When we talk about rock music, it's invariably "classic rock". And, when we talk about "classic rock", it's usually about 1970's bands, with perhaps some late 1960's and even some 1980's thrown in for good measure. In fact, one reputable publication that summarizes various Billboard Charts recent placed the end of the "rock era' at 1989!
While that is perhaps around the time Top 40 radio started moving away from rock-oriented music, it was far from over. Yet, when we do talk about nineties music, it's invariably the grunge scene out of Seattle (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc). And while, yes, those years are essential in any rock history books, equally, what had arisen in the wake of grunge, laid the foundation for what came the rest of the decade. Often referred to as "post-grunge", or simply, "alternative rock", many bands not associated with Seattle were popular, if not fully at Top 40, then definitely on Modern Rock playlists.
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| Collective Soul, initially popular in the 1990's, headlined a concert at Morristown's Mayo Center for the Performing Arts. Also on the bill were Better Than Ezra and Tonic. |
Three bands that perfectly defined that era, Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, and Tonic, performed on Friday October 29, at Morristown's Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC). It has been several years since I've been to a concert featuring major rock acts, and the shutdown caused by COVID didn't help matters at all. Originally wanting to skip it, I had an opportunity when a friend who had tickets couldn't go, thus sold them to my wife and I.
Concerts had just resumed at various venues around the country recently, although there were still precautions to be had. First, you had to show your vaccination card, and you had to also wear a mask inside the venue, except, of course when you were eating and drinking from the concession area. But, you gotta do what you gotta do.
We had excellent seats: First row of the balcony, so there was no obstructed view. The show had started at 7 PM, with Tonic leading things off. I can't say that I was a big Tonic fan; none of their songs made any of my year-end countdowns, although "If You Could Only See" was a big hit for them, landing at #11 on the Hot 100, #3 on the alternative chart, and #1 at mainstream rock. Of course, that song was played as well as their current single "To Be Loved". The band played for about half an hour, and front man Emerson Hart was awesome in playing to the audience, which would set the stage for the evening. My wife Barb had said their set was the best of the evening.
What I didn't know about the band was that they had roots in New Jersey. While their Wikipedia page indicated the group was based in Los Angeles, they mentioned that the members are from right here in the Garden State. Hart was originally from Atlantic Highlands, bassist Dan Lavery is from Lawrenceville; other members were from Ewing and even here in Morristown, thus a homecoming of sorts. Since the band never made any of my year-end lists, they wouldn't have made my recent "100 Jersey Oriented Artists that Affected Me" list; but despite all that, this is a band that still has potential.
After a short break, Better Than Ezra took the stage. Led by Kevin Griffin, the band from New Orleans was a big favorite of mine with many songs hitting my year-end lists btween 1995 and 2001. Their big album was 1995's Deluxe which contained their #1 alternative hit "Good", a song that they led off with. The band mixed in a lot of covers along with some of their hits. "Desperately Wanting", and "In the Blood" were also played, while leaving out "King of New Orleans" and my personal fave, "Rosealia". They even interjected "Don't Fear the Reaper" in the middle of "In the Blood". Griffin also interacted with the crowd, and also showcased drummer Michael Jerome in a prolonged drum solo. The band played for about 45 minutes, followed by a lengthy intermission.
I had seen Atlanta-based Collective Soul before, back in 1999. At that time, they toured to support their Dosage album released that year, and did a free concert at Stratton Mountain that was sponsored by radio station WEQX. They did a great job, until the crowd started throwing snowballs at the stage, prompting an immediate end to that show.
This time, they didn't have to worry about that, as the band, one of my all-time faves, delivered the goods within the confines of the MPAC. Front man Ed Roland was very animated, wearing a fancy outfit, moving about the stage, a la Mick Jagger or Steven Tyler, which was good to see; back in the day, Collective Soul was known as a "faceless" band, and perhaps it was in response to that statement which prompted Roland to move to that persona. The band had multiple #1 mainstream rock hits back in the day, and just about all the key songs were played. While I wasn't sure of their lead song, the next one, "Precious Declaration" was one of my faves, landing in my 1997 year-end top 10, and getting me through some rough times. After a few songs, including "Heavy" (my #2 song from 1999), "December", and their signature song of sorts, and first hit, 1994's "Shine", Roland engaged in banter with the audience, and played up their Georgia roots including mentioning the ongoing World Series (eventually won by the Braves). And, like Better Than Ezra, there was a drum solo being showcased by the band's Johnny Rabb.
One thing I liked about the band was that Ed Roland didn't have a political opinion, stating "left...right....right....wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion", and that is what makes America a great country and to enjoy our freedom (and thanking our troops in the process). He also made a statement about COVID, that in spite of the ongoing pandemic, the fact the shows are happening once again shows that we are indeed "Better Now", at which time, the band went into that 2005 song of the same name, one of my favorites from the band. It was during that song that Rabb did his drum solo to the beat, in which some of the balcony crowd were chanting "The World's Done Shaking / The World's Done Shaking / The World's Done Shaking Me Down" (very apropos). When the band resumed the song after the solo, Roland had the whole crowd sing that.
The band did one cover, an homage to fellow Georgians R.E.M., with "The One I Love". Other than that, it was more of their many songs like "Gel", and "The World I Know". The band had an unusual end to their hour and a half set. While you would think they would end with their most popular song ("Shine" was played midway through), they chose "Run", a song off of Dosage (and my #10 song of 1999). Apparently, this all came about when a couple sitting next to us, who follow the band around on their tours noticed that they never played that song, one of their comparatively mellow ones at their shows. Since then it has been their final song of the show. Originally played by the entire band, and Ed Roland inviting us to sing the chorus "I've Got a Long Way /To Run", one by one, the band left the stage, but kept playing until eventually the entire band disappears, still playing the song, but fading out. A very interesting way to end things.
Collective Soul, almost thirty years after they formed, is still an active band. While the band had had its share of personnel changes, Ed Roland, his brother Dean on rhythm guitar and bassist Will Turpin are original members. The band's most recent album was 2019's Blood. The one before that, 2015's See What You Started by Continuing, yielded a top 20 blog hit with "Contagious" that also ended up on my year-end list.
I had an awesome time at the show and reaffirmed my belief that the 1990's were a good decade for rock, a decade that saw me abandon pop music and entrench myself into alternative rock, in its various forms.
BEGGING A RETURN: Maneskin returns to the top of the SNS 100 playlist as "Beggin" moves back to #1 and replaces Dua Lipa's "Love Again". The Maneskin song inches up the Hot 100 getting ever so close to that chart's top 10. Halsey moves from 4-3 with "You Asked for This", but a #1 slot next week isn't guaranteed. That's because two big movers, Fleet Foxes' "Featherweight" (16-5) and Adele's "Easy on Me" (22-6, Impact). This is the British songstress' 13th consecutive song to hit my top 20. It is #1 for a second week on the Hot 100 and is #9 on the Top 40, #3 Adult Contemporary, #4 on Triple-A and #6 on Hot AC airplay charts. It's safe to say that she hasn't skipped a beat. Vivian Girls' "Something To Do" moves an unbulleted 12 to 7, joining "Sick" (#4) in the Top 10. The only active song in the second ten is Winnetka Bowling League's "Pulp" (20-13).
THIS IS NOT THE 'LAST GOODBYE': Among the big movers poised to enter the top 20 is Anna Lavigne's "Dance the Last Goodbye" (40-24, Mover of the Week), the fourth cut from her debut Angels in Sandshoes, but the Scottish singer isn't resting on her laurels: She just released her sophomore album Roses for the Ride. Next week, I will add a cut from that album that will join "Last Goodbye" on the playlist. This is an awesome talent, and I will talk more about the album next week.
(SCREEN) AGING 'LIKE FINE WINE': It's safe to say that New Jersey band ScreenAge has had an extraordinary year on my blog, and is poised to set some year-end records. Their DNR set has yielded four #1 songs. But, for the first time since May, there is only one song of theirs in my top 20. While the band hasn't promoted any other songs since "Going Back" and "Questions", I am pretty much starved for any "new" material, thus added a fifth track from DNR, "Like Fine Wine". While there is no proper video, a click on the link shows a performance from Maplewoodstock in 2019; apparently, like "Going Back" this song was "in a can" well before the concept album DNR was recorded, yet the band seemed to construct the unifying theme together very well. Slightly slower than "Going", "Questions" and "Think Again", is still has that appealing pop-rock hook to it that should guarantee another blog hit. It is far and away the Top Debut this week at #43.
Other debuts include "Crutch" by Seattle outfit Band of Horses, it has a bit of that Seattle sound, but more like an uptempo Fleet Foxes than something like say, Nirvana. It has a bit of flavor to it. The band has had three mid-charters on my list in the past, not getting higher than #56, but this one may top that....Courtney Barnett seems to be one of those artists that produces favorite songs of mine that nobody else appreciates, and vice versa. Such as the case with her recent top 10 blog song "Rae Street", (now at #10), which came and went on the airplay charts. Her follow-up, "Before You Gotta Go" is doing well on Triple-A. While it's not a bad song...in fact, it has much potential, for me it wasn't an immediate impact like "Rae Street" was. Should still do well with repeated listens, though.
Cincinnati band Heartless Bastards made my playlist once back in 2012 with the #49 "Parted Ways" but they get an add here with "How Low". This is a nice, jangly pop-rock song, one that is sorely missed these days. The tempo slows down midway but with a feel-good vibe. Look for this one to steadily move up the SNS 100. The song should top the peak of that prior song. A good one..........Foo Fighters, coming off their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (by Sir Paul McCartney, no less) , get an add with "Making a Fire". Recent singles by the band, while big alternative hits, haven't done well here, but this one, already top 5 on the alternative chart, has potential as it has some pop "singalongs" to it, a rather upbeat vibe to it.
Duran Duran are still kicking around some 40 years after they pretty much defined the "MTV Generation" return with the aptly-named "Anniversary"; it's pretty much what you'd expect from the veterans. In contrast, Jack White's new solo effort, "Taking Me Back", is also what you'd expect from him....namely the unexpected. You never know what the guy will come up with next, and the song starts off with fiddles, but jazzier than country, and maintains that pace throughout. Mix a bit of piano, guitar and a prog/jam feel and you got his new song. I've maintained in the past that White is the Eric Clapton of the 21st Century, but apparently, he's also the David Bowie or Neil Young of the millennium as well. Very interesting.
BRANDON UPDATE: Good and bad news for "Brandon" fans. Last week I discussed two different "Let's Go Brandon" songs that had the top two on iTunes. The one by Bryson Gray debuts at #28, while New Jerseyan Loza Alexander's version moves 45-38 on that chart....but well short of the top ten. The bad news is the both songs have dropped out of the iTunes top ten, so it's pretty much assumed that neither will have a further impact.
AND FINALLY: A big Happy Birthday, to Emily Carpenter, drummer for the band Oneirc, who turns a very youthful 15.... And last but certainly not least, sometime last week, I hit the 400,000 views mark on Scenes 'n' Soundwaves. Many thanks to those well-wishes who responded to my Facebook post. It's pretty much those responses that keep me going and doing this! THANKS AGAIN!
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
October 31, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  "Beggin'" Album: Chosen (2 weeks at #1) |
10 |
|
2 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
|
4 |
3 |
12 |
|
|
5 |
16 |
5 |
|
|
6 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: 30 |
3 |
|
7 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
8 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
9 |
7 |
16 |
|
|
10 |
9 |
11 |
|
|
11 |
8 |
15 |
|
|
12 |
10 |
15 |
|
|
13 |
20 |
5 |
|
|
14 |
15 |
14 |
|
|
15 |
5 |
15 |
|
|
16 |
6 |
12 |
|
|
17 |
11 |
15 |
|
|
18 |
18 |
9 |
|
|
19 |
14 |
25 |
|
|
20 |
21 |
Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors - Stone Meets the Sea |
13 |
|
21 |
17 |
21 |
|
|
22 |
26 |
7 |
|
|
23 |
31 |
6 |
|
|
24 |
40 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Angels in Sandshoes |
3 |
|
25 |
32 |
8 |
|
|
26 |
23 |
8 |
|
|
27 |
28 |
9 |
|
|
28 |
19 |
11 |
|
|
29 |
30 |
10 |
|
|
30 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
31 |
24 |
12 |
|
|
32 |
27 |
18 |
|
|
33 |
29 |
21 |
|
|
34 |
34 |
16 |
|
|
35 |
35 |
7 |
|
|
36 |
39 |
5 |
|
|
37 |
42 |
5 |
|
|
38 |
49 |
4 |
|
|
39 |
33 |
12 |
|
|
40 |
43 |
10 |
|
|
41 |
47 |
4 |
|
|
42 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
43 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: DNR |
1 |
|
44 |
55 |
3 |
|
|
45 |
53 |
6 |
|
|
46 |
46 |
9 |
|
|
47 |
54 |
4 |
|
|
48 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
49 |
38 |
23 |
|
|
50 |
36 |
14 |
|
|
51 |
37 |
12 |
|
|
52 |
60 |
4 |
|
|
53 |
61 |
4 |
|
|
54 |
41 |
12 |
|
|
55 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
56 |
51 |
8 |
|
|
57 |
65 |
4 |
|
|
58 |
68 |
3 |
|
|
59 |
70 |
3 |
|
|
60 |
78 |
2 |
|
|
61 |
56 |
11 |
|
|
62 |
80 |
2 |
|
|
63 |
44 |
17 |
|
|
64 |
45 |
16 |
|
|
65 |
48 |
15 |
|
|
66 |
52 |
15 |
|
|
67 |
71 |
6 |
|
|
68 |
82 |
3 |
|
|
69 |
69 |
20 |
|
|
70 |
79 |
6 |
|
|
71 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
72 |
64 |
17 |
|
|
73 |
59 |
26 |
|
|
74 |
58 |
22 |
|
|
75 |
63 |
16 |
|
|
76 |
73 |
22 |
|
|
77 |
72 |
7 |
|
|
78 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
79 |
77 |
7 |
|
|
80 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
81 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
82 |
66 |
20 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
84 |
81 |
4 |
|
|
85 |
87 |
3 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
67 |
14 |
|
|
88 |
76 |
17 |
|
|
89 |
85 |
7 |
|
|
90 |
93 |
2 |
|
|
91 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
93 |
94 |
2 |
|
|
94 |
74 |
22 |
|
|
95 |
75 |
9 |
|
|
96 |
84 |
21 |
|
|
97 |
83 |
6 |
|
|
98 |
86 |
6 |
|
|
99 |
89 |
17 |
|
|
100 |
91 |
21 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in
favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
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