Matt Biolos’ Sounds to Shape to Mix

“I made a 100-song playlist for shaping in Oz this month,” says shaper-to-the-stars Matt Biolos. “Here are some highlights. I only listen to bands capable of recording complete albums that are good all the way through. Any schmuck can write a catchy pop song, but to create a complete album that’s good from start to finish… that’s another story. I usually listen to albums in their entirety, but for this, cause I mostly chose lesser-known songs from well-known artists, every one of these bands or performers have recorded great albums (most of them, many great albums). And, every album on this list is worthy of a full download. I chose a lot of long songs, ’cause long hours in a small room with lights on the walls tend to go slowly.”

Hit play on Matt’s playlist below, then scroll down to read his track-by-track breakdown while y’listen.

1. Van Halen – Could This Be Magic. The title track from the album Women and Children First, in my opinion, the best of all their albums. E Van Halen is a top five all-time axe man and David Lee Roth is on a level with Michael Jackson as a performer. My vote for best LA band of all time.

2. Sublime – Scarlet Begonias from Robbin The Hood. The only perfromer on this list who I was fortunate enough to call a personal friend. Brad’s word work on this one is nothing short of awesome.

3. Rolling Stones – Midnight Rambler from Get Yer Yas Yas Out – Supposedly one of the first shows with Mick Taylor on guitar, after Brian Jones left and soon drowned, this live show is many songs recorded before Taylor joined the band, but showcases his blistering guitar and makes me wonder how amazing these early Stones songs would have been, had he recorded them. This track was just the most dark and evil thing recorded by a pop band yet at that time.

4. The Racantours – Carolina Drama, from Consolers Of The Lonely – Jack White is far and away my favourite artist of the 21st century. This song, buried deep on the album, is the work of a master storyteller. I could see a movie being made out of this song. Searing instruments as well as fine lyrics.

5. Pearl Jam – Elderly Woman In A Small Town. Yeah, I’m a fan. I have all the albums and can really relate to Eddie Vedder. This song is one of my faves.

6. Metallica – Tuesday’s Gone, from Garage Days, Re-Revisted – I was a huge Metallica fan in high school. Kill ’em All, Master Of Puppets and the first Garage Days cover albums as well. This cover of a classic southern rock song shows that James and the boys could have been fantastic at most any genre of music they attacked.

7. Led Zeppelin – When The Levee Breaks. I’m not a big Zep fanatic by any means, but this one I just dig. And you never get to hear it on even classic rock radio stations. I like Zep songs that don’t revolve around mystical fantasy bullshit.

8. Rolling Stones – Before They Make Me Run, from Some Girls. Some of my favourite Stones songs are Keith (Richards) tunes. This one and Happy from Exile On Main St. are two of the best. Keith’s songs contrast so much with Mick’s. They’re humble little songs from a trampy rascal.

9. Nirvana – Molly’s Lips from Incestice. When we were making some of the early …Lost videos I used to blast this album of odd ball and rarity Nirvana songs on the home stereo while (Chris) Ward, Cory (Lopez) and the rest of the kids went nuts. We never had the balls to put Nirvana in our vids for fear of lawsuits though.

10. Kings of Leon – King of the Rodeo. Adrian (ado) Wiseman from Australia actually turned me onto Kings when the first album came out and, along with the Black Keys, they’re one of my favourite modern bands. I think all of their albums are complete units that flow well from start to finish.

11. Cracker – Euro Trash Girl. I could make a whole playlist just with Cracker. I first saw David Lowery with his earlier band Camper Van Beethoven as a kid in 1986, and have followed him since (saw them on December 27th, 2011 in San Diego in fact). Cracker released a series of three-four albums in the ’90s that are all examples of dry, witty, intelligent, well-crafted rock and blues. I can’t say enough about this guy. Although he had a couple top 40 hits in the mid ’90s, I feel he is the most underrated American songwriter over the last generation. This song was hidden after the last track on the album it appeared on and has become a cult favourite. Download some Cracker albums and help David and Johnny pay bills ’cause they fucking deserve it.

12. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone. The best song ever written by the best songwriter ever.

13. Yeah Yeah Yeah’s – Maps. The hit song from that album. I remember this CD was perma-locked into my rental car while driving through Europe the summer it came out. The only female voice to make the list. …Lost and Etnies tossed a huge party at the Etnies skate park in Irvine a few years back and they played. The guitarist is pretty unique.

14. Velvet Underground – Sweet Jane. Amidst all the fog and buffoonery of Warhol’s Factory, Lou Reed managed to write some catchy songs that still sound great. We used a bunch of them in early …Lost videos.

15. The Beatles – Rocky Raccoon from The White Album. It always intrigues me how much the UK/English bands fall in love with, and draw from American culture for use in their music. The Stones, Beatles, U2, Zep are all American Blues-based bands, but they go beyond that and even weave our culture into their lyrics. Here’s a great example of the fab Four writing a funky classic Western cowboy tale.

16. The White Stripes – St James Infirmary Blues. I think this is the fist album. I dig songs about seedy hospitals. Did I mention Jack White is The MAN.