Do you regard this man with respect, or disgust?
I don’t have anything quite as viscerally disgusting as my nail-biting horror story last week. (Although I will add, a friend reached out to confess that he actually swallows his fingernails whole so as to not leave them strewn about the couch. I won’t say who to predict his identity. Just that he lives in Wodonga, Australia.) But I do have something pretty disgusting to share. And I know what I say about it is going to make Sam mad at me. And I really can’t wait. But you’ll have to read through to the bottom of the newsletter to find it.
Until then, here’s something pretty mean I thought of that is an insult on both of us:
Look at that beautiful Grok logo.
Here’s what we’re listening to this week.
The Callous Daoboys “Lemon”
Sam: This is a band that continues to get more and more interesting every release yet I was still not expecting “what if Sugar Ray covered Depeche Mode’s ‘It’s No Good’” to be part of the rich sonic tapestry of their forthcoming album. There’s something so exciting about seeing this band fill in the “yo now we love Squarepusher” gaps in the later Dillinger catalogue with their own set of wholly different influences. Honestly cannot wait to hear the rest of this.
Jos: It’s weird how Sam-type guys (like the one in that pic at the top) have two different bands they could be referring to when they say “Dillinger,” and they’re both ultimately pretty bad in their own right. Carson from this band was one of the first people to get truly into the pod. In fact, Carson even started a Fall Out Boy podcast inspired by the pod, and we were both invited on to it. But we’re gonna need a large briefcase of money if you’re ever gonna catch us both on mic again….
Paris Texas “mudbone”
Sam: What is Devo used the n-word (but they were allowed, so you’re not imagining something fucked up to be clear)? It’s “mudbone!” This whole EP is super sick but this song really feels like a deeply contemporary cut from Are We Not Men and I hope one day it becomes the theme to a great future MTV clip show I’ll watch in a hotel.
Jos: This is one of those glib Sammy statements where I likely would’ve tried to do something to edit in the past. Like, “hey maybe let’s rephrase that or edit it out because it feels a little scary to read out of context.” But at this point, who cares? We’re just two guys who can’t even find each other on Gchat these days because life is so crazy. Maybe we deserve to be cancelled. Oh what sweet relief.
fish narc “can you ever really know?”
Jos: Posting this cautiously…. I’m not too sure about this one. This person “fish narc” used to be involved in “GothBoiClique” which, if you weren’t desperate to appear “in the know” you might not have known, was an emo rap collective. But he’s gone fuzzy wuzzy indie and signed with K Records. (Even though his K debut was in 2023, this is the one everyone keeps talking about as having K vibes.) He keeps talking about Beat Happening and Mount Eerie, but let’s be honest — this album is mostly just Weezer-lite alt rock, usually hitting some kind of Joyce Manor zone. Some songs are better than others, and this one is quite great. But it doesn’t have the K fingerprints on it, imo.
Sam: Because I just can’t trust anyone who isn’t essentially the same person with the same interests they had at 16, this sucks (even though it’s good). Is this what the kids are doing now? Ooh I do like it. But no. I can’t.
Yves Jarvis “With a Grain”
Jos: Now here’s some shit that’s getting multiple replays in Jos land. As you know, I’ve been blabbing about Yves Jarvis for years, and my boy has hit another new high on his new album All Cylinders. The opener really shows you what you’re getting into — it’s a sick jam that starts fully in-situ, then gets to a kind of galloping part, with some delicious electric guitars around the 51 second mark. And then it just keeps vibing in all directions.
Sam: I told Josiah I would get this done Friday but I’m writing on Sunday. I’m a bad friend, but I have sooooo many good excuses. But perhaps this was meant to be, because this is dream Sunday music. Wow I love this. This person wasn’t a soundcloud rapper at any point right? I would actually forgive them.
Lust for Youth & Croatian Amor “Dummy” (ft. Purient)
Jos: I’m not sure if it’s just some kind of free association with certain people I’ve encountered or if there’s something there, but I definitely associate Sacred Bones with like, toxic hardcore scenester guys hahah. And yet I kinda FW it still. Lust for Youth in particular is just such a fantastic New Order ripoff, and this new album with Croatian Amor expands on the sound. It’s like evil hipster guys who refuse to admit they accidentally just made an album as The xx. Listening to toxic club music at home while sipping seltzer in the early afternoon hits hard.
Sam: Honestly more nice Sunday music. Looking at the rain, my dog is sleeping, I just finished an apple. One day I’ll go out at night again. You know it’s really amazing to me how late in life I discovered that Croatia is a beautiful seaside paradise and not, you know… the way Croatia sounds. Happy for them.
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma “The Milky Sea”
Jos: Before I make Sam mad at me, I’m gonna ease him in with this soothing 20-minute ambient track. To be honest, I’ve been a JCL head for a while. I’m pretty sure I saw his old band Tarantel open for Explosions in the Sky at the Croatian Cultural Centre (same venue where I’ve seen Simple Plan, MxPx [twice], Reach the Sky, Yellowcard) and I could barely make out the sounds because the air conditioner was so loud. But it seems like he’s about to drop a full-on masterpiece with his upcoming album Gift Songs. I’d say this is pretty maximalist for an ambient track, but the drums are going a looong way.
Sam: I like to think I would have got this done on Friday if Josiah hadn’t sent me the link with an apology and 20 songs already written about, but that’s probably a lie. Happy to see the good country of Croatia mentioned once again! If I move on now I might get this done before the baby wakes up, and we can get this newsletter out today.
KILL KARL “I’M A METALHEAD, BITCH!”
Jos: Okay sorry Sam. I’m really sorry. You know I love you. I tell you too often at this point. But I think no matter how you reply. No matter what you say to me. No matter what you project. I think that deep down you like this. I think if you had never met me, never had my saliva-drenched giggle in your ear, never felt the need to prove some bonafides that ultimately don’t matter in the first place, I think you’d happily bump this. And I think that’s beautiful. I was tempted to share the TikTok, but that doesn’t include the second verse. So you really need both. Enjoy.
Sam: You know what. I didn’t. I felt really confident telling you to fuck off. But then the actual chorus came in. And honestly. It’s kind of fun. It’s bad and I hate it and oops you fucked up Josiah the baby’s awake I gotta go!!!!!!!