Author: MW Hamilton

Today’s Song of the Day is “Roll Me Away” by Bob Seger. Spending the week at Orange Beach and feeling kind of yacht-rockish, I guess. I heard “Night Moves” play at a breakfast diner this morning; it took me way back, but I quickly jumped to “Roll Me Away” as that feeling of leaving it all behind has been hanging around lately.

I love the imagery in these lyrics…they really capture the mood of driving to see how far you can get away. The tag-along for a while companion was a nice touch to get away from a traditional love song, too. The dynamics in the song captures the essence of stopping to making a decision and really pulls the listener into the song’s situation. But above all else, this song makes driving fun, and that’s why I keep listening to it. Check it out if you haven’t heard it!

Today’s Song of the Day is “Epiphany” by Staind.
This past Friday I was able to spend part of the day wandering around my old college campus and feeling nostalgic. I remember listening to this song back then and feeling like the only introvert in the world while everyone else was out and about. It seemed Staind was the antithesis to the upbeat party rock and ska bands of that era and I appreciated the darker tones in their radio hits.
I really enjoy the reverb tails and delays on the vocals in this song. As a producer, I always struggle looking for just the right amount of spatial effects for ballads, so this is a great reference for me. The synth strings pad the track nicely, and I love the delay on the electric guitar chunking. But the lyrics really sell this one if you struggle finding your way in a social setting. Check it out if you haven’t heard it!

Today’s Song of the Day is “Virginia Through the Rain” by Counting Crows. I’m a really big fan of their new album as a whole; it definitely rocks the 90s vibe. But, as a fan of their ballads from way back—”Colorblind” and “Round Here” in particular—I thought this one was certainly a standout on the album.

A piano ballad mostly, but it’s mixed together with some cool guitar licks and tasteful drum work. The tag in the middle section of the song before the bridge keeps the structure fresh on the first listen. The piano dropout and re-entry for the third verse was catchy as well. I love lyricists who aren’t afraid to go after the fancy words… encumbrance, deluge, Gethsemane…wow! Check it out if you haven’t heard it!