Summer 2021

Not much to say about this one, except that it's a whole vibe.

The Lager Tastes Like Lemonade

1. Asa Grateful 

2. B0ys with Perpetual Nervousness Summer

3. EUT Cool

4. Jaz E1ise Rock & Groove

5. Jeb Loy Nicho1s The World Loves A Fool

6. Surf Bunnies Summertime is Surfin' Time

7. The Piranhas Getting Beaten Up

8. 2nd Grade Summer Interlude

9. B1ack 0wls Octopus Flat

10. Georgia Sate11ites Another Chance

11. The Babe Rainb0w California

12. Litt1e Eva Mr. Everything

13. Spang Sisters Jenny

14. J0 J0 Zep & the Fa1cons So Young

15. Sharon J0nes & the Dap Kings Inspiration Information

16. We R the Uni0n Boys Will Be Girls

17. GBV Sunshine Girl Hello

18. J0rdan J0nes O My Heavenz

19. Twin Temp1e Satan is a Woman

20. Locks1ey In Celebration

21. The Bamb00s The Thing About You

22. Long Beach Dub A11stars Dream

23. Busty and the Bass Figure It Out

24. Sam C0ffey & the Iron Lungs Gates of Heaven

The Great Glam Rock Revival

One of the pleasant surprises of this new(ish) millennium has been the mostly unheralded revival of 70s glam. It's not surprising that it's been an influence - I mean, you can hear Iggy, the Dolls, Bowie, or Mott in almost every non-metal high energy guitar band of the past 50 years (almost) - but what I do find surprising is the rebirth of that rolling, boot stomping beat of the obscure junk shop glam bands that followed in the jetstream of the originators and had a lifespan of the 3 minutes it took to play their single. There's a previous UHM mix that focuses entirely on that era here, if you're at all interested. 

And just a note on a couple of entries: these Crash Street Kids are a different band than the Crash Street Kids idolized in power pop circles for their "Into You" single in the 80s (although both are named after a Mott the Hoople song), and this Flash Bastard is a band from LA, as opposed to the similarly monikered bunch from Vancouver (compiled on previous mixes), and the GospelbeacH track is a cover of a song by Chunky (who were one of those aforementioned junk shop bands). 

Ever-Ready Supernatural Spawn Of Class and Glamour

1. Creem Circus Gimme Glitter

2. Crash St. Kids Mary, Queen of the Rock

3. Smash Fashi0n Super Glam

4. Gyasi Kiss Kiss

5. Biters Gypsy Rose

6. F0xy Shazam Teenage Demon Baby

7. B1ack 0wls I May Be Mistaken

8. G0spelbeacH Albatross Baby

9. Prima D0nna Soul Stripper

10. Wy1dlife Trash

11. Tsar The Love Explosion

12. The Nuc1ears Lightspeed Getaway

13. Mi1es Kane Cry On My Guitar

14. Po11y Put a Little English On It

15. Ve1veteen Rabbit Too Much, Just Enough

16. Sister Suzie What's Your Deal?

17. Faz Wa1tz Got Me Goin'

18. Zachary James & the A11-Seeing Eyes Outta Space

19. The Sore1s School Girl Blues

20. F1ash Bastard Stutter On

21. Stag Electric Mistress

22. Giuda Yellow Dash

23. River City Rebe1s Glitter and Gold

24. Sp0nge Wax Ecstatic (to Sell Angelina)

Faves of 2021 (Vol. 1)

Gotta say, these first number of months in 2021 have renewed my hope that things are slowly finding a new normal out there. At least in terms of new music, there's been a wealth of awesome stuff to pick from. It almost allows me to forget that there's a threat of a 3rd wave, plus an array of variants coming down the pike. Almost. And honestly, I'm not sure if we should be forgetting. There's rebuilding to do, restructuring, rethinking... and so much lost that needs to be remembered. But, at least, for the length of time it takes to play 26 faves we can all escape into simple appreciation.

RIP Gerry-Jen Wilson

It's Hard To Get Up When You're Already Falling Down

1. Ryan A11en Get to the Gig

2. Rat Co1umns I Can't Live On Love 

3. Heartie Har Calling You Out

4. Reigning S0und A Little More Time

5. Bu11 Green

6. Made Vio1ent Two Tone Hair

7. Sam C0ffey & the 1ron Lungs She Knows

8. EUT What Gives You The Kicks

9. Sour 0ps Do You Wanna Be Like Them?

10. Ben Kwe11er Heart Attack Kid

11. P0ny By the Way

12. Friedberg Yeah

13. The Snutz Maybe California

14. The F1eshtones Face of the Screaming Werewolf

15. Death by Unga Bunga Egocentric

16. Suzi Quatr0 Motor City Riders

17. Tad 0verbaugh & the Kickbacks Goin' the Mile

18. T00 Much Joy Not Being You

19. B0ys With Perpetual Nerv0usness Can't You See

20. Peacers Alloyed Sheik

21. Nick Waterh0use Fugitive Lover

22. 01ivia Jean Punkette

23. The B1ips Inside Out

24. Kid Gu11iver Beauty School Dropout

25. B1ack Honey Summer '92

26. Bob Vy1an I Heard You Want Your Country Back

Radio UHM

It's kind of amazing how many songs there are about the radio, considering nobody under 30 would know what one is. The entire concept seems more an outlet for manufactured geriatric outrage (in sports and politics) than a viable delivery system for new music - but then again I've been wholly ignorant of what's going on with satellite radio. Maybe there's more than one Little Steven's Underground Garage out there. Let me know if you've got suggestions for some of that old-fashioned retro dial tuning.

It's The Sound Without A Home Address

1. The Tearaways Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?

2. Superdrag Radio

3. Hunters Radio

4. Nude Beach Radio

5. F1ash Bastard Bastard Radio

6. The New Frustrations Radio Generation

7. Yukon B1onde Radio

8. Prope11er Turn On The Radio

9. Ex Hex Radio On

10. Bamboo Kids Radio Rebel

11. The Sharks Turn On The Radio

12. The Crunch Gangster Radio

13. Backstreet Gir1s Radio

14. Boss Martians I Am Your Radio

15. Modern Kicks Sick of the Radio

16. You Am 1 Radio Rumble

17. The Supahip With The Radio On

18. The Decibe1s Radio On

19. Bad Nerves Radio Punk

20. The Wi1dhearts Vanilla Radio

21. Bad Moves Local Radio

22. Ranc1d Radio

23. Papernut Cambridge Radio

24. Dave A11en & the E1astic Purejoy Talk Radio

25. © Radio

26. Mary Weiss Cry About The Radio

 

Orphans 2020

 

A mix containing some of the bands and artists I neglected to get around to during the previous 12 months. Perhaps a tad more eclectic than my typical Faves mixes, but certainly nothing that's totally outside of the established wheelhouse.

 My Source Of Pleasure Is My Source Of Ruin

1. Juiceb0xxx Back in Your Car

2. Ratb0ys Anj

3. The Tummies Sweet Little Mistreater

4. Ten T0nnes Girl, Are You Lonely Like Me?

5. girl0ngirl Girls

6. The Leve1 Spirits Double Crosser

7. The Vibrat0rs Woman 3.2

8. Heart B0nes This Time It's Different

9. Bad Sex Sucker

10. Naked Giants Turns Blue

11. Mike Vio1a Drug Rug

12. 0ceanator A Crack in the World

13. Ginger Wi1dheart Yorvik (My Hood)

14. Successful Fai1ures More of the Same

15. Nick L0we A Quiet Place

16. Christian B1unda (It Sucks) Without You

17. The Lemon Dr0p Gang Georgie

18. Ken F0x & Knock Yourself Out Stranded (in the Heat)

19. He1aine & the Hurricanes I Will Never Ever Bleach My Hair Again

20. C1assic Ruins Forget About It

21. Co1d Years Life With a View

22. Emper0r Penguin Planet of Love

23. Trevor Be1d Jimenez Moment

24. Lucinda Wi11iams Down Past the Bottom

Best of 2020

 

The Un-Herd Music Top 50 of 2020

1. Low Cut Connie Private Lives

Adam Weiner's hook-heavy mix of soul, R&B, rock & roll, & basically everything else under the sun is exactly the empathetic, good vibin' music the world needs right now - just hope we're not all too far gone to hear.

2. Dangereens Tough Luck

Montreal band with reckless disregard for speed limits, a pronounced fondness for old 'Mats reckids, and a batch of hook-ridden tunes w/ pounding piano + sax riding shotgun.  

3. Cornershop England Is A Garden

One of the most original bands from the 90s indie boom returns with their inimitable mix of 60s pop, garage rock, sitars, flutes, electronics and, I can only imagine, something borrowed from a far better future.

 

 

 

4. The Yum Yums For Those About To Pop!

If the Ramones had the harmonies of the Beach Boys or the Beach Boys had the drive of the Ramones... Such perfect summer music that it'll make you forget it isn't summer.

 

 

 

 

5. Mondo Cozmo New Medicine

Backed by members of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Josh Ostrander hooks into snatches of Lou Reed, hip hop, Jesus and Mary Chain, and singer/songwriter pop and still manages to knit it all into a cohesive whole.
 

 

 

 

6. Rookie Rookie

While so much modern power pop rests in the hands of those who view "The Long and Winding Road" as the epitome of rock & roll, Rookie allows a stomping beat and a few power chords to turbocharge the expected Beatles-esque hooks.
 

 

 

 

7. Nicole Atkins Italian Ice

Recorded at Muscle Shoals and backed by members of that same hallowed session band, this album sprawls comfortably into a relaxed soul groove. Also boasts help from Britt Daniel, My Morning Jacket, and some Bad Seeds... none of whom come close to eclipsing Atkins' powerful voice.

 

 

8. Foxy Shazam Burn

The return of Foxy Shazam was one of the few "good news" stories of this disastrous year, and even if it might not match the heights of The Church of Rock & Roll, it definitely gets them back on track to world domination. Give 'em time.
 

 

 

 

 

9. Daniel Romano How Ill Thy World Is Ordered

Romano released 10 albums in the year 2020, ranging in sound from his more typical country to indie rock to hardcore punk to a welcome re-imagining of an entire Dylan album, and what makes his feat of ambition somewhat miraculous is the sheer quality of songwriting. This one (and Dandelion) are perhaps the most eclectic of the bunch.

10. Bette Smith The Good, The Bad, and the Bette

With some help from Luther Dickinson and the Drive-by Truckers, Bette Smith dives into southern soul and traditional R&B while embracing the distortion and power of punk.

 

 

11. Wyldlife Year of the Snake

12. Algiers There Is No Year

13. Bad Moves Untenable

14. Faz Waltz Rebel Kicks

15. The Struts Strange Days

16. Thelonious Monster Oh That Monster

17. Dramarama Color TV

18. Richard Davies & the Dissidents Human Traffic

19. Suitesixteen Mine Would Be The Sun

20. Ice Cream Hands No Weapon But Love

21. Ryan Hamilton Nowhere To Go But Everywhere

22. Hinds The Prettiest Curse

23. Kurt Baker Combo After Party

24. Chuck Prophet The Land That Time Forgot

25. Billie Joe Armstrong No Fun Mondays

26. Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels

27. The Devonns The Devonns

28. Jaded Hearts Club You've Always Been Here

29. Fantastic Negrito Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

30. Lydia Loveless Daughter

31. Candy Opera The Patron Saint of Heartache

32. Mom Pleasure Island

33. Anti-Flag 20/20 Division

34. Exbats Kicks, Hits and Fits

35. Steve Kilbey Eleven Women

36. Ginger Wildheart Headzapoppin'

37. Brad Marino False Alarm

38. Green Day The Father of All Motherfuckers

39. Mike Viola Godmuffin

40. The Speedways Radio Sounds

 

41. Close Lobsters Post Neo Anti: Arte Povera in the Forest of Symbols

42. Ryan Allen Song Snacks Vol. 1

43. Advertisement American Advertisement

44. The Vapors Together

45. Supercrush SODO Pop

46. X Alphabetland

47. Sino Hearts Mandarin a Go-Go

48. Cocktails Catastrophic Entertainment

49. Psychotic Youth Forever and Never

50. Silver Sun Switzerland

Run And Tell It To Everybody Underground

1. Dangereens Microwave Boogie

2. Low Cut Connie Help Me

3. Rookie Hold On Tight

4. The Yum Yums Let's Worry About Tomorrow

5. Bad Moves Party With the Kids Who Wanna Party With You

6. Wyldlife Keeping Up With C.T.

7. Thelonious Monster Teenage Wasteland

8. Algiers Dispossession

9. Mondo Cozmo Black Cadillac

10. Bette Smith Song For a Friend

11. Foxy Shazam In My Mind

12. Anti-Flag 20/20 Vision

13. Suitesixteen The List

14. Mom I Want You To Feel What I Feel

15. Faz Waltz Got Me Goin'

16. Advertisement Pretty Money

17. Daniel Romano First Yoke

18. Ryan Hamilton & the Harlequin Ghosts Oh No

19. Nicole Atkins St. Dymphna

20. Dramarama Everyday

21. The Speedways Number 7

22. Candy Opera Crash

23. Hinds Riding Solo

24. Chuck Prophet Get Off The Stage

Faves of 2020 (Vol. 3)

Well, as much as I'm tempted to say good riddance to 2020 - and it was a treacherous, raging dumpster fire of a year - I'm a tad worried that 2021 isn't going to be much of an improvement, so I'm just going to ignore the year that was and move forward into the murky future with the faint hope that we'll enter an era of empathy and societal improvement... And yes, I'm sneering at my pollyanaish sentiment along with you.

But we'll find hope. There's always hope (even if it's only the hope for hope). And there'll be a soundtrack to that hope - and this is where I can show some optimism, because the bands and the artists will be back. And they're gonna have a few things to say. And, somehow, they'll say it in approximately 3 minutes while delivering an irresistible hook or two. For proof, look no further than the following mix, which compiles 25 more artists who managed to make the year a little easier to take.

There's A Lot To Do And No Time To Do It 

1. 1ce Cream Hands No Weapon But Love

2. He1en Love Debbie Take Control of the Stereo

3. R0mer0 Troublemaker

4. Sin0 Hearts A Way Or Another

5. Curt Baker Used to Think

6. The1onious Monster Falling Behind

7. Steve Winn California Style

8. Exbats You Don't Get It (You Don't Got It)

9. Terra Lightf00t One High Note

10. High Waisted Easy As It Comes

11. The N1neteens Drugs and Alcohol

12. The C0untry Westerns It's On Me

13. Ind0nesian Junk Type of a Girl

14. Supercrush Grace

15. Baby Shakes Sweet 'n' Sour Pt. 2

16. Hammered Sat1n Jukebox

17. The Flytraps Baby's a Freak

18. Bad Nerves Palace

19. Jerry Lehane Runaway with You

20. Radi0 Days I Got a Love

21. H00d00 Gurus Get Out of Dodge

22. K1mmy Drake I'm The Fun

23. 1mani Coppo1a In This Together

24. The Struts Burn It Down

25. Yuk0n Bl0nde Fuck It