Music For Listeners 10/21/2023

1) Beastie Boys-"Country Mike's Theme"  From the compilation album 'Anthology: The Sounds of Science'.
2) Richard Normal Valentine-"What You're Doing To Me"  From the brand new single for "Nothing Here"/"What You're Doing to Me".
3) Peter Gabriel-"Four Kinds of Horses (Bright-Side Mix)"  From the forthcoming 'I/O (Bright Mix)'.
4) Mykki Blanco-"Magic On My Back"  From the brand new EP 'Postcards From Italia'.
5) Gently Tender-"Home Anymore"  From the album 'Take Hold Of Your Promise!'.
6) Chilli Jesson-"Carolina Reaper"  From the EP 'Carolina Reaper'.
7) Cassia-"Find My Way Around"  From the brand new single for "Find My Way Around".
8) A Certain Ratio-"Day By Day"  From the brand new EP '2023'.
9) U2-"Seconds"  From the album 'War'.
10) Jalen Ngonda-"Come Around and Love Me"  From the brand new album 'Come Around and Love Me'.
11) Wilco-"A Bowl and a Pudding"  From the brand new album 'Cousin'.
12) Vanishing Twin-"Lotus Eater"  From the brand new album 'Afternoon X'.
13) Talking Heads-"Found A Job"  From the soundtrack to the motion picture 'Stop Making Sense'.
14) The Shins-"Turn A Square"  From the album 'Chutes Too Narrow'.
15) Gruff Rhys-"Celestial Candyfloss"  From the forthcoming album 'Sadness Sets Me Free'.
16) Wild Nothing-"Dial Tone"  From the forthcoming album 'Hold'.
17) Margo Price-"Mind Travel"  From the brand new album 'Strays II'.
18) The Breeders-"Saints"  From the album 'Last Splash'.
19) Fleetwood Mac-"Forever"  From the album 'Mystery To Me'.
20) Torres-"Collect"  From the forthcoming album 'What An Enormous Room'.
21) Woods-"The Seed"  From the brand new album 'Perennial'.
22) Lily and Madeleine-"Rolling Rock"  From the brand new album 'Nite Swim'.
23) The Staples Singers-"In the Ghetto (Demo)"  From the compilation album 'Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos'.
24) Bex Burch-"Dawn Blessings"  From the brand new album 'There is Only Love and Fear'.
25) Can-"Dizzy Spoon (System 7 Mix)"  From the remix album 'Sacrilege'.
26) The Orb and David Gilmour-"Flat Side: Seamlessly Martian Spheres of Reflection Mix: Movement 3"  From the brand new album 'Metallic Spheres in Colour'.
27) "The Mid-Morning Recording"          The Cure-'Wish'
I like The Cure, and my affection and respect for them has only grown since I first started listening to them in the mid-80's. I had heard a song or two here and there back in the early 80's, "Boys Don't Cry", "10:15", and that was mostly on MTV late nights. When "In Between Days" came out, they were everywhere very quickly. I was also of that age being a melancholic mid-year teen at the time, so they did speak to me a bit. After 'Kiss Me', then the epic 'Disintergration' release, which threw the band into turmoil. After several remixes and videos, and this album 'Wish', they were playing arenas and stadiums worldwide, and I was excited to finally see them live. Orlando and I got to see them in Austin on this tour for the "Wish" album. He sat with our late friend Bart Koch, and I believe I sat alone in the soon to be demolished Frank Irwin Center. It's nice to say that I've seen them live, and some would be jealous that we got to see them on this tour, but I remember the show wasn't that engaging. It was good, and maybe I had big expectations, but arena shows usually sound like an echo chamber, and it just seemed too big of a room for the material. The Cure even were expressing in the press how they didn't care for their big shows as much. I know at the time I was going to see bands in smaller rooms, standing room in an intimate crowd. Looking back, I would most likely enjoy the same arena show more at my age now, as these days I prefer a seat to standing throughout a whole show. Again, it wasn't a bad show at all, and maybe it came down to the lighting design which featured pillars of cloth, which looked OK, but depending on the angle of your seat in the venue, (I was in the cheap seats), the columns of cloth blocked off the musicians. I remember being bothered by that in particular. No doubt, these days, they continue to be one of the most amazing live acts, even in the largest of venues, and I would return to see them again if I had an opportunity. As I said at the start, "I like The Cure", and I know a few friends who really really love them, and that is understandable. They are a great band. On that note, to my knowledge, The Cure have never played a show in San Antonio, which I find pretty incredible really. "When I see you sky as a kite, as high as I might, I can't get that high" - Michael - MFL
28) James-"Sayonara" From the album 'Wah-Wah'.