via//chicago

Throwback Thursday

I thought it would be nice to spice up the new year a little bit by adding a new feature here at via//chicago, so welcome to the first ever installment of Throwback Thursday. Every so often, on a Thursday, I'm going to dig way back into the archives of the via//chicago music collection to share a couple of tunes that are near forgotten or just gems that need to be enjoyed again. We kick it off by heading all the way back to last century to check out a little 1990's action.

The Verve - "Bittersweet Symphony (James LaVelle Remix)"
It's unlikely that anyone's forgotten this Britpop classic, nor its extremely memorable video, but I'm not sure how many people got to hear this interesting little remix. I can't say it improves upon the original version, but it certainly does provide a little twist.

Soul Asylum - "Fearless Leader"
This is one of those bands that deserves a little bit more recognition than they seem to get by everyone who wants to dismiss them as a two-hit wonder ("Runaway Train" and "Misery"). But the truth is, they've managed to put together a mighty impressive catalog over the years, including the near decade they were cranking out rock before they hit it big. This was always one of my favorites of theirs, sadly relegated to B-side status on the "Misery" single. For some reason, considering the state of the nation today and the plummeting presidential approval ratings, I'm finding the lyrics more fitting than ever.

Girls Against Boys - "Sexy Sam"
We go from forgotten freshness to a band that never got nearly as much recognition as they deserved. GVSB were an underrated indie rock band that funked things up with their duelling bass players, cranking out a sound that was well ahead of its time. "Sexy Sam" was a non-album single, but was no less impressive than tracks like the also classic "Kill the Sexplayer". It's a shame these guys never broke through to the mainstream, here's hoping for a critical reappraisal in the near future.