Asides

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "A Scream In Silence" by Small Brown Bike →

What's a song you associate with your favorite photograph?

My absolute favorite picture is one we took on vacation in South Carolina when all three kids were under 5. We tried to get a nice picture of my wife and the kids sitting on the big exposed root of the Angel Oak Tree in Charleston... the wife held the twins in her arms and the oldest was sitting on the root right in front of her.

Just as I was about to snap the picture, the twins started wiggling and screaming... and my oldest just had an absolute look of disgust and rolling their eyes at the twins. My wife smiling and trying to rein it all in... all caught on film. Just a perfect example of the chaos of having 3 kids a total of 13 months apart... and what a hero she is!

Now they are all going off to college this year and with that, the quiet. Going to be so weird.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "You’re Gonna Go Far" by Noah Kahan →

Obligatory “start of college drop off season” song. 😭

First college drop off in the books. 😭

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Goddamn, Lizard Man!" by Man/Woman/Chainsaw →

Errand soundtrack today.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Out to Lunch" by Open Mike Eagle & Kenny Segal →

What's your favorite song about letting go?

How about a song that’s the exact opposite?! Open Mike Eagle’s new album, at least from the first few tracks I’ve heard, is a breakup album and this song is definitely not at the letting go stage yet. Might have to add a prompt for not letting go. 😄

So please fly me to the moon, 'cause she lives right down the street It's fucked up songs on repeat Imparted my sadness on main, I felt safe, might delete My heart's at odds with my mind, and both is frozen in time I'm stuck in a choice I don't want My body's a house that I haunt, ain't no telling what you might find

Half way through the whole album and it’s elite.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Stutter" by Elastica →

Been mainly listening to my music files through Navidrome lately and a shuffle brought up Elastica's self-titled album from 1995. So good...

And of course the algorithm caught on (or maybe coincidence, since they just announced a re-release of the album) and I caught the video "She had a #1 album by 24. Then she stole the riff" (YouTube), which isn't quite true: the riffs were "stolen" when she recorded the #1 album... anyway.

I do love me some Wire and it's one of their influences, even without the riffs. With all that said, Elastica did a lot to make them their own too....

And can we talk about 90s rock music? I wish rock was as big as it was then... but I also know from listening to so much new music, that rock is very much alive, even if it isn't dominating the radio and streaming charts.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Sweet Year Old" by Shudder to Think →

What's a song you'd want to hear on your birthday?

Any time is a good time to hear Shudder to Think, but I mainly picked this song out of the options I came up with because there are zero songs from them on Crucial Tracks.

The fools are slow to leave So the angels aren't scared anymore And while they don't quite rush in Well, well, well They move at a comfortable Clip and they may never leave

Even if you've never heard of Shudder to Think before, I'm sure you've heard some of Craig Wedren's work at some point, maybe the soundtrack of Yellowjackets or scores for movies like Wanderlust, Role Models, School of Rock, Wet Hot American Summer, and many others. Shudder is well worth digging into though!

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Time Escaping" by Big Thief →

What song makes you feel like you're breaking free?

I love when a song comes on that fits the prompt I was struggling with...

What do the weeds say? They say "Everything, everything, everything falls through Each dimension breaks in two Like the two hands clapping Like the two wings flapping

I'd guess there are a good number of tracks from Big Thief that could fit this theme.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" by Wolf Parade →

What's your favorite song about second chances?

I gotta get a new bell to ring A new song to sing A steady hand to ring A readiness of things A new plan to bring to the people

This album is elite. I saw today that Isaac Brock produced it, so that makes so much sense...

The analysis has calculated heavy agentic AI usage by an individual to a little more than the energy usage of an electric clothes dryer for a year. Not inconsequential for sure... and that doesn't consider water, other pollution, noise, etc.

The eye-opening chart, though, was the annual numbers for an average US home in terms of electricity usage AND 11,500 miles of a gas car. Just huge. The lack of federal attention to convert the grid to renewables and reduction of incentives to buy EVs during this shit administration is going to have a massive long-term impact.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Blockbuster Night Pt. 2 (feat. Despot & Wiki)" by Run The Jewels →

What song makes you want to stay up all night?

RTJ, Despot, AND Wiki?

I think any RTJ qualifies for this prompt, honestly.

One band I wish I saw and probably will never get a chance to is Title Fight. They played Buffalo when the kids were little, so I wasn't in the space to go at that point. Now have to hope for a reunion and one that's close enough to go to...

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Decayin' with the Boys" by Every Time I Die →

What's a song you associate with your hometown?

Lots of options from the bigger names; Goo Goo Dolls, Snapcase, Copper. But Every Time I Die is probably my favorite of the bunch.

Kill the lights I’ve seen too much

“ Subconsciously, I've used IAN SWEET as a vessel for things I'm not ready to process as Jilian, and I use the songwriting and performance to organize my thoughts into the chaotic things, the messy things, and the things I'm not quite ready to touch or look at closer. When I play live, it all becomes very real.”

Sounds like quite the process to get to the new album. Glad she's back to creating!

NaviBeat is becoming an elite music app. Highly recommended if you are on iOS and use Navidrome.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Disposable Anthem" by Jacob King →

Saw Jacob King last night so been working through his discography. So good. If you like the Microphones and Saintseneca, you will dig it.

Lake Rats Dispatch pop-up #2 featured Jake King performing his lo-fi magic.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Nosedive" by Man/Woman/Chainsaw →

A serious earworm.

Bandcamp Friday digital purchases:

• Hum of Heart by Converge
• Ovlov discography (Buds, Am, Tru)
• For Love of Grace & the Hereafter by Iceage
• Floral Green by Title Fight

What did you get?

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "I Can't" by Radiohead →

I don't know if it's the time period this came out or what, but I absolutely love this album.

It's almost a different band than later Radiohead, so I don't feel bad liking both...

This old man is something.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Theme Song for a New Brunswick Basement Show" by Lifetime →

What song makes you feel like you're in love with the world?

Lifetime are like peak youthful good memories for me. Their songs will always make me feel young and alive.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Criminal Kissing" by IAN SWEET →

New Ian Sweet review up on the blog!

Not as good as her last two albums, but a very good effort. And more poppy, if you weren't quite a fan of her more art-y/weird bedroom pop – check it out!

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Lay Low" by Fiddlehead →

What's your favorite song about change?

This hits home right now. All three kids going off to college this month. My dad in the cancer hospital for a stem cell transplant to try to beat MDS. Feeling old.

Watch your kids grow - see them leave home In a breeze without ease, feel your throat choke Watch your friends go - see your hair grow Black to grey in a day and see yourself old Its too much for me I gotta lay low

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Loser" by Tame Impala →

Saw the new Spider-Man with the kids. Well, they are young adults now, but it’s been a thing for us since they were little, starting with Milo when he was 9 or 10. We’ve seen every Tom Holland Spider-Man movie in the theaters as well as all of the Spider-verse movies. So glad we were able to again, it made my day.

And yeah the movie was so good too!

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Debaser" by Pixies →

What's a song you associate with your favorite person?

The Pixies were one of the first bands we bonded over and have seen them a few times now.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Talk On The Hill" by WILLOW →

Was a WILLOW day. Bought the album on Bandcamp and published a review on the blog.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Misanthrope" by MOULD →

Been digging this new album today. More coming to the blog soon.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Revelate" by The Frames →

All Glen, all day.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "It's a Curse" by Wolf Parade →

Tonight’s driving / Navidrome shuffle nostalgia… this song is so good.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "I Am the Mountain" by Damien Jurado →

This came on my recent Navidrome shuffle. Need to listen to more Jurado.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "All of This Will End" by Indigo De Souza →

Geez I’ve really fallen behind for the first time in a while. Lots going on: kids prepping for college, loan hunting, and my dad is in the process of getting a stem cell transplant. So much stress and trying to take it one hour at a time.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Cold Cash and Cold Hearts" by Thrice →

Introduced my daughter to Thrice last night and now she's interested in seeing them this fall when they come to Buffalo. Win. 🏆

His lyrics through Sick Of It All were some of my earliest introductions to injustice, fighting racism and inequality, and our corrupt system. Rest in power, Lou.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "revolver" by 44go →

Heard this song on KEXP today. Some Madchester vibes. So good!

The reporting on this admin is consistently horrible. NPR publishes this headline, then TWELVE paragraphs in:

Tariffs are paid by companies in the United States that import foreign products. The importers usually try to pass along the cost by charging consumers higher prices.

Indifference through obfuscation.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Letting Go" by Angie McMahon →

What song makes you think about the future?

Big changes coming up with all three kids going off to college. 18 years of chaos with twins and an older child by just 13 months. Now we will be empty nesters. Gonna be quiet!

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Bad Mouth" by Fugazi →

More appropriate lyrical goodness:

You can't be what you were So you better start being just what you are You can't be what you were The time is now, it's running out It's running out, it's running, running, running out

You can't be what you were So you better start living the life That you're talking about You can't be what you were The no movement, the no movement The no movement in a bad mouth

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "No God" by Show Me the Body →

Still can’t get enough of this album. Today a song about not waiting for anyone to tell you to do what’s right:

There's more to this Earth than I can see Who's gonna dance in the circle for me? No line in the sand, with demand how I feel No god to make it real

🎟️🍿tickets acquired for The Odyssey tonight.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Halfway" by Swapmeet →

What's a song you'd want your best friend to hear for the first time?

Another new album I am super psyched about... I'd want them to check this song out, especially the last 40 seconds of noise-y power pop hooks.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Supercollider" by Quicksand →

Road trip home music. Still super impressed by this album.

The one photo I remembered to shoot in RAW at the Toronto Zoo yesterday, so I could play with Aphera a little...

Toronto was a blast. Such a fun city. Went out to dinner last night and wandered around the city for a few hours after. Then went to the zoo with the family today.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Dance In The USA" by Show Me the Body →

Road trip soundtrack.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "2 C U" by Swapmeet →

What's your favorite song about friendship?

Maybe not my favorite all time, but my favorite today. This one off the new Swapmeet album, out today and it's pretty good! More coming to the blog soon.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Regenerate" by Quicksand →

Looking forward to this album tomorrow.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Eat For Peace" by Show Me the Body →

What's a song that makes you want to learn an instrument?

A hardcore band with a banjo? Makes anything possible!

A speedy, intentional, and modern RAW photo editor built natively for Mac.

The new photo editor from Naz Hamid, Ryan Carver, and Juan Pablo Zambrano is the real deal. Time to get back into photography.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "I Like Food" by Descendents →

Share a song that perfectly soundtracks your commute.

About as long as it takes to get to my desk from my bed. 😂

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Upside Down" by feeble little horse →

Looks like feeble little horse is playing Toronto in October! Wish it were Buffalo, but it may have to do.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "No One's Gonna Love You" by Band of Horses →

Band of Horses headlined the night and were as good as I’ve seen them. Played Everything All The Time in its entirety, then a handful of other songs including this one.

Finally saw Dinosaur Jr.

Bucket list ✅

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Out There" by Dinosaur Jr. →

Seeing Dinosaur Jr. and Band of Horses tomorrow. So excited.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Hey Ya!" by Outkast →

Our village hosted a 90s (ish) cover band and DJ in the little park in front of city hall this evening. The band played a rock version of this Outkast song, so going with this track today.

Outkast was a big part of my college and 20s... I played ATLiens on my college radio show and Stankonia + Speakerboxxx/The Love Below were a big part of my time in Seattle. One of the best hip-hop duos of all time.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Hardy (feat. Clairo)" by Rostam →

What song makes you feel like you're floating?

Graduation party night for the twins! Now to float off to bed.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Sunflower" by Low →

Hit shuffle on Navidrome during our road trip today and it brought this song to us. Been a while since I heard it’s beauty.

This is a pretty amazing collection, curated by John Davis who played drums in Q and Not U.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Publish My Love" by Rogue Wave →

Share a song that makes time feel like it's standing still.

One of my favorite music memories is seeing Rogue Wave play an amazing set, then having the singer finish with an acoustic version of this song, in the middle of a full crowd sing-a-long. Was amazing.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Shine" by Doughboys →

What song would you dedicate to your younger self?

Spent a good chunk of yesterday trying to remember this band, which I've had a lot of conversations about the last couple years, but for whatever reason it was slipping my mind... anyway, it's a great song and some great lyrics for a teenage kid who's unsure of themself:

Not alone I'm not alone Feel like I'm buried and obscured beneath This non-impressionable I'm not alone I'm not alone I'm like I'm one out of a million faces Bound to your front door And then you call And then you call

Make me feel so bright Make me feel brilliant and so white It's like I shine It's like I shine

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin →

What's a song that feels like magic every time you hear it?

I wrote about this album and this song five years ago during the pandemic start of this site:

My favorite Zeppelin song. Absolutely epic in every way. Apparently it was written after a long trip down a straight, seemingly never ending road in the desert of Morocco. We played this song many times on our two cross-country road trips, so it makes total sense. A perfect song for driving. A perfect song.

The entire Physical Graffiti album is magical, but this song is the centerpiece.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Take It In" by Sloan →

Share a song that makes you want to call an old friend.

Smeared was a crucial part of high school so yeah this song would do it.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Blood" by mary in the junkyard →

Been looking forward to this album for months and it was worth the wait. Review soon on the blog.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Fugitive Motel" by Elbow →

Share a song that feels like it was written specifically for you.

I used to love Elbow back in the early 2000s. Not sure what happened. Maybe it was a string of albums that I wasn't too psyched about? Anyway, it got so bad, that I even skipped seeing them when they played Buffalo. BUFFALO. The kind of band that never comes here... and I skipped.

Anyway, Navidrome picked Cast of Thousands as the top random album today so I put it on... wow. Back in love... this album is SO good.

For this song in particular... as a parent of three, two of which just graduated high school and one just finished their first year of college... I gotta say these lyrics hit:

I'm tired, I said You always look tired, she said I'm admired, I said You always look tired, she said

Tired, but worth it. So proud.

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Song for the Messenger" by Chanel Beads

One of the singles off the new Chanel Beads album, which was a featured album on the blog last week.

Been enjoying the chill vibe this week during the heat wave.

• via Crucial Tracks

🎶 Crucial Track for today: "Place Position" by Fugazi

What's a favorite opening line from any song?

A masterful Fugazi song on xenophobia and "illegal" immigration.

Some of their best guitar work... and this opening verse:

All origins are Accidental You've got no papers and no roads lead home Anymore

Appropriate for today, considering we were allowed to keep the 14th Amendment. 🙄

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View entry on Crucial Tracks

Farmer’s market breakfast, sushi for dinner, then Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Good day with the fam!

One of my favorite shows and this video runs down a bunch of connections and easter eggs from the first 9 episodes. So glad there will be a season 2!

Last high school award ceremony in the books! Z received three awards and finished 3rd in her class for total “points” earned through varsity athletics: ice hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse. Next year, D3 in the last two at Keuka College. Proud!

Everything has grown worse in Fugazi’s absence.

So true. And a nice look back at Fugazi’s legacy.

Found this band in Rosy Overdrive's "Best of 2026 (so far) part 1" post and thankfully clicked on the song preview... so good.

As AI companies get ready to go public and we get a deeper look at their inner workings, it’s only natural to have questions about their finances, like “Do they make money?” and “How?” Here are a few examples to help the average layperson understand the business side of AI.

Kind of brilliant, absurd examples of the insanity that is the AI bubble.

Thank you Dave. 🕊️

A great read from Dan Sinker:

You can trace a very clear line from that summer of being scared and sad and loney and watching The Goonies over and over to punk. The underground that I discovered a few years later—probably four or five in actual years but it feels like far more separation than that—was exactly that: a place where you could exist separate from the conformity of the mainstream, where you could chart your own existence, where you could build possibilities that felt impossible and possible simultaneously, and where you could do it alongside others who had found themselves—their true selves—in the liner notes of 7"s and smudgy printing of zines and sticky floors of a Sunday afternoon show in a rock club that smelled of old beer and sweat. Down there, it was our time.

Underground and decentralized, always.

Lead track on his new album, The Mirror. So good.

It's been over 20 years since I last saw Stereolab (Seattle, 2004, with Tortoise)... so wasn't sure what to expect with Stereolab in Buffalo of all places. I was blown away, though, both by the band and the crowd. Buffalo LOVES Stereolab, apparently. Sold out crowd and good vibes that almost took Lætitia Sadier to tears. I absolutely love when bands experience the Buffalo that I love and see the city as a place worthy of attention.

There are a lot of quotable parts of this video, but this one sums it all up:

The extent to which these very powerful people feel no sense of responsibility to anything makes me feel like maybe they shouldn't have this much power. They shouldn't be in charge of the kind of thing that could literally, by their own admission, destroy humanity.

NewDad playing some songs off their new album, which was featured on a recent issue of Crucial Tracks. So good.

An amazing documentary about one of the most enigmatic and powerful band leaders... hardcore, punk, or otherwise. The Bad Brains impact on music is legendary.

So unexpected. So good.

Also test driving some new stuff out in the wild. #crucialtracks

Crucial Tracks merch launch!

I’ve got shirts, hoodies, hats, sealed vinyl, and more available to purchase on our new merch site. All proceeds from this sale will go to help pay for site costs.

Since it’s Pride, 25% of those proceeds will go to The Trevor Project this month. And I will match the first $50 of that… 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

https://merch.crucialtracks.org

It happens every few generations. It’s what drove the fascist oligarchs of the Confederacy to reach out and try to conquer the entire United States in the 1860s. It caused the robber barons to murder union organizers and ultimately crash America into the Republican Great Depression in the early decades of the twentieth century. And it’s why wages have been stagnant while billionaires’ wealth has exploded in the years since the Reagan revolution.

Yup.