Maxi-Single #1: Drive

Back in the 80's and 90's the record companies had a practice of releasing singles to the world for their hot acts.  This started with 45rpm records is how my mom and many in her generation first heard "I wanna hold your hand" and "Jumpin' jack flash".  This was the 50's and 60's, of course.  But, during later generations the maxi-single tape and CD's came on strong.  If you don't remember these things in real lift, look it up...the concept is interesting.

Generally, a maxi-single is a single with more songs.  Typically, three.  The record companies released these as promotional materials (yeah, they sold them too) in order to push more records. Pretty clever.

Anyway, Stale Reviews is going to release our own series of Maxi-Singles.  These Maxi's will be theme-based.  So, you will see songs that are related in some way.  Maybe it'll be the title...like today's Maxi-single.  Or, it may be something more obscure like "songs from bands with a guitar player missing at least one finger".  We'll try to have a little fun with it.

Stale Reviews Maxi-single #1:  Drive

Track 1:  Drive
Artist:  Incubus
Album:  Make Yourself
www.incubushq.com

Oh boy!  First up is the biggest hit Incubus has ever put out, Drive.  Nice song, for sure.  According to Wikipedia, the Incubus song Drive is all about fear and how fear drives us and influences us throughout our whole lives.  I can see that.

"Whatever tomorrow brings I will be there, with open arms and open eyes".  

Track 2:  Drive

Artist:  The Cars

Album:  Heartbeat City

www.thecars.org

The second Drive track comes from post-new wave act The Cars.  The Cars are apparently still going strong after a very long hiatus in which singer Ric Ocasek went to do his own thing and produce other records (an endeavor which he is very successful).  

The Cars had like a billion top 10 hits in the late-70's and 80's...Shake It Up, You Might Think, My Best Friends Girl, Just What I Needed, and this one, Drive.  A slow jam.  Put it on, grab your girl or guy and have a slow dance or something.

Track 3:  Drive

Artist:  Dispatch

Album:  Bang Bang

www.dispatchmusic.com

Drive, by Massachusetts jam band Dispatch, is all acoustic guitars and bongos.  Seriously.  Ok, so there's a little more to it but you'll have to check it out.  Anyway, if you are not familiar with Dispatch...well, this will be where I get a charge out of telling someone about a band they hadn't

heard before.  

Let's just say this:  Zero publicity, zero play on the radio, zero notice...but somehow they sell out Madison Square Garden AND when they played in Mass for their "last" show they expected about 10-20K fans.  160,000 showed up for the free show.  Their albums are pretty amazing, too.  Check 'em out if you haven't already.