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Mar 17
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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Right on! Can't go wrong with any of these bands.

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Brad Carl's avatar

I dug backwards last week and went back to 2 records I have always been quite fond of - Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting AND As Fast As - Open Letter To The Damned.

Are you familiar with either one of these?

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Dave Purcell's avatar

Bloodletting is so good. I loved Concrete Blonde back then.

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

Same!! I got Bloodletting on Vinyl this summer ❤️

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I only know Bloodletting.

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Brad Carl's avatar

You might appreciate As Fast As "Open Letter To The Damned." I honestly don't even remember how I found them or it roughly 20 years ago.

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Westley B. Cornett's avatar

Going to see Violent Femnes this weekend.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Nice! Where at?

If you're a fan of VF, stay tuned for a small announcement Friday.

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Yana Bostongirl's avatar

Sade - Paradise

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Lovely pick, Yana!

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Dave Purcell's avatar

My week was about:

* Andy Bell - pinball wanderer. This one is thanks to Kevin's playlist last week. It's the first 2025 release that I'm in love with, an excellent cocktail of Stereolab, Krautrock, and murky jangle. I also love that he covers "I'm In Love With a German Film Star," which I know from the haunting version on Chris Whitley's final record that was released posthumously (and is well worth your time).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4huB4ZDJ6Q

* Get The Blessing - Pallett. An excellent instrumental band that draws on jazz, rock, and trip-hop. They're English session players who've played with Portishead, Peter Gabriel, and Siouxsie Sioux, among others. In the vein of Jaga Jazzist, Polar Bear, and Gogo Penguin.

* Dot Dash - Madman In The Rain. A very good DC band that draw on post-punk, power pop, and The Byrds. Thanks to Wallytbm for the tip!

Have a great week, everyone. Looking forward to the playlist (Living Well...!) and your picks.

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3Albums6OldGuys's avatar

Look forward to diving in on these. Saw Dot Dash open for Trupa Trupa at a tiny club recently here just outside DC; DD are always great live.

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Dave Purcell's avatar

Nice! I'm looking forward to learning more about them.

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Justin Steiner's avatar

Dot Dash has a really good catalog.

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Dave Purcell's avatar

I'm digging it so far, looking forward to hearing more.

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Wallytbm's avatar

Thanks Justin :))

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Seconded!

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Wallytbm's avatar

That Andy Bell album is gorgeous and is in my 2025 favourites!

I didn't know about the Chris Whitley cover, great stuff, thanks for the tip :).

Also thanks for mentioning Dot Dash - we have released 7 of their albums on CD which are all also on Bandcamp and a cool label in Wales (Country Mile label) released a greatest non hits album on vinyl last year.

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Dave Purcell's avatar

Glad you're digging it! I've listened to it far more than any other '25 release so far. It's fun on headphones, too.

Appreciate the connection on Dot Dash!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Dot Dash! Yes!

Madman in the Rain was one of my top records of 2022.

https://thekevinalexander.substack.com/i/90155766/dot-dash-madman-in-the-rain

Better yet I had a chance to chat with them for a feature here. Really cool guys and down to Earth.

Huge shout to Wally for connecting us.

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Paco Jurado's avatar

New Valeria Castro's record, el cuerpo después de todo, a recent marvel from Canary Islands, in Spain

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Jon  Pinter's avatar

This album is getting air play here in my border city, will now check it out thanks.

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Senor Fix's avatar

That's a sweet album. Thanks for sharing.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Thanks for the tip. I'm on it!

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jon cohan's avatar

I like the REM Track - - - and I like the fact they are raising their profile a bit recently . . maybe. . .a tour soon? In any case, Ihave a number of tunes that sounds like the Beatles to share:

Utopia:,“Feel Too Good”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ad9uHTfQE&list=OLAK5uy_kAjR5r1Fv-Wg5XYrSdfVAl_AK2yuvtlM4&index=10

Beck, “Dear Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERoS6y5zE0Y

Billy Joel, “Laura” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkciI10qQs

The Dukes of Stratosphea, “The Vanishing Girl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDX-LLNoZEY (also sound like XTC for good reason)

Bed Folds, Phone in a Pool, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22jm_tYpDyE

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Faith Current's avatar

The whole second side of Nylon Curtain is so very Beatle-y. Scandinavian Skies feels like a lost Lennon track.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

A tour? We should be so lucky! We can dream, right?

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Patrick Fellows's avatar

I have had this Bully record on repeat along with both versions of her new single Atom Bomb.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0Wl5Z73DtV3cgqf0MLXgxz?si=2tmLEDmoSJKq0-pTPRJ45A

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Andrew Smith's avatar

Creeping into 1992 now, leading up to senior year of high school. This land is populated by the likes of Nirvana, Boys II Men, TLC, Richard Max, Ugly Kid Joe...

It's a really good time. Wistful and nostalgic as all get-out, but also: very fun!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

What a time to be alive! Truly something for everyone in that era.

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Andrew Smith's avatar

Ren and Stimpy

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Jim Ruland's avatar

Fidlar

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

YES!

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JustSomeMustard's avatar

Mustard has been listening to the new Whitechapel record. It is a bit heavier than they usually like but its brutality has been oddly endearing.

If condiment's were able to run through walls they would do so listening to this album.

https://whitechapelmetal.bandcamp.com/album/hymns-in-dissonance

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Kevin is happy to see you back and hopes all is good with you! Having read this ringing endorsement, he'll also check out the record

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Marty Slagter's avatar

Love that R.E.M. song, great album opener.

Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream

Horsegirl- Phonetics on and on

Rodriguez - Cold Fact

Donato Dozzy - Plays Bee Mask

Sharon Van Etten - SVE and the Attachment Theory

Genesis - invisible touch

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Senor Fix's avatar

Invisible Touch is peak 80's Genesis, though Duke is my go to for that decade. Behind The Lines is such a ridiculous opener.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I'm glad you liked it!

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Beth Lisogorsky's avatar

Peter - Taylor Swift

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3Albums6OldGuys's avatar

We just posted a new one over at 3Albums6OldGuys about some recent favorites - https://3albums6oldguys.substack.com/p/marchin-on-sly-and-the-family-stone - and I will say I am mostly focused on anything coming out of Meritorio Records (https://meritoriorec.bandcamp.com/music) these days, especially Prism Shores, Nuevos Mundos, and am super excited for the coming release by the High Water Marks.

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3Albums6OldGuys's avatar

Also really enjoying the Colombian trio Los Piranas on Glitterbeat (https://los-piranas.bandcamp.com/album/una-oportunidad-m-s-de-triunfar-en-la-vida) and the new release from Queen Herawin, who sounds a lot like Sa-Roc and Yugen Blakrok in her flow (https://queenherawin.bandcamp.com/album/awaken-the-sleeping-giant)

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Taj Farouki's avatar

Been listening to a lot of Destroyer, especially “Poison Season.” Very excited for the new record and will hopefully be seeing him in October.

In other news, I’m seeing Bob Dylan twice next week and couldn’t be more thrilled.

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

His show here sold out like immediately!

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Dissembling Bling's avatar

! !

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Justin Steiner's avatar

Poison Season is my favorite of Dan's post-2010, but it's all good.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I'm excited to hear the record as well!

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Senor Fix's avatar

NEW & SHINY: This week was heavy...

* Circuit des Yeux 'Halo On The Inside' - Scott Walker + Swans living in a Bowie nightmare. Gothic, throbbing, & beautifully unhinged.

* Steven Wilson 'The Overview' - Yes + Crimson on a spacey, grand, prog odyssey.

* Pale Blue Eyes - 'New Place' - Hazy dreamgaze goodness. Saw them open for Slowdive.

* Clipping 'Dead Channel Sky' - Atmospheric, menacing, glitchy hip-hop. NIN x Outkast (minus the pop) / William Gibson with a dash of Art of Noise?

* Courting 'Lust For Life, Or...' - Post-punk, hyperpop chaos. Arctic Monkeys jamming with BCNR?

* Edwyn Collins 'Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation' - Naturally hints of the jangle of Orange Juice shine through, but overall this is a heavy, tonally reflective album. Amazed and appreciative that he is still creating!

POLISHED GEMS

* Dead Kennedys 'Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables'

* MDC 'Now More Than Ever'

* Bad finger 'Straight Up'

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Wallytbm's avatar

Really looking forward to getting the new Edwyn Collins album

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I gotta say; these are next-level descriptions! My curiosity's piqued.

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Senor Fix's avatar

I go with my gut and first instinct, though I have no idea if my sentiments resonate with others. Describing amazing, complex music with minimal words is a foolhardy endeavor.

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Andres's avatar

Anita Baker’s Rapture was spinning on my turntable this morning. What a classic!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I got a few glances askance when this made my Top 100, but man, it's just so good! And it has a weight to it that a lot of R & B from the same era just doesn't.

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Andres's avatar

I remember you listing it, yes, and I was so happy to see it made the cut.

Glances askance? Ha! Decades of Mariah fandom have made me immune to certain glances 🤣 Tell ‘em to look elsewhere if they don’t like what you see. You vibe with Anita in peace.

100% agree with you on what you say about the “weight”. Perhaps it’s a weird comparison but in some ways it reminds me of Sade’s Diamond Life.

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Stygi's avatar

"Enjoy Your Life" from TOKiMONSTA's new album "Eternal Reverie" ✨

https://open.spotify.com/album/7xDQlillR9FwIIoxgKSEQb?si=Kd7fBhEfScORWvCc1OTq_A

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Thanks Stygi! I'll check this out ASAP!

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Andy Weinnig's avatar

Kevin your ,For the record,had an article about swamp pop this week. I found a record by Bobby Charles, a Louisiana artist, who had The Band play on his 1972 album. The whole album is terrific. My two favorite tracks are “I must be in a good place now” and “Save me Jesus” which its lyrics eerily fits today’s political landscape.

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Dave Purcell's avatar

Great call. I never knew of Bobby Charles until I saw The Lost Brothers open for Glen Hansard in 2015. They covered "Small Town Talk" and mentioned how much they loved his music. The next day I checked out his debut that you mentioned -- it's timeless -- and learned that he co-wrote that song with Danko.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Hopefully, you enjoyed the link, and thanks for getting this on my radar! Sounds like a heckuva record.

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Jon  Pinter's avatar

Good Monday from San Diego

Here what my earwigs have been listening to in my ears...

1. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1knJSMzp6SWo8aUh3W2hVo?si=50ef3a85eb054d59

2. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EpiZRrzSeuNAh?si=f8b0adc55d73401b

Have a great week and thanks as always for all the great music leads, and reminders.

JP

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Great lists as always, Jon! Thank you!

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

Love to see a track from the new Throwing Muses album on your list! It did not disappoint. I listened to it a couple of times through before I hit the road to Ames on Friday- then I listened to it on the road through Spotify, which I don’t pay for, so listened to a variety of Throwing Muses until it started playing similar bands - which was not horrible, but then I had to start flipping through stations for local radio to get any weather alerts.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

It's a great record. I've been meaning to write it up, but can't get past typing boilerplate sentences like "this is fantastic!" and "Hersh hasn't lost a step." lol.

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

Hahahaha!! Sounds about right!

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Aurelie Juliette's avatar

My 1001 to listen to before you die selections are:

THE HOLY BIBLE

Album • Manic Street Preachers

Low (2017 Remaster)

Album • David Bowie

Crocodiles

Album • Echo & the Bunnymen

DOCUMENT

Album • R.E.M.

A Girl Called Dusty

Album • Dusty Springfield

Boy In Da Corner

Album • Dizzee Rascal

I’m familiar with most of the artists, aware of some of the albums but not all. I just don’t listen to music as regularly as I used to. My heart has stopped singing for the most part.

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Wallytbm's avatar

Saw Echo & the Bunnymen on the Crocodiles tour and they were incredible and featured a few songs that were later released on Heaven Up Here and it's one of my all favourite concerts.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Can't go wrong with these! I hope a couple of them heal up your heart. :)

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Tom Kendall's avatar

Sea Swimming - Jack O'Rourke, amongst some favourites I've featured on https://flutterandwow.substack.com/p/the-break-02 this week

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Kenn Richards's avatar

Annie and The Caldwells. Single “Wrong”.

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Katie Burkhart's avatar

No Sugar Tonight by The Guess Who

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Now, that's an earworm!

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Mark Nash's avatar

Really enjoying the new Throwing Muses album. Recently I’ve also been listening to Djiyo by Ablaye Cissoko and Cyrille Brotto and La Question by Françoise Hardy

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Always a good time for a little Ye Ye!

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Mark Nash's avatar

Pitchfork reviewed the album on Sunday and I thought I’d give it a listen. I’ve listened to some Ye Ye over the years, but not a lot. Any recommendations for me?

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Lou Tilsley's avatar

Playlist looks great. I’ll just echo everyone else by saying it’s good to see that REM track on there. Also, The Goo Goo Dolls. It’s a long while since I’ve listened to that album.

For me, the highlight of this week’s releases has been Out Of A Dream by The Slow Readers Club. It’s everything the singles promised and more. I don’t know much of their back catalogue so this has been enlightening!

https://open.spotify.com/album/3xIj9RcIvJXJCZazoQ2Mvd?si=mNwWzpiIR3WDHBJhwCPsSg

Also came across Cotton Crown by The Tubs yesterday, released last week. On first listen I really like it.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

It had been awhile for me as well! Not sure why the band popped into my head, but here we are.

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Dave Purcell's avatar

Really digging Out Of A Dream -- thanks for the heads up! I'm not familiar with this band.

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Lou Tilsley's avatar

Oh, amazing! I’m really glad.

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Michael K. Fell's avatar

My wife and I are seeing Lady Blackbird on Wednesday night so I have been spinning her two albums. We are also going to Havana on Thursday (!) so a lot of Cuban Jazz and Mongo Santamaria have been on my turntable!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Hope the show tomorrow is great, and that the flights are as well!

If I can ask, where are you flying through?

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jeleonard193's avatar

Cued up the first four Aerosmith albums (in Spotify) because I just needed some 'Smith.

I got a smile just looking at the queue. Still amazed at how good their debut album is. Surprised at how disappointing "Rocks" is. I thought that the end came with "Draw The Line", but you can hear the beginning of the end on Rocks.

Watched "Jojo Rabbit" last night - my second viewing. If you haven't seen this, or like me were not paying attention the first time, in the last scene Jojo and Elsa break the fourth wall and boogie down to Bowie "Heroes". Simply excellent. I will never listen to Heroes again without visions of Jojo and Elsa. Once again, music provides that special moment.

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Amy McGrath's avatar

You've drawn up a phenomenal playlist, Kevin. Great to see the new HAIM song "Relationships." I've just discovered Cardiff quartet Part Time Signals. Good stuff.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)

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Faith Current's avatar

I'm late because... reasons. But New England singer/songwriter Kris Delmhorst has a new album out -- Ghosts in the Garden -- and it's spectacular.

https://open.spotify.com/album/3oFmsgov9SndXlZSmCgijP?si=PIizJ1AmSBCf5e79U9PLfg

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

You're not late; you've just made an entrance. :)

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Benjamin Woodling's avatar

The playlist does look fun. 'Congotronics' by Konono No1 was a really enjoyable pick from last week's comments. Vundabar sounded good too. Oasis retrospective: their fourth album from 2000, 'Standing on...', sounded dark and tired. Oh yeah, some William Onyeabor: brilliant, lovely.

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Dylan Oxley's avatar

Been listening to film scores lately. Particularly fond of Hans Zimmer's atmospheric strings from Interstellar

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Dissembling Bling's avatar

Current Retail: The Police ~ Zenyatta Mondatta

Home, car, work, digging in because I have not listened to this in total for 40 years. Is it a war-time album?

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Good question! I never thought of it that way, but maybe?

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Dissembling Bling's avatar

I read the lyrics at work yesterday. It is not. Fantastic reggaeish though. Great driving soundtrack. Thank you much for the subscription. I will try to keep my comments revelant. The answer to many musical questions is The Feelies.

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DFitzpatrick's avatar

I recently bought Chick Corea's Trilogy, Trilogy 2, and Trilogy 3 and have been listening to them. Also, some of Analog Africa's cumbia albums.

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Justin Steiner's avatar

The new Neal Francis, Return to Zero, is pretty groovy.

Can't stop listening to Isbell's Foxes in the Snow and Deep Sea Diver's Billboard Heart either.

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John Sawyer's avatar

Really really enjoying new Museum of Light album, Diviner. Crushing riffs, fulsome bass, ethereal harmonies, going hard and then stepping back from the brink in contemplation. Beautiful production from Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Thrice, Sumac). Check it out!

https://orcd.co/diviner

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Norman's avatar

The Monkees, The Moody Blues and Van Morrison dominated my listening this past week.

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Matty C's avatar

'Life's Greatest Fool' is a bona fide jam! Long live Gene Clark.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Indeed!

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Wallytbm's avatar

Okay so I'm late to the party again but I just discovered the Pointed Sticks album that was releases by Porterhouse Records last year called "Beautiful Future" and it really is beautiful and it's still going tobbe a favourite release of 2025 for me.

Here is one of the songs from it -

https://youtu.be/Fg5eCLHBhWo?feature=shared

The Shapes Like People album is also getting lots of play on my stereo.

(and since a few people mentioned Dot Dash in this thread if anyone in this group is interested, I can send them all 7 albums on CD for a crazy low price, basically to cover postage - but don't tell anyone else)

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

That's incredibly kind of you, Wally! I hope some people take you up on it!

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David W. Friedman's avatar

One of my favorite CSS songs.

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Bob Tooker's avatar

It was an Irish weekend.

U2, Boy

The Rumjacks

Dropkick Murphy's

The pogues

Flogging Molly, okay and some Fastway, thanks to Dave King. He is the singer for both bands. That kind of makes Fastway Irish.... Or not?

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Dan Pal's avatar

Listening to a LOT of old stuff this week Kevin as we drive across the country. Everything from Madonna to Matthew Sweet has been accompanying us. I did listen to one artist that has made a career of doing covers, Mike Masse. He's great! More on him later this week in my own post!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Gotta have some old favorites in the car on a trip like this. Masse's a new name for me, and I'll watch for the post. In the meantime, safe travels!

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