B Side Presents, "Friday Gut Check - Wake Up Little Suzy"

All the time I talk about music setting a tone for your life. How your life can be impacted and how it can change the very fiber of your being - because it's so mood impacting. Well - what better way to dictate your pace than to set it up based on how you wake up? Follower Digger asked that I create a Top 5 songs to wake up to. What a brilliant idea!! I've thought about this exactly zero times in the past - so this list is fairly off the top of my head. For that I apologize, but it's still gonna be fun!

I do have one caveat for myself - I want my songs to cheesily either have titles that relate to 'getting up', 'waking up', 'the morning' or 'things you do in the morning'. I could hit up my mood list and come up with 1,000 different relaxing, wakes you up gently type tracks. This will be more corny - which is right up my alley.

So I'm basically only listening to the first 20 seconds or so. I'm not a sleep-past-the-initial-beep kind of guy. So getting one minute in wouldn't do me much good. Here are my top 5 - as always - in reverse order. Enjoy!

5. Wake Up - Arcade Fire: Pretty groovy, funky guitar riff to open it up. That's probably all I'd get to upon my awakening. But if you do make it about 20 seconds in - you get the nice chorus of "oh's" which is nice. Then the lyrics are very soothing, not jarring. This would be a nice way to start the day.

Listen

4. Alive - Pearl Jam: Twice in a month? I know, I know - for someone that doesn't like Pearl Jam, I sure point out their tracks a lot. But come on! The song is not only called Alive, it's got that great opening riff! And like I said before, what a great message to get going - "I'm still alive". Be thankful everyday you are...even when things are bad, they can always turn around.

Listen

3. Wake Up And Live - Bob Marley: YES! Starts out with the countdown - which is pretty cool - then you get BLASTED by the sweet horns - THEN - you get the WAKE UP - WAKE UP AND LIVE commands from Mr. Marley! How awesome is that? I'm pretty sure I could listen to this song everyday, and finally I had the right forum to share it with you guys. I'm proud of myself.

Listen - I can't find the real version - only live ones. Check this one on your own!

2. The National Anthem - Radiohead: Every morning you should wake up, and say the national anthem. Just like we did in grade school. Except, play along and sing along to Radiohead's version. What a SICK opening riff. Another bass guitar style riff that just explodes in your face. Takes a while to get into the lyrics - but that's fine. Just this riff alone would be a great, uplifting way to start your day.

Listen

1. Good Morning - Kanye West: Okay, so I'll admit, I've actually waken myself up to this a few times in my life. You get the great base line, a little Kanye ad lib and then you get the "GOOD MORNIN'". Then the similar chorus of "oh's". Just overall, a nice gentle wake up and then once you realize you're up, you're going to want to rap along with the lyrics. So it's a win-win.

Listen

What would you choose to wake up to? Even if they didn't have cheesy titles like mine. Give me your 5!

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness

I've been doing this blog for nearly a year now. And I simply cannot believe some of the albums I haven't reviewed. This is certainly one of them. I LOVE, adore this record. I bought it immediately when it dropped in 1995. I had already bought Siamese Dream and loved that one - so this was a natural progression. This is the Pumpkins best selling album at a delightful 9x platinum. For good reason too. Not only were there a TON of hits off this double album, but they're mind blowing. And the span of hits is hard rock, alt rock, piano ballads. I mean, this runs the gambit of EVERYTHING. When I reviewed 'Dream' a while back, it got very high praise. I think I gave it a 4 and conveyed how much you should listen to it. Well, this is going to be a very similar review. There is no reason not to listen to this today, and listen hard. It'll take you a while, as it's nearly 30 tracks, but it's all worth it. It's very unusual for a double album to debut at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200. But this did it. It's also rare that one album has 7 grammy nominations. But yeah, this did it. It's again rare that any album would be compared to 'The Wall' in terms of greatest albums in history. And yeah, this album has been widely compared to that in terms of identification of a band and in impact to the music business. I can't say enough good things about this. It's a piece of true music art. Hearing it again today is just making me happy. Happy to own it and happy to remember to play these older alt rock albums every now and again. I'll give you a top 5 since it's a doubler, and at least check out those tracks. When you have time, listen to the whole thing. Well worth your two hours.

TRACK LISTING:
Disc One - From Dawn To Dusk
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Tonight, Tonight
Jellybelly
Zero
Here Is No Why
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
To Forgive
An Ode to No One
Love
Cupid de Locke
Galapogos
Muzzle
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Take Me Down (Iha)

Disc Two - Twilight To Starlight
Where Boys Fear to Tread
Bodies
Thirty-Three
In the Arms of Sleep
1979
Tales of a Scorched Earth
Thru the Eyes of Ruby
Stumbleine
X.Y.U.
We Only Come Out at Night
Beautiful
Lily (My One and Only)
By Starlight
Farewell and Goodnight

Listen To Samples

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
2. Thirty-Three
3. 1979
4. Muzzle
5. Tonight, Tonight

FINAL RATING:
4.75 out of 5 stars

Ari Hest - Break-In

After digging out of the disgusting amounts of snow yesterday, 'mood' music seems more than appropriate for this melancholy return to the office. It's kind of nice not to be snowbound anymore, but going back to work isn't exactly what I'd like to be doing. Regardless, Ari Hest. I tuned myself into him around 2004 or so. I really like his style. He started making music in 1999 or so, after spending his childhood growing up in the Bronx. Turns out his life goal was to be a professional baseball player, and played all throughout high school. But at a young age, he also was big into music. He played piano and guitar before hitting the teenage years. This particular album came out in 2007. There isn't a lot of info about his stuff out there, as he's pretty indie. But it doesn't look like any of his records ever charted. That's not too surprising, since I don't know too many people that would even recognize his name. He's got a very acoustic quality to his music. He can sit back, strum a guitar and do a nice vocal over the top, and it's simply grabbing. Like you can't possibly turn it off. It's just too pleasing to the ears. Looks like he's got another album coming out next month - which is over 10 albums for him in a career. Nuts. I only know this one and one other. I need to get better versed. But today, I'd like you guys to be singularly versed in one album. Check it out!

TRACK LISTING:
1. When and If
2. Bird Never Flies
3. Leaving Her Alone
4. So Slow
5. When to Quit
6. Right of Way
7. Break-In, The
8. Big Ben
9. Just as Well
10. I've Got You

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. When And If
2. The Break-In
3. I've Got You

FINAL RATING:
3.75 out of 5 stars

Candlebox - Self Titled

Ahh yes, 1993. I was still in the single digits and just really starting to listen to music. You know, not in the literal sense of it hitting my ears - but really listening and letting music make impressions on me. Candlebox was a band that you couldn't seemingly get enough of back then. You had the hardcore rocking style, then a nice ballad that made you think shortly thereafter. But I'm getting ahead of myself bit - let's toss some history in here. These gents formed in Seattle, Washington in the very early 90's. Now everyone knows what was happening in Seattle at that time...yeah, grunge music. There is no doubt looking at the album cover that Candlebox wasn't trying to be a part of that movement. They were part of Maverick Records which was owned by Madonna. Yep - the Madonna. It was her first major hit on the label - which ended up also signing Alanis Morissette, Deftones and Prodigy. Candlebox really helped that label to shoot up the charts. But the label ended up going south. Candlebox was released from their contract with the label in 2000 or so, and they decided to call it quits. They did get back together in 2006, and still do shows around the US today. I'm not sure if any of their more current stuff is worth while, but it very well could be. There isn't anything about this record you shouldn't like. Alt rock, grunge, contemporary rock - it has everything. And it's stood the test of time. I really enjoyed listening to it again this morning. Don't be left far behind, take a listen today.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Don't You
2. Change
3. You
4. No Sense
5. Far Behind
6. Blossom
7. Arrow
8. Rain
9. Mother's Dream
10. Cover Me
11. He Calls Home

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Far Behind
2. You
3. Cover Me

FINAL RATING:
3.75 out of 5 stars

Joe Diffie - Honky Tonk Attitude

In what seems like 5 years ago, I profiled a Joe Diffie song as my Song of the Moment. That track was a song from a deleted scene from 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective' that I have been unable to locate on any album or even just a random single out there. I hate when that happens. It's like Nirvana's cover of 'Verse Chorus Verse' that only exists on the old 'No Alternative' album from the 90's. Put it somewhere else! Anyhow, haypeterman asked that I get to this work from Diffie. Peterman knows me well enough to know that I'm not huge into country - and this is as bluegrassy and twangy as it seems to get. And what's with that album cover? Jeez. This dropped in 1993 not 1983. Anyways, Diffie was born in 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked as a foundry man and made a good living doing so. He was a musician on the side - and even built his own studio to record and let other artists record. When the foundry closed, he filed for bankruptcy, left his wife and his two kids, and went into a deep state of depression. Which let's face it, being country means you had to go through some sort of strife. You can't sing with passion without it. Diffie still makes music and throws out an occasional tour to this day. He's now also known for his charity work - mainly with special needs children. As for this album...hmm, I've listened to it twice since yesterday and nothing really sticks out for me. It's a fairly popular 1x platinum, and supposedly has three hit singles off of it - but again, nothing is making me sing along or sing after the cd ends. Certainly isn't "bad", so give it a shot. Maybe you'll really enjoy it.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Honky Tonk Attitude
2. I'm Not Through Losin' You
3. Prop Me up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)
4. If I Had Any Pride Left at All
5. I Can Walk the Line (If It Ain't Too Straight)
6. Somewhere Under the Rainbow
7. John Deere Green
8. In My Own Backyard
9. Here Comes That Train
10. And That Was the Easy Part
11. Cold Budweiser and a Sweet 'Tater

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. In My Own Backyard
2. Honky Tonk Attitude
3. And That Was The Easy Part

FINAL RATING:
2.75 out of 5 stars

Ricky Martin - Musica + Alma + Sexo

Oh New Music Tuesday - sometimes you are an ironic, cruel mistress. Not long ago, follower janis! was telling me to listen to some Ricky Martin old school stuff. She seemed to think that I'd enjoy it a lot more than my brain allowed me to believe. We all know about he's from Puerto Rico...and we all know that he got his start in the small boy band Menudo. We all know his crossover to English/American sensation with 'La Vida Loca'. But I'm told it was his not known tracks that would surprise me. Well, I never did get a chance to review and older - complete Martin record. So here we sit today, brand new album dropped this morning. Hot off the press. I will say, a bad start is seeing they dropped this at a very strange 5.99 asking price. Usually new music will be cheaper - but still 9.99 or so. TBD on what the reason for the low number is. Martin has sold tens of millions of records worldwide. Most of those sales stem around two albums. This is his 9th studio release. There isn't a lot of really fun information about this album out there. There have been two singles released that have seen modest radio success thus far. One single dropped as long ago as early November of 2010. Kind of crazy. I'm not sure if this is being released in English or not - I'm currently listening to it in Spanish. Which for me isn't bad, because I'm fluent. But I could see the frustration if you don't understand anything. Anyways, this is different. It's a pop/dance/indie feel all over the place. Some of the dance tracks are pretty sick - which is nice to listen to. All in all, I'm not disappointed in this - but I'm not going to rush out and spend 6 bucks either. So I'll let you all decide. Let me know what you think of Ricky Vol. 9.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Mas
2. Frio
3. Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu
4. Te Vas
5. Tu Y Yo
6. Cantame Tu Vida
7. Te Busco Y Te Alcanzo
8. Sera Sera
9. No Te Miento
10. Basta Ya
11. Best Thing About Me is You, The
12. Shine
13. Frio [Marioso Dejes£s Remix Version]

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Tu Y Yo
2. Mas
3. The Best Thing About Me Is You

FINAL RATING:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Benny Benassi - Hypnotica

Techno Tuesday strikes back with a beaty, robotic vengeance today! I've known about Mr. Benassi for a while now - just simply forgot to share him with you guys. So here we go. Benny was born and raised in Milan, Italy. Not exactly a hot bed for super hot - top 10 DJ talent. But he was born into a big time music family. He has direct family that were also highly sought after producers and beat men. He seems to be continuing the trend of Benassi legends. I first heard an older house album of his - and I recall it being pretty sick. But that sound was MUCH different than what he's dropping in today's techno style world. His music is very robotic in terms of how you'd dance to it and also the stretched out vocals. You know, like back in the day when you first got your computer to speak what you typed. That kind of sound to it. 'Hypnotica' here came out in 2003 and dropped amidst some pretty nice controversy. There were multiple videos to drop for this single, and all of them had a little bit different twist. Basically though, the controversy all was surrounded by the overall sexual nature of the videos. One video showed an 80's style workout video with women all dressed in very tight, revealing spandex clothing. Oh, sorry - I should have mentioned, these are all videos for the track 'Satisfaction'. Personally, I didn't think they were that big of a deal. I mean, look at the Shake Weight commercials today - not that much different. Regardless, that song is awesome, and this album is a fun techno listen. It's not perfect - but it's a good one. Give it a shot - you might get your toes tapping too.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Satisfaction
2. Able to Love
3. No Matter What You Do
4. Let It Be
5. Love Is Gonna Save Us
6. Inside of Me
7. I Wanna Touch Your Soul
8. I'm Sorry
9. Time
10. Put Your Hands Up
11. Get Loose
12. Change Style
13. I Love My Sex
14. Don't Touch Too Much

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Satisfaction
2. Inside Of Me
3. I'm Sorry

FINAL RATING:
3.5 out of 5 stars