Episode 61

Welcome to Songs That Don’t Suck, with your host, Mark Bradbourne.

Welcome to Songs That Don’t Suck. I am your host, Mark, and every week I scour the Spotify new music playlists and listen to hundreds of newly released songs in search of the cream of the crop. This week I found some real gems that I think you’re going to love, but first I’ve got a couple of things that I want to talk about. First I got some more vinyl this week.

On Wednesday I went and visited the vinyl groove here in Bedford, Ohio. Funky Little Shop really liked it. And then talking with the guy, apparently they have a ton of records that they just don’t have display space for. So they’ve got it in basements, they’ve got it in storage, and they’ve got a whole like wall of albums that are $1, $2, and $3 that they’re just trying to clear inventory. Really cool shop, and I found some really great additions to my classic album collection. I got one from Miles Davis, I got a version of New World Symphony done by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, bought Killers, which is Iron Maiden’s second album. I got Pearl Jam’s 10, The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper, and Led Zeppelin’s fourth album. So the classic library continues to grow, and we’re going to see what we can continue to find. It’s kind of a fun adventure to go through the stacks and find these albums that I’ve loved for years and years.

Okay, this is really interesting, but now I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t know Bad Bunny if I hit him with my car. But I know the name, in episode nine of the podcast, I did an interview with Samantha Monroe, if you remember. She works for the Universal Music Group, and she’s a fan. She mentioned him a couple of times, both in the interview and just kind of in our communications. But anyway, I see this come across a news feed that he is suing a fan for copyright infringement for recording substantial portions of a show that he did in Utah. Apparently this gentleman recorded 10 songs, and he posted them to YouTube. And they’ve gone kind of back and forth. The guy that posted them is arguing it’s fair use of a substantial event that the public needs to know about. And YouTube’s like, well, unless you’re actually doing any kind of legal action, we can’t have a takedown notice, so Bad Bunny’s filed suit in federal court. It’s really interesting. I only know of one band that will absolutely throw you out of a show for having your phone out and recording, and that’s Tool. Most bands kind of accept that fans at shows are going to record them, and they see it as promotional content. It goes up on YouTube or wherever. They can’t monetize it because it is copy written, but it can live out there. Now what strikes interest in this story for me is that, let’s say the lawsuit does go to trial and it’s successful. What will happen to all these people who pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket to see a concert, and then they watch it through their phone screens in hopes that they can post it to social media and get some fake wins and karma and clout? I mean, imagine a world where people go to a concert to watch a show and enjoy the moment. It’d be so glorious. Now I’m sure that even if Mr. Bunny is successful, other artists will probably take the stance of whatever. It’s free promotion, right? But what if it’s a repeat of kind of the Metallica, Napster, Kerfuffle? Could it change behavior of fans at shows, or more importantly, social media platforms where this content is posted kind of far and wide? Will they be a little bit more careful about what they allow it to be posted? It’s interesting, and I’ll be kind of paying attention to see what comes of this. If anything, probably nothing. I’m sure Bad Bunny will drop it.

In other news, an Oklahoma country music station was, they’re playing Beyonce’s new track now, but not without a little bit of a kerfuffle of their own. Apparently the station in Oklahoma was being inundated with the requests to play her new song, Texas Hold’em, which is a country track. The radio station’s response was, we don’t play Beyonce, we’re a country music station. Apparently their management was living under a rock, didn’t realize they put it out. They kind of made a bunch of excuses. They said they didn’t know it existed. Their distributor hadn’t sent it to them. They didn’t have it. I mean, if only there was a digital means to be able to get music to play on the radio. Wow, what an invention that would be. But they also claim that their local listeners weren’t requesting it, which why would the Beehive be inundating a small town Oklahoma radio station to get radio play in Oklahoma? But the skeptical eyebrow was definitely raised with that one. The long story short is they’re now playing it, and I’m sure all those good old Oklahoma Cowboys are big mad about it.

If you were wondering what happened to Bruno Mars, because I was, wonder no more. There was an article in TMZ I think I saw that he owes $50 million in gambling debts to MGM, which is why he has recently signed a $90 million contract with MGM so that he can work off his debt in Vegas as an entertainer. This is very reminiscent to Sammy Davis Jr. He also reportedly had a gambling problem, and when the marker got a little big, he’d play some shows in Vegas to pay it off. Now gambling addiction is no joke. Seriously, I hope he gets some help, but it always feels really counterintuitive to be living and working in Vegas, trying to work off a gambling debt. That’s hard. And he’s got apparently reportedly allegedly other vices as well that are also eating up his money. So I hope Bruno gets some help because I think he’s an amazing performer.

And lastly, okay, come close, listen very closely. Turn down the radio if you’re not listening in headphones to anyone who is Taylor Curious. Taylor Swift is on Disney Plus, and her era’s tour movie, so when your family goes to bed, put on a pot of coffee, sneak into the basement, and spend three and a half hours with Ms. Swift. Honestly, having seen the show live in Detroit and having watched the movie, she’s a phenom. She’s an amazing performer, and it’s worth checking out. Even if you’re not a Taylor fan, it’s absolutely worth checking it out if you’ve got Disney Plus. The production on the movie itself is top notch. She is a true entertainer. She’s not lip syncing in it. And she is just having a blast on stage. It’s okay. I give you permission to go check it out. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

All right, kids, are we ready to get into some new music? Let’s do it.

The first find this week is Impossible House from Phosphorescent. It’s always interesting to me to find an artist who’s been putting out music for two decades. And here we are. Phosphorescent is Matthew Hoek, and I’m hearing a lot of different things that I recognize in other artists, but there’s a real uniqueness to his approach in this. There’s some really nice slide guitar work, which kind of gives it a little bit of a country swing vibe, but there’s a really beautiful string arrangement that adds a lot of richness to the sound. I’m guessing it’s probably a keyboard arrangement, but still it’s a really nice sonic landscape that is being produced here. Vocally, there’s moments where I feel like he’s a more understandable Bob Dylan. He’s got kind of a similar tone to his voice. He’s got a very wonderful style of storytelling in his lyrics. And having been at this for so long, I was compelled to kind of go back and listen to a couple of other tracks. He’s got one track that has 113 million streams called Songs for Zula. It’s a little more electronic, at least in the drums and the production, but it’s honestly, it’s fantastically listenable. Another track, Wolves, actually had ukulele as the primary instrument voice. And then as the track builds, I think there’s some accordion that’s there as well. Really interesting, just choice of instrumentation and style. Very different, really good stuff. So if you dig Impossible House, go check out more music from Phosphorescent.

The second find this week is Can EU Hear Me From Kid Kapichi. I know when Brexit passed, there was very mixed reaction regarding like the whole outcome of it, right? And as time has gone by, those who voted for it have seemed to regret it more than those on the other side of it. And I can safely say this is the first anti-Brexit song that I’ve heard. Artistic energy around this one reminds me a bit of the Arctic Monkeys. The title Can You Hear Me is fantastically clever because the U is actually just EU for European Union, love it, fantastic. They describe themselves as beat punk. And I was like, yep, I’ll buy that one. I really love how some of these modern bands are taking different elements of music and kind of smashing them together as influences. And then describing their genre as something on their own. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. This one totally accurate. And honestly, it’s great. If you’re looking for high-energy music, a little edgy, very clever lyrically, check out more from Kid Kapichi.

The third find stays in that high-energy vein and it’s breakout from Shade. I’ve had quite a few bands reach out to me directly through the website. But Shade is the first band that I’ve really enjoyed. I love the production quality of this recording, the mix is really well done. I love the richness in the vocals, both the lead and the backing vocals are fantastic. There’s some great counterpoint that happens between the two vocal pieces. Some great guitar work, super solid rhythm section, nothing’s overdone, nothing’s underdone. It’s just really, really solid. What more do you want from a band? Oh yeah, good songwriting, done. Honestly, really dig this track. I went back to listen to a couple of their earlier tracks and this one I feel is like where they’ve turned the corner in regard to their sound. The older stuff isn’t bad by any regard, but the production value is so high on this new single, it really stands out. So go check out Shade.

The fourth find this week is from a member of the Songs that Don’t Suck alumni. They are the commoners with their new track, The Way I Am. I am still in shock that these guys are Canadian. From Toronto, Canada, but these guys are so whiskey soaked with soul and grit. It’s amazing. They honestly remind me of the black crows and I think I made that mention last year when I found their first track that I discovered. Great Hammond organ, really awesome vocals, both the harmonies and the melodies. Great lead work with the guitar, super catchy lyrics, their new album drops in June and this is one of those bands that I feel like if things bounce the right way and somebody starts paying attention, they could be all over rock radio. They’re really that good. I’m really hoping I get a chance to see these guys live this year at some point because I feel like it’s going to be a killer show.

The fifth song this week, Speaking of the Devils, is from the Black Crows and it’s called Wanting and Waiting. Back in 1990, I had recently got my first drum set and I would put on Shake Your Money Maker. I was a huge fan of this album and I would play that album from start to finish on a very regular basis. Their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, was more of the same for me. Constant listen would always kind of play along with it and then shortly after I went to college and Amorica came out. At that point I was changing my musical taste. I was moving away from the black crows and more into my grunge and country music phase. Don’t ask. It was a weird time. But it worked. It was six days a week and country on Wednesdays. Anyway, I kind of lost touch with the black crows and I saw they had this new album come out and that the brothers Robinson had kind of made up in 99 when they did this covers album. But this is the first original album I think in 15 years. Rico from Rock and Roll Autopsy actually texted me to let me know that I needed to go listen to it. I’d seen it was coming out but I kind of didn’t pay attention to it. And when I was listening to it, I was taken right back to 1990, right back to shake your moneymaker. All that same swagger, all the same energy, all that down home goodness was there. I listened to this album a few times beginning to end and decided to pick wanting and waiting for the pod. But I could have honestly picked any of them. They’re all really, really good. The magic for me is back for the Black Crows. The vocals, the guitar, the Hammond organ, the fantastic backing vocals that made those first albums so amazing are all back and the songs are super solid. If you’re a fan back in the day of the Black Crows, it’s time to plug back in. And if you’re new to the Black Crows, enjoy some great bluesy rock.

All right, that is it for this week. As always, spread the word to your fellow music fans. Thank you so much for listening. I truly do appreciate every pair of ears that lend themselves 15 minutes a week to listen to this silly little podcast that I call Songs That Don’t Suck. You can follow us on social media if you like, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and X. Check out the website, SongsThatDon’tSuck. net. Check the show notes. There’s links to all the music on all the platforms that I talked about. It’s here so you can grab it. Be sure and go out and support these artists and… Thanks for listening and until next week, keep searching for and listening to Songs That Don’t Suck.