Obscurity Knocks #18: End of an Era (3/31/24)
The five best songs played on Obscurity Knocks on 89.9 WLCA this week, one last time.
Well, that’s all folks. My run on 89.9 WLCA is now over once again, as I prepare for my move to Durham, NC later this week. It sure as hell won’t be the last time I’m heard on this station, as I’m bound to pop in during Looking for Lewis and Clark from 9AM to 12PM (which hey, if you’re looking for a show like mine by a DJ much more experienced and adventurous than me at times, listen to Eric the Red) when I’m back in town for visits, but for regular broadcasts? That’s it, unless I flame out in North Carolina and run out of money again. But hopefully that doesn’t happen, as I didn’t treat this final show on WLCA like a finale, as I’m hoping to keep Obscurity Knocks running on a station in the Triangle area.
But because the show is going on what I hope is just a brief hiatus, so will the newsletter as at the end of the day, this newsletter is meant to recap the radio show, not the other way around. But to tide you all over while we’re in this transitional period, you should expect to see a Q1 Favorites list from me later this week. Plus, almost all of this year’s Obscurity Knocks shows are currently archived on the Indieheads Podcast Patreon, with this week’s episode going up tomorrow morning/afternoon for all paid supporters (which start at just a $1/month!).
Alright, enough preamble, as for one last time, here are the five best songs played on Obscurity Knocks on 89.9 WLCA this week:
Dent May - “Heaven On Wheels”
RIYL: Paul McCartney, Eyedress, Paul Cherry, Brian Wilson, Jordana, The Archies
I was a huge fan of Dent May’s Across The Multiverse in 2017, as I feel like I can safely all it one of the most underrated albums of the 2010s. His previous record before this, Late Checkout, I wasn’t too hot on but this new album What’s For Breakfast? Yeah, that’s the stuff. This is Dent on his Paul McCartney shit, which he kinda is always on but it’s in peak form here with its sugary sweet melodies. Also speaking of sugar, this song reminds me a lot of The Archies’ “Sugar”, especially with some of the melodies leading to/on the hook and some of those keyboard parts, and that ain’t a bad thing as that song and this are some prime, classic bubblegum pop.
Cheem - “Jock Horror”
RIYL: Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out-era Panic! At The Disco, Origami Angel, the Nu Metal Agenda at large
If you’re gonna call your song “Jock Horror”, that shit better sound menacing as hell and Cheem more than succeed with maybe the most nu metal song they’ve put out yet. If you’ve ever wondered how Linkin Park would have reacted to hyperpop, then this is the closest you’re gonna get, but it’s a hell of a lot better than what Linkin Park could have offered as Cheem are just on the goddamn pulse in a way not many bands are right now. I’m still a sucker every now and again for the latest buzz band operating in the realms of indie rock and post-punk out of NY or the UK, but please for the love of God, we need more bands pushing the boundaries of quote-unquote pop music like Cheem. (Spoiler alert for my Q1 list, Fast Fashion EP of the Year so far!)
A Country Western - “How Far” (feat. Winter)
RIYL: waveform*, Wednesday (Twin Plagues-era, specifically) Hotline TNT, They Are Gutting A Body of Water, MJ Lenderman
I’ve been a little more lukewarm on A Country Western compared to some of the other prominent names in the modern shoegaze-wave, but Life on the Lawn has fully convinced me on the band, as they’ve got just the right amount of touches of Americana in their classic shoegaze sound, as the closest point of comparison I have is Twin Plagues by Wednesday and maybe some of the noisier MJ Lenderman stuff. But the album’s biggest highlight for me is its centerpiece, “How Far”, featuring the LA-based Winter, who sounds incredible on this song. Look if you got my ass hitting the air guitar during a song, you know you’re cooking, and “How Far” is on the stove.
Tony Bontana - “dontbafraid”
RIYL: jim legxacy, MIKE, Navy Blue, Chanel Beads, Babyfather/Dean Blunt
Sometimes on purpose, and sometimes accidentally in this case, I’m able to find some really incredible and interesting music on the Dean Blunt subreddit, with my latest find there being UK artist Tony Bontana, who answers the question “what if MIKE was British?” oghost’s beat on “dontbafraid” asks for a hell of a performer to slide over it, and Bontana answers the call with an amazingly emotional and passionate performance, performances heard all throughout his record L'Humanité. And while I was in the midst of getting into this album, he dropped a whole other one, Tilted, earlier this month, something I plan to listen to once I have some free time tomorrow.
Jordan Playfair - “Talk To You”
RIYL: Joanne Robertson, Grouper, Endless-era Frank Ocean, Nourished by Time, Voice Actor, Mojave 3, ML Buch
One of my favorite songs throughout the vast Dean Blunt discography is “Heat”, a track tucked in deep on his 2013 mixtape (and spiritual sequel to that year’s The Redeemer, my favorite album of all time) Stone Island. It’s one of many of Blunt’s songs to feature UK singer-songwriter Joanne Robertson, and it’s maybe my favorite thing they’ve made together, though it’s basically a Robertson solo track as Blunt’s voice is nowhere to be heard on the track (and because of his ever so mysterious track record, who knows what he’s playing on that song or if he wrote it). It’s maybe the most depressing song I’ve ever heard, so for any song to even come close to capturing that vibe is quite the accomplishment for me, as this track from Jordan Playfair more than delivers. If you’ve ever wondered what Endless by Frank Ocean would sound like if it was more inspired by Grouper, or what a Nourished by Time MTV Unplugged album would sound like, give Jordan Playfair’s Something Inside So Wrong a go.
Honorable Mentions:
Girl and Girl - “Mother”
It ain’t as good as “Hello”, but I’ll go ahead and continue to take this anxiety-ridden ass indie rock.
Chastity Belt - “Kool-Aid”
Once again, I feel pretty whelmed by a new Chastity Belt album, but there’s still highlights like this song here.
USA Nails - “Cathartic Entertainment”
Noise rock baby, it’s so good.
Been Stellar - “All In One”
Like I said, I’m still sometimes a sucker for buzz bands like Been Stellar. If you wished by Iceage were from NYC for some reason, you’ll like this.
Magana - “Matter”
One of the best Beach House songs Beach House never made.
sonhos tomam conta - “o oceano de solaris” (feat. magnólia)
Only in the honorable mentions because this came out last year initially, but man this is some fucking good slowgaze. The Glow, Pt. 2 comes to Brazil.
This Week’s Playlist:
Hour 1:
Girl and Girl - Mother (from Call A Doctor) [Sub Pop]
Non La - Hurtful (from Like Before) [Mint]
Chastity Belt - Kool-Aid (from Live Laugh Love) [Suicide Squeeze]
Teens in Trouble - You Don't Want To Mess With Me (from What’s Mine) [Asian Man]
Snarls - Baby Bangs (from With Love) [Take This To Heart]
Dent May - Heaven On Wheels (from What’s For Breakfast?) [Carpark]
Holiday Sidewinder - Hot Minute (from The Last Resort) [Venus Beach]
Blanket - Nuclear Boy Scout (from Ceremonia) [Church Road]
Cheem - Jock Horror (from Fast Fashion) [Lonely Ghost]
Toner - Heavy Truck Driver (from God’s Hammer) [Smoking Room]
A Country Western, Winter - How Far (from Life On The Lawn) [Crafted Sounds]
Crumb - AMAMA (from Amama) [Crumb]
Viji - Blanket (Dan Carey Remix) (single) [Speedy Wunderground/PIAS]
Lolina - Easy Rider Geneva Heat (from Unrecognisable) [Relaxin]
Bodysync, Dazy - Back Of My Mind (single) [Buddies Inc.]
Reyna Tropical, Busy Twist, Franklin Tejedor - Suavecito (from Malegría) [Psychic Hotline]
Hour 2:
USA Nails - Cathartic Entertainment (from Feel Worse) [One Little Independent]
Holiday Ghosts - Big Congratulations (from Coat of Arms) [FatCat]
Been Stellar - All In One (from Scream From New York, NY) [Dirty Hit]
DIIV - Everyone Out (from Frog in Boiling Water) [Fantasy]
Hovvdy - Make Ya Proud (from Hovvdy) [Arts & Crafts)
Magana - Matter (from Teeth) [Audio Antihero/Colored Pencils]
Superflower, Avey Tare - Preydator (from Amphora) [Dosed]
sonhos tomam conta, magnólia - o oceano de solaris (from corpos de água) [Longinus]
Tony Bontana - dontbafraid (from L’Humanité) [Everything Is Perfect]
Jim White - Marketplace (from All Hits: Memories) [Drag City]
Jordan Playfair - Talk To You (from Something Inside So Wrong) [15 love]
h. pruz - Dark Sun (from No Glory) [Mtn. Laurel]
DeVotchKa - How It Ends (from How It Ends - Re-Mastered) [Cicero]
Hour 3 (Best Album/Deep Cuts of 2023):
En Attendant Ana - Anita
Ultra Q - Teether
Truth Club - Running From the Chase
Bewilder - Home
ML Buch - River mouth
Maria BC, MIZU - Tied
Forest Spirit, Sun on Your Back - Out of season
billy woods & Kenny Segal - NYC Tapwater
Jim Legxacy - fake smiles
Paris Texas - Earth-2
Model/Actriz - Maria
Phony - County Line
Wednesday - What’s So Funny
Strange Ranger - Fantasy
Obscurity Knocks Highlights for 2024:
A new home for Obscurity Knocks is hopefully coming soon.