Listen Up: 10-08-12

1. I'm Telling You Now – Freddie And The Dreamers – Brit Invasion, cheeky  chappie Freddie Garrity wouldn't quite make it as a sex symbol, but as a sweet softie, well, why not? Catchy novelty number that stands as a reminder of an innocence long since gone – Grade: B+

2. Antmusic – Adam And The Ants – Best moment of Saturday's gig is maybe the best moment of his career: careening drums and fake revolution – Grade: B+

 3. The Waiting – Tom Petty – Petty's problem isn't that he is an astonishingly boring guy, but that he can't write with any consistency. This terrific number is not an exception. I said CONSISTENCY, not ever! – Grade: A

4. J'oubleira ton Nom – Johnny Halliday – Translate to, I forgot your name, and another crap French ballade – Grade: C

5. To Give (The Reason I Live) – Franki Valli – Overblown 60s ballad, no wonder Morrissey loves it – Grade: B

6. Sweet Spot – Tift Merritt – The slide guitar gives it a country feel and the melody is all year – Grade: A

7. Old Brown Shoe – The Beatles – This is impressive because it sounds like an average Beatle track (by Harrison) but it is more: it is the MOST average late Beatle track: whipsmart, slightly  impressionistic love lyric (it does more with less), chugalug band stand, Macca on piano,  Harrison lick to die for and Ringo "ring on every finger" Starr subtle power play. We had a word for this when I was a kid: genius – Grade: A+

8. Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G. – Birth of modern hip hop – Grade: A+

9. The Message – Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five -With this one song, rap went from novelty act to musical genre – Grade: A+

10. She (Feat. Frank Ocean) – Tyler The Creator – Singlehandedly made Ocean and Tyler big big big time – Grade: A+

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