Floyd makes a maverick pick with famous wearer-of-hats Tim McGraw
On EDGE: Opinion
Yesterday local DJ Jack Antonio, who has a classic/indie rock show on CKLB, sent us a list of musical picks made by the NWT’s four federal candidates. His criteria were simple: pick two genre-appropriate songs and I’ll play them. “Hope you find these choices as interesting as I did!” he said.
Kind of. No one picked, say, “Wave of Mutilation” by the Pixies, but would you expect that from a group dominated by middle-aged dudes? Here’s what our quartet did go with, along with analysis of their choices by a snobby music jerk who couldn’t get elected as a dogcatcher:
Dennis Bevington, NDP
Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Taking Care of Business
Bevington drives the whole project right into the ditch at the very beginning by choosing one of the most played songs in Cancon history. Great tune, the first 10,000 times we heard it. Maybe it’s time to get a Spotify account, Dennis.
Controversial choice. Check out these lyrics:
“I got a black magic woman
Got me so blind I can’t see
That she’s a black magic woman
She’s tryin’ to make a devil out of me.”
Something the Bevs is trying to tell us here? Some hidden agenda, perhaps? Think twice before you send this crypto-occultist back to Ottawa, friends.
Michael McLeod, Liberal
McLeod apparently based his choices on songs he enjoys playing on his guitar. Which is nice, and it’s cool that he can play guitar, right? But yeesh. It’s really hard to find anything to say about Blue Rodeo. Pass.
The Belfast Cowboy! And his most overplayed song! This show is gonna be great, Jack Antonio.
John Moore, Green Party
Blue Rodeo: Stealin’ All My Dreams
John Moore is in his early 20s, and like any right-thinking person under 40, he listens mostly to hip-hop. But when he does listen to the rock musics he listens to Blue Rodeo’s anti-Harper protest song. Or so he says. Here’s something to say about Blue Rodeo: Even at their shoutiest about federal politics, Blue Rodeo are still the musical equivalent of Sleepytime Herbal Tea.
Buffalo Springfield: For What It’s Worth
A golden oldie that Moore probably knows from its countless appearances on movie soundtracks and from being sampled by Public Enemy for “He Got Game.” I see what you’re up to here, young man.
Floyd Roland, Conservative
Tim McGraw: Better Than I Used To Be
Floyd Roland’s political career has been a lot like a country song when you think about it, so what the hell, let’s ignore the fact that he’s not playing by the rules and has chosen outside of the proscribed genres. Floyd, you maverick. Gotta admire the choice of this tune in particular, with its lyrics about a bad boy strugglin’ his best to reform his ways.
Tim McGraw feat. Tracy Lawrence with Kenny Chesney: Find Out Who Your Friends Are
Well-played, Mr. Roland. Well-played.
Jack’s Trax, featuring the federal candidates’ choices, airs tonight at 7 p.m. on CKLB.
