Monday, September 5, 2016

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #87

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Barton Hollow, by The Civil Wars

Want a little slice of Americana in your play list this week? This now sadly split up duo of folk singers bring some rather stellar vocal harmonies that will make the hairs stand up on your arms and neck and send a shiver down your spine. This tune in particular will get you moving, grooving, and swaying on your feet without there even being a rhythm section besides maybe a tambourine. Can't go wrong with a nice steel guitar either.


2. After Forever, by Black Sabbath

This is sadly a tune you don't hear too often from the godfathers of heavy metal (though I was lucky enough to see them play it at the second show of theirs that I went to). It's rather melodic in some areas, but straight up dark and heavy in others. It all flows together rather well. The lyrics are actually quite dark in terms of subject matter, even for Black Sabbath. I think one of my favorite parts of the song though is the synth intro done by Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman that is then joined by that bluesy grooving guitar riff by Tony Iommi.


3. Roll Over Beethoven, by Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry in my opinion was the true King of Rock n' Roll. Can't really beat that rebellious rock n' roll attitude of his. His song Roll Over Beethoven back in the 50's was pretty much his way of telling all the old folks to get out of the way because a new generation of music that would take over the planet was coming through like a roaring blaze that had no hope of being put out. Though considered tame by today's standards back then this was pretty much THE way to tell the old fuddy duddies to eff off.


4. I Turned into a Martian, by The Misfits

This is one of my absolute FAVORITE songs by these horror punk legends. While in some ways the song does actually make a bit of sense, I think most of us (myself included) like it for the chorus and just how absurd it sounds overall. Who turns into a Martian when you're from Earth? Seems a bit outlandish. Regardless of what reason you listen for though, it's still a couple minutes' worth of pummeling fast paced punk rock fun.


5. Jailbreak, by AC/DC

For whatever unfathomable reason, this didn't get released in the US until 10 years after it was recorded and released as a single everywhere else in the world. Honestly, I feel it's one of AC/DC's crowning achievements and highlights the emotions and action of breaking out of prison quite well (at least from the perspective of one who has never even spent the night in jail). All that aside, it rocks hard and rocks loud. It's everything an AC/DC tune needs to be. What more do I need to say?

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