Episode 6: What's With Your Name?

Cage the Elephant’s Singer Arrested in NYC

Matt Shultz, the lead singer of the American alternative rock band Cage the Elephant was arrested this week in NYC on gun charges.Apparently, someone narced on him while he was staying in a hotel in the city.Police arrested the singer after finding 2 loaded and unlicensed firearms in his hotel room and he was booked for felony criminal possession of a gun.I remember when their first hit “Aint No Rest For The Wicked” came out in 2008 and I thought it was pretty catchy and well done for a radio rock hit.I haven’t really followed the band since but that hasn’t hurt their success because the band from Kentucky has won 2 Grammy awards for Best Rock Album, once in 2017 and again in 2020.Even though Shultz is in Trouble and he seems to have his Back Against The Wall at the moment and I’m sure he is Ready To Let Go of this bad Cigarette Daydream. He shouldn’t let a plea deal go In One Ear if he is Ready To Let Go of his Cold Cold Cold jail cell he should Take It or Leave it before the Broken Boy is Skin and Bones.Those are all Cage the Elephant songs. You are welcome.

The Smile’s Tiny Desk Concert

The Smile, the side project of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood and jazz drummer Tom Skinner, performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR music this last week.The band played 3 songs off of their debut album A Light For Attracting Attention in a stripped-down, live format.The band was accompanied by Robert Stillman on saxophone which complemented Yorke’s piano and bass and Greenwood’s guitar style nicely.I would definitely recommend listening to this concert with headphones or through nice speakers because it's mixed beautifully and the interesting and subtle low-end elements will be lost with a phone or computer speakers.Johnny Greenwood shows off his amazing guitar prowess especially on the last track of the set, Skirting On the Surface, while Yorke provides the perfect counterpoint on his bass line. All while crooning in his signature style.This side project came out of the pandemic and their music is produced by longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godric, who has produced all of their albums since OK Computer back in 1997.The band put out a live album back in Dec of 2022 called Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022 and I would recommend checking out all their releases if you are a fan of Radiohead.

Jeremiah Green’s Tragic Passing

On to sadder news, founding member and drummer for Modest Mouse, Jeremiah Green, passed away on New Years' Eve 2022.Earlier that month, the band put out a statement on Green’s diagnosis of stage IV cancer and ongoing treatment. Sadly Green passed away peacefully in his sleep.He will be remembered as one of Indie Rock’s best drummers with his unique style and he made Stylus Magazine’s 50 Best Rock Drummers list, coming in at number 37 back in 2007.Green played on all of Modest Mouse’s albums except for their biggest hit 2004’sGood News For People Who Love Bad News.Green quit the band due to some mental health issues in 2003 and he rejoined the band in May of 2004 the rest is history.RIP to a great drummer and I look forward to hearing new music from Modest Mouse.The legendary guitarist of The Smiths and fellow Modest Mouse bandmate Johnny Marr posted on his Instagram quote “The Great Jeremiah Green. My friend, bandmate, and the most creative musician I ever met.”The band had been on tour in 2022 and frontman Isaac Brock and Johnny Marr announced that they were writing new songs together and a new 9-song EP has been hinted to be in the post.News broke last night that the band’s management has confirmed they will play the Qunicy, Massachusetts In Between Day’s Festival in August of this year. Festival organizers say quote “Out of respect for the band, any other messages or statements regarding personnel or specifics will come from the band itself at a later date. In Between Days has made a donation to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Jeremiah Green.”

New Music Recommendations

Our adoring fans have spoken and the badger listens, you guys want more music recommendations.

Murs' Guide to World’s Greatest Cities

The new year so far has seen some decent new releases including some that just popped up on streaming services this weekend.American rapper Murs released an EP titled Guide to World’s Greatest Cities. I had been sleeping on Murs for a while even tho he has been active since 1992 but he has been releasing some sold material over the last couple of years.As the titles suggest this EP is geographically influenced with songs called NYC (Gold Apple), Oakland (Luv), T- O-K-Y-O (Bullet Train Backflip), and the highlight for me Ethiopia. Let's hear a little of that (Cue Ethiopia)In this song, Murs pays homage to the African country which brought us coffee and Halle Selassie (Jah Rastafari), and as Murs says it's the only African country to never be colonized.Murs is known for his activism including his veganism which he casually drops throughout the release. He also playfully calls out Anna, Elsa, and Olof and says “ Fuck Santa and his helpers”... Ballsy move Murs with only 11 months until Xmas comes around again I give this EP an 8 out 12 Bars because its a fun listen

The Wind and The Wave's Racing Hearts

For my next new music recommendation, we are moving away from Hip Hop and towards Folk Inspired Pop Rock with a new album by the band The Wind and The Wave.The band is a collaboration of singer-songwriter Patty Lynn and songwriter/producer Dwight Baker who has produced music for Brandi Carlile among others and has written songs for Kelly Clarkson.The new full-length release is titled Racing Hearts and was released on Island Records.I did enjoy this album, especially the way the band played around with multiple melodic and harmonic parts weaving together in interesting ways. This can be heard on the track Keep Your Head Down. Let's hear a little bit of that (Cue Keep Your Head Down 2:32-3:05)As I said, I do like this release but I feel like this album is familiar in an almost derivative way. Not that anything is original anymore, but parts of this record feel like covers to me.An example of what I mean is the title track Racing Hearts (Cue Racing Hearts 0:15-0:45)For this reason, I would give the album 7 out of 12 bars but I would still recommend giving this album a listen, some of my favorite tracks from the record are Enemy and Feet in the Grass.

Anti Flag's Lies We Tell Our Children

The last new release I am going to talk about today is also my favorite: Lies They Tell Our Children by Anti-Flag.The start of this album hits you in the face with nostalgia for the early 2000’s political pop-punk scene in the Fuck Bush years. With song titles like SOLD EVERYTHING, MODERN META MEDICINE, and IMPERIALISM.As the album continues the songs start to drift into almost Screamo territory, harkening back to the more pop punk-focused acts of the late 2000s emo scene, I’m talking about Senses Fail, Aiden, dare I say Bayside? (cue Dare, Dare from blazing saddles)This is probably because of the staggering list of featured artists that this album boasts, including some of the biggest acts of the 2000s. Tim McIlrath from Rise Against and guitarist Brian Baker from Bad Religion come together with Justin Sane and the boys on THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES. Other features include the singers from Killswitch Engage, Silverstein, BadCop/BadCop, the German Singer Campino, and American singer Tre Burt among others.I would recommend this to any pop-punk fans out there, it's on the top of my list for albums of this 8-day-long year.My favorite song on this album has to be VICTORY OR DEATH (WE GAVE ‘EM HELL) let's hear some of that (Cue Victory Or Death 0:00-0:30).While announcing this album back in the fall of last year, the band said quote “look, this is our 13th album. There’s no other way to put it; Lies They Tell Our Children is the best fucking version
of ANTI-FLAG we have ever been. We haven’t been afforded the privilege and ability to spend every day together writing and focusing on every detail of an album in well over a decade and I think you can feel that collaboration and collectiveness in these songs more than any other record of ours.”This song is one of those Celtic-infused punk songs that are great live, you know to scream along with while dodging 11-dollar bud lights as fellow old fat people try to mosh like we are 15 again.Other highlights of the album are WORK & STRUGGLE and NVREVR for which I am pretty sure they have to pay royalties to Taylor Swift now.Overall I would highly recommend the album and I would give it 10 Bars out 12 Bars

Badger explains The 12 Bar Blues and gives a demonstration on how to build one yourself.

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