It’s another rainy, gray Monday here in Northern Virginia. But we’ve got some tunes and we’ve got a bit of caffeine in our systems, so let’s go!

1. Kris Kristofferson, “The Best of All Possible Worlds”: I know four things about Kris Kristofferson, who passed away over the weekend. (1) He was pretty badass in the Blade movies. (2) He stood beside Sinead O’Connor at the Concert for Dylan’s 30th Anniversary in solidarity with the singer while the crowd booed her (she’d just torn up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live, like, a week earlier). (3) He once threatened to beat Toby Keith’s jingoist ass into the ground at a 9/11 benefit concert. (4) He was a damn good songwriter, and he’ll be missed.
2. Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”: Uplifting and danceable.
3. Sabrina Carpenter, “Please Please Please”: Maybe I’m just showing my age here. Maybe this music isn’t for me, no matter how ELO-inflected the instrumentation may seem. But when did pop singers get so horny on main? I’m no prude, and I definitely don’t want to yuck someone else’s yum (especially since I think she’s pretty talented and a decent-enough songwriter), but I just don’t think I’m the target audience for this, and that’s okay.
4. Chappell Roan, “Red Wine Supernova”: Speaking of pop singers I’m not the target audience for…
5. Bruce Springsteen, “She Don’t Love Me Now”: A Springsteen cover of a Jesse Malin song? Yes, please! The sax solo fits perfectly.
6. Billy Idol, “Bitter Taste”: A 21st century Billy Idol song that’s actually pretty good? It’s more likely than you’d think!
7. The Gaslight Anthem, “Stay Lucky”: If ever there was a song that got the blood pumping while you speed down the highway doing way too many miles per hour over the speed limit, it was probably this one.
8. Pearl Jam, “Hail Hail”: Maybe I’m just in a mood this morning and need to be pepped up, I dunno.
9. Toad the Wet Sprocket, “Nightingale Song”: I love the harmonies on this song.
10. JD McPherson, “The Phantom of New Rochelle”: A surfy rock instrumental from the Okie guitarist. Fun and reverby.