a new years day music wrap-up
In the past two years, about half of my new favorite music has come from really killer local community fm radio stations. In Baltimore I have been blessed to stumble upon WTMD on the dial and eventually became a member.*
Now, I pass onto you music that got into my head this year, mostly via some DJs I have a parasocial relationship with on WTMD:
- Rainbow Kitten Surprise - Dang
- I had this song stuck in my head for days and went to play it for my spouse so pulled up the music video, and it is all just pure queer joy. I didn't realize the singer was trans and my spouse, in early transition, just played the video over and over again for a couple days. It was sweet.
- Freak Slug - Honest Man
- A bop
- Wet Leg - Mangetout
- I had never heard Wet Leg except for the conspiratorial-sounding discourse about how they blew up overnight, weren't even that good, yadda yadda. But then I heard this song on the radio and it slaps.
- Snocaps - Coast
- It's Waxahatchee, her sister from Swearin', and MJ Lenderman but feels like early Waxahatchee. Super catchy.
- Nada Surf - In Front of Me Now
- Yes!! New Nada Surf! So good to see a band that had such youthful positive energy now tackle midlife with the same energy.
- Neko Case - Wreck
- The top comment on this video is "this is the fighter I choose". Her and Tweedy putting out records this year kept me from falling in a dark hole.
- TURNSTILE - TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION
- Right after I moved to Baltimore, a friend told us about a free show for a local band he hadn't really heard - and that turned out to be this show which was the best energy I've seen in a crowd in at least a decade. It was incredible. They've also put out these interesting short films of their songs I've enjoyed.
- Wednesday - Townies
- Big southern college town energy
- Palmyra - Palm Readers
- Catchy and tender and I genuinely don't know how this song hasn't totally blown up
- Momma - I Want You(Fever)
- Super fun, with a lil poppy teen angst
*my favorite thing about being in mid-life is finally being able to cut small checks with frequency to orgs that are helping the world. I was not able to do this at all in my 20s or early 30s - I always had prints for raffles and did a lot of fundraising, but being able to keep a few recurring donations feels really good. Thankful for my union!