While seeking out the five picks for February’s CDs for a penny I realized how many albums I own that are currently up for sale on Amazon Marketplace for under one dollar. Not only has that made me call into question my taste in music but it has also made me question why so many very good albums can be gotten for so little.
Whatever the reason, this abundance of CDs available for less than $1 means it’s incredibly easy to build an impressive (and definitive) music collection.
Here’s our five picks for February:
Dishwalla: Pet Your Friends
Dishwalla may not have had a slew of hits and they may have such a ridiculous name that we’ve often pondered what it means but you can’t deny that their 1995 release “Pet Your Friends” made people sit up and listen. Known for the track “Counting Blue Cars,” Dishwalla earned a Billboard Award for “Best Rock Song” in 1996 and two ASACP Awards for “Rock
Track of the Year.” After this release, however, Dishwalla seemed to vanish.
The band released four studio albums before calling it quits in 2006. While their legacy may not be gold or what story tales are made of, Dishwalla’s debut release made an impact and for a penny, it’s a CD that is definitely worth adding to your collection.
Tracks to check out: “Haze,” “Counting Blue Cars,” “Charlie Brown’s Parents,” “Give,” “Miss Emma Peel,” and “The Feeder.”
Tracks to miss: “Explode,” “Moisture,” and “All She Can See.”
No Address: Time Doesn’t Notice
No Address can’t even be called a one-hit wonder. Sure, they’re song “When I’m Gone (Sadie)” got a lot of play from modern rock radio but only crossed into the mainstream landing at #11 on the charts. “Time Doesn’t Notice” is the band’s only CD before they broke up last year though rumors abound that they are back together working on new material.
Even if they don’t come back, No Address gave us the goods with their debut album. With 13 tracks, “Time Doesn’t Notice” is a bit of an schizophrenic release but is full of good Tom Petty style rock songs. Liken them if you will to bands like Seven Mary Three, No Address has created an album of very catchy rock songs.
Tracks to check out: “Perfect,” “When I’m Gone (Sadie),”Lasting Words,” “It’s Alright,” and “”How Could I?”
Tracks to miss: “Mother Sunday,” and “Time.”
Faster Pussycat: Wake Me When Its Over
Everyone knows who Warrant is. We all know who Poison is but it seems that everyone has forgotten about Faster Pussycat. And this sophomore release from the L.A. 80s metal/glam rock band is full of gold.
Forget about the bizarro industrial style version of “Bathroom Wall” on the Guitar Hero games, “Wake Me When Its Over” is the real deal Faster Pussycat playing late 80s hair metal the way it should be played.
Tracks to check out: “Where There’s a Whip There’s a Way,” “House of Pain,” “Slip of the Tongue,” and “Tattoo.”
Tracks to miss: “Arizona Indian Doll.”
Airheads: Official Soundtrack for the Motion Picture
Not only is this one of my favorite movies of all time about a metal band that breaks into a radio station to get their demo on the air, but its got a rockin’ soundtrack featuring some really great bands. Surprisingly enough, you can pick up this gem on Amazon for a penny as well.
And for only one penny you’re getting tunes by Motorhead, White Zombie, Anthrax, The Ramones, and of course, The Lone
Rangers. You’ve got 4 Non Blondes (of the hit song “What’s Up”) covering Van Halen’s “I’m the One” in a really rad fashion, and Motorhead teaming up with Whitfield Crane (read:Ugly Kid Joe) and Ice-T to remake their hit “Born to Raise Hell.”
Tracks to check out: “Born to Raise Hell” by Motorhead with Ice-T and Whitfield Crane, “I’m the One” by 4 Non Blondes, “Feed the Gods” by White Zombie, and “London” by Anthrax.
Tracks to miss: “Bastardizing Jellikit” by Primus and “Fuel” by Stick.
Spacehog: Resident Alien
Consider Spacehog the David Bowie for the 90s and their release “Resident Alien” is indeed a unique one, unlike anything else that was released that year. Their tune “In the Meantime” may well put them into the one-hit wonder category but “Resident Alien” is an album that you can play from beginning to end and call it a solid release.
Tracks to check out: “The Last Dictator,” “In the Meantime,” “Space is the Place,” and “Never Coming Down (part II).”
Tracks to miss: “Starside” and “To Be A Millionaire…Was it Lucky”
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