Monday, September 15, 2025
if you knew how i felt now/you wouldn't act so adult now
if you knew how i felt now/you wouldn't act so adult now
Work zapped my brain last week, but here's some music stuff...
Album of the week
The new Wednesday comes out on Thursday, so I'll actually have something to put here next week.
Song of the week
Home Front - Light Sleeper
Apparently my new favourite genre is "hardcore guys try to make a power pop record" (see also: Militarie Gun, Spiritual Cramp, and honestly kinda the new Turnstile too). Shout out Edmonton.
Classic of the week
The Replacements - Kiss Me on the Bus
Tim turns 40 on Thursday.
I like saying it that way, because it sounds like you're talking about a friend and that's how I feel about this record that's been so important to me for basically my entire adulthood.
Maybe "Bastards of Young" was the first Replacements song I heard? I don't remember, but I remember that for some reason, this ended up being the first Replacements album that I obsessed over.
The Pitchfork review of the Let It Bleed edition of the album talked about how after hearing the new Ed Stasium mix, "it’s now abundantly clear, both in sound and performance, that Tim is really among the best albums ever recorded." And I remember being flabbergasted by that. Like, the production on the original version of the record is garbage, but my guy, are you having a hard time hearing the genius of Bee Thousand too?
Later on in the same review, the author asserts that "it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where you’d prefer to put it on over the Ed Stasium mix now." And I think that really underscores how consuming music in order to review it (something I've done a lot of!) really separates you from the reason that a lot of music really grabs you in the first place: because it's part of your life.
I guess, powering through an album 10-times while your deadline is looming is still part of your life too, but that never felt like a good part of life back when I had to do it. It's definitely not blasting "Dose of Thunder" in your car, arguing about the chorus of "Bastards of Young," drunkenly singing along to "Here Comes a Regular," or putting this song on a mixtape for someone you fancy.
I don't put on the original version of Tim because it sounds better. I put it on because it sounds like some of the best moments of my life. You can't really score that out of 10 (although they did give the reissue a 10, because obviously it's fucking perfect).
More heat
PINS - I'll Be Yours
I've got a PINS t-shirt that's on the verge of ripping, because I wear it so much, but maybe this single means I'll be able to get a replacement at a show soon.
Jeff Tweedy - Lou Reed Was My Babysitter
I was super skeptical when Tweedy announced a triple album. But if the chaff is even half as good as the singles, maybe we do need all 30-songs.
Madison Cunningham - My Full Name
I missed this when it came out, since it wasn't really covered in the usual places I go to, to consume new music. Her newest single features Fleet Foxes, so it got a lot of digital ink and it's pretty good! But this sparse little piano driven number had me after the first line: "I love it when you say my full name and how you always speak your mind."
now playing: Gram Parsons w/Emmylou Harris - Return of the Grievous Angel
