Tag: Rock and Roll
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The Hives ‘The Hives Forever Forever The Hives’ (2025)
The Hives have always been one of those bands that never quite got the full credit they deserved. Back in high school I absolutely devoured Veni Vidi Vicious—it was loud, brash, and somehow sharper than most of what came out of that early 2000s garage rock revival. The Hives were one of the main reasons…
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The Edgar Winter Group ‘They Only Come Out At Night’ (1972)
The Edgar Winter Group’s debut album is a solid slice of classic rock that shows off just how much muscle and melody the band had right from the start. With tracks like “Free Ride” and the instrumental powerhouse “Frankenstein,” they blended big riffs, tight grooves, and a sense of fun into their vintage 70’s sound.…
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Roy Orbison ‘In Dreams’ (1963)
One thing I’ve always loved about Roy Orbison is how he completely cut against the grain for traditional country-pop music of the 1960’s. The man didn’t have a publicist nor did he have the traditional arrangements that defined the era. While his peers leaned on swagger and raw energy, Orbison carved out a space defined…
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The Runaways ‘The Runaways’ (1976)
The Runaways’ 1976 self-titled debut was loud, raw, and about as unapologetic as a record could get at the time. Formed by a group of teenage girls who barely had their driver’s licenses, the band—featuring future rock icons like Joan Jett and Lita Ford—was put together under the guidance of manager Kim Fowley who saw…
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Eddie Cochran ‘Singin’ To My Baby’ (1957)
Eddie Cochran’s Singin’ To My Baby captures the restless creativity of one of early rock and roll’s true pioneers. More than just a singer, Cochran was a studio innovator who experimented with multitrack recording, distortion, and overdubbing at a time when those techniques were still new. He played nearly everything himself—guitar, piano, bass, and drums—giving…
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Bob Dylan ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (1965)
By 1965 Bob Dylan had already become one of the most important voices in American music. His poetic lyrics and sharp social commentary had elevated folk beyond simple protest songs, making it something more literary and deeply personal. In a decade filled with civil unrest and cultural change, Dylan’s words gave people a sense of…
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Bob Seger ‘Stranger In Town’ (1978)
Bob Seger’s Stranger In Town is one of those records that just feels like America on vinyl. You’ve got the highway dust, heartbreak, and pure heartland grit all in spades. Everyone of course knows “Old Time Rock and Roll” and its piano riff that whose iconic scene with Tom Cruise in Risky Business cemented its…
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Ram Jam ‘Ram Jam’ (1977)
Ram Jam were only a band for two years but in that time they notched themself into history by creating their enduring cover of the 20th Century African American work song “Black Betty”. From the iconic guitar to the shuffle drum beat on the hi-hat, Ram Jam nailed their version and locked themselves into rock…
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Sha Na Na ‘The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ (1973)
I’ve been reading Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography Born to Run over the past week or so (it’s excellent) and in detailing his early career growing up in Freehold, New Jersey The Boss makes a ton of references to the Doo Wop group Sha Na Na and how they influenced his life. Beside being a foundational band…
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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ‘Self-Titled’ (1976)
I’ve talked about Tom Petty a fair amount over the years on here so it probably makes sense to start off with what I shared about his career and sound during my write-up of his magnum opus Damn The Torpedoes when I wrote about that album in May of 2023: For my money Tom Petty…
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KISS ‘Kiss’ (1974)
KISS’ career has seen its fair share of twists and turns, from the bizarre pop metal and grunge era in the 80’s and 90’s respectively, and the band has never really gotten the respect for hardcore music fans that they deserved. But whether you’ve seen them as a Halloween-esque caricature or one of the early…
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Elvis Costello ‘My Aim Is True’ (1977)
Juggling a day job as a data clerk at Elizabeth Arden, Elvis Costello squeezed recording sessions for My Aim Is True into six four-hour sessions, tracked on a shoestring budget with little time for polish. The urgency bleeds through in every note. Backed by the American country-rock band Clover—who were blissfully unaware of the sardonic…
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The Beatles ‘Please Please Me’ (1963)
The Beatles’ debut album Please Please Me marked a seismic moment in rock and roll history. It basically flipped rock and roll upside down. Released in 1963 the album was a mix of spirited covers and original compositions that was actually a rarity at the time. Self-contained rock bands who could write their own songs…
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Elton John ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (1973)
By the early 1970s Elton John was already a cultural phenomenon. His self-titled debut and Honky Chateau had already accelerated his rise from London’s pub scene to international superstardom. All of the elements that made him one of the defining artists of the past 50 years were beginning to truly bloom– his flamboyant stage presence,…
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Blue Öyster Cult ‘Agents of Fortune’ (1976)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 25 years you’ve probably seen the SNL “More Cowbell” skit featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell that parodies “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, the lead single off Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune. It’s an iconic skit that sticks with you long after you’ve seen it,…
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Bo Diddley ‘Bo Diddley’ (1958)
Known for his signature “Bo Diddley beat”—a syncopated, chugging rhythm that drew from African and Latin grooves— Bo Diddley introduced a powerful new pulse to blues music that paired along with his dynamic guitar playing. This beat, with its hypnotic “bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp” rhythm, became the backbone of his songs and inspired countless…
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Mott The Hoople ‘The Hoople’ (1974)
Mott the Hoople was formed in 1969 during an interesting time in rock history– psychedelic music was in its heyday and the advent of distorted electric guitars was becoming more commonplace. In addition, artists like David Bowie were beginning to push the pace sonically and bringing in a more avant-garde experimental sound to the masses…
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The Who ‘My Generation’ (1965)
Released in 1965, The Who’s debut album My Generation not only defined the sound of British rock but also marked the band’s explosive entry into the music scene. With its raw energy, catchy melodies, and rebellious spirit, the album captured the essence of youthful defiance. Tracks like “My Generation” and “The Kids Are Alright” resonated…
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Buddy Holly ‘Buddy Holly’ (1958)
Buddy Holly’s impact on rock and roll is profound and enduring. He shaped the genre’s evolution in a few pivotal ways, from his innovative approach to songwriting and his distinctive style which set a new standard for rock and roll. With hits like “Peggy Sue” and “Everyday”, Holly’s sound combined energetic rhythms with a blend…
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Chris Isaak ‘Heart Shaped World’ (1989)
Chris Isaak’s blend of moody rockabilly drenched in reverb and magic dust is a haunting blend. Heart Shaped World features a sort of expertise for uncanny world-building that is immediately gripping the moment you first hear it. It sounds like a live concert put on by a 50’s rock and roll band taking place in…
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Blind Melon ‘Blind Melon’ (1992)
“No Rain” is synonymous with 90’s alternative rock in a way few songs are. The playful and bubbly guitar riff that kicks things off, the lackadaisical rhythm section sort of the sardonic lyrical choices that sound as if they’re being sung on a sunny day in a field of green grass while frontman Shannon Hoon…
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Dorothy ‘ROCKISDEAD’ (2016)
I’ve always had a soft spot for high-octane rock and roll female lead singers that totally kick ass. Dorothy’s ROCKISDEAD checks that box. Lead singer Dorothy Martin raises hell for 35 straight minutes on the band’s debut album, and while the whole affair is a pretty meat and potatoes version of dirty southern rock that…
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The London Souls ‘Here Come the Girls’ (2015)
The London Souls’ 2015 album Here Come the Girls puts a unique spin on the traditional classic rock and roll formula, updating it in bits and pieces along the way to form a cohesive experience that sounds like an echo of the past reverberating in a modern room. Taking elements of 60’s jangly psychedelic rock…
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Slash ‘Orgy of the Damned’ (2024)
Slash just dropped his newest album entitled Orgy of the Damned this past Friday and I simply had to check it out. As dutiful readers will remember I had the opportunity to see Slash in-person at Power Trip Live last year and it was an incredible experience: I was lucky enough to catch them live…
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Alberta Cross ‘Broken Side of Time’ (2009)
Alberta Cross was a mainstay for me during college, and still stands to this day as one of my favorite alternative rock albums. Their blend of darkly sinister guitar riffs that sounded as if the apocalypse was around the corner, clear respect for the traditions of the blues, absolutely thumping rhythm sections, and the haunting…
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Bruce Springsteen ‘Born To Run’ (1975)
For anyone who has had a conversation with me about music over the past 15 years can attest to, Bruce Springsteen is my favorite musician of all-time. The Boss has become the de-facto orator of American history over the past 50 years due to his prolific career longevity and his willingness to tackle subject matter…
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The Kinks ‘Kinks’ (1964)
One of the most influential guitar tones in the history of rock and roll comes off 1964’s Kinks. Its lead single “You Really Got Me” inspired artists like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix in subsequent years to crank up the distortion and fuzz, effectively reshaping the sonic landscape of rock and roll for decades to…
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Tina Turner ‘Private Dancer’ (1984)
Following a divorce from her husband Ike Turner, whom she had carved out an incredibly successful career as a husband-wife duo, Tina Turner’s career was at somewhat of a crossroads. Despite her world class vocal talent her first four solo albums were nothing short of a disappointment– Acid Queen was the only one that made…
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AC/DC ‘High Voltage’ (1976)
Effectively a compilation of their best songs from Australia-only releases High Voltage and T.N.T. which were released in 1975, AC/DC’s 1976 international version High Voltage was the album that introduced the world to the hard rock stylings of one of the best rock and roll bands to ever do it. Since this was obviously back…
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Motörhead ‘Ace of Spades’ (1980)
There are a few bands in the history of rock and roll that have cultivated a specific style, written that same style ad nauseam, perfected it over time, and yet still have the ability to knock my socks off every time an album of theirs comes on. Off the top of my head there are…
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Bobby Day ‘Rockin’ with Robin’ (1959)
Bobby Day had a long career in R&B after moving to Los Angeles at the age of 15 years old. As a member of The Hollywood Flames in the late 40’s Day received a modicum of success with his first song “Young Girl”, and went on to record under several pseudonyms during his lifetime. He’s…
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Sam & Dave ‘Hold On, I’m Comin” (1966)
Along with having an iconic horn section hook that kicks off the song, Sam & Dave’s iconic “Hold On, I’m Comin’” has a really great backstory. Written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter who ran the southern soul music powerhouse Stack Records in the 60’s , the song was born out of a enthusiastic yell…
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Elvis Presley ‘Elvis Presley’ (1956)
Elvis Presley certainly wasn’t the inventor of rock and roll, and his relationship with the Black musicians he copied during the 1950’s was a complicated one that ran the gamut of personal opinion at the time, but he was undoubtedly America’s first rock and roll star, a landmark in pop culture and one of the…
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Bobby Pickett & The Crypt Kickers ‘The Original Monster Mash’ (1962)
“Monster Mash” is probably the most iconic American Halloween song of all-time and therefore it only made sense for us to spin the album that made it famous on All Hallow’s Eve. This song and album actually came together by happenstance– lead singer Bobby Pickett was an aspiring actor in Los Angeles who moonlit as…
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John Mellencamp ‘Scarecrow’ (1985)
No artist in the 80’s represented heartland rock in the way that John Mellencamp did. 1982’s American Fool is his best-selling album due to its inclusion of smash hits “Jack & Diane” and “Hurts So Good”, but Mellencamp really began to find his feet as a songwriter during 1985’s Scarecrow which has always to me…
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Fats Domino ‘Fats Domino Swings’ (1959)
Fats Domino boogy woogie piano licks, arrangements that emphasized the upbeat, and infectious energy helped define the early sound of rock and roll. Fats was a true pioneer of the genre, with an estimated 110 million records sold over his lifetime, and has gone down in history as one of the critical pieces of bringing…
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