#811: M is for The Mountain Goats (02, 05, 12)

Prologue Rivaled only by XTC, The Flaming Lips and David Bowie, a tie with the formertwo artists and lagging a full mittful of albums behind the latter, I have twelve recordsby The Mountain Goats in the vinyl collection. Like a lot of bands and musicians that have captured my music heart, I was late to The Mountain Goats party. I arrived,Continue reading “#811: M is for The Mountain Goats (02, 05, 12)”

#810: M is for Mould, Bob (with Sugar)

The first in a series of box sets chronicling the entire recordingoutput of the grandfather of grunge, Bob Mould, Distortion: 1989-1995contains his first two solo albums post Hüsker Dü, and then three consecutive records from his next group, Sugar. Despite the factthat Sugar would normally be filedunder S, I decide to listen and writeabout themContinue reading “#810: M is for Mould, Bob (with Sugar)”

#809: M is for Mother Mother

I find almost nothing more exciting than hearing a great new band for the first time. In this case, not a “new” band, but new to me, and my discovery was a completely random internet find of a live studio performance of Mother Mother on a YouTube channel from Musora. The band played a songContinue reading “#809: M is for Mother Mother”

#808: M is for The Motels

The two tunes by The Motelsthat are part of my musical memory are the breakthrough hits, “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly, Last Summer.”I found two albums by the band recently in somebody’s used bin, the self-titled debut, and their fifth outing, Shock, neither album of which includes these songs. I didn’t havethese albums when IContinue reading “#808: M is for The Motels”

#807: M is for Morrissey

This one is troubling, this entry about the British singer Morrissey, who emerged into fame during the 80’s with the mopey rock outfit, an undeniably great band, The Smiths. We have to talkabout that age-old question, more firmly in the public consciousnessover the last couple of decades than it has ever been: is it possibleContinue reading “#807: M is for Morrissey”

#806: M is for The Monkees

No music is more indelibly etchedin memory from my childhood than the music from Elton John, The Beatles, and The Monkees. For the first of theseI have my cousins to thank, and my dad (for allowing me to order records fromhis Columbia House club) but for my loveof The Beatles and The Monkees, I thankmyContinue reading “#806: M is for The Monkees”

#804: M is for Mitski

The first time I heard MitskiI was folding laundry. It’s odd that I remember that, but I do. While I was folding, I decided to streamsomething brand new, somethingI had never heard before. It’s likely that Mitski showed up in a curated list of “things you mightlike,” or, “if you like this, certainlyyou will likeContinue reading “#804: M is for Mitski”

#803: M is for Missing Persons

What could be better in the knownuniverse than alumni from the greatFrank Zappa band forming a new wavegroup? I can barely think of a single thing.Dale Bozzio was sexy and weird and provedshe could really sing, albeit eccentrically, her then husband Terry was about the greatest drummer in all of rock music, and Patrick O’HearnContinue reading “#803: M is for Missing Persons”

#802: M is for Mitchell, Joni

I didn’t really start listening to Joni until the 80’s as I movedfrom the hard rock of my childhoodand the new wave and punk of myteenage years and learned to be a moresophisticated listener. A musician friendof mine turned me on to Wild Things RunFast and I was hooked. I followed Joniforward pretty religiously untilContinue reading “#802: M is for Mitchell, Joni”