"Shoebox" by Barenaked Ladies
  Song of the Week

This week's song is one of the lesser known hits from a very well known band. That band being Barenaked Ladies which have sold over 5 million records in the US and have charted a number one hit in 1998 with "One Week." "Shoebox," released in 1995, is the first single off of their third studio album, Born on a Pirate Ship, which also features one of their most popular hits, "Old Apartment."

The single was also featured on the Friends Original TV Soundtrack, a album which of course features the famous theme song for the show, "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts, but also such classics as "It's a Free World, Baby" by R.E.M and "I Go Blind" by Hootie and The Blowfish.

Barenaked Ladies is one of my favorite bands from the '90s so this song is just one of many that I thoroughly enjoy but this one tends to be toward the top of the list, mainly due to this line in the song, "Your so nineteen ninety / And It's nineteen ninety four." There is something about using a year as a term to describe someone that makes me laugh every time, especially when that year happens to be almost twenty years ago. It's a song that a lot of people can relate to as I am sure most people had a shoebox full of memories under thier bed when they were a kid and a song that is thoroughly fun to dance and sing along to as shown by the music video below.

The music video is better than the average music video, I have to admit, but it is pretty over the top. It features the band playing in the shoebox referenced in the song and tells the story of the teenage girl sneaking out of her parents house to go see a Barenaked Ladies concert with what appears to be the man of her dreams and the subsequent "fooling around" that ensues back at his apartment. This, of course, all turns out to be a dream at the end of the video. Classic.

According to the Wikipedia article on the song, the video was supposed to feature Lisa Kudrow and Matt Lablanc from Friends but "each pulled out nearly last minute, and had to be replaced with unknown actors." I'm not sure if those two actors would have made the video any better but it certainly would have made the video more popular. Anyway, they did a good job with the music video and at least look like they had a great time making it (see: Tyler Stewart tackling giant lipstick around the 1:30 mark).

Enjoy.


"Corduroy" by Pearl Jam - Song of the Week

This next song was picked in part due to the fact that I heard Pearl Jam's newest single, "Just Breathe", which is their first single in a while where I stopped and thought, "Hey, this is pretty good." It's definetly different, and kinda has a country vibe to it, but very enjoyable nonetheless. It is definitely worth a listen.

That being said, on to this week's song, "Corduroy" by Pearl Jam. One of my favorites from the group, "Corduroy" is still played on select radio stations every now and then, despite the fact it was never released as a single. The eighth song of their third studio album, Vitalogy, "Corduroy" has that classic grunge sound that will have you mumbling along to the lyrics and stomping your feet to the beat. It has a very memorable opening and fairly unique in the fact that it has no repeating chorus or verses.

Lead singer, Eddie Vedder has this to say about the song,

"It is about a relationship but not between two people. It's more one person's relationship with a million people. In fact, that song's almost a little too obvious for me. That's why instead of a lyric sheet we put in an X-ray of my teeth from last January and they are all in very bad shape, which was analogous to my head at the time"
-http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/la112094.shtml

This song as well as several others on the album seem to be dealing with their new found fame and the resulting effects that it has had on their daily lives. Disregarding the lyrical content, "Corduroy" is just one of those songs that you can kick back and enjoy; a song that you don't need to think to much about in order to appreciate.

Usually at this point, I would explain the music video but since the song was never released as a single, there is no music video to discuss. Below is the song for you to enjoy.


“Clumsy″ by Our Lady Peace – Song of the Week

After about a six month hiatus, Rizzo Music is back and better than ever. Armed with the new Wordpress platform, www.rizzomusic.com is here to bring you more of your favorite 90s music.

This week's song, "Clumsy" by Our Lady Peace, was chosen in honor of Our Lady Peace's fairly new album, Burn Burn, that I have seen advertised heavily throughout imeem.com. The album was released July 21, 2009, their first album in about four years. Needless to say, it was a welcome return to a band that has topped the Rock Charts for the last decade and a half.

By now, you probably have heard the single, "All You Did Was Save My Life" and I can't say that it blew me out of the water, but it takes a step back in the right direction from the singles released in their previous album, Healthy in Paranoid Times, a album in which I found to be fairly disappointing at times.

Unlike, most of the songs on Healthy in Paranoid Times, "Clumsy", off of their album of the same name, is a song that has an undeniable likeness. Released in 1998, "Clumsy" has been their biggest hit on the Modern Rock Charts, peaking at #5. While packed with rather dark lyrics, the song itself is formed with a change of pace rhythm that keeps you coming back for more. It starts out with a memorable repetition of four simple notes on the piano, before breaking into the first verse. The song really embodies the sound of Our Lady Peace and shows why they have been so popular for so long.

According to the Wikipedia page on "Clumsy" (no citation) guitarist Mike Turner and vocalist Raine Maida have said this about the song,

Clumsy is about making decisions. There is a connection between the song Clumsy and it being the title of the album. The lyric; 'I'll be waving my hand/watching you drown/ watching you scream' is about seeing something, but not seeing it for what it really is. You may decide to help... or to just wave back."

A little food for thought. Something the band hasn't shied away from in their lyrics.

"Clumsy" is just a taste of what the band has to offer and most of their stuff from the 90s is rock solid. Their album, Happiness is not a Fish That You Can Catch, still remains to be one of my favorite rock albums from the 90s.

The music video has that classic 90s rock vibe to it. Also a little dark, like the lyrics but if you like to see your favorite band play with a strobe light going and see a ordinary spilt glass of water fill up a room, then this is the video for you.

Check it out below and be sure to check in next week for another classic 90s song of the week.


"1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins - Song of the Week

For this week's song, I thought I would highlight a great song that truly is 90's music at its finest. Although The Smashing Pumpkins were an alternative rock radio staple in the mid '90s, they only reached #1 once on Billboard's Modern and Mainstream rock charts. They did so in 1996 with "1979" off of their third studio album, a 2 disc release, entitled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Released in late 1995,Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, sold over nine million copies and to date is The Smashing Pumpkins most successful album in terms of sales.

This album is basically stacked with good songs and scored 6 Top 10 singles on the Modern Rock Charts which included, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "Muzzle", "Zero", "Thirty-Three", and one of my personal favorites "Tonight, Tonight". The album sparked their first of nine Grammy nominations and their first win for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for their single "Bullet With Butterfly Wings".

With all of the great songs on this album, "1979" out shines them all. "Tonight, Tonight" may have the better music video, and "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" may be more disturbing, but 1979 encapsulates everything that was great about 90s music: mainly teenage angst, solid drums, words that you cannot understand, and most importantly a creepy bald Billy Corgan. The song is just simply phenomenal. While most of you already know this, I thought I would give it the time and recognition it deserves.

The music video is centered around general teenage mischief and good times. There are instances of crowd surfing, teepeeing, night swimming with your clothes on, bowling at your local gas station with glass bottles and my personal favorite, rolling down a hill in a huge tractor tire, which kicks off the video. You can watch it below.

I will leave you with some food for thought:

"We feel the pull in the land of a thousand guilts
And poured cement, lamented and assured
To the lights and towns below
Faster than the speed of sound
Faster than we thought we'd go
Beneath the sound of hope"

That's it for now. Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane.


"Absolutely Still" by Better Than Ezra - Song Of The Week

This week we celebrate the new single from the boys from New Orleans. "Absolutely Still" by Better Than Ezra is a first taste of their new album entitled Paper Empire. Paper Empire, which is due out May 12th 2009, is their seventh studio album and puts a close to the nearly 4 year drought in between albums. Their last studio album, Before The Robots, is one of my favorite albums of the last ten years and a review of the album can be found here. I will be sure to get a review of the new album up as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Along with the news of the new album and the release of the new single, came the announcement that long time drummer, Travis Aaron McNabb, was leaving the band to continue his gig with the country duo Sugarland. Sugarland, who picked up two Grammys this year, needed a drummer for their live performances and Travis has been filling that void for about a year and a half and is now taking on a permanent role. Filling the void on the other end is new Better Than Ezra drummer Michael Jerome (pictured above-right). I haven't heard him play yet but both lead singer Kevin Griffin and Bassist Tom Drummond are fans of his drumming skills and have faith that he will be the replacement that the need.

As for the song itself, "Absolutely Still", its pretty much classic Better Than Ezra. I wouldn't rate it as my all time favorite Better Than Ezra song, but its pretty good. It only has about 12,000 plays on their myspace page and doesn't seem to be getting much press but I expect it to pick up some steam when they release Paper Empire.

They have released 20+ tour dates already in an effort to promote the new album and hopefully will add some more as the summer approaches.

That's about it for now. Enjoy the new one from Better Than Ezra.


"Time" by Hootie & The Blowfish - Song Of The Week

This week's song celebrates one of the most iconic bands of the '90s, Hootie and The Blowfish. "Time" is one of 5 singles off the extremely popular Cracked Rear View album that was released in 1994. This album sold a remarkable 16 million copies, currently ranked 15th on the United States best selling albums of all time. "Time" is just one of many hits that Hootie and The Blowfish enjoyed in the '90s, but one of my personal favorites due to its great lyrics.

The Chorus:

Time is wasting
Time is walking
You ain't no friend of mine
I don't know where I'm goin'
I think I'm out of my mind
Thinking about time
And if I die tomorrow, yeah
Just lay me down in sleep

I think almost anyone can relate to these lyrics. Very rarely is time on your side and this song drives home that point quite nicely. I felt that it would fit well this week as the uncertainty of the economy rolls on as well as the bitter cold winter.

While front man Darius Rucker continues to promote his solo career, Hootie and The Blowfish has taken a back seat. They are still together as a band though and have a few shows lined up in the next few months. While it is unclear when and if a new album will be out any time soon, it should be noted how rigorously they have toured for the last decade. It doesn't look like they will give up playing shows around the country any time soon.

The music video for "Time" shows them doing what they do best, performing in front of a huge crowd.

That's it for this week. If you have an idea for a future Song of the Week, make a comment below.

Thanks for listening.


"Bittersweet" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters - Song of the Week

This week's song is just over fifteen years old but it wasn't until about two years ago that I heard it for the first time. "Bittersweet" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters, released in 1993, was a song that I first heard live in concert during the summer of 2006. It wasn't a Big Head Todd concert per say but they were the opening act (Collective Soul and Live were the main acts) and I had the pleasure of hearing this song. Overall they did a pretty good job with their set but it was "Bittersweet" that really caught my attention. Sitting on the grass at DTE Energy Music Theatre enjoying "Bittersweet", I had no idea that it was in fact their second most popular song to date ("Broken Hearted Savior" being their most popular). Obviously I was not alone in my admiration for this great song and for good reason. It is very different then most of the songs that are being played on the radio today and if you would like a break from some of that music, I strongly you check out this song for a breath of fresh air.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters is a unique rock band from Boulder, Colorado that formed in the mid 80s. They have released a remarkable eight studio albums in the last twenty years and while they haven't charted a song in ten years, they are making the headlines in a new way. All The Love You Need, their latest album, is available for free digitally at Itunes Music Store, Amazon, and their website. They also have links to download the lyrics and cover art. They were even nice enough to mail out 25,000 free albums to the first people to request it on their website. They have realized that they have become mostly a touring band over the last few years and as a result just want to get their music out there for people to enjoy and recognize at their next concert. They are currently on tour and already have over 30 shows booked for 2009.

I leave you with a great acoustic version of "Bittersweet" by Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Enjoy.


"(Splash) Turn, Twist" by Jimmy Eat World - Song Of The Week

This week's song is one that I recently discovered. I have always been a fan of Jimmy Eat World but somehow I never came across this song until very recently. I was able to get a hold of Bleed American (Deluxe Edition) and I was instantly drawn to this song. The Deluxe Edition of Bleed America, which was released last year, has some rare versions of the original songs on Bleed America as well as a few previously unreleased tracks. This song embodies everything I love about Jimmy Eat World and has quickly become one of my favorites from the boys from Mesa, Arizona.

Apparently the song was included on the Wedding Crashers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack but I don't remember it being featured in the movie. Regardless, it was chosen for the soundtrack because its a good song, and probably should have been a single. You can be the judge of that though. You can listen to it below.

Jimmy Eat World is currently gearing up for a ten show tour, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of their second album, Clarity. They will playing the whole album in its entirety at each show. If there was one tour you wouldn't want to miss as a Jimmy Eat World fan, this would be it. Check out their new Clarity website for more details.

Well, that's it for this week. Check us out next Sunday for another Song of the Week.

Thanks for listening.


"Crazy Life" by Toad the Wet Sprocket - Song of the Week

Another week down, and it is time for another song of the week. This week is one of my favorites, "Crazy Life" by Toad the Wet Sprocket. This was their last single they released before the band disbanded in 1998. While Toad the Wet Sprocket is best known for their hit singles "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean", their library of songs is very impressive. Of their five studio albums, I am big fan of their last three, Dulcinea, Fear, and Coil.

"Crazy Life" was featured in the ever popular Empire Records Sountrack, which is filled with some great 90s music. While it may be "Come Down" that most people remember from Coil, I believe that "Crazy Life" is the stronger single.

This song hooks you from the very first guitar riff. It has such a good opening and from there it smooth sailing. Like a lot of the other Toad songs, you can just kick back and enjoy this one. The song's lyrics speak of the controversy surrounding Leonard Peltier, a Native American convicted of murdering two FBI agents in a shoot out at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

While the lyrics are kind of sad, I love the line:
"In the air I'm sensing a change in the weather,
In the end the path is clear."

Anyway, I thought I would bring up a song that you may not have heard before.

Love it, hate it? Let me know.

Here is a live performance of the song:


"Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochrane - Song Of The Week

The song this week, "Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochrane, is inspired by last week's episode of The Office, "Employee Transfer". It is predominately featured throughout the episode, to highlight the distance Michael, Holly, and Darrell have traveled. It is the prefect song placement as it is the kind of song that gets annoying really fast but it's nice to hear every once in a while.

"Life Is A Highway" was released in 1991, propelling Tom Cochrane's career into stardom. Unfortunately, this was his only single to break into Billboard's US Hot 100, topping out at #6. Although his popularity faded fast in the US, he did see success throughout the '90s in Canada: charting 13 other singles on Canada's RPM 100 chart.

The catchy tune was not surprisingly brought back to life in 2006, when the Rascal Flatts covered "Life Is A Highway" for Disney's animated movie, "Cars". This version also did well on the Hot 100: bolstered by digital music sales, it reached #10.

The music video is pretty classic early 90s: conjuring up images of scorpions, black leather boots, and tight jeans. It features a guy wearing a wife beater driving down, shockingly enough, a highway. The video doesn't have much substance but be sure to check out 2:37 into the video when the guy wipes out running in the mud.