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…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2047Kt9nPGFZzd1EM8QKuD?si=341e83d596374fda “Midnight Sunburn” – Dog Ears Big, crunchy, power pop for mid-summer. “I Need Ya” – Somebody’s Child If the Strokes were from Ireland, they would probably sound like this. “Forgiving Ties” – Deer Tick I had to triple check this wasn’t a lost Tom Petty demo that someone else had finished. “The Spiral” – Body Maintenance This is some…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 87
Chart Week: July 15, 1989 Song: “Buffalo Stance” – Neneh Cherry Chart Position: #20, 16th week on the chart. Peaked at #3 the week of June 24. I have always been fascinated by the details of how songs are made. There’s the initial inspiration. The writing and recording process. How a song is mixed and produced. Whether it goes on…