“Tramp the Dirt Down”, Elvis Costello

This way: Tramp the Dirt Down

I love the anger in this song. You can almost touch it. Like a political punch in the face. The flip side to our Reagan perhaps. In this song Costello vows to dance on Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s grave. He clarified the song’s message in Q Magazine March 2008: “You shouldn't really celebrate when anybody dies, but I think she did this country a disservice in the things she tricked out of people.”
Costello explained how he came up with this song in a 1989 interview with On The Street: “The song was written at that extreme point, where that’s what you feel. I kind of almost scrapped it a couple of times, I thought, that’s not really the way I think, I'm more balanced than that. The arguments carried through the song are not balanced, they’re not reasonable, they blame the wrong people for the wrong things, but you don't want like the social worker song, you know the person who understands everything. Writing the song is only a little bit better than kicking the television in when the news is on... The song is only a little bit short of mindless violence, isn’t it?” From 1989.  

[Spotify] Tramp the Dirt Down

“Nag Nag Nag”, Cabaret Voltaire

This way: Nag Nag Nag

Cabaret Voltaire are an English music group formed in Sheffield in 1973 and initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and Chris Watson. The group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, the Zürich nightclub that served as a centre for the early Dada movement.

The early work of Cabaret Voltaire consisted primarily of experimentation with DIY electronics and tape machines, as well as Dada-influenced performance art, helping to pioneer industrial music in the mid-1970s. Finding an audience during the post-punk era, they integrated their experimental sensibilities with dance and pop styles. They are often characterized as among the most innovative and influential electronic groups of their era.   

[Spotify] Nag Nag Nag

“Up Against The Wall”, Tom Robinson Band

This way: Up Against The Wall

Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band’s debut single “2-4-6-8 Motorway” was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third single, “Up Against the Wall”, is seen by some as a classic punk rock single; while their debut album, Power in the Darkness (1978), is regarded as a definitive late Seventies punk album. 


[Spotify] Up Against The Wall

[Extra Credit Superchunk-Spotify] Up Against The Wall
[Extra Credit Superchunk-YT] Up Against The Wall

“Kills to be Resistant”, Bully

This way: Kills to be Resistant

Bully is an American rock band formed in 2013 in Nashville. They signed to Columbia Records label Startime International and released their first album in 2015. Lead singer and guitarist Alicia Bognanno, who does double duty as her own band’s producer and recording engineer, She learned her chops during an internship at the studio run by Steve Albini. This song is from the LP “Losing” from 2017.

[Spotify] Kills to be Resistant

“Mess On a Mission”, Liars

This way: Mess On a Mission

Liars is an Australian-American rock band formed in 2000. Angus Andrew is the founding and only constant member of Liars. Previous members include Aaron Hemphill who played with the band from its inception until his amicable departure from the project in 2017, and Julian Gross who joined the band for their second album, They Were Wrong, So We Drowned released in 2004, and played with the band until his departure in 2014. Liars have released eight studio albums and are signed to Mute Records. They combine elements of punk-rock with electronica. From 2014. 

[Spotify] Mess On a Mission

“Lava”, B-52’s

This way: Lava

The B-52’s are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards), Cindy Wilson (vocals, percussion), Ricky Wilson (guitar), and Keith Strickland (drums, guitar, keyboards). Ricky Wilson died from AIDS-related illness in 1985, and Strickland switched from drums to lead guitar. The band also added touring members for albums and live performances.

The group evoked a "thrift shop aesthetic", in the words of Bernard Gendron  by drawing from 1950s and 1960s pop sources, trash culture, and rock and roll. Schneider, Pierson, and Wilson sometimes use call-and-response-style vocals and their guitar- and keyboard-driven instrumentation composes their trademark sound which was also set apart from their contemporaries by the unusual guitar tunings used by Ricky Wilson on their earlier albums.  

[Spotify] Lava

“Dead Man’s Curve”, Nash the Slash

This way: Dead Man’s Curve

Great cover of the Jan and Dean surf hit from 1964. Nash the Slash, was a Canadian musician. A multi-instrumentalist, he was known primarily for playing the electric violin and mandolin, as well as the harmonica, keyboards, glockenspiel, and other instruments (sometimes described as devices on album notes).

Nash worked as a solo artist beginning in 1975; founding the progressive rock band FM in 1976. Soon after releasing the band's first album, Black Noise, in 1977, he left the band; he resumed his solo career in 1978 (it was not until after Nash's departure that the album was widely promoted, eventually charting and receiving a gold record award). He rejoined FM from 1983 to 1996, concurrent with his solo work.

Nash's music covers an eclectic range, varying from instrumental—mood-setting music, to rock and pop music with vocals. In addition to giving concert performances, he has composed and performed soundtrack music for silent films, presenting these works live in movie theatres to accompany screenings of the films.  

[Spotify] Dead Man’s Curve

“Die Waiting”, Beck

This way: Die Waiting

Beck is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his experimental and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical collages of wide genre styles. Today, he musically encompasses folk, funk, soul, hip hop, electronic, alternative rock, country, and psychedelia. He has released 14 studio albums, as well as several non-album singles and a book of sheet music. 

Hyperspace is the fourteenth studio album by American musician Beck. It was released through Capitol Records on November 22, 2019. The album was primarily produced by Beck and Pharrell Williams, as well as Cole M.G.N., Greg Kurstin and Paul Epworth. 

[Spotify] Die Waiting

“Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand”, Primitive Radio Gods

This way: Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth

“Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand”, Primitive Radio Gods. Here is a great one from the Primitive Radio Gods, basically a one hit wonder from 1996. I love a song with a good vocal sample. While housecleaning in 1994, Chris O’Connor rediscovered the box of demo tapes he had packed away years prior. In a final act of desperation, he mailed copies of the tape to any major record label he could think of. Weeks later, he received a call from an executive named Jonathan Daniel from the New York City offices of Fiction Records. One unique song in particular had caught Daniel's attention: “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand”, a piano-driven ballad over a hip-hop backbeat, which heavily sampled B. B. King's "How Blue Can You Get?". Daniel immediately signed O’Connor to a publishing deal, and took him to Columbia Records for a recording deal. "Phone Booth" first appeared on the soundtrack to the black comedy film The Cable Guy in May 1996, and a slightly remastered Rocket was released the following month. "Phone Booth" was released to radio as the Primitive Radio Gods’ first single, and was remarkably successful in the U.S. market. Due to the single’s success, Rocket was certified gold. 

[Spotify] Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth

“Raid”, Baby Dayliner

This way: Raid

Baby Dayliner is a musical recording and performing artist from and based out of New York City. He was born and raised in New York City, and went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He attended St. John's College in Annapolis, MD and Santa Fe, NM. After varying roles in different bands, Marunas decided to take the stage as a solo act. He became deft at synths, samplers, and recording, and began crafting songs that would be performed under the Baby Dayliner name.


Baby Dayliner has released two albums on Brassland Records. He was signed to the label as The National's favorite live performer in New York City. Marunas has opened for a variety of musical acts including Scissor Sisters, The National, and Trans Am.

According to Uncut magazine, Baby Dayliner is "a retro romo romp through a New York ghost world that is neither the drainpipe-and-denim sweat pile of CBGBs nor the mirrorball glitz of Studio 54 but somewhere in between."

[Spotify] Raid

“Moving to Florida”, Butthole Surfers

This way: Moving to Florida

“well I been movin’ down to Florida.
And I’m gonna bowl me a perfect game” 

Butthole Surfers is an American rock band formed by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas, in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second drummer from 1983 to 1985, 1986 to 1989, and 2009. The band has also employed a variety of bass players, most notably Jeff Pinkus. 

Emerging from the 1980s hardcore punk scene, Butthole Surfers quickly became known for their chaotic live shows, black comedy, and a sound that incorporated elements of psychedelia, noise rock, punk as well as their use of sound manipulation and tape editing.

[Spotify] Moving to Florida

“We”, The Roches

This way: We

The Roches (Maggie, Terre, and Suzzy Roche) were a vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, United States, known for their unusual and rich harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances.

The Roches were active as performers and recording artists from the mid-1970s through 2017, at various times performing as a trio and in pairs. This is a fantastic LP is produced by the great Robert Fripp.


[Spotify] We

“Janitor”, Suburban Lawns

This way: Janitor

Suburban Lawns were an American punk band formed in Long Beach, California in 1978 by CalArts students Vex Billingsgate and Su Tissue. They later recruited Richard "Frankie Ennui" Whitney, Charles "Chuck Roast" Rodriguez, and John "John Gleur" McBurney.

After forming in 1978, Suburban Lawns released their debut single, "Gidget Goes to Hell", in 1979 on their own Suburban Industrial label. The song gained the band notoriety when its Jonathan Demme-directed music video was shown on Saturday Night Live.

Their sole album, Suburban Lawns, produced and engineered by EJ Emmons and Troy Mathisen, was released in 1981 on I.R.S. Records, featuring new wave radio favorite "Janitor" (previously released as a single in 1980).

It has been said that the lyrics of “Janitor” were derived from a real-life conversation between Sue "Su Tissue" McLane and friend Brian Smith. According to Smith, the two were conversing in a loud room when they first met:

She asked me what I did for a living. I said I'm a janitor, and she thought I said "Oh my genitals." Frankie Ennui overheard this and wrote the song.

[Spotify] Janitor

[Extra credit] Janitor

“All the Way to the River”, John Hyatt

This way: All the Way to the River

Where does this song from? I guess its from years of songwriter. I love the structure of this song, not unheard of where the main line is repeated at the end of every stanza. Sad days in this woman’s life.

John Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded a variety of other distinctions in the music industry. He remains one of the most respected and influential American singer-songwriters.

Hiatt was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, when his song "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" was covered by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then he has released 22 studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album.

[Spotify] All the Way to the River

“Underpass”, John Foxx

This way: Underpass

Metamatic is the debut solo album by John Foxx, released in 1980. It was his first solo project following his split with Ultravox the previous year. A departure from the mix of synthesizers and conventional rock instrumentation on that band's work, Metamatic was purely electronic in sound. The name 'Metamatic' comes from a painting machine by kinetic artist Jean Tinguely, first exhibited at the Paris Biennial in 1959. The album peaked at #18 on the UK Albums Chart.

After signing to Virgin Records, Foxx achieved minor chart success with his first solo singles, "Underpass" (UK No. 31) and "No-One Driving" (UK No. 32). Its parent album Metamatic was released on 17 January 1980, and peaked at No. 18 in the UK Albums Chart. Foxx played most of the synthesisers and "rhythm machines", as they were listed on the sleeve. One of the album's songs, "Metal Beat", takes its name from a CR-78 drum machine sound used on the record. Virgin released the album under the imprint name Metal Beat Records, which was used for Foxx releases throughout his contract with them.aesthetic and political development of independent and underground rock music. 

[Spotify] Underpass

“Black Mirror”, Get Smart!

This way: Black Mirror

Get Smart! was a three-piece band formed in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1980 consisting of Marc Koch, Lisa Wertman Crowe and Frank Loose. I worked with Lisa and Frank in the print production work of Chicago. I saw them live a hundred times and they were always fantastic. Great people. 

The band formed while at University of Kansas in 1980 and, along with bands like the Embarrassment, Start and the Mortal Micronotz, they were prominent in the alternative music scene in Lawrence. They released their first record in 1981, which was a flexi disc released with "Talk Talk" magazine. This was followed by the self-released 4-track Words Move EP. Next was a four band split cassette, released by Fresh Sounds Records, called Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 1) (the four bands being Get Smart!, the Embarrassment, the Yard Apes and the Mortal Micronotz). In 1982 they relocated to Chicago, Illinois. The group were signed by Colin Camerer to his Fever Records label (an independent label in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and released their first album, Action Reaction in 1984. Swimming with Sharks was released in 1986 on Enigma Records’ “Restless Records” imprint. They have a ton of great songs.

Also included on Sub Pop 7: Cassette Compilation - Track 06, A-Side (1983)

[Spotify] Black Mirror

“Bulrushes”, The Bongos

This way: Bulrushes

The Bongos were a power pop band from Hoboken, New Jersey, primarily active in the 1980s, led by Richard Barone. With their unique musical style, they were major progenitors of the Hoboken pop scene, college radio favorites, and made the leap to national recognition with the advent of MTV. Their breakthrough song "Numbers with Wings" garnered the group a major cult following and was nominated at the first MTV Video Music Awards. Along with a handful of others, the Bongos were instrumental in the advancement of the Alternative Rock movement. 

[Spotify] Bulrushes

“Take the Skinheads Bowling”, Camper Van Beethoven

This way: Take the Skinheads Bowling

Camper Van Beethoven is an American rock band formed in Redlands, California in 1983 and later located in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Their style mixes elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk, alternative country, and world music. The band initially polarized audiences within the hardcore punk scene of California's Inland Empire before finding wider acceptance and, eventually, an international audience. Their strong iconoclasm and emphasis on do-it-yourself values proved influential to the burgeoning indie rock movement.

The band's first three independent records were released within an 18-month period. Their debut single was "Take the Skinheads Bowling". The group signed to Virgin Records in 1987, released two albums and enjoyed chart success with their 1989 cover of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men", a number one hit on Billboard Magazine's Modern Rock Tracks. They disbanded the following year due to internal tensions.

Lead singer David Lowery formed Cracker, David Immerglück joined Counting Crows, and several other members played in Monks of Doom. Beginning in 1999, the former members reunited and made several new records.

[Spotify] Take the Skinheads Bowling

“Amoeba”, Adolescents

This way: Amoeba

The Adolescents are an American punk rock band formed in Fullerton, California in 1980. Part of the hardcore punk movement in southern California in the early 1980s, they were one of the main punk acts to emerge from Orange County, along with their peers in Agent Orange and Social Distortion. Founding bassist Steve Soto was the sole constant member of the band since its inception, with singer Tony Reflex being in the group for all but one album. 

During the 1980s the band went through several lineup changes, breakups, and reunions, most involving drummer Casey Royer and guitarist brothers Rikk, Frank, and Alfie Agnew. During that decade, they released three albums: Adolescents (1981), Brats in Battalions (1987), and Balboa Fun*Zone (1988, without Reflex), then broke up in April 1989. On June 27, 2018, Soto died at the age of 54. 

[Spotify] Amoeba

“Against the 70’s”, Mike Watt

This way: Against the 70’s

Fantastic record from Mike with a treasure trove of collaborators. Eddie Vedder on Vocals on this one. 
“Ball-Hog or Tugboat?” is the debut solo album by former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist, songwriter and vocalist Mike Watt. It was recorded in 1994, and came at a personal and professional career crossroads for Watt. fIREHOSE had broken up after eight years and six releases earlier in 1994, and his marriage to former Black Flag bassist Kira Roessler had ended in divorce.

Without a full-time band, Watt recruited a wide variety of friends and fellow travelers to participate in the recording of the album. These included fellow SST Records alumni like former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins, members of Sonic Youth, Curt and Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets, former Saccharine Trust guitarist Joe Baiza, Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis, and former SST house producer Spot, as well as members of bands who had either toured with and/or been influenced by the Minutemen and Firehose, including Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Nirvana's Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl (making their first recorded appearance on a record since Kurt Cobain's death), Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros drummer Stephen Perkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers's Flea, Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner, former Germs and Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear, former Pixies singer Frank Black, former Screamers and Twisted Roots keyboardist Paul Roessler (who was also Watt’s brother-in-law), The Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando, The Circle Jerks' Zander Schloss, former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan and guitarist Gary Lee Conner, jazz/punk guitarist Nels Cline and his drummer Michael Preussner, that dog's Petra and Rachel Haden and Anna Waronker and Mike D and Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys. Also participating on the album were Parliament/Funkadelic organist Bernie Worrell, Carla Bozulich of the Geraldine Fibbers, Vince Meghrouni and Tony Atherton from the jazz band Bazooka and Bruce Hornsby drummer John Molo.

[Spotify] Against the 70’s

“Neon Lights”, Kraftwerk

This way: Neon Lights

There is no better band. This is how it is done for any form of art. Not the prolific type, but did you hear that latest Stones album? No, I didn’t think so. When this album came out minds were blown. We almost couldn’t keep a straight face until it really sunk in and we realized it was the greatest album ever recorded. We are the robots, yes, indeed. From 1978’s “Man-Machine”. Although any track from this record would sufice.

[Spotify] Neon Lights

“Other Side”, Grace Cummings

This way: Other Side

A young folk artist with a commanding, rough-hewn voice and forthright approach, Australian singer/songwriter Grace Cummings makes her auspicious debut with Refuge Cove. Bearing a classic tone that recalls the '60s folk revival infused with some of rock's raw power, Cummings began making the rounds in her native Melbourne in 2018. There's a sort of coarse beauty in the way that Cummings wields her distinctive voice, sounding almost blunt at times in a way that lends an eerie gravitas to the delicacy of many of her lyrics. There's also a welcome sense of immediacy in her work, like she's still in the process of figuring out how to properly use her tools while somehow sounding wise beyond her years. That freshness really comes out in Refuge Cove's austere nature and makes for a powerful debut. 

[Spotify] Other Side