The staff of the College Football America Yearbook is on the road every weekend of the college football season, shooting games and gathering information for the following year’s book. That means a lot of driving and listening to a lot of music.
Earlier this year our College Football America Yearbook publisher Kendall Webb and our director of editorial content Chuck Cox put together ‘The Coronavirus Countdown – 100 Days of Great Music.’ Each of them sat down and compiled a list of 100 great albums. Their goal was not to select the ‘100 greatest albums of all time.’ It was simply to select 100 great albums to write about as they passed the time during quarantine and shelter-at-home orders.
This 2020 college football season will be unprecedented in so many ways. It’s very likely none of us will be on the road for games because, like most people, we’re trying to stay healthy. And we hope you are too.
So, for the next 100 days, we’re going to publish their countdown here at CollegeFootballAmericaPR.com (the list was originally published on Webb’s personal site, kendallwebb.net). Consider it the ultimate playlist for the ultimate college road trip — music for every taste, from every genre and from every decade of the modern era of music. When the staff of the College Football America Yearbook is back on the road, you can bet these will be some of the tunes we’re listening to.
And, if you missed the previous installments of our series, just click here to head to the Coronavirus Countdown — 100 Days of Great Music home page.
Here’s Day 19.
We’re headed across the pond today for both of our selections so why not get our bonus pick from the British Isles, too?
We’ve got several picks in our countdown that were either part of the British invasion of the ’60s or inspired by it, so why not look at a band from that era that didn’t make the cut. The Kinks were one of the biggest bands to find success on both sides of the Atlantic, first hitting the pop scene in 1964 with their debut album simply titled “Kinks.”
Their best moments would come a couple of years later starting with “Face to Face” in 1966 followed by “Something Else by the Kinks” in 1967. Our pick of the day, however, is their 1968 album “The Village Green Preservation Society” — an elegy of sorts to the passing of time-honored English traditions in the face of a modern world. Long live The Kinks and Merrie Olde England.
— Chuck Cox and Kendall Webb
CHUCK’S ALBUM OF THE DAY
Why I Love It
Sophomore jinx? Not a chance. While OK Computer is widely regarded as the band’s best album, its predecessor grabbed me by the ears and hasn’t let go 25 years later. This fantastic effort led Radiohead in a new direction after the massive success of “Creep” off its debut. I love every track and the guitar work on this album. It’s a perfect ’90s music album. Plus, “Fake Plastic Trees” ranks highly on my list of all-time favorite songs.
Album Highlights
“The Bends,” “High and Dry” and “Fake Plastic Trees”
Kendall on Chuck’s Album of the Day
This was one of my finalists, and I hated to cut it. So I was glad to see it show up on Chuck’s list when we shared our selections. A worthy pick for any Top 100 list.
KENDALL’S ALBUM OF THE DAY
Forgiven, Not Forgotten (1996)
Why I Love It
A mix of traditional Irish and modern adult contemporary pop, this album was one of the more unique records to arrive on the scene in the mid-’90s.
A family band comprised of sisters Andrea, Caroline and Sharon along with brother Jim, the band never really hit it as big as this album suggests it should have, but don’t let the lack of familiarity stop you from giving it a spin. “Runaway” only got to No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it should have been a huge hit and still rings true almost a quarter of a century later. “The Right Time” bubbled under at No. 112, but it should have been a big hit, too. Ditto for “Love To Love You.” An overlooked gem from the crowded pop scene of that era.
Album Highlights
“Runaway,” “The Right Time” and “Love To Love You”
Chuck on Kendall’s Album of the Day
I have always been a big fan of traditional Irish music, which is a big player on this fantastic debut album. Infused with a modern sound including gorgeous harmonies, this record stands the test of time. I love the instrumentals as much as the other tracks. Great record.
College Football America PR 