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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. This week, we’ve got sounds from Santa Fe to the South Coast. Sounds from close to home and tracks from a Million Miles Away.
Now it’s your turn.
What caught your ear this week? Any new releases or shows you’re looking forward to?
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My week was mostly about Gang of Four. I SAW GANG OF FOUR! Yes, they're down to singer Jon King and drummer Hugo Burnham, but they filled out the lineup perfectly. Rather than add same-age peers as older bands often do, Ted Leo took Andy Gill's place and cyclone-of-energy Gail Greenwood (Belly, L7) was on bass in the Dave Allen/Sara Lee spot.
The first set was Entertainment, front to back. After a brief break, the second set was "the best of the rest," including a ripping take on "I Love A Man In A Uniform." They ended the night with a second take on "Damaged Goods" -- while they'd already played it in the Entertainment set, it was a natural closer given that the tour is dubbed The Long Goodbye and said song ends with the repeating, "goodbye, goodbye, goodbye..."
They were brilliant! If they come anywhere near you, go see them. The soundtrack for most of the rest of the weekend was all Gang of Four. If you're not familiar, start with Entertainment, a perfect debut that still sounds cutting edge and influences bands 46 years later.
Other stuff:
• "Who Killed The KLF?" documentary -- you can find a copy on the Internet Archive. Fascinating and not just because of their decision to burn a million quid. That sent me down a KLF rabbit hole with my favorite discovery being their ambient house Chill Out album. Listen to the original version on YouTube -- the version on Spotify (renamed Come Down Dawn) is without the samples which are key to the whole thing. They were way ahead of the times.
• Son Volt - Trace. Friends saw them in Cincinnati last week which led this to be our Sunday afternoon gardening soundtrack. What an incredible debut.
I see alot of retro tunes on the list. Suicide Blond, I have not had an itch for INXS in a bit, but I'll revisit them, As for me, this s my final Best of 2000 to 2010 (Part 4 – Grab Bag: The Remainder)
I have to start doing more listening to the playlists you're throwing up here. I clearly haven't gotten too far out of my comfort zone in a hot minute.
I have been enjoying the Bleachers re-recording of Strange Desire. I like it in the mornings. Calm before the storm.
Death Grips mention!! You know, I hadn't heard them in a hot minute—then I saw over the weekend that Beyoncé is featuring one of their tracks ("You Might Think He Loves You for Your Money...") in one of the Cowboy Carter tour visual interludes. Rad.
I gave the new Arcade Fire a try. Most of the album prompted me to go back and listen to older Arcade Fire ASAP, but the "Pink Elephant" single is nice:
Also hung up on FKA twigs' EUSEXUA album from earlier this year. I think "Perfect Stranger" would've been an indie/dance radio banger 15-20 years ago, and I'm a little sad it's not now lol.
When Twitter was still marginally useful, I'd ask people which records they'd want to see me review. No matter what, Death Grips *always* came up. I haven't heard the new Arcade Fire; I know there's a bit of a dark cloud hanging over the band, but I'd still like to check it out.
I revisited the indie band Paper Route. They were one of my favorites in the late aughts and early teens. Always thought they ahead of the trend of where indie rock/pop was heading at the time
Yeah check them out. I'm not saying it's nothing you've never heard, but looking at the release years of their discography, I always thought they were ahead of things.
My issue was that I was running my own business by then, so my late 2000s (like circa 2008) habits got locked into place. It's kind of how my "safe" emotional place is like 1986 or 1991, depending on what type of comfort I need. My tech is kind of like that too, except for AI, which I use every day. Wait, what?
I actually leapfroged from cassettes to streaming media and have never looked back, but that also means I totally missed out on CDs and DVDs.
I know I’ve seen at least one Portishead at one of the record stores 😂 I’m not sure which one (album or store hahaha), but it’s a week without kids so I’ll need things to keep me busy this week 😂
More dancehall with amusing lyrics seemed like a good thing to add to my playlist for my overnight job - here's one by Professor Nuts I particularly liked: https://youtu.be/cr_sU1ZmSzw?si=l0g3qpMOIIaDd2sL
Love to see INXS and Throwing Muses on your list!! My two best friends and I had a movie night a few weeks ago and watched Valley Girl - so, we’ve played the Plimsouls A Million Miles Away on TouchTunes quite a few times, and the Go-Go’s live cover of Johnny are you Queer because they don’t have the original from the soundtrack 😂
I had to break down and order a reissue of New Order’s True Faith 12” when I realized 1963 wasn’t on the Substance vinyl. I’ve listened to it about five times now 🤣
I got a live album by a prog bang called Circuline. It's pretty good. Lots of Genesis influence, some Gentle Giant. Very much on the higher end of the progressive rock spectrum.
Love Gimme Fiction. Do not love that it's 20 already. I've been meaning to check out the new Counting Crows. Quite a few people have mentioned that it's solid.
Over the weekend I got sucked into a game of, "Who can correctly name the artist that originally performed a particular TV theme song in one guess" by another music nerd friend of mine, Paul. I lost. Paul beat me with Joey Scarbury's 1981 album America's Greatest Hero with the opening track (you guessed it), America's Greatest Hero. https://open.spotify.com/album/5jB7KIzjiExzi01MF8NXCQ?si=RpkSE9CUQnKMlfrsg2fakg
Paul is so damn good at the game of music knowledge that we are now talking about starting a podcast....
However, I did take revenge on Paul and won the next round (after changing the rules a little) with my pick (and to @joncohan 's point below of "retro tunes") of Funky Fanfare by Keith Mansfield. Although not a TV series theme song it has been featured in several movie soundtracks and is just that, a funky tune! https://open.spotify.com/track/3Vr406z58yyyO2Ofh1fbqA?si=01dfcbcb589f4fd2
This Mansfield dive took me down a deep rabbit hole that included Alan Tew's 1976 album Drama Suite Part II
Illiterate Light! Yes! "Sunburned" was one on my AOTY list in 2023. I was lucky enough to see them with fellow Substacker Chris Zappa when they came through town.
One of those bands that's great, but way more great live. I've seen them a few times and they put on the most high energy show and the drum set up is so progressive!
I'm writing a four part series on Canadian singer-songwriter Lisa Dalbello and listening to her albums. "Gonna Get Close To You" is one of my favourites by her.
I make a weekly playlist around a theme and each week there's always one song that ends up on repeat all week long. This week it's Every Star Shivers in the Dark by Lael Neale https://open.spotify.com/track/56hyqliBwT15WP1sCdOp4E?si=b06b2e3e0f474c44. I love the simplicity and the twinkly-ness of it all.
A bit late to the party, but here's what I listened to last week:
Full albums:
Lor - Panny Młode. I initially heard of the band Lor via the Mothership Music League (which is still ongoing). This is a Polish all woman band whose music is quite pastoral and folky. As the band sings in Polish I can't understand the lyrics, but overall the package is nearly perfect.
The Mothership Music League:
We completed two rounds last week - Overlooked (songs that have the fewest plays on its album/EP) and Late Night Solitude (a song that I would play at night). The highlights are shown below:
Overlooked: Strangeness and Charm by Florence and the Machine, The Internet by Manchester Orchestra and Trouble by Laufey
Late Night Solitude: Ylang Ylang by FKJ, The Mystic's Dream by Loreena McKennitt, and Let Down by Radiohead
This week we are tackling "Around the World in 80 Days" (songs with places in the title), "Birthday Bangers" (songs released in the same year you were born) and we'll select songs that we believe could win Eurovision.
My week was mostly about Gang of Four. I SAW GANG OF FOUR! Yes, they're down to singer Jon King and drummer Hugo Burnham, but they filled out the lineup perfectly. Rather than add same-age peers as older bands often do, Ted Leo took Andy Gill's place and cyclone-of-energy Gail Greenwood (Belly, L7) was on bass in the Dave Allen/Sara Lee spot.
The first set was Entertainment, front to back. After a brief break, the second set was "the best of the rest," including a ripping take on "I Love A Man In A Uniform." They ended the night with a second take on "Damaged Goods" -- while they'd already played it in the Entertainment set, it was a natural closer given that the tour is dubbed The Long Goodbye and said song ends with the repeating, "goodbye, goodbye, goodbye..."
They were brilliant! If they come anywhere near you, go see them. The soundtrack for most of the rest of the weekend was all Gang of Four. If you're not familiar, start with Entertainment, a perfect debut that still sounds cutting edge and influences bands 46 years later.
Other stuff:
• "Who Killed The KLF?" documentary -- you can find a copy on the Internet Archive. Fascinating and not just because of their decision to burn a million quid. That sent me down a KLF rabbit hole with my favorite discovery being their ambient house Chill Out album. Listen to the original version on YouTube -- the version on Spotify (renamed Come Down Dawn) is without the samples which are key to the whole thing. They were way ahead of the times.
• Son Volt - Trace. Friends saw them in Cincinnati last week which led this to be our Sunday afternoon gardening soundtrack. What an incredible debut.
Great playlist! Have a lovely week, everyone.
Son. Volt. Say no more......
Gang of Four is another gap for me. Off to get acquainted! Thanks.
You're in for a good time, Lou!
Oh man, that KLF documentary caught my eye! Son Volt rules.
Here's where I found it. The MPEG2-TS file is high-quality and even has the British commercials from the Sky broadcast. 😁
https://archive.org/details/20220703-1810-who-killed-the-klf
Brian Eno's Ambient 4: On Land
I see alot of retro tunes on the list. Suicide Blond, I have not had an itch for INXS in a bit, but I'll revisit them, As for me, this s my final Best of 2000 to 2010 (Part 4 – Grab Bag: The Remainder)
The New Folk Implosion, “Brand New Skin” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD3ydydvqBI
Greg Laswell, “Comes and Goes (in Waves) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWW5-eBlD9o
The Magnetic Fields, “I Don’t Really Love You Anymore” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay8ofCsLw6o
Bed Folds, “You Don’t Know Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in0v7LLOhMU
Zero 7, “Home” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZZSMXuGw-I
Belle and Sebastian: “Step Into My Office Baby” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhHsrWXX1I8
LCD Sound System: “I’m Losing My Edge” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmrOHxS_cK0
Frans Ferdinand: “No You Girls” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLCwuVBXzoc
Dirty Vegas: “Day Go By” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwXXsZW4cRM
Jack Johnson: “Upside Down” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGp43WJXBwk
Iron and Wine: “Innocent Bones” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8pAufGedzI
Thanks for a great list and links
Thanks for the links! I'd been in a bit of a retro mood this week, and even some of the new tracks remind me of bands that came before them.
I have to start doing more listening to the playlists you're throwing up here. I clearly haven't gotten too far out of my comfort zone in a hot minute.
I have been enjoying the Bleachers re-recording of Strange Desire. I like it in the mornings. Calm before the storm.
https://open.spotify.com/track/7aa0Z0eKbZzWT1qQvH2wUR?si=6c3432dff95d4b75
Their new live album is worth a listen.
I hope you find a new favorite or two!
Death Grips mention!! You know, I hadn't heard them in a hot minute—then I saw over the weekend that Beyoncé is featuring one of their tracks ("You Might Think He Loves You for Your Money...") in one of the Cowboy Carter tour visual interludes. Rad.
I gave the new Arcade Fire a try. Most of the album prompted me to go back and listen to older Arcade Fire ASAP, but the "Pink Elephant" single is nice:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2k1QvOKHJCjqDmBFCikILe?si=07753c64d80440dd
Also hung up on FKA twigs' EUSEXUA album from earlier this year. I think "Perfect Stranger" would've been an indie/dance radio banger 15-20 years ago, and I'm a little sad it's not now lol.
https://open.spotify.com/track/2VeCDMFJMPg6S4P2EKRnyX?si=56d48a9c06754c65
When Twitter was still marginally useful, I'd ask people which records they'd want to see me review. No matter what, Death Grips *always* came up. I haven't heard the new Arcade Fire; I know there's a bit of a dark cloud hanging over the band, but I'd still like to check it out.
This: https://youtu.be/vcXESP9p0z0
That I would be good sung by Alanis and Brandi at a live concert
Gorgeous, stunning! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thanks Mark! Glad you liked it. I’ve relistened a few times today already…
That was fantastic!
Aaron Smith - Dancin ( A must listen imo ;)
I revisited the indie band Paper Route. They were one of my favorites in the late aughts and early teens. Always thought they ahead of the trend of where indie rock/pop was heading at the time
That's a new one for me! I'll check them out here ASAP.
Separately, are you working on anything right now?
Yeah check them out. I'm not saying it's nothing you've never heard, but looking at the release years of their discography, I always thought they were ahead of things.
And yes! Working on 6 songs with a producer friend of mine. Which is huge, because I'm so not a producer. We released the first a little over a month ago: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Ia8GAX3sC2PpvmVZmGSdQ
I love seeing INXS on your playlist, of course!
I managed to expand the "slow to fast" playlist a bit. These are songs that gradually increase their tempo as opposed to instantaneous tempo changes: https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:189489836078400527:74638688
I am an audio boomer so I use Pandora.
My genx friend uses Pandora too! 😂
Can't help myself! Lazy.
I get it! I started out using pandora way back, but then it was easier to use Spotify where I was working back in 2012 😂
My issue was that I was running my own business by then, so my late 2000s (like circa 2008) habits got locked into place. It's kind of how my "safe" emotional place is like 1986 or 1991, depending on what type of comfort I need. My tech is kind of like that too, except for AI, which I use every day. Wait, what?
I actually leapfroged from cassettes to streaming media and have never looked back, but that also means I totally missed out on CDs and DVDs.
Lol at "Audio boomer"
Good morning my open ear friends, Coastal Eddie is making the sky grey here in San Diego. Here is what is in my ears.
1. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wBlm9P7dw8ZMh4DgXzNcJ?si=e31245261ba043f3
2. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1knJSMzp6SWo8aUh3W2hVo?si=94461285aa084293
3. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EptaP1Vnwvyjm?si=4237f0879f6f4e52
Have a great week of new finds and old delights
JP
Thanks for the lists, Jon! The marine layer'll burn off soon enough!
Always love seeing some INXS in there!
This morning on my turntable: Dummy by Portishead. To think it was their debut! What a record.
Dummy! 😂 Such a fantastic record! I may have to dip into my record store today to see if they have any Portishead on vinyl. They are so fantastic!
LOL thank you, Kristin! Now edited. This is what happens when I try to multitask 🤣
Great record indeed -- hope you can get it!
I know I’ve seen at least one Portishead at one of the record stores 😂 I’m not sure which one (album or store hahaha), but it’s a week without kids so I’ll need things to keep me busy this week 😂
Change the locks while you’re at it! 🤣 lol jk of course
Hahahahaha!!
Omigod, what an album, one of my desert island discs
Absolutely!! That’s one you would really enjoy on vinyl (I’m slowly but surely planting the seed 😅)
That would be absolutely be a “must purchase” on vinyl
100%!! 😊
Oh, great record!
am trying to chisel and wedge into a musical whole https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3U1zMCP660ZPB5uAJ9kDvt?si=T4GLaO-HS3Kt-amLPaRBNQ&pi=n2VXOfIOSgabL - still unfinished :)
Works in progress are always welcome here!
I've been listening to The Cars Live at Agora 1978.
https://youtu.be/uBsaCHEOWds
Nice! I'm not sure I've ever seen (or heard) this.
More dancehall with amusing lyrics seemed like a good thing to add to my playlist for my overnight job - here's one by Professor Nuts I particularly liked: https://youtu.be/cr_sU1ZmSzw?si=l0g3qpMOIIaDd2sL
We love us some dancehall!
Love to see INXS and Throwing Muses on your list!! My two best friends and I had a movie night a few weeks ago and watched Valley Girl - so, we’ve played the Plimsouls A Million Miles Away on TouchTunes quite a few times, and the Go-Go’s live cover of Johnny are you Queer because they don’t have the original from the soundtrack 😂
I had to break down and order a reissue of New Order’s True Faith 12” when I realized 1963 wasn’t on the Substance vinyl. I’ve listened to it about five times now 🤣
Love 1963!
Three Neil Young albums this morning: Comes A Time, Zuma, and Harvest Moon.
A great trifecta, Terry!
Longtime Status Quo lead singer Francis Rossi has a new album out, and "Strike Like Lightning" sounds a lot like a vintage 1970s-era Nick Lowe track.
https://youtu.be/vBlKYxy6Bx8?si=qPhJCggUQvcIQn6R
You're speakin' my language here!
I got a live album by a prog bang called Circuline. It's pretty good. Lots of Genesis influence, some Gentle Giant. Very much on the higher end of the progressive rock spectrum.
https://youtu.be/E1rQyWs3KyI?si=CE8s8IzNoZJUqv0V
I'm on it! Thanks for the rec. "Higher end of prog" has got my attention!
Been listening to Bess Atwell’s two albums recently as I’m seeing her in London in a little over a week.
For new albums I’m really digging:
• Black Swan by Pink Turns Blue
• PE’AHI II by The Raveonettes
• Pleasure by Young Gun Silver Fox
Also been enjoying some Mark Lanegan lately (1994’s Whiskey For The Holy Ghost and 1999’s Field Songs)
Young Gun Silver Fox! Yes!
It was a busier weekend, but here's what I've been into since Friday...
Spoon/Gimme Fiction - on occasion of its 20th anniversary
The National/High Violet - on occasion of its 15th anniversary
Counting Crows/Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets! - on occasion of it being new
Nada Surf /You Know Who You Are- on occasion of them being a great band and me not listening to this one in a bit
Love Gimme Fiction. Do not love that it's 20 already. I've been meaning to check out the new Counting Crows. Quite a few people have mentioned that it's solid.
Illiterate Light's terrific album, Arches. https://open.spotify.com/album/6nmEu4IMHy2FOER6pegOvB?si=G5BPUujfQzGRRloerojneA
Over the weekend I got sucked into a game of, "Who can correctly name the artist that originally performed a particular TV theme song in one guess" by another music nerd friend of mine, Paul. I lost. Paul beat me with Joey Scarbury's 1981 album America's Greatest Hero with the opening track (you guessed it), America's Greatest Hero. https://open.spotify.com/album/5jB7KIzjiExzi01MF8NXCQ?si=RpkSE9CUQnKMlfrsg2fakg
Paul is so damn good at the game of music knowledge that we are now talking about starting a podcast....
However, I did take revenge on Paul and won the next round (after changing the rules a little) with my pick (and to @joncohan 's point below of "retro tunes") of Funky Fanfare by Keith Mansfield. Although not a TV series theme song it has been featured in several movie soundtracks and is just that, a funky tune! https://open.spotify.com/track/3Vr406z58yyyO2Ofh1fbqA?si=01dfcbcb589f4fd2
This Mansfield dive took me down a deep rabbit hole that included Alan Tew's 1976 album Drama Suite Part II
https://open.spotify.com/album/4AtFygwRPNsrT0H4hDj7vi?si=LzJqnLm9RRemukGhPZwz4w
Alan Hawkshaw
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4xJbCqwNfYlbl8v026L24T?si=Fn6oxEqpT_KU_JDBHpFedw
and John Cameron
https://open.spotify.com/artist/18ouJo7j7egCFOsRdCTcUk?si=2J84lFmoRoeqeR2wooC8-A
Have a musical week everyone!
Illiterate Light! Yes! "Sunburned" was one on my AOTY list in 2023. I was lucky enough to see them with fellow Substacker Chris Zappa when they came through town.
One of those bands that's great, but way more great live. I've seen them a few times and they put on the most high energy show and the drum set up is so progressive!
True! I remember being fascinated by how he had it set up (IIRC, there's no seat?).
I just heard this for the first time tonight and wrote a blurb on it because it's such a banger.
https://youtu.be/pNVNn46YeY0?si=oB41CHLS0rFUKZ3o
I'm writing a four part series on Canadian singer-songwriter Lisa Dalbello and listening to her albums. "Gonna Get Close To You" is one of my favourites by her.
https://youtu.be/tUD8As7_rUw?si=a5-5IaIloMoshzH7
That is a banger! Thanks for getting it on our radar!
I’m still in my weird WAS limbo but I do love this single from The Straights released on Friday https://open.spotify.com/track/2nATnqq9r3Z4dHBz5XQTt5?si=W6AUVSZjQtaI9mw2CzXUOA
I also watched a random British film, Days of the Bagnold Summer last night which was soundtracked by Belle and Sebastian. The accompanying record is really good. This is the standout track for me https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZIrN0e4V27yplnw1XPOCr?si=S_zPsyS7Ruago6J0p1thKA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A63DnNauaXGSnASOHAoHKDp
Well, now it's my turn to say that Belle and Sebastian are a blind spot for me. I'll check this out ASAP!
I make a weekly playlist around a theme and each week there's always one song that ends up on repeat all week long. This week it's Every Star Shivers in the Dark by Lael Neale https://open.spotify.com/track/56hyqliBwT15WP1sCdOp4E?si=b06b2e3e0f474c44. I love the simplicity and the twinkly-ness of it all.
Thanks for sharing the link here! I like your description over Spotify's "minimalist drone." :)
Here's my latest Kevin: https://danpal.substack.com/p/new-music-seal-young-gun-silver-fox?r=lru5s
Thank you, Dan! Except for YGSF (which you know I love), I haven't heard any of these. Looks like I've got a dinner soundtrack planned. :)
I got greasy and dirty this week. Olivia Neutron-Bomb and some chump named John, along with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
https://weatheredmusic.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=8600&action=edit
Thanks for this, Norman! For anyone wanting to check out the post, the corrected (non-admin) link is here:
https://weatheredmusic.ca/2025/05/14/may-5-to-11-2025/
A bit late to the party, but here's what I listened to last week:
Full albums:
Lor - Panny Młode. I initially heard of the band Lor via the Mothership Music League (which is still ongoing). This is a Polish all woman band whose music is quite pastoral and folky. As the band sings in Polish I can't understand the lyrics, but overall the package is nearly perfect.
The Mothership Music League:
We completed two rounds last week - Overlooked (songs that have the fewest plays on its album/EP) and Late Night Solitude (a song that I would play at night). The highlights are shown below:
Overlooked: Strangeness and Charm by Florence and the Machine, The Internet by Manchester Orchestra and Trouble by Laufey
Late Night Solitude: Ylang Ylang by FKJ, The Mystic's Dream by Loreena McKennitt, and Let Down by Radiohead
This week we are tackling "Around the World in 80 Days" (songs with places in the title), "Birthday Bangers" (songs released in the same year you were born) and we'll select songs that we believe could win Eurovision.