Music For Listeners 11/16/2019

1) Beastie Boys-"Country Mike's Theme"  From the compilation album 'Anthology: The Sounds of Science'.
2) The Delines-"Eight Floors Up"  From the brand new digital single for "Eight Floors Up".
3) Beach Bunny-"Dream Boy"  From the forthcoming album 'Honeymoon'.
4) Weyes Blood-"Everyday (Rough Trade Session)"  From the brand new EP 'Rough Trade Session'.
5) Orchards-"Sooner"  From the brand new digital single for "Sooner".
6) Peggy Sue-"Motorcade"  From the forthcoming album 'Vices'.
7) Boy Azooga-"O Silly Me"  From the brand new digital single for "O Silly Me".
8) THYLA-"Lennox Hill"  From the forthcoming EP 'Everything At Once'.
9) The Wedding Present-"Brassneck (Single Version)"  From the deluxe edition release of the album 'Bizarro'.
10) Gary Davenport-"Trust In Authority"  From the brand new compliation album 'Scattered Thoughts '.
11) Stereolab-"Mass Riff"  From the forthcoming expanded album 'Margerine Eclipse'.
12) Los Bitchos-"The Link Is About To Die"  From the brand new digital single for "The Link Is About To Die".
13) Pynch-"Disco Lights (Dan Carey Mega Mix)"  From the forthcoming vinyl 7" single for "Disco Lights".
14) Easy Life (Feat. Arlo Parks)-"Sangria"  From the forthcoming 'Junk Food Mixtape'.
15) Fontaines D.C.-"Rocket to Russia (Darklands Version)"  From the brand new EP 'Darklands Version'.
16) The Murder Capital-"Green & Blue"  From the digital single for "Green & Blue".
17) Bodega-"Shiny New Model"  From the brand new EP 'Shiny New Model'.
18) Kiwi Jr-"Leslie"  From the album 'Football Money'.
19) Biig Piig-"Roses and Gold"  From the brand new EP 'No Place For Patience'.
20) Shura-"religion (u can lay your hands on me) (Live at Metropolis Studios)"  From the EP 'Live at Metropolis Studios'.
21) Anna Of The North-"Playing Games"  From the brand new album 'Dream Girl'.
22) Halloweens-"Hannah, You're Amazing"  From the brand new digital single for "Hannah, You're Amazing".
23) O Gertie-"Believer"  From the brand new album 'Urbanite Don't Let the Sun Set on You Here'.
24) Weird Milk-"Time Machine"  From the brand new digital single for "Time Machine".
25) Kohla-"_Gorgeous"  From the brand new digital single for "_Gorgeous".
26) Annie Hart-"Wilderness Hill"  From the forthcoming album 'A Softer Offering'.
27) Rachael Dadd-"Animal"  From the brand new album 'Flux'.
28) Joe Henry-"Green Of The Afternoon"  From the brand new album 'The Gospel According To Water'.
29) Angel Olsen-"Chance"  From the brand new album 'All Mirrors'.
30) "The Mid-Morning Recording"                 The Monkees-'Good Times'
At the beginning of the week, we hadn't heard the news, but Tuesday, I awoke to news that the two remaining Monkees would be playing in San Antonio next April. Michael Nesmith once lived in San Antonio, having his basic training at Lackland AFB, and studies as a young adult at San Antonio College. Even though he lived in Houston and Dallas before moving here, his mother actually grew up here, graduating from Alamo Heights High School. It appears that Michael Nesmith hasn't played music in San Antonio since before he moved to Los Angeles, and subsequently became the singer, songwriter, filmmaker, and actor that we now know. Incidentally, Dolenz hasn't played here since 1986 when The Monkees, (sans Nesmith), played the Sunken Gardens Theater. It has been over thirty years since these songs have been sung in the Alamo city. I wish I would have seen them in 1986, but I was a stubborn Nesmith fan, and foolishly did not attend. In 2013, I saw Nesmith first play live when The Monkees performed in Austin for the first time since the 60's. This was without Davy as he had passed away earlier that year, so I sadly never saw him perform. I also got to see Nesmith play with the reformed First National Band last year, and that was certainly a special event. Now with tickets already in hand celebrating the return of Nesmith and Dolenz back to San Antonio, I thought it to be proper to play their 2016 album 'Good Times' on the show. As with all the Monkees albums, 'Good Times' has a great wealth of legendary songwriters: Harry Nilsson, Neil Diamond, Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart, Gerry Goffin/Carole King, and also Dolenz, Tork, and Nesmith themselves all take part. The album also features songs written by some amazing and more modern day song crafters in Andy Partridge of XTC, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, Paul Weller of The Jam, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. It is an incredible list of songwriters, and that's what makes all the great Monkees albums work so well. Great songs from great songwriters, great arrangements, and great musicianship. I think it surprised many people, but when the ingredients are this good, and the cooks are this great, you get magic in the meal. Another surprise on this album for me personally is the Ben Gibbard penned tune, "Me and Magdalena". It is sung by Nesmith in harmony with Dolenz, and it has become one of my favorite songs, not only in the whole Monkees catalog, but also one of my favorite songs ever recorded. It is a delight to listen to, and an instant masterpiece. It seems to be a featured song on this next tour as well. I know I'm excited! "But know everything lost will be recovered. When you drift into the arms of the undiscovered" - Michael - MFL
31) James-"Sayonara"  From the album 'Wah-Wah'.