There’s basically one reason I would want to have a podcast again, and it’s just to share one gross observation/ongoing anecdote about myself, so I’m just going to share it now, scratch the itch, and be done with it forever.
Do you bite your nails? I do. Always have. In fact, I even remember my dad putting that gross anti-nailbiting sauce on my fingers so I’d stop biting them when I was a little kid. Biting my nails is essentially second nature. I suppose it’s a vice, but it just feels like living, man.
Anyway, I tend to bite my nails a lot when we watch TV shows (which is usually Northern Exposure or Columbo these days, none of that new bullshit). My grandpa used to bite his nails (and toenails — I’m not flexible enough for that) and leave the droppings behind the couch. Just lil loosies floating around the shag carpet. But that’s way too nasty even for me.
What I tend to do is bite my nails, then leave the droppings in whatever empty seltzer can I have in front of myself. Out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, sometimes a particularly long episode of Columbo might leave me feeling a little thirsty, and not wanting to stop the action and walk to the fridge, I’ll just grab whatever’s in front of me and pound it back, hoping for a sip or two at the bottom of the can.
So yes, there have been at least three or four times that I’ve swigged a mouthful of hour-old nail trimmings, spat them back in the can, and sat there in pure abject horror at myself. Has that ever happened to you?
Really great bev. I should say, we’re ready for a bev sponsor.
Here’s what we’re listening to this week.
Prism Shores “Tourniquet”
Sam: Sorry dude what you wrote about is so disgusting I’m not sure I have it in me to be like “listen to these lush guitars” or whatever. So I guess, listen to these lush guitars if you’re able but that is one of those vivid anecdotes that I know would have ruined an entire night of podcasting for me back in the day. I feel like I can taste Josiah’s nails. Wow this beautiful song is just playing through in the background while I make myself sick to my stomach with only the power of my own mind.
Jos: You did not just put the Montreal band fronted by the barista at the coffee shop closest to my house…. Now if I say something mean he’s gonna spit in (or possibly even bite his nails into) my Americano. Well, good thing I like this. In fact, it sounds pretty great — a bunch of “nowtro” influences while still having its own lil thang going on.
Ceylon Sailor “fun and games”
Sam: At first I was kind of joking – I was disgusted but I was digging in for effect. But I can’t stop thinking about Josiah drinking a tiny bit of some expensive seltzer mixed with nail trimmings, like some kind of twisted, Cronenbergian Orbitz. I’m genuinely nauseous, to the extent that I’m wondering if this is just a coincidence and I just happen to be developing food poisoning at the exact moment as writing this newsletter. Anyway this reminds me of something I’d find on an mp3 blog in the AUGHTS and I’d put on a CD-R at some point and forget about it until hearing it 20 years later when it would elicit a wave of warm nostalgia, totally unlike the warm wave I’m riding right now.
Jos: I would literally never click something with this cover art. Just straight-up wouldn’t happen. But this does have some really nice guitar tones. It sounds like Barsuk Records. I would’ve mixed the vocals a lot quieter, especially with those sweet lil riffs, but that’s my critique of everything. Turn them down! Nice lil tune tho. Sam, imagine my fingernails in your mouth.
Wishy “Fly”
Jos: I’m sure I’ll bother clicking on some new bullshit at some point, but we skipped the newsletter for so long that I have so many of my favs to write about. Wishy are releasing a new EP called Planet Popstar next month, and here’s another song from it. It’s actually really hard to explain what is so addictive about this band, because on first listen there’s nothing about this song that really grabs you. But once it’s over you’re like, damn I wish I was listening to “Fly” by Wishy right now. And the more you listen, the more you notice the details. Great vid too.
Sam: Damn new Wishy! Relaunching the newsletter is worth it as I strongly suspect I would have missed this when my media diet these days is just 20 minute increments of The Pitt. Wishy are so sick - they are one band that I know was on both of our year-end lists that were never shared for reasons we’ll never know, but I love how freaking chill this track is. I feel like new bands keep finding pockets of 90s sonic aesthetics I’ve forgotten about and this is scratching a specific Mix 99.9-type itch I didn’t even know was itchy until now.
The Tubs “Chain Reaction”
Jos: At the risk of sounding like a record-collecting oldhead (I’m only the second part), I am fully 100% bought in on all the hype about The Tubs. They’re sooooo good. I’ve been looking forward to the new album since last year, and it’s finally out today (March 7), but since I’m writing in the past, I can only write about the third single “Chain Reaction.” I think the steepest hurdle for Tubs newcomers has gotta be Owen’s voice, and this song is not gonna help — he barrels right in there like a bleeting goat. My bleeting GOAT. There’s like a tiny bit of Jello Biafra inflected into his usual Hootie drawl. It’s probably disgusting, if you’re stupid. This song is incredible, because it’s The Tubs.
Sam: Another newsletter discovery (for me), I would like to brag that thanks to Josiah’s earlier writings I even know this was coming out and have also been waiting with baited, bleeting breath. It’s so brave to sing like that. He sounds like he’s kidding sometimes except it’s so sincere. I hope this sets off a whole trend of people singing like Hootie again. We should be so lucky.
SILLY Fewer Views EP
Jos: I now fully understand the purpose of EPs. I really want to make SILLY LP2 a reality, and I have a moodboard going and some riffs, but I can’t be arsed to put pen to paper. But I did have a bunch of loosies from the SILLY mixtape, plus a glitched-out acoustic song from testing out my recently acquired coustie. So I threw them all on here. I think it’s my last chance to milk 0 Views, so let’s make it count!
Sam: We all know that SILLY released one of the best albums of last year — it’s no surprise that this EP is incredibly sick. Josiah continues to find new ways to explore the music he spent years talking about with his mouth, now with his hands also. Just perfect stuff for people who want to hear about a man drinking his toenails. Also Josiah you should add something about this artwork because it’s also incredible and the people need to know.
Jos: Good call! The artwork is by Sara. Look at this:
