“Say Yes”, Elliott Smith

This way: Say Yes

This guy can write a song. Elliott Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003), was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. He had a distinctive vocal style in his solo career after Heatmiser, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and often used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies that were usually finger picked and recorded with tape.

After playing in the rock band Heatmiser for several years, Smith began his solo career in 1994, with releases on the independent record labels Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars (KRS). In 1997, he signed a contract with DreamWorks Records, for which he recorded his final two albums. Smith rose to mainstream prominence when his song "Miss Misery"—included in the soundtrack for the film Good Will Hunting (1997)—was nominated for the 1998 Academy Award for Best Original Song. 

Smith was a heavy drinker and drug user, and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. His struggles with drugs and mental illness affected his life and work, and often appeared in his lyrics. He died at his Los Angeles home from two stab wounds to the chest at age 34 in 2003. The autopsy evidence did not determine whether the wounds were self-inflicted. At the time of his death, Smith was working on his album From a Basement on the Hill, posthumously produced and released in 2004.

[Spotify] Say Yes

“Tell Me”, SPECTRES

This way: Tell Me

Spectres are a post punk band from Vancouver BC that have been on the forefront of the genre resurgence since 2005 and are commonly cited as kicking off the renewed interest in this sound. Emerging from the DIY Punk underground, Spectres vocalist and founder Brian Gustavson wanted to blend the grassroots and independent ethic of anarcho-punk with the anomie and cold, modulated sounds of 1980’s Post Punk and death rock. Though the band’s output has matured with time to embrace a wider range of new-wave and shoegaze influences their ethos remains rooted in anarcho punk. The blending of these influences allows for the curious juxtaposition of 80’s influenced pop sensibilities with lyrics that explore the alienation and cynicism of modern life and the search for hope in an increasingly terrifying world. One of the band’s core strengths is its sonic aesthetic, which ranges from brooding and confrontational dark punk to ethereal pop influenced dance anthems. Spectres’ live show harkens back to their punk origins bringing a direct and aggressive approach to their performances intended to convey a feeling of estrangement and urgency to the audience. After working with several different DIY labels over their first 12 years as a band Spectres signed with Artoffact records in the summer of 2018. 

[Spotify] Tell Me

“Sun God”, Squirrel Bait

This way: Sun God

I always remember the band listings after the demise of Squirrel Bait as spawning 100 bands: (Ex Squirrel Bait). Squirrel Bait was an American punk rock band from Louisville, Kentucky active from 1983 to 1987. Squirrel Bait's dense, moody, melodic hardcore sound, featuring pronounced tempo shifts, foreshadowed the grunge sound of the late 1980s as well as math rock. Squirrel Bait, along with Hüsker Dü, are often noted as precursors to the emocore ("emotional hardcore") sound that arose from the D.C. hardcore punk scene with bands like Rites of Spring, Beefeater and Fugazi.

Squirrel Bait signaled the second coming of American punk – bands of little brothers and sisters who got to grow up on Black Flag and Hüsker Dü without a preparatory course in Supertramp. ... Like a hundred other little Düs across the country, Squirrel Bait managed to make a couple of records before spintering off to form five more bands. Unlike most of that punk rock loam, the members of Squirrel Bait chewed up their legacy and shat out something curious and consequential.

The band started as a hardcore punk trio of high school friends, originally known as Squirrelbait Youth, with David Grubbs on guitar and vocals, Clark Johnson on bass guitar, and Rich Schuler playing drums for the band's first demo tape in August 1983. By the time Squirrel Bait recorded their second demo in 1984, Peter Searcy had taken over vocal duties and Britt Walford was playing drums. Three of this demo's songs would later appear on the band's vinyl releases.

This track from 1985.

[Spotify] Sun God

“The Book I Read”, Shaun Cassidy

This way: The Book I Read

I don't typically post terrible songs, but this one is interesting to say the least. For those not in the know on Shaun Cassidy he is the younger brother of pop star David Cassidy and he had a string of AM hits in the seventies. The words Teen Heart-throb come to mind. And this is a deep cut Talking Heads song. But the whole LP is filled with items of note. 

Wasp is the fifth and final studio album by teen idol Shaun Cassidy, released in 1980. In an attempt to salvage a sinking pop career, Cassidy recruited Todd Rundgren to help "reinvent" his music career. Members of Rundgren's group Utopia also played on the record, and the work had a decidedly "new wave" feel.

The majority of tracks featured on Wasp were cover songs. The album featured a version of David Bowie's song, "Rebel Rebel," in which Cassidy included a passage from The Crystals' "He's a Rebel." Other covers included The Who's "So Sad About Us," Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "The Book I Read," The Animals' 1965 hit "It's My Life," and The Four Tops' 1966 hit "Shake Me, Wake Me." All of the other songs were written by Rundgren and various members of his band. Unlike his previous four albums where he wrote at least one song, Cassidy was given a co-writing credit on "Cool Fire." The reinvention of teenybopper Cassidy as an edgy new wave artist was not enough to capture the attention of audiences. The album was Cassidy's second album not to chart on Billboard, effectively ending his pop music career. Cassidy would score a final hit in Europe in 1989 with the standalone single "Memory Girl."

[Spotify] The Book I Read

“Infinite Sadness”, Xeno & Oaklander

This way: Infinite Sadness

Xeno & Oaklander is an American electronic music group formed in 2004, consisting of musicians Sean McBride and Liz Wendelbo. Originating from Brooklyn, the band is considered to be among the cold wave revival scene of the 2000s and 2010s.

Maryland-native Sean McBride and French-Norwegian conceptual artist Liz Wendelbo met in 2003; the former was involved in solo projects such as Moravagine and Martial Canterel, which were based on modular synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines. The duo started recording music in an abandoned factory building near the East River; its debut album, Vigils, recorded in a single take, was released in 2006. The band then signed to Wierd Records, which released 2009's Sentinelle. Following its 2011 record Sets & Lights, which was also released on Wierd and showcased elements from darkwave, Italo disco and techno, the duo issued the single "Sheen" for Electric Voice and collaborated with Fabian Marti, composing a soundtrack for the Swiss artist. 

Xeno & Oaklander signed to Ghostly International for 2014's Par Avion, which featured Serge synthesizer and was inspired by synesthesia. Sessions for Par Avion produced 2015's Movements, a 35-piece commissioned by National Center for the Arts, Grenoble and Ecole du Magasin. Following 2016's Topiary on Ghostly International, the duo released Movements II, which was only available on their tour that May; in October, the bossa nova-tinged single "Moonlight" appeared on a split 7-inch released by the UK magazine Electronic Sound. Shortly thereafter the duo signed to Dais Records, which issued the album Hypnos in 2019.

[Spotify] Infinite Sadness

“Ain't it Strange”, Patti Smith

This way: Ain't it Strange

Patti Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, and author whose 1975 debut album Horses made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fused rock and poetry in her work. In 1978, her most widely known song, "Because the Night", co-written with Bruce Springsteen, reached 13th on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and fifth on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2005, Smith was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. In 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In November 2010, Smith won the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids, written to fulfill a promise she made to Robert Mapplethorpe, her longtime partner. She is ranked 47th on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, published in 2010, and was awarded the Polar Music Prize in 2011.

[Spotify] Ain't it Strange

“Hanging Around”, The Stranglers

This way: Hanging Around

The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have originated in the UK punk scene.

Formed as the Guildford Stranglers in Guildford, Surrey, in early 1974, they originally built a following within the mid-1970s pub rock scene. While their aggressive, no-compromise attitude had them identified by the media with the emerging UK punk rock scene that followed, their idiosyncratic approach rarely followed any single musical genre, and the group went on to explore a variety of musical styles, from new wave, art rock and gothic rock through the sophisti-pop of some of their 1980s output. They had major mainstream success with their 1982 single "Golden Brown". Their other hits include "No More Heroes", "Peaches", "Always the Sun", "Skin Deep" and "Big Thing Coming". 

The Stranglers' early sound was driven by Jean-Jacques Burnel's melodic bass, but also gave prominence to Dave Greenfield's keyboards. Their early music was also characterised by the growling vocals and sometimes misanthropic lyrics of both Burnel and Hugh Cornwell. Over time, their output gradually grew more refined and sophisticated. Summing up their contribution to popular music, critic Dave Thompson later wrote: "From bad-mannered yobs to purveyors of supreme pop delicacies, the group was responsible for music that may have been ugly and might have been crude – but it was never, ever boring."

This track from 1977.

[Spotify] Hanging Around

“Doers”, BODEGA

This way: Doers

BODEGA is an American punk band from New York City. 

BODEGA's name comes from the name of a corner shop in New York City. They released their first full-length album in 2018, titled Endless Scroll. The album was produced by Parquet Courts member Austin Brown and released through record label What's Your Rupture? In 2019, BODEGA released their first EP titled Shiny New Model.

Band members: Ben Hozie – vocals, guitar, Nikki Belfiglio – vocals, Dan Ryan – guitar, Adam See – bass guitar, Adam Shumski – stand-up percussion.

[Spotify] Doers

“Mutilator”, Sonny and the Sunsets

This way: Mutilator

Sonny Smith (born 1972) is an American musician, playwright and multimedia artist from San Francisco. He has released fourteen albums since 2000, largely with group Sonny & The Sunsets. His work has variously encompassed blues, folk, pop and rock elements. AllMusic noted that his 2002 album, This Is My Story, This Is My Song, lifted him from obscurity to cult status.

Smith is a songwriter in the tradition of Ray Davies whose songs are often populated by characters with an emphasis on outcasts, weirdos, freaks, death, love and atypical transformation. They sometimes recall the 1950s era doo wop of The Falcons combined with the direct sincerity and positive spirit of Modern Lovers’ Jonathan Richman, the kitchen sink wisdom of Michael Hurley and the absurdity of The Hairy Who? art collective, as well as the dark confessional humor of cartoonists like Robert Crumb. 

[Spotify] Mutilator

“Damien Lovelock”, The Moles

This way: Damien Lovelock

The Moles were an Australian indie pop band founded and led by Richard Davies. The Moles were formed in Sydney and debuted in 1990 with the EP Untune the Sky. In 1991 they released their second EP, Tendrils and Paracetamol. 1992 followed their first full-length album Untune the Sky, after which The Moles relocated to New York, where they released a pair of seven-inch singles (later packaged together as the Double Single EP). After a move to London, The Moles broke up in 1993. In 1994, Davies revived The Moles, which resulted in their second album Instinct. 

[Spotify] Damien Lovelock

“Broken Bottle”, John Langford, Sally Timms

This way: Broken Bottle

Here is a great cover of a song by Alejandro Escovedo. Langford and Timms are two British artists who moved to Chicago light years ago while making music as the Mekons. They have embraced the sound of American music and have created a fantastic broken bottle of work. 

[Spotify] Broken Bottle

[Spotify, original] Broken Bottle

“Even if it's a Lie”, Chin-Chin

This way: Even if its a Lie

It is hard to find out too much about this band on line. 

An all-female group formed in 1982 in Biel, Switzerland. Chin Chin, an all-female group consisting of Karin (guitar/vocals), Esther (bass/vocals) and Marie-Anne (drums/vocals), was formed in 1982 in Biel, Switzerland. At the time experience wasn't needed, a desire to play was. Technical ability was a bonus, a hunger to perform a must. So, although Esther and Marie-Anne had experience as singers for local band Sophisticated Boom Boom, neither had actually played bass or drums respectively before. Similarly, while Karin had some training in classical acoustic guitar, she'd never been in a band or played electric guitar before. 

[Spotify] Even if its a Lie

“Hold on Firefly”, Matthew Ryan

This way: Hold on Firefly

Matthew Ryan (born November 7, 1971) is an American musician, singer and songwriter,cborn in Chester, Pennsylvania and inspired by such artists as U2, The Replacements, and Leonard Cohen. He logged several years in a series of bands before signing with A&M Records as a solo artist in 1996. No Depression magazine has described him as "Equal parts Springsteen, Westerberg and Ryan Adams, Ryan is a powerhouse of a storyteller for almost two decades. A forefather of the Alt-country scene, Ryan has yet to receive as much commercial success as some of his contemporaries." Ryan is known for his "hushed rasp, with words catching like vows destined to be broken – one of modern music's most potent whispers." 

Ryan has released 18 solo albums to date, and two collaborations: one with Neilson Hubbard in the band Strays Don't Sleep, and the other with ambient/post-rock band Hammock. His music has been featured in One Tree Hill, Ash Wednesday, Dawson's Creek, The 24th Day, The Unit, and House. His most recent album, The Future was Beautiful, was released in November 2019. 

[Spotify] Hold on Firefly

“Isaiah 45:23”, Mountain Goats

This way: Isaiah 45:23

The Mountain Goats are an American band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite the plural moniker. Although he remains the core member of the band, he has worked with a variety of collaborators over time, including bassist and vocalist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, singer-songwriter Franklin Bruno, bassist and vocalist Rachel Ware, singer-songwriter/producer John Vanderslice, guitarist Kaki King, and multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark. 

Throughout the 1990s, the Mountain Goats were known for producing low-fidelity home recordings (most notably, on a cassette deck boombox) and releasing recordings in cassette or vinyl 7-inch formats. Since 2002, the Mountain Goats have adopted a more polished approach, often recording studio albums with a full band.

[Spotify] Isaiah 45:23

“Give You all my Love”, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers

This way: Give You all my Love

River Shook (born September 15, 1985), known professionally by their birth name Sarah Shook, is an American country singer-songwriter from Chatham County, North Carolina. Their "high lonesome" style incorporates country-punk, twang, and outlaw country.

Shook was born in Rochester, New York. They were homeschooled and grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family where music was restricted; they were permitted only to listen to classical and worship music. When Shook was 9 years old they taught themselves piano, and in high school they taught themselves acoustic guitar.

[Spotify] Give You all my Love

“Ring of Fire”, Wall of Voodoo

This way: Ring of Fire

Wall of Voodoo was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Though largely an underground act for the majority of its existence, the band came to prominence when its 1982 single "Mexican Radio" became a hit on MTV and alternative radio. The band was known for surrealist lyrics drawing on iconography of the American southwest. 

Wall of Voodoo had its roots in Acme Soundtracks, a film score business started by Stan Ridgway, later the vocalist and harmonica player for Wall of Voodoo. Acme Soundtracks' office was across the street from the Hollywood punk club The Masque and Ridgway was soon drawn into the emerging punk/new wave scene. Marc Moreland, guitarist for the Skulls, began jamming with Ridgway at the Acme Soundtracks office and the soundtrack company morphed into a new wave band. In 1977, with the addition of Skulls members Bruce Moreland (Marc Moreland's brother) as bassist and Chas T. Gray as keyboardist, along with Joe Nanini, who had been the drummer for the Bags, the Eyes, and Black Randy and the Metrosquad, the first lineup of the band was born, named Wall of Voodoo before their first show in reference to a comment made by Joe Berardi, a friend of Ridgway's and member of the Fibonaccis.

[Spotify] Ring of Fire

“John Sinclair”, John Lennon, RIP John Sinclair

This way: John Sinclair

They gave him 10 to 2. 

John Sinclair (October 2, 1941 – April 2, 2024) was an American poet, writer, and political activist from Flint, Michigan. Sinclair's defining style is jazz poetry, and he released most of his works in audio formats. Most of his pieces include musical accompaniment, usually by a varying group of collaborators dubbed Blues Scholars.

As an emerging young poet in the mid-1960s, Sinclair took on the role of manager for the Detroit rock band MC5. The band's politically charged music and its Yippie core audience dovetailed with Sinclair's own radical development. In 1968, while still working with the band, he conspicuously served as a founding member of the White Panther Party, a militantly anti-racist socialist group and counterpart of the Black Panthers.

Arrested for possession of marijuana in 1969, Sinclair was given ten years in prison. The sentence was criticized by many as unduly harsh, and it galvanized a noisy protest movement led by prominent figures of the 1960s counterculture. Sinclair was freed in December 1971, but he remained in litigation – his case against the government for illegal domestic surveillance was successfully pleaded to the US Supreme Court in United States v. U.S. District Court (1972).

[Spotify] John Sinclair

“Papa Was a Rodeo”, The Magnetic Fields

This way: Papa Was a Rodeo

If you don't know this LP you are in for a treat. 69 of the finest songs ever recorded on a 3 CD set. Released in 1999. It has a ton on jems and is one of the finest records ever recorded. 

The Magnetic Fields (named after the André Breton/Philippe Soupault novel Les Champs Magnétiques) are an American band founded and led by Stephin Merritt. Merritt is the group's primary songwriter, producer, and vocalist, as well as frequent multi-instrumentalist. Merritt's lyrics are often about love and feature atypical or neutral gender roles, and are by turns ironic, tongue-in-cheek, bitter, and humorous. The band released their debut single "100,000 Fireflies" in 1991. The single was typical of the band's earlier career, characterized by synthesized instrumentation by Merritt, with lead vocals provided by Susan Anway (and then by Stephin Merritt himself, from the House of Tomorrow EP onwards). A more traditional band later materialized; it is now composed of Merritt, Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, and John Woo, with occasional guest vocals by Shirley Simms. The band's best-known work is the 1999 three-volume concept album 69 Love Songs. It was followed in the succeeding years by a "no-synth" trilogy: i (2004), Distortion (2008), and Realism (2010). The band's latest album, Quickies, was released on May 29, 2020.

[Spotify] Papa Was a Rodeo

“Astro Zombies”, Misfits

This way: Astro Zombies

Another classic from these boys of beyond. Walk Among Us is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band Misfits, released in March 1982 by Ruby Records and its parent label Slash Records. It was the first full-length album to be released by the band, although it was the third to be recorded, after Static Age and 12 Hits from Hell. The recording sessions for Walk Among Us took place at multiple studios between June 1981 and January 1982, and the album also includes the track "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?", which was recorded live at the Ritz in New York City. The album features a re-recording of the single "Night of the Living Dead", which was released on October 31, 1979.  

[Spotify] Astro Zombies

“Kool Thing”, Sonic Youth

This way: Kool Thing

"Kool Thing" is a song by American rock band Sonic Youth, released in June 1990 in the United States (as a promotional single) and September 1990 in Europe, as the first single from their sixth studio album Goo. The song was inspired by an interview bassist/singer Kim Gordon conducted with LL Cool J for Spin. Although he is never mentioned by name, the song's lyrics contain several references to LL Cool J. Gordon's lyrics make reference to several of the rapper's works, including the single "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and the album Walking with a Panther. She also repeats the line "I don't think so", which appears in LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali". Chuck D also contributed spoken vocals to the song.  

[Spotify] Kool Thing

“Evil Spawn”, Waxahatchee

This way: Evil Spawn

Ok, this woman can write a damn song. She already has a ton of great ones. Great new LP.

Waxahatchee is an American indie music project, formed in 2010 by American singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield (born January 4, 1989) following the break-up of her previous band P.S. Eliot. The band is named after Waxahatchee Creek, in Alabama, where Crutchfield grew up. Originally an acoustic solo project, her recordings now tend to involve a full backing band. As Waxahatchee, she has released six solo studio albums to date: American Weekend (2012), Cerulean Salt (2013), Ivy Tripp (2015), Out in the Storm (2017), Saint Cloud (2020) and Tigers Blood (2024). Away from Waxahatchee, Crutchfield was also a member of alternative country duo Plains alongside Jess Williamson. 

[Spotify] Evil Spawn

“Venal Joy”, The Jesus And Mary Chain

This way: Venal Joy

Glasgow Eyes is the eighth studio album by Scottish alternative rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain. It was released on 22 March 2024 through Fuzz Club, and marks their first studio release in seven years, following Damage and Joy (2017).

The band recorded Glasgow Eyes at the Castle of Doom Studios in Glasgow. Jim Reid stated that the album is "certainly" what people expect of a Jesus and Mary Chain record. Coinciding with their 40th band anniversary, he said that their "creative approach" is the same as it was in 1984: "just hit the studio and see what happens". They started recording a "bunch of songs" and "let it take its course". Reid clarified that there were "no rules" as they share a form of "telepathy", calling him and his brother "those weird not-quite twins that finish each other's sentences". The duo went into the studio and felt their "way around" operating by "the same old deal", however, contemporary music had "some sort of impact on the production values". They messed around with "some synths" and tweaked "the sound a bit".

The lead single "Jamcod" was released alongside the album announcement on 29 November 2023. Leaning on "their barbed electronic aspects", it showcases William Reid's "synth skills" and combines "dark electronica with some crunching guitars". The duo will embark on a European tour in March and April 2024. 

[Spotify] Venal Joy

“Free Treasure”, Adrianne Lenker

This way: Free Treasure

It really doenst get better than this for song writtin'. Adrianne Lenker (born July 9, 1991) is an American musician. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the band Big Thief, as well as an established solo artist.

Lenker was born in Indianapolis and was raised in a Christian cult until the age of four, but primarily grew up in Minnesota. Her parents rented homes in Coon Rapids, Nisswa, and Bloomington, Minnesota, before settling down in Plymouth, Minnesota, where she lived for 10 years, excluding a brief time spent in Santa Cruz, California. She spent a summer traveling throughout the midwest and living out of a Ford cargo van. 

Lenker wrote her first song at the age of eight, and recorded her first album at age 13. Her other interests included studying martial arts, and she was the state karate champion three years in a row. She moved to Santa Cruz for a year and a half, living with a family friend and working at a local McDonalds. She dropped out of Santa Cruz High School halfway into her sophomore year, moved back to Plymouth, and got her GED at the age of 16. She attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

On February 28, 2006, when Lenker was 14, she released her first solo album, Stages of the Sun. On January 9, 2014, Lenker released her second solo album, Hours Were the Birds.[6]

On May 1, 2014, Lenker, together with future bandmate Buck Meek, released the LP records a-sides and b-sides. In 2015, Lenker and Meek, alongside Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia, formed the band Big Thief, whose first album was released in 2016. The band has since released four more albums, and has been touring every year since their formation.

Lenker released her third solo album, Abysskiss, on October 5, 2018. The album consisted of songs Lenker wrote while touring with Big Thief, and two of the songs received full arrangements, which were rereleased on the band's album U.F.O.F. a few months later.

While in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lenker wrote and recorded her two most recent albums, Songs and Instrumentals, which were released on October 23, 2020. The albums focused on less production and a more acoustic sound with traditional folk songwriting and improvisation. Both albums were recorded without any digital processes, utilizing an analog-analog-analog (AAA) recording method.

This from her latest release: Bright Future.

[Spotify] Free Treasure

“Sanitarium Blues”, Townes Van Zandt

This way: Sanitarium Blues

A Far Cry from Dead is a posthumous album by Townes Van Zandt, released two years after the singer's 1997 death. It contains overdubbed instrumentation added to vocal and guitar recordings made by the late singer. It was Van Zandt's first album on a major label. Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter. He wrote numerous songs, such as "Pancho and Lefty", "For the Sake of the Song", "If I Needed You", "Snake Mountain Blues", "Our Mother the Mountain", "Waitin' Round to Die", and "To Live Is to Fly". His musical style has often been described as melancholic and features rich, poetic lyrics. During his early years, Van Zandt was respected for his guitar playing and fingerpicking ability.

Much of Van Zandt's life was spent touring various bars, music clubs, colleges, and folk venues and festivals, often lodging in motel rooms or the homes of friends. He suffered from drug addiction and alcoholism, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When he was young, the now-discredited insulin shock therapy erased much of his long-term memory. 

In 1983, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covered and popularized Van Zandt's song "Pancho and Lefty", reaching number one on the Billboard country music chart. Van Zandt's influence has been cited by countless artists across multiple genres. One of the all time greatest songwriters. He dies at 52 years old. The heroin took him. 

[Spotify] Sanitarium Blues

“Miki Dora”, Amen Dunes

This way: Miki Dora

Amen Dunes is the musical project formed by American singer-songwriter and musician Damon McMahon in 2006. McMahon has described Amen Dunes as both a solo project and a band "when it's in action." Frequent collaborators include guitarist and keyboardist Jordi Wheeler and drummer Parker Kindred.

Damon McMahon founded the band Amen Dunes in 2006 in New York, New York. 

Amen Dunes' fifth record, Freedom, has received positive reviews, with Pitchfork calling it McMahon's "euphoric breakthrough". In addition to his regular collaborators Parker Kindred and Jordi Wheeler, Freedom features Delicate Steve and underground Roman musician Panoram. Chris Coady  (Beach House) produced. The record was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.

Amen Dunes is made up of McMahon and a rotating cast of musicians. In an interview, McMahon explained: "It's a solo project, but it's a band when it's in action, you know what I mean? I always relate to people like David Bowie, who were very considered with their collaborators, and collaboration is what he did, and it's a big part of what I do, but it's a solo project. I have a band per album, you could say. Even less, I have different band for each stage of album development. 

[Spotify] Miki Dora

“A Town Called Walker”, Tom Verlaine

This way: A Town Called Walker

The Solo work of Tom Verlaine holds some real jems. This album holds many. Tom Verlaine, was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the New York City rock band Television. Verlaine was born in Denville, New Jersey, on December 13, 1949. Tom had a twin brother, John Peter Miller (1949–1984), who died suddenly at age 34. 

Tom moved to Wilmington, Delaware, with his family when he was six. He began studying piano at an early age, but switched to saxophone in middle school after hearing a record by Stan Getz. Jazz saxophonists such as John Coltrane and Albert Ayler inspired him. Verlaine initially was unimpressed with the role of the guitar in both rock music and jazz, but was inspired to take up the instrument after hearing the Rolling Stones' "19th Nervous Breakdown" during his adolescence, at which point he began a long period of experimentation to develop a personal style. A later musical influence of Verlaine's became jazz musician Miles Davis' electric-period recordings, particularly the Japanese LPs Agharta (1975) and Dark Magus (1977), which he was able to obtain as imports.

Tom's family sent Verlaine and his twin brother John to Sanford Preparatory School, a private boarding school in Hockessin, Delaware. While John excelled in athletics and graduated in 1967, Tom's interest leaned toward writing and poetry. At Sanford, Tom became friends with future bandmate and punk icon Richard Hell (Richard Meyers). They quickly discovered that they shared a passion for music and poetry. Neither Verlaine nor Hell graduated from Sanford and they later moved to New York City. This from 1987.

[Spotify] A Town Called Walker

“5150”, Matt Heckler

This way: 5150

MATT HECKLER is a solo multi-instrumentalist that barely fits into any ordinary musical category. He tends to keep to the darker side of Appalachian mountain music and early bluegrass but listen long enough and you’ll soon be transported to the mountains of Eastern Europe or a dimly lit bar in Ireland where they honor those who have passed with a gently swaying a cappella ballad.

After touring almost nonstop for years in support of bands like Devil Makes Three, Lost Dog Street Band, Flogging Molly, and others, HECKLER, like the rest of us, got sidelined by the ongoing global pandemic. With the newfound time off, he set to pushing creative boundaries in his home recording studio as far as his mind would allow. Each fiddle, banjo, and guitar track carefully put in place all the while retaining the grit and energy reflected in his live shows. Paired perfectly as the sequel to After The Flood, the Blood, Water, Coal album is a defining release in his career. 

[Spotify] 5150

“This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide“, The Kings

This way: This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide

Do I love this or hate this, i can not decide. The Kings are a Canadian rock band formed in 1977 in Oakville, Ontario. They are best known for their 1980 song "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide", which was a hit in the United States and Canada. 

Recording history

The Kings were formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Oakville, Ontario in the late 1970s. The original lineup included David Diamond, bass, lead vocals; Mister Zero (aka John Picard, listed as Aryan Zero in the original "Kings Are Here" LP liner notes), guitar; Sonny Keyes, keyboards and vocals; and Max Styles (drums), with Zero and Diamond serving as the main songwriters with contributions from Keyes. The Kings were originally known as WhistleKing and rehearsed, performed club gigs, and wrote a considerable number of songs for more than three years.

In early 1980, the band went into Nimbus 9 Studio in Toronto to record their first album. While recording, renowned producer Bob Ezrin visited the studio, listened to the band, and liked what he heard. Together they created the album The Kings Are Here with the songs "This Beat Goes On" and "Switchin' To Glide", The double-A side single spent 23 weeks on the U.S. charts, peaking at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100. On superstation WLS-AM in Chicago, the song peaked at number nine during January 1981. It reached #59 in Canada. Two other singles followed, including "Don't Let Me Know" which only reached #109 on Billboard, and the band began touring extensively with Bob Seger, Jeff Beck, The Beach Boys and Eric Clapton. During 1980, their rising commercial fortunes culminated in an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and the closing spot at the major Heatwave festival in August.

[Spotify] This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide

“Pull up your Jocks”, The Scratch

This way: Pull up your Jocks (live)

Started as a fun experiment in the kitchen of a house in Perrystown, The Scratch are a 4-piece acoustic act from Dublin, Ireland. Born from a shared love of acoustic gui-tar, metal and traditional Irish music, The Scratch have moulded triumphant melodies with the groove and intensity of metal.

A 2017 busking trip to Rory Gallagher festival in Ballyshannon kick-started the jour-ney, as a video of the band busking racked up an astonishing one million views in just a week and was shared around the world. An invitation to do a free show in Dublin’s Whelan’s followed, and then a string of Dublin headliners in increasingly bigger venues, each one sold out before doors. Most recently their Academy Dublin show sold out in just four days. Their first UK show in The Camden Assembly was also sold out ahead of time. 

[Spotify] Pull up your Jocks

“Ain't it Fun”, Dead Boys

This way: Ain‘t it Fun

The Dead Boys are an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. The band was among the first wave of punk, and regarded by many as one of the rowdiest and most violent groups of the era. They were formed by vocalist Stiv Bators, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Zero, bassist Jeff Magnum, lead guitarist Cheetah Chrome, and drummer Johnny Blitz in 1975, with the later two having splintered from the band Rocket From The Tombs. The original Dead Boys released two studio albums, Young Loud and Snotty, and We Have Come for Your Children.  

The Dead Boys were initially active from 1975 to 1980, briefly reuniting a few times in the mid-1980s, and then later again in 2004 and 2005 for the first time without Bators, who had died in 1990. In September 2017, Chrome and Blitz reunited the band with a new line-up for a 40th anniversary tour along with a new album, Still Snotty: Young, Loud and Snotty at 40, a re-recording of their debut album. The new lineup includes vocalist Jake Hout, guitarist Jason "Ginchy" Kottwitz and bassist Ricky Rat, alongside Chrome and Blitz.

Chrome and Blitz joined Cleveland proto-punk band Rocket From The Tombs in late 1974. Chrome invited his friend Steve Bators on stage to sing a few songs at a show in August 1975. This caused most of the other band members to walk off stage and they broke up. Shortly thereafter Bators, Chrome and Blitz recruited Magnum and Zero to form Frankenstein who recorded demos in October but they broke up in January 1976. When the band members relocated to New York City in July 1976, they adopted the Dead Boys moniker which came from a line in the RFTT song "Down in Flames".

Moving to New York City at the encouragement of Joey Ramone, the Ramones' lead singer, the Dead Boys quickly gained notoriety for their outrageous live performances. Lewd gestures and profanity were the norm. They frequently played at the rock club CBGB (the band was briefly managed by club owner Hilly Kristal) and in 1977 they released their debut album, Young, Loud and Snotty, produced by Genya Ravan. Their song "Sonic Reducer" is often regarded as one of the classics of the punk genre, with AllMusic calling it "one of punk's great anthems."

[Spotify] Ain‘t it Fun

[Original version] Ain‘t it Fun

“Smelly Tongues”, The Residents

This way: Smelly Tongues

Weirdos Unite! This from 1874. The Residents are an American art collective and art rock band best known for their avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, Meet the Residents (1974), they have released over 60 albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects, and ten DVDs over the course of over half a century. They have undertaken seven major world tours and scored multiple films. Pioneers in exploring the potential of CD-ROM and similar technologies, the Residents have won several awards for their multimedia projects. They founded Ralph Records, a record label focusing on avant-garde music, in 1972. 

Throughout the group's existence, the individual members have ostensibly attempted to work anonymously, preferring to have attention focused on their art. Much speculation and rumor has focused on this aspect of the group. In public, they appear silent and costumed, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats and tails—a costume now recognized as their signature iconography. In 2017, Hardy Fox, long known to be associated with the Residents, identified himself as the band's co-founder and primary composer; he died in 2018.

[Spotify] Smelly Tongues

“Here's Your Future”, The Thermals

This way: Here's Your Future

The Thermals were an American indie rock band based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The group was formed in 2002. With influences heavily rooted in both lofi, as well as standard rock, the band's songs were also known for their political and religious imagery.

In 2002 former bandmates Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster came together to form the Thermals, having previously worked together, most notably in the folk duo Hutch & Kathy. Their first album, More Parts per Million, was released in 2003 by Sub Pop Records. The album was recorded and performed entirely by Hutch Harris, who played every instrument. The first live lineup was Harris with Kathy Foster on bass, Jordan Hudson (also of M. Ward and The operacycle) on drums and Ben Barnett on guitar.

Their follow-up album, 2004's Fuckin A, was mixed by Death Cab For Cutie member Chris Walla. During that period Ben Barnett left the band and Hutch Harris took over the role as guitarist.

Their third album The Body, The Blood, The Machine was produced by Brendan Canty of Fugazi and won the group much recognition and acclaim, appearing on multiple top album lists for 2006 such as NPR, The AV Club and Pitchfork. The song "A Pillar of Salt" was also featured on EA's Skate 3 in-game radio. Jordan Hudson dropped out of the band during the recording of their third album. Kathy Foster took over percussion duties in the recording studio, which Lorin Coleman performed on tour.

The Thermals' fourth album Now We Can See, was released in 2009 on the label Kill Rock Stars and produced by John Congleton. Again, Foster worked as the percussionist on the album. Westin Glass joined the group as a drummer after the album had been completed. 

[Spotify] Here's Your Future

“We Want the Airwaves”, Ramones

This way: We Want the Airwaves

Ramones? Who dis?  

[Spotify] We Want the Airwaves

“Lucky”, Kicking Giant

This way: Lucky

Carns' first band was Kicking Giant with fellow Cooper Union student Tae Won Yu, with whom she played drums and sang from 1990–1995. Their first show was in the storefront window of a Brooklyn junk shop; Carns stood up and played just one drum, a floor tom. Kicking Giant played around New York City and the northeast with bands like Codeine, Uncle Wiggly, and fellow "love-rockers" Sleepyhead; Carns continued to expand her stand-up kit, building around the central floor tom, anchor to Yu's whirling guitar and bedrock of their unique sound. Live, their largely improvised mash of punk, free jazz, sugar-candy pop, and pure poetry meant that Kicking Giant never played the same set, or even the same song, twice. Photographer Robert Frank filmed some live Kicking Giant shows; Carns later appeared in his film Last Supper (1992) along with Taylor Mead, Zohra Lampert, and Chemical Imbalance magazine's Mike McGonigal.[citation needed] While in New York, Kicking Giant recorded songs on Yu's 4-track and released a number of homemade cassettes (including songs recorded with Kramer); circulating bootlegs soon garnered the band a fierce cult following, particularly in England and Japan. Through the underground fanzine network, Yu became penpals with Liz Phair and members of Bratmobile, trading tapes and letters and zines and introducing the band to Riot Grrrl, a movement that merged Do It Yourself culture and feminism. In the summer of 1991 Kicking Giant played the International Pop Underground Convention in Olympia with bands like Bikini Kill, Beat Happening, Fugazi, L7, Unwound, and Jad Fair. The energy of the northwest punk scene was infectious, and both members were ready to leave New York; the duo parted ways temporarily in 1992 when Yu moved to Olympia and Carns to Washington, D.C. 

[Spotify] Lucky

“Galveston, Dark Tides”, Erase Errata

This way: Galveston, Dark Tides

Erase Errata was a band from San Francisco, California. The group favored improvisation as a compositional tool and each of their performances were a unique manifestation of established songs. Erase Errata formed in Oakland, California in 1999 and quickly earned national attention after the release of their first eponymous 7" and via tours with electro grrl band Le Tigre and Japanese noise rockers Melt Banana. They released their highly acclaimed debut album Other Animals in 2001, followed by At Crystal Palace in 2003, both on the Troubleman Unlimited label. The group began counting Sonic Youth, Mission of Burma and The Ex among their fans.

After founding guitarist Sara Jaffe left Erase Errata in 2004, singer Jenny Hoyston switched to guitar and the group briefly drafted a male vocalist named Archie McKay. The group eventually settled on a three-piece lineup, with Hoyston handling both guitar and vocal duties, and joined the Kill Rock Stars roster for the 2006 album Nightlife.

Jenny Hoyston - vocals, guitar, trumpet, keyboards 

Ellie Erickson - bass

Bianca Sparta - drums

[Spotify] Galveston, Dark Tides