Brotherless Radio | Episode 10 | 8.29.25

Hello again. Athletics has a new album — our first in 13 years. I saw Oasis twice. Those are each their own post. For now, I’m beyond stoked about some of the songs I want to show you. Welcome to Brotherless Radio Episode 10.

First, here’s your links:

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0q79d46k5XmeNmt1TYvk32?si=6010313b5d024b0e

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/brotherless-radio-episode-10-8-29-25/pl.u-BNA6em6svJpBl

Let’s start with this Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers deep cut, “Makin’ Some Noise” featuring a guitar riff worthy of setting the party off.

Militarie Gun’s “Never F****d Up Once” has my favorite melody on the record Life Under The Gun. Frontman Ian Shelton says this song is about living with regret, being hurt by others, and acknowledging that you’ve sometimes been the person who hurt someone too. The lyrics sit in everyone’s favorite sweet spot of vagueness, so I needed a hand understanding this masterpiece of a tune.

I’ve enjoyed many songs from the compilation Miami Sound: Rare Funk & Soul from Florida 1967-1974, including “I Love The Way You Love” by Little Beaver, featured on Brotherless Radio Episode 9. “Cramp Your Style” by All The People exudes confidence and swagger, the exact kind of thing I like about what I call Vintage Funk.

“Knockin’ Doors Down” by Pimp C shows C mimicing his own flow found in the classic “Int’l Player’s Anthem” by his duo UGK. I don’t think he’s a one-trick-pony, but when that flow works, it works. I hate to get in my feelings for such an ignant song, but the Netflix series Hip-Hop Evolution interviews the other half of UGK, Bun B. In the episode about Southern Hip-Hop, there’s a beautiful moment where he needs to stop. He apologizes and says he caught a moment thinking about C. He tearfully continues, describing Pimp C’s legacy and his love for him. Pimp C passed in 2007 from an accidental overdose.

“The Dying Of The Light” comes from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds‘ second album, Chasing Yesterday. I’d better not start when it comes to a Gallagher tune or we’ll be here all day, as if I haven’t already rambled enough so far. Noel Gallagher knows how to write a melancholic song, full of nostalgia and longing.

Labi Siffre is a British singer/songwriter who just turned 80. Younger generations are discovering his music, even sampling his work in hip-hop songs. “Sparrow in the Storm” was only ever recorded live, I think. Some of the lyrics are a little cheesy, but I don’t mind cheesy — I’m seeking purity, not perfection. The guitarwork is nothing to scoff at either.

The jazz / funk compilation The Best of Perception & Today Records is represented in this episode with TWO songs; a high praise around here. “Boogie” by Bartel makes me want to tuck my t-shirt into cargo shorts with no belt and go see a jazz fusion group at a summertime festival. Maybe even take a wobbly 4 minute long video and post it on Facebook. Maybe put a lil’ caption in there, something like, “Betsy and I went to harvest festival and saw these guys! They rock! #goodmusic #happy”

Collective Soul is underrated as a guitar band. Ed Roland’s voice is Cool Guy Voice™ to the max. “Simple” makes me wanna smash my 90’s head through a wall.

You can’t escape traditional Irish instrumentation around here. Sorry. Some people have a “happy place” in their mind that they are able to escape to. I have no idea how people do that, but tunes like “The Shore House” by Lunasa get me close.

Music doesn’t have to be enlightened, or groundbreaking, or unique, or… I don’t know… artsy-fartsy or whatever. It can be stupid and easy. See Exhibit A: “You Baby” by The Mamas & The Papas. It’s unchallenging for those times when you don’t want to be challenged. Just what the doctor ordered.

Remember Das Racist? It’s Das Racist as in “That’s racist.” It’s not pronounced “dahs,” and I’d like to do the Lord’s work and set the record straight on that. “luv it mayne (featuring fat tony)” comes from their 2nd mixtape, Sit Down, Man. As usual with Das Racist, the lines do not connect in any meaningful way which is exactly what we want when we listen to these guys. This band was just a bunch of dudes hanging out and rhyming. That was the entire fun of Das Racist in the first place — it’s not that deep.

This episode’s lounge jazz is “Brigas Nunca Mais” by Elis Regina & Antonio Carlos Jobim. I translated the lyrics, and I still don’t quite get the idea. Yeah, it’s about lovers getting together and reconciling, whatever. I’m not much of a lyrics guy anyway. Sometimes, I don’t get much out of a song’s lyrics, but I get a lot out of a song’s vibe. And the vibe is good.

The first time I heard “United States of Whatever” by Liam Lynch, it was performed by sock puppets on a low-viewership, short-lifespan, long-forgotten late-night MTV show called Sifl & Olly. The song bangs. The show would probably have done better if Adult Swim had already become a thing by that point.

“Gingele” by Astrud Gilberto is also from the The Best of Perception & Today Records compilation, again, the highest praise. Taking Meds and Spiritual Cramp have had this honor before. This Brazilian jazz tune is so silly. I have no idea what it means. I looked it up and didn’t find shit, but someone knows, I’m sure. Astrud Gilberto seems to be a bit of a legend, so I’ll be doing my homework on her music a bit more.

I’ve been on an Allman Brothers Band kick. If you follow this page, you know that I’ll be on a kick of a certain artist for a month or two (John Cougar Mellencamp was a kick from last year). “Statesboro Blues,” particularly this Live at the Fillmore East, 1971 version, reminds me of my Dad as a young man selling tickets to concerts (many at The Filmore East) as an esteemed employee at The Last Straw in Belmar, NJ. A whole blog on my Dad’s stories might be a good subject. Naturally, it would be riddled with music.

The Rutles must have showed up on a playlist randomly or something. Have a look at this album cover.

This was a 1978 Beatles parody band. Apparently there was a film called All You Need Is Cash and their self-titled album was the soundtrack, featuring “I Must Be In Love.” It’s That Thing You Do! meets This Is Spinal Tap. Add it to the homework list.

“Demolition Man” is a Drug Church song to me about how the human’s developed brain is also our biggest curse. He mentions that a working dog seems to be “so happy to do what he does,” followed by “but mankind, he’s got no sense of purpose.” Closing it out with “No hardwired north, just a compass left spinning in your head.”

“Just Do It” by Copacabana Club rips. I have no other comment on this one — have fun with it.

Dave Holland shows us that jazz can be so many things. I think I’m a pretty good musician, at least when it comes to rock and adjacent styles of music. Jazz, however, is a thing that I never quite had the skill, or ear for. And it’s a shame — I love jazz! …As a listener at least. But my intuitions and interests as a musician always get reoriented toward rock styles, kinda by default. Anyway, “Passing Time” features blues bends, slow riffs, and performances so quiet that you almost can’t even fuckin hear anything. He’s going slow enough that, like, I might even be able to play some of this. You can write with as low a BPM as you want. That’s jazz, baby.

“Cut You Off (To Grow Closer)” by Kendrick Lamar comes from his first album under his first and and middle name (seeking his previous material as K.Dot will reward you as well, but I’m getting side-tracked). There’s some jazz, R&B, and neo-soul in this beat. He makes a point of focusing on building each other up and keeping a positive mindset rather than talking that shit and bringing each other down. He ends each verse with something like “I’mma cut you off”

‘Cause every time you come around
Ya’ll be hollerin’ that
“Whoop-de-woo
Blah-zay-blah
He say, she say
Oh my gah”
Shut the fuck up

“Burn” by Deep Purple could have kicked off this episode, if it wasn’t for the nearly 6:00 run time. This song obviously rips, but the rock organ is the cherry on top here.

Thanks to Adam Vernick for exposing me to The Nerves. This demo version of “Many Roads to Follow” is so pure that they could’ve just used this as the final version. People would pay to sound like this now, but to them, this was just a demo.

I don’t mind vulgarity around here, but I keep it pretty chill most of the time. Warning that this song is hard. “Hard Bottoms & White Socks” kicks off YG‘s record 4REAL 4REAL. Still Brazy is still my favorite work of his, but this song has that neo-soul / lounge jazz blend that I love.

Sonny Vincent & Rocket from the Crypt is yet another John Reis band. I highly recommend any band he’s been in. He helped define the San Diego punk sound — no wonder I love his bands. “Dream” contains classic Reis riffs.

A little gospel funk from Eugene McDaniel with “The Lord is Back.” This is another example of “people would pay to sound like this now.”

Boy Harsher‘s Lesser Man EP turned me on to them. Recommended if you like Nine Inch Nails, industrial, goth, etc. “Pain” takes up a good 7 minutes of this episode. Every minute is simultaneously uncomfortable and worth it.

On today’s episode of “As Usual, The Brazilians Did It Better,” I bring you yet another track from one of my favorite compilation series. Brazilian Nuggets: Back From The Jungle, Volume 3 features “Meu Santo é Forte” by Paulo Mamedi. I couldn’t find the lyrics to it anywhere — at least not the right one. Thus, I have no idea what the song is about. I’ve got a friend who can help me out; standby. Regardless, this song goes hard, right?

Logic has gotten a bit cheesy to me, but he still delivers here and there (especially when he embraces boom-bap beats). “The Return” proves my point.

This Live At The Summit Club 1972 version of “I Could Never Be Happy” by The Emotions makes me feel like I was born in the wrong decade. No, wrong era altogether. Do you hear how distant those drums sound? It feels like I’m there. I’m in love. And that’s before even getting to the a capela bridge with those fabulous 3-part harmonies.

One of the first friends I ever had, Alek, sent me “If 6 Was 4” by The Retrograde a while back. Sending music is one of those pure ways we still show love to one another after all these years. I have a few friends like this and I’m blessed to have ’em. This song reminds me of The Black Crowes.

I like to end with ballads. “TRAP PHONE” by BERWYN shows the sensitive side in all of us regardless of our circumstances, and just as important, the thoughtful side too.

Next time, we talk about how the North American audience for Oasis was much more stoned than the Irish audience. Or maybe about the newest Athletics album. I leave you with the chorus to “Sparrow in the Storm.” Talk soon.

I’m a sparrow in the storm
Without your love to keep me warm
Seasons come and seasons go
That you love me is all I need to know

Brotherless Radio | Episode 9 | 4.10.25

Shoot. It’s been a minute. I’m hoping I don’t start every single one of these with “Shoot it’s been a minute blah blah.”

I’ve been working at Whole Latte Love and learning more about espresso machines in less than a year than I knew in my previous 14 years in coffee. I’m gearing up to head to the biggest annual coffee event in the US (SCA) in Houston in a couple weeks. I’ll be at the Varia booth, and bopping around too.

Right from Houston, I fly to New Jersey for band practice. Athletics will leave on the 1st of May for China. We’ll play two festivals, one in Tianjin on May 4th called Bubbling&Boiling, and then New Beat Fest on May 5th in Chengdu. Both shows will be with legendary post-rockers Mono. The schedule is so wild that I forgot to figure out how I’m getting home at first. I do have that detail squared away now.

Before things get totally wacky, let me show you what I’ve been listening to. Here’s your links as usual:

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/brotherless-radio-episode-9-4-10-25/pl.u-BNA62aNtvJpBl

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0fThenDQhPvl9xyBR7CblM?si=LVHltKc6TC6f7qSh8UxScA&pi=qhZhQ2KqQbOWN

And like that, I present to you, Brotherless Radio, Episode 9.

We’re kicking off with “Born In Chicago” by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. This recording has the vintage quality that you can’t replicate on purpose. My Dad blasts this record when Mom’s out of the house, and it still sounds fabulous on vinyl. You hear Paul Butterfield tell you he was born in Chicago in 1941. These guys are not boomers, and not from “the greatest generation” either. This is a band comprised of dudes from what’s known as the Silent Generation, aptly named, since they were too young to fight in the war, and too old to have a huge population of peers. Enjoy.

Thin Lizzy is somehow making their way into the hearts and minds of my friends and family lately. For me, I blame one of my closest confidants, Kyle, for getting me into them. Their first several records are nothing to write home about, but things start getting good on their fourth album, Nightlife. By their 5th album, Fighting, I was sold. They began a string of perfect records starting here. The verses in “For Those Who Love To Live” could be from a Steely Dan song.

“Date With the Rain” by Temptations co-founder Eddie Kendricks hits the sweet spot of danceable, funky, and vintage. This has made its way into my DJ sets.

I got back into Placebo, and had to show off the first song I ever heard by them, “Pure Morning.”

The Smile, which is pretty much Radiohead, hits back with what could’ve been from the indie-dance era of the 2010’s: “Zero Sum.”

Years ago, my friend David told me that Smino does not miss. Even when he goes a little harder than usual, like on his more recent single “mister misfit but ain’t missed a fit in months,” Smino still clocks no misses.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Gangster” by Aalon could be a night ender, but I’m using it here to take a quick break. It’s a song about basically just not being beholden to anyone else’s schedule.

“Two Birds One Stone” comes to us from The Bronx‘ fifth self-titled album. Yes, fifth. I have no idea what this song is about and I don’t care — this band has always rocked so hard.

I discovered Otis Redding’s cover of “Satisfaction” from an episode of AppleMusic’s Gratitude podcast with Ray Davies of The Kinks. He pours out over how great the album is, and it is, it’s great, but I was blown away by the fact that a cover of “Satisfaction” could actually be good.

Rounding out this block with “When You Are Who You Are” by Gil Scott-Heron from his not just legendary, but important album, Pieces of a Man. Get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it.

I grew up hearing “He Got Game” by Public Enemy on the radio and MTV, and hadn’t heard it again until the final scene of the Netflix limited series The Madness. Still hits.

Chase & Status have been on Brotherless Radio before, and they’ve since become a favorite of mine. There’s so much to explore and be challenged by in their catalog. “Selecta ft. Stefflon Don” makes me smash my head through a wall the way a hardcore song does.

I’ve written about I Adapt (along with Modern Life is War) on this blog before, so I won’t bore you with more stories, but “Historical Manipulation in a Nice Suit” is one of the highlights of the Icelandic hardcore band’s masterpiece, Chainlike Burden.

My friend April told me about a bunch of supergroups not long ago, one of which was Institute. The band features Gavin Rossdale of Bush on vocals, and other members from Helmet, Rival Schools, and of course, my favorite drummer, Josh Freese. “Information Age” should give you a good idea of what this band accomplished.

I haven’t given The Weakerthans enough attention here. “Bigfoot!” is written from the perspective of the guy who has the most famous claim of witnessing Bigfoot. It’s a sad song that shows what the guy goes through. Should he have kept it to himself? Would it have been worth it to avoid the public attention, and oftentimes, ridicule? Who would do this to themselves on purpose? Seeing a sight like that, or at least claiming to, can be a burden indeed. It makes me think of other people with outrageous claims, most of whom are some version of snake oil salesfolk. But what if some of them isaretelling the truth? What if one of them is this guy? What a weight to carry around.

I must show you my new favorite song, “I Love The Way You Love” by Little Beaver. I’ve found a bunch of Little Beaver’s work before finding this song, and I’ve loved it all. Maybe I have a new favorite artist from this era of blues/funk?

I’ve been compiling songs for this episode for so long that “Summer Breeze” by Seals & Crofts was relevant the last time I heard it.

An old co-worker, Bryan, revealed that Eternally Even by Jim James is a perfect album in his eyes. He’s not wrong, it is a triumph. “The World’s Smiling Now” stood out to me.

“Que Beleza” was the first song I ever heard by Tim Maia, the legendary Brazilian funk pioneer. I bust out Tim Maia’s name whenever I want folks from Brazil to know that I ain’t no nerd.

LaRussell hits us with “Finer Thangz” on his collab album with Wonderlust. This man puts out so much music that I’ve become overwhelmed and can’t keep up anymore.

Enigma’s “Sadeness (Part I)” was a relic from the 90’s when anything passed for radio-ready. There was once a time when anything passed for terrestrial radio — no hooks necessary.

I can’t have one of these episodes without an Oasis track. “It’s Better People” is a B-Side from the “Roll With It” single. These guys were so good at putting killer songs on tough-to-find formats, and not on a proper album. With this strategy, they created a die-hard fanbase that made a habit (or lifestyle) of digging around for the band’s best stuff.

Pere Ubu came at me out of nowhere. I don’t know anything about this band, but when I heard “Non-Alignment Pact,” it scratched every itch I have for early-punk, post-punk, new wave, etc. Good luck with the first 25 seconds of that song. (Edit: Just looked ’em up — this is from 1975. This band formed from the ashes of Rocket From The Tombs. Dead Boys and The Saucers also formed after RFTT’s demise.)

Marathon was one of the best punk bands to ever grace the Rochester area. I am not the authority on this matter, but I might be right. This band is part of a long family tree of Rochester punk & hardcore from the early 90’s – 2000’s, and it was an era I never really got over. “Gouge ‘Em Out, They’re Useless Anyway” should give you an idea of what this band was on about.

If I said “new wave meets Oi! punk,” would you think it’s possible? Have a listen to “Nation” by Home Front and let me know.

From the Empire Records soundtrack, “Nice Overalls” by Lustre leans into that Hum thing without becoming too shoegaze.

Here’s a song from the new clipping. album. “Dominator” teases you — you think the beat’s about to drop, and it don’t. I plan to mix this with classic club beats.

Bear with me: The song “Retard” by Vaudou Game absolutely rips. In French, that word means “Delay.” So relax.

UFO hits us with those heavy 70’s rock riffs that we love around here on “Rock Bottom.”

Jockstrap is kind of a Portishead-ish experimental band, but “50/50” creeps into house territory. Nice.

Tay-K has a trunkthumper gangster rap jam with “The Race (ft 21 Savage)[Remix]”.

Brenda Lee’s “Sweet Nothin’s” kicks off with an “uh huh honey” that would later be sampled in a Kanye song (but we don’t talk about him much around here anymore). Her raspy voice here is what gets me.

Hey, check it out, a country song, for once! I can thank Tim Avery for “Heartbreak Mountain” by Buck Owens & His Buckaroos. Either that or an episode of The Righteous Gemstones, I can’t remember.

On the way out here, one of my favorite Irish balladeers, Liam Clancy, sings “Patriot Game” for us. If you’re ever curious about my political leanings, study the Irish perspective. A lot of Irish thought is relevant today. I’m being cryptic because I want you to seek out traditional Irish music.

Thanks for listening, my friends. The next time we speak, I’ll have some recommendations from friends on the other side of the world.

Brotherless Radio | Episode 8 | 07.18.24

Screenshot

Hi gang. This playlist thing is tougher to be consistent with than I thought. It’s all good though! Know why? ‘Cause it’s been busy with awesome things.

In May, I left my job for another opportunity that would be more suited to where I’m at in my life. But before that gig started, I went to China with my band of like 15 years to play 6 sold-out shows. When I got back, I started the new job. Just last weekend, I went to Indianapolis to play Post. festival with the band. It was one of the best shows in the states we’ve ever played.

There’s all sorts of other reasons I can say I’m busy, but I’m finally getting a chance to write some silly words about some music I’ve been digging. I had 4 hours of music picked out for this episode, and it took a while to narrow them down to 2 hours. Here it is, let’s go.

Here’s your links, starting with that dumb Spotify embedding I can’t figure out how to turn off:

Aaaaand Apple Music.

As promised, I’m slowly doing my homework on early country & bluegrass. “Walk On Boy” by Doc Watson is evidence. From here, the party really starts. “100% Pure Love” by Crystal Waters and “The Bomb!” by The Bucketheads were jammies from the 90’s that lie dormant in the back of my brain. I had completely forgotten about these, and they still hold up. Note the Chicago sample in the latter song.

My high school friend Patrick O’Leary accidentally showed me this great cover of the Stiff Little Fingers classic “Suspect Device.” Ted Leo and the Pharmacists did a fantastic rendition. Some classic rock, reggae, and hip-hop close out this block. Enter John Mellencamp, Oasis, Leroy Brown, and Dear Silas. You know I can’t do one of these without an Oasis (or adjacent) song. (Oops! That Leroy Brown song is not available on Spotify.)

“No Shelter” is one of RATM‘s best songs, and it was a soundtrack song, not an album cut. Remember “More Human Than Human” by White Zombie? I barely did, but I’m glad I heard it again the other day. “Turquoise” by Donovan tugs the heartstrings as he reminds an unnamed character how special she is, and exhorts her to be careful with who she lets see her beauty.

Story time. Paradise by Bob Sinclair is a front-to-back no-skipper of an electronic/disco album from the late 90’s, and I JUST discovered it. I urge you to check it out. The album art has a naked lady on the front. I took a screenshot of one of the songs I was listening to and posted it to my Instagram story. Right afterward, my account got a slap on the wrist for posting nudity (see: the album cover). But get this! When you search for any song from that record on IG, it will let you play the song on your story WITH the same album artwork! The audacity to slap MY account on the wrist when you are also a purveyor of the image! It’s alright. Life is a constant reckoning with your own double standards and biases, and we are all guilty of both. But still. Anyway, “Get Into The Music” is as good as the rest of the album.

I like the updated version of that one Childish Gambino album that just came out (I like the newer one too). “Atavista” is a song my Dad would like, I bet. But, back to the 90’s right quick: “The Colour And The Shape” was a killer bonus track from the Foo Fighters album The Colour And The Shape.

This next block is a bunch of music recommended to us by the crew we were traveling with in China.

Fayzz is a killer instrumental Post-Rock band, and the song “Tide” will give an idea of what they’re about. BrokenShaft is the now defunct band of one of our Tour-Managers-turned-friends, Anton. We were pretty impressed with how sick his band was. Our sound engineer, Cheng, reminded me to check out ANORAK!, a name I had heard but never tried. How foolish I was. Speaking of Cheng, he tested the sound system every night with “Stars Down” by mouse on the keys.

No Brotherless Radio is complete without some funk, new or old. An old co-worker I miss terribly, Reece, showed me “Nobody But You” by Brainstory. “Eldorado 1997” is one of the silliest songs off of Manu Chao’s legendary album Próxima Estación: Esperanza. While we’re traveling the world, Mdou Moctar is a guitar genius hailing from Niger. His new album Funeral For Justice is not to be missed.

Last year, Rick Froberg of many influential LA-area punk bands passed away at 55. I’ve been thinking of his work lately, and Hot Snakes has been in heavy rotation. “Six Wave Hold-Down” is a favorite of mine. Next, some Tom Waits and a silly song by Jimmy Dean. But wait! I’m not done with the Hot Snakes family tree! “All Hits” by The Night Marchers reminds me of the kind of song The Bronx would write.

I recently revisted the Empire Records Soundtrack and fell in love with “Nice Overalls” by Lustre. I’ll follow that track up with one that needs a warning: you will 100% be offended by “I’ll Say Anything” by Devin the Dude. The lyrics are absolute smut, but the beat bangs. “Drums” by Daniel Leseman is not offensive since it’s instrumental. I can get lots of work done to this kind of track.

I found this Tom Brock track “I Love You More and More” on a Barry White compilation called Unlimited. Turns out White produced this song! From here, let’s go home.

Jimmy from my band Athletics mentioned “Mailman” is one of his favorite Soundgarden songs. I take note of Jimmy’s appreciation for sludgy guitars and tempos. I also take note of the lyrics in this song. I feel helpless realizing that Chris Cornell was never able to shake the feeling he describes in this song.

D’Angelo‘s opus “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” is a beautiful 7 minute+ slow-burner. He ends this song in one of my favorite ways: just cut the track at a random spot during the climax. Given the nature of the lyrics of this song, there’s gotta be a better word I can use for the ending of this song, but alas, I don’t feel like finding it. The abrupt cut is a move that many of us first heard utilized in “She’s So Heavy” by The Beatles. I’d like to use this move in some of my own music one of these days.

That’s all I’ve got for you this time. There is so, so, so much music that I like, and I can’t seem to compile it all in 2-hour playlists quick enough. What a cool problem to have, yeah? Mucho amor. Talk to you next time.

Brotherless Radio | Episode 7 | 3.14.24

Shoot my dudes. I’m over a month late on getting this out. It’s been busy! The band is going to China in less than 3 weeks, and I’m starting a new job when I get back. Some seeds are growing, some are beginning to bloom, some are just being planted. Here’s some music.

Before we begin, the artwork for this episode was stolen from Eric Houppert. He took a picture of our rail of tickets at the coffee shop on a Saturday morning in 2016. It was one of the busiest days I had worked at the time, and it was so much fun. Now, operating under a different name, we get maybe twice that ticket rail on a Saturday and Sunday.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6eyyJmjHXVKH7fuCWlAnO8?utm_source=generator

https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/brotherless-radio-episode-7/pl.u-Ymb0ov5h24xpY

I sometimes start DJ sets with “Funky Thing (Pt. 1)” by Larry Ellis & The Black Hammer. It sets the tone for the kind of groove-forward, psychedelic weirdo I can sometimes be.

I will admit that I’m ready to dive into the deeper legacy of country/folk/bluegrass music, starting with the traditional to help me understand the current. I know “Jackson” by Johnny Cash & June Carter is low-hanging fruit, but I am seriously entry-level with this stuff. Be nice and help me out here. I pushed it away for so long, but I’m ready to study it now.

I’ve finally used one of my secret weapons: “Nattesferd” by Kvelertak (Kuh-vel-er-tak or tek). This is a Norwegian metal band that uses blues-based rock and roll riffs like they’re in style again (and I hope they are, because I learned guitar from a worshipper of blues rock and that’s all I can really do on guitar). This song takes its sweet time with a glorious TWO ENTIRE MINUTES, nearly on the dot, to build layers, one guitar at a time. The payoff is beyond worth it. Real freaks will notice when the acoustic guitar comes in. The verses modulate from a minor key to another minor key abruptly; specifically, three half-steps up. Or, you could see it as going to the relative major, but SIKE, it’s a minor key instead. I know another band that does this VERY well: Modern Life Is War— Another favorite of mine. Hm. Anyway the lyrics translate to something like this:

An explosion of a thousand kilos of steel
Direction Unknown country
Like a fist addressed to God is the atmosphere on fire

For the nomad there were no questions about life disappearing
Only wearing a layer of nylon skin, does he go to the edge of everything?

The light glitters with its dazzling absence
A desperate odyssey between razor-sharp cliffs
Night journey towards an unknown value
Farewell to everything you hold dear

All alone in a pitch-black sea
Ice bath in the moonlight

I already loved this song, but learning its message of existence in cooperation with nature made me even more proud to have a neuro-divergent level of appreciation for “Nattesferd” as a song. Oh, also, that’s the title of the album the song is on. Nattesferd translates to Night Traveler in English. Like the last lines up there, “All alone in a pitch-black sea.” You get it. So the album is a cautionary tale, a concept album, if you will. ok im done now

“Misdemeanor” by Foster Sylvers is “a better version of ‘ABC’ by Jackson 5” according to a friend of mine. “The Sun Won’t Let Us Go” by Cloakroom still kills me. That STP song has a totally sick diminished/dorian pattern in the guitar solo section.

I heard “Celia Inside” by The Cardigans at work one day and immediately loved it. It turned out to be the fault of my co-worker Abbie.

I’ve got a classic, some African jazz, a CCR deep cut, and a Brazilian pop/funk/rocknroll gem. Then we’ve got a gospel tune by The Clark Sisters that was sampled in a recent Jay-Z song. I just discovered that this track is not available on Spotify– sorry, almost everybody! Switch to Apple Music.

Syracuse, NY-bred Another Breath takes us into the second half this time around. I’m on a teeny tiny mission to make sure no one forgets about that band’s music, especially that last record.

“Mucky Fingers” by Oasis was written about me.
I know you know you think you deserve
an explanation of the meaning of life
YES DUDE, I DO. How do you expect any normal person to contextualize the things happening around them in a healthy way? I mean, still my favorite band, but damn Noel, I guess there are some lessons hidden in this silly, whimsical song. Fitting, coming after such a nihilistic song like “Belly Of A Whale.”

Roots reggae, a traditional Irish ballad, two underrated 80’s and 90’s jams (not in that order), and some very different examples of hip-hop. Followed by two excellent punk songs; again, two very different interpretations of punk music.

On the way out, I have two more examples of what hip-hop can be. Buffalo, NY’s Benny the Butcher just put out a record called Everybody Can’t Go. “Big Dog,” one of the standout tracks, has a Lil Wayne feature in classic style.

Finally, the producer Mustard has a great record called Perfect Ten that spawned the crazy single, “Ballin,'” with Roddy Rich that you know so well. Yes “Ballin'” is great. But were you one of the people that wondered why everyone was so passionate about the death of Nipsey Hussle? It’s ok friendo. Listen to the album’s title track, “Perfect Ten (yes ft. Nipsey Hussle)” and take note of the higher-calling-yet-sensible nature of his lyrics in this song. This planet doesn’t get a rapper like that all the time. Oh, also take note of the fact that the beat never drops. Jeff’s kiss. 🤌

I have another episode ready to go. I just need to find another night when I’m not exhausted or have plans or “should-be-working-on-something”ing myself into the void. Love you guise, and make wise Life Decisions™️.

John /// Brotherless

Brotherless Radio | Episode 6 | 1.22.24

One flower for all the times
You make my heart bloom
I fit make garden for you

Hello from the midst of a *somewhat* restful break from the world. This is Brotherless Radio, Episode 6. Both the playlist and my little free-form essays are the “episode” I guess. No personal stuff this time, let’s get going, eh?

Here’s your links:

Brotherless Radio | Episode 6 | 1.22.24 (Apple Music)

Brotherless Radio | Episode 6 | 1.22.24 (Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6OpfSWfh9r12PT4UxRMnAg?utm_source=generator

I just found out Joe Walsh of The Eagles was a member of James Gang. We’re kicking off with “Funk #49” by James Gang, which sounds like “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins mixed with Led Zeppelin riffs. Zeppelin coming in a bit, hang tight. Not losing steam, “Riri” by Young Miko always sets it off. I can’t confirm if she’s sampling at least part of the “Teach Me How to Dougie” beat. An esteemed colleague pointed this similarity out. Good catch.

“You Can’t Do That” by The Beatles is the kind of Beatles I like best, minus how the lyrics get a bit too harsh for comfort in Year of Our Lord©️ 2024. The legendary Johnny Osbourne‘s “Dub Plate Playing” should be on your “I’m trying to get my friend to dig reggae” playlist, but more like as one of those tracks to show how far back the reggae tradition goes and how every era of reggae has *chef’s kiss* stuff. And that song only goes back to 1980. Ok, anyway, please pay extra close attention to Mannywellz‘ falsetto vocals in the chorus of “So Good.” Dude’s got a gift right?

I never hear anyone talk about Serious Klein, and that bugs me. This dude puts out exceptional music consistently, and being that consistent is really impressive, so why isn’t anyone talking about Serious Klein? ”Every Thursday” bangs.

I first caught wind of the electronic band The Comet Is Coming through Mike D’s (of Beastie Boys) Apple Music radio show Echo Chamber (in fact, that show influenced a lot of my music taste within the past 5 years or so). Their track “Summon The Fire” is super fun. ”On My Mind” from the Diplo & SIDEPIECE collab record is a favorite in my DJ set list. A little funk closes out this block. Mary Jane Hooper‘s “I’ve Got Reasons (Instrumental)” has everything I want in vintage funk tones.

I know Pitchfork is no longer cool after being acquired by GQ within the last couple weeks, but they did reveal this record that totally missed me. You guise remember trip hop? Like from the 90’s? Portishead, Massive Attack, etc? This group called a.s.o. put out a self-titled record in 2023 that I didn’t catch wind of until December. Check out “My Baby’s Got It Out For Me” and you’ll discover that trip hop is alive and well in the early 21st century.

I was carrying a fire
But now that’s going out
I have no words
For how cold it can get
In this old universe

“Doubts” by Cloakroom is the only song Garrett was crazy about in the band’s catalog. He’ll get there, folks. ”What I Am” by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is making sparks go off in a long-dormant part of my brain. This song bangs so much harder than I thought it did when I was a kid and it was on the radio a lot. I LOVE when that happens.

“Only You” is the title track to Steve Monite‘s 1984 record. Check out this over-the-top string of words I found on the internet about the album: ”(Only You is) hailed as the holy grail of 1980’s Nigerian funk by contemporary critics and record collectors…” I mean, they’re correct; the album is a legend both musically and in lore. Before I stop ranting about Steve Monite (yes there’s more), let me point out: the actual song “Only You” is actually pretty juvenile and funny when you look up the lyrics. Sorry if that ruins it for you.

RVG and I have been talking about that new Spiritual Cramp record. I’ve repped SC many times in this series, but no music from them this time around. However, Rory recently challenged me to get into UK Subs as a way to hear, in real time, the lineage of where a band like Spiritual Cramp can develop their sound from. I also don’t have a UK Subs track on this playlist, but check out this Sham 69 cover of their song “Borstal Breakout.” How’s that for an annoying way to bring up 3 punk bands?

“Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2” by A$AP Rocky still hits even 8 years later. How many classic samples can you find in “Stutter (Pro Remix)” by Mystikal & Joe? Let me know, nerds. ”Moon River (From Breakfast at Tiffany’s)” as performed by Audrey Hepburn & Henry Mancini (yes, directly from the film) is our interlude for a little breathing room before we kick off the latter half of this show. This version of this song relaxes me every time.

I am standing at the root of my truth
In the crossfire of love
With no time to compromise
Feels like end times.

Modern Life Is War is a force of nature in the hardcore world. ”Feels Like End Times” is a more recent song from a series of singles called Tribulation Worksongs. This deep into their incredible catalog and storied career, they’ve written one of their best songs. The gents still got it.

Altin Gün is no stranger to Brotherless Radio. ”Yüce Dag Basinda” is another great example of their diverse instrumentation and funky bass riffs. Apparently Chase & Status are pioneers of the underground UK electronic scene. I don’t know much about that stuff, but I’m happy to have come across “Badadan (feat. IRah, Flowdan, Trigga & Takura)” recently. This track’s beat drop was making the rounds as the best moment from their Boiler Room session. Remember Deee-Lite? ”Party Happening People” will always bring a smile to my face and get my feet movin’.

I promised Led Zeppelin. Here’s “Immigrant Song.” They’re riff masters, but they can groove too. Jimmy Page’s riff is more of a bassline, and I love it. On “James Baby,” Stro Elliot wants to show you what you can do with James Brown samples if you try hard and believe in yourself. Kleenex (their original name, later renamed LiLiPUT) is about as lo-fi sounding of a new wave / punk band as you can ask for. This Swedish punk band’s track “Nice” checks all the boxes of “weird shit” that I like looking for.

“Do It At The Disco” by Gary’s Gang is as fun as it is cheesy. Some of the instrumentation admittedly sounds like it should’ve been used in an Austin Powers soundtrack. M.I.A.‘s newest record has bangers as usual. ”Beep” is one of ’em. Conservative Military Image is one of the greatest band names I’ve heard in a while, and “Oliver Kahn (feat. Liberty and Justice)” is one of my favorite songs I’ve come across from this skinhead style punk band. Their band name does not mean what you think it means.

Good times
Turn to hard times
But baby girl, don’t cry
This time is our time
One chance to live
We gotta make it right
One day we’ll die
Big kiss goodnight

A little break after skinhead shit: “Give It Up 2 Me” by Ojerime has the ability to transport my mind. That’s enough of a break, innit? Next is the classic opener to Trapped Under Ice‘s must-know record Big Kiss Goodnight, “Born To Die.” ”Sticks and Stones” is a reminder of just how great The Zombies were (or still are? They have a very recent record out and it’s actually quite good.) ”Papa ?” by Hocus Pocus rides the line between sexy, funky, and boom-bap.

“The Roc (Just Fire)” by Cam’ron ended up on here for how hard it is, and maybe because us Rochesterians don’t mind confusing Roc-A-Fella Records shoutouts with Rochester, NY shoutouts. Apparently Liam Gallagher & John Squire are coming out with a collab record and touring this year. No announcements yet, but tweets from Liam are abundant, for better or for worse. ”Just Another Rainbow” is a silly example of what to expect from the Oasis vocalist & Stone Roses guitarist.

“Gyöngyhajú lány” by Omega has been sampled in Kanye West’s “New Slaves,” after which, all the music dorks I follow unearthed this excellent 60’s Prog Rock band. For which I am thankful.

I leave you with “16” by Baby Keem. This was my favorite song for several weeks after The Melodic Blue came out. I could hear this chorus on repeat over and over again. I feel like a free and honest soul when I hear this chorus. Don’t ask why, I don’t know either. It’s a fantastic melody with honest lyrics. Sue me.

Keep loving yourself. Be honest with others. Show all of yourself. Eat a butt. See ya next time.

John /// Brotherless

Brotherless Radio | Episode 5 | 12/22/23

Hiya. Listen up nephew I wanna talk to you before we get goin.

It’s been about 6 or so years since my brain turned itself upside down. It was gradual to everyone else, but I remember the day. The moment, the morning, the day off that should’ve been spent sleeping in. I thought by now, I’d be in a different place and would understand this whole life thing. I still don’t get it, nor do I understand the primary allure of it. But one thing I’m always proud of: even in the face of the above sentences, I keep going. Comically, keeping life moving is like my own form of protest against life itself. It’s true jester behavior. Whatever keeps the wheels moving though, right? Guys?

In the words of Angus Bethune,


I’m still here, asshole.

Welcome to Brotherless Radio, Episode 5. The Angus soundtrack, actually the movie itself, helped inspire some of this episode. Here’s your links:

AppleMusic: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/brotherless-radio-episode-5-12-22-23/pl.u-LdbqojvtbDkLV

We’re starting off funky as shit with this Mark Ronson track “Feel Right (feat. Mystikal).” Remember Clipse? No? Pusha T‘s duo before he went solo? Well this track “Cot Damn” should give you an idea of what this group was about.

My roommate and bruhther Kyle got me into Thin Lizzy recently (his guilty pleasure, now mine). ”She Knows” reveals more to this band than the proverbial boys being back in a figurative town. Or vice versa.

I’ve got a couple tracks from my beloved Angus soundtrack. ”You Gave Your Love To Me Softly” is a Weezer B-Side from the Pinkerton sessions. ”Funny Face” is far from the best song by The Muffs, but Kim’s “ahhhhh” in the chorus still crushes me. Maybe because it reminds me of the movie, and the movie reminds me of some of the earliest lessons in my life. May our sweet Kim Shattuck rest in peace.

A little funk, some new pop with those super fast jungly breakbeats, and a Juice WRLD track round out this section, followed by the classic “Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson.

The only time I feel alright
Is when I’m into drinkin’
It sort of eases the pain of it
And levels out me thinkin’
It’s a long way from Clare to here
It gets farther by the day

I’ve annoyed anyone who will listen to me talk about my love for – no, fixation on – Irish ballads. Jim McCann’s rendition of “From Clare to Here” is my most recent favorite Irish ballad. It’s a song about emigration. The original composer of the 1976 song, Ralph McTell, was working in London on a building site with an Irishman named Michael. Ralph told him “it must be strange to be in London after the place you come from.” Michael responded, “Yes, it’s a long way from Clare to here.”

And now some rap. One of Kid Cudi’s hardest tracks. LaRussell laughing his way through his own admittedly silly verses. Aesop Rock carrying Blockhead‘s track.

And now some R&B. That snare on this early Brandy track. The desperation in lyrics so specific that it’s kinda weird in Arlo Parks‘ “Weightless.” J. Cole kicking off Summer Walker‘s EP with a gentle verse (read as: Audio Hug) exhibiting humility, praising her.

My best friend Mike and I have a rating system when we send each other music. We rate a song we receive from the other on a scale of 1 to 5. The best part is the secret “6” option. If you add a song to a playlist, it’s an immediate 6 out of 5. Mike sent me “Squad Up” by Street Life & Method Man, and it was a quick 6. After a dub sample masterclass we have the first track (and title track) off Everclear’s best record, So Much For The Afterglow. If you’ve never heard this record in its entirety, it’s very worth it. The drums are perfection, both in terms of performance and production, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“Better Off This Way” is Spiritual Cramp‘s third appearance (maybe fourth?) in this silly series of playlists / blogs. ”Rochester Fast” by Who Decides is the newest Rochester hardcore anthem. See lyrics at the bottom of this post. If anyone can teach me the best way to play “Coup D’etat” by Refused, send me a video. I have a suspicion the best way is to just practice more, which is not the answer I want to hear, thank you very much.

Zach West (you’ve heard his music here before!) showed me husband&wife, specifically because we talked about awesome drum sounds (yes we were talking about the drums on that Everclear record.) Recognize any samples in “Sirens” by Adrian Younge? Let me know when you get it.

“Nights In White Satin” by Moody Blues is one of my favorite songs of all time. The choir in this song does not sound of this world. It scares me a bit, in fact. I hadn’t heard this song in so long. When I finally heard it again, it felt like a sleeper cell had awoken in me. Not a Russian spy, I promise.

Sampha, Glassjaw, and then an homage to Small Brown Bike‘s Travis Dopp. Travis recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. SBB perfected the blend of emo and punk. I’ve chosen “Scream In Silence” for the weird rhythms, catchy polyrhythms, carefully thought out harmonies oscillating between the low-hanging-fruit of major thirds and then to tritones ON PURPOSE, and overall performance on every instrument. Without SBB, there is no Polar Bear Club: one of the all-time greats around Western NY.

“Through his music, Trav wanted to lay bare
every part of his being to connect with you
all, and to hopefully make us all feel less alone.”
– message from the surviving members of Small Brown Bike

My longest running band Athletics has awesome stuff happening very soon. I teased this recently, and I still can’t publish anything about it, but I’m pumped enough to remind you what we sound like. ”III” is getting a ton of action lately. We have no idea why the algorithm overlords picked this song out after 11 years. The song is off of our 2nd record, Who You Are Is Not Enough. It’s written as one long song, and each “song” is more like a “movement,” as in classic musical terminology, hence the Roman numerals as song titles (movement I, movement II, bowel movement, etc). This is album is our best effort. There I said it.

A couple ballads to see us out. 6LACK‘s “Stan” shows up on another playlist that doesn’t exist except in my mind called “Songs I’ve Cried My Eyes Out To Like A Small Baby Child Many Many Times.” ”Dead In The Water” by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds only exists as a “Live At RTÉ 2FM Studios, Dublin” version. This first-take live performance need not be recorded again. I couldn’t imagine this recording another way. It’s the imperfections of the fleeting live experience that make this recording feel so intimate… urgent, even.

Anyway. Here’s the lyrics to “Rochester Fast” by Who Decides. I’m still here, asshole.

Riding a coattail or riding a dick
It must be a hard fucking choice
Tough act to follow, hard pill to swallow
You must be losing your voice
Tired of working, tired of lurking
Tired of coming in last
You need some of that good Rochester fast

If you don’t want it then you shouldn’t have asked
You know we got it and it’s gonna go
These motherfuckers blow it straight out their ass
‘Cause there’s only one thing to do
Rochester fast

Future cops stuck in the past
Get ready for Rochester fast
Not here to stay, not built to last
Get fucking real
Rochester fast

Brotherless Radio | Episode 4 | 11.14.23

Success is obedience to a structured way of life
Can’t ignore the structure ’cause we’re all within its sight
Gonna find you

Hiya. John checking in from Rochester, NY with another batch of songs I think are cool or interesting. Episode 4, bb.

This one took a bit to nail down. I didn’t realize until I was almost done compiling these songs that there’s a lot of sadness in this playlist. I suppose it’s not unknown that I enjoy sad songs, but I’m glad that I found a bunch of fun songs, too. Hopefully you’ll also find some fun with this episode.

Against my better judgment, I did something a bit different this time. I’ve received some feedback that the styles of music are all over the place. This is correct! The order of the songs is intentional. I just wanna make sure you don’t hit a long streak of songs you don’t like, ya know? But alas, I can take feedback. This time I arranged all the similar genres together and made sure to transition you smoothly to another genre. No more whiplash for you, ok?

Except now the streaks of songs you don’t like will probably be way longer. Pick your poison dude.

Here’s your links:

Shoot, I guess Spotify automatically embeds on WordPress now. So I guess there’s the whole thing on Spotification.

Aaaaand here’s the AppleMusic link which doesn’t automatically embed I guess. I’m learning this along with you, yes.

Brotherless Radio | Episode 4 | 11.14.23 – Apple Music

FUNK SONGS

I have an intro track before we get going. In fact, I have a few intermissions this episode. “Mexican Dream” by Italian composer Piero Piccioni kicks us off like the opening credits to a film. The funk block has some “baseball organ” sounds which I’ve always loved. Jimi Hendrix’s Axis: Bold As Love is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums. He’s not known as a funk artist, but you can hear some funk guitar and drum techniques in some of his recordings. Example on this cool deep cut called “You Got Me Floatin’.” “I Know” by Dionne Farris was a song I haven’t heard in easily 20 years that graced my ears again recently and activated some core memories. I’m doing a cover of this one ASAP.

ROCK SONGS

“Come On Outside” by Noel Gallagher has been getting me through it lately, even if some of it is a bit silly. Swedish stoner-rockers Graveyard bring us “Twice,” which would be a punk song if the drums had a different groove. I love that– it’s the drummer that decided whether this was a stoney blues song or an early punk song; a testament to how much power a drummer has. So cool.

More grunge and punk adjacent stuff, topping it off with “Deliverance” by Magnitude — the heaviest song here by A LOT. It’s a song about determination. Bump it at the gym or while selling reverse mortgages or whatever you normal people do.

INTERMISSION: I’m watching Our Flag Means Death on Max. It’s so stupid. I love it. “The Empty Boat” by Caetano Veloso was in the closing credits of an episode. This song uses being out at sea as a metaphor for loneliness. Great song for a pirate show.

More rock and/or roll music. Some ska and punk, and a forgotten gem from Sixpence None The Richer. Did you know they have more than that one song? Be honest. Alright, and one of the best songs I’ve heard this year: “Starchild” by Sweet Pill.

“Rockin’ My Paw” by Summer Salt reminded me of some of the vocal harmonies on Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin records. I recently discovered that Creed Bratton (yes, from The Office) was in a psychedelic pop band in the 60’s. You’ll recognize “Let’s Live For Today” by The Grass Roots. Yep. That’s Creed’s old band.

But I can’t say it like I sing it
And I can’t sing it like I think it
And I can’t think it like I feel it
And I don’t feel a thing

I’m regrettably showing you TWO Pedro The Lion songs. “The Fleecing” is one of my favorites from the whole PTL discography. It’s a dude in conversation with a stranger about spiritual stuff and silently noticing how he once again can’t relate to anyone.

INTERMISSION: I’m reading a book called To Shake The Sleeping Self written by this guy who biked from Oregon to Patagonia with his friend. They accidentally became Instagram famous for this. Before they cross into Mexico, they’re crashing with a friend who knows a lot about Mexican culture. Concerning music, he tells the adventurers, “Vicente Fernández! He is El Rey de la Música Ranchera! The king of ranchera music. He’s like a cowboy Sinatra. Just go around singing ‘Volver, Volver.’ You’ll make friends everywhere you go.” And so, my friends, may I present to you, for better or for worse: “Volver, Volver” by Vicente Fernández. A few more wacky tracks followed by…

HIP-HOP / R&B SONGS

Lots of nasty language comin’ up. “Must Be” and “Best Time” are mostly safe and totally rip. “Lol” by Black Milk & Danny Brown is unnecessarily hard while “Big Dawg” by Moneybagg Yo, Sexxy Red & CMG The Label is unnecessarily hilarious. I’ve got a little boom-bap and some laid-back rap before the last intermission.

INTERMISSION: “Lockjaw (feat. Jim Lang)” by VOID (no, not the legendary 80’s DC punk band) sounds all too familiar. If you’re creeping up on your 40’s like me, you might’ve grown up watching Hey Arnold! Jim Lang, featured in this melancholy jazz tune, scored all the jazz/funk music for the Nickelodeon show. I have no idea if he played electric keyboard, saxophone, or both on this track. Remember the Lockjaw episode in season 1? The one where Arnold and his Grandma rescue a super old turtle guy named Lockjaw from the zoo where he was miserable? This track is another version of the main motif in that episode, featuring the man himself.

WRAPPING IT UP

I first heard this second Pedro The Lion song 15 or so years ago. Ironically, it was a friend from a devoutly Catholic college who showed me this brutally tortured ballad. “Bad Things To Such Good People” wrestles the same stuff David Bazan can’t get out of his head (or lyrics).

“Rain When I Die” by Alice In Chains is our send off. This song is a great example of Jerry Cantrell’s songwriting style: big, nasty riffs with a wah-wah pedal. Giant, melodic, open-stringed choruses topped off with the late Layne Staley’s unmistakable, aggressive, but simultaneously gentle vocals. I’m told “the rain” in this song is supposed to represent a cathartic release, but idk man. I love sad songs. I love this song.

Send me music you like. Show me stuff you think I haven’t heard before, especially if there’s a cool story. I hope you got something out of this playlist. Talk soon.

Brotherless | John

Brotherless Radio | Episode 3 | 10.12.23

I go to the Clyde
I mourn and weep
For satisfied
I ne’er can be

Then I write her a letter
Just a few short lines
And suffer death
A thousand times

Hi friends. I’ve got something cool potentially happening with a certain band I’m in that has been together for like 14 years. I’m hoping I can begin telling you about it within the next few of these episodes. In the meantime, I’ve got music inspired by some recency. I went on a beautiful trip to Scotland with my Mom and my sister, Lauren “Lowie” Cannon, enjoyed some new music, and got the covids. In fact, I bring you this transmission as I prepare to emerge from a much shorter quarantine than I remember from the last time I got Covid-19. Yeah I also don’t understand.

As if me ranting about music isn’t boring enough, let’s do the boring stuff first. Here’s the links to Episode 3’s playlists:

Spotify – Brotherless Radio | Episode 3 | 10.12.23

AppleMusic – Brotherless Radio | Episode 3 | 10.12.23

Alright. “So Tell The Girls That I Am Back In Town” by Jay-Jay Johanson is the song you want playing while the credits roll in your next feature film. I mean, I actually thought I found this song from hearing it in a TV show, but I can’t find info about what it could’ve possibly been in. Anyway this song rips. I am overjoyed to kick this episode off with this absolute destroyer of a slammy jammy.

High Vis put out one of the best punk/punk-adjacent albums of 2022, and “Trauma Bonds” is easily one of the best songs on the record. Usually what happens is you hear the intro and you go “ok yeah The Cure thats coo.” And then Graham starts singing and you go “OH SHOOT. Yes chef you have my attention.”

You’ve heard Spiritual Cramp here before. “The Erasure” is the first track from their 2018 LP, and it reeks more of Talking Heads than their more aggressive releases after this LP. It’s important to get to know this band since you’re going to be assaulted with their music once their self-titled LP comes out this November.

“Rumors” by Club Nouveau is one of those songs from the year I was born that makes a long-dormant memory light up in the back of my head. Let me know if you can find the line that didn’t age well. TWO of my favorite songs of all time are with us today. One of them is “Mirroir Mirroir” by Desire. I can’t explain it very well, but the song is so catchy and simultaneously so awkward that it’s relatable. Like, who needs rhyming, right? Just get to the point, and oh by the way the point is actually weird as hell. Amazing.

Look at the artwork for “Remember Me Ballin’ (feat. Gangsta Boo)” by Indo G. It’s so bad. That’s how you know this track is top tier.

“Black Is The Colour,” specifically, this live recording by Christy Moore, is the other of my favorite– sorry, favourite songs of all time (Yes, I also hate myself.) I took a visit to The River Clyde in Glasgow while I was in Scotland with my family and reflected on the line where the writer visits The Clyde, where he suffers his own emotions, the worst fate of all. No one is sure who actually wrote this poem that later became adapted into a song, but nerds (see: “scholars”) agree that it is of Scottish origin.

I did promise I’d get a bit heavier this time around. This Baroness track kicks off their newest record, and what a snare fill to do it with. Negative Blast‘s Echo Planet came out a while ago now, and it’s STILL one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2023. “Carbon Copy,” featured here, is an untouchable song.

“Slide Away” by Oasis. I used to sing this song to my nephew when my sister and brother-in-law were on dates and the rest of us couldn’t get him to fall asleep. I think about how The Beatles were the rock-band-turned-lullaby-machine my parents would utilize to get us to fall asleep, and I wonder if Oasis will be that for my children someday. Probably not, but my nephew fell asleep when I sang this song, soooooo.

I saw City and Colour with my longtime pal and former bandmate Lydia, her sister, Emma, and my cousin, Kathleen in Columbus in April, and more recently listened to a ton of City and Colour with my fam on our Scotland trip. “Weightless” is one of his stranger tracks. Shoutout. “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” by Don Williams, now here’s a song I know I heard in a TV show! I’ve been watching The Righteous Gemstones, and it’s exposing me to really great country tunes that I never would’ve given the time of day to.

Pleasure is a hell of a band name. A song called “Bouncy Lady” is a bit over the top considering the band name, but this jam is just way too fun. Pool Cosby is also a hell of an artist name. Check out the masterclass in sample-based composition on “Saturday Morning.”

Ya’ll know they recently arrested Duane “Keffe D” Davis for being involved in 2Pac‘s murder, right? If you’ve watched all the documentaries and poorly made 20/20 style programs about Tupac’s cold file, you’ll recognize this name. I don’t know as much about the case as others, like the people that run @truthabouttupac.movement or other organizations, so I’ll stop right there. But “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” has always brought a tear to my eye. I’ve told friends who know that I have some hippie-dippie tendencies that I think Tupac had the gift of prophecy, and of course songs like this aren’t very good proof of that, but I can’t help but wonder if he knew. We’re still mourning, not just his death, but also the circumstances of his death, the darker latter part of his life, and some of the things his lyrics thankfully brought to the popular psyche.

and anyway,
for all the things you know
tell me,
why does the river not flow?

“Its a Banguh” by Redman utilizes the classic boom bap sound I can’t get over. I watched this beautiful lady play an acoustic version of “The Riverboat Song” by Ocean Colour Scene at one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh (The White Hart Inn, est. 1516) on our last night in Scotland. I had never heard it before, but that chorus sounded like I’ve known the song my whole life. Every time we DJ together, my brother-in-law, Jeff, always plays “Polaroids” by Jay Prince before I can. No man it’s cool you go ahead. In fact play “Reel It In” by Aminé before I can too while you’re at it.

MC Lyte with “Cha Cha Cha” for some 90’s flavor of course. “Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky (From Now On)” by Lee Dorsery needs no explanation. Even no-bass-player-havin-ass-organ-havin-ass-dorks-(see: “scholars”) The Doors can get funky with “When The Music’s Over.” “Get Away” by Cloak/Dagger is a punk masterpiece, even from a harmonic standpoint. I love analyzing why some of the chord choices in this song work so well. I can’t explain why I still love Smash, the penultimate Offspring album.

NEPOTISM ALERT: Zachary West & the Good Grief has Zach of course, and a bunch of other friends in it. “Something About Closure” is the spitting image of a perfect GUK-style fast emo song from the 90’s. 46 seconds. A triumph indeed.

I also can’t explain this Sango track. This sample is so busy, wild, and exotic. That’s all I needed. I went into my oldest DJ playlists to find “Weg da” by HOTBOY CHADO & NARU. These two tracks back to back, followed by “Back In” by Kuttem Reese, my nephew’s current favorite song? That might be my best 7-and-a-half-minute run I’ve had yet.

I recently discovered this great crusty band called TRISTE. “Joke’s On You” is both tough and fun, but also look at that album art, oh shooooooot thats mysterious, right? We’re in the home stretch now, I promise. Saiming‘s “Woof Meow” should chill us out a bit. I truly hope you enjoy this Lijadu Sisters track, “Life’s Gone Down Low.” It’s a reggae song, but the vocals are giving Motown, and the execution is perfect.

I’m closing this one out with a masterpiece by the criminally lesser-known punk band Transistor Transistor. Most of their music was faster, disjointed screamo-adjacent punk. “Pillar of Salt” has more metal, even doomy qualities than the rest of their catalog, but done with 2nd Wave Punk guitar tones. I never get to hear that kind of marriage, and I love it. You can barely understand the lyrics, and it doesn’t matter. You have felt the way this song sounds many, many times.

If I ever see that city again
I’ll turn into a pillar of salt
I hope I rot

Enjoy. Talk soon.
Brotherless | John

Brotherless Radio | Episode 2 | 09.19.23

I write you, my friends, from Newark International Airport during a 5-hour layover on my way to Scotland. I wanted to make sure I got this done before the trip truly begins, and I suppose 5 hours is plenty of time. Welcome to the second installment of Brotherless Radio.

Here’s yer links, as usual:

Brotherless Radio | Episode 2 | Spotify
Brotherless Radio | Episode 2 | Apple Music

I’ve had an emotional few weeks, and this playlist may be reflecting my emotional state, whether this was conscious or not. Of course there will be some upbeat, fun tracks (Ozomatli’s “Cut Chemist Suite” or Jungle Fire’s “Movin’ On”), but otherwise, expect the sound of a raincloud chasing you down. I’m trying to outrun it myself.

Remember the Tom Hanks film That Thing You Do? We’re kicking this one off with the song that plays during the credits: “I Need You (That Thing You Do)” by the fictional band created for the movie, The Wonders. I’ve shed many a tear listening to this song on repeat.

From there, we fly into some funky stuff: You’ll recognize an interpolated Wu-Tang beat, an absolute shredder of a track by The Bamboos, and then we come down with songs by Tennis, Tess Henley, and Latewaves. *Nepotism alert:* Some of my closest friends from my glory days living in Asbury Park, NJ play in the latter band.

I’m showing you a deep cut from the one-hit-wonder Harvey Danger, and a Beatles song that boasts one of the best guitar riffs in their entire discography. We take a trip to South America for the next few tracks before you get hit with two more songs I’ve sobbed my eyes out to many times.

“My Only Hope” by Pretty Lights should be set to 1970’s animation a la Fantastic Planet. A truly terrifying track. Tip of the hat to my best friend, Mike for showing me this one. I love it. I’ll pull you out of it with some funk, hip-hop, and modern new wave after that.

*Nepotism alert:* Heroes from my hometown of Rochester NY, Taking Meds, released one of the best songs I’ve heard this year, “Life Support,” and I needed you to hear it at least once in your life. Yes, Taking Meds made an appearance in the previous episode.

A few more rock songs, and then a trip to the Middle East with “Galgalit” by YUZ, a funky masterpiece utilizing scales we’re not used to here in the states. Basement Jaxx and Peggy Gou round out this danceable block.

You might recognize some Erykah Badu melodies in “Dreamflower” by Tarika Blue. My dad recently reminded me how sick that Chuck Mangione track is, and then we move into our final block.

I sure do hope you pick up the connection between The Misfits classic “Where Eagles Dare” and Owen‘s “Note To Self:”

“Run” by Collective Soul closes us out. This is one of their more slept on singles, and I thought it fitting since my task over the past few weeks has been to outrun from the raincloud that’s been chasing me lately.

I’m working on Episode 3 already. Expect heavier genres this time around, and lordwillin’, maybe even some fun. We can all use some, yes?

Enjoy.
Brotherless | John

Brotherless Radio | Episode 1 | 8.28.23

My friends, this is the first installation of Brotherless Radio. No, it’s not an actual radio show (yet). For now, I’m making you a playlist of cool stuff I’ve been listening to.

I typically gravitate towards aggressive sounds, whether it’s electric guitars or snappy snare drums. That’s why you’ll find punk, hip-hop, funk, R&B, reggae, and world music hybrids in my playlists. I hope you’ll find that I’m capable of coloring outside those lines.

Check out the playlist on either AppleMusic or Spotify below.

Apple Music Playlist

Spotify Playlist

I’m kicking this one off with this insane remix of “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z. There’s TWO Spiritual Cramp songs on here to prepare you for their debut album release in November. I’ve got two 90’s bands’ B-sides back to back mixed in here. My favorite YG song makes an appearance here, and the heaviest we get is “Careless Offering” by Cave In, although that new Fiddlehead song goes hard in its own way.

My nepotism is showing a bit here too: My friend and fellow Rochesterian, Jordan Moss, recently played his first show under his namesake. I’ve rarely seen a “first show” so well-attended. That night also served as the release show for his debut EP, The Point Being. I’ve included one of my favorite songs from the EP. I encourage you to check out the whole thing.

More Rochester nepotism: Please take note of that sick drum fill intro in “Memory Lane” by Taking Meds. Their upcoming album, Dial M For Meds, is coming out this week. I think it’s their time. It will be a criminal offense if this album isn’t the one that makes them one of the most well-known punk/alternative bands of the era.

Spoiler: “Naturalmente” is a strong contender for personal favorite on this playlist.

Enjoy.
Brotherless | John