Tunes for the Road: Local Experts Pick Their Favorites

Classic Athens:

* R.E.M., "Murmur" (1983). The band's first full-length album has a hazy, Gothic pop sound and helped put Athens on the music map.

* Neutral Milk Hotel, "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" (1998). A classic from a key component of the psychedelic, quirky 1990s Elephant 6 collective.

* The B-52's, "The B-52's" (1979). Bizarre, unprofessional, fun and infectious, it was unique at the time and still makes people dance in place.

* Love Tractor, "Love Tractor" (1982). A breezy instrumental album from a major band of the early Athens scene.

Newer Athens:

* The Glands, "The Glands" (2000). Straight-ahead Beatles/Kinks pop-rock sounds and rough-around-the-edges vocals.

* Drive-By Truckers, "Decoration Day" (2003) or "The Dirty South" (2004). Southern rockers tell tales of despair, war, drinking . . . but without resorting to cliche.

* Modern Skirts, "Catalogue of Generous Men" (2005). Strong from top to bottom with Beach Boys-esque harmonies and catchy melodies.

* Hope for Agoldensummer, "I Bought a Heart Made of Art in the Deep, Dark South" (2004). Haunting folk music of a sort, performed with singing saws, pennywhistles and an eclectic assortment of other instruments.

-- Ben Brazil