Mood.
Here’s what we’re listening to this week.
Reconciler “Never Fade Away”
Sam: Despite being baptised in the Edmonton backyard couch fires of orgcore, I recently realised that I very rarely seek out NEW bands that could have played Fest 10. Great news, Josiah! This band could have comfortably fit onto an afternoon bill at Loosey’s between Luther and Arms Aloft. This isn’t manager music. This isn’t particularly Pouzza-friendly. This is Just Fest Stuff.
Jos: Okay first off I would love to talk to you about the Pouzza lineup… why is Wavves playing? Why is the Sub Pop-signed Alvvays offshoot (who have a shirt featured in the Law & Order Toronto commercial) Kiwi Jr. playing? Did they run out of barbacks named Yannick who love D4 too much? Is your culture becoming hipster? Okay clicking through here I see some wretched “Canva free trial” album art, and I know we’re (meaning Sam’s) back. That is some crazy bad art. And the distinct lack of urgency in the playing gives major Orgcore vibes. Some guy pushing his voice with barely any aplomb. This is definitely Framed Gigposters Up in the Condo music.
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis “That Thang”
Sam: Of course we’re all only listening because it’s ½ Fugazi (pronounced the Atom and his Package / pod way) but I’m glad we are (not sure how to feel about Atom’s “The Palestinians Are Not The Same Thing As The Rebel Alliance, Jackass” at present, however). The two songs that have been released from this album so far are both righteously sick vibey groovers, but I’m sharing this one because it’s driving me into fits of ecstasy that the rhythm section of Fugazi put out a promotional early single called “That Thang.”
Jos: Aging is so terrifying, and despite how eternally cool they once seemed, the members of Fugazi are aging terrifyingly (though not nearly as poorly as those Atom lyrics, which seem like something that would have been too spicy for Free Punk Lyrics). It doesn’t really surprise me that they’d have a song called “That Thang,” but it does surprise just how much this sounds exactly like a song called “That Thang.” Other than their penchant for appropriation hats and NPR, I still thought of Fugazi as being Fugazi. But this really does sound like appropriation hats and NPR. Maybe they’re actually aging perfectly. OMG the video looks soooo nasty. This is awesome.
Chuquimamani-Condori “Know”
Jos: This album is from late last year but I think that’s okay, especially because I keep listening to it. Musically, there’s a lot going on, and it really does reward repeat listens. I could have chosen “Eat My Cum,” but the real place to start is “Know,” which builds a Temple of the Dog sample into a beautiful mess. This is exactly what my inner soundtrack sounds like at any given moment. Welcome to Jos.
Sam: Damn yeah it’s just like trying to do the pod again. Really wonderful art, too. I stopped writing and was just kind of luxuriating in it. All the extra sounds make me feel like I’m playing Tetris Effect: Connected a little too high and thinking about meaningful things. Maybe I miss being inside Josiah’s mind.
Mk.gee “Candy”
Jos: I think Mk.gee is a buzz band type artist (a buzz boy?) because everyone seems to be tweeting about him a lot. And he definitely has had a stark glow up in his press pics, going from looking like someone who does YouTube guitar pedal reviews to now being someone who looks vibey and mysterious. Which matches the music really well, because it kinda sounds like if Justin Bieber had started reading Gorilla vs. Bear, then fallen into a RateYourMusic hole. It’s like disgustingly wet sensual guitars, eerie production, and just this soulful white boy belting it out. There are probably a lot of contemporary comparisons, but it also kinda reminds me of that one year where PBR&B was definitely a thing, as was yelling at music journalists for calling it PBR&B. People don’t really drink PBR as much these days but it’s still got some of that Autre Ne Veut vibe to it.
Sam: Dude I don’t know if you noticed but the house beer here last week when you came by for Supper Bowl? PBR. Always keeping that Nostalgia, Ultra dream alive (or, you know, Fest). I am really not enjoying this and I’m kind of annoyed you’re making me listen to it. Do people we know like this? A quick Twitter search reveals you are the only person I follow who is buzzing about this boy.
Machine Gun Kelly “dont let go”
Jos: And now we go from Mk.gee to MGK. Do you understand? Do you see what I did there? Do you want to pause and think about it for a little while? You bet your ass that if MGK has new music, it’s going in here. I think MGK has more of a grip on my psyche than blink ever could. I loved blink too hard until they became cringe, but I’ve powered through the initial MGK cringe and now I’m just straight up a fan. This is all old news, obviously, but I listen to this new simple piano song and I just love it. It doesn’t sound bad to me. It’s just a grown man feeling sorry for himself. Just like me.
Sam: Devoted pod fans will remember that I miraculously found an MGK shirt at a thrift store in Montreal the day of our (disastrous, pod-ending) trip that included a screening of the MGK movie (beautiful, life-affirming). Wore it for the first time since last weekend when Josiah and Sara were here, won’t wear it again until the pod reunion at Fest in five years. This is actually pretty good lol.
Had to add this one at the last minute. sparkling Caleb is goated.