Tag: Playlists

Takeoffs, Landings, and the End of the Joke

by KevinLeave a Comment on Takeoffs, Landings, and the End of the Joke

Best Record of 2001: Day 21- Rilo Kiley vs. Blink 182

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Rilo Kiley’s Takeoffs and Landings as it faces off against Blink-182’s Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.

Takeoffs and Landings vs. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. There’s a joke in there somewhere…

Listening to Rilo Kiley’s 2004 track “Portions for Foxes,” it’s hard to believe how much difference just three years makes. It’s loud, full of bombast, and chock full of whatever it is that makes self-defined “music people” stroke their chins and nod approvingly. Whatever. It’s just a great song.

That sort of thing is nowhere to be found on Takeoffs & Landings. Following a well-received EP, this was their shot at showing the world who they were and what they could do. And at the time, what they could apparently do was the same sort of purpose-built-for-coffee-shops stuff a lot of other bands were doing.

I once made a glib remark that “indie folk” was the most overused term in PR circles, with seemingly everyone using it to describe the release they were shopping. What I have in mind when I think of indie folk is a track like opener “Go Ahead,” with its fingerpicked guitar and twee lyrics. It’s upbeat enough, I guess, with lines like but they’ve always struck me as too clever by half.

If you know me, you know I’m an avgeek, so I’ll take any aviation reference I can get. Title aside, the line “Sometimes, planes, they crash up in the sky/ Sometimes, lonely hearts, they just get lonelier” on “Wires and Waves” is a helluva couplet, if horribly timed. “Science vs. Romance” is the best track here. I know the band caught flak for playing it on Dawson’s Creek, but hey—might as well shoot your shot, right? And besides; it’s not like other bands weren’t doing it at the time. Maybe that was the idea being passed around PR circles back then.

The idea of escape feels like it’s hovering over the whole record, but it’s hard to buy Lewis & co. as truly going through it. What we get instead feels like their idea of what that might sound like. Unfair, maybe—but it’s hard to ignore, especially knowing what came after. Compared to later records, there’s a lack of firepower here, a more subdued approach. It’s not bad, and it’s not boring. It just feels…not quite there yet.

Maybe it’s first-record jitters. Maybe they hadn’t fully hit their stride. It is, after all, the start of a really solid three-year run. Either way, this feels like one that could’ve stayed in the hangar a little longer. That said: “Science vs. Romance” → “Wires and Waves” → “Pictures of Success” is a fantastic three-track run. If only the whole record kept that momentum…

If Takeoffs and Landings is the start of a run for Rilo Kiley, TOYPAJ (I will never not use this acronym) is the end of one for Blink-182—or at least the end of the beginning. Dude Ranch → Enema of the State → this—that’s basically the band’s whole early arc: novelty, hitting their stride, hearing the joke one too many times.

The good news is there’s no real drop-off from Enema. If anything, it holds steady. But the writing’s on the wall. For as insufferable as self-serious indie writers can be, frat-boy heroes have their own expiration date.

It’s probably better to think of this as a transition record. Can a band built on pop punk and porn star cover art pivot to something heavier? Maybe. Yeah, actually. But they’re not there yet. TOYPAJ sits right at that inflection point, balancing the juvenile stuff with some genuinely solid writing. And it helps that it’s all delivered in family-sized, hooky doses of pop punk.

There’s still room for the raunchy jokes (see also: “Happy Holidays, You Bastard”), and making that kind of thing work is harder than it looks. Even if the joke’s wearing thin, they’ve still got some runway left.

Earlier this week I quipped on Bluesky that I never thought I’d write “Blink-182 will be a refreshing change.” I was only half-joking—but after a couple more listens, I stand by it. TOYPAJ might not be regarded as a “timeless classic” in most circles, but outside those gates, it still hits.

Bottom Line:
The easy point to make here is that this comes down to taste. Do you like loud rowdy sounds, or do you prefer a more twee experience? I think one’s answer will depend a lot of their age. “What’s My Age Again,” amirite?

Put another way, I think anyone who had aged out of things like the Warped Tour by ‘01 will land solidly on the side of Jenny Lewis & co., where as a younger cohort— and I don’t think it takes all that great of divide; maybe just a few years?— will remember Blink-182 a lot more fondly. As for me, I’m not a fan of getting older (So this is growing up), but I am solidly in the former camp. Rilo Kiley it is…

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!

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

My usual record store is on the other side of town from me. That’s just enough friction to prevent me from going bankrupt, but not enough to keep me away for more than a week or two at a time.

I’ve mentioned it before, but there is another, smaller, store right by me though — as in close enough to walk to. The only thing I have going for me is that it specializes in metal-a genre I’m not too interested in — and operates on irregular hours. This is truly a passion project, and the owner works in running the store when he can.

Like many shops, he’s taken to social media to tout new arrivals into the store. Most of the time I don’t recognize the covers and can’t read the script on the covers (what is it with metal bands all using the same unreadable font?).

This time was different. Over the past week there was a drip campaign (or whatever they’re called) about RSD— except he was pointing out that they’d only have a couple of RSD records…but also why not come in and grab some other metal/punk/whatever?

The store itself used to be a hole in the wall- literally. it occupied the space between two buildings, with a ~300 sq ft. room on one side towards the back. It was tiny, and fantastic.

And honestly, it still is. They’ve moved into one of the actual spots out front, but the place can still get packed, with everyone digging through different racks. With close quarters like this, you can’t really stand back to back, and instead have to stand just off to the side and reach over. Anywhere else, and I’d declare it too people-y and bail. But I’ve always rooted for this store, and so seeing it full makes me smile. And the line can get long too. That’s partly down to the owner chatting with everyone about what they’re picking up. A 4-5 minute chat about forgotten Dischord bands and Midwest tours? That’s not something you’re gonna get on Amazon. At Safeway this would be obnoxious. Here, it’s part of the appeal.

I almost always go 0-for-everything when it comes to what I walked in looking for. But this is a record store, a place full of things you don’t know you need until you come across them. Sometimes that’s vinyl. Sometimes it’s a chat about shows that happened years ago.

###

This week’s list over indexes on old favorites, but we’ve also got new stuff from Wire (from RSD), Memorials, Kurt Vile, Rural France, Caroline in the Garden, and Maybe So.

This week, Side A is tracks 1-16 (ends with “Roadrunner”). Side B is tracks 17-31.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz (missing Rural France & Archers of Loaf)| YouTube Music |


Now it’s your turn.

Did you pick anything up on Record Store Day? Any new songs or shows you’re looking forward to? Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

I don’t watch a lot of TV series, but when I find something I like, I’m all in. Very few shows get to this rarefied air for me- mostly because I have the attention span of a fruit fly. To get me to sit down and stare at a screen (without scrolling) for an hour? Are you kidding me? The Americans did it for me. Mad Men before that. More recently, I’ve gone all in on The Pitt. The first season felt like one long car crash (which it kind of was; it takes place in an ER). This time around is a slow burn and more focused on the staff themselves. All have their flaws, and there’s a hierarchy of angels and villains coming clearer into view with each episode. So yeah, Santos can still F off, but my point here is that somehow, despite the nonstop firehose of chaos, they keep finding a way to push through. There’s a real resilience to these people, and given what’s happening today (waves have literally everything), there’s a lesson in there.

Sometimes the indignities are on a grand scale. sometimes, a smaller one, like a shitty commute. When I was a union rep, we’d often crib a phrase from an earlier era: “one day longer.” It was shorthand for “nothing good comes easy or quickly. You’ve just got to outlast your opponent. A better tomorrow is just over the horizon.”

There’s a lesson in that, too. And while no one can fix the bigger problems alone, we can at least make your morning commute a little bit better.

This week, we’ve got new stuff from Arlo Parks, Prism Shores, Paul Bergmann, Girl Scout, and Parlor Greens, along with a good dose of old favorites like Roxy Music, That Dog, and Velocity Girl. My abiding hope is that someday people will come around to Copacetic. One day…

This week, Side A is tracks 1-15 (ends with “Same Kids”). Side B is tracks 16-27.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz | YouTube Music |


Now it’s your turn.

Any new songs or shows you’re looking forward to? Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Leave a comment

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

One of the things that makes records special are the backstories behind them. I don’t mean the songs or albums themselves (though those are often great). I mean *our* stories with them. How we found the record. What was happening in our lives when we first heard them? Maybe it soundtracked an awkward junior high dance. Maybe an album got you through a rough patch or bad breakup. Or it kept you company on roadtrips and roads not traveled. Maybe you made what in hindsight was a horrible decision to take 21 college credits your last year of school, and needed a little oomph to get through it. No? Just me? Okay.

My point is that part of why we love the songs we do goes far beyond notes and a hook. It anchors a specific time and place in our lives.

For example, I can’t hear The Call without being taken right back to central California, where the sun was relentless, and I-5 stretched on into infinity. Electronic reminds me of racing to Tower Records on my bike to get the album the second it came out (tape first, then CD). I was introduced to Joe Jackson by way of my dad’s car radio, and now he evokes memories of record shopping with my son in Minneapolis. Califone came thanks to a friend (also from The Cities) giving me the proverbial “you gotta hear this” speech about an earlier record. Deep Sea Diver? That’s thanks to several of you right here in the community.

And that’s just a few of mine from the list above. As you share what’s been in your heavy rotation, I’d love to hear any backstory or backstories behind them.

This week, Side A is tracks 1-12 (ends with “Leisure”). Side B is tracks 13-27.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz | YouTube Music|


Now it’s your turn.

Any new songs or shows you’re looking forward to? Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Leave a comment

The Best Record of 2001: Day 9

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 2001: Day 9

It’s overdriven pop vs. minimalist country as Ash takes on Gillian Welch

Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challenge and noted that I’d be writing some of these up.

The plan is to do quick hits on each first-round matchup and post them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably be a few typos. We’ll also have a few guest posts along the way, so make sure to stay tuned for those!

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks always appreciated.

KA—

Ash – Free All Angels

Coming into Free All Angels, I expected a blast of guitars and that familiar late‑90s angsty….or something like 3 Doors Down. Honestly, I had no idea what I was in for (I know! I know!). What I didn’t expect at all was how bright and melodic this record sounds. Ash lean hard into pop hooks and glossy production, and it suits them nicely. Open “Walking Barefoot” bounces with energy, driven by big choruses and a reckless sense of fun. The band shifts from power‑pop charm to radio-friendly and back again, without losing its edge. The vocals are gritty, but the melodies push the songs toward the sunny side of the road, not garage rock.

What stands out most is how clean the songwriting feels. Every track swings for immediacy; nothing drags or hides behind fuzz. It’s all overdrive, man. Even when the themes turn darker, the delivery keeps the songs moving with a lift in tone. By the time “Shining Light” and “Burn Baby Burn” hit, it feels like Ash translating youthful frustration into something almost joyous.

This album captures a band embracing melody without apology. I don’t know what Ash was chasing with Free All Angels, but they found it in sing‑along choruses and unguarded optimism. It’s brash, catchy, and a bit sentimental. All the things! It reminds me of someone fondly looking back at a summer stay at the beach.

Gillian Welch- Time (the Revelator)

In the run-up to the bracket kicking off, this came up as a record people should check out ahead of time. There’s usually a lot of those, of course — everyone’s fighting their corner and wants their pet picks to be heard. That’s half the fun! But rarely does someone else chime in and say (really, really paraphrasing here) “If you haven’t heard this record, you haven’t heard music.” I know I butchered that, but what was unmistakable was the endorsement. You gotta love it when someone goes to the mat for a record, book, whatever. So, being one of the people who had somehow made it to 50 without ever (knowingly) hearing Welch, I had to see what the fuss was.

Turns out “Gillian Welch” isn’t just Gillian. It’s her and David Rawlings — her musical and life partner. Welch takes the lead on these songs, her voice steady and unhurried, while Rawlings floats around her with a dry, golden guitar tone.

Time (The Revelator) is ten country songs about heartache, and it’s a fantastic thanks to the duo’s next-level songwriting.

A few songs in, and I would’ve bet my house that Welch was from somewhere like West Virginia — one of those places in a holler that looks to Beckley as the “big city.” Imagine my surprise to learn she’s from L.A. That’s a heck of a pastiche. But the authenticity is never in doubt. These are her and Rawlings putting their all into these songs, and it shows. These aren’t my bag, but I get why the poster said what they did. I suspect that by the time we get through all 64 of the first-round matchups, more than a couple of records will have been flung onto the “sounds of its time” heap. This won’t be one of ’em. Time isn’t holding us, time isn’t after us. Turns out, time is a revelator (and a timeless record).

Bottom Line:
Both of these are solid outings. I went with Welch primarily on the endorsement I opened this post with and a little name recognition. I have a feeling this one could easily go either way.

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!

Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by Kevin2 Comments on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

Friday was one of those release days that was like hitting the jackpot. Seriously, it was one of the best in recent memory. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s also always kinda rad about seeing new work drop from bands that have been part of one’s life for decades. And this week, Afghan Whigs, the New Pornographers, and Guided by Voices did just that.

I marked the occasion by doing the only thing I could: I went record shopping. As usual, the list I made ahead of time proved pointless. I found one record I really wanted, a few I didn’t know I needed, and was again reminded to listen to Lungfish more often. It can be weird holding brand new material from a band in one hand and finding another in the bargain bin- Brill Bruisers and Gentlemen were both priced to move, so in the bag they went. I also found Little Feat’s Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, which has piqued my curiosity since seeing Keith R. Higgons’ recent post about it. And of course, I had to pick up a mystery bag. What’s in this one? Who knows! I haven’t opened it yet.

I also want to point out the track from our friend Joel Daniel here. He performs under the name Tinvis, and “Anna”—and the new record– are fantastic. Another reminder that this community is chock full of talent. We’re lucky that way. Shoutout to Kiley Larsen and Mama Mañana Records for helping get it out into the world.

This week, Side A is tracks 1-13 (ends with “Runs to Blue”). Side B is 14-29.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz | YouTube Music |


Now it’s your turn.

Any new songs or shows you’re looking forward to? Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Leave a comment

The Best Record of 2001: Day 4

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 2001: Day 4

Slowcore legends Low take on post-hardcore band Thursday

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Low’s Things We Lost in the Fire (#16) and Thursday’s “Full Collapse” (#113)

Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challenge and noted that I’d be writing some of these up.

The plan is to do quick hits on each first-round matchup and post them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably be a few typos. We’ll also have a few guest posts along the way, so make sure to stay tuned for those!

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks always appreciated.

KA—

Low- Things We Lost in the Fire

Duluth, Minnesota, is incredibly underrated. Yes, the winter weather is, um, “problematic,” but if you can tolerate a little meteorological volatility, it’s well worth your time.

Part of the appeal lies in its being right on Lake Superior. It’s a majestic, magical body of water that does well to remind one of their place in the universe. The city is also close to the Iron Range, where a lot of taconite pellets begin their journey to become products and infrastructure in our lives. They’re carried on freighters (”lakers”) that traverse the Great Lakes for most of the year, hauling all the underrated stuff we never notice until it’s not there. It’s what the Edmund Fitzgerald was carrying when the lake took her, spawning a song by Gordon Lightfoot and starting the tradition of that track appearing in every jukebox within 200 miles. It’s probably a licensing requirement. I dunno. Either way, the lake is now synonymous with the boat, and vice versa.

That’s a lot of words to say that Duluth is more important to people than they might realize. It’s also a great place to see a lot of ships coming and going.

When talking about transportation, I always have to remind myself that not everyone is as into it (or cares) like I do. I’m the kind of person who works with airplanes all day and then takes a vacation somewhere with front-row seats to shipping lanes. I like watching these leviathans come and go—from filling your entire field of vision to becoming a mirage on the horizon, then disappearing completely. They’re stately, steady, and a little anachronistic. Frankly, I’m often amazed at how much mileage (literally and figuratively) we’ve gotten out of this fleet of lakers, many of which were in service alongside the Edmund Fitzgerald, and have been going strong for over fifty years.

Duluth also gave us Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, aka slowcore elder statesmen Low, and bear with me as I make one of the clunkiest analogies in the history of this newsletter. A lot of people don’t realize how important Low has been in their musical diet. If you like slowcore at all, Low’s probably a big reason for that. If you enjoy beautiful vocal pairings—well, I have some good news. If you like simple, stripped-down music with only rudimentary mechanics, you can find that at both the harbor and on records like Things We Lost in the Fire.

Like the lake following the seasons, across their career, Low’s sound has moved from icy to something warmer and open. Things We Lost in the Fire does a good job of capturing that shift. There’s a glow that feels (to my ear, anyway) like the light of morning. guitars hum and whir like the thrum of diesel engines, drums pulse at an unhurried pace, and the vocal harmonies fit nicely against the space around them, without ever threatening to take them over. Songs such as “Sunflower,” “Dinosaur Act,” and “July” feel more open(?) than songs from earlier records. Elsewhere, touches of strings and acoustic elements give the record a little movement without losing its placidity. Is placidity a word? It is now.

I should mention that this record sounds like most every other Low record, but what else was it going to sound like? Long winters can make people do strange things, but it’s not like they were going to spin off and do their version of Metal Machine Music. This, of course, is reductive and akin to saying every ship looks the same. Neither is true. There are variations here, and in a couple of spots, things plod along right on schedule until, as noted, there’s a burst of vocals, strings, or some other surprise element(s).

The knock on them is this consistency, this sameness, but like a boat still moving along after almost six decades, why would they have tried to fix what wasn’t broken?

Thursday- Full Collapse

Somewhere, there is someone who loves this record. Maybe they had a lot of angst in 2001, and this spoke to them. Maybe they just had a penchant for songs that burst into primal screaming right on cue. Someone loved this record enough to nominate it for this tournament. Enough someone’s liked it for it to make the cut. And it’s not even seeded last. That someone is not me. First track? Pretty rad! After that, the novelty wears off. Fast. Hard pass.

Bottom Line:
Thanks for bearing with me as I compared a slowcore record to an upper midwest port city and a fleet of Lakers. That might’ve been was clunky, but my vote and bracket pick are as clear as day: Things We Lost in the Fire takes it without a second thought.

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!

Leave a comment

The Best Record of 2001: Day 2

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 2001: Day 2

Rufus Wainwright takes on Kings of Convenience

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Poses by Rufus Wainwright (#64) and Kings of Convenience’s Quiet is the New Loud (#65).

Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challenge and noted that I’d be writing some of these up.

The plan is to do quick hits on each first-round matchup and post them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There’ll probably be a few typos. We’ll also have a few guest posts along the way, so make sure to stay tuned for those!

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks always appreciated.

KA—

Rufus Wainwright’s Poses is baroque pop personified. Strings and piano carry most of the weight here, wrapping even the plainest melodies in old-world finery. It followed his 1998 debut, the one that caught Rolling Stone’s attention and had Elton John calling him “timeless.” By the time Poses arrived, Wainwright was living at the Chelsea Hotel, brushing up against fame, trouble, and everything in between. Poses feels like a record made by someone living in an upscale hotel; the atmosphere feels like it’s surrounded in mahogany and tall-backed chairs…and I really hope that makes as much sense on your screen as it did in my head.

This isn’t a bad record. The production gleams, Wainwright’s voice comes across as a man out of time, and the arrangements feel expensive in the best way. The problem is me. Chamber pop doesn’t do it for me in 2026–and it definitely wouldn’t have been something I was into in 2001. Beyond “California,” most of these songs pass through like a conversation with someone I’ll never see again… in a place like a hotel lobby. Nice enough in the moment, nothing sticky (again, carving out an exception for “California” here.).

Wainwright’s voice reminds me a bit of what Cameron Winter from Geese does—except where Geese lean into the ramshackle, Wainwright pushes the emotion until it circles back around and starts to flatten. Maybe that’s the design? Maybe he’s chasing sincerity so hard it becomes too clever by half? Maybe I missed the point entirely. Either way, I find myself admiring the effort put into it more than I enjoy the ride.

Hooboy, I hope you don’t get tired of hearing me say, “This is a new one for me,” because it’s going to happen a lot over the next few weeks. I’d never even heard of Kings of Convenience before the submission window for this challenge opened. My surface-level take? They’re basically the Norwegian version of The Shins—part of that same narrow vein of quiet, introspective indie folk.

I had heard of The Shins, of course—mostly because everyone alive owned that Garden State soundtrack at some point. Like Wainwright above, I’ve never had much taste for this brand of muted, rainy‑day music. There’s a softness to it I’ve just never connected with. When I was younger, I wanted sharper sounds hitting my ears—you’d think that would mellow with age, but even now I still crave something with an edge.

Look, I get why people dig it (clearly, it made the cut over a few far more deserving records, IMO). But still…this is in that liminal space between “too slow for the Hyatt lobby” and “not new age‑y enough for the spa.”

Bottom Line:
This is a matchup between #64 and #65. In other words, the two records are right in the middle of the bracket. Some would say that’s indicative of a (relatively) broad appeal. Others would say it speaks of middling and ambivalence. Guess which camp I’m in? Matches like this are tough- you want to be objective, but when every fiber of your being is screaming “go listen to something faster!” it’s tough. In baseball, the tie goes to the runner. In today’s matchup, the tie goes to name recognition. Wainwright it is.

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!

Leave a comment

Check out the full bracket here.

Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.

As always, thanks for being here.

KA—

The Best Record of 2001: Day 1

by KevinLeave a Comment on The Best Record of 2001: Day 1

Here we go! It’s a battle for the Midwest as Wilco takes on Slipknot.

Good morning!

Today we’re taking a look at Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (#1) and Slipknot’s Iowa (#128)

Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challengeand noted that I’d be occasionally writing some of these up.

Each day, I’ll do some quick hits of each first-round match-up and post 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 a few typos. We’ll also have a few guest posts along the way, so make sure to stay tuned for those!

Check ’em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks always appreciated.

KA—

Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is one of those records that is usually described in hushed tones and with reverence. For a certain demographic (i.e., suburban dads), it’s canon. It’s given as a meaningful gift and passed down from dad to son. It gets boxed up for anniversaries and treated as the moment Wilco turned from alt‑country to something in the pantheon of dad rock. For many listeners, it’s a landmark and must-have.

For me, it’s never landed.

On paper, I should be all over this. I like the genre. I’m a fan of good writing and stories that aren’t quite in focus. I wear cargo shorts and Sambas. I prefer Microbrews over Miller. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot checks those boxes…and yet…

The opener, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” is a declarative statement, despite a wonky groove, and vocals that range between weary and half‑asleep, which frankly is how it leaves me feeling. I can admire how the whole thing is put together. That doesn’t change the fact that my favorite part of the whole deal is the cover art.

I want to like this record, I really do. I’m supposed to, right?! Lord knows I’ve tried. “Kamera?” Check. “I’m the Man Who Loves You?” check. Absolute apathy towards the sound? Check.

Maybe it all feels undercooked? I know that was a choice, and there are a lot of records that aim for intentionally good, not great, as an aesthetic. Maybe the hype surrounding it has led to horribly mismatched expectations. I dunno. All I can tell you is that I walk away from the sound machine feeling underwhelmed. This is a record that should be a gut punch.

None of this makes Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a failure, of course. It’s thoughtful, was clearly labored over, and clearly means a lot to a lot of people. I’m just not one of them. This is the #1 seed in the bracket and will likely make a deep run in the tourney. Heck, even I’ve pipped it to take it all (I’m pragmatic if nothing else). My bigger concern is that it’s gonna hoover up a ton of discourse oxygen. Hopefully, I’m wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Slipknow’s Iowa, meanwhile, felt like everything YHF wasn’t; it was loud, dangerous, and maybe most importantly unique. The production here is a choice as well, and that choice is “don’t sand the edges off.”

The masks, jumpsuits, and numbers for names read as a gimmick (and still do, tbh), but the band said they wanted people to focus on the music, and I get it.

Tracks like “People = Shit,” “Disasterpiece,” and “The Heretic Anthem” aren’t trying to steal your heart so much as rip it out of your chest and show it to you. Joey Jordinson’s drums sound fully formed, for lack of a better term. Corey Taylor sounds like a man possessed. It’s uncomfortable. It’s glorious.

I also think that part of the appeal is where the band came from. And I mean that literally. As in the flyer states. Specifically, well, Iowa. Pop culture and tastemakers love to ignore the Central time zone, and when you put out a record that sounds like a blast furnace, that’s hard to do.

Bottom Line:
Somewhere there’s a universe where Iowa is on the right side of a #1 vs #128 match-up. Unfortunately, we don’t live there. I love rooting for the underdog, and will vote for Iowa out of spite, if nothing else. But I can’t see a way out for Clown & Co. My bracket pick begrudgingly goes to YHF.

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!

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Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

by KevinLeave a Comment on Discussion: What’re You Listening To?

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.

For those of you who are new, we kick off every week by sharing what we’ve been playing, and the playlist below is some of what’s been in heavy rotation for me.

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For avgeeks, it’s hard to beat last week’s date run. March 19, 20th, and 21st don’t mean much to most people, but those also happen to be – at least in the US, anyway – written as 3/19, 3/20, and 3/21. And what better excuse to celebrate the Airbus family of narrowbody aircraft (i.e., the A319, A320, A321)? We’re incredibly fun at parties!

At any rate, that got me thinking a bit about the numbers for Playlist 341. I’ve never been a fan of math- I was that stereotypical kid who wailed about taking algebra. Why should I take the time to learn something I’ll never use?! Joke’s on me; I use it almost every day; sometimes I even use it while working weight and balance on flights flown by…A320s. Go figure.

I’d covered Roxy Music’s “Virginia Plain” a little over three years ago. It popped back into my head after watching an episode of Barry that everyone else watched in 2019. Late to the party again. The interwebs tells me the band’s “For Your Pleasure” LP turns 53 today. “Virginia Plain” and “Street Life” are on the records on either side of it.

It’ll be 36 years ago this summer that I first saw Sonic Youth. Two of the band members have newsletters right here on this very platform. A 3rd is in a band that made one of the best records of 2026 (so far). We’ve got 9 months to go, but I’m guessing it’ll make a deep run on my AOTY list. The 4th, Kim Gordon is here with my #1 favorite song off her 3rd album.

It feels like I’ve been listening to Wire for a million years (not true), and they’re back with “23 years too late” for the 19th Record Store Day on 4/18 (very true).

There’s also plenty of brand new 2026 stuff here, including fresh racks from Lawn, Genre is Death, and Weird Nightmare. We close things out with a great new track from our friend Binnie Klein.

There’s more tracks than usual this week (12, actually). Hopefully you find a new favorite or 2 over the next seven days!

This week, Side A is tracks 1–15 (ending with “Mantis”), with Side B being 16–39. Yes, it’s lopsided; sometimes, that’s just how it goes.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz | YouTube Music |


Now it’s your turn.

Any new songs or shows you’re looking forward to? Whatcha got? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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