A few more songs from the never-ending list of tunes I'm trying to keep up with... and this time, it's all tunes I can't buy on CD.
Often, I find myself listening to an album on the interweb or via some other magical means, and I like it so much that I want a copy on the shelf. Lately however, I've come across a number of records that are just not available on CD. In some cases, it's a vinyl (or cassette!?) only release... in other cases, the record is only available digitally, like this one from Howell Dawdy...
I've featured tracks from Howell's 2021 album Smells Like Love here before. It's only 8 songs long, but every one's a winner and I'd gladly shell out some coppers for a physical copy. Sadly, Howell appears to be an internet-only guy...
In a similar vein, we find Norwegian Americana star Harald Thune, whose 2020 album The Backbounceability of Humans was a particular favourite during Lockdown.
Harald's website is a little sparse, with spaces for biog and tour details, but not even a tab for shopping, and his music appears only to be available via streaming. Which is a shame, because there's a Harald-shaped hole on my CD shelf...
Kevin Morby is considerably more well known than either Harald or Howell, yet his last record was only released on vinyl.
This is a tragedy as it's a companion piece to his previous album, 2020's This Is A Photograph, a CD that has pride of place in my collection. I'd love to own a piece of plastic and paper containing the follow-up, but it looks unlikely to happen...
So desperate am I to own a CD copy of the debut album by Wolves of Glendale that I went on their website (where it's vinyl only, I'm afraid) and emailed them through the "Contact Us" link asking if a CD was forthcoming. No reply.
Maybe CDs really are a dead format.
Oh well, here's a cautionary tale about the hidden dangers of gym membership...
I'm not sure he needs it yet, he's still a few years off being a sweaty teenager, but apparently it's the thing. So his mum bought him some Lynx. Because the makers have moved away from the ridiculous notion that if you spray yourself with Lynx, thousands of teenage girls will come chasing after you (presumably with some bleach and a scrubbing brush) and now they're promoting themselves via the notion of sporting prowess - wearing Lynx will make you into a G.O.A.T.
It probably goes without saying that I have a problem with Lynx. Due to "odour-linked memories", I don't get The Lynx Effect... I get The Proust Effect.
This name came about because the author Marcel Proust wrote in his book, Swann’s Way, that the smell of a pastry he dipped in his tea brought on a rush of joy associated with his childhood.
However, due to our storytelling brain, the opposite is also true. I don't know if Marcel Proust ever smelt Lynx deodorant, but if he did, I hope it whisked him back to school changing rooms on a wet Wednesday afternoon, when all the footy lads were raring to go, and young Proust was feeling queasy, intimidated and ready for his weekly hour of humiliation. Because that's what happens to me. One whiff of Lynx and I end up right back here...
Thia is Howell Dawdy, one of many artists I've discovered via my Celebrity Jukebox research, although I did mistakenly call him Howell Dandy in that post (now corrected), because what kind of surname is Dawdy? Anyway, Howell's a very talented musician, and a very funny guy to boot. I've been enjoying his most recent album, Smells Like Love, a lot over the past few months. I like it so much, I want to buy a physical copy... except Howell appears to be one of these new age hipster types who doesn't believe in wasting plastic, so his music is only available digitally. What is the world coming to?
Anyway, this is one of my favourite tunes from Smells Like Love, and it seemed like an appropriate one to revive Self-Loathing Friday with, if only for one week. Product Placement will probably return next week. This is a song about knowing you don't look good... in fact, Howell repeatedly compares himself to a walking corpse (in comparison to his partner who looks like an angel). This is my favourite verse though...
Never takes you long to get ready And no matter what I do I look like hell You look like the bell of the ball and I look like I weathered a fall from the tower where I swing under the bells
Smells Like Love is available (digitally only!) from Bandcamp. Only 8 tracks, but every one's a winner...
“When you grow up, your heart dies.” So says Ally Sheedy in
The Breakfast Club, one of those movies that is inextricably linked with my
adolescence, but probably means much less to you if you weren’t a teenager in
the 80s. Sheedy was part of the Brat Pack: young actors who made a name for themselves
in a string of movies focussed on teens / early 20s, and also occasionally for
their outrageous off-screen behaviour… in Ally’s case, that largely involved
dating Ritchie Sambora from By Jovi and indulging in the rock ‘n’ roll excess
that comes with that job. Sheedy also starred in War Games, Short Circuit and
St Elmo’s Fire, all films that have a place in my heart. You had to be there.
In later years, Sheedy moved away from acting, becoming a
theatre teacher and book editor, although she is enjoying a comeback at the
moment in the TV show Single Drunk Female.
How does Ally fare in the world of popular music? Let’s find
out, starting with…
Did you know that Busta Rhymes’s real name is Trevor? (It is.)
I included this track just so that I could tell you that; he doesn’t even
rap the lines below, they come from Rah Digga, whose real name is Beryl. (It’s
not.) Also, Musical Youth are turning in their middle-aged beds.
Sayin' peace when you see me; play the role like Ally Sheedy
And I ain't gon' join ya cipher if the weed's too seedy
From Busta Rhymes to some dubious rhymes courtesy of this
Canadian power pop star influenced by 60s girl groups…
That really is a title of the song, not a continuation of the Trevor gag. (But his name really is Trevor. Google it if you don't believe me.)
Pink flamingo
90s Nintendo
Power nap
Spaghetti straps
Caller ID
Says Ally Sheedy
I did say I wasn’t going to embarrass myself my featuring
rappers unless I’m familiar with their work, but I thought it was worth
mentioning this one from MC Frontalot, because when I initially saw it, I
thought he’d written a song about Charity Chic.
Dirty Billy never finished school
Uncle Ernie had a crooked tool
Cousin Larry was a dancin' fool
Ally Sheedy used to be real cool
But they all believe and they sing along
They find the key to life in some big punk song
Well, don't we all?
Next some lesbian punk from a band whose name
unfortunately sounds like Butt Cheese, and once you’ve realised that, you’ve
probably condemned them before even giving them a try… but you should, because they're easier on the ears than anything else I've played so far today.
It’s like Ally Sheedy says,
She’s the protagonist in your head
Like an anthem or a bad PA system
Or arugula or kiss me now
The reason I decided to feature Ally today was because she
is namechecked in a song on the new Ezra Furman album. It’s a fine tune, but
not the best song on the album, which is definitely Forever In Sunset,
channelling Ezra’s Springsteen influences.
Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club
The black shit on your eyes, your purse full of junk
I build my world on versions of your VHS visage
And when Anthony Michael Hall interrogated you about the way you
Hoarded all your secrets in a bag around your neck
Part of me was swimming there beneath the water in your eyes
Silent she, keeping quiet as the joy and fury rise
Taking their time
That was going to be my final tune today, but then I
discovered something I liked even more. Your mileage may vary, but Howell Dawdy
is definitely someone I’m going to be investigating further… and that’s one of
the main reasons I’m doing this feature: to discover new artists.
I’m not going to quote the lyrical reference to Ally Sheedy
here as it doesn’t make much sense without listening to the whole tune. Go on.
Go on. Go on. Go on.
