Ben's Playlist - Monday, September 2, 2013

Delicious – Orange Sherbert
Little Things – One Direction
Bully Bully – Shine and the Moonbeams
Peaceful – Cat Doorman
My Happiness – Chris Isaak
Sell Out – Reel Big Fish
Everybody's Got their Underwear On – Billy Kelly and the Blah Blah Blahs
Whole lotta fun – Nick Cope
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Caspar Babypants
Waiting Room – Fugazi
OK By Me – Johnny Angel Wendell

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 28, 2013

Your Sweet Baby Blues – Johnny Angel Wendell
Over Again – One Direction
Don't Play With Your Food – Jambo
Bus Ride – Mary Kaye
eBay – Weird Al Yankovic
Sylvie – Elizabeth Mitchell
Space Kid And Banana – Ratboy Jr.
Hide & Seek – Princess Katie & Racer Steve
Cool Watermelon – Ethan Rossiter And The Jamberries
Squeeze Please – Yello
Wander 'Round the World – Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Burning Coffee – They Might Be Giants
Why is the sky blue? – Nick Cope
Sacagawea – The Deedle Deedle Dees
I Love Music (feat. Wordsmith) – Rhymezwell
Squeeze Please – Yello
Yeah! – Cat Doorman
Here Comes Peter Cottontail – The Hipwaders
Is She a Girl or Is She a Monkey – Randy Kaplan
The Owie Song – David Tobocman
OK By Me – Johnny Angel Wendell
First Day of Summer – The Que Pastas
Rainbows and Onions – Sweet Diss & the Comebacks

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Sunny Christmas – Renee & Jeremy
Turning Tables – Adele
Your Sweet Baby Blues – Johnny Angel Wendell
What'd I Say – Ray Charles
Red River Valley – James McMurtry
Sacagawea – The Deedle Deedle Dees
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – The Vandals
Begin Again – Taylor Swift
All I Want – Helen Austin
Talkin' Bout Love – The Little Rockers Band

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Set Fire To The Rain – Adele
Crazy crazy dinner lady – Nick Cope
Don't Dream It's Over – Glee
Lullaby Arms – Johnny Angel Wendell
Prehensile Grip – Dean Jones
The Owie Song – David Tobocman
Beach Party At High Altitude – Jeff Wolin
Holidays – Princess Katie & Racer Steve
Choral Reef – Recess Monkey
Mammal – They Might Be Giants

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, April 18, 2013

The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes    
Crazy crazy dinner lady – Nick Cope 
Set Fire To The RainvAdele
OK By Me – Johnny Angel Wendell  
Hot Shot – Princess Katie & Racer Steve 
Full Tilt – The Not-Its   
Brilliance – The Underbirds 
Sacagawea – The Deedle Deedle Dees 
Noite De Lembrar – Márcio Faraco 
Guitar Pickin' Chicken – Ratboy Jr.     

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, April 11, 2013

Your Sweet Baby Blues – Johnny Angel Wendell
Turning Tables  – Adele
Last First Kiss – One Direction 
Clap Your Hands – The Time Outs
Vote or Don't – They Might Be Giants
Superman – Glee 
Sacagawea – The Deedle Deedle Dees 
Just Not Me – The Hipwaders
No, No, No – The Little Rockers Band  
Bus Ride – Mary Kaye  
Rainbow –  Milkshake

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Set Fire To The Rain – Adele 
Can't Keep Johnny Down – They Might Be Giants
Your Sweet Baby Blues – Johnny Angel Wendell       
a wild one – Justin Roberts
Delicious – Orange Sherbert 
The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes
Wimoweh – Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
First Day of School  – Ethan Rossiter And The Jamberries  
Busy – The Not-Its 
El Jefe – Mexican Institute of Sound 

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Lullaby Arms – Johnny Angel Wendell   
Over Again – One Direction
Let's Go  – Matt & Kim 
Burning Coffee – They Might Be Giants 
We Just Wanna Have Fun – Milkshake  
Lose My Mind – The Wanted
Kidquake! – The Not-Its 
Sacagawea – The Deedle Deedle Dees
Begin Again – Taylor Swift     
Ice Cream Soup – Jambo

Ben's Playlist - Monday, April 1, 2013

Turning Tables – Adele 
What Will You Ever See? – Lunch Money
Are You a Mirror (...Or a Window?) – Quiet Company
Good Time – Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen 
Ho Hey – The Lumineers  
You Gotta Hold It – The Hipwaders
Immigrant Song – Led Zeppelin
Mammal – They Might Be Giants 
OK By Me – Johnny Angel Wendell      
I Almost Do – Taylor Swift      
I'm Your Boyfriend Now – They Might Be Giants

Johnny Now Singing With the Angels

Talk about nine lives.

Johnny Angel Wendell started playing garage pop in the 1970s with his band, The Thrills.

Apparently, while I was attending Queens College in the 1980s and DJing at WQMC Radio, his band the Blackjacks had an indie hit, "That's Why I Always Dress in Black."

Wendell moved on to other pursuits (writing a column, hosting a talk show, acting work). After a 15-year recording hiatus, he has released a new CD, IT! The sound is still "in the garage," somewhat reminiscent of Little Village.

The disc hit my desk primarily due to two songs featuring his kids. "OK By Me" is a midtempo rocker with a chorus of "I love you more than you'll ever know" and the children responding, "It's OK by me." The following track, "Lullaby Arms," is a sentimental ballad abut having your children grow up too soon. With my older son just turning 12 (and gaining 16 pounds in one year) and the younger one now 2 1/4 and becoming more independent by the day, it's a somber lesson.

I don't mean to downplay the rest of the CD. You can go to Johnny's BandCamp page, hear samples, and judge for yourself. It's got a bluesy feel and Johnny clearly wants to harken back to his garage days.

You can get IT! from his Web page or through Facebook.