Our weekly (or however often) roundup of this week’s discoveries and old faves. Usually it’s friends of mine or just music I like. Now including “liner notes” to help guide you through this journey and hopefully introduce you to some new, great music!
PIXIES –THERE’S A MOON ON
I think this is the first song since they reformed that I really love!
THIS MAD DESIRE –JESUS CAME FROM JUPITER
One of my fave tracks off of American Dream. I sing about Jesus, Richard Branson, Hercules, Thor, and Bill Cosby, and it’s set in Hamilton. I wrote the lyrics all at once while riding the Hamilton Street Railway downtown. It’s pretty out there but I think it’s cool! PLUS this one was 100% recorded and mixed at the Hamilton Public Library. Real #HamOnt vibes. I sort of imagined it being like a Tom Waits or Nick Cave song with all their weird characters.
VIAGRA BOYS –PUNK ROCK LOSER
Super cool track. I think they’re from Sweden, and wow, when I heard this, I knew I could vibe to it.
EMINEM –BUMP HEADS
I’ve got a soft spot for Eminem. I actually covered Lose Yourself at one point and let me tell you, anyone that tells you that rapping is not singing or is somehow lower class has never done it. There is so much technique and so much breath support involved. Most singing has far fewer syllables per minute and you are generally holding vowel sounds. When you rap, you are really spitting out tons of sounds and circling through wild amounts of air.
THE BLUE STONES –DON’T MISS
I know absolutely nothing about this one but it’s cool. The production is a bit too slick but… we can overlook that. Kind of reminds me of Spoon.
MARCO EMA, ARIANE ROY –FUNAMBULE (TOUT RESTERA PAREIL)
What can I say? I’ve become a huge fan of Ariane Roy. Cool French pop out of Montreal. Beautiful melodies!
WIESINGER –JUST GIVE UP
Very cool track from Wiesinger –who hangs out sometimes in the Tianda Discord. The first couple of lines reminded me of a vocal melody lick in this next song…
PERRY FARRELL –SNAKES HAVE MANY HIPS
Perry is one of the most visionary people in the entertainment industry. This is from his most recent solo album. We all hope that Jane’s Addiction makes something new though…
ANI DIFRANCO –O.K.
I got into Ani a few records before this one in the mid-1990s. At the time, she was one of the top-grossing independent acts around and I finally saw her in Toronto one time opening for Bob Dylan. To be honest, I preferred her to Dylan. One thing about Bob Dylan is he often gets into these rockabilly versions of his own songs that are completely unrecognizable until you somehow catch him sing a phrase you recognize and then you can’t understand anything he’s singing. I love Bob Dylan and sing many of his songs but I have no interest in seeing him perform again. Lol.
SON STEP, SOPHIE CORAN –MUTUAL ASSURANCE
Sophie Coran is my most recent Philly area discovery and this is her most recent song, which is a collaboration with Son Step, who I’m assuming is the lead singer. Sort of a trippy vibe to this and the production is very much to my liking!
SOUL COUGHING –CASIOTONE NATION
I always felt Soul Coughing was the cooler, more authentic version of what Cake was (and no disrespect to Cake). I actually saw them once in Toronto at Lee’s Palace and I believe it was the night before I saw David Bowie at the Skydome. It was a surreal day. I was at the bar pre-show grabbing a beer and this guy next to me said “Hello” in a distinctly Icelandic accent. Here was my friend Jon Gustafsson in Toronto from Reykjavik. He and I knew each other from Winnipeg and Gimli in Manitoba. Totally random. The band Low opened this show and then Soul Coughing just destroyed. When they sang this particular song, Casiotone Nation, they replaced the 5% nature of… lyrics with 5% nation of {insert Black Sabbath song title} so it was 5% nation of War Pigs, 5% nation of Iron Man, 5% nation of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 5% nation of Paranoid, etc. And then they played their own crazy version of War Pigs in the encore.
DANGER MOUSE, BLACK THOUGHT –NO GOLD TEETH
You’re welcome. This tune is way too cool.
!!!, MEAH PACE –PANAMA CANAL
I started listening to !!! quite some time ago so good to see they’re still around. Anyone know how to pronounce !!!?
STARCRAWLER –ROADKILL
This band is really a throwback to a lot of LA Glam vibes. I dig it!
SMUDGE ALL STARS, LEFTFIELD, PAUL DALEY, GEORGE CLINTON, NIARA SCARLETT –HEADACHE
After three listens, this one will be one of your fave tracks ever. So groovy!
KEVIN MORBY –ROCK BOTTOM
Super fuzz guitars and overdriven vocals over a classic pop melody. Candy to my ears!
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD –SADIE SORCERESS
To me, this sounds like a weirder Beastie Boys. Totally catchy. Sadie Sorceress –Snapping necks with her broomstick getting tortuous. GREAT lyrics.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT –HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
The Ruf! I’ve been a fan since his first album. The one time I saw him, the whole band took the stage wearing witches’ hats, which sort of fits in with the idea of the last song in this playlist.
And with that, this wraps up this week’s playlist. Hope you enjoyed it!!
If you like this playlist, please share it and follow these artists. Music is the fuel that fills our soul.
If you are an artist that would like to be included in the future, reach out anywhere and I’d love to check out your tunes!
Yours in music,
Mac