Muncie Girls: Picture of Health (Track of the Week)

Exeter's own Muncie Girls are a great deal of fun. Power punk has always been a great jam and this band really delivers it in spades on their just released second full length, Fixed Ideals. My first several listens brought me back to those halcyon days of mid-90's alt jams and sweaty mosh pits.

Here's my favorite track.

 

Wild Nothing: Oscillation (Track of the Week)

Virginia's own Wild Nothing have really made quite a nice and tidy career for themselves these last eight years. They just released their fourth full length album called Indigo and it's more of the same, wonderful 80's tinged nostalgia. Of course, it sounds much better since it was recorded in the 21st century.

I love me some echo-y vocals and strummy guitars!

The Vryll Society: Glows and Spheres (Track of the Week)

I've always been a sucker for psychedelic rock especially bands from Liverpool (gee, I wonder why?). The Vryll Society has just released their first full length album after a couple of singles and an EP and I completely adored straight away. It has all the right ingredients that make for a perfect record...British (from the North Country), psychedelic, poppy, dreamy, and with hints of my favorite bands (The Stone Roses, The La's, The Charlatans).



Instantly, a top gem for 2018. Here's one of my favorite tracks but, honestly, all 11 are wonderful.Buy it now!

Great Lake Swimmers: Unmaking the Bed (Track of the Week)

Toronto's own Great Lake Swimmers have released another dandy of a record called The Waves and the Wake. Tony Dekker's outfit owns the last 15 years in terms of melodic folk rock. Honestly, they are more than that. I hear a lot of shoe gaze and complex orchestration in their tracks. It's good music for mind palace travels.

Here's my favorite track, an early contender for my autumn music series...

Amanda Shires: Parking Lot Piroutte (Track of the Week)

The Lone Star state has produced some amazing musicians over the years. Lubbock's own Amanda Shires is right up there with all of them. She's been churning out records for over a decade and her latest effort, To The Sunset, is quite wonderful.

Her music paints images and stories of characters that are all too familiar to me even though I live in the North Woods. It's a nice melange of alt country and soft rock that goes well with the dog days of August.


Here's my favorite track which also happens to be the first one...

The Internet: Stay The Night (Track of the Week)

The Internet is cool. No, not that area of cyber space where we all waste too much time in our lives. I'm talking about the acid jazz chill out band from Los Angeles that just released their fourth full length album that is bloody extraordinary. Fronted by Sydney Loren Bennet (left), The Internet spins grooves and soundscapes that take your mind palace on magnificent explorations of the heart, mind and soul. Hive Mind is the latest offering on this journey that I am all too happy to take. Syd's vocals are gorgeous. This young woman is a real talent.

Here is my favorite track...

Luluc: Kids (Track of the Week)

Melbourne's own Luluc have released their third full length album, Sculptor, and it's quite enjoyable for star gazing on warm summer nights-solo or with that someone special. It's also a great record to listen to while staring wistfully at the rain out the window. Currently based in Brooklyn, Zoe and Steve simply make music that warms your heart. Here's my favorite track...very powerful...

The Interrupters: She's Kerosene (Track of the Week)

It makes me so happy that ska music is alive and well in 2018. LA's own The Interrupters are a fine example of the awesomeness that is happening with the genre right now. Formed out of Aimee Allen's solo career (don't solo careers come after bands? that's why this is so cool), this quartet of high octane punk-ska grist have just released their third full length entitled Fight The Good Fight. It's 12 tracks of pure magic.

Here's my favorite...

Peace: Angel (Track of the Week)

Worcester's shining star, Peace, released their third full length album, Kindness is the New Rock and Roll last month and I've been soaking it in every day since. They were start of the latest and greatest wave of Brit rockers though not as well known as Catfish and the Bottlemen, Viola Beach or Blossoms. These Midlands lads spin some amazing tales of Holy Land wonder. Take the time to drench yourself in it this summer for a nice cool down.



Here's my favorite song on the 10 track album...for lovers everywhere...

The Song of the Summer 2018: Hollie Cook-"Turn It Around"

Today is the first official day of summer and with that we must have the song that should be heard out of blue tooth speakers, car stereos and earbuds all across the sun splashed lands of our great earth.

Hollie Cook, daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook and god daughter of Boy George, has released her third full length album entitled Vessel of Love. Though it was released earlier this year, it honestly gave me a breath of summer breeze in the middle of a cold, North Woods winter.

The seventh track on the disc, "Turn It Around," feels like it could have come out in the 80's with its dreamy and playful bounce and lyrics describing mysterioso love strangers. Where's the video I can watch on MTV? I can easily imagine it in the body of my 16 year old self.

Take a long walk around Lake of the Isles, listen to this track, and perhaps you might meet a future lover...

Johnny Marr: Rise (Track of the Week)

Johnny Marr is a god...a brit rock god. He was born in Manchester. He was in one of the greatest bands of all time (The Smiths) that made one of the greatest albums of all time (The Queen is Dead). He was awarded NME's god like genius award in 2013. He's on a corker of a solo career with this third full length release, Call of the Comet, dropping last week. This guy continues to top himself in a now four decade career.

Here is the opening track. Dig it!!


 

The Top 101 Albums of All Time

After careful consideration, here are my top 101 albums of all time. As lists go, this one is more personal than professional. This is truly MY list and not at all an objective list. For example, I'm not going to include a Wilco album just because it should be on the list. These are albums that have meant and still mean a great deal to me. They have been the soundtrack to my 51 years on this planet and I consider them essential listening for any serious music devotee.

I will be adding to this list in terms of hyperlinks which dive deeper into each album. Note that #7 (Dreamboat Annie by Heart) already has such a link. I will also be adding #102-200 at some point as well. My goal is to get to the 500 best albums of all time IMHO.

Here is the list, starting at #1.

1. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys 
2. Abbey Road by The Beatles 
3. Love Is Hell (2 EP UK Edition) by Ryan Adams 
4. Just Enough Education To Perform by Stereophonics
5. Paul Weller (Japanese Edition) by Paul Weller 
6. Costello Music by The Fratellis 
7. Dreamboat Annie by Heart
8. All or Nothing by The Subways
9. Skylarking by XTC
10. Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not by The Arctic Monkeys
11. Aja by Steely Dan
12. The Beatles (White Album) by The Beatles 
13. Confessions of a Pop Group by the Style Council 
14. Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
15. The Nightfly by Donald Fagan
16. Revolver by The Beatles 
17. Inside In/Inside Out by The Kooks
18. Healing by Todd Rundgren
19. Diamonds and Pearls by Prince
20. The Unforgettable Fire by U2
21. Stone Roses by Stones Roses 
22. Definitely Maybe by Oasis 
23. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
24. What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
25. Blood Sugar Sex Magic by Red Hot Chili Peppers
26. Quadrophenia by The Who 
27. Chips From The Chocolate Fireball by The Dukes of Stratosphear 
28. Smile by Brian Wilson 
29. The Man Who by Travis 
30. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis 
31. Urban Hymns by The Verve
32. You Gotta Go There To Come Back by Stereophonics 
33. The Yes Album by Yes 
34. October by U2
35. Pink World by Planet P Project 
36. Let’s Dance by David Bowie 
37. After The Gold Rush by Neil Young
38. How Dare You! By 10cc
39. The Secret Migration by Mercury Rev
40. Let It Be (Phil Spector Mix) by The Beatles
41. Something/Anything by Todd Rundgren
42. Rubber Soul by The Beatles
43. Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams 
44. Purple Rain by Prince
45. Who’s Next by The Who
46. Achtung Baby by U2
47. A Hundred Million Suns by Snow Patrol 
48. Language Sex Violence Other by Stereophonics 
49. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
50. Pandemonium by The Time 
51. The Balcony by Catfish and the Bottlemen 
52. Damn The Torpedoes by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 
53. Hopes and Fears by Keane
54. Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan 
55. The Gift by The Jam
56. The Joshua Tree by U2
57. Help by The Beatles
58. Young for Eternity by The Subways
59. I Just Can’t Stop It by The English Beat 
60. Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
61. Final Straw by Snow Patrol 
62. Crowded House by Crowded House
63. Cafe Bleu by The Style Council
64. Best Crazy by Joe Jackson 
65. Fish Out of Water By Chris Squire 
66. A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles 
67. Utopia (1982) by Utopia 
68. Purple by Stone Temple Pilots
69. Up The Bracket by The Libertines
70. Songs From The Big Chair by Tears for Fears
71. Jordan The Comeback by Prefab Sprout 
72. The La’s by The La’s 
73. Stronger Than Pride by Sade
74. Is This It? By The Strokes
75. Getz Au Go Go by Stan Getz
76. Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell
77. Tim by The Replacements 
78. Fisherman’s Blues by The Waterboys
79. Past Masters by The Beatles 
80. Another Live by Utopia 
81. Time Out by Dave Brubeck 
82. Odelay by Beck
83. War by U2 
84. Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles
85. Tonight by David Bowie
86. Zooropa by U2
87. 1999 by Prince
88. Sound Affects by The Jam
89. Rumors by Fleetwood Mac 
90. Look Sharp! By Joe Jackson 
91. Murmur by REM
92. Beatles For Sale by The Beatles
93. Finisterre by Saint Etienne
94. Couldn’t Stand the Weather by Stevie Ray Vaughn
95. Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
96. Zenyatta Mondatta by The Police 
97. Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots
98. If I Should Fall From Grace With God by The Pogues
99. HARRP Live by Muse
100. In Thru the Out Door by Led Zeppelin
101. The Age of the Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets 

Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson: Bad Dreams (Track of the Week)

The year 2009 saw an interesting musical pairing of indie darling Pete Yorn with Hollywood A Lister Scarlett Johansson. They released a tres emo record called Break Up. I thought it was pretty cool though most critics did not. I guess I've always gone in for the melancholy stuff.

This year they are back with more of it on an EP entitled After. Here is the first track, "Iguana Bird."

Wooden Shjips: Eclipse (Track of the Week)

Spacey, psychedelic rock always interests me and I'm glad there are bands still around that are making it. One of them is San Francisco's own Wooden Shjips. They just release their fifth full length record and it's quite wonderful. V has seven mind bending tracks that are sure to activate old trips buried deep within the recesses of you mind.

Here's the first track...

 

Friendly Fires: Love Like Waves (Track of the Week)

Summer always means Friendly Fires  to me. Their music is light, warm, sunny, and just fucking awesome. Sure, their catalog is small (two albums, a side project and a few singles) but the lads from St. Albans, Hertfordshire continue to stun me with great music.

They are back strong with this track...

Damien Jurado: Allocate (Track of the Week)

Seattle has produced some fine music over the years. One overlooked artist is Damien Jurado who has been churning out albums over the last 20 years. His just released 13th record is called The Horizon Just Laughed and it's fantastic. It sets a very chill mood with the opening track (featured below) and proceeds to slide one into a very romantic and sorely needed melancholy place.

I'll have to give this album a listen again in the fall as it would go well with that particular season.

The Road Still Leads To Utopia

The first concert I ever attended was in the summer of 1980. My dad was a big Todd Rundgren fan and his band, Utopia, was playing at Poplar Creek in Chicago. I had just turned 13 a few months before the show and my dad decided it was time for my rite of passage into the world of live music.

Todd's music had been a big part of my childhood. My dad played Something/Anything, Another Live, Hermit of Mink Hollow and Adventures in Utopia endlessly throughout the 1970's. I count these records as some of my favorite albums of all time. I was so massively excited to see them live I could hardly stand it! It was an amazing concert in a perfect outdoor setting. Seeing Todd and Utopia soon became an annual tradition for me and my dad.

When I lost my father in 1988 to alcohol addiction, Todd and Utopia's music comforted me on a regular basis. Their songs have always had a healing quality about them, including the solo Todd album of the same name. Every time I listened to their music, I thought about the good times with my dad and him not being there was just a little easier to bear. Over the years as I would see Todd live, I'd think about my dad and the music we shared together.

Memories of my father were quite strong last Saturday night in Milwaukee when I caught the much anticipated reunion of Utopia. Todd's band had not really played together as an official unit since 1992. They did warm up for Todd's full album tours in 2009 (minus Willie and with Prairie Prince on drums)  but it seemed less like a real Utopia show and more like a .brief dip into nostalgia. This current tour is a full on Utopia tour, complete with dazzling visuals and a complete musical history of the band. The set list for this tour starts at the beginning and winds its way through the band's whole history.

I was lucky enough to score a VIP ticket which came with a meet and greet before the show. Here's a picture of me and the boys. It was truly an honor to meet them. Michelle Rundgren, Todd's wife, organized this event and did a fantastic job of getting everyone photos with the band and autographs of anything they wanted signed.

Next, it was on to the show!

My VIP ticket got me in the fourth row to take in all the power and glory. I was dead center. I was close enough to get some great photos but far enough away that I could take in all the visuals. I remember wondering right before the show was about to start...would the band match up to their younger selves?

Bear in mind, I've seen Todd 20 times in concert, five of which were with Utopia and, given that they are all getting up their in years (minus Gil Assayas, their new keyboard player), I wondered how they would stack up to their previous shows.

From the opening minutes of the first song ("Utopia Theme"), I knew that they were going to COMPLETELY BLOW AWAY all the previous shows I had seen. They were ON from the very first note. It was shocking, to be quite frank.

A flood of wonderful memories opened up and poured out as they worked their way through both sets. The visuals, which were shovel to the head stunning, worked hand in hand with the note for note renditions of all their best tracks. All band members were energetic and polished throughout the entire 2 and 1/2 hour show. Here are some action shots of each band member.

High points for me were "Overture-Communion With The Sun," "Freedom Figthers," "I Will Wait," and "Rock Love." Kaz was amazing as always...the voice of an angel. It was great to see Willie behind the kit again...truly an amazing drummer who brings a ton of power and passion to each track. New band member Gil Assayas was remarkable, perfectly capturing the essence of Utopia's keyboard parts that are so integral to each song. And Todd was...well TODD! A rock legend...

As the show came to a close, I realized that my entire adolescence had played out in my mind, heart and soul.I felt the spirit of my father so very close to me.

Thanks, Todd, Kaz, Willie and Gil for a truly awesome night!

Matt and Kim: Happy If You're Happy (Track of the Week)

Matt and Kim are just a ton of fun. A friend of mine recently turned me on to them and I now officially love the heck out of this duo from Brooklyn. I've always been a hopeless romantic so the fact that their relationship fuels their music is completely fucking mega.

They just released their sixth full length album, Almost Everyday, and it's every bit as awesome as all the rest. Here's my favorite track...

DMA's: Tape Deck Sick (Track of the Week)

Sydney's own DMA's are back with another gorgeous love letter to Brit Pop. Their first EP and full length were a cross between The Stone Roses, The La's and Oasis. Their latest effort, For Now, offers more of the same with some explorations into new musical horizons. This band is a very underrated and hardly heard of on this side of the pond gem.

Here's the best track on the record. The last minute was tweaked to sound just like an old cassette tape!

Surprise! Sting Finally Makes a Good Album in the New Millennium

Poor Der Schtingelhoffer. He made five great albums with The Police and six great solo albums. Then, the millennium changed and he want to shite.

2003's Sacred Love sounded like he wanted to make the best Adult Pop album ever (barf!). Songs From The Labyrinth (2006) was his attempt at classical music. It sort of sucked.

Next we saw If on a Winter's Night which made us all realize that Sting could actually achieve a higher level of pretension, although I will say that living in Minnesota connected me with this record in a mildly melancholic way.

We'll skip Symphonicities (an ill advised dive back into classical music) and go straight to 2013's The Last Ship which was made for those folks who hang out in the sea shanty set. How many of them are there? Five? Off the coast of Ireland?

2016 saw return to almost form with 57th and 9th, his first actual pop/rock album since 2003. There were some decent tracks but it didn't really wow me like his earlier solo work did. It seemed like it could have been better if he had a decent collaborator which brings us to this year. I guess all he needed was a Shaggy.

44/876 is the latest album from Sting and Jamaican singer Shaggy. It is EXACTLY the album I have waited for from Sting in nearly 20 years. It has a decided Police vibe on many tracks as well as a return to the rhythms of Dream of the Blue Turtles. Shaggy has provided him with that extra bite that he needed to make a good record.

Yeah, there is a world music feel to it that perhaps causes a half star to removed from the final rating but who cares? I'm feeling summery and all 1983-1985 again and I'm loving it! Here's my favorite track...