Speed of Sound Podcast

EP 04: Pop Music Got Weird

• Speed of Sound Podcast • Season 1 • Episode 4

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0:00 | 1:10:05

Pop music used to color inside the lines — now it’s scribbling in its own rules and booking festival lineups the public can’t get enough of. The gang dives into Bandcamp listening parties, psychedelic live shows, and a lineup that jumps from RAYE and Thundercat to The Strokes. 

Buckle up: pop didn’t just get weird… it got interesting again.

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SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but also not double outprotected safety.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the Speed of Sound podcast. I'm Allie Roder, and joining me today is race car driver and self-proclaimed motorsports human Brad Perez and producer and bassist for alt rock band Cloakroom Bobby Marcos. Guys, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_02

Hello. Great. Good. Everything's good.

SPEAKER_00

Very good.

SPEAKER_02

My introduction. It's been a while. I missed you guys. One episode we're gonna nail that intro. We're gonna have no compelling to say right in that moment.

SPEAKER_00

I love the pause because it's like, oh, I'm on my pins and needles. I'm on the edge of my seat.

SPEAKER_01

Sometimes the way the wind blows is not where the grass flows.

unknown

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_01

There it is.

SPEAKER_00

It's okay. It's okay. We are who we are, and I love us for it. I really do. Catch me up though, a little bit of the weekend biz. What's been going on for you guys lately?

SPEAKER_02

Brad, you were on TV, so Oh, I think TV TV takes precedent over anything that I think.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I was racing on the CW.

SPEAKER_00

Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, yeah, I raced the Martinsville O'Reilly series race uh last weekend, and I was sponsored by Bubba Wallace, and that was really weird. Uh kind of sick. Bubba Wallace, who I've had I've ran into while he was going to see The Devil Wears Prada, and I was going to see Architects. So, like, because the venues split sometimes. Yeah. So yeah, he's he was really cool. And uh I'm I was grateful that he you know reached out. Yeah, that cannot even believe he even reached out to help and uh made it happen.

SPEAKER_00

That's huge, man. That's great. I had seen there was pictures of you guys standing next to each other. I think it was during the national anthem or during the prayer before the race. What was his advice to you? What did what was he saying to you?

SPEAKER_01

It's just about like how to run Martinsville, like how to, you know, how to maximize your handling of your car. If your car does this, if your car does that, your car does that. I'm not gonna go into the details, but it we were just talking racing basically the whole time. The first thing I told him was, I have a lot to say to you, but in hopes that I don't cry right now, we can save this for another time. And then we went into that.

SPEAKER_03

And I was like, okay.

SPEAKER_01

If you can read lips, you'll see when I said that.

SPEAKER_00

I love that. That's the ultimate.

SPEAKER_02

Brad, I was like trying to liken it to my world where I was like thinking about like what that opportunity meant to you. Like, I feel like you and I there's so many parallels about like where you are in racing and like where I am in the music industry, where we're like, we've both been doing it a super long time, we have a ton of experience. We're like trying to make it, whatever, however you define that, you know. But like you getting an opportunity like that, and like basically like getting the nod from Bubba and getting like you know, it had so many like mainstream eyes on it. All of a sudden, like we just played Cloakrim played a show with Snowcaps in December, which is like mega, mega star super band, like you know, wax a hatchie and MJ Lenderman, their super band together. And like, you know, they're they're having like they're having such a huge moment, right? And um they you know, for them to give us like the nod of being like, This is a cool band from Chicago. We want them to open our Chicago show, you know, and then being in their dressing room with them, and it's like, wow, you guys are all like these musicians are all super famous, they're all having their moment. Like MJ Lenderman and Waxa Hatchie are both featured in the country music hall of fame right now, like in a display. You know, so it's like those people like giving us the nod and looking at us, and we're like, you're having this weird, intoxicating moment of being like, this is surreal and incredible, but then like Monday comes and you're like, okay, like that was awesome, but now it's back to the grind, you know. So like you do kind of like you kind of vacation in this crazy moment, this crazy surreal moment, but then it's like, oh yeah, like I'm glad that happened, but like we still have work to do, you know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, like and I think it was definitely hope inspiring for me because like I was striking out every which way you could possibly strike out on the sponsorship game. So like I could just imagine it and being like going show to show and and like not seeing the the needle tick any further. And like that's kind of what it was like for me. So although I was like relishing in the moment of like, oh my god, I can't believe this is happening, I can't believe all these eyes are on me right now. It's like I also had the pressure of like, let me not screw this up. And we were so bad on Friday, like I practice, and I'm like, I'm just gonna be this is the last time I'm doing this, guys. Like I'm terrible, and then ended up that like Saturday was awesome. So just I complained for nothing, but like, yeah, it was yeah, it's same deal, just funny.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's way harder for you to translate an opportunity because like no matter like how mentally prepared you might be, like, you still have to depend on your car, the track, like the race itself. Martinsville, like anything can happen. Like with Cloakroom, that opportunity that was at the end of a year where we had played 70 shows. So, like, as far as the if we were ready, I mean, we were like, not to not to toot my own horn, but like we were ripping, you know. So I was like, we went into that, like being like, oh, we're gonna we're gonna kill it, it's gonna be awesome, you know? Yeah, so like the only thing that could have possibly have gone wrong is if the sound person just was like, Well, I'm out of the lungs to get there. Yeah, exactly. That's the only possible situation that could have happened there. Like, otherwise, like if it came to us, like we knew we were prepared and like we were ready to go. And thankfully we ended up having a great set, you know. So, um, obviously, like, yeah, racing, there's just so many X factors that go beyond your capability as yourself, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Well, we're proud of you, man. That was awesome to see. It was very cool. It was very cool.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, Bobby, how about you? What's going on in your music world?

SPEAKER_02

Uh I've been traveling a lot. I I feel like I think I said a couple episodes ago, I'm like, this wasn't great timing for this show because all my plans happened. But then yeah, I've been crazy busy. There's this music series that happens all over the country. It's called Age of Reflections. And basically it's like this promoter that he'll book these like kind of profound, like ambient artists, and he books them in like cathedrals, like really like vibey places, and then they do like the visuals, like they'll do like they'll have like a visual artist like doing like projectors and they're like wall, like two-story wall size projections going on while these people are performing. So my wife and I went and checked out one in Chicago that was like a pretty renowned artist named Steve Hoschild, and he had uh Carolis Coverdale open for him, who's like a really incredible pianist from Canada. Um that was our first one, and now I'm like, I'm not gonna miss any of these shows. They have like several of them coming up. I want to go to all of them. Uh they're just, I mean, it was so crazy, heady, vibey like experience. Like you're just sitting in a chair just getting like sound bath, but then like the visuals were like incredible, you know. So that's so cool. They mainly do them in like Los Angeles and New York and Chicago, but then you know there's some other dates around too. So um Age of Reflections, it's called you can definitely check out their Instagram and they have their whole calendar coming up.

SPEAKER_00

What kind of imagery is it? Is it like modern art? Is it?

SPEAKER_02

It's definitely like it's it's a mix. It's um, you know, just like a lot of like colors and like, you know, like just super like psychedelic, like a lot of like, you know, like just very like psychedelic, like modern art like visuals, you know. Like and it it they definitely do a good job of like kind of syncing up with the moment and the music. Oh you know, it's very, very drawn out. Um it was like all done like super tastefully, and at no point was like either thing too much where it was like distracting from the other, it was just like very cohesive and like super well done. So wow. After that, we uh my wife and I flew to Austin to celebrate her birthday, and her brother Dave Davison is like an incredible musician from Chicago. He made a career playing in a band called Maps and Atlases, but he most recently has been playing guitar for Anthony Green, who is in the band Circus Survive and Sayosin. Uh-huh. Uh yeah. So my brother-in-law plays guitar. You too. Sorry, I thought I told you this. Yeah. So my brother-in-law plays in Anthony's Green, Anthony Green's band currently. Um, and we flew to Austin to catch them play at Emo's Emo's, which is like a pretty historic venue down there. You've heard of it. You know all these things. So the viewers at home, I'm suffering right now. But Anthony, Anthony's currently on tour with Microwave, opening for Microwave, and it's like their 10-year anniversary tour and everything. So yeah, got to go check that out. They're about to be in Chicago, so I'm gonna see them again in a couple days, which is exciting.

SPEAKER_01

It's like I'm totally not jealous at all. Uh at all about this, actually. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I I'm glad. I'm glad I didn't make you jealous for the record.

SPEAKER_00

Bobby's like the coolest person I know. So, like to hear these things, it's just like level up, level up, level up. I'm like, I'll drop everything to see Anthony. That's like insane.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that's so cool. We came home from Austin and we went to go see this incredible artist, Cass McCombs, who put out a really brilliant album last year. He's pretty prolific, like he's been at it a long time, but we went and checked him out at a venue called Lincoln Hall, and uh that was like as far as far as live performances go, that's gonna be pretty hard to top this year for me. Like he was incredible, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, what were your takeaways? How so?

SPEAKER_02

Just vibe, like aura vibe, you know, like really like he he was so it was so effortlessly, like just kind of commanded the room. He had a great band, like his backing band, they just were so on, they played so well together. Yeah, and uh he was like calling like live audits, like telling the drummer to like bump up the tempo, and they were just like so it was really cool, like that. Yeah, they were so in sync. Yeah, it was awesome, it was really awesome. So they he has he has a song. My favorite my favorite song from last year, my wife and I were just discussing this, but it's called I Never Dream About Trains, which was from this last record he did. I highly recommend you checking out that song. But he played that song, and it's it's such a beautiful song, like he switches over to piano for it, and it's like a very somber, quiet song. And there were like two people behind me that just like started having a full-on conversation in the middle of that song. And I seriously like to the equivalence of like witnessing someone like lighting a cigar up cigarette up at a gas pump, I was like almost like, are you serious? Are you crazy that you're choosing this moment to talk right now? Like it just yeah, I was seriously gave them that look. Like, I'm gonna realize what's happening right now. Yeah, so you're like good. Did you say anything, or did you just give it? I just turned around. Like, are you are you insane? Like, are you insane to be doing this?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's like you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I was like shocked. Yeah, it's like, oh my goodness. So thankfully it wrapped up and uh we were able to enjoy the song. But good. Um thank him. Saw some friends uh in the band Spy are currently on tour with Converge, who we talked a lot about earlier this year. So got to go check out Converge. They still got it in a way that uh I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around a band that's that good. Yeah, this this far. That was my wife's first time ever seeing them. And she like she comes from like kind of like a folk indie rock background. Oh, so she has a lot. I was like, how is she gonna feel about this? But she was absolutely captivated, as I was hoping she would be. She loved it, she absolutely loved it, you know. Good. She was very taken with Jacob Bannon, which I talked about earlier, his stage presence. She was very taken with his performance. So yeah, um, they they they killed it. It was awesome. And uh got to spend some QT with Spy, which was great. Shout out to them, they're a great band. Uh, we saw David Byrne from The Talking Heads did a like he's doing theater of the mind, it's called, which is like a play, a performative play, but it's like immersive play where you like walk through it, like it's not set, it's not seated, you like walk through with the actor, and it's like super heady and crazy experience.

SPEAKER_01

It's how okay now I'm curious because he's playing Coachella.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, he is, yeah. So it's all I mean, he's like super prolific, brilliant mind. He's does so many things, like yeah, he just put out music pretty recently, but then he's doing this like you know, this like I said, it's like an immersive play, but it's like that's like selling it short. It's an experience, it's meant to like unwire your brain and then rewire it, you know, in a way that I wasn't totally prepared for. I'm still coming to terms with, you know. So and then uh last night my wife and I took in dinner with our friends from England, James and the Cold Gun, who are starting their tour with Bush today. Dude. Yeah. There is a Charlotte date on the Bush tour that they're performing, but our friends from England, uh good friends of ours that we've we've spent a lot of time with, they're opening that tour, and they just happened to be in Chicago last night, so we prepped in with them.

SPEAKER_03

So it's been busy.

SPEAKER_02

We've taken in a lot of company the last couple weeks.

SPEAKER_01

Dude, hell yeah. You know.

SPEAKER_00

That's great.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, damn. Yeah, it's funny. I I've the only thing that I've gotten to do is I saw Unity TX in uh Greensboro on Jay's birthday. Uh I got to see them open for burials. That was pretty cool.

SPEAKER_02

Um venue in Greensboro was it?

SPEAKER_01

So if if you've been there, you know it's called the Blind Tiger. It is currently called Hangar 1819 because it's under new ownership, but everybody knows it as a blind tiger. Nice.

SPEAKER_00

That's cool. If only Brad and I were like a little angel and devil on Bobby's shoulders to like go around with you to all these sick and cool events and things. Because like, gosh, just the way in which you describe these experiences. I'm like, I want to transcend. I want to be there.

SPEAKER_02

Look, it sounds glamorous. I I I've been pooping out, I gotta tell you. I have like I'm at I'm like, I'm at a five or six cup of coffee a day vibe right now.

SPEAKER_01

Like, this is not it's been the artistic experiences, damn it.

SPEAKER_02

I've been having a great time. Trust me, I love it, but I'm like, wow, you know, okay, it's catching up with me. So but no, uh, we're obviously it's been a great, it's been a great time lately.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I'm so glad to hear it. Well, and it's really has been a while since I've seen you guys. We were unable to record last week. So to our listeners, we're so sorry that this is a week late, but hey, we're here today, and we have so much to talk about and to get into. And so, really to kick off our new Music Friday picks for these last two weeks, because and we've talked about this the three of us, like so much great music has been released and coming out, and like things that are like slapping us in the face that I feel like we didn't even know about. It's insane.

SPEAKER_02

Scary.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I don't really know if I've been like out of touch, which is not possible because I've been putting out music, but like I don't remember a time in my life where I've been like week to week, like, oh my, and then this came out. Oh, and then this came out. And it's like everybody, the bar is so high right now. Like I haven't heard anything that I've been disappointed at this year. No, you know what I mean? Like the bar the bar is just really, really high right now. And I don't know if it's some something in the water or like that we're all so competitive for ears right now that we're all just like, yeah, we have to you have to kill it. You can't put out fluff, like we all have to be on it right now.

SPEAKER_01

Everybody went to the lab and they're like, Well, if we tour for this damn album, it better be fucking good.

SPEAKER_00

You know what though? That's an interesting concept because I feel like there might be a fear of oversaturation too. But the fact that we are hearing things that we really dig and we really like is a great sign. And so that's like a blessing in and of itself. So we're gonna have to kind of see how the year unravels. Well, so these past two weeks, what are what are some kind of heavy hitters for you guys? I guess, and I'll even start too, Ray, which I know Brad and I were like super pumped to talk about. I, you guys, I've been telling everyone under the sun to listen to this record because it is just it's an epic. And like while while I was listening to it for the first time, I'm like, I this is cinematic. I can literally picture just the these crazy, insane visuals. Like the imagination that this album sparked within my brain was insane, and I loved it. I think she's pushing boundaries and like her extended spoken word sections, and she has track switching tempo midway through, and like just it just was really candy for my ears in the most wonderful way. But I would love to hear what you guys thought of it if you've listened to it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I think what what sets Ray apart is that she is, like you said, she's very theatrical. Like you could kind of tell that she was like a thespian, like you could almost kind of sense the vibe that like everything that she does is done from like a place of drama in theater. Because she'll paint a picture with a song and not care, like I said, like switching tempos, like something that's done in theater all the time. So it's a time signature midway through the song. Like, like she had samples that that go from her upbringing too, so like she has a very like RB centric voice, where like you would think she'd make like straight up baby making music, but like she is like very much into like the the theatrical part of it. So like she'll have like she had an Al Green sample that had like a credit in the song, like all of this to say that I I am not like the person that listens to like very doo-whoppy kind of like stuff, and yeah, but this kind of reminded me a lot of a very like like an evolutionized Amy Winehouse record.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, I love that reference. I'm obsessed with Amy, so yes, 1000% yes.

SPEAKER_01

So if you listen to any Amy Winehouse, I personally recommend a great album.

SPEAKER_00

The commentary to what what really sparked my eyes as well is like the commentary from this album on what it is, the experience rather of the modern woman. And like in 30, 40 years to listen back on this, I think would be so fascinating. And it's just such a fantastic kind of reflection of time. And I was totally geeking out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It is a it is a crazy perspective swap. So yeah, I am curious to see like in culture how we like digest this album later on. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I gotta say, I you know, I'm not I I've been pretty tuned out of like pop music in general. Um that's why we're here. Well, exactly. You guys are keeping me, you guys are keeping me honest on that. And I appreciate that. But what I've what I've seen though from your guys' pics out of the pop scene is that I think that pop music became so sterilized for a time, and it it became talk about oversaturation. I mean, like pop music was extremely oversaturated, but these artists that you guys are talking about, they are really somehow creating a voice for themselves, and they're doing uh really, really interesting things that are like making them stand out in a way that's kind of like breaking the mold in a way that I really appreciate. So I think like I hope that you keep seeing this weird, like kind of experimental edge to pop music, because it's just gonna do a lot for like music in general as it continues to like lead, you know, pop music's always leading the charge as far as music goes. It's like what everyone most nine out of ten people gravitate to when it comes to music, you know. So like if pop music is interesting, it will create space for interesting underground bands to be able to like shine through, you know. 100% agree.

SPEAKER_01

So well said. I I could go on and on about like like the pop, I guess, metric of the world because you see how things change, like in the 2000s, like the very fabricated sound of like it needs to sound like this, and it needs to be this, and it needs to be this, it needs to be this. It has now opened up in the social media age where like I feel most people need to connect with pop stars on a more personal level, like thanks to like the amount of access that we have to them and being genuine in like not only like yourself but your music speaks like higher volume. So if you have an artist that like leans away from something that like made them who they are, like people don't gravitate towards that anymore. Where like back then when like a lot of things were fabricated, it was whatever the next trend was, we hopped on it. Where I think that leaves room for artists like Ray, like Charlie XTX, who literally her club sound is her sound. That is it. If you make an album that's not a club sound, what the hell are we looking at? Like like things like that like keeps people honest with their pop stars nowadays, which also helps the subcultures behind it that keep that sound prevalent.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. I mean, on another scale, like if you look at like rock music in the 90s, you know, Nirvana like blowing up, getting signed to Geffen Records, which was a major record label, blowing up with smells like Teen Spirit, then all of a sudden the entire recording industry gravitated to Seattle and bands like the Melvins, which is like a stoner rock band, that look they look insane. They look like the burnouts that sat at the burnout table in high school, like that. Band, Mud Honey, which is like pretty unlistenable. Like bands like that were getting major record label contracts because all of a sudden everyone was like, I want to book the next Nirvana. You know? So like bands doing bands getting huge off of doing very interesting things always kicks the door down for other bands to follow through. So yeah, like I said, I mean this is I feel like we're on the cusp of like a weird experimental era of like pop music that could like end up generating some like really wild stuff in the next like five to ten years.

SPEAKER_00

I agree. Oh, that was well said, Bobby. I like that. You heard a here first, folks. You heard it here first.

SPEAKER_01

Remember the came back. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's right.

SPEAKER_01

We gotta get weirder before we get more popular. That's how it works.

SPEAKER_00

Weirder and wonderful, and also further like ASMR. I didn't know that I needed, but I wanted Greenhouse.

SPEAKER_01

Green Dash House.

SPEAKER_00

Bobby, tell us about it. This is one of your picks, right?

SPEAKER_02

This was this was like, yeah, this was as far as the first quarter of this year went, this was probably like the one I was looking forward to the most. Uh I had gotten so heavily into them right before this record was announced. I was like listening to them all the time, and then this record got announced. So it was circled on my calendar and it exceeded my expectations. It's beautiful. It it definitely does what they do best, which I think I you know I said in the last episode it is like music for plants, I call it. Like it is like very ambient, it's beautiful, synthy, modular synth sounds, very pleasant to listen to. You can it's good for like active and passive listening, like how what whatever you're doing, you know. But it's just like really nice and pleasant to have on in the house, like at all times, you know. But then it kind of they kind of broadened their sound a little bit in ways that was really cool to hear. None of it came out of left field, it was all like a natural progression, you know. And uh, like I said, the thing I was the most soaked about was they did a bandcamp listening party. So this was the first one that I got to try, you know.

SPEAKER_03

So wow.

SPEAKER_02

I had like the morning that record dropped, I went for a run and I listened to it and you know did my active listening to it, and then I came home and I logged in for the bandcamp listening party. So you basically like went you followed the URL and then you entered into like a live chat chat room, and it was like me and other people, and then it played the album and you could listen to it, but like as you played the album, the artist, like Greenhouse, was in the chat room, and you could actively talk with them. Talk to them, you know. So too cool. People were asking them questions about gear, like what was the song about, and they were they were putting their own little anecdotes in there, like, oh, we did this, you know. So it was a really, really cool experience. Like you were actively listening with the artist from afar, you know. It was pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00

That's awesome. And that is all through Bandcamp, right? Like that is Bandcamp. Bandcamp is like literally the best. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Bandcamp, that's the best. I mean, it's a cool concept. I want to like next time Cloakroom does an album, I definitely want to do one because you know, it's it's hard to it's hard to like like if we did a a re a listening party in Chicago, it'd probably do really well. But uh away from that, like it would be hard for us to like draw that type of audience, you know. But on Bandcamp, I mean it just opens it up to where people from all over the world can join in, you know. So and it seemed like that was the vibe. Like there was people from all over the country in this greenhouse one. So it's pretty cool. I think it's gonna be like I said, it's a cool technology for artists to use, you know. I'm gonna go ahead and spoil this. All the all these picks are mine, but for good reason. For good reason, I did I did want to uh the I wanted to talk to you guys specifically about this record just because I thought it was really cool. So the artist is called Larisim. Okay, and the album is called Connectors Volume 1, 1992 to 1999. And essentially, like this this caught me. I saw like a lot of people in like the electronic ambient scene that I followed, they were like talking about this record. And essentially, like what happened here was uh this guy he wasn't like a musician, like I think he was a college student. He made this like collection of songs on a synthesizer in the 90s while he was at college. Okay, and he sent this tape in to a zine uh that was it was called ND Zine, and he sent it in to get reviewed, and they never reviewed it, so it just ended up in the bin. And he never like pursued a career outside of this. So it was just like lost in time, like no one ever thought about it ever again. But uh sometime in the most recent history, a record label called Freedom to Spend, they acquired all of these tapes that had been submitted to the zine for review, and they've just been going it's like 1200 tapes, and they've just been going through all these tapes, and they found this one, and they were immediately like, This is freaking brilliant, it's insane, it's so good. So they put it out, like it they fight they like formally released it, and now all of a sudden, like this dude who might have like even at this point in his life, it's been 30 years, he might have like forgot about even doing this. He now all of a sudden he's like getting this crazy spotlight, and like magazines are writing about it, and he's like having this like cool little like so. Yeah, I just was like so stoked on the story, and the album is really cool. It is like very like synthy, like kind of similar to to Greenhouse, but then like you know, I don't know, there's like there's like elements of like new order and depeche mode in there. There's like kind of dark wavy like elements too. Like, there's a lot of really cool sounds on this record, you know. And um, yeah, I I just love the idea of like an album being lost in time. Like we've seen this happen a few times, but this is like a really cool instance of that, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Wow, and a modern example too, of it just you know being released. That's that's awesome. I love that backstory. I can't wait to listen to it. Sweet. Great pick.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01

I am now curious to dig. I've been digging.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's a good, it's a good little listen. It's a good one.

SPEAKER_00

That's great. And then Charlie Crockett. Oh my gosh. First of all, Bobby, you had text our group chat that this was coming out. Didn't even know. I didn't even know Charlie was releasing this. What was your takeaway? What did you think of it?

SPEAKER_02

It's great. It's really, really good. It flows super well.

SPEAKER_00

His voice is just great singer.

SPEAKER_02

He's a great singer, great songwriter. Like, if you even if you aren't a fan of his, we gotta recognize this dude is breaking the mold. He's breaking the mold in so many ways. He's putting out he's put out, I I just read the statistic, he's put out 16 albums since 2015. Okay. Wow. He's putting out, he's been putting out two albums a year since I found out about him, which was in 2020. He's been putting out two albums a year. He's been on the road the nonstop. He's never not never not touring. He's been touring the whole time. He's he's operating at a level that like this is how the Beatles did it, right? Like, if you look at the Beatles and you're like, oh wow, they were a band forever. They weren't. They were a band for 10 years. Yeah, and in that 10 years, they played like a thousand shows and they put out like a thousand records because they were putting out records two records a year and they were touring nonstop. Like, that is what Charlie Crockett is doing, but no one else is operating at that level right now, you know? So, I mean, just even like I said, if you're not a fan of his music, you gotta throw some respect on his name. It's incredible to see how and like I don't know how long he's gonna be able to maintain at this clip because it's insane seeming to me. Yeah. Um, but as somebody that played like 70 shows last year, I'm like, I was exhaust- I'm like, I I feel good not playing a show for a really long time, you know, after that. Like so I can't imagine just like living on the road basically, but um to be able to do it and to to maintain it at the level he's maintaining it at, like he's he's still great, sounds great live. The albums keep getting better, so like it's really, really respectable to watch, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, his marketing tactics too. You had shared with us a little bit about that. Was this in Austin that you had noticed and seen? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I'll I'll definitely drop a hard image into our video here, and maybe we'll share it on uh more visual aids media too visual aids, hey, yeah. This was like on the side of like a juice land in Austin, Texas, when we were like walking. Yeah, it's incredible, you know.

SPEAKER_00

And then uh no one else is doing that, you know? It's insane.

SPEAKER_02

Posters everywhere. This was spray painted on a sidewalk as we were like just like happen to be like walking for pizza, and it was just like on the sidewalk, you know. So it's pretty incredible. Like he he's just I I would love to know more about his team that he has around him and like the level, like the the brains that are in the room, like the stuff that they're coming up with, because it's just like so inventive right now at a time where like we've been so reduced to like the phone, okay. The internet, yeah. It's on the phone, it's on the internet. Like this dude is like keep this dude just keeps things fresh in a way that's like really, really refreshing right now, you know.

SPEAKER_00

I love that. PSA. You guys go listen to Charlie Crockett.

SPEAKER_02

New record's awesome, it's really, really good. Yeah, it is really good. He definitely does a good job of like it it, you know, it definitely has more. I think when I first heard him, it was very vintage country. Like it reminded me a lot of like country that was like in the 60s and 70s that like I love, you know. And it's gotten more modern sounding, but he still has that like authentic flair. Like it's not straight, like polished garbage Nashville sound. Like it's very, very like authentic sounding, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Who I'm curious, because I love hearing Bobby, your take on country. I'm like curious, and you don't have to air anybody out now, but I'm curious like who you don't like.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I can guess. I think I can guess this.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, do you want to guess who Bobby hates?

SPEAKER_02

I don't wanna yeah, I don't want to start any comment wars here on our videos, you know. I'll just say that like what has happened, and I'm not the only one that shares this opinion, but what has happened in Nashville like in the last 10 years is not like it's forced country music out, and there's a new version of country music happening there that I think a lot of people are kind of like scratching their heads at, you know.

SPEAKER_01

So if your country music has trap drums in it, throw it away.

SPEAKER_03

Get it out of here, throw it away.

SPEAKER_01

Get it out. If your country genre bending, I don't care. Get throw it away. Yeah. Get it out of here.

SPEAKER_02

Your country music artist was born wealthy.

SPEAKER_03

Get it out of here. Get it out of here. Get it out of here.

SPEAKER_02

Sorry, I don't mean to I don't mean to err on the side of classism here, but I'm just saying there's a country music and country music in this country, it it stems from something, right?

SPEAKER_01

You know, country music and gangster rap are two of the same thing. Country music and gangster rap are more identity than anything. If you lose the identity of the artist that creates either gangster rap or country, you lose the entire basis of the music. Like, I can't believe a gangster rapper that grew up in the suburbs, and I cannot believe a country music artist that like went to prep school in like Ohio. I don't know. Sorry, can't do it.

SPEAKER_00

We should just rate the stagecoach lineup and just blast without kidnapping, I'm getting.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's a tease because we're gonna be talking about festivals later.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Thundercat.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, it yes, yes, yes. Yes, it yes. Yeah, Thundercat, the album Distracted, which is very Thundercat sounding, of course, the the name, just even the name of the album. Um so preference if you don't know who Thundercat is, um, it he is just about the craziest bassist I've ever heard in my entire life. He plays a damn eight-string. Like, I think his signature is a six-string, but he's it's nuts. He's collaborated with Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, um I mean, Tamin Pala, Lil Yachty Mac Miller. Nice. Uh it's insane. And um most notably, I think the story that drives this album together is that he was supposed to be on Mac Miller's tour for his last album. The album, the the tour that got canceled because of his unfortunate passing. Um in this album is one of the songs that was going to be played on that tour that never saw the light of day until now. Obviously, he had it got it sorted away with with Max Estate and all it's called She Knows Too Much. And it is an absolutely beautiful song. Uh, coincidentally enough, the imagery, the song is three minutes and thirty-three seconds, three three three, you know, good angel number. But um this album has a lot of features, which is unlike Thundercat. I mean, obviously he's a very highly collaborative artist, but a lot of his records he decides to kind of do a lot on his own because it's a kind of an experimental kind of sound. Um but he decided to um to collaborate with a lot of different artists, and obviously it stays within the same kind of jazzy tone that Thundercat has with that like very low falsetto. Like he doesn't sing with his chest, he kind of sings it like his tippy toes, I always like to call. Um and a lot of that soft spoken falsetto is on this album again, and a lot of funny lyrics, like funny references he always does, like you know, talking about like one of the songs that he had in like his last album about like how he's covered in cat hair, like stuff like that. Like he just very silly, but like very like intricate sounding music. And I I actually really loved it. And he he branched out genre-wise, which does not happen a lot for him. Like he kind of has this lane that if you listen to a lot of his records, like you can kind of play it through, and it's mostly the same thing. But he had a song with Chanel Tress, which is an artist that makes a lot of like house music. I almost called it like like runway house music, kind of. Um, collaborated with Disclosure, Steve Lacey. Um, and the song This Thing We Call Love is my absolute favorite thing Thundercat has put out in years. So uh definitely recommend that. I'll put that on the playlist. Shout out to the playlist, the playlist, the Almighty playlist.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

That will be out on Apple Music and Spotify and title and YouTube because we were pushing the YouTube playlist so you could see the visuals. Um yeah, uh big fan of this album. Um uh did you I know I think Bobby, you might have listened to it, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I gotta give props to all the bass players who are stepping in the spotlight. We've been living on the back of the stage our whole career, so all of a sudden Flea and Thundercat are putting out these huge records. And I yeah, I'm in I'm in as a bass player, I'm stoked on it. Like, yeah, you know, I mean, there's so much room for creativity within bass, like and and most people don't realize that Thundercat's been busting down boundaries for like his whole career, and this is just a continuation of that, you know, like he's one of the most inventively creative artists there is right now, as far as I'm concerned, you know.

SPEAKER_03

Wow.

SPEAKER_01

With a music background. For real. Oh, really? Former bass. Did he start as a bassist? For the band Suicidal Tendencies.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, which is crazy. You know, like yeah, he started out in a punk band, now he's like a like a I mean, yeah, he's collaborated with everybody, like in the pop music world, you know. So he's gone a super far distance.

SPEAKER_00

That's awesome. I gotta check him out.

SPEAKER_01

I did not know about it. Awesomely, awesomely, honestly, super accessible music as well. Like, I think if you're not into like super weird ass music, like you're you're gonna find something from that record that you're like, damn, okay, I agree with this.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and then my second pick, uh, Snail Mail. I talk about snail mail all the frickin' time at this point. I love snail mail, I love Lindsay. And um this album, Ricochet, is like I mean, I I call it like a love letter to the open road. Like it feels like something that's nice, that resonates with people who don't stay at home a lot. And I can I can kind of agree with that as somebody who does not stay home a lot. Like Lindsay can obviously attest to that, like being on the road all the time and locking herself in to make an album that is just beautiful. Like it sounds beautifully. Like her last two albums is her as a teenager and her growing up in the world and and having different experiences and not sounding as like timid as she was, like songs like Heat Wave and Pristine, like Off of Valentine, like her sounding like kind of like a grown person with grown person feelings and like going through life as a like somebody who's like had to deal with a lot, and yeah, like hearing that perspective and and also like I guess changing from just like the simple like intro guitar, drums come in, long drowned out guitar. Like, there is a lot of really cool production on this, right? I I think she kind of branched out and is almost kind of like I'm gonna mention this again, it feels like the nothing album. Like, like in the nothing album, there was a lot of like breakbeats and there was like electronic elements and stuff like that, and she was like, Yeah, like kind of whatever it takes to make the emotion hit the way it needs to. Um and I really, really love this album. Uh, butterfly is my absolute favorite thing off of it. Um, so if I do recommend if you've never listened to it, I think that is once again. I feel like every song that I like for a record could possibly be a pop song. So if so take that with a grain of salt. So if you think like you like pop music, like that's the one that I think would get you hooked.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Add it to the list. From what I've observed of her, like she's obviously, like I said, she was like a young, came on the scene as like a young prodigy, but she is like kind of like a sponge. And her pedigree, like the people she's toured with, like the people she's like learning from. Not that she like needs to learn from anybody, but like the other artists that she's surrounding herself with are some of the best kind of indie songwriters that are around right now. I talked about Wax Ahatchie, like Wax Ahatchie really took you know, Katie Crutchfield really took snail mail. Like, that's how I found out about snail mail was like her being like, Hey, I'm taking this 16-year-old on tour, and she's better at guitar than you are. And it's like, oh, great, you know, great. Like, I'm glad, I'm glad that's happening, you know. So um, but but yeah, I mean, just her that her songwriting, like it's scary, scary awesome when somebody is is already good at guitar, but then they can learn very quickly from other great artists, you know, and like that's what always strikes me. It's like every time, every album cycle, every time she does support tours of bigger artists, she comes back with an album that's even better. It's like she's learning, not only is she getting better as a songwriter, but she's learning from like all these other people as well, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, her craft, her craft is sharpening, you know. Yeah, exactly. That's great. I love that. Gosh, I like we said, the the music that's been dropping lately is insane and I'm loving it. So now upcoming music too. We got April 10th, April 17th, the next two music Fridays. How what are we looking at? What are we getting excited about?

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna run through mine as quick as I possibly can. Speedrun. If you're a fan of general rock pop, pop rock, any rock, pop punk, whatever, broadside uh is putting out an album called Nowhere at Last. If you're into like absolutely nasty ass like metal core, like death core, like if you're into bands like Spite, you've definitely heard of Body Snatcher. They're putting out an album called Hell Is Here, Hell Is Homes, Heavy as Hell. Um Isaiah Huron is an artist that I feel like a lot of people don't know about. Um he put out a cover of Teenage Fever by Drake. Um, and I think it's probably one of the absolute most beautiful sounding covers I've ever heard. And I would go back to like, I think covers are a really good way to introduce people to your music, and and I think covers are almost underrated. Like, I want to scream it from the freaking rafters. That I think if more artists put out covers or played covers live, that they would absolutely win a crowd over. And Isera Heroin was one of those people to me, so he's putting out an album called Mr. Lovebomb. Tiger Cub is an out our artist or band that I have not really heard of much. Uh, but I took a listen at two of the singles off of the album called Nets to Catch the Wind. It's very alt-rocky. These guys are kind of older. Um, so like I'm curious to understand the history of this band, but like the album sounds super fresh, like from the singles that I've listened to. Uh very like alt rock, kind of like um kind of I guess like new order, if like they were newer and like sounded way betterly produced, I guess. Um it's like the best I could describe it. Um uh The Main is an album that I like I'm very much looking forward to. It's uh an artist that I forgot about I listened to when I was like a kid. Like they the last album that they released was nine years ago, um, and they're back. And the main is a beautiful sounding, like kind of like earthy like pop rock band. Um almost call it like indie rock. And there it's an album called Joy Next Door that comes out on 410.

SPEAKER_00

Count me in. Oh, I like the sound of that. Nice, good roll there. How long was that and time?

SPEAKER_02

Bobby, how about you? For April 10th, I've got one. I had a list. I'm gonna keep it simple. I'm gonna keep it down to one. The new Square Pusher record is coming out. Yes!

SPEAKER_01

I was gonna say that too, but then you had it on your list, and I really wanted to listen to it. Dude. Did you listen to the singles yet?

SPEAKER_03

Yes!

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Okay. Dude, the beat boob is Square Pusher. The beep boobs going stupid on that album.

SPEAKER_02

If I'm gonna add if I if I'm gonna sit here and act like I'm gonna listen to multiple things that week, I would be lying. I'd be doing a disservice to our listeners and to both of you. Once this drops, this will probably be all I'm gonna listen to for the foreseeable future. Okay. So Square Pusher, the record is called, it's gonna be, I think it's called Camera Concert, but it's with K's. It's very, you know, you'll have to look up the spelling, but he dropped two singles from this. It's insane sounding. You want to talk about crazy bass players. It's uh I mean I think I would have to assume there's a level of influence for Thundercat coming from Square Pusher. I I would be if if not, he's probably lying, I would have to guess. Like, because there is a lot of similar play, but like I as a bass player it inspires me, also makes me feel like I should just never pick up my bass ever again because there's no hope, you know, like at ever being able to play on that level, you know, but yeah, it's you know, drum and bass dr drum and bass music, like insane drum beats, uh crazy synthesizers, and then bass playing like you've never heard before is is what we're in store for. We've only got two songs so far, but like I I mean, you know, he doesn't he's not in the business of missing like ever with his uh discography, so I'm sure it's gonna be great, you know. But definitely gonna drop we have to drop Square Pusher's theme on our playlist as a great as the ultimate introduction for listeners who've never heard Square Pusher before. Start start at song one, okay? Okay. That's the one to start with. So um for for the week of April 10, that's all I've got. I I've cleared my schedule. I'm sticking with that one.

SPEAKER_01

No, I don't blame you at all because the when I heard the one of the singles that had like this bass run that sounded like a thundercast. I was like, but it was like super analog sounding that like people that are like super into electronic music, like you get to like a peak. It's kind of like the I call it like the hard rock peak. Like you start at like, you know, John Mayer, and then you get to like Lincoln Park, and then you get to like Mass Grave, and then you get to like, you know, you know, Rings of Saturn, and then you start coming down and you're like, oh, this music is really good down here, actually. Like, and the Square Pusher deal is like you listen to an artist like Square Pusher and you end up all the way to like these ridiculous sounding, like insane sound design, people like Skrillex or Zomboy or whatever. But like getting back to the basics of electronic music of just having your sit this at your microchord, your Juno, your whatever you're playing on, and like hearing an album in the year 2026 being played on like analog gear. And it'd be fresh and it sounds fresh. It's something like you haven't heard before. It's like it's awesome. It's like, oh my god, how'd you do that? Like, and and that's the Square Pusher album to me. That's why I'm very excited that you brought it up because I'm like, ah, very excited.

SPEAKER_02

I I'm psyched on in the age of social media when like young people that like you know were raised on cell phones are discovering like all this great music, there's so many sick clips of Square Pusher like that are going viral on Instagram of him playing beasts. Yeah. And it's like people probably think like if you listen to this, you might think this is programmed, like on a computer. You're like, there's no way there's a human being playing this, and now there's like videos out there of him actually playing it, and it's just it's shatter it, it will shatter your perception of what you think a human being can play on that instrument. Like for me, like every time I'm just like, well, this is it's stupid. It's stupid that like he learned and figured out how to play that way. I don't know how, you know, but like, yeah, I'm just glad that like he's kind of having a resurgence moment where like young people are like, What is this? What is happening with this? Like, this record is just gonna blow everybody's brains, I think.

SPEAKER_00

You know, oh my gosh, you guys, holy cow, what a review! I gotta do some homework.

SPEAKER_01

I wonder if there's a playlist that you can look up the visual to what we were talking about. I wonder if there's a place we can do this. If only there was a place, yeah. If only there's a play. I heard there was a playlist, uh YouTube playlist. Is there is there?

SPEAKER_00

Speak us out! We are here to serve.

SPEAKER_01

We just want to give you the sauce, all of it. Not the whole thing.

SPEAKER_00

That's awesome. I love that. My one mention for this upcoming Friday was Ella Langley because her new Dandelion album is coming out. And I just think her music is very fun, it's very groovy. I think I might have even talked about it last episode, but um, her new music video, be her. She also had a new one for choosing Texas, but I just think it's gonna be fun and boppy. And uh, she's kind of giving 90s and and early 2000s kind of country. She's bringing that back again. And so I'm excited. You know, I'm excited to see kind of what this what this album is about. So there's there's quite a bit of buzz about it. She's really made a name for herself, I would, I would say, within within country, modern day country. And uh so yeah, we'll have to see. We'll have to see what she brings to the table.

SPEAKER_01

I have heard, because of you, I heard that the the Texas song. So that's that's the one that I actually looked at the video and I was like, oh.

SPEAKER_00

What was your review? What did you think of that? Choosing Texas.

SPEAKER_01

You know, it definitely reminds me of like like you know, you go to the county fair and then you get like a funnel cake, and then like there's like this small stage that's like underneath like an awning. And like on the back side of the awning is like you pet donkeys, but then like the lady on stage is like ethereally singing. Like it's just beautiful. And that's that's what I grasp for now. Like, man, you know what? I'm painting. You know, I want to go with a fried Oreo. You took me there. Give me a give me a fried Oreo.

SPEAKER_00

Give me a fried Twinkie. I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_01

Everything is color graded to very brown yellow.

unknown

Like everything.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, you're putting on those the sunglasses, the yellow sunglasses. Absolutely. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Like all the little girls are running around with like flower crowns. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like the parents are like at the at the at the barbecue stand, the kids are running around, dude. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I like that. That was a good pick picture you painted right there.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you. Thank you. I'm gonna segue from what I mentioned earlier about covers. All right. I think covers are the best way to somebody's heart. The way to your heart is chocolate, and the other one is is uh covers. Chocolate and covers. Uh Dorian Electra is an artist that is from the PC Music Collective. So by PC Music Collective, I'm talking about A.G. Cook, Sophie, R.I.P, Charlie XCX, umru, all those kinds of very like avant-garde producers from the UK. Um Dorian Electra is an artist that is mostly a singer than they are a producer, but it has pretty crazy producing chops that's part of that collective. Very interesting sounding voice. Like it's kind of like almost childish sounding. Um, and put out a cover of Feel Good Inc. that is part of that. But there's a bunch of other covers that are on this album. I think like half of the album is covers. So if you're curious as to like the style that Dorian Electra produces in and sings in, I think this is a really good introduction to their music. Um the next one I have is Jesse Ware. Jesse Ware, frequent collaborator with Disclosure, that's how I found out about Jesse Ware, very talented singer, absolutely beautiful voice. He's putting an album out that we we mentioned this in like in passing. I'm not sure if it was during the podcast or something else, about like, I love when an album is conceptually on point to the point where it like it it takes you in and it keeps you there for the entire ride through it. And it spits you out at the end, and you're like, oh, I forgot where I am. And Jesse Ware's album Superbloom. There's only two singles that are out right now, and it is a true dive into the 80s. And it's not the 80s of like 80s like Survivor, 80s Kate Bush, 80s, you know, AHA. It's not any of that. It is everything. And it's like she takes up like eras of the 80s into like her own style. And the production is super like, I mean, true to life 80 sounding. And I'm actually curious to like look up some production diaries to figure out exactly how she came up with that and like the producers that she worked with and the gear and all these very interesting things. But Superbloom is the name of the album, and it is I I'm looking extremely forward to it as somebody who loves 80s style production and like losing yourself in that world. And the last one that I have is Zane, former member of One Direction.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um the most soulful singer in that whole band. I don't give a damn what anybody thinks. We got some soul.

SPEAKER_00

You're making some enemies today.

SPEAKER_01

And Mind of Mine was such a great album. That was the first uh soul album that he made after leaving One Direction. Um he is putting out an album called Conical. It is his first album in 12 years. I have no idea what happened in between that. I'll have to look it up. Yeah, yeah, Pillow Talk, phenomenal song. But uh yeah, Zayn Conical. I don't know what the hell it's gonna sound like. I haven't heard a single single yet, and uh we'll be diving into that, and I'm we'll be curious when it comes out.

SPEAKER_00

What a rundown! Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Oh Lordy Bobby, what are you watching for? I got one, another one, April 17th.

SPEAKER_00

But you have the heavy hitters when you say that, because now I'm like, oh my god, I gotta buckle in because I know it's gonna be real good.

SPEAKER_02

It's just not gonna, I'm not gonna waste your time. I'm gonna stick to one, all right? But um band called Accessory. So there's a Chicago band called Dead, D-E-H-D, that has like made a name for themselves. They've been playing for quite a bit. Kind of like they're three-piece, they kind of walk the indie punk world, like pop pop world, they're kind of in all those pools, you know. Uh Accessory is uh Jason Bala from Dead's other band. Uh I had the pleasure of playing a show with Accessory, and they were they played as like a nine-piece. There were like more members on stage than there were in the crowd watching. It was but it sounded incredible. It was like a complete soundbath. Um definitely shoe gaze influenced for sure. If if you remember Devotees, speed of sound devotees, go back to episode one, and I mentioned a band called Technicolor Teeth that I feel very passionately about. I remember accessory is kind of scratching that itch. It's very like retro sounding, like you know, inspired by maybe like 1960s psychedelic rock, like the birds, but it's in like a modern take of shoe gays, very washy, a lot of great textures, and like just cool pop music that's just like under a bath of like delay and reaver pedals. So in Chicago, there's a thing called album runs. Uh this guy he basically has a running club, and once a month he organizes them and he picks out an album, and everyone puts the album on and they run the duration, they run for the duration of the album, and then after they get together and they talk about it tonight, like as soon as I adjourn with you guys, me and my wife are going to Chicago to do a little preview of this accessory record. We're gonna do an album run for accessory tonight. So I'm really, really stoked. I'm gonna get a little sneak peek of the record, you know. We are learning. So freaking cool, Bobby.

SPEAKER_03

It's gonna be awesome. I hate it here.

SPEAKER_02

Why can't we have that? And I think I think Jason Accessories doing it. Yeah, right? Oh, yeah, yeah. Actually, we have to do it. Can we start that here? Can we let you know? The Stanestown Run Club. We should, we definitely have to do it. We gotta do it. Yeah, but I'm so I'm so stoked. It's a cool, it's a cool, there's like a great trail in Chicago called the 606, which is like this it was an old train line that they've turned into a running path. So it's like Atlanta.

SPEAKER_01

I love that.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's cool. And it runs like through a cool part of Chicago. So like we all go up there, and then like, you know, the album's you know, 30 minutes long, you run out 15 minutes and come back, you know, and then like, yeah, so and then like I said, I heard that Jason from Accessory, he himself is a runner, so he'll be there tonight. And uh, we'll get to talk with him about the record and everything, so it should be a cool experience. I love that.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my gosh, please, please, if you can take it. Please report back. Yeah, we will. Oh, I can't wait to hear how that goes. Yeah, that's great. Dang, oh my gosh, but we got some good stuff coming up, you guys. Next episode, we're gonna have to run it back because that is super exciting, and I love the rundowns. Also, segueing into festival season is upon us. And our group chat was going off because it's like, oh my God, how is Coachella here already? How is how are we already in April? What the hell is happening? What's up, what's down? What festivals are you guys looking forward to?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I am very excited about Coachella, and I would like to still inquire about how crazy the lead up to Coachella is. Um, but I think my favorite festival of this entire run is a festival that I felt like has kind of flown underneath the radar. It's called Kilby Block Party. And it is a festival in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the lineup is just about like they just stole my Spotify like wrapped, and they were like, have your freaking festival, damn it. And the the tickets for this for three days is $289. That's it? $289. But my view, you are seeing the XX, Lord, Turnstyle, Haley Williams, Modest Mouse, Lucy Dawkus, Blood Orange, Japanese Breakfast, Magdalena Bay, Alex G, Father John Misty, American Football, Snail Mail, Beach Bunny, Jane Remover, Between Friends.

SPEAKER_00

Breathe, Brad, breathe. I'm just kidding, dude, you gotta go to that. It was made for you.

SPEAKER_01

I'm having I will have to figure out how I'm supposed to like get out of my commitments to go to this because I I might have to actually go see this because I love the XX so much. And like the XX is like playing their first show in like 10 years. They played in Mexico like two days ago, and they're playing Coachella like this weekend. It'll be their second show, second, in however many years, after had not releasing an album since 2017. So I am That's crazy. Very, very, very, very looking forward to this festival.

SPEAKER_02

There's like a ton of crossover between it and Coachella, you know, I'm noticing, but like for a quarter of the price, right? And then taking away a lot of the bands that like are like you know, you're scratching your head at and replacing it with like cool underground bands. Yes, as far as Kilby Block Party goes, like the lineup is from top to bottom pretty incredible. And I will speak, I will speak to the people behind it, Kilby. Like they run a venue year-round Kilby Court, which is a great place for up-and-coming bands to play in Salt Lake City, and the promoters are awesome. So definitely this is a very, very cool festival, and it's only getting better every year. Support good people.

SPEAKER_00

Love that.

SPEAKER_02

Have you ever been to it, Bobby? I haven't been to the festival, but like I said, we've had the pleasure of playing Kilby Court number numerous times, and they're awesome people doing really cool stuff in Salt Lake City, you know.

SPEAKER_00

That's great. Shout out. Very cool. Nice find, Brad.

SPEAKER_01

Obsessed. I might have to I might actually have to just blow a bunch of fucking quad and just go. It's not that expensive, all things considered, but it's like, damn.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's cool. Bobby, how about you? Any that you got your eye on? I'm sure there's many.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, there is, but the one I'm most excited about literally got announced as we were having this conversation earlier. My wife sent me like the Instagram posts. So it's called Sound and Gravity. It's in Chicago. It takes place at like a few different venues, I'm pretty sure. But like as Brad said, like if someone just looked at your end of the year list or like looked through your library on your streaming service and like based the lineup, this one is mine. So it's a ton of like it's a ton of artists that like I'm so incredibly geeked on that I you know, like there would be shows I would go to anyway if they were happening in Chicago. Uh, but thankfully these are all going to be happening like in the same weekend. So this takes place in September, September 3rd through September 6th. And my highlighted list, like groupers playing, grouper is like this incredibly legendary ambient artist, really beautiful pianist, like singer. She's playing American Analog Set, which is like one of my favorite like indie bands from like the 2000s. Like they've been semi-getting active again recently. They put a record out like in the last couple years, and they're gonna come play Chicago, which is awesome. Uh Gregory Ullman, who I just was talking about in the last episode, he's gonna be there. So uh and he's doing like two different sets. He's doing like a collaboration set and he's doing a solo set.

SPEAKER_01

So nice.

SPEAKER_02

Uh David Moore, who gained fame under the band Bing and Ruth, he's like a classically trained pianist, but like does like more like ambient stuff. He just put out a record earlier this year that's incredible, and he's finally coming to Chicago to play, which is gonna be amazing. And the thing I am the most excited about is Natural Information Society is doing a collaboration set with Bitch and Bajas. Now, I haven't had the chance to talk about Bitch and Bajas on this show yet, but I love bitch and bajas more than people love most things, okay? I love this band. I think they are the they are the coolest band from Chicago by a considerable margin, okay? Uh I won't even try to describe it, just go listen to it. Just go listen to Bitch and Bajas, okay? But earlier. Yeah, it will be on the playlist. But yeah, last December, my wife and I went to go see them, and it it rinsed both of our brains. It was just a total brain rinse where it was like just you know, life before seeing bitch and bajas, and then life after, you know, we are we are the afterpoints. So they put out uh they put out two records last year. One of them was a collaboration with National Uh Information Society, and they're gonna run it back and do this collaboration set at Sound and Gravity. So it's gonna be insane sounding, you know. Um, I'm super, super stoked for. So I will definitely be buying weekend passes for that, and I will be parked and going to as many of the showcases as I possibly can. I literally cannot wait for it.

SPEAKER_00

Hell yes! Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02

We need to get like a bobby cam going and then just yeah, I'll definitely be posting a lot on the Speed of Sound uh Instagram that weekend.

SPEAKER_01

Hell, if I do this, then I'm definitely doing that too. I'm posting my channel.

SPEAKER_00

We need to look into that. I need to like get you guys some GoPros and just like strap them to your chest for these festivals.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That would be awesome. And quickly, too, before we wrap up today, so the Coachella lineup, uh, and also before we even get into the lineup, right before we started recording, I said to Brad, I was like, dude, what do you even think a ticket is going for right now for Coachella? We checked it out. A three was it a three-day passage?

SPEAKER_01

Three-day GA resale.

SPEAKER_00

Not too much. Bobby, how much do you think? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Do I dare? Does it do I dare say is it $500? Am I not even close? I have no clue. I have no clue.

SPEAKER_00

Lay it down, Brad. Lay it down. I was, I was there.

SPEAKER_01

Official resales. The cheapest is $1,500.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, come on now. Formula One prices.

SPEAKER_01

Insane. It's insane. This is not counting shuttle or camping.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Wow.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Good luck with you. Where are you going to stay?

SPEAKER_00

Where are you going to sleep? Who knows?

SPEAKER_01

How are you going to get there? You're going to park? You're going to park? You're going to run? In Indio, California? You're going to park? Where are you going to park?

SPEAKER_02

Look, there was one time Cloakroom broke down in Indio, California. And I will tell you, outside of Coachella, there's not a lot happening there. So you better.

SPEAKER_01

The BMW Performance Center West is over there.

SPEAKER_02

You better have some plans, all right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And some sunscreen.

SPEAKER_02

They do have a Del Taco. I will say. Yeah. Humorous Del Tacos. That's that's got they got that going for them.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's true. And with the lineup, lineup talking for Coachella, who's who's uh catching our eye? And also, if you had to pick one day out of the three-day lineup, what day would you pick? I would love to know.

SPEAKER_01

So personally, uh you I'm I'm a big Justin Bieber guy. Like the swag album is amazing. I've been watching the live streams. I am. He's been doing live streams of him rehearsing for this show. So like seeing the rehearsals, I've been very hyped because he's never played, he didn't tour for swag. He never did it. The only live version of any song from that album that we got is his performance at the Grammys. So to hear all these songs live, it's like, yeah, I the exclusivity is killing me. Like, I need to see it. But he is on Saturday. Unfortunately, Saturday's lineup to me is not strong enough to me wanting to just go see that.

SPEAKER_00

Little light.

SPEAKER_01

And this is saying like there's Interpol, Alex G, David Byrne, Labyrinth, Addison Ray. I mean, whatever my ass, right? The Strokes, Panthrists. Like ceremony, like w amazing. But I think Friday is my favorite lineup. Friday. That is Sabrina Carpenter's headlining, the XX, Disclosure, Turnstyle, Ethel Kane, Dijon, Teddy Swims, Devo, Sexy Red. I love Sexy Red. I don't care. Boston People, Blood Orange, Moby is there. We got Moby. Fake Mink, Hamdi, Fleshwater, a sick ass band, Fleshwater. Slater, another new music Friday person that we mentioned. Nina Jirachi, who I saw in Durham a couple months ago. Just badass. Like it's just a badass day to go see anybody.

SPEAKER_02

I concur. I would go Friday. I would go solely for that Devo Mopy block that's happening from uh 6 45 to 9 p.m. That would be one perfect to be everything I'd want to see. Yeah, exactly. So wow.

SPEAKER_00

Would you stay for Sabrina Carpenter, Bobby?

SPEAKER_02

You got it. I could be convinced to move on. Do you like ELO over there?

SPEAKER_01

Do you like ELO?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So, dude, Sabrina Carpenter is just ELO, but like right now. ELO, but sexual and right now.

SPEAKER_02

That's a hard sell, but okay. I'm dead serious.

SPEAKER_00

That's a hard sell.

SPEAKER_02

Have you listened to Short and Sweet? I haven't. No. I'll be the first to admit. I've been familiar with the album before.

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna send you two songs in the big. And I just want you to go from there because I feel like as a bass player, you will love this album.

SPEAKER_02

Alright, fair enough. I'll take your word for it. Shout out Sunday Glitterer. I see Brad's hat. Closest thing that we have to title fight. Thankfully, Ned's still going strong. And glitterer is sick. You should definitely check them out. And they'll be there, they'll be there early on Sunday. But that would be a good idea.

SPEAKER_01

If you are a Title Fight fan, you'd probably like to see Drain, who's also playing on Sunday.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. There you go.

SPEAKER_01

And if you love me, then you'll see Jane Remover, who's also playing Sunday, and is my favorite artist.

SPEAKER_02

And Fat Boy Swim Slim. That would be cool to see.

SPEAKER_01

Oh yeah. Legendary. Oh, food Roy's up.

SPEAKER_00

So Sunday's great too, round it out.

SPEAKER_01

Black Flag is playing. Suicidal Tendencies is playing Sunday.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

This is ridiculous. It's a lot about it.

SPEAKER_00

It's something to be said about whoever's booking all these artists, you know, and like even in the and and Brett and I had said this earlier, but like, what a job to set this up and and not only obviously find the bands, but then to, you know, how are they blocking time? Who's playing at the same time on one stage over here as that stage? Like, there's so many logistics, obviously. I mean, that's why they have huge teams to create these festivals, but just hearing you guys talk about it, like it gets me excited because now I'm like, I want to go see who's playing when, who's slated up against each other. It's pretty fascinating.

SPEAKER_01

And dealing with management too, like management wanting their artists to be this far up the board and oh, but right, whose name's on top, who's on the bottom?

SPEAKER_00

Like, I'm just happy to be here.

SPEAKER_02

I do I do enjoy seeing like which of my friends' bands get the call up for Coachella and Lollapalooza every year, you know. Like this year, obviously, it's it's glitterer and ceremony, bands like that. Like it's cool to see them get these crazy it's a crazy opportunity. I mean, there's gonna be you know over a hundred thousand people there and you know Lollapalooza even more. So it's cool to see like who gets the call-up, you know, who had a good enough year that they get the big the big chance, you know. So I'm excited for them.

SPEAKER_00

That's awesome. Love it. Well, yeah, if you if you hear from any of your buddies next episode, we'll have to have to see, you know, what they say. Pretty cool. First hands.

SPEAKER_01

Looking forward to seeing these on the on the live stream, and whatever doesn't make the live stream, I'm very curious to see, especially glitterer.

SPEAKER_00

I feel like we got a lot to look forward to. So many things to add to our playlist, which everybody please, we will drop all of our albums, our picks, our music mentions, and the official speed of sound playlist. So go check that out. Thank you so much for hanging with us today and listening to the Speed of Sound. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Check us out on YouTube and our socials as well, and we'll see you next time.