LWA Blog — life without algorithms

I've been listening to some live albums lately, so I decided to throw together a little list of some of my faves. Leave a comment with your faves. Queen - Live Killers (1979) This one might be my favourite live album. It's cut together from different shows, but it feels like one and it's a superb recording of Queen, maybe at the height of their powers. This is probably the first band I'd go see if I got a hold of a time travel machine. Mogwai - Special Moves (2010) Mogwai are incredible live, I've seen them 4 or 5...

Out of all the possible band reunions that could have happened in 2024, I would have never ever ever EVER guessed Lone Justice. But somehow, here we are, and they have a new album, Viva Lone Justice, coming in a couple months (October). I always felt like they were a bit ahead of their time, and that they would have gotten more props had they come up in the late 90s or early 00s, when alt-country really became it's own thing. As it stands, they put out a pretty great first album in 85 and a decent second album in 86 (I...

Finished my errands/chores and now I'm listening to this on a Saturday afternoon. Opus was recorded at the end of 2022, just a few months before Sakamoto died from cancer last year (March 2023). A sweet farewell from one of the greats. 20 songs, curated by the man himself, that encapsulate his legendary career. There's an accompanying concert film (streaming on Criterion Channel, if you have access). I was lucky enough to see him once, when he toured with the Morlenbaums (Paula and Jacques) in the early 2000s.  Ars longa, vita brevis (art is long, life is short). - A favourite quote of...

I love Snail Mail's Tonight, Tonight cover. Seems like she's been playing it live for a few years, and a studio version showed up on the movie soundtrack for I Saw the TV Glow a few months ago. Weirdly, the track was released only on the vinyl version of the soundtrack, but it was just officially put up on digital platforms last week. 

Went to browse in a record store last weekend for the first time in ages. Found the first Bangles album, All Over the Place (1984), for $5. It's such a good album, I grabbed it without hesitation. Solid album with jangly guitars and tight, 60s-inspired power-pop songs. Hero Takes a Fall. James. A great cover of Katrina & The Waves' Going Down to Liverpool. I realize most people might only know them because of Walk Like an Egyptian, from their second album Different Light. But give All Over the Place a chance. It's definitely worth a listen in my book if...