Monday, May 7, 2018

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #164



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. Shadow of Your Love, by Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses put out their first bit of new music in 10 years this past Friday when announcing the big Appetite For Destruction box set that will be coming out later this year. This tune in particular is actually not new at all, but one that is as old as the band itself. That said, I believe that this is a new recording of it due to some of Slash's solos and Axl Rose's vocals. Plus, it doesn't sound like any of the demos of it that I have heard. That said, this energetic rocker should have been on AFD for sure.



2. Make America Great Again, by Frank Turner

In an age where so many people blindly follow Donald Trump because of all the big promises of making America great again, singer-songwriter Frank Turner wrote a song about what would actually make America great again: making racists ashamed again and learning to have more compassion for one another. Despite being an Englishman, he really does have a spot-on understanding and view of what is going on here.



3. Neither Can I, by Slash's Snakepit

Speaking of Slash, I couldn't resist throwing this bluesy number on this week's list. It has this cool, laid back bluesy swagger to it that manages to stay throughout the entire song, even when it gets particularly loud and rocking. Plus, that harmonica really does add a layer of flavor that brings it to a whole other level. Naturally the Cat in the Hat's gnarly soloing and soulful melodies bring it all together as well.



4. Cool #9, by Joe Satriani

This tune also has its own bluesy swagger to it, but in a much more outer-space jazzy kind of way. Of course you would expect nothing else from guitar wizard extraordinaire Joe Satriani. He really is one of those rare players who despite his technical prowess manages to compose and play with not just his head, but also his heart. As a guitar player myself, I know that this is absolutely no easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.



5. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

To wrap things up, some classic Hendrix. As a young guitar player that iconic funky riff is one of the first things I ever remember trying to learn once I bought my own crybaby wah pedal. There really is not a whole lot to say about this particular song that has not been said countless times already. It's Hendrix. It's got blues. It's got soul. It effing rocks. Crank it up to 11 and jam it until all of your weekday blues have gone away.


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