🎻 From Garbage Drums to Canadian Folk: A Genre-Jumping Journey 🚀
🎟️ Live Shows, Loose Setlists & Carbon Leaf Magic
Before the week’s music picks, Mark reflects on a phenomenal Carbon Leaf show at the Kent Stage in Ohio—his third time covering the band since launching the podcast.
💡 Why This Show Mattered:
- 🎤 No Opener: Just 1h 45m of straight Carbon Leaf
- 🎼 No Fixed Setlist: Every night is different—Barry, the lead singer, confirmed it
- 🎸 Rare Tracks Played:
- “Wandering Around” from Echo Echo (2001)
- “Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat” (first time Mark had ever heard it live)
- 🔄 Audience Requests: Fans shouted out tracks, and they played them—on the spot
❝ Newer bands, take notes. Build a catalog—and then mix it up. ❞
🎧 This Week’s 5 Songs That Don’t Suck
1. 🍁 Soulstice – Funeral Lakes
Sent in via DM from a listener (👏), this Canadian duo from Ontario brings lush folk rock vibes reminiscent of Of Monsters and Men. Blends post-punk and shoegaze with emotional punch.
🎧 For fans of: Of Monsters and Men, Great Lake Swimmers, Land of Talk
“I’m a sucker for Canadian folk rock—and this one scratches the itch.”
2. 🎹 Everything Must Go – Goose
Goose finally grabs Mark’s full attention. Intricate piano runs, tasty syncopation, studio trickery that serves the song, and just enough soul.
🎧 For fans of: Phish, Vulfpeck, The War on Drugs
“Syncopation, harmonies, and tasteful production—I’m all in now.”
3. 🌀 Shine – Return to Dust
Big guitars, bigger vocals, and grunge spirit with a mature edge. Compared to earlier releases, this track feels more produced, polished, and purposefully powerful.
🎧 For fans of: Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Dead Sara
“Sits perfectly between my ears. One of their best yet.”
4. 🥁 Things – After Cooking w/ Blue Man Group
Yes, that Blue Man Group. This EDM-inspired track stands out as a podcast first. After Cooking started as a street drummer using literal garbage as percussion—and it shows in the best way.
🎧 For fans of: Odesza, The Chemical Brothers, STOMP-meets-club
“Trash percussion + theater absurdity = hypnotic EDM surprise.”
5. 🐏 Money Now – Motherfolk
Starts folky, gets weird in the best way. Fiddles, odd vocal phrasing, playful keys, and a Modest Mouse-ish swagger. A quirky band that might just become your next deep-dive obsession.
🎧 For fans of: Modest Mouse, Dr. Dog, The Decemberists
“Unexpected + fun + a little weird = yes, please.”
📀 Extra Notes & Closing Vibes
- Each song is featured on the official Songs That Don’t Suck playlists—now covering three seasons
- Mark urges you to support artists directly and skip the beige buffet of algorithm-fed junk
- And remember: the people who introduce you to new music are gold ✨
❝ Keep it spontaneous. Keep it soulful. Keep it real. ❞
🌐 Explore More + Get Involved
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🎨 ….and I quote…
❝ Set List FM does you no good at a Carbon Leaf show. And that’s exactly how it should be. ❞
— Mark Bradbourne 🎙️
