Whitney Rose “In A Rut” (2020)
“Don’t ask me how I got this way / Oh, that’s asking too much” cries Whitney Rose amidst the whirlwind chorus as she rattles off the title line ‘I’m In A Rut’ an appropriately repetitive 28 total times. Only her delivery is so rapid-fire, gaps collapsed between the few words and syllables..... Read More
B.B. King “I’m Moving On” (1991)
..The King Of The Blues, Mr. B.B. King, resplendent in a glittery tux jacket and wincing in apparent pain at the impossibly high note he’s managed to hit on his renowned Gibson guitar “Lucille”..... Read More
Hall & Oates “Back Together Again” (1976)
Who's the most successful duo of the rock era? I think most people’s first reaction would rightfully be Simon & Garfunkel, while some would choose The Everly Brothers. Upset picks could go to Sam & Dave, The Carpenters, or Jan & Dean. They’d all be wrong..... Read More
Rolling Stones “Dance Little Sister” (1974)
Over the years, rockers seem to have exhibited some curious ideas about sisters, but in particular little sisters. The thought occurred to me recently when hearing Elton John’s much-forgotten rave-up ‘Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock and Roll)’ – not explicitly about a “little” sister, but with the lyric..... Read More
Maxshh “Song For Dad” (2020)
..Rather than try to record what he’d conceived of as his far-reaching “super-incubated encyclopedia of everything,” he returned, instead, to one of his earliest listening roots: pop/rock music, songs formulated and stylized to leave a first impression of “nice” rather than “challenging.”... Read More
Bob Dylan “My Back Pages”
The single greatest collection of superstar artists ever gathered together on one stage to perform one song: My Back Pages @ MSG by a murderers row of McGuinn, Petty, Young, Clapton, Dylan, and Harrison.... Read More
Lynyrd Skynyrd “Freebird” (1973)
It’s two songs, really. The second part – the seemingly endless rounds of classic chord progressions and never-to-be-matched guitar wailing – made it what it is, arguably the greatest rock song of all time. But would it be remembered that way without the first part, that sweet, melancholic ballad written and sung by perhaps the...... Read More
Another Covid 19 Playlist
Another weird week, in a string of weird weeks. Another 19 songs. Another Covid 19 Playlist. Unlike my prior effort, no self-imposed, OCD-driven, 1970’s-only restrictions for this one, so I can now give ‘Strange Days’ the opening slot it deserves. Lots of cautions lately to please ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me,’ ‘Keep Your Hands...... Read More
The Covid 19 Playlist
What can I say, what can any of us say, to describe the surreal times in which we find ourselves. Well, not much, unfortunately. So, I thought I’d take a shot at providing a small benefit to the current manifestly twisted zeitgeist, in about the best way I know: with a Playlist..... Read More
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers “Roadrunner” (1976)
..it’s 4 beats to a measure, and the count goes to 4. Except for one: ‘Roadrunner’ by Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, which starts with a count-off…to 6. As best as I know, it’s the only song ever to do this, though surely this can’t be verified... Read More