At 54 years old, you got to reach out and grab anything that keeps you positive, healthy and moving.  Two events combined to put me in the sweet spot this fall.  One is my continuing interest in mountain biking, riding the trails around my house here in Midcoast Maine.  The other is the advent of tucking a tiny case of music ( my I-Pod) in my jacket or shirt , and cranking the tunes that mean the world to me as I pound through the rock, roots, and trails.  Below are the current tunes that I have selected to put a smile on my face as I hammer out another run in the woods. 

1. Can't Stand Me Now / The Libertines 3:23  " This is current chart stuff. My son Arlo gave it to me.  I am totally into the guitar that is going on on the left channel.  The right channel is not too bad either.  After the ditzy intro , it goes right into the solo, and just  builds bigger and bigger. Arlo saw them in San Francisco recently and said the drummer was even better than the drummer.  It's British .  I think they already blew up and disintegrated with the heat of playing this stuff and trying to have a life .  Hell of an impressive package of energy and talent."

2. If I Were You / Kasey Chambers 4:10 " My friend Chuck gave me this CD.  She's from a musical family - Australian .  This cut is dedicated to my friend Daniel, who can't understand why a woman won't love him forever. 

3. Don't Worry Baby (Single Version) / The Beach Boys 2:49 "  My jaw still drops at the simplicity of this cut.  There is really bare musical skill here, no flash whatsoever, but the pure sonic power of the voices propels this song way inside. My independence was launched by this band way back when I was 13." 

4. Hardcased / Lincoln Jamrog 3:19  " This is unbelievable.  Yeah, he is my son, but also my hero.  I dream of sitting in my room and creating an idea, a riff, layering it up and launching some power like this.  Makes me cry with the appreciation of his raw talent and perspective."

5. This One's for the Girls / Martina McBride 4:03 "  I have a small collection of country music and heard this on the radio.  I love the idea, and can't live without hearing this song for more than 2 days."

6. Portions for Foxes / Rilo Kiley 4:44 " Saw a write up of this new CA band in Rolling Stone this fall.  Tracked down the CD at Border's , walked to the cash register and laid it down, didn't buy it.  A month later it was on I-Tunes and I test drove it for 30 seconds and that was all it took - I bought this cut.  I would love to see this band live.  I can't believe there is heavy breathing in there as well.  It's got a perspective that is raw, and a "jaded at an early age" feeling that is kind of scary.  How can anyone so young come up with a line like "And then there is no mystery left"? 

7. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction / The Rolling  Stones 3:46 "  I remember plodding to French class as a sophomore in high school.  I was thinking to myself what a great song the Stones had just put out.  My friend Dennis Talbot and I were talking about it and he said that the coolest kid in our class, Mark Caron, predicted there was not question that it was going to go right to #1 on the charts, knocking off the Beatles.  Can you believe the riff -  Keith Richards!" 

8. The Revolution Starts Now / Steve Earle 4:23  " I have a few of his CD's.  This one combines a psychedelic guitar stance, protest music, complete authority, in your face anger, and the perfect antidote to what the hell is happening to this country.  I love the instrumental opening.  " 

9. Mystery Achievement / The Pretenders 5:24 " I am totally sold out to the Pretenders and Chrissie Hynd.  I once saw them in Portland. ME  in a concert with Iggy Pop at the Civic Center.  She was in her 40's, looked like 25, had a fantastic pair of skin tight leather jeans, and walloped the crowd into submission .  This was from the first album Pretenders, 1980.  It made #155 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, issue # 937, Dec. 11, 2003.  I am a life subscriber to Rolling Stone-  really, I have already shelled out the cash to have it come to the house until I myself am Portions for Foxes." .   

10. White Room / Cream 4:59   " I am listening to this right now.  Clapton and his two band mates ( Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker) were at the Psychedelic Circus in Boston in the late 60's when I was in the audience , dazed at what the hell was going on  up there.  There were about 200 of us.  The Wah Wah pedal had just come out and Clapton was stomping it. I won't even begin to tell you what he did with Crossroads.  " 

11. Smile Like You Mean It / The Killers 3:55   " Thanks again , Arlo. This sound is huge and really reminds me of the feeling I get when I listen to U2's best stuff.  It opens my heart , kind of like some yoga poses.  I am so thankful that people can achieve this majesty.  I am also appreciative that there are still beautiful voices in pop music.  The instrumental break is perfect.  " And someone is playing a game in the house that I grew up in... on the same streets that I did".  

12. Golden Heart / Mark Knopfler 5:01  "  I play this one at least daily.  I still have no idea what the song is about.  The Fender Stratocaster has never sounded so sweet a sound as in the hands of this man.  The whole song is just a frame for the guitar solo in the middle.  It's a big setup.  The best line is "Noting in the world prepared me for your heart".  Then some teasing chords , and oh, that solo.  The song has such restraint, never featuring the guitar in the ending. 

13. And Your Bird Can Sing / The Beatles 2:01 "  It's just John and George pulling this one off, George's guitar mixed way up front.  Ringo is totally minimal, Paul way back.    Arpeggios, cascades of brief perfect notes,  George's guitar was way way ahead of his time.  The simplicity of this song floors me."   

14. 12 Bellevue / Kathleen Edwards 3:42  " She is out of Toronto.  Did a lot of touring as a backup act for bigger bands.  I love the saxophone, love this woman's attitude, although I read she had a problem with the bottle.  Her album, Failer, is almost totally listenable and enjoyable.  "

15. Wait Until Tomorrow / The Jimi Hendrix Experience 3:01 "  Definitely the weirdest act I  ever saw- Providence, RI.  This cut was done with no effects, no loops, this is what came out of his guitar.  He made it look so easy.  No argument about the word genius musician.  Perfect timing."

16. Trouble / Pink 3:13   " This in the only song I own by Pink.  But what a song.  I think she's got most of the Stooges on this one as a backup band. There is ripping riff here.  I love the vocal break-" See me coming down the street..."  She is going to play Janis Joplin  in an upcoming  biographical movie, and I heard that  she was so powerful in the audition that the producers realized that she did not need to research and practice Janis' songs-  at some point they did not see her in the studio and thought that there was a tape of Janis playing-   she is that strong.  "