In Tune With Wade

Guess what's No. 1 ...

on the Billboard 200 album chart?

Is it Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere," my favorite release so far this year?

Nope. Gnarls is at No. 4.

How about Los Lonely Boys's new one "Sacred," which I reviewed for The Herald on Sunday?

Nope. The Boys stalled at No. 2.

The No. 1 album in the land is actually a compilation — you know, like the ones advertised late at night on television — called "Now, That's What I Call Music! Volume 22." On it, listeners will find a slew of recent pop hits ranging from Nick Lachey's pathetic bllad "What's Left of Me" to the faux metal of Nickelback's "Savin' Me" and the country pop of Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry."

"When you do the hard math, precious few albums offer more than one or two decent tracks," reads a recent essay published by Slate.com. "We all might benefit—you, me, the president of Columbia Records, and the half-million fine American youths who bought Now 22 in the last fortnight—if the industry threw a little more weight behind that up-and-coming talent, Various Artists."

Do you agree that more singles compilation should be issued?

Or should record companies concentrate on doing a better job of promoting quality long play discs?

MTV memories

MTV has turned 25, which probably puts it about a decade older than its average viewer.

The Herald ran "From Beavis to Britney," a big story highlighting the network's greatest moments, on the cover of today's A&E section.

I contributed the essay "Back when it mattered: From 1991 to '95."

Even the suits at MTV couldn't turn a deaf ear to good music during the early to mid-1990s. Nirvana and other bands of substance pushed hair metal into pop purgatory. A new breed of gangsta rappers jolted the mainstream with graphic, often poignant, street tales and funky party jams.

It was the last time when a genuine music lover might actually agree with the ancient ad slogan "I want my MTV."

These days, MTV is a haven for brain-dead "reality" shows and the latest Jessica Simpson video. In the early 1990s, the network would have introduced the world to Gnarls Barkley's masterstroke of a single "Crazy" rather than letting it first blow up in Europe. Whereas Dr. Dre and Alice in Chains once battled for the top spot on the video countdown, we now have bouts between chumps like Nick Lachey and that poser Nelly Furtado.

Click here to continue reading "Back when it mattered: From 1991 to '95."

While working on the essay, I couldn't help but recall my favorite music videos — you know, the ones you rushed home from school to catch and/or still enjoy at YouTube. Here's my list.

1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana
I just watched this again on YouTube and felt the same adrenaline rush I enjoyed as a teenager. Dig the anarchist cheerleaders.
2. "Hurt," Johnny Cash
Did the soulless jerks at MTV even play this videos?
3. "Do the Evolution," Pearl Jam
Warped animation at its finest.
4. "Sabotage," Beastie Boys
A hilarious send up of 1970s cop shows, this video shows the B-Boys at their best.
5. "Series of Dreams," Bob Dylan
A fine montage featuring clips that span Dylan's career through 1990.
6. "Wicked Game," Chris Isaak
Artfully done soft-core, excellent!
7. "Gin and Juice," Snoop Dogg
Thanks to this video, my first beer was Olde English 800.
8. "One," Metallica
Great use of footage from the 1971 anti-war film "Johnny Got His Gun."
9. "Like a Prayer," Madonna
Talk about pushing buttons, Madonna made a video that was as artistically impressive as it was controversial. Luis Bunuel would have been proud.
10. "Longview," Green Day
A perfect depiction of suburban teen boredom.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEOS?

MySpace malfunction?

So, like, my MySpace site just got deleted or canceled or something and I'm not too happy.  Yes, I have a MySpace site and it links to this site and it keeps me in touch with local bands and the latest Hank Williams III and Bob Dylan concert dates, etc. ... And lets me post goofy comments on my brother's MySpace site. But now, nothing!

I e-mailed MySpace but have yet to get an answer.

The only info I found was from a blogger that said the problems could be the result of the California power outages.

I'll update this is post when/if I get more information.

Frequent blog commentator Kellie reported the same problem.

Anyone else get booted off MySpace?

This is going to be a long day at the office.

THE WORLD IS RIGHT AGAIN! MYSPACE IS BACK IN ACTION. CLICK HERE TO ENJOY "SAVING GRACE," A SONG FROM TOM PETTY'S NEW ALBUM "HIGHWAY COMPANION."

A 'Tater Salad' soundtrack

In honor of hard living comedian Ron White, who I interviewed for the cover of today's Weekend section, I have created a "Tater Salad" soundtrack. These are songs that White (pictured) would surely enjoy. These are also tunes that will make for the perfect mix CD for you to enjoy on the way to one of his two sold-out shows on Saturday at the Van Wezel. If you weren't lucky enough to snag a ticket, these songs should also prove the perfect backdrop for a night of drowning one's sorrows. Cheers!

1. "Whiskey River," Willie Nelson
2. "Chug-A-Lug,"  Roger Miller
3. "White Lightning," George Jones
4. "Jack Daniels If You Please,"  David Allan Coe
5. "I've Always Been Crazy," Waylon Jennings
6. "Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound," Hank Williams, Jr.
7. "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," Freddy Fender
8. "What Made Milwaukee Famous (Made a Fool Out of Me)," Jerry Lee Lewis
9. "There Stands the Glass," Webb Pierce/Van Morrison
10. "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," John Lee Hooker/George Thorogood
Bonus track: "White Trash," Fred Eaglesmith

What's missing from my "Tater Salad" soundtrack?

Click here to read my interview with Ron "Tater Salad" White.

'N Sync singer: I'm gay

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Lance Bass announced he is gay.

No word yet on whether this will hurt his chances of becoming an astronaut.

Let the late night talk show jokes begin.

Jas. Mathus: "Old Scool Hot Wings"

Who's in the mood for a kickin' jugband record?
Do I jest?
Heck no!
This is good music.
Click here to hear tracks from Jas. "Jimbo" Mathus's "Old Scool Hot Wings."
Click here to read my review of the CD.

Get 'Laid Back' with Gregg Allman

This is the time of year when I start to go a little batty. It's not even August and every time I step outside it feels like a big, fat sweaty dog licking my face. To combat this oppressive heat I've been hunkering down indoors with cool beverages, and cool, relaxing tunes whenever possible.

Topping my list of "chill albums" lately is Gregg Allman's masterful solo debut "Laid Back." Released in 1973, the same year the Allman Brothers Band issued "Brothers and Sisters," "Laid Back" features Allman's voice at its finest. Each note eases out of the man and sizzles. The overall sound of the record is a remarkable synthesis of country blues, soul and gospel led by Allman's beautiful organ playing.

The song selection includes Allman's hit cover of his own "Midnight Rider," the stirring self-penned ballad "Queen of Hearts,' a superb, steel-guitar laced rendition of Jackson Browne's "These Days" and an innovative take on the folk standard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." With only eight tracks, the disc clocks in at just 35 minutes. But there's not a dead second on it.

For my money, "Laid Back" is as rewarding to hear as anything the Allman Brothers Band has ever released. Granted, there's no virtuoso guitar playing or dueling drums on it, but the emotional weight of the recording is spellbinding from start to finish.

Hopefully, Allman will perform a good chunk of "Laid Back" when he headlines The 16th Annual Sarasota Blues Festival on Oct. 28.

Agree or disagree ... Gregg Allman is the greatest white soul singer of all time?

What are some other classic "chill albums?"

Fogerty back making a 'commotion'

How can a person turn a deaf ear to the soulful, Southern-fried and urgent sounds of something like "Proud Mary" or "Run Through the Jungle"? It must have shaken listeners like a cross between a tent revival and a jolt of white lightning the first time those songs hit the airwaves.

The singer pours out of the speakers like a panther and those clean, keen guitar licks surely sent a million young and restless bodies into motion. More than three decades ago, Creedence Clearwater Revival was offering tickets to freedom in an era of uncertainty and oppression — three-minute escapes issued on spinning black circles that in their truest spirit harkened back to the freedom our country's forefathers promised. In a bittersweet twist of fate, Creedence's music is equally relevant today.

Cough up a quarter and pick up a copy of today's newspaper ... or click here to continue reading.

This is one of the so-called "think pieces" that I love to write late at night, at home, at my laptop, ciggie dangling from my mouth, phone turned off, rock music blaring out of the stereo.   

Bootleg is a sneaky band

Bootleg is a sneaky band. The trio will get the crowd bouncing to reggae rhythms and then pound out a blistering electric guitar solo. One minute, the front man is singing a tune called "Girls Get Naked" and the next he's delivering the band's hard-hitting protest song "One in A Million" - followed by a soaring, surf-metal instrumental number.

Cough up a quarter and purchase today's newspaper ... or click here to continue reading.

Click here to read my column about getting down at D. Coy Ducks.

Download Burke's radio performance

Have Gun, Will Travel (aka Bradenton's Matt Burke) on WMNF 88.5.

Click here to read about it.

Click here to download the entire show and hear the tentatively-titled "It's Not the Heat, It's the Humanity," (not "humidity," which is what I wrote initially) a great song Burke recently wrote and then debuted at Rockerfellas in Bradenton. In fact, the picture above is from that night.