Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Deep tracks part 1: Aerosmith-Bruce Springsteen


Deep tracks, are the songs on artist’s albums that are not released as singles, and many artist have some great ones that aren’t well known cause not everyone buys albums. It has become even more of an issue in the Itunes world, where kids will download their favorite Who or Led Zeppelin song that they heard on the radio or kidz bop. Anyway, I don’t feel like going on a rant about how the soulless money makingness of pop music has buried the idea of albums, I would rather just put up a bunch of youtube links to songs that artist made that aren’t played on the radio.

Aerosmith: The first classic rock band I ever got into, mostly by way of a recorded tape made by my neighbor, of their album Get a Grip, when I was in forth grade. Then by way of their first greatest hits tape, which I purchased at a gas station (you used to (probably still can) find a lot of great, cheap buys of tapes and CD’s at gas stations)

Round And Round-Toys In The Attic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA7711eRE-A) before they got clean, “The Toxic Twins” of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were a force to be reckon with. This is my favorite song off Toys In The Attic. Probably about doing drugs and having sex, most of their songs are.

King and Queens-Draw The Line/Greatest Hits: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gq14MP7qgM) Yes, the fact that this is on the greatest hits defeats the purpose of my intentions of this blog, but this is my favorite Aerosmith song, and I’d be willing to guess that zero people out there that don’t own either album have actually heard of it, I think it was put on the album because they had so few other songs to fill it with. There are only 10 tracks on the album, and the last 2 are covers: Come Together, (Remember) Walking in the Sand, both great covers worth checking out.

Alice in Chains: I think Alice In Chains is the second most underrated band of the 90’s (behind The Wallflowers), they are true titans of the grunge era, and even the new stuff is awesome too, several of the band members have faced pretty tragic sad drug based endings. A lot of people, watched former bassist Mike Starr on struggle on celebrity rehab, only to read his OD based obituary later that same year (2011). And former front man, Layne Stayle was dead in his apartment of an OD for 6 days before he was found by someone. By that time in his life he was only talking to his drug dealer and his sister for the most part.

Rain when I Die-Dirt: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbkTpCvA9Oc) If you think you like grunge music, you have to own the album Dirt, it is the most grungey album out there. This song, like many songs of theirs, is about heroin. Such is most songs by bands in Seattle at the time.

Nothin Song-Alice In Chains: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygtDt14hIBA) AIC’s self-titled album, is very forgotten about (but, it shouldn’t be), this is just one of the many great tracks off it. I think it’s about trying to make another hit song.

Love/Hate/Love-Facelift (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2WDhx0VHa0): Another great AIC song, I just love the music in this, it is not uplifting to say the least

Don’t Follow-Jars of Flies: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBB2OS4IoTs) Besides the MTV unplugged, Jars of Flies is the most publically listenable album by the group, it is much more restrained, this song even has harmonica in it. Most people will like this song if you give it a chance.

Right Turn-SAP: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwv0qZleUA): I know I am putting way to many Alice in Chains songs on here, but this one deserves extra attention cause it also has Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) and Mark Arm (Mudhoney) on the track. Also, AIC are criminally under listened too.

Allman Brothers: I don’t know a ton of none famous Allman brothers songs, so this is going to short and sweet.

Not My Cross To Bare-Eat A Peach (I think) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szdKx9O31A0). Just an amazing song, that not nearly enough people know, so maybe now you do.

The Beach Boys: One of the five greatest pop bands ever, this was back in the day when singers in boy bands also played their own instruments. Also, Pet Sounds is one of the best albums ever, but I am not sure it’s even gone platinum yet.

That’s Not Me-Pet Sounds: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHCEppiiXL8) The entire song is about being in your 20’s and aimless, needless to say, for me, it’s one of the most relatable albums of all time.

I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times-Pet Sounds: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyhU2mVyFAk) the entire album is short and every song is great, these are just my two favorite and most relatable tracks.

The Beatles: What can I add about the Fab Four that hasn’t already been said, very little, so here are a couple tracks you might not be 100 percent aware of, but probably are.

Girl-Rubber Soul: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liR9bW5hm2c) This is the song the guy sings at the beginning of the movie Across the Universe (it’s actually a pretty good movie)

I Am So Tired- The White Album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIENus8bJlY) Short and to the point, Lennon is tired. Plus there is the line: Curse Sir Walter Raliegh/he was such a stupid git.

Long, Long, Long-The White Album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ghgQe2ikA): SHHHHHH!! Be vewy, vewy quiet, or you might not be able to hear the lyrics. Another great song from The White Album

She’s Leaving Home-Sgt. Pepper’s… (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lG3nXyI41M) About a girl, leaving home despite her parent’s wishes, a great examples of the brilliance of the Beatles harmonies.

Beck: Beck is the Bob Dylan of the 90’s/21st century (except with a much better voice and producing ablity), he can do so many things and usually with very few other peoples help. Every album is some kind of change up from his last, and they are all good.



Little One-Sea Change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2w0k_F7xa8): Ignore the stupid home movie, only version of the song I could find

We Live Again-Mutations (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfAic-wsw8): Mutations is actually my favorite Beck album, it was his first break up album (Sea Change was his second, and also a classic)

Ben Folds Five: Ben Folds is another artist of the late 90’s that goes under noticed, I saw him open for Tori Amos, he was great, he did a cover of Wham’s Careless Whisper, it was pretty awesome. George Michael is a pretty great songwriter.

Selfless, Cold, and Composed-Whatever and ever Amen: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Ax3Yrdwpg&feature=fvst) the band can jazz the hell out of a song. Here is an amazing acapella version of the song by some college acapella group, it is also AH-MAHZING (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB9hjYLkTMg)

Missing the War-Whatever and Ever, Amen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Sdr9_1PFY) another song on the album that I love.

Billy Joel: Hicksville, Long Island, New York’s own, would have been in my uncles graduating class, had the piano man graduated from high school.

The “downeaster” Alexa-Storm Front (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG5H139_LaU) just a song about a fisherman trying to catch enough fish to feed to the family.

No Man’s Land- River of Dreams (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzoGHYdLUPo) sort of a companion piece to We Didn’t Start the Fire, in which, we actually did start the fire, damn our suburban life-style .

Bob Dylan: The man that went electric has some great long winded songs.

Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues-Highway 61 revisited (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mM1am2QlKs) Typically Dylan hating everyone in the world, cause they are just a bunch of squares

Bruce Springsteen: BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Lost in the Flood-Live, from Ashbury Park: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxA-q_m7Bk&feature=fvst) Quick Confession: I have just recently gone all in on Bruce Springsteen, hearing this song on Springsteen radio, while on a baseball trip with my dad in 09 is one of the main turning point songs.

State Trooper-Nebraska (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmT-jlL8ZiY) Nebraska is probably my favorite Bruce album, this is my favorite track from the album.

Point Blank-The River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0DjrXDBJnU). Great atmospheric song.  

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