Day 95: We are now almost 100 days into this little project, and it is time to enter into a new phase. I spent much of 2014 telling my story chronologically with stops along the way for some other time-related events. In other words, many of the songs that I have highlighted so far are tied to a specific time in my head. But, that is not the only way to categorize my music collection (except when it comes to organizing my physical CD collection, where ordering albums by releases date is the *only acceptable* scheme). In fact, I would say that most of the songs on the soundtrack to my life are tied more to a specific emotion that to a specific time. Today I would like to open up a new chapter which explores songs that help get me get Fired Up! I thought this would be a way to help get us all through January now that the holidays are in the rearview mirror. It is a little hard to believe that today is the first day in which I mention the brilliant singer /songwriter Michael Penn, who in my mind is the most talented member of the Penn family (sorry little brother Sean). You may think that you have never heard of him, but I am willing to bet that you have probably heard his One-Hit Wonder "No Myth" from the early 90s. That song is certainly a classic, but Michael Penn went on to make 4 additional albums, pretty much all of which are outstanding. When he put out his 1997 album "Resigned" I was pretty Fired Up about it, and the lead-off track, "Try" is one example of why. The song features Penn's trademark catchy guitar and even catchier, razor sharp lyrics: "Watch you take the fifth as I give you the third degree." It is just one of those tracks that makes me want to jump up and bounce around my living room. I hope you give it a Try.
01/04/2015
Day 96: Having been a high school student in the early 90s, it was pretty hard not to get swept up in the whole grunge rock / Seattle scene. For a while there, everyone was wearing flannel and everyone was listening to the likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. I have already mentioned two of those bands in my tour of High School a few months back, but in all honestly, I was never as big of a fan of Seattle sound as a lot of people were back then. Those bands are OK, but if I had to choose to keep only the albums from one Seattle act, I would pick Pearl Jam. I cannot exactly say why. Perhaps I found their sound a little lighter or more accessible. Perhaps I just respected the fact that they went toe-to-toe with Ticketmaster (even though they lost). This is likely a controversial statement, it has always been my belief that if Curt Cobain would not has committed suicide, 20 years later Pearl Jam would have been considered the best of the Seattle bands. But, it is hard to compete with a dead man and those epic songs in his head that no one every heard. In any event, Pearl Jam lived on and I keep buying their records. Since the theme of this chapter is songs that get me Fired Up, I thought I would share one of my favorite up-tempo tracks from the 1994 album Vitology: "Corduroy." I have always liked the somewhat slower intro that builds into the heart of the song, "The waiting drove me mad... you're finally here and I'm a mess," and the bridge is cool too, "Everything has changed... absolutely nothing's changed." Rock on.
01/05/2015
Day 97: Anyone else out there have a serious case of the Mondays? Well, hopefully this will help. It is hard for me to believe that I have reached Day 97 and this is the first time that I will mention The Pixies directly. Perhaps the reason is that I was a little slow to the party in recognizing their awesomeness. Most of their albums came out in the late 80s and their sound was a little harder than what I was listening to back then, so it wasn't until the release of their final album, Trompe Le Monde in 1991 that I really started to take notice. It was actually today's song "Alec Eiffel" that really got me hooked. As with many songs, it was the video on 120 Minutes that did the trick. In staying true to the theme of this chapter, the high-energy nature of this song really drew me in. That hard, surf-style guitar line just sunk it's hooks into me. Plus, the video and lyrics had a vaguely "sciency" feel to them that of course appealed to me. I mean, the song is about the famous French architect and scientist Alexander Eiffel and ends with the lyric, "Oh Alexander I see you beneath the archway of aerodynamics." I don't even know what that means, but I do know that it's awesome. Pardon me while I go dance around my living room.
01/06/2015
Day 98: Not all songs that fire me up have to have a hard edge or a super high energy level. Some songs reach that status by simply being a bit inspirational, like today's song "Sit Down" by the British band James. Before the made any songs that appeared on the "American Pie" song track, this British act penned this number about experiencing and helping one other through tough times. The drum line and guitar are infectious, but it is the lyrics that really make this song special. In some ways, the bright, cheerful sound and somewhat dark lyrics are at odds: "Now I've swung back down again; It's worse than it was before. If I hadn't seen such riches, I could live with being poor." But the core of the song is the final invitation: "Those who feel the breath of sadness... those who find they're touched by madness... those who find themselves ridiculous, Sit down next to me. In love, in fear, in hate, in tears." In essence, we have all been there, so let me give you a helping hand. I recommend having a seat and giving it a listen.
01/07/2015
Day 99: I think that it would have been a little bit tough to have grown up in the late 80s and early 90s and not have been exposed to the Violent Femmes. Their 1983 debut album is a classic, and "Blister in the Sun" is the kind of song that you wait to hear in the dwindling minutes of a stale wedding reception. But, for me, if I want to get a little fired up in a purely cheerful way, I prefer to go in a slightly different direction. Today's track "American Music" comes off The Violent Femmes under-rated 4th studio album, 1991's "Why Do The Birds Sing?" This song is just pure delight with an adorable video. How can you not love the audience participation: "Do You Like American Music? We Like ALL KINDS of Music. Well, I like American Music BEST... baby." Yeah, baby!
01/08/2015
Day 100: One band that I did not quite get a chance to mention last year in my tour of Stockbridge High, was the UK act The Stone Roses. Their 1989 self-titled debut album is a near masterpiece that perfectly captures that 90s British alternative rock feel. As the paint on that album dried, many people, including me waited for the sophomore effort. We waited, and waited, and waited. It actually became a bit of a standing joke in alternative rock circles that The Stone Rose were perpetually "working on" their 2nd album. Eventually in 1994, "Second Coming" was released, and it was solid, but by then people had more or less moved on and it did not make nearly the impact that it would have made a few years earlier. But one track does stand out on this album, the first single, "Love Spreads." The driving guitars riffs that open the song always get my pulse racing a little. The lyrics are a bit odd, but overall, this song just rocks. "Let me show you what I mean", and give it a listen.
01/09/2015
Day 101: Back in the late 80s and 90s nineties, I was never a fan of industrial music. I could appreciate the techno aspects of it, but it was a little hard for my taste. Even so, I was aware of Trent Reznor and his band Nine Inch Nails. It was clear even to me then that the now Oscar and Grammy winner was somehow special. (I randomly still remember how as a minor act in the original Lollapalooza, his equipment melted before his fist performance in Arizona.) Over the years as my tastes changed, I began to appreciate his music more, I realized that NIN is a great band for getting fired up. Today's track, the band's first single, "Head Like a Hole" pretty much turns it up to 11. I kind of want to run through a wall when I listen to it. It also took me a while to realize the meaning of the song, which is actually about the dangers of greed, "god money, let's go dancing on the backs of the bruised... bow down before the one you serve, you're going to get what you deserve." It is an intense message, to say the least, but ultimately, a positive one.
01/10/2015
Day 102: I am sure that I first came across the British band Catherine Wheel on 120 Minutes soon after there debut album "Ferment" hit the airwaves. The tracks on that album are an interesting mix of hard rock mixed with an odd, ethereal ingredient. By the time their sophomore album "Chrome" hit the streets, I was ready for something a like harder and more energetic, and boy did the new album deliver. The track that gets me Fired Up the most, is perhaps today's selection, the title track, "Chrome." The pulsating guitar just drives the song forward at about 100 mph. It flat out rocks. So, "if you have some time, I'd use it this time" to give this song a listen.
01/11/2015
Day 103: Some bands just make great albums, almost every time (R.E.M.). Some bands make great albums sometimes (U2). Some bands make great singles (New Order). But some bands seem to make only one really good album, like today's act Bad Religion. I have run across some of their songs over the years, but for me, the only album of theirs that matters is 1994's Stranger Than Fiction. The whole album is a 15 track collection of high energy 5-chord post-punk gems, only one of which is longer than 2:51. Today's selection is the title track of the album, which exemplifies the album perfectly. The motor mouth lyrics and punk rock riffs are enough to make you want to jump around your living room, and the lyrics are fun too, "life is the crummiest book I ever read, there isn't a hook, just a lot of cheap shots, pictures to shock and characters an amateur would never dream up." After all, it is kind of true. Sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction.
01/12/2015
Day 104: Everybody knows about the influence that Nirvana had on modern music, but for me, I have always been partial to Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's second band Foo Fighters. Today's selection "Everlong" from their sophomore 1997 album "The Color and the Shape." oozes with a certain subdued intensity that really does get me Fired Up. It is not the hardest rocking crank-it-up-to-11 type of track, but it has the driving guitar that builds to the hook, "The only thing I'll ever ask of you it that you gotta promise not to stop when I say when." That's just a little bad-ass.
01/13/2015
Day 105: Apparently, back in the late 90s there was some sort of debate in the UK about which British band was the best: Oasis or Blur. What the rest of the world was too polite to say was that neither band was that great, but both did have their moments. Oasis put out one pretty good album (What's the Story Morning Glory in 1995) but seemed to burn out quickly (does anyone really want to hear Wonderwall again?), while Blur put out a handful of singles that seem to have more staying power. "Song 2" certainly has a certain "Fire you up" quality, but today I want to go with their first single "There's No Other Way." This track highlights that super-fun early 90s British feel and always puts a smile on my face. In fact, I think I need to go into the living room and air drum for a few minutes...
01/14/2015
Day 106: When you think about Peter Gabriel and getting Fired Up, you probably think about some of the high energy, happy singles from "So," like "Big Time" or "Sledgehammer." Yeah, I will grant you that, but I would also like to submit for your review a track off of Gabriel's 1992 album "Us": "Digging in the Dirt." This song has that dark, edgy intensity that can really draw you in. The verse starts a bit softer, but it builds to the chorus, "This time you've gone to far... don't talk back; just drive the car. Shut your mouth; I know what you are. Don't say nothing; keep your hands on the wheel. Don't turn around; this is for real." Wowza. I think Peter might have been going through some heavy stuff at the time he wrote this one, but like a good PJ Harvey song, this one pushes all the right buttons.
01/15/2015
Day 107: Another notable act to emerge from the early 90s was the Chicago-based band Smashing Pumpkins. I must admit, I was never a huge fan, but on those occasions were you really want to crank it up to 11, they were often a solid option. Today's track, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" is a great example of a track to crank up in the car (preferably by yourself) or on a run to get your pulse going just a little quicker. If the mood strikes you, let out a little primal scream. You'll probably feel better afterwards, unless of course you realize that "despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage."
01/16/2015
Day 108: Once again, I would like to reiterate that you don't always need a pounding drum line or shredding guitar line to get Fired Up. In the case of today's song, "Fun & Games," by the under-rated North Carolina act The Connells, you just need a driving, infectious acoustic guitar. I first came across The Connells early on in my 120 Minutes days (see Day 25) in the early 90s, but as I entered MSU, I realized that they also had a couple of records in the late 80s as well. If I remember correctly, I happened to find a used copy of this CD at Street Driven Music on Grand River. This track has that beautiful late 80s, post-new wave alternative sound that just gets under your skin. I am willing to bet most of you have never heard this one before, so give it a try. It'll be Fun (& Games).
01/17/2015
Day 109: At some point late in my High School days, I heard a rumor (most likely from Ryan Knott) that there was this pretty cool act that was from Lansing that was playing a lot of gigs in the Mid Michigan area. They had even put out a copy of independent albums that could be found in local record stores, if you looked hard enough. That band was called, "The Verve Pipe." I was not until I arrived on MSU's campus and heard them live for the first time that I acquired a copy of those first two albums, "I've Suffered a Head Injury," and "Pop Smear." Both albums just ooze with that pure mid-90s alternative garage band rock sound that was the staple of the decade before all those poser acts started to crop up. For today's selection, I would like to highlight perhaps the most rockin' song from those first two albums, Pop Smear's main single, "Spoon Full of Sugar." It features both that great 90s guitar sound, but also Brian Vander Ark's lyrics: "My country tis of thee; Sweet land of irony." Sweet indeed!
01/18/2015
Day 110: I wonder how many rock songs out there are half instrumental? I am going to bet not very many. Today's track is an exception. Now, The Cure has always been one of my favorite bands, but they are not exactly the type of group that I turn to when I want to get Fired Up. But, today's track "Push" from the outstanding 1985 album "Head on the Door" is the exception to that rule as well and an exquisite Hidden Gem. The driving bass and guitar line in the first half of the song is just infectious, and when Robert Smith comes in half-way through the track, he actually sounds happy. Fancy that. The video today is a clip from a Live show in France, I believe, that was a part of a concert video that I have a copy of somewhere, most likely from Alvan or Leo. Oh, the hair of the early 90s!
01/19/2015
Day 111: It is no secret that the bulk of my music collection in from the 90s, but occasionally I look to the 21st century to get fired up as well. Florence + The Machine is a fairly well known act these days, but I was actually slightly ahead of the curve with them as well, thanks to a little show called "So You Think You Can Dance." If you haven't heard of it, it is kinda like dancing with the stars, except that is it is awesome instead of terrible (heyyooo!) Seriously, though, a few seasons ago there was a least one duet and one group performance that featured Florence + The Machine well before they hit it big. The group number featured today's track, 2009's "Drumming Song," which has a driving intensity with a bit of an awesome Celtic feel. The song itself kind of personifies the meaning of a song that gets me Fired Up: "There's a drumming noise inside my head that throws me to the ground. I swear that you should hear it, it makes such an all mighty sound. Louder than sirens, Louder than bells, Sweeter than heaven, And hotter than hell." Yup, that about sums it up.
FYI, here is the awesome SYTYCD group number.
01/20/2015
Day 112: Back a few months ago (Day 39), I mentioned how I did not much care for Midnight Oil's 1988 album "Diesel and Dust," when I first heard it. Boy, was I wrong on that one. This one is a tough call, but I think that top to bottom, it might be their best album, and they have a LOT of solid albums. Today's track, "Sell My Soul" is one of the reasons why. Again, it is not the hardest rocking song in the world, but that slow burn intense guitar line that builds to the chorus? Well, it's just special. And, if you think the album version is good, you should check out the version on the 1992 live album "Scream in Blue Live" (perhaps the best live album of all time). It has all the attributes of the album version with the intensity cranked up a notch. I hope you're ready. Let's Begin!
01/21/2015
Day 113: The band Live was another group that was a household name by the close of the 90s. But once again thanks to 120 Minutes, I first of heard of them in 1991 when their debut album "Mental Jewelry" first hit the airwaves. Now, I cannot say that I am the world's biggest fan of Live, but they certainly have their share of high energy tracks that are great for getting Fired Up. I could pick any number of their tracks ("I Alone" or "Iris" would certainly both work), but today I wanted to highlight "Pain Lives on the Riverside," which I consider to be their strongest track on their debut album. Despite the acoustic feel to the song, it still rocks pretty freaking hard in that lovely early 90s way. Won't you "join me for a swim tonight?"
01/22/2015
Day 114: When you add it all up, there are a lot of ways to get Fired Up. You can crank it up to 11. You can rock it out with a slow burn jam intensity. Or you can just try to inspire. Pretty much every track I have featured in the last 3 weeks or so gets my pulse racing just a little bit, even after a few bars. Today's selection, the 1983 classic "Add It Up," from the Violent Femmes is no exception. In this case, the somewhat minimal acoustic yet intense sound of the Femmes seem to capture that sense of adolescent frustration in a way that has resonated with several generations now. I am not sure if kids these stay still appreciate the Femmes, but to me the song is as fresh today as it ways 30 years ago.
So, I hope that these tracks have helped to lift everyone out of those post-Holiday blues. If not, perhaps the next Chapter of our journey will. Today the Violent Femmes wondered if they could get just one kiss (among other things). Well starting tomorrow, I plan to bring the Love.
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