Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Aretha Franklin Edition

All hail to the Queen of Soul on her 69th birthday. Yes, Aretha Franklin is one year older, and, thankfully, in better health, as she is soon to be touring. Next to Ray Charles, perhaps no one in soul music was so successful in translating the fervor of gospel music into the more commercially palatable rhythm and blues. Of course, when you’re father is a revered (C.L. Franklin) perhaps you have a leg up on the competition. Franklin’s voice is inspiring and oft-imitated, but not equaled. But it’s not just the voice — she is a great interpreter, who can make a song her own (the best example being how she revamped Otis Redding’s “Respect” — you top Otis, you must be a queen), a fabulous pianist, and had adapted to other fields, including opera. So let’s honor Aretha by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.

1. Sweet — Into The Night (Sweet Fanny Adams): This hard rock number, featuring guitarist Andy Scott on lead vocals, came out in the States on the Desolation Boulevard album, which combines tracks from the Sweet Fanny Adams and U.K. Desolation Boulevard release, plus two singles. The song is somewhat in the vein of 1973-74 Deep Purple, with the addition of Sweet’s awesome harmony vocals. The track showcases Mick Tucker, who plays a snare-heavy drum break with a phased gong. The Beastie Boys dug the drum break, sampling it on a track on their classic Paul’s Boutique album.
2. This Perfect Day — Could Have Been Friends (C-60): This Swedish power pop act managed to get this album released on a U.S. major, where it sank like a stone. Don’t blame the band — they mixed strong melodies with crunchy guitars about as well as fellow countrymen such as The Wannadies and Eggstone. And, they generally wrote clever lyrics that didn’t merely restate power pop cliches. This song has a great hook and that’s all one can ask of a pop song.
3. The Angels — Long Night (Night Attack): The great Aussie hard rock band fronted by Doc Neeson. A lot of their songs could be described as “thinking man’s AC/DC”. The Angels (who were called Angel City and later, The Angels from Angel City, in the U.S.), are basic riff rockers, but Neeson’s growly voice and lyrics that focused on things other than sex, drugs and rock & roll set the band apart. This is a very representative track, full of drama and plenty to shake a fist or bang a head to.
4. Randy Newman — Roll With The Punches (Land of Dreams): A bluesy number from Mr. Newman. This is classic Newman, exposing the follies of racism by singing from the perspective of a man who thinks that poor people of color should just deal with things, the ol’ pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Of course, the lyrics and singing make make this position seem absurd.
5. The Pearlfishers — Todd Is God (Sky Meadows): Yes, this is a flat out homage to Todd Rundgren. The song has mixes a melody in the vein to Todd’s “We Gotta Get You A Woman” with The Pearlfishers’ Bacharach meets Brian Wilson sound. There is a lovely horn arrangement, and the song is lush and so darned happy.
6. Fabulous Poodles — Work Shy (Mirror Stars): The whole new wave ‘movement’ allowed older pop songwriters a new place for tunes that didn’t fit in with ’70s rock orthodoxy. The Fab Poos fit that bill, as they were a very Kinks inspired band, down to the vocals. Arguably, their first couple albums were better than the ones Ray Davies and company were releasing at the same time. This is a fun blues based pop tune on the virtues of laziness, with good violin work by Bobby Valentino (chekc ).
7. Superchunk — Rope Light (Majesty Shredding): I think Mac McCaughey spent Superchunk’s lengthy hiatus just collecting great riffs, as their return album, Majesty Shredding is chock full of memorable ones. The riff sustains the verses which then sets up a ripping chorus. Of course, the playing is terrific too. This sounds like it could have come out 20 years ago from a young eager band, a compliment to how well Superchunk still is a preminent hooky punk band.
8. The Dentists — Space Man (Behind The Door, I Keep The Universe): The Dentists were a C-86 style pop band who graduated to a major label, and some fans criticized them for getting too slick. Since I had never heard their earlier work, I had no beefs with their perky, jangly Brit pop songs. This is my fave Dentists song, as it leaps right into the chorus and is full of cheery energy throughout.
9. Mano Negra — Patchuko Hop (Puta’s Fever): The seiminal rock en espanol band, led by Manu Chao, had only one album issued in America while they were still together. Puta’s Fever is a classic, with Mano Negra mixing styles and languages, while performing with manic energy. As a result, even an ethnic folk type number still rocks, as is the case here.
10. The Orgone Box — Disposable (The Orgone Box): Rick Corcoran originally had a band called Orange, which never got much of anywhere. But he loved the sound. A mix of ’60s psychedelia and influences like John Lennon, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison, among others, define Orgone Box music. This is combined with cool mid-fi production that gives the songs the right feel. Although this is retro, there is an aspect that gives away that this is a modern take. Corcoran released two albums under The Orgone Box and they are both excellent.