A-Z CDs - Day 54

445. The Tragically Hip - Music @ Work (last listen: never) - Another Dubai refugee. Chenandler Bong always raves about The Tragically Hip, but maybe this isn't the album he was talking about (it was released in 2000 and was their 7th album). It's okay, but there's nothing particularly great about it. I'm sure my Canadian readers will disagree.
446. 2Pac - Strictly for My N.I.G.G.A.Z. (last listen: 2-5 years) - This is one of the first ten CDs I ever bought. Technically I guess this should have been at the beginning with the numbered artists, but it's my CD collection, so I'll categorize it however the hell I please. "I Get Around" is my favorite Tupac song. "Holler If Ya Hear Me" has been on my running/exercise mix for over 10 years. "Keep Your Head Up" is great as well, sampling The Five Stairsteps' "Ooh Ooh Child."
447. U2 - Pop (last listen: 5+ years) - Another CD I commandeered from my brother's CD collection a few weeks ago. I didn't necessarily want it, but it's payback for him getting it in the first place. You see, about 8 or 9 years ago, the guy my mom was dating had this CD and apparently was unimpressed, so he asked Reed and me if one of us wanted it. I said "yes," which prompted Reed to say "yes," and somehow Reed got it. It's mine now, bitch.
448. V Sparks - EP (last listen: 3 months to 1 year) - I got this when I saw V Sparks at The Kinetic Playground back in February. It's only 3 songs, but I like them all. As I said back then, they have a definite '70s glam leaning, which I like. I enjoy the first line from the song, "Making Friends": "Tell me, how does it feel / To get paid by the hour?" Check out their MySpace page for some songs.
449. Van Halen - Van Halen (last listen: 0-3 months) - Like Joe Dirt, I've always been a bigger Van Halen fan than Van Hagar, and this album shows why. It has more energy than their stuff with Sammy Hagar (not that that stuff is bad), and Sammy just can't match David Lee Roth's howl. This is a great debut album, including VH classics such as "Runnin' With the Devil," Eddie Van Halen's instrumental guitar masterpiece "Eruption," their cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (which has a great introductory riff, sampled famously by 2 Live Crew on "The Fuck Shop") and "Jamie's Cryin'." My favorite song on the album is "Ice Cream Man," and "I'm the One" pretty badass. Then again, there really isn't a bad song on the album.
450. Van Halen - Van Halen II (last listen: never) - I bought this and Women and Children First recently, but have not yet listened to them before today. This album isn't as heavy on hits as their debut, but it has a few gems, including "Dance the Night Away," "Beautiful Girls" (which will forever remind me of the early '90s SNL fake commercial for Schmitt's Gay with Farley and Sandler, which featured this song), and "Bottoms Up!"
451. Van Halen - Women and Children First (last listen: never) - This album's two biggest songs are probably "And the Cradle Will Rock. . ." and "Everybody Wants Some!" (featured in Better Off Dead). "Romeo Delight" is pretty solid, and "Loss of Control" is a good frantic listen. Listening to all this Van Halen reminds me that I need to get 1984 (which I have on tape) and Fair Warning on CD, and maybe even Diver Down while I'm at it.
452. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Greatest Hits (last listen: 3 months to 1 year) - What can you say about Stevie Ray except that he's one of the best ever? "Texas Flood" is awesome. Other favorites are "Cold Shot" and "The House Is Rockin'."
453. Velvet Revolver - Contraband (last listen: 1-2 years) - When you form a band with Scott Weiland (former Stone Temple Pilots lead singer) and former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, and some other dude named Dave Kushner (Suicidal Tendencies, Wasted Youth), you know the result is going to be rockin'. Indeed, it is. Contraband is straightforward hard rock.
454. Velvet Underground - Peel Slowly and See Box Set Disc 1 (last listen: 3 months to 1 year) - This CD contains demos of six songs (yet is over 78 minutes), including "Heroin" (my favorite VU song), "Venus In Furs," "I'm Waiting For the Man," and "All Tomorrow's Parties."