Just One Victory

Song: "Just One Victory"
Artist: Todd Rundgren
Album: The Very Best of Todd Rundgren

I lived in Cleveland for over 10 years and became enrapt in their sports culture....which has a history of hard luck. So I'm pulling like crazy for the NBA's Cavaliers to keep playing, and advance to the NBA Finals. Last night they needed one victory and got huge assist from superstar LeBron James, so this song is appropriate today...and also for tomorrow, when they will need just one victory again to force a Game 7. Go Cavs!

Particle

Song: "Particle"
Artist: Better Than Ezra
Album: How Does Your Garden Grow?

This is one of my favorite albums of all-time. I'd go so far as to say it's in my Top 10 and one of the few I'd want on a desert island with me. I love everything this band does, but nothing equals this entire album, at least to my ears.

Don't Hold Back Your Love

Song: "Don't Hold Back Your Love"
Artist: Hall & Oates
Album: The Essential Daryl Hall & John Oates

This is one of the lesser known "hits" for Hall & Oates but one of my favorites. I believe it came out around 1990 or 1991. Go check it out!

Hideaway

Song: "Hideaway"
Artist: Fuel
Album: Sunburn

This first Fuel album is so great, mainly because it's before the big money radio, record and producer types got a hold of them. It's full of pure, emotive, dark, heavy, and awesome songs like this one.

Love Will Find a Way

Song: "Love Will Find a Way"
Artist: Pablo Cruise
Album: '70's Rock Greatest Hits

Okay, it's a guilty pleasure.....a song that takes me back to my childhood, when awesome melodies ruled the airwaves.

Listen

Song: "Listen"
Artist: Toad the Wet Sprocket
Album: Dulcinea

Ah, Dulcinea and Coil are my two favorite Toad the Wet Sprocket albums, and two albums in my own collection that I absolutely never tire of.

Past in Present

Song: "Past in Present"
Artist: Feist
Album: The Reminder

Every time I hear Feist's music, I'm reminded (no pun intended) of how awesome she is. If you haven't heard her or heard of her, do yourself a favor and remedy that.

Who Could Care Less?

Song: "Battle of Who Could Care Less"
Artist: Ben Folds Five
Album: Whatever & Ever Amen

It was funny at the time that Ben Folds called his band "Five" when in fact there was just him and two other dudes. But either way, this to me is his best album...there is not a bad song on it, and it's just chock full of brash, witty, and fun piano alt-pop.

Monday Morning Rock

Song: "Monday Morning Rock"
Artist: Marshall Crenshaw
Album: Field Day

I was turned on to Marshall Crenshaw back in the mid to late '80's, and his simple pop/rock melodies and arrangements were and still are incredible to me. This song is appropriate for today since it's Monday.

305

Song: "305"
Artist: The Southland
Album: Influence of Geography

Amazing, amazing alt-pop from Los Angeles. This album came out a few years back but I keep hoping the band will come out with something new.

China Crisis

Song: "Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling"
Artist: China Crisis
Album: Flaunt The Imperfection

I loved this album by this band.....it's poppy and jangly and full of super cool melodies, and the singer has a really unique voice.

UFO

Song: "Cherry"
Artist: UFO
Album: Obsession

A few tracks from my favorite UFO album, Obsession, are finally available on iTunes, including this melodic rocker. These guys never got the recognition they deserved.

Hold On

Song: "Hold On"
Artist: Santana
Album: The Essential Santana

This is one of my favorite Santana songs of all-time, and it was the start of what you might call Carlos' pop era, but before he started having stars like Rob Thomas sing his songs. Great guitar work too, as always.

1000 Julys

Song: "1000 Julys"
Artist: Third Eye Blind
Album: Blue

Back when Third Eye Blind was just starting out, they were hip and somewhat ahead of their time. Now they've kind of melded into more of the melodic alt-pop that has ruled AAA radio for years. But I still love their debut, and to a lesser extent, this second effort.

Boston

Song: "A Man I'll Never Be"
Artist: Boston
Album: Don't Look Back

I saw Boston on their Don't Look Back tour, and I remember when they did this song with Brad Delp (RIP) on piano...it was just so powerful live, and while they could never recapture the magic of this song live in the studio, it's still awesome.

Catapult

Song: "Catapult"
Artist: Counting Crows
Album: Recovering The Satellites

This is easily my favorite Counting Crows album, and while this song wasn't a hit per se, it's one of the best album cuts.

Anticipation

Song: "Anticipation"
Artist: Carly Simon
Album: Carly Simon: Clouds in My Coffee

There is something incredibly comforting to me about Carly Simon's '70's hits....I mean, let's face it, she doesn't have the best voice in pop history, but those songs are timeless and amazing.

Green

Song: "Green"
Artist: ViV
Album: Flawed

I had the pleasure of working with this amazing indie pop band a few years back, and sadly they are no longer making music as a unit. But grab this album or some of the songs if you can....it's chock full of some of the catchiest pop/rock you'll ever hear.

Under Your Charms

Song: "Under Your Charms"
Artist: Josh Rouse
Album: 1972

This is one of my favorite albums ever.....if you dig '70's pop, you owe it to yourself to check out Josh Rouse's (released in I believe 2003) album, 1972. The sounds and melodies are breezy and smooth like music from one of the greatest music decades.

Red Elvises

Song: "Rocketman"
Artist: Red Elvises
Album: I Wanna See You Bellydance

I'm sure I've written about this band before, but it's worth writing again....back in the late '90's, my band had the chance to play a few shows with them, and they were so much fun and had incredibly energetic and hilarious material. It was also catchy as hell...kind of Russian accented surf rock. And the best part? When one of them said, "We are Red Elvises....the more you drink, the better we sound." Awesome.