Author: stuart

The History of 31

Posted on by stuart

Photo by henry perks on Unsplash

I think most music diehards make mixes. They’re more than just convenient arrangements of favorite songs. They’re extensions of identity, audible introductions that represent who we think are or who we hope to be. They are deeply personal, even the fun ones (especially the fun ones).

If you’re of an age you might have painstakingly recorded vinyl tracks or radio singles to a cassette tape. Being of that age, I made mixtapes for all occasions: meeting a new friend, meeting a new friend friend, random gifts, work soundtracks, exercise pacemakers, or for no reason other than fun.

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31 songs from 2022: post-plague plethora (revised)

Posted on by stuart

Of late it feels like music was slumped over the wheel, exhausted from years of struggle against a cruel pandemic and concert grift. It’s not like we didn’t find great songs, but the contenders’ list was often short. Even favorites didn’t always come to the table with winners.

Then comes 2022, swinging in like an exuberant toddler who is way ready for nap time to be over. We had around 150 albums in the evaluation queue, dwarfing lists from recent years. Most albums had more than a few banger tracks which made picking the shortlist pretty tough.

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Actors & Bootblacks (Leathers) Cover Bowie

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Actors and Leathers (fronting for Bootblacks) team up to do a goth-wave take on Bowie’s Boys Keep Swinging from Lodger (third in the Berlin trilogy). I’m not always a fan of covers – especially Bowie covers – but this collaboration establishes it’s own voice while respecting the brilliance of the original. Plus cool visuals!

Danny Elfman Returns

Posted on by stuart

Known for epic soundtracks and the seminal post-punk ska-pop masterwork, Oingo Boingo, Danny Elfman knocked me dumbstruck with his single Happy. That, alone, was a gift but it was just a first offering. Elfman’s got a full album out now and, while it pulls from every aspect of his career, it showcases his moody angst perfectly. Neither pop nor inaccessible artsturbation, this new work comes from a space only Elman occupies. Glad he let us in.