Listen Live

Listen to my full playlist below and enjoy the ride!

American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I was face down, on my futon, in Cary Quad at Purdue when I first heard this song. I was barely conscious because of all the STUDYING I WAS DOING for my upcoming examinations. I was soon evicted from my dorm room because you have to be enrolled at the university to live there. They also canceled my meal plan, leading to a diet of pizza boxes and bottle caps.
Tom Petty has such a huge catalog of amazing music. It’s hard to pick one, but I’m doing it, and I’ll bet my eleven-year degree that this is the right pick.

Best Listen While Driving: The open road calls for any two-lane state road in Indiana, but those things are dangerous, according to me. I grew up on them. Stay clear. Just walk to Claypool instead.

High Beams – Trevor Sensor

Trevor Sensor is a recent find thanks to my “Discover Weekly” playlist on Spotify. What a voice of raspy goodness. Spotify subscriber? Then you likely have a “Discover Weekly” playlist. It’s customized to your listening habits, then populates every Monday with new songs (or at least new to you) that incorporate your style. It’s really cool, and I love it when the A.I. knows me better than I know me. This will be beneficial when the love robots are made public.
Best Listen While Driving: In the fog. It’s IRONY because you are not supposed to use high beams in the fog, and your mind just exploded, I’m aware.

Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker

I’m going to hire a trio of background singers with my next budget increase. Every time I say “construction” on air, they’ll sing “uh huh,” just like in Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright”. I have no idea what they’ll do between reports, but my lanta do I know how to spend.
Best Listen While Driving: South side, westbound I-465, I-65 to Harding. North split rerouting and I-69 construction have made this stretch infested with crashes. Best roll down your windows and entertain the others who are also jammed. Misery loves company, but that’s for another playlist, another day.

What I Got – Sublime

My recent complaint is that we can build gigantic ramps and bridges but still can’t paint a lane marking that’s visible while raining. Its invention would rival the spinning jenny in benefit to mankind.
Best Listen While Driving: I’d give this the Geist treatment. Try it on Fall Creek Rd. moments before launching your neighbor’s boat. It’s such a beach song, and Geist beach’s sand is whiter than a beluga whale.
***Author’s note: There is no Geist Beach.

Royals – Lorde

Lorde sent a letter to her fans last weekend hinting at a new album in the works. She’s “in love with music again”, which is heartwarming since her last album was met with mixed reviews.
(I am laughing so hard while typing this. I want to be a VJ when I grow up).
Best Listen While Driving: Fountain Square. You’ll be hip because you’re still listening to Lorde and she’s out of style. You’ll be lame because of the same reason.

Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Before Will Smith started showing his reactionary side, I believe he was a top biller in Hollywood. When did he jump the shark? I’m going with Hancock. I am Legend was the previous release to Hancock and that was some terrifying blood-soaked zombiology long before zombies had that “it” factor. Hancock, then Suicide Squad, then Gemini Man, then Slap. Yeah, timeline revealed, degradation exposed.
Best Listen While Driving: Oven temperature at the intersection of Fall Creek Pkwy. and Keystone Ave. This gem effortlessly perforates multiple lanes of stopped traffic.

Cruisin/The Tracks of My Tears

Smokey Robinson’s voice is so rich and one of my favorites in all of music. Neither Cruisin nor Tracks of My Tears may qualify as great driving songs, but mercy, they are exceptional records. Their inclusion is on an “either-or” basis, or play them back-to-back because they are so easy to sing (poorly, as in poorly by me).
Best Listen While Driving: Keystone Pkwy., the one in Carmel. They did a magnificent job in assembling this stretch of road, and the ease of Smokey’s voice is the perfect compliment.

Xanadu – Olivia Newton-John 

For no other reason than tribute. Rest in peace. What a talent.

Layla (Piano Solo Only)

Goodfellas, anyone? Martin Scorsese delivered a haymaker with this melancholy piano solo behind the discovery of a half dozen or so dead mobsters. It’s when cinema elevates the music, and vice versa; a combination that makes the art timeless
The whole song is seven minutes, and I usually spend the first 2:43 waiting for the piano solo. It’s worth the wait, so good, so amazingly perfect.
Best Listen While Driving: Sunset, on the interstate (no stop lights), approaching downtown. Be sure and thank God that you’re alive, for which you’ll need no reminder.

The Sun Smells too Hot – Mogwai

I love this. It’s sweaty and industrial, with an authoritative baseline. The title pokes the imagination, as in “what does the sun smell like”? I’m guessing the fork I accidentally microwaved last night. Quick reflexes and renter’s insurance make this a great day.
Best Listen While Driving: I can’t say why, but I love the intersection at Michigan St. and Tibbs. It’s just a curious little spot, with the furniture store and Mexican grocery on the corner.
It’s just cool.

Don’t Take the Money – Bleachers

Yeah yeah yeah, the Bleachers are an 80’s knockoff yes tell me more, good point, I’m listening, I promise yes. Another catalog that’s just prolific; full of indie pop songs with enough variety to make me anticipate the next record.
This song is a flawless date during a Friday night drive. The lyrics are easy to understand and singable, which is perfect for anyone decompressing from a long work week.
Best Listen While Driving: I appreciate it most on N. Meridian St. between 38th and 86th St. Hang your head out the window like a dog. Slobber if you like.

1979 – Smashing Pumpkins

DID YOU KNOW that I-65 inside I-465 is called “the Babyface”? Former Governor Frank O’Bannon renamed the interstate after the North Central alumni in 1999. To this day, I’ve never heard it referred to by its nickname. Why not? We remember to call Emerson at County Line Rd. “hole of famine and suffocation”. Why is Babyface so hard?
Best Listen While Driving: I’d say anywhere on Westfield Blvd. from 82nd St. to Broad Ripple Ave. Westfield Blvd. is a throwback, as in a beautifully paved road free of potholes and obstruction. It reminds me of my youth, when I would get pulled over for teaching my friends how to drive, and was consequently arrested for doing so.

I Drove All Night – Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison wrote this song in 1987- just a year before he died – only to have Celine Dion bastardize it nearly a decade later. I have nothing against Celine Dion, and I encourage remakes, but I abhor the artist who decimates a perfect canvas. I mean, this song is so fine, rekindling an era when we didn’t have to borrow money to put gas in our cars.
Best Listen While Driving: Crank it up heading home from work on date night. If it was a bad day, even better. Your SO will appreciate your elevated sexual prowess.

Without Expression – John Mellencamp

This song is the Edinburgh Outlet Mall of the John Mellencamp library. It’s a destination, as it doesn’t get much air time, and has more than you need at five-minutes long. I like it, and nobody plays three chords like John Mellencamp. Did you know he’s from Indiana?
Best Listen While Driving: Spring Mill Rd. from Kessler to W. 86th St. (post road construction). Don’t get too creative up there. That’s some high-dollar real estate. In fact, listen to only John Mellencamp on Spring Mill Rd.

Was Kommt Wenn Nichts Kommen Will – Click Click Decker

Like everyone, I’ve always wanted to become a connoisseur of German pop/rock/indie music. Was Kommt Wenn Nichts Kommen. (What Happens if Nothing Comes) by Click Click Decker is just a mere representation of my unparalleled expertise in this expansive subgenre (my personal collection includes three songs).
I got “D’s” in high school German, but I know “Ich spiele Squash” means “I play squash”, and “Ich esse squash” means “I eat squash.” Take that, Gutenburg.
Best Listen While Driving: Leaving the Rathskeller. You’ll be stuffed full of Brat N Kraut Balls and the catchy hook will burn more calories.

Thunder Clatter – Wild Club 

I don’t have “guilty pleasures” because I don’t feel guilty about the music I listen to, but really, how many wedding parties have used this song for the introduction? You’re the love of my, the love of MY LIFE! Guaranteed that someone got married to it ten minutes after a listen.
Best Listen While Driving: Song will give you all the feels, and feelin’ good means driving Fall Creek Pkwy. from Meridian to 38th. It’s a short stretch, but absolutely gorgeous during summer and autumn.

Hands of Time – Groove Armada

Oooooh, the end game is candy. Hands of Time by Groove Armada is a slice of key lime pie like there’s never a wrong time to indulge and impossible to recreate. Use this to punctuate your day. Just enjoy.
Best Listen While Driving: At night, on the east side heading towards downtown. Massachusetts Ave., preferably (not Mass Ave., and there is a difference). It sets a mood and you’ll stick with it.