Faves of 2024 Vol. 2

 

Ain't gonna lie... I was just about to get on the ol' soapbox to once again bemoan the current state of music (and you know shit's gone real wrong when the word "bemoan" gets trotted out) - but eff me if things didn't get hopeful once we turned the corner on summer. Suddenly there was a growing multitude of worthy releases to cram onto this mix, many of which I could envision making the Best Of The Year list. And, of course, there's still more coming, including anticipated albums by the Fleshtones, the Linda Lindas, Japandroids, Kim Deal, and Amyl & the Sniffers. So I guess  my bemoaning will just have to bewait, because this Fall seems like it's gonna be rockin'.

 

When You Know You Know, Ya Know

 

1. Friends of Cesar R0mero More Like Norman Fucking Mailer

2. The Be11Rays Down On My Knees

3. Dangereens Friday Night

4. Good L00ks Can You See Me Tonight

5. Benny Tr0ken Nowhere to be Found

6. Mo1ecular Steve Heavens to Betsy

7. The Shivas Closer To Me

8. Hinds On My Own

9. The C0urettes Stop! Doing That

10. Th' L0sin Streaks Well I Never

11. Juni0r Varsity Back to Reno

12. JD McPhers0n Sunshine Getaway

13. Beans & Fatback Black and Blue

14. Colman G0ta Always Late

15. Swami & the Bed of Nai1s Teen Hate

16. Bad M0ves Hallelujah

17. 0ceanator First Time

18. Laughing Sour Note

19. Tamar Berk Good Impression

20. The Dictat0rs Let's Get The Band Back Together

21. The Privates Don't Take It Out On Me

22. Jessica B0udreaux Doctor

23. Dune Rats Beers, Bongs & Bullshit

24. Pat T0dd & the Rank0utsiders That Little Bit of Nothing

Covers Project Vol. 22

Don't need to say too much about this collection, except that the existence of these covers proves that some bands I'm a fan of are fans of bands I'm also a fan of. And that may be the most convoluted sentence I've ever written - but scroot, I'm leaving it intact.

Spoiler alert: this ain't no disco. Also not wholly 70s in origin.

Well, My Friends Are Gone And My Hair Is Grey

1. The Handcuffs All The Way From Memphis (Mott the Hoople)

2. The Midnite Ca11ers Come Dancing (the Kinks) 

3. De1ta Riggs Talking In Your Sleep (Romantics)

4. Extra Arms Gates of Steel (Devo)

5. Linda Gai1 Lewis The Way I Walk (Jack Scott via the Cramps)

6. Ted Le0 + the Pharmacists Suspect Device (Stiff Little Fingers)

7. Die T0ten Hosen (I'm) Stranded (the Saints)

8. Bi11ie Joe Armstrong Gimme Some Truth (John Lennon)

9. Mary L0u Lord Baby Blue (Badfinger)

10. Ginger Wi1dheart Substitute (the Who)

11. The Dr0wns Ballroom Blitz (the Sweet)

12. The Checkered Hearts Precious To Me (Phil Seymour)

13. Miss Chain & the Br0ken Heels Be With Me (the Yum Yums)

14. Cuff the Duke Instant Karma (John Lennon)

15. Pixies Crystal Closet Queen (Leon Russel)

16. Ju1iana Hatfield Telephone Line (ELO)

17. Jay A11en & the Arch Criminals It's Not Unusual (Tom Jones)

18. The Methad0nes Goodbye to You (Scandal)

19. Litt1e Richard Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones)

20. J0an Jett Androgynous (Replacements)

21. B1ack Crowes You Wear It Well (Rod Stewart)

22. Eye1ids Eye of Fatima Pt.I (Camper Van Beethoven)

23. The Dah1manns Teenage News (Sylvain Sylvain)

24. Pat T0dd Tower of Song (Leonard Cohen)

 

Summer 2024

Trying out a different file sharing service, so let me know if there's any issues. Otherwise, this is a fairly typical UHM summer mix, focusing on songs that just sorta sound like summer to me. It's an admittedly inexact science - but, after going through weeks of stringent testing, I can assure you this mix absolutely aids in the successful lifting of cocktails. 

Have a great summer, evvabuddy.

Take Me To Urgent Care Or The Record Store

1. S0ccer Mommy Soak Up The Sun

2. Puffy 恋のライン愛のシェイプ

3. Band of the Underhand Perfect World

4. Locks1ey Down For Too Long
5. Sheer Mag Golden Hour

6. Redd Cr0ss Way Too Happy

7. The Trafa1gers Sunnyside Drive

8. Kevin B0we & the 0kemah Prophets California Sober

9. Green Day Corvette Summer

10. J0hn Muq Shake Shake

11. Luci0us Jackson Summer Daze

12. J0rdan James Love Song

13. P0ny Cry

14. Aut0gramm Love is for Fools

15. The Marias Real Life

16. Buffa1o Tom In the Summertime

17. The Stan1eys Summer

18. Marc Va1entine Strange Weather

19. Hana Voo Hammer

20. Sp00n Silver Girl

21. The L0stines A Tear

22. Pacifica Fantasies

Faves of 2024 Vol. 1

Last spring my wife and I took a trip to Las Vegas. It was my first time there. Got nothing against it or anything, but being neither a gambler nor golfer I've never really felt the necessity to visit. For that trip, though, my wife found us the Punk Rock Museum (she's pretty awesome that way)(and in most other ways). Now, I'll admit I was dubious. I mean, what kind of glitzy, sanitized silicone version of punk rock would a place like Vegas present? But my suspicions were erased immediately. Our tour guide was Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks, Bad Religion), which was some good OG cred and he was a really cool guy as well. And then we stepped into the first chamber, which was a shrine to the New York punk pioneers (Velvets, Dolls, Suicide, that whole Mercer Arts scene). They even had Johnny Thunders' red leather jacket - the one he was wearing outside of Gem Spa on the back cover of the Dolls debut album. It just got better from there, moving across the US, UK, and Canada (only major omission was Art Bergmann, which is almost unforgivable, given his "Bound For Vegas" should be their theme song). I don't promote much other than songs I like on this site, but I heartily recommend a visit if you're ever in the area. Punk rock people are the best.   

You Can Be Free If You Want To

1. Amp1ifier Heads w/ Barrence Whitfie1d They Came To Rock

2. Danie1 Romano You Can Steal My Kiss

3. Jeen Just Shadows

4. Band of the Underhand Hold On Wait a Minute

5. The Libertines Mustangs

6. Stephie James Party Doll

7. Marc Va1entine Eve of Distraction

8. The Bacarrudas You Can Have My Love If You Want It, Okay?

9. The Baby Sea1s My Labia's Lopsided But I Don't Mind

10. Jesus & Mary Chain Girl 71

11. Coach Party Hi Baby

12. Sheer Mag Eat It & Beat It

13. Extra Arms Everything Disappears

14. The Peewees The Wolf

15. Emperor Penguin I Wouldn't Put It Like That

16. Shannon & the C1ams Oh So Close Yet So Far

17. Mad 0nes Last Summer

18. Maddam Nick

19. The Prize First Sight

20. Wi1der Lee Riot

21. Jordan J0nes Can I Stay

22. The Ref1ectors Time Is All I Have

23. Aeria1 Cadence

24. The Yum Yums Baby Doll

25. The Lem0n Twigs Rock On (Over and Over)

ReGeneration

Another theme mix that's totally self-explanatory. I'd love to see some alternate suggestions in the comment section, because I'm low-key haunted by the thought that there's an obvious oversight (case in point: I just remembered Alice Cooper's "Generation Landslide" as I typed that sentence). Any help and/or ridicule will be appreciated.

 

 

There Ain't No Future And There Ain't No Past

1. The Wh0 My Generation

2. Generati0n X Your Generation

3. Richard He11 & the Voidoids Blank Generation 

4. Dead B0ys 3rd Generation Nation

5. Human T0ys Generation Shit 

6. E1ectric Angels Def Generation

7. Gir1 Friday Generation Sick

8. Cracker I Hate My Generation

9. S1oan I Hate My Generation

10. Marcy P1ayground Our Generation

11. N0FX Generation Z

12. F1DLAR Why Generation

13. Forgotten Rebe1s The Me Generation

14. Steve C0nte My DeGeneration

15. Biters Hallucination Generation

16. Diam0nd Dogs Generation Upstart

17. New York Vau1ts Mindless Generation

18. The Professiona1s New Generation

19. The Methad0nes Say Goodbye to Your Generation

20. Green 0n Red Brave Generation

21. Beat Farmers Beat Generation

22. Kursaa1 F1yers Television Generation 

23. New T0wn Anima1s Forgotten Generation

24. Danie1 Romano Generation End

Orphans 2023

One of the joys of searching into the very recent past to unearth music I somehow missed is the discovery that many old friendlies are still kicking around. On this mix there's entries from classic 80s bands the Church, the Primitives, and the Long Ryders and even one from Gruppo Sportivo (whose "Mistakes" album was part of the 70s new wave gold rush). Elsewhere there were solid releases from Joan Jett, Ian Hunter and Graham Parker - and let's not forget Art Bergmann and the Hangmen, who were both part of the UHM Best of 2023 mix. I don't know if this qualifies as basic nostalgia (though note that all feature new music instead of the rehashing of old hits) or time travel, but either way I'm here for it. And you just know there are others still out there hiding in the weeds.

We'll Meet Again When The Road Comes Back Around

1. Andrew Weiss & Friends Hello Loneliness

2. Storm Frank1in Y.O.U.R.A.S.T.A.R.

3. The 0n and 0ns Let Ya Hair Down!

4. The Decibe1s Looking Back

5. Bar Ita1ia Changer

6. Geese Killing My Borrowed Time

7. The G0a Express Talking About Stuff

8. The R0yston C1ub I'm a Liar

9. P0ppy Robbie Heartbreak Scenario

10. Nite S0bs Hard Disagree

11. The Sin0 Hearts Topsy Turvy

12. Rick Ragany How Much Of Me Is You

13. High Schoo1 Crying Over You

14. Sirius Vo1tage For Your Dreams

15. The Sma11 Square Tilt

16. The L0ng Ryders Seasons Change

17. Faz Wa1tz Jackal Hop

18. The Cocktai1s Good Love

19. TV Repairman Bus Stop

20. C1ass Behind the Ball

21. The X-bats Riding With Paul

22. Psych0tic Youth Save Another Girl

23. The Primitives Don't Know Where To Start

24. Gruppo Sp0rtivo Rock City (Serious Remix)

25. The Church I Think I Knew

 

 

Best of 2023

 

 

The Un-Herd Music Top 50 of 2023

1. Sparklehorse Bird Machine

Thirteen years posthumous, a final statement curated and patched together with obvious love and respect for the quirky genius of Mark Linkous. Miraculous it exists at all; wholly miraculous it's so good.

2. Art Bergmann ShadowWalk

 

Where previous album took a macro view of the end of life, this one goes micro & personal. Harrowing, unflinching, courageous, honest. Nudges itself in same continuum that includes lodestar masterworks like Sister Lovers and Plastic Ono Band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Low Cut Connie Art Dealers

 

Adam Weiner's adherence to traditional rock values (in this case, the same early R&B/Rock&Roll forces that forged the likes of Springsteen and Graham Parker) may repel trend-chasers, but that doesn't mean Low Cut Connie can't be the rest-of-us's favorite band.
 

 

 

 

 

 

4. The Delta Riggs The Real Electric

 

Grafts standard indie rock influences to an appreciation for disco bass lines (& occasional employment of hip hop rhythms) and somehow discovers something immensely satisfying and sincere.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Geese 3D Country

 

A modern rock album that fits in exactly nowhere (and not even close to the genre suggested in the title). Eclectic, expert, indescribable, genre-less. And all the better for it. Companion EP "4D Country" delivers similar quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Lydia Loveless Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again

 

This'll get filed under alt.country, which is fair enough, but the way Loveless wittily and mercilessly lacerates herself like a female Paul Westerberg is all rock 'n' roll.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Ten Tonnes Dancing, Alone

 

Pop wunderkind Ethan Barnett flirts with ancient verities like classic songcraft, undeniable hooks, and earnest reflection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Meyerman Happy To See You

 

Last release was a 2011 UHM top ten, and this unexpected re-emergence hits the same heights. Lyrical concerns now lean into sincerity as much as smartassery, but their power-poppin' rock-out w/ hooks-out gameplan gloriously remains.
 
 

 

 

 

 

9. Pat Todd & the RankOutsiders Sons of the City Ditch

 

A Saints-like horn section on one track and a cover of David Johansen's elegy for the Dolls "Donna" make this typically bangin' collision of Johnnies Cash & Thunders stand out from previous discs.
 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Barrence Whitfield & the Savages Glory

 

This band's blistering garage rock approach to soul, blues, & rock has been coming up aces for 4 decades and they're still ready to take on all comers. And, lo, how that sax doth honk.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Autogramm  Music That Humans Can Play

12. Belleville  Before I Go

13. The Blips  The Blips Again

14. Lion Island  Pilot Termination Kiosk

15. Odd Robot  Deathmates

16. Black Pumas  Chronicles of a Diamond

17. Foxy Shazam  Dark Blue Night

18. The Church  The Hypnogogue

19. Diamond Dogs  About the Hardest Nut to Crack

20. The Midnight Callers  Rattled Humming Heart

21.  The Hangmen  Stories to Tell

22.  The Jim Jones All-Stars  Ain't No Peril

23.  Bar Italia  Tracey Denim

24.  Spacey Jane  Here Comes Everybody

25.  Mason Lowe  Morning People

26.  Trench Dogs Stockholmiana

27.  Island of Love Island of Love

28.  Olivia Jean  Raving Ghost

29.  The Men New York City

30.  Crocodiles  Upside Down In Heaven

 

31.  Uni Boys  Buy This Now!

32.  Sunny War  Anarchist Gospel

33.  Dwarves  Concept Album

34.  Bass Drum of Death  Say I Won't

35.  The Whiffs  Scratch 'n' Sniff 

36.  Kurt Baker  Rock 'n' Roll Club

37.  The 1981  Move On

38.  Alex Lahey The Answer is Always Yes

39.  EUT  Be My Reactor

40.  Miss Chain & the Broken Heels Storms

41.  Durand Jones  Wait Til I Get Over

42.  The Pearl Harts  Love, Chaos

43.  Worriers  Trust Your Gut

44.  Twin Temple  God is Dead

45.  Baba Ali  Laugh Like A Bomb

46.  Somerdale  Let's Get Started

47.  Nude Party  Rides On

48.  Backstreet Girls  In Lust We Trust

49.  Class  If You've Got Nothing

50.  Rich Ragany & the Digressions  What We Do (To Not Let Go)

I Heard That Up On Mars They're Building Homes

1. Low Cut C0nnie Sleaze Me On

2. De1ta Riggs Solution

3. Spark1ehorse Evening Star Supercharger

4. Geese Gravity Blues

5. Midnight Ca11ers Baby Let Me Be

6. Barrence Whitfie1d Hey Miss Glynis

7. Diam0nd Dogs Wring It Out

8. Meyerman Happy to See You

9. Ten T0nnes Drowning in the Deep End

10. Lydia Love1ess Poor Boy

11. Jim Jones A11-Stars It's Your Voodoo Working

12. The Hangmen Behind the Wheel

13. Uni B0ys I Don't Believe in Love

14. The B1ips Who Took My Baby Away

15. Miss Chain & the Broken Hee1s Wild Wind

16. Lion Is1and Broken Arrow

17. Autogramm Born Losers

18. Twin Temp1e Burn Your Bible

19. Trench D0gs Skulldug and Headsick

20. The Whiffs I Didn't Need You To Know

21. 0dd Robot Temporary Bachelor Does Mundane Things

22. Be11evi11e Hanging Around

23. Art Bergmann Cut 'n' Paste

24. B1ack Pumas Rock and Roll