The P's are up next three weeks after my last post. I was hoping to get this written and published a bit faster, but a Holiday weekend and working Monday thru Friday last two weeks didn't allow for that to happen. The P's were a bit longer than I expected before starting on them, more than double the length of the O's. The P's featured thirty eight different artists and twenty two hours of music. Of the thirty eight artists twenty five of them had only three or fewer songs on the playlist. The P's didn't start off well for me, and that made getting things started a bit difficult. After a bad start, things did get a lot better and finished strong. With that established we'll move on to the meat of the post for the P's.
The P's started off with two albums from the Christian Alternative Rock band P.O.D (Payable On Death). P.O.D are a Christian Rock band out of San Diego, California who rose to mainstream popularity at the tail end of the 90's and beginning of the 00's. The band has sold over ten million records in its 19 year history, making them one of the best selling Christian Rock acts. The band started of playing rap metal with overt Christian themes and lyrics, but has slowly moved to more of a Nu Metal sound with more subtle references to Christian themes. The band gained popularity with its third studio album The Fundamental Elements Of Southtown, which went Platinum after its release in 1999. The band gained even more popularity with the release of their follow up album Satellite, one of the albums featured on this playlist, on September 11, 2001. The positive uplifting message of the first single "Alive" is what drove the popularity of the album. The follow up single "Youth Of The Nation" featured lyrics dealing with school shootings, and what might drive a kid to commit such a heinous act. The next single "Boom" became widely used by sports teams to pump up the crowd, and in movies for much the same thing. I first heard P.O.D in 2001 with the release of Satellite and the single "Alive." I really liked the song so I purchased the album. I really liked the album, and it wasn't until a bit later that I found out that they were Christian Rock. I usually wasn't a fan of Christian rock, but I made an exception for P.O.D. After listening to the album for a while, I decided to check into their previous albums and found their debut album Snuff The Punk at my local record store. I immediately disliked this album after only hearing a few songs. It wasn't the sound that I had enjoyed, and it was so overtly Christian that it became annoying. I stopped listening to P.O.D shortly after that, and I would hear their songs here and there but I never made a conscious effort to listen to them. I hadn't listened to anything besides the singles for a long time before this blog, and I didn't particularly miss them. Upon listening to P.O.D again I hear the Christian themes more and more. Their music doesn't make up for the themes, it's not that good, it's you're standard Nu Metal sound that cropped up at the beginning of the 00's. If I heard P.O.D for the first time right now, I wouldn't purchase either of these albums.
P.O.D "Alive"
Following P.O.D. on the playlist is Papa Roach. Papa Roach are a California based Nu Metal band that rose to popularity in 2000 with the release of their major label debut Infest. The album featuring the hit single "Last Resort" went triple Platinum. The band featured guitars with low drop down tunings, with lead singer Jacoby Shaddix (calling himself "Coby Dick" at the time) shouting or rapping overtop. The band's sound fit in with other rap rock bands like Limp Bizkit, and gained them massive Alternative radio play in the early 00's. The band followed up Infest with 2002's Lovehatetragedy, which featured a sound that was slightly less metal and more general rock and roll. The album didn't do nearly as well as Infest, only going Gold. Their third album Getting Away With Murder sold better, going Platinum. The band received some backlash from long time fans for the softer, alternative rock sound featured on the album. I first heard Papa Roach back in 2000 with the release of Infest. I really liked the lead single "Last Resort" and the follow up single "Broken Home," so I went out to my local record store and purchased Infest. I was a really big fan of the album, and for a couple of years I was really big into Papa Roach. I purchased Lovehatetragedy right after it was released, and enjoyed it but wasn't as big into their change in sound. I fell out of love with Papa Roach and didn't even purchase Getting Away With Murder which was released two years later. I stopped listening to Papa Roach, only hearing them when I would hear "Last Resort" or "Getting Away With Murder" on rock radio. I hadn't listened to either of the two albums I own for years before this blog, and like P.O.D. I didn't miss them. The songs just don't do it for me the same way they did when I was thirteen. I would not purchase Papa Roach if I was hearing them for the first time and had my current musical tastes.
Papa Roach "Last Resort"
Next up we have singer/songwriter/ comedian Parry Gripp. Parry Gripp is best known as the lead singer of the pop punk band Nerf Herder. As mentioned in the N's Nerf Herder provided the theme song for Joss Whedon's Buffy The Vampire Slayer. For the P's Parry Gripp contributes the album For Those About To Shop, We Salute You. The album features fifty one tracks of faux commercials and theme songs. The album features "theme suites" where several tracks together generally revolve around one theme. There are songs about food such as "Great Nachos, Great Price" and "Bran Flakes," songs about Sports such as "European Football" and "Golf Is Groovy," just to name a few. The songs are all really quick to fit with the standard TV commercial's thirty second length, and this leads to an album with fifty one songs equaling only 34 minutes. The songs are all extremely goofy and fun. I first heard of Perry Gripp a few years ago when I became aware of his YouTube videos and songs, I really liked all of these songs so when I came across this album at the Library I snatched it up. I'm glad I did, the album is full of really quick but really amusing little jingles. I will come back to this album again and again whenever I need a good laugh. I recommend the album for fans of Weird Al and other comedy musicians.
Parry Gripp "Do You Like Waffles?"
Yet another full album contribution is up next, this time it's from the band Passion Pit. Passion Pit is an electronic rock band from Cambridge, Massachusetts that started out as a solo project of front man Michael Angelakos. The band's debut EP Chunks Of Change started out as a four track demo that Angelakos gave to his then girlfriend as a Valentine's Day present. He then began to distribute the album around the campus of Emerson College where he was attending classes. After playing a solo show he was approached by Ian Hultquist and asked to collaborate. They fleshed out the lineup and released their debut EP Chunks Of Change in 2008, which featured the four songs from the demo he gave his girlfriend and two new tracks. The EP gained the band some mainstream notice and the song "Sleepyhead" was featured in several commercials in 2008. The band then released their debut LP Manners in 2009, and gained even more attention through songs like "The Reeling" being used in commercials. The band's sound consists of samples mixed with electronically produced beats and keyboard effects, all with Angelakos' high falsetto crooning over top of it all. I first heard Passion Pit back in 2009 with the release of Manners, I heard the song "The Reeling" on MTVu and was intrigued by what I heard. I wasn't sure I liked the song at first, but after hearing it a few more times I became a fan. I still wasn't enough of a fan to purchase the album, I considered it but passed it up. I then received both Manners and Chunks Of Change from my younger brother, who had both albums. I enjoyed both albums, they each had their own unique charms, but I felt like Manners was the better of the two. I felt like Angelakos had improved as a writer, using less clumsy metaphors and a bit more simile. I enjoy the high pitched electronics and the dancy feel of a lot of the songs. I enjoy Angelakos' vocals, they remind me a bit of a cheaper version of Brian Wilson. I'm not a huge fan of Passion Pit, but I enjoy them casually.
Passion Pit "Sleepyhead"
The first one and done artist on the playlist is up next, The Passions. The Passions were a short lived band who in their five year existence were one hit wonders with the song "I'm In Love With A German Film Star." The band formed in 1978 featured music that focused heavily on the vocals of lead singer Barbara Gogan's voice and the echoing chords and notes of Clive Timperely's guitar. This gave their songs a sound that some have described as "misty." The song is about a former roadie for The Clash and The Sex Pistols who had minor roles in a few German films. I first heard the song when I first listened through the box set Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. It was one of the songs that stood out for me, with its echoing guitar complementing the slow pace and the Gogan's great voice. I've listened to the song here and there over the years, and even played it on my radio show once or twice. It's just a well done song, that deserved the attention it got in the 80's. I will come back to this song occasionally, but due to it only being one track it won't be too often.
Patsy Cline is the next one and done artist to grace this playlist. Cline was a country music singer who gained popularity with her crossover pop hits that came at the height of the "Nashville Sound" of the early 60's. She gained her success from her singles, songs such as "Crazy" (the song featured here) and "Walking After Midnight." The song "Crazy" is a slow country ballad that was written for Cline by Willie Nelson in 1961. The track is a beautiful one instrumentally, but especially vocally with Cline's beautifully expressive contralto really standing out. Cline would die in a plane crash two years later, and would gain even greater success after her death. She has sold over fifty million albums since her death and been inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. I can't recall where I first heard this song, but it was most likely from my father. The song is one that I've heard numerous times throughout the years, and I have always found to be a beautiful and poignant song. I enjoyed Patsy Cline, and admire her wonderful voice.
The next two tracks on the playlist come via singer songwriter Patti Smith. Patti Smith is a musician and poet who began to gain attention with the release of her 1975 debut Horses. This album led to her connection with the Punk Rock scene of the 70's and led to her being called "The Godmother of Punk." Her music is infused with her poetry, and this sometimes gives her songs the feel of a poetry reading accompanied by music. She became a very active activist performing at AIDS benefits in the 90's and protesting the War in Iraq in the 00's. The two songs featured here are "Free Money" and a cover of the song made popular by Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe." I can't recall the first time I heard Patti Smith, but like with Patsy Cline I've heard her from numerous sources over the years. I really enjoyed both of the songs featured here, especially her cover of "Hey Joe" which starts out with some spoken lines about Patti Hurst. I would like to look further into Patti Smith at some point in the future, I'm just not sure when.
Our next one and done artists, Penetration, were a British Punk Rock band who gained attention in the punk rock scene in the latter half of the 70's. The attention came from the release of the single "Don't Dictate" and their debut album Moving Targets in 1978. Lead singer Pauline Murray's forceful vocal style drew comparisons to Patti Smith and Siouxsie Sioux, both female punk rock icons. After a disappointing follow up album the band broke up just three years after their inception. During their brief run the band played some of the biggest punk rock clubs of the 70's such as The Roxy and opened for bands such as Generation X, The Vibrators, and The Buzzcocks. "Don't Dictate" is a slightly more complex song than many of its punk rock peers at the time, with a bit more than your standard three chords. I wasn't familiar with this song before hearing it on the box set No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion. I didn't really recall the song when I came back to it for this blog, but I'm glad I got to come back to it. It's a really well done punk rock song, and Murray's voice really helps to drive home to forceful nature and the lyrics of rebelling against being told what to do. I will do my best to come back to this song again in the future.
Another punk rock band is our next one and done artist, this time it's 90's punk and the band Pennywise. Pennywise is a punk band based out of Hermosa Beach, California, who after forming in 1989 signed to Epitaph Records which was owned by Bad Religion guitar player Brett Gurewitz. The band gained some minor mainstream attention with the revival of public interest in punk rock in the mid 90's, but unlike the other bands involved in the revival they chose to stay on an independent label. The band plays a politically charged brand of fast paced punk rock. Their songs tend to focus on the degradation of American society, and political/moral wrongs. Their songs are played at a fast pace, but unlike some of their punk peers who play a similar quick paced style their songs have been known to crack three minutes. I've been aware of Pennywise for quite a while now, I had heard the name even before I started getting into punk rock in the early 00's. I had never really bothered to listen to the band before hearing this song, "God Save The USA," on Rock Against Bush, Vol.1. I like this song, it's a good fast paced song with a bit of Bad Religion influence in it. Despite my enjoyment of this song, I haven't bothered to try and look more into the band. I'm just not a big enough fan of this song.
We move away from punk rock the next one and done artist, Percy Sledge. Percy Sledge is an American Soul singer who rose to popularity with the release of his first single "When A Man Loves A Woman" in 1966. The song propelled Sledge to be the first artists signed to Atlantic Records to have an album certified Gold. Sledge went on to release several more successful singles, but none could quite match the popularity of "When A Man Loves A Woman." The song is a soulful song of heartbreak written about a girlfriend who left Sledge in 1965 after he lost his job. The song is the one Sledge is best known for, and became the cornerstone for his career. Sledge's soulful voice is what stands out the most in his recordings, the pure emotion and soul of his vocals is what makes him special. I can't recall the first time I heard "When A Man Loves A Woman," but it's a song I grew up with and one that I'm very familiar with. I really like the song, and I enjoy Sledge's soulful vocals quite a bit. I will continue to come back to this song over the years.
The next artist is yet another one and done artist, this time it is Pere Ubu. Pere Ubu were an "avant-garde" rock band from Cleveland, Ohio which formed in 1975. The band's sound was generally described as "underground rock," partly due to the fact that the band never received mainstream attention. The band took elements of garage rock, raw guitars and vocals, and mixed them with electronic accompaniment. The band would gain a devoted cult following over the years, and had a definite influence on New Wave and Garage Rock bands that came after them. Their lyrics were interesting featuring lines like "The Girls won't touch me because I have a misdirection," and "My Mom Kicked Me Out Until I Find Some Pants That Fit." I hadn't heard of Pere Ubu before hearing this song on No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion, and I hadn't listened to it again after that initial listen through. Upon listening to it again I can definitely hear a sound that has influenced several current bands I'm familiar with today. It's an interesting song, and definitely a bit avant-garde for its time. I enjoy the song alright, but it won't be something I come back to often.
Next up is the second to last one and done artist before our next full album contributor, the artist is Phil Phillips. Phil Phillips is an American R&B singer who gained popularity in 1959 with the release of his song "Sea Of Love." The song went to #2 on the Pop Music Charts and #1 on the R&B charts. The song is in the classic R&B style of the 60's, it's a slow paced ballad of love. Phillips sings his heart out to the girl he loves, and his vocals are harmonized by his backing vocalists The Twilights. Phillips was not compensated properly for the success of "Sea of Love" and this led to him leaving the music business and never releasing his already recorded full length album. He didn't feel like he was being treated fairly or compensated fairly so he never released it. I wasn't familiar with this song before this playlist, but I enjoyed it. I've always enjoyed classic soul and R&B, and this is a great example of the genre. I wouldn't mind coming back to this song occasionally.
Phoenix comes up next to break up the block of one and done artists, right before another small block of one and done artists. Phoenix are a French Dance Rock band based out of Paris. The band formed in 1995 shortly after guitarist Laurent Brancowitz's previous band, featuring the two members of Daft Punk, broke up. The band began to gain some attention in 2000 when two songs from their debut album United were used in the movies Lost In Translation and Shallow Hal. With the release of their second album Alphabetical in 2004 the band gained greater mainstream success. Their next album, the one featured here, It's Never Been Like That, was released in 2006 and met with success equal to that of Alphabetical. The band received their big international break with the release of 2009's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and the hit single "1901." The band plays an upbeat style of rock and roll with featuring a guitar sound that relies on quick little strums broken up to give it a dance like atmosphere. That accompanied by the steady beat of the drums and steady rhythms of the bass make for a sound that is danceable without having to add the effects of synthesizers or keyboards. Over all of this lead singer Thomas Mars' vocals are a large part of the complementary sounds that make up Phoenix's music. I first heard of Phoenix back around 2009/2010, I started to read about them in music magazines and then finally I heard "1901." I enjoyed the single, but not enough to make me go buy the album. When my younger brother heard I enjoyed the band he gave me the album featured here It's Never Been Like That. I had the album but I never really gave it a proper listen until this blog, and I'm sorry that I waited so long. It's a very good album, full of great catchy tunes. I've come to enjoy Phoenix more over the past year or so, and this album is helping with my enjoyment.
Phoenix "Long Distance Call"
The one and done artist Pink Mountaintops is the next band on the playlist. Pink Mountaintops are a psychedelic rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. I couldn't find anything about this band beyond the fact that they're from Vancouver and are part of a group of musicians called the Black Mountain Collective. According to Black Mountain's Wikipedia, Pink Mountaintops are the experimental side of lead singer Stephen McBean. The song "Can You Do That Dance?" is a pretty simple song, it's pretty much the same few chords repeated over and over. It starts with a steady drum beat, the guitar joins in alternating between two chords, and then the bass does the same. The lyrics are very repetitive as well, with McBean constantly asking "can can you do that dance?" It's an interesting idea, but it gets a bit boring after a while. I probably won't come back to this song.
Another one and done artist is up next in The Pipettes. The Pipettes are an indie Girl Group based out of Britain. The band was formed by guitarist Monster Bobby who recruited the three female vocalists in an effort to recreate the sound of the 60's girl groups made popular by producer Phil Spector and give it a modern twist. The band makes sure to emphasize the women vocalists, with their backing band The Cassettes never appearing in photo shoots. The women all wear polka dots and dance in synchronized routines. All of the songs are written together by the three women. The song featured here "Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me" is a catchy tune that sounds a lot like intended, a girl group from the 60's. The song as can be gathered on the title is about falling out of love, or just not being interested in the advances of another. I first heard The Pipettes back in 2006 with the release of the single "Pull Shapes." I really liked "Pull Shapes," it's a really fun and catchy song, featuring a video that pays homage to the movie Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls. I really liked the song but never explored further, and then I realized that my brother had put "Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me" on my computer for the party to celebrate his wedding. I really enjoy both songs, even if they do have a bit of a cheesy factor to them, but because of this I don't know that I would want a full album.
We have a multiple album contributor up next in The Pixies. The Pixies are an American rock band active during the latter half of the 80's and the beginning third of the 90's. The Pixies have been named by multiple popular artists of the 90's alternative rock and today's alternative rock as a major influence. The band played a mix of indie rock and surf rock, with changes in the dynamics of the music thrown in the middle of songs for good measure. The band never gained widespread popularity in the United States, but gained considerable following in The United Kingdom. Since the band disbanded in 1993 several of their songs have been featured in blockbuster Hollywood movies. The song "Where Is My Mind" was prominently featured in the closing scenes of the Edward Norton, Brad Pitt movie Fight Club. The movie has a large following and the song is one of the most memorable from the film because of the finals scene in the movie. Over the years the members of the Pixies have also made contributions to other artists' songs and lead singer Black Francis had some minor success as a solo artist. The albums featured on this playlist Bossanova, Surfer Rosa, and Doolittle are considered their best. The first time I can recall hearing The Pixies and knowing it was The Pixies was on a mix CD that my older brother made for my Dad featuring the song "Monkey Gone To Heaven." I really liked this song, but it was a few more years before I really checked beyond that song and "Where Is My Mind." I got the three albums I mentioned previously from my younger brother who was already a big fan of The Pixies. I listened through all three albums and enjoyed them, but then moved on until coming back to them for this blog. I once again enjoyed the albums, but this time I don't intend to move one. The albums are too good for me to move on, I will be coming back to the Pixies again.
The Pixies "Where Is My Mind"
Next up is English singer songwriter PJ Harvey. PJ grew up listening to American Blues and Captain Beefheart and than incorporated those influences into her music. PJ Harvey started her musical career playing as part of a trio called PJ Harvey. The band began in around the start of the 90's and broke up after only two albums around 1993. PJ Harvey has drawn on a number of different musical styles and influences for each of her albums, never liking to repeat herself. Each new album has a different sound both musically and visually in the way she dresses. Her songwriting and music has gained her international acclaim and made her a darling of the music media. The album featured here 4-Track Demos is a collection of demos released in 1993. Of the fourteen songs, eight were from her previous and final album as a trio, and six were unreleased songs. The tracks are raw and stripped down versions of what would be fleshed out and layered as part of the trio's recordings. The songs were all recorded by Harvey at her home on a 4-Track tape recorder, all of the songs feature only Harvey singing and playing guitar and occasionally throwing in other instruments such as a tambourine or organ. Many fans and critics hailed the songs as better than the final album versions. The album released in 1993 was the album that signified her transition from part of a trio to solo artist. I first heard PJ Harvey years ago, my Dad was a fan and would play her albums in the car or on the stereo outside while he worked. I like PJ Harvey, but I really like this album especially. The songs have a raw feeling and have a bit of a ferocity to them that can get lost in the mix as part of a group. All of the songs on this album are good, and it makes me sorry that I had largely ignored this album until this blog. I enjoy these songs and will definitely come back to them again.
PJ Harvey "Reelin"
Next we have the first of two one and done artists who come before our next multiple album contributor, the first being The Plimsouls. The Plimsouls were the project of lead singer Peter Case who had just finished being part of the previously mentioned power pop band The Nerves, who's song "Hanging On The Telephone" was famously covered by Blondie. The band never achieved a large amount of success, having most of their success locally in Los Angeles, California. They had a minor hit when one of their songs was included on the soundtrack to a Hollywood film. I like The Plimsouls, although their not all that different than The Nerves. They feature very similar guitar tones and Case's vocals haven't changed much. Cases vocals remind me quite a bit of the vocals of The Exploding Hearts or Elvis Costello. It's an enjoyable song, and kind of catchy. I don't know how often I'll come back to it but it's fun.
The next one and done artists are Plumtree. Plumtree were a Canadian indie rock band that gained some popularity back in the mid 90's. The band was made up of four teenage girls, the oldest being seventeen at the time of the band's formation in 1993. The band recorded a demo that gained them some notice and got them added to a compilation of High School bands in Ottawa. The song released on the compilation earned them opening spots supporting a few more established bands, and then signed to an indie label which released their first 7" record in 1994. The three songs lead eventually to a full album that after its release began making the rounds on Canadian College radio. Their second album gained them a slightly larger following and landed them on the rotation of Much Music's music video show. The band broke up in 2000 to pursue academics, but not before leaving a mark on Canadian pop culture. The song featured here "Scott Pilgrim" inspired the popular comic series of the same name and the movie that came from it. The song is a very poppy song that definitely has some teenage mindset and phrasing. The chorus exclaims "I've like you for a thousand years, a thousand years." The song is about unrequited love between two good friends. She likes him, but he can't see her in that light. The guitar work isn't complicated but it has a really nice tone and really like it. The whole song is really enjoyable. I hadn't heard of Plumtree before getting this song on the soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. I'm glad I've heard it, it's really fun song. I will try and come back to it from time to time.
After Plumtree comes the next artist to contribute multiple albums to this playlist, The Pogues. The Pogues are an Irish Folk Punk band that gained some prominence in the 80's and early 90's. The band formed in London in 1982 plays traditional Irish folk instruments like the tin whistle, mandolin, and accordion and play them in a manner more in the style of punk rock. The band plays this mix of traditional Irish Folk and Punk rock, with lyrics that feature politically charged themes having to do with Irish politics, historical tragedies usually sung in vague references. The band led by Shane MacGowan, formerly of The Nips, started gaining notice after opening for The Clash in 1984. The band enjoyed moderate success for the next few years, but were soon becoming just as known for Shane MacGowan's drunken antics as for their music. MacGowan's behavior became so erratic and disruptive that the band kicked him out in 1991. The band went on for another five years without him before breaking up in 1996. The band reformed in 2001 for a reunion show, and has toured sporadically since then. Their tours usually include a few dates on the East Coast of the United States. The Pogues never gained much in the way of commercial success, but have seeped their way into popular culture over the years and are still much loved by The Punk Rock community. The first time I can recall hearing The Pogues and knowing it was when my older brother gave me the songs "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and "The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn." I really liked both of these songs, "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" was a poignant cover, and revolved around the World War I Battle of Gallipoli. The song is from the point of view of a young Australian man who is sent to war at Gallipoli. In the song he sings about the horrors of battle and how terrible war is. This still remains one of my favorite Pogues songs. A few years later when I started working at the radio station, I picked up a copy of The Best Of The Pogues. I really liked this album, there were a lot of great songs and I became a bigger fan of The Pogues because of it. Then in 2006, when I went to New York City for Spring Break, I got to see The Pogues live at The Roseland Ballroom. I really enjoy the mix of traditional Irish Folk music and punk rock, and how Shane MacGowan's heavily accented voice complements it all. I played The Pogues frequently on my radio show and have been listening to the best of album and also If I Should Fall From Grace With God which was given to me a few years later by my younger brother. The Pogues are a band I find myself coming back to often, and one I will enjoy for a long time.
The Pogues "Streams of Whiskey"
After the Pogues come the first of the three one and done artists that come before the next full album contribution. The Pointed Sticks are a Vancouver based pop punk band that originally formed at the end of the 70's and then broke up at the very beginning of the 80's. The band reformed in 2006 and have been touring. The band played a fast paced punk rock style mixed with five part vocal harmonies and keyboards. The band released a few singles and one full length album before breaking up. I wasn't familiar with the Pointed Sticks before my older brother put them on my iTunes for his Wedding Celebration, and I hadn't listened to them since. Upon listening to the song for pretty much the first time, I enjoyed what I heard. The band reminds me of an early version of a few pop punk bands that would come about in the early 00's like Tsunami Bomb, The Soviettes, and The Epoxies. I enjoy this song, but not enough to explore any further, I don't see myself buying the full length album anytime soon.
The next song also comes from my older brother's Wedding Celebration playlist, this time it's Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Poison is an American Glam Metal band who gained fame and popularity in the mid 80's and stayed popular in to the mid 90's. The band featured your standard teased long hair and flashy/androgynous clothing that became prominent in the mid and late 80's. The band led by front man Bret Michaels had a string of Top 50 hits, with the most successful being "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The song is what became known as a power ballad, where a normally high energy loud Glam Metal band slows it down for a tender ballad. The song, written by Michaels, is supposedly about a woman Michaels loved who cheated on him. The song was the band's first and only number one song. I think the first time I heard Poison was through this song, and this is one of the only Poison songs that I can name if asked to name a Poison song. I was never a fan of Glam Metal, I didn't like their look, I don't like their sound. This song is a Glam/Hair Metal classic, and enjoyable enough for what it is. It's a bit cheesy in my view, but it's still a very lovely song.
The third one and done artist of this block is The Police. The Police were a British New Wave band that formed at the end of the 70's, and quickly gained popularity. The band gained national popularity with the release of their first album in 1978, which featured their signature single "Roxanne." Two years later they were on their first world tour after releasing their third album, the album was the first to gain widespread success abroad. The band broke up in 1984, and have since gained a huge worldwide following, selling more than fifty million albums worldwide. The band led by front man Sting on vocals and Bass played a punk rock influenced style of music mixed with heavy jazz and reggae influences. Sting went on to have his own successful solo career as both a musician and an actor. I first heard The Police through the single "Roxanne." Over the years I've heard a good amount of music from The Police, but I always seem to come back to "Roxanne." It's probably one of my favorite New Wave songs of the 70's and 80's. I really like Sting's voice when he sings, especially when he puts emphasis on singing the name Roxanne. I can't foresee a time when I won't enjoy "Roxanne," and I plan on coming back to it frequently.
Next up comes the band Polysics, who contribute three albums to this playlist. Polysics are a Japanese New Wave/ Electro Rock band who formed at the end of the 90's in Tokyo. The band led by front man Hiroyuki Hayashi ("Hiro"), plays a style of high energy rock with synthesizers, which have become more infused in the music with each new release. The lyrics are a mix of Japanese, English, and a language made up by the band (Toisu means hello). The band credits its biggest inspiration to American New Wave rockers Devo, and have even been called "The Japanese Devo." The band is an interesting mix of style and contrast. All of the members wear orange jumpsuits with a patch with the letter P, and dark sunglasses. The contrast in the band comes in the personalities the members display on stage. Hiro plays guitar and sings in a frantic style full of energy, and Fumi on bass and displays a similar high energy. All of this energy is contrasted by Kayo who remains emotionless and robotic on the synthesizer, this plays into her frequent use of vocoder to give her voice a robotic sound. The band makes frequent use of these robotic voice effects, with Hiro and Kayo both making use of the effect. The band achieved some moderate US success when they signed to Myspace Records in 2007 and toured the United States on The Myspace Music Tour. The band has achieved much greater success at home. In 2010 Kayo left the band, and they have since continued on as a trio. I first heard The Polysics back in 2005/2006 when I picked up a compilation called Japan For Sale, Vol. 4. The compilation contained the Polysics song "Kaja Kaja Goo." I liked the song so I explored further into the band and came across the video for the song "I, My, Me, Mine." I really liked the song, and enjoyed the video which featured several different dancers performing various styles of "popping," the most notable among them being a 12 year old Japanese girl who calls herself Strong Machine 2 (named after her dancer father Strong Machine). She was also featured in the video for the song "Electric Surfin' Go Go." I continued to explore all the videos that were up on YouTube and eventually purchased Now Is The Time and Polysics Or Die!!! so I could hear more than just what I had watching videos. For a long time those were the only two I had and then about a year ago I added the album Karate House to the collection, which featured the song "Catch On Everywhere." I really enjoy Polysics' frantic high energy music, it's a whole lot of fun to listen to and really catchy even if you don't understand most of what they're singing. I highly recommend that you check out Polysics.
Polysics "Electric Surfin' Go Go"
After Polysics we get to another block of artists who don't contribute full albums to this playlist, the first being The Pop Group. The Pop Group are a British band considered to be part of the post-punk sound. The songs saw a range of influences including jazz and dub reggae. The band lasted only three years, and never achieved any noteworthy success. The song here "She Is Beyond Good And Evil," was released as the band's first single in 1978, and comes to this playlist via No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion. Their lyrics were often politically themed. Their sound for me is very reminiscent of The Clash in songs like "Rock The Casbah." I wasn't familiar with this song before the box set, and it didn't stand out for me so I hadn't listened to the song since my initial listen through of the box set. It's an alright song, that as I said reminds me of a Clash song but in this case it feels a bit like a Clash B side or something that wasn't as strong so it got put at the end of the album. I probably won't come back to this song outside of shuffle.
The next artist on the playlist is The Posies. The Posies are an alternative rock band that formed in 1987, and are based out of Washington. The Posies play a smooth brand of alternative rock, with very little of the heavy distortion heard among a lot of the bands of the 90's grunge and post grunge era. The Posies were compared to bands like The Hollies and Big Star. Their songs featured themes having to so with love and relationships. The band gained success in the 90's get a few top 40 hits, and airplay on MTV. The band's sound is very pleasant and full of nice harmonies. I wasn't familiar with The Posies before listening to the two tracks on this playlist. I had heard the name mentioned before, but these songs were the first I heard from The Posies. I'm not sure how these two songs came to be on my iTunes, and I hadn't listened to them before this playlist. The songs are nice, very enjoyable. The nice mellow sound is something that I have to be in the right mood for, and bands like this are perfect for those certain moods.
Our next one and done artist for the P's is the British Rock band Prefab Sprout. Prefab Sprout formed around the beginning of the 80's and rose to popularity just a few years later. The band's greatest success came in Great Britain, where eight of their albums made the Top 40. The band had moderate success in the United States, but barely cracked the Top 200. The song featured here "When Love Breaks Down," from the band's second full length, is a nice rock song about the loss of love in a relationship. It's got some very nice harmonies and is very melodic, it has some similarities in style to bands like The Cure. I wasn't familiar with this song before hearing it on the playlist, I had heard it once before on my initial listen through of Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. The song is a nice one but it didn't stick out for me when I first heard it, and it still doesn't. I imagine I'll quickly forget about this song again. It's a nice song, just not usually my style.
Next up is another one and done artist, The Premiers. The Premiers were an American Garage Rock band who gained attention with the release of their cover of the song "Farmer John" in 1964. The song went to # 19 on the charts, and was the band's only hit. The song has that raw garage rock sound similar to The Kinks and The Kingsmen, with a bit of R&B flavor. The band released one album, which consisted of a lot of R&B covers. The band opened for a few R&B and Garage Rock acts, but disbanded when two of its members were drafted into the Army. I had heard this song before this playlist, but I had never heard a band name connected to it before this playlist. I had heard the song "Farmer John" in various places over the years, from my brother or my Dad who were fans of this style of music. I like the song, it's fun little rock song. It's done very well and is very catchy. I don't know how often I'll come back to this song, but it's not out of the question to click on this song every once and a while.
Coming to the playlist with three songs from three different sources are The Pretenders. The Pretenders were an English rock band with an American lead singer who gained almost instant success. The band formed in 1978 and by 1979, and before their first full length album, the band had a #1 song with "Brass In Pocket." The song was a huge success in England and reached the Top 40 in the US as well. Led by lead singer Chrissie Hynde the band gained further success over the next three years before losing two of its four members, one was fired the other died of heart failure due to a reaction to cocaine. The band had released two highly successful albums at this point and decided to keep going with a new guitar player and new bass player to replace the two members they had lost. Over the next few decades the band has achieved further success with a ever rotating cast of different band members, some have left and some have been fired by Hynde. Hynde has been credited as one of the best song writers of the 80's, and The Pretenders have been named as one of the greatest bands of all time in various lists in Rolling Stone and on VH1. I can't recall the first time I hear The Pretenders, and I haven't listened to them much over the years. I hadn't really listened to the three songs featured here much, but when I listened to them for this playlist I recognized them, especially "Brass In Pocket." I really enjoy these songs, in large part thanks to Hynde's vocals. The instrumentation is very nice as well, but Hynde's vocals really help make the music for me. I imagine I will come back to these songs on occasion, especially "Brass In Pocket," which is my favorite of the three songs.
Breaking up the streak of non album contributions, and beginning a block of full album contributions, is Primal Scream. Primal Scream are a Scottish Alternative Rock band formed in Glasgow in 1982 by lead singer Bobby Gillespie. The band began gaining popularity around 1984, shortly after Gillespie quit as the drummer of Jesus And Mary Chain. The band became a large player in the 80's Indie scene before moving in a new direction at the beginning of the 90's. This new direction mixed garage rock with some elements of psychedelic rock, and Acid House Music, and in 1991 it gained the band a more mainstream popularity. The band's first major label albums were more garage rock and psychedelic with later albums incorporating more dance music/house styles into the music. The band's albums each seemed to have a slightly different overarching influence. The album featured here is Dirty Hits which is a collection of the band's greatest hits from between 1990 and 2003. The album really highlights the different influences that the band incorporated into their music, one song sounds like a Rolling Stones song, while another is more dance music heavy. I first heard Primal Scream a few years ago through my older brother, I liked the couple songs I heard so I burned this greatest hits album from my Dad. I enjoyed this album, it's got a lot of great songs with a wide range of influences. The problem with this album is the Bonus Disc, it's a disc full of remixes, and it gets boring and annoying after just a few songs. I hadn't listened to this album much before this playlist, but I liked it quite a bit. I definitely think I'll come back to this album again, but skip the Bonus Disc.
Primal Scream "Rocks"
Following Primal Scream we have the Prince. Prince is a Minneapolis born singer, song-writer, and actor who's prolific thirty year career has made him one of the most well known funk artists of all time. Prince began his musical career at the end of the 70's, and released his first album in 1978 after being signed to a major label. Prince instantly began gaining attention for his musical style which mixed elements of funk influenced by artists like Parliament and James Brown with rock and jazz. His music became known as "The Minneapolis Style" which was a mix of funk, R&B, rock, pop, and New Wave. All of this complemented by Prince's vocal range, which usually slipped into the higher octaves. He began having more and more success with each new release, and the song "Little Red Corvette" allowed Prince to be one of the first black artists to be featured in heavy rotation on MTV. In 1984 Prince formed the band The Revolution and released the movie Purple Rain. The movie and the album were both very popular and received praise. The soundtrack featured classics like "When Doves Cry" and "Purple Rain." Prince's has been a bit of a controversial artist during his career, his sexually explicit lyrics in songs like "Darlin' Nikki" led to Tipper Gore's campaign for warning labels on explicit albums. Prince for a period was known only by a symbol which was a combination for the symbols for men and women. During the time from 93-2000 when Prince was known by the symbol he increased his musical output but left the public eye a bit. He had some resurgence in the 00's, even playing the Super Bowl Half Time Show in 2007. I can't recall when I first heard Prince, he just one of those artists who are so prevalent in popular culture that you just eventually become aware of him. For a long time that's all I knew of Prince, just the few songs I had heard over the years. I added his 2007 album Planet Earth to my iTunes to become more familiar with his music, and for my Dad who liked Prince. I had hardly listened to the album over the past four years since adding it, but I did see Purple Rain during that time period and enjoyed the accompanying music. I enjoyed this album, Prince is definitely trying to stay true to himself but explore new styles as well, even rapping at one point. I'll probably stick to the singles most of the time, but I'll enjoy the album too.
Prince "When Doves Cry"
Another full album contribution is follows Prince, this time it's The Prize Fighter Inferno's 2006 album My Brother's Blood Machine. Prize Fighter Inferno is the solo project of Coheed and Cambria front man Claudio Sanchez. The album was recorded over a period of about seven years with various recording devices and people. The album is more acoustic/electronic than Coheed and Cambria's music, with most songs featuring Sanchez on acoustic guitar with electronically programmed beats in the background. Like the songs he writes for Coheed and Cambria the songs on the album are part of a story. The story featured in My Brother's Blood Machine are a prequel to the story featured in the albums of Coheed and Cambria, The Amory Wars. The story told here contains similar themes of love, the importance of children, and death. According to an MTV News interview "The Blood Machine revolves around three families, one being the Bleam family, who are our horrific sort of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' family," there's also the McCloud Family whose daughter Cecilia is the main character, and the Early family whose son is Cecilia's love interest. The songs revolve around subplots dealing with Cecilia's life and trials, her molestation at the hands of her father, how she steals her young twin brothers and runs away, and how after running away she meets the Bleam family. The Bleam Brothers are horrific monsters who's crazy mother has convinced them that God wants them to be the new death, that they have to collect souls for God. The brothers invent The Blood Machine, which tears people to pieces and in their minds collects that persons soul. So, like The Amory Wars the story is not a feel good happy ending type of story. I first heard of Prize Fighter Inferno back in 2006 with the announcement of the release date of the album by Coheed and Cambria. Since I was already a really big Coheed and Cambria fan by this time I instantly pre-ordered My Brother's Blood Machine after hearing just a few tracks beforehand. I really like this album, it's a nice change of pace from Sanchez's usual songwriting. You can hear allusions to the sound featured on the album in Coheed and Cambria's third album Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness, which had a electronic programming in small bits on a few songs. I've listened to this album a lot over the past five years, and I hope to hear more Prize Fighter Inferno material out of Sanchez.
The Prize Fighter Inferno "Who Watches The Watchmen"
Following Prize Fighter Inferno we have two one and done artists before the next full album, the first of the two is the band Prototype. Prototype are a Los Angles based Heavy Metal band who have had several of their songs featured in video games, including Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The song featured here is a cover of Metallica's "Trapped Under Ice" from the compilation Overload: A Tribute To Metallica. Whereas I have trashed every other Metallica cover that has come up on iTunes, this cover is actually decent. The cover is pretty faithful to the original. The instrumentation is right, and the vocals aren't growled or screamed at you, they're sung in a tuneful yell like the original. For a cover this isn't bad, but I won't come back to it by choice.
The next one and done artist is the English New Wave/ Art Rock band the Psychedelic Furs. Psychedelic Furs formed at the end of the 70's and just a few years later gained success. Their success began with the release of their debut LP in 1980. Success began in England, and then spread to Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Australia. It wasn't until the release of their second LP in 1981 that they began to achieve US success. The single "Pretty In Pink" became widely popular and inspired a 1986 film of the same name. Their first number one hit in the US was 1988's "All That Money Wants." At the beginning of the 90's the band became a fixture of college radio stations and also got some mainstream radio airplay. The band split in the early 90's. The song featured here is "All That Money Wants." The song has a very nice prominent bass line that helps drive the song along with the steady keyboards and lightly distorted guitar. This song comes off of the Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground box set. I hadn't heard this song before the compilation, but I had heard of Psychedelic Furs. I had heard the name thrown around a lot over the years, but I had never really bothered to listen to them. I enjoyed this song, but I don't think I'll come back to it often.
As we round the home stretch on the P's, we have the second to last full album contribution. The band that follows Psychedelic Furs is Psychodots. Psychodots were a short lived rock band based out of Cincinnati, OH. The three members of Psychodots started out as a popular Cincinnati band The Raisins and had a few local hits before breaking up. The three would then join forces with local guitarist Adrian Belew who was coming off a stint with the band King Crimson, and who had produced a few tracks for The Raisins. The band enjoyed some moderate success, and even gained a bit of attention on MTV, but failed to translate the attention into sales. The band broke up and Belew got busy with a solo career, the remaining three members formed the Psychodots and recorded two albums and toured the east coast and the mid west. Like the Bears the band didn't really achieve any success, and the members became Belew's backing band and opening act while on tour. They play a style of rock very similar to the garage rock style of bands like The Kinks, just a bit more polished. I first heard of the Psychodots from my Dad, who was a fan of Adrian Belew and King Crimson, and other Cincinnati artists like The Bears. I had heard the name over the years, but I didn't bother to check them out until I took the album On The Grid from my Father. I took it, but didn't really give it a thorough listen until this blog. It's a very enjoyable album, full of some very good garage rock. I may come back to the album from time to time, but not with consistency.
Psychodots "Not A Pretty Face"
The last full album contributor is Public Enemy. Public Enemy are a Long Island based hip hop group who rose to popularity at the end of the 80's. The group consisted of Chuck D as the primary MC, with Flavor Flav as his hype man, Professor Griff as "The Minister Of Information" and leader of the S1W (Security Of The First World), and DJ Terminator X. The group started while Chuck D was working at a local radio station and moving furniture for his father with Flavor Flav. Chuck D produced a politically charged track for the radio station and it got the notice of Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin. Chuck D was signed to Def Jam and quickly added Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, The S1W, and Terminator X to form Public Enemy. The group released its first album in 1987 to critical acclaim. The album featured hard hitting beats with politically charged songs. The group released their second album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back in 1988, to even greater commercial success driven by the hit single "Don't Believe The Hype." The band continued their success and the politically charged musical themes with their 1990 album Fear Of A Black Planet, and their album Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Back in 1991. The band fell off in mainstream popularity just a few years later, but have continued to produce politically charged hip hop. Musically Public Enemy features heavy use of samples of jazz, R&B, and funk, as the basis for their back beats which also frequently featured Terminator X scratching overtop the samples. Lyrically their music was very politically and socially conscious. Chuck D's lyrics centered around the struggles, concerns, and interests of the Black community. Examples include songs like "911 Is A Joke," which criticizes the time disparity in emergency response times to black communities compared to white communities. Songs like "I Don't Wanna Be Called Your Nigga" criticizes the casual use of a derogatory term referring to black people, by members of the black community, to refer to other members of the black community. I first heard Public Enemy around middle school, my Dad and my older brother were fans and my Dad would play It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back in the car on the way to school. I liked what I heard then, but I really began to appreciate how great this group was as I entered college and began further expanding my musical horizons. This group has the in your face, hard hitting, attitude of Run DMC but with a socially conscious message. I now own my own copy of It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, as well as owning a best of compilation. I really like Public Enemy, they have some of the best beats in hip hop and Chuck D's aggressive flow and challenging lyrics make for some great music. I will continue to listen to Public Enemy for a long time.
Public Enemy "Fight The Power"
The second to last band to grace this playlist is the one and done artist Public Image Ltd. Public Image Ltd was founded by John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) after the breakup of The Sex Pistols in 1978. Public Image Ltd according to Lydon was formed to express his more creative and experimental side. The band gained attention right away with the release of the single "Public Image." The band became a continual presence on music charts and came to be revered as one of the best Post-Punk bands. The band took heavy influences from dub reggae and incorporated them into the bass lines and arrangements which also featured sharp effects laden guitar work that would become widely imitated over the years. Lydon's vocals are more chanting and incantation leaning towards the avante garde. I started hearing about Public Image Ltd a few years ago as I was getting into punk rock, I had heard of The Sex Pistols but not the bands that followed. I had a faint familiarity with the song featured here, "Rise," but was generally unfamiliar with Public Image Ltd before this blog. I like this song, it's an interesting mix of post punk and dub reggae and it works pretty well. I will come back to the song from time to time, but mostly on shuffle.
The final track and artist on this playlist is Punchline. Punchline are an American pop punk band based out of Pennsylvania. The band places a fast paced pop punk sound with lots of vocal harmonies over quick power chord laden guitars. The song featured here is "Icicles" which is a track that comes to the playlist via A Santa Cause: It's A Punk Rock Christmas. The track features themes of loss and pain, dealing with a woman who has been acting coldly towards the singer. The track features references to her leaving him at Christmas time, and him spending Christmas alone. It's an enjoyable enough pop punk song, but it's not much more than that. It's not particularly distinctive, it's just your pop punk standard. It's enjoyable but not something I can listen to consistently.
That's it for the P's, these took longer than they should have because I wasn't able to finish the post when I started it last Sunday. Since I wasn't able to finish and I have a hard time doing any writing before work the post was postponed until tonight. The Q's will be up very soon, so stay tuned and leave me a comment.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
O So Good!
Here come the O's ladies and gentlemen. The O's were really quick and easy to get through. The playlist only featured two hundred songs, and only thirteen artists of which over half were one and done artists. I got through the O's a few days before writing this post, but a combination of work and doctors appointments kept me occupied. All that being said, the O's had a few low points, but ended strong. I enjoyed the O's, even if all of the bands didn't catch my favor this time around.
We start off the O's with the classic California Pop Punk band The Offspring. The Offspring gained popularity and mainstream success in the mid 90's and are credited alongside bands like Rancid and Green Day for rekindling interest in punk rock by the main stream. Their songs tend to be simple fast paced punk songs, but featuring more melodic choruses, making frequent use of "whoas" as backing vocals. They have also incorporated elements of ska and a bit of grunge over the years, but always with the same melodically sarcastic vocals. Their songs tend to cover everything from relationships to the things they perceive as being wrong with our current society. They have always injected an element of humor and sarcasm into their songs, a great example is their classic "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)." The song is a parody of all of the suburban kids of the late 90's who were trying hard to be "gangster." The Offspring are one of the best selling punk bands off all time, selling over 35 million records over their twenty five year career. I first heard The Offspring at the end of the 90's with the release of their album Americana and the single "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)." I liked the song, it was fun and kind of silly, and spoke well to my thirteen year old self. It wasn't until a few years later with the release of 2003's Splinter that I got my first Offspring album, I had heard the lead single "Hit That" and enjoyed it. I received the album as a gift, I enjoyed it. As I listened to it again a few years later I enjoyed it a bit less, I found a copy of the band's self titles debut which I put in my iTunes and also got a copy of their last release Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace from the radio station in 2008. I really liked the lead single for their newest album "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid," which I had heard all over rock radio. Their early work is definitely their best, it's more pure punk/pop punk, before the band started drifting a bit more towards mainstream rock and roll. I enjoy The Offspring casually, enjoying a song here and there when I hear them, but I don't listen to them with any kind of regularity. I doubt I'll purchase any future albums, and probably won't even bother to burn copies from the library.
The Offspring "Pretty Fly"
The first one and done artist, Old 97's, are the next band to grace the playlist. The Old 97's are part of a genre called Alt-Country, meaning they play Country Music that doesn't subscribe to the mainstream sound. The song featured here has much more of a folk rock feeling to it. The song, "Valentine," just features acoustic guitar accompanying lead singer Rhett Miller's tale of heartbreak. The song is a sad song about losing your valentine, and how lonely you feel. The song reminds me a bit of Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into The Dark." It's just has similar vocal styling and acoustic accompaniment. I had hear of the Old 97's before this playlist, but hadn't bothered to listen to this song before now. It was put on my iTunes as part of the soundtrack for my brother's party. I like the song, it's a nice simple sad song. I probably won't come back to it too often, but I liked it none the less.
The playlists next full album contribution is up next with Oleander's 1999 album February Son. The album was the band's major label debut, and is their best selling album to date. The band started playing together back in the middle part of the 90's with a sound that has been described as "post-grunge." With the death of Curt Cobain the popularity of grunge waned a bit, labels signed bands like Oleander who incorporated the ideals of grunge but with a radio friendly flavor. The use of heavily distorted guitars was still the rule, but with less offensive themes lyrically. Oleander fits this description well, their music features heavy distortion reminiscent of bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, just not as good. I first heard Oleander with the release of February Son back in 1999, hearing and enjoying the singles "I Walk Alone" and "Why I'm Here." I purchased the album, and enjoyed the rest of the songs as well. I listened to the album for about a year or two and then forgot about it. Before listening to the album for this blog, I hadn't listened to it in a good 9-10 years. I don't really regret that, it's not that great. The songs are all very similar, and try really hard to be Nirvana songs but don't come close. The band has some similarities to The Foo Fighters, but none that make them as good as The Foo Fighters. I'm just not a big fan of 90's alternative anymore, there are a few bands here and there that are the exception but Oleander is not one of them.
Oleander "I Walk Alone"
The next band technically contributes only half an album to the playlist, but since it was part of a split album we'll call it a full album contribution. One Man Army were a San Francisco based pop punk band who were discovered by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and singed to his brand new label in 1996. The band played a fun, fast paced brand of pop punk/hardcore. The songs were usually pretty simple musically playing a lot of the standard punk rock chords, but featuring the unique vocals of lead singer Jack Dalrymple as an identifying factor. Dalrymple's nasally yells are a big part of what makes this band so special, but the music also incorporates a bit more melody than your standard hardcore band. The songs generally featured themes lamenting things like Television programming ("TV Song") and lamenting the poor quality of radio ("The Radio Airwaves Gave Me A Lobotomy"), and society in general. The band broke up in 2005, with the members moving onto other punk related projects. I first heard of One Man Army when I picked up BYO Split Series, Vol. 5 a few year back as I was getting more and more into the other band featured on the split, Alkaline Trio. Alkaline Trio were the band I picked it up for, but I was pleasantly surprised by One Man Army. I really liked their songs, especially songs like "TV Song" and "Let's Call It An Evening." I frequently played "TV Song" on my radio show over the years. I have been enjoying their songs since I got the split series, but I've never bothered to pick up any of their three LP's. I may eventually, but right now I'm happy with the songs I have.
One Man Army "TV Song"
Only Crime contributes the next song to the playlist following One Man Army. The band is a melodic hardcore band which formed around 2003 with members of several different hardcore bands coming together due to collective frustration with their respective bands. The song here comes from Rock Against Bush Vol. 2, which was released around the same time as their debut album in 2004. The sound isn't particularly unique, borrowing heavily from bands like Black Flag. The band features a sound very close to a lot of the other "hardcore" bands signed to Fat Wreck Chords. The guitar sound near the end of the song is also very familiar, though I couldn't put my finger on exactly where I had heard it before. There just isn't anything particularly unique about this band, their sound has been done before and will be done again.
Another one and done comes up next in The Only Ones. The Only Ones were a British Rock band formed in the late 70's. Their sound is commonly associated with punk rock, but their music also bordered power pop and featured psychedelic themes. The band gained its greatest success with the single "Another Girl, Another Planet," a drug themed song that became their most well known song. The band influenced bands like The Replacements and Blink 182, with Blink 182 even covering "Another Girl, Another Planet." The Only Ones sound a lot like an early version of Blink 182, which makes their influence even more obvious. I heard of The Only Ones years ago after hearing Blink 182's version of "Another Girl, Another Planet" and being informed it was a cover of The Only Ones. I like both versions of the song, but the original, as usual, is the better version. I've never had much of a desire to explore beyond this song and I doubt I ever will.
The next two tracks come from the classic ska punk band Operation Ivy. Operation Ivy were a band that never gained a mainstream following, but gained a large cult following and influenced many of the punk bands that followed in their wake. The band formed at the end of the 80's and released their only full length album Energy in 1989, breaking up soon after. The album was reissued two years later and included the tracks from their debut EP and compilations. The album is considered by many to be one of the greatest punk rock albums of all time. The band featured Tim Armstrong on vocals and Matt Freeman on bass, both of whom would go on to form Rancid following Operation Ivy's break up. The band's sound was a mix of the classic hardcore 80's sound and ska style guitars. Armstrong's vocals went back and forth between hardcore yelling and a more melodic punk style vocals, depending on if the song was more ska heavy or more hardcore sounding. The band's songs featured lyrics containing themes expressing strong desires for unity, social justice, and distrust of conforming to the mainstream. Songs like "Unity," "Take Warning," and "Freeze Up" are some of their most well known songs. I first heard of Operation Ivy after I got into Rancid in the early 00's/late 90's. My older brother liked Rancid and gave me ...And Out Came The Wolves, I really liked that album so he introduced me to Operation Ivy. I liked Operation Ivy too, I liked their frantic hardcore sound and the ska sound that tethered the other end of their sound. My younger brother was given the reissue of Energy featuring the EP and Compilation tracks, and I enjoyed it when I heard it. I thought I had added the whole album to my iTunes, but it turns out I only had "Unity" and "Take Warning." Those two songs are two of my favorites and really good, and I will definitely add the rest of the album to my iTunes.
Operation Ivy "Take Warning"
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark is the last one and done artist before the next full album contribution. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD for short) were a synthpop band from England who were active throughout the 80's, gaining minor chart success in the US with greater success coming in Europe. The band's sound was primarily comprised of heavy use of synthesizers over top live instrumentation. The live instrumentation was mainly just for the rhythm, featuring only a bass and drums. The synthesizer dictates the sound of the song, and accounts for the nuances while the bass and drums play a steady rhythm. The song is a reference to the name of the US bomber that dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, ending World War II. Lyrics reference "Little Boy" which was the name given to the bomb. It's an interesting bit of synthpop, and highly enjoyable. I hadn't heard of OMD before hearing this song on Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. I forgot about this song, but I'm glad I listened to it again for this blog. I'll come back to it because I enjoy good synthpop like this.
The next band contributes two albums to the playlist. Orgy were an American Synth Rock band that formed in the late 90's. The band was signed to Jonathan Davis of Korn's record label and released their debut Candyass in 1998. The album sold over two million copies behind the singles "Stitches" and the New Order cover "Blue Monday." The band then released their second LP Vapor Transmissions in 2000, which featured a science fiction theme. The album featured songs about robots and a digital world. The album did not gain the same commercial success as their debut and the band faded from the eyes of the mainstream around 2002. The band's sound was characterized by down tuned guitars and bass, giving it a lower sound, and heavy synthesizers layered overtop. The band gained popularity as part of a movement of similar bands like Korn, who all used drop tuning on their guitars and mixed in electronic synthesizers. I first heard Orgy back around 98' or 99' when I heard "Blue Monday" on the radio, I really liked the song. I was really big into Orgy for about four years between 98's and 02', even going so far as to say that I like Orgy's version of "Blue Monday" better than New Order's. After Vapor Transmissions I just stopped listening to them. I think I came back to their cover of "Blue Monday" once or twice but for the most part I stopped listening. I hadn't listened to either of these two albums in a good 8-9 years, and they got worse with time. I no longer enjoy Orgy, their songs just don't work for me. They feel like a synthesizer heavy version of Korn. They have the same drop tuning, the same dark lyrics, and similar vocals. Their music just isn't very good in my opinion. Now that my musical horizons have broadened considerably I realize this. I won't listen to these albums again, at least not voluntarily.
Orgy "Blue Monday"
Otis Clay is the next artist on the playlist, contributing one track to the playlist. Clay was a Gospel/R&B singer active in the mid 50's and throughout the 60's. Clay started his career singing with different Gospel Music groups in Mississippi and throughout the South. He began his career as a secular R&B artist in the mid 60's and gained his greatest success, with the song "She's About A Mover" a cover song which just cracked the top 100 at the end of the 60's. The song featured here is a great example of the classic R&B sound of the 60's, featuring soulful vocals and tight instrumentals. Clay has that classic Soul/R&B voice, the kind of voice that comes to mind when you think about the genre. I wasn't familiar with this song before this playlist, but I enjoyed it. As I've stated on several occasions on this blog I have a bit of a soft spot for classic R&B/Soul, and this hits the spot.
Next up we have Otis Redding, who contributes eight songs to this playlist but not an actual album. All of the songs featured here come from my older brother putting them here for the celebration of his wedding. Otis Redding is one of the most well known, and popular Soul artists off all time and was called "The King Of Soul." Redding is one of the most well respected vocalists of his time for his wonderful ability to convey strong emotions in his voice. His career was brief, he achieved mainstream success in 1964 after touring with popular artist Sam & Dave. Unfortunately he was killed just three years later when the plane carrying Redding, his manager, and three members of his backing band crashed into a lake in Wisconsin. His greatest hit "(Sittin' On)The Dock Of The Bay" was released just one month after his death, and went to #1. Redding had recorded enough material for three albums to be released after his death. Redding was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989. Redding was a bit of an oddity in Soul music, as he wrote most of his own songs. Many Soul songs were written by songwriters and given to the singers. He has been cited as one of the greatest artists of all time, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Aretha Franklin who's cover of Redding's "Respect" became a smash hit. I don't recall the first time I heard the name Otis Redding, but I imagine it was pretty young. My Dad is a fan of Otis Redding so I grew up occasionally hearing his music. As I grew up and became more aware of music and the different styles I became even more aware of Redding. I really like his emotional and soulful voice, and he wrote some classic songs. "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" has to be one of my favorite Soul songs of all time. I've come back to these songs many times over the years, they're too good not to. I will continue to listen to Otis Redding for a long time.
Otis Redding "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay"
John Otway is another one and done artist, and he's up next on the playlist. John Otway is a sing songwriter who was most active in the 70's and 80's. His music came on the back of British Punk and featured some similar sounds, but a much funkier bass line and harmonizing backing vocals. John Otway achieved some minor chart success, but never really broke into the mainstream, but gained a large cult following in the process. He became known as much for his music as his humorous themes and lyrics, such as "Beware of the Flowers Cause I'm Sure They're Going To Get You Yeah," and the title of the song featured here "Babys In The Club." It's a fun little song, with a catchy little chorus. It's a humorous song, and one that I enjoyed. I wasn't familiar with John Otway before hearing this song for the blog, and I can't recall how the song came to be on my computer. It's good, but I won't come back to it often.
The final artist of the O's, and the largest contributor to the O's, is Outkast. Outkast is a hip hop group based out of Atlanta, Georgia who over their 19 year career have sold over twenty five million records worldwide. This overwhelming success has made them one of the most successful hip hop groups of all time. Outkast is comprised of Andre "Andre 3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. The group released their first single "Player's Ball" in 1993 achieving some minor success, it wasn't until the release of their debut LP Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik the next year that the band achieved mainstream success. The album went platinum and reached number twenty on the Billboard charts. Their next two album ATLiens and Aquemini gave the group the reputation of being one of the most creative groups in hip hop and helped establish Southern Rap as a style to be respected. The band achieved even greater commercial success with the release of their fourth album Stankonia in 2000. The album was more pop oriented then their previous albums, featuring the singles "B.O.B," "Ms. Jackson," and "So Fresh, So Clean" all of which had videos that achieved heavy rotation on MTV. The album went quadruple- platinum, and was the group's biggest success until the release of 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was essentially two solo albums packaged together under the name Outkast. The Love Below was Andre 3000's album, and featured a lot less rapping, more singing, and elements of funk, jazz, rock, and R&B. Speakerboxxx was Big Boi's album and featured more of a Dirty South/ party style featuring "player anthems." The albums really highlighted the differences in styles that had been apparent from the beginning and had made their music so interesting. Big Boi tended to focus on gangster themes and partying and Andre 3000 tended to focus on being "funky" and love related themes. I first heard Outkast back around 2000 with the release of Stankonia. I heard "B.O.B" and the other two singles and really liked them, and "B.O.B" quickly became a staple at dances in High School. I didn't actually purchase my first album until 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below on the strength of the two singles, Andre 3000's "Hey Ya" and Big Boi's "The Way You Move." I really liked both albums, but favored Andre 3000's a bit more. After enjoying that album for a long time I explored further, getting Aquemini and the soundtrack to the group's 2007 movie Idlewild. Finally I added Stankonia to my library. I enjoy each of their albums, and hearing some of the guest spots from some of today's popular artists before they were big. Janelle Monae is featured on several of the tracks in Idlewild two years before her debut EP and three years before her breakthrough album The ArchAndroid. Earlier albums also featured guest spots from Cee Lo Green. I really enjoy all of their albums, Aquemini is much darker than their later material, and more challenging. Stankonia was more mainstream but full of great songs, with big hooks and great raps. Speakerboxx/The Love Below highlighted the differences between the two performers, and Idlewild was another change in style, featuring more blues infused rap. I think Outkast is one of the best hip hop groups around, and have produced some of the best hip hop songs of the past twenty years. I really enjoy this group and will for a very long time.
Outkast "Rosa Parks"
That will do it for the O's, nice and quick. The O's were a pretty easy write, with lots of one and done artists it went quickly. I hope you enjoyed reading them, keep a look out for the P's in the near future. Please comment or message me to let me know what you think, it lets me know who's reading.
We start off the O's with the classic California Pop Punk band The Offspring. The Offspring gained popularity and mainstream success in the mid 90's and are credited alongside bands like Rancid and Green Day for rekindling interest in punk rock by the main stream. Their songs tend to be simple fast paced punk songs, but featuring more melodic choruses, making frequent use of "whoas" as backing vocals. They have also incorporated elements of ska and a bit of grunge over the years, but always with the same melodically sarcastic vocals. Their songs tend to cover everything from relationships to the things they perceive as being wrong with our current society. They have always injected an element of humor and sarcasm into their songs, a great example is their classic "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)." The song is a parody of all of the suburban kids of the late 90's who were trying hard to be "gangster." The Offspring are one of the best selling punk bands off all time, selling over 35 million records over their twenty five year career. I first heard The Offspring at the end of the 90's with the release of their album Americana and the single "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)." I liked the song, it was fun and kind of silly, and spoke well to my thirteen year old self. It wasn't until a few years later with the release of 2003's Splinter that I got my first Offspring album, I had heard the lead single "Hit That" and enjoyed it. I received the album as a gift, I enjoyed it. As I listened to it again a few years later I enjoyed it a bit less, I found a copy of the band's self titles debut which I put in my iTunes and also got a copy of their last release Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace from the radio station in 2008. I really liked the lead single for their newest album "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid," which I had heard all over rock radio. Their early work is definitely their best, it's more pure punk/pop punk, before the band started drifting a bit more towards mainstream rock and roll. I enjoy The Offspring casually, enjoying a song here and there when I hear them, but I don't listen to them with any kind of regularity. I doubt I'll purchase any future albums, and probably won't even bother to burn copies from the library.
The Offspring "Pretty Fly"
The first one and done artist, Old 97's, are the next band to grace the playlist. The Old 97's are part of a genre called Alt-Country, meaning they play Country Music that doesn't subscribe to the mainstream sound. The song featured here has much more of a folk rock feeling to it. The song, "Valentine," just features acoustic guitar accompanying lead singer Rhett Miller's tale of heartbreak. The song is a sad song about losing your valentine, and how lonely you feel. The song reminds me a bit of Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into The Dark." It's just has similar vocal styling and acoustic accompaniment. I had hear of the Old 97's before this playlist, but hadn't bothered to listen to this song before now. It was put on my iTunes as part of the soundtrack for my brother's party. I like the song, it's a nice simple sad song. I probably won't come back to it too often, but I liked it none the less.
The playlists next full album contribution is up next with Oleander's 1999 album February Son. The album was the band's major label debut, and is their best selling album to date. The band started playing together back in the middle part of the 90's with a sound that has been described as "post-grunge." With the death of Curt Cobain the popularity of grunge waned a bit, labels signed bands like Oleander who incorporated the ideals of grunge but with a radio friendly flavor. The use of heavily distorted guitars was still the rule, but with less offensive themes lyrically. Oleander fits this description well, their music features heavy distortion reminiscent of bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, just not as good. I first heard Oleander with the release of February Son back in 1999, hearing and enjoying the singles "I Walk Alone" and "Why I'm Here." I purchased the album, and enjoyed the rest of the songs as well. I listened to the album for about a year or two and then forgot about it. Before listening to the album for this blog, I hadn't listened to it in a good 9-10 years. I don't really regret that, it's not that great. The songs are all very similar, and try really hard to be Nirvana songs but don't come close. The band has some similarities to The Foo Fighters, but none that make them as good as The Foo Fighters. I'm just not a big fan of 90's alternative anymore, there are a few bands here and there that are the exception but Oleander is not one of them.
Oleander "I Walk Alone"
The next band technically contributes only half an album to the playlist, but since it was part of a split album we'll call it a full album contribution. One Man Army were a San Francisco based pop punk band who were discovered by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and singed to his brand new label in 1996. The band played a fun, fast paced brand of pop punk/hardcore. The songs were usually pretty simple musically playing a lot of the standard punk rock chords, but featuring the unique vocals of lead singer Jack Dalrymple as an identifying factor. Dalrymple's nasally yells are a big part of what makes this band so special, but the music also incorporates a bit more melody than your standard hardcore band. The songs generally featured themes lamenting things like Television programming ("TV Song") and lamenting the poor quality of radio ("The Radio Airwaves Gave Me A Lobotomy"), and society in general. The band broke up in 2005, with the members moving onto other punk related projects. I first heard of One Man Army when I picked up BYO Split Series, Vol. 5 a few year back as I was getting more and more into the other band featured on the split, Alkaline Trio. Alkaline Trio were the band I picked it up for, but I was pleasantly surprised by One Man Army. I really liked their songs, especially songs like "TV Song" and "Let's Call It An Evening." I frequently played "TV Song" on my radio show over the years. I have been enjoying their songs since I got the split series, but I've never bothered to pick up any of their three LP's. I may eventually, but right now I'm happy with the songs I have.
One Man Army "TV Song"
Only Crime contributes the next song to the playlist following One Man Army. The band is a melodic hardcore band which formed around 2003 with members of several different hardcore bands coming together due to collective frustration with their respective bands. The song here comes from Rock Against Bush Vol. 2, which was released around the same time as their debut album in 2004. The sound isn't particularly unique, borrowing heavily from bands like Black Flag. The band features a sound very close to a lot of the other "hardcore" bands signed to Fat Wreck Chords. The guitar sound near the end of the song is also very familiar, though I couldn't put my finger on exactly where I had heard it before. There just isn't anything particularly unique about this band, their sound has been done before and will be done again.
Another one and done comes up next in The Only Ones. The Only Ones were a British Rock band formed in the late 70's. Their sound is commonly associated with punk rock, but their music also bordered power pop and featured psychedelic themes. The band gained its greatest success with the single "Another Girl, Another Planet," a drug themed song that became their most well known song. The band influenced bands like The Replacements and Blink 182, with Blink 182 even covering "Another Girl, Another Planet." The Only Ones sound a lot like an early version of Blink 182, which makes their influence even more obvious. I heard of The Only Ones years ago after hearing Blink 182's version of "Another Girl, Another Planet" and being informed it was a cover of The Only Ones. I like both versions of the song, but the original, as usual, is the better version. I've never had much of a desire to explore beyond this song and I doubt I ever will.
The next two tracks come from the classic ska punk band Operation Ivy. Operation Ivy were a band that never gained a mainstream following, but gained a large cult following and influenced many of the punk bands that followed in their wake. The band formed at the end of the 80's and released their only full length album Energy in 1989, breaking up soon after. The album was reissued two years later and included the tracks from their debut EP and compilations. The album is considered by many to be one of the greatest punk rock albums of all time. The band featured Tim Armstrong on vocals and Matt Freeman on bass, both of whom would go on to form Rancid following Operation Ivy's break up. The band's sound was a mix of the classic hardcore 80's sound and ska style guitars. Armstrong's vocals went back and forth between hardcore yelling and a more melodic punk style vocals, depending on if the song was more ska heavy or more hardcore sounding. The band's songs featured lyrics containing themes expressing strong desires for unity, social justice, and distrust of conforming to the mainstream. Songs like "Unity," "Take Warning," and "Freeze Up" are some of their most well known songs. I first heard of Operation Ivy after I got into Rancid in the early 00's/late 90's. My older brother liked Rancid and gave me ...And Out Came The Wolves, I really liked that album so he introduced me to Operation Ivy. I liked Operation Ivy too, I liked their frantic hardcore sound and the ska sound that tethered the other end of their sound. My younger brother was given the reissue of Energy featuring the EP and Compilation tracks, and I enjoyed it when I heard it. I thought I had added the whole album to my iTunes, but it turns out I only had "Unity" and "Take Warning." Those two songs are two of my favorites and really good, and I will definitely add the rest of the album to my iTunes.
Operation Ivy "Take Warning"
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark is the last one and done artist before the next full album contribution. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD for short) were a synthpop band from England who were active throughout the 80's, gaining minor chart success in the US with greater success coming in Europe. The band's sound was primarily comprised of heavy use of synthesizers over top live instrumentation. The live instrumentation was mainly just for the rhythm, featuring only a bass and drums. The synthesizer dictates the sound of the song, and accounts for the nuances while the bass and drums play a steady rhythm. The song is a reference to the name of the US bomber that dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, ending World War II. Lyrics reference "Little Boy" which was the name given to the bomb. It's an interesting bit of synthpop, and highly enjoyable. I hadn't heard of OMD before hearing this song on Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80's Underground. I forgot about this song, but I'm glad I listened to it again for this blog. I'll come back to it because I enjoy good synthpop like this.
The next band contributes two albums to the playlist. Orgy were an American Synth Rock band that formed in the late 90's. The band was signed to Jonathan Davis of Korn's record label and released their debut Candyass in 1998. The album sold over two million copies behind the singles "Stitches" and the New Order cover "Blue Monday." The band then released their second LP Vapor Transmissions in 2000, which featured a science fiction theme. The album featured songs about robots and a digital world. The album did not gain the same commercial success as their debut and the band faded from the eyes of the mainstream around 2002. The band's sound was characterized by down tuned guitars and bass, giving it a lower sound, and heavy synthesizers layered overtop. The band gained popularity as part of a movement of similar bands like Korn, who all used drop tuning on their guitars and mixed in electronic synthesizers. I first heard Orgy back around 98' or 99' when I heard "Blue Monday" on the radio, I really liked the song. I was really big into Orgy for about four years between 98's and 02', even going so far as to say that I like Orgy's version of "Blue Monday" better than New Order's. After Vapor Transmissions I just stopped listening to them. I think I came back to their cover of "Blue Monday" once or twice but for the most part I stopped listening. I hadn't listened to either of these two albums in a good 8-9 years, and they got worse with time. I no longer enjoy Orgy, their songs just don't work for me. They feel like a synthesizer heavy version of Korn. They have the same drop tuning, the same dark lyrics, and similar vocals. Their music just isn't very good in my opinion. Now that my musical horizons have broadened considerably I realize this. I won't listen to these albums again, at least not voluntarily.
Orgy "Blue Monday"
Otis Clay is the next artist on the playlist, contributing one track to the playlist. Clay was a Gospel/R&B singer active in the mid 50's and throughout the 60's. Clay started his career singing with different Gospel Music groups in Mississippi and throughout the South. He began his career as a secular R&B artist in the mid 60's and gained his greatest success, with the song "She's About A Mover" a cover song which just cracked the top 100 at the end of the 60's. The song featured here is a great example of the classic R&B sound of the 60's, featuring soulful vocals and tight instrumentals. Clay has that classic Soul/R&B voice, the kind of voice that comes to mind when you think about the genre. I wasn't familiar with this song before this playlist, but I enjoyed it. As I've stated on several occasions on this blog I have a bit of a soft spot for classic R&B/Soul, and this hits the spot.
Next up we have Otis Redding, who contributes eight songs to this playlist but not an actual album. All of the songs featured here come from my older brother putting them here for the celebration of his wedding. Otis Redding is one of the most well known, and popular Soul artists off all time and was called "The King Of Soul." Redding is one of the most well respected vocalists of his time for his wonderful ability to convey strong emotions in his voice. His career was brief, he achieved mainstream success in 1964 after touring with popular artist Sam & Dave. Unfortunately he was killed just three years later when the plane carrying Redding, his manager, and three members of his backing band crashed into a lake in Wisconsin. His greatest hit "(Sittin' On)The Dock Of The Bay" was released just one month after his death, and went to #1. Redding had recorded enough material for three albums to be released after his death. Redding was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989. Redding was a bit of an oddity in Soul music, as he wrote most of his own songs. Many Soul songs were written by songwriters and given to the singers. He has been cited as one of the greatest artists of all time, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Aretha Franklin who's cover of Redding's "Respect" became a smash hit. I don't recall the first time I heard the name Otis Redding, but I imagine it was pretty young. My Dad is a fan of Otis Redding so I grew up occasionally hearing his music. As I grew up and became more aware of music and the different styles I became even more aware of Redding. I really like his emotional and soulful voice, and he wrote some classic songs. "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" has to be one of my favorite Soul songs of all time. I've come back to these songs many times over the years, they're too good not to. I will continue to listen to Otis Redding for a long time.
Otis Redding "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay"
John Otway is another one and done artist, and he's up next on the playlist. John Otway is a sing songwriter who was most active in the 70's and 80's. His music came on the back of British Punk and featured some similar sounds, but a much funkier bass line and harmonizing backing vocals. John Otway achieved some minor chart success, but never really broke into the mainstream, but gained a large cult following in the process. He became known as much for his music as his humorous themes and lyrics, such as "Beware of the Flowers Cause I'm Sure They're Going To Get You Yeah," and the title of the song featured here "Babys In The Club." It's a fun little song, with a catchy little chorus. It's a humorous song, and one that I enjoyed. I wasn't familiar with John Otway before hearing this song for the blog, and I can't recall how the song came to be on my computer. It's good, but I won't come back to it often.
The final artist of the O's, and the largest contributor to the O's, is Outkast. Outkast is a hip hop group based out of Atlanta, Georgia who over their 19 year career have sold over twenty five million records worldwide. This overwhelming success has made them one of the most successful hip hop groups of all time. Outkast is comprised of Andre "Andre 3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. The group released their first single "Player's Ball" in 1993 achieving some minor success, it wasn't until the release of their debut LP Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik the next year that the band achieved mainstream success. The album went platinum and reached number twenty on the Billboard charts. Their next two album ATLiens and Aquemini gave the group the reputation of being one of the most creative groups in hip hop and helped establish Southern Rap as a style to be respected. The band achieved even greater commercial success with the release of their fourth album Stankonia in 2000. The album was more pop oriented then their previous albums, featuring the singles "B.O.B," "Ms. Jackson," and "So Fresh, So Clean" all of which had videos that achieved heavy rotation on MTV. The album went quadruple- platinum, and was the group's biggest success until the release of 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was essentially two solo albums packaged together under the name Outkast. The Love Below was Andre 3000's album, and featured a lot less rapping, more singing, and elements of funk, jazz, rock, and R&B. Speakerboxxx was Big Boi's album and featured more of a Dirty South/ party style featuring "player anthems." The albums really highlighted the differences in styles that had been apparent from the beginning and had made their music so interesting. Big Boi tended to focus on gangster themes and partying and Andre 3000 tended to focus on being "funky" and love related themes. I first heard Outkast back around 2000 with the release of Stankonia. I heard "B.O.B" and the other two singles and really liked them, and "B.O.B" quickly became a staple at dances in High School. I didn't actually purchase my first album until 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below on the strength of the two singles, Andre 3000's "Hey Ya" and Big Boi's "The Way You Move." I really liked both albums, but favored Andre 3000's a bit more. After enjoying that album for a long time I explored further, getting Aquemini and the soundtrack to the group's 2007 movie Idlewild. Finally I added Stankonia to my library. I enjoy each of their albums, and hearing some of the guest spots from some of today's popular artists before they were big. Janelle Monae is featured on several of the tracks in Idlewild two years before her debut EP and three years before her breakthrough album The ArchAndroid. Earlier albums also featured guest spots from Cee Lo Green. I really enjoy all of their albums, Aquemini is much darker than their later material, and more challenging. Stankonia was more mainstream but full of great songs, with big hooks and great raps. Speakerboxx/The Love Below highlighted the differences between the two performers, and Idlewild was another change in style, featuring more blues infused rap. I think Outkast is one of the best hip hop groups around, and have produced some of the best hip hop songs of the past twenty years. I really enjoy this group and will for a very long time.
Outkast "Rosa Parks"
That will do it for the O's, nice and quick. The O's were a pretty easy write, with lots of one and done artists it went quickly. I hope you enjoyed reading them, keep a look out for the P's in the near future. Please comment or message me to let me know what you think, it lets me know who's reading.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
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.
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.
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