🎙️ Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 55

Rock Legends, Road Trips, and Four Fresh Tracks That Actually Matter

What’s up, music nerds? It’s Episode 55—yes, we’re sticking with continuous numbering from here on out. Mark owns up to a minor but sacrilegious error (🤦‍♂️), shares a night of bucket list bliss seeing Extreme and Living Colour, and drops four fresh tracks to cleanse your Spotify of sonic sludge.

🛑 Correction Corner: Kate Bush ≠ Paula Cole

Last week, Mark misattributed Running Up That Hill to Paula Cole.
Fact check: It’s 100% Kate Bush, the queen of art-pop ethereality. Mark admits the error, owns the moment, and moves on like a true pro.

🎸 Bucket List Show: Extreme + Living Colour at MGM Northfield

Mark checked off two legendary bands in one glorious night, joined by the always-entertaining hosts of Rock and Roll Autopsy. 🎙️ If you like laughing while thinking deeply about whether a song “killed rock,” go binge that podcast after this one.

🤘 Living Colour Highlights:

• Opened with “Middleman” and never let up
• Corey Glover’s vocals? Still jaw-dropping
• Vernon Reid = guitar god-tier
• Closed with a genre-blending medley and a Prince nod 🙌
• Verdict: “I could’ve watched them for two more hours.”

🎸 Extreme’s Setlist Notes:

• Kicked off with “It’s a Monster”
• Nuno Bettencourt = 🔥🔥🔥
• Gary Cherone? Still high-energy, but vocally hit-and-miss
• Great mix of deep cuts, medleys, and new material from Six
• Missing track: “Mother” 😢

🎧 Cover of the Week:

Tomorrow Never Knows – Living Colour (The Beatles Cover)
A swirling, psychedelic reimagining that honors the original’s mystique while cranking the amps. Highlights:

• Electrified sitar nods 🎸
• Vernon Reid’s experimental tone play
• Bassline so smooth it should come with a warning
• Unsettling, abrupt ending = chef’s kiss

🔥 Four New Songs That Don’t Suck

1. From Dark to Lightness – Close Talker

🎧 Moody, layered indie-rock from Saskatchewan

• Mark opened for these guys back in 2017—still fanboying hard
• If you dig Radiohead’s sonic DNA, this is in your wheelhouse
• Lush arrangement, great dynamic builds, standout drumming
• Why aren’t they bigger? No idea—but they should be.

2. Universal Credit – Shambolics

🏴 Clever Scottish indie with a side of satire

• Beatles-level chorus hook with punk attitude
• Lyrical dialogue between broke artists and the bank 💸
• Scottish accent proudly on display—and it rules
• Mark’s already a fan (see: “Never Gonna Change” from last year)
• This band’s releasing bangers every few months. Get on it.

3. Town Ease – Liquid Mike

🎸 ’90s alt-rock meets hometown angst

• Fountains of Wayne meets crunchy garage rock
• Short, sharp blast of nostalgic indie goodness (2:12 runtime)
• Keyboard harmonies woven into the fuzz—very cool
• Lyrics about hometown malaise? Relatable AF
• TikTok recommendation that didn’t suck! 💥

4. On Your Side – The Last Dinner Party

🎤 Modern balladry with ABBA-esque vocal sheen

• Follows up Mark’s past rec, “Sinner”
• Album finally dropped—some hits, some skips
• This track? 💎
• Complex composition, no cliché ballad tropes
• Gorgeous vocal space + emotional depth
• ABBA vibes still strong in their harmonies and delivery

💬 …and I quote…

“If you’re doing what you love, it’s way better than doing something you just tolerate for the money.”
— Mark Bradbourne

🔗 Where to Connect

🎧 Stream on: Spotify, Apple, YouTube (just audio, don’t worry)
🎙️ Cross-listen: Check out Rock and Roll Autopsy for side-splitting rock autopsies 🧬

🎸 That’s it for Episode 55.
Mark might’ve only brought four tracks, but they’re choice cuts. Until next week—
Keep searching for and listening to songs that don’t suck.