This weeks track comes from the Olympia, Washington electro-pop duo The Blow. “Get Up” is a spoken word rap over a simple synthesizer beat that brings 80s flashbacks and also reminds me of the dance punk band !!!. The songwriter Khaela Maricich describes the song as being about “the feeling of my whole spirit being crushed by extreme capitalism.” The Blow’s new album Brand New Abyss is due for release in September.
Category: Song of the Week
Song of the Week: “New York” by St. Vincent
St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) is back with a new single called “New York.” It’s a different sound for her and not for those who are sensitive to profanity. Read more at All Songs Considered.
Song of the Week: “Hot to Trot” by Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas
Ok, this blog has grown moribund and I find it impossible to keep myself organized enough to create a monthly “What I’m Listening To Now” post. So I’m bringing back “Song of the Week.” Especially since I heard this great new song on the radio (yes, the radio!) by Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas. The band is from Detroit, Hernandez sings in English & Spanish, and this track at least reminds a bit of the early B-52s. Enjoy some hot music for this hot Independence Day weekend!
What I’m Listening to Now – April 2017
Song of the Month
“Cherry Blossom” by ALA.NI
Podcasts of the Month
Best of the Left – Progressives Fight on Multiple Fronts
I hear too much infighting about the best way to conduct the resistance, so it’s good to hear this podcast the multiple fronts on which progressives are fighting for our country and our future.
Sound Opinions – Mavis Staples
An insightful interview with the musical legend.
I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Turns out that the temple is not as old as I thought nor has it been in the Met for as long as I’d imagined either. The stories of why it was built and how it ended up in New York are equally fascinating.
Ben Frankin’s World – Paul Revere’s Ride Through History
Four scholars explore the history of Paul Revere and why we remember him today.
99% Invisible – Sounds Natural
Viewers of nature documentaries expect that everything in the film comes directly from nature, but having microphones in the right place to capture sounds is so difficult and dangerous that most animal sounds are produced by foley artists.
StarTalk Radio – Baseball: Physics at the Plate
A baseball player, physicists, and comedians join together to discuss baseball at SXSW. Good things happen
Planet Money – Georgetown, Lousiana
The story of a Louisiana town where many of the residents are descendants of 272 slaves sold to fund Georgetown University.
Albums of the Month
Artist: Charly Bliss
Album: Guppy
Release Date: April 21, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Glitter,” “Black Hole,” and “Ruby”
Thoughts: The Brooklyn power pop quartet bring back a mid-90s sound reminiscent of Letters to Cleo and Velocity Girl. Eva Hendricks sings a bit nasally over fuzzed-out guitars and drums with lyrics that aren’t anywhere as sweet as they’re sung. It’s a great throwback but having lived through it all the first time around, I’d prefer something new.
Rating: ***
Artist: Future Islands
Album: The Far Field
Release Date: April 7, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Beauty of the Road,” “Cave,” and “Shadows”
Thoughts: I was not familiar with the Baltimore-based synthpop outfit, but the reviews of the album were good so I thought I’d give it a shot. The sound is very 80s, reminiscent of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, but Samuel Herring’s vocals overlaying the synths are more growly than romantic. Once again, I’m feeling that I’ve heard this all before. The highlight is the duet with Debbie Harry on “Shadows.”
Rating: **1/2
Artist: Alexandra Savior
Album: Belladonna of Sadness
Release Date: April 7, 2017
Thoughts: This debut from the Portland, OR singer-songwriter features moody crooning over 60’s style jazz-pop. It’s a little bit reminiscent of Fiona Apple, not to mention umpteen singers from the swinging sixties. There’s too much polish on this album and the raw talent Savior has is unable to shine through.
Rating: **
Artist: The New Pornographers
Album: Whiteout Conditions
Release Date: April 7, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “High Ticket Attractions”
Thoughts: I’m a long-time fan of The New Pornographers and I’m disappointed by their latest release. There’s nothing new about it as the reliance on synthesizers seems to just water down their traditional sound rather then expand into new territories. The emotion and variety of previous albums. Perhaps the absence of Dan Bejar contributes to the lack of balance and feeling of incompleteness.
Rating: **
Artist: Gorillaz
Album: Humans
Release Date: April 28, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Ascension” (feat. Vince Staples),”Momentz” (feat. De La Soul), “Let Me Out” (feat. Mavis Staples and Pusha T), and “We Got the Power” (feat. Jenny Beth)
Thoughts: The band of animated characters is joined by an army of guest artists on this hip-hop, indie pop, electronic dance party album. It’s all over the place and delightfully strange but there’s a little something for everyone.
Rating: ***1/2
That’s April! If there’s something I should listen to in May, let me know in the comments.
What I’m Listening to Now – March 2017
It’s more than halfway through April so it’s about time I get this post up for March.
Podcasts of the Month
99% Invisible – Church, Sanctuary part 1 –
Sanctuary churches have been in the news. Here is how it works in practice.
BackStory – Taking it to the Streets –
A history of mass protests in the United States.
Best of the Left – Living in an empire of lies (Propaganda)
Stepping back from the headline news and taking a deep dive into the history of propaganda in the United States.
To the Best of Our Knowledge – Every Time You Troll Me, A Scientist Gets Her Due
Emily Temple-Wood decided the best way to get back at misogynist trolls on the internet is to write a new entry about a woman scientists on Wikipedia every time they attack.
Radiolab – Shots Fired, part 1
An investigation into police shootings of innocent or unarmed individuals and the networks of the families and friends left behind.
Fresh Air – An ‘Intimate Portrait’ Of Dorothy Day, The Catholic Activist With A Bohemian Past
An interview with Kate Hennessy, author of a new biography of her grandmother, Dorothy Day.
Song of the Month
Frank Turner adds another song to the rapidly growing Resistance Mixtape, “The Sand in the Gears.”
Albums of the Month
Artist: The Feelies
Album: In Between
Release Date: 24 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “When to Go,” “Stay the Course” and “Turn Back Time”
Rating: ***
The Feelies are a band that seems to have always been around, but this is only their 6th album in 40+ years. They managed to both influence R.E.M. and be beneficiaries of R.E.M.’s popularity in the 1980s. The jangle pop of this album is reminiscent of the 80s, not in the 80s Nostalgia Industry way but in the type of music you’d hear your older sibling’s cool best friend listening to in the car in the 80s. The songs appear laid back, but grow in lyrical and emotional intensity.
Artist: The Shins
Album: Heartworms
Release Date: 10 March 2017
Favorite Tracks: “So Now What” and “Cherry Hearts”
Rating: ***
The Shins return with their typical high harmonies and wall of sound arrangements. This album appears to do some genre hopping – ska to EDM to psychedelia – but all within The Shins’ framework. Definitely a good return to form after a long 5-year hiatus.
Artist: Peter Mulvey
Album: Are You Listening
Release Date: 25 March 2017
Favorite Tracks: “D.I.A.,” “Are You Listening,” “Just Before the War,” “The Details,” and “Oh, The Rain”
Rating: ****
Peter Mulvey is who I’d want to be as a singer-songwriter. On this new album produced by Ani DiFranco, Mulvey’s bass voice resonates and his profound lyrics are full of thought and emotion. Definitely an album you’ll want to check out.
What I’m Listening to Now – February 2017
Better late than never, here is the report of what I was listening to in February, a short month punctuated by a delightful vacation where I mostly listened to the laughter of my children.
Podcasts of the Month
Fresh Air – The History of US Intervention
A discussion of the United States involvement with the rest of the world from isolationism to the world’s police to the more sinister activities of imperialism and corporate hegemony.
Jacobin Radio – We Can Do Better
What is capitalism, what role does it play in our lives, and is it really the best we can do?
To The Best of Our Knowledge – A Borderless World
Borders and immigration are a key issue of our times. These stories illustrate how the idea of borders is becoming an outdated one.
The divide between urban and rural populations is one of the major causes of political disagreement in the US today, and one that goes back throughout the history of the United States.
This American Life – It’s Working Out Very Nicely
Stories of the confusion and struggle that arose in the wake of Trump’s executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations.
Twenty Thousand Hertz – Audio Descriptions
Movies have a track of audio description intended to help the visually impaired and this podcast describes the art of narration and how audio descriptions can benefit all viewers.
Decode DC – How cops can legally take your car, home, or cash
The chilling law of civil asset forfeiture that allows police to take property from suspects even if they’re not convicted or even charged with crimes.
Have You Heard? – You’re Fired
All about why school turnarounds – a theory of fixing low-performing schools by firing the teachers and staff that has widespread, bipartisan support – is an idea that doesn’t work, and what actually does.
Song of the Month
Chicago singer-songwriter Zeshan Bagewadi (aka Zeshan B) provides a powerful interpretation of the 1970 protest anthem “Cryin’ in the Streets” by George Perkins that ties together generations of protest for justice and equality in the United States. Learn more about the song The World interview.
Albums of the Month
Artist: Tinariwen
Album: Elwan
Release Date: 10 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Sastanàqqàm,” Ténéré Tàqqàl,” “Assàwt,” and “Nànnuflày”
Thoughts: The Northern Africa Desert Blues band from Mali’s most recent release includes guest appearances by indie artists like Kurt Vile, but the band itself is the stand out performer of this collection of melodic, resonant, and politically-charged tunes.
Rating: ***1/2
Artist: Clap! Clap!
Album: A Thousand Skies
Release Date: 17 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Ar-Raqis” and “Elephant Seranade”
Thoughts: Clap! Clap! is a project of Italian producer Cristiano Crisci, who creates instrumental dance tracks relying heavily on indigenous percussion. An earlier Clap! Clap! recording, Tayi Bebba, made my 2014 favorite albums list. While not as strong as its predecessor, A Thousand Skies is equally enjoyable as festive ambient music for a party or for getting through a gray day at work
Rating: ***1/2
Artist: Visible Cloaks
Album: Reassemblage
Release Date: 17 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Bloodstream”, “Place,” “Valve (Revisited)”
Thoughts: Somewhere between Phillip Glass, a church organist, and a lullaby lies this lovely collection of ambient tunes.
Rating: ***
Artist: Molly Burch
Album: Please Be Mine
Release Date: 17 February 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Fool”
Thoughts: A collection of retro, country-tinged tracks sung sweetly by a barroom singer. It’s pretty and well-produced, and while there’s nothing wrong with Burch’s album it’s nothing we haven’t heard before from Patsy Cline and singers produced by Phil Spector among others, so it’s just a tad bit dull.
Rating: **
What I’m Listening To Now – January 2017
This is an experiment. Instead of constantly filling this blog with Podcast of the Week, Song of the Week, and Album of the Month posts, I’ve decided to try to collect all the things I listen to over the course of a month in post. Hopefully, allowing myself the time will also allow me to create something more worth reading.
Let me know what you think, and what you’re listening to, in the comments.
Podcasts of the Month
Maeve in America: The Annie Episode: Annie Moore Room?
This ongoing podcast about the experiences of individual immigrants in America relates the tale of the young Irish woman who was the first person to be processed through Ellis Island.
The Nation – Start Making Sense: We Can’t Just Protest Trump, We Must Defy Him
I recently started listening to this podcast from The Nation and it offers some great strategies for what we must do in the Trump era.
One of the scariest things in the world today is the lack of access to fresh, clean water, which is of course vital to life. The war in Yemen is possibly the first war ever fought over water.
Fresh Air: The Systemic Segregation of Schools
Nikole Hannah-Jones is a journalist who tracks how generations after Brown v. Board of Education, public schools are still largely segregated by race, and inequitable, and the choices of even the most liberal people of privilege maintain the system.
All Songs Considered: The Power of Politics, Music, and More
New songs, especially the first four songs in this podcast, tie in with the political issues of our day. The a cappella performance of MILCK’S “Quiet” from the Women’s March on Washington is below.
Decode DC: Hey Tea Party, Meet Your Lefty Cousins
The American Left will need to use the tactics and strategy of the Tea Party to make any headway in the Trump years. The Indivisible guide explains how.
Albums of the Month
Artist: Bonobo
Album: Migration
Release Date: January 13, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Migration” and “Outlier”
Thoughts: Electronic drumbeats and resonant bass notes are coupled with world music melodies on this album that is largely instrumental music. This is not going to get you on the dance floor, but is more music for relaxation and meditation. With the exception of a couple of bland tracks with vocals, this is highly listenable if not too original downtempo electronica.
Rating: ***
Artist: Flaming Lips
Album: Oczy Mlody
Release Date: January 13, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “How??,” “One Night While Hunting for Faeries and Witches and Wizards to Kill”,” and “We a Family”
Thoughts: The Flaming Lips have a penchant for being weird, but an album about unicorns and faeries and demons all experienced through a psychedelic drug is really weird. A concept album with a healthy dose of profanity makes this reminiscent of Funkadelic, although this is more dreamy and fuzzed-out than funky. The music is downtempo but also has a sunniness that puts it at odds with the band’s last album The Terror. Also, Miley Cyrus is guest vocalist on one track. Weird.
Rating: ***
Artist: Run the Jewels
Album: Run the Jewels 3
Release Date: January 13, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Talk to Me,” “Call Ticketron,” “Don’t Get Captured,” “Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost)” (featuring Tunde Adebimpe), and “Oh Mama”
Thoughts: I shouldn’t be allowed to review hip-hop albums since I’ve not paid much attention to the genre the past 25 years, but I’ve liked what I heard from Run the Jewels and their latest doesn’t disappoint. In a way, it’s not too dissimilar to the hip-hop I liked in the late 80s/early 90s – sonically dense, musically creative, and lyric that are conscious and in your face but not preachy.
Rating: ****
Artist: The xx
Album: I See You
Release Date: January 13, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Dangerous” and “I Dare You”
Thoughts: I was looking forward to this album since band member Jamie xx’s album In Colour was on of my favorites of 2015. Unfortunately, I find myself disappointed with the full band’s effort. The songs have more of a contemporary r&b sound, and while there’s nothing wrong with downtempo music, a lot of these tracks sound lethargic. It’s not a bad album, but it’s not memorable either.
Rating: **
Artist: Austra
Album: Future Politics
Release Date: January 20, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “Future Politics,” “Utopia,” and “43”
Thoughts: Wow, this is powerful album, musically and politically, from the Canadian band. Once again, I’m reminded of the 1980s with the synthpop sound and the bold vocals of Katie Stelmanis put me in mind of Alison Moyet and Yaz. It’s worth the time to immerse oneself in this album.
Rating: ****
Artist: Priests
Album: Nothing Feels Natural
Release Date: January 27, 2017
Favorite Tracks: “No Big Bang,” “Pink White House,” and “Suck”
Thoughts: Loud, angry music from the D.C. punk band. ,Like with Run the Jewels I’m transported back to the 1980s, yet the music is fresh and current. This is music that captures the anxiety of the contemporary zeitgeist.
Rating: ***
2016 Year in Review: Favorite Songs
Once again, it’s time to look back on the music of 2016 with my favorite songs of the year.
I’ve featured many of this songs in my Song of the Week posts this year. If you see a link from a song title it will take you back to the Song of the Week post for that song, or other time I wrote about that band.
For previous year-end lists of previous years check out my lists for 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
In alphabetical order, here are my ten favorite songs of the year:
“Atomic Number” by case/lang/veirs
“Brother, What Happened” by Muddy Magnolias
“Big Bad Good” by My Bubba
“Freedom” by Beyoncé
“Mighty (feat. JFTH)” by Caravan Palace
“Quiet” by Erik Blood
“To Have You Back” by Tourist
“Wave of History” by Downtown Boys
“Your Best American Girl” by Mitski
“You Want it Darker” by Leonard Cohen
And here are five honorable mentions:
“Augustine” by Blood Orange
“Frankie Sinatra” by The Avalanches
“Stranger Things” by Kyle Dixon, Michael Stein
“This Girl” by Kungs vs. Cookin’ on 3 Burners
“Yeah, I’m Okay With My Shit Life” by Bethlehem Steel
What were your favorite songs of 2016?
Song of the Week: “Inter-Dubio” by Eter Dub
Eter Dub is a dub reggae project lead by DJ and producer Federico Balza of Mendoza, Argentina.
Song of the Week: “Brother, What Happened?” by Muddy Magnolias
The Nashville blues/country/folk/rock duo Muddy Magnolias ask the important question “Brother, What Happened?”
Song of the Week: “A Simple Love” by Moby & The Void Pacific Choir
Moby is back with a band called The Void Pacific Choir and a new album called These Systems are Failing. “A Simple Love” is a great track off the album.
Song of the Week: “Pink White House” by Priests
The new release from D.C. punk band Priests is dark and cynical and features a casually violent video. It seems all too fitting for our times.
Song of the Week: “Life on Mars?” by Sophia Anne Caruso
Just when you thought there was already enough David Bowie content on this blog, today’s Song of the Week comes from the recently released cast recording of the David Bowie musical, Lazarus. Sophia Anne Caruso’s interpretation of “Life on Mars?” is the perfect Bowie and the musical theater. I can’t stop listening to it.
Take a gander and see if you think the same.
Music Discoveries: David Bowie, 1988-2016
The 1980s saw a low point in David Bowie’s creative output. He was not alone, as many of the great artists of the sixties and seventies released a lot of dreck in the 1980s. Many of them never recovered, while others regained relevancy only as nostalgia acts, touring on their old hits and/or recording new songs that sound a whole lot like their old songs. Always one to be different, in 1990 Bowie staged his Sound & Vision Tour where he symbolically “retired” much of his back catalog of hit songs (although some of the songs returned for later tours). Incidentally, my sister had a cassette of the Changesbowie greatest hits compilation from the same year, which was my first exposure to most of Bowie’s hit songs.
Around the same time, Bowie formed a new band Tin Machine with Reeves Gabrels, Tony Sales, and Hunt Sales (my favorite tidbit is that the latter two are sons of children’s tv host Soupy Sales). Bowie made an effort to make sure that he was part of a democratic band encouraging interviewers to talk with the other band members and not just him. The hard rock sound was reminiscent of blues rock from the sixties and seventies (including Bowie’s work on The Man Who Sold the World) as well as contemporary alternative rock music that would soon become known as grunge. Rejuvenated by his experience with Tin Machine, Bowie had a creative revival and over the course of 25 years experimented with electronic music (both house and drum & bass), theatrical concept albums, video game soundtracks, jazz, and art rock, and set a standard for a rock star to age gracefully without compromise.
While Bowie will be most remembered for his work from around 1969 to 1981, I think his 1990s and 2000s work is also worth revisiting.
Album: Tin Machine
Release Date: 22 May 1989
Favorite Tracks: “Heaven’s in Here,” “Tin Machine,” “Crack City,” and “Bus Stop”
Thoughts: I kind of wish I’d given this album a try when it first came out as it would’ve slotted in well with other bands I was listening to at the time such as Living Colour and The Smithereens, as well as blues rock from the 60s and 70s. Better late than never. While the music here can be bland at times, it holds up much better than Bowie’s mid-80s work.
Rating: ***
Album: Tin Machine II
Release Date: 2 September 1991
Favorite Tracks: “You Belong in Rock n’ Roll,” “Stateside,” “Shopping for Girls,” and “Goodbye Mr. Ed”
Thoughts: Still blues rock with a hard edge (especially “Stateside”) but a sound that fits in with the alternative rock of the era. I think the first Tin Machine II album was more consistent, but my favorite tracks stand out more on this album.
Rating: ***
Album: Black Tie White Noise
Release Date: 5 April 1993
Favorite Tracks: “You’ve Been Around,” “Jump They Say,” “Pallas Athena,” and “Miracle Goodnight”
Thoughts: There’s a lot going on this album. Bowie is celebrating his wedding to Iman. He is reunited with producer Nile Rodgers and guitarist Mick Ronson. And he’s exploring blending house music with sax-heavy soul music. Some tracks have a cheezy synth-sound, but overall this may be the most danceable David Bowie album. This is another one I wish I checked out at the time it was released because I probably would’ve liked it.
Rating: ***
Album: 1. Outside
Release Date: 25 September 1995[
Favorite Tracks: “A Small Plot of Land,” “Hallo Spaceboy,” “I Have Not Been to Oxford Town,” “No Control”
Thoughts: Bowie once again dips into a well of previous successes, reuniting with producer Brian Eno and creating a concept album on dystopian themes not unlike Diamond Dogs. The result is a theatrical collection of industrial tracks. The album is lengthy and dark in tone, so I can’t imagine wanting to put it on often, but that does not detract from the artistry of it.
Rating: ***
Album: EART HL I NG
Release Date: 3 February 1997
Favorite Tracks: “Little Wonder,” “Battle for Britain (The Letter),” “Telling Lies,” and “I’m Afraid of Americans”
Thoughts: David Bowie continues to experiment with contemporary music styles, this time blending drum and bass with his brand of rock and roll. “I’m Afraid of Americans” is the only 1990s song I believe I’ve heard before, and it’s not even the best one on the album.
Rating: ***1/2
Album: ‘hours…’
Release Date: 21 September 1999
Favorite Tracks: The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell
Thoughts: With Bowie, expect the unexpected. What’s unexpected here is that this album originated with the music for a computer game soundtrack. What’s unfortunate is that much of it is mellow, “easy listening” material which is a bit too reminiscent of his 1980s nadir (but with better production). “The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell” is the standout track, but I think it would’ve been just run-of-the-mill on previous 1990s albums.
Rating:*1/2
Album: Heathen
Release Date: 11 June 2002
Favorite Tracks: “Slip Away” and “Heathen (The Rays)”
Thoughts: This album kind of strikes me as what if the guy who recorded Let’s Dance grew older and decided to record a more serious album. There’s nothing wrong with the that, it’s just odd considering all the other incarnations of Bowie in-between. The instrumentation on the album is lush, but musically it still has too much of an easy-listening vibe.
Rating: **
Album: Reality
Release Date: 16 September 2003
Favorite Tracks: “New Killer Star,” “Pablo Picasso,” “Try Some, Buy Some,” and “Reality”
Thoughts: This is a partner album for Heathens, although with more of a post-punk vibe, a harder rock & roll edge, and more consistency from song to song. Bowie gets abstractly political and throws in a couple of covers.
Rating: **1/2
Album: The Next Day
Release Date: 8 March 2013
Favorite Tracks: “Where Are We Now?” and “You Feel So Lonely You Could Die”
Thoughts: After a ten-year absence from releasing studio recordings, Bowie surprised fans with a new album. The Next Day is a straight-forward rocker of an album that both builds on Bowie’s past and show’s his continued interest in innovation. This another album where I haven’t singled out many favorite tracks but I do like the overall tone and flow of the complete album.
Rating: ***
Album: Blackstar
Release Date: 8 January 2016
Favorite Tracks: “Blackstar,” “Lazarus,” “Girl Loves Me,” and “I Can’t Give Everything Away”
Thoughts: For the first and only time, I listened to a David Bowie recording at the time it was released. I remember being blown away by the title song when it came out in November 2015, and impressed that Bowie was doing such innovative work so late in his career. And then Bowie died just two days after the album was released in January. It’s clear that Bowie’s mortality informed the lyrics and that this album was a farewell. But Bowie also left on a creative peak, incorporating experimental jazz and electronic music in his own inimitable way.
Rating: *****
Five unexpected things that I learned about Bowie through listening to all of his studio albums:
- That he likes to do lots of cover songs. I’d always thought he was the type of artist who only recorded his own songs.
- That he’s a major collaborator. I knew about Bowie’s work with Queen and Bing Crosby, but all through his career he worked with an enormous number of talented artists.
- That he likes to rework, re-record, and reissue songs, often over long periods of time.
- That most of his 80s work is so unlistenable, but that so much of his work from 1989 onward that I never heard before is rather remarkable.
- That listening to all the studio albums just scratches the surface of the work Bowie produced since he has so many non-album recordings, soundtracks, remixes, live recordings, and collaborations with other artists, not to mention his work in music videos and films.
On that last note, I could extend this Bowie discovery series indefinitely. But, for now I will call this an end, and when Music Discoveries returns I will be revisiting the music of The Replacements.
Song of the Week: “Bounce” by Lauren Sarah Hayes
This week’s track is “Bounce” and improved electronic piece by Edinburgh’s Lauren Sarah Hayes.
Song of the Week: “Your Best American Girl” by Mitski
The song “Your Best American Girl” by Mitski has been out for several months, but I only became acquainted with it a few weeks ago, and then I heard it broken down in this excellent episode of the Song Exploder.
Song of the Week: “Ya” by Factory Floor
“Ya” by Factory Floor is reminiscent of “Oh Yeah” by Yello, perhaps even less lyrically challenging, but I can still envision it played over an action montage in an 80s comedy. It’s Labor Day Weekend after all, and the workers of the world don’t want to think too hard, but they do want to dance.
Song of the Week: “Big Bad Good” by My Bubba
This week’s song of the week, “Big Bad Good,” features the alluring harmonies of the Scandanavian folk duo My Bubba.
Song of the Week: “O B 1” by Jagwar Ma
“O B 1” by Jagwar Ma is reminiscent of the industrial dance music inflected alternative rock of the early 1990s, a style of music that seems to be overlooked in 90s music retrospectives, but one I dug. The Australian band will release their full album Every Now & Then in October.
More at KEXP Song of the Day.
Song of the Week: “Fear and Beer (Hymn for Brexit)” by The Mekons
The legendary post-punk band The Mekons have composed what may be the first protest song of Brexit. Appropriate for a boozy sing-a-long at a pub, it is also a call to action
