Song of the Day

I have been wanting to post this song for while. I heard of this band, and song, from a Volcom demo. I remember the demo was just about to start. I was in my way out to grab some beer when I’m y way to y car I hear this grimy, classic rock sounding song. I was really digging it and hopefully puled up Shazam and held my phone up to try and snag the song. I figured I was too far away or the song was too obscure for Shazam to notice. But to my surprise the song and artist popped up. “Clawstrophobia” by Iron Claw. I got in my car and pulled up the song. From there I was hooked. To my surprise, upon researching the band, I found that they have actually been a band since 1969! They just have always flown under the radar. "Clawstrophobia" comes from there self-titled album. When you start listening to the album one this is very clear...the production is terrible. The songs are muddy and just not recorded very well. However, good craftsmanship and exceptional songwriting prevails...

Things have gotten a bit crazy today so it’ll be a short one. Here’s “Go it Alone” by the multi-instrumentalist, weirdo, hip hop/folk blending mastermind...Beck. This song comes from, in my opinion, one of his most underrated albums, “Guero”.

It's interesting to reflect on your own taste in music. Experiences, friends, family, and so many other factors come into play. As I've stated many times before, the foundation of my interest in music came from my parents. They both loved and still love music and always had it playing around me. I spent a lot of time with my dad; my pops. We would drive to wrestling tournaments and listen to Santana or work on projects jamming to Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynrd. But there was one band that he listened to and knew more about than any other band... and that band was ZZ Top. For some reason the Houston, Texas monster trio that was ZZ Top never really jived with me. It wasn’t that I disliked them, I just preferred most of the other bands my pops would play. Maybe it was their patented southern rock style or the numerous times I had heard “Cheap Sunglasses”. Whatever it was, my appreciation didn’t come until many years later when my pops and I were either working on one our c...

Damon Albarn and his pack of “Gorillaz” have always been a mysterious crew. Appearing as cartoons that appear in early all of their videos, they have maintained a rather elusive career. Their music has tackled many genres in the past and present but has always kept close to a hip hop, beat driven effort. You might recall their massive early 2000’s hit that featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, " Clint Eastwood "; a timeless song that introduced many people to Gorillaz, including myself. Here we have another “Clint Eastwood” referenced song called “Dirty Harry”. I’m not sure if there is some sort of fascination with Clint Eastwood or if he just happened to pop up again in a later song but the use is intriguing. The song, which many believe has a strong reference to the war in Iraq during the Bush years, is a fun and funky beat driven song, regardless of the undertones. “ I need a gun, to keep myself among, the poor people burning in the sun " the lone Damon Abarn sing...

I never really took a whole lot of time diggin' into The Who. Of course they have some solid hits like " Baba O'Riley " and " Pinball Wizard ", as well as a handful of others. But much like many other great rock bands...those songs get worn out and overplayed. When I first moved to Kansas City and hadn't yet started my journey into vinyl , I would cruise through the used cd section of Half Priced Books. There was one particular store near me that had a huge section of two dollar cds. I probably bought close to 40 cds from that section. Albums that I already had, albums I wasn't sure about...hell if I had any interest in the band or album I would buy it. I mean for two dollars! Why the hell not? Anyways, I remember running into The Who's "Who's Next" album and not even thinking twice about buying it. Popped that sucker into my good ole' cd player in my car and started jammin'. I remember running into one song on there t...

So I'm sure most have you heard the terrible news by now. And if you haven't, allow me to be the bearer of bad news. Dolores O'Riordan, the lead singer of the Limerick, Ireland 90's pop-rock sensation The Cranberries, passed away this last week. Pretty sad huh? The Cranberries had quite a handful of hits during their run throughout the 90's. Most of you probably remember " Zombie " or " Linger ". Or...in my opinion, their absolute best song, and one of my favorite songs of all time..."Dreams". We all have those guilty pleasures. And for the majority of my life I had considered this song a "guilty pleasure". And perhaps I still do. But regardless, I will always back this song. It's absolutely gorgeous, and in my opinion a perfect exhibit of the pure voice that Dolores had. She carried such a natural talent and a completely sincere voice. It never sounded contrived or as if she was churchin' it up. It just came nat...

The first song by War on Drugs was this one  right here..."Comin' Through". It is still, by far, my favorite song by the band. The swelling sound that surrounds the instruments was an early glimpse into what the band would soon become. Started by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile (who left after the first full length "Wagonwheel Blues), the band took has developed into an "ambient", cavernous arena band that sounds bigger and more omnipresent than any other band. "Comin' Through" was off an early EP called "Future Weather", a small collection of songs that blended folk rock with the beginnings of the band's establishing arena sound. "Future Weather" was the sneak peak into what the band would eventually become. And to be honest, I wish they had stuck with this sound. Their follow up full length album "Slave Ambient", to me was the peak of their career. It blended the blatant "ambient" tones with th...