“Labor Day” – The Dead Milkmen
How old do you have to be to get this song? Happy holiday!

“Truck” – illuminati hotties
This song is about mortality and whether or not heaven exists. Which is great. To me it hits as a late summer song for days when lounging in the pool has become routine but you’re not quite ready for fall to arrive.

“Alone Again” – Split System
These dudes sound like a punkier version of Jet. There is no connection between the bands – other than both being Australian – but I realized Jet has been around long enough that you could make the math work for the guys in Split System being their kids. Which is kind of weird.

“Stutter” – Elastica
I often reference Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist and how I enjoy its combination of brand new songs and older ones. This was in my playlist last week. At first listen I thought, “Holy shit, Elastica still has it! They even make the song sound like it’s from the 90s.” Then I checked and it is, in fact, from their debut big album, released in 1995. Oh well. Good to know there was more to that LP than just “Connection.”

“Goodbye to Music” – Flyying Colours
Our second Aussie act of the week. This gorgeous track is about FC songwriter Brodie Brümmer coming to terms with the damage he has done to his hearing in years as a professional musician, and how he has to give up the guilt associated with that to live a normal life. Kind of deep.

“Wondered” – The Hazmats
I had to triple check that this was new and not something from the mid-to-late eighties college music scene.

“Summer’s Over” – Jordana, TV Girl
I mean not officially, but basically. At least it will be next Tuesday when we get through another holiday weekend.

“Suspect Device” – Stiff Little Fingers
I heard this the other day for the first time in quite awhile. Northern Ireland’s answer to The Clash, SLF wrote strident songs inspired by The Troubles that were as powerful as anything else from that first wave of punk. This performance is from a 30th anniversary show in 2008. Also fun to check out a performance from the song’s first year of life.