#MWE 18: Lydia Loveless - Indestructible Machine I learned of LL through her 2013 EP Boy Crazy & know her following work but haven't listened to earlier. This starts with revved-up electric country/bluegrass & oscillates between that gear & slower tunes but it's Lydia's voice & lyrics that star.

#MWE 17: Del tha Funkee Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here Liberace or Bugs Bunny? Who can say. 😂 (Wikipedia says Bugs, so there you go.) Breezy hip-hop sounds that belie the subjects of Del's raps. Del's one of my favorites. This is a great debut. tidal.com/album/407115...

#MWE 16: Captain Beefheart - Safe as Milk Some sounds like run-of-the-mill "rock" from the 60s. Some sounds like they're trying to be "edgy." I suppose if I were trying to be edgy in the late 60s this would do. In 2026, it just sounds kinda silly. tidal.com/album/195150...

#MWE 15: King Crimson - Islands Jazzbo rock stuff with a cover of stars in a nebula. Some of the guitar is in a rockin' groove, other stuff seems designed to annoy. 😄 I'll finish listening but I feel like I've heard what I need to hear from this. tidal.com/album/333606...

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#MWE 14: Ari Lennox - Vacancy Slow, soulful jams. Had this recommended on a podcast so thought I'd have a listen. Not an everyday listen for me but I did like "High Key" and "Soft Girl Era." I'd like to hear her guest on a Gorillaz track. Not sure what makes me say that. 😄 tidal.com/album/491180...

#MWE 13: Davie Bowie - Reality I'm definitely more of a early-mid period Bowie fan so I tried to pick one outside my general knowledge. Didn't like the cover of "Pablo Picasso" but "The Loneliest Guy" is giving strong Blackstar vibes. His voice in general sounds more like Blackstar.

#MWE 12: Grateful Dead - Go to Heaven The first song "Alabama Getaway" more than anything sounds like an uptempo Jimmy Buffett tune from around the same era, 1980. To the point now that I'm curious if Jimmy ever covered it. 😄🦜💀 Jammy songs in the middle bookended by traditional 3-minute tunes.

113 & 114. Hum - You'd Prefer An Astronaut What a fucking record, eh? "Stars" is amazing but there's great stuff like that all over this album. Love these reissues from Polyvinyl, you can still get them! Plus other cool merch. 😎

#MWE 11: Sly & the Family Stone - Ain't But The One Way Not peak S&tFS but it'll do. Horns, grooves, silly lyrics. Oh, and a cover of "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ More disco than funk it feels like, but even disco was passé by 1981. tidal.com/album/831208...

#MWE 10: AC/DC - Rock or Bust Late era AC/DC but let's be honest with ourselves - we know what we're getting here. Heavy riff rock + Brian Johnson's growl. Delivered. 😄 tidal.com/album/380360...

112. Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers This is one I grabbed from my dad's vinyl collection too, I've had it for…30 years or so? Loved Hound Dog's playing & singing from the moment I heard it. So much joy in these blues. The first Alligator Records release! Wish I'd seen them live.

#MWE 9: The Who - Endless Wire For MWE this year, I wanted to listen to albums that I hadn't heard by classic artists. I've heard most of The Who's music through the 60s & 70s, so chose this 2006 mini-opera. Sounds like The Who! Weird, right? 😄 "Mike Post Theme" could've fit on an older album.

#MWE 8: They Might Be Giants - The Else Not sure why I stopped listening to every @tmbg.bsky.social release when they came out. I put this 2007 album on my MWE list because I didn't even recognize the cover photo! But it's great. Everything I love about TMBG, *especially* John & John's harmonies. ☺️

Maybe someday I'll get to see Robyn play "Viva! Sea-Tac" in Seattle! 😂

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111. Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians - Perspex Island Got this one as a promo copy from the college radio station. There's no external sleeve, so I'm not sure if it was an extra copy or what. But I've kept it because @robynhitchcock.bsky.social is one of the best songwriters around. ☺️

110. Hello June - Artifacts I first heard of Hello June & Sar Rudy with their song "Mars," a truly great song. Artifacts is five years later and chock full of excellent songs as well (although I prefer the version of "Soft Love" on the Voices in the Dark compliation). Check 'em out!

109. Hatchie - Sugar & Spice EP The way I remember it, I heard "Try" in a Tori Burch store while my wife tried on shoes. I Shazammed it and fell completely in love with @hihatchie.bsky.social's sound upon hearing the full EP. I love me some dream pop. ☺️ Etched vinyl on the b side! ❤️

Happy #Caturday to those who celebrate.

Hoping everyone doing #MWE is having a great time checking out albums they've never heard before. I'm flattered that people are still participating in something positive that I first started eleven years ago.

108. Haircut One Hundred - Pelican West Love this album so much. So upbeat, so jazzy, so poppy, so fun. The syncopated guitar does me in, all over the record. Sunshine in a bottle. ☀️

#MWE 7: William Onyeabor - Who is William Onyeabor? My word this is fantastic. Just gets down in the pocket of the groove and is in no hurry to go anywhere else. tidal.com/album/369746...

Calling an audible for today's #MWE, listening to William Onyeabor instead as I trust wee boss implicitly. Will report back in *checks track listing* 72 minutes! Go on, William Onyeabor!

#MWE 6: Marvin Gaye - Hello Broadway Contrasted with The Supremes choice, I picked this one specifically to hear early Marvin singing show tunes. 😄 Does not disappoint! A very pleasant listen. Early Marvin is a little bit higher register than the Marvin I'm most used to. 😂

I always want to call Bash & Pop's album Friday Night is Killing Me the last great Replacements album, but that's taking too much away from the great Tommy Stinson's songwriting. Hits like a debut - He's had years in the shadow & steps boldly into the spotlight. Fucking great record.

Keep in mind, as #MWE coincides with Black History Month, please be sure to include albums by Black artists in your picks. That has always been one of the exercise's core tenets, and I promise you will find some new favorites in doing so.

#MWE 5: The Breeders - All Nerve One of the more disappointing things for me as I've gotten older is my general disinterest in Kim Deal's music. And to be clear, I'm disappointed in myself! I loved her work in Pixies, and a few Breeders songs, and her song in This Mortal Coil. But other than that 🤷🏻‍♂️

#MWE 4: The Supremes - Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland I'm not sure why I chose this album, if I thought I'd hear something revelatory, or deep cuts, or what. I mean, yes, it's The Supremes. Turns out I know a bunch of these classic songs and they're all good! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 😄

#MWE 3: The Kinks - Kinda Kinks The hard part for me when listening to old albums, especially rock, is putting myself in that time and listening with fresh, curious ears. The Kinks are legendary, & deservedly so! But they've never been in my wheelhouse bar a few older songs & "Come Dancing".🤷🏻‍♂️

#MWE 2: The Rolling Stones - Between the Buttons Listening to the UK version. I'm a few of songs in and assuming I'll hear something that points to their future greatness but I'm not hearing it so far. Halfway through, I hear some cool sounds. Wait, this is from 1966-67? Wild shit. Not my thing.

#MWE 1: Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy A few songs in, not bad. 😂 I'm fairly new to listening to Dylan, I've heard his later stuff is different but I'm digging it. "Political World" is a train-shuffle tune, "Everything Is Broken" pretty standard uptempo blues. Some has that late 80's sheen, but overall good.

Ah shit, I forgot it's February! Time for #MWE! MWE stands for Music Writer Exercise, and the idea is to listen to an album per day you've never heard before & post a review of it that fits in one 300 character window. As always, all credit & love to @imgarysuarez.bsky.social for starting it! 🙌🏻

Five of my desert island discs I wish I could hear again for the first time that deserve your #MWE attention: PAUL SIMON: THE RHYTHM OF THE SAINTS THE CURE: WISH THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN: STONED & DETHRONED ELECTRONIC: ELECTRONIC MATTHEW SWEET: 100% FUN

Oh christ, I've been out of the Morrisseysphere enough that I haven't even heard of this. 😄 Gonna make a huge mistake and go check out the lyrics. 😂 Ok, before I get to the song, what are we doin' with this cover, babe. And now, having read the lyrics, I offer this review: wut

107. Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant From my dad's collection, I've had this in mine for years. Still in really good condition, too! Enjoyed "Highway in the Wind" from side 2.

It's time to start paying for it. And by "it" I mean independent hip-hop releases. Here are three you can--and should--cop right away. www.cabbageshiphop.com/paying-for-i...

Holy shit, I'd forgotten all about this song! A banger from 1983. Tommy Shaw's "Girls With Guns" 😂 tidal.com/track/355567...

105 & 106. Dan Fogelberg - The Innocent Age "Same Old Lang Syne" is one of my favorite songs (one of hundreds, to be clear 😄) but I didn't realize it was from this double album. There are 3 other big singles from this set, and I'm cool with them. Dan's quite the songwriter.

I’ve got “Who’s That Girl?” stuck in my head this morning. Which one is the best one? The Eurythmics: tidal.com/track/26112/u

Welp. Soon to be added to the collection. 😄 @thecure.com shop.thecure.com/products/boy...

103 & 104. Girl Talk - All Day I've mentioned how great this mashup album is. I was surprised to see this on vinyl, but it is and I love it. 😄 My youngest gave me this. If you're into mashups and aren't familiar, definitely get into it.

I essentially did this (for free!) back in the day with albums like Outlandos d'Amour by the Police and Exit Stage Left by Rush. I'd listen to the guitar on one listen, then the bass the next, then the drums, just hearing how it all fits together, what each one is doing individually. Easy mil. 😂

I've been fairly quiet lately because *gestures broadly* but this song is frickin' brilliant: tidal.com/track/161859/u

Elizabeth Fraser Kim Deal Robert Smith Bing Crosby Angelo Moore Olga Joe Strummer Laura Jane Grace Paul Westerberg Stuart Adamson I dunno, I could easily change this out with a bunch of others. 😂 This is how I feel right now with the lists that I looked at.

I dig it! I’m feeling like the Knack or Only Ones but any way you slice it, it’s good catchy guitar pop. 😎

I didn't realize how perfect Matt Berninger's voice is for covering New Order songs until he covered a New Order song. 😂 And maybe not "a" New Order song, but "the" New Order song. I want to hear more of these!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=csLf...

🤔 Peter Hook Andy Rourke Mani Kim Deal Simon Gallup Geddy Lee Armistead Burwell Smith IV Sting Tommy Stinson Les Claypool Honorable mentions to Macca & Bootsy & Kathy Valentine & Meshell Ndegeocello 😄 Too many greats!

Ok, I'm super slow to this but I just realized that the "radiation vibe" of the @fountainsofwayne.bsky.social song is…the sun. Like, radiation from the sun. Getting out in the sun. Which they literally say in the next lyric! "Don't it make you wanna get some sun?" Sunny vibe. Radiation vibe. ☀️😎

And Blur & Pulp had just played the Fillmore the night before, and members of each band were there in the audience as well. And I believe @robynhitchcock.bsky.social , too!