🎧 Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 39: Lip Sync Lies, Toy Pianos & Crumpet Chaos
🎤 Milli Vanilli, Mic Mishaps & The Myth of “Live” Music
It’s September 23rd, 1989. Milli Vanilli’s Girl You Know It’s True hits No. 1. Mark takes us back to a pop-tastic cassette Christmas… and a career built on deception. 🤥
While Milli Vanilli’s infamous lip-sync fail ended their run, today’s artists can fake it and rake it. But Mark’s not having it:
“If you can’t do it live… you can’t do it.” 👏
He shouts out Taylor Swift for keeping it real on the Eras Tour (even mid-mic fail), roasts Train for their tragic live show, and calls out KISS for phoning it in. TL;DR: Gen X hearts want their music raw, real, and in the moment.
🧠 Brain-Bending Cover of the Week
🎵 “What a Fool Believes” – Self (Doobie Brothers Cover)
What happens when you recreate a classic soft rock hit using only toy instruments? You get Self’s Gizmodgery—an album that defies logic and delights the ear.
“Unless someone told you, you wouldn’t know this entire thing was made with toys.” 🎹🧸
The standout? A cover of “What a Fool Believes” with a toy piano that adds whimsy and warmth. Audiophile tip: listen on headphones for the full experience. Don’t sleep on this one.
📢 Podcast Shoutout: Rock and Roll Autopsy 🎶
Quick plug for Mark’s buddies over at Rock and Roll Autopsy—a hilarious, music-loving duo on a mission to find out which songs killed rock and roll. Science, sarcasm, and serious jams. Find them wherever you get your pods.
🆕 New Music That Doesn’t Suck – Week of Sept 23, 2023
Each week, Mark combs through hundreds of new tracks to bring you the best. This week? Four gems ranging from intricate alt-rock to jaw-dropping vocals.
🎧 1. “Best Case Girl” – Beeson
A breathy vocal with character, delicate acoustic harmonics, and percussion that sounds like it was performed with broomsticks and a cajon. Yeah, it’s that textured.
🪕 “It’s the kind of laid-back, cleverly produced track that reveals new details with every listen.”
This is headphone candy for fans of early Feist or Lucy Dacus with a lo-fi twist.
🥁 2. “Out of Time” – The Steelers
Don’t worry, Browns fans—this UK band has nothing to do with Pittsburgh. What they do have is a drummer who bucks formula and crafts beats that accent the mood instead of riding clichés.
🧠 “Unpredictable structure, smart drum phrasing… this is mainstream rock with a brain.”
Think Arctic Monkeys with more dynamics and less attitude.
🤯 3. “I’m a Cadaver, Alakazam” – Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Best. Band. Name. Ever. Also? Controlled chaos at its finest. Time signature changes, emotional mood swings, lyrical shifts—this track is like watching a Quentin Tarantino film on shuffle.
🎸 “It’s prog rock boiled down for the masses—with hooks.”
If you dig King Gizzard or early Mars Volta, this will absolutely blow your mind. Give it two listens. Minimum.
🎙 4. “I’m Confident That I’m Insecure” – Lawrence
Discovered via Reddit (thanks, r/Music fam), this track is a revelation. Lead singer Gracie Lawrence puts on a vocal clinic over a ukulele before the song blossoms into a horn-filled anthem about emotional contradiction.
💡 “The best voice I’ve heard in years. No lie.”
This eight-piece band blends soul, funk, pop, and vulnerability into something totally addictive. You’ll hit repeat.
📬 Let’s Keep It Real, Shall We?
- 🔁 Share the pod with your music-loving crew
🎤 And in the words of our wise announcer Zach:
“Thanks for listening. And until next week, keep searching for and listening to… songs that don’t suck.”
