Kaiser Chiefs

Song: "Ruby"
Artist: Kaiser Chiefs
Album: Yours Truly, Angry Mob

If you have Sirius Satellite Radio, and listen to that alt-rock channel, you've probably heard this song about 5 million times. Somehow, even though I no longer subscribe to Sirius, I still didn't tire of this song and wound up buying it. Thanks, Sirius.

Barry White

Song: "Love's Theme"
Artist: Barry White
Album: All-Time Greatest Hits

When my wife and I first started dating, I tried to romance her by playing some Barry White. Let me tell you something...what worked in 1978 does not work in the new millenium. But I still love Barry's music and always will.

My Maria

Song: "My Maria"
Artist: Brooks & Dunn
Album: Brooks & Dunn: The Greatest Hits

The fact that I live in Nashville gives me license to have a few tracks from country music stars, right? Well, it's not my favorite genre, but this cover of a classic country song is more along the lines of pop anyway. Call it a guilty pleasure for me.

Sheep

Song: "Sheep"
Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: Animals

This Pink Floyd album came out as I was exploring different types of music as a teenager. It was a weird concept record that somehow really worked. This track is a ten minute song but has many different parts and manages to be really compelling.

Easy On Me

Song: "Easy On Me"
Artist: Paige Aufhammer
Album: Paige Aufhammer

It's raining outside in Nashville right now, and this song is the perfect mood piece for a rainy day. If you haven't heard Paige yet, check her out if you are into stuff like Mindy Smith or Patty Griffin.

Howard Jones

Song: "Equality"
Artist: Howard Jones
Album: Human's Lib

Howard Jones was one of my favorite artists in the '80's, and I remember seeing him at Jones Beach Theater. During one of the songs the crowd started doing "the wave," to which Jones said, "That's brilliant!" I wonder if he still thinks so.

Girl Can't Help It

Song: "Girl Can't Help It"
Artist: Journey
Album: Raised On Radio

This was the last Journey album before the band split up for a while....and really, for all intents and purposes, this was the last real Journey album of the Steve Perry era. At the time, it wasn't full of hits the way Escape or Frontiers was, but this is still a damn good album.

Optimistic

Song: "Optimistic"
Artist: Radiohead
Album: Kid A

I can't say I'm the biggest Radiohead fan in the world, but you can't argue with the brilliance of some of the band's material. This song rivals anything from the band's best album, The Bends.

Long Train Running Cover

Song: "Long Train Running"
Artist: Bananarama
Album: Pop Life

This song originally done by the Doobie Brothers is incredibly catchy, soulful and foot-stomping at the same time. But girl group Bananarama did a fine job covering it, so much so that I just had to download it.

Spandau Ballet

Song: "Only When You Leave"
Artist: Spandau Ballet
Album: Gold: The Best of Spandau Ballet

Most people are only familiar with the hit song "True," but Spandau Ballet had some more rocking stuff like this. Well, you can call it rocking in a funky Brit Pop sort of way, but I always loved this stuff.

Something Corporate

Song: "Break Myself"
Artist: Something Corporate
Album: North

This is sort of like Warped Tour music meets Butch Walker, with a piano front man. If you can imagine all that and think it's cool, you'll love this band.

Completely Pleased

Song: "Completely Pleased"
Artist: Semisonic
Album: Feeling Strangely Fine

Most people know this band from their hit on this album, "Closing Time," but really this whole record is one of my favorites ever by any band. Future albums aren't as deep, but this one has many great songs including this one. It's just really nice alt-pop.

Out In The Country

Song: "Out In The Country"
Artist: Three Dog Night
Album: Best of Three Dog Night

Now this is a song that takes me back to my childhood.....it came from an era when pop music was criss-crossing genres and revolved around great melodies. The chorus is one that, once you hear it, will stick with you forever.

The Rembrandts

Song: "Just the Way It Is, Baby"
Artist: The Rembrandts
Album: The Rembrandts

Everyone thinks of that annoyingly catchy pop song these guys wrote that became the theme song for "Friends," arguably one of the top shows in TV history. But before that came this jangly, mid-tempo gem which still sounds amazing almost twenty years later.

Chris Isaak

Song: "Go Walking Down There"
Artist: Chris Isaak
Album: Forever Blue

Funny, everyone remembers the video for Isaak's big hit around 1990, with the hot girl dancing on the beach. But for my money, this is his best song. It's ballsy, bluesy and rocking.

Sowing

Song: "Sowing The Seeds of Love"
Artist: Tears For Fears
Album: The Seeds of Love

This wasn't necessarily a comeback album, but instead showed everyone that Tears for Fears was still there. And what a great album it was, and still is.

New York State of Mind

Song: "New York State of Mind"
Artist: Billy Joel
Album: The Essential Billy Joel

I grew up in New York, and haven't lived there in almost twenty years. But when I hear this Billy Joel song, I get a little homesick, and it gives me a deep appreciation for my roots. Not to mention that this is maybe one of the most descriptive and amazing anthems about New York ever. Way to go, Mr. Joel!

Paddy Casey

Song: "Refugee"
Artist: Paddy Casey
Album: Addicted To Company

I'm pretty sure I've posted about this Irish singer/songwriter whose album I reviewed on Bullz-Eye.com. This is one of the best records I've heard in a long time, and easily one of the best of 2008.

Jane Child

Song: "Don't Wanna Fall In Love"
Artist: Jane Child
Album: Jane Child

Perhaps you can put this in the "one-hit wonder" category, and you couldn't be faulted for it. But this song, released in the early '90's, is so good that I don't care how it's labeled. Does anyone know what Jane Child has been up to lately?

Marshall Tucker

Song: "Fly Like an Eagle"
Artist: Marshall Tucker Band
Album: Carolina Dreams

I grew up in the era when Southern rock was booming in the late '70's. The Marshall Tucker Band was one of the groups I was into, and thirty years later this song, with its cool flute parts, sounds just as good as it did then.

Michelle Featherstone

Song: "Coffee & Cigarettes"
Artist: Michelle Featherstone
Album: One Tree Hill Soundtrack 2

This show has spawned some great artists, and this song from the Soundtrack is a beautiful, riveting piano ballad. I confess I don't know much more about Michelle Featherstone, but I need to research the rest of her catalog.

Rick Derringer

Song: "Jump, Jump, Jump"
Artist: Rick Derringer
Album: All American Boy

Okay, so the premise of this song is really depressing, but the music, in particular Rick's guitar playing, is stellar. This song is from the album that produced "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo."