Song We Like: Checkin’ Out Late by Maxpain and the Groovies

Song We Like: Checkin’ Out Late by Maxpain and the Groovies


A harder, bluesier festival kind of song for these harder, bluesier, post-festival times. This is a slightly sad-edged, fast-groove song about partying on the road, perfect for those times when you’re thinking wistfully about your beer-shotgunning days.(Featured on our #40 podcast, A Human Disaster.)

 

Song We Like: Velcro by Thresher

Song We Like: Velcro by Thresher


Post-hardcore means when you add big guitar melodies on top of monotone, distorted, driving grooves. At least that is our calculation, based on this song. John’s special pick of the week. (Featured on our #40 podcast, A Human Disaster.)

Song We Like: Trance de los Suburbios by Valles

Song We Like: Trance de los Suburbios by Valles


Cool, smooth musical experimentation. Subtle and big, jaded, just remotely, subtly hopeful: it sounds like driving through the suburbs in the back of your parents’ car. (Featured on our #40 podcast, A Human Disaster.)

Song We Like: Bad Boyz by Chris Bay

Song We Like: Bad Boyz by Chris Bay


A song about a gay orgy. With that guitar solo. And Bad Boyz spelled with a ‘z.’ We’re feeling so much relief as we welcome back a part of the past that we didn’t realized that we missed until right now. (Featured on our #40 podcast, A Human Disaster.)

Song We Like: Dysphoria by Elliott Kage Jones (Schoolboy Cubemaster)

Song We Like: Dysphoria by Elliott Kage Jones (Schoolboy Cubemaster)

Beautiful, loosely-knit sounds will lull you into maybe not noticing that this is a song about existential crisis, and the pain of shedding an old identity in a quest for redefinition. (Featured on our #39 podcast, Long Neck.)

Song We Like: Hoochie Coochie by Your Idiot Brother

Song We Like: Hoochie Coochie by Your Idiot Brother

The Black Keys meet a theater kid who knows how to play a ton of instruments. That is our speculation, but we really have no idea who or what he’s about. Your Idiot Brother is an intriguing mystery, like something from a Nancy Drew book. (Featured on our #39 podcast, Long Neck.)

 

Songs We Like: Daydrinking/Beerpressure by Scum Shots

Songs We Like: Daydrinking/Beerpressure by Scum Shots

If you’re skateboardin’, gun-totin’, and beer swillin’, then you can pretend like you don’t have real talent, but we see through you. Scum Shots is one to watch. (Featured on our #39 podcast, Long Neck.)

Songs We Like: Intro/The Drifter by the 1865

Songs We Like: Intro/The Drifter by the 1865

If you think maybe you’ve heard everything, the 1865 is here to assure you that you definitely have not. Their exploration of slavery is tense, loud and fraught, but their 21st century perspective can’t help but bring in a little humor and funkiness too. Definitely listen. (Featured on our #39 podcast, Long Neck.)

 

Song We Like: Dream Reader by Frankiie

Song We Like: Dream Reader by Frankiie

An all-female band from Canada who sound beautiful and look beautiful (that last part is not their fault). On our podcast I forgot to talk about their totally interesting high-concept video. Here it is:

(Featured on our #39 podcast, Long Neck.)