Happy Monday, everyone, and hello to all who joined us over the weekend! It’s great to have you here with us.
It's hard to believe this is the last one of these for August. For anyone starting a new school year (or sending kids off to one), I want to take a second to wish you the best of luck! I hope this is the greatest year yet.
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?
Been on the new Osees like you. Also- Bobby Lee- “Now let us praise famous grains”, Edsel Axle - “Variable Happiness” and Neko Case’s cover of “Dreaming Man”. I noticed the “Waiting for Superman” cover on your list but I think I’ll stick with the original in this case. 🤷♀️
Processing feelings on evolution of Spanish Love Songs on their new album 'No Joy'. Ratboys new one 'The Window' is in heavy rotation as well. Quite a year for bands with... that sound.
Cool playlist - still digging Sweeping Promises and the Tierney Tough cover was a surprise. If you feel inclined to share any notes about the themes, decisions, etc related to creating your playlists that would be fun, but perhaps wait till end of day/later so I/we can interpret without guidance.
Ha! I spent far too much time yesterday trying to accurately describe..."that sound."
Thanks for the kind words on the playlist! Not easy finding stuff you haven't heard, so that's good. :)
In general, I try to sequence them like a regular record. I mentioned it the other day, but I'm pretty sure this often only makes sense in my head. I'm also impossibly fussy, and tweak them about a bazillion times before finally letting go.
The ideas come from almost as many places. Using this week specifically:
Ivy: One of my favorites these days, and I'm on their mailing list. They're reissuing some stuff, let everyone know, and, well, that's all it took to cue this up several times.
Julia Jacklin: Last Sat. I mentioned record shopping with my kid. I picked up her latest on that trip, but I prefer the previous release that this is on.
Heatmiser: Once a PDX kid, always a PDX kid, I guess. Dharma Bums were in heavy rotation too.
Green Day: This just popped into my head, and banged around for a bit.
Ovef Ow: I first heard of this band when Sweeping Promises meantioned them in our interview. Tbh, I thought it was a typo, and looked it up to verify. It wasn't and that got me curious. Been playing this since.
Osees: Kinda inescapable at this point. The record rules, though.
Sweeping Promises: Still in love w/this LP. Only the earworms change.
Tierney Tough: I follow her on IG, and was happily surprised to see her post this. I thought it was great, and thought others might dig it.
R.E.M. I have a playlist of all of R.E.M.s closing tracks, and was listening to it. That reminded me I hadn't listened to "Reveal" in a while, so I did.
Mark Capanni: This is the closing track on a compilation that was mentioned (I think) last week. The whole thing is awesome, but this is my runaway favorite.
Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed reply. I'm was a mixtape aficionado/junkie and DJ back in the day and love hearing what inspires the creative process. Will be giving the Ovef Ow a listen this week. I'm keeping an open mind on Osees but haven't connected yet. Was a huge REM fan but life interrupted my listening for a few years and I sorta missed Reveal - I'll have to remedy that.
That was a great question, Michael (and excellent answer, Kevin). I've just been getting into complementing some of my posts with playlists, and have been wondering about the best way to sequence them. But I also wonder how most people *listen* to playlists that are new to them. Like, if most listen on Shuffle, I've definitely wasted too much time worrying about what order I put them in.
I listened to David Bowie’s “Low” for the first time. Surprisingly danceable, and I’m bummed we don’t live in the timeline where it was the soundtrack for The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Just started reading the new Rick Rubin book "The Creative Act: A Way of Being". Really good read. Been listening to some of his artists. (There are hundreds).
So, you won't believe me, but this has been in my head for the last few days. I was even toying around with the idea of doing a bunch of 2-line record reviews (88 lines about 44 records, or similar).
Putting together a Labor Day playlist, so obviously plenty of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, Dropkick Murphys. Also some Tom Morello, Lou Reed, Springsteen.
I will consider it. Thanks! So, I'm curious... Do you like that song? No doubt it fits the theme. But when I saw your suggestion, my initial reaction was, "I'm surprised I haven't heard of that Who song." Then I listened and I wasn't as surprised. On first listen, it's a bit generic (except for what sounds like some French horn, reminiscent of Tommy — in fact, it sounds like a Tommy outtake). But I'm open to including it if it's a tune others are likely to dig. EDIT: Just realized it's from Quadrophenia, which makes sense.
Ha! I can think of other work-themed songs I much prefer to that one: Graveyard Shift by Uncle Tupelo, Smithers-Jones by The Jam, Welcome to the Working Week by Elvis Costello, Frankly Mr. Shankly by The Smiths. The Dirty Jobs is more of a curiosity for me than a song I’d listen to on a regular basis.
Not a homework assignment or anything, but if you think of it, please post your playlist on our coming week's playlist discussion. I'd love to see how it ends up!
Erkin Koray and Mighty Baby!
I was in the mall the other day and heard XTC being played. Hadn't sat and listened to them for years so I pulled out Skylarking. Fun times!
Been on the new Osees like you. Also- Bobby Lee- “Now let us praise famous grains”, Edsel Axle - “Variable Happiness” and Neko Case’s cover of “Dreaming Man”. I noticed the “Waiting for Superman” cover on your list but I think I’ll stick with the original in this case. 🤷♀️
Damn the Osees don’t stop. It’s so hard to keep up with them!
They absolutely do not. I made the mistake of trying to count up all their releases for an upcoming review, and let's just saw it was ... a lot.
Them and King Gizzard. Each band has to be at least 25 albums?
Diving into PJ Harvey’s discography. I don’t know how it’s taken me this long to start listening to her.
Never too late!
Please let me know when we get to the "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea" part of the show.
Will do!
I’ve jumped down the Keith Jarrett rabbit hole, starting with The Köln Concert, and moving on to Book of Ways, and the other solo concerts.
The Köln concert is amazing.
"Total Control" by The Motels in stuck on repeat mode 🔁 Heard it when binge-watching season II of The Bear last week and can't stop playing ever since https://open.spotify.com/track/6H1Kjxu2NlJCMxg0Pay0Rd?si=fab51e0e7d1c4373
PS. great mix. Huge thumbs up for Julia Jacklin 🖤
Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
The Bear's soundtrack is next-level!
I'm listening to bedtime stories by Madonna - I just love the vibe - so completely diff from her usual fare
Definitely a different vibe!
Processing feelings on evolution of Spanish Love Songs on their new album 'No Joy'. Ratboys new one 'The Window' is in heavy rotation as well. Quite a year for bands with... that sound.
Cool playlist - still digging Sweeping Promises and the Tierney Tough cover was a surprise. If you feel inclined to share any notes about the themes, decisions, etc related to creating your playlists that would be fun, but perhaps wait till end of day/later so I/we can interpret without guidance.
Ha! I spent far too much time yesterday trying to accurately describe..."that sound."
Thanks for the kind words on the playlist! Not easy finding stuff you haven't heard, so that's good. :)
In general, I try to sequence them like a regular record. I mentioned it the other day, but I'm pretty sure this often only makes sense in my head. I'm also impossibly fussy, and tweak them about a bazillion times before finally letting go.
The ideas come from almost as many places. Using this week specifically:
Ivy: One of my favorites these days, and I'm on their mailing list. They're reissuing some stuff, let everyone know, and, well, that's all it took to cue this up several times.
Julia Jacklin: Last Sat. I mentioned record shopping with my kid. I picked up her latest on that trip, but I prefer the previous release that this is on.
Heatmiser: Once a PDX kid, always a PDX kid, I guess. Dharma Bums were in heavy rotation too.
Green Day: This just popped into my head, and banged around for a bit.
Ovef Ow: I first heard of this band when Sweeping Promises meantioned them in our interview. Tbh, I thought it was a typo, and looked it up to verify. It wasn't and that got me curious. Been playing this since.
Osees: Kinda inescapable at this point. The record rules, though.
Sweeping Promises: Still in love w/this LP. Only the earworms change.
Tierney Tough: I follow her on IG, and was happily surprised to see her post this. I thought it was great, and thought others might dig it.
R.E.M. I have a playlist of all of R.E.M.s closing tracks, and was listening to it. That reminded me I hadn't listened to "Reveal" in a while, so I did.
Mark Capanni: This is the closing track on a compilation that was mentioned (I think) last week. The whole thing is awesome, but this is my runaway favorite.
Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed reply. I'm was a mixtape aficionado/junkie and DJ back in the day and love hearing what inspires the creative process. Will be giving the Ovef Ow a listen this week. I'm keeping an open mind on Osees but haven't connected yet. Was a huge REM fan but life interrupted my listening for a few years and I sorta missed Reveal - I'll have to remedy that.
Cheers!
That was a great question, Michael (and excellent answer, Kevin). I've just been getting into complementing some of my posts with playlists, and have been wondering about the best way to sequence them. But I also wonder how most people *listen* to playlists that are new to them. Like, if most listen on Shuffle, I've definitely wasted too much time worrying about what order I put them in.
I assume most people skip around, but I try to sequence them as if they’re listening in order just the same.
The Nerves
I just grabbed a copy of "I Don't Fit In." It's next up after "Do What You Want."
Yeah I need to read that as well!
Thank you Kevin! This is one of my favorite Stacks of the week. I just updated Reflect & Relax Cafe, and these were the twenty-five selected:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6EcLhgESeOBX3Fvfxt8SH4?si=2nW6di0WQ0-V9JOpaXWM9g
I'm happy to hear it! Thanks for the playlist as well. :)
Currently into classical music, specifically film scores. Suite - from "Far and Away" is on repeat a lot lately:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3fSBxxlVAmdK1LfiCLU0bi?si=tbXteSOhSW-dUJxL8hML5w
Right on! Do you play that while writing?
I am in the midst of a crust-punk playlist, enjoying Dystopia at the moment. Dark, innovative, and amazing.
Nice! Very cool write up on punk you did w/Brad Kyle, BTW.
Thanks, Kevin! Did you get a chance to listen to any of the songs?
The new Margo Price!
Yes!
Deerhunter's Halcyon Digest, of course!!!
Love that album. Actually pretty much all their albums
I wish I could've been there! Jessica puts on a heckuva presentation. We were celebrsating my son's birthday.
Heatmiser! Such an overlooked vintage gem.
Right? They deserved more time in the spotlight.
I listened to David Bowie’s “Low” for the first time. Surprisingly danceable, and I’m bummed we don’t live in the timeline where it was the soundtrack for The Man Who Fell to Earth.
If you’ve figured out dance moves to Warszawa, let me know! (For the record, I love Low.)
Today I’ve been catching up on some releases from earlier in the year that I hadn’t given enough ear time:
Brad’s “In The Moment You’re Born”
Baaba Maal’s “Being”
Heather Woods Broderick’s “Labyrinth”
A Certain Ratio’s “1982”
Gretel Hanlyn’s “Head of the Love Club”
Youth Lagoon’s “Heaven Is A Junkyard”
Some nice individual tracks along the way but none of the albums entirely grabbed me to be honest
I liked the ACR record well enough, I guess, but when the cover is your favorite thing about it, something's wrong.
I really like this new Meatraffle single. https://open.spotify.com/track/0J6zfA5XhvEFugn865dGGF?si=374b08fd4b3c4cf0
This one's new to me. I'm on it!
Re-listening to Levon Helm’s album Dirt Farmer after I found out one of my coworkers happened to be good family friends of his back in the day.
Oh wow! That's gotta make for some good stories.
Just started reading the new Rick Rubin book "The Creative Act: A Way of Being". Really good read. Been listening to some of his artists. (There are hundreds).
The Nails - “88 Lines About 44 Women” (re-recorded version, 1984)
So, you won't believe me, but this has been in my head for the last few days. I was even toying around with the idea of doing a bunch of 2-line record reviews (88 lines about 44 records, or similar).
The new Rhiannon Giddens album You're The One has really caught my ear lately. It's hard to believe this is her first album that is all originals.
I haven't heard it yet. I'll have to fix that ASAP!
It's been a slow couple of weeks, but I'm back. The Beatles has been on repeat and a few oddities.
Various Country Greats CD
Bob Dylan The Witmark Demos 1962-1964 CD 2010
Iron and Wine The Sea & The Rhythm CD 2003
Graham Parker Anthology Stream 1980
Always good to see Graham Parker getting some love!
Nice to see "All the Way to Reno" on your playlist - I really like Reveal. Also, big thumbs up for Heatmiser.
As for me, I can't get enough of the new Ratboys album, The Window, and can't quite that Diners record.
Yes! Really happy to see Heatmiser getting some love in the comments! The new Ratboys is awesome. Diners too.
Putting together a Labor Day playlist, so obviously plenty of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, Dropkick Murphys. Also some Tom Morello, Lou Reed, Springsteen.
Consider The Dirty Jobs by The Who
I will consider it. Thanks! So, I'm curious... Do you like that song? No doubt it fits the theme. But when I saw your suggestion, my initial reaction was, "I'm surprised I haven't heard of that Who song." Then I listened and I wasn't as surprised. On first listen, it's a bit generic (except for what sounds like some French horn, reminiscent of Tommy — in fact, it sounds like a Tommy outtake). But I'm open to including it if it's a tune others are likely to dig. EDIT: Just realized it's from Quadrophenia, which makes sense.
Ha! I can think of other work-themed songs I much prefer to that one: Graveyard Shift by Uncle Tupelo, Smithers-Jones by The Jam, Welcome to the Working Week by Elvis Costello, Frankly Mr. Shankly by The Smiths. The Dirty Jobs is more of a curiosity for me than a song I’d listen to on a regular basis.
Not a homework assignment or anything, but if you think of it, please post your playlist on our coming week's playlist discussion. I'd love to see how it ends up!
Sometimes. I particularly enjoy listening to it while doing my morning reading.
I’ve been listing to Tortoise a fair amount recently, in particular their album TNT from 1998. (They are touring right now.)