"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Songwriter. Performer. Artist. Cultural icon. Like his characters, David Bowie has taken on many different forms through his career. One of my deepest regrets is not seeing him live. I read somewhere that when his debut album bombed, he redid everything. Found a new manager and found new ways to create, promote and perform. One of the ways Bowie has distinguished himself from his rock & roll peers is by expanding beyond music and exploring different art forms, most notably fashion and film. A perfect example of this is “Space Oddity”, a song that I’m featuring for the second time on Mental Jukebox.

Bowie was always a master at creating characters – even embodying them at times – 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. It’s also a song that extended beyond sound wave through a promotional film, an unusual approach at the time. It was Bowie constantly innovating even as a relatively new artist.

“Ground Control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.”

"THE HEADMASTER RITUAL" THE SMITHS (1985)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Throughout the entire Smiths catalog runs a consistent tension between the upbeat, jangly guitar riffs of Johnny Marr and the bleak, dismal musings of Morrissey. Perhaps one of the most unusual pairings in rock history – and the paradox has not only served The Smiths well, it has helped them to become one of the most important bands of the eighties. “The Headmaster Ritual” is a microcosm of this beautiful tension.

The beginning of the song reminds me of how The Cure opens many of their songs. Letting the instruments do the introductions. Extremely uncharacteristic for the band, Morrissey doesn’t start singing until the :50 mark, allowing Marr’s Rickenbacker to set the tone. Like on many Smiths songs, the guitar riffs lift you up. When Morrissey finally enters the picture, he drags us down with an awful commentary on school life in Manchester. It’s this up-and-down tension that makes “The Headmaster Ritual” such a gem of a track.

“Belligerent ghouls Run Manchester schools. Spineless swines. Cemented minds.”

"THE BOXER" SIMON & GARFUNKEL (1970)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is the final studio album from Simon & Garfunkel, an album so good it prompts the listener to greedily beg for more. Simon carried the songwriting duties, but the harmonies are just as much a part of those songs as the melodies. The album spawned iconic songs that have made an indelible impact on the musical landscape: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which features Art Garfunkel on lead vocals, “Cecilia” which has a persona driven mostly by its memorable percussion elements, and then there’s my favorite of the bunch: “The Boxer”.

The song is autobiographical, a rare treat inside the mind of the songwriter. The theme of being misunderstood and only remembered for what people want to remember are prevalent in the song. “The Boxer” is a masterpiece from a lyrical perspective. It bends words like poetry (“Such are promises. All lies and jest. Still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest”). It paints images like prose (“Asking only workman's wages I come looking for a job. But I get no offers. Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue.”). And it goes beyond coherent words using syllables as expressions with the iconic refrain “Lie-la-lie”. There are simply few songwriters as gifted as Paul Simon.

“Asking only workman's wages I come looking for a job. But I get no offers. Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue.”

"WATCHING THE DETECTIVES" ELVIS COSTELLO (1977)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

When Costello’s debut album My Aim Is True was released, there was nothing else like it. His biggest strength has always been his songwriting, the way he strung clever lyrics through captivating melodies. But his musical ingenuity is also a huge strength. While you can hear several types of genres in his music – new wave, blues, pub rock, power pop – it’s his own amalgamation of those sounds that is so unique. The US release of My Aim Is True includes the snapping single, “Watching The Detectives”.

It kicks off with that trash can-sounding drum roll and chunky bass line. A cynical disposition and a reggae touch make “Watching The Detectives” an enthralling listen for me every time. Costello means every word he sings, highlighting his obsession for a girlfriend whose obsession is with a fictitious character on tv. I can picture her lying on the bed, doing her nails, watching the detectives with the lights off. And the boyfriend, sadly watching her watching them.

“They beat him up until the teardrops start. But he can't be wounded when he's got no heart.”

"LOOKING FOR ASTRONAUTS" THE NATIONAL (2005)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Alligator was the first key turning point in The National’s evolution as a rock band. The layers of alt country were shedding away and being replaced by an edgier rock sound that would continue to bloom on Boxer. Unlike Boxer, Alligator was an album that I became acquainted with years after it was released. This sort of discovery is like flipping back at earlier entries in a journal. On Alligator, we see some of The National’s most brash lyrics (think “Mr. November” and “All The Wine”) as well as some of their most mysterious, including “Looking For Astronauts”.

While Berninger’s lyric writing has improved by leaps and bounds with each album, what strikes me most about “Looking For Astronauts” is how similar it is to current era National. Berninger’s vocal delivery is more or less the same. Bryan’s unexpected rhythms are there. And the intricate strumming is reminiscent of many songs from the band’s past ten years. What’s different, however, is Berninger’s lyrics seem more esoteric here. Is he speaking literally or figuratively, or both? I only discovered today that Berninger knew Neil Armstrong, a friend of his uncle. Coincidence? Maybe not.

“You know you have a permanent piece
Of my medium-sized American heart.”

"SYNCHRONICITY II" THE POLICE (1983)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

As a member of The Police, Sting was many things. A captivating frontman. An underrated bassist. And a sharp, witty lyricist. His lyrics were like poetry one moment, prose in another. And the words he used in “Synchronicity II” are some of the most memorable lyrics in rock history. They have the power to make you laugh just as they’re able to keep you settled in awe. It was always all about the words.

“Synchronicity II” is a rock song. And it’s not a rock song. It’s written and performed as if it came from an opera composer. Sting, Summers and Copeland were always intelligent rockers, but they made something here that elevated new wave, post punk and all the other labels that we wanted to attach to them. “Synchronicity II” cannot be categorized. It can just be appreciated for what it is. A brilliant commentary on a bleak, mundane suburbia with a sound we’d never heard before.

“The secretaries pout and preen like cheap tarts in a red light street.”

"SON OF A PREACHER MAN" ARETHA FRANKLIN (1970)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

In the last 10 -20 years, there has been a proliferation of cover songs. Bands that made careers out of writing original material have also turned to this trend. Now, the art of the cover has been around forever, of course. As long as great music has existed, bands have sought to recreate the magic in their own way. But it’s rare when the cover is better than the original. Aretha was a talent that achieved this not once, but multiple times – including her rendition of “Son Of A Preacher Man”.

The queen of soul gave us hundreds of memorable recordings, and her rendition of “Son of a Preacher Man” is one of my favorites. While she didn’t write it, it was written with her in mind. “Preacher Man” played perfectly to Aretha on two key fronts: vocal range and her soulful swagger. Not to take anything away from Dusty Springfield’s version, but Aretha sung it like she lived it. You can hear it in her delivery.

“Being good isn't always easy, no matter how hard I try.”

"DOCTOR! DOCTOR!" THOMPSON TWINS (1984)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

During the mid eighties, Thompson Twins seemed hell bent on one thing: getting us to dance. They did it fast-tempo, mid-tempo and slow. Their musical cocktails mixed catchy melodies, synth jams, three-part harmonies, drum machines and assorted percussion instruments to create the impulse to move. And that ability to do it with a variety of tempos might be the Thompson Twins’ sharpest skill. Everyone remembers the catchy, yet slightly campy “Doctor! Doctor!”.

Those far eastern-influenced synth riffs are etched into my brain, giving me the ability to instantly recall them after not hearing them for decades. “Doctor! Doctor!” is an eighties anthem that hasn’t exactly aged well into the current decade. Nonetheless, it’s a nostalgic look back at what pop outfits were able to do with an infectious melody when they combined the use of synthesizers and analog instruments.

“Dance with me across the sea.”

"DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS" BELLE & SEBASTIAN (2003)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Belle & Sebastian has made a career out of crafting volumes and volumes of character-based stories with a folk, 60’s-inspired flair. So leave it to Belle & Sebastian to write an eccentric letter to an eccentric character. The album of the same name had more well-known B&S staples like “Piazza, New York Catcher” and “If She Wants Me”. But “Dear Catastrophe Waitress” rises above them all.

“Dear Catastrophe Waitress” just does its own thing. Characteristic of the album as a whole, the song feels more polished and produced than previous B&S recordings. This title track is like a jovial slice of old Hollywood, incorporating musical embellishments such as horns and synth strings. While the unusual time signature and melody are what we expect from the band, the instrumental choices weren’t their standard fare.

“You'll soon be leaving this town to the clowns who worship no one but themselves.”

"SKY PILOT" ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS (1968)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

A friend from high school introduced me to The Animals with an enthusiasm that even exceeded his love for the biggest. classic rock icons like Zeppelin, Cream and the Stones. I think there were many reasons for this, but it was largely the power, swagger and testosterone-fueled vocals of Eric Burdon. Most casual listeners are familiar with their big hits: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”. But my friend encouraged me to go a little deeper. The song that I looked forward to playing most on my Animals mixtape was a minor hit toward the end of their years called “Sky Pilot”.

The track was an anti-war song written during the time of the Vietnam War. But it wasn’t about an Air Force pilot, it was an ode to a military chaplain. “How high can you fly. You never, never, never reach the sky”. The track carries intrigue from both an instrumental and production perspective. “Sky Pilot” soars on a bed of reverb and flanging complete with guitar solo, a string arrangement, bagpipe interlude and a host of war-themed audio samples. Then, of course, there’s the underrated, masterful lead vocals from Burdon. The song is a feast for the ears. I loved “Sky Pilot” from the very first listen and that love has never died.

“He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile. The order is given, they move down the line.”

"THE CHAUFFEUR" DURAN DURAN (1982)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

My childhood isn’t complete without Rio. Few recordings are as connected to my early musical discovery years as this album. This was an album that a family friend introduced my brother and I to. He raved about the singles. He went on and on about the ballads. And he paid proper homage to “The Chauffeur”. Rio was full of radio-friendly songs that paired nicely with elaborate and exotic video shoots. The album is sugary and sweet, which is what makes the final track a bit of a pleasant surprise. “The Chauffeur”, a fan favorite, is the indisputed anomaly on the album.

“Hungry Like The Wolf”, “My Own Way” and “Rio” grab you, but “The Chauffeur” grows on you. The closing track from Rio revealed 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 even Simon Le Bon on the ocarina. The track is atmospheric and even visual. I can picture a long, aimless drive by the chauffeur late at night every single time I hear it. It’s not just a great Duran Duran anthem, it’s one of the greatest closing tracks of the eighties.

“Sing, sing blue silver.”

"DREAM ATTACK" NEW ORDER (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Technique will always be my favorite New Order album. The way those songs sounded one after another made it truly difficult for me to hear the individual tracks in isolation. The troubles with the band have been well-documented in Peter Hook’s memoir Substance. But it’s the chaos and the backdrop of Ibiza that led to one of the band’s greatest recordings. Album aside, if I had to pick a standout, “Dream Attack” is it.

One of the greatest closing tracks of the eighties, “Dream Attack” ended strong with a mid-tempo symphony of driving synth bass, iconic real bass lines by Hooky, piano-sounding synth and a medley of synth and guitar flourishes. Hooky has mentioned that some of Barney’s best vocals are when he’s stretching his range. While I tend to agree with that overall assessment, I think the lower key on “Dream Attack” really served the song well in terms of the vocals. Nothing in this world can touch it.

“Nothing in this world Can touch the music that I heard.”

"IN BLOOM" IAN MCCULLOCH (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Candleland is a standout album from a standout year in music. 1989 brought on many great debut albums, banner releases and solo efforts. Candleland was a much more interesting listen to me in its entirety as opposed to the individual singles that found their way on modern rock radio such as “Faith and Healing” and “Proud to Fall”. In my opinion, “In Bloom” is a better song than the aforementioned.

“In Bloom” draws striking similarities to the iconic Echo & The Bunnymen track, “The Killing Moon”. With its epic structure and other worldly accents, it’s an ambitious rock song built to make an impression. The supplementary guitar riffs in the background are fantastic, standing in stark contrast to the muscular guitar hook in the foreground. And the lyrics, they speak for themselves. Poetic and simple. McCulloch always had a way with words.

“Rice fields, Feet soaking. Minefields, Here's hoping.”

"HERE IS THE HOUSE" DEPECHE MODE (1986)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Black Celebration is the album where the band’s dark, infectious sound really came together. Up until then, I thought of Depeche Mode as a singles band. They had some great one-offs. Black Celebration was different. The songs fit perfectly together and helped differentiate their sound among a sea of synth pop outfits. From now on, DM would do it darker, kinkier, catchier. “Here Is My House” is a perfect microcosm of their approach.

It’s a song that reminds me of my youth. Memories of my first “real” girlfriend singing it to me in her bedroom attic. “Here Is My House” is a fan favorite. A song so melodic, so brooding, so sensual, it’s the magic formula that Depeche Mode has uniquely conjured time and time again. But this deep cut didn’t get the recognition of a “Stripped” or “A Question Of Lust”. Wilder’s synth lines are simply a series of cascading keys. Fletch’s bass lines lurk and slither around. On vocals, Gahan takes lead, Gore with some fantastic backing parts and harmonies. But the best part of the song will always be the melody. Brilliant. I’d love for the band to bring it back on tour.

“Body and soul come together.”

"AIR OF DECEMBER" EDIE BRICKELL & NEW BOHEMIANS (1988)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars is another example of an album that started with an unflinching fascination with a single song (“What I Am”) and grew to a fondness for the entire record. Words that come to mind when I think of it: earnest, whimsical, innocent. Given these descriptions, there really wasn’t much out there with a similar demeanor. Songs like “Air Of December” did more to achieve this than even the hit single “What I Am”.

On “Air Of December”, Edie seems sultry and playful in her delivery as she conveys the effect of the protagonist on her. And the bass line feeds off it, flirting with the lower octaves. It’s the change-up in the album’s first half, opting for a slow, prodding tempo and melody that lingers like the December air. It’s heard best not in isolation, but right after the funky “What I Am” and jangly “Little Miss S.” Just like a true deep cut.

“The breeze moved the curtains And lifted my perfume into the air.”

"NO WORDS NO MORE" LOVE AND ROCKETS (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

The percussion-cracking “So Alive” descended on just about every radio station in New York City in 1989. I couldn’t get enough of it. So I decided to buy the self-titled album. As fans know, the rest of the album is very different from “So Alive”. Needless to say, it took a while for the record to grow on me. But once it did, I was sold. The album wavers back and forth between a world of motorcycles and a desolate wasteland. Not my cup of tea. But if you’re in the mood, it works wonders with deep cuts like “No Words No More”.

In his hush demeanor, Ash sings of a lazy devil, pools under a blue sky, and people down the street from you and I. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what the song means. But maybe that’s the whole point. There’s no one particular meaning. The song is whatever you make of it. It’s whatever you want it to be. A backdrop for your mind to wander and make something of nothing. And maybe those are the best songs because they invite us to call the shots.

“Even the laziest devil Sits on your youth and you cry. He watches your mistakes. Until the day you die.”

"HISTORY OF US" INDIGO GIRLS (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

The self-titled Indigo Girls album brings me back to my last couple of years of high school. I caught them on the album’s promotion tour at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre – just my second ever concert at that point. Some of the songs are celebratory, some of them are unmistakably somber, and all of them are deeply reflective. Ray and Saliers were just 25 and 26 respectively when the album was released, but they were wise beyond their years. This gave songs like “History Of Us” a deep sense of perspective and wisdom that you wouldn’t expect from a couple of twenty-somethings.

I think what makes “History Of Us” that much more special is that it wasn’t celebrated like the album’s more well known songs: “Closer To Fine”, “Secure Yourself”, “Kid Fears”, “Love’s Recovery” and “Land Of Canaan”. “History Of Us” is a hidden gem on the record. Quiet, unassuming, not drawing special attention to itself. Written by Saliers, it’s a song that feels like it was written for the listener, about the listener. It leaves a multi-faceted impression in its wake: nostalgia, remorse, sadness, and all of it, absolutely all of it, is just beautiful.

“Stretched our youth as we must, until we are ashes to dust. Until time makes history of us.”

"MY FATHER'S HOUSE" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

One of the most powerful things about being a songwriter is you get to tell your story. They’re not just your words. They’re your memories and experiences. These types of songs always feel much fulfilling because they don’t just rely on technical skill and expertise. They come from the heart. Springsteen has written about his relationships, his home, his life. And here in “My Father’s House”, he writes about his dad.

The stark simplicity of “My Father’s House” is reflective of the minimalist production approach on Nebraska. It’s just Springsteen singing, playing harmonica and strumming his guitar. There’s an air of Johnny Cash happening here, but these lyrics are Springsteen’s story of his strained relationship with his dad. It’s pure Springsteen through and through – proving that the most profound aspect of his musicality is the ability to tell a gripping, personal story.

“Last night I dreamed that I was a child out where the pines grow wild and tall. I was trying to make it home through the forest before the darkness falls.”

"WEIGHT OF THE WORLD" ERASURE (1988)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Vince Clarke is one of the true elder statesmen of synth pop. A founding member of Depeche Mode who gave us bright synth anthems like “New Life” and “Just Can’t Get Enough”. As the band shifted toward a darker sound, Clarke left and formed Yaz (Yazoo in the UK) with Alison Moyet, penning more classics like “Nobody’s Diary”, “Situation”, “Don’t Go” and “Only You”. But my favorite Clarke era is the first decade of Erasure with Andy Bell – and deep cuts like “Weight of the World” are a big reason why.

The Innocents was a banner album for Erasure, spawning some of their biggest hits – including “A Little Respect” and “Chains Of Love”, while also containing some of the band’s most beloved songs like “Phantom Bride” and “Ship of Fools”. “Weight of the World” didn’t jump out the way some of those songs did, but it has a staying power in its slow tempo groove. The deep cut was always one of my favorite tracks. Vince’s simple, commanding synth bass lines and circus-esque transition lines. Andy’s soulful vocals. A relic of Erasure at the top of their game.

“You hold your head in your hands And the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

"LAST CHANCE ON THE STAIRWAY" DURAN DURAN (1982)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Most fans say Rio is Duran Duran’s best album. Which makes it interesting that some of these deep cuts aren’t celebrated more. All the accolades seem to go to the big U.S. singles “Rio” and Hungry Like The Wolf”, Live Aid darling “Save a Prayer” and the universally appreciated closing track, “The Chauffeur”. But the album is stacked from beginning to end. You can’t count out the European disco-tinged single “My Own Way”, the new wave banger “Hold Back The Rain”, the omnious epic “New Religion” that got some attention on the live album Arena, and then there’s Track 7: “Last Chance On The Stairway”.

A deep cut that could’ve been a single. Sounds about right for an outfit like Duran Duran. The shimmery synth lines from Nick Rhodes and bumpy bass lines from John Taylor make “Last Chance On The Stairway” one of my favorite cuts from Rio. But what brings it over the edge for me is the instrumental bridge, featuring a conga drum interlude from Roger. It’s vintage Duran Duran. Everything the fans love about the band, but somehow, strangely, gets overlooked and overshadowed by the big MTV-promoted tracks.

“And sometimes I'm caught in a landslide.”