If the pod saw us go from willing/begrudging acquaintances to hardcore besties, the newsletter is pushing us further back into the acquaintance zone. Without a reason to gab multiple nights a week, this lil thing called “life” keeps getting in the way of our newsletter. (Most mommy blog sentence I’ve ever typed, feels so good.) And even though it’s fun to beak at each other through the medium of the written word, it doesn’t necessarily have the same heft as it once did. All of this is to say, like we seem to do with whatever project we’re working on together every few months, we’re going on hiatus. Again. Sam has a lot of real life stuff to focus on. And I have to think of new ways to make people want to kill me on Twitter before I fully dive into Bluesky. Of course, whenever I’m bored, I eventually come up with some evil plan that ruins both of our lives for a while. So I’m sure that’s coming. But until then, this is the last newsletter for a bit.
Here’s some other stuff we’re listening to this week.
Quicksand “Radio Free Gainesville”
Sam: Delighted that on such a meaningful occasion there is a surprise new split EP from two of Josiah’s favourite bands wherein they trade covers of what I imagine are his favourite songs. I saw a photo this morning of longtime friend of the pod and occasional roving correspondent Chris Cresswell receiving the literal key to the city of Gainesville this weekend as part of the declaration of Hot Water Music Day, an absolutely magical moment that also feels like a pod riff. If you didn’t listen to our “Trusty Chords” episode or you’re someone who skipped the guest spots (rude), his story is truly the Fest Punk Mark Whalberg’s Rock Star and it’s so fun and nice and cool and I don’t think you have to be a Me to be warmed by it. Hearing Walter Schreifels belting out this stone cold classic rocks. Whole EP rocks. Hot Water doing “Fazer”? Whole newsletter should just be this split.
Jos: “The Fest Punk Mark Whalberg’s [sic] Rock Star” is possibly the least relevant turn of phrase uttered this year. Which is pretty good since it’s already November. Chris Cresswell is one of the nicest guys who’s ever done the pod, I’ve always made sure to avoid listening to this music because he’s not just like “nice guy who’s amp I want to borrow” but someone that genuinely seems great so I don’t wanna be mean. But I do have a question. How did they take a photo that looks so unspeakably 1999 for this? Like that guy’s hat, his couch-sitting stance, even the colour of the wall. This photo is trying to make me listen to a Noam Chomsky spoken word CD when all I want to do is think about Gob.
Pinhead Gunpowder “Unt”
Sam: It’s so funny that Billy Joe Armstrong can just do this. Like it’s all still there. He’s just not doing it for you and me. I mean he is, clearly, because there’s a great new Pinhead Gunpowder album. But there is nothing stopping this man from releasing a Green Day album that Josiah and I would like. Are we not the protagonists of his existence, or existence generally? Doesn’t seem right. There’s a lesson in this but I won’t learn it! And that’s why we have to stop.
Jos: We don’t even have a place to talk about this anymore but during Osheaga all of the old guys from this band sans Billie (I’m pointing out all your typos instead of fixing them) walked by my apartment while I was running an errand, and I followed them for like a full block and a half before my “what the fuck am I doing with my life” reflex kicked in. Which is honestly a lot sooner than that reflex normally kicks in. This is a really good song. I need to turn it off before I have another pop-punk phase.
Halsey “Only Living Girl in LA”
Jos: I think the defining belief that I’ve been trying to convince myself I believe these days is “all music is good and if you don’t like a song, you just haven’t heard it enough times.” Since Halsey is part of the Kelly Roll/Mod Sun clique, I was feeling a little protective when I read the stupid Pitchfork review that just dismissed the album for its marketing campaign. And then I saw Sam’s best friend Anthony Fantano saying Halsey has main character syndrome. So I decided that I would sit down and listen to The Great Impersonator with the distinct objective to like it no matter what. And it was incredibly easy, because the opening song “Only Living Girl in LA” is soooo cool. This album was recorded with Alex G, and it does have a lot of that kind of processed slacker rock vibe albeit with a mall pop filter. The album doesn’t quite reach this height again, but it comes pretty close. Make sure you listen to this one all the way through because it gets so cool at the end. This is almost the breakthrough reinvention for Halsey that Tickets to My Downfall was for Colson, and we hated that then too. It feels so good to eventually be right about everything.
Sam: Since this is my first chance to respond after reading Josiah’s introduction, I’d just like to say that I think he’s giving you the wrong impression and we are absolutely not “acquaintances.” I’m so upset that this Halsey tune is really hitting. In fact I just let it ride for a moment before another new Hal song came on – “I Never Loved You.” “If you only knew / How bad it hurt me too.” Wow. I feel seen. I really enjoyed that Halsey / Nine Inch Nails album so I was similarly prepared to enjoy this, but it really is great? Also don’t we all have main character syndrome?? Like do you honestly think ANYONE else is the protagonist of existence? In your heart? You’re a liar. Halsey only tells the truth. “And you're rambling on about the last time we fought.” Damn.
Halsey “Ego”
Jos: Since I’m the only person who takes bad music seriously, I’m in way deeper on the Halsey album than this single, but I know Sam will love it and I love it too. There was also a cool performance of it on the VMAs where they built an entire house so that they could perform in the garage. Like the album is clearly flopping, but it’s flopping so ostentatiously. I also love the chorus of this song: “I think that I should try to kill my ego / 'Cause if I don't, my ego might kill me / I'm all grown up but somehow lately / I'm acting like a fucking baby.” Halsey is so awesome!
Sam: Halsey does not look confident on that bike. I love how truly out of touch I am becoming – didn’t know this album existed, found out her name isn’t “Chapelle” Roan maybe three weeks ago (turns out she ROCKS?), still do not know which songs are Sabrina Carpenter’s but I did laugh at the SNL sketch with zero context. I actually only found out about that last (was it the last?) Halsey album when she played SNL, because I’m old! These would sound like brags if I also knew anything happening in punk that wasn’t “Hot Water Music and Quicksand covered each other!” Old! And honestly, really comfortable and happy with it. This song rocks, too. Halsey is cool. Josiah saying “I know Sam will love it and I love it too” is a very funny followup to me asking him on chat this morning if I would like Anora even though he hated it and him saying “i would hope that you don't like anora but if you do i still like you.” Our friendship will always endure.
I think from now on we will put this pic at the end of the newsletter so you know it’s done. Hopefully there will be a new mgk react image if and when we return.