The B's Complete (Finally)

Here it is finally, the post for the B's. I apologize that it took this long to get around to writing this post. A confluence of work and weddings made for a very busy July, so I am just now getting around to writing this post. This is despite having finished with the B's a little more than a week before this post, and having already started in on the C's. With all apologies out of the way, onto the B's. The B's were like the A's full of bands who I hadn't listened to in a while, or had forgotten about. Also like the A's it was very eclectic and fun to go back through. This is going to be a very long post so once again I'm going to make sure to break it up with lots of music videos. Hopefully these videos will give you an idea of what some of the artists discussed in this post sound like. The B's were kicked off by The B-52's.

The B-52's are just a whole lot of fun. Some of their lyrics make absolutely no sense at all but that doesn't really matter, you're too busy enjoying the song to take much notice. Their songs are just bouncy fun songs that make you want to get out of your seat a dance like an idiot. Their songs have infiltrated deep into our popular culture, and are heard in movies and on television shows. The songs have become well known by all age groups, including people who grew up after the band's heyday in the 1980's. This just goes to the accessibility that the music provides, it's not overly complicated, it's just fun. I grew up listening to the B-52's and they're still a band that I enjoy singing loudly and stupidly to whenever they come on.

B-52's "Rock Lobster"



Next up are The Bad Brains, one of the punk rock scene's most known and well respected hardcore bands. The Bad Brains are a really good example of the hardcore sound, but they don't just stick exclusively to that sound. The band was also very good at playing Reggae music, and it's members were dedicated followers of Rastafarianism. The band is very good at playing both styles of music, and is part of what makes their self titled debut so good. Classic Hardcore songs like "Banned in D.C." , a song about the band being banned from most of the venues in Washington D.C., and "Pay to Cum" are just quick intense bursts of music. Despite the fact that it's become cool to wear a Bad Brains t-shirt, I still enjoy this band quite a bit and would play them often on my radio show.

Bad Brains "Banned in D.C."



After Bad Brains comes Bad Religion. Bad Religion hast to be one of my favorite punk bands. Their music is very melodic for punk rock, and I have always enjoyed singer Greg Graffin's voice. The band is very socially conscious in their lyrics, they don't just shout "fuck the government" like some punk bands do. They tell you what they believe is wrong with our current society, what is wrong with how our government is operating. They give specific and clear messages, songs like "21st Century Digital Boy" rail against our indifferent and lazy society, with lyrics like "Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy, I don't know how to live but I've got a lot of toys. My Daddy's a lazy middle class intellectual, my Mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual." They are also classic songs like "Suffer" who's chorus declares that "the masses of humanity have always had to suffer." They even acknowledge that "no Bad Religion song can make your life complete." The song "Sorrow" has been one of my favorite Bad Religion songs for a long time. I enjoyed them five years ago when I started listening to them, and I still enjoy them as much if not more than I did then.

Bad Religion "Suffer"



Bad Finger is a band I am not particularly familiar with, and may have come with windows or have been added on by a friend or relative. The one song I have "Baby Blue" is a classic rock song, the light guitars and vocals popular with popular musicians of the 1960's. The song isn't particularly distinctive, just one of those classic rock songs that will come up on a classic rock station on occasion. Can't say I'm familiar enough with it to form an opinion.

I am however much more familiar with Band of Horses, the next artist on the list. Band of Horses is just a very well rounded band, that is really pleasant listening. They are very melodic in their mix of rock, country, and folk music. The songs on the first two albums go between being up tempo rockers, and slowed down ballads. I really enjoy the first two albums by this band, but wasn't as big of a fan of their newest release Infinite Arms. I enjoy the back and forth between up tempo and slower songs, but Infinite Arms, just feels like it is all slow ballad songs. The mix of styles makes for great music that just gives you a nice pleasant feeling even when they're playing an up tempo, faster paced song. Songs like "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" and "Ode to LRC" are great examples of their strongest musical traits. Now I've given credit to my brothers for discovering other bands in my iTunes, but I have to take credit for this one. I saw the video for "Is There a Ghost" several years ago, and bought the CD for my father and it has since been burned by myself and my younger brother. I still enjoy this band as much as I did when I first hear "Is There a Ghost."

Band of Horses "Cigarettes,Wedding Bands"



Barry "Baby Maker" White is the next artist to grace this playlist. Barry White's deep bass is instantly recognizable to anyone who's been paying attention to music and movies for the past two decades. Barry White's soulful "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," is without a doubt on countless mix-tapes and mix-CD's given to girlfriends, boyfriends, ect. I can only imagine how many babies have been conceived to this song. He is a cultural icon because of this song, even appearing on The Simpsons for an episode. I have always and will always enjoy this ode to unconditional love.

The Bastards are the next artists up. The Bastards are a British punk band from the late 80's. The band's sound is very influenced by the pioneers of the British punk scene such as the Sex Pistols. The music is alright, but the songs get a bit redundant in my opinion. The songs are all about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, the cliché rock and roll life. On this album Old, Fat, and Sweaty, released in 2002 after the band had been broken up for a decade, it just seems like they're trying their hardest to convince us that they're young kids just out having a good time. The truth is, it's a bunch of 35+ year old men acting like teenagers. The songs are good for an occasional laugh, but not much more. The introduction declaring that 21'st Century men who stay at home, do laundry, and pick up the kids are "pussies," is just off putting in my opinion. It's nothing particularly memorable, and that's how I felt about it after I heard it for the first time, and I haven't changed in that thought process.

Bat for Lashes is an interesting addition to my iTunes library, and an artist I had not even previously considered possibly enjoying. Who knows, maybe I'm a sucker for songs named "Daniel," but I enjoy that song and the rest of the album as well. I heard "Daniel" while watching music videos on MTV of all places, and really liked the odd style of the music and her voice, not to mention the video was very strange. "Daniel" just intrigued me, a song that the writer admits is about Daniel from The Karate Kid, plus that's my name! Perhaps I am a sucker for concept albums, ones with one fluid story. The album titled Two Suns is all about a woman named Pearl and her journey through her world. Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) actually dressed up as Pearl for the recording process to actually be the character that was her inspiration for the album. I think one description I have read about Bat for Lashes' music, is the most accurate way to describe her music. It's a mix of Sinead O'Conner and Bjork. I just discovered Bat for Lashes last year, so my opinion hasn't really had long enough to change on this album.

Bat for Lashes "Daniel"


Next is another one song wonder, but it's a really good song. Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead." I got this track from the large box set compilation Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80's Underground, and I'm really happy that I got it. I really like this song, the vibe and pace of the song fit the subject matter perfectly. Bela Lugosi for those who don't know, is the famous actor who first portrayed Count Dracula in a movie based off of the Bram Stoker book. It's got a very eerie gothic vibe, in the new wave style of the 80's. When I listen to this song I can hear where bands like She Wants Revenge got their influence, the synths and drums in "Tear You Apart" sound very much like those in "Bela Lugosi's Dead." I enjoy She Wants Revenge, but Bauhaus does it much better than She Wants Revenge. This song is almost 10 minutes long, but it doesn't really drag so it doesn't necessarily feel like it's that long. I still enjoy this song as much as the first time I heard it a few years ago.

Another compilation box set brings us the next artist. From the No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion, next up is Bboy's "First Time." It has a very similar style to the Ramones, with the back ground oh's. It's a fun song in which the lead singer asks his lover to be kind because it's his first time, and asks them not to hurt him. The rest of the song is how they met and hooked up. It's a fun little punk song, that I had forgotten about, it wasn't one of the stand out songs on the compilation.

Up after Bboy are The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are the classic 60's California surf rock band, they're the first band that comes to mind when you think Surf Rock and beach music. Songs about girls, surfing, and partying reflect their lives as California teenagers in the 60's. Beach Boys are another band I grew up with, I can remember my Dad singing Beach Boys songs around his office, and listening to them while we were playing in the pool. The Beach Boys bring back fond memories of family, and for this I will always enjoy listening to the Beach Boys as much as I did when my Dad would put them on the stereo when I was little.

Beastie Boys follow The Beach Boys in the B's. One of the most well known rap groups of the 80's and 90's, the Beastie Boys started as 3 kids from the Brooklyn, NY playing punk rock music. Their earliest recordings are punk rock songs, songs such as "Transit Cop." They eventually decided they would have more success as rappers, and made the transition on their debut album License to Ill which was released in 1986. Coming out in the 80's the Beastie Boys employ the dominant style of old school hip hop, multiple MC's and a DJ. The back and forth between the MC's and the switching back and forth combined with the immature themes of 3 teenagers, are what make the music so fun. The Beastie Boys are classic 80's hip hop, before it was ruined by the advent of gangster rap. I really enjoy the Beastie Boys, their songs are just a pleasure to listen to. The flow and skill of the three MC's, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock is beyond what many of their contemporaries possessed. Not only do they have great flow, they've always had great beats to back them up. Their songs are staples on rock radio even to this day, you can reasonably expect to hear "Fight for your Right to Party," "Girls," "Brass Monkey," "No Sleep till Brooklyn," or "Sabotage" being played at some point in a block of music. License to Ill was the first hip hop album to reach #1 on the Billboard music charts. I really enjoy the Beastie Boys and always have, ever since first hearing them on rock radio all those years ago.

Beastie Boys "Sabotage"



After the Beastie Boys comes a song by the band Beat Happening. The song is another track off of the compilation box set Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80's Underground. The song is a good example of the 80's underground sound, hence it inclusion on this compilation. It's got the minimalist low-fi sound that was popular in the 80's and has come back into style in the 00's. The guitars are sparse, and the drum beat steady. The song is about a girl and a relationship and love. It's an alright song, nothing spectacular. It's not a song that will stick in your mind for very long, it's not particularly catchy. It's just a good song to fill in the 4th and final disc of this compilation.

Another one and done is up next in The Beat's "Walking Out on Love." The song is just a quick song that my older brother put on my computer for his wedding party. It's a fun little song, only 1:48 in length, in which the singer asks why the subject of the song is walking out on love, and leaving him. It's up beat for a song questioning why someone is leaving him, it's fun and enjoyable to listen to.

The band that started the British Invasion of Rock and Roll in the 60's and 70's is up next. The Beatles are a band that gained huge popularity in the 60's, causing such a frenzy among young women that it makes the current fervor and riots over Justin Bieber look like a house party gone out of control. There isn't much I can say about the Beatles that most people already know, their music is still intensely popular to this day. Their music has been passed on from the previous generation to their children, and as those children become of age and have children they will most likely do the same. Everybody knows the four Beatles members of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The Beatles just play upbeat music with lots of great harmonies and melodies. I have enjoyed The Beatles for as long as I can remember being able to identify one piece of music from another, and the artist that made that piece of music. I am part of the second generation of Beatles fans. My parents were fans in the 60's and 70's and I grew up listening to the Beatles. I can remember growing up listening to songs like "Michelle My Belle," and "Help." John Lennon was the main song writer, and he wrote some spectacular songs. "Imagine," a song he wrote after the Beatles broke up is still a favorite. It's so beautiful in sound and message, it still gives me a little chill when I hear it. John Lennon asks you to imagine what if there were no countries, no religions, no possessions, just imagine all the people of the world living together in peace. George Harrison also wrote some great songs, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is another great song and another favorite. I always have and always will enjoy the Beatles, they are a band I don't get sick of. I can always listen to the Beatles.

A one and done follows The Beatles. The Beautiful Mistake's "A Cradle in Bethlehem," off of A Santa Cause: A Punk Rock Christmas. It's a very sweet and tender song about the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. It's definitely nowhere as beautiful and tender as the original Nat King Cole version. It doesn't have the same soul, the same feeling. It's a nice cover, but it can't beat Nat King Cole.

Up next is the artist who I consider to be one of the greatest musical chameleons in music right now. Beck has put out a lot of music since he began gaining popularity in 1993. He's released 12 albums in 17 years of popularity. His songs are always changing, but for the most part he usually puts out upbeat songs with lots of samples. Beck is a multi-instrumentalist and does a lot of the music himself. He's got a folk music influence in parts of his music, but he doesn't stick to folk rock, he moves around the spectrum of musical genres. Beck has changed his style and sound so many times that he can't really be put into on definitive genre. He does what he wants, not what is expected of him, as evidenced by his 2002 album Sea Changes. Sea Changes is a much more down tempo record, and more folk than a lot of his previous releases up to this point. Sea Changes is a bit depressing, the whole album is about the loss of a relationship. Beck is somebody I've enjoyed ever since hearing "Loser" on rock radio back in the early 2000's. I still enjoy Beck quite a bit, and respect him for his ingenuity and creativity and music.

Beck "Loser"



The Bee Gees are the next one and done artist to grace this playlist. The Australian disco outfit consisting of Barry Gibbs and his brother Robin, gained popularity at the height of the disco movement in the 70's. This is a sweet little love song about how much Barry loves the person who is the subject of this song, telling them "you don't know what it's like to love somebody the way I love you!" It's not the type of song you think of when you think of disco or the Bee Gees, but it's a nice little declaration of love. I have never been a big fan of the Bee Gees, which is a little weird I guess considering how much I enjoy listening to the Scissor Sisters.

Next up is Belle and Sebastian, a light melodic pop rock band from Scotland. Their songs are very light in nature, no heavy guitars, booming drums. They play a very pleasant style of music, very influenced by bands like The Smiths. It's more melodic, with greater vocal harmonies than a lot of pop rock that you might here on the radio. I enjoy Belle and Sebastian as something to listen too when I'm attempting to get some work done, the music is good but not so loud and complicated that I can't focus on my work and the music at the same time. Belle and Sebastian are a band I heard through my brothers, both of whom are fans.

Next is a classic love song by Ben E King. "Stand By Me." This song is one of the most well known love songs of the past 50 years. It is a classic testament of love, it says that nothing else matters as long as you're with me. The world can fall apart, but it doesn't matter if you're next to me. This song has been covered a lot over the years, but you can't really beat the original. This song is a classic that is known by both those who were around when it was released in 1961 and today's generation. If you were to hear this song at a wedding you would see Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and possibly even the current generation singing along to this song, and getting every word correct. I have always liked this song, and will continue to do so.

Next up is an artist who was added to the B's while I was still in the process of completing the B's. Big Boi, of Outkast fame, has just released a brand new solo album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. I purchased this album just about 10 days ago during the grand re-opening of Ear-X-Tacy down in the Douglass Loop. This album has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, getting 4/5 starts in both Rollingstone and Spin magazines, and being and Outkast fan and having heard the first single "Shutterbug," I was really looking forward to this album. I was not disappointed. After the first listen through I wasn't all the way sold on this album, but upon listening a second time I got a greater appreciation of how good it was. The album is full of great guest spots from some of today's biggest and brightest new starts. The Some of the more know of the guest spots are: B.o.B, Gucci Mane, T.I., Janelle Monae, and Jamie Foxx, and even features a guest appearance from P-Funk legend George Clinton. The first single "Shutterbug" is a spectacular song, with an amazing back beat over spectacular rhyming from Big Boi. Then right after than you have the powerful "General Patton," backed by a choir of voices, Big Boi raps about the rap world, dissing the whole scene. He also raps about the struggle of New Orleans saying "'cause New Orleans ain't clean. When we shout Dirty South, I don't think that is what we mean." I have to agree with the critical reviews this is a really strong album, with almost no weak parts. There are one or two songs that just don't hold up to the rest of the album, but the album is otherwise solid. If you are an Outkast fan, I highly recommend this album to you, parts of this album feel very much like an Outkast song and you are just waiting for Andre 3000 to jump in.

Big Boi "Shutterbug"


Following Big Boi in the B's is Big Kid. This song is something that I don't remember ever putting on my iTunes, so I'm assuming it's another song that came with windows. It's an alright pop rock song, but nothing terribly memorable. I you asked me a few hours after listening to this song to tell you how it goes, I wouldn't remember. The song is alright, just nothing particularly special. Another pop punk song about love.

Billy Bragg's "A New England" is up next. It's a good classic punk song given to me by my older brother as music for his wedding party. He opens up by singing "I was 21 years when I wrote this song, I'm 22 now but I won't be for long." The rest of the song is about how much he still loves the woman who is the subject of the song, despite based on the context of the song it she broke up with him. The song is about trying to find a new love, a new girl, "I don't want to change the world, I'm not looking for a new England, I'm just looking for another girl." It's a good song, I can't say I had much of a past impression on this song because I really hadn't listened to it, before now, since the wedding party back in 2006.

Billy Stewart's version of the song "Summertime," a song that has been covered, and redone many times over. With the opening lyrics "Summertime and the living's easy," used all over the place. It's a fun classic kind of soul/jazz sound. The song opens with Billy Stewart scatting over the music. It's a good song, but not something I would listen to consistently.

Next is the first song in the B's to come off of the Industrial Tribute to Metallica that was mentioned a couple times in the A's. This time it's Birmingham 6 covering the classic song "Search and Destroy," from Metallica's debut album Kill 'Em All. This is another bad cover of a great song, the whole song is basically synthesizers, and the whole song reminds me of the theme music for Mortal Kombat. It's just bad.

After that awful "tribute" song, we have the classic punk band Black Flag. Black Flag are one of the most widely respected bands in the punk scene and also one of the most in flux. The band has changed its line up often over the years. Damaged is considered one of their best albums, and features Henry Rollins on vocals. Henry Rollins went on to his own fame after leaving Black Flag, forming the Henry Rollins band. Black Flag sings about the things that the young people of the punk movement were concerned with, rebellion, anti-authority, and the Do It Yourself attitude (DIY). The songs are loud and fast, not concerned with harmony or melody. Damages is a great album, full of attitude. I like it now as much as when I started delving into bands like Black Flag back in 2005. "Rise Above" is a classic punk song about doing it yourself and rising above abuse and other obstacles in their path, they are rising above societal control. The other album I have is Loose Nut just doesn't have the give the same feeling as Damages does. It's another Rollins led album, but it's just not the same. The album is a good one, just not as good. A great punk band.

Black Flag "Rise Above"


The Black Keys come next, a band that I have really been enjoying these past couple of years. There was another addition to the B's right here, with the purchase of their new album Brothers. The Black Keys while being just a duo of musicians put out some great blues infused rock and roll. They mix modern rock blues styling for a great mix. Of the two albums I have I have to say that Magic Potion is my favorite. Both have great guitar and drums mixed with soulful vocals, but Magic Potion feels a little heavier in it's sound. It's got more stomp to it than Brothers. I enjoy both albums quite a bit but each for its own merits. I discovered and started listening to this band right around the same time as Band of Horses, and like Band of Horses got into them through my Dad. I enjoyed the single "Your Touch," and thought my Dad would too. I bought him the album and I was right, and I enjoyed the album too after listening to the whole thing with him. I still really enjoy the blues rock put out by The Black Keys, and will most definitely buy their next new release.

The Black Keys "Tighten Up"


Up next is a band, The Black Kids, who started getting a lot of press from the music magazines a few years back. They were pegged as rising stars, as a band to watch. They haven't really blown up the way the magazines thought, but they still put out a good debut album in Partie Traumatic. The album is full of upbeat, fun synthesizer dance music. The album is heavy on the synthesizers and keyboards, with drums providing the back beat. There are guitars but they are little more interspersed than the synthesizers. The band's lead singer reminds me a lot of Hot Hot Heat's lead singer, which is alright because I like Hot Hot Heat. The songs feel just like a slightly more electronic Hot Hot Heat. The songs are fun to listen to, especially when you're in the mood for something fast paced and fun.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club like The Black Keys are a band that incorporates a blues element into their music, a style that has become very popular in recent years. You don't just hear blues in their music though, they try to incorporate as many styles as they can in order to make good music. Their music like the blues music of the past has a lot to do with love, love lost, and people leaving you. Black Rebel Motorcycle club is a band that my older brother introduced to our father. Through this introduction and repeated listens with my father I came to enjoy this band as well. I enjoy the mix of blues and rock, and the occasional infusion of other complementary styles. If you're in a blues rock mood this is a good band to add to your playlist.

Black Tide follows Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on the B's playlist. Black Tide are an interesting band in the fact that when they signed a major label contract two years ago, every member of the band was 20 years old or younger. Their lead singer was 15 at the time of the contract. They gained notoriety very quickly, even getting offered a spot on the second stage for the music festival Ozzfest. They were kicked off of that stage due to the fact that it was sponsored by Jagermeister and all of the members were younger than 21, but due to this they got to play on the Main Stage at some of the tour stops. The band plays really good thrash metal, a style popularized by Metallica in the 80's. For being so young, the band features some really good musicians. The guitar solos can sometimes rival something some adult metal guitarists couldn't play with ease. The bands youth is evident in their lyrics and themes about warriors and battles, but also girls. The video for "Shockwave" is very much a video thought up by teenagers, or music executives trying to make a "teenager" video. The video features people destroying things, skateboarding, and dirt bikes. Two years after discovering this band, I still enjoy listening to Light From Above.

Black Tide "Shockwave"



A dramatic shift is styles is next as the playlist transitions to the next artist, The Blind Boys of Alabama. The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group made up of blind gospel singers who formed the group at the end of the 30's after meeting in the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. Their music has been featured in movies and TV series and they have won several Grammys. The songs are classic gospel soul, with wonderful individual voices that are then harmonized with the backing vocals. This band is a favorite of my father, and a group that I have enjoyed listening to over the years. I especially listening to their renditions of classic Christmas songs, it's a staple in our Christmas music tradition. This is just good classic soul, and something that you should have in your collection if you are into this type of music.

Blink 182 follows the Blind Boys of Alabama as I continue to roll through the B's. Blink 182 are one of the forefathers of the modern punk pop movement, the influence for bands like Sum 41, Fall Out Boy, ect. They weren't the first to do pop punk, bands like The Descendants came before Blink 182 and influenced their musical styling. Blink 182 for me is a band that as I've gotten older I've reversed my time period preference for. I enjoy their early albums like Buddha and Cheshire Cat more than I do their later releases like Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, or Enema of the State. For me their albums go Buddha, Cheshire Cat, Enema of the State, Take of Your Pants and Jacket, and Blink 182 respectively. As they got older they started trying to act younger, be those young guys they were when they first started. The best example of this is Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, the whole album is all fart jokes, and sex jokes. The album feels like they're trying too hard to be that same disgusting teenagers they were just 8 years before on Cheshire Cat. I found all of this hilarious 9 years ago when I was 14, but at 23 it just doesn't have the same humor it did then. I enjoy the style of their early albums, the guitar sounds were different and the albums were just about girls they liked and not being as nasty as possible. I still quite enjoy listening to Buddha but not nearly as much with their other albums.

Blink 182 "Carousel"



Blink 182 is followed by a very interesting band, a band from South Africa named BLK JKS. This band is interesting for its blending of styles, it blends traditional African rhythms with western style rock and roll. The combination makes for a very interesting sound, with distorted guitars playing over traditional African Rhythms. I first heard of this band in Spin magazine as a band that was rising, I checked them out and liked them. I bought the album for my Dad because he has for many year enjoyed traditional African music, so I thought he might enjoy the fusion. It's an interesting musical oddity, but something to listen to when you want to listen to something different.

BLK JKS "Molalatladi"


Next is Bloc Party, an indie rock group from the UK. Bloc Party is a band that I wasn't really sure of for a long time, I liked their singles but wasn't terribly fond of the rest of the album Silent Alarm. Upon further listening for this blog though I have changed my opinion, I am now able to enjoy the whole album a whole lot more than I did before. The singles are probably still the best songs on the album, but the rest of the album is able to stand on its own in my mind now. I have always really liked the guitar tone that Bloc Party uses, it is what makes their sound stand out from other artists who were part of their musical movement, Second Wave Post-Punk. I enjoy this band more now than I did a few years ago, my musical tastes are constantly broadening and I think that has helped me to further appreciate this band and this album.

Blondie is the artist following Bloc Party on this list. Blondie is often considered to be a punk band from the late 70's and early 80's, but I don't think you can fit them into that box very easily. There are so many different elements to their music, they mix in Reggae, punk, pop, and new wave styles. I can hear elements of the 60's girl groups mixed in on songs like "(I'm Always Touched By Your)Presence, Dear." Everybody of course knows their most famous song "One Way or Another," it's been used hundreds of times throughout popular culture. It's been used in movies, TV shows, commercials, ect. I enjoy listening to Blondie, the songs are usually up beat and have a good beat backing them up. I am actually a little sick of "One Way or Another," because it's so prevalent in our popular culture. When I first got these Blondie CDs I wasn't a big fan of Blondie, but over the years they've grown on me and thanks to this blog I've realized this fact.

Blondie is followed by a one and done by a band called Blue Rodeo. Not really sure where this song came from, it might have come with windows, or it might have been put on my computer by my brother as music for his wedding party. The song is decent enough, it nice little bluesy/rock/country ballad. Can't really comment more than that, it's a nice slow ballad type of song. I don't have much more of an impression besides that, just not a particularly memorable song.

Next is Blur, I only have one song by Blur and should probably have more considering how much I enjoy lead singer Damon Albaran's new band Gorillaz. The one song I have is their most well known song, "Song 2." It's a really good song that is still in heavy rotation on rock radio. The song is really loud, aggressive and a whole lot of fun to just rock out to. The lyrics aren't particularly complicated and that makes it all the more fun to sing along with because it's not hard to memorize all the words in this short 2 minute song. I enjoy this song as much as I did when it was still new to me. I did get tired of it for a long time because of its heavy rotation on rock radio, and use in movies as well. Blur is a band that I need to look back into and get more music from.

The legend Bob Dylan is up after Blur. Bob Dylan is one of the most iconic artists of the past four decades. His songs have been covered, and re-imagined again and again over the years. His voice is instantly recognizable to any music fan, and even to casual music fans. He's put out so many classic songs over the years that you probably wouldn't have a trouble finding someone who could rattle off a couple songs off the top of their head. He's always been sort of an anti-authority, anti-commercialism musician. His songs are like stories, he doesn't use a lot of simile or metaphors, he tells you a story. He doesn't usually need a hook, or a chorus to make a good song, he relies on his story telling. That is something that has made him unique, something that separated him from all the other musicians of his time, and today. Bob Dylan is another artist that I grew up listening to, and someone I can still enjoy to this day. He's an artist I've learned to appreciate more and more as I've gotten older and broadened my musical horizons beyond Metallica.

Next is a musician who I'm a big fan of, and somebody who I've seen play in person probably more than 50 times over the past 23 1/2 years, my Dad. The CD is a recording of all of the roots harmonica songs that he's been playing for the past 30+ years. He recorded these songs as something to have to give to friends and family, not as something to make money off of. If he plays a solo gig he will take a few CD's and sell them for $5.00 but if you're a friend or a family member than you get a free copy. I have always enjoyed my Dad's playing. He's a tremendous harmonica player, who plays the cross harp style which actually causes him to hold and play the harmonica upside down. He has developed very good breath control over the years of playing and is able to play songs and imitate the sound of a steam engine train gaining speed in songs like "Lost John." "Lost John," is a song about a prisoner on a chain gang dreaming of freedom by escaping on a train. Then there's the title track and fan favorite "Stewball," a song about a legendary horse and his race. He also included his one original track on the album "A Backrub Ain't a Ball (But It Ain't a Baby Either)." If you enjoy roots music by artists such as Lead Belly, then you should definitely talk to me about getting a copy of this CD.

Next is Booker T & the MG's. "Green Onions" is a classic track, it's just an instrumental track but it's instantly recognizable to anyone who's even remotely familiar with music from the 60's. The bass line and keyboard combination is instantly recognizable, and really makes the song great. The little spattering of guitar just complements the song. I've always had a fondness for this song, and I still do.

The Boomtown Rats are the next artist on the playlist. The two songs I have are from the compilation box set No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion. "Lookin' After Number 1," is a fun song where they declare "I don't want to be like you" and not underestimate them because they're "nobody's fool." I really like this song, and would play it on my radio show on occasion. The other song "She's so Modern," is another really fun song. Part of what makes these songs so fun is the playful and outrageous attitude of singer Bob Geldof. He seems like he really is teasing this girl when he sings about how 20th century she is, how 1970 she is. Definitely a band worth checking out if you like punk.

A track by The Bouncing Souls ,off of the Rock Against Bush compilation, is the next track on the playlist. This is a live version of the song "Born Free," a song they describe as being dedicated to "every last human in the world, who is truly as your right as a human born free." The song itself is a quick, loud, and aggressive song lasting only 1:46. The song is alright, I've never been a huge Bouncing Souls fan. It's loud and fast and has a good message, but I can't say much for it besides that.

The next artist The Box Tops were a one hit wonder who gained popularity with their song "The Letter." Front Man Alex Chilton was just a teenager when he formed the Box Tops and wrote this song. The song was a Billboard top hit. The Box Tops had other popular songs but never equaled the popularity of "The Letter." Their pop-soul style makes for a very pretty and pleasant song. Alex Chilton went on to for Big Star, a power pop group in the 70's. Alex Chilton became a very well respected song writer and collaborated with a lot of popular musicians over the years before his death in March of this year. A good song, and a band worth looking into further.

Boys(US) is next with the song "You Make Me Shake." A fun quick little song pop-rock song. I don't know much about this band, the song was put on my computer by my brother. It's title alone tells you what it's going to be about, the singer loves someone so much that they make him shake. It's a fun song worth listening to from time to time if you're wanting to hear music from the 70's or earlier. Can't give much more of an impression or description than that because I don't know anything else about this band and couldn't find anything on Wikipedia.

Brian Wilson, former front man and main song writer for the Beach Boys, is the next artists to come up in the B's. The Beach Boys were active and popular in the 60's, but this album (Smile) wasn't released until 2003. The album was mean to follow their album their album Pet Sounds but due to a crazy set of circumstances was never completed. Brian Wilson wanted this to be his masterpiece, but the rest of the band resisted making the record, Wilson wasn't happy with the recordings, and finally had a mental break down. The album despite being completed and released almost 40 years after it was started hasn't stopped it from being a wonderfully done album. The album isn't just your standard Beach Boys album, it's a lot deeper and more complicated than that. The songs are more involved and complex with lots of different musical elements mixed in. The themes are all over the place, which is somewhat consistent with the psychedelic route the Beach Boys were going, with songs about loving vegetables, and songs about the children, and children being the father of the man. If you enjoy the Beach Boys I would recommend picking up this album, it's a very good album.

The Briefs are up next. The Briefs play a classic punk rock style of music similar to older punk bands like The Buzzcocks. The songs contain a lot of social commentary, societal problems and government issues. The first song "Poor and Weird," is as the title implies a song about the singer being poor and weird and because of this she has no time for him. The other song is "Ain't it the Truth," a song about societies tendency to just turn away from the truth if it doesn't suit them. The fact that people will except lies if it means things won't change. Two good punk songs, and something I continue to enjoy as much as I did when I first heard these songs from my older brother a few years ago.

The Briefs "Poor and Weird"


Another musical legend is next. Bruce Springsteen, also known as "The Boss," is one of the most well known and respected artists of the past 30 years. His songs have become iconic and influenced many of the artists in the current "indie" movement of music, bands like Montreal's The Arcade Fire. Songs like "Born to Run," "Born in the USA," and "Dancin' in the Dark" are classic songs well known to music fans of all ages. He's an iconic artist who still commands huge audiences whenever he plays a concert. His songs are something else that I can recall hearing when I was just a young lad, and something that I have continued to enjoy to this day. The emotional power of the songs infused with Bruce's charisma make for some great songs. If you haven't heard of Bruce Springsteen or you have heard of him but you haven't heard any of his songs, then you have been under a rock or in a cave for the last three decades.

Buddy Holly is considered one of the pioneers of rock and roll, with his band The Crickets he gained notoriety and fame in the mid 50's. He played what came to be known as a rockabilly style of music, the style played by another famous rock and roll artists in Elvis Presley. The songs are good up tempo songs about looking for someone to love or a specific girl. The songs are all classics and the influence for a lot of later popular rock and roll bands. If you like rock and roll then you really have to respect its roots, and Buddy Holly is one of its biggest. I've grown in appreciation for Holly's influence as I've gotten deeper into the world of rock and roll music.

The Buggles were a one hit wonder of the 80's who came to popularity with their song "Video Killed the Radio Star." The song and video were one of the first songs to be featured on the brand new television station MTV. The song is a really fun song about the death of radio as the most popular form of discovering music and the worlds transition into the age of music videos and video starts replacing radio stars. It's a classic 80's song and one worth having in your library.

Next up is Bush. Bush is fronted by Gavin Rossdale who is married to Gwen Stefani. Bush were a rock band that gained popularity in the 90's. They gained heavy rotation on rock radio and became one of the more popular bands of the 90's. The band broke up in the early 2000's and hasn't been heard from since. There are rumors that Bush will be releasing a new album this or next year though. I enjoy Bush, it's just straight forward rock and roll. It's not overly complex or innovative but it's still good. Gavin Rossdale's voice helps make them more than they would be with almost any other singer at their helm. I'm not as much of a fan as I was in the 90's, but I still like them.

As we near the end of the B's we have the Butthole Surfers. An 80's band that gained some popularity, but was really more of an underground artists. This particular song "Moving to Florida" I got from the compilation box set Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80's Underground. The song is just a strange, but amusing song about the singers trip down to Florida and all the weird things that happened/ he did. The song is fun, and an interesting listen.

Finally, rounding out the B's we have The Buzzcocks. The Buzzcocks are a classic British punk band from the mid 70's. They play a playful but aggressive style of punk rock. The songs aren't really political in nature like some of their contemporaries, but are more about personal issues or nothing at all. Their most well known songs are probably "Breakdown," "What Do I Get," and "Waiting Room." The titles pretty much sum up what the songs are all about. All of their songs are really good and a great example of British Punk in the 70's. Their music has influenced modern punk and pop punk artists alike, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong has identified The Buzzcocks as a big influence on his band Green Day.

The Buzzcocks "Breakdown"


That is going to do it for the B's folks. Once again, if you stuck around and read to the end of this mammoth post than Congratulations, and a round of applause are in order! It took me a long time to get through the B's, and get this post written, but I still enjoyed it all. I enjoyed going back through the B's and listening to artists like Bush who I hadn't listened to in a long time, artists I usually would skip over without even a second thought. The C's should be finished within the next two weeks hopefully, I don't plan to go another month and a half before making my next post. I hope you enjoyed this post and will leave comments for me and come back for the next post in the series.