The emotions had already been high for me as on Sunday, as I went geocaching that afternoon, learned that a good friend on Facebook from my hometown, died suddenly in her sleep; someone who enjoyed the finer things in life, and lived it with vigor. No sooner had I reflected on her passing, came the news on Monday afternoon that two bombs were set off near the finish line of the legendary Boston Marathon, run on that town's Patroit's Day, to commemorate the town's triumph in on one of the battles of the Revolutionaary War. It was suppose to be a glory day for the town of Boston, what with the town's baseball team, the Red Sox playing a home game that day also, as is customary every year.
Three people were killed, including an eight year old boy who happened to be standing right next to where one of the bombs detonated.. Over 175 were injured, many of them severely. That black cloud hovered over all of us during the week. One of the nicest observations was that of the bond between Boston and New York, especially beween the towns' sports teams; particularly the Yankees and Red Sox, fierce rivals normally, but now standing together in times of Beantown's' time of need. Excellently done. And, with the prime suspects either killed or captured, perhaps they can move on with their lives.
Boston, of course, is a town that loves its music as well, and many classic rock bands, including Aerosmith (who I finally had the pleasure of catching last summer), J. Geils Band, Boston and The Cars, immediately come to mind; they are the most enduring. But we can't forget the Dropkick Murphy's, Guster, Godsmack, and Extreme. Some personal faves, in addition, were Belly, The Stompers, Face to Face (whose 1984 chart hit "10-9-8" I posted today), Folk Implosion, The Pixies, Lemonheads, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are some that have been enjoyed by myself, and some of my friends over the years. And let's not forget pop legends like Donna Summer, New Edition, New Kids on the Block or folk & soft rock legends such as Joan Baez, and James Taylor. A wealth of music coming from New England.
MEANWHILE, IN JERSEY: While we are all saluting "Boston Pride", our Jersey counterparts were continuing to be "Jersey Strong". We saw more pictures of boardwalks being rebuilt, familar bars and establishments reopening for business, and residents trying to get the pieces put back together. Another image was in Seaside Heights where the roller coaster sitting in the ocean as well as the ferris wheel, still on what's left of the pier, was being removed, hopefully to be rebuilt bigger and better than ever.
Jersey's country outfit, After the Reign, has already done a tribute song to the victims of Superstorm Sandy, and "Jersey Strong" recently landed in my top 20 a few weeks ago. Now comes another salute to Garden State resiliency, this one by state laureate Paul Czekaj, author of the two "My Home New Jersey" songs and video that went viral not too long ago (as well as both making my top 30 on SNS). This one is called "Even Better Than Before"; the song and video were released this past week. Once again, still images as well as footage of the glory days of The Shore were featured. I am proud to say that many of the still shots were mine; having been there just a few weeks after the destruction, and trying to put things in perspective. We were all affected by the storm, but it was our brothers and sisters to our south that suffered most of the impact; many still have yet to fully assess the damage. I had also returned in February to observe the progress (if any) being made.
As for Paul's song itself, it's a very good one, I found myself humming it to myself after viewing the video a few times. As a result, it's my Top Debut at #50. Check it out for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPJomo3qzUk&feature=youtu.be
The other significant debut this week comes from Guards, a three piece band, although I don't know yet where they hail from. But their song "Ready to Go" is from their album In Guards We Trust and is getting some airplay in alternative music circles. I believe the album is out right now. After that comes Dan Croll, who I do know is from Liverpool in England. Both songs are definitely worth checking out. So far, this is Croll's only output, this single, but he will release another one this month. No album in the works as of yet, but this is a great start.
BRIEFLY: Fitz & the Tantrums, "Out of My League" holds at the top spot for a record typing seventh week, pulling it even with "Screws Get Loose" by Those Darlins, and "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" by Pink. Will it break the record next week? It's got a good chance, but the lead over Lana Del Rey, "Ride" at the #2 position for a second week, is more modest now. "Come Along" by Vicci Martinez, "Spotlight" by Leagues and "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink, also have outside chances; the latter song is the new #1 on Billboard this week.
There's only one new entry in the Top 20, and it's like a visit from an old friend. "Heaven" by Depeche Mode, theBritish synth band initially popular in the 1980's but has managed to maintain a continuous presence since. Every album released since their late 80's heyday has gotten some sort of airplay. This song landed briefly on the alternative charts recently (it fell off, but a new single, "Sooth My Soul" has already taken its place). But I'm sticking with "Heaven" for now, it's a slow, haunting song that's consistant with their style, yet sounds somewhat new. Their album Delta Machine was released last month and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Glad to see some bands stick around this long.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
April 13, 2013
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
1
|
NUMBER ONE:
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
"Out of My League"
Album: More Than Just A Dream
7 weeks @ #1
|
9
|
|
2
|
2
|
Lana Del Ray - Ride
|
10
|
|
3
|
4
|
Vicci Martinez f. Cee Lo Green- Come Along
|
10
|
|
4
|
3
|
Leagues - Spotlight
|
11
|
|
5
|
11
|
Pink f. Nate Ruess - Just Give Me A Reason
|
6
|
|
6
|
9
|
Leila - Monday
|
6
|
|
7
|
6
|
Maroon 5 - Daylight
|
16
|
|
8
|
5
|
Pageants - Musing of the Tide
|
12
|
|
9
|
7
|
Rachel Allyn - Do It Yourself
|
10
|
|
10
|
15
|
Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute
|
8
|
|
11
|
10
|
Train - Mermaid
|
13
|
|
12
|
8
|
Veronica Falls - Teenage
|
13
|
|
13
|
14
|
Fun - Carry On
|
24
|
|
14
|
13
|
Two Door Cinema Club - Sun
|
12
|
|
15
|
16
|
Django Django - Hail Bop
|
8
|
|
16
|
12
|
Wild Nothing - Shadow
|
12
|
|
17
|
17
|
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - They Told Me
|
9
|
|
18
|
19
|
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
|
8
|
|
19
|
20
|
Paramore - Now
|
10
|
|
20
|
27
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
DEPECHE MODE
"Heaven"
Album: Delta Machine
|
7
|
|
21
|
23
|
Avett Brothers - February Seven
|
12
|
|
22
|
58
|
The Veils - Through the Deep Dark Wood
|
2
|
|
23
|
25
|
Phillip Phillips - Gone Gone Gone
|
9
|
|
24
|
26
|
Phoenix - Entertainment
|
7
|
|
25
|
18
|
Lifehouse f. Natasha Bedingfield - Between the Raindrops
|
13
|
|
26
|
24
|
The Strokes - All the Time
|
9
|
|
27
|
22
|
Bon Jovi - Because We Can
|
10
|
|
28
|
21
|
Golden Void - The Curve
|
26
|
|
29
|
51
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
CALVIN HARRIS featuring FLORENCE WELCH
"Sweet Nothing"
Album: 18 Months
|
2
|
|
30
|
37
|
Golden Void - Shady Grove
|
5
|
|
31
|
36
|
New Politics - Harlem
|
7
|
|
32
|
41
|
Dawes - From A Window Seat
|
6
|
|
33
|
40
|
Pure X - Things In My Head
|
8
|
|
34
|
44
|
Wild Belle - Keep You
|
6
|
|
35
|
28
|
The Mowglis - San Francisco
|
17
|
|
36
|
33
|
Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backward
|
17
|
|
37
|
31
|
The Satelliters - Shake Shake Shake
|
21
|
|
38
|
30
|
Churchill - Change
|
30
|
|
39
|
29
|
Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven
|
13
|
|
40
|
32
|
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Runaway
|
24
|
|
41
|
56
|
Alabama Shakes - Hang Loose
|
3
|
|
42
|
38
|
After the Reign - Jersey Strong
|
12
|
|
43
|
34
|
Pink - Try
|
24
|
|
44
|
35
|
Civil Twilight - River
|
25
|
|
45
|
39
|
Foxygen - Shuggie
|
13
|
|
46
|
64
|
Palma Violets - Last of the Summer Wine
|
3
|
|
47
|
42
|
Yeasayer - Reagen's Skeleton
|
18
|
|
48
|
47
|
Frank Ocean - Thinking About You
|
16
|
|
49
|
50
|
The Lumineers - Stubborn Love
|
17
|
|
50
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
PAUL CZEKAJ
"Even Better Than Before"
(single only)
|
1
|
|
51
|
55
|
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - We The Common
|
6
|
|
52
|
61
|
Watch the Duck - Poppin Off
|
11
|
|
53
|
73
|
Serena Ryder - Stompa
|
5
|
|
54
|
53
|
Mumford and Sons - Lover of the Light
|
11
|
|
55
|
59
|
Deap Vally - Ain't Far
|
16
|
|
56
|
62
|
The Features - This Disorder
|
6
|
|
57
|
65
|
Of Monsters and Men - King & Lionheart
|
3
|
|
58
|
91
|
Hanson - Get the Girl Back
|
2
|
|
59
|
76
|
The Satelliters - Gonna Get Away
|
2
|
|
60
|
43
|
Passion Pit - Carried Away
|
18
|
|
61
|
52
|
Tame Impala - Apocalypse Dreams
|
22
|
|
62
|
71
|
Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire
|
3
|
|
63
|
46
|
Family of the Year - Hero
|
18
|
|
64
|
48
|
Generationals - When They Fight They Fight
|
24
|
|
65
|
45
|
Dum Dum Girls - Lord Knows
|
16
|
|
66
|
82
|
Kurt Vile - Never Run Away
|
2
|
|
67
|
49
|
Leila - Mirror Mirror
|
26
|
|
68
|
57
|
The Vaccines - I Always Knew
|
21
|
|
69
|
60
|
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - Holy Roller
|
20
|
|
70
|
78
|
Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
|
3
|
|
71
|
54
|
Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble
|
16
|
|
72
|
74
|
Mister Lie - Pupine
|
12
|
|
73
|
81
|
Chelsea Light Moving - Groovy and Linda
|
5
|
|
74
|
67
|
The Satelliters - Lost in Time
|
31
|
|
75
|
75
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
19
|
|
76
|
77
|
Johnny Marr - Sun & Moon
|
7
|
|
77
|
85
|
Local Natives - Heavy Feet
|
5
|
|
78
|
----
|
Guards - Ready To Go
|
1
|
|
79
|
63
|
Cold War Kids - Miracle Mile
|
11
|
|
80
|
68
|
Neon Trees - Lessons In Love
|
12
|
|
81
|
69
|
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Stars
|
30
|
|
82
|
70
|
Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
|
28
|
|
83
|
----
|
Dan Croll - From Nowhere
|
1
|
|
84
|
----
|
Linkin Park - Castle of Grass
|
1
|
|
85
|
79
|
1939 Ensemble - Sabotage
|
7
|
|
86
|
90
|
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Jubilee Street
|
5
|
|
87
|
84
|
Shout Out Louds - Illusions
|
5
|
|
88
|
96
|
Deathfix - Better Than Bad
|
5
|
|
89
|
66
|
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
|
35
|
|
90
|
72
|
All American Rejects - Heartbeat Slowing Down
|
9
|
|
91
|
88
|
Toby Keith - Hope on the Rocks
|
9
|
|
92
|
89
|
Green Day - X-Kid
|
5
|
|
93
|
99
|
Youth Lagoon - Afternoon
|
2
|
|
94
|
83
|
Fall Out Boy - My Song Knows What I Did To You In The Dark
|
8
|
|
95
|
93
|
Frank Turner - Recovery
|
3
|
|
96
|
----
|
The XX - Sunset
|
1
|
|
97
|
----
|
The Law Langhorne Slim - The Way We Move
|
1
|
|
98
|
98
|
Matt Hires - Restless Heart
|
2
|
|
99
|
RE ENTRY
|
Walk of the Earth - Red Hands
|
4
|
|
100
|
----
|
Matt and Kim - It's Alright
|
1
|
TREMORS:
101. Goo Goo Dolls, Rebel Beat
102. Vampire Weekend, Diane Young
103. Taylor Swift, 22
104. Ginny Blackmore, Bones
105. Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis, Thriftshop
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