For the second half of September, I’m putting my Mental Jukebox into a time machine, featuring the best songs on the best albums from the very best years of music. #70sThrough90sBestAlbum

When I went off to college, grunge exploded. Everyone and their non-fanatic roommates were listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But the true music fans, we’re devouring Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction and Live. Throwing Copper is the album that I remember my college years by. Not Ten. Not Nevermind. It was still rock ‘n roll to me, but it was relatable. And the song that reeled me into the full album was “Selling the Drama”.

The thing that Live mastered as well as anyone at the time was the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic. Several of their songs on Throwing Copper have it as their blueprint, including “Iris”, “All Over You” and “I Alone”. But “Selling the Drama” stood out with its R.E.M.-esque mid-tempo melody before exploding into the chorus. The highlight, for me, was a self-fulfilling prophesy. Being able to see Live play “Selling the Drama” live. They were damn good in the live setting, and you better be with that band name.

“And to Christ a cross. And to me a chair. I will sit and earn the ransom from up here.”