Haven't had many chances to pop in here lately, but I saw that "Time After Time" was on the number ones recently, which reminded me that a couple of years back while mindlessly fingerpicking during some NCAA tourney action I stumbled onto a pretty credible American Primitive rendition of said Lauper jam. I recorded it that night with a couple of tasteful overdubs and a Garageband wurlitzer. Here is said cover, freshly uploaded to a brand new burner Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/user-185361463/tracks
That Green-House album is super great, good pick. I would also recommend:
Leo Takami - Felis Catus and Silence. This has really made my year. Not ambient but very much New Age a la Windham Hill, like William Tyler's Goes West meets a Studio Ghibli soundtrack.
Nathan Salsburg - Landwerk. A collection of old 78 rpm record loops accompanied by some twisty repeating guitar lines. Hypnotic, relaxing stuff.
I like Alligator the best. Also I think "The Geese of Beverly Road" is their best song. It's a staple on my "Songs About Geese" playlist, most of which is just different versions of Michael Hurley's "Wildegeeses."
Lately I've been watching hours of television about Michael Jordan and blasting Hum. Just today I got really excited when I heard there was a new season of Beavis & Butthead on the way. I am apparently still the same person I was when I was 10 years old.
I too generally dislike podcasts but I love the Scotts. Seriously, just listen to the first U Talkin' U2 2 Me? ep and tell me it's not the best possible use of medium.
"The “Batter Up” video is still the best baseball-themed rap video ever made[.]" Maybe so, but I'm still partial to this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVnoNpncfh0
Well after a quick discogs search I can say I've tracked down the aforementioned sampler. It's a wonder I didn't become a Truck Stop Love fan.
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Discovery-Sampler-Alternative-Volume-One/release/2729201
Weirdly, I learned about Hum when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old because "Stars" and "I Hate it Too" were on a free sampler cd that came as part of one of those Columbia House/BMG cd club things my parents signed up for. I don't remember anything else that was on that sampler because I was so obsessed with those two Hum songs.
It's so rad to have a new Hum album and for it to be this good.
I always reckoned that You'd Prefer an Astronaut had the better individual songs—I mean, fuck, "I Hate it Too"—but thought Downward is Heavenward was the better album. A couple of weeks back I relistened to both while on one my semi-regular quarantine nostalgia sessions and think it might be a dead heat. They were (and apparently are!) a rad band.
Such a beautiful version of "Wild Mountain Thyme"—Steve G's made himself into a really great vocalist. As a quick side note, I noticed the intro to "Lurker" in a McDonald's commercial recently, which kind of blew my mind. Get that money, Steve.
Also as good a time as any to note that if you haven't heard Michael Hurley et. al's "Have Moicy!" you should remedy that ASAP. "Sweet Lucy" is one among several goddamn gems on that one.
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