Untitled
At the beginning of this year, Little Steven posted a list of his favorite songs and albums from the past ten years. I came up with a list of my own and posted it on his forum shortly afterwards. The forum was then shut down for a while for renovation, so I didn't have access to my list, but now it's open again, and I just thought I would share it with the rest of you. BTW, I made it a point not to include any of Little Steven's selections (even though I did love both "Psychedelic Sunrise" by the Chesterfield Kings and "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" by the Cocktail Slippers), because I wanted it to be my own list.
Most of my choices are bands that I've discovered on the Underground Garage, although there are a few exceptions. If anyone has a problem with that, I don't care, because a great band is a great band, regardless of whatever medium I discovered them through.
Also, just to save myself the trouble of writing a separate list, I named my favorite tracks from each album. This list covers a period from 1999 to 2009.
(1) "More Seduction" by Manda and the Marbles (2002) - What can I say, it's a perfect album by a perfect band. I first saw this band at the 31st Street Pub in August 2003, and I was totally mesmerized by them. Their sound is a great mix of retro 80s new wave and power pop. Favorite tracks: "Dangerous," "Forget About the Day," "Through," and "Fast Cars."
(2) "Running with the Wasters" by the Takeover UK (2009) - I still have a hard time believing this band is from my hometown. This album is a magnificent blend of garage, power pop, brit pop, and glam. Favorite tracks: The title track, "Never Been So Sick," "Kill Me Dead," and "Evelyn."
(3) "We Are the Pipettes" by the Pipettes (2006) - Best retro act I have ever seen. And they are all so incredibly cute too (especially Rose and Becki). Favorite tracks: "Pull Shapes" and "Because It's Not Love."
(4) "Angels with Dirty Faces" by Manda and the Marbles (2004) - A great follow-up to "More Seduction," although not quite as good as its predecessor. However, it does feature Manda's finest moment ever as a singer and songwriter, "Simple Things." Favorite tracks: "Simple Things," "Ode to Rock," "Lipstick" "Confidential," "Say Anything," "Cheap Tragedies" and "Boys Will Be Boys."
(5) "Spooky Sugar" by the Science Fiction Idols (2003) - Yes, I know this band never got any airplay on the Underground Garage, but they're still one of my favorite local bands, all the more so because they take 70s glam rock and repackage it in such a way that it still sounds fresh and original. Favorite tracks: "Starfire," "Cats Galore," "New Man Tonight," "Phantom Channel," and "Married in my Underwear."
(6) "Living is the Best Revenge" by the Cynics (2002) - I'm sure this album would have made it to Little Steven's list if he and Gregg Kostelich weren't so pissed off at each other. A great comeback album by a band that had been out of commission during the second half of the 90s. Favorite tracks: The title track, "Let Me Know," "Shine," and "Turn Me Loose."
(7) "Rock It" by the Cocktail Slippers (2002) - Yes, I know the Cocktail Slippers have grown considerably since their first album, but this is the one that got me hooked on them. It was also the first overseas purchase I had made because of the Underground Garage. Favorite track: "Rock'n'Roll Babe."
(8) "Les Hell on Heels" by Les Hell on Heels (2004) - This is the illegitimate spawn of the Stooges and the Shangri Las. Favorite tracks: "Ain't So Cool" and "Hell on Heels."
(9) "7x4" by the Gore Gore Girls (2005) - A wonderful EP recorded by the Gore Gore Girls during the brief time that Jen "Deuce" Pirch was in the band (She was such a hottie). Favorite tracks: "Casino" and "No Big Thing."
(10) "Strange Magic" by the Charms (2006) - It's too bad this band parted company with Wicked Cool Records, but they did manage to put out one great album on that label. Favorite tracks: "Broken Heart," "LTD," and "Touch."
(11) “61/49” by the Romantics (2003) – A band that I remembered from the 80s as a cool power pop band made a remarkable return to their garage roots on this album. I was also surprised to hear that they were still around when Little Steven started playing them on his show. Favorite tracks: “Paint the Sky” and “Out of my Mind.”
(12) "Up All Night" by the Gore Gore Girls (2003) - Hearing some songs from this album on the Underground Garage is what got me into them. Favorite tracks: "Astral Man," "I Don't Think So," "Your Last Chance."
(13) "Charmed, I'm Sure" by the Charms (2002) - A great debut by a consistently good band. Favorite tracks: "Top Down," "Saturday," "Snowflakes on Velvet," and "Last Train."
(14) "Night of 1,000 Ex-Boyfriends" by the Holograms (2005) - A very catchy mix of bubblegum and pop punk by a group of very cute Asian girls who sing songs about raunchy subjects, i.e. drugs, necrophilia, prostitution. Favorite tracks: "Are You Ready For It," "Weekend Bender," "Scene Whore" and "Your Ex is Turning Tricks Again."
(15) "You're Kisses are Wasted on Me" by the Pipettes (2007) - A teaser single that was released before the official American release of their debut album. Favorite tracks: "Really That Bad" and "Guess Who Ran Off with the Milkman?"
(16) "Pussycat" by the Charms (2005) - A solid effort, if not their best. Favorite track: "Dream."
(17) "Dolls and Skulls" by the Ultimatics (2000) - Yes, I know a lot of you have never heard of this band, but they were arguably the best punk band to ever come out of Pittsburgh. Favorite track: The title track and "Caroline."
(18) "Get Born" by Jet (2003) - A totally kickass album by one of the first bands that I discovered on the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "Cold Hard Bitch" and "Rollover DJ."
(19) "Supernatural Equinox" by Outrageous Cherry (2003) - Psychedelia at its finest, and another band that I discovered when I first started listening to the Underground Garage. Favorite track: "Girl, You Have Magic Inside You" (That one goes out to you, Whitney).
(20) "Tell the Kids the Cops are Here" by the Model Rockets (2002) - And another band I first heard of when I started listening to the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "The Dress Up Girls" and "A Notice To Everyone."
(21) "Nightlife" by Cobra Verde (1999) - Forget "Easy Listening," this one is the band's masterpiece. Very Bowie-esque. Favorite tracks: "One Step Away from Myself" and "Every God for Himself."
(22) "The Return of Rock" by the Swingin' Neckbreakers (2000) - This was another band that I first saw at the 31st Street Pub, and this was a couple of years before I discovered the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "I'm in a Band" and "Lets Have a Jam."
(23) "Knock Hard" by the Paybacks (2002) - Again, this was another band I first saw at the Pub, and they were sharing a bill with the Cynics. Favorite tracks: "Black Girl," "If I Fell," and "Vegas."
(24) "Love, Not Reason" by the Paybacks (2006) - Their last and best album. Favorite tracks: "Painkiller," "Stranger in the House" and "Sleepwalking."
(25) “After Hours” by Prima Donna (2008) – A very cool retro glam band that reminds me a lot of the Science Fiction Idols. Favorite tracks: “Stray Doll,” “Soul Stripper,” and “Demoted.”
Most of my choices are bands that I've discovered on the Underground Garage, although there are a few exceptions. If anyone has a problem with that, I don't care, because a great band is a great band, regardless of whatever medium I discovered them through.
Also, just to save myself the trouble of writing a separate list, I named my favorite tracks from each album. This list covers a period from 1999 to 2009.
(1) "More Seduction" by Manda and the Marbles (2002) - What can I say, it's a perfect album by a perfect band. I first saw this band at the 31st Street Pub in August 2003, and I was totally mesmerized by them. Their sound is a great mix of retro 80s new wave and power pop. Favorite tracks: "Dangerous," "Forget About the Day," "Through," and "Fast Cars."
(2) "Running with the Wasters" by the Takeover UK (2009) - I still have a hard time believing this band is from my hometown. This album is a magnificent blend of garage, power pop, brit pop, and glam. Favorite tracks: The title track, "Never Been So Sick," "Kill Me Dead," and "Evelyn."
(3) "We Are the Pipettes" by the Pipettes (2006) - Best retro act I have ever seen. And they are all so incredibly cute too (especially Rose and Becki). Favorite tracks: "Pull Shapes" and "Because It's Not Love."
(4) "Angels with Dirty Faces" by Manda and the Marbles (2004) - A great follow-up to "More Seduction," although not quite as good as its predecessor. However, it does feature Manda's finest moment ever as a singer and songwriter, "Simple Things." Favorite tracks: "Simple Things," "Ode to Rock," "Lipstick" "Confidential," "Say Anything," "Cheap Tragedies" and "Boys Will Be Boys."
(5) "Spooky Sugar" by the Science Fiction Idols (2003) - Yes, I know this band never got any airplay on the Underground Garage, but they're still one of my favorite local bands, all the more so because they take 70s glam rock and repackage it in such a way that it still sounds fresh and original. Favorite tracks: "Starfire," "Cats Galore," "New Man Tonight," "Phantom Channel," and "Married in my Underwear."
(6) "Living is the Best Revenge" by the Cynics (2002) - I'm sure this album would have made it to Little Steven's list if he and Gregg Kostelich weren't so pissed off at each other. A great comeback album by a band that had been out of commission during the second half of the 90s. Favorite tracks: The title track, "Let Me Know," "Shine," and "Turn Me Loose."
(7) "Rock It" by the Cocktail Slippers (2002) - Yes, I know the Cocktail Slippers have grown considerably since their first album, but this is the one that got me hooked on them. It was also the first overseas purchase I had made because of the Underground Garage. Favorite track: "Rock'n'Roll Babe."
(8) "Les Hell on Heels" by Les Hell on Heels (2004) - This is the illegitimate spawn of the Stooges and the Shangri Las. Favorite tracks: "Ain't So Cool" and "Hell on Heels."
(9) "7x4" by the Gore Gore Girls (2005) - A wonderful EP recorded by the Gore Gore Girls during the brief time that Jen "Deuce" Pirch was in the band (She was such a hottie). Favorite tracks: "Casino" and "No Big Thing."
(10) "Strange Magic" by the Charms (2006) - It's too bad this band parted company with Wicked Cool Records, but they did manage to put out one great album on that label. Favorite tracks: "Broken Heart," "LTD," and "Touch."
(11) “61/49” by the Romantics (2003) – A band that I remembered from the 80s as a cool power pop band made a remarkable return to their garage roots on this album. I was also surprised to hear that they were still around when Little Steven started playing them on his show. Favorite tracks: “Paint the Sky” and “Out of my Mind.”
(12) "Up All Night" by the Gore Gore Girls (2003) - Hearing some songs from this album on the Underground Garage is what got me into them. Favorite tracks: "Astral Man," "I Don't Think So," "Your Last Chance."
(13) "Charmed, I'm Sure" by the Charms (2002) - A great debut by a consistently good band. Favorite tracks: "Top Down," "Saturday," "Snowflakes on Velvet," and "Last Train."
(14) "Night of 1,000 Ex-Boyfriends" by the Holograms (2005) - A very catchy mix of bubblegum and pop punk by a group of very cute Asian girls who sing songs about raunchy subjects, i.e. drugs, necrophilia, prostitution. Favorite tracks: "Are You Ready For It," "Weekend Bender," "Scene Whore" and "Your Ex is Turning Tricks Again."
(15) "You're Kisses are Wasted on Me" by the Pipettes (2007) - A teaser single that was released before the official American release of their debut album. Favorite tracks: "Really That Bad" and "Guess Who Ran Off with the Milkman?"
(16) "Pussycat" by the Charms (2005) - A solid effort, if not their best. Favorite track: "Dream."
(17) "Dolls and Skulls" by the Ultimatics (2000) - Yes, I know a lot of you have never heard of this band, but they were arguably the best punk band to ever come out of Pittsburgh. Favorite track: The title track and "Caroline."
(18) "Get Born" by Jet (2003) - A totally kickass album by one of the first bands that I discovered on the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "Cold Hard Bitch" and "Rollover DJ."
(19) "Supernatural Equinox" by Outrageous Cherry (2003) - Psychedelia at its finest, and another band that I discovered when I first started listening to the Underground Garage. Favorite track: "Girl, You Have Magic Inside You" (That one goes out to you, Whitney).
(20) "Tell the Kids the Cops are Here" by the Model Rockets (2002) - And another band I first heard of when I started listening to the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "The Dress Up Girls" and "A Notice To Everyone."
(21) "Nightlife" by Cobra Verde (1999) - Forget "Easy Listening," this one is the band's masterpiece. Very Bowie-esque. Favorite tracks: "One Step Away from Myself" and "Every God for Himself."
(22) "The Return of Rock" by the Swingin' Neckbreakers (2000) - This was another band that I first saw at the 31st Street Pub, and this was a couple of years before I discovered the Underground Garage. Favorite tracks: "I'm in a Band" and "Lets Have a Jam."
(23) "Knock Hard" by the Paybacks (2002) - Again, this was another band I first saw at the Pub, and they were sharing a bill with the Cynics. Favorite tracks: "Black Girl," "If I Fell," and "Vegas."
(24) "Love, Not Reason" by the Paybacks (2006) - Their last and best album. Favorite tracks: "Painkiller," "Stranger in the House" and "Sleepwalking."
(25) “After Hours” by Prima Donna (2008) – A very cool retro glam band that reminds me a lot of the Science Fiction Idols. Favorite tracks: “Stray Doll,” “Soul Stripper,” and “Demoted.”
