There's the geniuses and then there's me

I’m back with another playlist for your ears. Crit List 5 was the most popular one yet, and I got a lot of great feedback on the Dikembe rec.

Maybe your new fave is on this playlist! Check it out for the hot new tunes, but stay for the Smash Mouth cover and then read about what I’ve been watching on TV.

Dancing about architecture

Talking about music is still like dancing about architecture, but here are a few words about the songs on this one. Or skip these “words” and just go listen to the “music” because it’s a “free country” at least “for now.”

You know Conor and Phoebe. You probably know BOCC. Have you heard this one?This song didn’t make their (great) record, but it’s one of their best. I’m so glad I got to see them last year. These songs sounded so good live, Conor and Phoebe covered each other and then also covered The Replacements.

The title of this post comes from this song. If you only check out one artist from this list, make it Sidney Gish. Insanely catchy, smart songs with pithy, funny lyrics.

Boston band Sweeping Promises just unleashed Hunger for a Way Out, a raw, angular blast of post-punk new wave that overflows with pop sensibilities. If you like the title track, you’ll like the record.

The Loved Ones are good. So is Dave’s solo stuff. I saw him open for Beach Slang a few years ago, and he’s great live. This jam just makes me feel good and want to throw up a fist and scream along.

Another banger from Evan. This song is off the new IIOI record, Figure, out September 18. He’s been one of the most consistently great songwriters of the past decade or so, especially considering IIOI is only one of his projects.

We’re in the middle of the playlist. Still good? Get up and take a walk. Hydrate. Okay. More tunes. Here are three catchy, upbeat jams. This is at least the third time I’ve featured Tiny Stills on the Crit List. Last week, I heard from two people who checked her out based on the list and are now fans. (If you watch her video for “Resting in Pieces” you’ll see my name make a quick appearance!)

Probably not one of the first few bands that gets mentioned when talking about old emo, so I guess that qualifies this song/record from 1998 as an underrated gem.

I don’t know much about either artist but both of these songs have come up on Spotify a lot recently and I think they go well back to back.

Unfortunately this band just broke up within the past few months. Another one bites the dust. True story: I heard this band’s name many times before I actually listened to them, and just based on the name I expected them to be some ass-kicking hardcore band. That is not an accurate description of how they actually sound. They’re good. I love this song.

When a friend says “hey, check out my new EP!” you never know what to expect. Roe is a friend, and one song into her EP Muscle Memory, I knew she was legit.

Smash Mouth is out there spreading the COVID, but Future Teens is safely doing a great cover of this jam that we all know, whether we want to admit it or not.

Funny sports-ish highlight of the week:

Television

Here are some documentary recommendations for you:

Richard Scott Smith conned over a dozen women by charming them, marrying them, and bouncing with all their money. In this show, the women go for revenge. (two episodes have aired)

A look inside NXIVM, a self-improvement group that was also an MLM and a sex cult. That’s some range. Their founder has been charged with racketeering and sex trafficking, among other things. (three episodes have aired)

You’ve probably heard someone talk about this over the past few weeks. Take a wild look inside this insane and insanely dangerous water park where plenty of New Jersey kids in the 80s and 90s enjoyed fun and/or terror. Not everyone made it out alive.

I wish this show and the NFL season would switch lengths. Four weeks of the league, five months of the show. I know that doesn’t make sense and I don’t care.

Go do something good

If you or someone you know works at or owns a venue, check out the Lights On initiative from Kickstarter.

If you haven’t yet, check out Save Our Stages and sign it.

Are you registered to vote?

That’s all for now. Be kind to one another. Let me know what you think of the playlist.