Thursday, February 25, 2021

Music Update, 2/26/2021 Releases and my first 250+ Forever Favorites

 

               Last week was a nice week for a variety of music.  A remixed Whitesnake album of “Blues songs,” which were mostly various hard rock songs from the days Doug Aldrich and John Sykes were the lead guitars in the band, was released and was the best of Whitesnake’s remix albums thus far (the others were a rock album and an album of love songs).  Andra Day’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday had some nice covers and I’d recommend it for fans of old jazz and blues music, they really capture the essence of those old songs with these new recordings.  Ariana Grande also released a deluxe edition of her recent album “positions” and it had four tracks I hadn’t heard before, which were all nice to listen to.  We also got a new single from Smith/Kotzen, a collaborative effort between Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame and Richie Kotzen, who’s made a name for himself playing and singing his own music, but also had a tenure in Poison replacing CC Deville, on Tuesday night.

 

               Here are some of the releases I’m looking forward to this week, and this will easily be the busiest week yet of the year.

 

Julien Baker-Little Oblivions: A new album from the Christian lesbian folk singer from Tennessee, this has had a few good songs released as singles thus far, like “Favor.”  It’s nice, soothing music and also features some good emotional release.  Julien Baker still has her great singer/songwriter skills that made me enjoy her when I first found her.

 

Alice Cooper-Detroit Stories: An album by the classic hard rock shock rocker, this will apparently feature “Don’t Give Up,” a song released last May to encourage the populace to hang in there during the pandemic, because we’re all in this together.  It also features a cover of Lou Reed’s “Rock and Roll” and a good new song called “Social Debris.”  I don’t know if we’ll get another song like “Feed My Frankenstein,” “Unholy War,” “Paranormal” or “Dynamite Road,” but it’s worth listening to in order to see if we do.

 

Steve Lukather/Joseph Williams-I Found the Sun Again/Denizen Tenant (respectively): These two releases are interconnected as both are band members of the Classic Rock band Toto (responsible for “Africa,” which was “featured” in Straight No Chaser’s 12 Days of Christmas) and they guest on each other’s albums.  Joseph Williams sings on “Run To Me” on Lukather’s album, with the song also featuring Ringo Starr on drums.  Steve Lukather appears a few times on Williams’ album, but none of those tracks have been featured as singles.  I am interested in the cover of The Beatles’ “If I Fell” on Williams’ album that features Lukather, especially as Williams says this song is the reason he began to love harmonies.

 

Ally Venable-Heart of Fire: Texas Blues is alive and well with this woman, with her releasing a nice Blues album called “Texas Honey” a couple years back.  A student of Stevie Ray Vaughan, this album even features a track called “Tribute to SRV.”  There are also good collaborations with Devon Allman (of The Allman Betts Band, song of Gregg Allman) and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.  The title track also features shades of one of Vaughan’s influence, Jimi Hendrix, in some of the licks.

 

Don Airey-Live in Hamburg: I’m not sure if this will be released digitally, but I am actually putting this album on my Birthday list.  Don Airey is a journeyman keyboardist who has most notably worked with Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore and is currently the keyboard player in Deep Purple.  This album features Rainbow, Moore and Purple tracks covered live, such as “All Night Long,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “Still Got The Blues” (a great way to hear a guitar cry) and “Child of Time.”  It sounds great, and I’d buy it myself if I didn’t have other fun things I want to spend money on.

 

Lauren Daigle-Hold On To Me (single): I don’t normally cover singles, but Lauren Daigle is one of the best singers in Contemporary Christian Music these days.  I first heard “You Say” at Garden Street United Methodist Church, performed by members of the congregation, and now I play it every Sunday because I like the message of though we feel weak and helpless, God makes us strong and able to conquer our problems.  She recently sang a duet with Jon Foreman on his album I talked about a couple weeks ago, which was one of the highlight tracks of that album.  I imagine this song is about focusing on God during times of struggle, which we need right now as most of us are struggling with the pandemic and the restrictions brought on to keep us safe.

 

Also, since I reached a new milestone, I figured I should show off my first 250+ "Forever Favorites" on Spotify.  Hard to believe it just started with five, but there have been some good new releases and some good songs to look back on in the weeks since I last did this, and some days, I have to remind myself I don't need to add every enduring song at once.  Without further ado, here's my first 250+ "Forever Favorites" on Spotify.

 

1.)    Malibu-Miley Cyrus

2.)    Crazy Train (Live 1981)-Ozzy Osbourne

3.)    Don’t Call Me Angel-Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Ray

4.)    Achy Breaky Heart-Billy Ray Cyrus

5.)    Godzilla-Bear McCreary and Serj Tankian

6.)    Day Tripper-The Beatles

7.)    KARATE-BabyMetal

8.)    Yellow Submarine-The Beatles

9.)    Godzilla Main Title-Bear McCreary

10.) Godzilla Appears-Akira Ifukube

11.) Breaking The Law (Live)-Judas Priest

12.) Iron Man (Live 2017)-Black Sabbath

13.) Black Dog-Led Zeppelin

14.) Rock and Roll (Live)-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

15.) Outshined-Soundgarden

16.) Jet City Woman-Queensryche

17.) Queen of the Monsters-Bear McCreary

18.) I Can’t Drive 55 (Live)-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

19.) Mothra’s Song-Bear McCreary

20.) I Burn-Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams

21.) 4th of July (Live)-Soundgarden

22.) She’s Not Him-Miley Cyrus

23.) The Crow-Black Country Communion

24.) Nothing Compares 2 U-Toni Cornell

25.) Patience-Chris Cornell

26.) Midnight Sky-Miley Cyrus

27.) Heart of Glass (Live)-Miley Cyrus

28.) I Love Rock N Roll-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

29.) Stop-Anthony Ramos

30.) The Wonder of the Cross-Vicky Beeching

31.) Say Hello 2 Heaven-Temple of the Dog

32.) Enough is Enough-Billy Ray Cyrus

33.) The Past-Billy Ray Cyrus

34.) Free Bird (Live 2019)-Lynyrd Skynyrd

35.) Free Bird-Lynyrd Skynrd

36.) Free Bird (Live 1987)-Lynyrd Skynyrd

37.) Simple Man-Lynyrd Skynyrd

38.) Bad Memory-K.Flay

39.) Kicking and Screaming-Miley Cyrus

40.) Cold Gin-Ace Frehley feat. Mike McCready

41.) Bmblb-Jeff Williams, Casey Lee Williams

42.) Cochise-Audioslave

43.) Distortion-BabyMetal

44.) Elevator Girl (English)-BabyMetal

45.) Battle in Boston-Bear McCreary

46.) Rusty Cage (Live)-Soundgarden

47.) Nevermore (Peter Jones Remix)-Jeff Williams, Casey Lee Williams, Adrienne Cowan

48.) Protected By The Light-Rob Halford

49.) Amazing Grace-Good Shepherd Collective, Liz Vice

50.) We’re Gonna Be Alright-Switchfoot

51.) Midnight Sky (Edge of Midnight Remix)-Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks

52.) GNO-Miley Cyrus

53.) Starbreaker-Judas Priest

54.) Eat Me-Ozzy Osbourne

55.) Nothing Compares 2 U-Chris Cornell (No One Sings Like You Anymore Version)

56.) American Rock and Roll-Don Felder

57.) I Want You (She’s So Heavy)-The Beatles

58.) I Want You (She’s So Heavy) Trident Session-The Beatles

59.) Gettin’ Tighter-Deep Purple

60.) Happy Xmas (War Is Over)-Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, Sean Ono Lennon

61.) Run Rudolph Run-Billy Ray Cyrus

62.) Christmas Is-Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus

63.) Let There Be Peace-Carrie Underwood

64.) Sweet Baby Jesus-Carrie Underwood

65.) A Hand For Mrs. Claus-Idina Menzel and Ariana Grande

66.) Mary Did You Know-Carrie Underwood

67.) Away in a Manger-Carrie Underwood

68.) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Rob Halford

69.) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Rudy Sarzo, Simon Wright

70.) Joy To The World-Rob Halford

71.) O Holy Night-Brandi Carlile

72.) The Story-Brandi Carlile

73.) Again Today-Pearl Jam

74.) If She Ever Leaves Me-The Highwomen

75.) Beware of Darkness-Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton, Brandi Carlile and Sting

76.) Even Flow-Pearl Jam

77.) What Child Is This-The Fab Four

78.) What Child Is This-Rob Halford

79.) Thankful Heart-Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge

80.) You’ve Got A Friend-Billy Ray Cyrus and Emily Osment

81.) Ready, Set, Don’t Go-Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus

82.) You Can’t Lose Me-Billy Ray Cyrus

83.) Over the Rainbow-Billy Ray Cyrus

84.) Over the Rainbow (Live)-Ariana Grande

85.) Mistreated-Deep Purple

86.) Stormbringer-Whitesnake

87.) Zombie (Live)-Miley Cyrus

88.) Burn-Deep Purple

89.) Watching The Wheels-Chris Cornell

90.) American Reckoning-Bon Jovi

91.) Do What You Can-Bon Jovi, Jennifer Nettles

92.) Unbroken-Bon Jovi

93.) Make You Mine This Season-Tegan and Sara

94.) Away in a Manger-Rob Halford

95.) Christmas Time Is Here Again-Ringo Starr

96.) The Chipmunk Song-Tegan and Sara

97.) Black Hole Sun-Brandi Carlile

98.) Blue Suede Shoes (Live)-John Lennon

99.) Night Crawling-Miley Cyrus and Billy Idol

100.)                  Prisoner-Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa

101.)                  My Oh My-Macklemore

102.)                  Same Love-Macklemore feat. Mary Lambert

103.)                  Blue Suede Shoes-Elvis Presley

104.)                  Starbreaker (Live)-Judas Priest

105.)                  Rainbow in the Dark (Holy Diver Live version)-Dio

106.)                  I Hate Myself For Loving You-Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

107.)                  So Lucky-Grace McKagan

108.)                  Righteous Days (Album Version)-The Dead Daisies

109.)                  Waiting on a War-Foo Fighters

110.)                  Holding Poison-Foo Fighters

111.)                  Metal Queen-Lee Aaron

112.)                  Lola-Ace Frehley

113.)                  30 Days In The Hole-Ace Frehley with Robin Zander

114.)                  Softly and Tenderly-Carrie Underwood

115.)                  The Climb-Miley Cyrus

116.)                  Mama I’m Coming Home-Ozzy Osbourne

117.)                  Heart of Gold-Johnny Cash

118.)                  Why Can’t This Be Love-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

119.)                  Never Thought I’d Fall In Love With You-Billy Ray Cyrus

120.)                  BWU-Tegan and Sara

121.)                  Yesterday-The Beatles

122.)                  Oh! Darling-The Beatles

123.)                  Sweet Child O’ Mine-Guns N Roses

124.)                  Jealous Guy-John Lennon

125.)                  Stand By Me-John Lennon

126.)                  (Just Like) Starting Over-John Lennon

127.)                  Woman-John Lennon

128.)                  I Would Die For You-Miley Cyrus

129.)                  Adore You-Miley Cyrus

130.)                  Something (Live)-Paul McCartney

131.)                  Something-The Beatles

132.)                  Photograph-Ringo Starr

133.)                  Six O’ Clock (Extended Version)-Ringo Starr

134.)                  I’m Yours-Ringo Starr

135.)                  Anastasia (Live 2019)-Slash, Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators

136.)                  Good Hearted Woman-Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson

137.)                  You Say-Lauren Daigle

138.)                  Give My Heart To You-Billy Ray Cyrus

139.)                  The Only Exception-Paramore

140.)                  Is This Love?-Whitesnake

141.)                  Fat Bottomed Girls (Live, Bohemian Rhapsody Film)-Queen

142.)                  See You On The Other Side-Ozzy Osbourne

143.)                  After All-Whitesnake

144.)                  Love-John Lennon

145.)                  Open Arms (Re-Recorded)-Journey

146.)                  Forever Fall-Jeff and Casey Lee Williams

147.)                  Don’t Let Me Down-The Beatles

148.)                  After Forever-Black Sabbath

149.)                  After Forever (Live)-Black Sabbath

150.)                  Neon Knights-Black Sabbath

151.)                  I Need You-The Beatles

152.)                  Ain’t Got No Money-Bob Seger

153.)                  My Kinda Girl (Live)-Chickenfoot

154.)                  Tush-Joan Jett

155.)                  Crimson and Clover-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

156.)                  Faithfully-Journey

157.)                  Only God Could Stop Me Loving You-Billy Ray Cyrus

158.)                  Nothing Breaks Like A Heart-Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus

159.)                  Whole Lotta Love-Zepparella

160.)                  Whole Lotta Love-Led Zeppelin

161.)                  Whole Lotta Love-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

162.)                  Whole Lotta Love-Santana feat. Chris Cornell

163.)                  Without You-Billy Ray Cyrus

164.)                  Yellow-Coldplay

165.)                  Rock Me (Live)-Vixen

166.)                  Kagerou-BabyMetal

167.)                  Kagerou (Live)-BabyMetal

168.)                  Kids in ’99-Death Cab For Cutie

169.)                  I Love You This Much-Billy Ray Cyrus

170.)                  Yesterday, Today and Forever-Vicky Beeching

171.)                  Search Me-Vicky Beeching

172.)                  Above All Else-Vicky Beeching

173.)                  Parkland-Duff McKagan

174.)                  Unbroken-Joel Smallbone

175.)                  Like A Country Song-Billy Ray Cyrus

176.)                  Completely-Ledger

177.)                  My Arms-Ledger

178.)                  Guardians-Judas Priest

179.)                  Rising From Ruins-Judas Priest

180.)                  Beautiful City-Godspell

181.)                  Deliverer-Vicky Beeching

182.)                  Hope of Jesus-Hope Darst

183.)                  Every Mother’s Son-Lynyrd Skynyrd

184.)                  Limelight-Don Felder, Richie Sambora and Orianthi

185.)                  Good Times-RSO

186.)                  Old-Time Rock & Roll-Bob Seger

187.)                  Beautiful Drug-Bon Jovi

188.)                  Heroes-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

189.)                  Until I Left You-Joel Hoekstra’s 13

190.)                  The Only Way To Go-Joel Hoekstra’s 13

191.)                  Heart Attack-Joel Hoekstra’s 13

192.)                  Meant to Live-Switchfoot

193.)                  Ignorance-Paramore

194.)                  New Divide-Linkin Park

195.)                  Monster-Paramore

196.)                  I Want You To Want Me (Live, New Year’s Eve 1979, Los Angeles, CA)-Cheap Trick

197.)                  Be Yourself-Audioslave

198.)                  Dream Police (Live, New Year’s Eve 1979, Los Angeles, CA)-Cheap Trick

199.)                  Run For Your Life-K.Flay

200.)                  Sister-K.Flay

201.)                  Nervous-K.Flay

202.)                  Zen-X Ambassadors, K.Flay and grandson

203.)                  Luv Can-Bon Jovi

204.)                  Tommy’s Instrumental (Outtake)-Tommy Bolin

205.)                  Walk This Way-Aerosmith

206.)                  Walk This Way-Aerosmith/Run-DMC

207.)                  Come Together-Gary Clark Jr., Junkie XL

208.)                  Come Together-The Beatles

209.)                  Come Together-Aerosmith

210.)                  Come Together-Soundgarden

211.)                  Fat Bottomed Girls (Live At The Bowl)-Queen

212.)                  Crime of Passion-Rick Wakeman

213.)                  Voodoo Child (Slight Return)-Jimi Hendrix

214.)                  Fire-Jimi Hendrix

215.)                  Purple Haze-Jimi Hendrix

216.)                  Foxey Lady-Jimi Hendrix

217.)                  Bigfoot (Live)-Chickenfoot

218.)                  34+35-Ariana Grande

219.)                  34+35 Remix-Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat

220.)                  Gimme What I Want-Miley Cyrus

221.)                  Blueberry Pie-Jamie Rossi

222.)                  Rain on Me-Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande

223.)                  My heart belongs to daddy (live)-Ariana Grande

224.)                  Good as Hell-Lizzo, Ariana Grande

225.)                  When the Levee Breaks (Live)-Sammy Hagar and the Circle

226.)                  When the Levee Breaks-Led Zeppelin

227.)                  Interstate 80-Tom Morello and Slash

228.)                  A Beautiful Noise-Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile

229.)                  Fantasy-Joel Hoekstra’s 13

230.)                  Last September-Duff McKagan

231.)                  I Ain’t The One-Lynyrd Skynyrd

232.)                  Call Me The Breeze-Lynyrd Skynyrd

233.)                  Call Me The Breeze (Live)-Lynyrd Skynyrd

234.)                  Get Back-The Beatles

235.)                  Paranoid (Live 1981)-Ozzy Osbourne

236.)                  Rock and Roll-Led Zeppelin

237.)                  Misty Mountain Hop-Led Zeppelin

238.)                  Outshined (Live 2013)-Soundgarden

239.)                  Yume no Naka e-Yuki Saitou

240.)                  Love Song-Tesla

241.)                  Rockin’ In The Free World (Live)-Pearl Jam

242.)                  Holy For Tonight-Ozzy Osbourne

243.)                  Crucify The Dead-Slash and Ozzy Osbourne

244.)                  Watch This-Slash, Duff McKagan and Dave Grohl

245.)                  Promise-Slash and Chris Cornell

246.)                  Judgment Day-Whitesnake

247.)                  Kashmir-Led Zeppelin

248.)                  Fool For Your Loving-Whitesnake

249.)                  I Won’t Back Down-Tom Petty

250.)                  Wildflowers-Tom Petty

251.)                  Wildflowers-Miley Cyrus

252.)                  Hands All Over-Soundgarden

253.)                  Godzilla Appears (Terror of MechaGodzilla)-Akira Ifukube

254.)                  I’m Ready-Sam Smith, Demi Lovato

255.)                  Party-Demi Lovato


No comments:

Post a Comment