Friday Playlist

“House Of Dead Memories” – Sugar
OH SHIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!! SUGAR IS BACK!!!!! Like, seriously back. This isn’t a song that was recorded 35 years ago and lost on a master tape hidden in a producer’s basement and unearthed when he died or something random like that. Bob Mould, David Barbe, and Malcolm Travis got together this summer for the first time since 1995 and recorded it. It may be something leftover from their original run that was just demoed back then, or it could be the first step in a full return of the band. The official announcement does not offer a release date for a possible album, so perhaps we shouldn’t get our hopes too high.

The band has scheduled two shows in New York, two in London for next spring. Maybe that’s to see if they can get along while recording more music before scheduling a more extensive tour? Or maybe this is just a brief moment for those of us who think Copper Blue is one of the greatest albums ever recorded to celebrate the men that brought it to life.

“Sick Sad World” – Bob Vylan
This starts off sounding like it might be a novelty song for the Halloween season, then morphs into a much broader statement.

“Cross Your Heart” – Momma
From a deluxe version of the Welcome To My Blue Sky album that will drop next month. Maybe not quite as high as the high points on that album, but still pretty good. Another reminder that this has been a great year for female-fronted bands that make grungy music that calls back to the Nineties.

“Why” – Radioactivity
I always think it’s odd that bands sometimes have songs they perform live for years but never record, or at least never release them on records or singles. That’s the case with this song, a fan favorite that these Texas garage rockers finally put on (digital) wax.

“No Cops In Heaven” – Split System
Offered without comment.

“Favourite Pair Of Shoes” – Lande Heckt
A bit of a palate cleanser.

“Across The Line” – Remember Sports
This could easily be an early Waxahatchee song.

“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” – D’Angelo
Damn, D’Angelo gone at just 51. I can’t lie and say I was this big fan of his. I knew a few of his songs. I was aware of his musical presence. I knew that he was somewhat reclusive, appearing sporadically with albums that were considered instant classics. But I never really dove into his work.

This song, though, I’m not sure if you could miss it when it came out. Certainly not its video. Apparently that video really messed D’Angelo up, as he believed it wasn’t a representation of who he really was. You wouldn’t think a (then) mega-fit, young man like him could have body image issues, but they plagued him the rest of his life after the reaction to the video for this song. Because of that, I’ll share the song.

If you can handle it, look up his performance of “Sometimes It Snows In April,” on the Tonight Show from right after Prince died. It will get to you. I could only find it in those weird Facebook posts that are impossible to share.

“Mountains” – Prince
Let’s honor D’Angelo with some Prince falsetto, which no doubt influenced him.