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!
THIS MAD DESIRE –VICTIM APPRECIATION NIGHT
This is the second track on our new album OPEN HEARTS OPEN MINDS. Dan Konopka from OK Go drummed on this and mixed it as well. Originally I had the idea to make this into an interactive theatre piece where there would be some staged actors giving their tales of woe and then somehow also allow for audience members to provide their own True Confessions down at the Maudlin Hotel. If you’d like to help me make that dream a reality, let me know!! Check out the Visualizer below.
And for a limited time... the REMIX!
TIANDA –CELEBRATE
Brand new music from our friend Tianda out in Edmonton. I’m on her Discord, which is a pretty cool little community of musicians and music lovers. Anyway, great track and I always like her sense of melody. I think it’s a cut above a lot of others in her genre.
KIT VALE –PET
Toronto’s Kit Vale’s new track is a real slice of 90s-alt nostalgia for me. It makes me think of Garbage and bands like that, which is A-OK with me!! I met Jen Simpson (her real name) briefly at one of the Indie Week conferences and have followed her on socials ever since. She always seems to be up to something interesting. Great job, Jen!
SKYE WALLACE –PHANTOM LIMB
This comes off Skye’s new album Terribly Good. Skye is also from the Toronto area and I am very intrigued by the Phantom Limb Syndrome so I thought this might be an interesting track to check out. Also, I just wrote a song called Phantom Love so I’ve got the word “phantom” on the brain… Skye is a very solid rock writer and I always like what I hear from her.
REBECKA TORNQVIST, M. WARD –MY NEIGHBOUR
I don’t know anything about Rebecka but M.Ward is one of my faves. Beautiful tones, beautiful song, and very mysterious lyrics. I dig it!
PLUS, ZOLA –WANT IT ALL
I know absolutely nothing about these people (yet). On Spotify, if you’re an artist, eventually you get an artist “radio station” which is a rotating playlist determined by the Spotify algorithm of songs you might like if you like the artist. So, for example, a few weeks ago, I saw that Skye was in my radio and was the only person I knew at all. This track is one of those from my This Mad Desire Radio station that I wanted to listen to again. Check out This Mad Desire Radio.
LARKIN POE –GEORGIA OFF MY MIND
I subscribe to American Songwriter and sometimes learn about other artists from the profiles contained therein. Larkin Poe are sisters from Georgia who now live in Nashville and this song (and all the songs I’ve heard so far) have all the hallmarks of classic Nashville production: excellent playing, great writing, killer sonics, etc. Very cool track. It’s a little bit country, a little bit rock’n’roll, and I like it.
QUEENSRYCHE –REBEL YELL
I have seen Queensryche at least once although not with this new singer. I’m not really a huge fan of theirs but clearly they have had a lot of success in the heavy metal world, but this track, Rebel Yell. Wow! I love this song and love to hear cover versions. This is pretty different for Queensryche.
POLYPHIA, STEVE VAI –EGO DEATH
This instrumental track is incredible and after listening to it, I can see why they are on the cover of Guitar World. The musicianship on this track is breathtaking. There’s elements of funk, jazz, classical, prog, metal, etc. etc. And then Steve Vai is involved?? I read that Steve Vai was really surprised at how creatively they processed his playing, taking it to a whole other level in the editing. Enjoy!!
SIGUR ROS –UNTITLED #7 –JACOBS STUDIO SESSION
This comes from the () deluxe remaster that just came out. Obviously I like them because they are Icelandic but in listening to this outtake, it is very easy to hear where Radiohead got their entire sound. This is super gorgeous.
MARY CLEMENTS –BONNE NUIT
I haven’t seen Mary since before the pandemic but she’s a Hamilton artist and also teaches French so it is no surprise to me that there are some French lyrics thrown in among the English.
HERE IT IS, IGGY POP –YOU WANT IT DARKER
Iggy Pop doing Leonard Cohen? I’m in.
THIS MAD DESIRE–PERFECT RING
This is the only song I ever co-wrote with Leonard Cohen. AND it has cello and vibraphones alongside a great rock band including the late Jim Perry on drums, Gerald Taylor on bass, and me! My former teaching colleague Sarah Honeyford Austin rocks the cello. I wrote this in Thunder Bay in 1994 and put it out on my 2020 album AMERICAN DREAM. Definitely this is my favorite song to sing from a technical singing standpoint. AND Leonard Cohen lyrics!! Whutt??
VIKINGUR OLAFSSON, WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART –LAUDATE DINUBYN (FROM VESOERS, K. 339) (ARR. VIKINGUR OLAFSON) –UPRIGHT PIANO
Vikingur is a classical rock star at the moment. He’s one of the greatest pianists in years. And he’s Icelandic. And his name is Olafsson and my mother’s maiden name is Olafson. Lots to like here!
IVY –UNDERTOW
This is just some nostalgia for myself. I used to listen to this French pop band 20 years ago and thought I’d listen to a track.
NICK CAVE, PULP –DISCO 2000
I know 2 Pulp songs quite well, this one and Common People, which I’ve considered covering. So cool to hear Nick Cave doing this!
THE FLAMING LIPS –EGO TRIPPING AT THE GATES OF HELL
The Flaming Lips are a masterclass in cool.
KEON MASTERS, BRAVE BABY –YESTERDAY WAS GOING GREAT
GRAND THEFT BUS –PRIVATE WARS
More artists I came across on This Mad Desire Radio on Spotify.
TODD RUNDGREN, RIVERS CUOMO –DOWN WITH THE SHIP
Todd Rundgren is pretty legendary but I’ve never really followed him. This rollicking and rolling track is from his new album Space Force.
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