Category Archives: Passion Blog

For my final passion blog entry, I decided to write about the greatest punk rock album of all time, and one of the best records ever produced: London Calling by the Clash. Formed in 1976 London, the band consists of lead vocalist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, and drummy Nicky ‘Topper’ Headon. The Clash is considered one of the greatest punk rock bands of all time, having been a heavily influence on the genre. Since this blog will only discuss one album, I will separate the album into each song, with brief ‘blurbs’ about each song.

London Calling – 1979

1. “London Calling”

The first of many political songs on the album, “London Calling” discusses London (shocker!) after an apocalypse strikes the city. I could write a whole paper about the political statements in this song, but perhaps the most striking line is “We ain’t got no swing / Except for the ring of that truncheon thing,” which demonstrates the band’s hatred towards police brutality – something that is extremely relevant today. As a final ‘fun fact,’ the song actually ends with a subtle “S.O.S.” in the form of Morse code, further demonstrating the devastating situation striking the city.

2. “Brand New Cadillac”

This is a short, mediocre track, so I don’t have much to say about it. However, according to band front man Joe Strummer, the band would usually warm up to this song, which is actually a cover of a 1950s rockabilly staple.

3. “Jimmy Jazz”

Similarly to “London Calling,” this song seems to deal with anti-police sentiments, telling the story of Jimmy Jazz, a man who is chased by the police, who want to “cut off his ears and chop off his head.” Can you tell that Joe Strummer wasn’t a big fan of the police?

4. “Hateful”

5. “Rudie Can’t Fail”

Featuring a reggae groove, this song tells the story of a young Jamaican who is criticized by his elder peers for being too ‘wild,’ and not living a conservative life. In a sense, it also serves to encourage the youth to be themselves, and enjoy their youth rather than being restricted by custom and society. Additionally, it can be interpreted to be a criticism of adults and their typically mindset of ‘looking down on’ the youth as rash rascals.

6. “Spanish Bombs”

Juxtaposing the Spanish Civil War with modern Spanish tourism, this song is quite confusing in its meaning. So, instead of bothering to find meaning in these very confusing lyrics, I’ll just mention that the song is slightly poppier than some of the other songs on the album, as it features much softer guitars as opposed to the band’s typical hard guitar sound.

7. “The Right Profile”

8. “Lost in the Supermarket”

Featuring an undeniably catchy guitar hook and bizarre chorus, “Lost in the Supermarket” can be superficially seen as a stupid song about a kid that has lost his parents in a grocery store. In reality, if you listen to the lyrics more carefully, the song is intended to criticize expanding commercialism and consumerism.

9. “Clampdown”

This song, perhaps the most catchy on the album (seriously… give it a listen) is a political statement on capitalism. Telling the story of a man gradually becoming more manipulated by capitalism, the song actually becomes quite philosophical. Eventually, the man almost loses all individuality, becoming another victim to the “Clampdown’s” (an allegory for capitalism) repetitive factory workforce.

10. “The Guns of Brixton”

Sung by the bassist, “The Guns of Brixton” serves as a rebellious outcry against policy brutality in the late 1970s.

“When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting on death row”

As you can see, the song is a quite forward call to stand up against police brutality, and not give in to their methods. It is quite incredible how these lyrics stand up today…

11. “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”

Including a lot of jazz rhythms and riffs, this song is simply catchy. After the initial introduction to the song, the tempo/groove changes to a more jazzier feel, and has one of my favorite riffs of all time.

12. “Death or Glory”

A perfect follow up to my previous blog, discussing two bands known for their drug use, Aerosmith and Motley Crue, “Death or Glory” is about the fact that many Rockstar’s died young due to their excesses. Unfortunately, lead singer Joe Strummer died at age 50 in 2002, seemingly fulfilling the song’s prophecy.

13. “Koka Kola”

This song is quite short, and deals with criticisms of the wealthy, as seen in one of my favorite song lyrics of all time:

“Your snakeskin suit and your alligator boot
You won’t need a launderette, you can send them to the vet!”

14. “The Card Cheat”

Perhaps the most underrated song on the album, this song is a ballad. Shocker! I love another ballad song! To be honest, I am not really sure what this song is about, but I love the piano chords in the beginning and throughout, and love everything about it.

15. “Lover’s Rock”

16. “Four Horsemen”

17. “I’m Not Down”

18. “Revolution Rock”

This song is quite interesting, because it actually has a reggae groove, and does not feel like a punk rock song in the slightest. It has some elements of jazz, with a strong horn section, but mostly relies on a reggae groove. It is just a blast to listen to, and one of the more unique songs I have ever listened to.

19. “Train in Vain”

“Train in Vain,” sometimes referred to as “Stand by Me” is arguably the most popular song on the album. Ironically, on original pressings of the album, “Train in Vain” was not included on the back of the record jacket in the track listing. Instead, the song was a ‘hidden’ track, closing out the album. Featuring an absolute bop of a guitar rhythm, the song is a great contrast to the rest of the album, feeling more like a pop song made for the radio.

Overall, this album is exceptional. From its vastly different musical styles from song to song to its politically charged lyrics, this album has something for everyone, and stands the test of time. After I listened to the album the first time, I did not truly appreciate the album for everything it provided. However, after listening to it many times, I have gained a huge respect for this album, from both a political and musical standpoint. One of the first albums I bought, this album deserves its spot as the best punk album ever made. The only ones that even come close in my opinion are Never Mind the Bullocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols by the Sex Pistols and Rocket to Russia by the Ramones.

Rating: 9.5/10

After taking a break from album reviews last week and looking at some of my favorite songs, today we will return to the album reviews. This week, specifically will focus on one of my favorite eras of music – the glam metal era. Now, although this era is often criticized, some of my favorite artists come from this length of time, and I could care less what the critics say. That’s one huge mentality I have when it comes to movies and music – critics have no idea what they are talking about and rely on so much bias that their reviews mean nothing. For example, one of my least favorite sites, Rolling Stone, is so unbelievably biased that it infuriates me. In their Top 100 Greatest Artists article, they have Madonna and Michael Jackson placed at 36 and 35 respectively. These two artists, being among the most influential artists of all time, should be way higher on the list – and that is an undeniable fact. Of course, favoring rock and roll to pop, Rolling Stone deems Madonna and Jackson to be of less significance (insert eye roll emoji here)… All rants aside, here is my glam metal album blog, starting with Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood.

Dr. Feelgood – 1989

-Mötley Crüe-

Track Listing:

1. “T.n.T. (Terror ‘n Tinseltown)”
2. “Dr. Feelgood”*
3. “Slice of Your Pie”
4. “Rattlesnake Shake”
5. “Kickstart My Heart”*
6. “Without You”*
7. “Same ‘Ol Situation (S.O.S.)”*
8. “Sticky Sweet”
9. “She Goes Down”
10. “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)”*
11. “Time For Change”

The fifth studio album by Mötley Crüe, Dr. Feelgood is arguably the greatest glam metal record ever made, and certainly the band’s best to hit the shelves. After attending rehab for drug addiction and obtaining sobriety, this album showcases Mötley Crüe’s best musicianship and songwriting. In addition, it was also the only album by Mötley Crüe to reach number one on the charts. The first great song of the album and the title track – “Dr. Feelgood,” features a driving guitar riff, and shows off the skills of guitarist Mick Mars. “Kickstart My Heart” is just a blast. With a fast tempo and pounding lyrics, this is the song to crank the volume up for. I once blew out my phone speakers listening to this song… “Without You,” is a ballad, so of course I love it. Written about drummer Tommy Lee’s recent divorce, “Without You” is a fresh break from the fast paced songs that fill this album. “Same ‘Ol Situation,” just like “Kickstart My Heart,” is a song to play at max volume and rock out to. Finally, “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” is a very unique song. It isn’t too fast, but it isn’t too slow. Thus, I like to think of it as a hybrid ballad. For a fun fact, the songs “Slice of Your Pie” and “Sticky Sweet” actually have Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith, as backing vocals. This is because Aerosmith were recording their album Pump at the same time, in the same studio.

Rating: 8.6/10

Pump – 1989

-Aerosmith-

Track Listing:

1. “Young Lust”*
2. “F.I.N.E.”*
3. “Going Down/Love in an Elevator”*
4. “Monkey On My Back”
5. “Water Song/Janie’s Got a Gun”*
6. “Dulcimer Stomp/The Other Side”
7. “My Girl”
8. “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even”
9. “Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man”
10. “What It Takes”*

To make it clear right away, I do not know that much about this album. However, as a huge Aerosmith fan, I know a decent amount, and figured it would be the perfect album to cover since it connects to Dr. Feelgood. Pump is another great example of an album made by a newly sober band, showing off the benefits of not making an album while being completely wasted. The album had many top hits, and is regarded as one of Aerosmith’s best, helping the success of their comeback from their rehab hiatus. As for the songs, the first two tracks on the album are great rockers, and I am pretty sure they are in the ride Rockin’ Roller Coaster in Disney World. The next song, “Love in an Elevator” is truly a blast. Using sexual innuendos pretty much every line, such as using “Livin’ it up when I’m going down” (if you know, you know), this song is just fun. In Rockin’ Roller Coaster, it is redone as “Love in a Rollercoaster,” which sounds good in theory until you crack the innuendos… “Janie’s Got A Gun” is a very strange ballad(?) and is quite popular. My favorite song on the album, however, is “What it Takes,” a true power ballad that ends with a minute of honky tonk horns and instrumentation. The album is solid, but a lot of mediocre songs on the album take away from its overall replay value.

Rating: 7.8/10

Welcome to another one of my musical passion blogs! Up to this point, all of my blogs have been in depth analyses and ratings of some of my favorite albums, featuring Linkin Park, Green Day, and more. However, just to change it up a little bit, I figured I would write a blog post detailing my favoring songs (in order of course), explaining why I love them so much and what makes them special. Naturally, many of these songs are found on the albums I already discussed, so I will not spend as much time on those tracks. In addition, these are my favorite songs – not necessarily the greatest songs of all time. If you want my pick for the greatest song of all time: check out this link. Without further adieu, here are Billy’s favorite songs:

1.”Waiting For the End” – Linkin Park

Not surprisingly, my favorite song of all time (currently) belongs to Linkin Park. This song, on the album A Thousand Suns, is a truly unique track, blending Mike Shinoda’s signature rapping and Chester Bennington’s soaring vocals. Unlike the more widely known Linkin Park music, this song actually has many elements of a power ballad rather than a hard rock groove. As you will quickly find out, I am a huge sucker for ballads and great vocals. This song, in particular, features incredible vocals from Bennington. The highlight of the song is when Shinoda’s rapping and Bennington’s chorus finally merge at the end, creating an incredibly powerful conclusion.

2. “Name” – The Goo Goo Dolls

Another more recent band, the Goo Goo Dolls are an alternative rock/soft rock group known for their song “Iris” (look it up, you probably know it). The lead vocalist of the Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzeznik, has one of my all-time favorite voices. I cannot exactly explain why, but something about his voice just hits different. In this particular song, another ballad, of course, Rzeznik’s voice is on full display, ranging from slow verses to more impactful, wailing choruses. In addition, this song has a great acoustic guitar instrumentation, where the guitar is tuned in a ridiculous way. In fact, I tried playing this song on guitar before, but my guitar couldn’t handle the bizarre tuning, and would consistently detune itself within minutes…

3. “Summer Highland Falls” – Billy Joel

With so many hits, such as “Piano Man,” “My Life,” and “Uptown Girl,” it is a surprise that this is my favorite Billy Joel song. Of all of the artists I listen to, Billy Joel is the first one I started listening too. I can now name every Billy Joel song within like 2 notes, and I own every one of his thirteen studio albums on vinyl (even his horrible first record Cold Spring Harbour and River of Dreams which was only pressed in like Canada or something). My favorite deep cut of all time, “Summer Highland Falls” has an addictive piano rhythm, featuring juxtaposing tempos between the vocals and piano. It’s unfortunate that this song is so obscure, but it truly goes to show that not ever song needs to be popular to be special to at least one individual. To elaborate, this song reminds me of my mom, who also loves this song.

4. “Kathy’s Song” – Simon & Garfunkel

This song is actually quite similar to “Summer Highland Falls” in that it has a faster instrumental tempo contrasting to smoothe, slow vocals. This song, unlike the previously mentioned song, has an acoustic guitar backing rather than a piano backing. Even though I generally prefer Art Garfunkel’s voice to Paul Simon’s, this song is a different story. Everything about this song is truly beautiful, and not much else needs to be said.

5. “September” – Daughtry

Arguably my favorite vocalist of all time (in terms of individual voice), Daughtry are the kings of the loud chorus – something that I am also a huge fan of. If it weren’t self explanatory enough, many of Daughtry’s songs feature quiet verses that build up to a loud, bellowing chorus. “September” is no different, and features another beautiful guitar backing that rivals “Name.” Many Daughtry songs are on my long list of favorite songs, but this one takes the cake for its combination of incredible vocals and driving guitar hooks. The song itself was written about Chris Daughtry’s childhood, and was performed on season nine of American Idol (Chris ultimately finished fourth on American Idol many years prior).

6. “Raining in Baltimore” – Counting Crows

Elaborately discussed in my passion blog for the album August and Everything After, this song is special to me because it always reminds me of my mom. When she drove me through Shenandoah National Park to get to Charlottesville, VA, we played the album that this song is on, right before we went hiking near Hawksbill Mountain. Impulsive as we are, we decided to start hiking the mountain without looking at the length of the trail and without bringing water. Needless to say, about an hour in, we had to bail, especially considering my mom was wearing flip flops… Now this song reminds me of that day.

7. “Throwing It All Away” – Genesis

Wow, surprise! Another ballad! (insert eyeroll emoji here). Although I prefer Phil Collins’s solo work than his work in the band Genesis, I cannot deny the fact that this song is one of my favorites. The song is relatively simple all things considered, but it is a standout on one of my favorite albums, Invisible Touch. The song is often said to sound like many of Phil Collins’ solo work, which probably explains why I like it so much… I don’t have much else to say on this one…

8. “In the Ghetto” – Elvis Presley

What music list would this be without the King? Perhaps Presley’s most mature song, “In the Ghetto,” not surprisingly, tells of the hardships of an impoverished family living in the slums of Chicago. The song takes a sour turn, as the mother’s son becomes a criminal, eventually getting shot in the street by the authorities. The song is pretty powerful, ending the tragedy of the “young man” by saying that another young man is born, insinuating that this will likely happen again due to the conditions of the city. Oh, and it’s a ballad if you couldn’t have guessed.

9. “Home” – Daughtry

The first artist to get two songs on my list, Daughtry once again proves that their powerful vocals ensnare me. “Home,” perhaps Daughtry’s best known song, tells of the struggles of a musician, often going on tour and being away from their family for long periods of time. Hilariously, American Idol had Daughtry, who finished fourth in his season of the show, perform this song in their sixth season, proving that he probably should have won…

10. “Father and Son” – Cat Stevens

This song is just cool. Ok, more specifically, this song is very, very unique. In this song, the verses are intended to be sung by a boy’s father, telling his son life advice. The choruses, on the other hand, are intended to be the son’s response to his father, telling his dad that he “has to go away.” Verse two and chorus two of the song repeats the same thing, except the son’s voice is overlaid between the father’s lines. If you somehow recognize this song, it’s probably because it is the song that Peter Quill listens to after Yondu Udonta dies in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. 

One of my favorite bands (Green Day, Linkin Park, Daughtry, Billy Joel, and Matchbox 20), Green Day is an American rock band formed in California in 1987. Sometimes described as punk rock (although they really are nothing like the punk kings The Clash, The Ramones, or the Sex Pistols), Green Day is comprised of lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool. This blog will cover my favorite two albums of theirs, but I will start off with a brief review of their first album Dookie.

Drummer Tre Cool (left), lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong (center), and bassist Mike Dirnt (right)

Dookie – 1994

Track Listing:

1. “Burnout”
2. “Having a Blast”*
3. “Chump”
4. “Longview“*
5. “Welcome to Paradise“*
6. “Pulling Teeth”
7. “Basket Case“*
8. “She“*
9. “Sassafrass Roots”
10. “When I Come Around“*
11. “Coming Clean”
12. “Emenius Sleepus”
13. “In the End”
14. “F.O.D. / All By Myself”

A solid entry to the Green Day discography, Dookie is arguably Green Day’s finest accomplishment, according to most critics, and many fans. Personally, I enjoy this album immensely and own it on vinyl, but it is still my third favorite Green Day album. However, it  felt wrong not to at least mention the album in this blog, even if I do not go into as much detail on it as with the other two albums. The top tracks on the album are all noted above, if you want to take a listen. The album has some of Green Day’s most popular songs, namely “When I Come Around” and “Basket Case.” Chances are, you’ve heard these songs (although I have said this before and my readers hadn’t even heard of the band…). In short, this is a great album (and on the shorter side), and is worth a listen if you are a Green Day fan or like the selected songs.

Rating: 8.2/10

American Idiot – 2004

Track Listing:

1. “American Idiot“
2. “Jesus of Suburbia“
3. “Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams“
4. “Are We the Waiting / St. Jimmy“
5. “Give Me Novacaine / She’s a Rebel“
6. “Extraordinary Girl / Letterbomb“
7. “Wake Me Up When September Ends“
8. “Homecoming“
9. “Whatsername“

American Idiot is quite possibly my favorite album of all time. Partially inspired by previous concept albums, such as the Who’s Quadrophenia and David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, this album follows the story of two characters named Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername. As a warning, do not listen to the album expecting to hear an overarching plotline or story. As with most concept albums, there is only a loose plot. However, the two characters that are repeatedly named, Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername, are used to represent contrasting values of rage and love. In fact, the vinyl record of the album is split into two discs: one representing rage (tracks 1-4), and one representing love (tracks 5-9). Furthermore, many of the songs play like they are two different songs. For example, “Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams” has two distinct sections, each of which is played on the radio separately. For this reason, many of the songs on the album are 8-10 minutes each, but they don’t feel as long due to very different sections that make one song seem like two.

The first track on the album, “American Idiot,” is one of the few (if not the only) short songs on the album. It is a fast paced, vulgar satire on America, and is certainly a hype start to such an amazing album. Juxtaposing incredibly negative charged words with the word “America,” this song is an excellent tune showing off Green Day’s punk side. The next song, introducing one of the album’s main “characters,” “Jesus of Suburbia” is a nine minute long song, separated into a few different sections. Although these different sections are still labelled under one identical title, they are different enough that the length of the song doesn’t hinder its replay value. Some of the sections include heavy guitars, whereas others have no guitar. The beginning of the song is harder rock, whereas the end is more of a ballad. With such a complex structure, this song succeeds in being different. There is no predictable pattern to it. Rather than the typical verse-chorus, verse-chorus, bridge-chorus-chorus, the song plays out more naturally, seamlessly transitioning from song to song.

The next song, “Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” is usually separated on the radio into “Holiday” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” two completely different songs. However, if you listen to them back to back, they transition perfectly into each other. “Holiday,” an anti-Bush anthem, is similar in style and tone to “American Idiot,” whereas “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is slightly more reserved and less forceful. The next three songs, also separated into two sections, all follow the same pattern, where the first “song” is a ballad, and the second “song” is a fast-paced rock tune. Personally, I am a sucker for slow songs, so I prefer the first half of these tracks. My favorite of the three is probably “Give Me Novacaine.” Next comes a song that I would be shocked if you haven’t heard it, “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” Albeit slightly overplayed, this song is simply amazing. Fulfilling my love for power ballads, this song is actually very sad, considering it’s about Billie Armstrong’s father, who passed away in September 1982, when Billie was just ten years old. “Homecoming,” a song very similar to “Jesus of Suburbia,” and “Whatsername,” another catchy hybrid ballad, round out the album. With so many good songs on the album, if I were to pick my three favorites, they would be: 1. “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” 2. “Whatsername,” and 3. “Holiday.”

Overall, being my favorite album, I had to give it a 10/10. Realistically, no album is perfect, and this is certainly not the best album ever made. However, since this is my blog, I decided to rank it in terms of my preference, rather than the “best album of all time.” Every song on this album is amazing, and it is worth every minute of an almost hour long runtime.

Rating: 10/10

21st Century Breakdown – 2009

Track Listing:

1. “Song of the Century”

Act I: Heroes and Cons

1. “21st Century Breakdown“*
2. “Know Your Enemy“*
3. “¡Viva La Gloria!“*
4. “Before the Lobotomy“*
5. “Christian’s Inferno”
6. “Last Night on Earth“*

Act II: Charlatans and Saints

1. “East Jesus Nowhere”
2. “Peacemaker”
3. “Last of the American Girls“*
4. “Murder City”
5. “¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl)“*
6. “Restless Heart Syndrome“*

Act III: Horseshoes and Handgrenades

1. “Horseshoes and Handgrenades”
2. “The Static Age”
3. “21 Guns“*
4. “American Eulogy (A. Mass Hysteria / B. Modern World)”
5. “See the Light”

Five years after the release of American Idiot, the album 21st Century Breakdown, my second favorite Green Day album, is a pleasant follow up to its predecessor. The album is another loose concept album, perhaps more loose than American Idiot, but it vaguely follows Christian and Gloria and their struggles in Detroit after the administration of President George W. Bush (can you tell that Billie Armstrong wasn’t a big Bush fan?). The album is actually separated into three distinct acts, which are all labelled above.

The album opens with “Song of the Century,” a brief clip that serves only as the album’s introduction and as a musical phrase that appears throughout the album. The first true song of the album and the title track, “21st Century Breakdown,” is a catchy rock anthem with an unforgettable chorus and complex musical structure. “Know Your Enemy” is more of a basic song, similar in likeness to older Green Day songs like “When I Come Around.” The third and fourth songs, both obscure, are actually among my favorites on the album. They both start off relatively slow, before transitioning into a faster tempo with incredibly catchy hooks. “Last Night on Earth” is another standout ballad, incorporating uncommon chords in a minor key to create a sense of foreboding. “Last of the American Girls, “¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl),” and “Restless Heart Syndrome” are also standout songs, with very unique rhythms and instrumentation, showing off more of Armstrong’s skills as a songwriter. The last track I want to make note of is “21 Guns,” a power ballad rivaling “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” The song features a very powerful chorus, with more sensitive verses, exposing Armstrong’s voice.

Overall, I love this album, but it is not for everyone. Its length can be off-putting to some, and some of the mediocre tracks may deter repeat listening. However, as a person who loves obscure deep cuts, I appreciate many of the lesser known songs on the album. In fact, only two of the songs on this album appear on Green Day’s greatest hits album – “Know Your Enemy” and “21 Guns.” Thus, it is unlikely that anyone reading this blog will recognize any of the songs on the album. That being said, if you are interesting in listening to Green Day, I would start off with American Idiot, then try Dookie. If you really enjoy these two albums and are committed to a deeper, longer listen, check out 21st Century Breakdown, or at least the songs I recommend.

Rating: 8.7/10

Works Cited

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Day
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Idiot#Lyrics
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st_Century_Breakdown#Track_listing