PokerNews Playlist: Volume 4

headphones

For both serious and casual online poker players, Sundays are (hopefully) a long grind. For those who don't want to play in a meditative state, music can be the perfect middle ground between total silence and the distraction of television. Don't know what to listen to? Let us take care of that.

This week's playlist is a no-frills compilation of straight up good rock music. We've included some classics from past decades as well as songs from records released in the last few weeks. Of course, it's far from a complete collection of can't miss rock songs. Head over to our forums to tell us some of your favorites.

Round 1

The Breeders' 1993 single "Cannonball" is a must-have in anyone's collection of alt-rock from the '90s. Meanwhile, The Explosion may be the best melodic punk band to miss their chance at attaining stardom. The rest of the bands included here have released some of the past few years’ best rock albums.

"Cannonball" - The Breeders
"Should I Stay Or Should I Go" - Clash
"My Generation" - The Who
"No Revolution" - The Explosion
"A-Punk" - Vampire Weekend
"In A Cave" - Tokyo Police Club
"Big Sur" - The Thrills
"Pinpoint" - Statues
"I Hate My Friends" - Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains
"Hairline Fracture" - Rise Against

Round 2

It's a bold statement to make, but "Letter From An Occupant" is likely the best pop-rock song ever written. The New Pornographers are a super group of Canadian musicians, and their collective talents are displayed with force on the song. If you listen to just one song from this week's playlist, listen to "Letter From An Occupant."

"Letter From An Occupant" - The New Pornographers
"We Are Wild Stallions" - The Riot Before
"Feedback In The Field" - Plants And Animals
"Where I Stand" - Nothington
"Shame On Me" - Bottle Rockets
"Level With Me" - The Junction
"Daniel" - The Rumble Strips
"The City That Never Sleeps" - The Wild
"Tournament Of Hearts" - The Weakerthans
"I Gotta Move" - Ben Kweller

Round 3

British singer-songwriter Frank Turner has been turning heads since his latest album, Love Ire & Song, was released in 2008. He plans on releasing Poetry Of The Deed in September. Turner is accompanied here by a gang of other great bands, including Conor Oberst, who has left his acoustic folk sound behind for a full-band Americana sound on his latest effort.

"Reasons Not To Be An Idiot" - Frank Turner
"You Can't Get It Back" - Gentleman Reg
"Handshake The Gangster" - Hey Rosetta!
"What A Fool" - The Bicycles
"Jesus Christ" - Brand New
"To All The Lights In The Windows" - Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
"You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" - Carpenter
"Two Time Loser" - The Deep Dark Woods
"New York, New York" - Ryan Adams
"You Won't Make A Fool Out Of Me" - Flogging Molly

With any luck this Sunday finds you a few dollars richer. Check back each Sunday as we bring you fresh playlists to get you through poker's toughest day of the week.

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Ben Conoley is a music journalist based in Eastern Canada. He writes for a number of the country's leading music publications including Exclaim!, Chart, and Canadian Musician. He also serves as Interview Editor for punknews.org and writes for Alternative Press. Ben currently serves on the Polaris Music Prize jury.

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