Three for the Ride, Jughead, Kansas, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Some days, I take the train to work. Other days, I drive. Either way, I listen to music on the way. I put the iPhone music player on shuffle, and off I go. Calling my collection eclectic would be an understatement. It's often an interesting mix. There are songs though, that I really wish the world could appreciate as much as I do. Songs that make me say, "Ooh, listen to THIS! Isn't it great?!"

Here's what I heard this morning:

Jughead: "C'mon"
Jughead features King's X guitarist Ty Tabor along with Derek Sherinian on keyboards (Dream Theater), Matt Bissonette on bass (David Lee Roth), and his brother, Gregg Bissonette, on drums (David Lee Roth). Their sole release was a self-titled CD in 2002. A lot of the songs are progressive crunch pop stuff written, for the most part, by Ty. I've been asking Ty to make another release happen and maybe even tour with these guys, but they are all very busy fellows.



Kansas: "Song for America"
Here's the rock anthem for the week. Kansas's 10-minute long epic was on the 1975 album of the same name, Song for America. It's a wonderful song, and the first one that comes to mind if anyone ever mentions Kansas to me. It's very symphonic in its structure and has some great melodies and movements. If you can find the time...



Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: "Here Comes My Girl"
There's a reason that 1979's Damn the Torpedoes has sold millions of copies. It has great songs on it that have become part of our cultures lexicon: "Refugee," "Even the Losers," "Don't Do Me Like That," and this gem, "Here Come's My Girl." Mike Campbell's layered guitar textures in this song are perfect. I love the way Tom speaks the lyrics. It sets a great mood. And the vamp at the end, I could listen to for hours. Then, there's the bridge. The bridge is pure magic. I get chills every time I hear it. "Watch her walk..."



Until next time...