Bradley's Buzz

This Week's Random 7

I guess with my birthday and all, I was feeling a tad nostalgic this week, so we have five very classic albums and two new ones just to throw in a little twist.


JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS - I Love Rock & Roll (1982; remastered)
Okay does anyone not believe that Joan Jett kicks ass? This is her classic second album with the title hit, her version of "Crimson & Clover" and twelve other rocking little ditties done up in that jett lag style. I've been wanting to buy this forever but always forget until the other day when I was at Amoeba and found a used copy for $10. I snatched up that sucker and like the bonus tracks, I keep playing it over and over.
BLONDIE - Auto American (1980; remastered)
I have owned this album in every imagineable format since its release in 1980. It was at the time the only Blondie I had, where I actually went into the store and bought it when it first came out. Full of all that is Blondie glory, there isn't a genre not covered on Autoamerican. From the hip hop stops of "Rapture", the reggae tune of "The Tide Is High" - jazz on "Faces" , 40s style "Here's Looking At You" and straight up rock on "Walk Like Me" and "TBirds." This is definitive Blondie, and it contains my all time fav Blondie track "Angels On The Balcony. Plus the whole thing starts with a space age alien soundtrack called "Europa."

LOVERBOY - Loverboy (1980)
I love me my Mike Reno of 1980 and the whole band Loverboy burst onto the scene and burst out of those leather pants with this debut album. As a child I had this tape and the follow up "Get Lucky" and for some reason it was always the second album I played more, because of its more rock sound but having matured and buying both releases on CD, I find myself gravitating to the debut so much more often. It's much more new wave rock than one would think of when they think of Loverboy and songs like "Lovin' Every Minute Of It" but this is truly a new wave melodic album with the hit singles "Turn Me Loose" and "The Kid Is Hot Tonite", it contains some of the best album tracks of the 80s.


GREASE Soundtrack (1978)
This is the very first album I ever got, in fact my aunt had the record and played it so often by the time my mom bought me the 8track, I knew all of the songs. Though I must admit, I didn't know what a lot of them were about. The Mr. Right Rizzo is so longing for in "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" made me think she was talking about her landlord - Mr. Right. I couldn't figure out why a high school student had her own apartment, and don't even get me started on the swear words in "Greased Lightning" I thought I only heard. But with every viewing of this movie, and every spin of the soundtrack, I am taken back and I love it in Rydell High 1958. Plus when Sandy turns slutty there's just no turning down your electrifyin' Livvie love.


PAT BENATAR - Crimes Of Passion (1980; remastered) Just to show those who don't know what an 8 track is or was, I happened to find a picture of this great classic album on 8-track. In fact when I went to buy this album in 1980 they were sold out and all I could buy was the 8track. Thankfully in the last few months Chrysalis Records got wise and remastered Pat's first three albums. It is Crimes Of Passion, Pat's second album that drove her into the rock stratosphere and made me the ultra Benatar lover I am. Driving singles "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "You Better Run" & "Treat Me Right" showed she could rock and sing the talk. But listening to all the elements of the remasters I realize why I loved this album in the first place. Album cuts like "Hell Is For Children", "Little Paradise" and "Out-A-Touch" rock, plus her cover of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" is something to hear in order to believe. With Neil Geraldo's great guitar solos and Pat's defiance, all came through on this 1980 release. Plus it has another of my all time fav songs ever, "I'm Gonna Follow You" all about being stalked by someone who finds themselves in "My alley".

BODYROCKERS - Bodyrockers (2005)
I saw the video for the band's "I Like The Way" and knew the song thanks to one of those soda commercials, but I thought the boys had a little something to offer. I'm still on the initial run of the CD and it's pretty good but hasn't totally blown me away yet. Though I must admit the mix of dance rock they are doing is pretty catchy, perhaps I'll throw it on the stereo while dancing, I mean dusting the apartment.

and this week's stand out CD is:


THE GOSSIP - Standing In The Way Of Control (2006)
Now this CD I can't get enough of! I told you a few weeks ago how I saw the video for "Standing In The Way Of Control" and completely went ape shit over the thing. Every single song on here is kick ass. Full of rock raw power the lead singer Beth can wrap her lungs around anything and does so with a ferocity most bands could only hope to aspire to have. Plus there is a ballad on here called "Coal To Diamonds" that show off what real passion can sound like.

posted by swivek @ 10:07 PM