JOE PICKS A WINNER: MP3 MUSIC

Glad you decided to peek inside! For your convenience the menu is on wheels, so you can click and drag with your mouse,and roll the menu aside if it gets in your way. Likewise, the piano is on wheels, but, seriously, a grand piano along with the piano player, is just way too heavy for any one mouse to drag!   :-P

Speaking of pianos, like on many stages, often there appears a musical performance, so I've included an accompaniment here by way of the Amazon MP3 Music Widget. Listen while you browse the Joe Picks a Winner menu, and if a tune catches your ear, come back later and investigate further using the player controls and links.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

Look for periodic changes to the Amazon mp3 music line-up, as well as additions to the Joe Picks a Winner menu in the days to come. For a start, Quick Pick singles from what I can't get out of my head right now, then featured musical selections hanging around my head for a long, long time:

• QUICK PICKS
  The Pretenders — Boots of Chinese Plastic
  Alejandro Escovedo — Always a Friend
  Vampire Weekend — A-Punk
  Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — Gone Gone Gone
  
  
• Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection
  Though I have this punk rock bent, it was in the 80s that Michael Jackson reached superstardom on the pop scene. Admittedly, at the time I didn't rush out to buy his albums. There was really no need, for you couldn't get away from hearing Michael Jackson everywhere. That's not to say I'm not a fan. Having grown up with the Jackson 5, Michael was already in my blood. This album is huge, combining the old and the new. It is a fitting tribute to a superstar who's music will forever live on in our hearts and souls.
  
• Elvis Costello — My Aim Is True
  From Elvis's debut back in 1977. Can this album really be over 30 years old? I still get a charge out of it, and judging by his recent appearance on the Steven Colbert Christmas Special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All (DVD), Elvis is still going strong, too. The cast, Steven Colbert, Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, John Legend, Feist, and of course Elvis, sing in harmony What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding. A great version of a great song. And the Christmas show is quite good, too, if a little irreverent, but in all a great mix of comedy and music.
  
• The Killers — Day & Age
  They're not from the '80s, but they sure sound like they could be. A couple years ago, with their driving, energetic, even anthem-esque sounding, When You Were Young, I couldn't help but think of the good old days of my beloved 1980s and feel nostalgic, as the repeated song title suggests the listener think of their youth. Whether that's really what the song lyrics are about makes no difference, for it's more about the feelings the music inspires. Reminds me of the driving feel of Springsteen's No Surrender, another 1980s favorite. However, after the winning When You Were Young, I can't believe the latest "hit" getting a lot of airplay is so sappy. Kind of like Blondie, after a tune like Rip Her to Shreds, going mainstream with Heart of Glass. Am I alone thinking like this? Can't rightfully call Human a winner, but you be the judge.
• Joni Mitchell — Court and Spark
  Got to love those hippie chicks. While Joni may not be exactly representative of the Me Generation, she has put out some great music through the years, through the 80s and beyond, and certainly withstands the test of time. Honestly, I haven't yet warmed up to the current, more mature Joni Mitchell. Even when she is singing her old songs, her Billie Holiday style these days doesn't sit well with me, and upon first hearing, I was hard pressed to even recognize the singer. It's understandable, for after listening so often over so many years to the Joni I've come to know and love, the new stuff just doesn't seem quite right. Nevertheless, I love her, and I'm perfectly content to cherish Joni Mitchell's older stuff while I learn to love the new.
• Prince — The Hits 2
  By 1980 Prince released his third album and was well on his way to super-stardom. With his hit Controversy, Prince was heard both in popular Discos, as well as Punk or New Wave clubs. Great crossover! And if Beck of the '90s could cover Raspberry Beret, Cyndi Lauper and others covering When You Were Mine, and even Tom Jones with Kiss, I guess Prince, too, has made his mark through the years.
• Poi Dog Pondering — The Best of Poi Dog Pondering
  It's hard to keep track of what's going on with this big band. They keep changing members on me! However, since the 1980s, Poi Dog Pondering keeps putting out great music in a variety of styles. No wonder they've become Chicagoland's sweethearts in recent years. From Everybody's Tryin' to the more recent cover That's the Way Love Is, Poi Dog Pondering always keeps my foot tapping. There's just something delicious about mixing rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and violins, especially if you get the chance to see this band live!