Saturday, July 23, 2016

"Rain" by Creed

Florida modern rock band Creed broke through to the mainstream with their second album, "Human Clay". Released in 1999, it debuted at #1 and spawned the hits "Higher" (#7) and "With Arms Wide Open" (#1). The band followed this up in 2001 with another smash album, "Weathered", which also debuted at #1, sold over 8 million copies, and spawned the hits "My Sacrifice" (#4) and "One Last Breath" (#6). Unfortunately, strained relationships, drugs, and alcohol blew the band apart by 2004. Lead singer Scott Stapp embarked on a solo career and the other founding members formed Alter Bridge with singer Myles Kennedy (who has worked with The Mayfield Four and Slash).

Unexpectedly, Creed put out a reunion record called "Full Circle" in 2009 and it debuted at an impressive #2. The record is full of the typical melodic hard rock one would expect from the band. While the album debuted well, the band could not recapture their top 40 presence on the singles chart. Lead single "Overcome" only reached #73 and "Rain" #91. I thought "Rain" had what it takes to put the band back in the top 10, but what do I know? 

Friday, July 22, 2016

"Afternoons and Coffeespoons" by Crash Test Dummies

Not too many people can get into the deep-throated vocals of Brad Roberts, who fronts Canadian pop rock band Crash Test Dummies. Everyone remembers them for their unlikely breakout hit, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm", which hummed at #4 in 1994. Spurred by the success of this single, their album "God Shuffled His Feet" went to #9 and sold over 2 million copies.

I thought the upbeat follow-up single, "Afternoons & Coffeespoons", was even better. Not quirky enough to stand out, perhaps, but such a bright and sunny tune.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

"1985" by Crash Kings

California band Crash Kings wrote "the other 1985 song" (not a cover of the one done by Bowling For Soup). "1985" by Crash Kings comes from their 2009 self-titled debut album and it did not chart. Crash Kings are a piano rock band in the vein of Keane and this song is one the the best feel good songs of 2009.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

"Dreams" by The Cranberries

Fronted by Irish songstress Dolores O'Riordan, The Cranberries had their biggest hit right out of the box with "Linger", which lingered at #8 in 1993. The song came from the debut album, "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So We Can't We?", which went to #18. Quite surprisingly, the album yielded no further top 40 hits. Even more surprisingly, the best Cranberries song, "Dreams", stalled at #42.

The Cranberries would go on to become staples at 90's radio, landing 4 top 20 albums. Their other top 40 hits include the atypical gritty rocker, "Zombie" (#22), "Ode To My Family" (#39), "Salvation" (#21), and "When You're Gone" (#22).

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

"Get Off This" by Cracker

After the demise of college radio darlings Camper Van Beethoven, David Lowery found success in a new band called Cracker. They had an airplay hit with "Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)" in 1992, but actually hit the chart for the first time with their 1994 song, "Low". "Low" went to #64 and would remain the band's biggest chart achievement. "I Hate My Generation" would reach #67 in 1996, their only other charting single.

"Get Off This" comes from the band's second album, "Kerosene Hat". Strangely, this catchy little pop rock tune didn't chart, but helped push the album to #59.

Monday, July 18, 2016

"Daylight Fading" by Counting Crows

Counting Crows flew out of the gate with their smash hit debut record, "August and Everything After", which soared to #4 on the Billboard Top 200. The band's first single remains their biggest: "Mr. Jones" hung out at #5 in 1994. "Round Here" also did well, coming in at #31, but the excellent upbeat rocker "Rain King" somehow stalled at #66, probably due to the band's over-exposure. In-between singles from "August", the band also scored with "Einstein On The Beach (For An Eggman)", which went to #45 and appeared on the "DGC Rarities Vol 1" record.

In 1996, the band released their highly anticipated sophomore record, "Recovering The Satellites". It was a #1 album despite the lackluster performance of the first single, "Angles Of The Silences", which only went to #45. The epic piano ballad "A Long December" did much better, reaching #6. The third single was "Daylight Fading", one of my favorite songs from the band's entire catalogue. I'm not sure why it didn't become a bigger hit, stalling at a disappointing #51.

The band would return to the top 40 in 2004 with a comeback hit of sorts. "Accidentally In Love" appeared on the Shrek 2 movie soundtrack and went to #39. They released a new album, "Somewhere Under Wonderland", in 2014.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" by Elvis Costello

Costello...the "other" Elvis...and Buddy Holly look alike. The English singer and songwriter has had an impressive career since the mid-70s, pairing himself with the likes of Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach and earning several songs in the R&R Hall of Fame. But you wouldn't know that looking at his chart performance.

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" is a prime example - a now classic song that many people know, yet it never hit the charts. Neither did "Pump It Up", which used to be a staple at major sporting events, or "Alison", his tender ballad covered by many other bands. Costello's most successful song on the charts came in 1989 with "Veronica", which went to #19.

Friday, July 15, 2016

"Our Time In The Universe" by Chris Cornell

One of the best and most versatile vocalists of our day, in my humble opinion, is Chris Cornell. Cutting his teeth in the 90s hard rock band Soundgarden, Cornell was also a member of two successful alternative rock super groups, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave. 

Cornell's first solo effort, the hauntingly beautiful "Euphoria Morning", reached #18 on the Billboard Top 200. Singles "Can't Change Me" and "Preaching The End of the World" are both amazing in their own way, but didn't chart. 

Cornell did have a taste of chart success as a solo artist with "You Know My Name", which served as the theme song to the James Bond movie Casino Royale in 2006 (it got to #79). The song appeared on his sophomore record, "Carry On", helping propel it to #17. But despite the release of additional strong cuts like the rocking "No Such Thing" and the melancholy "Arms Around Your Love", no other singles from this record hit the charts. I've nothing to say about his strange 2009 record, "Scream".

Cornell's latest record, "Higher Truth", appeared in 2015 and got to #19. One of his most introspective and thoughtful records, the sparse and largely acoustical sound draws attention to Cornell's vocal talents and songwriting. "Our Time In The Universe" is classic Cornell. It is a welcome return to form.


Thursday, July 14, 2016

"I'm Not Leaving" by Copperpot

Copperpot is an indie rock band out of New Jersey that is reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World and Fountains of Wayne. "I'm Not Leaving" is just one of many highlights from their 2003 self-titled release, which you can find here.  

The staccato guitar on the verses is a very cool effect, leading up to a powerful chorus that will have you singing along in no time. The entire record is super from beginning to end, so check them out if you like what you've heard so far.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

"World Shut Your Mouth" by Julian Cope

Formerly of The Teardrop Explodes, English art rocker Julian Cope's first solo album, "World Shut Your Mouth", was released in 1984. But the song of the same name appeared on his third album, 1987's "Saint Julian".

Although it only reached #84 in 1987, it would remain his only chart success in the US. It is a terrific song, but don't be fooled into thinking the rest of Cope's catalogue is as upbeat and catchy as this. The success of this single helped boost "Saint Julian" to #105 on the US albums chart, which he was never able to top.


Tuesday, July 12, 2016

"Will Power" by The Cookies

While not as well known as The Shirelles or The Supremes, The Cookies were a fantastic girl group from the 60s who also sang backup for the likes of Little Eva, Neil Sedaka, and Carole King. Best known for their #7 hit, "Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby", the group also scored with "Chains" (#17) and "Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys" (#33).

"Will Power" did not perform as well, landing at #72 in 1963. It deserved better - the ladies sound smooth as ever and the buzzing guitar solo always catches me by surprise. Go get their greatest hits!


Monday, July 11, 2016

"Bar-Ba-Sol" by David Cook

The show often takes some knocks, but American Idol has been successful in discovering some bona fide talent through the years. David Cook was the winner of the show in 2008 and has terrific vocal chops that are custom-built for rock. His album went platinum, producing several charting singles that included "Light On", co-written by Chris Cornell and Brian Howes. "Light On" went to #17.

Among the other tracks on his self-titled effort, "Bar-Ba-Sol" is often considered one of the best. The melodic hard rocking tune did not chart, but remains a favorite among many. It is actually a reworked cover song by a band called Injected entitled, "Spun Again".


Saturday, July 9, 2016

"It's So Hard Being A Loser" by The Contours

Best known as "one-hit" wonders, The Contours scored big with "Do You Love Me". This was their only top 40 hit but it hit the charts twice in two different decades. "Do You Love Me" reached #3 in 1962 and #11 in 1988, thanks to being featured in the hit movie Dirty Dancing.

The Contours have plenty other songs in their catalogue that didn't get their due. The upbeat yet melancholy "It's So Hard Being A Loser" is just one of them, and shows a different side of the band many didn't know existed. The song only went to #79 in 1967. The band didn't see chart success again until "Do You Love Me" re-entered in 1988.

Friday, July 8, 2016

"I'm Not Your Man" by Tommy Conwell

Throughout various Philadelphia bars in the 80s, Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers were gearing up to hit the big time with their brand of guitar-driven rock and blues. They had their moment in the sun with "Rumble", their only charting album, which hit #103 in 1988.

While the band's second single from that album, "If We Ever Meet Again", performed better on the charts, hitting #48, most people remember the boys best by their first single, "I'm Not Your Man". Surprisingly, "I'm Not Your Man" only reached #74 in 1988. The rise of the glam bands and synth pop bands just didn't leave much room for straight-up rock and roll like this to shine. 

Thursday, July 7, 2016

"Slackjawed" by The Connells

The Connell brothers formed their band back in the mid-80s and quickly became darlings of college radio. While they never attained mainstream success, that moment almost came with a couple of singles from their fifth record, 1993's "Ring".

The band had achieved quite a buzz by this point and the catchy single "Slackjawed" got some decent airplay. The band become better known when their ballad "'74-'75" was released. While still failing to chart in the US, the song did very well in Europe and was featured on the soundtrack to the Liv Tyler movie Heavy. Quite surprisingly, their success in Europe landed the band a spot opening for Def Leppard, which is not the most intuitive pairing of bands!

"Ring" would become the last Connells album to crack the Billboard Top 200, just barely doing so by hitting #199.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

"Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack" by Arthur Conley

There are a lot of shacks in Georgia. Not to be confused with the Love Shack made famous by the B-52's, here is Arthur Conley's song about Aunt Dora's shack. Conley is better known for his #2 hit, "Sweet Soul Music" from 1967. He had a few other minor hits covering other artists, including "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "Shake, Rattle, and Roll".

Conley was "discovered" by Otis Redding and was also a member of The Soul Clan.

"Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack" is a terrific but lesser known track from his catalogue, only reaching the #85 spot in 1968.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

"My Ship" by Company of Wolves

Once upon a time there was a rock group from Baltimore called The Ravyns. This little known band had a pretty big song featured on the soundtrack to the hit film Fast Times At Ridgemont High called "Raised On The Radio". Kyf Brewer played keyboards and sang for the band, but after their major label debut failed to fly, he left the flock and formed Company of Wolves.

Company of Wolves had all the ingredients to rise above the crowded "hair band" scene of the late 80s and early 90s, but for some reason it never happened. Their self-titled record is amazing - sizzling bar band rock and blues with clever lyrics and big chorus hooks. From gritty rockers to acoustic ballads, these guys could do it all.

"My Ship" is just one of many stand out songs on this incredibly underrated record. Fans of the era may also recognize "The Distance", which got a decent amount of airplay back in the day. Brewer has also released a number of solo records and was a member of the successful Celtic rock outfit Barleyjuice.

Friday, July 1, 2016

"Round Of Blues" by Shawn Colvin

South Dakota singer and songwriter Shawn Colvin is best known for her huge 1997 hit, "Sunny Came Home", which peaked at #7 and won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. Strangely, Colvin has never seen another charting single, but she has amassed a loyal following.

Back in 1992, the promise of Colvin's talent was evident on tracks like "Round of Blues". It is more upbeat than her usual folk tunes and stands as one of my favorites from her extensive repertoire.