The Infinite Dial

In looking at the choices on AOL Radio today, I saw them promoting "Sopranos Radio" with the positioning line: ""Listen to music from the acclaimed series, plus classic rock and mob hits." Since I live in New Jersey and am a fan of the show, it sounded worth an hour's listen.

At first this seemed like a great example of corporate synergy within the Time Warner/AOL empire. The Sopranos is such a strong brand name. And the show has always made music a major centerpiece.

The station plays a wildly eclectic mix, and to its credit I suppose, there is obviously no clock. Songs from the 50s play back to back, followed by Classic Rockers back to back, etc. I also heard two Frank Sinatras run in a row during a second listen. There are periodic IDs that have microscopic actualities from the show.

All I can say is: "Boy could this channel use a DJ." While the wild mix is fun, all I could think about was "When did they play this? How does this relate to the show?" It really got frustrating. And how fun would this channel actually be if it had David Chase, or someone from the cast -- or even better -- the music director from the show? Someone who could set the scene: "Remember when Tony and the gang whacked Big Pussy on the boat? This was the music playing in the background. I chose it because..." Further, some of these songs are just begging for explanation. Can someone please remind me how "I Love This Bar" by Toby Keith was used on the show?

Anyhow, a fun idea that was just frustrating because it could have been so much better. But if you are having a cocktail party before viewing the season finale, this would make good background music.

SOPRANOS RADIO on AOL RADIO

Springsteen, Born to Run
Toby Keith, I Love This Bar
Nancy Sinatra, These Boots
Cars, My Best Friend's Girl
Dion and the Belmonts "I Wonder Why"
Flamingos "I Only Have Eyes" [taken from an album called "Fuhgeddaboutit! Music You Heard on The Sopranos"
Billy Joel, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Pretenders, Space Invader [an obscure instrumental taken from the album "Sopranos: Pepper and Eggs"]
Dean Martin, You're Nobody til Somebody Loves You (sounding like it was recorded from AM radio)
The Police & Henry Mancini Mash-Up of "Every Breath You Take" and "Peter Gunn" [gotta say, a really really cool song that sounds like the Sopranos]
Grand Funk Railroad "Closer to Home/I'm Your Captain" [UGH -- a Ten Minute Song!!! This is a good song but no stream that can't skip forward should ever play ten minute songs]
Frank Sinatra, "For Once in My Life"
Nancy Sinatra, "Bang Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down" from Kill Bill.
Blondie, "Dreaming"
Radiohead, "Kid A"

Post Note: During a second listen seven hours later I heard "For once in my life" again, so apparently there isn't too long a playlist. Also, they segued it into Stone Temple Pilots "Down", which qualifies as about as extreme a jump as one can make.