Attack of the Earworms
I am pleased to present the very first “Attack of the Earworms” newsletter. I will do my best to recommend only high-quality tunes from across the years, with a lean toward more recent stuff. It will be eclectic and entertaining . . . at least, that’s my aim.
I expect to post a new newsletter at least three times a week. With this one, I hope you’ll start to get a feeling for what I’m up to. (Fingers crossed!)
With any luck, this newsletter will settle into a fun and interesting groove as we go.
(Don’t worry if you don’t already use Spotify, just click on a link below and you can quickly sign up for free. They will not bombard you with emails to upgrade your subscription.)
1 - Hurray for the Riff Raff - “Buffalo”
Released a couple months ago, Hurray for the Riff Raff's stellar new album, "The Past is Still Alive" got my attention right away. The band features lead singer and songwriter Alynda Segarra. She is a great new talent, and "Buffalo" is one of the best tunes to surface so far this year. Cosmic country at its best.
2 - The Belfast Cowboys - “Look at the Moon, Betty”
A fixture in the Minnesota music scene, these guys have worked their way from being a Van Morrison cover band to doing a lot of their own music. This is where they shine. "Look at the Moon, Betty", released in May of '23, is a pretty unusual sounding tune, but somehow grabs you by the ear and has you wrapped up by song's end. Great sax, and I love the lyric, ". . . I point at the sky, and you look at my hand."
3 - Guy Clark - “Hemingway's Whiskey”
Guy Clark is a master song writer. His discography is huge, and many artists have covered him. He can even play the guitar and sing . . . he's top of the line. Whether you know it or not, you've probably heard a few of his many songs. I tried to choose one you might not have heard. It's one of my favorites.
4 - Tim Wilson - “Acid Country”
This is only my first newsletter, but I still feel the need to point out that this song is a bit of an outlier. It's a raucous alt/country tune, and funny as heck, especially all the rock and country references, including a clever sample or two. Overall, this not typical of what you'll find here in my newsletters, but I wanted you to hear it.
5 - Parlatones - “Stars Fall Down”
As soon as I ran across this one, I was hooked. It came out in '09, and for me it's a simple, beautiful gem of a pop tune. I was in my 70’s at the time. But I could, and still can, recognize a keeper when I catch one.
Thanks for the recommendations. Can't wait to follow along!
Nice start. Hope you have fun with it!