Esssential 11 for July

Funny. Everytime it's time to come up with 11 songs worth seeking out on the radio, I think I'll never be able to do it. Every month the list comes together rather easily. This list is a rather loud one so crank it up.

Bushwick Blues -- Delta Spirit Nothing fancy here. Just a tuneful hard rocking totally in love song like you thought nobody made anymore

Stop for a Minute -- Keane feat. K'nan Keane is always goof for a mopey English pop rock song and the ubiqutious Somali-Canadian singer-rapper adds some subtle spice.

The Sound (John M.Perkins Blues) -- Switchfoot John M. Perkins is a Christian civil rights activist in case you're wondering. Switchfoot is one butt kicking Christian rock band in case your're wondering. The message is "love is the final fight" in case you're wondering.

Ready to Start -- Arcade Fire This is the song that CFNY si playing instead of "The Suburbs" or "MOnth of May", probably because this is the closest they come to a rocker. It's all good. I mean it. With this band, ITS ALL GOOD.

Anchor -- Alejandro Escevedo A really catchy tune from his hardest rocking album yet, backed up by the Sensitive Boys, his incredibly talented backup band. If they come to your town -- GO SEE THEM.

Fixed -- Stars A la Metric, a Canadian band with a female singer with a heavy 80's influence. The lyrics as far as I can make them out -- are about staying steadfast in a relationship while eveyrhing's falling apart. This one grows on you.

You Got Me -- Crash Kings After "Mountain Man" you thought they couldn't pound the piano any harder. Well they can, and they did, and wrote some gloriously sleazy lyrics amd played some gloriously loud guitar to accompnay it.

Fresh -- Devo Having focus groups decide EVERYTHING that went into Devo's album and tour was a genius extension of the Devo concept. And God help us, it works. This is the tockinest and smartest stuff Deov has done since its debut.

Tripping Down the Freeway -- Weezer I know. It's not cool to like Weezer anyomore. I don't care. Anyone who dug "Buddy Holly" or "Surf Wax America" off the first album has no call to put this down as shallow. It's just Weezer being Weezer and this is irrestible. Disposable maybe, but irrestible.

Rules Don't Stop -- We Are Scientists Another cool 80's inspired Band, sorta like the Cure without the gloom and tesaed hair. No that's not quite it. Interpol without all the gloom and baritone. Nope that's not quite it,either. Very propulsive and tuneful. The kind of song you's wish the Killers would write more of.

The Boxer -- Gaslight Anthem The second single form their excellent new album. Just check out the guitar work doing a counter melody throughout the song rather than the usual solo wanking.