Hot Tracks From New Wax on the Racks

For today's edition of HTFNWOTR, we're picking from our batch of reissues that came in yesterday. Some old, some new, and some that have already sold! So if you see something you want, best get here quick!

"White Light/White Heat" from The Velvet Underground's 1968 album of the same name.

Great opening track from this album - the subway train rhythm section will completely flatten you out, and musically it's one of the most accessible early Underground tune.

"Dusty" from Soundgarden's 1996 album "Down On the Upside"

This LP doesn't get the acclaim of "Superunknown", or the mentions of some of SG's earlier albums, but the first 7 tracks of this album contains their best work, if you ask me. When Soundgarden was at it's best, it wrote melodic rock songs that were deceptively in strange time signatures and oddball guitar tunings, and it's quite a feat when you can make that sound more like Zeppelin and less like Rush. Not to bash Rush, but you can tell their stuff is complicated, where SG hides it a little.

"Bloodbuzz Ohio" from The National's 2010 release "High Violet"

Take Billy Idol's talk-singing, Morrisey's delivery, The Velvet Underground's rhythm, and the lead drumming aesthetic of Keith Moon (not the bombast, but the placement of the drums in the mix, the drums totally drive and lead this tune) and you've got this track.

"Self Esteem" from The Offspring's 1992 album "Smash"

Yes, it still holds up. My inner 7th grader is blasting this song as I write this, and my outer 37 year-old is grooving in agreement. Certain songs can instantly put you back in a certain place and time, and now I'm looking for my Stussy hat.