Sunday scaries need calm peaceful music. Acoustic guitars complement and wrap around gentle melodies. If Strunz & Farah are the hot spigot in the music faucet; then AA is definitely the colder side. I'm in no hurry to surrender the weekend; this album isn't in one either.

Introduce yourself by listing 10 bands you have seen live Chick Corea's Vigil Slayer Rush The Fixx R.E.M. Iron Maiden Midnight Oil Aerosmith Van Halen Dave Brubeck Quartet

I appreciate Larry Coryell for his versatility. Whether translating piano songs to guitar; performing Ravel pieces; freaking out fusion; or making this collaboration with a virtuoso violinist he has a high success rate for fitting into situations that run contrary to expectation.

20-something years ago, VH1 had a show where they tried to reunite formerly popular bands. Extreme chose not to at the time; and it was a pleasant surprise to see them come together for this (and 6). They should've been one of the greats instead of among the underrated.

After the breakup of Mercyful Fate; I was really surprised to see guitarist Hank Shermann end up here. Fate were closer to bands like Europe or Bon Jovi than any of MF's peers. Music for 80s shopping malls and amusement parks. GET UP AND GO is an underdog track I still enjoy.

Spinning tracks from this, and remembered a story abount IN THE AIR TONIGHT. Allegedly Atlantic exec, Ahmet Ertegun had a recording well before it was released. When others would come see him to ask for bigger budgets or more money he would play Phil's home recording and say no.

I have a tendency to overlook 10k Maniacs when considering vintage college/alternative rock. Perhaps a little smoother than the music of their peers? Solid songwriting, competent performances, and strong vocals lead the way. TROUBLE ME, PUPPET, and POISON are highlights for me.

Going through some scratch-and-dent 70s artists this weekend. Trying to avoid the obvious choices and ended up here. Despite the menacing Frazetta cover art, the hard rock is tucked into disco, boogie, and country tropes. KENTUCKY FRIED BLUES and title track are highlights.

Was entirely unaware of this release from Spirit which had 2 editions. This is the Esoteric version that mixes the early psyche sound with late 80s production. It doesn't all work, but really enjoy LOVE FROM HERE and the Bo Diddley beat of the title track.

Hard to believe it's been 6 years since EVH's passing. Chose the underdog album. Reminded of what was lost, but grateful for all that was left behind. WOMEN IN LOVE still strikes me as classic. So dynamic in its gentle intro yielding to a stomping riff with great vocal harmonies.

SLAVES AND BULLDOZERS was a most cathartic track of my 20's (KILLING IN THE NAME OF... was the other). As I recognized the talent it took to write, perform, and record this album... I also noticed that 12 minutes of this is bliss, but the 13th minute leads to headaches for me.

Though familiar with TS at CAN'T STOP; this $3.99 LP found in the bins at Rolling Stones music one December night in the mid-80s was the first I brought home. It was ominous and heavy; but also hinted at how catchy they'd become. DESTROYER; DON'T KNOW; and title track still hit.

As a Jellyfish fan, when learning Jason Falkner and Roger Joseph Manning were part of this, I picked this up quickly. I didn't expect it to be 80's type techno synth pop somewhere between the Miami Vice soundtrack and a darker form of Information Society. Weird, but interesting.

As a new act, I absolutely didn't get the Pretenders; but each year that passes makes them better and better. TIME THE AVENGER remains an all-time favorite for me; but the fall-off from second-best to least favorite isn't that far. MIDDLE, CHAIN GANG, and MY CITY all strong.

Some days are better than others, as I wished for a few extra hours of today's sunlight and weather. Moving into evening with this sunny choice. While some of the mixing and keyboard patch choices definitely datestamp the album; its smoothly melodic way continues to connect.

With the turn of the calendar, the fall vibes are settling in. An artist that always fits this time is R.E.M. Found my way in on this album, and remembering this as a frequent listen during my junior and senior years of high school. Loved the hits, but DISTURBANCE brings me back.

In listening to several Capitol-era Megadeth albums, Have only now begun to realize the damage the 2004 remixes have done to my memories of these albums. For PEACE, I also have the 2011 remaster which returned to the original mix. THE CONJURING are like 2 different songs...

Bummed to hear about Cronos's passing. The first Venom LP I owned, though loved everything that came before it. Love it or hate it, Venom had authority, spectacle, and influence despite their musical limitations. They dreamed audaciously big. RIP RIDE shows how dreams prevail...

I realized that music had moved past me around 2000. I really did like this pop-punk record from DumDums which took a burst of Marvelous 3 energy; Fountains of Wayne directness; and a borrowed Joe Jackson angst to make something fun. CAUGHT ME and SHIP are the class of the album. xitter.cf/SMFOBA51/status/210544…

It was a game-changing album, but at the time it felt more for the next generation of heavy rock fans than the NWOBHM through 'thrash maturation' era of mine. I respected AERIALS and CHOP SUEY; but listening now, this album is so much deeper as NEEDLES and the title track prove.