The Spotify 1000 Review Part 9
Number 9, number 9, number 9...
If you’re new here: First, welcome. Permanent Waves is a thing where I write about every single band and solo artist in my Spotify Artist list. This newsletter is a writing exercise, but it’s also a currently semi-coherent attempt to examine a life, using the music I’ve loved and lived with as touchstones to reveal the Important Stuff, and to reflect on How I Got Here. Plus I added new stuff that might of interest.
Things I Like Today:
Podcast - My first recommendation for anyone who is interested in movies and is also podcast-curious is The Rewatchables. Always entertaining, very engaging and eagerly anticipated (by me, every week), the core combo of Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessy and Chris Ryan really know their stuff and organize the discussion of each film into specific categories to keep the conversation moving along. Start with Jaws. Some of these podcasts are also on YouTube, but I always go with the audio on Spotify.
Human - Drew McWeeny is writing a review of EVERY movie released during the 1980’s. Yes, he is. And so far I’ve read every post and am paying (!) for the privilege. Happily, too, as Drew just knows his shit so deeply. As with the Rewatchables, I get a dopamine hit each time I see a new The Last ‘80’s Newsletter land in my mailbox.
TV - Two very different shows captured my attention over the past few weeks (and managed to do that during the NHL playoffs!). I think Slow Horses was written specifically for my Dad, and if you dig spy capers, rumpled trench coats and a lot of English curse words, start watching now. Our Flag Means Death was one of the most surprising shows I’ve seen in a long time. It draws you in slowly, until you are totally living in the world of the show, very much like Schitt’s Creek. Two very different programs, and I give the strongest possible recommendations for both.
Movie - Like most Earthlings, I saw Top Gun: Maverick last weekend. It had everything you’d expect - wooden dialogue, ridiculous mission goals, Tom Cruise Tom Cruising, and some of the most exciting aerial footage I’ve ever seen. Go see it IN A THEATER.
FYI - I use JustWatch.com as an answer to the question “where can I see this thing?”. Very comprehensive and usually accurate.
Onto the next five pack o’bands…
American Music Club / Animals as Leaders / Anthrax / Any Trouble / April Wine (all songs have YouTube links if you’re curious)
American Music Club: Kind of forgot about them until recently when I think I heard a mention in the Indiecast podcast. Early ‘90’s band that had a very inconsistent run; some of it I like, some not so much. But when it works, it works well. Try Johnny Mathis’ Feet. I will revisit the catalogue.
Did I see them live/own an album? No/Maybe?
Animals as Leaders: I went through a few periods of rabid music discovery over the years (high school, early ‘90’s, 2000-2004, COVID). AaL is one of those more recent discoveries, but I found them in between those periods, when they were popping up on every blog and podcast devoted to prog and guitar rock around 2009-2010. I’ve not been able to find anyone else who digs this complicated funky/heavy instrumental work as much as I, and for me, small doses are just fine. Very acquired taste, but worth the effort (I think). If you like Physical Education, go deeper.
Did I see them live/own an album? No/No
Anthrax: I was definitely a mid-80’s Anthrax guy, along with Metallica and Megadeth (Slayer, not so much). Over the years, I moved away from ‘80’s thrash, and only occasionally visit some albums from Megadeth (Metallica is inescapable on FM radio and hockey arenas). However, Among the Living is an ’80’s classic, and definitely worth listening to now (some of the early/mid ‘80’s metal sounds like absolutely crap).
I had a chance to meet Scott Ian in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock after a Scorpions show about 5-6 years ago. Super friendly nice guy, just like on TV!
Did I see them live/own an album? I think so/Most, up to 1990’s Persistence of Time
Any Trouble: It was easy to blink and miss it, but Power Pop was a thing in the early ‘80’s. The Knack were the standard bearers, and the resulting stampede of similarly toned bands gave us a big ‘ol wave of excellent songs, one or two decent albums and a buncha forgotten bands. Any Trouble managed all three. I loved the debut (was really into Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello at the same time), Second Choice and Playing Bogart are fantastic pop tunes, and yeah, no one listens to this band or this music anymore. I do and still love it. As with early Elvis or Joe, Any Trouble takes me back to 1980/81 every time.
Did I see them live/own an album? No (did they make it to the States?)/The debut
April Wine: Muskoka:
Not too many bands remind me of cottage weekends in northern Ontario as much as April Wine. In ‘83, when I moved back to Canada after high school in Florida, their 1981 album, Nature of the Beast, was still in heavy rotation everywhere. Along with Triumph, Max Webster and Neil Young, April Wine was crucial to a fun summer weekend in cottage country. I played Nature of the Beast a couple weekends ago, and I felt like I was back up north with the boys. Just lovely.
Oh yeah - this album cover too:
Did I see them live/own an album? Maybe?/Nature of the Beast, maybe the one before and after
See you soon!