Friday Vid
A special playlist to come later today. “Love is Alive” – Gary Wright Mr. Wright died this week. Contrary to popular belief, he was not a one-hit-wonder: he had three songs that cracked the top 20. By every measure except for one, this was his biggest hit. Like “Dream Weaver,” it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100. It remained…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2CI0ohj0U1J8ihzE4m3o6z?si=66ab17904b4648b7 “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…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xlUTikI4RjEoJWONdXfTI?si=84ecccd1bfa64faa “Make It Work” – Swiss Banks Holy Smiths tribute! Or is it an Interpol tribute? The vocals are straight out of the Morrissey school. But musically, this song is way closer to Interpol than The Smiths. Interesting combination. I think it works. “Different Now” – Courtney Barnett covering Chastity Belt It’s been awhile since I’ve enjoyed one of Barnett’s…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol 89
Chart Week: August 29, 1981 Song: “For Your Eyes Only” – Sheena Easton Chart Position: #29, 6th week on the chart. Peaked at #4 for for weeks in October and November. I’ve heard a glut of 1981 countdowns recently. To be honest, it’s a little much. The quirkiness of that era grates rather quickly upon repeated exposure. However, I did…
Friday Playlist
I must begin this week’s playlist with an apology. Last week I teased that I would be doing something new and exciting this week. Unfortunately that will not happen. I was going to get back into the world of podcasting, inserting actual vocal segments between songs. I’m not sure anyone needed or wanted to hear my voice, but I was…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 88
I talk a lot about how the summer of 1984 was the greatest moment in pop music history, normally backing that up with examples of some of the songs that were on the chart that summer. As I was listening to a 1984 countdown a couple weeks ago, it struck me again how freaking solid those 40 songs were. There…
Friday Playlist
A heads up for my loyal listeners that I’ve been working on a format change for these playlists. I’m hoping to unveil the newest, latest version next week. If it works as I hope, I think you’re going to enjoy it. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5O2XhoWVu5bsl33LZny7Pb?si=1d8eb8b1f79f4c5a “Motorcade” – Peggy Sue I love it when the algorithm spits out terrific songs I haven’t heard in…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0b6JAFqRubwqLSRipIsGSm?si=c8a52d84855d4d8c “Dream Some More” – The High Water Marks A bunch of schools around us went back to class this week, which is a tragedy. There should still be a month left of days wide open for listening to music like this. “Outta Time” – Bethany Cosentino Cosentino just released her first solo album which takes her sound in a…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Km163jPEQpJcuOYW5h15b?si=d1e428c9f3444187 “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas We have been very lucky and this has been one of the best spring/summers I can recall, other than the Canadian smoke. Until this week. The heat that has been plaguing the rest of the country finally hit us, although its worst has held off until today…
Sinéad
When Irish women with distinctive voices who were successful in the 90s die, I’m required to write about them. The terrible news came Wednesday of Sinéad O’Connor’s death. It’s an understatement to suggest she did not have an easy life, so while a shock, this is also one of those deaths that can seem like a relief from all the…