Father's Day 2024 - Dad's Top 5

By Jessica Klausing

Happy Father's Day! Today, we celebrate your unwavering love, strength, and guidance that shape our lives in countless ways. Whether you're a dad, stepdad, grandfather, or father figure, your presence and support make a world of difference. To all the dads out there - YOU rock!

I have asked my dad to share his top five favorite songs for this special occasion. In no particular order, here are my dad’s selections:

Don McLean - “American Pie”

This song was frequently played during our family trips. I came to appreciate it more deeply when my dad explained its backstory. The recurring line “the day the music died” refers to the tragic 1959 plane crash that took the lives of rock 'n' roll icons Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, marking the end of the early rock 'n' roll era. Don McLean not only mourns the loss of his childhood music heroes but also reflects on the cultural shifts and loss of innocence of his generation. The theme of nostalgic loss resonates with us all.

Led Zeppelin - “Stairway to Heaven”

My dad is the reason I became a huge Led Zeppelin fan. He gifted me his CD of Led Zeppelin - The Complete BBC Sessions when I was in middle school, which kick-started my interest in classic rock. I have many fond memories of listening to “Stairway to Heaven” in the car, with my dad waiting for the song to finish before leaving the vehicle. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

Arlo Guthrie - “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”

I remember this song always being played on the radio on Thanksgiving Day. I also recall my dad always having to record it on his tape player too! “Alice's Restaurant Massacree,” commonly known as “Alice's Restaurant,” is a satirical talking blues song. Singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie protests against the Vietnam War draft in a comically exaggerated but mostly true story from his own experience.

The Allman Brothers Band - “Midnight Rider”

My dad's musical taste is mostly rooted in Southern Rock. It was quite challenging to pinpoint his absolute favorites, but we collectively agreed that this is one of Gregg Allman's best! “Midnight Rider” tells the story of a man determined to evade the law. With Gregg's powerful, soulful voice and Duane's folksy, driven guitar licks, it's a quintessential road trip song.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Gimme Three Steps”

Most people are introduced to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music through their hit, “Sweet Home Alabama,” but for me, it was “Gimme Three Steps.” My dad is a huge Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, so their debut album was played a lot in our household. “Gimme Three Steps” was the first song I heard and one that got a lot of repeat plays. The song tells of a suspenseful encounter lead singer Ronnie Van Zant had at a bar when a gun was pulled on him for dancing with another man’s girlfriend. It’s a catchy rock 'n' roll song filled with high energy and a triple-pronged guitar attack.

Mother's Day 2024 - Mom's Top 5

By Jessica Klausing

Happy Mother’s Day! Whether you’re a mother, stepmother, fur mom, or a motherly figure in someone’s life - we believe ALL mothers are the real rockstars! 

I have asked my mom to share her top five favorite songs in honor of this special occasion. She’s asked me to inform the readers that this list is in no particular order. So, without further ado, here are my mom’s song picks:

The Spinners - “I’ll Be Around”

When you think of that classic smooth R&B sound, The Spinners are one of the first iconic acts that come to mind. “I’ll Be Around” was originally released as the B-side of the single “How Could I Let You Get Away.” However, radio DJs favored “I’ll Be Around.” The song became an unexpected hit, spending five weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart. It’s one of my mom’s favorites for its gorgeous musical production.

Prince and The Revolution - “Purple Rain”

Prince’s iconic power ballad, “Purple Rain,” ranked number two on the Hot 100 chart in 1984. It was also the title track of the album and the film’s name that Prince starred in, loosely based on his life as a young artist trying to make it within the cutthroat music industry. This song holds a special place in my mom’s heart, as it was the first song my parents danced to when they met. 

Sammy Hagar - “I Can’t Drive 55”

My mom and I share a love for classic rock! Van Halen was one of the bands we listened to a lot in my youth. Although I tend to prefer the David Lee Roth songs, my mom is a devoted Sammy Hagar fan. There’s a reason this song made it on VH1’s 100 Greatest Rock Songs list – it’s such a fun, high-energy banger! Warning: Be wary of police cars when joyriding to this song.

Loverboy - “Lovin’ Every Minute Of It”

I’ve asked my mom to tell me her favorite concert. She’s unable to provide me with a number one, but Loverboy is a top choice! “Lovin’ Every Minute Of It” has that quintessential 80’s Hard Rock ‘feel-good, head-banging’ bravado. 

Journey - “Girl Can’t Help It”

If my mom had to pick a favorite rock band, Journey would be it. “Girl Can’t Help It” was released as the third single from their 1986 album, Raised on Radio. This song tends to get overshadowed by the band’s mega-hit, “Don’t Stop Believin,” but music fans can still appreciate Steve Perry’s flawless, powerful vocals.

M2M

Written by Jessica Klausing

M2M (from left: Marit Larsen and Marion Raven).

M2M defined the bubblegum pop genre in the Y2K era. These young ladies wooed music audiences with their angelic airy vocals and sugary sweet innocent lyrics about teen love and heartbreak. 

The Norwegian pop duo comprised of childhood friends Marion Raven and Marit Larsen. Their debut album, Shades of Purple (2000) sold over 1.5 million units worldwide with the single, “Don’t Say You Love Me,” receiving critical and commercial success. Raven and Larsen wrote the lyrics and played instruments on their songs which set them apart from most pop artists.

Unfortunately, their commercial success and squeaky clean imagery were unable to compete with the likes of pop superstars, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. In 2002 M2M released their second album, The Big Room, which comprised of soft rock ballads and a less pop-oriented sound. Despite topping the Australia and Norway music charts, the second album only sold close to 100,000 units in the US. The duo disbanded the year of its release, with each pursuing a solo career.

Below is a top 5 list of the best M2M songs.

1.        “Don’t Say You Love Me” from Shades of Purple (2000)

“Don’t Say You Love Me” was M2M’s biggest hit in the US. The song first appeared on Radio Disney before its official release in October 1999. It was released on the Pokemon: The First Movie soundtrack and appears in the film’s closing credits. Lyrically, the song tells of a girl wanting to take things slow rather than rush into a relationship with, “We’re sitting there, you start kissing me, what’s that about?” There is a slight lyric difference in the Pokemon version, having changed the ‘kissing’ lyric to, “You said you love me, what’s that about?" for the younger audiences.

2.       “Everything You Do” from Shades of Purple (2000)

“Everything You Do” is an infectious pop earworm.  The pitch perfect harmonies interlaced with the hooks make it such a ridiculously good, catchy tune. With the success of “Don’t Say You Love Me” and “Mirror, Mirror,” this song was an underrated track on Shades of Purple. While the lyrics are simple, sound wise it compares to early Britney Spears and B*Witched.

3.       “Everything” from The Big Room (2001)

“Everything” was the first single for the second and final album, The Big Room. The song is aimed at Zac Hanson, who Marion Raven dated briefly while M2M was on tour with Hanson. According to Raven, once the tour ended he never contacted her, effectively ending the relationship. The Big Room aimed to show off a more mature, less bubblegum pop-oriented cutesy side of M2M. M2M dubbed their new style as “organic pop,” as the album featured all real instruments as opposed to using computerized sounds.

4.       “Mirror, Mirror” from Shades of Purple (2000)

“Mirror, Mirror” was M2M’s second biggest hit in the US. It was the second single off Shades of Purple, reaching 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is about sadness following a lost love, and a young girl’s despair after “saying the wrong thing to the right guy.” The song became a hit after airing on Nickelodeon's SNICK House and on an episode of Disney Channel in Concert.

5.       “Wait For Me” from The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M (2003)

M2M did not disband without leaving a wonderful gift behind for their devastated fans: The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M. The compilation album features all of their singles from their two studio albums, Shades of Purple and The Big Room, some acoustic versions of the songs, enhanced re-releases, and a few new songs. The real treat was the new song “Wait For Me.” The song itself is vastly different from anything on the previous albums. The guitar intro has a bossa nova feel before taking it into a country territory. 

The Brothers Johnson - "Strawberry Letter 23"

Written by Jessica Klausing

The Brothers Johnson's "Strawberry Letter 23" is one of my all time favorite love songs!

The song was written by Shuggie Otis for his second album, Freedom Flight in 1971. Guitarist George Johnson, who was dating one of Otis's cousins, came across the track and played it for producer Quincy Jones. The group recorded a more funkier version for their 1977 album, Right On Time. Their rendition hit the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Soul Singles chart in 1977. 

At age 17, Otis wrote "Strawberry Letter 23" as way to describe his romantic feelings for his girlfriend. Though the lyrics commonly refer to "Strawberry Letter 22," Otis explains that, "the song is about a love letter. The guy and the girl had written each other 22 love letters. And the 23rd one he writes is a song."

"Strawberry Letter 23" is a psychedelic transcendence into bliss. The lyrics paint a vivid, colorful imagery about the innocence of love. The heavenly harmonies swirl magically with the funky bass beats and hypnotic chimes. However, the real show stopper is Lee Ritenour's extensive trippy progressive rock layered guitar solo towards the end.

Backstreet Boys Documentary Review & Top 5 Songs

Written by Jessica Klausing

Backstreet’s Back – Just in time for their 25th anniversary!  Alright! The band has just announced their 25th-anniversary world tour kicks off in 2018. No dates have been confirmed yet. Currently, you can catch their Las Vegas show, “Larger Than Life,” from November until February 2018.

With over 130 million records sold worldwide, record breaking tours and countless awards have earned Backstreet Boys the title of best selling boy band of all time. They have also managed to have all nine of their albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200. 25 years later and the boys show no signs of slowing down.  Here’s my review of their documentary.

"Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of" is more than just a film promoting their 2013 album, In A World Like This. This is a film that provides an honest look into the rise of their superstardom and its seductive dark side...

Director Stephen Kijack follows Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and Nick Carter on a nostalgic journey to their hometowns. This journey prompts plenty of laughs, tears, and hugs as the band tries to reconnect with each other for the new tour. Fans are treated with never before seen archival footage of the group's early days. We learn interesting tidbits like the boys used to watch porn as teenagers at Lou Pearlman's mansion.

Despite the lightheartedness, we learn about each of the boys' struggle with their inner demons. Brian suffers from vocal tension dysphonia, AJ is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, Kevin has just returned to the band after his leave in 2006, Howie wants more lead vocals, and Nick deals with ongoing family drama. Beyond their cheery music was a career of corruption that surfaces in the film.

It's a bit frustrating that the dark side is not fully explored. The eerie trip to Lou Pearlman's abandoned mansion could have answered so many open ended questions. The former manager was jailed in 2007 for running the largest Ponzi scheme in the US. Pearlman died of cardiac arrest last year. He cheated Backstreet out of millions of dollars while they toured nonstop. Later allegations surfaced that Pearlman was a sexual predator to his boy bands. Jane Carter (Nick’s mom) made a statement to Vanity Fair which leads to believe that Nick might have been a victim. Nobody ever confirms or denies these allegations in the film. The guys even seem to forgive Pearlman for scamming them all those years. In the end, the film focuses more on their career rather than Hollywood gossip.

Below are my top 5 picks for the best BSB songs.

1.       “I Want It That Way” from Millennium (1999)

The band’s biggest pop hit to date. That classic Max Martin midtempo ballad, confusing lyrical interpretation, and heavenly harmonies were the magic ingredients for a pop masterpiece. This was also a Brian Littrell spotlight song.  Brian, effortlessly, nails the high notes towards the end. The real showstopper though is Kevin’s solo. Kevin mostly backs up the band with his rich, baritone sound. He rarely does solos. Hearing his soothing and sultry voice as the lead was a real treat.

2.       “As Long As You Love Me” from Backstreet Boys (1997)

This song was the megahit predecessor to “I Want It That Way.” In 1997 this single dominated Total Request Live (TRL) and the US radio airwaves. We were introduced into the Backstreet world of dreamy vocals and slick dance moves. The chair routine in the music video became their signature dance.  Nick Carter deserves a huge shout out here. I never thought preteen Nick was a strong vocalist. Sorry. I never disliked Nick. I just think the earlier Backstreet songs never showed off his vocals properly until this one.

3.       “Incomplete” from Never Gone (2005)

2003 was a tough year for Backstreet Boys. AJ struggled with an alcohol and drug addiction during the Black & Blue tour. Nick was suffering from alcohol abuse as well. The band soon disappeared on a two year hiatus. Never Gone was their comeback album with “Incomplete” as the last song to receive commercial success. This track shows off the mature side of Backstreet rather than yet another upbeat love ballad. This is a slower, dreary bittersweet tune baring vulnerability. Beautiful!

4.       “Unmistakable” from Unbreakable (2007)

“Unmistakable” is one of the Backstreet bests despite Kevin’s absence. The album, Unbreakable, stayed within the pop roots but with more technological enhancements. I appreciate that it still sounds like pop without the oversaturated EDM usage. Our “boys” have all grown up. We hear them break out of their boy band cookie cutter mold with more dynamic vocals. The two octave harmonies on the chorus give the song more power.

5.       “Show ‘Em (What You’re Made Of)” from In a World Like This (2013)

I love the inspirational message behind this song! The album, In a World Like This, shows the boys continuing to evolve with their pop sound.  Backstreet were more involved with the writing and producing on this album. As a result most of the songs reflect their own life experiences. “Show ‘Em (What You’re Made Of)” is more acoustic-driven than any of their other songs.  Of course, what Backstreet track would be complete without those smooth harmonies?