Episode 21 Recap

🎧 Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 21 Recap: Foo Fighters’ Big Reveal, Mike Ness Goes Dylan, and 5 Killer Tracks You Need Now

We’ve got rock comebacks, punk covers, and pop that doesn’t suck—all in Episode 21 of Songs That Don’t Suck. Your host Mark Bradbourne is back with a fresh batch of music discoveries, a touch of Foo nostalgia, and a moment of vulnerability that reminds us all why music matters. 🎶💔

Let’s break it down 👇

🥁 Foo Fighters Introduce Josh Freese as New Drummer

The May 21st livestream “Preparing Music for Concerts” was everything fans needed—and more.
🧑‍🎤 Josh Freese, known for playing with Devo, A Perfect Circle, Guns N’ Roses, and more, was revealed as the new drummer, taking the seat once held by the late Taylor Hawkins.

But Foo being Foo, they teased fans first:

• Chad Smith of RHCP? Nope.
• Tommy Lee with P.F. Chang’s? Still nope.
• Danny Carey from Tool? Just grooming the band’s poodles 🐩😂

Then came the music—old faves and new gems, including:

• “Rescued”
• “Nothing At All”
• And the show-stopping “Under You” (more on that below)

If you missed the stream, you might still find it floating online. Go look—it’s worth it. 👀

🎙️ Brain-Bending Cover: Mike Ness – “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (Bob Dylan)

Mike Ness (of Social Distortion) brings rockabilly swagger to a folk classic—exactly how you’d want him to.

“Once you hear it, you’re like, oh yeah… that makes total sense.”

From his 1999 solo album Cheating at Solitaire, this cover is gritty, twangy, and full of heart. If you’re a Ness fan or a Dylan fan (or both), this one hits the spot 🎯

🔥 This Week’s Songs That Don’t Suck

1. Loser – “Starting Over”

🇦🇺 Aussie duo | 🎸 Rock
📀 EP: Stadium Dreams on a Bedroom Budget

“Great straight-ahead rock song… gravelly vocals, great guitar work.”

If you dig this track, the rest of the EP keeps the same energy. Definitely worth the full spin.

2. Portugal. The Man feat. Black Thought & Natalia Lafourcade – “Thunderdome”

🌎 Genre-blending brilliance
🧠 Featuring:

• Black Thought (The Roots)—legendary flow
• Natalia Lafourcade—Mark’s new vocal obsession

“I’m staying out of the ‘best rapper’ debate, but… I lean Black Thought.”

Portugal. The Man pulls off another wildcard collab—and it works.

3. Bully – “Change Your Mind”

🎤 Chicago-based (originally Minnesota)
🎶 Genre cocktail: Indie, grunge, punk, pop

Bully (aka Alicia Bognanno) has been evolving since 2014, and this track threads together raw grit and refined hooks.

“Earlier stuff is raw punk. You can hear how she’s matured—really cool mix.”

If you like this, dig through her full Spotify catalog.

4. Isabelle Dumas – “Quarter Life Crisis”

🧒 Only 19 years old
📍 San Francisco Bay Area
🎧 Pop with a rock edge

“This one’s definitely my favorite of her releases.”

For a teen artist just three songs deep, she’s got a remarkably developed sound. Keep an eye on Isabelle—she’s just getting started. 👀

5. 🎸 Featured Track: Foo Fighters – “Under You”

💔 Emotionally raw, beautifully written
📀 From upcoming album But Here We Are

Mark doesn’t often highlight the heavyweights… but this one? This one wrecked him.

“Lyrically, Dave Grohl and the band have captured exactly how I still feel to this day.”

Mark opens up about losing a dear friend in 2000—and how this song brought that grief flooding back. It’s a vulnerable, powerful moment that reminds us what this show is really about: music that matters.

🎧 Grab some headphones, take a quiet walk, and let this one hit.

Until next week…
Tell someone about the show. Send a song to a friend. Turn it up loud.
And most importantly—
keep searching for and listening to songs that don’t suck. 🎧🔥