Lemuria - “Bugbear”
A couple times a year I will, in a fit of nostalgia, listen to basically every song Buffalo indie rock band Lemuria released between 2005 and 2009. A formative band for me in high school, Lemuria was the bridge between the far off, inaccessible world of A-list indie music I read about in blogs and magazines and the small, interconnected Western New York DIY scene. Rather than passively consuming art from musicians from my bedroom deep in a secondary market, hoping to catch touring acts who settled for a Buffalo gig when they couldn’t make a date in Cleveland or Pittsburgh work, I could see these bands play live in basements, record stores, and tiny bars, maybe even nervously talk to them at the merch table in between sets. You could also book them on shows yourself, pairing them up at house shows with your friends’ bands, maybe even worm your way into an internship for their record label. As an excitable 18 year old with a developing sense of taste and talent for sending emails but not much else, discovering DIY was a paradigm shifting moment for how I interacted with art for the rest of my life. Anyways “Bugbear” is an unbelievable song.
Orange Juice - “Dying Day”
I don’t listen to Orange Juice enough, I feel like they’re bound to be a Talk Talk/Prefab Sprout/Blue Nile level obsession for me if I spent the time digging into their catalog further.
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - “Holly Hobby (Version)”
We weren’t able to make it out to Advance Base’s annual Christmas show this year, but what I have been able to do is relisten to the Casiotone For The Painfully Alone record Etiquette, a foundational winter record for me, a whole bunch of times over the last few weeks.
Bill Fox - “Pale Blue Eyes”
It’s so cool that Bill Fox is back making music. A few months after Resonance, his long awaited return, he shared another new single, “Alaska” backed by a cover of The Velvet Underground’s objectively perfect song “Pale Blue Eyes.”
Winged Wheel - “I See Poseurs Every Day”
Supergroup for record store guys only Winged Wheel is back with another album of forward thinking indie rock. It’s so cool to call your song “I See Poseurs Every Day.” Me too, Winged Wheel.
Matthew Halsall - “Newborough Forest”
Formerly a tour-only EP, spiritual jazz guy Matthew Halsall’s Bright Sparkling Light is now seeing a proper physical/streaming release and what a treat that is for those of us who didn’t have the privilege of catching him on whatever tour it was he was selling this on. I could listen to this type of stuff all day long and sometimes I do.
Janko Nilovic - “Xenos Cosmos”
I was listening to the awesome library music compilation Unusual Sounds, originally issued back in 2018, and this time around this Janko Nilovic song really stuck out. Listen to those horns going crazy, panning all over the place!
The Brothers and Sisters - “The Mighty Quinn”
Aquarium Drunkards’ incredible Radio Free Aquarium Drunkard monthly series over on Dublab is always so good and cool, full of familiar favorites and new discoveries every time I listen. This cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Mighty Quinn” from the classic Dylan’s Gospel LP from Light in the Attic, knocked my socks off while I was doing dishes or something with a recent broadcast on in the background.
Galaxie 500 - “Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste”
Speaking of covers, this is one of the best ever. Galaxie 500 transformed a brief a capella demo from Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers into a staggering, seven minute long epic that kicks my ass every time I listen to it.
Bill Evans - “What Is There To Say?”
I don’t listen to Orange Juice enough, I feel like they’re bound to be a Talk Talk/Prefab Sprout/Blue Nile level obsession for me if I spent the time digging into their catalog further.
We weren’t able to make it out to Advance Base’s annual Christmas show this year, but what I have been able to do is relisten to the Casiotone For The Painfully Alone record Etiquette, a foundational winter record for me, a whole bunch of times over the last few weeks.
Bill Fox - “Pale Blue Eyes”
It’s so cool that Bill Fox is back making music. A few months after Resonance, his long awaited return, he shared another new single, “Alaska” backed by a cover of The Velvet Underground’s objectively perfect song “Pale Blue Eyes.”
Winged Wheel - “I See Poseurs Every Day”
Supergroup for record store guys only Winged Wheel is back with another album of forward thinking indie rock. It’s so cool to call your song “I See Poseurs Every Day.” Me too, Winged Wheel.
Matthew Halsall - “Newborough Forest”
Formerly a tour-only EP, spiritual jazz guy Matthew Halsall’s Bright Sparkling Light is now seeing a proper physical/streaming release and what a treat that is for those of us who didn’t have the privilege of catching him on whatever tour it was he was selling this on. I could listen to this type of stuff all day long and sometimes I do.
Janko Nilovic - “Xenos Cosmos”
I was listening to the awesome library music compilation Unusual Sounds, originally issued back in 2018, and this time around this Janko Nilovic song really stuck out. Listen to those horns going crazy, panning all over the place!
The Brothers and Sisters - “The Mighty Quinn”
Aquarium Drunkards’ incredible Radio Free Aquarium Drunkard monthly series over on Dublab is always so good and cool, full of familiar favorites and new discoveries every time I listen. This cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Mighty Quinn” from the classic Dylan’s Gospel LP from Light in the Attic, knocked my socks off while I was doing dishes or something with a recent broadcast on in the background.
Speaking of covers, this is one of the best ever. Galaxie 500 transformed a brief a capella demo from Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers into a staggering, seven minute long epic that kicks my ass every time I listen to it.
Bill Evans - “What Is There To Say?”
Happy new year, what is there to say?
Check out the full December playlist embedded below. We'll talk soon about 2026 stuff!
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