From Rockabilly to Reggae, Movie Scores to Soul, our Gigawatt Jukebox is out of control. In true geek style, we submit a never ending playlist that is not concerned with genre, popularity, or album release date.
6. L.O.V.E.
British Indie-Pop artist V.V. Brown is one of my many discoveries through Pandora Internet Radio. Her album Traveling Like the Light showcases a merry blend of swing, soul, and pop with a retro feel. To me, her songs have a cool balance of girl power attitude by being sassy and having fun. There really are so many favorites on this album that choosing one was tough. That said, I’d have to say “L.O.V.E.” is at the top of my list. Its pep is infectious and makes me wish I knew how to jitterbug!
7. WHEN I’M SMALL
Some songs are just plain cool. Phantogram’s “When I’m Small” is one of them. Its slow funk beat and bass line are hypnotic, and I enjoy the contrast between the electronic rock duo’s soprano breathy tone raw echoing bass. The song eventually builds with layers of instrumentation while maintaining a fresh simplicity. Enjoy the slow jam head bob.
8. STATE OF SHOCK
In my opinion, a thorough playlist isn’t complete until it has a song from the Jackson family on it. Michael’s Jackson’s most-remembered music probably is from his early career with the Jackson 5 and then later in his solo career. However, just before he broke off on his own, the Jacksons recorded the album Victory. Its top-charted song was “State of Shock”, featuring Mick Jagger. Jagger brings a rock edge sound to Jackson’s pop style, which he revived later in his duet single “Scream” with sister Janet Jackson. “State of Shock” is definitely one not to forget.
9. THE SOUND OF SILENCE
A fellow gamer introduced me to Disturbed’s version of “The Sound of Silence”. I was hesitant to give it a try, as this is a precious Simon and Garfunkel favorite. However, I liked their previous cover of “Land of Confusion,” so I dared to listen. I have one word to describe this cover: magnificent. Its dramatic symphonic approach brought the song to another level. David Draiman’s voice was hauntingly beautiful and resonated the melody despite missing its original strong harmonies. He did bring more gravel-rock tones toward the end to give it a little Disturbed flair, but I respect the way the band’s arrangement did not overpower this song with a typical rock band instrumentation. I am pleasantly surprised at wanting to share Disturbed’s new cover. Thanks for the recommendation, Lemmings.
10. MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT
With the passing of Muhammad Ali, we couldn’t forget to include LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” If you’ve made a workout mix tape in the last 20 years, this one was on it. Its hard-hitting beats and vinyl scratching are classic rap, and who could resist throwing punches in the air when hearing lyrics like “I’m gonna knock you out?”
Thanks for listening! Check back regularly for newly added tunes.
A complete Gigawatt Jukebox playlist is available on YouTube (click the video link below):
