Six for the road

To all you crazy kids hitting the highways this holiday weekend, I salute you. Better you than me! On this Independence Day weekend and in the wake of yesterday's Supreme Court bombshell, I can't help but think we’re in for a season of discord that'll be even more divisive than the last election. So enjoy the long weekend and relative peace while you can.

Roadrunner (mp3) – Modern Lovers
What can I say about this casual masterpiece of punk-geekdom that hasn’t already been said. Turn it up and sing along. You know the words.

Car Radio (mp3) – Spoon
This is the song that reminds me Spoon's from Texas, not some city up North. A perfect minute and a half of raucous convertible + asphalt fun.

Highway 80 (mp3) – Railroad Jerk
I’m not sure what happened to this former Matador band, but in their day they released some good stuff. A little punk, a little blues, a little rockabilly and a lot of tongue in cheek.

Back of A Car (mp3) – Big Star
The band was all but ignored in their own time, receiving minimal radio play. But today Big Star sounds like the soundtrack of the 70s and a sweet, yearning, lost America.

Convenient Parking (mp3) – Modest Mouse
I’m not a huge Modest Mouse fan, but I love this tune. It’s all in the groovy bass and bendy guitar riffs and Issac Brock yelling Con-ve-nient-a-a-a-a Park-ing is way back, way back!

Car (mp3) – Built To Spill
The title that’s always absurdly missing from those mainstream best song lists. A thing of American beauty, Car should be our national anthem and Doug Martsch our Poet Laureate. For my money, there’s no more moving line in rock history than I want to see movies of my dreams. But then the whole song is a literary gold mine. I prefer this full band live version, though the There’s Nothing Wrong With Love track, with its haunting cello, is lovely in its own way.

Buy:
Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
A Series of Sneaks - Spoon
Bang The Drum - Railroad Jerk
#1 Record/Radio City - Big Star
Lonesome Crowded West - Modest Mouse
Live - Built To Spill