Happy Monday, everyone, and hello all of you who joined us over the weekend! It’s great to have you here with us.
Thank you again for your thoughtful/fun questions! It seems like people enjoyed the Q & A, so I might make it a quarterly(ish) thing? If you have strong thoughts one way or the other, let me know.
In the meantime, the playlist below is some of what I’ve been playing this week. There’ve been some killer releases lately, so if you’ve got one (or some), please share ‘em!
Now it’s your turn.
What caught your ear this week? Find anything good while crate digging? Is there an upcoming release or show you’re excited for?
Happy Monday! I've been spinning quite a lot of my Earth, Wind and Fire vinyl collection (which so far comprises That's the Way of the World, Spirit, Raise!, and Faces).
EWF, Andy, recorded a couple albums in the early '70s, for Warner Bros. Records. Clive Davis saw them in concert at Rockefeller Center sometime in '72, and was impressed enough to buy out their WB contract, and sign them to Columbia Records, their era you've (quite understandably) fallen for!
I'm not suggesting you drop a digital needle on their WB years, but that might help fill in some early influences for you, as well as illustrate how label changes influence an artist's progression and, yes, hits! EWF had just recently, too, signed with mega-mgmt firm, Cavallo & Ruffalo (who had a stable of mostly hit rock acts), so that tended to slot them into a more mainstream lane, exposure-wise (and expand, say, beyond R&B-only radio). The rest, as they say, is history....and, not just a little math!
Also, don't sleep on EWF's "little sistahs," The Emotions! I'll let you unearth their background and info, but here's the lead track off their debut 1976 Columbia album (which I had!), produced by--you guessed it--EWF mainstays, Maurice White and Charles Stepney! Enjoy! "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love":
Fascinating music history lesson, Brad! I vaguely knew some isolated details of what you’ve said, but I had never been able to fill in the gaps, so this is tremendously helpful! Thanks a lot.
I know (and like) The Emotions. They were an important source of inspiration for Mariah’s second album (and my absolute favourite of hers), aptly titled, you guessed it, Emotions! I love it when everything is connected! 🎤🎶🎹🕺🪩
Ohh that’s nice! At the risk of going on a tangent, do you know September Song by JP Cooper? My anniversary is also in September, BTW! JP Cooperhttps://open.spotify.com/track/0zbzrhfVS9S2TszW3wLQZ7
I'll repost my '80s binge from the other day. It's been a musical blind spot for me (The Smiths, The Cure, REM, Prince, New Order, Bruce Springsteen, and the Replacements are the exceptions).
“Doolittle” - The Pixies
“Surfer Rosa” - The Pixies
“It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” - Run DMC
“Spirit of Eden” - Talk Talk
“Rain Dogs” - Tom Waits
“Stone Roses” - The Stone Roses
“Signos” - Soda Radio
“Hounds of Love” - Kate Bush
“Diamond Life” - Sade
“The River” - Bruce Springsteen
“Murmur” - REM
If anyone has any recommendations, I will check them out!
Check out The Sound as Adrian Borland was an incredible talent and if you liked the Stine Rose's, check out The High as they were contemporaries and connected.
Oh, I was all about that stuff in high school. Zen Arcade was a favorite of mine, as well as Suicidal Tendencies. And I like the Clash's '80 output more than their debut (well... except for THAT album...) And I still jam out to Minutemen!
I think my '80s blindspot came from me being obsessed with punk at a young age, then assuming the rest of '80s music was hair metal and new wave (which I erroneously thought was all corny back then).
Agree, "The Joshua Tree" is for me the last of this early stuff you mention. Talking about stadium rock, wouldn't "The River" by Bruce Springsteen (one of my favorite albums) fit in this concept?
If you want a bit more poppier (?) sound, try "Automatic." If you like feedback, try "Psychocandy."
As a value add, here's Miley Cyrus covering "Heaven or Las Vegas." I can't tell if this is a war crime, or if I like that she picked a song to sing for herself.
Had a terrific (or terrifying, depending on your POV) listen from this weekend: The Blow Monkeys 'Digging Your Scene.' And apparently, they reformed a few years back and are releasing new material!
I know Kevin already has this album but if anyone else is interested, here is a free compilation album we released a little while ago -
A free compilation available which has a few cool covers and a bunch of originals by bands associated with our tiny hobby label.
The covers include New Order's song "Temptation", The Jam's "English Rose", The Bluebells song "Cath" along with several other covers of Jimmy Webb, Martha & the Muffins, The Beatles, The Sound, The Times, Television Personalities and more - It's in Dropbox here and includes some detailed liner notes. Help yourself and hope you find a song or two that you like.
Hearing Billy Bragg's 'Rich Men Earning North of a Million', his response to Oliver Anthony's viral song, inspired me to pull out a few of his old albums. For a completely different vibe I also listened to Genesis Owusu's new album 'Struggler'.
Great playlist and nice finds with Red Pants and Roy Mollers, really liked both of those songs. Was listening to a lot of Penguin Cafe Orchestra this weekend. Kids love it too...I think because the music from Bluey is pretty inspired by (ripping off) PCO.
Been listening a bit to Sam Burton's Dear Departed, his latest bit of beauty - produced by Jonathan Wilson, who adds a lushness to the surroundings. Also, saw John Cale on Saturday night - killer show! At 81, he's still totally engaged and in great voice. Check out this version of Helen Of Troy to get an idea: https://youtu.be/XC3oJj5XzGg. Also, Tomberlin opened and she was absolutely fantastic. I've been wanting to see her since 2018! Finally, my daughter bought a beautiful 180-gram pressing of the second Bon Iver album, listened yesterday and all kinds of new details were revealed...wow.
I love these compilations put together by avid vinyl enthusiasts and create diggers. This one’s a follow up to last year’s “We Are The Children of the Sun”, which I missed when it came out (currently giving it a listen for the first time and it’s lovely)
James Gang has been on my radar a lot! Joe Walsh is just delightfully all over the place! Two songs come to mind. « Collage » has a beautiful acoustic dropped tuning, with glorious strings to massage the neurons!! The track «Fred » on the same album features intriguing use of vocal sustain, and then the song drops into a kind of « Take 5 » odyssey! Both tracks are featured on my « More Stuff I should Know » playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dyZiIfZLs9qD0I0kygWGy?si=nxtgt6KpS6ynmxHwYoMvNg
I have 5 senior citizens staying with us for the next week, so I have been adjusting my tunes on Alexa to prepare with stuff that everyone would like such as Johnny Mathis, The Platters, and Rod Stewart. But then my mom said that there was a Barry Manilow song that's her favorite, which no one else seemed to know, not even me and I was a Fanilow back in the day.
It was called "Sandra" and I googled the lyrics. I can see now why this song is virtually unknown in the US, while it is huge in the Philippines. You know this Kevbo, we Flips love the drama! 🎭
Headlights On by WIld Nothing feat. Hatchie is one of my favorite releases this year! Such a sonically layered single and I can't wait to hear more on the album coming later this year
I enjoyed listening to "Hold On" by Noah Reid., included in the current version of Reflect & Relax Cafe (#43). A great discovery, it sounds (to me) as a mix of Billy Joel and John Mayer.
Heck yeah, the only hip hop on my top 25 so far!
That's quite an endorsement. I'm on it!
Hozier just released the album 'Unreal Unearth.' Checking it out now.
Oh, thanks for the update! Gotta check that one out.
So, is it true that one can call Hozier's catalog..............."Hozier-y"? And, why not?😁
woohoo! what a great message at the end of my working day
Took a listen to the new Sonic Youth live album and went down the rabbit hole with them over the weekend. Still not over their breakup.
Thanks for including the new Red Pants single in the playlist!!
You bet! I'm really looking forward to the next single/record release.
As for SY, I've gotta check that one out! I keep meaning to, but just haven't yet.
I don’t blame you! There’s a lot coming out and getting announced these days!
It's a good problem to have!
So true!
Happy Monday! I've been spinning quite a lot of my Earth, Wind and Fire vinyl collection (which so far comprises That's the Way of the World, Spirit, Raise!, and Faces).
EWF, Andy, recorded a couple albums in the early '70s, for Warner Bros. Records. Clive Davis saw them in concert at Rockefeller Center sometime in '72, and was impressed enough to buy out their WB contract, and sign them to Columbia Records, their era you've (quite understandably) fallen for!
I'm not suggesting you drop a digital needle on their WB years, but that might help fill in some early influences for you, as well as illustrate how label changes influence an artist's progression and, yes, hits! EWF had just recently, too, signed with mega-mgmt firm, Cavallo & Ruffalo (who had a stable of mostly hit rock acts), so that tended to slot them into a more mainstream lane, exposure-wise (and expand, say, beyond R&B-only radio). The rest, as they say, is history....and, not just a little math!
Also, don't sleep on EWF's "little sistahs," The Emotions! I'll let you unearth their background and info, but here's the lead track off their debut 1976 Columbia album (which I had!), produced by--you guessed it--EWF mainstays, Maurice White and Charles Stepney! Enjoy! "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love":
https://open.spotify.com/track/4XRIJv9wuuVilF6ohFeaVK?si=eaaf5e2f28b247ee
Fascinating music history lesson, Brad! I vaguely knew some isolated details of what you’ve said, but I had never been able to fill in the gaps, so this is tremendously helpful! Thanks a lot.
I know (and like) The Emotions. They were an important source of inspiration for Mariah’s second album (and my absolute favourite of hers), aptly titled, you guessed it, Emotions! I love it when everything is connected! 🎤🎶🎹🕺🪩
Musical serendipity! Nothing like it!🎵😁👍
Please don't ever change, Brad. :)
Fantastic! My anniversary is on 9/22, so you can guess what my favorite song of theirs is. lol.
Ohh that’s nice! At the risk of going on a tangent, do you know September Song by JP Cooper? My anniversary is also in September, BTW! JP Cooperhttps://open.spotify.com/track/0zbzrhfVS9S2TszW3wLQZ7
That's a new for me, I think. I'll check it out!
That whole album (Raised under Grey Skies) is great. Enjoy!
I'll repost my '80s binge from the other day. It's been a musical blind spot for me (The Smiths, The Cure, REM, Prince, New Order, Bruce Springsteen, and the Replacements are the exceptions).
“Doolittle” - The Pixies
“Surfer Rosa” - The Pixies
“It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” - Run DMC
“Spirit of Eden” - Talk Talk
“Rain Dogs” - Tom Waits
“Stone Roses” - The Stone Roses
“Signos” - Soda Radio
“Hounds of Love” - Kate Bush
“Diamond Life” - Sade
“The River” - Bruce Springsteen
“Murmur” - REM
If anyone has any recommendations, I will check them out!
Check out The Sound as Adrian Borland was an incredible talent and if you liked the Stine Rose's, check out The High as they were contemporaries and connected.
How about 80s punk? That's a very rich vein. Fugazi (whole dischord catalog), Black Flag, Minutemen, Husker Du. For a more specific rec, I love this Wipers album- https://open.spotify.com/album/3xx8wWM8DklLofDmNQUJ7c?si=oxPB2HcqStW3cxBNMgD3Wg
Oh, I was all about that stuff in high school. Zen Arcade was a favorite of mine, as well as Suicidal Tendencies. And I like the Clash's '80 output more than their debut (well... except for THAT album...) And I still jam out to Minutemen!
I think my '80s blindspot came from me being obsessed with punk at a young age, then assuming the rest of '80s music was hair metal and new wave (which I erroneously thought was all corny back then).
Yes!
Also: Wipers rule.
HECK YEAH!
Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls and Bete Noire, both fantastic sophisto-pop/dance/rock.
Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche '85, hyper-detailed pop with philosophical lyrics
Killing Joke - Night Time, their sleek breakthrough album
Huge +1 to all three. I saw "Cupid & Psyche '85" in the shop recently, and should've grabbed it. Went back & someone had beat me to it... :(
What about "The Joshua Tree" - U2 ?
I like U2's early stuff but I'm more lukewarm about their mainstream output. I just can't get into stadium rock.
Agree, "The Joshua Tree" is for me the last of this early stuff you mention. Talking about stadium rock, wouldn't "The River" by Bruce Springsteen (one of my favorite albums) fit in this concept?
Yes, but the Boss is the exception. I understand this is irrational lol
Of course, the Boss will always be the exception 😉
No room for logic & common sense in this camp.
For the 80s? A ferw off the top of my head:
Meat Puppets- Up on the Sun
B52s- Wild Planet
Cocteau Twins- Heaven or Las Vegas (came out in '90. Close enough)
The Sugarcubes- Life's Too Good
The Go-Betweens- 16 Lovers Lane
Jane's Addiction- Nothing's Shocking (turns 35 tomorrow!)
The Jesus and Mary Chain- Darklands
Camper Van Beethoven- Key Lime Pie
Heaven or Las Vegas is incredible. My cousin loves the Jesus and Mary Chain and I tried getting into them but it didn’t click. Maybe I’ll try again.
If you want a bit more poppier (?) sound, try "Automatic." If you like feedback, try "Psychocandy."
As a value add, here's Miley Cyrus covering "Heaven or Las Vegas." I can't tell if this is a war crime, or if I like that she picked a song to sing for herself.
https://youtu.be/emkO5pGwF1w
Pandora stations on shuffle now, post-writing (instrumentals only during writing). Just finished Earth, Wind & Fire, now on to Johnny Cash!
There we go!
Had a terrific (or terrifying, depending on your POV) listen from this weekend: The Blow Monkeys 'Digging Your Scene.' And apparently, they reformed a few years back and are releasing new material!
Let's go with terrific. Not for nothing, I'm pretty sure I still have that record at the house.
That is a great song. It's been a while since I heard it. I'm gonna listen to it now.
Update: Found it! Haven't played this is years. Getting ready to fix that now.
The new Gregory Alan Isakov - I call him "music you can nap to."
Underground Youth - Nostalgia's Glass
Also the Babys song "Isn't It Time."
The Babys remind of a very narrow/specific window of time in my life. Happy memories but very small in the rear view mirror.
I've been listening to the brand new album by The Alpine Subs and it's a bit of jangly Americana - https://alpinesubs.bandcamp.com/album/come-on-over-to-my-house
The new single from The Shop Window is quite enjoyable if you like a perfect jangle pop song - https://theshopwindow.bandcamp.com/track/its-a-high
Today, thanks to the newest issue of the AnEarful newsletter, I spent the whole morning listening to Omar Ahmad. His "Inheritance" album made me change dimensions for quite a while! ✨ really recommend it: https://open.spotify.com/album/3ljQskXmfqbMnnHhY876Lk?si=Q60p28YsQ1aIcLSsEQ-DjA
PS great mix (per usual ;))! "Someday I'll go surfing" has caught my attention the most 🌊🏄♂️🎶
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Say hello to Gonzo for us. :)
Great to hear! It's so, so good...
An Earful is fantastic! Always reliable to find (or rediscover) something good.
I know Kevin already has this album but if anyone else is interested, here is a free compilation album we released a little while ago -
A free compilation available which has a few cool covers and a bunch of originals by bands associated with our tiny hobby label.
The covers include New Order's song "Temptation", The Jam's "English Rose", The Bluebells song "Cath" along with several other covers of Jimmy Webb, Martha & the Muffins, The Beatles, The Sound, The Times, Television Personalities and more - It's in Dropbox here and includes some detailed liner notes. Help yourself and hope you find a song or two that you like.
https://t.co/V3YU80kMLk
Thanks,
Wally
www.thebeautifulmusic.com
Thank you Wally!!
Hearing Billy Bragg's 'Rich Men Earning North of a Million', his response to Oliver Anthony's viral song, inspired me to pull out a few of his old albums. For a completely different vibe I also listened to Genesis Owusu's new album 'Struggler'.
You might've already seen it, but Kiley Larsen just wrote "Struggler" up:
https://kileylarsen.substack.com/p/no-sophomore-slump-in-struggler-genesis
Thanks - I'll check it out.
My husband turned me on this guy this weekend...https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2023/08/10/virginia-native-oliver-anthony-makes-powerful-debut-rich-men-north-of-richmond/
A link to Oliver Anthony on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqSA-SY5Hro&t=42s
You may appreciate Billy Bragg's thoughtful musical response to Anthony's song:
https://youtu.be/qGNFR7pgxDY
Great playlist and nice finds with Red Pants and Roy Mollers, really liked both of those songs. Was listening to a lot of Penguin Cafe Orchestra this weekend. Kids love it too...I think because the music from Bluey is pretty inspired by (ripping off) PCO.
If you like Yo La Tengo, Low, and Galaxie 500, you'll really dig Red Pants' stuff.
Well, if that's true, I'd say I'll have to listen to some more!
Been listening a bit to Sam Burton's Dear Departed, his latest bit of beauty - produced by Jonathan Wilson, who adds a lushness to the surroundings. Also, saw John Cale on Saturday night - killer show! At 81, he's still totally engaged and in great voice. Check out this version of Helen Of Troy to get an idea: https://youtu.be/XC3oJj5XzGg. Also, Tomberlin opened and she was absolutely fantastic. I've been wanting to see her since 2018! Finally, my daughter bought a beautiful 180-gram pressing of the second Bon Iver album, listened yesterday and all kinds of new details were revealed...wow.
John Cale! Wow! I'm happy to see he's still performing.
A bit of tangent, but Eau Claire (where Bon Iver is from) is really a cool town. Good stop on it's own, or as part of a road trip.
I’d love to visit Eau Claire…especially when they’re having the music festival!
skirts - Great Big Wild Oak. Listening just makes me feel so good!
I love it!
For a little calm, we've been listening to S. Carey's collab with trumpet player John Raymond this weekend: https://open.spotify.com/album/1tizhOQtiHBSDH8w24Pps4
AA Bondy
This might be the first time I've ever seen an emoji-free post from you. :)
Seriously, I'm glad you're here.
I spent a lot of time over the last week with the compilation “Once Again We Are the Children of the Sun” compiled by Paul Hillery (https://bbemusic.bandcamp.com/album/once-again-we-are-the-children-of-the-sun-compiled-by-paul-hillery)
I love these compilations put together by avid vinyl enthusiasts and create diggers. This one’s a follow up to last year’s “We Are The Children of the Sun”, which I missed when it came out (currently giving it a listen for the first time and it’s lovely)
Nice! Just added it to my wishlist. Gonna give it a closer listen here in a bit.
James Gang has been on my radar a lot! Joe Walsh is just delightfully all over the place! Two songs come to mind. « Collage » has a beautiful acoustic dropped tuning, with glorious strings to massage the neurons!! The track «Fred » on the same album features intriguing use of vocal sustain, and then the song drops into a kind of « Take 5 » odyssey! Both tracks are featured on my « More Stuff I should Know » playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dyZiIfZLs9qD0I0kygWGy?si=nxtgt6KpS6ynmxHwYoMvNg
I love James Gang/ Joe Walsh! That's a great playlist, too, btw.
I have 5 senior citizens staying with us for the next week, so I have been adjusting my tunes on Alexa to prepare with stuff that everyone would like such as Johnny Mathis, The Platters, and Rod Stewart. But then my mom said that there was a Barry Manilow song that's her favorite, which no one else seemed to know, not even me and I was a Fanilow back in the day.
It was called "Sandra" and I googled the lyrics. I can see now why this song is virtually unknown in the US, while it is huge in the Philippines. You know this Kevbo, we Flips love the drama! 🎭
Haha. yes. yes, I do.
"Fanilow." I'm dead. My ghost is also dead.
From Mexico with love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_igolfkQU0
Nice!
Are you working on anything right now?
Yes indeed and thanks for asking! Remix album will be out soon!
Right on! Please keep us posted.
Headlights On by WIld Nothing feat. Hatchie is one of my favorite releases this year! Such a sonically layered single and I can't wait to hear more on the album coming later this year
I'm on it!
BTW, it was awesome to finally "meet" last weekend, even if it was by Zoom, er, Hopin.
It was nice speaking with you too! Always nice to put an actual voice with a profile pic, comment, etc lol
I enjoyed listening to "Hold On" by Noah Reid., included in the current version of Reflect & Relax Cafe (#43). A great discovery, it sounds (to me) as a mix of Billy Joel and John Mayer.
https://open.spotify.com/track/151sFA7dls9MHXGpPWKyWy?si=f4da1951d7a44f96
I knew you'd have Superchunk on here, but also happy to see Diners. Love that single and the album is pretty damn good too!
I know what I like. Lol.
Really liking the Diners record too!
I think that is a good thing to know when you're a music writer!
Love seeing The Tisburys leading off your playlist this week.
I have also been into the Diners album, as well as the new Tamar Berk, tiny injuires.
Every once in awhile, a hook from one of their songs will just show up in my head, and rattle around for a few days.
I'm hoping they can tour the Midwest next year. I've interacted with Tyler Asay a bunch and would love to finally see them live.
That would be awesome! I interviewed them earlier this year, and they were incredibly down-to-Earth, patient, and funny.
Osees
Nice! I just got a copy of their latest record, but haven’t gotten too far into it yet.
Jungle BABY!!!
There we go!
https://youtu.be/J_FNNqJe2ag
Was preparing to see Antibalas by listening to Antibalas.
Did the show already happen? If so, how was it?
It was last night. It was a lot of fun. 25 years of Antibalas went by so fast. They announced a new album. So excited!!
Right on!