HER PICKS |
HIS PICKS |
|
The Runaways All Lady Rock and Roll!! Happy to get more women into the mix. |
Keef Hartley Band Good record. I’m spreadin’ the love. |
|
Black Oak Arkansas Compelling context clues…Hot and Nasty…a washboard…long-haired men in tight pants |
Glass Prism I like concept albums & I like psych!! Also the album cover is priceless. |
|
Aretha Franklin Forever a favorite. Growing up as a girl, Aretha was a staple, always empowering and inspiring many a hairbrush singalong. |
Lee Michaels Locally produced record. I remember it being bluesy. |
|
John Lee Hooker Just got his biography. This helps fuel my excitement for that. |
Roy Ayers The far less famous woman counterpart to Shaft with a comparable funktrack!! |
|
The Black Keys Something contemporary, most likely influenced by some of the previous tracks. |
Pretenders I like SOME albums from this time period. This might be one of the best. |
Not Chosen Yet (Back to the Stacks):
MFSB-Love Is The Message 1973
Hedge & Donna-Evolution
Fred Locks-Reggae Sun 1980
Arthur Lyman-Taboo Vol.2
Fleetwood Mac-Penguin 1973
Mandrill-Self Titled 1970
Cold Blood-Thriller! 1973
The B-52’s-Self Titled 1979
B.B. King-From The Beginning
Zapped (compilation) 1970
For Your Listening Pleasure:
Visit our YouTube Channel and listen to our Round Four Top Picks Playlist as you read our thoughts below.
The Runaways-Waitin’ For The Night 1977
Her Album Score: 7/10 His Album Score: 7/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| Growing up, my dad made sure I had a lot of exposure to kick ass women in music, books, and film/tv. Xena Warrior Princess was one of my 1st obsessions, and he enthusiastically indulged me by taking me to Xena conventions and letting me pound out my own chakram from a piece of metal I found at the dump. He later taught me how to patch up all the holes that I made in the walls throwing the thing around my bedroom shrieking aiaiaiaiaiaiaaiaiaia!!!!
The Runaways, Bikini Kill, The Cramps (featuring Poison Ivy), Babes in Toyland…I know these names because of him. I have so many fond memories of driving around with him, windows down, speakers at max, rocking out hardcore. This album carries that energy and “WASTED” reflects it especially well with Lita Ford’s heavy guitar. |
“WASTED“ could have been an Ozzy Osbourne or AC/DC song. Childish lyrics (excusable being that the band was made up of teenagers) and an aura of exploitation keep this album from being an 8. |
Keef Hartley Band-Halfbreed 1968
Her Album Score: 8/10 His Album Score: 8/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| “SINNIN’ FOR YOU“, this song has been trailing my thoughts all week. I love the organ and drum intro and when a song sticks with me it seems to deserve the win but I hope Stephen picks “Leavin’ Trunk” because I was definitely captivated by that one as well. | “LEAVIN’ TRUNK” is a long muddy march through late 60s blues rock. A bit more subdued than Zeppelin, if you squeezed this song it would pour mud not lemonade. Like most blues it’s not incredibly complex but that makes it feel slightly more authentic (even coming from a white guy dressed as an Native American). |
Black Oak Arkansas-Self Titled 1971
Her Album Score: 6.5/10 His Album Score: 6.5/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| “WHEN ELECTRICITY COMES TO ARKANSAS” comes to life with Jim Dandy’s washboard and the rollicking ascent is so revelrous. “I Could Love You” was a contender for me as well with it’s stand-out guitar riff but that’s ultimately not enough to give it the edge over the spirited uplift that I feel with my winning choice. I also appreciate the lack of vocals on my top pick. | “MEMORIES AT THE WINDOW” prophetically reminds me of songs that came out 20 years after 1971. The rhythm section could be on half the songs off Beck’s “Mellow Gold”, while this Weezer guitar riff cuts through the gruff, almost grungy vocals. Interestingly those same vocals that made this band famous in their time now seem to be the least interesting part of their music. |
Glass Prism-Poe Through The Glass Prism 1969
Her Album Score: 7.5/10 His Album Score: 7.5/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| Despite the dreariness of the source material, this album is surprisingly bright and, rather than a sinking feeling, I come away with a kind of buzzy uplift. I think it’s the organ more than anything that gives it to me. It goes right to my head on “The Conqueror Worm”. Again also with “EL DORADO“, which has more dynamics overall and really brought it all together for me with the sizzling drums. | “EL DORADO” brings to mind visions of girls in white knee high boots go-go dancing in hanging cages above a writhing crowd. 4am at a haunted psych club. Strange lights throb and spin. Manic pacing. Also Edgar Allen Poe is there somehow. Suddenly everything stops around the vocals that, in an instant, chill you deep before sending you back to the show. Fabulous. |
Aretha Franklin-Young Gifted And Black 1972
Her Album Score: 10/10 His Album Score: 8/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| I love all the songs on this record. “Day Dreaming” makes me smile from start to finish, and “Rock Steady” makes me dance the whole way through. Going into this album, I thought “Rock Steady” would have to win just because it’s one of my all time favorites but the fact that “Day Dreaming” is rivaling it for me makes me feel like it deserves to shine. “DAY DREAMING“ is a bright light of a song and uplifts me so completely. I’m a die hard day dreamer and this song takes me right to that fantasy sweet spot. | “ROCK STEADY “defines groove. Repeating rhythms with slippery, shifty vocals, its core loop circulating in a way that makes it impossible to pick apart. It’s slow, creeping lava….. or is it rock steady? |
Lee Michaels-Barrel 1970
Her Album Score: 8/10 His Album Score: 7/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| “thumbs? as long as i can? (i’m guessing you like these ones)”….Stephen was taking notes for me while I was distracted during one of our listens to this one. I love that he totally called it. “THUMBS“ gets it. I appreciate the story vibe of the song and the lens he used to reflect his anti-war sentiments. I also really love “As Long As I Can” but it seems almost incomplete to me…like a teaser. | “MURDER IN MY HEART FOR THE JUDGE” sounds like a lovely, lighthearted, Rod Stewart drink along. Only here the vocals convey deeply rooted blood-lust and regret. Like if prisons had bars (the drinking kind) this would be on the jukebox every night. |
John Lee Hooker-Urban Blues 1967
Her Album Score: 9/10 His Album Score: 8/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| I have a feeling that playing this game with Stephen makes everything seem sexy. It also gives me an instant bias toward a song like “BOOM BOOM BOOM“…shake it baby xoxox. This song’s enduring legacy comes down to our basic instincts I think. I just want to soak in JLH’s voice throughout this entire album. Gives me a full body buzz. | “BOOM BOOM BOOM” so simple. So perfect. |
Roy Ayers-“Coffy” 1973
Her Album Score: 8.5/10 His Album Score: 7/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| I grew up appreciating Pam Grier because of my dad’s vast movie collection. I also love vibraphones (mostly thanks to Mike Dillon)! “BRAWLIN’ BROADS“, while less brawlin’ than I thought it was going to be, is nonetheless super funky and bright. | “EXOTIC DANCE“ has funk, soul, trippy percussion and shredding rock guitar riffs. Movies don’t make music like this anymore. |
The Black Keys-Rubber Factory 2004
Her Album Score: 8.5/10 His Album Score: 8.5/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| “Act Nice and Gentle” is a great Kinks cover that breaks from the mold of a lot of the other tracks, it’s refreshing and sweet and could easily be my pick but then “KEEP ME” comes out and makes me feel all cozy and comfortable…like a fuzzy blues blanket. The simple lyrics are super warm and encouraging, “show your soul/show your mind/show it to me all the time”…sing that to be any day. | “ACT NICE AND GENTLE” shouldn’t be my favorite. It’s not the hardest or even most interesting song on the album. Even so, just looking at the title gets the chorus firmly lodged in my head. Stuck in some unsweepable seam. Normally this happens with the annoying hooks and programmed prongs of pop songs, but here it slides comfortably in and hangs nicely. |
Pretenders-Self Titled 1980
Her Album Score: 9/10 His Album Score: 8.5/10
HER THOUGHTS |
HIS THOUGHTS |
| It’s interesting to go from two Akron, OH guys (The Black Keys) to Chrissie Hynde, also originally from Akron. They also both feature a Ray Davies (Kinks) song on the albums in this round. I wonder if any of the references in “PRECIOUS” hold any weight for Auerbach and Carney. While I may not be able to read all the signs pointing to Akron in the song, the unabashedly sexy, cathartic, and rousing delivery speaks to me loud and clear. | “TATTOOED LOVE BOYS” is a well crafted story told through the normally one note media of punk rock. Like the best Velvet Underground meets the best Green Day it works a few precious ingredients into a delicious froth. |
BLUE=HIS PINK=HER GREEN=SHARED *ASTERIX=BEST OF SCORE
Round |
Album |
Score |
| R4 | Aretha Franklin-Young Gifted And Black 1972 | 10 |
| R4 | John Lee Hooker-Urban Blues 1967 | 9* |
| R4 | Pretenders-Self Titled 1980 | 9 |
| R4 | The Black Keys-Rubber Factory 2004 | 8.5* |
| R4 | Pretenders-Self Titled 1980 | 8.5 |
| R4 | Roy Ayers-Coffy 1973 | 8.5 |
| R4 | Aretha Franklin-Young Gifted And Black 1972 | 8* |
| R4 | John Lee Hooker-Urban Blues 1967 | 8 |
| R4 | Keef Hartley Band-Halfbreed 1968 | 8 |
| R4 | Lee Michaels-Barrel 1970 | 8* |
| R4 | Glass Prism-Poe Through the Glass Prism 1969 | 7.5* |
| R4 | Lee Michaels-Barrel 1970 | 7 |
| R4 | Roy Ayers-“Coffy” 1973 | 7* |
| R4 | The Runaways-Waitin’ for the Night 1974 | 7 |
| R4 | Black Oak Arkansas-Self Titled 1971 | 6.5 |
Extra Extra, Read All About It:
Also featured on our YouTube Channel is our Round Four Extras Playlist featuring songs that got honorable mention as well as some alternate and live recordings.
NEEDLE MEETS GROOVE 