Song of the Day

Released: 2022Album: Oxy Music Although each album by Alex Cameron has been a slight step down from the previous, his latest LP Oxy Music still presents a handful of memorable moments. As usual, he's at his best when churning out tales of depravity that may be tongue-in-cheek but tap into something deeper in regards to the state of humanity. Oxy Music is a funny album about the American opioid epidemic and the breakdown of society via social media, over a synthy soft rock backdrop. "Sara Jo" is one of the standouts. Lyrics I never hurt nobodyNot in any physical wayAnd when I do (when I do, when I do)They will have wanted it that wayBut I knowThat there's just one thingYou never do (never do, never do)That's fuck with my familyWho pulled the curtains? Who broke the screen?Who told my brother that his kids are gonna die from this vaccine?Who told my mother that she's never gonna find no love in nobody?Who told my father that he doesn't have to pay for counselling?I don't see a patternIt just won't make senseYou never know on which side you'll fallWhen you're sitting on the fenceBut, my GodIf you are listeningGive me a sign and let

Corned Beef is gross. The Pogues are great. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Lyrics Oh farewell, you streets of sorrowAnd farewell, you streets of painI'll not return to feel more sorrowNor to see more young men slain Through the last six years, I've lived through terrorAnd in the darkened streets, the painOh, how I long to find some solaceIn my mind I curse the strain So farewell, you streets of sorrowAnd farewell, you streets of painNo, I'll not return to feel more sorrowNor to see more young men slain There were six men in BirminghamIn Guildford, there's fourThat were picked up and torturedAnd framed by the law And the filth got promotionBut they're still doing timeFor being Irish in the wrong placeAnd at the wrong time In Ireland they'll put you away in the MazeIn England they'll keep you for seven long daysGod help you if ever you're caught on these shoresThe coppers need someone and they walk through that door You'll be counting years, first five, then tenGrowing old in a lonely hell'Round the yard and the stinking cellFrom wall to wall and back again A curse on the judges, the coppers, and screwsWho tortured the innocent, wrongly accusedFor the price of promotion and justice to sellMay the judged

Released: 2022Album: Pompeii We're in a golden age of art pop, and Cate Le Bon is one of the artists who continues to shine brightest. Her latest album Pompeii is another gem of disorienting, ice cold funky pop in the vein of Berlin-era Bowie. It has a sound that fully engulfs its listener, and continues to reward with each listen.

Released: 1972Album: Bob Andy's Song Book I've been digging into classic ska and rocksteady over the past several weeks, and this is one of the real treasures that I've come across. Bob Andy was an original member of The Paragons, who are probably best known for their hit "The Tide is High." He had already gone solo by the time time The Paragons were peaking, but he's also regarded as one of the great Jamaican songwriters of his time. A fusion of pop soul and a deep groove, "Too Experience" is a perfect representation of classic rocksteady. It's nothing earth shattering. It's just pure musical pleasure. Lyrics She doesnt want me

Released: 1959Single With the way music is so often compartmentalized into genres, it can be easy to forget how seamlessly it all connects. Take for instance Fats Domino's "Be My Guest". Released in 1959, the New Orleans piano R&B pioneer was well into his decade of dominance. In Jamaica, Sound System culture was taking over, and "Be My Guest" became a favorite of the dj's running the sound systems. Although it may not be the first ska song, "Be My Guest" was undoubtedly was one of the seeds planted that led to the birth of the genre. Lyrics Come on baby and be my guestCome join the party and meet the restEverything is gonna be all rightSo be my guest tonight We're gonna dance to the rock 'n' rollWe're gonna even do the strollWe're gonna Lindy Hop and Suzy QIt's a special party just for you My, my-oh-mine, gee you're so fineDon't let me downI'm the king but you can wear my crownI'm gonna sing, my band gonna playI'm gonna make you queen for a dayEverything is gonna be all rightSo be my guest tonight My, my-oh-mine, gee you're so fineDon't let me downI'm the king but you can wear my crownI'm gonna sing, my band

Released: 2022Album: B FLAT A Over the years, many many bands have emailed me their music. In the early days, I listened to almost all of it. As time went on, it was all too much, and much of it just died in my inbox. Occasionally, something would trigger my interest and I'd give it a listen. Sometimes it was good, but nothing special. But every once in a while, I'd come across something pretty magical. Poland's Trupa Trupa was one of those bands that totally blew me away. In the time that has passed, they've begun to receive the attention they deserve. And with each album, they've pushed further. There's tons of bands operating in the post-Wire post-punk space, but there's something different about Trupa Trupa. Their brand of off-kilter art rock utilizes some of the proggy experimentation of This Heat to generate anxious and unpredictable songs. "Twitch" is Trupa Trupa at their most exhilarating. From the opening second, it sounds like the song will spiral totally out of control. Thankfully, it keeps propelling forward at breakneck speed, leading towards a ripping solo. Trupa Trupa released their latest album, B FLAT A, in February, and are coming to play some

Released: 1981Album: Juju Overshadowed by Joy Division and The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees have never quite gotten the credit they deserve as one of the most groundbreaking and influential bands of the post-punk/new wave era. It's possible that this has something to do with the fact that they don't have that singular album that music critics point to in the way that their peers The Cure have Disintegration or Echo & The Bunnymen have Ocean Rain. This isn't to say that Siouxsie & The Banshees don't have an album that's comparable, but more so that within their extensive discography, there isn't the same level of mutually agreed upon peak. I think there's a case to be made that Juju is the quintessential Siouxsie & The Banshees record. Released in 1981, it's arguably the moment where everything came together for the band. Their 1978 debut, The Scream, was an undeniably fresh statement that helped mark a monumental shift in the history of rock music, but it was also the band in its infancy. Following the sophomore slump of Join Hands, personnel changes would fundamentally alter the band. Released in 1980, Kaleidoscope was a transitional record, ushering in a new era of

Released: 2022Album: Everything Was Beautiful There's a small handful of artists who I know will never disappoint me. Along with Low, Radiohead, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and a few others, Spiritualized has been mindbogglingly consistent over the past few decades. If the singles from upcoming LP Everything Was Beautiful are any indication, Jason Pierce still has a lot left in the tank. "Always Together With You" is a romantic epiphany that channels the same otherworldly sensation. as the legendary "Ladies & Gentlemen We're Floating In Space." "Crazy" is a sweet spacey country ballad. The most recent single, "The Mainline Song," shows that Pierce can still write an exhilarating rock song to balance out all of the melancholy ballads. Lyrics Hush, keep your voices downEveryone is asleep uptownAnd I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the city tonightSweet heart, sweet lightOh babe, it's a beautiful nightAnd I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the city tonight Hush, keep your voices downEveryone is asleep uptownAnd I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the city tonightSweet heart, sweet lightOh babe, it's a beautiful nightAnd I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the city

Released: 2010/2022 (archival)Album: Still Some Light Few artists get a second act in the manner that Bill Fay has. The English singer-songwriter released a couple stellar albums in the early 70s. Neither sold particularly well, so his career died young. Then over several decades, a cult following emerged, resulting in the release of Still Some Light in 2010. Still Some Light not only collected demos of some of his best 1970s songs, but also new home recordings from 2009. Amazingly, Fay released three phenomenal records over the past decade. It's one of the most remarkable second acts in the history of music. Earlier this year, Dead Oceans reissued Still Some Light, along with a series of 7 inch singles featuring covers by contemporary artists. "I Hear You Calling" is one of my favorite songs ever written. The version on Fay's 1971 release Time of the Last Persecution might be the most essential, but the Still Some Light version is nearly as breathtaking. Kevin Morby's cover version is also quite good.

Released: 2022Album: caroline I haven't been excited about much of the new music being released this year, but British 8-piece caroline's self-titled debut has been a really pleasant surprise. The leisurely paced, mostly-instrumental sounds recall Dirty Three's classic instrumental folk. And despite there being 8 members, the cinematic arrangements are mostly spacious and minimal, occasionally building up to cacophony.

Released: 2022Album: Kiren Several years ago, I stumbled upon Palo Flats' reissue of the obscure Japanese record Utakata No Hibi by Mariah. The album blew my mind. While it had elements of art rock, synth pop, and no wave, it really sounded extraordinarily alien and fresh to my ears. It quickly became one of my all time favorite albums. Mariah was a short-lived project, only releasing a couple albums, and clearly peaking in 1983 with Utakata No Hibi. Composer/saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu was the core of Mariah. His unique musical vision directed that project. Though generally unknown to Western audience, Shimizu has had an extensive career beyond his work with Mariah. In February, Palo Flats released Shimizu's previously unreleased followup to Utakata No Hibi. Kiren is a wonderfully bizarre sonic exploration. It has a similar feel to his work with Mariah, while often drifting into more atmospheric space. It's hard to think of any Western musicians doing what Shimizu was doing at the time. Kiren can at times sound like a concoction of Eno, Residents, Flying Lizards and Peguin Cafe Orchestra, but it's really its own truly unique work of art that needs to be heard by anyone with a curious ear.

Released: 2014Album: Plowing Into The Field Of Love Since they emerged on the indie scene a decade ago with as much hype as any young rock band of the 21st century, Iceage has slowly evolved from their roots as a dangerous throwback to 80s hardcore and punk. With every album, they have become more ambitious and more deliberate while maintaining their edge. Last year's Seek Shelter sounded like a cross between The Bad Seeds and Exile on Main Street-era Stones. In an age where rock music can often sound too controlled and sterile, Iceage has remained a grimy counterpoint. Lyrics [Verse 1]You're probably the only one, though it's hard to admitThat can save me, yeahAnd I never liked to ask for a helping handBut I do now, yeah [Refrain]I look into your eyes, this hard, bewildered starePart of me wants to hurt you, tear in your hairBut I don't do that now [Verse 2]A naive, open wounded exchange of storiesThat transforms us hereBut I think I am the only one breathing on this planetTonight, yeah [Refrain]The cheap sweat smothered makeup makes her faceLook as if dissolving and yet full of graceHere in the darkness now [Chorus]One hundred Euro wineI do believe in heaven and I do