SiriusXM highlights XII

Highlights heard yesterday:

1st Wave

• Cruel To Be Kind-Nick Lowe (Lyrically, the tune expresses a philosophy that's questionable, at best.  It's extremely catchy power pop, though.)

'60s On 6

• Venus-The Shocking Blue (A great guitar lick in a memorable one-hit wonder tune.)

'70s On 7

• Right Back Where We Started From-Maxine Nightingale (An ear-catching hook that doesn't leave the listener's mind easily.)

The Bridge 

• Blue Bayou-Linda Ronstadt (One of Ronstadt's best hits; it segues well with Stephen Bishop's "On And On.")
• From The Beginning-Emerson, Lake & Palmer (A haunting guitar line propels one of the band's best tunes.)

The Groove

• I Wanna Be Rich-Calloway (There's no hidden subtext in the lyrics; the protagonist wants "money, lots and lots of money," in this fun melody from 25 years ago.)

Real Jazz

• June In January-Wes Montgomery (Straight ahead jazz from an ensemble that cooks.)

Siriusly Sinatra

• Bewitched-Charlie Watts Quintet featuring Bernard Fowler (Extremely smooth vocals with lush orchestral backing; it's one of the highlights, along with "My Ship," from the "Warm & Tender" CD.)

Spa

• Wish-James Sera (Appealing, meditative guitar.)

The Spectrum

• Ode To Billie Joe-Sarah McQuaid (A good cover of the Bobbie Gentry tune that smooths out quirks within the original version's tempo.)