List: Best get out of my dreams, get into my car, albums

Driving from San Francisco to L.A. down I-5 would be a whole lot shittier without a copious supply of top-notch music. Seriously - who wants to drown in a friend's blathering or choke on silence for the duration of that ride? To that end, I've discovered that certain bands sound even better when I'm enclosed in a mobile, speeding cage of metal. It could be strong memories or just a reflection of my insanity behind the wheel, but these works manage to shine through cruddy car speakers:

• Trans Am "The Surveillance" - Watch out when I'm on the road with Trans Am on full-blast. This electro post-rock magnum opus, with its pulsing beats and thrilling pace, beckons my pedal to the metal. Upon first blip, I mutate into an annoying, suicidal/homicidal racer who constantly weaves in and out of lanes. Bring on the Autobahn.

• Modest Mouse "Dashboard" - Though their latest record is a stinkbomb and this track blatantly screams "car song," optimistic lyrics ("Well, it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know/Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio") and a bustling rhythm make this the perfect jam for a carefree outing. Those Modest Mousers sure know their geography pretty damn well. The 1996 release "This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About," 1997's "The Lonesome Crowded West" and 2000's "The Moon & Antarctica" also make for fine traveling companions.

• The Libertines "Up the Bracket" - What this Brit-punk classic lacks in length it makes up for in attitude. Hearing this gem, hammered with swagger, is kind of like driving drunk - minus the alcohol, jail sentence and $3,000 fine.

• Led Zeppelin "II" - Cars are hard, sexy and dangerous. So is Zeppelin. It's a match made in heaven, car commercials be damned. Their undeniably cool and timeless rock 'n' roll brilliance offers the perfect distraction to dismal stints in traffic, long red lights and women drivers (just a joke, kids). Listening to "II" transforms my blue '97 Corolla into a black '67 Mustang. Honorable mention: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Show Your Bones."

• Spank Rock "YoYoYoYoYo" - Bump this album loud and feel like you're always on your way to a party. Along the same lines: LCD Soundsystem's self-titled, with star track "Daft Punk is Playing at My House," is electronica royalty.

• The Dandy Warhols "The Dandy Warhols Come Down" - When it's just you and I-5, the Dandy's pop tendencies will keep your brain wired while lush, whispery vocals trick your mind into beautifying the barren scenery. Splashes of country twang also complement the smell of the shitshacks, er, cattle ranches.

Just no Sublime, please.