10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. Given my intention to usually write these on Mondays, the lists are often dominated by songs played on the previous night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single.
This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1096.
THE AMPLIFIER HEADS: GlamOrama
On several previous occasions, I've mentioned a 1970s British TV series called Supersonic. When I was a teenager, WPIX in New York used to show episodes of Supersonic on Saturday afternoons. This would have been, I think, circa 1975-76, when I was 15 or 16 years old. Cable TV in the Syracuse suburbs allowed me access to this signal, giving me an opportunity to see lip-sync performances by acts like Slade, Gary Glitter, the Bay City Rollers, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Sweet, the Hollies, my then-presumed future wife Suzi Quatro, and more. It was all quite cheesy, for sure, but I loved it.
One wonders if the Amplifier Heads might also retain a cherished memory of Supersonic. "GlamOrama," the advance single from the Amplifier Heads' new album SaturnalienS, revels in its own giddy embrace of all things glam/glitter, calling Supersonic to my mind regardless of the group's conscious intent. Stomp your hands, clap your feet. 20th century boys! The man in the back says everyone attack. GlamOrama? I'm just a-waitin' for you. Supersonic, man. Simply Supersonic.
THE BROTHERS STEVE: Next Aquarius
I already rhapsodized over the glory, the splendor, and the wonder of the Brothers Steve in this week's playlist commentary. Lemme just add that the group's new album Dose continues the invigmoratin' we-got-the-hits promise of their debut. And then some! You will be hearing more of this on TIRnRR in the coming weeks.
ALICE COOPER: Reflected
Before this week, I don't think TIRnRR has ever reached back to the '60s for an Alice Cooper track. Hello, hooray! Wait, that's from the '70s. Never mind. "Reflected" comes from Alice Cooper's debut album, 1969's Pretties For You. I had that LP in the early '80s, but I didn't like it at the time, and it was exiled from my collection PDQ. Stupid twentysomething. I heard "Reflected" again last week, and I dig its de facto blueprint for the subsequent Cooper fave "Elected." Yeah, obviously school was out a little too early for my numbskull younger self.
COLIN HAY: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
Credit my high school pal Beth Woodell for the find here. Beth, bless 'er, sent me former Men At Work vegemite-lover Colin Hay's swell new cover of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset." It was just sublime, and it led me to check out more of Mr. Hay's new covers album I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself. The album finds the man at work with his versions of material by Glen Campbell, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Faces, the Beatles, Del Amitri, Jimmy Cliff, and Blind Faith. The title track is my favorite, as Colin Hay takes on the daunting task of covering the incomparable Dusty Springfield, and succeeds. Magic. Thanks, Beth!
THEE HEADCOATEES: Swallow My Pride
Wait, should Thee Headcoatees be alphabetized under "H" or under "T?" Probably the latter, given that "Thee" is more an integral part of the act's official nom du bop than just a lower-case definite article. Man, the things I think about on behalf of you, the loyal Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) reader. Holly Golightly--one of these Headcoatees, and also a long-time TIRnRR Fave Rave as a solo artist--is filed under "G," so I guess this is a rare opportunity to misfile her fine work. We are the world!
And file this under "Duh:" TIRnRR endorses chicks covering the Ramones. Isn't it always this way?
KID GULLIVER: Gimme Some Go!
The public service facilitators at Red On Red Records are preparing for the imminent release of the new Kid Gulliver album Kismet. Kismet's gonna gather your Kid Gulliver essentials all in one place, and Red On Red's a-celebratin' this Friday with a video premiere party for the new Kid Gulliver single "Stupid Little Girl." We started the party a wee bit early ourselves, spinning the title track from Kid Gulliver's recent Gimme Some Go! EP. Fate! Destiny! KISMET!
PRINCE: Hot Summer
I'm still buzzin' with this idea that there's a new Prince album in 2021, more than five years after His Purple Majesty's departure from this world into the next. We played a track ("Yes") from Prince's Welcome 2 America on last week's show, but I'm really taken with "Hot Summer," a pristine 'n' righteously radio-ready tune that somehow reminds me of Sly and the Family Stone, and maybe a little bit of War.. And it's not because it has "Summer" in the title; Sly's "Hot Fun In The Summertime" isn't the specific vibe I'm thinking, though War's "Summer" isn't far off. Whatever it is, it's damned irresistible, and I may be playing this seasonal song well into the Syracuse winter. It's a little too soon to make the leap of hyperbole, but right now? "Hot Summer" may be one of my Top Ten Prince tracks.
SORROWS: Play This Song (On The Radio)
Play this song on the radio? Yep. It's what we do. Sing it, you Sorrows. Sing.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: Rock & Roll
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This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.
The many fine This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation albums are still available, each full of that rockin' pop sound you crave. A portion of all sales benefit our perpetually cash-strapped community radio project:
Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio: CD or download
I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl.
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