Keep It Dark

I felt like I needed to post about this song because of all the UFO sightings going on around the world and everything falling apart around us. I think I needed to reconnect to my feelings on the world outside.

The song tells the tale of a man who was kidnapped by aliens and taken to a world "full of people and hearts filled with joy" as he sings along, but lies to the people at home about where he was taken: "I wish, that I could really tell you. All the things that happened to me and all that I have seen."

For those of you Genesis fans, this song is one of my favorites. The atmosphere around this song is just fantastic. This song soars! A bit of trivia for you: This song is one of few songs where Phil sings in falsetto and that the song is in a 3/2 time signature. But who I am blogging about is not the Genesis version. This is about Simon Collins, son of Phil Collins who made a very impressionable cover of one of his father's songs. I wasn't quite sure if I would like a cover of this song as it is such a strong song.

In the original, a nice guitar arrangement sweeps around the interweaving synths that accompany the drum beat and bass line which is so tight it melds with the drums. In this cover, Simon's singing is very much like his father's but for a younger generation. We still have the same synchopated guitar playing and the interweaving synths but much more. I almost expect to hear someone else singing but then Simon pulls me back to him. This electronic rock sound spectacular is beautiful and a great driving song. Simon has a knack of making music just as full of feeling as his father.

A futuristic song for a generation of people waiting to be taken to a place yet to be seen. Sounds funny huh? I guess I will just sit under the stars with this playing and hoping for the stuff yet to come.

Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You

I have to get this out of my system. I keep hearing this song on my iPod, so it seems to reason that I need to write about it. So here it goes. Back in 1992 a group called Ugly Kid Joe released a single called "Everything About You" and it was a hit in the UK at #3 and #9 for us in the grand ole US. The song also gained popularity by being used in Wayne's World.

When I first heard this song on the radio and only being 10 years old, I thought it to be very annoying, couldn't stand the guys voice and would find the next best station to listen to. Now that I am older I have a better appreciation for the song. I find this song very amusing and a great way to put a smile on my face when I seem to be in the most sourest of moods. I think it reminds me that I can keep a positive attitude and say "to Hell" with everyone else, I am going to be me and keep my head held high. No one can bring me down!

As the voice croons "I hate the rain and sunny weather" I find myself thinking how much I like the rain on a tin roof and sunny weather when I want to be out side, "I hate the beach and mountains too" I think about how much I like being in the woods and hiking mountains that takes our breath away.

Of course since the song has to be edited for radio listeners of all ages, we the listeners do not get to hear the lines omitted for radio release. Unless you went out and got the album with the full length version you will know what I mean.
For those of you who do not know what I am talking about please look at the following lines or skip below if you are not interested or with gentle ears.


'I don't really care about you're sister,
Fuck the little bitch 'cause I already kissed her,
One thing that I did to your old lady,
Was I put her on the bed and she didn't say maybe.'


Don't say I didn't warn you! :) I think everyone needs a perspective song in their life to kick them in the butt or to make them laugh. Remember that life is short and to have fun and when someone irritates the crap out of you, just keep this song handy on your iPod/MP3 player and kill them with kindness and a smile. Like the man sings,
"and I get sick when I'm around, I can't stand to be around, I hate everything about you."

Candy-O

I knew when I listened to The Cars's Complete Greatest Hits, that I was getting into trouble. Fun trouble that is. I couldn't stop there. I needed to hear more Cars and not less. I wanted to hear more of Ric Ocasek's writing, Ocasek and Benjamin Orr's vocals. So I got the albums Candy-O and Shake It Up (which I will write about later). Without further ado, here is my thoughts on Candy-O.

We get to start the album on one of my favorite songs by the group "Let's Go". Again a great tune with Benjamin crooning "I like the night life baby!" Simple, straight forward radio friendly song. I could go on and on about this song but let's leave it as is. Now after a great song like "Let's Go" we get to jump into a rockabilly sounding song with "Since I Held You" which features both Ric and Benjamin on lead vocals. We hear some awesome playing from Elliot Easton, which he never let's us down. I am going to mention the next song only cause it's hard not to mention it. "It's All I Can Do" goes hand in hand with the previous song. Mr. Orr graces the flowing lines on this number and I think it's one of his best. More awesome guitar playing from Easton and the layered synths from Greg Hawkes is not overpowering like some future songs from the band.

Now I am trying not to be too critical of both vocalists, I prefer Benjamin Orr's voice over Ric's, but I have to say that I think this album showcases Ocasek at his best. The standout tracks for Ric in my honest opinion are "Since I Held You", "Got A Lot On My Head" and "Dangerous Type". I don't care too much for the tune "Candy-O" sung by Orr, which seems to be a fan favorite (Shoo Be Doo is not a favorite of mine either) and I don't think the tracks that Benjamin sings in this album are as strong as they could have been, which I think you get to see that on later albums. But since we are talking about this album I think Benjamin's strong songs are "Let's Go" and "You Can't Hold On Too Long"

In the middle of the album we get 2 quirky tunes from Ric and they are great. I love how simple "Double Life" is with a very sparse arrangement which slowly picks up the further you get into the song. Then jumping into "Night Spots" which sounds choppy and a bit chaotic with the bass line jumping in between the drumming.

Finishing up the album is my favorite song from the album; which to my surprise is sung by Ric. "Dangerous Type" is a 'in your face' attitude song. One of the best in The Cars's catalog of songs in my humble opinion. It is one you don't forget and make this album very memorable and a great closing track.

Yes after this album and finally listening to Door to Door, I can say out of all the Cars albums: this one is number 1 with me, even with my not so favorite songs. A must for music aficionados.

Gram Rabbit - Music To Start A Cult To

A quick review of this album might be harder than I think it will be. For one thing this band is very different from your run of the mill rock band. Group members include Jesika von Rabbit(vocals/keys/bass/guitar), Todd Rutherford (guitar/ bass/programmer/vocals), Hayden Scott (drums) and Ethan Allen (guitar/producer).

Their music is a blend of electro/rock/pop music and it's very somber sounding, to me anyways. Very laidback and stylized. Jesika at times envokes memories of Martha Davis (the Motels) and Madonna with her vocals. It's a weird combo but it works. Songs like "Cowboy Up" and "Disco #2" show the electro side with some cool guitars that sound like they are out on the range waiting to be picked up in a whirlwind and dropped in a dance club.

"Witness" reminds me of some wacky B-52's leftover from the Mesopotamia days. Would certainly fit with that album. The song features both Jesika and Todd singing. There is even some words that are thrown in saying to 'Kill Jesika'. A fun song, though a bit repeative.

"Devil's Playround" is the country rock thrown into the mix. Once the song kicks in you can't help but still keep tapping along. "New Engery" evokes images of traveling down that dusty road with guitar slung across your back and moving to the next town that you might lose your heart in. Another song of team effort for Jesika and Todd. great song, definately my favorite along with the previously mentioned song.

Overall if you want an album to pass the time along to, this is it. The catchy songs get your attention and you don't forget the songs cause they are full of thought provoking images and landscapes that are waiting to be drawn out in the minds of the listeners.

The Cars - Complete Greatest Hits

I do this every time I get "interested" in new music or just some one/band I am rediscovering. So last weekend I made my way to visit my mom. While I was there I was looking at the rack of mixed Cds and DVDs on the wall. I noticed there was a Cd still wrapped in the cellophane packaging. Nice mom, how long have you had that cd? 2 years?

So the Cd sitting there peaked my curiosity and I pulled it out. What do you know it's "The Cars - Complete Greatest Hits". I am looking at the Cd and thinking 'So What?' It's just The Cars. I started to think 'Do I like any of their songs?" Yes and I can count them on one hand, "Drive" and "Let's Go". I felt since the cd hasn't been listened to and I really would like to hear some classic rock music, I asked my mom if she wouldn't mind me listening to it since I didn't think she ever would, being in plastic wrap and all. She didn't. So when I left on my way home, I popped the Cd in since I knew it would take me a while to get home and some new/old music to hear.

Here is what I can tell you, I felt cheated. I felt cheated because of 2 separate reasons. One, there were songs on the disc that I have heard before but had a better appreciation for like "Just What I Needed" and "Dangerous Type". Ric Ocasek's writing is pretty amazing. He could turn some cynical, self loathing rock song into a singable tune like "My Best Friends Girl" to "You're All I Got Tonight". I felt cheated of this because I have heard the songs before but just passed them off as mediocre songs. No they really aren't. They are staples of an era of songs that have made music all for the better with great guitar licks and tight drumming on behalf of Elliot Easton and David Robinson respectively. Reason two, Ben Orr. He is the voice/bassist of The Cars I like or love. He is the voice of "Drive" and Let's Go". Ben's voice is smoother than Ric's and more in control of putting emotion behind the song. Apparently Rick Ocasek had stated that whenever he felt like the song was more of a ballad or just needed that emotion to be heard he gave it to Ben to sing. Ben's voice was suited to those. Why do I feel cheated of Ben? Because I didn't have the appreciation for him when I saw him performing here in Alaska at the State Fair. I knew the songs but didn't know much about the music of The Cars or the other songs him and Big People were performing. I got to see Ben Orr in his very last performance before he passed away from us of pancreatic cancer. I think, had I been listening to the Cars way before the performance, I would have been ecstatic and had a better reason to be there overall. For some odd reason I feel like someone else should have been there besides me to take in the last performance.

After that trip down memory lane, how do you listen to a group you thought were just another rock n' roll band with such a heavy heart? You just do and with wide eyes and ears at full operating capacity to hear the sweet sounds of Easton's guitar solos, Robinson's power drumming and Greg Hawkes's erie keys and synths.

I think I got an overall sound of what the Cars brought to the music world. The memorable "Moving In Stereo" is creepy and most notable for being played in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, any guy would know what I am talking about. ;P
"I'm Not The One" is slow and has a guitar lick that is reminiscent of Clapton. Gotta love the Easton's pain staking playing, playing left handed by the way. Go Lefties! "Touch and Go" is interesting for the drum beat, a kind of samba number before launching into the chorus's go get'm attitude that the Cars have. I have to mention "Bye Bye Love" because it is now my favorite tune of theirs. Just goes to prove what kind of lyrics Ocasek writes. How can you not like a lyric like "With your eyes of porcelain and of blue, they shock me into sense. You think you're so illustrious you call yourself intense" and with Orr's voice descending on those lyrics, what's not to love. I wasn't going to mention "Drive" because it is their signature song and everyone knows it. What can I say? RIP Ben Orr, you were amazing, you gave the song 'just what it needed'.

The shocker on the album for me was the song "Hello Again". I had to pull off the side of the road because I didn't believe for a minute I was hearing The Cars still blasting through my speakers. Having heard the song on the radio when I was younger, Never thought for a moment that song was them. Then again it did sound like them, the familiar synth work and drumming. Was shocked and proceeded to start driving again.

So I am going to close off on this note: You might think you've heard it all and then all it takes to Shake it p is a little Magic by one of rock's greatest bands.

Pretend We're Dead

Ok for those of you who have played Rockband 2, you will have played this song too many times to count and will have had it stuck in your head for weeks. My sister and I decided to make a music video for the song and we took our Rockband instruments with us.

Hope you enjoy.

Pretend We're Dead by L7