🎙️ Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 48
🗂️ “From the Vault”: Rare Gems, Lost Favorites & the Don’t Suckie Nominees Are In!
Thanksgiving may have dried up the new release calendar, but Mark’s not letting that stop the music. This week, we’re blowing the dust off some lesser-known but unforgettable tracks with the first-ever From the Vault episode—six standout songs from bands you’ve (probably) never heard of but need in your life.
Plus: the 2023 Don’t Suckie Awards nominees are here, and your votes count! 🏆
🏆 Announcing the 2023 Don’t Suckie Awards
Mark’s personal picks for the year’s best in each genre, all culled from episodes of Songs That Don’t Suck. Here’s a preview of the categories and contenders:
🎸 Best Rock
- Do Me a Favor – The Bites
- Caroline – Fritz Hager
- Find A Better Way – The Commoners
- I Am the Lightning – Des Rocs
- Life Support – Friday Pilots Club
🎤 Best Pop
- Eye for an Eye – Rina Sawayama
- Dream House – Kuhnka
- 23 – Lawrence
- Waves – Daytime TV
- It’s All Right – Cecilia Kasselman
🎻 Best Folk
- Find Your People – Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors
- Shoots and Ladders – Odie Lee
- Cannibal Within – Amigo the Devil
- Taking Things for Granted – Joy Oladokun
- Jim Carrey – Billy Raffoul
Winners revealed in Episode 50, the season one finale!
🎙️ This Week’s Theme: From the Vault
Due to the holiday drought in new releases, Mark reached into his deep personal archives to bring you six tracks from the past you may have missed.
These aren’t algorithm-fed picks. They’re hand-picked, road-tested, and emotionally resonant—because good music never expires.
🎵 “From the Vault” Tracks – Episode 48
1. “Consolation Prize” – Popular Genius
The band that inspired this episode.
- Found via Slacker Radio’s discovery settings back in the day
- Horn-infused indie rock with sharp vocals
- Sadly, their I Want You Back cover isn’t streaming—but this track holds up
đź“… Year: 2003
🌎 Region: Unknown indie scene
2. “Unintentional Liar” – CBDB
Proggy but accessible.
- Smart, tight instrumentation without going full Dream Theater
- Alabama-based band with a few albums under their belt
- Vocals make the complexity feel approachable
đź“… Year: 2018
🧠Vibe: Think early Muse meets Umphrey’s McGee
3. “Too Much, Too Soon” – Lama
Discovered as an opener for Carbon Leaf.
- Banjo-driven folk rock
- Béla Fleck sat in as guest—yes, really
- Criminally underexposed and now inactive, but their albums live on
đź“Ť Spotted live at The Grog Shop in Cleveland
🎻 A must for acoustic-alt fans
4. “Slow Motion” – PHOX
Underrated indie treasure.
- Haunting vocals by Monica Martin
- Saw them live at Data Night Out on Fremont Street (yes, really)
- Artistic, lush, and emotionally layered
đź’” The band broke up, but their self-titled album remains a sleeper classic
5. “The Lost Boy” – Greg Holden
Music that stopped time.
- Featured in a devastating Sons of Anarchy scene
- Turns out it wasn’t written for the show—just a perfect fit
- Intimate songwriting that hits deep
🎙️ Also featured on his reflective album My Songs and Their Stories
6. “Summer in the Sandbox” – Domestic Problems
Ska-meets-pop-meets-poetry.
- From Grand Rapids, MI
- Lyrically witty, musically tight, and fun as hell
- Also check out Ernie’s Tragic Love Affair if you like this vibe
🧠Mark’s call: “Chaotic harmony at its finest”
📲 Stay in the Loop
- 📸 Instagram
- 🎥 TikTok
- đź’» SongsThatDontSuck.net
Two more episodes to go this season. Let’s close out 2023 with music that matters.
🎶 Until next week—keep searching for and listening to songs that don’t suck.
