I’ve been having some really strange dreams lately — the other night I was supposed to play in a five on five basketball tournament, but got distracted in the building’s museum separating bales of cotton and missed the game (my dream machine was foot operated, but somehow not otherwise off when I looked up how the f#$k a cotton gin worked on Youtube). Then last night I was making a mound visit to the Yankees pitcher for some reason when I suddenly, urgently needed to use the bathroom and was worried I was going to sh#$ myself on the diamond.
No idea where any of these things came from — haven’t been studying Southern agriculture or watching the NBA lately (and fu#$ the Yankees) — but suppose it’s just further proof that the prolonged lockdown continues to rot my brain. Thankfully I’ve had some calming companions to ride out the decline with the past few weeks, in the form of new material from a bunch of old favorites.
We’ll start with a half measure, new songs from old albums, and a couple of B-side collections coming out soon. First up is the upcoming collection from the Kills, who plan to release their album Little Bastards just before Christmas (are we still doing that this year? I’m honestly not sure…) The first single is a demo that dates back to their Midnight Boom days and sounds perfectly in line with all their other stuff (no sitar-laden sidetracks here, thankfully).
Would be cool to hear a more powered up, polished version with Hince’s guitars cranked to the heavens as he stalks the stage live (are we ever doing that again? Not if we don’t save our stages… #RIPUHall), but this is as good as we get right now. Give “Raise Me” a ride here:
Next comes the surprising news that departed legend Tom Petty (#RIPTP) recorded an entire additional album’s worth of songs back in 1994 when he released the great Wildflowers. Apparently Petty always envisioned that being a double album, but the label didn’t think that would sell so refused to put it out that way. Petty was thus forced to use some of the material on the She’s the One soundtrack (also solid), while the rest was left to gather dust in his sizeable archives.
Until now, that is. Petty’s family is thankfully putting the material out as he originally intended next week, with the Wildflowers & All the Rest box set. It will contain not only the original album, but all the missing pieces (including a bunch of alternate versions for songs previously released). His family has released several of the unheard tracks so far (including one only after taking a quiz on Petty’s website) and it really makes you wonder why the label was so resistant. I’m really looking forward to hearing it how Petty wanted next week — in the meantime take that quiz and listen to “Leave Virginia Alone” here:
We’ll transition now to a trio of updates from three favorites, Kevin Morby, Jeff Tweedy, and Matt Berninger. Each has new albums coming out soon (some of which we’ve already posted here), but they’ve released more material in recent weeks and two of the three sat down with Stereogum for lengthy interviews in the run-up to the albums.
We’ll start with Morby, whose upcoming Sundowner (due out next week) is a bit of a bridge to the previous two albums in that he recorded most of the songs a while ago, but is only releasing them now. Reading the interview there’s no disputes with labels that prevented him from doing so, it just didn’t feel like the right time to him then. (Morby instead recorded and released Oh My God, which landed at #7 on last year’s annual list.)
It took the world shutting down and his going into hibernation in rural Kansas to give the songs their due. We’ve already heard the lovely “Campfire,” as well as the equally outstanding “Don’t Underestimate Midwest American Sun” (which I first heard him play for Willie Nelson back in April — what was that, like two years ago now at this point?) and this week he released the title track, which might be my favorite so far. It’s simple, stripped down, and pretty — which is just what the doctor ordered these days.
We got to catch Morby and Nathaniel Rateliff doing a livestream from Red Rocks last week, which was pretty fantastic. Ms Katie was there, too, so a couple songs had all three singing together, which was as close to perfect as I think we’re allowed to get right now. Next week’s gonna be a good week (at least musically…) Check out “Sundowner” until then:
Next comes another King of Quarantine, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, who in addition to STILL doing his nightly livestream (albeit more sporadically now), has not only found the time to write another book (How to Write One Song, due out this week), but another album as well (Love is the King, due out the following week). Really makes you question how you’ve spent your lockdown, doesn’t it? (“I’ve cleaned the windows 77 times and………listened to a podcast on illegal fishing…….and…….um…….went for a run……twice?”)
Tweedy just released a Wilco album and solo outing last year (both of which landed at #9 on the annual list), so it’s slightly surprising he’s back so soon — but this being the year of constant, shitty surprises, it SUUUUUUUURE is a welcome alternative! Tweedy’s released a couple tracks so far (the title track and “Guess Again”) and they’re both solid outings, but thought this one was worth posting based on the cool/comical video. It sports appearances (albeit only from the nose down) of several famous friends, everyone from Jeff Garlin, Nick Offerman, and Jon Hamm to Seth Meyers, Abbi Jacobson, and Courtney Barnett. It’s a good song, too — see who you can spot in the video here:
Last up in the lineup of old friends is National frontman Matt Berninger, who’s set to debut his first solo album, Serpentine Prison, next week as well. (I TOLD ya next week’s gonna be a good one!) Berninger walks through the recording of the album (produced by soul icon Booker T), as well as a range of other topics in this interview, which is worth a read as it’s a good career retrospective.
As for the album, we’ve heard a couple tracks so far, including the lovely “Distant Axis” and the title track, but wanted to throw this one up, too, since it’s another soft, soothing affair. (We really gotta take it easy on ourselves, guys — sh#$’s getting crazy out there…) It’s right in Berninger’s/National’s wheelhouse, both melodically and lyrically, all merlot glow and tenderness. Embrace the warmth here:
We’ll close with a couple new faces and songs from bands I’ve never really gotten into, despite an inordinate amount of hype. First up comes the lead single from Buck Meek’s latest solo album, Two Saviors (due out in January). Meek is the guitarist for indie darling Big Thief, who critics adore, but I’ve never really gotten into. (Although I do like the track “Masterpiece,” for one.)
Meek’ solo stuff is more in the folksy Americana vein, which works a little better, his warbling voice pairing nicely with his acoustic guitar. The lead single “Second Sight” is in line with his previous outings, calling to mind Avett Brothers and Clem Snide at times with its harmonies. It’s also lyrically in line with our theme of “take it eaaaaaaaasy, man,” all sunshine, hugs, and loving affirmations. Just lie back and bask in the glow here:
Last up comes a song from a recent Daniel Johnston tribute concert, which starred several of the folks mentioned above — Morby, Waxahatchee, and Tweedy, as well as Beck, Lucius, and more. Johnston’s another who’s beloved in the indie world (as evidenced in part by that lineup), but one I’ve never really enjoyed on his own. His lyrics occasionally veer too far into the nonsensical or overly childish, while my ears almost always fight his thin, shaky voice.
That said — when others perform his songs, I tend to hear what I’ve been missing and understand the fuss. Built to Spill’s album of Johnston covers from this year is really good (sporting tracks like “Life in Vain,” which we wrote about before), while Tweedy’s rendition of “True Love Will Find You in the End” is one of my absolute, all-time favorites. (Particularly when he does it solo.)
For some reason I need to hear it through others’ ears to get it. Another case in point is Cut Worms’ version of “To Go Home,” which was the highlight of the tribute concert for me. Repackaging the melody and allowing the slyly funny chorus to shine in a way it just doesn’t in the original, this one’s a real winner. Give it a listen here:
That’s it for now — until next time, amici. Stay safe, sane, and sequestered…
— BS