Three for the Ride: Cult, The Police, Jellyfish

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:

Cult: "She Sells Sanctuary"
Cult's second album, Love, was released in late 1985. The first time I heard this song, I ran out to get the CD. Then, I listened to this song over and over again. I love power trios (guitar, bass, drums). Billy Duffy's guitar work on this song is just epic. Just listen to the guitars. The video features vocalist Ian Astbury doing his very best Jim Morrison impression.



The Police: "Bed's Too Big Without You"
1979's Reggatta de Blanc (White Reggae) is The Police's second record. It is my second favorite record of theirs, their debut, Outlandos d'Amour being my favorite. They became a somewhat different band after this record. The raw, high-energy sound of the three-piece gave way to the more-polished, high-production radio hits, like "Don't Stand So Close to Me". This record, though, keeps that simple, bare-bones, stripped-down sound that was so refreshing when they first appeared on the scene.



Jellyfish: "Brighter Day"
I guess it's a second album kind of day. 1993's Spilt Milk was the follow up to Jellyfish's amazing debut, Bellybutton. And what a follow up. I actually prefer this record. Andy Sturmer, frontman and drummer (yeah, that's an odd one) has such a great voice and is an amazing writer. Their stuff captures everything that was great about 70's power-pop and makes it better. Think Raspberries, Harry Nilsson, McCartney, and Queen and you start to get the idea. I was fortunate to have seen them live before they disbanded. This is the last track of of what would be their last studio album ;) Sometimes, the really great stuff just goes over most people's heads.



Until next time...

Three from the train: Chris Botti, Paul Anka, Dido.

Every morning that I decide to drag myself to the city, I have a little over an hour to listen to music on the train. 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 want the world to appreciate as much as I do. Songs that make me say, "Ooh, listen to THIS! Isn't it great?!"

Some mornings are tough to choose only three songs from, but I will not break my own rule - 3 songs. Period. I'll also try to not repeat the artist, too often. It's inevitable that it will happen. I own entire catalogs of certain artists (e.g. Paul McCartney), so some will show up more than others. Here's what I heard this morning:

Chris Botti: "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets"
There's something "old school" about Chris Botti, trumpeter extraordinaire, that really resonates with me. His music has integrity and a lasting quality. This track is from the 2004 release, When I Fall in Love. It features Domnic Miller and Sting who cowrote the song.



Paul Anka: "Wonderwall"
In 2005 and 2007, respectively, Paul Anka released two albums, Rock Swings and Classic Songs, My Way that were rearrangements of contemporary rock and pop songs. On Rock Swings, Anka even covered songs like Nirvana's "Smells Like Team Spirit" and Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun". Had I heard about this ahead of time, I'd have thought the idea was ridiculous. But I was at a wedding reception when the DJ played "Black Hole Sun". I was blown away and had to know who it was. These tracks are brilliant and the arrangements, simply great. Here's Oasis's "Wonderwall":



Dido: "All You Want"
1999's No Angel has sold over 21 million copies worldwide. "Here With Me" was the opening track and became a huge hit. This little gem was buried right in the middle of the track listing and is a little less known, but is my favorite from the album. I love this record. In fact, it's the last time I fell asleep with a pair of headphones listening to an album. Funny how having kids can kill that little pleasure. (Have to keep an ear out for their mischief ;) ). I love her voice. There's something unique about it and it's so very soothing at the same time.



Until next time...