Belle & Sebastian

Jack Black called this band “sad bastard” music in High Fidelity 😂 which, admittedly, is a genre I like. Yet another great Scottish band, indie pop at it’s finest led by Stuart Murdoch, who is very hard to put into a box. This tune has made so many of my playlists over the years — it’s a song that commands your attention when it comes on. Just those cool little keyboard sounds throughout have this dizzying effect and I love the relentless dual vocals from Murdoch and Sarah Martin.

David Bowie

David Lynch’s masterpiece LOST HIGHWAY might be my most memorable movie going experience — a packed house, opening night in ‘97 at the old Laemmle Sunset 5. In the first few seconds I remember this song playing loud in 5.1 as we began barreling down the lost highway in the opening credits. It had me grinning for awhile, until I was terrified. Driving back to Santa Barbara that night, I was still under Lynch’s spell — a surreal, wonderful, terrifying film.

The Mountain Goats & Kaki King

John Darnelle is one of these incredible songwriters who can write a song about anything. So he doesn’t need to hoard his great songs — he can always write more. And on any subject. This beautiful piece of art is told from the perspective of Toad who is frightened, but Mario comes to his rescue. A silly song that has me tearing up this afternoon. Love the piano and the light snare treatment. Great vocals with Kaki coming in at the end. And thanks to whoever put this video together — it really made my day.

I waited here all by myself
The room was dark and it smelled like sulfur
I heard the screams from way down in the darkness
Felt pretty sure my life was over

Adrian Borland & the Citizens

I’ve got a dawn in my heart

Twenty-three years ago today, Adrian took his own life. He suffered from a relentless, spiraling schizoid-affective disorder and heard voices in his head. From his lyrics and music, from his candid interviews — it was clear Adrian was doing all he could to overcome this. And he wrote so many authentic songs about rising above the darkness. After the Sound was forced to disband, Adrian did overcome and rebound, making his first solo album called ALEXANDRIA with a new band he called the Citizens. This is a brilliant track from it, a song I hold very close to me and it’s so beautiful to play it this morning.

The Sound

THUNDER UP was the first Sound album I owned and I have cherished it on vinyl since it came out in 1987. The album is timeless and holds up so well — definitely a top ten record for me. (top 5?) And, it’s difficult to pick a favorite track, but Barria Alta might be it. It’s a song about rising up from a really dark place — where heat and heavy stones weigh you down. You can feel the heat and despair and the gradual move to hope in the music and lyrics. This is exactly what great art does and what great music can do.

Wild Pink

Jason Lytle’s voice had me pondering other singers that are easy to listen to. John Ross of Wild Pink has this effortless beauty to his singing. Very easy on the ears and I can see why Wild Pink is touring with the Antlers as Peter Silberman shares a similar kind of voice. So love this Brooklyn band who came out of nowhere 7 years ago and landed on the tiny label Tiny Engines. I’ve been a fan since, but they just keep getting better, in fact this latest single came out on 4/13/22, and it’s so gritty, emotional and gorgeous that it reminds me of Frightened Rabbit.

Grandaddy

THE SOPHTWARE SLUMP is 22 years old. Y2K came and went and I remember playing this record about a million times in 2000. It was my soundtrack as I felt young, talented and ambitious — trying to fly somewhere, but feeling adrift like this pilot. A dumb pilot who lost the maps and plans, and had nowhere to land. Jason Lytle wrote surreal, melodic songs from the beginning, but it was this 8+ minute stunning track that felt so magical, personal and emotional to me. As we headed into the new millennium — the unknown — I felt vulnerable. And some things never change as I feel similar right now in 2022, perhaps more vulnerable.

The Orchids

One of my favorite bands — and I’m so thrilled they’re still playing gigs and have a new record coming out this year. There are many Orchids songs I could choose this morning, but this one jumped out. The spirit of this song celebrates a kind of reoncilialition, and the vocals and electronica are pure positivity. This is the title track of their third record, and for me it evokes an ideal approach to good living and art creating — because I always want a lazy, trusting element in my quest, to always keep it fun.

The Beatles

One of my rules for Song of the Day was to avoid double dipping on bands if possible. Here is my first Beatles song and it probably won’t be my last. If I had to pick one band only it would be the Beatles. And if I had to pick one song it would be Dear Prudence. It is one of these perfect songs on the WHITE ALBUM that captures everything I love about the Beatles. Sonically it is stunning and I love how it evolves and how every Beatle puts their stamp on it.

Waxahatchee

I needed Katie Crutchfield’s euphoric conviction this morning — she really lets loose on SAINT CLOUD with awesome vocals that venture into Lucinda Williams territory. This is the first time she sings with a twang and it suits her well, especially because she didn’t abandon her indie rock sensibilities. Always a great songwriter, FIRE is this self empowering singalong that just makes me feel good as she wrestles with who she used to be. I love how she sings directly to camera, looking back at her younger self.

Acetone

Few things bum me out more than great artists killing themselves. There are obvious ones like Ian Curtis, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake and Scott Hutchison. But the ones that really hurt are the songwriters who flew under the radar a little bit more like Adrian Borland, Vic Chestnutt and Mark Linkous — who I’ve written about on here before. Richie Lee was the lead vocalist and bass player for ACETONE. He was also a painter and photographer. This is his incredible tune on a fantastic record called YORK BLVD. He left us nine months after it was released when he was only 34.

The Thermals

Love the loose, loud feel of this — guitars, bass, drums and vocals. I think of this great Portland band often because they were fun and rocked — AND they had records released by Sub Pop, Kill Rock Stars and Saddle Creek. 🤔 If this career was hard for them, just think about those greats bands self releasing who can’t get guarantees or afford tour managers. The Thermals (2003-2018) left behind a great catalog of music that is clever, exciting and self empowering.

David Long & Shane O”Neill

These beautiful, electric guitars sank their hook into me this weekend — because it’s the first track on a new record called AGE OF FINDING STARS. It was released two days ago. I’m so excited, encouraged and impressed with the resolve and output of these two songwriters who have known each other a long time. They write, record and release music because they love to do it. They are living the “art life”, as David Lynch calls it, and you can feel that commitment in their work which is original and prolific. And this particular song is just inspiring advice as we grow older and crankier. Take the time to love fully and selflessly on these last days, because we don’t know how many we have left.