🎙 Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 33: Tiny Venues, Satanic Doo-Wop, and Five Killer Tracks Worth Your Ears
Welcome back to Songs That Don’t Suck, your weekly guide to discovering standout tracks in a sea of sonic mediocrity 🌊🎧
This week, Mark Bradbourne does what he does best—stomps through dive bars and Spotify stacks to deliver the goods. We’re talking sketchy venue acoustics, satanic slow jams, and a genre spread that swings from bluesy UK rock to industrial pop weirdness (in the best way).
Let’s dig in 👇
🎸 Fox Royale Live at Mahall’s: Good Band, Bad Acoustics, Big Heart
Fox Royale rolled into Cleveland recently, and Mark was there to catch them at Mahall’s 20 Lanes—yes, the venue that also houses a bowling alley 🎳 and used to have a concert room in its basement called The Locker Room.
“They played in a space literally called ‘The Apartment’—a former apartment unit turned venue. It had hardwood floors, no sound baffling, and a tiny PA. It was…a vibe.”
Despite a rough audio setup, the show was intimate, fun, and highlighted by a goosebump-inducing unplugged performance of their unreleased track “Panic Attack.” Stay tuned—Mark’s betting this one hits streaming soon.
🎤 Bonus: Mark chatted with the band post-show and might be cooking up an interview episode 👀
🎧 Brain-Bending Cover: Anna Mae Kershutt – “Tom’s Diner” (Suzanne Vega)
Big thanks to UK listener Dipesh for sending this one in! A gritty, off-kilter spin on “Tom’s Diner” that messes with the phrasing and strips away the shine.
“Less jazzy than Vega’s remix with DNA, but more emotionally raw. I missed this when I covered her Britney Spears ‘Toxic’ remake in Ep. 18—glad it finally found its way to me.”
🔁 Want to recommend a cover or artist? Hit up SongsThatDontSuck.net
🎶 This Week’s Songs That (Definitely) Don’t Suck
Mark sifted through 400+ songs this week and picked five that punched through the noise:
1. 🎸 Royal Blood – “Pull Me Through”
Genre: Alt Rock / Acoustic Blues
🎧 Vibe: Gritty verse, explosive chorus
🔊 RIYL: Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys
A major gear shift from Royal Blood—this track dials back the aggression for acoustic-blues storytelling before hammering back in with a massive chorus.
“Slipping between moods this seamlessly is hard—but they nailed it.”
2. 🧨 Electric Enemy – “Panic”
Genre: Industrial Pop Rock
🎧 Vibe: NIN meets Muse in a gritty London warehouse
🔊 RIYL: Nine Inch Nails, Placebo, early Muse
From the UK comes Jim Lawton, aka Electric Enemy, layering live guitars with industrial textures and autotuned vocals used for effect, not correction.
“There’s something very 90s-industrial here—but fresh. And fun.”
3. 😈 Twin Temple – “Burn Your Bible”
Genre: Satanic Doo-Wop
🎧 Vibe: Amy Winehouse with horns… and horns 🐐
🔊 RIYL: Vintage R&B, tongue-in-cheek rebellion
Yes, it’s satanic doo-wop. And yes, it slaps. Twin Temple redefines rebellion with throwback grooves and lyrics that toe the line between theatrical and theological.
“They’re not doing shtick. They’re devout. And they’re doing something totally original.”
🎶 Also check out: “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy” and “Lucifer, My Love”
4. 🌆 Nothing But Thieves – “Tomorrow Is Closed”
Genre: Alt Rock
🎧 Vibe: Kings of Leon but with cleaner kicks
🔊 RIYL: Kasabian, The Killers, Foals
Smooth vocals, jangly guitars, and that satisfying indie rock polish make this track a quiet standout. It’s subtle, but it sticks.
“I’ve heard the name for years. This might be the one that finally hooks me.”
5. 🇬🇧 The Sherlocks – “Louder Than Words”
Genre: UK Rock
🎧 Vibe: Anthemic, guitar-forward, big energy
🔊 RIYL: Catfish and the Bottlemen, Blossoms
Back from Episode 6, The Sherlocks return with another anthem from their now-released album. The LP is already doing numbers in the UK, and this track’s all the proof you need.
“Pair this with Nothing But Thieves and you’ve got a perfect indie rock night out.”
📢 Housekeeping & Listener Shoutouts
- 📈 Podcast growth continues—THANK YOU for sharing, rating, and spreading the gospel of not-sucky songs.
- 💬 Keep the recommendations coming—Mark reads ‘em all.
💬 Final Thoughts
From hardwood apartment venues to satanic soul tracks, this week’s episode proves that great music doesn’t need permission—it just needs a platform.
“Music’s weird right now, but weird is good. As long as it doesn’t suck, it belongs here.”
🎧 Until next time…
Keep searching for—and listening to—songs that don’t suck.
