N Tertaining

Coming much sooner than the previous post, we have the N's up next. The N's were a lot shorter than the M's, which has allowed me to get a little closer to getting back to the pace I had established before hitting the massive wall that was The M's. The number of artists featured in the N's was much lower than the M's, featuring twenty six artists to the M's fifty nine. The N's were also only eighteen hours long, compared to three days worth of music for the M's. The N's featured some interesting variety, featuring new artists and some of the most acclaimed artists of the past few decades. I enjoyed the N's, and was able to get through them very easily. With that being said we'll get the post started.

First up for the N's is Cincinnati, Ohio's The National, an indie rock band who has now left Cincinnati and moved to Brooklyn, New York. The band formed in 1999 around the lyrics and steady baritone of lead singer Matt Berninger. The National have been steadily gaining more attention from music media and the music public as a whole with each new release. Their latest release High Violet received high praise from critics and even some mainstream alternative radio play with the song "Bloodbuzz Ohio." The band plays a very mellow brand or rock and roll, with steady drum beats over muted guitars and bass lines. The songs don't tend to get terribly loud, and are more mellow in a similar vein with bands like Interpol. Berninger's baritone is what really stands out over everything, his baritone greatly contributes to the mood of the music. The music tends to have a bit of a forlorn feeling to them, mostly brought on by Berninger's baritone. I first heard The National with the release of their newest album High Violet, I had heard fleeting references to the band but never heard them. My younger brother had been listening to them for a few years, so he gave me High Violet and their previous album Boxer. I enjoyed the song "Bloodbuzz Ohio," but wasn't sure if I enjoyed it enough to purchase the album, so when my younger brother offered me copies of High Violet and Boxer I accepted. I gave a cursory listen through the albums when I received them near the end of last year, but I didn't really listen closely until this blog. I enjoyed the albums. The albums are good mellow rock and roll, something to fit the mood of a rainy day. I will most likely come back to these albums at some point in the future. I recommend The National for fans of Interpol and The Editors.

The National "Bloodbuzz Ohio"



The artist following The National is the iconic American artist, Neil Diamond. Diamond began his career in the 60's as a writer for the music writing group in The Brill Building. For those who aren't familiar with The Brill Building, The Brill Building was an office complex located in New York City's Tin Pan Alley. Housed in this office complex was a group of songwriters who wrote many of the most popular songs of the era, the songs became known as "The Brill Building Sound." After writing songs for other artists for many years, Diamond finally found success as a solo artist in 1965. His songs had been made famous by The Monkees, but he had originally written these songs for himself and when he released his versions they gained notice because of the popularity of The Monkees' versions. His song "Solitary Man" was the first song to gain popularity as a Neil Diamond song, and his career took off from there. To date Diamond has sold over one hundred million records worldwide and has been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The album featured here Home Before Dark is one of his more recent works, and was released in 2008. The album according to Diamond was written about his girlfriend at the time who had just undergone painful surgery, and her difficult recovery. The songs are beautifully arranged ballads of love, featuring sparse arrangements of Diamond on acoustic guitar accompanied usually by piano or organ. Diamond's voice resonates throughout the beautifully arranged songs. The album feels like a testament of love, and respect for this women who he cares deeply for. I can't recall the first time I heard Neil Diamond, I've heard his name bandied about for years but I'm not sure the first time I actually heard his music. I haven't listened to much Neil Diamond over the years, but I decided to get this album from my father a few years ago. I never really listened to this album until this playlist, but I enjoyed it. It's simple and beautiful. Diamond knows how to write a good song. I don't know how often I'll come back to this album, but it's a good one for when I'm not in the mood for loud, fast music.

Neil Diamond "Pretty Amazing Grace"



After Neil Diamond we have another iconic artist in Neil Young. Neil Young is a Canadian born singer-songwriter who has released over thirty solo albums in his forty year career, as well as contributing to some of the most influential and loved bands of the 60's and 70's. Young's first band Buffalo Springsteen's mix of folk, psychedelia, and rock and roll gained them critical and commercial success in the mid 60's. The band broke up and Young went on to release a solo album to mixed reviews, and then joining up with some friends released an album as Neil Young with Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse saw the release of two of Young's most famous songs "Cinnamon Girl" and "Down By The River." Shortly after the album's release Young joined Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The band had its most successful and creative period during Young's tenure, but constant fighting caused the band to break up around 1970. The success Young had gained in Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the bands hit singles like "Ohio," led to greater commercial success when he released his third and fourth solo albums. Young's career took off from there, and he quickly became one of the most iconic songwriters of the last forty years. Young's songs are some of the most widely known and loved songs in classic rock. Young's solo albums found him experimenting with different genres, but almost always coming back to his folk rock roots. Young is just as famous for his vocals as he is for his music, and his voice has become one of the most recognizable in rock music. I grew up listening to Neil Young, I can remember listening to songs like "Cinnamon Girl" and "Down By The River" growing up. I've always loved Neil Young, even when I was young and didn't know much about music. Young's songs are iconic pieces of American Music History. His themes of political activism and environmentalism have made him a bit controversial over the years, but he has remained one of the most admired artists of our time. I will listen to Neil Young for a long time (and Jimmy Fallon's Imitation).

Neil Young "Cinnamon Girl"



Next up we have our first artist to only contribute individual tracks, Nelly Furtado. Nelly Furtado is a Canadian born singer-songwriter who gained international pop stardom at the beginning of the 2000's. The two tracks featured here are "Maneater" and "Promiscuous Girl" from her third album Loose. The album was much more hip hop and R&B heavy than her previous two albums, and featured a much more scantily clad Furtado, drawing the ire of critics. The album, produced by Timbaland, featured themes about female sexuality. The two songs featured here are role reversals, the woman having control over a helpless man rather than the other way around. The theme was a switch on the usual attitude in hip hop which tends to demean women. I first heard Nelly Furtado through her first single in 2001 "I'm Like A Bird," and it was an enjoyable enough song but I didn't pay much attention to it. I never really cared for Furtado's music, and gained these tracks through my older brother. The songs are fun and enjoyable pop songs, but it's not really my style of music.

We have another one and done artist up next in Nerf Herder. Nerf Herder is a California based rock band known for their simplistic rock and roll songs that are very often humorous in nature. The song featured here, "Santa's Got A Mullet," is no exception to this archetype. The guitars are your standard power chord heavy pop punk style, with lead singer Parry Grip's nasally vocals cheerfully describing Santa's Mullet. I first heard Nerf Herder when I first saw Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the band plays the music for the show's theme song. I then heard the band again when I heard this song on A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas. I enjoyed the song when I heard it, it's quick and a lot of fun. I then heard Parry Grip through the series of short YouTube music videos he produced in 2009 and 2010, usually featuring animals. I enjoy this song, and wouldn't mind hearing more Nerf Herder, but I'm not sure I'll seek it out.

The next artist, The Nerves, contribute two tracks two this playlist. The two tracks featured here "Hanging On The Telephone" and "When You Find Out" are two of the four songs featured on the band's only official release, an EP released in 1976. The trio gained popularity through these songs with their catchy brand of power pop. The songs gained some popularity, but really gained popularity a couple of years later when the band Blondie covered the song "Hanging On The Telephone" on their breakthrough album Parallel Lines. The song became one of Blondie's most well known songs. The songs are really catchy, and feature some of the great hooks that defined the power pop of the 70's. Both songs are iconic 70's rock songs, and are very well known among rock and roll fans. I can't recall which version of "Hanging On The Telephone" I heard first, but I'm thinking it might have been Blondie's. I like both versions of the song, they're really catchy and a lot of fun. It's too bad The Nerves didn't last long enough to produce more fun power pop, but I'll continue to enjoy the song's I have.

The next full album contribution comes from Neutral Milk Hotel. Neutral Milk Hotel were an indie/folk rock band that was active between 1994 and 1999. The band featured lead singer Jeff Mangum accompanied by a few friends. The band released two full length albums during it's fun, and became known for their eclectic musical style. The band's music was often experimental in sound and featured Mangum's often very obscure lyrics. The band never achieved commercial success, but achieved some recognition from the music media for their second LP In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. The band broke up when Mangum became disillusioned with the music business and press, and had a nervous breakdown. The band has since gained a large cult following in the indie rock community, and had an influence on a number of contemporary indie artists. In the twelve years since the band's end Mangum has become known for being a recluse, only coming out to play rare sets. He made a few appearances with label mates in 2008, and made a few in 2010. He has also scheduled several performances for the fall of 2011. I first heard of Neutral Milk Hotel through my brothers who are both big fans of the band. I heard a few songs here and there over the years, but not a full album until I was given On Avery Island and In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by my younger brother. I liked what I heard, but didn't listen to the albums again after the initial listen. After listening to them again for this blog, I appreciate them more than I did a few years ago. As I've become a fan of bands like The Arcade Fire and The Decemberists I've come to see how much Neutral Milk Hotel influenced their music. The songs are very interesting with their outlandish themes and eclectic performances. I can't help but think of The Decemberists' lead singer Colin Malloy every time I hear Mangum's voice, but that's not a bad thing. I recommend Neutral Milk Hotel to any fans of indie rock bands like The Decembersits and The Arcade Fire.

Neutral Milk Hotel "Two Headed Boy"



After Neutral Milk Hotel we have The Neutrinos and their album One Way Kiss. The Neutrinos are a rock and roll band out of Great Britain who plays a style of punk influenced rock that can range from angry rants, with lead singer Karen inviting you to "suck on this," to playful homage on the song "Donkey Work." Lead singer Karen's vocal style goes from a soft whisper to a loud angry yell, and has been compared by some to PJ Harvey. The music is loud and fast like punk rock, but slows down for a few songs adding variety to the music. The band's sound is very much of that British rock sound that has become popular in the 00's with bands like The Arctic Monkeys. I wasn't familiar with The Neutrinos before listening to this album for the blog, and I couldn't find much information on them online. The album was alright, but not particularly memorable. The album is good punk infused rock, but nothing that really stands out in my mind. I'm not sure how this album came to be on my iTunes, but I'm guessing it was from one of my brothers. I probably won't come back to this album much, but I won't mind hearing the songs again on Shuffle.

The Neutrinos "One Way Kiss"



We have another non album contribution next with two tracks from New Found Glory. Both of these songs come via compilations with "No News Is Good News" coming from Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 and "Ex-Miss" coming from A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas. New Found Glory have gained some commercial success over the past few years with their pop punk style of music, a sound that has been compared to bands like Green Day and Sum 41. Their music is slightly more distinct due to lead singer Jordan Pundik's high pitched vocals. The band hasn't gained the same fame or following as bands like Green Day, but have done reasonably well over the years with songs like "My Friend's Over You" gaining some minor rock radio play. The band has supported bands like Blink 182 and Green Day on tour over the years. I first heard New Found Glory with the release of the single "My Friend's Over You," hearing it on the radio and seeing a video on MTV. I didn't particularly care for the song, it just wasn't anything special. I'm still not much of a fan of this band, the two songs are enjoyable pop punk but again nothing special. For me New Found Glory are just another band in a long line of radio friendly pop punk bands that popped up in the 90's and 00's.

The next band is widely considered one of the most influential new wave bands of the 80's. The band New Order was a New Wave band from England formed of the remaining three members of the post punk band Joy Division following Ian Curtis' suicide. The band immersed itself in the New York club scene of the early 80's, gaining a larger knowledge of dance music. In 1983 the band began to gain popular attention with the song "Blue Monday" which more fully embraced synthesizers and dance music styles. The band played heavily synthesized songs with live guitar and bass overtop of the programmed drums and synthesizers. The band's songs while dance music influenced weren't what we traditionally think of as dance music today, they were slower songs than the house and club music people generally think of when they hear "dance music." The vocals were in a monotone style not far from Curtis' singing style in Joy Division. The band has been named as one of the most influential bands of the 80's, and have been cited as an influence by artists such as Moby and The Killers. I first heard of New Order shortly after I heard a cover of "Blue Monday" by the band Orgy in 1998. I didn't actually began looking into New Order until almost a decade later as I began to get more into punk, post punk, and new wave. I became a fan of Joy Division so I decided to look into New Order. I found a used copy of a collection of singles called Substance, and went from there. New Order had a policy of releasing individual singles that would not be included on the full length albums that followed, and this two disc album is a collection of those songs. I bought it along with a few other albums and it got put on the back burner until I listened to it for this blog. The album is a good one, with so many great songs that I'm sorry I didn't listen to it sooner. I enjoy New Order quite a bit, and will definitely come back to this album.

New Order "Blue Monday"



Following New Order, we have two songs from The New York Dolls. The New York Dolls were an American rock band who helped influence a generation of musicians that followed them with their unique look and sound. The New York Dolls started in 1971, and quickly became known for their proto-punk sound and their androgynous stage costuming. Their unique look influenced hair and glam metal, and bands like Kiss, The Sex Pistols, and Guns 'N Roses. The band's sound is a confluence of influences from bands like The Rolling Stones and The Stooges. This mix of influences bleeds through in the mix of the hard driving rock and roll, similar to the Stooges, and rhythm and blues fused rock and roll similar to The Rolling Stones. Lead singer David Johansen even has a bit of Mick Jagger in his voice. I first heard of the New York Dolls several years ago as I started exploring deeper into punk rock. As I began to explore, I was given No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion by my older brother. The box set featured the two songs featured here "Trash" and "Personality Crisis." I really liked both songs the first time I heard them, enough that I've come back to them several times over the years. I would occasionally play The New York Dolls on my radio show as well. I like both of these songs quite a bit, and wouldn't mind exploring more of The New York Dolls.

One of the most iconic and popular musicians ever to come out of Australia is up next, I'm speaking of course of Nick Cave. Nick Cave is best known for his music with his band The Bad Seeds, but has also produced solo records. Cave started his musical career in the late 70's with a group of friends, the friends formed the band Birthday Party. Birthday Party became known for their dark music which featured Cave shrieking, yelling, and flailing about with loud guitar feedback. The band gained a cult following during and especially after their seven year run. Cave then went on to form The Bad Seeds right after the breakup of Birthday Party, taking two former members of Birthday Party with him. The Bad Seeds were a shift in style from Birthday Party. Where Birthday Party had been hyper expressive and loud, The Bad Seeds focused on an eclectic mix of styles with detailed narratives in the lyrics. Over the years Cave has consistently touched upon themes of death, violence, religion, love, and America. The Bad Seeds played a mix of blues, gospel, and art rock, and this eclectic sound mixed with Cave's emotionally expressive vocals is what made the band's unique sound. The band began to receive attention and praise with the release of their fifth album and its single "The Mercy Seat," the song that Cave is best known for. Cave went on to release three more albums before releasing his most notable and critically acclaimed work, Murder Ballads in 1996. The album was full of songs about death, sex, murder, and general violence, and featured duets with PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. Nick Cave has released five additional albums with The Bad Seeds. Over his career Nick Cave also released some solo work, usually featuring Cave on piano accompanied by a violin, a bass, and drums. The two albums featured here are one of his solo albums, No More Shall We Part, and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' Murder Ballads. I grew up listening to Nick Cave, and have been a big fan of his music for a long time. My dad was a big fan of Nick Cave, and as I got older he began playing Murder Ballads for me. I enjoy both his solo work and his work with The Bad Seeds, but I like Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds more. Murder Ballads is dark, violent, and sexual and a brilliant album. I love the range of Cave's vocals, going from soft and tender to dark and violent. The expressiveness of his voice is a big part of what makes this music so good. Before listening to the N's, I hadn't listened to Nick Cave in a little while. I'm sorry that I went so long between listenings of this wonderful artist. I will continue to enjoy Nick Cave for a long time.

Nick Cave "Wild Roses Grow"



A few one and done artists follow Nick Cave on the playlist, the first being Nick Lowe. Nick Lowe is an English singer-songwriter who has worked with many of Britain's most successful recordings artists, including having produced the first five Elvis Costello albums. His music was called pub rock because of the small venues he played, and was very much in the style of other 70's punk rock bands. The song "Heart Of The City" is a quick little song, not too complicated musically or lyrically but fun and catchy. I wasn't familiar with Nick Lowe before hearing this song on No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion. I seem to remember liking the song when I heard it, but with so many other songs in the box set I forgot about the song. Upon listening to the song again for this blog, I liked the song. It's a fun, and a very 70's, rock song that draws up images of similar musicians like Elvis Costello. I probably won't come back to this song often, but will enjoy it when I do.

A first for Alphabetical Music is up next, a track from a classical composer. While the name featured on the track listing is Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia, this symphony was actually composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven. Beethoven's best known work to most casual listeners is his 5th symphony, which featured the famous "dun dun duh duh" (I'm loosely translating) that so many people are familiar with. The symphony featured here though, is his 3rd. I'm not particularly good at describing classical symphonies, despite taking a class about them my freshmen year, so I'm going to rely heavily on Wikipedia to help me describe this symphony. According to my reading this symphony signified a more mature, middle period, for Beethoven and is sometimes considered the beginning of the Romantic movement in classical music. This work was much longer than your standard symphony of the time, with its first movement almost equaling the standard time of other symphonies. As a music fan and as a part of American culture I have been aware of Beethoven for about as long as I've been aware of music. I'm not as familiar with this symphony as his 5h, but it is a beautiful piece. I don't listen to a lot of classical music, but it's enjoyable from time to time.

The final one and done artist of this block is Nikki And The Corvettes. Nikki And The Corvettes were a short lived band active at the tail end of the 70's and the start of the 80's, breaking up in 1981 after only releasing one album. The band played a fun brand of "bubblegum punk." The music was called "power pop perfection" by one critic. The song featured here "You're The One" is a really short little song, coming in at just under two minutes. In those two minutes Nikki And The Corvettes play a memorable and catchy song that sticks in your head long after you hear it. I heard of Nikki And The Corvettes when my older brother gave me this song as part of the music for his wedding celebration party. I liked the song when I first heard it, and I still like it upon listening to it again for this blog. It has the feel of being an early version of The Donnas. The Donnas are the best comparison in my opinion, their styles are very similar musically, vocally, and lyrically. I will come back to this song from time to time, but since it's only one track it's going to be easy to skip over.

Getting back to artists contributing full albums we have Nine Inch Nails. Nine Inch Nails was formed in 1988 by Trent Reznor who is the only official member of the band. Nine Inch Nails since their debut in 1988 have come to be synonymous with the Industrial Music genre. Reznor produces, records, and plays all the instruments and provides all vocals featured in Nine Inch Nails' music. Nine Inch Nails' music is characterized with programmed drum beats mixed with electronic noises and programming. Reznor's voice frequently moves between a whisper and a yell, going up and down throughout the song. The songs frequently include dark imagery and themes dealing with personal demons, society, religion, existentialism, and politics. Nine Inch Nails have gained critical and mass acclaim over their run, with many of their songs being played on Modern Rock radio. Songs like "Head Like A Hole" and "Closer" have become staples even 22 and 18 years later respectively. The band fell out of the public eye for a few years, but came back into the public eye when Johnny Cash covered the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt." Reznor has also recently collaborated with Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for the soundtrack to the upcoming American remake of the film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I first heard Nine Inch Nails through rock radio, and the song "Closer." I liked the song, but never really explored beyond "Closer" and "Head Like A Hole." I heard about the band here and there over the years, but wasn't eager to explore further. Then after hearing Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" I looked up the original. It wasn't nearly as good as Cash's version, but it did make me pick up Pretty Hate Machine from my local library. I liked the album, and added it to my iTunes. I haven't listened to the album much over the past few years, but I've listened to songs here and there. When I listened to it again for the N's I enjoyed the album again, enough that I'll definitely come back to it again.

Nine Inch Nails "Head Like A Hole"



An interesting one and done artist follows Nine Inch Nails, The Nips. The Nips, originally named The Nipple Erectors, were the first band of The Pogues' front man Shane MacGowan. The band started out in 1977 as a punk band, but gradually shifted to a more melodic power pop like sound. The band only released a series of singles in its brief four year history, only having an LP released posthumously, and two bootleg live records. The song featured on this playlist "Gabrielle" is from the later part of the band's career, and is a very melodic rock song. MacGowan's vocals have a much different sound then his work with The Pogues, MacGowan doesn't emphasize his accent as much and is slightly more melodic. I wasn't familiar with this song or this band before this playlist. The song came to be on my iTunes via my older brother's music selection for his wedding celebration. I like the song, it's a nice melodic power pop song but it's not particularly memorable to me. While some elements of the guitar work remind me of The Dead Milkmen, the rest of the song is just your standard sugary pop rock of the 70's and 60's. It's a nice listen here and there but not something to come back to consistently.

Next up we have a band that has become something of a cultural icon over the past two decades, Nirvana. Nirvana was a rock band from Aberdeen, Washington that rose to fame at the beginning of the 90's. The band had a very brief run that begin in the punk scene of Washington, where they became popular in towns like Olympia which had a large punk scene. Unlike other bands in the Olympia scene, Nirvana was shooting for stardom. The band while punk in its roots was considered part of the "Grunge" music scene. Grunge heavily features distorted guitars generally alternating between loud and soft, mixed with angsty and apathetic lyrics. Nirvana gained commercial success with the release of their second album Nevermind in 1991. The album was a commercial smash hit, propelling the band into the eyes of the mainstream. Songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come As You Are" became rock radio staples. Two years later the band released their final album, In Utero. The album was a departure from some of the sound that had made them famous, and was considered more "challenging," and less mainstream. The album gained some controversy with many mainstream radio stations believing songs like "Rape Me" weren't appropriate for radio. The album still sold extremely well, selling over four million records in the United States. The band came to a sad and tragic ending when in April of 1994 Curt Cobain, the lead singer and songwriter, took his own life. Cobain had been suffering from numerous drug addictions, and the stresses of fame. Nirvana have been held up as one of the greatest American rock bands to ever have been, with many praising Cobain for his guitar work and songwriting. Alternative rock fans everywhere were in shock at the news of his death. I first heard Nirvana through Alternative Rock Radio, hearing songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit." I liked the songs that I heard on the radio, and from my older brother who was a big Nirvana fan in the early part of the 90's. I listened to Nevermind and In Utero over the years through my father and brother, and enjoyed both albums. I eventually took the copy of In Utero from my father and put it on my iTunes a few years ago. The album is a good one, with plenty of good songs. I've never considered to Nirvana to be much more than that though, good. I don't think they're the greatest band of the 90's or most of the many things they've been called over the years. I don't think Cobain was a great guitarist, he played a lot of distortion heavy power chords. I enjoy Nirvana's music, but I'm not much more than a casual fan.

Nirvana "Heart Shaped Box"



We have a one and done artist up next, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are an American country/folk rock band that has existed on and off and in numerous forms since beginning in 1966. The band never achieved great success, but achieved a minor following over the years. The song featured here "Party On The Mountain" is a nice little bluegrass/ folk tune that comes to this playlist through the Windows Vista music sampler. I had seen this song on my iTunes for a long time before I actually listened to it for this blog. It's a nice little song, and feels a lot like a song from a contemporary folk/country revival bands like Mumford and Sons. It's an enjoyable song, and even though I do enjoy bluegrass/ roots music I probably won't come back to this song again.

After The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's track we have two songs from No Doubt. The band based out of Anaheim, California formed in 1986 but didn't achieve success outside of California until the release of 1995's Tragic Kingdom. The band's bubbly ska infused sound didn't go over well with a country obsessed with Nirvana and grunge rock at first, but Tragic Kingdom changed all of that. With the release of singles such as "Don't Speak," " Just A Girl," and "Spiderwebs" the album became certified platinum eight times. The band's ska infused sound on Tragic Kingdom is credited with helping to start the Ska Revival of the 90's. Songs on Tragic Kingdom tended to feature themes dealing with lead singer Gwen Stefani's recent break up with No Doubt's bass player Tony Kanal. The band's follow up Return To Saturn was released in 2000 to generally positive reviews but poor sales. Stefani briefly embarked on a solo career, achieving mainstream pop success with songs like "Holla Back Girl." The band is known for their pop rock, dance worthy rock and roll sound and is help up even by some in the punk rock community. I first heard No Doubt a few years after the release of Tragic Kingdom. I really liked tracks like "Just A Girl" when I heard them but I never really looked into the band. I heard Return To Saturn when my Dad was given the album. It was enjoyable but not nearly as good as Tragic Kingdom. I still really enjoy No Doubt's music, but I'm not sure I'll go beyond the singles.

The next full album contribution comes from our next band No Use For A Name. No Use For A Name are a San Jose based pop punk group, who achieved minor success in the mid 90's but has largely remained in the pop punk scene on the fringes of the mainstream. Over the years and since joining Fat Wreck Chords the band's sound has shifted more towards the melodic side of punk rock and to a sound very similar to many of the bands on Fat Wreck Chords. The songs tend to be fast paced like punk rock songs, but the melodies are softer than in punk rock, and lead singer Tony Sly's vocals are much more emotional and melodic than many in punk rock. Their songs tend to deal with themes such as love, relationships, painful relationships, and loss of loved ones. I first heard No Use For A Name back around 2004 or so. I believe it was on the Rock Against Bush tour, and I saw them play with Midtown and Anti-Flag. I really liked their melodic rock so I purchased their album Hard Rock Bottom from their booth at the show. For about a year after I listened to this album consistently, really enjoying it, especially songs like "A Rebel Song." I listened to it enough to know most of the words to the songs, I even purchased a No Use For A Name t-shirt. Then a few years ago, I just stopped listening to them. It wasn't for any particular reason, I had discovered a lot of great new music over the past few years and it just fell to the side. Listening to the album for this blog made me realize just how long it had been since I'd listened to it. I found myself enjoying the album again, but not in the same way I used to. The albums melodic rock is pleasant and a fun listen, but it's not something that jumps out at me anymore. It's just another melodic rock band for me, there are a lot of bands with a very similar sound out today. I probably won't listen to this album much in the future, I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to.

No Use For A Name "Dumb Reminders"



In the previous post we had a band signed to Fat Wreck Chords, up next is the band who's lead singer Fat Mike started the label. NOFX are a Los Angles based punk rock band that formed in the mid 80's, and gained mainstream exposure in the mid 90's with the mainstream's increased interest in punk artists like Bad Religion, Green Day, and Pennywise. The band's songs tend to be fast paced punk songs that cover a mix of serious and humorous topics. Like most punk rock the guitar and bass play simple power chords, but NOFX plays with this formula a bit by occasionally inserting guitar solos and trumpet into some of their songs. NOFX have become known for the political and social activism over the years, which can be seen in their music and in the organizations (such as PETA2) that they support. The band has always included political messages in their music, but it wasn't until 2003 and the release of their album The War On Errorism that they got really serious about it. The album was a shot at then President George W. Bush, and featured a cartoon of Bush wearing clown makeup as the album's cover. The song "Franco Un-American" received some minor radio play. The band while including political/societal critiquing songs in their music, also include many very humorous themed songs on their albums. All you have to do is look at the names of albums like Heavy Petting Zoo and S&M Airlines, to know what type of juvenile humor was included in these songs. I first heard NOFX back in 2003/2004 as I was growing disenchanted with the policies of George W. Bush. I picked up The War On Errorism back in 2003. I really liked the album and its political message, it spoke to me at a time when I was beginning to pay more attention to politics and what was going on around me. I picked up the EP that followed Never Trust A Hippy and also picked up The Best Songs Ever Written (By Us), a best of collection. I enjoyed the playful atmosphere of the songs and the band more than the political one, as my anger towards Bush subsided over the years. The only problem is that they can play on that playful nature to much. When I saw them on Warped Tour they spent half of their 30 minute set telling jokes instead of playing songs. I like NOFX, they're a fun band when you want something light hearted and not to heavy. I'll come back to them occasionally, but I don't listen to them nearly as much as I used to.

NOFX "Bob"



The second to last one and done artist is up next in the band None More Black. None More Black are a melodic punk/hardcore band from New Jersey. The band formed at the beginning of the 00's, signing with NOFX front man Fat Mike's Fat Wreck Chords and releasing their first album in 2003. The song featured here comes to the playlist via Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1. The song, entitled "Nothing To Do When You're Locked In A Vacancy," is a fast paced melodic punk song with hoarse yelling vocals reminiscent of hardcore punk. The song features lyrics denouncing the use of fear in new broadcasting as a way to garner greater ratings. I wasn't familiar with None More Black before hearing them on this compilation, but this was one of the songs that stood out for me upon first listen. I've listened to this song a few more times over the years, and occasionally played it on my radio show. It's a good example of melodic punk and the Fat Wreck Chords style. I will come back to his track mostly on Shuffle, but maybe other times as well.

The second to last full album contribution comes from The Notorious B.I.G (Biggie Smalls). The Notorious B.I.G was an American rapper who during his brief four year rein on top of the charts between 1993 and 1997, left a humongous impression on the world of rap. The Notorious B.I.G born in Brooklyn to a single mom, had a difficult life and turned to selling drugs as a teenager. After being released from prison, he was arrested on a weapons charge at the age of 17, he recorded his first demo as Biggie Smalls. The demo gained the attention of the heavy hitters in the underground rap scene, and he was eventually signed to Bad Boy Records. He gained mainstream attention from appearing on various remixes of popular artists' songs, eventually releasing his 1994 debut Ready To Die in 1994 for Sean Combs' brand new label Bad Boy Records. The album was a success and sold well based on the strength of singles like "Juicy" and "Big Poppa." The rapper became involved in the feud between East and West Coast rappers the next year, publicly feuding with former friend and associate rapper Tupac Shakur. The feud escalated to violent levels, and in 1996 Shakur was gunned down. Just a year later The Notorious B.I.G was gunned down in a drive by shooting as he and his entourage left an awards show. His second album, and the one featured here, Life After Death was released shortly after his death. Both rappers' murders remain unsolved, but are believed to be connected. Life After Death was a two disc album featuring numerous guest spots and collaborations from some of the most popular rap and R&B artists of the time. Biggie shows off his range as he switches between smooth R&B and fast paced lyrically complicated songs. The album produced the hits "Mo Money Mo Problems," "Hypnotize," and "Going Back To Cali." Biggie Smalls is considered by many fans of rap/hip hop to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. His deep bass voice and his flow are iconic in the world of rap, and even outside of it. His songs have been featured in a number of feature films in the years following his death. I first heard The Notorious B.I.G. through pop radio stations as a kid. I heard his biggest hit singles like "Hypnotize" and "Big Poppa" still being played on these stations years after his death. As someone who wasn't a big fan of rap at the time, or now, I enjoyed Biggie's music. I enjoyed the singles every time I heard them, but I was never particularly interested in going any further than that. When I found out that my younger brother had Life After Death on his iTunes, I decided to add it to mine a couple of months ago. I hadn't listened to this album since putting it on my iTunes, and I'm sorry I didn't. The album is a great rap album, a classic. There are so many great songs on here, including the ending track "You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You" which is chilling premonition of his murder. I think I will come back to this album from time to time, even if it's just for the singles.

The Notorious B.I.G "Hypnotize"



The second to last artist and the final one and done artist on the playlist is the French Art Collective Nouvelle Vague. The band plays Bossa Nova style covers of classic Punk/New Wave songs. They turn the fast, angry energy of punk rock into easy listening music. The song featured here is "Teenage Kicks" a cover of the band The Undertones' 1978 classic. The song features lightly picked Latin guitars with the soft sifting sound similar to that of maracas. The vocals are light and beautifully sung by the female vocalist. If it weren't for the lyrics of the original song, it would be hard to know exactly what song they were covering. I wasn't familiar with Nouvelle Vague before this playlist, having skipped over the song as just another song that came to my iTunes from Windows Vista. Upon listening to this song for the playlist, I enjoyed it. I liked the interesting new take on a song that I was already a big fan of, it was a complete 180 from the original and that was part of the appeal. I will enjoy this cover for a while, and will make a note to come back to it.

The final artist of the N's is Louisville, KY's own Nova Red. Nova Red were an alternative rock band composed of Rahul Borkar on vocals & guitar, Brad Compton on guitar, Bruce LaFrance on bass, and Joe Yabo on drums. The band began a few years ago when friends Rahul Borkar and Praveen Arla put their years of experience in the punk rock/ indie scene together in a band that combined both elements. They later added Compton and LaFrance to the band. The band recorded and released its first and only album No Regrets in 2007. Shortly after the release of the album the band added Joe Yabo, formerly of Jack's Lament, on drums. Praveen left the band shortly after the release of the album. The band played numerous shows around Louisville over the next four years before breaking up at the beginning of 2011. The band played a mix of melodic rock and roll that would quickly shift to aggressive heavy guitars on the breakdown, on many of the songs Borkar's falsetto goes from a soft serenade to angry condemnation during the chorus. I became aware of Nova Red in 2007 when I was told by Joe Yabo about his new band Nova Red. I went out to their next show to support my friend's new band, and purchased a copy of No Regrets. Over the next four years I went out to as many of their shows as possible and became friends with the other band members. Their album is good, but their live performance is better. The band has a frantic earnest intensity to it that just couldn't be conveyed in the recorded material. I like all of the guys in the band, and hope to see future projects from all of them.

Nova Red "Dying"



That is going to do it for the N's! The N's took me longer to write than I intended, but I was finally able to motivate myself to put my nose to the grind stone and write them out. The O's are even shorter than the N's, so look for them soon. Please leave comments.