What’re You Listening To?

Happy Memorial Day to everyone here in the US, and happy Monday to our international friends! Whether, you’re home today or just kicking off your work week, I hope you’ve had a chance to rest easy and spin some great records. If you’re in the latter camp, maybe this’ll make the commute just a bit more enjoyable?

I shared this anecdote in the chat over the weekend, but wanted to share it again with the group as a whole.

A few weeks ago, Gabbie, who writes the fantastic New Music For Old heads, asked readers to name the last band or record they found without the internet. It’s one of those fun questions that seems easy at first, but before you know it, you have a page full of crossed-out options and are wracking your brain. For better or worse, these days we find stuff online.

Obviously, it’s fun to find cool records through cool people (cough cough), but it seems wild to me that what was once a pretty straightforward question is now anything but.

And if you’ll allow me to share, I now have a pretty rad answer…sort of. I received a music submission via email from a local act. That in itself is not unusual (and yeah, email counts as internet), but then my kid asked me if the artist had been in touch. This is absolutely not normal. Turns out he had a makeup exam last week, and one of the musicians was the proctor. Once everything was completed and turned in, they were talking, and his music label came up, which led my son to mention this place, and everything came full circle. Not entirely analog, but still pretty cool (to me, anyway), so I’m counting it.

That duo is here (dargan hester), as is one of my fave shoegaze bands, Cheatahs. I found them via terrestrial radio (thank you, WSUM!), and they’ve never really left my rotation since. Squeeze showed up via the early days of MTV.

It’s not the record featured here, but one of my greatest analog finds was when a friend passed me a copy of Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense while on a field trip. It’s not hyperbolic to say that moment changed the trajectory of my music diet forever.

What’s the last record you discovered without going online? Share your story!

KA—

P.S. Speaking of radio, when you’re done here, make sure to check out the final lap of Inhailer Radio’s Indie 500!

Side A is tracks 1-19 (ends with “Narco Polo”). Side B is tracks 20-39.

On to the music…

KA—

Other sources: Apple | Qobuz | YouTube Music|


Now it’s your turn.

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

Digging for Something

There’s a common idea that “good” music—and the joy of discovering it—is a thing of the past. A relic from a bygone era that fits in with memes about drinking water from a garden hose. People like Dan Gorman prove that’s simply not true.

I first connected with Dan through the Rosy Overdrive community, and now we’re lucky to have his newsletter, The Discover Tab. If you’re someone who’s always chasing new sounds—and I’m guessing you are—it’ll check a lot of boxes for you. It’s a “never miss” for me.

Dan recently launched a series called Digging for Something, where fellow writers highlight underrated records that deserve more time in the spotlight. I was excited to be included, and I hope one of my picks becomes your next favorite.

Check out the records I chose, and Dan’s take on each of them here.

Enjoy!

KA—

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