Helene Hoffman

YouTube video by T. Rex - Topic Rapids

#ALL50RTS Day 28

"Rapids" T. Rex (from Tanx, 1973) 

Short & strange with one of Bolan's slinkiest grooves

YouTube video by Massiel The Prissteens- Scandal, Controversy & Romance

#ALL50RTS Day 27

"Scandal, Controversy and Romance" The Prissteens (title track from their 1998 album) 

My favorite band to do the neo girl group sound, sadly they were one album wonders

YouTube video by The Go-Go's - Topic Forget That Day

#ALL50RTS Day 26

"Forget that Day" The Go-Gos (from Talk Show, 1984)

Though Jane Wiedlin wrote it, this soapy New Wave power ballad feels like a bridge to Belinda's solo career

YouTube video by MadonnaUnusual Madonna - Where's The Party (Album Version)

#ALL50RTS HM 5/5

"Where's the Party" Madonna (from True Blue, 1986)

From other posts I'm gleaning that I wasn't the only kid who had a goofy front of the mirror dance to this (mine included a dramatic scrunchie removal at the 'gonna let my hair hang down' bit)

YouTube video by DEVO - Topic Uncontrollable Urge (2009 Remaster)

#ALL50RTS HM 4/5

"Uncontrollable Urge" Devo (from Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, 1978) 

I saw these guys with Blondie about 10 years ago in some random outdoor venue I've never been back to, my expectations were modest but they kicked ass

The particular solo I was thinking of was Lord's but yes! They alternated and are both incredible

Ahhhh I think the solo is actually by Jon Lord (or both of them), that's what I get for posting before relistening

YouTube video by NEA ZIXNH Deep Purple - Highway Star 1972 Video HQ

#ALL50RTS HM 3/5

"Highway Star" Deep Purple (from Machine Head, 1972) 

Due to its ubiquity on US classic rock radio I did not think to check if this was eligible. Has one of Blackmore's coolest solos, amoung other things

YouTube video by Yep Roc Records Nick Lowe - "Marie Provost" (Official Audio)

#ALL50RTS HM 2/5

"Marie Provost" Nick Lowe (from Jesus of Cool aka Pure Pop for Now People, 1978)

"Songs based on urban legends" would be a fun playlist if I could think of any others offhand

YouTube video by John Cale - Topic Paris 1919 (Remastered 2024)

#ALL50RTS HM 1/5

"Paris 1919" John Cale (title track of his 1973 album)

Solidarity with a fellow violist

YouTube video by Comtesse DeSpair Throwing Muses - Call Me (Audio Only)

#ALL50RTS Day 25

"Call Me" Throwing Muses (from their self titled 1986 album) 11 pts

Hersh & Donnelly became objectively "better" singers & lyricists later, but nothing beats the raw female adolescent angst & singular balance of the ethereal & abrasive they achieved with their 4AD stuff for me

YouTube video by Neko Case - Topic Hold On, Hold On

#ALL50RTS Day 24

"Hold On, Hold On" Neko Case (from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, 2006) 

The most should've been a single but wasn't track off of my favorite album of the 2000s; I love this type of moody twang/Southern Gothic-y alt country sound

YouTube video by X - Topic The World's a Mess, It's in My Kiss

#ALL50RTS Day 23

"The World's a Mess, It's in My Kiss" X (from Los Angeles, 1980)

My favorite good-bad Exene vocal & their producer (ex-Door Ray Manzarek) sounds like he's having a blast jamming out on the organ

Yeah, that's what I gleaned from Discogs. Plus no one nominated it for the 54-76 challenge presumably on the assumption it wasn't eligible (I went back & checked) so I think it should be

YouTube video by sofoss08 The Dream Syndicate That's what you always say

#ALL50RTS Day 22

"That's What You Always Say" The Dream Syndicate (from The Days of Wine & Roses, 1982)

I HATED this Paisley Underground cult classic when I bought it blind in high school, but I got on board as I listened to more 60s garage & post punk

YouTube video by The Adverts - Topic Drowning Men

#ALL50RTS Day 21

"Drowning Men" The Adverts (from Crossing the Red Sea With..., 1978) 

Probably my favorite punk deep cut; an artfully simple match of sounds to the poetic lyrics

YouTube video by Black Sabbath - Topic Black Sabbath (2014 Remaster)

#ALL50RTS Day 20

"Black Sabbath" Black Sabbath (from Black Sabbath, 1970) 11 pts

Surprised that I seem to be the 1st to this one but most metal fans may be saving it for the end. I recall being tickled to hear that they based the riff on Mars, The Bringer of War, my dad's favorite classical piece

Warwick (not Dionne - studio pros assembled to perform a song by Warwick Rose; Mike Chapman is singing & being produced by his partner Chinn) is my favorite glam/sunshine pop obscurity; it's cannon fodder in this group (& probably any other) but no matter, I wanted to share it. They got the action!

YouTube video by Alestorm - Topic Back Through Time

#ALL50RTS Day 19

"Back Through Time" Alestorm (title track of their 2011 album) 

Loveably goofy, epic power metal battle royale between two metal subgenres (Pirates v. Vikings!) You can guess from the band name who triumphs here🏴‍☠️

"You put your faith in Odin & Thor/we put ours in cannons & whores"

YouTube video by Mötley Crüe - Topic Public Enemy #1

#ALL50RTS Day 18

"Public Enemy #1" Mötley Crüe (from the 1981 album Too Fast for Love)

"Live Wire" was a good lead single choice, but I have a soft spot for the awkwardly galloping metallic pop punk of this one

I think I also would've picked "Pretend We're Dead" for '77-'99 if I hadn't been too overwhelmed with options in the heyday of all my favorite genres to participate in that one. Great openers

YouTube video by Christina Vorou l7-Wargasm

#ALL50RTS Day 17

"Wargasm" L7 (from the 1992 album Bricks are Heavy) 

The Yoko Ono sample is clever/well placed & I love Dee Plakas' drums on this (they remind me of an exchange I overheard between musicians:
"New ride cymbal?"
"Yeah."
"Does it go 'ping'?"
"Yes! Very pingy.")

This one's on my list as well

YouTube video by Too Much Joy - Topic Thanksgiving in Reno

#ALL50RTS Day 16

"Thanksgiving in Reno" Too Much Joy (from the 1991 album Cereal Killers)

Poignant jangle pop; the narrator gets maudlin on a holiday booze & gambling trip with a buddy. ("At the $5.99 buffet, in Reno on Thanksgiving Day, nobody seemed to care, why anyone else was there")

YouTube video by tk99999 rosie flores - god may forgive you but i won't

#ALL50RTS Day 15

"God May Forgive You (But I Won't)" Rosie Flores (from her self titled 1987 album)

I was surprised that this wasn't a single, but country radio can be pretty conservative

YouTube video by The45Prof 1954 Elvis Presley - Blue Moon Of Kentucky

#ALL50RTS Day 14

"Blue Moon of Kentucky" Elvis Presley (b-side to "That's All Right", 1954)

Another candidate for best rock n' roll 45. I was paralyzed by indecision picking an Elvis A-side for '54-'76, but this Bill Monroe cover is one of my favorite of his Sun recordings overall

YouTube video by RoverTCB Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Little Demon

#ALL50RTS Day 13

"Little Demon" Screamin' Jay Hawkins (b-side to "I Put a Spell on You", 1956)

A candidate for best rock n'roll 45

YouTube video by Lamont Cranston BLACK CADILLAC - Joyce Green

#ALL50RTS Day 12

"Black Cadillac" Joyce Green (b-side to "Tomorrow", 1959)

I've probably overshared this one, but it's one of the great rockabilly obscurities, w/ one of the great opening lyrical salvos: "I caught you cheatin', & runnin' 'round, and now I'm gonna put you in a HOLE IN THE GROUND!"

YouTube video by beatcrazy54 the halibuts "suicide bay "

#ALL50RTS Day 11

"Suicide Bay" The Halibuts (from Life on the Bottom, 1996)

The best surf song outside of the genre's heyday. Tells a little story through tremolo picking, of a cocky surfer who meets his match with the Big One. (He's scared at first but then he catches it and goes!)

Predicting the Primitives for this match is probably my biggest unforced bracket error & I don't even have the excuse of thinking it was the one w/ Crash. (This is the owner of my local record shop's favorite album so maybe that unconciously led me astray)