home. Less Than Jake doesn't typically touch on the sore subjects, but when they do, they go all out. "That's Why They Call It a Union" is a prime example of just that. Alright, I cannot get the mojo working on this damn post. There are some days I dish out great posts and then ones where they fall short. The first version of this post was damn good, but it used up all my energy on it, so now you get this shell of a post. I apologize for not being able to reproduce it with the same quality, but I blame Weebly and its fishy website building. This isn't the first time it has happened, and usually I take precautions, but it came at random this time and brought me to the Square login screen, which makes me wonder if this will be more common while they continue strong-arming Weebly users into their new website builder. The song can speak for itself, in that I am certain. This is one I have carried with me longer than most that have been discussed here. Hope you dig the track! Next time we will cover more of the history of the band and the transition of sound we hear on Anthem. For now, you get this half-assed post. I just hope it actually publishes. It breaks my heart too since this one is a goodie. It is what it is. Thank you for reading along. Soon enough we will be on the new AintNoisePollution.com. I look forward to unveiling it! Stay tuned! Spin the track! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2003

Album: Anthem (2003)

Genre: Skate Punk, Pop Punk

Mood: Frustrated

​Perfect For: Going through a divorce, Summer days, A broken home, Casual listening, Skateboarding

Where To Next: "Stay Together for the Kids" - Blink-182

Rating: 8 / 10

"Ruby (Are You Mad)" - Buck Owens

    Time to get bucked up with one of country music's legends, Buck Owens. This dude has more for country than most out there. He was one of the leading forces in the Bakersfield sound, a style of country music that focuses on that twang. I would say aside from maybe outlaw country, the Bakersfield sound has gotta be my favorite style of country music. Others had a massive hand in creating the style, but Buck Owens was the first to truly have success with it. Unlike some of the genres out there, most of country music's subgenres/sounds are named after where they came out of, and the Bakersfield sound is no different. The style came out of Bakersfield, California. Some might be shocked to find that California has a ton of country history, not just the east and the south where the genre typically flourishes. Anyway, the Bakersfield sound has a little more of a rock 'n' roll backing, and it was there to rival the Nashville sound, which utilized crystal-clear recordings with orchestral accompaniments. The Bakersfield sound comes with a lot more roots and is rough around the edges. It was the place you would go to hear stories of real life instead of love and heartache, though there is still plenty of that. I am still a fan of the Nashville sound, but I will not lie that I like the more "reality" genres of country music where they tell tales that reside within those that lived on the rougher side of society. The Bakersfield sound gave the clean-cut style of country music that rose to prominence in the late 1950s a run for their money. Following its influential smack, the honky-tonk subgenre of country music had a revival, and eventually those that followed the teachings of the Bakersfield and honky-tonk styles would later found the outlaw country genre. Some of the reality of the Bakersfield sound comes from its roots. Unlike the Nashvill sound that was inspired and founded by the theatrical feeling of movies and popular artists of the 1940s, the Bakersfield sound was heavily inspired by artists that came out of the Great Depression era. We previously talked about Woody Guthrie two posts ago, and he is one of the artists that left a dent on the style. With a lot of Oklahoma-based families uprooting and heading west during that era, it isn't all too shocking they brought some of that hillbilly music with them. The style of mixing country, folk, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, and western swing came naturally, and the mixing of those sounds was heavily felt in honky-tonk bars across the West where the genre was birthed. They were a lot more open to using electric instruments, and with that in mind, their dressing style, stage show, and shock were closer to the rockabilly movement of the 1950s than to traditional country music. The stars would come out wearing outlandish and silly outfits. The kind of outfits that came straight out of western pulp dime novels, but they strangely fit the boldness of the style. As the 1950s moved along, the genre was having minor hits pop up on the country singles charts. By the 1960s, it was a well-respected sound that only grew more powerful as the years moved along. The sound wasn't strictly from Bakersfield but more California as a whole. When country rock started having its day, the Bakersfield sound was there to ally with them since their styles are pretty damn similar. When folk rock artists started dishing out chart toppers, the Bakersfield legends were inspired to dish out a twangy version of their own. The Bakersfield sound became one of the most important sounds of the 1960s, and not only in country music. It showed California's western roots. A reminder of why most western films were recorded in their deserts, a feeling of rushing there to pan for gold and shooting a man dead over a dead-end claim on some land. It is rough, but it is still damn beautiful. Buck Owens was the first to find success with the style alongside his backing band, the Buckaroos. The 1960s Buck Owens material is his greatest, but he had a ton of awesome songs out of the 1950s that stuck more to the straight and narrow. He found his home within the Bakersfield sound, which he helped pioneer starting in 1961 with his debut self-titled album. For today, we are sharing the history of the Bakersfield sound and the legend from it, but "Ruby (Are You Mad)" isn't even the best example of that.

     "Ruby (Are You Mad)" comes off of Buck's 25th album, Ruby, in 1971. On that album Buck puts out a bluegrass album, and he does it excruciatingly well! The album is made up of bluegrass standards, our song of the day being one of the greatest. "Ruby (Are You Mad)" had been along a long while before Buck Owens gave his go at it. The song was originally put out by Cousin Emmy, one of country music's first-ever solo female artists, but that version never kicked up much dust. It was covered by the Osbourne Brothers and released in 1956. Now, that version is an ear buster; it is so damn fast you can hardly keep up with that banjer pickin'. I would say that their version might be the greatest, but truth be told, each version I have ever heard is pretty well equal. Buck Owens has the easiest version to get into, and it tends to be the one I listen to the most, but I always make time for the versions from the Osbourne Brothers, with their impressive vocal work and corn-liquored-up speed, and I love the different take on the lyrical theme put out by the Kingston Trio on their version entitled "Are You Mad at Your Man?". Now, the Buck Owens version melds the two versions wonderfully but keeps his spurs deep in the country dirt. So, with all those versions on the table, let's talk about something I have wondered about this song. You see, both bluegrass and folk have a thing for murder ballads; it is just a thing. Songs where it seems all sweet, but then you really listen to the song and think, "Shit, did he kill her?" and that is the feeling this song always gives me. Sure, it seems like a sweet song where the man is in trouble, but then it gets to the lines

"If you don't believe I'm right

Then follow me tonight

I'll take you to my shanty so cold"

     Though, I will add that the song is revolving around the dude not being able to keep his precious Ruby satisfied. It is clear that he is working hard as hell, but she still wants more from the poor fella. So, it could be just showing that he is trying his best, but being someone who has drunk deeply from the folk and bluegrass well for a long while now, I think there is something foreboding about all that. So, if they are always fighting and he can't seem to satisfy her no matter how much he tries, then he might just murder her. The song never gives an ending, so I guess it is up to us to decide. I think he killed her, especially with the songs' aggressive as fuck nature, especially with the fast as all hell version from the Osbourne Brothers. The song was written by a woman, which will be a nice twist too since most of the murder ballads were written by men, often from over a century ago. The rest of the songs on Ruby are highly enjoyable, but there is no doubting that the title track is where the gold lies. I adore his version of "Rocky Top", a favorite bluegrass song of mine, and then the songs "Corn Liquor", "Heartbreak Mountain", and "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" are some of the greatest Buck Owens bluegrass songs there are out there. Sure, Buck Owens sounds best in the Bakersfield sound, but his voice compliments bluegrass wonderfully. Ruby came along when Buck Owens was from a period when his albums weren't selling as strong as his heyday, still selling damn well, but not as crazy successful as his almost 12-album streak of having a number one selling album on the country charts. Ruby charted at #9 on the country charts but failed to hit the US Billboard charts. The singles "Ruby (Are You Mad)" and "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" still did great, hitting the 2nd and 3rd spots on the singles charts. So, this isn't quite a hidden gem from his discography, but one that tends to get overlooked modernly even though it is just as potent as his core discography. Alright, that is enough out of me this go around. Hope you dig some rootsy, earthy bluegrass with a haunting tale! Next time your lady is going at you, play her this song; it works wonders. It almost serves as a threat. All jokes. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1971

Album: Ruby (1971)

Genre: Bluegrass

Mood: Desperate

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Off-roading, Wanting to pick up the banjo, Murder, Hiking in the Appalachians

Where To Next: "Pretty Polly" - Ralph Stanley

Rating: 9 / 10

"She Is Beautiful" - Andrew W.K.

     Welcome back! Alright, we just got done with the depressive realism of Woody Guthrie. Now, I don't know about you, but I want something with some pep in its step. One of the first artists that come to mind that fit those shoes is the peculiar artist that has their debut with us here on AintNoisePollution today. Andrew W.K. is one of those artists that kind of rub you wrong the first time, but before you know it, you subconsciously keep pulling up the name to hear more. Years back I first heard his famous "Party Hard", and I wasn't all too fond of it. There are artists out there that meld multiple styles with grace, and then there are those that have so much going on you don't even know where to start listening, and that is Andrew W.K., plus I will admit that I am not all too fond of "party songs". Being someone who grew up in a time of "Party Rock Anthem", "Gangnam Style", and a ton of other "party anthems", I honestly have had enough. I am the type of fool that likes the sad songs. Still, I have plenty of happy tracks, and for the last 2 years there are few that are as happy as fuckin' Andrew W.K. with his melding of multiple genres into a unique sound. A good chunk of his songs are about partying, almost to a fault. It pretty well became his character on stage, some bleeding crazy somewhat smelly dude that parties every day while being dressed in all white. He keeps the persona up well, and even his videos follow suit. For our song of the day, "She Is Beautiful", he wakes up exactly at midnight and gets into partying. Well, partying meaning grabbing his microphone and rushing around like a freak singing his song, smashing shit as he goes. Like his music, the whole damn thing is a wild ass ride that you cannot help but watch all the way through. Andrew W.K. didn't just walk into his fame; as you would expect, he was met with a ton of bad press, rude-ass concertgoers, and so much other stuff, but he kept on pushing and quickly gained a massive fanbase. Born Andrew Wilkes-Krier, he was born in Stanford, California, but did most of his growing up in Michigan. He led a pretty standard life as a youth; his family had decent money, and all did well. He caught the music bug at a younger age and practiced piano since the age of four. He kicked around the streets of Ann Arbor for most of his youth, and when he got older, he played in a big handful of bands, most of which were punk and metal-based, something that is still in his sound, but don't tell the metalheads that or they might gather their forces. When he was 19, he followed the advice of Bob Dylan and headed east to New York town. There, he set off on a quest to release his own material under the name Andrew W.K., a name that a teacher gave him when he was a kid to differentiate him from two other Andrews in his class. It took some time, and Andrew worked some small jobs and put out a song here and there, none of which got him all too much attention. New York wasn't cutting it, so he moved to Florida, and it was there that he put out his first EP through the small Bulb Records label. That EP is a little hidden gem for the fans called Girls Own Juice, out of 2000. In comparison to the other early stuff I could find from him and his previous bands, this one is in the right ballpark and is a lot of fun. I don't think that one is on Spotify; I had to pull that sucker up on YouTube for my studies of 2000, but I could be wrong. Anyway, we aren't here to talk about that one anyway. It was a move in the right direction and showed his signature style, especially the rock side of his sound. Andrew W.K. then went from area to area, playing shows and gaining more traction. The critics loved his debut, and things were growing at a strong pace. Alongside his manager, Andrew W.K. sent out his tapes with handwritten letters across the globe to all sorts of record labels. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters got his hands on one of those tapes and dug it enough to offer him a place in opening for his band, which Andrew W.K. obviously accepted. It is one thing to get an "It's okay, come record" from a record label; it is a whole different thing when a massively famous rockstar says, "Hell yeah, come play with us". So, he got his in, and one other tape ended up in the hands of the record executive of Island Records. Andrew dropped his original small-time label after releasing one more EP and jumped aboard the Island Records ship, where he was about to become a star.

     A year later in 2001, his debut album came out, I Get Wet. It was a pretty big deal and became his most famous record by a long shot. I Get Wet is a surprisingly potent album, something I am not even ashamed to admit. When I said that he rubbed me wrong the first time I heard his music, it is true, but there is something completely addictive in his style. It is a ton of fun, rocking in all the right ways and dancey in all the right ways, and while the style is aggressive and intense, he doesn't take himself too seriously at all. In a way, I think he knows he is writing silly material, and he wears it like a badge. His music videos are odd, his shows are electric but odd, his interviews are odd, and his whole persona is just silly, but that is the fun. It feels like being part of a joke. His whole image was so intense that people thought he was a corporate plant into the rock world since he encompassed a good chunk of what the genre was about at the time. Complete with a shocking yet simplistic attire of all white, unkept greasy hair, and his signature bleeding nose. He is very much real, and through his unique style, he got his name entered into the book of rock 'n' roll. Honestly, I would say that Andrew W.K. is majorly underrated. For his debut, he pretty well did a giant chunk of what makes the album tick. I mean, it is named after him, but still. For how much energetic music comes out of your speakers while he plays, you would think there is a full cabinet of musicians behind the recording, but nope, it is him alongside some help. I Get Wet is his biggest claim to fame, but he still releases music and is now on his sixth mainline studio album with the 2021 release, God Is Partying. I will say that this debut seems to be his greatest, but the others show he is more than a one-trick pony; he has a lot of musical talent and vision, even if it is often zany. I Get Wet had two singles come off of it. We have "Party Hard", his most famous song, and then our song of the day, "She Is Beautiful". I see why "Party Hard" is his most popular, the track is all about fun, and it has a message that half of the people come there to get pumped and the other half to judge. Now, for our song of the day, I would say it is his greatest song. It has memorable power pop guitar work that is met with an aggressive dance-forward atmosphere. A catchy as fuck chorus and one of those songs you can easily sing along with since it is literally built to be a crowd-singing kind of song. For a lot of the live performances I have seen from Andrew W.K., the crowd pretty well sings this whole song for him while bouncing around like a bunch of goons. The single "She Is Beautiful" did pretty well in the UK, hitting the 55th spot on the charts. What I like about this song is how wholesome it is. Not your cliché "hot chick" song that seems to have showed up and stuck around in rock music, this one is just sweet, even if it is a little adolescent. Andrew W.K. in general has a ton of wholesome moments; he's just one of those musicians that love making music and making people smile. Nothing wrong with that. The song features a lot of group singing, something that the album has a ton of. Andrew W.K. said he was deeply inspired by the "We Are the World" song from USA for Africa and wanted to replicate its larger-than-life sound, making something like an orchestra of singing. Now, he did that with a much more rock sound, and with its partying, frat-like appeal, it has resided with listeners for a long ass time now. Throughout the history of Andrew W.K., he has always been fan-forward. So long as they are happy, he is happy, and he somehow didn't lose any of his original vision as his albums moved along. I am only missing one album from his discography, his fourth one, 55 Cadillacs, which I really got to get to. Why haven't I listened to that one? I am honestly not sure. For him, I jumped around his discography for my first run but haven't sat down to listen to them all in order. I will be doing that for my 2000s and onward studies, something I look forward to. I haven't sat down and listened through some of his albums for well over a year or two, so it might be nice to do it again. Anyway, I Get Wet is criminally 2000s, something that helps it and damns it with the test of time. The hits will always be around like "Party Hard", "She Is Beautiful", "Ready to Die", and "It's Time to Party" amongst others, but they sure did age kind of strange. Party anthems will always be there; that is one thing music has proved throughout the decades, and nobody parties like Andrew W.K. Well, I know this is a hit-and-miss kind of track, but I adore this song, especially recently, where it seems I haven't been able to go a day without listening to it the last two weeks. It is just a damn good time that gets the energy up. Now it is your turn, let's see what you think. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 2001

Album: I Get Wet (2001)

Genre: Rock, Dance-Rock

Mood: Energetic

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Partying, Playing games, Dancing around hoping the neighbors don't see

Where To Next: "Believe in a Thing Called Love" - The Darkness

Rating: 9 / 10

"I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" - Woody Guthrie

    It seems like we have talked about Woody Guthrie a ton on this website, but this is his first time actually getting a pick. That isn't all too shocking. Woody Guthrie is one of the most important artists to come out of the 20th century. His writings, songs, and person influenced legions of people, and even still today there are countless of us that are still getting inspired. For me, Woody might as well have been a father figure when I was first turning into a man. He is one wise man, and the way he presents his lyrics is easily understood and has a way of clawing deep into your mind and staying there. One of my favorite lines comes from his iconic song "Pretty Boy Floyd".

"As through this world I've wandered

I've seen lots of funny men

Some will rob you with a six gun

And some with the fountain pen"

    That is always a set of words that play through my head when making serious life decisions, especially when it comes to money. That is just the tip of the iceberg; Woody told tales of the working man, the true American vision, the distrust of the police force, the condemnation of the elite, racial inequality, distaste for the rich sending the young to die in their wars, the importance of stopping the rise of fascism, and so many other damn important messages. What I find funny is how he sings songs that are still just as relevant today as they were during the Great Depression when he set upon the road to tell his tales to anyone who would hear. Guthrie had a pretty interesting life, and in that interesting life he never once strayed away from what he thought was right. Like many in the folk revival that he pretty well was the spearhead of, he had plenty of songs based around politics. They were well-founded opinions due to his experiences during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl period of American history. He was one of many people that came from Oklahoma who uprooted themselves and ran to California in search of better employment and some help from their fellow man. Though, like those that tried, he was met with ruthless police who were there not to protect the common man but were there to protect the elite who pretty much caused a lot of the damage of the Dust Bowl in the first place. You see, there were a ton of farmers starving and struggling with land that was damned due to a massive drought. No crops means no money, and people were barely making it through the week. No money meant no payment to the banks when they came and took their land, and with all this dirt-cheap (no pun intended) land that was left and right, the rich came through and bought up that land. More often than not, they would then employ the original owner of the land for sometimes literal pennies to now use these giant combine harvesters known to get the work done quickly, damn the damage to the earth, which then kicked up an unreal amount of dirt and dust, and to make matters worse, some operators were tasked with ripping down their neighbors' houses who wouldn't move along after the bank came and took the land and the rich bought their piece of land next for cheap and quick agriculture. Real sad use of money, but that is the true America. This was one of the first moments the rich really showed their true colors on how easy it is for them to fuck over the little man just to make a quick buck, and how there is never any consiquences for their actions. They knew that the poor would be willing to work for a piece of bread once starvation took hold, and they capitalized on it. If this was to happen again, it would go the same way. It is hard to fight back when you can hardly stand from starvation, and it is even harder when you desperately need work to feed a family in a land where money holds more value than life. Most people would do just about anything to keep their loved ones alive; I know I would. Anyway, Woody Guthrie left Oklahoma for a chance to get some better work but found there wasn't much there for anyone. All the lies that everyone read in the east about California being a paradise full of fresh fruit and good jobs had everyone rushing that way just to find there was some work, but the work they were offering was brutal and hardly paid anything enough to survive off of for a single person, not to mention a whole family. Guthrie got lucky with landing a spot on a Los Angeles-based radio program, KFVD, where he would play hillbilly music for the masses, something he had a deep love for from growing up in Texas. During that same time Woody Guthrie was a member of the Communist Party of the United States, but when World War 2 broke out, he got the boot, especially after performing a song that praised Germany and Russia joining hands. So now here he was, jobless once again, but this time he knew what he wanted to do; he wanted to bring his music to more people. He moved to New York City in 1940 and recorded his first true album, though he already had plenty of singles running around, and that album was called Dust Bowl Ballads. That album is easily one of the most essential collections of songs he ever put out, and it gained him the nickname the "Dust Bowl Troubadour".

     It is within this album that we first get a chance to hear "I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" amongst countless other songs. All the songs are, as you guessed, about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Guthrie was one who saw all the ugliness of it, and he took to writing a ton of songs about it. Our song for today was written at some point in the 1930s. He got the idea after hearing the gospel song "Can't Feel at Home" while moving around migrant camps. He wrote "I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" as a response to that song. He found that "Can't Feel at Home" was a little too peaceful, and he wanted to rewrite it with some more anger, the anger of the American people that were hung out to dry while the wealthy sucked up the sweat off their backs. "Can't Feel at Home" took a pacifist stance, to stay strong but stay meek, as is said in the biblical proverb "the meek will inherit the world", but Woody saw through all that and knew that the meek will continue being the stepping stone for the greedy. How could there even be a god while he sits here staring at many starving faces crammed into a small and rank shack? Who needs to wait for their chance and be blessed on the other side? Especially when we can take what is ours now. There is certainly a degree of anger in the Woody Guthrie track. Not in the way of rock or metal, where it is very clear that the bastard is pissed, but more in the folk way, where they calmly express their anger through their words, through the music. "I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" covers the story of a man who farmed the land, but once the dust hit and the banks boarded up their windows, he lost his wife to starvation and stress. So, he moves along down the road looking for work, but he is greeted with frowns in each town and the sweet taste of a police baton in the others, so he keeps moving along. As he keeps roaming, he sees others just like him, those with a broken soul and a hungry belly. He walks the same roads as them, roads that a million feet have trod. He reflects on how strange this world is; those that work their life away never have enough, but those that throw money around like it is nothing always seem to walk away just fine with more than their share. So, through all his rambling, all his thinkin' and proddin', he simply comes to the conclusion that there really isn't all too much anywhere for him, no shelter, no joy, and he just doesn't have a home in this world anymore. Now, this song isn't just for Woody Guthrie; he wrote it for all the despairing people in the nation of the time, especially for the migrants of the Great Depression. The common man. Isn't it crazy that schools teach a whole different story about this time period? They conveniently leave out all the cheap tactics that the wealthy used; they leave out the brutality of the police force, and they leave out how the government isn't your friend. They just want the money you slave for, and they will make sure they keep you enslaved to a job to keep the country "running strong" and giving their buddies all sorts of payouts. It is a sick fuckin' world, man. Shit gets my blood boiling! That is what Woody Guthrie wants. He isn't writing songs for you to sit there and feel bad about yourself. He is writing songs to get you on your feet and demanding change. Seeing as how it is 2026 and these things are still happening, his message fell on deaf ears, but I would wager it isn't that it didn't reside within the souls of the American people; he is simply talking to his fellow man who, too, was beaten into submission by this sad reality of American bloodhound society. Now, I will admit that I despise working. Not due to it being hard work, nor due to it consuming a good chunk of my day, but simply since I have to. Try not working and see where you get. You will lose everything. Your house, your car, your woman, your hobbies, and then finally, your mind. There is nobody to help you when you fall aside from those around you, but then you become a burden. We slave to make others rich. We push through another day with rude-ass bosses who were trained to keep us down. There is no movement and no ascension up the money ladder without having money in the first place. They say that hard work can get you where you want to be, but it often simply isn't the truth. I have come to understand there is a triangle of sacrifice in this society with three points. Those points are money, time, and health. No matter what you do, you have to sacrifice two of those to get one of the others. You want to work hard to get that money? Cool! Trade in your time and health and you can get it. How about keeping yourself healthy? Hand in that time and money. It is all about your precious time? The one thing you can never get back? That is fine, but you will not gain much money, and without the money, you won't be able to keep yourself healthy. Even if you sacrifice all to get that mansion on the hill, you will find yourself forever climbing that hill. It is a sick little world, man, and Woody Guthrie wrote songs about it, songs that we all can get behind since it is words that explain our daily lives. Sure, we aren't traveling workers who just want a solid chance to make it, but we are workers under the ruthless influence of the wealthy elite. Luigi showed how easy it could be, and I hope it reminded them that we are here waiting, and we are hungry. I will end this post on one note: Bob Dylan was heavily influenced by Woody Guthrie, I mean deeply influenced. There is a set of lyrics I have always loved from his song "Talkin' New York" off his underrated self-titled debut album in 1962. He says the lines:

"After weeks and weeks of hanging around

I finally got a job in New York town

In a bigger place, bigger money too

Even joined the Union and paid my dues

Now, a very great man once said

That some people rob you with a fountain pen

It don't take too long to find out

Just what he was talking about

A lot of people don't have much food on their table

But they got a lot of forks and knives

And they gotta cut something"

With the fourth right around the corner, really think about what you are celebrating. We can be proud of each other; we can be proud of the progress the nation has made, but don't forget who is behind the veil pulling the strings and how easily they can cut that string and leave you and everyone you love on the floor to die. The nation will move on, they don't have time for you when they are chasing their paycheck. The simple truth is that the American dream was never real. We are fools who waste our lives for the betterment of those born into money, faces that we will never see, who willingly sacrifice our lives so they can have more. Let me ask you something. Is the money that good? What else could you even want at this point? Well, my fellow wage slaves, enjoy your long weekend. These are the moments we live for. When we get a chance to smell the flowers before we all drive over them on the way to work and wear the chains outfitted for us at birth. I hope one day a change will come, even if it is by the sword since the pen has obviously failed. Hope you dig the track! See you again tomorrow. Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1940

Album: Dust Bowl Ballads (1940)

Genre: Folk

Mood: Downtrodden

​Perfect For: Protests, Working, Going for a walk, Going on the bum

Where To Next: "Banks of Marble" - Pete Seeger

Rating: 9 / 10

"Lawman" - Motörhead

     A new month! I hope we get plenty of top-tier choices. I am sure before the end of this month I will be transferring websites, so enjoy the look of the OG AintNoisePollution while you can. Technically, this one is already the second version of the website; the original looked quite different. I love how it ended up, but all things change, and this website is no different. Until then, let's act like it is another normal day here with some sweet-ass tunes! This go around we have one of my all-time favorite bands, Motörhead! We all know them. We all love them. Now, how about we take a gander at my favorite album they ever put out, Bomber? Man, this album always brings back memories! I knew this album well before I even knew how to properly wash my long hair. It has been with me through thick and thin. I can pretty much play the whole thing in my head and not even miss a beat. There are few albums out there that I have played nearly as much as Bomber. Even with my deep well of love for Motörhead, this is only their fifth time on the website. I don't even recall what we have already talked about. I know we covered Lemmy and his departure from Hawkwind and then starting up the band. We simply had to have talked about their immensely famous Ace of Spades. How the band is rivaled by few for being the best band while tearing up the streets on a motorcycle. I don't even know what to say, but since the last post was all the way back in October, I think I can start where we wanna. Motörhead was put together by the metal god Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy Kilmister came along and created god. Wait. Or was it the other way around? I always forget the timeline, but the power of Lemmy is well felt. There are plenty of gods and demigods of heavy metal, but Lemmy is one of the big four. He was a massive icon of mine when growing up, and I was deeply troubled by his passing in 2015. With Ozzy now gone and Dio before, there is only one more of the most powerful gods of heavy metal left, Rob Halford of Judas Priest. I am sure we got some time, but with each one gone, there is a bigger hole left in the metal world. Lemmy was one of the biggest craters that could have possibly been made. Lemmy was loved by many, and the work he did with Motörhead had big fans popping up in all the rock-based genres. Motorhead's debut was a unifier between punks and metalheads, a long-time rivalry that is still going on. But for a moment under the holy hand of Lemmy, there was peace. Motörhead dropped some of their punk lacing for full-frontal heavy metal following that debut. They still held both punk fans and metal fans for their whole career. Their second album, Overkill, is a heavy metal classic. The band has a ton of perfect albums, but Overkill is likely the most perfect release they ever did. It is one of the most essential albums to the progression of heavy metal in the 1970s. Lemmy was always a trendsetter in the genre, and that is shown clear as day with that album. Overkill released in March of 1979, and within the same year the band released their third studio album, Bomber, in October. It still blows my mind that there were artists out there that could release two phenomenal studio albums back to back in the same year. It still happens today, I am sure, but back then it showed a special brand of musician. In the country, folk, and traditional pop worlds, it wasn't all too crazy to do that, but in the rock and metal world, it meant that this band really knew what they were doing. Motörhead knew their vision as soon as they stepped into the studio for their second album. You can feel that the band's debut is a little confused, more a rough-around-the-edges album powered by cheap whiskey and expensive smokes. Still a goodie though. Nothing in comparison to this mighty album we have with us today, though.

     Bomber came in much in the same way as the warplane. A slow and steady feeling that holds one massive payload that shakes the earth when it comes down. The album art is a classic and was put together by Adrian Chesterman. You know, I never put two and two together who that painter was. Do you know those childish, bright, and happy puzzles you see around in shops? There is a solid chance it was Chesterman who painted it. I already knew some of his other album covers from music discovery runs, which, might I add, is a great way to find new bands and albums. Love an album art? Go see who else that artist painted for. While Bomber is a grand album cover, he also does a great job with some Steeleye Span album covers and the hidden gem Runner from the band of the same name on their only studio album in 1979. Anyway, I have a pretty strong memory of having a dream about visiting the UK, and there was this chap that had a little museum for only true fans of early British heavy metal. I had to viciously convince him about my deep obsession with the style, but he wouldn't look past my age. I think that he then walked away or faded away, you know how dreams go, and so I went in. The first thing that was there was a massive replica of the bomber plane featured on the album cover that I got to go in and check out. It was such a cool dream! One of my greatest. When I woke up, I was very sore that I had to get up and get to work. I still am. Anyway, the album cover is fairly memorable, maybe not as much as Overkill, Motörhead, and Iron Fist, but still a classic of theirs. Shit, pretty well every Motörhead album cover is fuckin' great! Except for Overnight Sensation, that one broke the mold pretty hard. Album art isn't everything, but it sure is a nice touch. Motörhead has always had a great vision for imagery and style. Mostly, at least, there are some more than unfortunate style choices from Lemmy. There are plenty of hilarious pictures on the internet. Each song on Bomber is damn good. I have never been able to tell if I just have a bias for this album since it means the world to me, but I stand by that each track is a shining gem. It starts off with "Dead Men Tell No Tales", which is the first anti-heroin song Motörhead ever did. For a group known for being partiers and crazy cats, Lemmy held a long-time distaste for heroin. He saw his musical icons get taken out by the drug, and as he grew more famous, those around him. He was no saint; Lemmy smoked like a chimney, drank like a fish, and had one hell of a speed addiction for most of his life, but heroin was always off-limits. Bomber was produced by Jimmy Miller, who gained most of his fame by being the producer for some of the Rolling Stones greatest albums, like Sticky Fingers. He also produced albums for Motörhead, Blind Faith, Traffic, Spooky Tooth, and others. He was great at what he did, but one thing people always had to expect was his strong addiction to heroin. It even stunted the recording of Bomber since he rarely showed up, and when he did, he would disappear at random and be found in random places passed the hell out. Their producer being smacked out wasn't the only hurdle. Releasing two albums in the same year comes with some serious challenges, the biggest being not having all too much time to perfect songs before jumping into the studio. The second biggest is having a second album come out directly after a seriously potent album like they had with Overkill. It is simply going to be the album they compare each song to, for better or worse, and for many, Bomber was a step down from their previous, mostly since it wasn't nearly as vicious. As for the songwriting and lyrics, this one is a lot less tame. Lemmy came along and wrote some mean tracks; one of the best examples of that is our song of the day, "Lawman". If you couldn't have guessed it, the track isn't about the love of the law. "Lawman" is probably my second favorite song off the album; nobody beats the title track "Bomber." There is just no beating that song if you ask me. "Lawman" starts off the song in traditional heavy metal style; thick guitar lines get met with that notable bass work from one of the masters, Lemmy Kilmister. Lyrically it is fairly simplistic and is an anti-police anthem. It is the performance from Lemmy that makes this song have the soul. He talks in a cool demeanor while the band does their thing in the back. The stand-apart moments are the smooth guitar solo from Eddie Clark and the times you get to focus in on the bass work that always holds Motörhead songs together. While Motörhead never came on stage to play anything too intricate, the way they work together is a joy and is almost more impressive than deep compositions. Easy to get behind. Impossible to stop listening to. That is Motörhead. With "Lawman" coming in after "Dead Men Tell No Tales", it serves as the perfect breath catcher since that track is a ton more aggressive. Following "Lawman" we get the groove-laden "Sweet Revenge" which is simply diabolical-feeling. Alright, this post is becoming a massive one, and I need to get to editing our new platform. I wish we could sit here and talk about this album and all of its songs, but I will cut it off here. There will be another time since I love each song off this album, and all the ones that come with the expanded edition. Shit, I even love the infamous "Step Down", which people often unjustly bash. Plug in and fade out! Enjoy!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Year Released: 1979

Album: Bomber (1979)

Genre: Heavy Metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal

Mood: Stern

​Perfect For: Casual listening, Protesting police brutality, Making fun of the silly little British police outfits

Where To Next: "Strong Arm of the Law" - Saxon

Rating: 9 / 10