"POLLY - UNPLUGGED IN NEW YORK" NIRVANA (1993)

In my series “Long Live Live”, I’m highlighting some of the most revered live recordings of all time. You’ll see my musical biases, but there’s no doubt that each of these tracks played a pivotal role in shaping music history. I started Mental Jukebox last year because I needed another music listening outlet when there were no more live shows to go to. These songs remind me that nothing will ever replace the blend of atmosphere and performance captured in the live experience.

MTV Unplugged had been going for a few years, but Nirvana’s appearance for the acoustic series at Sony Music Studios in New York City felt like a reboot. Just five month’s before Kurt Cobain’s death, they translated the sonic grunge of Nirvana into an unplugged setting. One of Cobain’s finest songwriting showcases, “Polly” was played quieter, slower, moodier. But it wasn’t even an ounce less powerful than the recording on Nevermind.

“I think she wants some water to put out the blow torch.”

"HEY JOE - LIVE AT MONTEREY" JIMI HENDRIX (1967)

In my series “Long Live Live”, I’m highlighting some of the most revered live recordings of all time. You’ll see my musical biases, but there’s no doubt that each of these tracks played a pivotal role in shaping music history. I started Mental Jukebox last year because I needed another music listening outlet when there were no more live shows to go to. These songs remind me that nothing will ever replace the blend of atmosphere and performance captured in the live experience.

At the time of Jimi’s legendary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, “Hey Joe” was a brand new song. In many ways, it’s a microcosm of everything that’s incredible about Hendrix. It’s his effortless blend of blues, hard rock and ingenious ability to reinvent other people’s songs with incredible power. “Hey Joe”, more than any other Hendrix classic, is exactly the kind of song that I miss hearing live.

“Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand?”

"MURDER BY NUMBERS" THE POLICE (1983)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

With a prolific output of five studio albums in a six year stretch, The Police catalog came together brilliantly and quickly. For my last 80’s deep cut, I’m going with the band’s final studio output—”Murder by Numbers”, the final track on Synchronicity. It’s a song that sounds less like The Police and more like the jazz-infused solo work of Sting that the world would soon hear. “Murder by Numbers” is the foreshadowing of a different era.

“Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious in history's great dark hall of fame. All our greatest killers were industrious. At least the ones that we all know by name.”

"CLOUDBUSTING" KATE BUSH (1985)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

Kate Bush stands in two worlds. One foot firmly in the future. Another foot firmly back in time. No other female artist in her era was more influential. But for some reason, her full body of work has gone largely unnoticed in the U.S. Even “Running Up That Hill” was only considered a minor hit in the states. That qualifies “Cloudbusting” as a true deep cut. With its austere, cello-led string arrangement, it’s the antithesis of radio-friendly and the blueprint for genre crossover maneuvering.

“I just know that something good is gonna happen.”

"YOUR SILENT FACE" NEW ORDER (1983)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

Listen past the dance anthems and Joy Division carryovers and you’ll soon realize New Order has a more impressive catalog than they get credit for. “Your Silent Face” is one such example. Hailing from one of the most influential post punk albums of the decade, it was living proof that New Order had discovered its own synth-driven world apart from its Joy Division roots. A world that was somehow both shimmering and somber at the same time.

“Rise and fall of shame. A search that shall remain.”

"OSCILLATE WILDLY" THE SMITHS (1987)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

it may seem strange to highlight an instrumental from The Smiths. But more than any other song from the band, “Oscillate Wildly” demonstrated Johnny Marr’s musical intellect and diverse palette beyond traditional guitar riffs.

It was the b-side to “How Soon is Now?” and sat quietly on the deep compilation album Louder Than Bombs. To this day, it still remains one of my favorite Smiths tracks. It was the manifestation of an anti-rock persona which they had all along, but only let out for a brief, wonderful moment in time.

"THE CHAUFFEUR" DURAN DURAN (1982)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

Rio was full of radio-friendly songs that paired nicely with elaborate and exotic video shoots. But the very last track showed a darker, more mysterious side to the pop band. “The Chauffeur” put Duran Duran’s versatility on full display, with a moodier synth experiment from Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon on the ocarina. “Hungry Like the Wolf”, “My Own Way” and “Rio” grab you, but “The Chauffeur” grows on you.

“With a thought to stiffen brooding lies. And I'll only watch you leave me further behind.”

"REPTILE" THE CHURCH (1988)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

Lurking under the shadow of the 80’s alt rock anthem “Under the Milky Way” was the harder, faster “Reptile”. This was The Church song that I was always up for hearing. The opening guitar riff and high hat barrage are relentless, slithering their way through almost the entirety of the track. Together these elements were the epitome of repetition, yet they never grew tired.

“Too dangerous to keep. Too feeble to let go.”

"PRIMARY" THE CURE (1981)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

The bass will forever be my favorite instrument. For me, its rhythmic sounds are always in the foreground, not the background. That’s why the rare song “Primary” by The Cure is such a treat. It doesn’t have a single element of electric or acoustic guitar. But it has two bass guitars, played by Simon Gallup, of course, and Robert Smith. Dueling, grating bass guitars playing on separate octaves and achieving The Cure’s ambitious post-punk agenda.

“The very first time I saw your face I thought of a song and quickly changed the tune.”

"HOW TO SAVE A LIFE" THE FRAY (2005)

This song brings me back to a moment my wife and I had while lounging on Psarou Beach in Mykonos. We felt like we were on top of the world. We were on our honeymoon. And we had just discovered the Greek Isles, our new favorite place in the world. A few college kids were nearby, laughing, drinking, not a care in the world. They had one song playing out loud on repeat. That song was “How to Save a Life”, a song that many of us played endlessly back in 2006-07. I remember that day on Psarou Beach like it was yesterday.

“I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.”

"MEXICO" JAMES TAYLOR (1975)

My favorite JT song of all time is “Mexico”. Having harmony masters David Crosby and Graham Nash singing backing vocals certainly didn’t hurt. But it was JT’s acoustic guitar that was the musical highlight and the heartbeat of this song. From the opening sequence to the end refrain, he found a way to create a melodic masterpiece out of unusual chord progressions—an uncommon achievement in music. And the best thing about it, “Mexico” still holds up so well more than four decades later.

“Way down here you need a reason to move. Feel a fool running your stateside games.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

Bowie was a master at creating characters—and even at times embodying their personas—from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust. On “Space Oddity”, we met Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who launched into space with much promise, but ultimately faced his own demise by the end of the five minute song. “Space Oddity” was an imaginative story that pointed us to a universe where electric guitar rock can co-exist with a string symphony.

“This is Major Tom to Ground Control. I'm stepping through the door. And I'm floating in a most peculiar way. And the stars look very different today.”

"THE BOMB!" THE BUCKETHEADS (1995)

It would be far too dismissive to simply refer to “The Bomb!” as that great house track with the killer beats. In the mid to late 90’s, New York City’s club scene was shaped by euro establishments like Au Bar. My crew would go not just once a week, sometimes twice or three times a week. Some of the guys were strictly in it for the girls. But there was no denying the power that this music had on us. The Bucketheads bring me back to a time when a bold studio project showed us what happens when you combine house, disco, freestyle and Latin street music. It stirs your body and soul.

“These sounds fall into my mind.”

"LOVE AIN'T ENOUGH" THE BARR BROTHERS (2014)

“Love Ain’t Enough” is a closer. The kind of song that sends you off on a high after soaking in a killer show. In reality, though, The Barr Brothers have used it early on in their set lists or sometimes not at all. But it’s the kind of driving musicality that lifts your spirits. The twist is that the lyrics resolutely claim that love is enough. The song holds power—using unexpected elements like the harp and falsetto vocals to harness it.

“Love is enough when you don't look back.”

"GET LUCKY" DAFT PUNK (2013)

With Daft Punk calling it quits after 30 years, my mind is on the group that gave us the French touch. Over the years, songs like “One More Time” and “Around the World” brought on the beats. “Digital Love” and “Technologic” brought on the robot phase. And then 2013 came along, and Daft Punk reinvented itself once again.

My co-worker came running over to a group of us excitedly sharing that “the new Daft Punk is here!” I took a listen to Random Access Memories and was immediately taken aback. The robotic tendencies had diminished, and a new soulful persona emerged. “Get Lucky” led the way. It had a paradoxical blend of throwback vibes and new musicality as evidenced by the co-writing duties from Nile Rodgers and Pharrell. For me, this one surpassed all the great Daft Punk dance tracks that came before it.

“Like the legend of the Phoenix. All ends with beginnings. What keeps the planets spinning. The force from the beginning.”

"WHAT I AM" EDIE BRICKELL & NEW BOHEMIANS (1988)

If you’re an 80’s child, you’ll remember the moment this song hit the radio. It was unlike anything else out there. It was almost instantly likable even with its unusual musicality and wistful lyrics. There were quite a few solid songs on Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. But “What I Am” was exceptional in that all the stars just seemed to align on it. We may have forgotten about this old gem, but hearing it back, the wah-wah-driven guitar solo and vocals are immediately recognizable.

“Choke me in the shallow waters before I get too deep.”

"BLOODBUZZ OHIO" THE NATIONAL (2010)

Inspired by Jeep’s “Reunited States of America” Super Bowl ad, this is my peek into America through a handful of songs. Each track is dedicated to one of the states. Here’s my last pick: Part 7.

I’m ending my state series with The National. It’s hard to swallow, but High Violet may very well have been the band at its peak. Everything clicked, musically, lyrically and thematically. They still play “Bloodbuzz Ohio” live quite frequently and it’s an emotional experience every single time. What I love most about it is it took a so-called Brooklyn band back to its actual roots. The music started in Brooklyn, but the bonds formed in Cincinnati.

“The floors are falling out from everybody I know.”

"ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK" STING (1987)

Inspired by Jeep’s “Reunited States of America” Super Bowl ad, this is my peek into America through a handful of songs. Each track is dedicated to one of the states. Here’s Part 6.

One of my all time favorite Sting anthems, “Englishman in New York” epitomizes the true fabric of New York. The places and the vibe are distinct and irreplaceable. But it’s the people that make New York what it is. “Englishman in New York” celebrated this notion. The lyrics were impeccable, filled with the perfect balance of poeticism and slogan-slinging. Musically, it’s a work of art and a breath of fresh air for the pop world, highlighted by Branford Marsalis on sax.

“Be yourself, no matter what they say.”

"JERSEY GIRL" TOM WAITS (1980)

Inspired by Jeep’s “Reunited States of America” Super Bowl ad, this is my peek into America through a handful of songs. Each track is dedicated to one of the states. Here’s Part 5.

Springsteen made “Jersey Girl” famous through his frequent live renditions. Coming from a Jersey guy, in many ways it feels like a quintessential Boss anthem. But this song is written by Tom Waits and it belongs to Tom Waits. It’s the beauty and the beast. One of Waits’ most tender, beautiful songs. But it’s still emotionally delivered with that signature voice that sounds like he just rinsed his mouth out with a bucket of gravel. Without Waits’ gripping vocals, this song loses some of its swagger.

“Down the shore everything's all right. You with your baby on a Saturday night.”

"NEW MEXICO" JOHNNY CASH (1964)

Inspired by Jeep’s “Reunited States of America” Super Bowl ad, this is my peek into America through a handful of songs. Each track is dedicated to one of the states. Here’s Part 4.

I’m currently rewatching Breaking Bad with my wife and renewing my fascination with the beautiful southwest. Which leads me to the next entry for my state theme on Mental Jukebox. In between the artwork of Georgia O’Keeffe and the gripping stories of Vince Gilligan came a song that told a wild west folk tale of the state of New Mexico. With his classic baritone delivery and guitar picking tendencies, it was, in many ways, a prototypical Johnny Cash song even though he didn’t write it.

“Go back to your friends and loved ones, tell others not to go to the God forsaken country they call New Mexico.”