The Latest Rolling Stone Top 100 Song List is Stupid

As I was strolling the internet today I came across Rolling Stone and they put out a new article ranking the best 500 songs of all time. Rolling Stone does this from time to time. They put out these lists, they get people talking, they get people arguing and they make arbitrary picks for what their writers believe are the best songs or albums or movies or whatever they feel like talking about that day. I will say, I am talking about it on the internet today, so they did pull me in, but I want to talk about how absurd and pointless it is to make lists like this.

I do my top five lists at the end of every year, but I make it very clear that it is my personal opinion. My picks have no reference base for anyone else. I think my picks are solid, but if people disagree with me, that is okay. I truly do not mind. I actually like it because, sometimes, less than I would hope, I get some good recommendations. But Rolling Stone doing these lists are all about getting clicks and getting likes. They cater to a younger audience. Some of the songs on the list I have never heard of, and I listen to a ton of different music. They also leave off very good artists because they are not well known enough for the majority of Rolling Stone's reading audience.

Personally, I do not think songs should be on an "all time" list unless they have been out for at least a decade. Songs need time to sit and grow. Songs on all time lists need to be around for a while before they make a best of all time list. I do think an artist like Lil Nas X is very important, I love how he markets himself and his music, but "Old Town Road" came out two years ago. And the song is very short and a very cliché country song. I bet when Rolling Stone does this list again ten years from now "Old Town Road" will not be on the list. I do think "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo is a tremendous song, but she has better songs. She has also barely been on the scene. Give her time. Hell, her new song with Cardi B, "Rumors", is better than "Truth Hurts". So is "Better in Color" or "Juice" or "Like a Girl". I also do not know that a Solange Knowles song should be on there before Beyonce. Solange is another very talented artist, but her older sister is so much better. Also, we need to retcon everything we know about Kanye, so his songs should not be here. I'm also not a fan of throwing a dozen Taylor Swift songs on the list. She is a fine artist, but come on. She needs to be in the game for a bit longer. I also do not like the fact that they put Coldplay songs on this list. Everyone makes fun of that band. Everyone. They write cheeky, goofy pop songs. Or how is a song like "Wonderwall" in the top 100. Sure, it is a solid song, but not one of the 100 greatest songs of all time. Not even close. Kelly Clarkson is a great artist as well, but "Since You've Been Gone" is the top 90? There are way better break up songs way further down on this list. No LCD Soundsystem song should be in the top 100. This has to have been from the hipster group of writers. And again, I adore LCD Soundsystem. I also do not know what the deal is with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", but how that song makes all these lists is so far beyond me. Having MIA's "Paper Planes" in the top 50 must be a joke. No way is "Seven Nation Army" a better song than "When Doves Cry". "Royals" is not even Lorde's best song, and they have that at 30. A song by synth pop star Robyn is in the top 20, and I have never heard it before. No way does "Smells Like Teen Spirit" belong in the top 50, and they have it at five. It is so funny to me that the highest ranked Bob Dylan song is "Like a Rolling Stone". Total promotional pick.

This list is rife with hipster/company people picking what they want their bosses to be happy with. There is no joy or fun in this. It is all very common or ridiculous. There is no middle ground. But again, this is only a handful of people at Rolling Stone picks. This is who they were either told to put on here, or decided they had to have these songs on the list. If I did a top 500 songs of all time list it would greatly differ, but I am not going to do it for a myriad of reasons, number one being how arbitrary making a list like this truly is. This is all about opinion. If they sat down with real musicians, or people that have worked their whole life using science to figure out what are truly the best songs ever, scientifically, maybe I would take it a little more seriously. But this is typical Rolling Stone nonsense.

Read the very long list if you want to, but try not to let it make you too angry. That would be a waste of your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Late than Never on Blind Melon

During the pandemic and my running I have been rediscovering bands, or giving bands I liked, but never gave a real shot, a chance. One such band that I have recently found myself getting into heavily is Blind Melon. Lets discuss.

My older brother Seth has been telling me for years that I need to really listen to Blind Melon. Like most people I know the song "No Rain". I also really enjoyed their take on "Three is the Magic Number". I knew the big hits. But I never really gave them much of a thought outside of those songs. Seth tried and tried for years too. He would give me multiple albums. He would play songs he thought I would like, but it never hit me right at the time. I remember him wanting me to listen to their record called "Soup" so badly that he would play it in my car constantly when he would come home for a visit. Back then, to me, they sounded too jammy. I liked jam bands too, but there was just something in the way they played that felt a little different. I actually lumped them in with Phish, and spoiler alert, I have tried time and again with Phish and I do not like them at all. That was unfair of me to do that.

I have been in a music rut lately, which helped push me towards Blind Melon. I was listening to RTJ, Bo Burnham, Talking Heads, Lorde and Tyler, the Creator a little too much. Those are all great, wonderful, some of my favorite artists of all time, but you need a break every now and then. It makes you appreciate them even more when you go back. So when I was running yesterday I decided I was going to give Blind Melon a real shot. This was their time to shine for me. And I was totally blown away by how much I was vibing and grooving to their music. The singer has this incredibly distinct voice, and you know it is him the moment he opens his mouth to sing the words he wrote. He has long since passed away, a drug overdose I believe, but this dude was so far ahead of his time. Listening to him now, if Blind Melon came out today, they would be headlining folk festivals and touring with big acts. He is a better singer, in my opinion, than someone like Nathaniel Rateliff, who I adore. He has this cool, scratchy, growly voice that is so fun to listen to. I love hearing him sing the songs. The band is top notch. I cannot believe that I ever lumped them into the jam band category. That is not to say that jam bands are not good, they are great, but Blind Melon is so much better. Jam bands tend to meander and try to find a way out when performing a song. That is why the songs clock in at over six minutes for every one.

Blind Melon was, technically speaking, a great band. The guitarist was/is a phenom. I do not know if he is still alive, but I sure hope so. I was listening to some of their early work and the way he plucks an acoustic guitar is virtuosic. When the band would go electric he sounded just as clean, which is a feat that not a lot of very talented musicians can accomplish. The drummer was always on time, had great fills, did some cool solo stuff and fit in nicely. The bassist provided that clean bass tone that I have come to really love in folk/rock music. The band was so well put together and played like the pros they were. It is such a shame that drugs tore this band apart and cost the lead singer his life. They could still be out there doing it, and doing it well. They clearly had the chops. They all knew what they excelled at, and they ran with it. Blind Melon made great music, but there could have been so much more. I think that is what bums me out the most. I think they only made three records with the original crew, but those three records are dynamite.

I am done doubting Seth and his musical taste. He has always been there for me, and now that I am actually listening to Blind Melon, this is another debate that he wins. Blind Melon is great you guys. Go listen to all their other music besides the two hits I mentioned and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listen's to Lizzo's "Rumors"

The other day I finally got around to listening to the new Lizzo Song "Rumors" featuring Cardi B.

This song rules.

Lizzo has been rocketing up the stardom chain for about three years now. And this new song is only going to make her even more famous. She is coming off a ton of Grammy nominations and some wins. "Cause I Love You" was a smash hit that featured a plethora of top singles. Prior to the pandemic she was selling out pretty much every live show within a day or two. I know the show in Saint Louis was moved to a bigger venue due to how fast she sold it out. She was climbing the ranks. This new song further hammers home that she is the queen of pop and rap music at the moment. She is doing it better than anyone out there right now.

“Rumors” is dirty and fun and has a great beat and Lizzo's vocals are a thing of beauty. The way she can switch from rapping to singing is a sight to behold with your ears. She is not equaled by anyone right now. She raps better than Cardi B does on this song, and Cardi B is good. Lizzo is simply better. I love the beat of the song too. It comes in hard. It is stanky, which is a very good thing. And when Lizzo comes in with the first couple of lines, I was hooked. I love the way she says "God damn" in between each lyric in the song. It immediately grabs you. If you are a fan, you want more. If you have never heard her, but like rap music, it will grab you too. And if you like modern pop music, Lizzo is the best in the game. As I said earlier, the way she vacillates between rap and pop singing is so good. She starts the song with some sing songy lyrics, where she intersplices the "God damn" parts, and when the verse hits, she belts it the hell out of the park. She then switches into rap mode and absolutely crushes it. The chorus is very catchy and very fun, with both ladies showcasing their talents. Then Cardi B gets to let loose on her verse, and she crushes. It is a very good rap verse from a rapper I have never really listened to before. I will be checking out some of her other music now. I think what I like most about the song is how much fun the two of them are having. You can tell they had a blast making this song. It comes across so well. When the people making the music are having fun, that is usually the sign of a song that is going to be a big hit. I am kind of surprised it did not come out sooner this summer, it could have owned the charts. But the fact that we are getting new music from Lizzo is great. I would much rather listen to her than a lot of other pop musicians out there right now.

I hope this single means she is working on a new record. That would rule. For the time being though, I will continue to listen to "Rumors". I suggest you do the same.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Solar Power"

Ten days ago Lorde put out her long awaited third album, "Solar Power". I had heard the two singles she released early, I am a fan and like so many others I was pretty excited to listen to the record. I listened the morning it came out, listened again right after that and have gone back here and there in the last week plus to get my ears on it some more.

“Solar Power” is different from Lorde’s first two records. She exploded on the scene with "Pure Heroine" and "Melodrama" is a masterpiece. I was curious to see what direction she would go in with this album, and it is a whole new direction. And I enjoy it. I have seen some people giving it tepid reviews, but I have enjoyed every listen to this point.

The record is very stripped down. It is very acoustic. It is very sleepy in a good way. Putting the record out in late August was perfect because the album has the feeling of the end of summer. Jack Antonoff produced it and the more records I hear that he produces I am finding that I like them. I am not a huge fan of his bands. Fun is okay, Bleachers is fine, but I do not dig the music he plays. His producing for pop stars is top notch though. He has a gift and the ear to produce pop music. I also like how he has the artists kind of go bare bones with the albums he helps them make. Doing with this Lorde could have been a misstep, but both of them found a way to make it work and make it great.

Like I said, the album is slower and way stripped down from her first two. It is a nice change of pace. I love listening to the record when I am cleaning the house or going for a drive. My daughter really enjoys the record. She is growing to like slower, more folky music as she gets older. I love it. I think what I love most about the album is it lets Lorde's vocals totally shine. Her voice is the main, and most important instrument on this record. Lorde is a great singer, with a powerful voice and "Solar Power" really lets that shine. That is not to say that the first two records don't do that, but there is a ton of instruments and music backing her vocals. "Solar Power" is light piano, some drums and acoustic guitars backing Lorde's vocals. It is perfect. I also like how quick the album moves. No song is longer than five minutes, except the closer which is like two songs melded together. The middle of the album meanders for a bit, maybe two songs, but even the meandering works on the record. There is one song where she talks at the end as if she is an announcer in the airport, and I love that song. After the two slower tunes though she rips through three or four songs that are super short, but super good. Those songs are all about the lyrics and Lorde shines through singing the words she wrote. I especially love the song "Dominoes".

I do not get the backlash that this record is receiving from some, but there will always be critics for everything. All I know is I really like the record. Lorde is as reliable a musician as we have right now. When she puts out new music it will be good. It will have people talking. Fans will be delighted and she will make new fans. As I always say, I like when artists take chances, try something new, and that is what Lorde has done with "Solar Power". I really enjoy this record and I definitely recommend you give it a listen.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Summer of Soul"

I finally got around to watching "Summer of Soul" on Hulu, and it was awesome. I really wish I hadn't waited so long to watch it.

For those that don't know, "Summer of Soul" is a documentary that was the equivalent of Woodstock with R&B and soul acts. It was dubbed "black Woodstock". I never knew about this, and many other people didn’t as well, because they never released the footage of the festival until now. Questlove of The Roots directed the movie, and he did one hell of a job. The people he got to talk about it ranged from super famous musicians to festival goers to political workers to fans of the music. It was an excellent array of people that really knew their stuff.

My favorite interviews were from the people that attended the show. To see their faces now, to see them reflect and remember, to hear them talk about the joy that this brought, it was magnetic. I have been to many shows and a few festivals, and that experience is something I will never forget. Even at bad shows or festivals, which I am not a fan of, I always have a snapshot in my mind of the day. So to hear these people talk about something as amazing as this festival must have been, those are the memories worth keeping and sharing with anyone that will listen. I adored listening to these people talk.

I loved the music as well. The people that played this were some of the best to do it. Mahalia Jackson could sing. Even when she was ill she was out there belting away like no one else could at the time. Mavis Staples hung right there with her though. When those two sang Dr Martin Luther King's favorite song, after an emotional and powerful speech from Jesse Jackson, I teared up. Those two are amazing. A 19 year old Stevie Wonder kicked off and ended the movie, and holy cow is he incredible. I am already a fan, but seeing this made me love him and his music even more. I also got a good sense of his early activism. BB King slayed guitar like I always expect him too. Even some of the acts I didn’t know or haven't listened to, I really dug their music. I do like Gladys Knight and the Pips, and seeing her in a 60's outfit dancing and having a great time made me like her more. Nina Simone gave a very strong and impassioned performance that I will always think about every time this movie is brought up in conversation.

Besides the music and listening to the people that were there talk about their memories, what I loved most was how comforting and jovial and happy and peaceful everything was during the four weekends this went on. There were no fights or problems. Nothing was destroyed or burned. Everyone was treating others with respect. That doesn't happen nowadays, and it sure as hell hasn't happened since they tried to do Woodstock in 1999. People back in the 60's, with everything that was going on back then, knew how to act responsibly. I appreciated that aspect. I like that Questlove showed everyone having a good time. Even when they did the whole section on the moon landing, I sided with the festival goers. They did things the responsible and correct way.

I loved this movie. I think that is obvious. I wish I knew about this festival sooner, but better late than never. I recommend "Summer of Soul" very much. It is top notch.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP Biz Markie

Biz Markie passed away at 57 over the weekend.

When the news broke I was pretty bummed out. Being a hip hop fan, of course I know who Biz Markie was. He was known as the "Clown Prince of Rap". It was a fitting name. His music was good, but also very goofy. One of my first music video memories is the "Just a Friend" video. It was so perfect for the song and the person that Biz Markie was. When he wore that wild hair piece and "played" the piano, it still makes me laugh to this day. I am also a big fan of the stuff he did with the Beastie Boys. When he arrives on "Paul's Boutique" it is pure gold. He was so good at what he did in rap music. His niche was perfect for the time. He carved out a great role for himself and rode the wave. He was perfect.

I kind of forgot about Biz for a while in my early adult life. I still listened to hip hop but I was also in my jam band phase. Hip hop has never taken a back seat, but at this time there were only a select few hip hop artists I would listen to. And a lot of the early to mid 90's hip hop got pushed off to the side.

Then my son was born in 2012. Then we started to watch kids shows with him in the morning. Then we found "Yo Gabba Gabba". This is probably my favorite kids show of all time. It was so wild, but also very cool. They had great guests. They ran the gamut. I think it had something to do with DJ Lance because he was pretty deep in the club world and he knew famous people. The fact that he hosted a kids show was icing on the cake for these guests. Jack Black was on it a ton, I saw other people from TV shows I watched at the time, the musical guests were pretty dope and the people they had on for breakaway segments were the best. This was when Biz Markie re-entered my life. One of the segments on the show, probably my favorite, was "Biz's Beat of the Day". It was simple and pure but oh so fantastic. Biz Markie would come on, do a little segment where he explained beat making, do the beat and that was it. It was so incredible. We got to see a glimpse of his process. We got an idea of what it was like for him to make music. My son loved it. He would walk around the house doing Biz's beats all the time.

After seeing this I went back and dug back into his music catalog. It was awesome. It was like listening to hip hop for the first time again. I remembered why I was such a Biz Markie fan. I remembered what made him so likeable and so good at his craft. Seeing the beat of the day stuff, then going back to listen to him when he first made it big, it was a nice trip on one man's incredible career.

I knew that his diabetes was bad around two years ago when he had a stroke. I did not know it was this bad though. I guess he died from diabetes complications. That is a drag. Two of my favorite rappers have had debilitating problems with diabetes, Biz and Phife Dawg. It is such a bummer that a man as young as Biz Markie, again 57, is gone forever. He was a one of a kind artist that I will never forget, and I am glad that my now 9 year old son still remembers him from a show he watched when he was still a baby.

RIP Biz Markie. You will be very missed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Greatest American Music: The Scissor Sisters and "Take Your Momma"

At the beginning of the month my family was driving back from our road trip for the summer. It was long, but fun. The length gave us time to catch up on some old podcasts, my kids got to play games, we all played car games and my wife and I, when the kids were resting, listened to older pop music.

Now what I mean by older music I mean from our generation. We grew up on late 90's, but even more so, early to mid 2000's pop. Admittedly, my wife listened to way more than I did. I know all the music but I was, and probably still am if I think about it, a music snob. I always thought that that era of pop music was trash. I listened to jam bands and hip hop. I was a cool dude. Writing that makes me feel pretentious by the way. But when we were making our way through Memphis the song "Take Your Mama" by the Scissor Sisters came on our Spotify station.

My wife and I got very excited. Our eyes blew up. We blasted the song in the car. We both sang along. I sang the chorus because that is the only part I know, but my wife, she was doing the chorus and every verse. Usually I am the one in our relationship that knows all the words to songs, but not this one. My wife was on point. For the next four minutes it was like being blasted back to the early 2010's. That song is so much fun. It is easy and breezy. It is a blast to sing along to and dance along with. Everything about that song just works. We were both so happy to have this song back in our lives. It didn't go anywhere, but we had both forgotten about it until it popped up on the radio. Then we got to talking about the song. We said everything I just wrote. It is a really, really fun song.

We then started to wonder aloud whatever happened to the band. I remember buying their CD when it came out, but I do not know any other song they have ever done besides "Take Your Mama". My wife had the single, she is a big fan of top 40 stuff so it is fitting, but she had no idea when the band became big, why this song was so big or where they were now. I thought about doing research while we were driving but I am sure I was distracted by something on the road or my kids needed me to help with their devices. My research got postponed and then I totally forgot about it. Scissor Sisters and "Take Your Mama" were gone from my memory for the second time.

Last night while doing dishes I put on that same pop station and the song played again. Just like on the road my wife and I were singing and dancing. My kids got to hear it this time and they were grooving with us. My kids are super cool by the way. We all had a blast. Again, those four plus minutes were joyous. Then it was gone again. No more talk of Scissor Sisters. I kept thinking today while out running errands why this band never stuck. I think I finally came across a proper answer. This is my first time with a true one hit wonder type song. Growing up the pop music that was played was crummy, but those bands stuck around. And when I looked at some other one hit wonders, most of them were from the 80's or very early 90's. I was too young to get why 4 Non Blondes were a one hit wonder. Natalie Imbruglia had "Torn", but that was never on my radar. I could've used Gotye here, but his hit was only five years ago, and he had some underground success prior to "Somebody that You Used to Know". Scissor Sisters and "Take Your Mama" is like my generation's Flock of Seagulls or that song "Cars" or "Three Princes". And that is fine. But this band could have been so much more. Just listening to "Take Your Mama" I get B-52's vibes. They do have a very vague Talking Heads sound to me. They are a much better version of Polyphonic Spree. I think they are a better band than The Strokes or Vampire Weekend. They, for some reason, just did not have the staying power. That bums me out.

I will say that listening to this song again yesterday has me wanting to go back and check out their other music, but I am worried it won't be as good. But I am going to listen to some more Scissor Sisters. I will find out if they are as good as I hope they could have been. Time will tell, but we will always have "Take Your Mama". That will never be stricken from their catalog.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Call Me if You Get Lost"

Tyler, the Creator came out with a new record today, "Call Me if You Get Lost". Let’s discuss.

I am a fan of Tyler. I first heard of him with his supergroup Odd Future, and have followed him ever since. I like all of his stuff. When he branched out on his own he did some grimy and gritty and great rap music. It could be tough to listen to at times, but it was dynamite. Then about three or four years ago he put out "IGOR". This is one of the best concept albums I have ever heard. He really went out on a limb, tried something different and it was a home run. I love that record. The last live show I saw was him doing his "IGOR" tour, and if that is the last live show I ever see, I feel very fine about that.

So when he announced new music, I did not really know what to expect. I thought he was going to continue with the "IGOR" sound one day, but the next day I would think he was going to go back to more straight forward rap. Then he released the song "LUMBERJACK" early, and that was like hearing old school Tyler, but also grown up. It is a straight up rap song, but Tyler has gotten even better at rapping. The way he flows, the intricate style he uses, the way he rhymes words, it shows growth as an artist. I really like "LUMBERJACK". I listened to it on repeat for about a week.

Then today he released the new record. There are sixteen songs on it, and most are less than three minutes long. But what he gets done in those three minutes is pretty amazing. The record is all pretty much straight up rap, but he accomplishes so much in that time. Take a song like "LEMONHEAD". It has a great beat, the verses are dope as hell and Tyler is in a groove throughout. It is bliss. There are some songs that deviate from the less than three minutes, but after a minute long buildup, it is two straight minutes of him rapping, and rapping perfectly. The album flows very nicely too. There seems to be a running theme, almost like he is telling a story with this album. It has the feel of "IGOR" in the way it moves from song to song. I really appreciate that. Some albums nowadays are front loaded with hits and the rest of the record is kind of blah. This album is one good song after the next, just like "IGOR". There isn't a skippable song on the record. Even when he has a little deviation, there is a song where he just lets his mom talk over a beat, it works. It feels like it belongs. There is one song that is almost ten minutes, but it is like three songs in one. The whole song doesn't feel long. It isn't like listening to a jam band go on an endless jam. This song has a structure and key changes and is amazing.

Tyler is at the top of his game right now. He is really good at what he does, and he knows it. I do recommend watching the little videos he has been posting on his Instagram for this album. They add a great layer to the album. Go listen to this record. It is good. It is better than most popular rap and pop music right now. Go give artists like Tyler, the Creator their flowers because they damn well deserve it. This record rules.

Ty

Ty Listens to Lorde's "Solar Power"

For the first time in, I think four years, Lorde released a new song. I saw her on her last tour and it was amazing. Her last album, "Melodrama", is phenomenal. She is a very unique and gifted singer and songwriter. She also takes a very long time in between albums. As I said, this is her first new song in four years, and it is just one song. I have to imagine an album is coming out, hopefully sometime soon. But this song, "Solar Power", is pretty damn great.

I saw on Spotify last week that the title section, "New Music" had her new song. I listened immediately. Then I listened again. Then again. I have been listening to the song non stop, which has led me to listening to all her older stuff more and more. But this new song is different but still great. Lorde keeps evolving as an artist the older she gets. Her music is becoming more adult because she is becoming an adult. Her first album is rad, but you can tell she is a teenager. The song "Royals", which I love, speaks volumes to how young she was when she wrote and recorded it. The whole "Melodrama" album shows someone entering adulthood. And now with "Solar Power", she is kind of melding the two, and the outcome is pure magic. The song has this neat little acoustic guitar riff for the first two minutes that is permanently stuck in my head. You add on her vocals throughout, where she is kind of softly singing, almost like a whisper, and man does it work. The song sounds moody but upbeat at the same time. She has one lyric that I think is perfection. At one point she calls herself a "prettier Jesus". That is it. She sings, "I'm like a prettier Jesus", and it is so awesome, so profound, so Lorde. The first time I heard her sing it in the song I was hooked. When we get to the two minute point in the song it gets louder and heavier. It builds to this great crescendo of drums, electric guitar and Lorde singing the chorus louder than the rest of the song. I love it so much.

I have been playing the new song in my car on repeat, but especially when my five year old is with me. I want her to hear kickass music coming from a woman. I want her to know that she can do this too if she wants, and if she puts in the time. We listen to other stuff like, Karen O, Sleater-Kinney, Lizzo and Erykah Badu, but my daughter, at least lately, has been picking Lorde, and more specifically, her new song. She loves it. She hums and sings along to it. We sing and dance together when we listen to it on our stereo at home. It is such a good song, and the fact that my daughter is so into it lets me know she has good taste and understands what good music is. She is a smart little whip.

"Solar Power" has me so excited for the new, I assume, album that Lorde has coming down the pipe. She is one of the best people making music right now, and I still feel like she gets overlooked because she isn't some pop darling. She writes profound, deep music. That is what should be celebrated about her. Lorde rules. I'm ready for the full album. In the meantime, I think I'll go play "Solar Power" again. I recommend you do too.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Delta Kream"

The Black Keys put out a new album last week called “Delta Kream”. Well, it is new for their fans, but the songs are older blues songs.

The track list consists of twelve songs, one repeat at the end, of songs by artists like RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. These are the musicians that the members of The Black Keys grew up listening to. I had never heard of Kimbrough or Burnside until I listened to The Black Keys. Then I grew to adore their music. It is really grimy and gritty, dirty old blues music. It is fuzzy and distorted and the voices of Burnside and Kimbrough are second to none. So to hear Dan Auerbach sing and play guitar on these songs, and to hear Patrick Carney's drumming, it is sublime. They do have two other musicians on the record, and they are guys that played with Burnside and Kimbrough.

Look, I am obsessed with this record. I remember when the Keys early released the first track from the album, "Crawling Kingsnake", and I was blown away. I wrote about how excited I was when I heard this. It was like a throwback to my favorite Keys record, "Thickfreakness". It has all the fuzziness and distortion and grim that made me first love this band. It is a throwback in all the best ways. I devoured "Crawling Kingsnake" and "Goin Down South" when they released them. I played them for anyone that would ride in my car. I talked about them obsessively. I was already hooked. Then last Friday, the day the album came out, I listened to the record twice. Then I listened the next day and the next. In fact I have listened to it at least once a day since it came out. And the more I hear it, the more I like it. "Crawling Kingsnake" and "Goin Down South" were great early releases. "Crawling Kingsnake" gave me the "Thickfreakness" vibe I have been craving. "Goin Down South" has some awesome music, and Auerbach does a high falsetto type voice when singing, and it works.

Outside those two songs we get some excellent tunes. Songs like "Louise", which is a classic blues song, or "Stay All Night", in which the Keys sound like they did on their first record, "The Big Come Up", those are incredible. We get some remakes of songs they have already covered on other records. Their new versions of "Do the Romp", "Sad Days Lonely Nights" and "Poor Boy a Long Way from Home" are great. They show the growth this band has had in their very long, very illustrious career to this point. Then there are some songs I have never heard that I have grown to love. "Mellow Peaches" is my favorite cover on the album. It is so good. "Walk With Me" is totally rad. "Come on and Go With Me" is as old school electric blues as it gets. I love that song so very much.

This album is really, really good. I do not get the slander on some of The Black Keys fan pages calling this record "slow" and "boring". That is pure nonsense. I'm not always fan of cover records, but when they are done well, like "Delta Kream", they are so so so good. I cannot recommend this album enough. Any fan of blues music, exceptional guitar and wonderful drums will love this album. It is such an excellent homage to these past blues legends that may not get the credit they are very much due. Go listen to this album. It rules.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Kendrick Lamar is Awesome

This morning after I dropped my kids off at school I was able to put on my music. I don't care if my kids hear curse words as long as they do not use them in the wrong context. But sometimes it is more comforting for me to listen to my music when I am alone. And when I am alone I enjoy listening to hip hop. Again, my kids like it, but I have more fun listening alone. It is a much better time for me.

Today after heading back to my folks house I put on some Kendrick Lamar. I haven't listened to him in awhile and I was in the mood. I do not know why, or understand how it came upon, but when the wave hit, it was time to listen to Kendrick. I put on "DAMN" because that is my personal favorite, and from there I listened to a ton of his stuff. I went from the beginning to current times, hitting all the classics along the way. This blog post today is a simple ode, a discussion of how great Kendrick Lamar is as, not only a rapper, but a person too.

Kendrick is awesome. Let's just put that out there right away. He is one of, if not the greatest emcee of all time. I know, I am a humongous RTJ fan. They are my all time favorite group. I also love A Tribe Called Quest. I'm a NAS fan. I like Public Enemy and The Beastie Boys. And Pusha T is wonderful. But there is something about Kendrick. He is a cut above the best of the best in my opinion. The way he does his thing, how he writes, composes and performs his music is on a whole other level. There is a reason he won a Pulitizer. You don't just win those because you are famous or popular. You have to be an otherworldly genius to even be considered for a Pilitizer. And Kendrick has one. His lyrics are some of the best ever. He talks about important things. He raps about interesting and important things. He talks about his real life experiences and how he has come out of it on the other side. He is as real as they get in the music industry. He also isn't flashy or glamorous or anything like that. There is an interview my brother showed me between Kendrick and Rick Rubin. Those two men are worth more money than I will ever even see in my lifetime, but during this interview they both have jeans or shorts, t shirts, hoodies and a hat on. And it is one of the best things that I have ever seen on the internet. Neither of them needs to show out and show how rich they are. They just talked about music, and it was amazing. I appreciate that. There is no flash, no show needed, no over the top clothes. Just two people that are hyper intelligent sharing their thoughts on music. And that was the feeling I got today, especially when listening to "DAMN". That album is as about straight forward hip hop as you can get, and Kendrick absolutely nails it. He crushes every song. From top to bottom, it is perfect. And there are hits on the album. "DNA" and "HUMBLE" are big time hits. They were played on the radio a ton. But man the rest of that record is simply amazing. Listening to Kendrick's flow, how fast yet understandable he is, it is a work of art. I was amazed the first time I listened to the album and I was still amazed today. But that is how it is with every Kendrick album. They all rule. He is a master. And then you have his personal life, which is pretty buttoned up. That is a good thing. He doesn't need to air his business in public. He doesn't have any kind of weird stuff hanging over him. He is loved and respected by pretty much everyone. I have not met a single person that knows him who doesn't like him. He is world renowned. He is a rare star that is just a seemingly normal person who happens to have an amazing gift that he shares with the world. There are no beefs with other rappers. He gets along with people. Uber famous people adore him. But you'd never know the way he carries himself. That is why I adore him so much. Not only is he one of the greatest people to ever be involved in the music business, he is a great person as well.

I love Kendrick Lamar. I love his music, his lack of style, his public persona, the things he does for everyone, simply everything he does is just great. Kendrick Lamar is amazing and, even though he is a super duper star, he needs even more respect thrown his way. This man is a genius and we need to appreciate everything he does while he is still doing it. Kendrick Lamar is the man.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to The Black Keys Cover of "Crawling Kingsnake"

This morning while scrolling on the internet I came across some good news for once. Let’s discuss.

I’m a big Black Keys fan. They’re my second favorite band behind Run the Jewels. I’ve seen them live more than any other band. I found out about them when MTV2 used to play videos and they performed on an awards show I came across in 2002. And I’ve stayed with them ever since. They’ve achieved a decent amount of fame and now they’re in a situation where they can do the music they want when they want. So when I saw they have a new record of old blues covers coming out next month I was pumped.

As I said, this was good news. When I saw the musicians they would be covering on the record I got even more excited. They said on the press release that they were doing covers of people who inspired them to do the music they now make. Guys like John Lee Hooker, RL Burnside and Junior Kimborough, amongst others, are who The Black Keys will be covering on this record. That’s great. It was also great to read this press release because they announced that they had released the first single off the new record today. I immediately switched over to Spotify to listen.

The song is called “Crawling Kingsnake”, which I believe is a John Lee Hooker cover. I absolutely loved this song from the first note. I am not familiar with the original version but I will soon be after some more listens to the Keys version. This is The Black Keys that I love. I love everything they do, but this stripped down version, the original version of just Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach, that’s what I adore. That’s the band I fell in love with. All the records they did as just the two of them, those are the best, especially “Thickfreakness”. And this version of “Crawling Kingsnake” has major “Thickfreakness” vibes. From the dirty guitar to the reverb to the chaotic yet somehow put together drum parts to Auerbach’s gravelly voice, it’s all there and it’s all amazing. I have listened to this song about six times already, both versions I might add. They have the unedited and edited version right now. There is no cursing, it’s just the length of each version of the song. I prefer the six minute version. The version where you can hear the two of them talk before they start the song. It is so damn good. To hear them sound like this again, to go back to the early days, it just made me so very happy. I was, and still am, ecstatic. Not that I ever fell out of favor with them, but the fuller band took just a teeny tiny bit out of their aura to me. So when they strip it down, when they go back to basics, it gives me the same vibes I had when I first heard them.

I highly recommend people go listen to this track and then the album when it comes out. Black Keys fans will dig it, blues fans will like it, garage rock fans will enjoy it and newer Keys fans will hear the original version of this band for the first time. I cannot say enough good things about this song. It gets all the thumbs up that it can have. I cannot wait for the record, but for the time being, I’m going to go listen to the new single about 5 dozen more times. I suggest you do the same.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP DMX

DMX has passed away at 50.

This has been confirmed by multiple outlets this afternoon. I have been following his situation all week. I saw early on that he was rushed to the hospital, that he was in a coma, that he was in a vegetative state and that they were going to test his brain to see what could have gone wrong. I also later found out during the week that he was rushed to the hospital for a drug overdose. So when the news flashed today I was stunned, but not surprised. I was hoping he would pull through. I thought maybe it was one of the quick internet assumptions that another celebrity was sick and being rushed to the hospital. 2020, and so far 2021 have been pretty rough for people who have achieved some level of fame, but I was still hoping he'd pull through. He didn't, and now he is gone.

This is sad. People will have their opinions on DMX the person and the rapper. He spent a lot of time in jail. He bred dogs to have them fight. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol. He has a ton of kids, a lot of which he did not pay child support until he was forced to. He had many extramarital affairs. He made some bad choices, that is for sure. But he was also a good rapper. He was a famous rapper. He has one of the biggest hits to ever come out. "Ruff Ryder's Anthem" is a song I still sing walking around my house. "X Gon' Give it to Ya" was played in arenas when they had full crowds. "What's My Name" is still played on the radio today. He has one of the most unique voices in rap music. And, for all his faults, it has never been reported that he hit women and children. He was abused as a child, and I think he remembered that, so he did not, to the public's knowledge, lay hands on women or children. That is something he can take to his grave.

It just feels weird that he is just gone. This is kind of like Dustin Diamond passing. One day they are fine, the next they are rushed to the hospital and then they pass away. It is sad. DMX will leave behind his legacy of music, but he was also an ordained priest and tried to spread the gospel. I don't believe in that stuff, but DMX did, and he put his money where his mouth was. He preached when he was incarcerated. He preached when he got out. He preached when he stopped making music. He spread the word. He also was a solid actor. He did movies that fit his style of music, and he shined in some of his roles. He's solid opposite Jet Li in "Cradle 2 the Grave". "Belly" is a hip hop classic movie. He is funny in "How to be a Player". The stuff they used him for in Chris Rock's "Top Five" is awesome. "Romeo Must Die" has him paired up with Li again, and that is another solid karate movie. And you have all the documentaries that he was in, or was a subject of, that explain his style of rap and his life. I enjoyed some of the stuff he was in as an actor. He was able to carve out a spot for himself in both the music industry and in Hollywood. Late in his life he kind of disappeared from the spotlight until very recent, with the news of him being rushed to the hospital. Then we saw a plethora of musicians and actors, and family and friends all come out in support of DMX, and hoping he would come out on the other side of this. Unfortunately he did not. He has passed over to the next plane. He has moved on from Earth, and who knows where he is now.

This is a sad day for the rap community, and most importantly, the people who are in DMX's world. He had a tough life, that was always tough, even when he was uber famous. RIP DMX. You will be missed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Roseville"

I know that I said there wasn't a lot of music I knew about coming out this year, but for the second week in a row I am going to write about a new album that I have been enjoying quite a bit. This album lands in the whole, "I'm sure there is new music coming out this year that I will love, I just don't know about it yet" category.

The album is called "Roseville", and it is a new solo album from one of my favorites, Har Mar Superstar. I am a big fan, and I also always find myself not knowing he has a new record until a day or two before it comes out. That is the same with this album. I loved the Heartbones stuff he was doing, but I had no idea he was working on a new solo album. Then I saw stuff pop up on social media that he was working on it and finishing it up and that it would be out soon. It came out last Friday and I have been listening to it a ton. It has pretty much replaced all the other stuff I have been listening to. It has definitely taken over Weezer's spot as my most played music on Spotify. This album is absolutely wonderful. With each new record, I feel Har Mar just keeps getting better and better. He is also making really cool throwback R&B/soul music. This new album sounds like part of it could have been made for Stax. It is so soulful and so full of sound and Har Mar's voice is purely wonderful on it all. From start to finish this is an album where no song should be skipped.

The record starts with that 70's type R&B/ soul music. The first four or five songs are classic throwback songs. The accompanying music is perfect for the sound he is going for. The addition of horns was a great choice. It makes the music sound fuller. It is perfect. When you get to the later half of the record it is a blend of 70's soul with his alternative pop sound. Personally I adore the songs "Neon Aglow" and "Hearts Have Misspoken". They both have that full sound, but the groove and the lyrics are like early Har Mar. These songs could have easily been on his early stuff, but they almost feel saved for this newer sound he aimed for, and nailed, on this new record. I will find myself dancing and singing along to both of these songs already. That is quick for me too. My son likes to listen to this record with me too. The funny thing with that is, he is 9 years old, only seems to like the music played on Fortnite, but he is so amped whenever I play "Roseville" now. I love it. He also thinks it's awesome that you can hear a dog bark at the end of one of the songs. He told me that he likes the music, but his favorite part is when the dog barks. That rules. My daughter likes pretty much anything I play in the car, but I have seen her get a little more dancy when I play this new record. I love it when musicians I like do stuff that I can enjoy with my kids too. "Roseville" definitely fits in that category. Har Mar is at a point for me that when he puts something out, I know it is going to be good. He is such a good songwriter and singer, and he seems to surround himself with really good musicians.

This record is great, and so is everything else he does. Of course I recommend this album. It is quick, sweet, well made, well produced and fun as hell. I appreciate new music too, especially during the pandemic. This record has put a smile on my face, and it feels much needed right now. Thank you Har Mar for the new music. It is awesome.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "OK Human"

On a podcast earlier this year RD and I talked about what we were looking forward to in 2021 as far as pop culture and sports. One area that I had a bit of a harder time finding stuff was music. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of new stuff that I listen to that is coming out this year. Or, if some bands or musicians I like have decided to make some music for 2021, they haven't announced it yet. It will be a nice surprise.

One band I do like, I have liked them since I was in middle school, and I mentioned on that very podcast was Weezer, and they had announced a new record for this year. I think I got my signals crossed because, for some reason, I thought they were doing a Van Halen covers album. They had such success with the "Teal" album, which was all covers, so this seemed cool, even though I am not a Van Halen fan. It also seemed timely since, unfortunately, Eddie Van Halen passed pretty recently.

Well, Weezer did put out a new record, and it was not a Van Halen covers album. About a week or so ago, Weezer put out the record "Ok Human". I did not know anything about the album and I did not recognize any of the songs. But when I turned on Spotify on my way to take my kids to school, they sent me a notification that Weezer had a new album. So I listened right away with my kids in the car. And, like they always seem to do, Weezer made a really solid, very decent album. The record is short and sweet, clocking in at just over thirty minutes with twelve brand new songs. I like every song on the album. There have been some records of theirs recently where I feel it is fine to skip a track here and there. With the covers record, I only listen to the songs I liked. On some of the albums prior to that, I would only listen to the "hit" songs. Weezer, for me, really peaked with "The Blue Album", and got some underground notoriety with "Pinkerton". I still listen to those albums endlessly. I love them. I saw them tour with "The Green Album", but even that did not hit like "Pinkerton" or "The Blue Album". But "Ok Human" has something special that keeps me coming back for more.

The album flows very nicely. They have very short songs, almost like segues into the next three minute song, that blend perfectly. They slow some songs down, and others sound like they were recorded during the band's heyday. The opener, "All My Favorite Songs" reminds me of a grown up "My Name is Jonas" or "Surf Wax America", two of my personal favorites. "Bird with a Broken Wing" sounds like it could easily have been lifted from "Pinkerton". And I think that is why I keep coming back to this album. It is nostalgia food for me. The band still sounds great, like they did when I first heard them in seventh grade. But, just like myself, they have grown up. They are all adults now who have lived life. This record feels like they are having a good time making pop rock music, and I am totally here for that. With a band like Weezer, I do not listen to them to have my mind blown, and that is not a critique. I listen to Weezer because they are fun, my kids can listen with me, we can dance together, it is one of the very few bands my wife and I both like. They are just a fun band that makes fun music, and that is what "Ok Human" is all about. I

really dig this record the more I hear it too. I was listening to it earlier this morning and I said out loud to no one, "man, Weezer is a really great band". So while it wasn't what I expected when they announced a new record, I love it all the same. I recommend this album, obviously. It is another in a long line of very good Weezer records.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Thank You Note to Daft Punk

Every morning after I take my kids to school, I sit down, have some coffee, eat some breakfast and read the news from the night before. To be clear, since the inauguration, by "news", I mean sports, pop culture, entertainment and music news. This is the stuff I am keeping an eye on for the most part. I do still read up on the vaccines, and when they may become available in Saint Louis by where I live. But outside that, it is all pop culture and sports.

This morning I read some pop culture news, specifically music news, that made me upset. But, after sitting on it all day, it actually makes sense, although I will miss any new music they could have, and possibly might still make. The news you ask? Daft Punk is splitting after 28 years together.

A few things to unpack here. I did not realize they have been together that long. I am, admittedly, a late comer fan of their music. But to think that they have been at this since I was my son's age is wild to me. They are also extremely prolific. They have recorded tons of songs, both for themselves and others. They may have only put out, officially, five total albums, but they are all classics. They toured sporadically, but their live shows were things of legend. The stories being told about them are tall tales that get bigger, and more crazy every single year. I remember seeing a DVD of a show they did at, I believe it was Coachella, in the early 2000's, that absolutely blew my mind. That was on DVD, imagine the people who saw it live. They have influenced countless musicians. Almost too many to name. They were one of the first bands to really take the whole imagery, literally and figuratively, and make it mainstream. No one was wearing helmets and dressing super nice until Daft Punk did it. Their imprint on electronic music may be second only to their idol, Giorgio Moroder. Hell, they may have even passed him. But for me, what was most important, they showed that electronic music wasn't just raves and pacifiers with drugs laced into them and glow sticks.

Electronic music became good, at least to me, when I first heard Daft Punk. My intro was the soundtrack to "Tron: Legacy". I did not like the movie at all, but the music was so awesome. I went out and bought the soundtrack immediately after watching the movie. I devoured it. Then I saw a documentary about them. Sure they are pretentious and kind of arrogant. But to see them make the music, it was amazing. They worked hard at their craft and were perfectionists as a duo. Then, like millions of other people, I went out and bought "Random Access Memories". That album is a triumph. It is a classic for a reason. Every song is great, and everything about every song is perfect. It is not only one of the best electronic albums of all time, quite possibly the best, but one of the greatest overall albums of all time, no matter the genre. They followed that up with one of the best Grammy performances I have ever seen. That was to be their last record, and why not go out on top. I know it came out eight years ago, but it is still played in heavy rotation everywhere. I hear "Get Lucky" about five to ten times a month to this day.

Let’s get back to the sadness, then realizing that it was the right move. I was bummed when I read the news. I figured they were working on something else. That they were going to make a really good record. They were just being overly critical because "Random Access Memories" is so beloved and great. But, pulling back on it, and really thinking about it, they do not have to do anything else. They already achieved greatness. They have already cemented themselves as an all time great duo. They will be Rock and Rock Hall of Fame members. They will influence even more people. Their music will live on forever. What else do they really owe their fans? Honestly? In this day and age, where everyone's a critic, you know some asshole would have panned a new record just to be a jerk. Daft Punk is above criticism at this point, as far as their music goes. So I get it. Walk away on top. Go out knowing you were one of the best ever. Don't make anymore. Leave behind that wanting. And the video announcement they made, it was pure Daft Punk, and simply perfect in every way.

So instead of being grumpy about it, I just want to thank Daft Punk for the music they gave all of us. They rule, and they are one of the best bands ever. Enough said.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Revisits the Iconic Music of Jimmy Cliff

As I stated last week, I have been in a reggae music listening mood. I have had it on pretty consistently for the past couple weeks. It was mostly Marley, with some other off shoots here and there. It’s been great.

The most played artist on my mixes, after Marley, was Jimmy Cliff. Now I know for some, myself included, the first song I ever heard from Jimmy Cliff was "I Can See Clearly Now". I loved the movie "Cool Runnings" as a child, and this song was prominently featured in the trailer and on the soundtrack. As I got a little older, and branched out to Marley and Lee Perry and Desond Dekker and The Melodians, Cliff was kind of Velveeta to me. He was cheesy and corny. He wasn't like these other guys. These bands had stuff to say, they had a message. It also helped that they were incredible musicians and performers. I kind of put Jimmy Cliff in the same category as I did with Phish when I listened to jam music. I just never gave him a fair shake.

Well, a few years into my 20's, my oldest brother heard me giving Jimmy Cliff a hard time. He was the one who really introduced me to a lot of the reggae I was listening to then, and still listen to now. He told me that I was wrong. He said there was only one thing I needed to see, and then hear, and my opinion would immediately shift. One evening when I was visiting him in Columbia, he showed me the movie "The Harder They Come", and then had me listen to the soundtrack right afterward. He was one hundred percent correct. Any kind of irrational thoughts and feelings I had about Cliff instantly disappeared. He became this whole new person to me. He wasn't the cheesy "I Can See Clearly Now" Cliff anymore. He was different. "The Harder They Come" is one of the better movies I have ever seen, and Cliff is electric in it. He is menacing and charming at the same time. He does some great work. I bought every single ounce of his character. I rooted for him even though he did some shady stuff. But the soundtrack, and especially his songs, moved me. "You Can Get It If You Really Want" is quintessential reggae music. It is also a great way to kick off the record. The title track is hard and, for a reggae song, kind of like rock and roll. It is just so good and so awesome. "Sitting In Limbo" is devastating and rough and perfectly tells a story of a person who truly does not know what their next move should, or will, be. But "Many Rivers to Cross" is one of the most heart breaking, yet beautiful songs ever written. This song still moves me to this day., It has some kind of excellent power grip on me. I can never skip it. I have to always sing along to it. It is the song that I want played at my funeral. It is so goddamn perfect.

So, obviously, this all changed my perception of Cliff. I gave him another shot. I slowly started to discover his older music, and realized he was not only prolific, but a great, great writer who wrote very important songs. He is on that Lee Perry and Desmond Dekker level. To me, he is second only to Bob Marely. I love Peter Tosh, but I think Cliff is a better overall musician, and made more music, only because he wasn't killed. But Cliff has been doing this since 1967. He put out his first record then, at the age of 19. He actually put out six records prior to "The Harder They Come" is the classic, and probably has his best songs on it. He also starred in the movie. Since 1972, Cliff has put out a record almost every year all the way up to 2012. He also has a myriad of live albums that further show his greatness. I mean, this guy has been at it for a very long time, and most of his stuff is great. Hell, as an adult, I adore "I Can See Clearly Now". It is a lovely, and vibrant song. I couldn't have been more wrong on my initial impression of him. But this is why it is good to have people in your life who are willing to call you out, and then show proof of how awesome someone may be that you have discounted.

I am forever grateful to my brother, and love that I was proven wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go listen to some Jimmy Cliff. I suggest you do the same.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Revisits "Talkin Blues"

Recently I have been back on a reggae music kick. I have been listening to older Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals and, of course, Bob Marley. There is also some solo Peter Tosh thrown in there, but it is mostly Marley and Cliff. The other day I was looking for some older Marley stuff to listen to, his more ska/early reggae music stuff, but I came across the record "Talkin Blues". I remember liking this album when I first heard it some 15 or so years ago. But at that time, all of The Wailers stuff was great. I decided I was going to check out "Talkin Blues" again to see if it holds up.

Well, not only does it hold up, this is officially my favorite Wailers album. It has that VH1 Storytellers or Unplugged or NPR's small desk concerts vibe to it. Almost every song is interspersed with Bob Marley talking about the band, the songs or just life in general. It is neat to hear what he has to say about these topics. I also like hearing his talking voice. He is very Jamaican, and I love that accent. When you get to the songs, it is almost like a greatest hits record, and every song is recorded live. When doing some research on everyone's favorite website, Wikipedia, I found out the album wasn't released until 1991, but it was recorded between 1973-75. I wonder why there was such a delay, but it was worth it to get this wonderful, timeless album.

The tracks on the album include, "Talkin Blues", "Burnin and Lootin", "Kinky Reggae", "Get Up, Stand Up", "Slave Driver", "Walk the Proud Land", "Lively Up Yourself", "You Can't Blame the Youth", "Stop that Train", "Rastaman Chant", "Am-A-Do", "Bend Down Low" and "I Shot the Sheriff". That is a murderer's row of the band's songs. And to get to hear them all live, recorded live in a studio, it just adds to the allure of this album. It also starts off with a bang with "Talkin Blues". When you can kick off a record with a funky reggae song, it will hook the listener right away. Hearing "Talkin Blues" right at the top took me back to when I first heard this album and when I fell in love with it. Bob Marley's voice is so unique and vibrant and wonderful and perfect. No one can replicate him, and that is why he is one of the greatest musicians and writers of all time, and far and away the greatest reggae artist of all time. Then they come right at you with a classic. "Burnin and Lootin" is as relevant now and it is just as awesome. "Kinky Reggae" is one of my all time favorite songs, and to hear it live, in a studio setting, adds just a little extra pizzazz to it that I love. When Peter Tosh gets to take over the vocals, we get two of the best songs ever written and performed. His version of "Stop that Train" is soulful reggae at its best. It is so good. He tops that with his performance on "You Can't Blame the Youth". That song literally changed my life and how I viewed historical figures. I read up on the people he talked about in the song and realized how horrible they were. I also appreciate the message of the song. We truly cannot blame the youth if we do not give them honest answers and raise them to respect people. The lyric, "when every Christmas comes you give the youth a fancy toy gun/so you can't blame the youth when they turn bad", speaks volumes to me. I will not buy, and I ask family members as well, to not give my kids toy guns because I am so anti gun. I will even cite this lyric when telling them why I do not want them to buy my kids toy guns. Then they close it out with three stone cold classics. We get "Rastaman Chant", which is a truly perfect reggae song, "Am-A-Do", which may not be as well known, but it is so danceable and "Bend Down Low", which is some baby making reggae music.

This album is so perfect. I am so glad I revisited it. I am so happy that I can go to it anytime I want to hear some classic reggae music by the greatest reggae band of all time. I know that Bob Marley is loved by a ton of people, but it still isn't enough in my opinion. He should be listed on every list as one of the greatest musicians ever. And "Talkin Blues" definitely belongs in the greatest albums talk from now on. It is a classic.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Greatest American Music: Talking Heads "(Nothing But) Flowers"

As you all know, last year I became enamored with Talking Heads. That has obviously shifted into the new year, and I am still playing plenty of their music at home, in the car and when I go running. By now I have heard every album at least twice. Some I listen to more, others less. The one I listen to the least is "Naked". It, for me, is a very discombobulated album. It is kind of all over the place. One minute it sounds like their classic stuff, then the next song is totally different, and seems like it shouldn't be on the record. It is a strange record

One song, the most famous one on the album by a mile, "(Nothing But) Flowers", that is an amazing song. It is pure Talking Heads, it has great vocals from Byrne, and the band is top notch. I wish the whole album was like this. What I love most about the song is the lyrics. In my many listens recently I have been paying more and more attention to the lyrics, and "(Nothing But) Flowers" has some of the best they've ever written. I also love the message of the song, and it kind of sounds like a place I would like to visit, if only it were real.

The song starts off very simple, ostensibly telling us about Adam and Eve, and how Byrne and the person he is talking about are them in this vision they wrote about. But it shifts pretty quick from so long ago to talking about how cars have no more gasoline. It puts the listener right back into the current world, or the world of the 80's when this song was written. The very next, very short verse is one of my all time favorites. After the Adam and Eve story, and cars being gone, Byrne sings, "there was a factory/now there are mountains and rivers/you got it you got it". I LOVE this ideal. There are far, far too many factories, especially now. Factories seem to go up yearly in the US, and they replace land that was covered with mountains, rivers, trees, grass, wildlife, all of these things and so much more. I kind of wish that there weren't so many factories. I want more mountains and rivers. The next part of the chorus is about them catching a rattlesnake and saying they have something for dinner. Again, the band is going back to ruffage and survival mode. I, again, like this idea. I am not big on hunting, I think it is quite barbaric in fact. But if you have to do it for sustenance, then it makes sense to me. That is what I envision this couple using hunting for. They may not want to, but to survive, they have to. Then we get the best part of the song to me, "there was a shopping mall/now it's all covered with flowers/you got it, you got it". I am seeing shopping malls go down left and right, and if they were covered in flowers, that would be beautiful. Unfortunately we do not get to see what it could grow into because when a mall goes down, they usually build some kind of factory in its place. I prefer the nature idea. Then the song takes a turn in the final part of the chorus. After saying all these things I think are wonderful and cool and would like to see, Byrne sings "if this is paradise/I wish I had a lawnmower/you got it, you got it". I mean, I get that grass needs to be mowed, but I feel like Talking Heads have made up this utopian type of forest life, then bam, they want it gone. I disagree with this, but it is another reason I like this song. The Talking Heads never ceases to amaze me with their writing, and this is a perfect example. They give us this wonderful, idealistic world, at least to me, and then smash it, saying they want it gone.

From here on out the song just gets better and better. In verse two Byrne talks about being an angry young man and pretending he was a billboard on the side of the road. He then tells us he fell in love with a road that used to be real estate which has now shifted to fields and trees. Again, my ideal version of a town. He goes on to say that the town used to be highways and cars, but it is now "sacrificed" for agriculture. He finishes up the second verse with, "I thought we'd start over/but I guess we were wrong". I love this. It is just like the chorus. I get this beautiful picture in my head of a former bustling city being turned into a tree and leaf covered forest. But then Bryne says he just figured they'd make more of the same, but he realizes he was wrong, but he still doesn't want the forest stuff that I do. The second chorus is to the same tune of the first, but it has different mentions. The Pizza Hut's have now all been covered with daisies and the honky tonks, Dairy Queens and 7-Eleven's are now all gone. I think that rules. We don't need all that convenience so easily available. I would like to see less stores and restaurants and more forest and greenery and wildlife. But Byrne almost opines for these things that are now gone. I don't. I think this world they have built up so far sounds awesome. It sounds like a place I want to see.

The band ends the song dreaming of cherry pies, chocolate chip cookies and candy bars. They used to microwave, but now they just eat nuts and berries. The discount store has turned into a cornfield. Again, I would miss these same things for a minute, but I feel like the alternate version they are posing, I could get used to rather quickly, especially the nuts and berries. I would love to do that. The final lyrics are the ultimate turn on this world they created that I love. Byrne sings, to end the song, "don't leave me stranded here/I can't get used to this lifestyle". I, again, disagree. Humans are so adaptable, and I love the world they created. I love the idea of a forest covered landscape, scourging for food, living like people used to in the old days. That sounds idyllic to me.

"(Nothing But) Flowers" is a classic Talking Heads song for a myriad of reasons. Number one for me, the place they have created, the one that Byrne doesn't want to be stranded in, sounds like Utopia to me. That is why I love this song so much. It talks about replacing all the stuff we don't need with stuff that would be so much better, and then the band gets all upset realizing they might have to live in a world like this. I would be stoked, and when I listen, I yearn for a world like the one they made up. It would be rad.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP MF DOOM

A seemingly brutal 2020 got a little worse on New Years Eve.

I was preparing some food for our at home New Years celebration, because we are all in quarantine, as you should be, when I heard news that MF DOOM had passed away. Well, I should say that I didn't hear. I was looking at Instagram and noticed a ton of people posting pictures of him with no caption. The people posting were rappers, actors and friends of mine. I immediately thought two things, either he had new music coming out, or that he was dead. Unfortunately the second part was true.

I was floored. I googled his name right away to confirm the news. It was everywhere. Every music publication and major news network had confirmed that DOOM had died. I then saw his family post on Instagram that the news was true, and that he had actually passed away in October. He died on Halloween in fact. Again, I was stunned. I had heard nothing about him being sick, getting sick or anything. He hadn't put out new music in awhile, but he takes a ton of time in between records, so honestly, I hadn't thought about him for almost six months. But this news soured my mood. I texted a good amount of people I knew that listen to him, and they were just as stunned as I was.

This sucks. This was one final kick to the crotch from 2020. Lots of people die every year, but 2020 took it to a whole other level, and took some musical geniuses along the way. I mean, I don't know many casual fans that know DOOM, but people that do, they know hip hop. DOOM had been making some great music in the early 2000's. He would put out many different albums, all of which were unique and different and simple and cool in only a way DOOM could do. He also was making beats for many rappers and helping them achieve notoriety. DOOM not only did his own thing, but helped others along the way. But what I adored about him, his music, was how different and how cool it was. DOOM had a very excellent way of rhyming and writing and delivering his lyrics. His beats were straight ahead, yet different from everyone else out there. The lyrics were my favorite though. Instead of glamorizing things, he called out rappers for this. He made fun of how famous rappers talk about women and money and material things. He went the total opposite direction of all the other rappers out there.

The album of his I love the most is the one he did with Danger Mouse called "DangerDoom". This album is one of the best rap records period, and it is made so much cooler because they added Adult Swim people on the album. The characters from "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" were on this album. Space Ghost makes an appearance. All the shows that I watch, they were on this record. It was cool to have Danger Mouse produce it, DOOM rap on it and have Adult Swim characters appear. After hearing news of his death, this was the first record I put on to honor his memory.

Just when 2020 was about to be over, we got this news, and it was a real bummer. At least his family got some time to grieve without having the media all over it. They had some time to mourn their loss. Now the rest of us are mourning this loss. DOOM was, and always will be, one of the greatest rappers that ever lived. He was too young. He was only 49. This stinks, and it was one final blow to a brutal year. RIP DOOM. You will be missed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.