Our weeklyish roundup of this week’s discoveries and old faves. Now including “liner notes” to help guide you through this journey and hopefully introduce you to some new, great music!
THIS MAD DESIRE –IN THE GARDEN
Our latest single! My friend Dan Konopka from OK Go plays drums on this track. When we were working on it, he had encouraged me to make the sound even bigger towards the end, which is why I added more strings and oboes and so on. It reminded him of the Flaming Lips. What does it make You think of?
X. ARI –DON’T CHOOSE HEAVEN
X. Ari is an acquaintance of mine based in Los Angeles but from Toronto originally. This song was released and promoted with an eye to suicide prevention awareness. This track definitely has a slick Hollywood production.
KEEGAN TAWA/SOPHIE CORAN –UNDONE
I’ve been following Sophie Coran for a few months as part of my obsession with Philadelphia! My friends Erica Corbo and Jessica Magoch are also singers from that area and appear on my records and so I’ve been keeping an eye on their scene. This track is more of a Keegan Tawa track with Sophie doing guest vocals. Very cool EDM with an orchestral angle as well. I dig!
EVA X –CONTROL
Eva X is a musical friend of mine based in Vancouver although originally from Calgary. She does this really great electro-goth stuff. Definitely check her out!
PJ HARVEY –MISSED (DEMO)
I was WAAAAY into PJ Harvey when this track came out on Rid Of Me. Still a huge fan! Around the time the studio version came out, I was taking a course in university called Blood in the Water, Blood in the Air: Music, Race, and Gender, and based on my recommendation, my prof Howard Spring had us listen to the track Rid Of Me (the title track of the album whence the song Missed comes). I wound up taking every possible course with Howard from History of Jazz to Theories of Improvisation and World Music -Intro to Ethnomusicology. This was at the University of Guelph and, strangely enough, I ran into him at a grocery store in Toronto en route to a band practice after I graduated. I always find it funny to run into people I know in cities where we did not know each other, like running into a buddy from Boise, Idaho, in Montreal, etc. Small world!
SALT-N-PEPA –SHOOP
I thought this music was ridiculous when it was current. Now I love it! Back then, I think I was really closed-minded and really into what my friends thought was cool and stuff instead of just getting into this irresistible groove.
THE SMITHS –THE QUEEN IS DEAD
Say what you will but I really like Morrissey. I love how prickly he is. Anyway, given everything with the Queen passing, I thought I’d include something that at least referenced her, even if this is more of a protest song.
PENGWICH –BORN AGAIN
This is a duo in southern California. One of them was playing at the Whisky A Go Go the other day. I can’t remember what online event we met at but anyway, this song is just great! Very classic rock sounding.
JAY LUTTRULL / MOJO NIXON –AIN’T GONNA PAY THE RENT
MOJO NIXON & SKID ROPER –ELVIS IS EVERYWHERE
I don’t know who Jay Luttrull is but I love Mojo Nixon! I got into him in high school. Really fun songs usually with a strong critique of society. And this Elvis is Everywhere track? Long Live the King!!
ELVIS PRESLEY –BLUE SUEDE SHOES
This is why he’s still the King! Part of me hopes he's still alive somewhere munching on a peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich.
DREAD ZEPPELIN –HEARTBREAKER (AT THE END OF LONELY STREET) HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Holy moley, this band is hilarious. I saw this crazy band a long time ago in Winnipeg at Le Rendezvous. Crazy New Yorkers doing reggae versions of Led Zeppelin songs with a fat Elvis impersonator singing. This particular mashup is genius!
CATHERINE GRAINDORGE / IGGY POP –THE DICTATOR
This track mentions Elvis, proving once again that Elvis is Everywhere!!
THE FORGOTTEN REBELS –HIGHSCHOOL HOOKERS
A heartwarming classic from Hamilton’s greatest punk band. They have a track called Elvis Is Dead –which is the one I wanted to include but it is not available on Spotify. Luckily, I have it in my Private Reserve here at home. If you're looking for Elvis, look for Surfin' On Heroin. That's the album I grew up on.
HYDESKY –STARGAZING
We’ve seen Hydesky in our lists before. I met Hydesky in my friend Tianda’s Discord.
CARBON MEMORY –DISTANCE
I believe Eryn Roberts, who I know through Indie Week, manages this band.
PRXPHECY / FLINT –OUT THE WAY
Another person in the Tianda Discord. I don’t know much else about these people.
CRAZY TOWN –BUTTERFLY
I heard some other rappers rapping over this track and I had to go back and get into the original. This one, like Shoop earlier, is another one I was “too cool” for. Again, it’s super-catchy!!
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