🎙️ Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 5 : Samba Grooves, Dentist Rock, Leanna Firestone & the Ultimate Geography Playlist
Welcome back to Songs That Don’t Suck, the music discovery podcast curated by your favorite aging Gen Xer and resident drum geek—Mark Bradbourne. This week’s Cliff Notes version (aka the music-free edit for non-Spotify listeners) is packed with:
- ✨ New music recs for real humans
- 🤘 A story about divorce-core at the dentist
- 🎤 An Artist Spotlight on indie darling Leanna Firestone
- 🌍 The Top 5 Songs About Places voted by you!
So plug in your headphones, grab a coffee (or something stronger), and let’s dig into the good stuff.
📍 First Time Here? How This Works:
Each week, I:
- Dive into 300–500 new songs from Spotify’s latest genre playlists.
- Listen to 30 seconds of each.
- Curate only the best of the best for your listening pleasure.
🎵 This Week’s New Music Picks (Mood: Melancholy Meets Meaningful)
1. beabadoobee – “The Perfect Pair”
🇵🇭 Born in the Philippines, raised in London
🪘 Built on a samba groove that’ll catch your ear
🎙️ Silky-smooth vocals + romantic melancholy
Even if it’s not a new release (Spotify glitch?), this one hits, especially if your mood is somewhere between sleepy and wistful.
🎧 Dentist Story Time: Divorce-Core & Rock ‘n’ Molars
I went to the dentist. The playlist? SiriusXM’s The Bridge. AKA: Divorce-core—sad, soft-rock anthems by Sting and Rod Stewart.
🎙️“Why don’t we have rock and roll dentists?”
Instead of soft ballads during tooth scraping, how about Rage Against the Machine while you get that crown fitted?
Petition incoming.
2. Death Cab for Cutie – “Pepper”
🎶 Classic Death Cab: poignant lyrics, clean structure
📀 First album was 2005; this new track proves they’ve still got it
A standout from their latest record. If you liked Soul Meets Body, you’ll vibe with this too.
👩🎤 Artist Spotlight: Leanna Firestone (ft. Jenna)
Mark’s daughter Jenna returns for a deep dive into singer-songwriter Liana Firestone—a rising indie-pop artist with TikTok roots and a gift for blending heartbreak, humor, and storytelling.
🔥 Album Highlight: Forward Slash
Tracks like “Diet Coke / Inside” and “Just Attention / Patterns” deliver split perspectives in one song—perfect for those of us who feel two things at once.
🎧 New EP: Public Displays of Affection
Lovey-dovey, yes—but still introspective and quirky.
- “Reincarnation” explores karmic love
- “God and the Government” is lyrically hilarious (and painfully relatable)
🗣️ Jenna: “I love sad girl music. But I want angry girl music back, too.”
🧠 Mark: “She’s got Ani DiFranco energy. And that’s high praise.”
📌 RIYL: Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, early Taylor Swift
3. Dave Matthews Band – “Madman’s Eyes”
🪕 OG warehouse member here 🙋♂️
🎼 Features Middle Eastern chord progressions (shades of “Minarets”)
🔊 DMB fans—this is the comeback track you’ve been waiting for
The new album is on the way, and this track hits all the right notes (literally and nostalgically).
🧠 Music Industry Rant of the Week: TikTok Stars Can’t Tour
Today’s viral artists are skipping the foundational steps—like live gigs—before hitting the big stage. Unlike DMB, who gigged at frat houses for years, many artists now struggle to perform.
✍️ Pro tip: No amount of streams = stage presence.
Also, if you’re writing lyrics with AI tools… we need to talk. (Or throw hands.)
4. Edie Bens – “Head Over Heels”
🇬🇧 From Wales, based in London
🎙️ Gorgeous vocals + a well-built pre-chorus (a lost art)
👏 Extra points for real gig photos and actual musicianship
This track stuck with me all week. Solid songwriting from an emerging voice. One to watch.
🏆 Top 5 Songs About Places: Listener Picks
We asked. You voted. Here are the top 5 Geography Songs submitted by listeners:
- 🥇 “Country Roads” – John Denver
- 🥈 “Omaha” – Counting Crows
- 🥉 “London Calling” – The Clash
- 🏙️ “New York State of Mind” – Billy Joel
- 🌾 “Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
Ever heard a bar in West Virginia sing “Country Roads” after a March Madness win? Goosebumps.
📣 Housekeeping & How to Support the Show
- ✅ Rate & review on your favorite podcast platform
Got feedback on the new format (music mixed with commentary)? Hit me up. I’m all ears.
Until next week, as always…
🎙️ “Keep searching for—and listening to—songs that don’t suck.”
– Mark
