Anthony Is Recommending: 10/12/23

Chemical Brothers, “Music: Response”
Steve Miller Band, “Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma”
Cheap Trick, “I Want You To Want Me - Live”
Paul Simon, “Can’t Run But”

Can you believe it? I remodel my regularly updated playlist post and immediately skip a week. Oh, what the hey. It was my birthday. My kid may still be wearing velcro sneakers, but he’s already picking out used CDs for me with more insight & care than I’ve seen most adults show (his mom footed the bill and patiently let him peruse for the better part of an hour, God bless). To celebrate Dad's big day, he got me a Chemical Brothers CD he knew I wanted, a Steve Miller Band compilation covering everything before the one album I own (Fly Like An Eagle), a Cheap Trick compilation that would finally make me the owner of “Surrender” and the live version of “I Want You To Want Me” (I just can’t keep Heaven Tonight on the shelf, side two is so wack), and a Paul Simon album he thought I might like even if it’s not one of the later albums he knows I’m looking for (somebody sell So Beautiful Or So What back, please!). Mini-Me, you complete me. He put on Surrender (the album, not the song) out of curiosity before giving it to me, and was immediately rewarded with Robot Voice, beloved by children of all ages. So everybody won.

100 Gecs, “Dumbest Girl Alive”

I have zero desire to revisit ‘00s emo affectations, so it’s a credit to this group’s skill with jokes and digital fuckery that I can tolerate the “Blink-182 opening act” vocal delivery underneath the distortion, at least for a couple choice cuts.

MSPAINT, “Free From The Sun”
Lia Kohl, “sit on the floor and wait for storms”
Beta Librae, “Megafauna”

Three songs from three 2023 albums I might tip my hat to come year-end. Should I start reading Resident Advisor? Maybe they could give me a column called It's A Trip, It's Got A Funky Beat, And I Can Zone Out To It.

Big Star, “Try Again”
Pavement, “Passat Dream”

As implied above, my kid is currently obsessed with record stores and my record collection. I’m usually good about feeding our mutual enthusiasm with cheap cds at Barnes & Noble and clearance bin fodder at mom & pop vinyl outlets. But twice now, I’ve found myself paying fancy schmancy full vinyl price for an album I was hoping to find cheaper, at least partly to see him smile. I don’t really regret it with #1 Record, as the copy looks as gorgeous as it sounds. Brighten The Corners, though? That was picked up at a store loaded with Japanese pressings (I couldn’t leave with nothing), only to be spotted on used CD at Amoeba for less than 20% of what I spent on the LP. It sounds fine, and I'm not mad I own it, but…it wasn’t frugal.

Chemical Brothers, “Skipping Like A Stone (feat. Beck)”

While the kid is increasingly curious about new music, he’s thankfully happy to hear it from old acts. His imaginary bands frequently have discographies that span multiple decades, so Willie Nelson is just as contemporary to him as Harry Styles. I need to appreciate this phase where he shares my curiosity about a new Beck/Chemical Brothers collaboration rather than mocks it as cliche dadpop. Which this portentous bubblegum certainly, wonderfully is. Single of the year?! Will I hear a second?