One of my go-to tracks for picking up the tempo on KCOU was "1976," a 1990 track by Redd Kross. When you have a great guitar hook, it's advisable to milk it for all its worth. The band does this, right from the first note, and keeps the energy up for the entire tune. Another plus: The keyboard riff that begins two minutes and four seconds in wouldn't be out of place in a Squeeze song. I have no strong feelings about the lyrics, but that doesn't detract from my positive impression of the song. When a song is this full of life and joy, DJs are wise to play it when the opportunity arises.
Just looking at the CD on the shelf a few minutes ago took me back. I remember waiting for a song I'd played before it to end so I could start the CD player at precisely the right moment--and hope that listeners would grab their air guitars and play along.
