Just like last time: I shuffled some music and wrote about what comes to mind when the song started rolling.
I wrote the back half of this while I was drinking during the Celtics-Sixers game so hopefully, there aren’t any mistakes.
I’ll Still Destroy You — The National
I have no positions
No point of view or vision
I'm just trying to stay in touch with
Anything I'm still in touch with
Feel like this will probably be the last purely great National album we get, weirdly because they keep regurgitating the new sounds they found here but in less interesting ways.
Promise to Try — Madonna
Keep your head held high, ride like the wind
Never look behind, life isn't fair
That's what you said, so I try not to care
I grew up listening to “Beautiful Stranger” on CD mixtapes, but other than that I never really knew much about Madonna. Other than A-Rod and Kaballah. She was one of those figures I was only familiar with via Weird Al Osmosis. Turns out she was pretty good! this is a pretty song. Not sure I’m the audience but I can appreciate a nice ballad.
The Return (Ft. Freddie Gibbs) — Danny Brown
Because the weak don't speak, get left in silence
And when you don't listen, gotta speak with violence
It took me a while to accept the duality of the goofiness of Danny Brown with how cool the music is. This is definitely my favorite song of his, even though I probably can only say like two lines.
Dust — Cayetana
Remember the good things that happened here
Retrace the lines so they reappear
I really love Cayetana, and love the new spin-off project Gladie. This album is lovely, even if this is one of the lesser cuts for me on it. But I can’t help but associate them with the live show I saw where lead singer Augusta Koch had completely lost her voice and couldn’t sing. She brought up crowd members to sing for her. It was kinda cute but also kinda annoying to have paid money for. But I support artists. I’m just that kind of guy. So it’s all good.
Only A Broken Heart — Tom Petty
Stand in the moonlight
Stand under heaven
Wait for an answer
Hold out forever
It’s kind of amazing how much music sounds like Wildflowers currently. This album came out the year I was born and sounds as fresh as anything released in 2023. This song in particular just sounds like the bridge from The Beatles to Wilco. Rest in peace Tom Petty, who as a child I mixed up with Richard Petty.
like how you are — P.S. Eliot
Shoved at us as an artless fact
Ideal dressed to a T
And that's not to say that you aren't pretty
Because you're beautiful to me
Luckily the person I know who vehemently disagrees with this assertion does not subscribe to my substack. But the Crutchfields are on my shortlist for best singer-songwriters of the generation. I think P.S. Eliot is still my favorite project of theirs, although Saint Cloud drastically narrowed the gap. Not a big Ivy Tripp guy, though.
The Good I’ll Do — Zach Bryan
The way the grass smells at night and you got flames all in your eyes
As they reflect the sparkler and you say we'll never die
Grab me by the hands, just as callused as I am and say you're proud
Second week I got a Zach Bryan song. Don’t have much more to say other than the guy is tremendous. I also really dug his live record and hope I get a chance to see him in person. Most double/triple albums are ostentatious and awful but this one is just a vibe-setter.
Backsell — Desaparecidos
Now there is a message on my cell phone everyday
“Hi, this is Luke Wood from DreamWorks”
“This is Joel Mark from MCA”
I got introduced to Bright Eyes in the same way I got introduced to a lot of my first forays into indie rock: watching Friday Night Lights. But this was the first Oberst project I listened to on release. It was probably the “hardest” stuff I had listened to in my life at that point (laughing out loud), but I still think the record holds up.
You Ain’t That Young, Kid — Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
All the flash, all the fire
All the foggy drinks perspired
We were tucked into a booth
In a far corner of the room
One of my favorite running jokes in my friend group is that this is my favorite Vampire Weekend album. Now Hamilton + Rostam is shorthand for liking a spinoff group album more than the famous group.
Smoke Signals — Phoebe Bridgers
I wanna live at the Holiday Inn
Where somebody else makes the bed
We'll watch TV while the lights on the street
Put all the stars to death
I hate to be that “I liked her before she got huge!” guy but just give this one to me, alright. Alps is still my favorite of her records. Now, I’m trying as hard as I can to not be the jaded fan who doesn’t like her as much as she gets more popular. But man, the new Boygenius album was a disappointment. Phoebe, if you’re reading this, I’m just kidding.
Lunch — Stella Donnelly
The way that you brake when a red light's in front of you
You ask me to give you my world, ah, the day
I too hate how I brake at red lights.
Spiderwebs — No Doubt
You're intruding on what's mine
And you're taking up my time
Don't have the courage inside me
To tell you please let me be
What a strange career. I like No Doubt, even though if the music is dated. It’s almost a relic. It will never mean as much to me as Holloback Girl. But this is a good one to throw on at a BBQ.
Tee Pees 1-12 — Father John Misty
Trout fishing in America
Baby go and buy a pole
But by the time I got around to reading the book
I was a celebrated deep sea pro
I understand why people don’t like FJM. But to me, he’s Zevon. He’s indie Elton. He’s Zappa. The pretentious haughtiness usually doesn’t work. But it works if you are actually, bona fide funny. And he is. This an unremarkable cut from my second-least-favorite record of his, but the lyric shared is still more clever and cutting than the best stuff from 90% of singers.
Slush Puppy — King Krule
Nothing is working with me
Nothing is working with me
Nothing is working with me
I don’t like this song or album. No idea why it’s saved. He’s not for me. Don’t marry me, Archy.
Scorpio Rising — Soccer Mommy
Oh she's bubbly and sweet like a Coca-Cola
I watch from my drink as you look her over
The town don't pop too hard
You're sick of playing cards
Soccer Mommy has grown on me, but I wasn’t a fan at first. I always liked this song, though. And in another edition of Dan Explains An Inside Joke That Half My Subscribers Already Know: I refer to her as Lax Dad (Lacrosse Dad). It’s funny.