The Stereo Love

What we have been listening to on the car stereo during the trip:

Doolittle - The Pixies
This is what we played when we first arrived over here. Because we were in Boston and this is probably their best album. It was our little salute to the Bean Town.

Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
The album was very experimental and was in fact a soundtrack to a TV film of the same name. The film was crap but thankfully the tunes weren't. From the melodic McCartney songs 'Penny Lane' and 'Your Mother Should Know' to the heady Lennon tunes 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'I Am The Walrus' it is a great album to listen to while driving and sounds as good as it did when it was released forty years ago.

Carte Blanche II - Various Artists
A nice little compilation that I found buried in a box in Rebel Rebel. It was released by Naked Music and makes its way through lounge, nu jazz, breakbeat and house. Perfect for chilling out to and watching the miles go by.

A Cut Above The Norm - Various Artists
A little beauty that I found in a shop in Boston for only six dollars! It is a collection of all the original tunes that Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) used as samples for all of his singles. I like Norm's stuff although some of it can wreck my head after a while. But this CD gives a nod to all the obscure stuff he must have dug through thousands of crates to find. Qualiteee!..

Hi Fidelity Soundtrack - Various Artists
Well, it's not exactly the soundtrack. Although it does include the soundtrack. It's a collection of songs from the film and the book that I happened to have and put on to a play list on my iPod. Musical nerd creativity at it's best.

The Doors - The Doors
A classic first album and one of the best debuts of all time. Even though they didn't have a bass player and Jim Morrison could barely look at the crowd when they performed live. I read somewhere the other day that The Doors still sell two million albums a year. When you listen to this, it's not hard to figure out why.

Dig Your Own Hole - The Chemical Brothers
The Chemicals second album that moved a little bit away from big beat / techno to introduce rock music into the equation. Kick-ass bass lines, hip-hop drum loops and sampled guitars all make for a collection of serious grooves. I dare you to try and stay within the speed limit while listening to Block Rockin' Beats.

Back In Black - AC DC
The first album after Bon Scott's death and the one that introduced the world to Brian Johnson. Paulo was driving while we played this and how we didn't crash the car is totally beyond me. I have never seen anyone do more air guitars, air basses, air drums and more air guitars in the course of 42 minutes in my life.

Rykodisc 20th Anniversary Collection - Various Artists
I picked up this compilation in Philadelphia in Repo Records on South Street. The label was formed in 1983 and claims to be the very first CD-only independent label. Twenty years can see a lot of music and this compilation does a great job at including just about everything but the kitchen sink. Eclecticism is always a great way to pass the time during long drives.

Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
Of course we were going to listen to this. Paulo can't go more than a few days without listening to these guys. Another crackin' first effort by a bunch of guys who probably wouldn't have even been able to drink in a bar over here when this was released.

With Love And Squalor - We Are Scientists
Another Paulo special. Despite their dodgy facial hair and questionable fashion sense, these guys from Brooklyn know how to rock. The album is short, tight and in typical New York fashion, totally in your face.

Gets Next To You - Al Green
This one was my selection. After seeing this CD in loads of different shops over the years, I finally bought it in Bleecker Street Records in New York because the price was right. And because I finally decided that I couldn't live another day without his cover version of 'Light My Fire'. The album is full of covers and the whole thing is seriously funky. Willie Mitchell told Al Green that he would be famous within one year of moving to Memphis in 1969. It actually took two years and two albums but once this was released, everyone knew who Al Green was.