Obscurity Knocks #14: Your Stupid Charm Bracelet (2/25/24)
The five best songs played on Obscurity Knocks on 89.9 WLCA this week.
Today is a very important day for the Obscurity Knocks newsletter, as this is the first one I’m writing as a 27 year old man. Now to just avoid the 27 Club for 361 more days! Anyways, I’ve just wrapped up playing two hours of new music (+an hour of my favorite deep/album cuts of 2010 & 2009), which means it’s time for me to pick my five favorite songs of the week. But before we get to that, two things:
As long as I’m able to record them, you can listen to full episodes of Obscurity Knocks right now via the Indieheads Podcast’s Patreon for just $1/month! Last week’s show is there now and this week’s will be up sometime tomorrow morning/afternoon. But that’s not all you get supporting my podcast’s Patreon, as you also get new episodes of the podcast 48 hours before everyone else (our three hour long deep dive into the Branson, MO touring industry is out now) and an invite to our very active and silly Discord server, as you might get some intel on what I might play on upcoming shows via there. It’s a good deal for the price!
There will not be an Obscurity Knocks episode next week. I may end up doing a newsletter post with my five favorite songs, but that’s to be determined as I’ll be down in the Kansas City/Lawrence area to go see my new nephew, Monroe, and his wonderful parents with my family. But we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming on the 10th along with an important update on the future of the show.
With that said, let’s listen to my five favorite songs I played this week on Obscurity Knocks on 89.9 WLCA:
Lip Critic - “Milky Max”
RIYL: Death Grips, the songs “Thorn” & “Contract” by PENDANT, Model/Actriz, The B-52s by way of Nine Inch Nails
Spoiler alert: Lip Critic’s Hex Dealer is my AOTY so far. I’ll have more to say about the album itself closer to the release, but this band have quickly become favorites of mine as god damn, we need more good Death Grips-style music, and if Death Grips ain’t gonna make it, I’ll let these crazy ass white boys get the job done. Be on the lookout for the full album on May 17th, you’re not gonna be disappointed!
SENTRIES - “Force”
RIYL: Gilla Band, early Metz, Model/Actriz, Hella
I fucking love Gilla Band. They’re an incredible god damn band that haven’t made a bad album yet. In fact, they’ve made three great ones that are all quite varied yet distinct to them and them alone. Now, would you like to guess why I like this SENTRIES song and the entire Snow as a Metaphor for Death album? With that being said though, this is some fucking kick ass noise rock that is scratching the Gilla Band itch as we wait for their fourth album, and a reminder that when you’re listening to it, noise rock is the best genre in the world.
Cheem - “Charm Bracelet”
RIYL: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out-era Panic! At The Disco, Limp Bizkit, PinkPantheress, Dijon, the Nu Metal Agenda at large
It’s Cheem Szn baby, and the Connecticut nu-pop band is once again back in the newsletter with another killer god damn track. This is Cheem at their most Y2K, as the band somehow combines UK garage with Max Martin-era late 90s pop and big nu metal sounds, and does it all in under 2 minutes while sounding cohesive as hell. Since 2022’s Guilty Pleasure, it really feels like things are happening for this band, and you better get on the train before it leaves the station.
Devon Welsh - “That's What We Needed”
RIYL: Majical Cloudz (duh), PENDANT, Amen Dunes, Hollow Comet, PinkPantheress
And speaking of songs with big Y2K energy, Devon Welsh is back for the second week in a row on the newsletter! The former Majical Cloudz frontman confirms his double down into more electropop & dance territories with this track that combines his usual melodramtic power ballad songwriting with breakbeats. Breakbeats are so awesome man. More songs should have them.
En Attendant Ana - “Magical Lies”
RIYL: Stereolab, Alvvays, Broadcast, Tennis, Real Estate
I am so happy I finally get to go off about En Attendant Ana in one of these newsletters, because god damn I love this band. Their 2023 album, Principia, was one of the best albums of that year, and how they aren’t fucking huge right now is beyond me. I know sometimes that my niche music tastes are not for the broader public, but how the hell can you resist this band’s sticky sweet take on jangle pop that has a fuck ton of songwriting muscle to boot. At the very least, I’m glad Sub Pop has taken notice of the band, selecting them for their Singles Club series as “Magical Lies” once again highlights why you should be listening to this band.
Honorable Mentions:
Royel Otis - “Heading For The Door”
Royel Otis are a streaming bait band. This is a band designed to be put on countless playlists. But hey, not all streaming bait bands are bad as this is a hell of a song.
Nourished by Time - “Hand On Me”
While I didn’t fall for Erotic Probiotic 2 like many critics did (it’s still very good!), seeing Nourished By Time get as much attention as he did last year was genuinely heartwarming, and his signing to XL means big things are coming. This song should prove it!
Girl and Girl - “Hello”
This one just barely missed the top five, as this is some killer, anxiety-ridden rock music.
Force Model - “Strange Lurker”
While I don’t regret moving out of LA, I do regret not waiting a little bit longer to move as this Force Model album kicks ass and I would have loved to see them perform these tracks live in a combination Chinese restaurant/music venue. Not kidding.
This Week’s Playlist:
Hour 1:
Royel Otis - Heading For The Door (from PRATTS & PAIN) [Ourness]
Lip Critic - Milky Max (from Hex Dealer) [Partisan]
SENTRIES - Force (from Snow as a Metaphor for Death) [Eau Claire]
Cheem - Charm Bracelet (from Fast Fashion) [Lonely Ghost]
Devon Welsh - That's What We Needed (from Come With Me If You Want To Live) [American Dreams]
Reyna Tropical - Conocerla (from Malegría) [Psychic Hotline]
Nourished by Time - Hand On Me (from Catching Chickens) [XL]
King Isis - MONKI (from shed) [No Matter/Dirty Hit]
Mary Timony - Don't Disappear (from Untame the Tiger) [Merge]
Girl and Girl - Hello (from Call A Doctor) [Sub Pop]
Marbled Eye - In the Static (from Read The Air) [Summer Shade/Digital Regress]
Adrianne Lenker - Fool (from Bright Future) [4AD]
Lightning Bug - December Song (from No Paradise) [Self-Released]
Desiree Cannon - Radio Heat (from Radio Heat [Gar Hole/Long Road Society]
En Attendant Ana - Magical Lies (single) [Sub Pop]
Hour 2:
Force Model - Strange Lurker (from Found Camera) [Bug Body]
Glitterer - I Want To Be Invisible (from Rationale) [Anti-]
Safari Room - The King (from Time Devours All Things) [Self-Released]
Young Jesus - Brenda And Diane (from The Fool) [Saddle Creek]
Psymon Spine - Be the Worm (from Head Body Connector) [Northern Spy]
MGMT - Bubblegum Dog (from Loss of Life) [Mom+Pop]
Ethan Larsh - Mustard On My Shirt (from Into Thine Kingdom of Heaven) [Alley Cat Studios]
Bullion, Panda Bear - A City’s Never (from Affection) [Ghostly]
Real Estate - Flowers (from Daniel) [Domino]
Erika de Casier - Toxic (from Still) [4AD]
KÁRYYN - The Real (from Calm KAOSS!) [Mute]
Ride - Last Frontier (from Interplay) [Wichita]
IDLES - Grace (from TANGK) [Partisan]
Laetitia Sadier - Don’t Forget You’re Mine (from Rooting for Love) [Drag City]
Hour 3 (2010 & 2009 Deep/Album Cuts):
St. Vincent - Black Rainbow
LCD Soundsystem - One Touch
Toro y Moi - Lissoms
Animal Collective - Also Frightened
Avey Tare - Oliver Twist
Spoon - I Saw the Light
Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
Tune-Yards - Lions
St. Vincent - The Bed
Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz
Obscurity Knocks Highlights for 2024:
Listen to Obscurity Knocks every Sunday from 12 - 3 PM CT on wlcafm.com, the Radio FX app (Look for Lewis & Clark Community College), or the Radio Garden app (search for WLCA).