2020’s Best Albums
As a general rule, popular music, e.g. whatever Spotify, radio, and record companies drive people to listen to, will not be discussed here.
Category: Music
Christmas Spin: Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, and Run Rudolph Run
Ho Ho Ho! A special Christmas spin of a song popularized by the father of rock-n-roll and covered by many many others.
Saturday Spins: John Prine’s Common Sense
It’s unfortunate that we lost John Prine this year. He is up there on my singer-songwriter Mt. Rushmore with Dylan, Petty, et. al.
Carpenters Christmas: The Definitive Christmas album?
It is difficult to imagine any modern popular artists willing to balance so much. Indeed, our own bifurcated culture would likely not allow it
Saturday Spins: Leon Bridges Good Thing
Leon Bridges occupies a space or two because I dig his particular brand of soul. It’s not too poppy, and it isn’t too experimental to seem like it’s a parody.
On Marketing Bob Dylan
A lot of this can all be explained with one simple phrase, 1960s Bob Dylan is not the same Bob Dylan of today.
Saturday Spins: Son Volt’s Notes of Blue
You know when you’re dealing with the blues, you’re gonna have to eventually deal with the devil.
Thanksgiving Songs for when you might not be feeling that Thankful.
Enjoy these two semi-traditional Thanksgiving day songs: Dan Bern’s Thanksgiving Day Parade & Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant
Thanksgiving Spin: The Last Waltz
Celebrating Thanksgiving with one of the world’s greatest vanity projects ever, The Band’s The Last Waltz
Saturday Spins: Dwight Yoakam’s Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
This was my Dwight Yoakam gateway drug…I like guitars, Cadillacs, and depending on what one considers “hillbilly music,” I like that too.
Saturday Spins: Rage Against The Machine’s The Battle of Los Angeles
This week the randomizer was in a bit of a mood and spat out an excellent record from my youth: RATM’s The Battle of Los Angeles
Saturday Spins: Dawes North Hills
Have you ever had the opener actually being better than the main act? While Dawes was performing, we knew they were something special then.
Best Meal I Ever Had: Philadelphia’s The Victor Café
There are hundreds of really great places to eat in Philadelphia, and I am really glad to have experienced this one.
Saturday Spins: The Beatles Rubber Soul
I know I placed the “underrated” moniker on this album, but that is through the lens of a casual fan of the Beatles, not a fanatic.
Ninja Sex Party: Still Freakin’ Awesome
Album of the year without a doubt. I’ve listened to it easily ten times in the approximately 48 hours since I bought it.
Saturday Spins: Steve Earle’s Ghosts of West Virginia
Earle’s goal on this album was to cut through a lot of that and attempt to understand, not condescend to, the dualities that exists in one state in particular, West Virginia.
Saturday Spins: Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin III turned 50 years old on Monday. However, many of the songs contained herein are timeless classics.
Rock Legend Eddie Van Halen, Dead at 65
Maybe it’s my age, or the season of life I’m in, but my immediate reaction to the passing of Eddie Van Halen was not music
Ninja Sex Party: They’re Awesome
They’re a comedy rock band in the style of ‘80s rock. This means power ballads and slow jams, but with a comedic bent.
Saturday Spins: Bruce Springsteen Tunnel of Love
The Boss decided to look inward in the summer and fall of 1987 after his marriage to actress Julianne Phillips went down the shitter.
