Wow. The world will be a better place on this Friday, April 19th when Pearl Jam’s 12th studio album is officially released. As for myself, even though I got to hear it twice tonight, I want more. I need to hear it more. The gut punch, heart wrench reaction is similar to the one I had listening to last year’s Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are. As soon as I heard that record, I knew it was going to be my album of the year. And it never wavered. I am now saying the same thing about Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter. It literally blew me away. Twice! Music and lyrics… Eddie’s voice and the music… two listens.
Let me back up a little bit. I come up with some fantastic ideas that I sometimes just sit on, and then, of course, someone else does them instead. Such is what happens with flashes of inspiration. G-d or the universe or energy sends them down and if you don’t act, it goes to the next person. Elizabeth Gilbert writes about this beautifully in her book Big Magic.
We can’t always act for a variety of reasons. But boy, if we have an idea, we should try to run with it. So, what was my great idea from years ago? Massive listening parties for new album releases… gathering folks together in a common space like a movie theatre or concert venue and just listening to and hearing an album in its full glory for the first time. People would be lying down, sitting in comfy chairs… With headsets on… or off. Communal listening. Immediate and powerful.
A combo of the way I used to do it my old bedroom with oversize headphones and a cord that let me move and dance around my room, or just lying on the bed or floor and escaping into the music and being totally enveloped by it.
And then of course, bringing in others. Being surrounded by the spirt of music along with others is essential and powerful. It is humanity coming together. Music is such a needed escape a lot of the time. Especially these days. But it is also what we must run to and towards. Art. It binds us and bounds us, and the plea of this record is just that… to come together once again and not be so divisive and divided.
I started thinking about so many things, like hanging with friends and gently dropping a needle onto vinyl, pushing a cassette into my Denon or yes, even a cartridge into an 8-Track player. Man, those Boston Acoustics speakers sounded so damn good. Movie in a theatre with that sound… even better.
And so… here we are! (Yes, that’s a callback.)
April 16, 2024. A Tuesday night in Sherman Oaks, California, thanks to 88.5 The So Cal Sound, (and yes, click the link and DONATE NOW!) I find myself being amongst the first people to hear Pearl Jam’s new masterpiece, Dark Matter. While I was not privy to the Mission Impossible timed explosions/vanishing albums sent out to the music biz, I have been able to hear the released tracks “Dark Matter” and “Running” on the radio. And talking to Matt Pinfield (@MattPinfield), 88.5’s newest DJ and hearing him rave about this record, I knew I was in for a treat. As a side note, check out The Killers incredible “All These Things I’ve Done,” which is about Matt! And of course, he’s a Jersey Boy!!! Bruuuccceee!!!
So… I was expecting something special from this record, but nothing like what washed over me and literally rocked my soul. The first listen was in a dark theatre… Perfect for an album called Dark Matter. Though I wish the screen wasn’t illuminated and we were in complete darkness. Nonetheless, it was a Rock ‘n Roll sound bath… a moving, rocking meditation on the woes of the world, how broken we are, how broken hearts can be, the power of love, for a partner or child, and a band’s passionate reaction to where we now find ourselves… literally and metaphorically in the dark searching for answers and light and some note, some lyric, some music to grab onto.
Dark matter is a “hypothetical form of matter that appears not to interact with light or the electromagnetic field.” This album is hypnotic and explodes in light and magnetism.
The second full listen was with some trippy images on screen, reminding me slightly of those days at the Hayden Planetarium, where in retrospect, I might have wished I smoked pot back then. A few of us were curious what the experience would be like with some last night, but I’m glad I was fully, mentally there.
This album demands and deserves attention. You will hear yourself in it… your life, your situation and the world around you. It’s all there. The “words” of this record need to be inhaled and pondered. They’re potent and will move you. Some are clever bits of word play, which some may not enjoy as much as I did and do, but Pearl Jam goes deep to the well for this one… and tears will well.
And having the lyrics onscreen served two purposes for me. One, it made Eddie’s singing clearer, and while he sounds AMAZING on this album, like really amazing, he still chews a lot of words. Sorry, Eddie. And two, see above. These lyrics need to be rolled around and contemplated and shared. And they need to be sung. They are the stuff self-empowering and spiritual books are built on. So powerful and astounding. This record is a magnificent thing of beauty.
I will still go to Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy… I mean, those are pivotal, iconic albums for so many of us… But this is a record I am going to listen to A LOT. I literally want it on repeat right now. It is a raw powerhouse and shows how vital Pearl Jam still is. And forgive me, for I am not sure how to say this any other way… this album will be a young guitar player’s wet dream. Many a night will there be when young budding musicians get up from a deep slumber, grab their axe and start figuring out these licks. The guitars are insane.
The band recorded the album in just three weeks at Shangi-La in Malibu, famous for many reasons and artists who passed through or stayed awhile, but for me the joy is that it’s where Martin Scorsese filmed interviews with The Band for the iconic and joyous Rock Doc,The Last Waltz.Rick Rubin owns it now, and I guess I need to check out Showtime’s 2019 documentary on the famed studio! Or check out the ACTUAL studio… hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
And some of the songs were debuted at the Troubadour on Jan. 31… How the heck did I miss that?! Argh. I used to be in the know! According to the band, the album “channels the shared spirit of a group of lifelong creative confidants and brothers in one room playing as if their very lives depended on it.” (Wikipedia)
And that’s music at its best, isn’t it… Creative… powerful… and made by people who are playing with joy, passion, immediacy and for their very lives…. because they and the world depend on it. In my opinion, this album is all that.
The first two tracks “Scared of Fear” and “React, Respond” just frickin’ rip and shred and set the tone. And that opening song lyric of “We used to believe” just hurts and aches. Though the message on the second song is to NOT react, but TO respond, which is a wonderful and powerful lesson of mindfulness. These songs grab you by the throat and will have your head banging. And again, that guitar work. Wow! Then things slow down a bit with the heartbreaking, “Wreckage.” The way this album moves from grunge to head bang to punk to heart tug is a thing of beauty and balance in itself.
“Dark Matter” is the single you probably already know, and this video gives you a rough idea of what kind of visuals we saw for the rest of the songs.
“Won’t Tell”
“Upper Hand” – Ironically, this song has a lot of Pink Floyd in it, which reminds me of those nights at the Hayden Planetarium, but also reminds me of how I can’t listen to Pink Floyd anymore because of RW’s vile hate. Luckily, I still LOVE and RESPECT David Gilmour, and his guitar playing is a clear inspiration on this track.
“Waiting for Stevie”
“Running” – This is the other previously released track that will have your mind racing and your heartbeat running.
“Something Special” – Another slow and beautiful song, which seems to be about his daughters, is a perfect rock ‘n roll lullaby.
And then this stunner of an album gives us two more life lessons in “Gotta Give” and “Setting Sun.”
Cheers and thanks to: Eddie Vedder (@EddieVedder), Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Marc VanGool (guitar tech and studio assistant), Paul LaMalfa (engineer) and the ass-kicking Andrew Watt (producer).
Watch out world. We all have something amazing to wake up to on Friday! So grab your friends and family, get together with strangers, crank this one up to 11 and listen in the dark, in the light, and let it break the great divide. Let Dark Matter illuminate your soul, open your ears and heart, and rock you to the core. Come into the light with Dark Matter. And so… here we are.
A few weeks ago Venice (and their cover band alter ego, The Pine Mountain Logs) played the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA. As they joked, they were “opening for themselves.” For those of us lucky enough to be there, the night was a pure celebration of the love and passion they feel for their own music, and the great songs they/we all grew up on. The energy was roof-raising.
I have seen the band live too many times to count, and they know me by face. They are always there for their fans with a hug and a hello and a genuineness that makes you feel like you are family. Two brothers who are cousins (Marky, Michael, Kip and Pat Lennon) make up the core of the band, and so they are family in reality. But we are right there at the dinner table, too! And for the live show we got the great Mark Harris on Bass, Dan Gillen on Drums and Chris Horvath on keys and guitar.
The band, and that evening in particular are pure heart and soul, and so is Stained Glass, their stunner of an album that is so needed at this precise time in the world. Many of the songs are either a beautiful or painful expression of love, or a beautiful and painful expression of what’s become of the world we live in. They dance around politics in the most wonderful way, gently calling out the hate and changes in people we all see and what we’ve fallen into, including ourselves! And yet they/we are still hopeful of what we can rise above and hopefully get back to. Great music is a great place to start!
At 16 songs and ambitiously over an hour of phenomenal music, this album has been my driving companion, house guest and dance partner. I can easily listen to it for sheer pleasure, but then I find the lyrics pulling at my thoughts, wanting me to mull them over, share them with friends and explore them a lot more deeply. This record is raw and honest, smart and insightful, in the most melodic way. Whatever Venice sings about is always given a lift by their glorious harmonies, bringing the right amount of joy, hurt and uplift.
“Call It Human” seeks to define our common flaws as the general nature of human beings. We are all in this together!
“Fool’s Gold” sounds like it’s channeling their late friend, the amazing David Crosby. This song put my materialistic aspirations in place and made me realize the “tales I’ve been told” are perhaps not the best things to be pursuing.
“Odds & Ends” is such a wonderful tune about staying friends with a former lover, the goal many of us have but one that is not always possible… If “we are made of odds and ends, but the odds are on our side,” then boom… anything is possible. Great lyric!
“Morning Star” fills the “empty spaces” and will fill your head with pure joy. Here’s to that classic harmonizing that takes the band above and beyond.
“Blame It On the Milky Way” was the first single and immediately reminded me of classic ’70s disco songs. And I mean that as a high compliment. I dare you to listen to this somg and not start moving and dancing… Seriously… try it. It cannot be done!!!
“One Kind Word” is such a soothing salve for the soul. And these days, one kind word might be all we need to get us through the day and mend our broken heart.
“Set My Course” makes me want to pick up a guitar and re-learn finger picking. And to share this tune with my girl who danced into my world and has me on a much better course. Cheers to new loves!
“Empty Avenues” is a modern rocking torch song. Gorgeous.
“Together Soon” is the one that hits at the heart and the mind. It says what needs to be said in a simple, beautiful yearning. I also “pray we come together soon,” but it will take all of us seeing “truth and factuality…” and letting the gospel of music in!
“Sorry” is for all of us who have trampled on our own boundaries… Ugh. But love or the feelings of love make us do things we shouldn’t do and know better not to do. And this song has my favorite lyric of the album: “I don’t want to feel this way if you don’t feel that way about me.” Brilliant!!!
“Sun Will Go Down” may be that perfect rock lullaby. My soul feels soothed after this song.
“Black and Blue”… sigh… This is a great little ditty that sneaks up on you with it’s oh so frustrating message and last line… Are we still the same? It’s hard to see that anymore… and why? Because “the truth ain’t black and white. It’s black and blue.” Sadly, you got that right, boys!!!
If the city of Avalon does not use “Avalon By The Sea” as their “national anthem” I don’t know! This is as California as you get without being the Beach Boys! I want to be in a hammock on any island listening to this song. Avalon, take me away!!!
“Beautiful Flower” is just a beautiful love song. It celebrates the rediscovery of love… the beautful notion that love can come twice… and that you may just be able to find the one-in-a-million who, “believe it or not she sees everything in me that I want to be.”
If you don’t have your own words to share with your lover or partner… bust this tune out and let Venice play Cyrano for you!!!
“Patience of a Lion” is the song I really want to know more about… Is it about a celeb??? Clearly, it’s about someone who is not able to be as open and freely with a relationship as the other partner wants and needs to be. We should all be able to tell the world about our love!!!
And then this amazing record closes with the uplifting, get you off your ass and dancing and moving and celebrating “Souls Connected.” Sometimes something casual becomes THE ONE! And isn’t that magical when you can “hear the rest of my life calling out to me!”
Thank you, boys. This record is what we all need NOW! It’s filled with beauty and grace, hurt and confusion, but mostly it is filled with love and joy and all the colors that one finds in the stained glass windows to the heart and soul.
Today was one of those days. Nothing bad, but also nothing good. Just one of those days. We all have them, but unfortunately, since getting laid off, I have too many of “those days.” You know, the ones I‘m talking about, where instead of waking up with energy, enthusiasm and excitement you wake up with a literal exhalation of “Fuuuuuuuuuccccccccckkkkkkkkk.” Well… at least that’s what I do. So, there’s that.
Anyway… I had trouble getting out of bed this morning, or I should say I had trouble wanting to get out of bed this morning. But I did. I meditated, read a bit, did some affirmations in that beta state of the brain, and then cleaned and cooked some veggies so I’d have some healthy options for the next few days. I figured as long as I put in my eight hours of job searching and applications, it doesn’t quite matter when it starts.
After staring at a computer screen for a while, finally in the late afternoon, I got myself on the hiking trail. I realized in yoga this past weekend that my belly was literally getting in the way. Literally. Reach and touch my toes? I can’t even see my toes!
And I also had the realization that the majority of my health issues have come about at the same time as my weight gain. Reading the amazing book Water Up, Fire Down has opened my mind and I can see why I physically feel the way I do. I highly recommend the book and the documentary Love Heals. There is something to the body energy and how we can, often, heal ourselves.
So, my belly is yet one more thing I need to purge. Again, literally.
I got as far as about a mile in to my hike, but the trail was too wet and muddy to continue, so I headed back. I stopped at one of my usual places and decided to do some of the Qigong exercises I have recently learned… also highly recommended. There is something about doing them out in nature, and while these trails are close to buildings and homes, they are still out there. You are definitely out in nature.
I did the “Standing Cobra,” the “Shaking,” the “Standing Meditation,” the “Wuji” and then the “Chi Ball Building.” (Thanks Tristan, Sabrina and the SATORI Method).
And yes, half of my male friends are now shaking their heads and have stopped reading this and are asking themselves what the hell is going on here. Is Marc, okay?
As I lifted the Chi (Energy) ball above me and over my head, I saw something floating in the sky heading towards me. Are you kidding me. “This is crazy,” I thought to myself. I mean I am quite literally looking up to the sky, offering my energy up to the Heavens and the Heavens are sending me some kind of message back. This is nuts!
What was it? Did something fall off an airplane… I know, I know. That’s kind of sick. I don’t know where that thought came from other than some recent news about DB Cooper’s possible real identity and a sonar image that could be Amelia Earhart’s airplane that was recently on TV… or maybe just some strange, subconscious shit going on in my brain. But that was my initial thought! Obviously, I did not want it to be a plane exploding and pieces falling all around me. Or parts falling off a plane. And besides, as it moved lower it looked light, like a piece of newspaper.
As it got closer, I could see it was white and rectangular. It twisted and fluttered like a butterfly, but was clearly, at least now, just a piece of paper. Not an origami butterfly, though I do love those, just a piece of paper. But maybe there was a message! Oooh! Maybe it was supposed to be a message in a bottle, but flew away before whoever wrote it could get it inside. My brain was moving fast on the possibilities. Cue: The Police.
Part of me wanted to pull out my phone to video and document this, but another part of me wanted to fully experience it as it was happening. I mean, realistically, how often do we go back and look at the concert footage we actually take on our tiny phones. Yes, some phones aren’t tiny, but still… You know what I mean.
I decided I would be fully in the moment, and I have to say, I was. And I was in awe. Truly. And this is before I even knew what this was. I was out in nature, channeling peace and energy and harmony, looking up to the heavens, and the Heavens responded. That’s awe right there.
After it was all over, I would record some thoughts on my phone so as to have the feelings and emotions captured close to the moment, but for now, I was in it. I was fully present.
The paper continued to hover over me, moving from side to side, but staying close to the path of the trail. I started to worry that it might land in an overgrown area or one of the trees, and was fully prepared to off road it or climb a tree or figure out a way to get to it. I mean, after all, this was some kind of message! But it didn’t. It kept moving forward, staying above the trail, and slowly, slowly descending.
I moved the Chi ball over all my Chakras, and started to move back along the path, letting this mystical paper be my guide. And yes, I know I have now probably lost the other half of my friends reading this with the very mention of the words Qigong, Chi ball and Chakras. But hey, I’m a deep guy and multi-dimensional!
Finally, the paper lands on the path… and I start laughing… loudly. It’s a Trader Joe’s receipt! A frickin’ Trader Joe’s receipt!!!
This is the message from G-d? This is the message from Heaven? This is the pronouncement from the Universe??? A ()($#$*()(*&^%$@ Trader Joe’s receipt???!!! Come on!!!
Okay, so… I was literally texting with a friend earlier in the day about applying for a job at Trader Joe’s, but dang, surely this could not be what was being sent to me from the skies above… from the Heavens, from G-d. It couldn’t be, could it? THE message from Heaven was to go work at Trader Joe’s??? Hmmm… Was this some kind of cosmic joke??? I mean there is nothing wrong with working at Trader Joe’s. I have applied there before and everyone I know who works there is almost ALWAYS happy. But, when you get a message from above, you want a MESSAGE FROM ABOVE!
I kept laughing. Looking up at the sky, looking down on the ground at the receipt, and laughing.
Of my course my curiosity got a hold of me, so I picked up the receipt and started to read it… a few returns… a few items I normally buy… cool. And then my mouth dropped open. I started laughing, again… and then I started crying.
The name of the cashier… was… I kid you not… C. Angel. C. Angel!!! Was it a command… like, “Hey Marc, see Angel!!!” Or do you see the angel, or something like that. Whatever it was, it was a literal message from an angel… or at least a C. Angel!!!
What floated down onto the trail in front of me!
I started to stutter. I kept laughing and crying and going back and forth with joy and wonder and shock. I started calling the people I know who would appreciate this crazy story, and no one was answering. No one! So, I recorded my thoughts.
What it means, I don’t quite know yet. I will meditate on it. I will be open to it, whatever it is. I am asking my friends who are far more intuitive than I am in these matters… and seeing if they have any thoughts. As a crazy or even crazier FYI… I just checked my email for something, and I was sent an email this morning that I JUST SAW called “Who is Your Guardian Angel”!!! WTAF?!
Okay, back to earth! Maybe, as Josh says, I am supposed to go work at Trader Joe’s because I’ll meet some agent or producer there who will buy my script or book or cast me in some show or whatever… and my true path will be revealed. Or maybe not. I don’t know. At least at this point, I have no idea.
As for me, I’m going with this… today I got some kind of message from an Angel. Literally. Since I got it on the “path” and it led me forward, I’ll go with “stay on the path, Marc. Get healthy and do your exercise, Marc. Angels are looking out for you, Marc.” Well, at least one is. Hi C. Angel.
As for those of you still reading this, go ahead… tell me your thoughts.
We thought that 2020 was a horrid year. Then came 2021, which was even worse. And 2022 was not much better… and now, here we are… 2023. This may well be the very worst of the lot. Wars raging in Israel and Ukraine. Stupidity at an all-time high. I am saddened for the world we may be leaving to our children and saddened at many of their peers and how lost they are or have become.
Lost… I lost my job… I lost my dog… I lost friends. Many friends lost family and friends. So how do we celebrate a year of such immense loss?
Let us look to what was and is good. It is out there, sometimes so obvious, sometimes we need to dig around and discover the gold that may be covered in the dust and the dirt.
So, this year-end post is for a true music maker, my friend Ric Mandell. It is for my beloved pooch Bozie. It is for true change makers like Harry Belafonte. It is for true beat makers like Taylor Hawkins. It is for everyone and everything we lost… but it is also for what we found and gained…
It is for love and joy. It is for spirit and connection. It is for my beloved family. It is for my beloved friends. It is for the Js in my life. It is for the sounds of laughter and yes, it is for the sounds of music.
Music is life. Music is the soundtrack of our lives. It is in the forefront and in the background. It is in our minds, in our dreams and on our lips. Music, sweet, sweet music. Let it play…
I do have to say getting to a top 23 was really, really hard as there are so many records I really, really love. Thus, the looong Honorable Mention to start. And yeah, I have some ties and don’t jump a number, so sue me, Sue me, Sue. But here we are, in more ways than one.
May this list bring you song and dance, singing and humming, discovery, remembrances and joyous joy. And let it bring you lots to love and lots of love. Play on!
Honorable Mention (the way Word sorted and alphabetized): Alex Lahey – The Answer is Always Yes Good and sardonic things DO come from Down Under!
Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine Great live and great on record.
Ben Folds – What Matters Most One of my all-time favorite artists. While I miss BFF, I always enjoy Ben’s solo efforts and this new album is a stunner.
Blondshell – Blondshell Yes, Dan Gordon and I went to see her live… and yes, we were the oldest guys there. But she and the band were great. This album is a really good listen and promises of things to come.
Bully A Dan Gordon rec and a great record. Just enough edge, just enough grunge, just enough joy. Alicia Bognanno plays “upbeat but noisy indie rock with pop hooks.” Bully, my boy… Bully!
The Clientele – I Am Not There Anymore British Indie Power Pop is alive and well and on their 8th album they keep their wonderful sound going. Just ask Spoon and Fleet Foxes, who list them as inspiration.
Depeche Mode – Memento Mori I love how many bands from my youth are still at it and going strong.
Dope Lemon – Kimosabé Thanks to my brother Dan’s sleepless night I got an intro to this record… though thanks to my cousin, I later learned it was Angus Stone from Angus and Julia Stone. Great stuff.
Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven This is one to dance to… a fun, feel good record… even in songs of non-heartbreak like “Cure For Love.” But despite the lyric “Here’s to bein’ lonely,” maybe a little heartbreak…. Maybe.
Fall Out Boy – So Much for Stardust From best new artist in 2006 comes the 8th studio album from this pop punk group out of Chicago. If this doesn’t get you off your ass nothing will.
Geese – 3D Country Not to be confused with Goose, this Brooklyn Post Punk group is an interesting and fun listen and another DG rec.
Indigo De Souza – All of This Will End Her “intimate, anxious indie rock songs wrangle with disappointment, relationship challenges and self-acceptance.” Yes, they do. This album is brutally honest and raw, but bathed in fuzzy vocals and sweet pop.
John Cale – Mercy It took me a while to fully appreciate the avant-garde artistry of Velvet Underground, but once I did, that was it… I was hooked. And man, I miss Lou Reed. This album is dreamy and has some collabs with some of my favorite artists like Actress, Weyes Blood, Sylvan Esso, and Animal Collective. This is one fine record.
Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here. Not my usual listen, but a really great record and one I’ve really liked playing.
Margaret Glaspy – Echo the Diamond Another short record at under 36 minutes, but each track from this Brooklyn singer/songwriter is a tasty, folksy, rockin’ pop treat.
Metallica – 72 Seasons Speed metal… thrash metal… just metal. The famous “they” say that metal music can actually relax you and can be good for reducing stress and anxiety. I suppose as long as you are not in the mosh pit, that is. Or maybe even if you are. I can’t say I’m a true Metal Head, but Metallica and Iron Maiden have actually reduced my stress, so there you go. Give their 11th studio album a try! And yes, this band goes to 11!
Shakey Graves – Movie of the Week The 4th studio album comes five years after the great Can’t Wake Up. Fun and unique Americana is the name of the game here.
The Hold Steady – The Price of Progress Is short sweet? So many albums on this list seem to be… short and sweet that is. Add punky to the mix here! Craig Finn and company put out another indie, punky, classic rock record.
The Nude Party – Rides On Giggle, giggle. What? I’m still a little boy at heart, and they said nude. This is a great rockin’ American band from North Carolina and this is a great record.
Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift are amongst her influences. She taught herself to play guitar for a Disney show as a kid, and is only 20 years old. Kind of insane. Her first album, Sour (2021) won 3 Grammy Awards and this one is on so many best-of lists. And yes, I like it, too!
Ratboys – The Window Released a day before my birthday, I look at this album as a personal birthday gift. Okay, not really. They don’t know me, but this Chicago band makes some fun Indie rock!
Wednesday – Rat Saw G-d Indie. Shoe gaze. Punk. Country. All of the above. I find it interesting that Karly Hartzman was “inspired to start playing guitar after watching Mitski’s NPR Tiny Desk concert” (Mitski is on this list), and also includes Drive-By Truckers as inspiration (see Jason Isbell on this list, too.) This is definitely not in my normal “wheelhouse” of music, and I may have been scared away after the long, screaming ending of “Bull Believer,“ but this one grew on me, especially with and after the tracks “Got Shocked” and “Formula One.”
23. TIE The New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest Another “super group,” but this one hails from the great city of Vancouver, Canada! I so need to get back there and onto Granville Island for sure. In the meantime, I’ll just enjoy this band’s latest release. It’s a damn good one!
Jenny Lewis – Joy’All One of my musical crushes, Jenny continues to make amazing records. She writes from a place of pure honesty, always self-examining herself and the world around her in the best musical ways.
22. Slow Pulp – Yard Another indie, grungy, shoegazing rec from the always reliable Dan Gordon. This album is a slow, enjoyable simmer that really soothes the soul. And yeah, I may play harmonica along with “Broadview.” I absolutely love that these guys started making music in 6th grade. What the heck was I doing in 6th grade??? Don’t ask. Not making music, I can tell you that… or maybe making bad music on the clarinet.
21. TIE Local Natives – Time Will Wait For No One This album literally flies by. It clocks in at just over 34 minutes… but it is 34 minutes of unbelievable beauty. “Just Before the Morning” is so utterly delicious!
The Mountain Goats – Jenny from Thebes Another album that just makes me happy, from the opening track “Clean Slate,” which sounds like it could be part of a modern Broadway rock musical to the jazzy closer “Great Pirates.”
20. Dinner Party – Enigmatic Society Who doesn’t love a good dinner party? Question is, how do I get on the same invite list as Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin??? This jazz/hip hop “super group” serves up a delicious menu that will start you at the dinner table, take you into the kitchen moving and dancing, and then onto the living room sofa to… have dessert! What?!?!
19. Eyelids – Crawling Off Your Pages Since this band consists of former and current members of Guided by Voices, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, The Decemberists and Camper Van Beethoven, I guess you can call them a “super group.” And this record is super… It is delicious, jangly guitar goodness.
18. TIE OMD – Bauhaus Staircase Yes, ‘80s music is my musical comfort food. So long live Synth Pop. Anyone that can survive decades in this horrid business is doing something right, and this record is a joy to behold. “If You Leave” will always be on my very best songs of all-time list… On this record, the most moving song has to be “Veruschka” and it’s lyrics slay me…
“If you never learn to cry How will you ever say goodbye And if you’re too afraid to die How will you ever learn to fly… away.”
But what I really wish I was doing was climbing that “Bauhaus Staircase.”
Everything but the Girl – Fuse Their last record was 24 years ago!!! Welcome back. This fusing of pop and electronica worked then and sounds just as good and refreshing now.
17. Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts Clearly, they love a little of that grunge sound, as the band sometime performs as Deervana, a Nirvana cover band. Add in some Stones, Stooges and The Band, and you have Deer Tick and another fantastic rock record.
16. Doja Cat – Scarlet No, it is NOT just because she has a song called “Agora Hills!” And yes, I will forgive her misspelling it. Did not know there was a commune out here but apparently, she lived in the Sai Anantam Ashram when she was eight. Her story is quite fascinating actually, and while this is not my “normal” listen, I do dig this record and her story.
15. Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever Pure power pop deliciousness album after album. So much great music seems to come out of Scotland! I was sorry to see Gerard Love go back in 2018, but happy the band goes on. There is a lot of literal and lyrical light in this delightful record.
14. Kara Jackson – Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? Simple but powerful record from this Chicago singer/songwriter and poet. She was a Youth Poet Laureate of Chicago in 2018, is a multi-instrumentalist and lists “Joni Mitchell, Megan Thee Stallion, Joan Baez, Jim Croce, and Ella Fitzgerald as musical inspirations.” Songs like “nofun/party” and “free” are dreamlike, but she also has a wicked and biting sense of humor in her lyrics.
13. Rolling Stones – Hackneyed Diamonds Yes, “Angry” sounds like old Stones and is the perfect opener. But the fact that the boys are still rocking this hard in their 70s and 80s (Mick is 80, Keith is 79 and Ronnie is 76) is nothing short of remarkable. And objectively, this is a really fun and rocking record.
12. The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony Reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel and those great vocal records of the ‘60s, this album is filled with that wonderful NYC Village folk sound. Though steeped in New York there are also elements of The Beach Boys and brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario create a lot of glorious, folksy rock here.
11. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin This album, like many of his records, is kind of like a dream… a living, changing musical landscape. “Goodbye Evergreen” is a great example… and it hits me particularly hard at this moment…
“Goodbye Evergreen You know I love you But everything heaven sent Must burn out in the end.”
I especially love “A Running Start.”
10. TIE Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World I love the description of this band as “eclectic eclecticism.” I would add in pure indie and the makers of beautiful noise, and on their 17th album they fulfill all of that. Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew have been together since 1992. Though Ira and Georgia formed the band in 1984 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Go Jersey! This album was started before Covid (March 2020) and made during and after (2021-2022). I love that they have an annual Chanukah Series of shows by the way, and I love this album. It starts off slow and just sneaks up on you and represents, at least to me, the way Covid seems to have simultaneously slowed and sped up time.
Iris DeMent – Workin’ on a World A little Loretta Lynn, a little Dolly Parton, a little gospel and a whole lot of the incredible songwriter known as Iris DeMent. She was the youngest of 14, wrote her first song “Our Town” at 25, which was featured in the series finale of Northern Exposure and also had her song “Let the Mystery Be” featured in the film Little Buddhaand on various TV shows. It was also covered by artists like 10,000 Maniacs. Both songs are from her amazing debut album Infamous Angelin 1992. Nice to know she’s still putting out phenomenal music 31 years later.
9. TIE Lana Del Rey – Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. So many albums on this list bring in strings and/or choirs. Or both. (See Mitski, too.) I love it! This album is a glorious and deep listen and Lana continues to impress me.
Mitski – This Land is Inhospitable and So Are We Wow… just wow. A stunning and beautiful record. And she really opens and expands her sound with the strings and choir. Love this one so much!
8. Hozier – Unreal Unearth I’ll never forget driving to volunteer at KCRW and hearing them play “Take Me to Church.” I parked, ran inside the studio and asked/shouted, “Who was that?!” My love for Hozier only grew from there. I also had the amazing fortune to see him play the tiny venue Hotel Café before he really hit. He is even better live!!! This record continues his growth and yet is consistent with who he is and was as an artist.
7. Joy Oladokun – Proof of Life Yes, there is joy in her music. Had the great pleasure of seeing her open for MMJ and she was fantastic. Her music just makes me feel good and “Keeping the Light On” is the perfect example of this… and a great opener to set the tone of things to come.
“Keepin’ the light on, the light on ain’t easy Keepin’ the fight on for so long is hard to do…”
6. lovely the band – if we’re being honest Same caveat whenever I write about them… this is my cousin’s band. But objectively, this is a phenomenal record. And for guys much younger than I am, they get so much and write about things that make sense to all of us… male and female and everything in between. From the first time I heard the record I knew we’d all be shouting the lyrics: “I know I should hate you For putting me through hell I will forgive you But I don’t wish you well.”
And guess what… at the live shows we all did!
And yeah, “sail away” is the exact song I often turn to when I need to escape and well… when I want to sail away. Infectious in the best possible way.
5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes If you need musical direction, follow Jason Isbell’s Weathervanes and find your way. A consistent presence and always on my end of the year playlists it seems. Love Jason and the band so much! They are always worth seeing live, and the documentary Jason Isbell: Running with Our Eyes Closedon HBO is a must watch!
Raw and powerful tracks like the opener “Death Wish” and the lovely, revelatory self-examination of “Middle of the Morning” take you on a journey of many, wind-blown directions.
“Yes, I’ve tried to be grateful for my devils And call them by their names But I’m tired by the middle of the morning I need someone to blame.”
Sigh… I hear you, Jason. I feel you, too.
4. The Paper Kites – At the Roadhouse This band has become a funny, running joke between my buddies Rob and Alan and myself. We’ll always ask each other if we’ve heard about The Paper Kites and how amazing they are… even though we’ve known about them and loved them for years. This album, as is all of their music, is a pure melodic and beautiful delight. So, guys, have you heard of The Paper Kites? Your answer needs to be hell yes!
And hear this… and let your weary and dry soul be watered with a “Pocket Full of Rain.”
3. TIE The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein and… Two, two, two for one. What to do??? The National has two albums in 2023 and both are great. And so many amazing collaborations on each.
First Two Pages slightly edges out for me because of songs like “Eucalyptus,” a bitter and sad but so accurate song about a couple breaking up and splitting their possessions. Ugh. And then “This Isn’t Helping” and “Your Mind is Not Your Friend” with the prolific and amazing Phoebe Bridgers. Wow. This band consistently makes fantastic music! One of my all time faves.
The National – Laugh Track Stand out tracks for this one include “Weird Goodbyes” (with Bon Iver)… “I don’t know why I don’t try harder I feel like throwing towels into water.”
Dang… I feel that.
And “Crumble” (with Rosanne Cash),“Laugh Track (with Phoebe Bridgers) and the fantastic closer “Smoke Detector.”
2. boygenius – the record When three of your favorite artists form an Indie “super group” what can go right? Everything on this fantastic record. Soothing and smart and a perfect listen. Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus are individually wonderful and perhaps even stronger together. What an album! Phoebe especially, is becoming one of my new heroes!
Who’s got $20?
1. Foo Fighters – But Here We Are And here we are indeed. To take broken pieces and make incredible art is a miracle. But for artists it is what we know and what we have to do.
This album grabbed me from the throat and the heart upon my first listen and it just never let go. It is about loss and grief, yes, and it is not an easy listen given Taylor Hawkins’ untimely passing and all the other tragic loss in the world, but it was and is the record we need. Or the one I needed and need. It is pure rock and roll, raw and ripped open. And yes, when Dave Grohl wails my heart breaks and tears flow like a cascading and powerful drum beat.
The world is a very strange place right now. A sad place… a blue place. Literally and metaphorically blue.
In fact, I just don’t understand the world. Ukraine… Lahaina… the utter destruction and damage of the Big Lie, and the angry divisiveness it has caused… Family and friends are at way more than odds, they are at war. The will of one has taken over the will of many. Scary. And that does not even mention the very real threat to Democracy, which truly cannot be overstated. It’s existential and it’s real.
As much as I try to avoid the news, there it is. A ding on my phone, a text from a friend… it’s nearly impossible to shut down and shut out. I know turning on the news on TV is rarely a good idea for my psyche… fear, pain, frustration, anger, sadness… The whole idea is to get you to watch more, to stay tuned, to sell you more shit. It’s not uplifting, that’s for sure.
But we also can’t ignore life. Life will cause similar feelings. Life is not what we were told it would be. We are NOT happily riding off on horseback into the sunset. Okay, no one ever mentioned a horse, but still. Friends are getting sick and/or dying, family members are doing the same. Celebs and musicians we grew up with are gone. We are sad. I am sad.
Putting on something to dance and sing to is normally fun, but I don’t want that now. I want to listen to sad songs, broken hearted love songs, songs that are downright depressing. Why? Well, first of all, even fun songs can make me cry, especially things recorded by friends who are no longer with us (thinking of you, Ric Mandell). But the main reason, I think, is for the comfort. To know we are not alone. To know that many people are going through similar things and to feel that we are in good company.
For those of us “creative types” there is also the element of wanting to write our own stories or songs of sadness and heartbreak as a way of coping, learning and moving through things. And of course, with a really great song or lyric or piece, the same artist types wish they had written that gem. So sad songs can inspire us to create art and share our own stories.
What is on your go to sad song or sad playlist?
One of my all time faves… beautiful and heartbreaking…
Tom Waits ‘Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)’
In my humble opinion, this is the greatest breakup song ever and the one I always go to. And this version is stunning and more powerful. But Jackson has so many songs that bring me to tears, like Sky Blue and Black, Fountain of Sorrow… Sigh…
Lost Love: Bob Dylan ‘Boots of Spanish Leather’
Neil Young ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’
Tough Decisions: Ben Folds Five ‘Brick’
General Sadness: Townes Van Zandt ‘Waitin’ ’Round to Die’
Tears for Fears ‘The Hurting’ The whole album, but especially the title song…
Recent Sadness:
Sinéad O’Connor ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ Prince, yes… but this version, especially given her passing.
If you follow my end of the year top album reviews regularly, you probably get a pretty good idea of my musical tastes. While I am open to anything and everything, clearly I am a Classic Rock, Power Pop, Post Punk guy, so take this list with that grain of salt-rimmed tropical margaritas! Though objectively, I think I have pretty stellar musical tastes.
This year also seems to celebrate endurance, both in the bands and the long careers of many of them, and in writing music out of what is a really fucked up world these days. The damage of politicizing everything, including science and a deadly pandemic that seems like it wants to linger and linger has caused so many things to be ripped apart, including people, family and friends… So let music bring us back together and heal.
Cheers.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer
Beach House – Once Twice Melody
Camp Cope – Running with The Hurricane
Foals – Life Is Yours
Lizzo – Special
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
The Wrecks – Sonder
#22 MT. JOY – ORANGE BLOOD
Yay for local bands! The opening track definitely has a bit off MMJ in it, but I have really dug this band regardless for a long while. I think they were originally a KCRW introduction for me. Can’t recall.
#21 BOB MOSES – THE SILENCE IN BETWEEN
I think Bob came to me courtesy of 88.5, now known as The SoCal Sound. This is my most favorite radio station for the DJs and their well-cultivated musical tastes that run from classic rock to amazing new discoveries. Shout outs to Julie Slater, Mimi Chen, Andy Chanley, Nic Harcourt and Jet!
#20 ANAÏS MITCHELL – ANAÏS MITCHELL
Now famous for the remarkable Hadestown, of which I heard the concept album years before and fell in love with, this album makes my best of for its songwriting and mix of Rickie Lee Jones and Joni Mitchell. It’s truly a lovely listen.
#19 SPOON – LUCIFER ON THE SOFA
Another band I have loved for a long time and have seen live a few times. They still rock it in that great alternative way.
#18 WEEZER – SZNZ: SPRING
The first song makes me happy, and so does this record. This band continues to grow on me year after year, album after album.
#17 CATE LE BON – POMPEII
No relation to Simon, but definitely related to fantastic songwriting.
#16 BAD BUNNY
So yeah, this album is making many top album lists. And yeah, you might say come on middle aged white dude, you’re just trying to be hip by including this record. I am hip! Okay, maybe not according to my daughter and 76.3% of Millenials, but I am VERY hip amongst my friends. And I genuinely liked this album… a lot.
#15 TIE
HARRY STYLES – HARRY’S HOUSE
TAYLOR SWIFT – MIDNIGHTS
I am NOT adding either of these artists to be relevant or hip or gain respect from my daughter. I am adding them because they are solid records. And believe me, while I respect TS, she can also drive me crazy and bug me. Cue eye roll from said daughter.
#14 PINEGROVE – 11:11
This band has been on my radar for a while, and when the single “Alaska” came out almost a year ago to the day, I knew this band had a good shot at my best of list… and here we are.
#13 THEWOMBATS
This album just makes me happy, which is one of the more powerful traits of great music. So there. Been a big fan of this band for a while.
Happiness is another theme this year. It has been in short supply and we all need it desperately, so albums that make me happy flooded their way into this list. Case in point.
#12 ANDREW BIRD – INSIDE PROBLEMS
I heard his live show at The Greek this Spring was absolutely incredible. Argh. Not sure how I missed it. And he played with Iron and Wine, no less. That is a big miss for me and a reminder to pay much better attention to all things in life for 2023. But for now, we have this amazing album to hold onto.
#11 WILCO – CRUEL COUNTRY
Still making amazing music after all these years… and I finally got to see them live this year!
#10 TIE
SOCCER MOMMY – SOMETIMES, FOREVER
Definitely a Dan Gordon intro, so thanks buddy! She’s great and I have loved all her records thus far!
GOOSE – DRIPFIELD
Sorry, Dan… not your introduction and not sure how I discovered this amazing jam band, but wow. It might have been on The So Cal Sound 88.5. Another missed summer show, which makes me sad, but this record and their live release from Radio City Music Hall on 6/25/22 makes me happy! So many of my favorite influences and a sound of their own.
#9 WEYES BLOOD – AND IN THE DARKNESS, HEARTS AGLOW
And speaking of Joni Mitchell… Wow… a deep, powerful and stunning record.
#8 TORO Y MOI – MAHAL
How good is this band? So bummed that I missed them at The Greek this Fall, so glad I did not miss this amazing record. And it’s their 7th studio album!
#7 TIE
BIG THIEF – DRAGON NEW WARM MOUNTAIN I BELIEVE IN YOU
Big thanks for Big Thief to Dan Gordon and for introducing me to this band years ago. They seem to now make many of year-end lists.
JULIA JACKLIN – PRE PLEASURE
This my have been a KCRW introduction years ago, and I know DG loves her, too. This album is a soothing go to and just plain good.
#6 THE SMILE – A LIGHT FOR ATTRACTING ATTENTION
Is it or isn’t it a Radiohead album? Who cares?! It kicks ass and I love it!
#5 TIE
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – LIFE ON EARTH
Hurray for this record!
YEAH YEAH YEAHS – COOL IT DOWN
Yeah, yeah, yeah for this one!!!
#4 ANGEL OLSEN – BIG TIME
There is just so much to this record, her sixth album, and to Angel in general. Longtime fan, and no way near a first time caller as she has made several lists of mine. “Big Time” into “Dream Thing” may be the perfect one-two romantic punch. And then “Ghost On”… my oh my, this is one special album! And I did NOT miss her playing The Greek this year, along with Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker, thanks to my friend Julie Slater!!!
#3 ALVAAYS – BLUE REV
I cannot recall if this was a Dan Gordon rec. or if we found them around the same time, but given that we are in the midst of the holiday season, I will give credit and thanks to DG!
The third album from this Toronto band further cements them in my current faves. See previous year-end lists for proof of my love.
I love Pitchfork’s review…
“This is an album to come home to, with squalling arrangements and melodies so immediate and sublime it’s like you’ve been singing them your whole life. On Blue Rev, Alvvays prove they were the ones all along.” – Cat Zhang
# 2 SUEDE – AUTOFICTION
(Also known as The London Suede)
Wow, wow, and just wow. This record is spectacular, from top to bottom, song to song, and if not for my deep fall into love with my #1, this album might very well be in the top spot. I cannot push this record and band more.
#1 TEARS FOR FEARS – THE TIPPING POINT
From the first notes of the first song, I knew I was majorly hooked into this album. It became my favorite of the year when it came out in February (though singles had been released in 2021) and never left that spot. A few albums came close, but wow. I LOVe this album!!! It is relevant and retro, new and familiar. It is joy. Tears for Fears was pretty much in constant rotation in my college years, though The Hurting is still one of the most depressing albums ever… beautiful and haunting. This one elevates me and my spirits, which is so needed in today’s world. It’s not without biting lyrics, but it’s the album I needed and need this year.
I think 2021 SUCKED WORSE, especially the last few weeks… but it was also a wonderful year for music.
We need to focus on the positives if we can… Man knows I am struggling right now and having my faith tested in a major way, but I am trying to change all that up. Breathe, listen, breathe… let the music in your ears and your mind and your heart.
For two years in a row now, we have been firmly placed in the hands of the unknown. The pandemic, which we thought, or at least hoped and prayed would be over, still rages on.
For two years in a row now I have found myself playing end-of-the-year musical catch up. It’s not that there wasn’t great new music throughout the year. There was… lots of it… but for two years in a row now I have found myself clinging to the known, for both comfort and safety.
With that said, my top two albums of the year come from known entities and bands I would consider amongst my favorites. But the list of amazing new albums, some of which I was reminded of, or am just discovering thanks to newly open eyes and ears, and my friend Dan Gordon’s list, make me realize I (we) all need to just listen more.
Thanks, as always to stations like 88.5 and KCRW for the new listens and discoveries.
2021 HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Adult Mom – Driver
Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time
Black Keys – Delta Kream
Jackson Browne – Downhill From Everywhere
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg
The Peter Frampton Band – Peter Frampton Forgets the Words
Hiss Golden Messenger – Quietly Blowing It
The Hold Steady – Open Door Policy
Iceage – Seek Shelter
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – The Future
Sufjan Stevens – Both of his 2021 albums are worthy of attention!!!
A Beginner’s Mind and the 5-Disc Convocations
Toad the Wet Sprocket – Starting Now
Torres – Thirstier
Nick Waterhouse – Promenade Blue
Paul Weller – Fat Pop
And now Marc’s Muse and MG’s Top 30 Records of 2021
30. Guitar Jack – ‘Til the Money’s Gone As always, I make sure to note when I have a personal connection to a musician, and I do know Jack… but this is a kick ass record regardless and worth multiple listens. Long live the Blues!
29. Elbow – Flying Dream 1 They are a still sort of under the radar band, and while this album does not stray far, it is a nice listen.
28. TIE Strand of Oaks – In Heaven Discovered him at the XPN Festival years ago and they still rock!
Kings of Leon – When You See Yourself Gotta love all the great music and bands coming out Nashville. Despite the ups and downs, I still like these guys, and really like this new record.
27. St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home She’s on quite a musical roll! And I MAY have a slight crush… pure talent and musical beauty.
26. Deacon Blue – Riding on the Tide of Love Another old favorite with a most stunning new record. Short, but oh so sweet.
25. Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest “Lost in Los Angeles” is just one of 12 reasons to love this album.
24.TIE Sharon Van Etten – epic Ten She is so consistently good, album after album.
Israel Nash – Topaz This album is a mood changer. And I need a mood changer right now.
23. John Pizzarelli – Better Days Ahead I also know John, and while I have not seen him in years, I still consider him a friend. But my opinion is objective. This album is a welcome delight and makes me want to be in front of a fireplace with a nice warm cognac.
I got into Pat Metheny when I was in college, which is also right around the same time I met John. Coincidence? I think not. It’s been a few really tough years, especially for the Pizzarellis, so here’s to better days ahead for all of us. Miss the Pizza!
22. TIE Iron Maiden – Senjutsu Needed some pure metal on the list and this band just keeps rocking and cranking out great records… Thanks to Jason and his Boom Box for this introduction many, many years ago! Up the Irons!
Foo Fighters –Medicine at Midnight A nice straight-ahead rocker from a band full of great guys! Long live local rockers!
21. Mat Kearney – January Flower One of my favorite singer-songwriters, and another strong, deep record.
20. The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon So much good stuff going on, on this record! Long live Scottish rock!
19. Turnstile – Glow On When I need to pump myself up, this post punk record gets me going. Hey, Dan Gordon… This is definitely more your wheelhouse, but great call! Thanks for the reminder. And I will mark a DG for records that Dan reminded me of… or introduced me to!
18. TIE Wavves – Hideaway Another of my recent faves. And I think DG introduced me to them a while ago.
The Staves, Good Woman I knew this band, but it was DG who reminded me to listen to this one. This record makes my head and brain feel better!
17. TIE Aaron Lee Tasjan – Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! Long time fan, first time caller… Okay, not really, but it sounded good. Another GREAT record!
Yola – Stand For Myself Wow, wow, wow… so delicious and delightful.
16. TIE Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days LOVE HER!!!
Julien Baker – Little Oblivions I continue to love her and am thrilled to have a new record!
15. Lucy Dacus – Home Video Thanks to DG for the heads up on this one. I lost track of her a bit, but so happy to have her back on my musical radar.
14. London Grammar – Californian Soil An old and comfy favorite with a new and comfy record! So good!!!
13. Manchester Orchestra – The Million Masks of God Love this band so much. And this is yet another great album.
12. TIE Adele – 30 Does my cousin Lori still hate her??? I don’t get it. This album is raw and a beautiful listen.
Allison Krauss and Robert Plant – Raise the Roof What a duet… again!!! So, so good.
11. Olivia Rodrigo – Sour So yeah, I’m not as hip as I should be, even with a millennial baby. And yeah, I did not know who this was until a few months ago… and yeah, the Taylor Swift public break up albums sometimes rub me the wrong way, but damn, this is a good record!
10. TIE Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams Musical poetry… almost literally. Thanks, DG.
Snail Mail – Valentine Thanks, DG! A truly wonderful record.
9. Rosali – No Medium Thanks yet again, DG. Sheesh. Cleary we need to keep in better touch throughout the year! Another stunner of a record.
8. Maxïmo Park – Nature Always Wins Love this band and have for a long while. I think volunteering at KCRW and their CD bin is where my interest in MP came from. Such a great release.
7. Mogwai – As the Love Continues The power of pure music without words. Meditate and motivate with this one! Mogwai is my jam… my man jam. It really builds… Wink, wink… (Play on joke in Pitch Perfect)
6. Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee Big thanks to DG for the tip on this delicious record! I’m trying intermittent fasting but I do NOT want to skip this meal!
5. Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound Romantic playlist in one stunning record. Leon continues to dazzle and impress.
4. Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime Esquire proclaims: “The Hendrix of the Sahara! The Van Halen of the Desert!” I proclaim, crank this one up to 11!
3. The Weather Station – Ignorance A stunning message album we all need to hear. Stunning!
And now… the final TWO!
2. The War on Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore One of my most beloved bands keeps making phenomenal records!!! The first half of this record is pure perfection… “Living Proof,” “Harmonia’s Dream,” “Change” and “I Don’t Wanna Wait” are now part of my all-time favorite TWOD songs.
1. MY MORNING JACKET – MY MORNING JACKET And my favorite contemporary band continues to excite me. Been a huge MMJ and Jim James fan for a long time, and they do not disappoint. They are also some of the nicest guys you will ever meet.
This one takes a few listens to really take hold, and once it does, look out. It is a slow but long, long burner… so Long Live MMJ!!!
My favorite songs are “Love Love Love,” “In Color,” “Least Expected,” “Never in the Real World,” the stunning “Out of Range, Pt. 2” and then the fantastic closer “I Never Could Get Enough.”
See! I basically listed the whole record!!!!!
Happy New Year, dear friends. May 2022 be a much, much better year.
It has been a long while, my friends. Chalk it up to the Pandemic or a new, full time job… or just a feeling of being lost. And yes, perhaps it is odd to start back with a non-music post, but I think this is an important one, and one that has relevance in any activity or career that involves doing something many cannot do but wish they could, and one that involves being on a massive public stage or in a huge public forum.
Take It To The Limit What athletes put their bodies through is remarkable and often dangerous. They push themselves in order to attain greatness and achieve personal and team goals. Some do things they should not be doing in terms of enhancements and steroids in order to stay competitive, but many and most (I hope) just push themselves to the limits to truly see how much they can achieve.
We follow sports because we either played them ourselves and dreamed and aspired to be professional athletes, or use it as a way to connect to a city we grew up in or a school or college we went to. This bond cannot be dismissed. Cheering for school, city, and country is a powerful bond. It brings people together, in a shared experience. And while sports can also be divisive, and sadly used for violence and unruly and unacceptable behavior, it is more often than not about passion and dedication.One Country I will never, ever forget the 1980 Winter Olympics and the Men’s Hockey team. Watching the USA beat the USSR in the “Miracle On Ice” was one of the more profound moments I can recall. February 22, 1980. Lake Placid, NY. Final score 4-3.
Wikipedia: “The victory became one of the most iconic moments of the Games and in U.S. sports. Equally well known was the television call of the final seconds of the game by Al Michaels for ABC, in which he declared: “Do you believe in miracles? YES!”
In 1999, Sports Illustratednamed the “Miracle on Ice” the top sports moment of the 20th century. As part of its centennial celebration in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named the “Miracle on Ice” as the best international ice hockey story of the past 100 years.”
“As his team ran all over the ice in celebration, Herb Brooks sprinted back to the locker room and cried.In the locker room afterwards, players spontaneously broke into a chorus of “God Bless America”
Many may not recall that it was actually a 4-2 win over Finland that won team USA the gold… because the previous game was just that iconic and significant. But the idea of a scrappy bunch of college kids coming together for country, and conquering a giant, made us all proud. Oh how I wish we could return to those glorious days. They seem so very far away. And while I know things were far from perfect in 1984, and perhaps it is an idyllic look back at my past, the country and the world feels very different these days… broken… divided… and so far from united. What Really Matters In recent years I have become a huge fan of the EPL. My team is the Tottenham Hotspurs. I am passionate about this team. I feel the ups and downs along with this team. Ugh. LOL.
Now a soccer tour of England is on my travel bucket list. I dream of visiting some of the classic stadiums, starting with the new White Harte Lane! And while European soccer (futbol, football) has its dark side in racism and hooliganism, something that MUST be dealt with and removed from the sport, I love the way the fans chant and sing and bond with each other over a mutual love of team.
When it’s good, it’s good. And when it’s bad… well… we see the bad and then the good.Witness the horrific incident just yesterday, when former Tottenham player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field while playing for Denmark, suffering cardiac arrest. I was moved to tears watching his fellow teammates crying and then seeing fans on both sides (Denmark and Finland) crying and watching in utter shock and horror at what was happening. 29 year-old athletes in peak physical condition should not require CPR or a defibrillator on the field. And yet, according to the team doctor, “he was gone.”
Watch the video here and tell me you are not moved to tears as the Finish fans shout in unison “Christian!” And the Danish fans respond with a full hearted and full-throated “Eriksen!”
Some sports are more brutal than others, like boxing and MMA… and are definitely gladiatorial. Others are a bit more genteel, but still require a huge sacrifice on the bodies of the athletes, which is why I believe that colleges and professional sports should cover the insurance and mental health services of their players for years after they are done playing… maybe even in perpetuity, especially because the playing life of an athlete is limited, yet the wear and tear they suffer lingers.
One of my favorite quotes that I came up with… yes, a bit of self-indulgence here… is something I came up with on the fly when at a baseball game. One of my friends was shouting at one of the players with a typical refrain often hurled at umpires. He shouted, “You suck!”
To which I replied, “Do you know how good you have to be to suck in the major leagues?!”
Professional athletes are amazing. I sucked at Little League. Was a terrible high school wrestler… And according to my parents, when I played soccer I spent the whole game adjusting my cup, looking up at the sky, daydreaming and not paying attention, but then going into panic mode when the ball started coming towards me. It Can All Change In A Moment But for me, yesterday put so much in perspective. Sports matter. Soccer is called the beautiful heartbreak. We follow our teams and celebrate their wins and personally feel their losses. This makes sense for our high school or college teams, especially. It is a way of staying connected to our youth and the times that were hopefully pure and innocent and fun… But life is fleeting, life is tenuous… and we must never take it for granted.
It can change in a moment… in a second…
So live and play with full heart, full mind, and full passion. There is a reason sports analogies have found their way into self-help and self-improvement books. There is a reason that the coaching and teaching style of John Wooden (And his Pyramid of Success) is so universally accepted in business and leadership.
Sports matter… our teams matter… coming together with fellow human beings, cheering and shouting and enjoying what is on and off the field matters. Every single second matters. Yes, sports is an escape… yes, sports is entertainment… but yes, sports matter.
I keep apologizing for the delinquency on my blogs. Covid will do that, I guess. The brain gets foggy, energy lags, and for the last few weeks I have been battling some mysterious ailment. The days seem to crawl and yet at the end of the day or a week, you have no idea where the time went.
But I do need to apologize again to my friend Dean. This blog was supposed to be out last month… probably the month before that… but life and time and whatever else had other ideas. But the important thing is that we are here now. And here is a really good and beautiful place to be. And as if I have planned it all, this is my Valentine’s gift to all of you… well, okay… it’s DEAN’S Valentine’s gift to all of you!
When I write a review, I do note if I have a personal connection to the band or the artist, and I have known Dean since college. That doesn’t mean I cannot be objective on his work, it is just a point I like to put into context. On the other hand, it gives me a most unique perspective, as I have been able to watch someone grow, as both a human being and a singer/songwriter. This album is quite a leap. I have also had the privilege of watching him fall in love, which makes both his writing and this album that much more of a reward. I personally know of whom and what he speaks!
Dean M. Collins’ – Land Where The Wishes Come True Is this a bluegrass record or a pop/rock record with bluegrass instrumentation? I’m going with the latter. Dean’s 80s sensibility and homage to bands like the BoDeans and John Cougar Mellancamp is still alive and kicking, just musically deeper and even more satisfying. And speaking of that music, it is no surprise that Kenny Aronoff, one of rock and music’s best drummers of all time, has become a major contributor and musical partner. That driving beat starts off the album (and title track) in such a great way, but it is the poet in me that thrives in Dean’s visual and metaphorical word play. He looks at Christmas Day’s first snow flakes as magical falling stars and writes: “I sat staring out the window First flakes begin to fall Think I made a wish on every single one But I guess I didn’t count them all.”
Insane & Stellar Line Up
This album is full of “wailing”… or maybe “sweeping” is a better word. I mean that in the best sense of those words… from Michael Cleveland’s gorgeous fiddle, to Justin Moses’ magical mandolin to Jimmy Zavala’s stunning harmonica. Hell yes, I’m envious. And then of course there is Smokin’ Brett Resnick on pedal steel and one of my favorite guitar players and another fellow Wildcat, Fran Banish on “Nothing Lasts Forever.” “Nothing lasts forever, baby And I want to do nothing with you For the rest of my life.”
And I cannot forget another old friend, Wildcat and producer/engineer extraordinaire, Thom Russo! So much talent on and behind this record!
“Let It Go” might be my favorite track on the album, and not just because I play along, trying to copy Jimmy Z’s ridiculously gorgeous harmonica. It’s another lyrical gem that hit me hard: “What good are notes without a melody I’m not asking for your sympathy You can’t be hurt by what’s not meant to be.”
You CAN be hurt… temporarily… but with time and perspective and wisdom that comes with age and growth, this lyric offers amazing insight! And that is the crux of this beautiful record. We grow, we evolve, musically, lyrically and in our relationships. It is an honor and a privilege to witness this first hand… in music, life and love. As I tell Dean all time, I want the kind of love he and Theresa have! I’ll end with Dean’s own album dedication and tell you right now…
More purchase link options are at the end of the post…
From Dean: “If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare
This album is dedicated to my mom, my dad, the musicians who inspired me, to the dreamers, to those kind of heart and for everyone who still believes we live in a country where wishes can come true.
Thank you to the wonderful artists who believed in and supported me and brought their other-worldly talents to my humble album. Thank you all the friends and family who suffered through countless iterations of these songs on their journey to this record. Thank you to the bands who left a mark on me through their music; America, Mellencamp, The Eagles, Jim Croce, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, CSNY, R.E.M., Alison Krause, Dan Tyminsky, Nickel Creek, Carol King, George Strait, Badfinger, and so many more. And thank you to my wife Theresa Patzakis, who knew I could fly, but inspired me to soar. And thank you for listening to the stories.
10. (TIE) Tame Impala – The Slow Rush Yes, I am starting with a tie, so sue me… it’s the only one I’m putting up, so… You have to love bands that just endure, and consistently create great records. Tame Impala is one of those bands. Love “Breathe Deeper” and “Lost In Yesterday” so much.
The Weeknd – After Hours I know there are quite a few people who will be happily surprised at this choice and pleased to see my musical tastes expanding… but my musical choices are always eclectic and all over the place, and I like what I like, and this a great record. “Scared To Live,” Faith,”“Blinding Lights”and the title “After Hours”are my go to tracks.
9. (TIE) Lianne La Havas – Lianne La Havas This is the kind of record to pay attention to and also to just have playing in the background. But with songs like the opening track “Bittersweet” and “Can’t Fight,” Lianne will rightfully demand your attention and hold it tightly.
The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers Thanks to Dan Gordon again for the intro. to this band… I think… or am I being too generous? LOL. Love, love, love “You Are A Beam Of Light” and “Dying To Believe.”
8. lovelytheband – conversations with myself about you “loneliness for love” may just be the perfect song for 2020. How many of us have felt lonely and isolated this year and may be drawn to the wrong people just so we’re not alone? Great second album from three of the nicest guys out there.
7. The Strokes – The New Abnormal With this title are there really any questions about the power and timing and need for this record? “The Adults Are Talking” and “Why Are Sundays So Depressing” are just two of my standout tracks. Good to have The Strokes back!
6. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher While not as potent as her last outings, Phoebe is still an incredible powerhouse and insanely gifted singer/songwriter. Check out the title track “Punisher”and “Garden Song.”
5. Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – Reunions Consistency is key and Jason Isbell has become one of the very best writers out there. The opening track “What’ve I Done To Help”is a painful self-reflection, but also a song of hope, especially in these trying times.
4. Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud I think my friend Dan Gordon introduced me to this incredible band and this is his #1 of 2020. Obviously it is up there for me, too. There’ a bit of Indigo Girls in this band, a bit of Emmylou Harris and a whole bunch of other great influences.
And away we go…
3. My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall II You know how good a band is based on their B-Sides, and with The Waterfall IIyou get MMJ songs that did not make the original The Waterfallrelease. The fact is the incredible song “Feel You”is an instant MMJ classic, and one of the best MMJ songs ever. That track is now easily in my Top 10 list!
2. Chris Stapleton – Starting Over Chris continues to blow me away, and this record boasts amazing song after amazing song. It is country-tinged blues, or blues-tinged country and starts with the incredible title track “Starting Over”and does not let up off the gas. “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice,” Arkansas,”“Cold,”which is probably my most favorite track… and the heartbreaking “Maggie”a beautiful ode to his lost dog. I cry every time I hear this one.
Like you’re gonna be shocked and surprised…
#1…Bruce Springsteen – Letter To You Yes, I probably went into this thinking this would be my #1, but remember Western Stars took a while to grow on me, and the orchestrations of the movie version really won me over. But this album hit me hard and fast and continues to deliver with both new and old and is a true E Street Band record through and through. So many of these songs became my daily go tos… and they still are… so like the kids say, this one has legs. Okay, the kids do NOT say that, but you know what I mean.
Highlights include reworking the old songs, “Janey Needs A Shooter” and “If I Was The Priest,” which are my two favorite songs… and amazing new tunes like “The Power Of Prayer,” “Ghosts” and “House Of A Thousand Guitars.”
Honorable Mentions: Each and every one of these would have been in the top 20, if I had been smart enough to do a 20 for 20… or maybe I was just lazy…
Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters The Flaming Lips – American Head (Thanks for the reminder to the original DG, my brother, Dan) Haim – Women in Music Pt. III Halsey – Manic The Jayhaws – Xoxo Old 97s – Twelth Phish – Sigma Oasis(Somehow I missed this one… thanks to brother Dan for a reminder… albeit at the 23rd hour, but still… the song “Leaves” alone makes this worthwhile!!!) Pinegrove – Marigold Run the Jewels – RTJ4 Taylor Swift – Folklore The Texas Gentlemen – Floor It!!! (Another last minute entry from brother, Dan… Dang!!! This is sooooo good!)
EP Mention… and one last minute, last one from Danny G… Khruangbin and Leon Bridges – Texas Sun EP This one is perfect for a little late night loving… What?!
Best Indie Albums Of 2020 I will preface this by saying I am friends with both Dean and Jack, but that does not prevent me from being objective… and objectively, these are both stunningly beautiful records, made more impressive by how they were put together.
Dean M. Collins – Land Where The Wishes Come True My full review of this record is coming… and I apologize for the delinquency, but this is a record that people need to hear. Dean’s songwriting keeps getting better and better and he just knows how to turn a musical phrase. His lyrics run deep and true, he keeps his rootsy rock influences (think of the Bodeans) and adds layers and elements of bluegrass to come up with a most enjoyable hybrid record that is both immensely personal and truly pleasurable.
Jack Wargo and Edward Wargo – Back To Slocum Hollow You can read my full review of this record, but suffice it to say, it is a 2-Disc journey back to the days of youth and our lost hometowns… and is reflective, meditative, sad, uplifting and utterly joyous. Another great and needed listen!
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