Good morning! Welcome to each of you who joined us over this past week! You’ve landed at what was recently described as “the nicest place on the internet.“
Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
It’s great to have you here.
For readers in the U.S., I hope your Memorial Day weekend is going well!
For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.
The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation:
Now it’s your turn.
What caught your ear this week? Any luck crate digging? Some yard sale finds? Are there any upcoming releases or shows you’re excited about?
So whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!
📻📻📻
P.S. Have you seen this yet? Some of your favorite music writers got together and wrote about your favorite records. Check it out!
Started listening to that new Winged Wheel album and it’s even more amazing than i thought it would be. can’t get enough!
A buddy of mine turned me on to Parallelograms by Linda Perhacs. not huge into the freak folk sounds of the 60s/70s but this is great intro.
Drown’n by State Park Ranger. they were on a Palestine benefit comp with Mount Eerie, Little Wings, hemlock, and a bunch of other great bands so i had to check out an LP and it’s phenomenal. Great alt folk/country with an amazing and tasteful singer.
Speaking of Mount Eerie just got the Live In Copenhagen triple LP in the mail yesterday. only listened to the first disc but it’s already way better than the version up on youtube. gonna be spinning this for a while.
Also been listening to the new Iglooghost a bit and lots of MIKE
Open up Kevin's post, straight to the comments, first recommendation is Winged Wheel, listen to latest single, absolutely love it, on to the next recommendation!
I LOVE that Wolf Alice track! Such a great album all round.
Very excitingly, We Are Scientists have announced the reissue of Brain Thrust Mastery with accompanying tour dates in the UK this autumn so it was a great excuse to play the album pretty much on repeat this weekend.
I also saw some great bands at Dot to Dot Festival on Saturday. I’ve been listening to Ducks Ltd’s excellent album Harm’s Way after their amazing performance. I also saw Prima Queen for the first time in about a year and was reminded of just how good this song is:
Hope your Memorial Day is going well! Spring Bank Holiday this side of the pond. I’m really enjoying Lenny Kravitz’s latest album, Blue Electric Light. Very Princey.
Glad it wasn’t too bad! I really like the record. Quite soulful/poppy but still classic Lenny. And I wanna look like that when I’m 60… scrap that: I wanna look like that NOW 😂 let alone when I’m 60!
Received a "signed" copy of Richard Thompson's newest LP. Yes, an actual double LP, with artwork, a gatefold, and a card with printed initials RT. Haven't been able to listen to it yet. The power was out after a thunderstorm.
Been listening to the Red Clay Strays a lot lately. If you’re into Americana and haven’t checked them out yet, I really suggest it. It’s a Sun Records vibe. They just released a new single and have a new album coming out in July.
Also been listening to a lot of Kaitlin Butts since she’s got a new album coming out soon. She’s leans a little more honky tonk than I usually listen to, but a redhead that sings murder ballads is in my wheelhouse.
Thank you for the link! That's a great list. Agree with 'Rid of Me" asd one of the most Albini-est albums ever, and was stoked to see a Boss Hog reference--that's a name I haven't heard in awhile.
But on the newer side, the DC band I've gone on about a few times here, Birthday Girl DC, featuring the next generation of Canty and MacKaye youth but playing 90s-inspired indie rock rather than hardcore, have just put out a great new EP. Have it on repeat -- https://birthdaygirlmusic.bandcamp.com/album/dirtier
About a month ago, I started an intense 8-week writing workshop about all things Taylor Swift, but it's really about writing through the five stages of grief. (It's pretty spectacular.) I was not a fan before this course, but I am in it SO deep now, I cannot stop listening to ALL her albums thoroughly. She is a genius, and I think only getting better with time. I'm a total proud Swiftie now, and so that's who I've been listening to :).
My son is dating a woman who is a big Taylor Swift fan and she gave me a record and I became a Taylor Swift fan. When I do focused listening, not just having it on in the background, there is a lot going on that impressed me.
Nothing wrong with that! I'm curious about the workshop; are they using Swift records as a way to write about grief (something like "we'll do "1989" for anger, "Lover" for bargaining," "Midnights" for acceptance," etc.)?
Every Mon/Wed/Fri we have a lesson, a song, and a prompt or two based on what stage of grief we are diving into that week. And on Friday afternoons, we meet virtually to discuss. The songs are all over the place as far as albums (which I like!), but they are based on a chart that Taylor categorized them in the stage she was when she wrote them. If that makes sense?
Hey! I was away in Tofino last weekend and the woman I stayed with suggested I collaborate on an audiobook project with a flugal horn player, Jeff Oster. I've been slowly making my way through his stuff. I'm not in to the jizzier-jazzier tunes which verge on cheesy for me, but am really loving his more ambient pieces. :)
For the audiobook, how do a voiceover artist and flugle horn player come together? Are you narrating and he's supplying background music? Something totally different?
Yes!! She wants us to collaborate on making the background music for a children’s book about a real-life whale rescue. She’s thinking his flugle horn could be made to sound like sonar and blended with my voice it could make for something really beautiful. Plus, I would do the narration!
Saw Willy Vlautin last week (discussing his new novel, The Horse, and playing some acoustic numbers) - always wonderful. This week I went to a more local (to me) venue and saw an interesting French psych-rock band, Karkara, supported by a spoken word duo, The Dirt (from the UK). Good vibes. Been listening to LOTS of The Van Pelt - particularly love their 'Sultans of Sentiment' from way back (well, 1997!). Also on the decks have been Jeff Tweedy in various guises - reading his 'How to Write One Song' book :) . This week I see the rock-blues regend that is Robin Trower (on Thursday) and on Friday my own next release comes out called 'The Fells' (that's about the hills/mountains of the Lake District in England, not about my declining mobility and stability - although it won't be long before I write about that too!!).
Wand - Smile (single from upcoming album Vertigo). I will follow Cory Hanson around for the rest of my days. Smile seems more inline with Cory’s solo stuff, and I’m not complaining at all (and Wand’s last record - Laughing Matter - was a bit less energetic than previous releases).
KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER. New to me band and record (YouTube algorithm got me). A bit electronic, a bit analog. Dreamy vocals. Excellent bass and keys. Ears and gray matter are in agreement: must listen to more…for science!
GUM & Ambrose Kenny-Smith - Ill Times singles. Mmmmmm, these tracks are so good. Reminiscent of 1970’s motels on the side of a miscellaneous highway on the edge of Anywhere, America. The beds vibrate for a price and the air is filled with stale cigarette smoke.
La Luz - News of the Universe. Very mellow mid-tempo effort. Easy on the ears.
Not as new:
Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown. The more I listen the more I like love, this record.
St. Vincent - All Born Screaming. I’m going to opposite direction with this record. Putting it down for a while and will revisit later-ish.
Crumb - AMANA. This record has legs
Old:
Bill Callahan: kicked off my week just right. It was a rainy cruddy Monday morning. Coffee and Bill recombobulated my mind.
Pile - Odds and Ends and others. New music on the way from these guys next year. Rick Maguire has a crazy-awesome voice and Pile makes some high energy music with dense vocals. I don’t know how this guy has a larynx left. LONG LIVE PILE.
Washer - All Aboard. I’ve been here before. This record comes back to me and I to it.
My handy-dandy Aussie Psychedelic Rock playlist got a good workout. KGLW, ORB, Stonefield, Tame Impala, Pond, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Babe Rainbow, Tropical Fuck Storm, The Lazy Eyes, The Murlocs, GUM, Springtime, The Drones, Grinderman (honorable mention; one member is from ‘Stralia), and Unknown Mortal Orchestra (honorable mention, from New Zealand). I added Flight of the Conchords, again - honorable mention due to being Kiwi’s - plus i get a dose of funny every once in a while (I told you I was freaky)! If anyone has good recommendations for additions to this playlist, I’m all ears (whomp-whompppppppp). If anyone stuffs fruit in their ears: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/aussie-psychedelic-rock/pl.u-4JomrJ3sopWNJ
The Drones - discography. I heart Tropical Fuck Storm. The Drones are the path (not to be confused with The Drones in the UK from the 80’s). I dig in every once in a while, and wonder why I don’t listen to The Drones more often. Jams. Stories. Wild guitar freakouts.
Really digging Binary Sunset so far -- thanks for the heads up!
My week was dominated by a Paul Weller binge spurred on by his new record, 66 (a nod to his age and 1966 being such a great year for music). It's good -- a bit mellower than the last couple and still full of great songs and a bit of the sonic experimentation from recent records. 4/5 stars in The Guardian's Record of the Week review.
Then I ran through my faves of his most recent records: Wake Up The Nation, As Is Now, and Sonik Kicks with bits of Fat Pop, A Kind Revolution, and Saturns Pattern. Followed that up with a dive into Style Council who I've never spent as much time with as I have The Jam and Weller solo. Weller is never far from my stereo, but it was especially fun to binge on a holiday weekend where I finally got to unwind a bit.
Good call, I forgot that part. He referenced it directly:
"Two days ago, and the day before his 66th birthday, he released 66, his 17th solo LP. It was named, in part, as a nod to his birthday, but also because, says Weller, 1966 was a good year. “Tomorrow Never Knows [by the Beatles; the last track on Revolver] was 1966,” he says, “and that’s still yet to be bettered, in terms of forward-looking, futuristic sound. And football, the only year we won the World Cup.”
Different Paul Weller than the one who played for Burnley, though. ;-)
66 is a lovely album but also a bit of a snooze. Much of it reminded me of that one lite/lounge jazz track that played in 70's disaster films, a la Towering Inferno & Poseidon Adventure, just before all hell breaks loose.
Solo Weller, recommend you don't miss Wild Wood and Stanley Road!
Ouch! Love the references, though. ;-) Weller is one of the rare artists whose work hits me right (almost) no matter what he does. And yeah, Wild Wood and Stanley Road are amazing.
Sometime ago, another writer and I collaborated on our favorite Weller/Style Council tracks, and after seeing my posting of it on Twitter, he (Weller) picked it apart. Not in a mean way, but in a sort of quirky/mildly annoyed way that was kinda endearing. I was fan already, but this sealed the deal.
Been on a binge of Mose Allison music on vinyl and digital. For those of you who are not familiar with this righteous jazzbo singer/songwriter/pianist, check out the Best of Mose Allison (Atlantic). "Your Mind is on Vacation," "Young Man Blues," "Your Molecular Structure," etc. Here's a link to a few of my faves:
Highly recommended. Cope is an excellent storyteller. Great insight into the Liverpool / Manchester scene in the late seventies early eighties and he has a fantastic sense of humor.
My sister and her friend had the local alternative station playing as we set up things for our combined grad party (both of our oldest children graduated this year!) and this song came on. We both started singing and she said it was her husband’s favorite song right now, and I told her it’s definitely at the top for me at the moment 😂 Then she pointed out, which I had no clue, it’s the guy who played Steve in Stranger Things 🤯
Congrats to your oldest! That's gotta feel good. Hope the party was a blast! Our oldest graduated last year, and it felt like the next few weeks was a blur of backywards and garages as we made our way around the "circuit."
Thank you so much! Yes, he’s making his way around the circuit, and I couldn’t be happier! He really just started having friends that he does stuff with this year. Partially because we live in a neighboring school district and my kids are open enrolled, and partially because he has what used to be called Aspergers and just didn’t care much about making friends. So, when he started asking to do things with friends this year, I was like YES!!! And there is a group of his friends that are all going to the same college, so I’m very happy about that.
I'm working on another playlist - this one is sort of anchored by Lard, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and (tentatively) Cradle of Filth. It's all dark and fast, but also electronic and somewhat repetitive (in a "let's get into a weird techno-trance" kind of way). I hope some of you can see this! I'm having fun: https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:197210606728644204:74638688
BTW, I enjoyed some of Revolting Cocks, but it was more appropriate on the Goth/Punk playlist. The tough thing about this playlist is that I've set a pretty tight range: at the top is Cradle of Filth, who certainly go a million miles an hour and are super duper metal. Everything else is at or below that level of intensity, and at the bottom is Front 242 (or Ministry, depending on how you measure that).
I have an intensity ladder like that, and also a synth ladder - some of the Buthole Surfers songs I picked have either zero or very little synth in them, but for instance Lard is pretty much 100% synth driven.
Finally, there's the macabre threshold, which these bands easily eclipse.
Cool to see Wire Train in your set, always enjoyed their music.
Here is an album, I'm looking forward to hearing by a new band from Manchester called Goodbye Wudaokou who at times have elements of New Order in their sound.
Yes! I can’t remember who started the exchange on Twitter, but I saw you mentioned this. I played “Neon Lies” and pre-ordered the record before it was even half done.
Good morning from the PNW. It was a gloomy day yesterday and I spent part of it cleaning my room while spinning some records. A few that made the cut were the new Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards, An old Mudhoney favorite - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, and a Fugazi classic - Seven Songs. I will dig through my collection and spin a few more today I just haven’t decided on what yet. We’ll see where the day takes me.
Every Good Boy is a classic, as is Seven Songs. Perfect for a gloomy PNW day! Can't say I miss the rain, but once in awhile I miss those sorts of days.
I went down into a bunch of 70s soul/ r+b; looking for an analogue "feel" for a thing I'm writing/testing for BS. Started with a YT channel called "Grown Folks", they had a deep larder to explore.
But I didn't find what I was hoping to; none of what I heard fit what my head was chewing on. Even the stuff I've heard before; the "greats", Gaye, Redding, Pendergrass, et al. didn't sound like I remember. So I'm no closer than where I started. Lol. But that's what I'm listening to still.
Sometimes the rabbit hole is worth diving down for it's own sake! That sound is a bit out of the norm for your band, no? I'm curious to hear more about what your writing/teasing out.
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft. As I promised in last week's roundup, I listened to the album. Considerably more moody than her previous effort, this album shows her showing growth, particularlyin her lyrics. "Lunch" is my favorite off of it.
The Insect Trust - self titled. The Insect Trust was a psychedelic folk/rock band from Hoboken, New Jersey. The singer of that band sounds like a cross of Grace Slick and Carole King, in my opinion. There is some interesting instruments in it, and it's easy to listen to, but overall, it lacks that something to be great.
Revisited:
Moyka - Movies, Cars, and Heartbreak. Still a jam, still love it. Don't need to say anything more- just listen to it.
I saw Billie Eilish on Colbert awhile back. Lunch was the song she did. I liked it, seems very relatable for her demographic (says the old guy who's nowhere near her demographic.)
I started today by listening to the first three Zeppelin records completely through. I am reading Geddy Lee’s memoir, and not just with Rush, but a ton of up and coming bands of those early seventies days were highly influenced by two bands: Cream and Led Zeppelin. When those bands imported and deconstructed American blues, they did it in a manner that changed and influenced absolutely everything. Obviously, many others were hugely influential in that movement, but right now those two bands are getting a ton of my ear time. ✌️
Greatly. It is a delightful read, and I was inspired to pick it up by a story I have been writing about the influence of Rush in my life. To read Geddy’s personal story is revelatory, eye opening and confirming to me. I can see how I was mystically attracted to them, and am thankful I was.
Thanks for the sharing your 'Stack and the playlist! Living in a college town, I can relate to how the mood/energy changes in the fall, and then again in late spring.
A little of everything. Repainting, moving book shelves, and new furniture in the near future.
It all started because I decided to reorganize the albums and breakdown by genre. This task turned out to be substantially more daunting than I anticipated. I'm ready to give up and return them to the shelves in alphabetical order.
I just saw this same group (+25 years later) at The Village Vanguard a couple weeks ago. Tenor man Mark Turner liked my Coltrane T shirt. My life is pretty well filled in now 😜
4) Television - Adventure
It ain't Marquee Moon but its still better than half the albums on that silly Apple list.
3) Kate Clover - Bleed Your Heart Out
Got this from fellow Music Stacker Mallie Hart's Three For Thursday feature . This is so freakin good. Sorta Patti Smith vibes, along with the catchiest tune about CIA psyops you will ever hear.
2) Dexter Gordon - The Blue Note Reissue Series
A 2 LP sampler pack of Dexter's Blue Note stuff from the 60s. File under "wow how long has this been in my cabinet? I don't remember ever buying this." It aint "Go" but its still better than half the albums from that silly Apple list.
1) The Allman Brothers Band - 05/12/1996 Chicago.
Got a really nice soundboard recording of this show. Not too far removed in time or place from when I first saw them. This show has the most jam-a-licious version of Back Where It All Begins I've yet heard out of all my stash of 272 ABB shows.
I love to ring in a new week with Kevin's playlist and the comments section where I always find some amazing new to me music. It's been a pretty diverse week of listening - here's what's made its way to my ears:
I was looking for a Dire Straits song on Apple Music when I saw they'd recently released "Live 1978-1992". Found this about mid-way through and had to pull the car over on the side of a strange country road at night when I recognized it. Fans of the film "Local Hero", have your tissues ready if you hit play here. Cheers!
Outstanding band. They came on my radar maybe 3 years ago, absolutely love their whole discography, and this, their 4th, continues that trend. Suspiciously good.
We missed you for sure. We're also re-imagining the discussion to go outside the bounds of discussion only one album--maybe some themes or curated playlists. We want to get more involved and shake ourselves up! Jessica is leading next month!
I spent some time on the Open Mike Eagle twitch stream and listened along while we played through that Apple Top 100 Albums blah blah blah list. I found some really interesting stuff that I had missed and I've been enjoying playing them too much over the weekend.
Formation, by Beyonce off Lemonade
Hunter by Bjork off the Homogenic album
Eye Know by De La Soul from 3 Feet High and Rising
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), Missy Elliot
Blue Lines by Massive Attack (They didn't just play the theme from House! jk jk)
If you like Open Mike Eagle, you might like his podcast, “What Had Happened Was.” The first season he talks with Prince Paul, who of course produced ‘3 Feet High and Rising.’
I caught their sampler CD in January just before they were on Bandcamp or had a website, they were great live, though they had two drummers that night which amplified the effect. Have been soaking in their album Grizzly Peak, by Freqz https://freqz.bandcamp.com/album/grizzly-peak. Specifically their track Clover is a new-wave-funk sounding earworm.
Started listening to that new Winged Wheel album and it’s even more amazing than i thought it would be. can’t get enough!
A buddy of mine turned me on to Parallelograms by Linda Perhacs. not huge into the freak folk sounds of the 60s/70s but this is great intro.
Drown’n by State Park Ranger. they were on a Palestine benefit comp with Mount Eerie, Little Wings, hemlock, and a bunch of other great bands so i had to check out an LP and it’s phenomenal. Great alt folk/country with an amazing and tasteful singer.
Speaking of Mount Eerie just got the Live In Copenhagen triple LP in the mail yesterday. only listened to the first disc but it’s already way better than the version up on youtube. gonna be spinning this for a while.
Also been listening to the new Iglooghost a bit and lots of MIKE
The Winged Wheel record just keeps getting better with every listen.
Open up Kevin's post, straight to the comments, first recommendation is Winged Wheel, listen to latest single, absolutely love it, on to the next recommendation!
There is always gold in the comments. I love reading them!
Winged Wheel is one of my favorite finds of the year! State Park Ranger is a new one for me; I'll be checking them out here shortly.
Good morning from the left coast, here is what is in my ears this morning:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/627aLiTKOjoWAfyqcdqQie?si=61f11015cdae47e7
Ooh the Bygones sound like they'd be fun live!
Best coast! Loved that Maureens track. Reminds me of mornings at the beach.
I LOVE that Wolf Alice track! Such a great album all round.
Very excitingly, We Are Scientists have announced the reissue of Brain Thrust Mastery with accompanying tour dates in the UK this autumn so it was a great excuse to play the album pretty much on repeat this weekend.
I also saw some great bands at Dot to Dot Festival on Saturday. I’ve been listening to Ducks Ltd’s excellent album Harm’s Way after their amazing performance. I also saw Prima Queen for the first time in about a year and was reminded of just how good this song is:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2AZIHKgDNaNAetqqSVizqN?si=YNQ7QzXvR2CsqwN7BaBh7g&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A2GDatnyIXKMsg2Up8U5mBJ
Thanks for linking that Prima Queen track! Going to have to check out more of their stuff! I am a huge Wolf Alice fan too!
Yay! Prima Queen are so good. Patiently waiting for an album…
Harm's Way is fantastic! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
It’s so good! An example of the algorithm actually working for me! And pure fluke that they then turned up at my favourite festival - Serendipity!
Hope your Memorial Day is going well! Spring Bank Holiday this side of the pond. I’m really enjoying Lenny Kravitz’s latest album, Blue Electric Light. Very Princey.
Ooh will have to check that out!
Yes! It’s 🔥
I was at work, but it wasn't too bad! How did I not know Lenny Kravutz had a new one out?!
...and it turns out he turned 60 last week as well (!).
Glad it wasn’t too bad! I really like the record. Quite soulful/poppy but still classic Lenny. And I wanna look like that when I’m 60… scrap that: I wanna look like that NOW 😂 let alone when I’m 60!
We should be so lucky!
Been on a serious Tom Waits and Jay-Z tear.
Also, for any vinyl collectors, today is the last day for VMP's Memorial Day sale (40% off all ready-to-ship records). Got myself a pretty solid haul.
- Ornette Coleman: "The Shape of Jazz to Come"
- Fiona Apple: "The Idler Wheel..."
- Sly and the Family Stone: "There's a Riot Goin' On"
- Bob Dylan: "Blonde On Blonde"
- Gorillaz: "Demon Days"
- Sigur Ros: "Ágætis Byrjun"
- Thelonious Monk: "Monk's Music"
That's a great haul, Sam!
Received a "signed" copy of Richard Thompson's newest LP. Yes, an actual double LP, with artwork, a gatefold, and a card with printed initials RT. Haven't been able to listen to it yet. The power was out after a thunderstorm.
Oh man. 'Tis the season, I guess. We had a pretty bad system roll through recently, but were lucky and kept power. I hope yours is back online by now!
Lose Control - Teddy Swims
Nice one, Yana!
Been listening to the Red Clay Strays a lot lately. If you’re into Americana and haven’t checked them out yet, I really suggest it. It’s a Sun Records vibe. They just released a new single and have a new album coming out in July.
Also been listening to a lot of Kaitlin Butts since she’s got a new album coming out soon. She’s leans a little more honky tonk than I usually listen to, but a redhead that sings murder ballads is in my wheelhouse.
The older I get, the more I genuinely enjoy Americana. Thanks for the rec.!
Spending a lot of time back with the terribly overlooked Silkworm after referencing them in our Albini write-up (https://3albums6oldguys.substack.com/p/our-turn-albini-top-25).
Thank you for the link! That's a great list. Agree with 'Rid of Me" asd one of the most Albini-est albums ever, and was stoked to see a Boss Hog reference--that's a name I haven't heard in awhile.
But on the newer side, the DC band I've gone on about a few times here, Birthday Girl DC, featuring the next generation of Canty and MacKaye youth but playing 90s-inspired indie rock rather than hardcore, have just put out a great new EP. Have it on repeat -- https://birthdaygirlmusic.bandcamp.com/album/dirtier
About a month ago, I started an intense 8-week writing workshop about all things Taylor Swift, but it's really about writing through the five stages of grief. (It's pretty spectacular.) I was not a fan before this course, but I am in it SO deep now, I cannot stop listening to ALL her albums thoroughly. She is a genius, and I think only getting better with time. I'm a total proud Swiftie now, and so that's who I've been listening to :).
My son is dating a woman who is a big Taylor Swift fan and she gave me a record and I became a Taylor Swift fan. When I do focused listening, not just having it on in the background, there is a lot going on that impressed me.
Totally! She’s remarkable in more ways than one!
Nothing wrong with that! I'm curious about the workshop; are they using Swift records as a way to write about grief (something like "we'll do "1989" for anger, "Lover" for bargaining," "Midnights" for acceptance," etc.)?
Every Mon/Wed/Fri we have a lesson, a song, and a prompt or two based on what stage of grief we are diving into that week. And on Friday afternoons, we meet virtually to discuss. The songs are all over the place as far as albums (which I like!), but they are based on a chart that Taylor categorized them in the stage she was when she wrote them. If that makes sense?
It does!
Hey! I was away in Tofino last weekend and the woman I stayed with suggested I collaborate on an audiobook project with a flugal horn player, Jeff Oster. I've been slowly making my way through his stuff. I'm not in to the jizzier-jazzier tunes which verge on cheesy for me, but am really loving his more ambient pieces. :)
For the audiobook, how do a voiceover artist and flugle horn player come together? Are you narrating and he's supplying background music? Something totally different?
Yes!! She wants us to collaborate on making the background music for a children’s book about a real-life whale rescue. She’s thinking his flugle horn could be made to sound like sonar and blended with my voice it could make for something really beautiful. Plus, I would do the narration!
Oh wow! What a cool project! And you'd get to sing and narrate? Sounds win-win.
Saw Willy Vlautin last week (discussing his new novel, The Horse, and playing some acoustic numbers) - always wonderful. This week I went to a more local (to me) venue and saw an interesting French psych-rock band, Karkara, supported by a spoken word duo, The Dirt (from the UK). Good vibes. Been listening to LOTS of The Van Pelt - particularly love their 'Sultans of Sentiment' from way back (well, 1997!). Also on the decks have been Jeff Tweedy in various guises - reading his 'How to Write One Song' book :) . This week I see the rock-blues regend that is Robin Trower (on Thursday) and on Friday my own next release comes out called 'The Fells' (that's about the hills/mountains of the Lake District in England, not about my declining mobility and stability - although it won't be long before I write about that too!!).
Wait, when you say next release, does that mean a single or the full album? Either way, please make sure to share it here with us!
New:
Wand - Smile (single from upcoming album Vertigo). I will follow Cory Hanson around for the rest of my days. Smile seems more inline with Cory’s solo stuff, and I’m not complaining at all (and Wand’s last record - Laughing Matter - was a bit less energetic than previous releases).
KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER. New to me band and record (YouTube algorithm got me). A bit electronic, a bit analog. Dreamy vocals. Excellent bass and keys. Ears and gray matter are in agreement: must listen to more…for science!
GUM & Ambrose Kenny-Smith - Ill Times singles. Mmmmmm, these tracks are so good. Reminiscent of 1970’s motels on the side of a miscellaneous highway on the edge of Anywhere, America. The beds vibrate for a price and the air is filled with stale cigarette smoke.
La Luz - News of the Universe. Very mellow mid-tempo effort. Easy on the ears.
Not as new:
Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown. The more I listen the more I like love, this record.
St. Vincent - All Born Screaming. I’m going to opposite direction with this record. Putting it down for a while and will revisit later-ish.
Crumb - AMANA. This record has legs
Old:
Bill Callahan: kicked off my week just right. It was a rainy cruddy Monday morning. Coffee and Bill recombobulated my mind.
Pile - Odds and Ends and others. New music on the way from these guys next year. Rick Maguire has a crazy-awesome voice and Pile makes some high energy music with dense vocals. I don’t know how this guy has a larynx left. LONG LIVE PILE.
Washer - All Aboard. I’ve been here before. This record comes back to me and I to it.
My handy-dandy Aussie Psychedelic Rock playlist got a good workout. KGLW, ORB, Stonefield, Tame Impala, Pond, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Babe Rainbow, Tropical Fuck Storm, The Lazy Eyes, The Murlocs, GUM, Springtime, The Drones, Grinderman (honorable mention; one member is from ‘Stralia), and Unknown Mortal Orchestra (honorable mention, from New Zealand). I added Flight of the Conchords, again - honorable mention due to being Kiwi’s - plus i get a dose of funny every once in a while (I told you I was freaky)! If anyone has good recommendations for additions to this playlist, I’m all ears (whomp-whompppppppp). If anyone stuffs fruit in their ears: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/aussie-psychedelic-rock/pl.u-4JomrJ3sopWNJ
The Drones - discography. I heart Tropical Fuck Storm. The Drones are the path (not to be confused with The Drones in the UK from the 80’s). I dig in every once in a while, and wonder why I don’t listen to The Drones more often. Jams. Stories. Wild guitar freakouts.
Goddamn that's some solid new recommendations! Especially liking that gorgeous fuzzy distortion on Smile!
Obviously I need to get caught up on the Aussie / NZ psychedelic rock scene.
Now this is a list! Thanks for all of the new (to me) stuff here. Playing GUM as I type this--and how could I not after reading that description?!
P.S. Washer rules.
Really digging Binary Sunset so far -- thanks for the heads up!
My week was dominated by a Paul Weller binge spurred on by his new record, 66 (a nod to his age and 1966 being such a great year for music). It's good -- a bit mellower than the last couple and still full of great songs and a bit of the sonic experimentation from recent records. 4/5 stars in The Guardian's Record of the Week review.
Then I ran through my faves of his most recent records: Wake Up The Nation, As Is Now, and Sonik Kicks with bits of Fat Pop, A Kind Revolution, and Saturns Pattern. Followed that up with a dive into Style Council who I've never spent as much time with as I have The Jam and Weller solo. Weller is never far from my stereo, but it was especially fun to binge on a holiday weekend where I finally got to unwind a bit.
Have a great week, everyone!
Good call, I forgot that part. He referenced it directly:
"Two days ago, and the day before his 66th birthday, he released 66, his 17th solo LP. It was named, in part, as a nod to his birthday, but also because, says Weller, 1966 was a good year. “Tomorrow Never Knows [by the Beatles; the last track on Revolver] was 1966,” he says, “and that’s still yet to be bettered, in terms of forward-looking, futuristic sound. And football, the only year we won the World Cup.”
Different Paul Weller than the one who played for Burnley, though. ;-)
"It's coming home!"
I like some of the new Paul Weller too. I need to listen to it a few more times though.
66 is a lovely album but also a bit of a snooze. Much of it reminded me of that one lite/lounge jazz track that played in 70's disaster films, a la Towering Inferno & Poseidon Adventure, just before all hell breaks loose.
Solo Weller, recommend you don't miss Wild Wood and Stanley Road!
Ouch! Love the references, though. ;-) Weller is one of the rare artists whose work hits me right (almost) no matter what he does. And yeah, Wild Wood and Stanley Road are amazing.
Sometime ago, another writer and I collaborated on our favorite Weller/Style Council tracks, and after seeing my posting of it on Twitter, he (Weller) picked it apart. Not in a mean way, but in a sort of quirky/mildly annoyed way that was kinda endearing. I was fan already, but this sealed the deal.
Amazing!
Been on a binge of Mose Allison music on vinyl and digital. For those of you who are not familiar with this righteous jazzbo singer/songwriter/pianist, check out the Best of Mose Allison (Atlantic). "Your Mind is on Vacation," "Young Man Blues," "Your Molecular Structure," etc. Here's a link to a few of my faves:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3J0WMsU7TXBMvNY6z9akjK?si=af82965d81f94def
Love Mose!
I haven't thought of Mose in quite a while. Thanks for the playlist and the reminder!
I'm not familiar at all. Thanks for the rec & link!
Teardrop Explodes!!! XOXO!
I'm happy you liked that one!
Kilimanjaro is a fave from that time period. Have you read Head-On?
I haven't! Should I get it on my TBR list?
Highly recommended. Cope is an excellent storyteller. Great insight into the Liverpool / Manchester scene in the late seventies early eighties and he has a fantastic sense of humor.
I recently discovered the sister-rock band The Warning and am loving their music. Their story is pretty cool, too!
I’ve been listening to the local alternative station mostly, so now I’m hooked on a bunch of catchy new stuff lol loving Djo End of the Beginning! https://open.spotify.com/album/18ToKV5rLc3MlsH2wsvB7W?si=xKpj9jr3SPeKYhKdShvNpw
My sister and her friend had the local alternative station playing as we set up things for our combined grad party (both of our oldest children graduated this year!) and this song came on. We both started singing and she said it was her husband’s favorite song right now, and I told her it’s definitely at the top for me at the moment 😂 Then she pointed out, which I had no clue, it’s the guy who played Steve in Stranger Things 🤯
Congrats to your oldest! That's gotta feel good. Hope the party was a blast! Our oldest graduated last year, and it felt like the next few weeks was a blur of backywards and garages as we made our way around the "circuit."
Thank you so much! Yes, he’s making his way around the circuit, and I couldn’t be happier! He really just started having friends that he does stuff with this year. Partially because we live in a neighboring school district and my kids are open enrolled, and partially because he has what used to be called Aspergers and just didn’t care much about making friends. So, when he started asking to do things with friends this year, I was like YES!!! And there is a group of his friends that are all going to the same college, so I’m very happy about that.
I'm working on another playlist - this one is sort of anchored by Lard, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and (tentatively) Cradle of Filth. It's all dark and fast, but also electronic and somewhat repetitive (in a "let's get into a weird techno-trance" kind of way). I hope some of you can see this! I'm having fun: https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:197210606728644204:74638688
Not sure if you're looking to add anything to this, but here are a couple of tracks from bands in the same (sorta) neighborhood:
Revolting Cocks- 'Stainless Steel Porviders'- https://open.spotify.com/track/0NXU9wsN6zGuxJM6FVShFq?si=956c442401544d27
Murder Inc- 'Murder Inc.'- https://open.spotify.com/track/2RLUzbhN3JlVqF8gTyP1We?si=d6c874089fc5410e
Yes, definitely looking for more! I'm always looking to expand a playlist. It's like a mixtape with no time limit.
Thanks for these! I'll check 'em out.
BTW, I enjoyed some of Revolting Cocks, but it was more appropriate on the Goth/Punk playlist. The tough thing about this playlist is that I've set a pretty tight range: at the top is Cradle of Filth, who certainly go a million miles an hour and are super duper metal. Everything else is at or below that level of intensity, and at the bottom is Front 242 (or Ministry, depending on how you measure that).
I have an intensity ladder like that, and also a synth ladder - some of the Buthole Surfers songs I picked have either zero or very little synth in them, but for instance Lard is pretty much 100% synth driven.
Finally, there's the macabre threshold, which these bands easily eclipse.
Cool to see Wire Train in your set, always enjoyed their music.
Here is an album, I'm looking forward to hearing by a new band from Manchester called Goodbye Wudaokou who at times have elements of New Order in their sound.
https://goodbyewudaokou.bandcamp.com/album/mirror-skies
Yes! I can’t remember who started the exchange on Twitter, but I saw you mentioned this. I played “Neon Lies” and pre-ordered the record before it was even half done.
There's a lot of great new music out there! A few added to my Top Ten playlist this week:
Wickedest Game - Kakkmaddafakka https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS_zzoRzPJM
Dirty Work (Steely Dan remake) - King Princess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzh7eAOTSVs
Rainbow - Cage the Elephant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzkdcyT29uk
This Heart is Occupied - Guster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiRnD5A3OI8
I am loving the Cage the Elephant album! I think favourite tracks might be Neon Pill and Silent Picture
Yeah, I need to dive deeper into it!
Yes! That King Princess!! 🤤
So much great new stuff coming out. It's all a bit overwhelming in all the best ways.
Good morning from the PNW. It was a gloomy day yesterday and I spent part of it cleaning my room while spinning some records. A few that made the cut were the new Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards, An old Mudhoney favorite - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, and a Fugazi classic - Seven Songs. I will dig through my collection and spin a few more today I just haven’t decided on what yet. We’ll see where the day takes me.
Every Good Boy is a classic, as is Seven Songs. Perfect for a gloomy PNW day! Can't say I miss the rain, but once in awhile I miss those sorts of days.
I went down into a bunch of 70s soul/ r+b; looking for an analogue "feel" for a thing I'm writing/testing for BS. Started with a YT channel called "Grown Folks", they had a deep larder to explore.
But I didn't find what I was hoping to; none of what I heard fit what my head was chewing on. Even the stuff I've heard before; the "greats", Gaye, Redding, Pendergrass, et al. didn't sound like I remember. So I'm no closer than where I started. Lol. But that's what I'm listening to still.
Sometimes the rabbit hole is worth diving down for it's own sake! That sound is a bit out of the norm for your band, no? I'm curious to hear more about what your writing/teasing out.
New stuff listened to last week:
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft. As I promised in last week's roundup, I listened to the album. Considerably more moody than her previous effort, this album shows her showing growth, particularlyin her lyrics. "Lunch" is my favorite off of it.
The Insect Trust - self titled. The Insect Trust was a psychedelic folk/rock band from Hoboken, New Jersey. The singer of that band sounds like a cross of Grace Slick and Carole King, in my opinion. There is some interesting instruments in it, and it's easy to listen to, but overall, it lacks that something to be great.
Revisited:
Moyka - Movies, Cars, and Heartbreak. Still a jam, still love it. Don't need to say anything more- just listen to it.
I saw Billie Eilish on Colbert awhile back. Lunch was the song she did. I liked it, seems very relatable for her demographic (says the old guy who's nowhere near her demographic.)
The Insect Trust sound intriguing 🤔
I still haven't given Hit Me hard and Soft a listen. I need to change that ASAP.
I started today by listening to the first three Zeppelin records completely through. I am reading Geddy Lee’s memoir, and not just with Rush, but a ton of up and coming bands of those early seventies days were highly influenced by two bands: Cream and Led Zeppelin. When those bands imported and deconstructed American blues, they did it in a manner that changed and influenced absolutely everything. Obviously, many others were hugely influential in that movement, but right now those two bands are getting a ton of my ear time. ✌️
How are you enjoying the memoir?
Greatly. It is a delightful read, and I was inspired to pick it up by a story I have been writing about the influence of Rush in my life. To read Geddy’s personal story is revelatory, eye opening and confirming to me. I can see how I was mystically attracted to them, and am thankful I was.
The new La Luz album “News of the Universe” is definitely the top of my playlist this week. Can’t wait for their show later this year.
I love the new Cults single and it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to say that.
I feel like Parsnip is an incredibly underrated band, and their new singles gearing up to the new album are all enjoyable.
I went to see Habibi on their current tour and have been loving their new direction.
Haven't heard the new La Luz yet; I'll cue that up for a little later this morning. The others are all new to me & thanks for the recs!
Happy Mems day! I humbly submit my new Substack and mixtape, reppin Fort Collins CO vibes (if not artists lol): https://neilsmixtapes.substack.com/p/fort-collins-in-summer-part-2
Thanks for the sharing your 'Stack and the playlist! Living in a college town, I can relate to how the mood/energy changes in the fall, and then again in late spring.
Hey Kevin
I hope you and your family had a great holiday weekend. Hopefully you got some time to yourself to recharge and relax.
Rearranging the media room this weekend, so mostly Faction Punk on the Sonos speakers to keep me going.
Ordered new longer cables and loom so that I can finish the project later this week.
It was a nice weekend! I hope yours was as well!Are you adding and/or upgrading or just rearranging everything?
A little of everything. Repainting, moving book shelves, and new furniture in the near future.
It all started because I decided to reorganize the albums and breakdown by genre. This task turned out to be substantially more daunting than I anticipated. I'm ready to give up and return them to the shelves in alphabetical order.
Some cracking suggestions from your followers as always! Here's my Recent and Decent playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ySDoJUqoOF9qJcvMpNUZq?si=Upe3yfOOSTel1regG2kTOA&pi=ZkYH0Pw6T3GRx
I know I already mentioned it, but I'm really happy to see Ducks LTD. on there.
Listening to Abby Sage and to the latest from Billie Eilish and Brittany Howard!
Right on! I'm sorry I couldn't join all of you on Sunday. I'd been looking forward to it, but had something come up last minute that ran long.
They new Dehd and the new Justice!
Phane
John Lennon - ‘Mind Games’ for my post this week;
Al Stewart - ‘Past Present and Future’ (which is better than I recall from years ago, and I rated it then);
Kaia Kater - suggested by @Mark Nash and is excellent Americana.
For anyone scrolling the comments, here's Ian's latest: https://open.substack.com/pub/iansharp/p/lennon-mind?r=3cbf2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks for taking the trouble to post a link, Kevin. I don't include it myself so as not to hijack your thread.
Last 5:
5) Kurt Rosenwinkel - The Next Step
I just saw this same group (+25 years later) at The Village Vanguard a couple weeks ago. Tenor man Mark Turner liked my Coltrane T shirt. My life is pretty well filled in now 😜
4) Television - Adventure
It ain't Marquee Moon but its still better than half the albums on that silly Apple list.
3) Kate Clover - Bleed Your Heart Out
Got this from fellow Music Stacker Mallie Hart's Three For Thursday feature . This is so freakin good. Sorta Patti Smith vibes, along with the catchiest tune about CIA psyops you will ever hear.
2) Dexter Gordon - The Blue Note Reissue Series
A 2 LP sampler pack of Dexter's Blue Note stuff from the 60s. File under "wow how long has this been in my cabinet? I don't remember ever buying this." It aint "Go" but its still better than half the albums from that silly Apple list.
1) The Allman Brothers Band - 05/12/1996 Chicago.
Got a really nice soundboard recording of this show. Not too far removed in time or place from when I first saw them. This show has the most jam-a-licious version of Back Where It All Begins I've yet heard out of all my stash of 272 ABB shows.
Lol. That list really got in my head.
I love to ring in a new week with Kevin's playlist and the comments section where I always find some amazing new to me music. It's been a pretty diverse week of listening - here's what's made its way to my ears:
Newer stuff:
- Frog Boiling in Water by DIIV
- AMAMA by Crumb
- Light Sleeper by Bess Atwell
- Mahal EP by Glass Beams
- Samana's self-titled
- Limbo by Lionlimb
- Strange Medicine by Kaia Kater
Older stuff:
- Who is William Oneyeabor? by William Oneyeabor
- Mustt Mustt by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
- Morning Dove White by One Dove
- Cloudland by Pere Ubu
- Arc of a Diver by Steve Winwood
- Weezer's Blue Album
- Ingenue by k.d. lang
I really like that William Onyeabor set too. David Byrne's record label Luaka Bob has that on their Bandcamp page.
Cloudland! Yes! I hope you enjoyed it. I've been meaning to spin the latest DIIV record, and will make sure to do that today.
Recently Iron Maiden Powerslave
Hell yeah.
Listening to Brave Combo ~ No, No, No, Cha Cha Cha
I was looking for a Dire Straits song on Apple Music when I saw they'd recently released "Live 1978-1992". Found this about mid-way through and had to pull the car over on the side of a strange country road at night when I recognized it. Fans of the film "Local Hero", have your tissues ready if you hit play here. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSr_kNgGTf0&list=OLAK5uy_kHc77F0sfT1lPXkonRnZNfIm7miOwJfwk&index=35
Trifecta - The New Normal
https://album.link/s/45CBcDySiYPbaWGW9m9Ohc
Yonder Mountain String Band – I’d Like Off
Stan Kenton – City of Glass
Country Johnny Mathis – Just Do The Best You Can
The Beatles – Let It Be
The Beatles – Number Ones
Butch Hancock – Own and Own
NOFX – Half Album
Church Of Trees – Transience
Emmylou Harris– Elite Hotel
Mark Heard – Stop the Dominoes
Lovelorn Dolls – Deadtime Stories
And...https://weatheredmusic.ca
The Beatles, Emmylou Harris and NOFX on the same list? That's my kinda mix!
Teardrop Explodes. Yes!
I'm happy that was a pick that landed! I wondered what people might think.
Ive had Diiv’s new Frog in Boiling Water on heavy rotation this week.
Nice! A couple of people have recommended it. That tells me I am once again late to the party.
Outstanding band. They came on my radar maybe 3 years ago, absolutely love their whole discography, and this, their 4th, continues that trend. Suspiciously good.
Just listened to One Song’s two-parter on Janet Jackson’s Control and…. 🤯.
https://youtu.be/2LEuKK7dhgc?si=F4ZtXvJDPdmtusWO
Life-changer for me in my ‘formative years’ (on cassette, baby), and might just be again now.
I had that on cassette too! This looks really interesting. I'm planning to watch later today.
Ohhhh man! If you don’t yet listen to/watch One Song, turning you onto it might be my greatest single achievement.
We missed you for sure. We're also re-imagining the discussion to go outside the bounds of discussion only one album--maybe some themes or curated playlists. We want to get more involved and shake ourselves up! Jessica is leading next month!
Oh nice! Please let me know how I can best help.
I spent some time on the Open Mike Eagle twitch stream and listened along while we played through that Apple Top 100 Albums blah blah blah list. I found some really interesting stuff that I had missed and I've been enjoying playing them too much over the weekend.
Formation, by Beyonce off Lemonade
Hunter by Bjork off the Homogenic album
Eye Know by De La Soul from 3 Feet High and Rising
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), Missy Elliot
Blue Lines by Massive Attack (They didn't just play the theme from House! jk jk)
I Put a Spell on You, Nina Simone (LOVE Nina)
If you like Open Mike Eagle, you might like his podcast, “What Had Happened Was.” The first season he talks with Prince Paul, who of course produced ‘3 Feet High and Rising.’
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3ft-high-and-rising-the-origins-of-de-la-soul/id1520209791?i=1000483505731
Ok this one sounds great! I was only familiar with his old Adventure Time podcast
Let's see how this plays out. Jessica will choose an album, I think.
I’m a bit late to the party; hopefully there are a few of you still around.
This week, I’ve been listening to Guster’s latest album “Ooh La La.” I’m loving how Guster has evolved since “Lost and Gone Forever” back in 1999!
Never too late!
I caught their sampler CD in January just before they were on Bandcamp or had a website, they were great live, though they had two drummers that night which amplified the effect. Have been soaking in their album Grizzly Peak, by Freqz https://freqz.bandcamp.com/album/grizzly-peak. Specifically their track Clover is a new-wave-funk sounding earworm.
Just catching up to this now...I blame the last week of school. Love reading what everyone's into.
As for me, I've been listening to the albums that make up my next massive post, which is coming soon.
One more week to go up here… I’m looking forward to seeing what/who you cover in your next post!