So much to listen to! New music from The Warning, The Airport 77s, Stress Dolls, Davey Lane, Water From Your Eyes, TOPS, Amy Milan, David Coyd, David Gilmour, Blackberry Smoke, sombr, DarWin, The Goo Goo Dolls, Superchunk, Scary Goldings and much more! Enjoy!
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How I went this long without discovering The Airport 77s is
beyond me. They're a great band and their album "Don't Let Go" is a
master class in rock/pop gems. They're well worth your time. They're based out
of Washington D.C. and deserve your attention.
The Warning have released a live album and movie from a
concert in Mexico City, and I say that the music fuckin' rocks! They are an
impressive hard rock trio and sing most of their lyrics in English, but it's
obvious just upon hearing it that their fanbase in their home country is
strong. The album is one of the better live albums out there (and I say this
not being a fan of live albums) and I hope to see the accompanying film soon.
Water From Your Eyes is an eclectic band and won't be
everyone's taste, but they remind me of some of the more experimental power pop
bands of the 1980's and 1990's. They refer to the new album as being about
"time, dinosaurs and space". Think Blade Runner meets WALL-E. The
songs I added to the playlist this week are among the more mainstream, but if
you're into giving the odd a try, I do recommend them.
Sofi Tukker earlier this year released an album called
"Bread". This past week she released "butter", which is a
re-working of the original album but in very different styles, with a special emphasis
on Bossa-Nova. If you liked the first album you should really check out the
second - it's a worthwhile look at the mindset of an artist.
It appears that we have a new Cheap Trick album coming,
their first since being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Alas, Bun
E. Carlos isn't back and probably won't be at this point, but the early buzz is
that the new album ranks up with their best work, and the first single
certainly doesn't disappoint.
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Dear Democratic Party:
I know it's in your DNA to be polite and fight within the
rules, but Newsome's attacks and over-the-top sarcasm is working. But Newsome
has flaws and for the life of me I don't see him as Presidential Material - and
I've voted for the guy more than once.
Are you actually afraid to call someone a liar? They lie and
lie constantly, and lie about just about everything. They lie constantly and
the closest anyone ever get is to say that "the facts just don't back that
up.": I've heard that phrase a lot.
You need to hit back. Hard. Call out every fucking lie as a
LIE. Not Fake News, not a mis-statement, not a distraction, but a LIE.
Because every single one of them is a fucking liar, and they
need to be called out to their faces by the Party, by the Media, and everyone
with a modicum of common sense. They will continue to lie and double-down and
triple-down because they cannot accept the idea that they're wrong.
In their minds they are NEVER wrong, and until it's proven
we're all fucked. They use their lies over and over and over again until people
start to believe them.
You can do the exact same thing by calling them liars. It
will take time and effort, but it does work. It's what they've done to us.
And I get that you don't want to drop down to their level.
But this isn't doing that. This is calling out liars and the lying liars who
lie them.
New music this week from Sarah McLachlan, Robert Plant, Coach Party, Juicy J & Endea Owens, Luna Li, NewDad, VOLA, Social Order, State Cows, .38 Special & Train, Kula Shaker and much more! Enjoy!
Talking about music I have to start with the collaboration between Hip-Hop artist Juicy J and Upright Bassist Endea Owens. Their new album "Caught Up In This Illusion" is such a breath of fresh air that I recommend it to anyone, especially people who aren't fans of hip-hop. The addition of Endea Owens makes all the difference in the world.
Juicy J is a founding member of Three 6 Mafia, who won an Academy Award for their song "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" from the movie "Hustle and Flow". Endea Owens is best known as the bassist for the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and she's a monster on the upright bass. Check out this performance of "Lunchtime" with Cory Wong during a commercial break. The two of them have put together an album that's sublime, a bit jazzy, and full of surprises.
The new album from Molly Tuttle, "So Long Little Miss Sunshine" is an album worth your time. I've been adding singles from this album for a few weeks now, and they're all centered around the song "That's Gonna Leave a Mark", which I've added this week. Well worth your time.
Gino Amato has released what is now his second album of covers, all remade as Latin influenced music. The version of Peul Simon's "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" is a real winner, but I couldn't resist his version of the classic "Windmills of Your Mind", which you must admit already lends itself to a Latin feel.
I have to admit that I come to Luna Li a bit late to the party. Her 2024 album "When a Thought Grows Wings" has been reimagined and the results are quite good.
I think it's well established that I'm not a fan of country music, but I couldn't resist the semi-comedic stylings of Jonny Fritz, which I was introduced to thanks to Justin Hawkins (rides again.... againnnnnnnnnnnn).
I can't honestly say that I've been a fan of Cass McCombs, but I do like his new album and added a track from it. And did anyone have .38 Special and Train doing a song together?
And finally, I so cannot wait until the new Robert Plant album comes out late September.
No politics this week. Even I get sick of it. But because I love you, what the hell. Here's that performance I referenced earlier:
New music , the supergroup BEAT, swim school, Beach Bunny, Sunset Rollercoaster, Jeff Tweedy, We Are Scientists, Field Medic, Big Freedia, Teenage Dads, Red Rum Club and much more. Enjoy!
Lots of diverse and fun stuff here. First of all, there is BEAT - a supergroup made up of Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel's Band, King Crimson and much more), Adrian Belew (King Crimson), Danny Carey (Tool) and Guitarist Steve Vai. They all really get to stretch here, and I can't wait for the full album.
I'm With Her's full album came out a couple of weeks ago, but they've done the old-fashioned thing and released another single after the album. Remember when that's how every release worked? Ah, well. They're coming to my adopted hometown to play at a festival shortly, and I plan to go see them.
Home Free has been teasing their "Sea Shanty" album for a bit now, but they're also including more modern songs, like this amazing cover of Billy Joel's "Downeaster Alexis". I know for a fact that there will be a cover of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" as well.
Sunset Rollercoaster is a band from Taiwan (they sing in English) with a new album called Quit Quietly that is an alt-pop marvel, and well worth your time.
I'm not one for Gospel music for the most part, but Big Freedia's new album "Pressing Onward" is a direct swerve towards the format from an LGBTQAI+ viewpoint, and it's a revelation. I dare you to get through these tunes without tapping them toes and snapping them fingerbones.
The new album from The Black Keys is also more fun than I had expected. They're branching out from their usual sound and in many cases that works. There's one track that's actually piano based - which is crazy for a band made up of a guitarist and a drummer.
There are a lot of artists worth your time this week, so please check them out.
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Something terrible is coming.
Washington DC is now effectively under Martial Law. We're not heading towards fascism, we're already there. Do you honestly think that the mugging of one white kid is worth this type of reaction is a city where the crime rate has been going down, no matter how many lies say otherwise?
Do you honestly think that they'll stop at Washington DC? Chicago, are you next?
The official website of the Congress of the U.S. has been deleting portions of the Constitution from its website. Article 1, Sections 7 through 10, are now gone.
You really have to ask yourself why. A democracy loving country wouldn't do this. A free-speech loving country wouldn't do this. But fascists would.
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Here is what the Republican-controlled Congress has deleted from the on-line version:
Section 7: Legislative Process
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills. Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section 8: Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States; To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States; To establish Post Offices and post Roads; To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court; To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations; To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces; To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards and other needful Buildings;-And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 9: Powers Denied Congress
The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken. No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State. No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Section 10: Powers Denied to the States
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress. No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
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And because I love you, here is BEAT, performing the same song as on this week's playlist live:
Quite a bit of live music this week from artists such as David Gilmour, Snarky Puppy, Scorpions, and Peter Gabriel, plus new music from home town heroes Slow Coast, Kate Pierson, Buddy Guy, Umphrey's Mcgee, Slow Reader's Club, Radio Free Alice, Wisp, Renee Rapp, Laura Groves, Prizm and more. Enjoy!
So David Gilmour will be releasing a new live album in the fall and of course he teases it with a 10+ minute opus. Meanwhile Scorpions are celebrating 60 years as an active band with a new live album, while Peter Garbriel will be releasing a new live album full of music he doesn't perform anymore.
Buddy Guy is 89 years old and still working as hard as he ever did. The new album is full of bluesy gems and well worth your time.
I hope to someday soon see a full album from Slow Coast. They've only released a few singles so far and I've liked all of them. Their band photo on Spotify was taken 2 blocks from my house, which always makes me smile.
You'll notice a ton of Umphry's McGee near the end of this week's playlist. That's because while it's broken into five pieces with separate titles it's actually only one song, called "Out of Focus" For those of you who listen to my radio station I've re-edited them all together. There might be micro-second pauses between songs if you play them from here. It looks like their new album, out in the fall, will be full of stuff like this. You can listen to the Radio Station through this link, and the playlist above will be on repeat all day Wednesday.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, Bryan Adams also released a live album, full of songs I'd never heard before. along with two more full of songs I do know . I don't know his full discography though, so I could have missed a few albums along the way.
Finally, Snarky Puppy re-released their fantastic album "We Like It Here" completely re-mixed and with alternate takes. I've added the song "Lingus" to the playlist because of that jaw-dropping keyboard solo. You have an internet, go look it up. There are people in the band looking on in shock.
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I think the United States has lost the right to call itself the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave". We have secret police sweeping people off the streets. Religious freedom in the office space is gone, if you work for the government. The President of the United States is extorting Universities, Companies, News Organizations and more for more glorious coverage. The openness and diversity of our culture is under constant bombardment, and so far everyone to come under scrutiny has given in. Our transition to a Police State is already more than half way complete, and we haven't lifted a finger to stop it.
That isn't brave.
That isn't free.
The economy is in the toilet and is about to get much worse, and because the bipartisan office that shows how many jobs get added to the economy each week the child in charge fired the person in charge of putting the figures together. Wonder what he's going to do when he discovers that it's a whole team that puts those numbers together. I hope everyone over there has brushed off their resumes.
Tech seems to be growing - faster than power can keep up with it.
We were once the country everyone looked to as an example of what could be done. But now dozens of countries have better health care, dozens of countries have better individual freedoms of speech and assembly, and as we withdraw back into our own borders all of the assistance we have given for the decades - and I think most Americans have no fucking clue just how much that is - much of the world we used to help is falling into chaos.
But half the country isn't paying any attention to any of that. They're quite comfortable in believing and living the lies they've been spun. And the other half isn't really doing all that much to dissuade them, beyond looking on in sheer disbelief.
To my fellow American, if you've ever asked yourself what you'd do if Nazis tried to take over the U.S. what are you doing right now? Reading a fucking blog?!!?!?
G.W. Bush was gifted at the big lie - that what he said was true, that it had to be true, and if you say it often enough it actually is true. Think Weapons of Mass Destruction - which never existed, and so on. But he was careful about it and focused only on a few specific items. This administration lies about Everything.
It's not just the President, but everyone under him. They all lie, about different things, and they feel that like Bush II is they say it often enough it must be true.
Thing is, in the long haul it didn't work for Junior - just for long enough to get through the current crisis. He didn't actually live in this altered reality, and he left politics after his terms so we don't give it a lot of thought anymore. These current assholes are convinced that their lies are where we live, and no evidence to the contrary will be accepted as the truth.
Something every living ex-president, and most of the ones who came before, has in common is that they don't seem the limelight. The new/old guy can't seem to live without it. He thinks of his Presidency in terms of ratings, and as long as he's in the spotlight he doesn't give a damn.
He says the economy is great - he's wrong. He says we have deals with most countries - we don't. He claims we're respected overseas - we aren't. He says the residents of Greenland want to be US Citizens - they don't. He says that a man is a gang leader - when he isn't even a member. He says he's getting great reviews for paving over the White House Rose Garden - and that isn't true, save for all the people who also live in this fake world.
This is quite frustrating to all of us who live in the real world. Nothing will fix this. He isn't going to change. The people around him aren't going to change. They're going to keep on doing this until they are stopped, either by their world collapsing around them, by the ballot box, or the bravery of the American people.
The first option could happen, but probably not before the country is so damaged that it will take decades to recover. The second option could work, but that day is a ways off at the moment, and if they haven't rigged the game before that next election comes. So that leaves option 3.
So what are you doing? Are you free to do it? Are you brave enough to do it? Or are you, like me, living in a world where if we tried it would cause harm not only to ourselves, but to our friends and families as well. I myself support 4 people and 2 cats, and I'm always going to think about them first. I imagine that most of you are in the same boat. For most Americans, it isn't fiscally possible to be that brave. We have become slaves to the wage, because we have had no other choice. That's a whole discussion to be had at another time.
Some "Land of the Free" this turned out to be.
No one has "I had the moral high ground" written on their tombstone.
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No AI was used in the creation of this Blog post.
I am aware that the current DoJ has opened an investigation into Jack Smith. Trust me, while they're going to talk about it over and over and over again they will not bring it to court unless they are massively stupid, which we can't rule out. Taking him to court means he would get to present the evidence he collected in his own defense, and they sure as fuck don't want him to do that.
And because I love you, here's a track I left off the playlist but you should really hear:
