The Subways – Rock & Roll Queen

Title: Rock & Roll Queen

Artist:The Subways

Album: Young For Eternity

Year Released: 2005

What It Is: Just a rockin’ little tune about a rockin’ girl. I think, in this case, it’s the bass player who was dating the guitarist / singer at the time. They broke up, but I think the band is still going on and rockin’.

Riffage / Hookage: The chorus is repetitive yet catchy, the melody is decent, and the song rocks in a rockin’ way.

Cowbell?: Not that I can hear, though he’s rockin’ the skins.

Words Of Wisdom: “You are the sun
You are the only one
You are so cool
You are so rock and roll”

Ok, it’s not Proust, but it’s rock and roll.

Mixology Report: Rock and roll it out! Great for driving and general all purpose rocking.

For The Good Of The Order: Like many couples in rock and roll, after some popularity the boyfriend / girlfriend combo split up. They’re still together as a band, but now the songs are a bit darker and less celebratory. But that’s rock and roll! Rock!

Rock & Roll Queen – The Subways

 

Electric Six – Rock & Roll Evacuation

Title: Rock & Roll Evacuation

Artist: Electric Six

Album:Senor Smoke

Year Released: 2005

What It Is:It ain’t art, but it’s entertaining! The Electric Six are just a fun band that combine modern dance/rock with outrageously funny lyrics and thoughts. Most of their songs actually succeed, which is hard to pull off in when doing songs with outright humor.

Riffage / Hookage:The combination of sounds are appealing, the song drives and the chorus is catchy as heck.

Cowbell?: No. (Or as they say in the song No, No, No, No, No, No!)

Words Of Wisdom: “Evil boys eating evil hamburgers

Evil boys eating evil fries.”

Now, I think that only points to White Castles, since you tend to eat them at the wrong time, at the wrong place, and for the wrong reasons.

Mixology Report: Yes. Good to lighten up the mood and it’s a fun tune.

For The Good Of The Order:In reading their All Music Guide bio, it seems that they’ve run through a lot of ancillary personnel. So is this just a Dick Valentine and Tait Nucleus project, or are they shifting names around for fun? But it doesn’t matter, really, does it?

Here’s a vid for the song, done by a hamburger. No foolin!

 

Stellastarr* – Sweet Troubled Soul

Title: Sweet Troubled Soul

Artist: Stellastarr* (Yes, it’s two r’s and a * – as opposed to 4 m’s and a silent q) (I first spelled it ‘apposed’ at first) (It’s been a long weekend)

Album: Harmonies For The Haunted

Year Released: 2005

What It Is: A post-modern throwback to hard rockin’ alternative music. Or something. That’s what a critic would say. What I say it is is rock and roll like it should be, histironic vocals, killer riffs, cool backup vocals, and a great hook.

Riffage / Hookage: A riff to die for. In fact, I killed someone over the riff. (No, not really, but some guitarist would. Heck, that’d make a great story…where’s my editor?) The vocal hooks, especially the eerie backing vocals and in the bridge, are fantastic as well.

Cowbell?: No cowbell, but solid drum pounding and nice work on the ride cymbal as well. I like a drummer that can handle cymbals.

Words Of Wisdom: “I want to suffer in your arms
and when you’re naked in the dark
I want to see your face
in the reflection of my bedroom stereo”

That’s pretty hot, don’t ya think?

Mixology Report: I have placed this on countless mixes and I’ll do it again. You can’t stop this song, you can only hope to contain it.

For The Good Of The Order: I first heard about this song on an ESPN blog by a bench warming NBA player (Paul Shirley). No, seriously. I did.

Here’s the official vid. It’s a bit disconcerting to me, but I’m getting to be old and crochety and remember when videos cost about $215.59 and were shot by the roadies’ cousin Waldo.