Sunday, April 28, 2013

Weekend Music Roundup (Jukebox Edition)



For the last couple of weeks I've been driving a car with a broken CD player and no iPod hook-up device, which has left me to the mercy of the radio. Anyone who knows me, knows how I despise radio. However, for a short time, it can be kind of fun. There's something to be said about not being in control and flipping around to find some song that grabs you. Another big intrusion into my listen habits over the past month has been my obsessive playing of Song Pop, the name-that-tune style online game. It's brought up tons of songs that I've forgotten about and spurred a binge of going through old CDs to pull out songs that I love. So in honor of these two aspects of my musical life, I've decided to give you a playlist of songs that have been resurrected into rotation. Here's my ideal "Drive at Five" commercial free. Enjoy.



Bon Jovi - Runnaway: The opening track from their 1984 debut. This has been a radio staple the last few weeks and for good reason. It's awesome.


Golden Earring - Twilight Zone: Everyone knows their '73 classic "Radar Love," but this '82 song might be equally as good.



Styx - Renegade: This song comes on the radio almost every other time I'm in the car, and I confess to turning it up...LOUD. 



The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldier: One of the best songs of 00's, and pretty great video too. 



Led Zeppelin - You Shook Me (BBC Sessions): After hearing a steady diet of Zep on the radio waves, I  pulled out this double disc gem and it opens with this incredible howl.



Cinderella - Bad Seamstress Blues, Fallin Apart at the Seams: I've always felt this Philly rock band got a bad shaft. More bluesy than their contemporaries, they're a solid rock band. I pulled out this CD and this opener just straight up rocks.



Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe: Another radio staple, this 1981 song has a haunting groove that's just super slick and super cool.


Mötley Crüe - Live Wire: The pounding glam classic from their overlooked 1981 debut. This came on the radio too and I was floored, shouting "Live Wire! Nobody's plays Live Wire!" Awesome. Pulled out the CD have been listening to it ever since.



Soft Cell - Tainted Love: I have no less than 4 cover versions of this song, but the best known version is still amazing. It came on the radio during a late night drive the other week and it got played at top volume. The video adds a strange element to the song as he's seen singing it to a little girl.



Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy: From their 1991 debut, the birth of trip-hop...been really into this again lately thanks to Song Pop



Tricky - Hell is Around the Corner: This 1995 debut easily ranks in my top 100 albums of the 90s and this song is one of the best on there.



The Rapture - Killing: I absolutely love this 2003 second album from NYC dance punk heroes.


Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm: The opening track from their second album is fantastic, even if it does make fun of my namesake.



The Monkees - (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone: The B-Side to their '66 hit "I'm a Believer" is a garage rock masterpiece, later covered by Sex Pistols and Minor Threat, it's a proto punk nugget.



The Misfits - Bullet: Been on a huge Misfits kick lately and this has always been my favorite Misfits song.



Ministry - Jesus Built My Hot Rod: Summer of '91 comes back to me listening this Industrial classic.



Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month: I've loved this album ever since it came out in 2004...and yes, I remember when the city was a nice place for midwives and crossing guards.



Korn - Coming Undone: A ten ton rocker from their 2005 "See You On the Other Side".



My Chemical Romance - Helena: Cabaret punk masterpiece and one of the best songs of 2005, and a great video too.


Aerosmith - Rag Doll: Okay, so I hate this band with a passion, but this song keeps coming on the radio and I keep turning it up. Yeah, it's pretty awesome.



Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Refugee: Another band I'm not a fan of, but have always loved this 1979 classic. About 12 years ago, I even bought this album just for this song. It comes on the radio a lot, and I like it.



Elton John - Tiny Dancer: Probably one of my favorite songs of all time, this came on the radio and it was a freeway sing along at top volume. Also from one of the best albums of all time.



Arlo Guthrie - Coming Into Los Angeles: His brilliant 1969 smuggling song is country folk rock at it's best.



The Mamas and The Papas - Creeque Alley: The 1967 hit which tells the story about how the band formed is one of my favorites.



Drop Nineteens - Baby Wonder: Taken from their 1992 album "Deleware," which I bought the week it came out and it has never fallen far from my favorites.



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