michael-fuller

[michael-fuller]

Top 20ish Songs of 2017

My favorite time of year — end of year favorites lists! Let’s do this thang:

20. Thundercat - Show You the Way - Thundercat is super weird. Guy played bass for a thrash/punk band, then worked with almost everyone in modern hip hop, and now has released his own album of jazzy R&B? I can’t explain it. This is a smooth soul jam featuring Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Great place to start off the list. 19. Robert Randolph & the Family Band - I Thank You - I got the chance to see Mr. Randolph and co. at Prospect Park in Brooklyn this summer with my buddy, Ross. The show was part of their tour promoting their latest album, with this as the lead single. Cory Henry teamed up with them on this tune and it’s a doozy. Hold onto your hats, kids. 18. Good Old War - The River - We were fortunate enough to be graced with new stuff from Good Old War this year, and although not a full album, it still packed that Good Old War punch. Tight harmonies, positive feel: this is a quintessential GOW song. The guys were also nice enough to come through Brooklyn in August and put on, as always, a fantastic (sing-along) show.  17. Pokey LaFarge - Riot in the Streets - No, this song was not released in the 50s. I caught Pokey by chance at Bonnaroo a couple years ago and he was great. This is a fun one. 16. Son Little - Bread and Butter - I’ve been #TeamSonLittle for a few years now, and was really excited to get a new album towards the end of summer. I hate comparing, but this album didn’t quite do it for me the same way Son Little did in 2015. That said, this song is up there in terms of my favorites of his altogether. The chorus is just too much fun to bop around to. I’m sure that’s what he was going for when he wrote the song (is there a way to type in sarcasm? Asking for a friend). 15. The Regrettes - Juicebox Baby - in-yo-face rock and roll. This is one of only a couple bands on this list I’ve yet to see live, but it sounds like they’d be a lot of fun. Maybe they’d even provide juice boxes. 14. The Teskey Brothers - Pain and Misery - I’ve always been a sucker for heart-wrenching soul ballads. This one fits that mold and then some. Apparently white boys from Australia have soul. Now you know. Here’s a live take to further prove: 1) white, 2) Australian, and 3) soul. 13. Brad Goodall - Casa De Mel - I believe I came across this one on a Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify. I hesitate to say it’s a goofy song, but it’s fun each listen and feels good. 12. Cory Wong - Work It Out - For the last couple year end lists, I’ve included something from Vulfpeck, or a project from one of the Vulf members, or both. This year’s first Vulf crew project to reach the list is from Cory Wong, the guitar player that’s been touring with the band since 2015. Cory put out a great funk record this year, and this one is a favorite of mine. Vocals provided by another Vulf crew member — Antwaun Stanley. Vulf waters run deep. 11. Flo Morrissey and Matthew E. White - Look at What The Light Did Now - A fun, indie, sorta-poppy song. Warning: this will get stuck in your head. Quickly. 10. The Lone Bellow - Is It Ever Gonna Be Easy - The Lone Bellow released their third studio album this year, and they always find a way to reach out and grab me with at least a few songs. This is one of those. 9. Strand of Oaks - Rest of It - Another loud, in-your-face rock and roll song, straight outta Philly. Now go eat a cheesesteak. 8. The Dawn Brothers - Get Down the Road - These guys were another Discover Weekly list find and I’m so happy for whomever created that algorithm on Spotify. This whole album is a home run and a half. 7. Theo Katzman - Hard Work - Another Vulfpeck member making the list on a solo project! Theo’s was the first new album I listened to in 2017, so it had an advantage over all others in that I could spend more time with it. This was the lead single and I needed to look no further to find a song to hit my year end list. His album is absolutely beautiful, and I highly encourage you to check it out. He runs the gamut of genres and incorporates some absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics. Do yourself a favor and check it out. 6. Gabriel Garzon-Montano - Sour Mango - Grooooooooovy R&B. I can’t put my finger on who/what this guy reminds me of; his stuff is so unique. 5. John Moreland - Love is Not an Answer - Another gut-wrenching ballad, but this time it’s a folk song. I got the chance to see him in Brooklyn in November and it was one of my favorite shows of the year. The video above is a live take since YouTube doesn’t seem to have the studio version. And no, your ears are not deceiving you: this is not Bruce Springsteen. 4. Jonny P - Good to You - Silky. Smooth. Soul. If you like Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, etc., this is the song for you. Dig this. 3. Dan Auerbach - Waiting on a Song - Basically any time Dan releases music, it will be included in my year end list. He just gets me. Past inclusions were with The Black Keys and The Arcs, but this year he teamed up with some Nashville folk legends and released an outstanding Americana record (my favorite album of the year). It was tough to pick a favorite, but the title track is more than deserving. I caught Dan this summer in Brooklyn with my buddy, Charlie, and it was easily one of my favorite shows of the year. 2. John Mayer - Moving On and Getting Over - we FINALLY got new John Mayer this year, and it did not disappoint! John did this thing where he released songs from the album in “waves” (groups of 4), rather than a single at a time and the whole album in one shot. This was the first song from the first wave, and I was actually afraid after hearing it because the bar was set so high. The rest of the album is pretty close to this level for me, but this song just grooves from start to finish. From the first time I heard it in January, I knew it would be in the conversation for song of the year for me, but then this happened....... 1. Hiss Golden Messenger - Domino - I caught Hiss at Boston Calling in May, and he hinted at a new album later in the year. This song jumped out and grabbed me from the first listen and I haven’t turned it off since. I want to take a road trip and listen to this song on repeat, but so far I’ve had to settle for listening mostly on the subway. I was so enamored by this song that I went to see him again in December in the city, and liked the show so much that I went again the next night. This was a great year for Americana, and Hiss Golden Messenger led the way for me with this jam. In the spirit of sharing, here’s a few other songs I was thinking about including but couldn’t because there are only.....20 spots.....in a top......20.....countdown.....

Bay Ledges - Safe — indie pop Beck - Up All Night — indie pop Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Freakin' Out — rock & roll Chris McClenney - Pearl — soul/r&b Gabriel Garzon-Montano - Crawl — r&b John Moreland - Sallisaw Blue — Americana/blues Theo Katzman - Plain Jane Heroin — just beautiful

[michael-fuller]

Top 20ish Songs of 2016

I’ll cut the crap this year - this blog is dedicated specifically to recapping my favorite songs of the year. Maybe I’ll do another post about my favorite concerts of the year, but based on my recent blogging history, let’s not get our hopes too high.

20. Gibbz - Stay for a While - 2016 was a fantastic year for soul music, and this is a great way to start off the list. Glad I found this guy on a random playlist.

19. Lucius - Dusty Trails - as you have seen in my previous lists (2015, 2014, 2013), I am a sucker for 3-part harmony. Many Lucius songs incorporate it in some way, but it shows through as one of the backbones of this tune. Their studio stuff is great, but, as evidenced by the video above, their live stuff is out of this world.

18. The Cactus Blossoms - Clown Collector - believe it or not, this song wasn’t written and recorded in the 50s. Leon Bridges brought about an old-school soul revival in 2015; The Cactus Blossoms brought about an old-school rock and roll revival in 2016.

17. Twin Peaks - Walk to the One You Love - I had these guys in my top 20 two years ago with a fast rocker of a tune. This, the lead track of their album from this year, is less fast, but still rocks.

16. Nico Yaryan - Just Tell Me - I can’t remember whether I heard about this guy from a Spotify playlist, from a show on Y Not Radio, or something else. In any event, this is a fun one that I can’t get enough of.

15. Mayer Hawthorne - Breakfast in Bed - my main man Mayer Hawthorne brought it once again with his 2016 release ‘Man About Town’. Something about a man singing about french toast just does it for me, musically.

14. Tokyo Police Club - Not My Girl - I had some reservations about this tune earlier in the year, but it grew on me and became one of my favorite songs of the year. My 14th favorite, to be exact.

13. CRX - Anything - I’ve been a fan of The Strokes since they released their first record in 2001. Nick Valensi, their lead guitarist, started CRX as a side project and they released their debut record this year. Most of the tunes have a Strokes guitar feel, and this one is no different. The chorus of this one is way too catchy for me to not include it in my list.

12. Brett Dennen - Cassidy - Brett has been making some groovy white boy acoustic jams for nearly a decade. This one is especially groovy.

11. BJ the Chicago Kid - Turnin’ Me Up - I think I found out about this guy from a Leon Bridges Instagram post earlier this year, but I can’t remember. Not really important. This track feels like it was just a fun jam they had going in the studio, and it happened to get added to the end of the album. Can’t help but dance anytime I hear this one, as ugly as that may seem to those in my presence at the time.

10. Miike Snow - My Trigger - the band’s third album definitely lived up to its lofty expectations. This is the lead track and it was an immediate favorite.

9. Cheers Elephant - Steak Knife - the band has released a handful of singles in the past year or two, but no album to go along with them (yet!). Although this one was technically released at the end of 2015, it came out after I submitted my list for 2015, so it still qualifies for this year. Because I said so.

8. Leon Bridges - There She Goes - Leon re-released his debut album this year and included a few bonus tracks along with it. It feels a little cheesy to include a song from an album that was one of my favorites from last year, but this is a new tune and its so groovy. Props, LB. Looking forward to the follow up!

7. White Denim - Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah) - this album rocks from top to bottom, and because of that, I had a tough time picking a single track to include in this list. Any of them were worthy of inclusion, but I liked this one most at the time of selection.

6. Vulfpeck - Animal Spirits - as the sky is blue and the grass is green, Vulfpeck is going to be included in my list every year they release an album. These guys are outrageously talented, and I find myself becoming more enthralled with their work each time I listen. Last year I included a song fronted by Theo Katzman, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

5. Fruit Bats - From a Soon-to-Be Ghost Town - a buddy of mine at work introduced me to these guys in April or May, and I immediately fell in love with their new album. The experience of Fruit Bats came full circle last month when we got to see them live at Bowery Ballroom, and they were absolutely fantastic. Jamming out to this one was a blast. Thanks for the recommendation, Ross!

4. Joey Dosik - Running Away - Joey has been part of the Vulfpeck crew since inception, and he plays on a bunch of their songs. He, too, released an album this year, called Game Winner EP, and it was love at first listen. This is an incredibly smooth, tragic love song that grows on me more each time I listen.

3. Whitney - No Matter Where We Go - a former co-worker/still friend gave me the inside scoop about this project, comprised of former members of Smith Westerns and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, back in July, about a month after the album was released. This was an instant hit for me, and I proceeded to spin this record obsessively for the remainder of the year. I have a handful of favorites off the album, but this one is a slight favorite over the rest. Thanks for the hook up, Nicole! 

2. Bernhoft - Stop / Shutup - finding out that Bernhoft was releasing new music basically added another Christmas to the year for me. Although the release was an EP and not a full length, these six songs pack a funky-groovy punch that completely makes up for the shorter track listing. I’ve spent many, many mornings dance-walking to work and catching very weird looks from strangers while listening to this tune.

Drum roll please! My #1 song of the year is.....

1. Hockey Dad - Can’t Have Them - while perusing a few sites I browse to find out about new album releases, I saw that a band called Hockey Dad was going to put out a record in August. I immediately confused them with a band called Hockey (no relation), and added them to a spreadsheet I use to keep track of new albums I want to listen to (because I’m psychotic). After a bit of research, I discovered that they were, in fact, not who I thought they were (thanks Dennis Green) and decided to check them out anyway. What a way to lead off a record. An in-your-face, amped up rock and roll song with strong guitar, drums, and vocals. This Australian duo really brings it each song and I am so glad I found out about them. I got the chance to see them in September in Brooklyn and they absolutely blew me away. There was no doubt that they would be included in my top 20, and after minimal deliberation, they made perfect sense to slot in at #1 overall. Also interesting to note - this song reminds me a lot of my favorite song from last year. Maybe there’s a formula for this stuff after all.

Boom.

Here’s some other fun ones from the year that didn’t quite make the cut but still deserve a spin, in no particular order:

Ra Ra Riot - Water

Death by Unga Bunga - Best Friends

The Strokes - Threat of Joy

Tacocat - I Hate the Weekend

COIN - Talk Too Much

STRFKR - Never Ever

Yak - Harbour the Feeling

Mitski - A Loving Feeling

Hockey Dad - I Need a Woman

Jamie Lidell - Motionless

Lake Street Dive - I Don’t Care About You

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - No Love Like Yours

Lake Street Dive - Call Off Your Dogs

Parker Millsap - Pining

The Lumineers - Cleopatra

Fruit Bats - My Sweet Midwest

Whitney - The Falls

Dawes - One of Us

Hiss Golden Messenger - Biloxi

What are your favorite tunes of 2016?

[michael-fuller]

Top 20ish Songs of 2015

Hey friends, it’s that time again: time to count down our top songs of the year! I realize I haven’t written a blog post in just about a year (when I did this same thing in 2014), but what better time than now to get back into it? Here we go:

20. The Fratellis - Baby Don't You Lie to Me! - a quick moving fun rock song all the way from Scotland. I really got into this record towards the end of November, and had to include something in the countdown.

19. Circa Waves - My Love - two non-US based bands to start us off. If you're a fan of more mainstream alternative stuff (think Radio 104.5), then you'll probably dig this one. It's a fun one.

18. The Wood Brothers - Singin' to Strangers - another pretty late addition to the countdown. Really got into this one later on in October or so. Again, pro-tip for artists looking to get included in my countdowns - utilize the heck out of three-part harmony. And do it well. These guys certainly have it figured out.

17. Tuxedo - Do It - Mayer Hawthorne coming at you with a new jam! He teamed up with Jake One on the Tuxedo project, and it's groovy. Get up and dance to this one.

16. Diamond Rugs - Thunk - as a suporter of most things John McCauley-related, had to include something from the Diamond Rugs project. This one is pretty fun. Only two-part harmonies on this one, but it does the trick.

15. Dawes - Somewhere Along the Way - one of John McCauley's counterparts in Middle Brother, Taylor Goldsmith, released a great record this year with his band Dawes. This is a favorite of mine from the album. A feel good tune in a blue kind of way. Having trouble putting that into words, but it makes sense in my brain. Also, this is the 2nd most beautiful song of the year, only to...

14. Brandi Carlile - The Eye - I don't want to tarnish this song by trying to explain what it is. Just listen. It's absolutely beautiful.

13. Allen Stone - Love - such a groovy soul tune. If you don't feel good after listening to this one, check your vitals.

12. Anderson East - Satisfy Me - a driving, grooving soul song from Alabama. I caught this guy by chance at NonComm in May with my buddy Cougs, and he absolutely blew us away. This guy has some serious pipes. I had a hard time picking which song to include, but ultimately went with the lead single. Enjoy!

11. Vulfpeck - Back Pocket - the funkiest jam on this list. Really cool project by four session musicians hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan (Go Blue). I got a chance to see them live a month or so ago, and they blew the doors off the joint.

10. Houndmouth - Black Gold - I have a huge band-crush on Houndmouth. Fun-having, ass-kicking, all around incredible rock and roll band from the middle of nowhere, Indiana. Saw them either three or four times in 2015, and wish I could have seen them more. Black Gold is signature Houndmouth.

9. Mark Ronson - Leaving Los Feliz (feat. Kevin Parker) - just can't get enough of Kevin Parker 'round these parts. Very groovy tune from Mark Ronson's record from this year.

8. The Arcs - Outta My Mind - it should be noted that if Dan Auerbach releases an album during a calendar year, there's a 99.9% chance I'll include at least one of the songs on my top list. This year's included song is Outta My Mind, which was the second single off the album. Uptempo rock and roll: gotta love it.

7. The Lone Bellow - Heaven Don't Call Me Home - three-part harmony, rock and roll, blues. How could I not include this one? Also, I saw this band three times this year, so something had to make the list. This was a no brainer.

6. Son Little - Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches - tied for the longest song title on the list (the other is soon to come), this is a silky smooth r&b jam, emphasis on the blues. I caught Son Little twice this year and he was phenomenal both times. This was a great year for r&b and soul, and Son Little is one of the main reasons why.

5. Leon Bridges - Smooth Sailin' - Leon Bridges absolutely exploded onto the music scene late last year into this year, and has taken it by storm with his retro-soul sound. I can't say it's all that different from Sam Cooke/Otis Redding, but wow, it's refreshing. I also saw Leon twice this year, and wish I could have seen him a dozen more times. Great live performer and an exciting musicion. Can't wait to see where the road leads for this guy.

4. Cheers Elephant - Airliner - the most fun song of the year, hands down. Unfortunately they didn't release this as part of an album, but I couldn't be more excited with the prospect of hearing more songs that sound like this one.

3. The London Souls - When I'm With You - these guys have their thing together. Awesome modern blues music. Caught them for the first time by chance a few years ago when they opened for The Black Crowes and Tedeschi Trucks Band, and they blew my mind. We got to see them again over summer and they were even better this time around. Phenomenal band, even better debut full length album. The sky is the limit for these guys.

2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Can't Keep Checking My Phone - I likely listened to this song over one hundred times this year, and can honestly say that I've danced to it one hundred and one times. It's so groovy, I just can't get enough of it. What a jam.

1. Courtney Barnett - Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party - I didn’t think anything could top Unknown Mortal Orchestra, but Courtney Barnett found a way. Super uptempo, groovy, some harmonies on the chorus, and a constant build behind a driving riff throughout the whole song. Really enjoyed her debut full length album this year, and this song was an easy favorite. She’s a great live performer and brings all the energy you hear in this song.

That's my top 20 of 2015! In the spirit of music sharing, we'll cover some honorable mentions as well:

Tame Impala - Disciples - a quick, fun one from Kevin Parker and company. I got a chance to see these guys live in May, and aside from being the loudest band I think I've ever seen, they put on a great show.

Fort Lean - New Hobbies - an upbeat rocker from the Brooklyn-based band. The three-part harmonies are also a nice touch and certainly led to the inclusion of the song.

The Districts - Young Blood - this is a long one; don't say I didn't warn you. In any event, it's a hard rocker with a really creative song structure. Really excited that these guys are starting to get some serious attention.

My Morning Jacket - Compound Fracture - a favorite cut off of the latest Jim James-led record. Another MMJ album coming in 2016 too - allegedly.

Best Coast - Heaven Sent - another upbeat rocker, this time from California.

Good Old War - Broken Record - another three part harmony jam for ya.

City and Colour - Runaway - nothing witty to add here, just a good song.

Gary Clark Jr. - Church - my main dude (I've never met him) Gary Clark Jr. put out a new record this year, and it's a big step away from his straight up rock and roll/blues efforts of the past, and is a big step towards something completely different, which is great. This is a smooth gospel tune that struck a chord with me, so here it is.

John Andrews and the Yawns - I'll Go to Your Funeral (If You Go to Mine) - a friend of mine released his soli(ish) debut record this year, and it's a super neat album. This was my favorite song on the album. Very excited to see what's in store for this guy moving forward!

Alabama Shakes - The Greatest - super uptempo cut from the latest release from one of my favorite bands of the 21st century.

Liz Vice - Empty Me Out - another gospel tune. This song has it all - three part harmony, incredible soul, great groove, not to mention a very spiritual message.

Leon Bridges - Better Man - if I chose my top songs of the year in June or July, this would have made the cut. Either way, this is a smooth jam.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - The World is Crowded - a deeper cut from Multi-Love. Where Can't Keep Checking My Phone funks, this one grooves. Such a great record, it was hard to include only one in the countdown. So, here's a second.

The Arcs - The Arc - this is another "if I had chosen my list today, this would have been included" song. Uptempo blues rock frm Dan Auerbach and friends.

What are your favorite songs of 2015?

[michael-fuller]

The Top 20(ish) Songs of 2014

I have successfully put off writing this out for a good two months now. In annual fashion, I put together a list of my top 10 songs of the year for the WXPN countdown. I had to adjust my list though, because as I am a DJ/Host at Y-Not Radio in Philly, I had to expand to 20 songs to submit for the station website! So, not only did I get to double my snobbery, but I also got to include a bunch of honorable mention songs into my legit list for the station. How neat is that?

A little preface to the list: I had to make this the first week of December, and there was obviously another month of time left in 2014 for music to come out. Because of this, a couple tunes that would have made the list if I put it together at the end of the year, didn't make the list at the time, and are included below. I also realized after I submitted my list that I forgot about a couple albums that I really liked. Had to include them too, in retrospect.

So, in the spirit of music sharing, here are my top 20(ish) songs of 2014:

Honorable Mentions (and songs I forgot about): 

D'Angelo - Sugah Daddy - the album that's been "98% done" since early 2012, according to Questlove, finally came out in mid-December. This tune is easily my favorite on the album, and would probably fall in the top 5 if I had to reorder the list. 

St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Call Me - I'm beside myself that I forgot about this band when putting together my list. This album came out really early in the year and I haven't listened to it in a while, but this song would easily have been a top 5 if I was better at remembering (c'mon brain!). If you make it through this song without dancing, check your pulse. You might actually be dead.

Lake Street Dive - Seventeen - I first heard about this foursome from my uncle sharing a few videos of them performing live on my Facebook. I was completely blown away. I've since seen them twice live, and they are just incredible. Hard to put into words how good they really are. Their recorded stuff really doesn't do them much justice, but this is a cool one. 

A. Sinclair - How Many Ways - I thought this was a cool tune, but just couldn't find a spot for it in my top 20.

The Kooks - Forgive & Forget - this is one that I battled with for a while to include somewhere between spots 15 and 20. Depending on the day, this could have fallen somewhere in there. Unfortunately on the day I put it together, it didn't quite make it. But an awesome song. Promise me you'll give this one 60 full seconds before you decide you don't like it. The chorus is really, really catchy. Let yourself experience it at least once.

Whew, that was tough. Now here is the actual list:

20. Twin Peaks - Flavor - as I mentioned, I started doing a DJ/Hosting gig with Y-Not Radio in Philly back in September, and it has opened me up to a ton of new indie rock. This is one of the first songs I played on my first show at the station, and it stuck with me for the rest of the year. Only fitting that I include it in the list somewhere.

19. Knox Hamilton - Work It Out - another tune I first heard at Y-Not. It's a pretty hopeful song lyrically, so I imagine that my inner-optimist pushed for its inclusion in the top 20.

18. TV On the Radio - Happy Idiot - first single off their new album that didn't come out until after my list. Hooray for singles being released in advance!

17. The Decemberists - Make You Better - their new album actually just came out on Tuesday, but the single has been out for a few months now. Really powerful chorus on this one. 

16. Foxygen - How Can You Really - I heard this one first on WXPN, and then played it on a few Y-Not shows thereafter. I had a problem getting this one out of my head, because every time I hear it, I instantly think it's Todd Rundgren's I Saw the Light. 

15. Foo Fighters - The Feast and the Famine - really had to push myself to include one from the new Foo album because I really liked the idea of the project - the band traveled to eight cities across the U.S., and recorded a song in each city after experiencing the local music culture. This was a favorite at the time.

14. The Griswolds - Beware the Dog - my tastes in music are funny. Most of the time, I can hear a song for the first time and know whether or not I'll find myself listening to it again. This is one that took until the third or fourth play until I realized that I really liked it. Such a fun, upbeat song. (Note: if you listen religiously to Radio 104.5 in Philly (when you SHOULD be listening to WXPN or Y-Not), you will like this one)

13. French Style Furs - All the Way Down - when I first heard this one, I was like, "Whoa! New Cold War Kids! This is a different sound but I really dig it!" I then found out, after a quick Google search, that this was, in fact, not Cold War Kids, but the lead singer of Cold War Kids' new side project. Coincidentally enough, Cold War Kids also released a new album this year, but none of those songs made my list. This one did. 

12. The Black Keys - It's Up to You Now - those of you that I have talked music with at any point over the last 6-7 years know that I'm a pretty big Black Keys fan. As the snobby "purist" Black Keys fan that I am, I have fallen somewhat out of love with them, as their newer stuff is definitely geared toward a much wider audience than their older, straight up blues rock stuff was. There are certainly influences of the old style in much of their new stuff, and it shines through pretty well in this one. 

11. Bernhoft - Everything Will Be Alright - some R&B/Soul for those of you that like to branch out into that area. This is a really positive, upbeat tune from a remarkable musician. This guy is incredibly talented. Most of his performances that I've seen on YouTube are of him by himself, building his songs with a loop-station, and creating the full band sound despite being just one person. That takes some serious skill, and this guy has plenty of it.

10. Damon Albarn - Mr. Tembo - this is one that I really enjoyed mid-year and played way too many times. Had to include it on principle though, because I really enjoyed this tune before I (and XPN) spun it into the ground. First full-length solo release from the Gorillaz/Blur frontman, this is a fun, upbeat tune about a baby elephant.

9. Johnny Marr - Easy Money - the second solo release from the former The Smiths guitarist, this was the lead single. I get a good feeling every time I hear this song, which is what music is all about for me. Had to include it in the list.

8. Hurray for the Riff Raff - No One Else - those of you that enjoy folk/americana will really enjoy this one. This is an uptempo jam that I can't seem to get enough of. I got a chance to see this band twice in the last 9 months, and they really bring it.

7. Tweedy - Low Key - pretty neat project from Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, who is accompanied on the drums by his son, Spencer. The tune lives up to its title, but has that feel-good vibe that keeps bringing you back for another listen. 

6. Puss N Boots - Don't Know What It Means - this is an interesting trio comprised of Norah Jones, the old bassist from Grace Potter's band, and a session drummer that toured with Norah a while back. I've become a Norah Jones fan in the past few years, as I really liked her last solo record, and grew a strong appreciation for her jazzier stuff from a decade ago. They got this all together because they each wanted to learn to play guitar, and created a pretty neat album from it. This is NOT at all what you think it would be if you remember how Norah broke into the music scene back in 2002. This is a rock and roll song, and it's really good.

5. Courtney Barnett - History Eraser - in retrospect, I feel a bit hypocritical including this because, according to Wikipedia, the knower of all things, the Double EP came out in 2013. It was late enough in the year, though that I wouldn't have included it in my list last year, so we'll play our Get-Out-of-Hypocrisy-Free card here. Really fun, groovy tune from an Australian.

4. Ray LaMontagne - She's the One - I first heard of Ray back in the early Rowan days ('08ish), and it didn't click right away. I think it took until I began to try to write songs until I really understood how incredible this guy is. I was really excited for this album to come out after I heard that he was working with Dan Auerbach (Black Keys guitarist/singer), and it more than lived up to my lofty expectations. I got the chance to check him out this summer with THE Amanda Kennedy, and he absolutely knocked our socks off. Despite being a really shy dude, he puts on a great show. This one is a really uptempo love song (i suppose), and one of my favorites from the album.

3. Hamilton Leithauser - Alexandra - I was first introduced to his music through his band, The Walkmen, a year or two ago, and really enjoyed his vocal sound. This was one of those songs, unlike The Griswolds song above, that I knew I loved the very first time I heard it. It could be the great drum beat, the major chord scheme (which is largely positive/happy sounding), or the simplicity of the lyrics, but this one hasn't gone stale yet, and I've listened to it many, many times. Also for those of you with a keen ear, no: this is not this song. 

2. Jenny Lewis - Head Underwater - I'm really proud of myself for this one, because maybe 5 years ago, I wouldn't even consider listening to something like this. Removing myself from my older, much more stubborn (as if I could somehow have been more stubborn than I am now) ways, I really broadened my horizons and opened myself up to experiencing some great music. I first heard Jenny Lewis through her stuff with Rilo Kiley, which I didn't really care much for. She clicked a bit when I heard her first single with Jenny and Johnny in 2011, but I didn't dig any deeper. Then, one fateful day volunteering at the Boston Calling Music Festival in May of 2014, my buddy Stu and I got to listen to her play live, and I was taken aback at how effortless she made it look to sound really good. Her new album hadn't yet come out yet, but I jotted down some lyrics of this song in my phone notepad app, and searched feverishly online to try to find it - no luck. The album came out a few weeks later, and I couldn't get enough of it. XPN ended up having her play at their summer festival in July, so I saw her again, and reconfirmed how much I really dug her music. I almost made this my number one song, but after a heated debate in my brain, I felt that the two-slot was just fine.

1. Spoon - Rent I Pay - I've been a Spoon fan for a few years, and have been really looking forward to the follow up of Transference (2010). I made due for a while with their lead singer's side project, Divine Fits, but the new Spoon was what I really wanted. It finally came out in August, and I was afraid that I hyped it up too much. I didn't like it the first few times I listened to it. I suppose I didn't listen close enough, and "left it on the shelf" for a few weeks. I got the chance to see them over Labor Day with my uncle in Philly, and they were phenomenal. Exactly what I needed to pick the album back up and try again. This song ended up coming on during my next Y-Not shows, and I remember cranking the speakers in the studio and rocking out big time. This is a funky rock and roll jam, and is the Spoon song I was hoping to get while anticipating the album release. The culmination of these things made it more than worthy of the top spot in my countdown, and it was more than worth the 4-year wait for another album.

There ya go, folks. What were your favorite songs of 2014?

[michael-fuller]

Super Bowl Snack Playoffs

March Madness is a great time of year. Not because I'm an avid college basketball fan (I don't really watch at all), but because filling out a bracket is exciting. You pick your favorites, make tough choices, and see who makes it through each round. It's like natural selection, except with names of schools on a web page. Brackets have also made their way into music, which I enjoy, but there always seems to be something that I'll pick a fight over for each different variation of music bracket I see. Maybe I'm just argumentative. 

In any event, THE Bethizzle fo Shizzle, aka Beth, bka Bizzle, cka THE BIZNESS, found a great bracket and shared it with myself and none other than G Bakes in hopes of making this thing viral (we're good at that I suppose). A few likes, a few comments, and a train ride home from New York later, and here we are: my picks for the Super Bowl Snack Playoffs - bracket style.

Potato Conference

1. Ridged Chips vs. 8. Pringles - great way to start this bracket, bracket-creator guy. If ridged chips were any other seed, they'd probably move on. It's hard to beat Pringles, although somebody needs to get them on the phone and make the can wider. Pringles moves on. 

2. Salt & Vinegar Chips vs. 7. Salt & Pepper Chips - I might have thought about taking the upset here if it weren't for the awful, not-even-remotely-funny Geico commercial that refuses to stay away from my TV. Actually, that's not true. Salt & Vinegar ftw.

3. Regular Chips vs. 6. Kettle Chips - pretty plain matchup here (zing!). Regular Chips for no specific reason.

4. Sour Cream & Onion Chips vs. 5. BBQ Chips - if this was a more specific brand/flavor of BBQ chips, I could probably take the upset. But, I don't overly enjoy regular old BBQ chips. We'll go SC&O here.

Cheese Conference

1. Nacho Cheese Doritos vs. 8. Cheese & Crackers - one of my least favorite flavors of Doritos, but cheese & crackers is a little too fancy for my tastes. 

2. Cheese Curls vs. 7. Cheese Puffs - is there really a difference between these two? If one of them is Cheetos, than that's what I want to pick. I'll assume they're cheese curls.

3. Sour Cream & Cheddar Chips vs. 6. Cheese Popcorn - nothing exciting to see here. We'll take the chips since the popcorn tastes about the same but will be stuck in your teeth for the next 3 weeks.

4. Cheez-Its vs. 5. Goldfish - seriously guy? Probably the two best snacks in this entire bracket and you match them up in the first round?? What a tragedy. I'll go with Cheez-Its in what should really be the championship matchup.

Corn Conference

1. Tortilla Chips vs. 8. Blue Corn Chips - do blue corn chips really taste different than the regular ones? I can't tell. Tortilla moves on.

2. Popcorn vs. 7. Corn Nuts - popcorn. Yep, that's all.

3. Fritos vs. 6. Bugles - how did Fritos get a 3 seed? Bugles taste way better AND you can stick them on your fingers.

4. Cool Ranch Doritos vs. 5. Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips - the hint of lime chips surprise me every time I eat them, but Cool Ranch is just too good to knock out this early.

Nuts 'N Such Conference

This conference should really be deleted entirely from my bracket on principle. This guy got no respect for allergies!

1. Peanuts vs. 8. Wasabi Peas - surprisingly enough, peas are in a similar family to tree nuts, which I'm allergic to, and often times don't agree. Although I am intrigued by wasabi peas, I haven't tried one yet, so peanuts get the nod.

2. Pretzels vs. 7. Crudites - pretzels, because I have no idea what a crudite is.

3. Chex Mix vs. 6. Kettle Corn - hard to argue with Chex Mix. So much variety in a bag, there's something there for everyone.

4. Mixed Nuts vs. 5. Pork Rinds - I don't think I've ever had a pork rind in my life, but they move on by default. Take your mixed nuts to someone else's Super Bowl Party bro!

Sweet Sixteen

8. Pringles vs. 2. Salt & Vinegar - I enjoy salt & vinegar as much as the next snacker, but I hit my limit fairly quickly with how many of these I can eat in one sitting. They're potent. We'll go Pringles here. Hooray for gluttony!

3. Regular vs. 4. Sour Cream & Onion - if we're going to be doing some dipping, regular would get the nod. But I suppose we'll make these all stand-alone options, so SC&O gets the upset.

1. Nacho Cheese Doritos vs. 2. Cheese Curls - sticking with the Cheetos premise from above, cheese curls moves on. 

3. Sour Cream & Cheddar vs. 4. Cheez-Its - Cheez-Its. Next.

1. Tortilla vs. 2. Popcorn - this one is tricky, since tortilla chips weren't invented to be eaten without salsa. Popcorn moves through because it doesn't say "Tortilla Chips and Salsa."

6. Bugles vs. 3. Cool Ranch Doritos - definitely the most difficult matchup of the round. Hmmmmm. Coin flip - help me out here. Tails? Fair enough. Cool Ranch moves on.

1. Peanuts vs. 2. Pretzels - we'll go with peanuts in hopes that they really meant honey roasted peanuts.

3. Chex Mix vs. 5. Pork Rinds - Chex Mix with an easy W here as pork rinds made it by default.

Elite Eight

If I haven't put you to sleep yet, you are clearly very well rested. Good on you!

8. Pringles vs. 4. SC&O - Pringles have a distinct advantage against all these chips because they come in all of these flavors too. Once you pop, the fun don't stop.

2. Cheese curls vs. 4. Cheez-Its - this is what the Elite 8 should be - two quality opponents going head to head. Cheez-Its with a buzzer-beater.

2. Popcorn vs. 3. Cool Ranch Doritos - although the taco was a huge flop, we'll give Cool Ranch Doritos the nod.

1. Peanuts vs. 3. Chex Mix - Chex Mix. Somebody grab me some so I can finish this bracket!

To the Final Four!

8. Pringles vs. 4. Cheez-Its - well, this one hurts. Pringles might be a favorite chip, and Cheez-Its are always a safe bet. It hurts me to say this, because Pringles are a dear, dear friend....but there is NO WAY that Pringles should be advancing to the Championship!

3. Cool Ranch Doritos vs. 3. Chex Mix - Chex Mix is a solid snack, but it has had a fairly easy road thus far. It's been a good run, but Cool Ranch moves through.

Well, friends, thanks for reading this far. This is a lot of words to consume in one sitting without having any of these 32 snacks available to help this move quicker.

The Ship

4. Cheez-Its vs. 3. Cool Ranch Doritos - a clash of the titans. Thinking about picking a winner is making me anxious. Cheez-Its are great because they're small enough to pop 3 or 4 of them at a time and whip through the whole box in 20 minutes without even noticing, while Cool Ranch Doritos have that great crunch and pack some serious flavor. Although that Joe Ciuffo guy might never speak to me again for this, I gotta go with Cool Ranch Doritos. No matter what, they always surprise my taste buds with how much flavor they pack into one triangular chip, and it's a great overwhelming sensation. Wow, this just got real deep. We'll leave it here.

There we go friends. Cool Ranch Doritos are the ultimate Super Bowl Snack. Who ya got??

[michael-fuller]

885 All-Time Greatest (and Worst) Songs

In annual fashion, XPN puts together a countdown of 885 songs with a different theme each year. Although it has become incredibly cliche to do so, this year's theme is Greatest Songs of All Time. Being that they are XPN and have a knack for making things interesting, they are also putting together a list of the 85 Worst Songs of All Time. Here's what it looked like inside my voting booth, starting with my 10 favorites:

Crosby, Stills, and Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - This is the first song I thought of when I heard the announcement of the countdown theme. Such a well-written piece of music from an incredible band. Just beautiful.

Dawes - When My Time Comes - Some bias in here for sure, but it's my list, so won't they all be biased toward my tastes? This is a fairly new tune that I was exposed to through XPN in summer of 2010. Initially, I just enjoyed the music, but this tune is really deep lyrically and I enjoy that part of it just as much now. This song brings back memories of seeing them live that summer and singing this at the top of my lungs amongst a few thousand festival-goers, and that definitely factors in to their inclusion in the list.

Blind Faith - Presence of the Lord - Sophomore year of college or so, I got on a huge Eric Clapton binge, and listened to any of his projects I could get my hands on. Blind Faith was one of those projects, and this tune stands out as one of my favorite Clapton works. This song is pretty moving, and I get a lot of warm vibes listening to it. Hence, it makes the cut.

Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll - Just a great rock and roll tune (go figure). I was a monster Zeppelin fan in high school, and this was one of my favorites to put on and jam out to. 

The Beatles - Hey Jude - My earliest musical memory is being in the car with my Dad at a very young age listening to The Beatles, so I had to include them in my list in some way, shape, or form. Growing up, I always liked this song but never loved it. That all changed one sticky, sweaty Friday night in Manchester, Tennessee last summer. Amongst 80,000 or so Bonnaroovians, we sang this song with Sir Paul at the tops of our lungs for what felt like hours. It is by and large my favorite concert memory ever, and has to be on my list for that reason.

The Strokes - Someday - I was a little hesitant to put this on the list because it seemed to be overly biased. I don't think this is one of the 10 Greatest Songs of All Time per se, but this is a top 10 feel-good/mood-improver song for me, so I felt that it belonged here anyway. I was introduced to The Strokes by a friend in 2001 shortly after they came out, and I've been a big fan since. If you held a gun to my head and forced me to pick a favorite Strokes song, I'd probably pick this one (after surely soiling myself).

Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Another feel-good song for me. I can't help but move my feet and nod my head when I hear this song. Stevie Wonder is so talented it's disgusting. I really enjoy that he is a resilient person and doesn't let an obstacle like blindness prevent him from pursuing his dreams. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, you made the cut, Stevie Wonder.

Amos Lee - Windows Are Rolled Down - Another new one makes the cut. Amos Lee is a really talented writer and musician, and he deserves to be on the list just as much as anyone else from previous eras. This is one of my favorites of his, and, like a few previously mentioned songs, makes me feel great each and every time I hear it.

The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar - I didn't feel obligated to put a Stones song because I included a Beatles song, but this song does it for me. Groovy music behind strong vocals. Doesn't get much better than this.

The Black Keys - Your Touch - We round out the top 10 with a track from one of my all time favorite bands. The Black Keys used to be a pretty straightforward blues rock band, and played only as a two-piece. I really like how much sonic space they cover with just guitar, drums, and vocals. I encourage those of you who enjoy newer Black Keys stuff (Fever, Gold on the Ceiling, Lonely Boy, Tighten Up, etc.) to check out their older stuff and see what they were all about when they were getting their start. 

There ya have it, folks. My 10 greatest songs of all time. Now, to have some fun and list what I think are the 5 worst songs of all time (no videos for these because I don't wish to torture you with listening to these horrific excuses for songs):

Oasis - Wonderwall - If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this song, I could have retired 10 years ago. Although I don't hate Oasis, the vocals here are whiny and annoying, and if I never heard this song again, it'd be too soon. What doesn't help the cause for Wonderwall is that: 1. every dude that picks up the guitar for the first time wants to play and sing this, 2. every cover band in the world plays this, and 3. everyone plays it note for note, and that's incredibly generic and boring. This song needs to be retired for good.

The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio - Those of you that I have talked with about new music in the past 5 or 6 years and/or those of you that follow me on Twitter know that I cannot stand The National. These guys are huge now, and I can't begin to fathom how that happened. I just don't get it. I haven't gone out of my way to listen to any of their albums, but nothing that I have heard of theirs does anything at all for me. I've also seen them live twice (both times at festivals) and they nearly put me to sleep both times. XPN might have played this song a few thousand times since it was released in 2010, and I wish I could begin to explain their willingness to tarnish their listeners' eardrums. I almost made this song numbers 1 through 5 on my  list, but figured I'd spread the wealth a bit.

Nickelback - Rockstar - Nickelback is (arguably) the worst band of all time. This song is especially bad. So bad, in fact, that I will end my review with this very appropriate Forrest Gump quote: "That's all I have to say about that." 

Carly Rae Jepson - Call Me Maybe - Aside from being an incredibly bad song, we've all had to hear it hundreds of times. It was kind of funny the first two or three times, then it was was fun to make fun of the next seven or eight, but now it's just purely awful. It's a shame this song exists.

Kid Rock - All Summer Long - When I initially began putting these all together, I wasn't sure if this song should make the list. I went out to the bar that night and this song happened to play on the jukebox, and it confirmed its inclusion. This song is really awful, and it rips from two other songs (Sweet Home Alabama (which is also bad) and Werewolves of London). There are definitely other songs which deserve to be on here more, but this struck a cord recently and found its way to the top five. 

Rant (and list) over. 

It wouldn't be a list-post of mine if I didn't include some honorable mentions, so here are a few for each:

Greatest: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home, The Head and the Heart - Lost in My Mind, The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Ray Charles - Hallelujah I Love Her So, James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Sam Cooke - Wonderful World, The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations.

Worst: Phish - Waiting All Night, PANIC! At the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies, Bon Iver - Skinny Love, Creed - Higher, Hozier - Take Me To Church

Who makes the cut on your lists? Put some together and let me know what you come up with!

[michael-fuller]

Playoffs???

March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year, because I love picking a bracket for the tournament. It gives me a reason to watch every game, or at least follow the scores as they come about. My brackets weren't awful this year, and I hung around much longer than I expected to in most of my pools. In any event, I still have the bracket "itch", and figured I'd scratch it through picking winners of the NBA and NHL Playoffs, bracket style. Yes, the NHL Playoffs started last night, but I know so little about hockey that it really won't make a difference. We'll start with the NBA Playoffs, since I religiously watched my beloved Knicks this year and may have somewhat of an idea as to what teams are actually good judging by how badly they beat the Knicks.

First Round

West

Spurs over Mavs - I like Dirk, but the Spurs are much too good.

Rockets over Blazers - Fear the Beard.

Clippers over Warriors - Steph Curry can make this interesting, but the Clippers are deep and freakishly athletic. 

Thunder over Grizzlies - KD is, without question, the MVP of the league, and the Grizzlies will be nothing more than a bump in the road.

East

Pacers over Hawks - The Hawks have lost more games on the road than the Pacers have lost in total. Easy win for Indy.

Bulls over Wizards - Noah and Co. handle the Wiz. I can only imagine how good the Bulls would be with Derrick Rose.

Raptors over Nets - A little Knick bias here as I think the Nets actually have a chance at the upset. But, New York's other basketball team gets knocked out in the first round here.

Heat over Bobcats - I'd love to see Kemba put the team on his back and pull this upset off, but the Heat are deep.

Second Round

Spurs over Rockets - This will be a good one to watch. Spurs by a nose.

Clippers over Thunder - You heard it here first. Go ahead and rename it "Upset City". 

Pacers over Bulls - This could go 7 games, but the Pacers are the better team here.

Heat over Raptors - Keeping the "Anybody but the Heat" bias going, I'd love to see Lowry and DeRozan work some magic, but I think the Heat take this one too.

Conference Finals

Spurs over Clippers - I think this will be the Spurs' toughest test. The Clippers are solid top to bottom, and will give them all kinds of problems. Unfortunately for Lob City, the Spurs know a thing or two about playoff basketball, and will take the series.

Heat over Pacers - As much as I want to believe the Pacers are the better team, the Heat have their number in the playoffs thus far. The trend continues.

NBA Finals

Spurs over Heat - Revenge is sweet for the Spurs. The Heat are much more athletic and play at a much higher speed, but the Spurs have something special this year. They've had something special for the last decade plus. They get the Heat in 6 and Duncan goes out on top as the greatest PF of all time.

Whew, no 3-peat here. And now for something completely different.

NHL First Round

West

Ducks over Stars - Here's to hoping Goldberg makes an appearance.

Sharks over Kings - Really struggled with this one. Why? Probably because I pretended to know something about either team for a few minutes.

Avalanche over Predators - Because Nashville is too warm to have a good hockey team.

Blackhawks over Blues - You could say, the Blackhawks will give St. Louis "the blues." Get it???

East

Bruins over Red Wings - My apologies Michigan friends. The B's win this one.

Lightning over Canadiens - Because how could they lose with an ex-Ranger captain on their team?

Pens over Blue Jackets - I casually dislike Crosby as much as the next guy, but they won't lose in the first round.

Rangers over Flyers - Hopefully this won't be as close as I think it will be.

Second Round

Ducks over Sharks - When in doubt, take the #1 seed whenever possible.

Blackhawks over Avalanche - Another upset. Keeping the West's only Original 6 team alive.

Bruins over Lightning - Callahan's luck runs out. #1 seed prevails.

Rangers over Penguins - This is completely biased, but down goes Crosby.

Conference Finals

Ducks over Blackhawks - The team rides the Flying V to the Finals.

Bruins over Rangers - 2nd time in 3 years that the Rangers lose in the Conference Finals.

Finals

Bruins over Ducks - Ducks can't handle the wicked intense Boston accent.

There you have it folks. Spurs and Bruins will be playoff winners in 2014, and my scientific reasoning and analysis backs it up.

Who ya got?

[michael-fuller]

Two weekends ago, I did something I have been meaning to do for the last eight years: kick a football. I have been a soccer player my whole life, and at least one of the following is true of every soccer player: 1.) they secretly think about becoming kickers, 2.) they talk to other soccer players about becoming kickers, or 3.). they retire from soccer and become kickers. 

I first thought about making the switch in high school, as our soccer team struggled and my understanding of how much easier it might be to get a scholarship through football grew. It was something that a few of the guys talked about, but none of which ever pulled the trigger on. I went on to Rowan to play soccer, and retired after my first season there. The idea resurfaced, but again, no action taken. At CMU, I played some flag football with some guys from Athletics in the indoor facility, and was lucky enough to do a bit of kicking there to scratch the itch, but that was the extent of it. Finally, during our trip to Dallas, my Dad and I took a tour of AT&T Stadium, and I got to do some kicking on the field. It was something I will surely never forget, and it finally kick-started (see what I did there?) some action toward pursuing kicking. I bought a few balls, made a field goal tee, and off to the high school I went. As fate would have it, we saw an ad in the paper about a new professional indoor football team starting up in Trenton, and I decided at that moment that I would try out for the team.

I spent the next two-ish months watching a few YouTube videos and hitting the high school once or twice a weekend for an hour or two to work on form and consistency. Short story made long, the big day came last Saturday, and I was excited for the challenge.

We arrived at the arena, and I found out I was one of ten guys going for one or two spots. I liked my chances. I then learned that five of those ten had prior professional kicking experience. I was determined not to let that bother me, and I put myself in the mindset that I could compete with anyone. Maybe it was me being stubborn, but I felt confident that I could hang.

After a warmup, we got on with the workout, which consisted of two extra points (20 yards), two left-hash and two right-hash 30 yarders, two left- and right-hash 40 yarders, two left-hash 50 yarders, a 50 yarder down the middle, and two kickoffs. For those unfamiliar with the specifications, outdoor field goal posts are 10 feet high and 18.5 feet wide. Indoor field goal posts are 15 feet high and only 9 feet wide. Although I had practiced outside quite a bit, I wasn't sure how much it was really going to help considering how much more difficult it would be to hit a target 50% higher and less than half as wide.

The results:

-2/2 on extra points

-2/2 left-hash, 30 yards

-1/2 right-hash, 30 yards

-1/2 left-hash, 40 yards

-1/2 right-hash, 40 yards

-0/2 left-hash, 50 yards

-0/1 middle, 50 yards

-7/13 overall

I was really happy with my results to that point, even though with a few minor adjustments I could have done much, much better. What was also nice is that no one made all of their kicks, and I was right in the thick of it with pros. This was pretty sweet.

From my practicing, I knew that I could hang with the field goal portion, but the kickoffs were going to be rough. For kickoffs in indoor football, you kick from the opposite goal line (50 yard field) with intentions of putting the ball through the uprights for a point, or at least out of the back of the end zone. I didn't think I had much of a crack of even reaching the other goal line with my kicks given how practices had gone. My first kick felt pretty good, and ended up hitting the score board in the middle of the arena, which although sounds awesome, is a huge disadvantage for the kicking team. My second kick felt great, and ended up making it out of the back of the end zone. I was pumped. 

After everyone had went, the coaches narrowed down the ten to four, and then to three to bring to camp. I wasn't fortunate enough to make the cut to the top four, but I couldn't have been more happy with my performance, knowing that I was nearly on an even keel with guys who have been doing this for a long time (humble brag?). 

All in all, it was a great experience, and certainly something I will remember for some time. Although I am unsure of how far I could really go with it, I hope to continue practicing, and might just find myself trying out again in the future. 

My buddy Jimmy was nice enough to come and film the event for me, and the picture is one of the many he took during the workout.

So, the moral here isn't to say, "hey, look what I can do", but rather to encourage others to go after the things they desire. You have absolutely nothing to lose, so why not give it a shot? The only failure comes from not trying at all, so making any effort towards a goal is a win in my book. The results from there are just icing on the cake.

[michael-fuller]

2014 End of the Year Letter

2013 was a pretty neat year. I was fortunate enough to graduate with an MBA, eventually landed a full time job, saw a few handfuls of sweet concerts, and saw my first Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium, to name just a few. However, the title of this post is 2014 End of the Year Letter, not 2013. This is no typo.

It is an annual tradition for many to revisit the events of the year, often resulting in a letter or card which gets sent to family and friends. Although I have never taken the time to put my thoughts on paper, I spend much time throughout the year reflecting on past events, and I enjoy remembering the events that helped get me to any particular point in life.

Many people also find joy in creating resolutions. I can certainly only speak for myself, but I can count on zero hands how many resolutions I have kept up with from year start to year finish. This year, I want to try something a bit different. 

My goal here is to write what my 2014 End of the Year letter will look like, without the year having started. The reason for this is to give myself some goals to work toward, hopefully with a different result from previous years' resolutions.

So, this is what I hope my end of 2014 letter will look like, in bullet form:

-Tried out for two professional football teams: I have tinkered with the idea of kicking field goals since my junior year of high school. The urge came back stronger upon my retirement from soccer freshman year of undergrad. I never ended up giving it a shot, but I was lucky enough to play some football in the IAC at Central Michigan, and kicked a handful of field goals inside the complex there. Although I was hoping to write a blog post about it, my Dad and I took a trip to AT&T Stadium in October to see the Cowboys play the Broncos. It was an awesome game, and we had a blast. We were lucky enough to take a tour of the stadium the next day, and spent some time down on the field. My Dad held the ball for me a handful of times, and I hit field goals from 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 yards out. It was an incredible feeling, and finally kickstarted my venture into kicking. I will be trying out for a new professional indoor football team starting up in Trenton in mid-January, and hope to get a good gauge of where I stand amongst a few professional kickers. I noted two above, and that is not to say that I am expecting failure the first time around. Rather, I hope that the first tryout will give me an opportunity to build off of it, and bring about a second tryout in one way or another.

-Played 6 open mic nights with original material, and played 2 paid gigs: I have been playing guitar now for over 10 years, and have ventured into songwriting a bit within the last 3 or 4. On the first Friday in December, I played three original songs at an open mic night, which was the first time I have played live in almost two years. It was an awesome experience, and really fueled the fire for playing live again. My intention is to be able to put a good handful of songs together every few months to play a few more open mic nights and try out some material, in hopes of playing two legitimate gigs opening for some more established acts. I am still relatively shy about the whole process, but I see no better time to grow more comfortable with it than now.

-Recorded an EP of original music, 6-8 songs: this piggybacks off of the previous one, but it has been a goal of mine since I picked up a guitar to put some kind of album together. I think an EP would be a pretty good start, given the incredibly long writing process I go through and my rarely-available lyrical inspiration. I have a decent start working for me, so hopefully my 2014 self can finish the job!

-Created 10 industry contacts in the music industry for professional networking: since working the first concert during my time at CMU in 2011, I have known that my career calling has to have something to do with live music, be it facility operations, marketing management, promotion, or any other related position. My current position involves event marketing, and it will surely be a great help in pushing me towards the next step, whatever that may be. So, my goal is to make at least 10 connections with professionals currently working in live music to expand my network and learn more about the profession.

This was pretty fun to put together, and I feel like I have something a bit more concrete to work from than in the past. Put together your 2014 letter and share it with us! Here's to each of us making 2014 the best year we can make it! 

[michael-fuller]

Top Ten Songs of 2013

In annual fashion, it's time to recap the ten best songs of the year. For those of you who are already ready to close the page, fear not: no Get Lucky or Blurred Lines here (although they were both wildly successful, and still really catchy). The only rule I'll place on this is not choosing more than one song per artist, as I could easily have multiples from most of these artists. Here we go, in order for a change:

10. Camera Obscura - Do It Again - This is a fun summer-y tune from this crew, which I just learned are from Glasgow, Scotland (HR can now exit since I've met non-location-bias requirements). I dig it, and you might too.

9. Kings of Leon - Temple - I have been a huge anti-Kings of Leon fan since late 2008, after the first hundred or so of what might literally be five thousand spins of 'Use Somebody'. They were on the bill for the Global Citizen Festival in September, and I was going to have to listen to them for 45 minutes no matter what. They blew me away, and completely changed my mind about the band. I picked up the album the next day, and this was an instant favorite.

8. Eric Clapton - Gotta Get Over - No typo here: Eric Clapton is still, in fact, making music. This is a bluesy rock tune led by a catchy riff that screams Clapton. Not bad for a nearly 70-something.

7. Houndmouth - On the Road - This is a fun song that gets my foot tapping and head bobbing each and every time.

6. Night Beds - Ramona (skip to 1:37) - I'm realizing very quickly how poor I am at describing songs. This is an acoustic-heavy song, and it sounds good. Yeah.

5. Justin Timberlake - Pusher Love Girl - Had to get something off of his album on here. The lead track on part 1 of 2, it was good enough that I played it a second and a third time through before I let the rest of the album play on Spotify the first time I went to listen to it. JT hasn't lost a step.

4. The Mowgli's - San Francisco - Not only do they have a really cool name, but they also have a huge sound and really showcase it on this tune. Surprisingly enough, they are from California.

3. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Made Up Mind - I was fortunate enough to see these guys play with The Black Crowes this summer, and they absolutely tore it up. This is an easy favorite off of their latest album, and gets me moving every time. I typically have a lot of fun listening to music in the car, but it's comical how many more weird looks I get than normal while rocking out to this jam.

2. Amos Lee - The Man Who Wants You - Amos Lee's first single off of his latest album. I knew this would make my top ten list the first time I heard it on the radio. I watched him play it live a few nights later (see the video), and it solidified it even more. What an absolute jam.

aaaaaaaaand the best song of the year is………..

1. The Head and the Heart - Shake - I have a huge band-crush on The Head and the Heart, as I would love to be in a band like it. Really solid chord progressions, great lyricism, and incredible three-part harmonies throughout almost every song. I was really unsure of how they could follow up their debut album, which really set the bar high, but this single is incredible. Hats off to them.

It wouldn't be a top ten list with another list of equal length of honorable mentions. For the sake of music-sharing, here is a quick honorable mention list, followed by a few more highly recommended tunes from 2013.

Amos Lee - Stranger - If not for wanting to prevent duplicates, this would have easily made the cut. Amos Lee has really kicked it up a few notches through his last few albums, as if his first few weren't already great. This is another bluesy jam I can't get enough of.

Brett Dennen - Wild Child - A funky fun summer-y tune from Mr. Dennen. Got to see it live at the XPoNential Music Festival in July, and he put on one of the most memorable sets of the weekend. Really good stuff here.

FutureBirds - Tan Lines - I think I picked this tune from a mix tape I found of new music back in April or May, and I happened to catch their set at Bonnaroo. They were really, really good, and I am glad I happened upon the single. 

The Lone Bellow - You Don't Love Me Like You Used To - Another three-part harmony driven tune, this one deserved to make the top ten for sure. It definitely has a country vibe to it, although it's far from the pick-up trucks/my dog ran away thing.

Rapid fire time:

The Head and the Heart - My Friends

John Mayer - Waiting on the Day

Mayer Hawthorne - Allie Jones

Kopecky Family Band - My Way - I was there in person for this one!

Washed Out - It All Feels Right

Paul McCartney - New / It Turned Out - no video on that one, but check it out on Spotify

Portugal. the Man - Hip Hop Kids

If you enjoyed the list, or didn't, and want to vote for your own top ten, feel free to comment back, and submit your list to XPN here.

Happy listening, friends!

[michael-fuller]

Yes, this is exactly what you think it is. Yet another recap of two more shows I caught as part of the Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series. 

On 9/22, my uncle and I took a trip to Union Transfer in Philly to catch Black Joe Lewis and Pickwick. Pickwick is a band from Seattle, and opened the show. I had heard one of their tunes many times, but didn't venture out to listen to much else. They were alright; only a few of their tunes did much for me. Their vocalist was very talented, and might be better served with a different crew of musicians behind him/different style of music.

Black Joe Lewis came out and put on a great show. He's a Texas blues/funk/soul artist, and he was great. He brought tons of energy, mostly through his music as he didn't move much on stage, but put on an excellent show. We both had a great time, and that is what it's all about. (I highly recommend the venue too for anyone reading this within reach of Philadelphia. All of their shows are very reasonably priced, and they bring in a lot of great up and coming acts.)

As if this wasn't enough to close out the Summer Concert Series, I was fortunate enough to win tickets to the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park the very next weekend. I called up Blog City's own Amanda Kennedy to see if she was interested in joining, and we were off. We got into the city a little early, and took a not-so-direct route through the park to the entrance. After working a little magic, we finagled our way in line near the gate without having to walk to the back of the line. I mean, we were there just as early as everyone else after all. We got in early enough to be in the closest section to the stage that the GA tickets would allow on that half of the park, so we were pumped about that.

After a few minutes of being there, I volunteered to go grab us some waters, since we were about to be posted up for a good 8 hours. The line was crazy long, and about an hour and a half later, I left the counter with four waters. The opener, Kings of Leon, were in the middle of their first song at this time, so I missed almost no show time, and it was all good. As I began the trek back, there were a good 7-8,000 more people in our section than were there when I left. I worked my way around and got back to our spot just as the second act, Alicia Keys, was starting up. (I must make a note: before the show, I was as much of a hater of Kings of Leon as the next guy. After hearing "Use Somebody" literally a few thousand times, I couldn't stand them. They changed my mind that day. They played an awesome show, and, surprisingly enough, not every song of theirs sounds like "Use Somebody". I wouldn't consider myself a "fan" now, but I certainly like a good portion of their music. I dig that.)

I'm getting ahead of myself here again. After Kings of Leon's set, they announced a special guest: Elvis Costello! Nobody was expecting that to say the least. He played one song, in which he spliced half of a new song together with "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding". It was really cool, and a great unannounced addition to the show. Alicia Keys put on a great show, aside from looking really, really good. Just following Alicia's set, they brought out another surprise guest, Janelle Monae. She sang a great song, and it was cool to hear her live.

My top guy John Mayer followed Alicia Keys, and was outstanding. This was the fifth time I've seen him, and it might have been the best performance of his I've seen. He played a good amount of new stuff mixed in with some of his older tunes, and blew us away with an incredible cover of "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad" by the Grateful Dead. Great stuff from John.

To close it all out, none other than Stevie Wonder took to the stage. He absolutely tore it up, and hasn't missed a beat in his 50+ years in the biz. He played almost every hit song he has, and then some. He also brought back out Janelle Monae, and another surprise guest, Maxwell, who came out for a song and stopped singing to say, "I can't believe this is happening." Stevie was truly a sight to see, and hear, and I can't think of a better way to have closed out the show.

There you have it folks. Part IX, and the conclusion, of the Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series. Thanks to the millions of you who have stuck with me since Part I. Together, we've covered 91 artists, 11 of which are Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, through 8 concerts and 5 festivals. Heck of a Summer Concert Series, and I thank all of you for sharing it with me. 

[michael-fuller]

Part VIII of the Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series took place this past Tuesday, with an experience unique to the rest of the tour. 

I was lucky enough to spend an evening with Blog City's own Amanda Kennedy in Philadelphia, doing all sorts of typical Philadelphia things, namely: eating cheesesteaks and sitting in rush hour traffic. 

We got to the venue (Union Transfer, highly recommended) almost an hour before doors opened, got a great spot in line, and ended up leaning on the stage the entire show because we were that close. So cool.

They had a DJ open the show, who played all sorts of classic soul and R&B jams, followed by a band called Superhumanoids, who were very mellow and as anticlimactic as they come. However, we got to enjoy some made-in-house craft ice cream during their set, so that was sweet. 

About ten minutes before Mayer Hawthorne came out, the stage crew taped the set lists down in their respected spots on stage, and it took every molecule of self control in my body not to look and spoil the show. Modestly, one of the top 100 longest 10-minute spans in my life. 

Mayer came out and played an awesome show. It was crazy being as close as we were, because as he walked the stage near us, his feet were at perfect level to kick me in the teeth at a moments notice (see guy next to us in the bottom right of the pic to get an idea). 

Anyway, it was an awesome show, and we both had a great time. Not to mention, he handed Amanda a pick mid-show, and we each got high fives at the end. I wore a U of M - Go Blue shirt, knowing that Mayer is from Ann Arbor and a big fan, and after the high five I got a personal "Go Blue" from the man himself. Very cool stuff!

All in all, it was a great time and an awesome show. And somehow, as if the Summer Concert Series couldn't possibly continue and/or get any better, there might just be another few shows coming up, including another special guest appearance from an aforementioned Blog City member!

[michael-fuller]

The summer that I could have only ever dreamt of continues to take itself to the next level.

My Dad and I got tickets to see the Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Black Crowes in April, and we were both really excited as we headed up to PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. It started raining while we were waiting in line to get in, and I thought it might ruin the whole day considering we had lawn seats. The rain stopped, fortunately, and we were asked upon entering if we would like to upgrade our seats. The show was undersold by a long shot, and they were offering great seat upgrades, so we took advantage. We ended up 19 rows back, straight away center. Two incredible strokes of luck in a matter of minutes. 

The show itself was great. The opening band, The London Souls, were a trio of kids from New York living the dream. They played a great bluesy set, unfortunately to only about 100 people as attendees didn’t start filling in until halfway through TTB’s set. Tedeschi Trucks Band came next, and played an incredible hour and a half set of jams. From what I’ve seen on YouTube and from the Crossroads Guitar Festival DVDs, I knew Derek was going to put on a show, but I was in complete awe of how great of a guitarist he is live. At the end of their set, I would have been completely happy leaving right there knowing we had already got our monies-worth. The Black Crowes came out, and they were honestly a let down. I didn’t have much of an expectation set for them, but they had too tough of an act to follow to really have a fair shot of being well received. They still put on a good show, and we were glad we stayed. The coolest part of the whole show came at the encore, as the Crowes brought out much of the TTB to join them on a Ray Charles cover. As if it could have gotten any better, they then brought out the lead singer/guitarist of London Souls to join them on a cover of “Turn on Your Love Light”, which was an absolute JAM. How cool it must have been for that dude to get invited on stage with two great bands like that, and then to trade licks with one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Such an incredible experience for everyone involved.

So that was Friday. 

Saturday morning, my Dad and I headed down to Mount Holly to join my aunt, uncle, and two cousins at Hollystock. It was a cool event, as there were stages scattered throughout a few blocks with all different types of music along the way. We saw a few bands there early, including the Nick Clemons Band (son of Clarence). I can’t imagine having to live up to the expectations most, including myself, would have listening to him and thinking of his father’s music. Unfortunately, we had to leave a bit early so I could get back to head to another show (believe it or not).

A few months ago, XPN sent out an email to members about signing up for tickets to see Peter Frampton, BB King, and Sonny Landreth in Atlantic City. Thinking it was for a chance to win, I signed up to try my luck. Turns out, it was to get on a guest list and have tickets waiting at the door. So, my buddy Chris and I headed down to the Taj Mahal that Saturday to see some legends, FO FREE! 

I assumed they would be standing room tickets, but we ended up having 20th row seats to the right of the stage. Thanks XPN! 

Sonny Landreth opened up, and I knew he would be great after seeing him on the Crossroads DVDs as well. He, like Derek Trucks, plays slide guitar, but Sonny plays it unlike anyone I’ve ever heard play. It seemed like there were sounds coming from other random instruments back stage, but they were instead coming from his guitar. He only played about 30 minutes, but he was great.

BB King came out next, and played a solid set. His backing band is really solid, and he pulled out all the stops. He even brought Frampton out to sit in with him for a tune. Really cool stuff. I was pretty surprised though, because about half the audience cleared out after BB was finished. Poor Peter Frampton.

I didn’t have much expectation for Frampton, but figured he would be pretty good. He took a while to get going, for me, but he picked it up big time toward the middle and through the end of his set. During his last song, Do You Feel Like We Do (naturally), a few people started moving toward the stage to stand in the pit area (this was an everyone-has-a-seat kinda show). I got up to go forward, and Chris followed. A security guard tried to stop a few of us from getting up front with the rest, but Peter invited everyone over the mic, and the guard stepped away (like he would have stopped us anyway, c’mon bro). We were a good 6 or 7 feet away from him as he did his signature voice box solo, and it was a really cool experience. For his encore, he brought out Sonny Landreth, as well as former Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn for a cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and it was phenomenal. I wouldn’t say he made a die-hard fan out of me, but I certainly have a much greater appreciation for his work. 

What a weekend. I know that these things don’t happen often (although I somehow continue to find myself in similar situations), but I am really grateful to have experienced all three events that weekend. Each was unique, and all were memorable experiences. 

That concludes Part VII of the Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series. As if I haven’t seen enough shows this summer, there may be a couple more coming up in a few weeks time. Stay tuned!

[michael-fuller]

Top 10 Songs of the New Millennium

Every year, WXPN hosts an 885 song countdown with varying themes from year to year. This year's theme: 885 Greatest Songs of the New Millennium. While I'm sure I could come up with 885 of my favorite songs of the new millennium, they have you submit your top 10, so we'll hit on that here.

15 songs came to mind right off the bat, and after a bit of thinking, I had a solid list of about 30 songs that could have easily made the top 10 on any given day. 

Anyhow, here we go. In the order that I though of them:

1. The Strokes - Someday - a song I've been listening to since 2001 from one of my favorite bands of the new millennium, despite only really liking their first album and a few other tunes here and there along the way.

2. Dawes - When My Time Comes - being in the XPN crowd in 2010 when they played this at the festival was one of my coolest concert moments to date. Incredible song.

3. Mayer Hawthorne - Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' - the most played song on my Last.fm account since I got it in 2008. Had to make the list; it's just a fun song.

4. Gary Clark Jr. - Don't Owe You a Thang - an absolute jam. Fortunate enough to see him do it live twice.

5. Raphael Saadiq - 100 Yard Dash - Saadiq is on another level. Beyond talented. Such an incredible song.

6. Ryan Shaw - Do the 45 - found out about him by chance when he opened a show we went to see back in 2006. He blew me away with this one, and I've been a fan since.

7. Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl - played this CD on repeat in 9th grade, and it's still a great song from a solid album.

8. The White Stripes - Fell in Love With a Girl - I remember hearing this one on MTV for the first time in 2001, back when MTV still existed, and played music videos.

9. The Head and the Heart - Lost in My Mind - great newer band, and a fantastic tune. 

10. John Mayer Trio - Who Did You Think I Was? - I was first introduced to JM3 by the one and only Joe Ciuffo, and it's safe to say he created a monster. This is the first song of theirs that I heard, and it remains a favorite to this day.

Phew. Picking my top 10 favorite Beatles songs was hard, but this was right up there in difficulty. There is just so much to choose from, and I surely forgot about another 30 or 40 that had list potential.

I nailed down the first nine spots pretty easily, but I was torn on the last spot between JM3, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' Home, and Good Old War's Better Weather. Tough choice for sure, but I went with the one that has been out the longest.

In spite of all this, I didn't include anything by The Black Keys, who are my favorite band of the new millennium. Also, no Jay-Z, Amos Lee, John Legend, Citizen Cope, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, the list goes on. Ten was quite the challenge to say the least. 

Thanks to those on Facebook who weighed in on the topic, as there were some great responses. Put together a list of your own and enjoy the process!

[michael-fuller]

The highly-anticipated XPoNential Music Festival took place this past weekend, and lived up to the unrealistic expectations that were put upon it despite some extenuating circumstances. Here are some highlights from each day:

Friday

Aaron & the Spell - local band that opened the festival. Really cool R&B/Soul band with a great sound. 

The Districts - another local band, and easily the biggest surprise of the festival for me. These guys absolutely tore it up. Not bad for a couple kids in high school (I was one blanket to the left of this video. I remember watching the lady in blue get up and leave and couldn't imagine why she'd want to do such a thing).

Michael Kiwanuka (pic #1) - my most highly-anticipated artist of the festival, and to say he delivered would be an understatement. Despite a completely out-of-line/out-of-control, under some influences concert-goer, Michael put on an incredible show. It certainly made up for missing him at Bonnaroo last year thanks to the longest line I have ever stood in throughout my 24+ years on Earth.

Red Baraat - straight up dance party. 

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - I was fortunate enough to see them at Bonnaroo, and at XPNFest'10, but they put on a great show to close out the first day. 

Saturday

The Stray Birds - a down-home back-porch-sittin' bluegrass band from Pennsylvania. Super tight harmonies, and clever songwriting. (P.S. They're playing a gig in Philly in November, and it's only $8. I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't do everything I can to be there)

Dr. John (pic #2) - the first of two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers of the weekend. Still puts on a great show after all these years, and has some very clever tunes to say the least.

Brett Dennen - I have seen Brett once before, but I didn't know exactly what we'd be getting from him on a much smaller stage. He put on an incredible show, and left me wishing he'd play for another hour or two. Safe to say I'm a big fan now as a result.

John Butler Trio (pic #3) - after seeing a few live videos from YouTube, this was bound to be a great set. John didn't disappoint, and absolutely ripped it up. One of the best guitarists I have ever seen live, and I have seen some pretty incredible players before.

The Lumineers (pic #4) - these guys played the small stage of the festival last year, and I wasn't really excited to see them at Susquehanna Bank Center considering we wouldn't be 20 feet away this time around. Surprisingly enough, we ended up being about that far away mid-set, as they played two songs from the XPN Member area of the lawn. They did a great job of making the show feel intimate despite playing for 16,000ish people.

Sunday

Kopecky Family Band - I was told to expect good things from these guys, and they brought it for sure. Very tight crew, and they played a great show. They ended up playing a second set, on the larger stage, after a performer dropped out due to an illness, so we got a double dose of them.

Unfortunately I was looking most forward to seeing Dawes close out the Wigans Park portion of the festival, and then seeing Ryan Bingham, My Morning Jacket, Wilco, and Bob Dylan over at SBC afterward, but the rain had other ideas. We hung out for a while hoping it would pass, but it stuck around a little too long and we left as they cancelled Dawes' set. Hopefully some combination of those five will be back at the festival again in the coming years.

Most importantly, I got to spend some quality time with some family members, as well as friends that I consider family. That was probably the biggest highlight of the entire festival for me. Cheesy for sure, but it is what it is.

There is a reason why festival weekend is my favorite weekend of the year, and although the music is a huge part of it, it doesn't even begin to compare with the people I get to experience it with. Here's to an incredible XPNFest'13, and hopefully many more to come! 

P.S. For those keeping score at home, this concludes Part VI of the Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series. Tune in next week for Part VII, with the possibility of a Part VIII not too long after!

[michael-fuller]

My Top Ten Favorite All Time Beatles Songs

I have been on a big Beatles kick for the last few weeks, likely spurring from seeing Paul McCartney in June at Bonnaroo. After listening to four or five albums consecutively one day last week, for whatever reason, I tried thinking of what songs stood out as favorites across their whole catalogue. A near impossible task to say the least, considering their 400+ song outpour in just 10 years worth of time, but I had to give it a shot.

After creating my list, I decided to poll my Facebook friends yesterday to see what others had to say on the subject. The responses were great, covering some of their huge hits, some deep album cuts, a few B sides, as well as "In Da Club", "the one with Yeezy on it", and "none". I'm sure they'd be happy to know that their venture into rap was a good career choice. For those interested, Elanor Rigby and Norwegian Wood were each selected three times in the poll, and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beatles (The White Album) were tied for the most referenced album, with six different songs chosen from each record. Also interesting, Yellow Submarine was the only studio album that was not covered by our responses, but it was technically a movie soundtrack, so we get a free pass on that one. Nice job all.

For my list, I decided a top five was a little short, so I'm expanding to ten. I stared at a list of 25 tunes for a good 30 minutes, and cutting even fifteen was quite the task. Five more might be too much to ask, so ten songs it is. To make this a bit more interesting, I will include at least one song that each writes AND takes lead vocals on to avoid the possibility of a McCartney/Lennon sweep.

Here we go:

"Twist and Shout" - originally written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell, this is the first song that came to mind. John Lennon wails on vocals, and I can't get enough of this song. See if you can hear it over the screaming fans at Shea Stadium a few years ago, because they couldn't, and they were the ones playing it. 

"Baby's in Black" - the first of a few Lennon/McCartney combos to make the list. Pretty cool one, very different style from many of their other tunes. Then again, they're all pretty different from one another.

"Eight Days a Week" - another Lennon/McCartney jam. This would have made the list either way, but Sir Paul opened his Bonnaroo set with this, and that definitely didn't hurt the cause.

"I Saw Her Standing There" - this one was a no brainer for me. Such a fun tune. McCartney/Lennon this time around. 

"Little Child" - another really fun song, courtesy once more of the Lennon/McCartney tag team. The next five are all solo* contributions.

"Lady Madonna" - a McCartney contributed single, which was also on the Hey Jude Album. Growing up, for some reason, I always thought Ringo sang the verses. Oh well. I cheated a bit on the video, as it comes from an episode of Jools Holland a few years ago and is of Paul and his band. You'll forgive me.

"I'm Down" - the other Paul-only written/sung tune on the list. It was hard not to put this one in here. Pretty neat video to go along with it, cuts back and forth from the Shea Stadium gig to 40 years later at Citi Field.

"Revolution" - John Lennon's solo contribution. The opening guitar lick was enough to really get this one on the list, but great song nonetheless.

"Think for Yourself" - George Harrison was a great songwriter. It is incredibly unfortunate for him, as far as this list goes, to be up against the likes of McCartney and Lennon, because this spot probably could have went to another one of their tunes. Also, if I really wanted to break my own rules, I would have chosen "Chains" instead, but it was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. That is my real favorite GH-Beatles song.

"I Wanna Be Your Man" - had to break the rules here to get Ringo involved. He only wrote a couple of tunes throughout their time, but this has to be my favorite Ringo-led tune. "Boys" was a close second, but that was a cover. If I had to choose one he had a hand in writing, it would be "What Goes On".

Wow. If that wasn't the most difficult question I have ever had to answer, I don't know what was. This could have been a top 50 list, and I still would have left some great ones out. Lots of fun putting this together, though, and thanks to everyone who participated!

[michael-fuller]

The Mike Fuller Summer Concert Series, Part V

While most of you were out celebrating America's Independence at backyard barbecues across the globe, I decided to spend it with The Roots, John Mayer, Grace Potter, and about a million other people (quite literally) at the 4th of July Jam in Philly on the Ben Franklin Parkway. I have been lucky enough to attend this event three years running, accompanying various guests, including: a few friends from high school in 2011, and my cousin, her boyfriend, and Blog City's own Brent Miller and THEE Beth Goldenberg in 2012. This year, I flew (actually, drove and took the train) solo and met up with the one and only Sean Magerr a bit before the show began. 

A few notes to change things up from typical "short story made long" form:

It was hot: even for starting at 7pm, who would have thought standing on blacktop without shade would be so sweaty?

Concert-goers: I'm no math major, but I'd be willing to bet there were about a million people there in total. It was a complete mess, not to mention how little respect most attendees had for anyone else. If I had a dollar for every time I got bumped in to or had my shoes stepped on, I could retire today.

The show: The Roots set the bar high, and seem to raise it each time I see them. This year, the guest artists were quite diverse, but they did a great job of keeping things interesting.

View: we didn't end up being able to actually see much of the show, but we were close enough to the screens to see what was going on for the most part. Fine by me, considering I have seen all of the bands I was there to see at least twice already (humblebrag, haters welcome).

Performances: Ben Taylor - son of James Taylor, knew little about him, but he sounded great and got little response from the crowd; The Roots - come on, it's The Roots...they were incredible; Jill Scott - not an overly-exciting performer, but the music was alright; Grace Potter - excellent performer, great musician, and covered Rock Steady by Aretha Franklin to boot; DJ Jazzy Jeff - my man is on another level; skipped/talked through Hunter Hayes and J. Cole; John Mayer - kicked off his first tour in three years and sounded great despite his limited vocal range, and played a really, really groovy cover of Lively Up Yourself by Bob Marley; Ne-Yo came on as we were leaving to catch our respective trains home.

The day was a success on many levels, and it was a solid last minute addition to the Summer Concert Series. It was great catching up with Sean again, and I'm glad we got to see at least a little bit of the show. 

Still plenty more to come from the Series, so stay tuned Blog City!