Editorial Intern Anna Jordan
Lorde
"David"
I didn’t know Lorde could get more devastating, but here we are.
Associate Editor Ruby Risch
ABBA
"If It Wasn't For the Nights"
I mean, who doesn't love a little ABBA?
Operations Manager Robin Rose
Buffalo Springfield
"For What It's Worth"
As relevant today as it was in the '60s...if not more.
A bluesy acoustic guitar riff into a foreboding melody. The chorus is an enduring testament to perfect songwriting and the lyrics invoke the sentiments of millions, then and now ... unfortunately.
Senior Editor Brett Callwood
Shakin' Stevens
"This Ole House"
I was recently at Amoeba in Hollywood, enjoying Father's Day with my son and leafing through the clearance vinyl (one of my favorite pastimes), when I happened upon a copy of Welsh rock 'n' roller Shakin' Stevens' 1980 album This Ol' House, and I simply couldn't leave it there. It was $1, and it came home with me.
There was a funny little period in the '70s and early '80s where old school rock 'n' roll was being repackaged for a younger audience. Showaddywaddy and Mud were swinging their hips for a glitter rock crowd, while Shakin' Stevens had spent the '70s with his band the Sunsets before evolving (unpredictably) into a teen heartthrob when the '80 hit.
I remember being at elementary school and telling anyone that would listen that I preferred Adam Ant to Shakin' Stevens. In my mind, that was a proper battle. In reality, probably not. But now, years later, his '80s take on old rockers like Stuart Hamblen's "This Ole House" melt the heart and fill me with nostalgic joy. By the way, the album also has a great cover of The Blasters' "Marie Marie" on it.
Lorde photo by Kirk Stauffer, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
