Recently, I texted a friend I’ve known since around age 11. Our exchange was sparked after he listened to episode 96 of the Planet LP podcast (link below), which focuses on new music. As we chatted, it dawned on me that back in the mid-70s, as tweens, we were both huge KISS fans – that was pretty much our entire musical taste at the time. But, when you flash forward from then to now, it’s interesting to see how our preferences have diverged as adults. He’s very much stuck with his hard rock roots, while I find myself constantly trying new genres and pushing my musical boundaries. It’s not always a smooth ride, though. Indeed, in a moment of peak “old man yells at cloud” energy, I sent him this message:
Maybe I’m not alone in feeling like it’s difficult to keep up, but when I do glom onto something that catches my ears, I will shout from the rooftops that these are songs or albums well worth your time. So, this is me shouting from the rooftops about some songs that have made me sit up and listen with the kind of enthusiasm and energy I had (mumble, mumble) years ago.
The Call, “Welcome To My World” (YouTube) Wait. Didn’t lead singer and songwriter Michael Been die on August 19, 2010? How can this song (released in January 2024) be a thing? Well, the remaining members of The Call are mixing songs from sessions that will be released under the title The Lost Tapes. This is the first song from the collection, and while it’s not quite at the level of “The Walls Came Down,” “I Still Believe,” or “Let The Day Begin,” it is pretty strong. Been’s not exactly in top form vocally, but he’s close – and the emotional wallop he brings to The Call’s music hasn’t diminished on “Welcome To My World.” The Call was part of a wave of very earnest bands like U2 and Simple Minds – and very earnest performers like Peter Gabriel. They had some success but never caught on like their contemporaries – which has left The Call with the status of an underrated band. Underrated or not, I think “Welcome To My World” is a fitting coda to The Call and a reminder of the kind of evangelical emotional power they brought to their music.
Ward White, “Continuity” (YouTube) While we are on the subject of underrated, may I introduce you to Ward White’s latest single, “Continuity.” White is a sly, funny, and gifted storyteller. His lyric writing has been compared to Elvis Costello at times, but personally, I don’t see it. To me, I think he shares a quirky, view-askew way of looking at the world that David Byrne does at times. “Continuity” is a prime example of unconventional storytelling. I’ve been listening to this song on and off since I got an advance copy of the album, Here Come The Dowsers (Due out May 17th), and “Continuity” is not only the lead track but the album’s first single. And man, can White tell a compelling tale in a short amount of time. The opening line not only hooked me, but it had me chuckling – as White’s songs sometimes do. To wit: The pause was a little bit pregnant/When we gave him the news about his elevator shoes/Spanish Andy did not clock in/And the overnight orders went home with him/Can we offer you a loaner pair from the lost and found? Later, we find out that the shoes are an important part of a film starring Burt Reynolds (On set he’s Mr. Reynolds, and don’t call him Burt). Without the continuity of the shoe size, the stunt double’s job to take a fall could be problematic since Burt is taller. But the story goes even deeper by mentioning the hard life of a stunt double the lack of equity for most folks in Hollywood (This business only rents, it doesn’t own). If you’ve been watching Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV on Max, you know how people in power can take advantage of those with less power and exploit them in all sorts of ways. In the song “Continuity,” White doesn’t focus on the lurid side of Hollywood. Rather, he spotlights the physical and emotional damage the system metes out to all the contingent workers who make the stars like Burt, um, sorry, Mr. Reynolds shine (All the fractures and concussions/And the Christmases Alone).
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis, “That Thang” (YouTube) Back when the Average White Band had a (mostly) instrumental hit in 1975 with “Pick Up The Pieces,” it was novel that a (mostly) instrumental funk/jazz-ish song could have such a mass appeal. So, when I first heard “That Thang” by The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis my mind tried to fit what I was hearing into some kind of time machine for a reference. While “That Thang” isn’t as funky as “Pick Up The Pieces,” it is a very solid song that is labeled as jazz but has roots in rock and funk. For those who don’t know The Messthetics, they are from Washington, D.C., and have released three albums since the group formed in 2016. While I do like jazz music (mostly the stuff that came out in the late ‘50s and ‘60s), many current jazz artists tend to rely on older forms, making the music less adventurous. With The Messthetics, their energy is infectious, though not entirely groundbreaking. Still, I give them a lot of credit for invigorating jazz music by doing what the genre is known for: fusing disparate styles into a uniquely American kind of music.
And while you’re here, have a listen to Episode 96 of the Planet LP podcast:
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