Over the years I've realized that I just don't want to listen to music that doesn't contain at least *some* joy, or if it sounds like the performers aren't at least enjoying what they're doing (or, god forbid, sneering at their audience 🙄). Life's too short, and my misery doesn't love company.

Damn. I thought today was The Coup vs Andrew Bird matchup... Instead it's 2 albums/artists that are really, really not my thing. I think I cast an 'abstain' on this for the first time.

Social media apps as Lord of the Rings characters, a thread: Twitter: Twitter is Gollum. Began as a normal halfling. Overexposure to evil left it thin and stretched and bitter.

I mean that makes sense the jet is already set to “evil”

this was a bad idea from people that are unbelievably high off their own supply

I guess Carney has zero standards. A list of Gladu's greatest hits: 1) opposing cannabis legalization, she read a poem in the House urging MPs to "keep our great country safe from all the weed." 2) in 2020, she suggested using the military to end pipeline protests... bsky.app/profile/thes...

Same for my wife on any* medical show, especially if the doctors start running the MRI/CT scanners. (*We haven't got round to the Pitt yet)

Going into this round, I thought it'd be an easy choice for Spoon for me, but that Opeth album is fantastic (and the Spoon album is just meh compared to their later stuff). Maybe a metal album can make the next round this time?

When @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social hits 1988 later this year, I'll be pulling for Crowded House's sophomore album, "Temple of Low Men". I don't have a lot of hope that it will get far, but it's one of those core memory albums for me ❤️ #NowPlaying

I don't particularly care for Daft Punk in large doses, but there's something about that Tipsy album that sets a vein pulsing in my forehead... And I was all in on Esquivel, P5, Combustible Edison, etc in the 90s. Daft Punk for me here.

A lot of music I hated as a teenager is so much easier to feel positively about, because I no longer feel perpetually at war with the music I don’t like the way I did back then

A no-brainer this morning. Until last week I'd never heard of Converge and, since I couldn't listen to 30 seconds of this album, I guess I still haven't! Ted Leo I don't know much about either, but naming your album after a Split Enz lyric just makes it that much more satisfying to vote for.

Now I'm wishing I'd volunteered to dona DC for Jim O'Rourke. It's probably the album in this whole thing that I'm most connected to. But it's Good Friday and I have to go drive somewhere. Kristin is a legend, but I just love O'Rourke's melodic stuff. Vote Jim.

An easy vote for Ben Folds for me. The Langley one is giving me PTSD to all of the hours of school concerts I (still) have to go to. I love my kids, I love that they're doing something creative but, dear God, I am not going to voluntarily listen to someone else's kids.

Fantastic seeing @divorcehq.bsky.social in Toronto tonight. Those harmonies... 😘👌

A bit wet at Dufferin and DuPont! #dlws

The fun thing about N. American tour schedules is that Toronto always seems to get the Monday/Tuesday night shows, en route from Chicago to other East coast US cities. This makes leaving the house on a wet Tuesday night less than enticing... But I do get to see live music so... 😁

The newest Canadian toonie just got a glow-up. Literally - it glows in the dark, celebrating 50 years of the CN Tower! 🎉

The view from @tourcntower.bsky.social looking nicely atmospheric today ❤️

I hope Scotland is fast-tracking massive windfarms around this bastard's golf courses right now.

Over on IG, Maria McKee just posted that "Life is Sweet" has turned 30. If you've not heard it and like the sound of a big, Bowie-esque, epically dramatic lost classic, go treat yourself. Sadly, IIRC, the masters were lost in the Universal fire 😥 open.spotify.com/album/7MwL0n...

Genuine thing I said today: "How do other English speakers manage without a word like "shoogly"?"

Question - have you stopped trying to keep up with new music? And if so, at what age did you stop?

I feel like I might be having a Mandela effect moment. I was sure that I'd read that XTC's "Go2" album cover concept was one that Hipgnosis had tried shopping around to other bands, including Yes, but I can't find a reference to that anecdote anywhere...

And now I'm onto "The Former Site of" The New Pornographers - a title that really only works when it's written that way. Nevertheless, AC Newman, Neko Case, and Kathryn Calder, et al do their powerpop thing and make the world a better place #NewMusicFriday open.spotify.com/album/10Ehvb...

Another big one today - the new Courtney Barnett, "Creature of Habit". On first listen I like it a lot. I just hope I have time to listen to all of these some more this week... #NewMusicFriday open.spotify.com/album/6d8sED...

I think today is one of the best #NewReleaseFridays in months, if not years. There's a great new album from Nova Scotia's Wintersleep - "Wishing Moon". If you like Frightened Rabbit then... well, you probably already know them, since they toured together quite a bit open.spotify.com/album/2AdUlZ...

It's a pretty stacked #NewMusicFriday (for my listening at least). The big one (and I mean BIG!!) is RAYE - there is so much going on in this album, and it's working. Lots of big, Freddie Mercury-level dramatic diva vibes all over, and it's quite fabulous open.spotify.com/album/3ZN01x...

Oof. Thursday. No. Just... no. Low get my vote today by a mile.

I worry that Delta closing its special services for those in Congress will make it more difficult for Ted Cruz to abandon his constituents in a crisis.

More: - Tiffany Aching, Pratchett - Prydain, Alexander (great as a pre-LOTR series imo) - Dark Is Rising, Cooper - His Dark Materials (hits real hard for weirdo smart kids) - Graceling, Cashore (I mistakenly read them in order 1-3-2 and actually might recommend that) - Queen’s Thief, Turner

The commentary about of Stars of the Lid almost had me skip listening entirely. I didn't, and it's actually got a lot going for it... ...but it's TOO DAMN LONG! Cut the tracks in half, or make it a single disc and I'd probably go for it, but MJB takes this one for me (even tho it's also too long)

There's a big chunk of 80s Rush out this week with the Grace Under Pressure super deluxe and... I don't think I've ever listened to this one before. And I'm not sure if I will again 😬🎹

Every now and then I do a search to see if there's anything "new" online about old Glasgow record shops. Apparently it's been a couple of years since I last looked, since I just found this article from 2023 www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/a...

1) Talent doesn't negotiate; agents negotiate. 2) You only hear about casting before anything is signed when one side leaks it to the press to use public opinion against the other. 3) The word "demands" when it comes to pay means someone is trying to get the other at a steep discount.

Absolute banger of an album ❤️

I almost did myself an injury laughing at Diane Morgan's joker performance.

In case it's of interest... www.pleasantgreen.co.uk/the-return-o...

In 1981 Doctor Who Magazine published the first comprehensive inventory of the BBC's archive, listing Doctor Who episodes both existing and missing. 41 episodes have been returned since. Here's a recreation of that list & how it stands in 2026, via designer Matthew Purchase linktr.ee/matthewpurch...

RELEASED TODAY: 'True' by Tenderness Katy Beth Young of Peggy Sue delivers her first solo LP of folk songwriting. Includes a signed print. www.normanrecords.com/records/2126...

Tenderness announces debut album True and shares new single ‘We’ll Always Have Paris 1919’ Tenderness – the solo project of Katy Beth Young – announces her debut album True, out 13 March via Amorphous Sounds, and shares new single, ‘We’ll Always Have Paris 1919’.

I've not really been feeling the #NewMusicFriday love lately, so it was a lovely surprise this morning to see that Katy Beth Young (one half of the late lamented UK band Peggy Sue) has released a truly beautiful album under the name Tenderness. Give it a listen - open.spotify.com/album/3s0Y1s...

After ripping through Robert Jackson Bennett's "Shadow of the Leviathan" books recently, I gave another of his series a go - The Founders Trilogy - and (so far) I may actually enjoy it more than the Ana & Din books! #BookSky share.libbyapp.com/title/3778707

Batman 1966 tribute art by UK-based artist George Caltsoudas | www.behance.net/gallery/2456...

ECCC was fun and I had a wonderful time. But there was a storm cloud. When I complained about Trump with my white straight cis friends, we were all sincere and concerned. But I talked with many Trans friends, and it’s so much worse. They are in fear for their lives. 1/

There are 30th anniversary editions of dEUS's first 2 albums out this week, and I'd forgotten just how bloody weird they were. In a good way of course, but there's a lot going on there, especially on "In a Bar, Under the Sea" #NowPlaying open.spotify.com/album/4bYeDX...

I should be getting to bed early, what with the clocks going forward tonight. Instead, I think it's time for some late night tunes courtesy of Tsunami's "A Brilliant Mistake". Such an incredible album, finally on vinyl as part of the "Loud is as" box set ❤️ #NowPlaying

I'm not at the Richard Vernon/Slartibartfast mark yet, but I am older than Pertwee was when he started as The Doctor (and the @brimleyline.bsky.social is way behind me now).