The Pogues

Modest Mouse, “Tundra/Desert”

Before what I consider their breakthrough, The Lonesome Crowded West, Modest Mouse was making jagged, interesting music that sometimes was too much of a mess to really be great. But, I have to say, the older I get, the more I appreciate the early stuff. This is from Interstate 8, released in 1996, which is an “EP” because it’s just five new studio tracks. But, there are also six live tracks, so it’s also kind of a full album’s worth of music. Anyway, if you haven’t really listened to their pre-fame catalog, it’s worth your time.

Bark Psychosis, “A Street Scene”

Bark Psychosis’s first run consisted of this album, Hex, after which they broke up. They did reunite ten years later for another record, but I haven’t listened to it. This album is hard to characterize. It’s kind of dream pop and kind of post-rock, and it’s unabashedly ambitious which is always nice. The compositions are big and the arrangements even bigger. This blurring of genre boundaries and fearlessness about incorporating technology is something that was unusual in pop or rock at the time.

Versus, “Mermaid Legs”

This song comes from Hurrah, which was the last album from Versus in their first run. They would later come back ten years later for another album, and apparently another new one just came out last year, which I didn’t know about. At any rate, Versus were largely out of steam with this album. It’s pretty enough, especially the vocal harmonies, but not terribly exciting.

Ron Sexsmith, “Never Been Done”

I read a really good review of this record way back in the day, and popped for it. At the time, it didn’t stick with me at all. I thought it was perfectly nice to listen to, but not particularly memorable. I’m really enjoying this tonight, though!

Today’s tunes!

J Church, “Lines”

One of the great things that punk is able to do when it’s on is produce a short song that nevertheless is complete and satisfying. This thing clocks in at 1:40 and you’d hardly notice that it’s not the usual three minute pop song. Lance Hahn was able to pull this off time after time, in way that should shame so many people out there writing rock songs.

Fantastic list today.

Melvins, “Holy Barbarian”

This all has gone on long enough that I can’t really be certain any more which albums and songs I’ve talked about, so I’m just going to assume y’all can’t remember either. This comes from the great Freak Puke album, where the Melvins (calling themselves “Melvins Lite”) made an album with Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle) on bass. Upright bass. The texture that he provides with all the variety of sounds he cranks out makes for one of the most unique albums in the Melvins’ very long discography, and I highly, highly recommend it.

As we head into August, I’m probably going to start throwing in the occasional special now. Focus on an artist, random Bandcamp albums, I dunno. We’ll see. Today, though, the usual.

NxWorries, “Intro”

NxWorries is Knxwledge and Anderson Paak, putting out one album so far along with an EP. I think it’s great, and I wish you had a real track to listen to here.

The Beatles, “Birthday”

Well, now we get to discover if I have anything to add to the millions of words already written about the most famous of bands. I have a scattering of memories associated with the Beatles, and I suppose I’ll just dole those out as the Beatles come up.