Music

This Week’s Heavy Rotation #14

“Never say never”

Note: Each week I take a look back at my playlists and share songs that were either played the most, got stuck in my head, or just stood out. Many are new to me, but there are old faves mixed in as well.

My wife and I recently started binge-watching the series “Halt and Catch Fire.” We’re late to the party, but if you’re not familiar with the show, it follows the general arc of the PC revolution, starting in the early ’80s. That in itself is a fun story arc, but the music selection is fantastic (I’m pretty sure I heard Wire in a recent episode?).

I’ve also found myself really noticing the ways the characters are consuming music. In one scene we see Gordon programming while listening to headphones similar to the picture above. In other, Cam is waiting in a parking lot listening to a Walkman. Having done both, watching it feels seems foreign and familiar all at once.

All of that’s to say that the way we consume music changes with time/technology. So too the ways we share it and talk about it. But our love for sound is timeless. I first heard one of the songs on this list on vinyl. Another on CD borrowed from a friend. And still a third was shared on a social media platform (Medium) by someone I haven’t met in person. It might sound silly, but I think that’s amazing. On some level, I hope you do too.

With that said, here are my Top 5 songs of the last 7 days:

Lone Justice-Sweet Sweet Baby

A few days ago, I wrote about the band’s lone (sorry!) hit “Shelter.” In that piece, I posited that one of the reasons the band never saw the recognition they deserved was that they pivoted far from their first record.

To be clear, both albums are fantastic, if vastly different from one another. This track is off the debut and is a foot-stompin' good bit of kicks rock.

Sweet sweet baby mine I want you round me all the time Cause you know you make my soul sing And the bells in my heart go chime chime chime

The Avalanches ft. Leon Bridges-Interstellar Love

A definite gift from The Riff! Terry Barr included this in a recent edition of his American Crisis Playlist. The looping sample of The Alan Parsons Project’s “Eye In the Sky” is particularly ingenious.

This made the cut after I inadvertently clicked on an almost 11 hr. loop of the track while working and didn’t realize it for quite a while.

That Dog- Never Say Never

In the early 90’s world of purity tests, being the daughter of a music mogul could be Sisyphean. No matter how good your sound was, people would often dismiss it out of hand due to your name. Lead singer Ana Waronker is talented enough as it stands. Having 2/3 of the Haden triplets in your band just adds to the magic (Petra went on to play with bands such as The Decemberists, and Rachel played with The Rentals, among others).

Admired by those that saw through the white noise and dismissed by seemingly everyone else, the band split in 1997, but not before putting out the fantastic Retreat From the Sun album and scoring a minor hit with this.

Not for nothing, I saw the band play Retreat in its entirety at 2017’s Riot Fest, and it sounded as new then as it did 20 years prior.

Altın Gün- Yüce Dağ Başında

Amazon Music decided I would like this, and they were correct. To be honest, this sounds like something equally at home blasting out of the Hollister store at your local mall, or the car next to you while stuck in Istanbul traffic. 20 year old me would’ve sneered at a comment like that. Middle-aged me means it as a compliment. It’s catchy AF.

I’m pretty sure this is a love song but I honestly have no idea. I’m also not sure it really matters. Good music is universal that way.

Lord Huron- Meet Me in the Woods

This song recently turned 6, but I heard it for the first time earlier this week when a friend used it on an Instagram story of theirs. It’s a beautiful song about ugly places, but I now associate it with kayaking & peaceful mornings spent on the water.

How long, baby, have I been away? Oh, it feels like ages though you say it’s only days There ain’t language for the things I’ve seen, yeah And the truth is stranger than my own worst dreams The truth is stranger than all my dreams Holy darkness got a hold on me

Extended Play:

Art of Noise- Legs

On my home from work Sunday Afternoons, I usually have 2 radio choices; The local college radio station, or one that runs replays of “Rick Dees’ Weekly Top 40” episodes from the '80s. This week the former had dead air, so I switched, and heard this. I’m not sure I’d heard Art of Noise in probably 20ish years but wound up adding this to my running playlist as soon as I got home.

What’s on your lists this week? Favorite record? Download?

As always, a huge thank you to all of everyone here at The Riff-easily the most engaged community on this platform! We’re closing in on 450 people in this community, and it’s fun to watch and be a part of.

In case you missed last week’s list: