OK, for music post #2, I wanted to celebrate Ryan Adams’ new album, Prisoner. Rather than setting the stage myself, I thought I would share this excellent view of the State of Ryan Adams that Steven Hyden published earlier this week. It’s a good primer on where Adams has been over the past few years. And it has a little…

It’s the first really big new music Friday of 2017! Which means bonus musical content for you! Strand of Oaks and Son Volt have new albums out today. Middle Kids released their long-awaited debut EP. And the crown jewel of the day is Ryan Adams’ Prisoner, which is already making me happy/sad. Oh, and there’s a bonus cherry on top:…

https://open.spotify.com/user/224aiwksicafjldlua6nnpo4y/playlist/6rc53ykHGe4zkY109efEAZ “The Punisher” – Lucius. I don’t know anything about this group, but this song is awesome. “Thick as Thieves” – The Menzingers. This band has always leaned a little too emo for my tastes. But they shifted ever-so-slightly on their latest album and I’m finding a handful of the tracks very nice to listen to. Good to hear some…

Australia was in the news a little this week. I had some Aussie (and one New Zealand) tunes gathered. Seemed like a good time to put them together with a classic from Down Under to form a very pleasing playlist. https://open.spotify.com/user/224aiwksicafjldlua6nnpo4y/playlist/3Wo3sxyYMR3cHyYhxkrlbW “Never Start” – Middle Kids. I discovered their “Edge of Town” way back in the spring of last year.…

Everything is different today. Things that had been in place for years are suddenly changed, awkward, and troublesome. Yep, you guessed it: M got braces put on yesterday. Or at least her top brackets. She was alternately excited and anxious. I think it’s weird that kids these days often look forward to getting braces. I guess it has to do…

https://open.spotify.com/user/224aiwksicafjldlua6nnpo4y/playlist/2ZuR71KaEhqc33ZOayubgp “Emotions and Math” – Margaret Glaspy. I really enjoyed Glaspy’s album this song serves as the title track for. But I lost it in the haze of the end of last year. I was reminded of this track, and then the album, when my brother in music Erick$ included this song in a playlist of his favorite songs of…

My collection of new music dwindled over the past six weeks, as I both devoted most of my time to either holiday tunes or reviewing my favorite songs of 2016, and as the music industry dialed the spigot back a bit on new releases. I’m looking forward to the flow increasing again soon. For our first playlist of the new…

Time for my monthly/annual recounting of what I’ve been listening to. The December numbers are always an aberration, as I go all-in with the holiday music. I think the 2016 totals are rather interesting, though. I don’t believe I’ve ever had my #1 artist so far out in front of my #2 artist. Remember, these only reflect what I’ve listened…