#78: Prince, Neil Young, Blue Oyster Cult, Sylvan Esso

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Volume 2. Number 40. Like our newsletter? If so, would you take a minute to forward this edition to a music-loving friend and ask them to subscribe? Or just use this link! Thanks!

The Week That Was: The Prince Countdown

Purple Majesty!

Mon. Sep. 28 - On Monday, we kicked off our second consecutive special week by diving headfirst into a countdown of Prince's 15 greatest tunes. 15, 14, 13 were up first.

Tue. Sep. 29 - 12, 11, 10 came next in the countdown and his episode also featured special guest Ricky Peterson, a keyboardist, producer and arranger who worked with Prince. He was a delight.

Wed. Sep. 30 - We broke into the top 10 on Wednesday and really got into the swing of the countdown.

Thur. Oct. 1 - Thursday brought more stupendously great Prince music and we ticked off songs 6, 5, 4 in the countdown. This episode also featured a conversation with the all-around wonderful Edd Bowser.

Fri. Oct. 2 - Friday saw us put the purple icing on the Prince countdown cake. We revealed the top three songs and all marveled at the gifts he left behind. Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll!

Click here to join tonight's hoot =====> https://us04web.zoom.us/j/174554732

On Deck: Neil Young, New Music, Blue Oyster Cult

And the title of this album is NOT the name of a song on this album!

Mon. Oct. 5 - Scott Parks joins Jim and Patrick for a trip through Neil Young's 1980s records. Man, it got weird there for a while, but the music really holds up.

Tue. Oct. 6 - Tim Hoffman is on the show with a very cool topic that will get your music brains whirring. Hint: It's not a song title on the album, OK?

Wed. Oct. 7 - Patrick gets the September new music ball rolling.

Thur. Oct. 8 - Jim checks in with his September new music picks.

Fri. Oct. 9 - The amazing Jeff Nolan joins Jim and Patrick for a tale of Blue Oyster Cult, theremin and taking a vacation with Buck Dharma. Do not miss this episode.

Note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, topics and dates are subject to change.

LISTENER OF THE WEEK: ENRIQUE CRUZ

If you can't give, help. If you can't help, give!

I live in … Guaynabo PR.

I work as … a service engineer for a company that caters the science industries.

I discovered Rockin' The Suburbs ... by searching for R.E.M. and Nicole Atkins material on TuneIn.

My favorite episode is … "Patrick goes to Kentucky " which was epic, but also the legendary Replacements Countdown series. Interns' favorites for April 2020 were spot on, I must add.

My favorite artists are … R.E.M., Dávila666, Nicole Atkins, Campo Formio, Shannon & The Clams.

My record collection consists of … about 1,500 (vinyl, CDs and tapes).

The most-prized record in my collection is … probably Age Of Chance's Kisspower. The band and the shop were from Leeds, so I hope my copy is legit (only 500 made?).

The first record I ever bought was … Poder Musical by the Dominican merengue band Wilfrido Vargas Y Sus Beduinos.

The last records I bought were … The Harder They Come soundtrack and Let It Bleed (2019 edition).

The first concert I saw was ... Quiet Riot and Stranger at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum (1983?). I had a bad fever and a headache but went anyway.

The best concert I saw was … R.E.M. at Langerado (2008?).

My favorite song is … “Muy Chistoso” (Very Funny) by Dávila666.

I have met a rock star … Mick Jagger. I didn't realize that he had a kid AND a bodyguard with him so "no picture,” thank you. Haha.

I am drinking … Ocean Lab's Blonde Ale, a local brew.

My favorite basketball team is … Bayamón Vaqueros (Cowboys).

My favorite ELP team is … Crystal Palace. I know.

My philosophy of life is … If you can't give, help. If you can't help, give.

MJ'S BAD BAND NAME OF THE WEEK

FANCY TOAST

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PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK >>>

As mentioned on this week's Prince Countdown, there were a wide variety of songs from the man's incredible catalog that received votes in our poll. When you're dealing with an artist with the incredible stylistic range of The Artist, you might expect that to be the case.

All that to say, there were a lot of songs in our poll that got only one vote. So we rounded them all up for you into one handy playlist. And guess what? That turned out to be a really excellent playlist.

Get on down with it now.

What We're Listening To:

Jim: Sylvan Esso - Free Love
Mary: Avenue Beat - "F2020"
Matt: Fleet Foxes - Shore
Patrick: Kiko Dinucci - Rastilho (pictured)
Sam: Supertramp - Breakfast in America
Sami: Nina Simone - "To Love Somebody"

Friday New Releases: Rocktober New Releases!

Just keep your pumpkin spice away from our fresh platters, please.

Bon Jovi - 2020 (Island)
The other New Jersey rocker comments on the ills of our times, including the George Floyd killing. Among the song titles are “Do What we Can,” “American Reckoning” and “Lower the Flag.” “Livin’ on a Prayer” would have also been acceptable.

Born Ruffians - Squeeze (Yep Roc)
This is the companion piece to April’s Juice. The Toronto indie band goes for a bright tone, with upbeat songs in major keys. But then again, they live in Canada.

Dawes - Good Luck With Whatever (Rounder)
Don’t let the cynical title fool you. Taylor Goldsmith has much to say about life and living on this album, the band’s seventh. The expert musical arrangements, in typical Dawes style, give the songs heft without weighing down the listener.

Drive-By Truckers - The New OK (ATO)
How’s the new DBT album? For this band, it’s OK, with a lot of leftover material from the same session that produced this year’s The Unraveling. But OK for Drive-By Truckers is still better than most others.

The Nude Party - Midnight Manor (New West)
One of our favorite young bands returns with their second album. Recorded live to tape over six days, it thus retains their signature looseness, with a cool Velvet Underground-meets-honky tonk vibe.

Fine Printz

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"Freedom of choice is meaningless without knowledge. That's why it's crucial we all get engaged and get informed." -- Neil Young