I have had this release in my library for quite some time and have only heard a very limited amount of it. So when this came in today's rotation, I recognized the cover art and knew it should be decent. Well it's more than decent. This is an awesome song. Lyrically clever, melodically incredible. Harmonies are phenominal. The guitar solo is short but sweet! Layered but not mechainal. This is so very very good!
Give It A Listen!
The Los Angeles Punk scene in the late 70s and early 80s introduced me to bands that I still love to this day. The dirty gritty unpolished music left me wanting more. I came across this one as they closely adapted the X look and sound, alternating between male and female vocals with a garage type sound. The cultural meshing of unfiltered unbiased collaboration of sex, race and ethinicty somewhere got lost.
Give It A Listen!
For a Synth-Pop song to make it on here, must make it special. Perhaps it's because I never heard this until today and it's filled with hooks! The hypnotic melody, the Richard Bulter-esque (Psychedelic Furs) vocals, the accompanied female trill vocal on the chorus...I could go on and on...This song is simply amazing. If this came out in 1983, it would havebeen huge, but to me, it flew under my radar. Give it a Listen!
I have heard their popular songs, but never dove into their music. It's solid! It rocks! These guys are simply amazing, strong vocals with rhythmic melodies makes this song a winner. Never heard until today, and it's my loss. Don't make it yours.
Give It A Liaten!
Never gave this song much notice when it came out. But this one is amazing! The inectious bass, the raw vocals, the harmonic chorus, it's fantastic, I remember seeing the video on Mtv and that was about it. The song is again, truly amazing.
Give It A Listen!
Give It A Listen!
There is nothing like Donald Fagen's voice. It's calming and soothing. As the throat for Steely Dan, I have always thought his music was more mature and grown up than the rock I was listening too. The songs have complex arrangements and layered harmonies which are so enjoyable and positive. A storyteller, as well as a musician, Donlad Fagen never misses the mark
Give It A Listen!
Easily a legend among musicians. His crooning, soothing vocals, with well crafted lyrics and simplitic but rhythmatic melodies make his songs stand out. The storytelling song style is both captivating and relatable. I never enjoyed his music when I was younger. It was too wishy washy and run of the mill. I am gald I braoden my musical tastes.
Give It A Listen!
The 80s were among the best time of my life. Out of school, playing guitar, bands, concerts, good friends and good times. One of the best memories was working the Mainstream Record Riots at State Fair Park with Todd. We would rat our hair out dress in our finest rocker duds and tease the girls that would come in. CDs were still kinda new, so most of the traffic were in the cassette area. That is where Todd and I worked, helping people find what they were looking for as well as making recommendations. The hottest things that everyone wanted at one of the Riots was Poison's - Look What The Cat Dragged In. God we hated that fluff. We were more into bands Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory. So on that weekend, anyone that asked for Poison, we would also mention,
"Hey, have you heard this new band. They sound a lot like Poison, and I think they sound even better." They were happy and screaming for it. What we were suggesting was Shok Paris - Steel And Starlight. Todd and I loved this album, and it was way on the other side of the spectrum from what Poison was. It's a rocker and full of great riffs and good songs. It was our little joke. We must have sold 50 or 60 Shok Paris cassettes. The girls had no clue and we wish would could have seen their faces when the popped the tape in a gave it a listen.
Give It A Listen!
This song has a special place in my memory and life. There was a tough time I was going through that music help maintain a normalcy that was much needed. If I dwell too much on the bad parts, it brings me back down to where I was. Music helped cheer me up and keep my mind busy. It didn’t solve anything, but it helped me. Like a doctor….
Give It A Listen!
I won't lie to you, when this came out, I hated it. It was overplayed, long and boring. I was into KISS and Queen back then. So I had no time for this. As I go older, I recognized the craftmanship and the musical qualities of songs like this for what they were, hits. There was a reason. The mesmerizing stero effects, as well as the soothing vocals, make it what it is.
Give It A Listen!
This is sooo good. Reminds of The Vapors, which is tall order. Very clever chord progressions, and that bass line. It's perfect this would be on the Power Pop Punk Rock Holy Grail Tape. It's simply amazing. HIGHLY Recommended.
Unknown until a few days ago, this song made an impression on me. It's a throw back to bands like The Michael Stanley Band. A little sax, a little keyboards, some harmonies and it's good. It's a simple song with no complexity, perfect for Rock.
Give It A Listen!
I was never a Squeeze fan until Mtv opened my eyes and ears to new musical styles. And then still it wasn't until later in life that I appreciated the music of that era. Again embedded in Rock and Metal, everything else was meh...
These guys are awesome. Great melodies and hooks.
Give It A Listen!
Even though this sounds like it came out in the late 70s it is from 1984. It's arrangment is phenominal, as it is a cover of a famous Bob Crewe song that my dad loved, since it contained trumpet, which he often played for his own enjoyment. It makes me think of my dad, many things do.
Give It A Listen!
If you know me, my favorite bnd of all time is Queen. I saw Queen with Freddie during The Game Tour with Mental Al, from the 7th row. My dad knew I loved Queen and let me use his credit card to get a p[air of tickets from the box office over the phone. I am forever grateful. This wasn't on the setlist but it is one of their finest.
Give It A Listen!
A good song is a good song, and stands the test of time. Heavy harmonies, brass and strings were previlant in 70s rock music. The words were easy to understand and made it easy to sing along. This is a classic!
Give It A Listen!
I have heard of this band, and their hit, My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone), which wasn't too bad. I feel this is a stronger representation of the musical ability. Straight forward Rock N Roll without the gimmicks.
Give It A Listen!
Everyone has their favorites, and this post features one of mine, Jeff Scott Soto. He’s has been in many many bands from Journey to Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force. His vocals are very recognizable and prowess of power and clarity. He obviously loves what he does and so do the musicians in the industry. Not just in this country but world wide’s this band originates from Tokyo Japan. It’s melodic and powerful.
Give it a Listen!
Straight forward Rock and Roll got buried in the mid to late 80s. From the transition from what was considered New Wave into what became the Hair Metal phenomenon, many bands went unnoticed. I never have heard this before and I have no idea why not. It’s such an excellent song, with great hooks, vocals and guitar work. This duo from California only put out 4 songs and the posted song is in my opinion the best of the bunch. There worse bands that got better notoriety snd better bands that got over looked, this one is grouped with the later and is an example of why I started this blog.
Give It A Listen!
I'm a sucker for songs that start out slow and build to a cacophony of brilliance. Add exceptional vocals and flawless guitar work and what is there not to like. Better known for their song Immune, the band Lethal, with conotations of being European, are actually from Kentucky. Glad to see that there is more to Kentucky tan Bluegrass.
Give It A Listen!
This one is a brand new find for me. You gotta love the bass line on this one. It's a little like Devo and a whole lot of wonderful. At just a bit over 2 minute this one left me begging for more. So I gave the rest of the album a quick listen and this song is the best of the bunch. I hope you enjoy it.
Give It A Listen!
In the late 70s, there were many bands hitting the concert tours and radio airways and Styx was among them. Their simple but yet intricate approach to a somewhat progressive sound made them stand out. The production and layers of sound were only rivaled by bands like The Electric Light Orchestra. Their music wasn't just written, it was crafted. Their vocals were amazing and strong. Unlike many bands, the lead vocalist were different on a single album. One song would be Dennis DeYoung, another Tommy Shaw, and for this post, it's James Young. This is one of my favorites and one of those songs that has a clear definition of stereo separation. LOVE IT!
Give It A Listen!
Give It A Listen!
Give It A Listen!
Fore something to come out in 2021 and make this list is no small feat. I had to go back and look to see if this was rereleased or remastered or... What an awesome Hard Rock song!! Highly Recommended! Increbile vocals, guitar, ...everything! These guys are from Italy and were formed in 2010. How it took me this long to discover them, I will never know.
Give It A Listen!
A hidden gem during the intial onslaught of what would become the Metal era of Mtv music, this song would have been much more appreciated if it arrived 1 or 2 years earlier. Well crafted and wonderfully prodcued, this one is full of hooks and catchy lyrics. This song is musically reminiscent of something Starship was chrning out, and perhaps if this was done by them it would have been much mich bigger. Great Tune!
Give It A Listen!
So, some if not all of you have heard BJ Thomas, famous for the hit Raindrops Kepp Faliing On My Head...Well newly discovered to me, he kept making records into the 90s. I didn't know what to expect, so when I heard this I was blown away. What a great song! I mean, it's poppy and something would have most likely passed on listening to, but man... WELL DONE!
Give it a listen!
No matter how hard you may have tried to listen to every great rock song in the 80s, there will always be something to discover. This rings true for this post from a band from the UK. When the new wave trend hit Mtv, which brought over imports from the UK, not many were rock songs. It was mostly the obscure one offs which I also enjoyed. This might not have been a big hit if there was a video, but I do enjoy the melody and the simple straight forward approach.
Give It A Listen!
2006 was a turning point for me in music, it's when I first embraced other music genres and decades other than the 70s or 80s. There was a musical explosion that was filled with melodic genius. This song is one of those that hit the right spot with me. I hope you like it too.
Give It A Listen!
