Tag: new-music

In Conversation: Peter Holsapple

by KevinLeave a Comment on In Conversation: Peter Holsapple

The former dBs frontman stops by to talk about his new solo record, working with other artists, and shares a few of his favorite crate digging finds.

Good morning!

We’re in for a treat today; Peter Holsapple stops by to chat about his new solo record, working with bands like The Paranoid Style, and the most he’ll pay for a used record.

Peter Holsapple’s resume reads like a list of your favorite bands. He’s played with R.E.M., The Continental Drifters, and more recently, with On Repeat Records favorites, The Paranoid Style.

But he might be best known for being a member of the critically acclaimed power pop band The dBs, along with Chris Stamey, Gene Holder, and Will Rigby. If you’ve been here long, you know I am a huge fan of the band. Their 1984 record Like This is an all-timer, and grabbed a spot on my recent top 100 list.

He’s also performed as a solo artist, building a considerable volume of work, starting with 1997’s Out of the Way and follow-up Game Day. Now he’s back with The Face of ’68, an album full of the hooks and lyrics Holsapple fans have come to love over the years.

The press release cheekily mentions that you probably already know him, but if you don’t, it’s time to change that. Even if you don’t recognize the name, you have undoubtedly heard bands he’s influenced over the years. The dBs and Continental Drifters are a lot of your favorite band’s favorite bands.

To be clear, while there is plenty of what you love (strong hooks, a love song or two), The Face of ’68 doesn’t simply cover old ground. It sounds & feels fresh, indexing less on power pop and more on muscular guitar. If you weren’t already familiar, now is absolutely the time to change that.

The first words we hear on the record are Holspapple asking,

I wake up in the morning
With the sun in my eyes
And every day is a total surprise
Isn’t that right?
Isn’t that great?

It is. And any day we’re gifted a record like this is even better.

In our wide-ranging chat, we discuss the new record, his time playing with The Paranoid Style, what was playing in his house growing up, and running into “that guy” at the record store.

Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

Congrats on the new record! The press release mentions that The Face of 68 is different. Can you expand on that a little more?

Thank you! Well, I think it’s different for me, or what people may expect from me. It’s got more of a rock guitar basis, for lack of better terms, than anything I have put out before. Lots of riffs and minor chords. If you think of “Bad Reputation” from The dB’s first album Stands for deciBels as a rock guitar song (which I do) The Face of 68 rocks like that. There’s, like, one strictly power pop-ish tune, but it’s the anomaly.

Artists often cite you and the bands you’ve played in (The dB’s, Continental Drifters, etc.) as inspiration. Who were you influenced by when you first started? What was playing in your house growing up?

I’m always a little surprised to hear that because I never thought any of those bands had a significant amount of reach; but from our tour last year, I see that our songs definitely made a lasting impression on more people than I’d imagined, very grateful to know that.

My mom and my big brother listened to radio and records in the house, so I was exposed to pop music as a little kid. My first single was a Bert Kaempfert single “Afrikaan Beat” that I’d heard on a kids’ TV program when we lived in Old Greenwich, so I was around four then. Radio in Winston-Salem was WTOB mostly, our Good Guy station with personality jocks like Dick Bennick (Dr. Paul Bearer) and the Flying Dutchman (Pete Berry), both of whom also produced 45s for local bands. We got Beatles, James Brown, Buck Owens, Napoleon XIV, Sir Douglas Quintet, and we loved it all.

How about today?

Hmm. Well, in the car I listened to the newest Maggie Rose album since The dB’s played before her at 30A Songwriters’ Festival, and we met her and her band, and she and they were just lovely people. And the record’s stunning, the arrangements are strong and the sound is huge. That’s today. (Oh, and a couple things on YouTube, like a Peggy Lee track and a Tornados follow up to “Telstar”.)

You played on The Paranoid Style’s excellent The Interrogator. How did you all first connect? What led to you being in the studio with them?

It absolutely is excellent! Thanks!

A few years ago, out of the blue, I was contacted by Elizabeth Nelson and Tim Bracy, who wanted me to play piano on a track of theirs in a Durham studio. Will Rigby had played with them, and I knew their guitarist Bruce Bennett from the A-Bones in New York. So I jumped in and had a great time and made friends for life.

Last year, they called me to reprise my role at the same studio which is six minutes away from my house. So I said sure, went down to Overdub Lane and sat down at their beautiful grand piano and cut a track. Elizabeth and Tim reported that the band’s lead guitar player had the flu and was not going to be able to make the date, so they asked me if I’d jump in on guitar. It was something of a trek out of my comfort zone of sturdy rhythm guitar, but I tried to think on my feet for each song on The Interrogator that called for filigree guitar, and everyone was very satisfied with what I provided.

Returning to The Face of 68: “Larger than Life” is the first single. What inspired you to choose that one to kick things off?

“Larger Than Life” was the song, when the demo was done and I was listening down to it, that made me think I should have a look at the songs that I had written since Game Day was released in 2017. And when I did, I saw that I had more than a handful of good tunes, and that a great number of them had a harder edge to their sound. “Larger Than Life” I wrote to commemorate the death and transfiguration of my friend and bandmate Carlo Nuccio who died in 2022. When Carlo died, he left a hole in the universe that was incredibly large for everyone who ever knew him or played with him. A groove like his absolutely went into that universe and shattered into dust that gets in everything from here on out. So I had to write a song to process my loss and the world’s dusty gain.

Many people reading this will relate to “That Kind of Guy.” We all know–or have rubbed shoulders with—”that guy” while crate digging. Was it inspired by an actual event (or events), or is it more of a composite?

I worked in record stores for most of my retail double-life. I knew music, what better job? My bosses were always sympathetic to my music career. My customers ran the gamut. Some were royal pains, some became friends that are in my life to this day. Several stores I can think of in New York were more prone to people like TKoG, the ones full of collectors’ items, so I was around them from time to time. I’m not a very particular collector myself, I just don’t want to pay more than $10 for any used record.

Double-clicking on that, you name-check a ton of artists on the track. What might be under your arm if we ran into you at the record store?

Like I say, I love the dollar bins, so I’m happy to find stuff that’s in okay shape there. I don’t usually shop with anything in mind; Record Store Day is an event my family used to participate in when the kids were little, but even then, we wouldn’t be at the doors of the shop at the crack of dawn for anything in particular. We’d all just walk out with bags of cheap CDs and beat up records! (I say that I don’t shop for anything in particular, but there have been times that I’ve tried to will something like an obscure Dennis Linde album to appear, and then it turns up in a bin, and I think that’s notable.)

Best recent $5 find was a pristine copy of Media Blitz by Quacky Duck & his Barnyard Friends on Warner Brothers. Danny and Dae Bennett, Tony’s sons, were in the band, as was David Mansfield, assorted string player to the stars, Rolling Thunder Tour as well–he has been playing with Ringo’s country shows lately! I saw Quacky Duck when I was a freshman in Chapel Hill, and David was brilliant even then.

“One For The Book” is a personal favorite of mine on the record. I’m curious how it came to be. Is there a backstory?

It’s a true story that happened a few years ago. A promoter had worked with a band on a big show that was part benefit, then he basically went haywire and left the show with all the cash receipts and credit card money and disappeared. Hence the great idea that became a disaster. That’s the only song on the record that I play acoustic guitar on, by the way.

What does 2025 look like for you? A solo tour? More dates with the dBs? Working with the Paranoid Style? All of the above?

The dB’s played their final dates of the tour promoting Stands for deciBels and Repercussion last weekend at 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida. It was a very good run for the band; we played some really good shows, and I would say that people who came to see us left absolutely satisfied. Songs they wanted to hear got heard, and we had Wes Lachot along on keyboards who made a point to reproduce the keyboard/horn sounds live. But we’re done for the foreseeable future.

I know there are a couple of dates in Dallas with the Paranoid Style in the spring, but the details are best researched at the band’s website or social media outlets. I wish that band would play more.

Speaking of bands I wish played more, I hope there’s at least one Continental Drifters show this year!

Regarding any grand promotional plan for The Face of 68, my plan is to try to do a few rock guitar shows with rhythm sections and volume when the album comes out, but to mostly head out on the back of a burro with my acoustic guitar slung over my back and play solo stuff, ‘rhythm guitar and vocals’ as it were. For the past week or so, I’ve been trying to play songs from The Face of 68 on acoustic guitar. Most of them seem to work fine in that context, some don’t. It’s okay, I have other songs to play too. I mean, this ismy third solo album. I just have to figure out an effective set that covers the songs people want to hear as well as the songs I want people to hear. Talk about treading a line!And reading a room!

Thank you for your time! I’ll wrap this up with the question I ask everyone: What are your five Desert island Discs?

They differ at any given time (plus I’m taking all my records to that desert island). So today’s are:

▪ The Flame (Blondie Chaplin/Ricky Fataar on Brother Records – 1970)

▪ Maggie Rose – No One Gets Out Alive

▪ Esso Trinidad Steel Band

▪ Hi Rhythm – On the Loose

▪ The Move – Split Ends

The Face of ‘68 will be available everywhere this Friday, April 18th

The Face of ‘68 is out this Friday (4/18). You can connect with Peter and find out more info here.

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Sound Advice: 11. Apr. 2025

by KevinLeave a Comment on Sound Advice: 11. Apr. 2025

The flood of great records continues! Today we’re taking a quick look at the latest from Momma, The Miki Berenyi Trio, Rose City band, 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 Momma, Research Vessel, Rose City Band, 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.

Let’s get into it!

Momma-Welcome to My Blue Sky

I’m gonna carbon date myself here, but when I was in school, we still had a smoking section, and that real estate was the where the coolest kids hung out.

Listening to Momma, it feels like Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten are the logical successor(s) to that crowd. I keep thinking that at some point Momma’s brand of rock will wear thin, and keep getting proven wrong. That’s obviously a good thing. With Welcome to My Blue Sky, the scoreboard shows ‘em at 4-0.

Listening with an ear for finding influences feels like going through the my glove box and CD binder from HS. Maybe they raided their parent’s music collection, or certain bands were just always on. I dunno, but it’s a good thing. There’s shoegaze, fuzzed out grooves, and more. Most importantly, this band can rock, and when they do, look out. Each of their records are solid, but has 1-2 outliers. Last time around, it was “Speeding 72.” This time it’s “Rodeo.”

Look, I’m aware that saying the only thing wrong with a record is that it’s too short is flimsy journalism, but it fits here. This isn’t the first time the band has featured here, and if we’re lucky, it won’t be the last. Summer’s coming. Open the windows and turn it up; your neighbors will thank you.

Research Vessel- Next Weekend EP

Shoutout to Janglepophub for tipping me off to this gem. Research Vessel is the project of Danny Rowland and is the follow up to March 2024’s Going Tomorrow Ep. Not much to tell you here other than if you like jangle pop and what Rowland describes as Casio flavored, jangly pop standards, you’re in for a treat. It feels a bit like Kiwi Jr. meets bedroom pop. Next Weekend is 5 light, jaunty tracks that wouldn’t be out of place in a Wes Anderson film. Grab your fixie and impossibly cool sense of style and put this on one.

(Grab your copy here)

Rose City Band- Sol Y Sombra

For Oregonian readers, I’ll make this one quick: picture the outdoor patio of a McMenamins on a sunny day in, say, Redmond circa 2010. You’ve got a Nebraska bitter in your hand, and Smith Rock in your view. Your Subaru is out in the lot wearing a fine coat of dust and least 6 state park stickers on the windshield—you’ve lost count. That’s t he vibe here.

For everyone else, the fifth release from Portland’s Rose City Band is more of the same from Ripley Johnson and co. There’s plenty of sun kissed grooves, and the pedal steel gets a good workout. They ramble and rove but get too far out into jam band land. this is a group that would make the Dead smile, but are so in the pocket, you feel like you owe them change. The album takes care to slow down in a few spots letting you take it all in along the way before picking back up with tracks like “radio Song.”

The record ends with “Walls,” a song that can’t help but make you feel like somehow all of this (waves hand around) shall pass. Sol Y Sombra is gorgeous record that will soundtrack your escape; be they literal trips down Highway 97 or just a field trip into your mind.

(Float down the Metolius here)

Also Awesome:

Art d’Ecco – Serene Demon: A little post punk, some new wave, some horns… this record puts it all in the mixer, and the results are some of the catchiest sounds to come out of Vancouver in recent memory.

Lilly Hiatt- Forever: Having music from one Hiatt is enough to be grateful for. Having two? What a time to be alive! In all seriousness, this feels like the record where the younger Hiatt has really hit her stride. If you liked Trinity Lane, or even Walking Proof, you’ll love this.

Miki Berenyi Trio- Tripla: Tripla is a record full of shimmering guitars, drum & bass for days, and electronica. And Lush fans? Fear not: there’s plenty of shoegaze for us too. There’s no mistaking the former frontwoman’s voice, but the latest from Miki Berenyi is anything but a rehash.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?

For The Record: 06. April. 2025

by KevinLeave a Comment on For The Record: 06. April. 2025

And now for something completely different

Instead of the usual For the Record essay, I’m sharing a Q&A I recently did for the site I Have That On Vinyl. If you were on #MusicTwitter at all, you likely recognize that name, or rather Michele, the one-woman powerhouse behind it. She’s since moved to Bluesky, and when she’s not rooting for NYC sports teams, she’s shining a light on other people in the music community. People like us. Her website is a goldmine of great writers, artists interviews, and her own reflections on a lifetime of loving these wax circles we all hold so dear.

She’s also created a Patreon offering even more exclusive content. All of it is well worth your time and space in your content diet. IHTOV is one of my “must reads,” and it was an honor to be included.

We’ve had a lot of new folks join us recently (hello!), and I thought it would be a good time to pull the curtain back and share a little bit about the person on the other side of your screen…and, of course, some of the records that have shaped the way I think.

Q&A Remix is a frequent column on IHTOV in which people from all walks of life answer a set of questions about their vinyl collection. Today we welcome Kevin Alexander.

Have you ever bought a record just for the artwork?

Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: I will buy any variant of any New Order release I come across. “Oh, the leaf on this version of True Faith is just a little more yellow than all the others I already own? Sign me up!”

What is your most memorable vinyl buying experience?

Most record collectors have a holy grail: the one record they hope to find above all others. For years, mine was Pere Ubu’s 1989 album, Cloudland.

I’d first found the record not too long after it came out. In the late 80s, CDs were still a novelty, but someone at our city library decided to go “all in” on them (thank you, whoever you are). It was delightfully eclectic as a place trying to be something for everyone. You truly never knew what you might find and rarely came out with exactly what you’d gone in looking for.

They’d put a lot of effort into procuring them but not nearly as much into keeping them organized, settling instead for a brittle system of roughly sorting by genre and hoping for the best. It was all a wonderful mess purpose-built for happy accidents.

One of those collisions was my onramp to the band.

It was always easy to check this CD out. As much as I’d like to frame myself as some sort of tastemaker or just ahead of my time, the reality was that word traveled slowly from Cleveland. And the people who may have known them from work like “30 Seconds Over Tokyo” or their Dub Housing record were probably not hanging out in suburban Portland libraries.

This record has proven hard to find in subsequent years for a bunch of reasons. If I’m honest, had I known how many years I’d ultimately spend looking for this record, I might’ve just kept it, said I lost it, and paid the fine. Nevertheless…

I wasn’t looking for Cloudland when I walked into my local record shop a couple of years ago—in fact, I rarely know what I’m looking for when I go in. And even when I do, I usually either toss that list, come up with something different, or both.

But the universe has a funny way of gifting you things when you least expect them. In much the same accidental way I came across their CD all those many years ago, I came across a vinyl copy, misfiled under the wrong letter.

What’s the first area you head for in a record store?

The used section. In the store I frequent here, that’s downstairs. New arrivals are on the street level because, of course, they are. It feels a bit like having to go through the gift shop to get to the ride, but all of the gold is downstairs. That’s also where many of the new (used) arrivals are, and if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, that’s where you’re bound to find it.

What’s the most treasured album in your collection and why?

Probably Jawbreaker’s Unfun. They’re one of those rare bands for which I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard any of their records and/or when and where I bought them. I grabbed this after seeing them interviewed in Flipside magazine. I took two buses across the metro area to get there and another two back. I was excited to get home, and the return ride felt like a three-day trek. I put it on the turntable and…promptly had my mind rearranged. I feel like I’ve been chasing that high ever since.

What one record in your collection would you be most eager to share with new friends?

It’s either gonna be Tim or Don’t Tell a Soul by The Replacements. These are fantastic records but also fun (for lack of a better term). I have a hard enough time making new friends; the last thing I want to do is put on a record that’s tough to access or some dirge. I might also show them some of the first pressings I have. After that, I’d just ask what they’re into and see if I have something that meets the moment.

Are you a completionist when it comes to artists? Which artist do you have the most records from?

At the risk of undercutting everything I said about New Order in the first question, no. There are certain artists I will actively look for, but I don’t think things are bad if I’m missing a release or two. I mean, I’m not gonna buy a record I don’t like so that I can say I have ‘em all or anything.

Speaking of which; as many records of theirs as I have, the title of Most Records Kevin Owns belongs to none other than George Benson. Most I inherited, but a few I picked up on my own. A taste for his music is something congenital, I guess.

What is/are your white whale records? Something you have your eye on but haven’t been able to find?

I’m still on the hunt for original pressings of New Order’s Technique and The Cure’s Disintegration. I suppose with enough cash, anything’s possible, but thus far, both of these have managed to elude me.

What is your greatest “score?” Could be on value or just rarity or something you were looking for the longest?

Besides Cloudland, I spent a long time looking for Cheatah’s self-titled debut. Even forgoing my normal rule of trying to find it in the wild, I went to Discogs and even the band’s label. No dice. I recently went to a record sale here in town. I was on my way out the door when something told me to check out one last vendor. I got about three records in when I found it.

Do you have a favorite live record?

The granddaddy of ‘em all for me: Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. It’s one of those records that only takes about 30 seconds to tell you nothing will ever be the same again. All these years later, I still find something new just about every time I listen to it.

Who/what got you hooked on records?

My dad. He was never pretentious, but he took the care of his records seriously. Even as a young kid, I had to make sure I cleaned them just the right way before putting them on the turntable, made sure they were upright when I put them back, etc. He was incredibly passionate about music and passed this affliction on to me.

What are your first memories of listening to records?

We had the same stereo I think most people had in the late/early ’80s: turntable, tape deck, combo receiver, and amp. My parents would plug me in (i.e., put my headphones on), and then I’d pick a record for them to put on. Eventually, they’d leave me there to pick/play my own stuff. I’d be there for hours. It was a fantastic babysitter!

What’s your favorite record to listen to on headphones?

Anytime I get new headphones, AirPods, etc. I use New Order’s “Weirdo” to test drive them. The way the sound ricochets between both sides is a good way to see that everything’s working the way it should. After that, it’s usually Stereolab’s Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements. I also inherited a bunch of jazz records, and I will occasionally put one of those on if I’m looking to check out for a while. I’m not a trained musician, so I can’t explain why they sound so good coming through a good pair of headphones, but they sure do.

Tell us a little about your favorite record store.

Growing up in Portland, I could often usually be found at 2nd Avenue Records. At one point, I should’ve just had my mail delivered there. I was down there any time I had a little extra cash. I live in Madison today, and my go-to shop is a place called Strictly Discs. It’s just far enough away from me that each visit is an event. It’s also near the UW campus on a street filled with cool, eclectic shops. As noted, the new records are on the street level, but the magic is at the bottom of some steep stairs; all new arrivals and used vinyl are in the basement. They also sell mystery bags, where you get five records for 2.99. You never know what you’re gonna get, and that’s half the fun. I never leave without at least one.

That’s all well and good, but the store’s real superpower is the employees. I’ve watched them keep 4 or 5 plates in the air at once without batting an eye, heard stories about the records I’m getting and how they relate to them, and more. And while they are most definitely the stereotypical record store people, they are anything but judgmental. No matter what you walk up to the register with, they’re just stoked that you’re excited to go home and play it. That alone keeps me coming back.

What’s the weirdest record you own?

One of my mom’s cousins spent years playing in a band. They would play all over Washington and Alaska. The stories she’d come home with were always entertaining. But I had no idea they’d recorded an album (mostly covers) until I was going through a box I’d brought back from my mom’s house. It was wild to find. I’d always seen her as the proverbial cool aunt—this just sealed it.

How has your record collection and appreciation for vinyl evolved over the years, and what has influenced your tastes?

I started by picking up punk & hardcore records and imports of new wave bands. This was when I was around 13-14. Then CDs came along, and there were years that these records weren’t played at all. As I grew older, I started collecting again, this time appreciating the intention playing a record takes. It’s tactile. It asks you to sit down and actively listen. There’s a friction there that makes it a much richer experience compared to just hitting play on Spotify.

My parents initially influenced my tastes—a default option, as they literally chose what I’d listen to, and even when they didn’t, I was limited to what was in their collection. In school, I was lucky to be surrounded by people with cool older siblings who would bring things home from college or wherever, and we’d be exposed to sounds I’d have never heard otherwise. I still feel like I’m always on the hunt for something new/novel, and as my tastes evolve, so too does my collection.

What’s the last record you played?

Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage

Thank you again to Michele for having me, and thank you for being here!

KA—

Now for some weekend reads:

Various Artists:

Get Me to God’s Country merch is being rolled out. Is this taking advantage of the moment, or was this something Wallen planned all along?

The New Pornographers and Stereolab each gifted us a new track this week. Wire did ‘em one better and announced a pair of releases as part of Record Store Day. And if that wasn’t enough, Bruce Springsteen is teasing a ton of new (to us) stuff as well.

From the Department of Lists: Some bar trivia about Tom Petty’s Damn The Torpedos LP

State of play: More musicians are joining Only Fans to offset the costs of making/performing music. What’s that say about us and the way we value music & the arts?

Listen: Remember King Missle? You probably do if you’re of an (ahem) certain age. Friend of On Repeat 

Keith R. Higgons recently had them on his Center Stage: Abandoned Albums podcast. You can check it out here.

Longer read:

The Cuban people are extraordinarily genuine, kind, and welcoming people who love to talk. In the US and Europe, the art of conversation is a rarity, as most people have their heads buried in their phones. In Cuba, everyone seems to be chatting with each other. As you walk the streets, there is a musicality to the conversations that fills the air.

Speaking of music… I don’t own a lot of Cuban music, but I have a couple of excellent compilations and some Mongo Santamaría albums. However, the music you hear on the streets of Havana today is reggaeton. An electronic, dancey, clubby, Latin-infused form of hip hop that originated in Panama and has since gained popularity throughout the Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands, especially Puerto Rico.

Mongo Santamaría, undoubtedly, is a legend and one of the greatest exponents of 1970s Cuban jazz. My introduction to him was stumbling on his 1975 album, ‘Afro-Indio,’ and its stunning cover art, created by Ron Levine, which immediately sang to me. It’s reminiscent of Mati Klarwein’s glorious paintings for ‘Bitches Brew,’ ‘Abraxas,’ and the lesser known, ‘A New Generation’ by The Chambers Brothers. I bought the album solely based on its striking cover art. Bringing it home, I was not disappointed by the album’s deliciously smooth, groovy, and cinematic jams, and it is my favorite of the four Mongo Santamaria records I now own.

From the ‘Stack: Conversation, culture, SIM cards, and Mongo Santamaria; Michael K. Fell shares his experiences from a recent trip to Cuba.

AV CLUB:

We lost Val Kilmer this week. My first roommate out of school was what could politely be called a fanboy. He also worked at a video store, which meant that at least one VHS copy of one of his films could be found in our apartment at any given time.

I’m the wrong person to give any salient film critiques- my expertise lies mostly in offering up things like “It was really good” and “that sucked.” That said, the thing I most liked about Kilmer’s filmography, was it’s variety. He wasn’t afraid to take the odd role or gamble on a screenplay he found interesting. It takes real skill-and moxie-to do that.

Below are my top 5. I’m mindful these are incredibly Gen X coded. Feel free to laud my great taste in the comments. Or yell at me. Dealers choice.

1. Top Secret
2. Heat
3. Tombstone
4. Real Genius
5. Top Gun (ironically one of the first VHS tapes my family watched after getting a VCR)

Honorable mentions to The Doors, Thunderheart, and The Saint. I might also be the only one in my generation to have never seen Willow.

In Conversation: Tricia Halloran

by KevinLeave a Comment on In Conversation: Tricia Halloran

The music supervisor stops by to talk about what a normal day looks like, delivering the right song for the right scene, and drivetime radio

Good morning!

We’re in for a treat today; Brave New World’s Tricia Halloran stops by to talk about being a music supervisor for film/TV, drivetime radio, and more!

We all have a favorite.

That one song from that one movie. A track that defined a scene or even the film. One that resonates so much that years later, it still transports you to another world. There are, of course, big examples. Play a few notes on Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me,” and ask the closest Gen Xer what it reminds them of. Odds are good that they’ll tell you Breakfast Club before you’ve finished the sentence—same story with Singles, Reservoir Dogs, and more. Same story with your favorite TV shows and those commercials that are playing one of your favorite songs.

How we consume media may have changed, but how music can define what we’re watching has not.

So how does all that happen, anyway? Between the director’s vision and what we take away from it are a long line of choices, logical hurdles, and legal issues. Hitting all the marks takes someone with not only an encyclopedic music knowledge—music might be subjective, but what music to place where is a skill—but also broad knowledge of licensing and copyright laws, what channels to navigate, and more. It’s part science, part magic. It takes a music supervisor. It takes people like Tricia Halloran.

With a background in computer science, Halloran started in the corporate world and quickly burned out. She then pivoted to the world of radio, eventually leveraging her experience in both worlds into a career as a music supervisor. Her days are still spent in a universe of sound and the less-exciting-but-no-less-important legal world. Sometimes, this can be as simple as securing licensing rights. Sometimes, it can mean getting several people with very different interests all on the same page- a critical skill in its own right. Often, it means a mix of both.

Closer to home, Halloran has a talent for sourcing new music and shares it here with her Brave New World newsletter (her radio show’s namesake). She describes herself as a musical sherpa—more on that below—and she does a fantastic job of sifting through countless releases to bring only the best to her readers.

In a wide-ranging chat, Halloran shares how she got where she is, what a “normal” day looks like for her (spoiler: there’s no such thing), and some of her favorite tracks.

Make sure to give Brand New World a read!

Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

KA: I’m curious about your backstory. What got you to this point in your career? What spark kicked everything into motion? Later on, what made you make the jump from KCRW to being a Music Supervisor for TV/Film?

TH: This is kind of a long but worthy story. I was a computer science major in college. Very set on having a career at a big company and a secure future with a steady good income. (ha!) I worked at Xerox right after college, as part of a sales team programming their huge laser printers and training customers. It was great fun, but after several years, I looked around at the managers above me and thought, “I don’t want to be that.” Then, somewhat simultaneously, I had a really bad breakup. And I would sit in my office morosely and play Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” on repeat. After a few days of this my friend came in and said “I can’t take it anymore, you need to do something new, why don’t you go down to that radio station you love so much and volunteer there?” So I did. I lucked into a great evening shift volunteering for Deirdre O’Donoghue, who became my mentor, and gradually, I was able to work on-air and then get better and better shifts. Through KCRW, I met somebody who worked at Capitol Records, and I was able to get a full-time job there that used my computer background. Eventually, I was hired full-time at KCRW by Chris Douridas to help run the music department and manage the physical music library.

Also through KCRW I met an indie filmmaker and he asked me to work on his film, it was my first project and I had no idea what I was doing but luckily one of my best friends (that I also met via KCRW) was a music supervisor, so she showed me the ropes. I left my full-time job at KCRW (but kept my evening on-air shift) soon after Chris left … mainly because they chose someone else to replace him, so I thought it best to look for other opportunities. I worked at a music website startup, and then I got a full-time job music supervising commercials, so I got some great experience there.

Again, through KCRW a TV project came my way, Men In Trees on ABC starring Anne Heche. After that, more TV projects were offered to me via word of mouth. My employer wanted to focus on commercials and not TV, so I went independent, and that’s where I am today! After several years, I got an agent, and she helped me get some film work and widened out my contacts in the TV and Film worlds. (She was just thanked by name at the Oscars, by the way, her composers Clement Ducol and Camille won Best Song for Emilia Perez!)

KA: What’s a normal day look like for you?

TH: No such thing as normal, literally! That is one of my favorite aspects of this job. Assuming for a moment I am mid-project on a TV show. There are generally three 2-person editing teams working on three episodes. They are filming an episode and writing episodes simultaneously. So the Executive Producers, the director, the writers, or any of the six editors might need songs for what they are working on. Once they ask, they generally need things immediately. So it’s a lot of responding to their needs. Somewhere in there, I also need to research song ownership, clear songs, keep a budget updated to let the Post Producer know our costs, and eventually create cue sheets.

KA: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 forever altered the radio landscape. Apologies if I have my timelines off, but In what ways did it affect you personally? How did you navigate those changes?

TH: That is a really interesting and deep question! By 1996, I was deep into my tenure at KCRW, which, being a public-owned radio station, wasn’t affected negatively by the consolidations. However, thinking about it, I’d say there was probably a positive effect for KCRW since they became the only independent choice left, right? Used to be there was a decent commercial alternative rock station in Los Angeles, and a really good “Adult Alternative” (AAA) station that would play Roxy Music and the BoDeans. But KROQ became much more commercial after that, and the AAA station was purchased by one of the conglomerates. So I’m speculating that, if anything, it drove curious listeners to camp out at KCRW. The mid to late 90s were really great times for KCRW, membership would increase year over year, and amazing artists would come by the station – perhaps this was assisted by the fact that they became the only indie radio left in town?

KA: Jumping back to the present: when you’re working on a TV/film project, what’s the process you use to find songs that fit? Do you come in later and maybe watch a rough cut of the film, or does it start at the beginning?

TH: It’s never too early to start! For example, let’s say there’s a Karaoke scene scripted. Once they film the scene with the actors singing a song, it’s married to the visual, and you have no choice about the song and no bargaining power over the fee. So it’s better if I can work with the writers when they are imagining the scene and suggest songs that I know will be both clearable and affordable.

Once the editors are working on a cut, I find it best to try to get them choices so they don’t go hunting around on their own, which is sure to turn up obscure things that are maybe difficult/impossible to clear or incredibly popular songs that are very expensive. Editors love to go on YouTube to find music, which contains a surprising amount of unreleased/unclearable music!

When an editor finishes their cut and turns it over to the Executive Producers, ideally, all the music in that cut is clearable and affordable. But the EPs may have their own ideas about the music, so sometimes I get requests to change music.

For example:

EP: “Tricia we need something different here.”
Me: “Different how?”
Them: “Just different, y’know.” !!!

As far as process, I wish it was more definable, believe me! Every placement is an equation with different aspects. If it’s a background in a bar, I’m looking more at libraries of pre-cleared music or indie artists that won’t cost a fortune. If it’s an ending song to accompany a montage, I’m looking up the food chain a little for something that might resonate with viewers, then the lyrics are really important. If it’s Karaoke, I’m looking for something vintage that is recognizable but won’t cost a fortune. Experience is the best teacher here!

KA: How much of your time is spent on the logistics side of things? I’m talking about securing licensing rights, etc.? What’s involved? Roughly speaking, how long does it take to “get” a song to use on any given project? What about costs? Is it a flat rate, or is every track/label different?

TH: Most people are surprised that I spend about 50% of my work hours securing clearances. It can be a pretty complex task, depending on the song. But I like research and right-brain stuff just as much as creative, so I don’t mind.

You first have to research who the rightsholders are. Who wrote the song? Do they have publishers that control their copyrights? Who owns the actual recording of the song – usually a record label and not the publisher, so that’s already at least two rightsholders. If there are multiple writers, there could be several different publishers and a record label. They all need to agree on the set of rights (which vary widely depending on the project) and the fee. So, it’s a combination of research, communicating, and negotiating.

I have a million crazy stories about clearances, but we don’t have the space! Costs also vary widely depending on the project and the rights. From a low of $1000 for a song to $150K, I’ve done every deal you can imagine in Film and TV. For commercials, the fees are higher, and a recognizable song can easily command $500K.

KA: You describe yourself as a “Musical Sherpa,” and if I’m honest, I wish I’d come up with a cool descriptor like that! To double-click on that for a second, when you say that, what do you intend for it to mean?

TH: I love being people’s guide to music. Most people who love music, especially indie music, are always looking for more new music to love. It’s hard to find these days (due to the radio consolidation you mentioned), and also streaming music platforms and DIY recording and distribution have provided so many more choices that it’s like we’re thirsty but drowning. Music fans can be overwhelmed! That’s why your newsletter and all the conversations you have in your chat about music are so critical for music lovers and what I’m trying to help with via my newsletter.

Maybe Substack is the new radio? My show on KCRW was always about guiding people to incredible music they might not know otherwise. So I’d play a little REM and then some Olivia Tremor Control. You like this? Then maybe you will like this. You like The Replacements? Let’s follow that up with some Buffalo Tom. So that’s where the Sherpa comes in, like a musical guide—to music fans, to filmmakers, to friends. It suits everything I do!

KA: Last one, just for fun: You’ve got an entire drivetime slot to play whatever you want. What’s coming through my speakers?

TH: Ooh best question ever! I do miss being a DJ. If you gave me one hour on the air this week, here are the 20 songs I would play.

I would begin with Hana Vu because I am obsessed with her! She’s an incredible visual and musical artist. My other current obsession is the Luke Sital-Singh song “Saint & Thief,” which is so well-written that I played it 10 times in a row the first time I heard it. He’s a genius.

Have you ever thought about the music behind your favorite movies or shows? Maybe thought about what the job entails? drop any questions, thoughts, or hot takes in the comments!

Thank you to Tricia Halloran for her time, and thank you for being here.

Kevin—

Sound Advice: 02. Apr. 2025

by KevinLeave a Comment on Sound Advice: 02. Apr. 2025

The flood of great records continues! Today we’re taking a quick look at the latest from Throwing Muses, Miscellaneous Owl, and Ministry

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 Throwing Muses Miscellaneous Owl, and Ministry

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.

Let’s get into it!

Throwing Muses- Moonlight Concessions

The first time Throwing Muses rearranged my mind was in May of 1989. They were opening for New Order, of all people. Being labelmates makes for strange bedfellows, and their sound was unlike the headliners’ and a world away from anything else I’d heard at that point. It was enchanting, and I’ve never really stopped listening to them since.

Over 36(ish) years since Throwing Muses has lived many lives, and their sound has checked just about every box. There’s been melody. There’s been noise. There’ve been experiments that bordered on shoegaze. There was a stint as indie darlings.

The constant here is change, and for the band’s 11th record (and the first since 2020’s Sun Racket), they went back to the basics. Whereas its fuzzed-out predecessor was fueled by amps and electricity, Moonlight Concessions is human-powered. At its core, this is an elemental record. Throwing Muses aren’t exactly synonymous with excess, but even by their usual standards, this is a stripped-down record, with not a note or space to spare.

The opening track, “Summer of Love,” sets the mood early and would feel right at home soundtracking a noir thriller on HBO or the slightly sketchier side of New Orleans. Indeed, Nola gets a shout on “Drugstore Dramatic.” It might be just this writer, but in a lot of ways, Moonlight Concessions feels like a record Dr. John might’ve made if he was from Rhode Island and played guitar.

If you’re holding on for some bright sunny pop here, you’ll be disappointed. It’s in short supply. There is no “Not Too Soon” equivalent on this record. That’s a good thing. The best version of Throwing Muses is the one that’s just a bit off-balanced and just a little disorienting. This is a band that has never really concerned itself with the boundaries of convention.

At the show I mentioned above, the first thing I noticed about the band was how understated yet potent David Narcizo’s drumming was. I was still under the illusion that I, too, was a drummer, and watching him play (no cymbals!) was inspiring and intimidating. Here, his playing is even more minimalistic but no less fantastic. It’s much more percussion than drumming. Pete Harvey joins in, and his cello is a welcome addition. It all makes for a reserved atmosphere.

All these elements orbit frontwoman Kristin Hersh, her guitar, and plaintive vocals. The former is acoustic and understated. The latter are unmistakable and alternate between effusive and erratic. Sedate and snarling.

In an interview with Paste, Hersh stated:

“I don’t know why anyone else would know it was a return to form, but it is,” she shrugs, “because these songs—songs like ‘Drugstore Drastic’ and ‘Summer of Love’ and ‘Libretto’—were songs that Throwing Muses used to sound like before we made our first record. So, this is a return to form that no one would know is a return to form. But, you know, we used to sound like that!”

Muses’ sound has always been a bit off-kilter as if looking through a slightly distorted lens after having been in the sun for a few minutes too long. It’s a basic tenet of their sound, and in that regard, Moonlight Concessions is more of the same. And I’ll take all of that you got.

Back to basics…back to what they used to sound like. Both fit. Both make for a great record.

(Check out Moonlight Concessions here)

Miscellaneous Owl- The Cloud Chamber

Februarys here in America’s Dairyland are bleak. By that point, the novelty of winter has long worn off, and the world has descended into a monochrome of white (and salt). It’s enough to drive someone to drink. Fortunately for us, it instead inspired local artist Huan-Hua Chye (performing as Miscellaneous Owl) to take part in February Album Writing Month.

Things kick off with the upbeat (and this writer’s favorite) Tender and Laughing.

With lyrics like:

“Everything becomes a string of stars

Everything becomes the smell of rain

Everything we love will fall apart,

Everything we lose comes back again,”

“You and I Are Earth” feels like a love song to someone else and the seasons.

“The Wounded Moon” is a lilting, almost lullaby that showcases her vocalist strength. From here, we jump to “Oh Sister,” which sounds like a graduate of the same finishing school that gave us Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell. It’s a treat. “In Clover” is a bop (albeit with some brutal lyrics) that will get stuck in your head before you know what’s happening. “Spooky Action at a Distance feels purpose-built to be closer.

Those jumps happen often throughout the record but are never jolting. The tracks vary from light and airy to softer and subtle, but they all fit well together and feel like part of the whole.

The latest in a sizeable discography, The Cloud Chamber shows Chye at her best.

(Listen/grab your copy here)

Ministry- The Squirrely Years Revisited

In May of 1983, Ministry recorded With Sympathy. Frontman Al Jourgenson then spent the ensuing years telling anyone who’ll listen that it’s awful. If the “Make Ministry synthpop again “memes are anything to go by, many people never go to the memo. They’re also now getting what they want…kind of.

After With Sympathy, Ministry recorded Twitch and then began releasing a series of industrial and metal records, both as Ministry and with side projects like Revolting Cocks. All well and good until you make the same record several times in a row. The first time you hear a record like The Land of Rape and Honey, it’s amazing. But it only takes a few records to see that Jourgenson was on autopilot. For me, it was like the music version of the law of diminishing marginal returns.

If asked, I’m definitely on #teamsynthpop here, and that’s why I’m happy to see this record come out. Maybe Jourgenson is mellowing. Maybe he sees the appetite for this music (i.e., profit potential). That said, this isn’t just a remake of With Sympathy and Twitch The tracks have been redone and remodeled. I cringe anytime I hear the word “refresh” used as a synonym for update. But it fits here. You will know you’re listening to gems like “Work for Love,” but it’s not a 100% faithful cover/remake. Same with classics like “Over the Shoulder” and Every Day is Halloween.” Elements have been added, and others taken away. There’s less sheen than the originals and more groove. It’s a great blend of both worlds. This is a return to form for a band that had grown complacent in recent years.

The Squirrely Years is anything but. It’s energetic and alive. It might be a rework of old material, but it never feels stale or reheated. It’s a modern, well-done take on the band’s early work, and it’s their best release in years.

And therein lies the beauty of the record. The Squirrely Years has made Ministry synthpop again.
(Make Ministry synthpop here)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?

In Conversation: Eric Arsnow of Seances

by KevinLeave a Comment on In Conversation: Eric Arsnow of Seances

The Seances front man stops by to talk about their new record, the Milwaukee music scene, and one of the wildest mashups you’ll ever see.

Eric Arsnow of Seances. Photo: Betsy Arsnow

Good morning!

We’re in for a treat today; Eric Arsnow of Milwaukee-based Seances stops by for a chat!

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for more than a few days, my love of new wave & post punk will not be a surprise. Bands like The Cure, Wire, and New Order all get a lot of column inches here.

I’m also a fan of underrated local scenes that too often get lost in the shadows of places like LA, London, and New York—places like Wisconsin.

So when a record described as [sounding] more like Joy Division than Joy Division does from Milwaukee landed on my radar, I was intrigued. When I pushed play, I was sold.

Like the bands above, Seances have seen their share of (well-earned) ink here lately. “Hours” was featured on ORR playlist #286, and I reviewed the album as part of the March 15th edition of Sound Advice.

Seances is a DIY new wave project fronted by singer and bassist Eric Arsnow, but he’s not solo. Rather Seances is a collective of area musicians from groups like Tigernite, Devils Teeth, Fight Dice, and Faux Fiction.

The presser describes the record in part as:

“…conjuring charming post-punk anthems who lyrically found its inspiration from horror films, the supernatural, and by intense experiences of déjà vu – the inexplicable feeling of emotionally recognizing a place even though you’ve never been there before, in different parts of the world and the people those experiences are shared with.”

That checks a lot of boxes, but I was especially intrigued by the project’s origin story. I’ll let Arsnow tell that story, but the short version is he went into a show, and walked out with an outline for a record. Another case of inspiration striking where/when you least expect it.

In a wide ranging chat, Arsnow shares the record’s orgin story, what the Milwaukee music scene is like, and what’s next for the band. He also dropped one of the wildest mashups I’ve ever heard of into the chat, so make sure to read to the end for that! While you’re here, make sure to give Power is a Phantom a spin.

Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

Help us spotlight great bands like Seances!

Congrats on the new record! For those who don’t know the story, can you walk us through how Seances came together?

Thank you! I’ll definitely dip into this a bit more in more depth in a follow-up question, but simply put, this has been a dream project for me to make.

Seances began as voice memos, and they sat around on my phone for like 6 months with me debating if it would be worth pursuing. At the time, I was rather busy with a couple of bands I was in. I reconnected with my buddy Jason Kartz, who is a killer guitar player. He contributed to the song “Fade,” and I quickly saw the potential in the record.

I love making DIY basement records and eventually pulled everything together from writing, recording, and mixing in a few months. Jason continued to contribute guitar to several of the tracks, and eventually, I asked Bex to join in with some of her vocals, taking over some of my parts.

Many of the records I was inspired by were recorded rather quickly, so by design, I wanted to work quickly, I didn’t want to camp out in my studio and let my intuition be my guide.

One of the quotes I saw described your sounds as “…sounds more like Joy Division than Joy Division does.” Agree? Disagree?

Ha! Yes, a generous quote indeed, and I’ll totally own it. Bass guitar has been my primary instrument for the past 20+ years, and Peter Hook has always been my top influence. I’ve often found myself in 3-piece bands (Devils Teeth, Tigernite) and found myself in a position where I needed to be a rhythm guitarist as well as a bass player, so Peter Hook’s ability to create amazing and memorable melodies has always been a point of reference for me.

As far as the vocal comparisons I’ve been getting to Ian Curtis, it’s such an honor, and I’m glad to represent the “Midwest Manchester” vibe.

Double-clicking on that for a second, what are some of the bands that have influenced your sound?

There are certainly the easy ones, like The Cure is one of my all-time favorites, New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, Gary Numan etc. For a few less obvious answers, there’s Fischerspooner’s album #1, 14 Iced Bears’ album Wonder, and James Figurine’s album Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake. I’m obsessed with production on records, and those in particular served as creative inspiration when working on Power Is A Phantom. I love paying attention to things like transitions, dynamics, and playing around with stereo channels to create some cool listening experiences.

The rough outline for this record came together in just a few hours after seeing The Chameleons in concert. What happened there? Were these ideas brewing for a while, or was the show itself the catalyst?

Yeah, it was wild. I saw The Chameleons for their first Milwaukee show, and I was mesmerized by the wall of sound. I locked into how Vox (formerly Mark Burgess) approached his bass playing and singing. His ability to be a melodic anchor was truly inspiring, while Reg Smithies painted these larger shoegaze vibes with his guitar lines.

When I got home from the show, I grabbed my bass, and the songs started pouring out. It was a true creative flash point, and I just let it all spool out over a couple of hours, making composition notes and capturing bass melodies. It was also super weird for me because it’s the first album I’ve ever written where the foundation was bass guitar. I later found out that Gary Numan wrote Cars on bass guitar and took it as an omen that I was on the right path.

So everything but “Weighted” (that one came together on a road trip) was captured that first night. I actually have some demos that I haven’t even touched yet.

Milwaukee (and Wisconsin in general) aren’t the first places people think of when it comes to music—especially genres like new wave and post-punk. What’s the scene like there? For people outside of our part of the world, what would you want them to know about it?

I LOVE being a part of the Milwaukee music scene. It’s a real badge of honor for me. The Milwaukee scene is truly special and it just keeps growing. We have a large swath of genre representation, which is incredible. Everything from punk to rap to Latin music, and all of it is performed at such a pro level. There are so many good songwriters in this city, and I think being surrounded by your friends who put out good records motivates and pushes you to grow. I’d also be remiss not to say that our music scene also owes a lot to the healthy support from our local radio stations, record stores, and venues. All of that contributes to why Milwaukee’s music scene is such an exciting part of Milwaukee’s culture.

What’s next? Any shows coming up? Touring? What does the rest of 2025/early 2026 look like for you?

I’m currently putting together an amazing band of Milwaukee musicians. Being a part of the post-punk genre also allows me to dip into my love for horror and Halloween visually, so I am creating a big, haunted experiential show for October that will also double as a fundraiser for my favorite local radio station, WMSE 91.7FM. More details to come on that, but it will be a lot of fun. I’m producing a lot of cool video and audio components for the show. I want whatever the live band does to feel more like a larger event; I want it to be super theatrical.

Outside of that, one of the exciting parts of Seances existing as a collective is it evolves. I’m hoping to get some recordings of the band and put out a companion piece to Power Is A Phantom that documents the live interpretations of the songs.

About half of the 2nd record is completed, so I hope to have that ready later in 2026.

Last one, just for fun: I run into you on your way out of Rushmor Records. What’s in your bag?

Ha, I don’t have to pretend at all. I’m a big fan of Rushmor, and am there at least once a month.

Some of my recent vinyl acquisitions:

  • Wugazi – 13 Chambers – Yes, Dan managed to track down some copies of Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy’s insane mash-up of Wu-Tang Clan and Fugazi tracks.
  • The Cure – High 12-Inch Single – This was a must for me because the B-side to this single is Twilight Garden; top of my list of favorite Cure tracks.
  • Sad Lovers & Giants – Lost In A Sea Full Of Sighs – Rushmor has a well-stocked section for the Dark Entries label. This is a great collection of early Sad Lovers & Giants 7-inches.
  • Lhasa de Sela – The Living Road – Ask Dan about this record. He has a great story about bringing copies back to Milwaukee from his trip to Canada. Very cool Latin folk singer-songwriter vibes. Tragically left this world too soon in 2010.

Click the record to listen on your platform of choice.

Power is a Phantom is out now. You can grab your copy here.

You can also connect with the band via Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you to Eric Arsnow for his time, and thank you for being here.

Kevin—

Sound Advice: 13. Mar. 2025

by Kevin2 Comments on Sound Advice: 13. Mar. 2025

The flood of great records continues! Today we’re taking a quick look at the latest from Bob Mould, Seances, Andy Bell, 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 Bob Mould, Seances, Andy Bell, 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.

Let’s get into it!

Bob Mould- Here We Go Crazy

At my day job, one of my coral duties is administering annual hearing exams and helping people find hearing protection that works for them. This is thanks to Bob Mould.

Husker Du’s New Day Rising hit me like a kick to the head and was never played at less than full volume. I liked it that way and loved his power trio, Sugar. To this day, it’s still the loudest show I’ve ever been to. I used to find that post-show ringing in my ears a weird badge of honor. When it was still there after day two, I started to worry. My hearing rebounded (sort of), which marked the point when I no longer cared how uncool I looked wearing earplugs at shows. But Mould hasn’t quieted down. He’s at his best when he’s at full throttle, and on his 15th solo record, he delivers. 

The opener, “Here We Go Crazy,” reminds listeners of the best parts of Sugar. “Fur Mink Augurs” and “Sharp Little Pieces” are equally intense. The songs come at you relentlessly: blast furnace chords, merciless drumming, and sometimes hard-to-understand vocals (especially for those with hearing difficulties). When you listen closely, they often touch on challenging subjects—it would be easy for a sound like this to wear down even the strongest among us. Yet Mould consistently shows us a bit of light (heh).

Here We Go Crazy isn’t exhausting; it’s invigorating. It’s a breath of fresh air at a time when we need it more than ever. Play it loud; just remember to limit your exposure and keep in mind that the most effective hearing protection is the kind you’ll actually wear. (Blow your mind —and hearing—here)

Seances-Power is a Phantom

Post-punk? From Milwaukee? Yes, please! I’m a sucker for a record like this, and this debut from Seances has plenty of it. Bandleader Eric Arsnow went to see The Chameleons play, walked out afterward, and had the outline of this record mapped out in a couple of hours.

You can hear traces of that band here, but this is also an outfit described as “sounding more like Joy Division than Joy Division does.” Listeners will also pick up notes of early Wire and even Franz Ferdinand. The fantastic “Hours” was featured on Playlist 286 and is just a glimpse of what the rest of this record has to offer. (Post-punk from Cream City? You bet.)

Andy Bell- pinball wanderer

It’s been 35 years since Ride’s showed up and gave us Nowhere. The band and the record (re)defined what shoegaze looked like and proved that stark distortion and atmospheric melodies could coexist.

Bell helped pen much of that history with his guitar and made his bones by exploring new sounds and pushing boundaries. That trend continues on his third solo record. On pinball wanderer [sic], he takes us on a long trip with psychedelic, krautrock, and shoegaze stops along the way. “Panic Attack” kicks things off with a steady rhythm that manages to invigorate and soothe simultaneously- a talent Bell has mastered. Bringing disparate elements together and making it all seem natural is another.

Bell is pushing new ground but also takes a look back. On “I’m in love…” Dot Allison and Michael Rother join him as he puts his spin on The Passions’ 1981 track “I’m In Love With A German Film Star.” “Moving Concrete” reminds me of The Units’ “High Pressure Days.”

As with many shoegaze artists, there’s always a risk that the record could wander off into the weeds. I love the shuffling drums and groove of “apple green ufo,” but at 8+ minutes, it veers dangerously close. Bell wouldn’t be the first musician from this genre to get lost inside his own head— but while we see the edge a couple of times, pinball wanderer always manages to pull us back in time. (Click here and enjoy your trip into space)

Rebecca Black- Salvation

Yes, that Rebecca Black. Given her past, I suspect a lot of people will cue this up to hate-listen. They’re gonna be bummed. This EP won’t rearrange any minds, but it holds its own. If you’re looking for a medium voltage dose of synth/hyperpop, this’ll fill the bill. The production feels gimmicky in a couple of spots and overproduced in others. But overall, it’s a pleasant enough ride. Living well is the best revenge. (Click here to be surprised…or have your suspicions confirmed. Either or. )

Monarchy of Roses- Bleeding Over

I found this band not long after the last Sound Advice column. We connected through CuVa BiMö, and they sent over a link to check out. No fuss, no muss. I meant to ask them if they took their name from the RHCP track of the same name—rookie mistake. After hearing this, I doubt it.

Bleeding Over is the Bay Area band’s first long player, and the short version is this: it rips.

The four-piece (Jeremy Arias (vocals/guitar), Andres Juarez (guitar), Cameron Clark (bass), and Austin Kane (drums) deliver 10 tracks of bruising hard rock, but not so hard that it wears out its welcome. Opener, “Million Miles,” comes out of the gate at warp speed, and things never really slow down. If you were lucky enough to have been going to see shows in the early ‘90s, this’ll remind you of a lot of those nights (in all the best ways). Bleeding Over is a record best played with the windows down and speed limits ignored. Watch this space. (Click here and try not to get a ticket).

Patterson Hood- Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams

All good things in time. It’s taken Hood a dozen(ish) years to follow up Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance, but it’s worth the wait. Hood, of course, has a second job as co-founder of The Drive-By Truckers keeping him busy.

His fourth solo record finds him in a reflective spot, and revisiting his past. For example, the gorgeous, spare opener “Exploding Trees” is about a storm he experienced as a kid. He’s also brought friends along for the ride, including fellow Alabaman Waxahatchee, Wednesday, and Kevin Morby. On Repeat fave Lydia Loveless joins him on “A Werewolf and a Girl.”

This is an intentionally (?) low-key record made by a guy at a point in life where there’s is plenty of “past’ to mine. Records like this are hard to pull off, but Hood hits the right marks here. (Click here to travel to the deep south)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?

Sound Advice 01. March. 2025

by KevinLeave a Comment on Sound Advice 01. March. 2025

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 Horsegirl, CuVa Bimö, Immersion + SUSS, Brief Candles, and Drop Nineteens

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, there’s a ton of good stuff coming out, and there’s something for everyone. It’s almost overwhelming— but in all the best ways. Below are another batch that caught my attention recently.

Let’s get into it!

Brief Candles- Unfinished Nature (2024)

There is a clip around social media where a GenZ record store clerk shares her favorite shoegaze records. At one point—and I’m paraphrasing here– she notes that the line between dream pop and shoegaze is fluid, and no one really knows how to define it, other than you know it when you hear it. I mention this because Unfinished Nature from Milwaukee’s Brief Candles does a great shop bouncing between both.

With its skittish riffs, opener “Remote View Finder” manages to work in a little post-punk while we’re at it. Follow-up “Rewards” was featured on ORR playlist 283; it still hasn’t fallen out of heavy rotation. If you’re a fan of Drop Nineteens (more on them below), this will remind you of the band at its most wistful, with just enough feedback to keep you from floating too far off into space. On tracks like “Murky,” the music takes a much more sturdy tone.

The band–and record–are more than just a bunch of effects pedals and reverb, of course. There are elements of psych, Krautrock, and more here. Fans of Yo La Tengo might also see some similarities peeking through.

Call ’em what you want: On Unfinished Nature, the band is locked in. (Listen here)

Immersion + SUSS- Nanocluster, Vol. 3

My love for Wire is no secret, nor is my love for frontman Colin Newman’s solo work. Immersion is his project with partner Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact), and Vol. 3 is the latest in their Nanocluster series. For this release, the electronic duo has partnered with the ambient Americana trio SUSS, and the result is fantastic.

Both groups play off each other well here. Immersion’s electronic & post-punk influences complement Suss’ painting of expansive soundscapes and vice versa. Together, Nanocluster Vol 3 is, at times, the perfect soundtrack to a desert sunrise. Other times, tracks like State Of Motion channel the energy of a new (urban) day and compel you to move. The video also includes early morning footage from an airport, and I can confirm that it captures that feeling to a tee. Either way, this record is an incredible (I had to squeeze in one more superlative there) way to set the tone for your day. I’m not usually an “ambient guy,” but this one proves the exception to the rule. Being a Wire fanboy might skew things a bit, but don’t be surprised to see this on my OATY list at year’s end. (Listen here)

Drop Nineteens- 1991

Before Delaware…before 120 Minutes…there was…1991. First recorded before the band had a record label, this collection of demos was recorded, put to tape, and then largely forgotten for the next three decades.

The band’s now back, and was time to bring these recordings back to life. With only a light touch editing-wise, they’re as raw as you might imagine— these are demos made by 18/19-year-olds in their dorm rooms!—but are a great look at what the band would become just a short time later. In particular, “Shannon Waves” (also featured last week) is a standout. This one might be best described as a record for the fans, but listeners new to the band will also find a gem or two in here. (Listen here)

Horsegirl- Phonetics On and On

The follow-up to 2022’s Versions of Modern Performance sees the band embracing a much more stripped-down sound. In the ensuing three years, the band members finished high school, left Chicago for NYC, and started college. In many cases, that’s the first red flag that a record will be pretentious and insufferable. Not here, though. With Cate Le Bon on the boards, everything here serves a purpose, and there is no excess. The result is both familiar and new, almost as if the trio is insistent on not being pigeonholed into any given sound. There’s no shortage of jangle here, but there is plenty else to explore as well. They’re growing up but aren’t afraid to still embrace whimsy. (Listen here)

CuVa Bimö- CB Radio

We next travel to the Best Coast, or more specifically, the East Bay, and check out Oakland’s CuVa Bimö and their debut, CB Radio. Like any good post-punk/post-whatever record, this has jagged guitar riffs and frenetic vocals. There are new wave and goth elements here as well.

“Bad Jacket” and “Crank Wave” see the band at their snottiest, right down to the “I know a few things that are true / That new jacket makes you look like a tool” lyrics on the former. “Post/Wall” is twitchy in just the right amounts. With its furious chords and fast/slow/fast/slow cadence, Doonm Loop reminds me of all the 7″ records I used to pick up back in the day and served as a reminder that I should dust ’em off and share them with my neighbor.

There’s also the requisite fist-shaking at the state of affairs in 2025 America. Any more, those are table stakes, and this record clears the bar from start to finish. But I also want to highlight drummer Ricky Cunliffe’s work here. It feels like it could explode anytime, yet it never does. It’s more animated than one might usually see from a band swimming in these waters. Honestly, it feels like there are a couple of drummers back there. He and bassist Jake Bilich keep things chugging right along down the track.

CB Radio is a harder sound than just about everything else coming out of SF/Oakland these days, And I’m here for all of it. Hopefully, this is the first of many more records by the band. (Listen here)

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?

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