"I Need Your Love" (The Boyfriends) has to be a Ramones cover, right? Because the Ramones would have shredded that tune.
Love the Ivy song. The kind of song that you would listen to while driving through the country with the top down on an early summer day. I checked out her album "Apartment Life" and it is pleasant listening. Liz Phair run through a 60's cocktail music filter. (How many female artists owe a slice of their royalties to Liz?)
I’ve been giving the new The National a few listens (during bottle feeding sessions). It’s growing on me, but not my favorite record of theirs. At least not yet.
Pretty cool! My only encounter with Bryan was him standing behind me in the beer line at the Mets game many years ago, ha. One of the great drummers from the early 00s indie scene, and he gets turned down more with each subsequent album.
Yesterday afternoon was one of burning off tree/ yard debris while cutting down a few more trees on my land. I had Spotify just play Johnny Cash at random while the work was being done. Proved for a lovely few hours.
The first Lone Justice album (both really) lived in the tape deck in my car. Loved Maria McKee’s voice and look, and “You’ve Got to Sin to be Saved” is on my desert island list.
Not joining that list, but currently in heavy rotation is FEVER/SKY by Wilder Woods. Really enjoying it.
Hi Kevin and fellow readers/writers! Coronation weekend here in the UK, so celebrating the glorious music these tiny islands have produced over the years. Currently playing “Songs from the Big Chair” by Tears for Fears, but earlier I was spinning “Blue Lines” by Massive Attack, which sounds fantastic on 180g vinyl. Monumental album that paved the way for trip-hop and completely redefined the electronica and underground scenes in the early 90s. Importantly, this album depicts a raw and incredibly genuine side of Britain that doesn’t get mentioned very often.
To be fair it would have been more appropriate for a coronation than Blue Lines. But well, the King himself said he wanted to celebrate multicultural Britain, so I guess I was just following the King’s orders! 😄
The Last of Us playlist on Spotify, and yesterday watched Miss Saigon the 25th Anniversary performance with the fam. Had me and the hubs in tears at the end :')
Love the ‘Out in the Storm’ era Waxahatchee. Still my fav record of hers. This weekend was all new Lemon Twigs and billy woods & Kenny Segal. Very different but both amazing!
Listened to both discs of the Rolling Stones 2022 release, Live at El Mocambo. The excellent musicianship of the guitarists jumped out at me all the way through. Even for 1977, the setlist was pretty varied. Especially interesting to hear Worried About You which didn't appear on vinyl until Tattoo You. I give the album four ⭐⭐⭐⭐.!
I’m out and about getting life done, so I decided to listen to Sirius XM and channel surfing between The Bridge, The Wave & Lithium. I am enjoying Easy Listening , New Wave & 90’s/Grunge. Right now the selection is Dan Fogelberg’s “Part of the Plan”. (Of course I’m not driving, I’m sitting in the Wawa parking lot!) Have a great week!!!
I'm buried deep in writing today, so I'm falling back on an old favorite and it's one of my favorite live albums ever. The Insiders were a great rock-pop band from Chicago in the late 80s (think Bodeans). They had a modest hit with the title track of their debut album on Epic ("Ghost On The Beach"), but the label refused to release their follow-up. The band released "Live At Fitzgerald's" independently, and it's a combination of tracks from the two albums. They were just a super tight live band with some really hook-filled songs. The album is available on streaming services, and one of the band has posted both Epic albums on YouTube, since the debut has never been available for streaming.
I've been playing Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom album all weekend for a future Earworm piece or maybe a co-write with another substacker. TBD. I have had "Human Hands" playing in my head for a few days.
And as a big April March fan I am excited to dig deeper into her new album with Staplin (who I know nothing about). Titled, appropriately "April March Meets Staplin."
Saw several live performances starting with Lael Neale on Friday, who was absolutely fantastic. Further sealed the deal that Star Eater's Delight is one of the best of the year. A dark folk magus in the making named Anastasia Coope opened and was also great - hopefully her recordings, which are all a few years old, catch up with her soon. I'll not say more as reviews of all eight performances I saw over the weekend are in progress! Also listened to Elvis Costello's Blood & Chocolate for the first time in a while and it has not lost a step - just a great album, making me think of the protagonist of This Year's Model but older, wiser, and both thornier and more compassionate. One of his best!
Thanks for including us on your playlist! ❤️ In good company! I’m a big fan of many of these choices. Perhaps you’d like to hear some Robyn Hitchcock covers? (I picked the artist to cover for the month and have a few entries here):
Also, was checking out Palm Ghosts this week because a friend played with them last night (sadly I was too tired to make it to the show in the end though), really nice 80s synthpop: https://palmghosts.bandcamp.com/
I’ll take all the covers you got! Speaking of which, how did I not know about Palm Ghosts?! And they cover Ned’s Atomic Dustbin? Fantastic! Where’d they play last night?
Are you playing anywhere anytime soon? If so, please keep us posted. There’s a few Wisco peeps on this list.
They were at The Bur Oak with my friends’ band Educational Davis!
No full band shows lined up for Gentle Brontosaurus at the moment but I have a couple of solo shows coming up as miscellaneous owl—playing the Sun Prairie Library’s singer-songwriter series with Steev Baker on May 16, and opening for Jeffrey Lewis along with Heavy Looks on July 22! I’ll let you know if we book another GB show soon, working on recording at the moment so we haven’t been playing out as much.
Was caught off guard by how much I am enjoying Hardy's new album The Mockingbird & The Crow. Country... but sooooo much more. Production is fantastic. Like Orville Peck's album Bronco, 'country' music continues to pleasantly surprise me.
Listening to Joseph’s new album, The Sun. Loving this line from the title song, The Sun: “I thought I was a light switch you turned on, but I am the sun.”
Excited to see them live at The Showbox next week!
Had 'Fairlies', the new solo single from Fontaines DC's Grian Chatten, on regular repeat for a couple of days now. It might just be my favourite new song of the year so far!
Took a nice mental trip with this playlist that mines the weird post-Nirvana bubble where record labels threw everything at the wall to see what would stick:
That playlist is like a snapshot into my senior year of HS and the next couple afterward. Lot of great stuff on there! FWIW, Urge Overkill show up here later this week.
Had lunch with my brother and we hit the record shop for dessert. On National Record Shop day no less. Picked up a copy of caress of Steel ( Rush ‘75). When this came out a ton of kids I knew loved that band. I think I just couldn’t get past the vocals and the radio releases did nothing for me. Of late I’ve been Iof a mind to explore the body of work.
Long story only slightly longer I popped the album on an immediately listened to it 3 times. I’m on!
Also addicted currently to Bright Old Giant: We Must Fall Forever If We Survive. so beautiful like poetry
Just listened to this. Not a bad way to start the day!
I spent the weekend listening through Bob Dylan’s Fragments vinyl set that came out earlier this year. It’s a masterpiece.
It’s phenomenal!
That's a heck of an endorsement! I'm on it.
I'm a huge fan of that album. It truly is a masterpiece.
I spent Friday listening to The Mission’s “Children.” (Spent the weekend on a bicycle not listening to anything.)
I used to purposely not listen to anything on my bike for safety. Now I just really like it.
When you say you spent the weekend on a bike, does that mean a long road tour, single track, or something different?
No, not a tour. Just a lot of road miles both days.
Headed to the C&O/Gap Trail in early June, so getting in some training and recovery after a tough winter.
I’d been busy last week brewing a new biweekly update of the playlist, so that was the result:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6EcLhgESeOBX3Fvfxt8SH4?si=21US2Y7ySGaTo9ErEIQoxQ
Got this ready to be my writing soundtrack this afternoon.
Great! I hope you like it.
Last night it was Loretta Lynn from her Decca years--don't want to say too much for a Crate-Diving column is coming later in the week
I love that you're running this series over here! Also my cue that I've gotta write an update about my latest pickups.
Yes you do, and preview: I went to a pop-up flea market on Saturday, and OMG what I found.
Oh man! I’m looking forward to reading about it.
Looked for but did not find any new tunes that put the custard in my Boston Kreme donut. I hope Kevin's playlist has something this week!
RIP Gordon Lightfoot. Thanks for the memories.
Well, I hope there's something here you'll really like!
"I Need Your Love" (The Boyfriends) has to be a Ramones cover, right? Because the Ramones would have shredded that tune.
Love the Ivy song. The kind of song that you would listen to while driving through the country with the top down on an early summer day. I checked out her album "Apartment Life" and it is pleasant listening. Liz Phair run through a 60's cocktail music filter. (How many female artists owe a slice of their royalties to Liz?)
A colleague of mine share with me this new release; More Than Able (feat. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson) | Elevation Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ1xxoP7NJk
I’ve been giving the new The National a few listens (during bottle feeding sessions). It’s growing on me, but not my favorite record of theirs. At least not yet.
Solid first half that drops into autopilot for the back end. Turn up Bryan’s drums and play as a 5 piece again.
+1
💯
I'll pass this along the next time I see Bryan at school pick up.
Pretty cool! My only encounter with Bryan was him standing behind me in the beer line at the Mets game many years ago, ha. One of the great drummers from the early 00s indie scene, and he gets turned down more with each subsequent album.
Getting Little Fog Chaser off to a good start! I remember those days- seems like it was last week.
Got on a Use Your Illusion kick after reading the 33 1/3 book.
Use Your Illusion I, II, both?
Both! :)
Yesterday afternoon was one of burning off tree/ yard debris while cutting down a few more trees on my land. I had Spotify just play Johnny Cash at random while the work was being done. Proved for a lovely few hours.
Random Johnny Cash does sound like a pleasant backdrop for yard work. Will have to try that sometime.
Not normally a of yard work, but this actually sounds like...fun?
I certainly think so. I laughed at myself after singing "Hey Porter" with a chainsaw in my hand. Felt really good hahah.
The first Lone Justice album (both really) lived in the tape deck in my car. Loved Maria McKee’s voice and look, and “You’ve Got to Sin to be Saved” is on my desert island list.
Not joining that list, but currently in heavy rotation is FEVER/SKY by Wilder Woods. Really enjoying it.
Keith R. Higgons just had Lone Justice's Marvin Etzioni on his Abandoned Albums podcast. It's an awesome listen.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-502-marvin-etzioni-on-lone-justice-marvin-country/id1600596605?i=1000611657056
Hi Kevin and fellow readers/writers! Coronation weekend here in the UK, so celebrating the glorious music these tiny islands have produced over the years. Currently playing “Songs from the Big Chair” by Tears for Fears, but earlier I was spinning “Blue Lines” by Massive Attack, which sounds fantastic on 180g vinyl. Monumental album that paved the way for trip-hop and completely redefined the electronica and underground scenes in the early 90s. Importantly, this album depicts a raw and incredibly genuine side of Britain that doesn’t get mentioned very often.
Nice! But I was almost hoping you were going to say Gloriana by Benjamin Britten...
To be fair it would have been more appropriate for a coronation than Blue Lines. But well, the King himself said he wanted to celebrate multicultural Britain, so I guess I was just following the King’s orders! 😄
Haha, well said!! And Blue Lines never gets old.
A timeless album indeed!
The Last of Us playlist on Spotify, and yesterday watched Miss Saigon the 25th Anniversary performance with the fam. Had me and the hubs in tears at the end :')
Love the ‘Out in the Storm’ era Waxahatchee. Still my fav record of hers. This weekend was all new Lemon Twigs and billy woods & Kenny Segal. Very different but both amazing!
I need to dig into that Lemon Twigs more!
Definitely their best since their debut!
Listened to both discs of the Rolling Stones 2022 release, Live at El Mocambo. The excellent musicianship of the guitarists jumped out at me all the way through. Even for 1977, the setlist was pretty varied. Especially interesting to hear Worried About You which didn't appear on vinyl until Tattoo You. I give the album four ⭐⭐⭐⭐.!
That really is a great setlist. I also enjoyed the full Stripped, where they played in small clubs in the 1990s. Those are fun as well.
I’m out and about getting life done, so I decided to listen to Sirius XM and channel surfing between The Bridge, The Wave & Lithium. I am enjoying Easy Listening , New Wave & 90’s/Grunge. Right now the selection is Dan Fogelberg’s “Part of the Plan”. (Of course I’m not driving, I’m sitting in the Wawa parking lot!) Have a great week!!!
First Wave and Lithium are my favorites!
I'm buried deep in writing today, so I'm falling back on an old favorite and it's one of my favorite live albums ever. The Insiders were a great rock-pop band from Chicago in the late 80s (think Bodeans). They had a modest hit with the title track of their debut album on Epic ("Ghost On The Beach"), but the label refused to release their follow-up. The band released "Live At Fitzgerald's" independently, and it's a combination of tracks from the two albums. They were just a super tight live band with some really hook-filled songs. The album is available on streaming services, and one of the band has posted both Epic albums on YouTube, since the debut has never been available for streaming.
I’m could swear there’s another fan of The Insiders here, but I can’t quite place who. Either way, this sounds right up my alley!
Getting into the headspace of Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska," properly. I'll have a review of Warren Zanes' new book in the next few days!
Will you be posting it here or somewhere else?
Here on Substack :)
I've been playing Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom album all weekend for a future Earworm piece or maybe a co-write with another substacker. TBD. I have had "Human Hands" playing in my head for a few days.
And as a big April March fan I am excited to dig deeper into her new album with Staplin (who I know nothing about). Titled, appropriately "April March Meets Staplin."
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6z4q82A6cPdpjeEAizG46f?si=bc35e1e49ed44ce4
Saw several live performances starting with Lael Neale on Friday, who was absolutely fantastic. Further sealed the deal that Star Eater's Delight is one of the best of the year. A dark folk magus in the making named Anastasia Coope opened and was also great - hopefully her recordings, which are all a few years old, catch up with her soon. I'll not say more as reviews of all eight performances I saw over the weekend are in progress! Also listened to Elvis Costello's Blood & Chocolate for the first time in a while and it has not lost a step - just a great album, making me think of the protagonist of This Year's Model but older, wiser, and both thornier and more compassionate. One of his best!
Thanks for including us on your playlist! ❤️ In good company! I’m a big fan of many of these choices. Perhaps you’d like to hear some Robyn Hitchcock covers? (I picked the artist to cover for the month and have a few entries here):
https://prfmonthlytributeseries.bandcamp.com/album/may-2022-robyn-hitchcock
Also, was checking out Palm Ghosts this week because a friend played with them last night (sadly I was too tired to make it to the show in the end though), really nice 80s synthpop: https://palmghosts.bandcamp.com/
I’ll take all the covers you got! Speaking of which, how did I not know about Palm Ghosts?! And they cover Ned’s Atomic Dustbin? Fantastic! Where’d they play last night?
Are you playing anywhere anytime soon? If so, please keep us posted. There’s a few Wisco peeps on this list.
They were at The Bur Oak with my friends’ band Educational Davis!
No full band shows lined up for Gentle Brontosaurus at the moment but I have a couple of solo shows coming up as miscellaneous owl—playing the Sun Prairie Library’s singer-songwriter series with Steev Baker on May 16, and opening for Jeffrey Lewis along with Heavy Looks on July 22! I’ll let you know if we book another GB show soon, working on recording at the moment so we haven’t been playing out as much.
Please do, and thanks for sharing the solo shows!
Was caught off guard by how much I am enjoying Hardy's new album The Mockingbird & The Crow. Country... but sooooo much more. Production is fantastic. Like Orville Peck's album Bronco, 'country' music continues to pleasantly surprise me.
Hardy is another new one for me. On the list to check out asap!
You're in for a treat. I think they need to create a new genre name for him COUNTRYCORE... though that likely already exists.
PS. In case the front half is not to your looking be sure to sample the all caps songs on the back half of the album, especially KILL SH!T TIL I DIE.
John McCabe - Somehow Or Another album on the Subjangle label
On my list to spin in a bit here!
Listening to Joseph’s new album, The Sun. Loving this line from the title song, The Sun: “I thought I was a light switch you turned on, but I am the sun.”
Excited to see them live at The Showbox next week!
That's the kinda line I wish I could write!
Right now I’m going through Fred again.. x Brian Eno’s new album “Secret Life” and really enjoying it ✨🎶🎧 highly recommend - it’s chill, inspiring and good for a soundtrack to any type of work I think👌 https://open.spotify.com/album/1FJVbtVFLARPKbn1HepNh1?si=cGGMl8SCRJKKRTEi81zz_w
P.S. great playlist (as always)! The last song resonated with me the most
Thank you! I'm happy you liked it. :)
I haven't heard the new Eno yet! I'll play it later this morning at work.
Had 'Fairlies', the new solo single from Fontaines DC's Grian Chatten, on regular repeat for a couple of days now. It might just be my favourite new song of the year so far!
Took a nice mental trip with this playlist that mines the weird post-Nirvana bubble where record labels threw everything at the wall to see what would stick:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/26aT7S4eLQk1BZdWArMGzd?si=b4faada9caa64b28&nd=1
On opposite ends of the new music spectrum, I have really been enjoying:
- Forgive the City by Country Westerns
- Black Coral Sprig by Talk West
Plus genuinely trying to enjoy instead of nitpick this list:
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/03/1171948750/40-songs-from-40-years-of-weird-al-yankovic
That playlist is like a snapshot into my senior year of HS and the next couple afterward. Lot of great stuff on there! FWIW, Urge Overkill show up here later this week.
Had lunch with my brother and we hit the record shop for dessert. On National Record Shop day no less. Picked up a copy of caress of Steel ( Rush ‘75). When this came out a ton of kids I knew loved that band. I think I just couldn’t get past the vocals and the radio releases did nothing for me. Of late I’ve been Iof a mind to explore the body of work.
Long story only slightly longer I popped the album on an immediately listened to it 3 times. I’m on!
Also addicted currently to Bright Old Giant: We Must Fall Forever If We Survive. so beautiful like poetry
Withered Hand - How To Love /
The Noise Who Runs - Preteretrospective /
Emmecosta - Overnight /
The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic /
The New Pornographers - Together /
Michael & The Messengers - People With No Last Names /
Deep Purple - Made In Japan /
Black Grape - pop voodoo /