When I started doing this, my only real hope was to find and remember some great music from the dusty corners of my own collection, and maybe help somebody else discover a new favorite. Well, mission accomplished on the second point! Feels pretty good. Here's today's stuff, maybe you'll find a new favorite too?
The Blue Meanies, "Camaro Man"
You know what would make ska punk better? A bar band vibe! At least, that's the conclusion the Blue Meanies reached before recording this song. Also, note that there's so very little ska left in this track that coming into it cold, you'd never guess that this is ostensibly a ska punk band. I'm moving on.
Polvo, "High-Wire Moves"
A math rock act from the ridiculously strong music scene in Chapel Hill in the early 90s, Polvo made four very interesting albums, broke up for a decade or so, and then came back with two more albums of similar quality as if the break never happened. I don't know if this kind of thing happened for underground rock acts from back in the day, but seeing the bands of my college career reform and sometimes even put out good stuff is really interesting.
The Doughboys, "So Long"
This is just about as rock as you can get. I don't really know why I bought several albums from them. Label loyalty? Read a good review somewhere? Shares personnel with some other band I like? Whatever it is, here they are: rockin'. Just there, rockin'. This is mostly harmless.
Queens of the Stone Age, "Battery Acid"
Speaking of rockin' out, QotSA one of the foremost stoner rock bands rattling around, cranking out piles of fuzz, interesting riffs, and fun solos for many years now. We've encountered main Queen Josh Homme before with the Eagles of Death Metal, but I vastly prefer QotSA. This song, for instance, has that delicious and ridiculous solo in the middle of it. Compare this to the previous track, and think how lame the Doughboys sound in comparison.
The Pixies, "Oona"
The Pixies were a legendary band in the the rock underground of the late 80s and early 90s, putting out records that have inspired as many imitators as anybody this side of Nirvana (who, of course, cited the Pixies as an influence). The band broke up after 1991's Trompe le Monde, and the members went on to various other acts - notably, Kim Deal to The Breeders and Black Francis/Frank Black to assorted solo-ish projects. Much to everybody's surprise, the Pixies got back together and put out new albums in 2014 and 2016, with this song being off the latter (although Kim Deal was no longer present for that one). Alas, I have to say that the reunion albums were nowhere near as successful as the Polvo reunion records, sounding more like a Pixies tribute act than the real deal. But, you know, they'll always be the band that made Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. Also, I recommend the documentary quietLOUDquiet if you're a Pixies fan.