Two more musicians have sent me CDs, after reading my list of the 50 greatest conservative rock songs.
The first is Burnie Booth of the Charge Droplets, and an album called Please Don’t Unleash the Young. Songs include the wonderfully titled “Nature Is a Tick Bite.” Writes Burnie: “I probably qualify more as a misanthrope malcontent than a true conservative … through if I were one I would probably be viewed as a Derbyshire Con.” A flyer for the band is a picture of a giant praying mantis holding Ayn Rand’s head in its claws, and promising the sounds of “misanthropop.” To me, the tunes recalled Bleach-era Nirvana. If Derb were Kurt Cobain, he would be in the Charge Droplets. Unfortunately, the group doesn’t have a website; if you want to inquire about a Charge Droplets album, email Burnie at chargedroplet-at-yahoo.com.
Next is Junkyard Todd, who sent me his album Last Perfect Summer. Reminds me a little of Big Star. My favorite tune is “Green River” — not a cover of the CCR classic, but a nice jangly number in its own right. Writes J.T.: “I have been writing and recording underground pop music for the last two decades, and as far as I can tell, I am the only artist in this rather broad genre who is not a Bush-hating Trotskyite.” The songs don’t seem at all political, by the way — just solid indie pop.