ON REPEAT: Accelera Deck, ‘89 The Brainchild, Optic Sink, Jay-Jay Johanson, Frank Medley, The Crying Nudes, deer park, Heartworms, Water From Your Eyes, Men I Trust, Pulp, LCD Soundsystem

So tell the girls that I am back in town...

Hi! I’m tired but feeling good. We just did a bunch of Best Show 25 shows in New York, Philly & LA! We still have one more Chicago date to go next week, so tell your friends.

The Best Show was something I discovered 20(!) years ago when I was in high school. Inspired by the comedy bits between host Tom Scharpling and his comedy partner Jon Wurster, I began calling in, doing bits myself—something I wouldn’t recommend. Somehow, I received some unlikely off-show encouragement from Tom, which was just the boost I needed to pursue comedy on my own.

In the years that followed, motivated in part to someday be a “proper” Best Show guest one day, I launched my own local television show, produced one million comedy performances, and created a podcast with Forever Dog, which led to opportunities in producing, editing, and design for the independent podcast company. Coincidentally, I learned all the perfect skills (along with my history with the show) to eventually join the podcast as a producer when Tom sought out Forever Dog as an L.A. production partner that could scale up the show.

This past week has been incredible, where I saw the scale of the fanbase, which typically only exists on online spaces. I both shared my fandom of what Tom and Jon have built and got some surprising recognition of my own work over the years. (John Gentle made a few appearances, too.)

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting numerous listeners and admired musicians and comedians, and I was able to draft several of my longtime collaborators into the shows as well. Along with traveling and seeing so many old friends, it’s just been good vibes, and I’m feeling nice about all of it, particularly when the world is all bad vibes.

I wanna publicly thank Tom, Jon, AP Mike, Jason, Pat, FD, and all the FOTs that have let me be a part of one of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten to be a part of.

I’ve been doing a lot of walking around New York and Philly—and listening to a lot of music too, so here are some song recommendations. Here’s the playlist link!

Jay-Jay Johanson & Magnus Frykberg “So Tell The Girls That I Am Back In Town”

I’m all here for trip-hop crooners. This has been the de facto soundtrack to start every day of my return to Brooklyn, which will always be home.

Once voted “the most beautiful man in the world”, Jay-Jay Johanson of Trollhättan, Sweden, released this track in August 1996, sounding like Jens Lekman singing over Portishead. This record kicked off a long career of electronic experimentation, which included something called the “Cosmodrome,” a giant 2001 art installation in France and a possibly regrettable Fischerspooner-y electroclash phase.

I first heard this on The Righteous Gemstones when Gideon was doing dirtbike stunts, and it’s popped up recently on AEW as the theme song for Taz’s less chode-y, well-coiffed son, Hook:

Accelera Deck “This Bliss”

I was on a late night walk when this song I heard a bit of and put on a “songs to listen to” playlist popped up. It conjured this very strange feeling of nostalgia that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but I’ve since listened to it every day this week.

It’s unlikely I heard this back in 1997 when I’m just learning the song was released. (I also thought the previous song was newer.)

Accelera Deck is Chris Jeely from Birmingham, Alabama. He had been a musician in the shoegaze lane before two major life events: a fire that consumed his home and his equipment, and a single listen to Aphex Twin that inspired him to start anew with electronic beats.

Kelly Lee Owens “More Than A Woman”

I’m a big Aaliyah head. I regularly wear an Aaliyah shirt that gets me nods on the street. This is due, in part to a Y2K-adjacent puberty but also revisiting her whole catalog. This cover from Welsh musician Kelly Lee Owens from a few years ago just recently hit my ears on Anu’s NTS show (which always hits) and it’s a great cover—one also enhanced by a listen on .75 speed as one YouTube commenter pointed out.

Optic Sink “Don’t Look Down”

One of my very favorite bands down in Memphis, Optic Sink add a cool CAN-y influence to their synth-y post-punk sound. You may know the singer Natalie Hoffmann from the band Nots, which was also one of my favorite groups when they were still rockin, but this is new act is such a cool departure. As heard on The Best Show, actually!

Heartworms “Jacked”

I play this when I start running so it’s funny to see the video is also just running.

Water From Your Eyes “Born 2”

Still loving this record.

‘89 The Brainchild “OPERATION: FLESH PRISON LIBERATION EFFORT”

Yuup.

Frank Medley “Scars”

This hits hard! Vocals on the track are from Lioness & Queenie from about seven years ago, rapping over a new track from Frank Medley. They rapped quite a bit before the sun went down completely that day. Here’s what Queenie is up to lately. This rules so hard I can’t begin to explain it.

Pink Siifu & Turich Benjy “Bussin’ (Cold)”

Cincinnati rapper Pink Siifu’s got a deep catalog of great tracks and this is one of them from 4 years ago that I’m just catching up with.

Men I Trust “Another Stone”

Another good song for late-night walks.

The Crying Nudes “Ber3ft”

If this sounds like Dean Blunt, it’s because it is! Another one of his secretive projects, this time with Fine Glindvad from Copenhagen’s Chinah, and also a collaborator with OR fave Erika De Casier.

deer park & Ivy Knight “Pharmacy”

A cool track from newer NYC band deer park, which was actually a fake band name I gave when I used to prank call Courtney Love about a “collab” in college.

Sorry “Jetplane”

Click on the video to see modern dancers simulate an orgy with Elon Musk, The Joker, Mickey Mouse and The Grinch.

Pulp “After You”

I saw Pulp and LCD Soundsystem when they came through Los Angeles and had a blast. Was revisiting some record I skipped over and liked this track from 2013.

LCD Soundsystem “Movement”

One of the most formative songs for my taste in music. LCD would move away from aping Mark E. Smith in later records, but I wish they hadn’t. Weirdly, this never led to me getting super into The Fall.

Heard this first back in 2004 on New York Noise, a show I’d later appear on—and someone actually recognized me at one of the Best Show 25 shows from that.

This recent Hollywood Bowl show was actually the first time I saw LCD live, somehow. I reminisced with fellow elderlennials about watching their “last” show on a livestream. Tried desperately to get James Murphy on my old public access show and eventually wound up playing him a few times, usually fighting Thanos for some reason.