Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
As always, thank you to those who have recently upgraded your subscriptions. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts all help as well! Thank you!
When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:
On to the music:
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 new sounds from Young Gun Silver Fox, Fishbone(!), and more. Also a couple of old faves to balance out the mix.
Now it’s your turn.
What caught your ear this week? Any new releases or shows you’re looking forward to?
Before you go: As most of you have seen, I am a huge fan of the music streaming platform Qobuz. The sound quality is second to none, and the entire UX is fantastic. Thanks to our friend Kenn Richards, you can now see it for yourself.
I’m thrilled to share this exclusive offer for 2 free months. Not an ad, and there’s no catch. Just hella good sound quality, solid recommendations tailored to your tastes, and editorials well worth your time.
Note: The codes will be sent out by an actual human over the next several days. Please be patient.
I haven’t listened to the whole album yet, but I picked up a vinyl copy (limited peaches and cream color!) last week and it’s on the top of my “to play next” pile!
2) Sabrina Carpenter - Bad Reviews (feels country-ish and just a hint of Dolly in there. It's less Pop-py than her other songs on that album) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3812_ZNUP0
3) Noah Kahan and Hozier Duet - Northern Attitude. Hosier's belting or howling, whatever we call it, has gone viral halfway through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMCv9djEm1k / If you like Mumford & Sons, you'll like this.
Stephen Wilson Jr.'s album Son of Dad has kept a spot in my rotation. I'm not a country guy and that grinds against this, but I saw him live and he's truly unique.
On this Monday, I am listening to Smashing Pumpkins, GISH. Still so good.
Finally, I almost always have an REM song in my weekly rotation, usually IRS era. Not that I am one of those "I only like their old stuff" guys...alas, These Days, off Life's Rich Pageant.
Geez, this is what I get for doing two things at once -- *that* is what is tattooed on my arm, not the line I typed😂. I'm with you -- absolutely my favorite REM record as well.
My week was about The Silos, who we saw at a great small club on Thursday. They're touring the 40th anniversary of their debut. We haven't seen them since around 2000 and it was wonderful to hear Walter Salas-Humara's voice and the band both in fine form. We chatted with the band afterwards -- it is always a pleasure to come across musicians you admire who are pleasant and who enjoy what they do.
* Collections of Colonies of Bees - Hawaii. They're a band of Milwaukee veterans that grew out of a post-rock band called Pele (also very good). The songwriting is unique -- angular, full of space, not in a hurry. They don't sound like anyone except maybe a more minimalist Spoon at times.
* Sting - 3.0 Live. This captures his current trio in fine form and some of the arrangements are different than what the old ones he's been doing for years.
An acetate of the Mick Jones mix of 'The Rat Patrol from Ft. Bragg' a.k.a. 'Combat Rock.' Much clearer than all the previous bootlegs I have heard and full of color. It is very evident that it beats the 'Combat Rock' version that was released. Topper's drums and Paul's bass are much more up front in the mix. The songs are much longer in length. Ellen Foley's backing vocals are more apparent. It all sounds much more natural as a follow-up to 'Sandinista!.'
Been listening to Turnstile Never Enough quite a lot lately and also HTRK - Swimming Pool Smerz - Roll The Dice. I've revisited Junei - Let's Ride, Nirvana Nevermind, Fugazi 13 Songs, MCDE - Raw Cuts 6, Pepe Braddock - Deep Burnt and Lone - Essential Mix from 2018.
Been putting on some old favorites like The Smithereens' Especially For You and Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales. And then listening to some new stuff like Sault's 10 and Chime Oblivion's new self titled.
Tim and the Pixies were ones I would have liked to also pick up on RSD, but I spent way too much! Hahaha!
I used to have the New Order Substance album back in the day - it’s one I regret selling when I was a starving college student 😂! I’ve had the reissue in my hands maybe 4 times now, so I imagine I will probably purchase it at some point. It was pretty fantastic!
Apart from my disco addiction, I love classical music (I know, quite the combination 😁), and I was blown away by María Dueñas’s rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Caprice Andalous. She was born in Andalusia, which adds an extra flavor to this excellent piece by Saint-Saëns. It’s featured on a new DG release by Dueñas. DG has also released an exquisite video of the recording : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTVszzipmdA
Hahaha me and two of my friends did a hostile disco touchtunes takeover on Saturday! We played Donna Summer, The Bee Gees and several other classic disco songs! It was super fun!
Yes! I read that one earlier! I’m probably going to have to listen to that one today, as well as their first one! Maybe even some Annie Lennox solo stuff after!
Full albums: Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter. I had listened to the first track previously through the first round of the Mothership Music League. I figured that I should take a listen to the rest of the album, considering I liked the sound I was hearing. I was rewarded with a very nice album which has one, maybe two tracks that don't quite meet the mark - Gibson Girl and Ptolemaea.
Is it as good as Palomino by First Aid Kit, which I view as the best record of 2022? I'm not sure; I'd have to relisten to that one.
Music League: This past week we did two rounds (Fresh finds - songs that came out since 10/20/2024 and The Unknown - songs that we have not heard before). From the "Fresh Finds" list I want to check out Rabbitology and Tamino more. On the "Unknown" playlist, Yaelokre really caught my attention, as well as Hozier (I've heard him before, but my exposure to him is limited to the hits). Múr was also interesting; they are an Icelandic metal band.
Today I'll be tackling the Tower of Babel playlist - songs that are sung in a language other than English.
I had very limited exposure to Hozier as well, and after hearing "Too Sweet," started an intentional listen to see if I should buy the album... LOL That song is not on the standard version of the album, and the deluxe version is too expensive... but, I did pick up his first album and routinely over the past month or so, have my Alexa play random Hozier songs for hours LOL. And no regrets.
I just have to say that I have probably not commented in a couple of weeks to say what I have been listening to because I'm still hopelessly stuck listening to Hozier, Noah Kahan, Chappell Roan, and Lola Young...
I did take a break briefly to listen to a couple of covers that a friend sent me, and they were pretty great.
So many good releases over the weekend, it’s hard to know where to start. The Tisburys and Beach Bunny were definite highlights for me but I also really love the Samia album, Bloodless.
Today I've been switching between American Aquarium and Jack White. Seeing each of them in the next week. That Jack White No Name never gets old. May is going to be a good month for concerts. American Aquarium, Jack White twice, and then Drive By Truckers to end the month.
Funnily enough I was trying out a couple of their tracks for the Lost in Translation series. They didn’t work but it was great listening to the album. It had probably been decades since I’d heard it
And one more, a limited edition double CD on the Subjangle label by faveoyrite, Armstrong which compiles 43 previously unreleased songs on a physical format and there are some real gems if you are a fan of guitar pop -
I listened to a lot of Deep Sea Diver before seeing them live Saturday. It was a fantastic show and now I'm continuing to listen and remember. Focusing on Impossible Weight and Billboard Heart post-show.
Also, the new album from The Tisburys, A Still Life Revisited, is heating up the charts (my ears).
Trying to finish up a massive new music post, so I've been listening to those albums as well.
HONEY and it's sweet, no pun intended. I've played it over and over, everywhere I go. Then something prompted me to listen to the Game of Thrones album. Woooo.
Either Mahler’s Tenth Symphony or Chappell Roan goes on next. Still deciding at the moment.
I vote Chappell Roan. I’m a bit obsessed! LOL
That’s who I went with. 😃
I haven’t listened to the whole album yet, but I picked up a vinyl copy (limited peaches and cream color!) last week and it’s on the top of my “to play next” pile!
Quite the choice Peter 😃. Did you get to Mahler's 10th eventually?
Incredible A/B choices here! lol.
Listening to a few items:
1) The podcast I did with Matty C for WAIM - What Am I Making - that just came out this morning! (https://whatamimaking.substack.com/p/waim-085-beth-lisogorsky?utm_source=podcast-email%2Csubstack&publication_id=1370896&post_id=162189069&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=play_card_play_button&r=eeh87&triedRedirect=true)
2) Sabrina Carpenter - Bad Reviews (feels country-ish and just a hint of Dolly in there. It's less Pop-py than her other songs on that album) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3812_ZNUP0
3) Noah Kahan and Hozier Duet - Northern Attitude. Hosier's belting or howling, whatever we call it, has gone viral halfway through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMCv9djEm1k / If you like Mumford & Sons, you'll like this.
I love that duet with Noah Kahan and Hozier! I’ve been obsessively listening to both of them for weeks now! LOL
Totally putting the podcast on my list! I saw the email come through from Matty this morning and was excited to see your name there!
Right on! Thanks for sharing the link here!
Stephen Wilson Jr.'s album Son of Dad has kept a spot in my rotation. I'm not a country guy and that grinds against this, but I saw him live and he's truly unique.
On this Monday, I am listening to Smashing Pumpkins, GISH. Still so good.
Finally, I almost always have an REM song in my weekly rotation, usually IRS era. Not that I am one of those "I only like their old stuff" guys...alas, These Days, off Life's Rich Pageant.
Son of Dad is on my album to listen to list
Gish was so fantastic!! And can’t go wrong with Life’s Rich Pageant - Swan Swan H is probably in my top list of theirs.
I love everything about Lifes Rich Pageant. Such a great album!
I can say it's unequivocally my favorite REM album and likely top 5 all time
Good call! I have "We are young despite the years" tattooed on my left arm.
we are hope despite the times!
Geez, this is what I get for doing two things at once -- *that* is what is tattooed on my arm, not the line I typed😂. I'm with you -- absolutely my favorite REM record as well.
this makes me immediately want to get "I will rearrange your scales" or " I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract" as a tattoo
I vote for both!
Nothing wrong wit the IRS era! We like what we like, right?
Speaking of Gish, I dusted it off not too long ago, and man, does it still sound great!
Broncho's new LP, Natural Pleasure. A bit chill and mellow, but I like it!
It's on my list! I'm hoping I get to check it out later today.
My week was about The Silos, who we saw at a great small club on Thursday. They're touring the 40th anniversary of their debut. We haven't seen them since around 2000 and it was wonderful to hear Walter Salas-Humara's voice and the band both in fine form. We chatted with the band afterwards -- it is always a pleasure to come across musicians you admire who are pleasant and who enjoy what they do.
If you don't know The Silos, they debuted during the mid-80s rush of roots rock on college radio. They won "Best New American Band" in Rolling Stone's critics poll in 1987. Their second and third records -- Cuba and s/t (aka "the one with the bird on the cover") are fantastic. If I had to pick one song to start with, I'd go with "I'm Over You" -- https://open.spotify.com/track/3QcdXZVpVqc1D5ZdrNBshK?si=M7LTAogBTD2GOmCy5BbDrQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4fjTfbiZfqOPtkcuvucevg
I also dug:
* Collections of Colonies of Bees - Hawaii. They're a band of Milwaukee veterans that grew out of a post-rock band called Pele (also very good). The songwriting is unique -- angular, full of space, not in a hurry. They don't sound like anyone except maybe a more minimalist Spoon at times.
* Sting - 3.0 Live. This captures his current trio in fine form and some of the arrangements are different than what the old ones he's been doing for years.
Cheers!
Oh man, I'll bet that show was fantastic!
Detroit’s Death.
An acetate of the Mick Jones mix of 'The Rat Patrol from Ft. Bragg' a.k.a. 'Combat Rock.' Much clearer than all the previous bootlegs I have heard and full of color. It is very evident that it beats the 'Combat Rock' version that was released. Topper's drums and Paul's bass are much more up front in the mix. The songs are much longer in length. Ellen Foley's backing vocals are more apparent. It all sounds much more natural as a follow-up to 'Sandinista!.'
Very cool! I've heard a few versions online, but they're often muddy or mislabeled.
Wild! I didn't know this existed. I'll have to see what I can find.
Yeah, check online. Someone uploaded digital files a year or so ago. The actual acetate was up for auction awhile back.
Been listening to Turnstile Never Enough quite a lot lately and also HTRK - Swimming Pool Smerz - Roll The Dice. I've revisited Junei - Let's Ride, Nirvana Nevermind, Fugazi 13 Songs, MCDE - Raw Cuts 6, Pepe Braddock - Deep Burnt and Lone - Essential Mix from 2018.
That's a killer list!
Good Morning from California. Here is what is in my ears:
1. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wBlm9P7dw8ZMh4DgXzNcJ?si=c25a0dac4a3141c4
2. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1knJSMzp6SWo8aUh3W2hVo?si=f41447de310f4545
3. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/71PrDfTT9eNSnK4nHDJCqx?si=37df72b884d940b2
As Always: I appreciate all the new leads I gather here. I hope you find ear candy daily.
JP
Thanks for the lists, Jon! Gonna check 'em out here in a bit. I'm sure there's some ear candy in there too!
The Best of 2000 to 2010 (Part 2 – The Rockers) - It's a big, bombastic list!
Foo Fighters, “Let it Die” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKWrIZuD50g
Sonic Youth, “Rain on Timhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoHTt3xcU40
Silver Sun Pickups, “The Royal We” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGT6vUxybaU
Metric, “Gold Gun Girls” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9HRoBCKax4
White Stripes, “Icky Thump” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duZBYrokqPw
Finger Eleven, “Paralyzer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEL3qnkNyk0
Fuel, “Hemorrhage” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxrK48iigWw
Chickenfoot, “Down the Drain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghE_U39YPE0
Them Crooked Vultures, “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Sy0N4thP0
A Perfect Circle, “Weak and Powerless” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2q_yyb15XI
The Rapture, “House of Jealous Lovers” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gos6_COmP74
This is a great list!
We like us some bombast!
Speaking of Them Crooked Vultures, stay tuned for Wednesday's post!
Been putting on some old favorites like The Smithereens' Especially For You and Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales. And then listening to some new stuff like Sault's 10 and Chime Oblivion's new self titled.
Love The Smithereens! Especially for You is so great!
Great picks! The Smithereens rule.
Happy Monday everyone! I recently got an original UK pressing of “Black Moses” by Isaac Hayes and I’ve been savouring every second of it.
BM is such a great album that should be in every record collection. I bought my original UK pressing in London, as well (in Camden).
Glad to hear you enjoy it too!
Oh, that sounds fantastic!
Fifth Angel out of Bellevue, Washington.
When Angels Kill, what an absolutely fantastic album!
And staying with a Washington theme, I jumped right into Queensryche, Operation Mind Crime. I can never get enough of that album.
And then on the drive home from Chicago, Sleeter Kinney and Bikini Kill.
https://open.spotify.com/album/0ogEGaQFNvfPNWPmq7yK5X?si=T3lTrVgtQQWa60cnK3Ns_w
Fifth Angel is a new one for me. Thanks for getting it on my radar!
Hi everybody! It’s been quite a while since I’ve commented here. Recently I’ve been listening to:
New England—Jason Anderson
Enter 36 Chambers—Wu Tang Clan
Return to 36 Chambers—ODB
#1 Record—Big Star
Radio City—Big Star
The Chronic—Dr. Dre
Also got a few records recently:
Tim—The Replacements (RSD release; the Ed Stasium mix is SO good)
Bossanova Trompe Le Monde Live—The Pixies (RSD release; been listening to this one a lot recently. Black Francis’ screams are so good)
Washing Machine—Sonic Youth
Substance 1987—New Order (given to my by my cousin, incredible compilation, I think my favorite song is Temptation)
Tim and the Pixies were ones I would have liked to also pick up on RSD, but I spent way too much! Hahaha!
I used to have the New Order Substance album back in the day - it’s one I regret selling when I was a starving college student 😂! I’ve had the reissue in my hands maybe 4 times now, so I imagine I will probably purchase it at some point. It was pretty fantastic!
Oh it’s incredible! I don’t dance but I dance to that lmao
Temptation is one of my favorites by New Order 👌.
Also watched the Big Stir documentary a while back and been listening to a lot of their music.
I haven’t heard of that documentary. Is it in any streaming?
Yes it’s free to stream on Tubi
It's called Big Star - Nothing Can Hurt Me
Also there is a cool cover of the song Temptation onnour last compilation CD -
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/5x0icqoviokjwc87ll2wd/AFzrjhKCw40zPg90dFIgpgI?rlkey=w7w75y6m3mjkqhnbrcypgj96r&st=1eyyyd3c&dl=0
Great to have you back! This is my kinda list--and any list with Substance is a good list.
Shattered Faith, Mammoth Storm, Hiroshi Yoshimura
Hell yeah
Ellie Goulding - Lights
Ooh I love her voice!
That's a good one, Yana!
Apart from my disco addiction, I love classical music (I know, quite the combination 😁), and I was blown away by María Dueñas’s rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Caprice Andalous. She was born in Andalusia, which adds an extra flavor to this excellent piece by Saint-Saëns. It’s featured on a new DG release by Dueñas. DG has also released an exquisite video of the recording : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTVszzipmdA
Hahaha me and two of my friends did a hostile disco touchtunes takeover on Saturday! We played Donna Summer, The Bee Gees and several other classic disco songs! It was super fun!
EURYTHMICS
Be Youself Tonight (1985)
Based on another Stack piece.
Yes! I read that one earlier! I’m probably going to have to listen to that one today, as well as their first one! Maybe even some Annie Lennox solo stuff after!
Annie's DIVA album is excellent.
Absolutely!!
I'm sorry. BARE. I knew it had four letters.
Right on! Do you have the link handy?
Listens from the past week:
Full albums: Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter. I had listened to the first track previously through the first round of the Mothership Music League. I figured that I should take a listen to the rest of the album, considering I liked the sound I was hearing. I was rewarded with a very nice album which has one, maybe two tracks that don't quite meet the mark - Gibson Girl and Ptolemaea.
Is it as good as Palomino by First Aid Kit, which I view as the best record of 2022? I'm not sure; I'd have to relisten to that one.
Music League: This past week we did two rounds (Fresh finds - songs that came out since 10/20/2024 and The Unknown - songs that we have not heard before). From the "Fresh Finds" list I want to check out Rabbitology and Tamino more. On the "Unknown" playlist, Yaelokre really caught my attention, as well as Hozier (I've heard him before, but my exposure to him is limited to the hits). Múr was also interesting; they are an Icelandic metal band.
Today I'll be tackling the Tower of Babel playlist - songs that are sung in a language other than English.
I had very limited exposure to Hozier as well, and after hearing "Too Sweet," started an intentional listen to see if I should buy the album... LOL That song is not on the standard version of the album, and the deluxe version is too expensive... but, I did pick up his first album and routinely over the past month or so, have my Alexa play random Hozier songs for hours LOL. And no regrets.
The Preacher’s Daughter is heavy stuff! I listened to it after reading this piece by Nikki Davis which you might appreciate
https://open.substack.com/pub/popdeco/p/the-slow-burn-southern-gothic-dread?r=1pwf0t&utm_medium=ios
Thanks for sharing! I will have to take a look at that article.
I just have to say that I have probably not commented in a couple of weeks to say what I have been listening to because I'm still hopelessly stuck listening to Hozier, Noah Kahan, Chappell Roan, and Lola Young...
I did take a break briefly to listen to a couple of covers that a friend sent me, and they were pretty great.
The Twilight Singers doing "Hyperballad"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy6cIdFvSlg
The Afghan Whigs covering "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"
https://youtu.be/8g7TznJLd50?si=f0f4ri-81UJgzghT
Whigs forever!
Love this week’s playlist! Getdown Services 🙌
So many good releases over the weekend, it’s hard to know where to start. The Tisburys and Beach Bunny were definite highlights for me but I also really love the Samia album, Bloodless.
Here’s my favourites from the last week:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pEghlFCzZNAg7lAbGSJZo?si=-63Jpt1pQXOb3cwJC1hJHA&pi=E39n7CjzTMyzA
Also, how great is One Way Train? Off to check out the rest of the album!
Thanks for the playlist, Lou! It really is hard to know where to start ( a great problem to have, of course).
- Live's 1997 release Secret Samadhi
- Kool & The Gang's 1971 album Live at P.J.'s
- Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary (soundtrack)
Today I've been switching between American Aquarium and Jack White. Seeing each of them in the next week. That Jack White No Name never gets old. May is going to be a good month for concerts. American Aquarium, Jack White twice, and then Drive By Truckers to end the month.
Jealous of your month.
Nice!
My listening was dominated by Willie Nelson with some other good music. Read about it here: https://weatheredmusic.ca
Thank you Norman!
The last week was split fairly evenly between new releases:
Tunde Adebimpe - Thee Black Boltz
Gentle Leader XIV - Joke in the Shadow
Fotoform - Grief is a Garden (Forever in Bloom)
Will Johnson - Diamond City
Cassia - everyone, outside
And some older classics:
Air - Moon Safari
Dire Straits - Alchemy Live
Tragically Hip - Up To Here
Tragically Hip - Road Apples
The Blue Nile - Hats
Soul II Soul - Keep On Movin’
Soul II Soul! Wow! That's a name I haven't heard in a minute.
Funnily enough I was trying out a couple of their tracks for the Lost in Translation series. They didn’t work but it was great listening to the album. It had probably been decades since I’d heard it
If you like dogs, my friends in Skytone have a new song about a dog "Sad Little Mango"-
https://skytone1.bandcamp.com/album/sad-little-mango
David Long & Shane O'Neill also have a brand new single and the b-side is also great -
https://davidlong4.bandcamp.com/album/25
Crossword Smiles have a new single out taken from a new album coming soon on the Big Stir label -
https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/falling-all-over-myself
And one more, a limited edition double CD on the Subjangle label by faveoyrite, Armstrong which compiles 43 previously unreleased songs on a physical format and there are some real gems if you are a fan of guitar pop -
https://armstrong2.bandcamp.com/album/handicrafts
Thank you Wally! Huge +1 for the new Crossword Smiles single.
I listened to a lot of Deep Sea Diver before seeing them live Saturday. It was a fantastic show and now I'm continuing to listen and remember. Focusing on Impossible Weight and Billboard Heart post-show.
Also, the new album from The Tisburys, A Still Life Revisited, is heating up the charts (my ears).
Trying to finish up a massive new music post, so I've been listening to those albums as well.
It's "heating up" my ears as well. What a record!
I got the new single from Common Saints called
HONEY and it's sweet, no pun intended. I've played it over and over, everywhere I go. Then something prompted me to listen to the Game of Thrones album. Woooo.
I'm in another place.
Loyle Carner's Hugo, usually with a coffee and a book
The perfect trifecta!
👍👍 for including Sunny War.
There isn't a day that goes by without playing One Way Train or Joy, Joy! by Valerie June in this house. Usually both given the state of the world.
I've also been on a 10,000 Maniacs streak lately, and wish we could have more Natalie Merchant and Michael Stipe singing and dancing together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBs8fgZI6Ig
We should be so lucky!
Here are my latest entries Kevin: https://danpal.substack.com/p/new-music-by-michigander-freedom?r=lru5s
Right on! Thanks for sharing this here, Dan!