The The Clever Girls in the Valley Think Emmy is great

If you've never seen Valley Girl, like, totally do yourself a favor and watch it. From the opening scene of mall craze nostalgia and valley vernacular to the closing culture clash high school prom trope, this movie is pure 80's perfection. Here are just a few things that you get. A young punked up Nicholas Cage giving great blank slate Nicholas Cage type stares, hilarious parodies of 60's era hippie parenting, a high school clique based drama story, and a great soundtrack. this file host a plethora of New Wave artists like Men At Work with "Who Can It Be Now" and Modern English with "Melt With You" but it also features performances by the Plimsouls and Josie Cotton in the actual film making this a music and 80's lovers dream. There are quite a few scenes in this movie where audio and visual come together to create big screen perfection, especially with the song "Eaten By The Monster Of Love" by the oddball 80's band Sparks. The other great music moment in this film is the Josie Cotton performance near the end of the movie. However, I don't want to spoil the movie so I'll let you discover that on your own by seeing the film. Instead I am going to post the other Josie Cotton song that was used in the movie as well as the Sparks song I mentioned. Seriously though! You like, totally need to see this film!

Sparks - Eaten By The Monster Of Love
Josie Cotton - He Could be The One


I haven't been a fan of these guys for very long. I was clued in about them by a former co-worker who has excellent taste in music. We did one of those Facebook challenges, which mostt of the time I never complete, but it was fun for the few days I did do it. He suggested I check these guys out and I am really glad he did because I can't get enough of them. This might come off as sounding like an insult but I assure you it's not. The best way I can describe them is if your favorite pop punk band from the 90's sold out and became radio friendly. Now I have long since been out of the know with current music trends but I don't recall ever hearing about this band before (and you know that I am always on the lookout for music). I am pretty sure they were never played on the radio and to that I cast shame on those who decided what is hears on the airwaves. These guys are ear candy with an attitude. Their music is super pop driven, accessible energetic fun, filled with brain searing hooks and polished vocal melodies. If you are ever looking for a feeling cool don't care rock out with the car windows down rock song this is the band you want. I should also mention that one of their album covers looks like the Goonies movie poster. I mean come on...what more do you need to know.

Marianas Trench - Celebrity Status



This song is a folk rock sundae of wonderful, drizzled with Leonard Cohen sauce and topped with a sweet vocal cherry. Emmy IS great and I doubt that title is self proclaimed.

Emmy The Great - First Love


EDIT: After writing this I discovered that I had talked about this band and album a few posts back. In fact I think I ranted about my dislike of 80's music there too. However this blurb was a lot more researched so I am leaving it in and just going to post a different song from the album. Sorry for the repeat.
I'm usually not a huge fan of 80's rock music. I get that it was a time when the introduction of electronic instruments was huge and I appreciate the era for what it did for music and technology, but I just cant get around the manufactured sounds. The electronic drums beats and synths just all sound to similar for my tastes and I find myself getting bored of it rather quickly. Don't get me wrong there are some songs and bands that love from the 80's, but I would say it's really my least favorite decade. However, I did end up picking up a small handful of of 80's rock albums on one of my many thrift store runs. One of the, or should I say The The, albums I picked up is the second full lenght album Infected by The The (see now you get the joke). I have been putting off listening to it for close to half a year and this morning I actually gave it a spin, and I am not sure if it was my sleepy brain tricking me but to my surprise I really liked it. Now most might know this band best for their hit song off their first album Soul Mining titled "This Is The Day". An early morning accordion drenched tune that is a staple for any morning routine. However, the majority of their music has a darker tone. If you like bands like INXS but want something a touch more on the sinister sounding side and a little bit harder, you will really like this. On Infected in particular you can hear hints of later artists like Nine Inch Nails on songs like "Twilight Of A Champion" or Morphine on "The Sweet Bird Of Truth". It's also go a nice post punk edge most notable on the title track "Infected". There are two interesting things worth notating about Infected First is the artwork. The artwork for most of The The during 1983-1992 was done by front man Matt Johnson's brother Andrew Johnson, A.K.A Andy Dog. I really like the artwork a lot and it is one of the biggest reasons I picked up the album without really knowing what they sounded like. The single for the title track featured artwork that was deemed inappropriate and had to be edited and was eventually changed. The artwork depicted a picture of a masturbating devil. The second interesting fact is that the album was one of the first to feature the use of a film to promote the album. Every song on the album featured a video and was then released as a film, which at the time was unheard of. Not to mention that the amount of money, £350,000, was rare to be given to such a small band to create anything. I wasn't able to find the actual movie but I did happen to find this interesting 5 minute documentary from ArtBeat.TV. All in all this is a band that I really recommend delving into, I know I will for sure be checking out more by The The.

5-minute doc: THE THE’s pioneering Infected film/video album
The The - Twilight Of A Champion


I will always be a fan of math rock. If your not familiar with the term math rock it's a musical style that branches off of the indie rock tree that combines post-hardcore with progressive rock. Or another easy way to explain it is Emo Jazz. Math recognizable by it's complex rhythmic and atypical song structures. You'll notice a lot of starting and stopping with in the music and angular melodies and dissonant chords that often change and morph throughout a single song. Think bands like King Crimson and early Yes but more modern. Early influences are noted in bands like Canadian punk rock group Nomeansno and even somewhat on Black Flag's album My War. Modern examples would be Don Caballero or, one of my favorites Toe. This song is by London, UK banc Clever Girl, which is definitely a nod to the movie Jurassic Park when game warder Robert Muldoon utters those final words just before getting jumped by Raptors. While the bands mentioned above might not be as accessible to new comers to the genre of math rock, Clever girl manages to make the introduction to the genre very very easy. The band mixes jazzy melodies that feel very breezy and laid back but engaging and interesting at the same time. The musician ship is tight with great drumming and pretty twinkling guitars all backed by a soft horn section that adds a nice golden touch. It looks as if they only have one album out at the moment titled No Drum And Bass In The Jazz Room that was released in late 2018. The album is the perfect length clocking in at just over 20 minutes and the songs flow together very nicely. I tend to like to try to match albums up with the seasons, if you haven noticed by reading this blog I really like to base me music on themes, but this is one of those albums that really would fit well as a soundtrack to any season and weather condition. I will for sure be keeping any eye and ear out for this Clever Gril, unlike poor old Muldoon.

Clever Girl - Elm

Rop Bop Radio Episode 2 Part 2

If you missed my last post You might want to go check it out. This is the second part of a two part post. Or don't, you'll just miss out on the blurbs about the artists that took a long time to research and all of the hard work I did to type it up, and code it properly. It's really none of my business.

Last post I mentioned that you should give Julien Baker's cover of Modern Leper by the band Frightened Rabbit a listen. If you recall, I mentioned the track was from a Frightened Rabbit tribute album, and as odd as it seems there are actually two covers of the same song on the album. While Julien's cover was the soft and raw sound she is known for, this version is the complete opposite. It builds to this amazing loud and crashing crescendo, that really reflects the emotion of the original. Any fan of Blue October, Arcane Roots or Twin Atlantic, you'll really like these guys. straight up emotional rock with slight dark overtones. If you like what you hear you might want to keep an eye out as Biffy Clyro has a new album titled A Celebration Of Endings coming out in May, and be sure to give Frightened Rabbit a listen as well.

Biffy Clyro - The Modren Leper




Lake Street Drive hails from Boston, MA and tends to weave in and out of genres pretty flawlessly. The band started as a country band, but changed direction early on and with the help of a submitted jazz song to the John Lennon Songwriting Contest the band started their legacy. The song I chose is a modern style throwback mix of big band sound and southern rock and 60's vocal harmonies. It's one of the thightest sounding bands I have ever heard. you can tell that every musician here is an expert in their craft. The singer has a wide vocal range and knows how to set the bar on fire with a ferocious animal instinct like delivery. You might want to down a shot or two to this one.

Lake Street Drive - You Go Down Smooth




I am pretty sure I have talked about Bill Callahan before, but I just love how he can capture that laid back vibe and yet make songs that range from dark and scary to downright happy. He's got a unique style that's for sure. This is one of those songs I listen to when I am going through a tough time and I need to be reminded that I must preserver. It has a nervous rhythm and creeping strings that swell anxiously until it comes to a head with a calming refrain before returning to the eerie desolate nervousness. If you like this make sure you explore his gigantic discography including the band Smog.

Bill Callahan - Drover




I have written about Hop Along recently, and you don't really need to know anything other than they are amazing, so I am going to write something random. I hope in the future I get to see actual smart robots that can interact with you on human level. You know like the computer from Star Trek, or C3PO from Star Wars. I'd also like to have K.I.T. from night rider. Of course I'd worry about them taking over, so I'd be super nice to them. I wonder it that would be as cool as I think it is? Do I just want a friend?.... I think I need to hold a puppy.

Hop Along - Prior Things




Not a lot of people are familiar with Judy or Tommy, they were pretty obscure artists from the 1970's who dabbled in the psych/folf rock scene. Tommy Came from a more jazz oriented background and played the horn, but due to an injury he was no longer able to play. Rather than moving on from music he hosted recording sessions with fellow musicians at his house and sang on the tracks. It should be noted that singing was not really his thing, but the stuff he recorded is amazing. Judy was in the folk scene and released a few albums herself, but led a very troubled life and sadly passed away from a drug overdose. This song was dug up and re-released on Light In The Attic Records and the music while really shining in a lot of places is also disjointed and bizarre in others. It's one of those perfectly flawed albums in my opinion. The song in particular show cases that strange magic and features both Peltier and Sill's outstanding vocals, backed by a spacy twangy and twinkling guitar. This is a must listen if you like your 70's soft rock a bit on the weird side.

Tommy Peltier with Judy Sill - Time After Time




I'm not a big fan of modern country music. I grew up on late 80's and early 90's country and then it got to poppy for my taste. However, there has been a small but rising indie country scene that is bringing country back to it's classic roots. Artists like Colter Wall, Sturgil Simpson, and Jason Isbell are circling back to a time when country was a bit more reckless and twangy. Kentucky native Tyler Childres, is a prime example, with his bluegrass influenced mountain music sound. It's a breath of fresh air and I surprisingly inviting to even those who dislike traditional country music. It's become one of my recent favorite songs and it usually gets at least one repeat. Tyler was scheduled to be on tour with Sturgil Simpson, but due to Covid-19 the shows have been canceled. I want to help get his name out there a bit and show him some love. I think this is one I need to have on vinyl.

Tyler Childers - Feathered Indians




To close things out, we end with this feel good breezy pop number by Trove Stryke. Just a word of warning, if you go looking for more music by her, know that she is very comfortable with her sexuality, so here is your "not safe for work" warning. This video is pretty tame though, so no worries.

Tove Stryke - Sway




Well there you have it folks, Rop Bop Radio Episode 2! It was a lot of fun to put this together and I hope you find some new favorites. Make sure to support these artists, and if you can buy local. Oh what's that? I promised you a spotify playlist?! in the words of Michelle Tanner "You got it. dude!"


Here is the link to the playlist.

As always make sure to support these artists, and if you can shop local.

Hawkin' The Pandemic

There are so many songs from this band that I wanted to pick and I will admit that this song is not their best. The reason I picked this song is because I think it's important to have songs that you can relate to, and right now it's important to have songs that you can vent out all your frustrations too. This song is about being down in the bottom of the barrel. Broke, lost, tired, etc. The punk hip hop beat is masterfully crafted by non other than Travis Barker (Blink-182) with Rob Aston telling it like it is. The song is further accentuated with the boozy sluured vocals of Tim Armstrong (Rancid) and groaning backing vocals of Brodie Dalle (The Distillers). Despite it's down trodden theme, the song is still very breezy and light in a way. In the end, the lyrics come back to that punk attitude of staying strong and holding on as long as you can. This ain't a happy one, but it's better than some depressing old sad bastard song.

The Transplants - Weigh On My Mind




I don't write about much jazz music here as it's never really been my deal, but as of the last year and a half I have been dipping my toe into the jazz world and have found a lot of stuff I really like, along with a lot I don't like (sorry Coltrane I respect you, but I don't get it.) One of my favorite suggestion I have received is the album Chet Baker Sings. While it's not anything wild, in fact it's pretty similar to a lot of the crooner artists like Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble, but in my opinion, way better. If your not familiar with Bakers work he is a jazz trumpet player and singer from Oklahoma who rose through the ranks in the early 50's. His delicate style both vocal and instrumental earned him a place in the "cool" jazz category. Towards the late 50's his career fizzled out due to drug problems and those problems followed him throughout the 60's. He made a slight comeback in the 70's and 80's but years of addiction had take their toll on his voice, however critics do say that his most notable years of playing were between the late 70's and 80's. He passed away in 1988 in Amsterdam after falling from a hotel window. This is a very different from the indie stuff I put up, but it's a real treat. On a side note, if you're a romance doofus and reading this, this is the one to to play when you want to get intimate. *wink wink nudge nudge*

Chet Baker - Always You




I have been in the house for almost 2 weeks now due to the Covid-19 lock down in my state. I have never been an extrovert so the time inside is pretty normal for me and I have plenty to do. However, I have found myself tiring of binging TV shows and movies and now I am trying to find some interesting documentaries to dive into, especially anything about music. If you watch any music documentary during your quarantine, let it be this one. The Wrecking Crew is the story of historic legendary L.A. session musicians who have played on numerous top hits throughout the 60's and 70's yet were never really noticed by people outside of the studio. I can almost guarantee you have heard at least a song or two they played on. The list is mind blowing. While randomly browsing YouTube looking for a song to write about I saw that YouTube has the movie up for free. You'd be a fool to pass on it if you are even slightly into music history. It's really well made, unlike a lot of music docs out there with plenty of interviews and fun moments. It's even rated PG so it's something you can watch with the kids. Educational and entertaining....B-B-B-BONUS!





Speaking of being stuck inside and boredom I want to share with you readers the story of my mohawk. I was reading the news yesterday and I am sure like many, I ran my fingers through my hair out of frustration (I am surprised I am not bald at this point). Since I had yet to take a shower my hair just stayed up and didn't go back down. It was only until I passed by the mirror that I noticed it was pretty damn long and in need of a trim. I usually just go the buzz cut look in the summer and I have a clippers so I can do it myself. It's not that hard to do on your own. I realized that in all my 40 years on this planet I have never rocked a mohawk. Not even when I was at the height of my my punk rock phase in my late teens. I figured I'm not going to see anyone for a while in person, it's getting warmer, and if I continue to let it grow by the time I come out of quarantine I might look like Cousin It. If somehow I have to go back to work and be a professional, I can just shave the rest. So I put on some punk rock for inspiration and went to work.

I don't think it turned out too bad.

It's not the cleanest looking in the back, but for my first try and doing all the work myself, I think I did well. I really like the way it looks and might actually try to get it done professionally when things get back to some semblance of normal. My buddy said he was thinking of mohawking it as well and he suggested starting a mohawk covid-19 challenge. If you get "hawked" you either shave your head down to a mohawk or make a donation to a charity that needs help during the pandemic. I have no idea how to make things go viral, but I love this idea and maybe there is someone smarter than me who can do so. Look at it this way, a lot of people are going to be cutting their or someone else's hair anyway and there will probably be a lot those that go awry. So if it happens don't have a bad hair day about it! Make he best of it and have some fun. We all need to have a few laughs these days and why not help others while we are doing it. Throw on some punk rock and get to hawkin'!

MXPX - Bad Hair Day



Since most of this post is going to be pandemic adjacent, and we had a song that helped us vent our frustrations, I feel we need the music equivalent of hand sanitizer. We need to wash away that frustration and be reminded that we are a lot stronger than we think we are and are capable of overcoming tough situations. This song is a prime example of that. It's about reaching deep finding bravery, determination and fortitude. It's about staying in motion, even if it's the smallest step, when in everything is against you. That is your inner ninja. Hell, you might as well try to act like a ninja, we already look like one wearing our masks. We can all be ninjas together.

Classified - Inner Ninja (Feat. David Myles)



He lights the days last cigarette as the music faintly flows the the screen door and onto the porch like a refreshing breeze. It's dark and the tiny white bulb above his head casts a silver glow on the trees in the back yard. The night air is cooling and fresh compared to the temperature in cramped house he was in earlier. There may have been too many people for his taste, but all in all it was worth it. There would be quite a bit of clean up, but that would be for his sober self in the morning to deal with. The fun exciting energy that filled the house just an hour ago has finally trailed off. The day is ending, faculties are out of place, and in this moment he is happy and free. Now all that is left to hear is the soft rustle of swaying leaves, crickets and a familiar back beat. As he reaches down to grasp his nearly drained beverage, his hand is wet with condensation. He pays no mind as when he tilts the bottle to his lips and the beads drip onto his leg. They feel good on his skin and he has no intention of wiping them away. Just a little signal that in this moment he is alive and electric. He empties the remainder of the bottle and lets out an audible refreshing "Ahh" and clumsily walks back inside. As he makes his rounds shutting things down before climbing the stairs to his bed, he can't help but chuckle and think to himself, "This will be a night to remember."

G3RSt - Stand By Last Friday Night (Katy Perry vs. Ben E. King)

Rop Bop Radio Episode 2 Part 1

Just a word before I start this post. I am going to be making Spotify playlists out of these "Rop Bop Radio" posts. Originally I wanted to do another podcast/DJ show like I did before, but due to copyright stuff and having a loud computer the audio podcast is sort of out the window for now. But since I put in the time to make the playlist I might as well share it. So here is the deal, I will split the playlist into two posts. I'm going to try to keep the info short and sweet since there will be a lot of songs per post. think of this as the liner notes to the music your about to listen to. I want to keep things easily consumable. At the end of the second post I will embed the spotify playlist. If you have spotify and like the playlist, you can then add it to your own collection. In addition if you follow me you can see all the other playlists I have made and a gigantic playlist with every song I have ever posted in this blog! It's going to be a fun time so make sure you stay tuned and keep those ear holes open. Also if you like it or this blog, please share. It would mean so much to me. Seeing people are reading/listening really drives my motivation to create new posts. I don't get paid for this, so the only reason I do this blog is hope that someone finds a new song or artist they like. Thanks for all your support and enjoy!

Hey, all you cool cats and kittens! Sorry I couldn't help myself, I just got done watching Joe Exotic: Tiger King on Netfilx. What a crazy shit show that was, am I right?! With the current state of the world A.K.A. "Coronaville" (all props to Joey Diaz for that one) and how almost everyone is home, I am sure that show is going to win some award. It's the hot topic all over social media that's for sure. Speaking of hot topics, let's get into the music with a song. This is from the feminist pop punk band Le Tigre. If there was one word I would use to describe this band it would be strong. Everything about them has a certain solid presence, like when the cool kid walks into a room and everyone stares. The music is not your typical coarse sound either, don't get me wrong it's got attitude, but it's well polished and very fun. This song in particular is one of my favorites. It's got a nice 60's esque girl group pop flavor, with lead singer Kathleen Hanna (formerly of Bikini Kill) adding her amazing vocals. Lyrically the song is a inspiring shout out some amazing women who are movers and shakers in their industry, and a treasure trove of Wikipedia holes for the listener. This is a band not to be passed up folks.

Le Tigre - Hot Topic




Sylvan Esso is an electronic expiermental pop duo featuring Amelia Meath (Mountain Man) and producer Nick Sanborn (Megafaun, Made of Oak). Their sound remind me of a darker sounding Postal Service with female vocal harmonies that will blow you away. It's slick and crisp electronic sound is a great contrast to Meath's mumbly but pretty voice. For the love of all that is holy, make sure to look up the song Animal Tracks by Mountain Man which I know I have posted about before..

Sylvan Esso - Hey Mami



If you need reminding the Magic Numbers are a duo brother and sister indie pop band from Hanwell in west London, who have a folksy meets bubble gum pop style. Last month they cam upon the 15 year anniversary of their self-titled debut album. The album has great tracks like the soft and warm, I See You, you See Me See Me and the grand ball playwright opener Morning's Eleven. Not only do I really like this band, but this album is in my all time top 10. The song I picked leans on the more country folk side but it's a speedy number with some awesome backing vocals and guitar work that will make you want to get moving. If you are into great backing vocals that will punch you in the soul, this is a band you should

The Magic Numbers - Long Legs




This song first came across my radar as a cover by David Bazan (Pedro The Lion). I'm not going to say much about the song as I really think it just needs to be listened to. Just going by the title you'd think it's another song about unrequited love, and in a way it is...but not in the way you think. I will say this though it's beautiful in the most heartbreaking way. Definitely a thinker song. Just give it a listen...you'll thank me later.

Vic Chesnutt - Flirted With You All My Life




If the voice in this song sound familiar to you it probably because you have heard it before. This is a side project of Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Rather than Vernon's recognizable falsetto melancholy sad indie he switches it up a bit and goes for a more blues driven approach with the Shouting Matches, and it's fantastic. Excellent guitar playing, captures the blues without being encroaching into the white blues bar band territory. It's still comes at you where it counts with the soulfulness of other projects but it's a great ride.

The Shouting Matches - Gallup,NM




Julien Baker is going to make you cry. No, she's not a schoolyard bully, she is a one of the most emotionally raw musical beings I have heard. This is her most recent single, and while I am a HUGE fan of her album Sprained Ankle, this one took a bit to grow on me for some reason. I have a love hate relationship with songs like that, and know I place all blame on me not on the artist. I felt like it didn't have that punch, other song did. It has grown on me and I think it's a good, but I miss that hard hitting "oof" moment. This is a good start though and I do look forward to hear a new album by her. One song that I did like however was her cover of Modern Leper from the Frightened Rabbit tribute album.

Julien Baker - Toyko




Let's go for a dose of heavy with this trudgey crunchfest from The Dirty Nil. For some reason this song makes me want to be a brontosaurs. Maybe it's the massive sound, maybe it's the machismo lyrics, but it make me want to walk slow and knock shit over. Also, any band that name drops Husker Du is alright with me. Fun fact: I noticed that the singer for this band really likes shirts with stars on them.

The Dirty Nil - Wrestle You To Husker Du




Well that wraps it up for this post, my little boppers. make sure to stop by in a few days when the rest of RopBopRadio Episode 1 Part 2. As always enjoy the music, support the artists, and shop local. Until next time, TTFN.

Hugo and Kerrin Set Rules For Hairy Animals

This song is such a master class in sampling to make a really cool song. Hugo Kant makes downtempo instrumental trip-hop music along the lines of Portishead or Massive Attack but more instrumental. This song has it all, a dark ominous bass, hand clap infused creeping drums, glitched out keys and ethereal reverb in all the right places. Sprinkle that concoction with a beautiful meloncholy operatic sample, and a smooth jazzy horn solo that sounds like chilled out Coletrane and you have a song that gets cooler and cooler with every listen. This song really brings to mind the alien opera scene from the movie the 5th Element. If you dig chilled out beats with a bit of a dark feel then this is a guy you need to have in your music library. Makes for good quiet late night background music. Check out more by Hugo Kant at his his webpage

Hugo Kant - Low Gravity



I used to know this guy who looked a lot like Kai Smythe A.K.A. Hairy Soul Man. He was also very hairy, gifted with musical talent, a red head and kind of an odd guy. There was one time I saw him without a shirt on it was very uncomfortable...like more uncomfortable than talking to him normally. To be fair I was hanging out at his house with his roomates and it was hotter than the devils but crack. However, seeing him shirtless reminded me of those werewolf horror movies where the person is in mid transition for becoming a full on werewolf. Not quite covered in hair, but not human looking either. I feel bad for thinking that because he was a pretty nice guy, strange for sure, but nice. The guy knew music thoug and could play any Van Halen song you threw at him. He also introduced me to my favorite board gave ever, Settlers Of Catan, which he totally cheated at when he was teaching my room mates and I how to play. When I watch this video I sort of get the same vibes I got from that guy. Weird and off beat, perhaps a bit cringy, but also kind of cool in his own way.

Hairy Soul Man - Fuck Everything



Really all you need to know about this super talented woman is that she absolutely kills it when it comes to making music, but since I'd feel bad if that is all I shared about her, I will gush on about one of the most underrated YouTube musicians out there. Kerrin Connolly is a Boston based multi-instrumentalist who not only writes her own songs but absolutely kills it when covering others songs. Her original work is very lighthearted, goofy and fun, which makes listening to her music and watching her videos on YouTube a pure joy. Seriously if you don't at least smile a little bit while watching her videos you just might need to watch another or you might be a dwarf of seven named Ornery or something like that. The music it's self is very catchy, comedic and inviting. It's definitely something I would want to show to my Mom and not feel uneasy about the subject matter. Her voice is beautiful, crisp and she is a master at creating awesome vocal harmonies. The handful of videos she has on her YouTube channel range from original works to cover songs and each video ends with her talking a bit about the song or just chatting about her life, but not in a blah blah blah boring way. It's funny and dare I say, adorkable. Her videos are not only fun to watch but they are really interesting too if you are the least bit into seeing how music is created. The videos are very DIY oriented and show her singing and playing (is there an instrument this woman can't play?) nearly every instrument used in the song. The videos are super addicting and demand multiple viewings. Truth be told I stopped writing this about an hour ago as I got sucked into a Kerrin Connolly YouTube vortex. No Ragrets! I am not sure if she edits the videos herself but, I have dabbled around with video editing myself, and I gotta tell you, what is being done with those videos is no small feat and is done very very well. I beg of you to please go check out her stuff and show her some love. She totally deserves it and I really hope to see her go big. This is one musician that you can tell truly loves what she does and loves her fans. Because I love her work so much I am going to post a cover and a re-worked original with a band. You'll just have to visit her to see the raw version of the original.

Kerrin Connolly - Mr. Know-It-All (Young The Giant Cover)


Kerrin Connolly - The Evil One



Since getting my record stereo system back up and working after not having it for a few years I have been going buck wild with buying music. Like seriously, I am at a point where I need to sort of put myself in check before I just spend all my money on music. I am not saying I am broke, but lets just say that I have become very aware of the amount I am spending on music and it should be less. I am not joking when I say this for the past few months I have gone to at least 2 thrift stores almost every day. Now that doesn't mean I am always buying something every stop, half of the time I come back empty handed, but when I do see something cool I buy it. Because I really can't think of what else to write about I am going to post my "a work in progress" set of rules for music buying.

• Rule #1. New Album Purchases (Record Store): - You may buy a new (not previously used) record on a payday weekend. Limit 1 new album every 2 weeks. I don't know if you have seen the prices of albums these days but they generally run 20-30 bucks for a normal non special edition of an album. If I stick by this rule I will acquire 24 new albums a year. It's a modest amount for a music maniac like me, but I think it's quite fair.
• Rule No.2 Used Albums (Record Store): You may purchase used albums from a record store but the total may not go over $20 for used record store albums. Record store trips should be limited to no more than 3 per month. You may combine the used album rule and the new album rule but you may only get 1 used album and 1 new album, the amount may not exceed $40 and you must omit one day of thrift store shopping. This allows me to purchase something if I really cant pass it up, but still puts a restriction on the amount I spend and also reduces the extra trip to the thrift store during the week.
• Rule #C. Thrifted/Garage Sale Albums: You may choose any 3 days during the week to go to the thrift stores. On these days you may go to as many thrift stores as you like. You may go to as many garage sales as you like on Saturdays. Thrifted/Garage Sale purchases must be below $3 per item and may not exceed a total amount of $15 over the 3 days. This works because quite often I do not find anything at the thrift stores/garage sales. You may alter this rule only if you come across a treasure trove haul. If this is the case you may not exceed over $40 and the next week of purchasing rules are null and void. This will limit my spending at thrift stores/garage sales. Garage sales are usually a bust anyway and by setting a limit on thrift store spending I am not tempted to just buy whatever I see.
• Rule #IV Purchase Designations: Every 3rd purchase at a record store may be from an unknown musician/artist. All other purchases must be from either a well curated list of albums you want, an album that will work toward completing a musician/bands discography already in your collection, or from a well loved band that you do not have in physical media format. This rule does not apply to thrift store/garage sale purchases, but is strongly advised. By doing this I am making sure I am buying albums I am going to listen to and know that I like, while still giving me the freedom to explore new music.
• Rule #Horse The No Repeat Rule: No album is to be bought on another media format if it is already in your collection. This rule may be broken only in very special circumstances (I.E. the media format being purchased is an absolute investment over the already existing format and a can't pass up price.) This allows me to have a wider library of music but also allows me to buy the White Album on vinyl if I ever somehow stumble upon a steal of a deal.

Mick Jagger - Brand New Set Of Rules



Speaking of record buying. One of my must own on vinyl albums came up for sale recently on /r/VinylDeals. If you done know what I just said in the last sentence then good. That means more discounted records for me. Doh! Now that the cats out of the bag I guess I'll explain. It's a forum where people post links to discounted vinyl on sites like Amazon and Wal-Mart almost daily. The sales don't usually last too long so you have to be quick. You can have a bot alert you when specific album titles or bands are posted but you have to check on it quite frequently to get the really good deals on sought after records. I really have a love/hate affair with that subreddit. The music nerd in me loves it and my wallet hats it. Anyway, the album Merriweather Post Pavilion by indie Psych rock legends Animal Collective was on sale this week along with a ton of other really great albums at pretty unbeatable prices on the VinylDeals subreddit. However, there was some strange stuff going on with the deals. The seller on Wal-Mart.com had very strange descriptions for the albums ranging from descriptions of zippers to skateboard pads. I, along with quite a few other record dorks decided to take the shot and see what happens. I put in my order and got a e-mail saying it was going to be shipped by the 4th of July, Seemed normal no issue. Initially I did have a bit of regret in buying this album since I did just purchase a pricey, and very disappointing, album at Barnes and Nobel a few days prior, but I had just got paid and the price was really good so I wasn't too concerned. Yesterday I wake up and I see an e-mail stating that the order was canceled due to the product not being available. The e-mail it's self strangely worded and the subject line had someone else's name in it and a bunch of numbers. I checked me bank account and it looked like it was indeed cancelled and the refund was showing as well. I was bummed but considering the strange circumstances I was okay with it. I made sure to make a heads up post for others who might have ordered as well just in case. a bunch of people responded saying their order was cancelled too and a few were still in process. Well it turns out that the orders that were not cancelled did not receive their desired albums. Instead they received whatever the description was. Luckily for them it seems that Wal-Mart.com is being cool and refunding the purchases, but seriously, what the funk?! Who does that? I am guessing it was some sort of data entry error. I know that after a while in a repetitive job you can just go all auto pilot and zone out sometimes. It still sucks though to get someones hopes up and then not deliver..."And all over the US you could hear the cries of 50 sad record nerds come together in one harmonious cacophony of misery." All in all I am really thankful that I got off easy and didn't have to go through the process of getting my money back. Oh, well. The album goes back on my list and the grind to find continues.

Animal Collective - Daily Routine

Snotty brainwaves and drunken disgruntled employees live in San Cristobal

Ellinor Olovsdotter also known by her stage name Elliphant was discovered by chance one night at a party. She explained in an interview with Billboard, "It’s just coincidences that made me into this — a friend who needed help" She was at a party in Paris when producer Tim Deneve was playing some of his beats and a quite inebriated Olovsdotter started singing over the music. Deneve was caught off guard by her voice and was looking for a singer to flush out his demos. He recruited Olovsdotter and six months later Elliphant was signed to Swedish independent label TEN Music Group. Previous to getting signed Ellinor had worked as a kitchen worker and server in the food industry for over a decade. “The whole thing is super random and I think that’s my secret weapon in this: I don’t have anything to lose." she said. Not a bad deal for going to a party, getting hammered and singing a little bit. Since being signed in 2011 she has released 2 full albums, numerous EP's and has been featured in many songs from other artists. One of my particular favorite songs she is featured in, and where I first heard of Elliphant, was on the song "Too Original" by Major Lazer, who I am a huge fan of. Those who are familiar with Major Lazer's sound know what they are in for, but for the uninitiated you can expect a raucous heavy electronic Jamaican fused dance track that is pure energy. I highly suggest on first listen to crank up the volume and get ready to dance. Make sure to watch the video too. It looks like it was a blast to make. While that song is amazing at showcasing her hypnotic flow, her soothing raspy singing voice is not shown, so as a bonus I am going to also post a live performance of the song "Loves Me Badder" form Baeble Music. Make sure to check out her music, there is some really great stuff there.

Major Lazer - Too Original (Feat. Elliphant & Jovi Rockwell)


Elliephant - Loves Me Badder (Live)



I can't believe that I have never posted about the amazing Mal Blum! I have loved their music from the first time I heard it. It's emotional, sometimes folky sometimes rocky and the perfect type of music for those moody days when you just want to have someone to relate to, but also need a little pick me up. They have a new album set to drop on July 12 titled Pitty Boy and it looks as if they are touring quite a bit this summer in support of the new album. If you can, make sure to catch a show. Meanwhile enjoy this song! It's an older song from their 2011 album titled "Every Time You Go Somewhere". A quick note though, not all of their songs are quite this moody sounding, I just really really love the pacing of this song. And as an added bonus I will put up a song from the new album, that is giving me heavy Dinosaur Jr. vibes and that is a very good thing.

Mal Blum - San Cristobal

Mal Blum - I Don't Want To


I realize that I haven't updated this blog recently, which means that all my adoring fans who so graciously read this don't get to keep up on the events in my life. Trust me you're really not missing out on much unless you are interested in daily visits to what I call the "thrift store circuit" and hours of collecting everything that isn't nailed down in Skyrim. About 6 months ago I started a new job working in the transportation industry. I basically managed orders for multiple delivery agents. I want to start this out by saying that the people I worked with were pretty cool for the most part, in fact that was probably the only thing about the job that I really liked. Everything else was awful. There was barely any training or training documentation, the workload was really heavy and quite stressful, and communication was severely lacking on the corporate side of things. It was definitely a job where you felt like a number instead of a person that was heard and acknowledged. Every morning I would spend 15 minutes giving myself a locker room pep talk like you see in sports movies and when I left at the end of the day, I so tense and frustrated that I wanted to sit in my car and cry while blasting "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. I can honestly say that it was the worst job I ever had. Thankfully I realized that it was not for me early on and rambled on to another job that I like very much. This is a song about feeling trapped in career stagnation and feeling like a zombified corporate shill. If there is anything that my punk rock roots taught me it's that working for the man is a soulless endeavor. I'd like to say that I learned that early on, but truthfully I don't think it sunk in until recently. I respect those who can just switch off that part of their brain and go all auto pilot and let all the bullshit roll off their backs. It takes an iron will and Teflon skin to deal with that most of the time. I also feel really bad for them. I feel bad for those that never get the credit for their ideas, those that are never heard, those that get told they aren't good enough at what they do everyday by some entitled prick. I could write an entire book here but I need to end this ranting and I believe that I have done my due diligence in setting up this next song. With that being said I will quote the best line of this song and encourage everyone in a shitty job to shout along with it. "I AM NOT A PRODUCTION UNIT, I AM A HUMAN BEING!"

Cable Ties - Say What You Mean


Whew! That was pretty intense. Let's cool down a bit and get a little geeky with this next song, "Weightless" by Marconi Union. This song was created in collaboration with the British Academy of Sound Therapy. It is said to be one of the world's most relaxing songs and was created with exactly that intention. It's goal is to lower the listeners blood pressure, stress levels and heart rate and there is scientific data to back that claim up. Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson from the research group Mindlab International states that ""Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.” The data collected found that the song reduces anxiety by 65% and a 35% reduction in usual physiological resting rates. The song contains a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually moves to 50 beats per minute. The listeners heartbeat naturally slows to match the tracks BPM. The length is also critical in the science of the song. Lyz Cooper, the founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy explains, “It takes about five minutes for this process, known as entrainment, to occur. And there is no repeating melody, which allows your brain to completely switch off because you are no longer trying to predict what is coming next.” The song is composed of a mix of piano, guitar and electronic samples of natural soundscapes all written in a slow moving dream like melody. This is the first song I have on my "Sleepy Time" playlist and I have listened to this track quite often. I can attest that it works very very well. I often times find that I am asleep before the song is even over, however I will admit that I do tend to fall asleep rather quickly. Why not try it out for yourself, just make sure you aren't driving or operating heavy machinery...and if you are, you probably shouldn't be reading this right now. P.S. There is also a 10 hour version on YouTube if you're into that sort of thing.

Marconi Union - Weightless


Now I am too sleepy. I can not let this post end like that. We need to get this back to proper Rop Bop levels before departing and I think I have just the right song to get us there. This band is on one of my all time favorite punk labels Fat Wreck Chords, founded my Fat Mike of the band NOFX. This all girl power pop punk band from San Pedro California bring sugary, fast, hook laden 3 part harmonies that will keep you jumping around for hours. It's snotty, it's fun and it's tough...everything punk should be. This is a live version of the song "Cheers" from their album Not Sorry. While the songs lyrics might not convey my feelings to you dear reader and I think that song title is the perfect way to end this post. Enjoy and keep rocking until next time. Seacrest, out!

Bad Cop/ Bad Cop - Cheers (Live from The Rock Room)

Attention Shoppers Pt. 2 - Blind Thrift Store Finds

About a month ago I was lucky enough to find a working stereo receiver at a local Goodwill. I have been "vinyless" for close to 5 years. I have a few movies within that time frame and I have faithfully hauled boxes of LP's from one home to another, and as any vinyl collector can tell you a stack of 25 records is surprisingly heavier than expected. Especially when carrying them up and down a flight of straits. It's been a while since I have listened to some of these records and thinking back, I rarely used my record player when I did have one. If you could see me now I am shaking my head in shame and embarrassment. To be fair though when I did start collecting it was in the heyday of digital files and file sharing programs like Napster and Kazza. While digital media is nice for conserving space I am a man who enjoys physical media. I love being surrounded by cool fun things to look at. I love cover art, reading the liner notes and lyrics, making notes on what songs and albums are great and categorizing my collection. Buying this receiver has re-ignited me love of physical media in a big way. I've always been a fan of thrift stores and even though it is kind of hazardous to my square footage I am always looking for a deal. That being said I am going to do another thrift store haul entry...probably more in the future. I am going to try to highlight the albums that might not be as well known or those that got lost in the shuffle. So lets start doing some crated digging shall we.

The first album I want to share is The album My Way by Major Harris. This was a pretty blind buy on my part. I knew I had heard of Major Harris before in passing, maybe heard a song by him but didn't really remember what he sounded like. Without even getting into the detail on this album take a second to soak in all that cover art. I mean right off the bat you know this is going to be worth a listen. I will put it right on front street here and tell you, that this album cover is a little misleading. When I look at this I am expecting some deep and heavy funky vibes. Something you'd play while cruising around the seedy side of the city at night. Sadly you will not get that pimp like soundtrack this cover so excellently conveys, however it's not a bad record. The album does still have some funk elements mixed with soul, but it has a very heavy poppy disco sound to it. The music is pretty upbeat and the first track on the album, Each Morning I Wake Up, is probably a song you have heard before. It could possibly be the best Saturday morning cleaning the house song I have heard. Actually you could say that for this whole album. The vocal on this album are pretty decent which is to be expected from someone who was once in the R&B/Soul group The Delfonics. It's definitely a smooth buttery delivery, but the lyrics do tend to come off as rather generic. The album isn't a jaw dropper but it's for sure worth a listen and fun. I would call it a nice album to throw on and do some spring cleaning. It's got some grooves to keep you moving and it has a very regenerative and happy vibe to it. I'll be honest though I mostly bought it for that badass cover art. It'll look great hanging on my wall in my vinyl picture frame.

Major Harris - Each Morning I Wake Up

Next on the list is an album that was another total blind buy for me. Again I really just based if off of the cool looking cover art. I did do a quick Discogs search for it to see what I was getting into, but did not want to be the guy in the thrift store playing YouTube videos at full volume. Lucky for me this turned out to be one of the best picks from this haul. There really wasn't much information I could find about this artist known as Kyle. I did manage to find out that his full name is William Kyle Eidson II and he is a former member of 60's garage rock group Sin-Say Shuns. He was on the same label as Billy Joel's early album "Cold Spring Harbor" album. Further reading suggest that Kyle was a pretty decent rival for Joel's album. to be fair thought Joel's album was not mastered at the correct speed, and even though the album was later re-mastered "Cold Spring Harbor" and Kyle's "Times That Try A Mans Soul" both failed to gain any traction due to Gulf + Western (a parent company of Paramount) being indifferent to the albums. However the indifference projected toward this album was not warranted by any means. The lyrics are deep and meaningful and deal a lot with, as the title would imply, everyday inner struggle but also carries a hopefulness to them as well. There are a few songs that tread into the religious side of things like the song Soul Smith, but don't let that sway you from passing on the song as it blooms into a full on jam with backing strings and some great guitar riffs. The song Think I'm Gonna Rain is a song about feeling down and out that I could easily see in a movie where the character is finally letting out all the emotion. The song sways from a dark ballad to emotional volcano of sound and vocals that make you want to yell along. This album is full of great tracks and every song feels fresh and quite relatable. It comes across as very honest, raw, and pulls no punches. This is what really makes this album shine. The music is very well produced, and ranges from straight up rockers like Black Gets Blacker, to slower folky country ballads like The Reason. When listening to this album there is no doubt of when this album was made (1971), It's got the 70's sound all over it. If you are a fan of 70's rock, this is a gem that you really should not miss.

Kyle - Think I'm Gonna Rain

Fact: I am a music nerd and i love learning about music. One of the most obvious places that one can learn about music is by reading the notes in those seemingly useless booklets that you get with your music. Yes, those booklets are more than just a pretty picture to catch your eye and yell out "Buy me! I'm cool!" If you take a gander at the song writing credits and even read the thank you notes you can really find some interesting stuff. Sadly, with everything going digital is a dying trend, but on the plus side you can find nearly any obscure artist with very little digging. Reading song writing credits has always been one of my biggest joys and i think it's something that often gets overlooked. There are tons of songs out there that are covers of other peoples songs. Old blues songs are one of the best examples of this. Just do a quick search for blues cover songs sometime and there is bound to be something you'll find that you thought was an original. I picked up and album by Huddie William Ledbetter, or better known as Lead Belly. As I was listening to the album, which is filled with great blues songs by the way, I recognized one of my favorite Credence Clearwater Revival songs Midnight Special. For years and years I thought CCR had wrote that song. As I am writing this I looked into other songs that Lead Belly and the list of his songs that were covered by other artists is pretty impressive. Black Betty by Ram Jam, Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana, Gallis Pole (Gallows Pole) by Zeppelin, Goodnight Irene by Tom Waits just to name a few. Now I want to make something clear so I don't get attacked by the other more enlightened music nerds out there. Lead Belly isn't necessarily the song writer for some of these songs. Songs like Midnight Special are considered traditional folk songs, meaning they really don't trace back to a song writer, but he did make them popular, so in a way Lead Belly is a sort of cover song artist as well. I would really urge you to do some searches today about cover songs or samples that were used in songs. there is a great website called Who Sampled that makes this such a fun and easy task. I really think you'll be surprised at what you find and you just might even find some new favorite songs!

Lead Belly - Midnight Special

I don't have a lot to say about this band, partly due to laziness and partly due to not having too much to write about. I am not sure why someone would get rid of this album. It's a pretty great 80's metal record. Now when I say 80's metal that should instantly give you an overall vibe of what this record is. Lots of tasty riffs, cheesy lyrics, and visions of skin tight leather, big hair and spandex. Originally from Boston they were originally known as Axes and released their debut EP but due to legal trouble they changed their name to Mass(perhaps their home state had some influence on their name). In 1982 their first full length album was recorded but remained unreleased until Retroactive Records released it 28 years later. That is not to say that Mass was unknown until then. they did have some success in the mid to late 80's. The single Do You Love Me was a hit on Boston rock radio and the video did see rotation on MTV. Their third album "Take You Home' had decent sales and they fourth album "Voices In the Night" was produced by Michael Sweet of the 80's christian metal band Stryper. The band did take a brief hiatus in the 90's and started recording again in the early 2000's. Like I said earlier the album is very 80's hair metal sounding and there really isn't much as variation from song to song, which is pretty typical for a lot of mid 80's metal. The one thing I do love about the album is the guitar playing is really good and there are so hot shredders in there. I wouldn't say that this is a disappointing record, because it is fun for what it is, but it's no masterpiece of music. Just a couple of dudes having a good time making some MASSive sound. If you like bands like Poison, or Cinderella, or Whitesnake these guys will be right up your alley. I'm happy to have a little metal in my collection, and the cover is a piece of art. Love the colors.

Mass - Do You Love Me

Again there isn't much about this album. The back side of the album says that Bob Anderson was one of the northwestern Indiana's most well known fiddle players. This album was recorder in 1969 and a few years later Bob died from a heart attack while rehearsing some tunes for a dance later that night. The country ramblers broke up shortly after this album was made and seems as thought they all went their separate ways and moved to different states. One taking a job at Pennsylvania State university, another moved to Michigan and two other moving to Kentucky. Judging by the picture and title of the album you know this is going to be some barn raising bluegrass music. All of the songs on the album are traditional bluegrass songs but the musicianship is really great. It's easy to see why Bob and his ramblers were well liked. The playing is tight and the fiddling is enough to make you want to clear out the cowpies and have a good ol' fashion country get down. this was a total random pick. I do love some bluegrass music, but what really drew me to this album, aside that it was in a plastic seeleve and in immaculate condition, was the amazing cover. I mean just look at that picture! Those gentlemen aren't your hipster bluegrass darlings of today. These guys are the real deal. I have a feeling that this is one of those albums that will be displayed in my vinyl photo frame quite a bit.

Bob Anderson & The Country Ramblers - Turkey In the Straw



I think that is gonna conclude this go round! I have a lot more that I can post but I need to find the time to sit down and do some writing. I have so much cool stuff I want to share but, I just can't find the time or the patience to sit down and write. There are too many undiscovered bands out there that need to be listened to and too many loose records on shelves screaming "Brad! Come find me and buy me!" Is there a clinical word for music addiction? ...Ok google