I know I'm in the minority, but I find the Nashville-recorded Bradley's Barn far more interesting than Sweetheart of the Rodeo. I think it's a more inventive leap off the same platform, and I love the way Sal Valentino's voice occasionally sounds like Roger Miller's. Bradley's Barn was, along with 1967's Triangle, a great one-two punch from a truly gifted band who had been horribly mis-managed up to that point. For evidence, look no further than their two big national hits, "Laugh Laugh" and "Just a Little;" and consider how sophisticated they are in terms of composition and production (the latter by Sly Stone). Unfortunately, despite some fine material, the band weren't consistently high in the chart, and with all of the tomfoolery foisted upon them in ugly attempts to remedy that state of affairs (specifically the all-covers Beau Brummels '66), it is a testament to their fortitude that they were able to shake it all off and create two marvelous, though commercially ignored LPs. Both albums are currently available on Collector's Choice.

In case you didn't realize just how popular the Jam were in England by the early 80s, here are a couple of 45s by bands who very much would have liked to be Weller and Co. While they are able to ape only superficial aspects of the Jam's sound and were subsequently left in the dust by Weller's growth as a songwriter, it must be said that they, along with their obsessively-dressed peers produced dozens of cool singles, (and in the case of the Chords, a surprisingly strong LP) many of which are rounded up on Anagram Records' This Is Mod series.

With each passing year I become more convinced that the debut LP by Chicago's Green is worthy of those Mojo/VH1/Spin/ lists of the top 20 or 50 or 100 rock albums of all time:

1) It looks great. Using the tired old punk rock formula of "insouciant ragtag kids standing against brick wall with band name scrawled across top," the cover manages to look exactly like the record sounds. The dimestore mod poses on the back only add to the fun.

2) The record shows a strong grasp of diverse musical sources, from the British Invasion to T. Rex to Motown to Prince to the Jam to every one-shot that a seven-year-old might have heard heard on an AM Radio. And despite their lifelong dedication to their homework, Green sound like nothing else but Green.

3) The songs, all by Jeff Lescher, are great. I wouldn't even be making this argument if they weren't. They seem to have been churned out effortlessly, with an impressive variance in mood and tone. What's interesting is how coverable they are. Nearly every song on it has a classic feel that suggests that like the first Modern Lovers LP, every decent band in the world should be able to play at least haphazard versions of a couple of the tunes.

4) The aforementioned Jeff Lescher, while nowhere near as smooth as Sam Cooke or powerful as Otis Redding, has an abundance of that elusive and precious quality that we call "soul." White teenage soul? Maybe. As if that makes it any less valuable.

5) While some critics have suggested that the extremely primitive production inadequately showcases Lescher's marvelous songs, I'd argue that the no-frills recording actually throws the variety and craft of the songs into sharper relief, while the lack of trendy drum sounds that would tie this record to a certain era ensures that it will always sound fresh and timeless.

Last I checked, the LP was still available at Widely Distributed Records for $10. There is a CD-R version of the record available through No Cigar, but it isn't cheap. Although I admit I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with the band since the early 90s, I'd recommend searching out the White Soul/Bittersweet CD in particular. The band's website has plenty of additional information.

The Finders, from San Francisco, were basically the same band as the Rockers, who had released a four-song 7" EP the previous year on Alcatrazz Records. The Rockers has more of the Merseybeat sound, while the Finders has a bit more modern AOR production. Both are fine examples of the power pop of the period. I got this 45 in the early 80s via a mail order place called Rather Ripped Records (also in SF? They had an awesome catalogue.), then lost it in the mid 80s, then paid ten times what I originally paid for it in the late 90s on eBay. Live and (don't) learn. There's a real good Finders Bio here.

The Gigolo Aunts have been mix-tape regulars for a number of years now, owing largely to great singles like "Bloom," and "Where I Find My Heaven." This, however, is my favorite Aunts track. We like a good story, and the realtionship between the narrator and the song's title character is recounted with marvelous attention to detail, wry humor, and most importantly, a touching and genuine warmth.