Unlike the person above who does not appreciate our particular brand of begrudging affection, I (Sam, can you believe it) had a delightful run in with a more open-minded 155 listener last weekend when, at the end of a delicious meal at a local Italian eatery, our server quietly said to me as I was leaving the restroom “... Champagne Sammy.” I felt like someone back from the war hearing their old call sign and having a previous life flash before their eyes (this is a fine thing to say right). Moments later my friend Claire made him tell me it was all a prank because she doesn’t want my ego to get too big but I can’t be stopped. Just for the record, if you ever see me in public and want to whisper something pod-related to me as I’m leaving the bathroom – I’m super into it.
Here’s some other stuff we’re listening to this week.
Secret World “The Way It Goes”
Sam: This is what I imagine people who like Smith Street Band hear when they listen to Smith Street Band. But also what are you doing listening to Smith Street Band? It’s funny that this song is basically “what is Everclear was MAD” but I’m the precise audience for that concept and I’m loving it. They even have the “Everything to Everyone” guitar noodling around in the chorus. Oh man I’m going to listen to So Much for the Afterglow all day.
Jos: I love when you talk about whatever the “Smith Street Band” is. That’s definitely something I’ve never heard a single soul on earth say a single word about, ever, until meeting you. And I’ve still only ever heard you talk about it. On a recent road trip we gave Afterglow a spin, and it sounded like shit. I think it’s because vocals don’t age if you add a bunch of dramatic growling to them (that’s why Third Eye Blind will always sound good). Anyway, your adorable description does not factor in that this is simply a bunch of Australian guys who are detached from culture and just trying to plug in to whatever makes it down undah — a bit of modern Oi!, a bit of Turnstile, a bit of orgcore. I don’t know why because I’m pretty sure we use the same internet, but these guys haven’t realized Online Ceramics hoodies are worn by 12-year-olds in coming-of-age Netflix originals now. Anyway, the song is pretty good.
The Copyrights “Buried Treasure”
Sam: Josiah should be grateful that I avoided including new songs from both the Copyrights and the Dopamines this week, but it IS Fest time in both Gainesville and my heart, and knowing these fellow olds are still out here like punknews.org is still an active website makes me smile. For seasonal purposes I like that this song has some synths that could almost sound like a discarded John Carpenter score until they decidedly do not at all. Just squint at the start.
Jos: I love that the art is like vaguely vibey, and when you listen to the synths it almost seems highbrow until you notice the 1001 Free Fonts choices. The thing about these kinds of bands is that I just can’t comprehend how slow they’re going. I’m picturing band practice: You’re a bunch of emotionally stunted IT guys getting together to enable one another’s day drinking and rawk out. Is it just that you don’t want to verbalize that you love hanging out, so instead of making dinner plans you make the songs take forever? Is this just toxic masculinity? Also this thing about buried treasure… these are definitely Goonies guys right?
The Tubs “Freak Mode”
Jos: I mentioned this band a few weeks ago but their album is from last year so it’s ancient history in the realm of online music writing. But seriously, The Tubs is my favourite shit I’ve heard in a really long time. There’s so many hooks everywhere, and the pint-sized frontman has a kind of mystical druid-like vibe while he sings like Hootie and the Blowfish and flaunts his K Records tattoo. Seriously I think this is my favourite band I’ve heard in like 5 years. And this video is just an absolute delight. The Tubs.
Sam: That voice is like a jumpscare. Incredible tune. Incredibly Josiah. I can’t believe we have to wait until March 2025 (!!!!) for the album this song is from. That seems like a pretty intense indie rock album rollout schedule? It’s not your first rap album? I look forward to Tubbin’ my way through the spring regardless!
Yves Jarvis “The Knife in Me”
Jos: Man, I cannot believe how good this is, although I am also deeply unsurprised. I went to see Yves Jarvis (a.k.a. Jean-Sebastian Audet, the former Calgary teen that used to open for Grown-Ups who is now a soulful rock explorer) at Pop Montreal (where something really, really funny happened to me — so funny that I had to call Sam to tell him about it, but I can’t tell you), and it was really, really good but incredibly chaotic and stripped down. This new song is chaotic in a different, more ornate way with an unbelievably good music video too. This just feels like a straight-up instant classic.
Sam: Sorry to do this but the thing that happened to Josiah is so, so funny. I’m giggling remembering it. He and I had been trying to catch up for a while but I kept blowing him off because of my sadnesses and the entire time he refused to tell me over Gchat, just kept telling me he had an amazing story to tell me. Knowing that this story occurred around listening to this wonderful music is even better.
SILLY Some Plays mixtape
Jos: When I was working on the iconic SILLY album 0 Views, I realized that I finally had my hand on a bunch of clearly labelled and beautifully mixed skate-punk drum tracks. Using those, I started deconstructing my own band’s sound: slowcore music, with impossibly fast drums. I started putting the drums on indie rock songs, then I started trying out some IDM and glitch music, then post-rock, then Ned and Caleb pushed it over the deep end. There are field recordings of garbage trucks in Queens and Mile End with the drums on top. There are also SILLY style covers of songs by Built to Spill, the Counting Crows, Porter Robinson, and Smashing Pumpkins. Please enjoy!
Sam: Josiah sent this to me after I heard The Story and I realized I was probably just sad because I had been missing my required recommended daily intake of Josiah. I immediately made him send me the mp3 and not just the streaming link so I could continue to listen to it at all times. I just think it’s incredible and what it feels like to have a small Josiah inside your brain at all times, an issue that I hope plagues me the rest of my days.
I think from now on we will put this pic at the end of the newsletter so you know it’s done.