Good morning and Happy Labor Day to those of you reading in the U.S.!
Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
As always, thank you to those who upgraded their subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts also help! Thank you!
When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:
For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.
The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week has again been more of a balance between new tracks and old faves, with a local favorite thrown in for good measure.
2025 might be a hot mess, but not where new music is concerned.
The flood of great records continues! Today we’re taking a quick look at the latest from Superchunk, The Cavernous, and Case Oats (and more!)
Longtime readers may recall that I reviewed 100 new (to me) records last year. Because I’m a glutton for punishment love music, I’m doing it again this year. This is the latest in the series.
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a look at the latest from Superchunk, The Cavernous, Case Oats, and more!
Every year, I celebrate all the great music we’ve been gifted while worrying that next year will see the other shoe drop. I first did that in December 2020 and have been proven wrong every month since. Not only are there a ton of releases steadily coming out, but it also transcends genre or any other artificial guardrail we try and put up—
In other words, a ton of good stuff is coming out, and there’s something for everyone. It’s almost overwhelming— but in all the best ways. Below is another batch that caught my attention recently.
A lot of recent releases landed on my radar all at once, and I want to shine a light on them before too much more time passes. Not quite an 88 lines about 44 records kind of deal, but close. More of a clearing the decks, if you will.
Let’s get into it!
Superchunk – Sounds From the Key of Yikes
When I was a teenager, I was a holy terror behind the wheel. It was hammer down all the time from a kid who could barely see over the steering wheel. Tracks like Superchunk’s “Precision Auto” were the perfect soundtrack. Mac McCaughan had some shit to get off his chest, and I was there for it. Albums like ’93’s On the Mouth were the perfect record for where I was at the time.
Flash forward to 2025: I drive a wagon, and while I’m not quite at the stage where I call out every sign I pass, it’s close. Not being able to see very well doesn’t help.
Mac McCaughan, on the other hand, sees things perfectly. As he’s racked up the miles—er, years—his writing (and the band’s sound) has taken on a much more reflective tone. He’s still railing against a lot of the issues of the day, but there’s more perspective—the kind that can only be earned by the years (see also: Mould, Bob).
Talking about 2022’sWild Loneliness, I noted that “Wild Loneliness finds the band in a more contemplative place. Lead singer Mac McCaughan isn’t railing so much as he’s reflecting.”
On this release, he’s somewhere in the middle.
With Jon Wurster having left and Laura Ballance no longer touring with the band, Superchunk have a real Ship of Theseus thing starting to happen. Yes, I know Ballance still plays on the records themselves, but still.
Fear not; the tone has softened, but only a little, and the band continues the trajectory started with 2018’s What a Time to Be Alive. It’s overtly political, but not annoyingly so, and when things are couched in power-pop goodness, the medicine goes down easy.
Opener “Is It Making You Feel Something” starts the record off strong with all the fizzy pop and chunky power chords we’ve come to expect. Say what you will, but for my money, guitarist Jim Wilbur is this band’s secret sauce.
“Bruised Lung” keeps things moving right along, and so do the next couple of tracks. McCaughan is optimistic, but there’s lament creeping in—almost like he’s forcing a smile as resistance. Our generation is quite good at performative nonchalance, and when he sings:
I’m trying to care less I’m trying to care less Don’t make me remember What I can’t forget I’m trying to care less, yeah
I’m not sure if he’s being serious or sardonic. Is this a political rant about the current state of play, or an updated version of Driveway to Driveway?
If you like mid-discography Superchunk, you’ll find plenty here to dig. What you see is what you get; no one’s trying to make a concept record. If you’re all in on the early stuff, you might find the edges a little too sanded off, but odds are good you’ve thought that for a while now. It’s easy to get consumed by (waves hands all around), and while fully checking out isn’t an option, trying to care less is sage advice.
I don’t know that anyone will claim this as their new favorite record by the band, but it’s got a lot of what’s helped them make it to elder statesman status, and with just the right blend of angry and sanguine, it’s the right record for right now. (Bandcamp link)
Case Oats- Last Missouri Exit
I have this daydream that I’ll retire early from my job, hit the Midwest backroads, and restart my quest for the four calendar cafe. I did this a lot in my early 20s, coming close a couple of times, but never hit the jackpot. This time around, I’d find it- just as imagined; a clean, well-lit place, populated with locals sitting in the same spots their families have for generations. Where everyone knows your name (except for me, obvs), and the coffee is strong enough to stand a spoon up in. The menus are one-sided single laminate sheets, and the aroma of the freshly baked pie is seared into the slightly cracked vinyl booths. You can see over the diner counter back into the kitchen where a radio is perched up on a shelf (antenna pointed just so), and you’ll hear something like Case Oats’ “In a Bungalow” coming through the tinny speakers. It will be exactly what I’ve been looking for, and it will be fantastic.
I never really know what I’m looking for when it comes to alt-country or Americana. As both a fan ofsad dad bands and a music writer, saying I’m mostly looking for a vibe might not be the best approach, but that’s what happens. Albums in this lane either have that vibe (see above) or they don’t. Last Missouri Exit checks all the boxes. Casey Walker’s plaintive vocals feel authentic in a way that’s becoming increasingly rare. When she’s singing about life and lives lived, you feel it. Supporting her is a lot of talent, including Spencer Tweedy. It takes a lot of work to sound this unpolished, but they make light work of it.
Last Missouri Exit doesn’t stray too far from the plan here. Like those one-page menus, the tracks are simple and to the point (not derogatory). No one will describe this album as pushing boundaries—and it never tries to. This is a record that feels as lived-in as those booths. And it, too, is fantastic. (Bandcamp link)
The Cavernous – Please Hold
The (literal) pitch: It’s a lo-fi, trip-hop–leaning album accessible only by calling a North American toll-free number. The record blends ambient textures, eerie downtempo, and cryptic operator messages into something equal parts surreal and existential. Lead single “Guile” is streaming now.
Okay, so the idea that you would need to call a 1-800 number to hear a record seemed too clever by half… but also really intriguing. Sort of like taking Cindy Lee’s Geocities–only release to the next level.
In an era of hours-long hold times, sadistic phone trees, and AI chatbots, the idea of willfully calling a line to literally listen to a treatise on hold times seems like an incredible self-own. And it would be… except for one thing: the record is really good. Not even sure I can call it a record, but whatever it is, it kept me fully engaged. The lo-fi beats and loops felt comforting, like I was finally being let in on a joke, only to then be jolted back to reality by the “just a little too loud” spoken word updates that are on all the routine calls we suffer through. I have to assume those are there to ensure we don’t fall asleep, right?
There are downtempo beats and washed-out synths for days. Even the sounds like Microsoft’s hold music, which usually make me reflexively angry, only made me chuckle here.
“It started as a joke about hold music,” says frontman Rob McLaren. “Then it became a meditation on death.”
I’m not sure I can describe it any better than that. Want to experience it for yourself? Call 1-877-420-9159. It might be the only time you’ll be happy to be “on hold” for 45 minutes.
Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
As always, thank you to those who upgraded their subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts also help! Thank you!
When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:
For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.
The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week has been more of a balance between new tracks and old faves. That said, a TON of great new records came out this past Friday, so who knows what next week’ll look like?
2025 might be a hot mess, but not where new music is concerned.
We’ve got a great host and a killer record, all set to go. All we need now is you! Here’s how to join the fun.
Cover art courtesy of IRS Records
Good Morning!
Today we’re talking about The English Beat’s Special beat Service, and well, how you can talk about the band with other like minded people.
Note: As some of you know, I’m one of the editors for an online music publication called The Riff. Each month, we host an album discussion (via Zoom), which is coming up on Sunday.
To be clear, all credit goes to Terry Barr and Scott Fountain, who facilitate the meetings, and Jessica Lee McMillan, this month’s host. These three are doing the heavy lifting.
As you’ll see below, these are low-key affairs; all are welcome! If you want to share some thoughts, that’s awesome. Wanna just sit back & listen? That’s cool, too.
Either way, it’d be better with you there.
KA—
It’s that time again; it’s time for our monthly album discussion!
One of our core tenets is sharing music. That obviously involves writing about it, but also talking about it together. We do that monthly here.
This Sunday, August 24th, is that day.
Below is my boilerplate explanation of these discussions and the value you’ll get from joining us. Under that are both the record being discussed and the meeting login details.
Don’t know the record? Doesn’t matter.
Not comfortable speaking in public? Me either. And you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Heck, you don’t even have to turn your camera on. It’s a safe space, but you control what you share.
Ultimately, you’re part of the community; we want you to be a part of this, too.
So check out the “rules” below, and then plan to dial in.
What is this?
For new readers (hi everyone!), we host an online discussion every month.
Here’s how it works:
A writer (more on that in a second) picks a record to discuss and writes a brief piece about their choice and the meeting details.
At the meeting, they discuss why they picked it, offer a bit of a backstory/context, and whatever else they’d like to share.
Everyone else on the call can share their own “hot take,” related story, or anything else you think is relevant.
At the end of the meeting, the next month’s writer volunteers (or is chosen), and the process repeats itself.
NOTE FOR INTROVERTS: If you’d prefer to sit in and listen, that is 110% okay. Keep your video off…stay muted…it’s up to you. It’s a safe place; you can participate as much/as little as you’d like.
This month’s host:
This month’s host is Jessica Lee McMillan, a poet, writer, and teacher based in Vancouver, B.C. Her work has been featured in dozens of publications. You can see more of her writing here or on her website.
Cool! So, what are we talking about?
Jessica has chosen ‘Special Beat Service’ by The English Beat..
I am still grateful for the third wave, which brought The Specials back into rotation at clubs. I was only a few years old when the Beat emerged, and I had records and cassettes of General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. But I have to thank that third wave for making its way into the goth community here in Vancouver, where — of all places — I first learned to skank to Madness in my late teens.
Musical influences can travel anywhere — like language — and while we want to respect its origins, genre — like language — is a living thing that evolves and migrates.
Special Beat Service is the album you intentionally pull out several times a year. It is a rock. It is a place to return.
That’s why I have chosen it for the album of the month.
Musical adventure, exploring new sounds, and sharing great music with great people make these discussions a joy.
Join us and see for yourself.
Listen:
The Beat | Special Beat Service (1982)
(Click the record to listen on your platform of choice)
Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
As always, thank you to those who upgraded their subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts also help! Thank you!
When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:
For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.
The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week, it is again overindexed on new (like, brand new) releases from the likes of OSEES, San Gabriel, and Field Hospitals—always a good thing! There are also a couple of faves from
Overlooked outside of Canada, The Tragically Hip is worth a second listen
Good morning!
Today Graham Strong’s taking the wheel and is talking about The Tragically Hip’s Up to Here.
Today we’re lucky to have friend of On Repeat RecordsGraham Strongsharing his thoughts on The Tragically Hip’s album, Up to Here. If you’re not already familiar with his work, Graham is the man behind To Write With Wild Abandon, where he helps writers overcome obstacles and emphasizes having fun along the way. It’s a never miss newsletter, and his work is well worth your time! When you’re done here, please check it out!
Today, Graham’s making his case for why Up to Here deserves to be in the running for Best Record of 1989. I’m happy to have him; this is a band that for whatever reason has always been a bit of a blind spot for me. One of these days, I’ll do a deep dive into their discography and see what I know I’ve been missing. In the meantime, I’m happy to have an expert fan weigh in!
And with that, I’ll get out of the way…
KA—
How would I describe The Tragically Hip?
Imagine a band that can grab you like Elvis, Bruce Springsteen’s power and patriotism, Paul Simon’s poetic lyrics, and the Rolling Stones’ straight, thumping rock songs that beg to be turned up to 11.
“Oh, that’s over-hyping them,” you might say. But I’d reply no, that’s exactly how fans might describe The Tragically Hip. Let me explain why.
Unless you grew up in Canada when The Tragically Hip first started playing, it’s hard to understand the full impact of this band. It baffles me that, except for a few pockets around the world, people outside of Canada don’t seem to get the Hip. It’s like the Beatles showed up in New York one August evening after taking over the world, and everyone in summery Central Park just stood there and stared, unable to make heads or tails…
My sense from the comment sections of On Repeat Records is that the readers here are more open to things that are different. So I’ll tell you why I think the Hip’s debut full-length album, Up to Here, released on September 5, 1989, deserves to be on the list of the best albums of that year – and why you should give them a listen.
A short bio: The Tragically Hip formed in 1984 in Kingston, Ontario, about three hours east of Toronto. The line-up from left to right on the Up to Here album cover: Gord Downie, singer, lyricist, and frontman; Gord Sinclair, bass and back-up vocals; Johnny Fay, drums; Rob Baker, lead guitar; and Paul Langlois, rhythm guitar and back-up vocals. They started as one of those hard-working bar bands who showed up no matter how far the drive through the night, playing throughout southern Ontario before touring across Canada and into the States and Europe.
After a successful EP, the band recorded Up to Here at Ardent Studios in Memphis. Until this point, the Hip hadn’t broken out, even in Canada. But four singles from the album changed that: the sometimes soft, sometimes loud “Blow at High Dough” (great album opener), the straight-out rocking “New Orleans is Sinking” (my favourite song of all time), the bluesy “Boots or Hearts”, and the Canadiana ballad, “38 Years Old.”
The Rolling Stones comparison from above is apt for this album. Many of the songs are hard-edged, bluesy rockers. You’d be forgiven if you mistook the opening to “Trickle Down” as a Stones song.
But the important thing – and what makes this album so important – is that the proto-DNA of what would become the Hip is already percolating underneath the familiar rock beats. As all good bands do, they would mature as songwriters, but this album laid a solid foundation. For example, even Stones-y “Trickle Down” features chord changes that are undeniably Hip. And that’s not all – the lyrics, the tight-but-loose playing style, the social commentary, the Canadianess… It’s all there in those first vinyl grooves.
Ah yes, and there’s their so-called Achilles’ heel – being too Canadian for international markets. That comment always bugged me. Here’s the thing: you don’t have to get the Canadian references to enjoy the songs. Many Canadians didn’t even get them until they were pointed out. They’re just… lyrics.
But, great lyrics. Wow, what a poet Gord Downie was! Like the rest of the album, his lyrics on Up to Here are proto, but the story in “38 Years Old” – imagined from a real jailbreak near Kingston – has incredible impact in just 275 words, eight of which are repeated five times. That takes talent.
Here’s another example from “Opiated”, the last track on the album:
He bought two-fifths of lead-free gasoline. Said, “The bottle is dusty, but my engine is clean.” He bought a nice blue suit with the money he could find. If his bride didn’t like it, St. Peter wouldn’t mind.
Nothing earth-shattering. And at least one line pulls from another song – The Grateful Dead’s “Brown-Eyed Woman.” But for the debut album of a straight-rocking band? None too shabby, either. Makes Robert Frost’s snowy woods look like a stroll through the park.
Up to Here made the Hip instant rock stars. The album went Platinum with 100,000 units sold in the first six months (hey, we have a tenth of the US population) and Diamond within 10 years (1,000,000 records). They won a Juno, the equivalent of a Grammy in Canada, for “Most Promising Artist” in 1990.
They certainly lived up to the award. The Tragically Hip’s popularity exploded in the 1990s. The band released 12 more studio albums in their career (10 reached Platinum or higher) and they made an appearance on SNL in 1995.
But their live shows were where they really rocked. Probably the best Hip concert I saw was at Grandma’s Sports Bar in Duluth, Minnesota, with 997 raving fans from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and three or four locals wondering what the hell was going on… The Tragically Hip remained a bar band in spirit to the end.
And that’s what Up to Here is: a great bar-band album that is solid in its own right, but also a glimpse of the amazing things to come.
Gord Downie died in 2017 from a rare form of brain cancer, gutting millions of fans. Just like Elvis’ death did, just as John Lennon’s. Except for a couple of special one-offs, the band doesn’t have the heart to play with a new singer à la Queen or Journey. I don’t blame them.
Their music, of course, is still there for the listening. Spotify now has a preview button that will give you a good taste of the album, if you want to zip through tracks. But if you’re looking to sample full songs, I’d go with the singles in the order they appear on the album: “Blow at High Dough,” “New Orleans is Sinking,” “38 Years Old,” and “Boots or Hearts.” There’s not a bad song here, but those may be the most approachable for the first-time listener.
Oh, and one more thing. Crank your headphones to 11. Like I say, the songs are begging for it.
Graham Strong is a freelance writer and die-hard Hip fan. He writes about the common pitfalls and fears writers face, and how to overcome them on his Substack site, To Write with Wild Abandon.
Kevin here again:
Thanks to Graham for his time and for sharing his thoughts on The Tragically Hip, and to you for being here.
My vote: Today’s matchup sees The Hip taking on the much higher-seeded Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears. My bracket pick was a straight play for the higher seed (and the record I’d actually heard.) As for my vote today? I’m on the fence, but leaning toward underdog; Graham’s made a pretty compelling case for Up To Here. It’s great album- turns out I really have been missing out!
Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!
The Best Record of 1989, Day 59: #27 Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw and the Cooked vs. #102 Godflesh, Streetcleaner
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a quick look at records from Fine Young Cannibals and Godflesh
Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d occasionally write some of these up.
I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.
Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.
KA—
Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw and the Cooked
Going into this review, my biggest question was, “Is it any good?” I knew the ubiquitous “She Drives Me Crazy” and “Good Thing.” I also vaguely remembered “I’m Not Satisfied” and “Baby Don’t Look Back” and vaguely recalled liking them.
My biggest question afterward was, How do you classify this record? And why had I not bothered with it all these years? Okay, that’s two questions, but both fair ones. Honestly, I have zero idea how to classify this album. There’s ska, Motown-era influence, a Buzzcocks cover, and everything in between.
FWIW, that cover was featured in the movie Something Wild, and a few other tracks were featured in other films. Even the band name was taken from a movie title.
Fine Young Cannibals — which included former members of The Beat, Andy Cox and David Steele, and vocalist Roland Gift — weren’t exactly straight out of central casting when it came to hit makers, but here we are. Steele and Cox had already cracked the chart code before with tracks like “Mirror in the Bathroom” and “Save It for Later,” but it turns out what would be their biggest hit almost didn’t happen.
The Cannibals—Roland, Andy and David—sent me songs through email for a few weeks and we decided on a list.”
One song was titled “She’s My Baby,” which David Z loved. The band, however, appeared less than enthused: “When they said it was rubbish and they wanted to throw it away, I told them I wouldn’t want to work with them unless we did that song,” Z said, “They reworked the lyrics and came up with ‘She Drives Me Crazy.’ Everyone I know could feel that way—and has.”
Lucky for us, it was released. With that sharp snare hit, a stripped-down arrangement, and Roland Gift’s now-iconic falsetto, we got the sort of right song at the right time that comes along about every 10 years or so.
The much more straightforward “Don’t Look Back” peaked at #11, while the fifth and final single, “I’m Not Satisfied,” only reached an anemic #90. Shame, really, as it deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.
This would (more or less) mark the end of the line for the band; they split up a few years later before recording a follow-up LP. But before that, we got the Raw and the Cooked- a record that is, well, a good thing (sorrynotsorry)
Don’t be me: If you haven’t checked outThe Raw and the Cooked yet, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. Albums that nail that perfect mix of art and pop, old school and new school, don’t come around too often.
Godflesh, Streetcleaner
Oh, hey, sludgy riffs and ghoulish vocals labeled as “post metal.” Fun! Man, what a letdown after listening to FYC. I hope whoever nominated this got the help they needed.
Okay, that’s maybe a bit unfair. I can appreciate the way they blend metal and industrial genres here, and they’ve done well to paint a dystopian hellscape, but this feels like something a SWAT team would play on a loop to coax a suspect out of a house. Hard pass.
My vote: Ever fallen in love with a record you hadn’t heard in a while? You can never have too much of a good thing. I’m not gonna look back when I vote for FYC.
Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!
Good morning! Need an antidote for the algorithms? Looking for a place to share the music you love with like-minded people? You’re in the right spot.
As always, thank you to those who have upgraded your subscriptions this past week. Your direct support fuels this community and makes a positive impact. Shares and reposts all help as well! Thank you!
When you’re ready, joining them is easy. Just click here:
For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing.
The playlist below is some of what I’ve had in heavy rotation. This week found me again listening to a ton of new (like, brand new) releases from the likes of Cyan Pools, Dar Williams, and Great Comet. Always a good thing! 2025 might be a hot mess, but not where new music is concerned.
The singer stops by to talk about her new album, the inspiration behind it, and what being pulled onstage to sing with a soul legend was like.
Photo: Lila Wolfe
Good morning!
We’re in for a treat today; soul singer Morgan James stops by to chat!
If you’re taking on AC/DC, Stone Temple Pilots, and Metallica, you need your A-game. With Soul Remains the Same, Morgan James delivers, backed by the quiet defiance that’s fueled her career for over a decade.
This record is way more than just a covers album; it’s a declarative statement.
James reshapes the tracks on Soul Remains the Same by standing her ground, not distancing herself or making rote copies. These versions are “faithful” only in that they respect the bones; after that, all bets are off.
Honestly, I had some questions, but it’s a good thing. She knows what these songs mean to all of us (she’s a fan too), and what they mean now, in her hands.
Vocally, James sounds assured. This is someone who spontaneously swapped verses with Chaka Khan, after all. There’s no trace of studio polish (or autotune) papering anything over. She’s giving 110% here; the result is full-range soul, restraint when needed, power when it’s called for. Her background in theater and classical music explains the discipline, but emotion rules this release. There is a fine line between putting one’s stamp on something and staining it. Morgan is aware of this and keeps it in mind. She doesn’t copy anything here; instead, she completely reinterprets everything. Nor is she trying to out-sing the originals-she doesn’t have to. She’s giving them new life while honoring where they came from.
“I don’t try to change something to be clever. I don’t want to change something that’s already great…But sometimes I’ll hear a song and think to myself, This would be amazing with horns, or what would this sound like with a choir or a B3?”
James has built her career off the beaten path—first at Juilliard, then Broadway, and now releasing records independently. Some artists release cover albums as placeholders or as a cash grab. This isn’t one of those times. James takes a bigger gamble here: she puts herself into every verse. These aren’t tribute tracks or glorified karaoke—they’re testimonials.
As I listened, I’d think, “This sounds familiar,” only to remember that it was a song I’d heard countless times before. That’s perhaps the best thing I can say about Soul Remains the Same; James’ take is so novel that you forget you’re listening to her perform one of your favorites. Instead of comparing versions, you’re too caught up in how good these are.
“In making this album, I fell in love with these songs all over again,” said James. “Even iconic songs you’ve known your whole life take on a completely new meaning when seen and heard through the eyes and voice of a woman. This may not be a musical space people would envision me entering into—but I hope fans will listen with fresh ears and find new meaning and power in this music, just as I have.”
I know this is starting to read like a presser, so I’ll stop here. But consider me sold. Soul Remains the Same is a fantastic record well worth your time.
I recently had a chance to speak with James via email. We covered everything from the song that “had” to be on the record to licensing tracks. Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
Congrats on the new record! Can you quickly walk us through your backstory for those who might not know?
Thank you so much!! So my new album is called Soul Remains The Same, and I like to describe it as: It’s as though Aretha Franklin went into the studio with AC/DC. It’s heavy, masculine tunes from the ‘80s and ‘90s, iconic rock songs through a soul lens. But it’s all the classic soul sounds that I am known for and that I love so much—the songwriting is just from a different era.
You’ve previously recreated entire single albums, such as Jeff Buckley’s Grace. Why take things in a more collective direction this time?
Between my original music albums and my periods of writing songs, I like to exercise my creativity in other ways. And what better than to draw inspiration from the great artists and songwriters around me. The reason I covered complete albums in the past, such as Grace, the White Album, or Joni Mitchell’s Blue, is because I wanted to step inside a whole body of work. And I think that really teaches you so much about the mind of an artist and the process of making an album, from start to finish.
For this album, I really wanted to focus on a period of time that was united by certain themes and a very specific sound, and it was a period of tunes written by and for men— where sometimes the soaring melodies are slightly obscured by the (really cool!) but heavy production style. I wondered what would happen if you stripped some of that away and replaced it with horns, a Wurlitzer, or layers of feminine vocal choirs. I hoped that it would really bring these songs into a light.
Of the tracks on Soul Remains the Same, do you have a particular favorite, or one that just “had” to be on the record?
I have fallen in love with every single one—even more than I already did, listening to them as a teen!
I KNEW I had to have ‘The Day I Tried to Live’ by Soundgarden. I think Chris Cornell is one of the greatest singers of all time, and his songs are so virtuosic and dramatic—I wanted to pay tribute to him, for sure. I also knew I wanted to rep Living Colour, as well, with ‘Cult of Personality.’ And that song has never been more relevant.
How have the original artists reacted to your work? Have you received any feedback?
I haven’t heard feedback from them yet! I hope I do.
On a more technical note, how much of a hassle was the licensing process? Was securing the rights for any songs, particularly easy or hard?
Securing compulsory licenses is not difficult—you don’t need ‘permission’ to record a song that was already previously released. Unless it’s by Prince (IYKYK) 😉
Getting pulled onstage to sing with Chaka Khan had to be the thrill of a lifetime! What was going through your mind as you belted out “Sweet Thing” together?
I am still not over it! It was one of those true magical New York moments, completely unplanned. But like they say: stay ready so you don’t have to get ready! But I definitely blacked out hahaha.
If you could pick one track to play for someone who’s never heard your work, which would it be and why?
One track from this new album? That might be… ‘Better Man,’ because it has all the elements of what I love in a song and in one of MY arrangements. It has the instrumentation and background vocal arranging, and the dynamic range really takes you on a journey. If I were to choose a song of mine that I wrote, I would choose ‘Say The Words.’
Last one, just for fun; I bump into you as you walk out of the record store. What records are you carrying?
I am carrying the Duke Ellington Nutcracker, Aretha Franklin Unforgettable: a tribute to Dinah Washington, and Stevie Nicks Wild Heart.
Click the record to listen on the platform of your choice.
Soul Remains the Same is out today (8/8). You can grab your copyhere.
Click here to learn more about Morgan, grab copies of her records, and find her tour dates.
The Best Record of 1989: Day 54: #51 The Sugarcubes, Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! vs. #78 3rd Bass, The Cactus Album
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a quick look at records from The Sugarcubes and 3rd Bass.
Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I’d occasionally write some of these up.
I’ve started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably definitely be some typos.
Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.
You know those clips on YouTube where they isolate the bassline from a hit song, or Michael McDonald’s voice from “Peg?” Imagine something like that, but where you could edit out an element.
Now, picture using the audio equivalent of Control + F to find/delete everything related to Einar Örn’s vocals from The Sugarcubes’ Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! You’d have a contender for record of the year, with fans split over whether it or Life’s Too Good is their best. I like Stick Around For Joy, but let’s be real—I might be alone on that.
Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! should’ve been the album where The Sugarcubes leveled up by doubling down on what made Life’s Too Good so memorable. Instead, they ran with the one element that worked because it was restrained and put it front and center. Imagine being the producer and hearing, “More Einar everywhere!” Yeesh.
On Life’s Too Good, Einar appeared in just the right doses, playing something of a foil to Björk—it worked, because it was contained. Here, the leash is off, and his constant interruptions drag down nearly every track.
I don’t mean to pile on here, but at the same time I kind of do—especially since his trumpet playing is one of the things I like most about this record. Why couldn’t he have focused on that instead? What’s with wanting to be the North Atlantic version of Fred Schneider?
Meanwhile, Björk is in fine form, throwing herself into these songs with a fury that hints at her later solo career. You hear her pushing her limits. Just when you think, Yes! Yes!—Einar bursts in with more yelped nonsense, and all bets are off.
Musically, there’s a lean, angular energy, with tight, new wave-adjacent grooves and just enough pop sparkle to keep things moving. The horn sections shine, especially on songs like “Tidal Wave.” The rhythm section is locked in, pushing things forward nicely. It makes you want to like this record more than you do. Which again begs the question—why not steer Einar toward his strengths?
Back to YouTube: imagine you’ve erased Einar’s vocals and are listening to the improved version. The sound has evolved, and the grooves have more substance. It still tries to be a party record but is less about novelty and more about what the album could have been.
That’s the rub. The record succeeds in many areas: Björk shines, and the band delivers. So what happened? Did Einar have outsized sway, or did everyone agree? It feels self-sabotaging.
The other fault is that it drags on too long. It feels longer than Life’s Too Good, despite actually being shorter. Someone should’ve made the unilateral decision to cut “Hot Meat,” which feels like a Temu version of “Cold Sweat.”
Here Today…is a record that comes so close, but with Einar’s overwhelming presence, it ultimately misses the mark. Still, if you lean in close, you can hear real gold. Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! is the band at a crossroads, unsure of what to keep or cut.
Sometimes it works—but more often, it’s just exhausting.
For the third Bass, I had to phone a friend. I had a feeling that we liked a couple of tracks, but otherwise, we spent most of our time pointing and laughing at MC Serch and Pete Nice. Turns out my memory failed me (quelle surprise!). My buddy texted back within minutes, saying, “The Cactus Album is a Classic.”
Okay, so that’s sorted then.
Listening to the record, I’m surprised at how well it’s held up and the creativity of the samples used. I wasn’t expecting a Blood Sweat and Tears track sample here, but it’s also possible I memory-holed it like everything else. I did remember “Gas Face,” and it’s as fun now as it was then. Does 50-year-old me find the same appeal that teenage me did? Apparently, yes. Same story with “Steppin’ to the AM” (home of the sample mentioned above). Do two tracks a record make? No, but this was a nice enough way to soundtrack part of my shift at work.
My vote: Took the easy out here, and went with The Sugarcubes. For all its faults, this is still a Sugarcubes record and Björk’s on it. That’s some gravitational pull. Also, another example of the performative voting we’ve seen previously (and will see again).
Ask yourself: Who’s cooler: Bjork or MC Serch? Exactly.
Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!
P.S. Tomorrow’s Match Up features #19 Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi taking on #110 Don Henley’s End of the Innocence.
One I’d never heard before now, and one I’m ambivalent (at best) towards. Decided to punt on this one and give myself a pass on writing it up. My bracket pick and vote will both be going to Neneh Cherry.
Kevin Sent 